The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1869-05-22 00:00:00

THE STOURBILIDGrg 02:3"WiZbit\TER,

and I followed him directly.
re
. Deceased re.”- _... awn of him by the collar and strtick Mtn on the
plained of a pain in the stoma eh. " --- i auth, arid kn Min ocked dosta, Using, bad language.
unwell f w half an
...o onritinuerl : William Slehn. said that he ea* the defendatit strike com• 1
mu,
no surgeon att _, won died. Thee, wag vleteaat ad the Mouth, and wade It bleed. Defendant
-•
to fc'
....and Isien, as there was no time
'
.....an one. She gave him some brandy. De. ;ii c
! that there W.la not the ansntity he bought. He misused
, said that some time ago he bought • load of straw. and
CeaSed had been very healthy, and had cote ! let: g :acne' eP lioi nhalt , oxfn ill ewi ill n thdeM pull '1
het :toff° his threateninghnise 1)
boiled ham ou the previous night for his !rapper, ! the leg. He (defendant) then got off his Lome and struck
xantisl
taken
nk
isiolinaesbheoeret,
time
mßey ,R,ziourztira,47:7l4 complainant. A witness corroborated the above.—Eich•
v
' art Hrootn was then charged (;,iethnit,oc;,,in,gdatthereatinhientghrlrai
stoteach, but he soon got better.— Alfred Freer, ! go:7ll4Tc ((ter elaTahliltrtyiiennwoubl pH him off the horse,
surgeon, said he saw the body shoot three o'clock Whitney Was fiord Is and costs for the assault, end the
in the day time. Deceased's body was in good case aitin.t Broom was diarnissed.
condition. Examined the ehe(l, bowels, and C
_mitso or AOE /.1. Mn. B. W/LLIASIS. SY•ana.—Or.
head. There were no marks of injasy, neither ! Saturday last, Mr. Beni tulle Wiliisins, third son of li.
Williams, Esq. Ironma,ter, attained hia majority, on
I Was there any onitward cause of death ; but be-
lieved that deceased (liel of heart disease, and . ant d dinner at the White Hart Inn.
ehowoncetaosiaonn'etxhee,‘lwleonrtkmen employed (nambering 160)
a natural death. The jury found that deceased ! The men having teen well regaled, and the usual loyal
~ Died by the visitetion of God." toasts having been drunk, the toast of the evening was
DISORDERLY CONDI:CT.—At the Petty
w oa ' drunkand amidlone ii
fe
great to
cheering.M c B
aion• held yesterday, before Major Fletcher, H.
Sea- , illiyi.iiii.—" Health, prir,cepewritcv,
0. Firmstone, R. L. Freer, and W. C. Firm- ponded to, and a very ploaaant and convivial evening
~.:
ra,u,d duly3'
ajeu•krowr,l"edgeld. Other toasts were given aud
stone, Ewa., Charles ltagg,ott was charged with was spent, which will long be remembered by those who
being drunk and riotous at the Lye, on Monday shared in the rejoicing.
night last. Police-oonstable Rea proved the I
offence. Adjonrned for 14 days to nay 70 64
coats. —'Michael Shiehle, bill-poster, was charged
1 with being drunk and riotous in High-street, oil
the leith inst. Daniel Hall proved that he saw
the defendant by Foster-street and several other
I places drunk, and using very profane language.
! He also threatened to split his head open with
! the brush. Defendant said be had not taken
any Me for four dive: but it Was a piece of spite
! as there was a lot of them trying to take the
! bread out of his mouth. ITe was a cripple, and
was trying to keep himself out of the work-
house. The Bench said they could see that the
defendant was of an excitable natnre. and they
would give him the henetit of the doubt and dis-
missed the case, with a caution to be more care-
ful in future.

