Folios 85-96. Letter from James Saunders, Clerk to the East Dereham Local Board in...

MH 12/8492/34

1885 Feb 3

Folios 85-96. Letter from James Saunders, Clerk to the East Dereham Local Board in the Mitford and Launditch Poor Law Union, to the Local Government Board, enclosing as requested by their letter of 21 January 1885 the observations of the Local Board, dated 3 February 1885 upon the objections made by the East Dereham and Gas Company Limited to the application made by the local board for a provisional order under the Gas and Water Works Facilities Act 1870, 33 & 34 Vic c 70. The observations of the local board on the memorial of owners and ratepayers on the same subject will be forwarded at a later date.
Observations on the Gas Company objections. Objection 1, the local board do not dispute the Gas works company history dating back to 1834. However, it is of the opinion that the works have not been enlarged or improved to any considerable extent since then or have been maintained in a state of efficiency and therefore are not capable of meeting every existing and probable requirement of the District. Also it is a well-known fact that the gas supply is most impure and deficient in illumination power. The 4 gas engines in various parts of the town provide insufficient pressure and supply to work engines and store gas. Objection 2, the reduction of the price of gas by the company has only recently been made and the analogy of the prices of gas quoted by the company in other towns is irrelevant. Objection 3, they feel only way to benefit ratepayers is to upgrade and modernise. Objection 4, the Local Board denies that the Gas Company is fully capable of meeting the requirement of the District. Objection 8, the offer of the Board to purchase the works and plant of the Gas Company at a valuation was made under advice and feel it is just and fair to the company and ratepayers. Objection 9, the ratepayers of East Dereham have not been consulted by public meeting but the local press has for some years urged the present actions of the board and to date there has been no objections. The gas company had no reason to conclude that because the process was dropped in 1883 that it was then the end of the matter. Objection 10, the local board states that an agreement with the proprietors of the land described in part II of the schedule to the draft provisional order for purchase is prepared.
Objection 11, the local board contend that they are acting as representatives of the general body of ratepayers. Finally, the local board are desirous after the purchase of the gas company's works of dividing any profits to the benefit of the ratepayers and not allow private individuals some of who have no state or interest in the town to receive the benefit of such profits.
Annotated: 'Mr Rotton, with reference to minute on 16321/1885', 5 February 1885.
Annotated: 'I see no reason why the petition under the G & W Facilities Act should not be proceeded with', 6 February 1885.
Annotated: 'Has any further letter come from the Local Board', 7 February 1885.
Annotated: 'No', 7 February 1885.
Annotated: 'Send reminder to the Local Board as regards last paragraph of this letter. Reserve for a week', 7 February 1885.
Annotated: 'Repair these papers and proceed as proposed', 9 February 1885.
[See also paper number 4668/K1/1885].
[Folios 93-95 are in the wrong order].

Paper Number: 12288/1885.

Poor Law Union Number: 302.

Counties: Norfolk.

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