Proposed Purchase of A Building Site
The Public Taste in Reading
Postal Facilities in The South Ward

  Wednesday, present Councillors C. W. Horrell, C.A., J.P., (chairman), C. Claridge, (vice-chairman), T. Wilmott, T. F. B. Newberry, J. Roe, A. Allebone, F. Knight, J.P., T. Swindall, C. E. Bayes, L. Perkins, B.Sc., F. Corby, J. Spencer, J.P., J. Hornsby, G. W. Coles, J.P., and W. Bazeley, J.P., with the Clerk (Mr. G. S. Mason), the Surveyor (Mr. W. B. Madin), and the Sanitary Inspector (Mr. F. S. F. Piper).

  Mr. W. C. Tarry wrote apologising for his inability to attend, as he was out of town.  There were also apologies from Mr. C. Bates and Dr. Greenfield.

Library Committee

  A meeting of the Free Library Committee was held at the Library on Friday, the 12^th June, 1925, when there were present:- Messrs. J. S. Clipson, W. C. Tarry, J. Spencer, T. Swindall, W. W. Rial, B. M. Jones, S. Saddler, and the Rev. P. Robson.

Appointment of Committee

  The Secretary reported that at the annual meeting of the Rushden Urban District Council the whole of the members had been elected, with the exception of Miss C. Clark, who wished to resign, and to whose place Mr. W. C. Tarry had been appointed.

Chairman

  It was resolved that Mr. J. S. Clipson be re-appointed Chairman, and that the thanks of the Committee be accorded him for his past services to the Library.

Vice-Chairman

  It was also resolved that Mr. J. Spencer be appointed Vice-Chairman of the Committee.

Minutes

  The minutes of the previous meeting of the Committee held on the 31^st October, 1924, were taken as read and confirmed.

Book Selection Committee

  It was resolved that the Book Selection Committee for the ensuing 12 months consist of the Chairman, with Messrs. Rial, Saddler, Jones, and the Revs. P. Robson and C. J. Keeler.

Books Issued

  The Secretary reported that the number of books issued for the seven months ended 31^st March last was 17,838, made up as follows:-

Additions to Library

  The Secretary also reported that 129 books had been added to the Library since 31^st October, 1924, as follows:-

Gifts of Books

  The Secretary also reported that since the last meeting ten books had been presented to the Library by Mrs. White, Oakley-road, and the thanks of the Committee were accorded to the donor.

New Books

  It was resolved to recommend the Council to authorise the Committee to spend a sum not exceeding £50 in the purchase of new books, and the renovation of some of the old ones, during the current financial year.

Papers and Periodicals

  It was agreed to continue the present arrangements with Mr. Charles Robinson for the supply of papers and periodicals for the further period to the 31^st March next upon the same terms.  The question of the annual sale of the papers was referred to the Book Selection Committee.  The report was adopted.

Housing Committee

  A meeting of the Housing Committee was held at the Council Buildings on Wednesday, the 17^th June, 1925, when there were present:- Messrs. C. Bates (chairman), W. Bazeley, C. E. Bayes, C. W. Horrell, T. F. B. Newberry, and T. Wilmott.

Irchester Road

  The Clerk produced a plan showing the available building land on the South side of Irchester-road, the property of Mr. Sartoris, and he was instructed to continue the negotiations for the purchase of the frontage so far as houses erected hereon could be drained into the existing sewer and if possible obtain an option to purchase the remaining frontage as far as Knuston Spinney extending for one year.

Grates

  The Surveyor was authorised to place an order through a local ironmonger for the grates known as the Workwell grates produced by the Templex Foundry, Ltd.  It was understood that the Council would receive a special discount of 30 per cent. on the list prices.

Trafford Road

  The Surveyor was instructed to erect short fences at the rear of six houses in Trafford-road.  The report was adopted.

Plans, &c., Committee

  A meeting of the Plans, &c., Committee was held at the Council Buildings on Wednesday, the 24^th June, 1925, when there were present:- Messrs. T. Wilmott (chairman), A. Allebone, C. E. Bayes, G. W. Coles, F. Knight, and W. C. Tarry.

