The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1870-06-04 00:00:00

THE STOURBRIDGE OBSERVER.

Mr cleaning it. That was between seven and
eight o'clock in the evening. The watch pro-
duced was the watch he gave to the prisoner.
—Frank Pearson said: I am assistant to my
father, who is a pawnbroker, in Stourbridge.
On the 14th ult, between eight and nine o'clock
at night, the prisoner came to the shop and
brought the watch produced, and I advanced £1
upon it.—Sergeant Jones proved apprehsnding
the prisoner.—Mr. Webb asked for a remand
until Friday, as he had a good defence, and had
only just been instructed. The prisoner was
then remanded; bail being accepted in two
sureties of f'.lo, and himself in £2o.—Prisoner
was again brought up yesterday, before J. Hot.
croft, Esq. After hearing the evidence the
Bench considered the case proved, and fined him
20s, £2 the value of the watch, and costs; in
default 6 weeks' imprisonment.
. .

REFACTORY PAUPERS—At the Police Court,
yesterday, before Major Fletcher, Thomas
Wood and John Harris were charged with des-
troying their clothes in the Union, on the Both
ultimo. Defendants pleaded guilty. William
Keightley proved the case, and defendants were
sentenced to one month's imprisonment-I'h°-
tuas Riley was charged with a similar offence on
the Ist inst. Defendant pleaded guilty, and he
was sentenced to one month's imprisonment.
ASSAULT CASE.—Before Major Fletcher and
C. P. Noel, Esq., John Jordan and Baker Aston
were charged with assaulting Henry Evans on
the 28rd ult. Complainant said: On the above
date I was at the Rose and Crown. Lye, and
Jordan struck a young man. I told hint he
ought to be ashamed of himself, and he struck
me on the face, and knocked one tooth out. He
knocked me down, and Baker struck me several
times. Jordan said they had a regular fight.
He fell down and complainant fell on him, and
bit his thumb. Baker pulled him off defendant.
They called Edward Steadman, who said they
were both fighting, but he did not see who struck
the first blow. Fined 2s 6d and costs.

DRUNK AND RIOTOUS.— Caleb Roberts, who
did not appear, was charged with being drunk
and riotous on the 28th ult. Mr. Godfrey Perkins
proved the case, and defendant was fined 5s and
costs.

HAWKING WITHOUT A LIOENSE.-MT. H. 0.
Firmstone gave his decision in the case of
Smith v. Ray. Mr. Prescott appeared for the
complainant, and Mr. Perry for defendant.—
Mr. Firinstone, in giving his decision, sail: The
Bench have given their best consideration to
the case. Defendant was summoned for having,
on the 29th of April, at the township of Stour.
bridge, he not being a licensed hawker, sold, not
in the market, nor within his own dwelling.
place or shop—butter. The charge is made
under sec. 13, of Markets and Fairs Clauses
Act, 1847, which imposes a penalty of 40s On
the sale of articles in respect of such tolls are,
by the Stourbridge Improvement Act, autho-
rised to be taken. The question is whether
butter is an article in respect of which toll is to
be taken under the Stourbridge Act. Schedule
B of that act authorises tolls to be taken from
every person occupying a stall, standing, &c.,
for the sale of—amongst other articles—butter,
according to the dimensions of the same, viz.,
for each superficial square foot of the ground
space occupied by any such stall &c., every week
day, a sum not exceeding Id. The toll, there-
fore, is not upon the butter, but upon the space
occupied by the stall. The Court of Common
Pleas, in the ease of Caswell e. Cook, 31st vol.
ume of the Law Journal, which arose upon the
Markets and Fairs Clauses Act, an Improve.
meta Act for the purpose of the present case,
similar to the Stourbridge Act, held that the
toll being on the space occupied and not on the
article sold, such article may be sold from
house to house without incurring the penalty
imposed by the 13th clause of the Markets and
Fairs Act, 1847. IVe dismiss the summons.
The complainant can have a case for the discus-
sion of one of the superior Courts, if so dis-
posed. _

Mr. Taylor said he had received some com---
plaints about the supply of the water, and in
consequence felt it his duty to write to Mr.
Marten, and he was glad to see him present;
and would read the correspondence in reference
to the matter. The Clerk then read the follow-
ing letters.-
56, High•street, Stourbridge,
_ _ May 30, 1870.

E. B. MARTEN, Es.

Dear Sir,—There are many complaints that the streets
and roads are not efficiently watered. On enquiring of
the men, I find you have stopped the water supply. As
I must report the matter to the Commissioners, may I
trouble you to inform me how the matter stands.
Yours respectfully,
JOHN TAYLOR.

Stourbridge Water Works Company (Limited).
Engineer's Office, Stourbridge, May 30, 1870.
JOHN TAYLOR, Es.
Clerk to the Commissioners, Stourbridge.
Dear Sir,—l have to acknowledge yours of this day.
The company does not contract with the Commissioners
as to watering the streets, but only to supply the con.
tractor.

