The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1879-01-04 00:00:00

MI

ocal an Difitrict

COMMISSIONERS' MEETING.

Ths rnmal monthly meeting of thip, body w:..s
held in the Board Room, on Monday; Mr. Thigh( s
in the chair. There were also present Messrs.
Kelley, Woolley, Billingham, and Ick. Mr. C.
Evers qualified, and took his seat at the Board,
The minutes of the last meeting were read anl
confirmed.

aThe Chairman remarked that before commencing
thelordinaiy business, he begged to move "That the
clerk do write to Her Gracious Majesty, to condole
with her on the loss of her daughter, the Princess
Alice." She had been lamented for from one end of
the world to the other, and had been a great loss to
Her Majesty.
Mr. Billingham said it was the wish of the
Guardians to pass a vote of condolence at the last
meeting. But as the chairman of that body he
considered that the Commissioners were the real
representatives of the people, and it ought to come
before them first. He hi,d great pleasure in
seconding the proposit!on, which was unaui-
mously carried.

The- chairman next referred to the death of Mr.
Pagett, one of the late members. He had with Mr.
Taylor, the clerk, attended the funeral, as repre
seating the Board. He may state that the clerk
had sent a letter of condolence to the wife and
family on behalf of the Board. He considered Mr.
Pagett an excellent Commissioner, and a very use-
ful one.

The action taken by the chairman and clerk was
approved of.
FINANCE COMMITTEES' REPORT.

The Clerk read the Finance Committees' report
trhich showed the following balances : Highway
Account due to the Treasurer to this date,
£341 4s id; Improvement Account balance due
to Treasurer £23 2s 7d; Urban Sanitary Au-
thority Account balance due to Treasurer £4ll
7s id.

Your committee have examined a number of
accounts and recommenb them to be paid:—
Improvement Account, .289 5s 8d; Highway
Account, £122 us lid; Urban Sanitary Account,
£3B 18s 6d.

On the motion of Mr. Kelley, seconded by Mr.
Ick, the accounts were ordered to be received.
REPORT OF THE GENERAL PURPOSES COMMITTEE
NEW Gas BILL.—Your Committee have re-
quested the clerk to obtain a copy of the bill for
consideration and report.
MEDICAL OFFICER OF HEALTH'S REPORT.—
Mortality returns for the month ending December
21st, 1878. Number of deaths is 19, viz., 7 males
and 12 females. The death-rate is 24-3 per 1,000.
The death-rate during the past month has been
the highest during the year, except March. It is,
however, owing to the inclement weather, as out
of the 19 deaths six were over 60 years, and eight
were from long disease. Yearly report for the
year 1878. The number of deaths 149. In 1877,
153, making an improvement in the death-rate 1-2.
Number of deaths from principal diseases are thus:
Scarlet Fever, 18; Typhoid Fever, 1; Hooping
Cough 0; Measles 3; Lung disease, 28; over 70
years of age, 25; under one year 33. Houses in
Market Street, and Stamber Mill, infected with
ELetrletina, have been disinfected and lime washed
TOWN OFFICER'S REPORT.—Nuisances removed
from last month, 10; reported during the month,
26; total 34; Removed, old 18, new 16; Night Soil,
114 privies, 80 ashpits and 4 cesspools have been
emptied and cleansed and the contents removed.
Number of loads, 192. The registered lodging-
houses and slaughter-houses (with 3 exceptions)
are reported to be in good sanitary condition. The
Town Officer laid before your committee the
abstract of Sanitary work done in the year 1878;
which will be laid before you, and thus reported the
abstract as follows, 1873, 23.9; 1874, 229; 1875,
26; 1876, 192; 1877, 169; 13, 15-7. During
the year 1878: 1,011 ash pits ; 27 cess pools; 1,245
privies belonging to 2,246 houses, have been
emptied and cleansed. The account of extra
cleaning of streets formerly turnpike roads is £3
is 91. Your committee recommend that this suni
be paid to Mr. Horsely, and that the same system
be carrried on for cleansing and watering streets,
aud emptying and cleansing privies and ash-pits,
on the same terms and conditions as hereto, until
the next monthly meeting.
The clerk r.?ad a letter he had received from Mr.
11. Bird, secretary to the Kenible Dramatic Com-
pany, in reference to the enlargement of the stage
by additional boards. The letter stated that on
condition that the commissioners would make the
improvement asked, the Kemble Dramatic Club
would give their performance in future at the Corn
Nxchange. Your Committee recommend Oat the
platform at the Corn Exchange be enlarged to
meet the requirments of stage peformances. Mr.
Kelley moved that the report be received, and that
the necessary boards required be found. This was
seconded by Mr. Ick, and carried.

