The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1885-05-02 00:00:00

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Tin conference of ratepayers which as-
sembled in the London Mansion House the
other day for the purrote of discussing the
question of School Board expenditure and
ailministration was an occasion of interest to
a much wider constituency than that resid-
ent within the radius of the jurisdiction of
the metropolitan School Board. Although
in tin matter of money-spending the admin-
istrators of the Board . School system in
London have proved
.themselves mach more
lavish than their coinpeers in the country.
this same pol:cy which hes roused the ire of
ocotiorni2ts and ratepvers generally whose
lot ii life has becit east in the capital, may
be taken as an e.-.c.amole to be shunned—to
hazard a literai paradox—by kindred bodies
in provincial towns. There is no denying
that, while it would be difficult to find a
thinking and reasonable Englishman who is
at all hostile to a well-regulated plan of as-
suring e;ementaty education to every child
born within the bounds of the empire, the
School Board system is far from popular, as
well in the country as in the metropolis, with
the great body of the tax-paying public.
The cause is not far to seek. When School
Boards were established as a national insti-
tution, they had at once to enter upon the
construction of school buildings, and carry
into effect other necessary foundation require-
ments which, had the expenditure been con-
trolled with the greatest possible care and
wisdom, would still have entailed a very
heavy Outlay of money from the ratepayers'
pockets. An Englishman's traditional
privilege is the right to grumble when he
;-3, and in any case the settlement of the
School Board bill would not have been unac-
companied with an ungracious grumble.
But the idea is abroad, and that extensively,
in fact, almost wherever the School Board
is known,
.that needless expenditure and
even wasteful extravagance have been in-
dulged in by the distributors of elementary
education to the children of the masses.
The indictment against them includes the
purchas of school sites in other than the
cheapest markets, the erection of school
buildings in greater number than really
necessary, and of too elaborate and costly
design, the teaching of ornamental and not
absolutely' requisite subjects at the price of
additions to the rate. the payment of exces-
sive salaries to teachers, and many minor
items of administrative prodigality. In too
many cases, we fear, the charges heaped on
the heads of the members of School Boards
are grounded on fact; and it is a great pity
that a great scheme of immense national
moment should have been rendered unpopu-
lar by the indiscretion and inexperience of
some of its local executors. Action of this
kind, w,hile giving the grumbling ratepayer
reason for his loud if not always logical pro-
testations, strengthens the case of those who
oppose the School Board system because of
their allegiance, irterested or otherwise, to
the old voluntary plan. We may here avoid
entrance into the issues as between supporters
.of the voluntary schools and believers in the
efficacy of the Board's powers as a panacea
for preventing the possibility of illiterate-
ness among rising generations. The Schocl
Board is now a national institution of far-
reaching magnitude. It arose to supply
elementary education to all children not
otherwise provided for, because the nation
aid not consider pre-existing schools were
equal to the task. We have the School
Board an accomplished fact to-day, and if
well managed, it can provide the necessary
teaching A the lowest possible cost. This
is what, he ratepayers require of Messieurs
the members of the various Boards in Lon-
don and elsewhere. The erection of a School
building, at an outlay of thirty-three thou-
-sand pounds, a piece of unwarranted extra-
vagance of which the London Board has just
been guilty, might be fitly taken by provincial
bodies as an archtype of wasteful disburse-
ment, not for imitation, but for avoidance;
and as a notable instance of what extremities
imprudent management of a public trust,
involving the control of practically limitless
financial resources, may lead to. This repre-
sents, when we consider the capacity of the
building a cost of just £33 for every child
accommc;dated, which ill certainly a great
deal too much, the value of land in West-
minster, where the school stands, notwith-
standing. And the charge for teachers'
salaries in London is this year estimated at
£2 +ls id per child per head, again much
hiqlier than necessary. The triennial elec-
tion o:" School Boards is hard at hand new,
and ratepayers who groan under an exorbit-
ant School Board assessment should make it
their business to select members of the new
Board from among persons of tried and
trus-;wortny business capacity, taking from
them i distinct pledge to economy. We
would not say one word against proper ex-
penditure on education, nor advocate that
that view of elementary teaching which re-
gards it as a thing of which a certain un-
avoidable minimum should be doled out with
miserly hand. What we complain of is that
the ratepayer does not get in many districts
any thing like an adequate exchange of edu- •
cation for the children of the land in return
for the price he is called upon to pay ; and
thid is because the School Boards, and none
so much as that of the metropolis, have
drifted into habitual excess in their expen-
diture. Mr. W. H. Smith's opening speech
at the Mansion House meeting, though
directly turned aoe'ainst the extravagance of
tire Londou Beard., has its lessons for mem-
bers 'Of School Botn-ds in cities and towns up
and down in the ; and those pro-
vincial educationa;.; administrative bodies
whom the cap fits may; with advantage,
weal. it. Mr. Forster's incisive remarks at
the annual meetinr of the British and
Foreign School Society, held also at the
Mansion House lttL!r in the week, may be
studied, too, with profit by taxpayers and
School •Boarile -mnibers. •It is satisfactory
to learn that many Lnportant centres have
such a good show as compared with London;
Liverpool, Aianchester, Hull, and Birming-
ham for example. Seven provincial places
provide the elementary teaching at an aver-
age cost of LI. lOs 10d per child for tutorial
salary ; and six lt.'2.:ai" Preseut a return of
school buildinss on which a, medial sum of
;)
.£l2 Iss a scholar his been expended. This
is far better than bond n is doing, and yet
in most cases these provincial scholars earn
a lara-er g 7 ant than their tellows under the
of the School Board which of all nti.
others should .ako the lead in efficient ad-
ministration. E v travagance, in whatever
form, lutist b 9 sternly discountenanced by
the ratepayers, lest, wherever it occurs,
"arable injury be inflicted on the highly
" gystem of education which judici,
'"e would, On the contrary,
-iv invest with universal