ASiMILT CASE.—Chqs. Sl:aiding WII9 charged
by Thomas Gregory with assaulting him on the
Bra inst. From the ovidenee it appears that a
dispute arose while they wore at work in a pit,
about a skip, and the'detuutlant assaulted him
and :milady injure I him. all he was obliged to
go to a sugoon. Defendant nievied gulity, and
was fined 10s, ordered to pay les ed surgeon's
foe, and costs-41 lls ed,

FELONY CARE.— Mary Hancox, tramp, was
ch4rtred with felonioualy stooling a cloth jacket,
an apron, a handkerchief, anti a pair of anode-
ales, on the 16th instant, the property of Henry
Best. Prosecutor proved that the cloth coat
and other articles, were hl a property. He was
brewing at the Britannia Inn when he miased
the articles. Elizabeth Newman, domestic tier.
vant, proved that mho sow the prisoner at the
Britannia Inn, drinking with a man. Acting.
sergeant Jones proved that he saw the primoner
coining into High•weet on Sunday night. He
apprehended her. She had the coat and other
artielea in her pomiession. Pleaded guilty. Sen.
tented to two moths' imprisonment.
HAG SCEALERN.— Nary Burke (17), Pllo3ll°
natelitT t 18). audOatharine Luddon were charged
with stealing (Ulna of raga on the 11th instant,
th property of Timothy Sahnona.--Proseentor
soul lia was a marine store dealer. On the above
date Ile 6-1 W the prisoner Burke throw the rags
oot of the store-room to Lotion. Idtteliff was
ili her company. The priioners collect rags for
then. The value of the rags WAS 1s 61. Act.
ing-sergeant Jones proved appribending the pri-
soaera. Sentenced to 81 data imprisonment.
BREACH Oi CONTRACT. Joseph Lavender
au browzlit no on a ramand, charged by
Nlcasra. Thomaa Bloomer & Sons with n-gleci-
in', to work up a qaantity of iron, whereby they
ha7l sustained it Inas of tla 21. The ease was
tried a fortnight book, and defendant agreed to
work up the iron in 14 days. He had not done
so. Befendaut yoid that he had been ill. Or-
dered to pay the 11; 11 and costa.
Piro( AND foes —George Simpkiis, George
Ella, Waiter Rider, Charles Price, and Alfred
Silver were charged by Superintendent Freeman
with playing at pitch and toss in King-street, on
the 18th inst. r"seb of the defeulants pleaded
guilty, :old were ordred to pay £1 Si 6! the
coats, between them, and cautioned. _ _

•
A th Hart was chard by
Joitpli Pritchard with asimulting him at the T.ye.
The e Wale prOVA, wi debutimit tined 23 Oi
and oasts.

