The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1880-06-12 00:00:00

BIZIERLEY HILL LOCAL BOARD.

A monthl,- meeting of the above Board was held
on M,:nday al f?,,rnoon. Mr. J. Skidmore presided,
and the other members present were Messrs I.
IZollinson, H. Humphries, H. Carder, G. Mantle, W.
Macmillan, I'. Warren, R. Thompson, B. Freeth, B.
Browning, R. B. Guest, W. Waldron, M. RoHinson,
and G. Griffiths.

The General Puoposes Committee in their report,
recommended that the South Staffordshire Water-
works Company be written to, and asked to put a
stopcock on the main at the entrain.° to each street.
The Medial Officer of Health (Dr. Ashmead) re-
potted that during the last month 24 deaths
occurred, the death-rate b,ing. 26.04 per 1,000 per
annum, as compared with 18.16 per thousand in
the corrfrsponding month of last year. Three of the
de tths were from zymotic diseases. The report was
adopted.
A. letter was read frdm the Local Government
Board sanctioning the re-appointment till June,
1881, of Dr. Ashmead as Medical Officer of Health,
and asking in effect that prior to the expiration of
the twelve months further particulars should be for-
warded them as the appointment.
Mr. Waldron thought the letter was a singular
one, and he moves', "That the Local Government
Board be written to, asking them if they claimed
any authority or control over the medical officer; if so
to define it, He remarked that the Local Government
Board did not pay any part of the medical officer's
salary, and he clearly understood that they mid no
control over him.

Mr. Thompson seconded the resolution. Con-
siderable discusbion on the matter followed, Mr. I.
Robinson expressing the opinion that the infor-
mation asked for in the letter arose from the fact
that Dr. Ashmead was also a medical
officer under the Board of Guardians, an appoint-
ment which the Local Government Board had
sanctioned nncl that th3y, tiler -fore, considered it
right that he should obtain their sanction before
t kinc anotherlappointment. The resolution w.is
carried.

A deputation consisting of ten owners of property
in Albion-street, waited upon the Board relative to
their decision arrived at la.t month to order all the
wells attached to the houses in that street to be
closed, and a supply of water from t:4O South Stat,
fordshire Waterw:.)rks CompaiWs mains laid on 'n-
stead. The substance of the remarks of those
forming the deputation was that the water in tit,
walls was not impure, as lid been reported by the
medical officer, and that their tenants were quite
satisfied with it for drinking purposes. None tt!'
them, however, lud had the water analysed. After
the deputation had v,ithdrawn, Mr. Waldron said
although it was pretty clear from the report of the
medical officer of health that tha water in the welts
was impure, as there appeared to be some feeling
on the part of the property owners, he would
move, for the sake of giving satisfaction, that in
every case where a complaint had been made ..bout
the state of the wells the medical officer should take
a sample of water from each, analyse it, and reprt
to the Board. If the owner.' of property liked to
employ another medical officer in their own be-
half well and good, but they neirly st'd admitted
that they used rain water for drinking purposes,
which, he thought, was most conausive testimony
aainst them.
Mr. M. Rollinson second.ed the resolution, which
was supported by Oseveral other members, and
carried.
PROPOSED FIRE BRIGADE FOR THE TOWN.

Mr. Mantle call,d the al tention of the Board to
the fact that the Board had spent some £355 in pur-
chasing appliances for the extinction of fires, yet,
with tia2 exception of the surveyor, he did not think
thyre were any parties in the town who knee how
to use them. The Board having spent the money
in what he considered quite a necessary outlay—
(hear, hear)—he hoped that if young men could be
found willing to form themselves into a fire brigade
they would be encouraged by the Board contributing
towards the necessary expenses, if there should be
any, of maintaining the brigade. There had already
been *reliminary meeting respecting the matter
at which some 20 young men gave in their names as
volwiteers. He was pleased to see that the matter
had been taken up with such public spirit. Under
he present circumstanes if a fire were to Ire lk
out he thought it would be almoit a disL:race to a
town containing. a population of 12,000 inh thitants,
and possessing the appliances for extinguishing a
fire, that there should be no one the kn,wledge
of how to use them. lie moved that a fire bri:.;ade
he formed, and that every enconLagement be given
to it b the Board to asAst in carrying it on.
Mr. M. Rollinson had great pleasure in seconding
the resoluiion, and endorsed the remarks of Mr.
Mantle.

The Clerk (Mr. Holberton), in reply to questions
a.ked, said the Board was alowed to provide a fire
engine and all necessary appliances, and empty
per sons to act as firemen subject to cert lin rules. He
believed the word "appliances" would extend to
uniforms for the firemen.
After vine further discussion the resolution was
unanimo,Aly carried.