Folios 98-101. Letter from James Saunders, Clerk to the East Dereham Local Board...

Folios 98-101. Letter from James Saunders, Clerk to the East Dereham Local Board in the Mitford and Launditch Poor Law Union, to the Local Government Board. He encloses the Local Board's replies and observations on the memorial submitted to the board on the subject of the proposed provisional order under the Gas and Water Works Facilities Act 1870, 33 & 34 Vic c 70 by owners and occupiers of property in East Dereham, Local Board observations on memorial of owners and occupiers of property in East Dereham dated 7 February 1885. The lengthy document, dated 7 February 1885, signed by Saunders deals directly with certain paragraphs contained in the memorial. To paragraph 3: the Local Board denies that the private gas company can supply the town of East Dereham with good gas at a price lower than that charged in other towns of a like size in Norfolk. To paragraph 4: the Local Board confidently expects that the numbers of consumers would increase for both lighting and cooking purposes if the purity of the gas could be provided for. This is only achievable if they Local Board constructs new works and adopts modern appliances and processes to ensure the purity and illuminating power. Also it wishes to improve the lighting in the public streets, which due to the present inefficiencies of supply is very defective. To paragraph 5: the Local Board is unable to comment on present costs, as the present company does not have to make statutory returns. However, included is a statement of expected costs? To paragraph 6: the Local Board are satisfied that they can in compliance with the attached estimate greatly benefit the consumers and ratepayers by reducing present costs charged and store and supply in winter sufficient coke to meet the requirement of the poor at a very small cost to them. They also feel that a portion of the residual tar would be of immense value for the manufacturing of asphalt for local paths and damp proof material for buildings. At present this is only obtainable from long distances. Also the management of such works would be better with the Local Board rather than with 8 or 10 tradesmen of the town, shareholders and directors of the present company. To paragraph 7: the Local Board does not see the necessity of reply to this. Generally: the Local Board does not consider 84 memorialists out of a population of nearly 6000 and ratepayers 1300 should be seen as representing the feeling of the district. As those memorialists are people interested more or less in a great extent in the present company
Copy of a detailed estimate of the cost of the proposed works, prepared by the Local Board's surveyor.
Annotated: '1. Ack. Enquire whether a provisional agreement has now been entered into for the purchase of the land. Ask for immediate answer. 2. Send copy of enclosed to 122288/1885 to gas company. 3. Send copy of enclosed to 14522/1885 to Mr Cooper. 4. Reserve for 10 days', 10 February 1885.
Annotated: 'Immediate. As to 1. I think that from 10321/1885 and the answer to objection 10 in 14522/1885, it may be assumed that the agreement is practically complete. But the facts should be ascertained at the inquiry. Proceed as in 2 and 3 informing the Local Board and the other parties in the usual terms that the Board will direct local inquiry. Then to Sir R Rawlinson to arrange for it', 11 February 1885.
Annotated: 'Arrange for inquiry', R Rawlinson. 16 February 1885.
[See also paper number 5174/1885].

Paper Number: 14522/1885.

Poor Law Union Number: 302.

Counties: Norfolk.