The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1886-04-03 00:00:00

COMMISSIONERS' MEETING

Ihe monthly meeting of this body was hell in
the Commissioners' Room, Cora Exchange, last
Monday, Mr. W. Platt presiding; and there were
;1150 present, Messrs. W. J. Turney, 11. Ilughes,
i'aifrey, Woolley, Stringer, W. Jones, Wa!ker,
"urkiss, Baker, PeAkin, Gillam, Haskew. James,
II Colds, Billingham, Newnam, Nash, and J. E.
Jones.

no minutes of the lAA meeting were read and
col4rrned.

REPORT OF FINANCE COMINIITTE.

Your Committee report that the treasurer's
balances on the several accounts at this date are as
follows :—lmprovement Account, balaece due from
treasurer at this date, £Bl 19s 11d; Highway Ac•
count, balance due from treasurer, £252 35 8(1;
Urban Sanitary Account, £46 5s Id; Loan Account,
,R 1250 us 5d ; Summary of Balances (not including
Loan Account,) total due from treasurer, .2287 158
61. Your Committee, having carefully examined
the following accounts, and finiinz them correct,
recommend that they be paid, viz , Improvement
Account. £26 8s 2d; Highway Account, 1:58 3s ld;
Urban Sanitary Account, £4O ils sd; Loan Ac-
count, £879 19a 6d. Your Committee have ex-
amined vouchers of accounts ordered to -be paid at
the last monthly meeting and find them to be
correct. Your Gummittee have carefully era 'deed
the estimates for new rates for the year ending
March 25th, 1887, and recommend that the follow-
ing be made, viz. : Inprovement rate of is 8d in
the pound, a Highway rate of 8d in the pound, and
a Geucral District rate of is 6d in the pound. Your
Com:nittee recommend that application be made to
the Puhlie Works Loan Commissioners for the re-
mainder of the loan, viz., £ll2B.—Estitnates of
sums required for the year ending March 25th,
18S7. Highway rate, liabilities .C 1032 5s 01 ;
assets (inciuJing £Bl3, estimated to be produced by
highway rate of 8d in the pound), £1175 3s 8.1.
Ga.eral District rate, liabilities, £1693 13s 10d ;
assets, £l7BB, to be•produeed by a rate of is 61 in
the pound. Improvement rate, liabilities, £1824
15s 2d; as•ets, £1948 19s 11d, Improvement rate
at ls6l in the pound to produce .£1467.
Mr. Haskew said aat he had goae into the figures
and had ascertained that a rate of is 6d in the
poand would leave a balance at the end of the
year; he therefore propoied that the rate be is 6d
inAtead of is BLI,,
Mr. Purkiss said they all lsne v trade was bad in
the town, and he thought they ought. to put a stop
to the expenditure. He thought they had spent
enough money, and he pro' o .ed that the rate be
is 4d in the pound.
Mr. Turney said he was sorry to differ from what
llr. l'urkiss had just szid. He was quit sure Mr.
llosktw was anxiills t i keep down expenses 48 well
as any one, and he never knew a more careful man
ie fin metal affairs. If Mr. Purkiss had gone deeper
into the affairs of the town he would not have made
the atuendmeat.

Mr. Newnam said he was very glad to support
sir. Haskew's proposition. Everybody came there
to do th.e town g 4 od, and if possible to keep down
expenses. .• . •
After more discussion Mr. Purki,s said he was
quite willing to withdraw his amendment after
h :ariiii the oiluion if the Board.
Mr Haskew proposed, and Mr. Walker seconded
that the Improvement rate be is Gd in the pound;
carried unanimously.
Mr. llkskew propose a Highway rate of Sd in
the pound.
Mi. Woolley seconded.

Mr. Turney a3ked if they had calculat2d on the
amount to be received from the County Authority.
flr.-y (the Authority) would not pp), for any dam-
age done to the roads by the deep drainage or in -
tern d drainage. They would not consider for one
mument any additional cost to the roads, and it was
A very eerious question.
Mr. Haswkew said he knew that was so, but he
di I
_not expect a refusal._

M. Newnam said that considering the amount
in t. e bank, be should think 7d in the pound would
be enough, _

Nlr Iciskew felt eure they could not do with any.
thing less than Bd.
Eventually Mr. liaskew's propoFal was carried.
A Geneial District rate of Is 61 in the pound
was pioposed, seconded, and carried.

. _
On the question of instructing the clerk to apply
to the Public Works 1.0:11 Commissioners for £1,128
the balance of the loan for internal dra nay, Mr
said the amount named, with the balance in
hand, made a total of about £1,500, and he under—
s!eod from the surveyor that, instead of £1,500, it
would take about £2,500 to complete tho works.
lie suggested that as they were making an applica-
,i al to the Lean Commissioner; it should be for
the full amount required,
41r. James said it was desirable they should
know how they stood. lie suggtsted they should
hire an estimate as to the future cost, and then
they would be enabled to consider what action they
should take,

It was referred to a committee to obtain an es-
timate o the cost of completing the internal drain-
Jo.

REPORT of the GENEIIAL PURPOSES COMMITTEE.

Medical Officer's of Health report :—Number of
births registered in tht. Township of Stourbridge
from February 15th to March 22 ad, 188.6, 32, viz.,.
14 males and 18 females. Number of deaths re.
4is:ered in the sane period, 17, viz., 10 males and 7
few ties. Birth rate, 39.3, death-rate, 18.7. rhp
Oflker reports :--The death-rate, though high, is
much less than last month. The epidemic of
measles has almost gone, but two deaths have been
reported during the mouth. The weather has had
a ;treat deal to do with the death-tate, as 8 deaths
oat of the 17 have occur. ed from lung disease; and
al the deaths,. with one exception, have occorred
ander Mee and over 0 years of age, - With regard
to the premises occupiel by Salmon's and Cart-
wright in Coventry Street, the whole place is in a
wretched state ; and I think the Town Surveyor
etould be instructed to deal with it. The jcurnal
o the Medical Officer was laid before your Com-
mittee. Your Committee recommend that if the
notices are not complied with proc:!edinge be at
once taken to enfot ce the rentoval.—To Nu Officer's
Report: _ _ _

l'uisances brought forward
Reported