The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1868-05-30 00:00:00

CRA.DLEY HEATH.

A STRANGE CUSTOIIER.—On Thursday, the 21st last,
a row was being driven down ffigh-street, and when op.
posite Mrs. Snelling's, tobacconiat, it coolly turned out
of the road, and walked into her shop. The shop is
rather small, and it was deemed unadvisable to attempt
to drive out the cow by the way she had entered. Two
butchers therefore bodily removed the counter, and the
cow was driven through the kitchen into the yard. of
course Mrs. Snelling was sadly alarmed at her horned
customer, who strange to hay, was perfectly quiet, and
did not evidence the least wildness.
. . .

ACT.—The inhabitants of this place are
doing their utmost to ensure the adoption of this Act ;
not from any personal or private motives, as has been
alleged by some of the oppositionists.but from pure and
unselfish motives. Health and happiness they seek to
Prenuitc, as well an economy. They held a Meeting at
Mr. W, Sock's. on Mon.:ay evening, to arrange matters,
aril to form a management emawittee, which is com-
posed of the following gentlemen :—Messrs. J. and it.
Green, J. Granger, W. Tibbetts, Joseph Fellowes, W.
'nekton. IL Ilunmersley, B. Hingley, G. Burford. Gil-
bert and Nephew, 11. Mason, W. 11. Nock, Dr. Matins,
T. Homer, J. Green, J. Harris, W. Green, J. Billing-
ham, J. Nock. R. Green, 11. Hampton, J.• Rainbow, T.
Tibbetts, G. Green, D. Birkin, H. Hingley, G. Gibbs,
J. Bloomer, Benjamin Grillitha, Hugh Morrow, it. Whit.
ley, S. Hingley, H. Gould, W. Bevan, N. Forrest, W. H.
Eberhard, Sarnuel Brazier, J. Brazier, Wood Brothers,
and J. Boston Heys, with power to add to their number.
A meeting of the ratepayers was also held on Tuesday
eveniug in the New COMIeTiOn School-room, Old Hill, at ,
which a goodly nauiber were present. Mr. ii. Green, of !
'Old Hill, presided. The Act in all its details was thor-
oughly explaieed by Messrs. R. Green, W. Nock,
Rainbow, J. Green, and several other gentlemen. The
many objections which a certain clique have sarule public
were refuted, and showed to be perfectly false and at,
truthful. The affiir was thoroughly dismissed, and
some present who had preciously opposed the movement,
after hearing the statements made in favour of it altei t d
their determination, sod joined its supporters, it was
shown not only to he a wise plan to adopt the Act, but
also a necessary one ; far it was intimated that a legal
gentleman was in readiness to enforce Mr. Price's bill,
or one similar to it, upon the parish if the present set
was rejceted. Anil, as Mr. Brazier logically put it, the
ratepayera could best spend their own money, and get
the most for it, by taking the expenditure into their own
hands. The objection was raised that it was unfair for
Cradley Heath to be lighted op and the streets watered,
&e., at the expense of the 014 Hill people. This was
, shown to be perfectly false, as Mr. Green explained that
if the Mhabitants of a certain street determined to have
I that street lighted up, they will have to pay the addi-
tional expense, arid not the people who reside in another
I street. The most ridiculous statements were made by
some of the Old It ill ratepayers. One said he had hcaid
that each monthly sitting of the future commissioners
would cost the sum of CO, and that Mr. Hmufray was
to receive £2OO, the clerk £l5O, and so forth. Of course
the ratepayers' own common sense, independent of any
explanation, showed the absurdity of such statistics.
I At the close of the meeting Mr. Rainbow moved—" That
in the opinion of tole meeting it is desirable that the
Local Government Act of 1858 should be adopted, in
the parish of Reddall Hill, and every ratepayer present
pledges himself to use every legitimate means to obtain
it, and at the lowest cost." The.propositiou was seconded
by Mr. J. Green, of Old Hill. Before the chairman had
time to put it, thirty of the oppositionists picked up their
hats and walked out. The Chairman then put the pro-
position, and it was carried uneniereusly by about 100
gentlemen who remained. The meeting then dispersed.
The final meeting will be held on Tuesday evening next,
and the fate of the Act determined.