The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1872-06-22 00:00:00

COMMISSIONERS MEETING.

The annual meeting of this body was held at
the Board room, on Wednesday afternoon; Mr.
H. Billingham in the chair. There were also
present: Messrs. H. Hughes, W. Edwards, J.
Hughes, G. Thorne, J. Blew, H. Newnam, G.
Perkins, .1. Emery, and the Rev. D. Maginnis.
This being the annual meeting, the following
ratepaycrs were present: Messrs. R. Cook, E.
Parkes, S. Moore, .E. Stanley, W. Walker, J.
Dutton, Sharman, Donlevy, B. Richards,
E. Cund, Hart, Hall, S. Giles, A. E. Mill.
ward, Blanford, J. Stanley, J. Pagett, I'.
Brooks, J. Davis, T. Davis, Burgess, Watkins,
James, A. Clarke, J. Stokes, E. Hill, J. Bris-
tow,. J. Edwards, &c.,

The Clerk read the notice calling the meeting
and the minutes of the last Commissioners'
annual meeting.
The Chairman said the first business was the
election of a Chairman.
Mr. W. Edwards said there was one gentle-
man well known to most of those present. He
had been connected with the Board for some
time, and he had great pleasure in proposing
Mr. Henry Hughes as chairman for the ensuing
year; which was seconded by Mr. G. Perkins.
There being no other gentlemen proposed, the
Chairman declared Mr. Hughes elected.
Mr. Billingham, before vacating the chair,
said he begged to thank those gentlemen pre-
sent for the kindly feeling manifested towards
him during the past twelve months he had been
in office. °He thought it would be very ungrate-
ful of him to let this opportunity pass without
doing so. He had met with great kindness and
support from his brother commissioners during
the time he had held office, and he would ask
them to give the same support to his successor.
He might refer to one or two things that had
taken place during the time he had held office.
The Commissioners, who are the representatives
of the ratepayers, had done all they thought ne-
cessary to stamp out a disease with which the
town had been visited. A public officer had been
appointed, and Dr. Campbell had done all he
possibly could to stop the epidemic, and he was
glad to say that the town had not suffered to the
extent that many other neighbouring towns had,
and there had been but very few cases of small-
in their district. This, he thought, was very
gratifying. There was also the forthcoming
Worcestershire Agricultural Show that was to
take place in this town in August. The Cons.
missioners had been mindful in doing all they
could that would tend to benefit the town, and
he thought that the show would cause many
persons, which, in his opinion, must do good to
the town. These are the two principal features
that had come under his knowledge during his
term of office. Before sitting down, the speaker
referred to the various Committees that meet
from time to time. Often sitting three hours a
day, their duties were very arduous, especially
during the past few months during which they
had been trying to do all they could to stamp out
that frightful disease, small-pox, from every
house. He did not think he should be doing his
duty if he did not refer to the Clerk's (Mr. Tay-
lor) kindness during his term of office. He had
done everything that was possible to facilitate
the business, and his sole object appeared to be
that of fulfilling his duty. He begged to thank
them for the support they had given him during
his term of office, and would ask them to give
the same amount of sympathy to him who was
about to fill the chair.
_ _

Mr. Hughes, on taking the chair, thanked
them for the honour they had done him in ap-
pointing him chairman, but the best way to thank
them was, he thought, to do his duty—(ap.
plause).
Mr. Maginnis proposed a vote of thanks to
Mr. Bellingham, for the fidelity with which he
had held the chair during his term of office, and
discharged his duties. He had found him stall
times courteous, kind, temperate, and conside-
rate, and thought he deserved their thanks for
the services he had been able to give to the
Commissioners, the Committees, and other kin-
dred societies. He considered they were much
indebted to him in getting the Agricultural
Show in Stourbridge this season, and he felt a
pleasure in proposing a vote of thanks to him for
the efforts he had made, and for the able and
courteous manner in which he had discharged
the whole of his duties.

Mr. Hughes, on rising, said he thought the
preposition should have emanated from the
chair. However, it could not have been in abler
hands, and he :felt great pleasure in seconding
the proposition, which was carried unanimously.
Mr. Billingham, in reply, said he thought Mr.
Maginnis had rather overrated his duties, but if
they thought him worthy of the high encomi-
-111:11S that had been passed upon him, he was
deeply grateful.
Mr. Maginnis next moved that the accounts
now laid upon the table be signed by the Chair.
man, which was seconded by Mr. Bißingham.
The Chairman said the next business was that
of electing two auditors to audit the accounts
for the past year. He was glad to see so many
ratepayers present, and it would be their duty to
elect the auditors.

Mr. J. Stokes then proposed Mr. Samuel
Moore, which was seconded by Mr. Edwards.
Mr. 11. Cook proposed Mr. Dan Bottomley,
which was seconded by Mr. E. Hill.
Mr. John Bristow proposed Mr. Henry Bate,
which was seconded by Mr. P. J. Brooks.
Mr. John Edwards proposed Mr. Henry
Yates, which was seconded by Mr. B. Richards.
The Chairman then put the various proposi-
tions to the vote, and the fAlowing are the num.
hers polled for the various candidates : S.
Moore, 14; D. Bottomley, 17; H. Bate, 21; and
H. Yates, 26.

The three highest numbers were then put to
the meeting with the following result :—D. Dot-
tomley, 17 ; H. Bate, 25; H. Yates, 31.
The two last named gentlemen were elected.
There was no other business.