The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1878-02-16 00:00:00

oca anb pi.s4ict 4gebys.-

BOARD OF GUARDIANS.—The weekly meeting of
this body was held yesterday, Mr. Grainger in the
chair. Admitted during the week 23.; discharged.
16; died 3; .remaining 464; against 386 in corres-
ponding week last-year. ,Out-claere.lief •ao j.Bl
101 against A 52 us 41d last year. A letter waF;
read from the Local Government 'Board, referdq:
W €ll9QtaOlll4Q 4M4 tativg tilat
_

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the opinion of the ratepayers and others would
have to be taken by a poll over the whole Union
if the Guardians decided to make a change in the
mode of elections. The Board resolved to wait
and se if any action was taken by Parliament in
reference to modes of election. A letter was read
from the public vaccinators of Halesowen district
complaining of the non-attention and want of co-
operation of Mr. Chapman, the vaccination officer
of the district. It was resolved that the subject
be considered at the next meeting.
THE SKATING RINK.—The rink has again this
week received a large share of visitors, both
skaters and onloOkers. As many people are now
aware, considerable ability is displayed by a num-
ber of skaters on this rink, especially by a fuw
young gentlemen, and it is, we believe, the nitra-
tion of Mr. Hainge to shortly give a skating en-
tertainment by the Stourbridge Amateurs, and if
this is the case it is certain to insure a large at-
tendance. Mr. Lowry was present on Wednesday
and gave another of his wonderful performances.
THE GAS COMPANY.—Statements of the accounts
of this company for the year ending 318 t
December, 1877, have been filed at the office of
the Clerk to the Stourbridge Commissioners.
The varions items of expenditure in the working
account show a total of £8,856 19s 2d, the
principal figures being .24,19 S Gs for
.coal, and
£2,173 19s 4d salaries and wages. The sales for
the year were .212,000 9s 2d, of which £8,054 is
Gd was for gas, 021,961 5s Id for coke, and £909
18s 5d for tar and amnioniacal liquor. The
account shows £612 14s id written off for
depreciation of works, plant, and mains; an
increase of £167 Ss 2d in stocks at the end com-
pared with the beginning of the year; and there
is a balance of .22,726 8s id in favour of the
company on the year's trading. The general
statement shows the balance of last account was
£1,737 Os 7d, making, with the above £2,726 8s
id, a total of .24,4638 s Bd. Of this ,22,400 was
absorbed by dividends paid in February and August
1877, .2300 was carried to reserve fund, and there
is a balance of .21763 8s 8d to bring forward for
dividend and other purposes. _

THE POLICY OF THE GOVERNILENT.—The fol-
lowing has been received by the secretary of the
Stoul-bridge Constitutional Association from Lord
Beaconsfield in reply to a vote of confidence
"10, Downing Street,'Whitehall, Bth February
1878.—Sir—Lord Beaconsfield desires me to
acknowledge the receipt of your letter of the 31st
ult, enclosing a copy of a resolution adopted at a
meeting held by the committee of the Stourbridge
Constitutional Association, and I am to request
you to convey to the members of this association
the thanks of the Prime Minister for their ex-
pression of confidence in her Majesty's GoVern-
ment.—l have the honour to be, Sir, your
obedient servant (signed), J. F. Daly."—The fol-
lowing has been received by the secretary from
Mr. Thomas E. Walker, M.P., president of this
association :—" House of Commons, February
Bth, 1878. Dea.J. Sir—l have noticed with much
satisfaction the resolution which has been for-
warded to the Prime Minister and the Chancelloii
of the Exchequer from our Constitutional Associa;
tion at
.Stourbridge. In view of the present very;
grave position of affairs on the Continent, the
hands of her Majesty's Ministers are very much
strengthened by the unmistakeable expression of
opinion from one end of England to the other,
and the knowledge that they possess the confi-
dence of a large majority of their countrymen. I
need scarcely add that the policy of the Govern-
ment has my unhi,sitating support.—Yours truly,
Thos. E. Walker."

STOUBBRIDGB STOCK SiLE.—This sale was held
on Tuesday last. The stock consisted of a large
quantity of capital sheep and mutton, upwards of
300 sheep, 40 cattle, and a large quantity of
pigs. Highest price bullock realized .09 fis, fat
cows .09 2s 6d, sheep 83s. There was a large
attendance of buyers from Birmingham and this
district.

