The Rushden Echo, 14th May, 1943, transcribed by Gill Hollis
All Rushden Ordered to Wellingborough
But Council Fights Food-Book Decree
Appeal to M.P.
There was a remarkable outburst of feeling at the Rushden Urban Council’s meeting on Wednesday, when by a unanimous vote it was decided to invoke parliamentary aid in opposition to the order that the whole populace of Rushden must go to Wellingborough for its new ration books and national registration cards. The scheme was castigated as “silly” and “ridiculous,” and two magistrates, Mr. Allebone and Mr. Green, declared themselves ready to defy the law.
Another attack on officialdom was led by Councillor Bailey, who condemned “Hitlerite” interference with Rushden’s A.R.P. organisation.
The Clerk (Mr. T. L. Watts) said the matter was brought to his attention by Coun. Cox immediately after the Wellingborough Area Food Control Committee’s meeting on Tuesday afternoon. From the report of the Food Executive Officer it appeared that the new ration books and National Registration identity cards were not to be issued from the Rushden Food Control Sub-Office. It also appeared – and this was the serious aspect of the matter – that a personal call at the issuing office was necessary, and that Rushden residents would have to travel to Wellingborough for their books and cards.
It should be made clear, said Mr. Watts, that the arrangements had been made by the Government Departments concerned. From enquiry made of the Food Executive Officer it was understood that the books and cards were to be issued from Wellingborough partly because there were no separate official records for Rushden in the Food Office and partly because of complications arising from the simultaneous issue of identity cards.
The Promise
“I need hardly remind the Council,” added Mr. Watts, “that in a recent letter from the Deputy Divisional Food Officer in another connection it was stated that it had been impressed upon the Food Executive Officer of Wellingborough that care must be taken to ensure that the sub-office facilities at Rushden are adequate to meet the needs of the public.”
“When I first heard about it,” said the Chairman (Coun. Weale), “I could not realise the enormity of the thing. I thought someone was trying to play a joke on me.”
Coun. Cox said he made a vigorous protest at the Food Control Committee’s meeting, and the whole of the members, who included members of the Wellingborough Rural District, which would be similarly affected, were in full sympathy with what he had to say. At that meeting he moved a resolution of strong protest, to be sent to Nottingham, and suggested at the same time that a deputation from the committee should meet the Divisional Officer and see if something could be done to overcome the difficulty.
He felt it was his duty immediately to consult with the Clerk of the Council so that the Council could be advised of the position at the earliest possible moment and decide what action should be taken.
Just Imagine!
It was obvious to everyone that such arrangements as were suggested were going to be very inconvenient to the residents of Rushden. They could only imagine all the householders travelling to Wellingborough, paying their fares, and then perhaps standing hours in a queue waiting for their cards.
A Member: They would never get there!
Mr. Cox said it was the duty of the Council as representatives of the town to send the strongest protest to the Food Office and suggest that a deputation from the Council go to the Divisional Office. It might be that a simple suggestion might overcome the difficulty.
“There are many complications,” added Mr. Cox. “It is inherent in all these departments that there shall be complications, and it drives us to the conclusion that these regulations are made more for the convenience of these officials than for the general public. Of course, I must be careful in what I say…..”
Coun. Allebone: Why be careful?
Mr. Cox: We must all stand up for the residents of this town and make the strongest protest, and if it means deputations to the two Ministries, then we must do it.
Journey For Women
Mrs. Muxlow, another member of the Wellingborough A Food Committee, said all would agree that the system would have to be made to fit the people, not the people to fit the system.
“What would happen,” she asked, “if all the women with children had to go to Wellingborough? What sort of journey would they have and how would they do it? I can only suggest that if it is done, every person is issued with a piece of paper – ‘Is your journey necessary?’ The thing cannot be done under any consideration whatever. Even if we have to convey the whole of the Wellingborough Food Office here it is easier than the whole population of Rushden going to Wellingborough.”
Coun. Waring: I disagree with sending a deputation and going cap in hand. My idea is to turn this down absolutely flat. I agree with the Chairman that this might have been taken as a joke; it must have come from the office of the Court Jester, and the answer should be that we are not amused.
“Treated Badly”
“It is common knowledge,” said Coun. Allen, “that we have been treated in this matter of food control in a very bad way. We are an authority of about 16,000; we see others around us of far less population who have their own food office, and yet we are asked to go to these people at Nottingham who have not the slightest interest in us to get this adjustment when they have failed to grant us a food office of our own.
“This is a matter for the Food Ministry itself and for the local Member of Parliament. We have asked too many favours of Nottingham already, and I am disgusted with the way the town has been treated. The Member of Parliament should immediately place our protest before Lord Woolton himself.