That was a sad fire in a London oil sii3p
ivhere three persons were burnt to death in
the flames, and two others have since suc-
cumbed to injuries received during the
progress of the destroying element. One of
these latter, a young servant girl, lost her
life through heroic devotion to duty. She
safely threw two children out of an upper
room on to a bed held by willing hands be-
low, she herself having first procured the
bed from the burning building in which she
was staying at imminent risk to herself. A
third child was thrown out, but unhappily it
struck a sign-board ere reaching the ground
and soon terminated fatally. Then the brave
girl leapt, almost exhausted, from the win-
dow-. and hurt herself even unto death ; for
in forty-eight hours she was no more. A
grand deed, and pity it is so noble a life
had been sacrificed. Where was the fire

escape? In a dense part of London such a
terrible scene should not have been possible
The storage of inflammables in quantity,
such as an oil chandler's stock should not be
permitted under dwelling room. The fumes
of the burning paraffin almost stiffe.l the
heroic girl in her work of rescue; and, but
for this added :terror of the fire, she
would have been able to tie together the
bed-clothing she had brought out with the
intention of sliding the children into the
crowd beneath. Fatal fires of such appall-
inF., character as this are sad subjects to have
to lear lessons from, and it behoves us to
take them to heart with all the more serious-
ness and vigour.

Home Sanitation is a matter which does
not by any means receive adequate attention
among the middle classes, so that in ete
humbler dwellings of the very poor we can
scarcely expect to find the most careful re-
gard for all sanitary requirements. In the
thickly-populated quarters of our great
towns it is of vital impor4ance that landlord
and tenant and urban sanitary authority
should be all fciund paying proper attention
to precautionary measures intended to pre-
vent the causes of zymotic disease germinat-
ing and spreading with deadly result. Mon
of science are doing good work, by inculcat-
ing in the minds of the masses, by means of
popular lectures. a knowledge of the seem-
ingly small beginnings from which a terrible
fever outbreak often springs. And Local
Boards of Health are doing their best to
whipe up neglectful landlords to a sense of
their duty. Too much stress cannot be laid
especially in hot weather, on the importance
of cleanliness and free air. In London, the
Mansion House Council on the Dwellings of
the Poor has done very much in the direc-
tion of righting what was wrong in a sani-
tary sense where the poor congregate closest
for shelter. The ignorance of the people
themselves, and the "house-sweater,' who
buys tumble-down, untenantable old property
and lets it off :room by room tothe poorest
of Londoners, have been the biggest stumb-
ling-blocks in the way of the good work of
Mansion House Council, which has set itself
to in some way alleviate the "bitter cry of
outcast London." An inspection of 464
houses within the jurisdiction of one metro-
politan vestry during the three months just
past has given the result here following :
"In 194 no water supply was found to what
are facetiously called the water-closets. In
34 there were untrapped or defective yari
gullies, and in 2 untrapped sinks. In 23
houses there were no dustbins at all and in
72 they were defective or dilapidated. :n 18
houses there were four inmates in one room.
All this in one district. The London Council
sustained by subscriptions of the benevo-
lent, is striving to reform such blots on a
wealthy capit tl ; and it would be well if
their excellent example were followed in
every English town. Local Sanitary Aid
Committees, on the plan of those established
in many parts of the metropolis by the Con-
tra,' Council, could do much that is now left
undone in great provincial communities
towards securing health, cleanliness, and
comfort in the homes of the people.

