IN DARKEST ENGLAND.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVII, Issue 20496, 22 February 1930, Page 3 (Supplement)

IN DARKEST ENGLAND.

DEDHAM'S QUEER PEOPLE

AFRAID OF THE LIGHT.

No village in the world can hoid a candle to Dedham, Esse;*. Dedham would blow it out '■

Dedham is "The Tillage That LiTes in the Dark!" A recent visitor says:— " When I had been half an hour in Dedham I found inyseif hamming.

" When the Gotha3 came to Dedham, they blew out Dedham's light," and pinching myself to make- certain I-was in an Essex village in the twentieth century and not in a Hans Andersen fairy tale! Dedham turned out the lights in the

day 3 of the air raids and they have never been relit. An up-to-date gas and electricity system is lying idle, while 1500 people creep about the gloomy streets with pocket torches and lanterns like 1500 jolly smugglers. The bank, post office, parish church, and are lit by lamns.

At, seven o'clock the parish clock chimes, and Dedham makes certain that curfew ■ " shall ring to-night." The meagre lights Are dowsed in shop windows, the poor shadows merge into complete blackness, and Dedham creeps abroad with its swinging lanterns and darting torches. A village of human glow-worms! The visitor spoke on the telephone to Mr. J Warrington, chairman of the parish council, and local stationmaster, the man who is fighting to lighten Dedham's dark ness. " Six years ago." he said with feeling, " I fought an election with street lighting ,as my main platform plank. I lost."

The people here simply do not want light. The matter has been up time and time again at council meetings, but.to.no purpose. If six people would support the motion there would not be the slightest difficulty in obtaining both gas and electricity services."

Mr. Warrington is a pioneer! Acetvlene lamps light, his station, but the passengers, arrive by torchlight. There is a movement to instal snxie form of lighting m the main thoroughfares, but it is receiving little or no support. And this is the secret! Pedham in afraid of the light!