The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1881-11-05 00:00:00

KIDDERMINSTER.

MUNICIPAL ELECTIONS.—The proceedings of the
elections passed off quietly, although there Wds
some excitement attached to them in consequence
of the Ratepayers' Association having run candi-
dates in both wards in opposition to the retiring
councillors. The result in the North Ward was as
follows :—Jefferies, 700; Crowther, 616 ; Harvey,
540; Chadwick, 532; and Bennett, 254. The first
three are the retiring councillors, and they are
elected. The result in the South Ward was as
follows :—Eoldsworth (retiring councillor), 830 ;
W. C. Green, 668 ; W. 11. Green (retiring council-
lor), 650; Gibson, 621 ; Moore, 528; Potter (retiring
councillor), 483; M. Cole, 462. This is a net
Conservative gain. The result of the poll was
after wards declared in front of the Corn Exchange
in the presence of a large number of persons, and
the names of the successful candidates were received
with cheers.

THE WORKHOUSE QUESTION. The fortnightly
meeting of the Guardians was held on Tuesday;
Mr. I. Brinton, M.P., in the chair. The number
of persons in the house was reported to be 926
against 263 in the corresponding week last year.
Some conversation took place as to the number in
the house, resulting in instructions to the clerk to
prepare a return of the number of persons in the
house who had been deserted, and had become
chargeable on that account. A return of the num-
ber of warrants issued in regard to cases of desertion
was also ordered.—The Clerk then read a report
which had been prepared upon the subject of work-
house accommodation. The report detailed at
length the increasing demands upon the house,
which was built originally to accommodate 150 per-
sons, the cost of site and buildings being £6.230.
Efforts had been made from time to time to meet
the growing numbers, but the Local Government
Board had fixed that the number in future to be
accommodated at the house was not to exceed 207
persons. The probable consequences of an epidemic
were pointed out, and on the quest ien of vagrants
it was mentioned that the number relieved in the
year ending September last was 6,682, only a limited
number of those being able to be dealt with at the
house itself. The report laid down that the land
around the present buildings was unsuitable for in-
creased buildings. Suitable. accomModation must
be provided for 200 children, and new infinnary
wards must be constructed for not less than 150
, inmates. It was desirable to secure land for both
these purposes to the extent of 12 to 14 acres. The
Local Government Board officials thought it would
•be injudicious to patch up the present buildings,
and in view of this opinion negotiations had been
set out on foot and offers of land obtained for the
consideration of the Board.—Mr. J. H. Morton,
architect, of South Shields, who had been consulted
in regard to the subject of the workhouse, attended
personally and presented a report, in which he
suggested three distinct schemes to the Guardians.
The first was to use the present workhouse and site
for the adult inmates, building a new infirmary and
a department for the children on a new site. The
'becond was to purchase a site for a new workhouse,
but only to build the infirmary and schools at pre-
eent. The third was to build forthwith all the
premises required. The estimated cost of building
new infimary was £8.000; of eehools, £9,15000;
altering present house, £l,OOO. The cot of com-
plete new buildings would be £30,000. These
figures were exclusive of the purchase of land.
Some questions were asked, and a short discussion
took place with reference to the report, after which
it. was agreed that iithey should be printed and
circulated, and taken into consideration at the next
meeting.