The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1884-10-04 00:00:00

PROPOSED NEW RAILWAY BETwEEN . KIPDERMIN.sTEB BO RD OF GUARDIANS. and have since nearly all been ,jisp,-liod of at the
KIDDERMINSrEit AND WOLIfIitHA same price.

TO
:
public meeting, very neme °testy atten wa THE SANI TARY APR \ NGFMENTS AT THE z
WOt
eel; at the National Seieeal R on. Cookley on RKII
Monlay evening to consider th oest mewl- of ob- The fort nightly awnting ~f the above Board was
taetiee fee 'tie,. for the di-erica and. the proceed- held en "! ueCclay ; Mr. J. Brinten, M P., presiding
leas developed into a proposal for co meeting Wole The following letter from the Local Government
verb tmpton. Wordsley, Kinver, Coakley, Kidder- Board was read :—" Local Government Board,
minster, and Bromsgrove, by a ne line. Mr. Whitehall S.W., 26th September, 1884.—Sir, lam
Smith Casson, the agent to the Earl of Dudley pre- directed by the Local Government Board to state
sided, in the unavoidable absence of Colonel Knight that their attention baying been drawn by the
C. 13 , M.P., and there were gentlmen present Medical Officer of the Workhouse of the Kidder-
from Kidderminster, Worcester, Chaddesley,Kinver, minster Union to certain apparent defects in the
and other places. Mr. John Briuton, M p., wrote vent lating system which has been adopted in con-
promising. his support to the efforts to obtain a nection with the new drainage arrangements at the
new line. The representatives of the late Earl of Workhouse, the Board instructed their Inspector,
Stamford favour the proposal, and there were letters Dr. Mouat, to visit the Workhouse and to report to
from Messrs. Edward Webb and Snis (Wordsley), them upon the subject. The Board have received
tie Mayor of Kiddermin4ter, Messrs Croather an l from Dr. Mouat a report of the result of his visit
Co., and others. The Chairman suggested that they to the Workhouse on the 12th just, from which it
should go first to the Great Western Railway Com • appears that the ventilation of the stop sinks is
pany, and asked them to consider the requirements effected through branches leading to the soil pipe
of the district. If a railway were made from Kid- with openings quite close to and beneath some of
dermiuster to Wolverhampton it would not only the windows. It would further appear from a
be a value to the works along the route and the drawing with which the Board had been furnished,
present residents, but a suburban population that the water-clos- t soil pipe has only one opening
would be brought into the district from other place at the top, instead of, for the purposes of ventilation,
and there would be important developments in having an adequate air inlet at the bottom as well
course f time. as at the top. The defects indicated above appear
Mr. Eli Boucher proposed "that railway accom. to the Board to be of such a character as to deserve
modation was much needed in the district and that the immediate attention of the Guardians; and they
the Kidderminster Chamber of Commerce be re- will be glad to be informed what steps the Guardians
quested to take the matter before such railway propose to take to remedy them. The Board are
companies as were likely to supply the requirements further informed by Dr. Mouat that the arrange-
of the neighbourhood." • meats tor the disposal of the excretion of the fever
Mr. Hutchinson seconded the resolution which patients accommodate6l in the temporary hut
was supported by Mr. W. Green (Kidderminster), erected at the workhouse, in January last, are ex-
and other speakers. The tone of the discussion tremely unsatisfactory; and that it contains no pro-
was decidedly in favour of seeking help from the vision for the accommodation of the nurse, or for
Midland Railway Company rather than the Great the necessary kitchen arrangements. It appears
Western, and it was suggested that a line from that the excretions, after disinfection, have to be
Wolverhampton to Kidderminster accommo iating carried by hand out of the building, and that he
Kinver, Cookley, and other immediate places, might water for their transmission to the sewer has to be
be carried round front Kidderminster to Brornsgrove. broueht to the trap by hand. Also that the night
The general resolution, whiCh was carried wet/ ful• nuNe eileepe in the wued occupied by the sick
lowed by one with regard to placing the subject patients, and that at the time of Dr. Mend a visit
before the Wolverhampton and Kidderminster the wards were injuriously super-heated, for the
Chambers of Commerce. Mr. T. S. Buckiaall said warming of such food as needed it, in consequence
he was led to understand that the last railway of the absence of a small kitchen. The Board are
scheme for that district was thrown out by the of opinion that the above defects should be re-
casting vote of the chairman of the party corn- medied, in order to render the temporary use of the
mittee, and perhaps if it had been brought forward building safe for its present purpose; and they will
by some financial schemer or railway contractor, it be glad to be furnished with any observations
would have been lane, but because the community which the Guardians may desire to offer on the
generally wanted it, it could not begot. He thought subject, The Board direct we to add that, having
they must look more to their representation and see regard to ad the circumstances of the Workhouse,
they did their duty. He did not cawt any relit ellen and to the outbreak of typhoid in the town of Kid-
on the pre,ent member but referred to the future. derminster. which it appears has extended to the
Mr. Giles said, Mr. Bill, the agent for Mr, Holcroft Workhouse, the Board would urge upon the
the owner of the Stone estate, said he woul I give Guardians the desirability of having the whole
tt em all the support he could An influential corn drainage arrangement sof the Workhouse thoroughly
mittee was appointed in furtherance of the Proposal inspected and reported upon by some one who is
and Mr, John Wetherall was appointed secretary to specially qualified for the purpose, and well so-
ft, The Chairman mentioned that whether they quainted with the modern system of drainage.—l
went first or second, or third class from Kiddermins- am, sir, your obedient servant, A, D. ADRIAN, As-
ter to Birmingham it was cheaper to book to Dudley sistant Secretary."
anti book again rather than take a through ticket. The Chairman said Dr. Mouat came down to the
That
.showed the effects of competition, there being Wori house and made his own observations, and re.
a competitive line from Dudley to Birmingham. He turned to London, and the present report was the
believed there would be no difficulty as regarded result of his visit. As far as the ventilation question
the landowners. The meeting closed with a vote was concerned, that was disposed of, because by a
of thanks to Mr. Wetherell for his services in resolution of the Guardians it was decided to carry
initiating the matter, and to Mr. Casson for presid- the pipe above the eaves. Regarding the inlet of
ing. of air to the pipes, and the important matter of the
, removal of excreta from the hospital, and the other
points mentioned, he suggested they should be re-
ferred to the committee.
Mr. Milnes said as the architect was there he
might be called in.
The Chairman said it was all very well for the
architect to be present on questions affecting him,
but this did not affect him.
Mr. W. Green agreed that the letter should be
referred to the committee, but if there was any
pot tion referring to the architect he should be there.
The Chairman pointed out that the Local Gov-
ernment Board suggested, having regard to the
outbreak of typhoid ill Kidderminster, and its ex-
tension to the workhouse, the whole of the drain-
age arrane.emeets at the house should be thoroughly
inseected'it d reported upon by some one"specially
qu dified tor the purpese, and well acquainted with
the modern system of drainage." It was not his
wish to oppose anything from the Local Govern-
ment Board, but as they hadpreviously inspected sad
approved the plans, he failed to see, without stronger
reasons, why they should throw a doubt on the ar-
rangements, uuless there were reasons for believing
them imperfect. (Hear, hat.) If the Local Gov-
ernment Board wished to point out anythine that
was def ctive, it was cerupe'ent for them to do
so.

