The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1880-01-03 00:00:00

REPORT OF THE IMPROVEMENT COMMITTEE.

DRAINAGE OF BROOK STREET.—Your Committee
report progress.
THE CLOSING OF GEORGE WALE.—Your Committee
have requested your clerk to see the solkitors
acting for the owners of property affected by this
road, and ascertain their views as to the giving up
of an equivalent to the town for the stopping up of
the road referred to.

REPORT OF THE GENERAL PURPOSES COMMITTEE.
MEDICAL OFFICER OF HEALTH'S REPORT.--N um-
ber of deaths registered in the township for the
month ending December 22nd, 1879, 7 males and 18
females. Death-rate 31.9. The present weather
has considerably raised the death-rate for the -past
month. There was however, only one case of
zymotic disease, and out of the 25 deaths, 6 were
under one year, and 7 over 70, most of the deaths
were caused by such diseases as the weather will
influence injuriously. Number of births registered
in the same period 30, viz :-11 males and 19
females, The birth-rate 38.5.
THE MEDICAL OFFICER'S JOURNAL—This journal
was laid before your committee. Premises in
Griffith's Yard, Birmingham Street, Mount Street,
Beauty Bank, Market Street, Kidderminster Street,
have been visited, and insttuctions given for the
removal of nuisanses found there, which have not
all:been complied with. With regard to premises
in Market Street in the occupation of Messrs. Mills
and other,, the Medical officer reports that he
considers the pump water to be impure, as the ash-
pit is situated in such a position that it must drain
into the well. He ordered the pump to be disused,
and town water to be laid on. The notice not
having been complied with your committee advise
that the necessary proceedings Le taken before the
magistrates in reference thereto.

TOWN OFFICER'S REPORT.— Nuisances brought
forward, 11; reported during the month, 39 ; total
50. Removed, old, 9; new, 22; remaining, 19.
Night soil removed, 122 privies, 98 ash pits, belong-
to 214 houses, have been emptied and cleansed of
their contents. Number of loads 206. The slaughter-
houses and the lodging houses are reported to be
lu gvua bdultury cuutilLluu.
George Vallender of Union Street made an appli-
cation for having 50 gallons of petroline on the
premises. The Inspector reported favourably of
the application, and your committee advise it to be
granted:

Your committee report progress as to the lighting
of Brook Street.

• According to instructions received from the Local
Government Board, Dr. Parsons, one of the Boards
Medi, al Inspectors, has, during the month, visited
the Stourbridge Registration District, which
includes the township of Stourbridge.
The report was adopted.
It was mentioned at the meeting that the Gas
Company intended reducing the price of gas 2d per
thousand feet, from the let of January.
Mr. Kelley asked Mr. Stringer if it was true that
he had erected a doorway in the George Walk, as it
was reported that he had done so.
Mr. Stringer, in reply, said that he had not done
so, but that the Railway Company had.
, Mr. J. Holland Hipkiss, rate colle3tor, made an
application for an increase of salary. The lett,ar
stated that the work had considerably increased
since he took to the appointment.
The chairman said he believed the work had in-
creased, but that the clerk knew more about it than
he did.

Mr. Taylor said that when Mr. Dorricutt took to
the duties he had £7O per year. At that time they
were only three rates, now there were six rates to be
collected. He could say from his own knowledge
that the work had considerably increased. When
first he took to the office it did not employ all hii
time, but now he believed it did, and he had oc-
casionally to get assistance.
Mr. Woolley said that be had gone through the
books of Mr. Hipkiss, and found that the work had
considerably increased. In fact he had offered him
some work to do, which was refused by Mr. Hipkiss
on the ground that the making out the rates into
the books, and the collecting took up all his time,
Mr. Green said from the amount collected, he
considered the salary was very good He considered
the money ought to be collected instead of over-
drawing from the Bank.

Sever-al of the -Commissioners expressed their
opinion that the tx ork had considerably increased,
and ultimately the application was referred to the
Finance Committee. In the meantime, members
interested, could look into the matter, and see for
themselves the extra atre;unt of work, since he had
commenced his office.
A General District Rate of 3d in the pound was
signed, which is estimated to produce £286 11s 3d.
The Clerk read a notice with reference to the
application to the Enclosure Commissioners for a
previsional order for the regulation of Clent Hills
Common, stating that Mr. G. Pemberton Leach
would attend at the Lyttelton Arms, Hagley, on
the 19th January, to enquire into
-mitre will be a meeting in me morning, at 10.30,
and in the evening at 7 o'clock, when all persons
interested in the matter are invited to attend. The
Chairman said he felt very considerable interest in
the matter, and had determined to do all he could
to defeat what he considered a wrong attempted
against the public. There was something to give
the proposal a bad character to start with. It was
an application to the Enclosure Commissioners, but
the notice to the public was that it was an applica-
tion for the regulation of Clent Hills. Although
the clerk told him at the last meeting there was no
law on Clent Hills, there was as much law there as
in High Street, Stourbridge, and the law could be
enforced as much in one place as the other. Owing
to the clerk's position in the matter—the clerk
being agent to the applicants for the order—he
had no one to guide him; and he was sure that one
man could not serve two masters, he must either
love one, or despise the other ;:but 7ae had consulted
a solicitor on the subject, and he would now ask the
Board to assist him to take what he considered a
proper course. He moved, "That in the uncertain
position of this Board, Mr. Joseph Walker, of the
firm of Messrs. Corser and Woli.-er, be engaged to
conduct the opposition to tLe proceedings now
being carried on to enclose the ecaisio-a known as
Clent Hills, under the specious pretence of attempt-
ing to regulate it."
Mr. Kelley seconded the rea;;lttioh. He con-
sidered the application was no more than a pretence
under the name of regulation to prevent poor
people going to Clent Hills for er.:oyment. It was
a beautiful place, as it needed r.:o en.;:':ting of roads
or planting of trees, but the soplieLtion to the
Commissioners was no more or less than an attempt
to shut up the hills, except for tizi,
Mr. Perkins asked if Brierley :E2ll people had
steps for employing a professional man?
tHakeesn yhoanin
d think a deputatiaa would `,.ce sufficient,
Without employing a solici.:cr,
Mr. Woolley said he thong-111'; they should first
learn what was going to be do.-Ae been engaging a
professional man.

- Mr.. Stringer deprecated the !dal tie, anything
would be done to deprive the puElt 0.-! the privi-
leges they possessed of visiting the hills. Great
pains were taken in other places to secure the en-
oynaent a such plawa to tits labile, Mad he

thought they need be under no alarm as to the
effect of this application for an order for regulating
the hills.

The Chairman insisted on the importance of the
Commissioners' having professional assistance, and
said he believed the application was only a subter-
fuge for something else. There was no amendment
Mr. Woolley's proposition not being seconded, and
the Chairman declared the resolute he had moved
was carried. He afterwards moved as a second re-
solution, "That a special meeting of the Commis-
sioners be called for Thursday next, at seven p.m,
to consider the best mode of procedure to preserve
the rights of the whole district interested to the
unrestricted use of the -common known as Clent
Hills as a place of recreation and amusement. This
was seconded by Mr. Kelley, and carried. The
Chairman said it would be more convenient if the
forthcoming enquiry could be held at Stourbridge
instead of Hagley, and said that application would
be made for the meeting to be held in Stourbridge
which was central.

Mr. Kelley considered that it would be much
fitter to hold the meeting in the Corn Exchange.
There was no other business of importance.