Ornamental Memorials In The Cemetery
The Nene Towing Path Gates
Complimenting The Sanitary Inspector

  At a meeting of this Council on Wednesday night, there were present: Messrs. F. Knight, vice-chairman (in the chair), J. Claridge, G. Miller, F. Ballard, T. Swindall, J. Paragreen, C. Bates, W. Bazeley, and A. J. Dobbs, with the Clerk (Mr. G. S. Mason), the Surveyor (Mr. W. B. Madin), and the Sanitary Inspector (Mr. W. G. F. Kingston).

Accident To The Chairman

  Mr. Knight informed the Council that the Chairman (Mr. G. H. Skinner) would not be present that evening, as he had met with a slight accident.  Mr. Skinner had had a fall from a horse and the doctor had recommended him to rest for a day or two.  It was to be hoped that the Chairman would soon be all right again.  (Hear, hear.)

Plans, Etc., Committee

  A meeting of the Plans, Highways, and Lighting Committee was held at the Council Buildings on Wednesday, the 26^th May, 1909, when there were present:- Messrs. G. H. Skinner (chairman), F. Knight, W. Bazeley, C. Bates, J. Claridge, G. Miller, and T. Swindall.

Plans

were presented by :-

  Mr. J. D. Groome for barn and w.c. at rear of No. 4, Alfred-street, and passed.

  Mr. C. E. Young for a conservatory to his house on the Court Estate and passed.

  Mr. C. E. Young for house on the Court Estate and passed subject to cesspit complying with Bye-laws 86, 87, and 88.

  Mr. C. E. Young for two houses adjoining the above and passed subject to like conditions.

  Mr. A. Clayton for leather store (wooden erection) adjoining the factory occupied by him in Park-road and no exception taken.

  Messrs. Jas. Hyde and Co., Ltd., for additions and amendments to their new factory off Glassbrook-road and passed.

Road Materials – Granite

  Tenders for the supply of granite for the current year were considered and the Surveyor was instructed to place his orders as follows:-

Groby Granite Co. 175 tons Seconds quality Chippings

Slag

  Tenders for the supply of slag were also received and the Surveyor instructed to place orders for about 900 tons in quantities as required from the following firms at the respective prices quoted by them, viz.,

    Kettering Iron Co. - Unbroken 3/6; Spoutings 5/6; 2¼ in. 5/3; 2 in. 5/3; 1¾ in. 5/3; 1½ in. 5/3; 1 in. 4/-; ½ in. 3/9.

    T. Butlin and Co. - Unbroken 3/6; 2¼ in. 5/-; 2 in. 5/-; 1¾ in. 5/-; 1½ in. 5/-; 1 in. 5/-; ½ in. 3/6;

Team Labour

  Tenders for carting road metal to the various places where required were received and the Committee recommended that those of Messrs. Wilmott, Groome, Sharp, and Packwood be accepted.

Washbrook Road

  The Surveyor was instructed to proceed with the piping in of the ditch in Washbrook-road for a distance of 36 yards at an estimated cost of £20.

Main Outfall Sewer

  The Surveyor reported that the main outfall sewer under the Midland Railway Company’s line had become partially blocked, and he had found great difficulty in remedying same owing to the absence of a manhole at that point.

  The Surveyor was instructed to write to the Midland Railway Company for permission to cut through their culvert in order that a manhole might be constructed on the sewer at a point on the south side of the railway, and, subject to the permission being granted, to proceed with the work.  He estimated the cost at £9/10/0.

  The report was adopted.

Finance And Estates Committee

  A meeting of the Finance and Estates Committee was held at the Council Buildings on Tuesday, the 8^th June, 1909, at 10 a.m., when there were present: Messrs. F. Knight (chairman), G. H. Skinner, W. Bazeley, F. Ballard, and J. Claridge.

