The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1875-08-07 00:00:00

STOTTRPMDGE OPSETIVEII.
cal aub Pstrict geirrs.

BOARD OF GUARDIANS.

The nsnal meeting of this Board was held at
the Board Room, yesterday, Mr. Granger in
the chair. There were also present :—Messrs.
&lest, Rhodes, Hall, Brooks, H. Billingharn,
Wood. Higgs, J. Brooks, Fiddian, Forest,
Penz, r, J. Billinghatn, Giles, Raybould and
Parg,ter. Admitted into the house 11;
dis-
charLzed ; dead 3; born 0; remaining 291;
against 314 last year. Out-door relief, King-
swinford district, 1:22 Os 10d ; Stourbridge
district £l6 38 3d ; Halesowen district, .tl6
Bs. 4d ; non-resident paupers, us. 8d; totallss
4s ld, against £l6 198 80, last year.

on the 25th ult. Police-constable Wallace proved I
the case. Fined 6s and cossts ; in default 14 days.— I
Richard North was charged with being drunk at Old-
swinford, on the 31st ult. Police-constable Harri-
son proved the offence. A. previous conviction was
proved, and defendant was fined 108 and costs; in
default 14 clays.
ASSAULT CASE.—John Wyatt and William Aldis
were charged with assaulting George Timmins, on
the 2nd inst. Mr. Perry defended. Complainant
said that on the above date he went to a picnic at the
Heath. He went into Aldis's house, the Plough and
Harrow Inn, at the Heath, to .have a glass of ale.
He went up stairs with another man, and called for a
quart of ale. There was a bother up stairs, and
Wyatt came to complainant and struck him. Aldis
came up at the time, and pitched him down stairs.
Wyatt bit his finger. His eyes were blackened and
his head cut, from falling down stairs, and he became
insensible.—:John Piper, of Angel-street, gave cor-
roborative evidence, and said that he picked the corn.
plainant up at the bottom of the stoics, and that
Timmins did not strike again.—Two other witnesses
gave corroborative evidenee.—Mr. Perry for the de-
fence, said that complainant came into the house and
wanted to stake 2s 6d, to dance, and the man Aldis,
told him it was illegal, and complainant had a fight
with another man, and Aldis took him to.. the top of
the stairs. Aldis's daughter said tnat Timmins was
carried down stairs by her father, and not thrown
down stairs. She did not see him bleeding, but saw
Aldis push him out of the house. The Bench re-
marked that they had no doubt Wyatt had made a
mistake, and Aldis had acted in the mistake.
Wyatt was fined 20s and costs, and Aldis, 10s and
costs.

VAGRANCT.—CharIes Scott, was charged with
misconducting himself at the Union, on the 4th inst.
Mr. Hudson proved the case, and said that defendant
refused to break stones when requested. Colonel
Fletcher, said to the defendant, that the law was
now altered, and paupers were liable to be sent for
trial, or twelve month's imprisonment for miscon-
duct, and to be flogged. Committed for 14 day's
imprisonment.
CHARGE OF TRESPASS.—PIaWiII Irish WAS charged
with trespassing on land, at Belbroughton,
in the occupation of Joseph Small, on the 24th
ult., in search of conies. Defendant was further
charged with firing off a gun, within 50 feet of the
highway. Mr. Perry appeared to prosecute, and Mr.
Waldron defended. William Stevens, keeper to Mr.
Noel, said that about four o'clock in the morning, he
saw two men in a field. One of them fired a gun at
some rabbits. Could not swear to the defendant. A
Police-officer came up at the time. Police-constable
Payne gave similar evidence, that he watching, and
saw the defendant fire a gun. As soon as the de-
fendant saw him, he ran away. Will swear it was
the defendant who fired the gun. Have known tho
defendant by sight for some time. Mr. Waldron
addressed the Bench for the defence, and said that
the defendant was some distance away at the time,
and called William Mitchell, of Bournheath, who
said that the defendant came to his house at four
o'clock in the morning to call him up. They both
went to work;together, and did so until ten o'clock.
After farther evidence the Bench considered the case
proved, and fined defendant 5s and cost for trespass-
ing, and dismissed the other summons.
CHARGE OF GAMING.—John Smith, William Dar-
wood, Thomas Parking, Edward Male, George
Bennett, John Bennet, and Thomas Walton, were
charged with gaming on the highway, at Wollaston,
on the 31st ult. Police-constable Payne prove :1
the case, and defendants were fined is each and
costs.

JUVENILE OFFENDERS.—WiIIiam George Osborn,
Abraham Webb, and Enoch Hughes, three boys,
were charged with stealing, on the 4th inst, about
four shillings, the property of Harriet Duggens,
of the Bock Tavean The case was proved. Po-
lice-Sergent Jones proved apprehending them, and
the prisoner Osborn was sentenced to2l days hard
labour, Webb and Hughes toreceivel2stroks with
the birch rod.

GAMING AT THE LYE.—Samuel Pritchard, Henry
Hill, Isiah Brooks, George Phipson, and Samuel
Phipson, were charged with gaming, at the Lye,
on the 4th inst. The case was proved by Police-
constable Harrison, and defendants fined 2s 6d,
and costs.

They had therefore acted, as they considered,
upon principles which were advisable, and which
reflection and experience satisfied him were proper.
He regretted that an opposition had been shown to
the award of the arbitrator in the Tipton and
Bolton district, inasmuch as it was the strong and
earnest recommendation on the part of two com-
mittees, at which he had the honour of attending.
He was surprised to find now that the awards
were opposed, and he thought it might ultimately
lead to their being defeated. If they did not ex-
pend is. for the purpose of draining the mines,
the pumping would probably be stopped, and the
mines drowned out. He believed the difference
which existed arose simply out of jealousy on the
part of several of the mineowneis. It resolved
into this—that by not accepting the award, they
would have to expend large sums of money in
subsidising pumping engines, which would
ultimately become wholly unnecessary when the
surface drainage was completed, and he expressed
a hope that the opposition would not be proceeeded
with.

Mr. Walter Williams said he quite agreed with
the remark of Mr. Dowdeswell respecting the sur-
face drainage and the advantages likely to accrue,
and thought that the works would have been of
the greatest value to mine-owners if they had been
simply confined to surface drainage alone. Great
benefits had been derived, and he was sure every
member should agree with him in stating that
they fully appreciate the time and trouble which
had been expended in carrying out the works.
Mr. Sparrow thought that the surface drainage
was being executed on an unnecessarily large scale,
and before long it would he for the Commissioners
to consider whether the works should be continued
on that expensive scale or not.
The Chairman moved, and it was seconded and
carried, "That the general Drainage rate, under
the 42nd Section of the South Staffordshire Mines
Drainage Act, 117, for one year, from the sth day
of August, 1876, shall be assessed and levied upon
all occupiers of mines within the drainage area,
after the rate of one penny upon every ton of slack,
shale, limestone, ironstone, fireclay, coal, or other
mineral raised or gotten by such occupiers within
the drainage area,: and that the amount thereof
payable by each occupier be assessed upon the
basis and in accordance with the provisions of the
said Act."

Several sums mentioned in the schedule were
ordered to be paid.
It was resolved that the appeals from the -BR-
ston district against the draft award be fixed for
Monday next, the 9th of August, and on the 17th
of September for the Tipton district.
Mr. Fowler asked those commissioners who
were not ratepayers in the Bilston district to at-
tend on Monday, so that there might be a quorum
and the question disposed of, and the commissioners
enabled to ascertain their true position.
This terminated the business.