The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1884-02-09 00:00:00

BRIERLEY HILL LOCAL BOARD,

The montbly meeting of this Board was bold on
Monday afternoon in the Town Hall. Mr. S.
Bennett (chairman) pre]ided, and there were also
present Messrs. M. Bollinson, W. Waldron, J.
Fereday, R. Thompsrm, G. Griffith.?, E. W. Pearson,
B. B. Guest, J. B. Whitaeld, J Skidmore, and W.
MacMillan.

The Chairman referred to the death of Mr. B.
Browning, one of the members of the Board, which
had taken place since the last meeting, and after
speaking of him as having been a good townsman,
a useful citizen, and an active member of the Board,
and of great service to the public, he moved that a
letter of condolence be forwarded on behalf of the
Board to the bereaved family.
Mr. Waldron seconded the resolution, remarking
that a better member of the Board than Mr. Brown.
ing he never knew.
The motion was then carried.

The Sanitary and General Purposes 'Committee
reported that the expenditure during the past mouth
had been on the sewerage account £3 18s ; street
works and improvements, £l6 15s 10d; scavenging,
£6 10s 6d; main roads, .241 14s; other reads,
..£4O is 2d.

It was recommended that the surveyor be ia-
structed to put fire hydrants in the streets where
necesFary.
T e Medical Officer of Health (Dr. Ashmead) re-
ported that the death-rate for the month ending
January 30th was 26 52 per thousand per annum,
as compared with 23.8 per thousanl in the corms
pending month of 1882, and 15 84 in the same
month of last year; 13 of the deaths had resulted
from xymotie diseases—viz., sea-let fever, 11;
small-pox, 1; and diarrhoea, 1. No doubt the mild-
nesi of the weather and the excessive moistures had
favoured the spread of zymotic diseases during the
last month. This was borne out by several cases
of severe erysipelas which had taken place, but,
h ippily, witl,out ending fatally. The number of
deaths from scarlet fever was about the same as
list month, and the case Of small-pox was too far
advanced when made known to allow of removal.
The home where it occured was small in proportion
to the number of inhabitants, and steps should be
taken to prevent overcrowding in future. In order
to prevent an epidemic of small-pox, ho recom-
mended revaccination, free ventilation, ant Vie
abaence of over-crowding. A liberal supply of dis-
infectants could be obtained from the public stores
on application.

Tn-e-report Was adopted.
The Finance Committee recommended for pay-
ment accounts, &c., amounting in the aggregate to
£599 118 13d, this incluoing the sum of £l5O as
couascl s fees, and other payments to be made in
connection with the Board's appeal to the House of
Lords in tha case Pearsall v. the L.)OHI Board The
rate cellectot had received and paid t the treasurer
du ing the mon: h the sum of £ll6 103 Gd, and the
balance remaining due to the treasurer was £1,359
11.3 s 9d on the general account, and .WOO on the
District Fund account.

Mr. Fereday, referring to the committee's report,
expressed his opinion as to the ne.:(ssity for the
Board keeping a check upon their expnliture as
much as possible.
Mr. M. RoHinson thought the fact of the tra-n-
-way having been taken through the Board's district
had cost the Board £4OO or £5OO at the least.
The Chairman pointed out that there had been
considerable expenses incurred in litigation and in
other matters, which would not occur again. Ult:-
mately the report was adopted.
The term of the night-sill contract hr vin ex.
pire 1, it was agree,i to again offer it to Mr. Wig E in,
the present Lontractur, on the same terms.
rho Chairman was appointed returning offiJcr
for the ensuing annual election, which this year
will be for seven members instead of six, tie
addi ional vae,mcy being caused by the death of
Mr. Browning.