The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1874-10-03 00:00:00

Xocal an listrict %Tetvs.
THE IsTION BURIAL BOARD.

A meeting of the above Board was held in the
Commissioners' Room in the Corn Exchange, on
Monday morning last. There were present
Mossrd. Si herd (chairman), Turn-i (vice-chair-
man), Billingham, Evers, Peri:in, Stringer, and
Platt. _ . _

Mr. Bernard was in attendance, and officiated as
clerk pro tern.
Mr. Shepherd thanked those present for the honour
they had done him in electing him chairman of that
Board, and said that he should do everything in his
power to carry on the business in the most satisfac-
tory manner possible—(applause).
Mr. Bernard read the minutes of the last meeting,
which, on the motion of Mr. Stringer, were confirmed.
In accordance with instructions given at the previ-
ous meeting, the Clerk had made inquiries as to the
amounts of salaries paid to Clerks of Burial Boards
in neighbouring towns approximating in size and
population to Stourbridge, and a number of letters
in reply were received from Walsall, Wednesbury,
Halesowen, Evesham, Worcester, &c.—the salary
given in those places varying considerably. The
salary at Walsall was .670 per year. At Wednesbury,
where the population of the burial district is 27,000,
and the number of burials is 400, the salary of the
Clerk is .640 per year, including payments for land,
&c. Mr. Hayes, of Halesowen, had written to say
that the salary of the Clerk to the Burial Board in
that place was .610 per year, exclusive of professional
charges, &c. In Evesham the population is 3,604,
and the burials were 104; the salary being .63 Iss
per month, exclusive of professional charges. In
Worcester the population is 33,220. the burials are
615, exclusive of still born children, and the Clerk
was paid .615 per year; but he also received in addi-
tion five shillings for every grant of a grave place.
, That, also, was exclusive, of professional charges.
With reference to the amount of ground required for
a cemetery, the chairman said he thought it would be
best to asertain by way of a start whet was the
amount of burials in Stourbridge for the last couple
of years. They might also make enquiries as to the
number of burials in Upper Swinford. The same
thing would apply to the Roman Catholic Cemetery,
they ought to make enquiries as to how many had
been buried there. If they ascertained how many
deaths there had been in the parish it would be
something to go by. lie thought they should ap-
point a sub-committee to make enquiries as to the
numbers that had died in the two townships.
Mr. Billinglaarn said before going further into this
question he should like to know if Mr. Bernard would
accept the office of clerk to the Board.
Mr. Bernard replied that as far as the solicitorship
was concerned he should accept it; but with regard
to the secretaryship he could not give a decisive
answer as yet.
Mr. Billingham asked if it was necessary to have
the two offices; or whether it would be necessary to
divide them.
The Chairman said that at present they would only
require a secretary.
Mr. Bernard said it would be necessary to have a
solicitor when the important business of the Board
came on. . _ .

The Chairman reminded them that the most im-
portant time was now, when they should have to
enter into contracts for the purchase of laud and to
borrow money, &c.
Mr. Bernard asked if the services of the secretary
would be always required. Of course, his time was
valuable; and he could not be always present at their
meetings. But when he could not attend be should
send an efficient deputy.
The chairman said if he sent a competent man in
his place, and would come himself personally if there
was any immediate necessity for him to come, that
was all that they should require of him.
Mr. Bernard said with reference to the amount of
salary offered he should like to have some talk with
his partner before he decided to accept any sum.
The chairman remarked that during:the first , twelve !
mouths the work would be comparatively speaking
heavy. There would be a good deal of correspondence.
He would therefore, suggest that the salary should he
fixed for twelve months. If they offered, he would
say £lO or £7—he did not mean that either of those
should be the amounts, but he used the figures for the
sake of a standard—the duties might be done after
that time for less than that. He did not think it was
right to ask for service to be remunerated insuffi-
ciently.
. Billingham said he had not heard whether
they were determined to appoint a clerk, or a corres-
ponding secretary.
Mr. Bernard said that upon the understanding that
had been arrived at, he was willing to take both
offices combined.
Soren discussion then ensued as to the amount of
of salary, and
Mr. Stringer asked if it would not be better if the
cleric would be satisfied with the remuneration offeted
by the Board at the end of the year.

