The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1883-09-08 00:00:00

KIDDERMINSTER.

Tows COUNCIL—The monthly reacting of the
Council was hid on Wednesday, the Mayor (Mr.
G. W. Grosvenor) presiding.—The Drainage Com-
mittee's report recommended that an estimate be
prepared for a general district rate for the ensuing
half•year : and that the offer of Dr. Roden to sell a
building on land at the corner of the Grange. St.
Mary's Street, for £125, be accepted. Dr. 'Roden
giving the land on which it atood fox the improvt•

ment of the road. A. tender from the Gas Company
or the public lighting of the town on the same
terms as last year was recommended for acceptance.
The report, which also referred to an outbreak of
foot- and-mouth disease and the steps taken in con-
sequence, was adopted. Mr. Herring stated that
no cattle could be taken within the half-mile circle
of where foot-and-mouth disease
,had broken out,
not even to be killed. The committee had written
to t.• e Privy Council to ask whether the removal
of live stock for the purposes of slaughter only
could not be permitted, but no reply had yet been
received.—Mr. D. Corbet, medical officer, reported
as to a nuisance caused by marine stores, and there
was a memorial from residents in the neighbour-
hood referred to also complaning of the nuisance.
The death-rate was 9.68 against 28.43 last year. A
conversation took place with regard to the unsatis -
factory state of the slaughter houses in the •town
Mr. Herring stated that members of the Council
had been round to these places, and he was sorry
to say that they found none of them perfect. As
several butchers would be unable to use their
slaughter-hous3s till the:infected area was declared
free from foot-and-mouth disease, it would be a
good time f3r putting them in order. Mr. Dixon
said the state of the slaughter-houss would tend
sooner or later to one inevitable result ; they should
have to build a public abattoirs under the control of
the Corporation. (Hear, hear.) He believed it
would not prove an expense to the Corporation,
and would be a great saving to the butchers.
RATHER A HARD CASE.—At the County Police
Court, on Thursday, Isaac Whitmarsh and John
Lswis were chargod with fishing with a net without
a license in Skinhouse Brook, in the parish of
Wolverley, a stream within the district of the
Severn Fishery Board. There was some question
raised as to the spot referred to being within. the
jurisdiction of the county bench, but the borough
surveyor proved that it was outside the borough
boundry.—The offence charged was committed on
August 5, and it appeared Whitmarsh was on his
own land at the time, and he said he was under the
impression that he could fish there without a license
as he had done for four years past. It further
appeared that he did, four days after the fishing re-
ferred to' obtain a license at a cost of 7s.—The Beneh
said they had no alternative but to impose a fine
double the amount of the license and costs (a total
of 354,)—Whitmarsh said he thought it very hard
that he should have to pay this for fishing on his
own graund.—The Bench said they were bound by
the law, and a license must be taken out. They did
not think there was any deliberate intention to
break the law on defendant's part.