At a meeting of this Council on Wednesday night there were present Messrs. G. Denton (chairman), J. Spencer (vice-chairman), F. Knight, J. Claridge, W. Bazeley, C. Bates, G. Miller, W. H. Wilkins, J. S. Clipson, G. H. Skinner, T. Swindall, with the Clerk (Mr. G. S. Mason), and the Surveyor (Mr. W. B. Madin).

Water Committee

A meeting of the Water Committee was held at the Vestry Hall, on Wednesday, 13th November, 1901. Present – Messrs. G. Denton (chairman), J. Spencer (vice-chairman), Wm. Bazeley, J. S. Clipson, Chas. Bates, G. Miller, Fred Knight, G. H. Skinner, T. Swindall, W. H. Wilkins, and J. Claridge.

Water Bill

The report of the Water Bill Committee referred to this Committee by the Council was considered and it was resolved that the Council be recommended to approve, adopt and confirm the same.

The report was adopted.

Plans &c., Committee

A meeting of the Plans, Highway, and Lighting Committee was held on Wednesday, November 20th, 1901. Present:- Messrs. G. Denton (chairman), J. Spencer, W. Bazeley, J. S. Clipson, G. Miller, F. Knight, and W. H. Wilkins.

Plans

were presented by:-

Mr. J. Sutton for bungalow on the Rushden Court Estate and passed.

Mr. J. Pennis for house on the Pightles Estate and passed.

Mr. G. Fountain for 5 houses in Cromwell-road and Allen-road and passed.

Mr. A. C. Ashby for three houses in Spencer-road and passed.

Messrs. J. Cave and Sons, Ltd. for new factory off College-street and passed subject to compliance with Byelaws 17 and 21.

A letter accompanied this plan stating the Company would be prepared to give the necessary land for widening college-street to 36 feet if the Council would construct the road with proper causeways and take over the same. The Surveyor was instructed to reply that this matter would be carefully considered by the Council if Messrs. Caves would submit plans showing the company’s proposals with regard to the street throughout it entire length from High-street to Duck-street, and further that the Committee would be inclined to recommend the Council to favourably entertain the idea of contributing towards the expense of effecting the improvements and afterwards declaring the street a public highway.

High Street Improvement

The Surveyor submitted plans and estimate of the proposed improvement, the estimate with regard to the cost of setting back the front of the Succoth Chapel, and the compensation payable for loss of sittings and the 18 yards of land required to be given up to the footpath being based upon the figures supplied by the architects employed by the trustees. These items amounted to £200 for works entailed, and £200 for loss of sittings and land given up.

The total land required for the improvement is as follows:-

Mr. Wm. Desborough	31½ sq. yards
Rushden Co-operative Society	9½ sq. yards
Mr. F. Chapman	14 sq. yards

In view of the benefit to be derived by the properties immediately concerned in addition to the public improvement, the Committee were of the opinion that the following amounts for compensation should be sufficient to satisfy the owners, viz.:

and the Clerk was instructed to communicate with them accordingly.

Main Roads - Higham Hill

A communication was received from the County Council stating that the sum of £50 had been voted for the purpose of improving the road near the Fitzwilliam Building Estate. The Surveyor was instructed to communicate with the County Surveyor thereon.

Telephone Wire

An application was received from Mr. Brown on behalf of Messrs. Tailby and Putman for the Council’s sanction to an overhead telephone wire connecting their business premises in High-street with those in Grove-road. No objection was raised by the Committee.

Harborough Road

The Surveyor was instructed to prepare specifications providing for the laying of a sewer, making good the road, and asphalting the footpath.

Mr. Bazeley said no mention was made in the report as to what Mr. Desborough and the others wanted for their land.

The Chairman said the committee had nothing definite before them except from the Succoth trustees. As the matter was still under consideration and no decision could be definitely arrived at for some little time it might be well to refer the matter back to the committee for further consideration.

Mr. F. Knight thought that would be the best course, seeing that they were at present only on the fringe of a settlement.

Mr. Miller asked whether, in the event of the committee not being able to come to terms, it would not be possible to take what extra frontage they needed from the other side of the road.

The Chairman took it that they would be in the same position as they were now.

Mr. Clipson: And that would not affect the chief thing – the levelling of the footpath.

Mr. Spencer, referring to the fact that a note appeared in one of our contemporaries commenting on the amount asked by the Succoth Chapel trustees, said he thought it was not wise to give the figures to the press until the matter had been concluded. He did not know how the information was furnished.

Mr. Miller was of the same opinion. He had no objection to publicity, but when matters of £. s. d. were under consideration, premature publication prejudiced the case.

The Chairman said that was so. The Succoth trustees strongly resented the statement in the press. That statement was certainly exaggerated, and he thought they had a right to object to such a report.

Mr. Wilkins said that, judging from the report itself, it did not appear to have come from a member of the committee.

Mr. Spencer did not blame the newspaper. They were justified in publishing information they received.

The Chairman: So long as they don’t manufacture it.

Mr. Wilkins said it seemed to him that the information was derived from town gossip.

Mr. Miller said he understood that was so, but it certainly prejudiced the question to publish such things.

Mr. Claridge fully agreed with Mr. Spencer and Mr. Miller. He did not know who gave the information, but it was a pity it was given.

The report was then adopted except the portion relating to the High-street improvement, which was referred back.

Finance &c., Committee

A meeting of the Finance, Cemetery, and Sanitary Committee was held at the Vestry Hall on Wednesday, the 27th November, 1901. Present – Messrs. Geo. Denton (chairman), J. Spencer (vice-chairman), T. Swindall, G. H. Skinner, J. Claridge, and Chas. Bates.

Surveyor’s Cash Account

The Committee examined the Surveyor’s cash account with the wages books, the expenditure shown therein being as follows:-

Collector’s Account

The Collector’s account was submitted, the total receipts for the past three weeks being as follows:-

Treasurer’s Receipts

The Treasurer’s General Account was examined from which it appeared that the following sums had been paid to him by the under mentioned persons on the following accounts:-

Treasurer’s Balances

The Treasurer’s accounts were examined and the Committee found the following balances in his hands on the under mentioned accounts:-

And that the sum of £310 2s 6d was due to him on loan account no. 17.

Water Rate

The Clerk submitted the following particulars of water rates made during the last six months.

The clerk also submitted the particulars of the irrecoverable arrears, and the various amounts comprising the same were ordered to be written off as irrecoverable.

Tradesmen’s and Other Accounts

A number of accounts were examined and passed for payment.

Miscellaneous Accounts

A list of arrears was submitted to the committee and instructions ordered to be given to the collector to take immediate steps for the recovery of the various amounts.

Santitary Reports

The Medical Officer reported that one case only of infectious disease had been reported since the last meeting, viz., a case of typhoid fever at No. 8 Pratt-road. Both the factory where the patient worked and his house were found in a perfectly sanitary condition and it was impossible to trace the origin of the disease.

The inspector reported with regard to the typhoid fever case that he had thoroughly inspected the premises and found everything in good order. Disinfectants had been supplied and every care was being taken to prevent the spread of the disease.

Hospital

The Inspector further reported that he had arranged with Mrs. Buckle to undertake the care of the Hospital at a remuneration of 4s per week and that she commenced her duties on the 11th inst. The committee approved of the arrangement.

Mr. Knight expressed a hope that the hospital was in good order, especially having regard to the serious epidemic in London.

Mr. Spencer said the epidemic in London was not much above normal.

The Chairman understood that the hospital was well looked after, but suggested that two or three of the members of the committee should inspect it. It was not an ideal place, of course, but could be used, if required.

The report was adopted.