The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1873-07-12 00:00:00

THE PUBLIC HALL QUESTION AT

BRIERLEY HILL.

The question of purchasing the Public Hall at Brier-
ley Hill by the Local Board was again dismissed by that
body on Monday afternoon, and evoked a deal of perso-
nal rancour. Mr. Edwin Cook presided, and there were
also present :—llesers. T. Wood, John Skidmore, Jere.
rajah Skidmore, B. Thompson, I. Kollinson, M Rollin-
son, Coley, Higgs, (drove, Shepley, Detheridge, Freda.
rick Preston, S. Bennett, and Edwards.

Before the minutes of the previous meeting were read,
Mr. Urove said he thought it very irregular on the part
of the chairman to have given notice that he should re.
introduce the Public Ball question. The matter was
fully discussed at the last meeting. and he. thought it
was done with.
The Chairman : There was not a full attendance of
members last month, sod as the matter is one of great
importance, I thought it would be better to have it
settled before a full Board. Besides, it was, said by
some one that it was • liJle.and-corner meeting.
Mr. Bennett. it was you who said that.
Mr. I. Hullinson: No; it was you.
, .. . .

Mr. Benueti : 1 denounced the statement that it weak
hole.ani-corner maeting.

Mr. (hove : Hear, hoar.
Mr. Thompson: You said it because you were in •
minority.
The Lhairman repeated that it was Mr. Bennett silo
said it was a hole-and-corner meeting.
Mr. Grove and Mr. Bennett: Nothing of the sort.
Mr. John Skiiimure : 1 inink attenuou was nailed to
the fact that CO notice had been given that the aubject
would be mentioned._

The Chairman : How could we? I knew nothing of
the letter which was read, uttering the Public /lull to the
Board.

Mr. Bennett thought the matter should be brought
forward, in sccurdsuce with the custom of the board;
but the Chairman at the previous meeting said he would
have the letter discussed there and then. ife (the
speaker) objected, but he was overruled by the Chairman,
who refused to put It to the rueetaig, bccause he was in
a minority.
„ .

The Chairman (warmly): We are going to bring it for-
ward now, and if we call get a ur,jority C shall purchase
the Public Hall. 1 hose who denounced it ass mace for
immoral exhibitions will, no doubt, vow agatnat the pux-
chase. We have received a requisition aligned by pro-
perty owners who represent £16,566 of the rateable
value of the district, which is more than half of the
whole rata!, in favour of the Public Hall being purchased.
The Chairman was abLut to read the names of tibiae who
had signtd the requisition, when he was interrupted by
Mr. Lieumtt, who said he did not think it would be pru•
dent to mention any names. Only one side had been
heard, and if they were to be guided by persons outside
the Boardroom, all, and not a part of the ratepayers
should ho consulted. _

Mr. M. EsWilson: I think Mr. lieu/lett is out of
order. .

Grove: Perfeatly in order.
oree or four members here commenced to protest at
once, and order was not restored until there was a Cr, of
•. Chair, chair."
. . , . . .

Mr. Bennett said he had no desire to make any dis-
pute ; he merely wanted a regular course to be pursued.
'lce Chairman : The cost of the building up to the
present time has been £3,254 14s, and atl busineas men
know that materials and labour have risen 25 per Cent.
The mortgage on the hall ts £2,220, and the mortgagee
told we that he is willing to forfeit the 1:220, and w.ll
accept .ti2,ooho for the building. The klarl Dudley's agent
and toe principal men in the district have signed the re-
quisition I referred to just now, and their wishes ought
to be consulted. I think It would be ii pity to let the
building go, and if we purchase it, we can make it tit fur
the purposes for which it was origuially intended. list
the wetter before you, because it has been said I want
to push it down the throats of the ratepayers. I merely
want to secure • place where all classes of the comer tic My
can meet together. Other towns have their public hails,
Libraries, reading rooms, class rooms, ficc , acid Bricrley
Hill ought to have dueller accommodation. I aannot
understand the statement wade that the building would
have as Immoral effect upon the people. All the resident
magistrates, the rector and cohere, have signed the renal,
sitcon, and think you for one moment that they would
bare done BO if there wee any truth in the sabertion.
• Morality is preached in our churches and chapels, and it
would also be advocated in this hall.
Mr. I. Itoilinvou then proposed, and Mr. Thompson
seconded, that the requisition be received.
An amendment that it be not received was moved by
Mr. Detheridge, but the resolution Cis curried by the
casidug vote of the Chairman.
Mr. Dctheridge (to the Cuatrimiur Have you any in-
teteet ni the concern?
Inc Chairman (emphatically) : No, not one halfpenny.
Mr. Detheridge : I am prepared to prove that you have
an laterest m it.

