The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1881-09-10 00:00:00

KIDDERMINSTER TOWN COUNCIL.

The monthly meeting of the Kidderminster Town
Council was held on Wednesday, under the
presidency of Alderman H. R. Willis (the Mayor).
The Mayor remarked that just before the visit of
the Arehmological Society to Kidderminster several
ancient charters, the existence of which was
previously unknown, were discovered. They ap-
peared to be of very great interest. He under-
steed that there were, as far as was known to
antiquaries, only 2,000 of these parchments in
existence, and Kidderminster had a fair share of
them. He had received a letter on the subject from
Mr Brinton, M.P., who suggested that steps should
be taken to preserve them in proper cases, under
the advice and direction of a competent authority
such as Mr. de Gray Birch, of the British Museutn
(Under-custodian of Records). "The expense
would not be too great for the town to sanction,
aud I shall be happy to assist in any way in my
power to carry this out." He (the Mayor) hod also
been instructed by Mr. Brinton to say that rather
than this should not be done he would be at the
sole cost. But he took it that the Corporation
would rather defray the east out of the rates. The
Mayor also read a communication from Mr. George
Tibbitts, of Chester, tendering his services for
doing the work. In the course of the conversation
that ensued the Mayor stated that it would appear
from one of the documents that the bailiff of the
town, who occupied the position of mayor in those
days, had certain peculiar rights and privileges.
He could keep a grey-honnd and ferrets, and could
hunt and kill a couple of rabbits in three days in
each week—(laughter).
It was decided that a committee should be ap
pointed to look over the documents and bring up a
report as to what arrangements should be made for
anscribing and preserving them.
On the suggestion of Alderman Radford, it was
decided that a number of old documents in the
Magistrates' Clerk's office should also be inspected
br the committee._

The Mayor said ho was afraid if they began in-
vestigating they should have the parish church
authorities claiming the "Loving Cup," which
they said was Church property.
Mr. Herring: Possession is nine points of the
law. _ _ _ _

The Mayor: I told them 80.
The Improvement Committee asked to be em-
powered to prepare at once an estimate for a dis-
trict rate for the half year ending 25th March, 1.882
The committee recommended that the offer of the
Kidderminster Gas Company for lighting the
public lamps Ike accepted. According to this they
would light the lamps during the eight winter
gehacth, an
ed during the four summer
and an additional
months tehase fho rf
0.12 t
h7so. s
e6di
months.

Mr. Herring pointed out that the Gas Company
had voluntarily reduced the price from 60s. to £2
7s. 61. The committee hoped they would lower t
price again next y,ar.
.Alderman Radford said he hoped that similar
advantages would be giYen to the goneral con-
sumers.

Mr. Goodwin, who is Caairm in of the Directors
of the Gas 0, nupa.uy, told him there would be a
general reduction next quarter.
Mr. Jefferies remarked that according to the Act
of Parliament the as Company were permit.ed to
have a capital of -00,000, and this had been since
increa-ed by £3,000 He wished to know how
,hese gentlemen could qu.tlify the thing ancl reckon
they were liberal to anybody when the other day it
was stated that t!,ey wanted £92,000 for their gas-
work!. Ile thought the ratepayers ought to look
into the affair and make them disgorge. He was
more than ever convince 3 that they were a grab-all
company ; they grabbed everything.
Mr. Goodwill r se excitedly, and said : Thii is
certainly a false statement.
The Mayor interposed, and said Mr. Jefferies
spoke in parables. He would not take up their
time with the Gas Company. who were evidently
an ex; king body. Any g,entleman who had re ?.(1 the
repc, ts of the wonderful discoveries
.in electric
lighting shadowed forth in the papers read before
the British Association would not care to have
many shares iu the gas companies.
The report was then adopted.
Mr. D. Corbet (Medical Officer of Health) read
his report, from which it appeared that there had
been 65 births during the past month, as compared
with 59 in the corresponding period last year. The
number of deaths had been 27. or 14.35 per 1,000,
compared with 40. or 23.7 in the 1,000 for the
corresp6ndieg period last year. The whole.of the
I °rough 'was remarkably healthy notwithstanding
ther,, were still a few isolated cases of scarlet fever.
The reports of the Sanitary and Free Library
Committees were read.
In answer to a question Mr. Greaves said there
were 2,500 books in the Free Library, which was
now about to be opened for the first time as
ending library,