Second Edition CORRESPONDENCE.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXVII, Issue 95, 22 December 1913, Page 6

Second Edition CORRESPONDENCE.

. Don-~IN 1-1-H E~ MANc-E-n.-

§H7AL.Low. PLAY ‘lN“wonDs AND

'{To The Ebitob Stratford Post.] Sir—Messrs Kirkwood and Richards tumble over jbno another to assure, the County settlors that they, are only

looking after the Borough’s interests the County settlers, who are the ji-.eal main stay .of. the Borough,can look after their own.' They, with an air childlike and bland, prove, their words by quoting a resolution of the Borough Council no doubt inspired by themselves reiterating, what they so selfishly say “They don’t oppose the license to the County. The Borough doesn’t. A mere playing on words. The un-

doubted effect of their opposition to the Company’s application is that the Coyernment have for the present , at any rate refused the license. The - Hon; Mr Fraser says: “The Borough authorities do not, however, see their way to support the application of the Company,, in fact strongly oppose it.” ft, must be clear to Messrs Kirkwood, and .Richards, and to all reasonable men, that what Councillors Walters and Hathaway say is absolutely sound. ,Cr, Walters : “There was .no use of the Company, catering for the County ■ unless the Borough, was included- If tjiore were two in the district the cost of production would he so great that there would be no demand for the current at the price which would have to ■be charged.” (He meant clearly to. the County and County, settlers). “There could be only one plant to supply the Borough and County.” The County could not change its attitude unless the Borough could gjvje some idea of what they would do 'for the County ratepayers if the Company ceased operations in 6 years. * Making such an agrement asdhe Borough had,- had left the outlying districts in a precarious position, and if the Borough took over the plant they would he in a still more precarious position. The Minister would have to consider the County ratepayers no less than Borough ratepayers. All statesmen were endeavouring •to -make country life more Or. Hathaway: “It was all very well

for the Borough to say that they wore

not going against- the County, but they were. All the Borough was doing was to boycott the County for 6 years in the matter of light.” He might have added “and of power,” and at the end of six years the Borough would, as Mr "Richards writes you, in effect, consider the best interests of the burgesses and would, protect the interests of the Borough. The interests ~of.: t he County settlors no doubt could go, hang as far as the Borough was concerned. i.:

. Supporting Cr. Richards, Mr Kirkwood wrote: “The desire of the (Borough) Council and a majority .of .the (Rorough) ratepayers Is to allow the present concession to run .-out, and. to then tajfe. such, action as .may he deemed, in the,. best interests of * the' (Bmv ough) ratepayers.” Mark: you, the Bor.ough ratepayer )' tlio County settler could again .no doubt go hang. The protestations of-Messrs'.lvirkwood and Richards, that they.' and .the Borough are not, opposing the' getting..of electricity, for,.light and power at a yenutrk- ’ ably cheap rate by. the country , settlers are, too thin.. TJiey have opposed it and so far have succeeded. 1 quote Mr rkwoqd : “I,am pleased to say that the Government have kept faith with the Borough Council’s deputation,” meaning, that the. Government have refused the application of the, Electrical Supply Co., and, have in effect with no real gain to the Borough,, depriyed. the country settlers of the supply of electricity for lighting .and power so much desired and required by them. Messrs Kirkwood and Richards are naturally pleased at - the,success.of their recent action, but have no right to obscure the’basis and pretend that the country has not suffered. Business men will clearly see that they say they have not opposed, the license for the County, they are merely playing with words or rather phrases. 'The country settlers, and not children or casuists, can understand, cause-and effect. I am not blaming the Borough. It is* a selfish world, and if the Borough cares to protect the. interest of the. burgesses it is quite entitled to, bub for. goodness sake let ns have no cant about it. Lot us compare the attitude of the /two bodies: the County' on one hand and the Borough on the. other, Let us read what Messrs Kirkwood and Richards say and what Messrs Walters and Hathaway, and what the Council as a whole says. The latter took a broad and sensible view and the former a narrow and selfish one. I leave the Company out of it, but 1 Cannot leave the Government. If over there was a case requiring the decision of an independent third party, this is it. Here we have admittedly the Borough fighting for its own ends, and saying to the County: “We won’t have anything to do with yon, mind your own business and get your light and power,” knowing full well that the County cannot by itself do anything of the sort. Obviously the sound solution of the problem is to give the Company the license asked for (which is harder against the Company and more,favorable to the Borongji than the original agreement which the Borough made with the Company) and let it supply the Bor- . bugh and County upon the terms at the price really fixed by the Government. Power being always reserved tb the Borough and County to take over on twelve months’ notice the Company’s undertaking. No man, not even Mr Kirkwood and MV Richards can be a judge in his own cause.

Until the Borough sent its deputation to the Minister, the. Government was quite satisfied that it was doing ■the right tiling, and should have done it had the. Borough not objected. Within a short time the country settlers, not to say anything of the dairy factories, would have had the benefit and advantage,of electric light and power. Thanks to Messrs Richards and Kirkwood, and the Borough, they are and will—unless the representatives of the Borough give up their selfish attitude—be without that benefit and advantage for all time. They cannot profitably run electric light works by themselves, and it is certain that at the end of six years, the Borough in taking such action as may be. deemed to be in the best interests of ttye ratepayers, will do nothing for the country settler even if legally they could, of which .1 have very grave doubts. The proposed license to supply the Borough and County was drafted by the Government and is absolutely and incontestably fair and reasonable to all parties. It is a “square deal” all round. The Borough have not one word to say against its terms, and cannot one. Their policy is that known as that of the “Dog in the manger,” and must bo condemned by all fair-minded and reasonable people. I will ask Messrs Kirkwood and Richards to rise superior to bias, and sweep away all past prejudice and bad feeling, and act in the interest of, not only themselves, N and the Borough ratepayers, but of those of the County ratepayers and , the people who keep you and the Borough going. I would also ask .the Government to consider the County settler. Theoretically, all statesmen love him and sa- how he ’must be encouraged, and how country' life must be made more attractive, i trust the Government will put this theory into practice and lay aside any consideration pleasing Borough ratepayers alone, and do that which is just to the townspeople and at the 'same time greatly help the country man. Regretting taking up so much of your space, —I am, etc.,