The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1887-09-03 00:00:00

gocat aab p/istrict

COMMISSIONERS' MEETING

The usual monthly meeting of this Board was
held at the Assembly Ro I albot Hotel, on Mon-
day afternoon. Mr, W J. Turney in the chair.
There were also present Messrs. Hughes, Griffin,
Haskew, Platt, Cadwallader, Culls, Stringer, Gee,
Palfrey, Jones, Woolley, Nash, Purkts, Parkes,
Perkin, Gillain, Walker, James, and Newnam:
The minutes of the last meeting were read and
confirmed.
The Chairman said the next business was for him
to read a letter he had received from Mr John
Taylor, on the 25th of August. Before reading the
letter he was sorry to have to say teat the Board
had sustained a loss, and a serious loss, by the death
of an old and highly respected member of the
Board, Mr. Hic,klia He was sorry that this had
occurred, especially so suddenly Ile- bad been a
member of the Board since 1875, and he was ona
of those men who did not hinder the work of the
Board. He did not do much speaking, but he was
a highly valuable member in a practical way. When
any few remarks had fallen from his lies they had
been of the most practical character. He very much
regretted that they met that day under such circum-
stances, and he asked them to pass a resolution of
condolence with his widow. They could ill afford
to part with practical men on that Board like Mr.
Hicklin. He begged to move that the Board desire
to record their deep sorrow of the great loss they
had sustained by the death ot their highly esteemed
col:eague, Mr, Hicklin, and to express their sym—
pathy whh Mrs. Hicklia in her deep bereavement,
and that the Clerk should forward a c py of the
resolutioa to the wilow
Mr. Woolley tse_oncled the motion and said he
confirmed entirely all the Chairman had said of
Mr. Hieklin. He had been associated with him for
40 years and had always found him a great friene
and he was a valuable member ol that Board.
Meesrs Stringer, Platt and Hasaew also en-
dorsed the remarks of the Chairman.
The Chairman then read the leter from Mr. John
Tayler, Clerk to the Boar I, placing his resignation
in their hands. He deeply reeretted that the state
of his health would no longer allow him to discharge:
his duties to his satisfaction. He thanked the
Board for their kindlier ssh wn to him in tee past,
and hoped they would soon be able to appoint a
successor.
Tt e Chairman moved "That this Board having
heard the letter fr .m the Clerk read cl.,.cide to con—
aid r the same and in the meantime express our
sympathy with him in his ill health hch has
caused him to s nd in his resisnation." In reading
that resolution he felt much regrA He was state
the deep,st sympathy of the members would be felt
towar is Mr. Taylor in his ill health. Of ceuise, as
regar.le I hie duties as clerk, it must have been clear
to everybody that for sotne time past they li,td been
too much for hi .n.
M. Platt heariiiy sac haled 'he resolution and
highly eulogised Mr. Taylor for he manner in
which he had performed his duties as Clerk to the
Board for so many years He said it must be re—
membered that Mr. Taylor had given the best part
of his days to the service of 'he Board.
The Ch irinan moved that the Board advertise
f r a successor to Mr Tayl r at a salary of £l5O
pe,t year, and it was ultimately dc ded tha a special
meeting of the Boars be • eld on the 19th int. to
make the appoietwent..
Mr. H. James read the report of the Irnor dreinent
Committee The Committee reportol that progress
had been made in tezormiws ana metalling Heath
Street and Bo wiinat Green °Line, ant th it it was
propose.' to continue the e ork on these streets
dun i .g the month and that it was proposed to re-
form and metal Albert Street and a portion of
Bitmiu,h on 6 reet. The sewers had been flushed at
iutdrvals and were in a good and clean conCition.
Alterations wore being made to the drainage of
properties in Coventry Street formerly drained into
High Street, so as to give separate connections with
Coventry Street B;;Wel's When completed this
worhal result in an important senitary improvement.
The junctions and drainge plans had come into
poss., eel ei of the surveyor. He proposed at once
serring eotices up 'n all unconnected properties,
lists of which were bein,e, prepared. For a consider-
able period, and especially during the past month,
the River Stour had been in a most fatly condition
and little better than an open sewer. No pollution
now arose in the town with the exception of that
from Bedcote Mill. In this case prep trations were
bee:lg made for carrying the waste fluid to a sewer
,
in Birmingham Street. The solicitor reported thatall the ordnance sheets, urction books, Sec., had
been receiv d from the late eurveyor. The eoln•
mittee recommen.ted that the Clerk write to the
proper local authorities complaining of the filthy
state of the River Stour.
On the motiou of Mr. Jatnes, seconded by Mr.
Stringer, the report was adopted.
Mr. Gee complained of the
,dissraceful condition
of toe footpaths in Worcester Street aid Kidder-
mins er Street. Two out of every three persons

left the footpaths and walked in the road. There
wai only one sleet in Stourbridge that was looked
after.

