1878 01 11 Redcar Local Board of Health Meeting

Accreditation The Redcar and Saltburn-by-the-Sea Gazette 11/01/1878.

REDCAR LOCAL BOARD OF HEALTH MEETING.

            The ordinary monthly meeting of this Board was held on Monday last (07/01). Present: Mr. J. H. Webster (in the chair), Messrs. Blatherwick, Coulson, Crabtree, Harrison, Patterson, and Wren; R. Nicholson (deputy clerk), and D. D. Bookless (surveyor). Minutes of last meeting, having been read and confirmed, a discussion took place with reference to the disposal of the £10 received from Mr. George Robinson, in acknowledgement of legal proceedings not taken for deviation from approved building plans, and it was resolved, on the motion of the Chairman, seconded by Mr. Harrison, that the amount he handed over to the executors of the late Mr. Robert Moore, in compensation for any damage that might be sustained by the adjoining property. The estimate of the Water Rate for the year ending 31st December last, was ordered to be signed and sealed. The Surveyor was directed to see to the removal of all boats from the Esplanade, except such as work in actual use. The Chairman called attention to the large amount of unemployed labour in the town, and suggested that work might be found by the Board for some additional men if the storm used for the roads was obtained in an unbroken state. Mr. Blatherwick objected to the Board, employing any additional hands, and thought the wages at present paid ought to be reduced. The Chairman (to the Surveyor): What wages do you pay? – The Surveyor: One man has 27s per week, and other to 24s.- Mr. Blatherwick: It’s far too much! Both me and Mr. Wren have reduced all our men’s wages, and I’d tell you plainly it’s no use my coming here unless things are done different to what they have been. He then proceeded to charge the Chairman with being the cause of what he described as excessive and extravagant expenditure, which led to a warm personal rencontre between them, in which the subject of reducing the wages of the men employed by the Board was lost sight of, and remains for the present in abeyance. Plan of additions to the Free Gardeners’ life boat house, submitted by Messrs. Picknett and Wynn approved. The Medical Officer (Dr. Bennett) reported that Redcar was free from all diseases of zymotic nature, and that the sanitary condition of the town was generally good. The number of deaths during the quarter ending December 31, 1877, was 8: of these three were under six months; one, aged 85, disease of heart; one, aged 36, softening of brain; one, aged 57, chronic liver disease; one, aged seven, tubercular meningitis; one, aged 88, decay of nature. Average death rate,10 per 1000 per annum. Checks having been ordered for payment of a number of accounts, the meeting closed.