The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1881-02-05 00:00:00

COMMISSIONERS' MEETING.

The usual monthly meeting of this Board was
held in the Commissioners Room, Corn Exchange,
Stourbridge, on Monday last. Mr. W. J. Tnrney
in thechair. There were also present Messrs. Bland,
Hughes, Green, Haskew, Hicklin, Ick, Griffin,
Dawes, Stringer, Billingbam, H. Turney, and
Allsop
The chairman read the minutes of the last meet-
ing, which were confirmed.
The first business was Mr. Bland's motion "That
the Clerk do prepare an agenda of the business to
be brought forward and that every member be
served with a copy."
Mr. Hughes said it was already on the books
that an agenda be prepared and if the motion was
put the other motion would have to be rescinded
first.

A long discussion ensued, after which the Chair•
man seconded the motion, which was carried.
FINANCE RErORT:

The clerk read the following report showing the
various balances :—Highway account, balance due
to Treasurer £3O Bs. Od ; Improvement Account
balance duo to Treasurer, £162 16s id; Urban
Sanitary Authority Account, balance due from
Treasurer, £4O 14s 10d. Your committee
having examined the accounts recommend them to
be paid, viz :—On the Highway Account £126 15s
6d; Improvement Account £76 9s Od ; Urban
Sanitary Authority £44 lle 3d.
The Chairmen said he was pleased to say that
there was £305 Os 4d to the credit of the Commis-
sioners. £2OO was due from the County Authori-
ties and in March there would be £2OO more—(hear,
hear).
The Chairman moved that the accounts be paid
monthly instead of quartealy. He had been look-
ing over some of the accounts and found that some
of them were paid once in twelve months and some
had gone as long as thirteen or fourteen months.
He considered the accounts should be sent in earlier
and paid. This was seconded by Mr. Hughes and
carried.

The Chairman moved that a cheque amounting
to £lO5 be drawn and puid to Messrs. Corser and
Walker on Nook's property; also that the Commis-
sioners advertise for a loan of £2,000 to complete
the purchase.
Mr. Green asked what security would be given.

The Chairman said the security would- be the
own rates.

The motion by the Chairman was seconded and
carried.
GENERAL PURPOSES COMMITTEE REPORT.

MEDICAL OFFICER'S OF HEALTH REPORT.—The
number of deaths registered from December 20th to
January 2nd, is 18, viz : 13 males and 5 females.
Death-rate 23. The number of births in the
same period is 27, viz :-15 males, and 13 females.
Birth-rate 34-5.
THE OFFICER'S REPORT.—The depth-rate is
hightr this month than last month, being 23 against
10-2. This is accounted for by the month being
five weeks, and also by the inclement weather, for
out of 18 deaths 8 occurred over 60 years of age
and 3 uo&r one. The death-rate for 1680 was
14-3; 1879, 20 4 ; 1878, 15-7; 1877, 169; 1876,
19.2. Your Committee beg to call your attention
to the officer's report for 1880.
TOWN OFFICER'S RETORT,—The nuisances remain-
ing from last month 12; reported during the month,
35, total 47. Removed old 6, new 26, total 32, re
maining 15,
NIGHT SOIL REMOVAL.—Ono hundred and seven-
teen privips, 87 ashpits, one cm pool, belonging to
223 houses have been emptied and cleansed, and
their contents removed.

The slaughter-houses and lodging-house are re-
ported to be in good sanitary condition.
FIRE Ricrorer.—Your Committee beg to call the
attention of the Board to report of fires at Hales-
ovren and Dunsley. Your Committee recommend
the Board to affix the corporate seal to the sale of
charges for the attendance of the brigade at fires.
STOuRBRIDGE FIRE BRIGADE.—SCALE OF CHARGES.
—Scale of charges to be made for services of the
Fire Brigade and for the use of their engines and
appliances agreed to at a meeting of the General
Purposes Ccmrnittee, held on Wednesday, January
6th, 1881, and confirmed by the Committee at their
montnly meeting held on Monday, January 31st,
1881 :-Ist,—For use of steam fire engine to non-
subscribers £5 5s Od; to subscribers, nii. If called
to a fire but not required £2 2s. Od. For use of
manual engine to non subscribers .£2 2s. Od; to
subscribers nil. If called to a fire but not required
is Od. For use of hose. reel, and appliances
to non-subecribers, El ls Od; to subscribers, nil. If
called to a fire but not required 10s. 6d. For
postillion and drivers, each ss. For the service of
the Brigade, each member, ss. For each horle, to
cover wear and tear of appliances and not as wages
Is. Od. The above scale of chargea does not
include pumpers and other assistance which may be
required at a fire. The actual amount paid for
such services will only be charged. All damages
done to the engines or appliances must be made
good by the owner of the property.
CHIEF OFFICER'S REPORT The chief officer's
report for the year 1880, was presented to the
Comm'ssioners as follows :—Thers have been 14
calls to fires during the year, none of a serious
character. The total amount of damage is esti-
mated at £391 15s 03, and the amount or value of
property at risk at £16,950. This is considerably less
damage than last year, although the number of
fires attended and the amount of property at risk is
very much greater. Full particulars of each fire
are contained in the separate reports sent in from
time to time. Six fires had been caused by beams
in chimneys, three were simply chimneys on fire,
two, cause unknown; one, leaving lighted candle
in cupboar I; one, spilling petroline over lighted
lamp; and one smoking in bedroom. The whole of
the. fire plant is in good working order, with the
exception of a few faulty lengths of canvass hose,
which had been in use for a considerable time.
As the total lengths of hose, including the fault y
lengths in the possession of the brigade is only
900 ft, I would advise that a few hundred feet of
the very best canvass hose be procured. The
hydrants are in good working order, but I beg
again to call your attention to the importance of a
hydrant being placed at the bottom of Church-St.,
as all that important part of the town is unprotected.
The brigade have, during the year, purchased a
steam fire engine, ani lam glad to say that its
performances have surpassed my expectations at
the several fires at which it has been used. The
brigade is in a satisfactory state as regards efficiency
and discipline. The time occupied in turning out
to fires in the township Lisa been from two to three
minutes and to country fires when horses were
required from five to ten minutes. Arrangements
have been made whereby the latter time will be
very much reduced. The return of drills shows the
brigade have executed over 100 drills during the
year. The average attendance of members at fires
ha l been seven.—llenry Turney, Capt., January
31st, 1881.
REPORT 07 THE IMPROVEMENT CoMMITTEE.

TRAMWAYS.—Your Committee recommend the
Board to pass a resolution in favour of the tram-
way scheme, as a whole, but suggest that in the
event of the p ist-ing of the Provisional Order, a Sub.
Committee be appointed to see that toe construction
of the line through the streets within the juris-
diction of the Board is properly carried out. Pro—
posed by Mr. W. J. Turney, seconded by Mr.
Hughes, as follows: We, the Stourbridge Im-
provement Commissioners, having examined and
considered the plans and sections of the proposed
Dudley, Stourbridge, and Kingswinford Tramways,
deposited with us, with a view to an explanation to
the Board of Trade for a Provisional Order for
making and maintaining tramways in accordance
with the same, do hereby consent thereto, a 4 a
whole, and so far as the streets and roads within
our jurisdictions are effected. In the event of the
passing of the Provisional Order, a sub-committee
to be appointed to see that the constructions of the
'the
through the streets and roads without
the juriAiction of this Board be properly carried
out. Carried unanimously.
PLAN or BUILDING. Plan of alteration to
the premises belonging to Mr. Edwin Stringer
were placed before your Committee, who recom-
mended that thty be passed, subject to being in
accordance with the Bye Laws.