The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1873-09-20 00:00:00

KIDDERMINSTER.

BOARD OF OcAnotiss.—At the ordinary fortnightly
meeting of this Board was held on Tuesday, Mr. .
Kiteley presided.—A. commuoication was read from Mr.
Knott, district auditor, asking that he might be allowed
to audit the School Board accounts at the same time ea
the accounts of the Union, at the Board-room. The
permission was granted.—A conversation sprung up as
to the duties 01 the vaccination officer, and Mr. Butcher
(assistant clerk) read the Act, and also stated that Mr.
Edge, the present vaccination officer, had received two
notices to *end in his returns for the quarter' bat that
be had negiected to do no. M
r.Edge received • salary
of £3l lfis per annum for the office, sad his returns
thowd have been sent in on the Atli August. —Several
members of the Board haviug expressed their disappro-
bation of the conduct of Air. Edge, the Rev. H. P.
. . . .

Turner moved, " That notice shouTd. be-gi;;;;:ti7ldr:
Edge that if the returns are not made up auct sent
irs by heat Board meeting. the Board wid decline to
pay his quarter's saiary, doe September 29th, and
apply to the Local Goveroment Board to sanction his
discharge from the oilice."—Mr. Manes seconded.—
Carried—The Master reported that the Corp.,rat,on
were no longer able to find them with stones for the
tramps to break. He submitted two tenders for the
suppiy of stones, but could MA say what price the
stones wouid fetch ellen broken. Hitherto, the tramps
and able-bodied paupers had broken atones for the
Corporation, who paid is per ton for it.-1 he Mayor
hiving stated that the Corporation could not afford to
drag the slimes to the union and back, and then pay
this price for the breaking, the Chairman proposed
that on offer be made to the Corporation to do the
work for 64 per ton.—This course was decided upon,
and the Mayor promised to bring the matter before the
Council.—Master's report : Admitted, 23; Ouschargeu,
14; dead, 4; remaining in the house, 130; correspon-
ding week last )ear, Ib7. Number of vagrants during
the fortnight, 112. Belief : No. 1 district, £B2 16s
lid; 50 new cases ; No 2 district, £74 10s 10/d ; 43

BAXTER MIIMORUL.—A meetiug of the Baxter
Memorial Ceminittee was held in the Guildhall on
tnesdav, the Rev. J. D. Boyle presiding. Neeriy two
years ago this committee was formed to teke tl.o acres-
any steps for erecting, by public subscription, a suit-
i able monument to the memory of Richard Baxter, the
divine, who spent a goad pillion of his life io the
town of Kuld,rmiustsr. The Corporation generously
granted the Ball Ling as • site—almost the only avail-
. ab,e olie—for the statue, and Mr. T. Brock, sculptor, of
! Alpha Square. London, who bore excellent testinunials
' from Mr. J. 11. Foley, ilk., whose pupil he was, and
from other artists of high note, was asked ti supply a
model of the proposed statue. lie ene.rrilingiy did so.
RA. this model ha, loon on view in the town for some
' time. In this Baxt, r is represented standing With SD
upon lithe on hi+ left hand, his right uplifted, and
! draped in the usual oihnner of dieiries of tire times .0
which be lived. This figure, which it Was prupoied io
make ten feet in height, stands on a pedestal of classic
' design, at the hire of which are Cso figures roper-
! eenting Religion and Literature, the two principal traits
!in Baxter's character. The height of the whole was to
be 35 feet, and the cost about X 3,000 It was
paled at Nest that this sum would be raised, but after •
time the commicee had doubts of raising so large a sum.
It was then decided to in call some other sculptor, and
Mr. T J. Williamson, of Surrey, also • pupil of Mr. J.
H. Foley, was selected, and his tirst model being deemed
out of the queat,on, on accouut of the price, Mr. Brock
was requested to send in another one, which could be
erected at the least expense. Mr. Brock sent one and
Mr. WiLiarnson two large models, and on Tuesday the
committee met to decide to which of the two gentlemen
the work should be entrusted. The second model of
Mr. Brock was • similar figure to the first one, bring
101 t high, and raised on a pedestal of Gothic design 12ft,
reeking a total of gift. Mr. Williamson's figure. were
flit. 6in. only on a pedestal of llft. The expression of
the features in the two figures were dissimilar, but both
endeavoured to depict the great divine in his most touch.
lag characters, tue ideas of the sculptors having been
formed—the one from a perusal of the •l Saints' Pest,"
and the other from " Baster's Call to the Unconverted
.-
Much discussion ensued among the committee on Use
various artistic points in the figures of the two com-
petitors, partieulariy on the question of drapery, and the
competitors wore called in to give their authority for
the style of caccocke in which the figures were draped.
The s'oromittee being satisfied on this head, the question
which the Comruittse bad met to decide was put to the
sore, and resu.ted iii an almost unanimous vote for Mr.
Brock to be entrusted with the work. A motion woe
then passed that the figure be sculptured in Sicilian
marble. The cost is to be about .e7OO.