Plans, Etc., Committee

A meeting of the Plans, Highways, and Lighting Committee was held at the Council Buildings on Wednesday, the 27th Sept., 1916, when there were present:- Messrs. J. Spencer (chairman), T. Wilmott, W. Bazeley, J. S. Clipson, F. Knight, J. Hyde, and T. Swindall.

Plans

were presented by:-

Messrs. Jaques and Clark for tank house in connection with a sprinkler apparatus to their factory in Midland-road and passed.

Mr. F. Hawkes for store-room in Portland-road and no exception taken, provided it be covered with corrugated iron in accordance with Bye-law 3.

Main Roads

The Surveyor submitted a statement showing the expenditure on the main roads during the five years ending 31st March last, from which it appeared that the sum of £255/19/7 had been spent in excess of the contract price with the County Council. The excess was entirely attributable to the increased cost of materials and labour, both manual and team, during the period covered.

The Surveyor was instructed to forward a copy of the statement to the County Council, with a request that they should consider the same with a view to the payment of the excess amount.

Council Houses, Class “A” Type

The Committee had the matter of the provision of barns for these houses under further consideration, and, seeing no prospect of the cost as submitted at the previous meeting being materially reduced, resolved by a majority to recommend the Council not to proceed with the work at present.

Execution of Works After The War

The circular letter from the Local Government Board asking for suggestions as to works which are needed in the Urban District and which might be undertaken by the Council on the conclusion of the war if circumstances admit, was submitted and it was resolved to recommend the Council to include in the Return asked for by the Board, the following:-

(a) The provision of a Dust Destructor.

(b) The construction of Public Swimming Baths

(c) Road and Footpath Improvements.

With regard to the proposed erection of barns for the Council houses, Mr. Bazeley moved an amendment to the effect “That estimates be invited from Mr. Marriott, Mr. Packwood, and Messrs. Clark and Sanders.” He said he believed it was very necessary that the out-buildings should be provided, and that no time should be lost in doing it. The whole matter was being shelved because of a difference of £30 between the Surveyor’s estimate and the tender received. The outdoor accommodation was insufficient. The Government urged that everyone should cultivate the land in the best possible way to produce all they could. One of the tenants of these houses had ten bushels of potatoes and a quantity of onions from his allotment, and had nowhere to store them except a bedroom. Many of the tenants were allotment holders, and they had at present no store-room at all. He considered the houses were incomplete until out-buildings were provided.

Mr. Bates seconded the amendment, for which only the mover and the seconder voted, and the committee’s recommendation was carried.

With reference to the proposed works after the war, Mr. Claridge asked if the works would be carried out in the order placed.

The Chairman: Not necessarily.

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 3rd October, 1916, at 10 a.m., when there were present:- Messrs. J. Spencer (chairman), T. Wilmott, C. Bates, J. Claridge, and Fred Knight.

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 Accounts

The Collector’s accounts were also examined, from which it appeared that he had collected the following sums since the last meeting:-

Treasurer’s Accounts

The Committee also examined the Treasurer’s accounts, from which it appeared that he had received the following sums since the last meeting:-

And that the balances were as follows:-

Tradesmen’s and Other Accounts

A number of accounts amounting to £1146 were examined and passed for payment.

War Charities Act, 1916

The Clerk reported that the following Charities had been registered under the above Act since the last meeting:-

(1) The Rushden Belgian and Allies Fund Charity

(2) Comforts for Wounded Soldiers at Higham Ferrers Hospital Charity

(3) The Rushden Red Cross Fete and Archery Tournament Charity.

Memorandum of General District Rate

The Rates Clerk submitted the following memorandum of General District Rate made on the 19th day of April, 1916:-

The Rates Clerk also submitted a list of the irrecoverable arrears, and it was resolved to recommend the Council that the same be written off.

Church Clock

It was resolved to recommend the Council to appoint Mr. Richard Gilbert as the person responsible for regulating the striking of the Church clock during the war, at a weekly wage of 2s 6d.

The Clerk said the irrecoverable arrears of rates were below the average. They included the rates on Rushden House, now unoccupied.

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 4th October, 1916, when there were present:- Messrs. T. Wilmott (chairman), J. Spencer, J. Claridge, and G. H. Skinner.

Health and Sanitary Reports

The report of the Medical Officer of Health for the month of September was received.

The Sanitary Inspector reported that during the month 26 preliminary notices had been issued, calling attention to nuisances, and other matter, all of which were receiving attention.

One lot of bedding had been destroyed after a death from consumption.

The Inspector gave a detailed report of his work during the month.

A sample of drinking water taken from a house had been examined and found to be unfit for domestic purposes.

Dairies, Cowsheds, and Milkshops Order

The quarterly report of Mr. Bainbridge was received, from which it appeared that on the 7th, 8th, and 9th September, 1916, he visited 32 premises in this district and inspected 219 cows and heifers, making special examination of their udders and throats. The Inspector of Nuisances was instructed to keep certain of the cows mentioned therein under observation.

Cemetery

The Cemetery Registrar’s report for the past quarter was submitted and considered very satisfactory.

Execution of Works After The War

Referring to this circular the chairman informed the Committee of the suggestions of the Highways Committee, and on the distinct understanding that by adopting these suggestions the Council would in no sense be binding themselves to carry out the works, it was resolved to join with the Highways Committee in putting them forward.

Sewage Works

Sale of Crops. – The Surveyor reported that the sale of the roots at the Farm held on Monday last realised £112/12/0.

Planting. – It was resolved to recommend the Council to plant the 1½ acres of land at the entrance to the works with ash trees. The Surveyor estimated that the land would plant about 4,000 of these trees, and he estimated the cost, including labour, at £35.

The report was adopted.

A Compliment to Rushden

The following letter was received from the National War Savings Committee:-

“We recognize with the warmest appreciation the excellent work that has already been done in Rushden. With ten associations in a town with a population of 13,000, the machinery for the provision of facilities for saving certainly appears fully adequate. May we suggest that for you, who have progressed so much further than many other committees, the move should be rather in the direction of increasing the membership of existing associations, and of impressing on existing members the need for intensification of personal effort.

“We would suggest that each association, or if thought more advisable, all associations in certain groups, should be called together, congratulated on their past work, and inspired to greater effort.”