"This raises the to—tal amount of land to 203 acres,
Cooper, who had Reed va pay early in Mop; anti Weston
In i 1 tenanta to ifrs.
excused himself from liking, by saying that be had a
" The land te tinderlet to 791 tertents at • profit of
malt bill to aett/e, PO Oa ad, tci alhieb 12s 31 Property Tit returned, and
By Mr. Shakespeare ( Prisoner hod been witnese's ser•
las 2.1 interest from Sarings Bank bate to he added.
rant at a salary of tlel a year. and travelling expenses
Making a total of Yin 7. dd. The expenses b.ve been
at 41 per day. For that lie had to get orders and collect
f1.:3 13. 11.1, showing a loss on the veer of 02 as 3,1.
• This Sum a.dtteteti twin the surplus of 092 9, g I
locator. /LS Old the isrlioner it yids pa e qearlet q ,
moneys, and his whole or toe Was at the dispossl of pro
paid, or E 0 .1i 31
is he gave prisoner credit for the amount due. Prisoner
salary, and his expeases up to the 4th of February. That
we'r'eThere le howevar, £ll 10s 91 0 be deriuctel for
then owed a private grocery account of EIS as ad, and a 0, oiled In 19117, lettees, it stirplus for la6B, if all arrears
voids and laid debts, reducing the moan tto t7d 12.
balance of EIS 17s upon a hop account, and moneys In ...,
which lis wise deficient By that he did not mean r" '
" Ai natal. the acconnt present* a much worse a.neet
moneys he bail embroiled. Prisoner had written to wit.
than it would do if the rents had been. properly paid, the
du
arrears at the date ofmaking it up, a e., at the end of
aeon stthoe moneysfollowing received
letter:—" i d
n nott,4
ipaidey. .r see
u r;d
.y Be m
oprrno: . ,
5s ld.
inst. Dear Sir—l am unable to return lost night to see ISfiS, being no lees than deb
"it will be obaerved, however. that the Lye diatriet,
you. I ant now leaving here by the fast train, and sbail
as often before, contributed by far the highest item in
these arrears. But since the date of the report a great
positively he with you to night. I am going to get money,
to put all my accounts straight, which I shall do. and
clearance of bad tenants has been effected there : the
good ones being retained, and many good new ones being
trust you will allow me to do so, and go on with my buei-
edded.
nese as casual, as I told you some time ago I was wrong,
and if by an accident I have not appropriated the money ,
"it is possible that legal measures to recover payment
feloniously, and hope you will give me for the interest of 1
, may still be reqaisite in some cases ; but without this
your business a tbauce and kind leniency which you have
always been BO kind to show to me. You shall not lose having been yet done, the arrears have been reduced
a penny by use, as! shall get the cash to put it right, and tine, January last, by the sum of £35 it, 111 d, and a
would call up to-night when I came home. I also hope further reduction will be announced at the annual meet-
that you will not think my going away today is for no : jug'
other purpose than to make things right. Thanking you • " The expenditure on the whole has not varied much.
for past kindness, I am your obilient servant, H. F. The slight increase under "Fencing." is due to a rather
WRIGHT." He had not received another letter upon that considerable outlay of this kind at Oldswinford : and the
subject about Christmas last. Prisoner bad paid on the increase under " sundriee 'to the el.rge of police at the
21st January last the sum of flO on account of moneys annual meeting now placed under this head, and to the
received and not accounted for from lVilliem Woodhouse. levelling, Ic., at the new Wollaston allotment.
" We have to lament the loss of two old and steady
Witness had full knowledge that lie had received Wood-
friends of the society—Mr. Akroyd, and Mr. John Fran-
house's money and not accounted for it, but he did not
sis Lee. This loss also causes vacancies among the an.
then knew of any other deficiencies. He next had know-
ditors, which the committee recommend to be tilled up
ledge of other deficiencies in the month ot March. In
that month prisoner hail received E 23 12a ad from Daniel at the annual meeting.
Hickman and not accounted for it. He was not or sum.
" We may mention that the attention of one of the
ted with other detleienciee till the 3rd of May He
trustees, owner of one of the allotment fields at Hagley,
.
found out the large deficiencies on the 10th of Boy and having been directed to an elaborate review of the allot-
three or four subsequent days. After receiving the letter ment system throughout England, which is to be found
in the Report of the Comtuiotion on the Employment of
put in, he did not say to prisoner, •' I thought you had
bolted." Prisoner did say," I have been to get money," Women and Children in Agriculture, it appeared to him
but he did not say for what purpose. Wituess told the that, as is often the case, the evidence it contained auto
the working of the system, though valuable and trust-
prisoner he did not believe him. Witness did not say.
worthy. Hod yet not at first hand ; not directly einutituni-
•• You had better go bark arid come agaie on Saturday. '
profiting by them, bet by friends of the system,
cated by those actually engaged in working the allotments
The last cash paid for salary was on the 1.6. h of Septet°.
and profiling
landowners, stc. The statement consequently
seemed to some extent vague and indefinite.
her,
overdrew leee ,
hwi'sheancehoeunpta paid
prisoner
'Hoe'. et
hr efnd(tre ddl3toh that
totri n'gnoohdes
actual allotment tenants ut Hagley, replies in detail, and
0 It occurred to him to obtain direct from many of the
the
cf:srhsliiins, wllethcwherLetnissm,attlhedriesewre,,pnannocticas iftriepxi:f _ 1
raogement made that prisoner should travel by commis-
sion instead of by salary. There had been no itettlemeet
he bed asked the price... erseetiuns on the subject, such as the amount of time
diatingoishing each individual case, to BMW, obvious
He did not think
st,i,nemeaCkl:riostunit in.
quartets.eat"dl al coount. H employed in the cultivation of allotments one day with
then that the prisoner owed him money on account of another, the coat of tools aud manure, the gross and net
derieiencies, lie got out a warrant on the Bth. He slid value of the produce, dec. Thie information, which is of
net intend to prosecute for the embezzlement of Cooper'a considerable interest, has been sent to the mitninission-
acuouut, but lie gave prisoner leave of absence to obtain err, and old Peril.'" be made use of be there in mane
the mosey. He ought to have returned on the following future report. We are unable to avail oureelves of it
Monday morning. As be did not return witness took out this year, but we Luny probably do so on some future
the warrant. On the fellowiug Monday morning became omission."
to witness'. Piece Of hissias". Ile did 1101 ask Sergeant Tlie Rev. B. P. Turner mowed the adoption of the re.
Davis fur the werrant LIA again in order to ei.able the ports, which was seconded by the Rev. J. Hodgesou.
priaener to °butte the money. He watited to see the Thu Clmirtnan 'aid the next business woe
to appoint a
watrent tia order to louk et the date thereof. He hail trustee in the place of Mr. Lee.
eonveraation with the prisollOr ba
had not reteUrC Detective Davis On the motion of Mr. 11. W. Foley, Mr. Witham Henry
ellille ILI. Hd asked prisoner why lie rned as King (firm Iternsrd and Klee) was appointed.
i 0 Promieed. He referred to the deficiencies, and pd. Cin the motion of Mr. Foley, the Hou. C. G. Lyttelton
sooer told hula he bail not the money to ovate for the was appointed honorary member in the place of Mr. W.
den !iencies. There WAS 140 coaversatiou about turning Akroyd.
ever prisoner's Moue to witness. Prisoner'e wife had The Chairman reported that the Bishop of Lichfield
been tu his house to offer XIV, but he bud declined to hen consented to act on the committee—(eheera).
have an)thilig to do with her. Mr. 'Parser said thi to was one thing he shoold like to
Ou re-examination by Mr. Stokes: He made repeated mention; that wet, persons who had become annuitants
inquiries as to where prisoner was, and lie retold uot lie thought ought to pay
•, °I per month towards the omit.
gather any amnia:it of Min. He then took out a warrant ageinent. The expense was incurred ty them, and be
The a:ll.)mA of detidiensees, he had discovered since last ' thought it only fair for them to assist in paying
Mouday, was .000, anal there were many oteers to zudie Mr. W. Rider said he considered it but fair When per'
eons beOIILLIO atinuitaiiits that they should pay, as they
gave more trouble to the secret icy.
'The Noble Chairman here read the rules bearing upon
the point, and thought it would lie best to settle the
question in committee. However, if they chose, he would
tabu the ensue of tlmse pres.nt. I'llee was an equal
number voted, and the question was referrad to the coin'
matte,
Os the mo'ion of the Claiirman, Mr. C. Evers was ap-
pointed auditor, in the glace of Mr. Akroyd.
The Chairman then delivered out prizes to the follow-
ing pollenas for the best cultivated allutinent*:— First
prizes (Bibles): Johnelhay. Wonaboarn ; John Thomas,
Womhourn; Henry Hopkins, Eleuley Lovett; John
Bourn, Belbroughtma ; William Woml, Peusuett. lei.,
prong Digging harks. Joseph Granger, Wordsley ;
Philip Hooper, Idewdley • William Hobbit:, areley Kings;
Widow Drown, }Haver ; 'James Putts, Au:Mei:ow ; John
Chance. Oldswinford ; Samuel Meese, New Wood ; John
. _._ __ _. _

