The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1879-02-01 00:00:00

I am, gentlemen,
Yours slay truly .
T. Pagett.
FINANCE COXICITTEIef REPOT.

Tho Clerk read the Finance Committees' report
which showed the following balances: Highway
Account due to the Treasurer to this date,
£323 Gs 2d; Improvement Account balance duo
to Treasurer £339 Os sd; Urban Sanitary Au-
thority Account balance due to Treasurer £316
12s 4d.

Your committee have examined a number of
accounts and recommend them to be paid :
Improvement Account, .241 Os 9d- Highway
Account, £lll 13s id; Urban Sanitary Account,
..£63 Os 3d.

The rate collector's books were laid before your
committee.

On the motion of Mr. Kelley, seconded by Mr.
Edwards, the accounts were ordered to be paid.
REPORT OF THE GENERAL PURPOSES COMMITTEE.
MEDICAL OFFICER OF HEALTH'S REPORT.—
Number of deaths registered from December 23rd,
1878, to Jauuary 20th, 1879, was 25, viz., 13 males
and 12 females. The death-rate is 31.9 per 1,000.
The death-rate during the past month has been
higher than any other month since December 1878.
This is te be ascribed to the severity of the weather
which has acted on the very young, and very old.
Eleven deaths have been caused by long disease.
Six.died over 60 years of age, and sere* under one
year. Two deaths Ikave been caused by dyptheria,
but I can't account %ere the infection has come
from. Number of Births 31; viz: 19 males, and
12 females, birth-rate 39.5. The journal of -the
medical officer of health was laid before your corn
mittee. Premises in Church Street, and Chapel
Street have been visited, and instructions given
for the removal of nuisances found there, and which
have been carried into effect.
TOWN OFFICER'S REPORT.--Nuisances removed
from last month, 16; reported during the month,
35; total 51; Removed, old 12, new 31; Night Soil,
63 privies, 66 ashpits belonging to 140 houses
have been emptied and cleansed. Number of loads,
137. The registered lodging-houses and slaughter-
houses are reported to be in good sanitary eondi-
tion. The cost of the extra 'cleansing of the
streets, formerly turnpike roads, during the past
month is £5 12s Od. Your committee recommend
that that sum be paid, and further, the same
system carried on for cleansing the streets and
roads, emptying and Cleansing privies, on the same
terms and conditions until the next monthly meet-
ing.
Coax EXCHANGE.—Your committee recommend
that application be made to the magistrates fer a
license for the holding of theatrical performances
in the Corn Exchange, and with a view that a
special committee be appointed to consider what
steps are necessary for rendering the Corn Exchange
and any part ef the Market Hall, available for
such purpose.
THE STOUR/MIDGE GAB BILL—Your committee
recommend that a special committee be appointed
to consider and watch the bill, with power if neces-
sary, to employ a solicitor to guide and assist them
in the business.

Proposed by Mr. Hughes, seconded by Mr. Ed-
wards that the report be received.
The Chairman said he thought it neoessary that
a theatrical license should be obtained, and any
alterations made to the Corn Exchange should be
be made to meet the requirments, and suggeated
that a committee be formed, and plans obtained.
Mr. Edwards said they had already had plans to
alter the Corn Exehang% and have had to pay for
the plans. Theequestion was had they the power
to alter the Corn Exchange.
Mr. Kelley said that if they had the power to
build a fire.engine house they could extend the
accommodation of the Corn Exchange. If there
had been more accommodation Mr. Toole'e party
would have performed iw the Exchange instead, of
another building, and that the St. Dennis Dramatic
Club would have used the room. He had been told
by the officer that several applications for the room
had to be refused in consequence of there being no
license. _ _ _

Mr. Billingham thought that a committee may
be formed to look over the place and give the
Board their opinion about it first, as to the costs,
without first applying for plans. •
Mr. Perkins proposed, and Mr. Kelley seconded,
that the Chairman and the Clerk do apply to the
magistrates for a theatrical licence.
Mr. Edwards said his opinion was that a stage
could be erected at one end of the room.
Mr: Kelley considered it should be left in the
hand of the committee, and the following gentle-
men were elected as a committee : the Chairman,
Messrs. Mills, Hicklin, Scott, and Allsop.
The Chairman called the Boards attention to the
Gas BillEnow before Parliament, It was proposed to
reduce the lighting power from 14 to 13 candles.
In Landon it was 17, and in Birmingham 16. The
BoarU had power to light the Township them.
selves•if they thought proper, and suggested that
a committee of five should be elected to watch the
progress of the bill, and if necessary to employ a
solicitor to assist them in the business.

The Clerk said there was likely to be a bill before
Parliament to light all over the Kingdom with the
new Electric Light. The following gentlemen
were elected: the Chairman, Messrs. Billingham,
Scott, Allsop, and Woolley.
The Chairman said that the committee had ac-
cepted the tender of Mr. Gould of Worcester Street,
to erect an engine house, at a cost of £5B, which
did not include locks.

Mr. Perkins moved that the tenders be accepted,
which was seconded by Mr. Ick, and carried.
The Clerk read a letter he had received from Mr.
George Holloway, clerk to the Guardians, in refer-
ence to the drainage question, which stated that the
meeting would not take place, as the Brierley. Hill
Local Board had decided tint to send a deputation,
and the Quarry Bank Local Board had not 'yet
had a meeting to consider the question.
The Clerk reed letters from Mr. Lancaster Owen,
engineer to the Great Western Railway Company.
In the first Mr. Owen &sail he could not state when
the foot-bridge law St. John's Church would be
commenced, as he had not yet received advice from
the Church authorities of their acquiescence in the
ploposals made by the company. He should be
hippy to meet the Clerk on the site of Foster
Street, tofsettle any maters of detail that might be
still outstanding. In the mend, Mr. Owen said
there were difficulties in the way of the commence-
ment of the Angel Street subway, which, he was
afraid, would necessitate further Parliamentary
fowers, in accordance with the agreement between
the Great Western Railway and the Board, but he
would look into the matter and see what could be
done as soon as the Foster Street subway was
opened, ancat was seen how it worked.
The rules of the volunteer fire brigade were ap-
proved and the seal of the Board was affixed to the
same. On the sugges,tion of Mr. Kelley, it was
decided to place a fireplug in Eaville Street, near
Union Hall.
Mr. H. Billingham called attention to the un-
employed labour in the town, and the desirability
of utilising it in some way for public purposes.
The Board of Guardians had employed pretty
nearly as many persons as they could do, but
besides those who applied for relief there were
many unemployed men who were not paupers, and
had no desire to become so. It -struck. him that
they might be employed in getting stone and
gravel f6i the roads, and as the Board would be
wanting metal for the road to the cemetery, this
might find them some work. The Chairman said
the repair of the road to the cemetery would
devolve on the Oldswinford surveyors. The Clerk
said part of it was in the township. After some
discussion, a committee wilt appointed, consisting
of the Chairman, Mr. Billingham, and the Clerk,
with power, according to their discretion, to employ,
, in any way they deemed beet, usemployed labour
is the lems.

MEE