The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1878-11-23 00:00:00

DUDLEY.

ASSAULT.—M the Pablic Office, on Monday, before
Messrs. John Aston, Charles Cochrane, and James
Fisher, magistrates, a labourer named Michael Devine
was sentenced to two months' imprisodment, with
hard labour, for as,aulting aridget Heaney, on Sunday
last. Defendant struck the woman on the head with toe
sharp edge of an iron-plate feeder, and a severe wound
sea inflicted.
Whirra v. JONES.—At the County Court, on Monday
last, before Mr. Rupert Kettle, judge, Mr. A. E. Ellis
(Messrs. Wight and Son) appeared on behalf of Hr.
Henry Whyte, plaintiff, in an action against Mr.
Joseph Jones, of Church Lane Ironworks, Tipton, for
repairs to a seam engine. Mr. Stokes (for Mr. Shake-
speare) appeared for defendant. The a.ction canal be-
fore his Honour on the 22nd ult, and, after going into
the plaintiff's Case, it was agreed by consent that an
order should be made for reference to Mr. Joseph
Whitley, chief engineer to the New British Iron Com-
pany, to ascertain the amount to be paid for the repairs.
Mr. Whitley having made his certificate returning £l7
15s, Mr. A. E. Ellis moved on behalf of the p aintiff,
for judgment and applied for costs according to the
scale in actions above £2O. His Honour said that it
was a very proper ease for such an allowance, and he
gave judgment accordingly, remarking that he was
quite willing to try the case when it came before him,
but felt that it was obviously one for a skilled referee to
deal with;

FAILURE IN THE WROUGHT Nam FRADE.—On Tue.-
lay afternoon last, Frederick Hipkiss, wrought nail
manufacturer, filed a petition in liquidation at the
County Court, Dudley. The liabilities are about £l,OOO
Lut the assets are not yet ascertained, Mr. Thomas
Homer, Brierley Hill, is the solicitor for the debtor; the
receiver to the estate is Mr. Thomas Richards, of Wol-
verhampton.
ME CONDUIT COLLIERY COMPANY AND Mn. R. W.
HANDURY, M P —kt the Dudley Co3nty Court, on Mon-
day last, Mr. Rupert Kettle gave his decision in the
above friendly arbitration case which had been referred
to him. The claim of the plaintiffs was for £5,000, and
particulars were reported in our columns at the first
haaring. The learned Judge said he should give a ver-
d:ct in Lvour of the company for £3,092 03 24, with the
following order :—" That from and upon this day all
property whatsoever in, upon about, or belonging to the
colliery comprised in the lease of the 4th July, 1864,
from William Hanbury, Esquire, deceased, to the plain-
tiffs, shall belong to the defendant as the absolute
owner thereof," Mr. King (Messrs, Bernard and King,
of Stourbridge) was fur the company, and Hr. Armishaw
(Rugeley) for Mr. Hanbury, M.P. Mr. Henry Johnson
and Mr. James Whitehouse were the mining engineers
engaged on behalf of the company, and Mr. W. North
(Mayor of Dudley) and Mr. C. H. Cope for Ur. R. W.
Hanbary, M,P.
GUEST HOSPITAL —The seventh annual meeting of the
sibscribers to the above ho4pital was held on Tuesday
last, when Mr. R. Fisher Smith presided. There were
also present the Rev. Matthew Gibson, Captain Renaud,
and Messrs. T. Brettell, A. D. Stringer, Harrison, Wil-
day, Cochrane, Tilley, Coldicott, Dudley, Manby, and E.
Poole (secretary). The report of the committee re-
gretted that the resources upon which the usefulness of
the institution depended were still decreasing. The bad
state of trade and the comparative poverty which had
fallen upon the neighbourhood could reasonably account
for any deficiency, yet the committee felt that such
deficiency repeated year after year was a cause of great
regret, and called for more earnest efforts on the part of
all well wisher' of the hospital, and, if possible, more
liberal support. Whis year showed stalling off in all the