The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1873-01-04 00:00:00

HALESOWEN.

LUb DEFALCATIONS OF SUPERINTENDS:NT

OVEREND.

At the Worceeter Sessions, on Monday, the Merl of
Dailey read the report of the Committee of Inquiry into
the county losses sustained by the frauds of Superinten-
dent Overend, which was as follows :—We have made our
inquiry into the eondact of Superintendent Overand as
regards appropriation of certsen county funds, and we
have called before us the magistrates' clerks of Oldbury
and He'esowen, who have produced their books, from
which, however, we have not found any pound for a be-
lief in their cognizance of, or participation in, those
frauds. The system, however, pursued by them seems
to your committee very reprehensible, the county ac-
counts having been entrusted by them to • junior clerk,
who periodically went over them with the superintendent
whose defalcations we have inquired into. These ac-
counts 11/.6 been passed by the magistrates' clerks at
lialesewen and Oldbury, and counterbigned, suit appears
to us, without any inquiry on the part of the chairman
of the magistretes ace if at those petty sessions. Yor-
committee, therefore, cannot but come to the conclusion,
from the evideuse before them, that Messrs. Hayes and
Wright have closely looked up r'l fees due ta themselves,
but have left the :uterests of thepornty wholly unwed
for, by deput'og them to • young end 'ercsponsible
clerk."

had Dudley moved the adoption of the report, and
remarked that he was son, to bay that the committee
could not find anythiug that could in any degree form an
excuse for the negligence which had Wien place. His
lordship mentioned that the head clerk, to whom Messrs.
Hayes and Wright left these things, had been dismissed
for dishonesty, and that the accounts as to the county
fees had been kept by a junior clerk and Einperintendent
Overend, without any control havl/2g been exercised over
them. Without going fully into the list of accounts he
pointed out the sums of 7s, 6. 9d, 4s 6d, 9,6 d, Ta were
due to the county, in eases where 2s 6.1 only had been
returned. His Lordship next referred to an order that
had been issued by the Court to magistrates' clerks two
years ago with regard to the pa)ment of fees, which, if
carried, would have prevented the coenty from bong de-
fended. His Lordship thought weat credit was due to
Colonel Carmichael for having unravelled this difficulty.
The Rev. J. reeesen seconded the adoption of the
report.
Mr. Hayes stated that "l-heioth for • number of years
had prevented him from exercising that supervision in
the matter which under other c'-euniatances he would
Lave done. He was hound to say that he had placed ini-
plhnt confidence in his managing clerk, to whom he gave
a liberal sidary. This was the fleet complaoat ever made
against him during the 35 years ins had held the office of
magistrates' clerk, and he appealed to those who knew
him as to the honourable and straightforward character
Of his business transactions.

Mr. Moore, chairman of ha'esowen Bench, defended
himself by b tilting that it was impossible for a magietrate
to go through the whole hat of fees in each ease, and
that if such a thing was expected, many members of the
Bench would hardly like to undertake the duties of a
juatme. Those few came up, certified by their clerk, and
the presiding magistrates, without eny minute "'vestige.
Mom naturally countersigned the doeuruent.
Mr. Avery conaidered the report very strong, not toasty
1113VOTSt

Lord Beauchamp pointed out that trots peeled had
been practised, and expressed 'wrote, at any defence
being set up in the free of a very palpable omission of
duty on the part of those interested.
Mr. H. P. Araphlett expressed the opinion that, al-
though Mr. Wright um legally responsible for the act of
his partner, he considered that, mors..y, he was not to
blame.

--Mr. Wright loso defended himself, bat accepted the
blame of the Court upon his conduct "'Use matter. He
ha 4 not, he believed, seen the Order issued in 1870, and
referred to by Earl Dudley.
Mr. T. U. Curlier said that gross neglect was apparent,
and that it was indeed curious that Mr. Moore, as presid-
ing Chairman of the Bend, at Haleeowen, had not disco-
vered something wrong in these cniform half-crowns.
Capt.' n Bourne and the Rev. C. G. Gray also addressed
the Court on the question, after which the report of the
committee was adopted.

Mr. T. O. Cartier then moved for an inqu;vy es to the
amount id the defe.catious, and what legal meacs there
were for the recoveiy of the money due to the county.
Mr. M. P. Atophlett seconded the motion, which was
carried.

"A VISIT TO EPPS'A COCOA MANIIIACTORY.—Through
the kindness of Messrs. Epps, I recently had an oppor-
tunity of seeing the many complicated and varied pro.
cones the Cacao bean passes through ere it is sold for
public use, and, being both interested and highly pleased
with what I saw during my visit to the manufactory, 1
thought a brief account of the Cacao, and the way it is
manufactured by Messrs. Epps, to fit it for a aliolesorne
and nutritious beverage, might be of interest to the
readers of "Land and Water.' "—See Article in "Land
and Water," October 14.

BREAKFAST.—EPPS'S COCOA.—GEATEFUL AND COM-
FORTING.—" By • thorough lEnowledge of the natural
laws which govern the operations of digestion and nu-
trition, and by a careful application of the fine properties
of well-selected cocoa, Mr. Epps has provided our break.
fast tables with • delicately flavoured beverage which
may save us many heavy doctors' Service
(lazdre. Made simply with boiling water or milk. Each
packet is labelled—" JAMES EPPS & CO., Homceopathic
Chemists. London." Also, makers of Epps's C.icaoine,
a thin, refreshing beverage for evening use.
MANUFACTURE OF COCOA, CACAOINE, AND CHOCOLATE,
—`• We will DOM give an account of the process adopted
by Messrs. James Epps it Co., manufactureis of dietetic
articles, at their works in the Huston.road, London."—
See Article in Part 19 of Cassell's Household Guide.

VALUABLE DISCOVERY FOR TFIE HAIR ! I—A very nicely
perfumed hair dressing called " The Mexican Hair
Renewer," now being sold by most Chemists and Perla-
mere at 3a Gd per bottle, is fast superseding all " Hair
Restorers "—for it will poaitirely restore in ercry ease
Grey or White hair to its original colour, by a few appli-
cations, without dyeing it, or leaving the disagreeable
amen of most " Restorers." It makes the hair charro•
ingly beautiful, as wells, promoting the growth on bald
spota, where the nlegds are not decayed. Certileste
from Dr. Venoms on every bottle, with fen partienlars.
Ask for " Till MJxIC&J 11•12 itswinria," prepintil by
H. C. GAz.Lot, EIS Ozkeibiltest, Lagoa.