The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1874-05-30 00:00:00

REPORT OF TEE GENERAL PURPOSES COMMITTEE. 1 COMMiss;oll upon Friendly Societies was barely
ready. Doubtless the recommendations it would
Your committee have cnosidered a letter from contain would involve some changes in the law, and
the Local Government Board, dated March 9th, certain matters would not be left discretionary with
and have instructed your Clerk to reply thereto, I such societies as they now were. He would assure
a draft of which letter is laid before you. Your them that if in the discussion of that report any.
committee have also considered the letter from thing of importance should crop up with reference
the Local Government Board, dated March 9th, to the Becher Club, he should give his best atten-
which has reference to the complaint made by tion to it. He hoped they would observe that the
Lord Lyttelton, that smoke nuisance exists , report was as satisfactory as it could be expected
largely near Dudley, and that the evil arose (in 1 to be in proportion to its numbers; and he con-
Lord Lyttelton's opinion), not from Dudley, but sidered it was not very creditable to Dr. Cosens'
from the places between Hagley and Dudley, parish of Dudley, although it was some distance
and have instructed your Clerk to write to the off, that they had not a single member in such an
Local Government Board thereon, a draft of I excellent society as this. He was quite certain
which letter is laid before you. , that no working man could do better than join that
society at an early period of his life. There was
The illuminatiny poser of the gas —Y our corn- life.
advantage possessed by any society which could
mittee have instructed your clerk to write to the
Stourbridie Gas Light Company, on the bad not be obtained there. Other societies might offer
quality of the gas recently supplied to the con- iitorsre jeciificatioenst,hanemdmworse things ftrutthneomotehmer-
smilers in the township, and also to obtain the
price of an apparatus for testing the illuminating societies exceeded theirs ionrethPeTeneits conferred,
I and he was certain no person there that day would
power of gas.
itepsrt of the Medical Qtficer. This reoort I ever regret being members of it. They should look
forward with great interest to the report of the
was laid before your committee and the matters Royal Commission, and he hoped it would redound
or things inspected and observations thereon to the credit of societies similar to theirs. With
for the past month, duly considered by your regard to the Allotment Society there was nothing
committee. to be desired but land.. They had had a serious
. . ... ..

The Officer of Health's monthly report was
also laid before your committee. The number
of deaths registered in the township from April
16th to May 15th, both dates inclusive, is 18.
Three deaths from diarrhcea are reported, two,
however, are simply infantile, and the third
senile. The number of births registered in the
same time is 38. There have been four cases
of suspected fever, one in Duke-street, and three
in the Round Court, but they have proved to be
very slight and not of an infections character.
Your Medical Officer reports that he has received
from the Clerk of the Board of Guardians, three
weekly returns of new cases of sickness (taken
from the Medical Officer's relief book), including
three other cases of simple fever, none of which
have proved fatal, all of an ordinary nature.
The condition of the lodging-houses was re-
ported to be in a satisfactory state. A great
many nuisances reported were removed. Night.
soil removal.-65 privies and 54 ash pits, be-
longing to 110 houses, have been removed and
cleansed, making 191 loads.
The report was adopted.
Mr. Dillingham, in moving the adoption of
the Improvement Committee's report, which
contained nothing of general interest, said he
had been informed by Mr. Grazebrook, clerk to
the Stourbridge Road Trustees, that the inter•
view with the London Committee in reference to
the Turnpike Trust, had resulted in the eaten.
sion of the trust for three years, and he believed
that if it was thought necessary a further ex-
tension would be granted. Such an extension
would be a saving of ..t2OO to £3OO to the town-
ship.

loss of land last year at Wonibourne. It had done
thorn no harm. but the society did not like to lose
laud anywhere, and they hoped some of the land.
owners of the district would give them some more
land in the place of it. They had less tenants
now than formerly, but if they would not meet
their proper payments they must lose them. That
was not the reason, however, they lost them at
Wombourne. On the whole, he considered they
had good reasons for congratulating themselves on
the fact that the society was going on very well—
(hear, hear).
Mr. Taylor then read the report of the Allotment
Society, which was as follows:-
29th, REPORT OF THE TROWTRES OF THE STEP FUREY
AssOCIATIoN FOR TUN IMPROOMENT OF TFIE

The Medical Officer of Health stated that the
case of smallpox imported into the tOWLI was Of
a mild form, sod the person suffering was now
convalescent.

WATERING AND CLEANSING TIIE STREETS.
The Clerk said that he had received but one
tender for the above work, and that was from
Mr. George Horseley, offering to cleanse and
water the streets for V 230, for 14 months.

On the motion of Mr. Kelley, seconded by
Mr. Perkens, Mr. Horseley's tender was ac-
cepted.
The Chairman said lie did not think one water
fountain was sufficient for Stourbridge. At this
time of the year the fountain was made good use
of, but many persons who wanted to use it had
to come all the way to the market place. As
there was a good deal of traffic at the top of
High-street, he thought it would be advisable to
erect one at the corner of Church-street. He
was for keeping down the expenses of the rate
payers, but he considered it would be a public
boon. He should be willing to give the casting
if any one would supply the pattern.
Mr. Woolley suggested that a fountain should
be erected at the bottom of the town.
IThis was agreed to by the Chairman.
On the motion of Mr. Billiugnarn, seconded by
Mr. Young, the subjcet was referred to the
General Purposes Committee.
With reference to mad doge, it was considered
desirable to issue bills ordering dogs to be muz-
zled until the end of June.

A letter was read from Mr. E. Elcock, asking
the Board to take into cousideration the best
means of preventing the dust coming towards
his house from the hill leading from the station.
The Clerk was directed to communicate with
the railway authorities.
Au application was read from Mr. Williams,
town officer, asking for an increase of salary.
The further consideration of the question was
referred to the Finance Committee.

Air. Richards, medical officer of health, at-
tended the Board, and asked permission to take
another office in addition to the one he now
holds under the Commissioners. The applica-
tion was granted.
There was no other business.

DEA or MR. JOHN GRIFFIN is our duty this
week to record the death of Mr. John Griffin, =taster.
of Oldsivieford, who died ou Monday night, at the agent
48 years. For many yearo peat the deceased was ao
active member of the Board of Guardians for oldswin-
ford, an! Colour-sergeant in the Worcestershire Ye
mahry. Deceased had been ill for some time, and hopes
se!, entertained of his recovery, lie was much rev-
peCzed.