David Weston was then called and said he woo indebted
on the St.la of is brusry, to Mr. Willis, for hops, iu the
sum of .£2O. On that day he paid the pridouer I:2J, and
he gave the recuipt produced.
Matthew Smith sent that on the 17th of February he
paid the prisoaer 1:1-1, in settlement of an account of
£l-1 si. Ile saw the prisoner si:sti the receipt put in.
Eozabetli Cover, ~ 1(e of Daniel Cooper. sod lle,t on
the 9.7 th of F. bruary she paid the prisoner 1:37, in settle-
ment of the account of i;:7 lds
Sergeant Davie said on Moeda): last he went to Mr.
Willis's, and prisoner we; in the stable at the bad: of Int
Premises. Mr. IVilli4 said, '' llero's your prisoner, mid
here's your warrant," mid lie then apprehended the pri•
saner, lie brought the prisoner to the police station,
where be read the warrant to the prisoner, who made no
reply. When no the stable, prisoner asked Mr. Willie to
allow hint three hours, and he would get the whole of the

money.
Bylr. Skikespeare : After prisoner said that Ur.
Willis asked witness for the warrant hick. tVitiiesr
re-
-. Prik,ner is in eti,tody. and 1 west do my duty."
Prisoner, upon being charged io the usual wit, pleaded
Not guilty." On los bclolf, Mr. Shakespeare stated
that pt,s,uer would reserve his defence.
Ile mm then committed to take his trial at the ensuing
Sessions.