“It is worse than ridiculous – I would rather not use the language that would express my disapproval, but to any person who has any democratic ideas it is sufficient to make them use language which is not Parliamentary.”
Coun. Allebone: Everybody knows it, so it won’t matter!
Mr. Allen: It is an absurd thing to take the whole population to Wellingborough. Nottingham must admit that it is, and because they have made a ridiculous mistake we will not go to them any more.
They Don’t Care!
“To my mind,” observed Coun. Allebone, “there has never been a problem to which there has been no solution. It is a question of Nottingham not knowing what Rushden is. They don’t care, either. We don’t like to worry our Member of Parliament, but this is a time when we can fairly solicit his interest. We can tell him that Rushden has about 4,600 houses, and he would take a strong attitude and would not only get this remedied but might get a food office established in Rushden.”
“Nobody,” declared Mr. Allebone, “is more law-abiding than me, but I feel so annoyed over this that I would even go to the point of disobeying the law.”
Coun. Sugars said he had never heard of anything so ridiculous as this scheme. It was evident that the divisional officers had not given the slightest thought to the inconvenience that it meant.
Coun. Allen moved an amendment that the Council should ask Wing-Commander James, M.P., to get in touch with Lord Woolton and place the whole of the details before him.
Coun. Allebone: And if he doesn’t get satisfaction he raises the question in the House.
The Clerk said he felt that the approach first of all would be far better through Nottingham. There was perhaps a little misapprehension on the subject, for these arrangements were made by the two Government Departments concerned, and not by Nottingham.
“Kick Them Out”
After further discussion Coun. Allebone said he had seconded the amendment and would not withdraw.
“If,” he continued, “we have a Government Department that is silly enough to make such mistakes as this, I think it is our duty to inform our M.P. It is not our duty to encourage our Government Departments to make such ridiculous resolutions as this and then let them slide out of it. There is someone who doesn’t know his job, and if that is so they should do what they would do with me – kick him out.”
Referring to Coun. Bailey’s A.R.P. protest, Mr. Allebone said this was the same sort of thing. “For God’s sake,” he urged, “let’s try to do something, even from Rushden, to put some of the Government Departments in order that need it!”
Coun. Waring: Drop the bomb in the target area!
“Let’s have this amendment in its entirety,” said Coun. Dilks. “This is a matter of urgency, and I think we are all pretty conversant with these Government Departments – the overlapping and one thing and another. Let’s go to the fountain head. It is high time this Council did stick up firmly in this matter. We all know the disadvantages at which our womenfolk would be placed. It would also disorganise all the factories in the town, and in fact I don’t think they would go.”
The amendment was then carried unanimously.
“Failing satisfaction,” said Coun. Green, who, like Mr. Allebone, is a J.P., “I think we should take a leaf out of Gandhi’s book and threaten civil disobedience.”
Merger of A.R.P. Services
“Hitler” Methods Are Resented
In connection with the forthcoming amalgamation of Rescue and First Aid Party services, which will then be called the Civil Defence Rescue Service, it was reported that the County Council Emergency Committee had decided that the Controlling Officer should be the Clerk to the Urban Council (Mr. T. L. Watts), and the Officer in Charge the Council’s road foreman (Mr. T. E. Harrison). With regard to the latter appointment it was emphasised that there was no question of superseding officers with first aid experience whose advice and co-operation would still be necessary. The reason for the appointment was that it was felt advisable to have a full-time officer of the Council in charge.
Mr. Harrison and the Medical Officer would be responsible for ensuring that technical training in rescue and first aid work was given. There would be three parties, with a unit establishment of 21, at the Portland-road depot, and a similar number at Spencer Park.
The County Council’s letter also stated that in view of the proposal to establish the new depot in Spencer Park the personnel of two First Aid Parties at Higham Ferrers would be taken into the Rushden Rescue Service.
“Tremendous Harm”
Speaking with considerable warmth, Coun. Bailey moved that a strong protest against the proposed amalgamation be sent to the County control. Before such drastic changes were brought about in Rushden, he said, they should at least have the opportunity of discussing them.
“Here we have for the first time the information that the whole of our services are to be reorganised, and we have had no opportunity of discussing it, yet it is presented to us as a fait accompli.
“It has been my privilege since months before the war to work with those affected by this change, and I know what they think about it and how detrimental it would be to our town. Where there are paid workers it may result in the saving of man-power, but that does not apply to Rushden at all. It is going to cause a tremendous lot of harm.”
Mr. Bailey detailed the outlay that would be involved in establishments, telephones, lights, communications, etc., and declared that the scheme gave not one benefit in return.
