The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1879-02-01 00:00:00

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SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 1, 1879.

HIDDgRMINSTER TOWN COUNCIL.

space was preposterously small, the Chamber had a
-- scheme which they wou'd lay before the town shortly.
.
The monthly meeting of this Council was held on Wed-
They hoped the Post Office authorities would carry out the
nesday.,• the Mayor (Mr. W. Cowen) presided.
scheme, as it would entirely remedy the present state of
.
A letter was read from the Home Secretary, announcing things. He next spoke of the past year as being almost
that he had laid the address of condolence from the unprecedented for the great depression of trade.
Council before her Majesty and, that she had been This. with the very high rate of money, had produced
a state of things not equalled in intensity for 50 years,
pleased to receive the same very graciously.
A letter was read from Messrs. Bragg, of Birmingham, involving a loss of £10,000,000 of money to the country.
asking for the loan of the Mayors chain and badge If they looked at agriculture they would see that the
'
(which they supplied) to exhibit at the. Convezatione of burdens of the farmer were increasing. There were
the Society of Arts at Birmingham. They would be also something like £25.000,000 of floating Exchequer
willing to pay all the costs of insurance, carriage, &c. Bills which somehow or other had to be met, and
although only 5d in the pound incomeAsx had as jet
Mr. W. H. Green moved that the Mayor be authorised to
lend the chain on the conditions named in the letter. come from their pockets, debts had been Contracted, and
1 Kr. Boycott thought the matter was entirely in the dis a certain amount of expenditure was being kept up,
oretion of the Mayor and he moved an amendment that -
I
which sooner or later would have to be discharged, as
the matter be left in the hands of the Mayor. The floating Exchequer Bills must ultimately come out of the
amendment was lost, and the original resolution
pockets of the taxpayer. He next referred to the question
was
of foreign tariff, and said it was a matter of deep regret
carried. A
letter was read from Miss Baker, of the National that Spain, which hailhitherto carried on a large trade
Association for Securing Women's Suffrage, asking the with England, had come to certain arrangements with
p
Connil to petition in favour of the resolutions to be Germany, and fixed such rohibitive duties on English
moved in the House of Commona'on March 7. Mr. Boy-
goods that carpets from this country were practically
cotssaid the ladies were vary good Conservatives, and he excluded. The Austrian tariff had also been once more
moved that a petition, which was read, be adopted. raised, as well as the Italian tariff. Whilst looking at
Mr. Greavea seconded the resolution. Mr. Jefferies: those depressing facts there were others of a bright._ r
How extremes meet I I shall have to vote for it, because nature. Raw materials, such as iron, cotton, and wool,
Disraeli is in favour of it. Mr. Tovey moved that the hal touched the lowestlbasia. This showed that many
communication lie on the table. Alderman Colon firms were totally unable to straggle with the present
seconded the amendment. Alderman Holloway and Mr. state of trade, and the resti.3 would be the squeezing out
e,
Crowther supported the resolution, and, the amendment of a large number of weak firm the consequence of
which would be that a more healthy state of business
being lost, it was carried. - A
notice from two of the Commissioners to the would ensue. The low price of bread-stuffs was a very
Treasury, addressed to the borough treasurer, was laid fortunate thing, and he did not know what the country
would have done had this not been the case. The redue-
before the council. It certified that the Commissioners
had paid to the Master of the Common Pleas and his tion of our standing armaments, which were productive
clerk the sums of fifteen guineas and six guineas re of no good, but simply served to set one army against
-
spectively in respect to thepetition against Messrs. Boycott another, wis the only real remedy for the existing de-
Shaw. and H. Dixon, and required the repayment of the pression. He did not believe in a return to protection.
amount within fourteen days from January 23. but thought gentlemen would have to throw more energy
into their business and be content with smaller profits.
Mr. Tovey said the Town Clerk was not there to advise
them (owing to indisposition), but the Act of Parliament Workpeople, too, would have to lear 1 that it would be
said they must pay the amount. The party who had necessary to give a fair day's work for a fair day's wage,
prompted the petition put the borough to expense just and as the hours were shorter they would have to put
more energy into their Nork whilst they were engaged at
to gratify the whim of a few people The petition ought
to be withdrawn or pushed to a cOnclu-ion, as it certainly it.
would have been, had the promoters of it been in earnest Mr. Goodwin seconded the adoption of the report, and
Mr. Jefferies said it appeared the thing Was imperative, it was carried.
and he moved that an order be made for the payment. Mr. Brinton was re-elected President, and Mr. John
Mr. W. A. Crowther said he believed the Council were Giles Vice-President, for the ensuing year; the retiring
primarily liable, but the matter had never come before members of the committee being also re-elected.
the Court in a way to admit of an order as to costs.
Be genes ed that the subject should stand over till th
quartetly meeting of the Council next Wednesday, when
they .should have the Town Clerk's advice. This course
was agreed to.
The monthly reports syere then read, and adopted.
The Improvement Committee recommended that the
resolution as to rent asked for the subscription news
room be rescinded, and that it be let at £25 per annum
iucluning fire and gas. This was adopted.
The Medical Officer reported the death-rate of the
past mouth was 31-9 in the thousand, as against 20 6
last year. The high death-rate must be put down in a
great measure to the severe Weather, about half the
deaths being from chest diseases'
Mr. Edge, as inspector under the Canal Boats Act,
repoitsd that the frost had rendered necessary the post-
ponemeut of systematic inspection, many, of the boats
being detained up the country. There were, however,
many boats from Glonceter, Tewkesbury, and Upton
lyi..g at Kidderminster. in respect to which no applica-
tions hid been made for registration, and these required
to be specially looked after. Mr. Jefferies said there
was +coed deal of comment in the papers that the Act
was not being enforced.
After a short discussion, the inspector was authorized
to take out summonses for non-compliance with the Act.
A report was presented from the Watch Committee.
which, among other matters, authorised the police to
take proceedings against all persons keepiog dogs with-
out a license after February 1,
The report was adopted.

