CR. RICHARDS REPLIES.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXVIII, Issue 16, 19 January 1914, Page 5

CR. RICHARDS REPLIES.

[To The Editor Stratfokd Post.l

Sir, — I sincerely welcome Cr. Walter’s letter, because all the actions of the Borough Council in opposing the issue of the proposed license are so well founded in justice and equity that further discussion can only emphasise this. Further investigation will also show that the Borough’s actions are “armed so strong in honesty” that the phantom raised misleading the County ratepayers to believe that we are opposing them, must consequently he further dispersed. The Electrical Supply Company is desperately anxious to secure a license over'the Borough and County, which, if issued, would confer a huge financial benefit on the Company. The Borough Council unanimously opposes it as inimical to the welfare of the town, and desires that the pretent agraamaut between the Company and Borough be fulfilled.-

Under acts of Parliament passed in 1908 and 1911 for the purpose of conserving the water power of the Dominion, the Government has power to issue this license without reference to the people. The Government has, however, stated that in view of the opposition of the Borough to the license it will not issue the same over the Borough, but would favorably consider an application over the County only. Notwithstanding the well known opposition of the Borough to the license, Cr. Walter advocates that it should be forced upon us, and the County Council has urged the Government to do so. The public conscience will, I feel sure, condemn ■nidi action, and will not agree with him when ho says “let ns put on one side all the foolish talk about mrcing on to your neighbour things he doesn’t want.” The eminent ohilosopher, Thomas Carlyle, states, as “God’s law,” that "there is either a divine right or else n diabolic wrong it the heart of every demand which one man makes upon another.” Now, f do not dogmatically deliver judgment, but I do most emphatically express my opinion that no right exists in the demand of Cr. Walter and of the County Council tiiat the Government force this thing upon us. The only excuse offered is the assertion that it would be a benefit to the County. That is only an assertion, and it has not been shown publicly that the tentative agreement between tiie County and Company would >c beneficial. From what I have seen, it appears that th© County is crying to give away valuable rights over its roads in perpetuity without making definite arrangements for th© proper supply of current, and without conserving the ratepayers’ interests; and, if Cr. Walter can show

I am wrong in this view, I shall bo well pleased. However mat may be, this I urgently assert: that the actions of local bodies should bo governed by scales of justice and not by scales of expediency, and that there is no justice in one local body assisting a private company in its endeavors to get an objectionable hold on another local body, and yet Cr. Walter says: “County Councillors

;■ j cute enough to know that now is the time to get favorable terras from the Borough.” What he means )v this is not precisely clear, but if he means that now is the time for the County to force from the Bor■mgh some advantage which cannot he justly asked for, his own words ire sufficient condemnation, but I will ithl, a scourge upon all cuteness which goes not hand in hand with justice

justice. On the other hand, if he moans'that when the Borough possesses its own lighting system, we would unjustly charge presumptive County consumers, I believe he maligns us. Suppose Cr. Walter, or any other person, had leased a property for 21 years, and that when 15 years had elapsed the tenant attempted to secure a further for 12 years without consulting the owner, and that a neighboring third party lent his assistance to the tenant in direct opposition to the owner’s wishes—Well: What do you think? He introduces as some attempt at justification two widely diverse and distinct questions, namely, prohibition and the abattoirs. W ith all due deference, I suggest to him that the matter of this license, like every other subject, cannot be effectively dealt with if we try to solve two or more questions at a time. We slum.a consider these matters separately, and not confuse ourselves by interweaving one with another. The latter portion of his letter is rather wobbly, but it advocates an arrangement whereby the Borougji Council would undertake to purchase the whole or certain portions of the Company’s plant at valuation. This is entirely outside the question of the license, and may or may not bo acceptable to the Company and the Borough. T have no doubt that any proposals which the future may bring forth will be considered by the Borough Council in a spirit of equity and justice. lu conclusion, 1 wish to sincerely assure Cr. Walter that however we may differ on tins or any other public matter, I have too much regard for him personally to permit any estrangement I can avoid,—l am. etc., ,T. B, BfCHARDS. ,Stratford 19th 1014.