THItokT lanvrATzow AND COlliitl.—,lordness anti dry
?lest, tickling and irritation, indu ling cough and affecting
the vniee. For these aymptams use Kpps's Glycerine
Jujubes. In contact with the glands at the moment
they ere excited by the sat of sucking, the Glycerine in
these agreeable confections become' actively healing.
Sold only in boxes. 70., tine is lid., labelled "Jexs4
Kyys & Co„ Homoeopathic Chemists, London. 0-.
George Moore, in his work on .".ose and l'bro.t
Asses," says: "The Glycerine Jujubes prepared by
-,:wos and Co., are of undoubted se vice as a
age.f ." Wails Dr. Gordon
-eician to the kftv,icipel Throat and
tftar an extelded trial, I have
of con,derable begat
' In aimost all forms
^o's liodioines

The report w s adopted.
Th, Medical Othoer reported the number of
bir.lm registered in the township from March 23rd
to April eBth-17 viz , males 10, females 7. Nutn her
Of dee, he registered in the same period 20, viz.,
males 10, females 10. Birth rate 20 9, death rate
21.5. Tao officer reports that the death rate for the
past mon'h is slightly higher than last month. but
vat is exceedingly remarkable about it it is higher
then the birth la e. I have been obliged to send
hree samples of water to Dr. Swete for allele sis and
a u pleased t say they were all condemned by
him as unfit for drinking purposes. I say "pleased"
because that shows my origheal judgement of tee
wa'er to be correct. If my orders about the wells
and tap water are not compl;ed with in 14 days I
hhall be compelled to take preceedings. Two oth2r
wells have been tested, in which the water is un-
doubtedly bad.
Night Soil Removal. 128 privies, 124 a,slepite
belonging to 210 houses have been emptied and
their contents removed. Number of loads 106.
The registered lodging houses and bakehouses
are reported to be in a good sanitary cenditiou
widi one exception where notice has been served to
abate the nuisance. Number of lodging houses 7.
Teey have occupied during the month by, daily 66,
weekly 490, and during the month by 1,975.
Eight petroleum licenses are required and the
oflicer reconitnends teat they be grauted.
Your Committee after carefully considering the
question ot the removal of the Night Soil by your
Board recommend that the work be done as at pre
seat by contract for 12 months from June next, and
tenders be invitei for that purpose. Your Com-
mittee recommend that the sum of £2O 10s be ex-
pended in lighting the Market Hall with twelve
lamps and that the removal of the stalls be left to
the directions of your Committee Your Committee
recommene that the lighting of Kidderminster-at.,
uear Highest., remain as at present.
Mr. Edwards said the people were grumbling
about their water being taken away. They said
the water from the water works was not so good as
the well water.

One member asked why the medical officer did
not atterd th.l committee meetings. If they wanted
to ask a cia t•t.on about the wells there was no one
to amk

l'he Chairman thought that it would be better for
the medical officer to attervt the tueetiugs.
The CLairman said it was a serious thing for
people to have their wells stopped if the water was
not bad. _ . _ _

.dr, Palfrey said he knew a well, which had been
lefflued and waieh used to supply the to .vn
with water.

nett !Asked whether it would not be advis-
ab,t3 to seed the w.ter to auother analyst besides
Dr. Swete.

The Chairman said Dr. Swete was the county
aualyst, but it would not take intifil if thoy paid
for the anslyein4 out of Vieir own pooke!s.
Mr. Woolley said that people said the water from
the water worKs was a..lulterated.

The Chairman slid that he hal alwayb been under
the impression the waterworks water was the bebt
water that could be got.

The subject then dropped.
It was agreed to advertise for tenders to for re-
moving the Soil Night.
..Vlr. Billingbain moved that the Market Hall be
IL:Med with twelve globe lamps at a cost of £2O
10-, and the stalls b, removed under the di, retion
• he e.,minittee, and also have notices rinze
gi.,ug nonee that anyone breaking toe wind .w
• prosecut -d.
I've L;oked round the
il.lll and bltss my soul, it ii-tems like a n!ry heaves
awl a new earth. If they ()hold put to se laps
in --Mr. North a, h.! %vas owinee'ed with the lignt
of other days and these days codld day whether it
w add light any b !ter.
M. N ,rth : I tliink so.

Mr. Collis said there was a Market H ill Com-
mittee 'aril they were considering what they, could
do to me tae Market Hall of more benefit to the
ra,epayera. The summer was now coining on and
he thought it woutd not be advisable to put the
lamps tnera for the present as the light eights were
coumig ou, aud befure winter aomethtng else may
be duce. They would be in debt and it would be
n use to spend the money. lie should move as an
amendment that the matter be shelved for the pre
sent.

The Chairman said that Mr. Collie's amendment
commended itself to his judgement and he should
support it.
Mr. Billingham said that if they carried out the
amendment it would just stop the committee's
work. If they were going to alter the stalls they
should have to have lights for the room,
Mr. Collis said he did not go so t as regards the
stalls, but as re,gatds the lights. 117 v go and spend
money when bef,vre the end of Juhe t:t -yr would be
in debt about £1,000?

