The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1886-01-02 00:00:00


THE STOTTR,BRIDGE OBSERVER.

COMMISSIONERS' MEETING.

The usual mo Ithly met iet of this b )cly was held
n the Board Roo n. Corn Exchauge, on Moaday
afternoon, Mr. W. Platt presiding.
Mr. Purkiss rose to alve too toilowing resolution,
of w:liett he had given notice:—" That the Clerk
writ, to the Directors of the Gas Company asking
lierti to receive a deputati n from the Board to
consider the gas question, and to pass each resok.
tions them eon as may be found desirable," Ile sdi
it was their (Inty, as the local governing body, t.,
try to centr disa *Ad get oilier taeir own conttol a'l
pablic sources ot revenue lie seould, therefote,
teoeose that the Directors of the Gas C.enpiny be
asked to 7eceive a deputation from the Board as to
th • gas qustion Oae of the questions that might
be diacassed was the price of gas, which was from
id to 8 I per thousand more than in the majority of
ce.vns of that size. Then the quality of the gas
might be conside-ed, as well as the antiquated
system of liehting the town.
The resolution was seconded by Mr Skelding.
Mr. W. J. Turney said that Mr. Purkiss'
remarks were very indefinite. It would be out of
order and irregular to send a deputation from the 1
Board to the Gas Company to cons:der the gas j
' question. It was for the Board to consider to I
question, and then send a deputation after and tel. '
the directors of the gas company what they wanted.
If they were to attempt to argue the question with
the directors they should look like oh ldren. He
gathered that Mr. Purkiss was notisatisfiel with the
gas works being in the hamlet of Amblecote. It
was unfortunate they were there, because the plant
was not rated to the town, and the ratepayers did
not receive any benefit therefrom. With reference
to the system of lighting they should effect no good
purpose by discussiug it, because the Commissioners
had only to say what system of lighting they wanted
and they could have it. If they went to the Gas
Company they muet go with a scheme cut ani dried,
and know what they were talking about, and MUi.
also have authority for making proposals.
Mr. James said the quality of the the gas was
equal to that of the gas in other towns, and if they
went in for any rearrangement or alteration in the
system of lighting it would he a serious matter, as
at the present time they were paying considerably
less per larrp than their neighbours.
Mr Turney remarked that if at any future time
circumstances should arise which would anable them
to purchase the glum orks that would be the thing
for them to strike at. It was no um) tinkerin; with
the question'. A good deal of opoesitiea to the
incorporation scheme arose from gentlemen sittine{
on that B etrd of Directors, because they knew their
vested interests would be endangered by that Board
putting themselves in the position of being able to
buy up their plant. Their gas scheme extended
throughout the whole of the ecclesiastical parish of
Oldswinford, whilst at present the jurisdiction of the
Cemmissioners only extended over the compara-
-dvely small area that constituted the township ot
-Ito abridge. Let them put themselves in the
,eo4ltion to handle the subject as bueiuess men, and
i hen they could deal with it.

After further discussion:Mr Purkitzs withdrew his
fnotioa.

Th-3 report of the Finance Committee recorn-
nended the payment of different acc)nnts amount-
;ng to Xt,olB 9s 81.
rhe report was adopted,

Mr. Tt:rney called attention to the fact that they
were paying 41 per cent. upon a loan of £1,500
.vhich wa, borrowed nineteen years ago.
It was decided that the subject should be referred
lack to the Finance Committee in order that
;arrange m ents might be made for dealing with the
can in such a way that they snould not have to pa.)
such t heavy rate of interest. The loan was origin-
thy £2,000, but £5OO of that had been repaid.
The Ala-ilea' Officer of Health reported that there
had been 21 births during the past month, and 16
lsaths. The latter gave a death-rate of 19.6 per
thousand. Th death. rate of the preceding month
was only 7.3 per thousand.
A. communication was received from the Local
Government Board stating that an inspector would
be s.nt down to make an official inquiry as to the
disputed limits of th- boundary :of Stourbridge, and
taat portion where it joined Amblecote. Due notice
of the inspector's visit woul I b.: given.
Mr. Perkin called attention to the fact that the
letting of the Corn Exchange to B)cieties at reduce(t
rates often resulted in loss of revenue to the Board,
as it prevented other persons engaging:the hall at
uglier charges,

-Mr. Villfms, tho Inspector, was called, and he
;ave an instance vvhsre a person who would other
wise have taken the Exchange for three weeks did
nit do so when he learnt that it was pre-engaged
for Manlay evening.

