The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1876-09-30 00:00:00

THE STOURI3MIDGE OBSERVER.

preceding resolution, in order that the ratepay rs might
have the benefit of the profits arising from the sale of
gas and its products, towards the reduction of the town
rates.

Mr. Job;ilklills seconded this motion, which was put
to the meeting and carried.
A vote of thanks to the Chairman elosedithe proceed-
ings.

ANNUAL MEETING OF THE
CONSTITUTIONAL ASSOCIATION.

The annual meeting of thisl Association was lachl t.t
the Room, 51, High Street, on Monday evening last,
Mr. G. Bowkett in the chair.

The minutes of the last meeting were read and con-
firmed.

The Secretary then read the following report :
REPORT FOR THE YEAR ENDING JUNE 30zit, IS76'.
Your committee have great pleasure in presenting you
with the Seventh Annuli Report, and trust their elf irt;
during the time they have been in office will meet watt
your approval.
Reference was made in the last report to the atnount
subscribed for procuring and furn.shing better anti more
commodious rooms than we then occupied, and a hupe
was also expressed that efforts would be made by the
Association at large to assist in getting rooms more But-
able for us Although we are nw better provided I.r
than formerly, our present acc‘,inuaodatiou falls very
short of our requirements. We, your committee, have
done all we po•sibly could to dud more suitable premises.
but have been n uccesful. We Lope our suceessol
will not lose siglL of tile matter, and that the Association
w.ll take it up rod the desideratum found. Wu have

now the sun-i of £BB to our credit in the Stourbridg,3
and Kidderminster Bank for the above purpose, in &Jai-
tiou to £26 6s promised when required.
We have not taken any active part in politics during
the time we have been in oilie tu bring us Imminently
before the public, but we are strongly united and ready
fir an emergency an any tune.
We ,:ote that several bills of considerable importance
have been paased during the last session, and others
are in such an advanced atate as to leave no doubt but
that they will be passed early in the next.
_ . _

We a-re fully Live to tile iwportalice cf looking up
the register and it has not been lost sight of.
It is scarcely necessary to refer to the title of Empress
of India, conic, red upon her Majesty, or to that of Larl.
of Beaconsfield conferred upon ,ur Premier, the lt:gLt
Hon. B. Disraeli, both of Ithica appear to have giv,n
satisfaction.

Your committee regret to announce we have lost
through several deaths of our members viz., the Rev.
C. 11. Craufurd, Messrs: W. Browne, G. 1.1. Collis, and
W. 11. Penney.
Our list of members is about the same as last yelr.
In last report your coulinitt e suggested the advi ia-
bility of the Library being we.l stocked with books to
Educe members to attend the rooms more regularly
We have great pleasure in stating the suggestion has b :en
carried out for we have recently added a largo number of
new works, in addition to thirty volumes generously pre-
sented to us by H. Sydney .thazebrook, Esq. %Ye hope
other members who have any surplus books will emulate
the example of the above.
We beg to tender our sincere thanks to the following
who have gratuitously supplied us with papers :--
Misses Bedford, for pamphlets; to Protestant Alliance,
for monthly letters • to Dr. It. L. Carapbeil, for the
Illustrated London News ; and to the proprietors of time
following papers :—The Worcester Herald, the Woe--
cester Journal, the Wolverhampton Chronicle, the Mid-
land Counties Herald, the Brierley Hill County Express,
and the Stourbridge Onseiver.

The Reading Room is well supplied with daily arid
weekly papers, a good Library, uhess, Backgammon,
Dreughts, Dominoes, and all the necessary furuiturt,.
Presents of books, periodicals, and newspapers xi:l be
thankfully received by the Secretaries or Librarian et
the Rooms. .

