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Holyhead and the Penrhos Woods…

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Holyhead and the Penrhos Woods Question. At an adjourned meeting of the Holy- head Urban District Council, held on Tues- day evening, Mr Joseph Evans, J.P., in the chair, a letter was read from Lord Stanley of Alderley, relative to the concessions offered by Mr J. Moreton Prichard, J.P., on his behalf, provided the Council would sup- port the closing of the road leading through the Penrhos Woods. His Lordship stateu in the letter that two members of the Council had asked two ques- tions which required answering. The nrst was whether he would confirm Mr Prichard's letter, and the second was, would the offer stand if the Quarter Sessions were to refuse to sanction the closing of the road. He confirmed Mr Prichard's letter, with the ob- servation that he had only authorised him to offer half-an-acre of land for the Inter- mediate School, and not 4 of an acre, but he (his lordship) would accommodate the Gov- erning Body as to greater frontage and greater depth. He could not believe that the Quarter Sessions would refuse to sanc- tion the closing of the road if the Council were to approach them, but it would be for them to go to the Quarter Sessions. If they were to refuse the town would stand as it is now. As to the recreation gr2und, the first time that he heard that they wanted a re- creation ground was a statement made in the press by tlr Evans, and he could not see why they did not ask him sooner. He thought it was the same gentleman who triad to make out that he wanted to close the road because tramps and poachers disturbed the game, and asked why Mr Rice Roberts had not mentioned that, and why did they not prosecute. There were no prosecutions be- cause the Holyhead magistrates seemed to be afraid to be a terror to evil-doers, and the excise would not prosecute because they would be out of pocket by it. Why had the magistrates not inflicted the full fine upon the two persons who had fired a gun on the highway, which a gentleman and -a lady were riding elope by? and why did they dismiss the case against the boys who had fired a gun and broken the Penrhos Bradwen win- dows, without hearing the evidence? He must remark upon the.- value set upon the read. It would not add thousands to the value of the estate, as stated; but it would add to the comfort of the resident. He con- templated erecting a house for the caretaker upon the recreation ground, and a wooden shed upon the cricket ground, and he in- tended making over the recreation ground to the Urban Council at a nominal rent, as long HiS it would be used for recreation pur- poses, and the cricket ground to the Rural Council. He had intanded opening the road by Treddaniel, but Mr Wynn would not co-operate; but should Mr Wynn change his mind, he would again co-operate. A letter had appeared in the press extolling the Pen- rhos road as the prettiest in North Wales. The writer could not have seen the Treior- werth or the Llynon roads. The Clerk had written in reply pointing out that the Council had no power to spend the money in applying to the Quarter Ses- sions. Mr J. Laixsbury pointed out that his lord- ship's letter did not confirm what was con- tained in Mr Prichard's letter. According to the first letter the gift was to be uncon- ditional the cricket ground was to be given to the Urban Council; and the park was to be given, and not at a nominal rent. Mr E. D. Jones said that he had been mis- led by Mr Hughes, who represented Mr Pri- chard and Lord Stanley on the Council, as he had stated that he had soelt Lord' Stanley's letter to Mr Pri- chard, and there were no conditions mentioned. It was upon "that understand- ing that he had voted for the resolution passed at the previous meeting. He thought that both Mr Hughes and Mr W. D. Jones —two great worthy [councillors—hafl also been misled. Mr John Jones moved that the matter be dropped until they would hear further from Lord Stanley. Mr J. Hall said he wculd not say that the Council bad been deceived, or that they had been misled, but no doubt they had misunder- stood the matter. A letter by Mr Prichard had appeared in the press, in which he stated that Mr Owen had shown him a letter as far back as February from his lordship, stat- ing that he had intended giving a recreation ground independent cf the Penrhos Road question. So it appeared that they were getting nothing more for Vhe road than the site for the school and JE200, as the cricket ground was to be conveyed to the Rural Council, and the Park was to be rented. The Rev John Hughes disclaimed having misled the Council. He thought the Coun- cil would find from