Mr. W. Green Baia he and the other Guardians
felt annoyed at the conduct of their medical officer.
He threat( ned before that he should write to the
Local Government Board, and in conversation with
him a few days afterwards Mr. Stretton repeated
that be should do so. It was his writing to the
Local Government Board that had caued the m( di.
cal inspector to be sent down. lie had no doubt
Mr. Stretton met him.
The Chairmen thcught Mr. Green out of order
as this repoit had noihing to do with Mr. Stretton,
and there was nothing in it calling for reference to
what pa sed between Mr. Green and Mr. Stret
ton.

Mr. Green said he wished to state how the report
came about.
The Chairman : I must ask you to sit down.
Mr. Green : I shall not sit down.
The Rev. J. G. Bourne: Then we will all stand
up. (Several members of the Board did so.) I
think we must support the chair.
Mr. Green: I say again I have a perfect right to
ape k upon this case. Mr. Stretton has asserted
that this report—
The Chairman said Mr. Green had no right to in-
troduce a pers9nal matter between Mr. Stretton and
himself. If he would cease that topic he should
be pleased to hear him.
Mr. Green : Mr. Stretton said he should appeal
to the Loci' Government Board, and he has done
so; ard this is the result.
Mr. Holloway: Is tLere a motion bdore the
B: ard ?
The Chairman moved that the matters in the
communication which they had power to deal with
be te'erred to the BuNing Committee, and this
%las seconled by Mr Boycot.
The motion was carried, and it was resolved
that Mr. Stretton and Mr. Watkins (the archit•ct)
be s v-rallv invited to the meeting.

LOCAL BOARD.—The monthly meting of this
Board was held at the Town Hall on Wednesday
evening, Mr. Jeff:ries in the chair. The Local
Board accounts showed :—Due to treasurer, £39 12s;
Commission account—due from treasurer, A 45 25.
Retes, tolls, &c., collected by Mr. Nowell during the
mon'h. £175 is 91 The tender of Mr. Jacob Biggs,
B aivtsa o .tJ, to renew and repair flagging in
Worc,.ster btreet for atl4s, and 7s 9d per square
yard for any additioLal new flagging, was accepted,
the Board to retain the old material not used up.
A lengthy report of the Sanitary Committee, read by
Mr. Nicholls, stated that the outlet pipe of the
Stony Hill sewer had been found stopped with it
wooden plug at a manhole in Mr. F. Brooke's field,
and the sewage had consaquently flowed into a ditch
at the side, instead of passing on to the ffiterir.lt
beds. It was decided to make a thorough investi-
gation.—The claim of Mr. Jabez Willis for damage
to grass, &c., on Kitsless, was settled for the sum of
£2o.—The report of the Medical Officer (Dr. Carey)
showed that 22 births and 9 deaths were registered
last month, against 16 births and 12 deaths in Sep-
tember, 1883, the birth rate being 331, and the
death rate 13.5 per 1,000. The district washealthy.
—The report of Mr. Bevan, inspector of nuisances,
stated that eight houses in Stourbridge Street are
without water, the mains of the water company not
being laid in that street. Complaint was made
that letters to the company were not answered. The
Clerk was instructed to write to the company on the
matter.—The Chairman gave:notice that at the next
meeting he should move an alteration in the day of
meeting.—lt was resolved to paint the Town Hall
in and outside, and pave the market space in front
of it.