The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1872-03-16 00:00:00

' Stourbridge, March 4, 1872.
_ .

' Mr. John T;ifor,

'Dear Sir,—ln reply to yours of the 26th ult, I beg to
offer on behalf of Messrs. E. Webb and Sons, Mr. Firm-
stone, and myself, to take the age of the Corn Exchange
foe one year from the let April next, at the annual rent
of forty pounds, free from all charges for rates or other-
wise, and upon the following terms : The Commissioners
to grant the exclusive use of the Hall for the purposes
of • corn and seed market from two till five o'clock on
market day. To have the room properly swept, cleansed,
and prepared for the market, and to warm and light when
necessary. To maintain all stands in good order, and to
provide two additional desks for non-stand holders forthe
general convenience in settling accounts.
' I would also suggest the desirability of providing a
properly constructed water closet and lavatory in the
place of the present one, and shall be glad if you will
submit the above offer to the Commissioners, and let me
know their decision at the earliest possible period in
order that full notice of the arrangements may be made
public. If you think it necessary, I could attend at the
meeting.

' Yours faithfully,
THOMAS PENN.'
"Your Committee having carefully considered
this letter, recommend the Commissioners to
keep the Corn Exchange in their own hands.
With regard to the arrangements necessary on
the Commissioners keeping the whole of the
markets in their own hands, your Committee ad-
vise your Board to advertise for a person who
shall be required to devote the whole of his
time to the service of the Commissioners in the
following duties, namely, Officer of Health, In-
spector of Nuisances, Inspector of Petroleum,
Collector of Market Tolls, and the Tolls and
Revenues of the Corn Exchange, and other
rooms, Constable tinder the Town Police Clauses
Act, 1847, and such other duties as the Commis.
sioners may from time to time require to be

performed.
"Your Committee advise that the salary be
.05 per annum, with one suit of clothes.
"Your Committee have instructed your Clerk
to ascertain if any persons are willing to con-
tract for cleaning the Corn Exchange room and
markets, and lighting the fires required in the
Corn Exchange and other rooms.
(Signed),
"D. MAGINNIS, Chairman."

Mx. Maginuis moved the adoption of the re.
port, and stated at length the reasons which had
induced the committee to determine to take the
market tolls into their own hands. He stated
that 11 was now many years since the Commis-
sioners had the collection of the tolls in their
own hands, and they were not in a position to
fix a value; and they had no means of testing
in any business-like way and of judging what
they were really worth. He pointed out difficul-
ties which appeared to present themselves to the
committee in accepting the offer of Mr. Penn,
made to the Commissioners in hisletter appended
to the report, and under all the circumstances
he considered that it woull be much better if
the Commissioners were to retain the market
tolls and the Corn Exchange in their own hands
at least for one year. He then moved—" That
the report be adopted, and that an advertise-
ment be at once published in the Birmingham
and other district papers, for a person to per-
form the duties set forth in the report, at the
salary therein stated, and that candidates be re-
quested Lto send in applications in their own
handwriting, stating age and qualifications, and
accompanied by testimonials, addressed to the
General Purposes Committee, and to be delivered
at the Clerk's office not later than Friday, the
22uet inst. That the General Purposes Commit-
tee be requested to examine the applications and
testimonials, and to arrange for the personal at-
tendance, at the monthly meeting of the Board
on the 23th inst., of the three candidates whom
they shall consider the most suitable."
Mr. Mcliweu seconded the motion, and in
doing so said his opinion of the matter wasting
if the Counnis.ioners entertained the proposal
made to them by Mr. Penn, it would be rattle'
premature. 'rimy would hot be in a position to
see what value the Exchange would be to them
as far as the win ket attendance on a Friday was
concerned, and therefore it would be premature
to In the Exchange wi,hout gaining a proper
idea at what they ought to let it. And there
were other considerations also that led him to
the conclusion that it would be premature on
their part so to let it. In one part of Mr. Penn's
letter he proposed to hand over any surplus they
made to the Dispensary. Re did not think this
ought to be the case. The Exchange was the
property of the Commissioners and also the pro-
perty of the ratepayers, and he thought the
Dispensary was supported well enough. It was
just possible the thought occurred to him that
if they let the Exchange to those gentlemen for
Friday they would not be able to let the room
for any entertainment on the day. If they let
it to Mr. Penn,they would have to make a new
lavatory and water ,closet, make desks and new
tables, and the board would have to expend quite
the amount offered by Mr. Penn. He had very
great pleasure in seconding the adopotion of the
report.
The motion was then carried..
After some discussion, on the motion of Mr.
Newnan', seconded by Mr. Allsop, it was resolved
that the seal of the Comissioners should be at-
tached to a petition to be signed by the chair-
man in favour of the "Bill to authorise the ap-
plication of funds of Municipal Corporations
and other governing bodies in England and
Wales in certain cases ;" and that it be forwarded
to the Hon. C. G. Lyttelton, M.P., for presen-
tation, and that both members for the division
be requested to support the same on the 18th
inst.
The Rev. D. Maginnis called attention to the
new Public Health Act introduced by the Go-
vernment.
Mr. Newnam moved that it be referred to the
General l'urposes Committee to take its provi-
Mous into consideration, and report to the
Board.