On the motion being put to the meeting eight
voted for the amendment and seven :or the original,
motion.

Mr. .11ollis moved that the stills be removed ac-
cording to the committee's ditectio;is and to con-
struct such stalls a- truiterer's be made if neeeeshry
This was seconled by gr. Jones, aud carri,A un-
animously.
Mr. Woolley moved that before any ot er steps
be taken in regard to the closing of w.. 11 the u
officer be requested to state waAtier it be to.
medial or preventihle. He (Mr. Woolley) line .v a
well where the water was bad. Th, ptpl,4 t hat
owned it had a pump maker and welt sinker to it
and they found an escape of gas. That, however,
Was stopped and the water was now as good as e fer.
Perhapi such things may have happened in the
other cases.
The resolution was carried,

The Improvement Committee recouinenthtd Volt
the agreements with the Ft.:v. Et her.trd, Mr.
Allis, and Mr. Walker with regard to tile Mtrket
Street be sealed. Your Committee recommend th t.
three truck loads of York flagging be orderepl for
the flagging in High Street. -New Post Office. A
letter tots been received fr.in -Jr. Thomas Robin-
son nsking £l5 for the land (auout 2sq. yds.) to be
given up at the New Post Offi,e Buildina. Your
Committee recommend that the wan of £5 be paid.
Alteration of Bye-laws. YLur Conuni tee recom-
mend that the model bye-laws issued by the Local
Government Board relating t new streets and
buildings be ref.rrel to a special meeting ot your
committee.
Several members ~poke and coudeanne i the pay-
ing of ..£5, but it was eventu My passed.
Votes of thanks wet., passed to the Rev. U.
Sherrard and ?dr. Walker
The question ot appointing a permanent Solicitor
to the Board came on again, -

A letter was read by the chairman from Mr. Has-
kew which stated that he did not see anything to
cause them to appoint a soliitor. He should like
them to distribute their fav,.urs amongst the pro-
fessional gentlemen as heretofore.
Mr. Edwards thought the way they had gon4oo
had been exceedingly fair. He hopad they sh9uld
never have so much business to do again, especially
a 4 regards incorpoiation. It rather stuck in hug
gizzard. He was like Judas Iscariot ;he was de-
ceived.