The chairman said it would he better to fix it now.
He would exclude professional Work; but thought
that the ordinary routine work of the Board should
be considered part of his duty, and if they wanted to
know anything they could get the information from
him, of course conveyancing charges would be in ad-
dition to the salary, but the latter would include Mr.
Bernard's professional advice at the Board inectincr.
In the event of any action at law in which the Board
might, unfortunately, possibly be involved, the pro-
fessional charges would also have to be separately
arranged. And then they would want Ao:know how
often they ,should meet. He (the:chairmandhought
it would be necessary to have meetings once a fort-
night at present; and then there would be committee
meetings. Under those circumstances a reasonable
sum might be offered to Mr. Bernard.
Mr. Bernard said the salary should be exclusive of
monies out of picket.
This was generally assented to ; as was also a re-
mark of the chairman with reference to law.suits, in
which he said he was of opinion they should have a
, tight to Mr. Honiara's professional advice at that
Board.
I Mr. Billingham thought it would be a leap in the
dark to arrive at a conclusion that morning, but it
would lie understood that pending an arrangement
Mr Bernard's sen-ices would be paid for by the Board.
He moved the appointment of a committee of three to
consider and report at the next meeting on the duties
and salary of the clerk.
Mr. Bernard suggested that a sub-committtee
should be appointed to tell him of the decision that
the committee had arrived 'at, so that he might con-
sult his partner, and either decline or accept at the
next meeting of the Board.
Mr. Billingham remarked that it would be incon-
venient to arrange with a committee to speak to him
before the next meeting of the Board, as they were
only empowered to offer suggestions to the Board, and
not to decide the matter in committee.
Mr. Turney suggested that they mention some sum
before the question should be fivally settled.
The chairman asked him what sum he would sug.
gest.
Mr. Turncy said that he understood Mr. Bernard
to'say,:that he could not settle upon any sum until he
had-seen his partner.
Mr. Stringer seconded Mr. Billingham's proposition
with the athhtion of the chairman (Mr. Shepherd) as
one of the committee.
Mr. Turney said he would withdraw his proposi.
tion, as he thought the matter might be arranged at
the next meeting.
The proposition, as altered, was as follows :—That
a committee of four be appointed to consider and re-
port to the next meeting upon the ditties and salary
of the clerk," and the committee were Messrs. Bil-
ling,ham, Stringer, Turney and Shepherd.
The chairman said they had now come to what he
might call the general business for which that Board
had been called into existence and that was the mak-
ing of a cemetery. In the first place, presuruing that
they get the information as to the probable require-
ments of the Board in the matter of a cemetery
they should. probably have to borrow money to corn-

plete it. That money would be repayable in .10 or 50
years. One of their first duties would he to see that
the cemetery they should provide would last for that
number of years. They must not lay a money bur-
den on their successors unless they were certain the
cemetery they would provide would last that number
of years. He asked the clerk if they could borrow
money for 50 years.

Mr. Ildhacham : e can for the School Board and
for the Union, and I should think we can for the
Burial Board.

'rue Chairman said that being the case, they would
take it for granted that they could borrow it.
Their next consideration would be what would he
the amount of accommodation required by the two
townships for 50 years; and there first duty would he
to make careful enquiries as to what was the amount
of deaths during the last two years in those places,
a RI he thought it would be best I r the purpose to ap-
point a committee to make enquires. He put that
for a suggestion to the Board. That was about the
first thing they could do. He invited the Board to
express an opinion as to who should be the officers to
make that enquiry. . _ _

Mr. Billingham said it would he also necessary to
make enquiries as to the space occupied by
the graves or the number of persons that died with-
in two years.

The Chairman said that would come easily to them
when they knew how many burials had taken place
.Inrin: the last two years. lie snggested that they
should apply to Mr. Holland, the Government Lisp,
tor who was down here a short time so for informa-
tion as to what would be the kin-I of grown' required
and therefore the committee should be instructed to
apply for erer.v. information, lie thought it was also
possible that their neighbours at the Lye would like
to share in the advantages they should provide for
themselves; and he would ask the clerk to give him
what information he could on the subject.