104.—(1) Where any gas undertaker is authorised by any special Act, Provisional or other Order or licence to supply gas in any area which is included in the area of supply of an authorised undertaker, and such gas undertaker is by virtue of such Act, Order, or licence under any general or limited obligation to supply gas upon demand, the Minister may, upon the application of such gas undertaker, inquire into the circumstances of the case, and if he is satisfied that any specified part of such area is sufficiently supplied with electricity, and that the supply of gas in such specified part has ceased to be remunerative to the said gas undertaker and that it is just that the said gas undertaker should be relieved from the obligation to supply gas upon demand as aforesaid, the Minister may in his discretion make an order relieving the said gas undertaker from such obligation within such specified part of such area either wholly or in part, and upon such terms and conditions as he thinks proper.

(2) From and after the date of an order under this section, the gas undertaker to whom the order relates shall, within such area, to the extent, and upon the terms and conditions specified in the order, be relieved from the said obligation to supply gas upon demand.

(3) All expenses incurred by the Minister in connection with the making of an order under this section, or in connection with any inquiry in relation to the making of such an order (whether an order is actually made or not) shall be borne and paid by the gas undertaker upon whose application the inquiry or order was made.