The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1880-08-07 00:00:00

BRIERLEY HILL LOCAL BOARD.

Mr. J. Skidmore (chairman) presided at the
monthly meeting of the above body held on Monday
afternoon in the Boardroom at the Town Hall, the
other members present being Messrs. H. Humphries
G. Mantle, R. B. Guest, W. Macmillan, S. Bennett,
'l'. Fereday, W. Waldron, and R. Thompson.
The report of the General Purposes Committee
stated that during the month the surveyor's expen-
diture had amounted on the main road account to
£22 3s. ; other roads account, £l6 ss. ; sanitary
account, .21 13s. The Great Western Railway
Company's terms of agreement respecting land
required in Moor-lane through which to carry a
sewer was recommended for acceptance subject to
an altera.ion in the clause as to notice of removal.
The Medical .Officer of Health (Dr, Ashmead)
reported 24 deaths during the month, seven of
which were from scarlet fever. His report further
at ted !hat, in consequence of the prevalence of
scarlet fever, the whole of the houses in the district
had been disinfected. One case of scarlet fever had
occurred at Round Oak, and 011 b at Hart's Hill,
both, however, of a mild type. The disease appeared
to be diminishing at:Silvcr End. An inspection of
the district had been going on during the last
month, and the inspector had taken notes of any
nuisances, defects of drainage, or improvements
required. Attention was drawn to the defective
and insanitary state of the drainage at Rowley's
premises, Level-street; defective drainage and an
impure water supply at the Mountain Daisy pre-
mises, and to nui,,ances caused by slaughterhouses
at two places in liigh-street.
Ihe repolt; was auoptcd.
. .

The illawinatihg power of the gRs suppliea for the
town lamps during the month had averaged 13.14
candles.

Mr. Guest said two months ago he gave notice
of a motion to ask the magistrates to grant th

Board power to have the photometer belonging to
the Brierley Hill Gas Company: examined, his
reason for doing so being the very low standard of
the gAs supplied to the publielamps. No improve-
ment had, however, in the meantime been made in
the illuminating power of the gas. Since the 28th
of June five tests of the illuminating power had
been taken, three of which showed it to be unner
the standard laid down by the Act of Parliament,
though taking the average of the whole it was
certainly a little over the standard. He should
move "That in the event of the Gas Company
refusing permission for an examination of their
photometer to be made, tLe clerk make application
to tbe magistrates to grant the Board power to
make an examination of it, and that at the same
time the photometer belonging to the Board
be also examined by some competent person."
Mr. Waldron seconded the resolution with, as he
said, great pleasure, which would have been in-
creased had the resolution been one for purchasing
the gasworks. He thought the time had arrived
for the Board to take them up as their own pro-
perty—(hear, hear). When that was done all com-
plaints, both as to the quality of the gas and also
the charges made for it, would speedily be attended
to. The governing bodies of surrounding towns
were acquiring gasworks of their own, and were
working them at a great profit to the ratepayers—
(hear, hear).—The resolution was carried nem. eon.
The Surveyor furnished the Board with particu-
lars showing the estimated cost of ashing and
paving the footpaths of the union roads in the
district, which measure 4 miles, 1 furlong, and 20
yards in length. The cost of ashing the roads at
least once a year was estimated at £1.21 6s. The
paving of High-street footpaths, calculating the
' extent at 5,600 square yards was estimated at
875; kerbing and channelling, .L 156 Os. Bd. ; the
paving of Church-street to South-street, Brettell
Lane, and Dudley-street (south side), calculating
7,162 square yards, at. £1,119 Is. id. ; total for
paving, £2,150 is. 11d.
Mr. Macmillan, who had asked for the infor-
mation, said when he brought forward a resolution
as to the paving of the footpaths two months ago it
was assumed that he brought it forward to raise the
rates. He distinctly denied that such was his
object, all he desired being the improvement of the
town. The bad condition of the footpaths contrasted
unfavourably with the improved state of its build-
ings, and if the paving of the footpaths was carried
out he belived it would improve the trade and ap-
pearances of the town. He gave notice that at the
next meeting he should move a resolutian for
paving the footpaths in accordance with the ab-
stracts furnished by the surveyor.
Mr. Humphries proposed a resolution to the
effect that the surveyor be instructed to purchase an
apparatus for watering the streets and footpaths
from the hydrants, and so dispense wall the water-
carts and horses.

It ;as, however, agreed that the resolution
should remain in abeyance for a month, to allow
the surveyor to make some inquiries ai to results in
other towns of the method of watering the streets
from the hydrant.
Mr. Waldron gave notice of a moti,n for ad-
journing the Board meetings when they fall on
Bank Holiday untill the following month.
The Finance Committee reported a balance in
the surveyor's hands of £lB Os. 11d., and recom
mended for payment accounts amounting in the
aggregate to £136 is. 2d. £229 8s 7d. of the
general district rate had been collected during the
month.
The report was adopted.

TUE RATING OP BLAST FURNACES. At the
Police Court, on Thursday, before W. F. Boughey,
Esq , Stipendiary, Messrs. W. Mathews and Com-
pany, of the Corbyn's Hall Ironworks, Kingswie-
ford, were summoned by Mr. Absalom Homer
(assistant overseer for the parish of Kingswinford)
for the non-payment of poor-rates, amounting to
£6l 15s, that amount including £32 lOs arrears of
a rate made in November, 1879, and £29 6s amount
of a rate made in My last. Mr. Holberton aP •
peared for the defendants. The rates are alleged
to be due in respect to three blast furnaces, and Mr.
Holberton now applied for an adjournment of the
summonses pending an appeal, notice of which, he
said, had been given. The appeal was to decide
whether void property—such as blast furnaces and
ironworks which were not being worked should
be rated at the full value or not? His clients were
one of the most respectable firms in the country,
and their only object was to have a proper legal
decision on tne matter. The day fired for the
appeals was the 13th of September next. In the
course of further explanation Mr. Holberton said
the question was before the auditor the other da:.,
and he recommended that the collector should be
surcharged with the amount, and the question would
then be determined by the Local Government
Board. The collector hal, however, chosen to sum-
mon Messrs Mathei,vs•and Company. Mr Homer:
That is wrong. Mr. Southern, the auditor, said he
should be satisfied with your (Mr. Boughey's) or
your deputy's decision. Mr. Holberton said he
should also be satisfied in the same way, but
tie appeal days were always held on a Monday.—
Messrs. John Bradley and Company, who had ap-
pealed to the As,essment Committee, were dealt
with, and the amount of the voids taken off their
rates. The same law was asked to be accorded .to
Messrs. Mathews, who had not had the benefit of
their furnaces in consequence of the bad stafre of
trade. Mr. Homer: Messrs. Mathews and Co., rent
their furnaces, whereas Messrs. Bradley and Co.
don't pay rent, but are owners and occupiers. Mr.
Holberton: It is just a question as to whether we
should Nig rates for property which is of no benefit
at all. The Stipendiary: It is a question of law.
Mr. Holberton said Mr. Macnamara had given It as
his opinion that the rates should not be paid until
the result of the appeal was known. The present
was a bona fide application for an adjournment
I pending the appeal, as the decision would be of im-
portance to the district. The Stipendiary, after
referring to Stone's Justices Manual, said the re-
covery of rates must. lr
.witbin -six months, there-
fore he had no jurisdiction as to the first rate
claimed. After some further conversation, Mr.
Homer agreed to withdraw the summons against
Messrs. Mathews pending the appeal.