The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1883-02-03 00:00:00

THE STOURBRIDGE OBSERVER.

Soca'anhPistrict

COMMISSIONERS' MEETING.

The usual monthly meeting of this body was
held in the Board Room, on Mond.iy last, Mr. H.
Hughes in the chair. There were also present
Messrs. Bland, Green, H. Turney, Edwards, Dawes,
Perkin, Jones, lcke, Billingiiam, Underwood, Scott,
Hieklin, Patch, Griffin, Haikew, North, and
Baker.

'1 he Clerk read the minutes of the last meeting,
which were confirmed,

On the motion of Mr. Icke, seconded by Mr. H.
Turnoy, it wat ordered that a letter of condo!ence
be sent to the Countess of Stamford expressing the
sympathy of the Board with licr in her bereavement,
and acknowledging the kindness of the late Lord
Stamford in throwing open Enville Gardens for so
many years to the public.
The Finance Committee reported the treasurer's
balances on the various accountk as follows :—High-
way Account, due to treasurer £261 3s 2d; Im-
provement Account, bala.:.ce due from treasurer
£259 3s 7d; Urban Sati'ary Authority, balance
due to tr .asurer, t:.50 17s 7d. our c.amnittto
having examined it nuaib. r 1 accounts rec.)inin,--nd
they he }_aid. Highway Ac:xiunt £l6B Is 9i,
Inprovemen• Account £9O 13s 9d, Urbaa Sanitary
Authority lOs 6d.
On the m ti:n of Ar. Billingham, seconded by
Mr. Ed .vards, the report was adopted.
The Meeical Officer reported that the number of
deaths from November 20, 1882, to January 3, 1883,
was:4l, giving a death-rate of 25'4. The number
of births in the period mentioned was 60, or a birth-
rate of 37.2. The yearly report of the officer showed
that there had been 230 deaths in 1882, and 323
births in 1882. The death rare was 23-5 last year,
and the birth-rate 33'3. There had been 13 deaths
from scarlatina, 12 from measles, 9 from waooping
c3iigh, and 8 from phthisis. Some reference was
made to some pigs being kept under some cottag
windows in Lower High Street. The matter was
1. ft to the sanitary officer to deal with.
The Streets and Roads Committee recommended
the aceeptance of tenders for road metal, and also
for horse corn, &c. The committee further re-
ported in favour of the purchase of a steam roller at
not less than 10 tons.

Mr. H. Turuey entered into an explanati.pn with
regard to the proposed purchase of the steam roller,
which he said the caumittee unanimously recom-
mended. They concluded ihat it would be far
better to buy one than to continue hiring one.
There was a total length of 9 miles 6 furlongs and
141 yards of roads in the township, but deducting
undedicated roads, there were 7 miles 2 fur;ongs
and 287 yards. The superficial area was 83,520
square yards; and Mr. Turney gave a calculaticn
showing the time the steam roller would be re-
quired on the average annually. This he took as
forty days, and if they hired a roller they should
not get one under two guineas a day. If they took
it at the lowest estim to of £6O a year, this woull
not compare with borrowing the money for the
purchase and forming a sinking fund for the re-
payment. There would be a saving in road metal,
scavenging, and o her respects, and th is woul ,
he an advantage nisi) from letting he ro.ler out on
hire. Mr. Turney m-ved that the Streets and
Roads Committee be instruct dto raake necessary
enquiries as to the cost of u,team roller, and bor-
rowing money for the purchase of the same; and
that the col-afflict: e report to the next taiL.ctinA ot
the Board
red.

Mr. Icke seconded tho motion, NN hich was car-