Southowram Joining Halifax Borough

The Ratepayers of Southowram and the Halifax Corporation.

On Tuesday, a deputation appointed at an influential meeting of ratepayers and owners of property in Southowram waited upon the Improvement Committee of Halifax Corporation, to ascertain when and how it intended to make the new road from New Bank to the top of Southowram Bank, the Corporation being under engagement by Act of Parliament to make it within about a year and a half from the present time. The deputation consisted of Ed Aspinall, John Jenkinson, Jas Farrar, H. H. Highley, Wm Richardson, Thos Naylor and Wm Barstow. An interview of nearly two hours took place, when the merits of the two projected roads to Southowram were discussed. The committee denied any intention to break faith or to shirk their engagements with the people of Southowram

Important Suggestion.

The decision of Southowram to be taken into the borough of Halifax was not altogether unexpected having been talked about for some time. The members of Southowram District Council are almost unanimously of the opinion that it will be to the benefit of both Southowram and Halifax. No one is more enthusiastic than Councillor J. S. Hartley. 'It would pay Halifax to take us in' remarked Mr Hartley in answer to questions. 'By means of a tramway system they can bring Southowram into closer communication with Halifax, and this district would grow rapidly. People would come to live up here instead of going to Highroad Well for it is one of the healthiest districts in the country. Our death rate was only 11 per thousand, one of the lowest in the country' Why do you want to join Halifax a reporter asked 'Well" said Mr Hartley 'we have only one reason for joining Halifax and that it in order to get the trams up here.' The population of Southowram was said to be 3,198. " We have a site which is very suitable for a sewage works at Mytholm, near Hipperholme,' said Mr Hartley. 'It is just where Northowram, Hipperholme and Southowram join and the three districts could if necessary be drained down to that point.'

A Public Meeting was held at Sion Branch Sunday School, Southowram, to consider the action of the Tramways Committee in regard to recent advance to 2d for the journey by car to Southowram. Mr G. Broadbent, the chairman, said it would be in the interests of Southowram Ward if the ratepayers met together more frequently to discuss public affairs. South Ward, he said, was the most neglected Ward in the whole area. To some extent they were outcasts. They could look round on their splendid tips, where offal and refuse from the town was placed, and could obtain the most glorious perfume, particularly in hot weather (laughter). At least it was a boon that they had the tramways. It had been decided that the fare for riding up to Southowram should be 2d, and the committee graciously allowed them to ride down for 1d (laughter). Mr Farrar said that ratepayers were asked to pay 2d. for the journey of one mile and 1,006 yards whilst other people were paying 1d for a ride of 1,900 yards. The outlay for electric current was certainly greater to Southowram than to Skircoat Green, but they could not be blamed because they lived at the top of a hill any more than the people at Skircoat Green could be praised for living on the level. Receipts for Southowram last week were £40 3/6d and during the same week Skircoat Green drew only £38 16s. Mr Oliver Tansy said the committee ought to reduce the service and take the tramway forward to the Pack Horse. (a woman; Wait till they have been to Klondyke!) (laughter). The committee said; 'We will put them a penny on; they will stand for it for they will never walk up Southowram Bank'