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 District Rate Account

  The Collector’s District Rate Account was examined from which it appeared that he had collected the following sum since the last meeting:-

Cemetery Registrar’s Account

  The Cemetery Registrar’s account was also examined, from which it appeared that the following sum had been paid to him since the last meeting:-

Treasurer’s Accounts

The Committee also examined the Treasurer’s accounts from which it appeared that the following sums had been paid to him on the following accounts since the last meeting:-

And that the following balances were in hand on the under-mentioned accounts:-

Tradesmen’s And Other Accounts

  A number of accounts amounting to £386/16/7 were examined and passed for payment.

  The report was adopted.

Health And Sanitary Committee

  A meeting of the Health and Sanitary Committee was held at the Council Buildings on Wednesday, the 9^th June, 1909, at 7 p.m. when there were present:- Messrs. F. Knight (chairman), G. H. Skinner, F. Ballard, J. S. Clipson, A. J. Dobbs, and J. Paragreen.

Health And Sanitary Reports

  The Medical Officer reported that seven cases of infectious disease had been notified since the last meeting, viz., four of scarlet fever, one of erysipelas and two of diphtheria, a decrease on the returns of last month.

  The Sanitary Inspector reported that 23 informal notices had been served during the past month calling attention to nuisances and  to contraventions of the nuisance bye-laws which had for the most part received attention.

  The Inspector also reported that a book belonging to the Free Library had been found in an infected house and destroyed.

  It was resolved to recommend the Council to replace the book.

  The Inspector gave a detailed statement of work done, notices served, etc., during the past month.

  The Surveyor reported that he had visited the factory occupied by Messrs. A. Sargent and Sons, in John-street, where a number of persons of both sexes were employed in the manufacture of boots and shoes and found that proper separate sanitary accommodation was not provided for persons of each sex, and recommended that a w.c. should be provided for female employees.

  It was resolved to recommend the Council to give notice to the occupier requiring him to provide suitable separate accommodation forthwith.

  The surveyor also reported that he had visited the factory in John-street owned and occupied by Mr. Jonathan Northern where persons were employed in the manufacture of boots and shoes and found that no sanitary conveniences were provided on the premises.  He considered that a w.c. should be provided for the exclusive use of the employees of the factory.

  It was resolved to recommend the Council to give notice to Mr. Northern requiring him to provide suitable accommodation forthwith.

Farm Sub-Committee

  The Farm Sub-Committee reported that they had given instructions for the grass at the Farm, Hospital, and Cemetery to be offered for sale by public auction on Monday, the 21^st June.

  The Committee approved.

Medical Officer Of Health

  A letter was received from the Local Government Board enclosing copy of a letter they had forwarded to various authorities, suggesting a combination of the districts named for the purpose of employing a Medical Officer to give the whole of his time to the duties of the office and suggesting that a conference be held at an early date for discussing the matter, to which they would send one of their Medical Inspectors.

  A letter was also received from the Mayor of Higham Ferrers inviting the Council to appoint delegates to attend a conference on the subject at Higham Ferrers on Thursday, the 1^st July next, at 3 p.m.

  It was resolved to recommend the Council to appoint four members together with the Clerk to attend the Conference.

  It was also resolved that the application be made to the Local Government Board for their sanction to Dr. Morris’s appointment as Medical Officer being extended to January next.

Public Health Acts

  The Clerk was authorised to purchase for use at his office the 7^th edition of Lumley’s Public Health.

Inspector Of Nuisances

  It was resolved to recommend the Council to re-appoint Mr. W. G. F. Kingston Inspector of Nuisances for the ensuing year.

  It was also resolved to recommend the Council to appoint Mr. Kingston Inspector under the Petroleum Acts for the ensuing year at a salary of £10.

Dairies, Cowsheds, And Milkshops Order

  The quarterly report of the Veterinary Inspector was received, from which it appeared that on May 28^th, 29^th, and 31^st he visited 27 premises belonging to 24 cowkeepers and had inspected 247 milk cows and heifers.

  The report was considered very satisfactory, and the Sanitary Inspector was instructed to keep certain of the cows mentioned therein under his observation.