On Friday, and for several days previously, the water
had been shamefully wasted by Olt contractor's men,
who went on watering because it was easier work than
fetching stones ; and their carts were also leaking very
badly.
I have been at great expense in trying a patent coin.
position used much in London, which prevents the need
of such frequent watering, and I was s%tistled on Satur-
day, as there was no wind, we might leave off watering
and judge of the effect. I carefully went over every
street, and found there was HO dust rising at all, and
therefore withhefd he water until this morning.
I am sure the company have far more cause of com-
plaint that water is needlessly wasted on the streets, than
that the quantity is ineutticient.
Yours faithfully,
EDWARD B. MARTEN.

MR. J. WHITTAKER,

Dear Sir—There are really so many complaints that
the streets are not properly watered, that I have thought
it well to write to the Water Works Company shoot the
supply of water, as your men informed me that the
supply was stopped on Saturday.
I now send you a copy of Mr. Marten's letter. Of
course we have nothing to do with the company.
. . . .

I am, clear Sir, yours faithfully,
JOHN TAYLOR

May, 31,1870.

E. B. MARTEN, ESQ.

Dear Sir,—l am much obliged to you for your letter
of yesterday, a copy of which I have sent to Mr. Whit-
taker, the contractor. I mu siware that your company
boa uo contrast with the Commissioners.

Yours faithfully,
JOHN TAYLOR.
The Commissioners said they were very glad
Mr. Marten had attended the Board and thanked
him for coming.
Mr. Marten then drew the attention of the
Board to the desirability of having some fire
plugs. The engines would not be of much use
in case of fire, unless they had plenty of water.
At the present time they were very short of fire
plugs.
After some discussion, a committee was ap-
pointed to consider the desirability of providing
the town with some.

Mr. Maginnis said he thought it very desira-
ble to form a fire brigade in the town. In many
towns they had done so, and he thought Stout.
bridge was a little behind. He hoped the press
would direct the attention of the young of town
to it, and before long there would be one formed
in Stourbridge.
The Clerk said the annual meeting to appoint
auditors to audit the accounts for the past year,
and to pass the accounts, would be held on the
_ .

15th int.
Mr. Hughes said he hoped that those gentle-
men who attended that meeting would propose
some efficient persons, and not, as is too often
the case, come to put their personal friends in,
for the sake of getting three or four pounds.
Mr. Newnan' asked Mr. Hughes if he meant
official persons, as Mr. James, the accountant,
or some professional accountant?
Mr. Hughes said: No, he meant some efficient
persons who were qualified to do it, and not
merely to cast up the figures.
Mr. Newnan' said he was quite sure there were
not two more efficient persons in Stonrbridge to
do it than the last two gentlemen who had au-
dited the accounts.
The acsounts of the Board from March 31st,

1860, to March, 1870, were laid on the table:
The improvement account showed that there was
due from the treasurer at March 31st, 1869,
£322 3525, improvement rate 51,076 lie, which
two items, with a few others of less importance,
made a total of £1,409 7s 10d ; leaving a bal.
ance in the hands of the treasurer at the 30th
of March last of 3:290 3s 7d. The expenditure
amounted to :t1,119 4s 4d, and among the chief
items of expenditure were the following :—Gas
company for lighting 182 public lamps, £864;
clerk's salary, £3l 10s; collector's salary, £5O;
inspector of nuisances, £10; one year's interest
on loan of £1,500 from Mr. F. J. Raiford, £73
78 2d; amount carried to sinking fund, £5O;
amount carried to Market Hall account, £414
148. The Market Hall account showed the fol-

_
lowing receipts :—Market tolls, £415 ; transfer
fees, 15s; cash from improvemeat account £414
14s; total, £B3O 9s. The expenditure included
repairs to Market Hall, £24 Gs 4d; land tax,
£ll 17s; Market Hall dividends on £16,070 6s,
at 4-1 per cent, £7OB 18s; law charges, £66;
property tax, £l3 14s 8d ; fire insurance and ad-
vertising, £5 13a; total, £B3O. 'The total re.
ceipts on the highway account, including £445
3s 4d from rates, were £492 13s 9d. The bal-
ance due to the treasurer at March 31st was £1
19s 3d; but there was a balance due from the
owners of property in new streets, the sum of
£4B 138. The chief items of expenditure were:
Street and road repairs, £B6 18s 6d; weekly
labour, £B3 Is 2d; cleansing and watering the
streets, £140; and new street expenses, £B6
Os.
There was no other business.

