The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1887-02-19 00:00:00

KIDDERMINSTER TOWN COUNCIL.

The monthly meeting was held on Weinesday';
the Aliyor Tempcst Radford) prasiding.—
Copi s of :be reiolutions of the second meeting cf
the ratepayers were read to chi Cou-tell ; and the
Mayor sail, though th3y wer.3 glad to se the rate-
payers taking interest in the affairs of the borough,
he did not think that they should give undue prom.
inence to their suggestions. What had occurred
with regard to the h tths scheme was to he very
much regretted ; aud the Mayor called attention
to the strong manner in which the Spe tker of the
House of Comnms had spoken in favottr of such
an institution at Warwick, and also to the success
of baths elsewhere. Ile thought the would-be
eco.tomists_ were sometimes mlsled in matters of this

kind, and he spoke of the benefits to the community
generally from the provision of bath Fl. As to the
Market Hall (the enla-metnent of which the rate-
payers had objected tor he thought they should be
benefiting the masses by inlproving;it ; and though
for the moment it was shelved, he hoped Mr.
Godwin.(the chairman of the Improvement Com•
milte3) would take it in hand again,—The Medical
Officer (Ir. U. Corbet) presented his annual report,
showing there had been 677 births and 451 deaths
in the past year. The death-rate for 1886 was 17.6
per 1,000, compared with 10.8 in 1885. Resolutions
were passed reapponting the medical officer and
sanitary inspector, subj:ct to the aproval of the
Local Government Board.—ln the report of to
_

Drainage and Waterworks Committee ct wag stated
that a letter had been reoeivA from the Local
Government Board enquiring' what was the present
state of the water supply, and from what s.turce or
sources each res.lrvoir an I service to the borough
were being supplied. On receipt oi this letter the
committee ordered a further analysis of the water
from "the lower well" to be made. The analyst
reported that the watt-nr was "still in a satipfactory
coidition." The committee desired to bring the

above communication to the consideration of tit.)
Council, with a view b a reply being prepared for
the Local Government Bard. Mr, R ,den asked
if it was absolutely necesiary that they should have
a supply of water from the lower well now ? There
was an impression a'‘out that they were not being
supplied from the lower well. Mr. Comber
(borough surveyor) said the larger proportion of the
water came from the lower well. Mr. Role's SAid
he thought they were to be supplied from the up-
per well. Alderman Grosvenor said the original
scheme included the provision of a new well at the
upper pumping station, but that had not been
carried out. The Mayor said the analysis of the
water at the lower well showed that it was kWh.
factory.—Mr. Roden said he had been asked by
many people if the town was still supplied from the
lower well, and if so why ?—lt was decided that
the following reply should be welt to the Local
Government Board :—That the Local Government
Board be informed that, considering the water frOm
the lower well continuesto be of an entirely sa.tis•
factory nature, as appears from the last analysis
made whilst the health of the inhabitants of the
borough has been good, as appears from the death-
rate returns for the year 1886—being under 18 per
' I,ooo—the Town Council considering these facts,
and that at present the rate burden of the town is
ercessively heavy, have not yet taken any active
steps to obtain a further source of supply ; at the
same time they would say that the obtaining a site,
for a new well is occupying their attention."—Mr
Holdsworth commented upon an unofficial visit Mr.
Herring and some other members of the Council
had made to the sewage farm, and it led to F.O ne
anima'el discussion; Mr. Herring remarking that
he should never go to the farm if he was expected
to go cap in hand to the chairman of the Drainage
Committee first. There was also a discussion, on
the alleged weak state of the finances of the borough;
Mr. Herring's wevious statement that they should
be £3,000 in debt at the end of ,he half year being
challenged. Mr. Herring eaid when the nex; esti-
mate was brought in it would be seen who was
right and who was wrong.— Mr. Herring asked a
series of questioos as to the manner in which
amount of £1,376. shown in the last rate esti mate
1114 been applied in reduction of pr:neapa on leen 4,
C :ntending that the money was net leglly app ie
to this purpose. The Town Clerk read the seetioe
of the Act, and said that the money had ben qt it I
properly applied to the loans in question.—On the
motion of the Mayor, a conded by Alderman Grt 3
venor, a vote of cond deuce was passed with Mr
John Brinton on the loss of his wife.