The Chairman: You must know that them is only
one street in S.ourbridze.
Mr Gee : Yes, sr; only ouR attended to. In
other towns ashph ate was used at 8d par square
yard. and they were paying more than that.
The Ciniirman said they were going to finish one
street as a pattern for the others.
Mr Woolley read the report of the General
Purp sea Committe. The Committee reported that
during the month 260 1 ,ads of night soil had been
removed. The Town Officer reported a case of ove:-
crowding, in which he found seven persons slept in
one room, showing a defiii:ncy of 840 cubic fe t of
air. Tao Committee rec )mmended th tt pro_eedings
be taken to abate the nuisance. The officer a!so
reported that the night coutrac!or was very back—
ward in his work, and th 3 Clerk Was ic,trurt d to
write him The Medical Officer of Health re-
ported that 24 births had been rcgister,,d dating the
month, 11 males and 13 females, and dunng the
same period 14 deaths, 6 males an 8 females, show.
ing a birth ratn of 29 4 and a death rate of 17.2.
The death-tee was ra harlower than last tno itu,

and the corresp-mding rate last year was 86. The
smoke nuisance still continued at the Climax
Works. Only one stack had been raised, although
it WaS promised months ago that both should be
raised, thus proving that the managers did not care
at all to what annoy ance their neighbours were
exposed. The Committee instruond the Town
Officer to proo2ed with his itives.igation in respect
to the smoke nuisance.
The Chairman said it would not entail more
than .210 or £2O, and it would be an easy matter
to do it in a week.
Mr. Nash said he thought the Climax Company
should be written to on the su,j•nt an i thms was
agreed CO.
Mr. Haskew read the report of the Finance
Committee. The Committee r pot that: the
Treasurr's b.-dances )1 the several accounts at tdis
date are as folliws. Improvement Ita-e, balance
due to Treasurer July 201 h, £433 9s ld, cash p lid
to Treasurer £238 Os 91, e.uo to :Treasurer £l9B 183
43. Highway Accouni, balance due to Treasurer
£ll4 Is 6,1, czleque W. Fildiau, re G.,orge Walk,
£5O, £235 us 21, £349 12s 7d. Balance due t
Treasurer £250 .)sH Urbal Sanitary Authority.
Balance due £531 19s 81, cheques ordered £37 Os 3 1
£571 19s lid, balance due to Treasurer £283 13a 2d,
rDie report was adop;ed
Chairman stated that it was intended to o, en he
new Town Hall on October 25th next, at w iii
time the nnv offices an I tower would be completed—
or nearly so—externally. Lord Beauchamp a d
Lady Beauchamp had kindly promised to at,ond to
open the hall, and Lord Lyttelton would hen t over
the building to the C)nanussionera on behalf the
donors. There would after.vards be a public
luncheon.

A SAD AFFAIIt.—An inquest was held on Wednes
day at th ) house of Mr. J. Cadwallader, the Park
Street Tavern, before Mr. Edwin Docker (Dcputy-
Coroner) rouchiqg the de ith of Sidney Percy Harris,
aged 11 weeks, the son of William and Eliza Harris,
who reside at No 5, Worcester Street, Stourbridge.
—The mother of decea:.; id was called and said tie
child was eleven weeks old on Tuesday. It had
been well from its birth, but was a small child.
She went to be,t on Saturday night about 10 o'clock
aid did no wake until her husband came home
fiber eleven o'clock, and tile child was then (had.
It was suffccated. Her huiban(l did not wak.o her
wnen he came upstairs, but sent for Dr. Bayley.
The first tt,ing she retnemberel on waking up was
seeiug the doctor in the room.— Willraln Corngreave
Harris, father of deceased, said he Was a grocer's

Tr-gnat; r. 11 • at sa the child alive on Saturday
woru.n4. I-I, got ho ne on Saturda.y night about
levee o'cloek awl all was quiet. He then went to
Bird - shop to make some purchase and when he
`2.ot home about ha f past elevtu he went up stairs
11 fl 37 the baby un lorneath the mother's breast,
and it was dea I. He nulled the child away from
the her hut did not wake her up bec tuse he
was afraid the fright would be too much for her.
Tle ar ou.e went to the next door neighbours,
1, a nurse, who o rried the child down stairs
and Dr. Bayley was sent for. Witness could not
tell the condition his wife was in when she went to
bed.—Mrs. Jane Brown said she lived next door to
Harris, and was a milwife. She saw Mrs. Harris
about half past nine o'clock on Saturday night, and
Mr. Harris came to her house about half past eleven
and said to her "Oh Mrs. Brown come at once.
My troubles will never end." She at once went
into the house and found the child was dead. When
she saw Mrs. Harris at half past nine she was not
'`as she ought to have been." She took deceased
down stairs and sent for Dr. Bayley. Mr. Harris
told her that the child had been underneath the
mother's breast and he had drawn it away. Mrs
Harris was asleep at the time but at half past nine
she was the worse for drink.—Dr. Bayley said he
wa: fetched to Hard .'s house about 12 o'clock on
Saturday night. He saw the child lying dead on
Mrs. Brown's lap into the kitchen. It had been
dal about an hour and a half The cause of
death was suffocation. The mother showtd indicat-
ions she had been drinking.—Mr. Docker said it
appeared that the mother went to bed intoxicated
and suffocated the child.—The jury returned a
verdict of "Found suffocated in bed" and desired
the Coroner to sev, rely censure the mother Mrs.
Harris was called into the room and Mr. Docker
gave her a most severe censure.

