Accrington on Rails - The Tramways: A Complete History - Robert Kenyon

that your Committee did not see how progress could be made on this subject or how it could be advanced to any degree, until Haslingden and Rawtenstall first decided upon some course of action on one of these three points, as submitted in your correspondence of November 14 th . After receipt of that letter, further endeavours were made by my Committee to secure a meeting with representatives from Rawtenstall, but that such an interview did not take place until April 19 th of this year, when Rawtenstall were asked if they were prepared to join in on the suggested purchase of the Tramway Undertaking by all three Corporations, and to purchase those lines within their respective Districts. And, if not, would they allow this Corporation to purchase the lines and upon what terms. Their reply was, “that they could not definitely give a reply until a decision had been given in the ‘Wallasey case’, and that they would then consider the proposals that the Haslingden representatives had made. His Worship the Mayor also stated that it did not appear that the decision of the Committee with respect to the proposals contained in your letter dated November 14 th , had been communicated in writing, but that in conversation you have been informed thereof. My Tramway Committee held a meeting on Saturday morning last, when this matter was further debated, and I am instructed to write to you informing you of Haslingden’s position in connection with the Tramway Undertaking to date. The statement which has been clearly set forth above, gives you the position which my Corporation has taken in this matter, and I am now requested to ask if you could arrange for your Chairman of Committee and yourself, to meet with his Worship the Mayor and Alderman Hamilton along with myself, at your office on Tuesday afternoon next at 14:30. I am further instructed to inform you that the Committee at their meeting on Saturday morning last, passed a resolution recommending the Council should enter into negotiations in order to purchase the Tramways from the boundary in Accrington in Baxenden to the boundary with Rawtenstall at Lock Gate. As this point has not yet been considered by my full Council, I shall be glad if you will kindly treat this as ‘private and confidential’ for the present time. Yours faithfully, Walter Musgrove. November The General Works Committee heard a letter from the Secretary of the Tramway Company stating instructions had been issued for the works on Whalley Road to be ‘attended to’.

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