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These works were formally opened on Wednesday
afternoon in the presence of the Drainage Board,
the Commissioners. Guardians, and others interested
in the matter. Abont half-past two about sixty
gentlemen assembled at the pumping station, which
adjoins the works of Mr. Foster, at the bottom of ,
the Forge Hill, to, see the engines started. The
Main Drainage-lreard was formed in 1881, and, the
district for, wnich it was constituted was Stour.
bride, Upperswinford, Atnbl,cote, and Wollaston.
As the name implies, its work was that of mein
drainage, coupled with the necessary acoompani-
n: of sewage disposal; and the internal drainage
of the places named rests with the existing sanitary
auti•oriti-s. Amb:ecote is the only place where the
interne drainage has been cornpletee, hut at Stour-
idge the 010 sewers have been connected with tee
new main sew.es, so that from the two places there
will be amount of sewage disposed of in the interim
Letween tee full exeeution of the internal drainage
wo,ks that leave to be carried nut. dile sewage
farm the Board have ateu r ri is situated at Whit
tinerou Common, b tween Stoureridge and Kinver,
and is 130 acres in extent. It has ben purchased
from the trust. es (if the late Lord Stainterd end is
li:ht and favourable ground for iirigation purposes.
Mr. S. A. Brooks has booms the tenant of it till
November 1886, under an arrangement by which
it will be got into good working condition for agri-
cultural purposes The total outlay upon the
works and upon the purchase of the sewage farm is,
in round numbers, £25,000, which covers the
amount the Main Drainage Board obtaiueci author-
ity to expend. The works have been executed from
the plans of Mr. J. Taylor and Mr. W. Fiddian,
Stourbridge, the latt havieg had tLe immeditte
superin'endence of the works.
After the gentlemen who were invited to attend
Wednesday's proceedings had assembled in the en
eine heuse, Mr. W. J. Turney, chairman of the
Board, read the following :
The formation of the Board arose from a joint
application to the Local Government Board by the
Stourbridge Improvement Commissioners and the
Rural Sanitary Authority for a provisional order to
torra a Drainage District with the obje-t of getting
over the difficulties which surrounded the carrying
oat of separate schemes for each of the places pro.
posed to be sewered and reducing the annual cost of
collection and disposal of sewerage in such places.
The pr visional order was granted and confirmed
by Parliament, in 1881, thus forming Stourbridge,
Upperswinford, Amblecete, and Wollaston, with a
total population of no .rly 20,000, into an united
Drainage District, and providing for a reprevnta-
tive Beard to be called the Stourbridge Main Drain.
see Board. The Board consists of seven members
namely :—The chairman of the Stourbridge Im-
provement Commissioners, and two other numbers
chosen by that body. The Chairman of the Board
of Guardians and the elective guardians for the
townships of Upperawinfurd. Wollaston, and the
Hamlet of Amblecote, or failing such. elective repre-
sentative in any constituent place an ex•officio morn-
of the Board of Guardians residing:in soon place.
The first work of the Board after its formation was
to obtain a scheme for carrying out hi the most
complete and economical manner the work for
which the Board was formed. Mr. John Taylor
and Mr.,Wm Fiddian, who had previously been con-
cerned in preparing a scheme for the Stourbriuge
Improvement Corn nissieuers, were instructed to
report to the Drainage Board on the best method
to be ad pted for the colle.eion amid disposal of the
se wsge of the Board's degrict, and their joint
report. was pre.-ented in March, 1832. Tuts report
advised time e.,ileetiOn -f the sewage at a point
now occupied by the pumping station, near Messrs.
Bradley's Foundry, and the pimping of same to
suitable land towards Whittington, for disposal by
broad irrigation. A public enquiry was in due
course h id on behalf of the Local aoveratneut
B eir i, by J. 'l'. flarrison, Esq.' C.E , one of their
inspeci ors After the scheme had been described
and the oetails ex; boned by the surveyors, the he-
mp ictor suegeste eu alternative method for the dis•
ot s.-wEL4e which was to convey it down the
sioar sied •y to a point near Bell's Mill and there
i,' I nih he sewage by:precipittvion cud applies-
ii of the effluent from the tenet, an area laid out
as osier beds. The board trunsisci. to give tne
suggestion the fullest con,id. ration ..ne rep .at. the
result of it to the Departaten'. With tie view of
outlay and working expens • or t earticui tr sys-
tem referred to by the inspector a c eninittee of no
board with their surveyors vi r'erneor tit end
Astley Bridge, shen full pal ti.ultrt wer., ob'ained
on the above matters. Thu as pr.souteti
to the Board in reports of the eoeimitt ee and the
surveyors, by which it appeared that the original
scheme, under the partirwar circu ustances was to
be preferred. The chief drawha.uks to the Bell's
Mill scheme were the low level of the propose
works and liability to flooding, The impossibility
in this case of passing t:ie effluent (ruin toe taoks
on to the surface of the lend withent tee aid of
mechsmcal power, comparatively large work i ex-
penses and probable diflieulty or litigati ea e ith
lando vene, s, including th .t Water Works Company,
who had recently become the owners of a site ad-
joining the one proposed. After full consideration
of the reports the Drainage Board resolved to rely
upoa the original echeine, and forwarste I the Com-
parative details tif cost mud other reasons which in-
fluenced them to the Local Governiue t Board, who
eventually sanctioned the carrying out of the works
as proposed in the first report of the surveyors. Ihe
Board now proceeded to obtain the land required
for the proposed works, but experience 1 such diffi-
culty In coining to terms with the landowners, that
it became necessary to obtain compulsory powers
of purchase. Eventually about 14 acres of land
were purchased from Miss Unwiu for the pumping
sta 10e, and 130 acres near Whittington mom the
trustees of he late Earl of Stamford and Warring.
ton for a sewage farm. Meanwhile, contracts were
entered into for the construction oF the works Thu
contra-a for the intercepting sewers was let to Mr.
.1. Jevees. i lie total length of sewers is 800 yards
of 4f*, by :11t ..gg soaped brick sewer and over
5 mile. of 15", 1.;", anti 12" mist senware and iron
pipe sewers. Om iu:coent of Ur. undulating char-
acter of the district some of ,the excavations were
at considerable depths, the bAck sewer. in the neigh-
bourhood of the pumping station being at depths
vaiYing from 14 to 35 beet from the surface, A very
large quantity ce Wit cl* W is met with in the trenches
and in sov.er ii Ii cei r.i inin4 sand was very trouble-
some. Oil t:se line ot sewer there are several river
awl clad eros.ings, one construetei by Mesirs.
l'enu Brotuers being a 15" wrought iron tube of
two 51 fe‘t spans. The contraetors for the pump-
ing eligins.s and pumps are Messrs. Ilatuorn, Davey
and Co. Toe engines are compound vertical and
diet .sctsne, fitted with Davey's patent differential
valu • 4ear. cyltialers ljt,i and 2 ilia•neter. 4 fee t
at rote, the pi•toit rods el both eyliadets being di-
rectly connected to le" plunger pumps carrying
balance wei•Ats of nearly 7 tons each. These en-
gin:3s are in dn,slicate and have a total capacity of
2,000,000 gallons per day, the estimated dry weather
fliw being b tween 501 and 600 thousand gallons.
The engine,' are supplied with steteu from two ,
Cornish boilers 26 feet by 6 test diameter. with 3
feet flue inanufai.:tured by Messrs. J. Wall and Co.
One boiler will inset the requirements of one pair
of engines. The stoking of the bo lers is done me-
fitted with Ho lgkinsoa's
chnolically, each being
patent at Ater and self-cleansinz roeltiue b.irs, the
fuel being fine slack, The feed water is passed
through and heated by Green's Economisers 6efore
entering the boilers, for this purpose the wage h at
on its passage from boilers to the stack is utilised.
The small engines, feed puma, and shaftieg in the
boiler house have peen supplied and fittal by
pumping plant throughout
with a view to economical w rk-
hMaesssbres. neTpauntgayoe. a
w The
lug, bo h as regards fuel c nisumption a 111 I .ten
auce. Tue engine anti boil,r houses and other
works at the pu p. g B,ittiou, W:Lh the ex.:0,..t on
of the iron fencing amid entrance gates, who i wets
FlPPlied and Ind by Uwe. E. B. Etsylio sad Co.

