The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1881-08-06 00:00:00

BRIERLEY HILL.

COAL STEALING.—At the Police Court, on Thurs-
day, before H. Smith Esq., and Dr. Walker, sitting
for the Stipendiary, Henry James (16), Bank-street.
Brierley Hill, was charged with stealing coal from
the Racecourse Colliery, belonging to the Earl of
Dudley.—lt was proved that on the previous
Friday the defendant took a lump of cqal, of the
value of id. from one of the tubs at the colliery,
and carried it away, although he was told to replace
it on the tub.—The Bench fined defendant 10s. 61,
or, in default, fourteen days' imprisonment.

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SELLING ADULTERATED LARD.— David Horne,
grocer, Kingswinford, was summoned, at the in-
stance of Mr. J. G Herder, the local inspector
under the Adulteration (Food and Drugs) Act for
selling lard which was not of the nature and
substance demanded by the purchaser.—Samuel
Toy, an assistant to Mr. Horder, stated that on the
2nd of July he visited defendant's shop and asked
for a pound of lard. He was supplied by defend
ant's wife with an aricle for which ho paid Bd.
per lb. Witness told defendant's wife that he was
purchasing it for analysis by the public analyst.—
Mr. Horder said he had received from Mr. Jones.
the county analyst, a certificate stating that the
lard purchased from defendant contained no less
than 19 per cent of water.—Toy, in reply to the
Bench, said he had purchased lard at 7d. per lb.,
which was returned by the analyst as being
genuine.—Mr. Herder said he did not wish to
prejudice this particular case, but a number of com-
plaints had been received as to adulterated lard
being sold, and he fund that the stuff had been
largely introduced into Soath Staffordshire. He
hoped. however, he had now nearly got to an end
of the prosecutions, as the shopkeepers were not
' now supplying tae adulterated article to such
large extent as previously.— The Bench fined
derendant a and costs, amounting in all to £5 25..
Mr. Smith remarking that the public must be
protected..
SCICOOL BOARD MEETING.—A monthly meeting
Os this Board was held on Tuesday at Br;erley
Hill. The Rev. T. L. Claughton (chairman)
pre,ided, and the other members present were the
Rev. C. B. Cole Webb, Messrs. T. S. Haines, W.
Waldron, W. J. Hodgetts, and W. Barlow.—Mr
Waldron gave notice that at the next meeting he
should propose a membor of the Board to fill the
post of vice-president in the place of Mr. R. Smith
Casson.—The Finance Committee's report showed a
balance to the treasurer amounting to AO us.
It was stated that the overseers had not paid over
the amount due on the precept dated the 24 of
.Tun, and the Clerk (Mr. Holberton) was instructed
to write, calling upon them to pay the amount,
so as to provide sufficient funds to meet the expenses
of the Board.—The General Purpo4es Committee
reported that a letter had been received from the
Educati.m Department, accompanied with the plans
of the proposed new Board schools in Bent-street
13rierley Hill. The letter stated that their Lord-
ships' architect wished to see some different
arraogement with reference to the boys' elms-
rooms, and the committee had instructed the
Board's architect to prepare amended plans, and
present them for approval, Plans of the now Board
-chool at Pensnett were also submitted to the
Board, showing the position of the site and the
intended building.—lhe committee's report was
adopted, and it was agreed to forward the plans
to the department for approval.—A. communi-
cation was received from the Education Depart-
ment, stating, with reference to the accommoda-
lion of Moor-street Boird echo a, about which
some correspondence had taken place, that ac-
commodation would there be allowed for 343 boys,
240 girls, and 320 infants.—The seal of the Board
was ordered to be affixed to a morgage deed with
the Public Works Loan Commissioners for
borrowing from them the sum of £957 for the
purchase of the site for the new school in Bent-
street, and the seal was also affixed to an order
authorising the certificate of the Loaa Com-
missioners to be issued for the amount named.—lt
was agreed to offtr the post of aasistant mistress of
the infant department of the Moor-street echeols,
the salary for which is £4O per annum, to Miss
Edith A. ,Clarke, of Dudley, and failing her, to
Miss McElardy, of Taunton.—There was no other
business.

CRADLEY HEATH.
BARBER'S HALL or VARIETIES.—We are pleased
to find that this popular place of amusement still
maintains its reputation for the engagement of
first-class artistes, as those engaged this last week
are all that could be desired. The Sisters Meadway
are two very clever duettists, their impersonations
being very good, they each .possess a good voice
and have a capital wardrobe, and they spare no
effort in trying to give satisfaction to all tastes, for
which they are repeatedly and vociforously encored
each night ; also is Master Tom Dular, "the Little
Wonder," a big star within himself. He is a very
pretty song and dance -artiete, and bids fair to na,tke
a great acquisition to the profession. The Fergu-
sons, Robett and Clara, are great variety enter-
tainers, their comic duetts beinc, numerous, and
eliciting roars of laughter and ° rounds of ap-
plause. Mr. R. Ferguson is an instrumentalist of
no mean oader, he plays some sweet selections upon
the bells, 13 in number, on the picco, likewise the
clarionet, and as a bone and octave banjo soloist he
stands second to none and claiming to be the
champion of the world, to which name there is no
doubt but what he has a perfect right, as his solos
both on tha bones and on the octave baljo t,how
him to ho quite master of his bistro mants. and
his perf,,rmance of such a first-class t of execu-
cution i. tl finish that far excels anytnin, of the
kind ever attempted in any of the music "halls in
the district.