Prisouer R. thee farther c1.ar.,..1 with einln-zzling L:1
14 1,44 by lieo. Ashfield, £7 bymily Treater, atid £&
ls by J.inies Yenuingtoe. Upill teen of thes"hargel
be was a 1..) committed. Two other indictments were

COI. Bell's Mill; Jahn Corbett, Ifitlesowen ; William
Wharton, Cradley ; Samuel Elwell. Churchill ; Joseph
Meredith, Hagley. Second prizes (Testaments: : Jo.ieph
Blackshaw, Words:ey ; lYlliuu Blackford. Bewdley ;
John Overton, Amblecote ; John Carter, Wonsbourn ;
James Ostins, Now Wood ; William Nest'', Halcsowen,
Foar.prong Digging Forka : John Collier, Areley
John Harrison. Kinser ; Z eh triah Derby, °lass inisri;
II Woirboarn ; William Wel,bnry,
. .

Bell'a Mill; Etlsrar.l Higley, Eltaley lewett; Wdliatu
Bate, Cruiley ; Wltiui Giniver, Churchill;
Taylor, Belbrougliton ; Josetat Poule, Hagley ; Williuu
Pensuett. . . .

I:refei rt d rgAinst the prisoner, and upon these he was also
sent to take lii • trial at the Sessions.

The leinnees part of the proceedings being finished,
the member: and frieinle adjourned to a largo theirqUee
erected on the green, for
I)INNER
which was laid for 150. Lord LytleMon again presided,
sad the 'dinner ',as sieved up in exeilleet style by the
hunt, Mr. E. Nash ; Messrs. Lane and Co., supplying the ,
cutlery, and Ur. Woolley the glasses, be.,
llimier being over, the Ch.& luau gave the f• queen," '
which Was drunk amid great cheering.
The Chnirium uext gave the Bishops of the Miocene'
of Stafford and Wotcester," who lie add are commuted
with the society. couplieg with it the tunic of the Lev.
J. Hoilgeon, the preacher of the tiny, who had given them
smelt an excellent sierinuu.
Mr. llodignet, in responding, referred at some length
to the exertion* if the Bishop of Lichfield and to the
Bishop of Worcester. Ile k.w then both personally
, well, and had lived in both dioceses. He atveye tuella
, the Bishop of Lichfield auserus to do all the good he
1 possibly could, and also the Bishop ot Worcester, who.
he believed wes a highly Christiaii man. A great many
thought the Church wire on the wane, cud that they were
all about ti become Dissenter., but lie believed that they
would ail be leid in their graves Lidera the Vearee had I
lost one atom el its iiilleence—(hear, hear). He had I
this day been appuiuted ate among them, sad he hoped
to become than woollen than.. He would do all that
he wield to be lit use—tcheern.
The Chaiitiviif then proposed the toast of the day,
peoeperitv to the Becher Club "—tete:era). There had
been no year in iot, the alters of the e/Uti had beta on
• sounder or more prosperous looting thee they were
• and lin Could not help cougretulating the members
on the me:theta pinitioti of the society. la its earlier
(fey, there might have been times wheu it hid a greeter
degree of peomite, but it was hot on iitieh a Reuel mid
nmetisetial Leda an preeeht, sea este", year it,140,1 to
this well.touuded liepre of its persuatinice mid increased
proeperity. lie wee test swore of any departamet of
usefulneat minueeted with It, if which he might not
1 iviierible terms. He pointed out at some
'te▪
eth that the use of suutt clues crag Wit exactly ItA Was
emuetinies represented, to Merente luilejitudeuee, bet to
illustrate end set forth the mutual depewlence of the
members upon each ; ;mil concluded by proposiug
prosperity to the Becher Club—(cheers).
Mu. IL W. }Vey proposed the health of the president
of the deb, Lord Lyttelton. Ile Was not going to en- 1
large on hie good qualities; but in proposiug his health
he might, perhaps, for one moment advert to a topic of a
rather private and social character. 'they ail wished
that the name of Lyttelton should continue in the coun-
try ; teens could Out be too many Lytteltons, and hie Was
happy to tell that in all probebilite, in the co..° of next
month, there would be another Lytteltou added te
_eke
liet—fleueliter and cheer,). The uuble lord lial,liepcd,y
he had no doubt for himself, succeeded, as doubtlees he
did in almost everything he undertook—)laughter)—in
gaining the utthetiuus of a lady who, he was sore, would
confer happiness or. himself and those around him, and
shed an additional lustre on the halls of Bagley—
(cheers). The only fear he (Mr. Foley) at one moment
had was, whether this might mitigate his zeal in the
public matters in which be took an interest; but he felt
that that would not be the case, and that he would be
only further urged forward in those good works. He
hoped that next year, when the lady he spoke of had tied
Lord Lytteltau's medal on—tied it on oa the left side of
his goat —(laughter)—that they should see Lim present
at the anniversary of the Becher Club in the seine health
he then enjoyed, and full of iecreased happiness—
(cheers).
Lord Lyttelton, after acknowledging the manner in
which the toast had been received, said, in respect ti the
particular subject to which Mr. Foley had referred, that
it was quite true that a very great, and he trusted a very
happy change in his private life was sear at hand. He
hoe received, and doubtless should receive, so many
proofs of the great kindness of his friends and neighbours
far sod wido around that place, that Le woul.i not dwell
' on the subject, but only say that if he knew himself at
all, this event would in no degree diminish, but would
' increase hie interest in all matting affecting the public
good—(cheers).
The Rev. It. P. Turner next proposed the health of Mr,
• Foley. lie hail done as for souse years, and he felt great
pleasure is doing Cu, as the 113Ule of Foley lied twig been
connected with the Becher Club.
Mr. Foley, in replying, 'nil that he had always felt a
great interest in the prosperity of the club, and hoped
• his name would long be connected with it; and concluded
by thanking them for drinking his health.
The Chairman said there Was one other toast to pro-
pose, and he could never let the opportunity pass witheut
doing so—it was that of Mr. Taylor, the worthy secre-
tary. A great deal depended upon the secretary, and
they could not have a better than Mr. Taylor, whose sole
anxiety was to to the best he could for the society—
(cheers).
This closed the proceedings. There were the custo-
mary amuseMeuts on the green, and in the field adjoin-
ing a large number of swing boats, shooting galleries,
shows, camera obscure, gingerbread stalls, &h., sad not-
withstanding rain descended at intervals, some thousande
of persons attended, and • good deal of business was
dune.

