The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1870-07-09 00:00:00

HALE SOWEN AND BROM SO ROVE

BRANCH RAILWAYS.

The Select Committee appointed to consider this bill
sat on Thursday, in Room 11. Mr. Hardeastle, SLY.,
chairman ; Mr. A. Bonham Carters., referee.
There were for the bill Mr. Rodwell, Q.c., and Mr.
Gates ; against, Mr. Crippa, Q.C. Mr. Round appeared
for the New British Iron Company. The opponents
were certain landowners through whose property the
proposed railway would pass.
Mr. Gates said the bill was for the purpose of extend-
ing the time for taking land, and making a railway pre-
viously authorised. The lines were authorised in 1865
and 1866 In the first.named year the promoters were
authorised to make a line from King's Norton, on the
Midland line. to Helesowen, a distance of six miles.
Lord Lvttelton, the principal landowner, was one of thc
first directors, and so was Mr. Cornet, the owner of large
salt works. In the autumn of 1865 negotiations were
entered into with the contractor, but almost at once they
found that further land was wanted to accommodate
other persons. One gentleman, Mr. Crampton, wee sink-
ing for coal, and he entered into terms with the proposed
company to have accommodation if he found coal. In
1866 the promoters went to Parliament again, for power
to extend their authorised lines to the spot where Mr.
Crampton wished them to go. For that purpose they
had to pass through some very valuable property belong-
ing to the Now British Iron Company. Parliament gave
them power to make the works in 1866, and terms were
arranged with the company. and a clause was inscribed in
the bill to protect them. The lines authorised in 1866
were really a continuation of the lines authorised before.
Since that time they hail nothing but a series of misfor-
tunes. In consequence of commercial failures, their
contractor failed. Secondly, Mr. Crampton failed to find
coal to the extent he had anticipated. Matters, three.
fore, remained in abeyance, and the powers of the com-
pany were not exercised. So necessary did the people
of the neighbourhood think the construction of the line,
that they had come forward and found the money for the
making of the works, and a provisional contract ha/
been entered into for their construction. But it became
necessary to apply for au extension of time to get the
laud for the works. It was now uuoecessary to construct
that portion fir which powers were obtained its 1866,
nemesy, to piss through the land of the Iron Company
and to accoininodate Mr. Cranipton. The proposal they
; now came tire.ird with would enable them to stop before
euterilig the w Is of the New British Iron Company.
With regard to he opposition, it was only on the part of
the owners ami occupiers of a very small portion of the
land whipii •, required.
Mr. Vi acme, Birmingham, deposed he was a laud
agent reed cveyor, and the agent of Lord Lyttelton,
, and the s'iaiughsm Joint Stock Bank Company. The
r total land required under the 1865 Act was 5 miles 4 fur-
longs and If chains; and the quantity was 55 acres.
Under the 1866 Act, land to the further extent of 1 mile
and three chains were required; and the acreage, 10
acres, '2O roode, and I perches. The total quantity re-
quirsd was 6 miles 4 furlongs, and the acreage 65 acres
1 rood end 20 perches. Of that quantity 4 wiles end 7
furlongs, or 48 acres and 8 roods, belonged to Lord Lyt-
teXon and the Birmingham Joint Stock Bask
Examined by Mr. Cripps : The land held by the bank
was their owo property. Mr. Smith's estate is • large
rne, but the property the promoters wanted wail very
mall. He was certainly the largest owner of property
resident on the line. We do cut through hispropertv in
two places, but they had no intention of taking one piece.
A small piece of Mr. Downing's laud was within the line
of deviation. Miss Haden's was in the same position.
He was not in a position to know the names of all the
ehareholders. Lord Lyttelton said Mr. Corbet were
shareholders. His position was thst of surveyor to the
company, and so far, his remuneration had been shares
in the company. It was • usual thing to do 5050 w.
The Iron Company opposed them in the Lords, and they
agreed upon the spot where the line was to terminate,
when the opposition could.
Mr. Round asked to be allowed to be heard if the com-
mittee thought of making any modification of the pre-
amble.
Mr. T. Foulkes, one of the first directors, entered into
some details with regard to the arrangement for raising
money for the construction of the line.
By Mr. Crippe : Amongst the holders of shares were
Messrs. Wilkinson and Blith, the solicitors, £6,000 or
£7,000 in shares had born issued. No shares had been
issued to the public. The amount actually subscribed
was about £5OO. He held fifty shares, but had not paid
anything to the company for them. He bought them
from Messrs. Wilkinson and Blyth, the eolicitors. They
had expended sboot 1:2,500 in fees, and the shares were
to reimburse them. Be declined to say what he bad paid
for the shares. About 600 or 700 £lO shares had been
issued.
Mr. E. IL Blyth, solicitor to the promoters, was called
to relate the sources from whence he heped to raise the
neeessery funds.
By Mr. Cripps: He had not been wholly paid is shares,
um we, the construction of the line a speculation on his
. - -

