Abandoned Communities ..... Reservoirs of Wales
At about this time Gwynfor Evans published a pamphlet Save Cwm Tryweryn for Wales in which he argued passionately against the proposals. Here are some of the main arguments:
• The main objective of the Liverpool Corporation was to increase the supply of water to industry. Looking at the situation from a Welsh point of view it would make a lot more sense to encourage industrial development in North Wales close to the origin of the water than transfer the water to Liverpool.
• The main objective of the Liverpool Corporation was to increase the supply of water to industry. Looking at the situation from a Welsh point of view it would make a lot more sense to encourage industrial development in North Wales close to the origin of the water than transfer the water to Liverpool.
• It would be wrong that Liverpool should make a profit from selling water to its local industries when that water originates in Wales.
• Liverpool should seek additional sources of water within England, perhaps within the English Lake District.
• If the Tryweryn project went ahead the special character of the community of people living in the Tryweryn valley would be destroyed. Gwynfor Evans quotes a letter from Gertrude Armfield that included "It is a way of life where a love of poetry and song, the spoken and written word, still exists, and where recreation has not to be sought after and paid for, but is organised locally in home, chapel, and school."
• There would be adverse effects over a much wider area of North Wales; for example the flow of water in the River Conwy would be reduced to the amount that could be carried in a "wayside pipe".
• The prospective economic benefits to the local area would be far less than those alleged by the Liverpool Corporation..
• There are serious political lessons to be learnt from circumstances in which a local authority in England can push through a major development in Wales without the consent of the people of Wales.
The people of the Tryweryn valley continued to try to express their protests to representatives of Liverpool Corporation. On one occasion, 6 July 1956, they were under the impression that the Corporation's water committee would be coming to the valley during the course of their annual visit to North Wales. Slogans were painted and placards prepared, and everyone was ready for the meeting at 3.30 pm. The water committee, meanwhile, having completed their inspection of Lake Vyrnwy, went to have tea in a hotel in Bala.
The people of the Tryweryn valley continued to try to express their protests to representatives of Liverpool Corporation. On one occasion, 6 July 1956, they were under the impression that the Corporation's water committee would be coming to the valley during the course of their annual visit to North Wales. Slogans were painted and placards prepared, and everyone was ready for the meeting at 3.30 pm. The water committee, meanwhile, having completed their inspection of Lake Vyrnwy, went to have tea in a hotel in Bala.
Six
Gwynfor Evans