STE ATONE Y 13 It CLUB AND
ALLOTMEN I SOCIETY.
On Tuesday last, the annual festival in connection with
the chive society was held at Mr. Na,lt's, the Foley Arms
Hotel. TM place has nos become a fsv.,nrito rei ,rt tot
pleasure seekers, and thoufambi of person,, attend in line
weather. Unfortunately, on this oo.:.tsion ruin descended
at intervals to such 1111 Catvlit that it Woo anything but
pleasant to pedestriaue, nod tended greatly to mar many
of the anuusemeLts. The members of the club sts.ieru•
abutriled ten o'clock, anti, li.mdml by the Cradle}, Heath
brass bawl, marched to church, where set excellent see•
moo Was preuched by the vicar, the Mee. J. Hodgson.
Pie club then re.fornted, nod marched back to the etub
house, headed by Lord Lytteltoo, anti a number of QUILL(
gentlemen.
On crying at the hotel, Lord Lyttelton occupied the
choir, sad Salt the first business of the meeting Was to
real the minutes.
Mr. Taylor, the secretary, then read the minutes of the
last tdrettnd, waieh werc eoudruacil.
The Chairman then called upon Ur. Taylor to read the
report. watch was id follows :-
1 ,
" atla TWANTY-anolisla ItaPola OC TUC STRWPONEY
liccuimrt Cben, 1663.
"During the past year thirty•threo male members and
;ite hotaie member have entered the club. Seven male
araihrets ALA Otis female mcuther Lave been erneW for
ta,a.payment. 'Elie number of benefit members in the
Nab 5 No* 230 tinting all l/iarailliC of 116 sinee list yeeri,
...tele, wales 206, finales 21; whielt, with Id 1,,,,,,,edry
mecutteest Inaba* it genet ii total of 269.
" Among oar iseuvfit rusontittcs 23 hacre received Ala
pay, The pmywout" lot ...Owe.' Arwmut to Xl7 3d. tii.
end the Honey reVaiVe.l 00 Ink iieJloULlt hail 'aces £ll9
10d Utd. Tir.lalklaliaa its hand rim the sick fund amounts
W £5117 fie Id.
'• The balance in hand on mount of the burial fund is
E 526 24
itl For members lave received from the at,.2
oat, j sail £.27 18,, the bahanw on that fund Loa ala•
wanting to ZINO W. 61. Thee expenses of the aUXihary
rued hues been .01 15. 72, leaving a balance due of £5
Si sd.
" It will thus be Been that the increase in the number
of new niembsrs, which we observed last year was the
largest we hail known since 1817, has been exceeded in
the y' or now expired, and a further addition will be re-
ported at the a:meal meeting subsequent to the data to
which this report is made tip.
"This increase, besides the general features which we
believe distinguish the club favourably, and besides the
additional evidence of its stability which every year's
continuance supplies, is no doubt owing partly to the
Alight, hot steady growth in the number of annuitants,
but mainly to the largo division in the way of bonus
among the members, atuouuting to £591 to, 11d, which
Was announced in last report, and which reache t within
a few pounds to the sum sanctioned by the actuary.
"Tire same circumstance explains the epparent dimi-
nution in the general balance, which is £241 lie Oil less
than last year.
Ilad it not been for the extraordinary payment above
mentioued, there would have been an increase of £350
5s IVO.
The deficit in the auxilisry fund has crept up from
El Ils tort, to Ed Sc sd. This fund was, so to speak,
squared some years ago, and we bad the fullest confidence
that no deficit would recur upon it, and however say de•
ficit may be accounted for, it is to be regretted, and
watched with jealousy. In this particular ease, however,
it is mere than explained. The bill for stationery hes
risen from £4 2.4 d to £l2 15s, in eouscqueuce of print.
g 500 new rules, at a cost of £.5 is 21, a raw club book
ls, and the charge of printing the reports £5 ds 21,
against £3 from the division lists, sad the actuary's re-
port being included. There is therefore no cause for
uneasiness, and we anticipate that in the next account
the orditmry expenditure will be more than met by the
ordinary receipts.
"We are now paying four annuitants thirteen shillings
per week.
"The interest last year was £l7O ifs 61.
"The payments to sick members have been less than
in the preceding year, and the reeeipte have exceeded
the outgoings by the sum of £7l 16s 3id. 'rho balance
under each head of assurance may be again called very
satisfaetory.
"We have to lament the lose of one of our trustees,
and ono of the steadiest friends of the club, whose well
known form, till extreme old age, was almost always to
be seen at the committee, and annual meetings—Mr.
John Francis Lee.