Rushden had four mobile first-aid parties, every member of which was a volunteer of long standing, and they had reached a very high standard of efficiency. Now they were to be ordered to take over other duties. Whether they showed any aptitude for them or not, or had any inclination for these duties, they were to be ordered to be both first-aid and rescue workers.
Freedom Forgotten
These were Hitlerite methods. Some people seemed to have forgotten that we were fighting in this war for the right to be free.
Rushden also had two rescue parties, every man in which was a member of the building and allied trades and a specialist in the handling of the apparatus used in rescue work. Now these men were ordered to take up first-aid – in fact, every member concerned in the union was to have a dual personality.
There could be no two ways about first-aid. A good first-aider could and would save lives, but indifferent ones could only endanger them.
In Rushden they had found that there was a danger of a first-aid party arriving at an incident without sufficient equipment. As a result four trailers were provided. The county authorities refused to sanction the expenditure, but thanks to the generosity of the public the trailers were paid for by private subscription. Now even these were to be withdrawn, and all the first-aid equipment was to be carried in one light vehicle.
“I make no reference to our friends at Higham Ferrers,” said Mr. Bailey. “They know these things are not of our seeking, and whatever happens our friendly relations with them will continue.”
“Yes Men” Challenge
Mr. Bailey drew attention to Rushden’s wholesale loss of control over the affairs that concerned it – the Fire Service, the food administration and now the A.R.P. “Are we going to become a party of yes-men?” he demanded.
Already the idea was prevalent in the town that these things were brought about, not for the benefit of the community, but for the employment and to maintain the authority of some high officials.
“We are making a plea for fair play for our Civil Defence workers” added Mr. Bailey, “and in asking for your support I am going to be critical. It is my opinion that it is high time that this Council took a greater interest in the welfare of the Civil Defence.”
Coun. Waring promptly seconded the resolution “as a new member of the A.R.P. Committee.”
Coun. Dilks, calling for unanimous support, said that Mr. Bailey was quite right in saying that liberties were being taken away.
When Mr. Dilks went on to say that the members were elected to the Council to express individual opinions and party views, he was interrupted by Mr. Capon, who declared: “I take exception to that statement. We are not here to express party views.”
Mr. Dilks: We are here as representatives of the town.
Coun. Allebone asked if it was suggested that the Council should make the protest, or the War Emergency Committee.
Mr. Bailey said he meant the Council. His resolution of protest was then carried.
Metal Mystery - “Tons and Tons” Lying Idle
When the Clerk referred to the forthcoming Northamptonshire Scrap Metal Drive, Coun. Allebone said a scrap merchant had told him that they could not sell scrap metal at the present time.
Dr. Davies: At Higham Park tons and tons of metal have been standing for two years.
Mr. Allebone: It has been paid for too!
It was decided to send representatives to Northampton next Monday, when a meeting will be held in connection with the campaign, the Chairman remarking that the meeting might be made to sit up and take notice.
The Clerk was authorised to take legal proceedings, if necessary, for the recovery of several library books which were overdue.
Mr. H. F. Hill was thanked for a gift of 22 theosophical books to the library.
The loss of periodicals from the reading room was reported by the Library Committee.
Referring to the opening of the Junior Library last week, Councillor Richardson said the councillors were pleased with what they saw, and the “after-effects” had been noted.
With regard to the reading room losses, Mr. Richardson expressed the hope that those who became so engrossed in the news would leave the papers to those to whom they belonged.
187 Had Measles
The Medical Officer (Dr. D. A. McCracken) reported 187 cases of measles, 8 of whooping cough, 2 of scarlet fever, 2 of pneumonia, 1 of erysipelas and 1 of tuberculosis. Nine males and four females were born; five males and six females died.
Of nine milk samples sent for examination, only one was marked “bad.”
The Sanitary Inspector (Mr. F. S. F. Piper) was instructed to draw the attention of local firms to the desirability of cleaning from time to time the blankets used by fire-watchers at their premises.
Licences for the temporary occupation of two condemned houses, 5, Rectory-road and 8, Succoth-place, were renewed.
Coun. Allebone said there were certain houses in Rushden that were standing empty. If they gave early consideration to these it would be much more helpful than granting licences for the use of condemned houses.
Coun. George replied that he knew the addresses of two lots of property to which Mr. Allebone was referring. The question would be considered at the Housing Committee’s next meeting.
In the absence of Mr. M. S. Boyd on service with the R.A.F., Mr. G. S. Turner was appointed temporarily as Cemetery Registrar.
The Housing Manager (Mr. H. C. Allen) reported that almost every garden and allotment on the Council estates was under cultivation.
The redecoration of living rooms at 15 bungalows in Spinney Close was authorised.
Coun. George said he was glad to note that the rent arrears had touched a new low level, £15 12s 9d. Plans were approved for an outbuilding at 30, Wymington-road.
