The Warwickshire Herald. — 1893-12-14 (Birmingham, West Midlands, England)

LOCAL NOTES.  THURSDAY, DECEMBER 14, 1893.  At the Warwick Assizes, which opened on Saturday, Aston figured prominently on the calendar, not only for number of cases, but of blackness of crimes perpetrated. The list, about a dozen in number, included one of the most atrocious of murders, that committed by Haynes, • woman charged with manslaughter, one man with firing a revolver, two of urine pokers and knives, saying nothing of: burglaries, robberies, receiving stolen property, etc.  Besides being steeped in crime, Aston Manor ix also becoming steeped in debt. The School Board have just borrowed, upwards of £20,000 from the Prudential Assurance Company, aad the Lccal Board about 00,000 trim the tame source.  The liabilities of the former body are now upwards of £200,000. The :consoling part of the business is that both Boards have plenty of assets, and despite the increase provision of schools. The amount of rate is no more to-day than it was ten years ago, when the population was 20,000 less, and the schools abeut a third the number.  The Technical Instruction Committee regaira a another £2BO in subscriptions from the public before they can claim the £l,OOO promised by the South Kensington Science and Art. D.:Fc,i talent. The new school in Whitehead-roaAl is rapidly nearing completion, and in the near fu,ure will add another to the public edificies of Aston Manor, which help to give appearance to a locality. In the matter if Technical Education, Aston in in front of many northern t.,wos of much larger population. and enjoying the privilege, of Inner. poration.  The advance in the price of gas will not be an unmixed evil. We live in a lamp manufacturing district, and the announcement of a rise in gas will no doubt have bene6tti:d local makcis and lamp dealers. Daily, one could not bare failed to notice that a brisk trade was being done in lamps. There is no gainsaying the fact that the paraffin oil is the most econernical for lighting and for frnall rooms, also for heating purposes. The use of paraffin has its drawbacks In the shape of danger through accident and the not very agreeable odour. The former may be minimised by care, and the latter become, stcond nature by use.  Some Aston residents have to use lamps through neceasity arid not through choice. There are crotchety landlords who elect hewer+ and negl et to put in gas pipes, much less fittings, and u hate more, object to tenants putting them in either. Light is about as essential to comfort as heat and water is to life, and the easiest, most cleanly, toil least troublesome artificial light provided fer cottages is gas. In some pArts of the country gas I has been diacasdcd or rather eclipsed by the introduction of the incandescant electric light. Another method of utilising one's time and increasing the physical was added on Monday by the opening of a public gymnasium. Thu Baths Committee felt some qualms of conscience at having erected such magnificent and costly building to be used only one half of the yoar, al decided to spend another VlOO on turning the gentlemen's first-class swimming bath inta a gym. nadiunte This has been accomplished, and swell furnished, modernly fitted athletic institute now awaits usage. Glass ale to be formed awl teachers engaged, and soon an athlete club a iil have commenced operations.