Minutes of a meeting on February 3rd revealed that the Council met specially to consider a notice by Mr. George Headland, of his intention to apply last Friday for an order sanctioning the removal of a beerhouse licence to 15, Oval-road.

The minutes stated that the land on which 15, Oval-road was built, was sold by the Council for the erection of a private house, and that Mr. Headland was granted a subsidy of £100 towards the erection of the house. It was resolved that the Council should oppose the application on the ground that the land was sold only for the erection of a private house.

Mr. Perkins reported that as instructed he attended the Licensing Sessions at Wellingborough and was particularly careful to emphasize that the reasons stated in the minutes were the sole grounds on which the Council felt they had a right to oppose. These were the grounds on which the Bench refused to grant the application.

Reward for Information

The Highways Committee recommended that a reward of £2 be offered for information that would lead to the conviction of persons who have damaged the young trees planted in Wellingborough-road. This report arose out of a discussion at the Council’s meeting in January.

In reply to Mr. Hornsby it was stated by Mr. Tom Wilmott that the Lighting Committee had agreed to place a new lamp between each of the lamps now existing in the Hayway. The present lamps were 200 yards or more apart.

Mr. Hornsby declined re-election as the Council’s representative on the Rushden Tuberculosis After-Care Committee, and Mr. Richardson was appointed in his place.

Plans were approved as follows:-

House, Wymington-road, Mr. T. C. Cross; two houses, Wymington-road, Mr. F. C. Chamberlain; House and shop, Purvis-road, Messrs. T. Swindall and Sons; additions to factory, Station-road, Messrs. B. Denton and Sons, Ltd; office and store, Station-road, Mr. Jack Joyce; additions to workshop, Station-road, Mr. Jack Joyce.

The Surveyor was instructed to purchase a quantity of silver birch and copper beech trees for planting in Westfield Avenue.

The chairman pointed out that a variety of colours had been arranged.

Mr. Tom Wilmott, however, announced that the firm supplying the trees did not advocate the copper beeches, in combination with the birches, their reason being that the birch “shot up in a week or two,” whereas the beech took years to reach the same height.

The Chairman: The exchange values of silver and copper might have upset the plans. (Laughter).

County Milk Laboratory

A letter was received from the County Council stating that that Council had decided to establish a County Laboratory for the periodical bacteriological examination of milk and asking the Rushden Council to co-operate. The laboratory would send to the Sanitary Inspector a case of six sterile bottles and the Inspector would under the powers conferred by Section 8, (1) of the Milk and Dairies (Consolidation) Act, 1915, collect in these bottles informal samples of milk as sold by retailers to consumers; these samples would then be examined in the County Laboratory and reported to the local authority as “good,” “moderate,” or “bad,” as the case may be. The charge for each sample analysed would be 2s 6d.

The Clerk was instructed to reply that the Council, while quite willing to co-operate in any arrangement for the production of cleaner milk, would like to be informed of the nature of the proposed examinations.

The Sanitary Inspector reported defects in the sanitary arrangements at a York-road factory, and it was decided to serve a notice on the owners.

Certain houses abutting Mannings-lane, Park-road, Harborough-road and Little-street were reported as being without proper yard paving, and Messrs. Swindall and Richardson were deputed to make an inspection.

Members in attendance were Messrs. L. Perkins, M.B.E. (Chairman), J. Roe (vice-chairman), T. Wilmott, T. F. B. Newberry, C. Claridge, A. Allebone, C.C., F. Green, J. Allen, W. E. Capon, A. Wilmott, G. W. Coles, J.P., J. Spencer, J.P., J. Hornsby and J. T. Richardson. Apologies for absence were received from Messrs. T. Swindall, L. Tysoe and C. W. Horrell, C.C.