The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1868-07-11 00:00:00

BRIERLEY HILL.

ASSAULT Conic—At the Petty Sessions, on Thursday
last, before I. Spooner, Esq., Stipendiary, Emmanuel
Orion was charged by Joseph Meese with assaulting UDI
on the 3rd inst Complainant said he was a butcher,
residing at Hart's Hill. On the above date he met the
defendant, who began to abuse hint in consequence of
witness haying put him in the County Court. He after
struck witness a severe blow on the eye, and blackened
it. DO not give him any provocation. Sophia Parfitt
gave corroborative evidence as to the assault, and said
that defendant used bad language to him and struck him.
Defendant, on the contrary. alleged that the complain-
ant first struck him, and called a witness named George
Carder, who said that Meese struck the defendant first.
This witness gave his evidence in a reluctant way, and
the Bench considered the case proved, and fined him lfis
and costa; in default 21 days.
CHARGE Or THREATENING. -- Charles Hallett was
charged by John Dudley with using threatening lan.
gaage to him on the 3rd inst. Complainant said that he
was a shoemaker. On the above date helmet the defiled-
sat in the street, who caught hold of him and used
threatening language to him, and afterwards struck him
a blow cm the nose. Ann Smith and Eliza James gave
evidence as to the aicottilt. Defendant said they were
neighbours, and on a previous night e oupittin tut came
to his house and kicked the door, and challenged him
out to fight, and on the 3rd instant the complainant and
himself both fought. Two witnesses were called, but
they both spoke to the kteking of the door. Ordered to
find two sureties in £lO, himself in £2O, to keep the
peace I :r six months and pay emits, £1 is 6.1.

ettattox OF ASSAULT. Richard Poole and William
Poole, father and sou, were charged by John Thornton
with assaulting bim on the ?lid inst. Complainant said
he lived in Dennis Park, and was in the employ of the
London and Vorth Western Rtilemy Company. About
half-past nine o'clock at night he went into the Foley
Arms Inn, Rrettell Lane. Defendant came in and made
use of threatening and abusive language to him, and
afterwards struck him three times. Witness was com-
pelled to strike again in self-defence. William Poole
came rip and threw a brick at him which atruck him on
the forehead, abd tendered him insensible for tweatv
minutes—John Thornton was then placed in the dock,
charged with assaulting Richard Poole, who said that
Thornton first struck him, knocked him down, and kicked
him. William Poole was discharged; and Richard Poole
and Thomas Thornton were oedered to find two sureties
in fin to keep the peace for six months, and pay the
costs, Dis 64 each.

