The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1872-02-24 00:00:00

RAILWAY ACCOMMODATION BETWEEN
HALESOWEN AND DUDLEY.

On Wednesday evening a public meeting of the in-
habitants of Halesowen and district was hell at the Pub.
he Office, Hslesowen, in consequence of the threatened
von-completion of the railway between Dudley and Hales-
owen by the Great Western Railway Company, and to
consider what steps should be taken in the matter.
Mr. P. Moore occupied the chair, and there were also
pre.ent :—The Yen. Archdeacon Hone, Rev. J. Astbary,
Messrs. ehillips, Barr, W. Hayes, W. Oldershaw, Tre-
%oils, Granger, Bloxharn, Colborn, Round, Rose, W.
Mosely, T. Williams, Cooper, Harris, Western, Sideway,
Jones, Meath, J. Smith, Beckley, Melley, Taylor, Bell,
Corbett, Parkes, York. Overend, W. Matthews, Henry
Matthews, Ball, Wade, and others.
_ .

. .
The Chairman in opening the meeting, said the ob-
ject of the meeting was to consider the conduct of the
Great Western Railway in reference to that neighbour-
hood in not supplying railway accommodatioa. The
power of the company would be completed on the 12th of
July next; and, as there was net sufficient time for the
line to be constructed by that date, they were liable to a
penalty of £5,000. The directors of the company were
aware of that, and they had applied to Parliament for
fresh powers to give them an extension of three years
longer. In the company'. application, nothing was said
about making a line from Old Hill to Dailey; it merely
mentions a line from Halesowen to Old Hill. The bill
was read a first time on the 12th of February; and no
anxious were the directors of the Great Western Railway
Company to get the additional powers, that they fixed
Friday as the last day for presenting any petitions against
their bill. The matter had been in the hands of the
Great Western Company for 10 years, and it was now the
belief of many that the company did not intend to make
the line. The township of Dudley was deeply interested
in the matter, and he believed the inhabitants had taken
steps to do all in their power to oppose the company'.
application for a further extension of powers. The Mid-
land Company were making a line from King's Norton to
Halesowen, and a Birmingham company also contem-
plated constructing a lime from Harborne. On the other
hand the Great Western Company were treating the town
and neighbourhood with the greatest contempt. When
they looked round and noted the large inereaae in their
population, it did seem extraordinary why the Great
Western Company had not made the line. What were
the reasons? The fact wart the Great Western had a
line from Dudley to Stourbridge, Worcester, and the
West of England; and, no doubt, if the line in question
were constructed, it would interfere with their traffic, as
some of it would probably get into the hands of the
Midland Company. The conduct of the Great Western
Company reminded him of one of Zeop's fables, namely,
•• The Dog in the Manger" but it wee not to be expected
that the people of Halesowen would consent to have the
question put off time after time without protesting
against it. They had a population of 10,000 persons, and
and new works were being erected every ciao ' and it
therefore could not be said that they had no claim upon
the company. He, for one, was prepared to say to the
Great 11 estern Railway Company "Make the Hue, or
give up your powers and let some other company make
it."
Archdeacon Hone remarked that the people ef Hales-
Owen had a real grievance, as he did not believe the Great
Western Company intended ta censtreet the Dudley and
Hatesowen line; sot he believed the extension of teiwer
applied for was to prevent any other company interfe, ing.
Ho bad great pleasure in proposing, " That a committee
bo formed for the purpose of preparing a petition to Par-
liament against the hill for granting a further extension
of time for making the railway fr,in Dudley to Hales-
owen, and likewise for reqnesting the members for Nast
Worcestershire to support it. and take any other steps
that they may deem desirable in fortherance of that ob-
jce•i."
Mr. Ilay,s brir fly pf..T witted; and the resolution was
carrie Jun anicnonsly,

Mr. Burr then propesed—. That a cominittee ron-dat
of the chairman, Messrs. Burr, Phillips Haven. Trew.i!la,
A. Finn, Ball, Bloomer. Colboni, and Bloshain, with
piece to all to their number; and that Mr. Trewolla be
rremested to act as secretary."
Mr. Phillips seconded.
Mr. W Matthews remark, d that in 1861 the South
Staftinishire Company laid before Parliament a oill for
making a line from Dudley to C,ii!oy. which was called
the Dudley and Cradle}, Heath Railway, and it was pro-
moted by the company. The West Midland Company,
before amalgamating with the Great Western, were 8121i-
ous that the bill should not be passed; and, in order to
prevent the Act being obtained, the agents of the Great
Western put themselves in communication with the in-
habitants of Halesowen, and said there the line had •
great defect in it, as it stopped eh irt at Old Hill. and gave
no accommodation to Halesowen. It was evident that
they wanted railway accommodation ; and the agents
said, in effect, If you will use your best endeavours to
stop this bill being passed, we will pledge onrselses to
makes line and connect Netherton with Halesowen."
loey believed the promise made was done in good faith,
and consented to oppose the bill. He was present at the
whole of examinations before the Parliamentary Com-
mittee, and it was the evidence given by his uncle, (Mr.
W. Matthews) which eucceeded in stopping the Smith
Staffordshire line. In 1862 the West Midland obtained
an Act to makes line into the town of Halesowen, and
bad the necessary poivers for the compulsory purchase
of land. The time, three years, expired in 1865, and
almost within 24 hours they served notices upon every
landowner for the purchase of land, the effect of which
was to creates contract for the purchase, and practically
to tie up the landowner', they not being sble'in the mean.
time to sell or do anything with it. Whilst those Field
were being taken, the company gave notice to Parliament
to extend the time to S years forimaldng the tin.; and they
would remember that • public meeting vu held at Haler
owes, at which Lord Lyttelton presided, for the purpoee
of making strong representation. to the Great Western
Company not to extend their time, and to complete the
the porehase of the land. They wrote to Mr. Akrovd,
and they were led to believe that immediate steps would
be taken to commence the line, but they soon found out
that the company had no inch intention, and things re.
mairied in state ye°. The company had again applied to
Parliament for a further extension of three you.e. There
was yet some time to run, and all the company had to
do was to get the compensation assessed and to pay the
money. The inhabitants of Halesowen, however, wanted
the line completed is the shortest possible time. In all
Cases connected wit', railway companies, at was healthy
to have a little conaretition, and he had pleasure in givs
ing his assistance to another line of railway between
Halesowen and Birmingham via Hai-borne, and he hoped
the inhabitants of Halesowen and district would give it
all the moral support they could.
Mr Bloxharn : The Great Western are not only taking
steps to get an extension of time, lint they are opposing
the line to Birmingham and Barbara,
Mr. Trewolla moved the following resolution :—'• That
this meeting is of opinion that every support should be
given to the proposed line from Halesowen to Birming-
ham, through Harborne, called the Halesowen and Junc-
tion Railways ; and that a petition be signed by the in-
hshitants of the town and neighbourhood in favour of
that undertaking,'
Mr Colborn seconded, and it was carried unanimously.
A vote of thanks to the Chairman closed the proceed.
ings.

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and },tdhhes by tn, s•-e• ,rotnietor.
FIELD, at his Ofheos. 02. Stourhr, I,e, 11
the County ot Worcester: to whicn place all letters SW
..ILIiET C0M1113111,..101111 moat be addresser,
Saturday, February '1,4, 1872.