The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1872-04-06 00:00:00

VESTRY MEETING.

On Thursday morLing a Vestry Meeting was
held at the Exchange Building, for the purpose
of nominating persons to serve the office of
overseers. There were present Messrs. H.
Penney, G. Doody, E. Emery, G. W. Prescott,
Griffiths, and S. Field.

Mr. Penney was voted to the chair, and pro-
ceeded to read over the notice calling the
meeting.

Mr. Prescott said before nominating persons
he might state that he was very anxious that the
ratepayers should nominate suitable men that
would not be influenced by any person. It was
not improbable from what he had heard that be-
fore Mug some persons would be trying again to
get a School Board in the town, and if they did
he hoped it would be opposed, and not let the
town be put to that cost; and referred to the
Kings%inforti and Birmingham School Boards
and to the coat the ratepayers of those places
had been put to. He hoped no person would be
nominated that was a party to having School
Boards. The School Boards give certain advan-
tages to certain persons. Whether School
Boards were formed or not he would say, "Keep
out the clergy, and not let them be on the
Board." But he did not think that Mr. Forster
would allow a Board to be formed in defiance of
the wishes of the town.

The Chairman remarked that he did not think
that had anything to do with the present meet-
ing, which he said was called for the purpose of
nominating persons for the office of overseers.
Mr. Prescott: Excuse me, it has a good deal
to do with the meeting. It persons are put in
the office of overseers who are favourable to
School Boards, it will be a very easy matter for
persons to go and call upon the overseers to call
a meeting.
Mr. Yates remarked that the Clerk of the
Guardians, Mr. Holloway, called the meetings,
and not the overseers.
Mr. Doody said he had no doubt the town
would be with Mr. Prescott so far as School
Boards were concerned. He (Mr. Doody) did
not think that a School Board was required for
Stourbridge, as there was plenty of school ac-
commodation.
Mr. Prescott then complained of the Ragged
School, St. Thomas's, and other schools being
exempted from paying rates. He considered
this an injustice to other ratepayers, and read
the Act of Parliament bearing upon the
question.
Mr. Yates said that according to the 33 and 34
SOC. Vict., ch. 40, the overseers had power to
exempt the Ragged and other schools from pay-
ing poor rates, and that had been done.
Mr. Prescott said one school-room was used
for the purpose of the election of Commission-
ers, and £1 had been paid for the use of it, and
he did not think that school should be exempted
from the payment of poor rates. These schools
were not only exempt from poor rates but from
improvement and highway rates, and the town
lost a good deal of money through it. The
speaker also complained that some property had
been returned as void by the assistant-overseer
when it was not. He would not accuse Mr.
Doody of lending himself to that sort of thing,
as he was quite sure he would not; but it had
been done by a house at the back of Mr. Pack.
wood's. He considered it important to appoint
men who knew the value of property, and would
do their duty fearlessly.
Mr. Yates: Here is the rate-book. Point out
to the meeting instances where voids have been
returned when persons were living in houses. I
consider it a personal attack upon my honesty;
but you will have to answer that somewhere else.
Mr. Prescott: Yes; and I am prepared to do

It.
The Chairman: Let us proceed with the busi-
ness. I can't waste my time here.
Mr. Prescott: Pardon me. The business I
am talking about has to do with the meeting I
consider that many houses are unequally rated.
Here is a house like Mr. Elcock's rated at .£l3
less than that occupied by Mr. Holloway. Mr.
Philip Brooks is rated at .290, while the house
occupied by Mr. Blakeway is/20 less. Captain
Walker's housa is rated at £5 less than the one
occupied by Mr. Allsop. I ask you to look at
the injustice. My own house is rated higher
than the one occupied by Mr. James Mathews
as house and office. When Mr. Stringer rebuilt
his house and premises he agreed to be rated at
£250, and now nis house was reduced to £l7O.
I consider the meeting ought to nominate per-
sons who know the value of, property.
Mr. Emery then proposed Mr. William Perry
for the office, which was seconded by Mr. Pres-
cott, and carried.
Mr. Doody then proposed Mr. Klosz to Blithe
office, which was seconded by Mr. Griffin.
Mr. Prescott said he should move as an am-
endment that Thomas Afichurch be nominated,
and should demand a poll. He was very sorry
to have to put the ratepayers to any expense.
' Mr. Yates: Tuere are four persons to be no-
minated.
The Chairman then put the amendment to
the meeting, and declared that Mr. Klosz was
carried.
Mr. Prescott then proposed Mr. Thomas All.
church, which was seconded by Mr. Doody, and
carried.
Mr. Fiat here propo,,-.1 Mr. L. H. Pack-
! wood, which was seconded by Mr. Emery, and
carried.
The meeting then closed.