Westward Ho! The Drainage of Westward Ho! Inquiry by a Government Inspector: A petition having been presented by the memorialists at Westward Ho! praying for a separation from the Northam Local Board, Mr. Morgan, the Government Inspector held an inquiry into the matter at Westward Ho! on Tuesday. Amongst the ratepayer and land owners were: Colonel Wheeler, General Hutchinson, Rev. I. H. Gosset, Rev. E. Reynolds, Col. Hutchinson, Messrs. T. B. Chanter (the Lord of the Manor), G. F. M. Molesworth, A. Wren, W. Yeo, Groves Cooper, J. B. Gordon, T. Pynsent, Charlewood, E. Pickard, J. Pickard, Williams, Rodd, Heathcote (etc) … (discussion of boundaries and access to the Burrows) … Mr. Pynsent complained that, although he was the largest landowner at Westward Ho! he had not had the opportunity afforded him of attending one of the meetings of the memorialists. He had a petition which would hand to the Inspector, signed by 15 ratepayers and landowners within the proposed new district praying that the Westward Ho! might not be separated from the district of Northam Local Board, with which their interest are in common. He also presented a petition to the same effect in his own name, as the owner of one fourth part of the land at Westward Ho! … (ongoing discussion of problems, including state and responsibility for roads) … There are at present four members of the Board connected with the Westward Ho! representing a sixth part of the whole Board. The names of those members are Mr. Gosset, the chairman of the Board, Mr. Pynsent, Mr. Molesworth, and Mr. Wren, the two last being directors of the Company …. (more discussion of state of roads – partly because of ongoing construction work at Westward Ho! – and need for a separate district) … Mr. Heard, who can carry out a system of drainage better than the owners of the property in a district? Mr. Hole: You complain that the drainage has been neglected; I merely wish to point out to you the reason for the delay: Mr. Pynsent rebutted the insinuation from Mr. Heard that he was opposed to the extension of Westward Ho! but he thought it was absurd to construct roads 30 feet wide in an out of the way, outlandish district. Mr. Gordon said he was perfectly disinterested in this mater, but he must concur in saying that the roads were at present in a most disgraceful state. In answer to the complaint of the memorialists that no plan of the proposed district had been sent them by the Local Board for approval, Mr. Hole stated that his clerk, in whom he had the greatest confidence had informed him that he left a copy of the plan at Mr. Groves Cooper’s office, at the same time distinctly informing the Clerk that it was intended for the inspection of the memorialists. Mr. Cooper’s clerk denied this, but he placed the greatest reliance in the Clerk As proof that it was received when he sent for it a tracing was being taken for the use of the memorialists. Capt. Charlewood and Mr. Pynsent corroborated this: … the third allegation was that Westward Ho! was not fairly represented on the Board. The memorialist contended that there was only one representative of the district, whilst on the other hand it was contended that there were four: the Chairman, Mr. Molesworth, Mr. Wren, and Mr. Pynsent … … After Mr. Hole’s proposition, it was move as an amendment: “That the district as described on the plan and memorial be charged with all expenses of sewage works, and that the portion of the principal road leading to Westward Ho! that is within such special district be widened were practicable, to say, 30 feet, including a footpath on one side; that a committee be formed to carry out the object, consisting of three of the Westward Ho! Memorialists and three members of the Local Board, – the chairman to be appointed at each meeting of the committee, that all the parish roads shall be widened and repaired where required according to the judgement of the Local Board, the expense of such widening to be paid for out of the general district rates.” A vote of thanks was proposed by Mr. Yeo and seconded by Mr. Pynsent to Mr. Morgan the Inspector form the Secretary of State when the meeting separated. The following members of the Board signed the amendment: Rev. I. H. Gosset Mr. Pynsent, Captain Charlewood, Mr. Yeo, Rev. E. Reynolds, Mr. Mill, Mr. Williams, Mr. Wren, and Mr. W. Pickard.
[see similar: Exeter and Plymouth Gazette: Friday 21st January 1870]
Transcribed in whole or part from scanned originals: Presented with or without modified text and punctuation. For absolute accuracy refer to the original newspapers. Source: The British Newspaper Archive.
Referenced
GRO0835 Hennock: Thomas Pynsent: 1808 – 1887