The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1870-10-15 00:00:00

CORRESPONDENCE.

rVe rish it to he disttnetly understood that Ine inserting
letters in this solumn, toe do not thereby identify ourselees
with the opinions of oar Correspondents.

To the Elitor of the Oheen,er."

Sin—Every shoulder is made to beer its own burden,
and every company and board is responsible only for its
own acts; but often we see endeavours made to fasten
burdens and responsibilities upon in.iividuale and bodies
of men which do not in any way belong to them. This
is true in the ease of a letter which appealed in your
Journal of Sept. 24, signed Nemo Nomad." The set,-
timeuta of this letter were endorsed by "An Old Inhal,
aria "in the following week's inane. Both these corres.
pondents complain, and most unjustly, that the Stone-
-I,ridge Commissioners have no public spirit, and then
endeavour to prove their case by reference to the remo-
val of the post office. It seems evident that these two
writers are not reader, of the monthly proceedings ef
the Commissioners, as reported in your paper, or they
would have found from time to time that every exertion
! had been put forth to prevent the removal of the post
! office, and the Great Western from abandoning their
scheme le bring • station into Foaterstreet. In refer-
ence to the post office removal, your correspondents
would lead the public to believe that the Commissioners
had the power in their own hands not only to decide its
locality, but, if nesessary, to prevent its removal. Allow
me to say that our local governing body had not a voice
in the matter, as its removal was purely a Government
question. The Commissioners did, I believe, petition
for a central situation so soon as it was made known that
its removal was decided upon, and the Clerk wrote num•
hers of letters urging the moat convenient Site for the
whole township; but after all the Government decided
in favour of the one in Lower High-street, probably at
the suggestion of the present pestmuter. The next
point of attack is that in reference to the intended rail-
way station in Foster-street. Now, in reference, to thi,
matter, allow me to say that the Commissioners did all
they could to oppose the Ureat Weatern in their petition
to Government to abandon Foster-street as • site for •
station. After a great amount of correspondence on the
part of the Commiaaioners with the Board of Trade and
with the Great Western Company, Colonel Hutchinson
was sent down by :le Board of Trade, and after hearing
all that could be urged In favour of Foster-street, he
recommended the bottom of the town as the moat suit.
able place for • station. The Great Wester!, are boned
by the terms of this report to bring a station into the
town in the course of the next five years.
You will thus ere, Mr. Editor, that the Gommiasioners
are not only free from blame, but did all they could to
oppose the removal of the post office from a central po•
gluon, and the Great Western from abandoning their
scheme to bring a station into the centre of the town.
In reference to the last point in the letter of " An Old
Inhabitant," I cordially agree with him that power lies
in the hands of the Commissioners to erect gas works in
the town, and if it ran be shown that by the erection of
a gas works the Commissioners can supply gas to the
consumers as cheaply as they do in Walsall, I must ad.
mit that the governing body of this town are not only
not doing their duty to the town, but conniving at an in-
justice. The difference between 3s 9d and 28 34 per lOUS
cubic feet is so considerable that the question should at
once engage the attention of our local Board. Perhaps
An Old Inhabitant" can enggest a scheme for the erec-
tion of a gas works, and demonstrate that gas can be
supplied as cheaply here as elsewhere. This will confer
a great boon upon the town in general, and upon every
gas consumer in particular.
Yours truly,
AMICLIS.
Stourbridge, Oct. 7, 1870.