Lights, Buses, Water
In the interests of fuel economy it was decided not to light the street lamps, with the exception of five at key positions, during the period of double Summer Time.
It was reported that the Eastern National Omnibus Co. had agreed to make a stopping-place in High-street South opposite Little-street, as requested by the Council. The Surveyor (Mr. J. W. Lloyd) is to press Messrs. Birch Bros. for a similar agreement.
Following the rejection of the High-street site, one in Shirley-road was agreed to for the erection of a further static water supply tank. The surveyor gave the additional information that the Portland-road site for another tank had been dropped and one in Allen-road substituted, following a visit by an area officer.
Dr. Davies observed that the town’s water supply was very bad in some places, such as the top of Oval-road, where “it does not come at all.” He wondered what could be done.
Two or three members hastened to raise a point of order, saying that this was outside the Council’s province, but the Chairman said the Surveyor would make a note of the doctor’s remark.
Shaggy Parks
The tender of Mr. F. J. Humphrey, of Rushden, for cutting the grass in the parks was accepted on the following terms per cutting: Hall Grounds 35s., Jubilee Park 20s., Spencer Park 35s.
Coun. Waring said the Council used to pride themselves on the trim appearance of the grass in the parks, but the petrol allowance had now been reduced by two thirds Spencer Park could not therefore look so well as it used to do.
The Youth Service Corps is to be allowed to use the Swimming Bath from 8 to 9 p.m. on Thursday and Friday evenings. An application by the N.F.S. for occasional use was referred to a sub-committee.
The Youth Service Corps was also granted the use of the kitchen garden lawn at the Hall Grounds on two evenings weekly as a centre for organised games under the supervision of paid leaders.
It was reported that St. Mary’s Pig Club has vacated the pheasantry in the Hall Grounds.
The Council agreed to invest £1,000 in Savings Bonds during Wings for Victory Week.
Holiday Fete
The Chairman was asked to call a meeting of persons and organisations concerned at a convenient date, with a view to making arrangements for stay at-home holidays on the lines of the facilities provided last year.
On the advice of the Provincial Council it was agreed to advance the adult workmen’s wages by 2s weekly. A provincial scheme for raising the basic rate of pay by abolishing certain gradings was opposed. Its introduction would cost the Council about £300 per annum.
A scheme for payment of wages to workmen during sickness was adopted, and will operate from June 1st.
It was agreed to pay an extra 1d. per hour to refuse vehicle drivers who also handle refuse.
Coun. Green said he would like strongly to support the Finance Committee’s attitude towards the alteration of gradings and hoped they would be very firm about it.
The Chairman: I think the committee take that view.
A resolution submitted by the Brentford and Chiswick Corporation, asking the Government to increase pensions to orphans and widows under the National Health Insurance Acts, was considered not to be within the province of the Council, and therefore no action was taken.
“Certain Premises”
“Certain premises” for a British Restaurant were suggested by the Ministry of Food, and it was resolved to reply that, subject to these being made available by the Ministry, the Council were prepared to submit a scheme for establishing a restaurant.
“It is not the first time this has been up,” said Coun. Capon, “and I don’t suppose it will be the last.”
Coun. Allebone said he would like to know what was in the committee’s mind as to the likely number of customers.
Coun. Capon: We haven’t exact data, but the committee on several occasions, from the information it has been able to glean, has estimated it is about 150.
Asked by the War Agricultural Committee to reconsider the previous decision not to organise a Land Club to provide a pool of emergency labour for the farmers, the Council resolved to publish an advertisement asking persons willing to become members of a Land Club to enrol their names with the Clerk of the Council.
Mr. F. G. Deane was formally appointed as Fire Guard Staff Officer (voluntary). He is also the town’s Chief Warden.
A Way Out
In order to comply with the fuel economy regulations it was decided to spend £10 on new valves for the hot water system at the Council Buildings so that the remainder of the premises can be isolated while the Report Centre is heated at night.
It was reported that 10 of the A.R.P. Wardens, having passed an examination, had been selected by the County A.R.P. Department for operational duties as Incident Officers.
Coun. Allen was re-elected to the East Northants Joint Hospital Board.
Members in attendance were Couns. A. F. Weale, J.P. (Chairman), Dr. R. W. Davies (Vice-Chairman), A. H. Bailey, A. Allebone, J.P., C.C., T. W. Cox, F. Green, J.P., Mrs. O. A. H. Muxlow, J. Allen, W. E. Capon, J. George, T. J. Swindall, J. E. Dilks, H. Waring, W. J. Sawford, E. A. Sugars, and J. T. Richardson, J.P. An apology for absence was received from Coun. J. Roe.
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