Plans

were presented for:-

  House in Prospect Avenue for Mr. G. Warner and passed.

  An application for a Subsidy in respect of the foregoing house was received, and it was resolved to recommend the Council to instruct the Surveyor to issue a Certificate in respect of same as coming within the Council’s Scheme for the subsidy of £100.

  New street to be called Prospect-avenue off the Higham-road and passed.

Temporary Buildings

  Applications for permission to erect small temporary wooden buildings near their premises were received from Mr. E. Short, of No. 7, Ealing-terrace, and Mr. G. C. Parker, of No. 129, Glassbrook-road, and it was resolved to recommend the Council to take no exception thereto.

  The Surveyor was requested to inspect a building recently erected by Mr. A. E. Cherry, of No. 103, Washbrook-road, and report to the next meeting.

Main Roads

  A letter was received from the County Surveyor stating that the Roads and Bridges Committee had approved the Council’s estimates for the maintenance of the Main Roads in this district for the year 1925-26 amounting to £2,567  2s.  6d.

Census of Traffic

  The Surveyor reported that the County Surveyor had written to him asking for a Census of Traffic on the Wellingborough-road to be taken during the month of August.  The Committee suggested that such Census should be taken at two points on the road in question, viz., at the top of Fitzwilliam-street and at a point between the Four roads and Grange Farm, and the Surveyor was instructed to make arrangements accordingly.

Newton Road Improvement

  A letter was received from Mr. John White asking the Council to give further consideration to his proposal to purchase the land recently acquired for public conveniences, in which case he would arrange to purchase from the Church authorities the remaining land between there and the Vestry Hall and make provision for the loading and unloading of vehicles off the street as well as build new offices on the extended area.

  The Clerk was instructed to reply that the Council had no intention of abandoning this site and to suggest to Mr. White that he again communicate with the church authorities as to purchasing their land.

  The report was adopted.

Baths Committee

  A meeting of the Baths Committee was held on Tuesday, the 30^th June, 1925, when there were present:- Mr. C. Claridge (chairman), Messrs. A. Allebone, F. Corby, J. Hornsby, L. Perkins and J. Spencer.

  The Committee had before them the report of their Sub-committee on the result of their enquiries as to possible sites for an open air swimming bath and ultimately visited Spencer Park and inspected a suggested site at the rear of Ealing Terrace running along the rear of the cottages in Spencer Road.

  After very careful consideration it was ultimately unanimously resolved to recommend the Council to appropriate sufficient land at this point for the proposed swimming bath.  The report was adopted.

Finance and Estates Committee

  A meeting of the Finance and Estates Committee was held at the council Buildings on Wednesday, the 1^st July, 1925, at 10 a.m., when there were present:- Messrs. C. W. Horrell (chairman), C. Claridge, C. Bates, J. Hornsby, L. Perkins and J. Roe.

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 during the past month:-

  And that the following balances were in his hands:-

Tradesmen’s and Other Accounts

  A number of accounts amounting to £2,128/10/9 were examined and passed for payment.

Allen Road

  The Clerk reported that £892  10s.  9d. had been paid by the abutting owners in respect of the making up this street under the Private Street Works Act and that £169  0s.  9d. still remained unpaid.

  It was resolved to recommend the Council to require payment from the defaulting owners and to give them notice that if the sums apportioned on them respectively be not paid within three months from the service of such notice the Council would proceed to sell the lands concerned under the powers conferred upon them by the Act.

Architect’s Fees

  The Sub-Committee appointed to deal with this matter reported that after several meetings and correspondence with the Ministry of Health, the latter had agreed to the payment to Messrs. Talbot Brown and Fisher of £2086/1/4 in satisfaction of their fees for work in connection with the Assisted Housing Scheme.  £800 had already been paid on account, and it was resolved to recommend the Council to pay the balance forthwith, the total amount payable being £1197/8/9 less than the fees provided for in the Ministry of Health scale.

