The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1875-01-09 00:00:00

SOUTH STAFFORDSHIRE WATERWORKS
COMPANY.

MEETING AT ROWLEY.

A vestry meeting convened by the chairman of
the Rowley Local Board was held in Rowley Parish
Church on Monday evening, with reference to op-
posing the bill promoted by the above company,
in which power is asked to construct a reservoir at
Rowley. Mr. Barra (chairman of the Local Board)
took the chair, and called upon the clerk (Mr.
Wright) to explain the purpose of the meeting.
The Clerk said the South Staffordshire Water- ,
works Company were applying for Parliamentary
powers to enable them to take two fields, opposite
the Local Board offices, for a reservoir from which
they might supply Oldbury with water. Thera
was no mention of supplying Rowley in their bill,
and although they had powers to do so in their
' former Act, he believed they had lapsed by time.
In establishing a reservoir they would interfere
with all the springs in the district, and the Local
Board thought the company ought not to be
allowed to construct a reservoir without giving
security that they would not interfere with any
springs there, and without undertaking to supply
Rowley with water. The Board, therefore, called
the meeting to sanction their opposing the bill,
and he hoped no notice would be taken of any fac-
tious opposition that might be raised.
Mr. G. Green asked the Clerk when the resolu-
tion for that meeting to be called was passed by
the Board?

The Clerk said he could answer any question Mr.
Green liked to ask him, but his fee was 6s Bd. •

Mr. Green said it seemed to him that the pre-
sent meeting had been called without due conside-
ration.
The Chairman: Don't take any notice of what
he says; you cannot believe a word he says.
Mr. Green said that the chairman ought to
knoIN better. The chairman could not tell whether
he told the truth or not till he heard what he
wished to say, and he (the chairman) ought to con-
duct himself in a more gentlemanly manner. He
repeated that the Board had called the meeting
without due consideration, and it was evident from
the Clerk's remarks that he had not gone carefully
into the matter as to the powers the company pos-
sessed of supplying Rowley with water. He knew
that the company possessed full Tower to supply
the whole of the parish with water, and that was
the reason the matter was not mentioned in the
present bill. He read a letter from the secretary
to the company showing this to be the case, and
stating that the water would :be pumped into the
reservoir from the neighbourhood of Cannock, and
no water would be taken from Rowley. Mr. Green
pointed out the importance of a supply of water
being secured, and criticised the steps of the
Local Board.
Mr. Bassano said the Board wanted powers
given them enabling them to take care, in regard
to the obtaining this bill, that the interests of the
people of Rowley were duly considered, and he
saw no reason why the Local Board should not be
entrusted with the powers they sought.
Mr. Green said, from the wording of the notice,
many of those present feared, as in times past,
Mr. Barra was simply seeking to oppose this new
thing as he always had opposed everything that
was new; mid they were determined to do what
they could to stop him in such an effort. If, how-
ever, the Local Board only wanted powers to look
to the interests of the ratepayers by watching this
bill, then, on really knowing what they purposed,
none of them would oppose giving the Board the
powers usual in such cases.
After some conversation the meeting was dis-
solved, it being understood that the Local Board
should call a Board meeting, and put itself in a
legal position for asking the opinion of the rate-
payers on the matter.

Bryant and May beg to direct special attention to their
New Oval Pocket Vesta Boxes, with Patent Spring Cov-
ers, which are entirely free from all Rough Edges and
Sharp Corners, and admitted by every one to be the Best
and Cheapest Pocket Box ever produced. Retailed every-
where at One Penny. Patentees and sole manufacturers,
Bryant and May, London. B.