In conclusion, your committee feel pleased at ths
position held by the Association at the present time,
and taking into cousidention the expenditure for tee
year combined with the balance in hand of I:21 lOs
We congratulate the members upon the success which
have attended their efforta.
Mr. T. h. 11 it.ker. M.P., was again elected President
and the folluwing gentlemen vice-presidents :
Allsopp, Esq., M.P., F. Munekton, Esq., M.P„ Rev. c
Amphlett, Hey. J. S. Bolder°, Mr. 6, A. Brooks, Mr.
it. L; Campbell, M.D., Mr. C. W. Collis, Mr. W.
Corbett, Mr. A. Freer, M.D., Mr: It. L. Freer. M.D.,
J.P.. Rev George Gilbanks, Mr. G. Grazebrook, Mr. U.
Sydney Grazebrook, Mr. li. T. Hickman, Mr. W. J.
Hodgetts, Mr. A. Jones, Mr. C. P. Noel, J P., lNir
thomaB Perrino, Mr. W. Perry, Mr. A. Phillips Price,
Mr. F. D. L. Smith, J P., Mr. H. Sparrow, Mr. W.
Trow, Rtv. R. P. Turner, Mr. James Walker, Mr. H.
Walker, M.D„ Mr. Charles Webb, Mr. Walter W. Webb,
Rev. W. J. J. Welch, Rev. Thomas Williams, Mr. B
Wood, and Mr. 13. NV ooldridge.
The following is the list of officers appointed for the
ensuing year :—Committee : Messrs. S. Hambrey, J.
Piper, T. Hunt. D. Scott, J. I'. Green, T. Perkin, G.
Bowkett, J. E. Chappell, E. Cookson, S. Broughton, J.
(attain, and G. 11. Field ; Treasurer, Mr. J. Chappell;
Librarian, Mr. D. Scott ; Auditor, Mr. U. Bowkett ;
Collector, Mr. D. Batham ; Secretaries, Messrs. A.
Phillips Price and D. Batham.
A vote of thanks to the Chairman closed the proceed-
ings.

was reported to be better than last month.
I ;TOWN OFFICER'S REPORT.—Nuimances from last
report, 7; reported during the month, 49; total,
56; four
.eases of overcrowding have been re-
ported and removed. The lodging-houses and
slaughter-houses was reported to be in good
sanitary condition.
INIThe reported was adopted on the motion of Mr.
Hughes.
The Clerk read a letter from Mrs. W. H. Penney,
acknowledging the letberr of condolence sent to
her on the death of her husband.
__

The meeting then adjourned until next Thurs-
day.

COUNTY COURT.

ant assaulted complainant in the church by striking him
a violent blow in the mouth, knocking out one of his
front teeth. The assault was a serious one, notwith-
standing complainant wished to withdraw the summons
on the ground of his father and mother and the Rector
of the parish.—Mr. Holcroft said the assault was a most
serious one and did not think they should be doing right
by allowing it to be withdrawn.—Mr. Higgs said the de-
fendant was willing to pay £2 to complainant for the
injury done, solicitor's fee, and all costs.—Defendant
on being asked what he had to say heisid l Nothing."
—Colon.sl Fletcher: Do you know that if the case was
tried and proved you have rendered yourself liable to a
long term :of imprisonment ?—Defendant said Holmes
first struck him on the back.—The case was then with-
drawn.

ASSAULT WITH INTENT.—Four colliers, named respec-
tively Thomas Price, Daniel Piper, Thomas Green, and
Walter Simpson, were committed for trial at the
Sessions—the two first-named for assault with intent
upon Daniel Shaw, and the others for ditto upon James
Herbert Shaw.—Mr. Lewis (Lewis and Williams,
Walsall) prosecuted, and Mr. Waldron defended.—The
whole of the men were employed at Fox Oak Colliery,
Cradley. On the 15th inst, the prosecutors (father and
son) were waiting at the pits to go down, when the
others came up and commenced abusing and threatening
them. Piper and Price took hold of Daniel Shaw and
dragged him towards the mouth of a water pit, saying.
"Let's throw the b— b— down the pit." The
others took hold of J. H. Shaw. Some men standing
near interfered, and the men were released, though with
difficulty.— A witness heard Price say after the
occurrence, " We come a purpose to do it, and we shall
be thought as bad as if we had done it." A man to
whom he was talking said, " What? " and Price replied,
" Throw 'em down the water pit."