The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1875-01-02 00:00:00

THE SCHOOL BOARD MEETING.

The ordinary monthly meeting of this body was
held in the Corn Exchange, on Monday evening
last. Major Walker (viCte-chairman) presided;
the only other members present being Messrs. Bil-
lingham and Wall.
The Clerk read the minutes of the last meeting,
which, on the motion of Mr. Billingham seconded
by Mr. Wall, were adopted.
It having been stated at the previous meeting
that Mr. Foster had declined to provide sureties
for the fulfilment of his contract, the Board in-
structed the Clerk to write to Mr. Foster, inform-
ing him that they should hold him responsible for
any loss they might sustain through his non-fulfil-
ment of his aFreement. The Clerk now stated
that he had written to Mr. Foster, and the latter
gentleman had replied to the effect that he would
wait personally upon the Board that evening. He
(the Clerk) had also sent letters to the different
builders inviting them to send in revised tenders
for the erection of the Board Schools, in conse-
quence of Mr. Horton, of Brierley Hill, having
sent in a second tender at a considerably reduced
rate. He now handed the different replies to the
Chairman. The first was from Mr. Simeon Ben-
nett, of Brierley Hill, who said he was not willing
to give another tender, and characterised it as a
very unbusiness-like proceedinn, on the part of the
Board to ask for a second teller, when none of
the conditioss of the contract had been altered.
Mr. C. A. Horton, Brierley Hill, said he would
build the schools for .22,360, being the same price
he had stated in his previous letter to them; and
he would also build a master's residence for .2500.
Mr. Joseph Chaproan's revised estimate was
for schools, £2,848; master's house, £496.
Messrs. Binnian's reply was to the effect that
they could not reduce their tender for the schools
and house, as they found that the specifications
had not been altered.

-
Messrs. Hilton and Company, of Birmingham
and Kidderminster, were willing to erect the
schools for £2,749 9s; master's house, £642 us.
Mr. Arthur Sheasley's estimate was for..schools,
£2,648; master's house, £6lO.
Mr. John Guest, of Brettell Lane, would build
the schools for £2,348 lOs ; master's house, £502
10s.

It will be remembered that Mr. Foster's estimate
for the schools (without clock tower) was £2,163;
master's house, .2521.

An animated conversation ensued as to the res-
pective estimates, and the members expressed
themselves emphatically in favour of giving the
contract to a local man in preference to giving it
to Mr. Foster, who was totally unknown to them,
and whose ability to carry out the work they had
no guarantee for. A local builder, too, would be
on the spot, and see that the work was being exe-
cuted properly; whilst a man who lived at Leam-
ington could not do this.
The propriety of building a master's house at
the same time as the school, or of leaving it to
some future date, was then discussed, and in the
latter event, _ -

Mr. Wall asked how the difficulty would be met
with reference to obtaining a second loan from the
Department.
The Clerk explained that the difficulty he re-
ferred to was experienced at Brierley Hill, where
they had to ask the Department for a second loan
to enable them to complete the same works. But
even there they obtained what they asked, though
not without some trouble. He did not think, how-
ever, that if at a future time the Board resolved
to build a master's house, and wished to borrow
money of the Department for that purpose, there
would be any difficulty in the matter. No doubt;
if they wished to borrow a second time for the
same school, the Department would want some
special reason for their doing so.
The Chairman reminded them that the lowest
tender for erecting a house was .£5OO, and asked
them if they were still of the opinion that it would
be better ttot to have a master's house at present.
A discussion followed, and with referenoe to tin
relit of a izaster's house,