The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1875-07-31 00:00:00

-AUDITORS RiPORT.

A letter was read from Messrs. W. H. Moore,
and D. Bottomely, stating that they examined the
annual statement of accounts for the year ending
30th March, 1875, and found same correct.
REPORT OF THE IMPROVEMENT COMMITTEE.

The drain in Union Street has not yet been
laid down. Your committee have inspected plans
of new building, to be erected in Bowling Green
Lane, and West Street, and approved them. Your
committee observe with satisfaction that the Turn-
pike Trustees have nearly completed re-laying the
gutter in Coventry Street, with suitable material.
ESTIMATES FOR RATES.

On the motion of Mr. Woolley, the Clerk was
directed to prepare an estimate for an Improve-
ment Rate.

The Clerk called the attention of the Board to
the fact that Mr. Horsley's contract will exspire in
the next mouth.

The Clerk was directed to advertise for con-
tracts for the same.

£250 was ordered to be transfered from the fin.
provement Act to the Urbrn Sanitary Authority.
There was no other business.

A HOSPITAL SUNDAY FOR STOURBRIDGE•

A conference of ministers and lay representatives
of the different religious bodies in this town, was
held in St. John's School-room, on Thursday night,
to decide upon the desirability of havinga hospital
Sunday for this town, similar to that heldin other
places. The Rev. H. Sherrard was called upon to
take the chair; and there were also [present; the
Rev. T. Williams, the Rev. A. Wright, the Rev. J.
Richards, the Rev. D. Maginnis, Messrs E. Stringer,
senior, E. Stringer, junior, T. Bland, G. Boden, G.
Perkin, &c. &c,.

The Rev. Chairman explained the object of the
meeting, and said it was thought desirable to have
a "special Sunday," for the purpose of devoting;
the collection made on that day to the neighbour-
ing hospitals and the local dispensary. The
Foresters had again applied to him for the use of
his church, and had said that whilst they would
be glad and were desirous of having a general
hospital Sunday, they would like to have indepen-
dent of that, a 3ervlce of their own. There were
one or two places where services had been held for
similar purposes, but they were so few and s)
isolated that they would not interfere with a
general service. He (the chairman) had had a
letter from the Bishop of Worcester, setting forth
the claims of the Worcestor Infirmary, but he
thought it lay at the other corner of the diocese,
and hardly had such claims upon Stourbridge as their
own Dispensary, the Dudley Hospital, or• the
Birmingham General and Queen's Hospitals—
(hear, hear). He had written to the Rev. C. H.
Cranfurd, who was so ill that he could not at
present reply, but Mr. King had written to him
the chairman) saying that he was quite of opinion
that it would be a good thing to have simultaneous
services at the different churches for the object
they had in view. The rector of the Lye could
not attend, but he heartily approved of the whole
scheme. The Society of Friends in this town were
also quite willing to co-operate with them in this
matter. He had not spoken to Father Keen, bit
he had spoken to Mr. James and Mr Barratt, and they
both heartily concurred in the matter. He had
not seen the Rev. G. Gilbanks ; but believed he
would join them in it.
The Rev. James Richards said he had much
pleasure in moving "that this meeting considers
it desirable that aHospital Sunday be established
in this town, and that the last Sunday in October
be devoted to that purpose.
Mr. E. Stringer, senior, seconded this, and it was
carried unanimously. -

Mr. Maginnis said the next point to consider
would be the mode of appropriating the funds.
He thought the most politic way of doing it would
be to leave the disposal of the amounts collected
to the governors of the respective places of wor-
ship.
A lengthy discussion ensued and a resolution to
the following effect was eventually carried, "That
a representative committee of the different de-
nominations in the town and neighbourhood shall.
be appointed to consider and apportion from year
to year the collections raised on Hospital Sunday;
but that they leave it to the option of each parti-
cular body to apply their own collection."
This terminated the proceedings.