The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1883-04-21 00:00:00

ROWLEY LOCAL BOARD.

The firs). motlnly meeting of this Board was
held on Monday last., in the Board Room, Old Hill.
There were present Messrs. W. Bassano, Plant,
Oreen, Penn, Parkes, Taylor, Hodgetts, Lowe,
Barker, and Robertson.

On the motion of Mr. Barker seconded by Mr.
Green, Mr. Bassano was re-elected Chairman of
the Board for the enouing year.
The Finanee Committee is composed of the
following gen lemon :—.llessrs. Connop, Rant,
Green, Barker, Penn, Robertson, Taylor, Lowe and
Parkes.

The Finance Committee reported that the wages
spent on th Highway Account during the past
month amounted to £lOB 18s id. that the Surveyor
had a balance of £23 is Oci in hand and that he re-
quired the sum of .£l4O to defray the current
month's expenses.
The Medical Officer of Health (Mr. Beasley) re-
ported that 72 deaths had been registered during
this past month, showing an annual average of
33.42 yer 1,000 pea. annum. Ten deaths had
occurred from zymotio disease viz :-5 froom whoop-
ing cough, 2 from measles, 2 from scarlet fever and
1 from niarrhcea The epidemic of whooping cough
was present in the upper district. There were still
a few csses of scarlet fever and measles in the
Reddal Hill district. Fifty-seven cases of whoop-
cough had been under his observation since last
meeting; thirty-seven were under treatment, 19
were convalescent and 1 dead. Four cases had
ten reported to him, three were convalescent and
one was under treatment. Four deaths had been
regists ed, respecting which he had received no in-
formation. There had ben no free' outtreak of
smalipsx since the first week in Fehroa y.
hospital was empty and was now in charge of the
caretaker. All accounts in connection with the
msiatenance of the hospital would be presented to
the Board and in future the only expenses would be
the rent and caretaker's salary. The smallpox
epidemic was at an end and no fresh cases were
anticipated unless from some external cause, such
as being brought from other districts.
Mr. T. D. DeDenne, assistant medical officer, re-
portal that during t e last four weeks, 39 deaths
had taken place in the lower district, giving an
average of 9/ Per week and a mean annual rate of
V• 8 per 1,000 inhabitants. The mortality percent,.
age was still high compared with the correspond-
ing period of last year, when it was 22.5. One
death was reported as duo to scarlet fever and one
from measles, four from whooping cough and one
from diarrhcea, the other certified causes are from
ordivasy diseases. There were still some scattered
cases 01 scarlet fever and measles, and whooping
cough bad been considerably prevalent.
The Chairman informed the Board he had re-
ceived alettsr from the County Surveyor as to the
m lin roads. The main roads being in a good con-
dition the county contribution would be paid in due
course.

The Surveyor reported on the work done from
Lady Day, 1881, to Lady Day 1882. In hi i first
monthly report he reported to the Board that he
found the roads generally throughout the parish in
a fairly good condition and he had now to confirtri
that st,tement so far as regards the bye roads;
but he soon found that the main thoroughfares
although then showing a good " face " for a period
of long continued frosty and dry weather, were
almost warn out, no general repairs having been
executed upon them for some time previously. He
pointed out the work that had been done and added
that be should not have been able to accomplished
so much had it not been for the help of the horse-
rollertpurchased from the Dudley corporation. The
expenditure for the five years ending Lady Day,
1881, was £2,575 ; for the five years ending Lady
Day, 1882, £2,653 ; and for the five years ending
Lady Day, 1883, £2,479. Deducting the amount
of the contributions from the County Authority
there had been a net expenditure of .22,468 for
.the
five years ending Lady Day, 1881 ; £2,048 for the
five years years ending Lady Day, 1882, and £2,018
for the five years caning Dady Lay, 1883, showing
a reduction in the expenditure for the previous
years, an account of the highways, of more than
£4OO as compared with the average of.the five years
ending Lady Day, 1881.
The Chairman said it was a matter of great con-
gratulation to themselves, All the work had been
done with a reduced expenditure. They had had a
saving t.p to the present time per annum of .2400
and there would still be a continuing reduction in
the expenditure,especially if they purchased a steam
roller.

CELEBRATION OF SIIAX.ESPEAR'S BIRTHDAY.--•
It will be seen by an advertisement that Shakes.
pear's birthday ig ti be celebrated by a Shakes •
i
pearean entertainment, n the Corn Exchange, on
Monday. An excellent musical said docutionary
bill of fare, all of a Saaktspearean nature, has been
arranged, and our readels should not miss the
opportunity of attmdivg.