The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1879-05-10 00:00:00

THE M-INES- DRArNAurE MEETING.

On Tuesday afternoon a meeting of the Mines
Drainage Commissioners wag held at the office,
Darliugton-street, Wolverhampton. Mr. Walter
Williams preAided.
The Old Hill Committee presented a report in
which they recommended 'ht notice be given for
' 'Yu:ling the Old Hawn engine, and that the attention
Shir arbitrators be called to the expenditure already
•
of tile -. that district with the view of the charge
it
47curred in . a Nouthern sub-district.
being tr'ut. d the proposal to put the cost of
The Ch:trina'n ru d.strict was to include in
theB4.soutz::
rape
cater from b.. -q af-
nditu.ect.notnh: , ''.
-,,,_ -ict, which was excluded
tne Commissioners ..!'ret a '4l", - 'l-43 Commissioners'
by the Act of Parliament .7° img 11814-- *lie southern
nostoawffeettedeboyinmiss,csere.
area
wi...
dfseuiscbtrjedicleitsitritwwactsas. therefore proposed to make ilia edlim
owners in that district, contribute mines drainage
rates.

the report was adopted unanimously.
The Baru., commit ee recommended the tiansfer of
the o,d Hill Drainage Gimpalay's property to the
Commission, rs with the view of the latter body being
substituted or the old eomp,tny for the damage of the
mines in that dis net.

A discuioa atose on a proposal to appoint a cou t
for next 6aturday week t, hear appeals against the
arbitrators award for the Tipton district, and for
Coramisiioners not interested in that district to consti-
tute the court.

Mr. Richard Williams contended that so long ac
thi Commissioners having mines in that district did
not hear their uwn ease, they ought to form part of
the court to hear their neighbours' appeals,
Mr. Underhal (law clerk) pointed out that such a
course would be very objectionable, because it might
happen that the principle of graduation would have
to be settled, and, therefore, Commissioners having
mines in that districi ought not to hear any of the
appeals.
Mr. Richard Williams called attention to the fact
that notice had been given to levy full rates in the
Tipton district, and no lockage rates were to be
allowed. He thought that would be very unjust to
many owners, and many per,ons questioned the
legality of such a proi.osal. If it was not leal, then
the Commission, rs ought no:- to thre +ten and frighten
p,uple, and he, th,refore, ask, d whether the Commis-
sioners had legal pow ,1 :o pursue such a course.
Mr Underhill replied that the question was one for
decision by Mr. Dowdoswell, the legal arbitrator, a
genth m in of very high reputation.
The chairman said the present difficulty in the
Tipton dis,riet would a it be so great if people would
pty their debts. A. man's first duty was to pay his
debts. _ _ _

Mr. Richard WlRims said his company (the Patent
Shaft) pdid their debts as fairly and honourably as the
Chairman, or any other man, and he protested against
such an observation.
A discussion took place on the rising of the water
in the Tipton district, in the course of which Mr.
Mason complained of the way he was treated.
His name having been added to the list of the
Tipton Commilee, the subject wa, referred to them.

THE KIDDERMINSTER BOARD OF
GUARDIANS.

There was a very large meeting of the members of
tie 90:11 es DWI* Ike SUPS* P'"'

the agenda paper to he effect that Mr. Giles in-
tended to move a resolution with reference to an
alteration of the day of meeting.
Previous to this, however, an application was
made from Mr. Henderson, relieving officer for No.
2 District, for an increase of salary.
The Chairman said the Finance Committee had
considered the subject, and come to the conclusion
that Mr. Henderson's duties had in no way increased
since he began six years ago; but they had analysed
the respective duties of Mr. Wallis (the relieving
officer for No, 1 district) and Mr. Henderson, and he
thought the latter was paid rather less than Mr.
I Wallis in proportion to the amount of work each
I had to do.

After a short discussion, a resolution that no al-
teration should be made in Mr. Henderson's salary
was carried,
Mr. Giles then rose to propose—" That the ex-
isting resolution of the Guardians fixing the day of
fortnightly meetings on Tuesday be rescinded, and
that such meetings be in future held on Thursday,
subject to the approval of the Local Government
Board." Mr. Giles said he looked upon the Board
of Guardians as a very important body—the most
important body in the county—as regarded local
taxation, and it was necessary they should get as
large an attendance at it as possible. The larger
proportion of the members lived in the country, and
he contended that it would be much more eonve-
nie.it for them if the meetings were on Thursdays,
as they had to come to market on those days. The
meetings of the county magistrates were held on
alternate Thursdays, and need not interfere with
the meetings of the Guardians, and the Highway
Bard held only four meetings in the year, which
always dropped on the same Thursdays as these on
which the sittings of the C.unty Bench were held.
The alteration would also be more convenient for
the committees, and would impose no inconvenience
or extra labour on the Clerk or the relieving-officers.
The fact that the present system had been carried
on for thirty or forty years was no reason why it
should never be altered.

Mr. Lett and Mr. Blundell spoke in favour cf the
resolution, which was op, .osed by the Rev. R. P.
Turner who proposed as an amendment that the
day of meeting be not altered.
Mr. Brinton seconded this, and in doing E 0 re-
marked that there were a numLer of bodies, such as
Burial Board, School Board, Chamber of Commerce,
&c., in the administration of which members of the
Board of Guardians took part, and the meetings of
those and numerous other bodies had been arranged
so as not to clash with others. The day could not
be altered without completely upsetting what had
hitherto been found to be an exceedingly satisfac-
tory arrangement.

Woodward supported this; and the Chairman
pointed out that the meetings of the Sanitary Rural
Authority and the School Attendance Committee,
which were held on Thursdays, were not well
attended by those members of the Board who had
business to transact in the market.

At the close of a lengthy discussion Mr. Giles's
resolution was lost by a majority of 13 votes to 8.
The amount expended in out-door relief durir g
the past fortnight has been £llB 8s 3td. The total
number of paupers in the house is 251, as compared
with 249 in the corresponding week last year.