1877 04 20 Redcar Local Board of Health Meeting

Accreditation the Redcar and Saltburn-by-the-Sea Gazette 20/04/1877.

REDCAR LOCAL BOARD OF HEALTH MEETING

            The annual meeting of this Board was held on Monday last (16/04), at the Board-room, West Terrace, Redcar. Present: Messrs. Blatherwick, Coulson, Crabtree, Duff, Harrison, Patterson, Webster, and Wren; J. G. Thompson (clerk), J. H. Bennett (medical officer), and D. D. Bookless (surveyor). The newly-elected members (Messrs. Blatherwick, Harrison, and Wren) made the usual declaration on taking their seats at the Board; and Mr. J. H. Webster (the returning officer) deposited the certificate of the election, also the nomination and voting papers.

ELECTION OF CHAIRMAN

            The Clerk said the first business to be transacted was the election of a chairman for the ensuing year. Mr. Coulson briefly proposed, and Mr. Patterson seconded, that Mr. J. H. Webster be re-elected. The motion, on being put to the Clerk, was carried unanimously.

APPOINTMENT OF COMMITTEES

            The various committees were next appointed as follows:-

Water Works. – The Chairman, Messrs. Coulson, Crabtree, Patterson, and Wren.

Highways, Sanitary, and Lighting. – The Chairman, Messrs Blatherwick, Coulson, Duff, Patterson, and Wren.

Plans and Finance. – The Chairman, Messrs. Blatherwick, Coulson, Crabtree, Dowson, and Harrison.

MEDICAL OFFICER’S REPORT

“To the Chairman and Members of the Local Board.

“Redcar, April 16, 1877.

“Gentleman, I beg to report that the sanitary condition of Redcar is good. The ailments of a comparatively trifling character are very prevalent; zymotic diseases are absent.

Boats the number of deaths in Redcar during the quarter ending March 31^st last, was 15: of these seven were under 1 year, 8 from 40 to 88years all non-preventable diseases. Average death rate, 17.40 per 1000 per annum. I am, Gentleman, your obedient servant,

“J. H. Bennett. M.D.,

“Medical Officer of Health.”

CONFERENCE OF SANITARY AUTHORITIES

            The Clerk read a letter which he had received from Mr. George Cully, one of the Local Government Board inspectors, stating that he (Mr. Cully) proposed holding a conference of representatives of the various local sanitary authorities, at Middlesbrough, on Wednesday, the 25^th inst, with reference to the appointment of a district medical officer, and requesting the Board to depute some of their number to represent them. The Chairman mentioned that is similar subject had been before the Board. About a year ago, when the desirability or otherwise of joining the Guisborough Rural Sanitary Authority in the appointment of a medical officer was under consideration, and it was then decided to appoint Dr. Bennett, who had previously held the office of honorary medical officer, at a salary of £15 per annum. After a amend the discussion, it was resolved on the motion of the Chairman, seconded by Mr. Harrison, that a deputation concert sting of the Chairman and Messrs. Coulson, Crabtree, and Duff, be appointed to meet Mr. Cully at Middlesbrough all, and report to the Board.

PLANS

            Plan of a house in Portland Terrace, for Mr. B. Westerby (passed in 1871) was rescinded. Plan of alterations intended to be made by Mr. W. Liddle, in the shop front of 82, Highly Street, was approved. Plan of a wood  workshop, to be built at the rear of the last-named property, submitted by Mr. A. Pallister, was approved. Plan of a house, shop, and bake house, intended to be erected by Mr. George Robinson, in High Street, was rejected, owing to the being no notice accompanying it.

QUALIFICATION OF CANDIDATES.

            The Clerk said he wished to bring under the notice of the Board, a little matter in connection with the late election. A good deal of dissatisfaction existed on the subject of the qualification of the candidates, and a feeling, was somewhat widely entertained that if a person possessed property he was entitled to sit as a member of that Board, even if he had not a £15 rating qualification. That opinion was entirely erroneous, and acting under his “the Clerk’s) advice the returning officer had rejected certain nominations for that reason. In order to satisfy himself on the point, he had since submitted a question to the editor of the Local Government Board Chronicle, and an answer had appeared in that journal bearing out his view of the matter. The Chairman remarked that to his mind, there could be no doubt on the subject, but still it was an omission that ought to be remedied at the first opportunity.

THANKS TO THE CHAIRMAN

            Mr. Duff moved a vote of thanks to the Chairman for the able manner in which he had attended to his duties during the past year. Mr. Harrison, seconded, and the motion was carried unanimously.

The Chairman said he was marched obliged to them, and was always willing to do the best he could.

This concluded the business of the meeting.