CONCERT.—A repetition of Sir W. St rndale
Bennett's Pastoral, the "May Queen," was given
in the Corn Exchaoge, on Monday last, to a large
and appreciative audience. The scene opens with
a chorus of youths and maidens keeping the first
of May as it, used to be kept in the days of "Morrie
England." While they are awaiting the coming
of the Queen of May (Mrs. A. J. Nash), her lover.
(Mr. H. Mobberley), is heard lament lug his maiden's
fickleness, and the coldness with which she receives
his advances. The May Queen appears, the music
of the dance begins, and the untortunate lover
takes this opportunity to try and gain the ear of
his love; but she makes merry eitti ois grief, and.
on the an ivalof the foresters, she bestows her smiles
upon Robin flood (Mr. J. Lawrence), who admires
her in rather too marked a fashion. Upon this a
quarrel UDSIieS between the rivals; a blow is struck,
and the company rush betweeu and part them, at
the same tine endeavouriug to get the forester's
antagoui-t safely away from the spot, fir according
to the law, the hand of him who etrikes a blow on
the royal domains is forfeited. But before they
succeed in doing this, Queen Elizabeth (Mile
Bourne), attracted by .he noise, comes up ni toe
scene, Hnd orders the peace-breakers to be brougot
before her. The would-he forester, in whom sae
detects one of leer own courtiers (a Leicester or
Essex in disg iise), she sends about his business,
and commands tuat the May Queen shall marry
her rust 't 1 bver on the morrow morn. Si all "goes
merry as a marriage bell," and a chorus brinz,s the
piece to a conclusion with a blessing on the Queen.
Mr. Mobb,rley was in good. voice and sang the part
of the lover with much taste. Mrs. Nash gave a tine
rendering of all the pieces allotted to her, and they
afforded ample scope for her beaut.ful sopeano voice,
singing very tastefully mid with nice expression.
Miss Bourne was in better twin than she nal near for
seine time, aid gave great satisfaction. Mr. .1.
Lawrence sang very well, and was well rreeived.
rho choruses were sung by about 140 of the People's
Choral Society, and the manner in whicti they were
sung does them credit, and great praise is due to
their conductor, Mr. Iledley Satchel, for the ex-
cellent pitch of perfection to whica he has brou..tut
them. Good time was kept, and we noticed that
this was due to a strict Observance of a simple rule,
viz , looking at the conductors baton every minute
or two. Mr. S. Simms presided at the piano, and
Mr. H. M Jackson at the organ.—A. miscellaneous
concert was afterwards given when the following
programme was gone through :--Song, "lhe beat-
ing of my own heart," Miss Bourne; song, "Ever.
more," Mr. J. Lawrence; solo pianoforte, "Inrita-
tion to the dance," Miss Hadley; song, "The last
watch," Mi-s Hudson; song, "Sally in our alley,"
Mr. Hs Mobberley; pianoforte duett, (Tarantella in
1)), "The fisher girl of Prooida," Mr. S. Simms and
Mr. A. Simms; part song, "It came upon the mid-
night clear," People's Cnot al Society. Miss B ,urne's
song was nicely rendered, as was also ths one by
Mr. Lawrence, and both were warmly applauded.
Miss fia.dley proved th,at,she was an accomplished
pianist, and sue was heartily applauded. Miss
Unison possesses a sweet svrano voice,
which, with a little more practice will get stronge.,
and then she will be keard to greater advantage.
She disposed of tier song in capital style, and was
loudly applauded. Mr.;Mubberley's rendering of
"Sally" brought forth a spontaneous demand for
its repetition, and despite the notification at the
top of the programmes that no "encores" would be
allowed, be complied with the wish of the audience
and repeated the last two verses. The piatiolort,
nuett, by Mr. S. and A. Simms, was a inusiciaoly
performance; and the part song, in wnich Miss
Lludsen's voice shone torte as the "angel," brought
an excellent programme to a :most streessiul
issue.