ANNUAL ELECTION OF COMMISSIONERS
On Tuursday the annual election o: Com-
missioners in the three wards in the place of those
wno go out by rotation took place. The polling
places were in the South Ward, The Assembly Room,
Talbot Hotel; in the East Ward, St. John's School
Rooms, Fester Street; and the West Ward, the
Primitive Methodist School Rooms' Beauty Bank.
In the Suth Ward there were four candidates
Messrs. Blunsom, Newnam, James and Richards.
The following is the return for this ward, for which
Mr E. Stringer was the presiding officer.
H. Newman, 264
H. James, 233
C. Blunsom, 220
G. Richards, 201
The first three-in each ward were elected.
West WErd.—Presiding Officer Mr. W. Baku..
G Perkin, 282
W. Jones, 247
A. W. Worthington, 237
T. F. Bland, 138
Eas: Ward.—Presiding Officer Mr. W. Platt.
J, Cadwallader, 203
J. Skelding, 169
C. Evers, 157
A. W. Hoptoo, 147
A t3r these gentlemen came some eight or nine
others who had been nom nated just for the fun of
thing and with the exception of Mr. Pagett who
secured 51 votes tne the rest dropped from 3 to 1.
In the East Ward Mr. J. E. Chippell demanded a
scrutiny of the voting papars on behalf of Mr.
Hodt.3n, an Mr. C. Evers entered a protest against
the c ra,lidates using public vehicles in their can.
Vass.