After ionle discussion Mr Williams was in-
structed not to let the hall in future for Monday
ev,,nings to any society at a reduced rate,

TICE ODE3SA Coemer.unuet.—The answer to the
Odessa conundrum, whici appeared in our last im-
pression, is as follows: Because "It is a natural dye
t.tiet and his hairs (heirs) cannot fall out."
PANTOMIME AT THE ALHAMBRA TH ATRE.—This
theatre was re-opened last Thursday week by Mr.
tiohnsou's "Fun on the Brist.il," Co., with the
iavourite pantomime "Beauty aril the Beast." Toe
theatre was crowded, and on Saturday a large
number of people could not gain admission, mad te
judge from subsequent houses we think it is likely
to be a great success. The singing and dancing
Is fairly good; the pedestal dancing of Mr. Percival
;aining him loud appLuse. The duet, by the
-beauty" and the "beast.' is very sweetly sung
i,heir voices blending harmoniously togethet. The
sceee is nicely executed, the children keepim.:
,o4elher very well. The compan.y, oe the whole
eustain the:r p arts creditably; although, at times,
'tittle hesitatioe is notieeaele, hut this, we think
will be remedied by next week, when each meinbe
vii thoroughly understand their respec lye party.
Uttere is also a lightning cartoonist, whose draw-
mg of emine •t men eve te6 rounds of applause.
the performance of two contortionists is very, goon
lad clever, and causes much fun. Tne tra.nsforina
boa is pretty, and after this, of course, comes the
narlequinade which causes roars of laughter,
PEOPLE'S CONCERT SOCIETY.—The twelfth con-
cert of this society was given iu the Corn Exchange.
.ea Monday night, when a se:ectioe from the
'Slees:ah" was per:termed, Toe principals were
Ars. Arthur Nash, iiss Melvina Field, contralto,
air. R. Clarke, tenor, and Mr. George Harris, bas,
and their part in the programme was rendered with
_leach skid and feeling, while the choruses had ex-
Jellent treatment from the members of the society.
under their able conductor Mr. Hedley Satchell;
k Mr. S. Simms and Mr. T. H, Rhodes played the
tceompaniments. The fact that so many good
concerts have beeu given by the society natuzally
induced a large attendance, and the audience had
every reason to be satisfied with the musical enter-'
taiament provided for them.
BOARD OF GUARDIANS —llr. 11. Billingham pre-
side i at the weekly meeting of the Board yester-
lay.—Admitted 14, discharged 10, dead 7, remain-
ing 584 against 581.—Relief, Kingswinford .£44
12. s et], Stourbridge £32 10s 11d, Halesowen £26
103 11d, non-residents £2 7s 2d, total £lO6 is 6,1
against £95 12s sd. At a meeting of the Rural
:31nitary Authority three applications were received
?or the office of surveyor, from Mr. Joseph Jaquis,
of Cradley ; Mr. W. Webb, Kingswinford ; and Mr.
W. Fiddian, Stourbridge. The tender of Mr. Webb,
the lowest, was accepted.
DeuNkEetNess.—At the Police Court, yesterday
before Capt. Noel, and Messrs. T. D. Thomas and
1. Freer, Edwin Deeley was charged with being
drunk on the 20th ult at Thakedown, P.C.
dolloway proved the case. Fined 2e 61 and costa.
—George sctanuage was fined 2s 6d and costs for
eeieg drunk at Blakedown on the 20th ult.—Joseph
!sTewton was charged with being drunk on licensed
Premises at the Lye, on the 28th ult. P.S. Cope
proved the case, and defendant 'was fined 59 and
eosts.—John Nieholla was charged with being drunk
an the 27th ult. PC Webb proved the case, and a
tine of 2s 6d and costs was imposed.—Daniel Davies
was charged with being drunk whilst in charge of a
horse !ind cart on the 27th ult, Blakedown. PC.
dolloway proved the case. Fined 149.—Jame •
Varr was cha.ged with being drunk and disorderly
at Oldswinford on the 20th ult. P.C. Eaves proved
the case. Fined 2s 6cl including easte.—Frank
!Tieern was charged with being drunk on the 26th .
tat Craelley. P.C. Crouc.;er proved the ease.
Fined 2s 6d and cogs.