COMIUSBIOwsms. MEETING.— The ordinary monthly
meeting of the Consmissioners was held on Monday
sfternoon, Mr. E. Cook in the chair. The members re'
sent were Messrs. Corbett, Steward, Casein, Jeffries,
Cole. Coles, Fletcher, grove. Cetheridge, Scriven, Shell.
ing, .Cartoiright, and Beenelt. The minutes of the last
meeting were reed and coufirmed.—The Cheirman called
the attention of the Board to the crossing for pass t tgers '
at the Brierley Hill Station. This was, he soil, level
with the rails, and its dangerous character was illustrated
Fs the feat thee few weeks aro Mrs. Emma Sylvester,
of Dudley, lost her life by being struck by a priming
train while in the act of crossing. He suggested that
the Board slineld send a memorial to the Board of Dir.
vetoes of the "'teat Weston) Railway, Tearing them to
provide the means of getting over the line in a less dan-
gerous way. The Chairman read a draft of a memorial
he had drawn up. Mr. Jeffries and Mr. Cole both
agreed with tlie Chatthom ea to the daopera of level
crossings at railway stations, and as to the desirability
of memorialisiing the Great Western company. The
Surveyor reported that he had had an interview with the
engineer of the flimat Western Railway relative to the
stopoage of the read at the cal of the 'S iaduet. at fret.
toll Lane, and also as to the level crossing within a little
distance of the place where Meeting-lane joins the turn.
pike road.. Serge conversation ensued on these topics;
and the Emil agreed that a memorial should be for.
warded to the directors of the company with reference
to the provision of safe crossings at Brierley Hill Sta•
tion and Meeting-lane, and to the providing of the pub-
lic with another road for the one obstructed at the end
of the viaduct. —The Clerk read a letter that he had
written to Mr. Hand, Clerk of the Peace for the county
of Stafford, intimating that the Magistrate, recently ap-
pointed did not sit at Brierley Hill but at Wordsley, and that the object the B omit had In view when the Lord- ;
Lieutenant was memorialised to appoint local Magis-
trates was that Petty Sessions should be held at Brierley
Hill. Ile also read a letter from the Earl of Lichfield,
stating the facts of the ease with reference to the ap-
pointment of Magistrates had been brought under hie
notice, and that he had taken steps to obtain further in-
formation on the subject —The report of the Finance
Committee showed, under the head of "Surveyor's Ac-
count." a balance due to the Surveyor last month of £lB
104 31, the expenditure. up to the week ending dirty lilt,
being £32 17s 11,1. leaving a halitnee due to the Surveyor
of £ll is 101. The Collector's account showed that the
amount of rate to beeld.ected as per last month's state.
Snout, was £3Ol S. 11, leaving a balance of £l9O Is 9,1 to
be collected. The amount collected on night soil ac-
count was £3 13. tit. The committee made recom-
meudation as to the amount of cheque to be handed to
the Surveyor; hut after comdderable discussion, the
a cheque for £3,5 tsr moreat expenses, ViAn granted.—
Mr. Beckley e.llOll the attention of the /Mard to Mr.
tiewer's misonet for rmnoving night soil-1;17 7s—for
four months. Mr. Coley thought the removal of the
, night soil should nay foe itself. Mr. Steward thought it
ought to le. o profit to the Board. A long disciesion en-
sued. At the ir•e it was moved by Mr. Corbett and
sce.ude Ly Mr. Coley, "Toot in future all night soil
removed by the Board be paid for within on;. week from
the dote of the rein oval, and in default of payment that
, the persons haring it removed be summoned for the
amount." Mr. Bennett :novel as at amendment, which
was betty+ Seconded by Mr. Jeffries, "that the matter he
refereed to the S init try Committee." Mr. if olherlon
explained that Mr. Cm bett's motion was impracticable.
mid it was withdrawn, and the amendment stood aa the
eriginal Motion, a hick was carried "in/. via. Mr. Cais-
son, chairman of the Smitary Committee, said it should
have their hest attention at the next meeting. The
Chairmen said thu Mi. Beckley would require a cheque
for I:11 for a owe repairs. Ile was already £ll out of
poi:list. 11r. Beckley gave an explanation as to the re-
pairs rcquirtd. Mr Jeffries mita it was a very unplea•
soot thing to sit at that Board, end to pass the reports
of e nninitteee as a matter of course and courtesy.
Cheques were signed at one meeting, and at the meeting
following they received the report of the Finance Coin.
mittee, which did not show the state of their bank se-
count ; and the Board won, therefore, practically in the
position of a man who had let somebody else draw upon
his banking account. The only sequel to his remarks
would be, what was the state of their bank account?
If the balance on the bank mcount against the Board
was anything more thin the Board had agreed to borrow,
they were literally spendiug money—he did not mean in
the sense of paying money, but in heaping up liabilities
they would be linable to meet. He would put it to the
Chairman whether the amount of the debit balance at
the bank was Mated to the Board' He, for one. could
not c onsent to go on any longer till he knew what the
position of the Board was. He recently read the report
of a meeting at Ciadley Heath, in which Brierley Hill
was held no by one set of speakers ass warning, by rea-
son of its being in debt, and by another set as an exam-
ple to be followed in the adoption of tLe Local Govern-
ment Act. It was stated there by some one u,h worse to
the introduction of the Local Government Act that the
amount of money owing by the Local Board of Brierley
Hill was £1,760. He confessed that that !statement
almost ciused the hair to lift Isis hat off his heed when
he rend it ; bat he found consolation when a little fur-
thee en he found the amount stated at £lOO, which he
, th ought must be correeL There was no statement in
the rep irt of the debit b d.moo at the bank ; aud he put
it to them whether that should not be stated. The
1 Chairman thought the Board matlit to know what it was
doieg. Mr. Corbett suggested to meet the difficulty that
they should borrow the money from Goyernment—£looo
or £2•ffifi—and for it to be paid back in a certain number
of years. The repayment would not fall wh illy upon
the present ratepayers, bnt partially moon those who
Caine after them. he could not see the equity of calling
upon the present generation to improve the place for
posterity. In answer to Mr. Jeffries, Mr. Corbett said
thst the money could be had for from if to 3 per cent.
Mr. Fletcher thought the discussion cast great reflection
upon the Finance Committee—(laug,bter)—and he felt
rather warm upon it. The committee kept recommend-
ing no outlay, and the doing of the thing by piecemeal.
But who laid out the money? Who had proposed the
outlay? He for one hail never advised the outlay of a
single farthing—(leughter). But, however far they
might be iudebted to the bank, it the members of the
Board would only look calmly at the matter, they would
perhaps had they wer not its so ridiculous a positions.
some folks might be lad to think. There woo a sure of
£SO to be paid out of the rate for the repair of Albion.
aired and Cottage-street; and there was a sum of £llB
to be paid for hydrants, reel. hose, Are. Who recom-
mended the purchase of those things. After some fur-
ther discussion, the subject then dropped. The Faience
Committee's repast was adoptel—The folllowing is the
Snail iry Committee's report Your committee report
that they have can-ei several letters to be written to
parties wbo hod an insufficient water supply. They have
also given notice in one ease where two families were
found living in one very small house. There were forty-
eight loads of night soil removed during the last month.
The committee have directed their attention to the ear.
vying out of theSailitary Bye-laws, and they trust with
winces& Seventemi notices lure been served on parties
relative to the removal of nuisances and the use of des.
dorlsers, The town generally is in every healthy state."
—The report of the Roads' and Building Committee was
embodied iii a statement of Mr. Jeffries, to the effect
that the plans of several houses had been passed, and
that though certain streets had been laid out for improve-
meats they would require to remain as they were for the
present in consequence of the fivancial position of the
Board.