REPORT OF THE RAILWAY COMHITTEE.—Your
committee report that they have agreed with Mr.
Lovatt to get out the extra two feet under the
bridge in Foster Street at 2s 3d per cubic yai.d.
On the motion of UVj chairman, seconded by Mr.
BiHingham, the report was adopted. _ _

The- clerk said that he had been asked when
Foster Street would be opened. and had replied
that the work would have been completed and the
road opened hal it not been for the frost, which
had caused a diffi2ulty with the walls on the new
line.
It was dc)ciled that the clerk should write to
the railway company, and ask when the bridge
near St. John's Church would l)e (Tema, also the
sub- way in Angel Street.
The chairman called the attention of th board
to the fact that a voluntcq-r fire brigade was being
formed in th town; and that they had produced
the tollowinz rules for their sanction.

I.—This Brigade shall be called the "TOUR-
BRIDGE VOLUNTEER FIRE BRIGADE," and shall
consist of Volunteer and Honorary Members.
2.—The Volunteers shall consist of such number
of persons as the Committee shall from time to
Clue determine. The acting officers shill consist,
of a Calitqi•i, Lieut.cuant, Superintendent, En-
gineer, and 12 Ficemen, each of whom shall sub-
scribe the sum ten shilling per annum to the
funds of the Brigade, but at each complete drill
which he shall attend, he shall be allowed to
de 'net is from this amount. All subscriptions,
payments, and fines, shall be settled seven days
previous to the annual general meeting. The
election of volunteers shall be by ballot vote at a
general meeting, one black ball in far to exclude
from membership. All officers shall be elected at
the annual general meeting.
3.—The current expenses of the Bligade shall be
defrayed by voluntary contributions, all donors of
£5 and upwards, and all annual subscribers of
five shillings and upwards, shall become honorary
members, and shall be eligible to take the office of
Trustee, Chairman, Treasurer, Secretary or Sur-
geon, or to serve on the committee. They shall
have the right to take a part in, and vote at every
general meeting of the Brigade.
4.--The business of the Brigade shall be con-
ducted by a Committee, consisting of the Captain,
Lieutenant, Superintendent, and two Firemen,
who shall be chosen by the Volunteers from among
themselves, a Chairman, Treasurer, Searetary, and
two others, who mg), I e Honorary Members, and
shall be elected at the annual general meeting.
The Chairman and one of the Town Commissioners,
elected by the Commissioners, shall be ex-qfficio
members of the Committee.

5.—A general meeting of the members shall be
held the first Tuesday in January annually, for the
purpose of auditing the accounts, electing the
officers and committee, of which meeting three
clear days' notice shall be given by the Secretary
to each member. A special general meeting may
be called by the Chairman and Secretary, when
necessary, and shall be so called on the written
request of any five Members; three clear days'
notice of the same to be given by the Secretary to
each Member.

6.—The Chairman and Secretary, or any three
Members of the Committee shall have power to
summon a Committee meeting whenever necessary;
twenty-four hours' notice to be given to each
member by the Secretary.
7.—The Property of the Brigade shall be vested
in three Trustees, who shall be elected at the first
annual general mPeting of the Members, one of
whom shall retire every third year, but sball be
eligible for re-eleetion ; any vacancy may be filled
up at any general meeting, provided due notice of
the same be given to each Member. The Trustees
shall be appealed to in all cases of dispute, and
their decision shall be final.

B.—The Uniform and Equipment of the Brigade
shall, from time to time, be determined by the
Committee, and shall be the property of the Brigade
or of the Volunteers, as decided by the Committee.
9.—Any Member wishing to leave the Brigade,
shall give one month's written notice of his inten-
tion to the Captain, and shall deliver up t,-) him all
articles belonging to the Brigade, in a thorough
state of repair.
10.—The Brigade shill meet for drill on such
days, and at such times as shall be ordered by the
Captain, but 3 days notice of each drill shall be
given to each member, and the Captain shall ar-
range not less than twelve drills each year. That
twice in each year, viz., at Michaelmas and Christ-
MAS the Captain shall cause the whole of the Fire
Briaale to appear, and the Engines, Hand-Reels,
Hose, and all other apparatus, as well as the Fire
&cape, to be exhibited before tho Commissioners
for practice mad isepection.