SALES AT EIOME AND ABROAD —By the kindness
Of Mr. Richard Brooks, of the Lower High Sr.
Dairy, we are enabled to produce for our agricult-
ural readers, the following extraodieary statistics of
so tie of the stock ka'es in Australia. According to
'h Me b)urne Argus of July 2nd, one firm of auction-
sri ffer for public sale no less a quantity than
6:4,171 sheep, arei another firm offer 41,800 acres
o land and 62 striate miles of pastoral taad for sale.
Thss is sishtly different to what we are used to in
the old country.
Dausitissrnss —lt the Police Court yesterday,
before Mg. R. L. Freer. and Colonel Cochrane
Samuel Millward was charged with being drunk
and diso dry an! assaulting P.C. Jones at Wel-
les ote, on the 29-h tilt. The officer said defend-
ant was behaving like a madman and struck him a
violent blow on the eye, and tore his whistle off.
George Minton said he saw defendant struggling
vs;t'. the officer, but did not see him strike Jones.
Fin d 5s and costs for being drunk and disorderly,
and 10s and costs for assaulting the officer; or in
default 28 days' imprisoament —Before Mr. R, L.
Freer, Colosel Cochrane, and Mr. W. J. Turney, J
Cartwright was char _ed with being drunk and
disorderly en the 28th ult. in Coventry Street,
Stourbridge. Serge tat lardwiske proved the case
Fined 5s and costs.—Edward Pardoe was charged
with being drunk and disorderly in the Dudley Rsad,
Lye, on the 26th ult P.C. Jones and Sergeant
Chase proved the case. Find 5s and costs.—Frank
Worrall was charged with being drunk and dis-
orderly at Clent. P.C. Davis proved the case.
Fined 5s and costs. William Millward was
charged with being drunk at Wollescote on the 29th
ult, P.C. Jones proved the case. Fined 5s and
costs.
Taescass.—John Baldwin was charged with tres-
passing in search of rabbits on the 29th ult on laud
in the occupation of Mr. C. C. Swindell. Th ,mas
Mergan said he saw the defendant lying on the
ground with a net ia his hind add a ferret in a hole
Defendant pleaded guilty and said he did it through
poverty. Fined 103 and costs.
STRAYING DONKEYS. David Smith, Thomas
Smith and rhomas Carter were charged with allow-
ing their donkeys to stray on the highway at Clent,
en the 23rd ult. P.C. Davis proved the cases and
defenSants were fined, David Smith 5s including
costs, and the other two defendants 2s 61 including
COS'S.
SCHOOL BOARD PROSECUTION.— William Evans,
anchor smith, Brook Street, W. llescote, was sum-
moned for neglecting to send his child to school.
Inspector Harvey ptovee the case, and defsnclaut
wos fined 2s al.
FACTORY ACT PROSECUTION. David Raybould
c ,ainmaker, Cradley, was charged with employing
a child before 6 o'eloek in the mcnning on the 3rd
July, Mr. C. C W. Hoare attended to prosesute
\le. A. Piatt, (assistant inspector), proved finding
th lad at work in the shoa blowing, at half-past
five in the morning. Fined lOs and COSI
AN UNFOUNDED CHARGE.—foseph Aston was
cb irged with being drunk and dicer ierly at tee Lye,
on tse 6th ult Mr. Waldron eelsnded. f ter
Inetrin.: the evidence the Beach dismissed the case
ALLEGED OBSTRUCTION.—J ha Morris. Ann
Morris, and Alice Edwards %ere charged with
causing an ob truction on Clent Hill Common, by
lea nng th( ir hones and donkeys for a long and
unreasonable time. Mr. Collis defended. Case dis-
missed.
CRUELTY TO ANIMALS. -- William Aldis was
charged with unlawfully illtreating two mares by
working them while in an unfit state on the let and
12th ults. Mr. Hinds defended. After hearins
the evidence of Inspector Mutlow, Mr. Drake and
Mr. J. Blakeway, veterinary surgeons, the Bench
oossi ered the case proved and and fined defendant
10s and osts in the let case,:and 5s and costs in the
2nd case and the vetetinarys' fees.
Bataan ASSAULT—John Barker, Ellen Emma
Barker, and William Hayes were charged with
aseauiting George Bartlam of the Gig Mill, on the
27th ult There was a cross-summons againta
George Bartlam for assaulting Ellen Einma, Bark, r
on the 27th ult.—Mr. J. gin& defeniel B arkers,
George Barker said he was returning from Ki ides-
miuster when he m-t defendants. Hayes said
"Here the —is ; let into him" and they strn( k
him violently.—A it Wood, Mrs. Green and P.C.
Cooper gay.) evi ' • •ce rile cross summons was
heard and Bartl denied the assault and said he
was badly assa el For the first offence defend.
ants were fined eds and costs, and the cross-sum-
mons was distnisssd Gorge Barker had to pay
Ll. 15s. 31, Ilsyes £l. Bs, 100, Ms. Barker £l.
Bs. 141 aud 4s ou the cross-summons, total Xi.
17a. Od.
A :OTHER DRUNK.—James Hill for being drunk
and inc ipable at the Lye, on the 23rd, ult, was
fled 2s. 61 coca. P. C Newman found defendant
helplessly drunk in Orchard Lane.
Sreameci SWHDES.—John Thomas Hill was
charged weh stealing ewe le, en a field at Cs re.
less Oreeze belonging to Leah Jones on Sse 16
ult. Mr. J. Hinds defended.- A witness s tid
saw defendant and others go into the fi31,1 and
pall up several sees lea. Withdrawn on payment of
costs ss. 6d.
GAME TRESPASS —Wisdom Bradley, was charged
with tre pa-sing on land in the occupation of Leah
Jenes in pursuit f rabbits. Mr. Hinds defended.—
A. witness named Cramp said he saw defendant on
the night of the 17th ult, about 8 o'clock. Defend-
ant sent his dog to search the swede field. Defend-
ant also threatened him. Mr Hinds submitted
that there was no evidence of trespassing in pur-
suit of game. He called John Thomas Hill who
said the witness told Bradley to send the dog into
the swedes for a rabbit. Bradley refused to do so
and Crump: tried to force the dog into the field, but
it would not go. Dafendantdid not threaten Crump.
Fined 2s. 6d. and costs.
BOARD OF GUABDIANS.—The weekly meeting of
this Board was held yesterday, Mr. M. Eollason in
the chuir. Admittsd into the house during the week
1, discharged 27, born 2, dead 2, remaining 520
against 438 in the corresponding week last year.
Out-loot' celief, Kingswinford district .244. 178. 11.
Stourbri 'ge £36.5. Halesowen 232. 6s. 3}cl, non-
resident paupers D.. 15s. 9d, total £ll5. ss. 7d,
against £i7. 13s. 9d. last year. A special order
has been eceivedr rorn the Local Government Board
dated Au :Ist 27th, 1887, in whioh they prosibit the
Guardian , relieving officere, overseer, an I otlur
offi ials c: the Union from admitting any poor
pet oue into the Workhouse above ti e maxi bum
nu Leber of 520.

THE CIINItIE OF FALSE PREIrENCES