It was a very great expense to the Board to put
them out, costing 5s per week each, while they
could have kept them in the house for 2s 6d.
He was sorry to say that the children did not
turn out so well as they expected. Notwith-
standing the expense was great, and he had
been a party to the scheme, if any good could
be done to keep them from the workhouse, he
thought they ought to do it—(hear, hear).
Mr. Moore thought it was very important
they should do what they could for the children,
and do what was right and reasonable. He had
understood Mr. Plant to say that the Govern-
ment was taking up the question, and that what
I they did was to strengthen them.
Mr. Plant: That is so.
Mr. Moore said he had been requested, with
several others, to go to the workhouse. It is
some years since he had been before. He must
say that he was much pleased, every place ap-
peared so very clean, and he believed it was one
of the best conducted workhouses in England.
He examined the children in history, writing,
.tte., and the answers he received were very
good. He thought the children were being
treated very well. He thought some of them
may get out into suitable places, as servants.
There was a great want of good servants at the
present time, and thought places may be found
for some of them. As regards the children, he
was not aware what it was they proposed to do.
as there was no resolution before them.

Mr. Plant said he had drawn up a resolution,
which he begged to submit for the approval of
the Board. They may make any alteration they
may think proper, and asked the clerk to read
it. It was as follows :
" The Board considers the present system of
rearing children in the workhouse is objection-
able, inasmuch as the children become much at- ,
tached to their home and playfellows, and when
they were bound to leave they go with great
regret, and their return in the majority of cases
might be safely expected. And, although the
children are well fed, they are found less hardy
and robust than the children who have the ad-
vantage of liberty and less care. Under these
circumstances, the Board respectfully recom-
mend such a change in the law as will empower
the Board of Guardians to send pauper children
out to proper and suitable places, at the earliest
possible age, and by so doing the children will
grow up to be better men and women,7and in
place of looking upon the poor house as their
parent home, they will, like other children, do j
their best to keep clear of it.
Mr. Billinghaui thought that in a district like
this, there was a difficulty in putting out chil-
dren of tender age. He did not know where
they would find homes. If they were in an agri-
cultuaal district, it would be much better for
them. He considered at present they were not
in possession of that information they could act
upon.
Mr. Fereday said a short time ago he had a
, lad out of the house. He offered him work, and
' he was glad to say he was going on very well.
But they were often sent out badly shod. The
lad had but one pair of shoes.
Mr. Raybould ,said he had thought a good deal
about the children, and had given a good deal of
attention to it; but if Mr. Plant, or any other
member of the Board, could suggest anything to
do them good, he should be glad to support it.
The Chairman suggested that each member
should think the matter over in his own mind,
and see what could be done for them. He did
not see they could do anything at the present
time. They had just gone to a good deal of
expense in building schools and places to make
them comfortable—something like £1,400.
After some further discussion,
On the motion of Mr. Pargeter, the further
consideration was adjourned for five weeks.

Mr. Plant then made some remarks in reference to a
statement made by Mr. Raybould, at the two last meet-
ings of the Guardians, and said he did not consider it
fair to attack him behind his back, as he was quite pre-
pared to anbetautiate all that he had previously said in
reference to the rating of coal mines.
While Mr. Plant was making his remarks, in reply
Mr. Rhodes said to Mr. Plant that he ought to have at-
tended, and answered him it 0:50 time to go now. They
had been there long enough, ;Indcould not stop bothering
all day.
-

r. in es, and lam off, quick.
Mr. Plant: I wish to say a few words.
Mr. Rhodes: You must be quick then.
Mr. Plant then continued his remarks amid continual
uproar net interruption.
Mr. Raybouid replied to ins remarks made by Mr.
Plant, and asked him to retract what he had said in
reference to there being a great number of cripples in
the house through accidents at coal mines.
Mr. Plant: I did not any there was a greater number of
cripples in the house through mines. It is a wicked
falsehood.

Mr. Raybould : I appeal to the reports.
Mr. Plant: Yes, and so to I. I say it is untrue.
Mr. Rhodes : Yes, you will deny anything. You de-
nied coming to my house—leries of " Chair, chair," and

uproar).
Mr. Haybould : Now, I say, after making that state.
meat, as you did, I hope you will have the manliness to
withdraw it, because it is untrue. If Mr. Plant wants to
be popular with the people, let him be popular by telling
the truth.

At this stage the Board was about to rise, when
Mr. Pargeter said he claimed the right to say a few
words before the Board broke up. He would not detain
them but a few minutes. He did hope now that all per.
sonal recrimination would be at au end. He must say
that a strong feeling had been shown by the Board
against some members. Every time his friend and col-
league, Mr. Plant, had attempted to speak there was
some opposition. He hoped that when any question was
brought before the Board, whoever brought it, that it
would be listened to. The rating question was an im-
portant one, and he had no doubt it would be brought
on again. But, if it woe, he hoped Mr. Rhodes would
not open his tlood-gates so wide, and let off his Lye
Waste verbiage, as he had done, and which was a disgrace
to the vice-chairman's tap-room.
The meeting then broke up.