The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1878-05-04 00:00:00

THE RAILWAY QUESTION.

The Clerk read a long correspondence between
Mr. Prescott, the Local Government Board, and
tip- Clerk to the Commissioners on the subject of
the opposition 10 the Bill by the Commissioners
to the Great Western Railway Company's Bill.
Mr. Taylor read the following letter :
Whitehall, S.W. 20th, April, 1878.
Sir,---I am directed by the Local Government
Board to acknowledge the receipt of yonr letter
of the 18th instant, respecting the objections sub-
mitted to them by Mr. Prescott with reference to
the proposal of the Stourbridge Improvement
Commissioners to oppose in Parliament the Great
Are.atern Railway Bill, 1878. The Board have
cousider,.tl the application of the Commissioners
for their approval of the resolut'on to oppose the
Bill in question, and they direct me to state that,
in Iy:7lr-trice of section 4 of the Municipal Cor-
poratiors (Borough Funds) Act, 1872, they
approve of the resolution referred to so far as it
rAntes tr, matters within their jurisdiction. The
Board direct me at the same time to state that
the Act above mentioned does not male their

consent in any way dep-n-3.-nt upon that or t?:.
owners and ratepaycrs in the district being
obtained in the manner provided by that Act,
but that the rates cannot be legally charged with
the expense of the oppostion to a Bill, notwith-
stP.nding the consent of the Board, unless the
o wners and ratepayers have also assented to the
opposition. As to the validity or otherwise of the
proceedings which have been taken for the pur-
pose of obtaining such assent in the present case,
the Board express no opinion.

I am, sir, your obedient servant,

HUGH Ow, JUN.

The Clerk also read a statement sent to the
Great Western Railway Company, embodying the
objections the Commissioners had to the substitu-
tion of the road now being constructed in lieu of
Fester Street, and also what were the Commis-
sioners' requirements in reference thereto. In a
letter which accompanied it, the Clerk mid he was
&Aired to state that the Commissionerslwere very
desirous to secure, if possible, by friendly negotia-
tion, the end they had in view without resorting
to expensive methods. The Commissioners
recognised in the fact that by Mr. Saunders's
(the secretary) letter of 6th February he was dis-
posed to advise the directors to construct a sub-
way for foot passengers in Foster Street, and a
footway about eft. wide on the upside of the line
from Foster Street to Angel Street, a desire to
meet the wishes of the inhabitants as far as
possible. In the latter case, it was arranged with
Mr. Owen (the engineer to the company) that the
Commissioners would negotiate for the purchase
of the land from Mr. Stringer, but the cost thereof
was to be :mid by the company. The Commis-
sioners having had, an opportunity of learning
from their constituents the serious inconvenience
that would arise from clo,ing Foster Street as a
thoroughfare for wheeled traffic, and of Angel
Street and further the substituted row,' would be
so inconvenir,nt in width and approaches at
Church Street and Parkfiell Gate, that they were
compelled to ask the eern:•ary not only to give the
proposed subwa,- for foot pas-.-ngers, but also that
it might be rendered available for wheeled traffic.
While in the public interests the Commissioners
had beenlobliged to assume what would otherwise
appear an antagonistic position, they wished him
to express the hope that the same friendly spirit
that had hitherto characterised their proceedings
might still prevail.
Mr. Hughes said the Commissioners would be
satisfied, from the voluminous correspondence
which had been read, that the Railway Com-
mittee had not been idle. (Hear, hear.)
On the motion of Mr. Billingham, a vote of
thanks was passed to the Clerk for the trouble he
had taken in the matter.

Mr. John Taylor, the clerk to the Improvement
Commissioners, received a communication on
Wednesday from the Secretary of State sanction-
ing the opposition proposed to be made to the
Bill of the Great Western Railway Company when
it comes before the committee of the House of
Lords.

The Sewage Committee had no further statement
to submit, and "reported progress."

THE LALt FRANK MILLWARD.