Widnes Examiner. — 1894-10-06 (Widnes, Cheshire, England)

OCCASIONAL CORRESPONDENT.  We have been very free in this neighbourhood for some time past of anything in the sensational line, but whether this is due to the higher educatinn of the people I am not in a position to say. The fact remains, however, that in the way of suicides and such like diversions, the local columns have been remarkably free. We were congratulating ourselves upon this tact when suddenly, in one day in fact, a sensation is sprung upon us. It was only a rumour, but still a sensational one, and involved nothing more nor less than two alleged suicides, and an equal number of murders. If this was not enough to make the mouth of the most indifferent reporter ' water, then I pity him. The most unfortunate part of the business, to the reporter, was that there was not a word of truth in either statement. One consisted of a domestic disagreement, snd the wife had so little respect for herself that she must needs drown herself and two children. Just about the time however that the woman was said to be lying beneath so many feet of water, she and the children were alive and well in Haydock. The other case was that of a man who was said to have drowned himself, but in this case no reliable statement could be obtained. These are silly rumours, and I cannot see that they do any good to anyone.  I see Colonel McCorquodale has consented to fall in with the wishes of his colleagues, and agreed to serve, nominally it must be owned, as a Commissioner, until the Board goes out of office. Of course this relievee the Commissioners of the necessity of tilling a vacancy, for the short time they will be together, but I am under the impression that legally Colonel McCorquodale is no more a Commissioner than I am, as I think I am correct in saying he has not attended a Board meeting for more than the disqualifying period of six months. However, perhaps it is as well that he be allowed to die naturally along with his brother Commissioners, in the ordinary course.  Now that the time is rapidly approaching when the Board upon which so much ignominy has been heaped trom one end of the township, will have ceased to exist, the officers appear to be very effectionately and regretfully bidding it a long adieu. Dr. Watkins presented his report on the health of the township on Monday, and he was thanked by the members of the Board for the satisfactory nature of the contents, which they attributed (quite naturally) to the perfect state of the sanitary conditions. Dr. Watkins did not appear to be in a very happy frame of mind, when he expressed the hope that his successor to the new Board would have as satisfactory report to make as he had just presented. Of course the Board hoped so too,but I am afraid if some of those hypochondriacs on the sewage question get on the Board, the new medical officer of health will have a lively time. However I trust we are not going to part with our old friends in this wholesale manner.  Wonders never cease. and I am inclined to think, if the Board of Commissioners go on in this extravagant fashion, we shall soon be in the bankruptcy court—at least this will be the cry of some of our friends at a certain end of the township. To think that the Commissioners should in the middle of the 19th century, have gone the length of declaring that we ratepayers when meeting on town's business, can have the use of the Town Hall "free, gratis for nothing." Things come upon us so suddenly that "we dunno' where we are," and I shall not be at all surprised if I hear some day that extra threepence has been knocked off the gas, and that the foundation stone for the new post office has been secretly laid. But this is sarcastic ; seriously I think the Commissioners have done wisely and well, no matter what their detractors may think.