The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1875-04-10 00:00:00

ROWLEY REGIS LOCAL BOARD.

On Monday afternoon last, the annual mretirg of the
members of the Rowley Local Board was held at the
house of Mr. Jewkes. There were present Messrs. A. H.
Barrs (chairman), T. Newell, J. Hodgetts, S. Lewis, J.
Penn, H. Bennett, W. Bassano, J. Guest, J. Plant, and
J. T. Dixon.

The Clerk stated that Monday last was the day for
nominatin,g the retiring members, in the ordinary stste
of thin,g4, out en ler recent legislation the election which
wouid have taken place in this month would not take
place, and the members who would have retired will con-
tlvie in office until Msreh, 1876. the first business,
therefore, would be the appointment of a Chairman for
...lie ensuing year.
Mr. Lew s proposed the re-election of Mr. Barrs as
Chairman, remarkiiig that the Board and he parish a'
large must be very much indebted to Mr Barra for the
g: eat attention and interest he had manifested in the
business.

Mr. Penn, in seconding the motion, expressed the hope
that the year they were just entering upon would be the
best they had fittql, he v,as glad to find that an inip-oxe•
in.'?nt in their reads was being effected, and he hoped
there would be still further hut rovement.
Mr. Barra said he had no particular desire to be re-
elected chairman, as he was getting so old and infirm
that he could not attend to the (lobe,* so well as he could
wish. The other members of the Board had been very
c..nsiderate, and he was glad that matters had been so
well managed, and that there had been so little disputing.
Me Rowley Board was not like some Boards, and there
had been very few disput,:s. There were several matters
he wished to call their attention to. One had reference
to Dr. Ballar-d's report He thought Dr. Ballard looked
too much on the black side of things, and did not give the
Board credit for what it had done—and they had done a
great deal. He read an extiaet from a report of a meet-
ing of the Sedgley Local Board, with the view of show-
ing that there were others wuo dissented from Dr. Bal-
lard's reports. He thought Dr. Ballard picked out all the
evil he could, and held the Board up to view, without
slicing them credit for what they had done. He did not
go so far as to say they ought to petition against Dr
Ballard, but he 'vas tot satisfied with that gentleman's
report. although he (the speaker) admitted that the pr..-
sent state of the parish might be amended. He looked
upon Rowley as a model parish, and upon the Board as-a
model board. The latter tie! never had a quarrel,
neither had there tyen a " scene." Iteierring to tue ac-
tion taken by some person whose name did not transpire,
Mr. Barra said he looked upon it as' an extraordicary
piece of impudence," for one man in the parish, paying
a "simple foolish rate," to take upon himself to call the
Board to account for its transactions. The Board had
been duly appointed by the ratepayers, and when the
Board decided to take certain steps with regard to the
water works, the man in question opposed them in their
work and put the parish to a con,icieruble expense. Such
conduct deserved the greatest reprobation. It was im-
pertinent and arose from ignorance. [he resolution was
then put to the meeting and carried.
The Clerk called attention to the fact that Mr. Cheese,
inspector of nuisances, had broken his leg, and was
therefore unable to attend to his duties. The Board had
had no report from the inspector for two months, and he
(the clerk) wished to know what it was proposed to do.
After some discussion Mr. Wright (tue clerk) was re-
quested to communicate with a view of a substrate being
provided. Mr George Partridge, grocer, Cock Green.
was suggested as an eligible substitute.
The moreal.ty return for the month of March was a,
follows :—Chillien under one year, 27; persons 60 year,
of age and upwards, 14; fever, 2; other causes, 61;
total. 66. Comparative return for February t—Cnildret,
truth r one year, 19; persons 60 years of age and upward,
12; fever, 2; diinhina, 2; ()tiler causes, 54 ; total, 58
The Board approved the plans (subenitted by Mr
Barges, the assistdut surveyor) of new .5. 'era scuouls at
ltvidfue, Knowle, Ole hill, and Cradley Heath.
The remaining business was of a rouiine character,