  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 1^st July, 1925, when there were present:- Messrs. F. Corby (chairman), W. Bazeley, T. F. B. Newberry, J. Spencer, and T. Swindall.

Health and Sanitary Reports

  The report of the Medical Officer for the month of June was received.

  The Sanitary Inspector reported that since the last meeting 39 nuisances had been dealt with.

  Twenty-six visits had been made to premises where food was prepared or sold during which inspections the carcase and organs of a pig and a quantity of pork offal had been found to be diseased or unfit for food and destroyed in the usual way.

  At the Depot a quantity of articles of bedding and wearing apparel had been disinfected and a quantity of bedding destroyed at the Sewage Farm all after cases of infectious disease.

  It was resolved to recommend the Council to replace part of the bedding destroyed in one of the cases at a cost not exceeding £1  7s.  6d.

  The Inspector gave a detailed statement of his work and inspections since the last meeting.

Petroleum Acts

  An application was received from Mr. Asher Abbott, of Little-street, for a licence to store 150 gallons of petrol on his premises, and it was resolved to recommend the Council to accede thereto subject to the store being constructed to the satisfaction of the Inspector.

  An application was also received from Messrs. Wadsworth Bros., of No. 63, Newton-road, for a licence to store 300 gallons of petrol in an underground tank on their premises, and it was resolved to recommend the Council to accede thereto subject to the tank being constructed to the satisfaction of the Inspector.

Cemetery

  The half-yearly report of the Cemetery Registrar was received, from which it appeared that during that period there had been 83 interments.  Thirty-two grave spaces had been purchased, two reserved, and to others reserved for a further period of 14 years.  One headstone had been erected, 20 graves enclosed with kerbing, and three additional inscriptions had been engraved on existing memorials.  The receipts for the half-year had been £129  12s.  3d.

Dairies, &c., Order

  The quarterly report of the Veterinary Inspector was received, from which it appeared that on the 5^th and 9^th June last he made an inspection of the dairy cows in milk in this district, visiting 34 premises and inspecting 186 cows, making an individual examination of each udder.  The whole of the cows were clinically normal.

  The Committee considered the report very satisfactory.

Hospital

  The Medical Officer reported that no further cases of smallpox had been notified and that the patients in the Hospital were progressing satisfactorily.

  It was resolved to recommend the Council to make a grant of £5 to Dr. Muriset for the provision of medical comforts for the patients.

  It was also resolved that Mrs. Miles be paid a wage of £2 per week during the time she is engaged at the Hospital.

Duck Street

  The Surveyor submitted an estimate of the cost of constructing a cover over the brook near the house of Mr. Arthur Sanders amounting to £26 and the Committee resolved to recommend the Council to contribute £13 towards such cost if Mr. Sanders would carry out the work.

Public Conveniences

  The surveyor submitted tenders for the erection of public conveniences on the Newton-road site and it was resolved to recommend the Council to accept the lowest viz. that of Mr. Robert Marriott for £1396/10/0.

Health Week

    A circular letter from the Health Week Committee of the Royal Sanitary Institute was received enquiring if this Council would assist in the promotion of Health Week in Rushden this year.

  The Committee resolved to recommend the Council not to make any special effort this year.

Sanitary Inspectors’ Association

  A circular letter was received from the Hon. Secretary of this Association stating that the annual conference would be held in Liverpool from September 8^th to 11^th and inviting this Council to send delegates.

  It was resolved to recommend the Council to authorise their Sanitary Inspector to attend the Conference as a delegate from this Council.

Wellingborough Road

  A memorial was received from the residents on the St. Crispin Estate, Wellingborough-road, requesting the Council to consider the question of the extension of the sewer to that Estate.

  The surveyor pointed out that it was not possible to extend the Wellingborough-road sewer to that point and stated that any system of sewerage would have to be across the fields opposite the estate.

  The Committee could not see their way at the present time to recommend the Council to incur this expense.

  The report was adopted.

  On the subject of the wage to Mrs. Miles, for work at the Isolation Hospital, Mr. Coles said he admired her pluck in undertaking the duties.  He did not think it should be passed over without some such expression.

