The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1884-02-02 00:00:00

BROMSGROVE.

FUNERAL or MR. BOLDING.—On Saturdayai )ra
, lug the funeral of Mr. William maltstm
and farmer, of this town, took place at toe ceme-
tery, in the presence of a goodly number of spec.
tators, The funeral serves was read by the Rev..
F. Paget, vicar. The body was followed by rel-
atives and tenants of the deceased, and Messrs,
Jefferies, Saywell, Green, Ward, and Bennett, di-
rectors of the gas company, deceased was for many
years a member of the Local Board, and he was
the founder of the Biomsgrove Brewery. He died
on Tuesday weak, after a brief illness from dropsy
at the age of fifty-one years.
SCHOOL BOARD ELECTION.—The term of office of
the present School Board expires next month, and
Mr. Humphreys, the returning officer, has issued
notice for the triennial election of seven members to
form the new Board, to take place on Friday, the
15th February. The last day nominating members
will be Monday next, and withdrawals may be
made up till four o'clock p.m. on Friday, Bth
February. At a meeting of the Church of Eng-.
land party, held at the Institute on Tuesday
evening, to nominate four members for the
Board, the Rev. Rev. F. Paget (vicar), Rev. J.
Kidd (Catshill), Mr. W. Jefferies, and Mr. T. Say-
well were selected for nomination as condidates to
represent the Church party. Mr. Paget has been a
member of the Board for the short time he has been
in Bromsgrove, and Mr. Say well is a member of the
present Board, having served the full period. Mr.
J. R. Horton, the chairman of the present Baard.
and Mr. J. Green decline to stand agatn.—A meet-
ing called by Mr. W. J. Leadbette-, the working
men's representative, was held the sane evening, in
the Primitive Methodist School Room, when Mr.
Leadbitter gave an account of his proceedings as a
member of the Board for the past six years. He
was opposed by Mr, F. W. Turton and Mr. W.
Ledbnry, juur. ; but was voted to be a fit and
proper person to reprteent the working men on the
School Board, only one voting for an amendment,
proposed by Mr. Turton and seconded by Mr.
Gearge Nokev, that he is not a fit and proper person
to represent the party.
SINGULAR CHARGE 01P OBSTRUCTING TUB HlGH-
WAY.—Stephen Edward Prague, contractor for the
sewerage now being carried out by direction of the
Local Board, was summoneri at the Petty Sessions
on Wednesday, before Mr. R. Smallwood and the
Rev. J. It. T. Eaton. under the Highway Act, on a
ctiarge of unlawfully and wilfully obstructing the
highway at Rock Hill ou the 15th January, by
blasting with explosives, without taking reasonable
care to avoid danger and annoyance to passengers.
—Mr. J. R. Horton, solicitor (the complainant)
stated that on the 16th he was corning down Rock
H 11, and passing a tr, Leh where men were at work
at the sewering, 1% hen the; e was a great shoutiv,
and the men ran in all directions. He was told to
run, an I took shelter in a brewhouse. In a few
minutes there was a great explosion, and a quantity
of stones and earth was thrown up into toe air.
There was one man at each end of the trench to
give notici, of tho explosion.—Mr. W. H. Lewis,
atonemason, Rock Hill, said he had suffered great
loss and inconvenience from the blasting, which
was carried on in a most reckless manner. He h
written twice to the Local Board about it, and had
made a claim for damage. No men were there to
give a caution till the fuce was fired, and then they
shouted "fir'." It had cost him ..t3 to repair the
slates on his house —Defendant called Thomas
Motris arid Edwin Nokes, two of his men, to prove
that men were there to give notice of the ex-
plosions, but they failed to do so.—The magistraLs
considered proper precautions had not been take 1,
and thy fined defendant .21 and us costs.