RUBERY butcher John Brown got away lightly when he appeared at Bromsgrove Police Court charged with slaughtering beasts in unlicensed premises, despite repeated warnings not to. Rubery was not connected to the sewer and Brown said many private individuals in the village killed their own pigs on their premises and sold the meat to friends and relatives.

SOME 400 elementary school pupils from in and around Droitwich were entertained by the mayor and mayoress, Mr and Mrs Percy Pond, to a May Day event. A procession of floats, one carrying May Queen Lottie Tustin and her five pages and 11 maids, together with an escort of police and soldiers and sailors, paraded through the Spa's main road to the park. There the youngsters enjoyed tea and watched maypole dancing.

BROMSGROVE Brewery came under the hammer at an auction in London, which came about as a result of the death of the owner Mr Fitch. The property, off St John Street, comprised the works, maltings and nine licensed premised which produced an annual turnover of £8,000 per year. The whole lot realised £7,500.

A MESSAGE from the Falkland Islands, dated April 12, told how rough storms had caused severe damage to the rigging and structure of the 1,443 ton boat Caradog, which was owned by Mr Brooke of Bromsgrove. It had set out from Liverpool on December 21 bound for San Francisco.

SMALLHOLDERS in Bromsgrove were pleased the severe frosts of last week had missed them. In some areas crops of stone fruit had been wiped out. But here the all important strawberry crop, on which many livelihoods depended, was not yet in bloom and had escaped damage.