Lord Stanley's letter that he had not said a wcrd that was mis- leading. It was mentioned that Mr Pri- chard's letter contained no conditions. That was true; and I.i.i-d Stanley's letter to Mr Prichard had no conditions mentioned there- in. The conditicns now stated were such that his lordship had to put in to protect himself. He had explained that his lordship could not give land except for municipal pur- poses, only by paying for it to the trustees of the estate. As he could not give the land, he asked for a nominal rent for it. The Council did not intend to use it but for re- creative purposes, and tberfore they would be quite safe in accepting it at a nominal rent. As to the cricket ground being made over to the Rural Council, it would be nearer to the Urban Council, and would be used mostly by the Urban population. But as to their applying to the Quarter Sessions, he, for Onei would not be. a party to that. If hi-, lord- ship wanted the road, he should apply for it, as the urban population had only a right of way over it. They had pledged themselves to do all in their power to support the appli- cation. What Mr Prichard intended stating in his letter to the press was that Lord Stan- ley had it in his mind, before the matter came before the Council the first time, to give a recreation ground, but he decided to do nothing after the Council had refused his offer. He could not see any very great difference between Mr Prichard's and Lord Stanley's letters. Lord Stanley had really now promised now to give them more, as he intended erecting a house on the park, and a shed on the cricket ground. He moved that a letter be written to Lord Stanley stating that the Council had understood that the park was to be a free gift, without a nominal rent; that the Council had no power to ap- ply to the Quarter Sessions; and requesting his lordship to convey the cricket ground, as well as the park to the Urban, and not to the Rural Council. 4- Mr John Roberts seconded the motion. The Clerk stated that he did not know that there were many cricketers in the Rural Parish, and, therefore, he did not know whe- ther the Rural Council would be prepared to accept it. The Chairman said that there were several questions as to the suitability of the position; there were no conditions at first, and there was no nominal rent asked. Now a part of it was to go to the Rural Council, and under the circumstances he was afraid they should do wrong in agreeing. They should write to his lordship, pointing out that he deviated from the letter written by Mr Prichard- on his behalf. The f of an acre had dwindled down to an acre, and there was no mention made of the £ 200 towards the school. Lord Stanley intimated-that is, they could read between the lines-that unless they would do 1 what he wanted, he would out down the trees I „ y along the Penrhos Road, and turn the place into agricultural land. They should not succumb to any threats. After they had accepted the gift, as it were, were they going to appear before the Quarter Sessions and ask the justices to close up this beautiful road without knowing what they were going to get in return ? The matter was not satisfactory at all to him. He did not think there w;' a single member of the Council who had not been challenged for the vote he had given the last time. Several Members Question. Question. The Rev Canon Thomas said that they were not quite sure as to what the offer was. It was almost impossible to carry out a matter of this kind by letter, but if they had some one person in whom they had confidence, and in whom Lord Stanley had confidence, it would be very much better. As it was, they were enlarging upon minor issues, leaving aside the main issue. He suggested a small committee to deal with the matter. Mr W. D. Jones contended that those who had spoken were running far away from the subject that was before them. There was nothing in the present letter but that it con- firmed Mr Prichard's statements. They had accepted the amended offer, and it was ac- cepted in the best spirit, and he maintained that the offer, as it now stood, far exceeded the previous one. Were they prepared to go back from the standpoint taken at the last meeting ? The tone of the meeting appeared to be in that direction. He was very pleased to support the motion that was before the meeting. Mr J. Hall pointed out that the motion stated that the Council had no power to ap- ply to the Quarter Sessions, and his lordship had stated he would not apply, and there- fore the matter would be at an end. The motion, having been put to the meet- ing, was unanimously carried.

HOLYHEAD

PORTMADOC

Carnarvon School Board.!

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