The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1876-11-11 00:00:00

KIDDERMINSTER TOWN COUNCIL.

--
A meeting of this body was held on Monday; Alder-
man Goodwin (deputy-Mayor) presiding.
The Drainage and Waterworks Committee reported
that the expenditure in labour in the past month had
been £5l 17s Id, and accounts had been paid amounting
to £95 8s 9d.
Mr. Corbet (medical- officer) reported that there had
been 50 deaths in the month, or 29 5 per 1,000
Scarlatina had been epidemic, and had shown itself of
a most malignant type. There had been 18 deaths from
scarlet fever. The number of births in the Month was 4
69. Two samples of well later, from Chapel Street and '1
New Wood Street, had beeo submitted to hiaii hoth4ol
which were polluted f and injurious to health.%4 • -
Mr. Edge (sanitary inspector) also presented'a' report,
in which he mentioned that • owners of property ire
Windmill Row and Broad Street, not feeling satished•
their veils were polluted, had obtained independent
an ilysis of ttlie, t r and in both eaaes.tt bore out the
medical officera report as to its being polluted and glad% ,
for use. The rodging-houses were not in so good a state
as at former visits. He hail found g case of fever in,
one house in which there were fourteen lodgers. ,'L'he
iienissary steps for isolation • and disinfection had•bebri,
alien.
In • •' '
In reply to questions, Mr. • Corbett, said the deaths
from scarlet fever had occurred aneasigat children from
, one to six or seven years of age. He was suprised to
notice how the attendance at St. Mary's schools had
lien kept up, though it was eitnate ity.the district in
which the fesor principally prevAled. (A. caution was
given a short tittle ago as to children attending achool
from houses where fever had occurred.) Mr. Corbet
said the courts in the neighbourhood of Churchfaelde.
were in a shocking state,
,All the houses ought to be
condemned if there were other places for the people to go
to..
Mr. U. Dixoo said he supposed the members .of the
Council were aware there was a meeting of sanitary engi-
nears at Kidderminster on Friday. Surprise svi.a expr Lied
that Kidderminster should have gone to-such an expense
in drainage and waterworks and yet have left some of its
sanitary arrangements in such a primitive and, unsatis.
factory state As the nit iden system prevailed the wells
could not but be polluted, and it was not to be woudered
at if an epidemic broke out any time. .
The Improvement Committee report an expenlitnre of
of £lO3, 10d 3d, for labour, and that accounts amount 7
ing to £B5 lOs 5d had been paid. Workshops for waters -
work fitters having became desirable, plans had been
prepared, and it was recommended that a tender Q1.i.245.
from Mr. C. Partridge for their erection be ascepted.
The report was adopted.
The Free Library Committee recommend to the con--
sideration of the Council the appropriation of the
present Town Hall for the impose Id the free library:
They also recommended that steps be taken for the ,
adoption of a lending library.
Mr. Harvey, (chairman of the committee) remarked on
the utter insufficiency of the room at present used for
the free library, and said though the premises suggested
would not be altogether what the committee wished
they would suffice for the present, and perhaps at some
future day some inhabitant would present them with a
new free library.
After some discussion the report was received, and a
resolution was passed referring the subject to the Im-
provement Committee to consider and report upon. A
desire wasexpressed for a report from the Free Library
Committee, giving some details of its position.