  Regarding the proposed site for the new public conveniences, Mr. Roe asked whether anything had been said at the committee meeting in opposition to the site.  He personally was not altogether in favour of that valuable site being used for the purpose.

  Mr. Corby said that Dr. Greenfield was not at the meeting, but one other member of the committee had asked a question about it.  Otherwise the recommendation was absolutely unanimous.

  Intervening on the subject of Health Week, Mr. Coles said that the same course was being adopted throughout the county.  Apart from the schools, there would be no Health Week programme this year, so that Rushden would be in harmony with the county.

  Mr. Corby said he was glad to hear that, but the committee did not know it when they arrived at their decision.

Postal Facilities

  The Postmaster General wrote (June 23) in reply to a request from the Council for a sub post office in the South End of Rushden, stating that there had been no material change in the circumstances since the matter was last under consideration and therefore he regretted that he was unable to accede to the application.

  Mr. Newberry said that in the South Ward there was a population of 4,500, and they had no postal facilities whatever.  Something ought to be done.  A census of the letters and parcels delivered in the South would show the need.  It was no proof that a sub-office was not needed because there was little posting done in that part of the town.  When people had to go to the main office to buy their stamps it was not likely that they would take the letters back to the South Ward to post them.

  Mr. Spencer suggested that the matter be raised again in six months.

  Mr. Hornsby said the Postmaster General “regretted” no more than they did!

  Mr. Wilmott said he was thoroughly disappointed with the reply.  The South Ward was long and scattered.  Some had to walk a mile to the Post Office to get a stamp.

  Mr. Perkins pointed out that someone might be asked to take out a licence to sell stamps.  It would cost nothing, and although there would not be direct profit there might be indirect profit through other sales.

  Mr. Wilmott:  Would that include Health and Unemployment stamps and the issue of Old Age Pensions?

  Mr. Perkins:  Not Old Age Pensions, but would be some convenience to get stamps.

  The Chairman:  There seems little we can do except approach the M.P. for the Division.

  Mr. Coles’s suggestion of an automatic stamp machine was not favourably received.

  On the motion of Mr. Spencer (who referred to the great injustice to Old Age Pensioners), seconded by Mr. Newberry, the Chairman’s suggestion was adopted.

Housing Subsidy

  In reference to the application to the Ministry of Health for permission to increase the grant to house-builders from £100 to £115, a letter from the Ministry, dated July 7^th, was read to the effect that permission could not be granted.

Untidy

  Mr. Knight said that latterly High-street on Sunday mornings had been about the “untidiest street in England” instead of, as it used to be, “the tidiest street in England.”  He referred to the paper thrown about by the people on Saturday nights, and said it would not cost much to have it cleared up on Sunday mornings.

  The Surveyor said that two men were employed at 6 a.m. on Sunday to clear from the Green to the Railway Bridge.  Possibly some paper had blown in the street from College-street or Duck-street.

  Mr. Spencer said he was in the High-street early on Sunday mornings and he found it free from paper.

  Mr. Wilmott said he would like to impress on the public to be more careful.  They threw away whole newspapers and fish and chip bags in the street.  But until the Council provided receptacles in the street for such refuse the Council were partly at fault.  (Hear, hear.)

  The matter was referred to the Highways Committee.

The Park

  Mr. Perkins asked the Parks Committee to improve that part of the Park where the children tried to play games but could not properly because it was too rough.  The Council School Managers, he said, at a meeting that week, expressed the hope that the Council would give the matter their attention.

  Mr. Hornsby suggested that another season the grass be cut earlier and twice if necessary.

  Mr. Claridge, on behalf of the Education Committee, asked the Council to allow the use during certain hours of Spencer Park to the children who would be attending the Intermediate School in September.

  Mr. Bazeley hoped that would include giving the children swimming lesson in the baths to be provided in the Park.

  Mr. Horrell said he had no doubt that that would be part of the programme.

  The suggestions raised were all referred to the Parks Committee.