FINE Art's —We have visited, se Hatton Garden, the
offices ef the Imperial Art Union—a high-class Lender,
siociety, iestiiut ei kr the encouragement of the Fine
Art.. The weelt of the A,s'ociAtion is Uri. the
control o: an Honorary Councia of ateli•esiewil gentle -
men, a guarantee that its transactions will be conducted
with soundness and integrity. Amongst the paintings
selected for distribution as prizes, on the 24th of April
next, we have inspectep first on the list " Heath," by J
A. Vieter. The Oder,. we xhibited at he Stade.-
street Gallery, aid represents a ohutby little boy with
curly golden locks who has just been enjoying a dip ip
the sea, strongly conducive to " Health," and now seated
on a rock on the shore is quietly submitting to the neces-
sary process of rubbing dry, administered by his pretty
sister, who cleverly acts the part of " Little Mother.'
The bonnie little fellow has been amused by the gambols
of a retaiever dog, and is in the act of calling his sister's
attention to it, as it brings a stick out of the water. Be-
hind the children we here a lung resch of the Solent
dotted here and there with pleasure yachts, and the geotle
ripple of its waters glancing brightly in the sunlight
Ryde in the distance is seen to the right of the picture.
The subject is a very pleasing one; the truthful render.
jug of the flesh tints—the happy gleeful expression of
the brother's lace—and the aiteutive attitude of his sister
as she listela to his praAle, evince the artist's careful.
study and conscientious work. For the purpose of trans-
mitting copies of this picture to their numerous agents,
the Council of the Society have had it engraved on wood;
The second prize, " Who did it ?" by J A. Fitzgerald,'
was exhibited at the International Exhibition. In this
picture a vein of quaint humour pervades the artist's
conception. Mr. Fitzgerald has cleverly depicted a group
of children whose merry rompings have terminated in
grievous trouble Raying ia a ro.im, the furniture and
arras hangings of which detiot alike a byegone age and
the wealth of its proprii tor, these little ones have over
turned a table on wilich had stood a handsome chins
flower vase. 'f he artist has seized the moment when an
old major doreie bearing the smash enters the room, nap-
kin in hand, and finds the children retreated to a corner
contemplating the Mischief they have Unwittingly
wrought. The half serious—half-comical expression of
the old man's face as he asks " Who did it? ' is rich in
the extreme, and is nuly equalled by the semi-defiant
look and rising colour of the eldest girl as she stands
screenirg her playmates by the ample folds of her rich
satin dress, behind which the real author of the catas-
trophe is seen crawling away tu his hands and knees
On the'richly carpeted floor of the room lay the over-
turned table, and the broken vase with the flowers an i
water strewn ebout. The chiaroscuro throughout the
wirk is very perfect, and in every respect it reflects credit
on the artist. In the " Quay at liavre,', painted by
Auguste Bailin, a rising French Artist, we find one of
those busy scenes which can only be witnessed at a sea-
port The subj-ct has been very carefully treated with
all those minute attentions to technical details whi••h
would especially eleiight seafaring people, and which are
only pieced on canvas by men who, like Mr. Ballin, have
spent years of their lives midst the scenes they dilineate
and who co acc ant for rope tied Meek they pour-
tray. Full of vigour cii coetratt, the painting is nicely
inell 'wed in tone, and well c-tninends itself to tee notice
of the public. Following these in the list come works by
Abs-don, Davi i Law, Tune r, Miller, Weatherhead, and
others, all selected by the courteil with a taste that
augurs favorably for the success of the Society. The
well-known names and high staudieg of the gentlemen
forming the Executive of the Association, the public pos
ition of their offices, and the opportunity they afford in-
tending subscribers ef inspecting the prizes, at once eke,
this Society not only far above the generality of similar
assosiations, but render it well worthy of public support.
The minor prizes will consist of Engravings, and Cromo-
litho,raphs in frames ; Statuettes and Photographs. Of
the latter, the Society give at their lowest prize, six
beautiful views of the exterior of the Cryetal Palace. Our
inspection of all these enables us to state that they are
of a character equally meritorious with the paintings.—
Front "tie Etnptre," London, April 3r4, 1875.
Good valuefor money is desired by all, with articles
that cannot be judged of by appearance, careful pur-
chasers rely on the high standing of those with whom
they deal. For 30 years, Horaiman's Pure Teas in
packets have given general satiefactien, being e xceedingy
strong, of mil:loon good quality, and trtey elt,>ctit Agents :
Stourbridge—Claike, 151, Heeli street; Baker, 124, High-
s reef.; Sferket Place ; Morris-, 136, lligli.s•reet,
ierlsy ee chemist ; Hid lernen ,ter, Bull
; riaieeonen, Adam, chemist; Lye, Jones, chemist,
Wereisley, Turner, chemist ; Kingewinford, Pearson,
Brettel Lane, Collings, chemist; Birmingham, Basks,
Bull Ring.