---•
•• We also regret the loss of an honorary member, Mr
Akroyd, who did not fail to include the Becher Club in
the large circle of useful objects to which ho gave atten-
tion in this neighbourhood.
" Mali these vacancies it will be proposed to fill up at
the annual meeting."
•• SUPPLEMENIALW REPORT TO WHIT-TUESDAY, MAY 19th,

"Number of members January Ist, 1869, males, 206 ;
females, 24; t0ta1,230. Admitted since that date, males,
13; female, 1; total, 11. Honorary members, 3'J. Total
males. 219; females. 25; gross total, 263.
" Monies invented with National Debt Commissioners
January Ist, 1869, £4,466 I3d ; invested since that
date, £235; half-year's interest due May 2014, £B2;
balance in hand, £24 Os 101; total £1,407 11: 24. Am-
ount paid into club on account of sick assurances since
January Ist, £2B 9s ; paid to sick members since that
date, £l3 4a; total, £l5 Os 43."
TMENTY•FOCRTH lIKPORT OF THE Si EAVPONEY Asse-
CLATION FOR THE IMPROVEMENT OF TIIE LABOURING
CLASSES.

HALESOWEN AND DISTRICT CONSER-
VATIVE A; CONSTITUTIONAL ASSOCIATION.

"For the first time for many years, there is mentioned
in this report a perceptible increase in the number of
acres hell by the society, and in the number of ti-mants.
Some laud, siiimpiting to nine mere na twelve probes,
NVollaston, ml bomi taken from Mc Foley, and let to
95 tenantv in the it way tie iiiiciety paying Ii the
lauttlord £lB 184, •u,l tuediviug from the tecautd £B5 14a