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The Rushden Echo, 24th December, 1920
Distress at Rushden Tackled - Immediate Relief for Acute Sufferers
Work for The Unemployed - Committee Appointed
A largely attended meeting representative of the many different organisations in Rushden, and convened by the Rushden Urban Council, was held on Monday night at the Council buildings. Mr. John Claridge, J.P., C.C., presided, supported by members and officials of the Council.
The Chairman said he would not be surprised to hear of cases of people suffering acute distress. He had not heard of any personally. He hoped that they would do the best possible for all who needed assistance. He recalled the time 15 years ago when the Council had found work on neighbouring farms for unemployed, and there had been much dissatisfaction all round. Farmers said the work was not done properly, and the men complained that some had been given easier work than others. He invited discussion from the delegates.
Mr. W. Bazeley, J.P., said that since the last meeting of the Council three cases had come under his notice. One was of a man, wife, and four children aged 11, 7, 6 and 5, with nothing but bread in the house. The neighbours had kindly taken in food and money. That distress was caused by nothing but serious unemployment. The family had had nothing but a sorry existence for many months. In another case an income of 13/6 had to keep an invalid man and his invalid wife and two children, the house rent being 8/- a week. The third case was of a widow who had lost her son in the war and had a most inadequate income. He hoped they would do their utmost to brighten the Christmas for the children. (Applause.)
Mr. G. W. Coles, J.P., asked that the meeting, being so well attended and thoroughly representative, be allowed to discuss ways and means of getting at the trouble of
Unemployment,
although they hoped to give relief immediately to the worst cases. He quoted a case of a family who had had to exist on bread and vegetables for months. When the price of bread went up 1/3 it made 8/6 difference to that family.
Mr. A. Haddon (Windmill Club) asked the Council to find work for the people. They did not want doles, but employment. (Applause). Mr. Haddon said he had a list of names of people whose circumstances were very sad.
The Chairman having stated that he would give time for a discussion on the general question and possible remedies of unemployment, Mr. Coles said that the Rushden Urban Council provide work for the unemployed and under-employed. He reminded them that 33 Mayors had waited on the Prime Minister with a view to getting a loan to find work for their unemployed. He asked that the Rushden authority adopt similar measures. There were plenty of places in Rushden needing improvement. No one would say that Rushden was in that happy state that nothing needed to be done. There was plenty of work needed doing laying out the roads and estate generally on the site of the new Council houses. Local unskilled men could do the work under the guidance of skilled foremen. The town had decided to have public conveniences, and if underground conveniences were provided on the Green, a tremendous amount of excavation would be necessary. Improvements in the way of making bowling greens, tennis courts, and planting shrubs in Spencer Park might be carried out. (Hear, hear.) The Council should approach the Nene Valley Commissioners with a view of having the river Nene widened and cleaned out and so provide means of a river traffic all the way to Northampton. People did not want doles, but would rather do work for the money they received. All those schemes would mean an increase on the rates. What about that?
Human Life
must be the first consideration, not the rates. (Applause.) The problem was going to last a long time. They had to recognise that the home trade occupied the boot operatives only five months of the year, and, with factories started in South Africa and India during the war, a large part of the export trade had gone for ever. He considered that the claims of married men should come first and that they be given work. (Applause.) The Co-operative Society recommended that a Soup Kitchen be opened early in the New Year.
The Rev. Ion Carroll said that he agreed with Mr. Coles, and added that he was there on behalf of the Ex-servicemen. He could not accept the remarks of the Chairman that finding work need necessarily be unsatisfactory. They were told that there was always a slump in trade after wars. He considered that something should have been done by the Rushden Council to anticipate the present slump. The Rushden Council had been lacking in its attitude toward the Rushden Ex-servicemen. Those men had been told that if they would go and fight, their places and jobs and homes would be kept secure for them. Many men demobilised 12 months ago had done only a few weeks’ work. What chance had they of preparing for a rainy day? The Ex-servicemen had not had the chance to do as those who had sheltered in good jobs at home during the war. To say that giving jobs at digging 15 years ago proved a failure was surely no argument to meet circumstances of the present day. (Applause.) He fully approved of the excellent suggestions of Mr. Coles, and asked that the men be given employment. (Applause.)
Mr. T. F. B. Newberry (Working Men’s Benevolent Committee) said there was a fair amount of distress in the town. His committee had made grants to 180 necessitous people of £2/2/0 each, and only the previous night nine very hard cases had been relieved.
