The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1876-12-23 00:00:00

BROMSGROVE.

BOARD OF GUAUDIANS.—At the meeting of this Board,
held at the Union Worohouse, on Thursday. Miss Mary
Simon,cf Droitwich, was appointed schoolmistress at
the Workhouse.— The tenders of Mr. John Gibbs,
Wychbold Mill, to supply good seconds flour for the
next quarter, at 8s per bushel ; and of Mr. William
Loyd, Bromsgrove, to supply for the same period beef
and mutton at 7d, and suet at Gd ier lb., were accepted.
—Under the Divided Parishes Act, 1867, it was decided
that the following alterations in parishes in this Union
be recommended to the Local Government Board: Part
of the New House Farm and other property in Upton
Warren, being iso:ated portions of Bromsgrove parish,
entirely surrounded by Upton Warren, to be amal-
gamated with that parish, an& form part of the Droit-
wich Union. eart of the Crowfield Farm, an isolated
part of Dodderhill parish, Droitwicb. Union, to be anyd-
gamated with Bromsgrove parish, which it adjoins.
FAA of the Lake Farm, Grafton Manor, now in Broms-
grove parish, to be amalgamated with Grafton Manor.
A portion of the Ran Dan Woods, near Woodcote Green,
now an isolated portion of the parish of Chaddesley
Corbett, Kidderminster Union, to be amalgamated with
Bromsgrove parish. Part of Warridge Lodge and Lake
Farm, now in Bromsgrove parish, to be amalgamated
with Grafton Manor.

The following is copied from the Methodist Recorder
and the Rev. Join, Thomas, referred to resides in
Kidderminster Street, Stourbridge :
THE FRIENDLY ISLANDS MISSION.
"Honour to whom Honour is Due."

TO THE EDITOR OF THE METHODIST RECORDER,

Dear Sir,—On returning this evening from Liverpool,
where I had been to preach missionary sermons and to
attend public meetings, at St. John's Chapel and at
G9.rston, in the Wesley Circuit, I was glad to find on
my table the October number of our Australasian
`4 Wesleyan Missionary Notices," in which there is a
well-merited recognition of the pioneer labours of the
Rev. John Thomas, Stourbridge, the first missionary who
was appointed to labour in the Friendly Islauds, now
more than fifty years ago. The numerous friends, lam
sure, of "Father " rhomas, as we always called him
yonder, will be much gratified to learn that the King of
Tonga, recently appointed by proclamation a public
holiday in commemoration of the jubilee of Mr.
Thomas's entry, as a servant of Liod and Methodist
missionary, into his dominions. The text of the pro-
clamation is as follows :
Secretary's Office, Nukualofa, June 24, 1876.
In consequence of Wednesday, the 28th just, being
the anniversary of the arrival, fifty year ago, of the
Rev. John Thomas. the founder of the Wesleyan
Mission in the Friendly Islauds, and, in consideration
of the many advantages derived from the establishment
of that mission, and the progress which had been made,
his Majesty has been pleased to proclaim

_ _
WEDNESDAY, JUNE 28,
as a public holiday. All the Government offices will
therefore be closed; and his Majesty requests that all
foreign residents trading here, and employing Tongan
lab3iir. will observe the holiday as far as practicable.
A gun will be fired at sunrise, and one at sunset; also
a royal salute of twenty- !lie guns at noon.
By his Majesty's command,