The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1873-05-03 00:00:00

COMMISSIONERS' MEETING.

The monthly meeting of this body was held
at the lioard.room, on Monday last, Mr. H.
Hughes in the chair. There were also present
Messrs. J. Hughes, Kelly, Toting, Griffin, Capt.
Walker, Woolley, Stdnley, Emery, Newnani,
Edwards, and Allsop.
The minutes of the last meeting were read
and confirmed.

The C.erk read the report of the Finance
Committee which showed that there was due to
the treasurer on the highway account, £179 Us
4d, and due cram the treasurer on the Bailin's, e-
inept Account, £264 tis 2d. The committee
having examined a number of accounts recom-
mend that the following be paid :—On Highway
Account, £11; 7s 7d ;ott Improvement Accoubt,
£2:31 17e, which included the BUM of £204 Be 4d.
The Chairman moved the adoption of the
report which was seconded and carried.
The Chairman laid before the Board a copy of
the bat introduced into the House of Lorus by
Larl Skaftsbury, to amend the Pollution of
'livers' Act, it hich he had received from Mr.
Shepherd.

oil toe motion of Mr. Newnam seconded by
Mr. Kedy, the matter was referred to the
Lieneral Purposes Committee.

The Clerl: read the report. of the Improve-
ment Caunnittee winch was as follows:
IMPROVEMENT COMMITTEE'S REPORT.

A letter has been received from Messrs. liar-
ward Shepherd and Harward, that the locus
siondi queetiou has been settled without incur-
ring expense in the way, that the Commis-
sioners may support the petition so far as the
footbridge is concerned. The rest being aban-
doned, tue required undertaking to erect the
footbridge has not yet been received from the
company. Your Committee have ordered your
Clerk to have the Union-street newer examined.
The Chairman moved the adoption of the
report, which was seconded by Mi. Emery and
carried.

,
The Chairman said there was some proba
bility of himself and Mr. Stringer being called
upon to give evidence in favour of making the
line to Bewdley, and that the expense would not
fall on the ratepayers but wouid be paid by. the
Cereat Western Railway Company.
The Clerk then read the futiowing report :

GENERAL PURPOSES CO3INITTEE'd PoSPORT.
Your Committee having considered the re-
solutions on the subject passed at your last
monthly meeting, recommend your Board to
advertise for a Medical Officer of Health at a
salary of £5O per annum. The appointment to
be made for 12 months. The Town Officer bas
prepared and laid before your Committee u
report of the number of privies, ash.pits, and
water closets, in the township of Stourbridge
at this date. The following is a summary
number of house buildings &e., in the township
2053; number of privies 1272; number of ash-
pits 1100 number of water closets 208; vaulted
privies 8 ; number of water closets that drain in
the town sewer 166 ; drain into town ditch 25;
drain into the liver Stour 3; drain lute dumb-
wells 14 ; total 208. Number of water-closets
with water laid on 191 ; number flushed by rain
water &stems 7; flushed y buekets of water
occasionally 10; total 208. Your Cummittee
living considered tee im,tter referred to them
at your last monthly meeting recommeni your
Board to advertise for a person or persons to
contract, for the eieptying and cleansing all
privies, v:•sspools, and :Lah-pit,,•, in the township
of Stourbridge, and co3ect ant carry away the
°entente thereof, under the superintendence
and satisfaction of the Town Officer, and the
contract to lie for twelve months. hr. Cam pbell's
parish book of practice showed that from the
27th March to the 22ad of April, there have
been 49 cases of sickness, 2 cases of scarlatina,
nosmall-pox, and 5 deaths.

The (Altai:man Babd the first point in the
report referred to the appointment of a Medical
Officer of Health. They had done without one
for some time and no doubt could do without
one still, but as they had to have one they
might as well have one at once.

Kelly: Ile must be duly qualified I sup-
Pm.? .

The Chairman: Oh Yea.
Mr. Kelly : Must it he necessary that he
belong ta the town?

Th; Chairman: No.

Mr. Edwards said they mnat advertise for
some gentleman to take the situation, and lie
would not he debarre 1 frow carrying on his
own practice.
The Chairman: Of course not.

Mr. Edwards: Just so. The only que.tion
is, suppose we have no applicant for the situa-
tion at that awn.

The Chairman moved that the Clerk be in-
structed to advertiee in the local papers for a
gentleman to fill the office of medical officer.
This was seconded and carried.

Captain Walker said he had great pleasure in
moving that the Clerk be instructed to adver-
tise in the local papers for tenders for the
removal of the night soil. Ito thought it would
be a great boon to the town, and a great deal of
trouble would be removed from the hands of
the Board.

This was seconded by Mr. Kelly.
Mr. Allsop said he thought this ought to be
pat out as a sort of feeler to see who would
come forward, and about what price they would
have to pay. There were 1100 privies and they
would want emptying once every year. He
thought that the person who had that job should
also have the watering of the streets.
Captain Walker said they might have some
person apply who did not want the watering as
well.

Mr. Allsop considered that they might apply
to other towns and ask what they were paying
for such a matter as that.
Captain Walker did not think it would cost so
much to rfiniore it here in the agricultural
district, as it would in the Black country where
It had to be carried a considerable distance.
The subject then dropped.