OBATRUCTION.—It the Police Court ye,terlay
before Colonel Fletcher, Mr. A. Freer,auil Mr. W. J.
Turuey, John Ritche was charged with obstructing
the free passage of the highway at thu Lye, on the
27th ult by leavin; a horse and cart thereon. Mr.
Waldron d•ifentled, PC. Jones said he watched
the ho.iie and cart for 25 minutes and no one was
with it, He visited the puolic-house and there saw
the .tefenclant sitting uy the landlord. The lteuch
r thud to ocrisi ter t ,eir verdizt n on retnruin4
Uolutiel Pletcher said they had decicteu to dismiss
4lt 0 ASO,

DRUNKSNNESS.—WiniaIn aill was charged with
using irunk un the 27th ult ?review; eenvietiens
were proved and defendaw was tin d 10, awl cos
—Ed dart was flued lus and costs tor beiug dink
on tha 25th ult.—lstac Felton was charged with
bAu4 dcauli, on tile 19th ult, at lisgley. Fined 23 61
40dc05t5.—Samuel Sheppard was charged with be-
ing drunk and incapable on the 25th ult. Previous
c.invictions were proved by SuperintPndent Wheeler
Fined 108 and ci,sts.—Ambrose Pearson was charged
with being drunk on the 27th ult. Fined. 53 and
costs.—Jolin Harris was charged with being drunk
ua the 2tith ult. Fined 5s and costs. Edward
Lindley was charged witi btiug drunk oa the 25th
ult. Fined 5s and costs.—Tnomas Perrens was also
hued 203 aid CoBC for a similar offenct.

BREA.ca or THE PEACS.—James Timmins, eenr.,
and Juue rimmius, j ~ were enarbred with com—
mitting a breach of tut) peace by fighting on the
27th ult. ibund over to iceep the peace for three
months.— Henry Gordon aucl Solomon Waiters
were also bound over to keep tho psoe for three
mouths for a a similar offence.

PlTcu A 1,13 'foss. Joseph Brooks and Henry
Kendrick were lined 5s and costs for playing pitch
and toss on th 9 12th nit, at tl/ii Lye.
CAuTios To Boys —lierbert Young and Alfred
Henna s y were chirgel with pitying tip cat on
the 23rd ult. Find 23 Gd iecluding costs.

IiANGSROUB PRACAICE.— John Williams was
fined 5s and costs for not having proper eotitrel over
his horse.

Srskusis • J•cr,— Samuel Snepperd vu
charged with stesiing a jacket, the property of
James Sheppord, on the 30th ult.. Prisoner
pleaded guilty and was committed to the House of
Correction for 14 days.
A ViorANT INEIMIATE. Alfred Holloway was
charged with being diunk and incapable on the 27th
ult, for wilfully damaging the cell to the amount of
12s 6d, and with assauitiug P.O's. Davis and Farley.
Mr. Waldron defended. The cases were proved and
defendant was fined tis and costs for being drunk,
or 14 days; for the amount of damage 123 6d and
costs, oi 14. days; and far the assaults upon P.C's.
D.tvis and Fariey 40s and costa, or one month's
imprisonment for each offence.
aauAlts iseaguLiT.—
iehrlyViml Hare.
al‘tliollisdewivais charged
hferd.en twhieth a2sts.
h
ult, Mr. Wyn :ham defended. Fined 40s and costs,
or one 11101.1til's iinprison.nent.
TRUCKING. Thomas Wood, shipping tackle
manufacturer, of the Lye. was charged on tvi o Sum-
monses with having in the months of February
emit :elettrcihtialeBiksiwrtit,henthaart he being
tifieert the
nthem employer
of snipping tackle and other ironwork, did pay or
cause to be paid to the said Elijah Hart, certain
wages then due in respect of such employment,
otherwise thaa in the current coin of the realm, to
wit, in sugar, butter, bacon, flour and other things.
—Mr. Hinds prosecuted and Mr. Wa.dron de( Tided.
—Defendant was final £5 and costs. Upon the ,
application of Mr. Hinds the solicitor's fee, wit-
nesses fees, and 203 to Hart were allowed.
Alas. LEACH'S PRACTICAL FAMILY DRESSMAKER.—
rile last number of this useful monthly is replete
Oh the season's fashions, giving plain instructions
for cutting out and making ladies and children's
wearing apparel, for the guidance of those desirous
n being their own dressmakers. This johenal is a
veritable housewife's guide and as a practical help
to home dress-nakLig it is invaln able. Costumes in
profusion, with directions as to make, and instruc-
tions for procuring reliable patterns, make this pub-
lication of the greatest use to the fair sex.
ENVILLE GARDENS. It has been represented to
the Countess of Stamford and Warrington that it
would be a grant Loon to the w'iig classes of the
iistrict if theA e magnificent gardens were thrown
open to tly public on t33turck lierliiiiramPi w4°