Dr. Greenfield said he thought they were rather mixing up the two things. It was necessary to give immediate relief, and before Christmas, to the most necessitous people in the town. The question of finding work was somewhat different and could not be settled so quickly. He moved that first of all they adopt a scheme to alleviate immediate distress and afterwards elect a committee to go into the question of finding employment. (Hear, hear.)
Mr. John Spencer, J.P., seconded, and said that the trouble of unemployment was not local. It was more than national, it was international. He blamed the present British Government for not fulfilling their promises and meeting what they knew would be the after-effect of the war. By afforestation and developing the canal system of the country much
Product Work
might have been done. He was ashamed of the manner in which the ex-Servicemen had been treated. He did not apologise for all the sins of the Rushden Urban Council. Sometimes he voted with the minority and at other times with the majority. There were still problems confronting the Council which were not known to some of the delegates present. The Council made application to the Roads Committee of the County Council in respect of a suggested widening of Wellingborough-road some time ago. The Roads Committee were willing to contribute £1,000 but on the condition that Rushden carried out work which would have cost them £3,000. That would have meant a burden of 3s. a week on most working men in Rushden. It was the unequal exchange between countries which was crippling the nations. He did not take quite so pessimistic a view of export trade as did Mr. Coles. He believed that foreign trade would again be developed proving that the Government gave proper opportunities.
Mr. C. J. Giles (Friendly Societies’ Council) said he did not apologise for anything he had done in the matter of bringing the question before the Rushden Urban Council. The Friendly Societies Council congratulated themselves upon having had a little vision. They had done their best to advise the Council and would give a list of cases of acute distress.
Mr. F. Noble (Rushden Discharged Soldiers’ Federation) said he had the names of seven people needing immediate relief.
Mr. L. Perkins, B.Sc., supported Dr. Greenfield’s resolution and said he thought they might have acted on those lines a month ago, but not knowing how many, or what cases there were, they did not know whether to ask for little or for much money. Distress did not reveal itself in the schools first, because people would feed their children even if they went short themselves. But there was much distress that had not shown itself on the surface. There might be 500 or 1,000 people in actual want, and factories might be closed indefinitely. Therefore employment must be provided. He hoped there would be no one in Rushden short of food and fuel for Christmas. He assured the delegates that the Urban Council were not at fault, nor were they lacking in sympathy. They were bound to get to know the magnitude of the distress to be able to deal adequately with it. First, they should give financial assistance, and, secondly, work, which would mean increased rates. It seemed hard that cottagers should be charged extra for having had work provided for them, but rates were passed on to tenants. People sometimes said that the manufacturers had plenty of money. Well now was their opportunity to shine. (Laughter and applause.)
The resolution was passed.
Mrs. Wilson (Labour Party) said that all
Housewives
knew that if the breadwinner was out of work a week it took several weeks of full work to get over it.
The Clerk announced that Mr. George Selwood, who had written apologising for his inability to attend, had enclosed a cheque for £15. (Applause.)
Mr. W. A. Evans promised £10, Mr. P. Bridgment (Secretary Rushden Men’s Adult School) promised £5 from the School. Other donations were: Working Men’s Benevolent Committee (per Mr. Newberry) £5; Boot Operatives’ Union £10/10/0; Mr. L. Perkins £5; Discharged Soldiers’ Federation £5; Dr. Owen £10; Wellingborough-road Mission (per Mr. J. Clark) £25.
The meeting cordially approved of Mr. C. W. Horrell’s suggestion that he call a meeting of the Boot Manufacturers’ Federation and ask each to give a donation. The Co-operative Society and the Clubs’ representatives whose committees were meeting the following night promised to recommend that grants be made. The Rev. R. C. Law promised a collection from the Park-road Baptist Church, and it was resolved that all the churches be asked to give a collection.
A general committee was then appointed as follows: Mesdames Wilson, Durham, Webster, Webb, and Waring, the Revs. P. E. Robson, Ion Carroll, R. C. Law, C. Evans, C. J. Keeler, and Capt. Whatmore, Messrs. J. Claridge, W. Bazeley, C. J. Giles, L. Perkins, H. H. Hobbs, T. F. B. Newberry, P. Bridgment, three Discharged Soldiers’ Federation representatives (to be elected), three representatives of the Boot Manufacturers’ Federation, and one each from the Clubs (Mr. Haddon and Mr. Roberts to represent the Windmill Club and the Band Club respectively).
At a meeting of the Committee following the general meeting, Mr. Claridge was elected chairman, the Rev. Ion Carroll vice-chairman, and Mr. L. Perkins hon. secretary. It was resolved to ask the Rushden Bank managers to display a subscription list, and arrangements were made to meet urgent cases within the next two days.
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