THEFf.--Eii Parkes (10), Henry Harris (13),
A.rthur Perks (14;, and Edward Nash (10), we e
charged with st-aling a pair of boots, value 4s
the property of A. King, High St. The charge
against Nash was dismissed, in order to put him
in the witness box. Prisoners all pleaded guilty.
Ulm Pearson. pawnbroker, New-st., said on the
24th ult a pair of boots were brought to him by
Perks. He asked him whose they were, and he
,aid they were his mother's. He told him to go
and fetch her. He detained the boots and prisoner
went oat of the shop and joined the other boys.
Ile went out of tlieshop ad caught the prisoner.—
Alfred King identified the boots as his property.
—Daniel King said he huna• the boots at the door.
He saw them safe about 6 o'clock.—Superintend-
ant Wheeler said the boys were very bad ones, and
Perks had been previously convicted.—Parkes was
remanded to the Workhouse for a week in order to
get him into a reformatory. The other two pri-
soners were sent to prison for 3 weeks, and after-
wards to a reformatory.
DISMISSED.—Edward Gittings was charged with
having a cart on the hightvay without having his
name on it. The case was dismissed upon a techni-
cal point.
ASSAULT. William Burley was charged with
assaulting William Bradley on the 26th ult.—Com-
plainant said that on the above date he went into
the iiitenlitia s ciiimiletendiat there. They were

drinking together. Defendant said that he knew
as much about his wife as he (complainant) did.
He chastised his wife and went home. When he
got home defendant rushed into the house and
truck him. He also bit his lip through and hit lis
wrist. Dofcritiant was thrown out of the house,
but he returned and knocked a panel out of the
door. He inshed into the house again, picked up a
elair. and threw it at witnesq. Another witness
gave evidence —Dr. H. Smith said he examined the
com;dainant and found a lacerated wound on th-
lett side of t'e lip. The wound wen-:, right through
,he subAance of the lip.—Defendant .tdenied that
;ie made any statement. Fined 10s and costs, and
Dr. Smith's fee.

NON-PAYMENT Or RATE. Thnjamin. Sturmey
Raybould was sumnion:d for non-paytnent of two
rate i.—Mr. H. Mils, clerk to the Commissioacr,
ap eated. to Irosecnte, and Mr. J. Hinds defenqed.
—Mr. Hipkins was called to prove the rate. He
said there was a lamp right oppo4teMamble.square
Phe Commissioners did not cleanse the street.
['here was an old doorway to the house, leading
:rom Enville Street, but it had been bricked up and
he doorway was put aa, the side for convenience.-
Ir. John Taylor, the Town Clerk, said he had been
clerk for 20 years. He hai also been surveyor up
to within the last 12 months. The lamp lighted
down .M.amble-square, and it was put there for that
purpose. fk footpath had been put:down on each
' side of the road,7and it was cleansed by the Com-
tnissionera.—Captain Noel said they had no juris-
diction in the matter, but Mr. Hinds wished them
olhear his evidence.—The case was then dismissed
Att the Bench d3cided to allow a special trial.
OBSCENE LINGTJAGE.—James Brett was charged
with wino' obscene language in the public street.—
Elizabeth 'Smart and her servant proved the case,
:rid defendant was fined 5s and costs, _

CAUTION.—SamueI Farmer (17) was charged. with
?laying at foothill on the highway at the Lye, on
:.he 22nd ult.—The case was withdrawn on pay-
nent of costs.

To PEDIARS.—Jana Wood&11, the 'younger, was
harged with acting as a padlar without having a
)ddlar's certificate, and Jane Woodall, the elder,
.vas charged with lending Jane Woodall, the
oungar, her pedlar'e certificate. The defendants
%ere digtniAsed with a caution,

JACOB'S LADDER—James Brooks was charged
wth being and disorderly on the 25th ult at the
Lye ; and thrVier with assaulting P.C. Joirp's whilst
m the execution of his duty,—The constable saw
he defendant drunk. He asked him his name and
le salt "Jacob's Lad ier," and he asked him his ad-
lress and he again replied "Jacob's kidder." The
officer asked him several other questions and he still
;Ave Vie same answer. The officer then tried to
.ake him to the police station, but he met with great
~esistance, the defendant striking the officer, and
decoining very violent. It took tho officer fifty
uinutes to get the defendant 400 yards —P.C.
3'one also gave evidence.—Defendant was fined
LOs and costs for the assault, and 5s and costs for
ming drunk.
Daumi.—Thomas Haslock Richards was charged
with being drunk on the 24th tilt, at.Enville Street.
P.C. Cart Aright proved the case. Find l2s Gd and
Jogs.

CHIMNEY ON FlRE.—William Lewis was charged
vith having his chimney on fire, P.C. Davis
)roved the case. The case was withdrawn on pay-
nent;of costs.