This closed the eass for the promoters.
Mr. Cripps then addressed the committee. He said it
was impossible for any opposition to have been raised
with any amount of reasonable success to the bill in
1865, such was the mania for constructing railways at
that time. The landowners and occupiers had been
treated most untalrly. Since 1865 they had bad the
probability hanging over them of their land being wan-
ted for the railway, and shire thattime had not been able
to deal in any way with their land as an ordinary land-
owner was able. Now they came again for • renewal of
their powers, and there was not the ghost of a chance of
raising the money now any more than in 1865. The
name of the supposed capitalist bad been carefully con-
cealed, and be could not be bound in any way by 'casual
conversation on the matter. Nor had the least particle
of evidence been brought forward to show that the line
was a public necessity; arid, under those circumstances,
he hoped the committee would reject the bill. The pre-
sent company he described, without desiring to use an
offensive term, as a perfectly insolvent one, so far as the
bill was concerned.

The room was then cleared, and upon readmission,
The Chairman announced that the committee wae
unanimously of opinion that the preamble had been
, proved.
Mr. Gates then applied for costs, on the ground that
the opposition was not bona fide, that the petition had
been prepared by the solicitor to the Stourbridge Rail-
way Company, and the names obtained in an irregular
way.
Mr. Cripps opposed the proposition, which he affirmed
was quite a novel one.
The room was again cleared, and upon readmission,
The Chairman stated that the committee was unani•
mously if opinion that costs should not be allowed.
The committee then went into the clauses, which ssith
• few verbal alterations, were passed.

CRICKET.
HALE BOWEN C. CLENT.--A match was arranged to have
been played on Tuesday last, at Halesowen, between the
above-named clubs, but the weather was very unpropi-
tious for cricket, and the match could not be played out.
In the first innings of Halesowen they scored 103 runs,
Mr. F. Swindell making 37 in excellent style, and Mr. J.
Hayes 33. Mr. R. Barnsley scored 8. On the Cleat
side three wickets were down for seven raw, when rain
coming on, the game could not be played out.

HOLLOWAY'S OINTMENT AND PlLLB.—Hrieumististo and
rheumatic gout are the moat dreaded of all diseases, be.
MSC their victims know that they are safe at no season,
and at no age secure. Holloway's Ointment, after fom-
entation of the painful parts, gives greater relief than
any other application, but it must be diligently used to
obtain tbia desirable result. It has been highly coni•
mended by rheumatic subjects of all ages and of both
gexes for rendering their attacks less frequent and loss
rigorous; and for repressing the sour perspiration, and
soothing the nerves. In many cases Holloway's Oint-
ment and Pills have proved the greatett blessings in re-
moving rheumatism and rheumatic gout, which had as-
sailed persons previously healthy and in the prime of

Pouted mom ',winched by the Sole Proprietor. 81111t01
FIELD, at he, Calm. en. MO4lneet. laaanalaila, la
the County of Woroestar: to which Naos an leatire and
other efinuounications must begaddrosseit.
natarday, July 9 1170.