UNJUST ScALEs.—Near Smith, '1 inothy
aud Joseph Smith were flood 10i and costs each
for having wijust sales.
INTIMIDATION. Jatn Perry, Joseph Cole,
Thoniss Col, William Cole, Joseph Ed warde, and
Wi ham Cuaiwiti, guar •ylueu, were charge I with
intimidadtLe Wil;iatu Colic, George Pugh, Ge.)rge
Williams, William .1:o wusend, and George G een,
on the 13th ult. 'Mr. W. Shakespeare pru-ecuted,
and Mr. Waldron distended. After hearing a large
number of witnesses, the Bench dischirged Tnomas
Cox and William Cole. They beliered the others
guilty, and sentenced Perry, Edwards, and Chat-
win to twenty eight days' inapris maient, with ui
the option ot a fine, Jc., etila Cole was fined 20s
and costs, or 21 days.

CHESS.MATCti.
Sr. GEOUGE'S BIRMINCiIiA.M. V. STOtIaBRIDON.
These clubs met at tha Stourbridge Church of Eiig-
land Association on Saturday and played a match
resultiug in favour of the visitors by 25 games to 13.
Drawn games were counted as halt to each player
The following was the score :
St. George's Birmingham. StourbrE.ge.
.S.l. Otto 1 W. Sberrard... 2
J. P. Wildman... 24 W. Fenn 3.
2
E. I Bevan 2 C. Sherrard t
'Ar. R. Taylor .. 1 J. Doughty 1
J. A. Mackenzie 3 0. Labone...
H. raylor
E. CroNley 4 T Hill 2t
C. F. yreeman... ...... li S. White
V. J. Evans. .
W. L. Perry
J. V. Williams
.1. d. Caswell 3 E. Hatton 0
A. Turner 1 Z. Robinson 0
tir, sdootly 1 Wilmot.. .... . 1

OVER THE SUNSHINE OF EXISTENCE J HANGS
BLACK CLOUD.
With the uncertainty of life is mingled the dark miter
of death! While on the one hand we catch the weleon.
sound of a new breath of life that tells of an addition e,
our species, on the other we shudder as we hoar the res'r
ing wings of the Destroying Angel! The mighty voice o+
the Great Iniluenee which rules the Universe has Pr°-
ear°
nounced our fate; the dread fiat has gone forth, and es'
mroervtealt , caeav
men w n is
s postponedoomed h
tdo e
ad
ti e! But, though we
p ? The question is women;
tong, even if it concern the prolongation of life but bY
single hour, inasmuch as every instaact prompts us to fight'
the boldest battle we can for this glorious boon of existence:
The prompzings of instinct are but tee spontaneous voice'
of nature, and it is our duty to obey. But there still re'
mains the question. can death be postponed by a fang.:
hour? Yes; for the world works in obedience o certiii
the
laws; and a stuoy of these prove that those who have,,,,t,
judgment nod tile will to buckle on the shield, win
nature places reedy to the r grasp, may ward off the bold
one attacks of the implacable enemy of life, until in gl riP;
old age, too vital faculties gradual y decay, and the Atilg.t
of Peace glides softly ido our ,pre mum:, leading sii.llo
were, in a gentle slumber to tee regions beyond id
shalow of the tomb.
totY
he Fel . Destroyer makes his first approaches inin .e
orms but noise are more favoured oy him than thet
a deadly foe now preying upon the v ry vitals of 310i101
Socie' y. What is this foe? There are few among ill
have uot beta or are now to some extent its vic,tl-0
Would the reader enow if he, t 3u, is under the ban of '
frightful scourge? Lot him ask lalinself whetenr he
penances any of the fehowiug symptoms:
There are paws about the chest and sides, andos , ai
t rues in tne back. The mouth has a bad taut. 051'°"1,,,t1
in the mornaig ; and there are foeliugs of dullness si
Ala"'
drowsiuess. Tne appetite is poor, a sort of stitl
hasei
collects about the tee,6h, there is a feeling as of ti ..„
load err the stomach,
.and. sometimes a faint, all-go":
causation at the pit of '0- stomach, which food does ri
• • .. suds and feat beC01:0,
"—"".et,ei in