LOCAL FAILURE.—On Thursday, a petition in
bankruptcy was filed at the County Court on be-
half of John Pearson, of Dennis Park, formerly
a coal merchant, now out of business. The
liabilites are estimated at £950. Mr. A. Phillips
Price is the solicitor to the petition.
CREDITORS' MEETING.—On Thursday a meeting
of the creditors of George Dando, Moor Street,
Brierley Hill, and John Williams, Duck Hole,
Dudley, trading as the firm of " Dando and
Williams," chartermasters, was held at the County
Court, Stourbridge. The chairman was Mr. G.
Harward. Mr. Stokes (Dudley) appeared for the
debtors, and creditors were represented by Mr.
Waldron (Brierley Hill) and Mr. Collis (Stour-
bridge.—The statement of affairs showed—Un-
secured creditors, £515 6s 10d; assets, cash in
hands of receiver, £6B 9s ; proceeds of sale of
part of debtors' goods under execution levied by
Messrs. Roberts and Cooper, £2B; total, £96 9s.
Mr. E. E. Cooper, timber merchant, Brierley
Hill, was appointed trustee of the bankrupts' pro-
perty, Mr. W. Waldron being trustee's solicitor.
A. committee of inspection, consisting of Messrs.
J. E. Chappell, D. Dawes, and J. Eccleston, was
also appointed._

DRi11:01 AND DISORDICELL-At the Police Court,
yesterday, before Colonel Fletcher and Mr. J. B.
Cochrane, James Jones was charged with being
drunk and disorderly, at Hagley, on the 10th inst.
—Police-constable Webb proved the case.—De-
fendant pleaded guilty and was fined 28 6d and
costs.—John Stevens was charged with being
drunk and disorderly, on the 12th inst.—Police-
constable Williams proved that defendant was
drunk in Coventry Street on the above date and
making a great noise.—A previous conviction was
proved and defendant was fined 5s and costs.—
William Handley, James Bate, and William
\lckes were charged with being drunk and dis-
orderly, at Hagley, on the 10th inst.—Police-con-
stable Wallace proved the case and said the de-
fendants were very noisy and creating a disturb-
ance.—William Handley was further charged
with wilfully damaging a window: on the same
date, the property of Joseph Maden.—Police-con-
stable Wallace proved that he saw the defendant
shoot with a catapult and break the window,
value is 51—The Bench fined each of the de-
fendants 2s 6d and costs for being drunk; in de-
fault 7 days, and Handley for breaking the win-
dow was fined 5s and costs and is 6d the damage
done.

NON-PAYMENT or POOE, RATES.—At the Police
Court, yesterday, a number of persons were sum-
moned by Mr. Dallow, for non-payment of poor
rates, at the Lye.—The Bench made an order in
each case to pay in 14 days except in the ease of
Samuel Little.

ASSAULT Cestc.--Jaines Lees was charged with
assaulting James \reale, on the 9th inst.—Com-
plainant said that the defendant struck him on
the side of the face and
,was in the habit of doing
so.---The mother of the complainant said she did
not wish to hurt the defendant but he was COL-
tinually striking her boy.—Discharged with a
caution.

• STEALING COAL.—Sarah Wheeler, of Cradley,
was charged with stealing a quantity pf coal, on
the Ist inst, the propeiy of Messrs. J. King and
Co.—Police-cowtable Ardea proved that he saw
the defendant pick up the coal and put it into a
bag.—Defendant pleaded guilty and was sentenced
to Worces3ter gaol for 7 days.
THE CHARGE OF EMBUZ LING.—J.O.IMS Henry
Beddard, travellnig bookseller, was brought up on
remand, charged with receiving various sums of
money on the sth January and divers other days,
amounting to 16s 6d, the monies of James Henry
Stone. There were three other charges of prisoner
receiving 16s. Prosecutor said the prisoner was in
his employ and the various sums he paid the
prisoner was on printed orders for books, which
he believed were bona fide. He has since found
out that the orders xrisoner produced were not
good ones.—Several witnesses were called to prove
that th 7 had not given the prisoner the orders
produced and that the signatures they bore were
not signed by them.—Prisoner was further
charged w.th being the bailee of certain monies,
the property of James Henry Stone.—Elizabeth
Hassell, pawnbroker, of Kidderminster, proved
that the prisoner pledged a Bible at her shop
for 4s and he gave the name of William
Brown.—After hearing several other witnesses pri-
soner was committed to take his trial at the next
Assizes.

Ina LATE POPE.—On Wednesday there was a
Requiem Mass for Pius IX. at the Catholic Church, and
a numerous congregation was present, including a num-
her of non-Catholics. The Rev. J. Bond, of I)iidleY,
sang tue mass, and the part devolving on the choir was
effectireiy reedered. The Rev. W. Hall and Rev. J. Fox,
of Woiv.:ri..a.,npton, and the locl priest—the Rev. Dr.
McCave—were present ; and at toe end of the mass Dr.
McCave delivered a short funeral oration, taking for his
text toe words, " Strive for justice for thy soul, and
even. unto death fight for justice, and God will over-
thrw thiae enemies for thee." A dole of. 85 loaves
was afterwards given away, one for each year of the
late Pontiff's life. The church was beautifully draped
in black. The catafalque was of black silk velvet,
and a white Papal banner (the tiara and cross-keys
araped) was placed immediately over the catithlque,