The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1876-10-28 00:00:00

THE DEEP DRAINAGE OF DUDLEY,

On Tuesday Mr. Robert Morgan, C.E., held a court
at the Public Offices, Dudley, to enquire into the
Public Odices, Dudley, to nquire into the necessity of a
proposed loan of £45,000 to the Corporation fur the
drainage of Dudley proper. This was the third enquiry
into the matter.

The Mayor (Mr. Joseph Stokes) again appeared to
conduct the case of the Corporation. Mr. H. U.oder-
hill (Messrs. H. and J. E. Uudehill) was for Lord
Dudley, the Mines Drainage Commissioners, and other
property (inners.

In opening the proceeding., the Bx.yor referred to the
previous enquiries, and said he was there that morning
simply to propose for the consideration of the Com-
missioner the alternative plan suggested by Mr. Under-
hill, carried out by Mr. Marten, and now adopted by the
Councils as theirs, in place of Mr. Stevenson's original
plan. Although the present system would cost more
money, it absolved the Council from dealing with the
sewage at Ru,sell's Hall, and so freed them from the
possibility of injunctions from the various landowners
through whose properties brooks and other watercourses
ran. Those injunctions were most expensive matters,
and caused much irritation "iietween corporate bodies
and others By taking the sewage to Lord Dudley's
farm at Whitehouse they were relieved of all further
difficulty. His Worship then called on Mr. Marten to
explain his scheme, and this the engineer did.
At the conclusion of the explanation, the Com-
missioner addressing the Mayor, said the Governftent
would lend money at 3i per cent., to be repaid in thirty
years, but would charge 4 per cent. on a loan extendins
over fifty years._ s

In answer to Mr. Homfray (Homfray and Holbertony,
who represented the districts of Nethertrn and Wood-
side, Mr. Marten said he had received no instructions
from the Corporation to prepare plans for draining
those districts.
In reply to Mr. John Taylor (31r. Foley's agent), the
Commissioner said the 3rd clause in the Rivers Pollu-
tion Act would prevent any injury by the Corporation
to the river Smeston.
Mr. Homf ray announced that he had a protest to put
in at the proper time. He believed that when the
Commissioner first came he threw out a suggestion
that the whole of the borough should be drained.
Mr. Morgan: Yes.
Continuing, Mr. Homfray said the people of Netherton
and Woodside were represented by twelve gentlemen,
whilst the urban part of the borough had twenty-eight
representatives ; and lately it had been agreed by the
Council, by twenty-two to eight, that nothing should be
done to Netherton and Woodside.
The Mayor said that was not so. The Council agreed,
by twenty-two to eight, that Netherton and Woodside
should not be exempt from payment of rates. A pro-
minent- member of the Council was about to lay before
them &scheme for draining the outlying districts.
Mr. lion-fray said they intended to proceed by
mandamus to compel the Corporation to drain Netherton
and Woodside. He asked for an adjournment for
three months, in order that the Council might prepare
plans to drain the outside districts, and the works in
Dudley stand still until that time.
The Commissioner said the two schemes were totally
different, • and why should that of Dudley stand.idle for
three months ?-
Mr. Homfray : Because my clients do not believe the
Corporation have a bona fide intention of draining the
outlying places. The ratepayers in the country are large
ones—those in the town are small—and it is not intended
to *do. anything to Netherton until the whole of the
Money has been spent on Dudley. Then the mines out-
side will have been exhausted, and the whole affair done
for.
' The Mayor then proposed a vote of thanks to the
Inspector for the care and attention he had give to the
matter.. He regretted that he had had three journeys
On the queStion, but the scheme had been ripened
daring the time, and so no loss, but a gain had
accrued.

Mr. H. Underhill secondcd the vote of thanks, and
said there ' was no
.disposition, so far as his clients .were
coneeined,' to deprive Netherton or Woodside of the
advantages of draining.
In reply, the Commissioner said the ventilation Of the
matter had done great good, and there was no question
but what the town would be much benefited by the long
equiry.