DIED.

Sums oal.—On the 26th alto, at Pear Tree Cottage
Amblecote, Richard Chance Skidmore, aged 27, only
surviving son of the late George and Ann Skidmore,
of Brierley Hill.
Coxras.—On the 24th ult., at his residence, High
' Street, Dudley, aged 72 years, Richard Coates.
Ev.tws.—On the 13rd ult., in the 73rd year of her age,
Phillls, relict of William Evans, of Rowley Regis.

THE AFGHAN WAR.

OLD HILL.

THE CHARGE AGAINST A PUBLICAN.—At the Police
Court, on Wednesday, before Messrs. W. Bassano,
and B. Hingley, the charge against Giles Bloomer,
David Morgan, and Louis Morgan, for being on the
premises of Joseph Whitmore, Five Ways, Cradley
Heath, during prohibited hours came on for hearing.
Mr. W. Hayes appeared on behalf of Wilitmore, and
Mr. Waldron defended Bloomer. The case against
Whitmore had been adjourned a fortnight, for the
purpose of having the sumniones against the three
men: adjudicated upon. Police-constable Sylvester
said he visited Whitmore's house on the night of the
4th ult, during prohibited hours and found the three
defendants there in the tap room. He asked Miss
Whitmore how she accounted for the men being there
and she said they were tra yellers, and had come from
Dudley. Witness knew the defendants who lived at
Cradley Heath. Mr. Waldron contended that the de-
fendants were travellers and were under the impression
that they could obtain drink at that time of night as
they had been to Dudley and back.—Mr. Bassano
said that as regarded Whitmore, although they
thought there was far from any intention to committ
a wrong action, still the the defendant had not taken
the care he ought to have done in satisfying himself
that the defendants were bona fide travellers, and
Whitmore would be fined Sc and cost. The other
three defendants, although, perhaps, they might be
ignorant of the law would be each fined is and costs.
JUDICIAL SEPARATION —Thomas Brazier, laboure
Cradley Heath, was charged wih having assaulte
his wife, Jane Brazier Defendant was recently sum-
moned on a similar charge, and was threatened with
six months if he came up again, the magistrates wish-
ing to allay any ill-feeling between him and his wife.
—Complainant stated that on the 28th inst, her
husband came home to dinner, and without having
received any prove:stion on her part picked up a jug
to strike her, saying he would "give her scandalising
him" at the recent trial on the former assault case.
A witne-s managed to get the jug from him, and he
then struck her (complainant) with his fist. She
was sorry to say she could live with him no leapt.
They had been married sixteen years, and had children.
but his ill-treatment was such that it WAS impossihle
for her to continue living with him. A. witness cor-
roborated the evidence as to the assault, and defend
ant said he was very sorry, but his wife " dared " him
told° it. —Mr. Hingley : That's what you said last
week.—Mr. Bassano : Mrs. Brazier, do you supply
for a separation from your husband ?—Complainant:
Yes, Sir, I do.—Mr. Bassano: Have you well con-
sidered that before doing it ?.__Complainant: Yes, Sir,
I have considered it • and I consider if I only had a
bit of bread and comfort I should be better off.—Mr.
Baleen° : How many children have you ?Complain-
ant: Four.—Mr. Bassano: How old are they ?
Complainant: Never a one's old enough to work.—
In reply to the Bench, defendant said he earned 3s. a
day as a labourer.—Complainant said she was willing
to take care of the children if he would allow her a
little to keep them.—Mr. Bassano (to defendant) :
You are committed to hard labour for ten weeks; and
we pronounce judicial separation of your wife
from you. We make an order upon you for Ss a week
towards the maintenance of your children.—This is
the first case in the district under the Act of 1878.
Ditinexerems.—John Bateman, Christopher Bate-
man, and Joseph Pugh, were charged with being
drunk and disorderly, on the 26th ult, at Halesowen
streot, Blackheath. Police-constable Rowlands
proved the case, and defendants were each fined 28 Bd.
and costs; in default 14 days.—Edward Pate was
charged with being drunk and, disorderly, at Perry's
•Lake, on the 20th ult.—Police-constable Frost proved
the case, and defendant was fined 24.6 d. and costs.
UNPROVOKED ASSAU,LT.—EIijah Law was charged
with assaulting John Wright, on the sth tilt. Com-
plainant said he was waiting about Blackheath, on the
above date, when defendant struck him twice on the
faxe with fist. He did not give defendant any provo-
cation. Defendant was committed for 14 days' hard
labour.
A DISORDERLY CHARACIZA.-7oseph Law was
summoned by Steven Rollinson, landlord of the
Bull's Head, Blackheath, for being disorderly and
refusing to quit his house when requested, on the 25th
ult. Rollinson proved the offence and defendant was
Lined 5, and soots; in default 14 days.
HIGHWAY OFFENCE.—Thomas White, of Halesowen
wa a summoned for an obstruction of the highway by
leaving his horse and Cart thereon. Police-constable
Rowland proved the case, and defendant was ordered
to pay costs.