Water supply to Callington Station

OPENING OF RIVAL COMPANY'S WATERWORKS.

The opening of the new Company's Waterworks took place on the 26th March, 1927, the day after the expiration of the notice served on our Company to clear away their pipes from all Duchy land. The ceremony was performed by Sir Walter Peacock, who has since retired from acting as Secretary to the Duchy.

THE DUCHY COUNCIL AND ALL EXISTING OFFICIALS EXONERATED FROM BLAME

At this point, in order to remove any misunderstanding existing in the minds of anyone respecting the final attitude of some of the late Duchy officials towards the Callington Water Company, I wish it to be clearly understood that I make no reflection whatever on any of the present officials of the Duchy or the Duchy Council as I fully believe the latter left the question of the water supply for Kelly Bray, in dispute 8 years ago, entirely in the hands of Sir Walter Peacock, their Secretary, who retired from this office about 12 months after the opening of the Kelly Bray waterworks.

However Sir Walter Peacock by his letter to me of the 26th March, 1926, could expect me to surrender my interest in a company that I had then been connected with for over 40 years as Founder, Secretary and Director, and 6 years as Managing Director, to a new company without any compensation whatever, I cannot imagine.

I should have considered myself a traitor to my own company if I acquiesced to his request to help form the Kelly. Bray Company and disregard my own Company without any promise of compensation. The crux of the whole matter in dispute was that Sir Walter Peacock was informed by one or more of our consumers at Kelly Bray that we were getting £30 a year from the Southern Railway Company for supply­ing the station with water, including 2 dwelling houses occupied by their employees. Actually, the Railway Company did not pay more than £120 a year which was the yearly rent stipulated in the lease for the remainder of the term of 99 years dated 1908 and made with the P. D. & S. W. Junction Railway Company.

As soon as I heard this mis-statement was made concerning the rent I took steps to contradict it, but it was too late. The mischief had been done and the Callington Water Company were also accused of over-charging their consumers for water when the minimum rate for a supply to their doors was only a slight fraction over 1d per day, the same as charged in Callington.

It was often a great difficulty to supply the railway at Kelly Bray with water in the summer as well as to supply consumers. The Railway Company used so much extra water for their engines that it had to reach a height of 20 feet above ground level in order to supply their tank. The Callington Water Company were bound under the provisions of the lease to give the supply the Railway required, one valve being occasionally shut off from the villagers to supply the Railway tank.

In consequence of the exorbitant demands of the Railway Company for more water than the Water Company could grant at the low yearly rental received, it was mutually agreed that the lease for the remainder of the term of 99 years should be cancelled. This has since proved to be of great advantage to the Water Company.

Notwithstanding the loss of consumers at Kelly Bray which num­bered about 70 and the Railway which together produced an income of about £120 a year, the Callington Water Company's income has since increased to more than £200 a year above what it was when they supplied Kelly Bray and the Railway which lasted up to the date of the opening of the Kelly Bray Waterworks in 1927.

Although the Callington Water Company as well as myself as Managing Director were the subjects of severe criticism at the luncheon on the 26th March, 1927, just at the time when the Company were in the midst of increasing their capital from £1,000 to 15,000, yet the Company succeeded eventually in raising the full amount of their capital. I must say, however, in fairness to my own reputation as well as that of the Company that the reason why the cleavage of Kelly Bray consumers arose was partly due to the action of the Launceston Rural District Council's representatives in holding the inquiry on 26th Jan­uary, 1926, which was intended to be private but was actually semi­public. All the consumers were admitted but the press was excluded by the Chairman.

I asked the Chairman to go and view the supply first. The Calling­ton Water Company even provided a car to take the Committee to view the Clitters Adit but they refused to go.

I may add that on a busy cattle market day, in response to the Station Master's appeal, I have gone myself to turn on water to reach the Railway tank in order that a train might be despatched.