The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1870-04-30 00:00:00

BOARD OF GUARDIANS.

The usual weekly meeting of this body was hell at the
Board Room, yesterday; Mr. Grainger in the chair.
There were alao present sfesars. Brooks, Wood, Flout,
Dillingham, Rose. Darby. Fereday, W. H. Foley, Green.
Grollo. °dolt. 14,gas. HOU2eS. Oliver, Pardde. T. 11.
Pargeter, Peaking, Pearsall, Powell, Raybouid, Rhodes,
Weston, Wright, and Rill.nson.
Admitted into the house during the week, 25; dis-
aharge.l. 13; dead, 1 remaining. 408 Co•responding
week la 4 yedr, 429. Out door relief: Ringswinford dis-
trict, 1:41 64; Stdurbridge district. LOS is 7.1; Hales
Owen district. £23 121 7d ; total, £O3O. 2.1; against £92
10 10 lost t car. • . _ .

'l:ne Ch,ik read lettei.. from Mr. Freer, Dr..!ampbell,
an:i Mr. lilotham, the inedital men, f.,r 811 increase oh
Lotiary. Mr. Freer receives XIII, Mr. Campbell £57, and
Mr. Blot £65.

After some conversation on the subject, the following
gentlemen were appointed to investigate the matter and
report thereon : Meiste Darby, Paskina, Bird, ItoHinson,
Fereday. and Billingham,
Mr. Plant called the attention of the Board to the
room containing the oakum, whieli, if once ignited,
would produce consequences too fearful toe.lntemplate.
rho loss if life and property would certainly he terrible.
Ile suggested that it be sold immediately, or removed
from the premiers.. . . . . .

Mr. Orraiuger emid they had tried to sell it. end itad
. . . . .

Mr. Plant atvised them to write to the mayor% of
Great tirimAy, Hull. Liverpool. awl Bristol, a•Ming
those gentlemen to niforiu them who wool,' be en.itioners
for soch an article.
This was agreed to by the Board.

Mr. l'omt shid if it could not he sold it should be
removed (nom the prim wet.
. .

A petition was read relating to mines, woods, fisheiles,
money funds, and ,d 1 properties not assessed in tne rates,
to be presented before the House of Commons by a
member of Parlisment. .

. _
Mr. Brooks sail: We cannot do better than get our
worthy member Mr. Foley to present it.
Mr. Foley: I cannot do that without you wait a time.
It was agreed to get Mr. Villiers to present it.
. . .
" ' "

The Clerk read is requisition calling a meettng to take
into consideration the rating of mines in the parish.
Mr. Plant made a lengthy speech on the subject, at
the close of which he said he had to apologise for calling •
Use Guardians there. Whoa the rating question was be.
fore the committee they appointed him chairman, and
he hoped they wenid not receive his usa common voice,
hut with the voice of the committee. It would be re-
membered that for many years there was no system of
rating in the parish The rateable value of the coal was
£4.612 3s 6d. In 1839 the total coats of the Union was
£8,734; last year it was £16,005. They would see they
had been gradually increasing in expenditure. The am.
ount the Kingswinford coalinasters were represented to
be rated at was £4,000. about as touch as he should like
to have given for a good pit. At the instigation of the
committee, Mr. Meredith was appointed assessor. He
• rated the mines at one-sixth. The mines in Cradley
Heath were rated at one•sixth. Why should they be
I rated at 7s. whilst the ratepayers at Cradley Heath were
rated at '2os? Why shonid he pay 20s in the pound.
when the wealthy coalmaster only paid 7s in the pound?
He considered every man should be rated according to
the value of his property—)hear, hear). If the coal.
masters appealed again they would not employ a solicitor
from their district; but away from it. The speaker lug.
gested, in that case, Messrs. James and Griffin, in Bir-
mingham, whom he said were an old and respectable
firm. Coal had been taken at £l7O per acre. He had
known it to have been taken at £4O per acre. The Earl
of Dudley would not object to pay his proper share of
the rates, if he was assessed at them. Mr. W. 0. Foster,
another wealthy gentleman, would not abject to the
same thing; nor did he think any owner, whether great
or small, would object to pay his any
share of the rates
—(hear, hear). No honest man, knowing the worth of
the coal, would attempt to rate it at one-eighth or one-
twelfth. After some further remark., the speaker re-
earned hie seat.
The Chairman considered Mr. Plant had said some-
thing personal.
Mr. Plant said be should feel very sorry if he had said
anything objectionable, and should be most happy to
withdraw it—(hear, hear).
Mr. Brooks said he underatood Mr. Plant to say that
any man who voted for the one-eighth or one-twelfth
could not be honest.
Mr. Plant said he had not said anything of the sort.
What he had said was in respect of the future.
Mr. Wood was of the same opinion as Mr. Brooks.
Mr. Plant said they could not assess cost mines that
were full of water. They could not go down and see
how much coal had been drawn out. They could not
follow coal that had been got up and taker. away. They
should not be able to get at it unless the coalmasters
brought theirbouks to be examined. He should say now
as he said before, that the expenses of the Union were
getting higher, whilst the value of the parish was de.
reciatiog. If they got the assessor to rate the mines at
one-sixth, he believed it would be most beneficial.
Mr. Rhodes: I should like to know how long it has
been since Mr. Plant was a coalmaster
Mr. Plant did not consider it • pertinent question.
Mr. Raybould said Mr. Plant told him that it ought to
have been settled by law. He would tell the meeting
that the principal coalmasters very much regretted that
it had nat been settled by law. Mr. Plant wanted war,
end like the old Czar of Russia, he wanted war to the
knife only. Mr. Plant was lot ordered to go down the
pit., and charge £5 per day. The eoelmaeters were de-
termined to go to law if the one-eighth and one-tacit th
were not aliowed. Mr. Plant had said no profit, no
taxes; but if that Wag the cave he (the speaker) should
not have to pay taxes for a pit that he liad leased out
which did not pay him anything.
Mr. Plant said he was as much used to mines as any
I mart in the parish. At one-stub the major part of the

. _
minea in the pariah wonld he Vie same as Cradley at
ne ixth. They never thought of the peril'. of the lea%
htt went into it in are .kleaa manner. If the eoalmaa•
tern went to lea. lot the law take ita

Mr H. W Foley said he was a stranger on the subject.
He considered the rateable value of the cool mines
ought to he oriemmth The rate of the parish is Is Sd
in the bound, and according to Mr. Plant it turns in
about £5,000 per year. Re hoped when settled it would
give satisfaction k. the ratepayers.
Mr. Plant said something had been said about the £5
ha had received. He took no part in the matter, and he
was embroiled by the superior Court, and he did as he
was ordered. He then moved the following resolution :
"That in the opinion of this meeting it is desirable the
assessment on coal mines should be adjusted according
to their annual rateable value according to law, and with
this view the Assessment Committee be recommended
to take such steps as are necessary for rating them upon
that principle."
Mr. Peaking seconded the resolution, to which there
was no opposition.