Cemetery

  The Cemetery Sub-Committee reported that their attention had been drawn to the increasing number of glass shades or globes and other ornamental memorials placed on the graves and in view of the unsightly appearance of an excessive number of such memorials and the additional work involved in keeping the grass in order the Sub-Committee had communicated with neighbouring authorities enquiring what regulations they made dealing with the matter.  Replies received from Kettering, Bedford, and Wellingborough were now submitted, and it was unanimously resolved to recommend the Council to adopt regulations similar to those in force at Bedford, viz.,

  “That not more than one glass shade or other similar ornamental memorial be allowed to be placed on a grave, such memorial, if required, to be submitted to the Council for approval.

  “That no glass shade or other ornamental memorial measuring in width more than 16 inches be allowed.”

  With regard to existing memorials contravening the foregoing regulations it was resolved to recommend the Council to require their removal by the 30^th September next.

  The Vice-Chairman, with Messrs. Claridge, Bazeley, and Ballard, were appointed to represent the Council at the Conference regarding a joint medical officer.

  In regard to the re-appointment of Mr. Kingston as Sanitary Inspector, Mr. Miller said he would like to compliment the officer on the efficient way in which he did his work.

  Mr. Bazeley said he would like to support Mr. Miller’s remarks.  The Sanitary Inspector had a lot of unpleasant work to do.  Mr. Kingston had done his work very thoroughly and in a gentlemanly manner.

  The Vice-chairman thought every member of the Council was well satisfied with the way Mr. Kingston did his work.  There had been very little unpleasantness, and that was a proof that the officer did his work with discretion and courtesy.  (Hear, hear.)

  Mr. Bazeley said it was very satisfactory to notice that the reports of the Veterinary Inspector showed continual improvement.

  The Vice-chairman, referring to the recommendations of the sub-committee with regard to the Cemetery said there was no wish to hurt anyone’s feelings, but it was necessary to do something out of consideration for the better appearance and order of the Cemetery, and to enable the caretaker to carry out his duties.  The caretaker did his work well and the appearance of the Cemetery was most creditable.  Some of the graves had as many as four or five ornamental memorials, and it was next to impossible for the caretaker to keep the graves in proper trim.

  Mr. Bazeley asked whether the regulations at Kettering and Wellingborough were more stringent than those at Bedford, or otherwise.

  The Vice-chairman said they were very similar, but at Kettering a charge was made for allowing globes to be placed on graves.  The committee did not wish, however, to thus give the rich a preference as compared with the poor.  (Hear, hear.)

  Mr. Ballard thought the committee’s recommendations were very wise.

  Mr. Bazeley thought it might get over a possible difficulty in the case of globes sent from factories in addition to those sent by friends if two globes were allowed.

  Mr. Dobbs thought everyone would sympathise with those who had lost friends or relatives but it was necessary to draw the line when the caretaker’s work was interfered with.

  The recommendation was agreed to and the report was adopted.

Towing Path Gates

  A letter was received from Mr. H. Willan Jackson, clerk to the Irthlingborough Urban District Council, in reference to the recent fatal accident at Irthlingborough through the locking of the gates on the towing-path.  The letter stated that the Irthlingborough Council had resolved to apply to the Nene Commissioners, asking them to keep the gates unlocked in future, and the Rushden Council were asked to support the application.

  The Vice-chairman said it was a great nuisance that the gates were closed, and it was also very dangerous, as they had recently seen.

  In reply to a question, the Clerk said there were no gates under the jurisdiction of the Rushden Council that were kept locked.

  Mr. Bazeley proposed that the Council support the request of the Irthlingborough Council.  He thought the Council should do what they could to keep paths used by the public free from obstruction.

  Mr. Bates seconded the motion, which was agreed to.

Surveyor’s Holiday

  Leave of absence was granted to the Surveyor for a fortnight, and the Vice-chairman expressed the hope that Mr. Madin, who had not been in the best of health since Christmas would be benefited by the holiday.