been found that the utility in question has not been following the orders of the Commission, which prohibit the collection of such charges. In one instance recently, a utility was required to refund cash deposits to 412 consumers amounting to from $2.50 to $10 each.

The work of the division in settling informal complaints and in adjusting disputes which are constantly arising is of great benefit not only to the general public but also to the utilities.

Considerable work has been done recently by this division in standardizing rules and regulations of the water utilities of the state, and a set of rules has been worked out which in general meets the needs of the average domestic water company. On account of the local or peculiar conditions existing in the case of some utilities, special rules are necessary, but in the main the companies are adopting the standard rules almost without alteration.

Schedules of rates, rules and regulations of fifty utilities were filed with the Commission during the fiscal year and were analyzed, checked and accepted for filing by the hydraulic division.

The following classification shows the nature and number of informal complaints filed during the year:

Service.

Extensions of mains.

Rates..

Bills.

Deposits to guarantee payment of bills.

Cash deposits made with the Commission on account of disputed bills.
Miscellaneous--

Totals..

165

100

62

47

9

83

13

479

INFORMAL TELEPHONE COMPLAINTS.

The Commission has had before it an extremely large number of informal telephone complaints for decision. The rapid growth of the Pacific coast has created a large demand for telephone service and as a result some of the utilities have had difficulty in maintaining a construction program to keep pace with this growth. This condition to a large degree has been responsible for a large number of the complaints received. During the past fiscal year telephone and telegraph division has decided 1138 informal complaints which work, together with the formal work, has required of this division the writing of over 9700 letters. Over 89 per cent of the informal decisions made in these complaints has been favorable to the complainant.

A segregation of these complaints decided during the past year are shown in the table following:

CHAPTER IV.

SECURITY ISSUES.

During the twelve months ended June 30, 1923, the Railroad Commission passed upon applications involving the issue of $151,045,555.91 of stock, bonds, notes and other evidences of indebtedness. It authorized the issue of $144,860,030.91 of securities, as compared with $188,401,250.99 for the year ending June 30, 1923. It denied applications for permission to issue $206,150 of securities and dismissed applications involving the issue of $5,979,375, as compared with $570,253 and $1,113,610 respectively, for the year ending June 30, 1922. The action of the Commission may be shown by the following tabulation:

From July 1, 1922, to June 30, 1923, public utilities filed with the Commission applications for permission to issue $148,059,405.91 of stock, bonds, notes and certificates, as compared with $198,105,063.99 for the preceding twelve months' period.

From March 23, 1912, the effective date of the Public Utilities Act, to June 30, 1923, the Railroad Commission passed upon applications for permission to issue $1,665,878,954.12 of securities, which were disposed of as follows:

The amount of securities which different classes of utilities have been authorized to issue is shown in the following tabulation:

In the applications pending before the Commission on June 30, 1923, public utilities asked permission to issue $6,840,109.79 of securities. The relation of the securities pending on June 30, 1923, to those pending on June 30, 1922, is as follows:

In amount, about 80 per cent of the applications pending on June 30, 1923, were filed during June of this year.

AUTHORIZATIONS DURING LAST TWO YEARS.

During the last two years the various classes of public utilities were authorized to issue stock, bonds, notes and other evidences of indebtedness as follows:

The purposes for which the public utilities were authorized to issue securities and amounts for each purpose are shown by the following table:

Reducing the foregoing figures to a percentage basis, one arrives at the following:

The tables following show the Commission's action during the year and the names of utilities which have been authorized to issue stock, bonds, notes and equipment trust certificates.

Table No. 1 shows the total amount of stock, bonds, notes and certificates of indebtedness applied for, authorized, denied and dismissed during the year ending June 30, 1923, and the amount pending on June 30, 1923, segregated as to classes of utilities.

Table No. 2 sets forth the same information segregated as to purpose of issue and class of utility.

Table No. 3 shows the amount of stock, bonds, notes and certificates. of indebtedness of steam railroad companies applied for, authorized, denied and dismissed during the year ending June 30, 1923.

Table No. 4 shows the amount of stock, bonds and certificates of indebtedness of electric railway companies applied for, authorized, denied and dismissed during the year ending June 30, 1923.

Table No. 5 shows the amount of stock and notes of automotive companies applied for, authorized, denied and dismissed during the

Table No. 6 shows the amount of stock, bonds and notes of gas and electric companies applied for, authorized, denied and dismissed during the year ending June 30, 1923, and the amount pending on June 30, 1923.

Table No. 7 shows the amount of stock, bonds and notes of water companies applied for, authorized, denied and dismissed during the year ending June 30, 1923, and the amount pending on June 30, 1923.

Table No. 8 shows the amount of stock, bonds and notes of telephone and telegraph companies applied for, authorized, denied and dismissed during the year ending June 30, 1923, and pending on June 30, 1923.

Table No. 9 shows the amount of stock, bonds and notes of carriers by water applied for, authorized, denied and dismissed during the year ending June 30, 1923.

Table No. 10 shows the amount of stock, bonds and notes of warehousemen applied for, authorized, denied and dismissed during the year ending June 30, 1923.

TABLE NO. 1.

SHOWING THE AMOUNT OF STOCK, BONDS, NOTES AND OTHER EVIDENCES OF INDEBTEDNESS APPLIED FOR, AUTHOR ZED, DEN ED AND D.SM SSED BY THE RAILROAD COMM SS ON OF THE STATE OF CAL FORN.A FROM JULY 1, 1922, TO JUNE 30, 1923, AND PENDING BEFORE THE RAILROAD COMM.SS ON ON JUNE 30, 1923.

TABLE NO. 2.

SHOWING AMOUNT AND PURPOSE OF STOCK, BONDS, NOTES AND OTHER CERTIFICATES OF INDEBTEDNESS APPL'ED FOR, AUTHOR ZED, DEN.ED. D SM SSED AND PENDING BY AND BEFORE THE RAILROAD COMM.SS.ON OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA FROM JULY 1, 1922, TO JUNE 30, 1923.