The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1887-01-01 00:00:00

Xocal nab dm.
COMMISSIONERS' MEETING

The monthly meeting of this Board was held on
Thursday afternoen, Mr. W. J. Turney in the
chair; the other menthols present were Messts. 1.
Newnarn, Stringer, Haskew, Walker, Cadwallader,
Hughes, Palfrey, Platt, Baker, Woolley, Skeldiug,
J. E. Jones, Brooks, and James.
The minutes of the last monthly meeting were
read and confirmed.
The Chairman read a letter, dated 23rd Dec.,
from Mr. H. Turney, secretary to the donors com-
mittee, stating that although the tenders had been
read for the erection of the new town hall, the
committee bad deferred the consideraiJion of them
until the Commissioners had decided up0..1 plans
the additional buildings. The donors commit-
Lee were of opinion that the same architeet should
be employed on the entire block of buildings, other-
Wise c mnplications and ditac.ulties would arise,
Mr. Turney said it did not require much to be
said with regard to the letter. The donors com-
mittee would consider and adopt the plane by the
3rd prox., and between that and the 11th prox,
there would be plenty of time to call a special
meeting and settle the whole business.
Mr. Platt moved that the Clerk be instructed to
acknowledge the receipt of the letter, and to inform
the secretary of the donors committee that the
Board hope to be in a position to reply thereto
on or before the 11th prox. He said there was ap.
parently a good deal of dissatisfaction in the minds
of the donors with regard to the matter, and some
dissatisfaction had 'aeen expressed. He thought
they should appear as anxious as the donors in this
important matter.
Mr. James seconded,
Mr.Newaara said he did not underetand the
letter. He thought it- vvas an insult to the Board,
and he thought they were competent enough to
make a choice of plans and architects. He did not
think they should dictate to the Board. He should
propose an amendment, "That this Board begs to
acknowledge the receipt of the donors letter of the
23rd instant, and in answer wishes respectfully to
intimate its regret in the delay which has arisen
from the non acceptance by the donors committee
of one of the tenders for the erection of a town hall.
The Board further wish it to be understood that this
delay must necessarily interfere with the arrange-
ments which the Commissioners have already made
to secure pleas for the simultaneous erection of
public offices in accordance with the resolutions
passed et their monthly meeting in November last."
Mr. Jones seconded the amendment.
Mr. Turney said he did see how Mr. Newnam
could think the letter an insult. ma thought it
was couched in very choice language. and he em—
phatically repu liated anything of the kind of the
donors committee dictating to the Board. Difficul-
ties enough had been created already, and it was
time all of them had been swept away. They
wanted nothing only a resolution to tell the donors
committee that they would meet them on the 11th.
He never saw a copy of the letter till his brother
sent him one, and it was most respectful in every
way. He totally repudiated it to the public that
they (the donors committee) wished to dictate to
the Board. If two architects were chosen
complications and difficulties were bound to arise,
and the effect would be spoiled, The suggestion in
the letter—a simple suggestion—Was to have the
same architect engaged. It did not matter to the
Board which architect was employed so long as
their money was not spent.
Mr. Haskew thought they should let by-gones be
by-gones and let them remedy all complications
and go on with more spirit. '
Mr. Turney said the tenders were highly satis-
factory, and they were only waiting for the Board
to co-operate with them.
Mr. Newnam having said th it lie wls willing to
withdraw hie amendment the tesolutiOn was carried