The Chatrman. Won't you take my wont. I tell )oh
I have no.intereat

Mr. Detheridge : Well.
Mr. Wood:. It la u>eless to talk to such men.

Mr. Boltinson: It is a must seaudaloue thing to
treat a Chairman In such a way.
At this stage there was an unseemly display of bad
temper and bad manners on the part of one or two meun
hers of the Board, and Mr. Wood inquired whether they
were men of buoiness or a lot of out women woo bad
cause there to haggle.

Mr. Detheridge : OM women or not, we want the thing
that is right—bear,hear).

,
Mr. Wood: Our chairman is an honourable man, and
surely we can take his word when he telt' us that be has
no interest in this building.

—Mr. IVetheridge I hea;:sri it said that be has, and I can
bring a man to prove it
Tins remark was three or four times repeated by Mr.
Detheridge, and ultimately
The Chairman remarked : I tell you it is an untruth.
Mr. Detheridge : Very well, that is enough for we now,
It was then proposed that the requisition should be
read. This course was also objected to, but it was
agreed to by the casting vote of the Chairman.
Mr Betheridge : I protest against it.
Mr. Bennett: Never mind it.

The —requialtion was then read.
Mr. Grove : I think that requisition has been obtained
in a very questionable way. I am of opinion that the
principal tradesmen object to the purchase being effected,
because it ix not suited for public business.

Mr. Thompson then propotied, That the Board par-
chase the property known as the Public Hall for the
purposes of the Board, provided it can be bought at a
reasonable price; and that a cointuittee, consisting of
the Chairman, and Messrs. Wood, 1. Rollineon, Jeremiah
Skidmore, and J. Detherioige, be appointed to treat with
the vendors, and purchase the property on the beat terms
they can obtain." He ridiculed the notion that the
building was not adapted for all the purposes of the
Board and the town.
Mr. M. Bollinsou seconded.
Mr. Detheridge: Take my name out. I will not hare
anything to do with it.
Mr. Higgs : It is not worth £1,500.
Mr. Coley's name was substituted for Mr. Detheridge.
Mr. IL Bollinson asked the members of the Board to
discuss the matter temperately. and not accuse each
other of being actuated by bad motives. He had noticed
lately • growing desire to be personal, and unless a stop
was put to it he should decline to attend the meetings.
They must look at all questions that came before them
as men of business, and endeavour to do their best for
the ratepayers.
Mr. Higgs : And spend their money as we spend our
OWD. . .

Mr. M. Rollinson quite agreed with that It had been
stated by Mr. Grove that the majority of the ratepayers
were against the purchase, but what proof had they?
They had an influentially signed requisition in favour of
the purchase being made, a that there was proof as
against assertion.

Mr. Higgs : Call • general meeting.
Mr. M. Rollinson : We are elected by the ratepayers
to do the work, and it would be no use calling • meeting.
Mr. Bennett objected to the hall being purchased. on
principle.
The Chairman assured the Board that the building was
admirably adapted for all the purposes required; oak es,
reading, class, and lecture rooms.
After a miscellaneous conversation,
Mr. Bennett asked if the committee would be era.
powered to complete the purchase of the ball?

The Chairman: Yes.
Mr. Jeremiah Skidmore: I may at once say that I
shell not be a party to giving £2,000 for the hall.
Ultimately it was carried by a niajority of one vote,
that in case the committee are not unanimous as to what
stun shall be paid for the building, the matter shall be
referred back to the Board.

Notices of Births, Marriages, sod Desths, when propped
authenticated, will tie inserted in the " Observer," fres
charge.

MARRIED.

Ricimitua—Borros.—On the 26th ult, at Et. Jokes.
Wolverhampton, by the Rey. H. Hampton, Mr.
Thomas lbehards, of Whitmore Rearm, Wolverhamp-
ton, t MiNe Elizabeth Martha Bolton, of The Lye,
near Stourbridge.

THIRTY YRARs' IiILPERIENCH OF Du. Lococa's
HoNIC WAFRllll.—lteceived from Mr Cooper, Chemist,
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Ir
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