The Birkenhead News and Wirral General Advertiser. — 1900-09-12 (Birkenhead, Merseyside, England)

PEOPLE ARE SAYING.  141:.  That a thrill of horror ran through the town on Monday morning when the dreadful news of Sunday's affair at the Birkenhead  Poet Office became fully known. On Sunday afternoon someone entered the Poet. Office buildings with a view to robbery, and finding an old man named Fell, the watchman, in the way, murdered him prior to smashing open a small safe in the letter office and stealing .2150 in cash and notes which it contained. That when news of the tragedy became known rumours of every description were quickly circulated. People goseipped at doors and street corners on each rumour, analysed it thoroughly, but discarded it gt favour of the latest arrival. Other people, to gratify morbid curiosity, went tb the Post Office, and there talked of the one aul  'boot.  One man came across the crowds at the Poet Office, and not baying heard of the tragedy, asked what was the matter. He was. speedily informed that a man had been killed and that a blood-hound was hot upon the *cent of the murderer. This absurd idea, it seemed, had obtained general currency, and emanated from the fact that a little poodle had run past the Post Office, no doubt in queet of it tea. This is a faot. That much surprise is expressed at the qct of the Post Office being provided with irthing more secure than a tin or zinc box— to call its safe is a misnomer—in which to keep cash and valuables. In this respect the Post Office seems to have been worse equipped than ordinary second-rate business premises.. This is being pointed to as another example. of departmental parsimony; comment upof it is all the louder because of recent thefts from the same buildings.  UPOn4  That the action of Mr. T. L. Dodds in yeising the question of electrical charges at the last meeting of the Town Council has oaused,much comment. By one section it is regarded as a poltioal dodge. It is claimed that the near approach of Noviruber the want of a party cry at the maw oe,qlions has .nrom,Rtid Mx. PptidejA.N.  mut]  miudoiPal I  for" the Om, Water, and Electrical Coramittee.  That this statement may be taken for whetl it is worth, and that is nothing. The question of electric lighting charges has been brought to the front in consequence of Alderman Bloor's statement-at a previous meeting of the Council, that no reduction of charges need be looked for this year. No explanation was vouchsafed why this should be so, and a bald statement on a matter of such importance ought not to be accepted without a challenge.  That the general pnblie—and partionlari7 the section which has adopted electric lighting—doe, not concern itself very much with the motive whieh has prompted Mr. T. L. Dodds' action! What is wanted is a redno, tion of charges and growth of the electric lighting department. Even if Mr. Dodds has been prompted by party exigencies it does not affect the issue involved.  That granting politics have played a part in bringing this matter to the front at the present moment, it only proves what as often been contended--that a strong opposi is necessary to good government. H.ad there been no Liberal party in the Town Council strong enough to take the initiative Birkenhead would have had to worry along as beet it could. Alderman Bloor's diatom would have been acoe9ted without question, and electric light users could him ,in vein for a champion. Even if no reduc_ inahargenfollows on Mr. Dodds' moth-u, the public will at least learn how ed with weepect to— ',which th.- '  irtietledi  m.am4  stand with respect to an undertaking in. they have already invested £60,000. Tbat a letter haa been addressed to mei:thews of the Town Council by the  Vigilancei