The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1872-11-30 00:00:00

COMMISSIONERS' MEETING,

The monthly meeting of this Board was held
in the Board room on Monday last; Mr. H.
Hughes in the chair. There were also present:
Myssrs. Billinghain, Edwards, Kelly, Young,
Perkins, Stanley, Emery, Allsop, Newnam,
Woolley, and Watkins.
The minutes of the last meeting were read
and confirmed.
The Chairman said he had received a commu-
nication from Mr. T. Thorneycroft, of Wolver-
hampton, asking him to attend a meeting on
Wednesday afternoon ef the Hartley Colliery
Accident Fund. It waif considered desirable to
devote some of the funds in aid of the sufferers
of the Pelsall colliery catastrophe.
After some discussion,
Mr. Billingham moved that the Chairman at-
tend the meeting on Wednesday, and that they
leave it to his better judgment, to sonic extent,
as to the cause they should take in the matter.
This was seconded by Mr. Allsop, and carried.
The Chairman said the next badness was the
Finance Committee's report, but no doubt they
would recollect that at the last meeting he gave
notice of a motion with regard to their Clerk,
and he would ask Mr. Taylor to step from the
room for a time. (Mr. Taylor retired from the
room.) The Chairman (continuing) said it was
a subject which he thought most of them would
be interested in. It seemed to him that they had
been employing Mr. Taylor as their servant with-
out paying iiim sufficient for his services. No
one at that Board would doubt the capacity, the
perseverance, the attention and honesty with
which Mr. Taylor conducted the affairs of the
Board, and for the work ho did he only received
£3l 103 per annum. Mr. Taylor had been their
clerk for six years for that small remnderation,
and for this reason he considered they should
give him a rise. In yeais gone by, when there
was not one-tenth of the work to do as there
was now, the clerk then received the same salary
as Mr. Taylor. He should like to hear the others
opinion on the subject, but he should think his .
salary ought to be raised from £3l 108 to A:6O,
Mr. Stanley; You would raise it at once from
£3l 10s to £6O?
The Chairman: When I found out that he
was obliged to be at his office or have some. one
there two hours every day, I do not think can-
didly you could say less than £6O.
Mr. Kelly: I should think that £5O would be
sufficient.
Mr. Allsop was of opinion that Mr. Taylor
deserved more for his services than he was get-
ting, aud he was too modest to ask for it him-
self.
The Chah man said he did want them all to
be of one mind, uud be unanimous in the vot-
ing on the subject.
Mr. Billiugliam said he thought the Chairman
had said they paid the same as in former days
to the clerks as they were paying Mr. Taylor,
although that gentleman had a great increase of
work since Lie had been in that position, and lie
should second the chainuen's proposition that
the clerk's stipend be raised to £6O per year.
Mr. Edwards: Mr. Chairman, has Mr. Taylor
over applied fur an increase of salary?
Mr. Allsop : Mr. Taylor has nut applied to the
Board personally for a rise, but the matter had
been taken in hand by the Chairman.
Mr. Nownaw said he could not quite agree with
the rise the Chairman had named. He thought
it should be increased to £5O, for in a few years
they would have the Public Health Bill, and that
would introduce another rise, and he would pro-
pose as an anienduieut that the stipend of the
Clerk be raised to £lO.
1 his wee seconded by Mr Kelly.
The Chaim man said as there was not an uuani.
moos feeling in the matter, he would alter his
motion to 10 guineas.
Mr. Edwards: I do not think it ought to be
more than £5O.
Severe' other members were of the same
opinion.
Mr. Hughes: As Choi' man of the Board I
declare the motion of 50 guineas ceYried.
The Clerk read the following report :
INPORT OF TUE FINANCE COMMITTEE.

"Your Committee repeat that there is due
from the Treasurer en the Improvement Ac-
count, £703 2s lid; on the Highway Account,
£B9. A number of accounts amounting to .629
lie 6d; on the Highway Account was ordered to
be paid over, £239 8s 9d; on the Improvement
Account, £2OO 4s 48, being for Gas."
On the motion of the Chairman, seconded by
Mr. Biilingham, the report was adopted.
The Chairman said the next business was the
reading of the
REPORT OF THE IMPROVEMENT CoMMITTEE.
"Your Committee report that no reply has yet
been received from the Great Western .Kailway
Company to the letter of the 13th August. No-
tice has, however, been given by the Company
that it is their intention so apply to Parliament
for power to construct u new line from the
Stourbridge passenger station to the Severn
Valley Railway at Bewdley ; to abandon the line
authorised to be constructed between Kidder-
minster and Bewdley ; to extend the time for
the construction of the embankments in lien of
the viaducts at Stourbridge and Amblecote,
Blakedown, and Hoo Brook, Kidderminster ;
and to review the powers for the cunstructiou of
the railway from the passenger station to High.
street, Stourbridge. As a" the matters affect
the public interest, your Committee request in-
structions to inspect the plans and sections
when deposited ; to watch the progress of the
Bill through Parliament; and to take such steps
ie reference thereto as your Committee may
consider necessary.
e Your Committee have had under their con-
sideration a plan for widening the puhlie foot-
path neer Messrs. Oates, Peteens, and Wool.
dril,ede ellices. Tha lend proposed to be taken
is marked on the plan now laid before you, col-
oured red. Vont Conuritteer advise that pro-
vided the quantity of land as is marked on the
said plan be given up to the public that a dwarf
wall be built, with an iron fence erected thereon,
as is indicated on the said plan. Your Commit-
tee require the necessary power to enter into an
agreement to this effect with the owner of the
property. On the opposite side of the street the
iron fencing in the front of Miss linwin's pro-
perty projects into the street above 1 foot 9
incites. To take down and re-fix in a straight
line the iron palisading will cost, including all
necessary material, the sum of £4 183; and your
Committee advise that the work be cte tied out
at that sum.
" With regard to the application from the
trustees of the Wesleyan Chapel to build a wall
about 3 feet high and 3 inches in thickness
against the gable end of the Minister's House,
adjoining Park-street, your Committee, having
regard to the width of the street, cannot advise
that the application should be geanted."
Mr. Bilinghana moved the adoption of the re-
port, which was seconded by Mr. Edwards, and
carried.
Mr. Billingliam remaked that, in reference to
• the railway question, it would be necessary to
, give the Committee full poricr to watch the in-
terests of the town. .
After sonic discussion,
The Chairni all moved the following resolution,
whirls was seconded by Mr. Allsop, and carried
unanimously " That the Improvement Corn-
mittee be, and are hereby requested, to examine
and take copies of the plans and sections of the
proposed new line from Stourbridge to Bewilev,
refer': d to in the notice issued by the Great
Western Railway Company; to watch the pro.