Grave Shortage of Coal In The Town
Better System Promised By The Government
Improved Method Of Collecting House Refuse
The Road Board’s Stiff Terms Rejected

Wednesday, present Messrs. F. Knight, J.P. (chairman), J. Claridge, J.P., C.C., (vice-chairman), C. Bates, J. Spencer, J.P., J. Hornsby, T. Swindall, L. Perkins, B.Sc., C. W. Horrell, C. E. Bayes, J. Tomlin, and T. Wilmott, with the Clerk (Mr. G. S. Mason), the Surveyor (Mr. W. B. Madin), and the acting Sanitary Inspector (Mr. A. E. Lloyd).

Plans, Etc., Committee

A meeting of the Plans, Highways, and Lighting Committee was held at the Council Buildings on Wednesday, April 30th, 1919, when there were present: Messrs. F. Knight, J. Claridge, W. Bazeley, L. Perkins, J. Spencer, T. Swindall, and T. Wilmott.

Chairman

It was resolved that Mr. Knight be appointed Chairman of this Committee for the ensuing year.

Sub-Committee

The following Sub-committee was appointed :-

LIGHTING AND FIRE BRIGADE – Messrs. T. Wilmott, John Spencer, and T. Swindall.

Plans

were presented for:-

Factory in Graveley-street for Messrs. West Brothers and Co., and passed subject to the drainage arrangements and street level being to the satisfaction of the Surveyor.

A cottage at Rushden Hall for Mr. A. H. Sartoris, and passed subject to a window being provided for the E.C. and the brickwork at the back of the fireplaces in the kitchen and scullery being of 9 inch work or slate rendered.

A motor-house off the Newton-road for Mr. C. L. Bradfield, and passed subject to its being set back in a line with the main front wall of his own house as shown on the plan.

For the removal of a corrugated iron building, the property of Messrs. W. Green and Son, from Queen-street to Allen-road, and allowed.

Road Materials

CARTING – Only one tender was received for carting road materials to the various places where required, viz., from Mr. W. G. Wilmott, and it was resolved to recommend the Council to accept the same.

Public Lighting

The Surveyor reported that a trolley, the property of the Union Petroleum Products Company had collided with and damaged a lamp column in Park-road. The column had been repaired at a cost of £5, the account for which he had sent to the Company.

Wellingborough-Road Improvement

The Surveyor reported that the County Surveyor had been in communication with him with regard to the Council’s application to the Road Board for a grant towards the expenses of this improvement, who was prepared to recommend the Board to make a grant of £1,000 conditionally upon this Council expending on their district roads during the current year a sum 50 per cent. in excess of the pre-war expenditure plus £1,260 for deferred work. This would mean an expenditure on the district roads this year of £2,260 against an estimated amount of £1,700.

The Committee considered the conditions prohibitive, and decided that they could not recommend the Council to proceed with the proposal on the terms stated and the Clerk was instructed to write to the Road Board stating that in the opinion of the Committee the conditions were unreasonable.

Road Materials

The Surveyor reported that the control of road materials had now been withdrawn and that letters had been received from the various companies supplying the Council stating that the price would be increased from 9d. to 1s. per ton.

Guide Post

The Surveyor further reported that the guide post on the Kimbolton-road opposite the Grange Farm required replacing. He was instructed to communicate with the County surveyor asking for authority to provide a new one at a cost of £8 12s. 6d.

The report was adopted.

Finance & Estates Committee

A meeting of the Finance and Estates Committee was held at the Council Buildings on Wednesday, May 7th, 1919, at 10 a.m., when there were present :- Messrs. F. Knight, J. Claridge, C. Bates, C. W. Horrell, J. Spencer, and T. Wilmott.

Chairman

It was resolved that Mr. Knight be appointed Chairman of this Committee for the ensuing year.

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 following balances were in his hands:-

Tradesmen’s and Other Accounts

A number of accounts amounting to £727 2s. 0d. were examined and passed for payment.

Memorandum of General District Rate

The Collector submitted the following Memorandum of General District Rate made on October 9th, 1918:-

The collector also submitted a list of the irrecoverable amounts, and it was resolved to recommend the Council that they be written off as such.

The report was adopted.

Health & Sanitary Committee

A meeting of the Health and Sanitary Committee was held at the Council Buildings on Wednesday, May 7th, 1919, when there were present: Messrs. F. Knight, J. Claridge, C. E. Bayes, C. Bates, J. Hornsby, C. W. Horrell, and J. Tomlin.

Chairman

It was resolved that Mr. Claridge be appointed Chairman of this Committee for the ensuing year.

Sub-Committees

The following Sub-Committees were appointed:-

CEMETERY – Messrs. Claridge, Bayes, Bates, and Tomlin.

FARM – Messrs. Knight, Horrell, and Hornsby.

Health and Sanitary Reports

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

The Sanitary Inspector reported that during the past month 27 preliminary notices had been served calling attention to nuisances and other matters which had either been complied with or were receiving attention.

One lot of infected bedding had been destroyed after a death from consumption, and the house disinfected. It was resolved to recommend the Council to replace part of the bedding destroyed at a cost not exceeding £1 7s. 6d.

A quantity of Tripe and Suet voluntarily surrendered had been destroyed as being unfit for human consumption, also a quantity of tins of fish, fruit, etc.

The Cowsheds in the district had been inspected since the last meeting, and where found necessary notices served for the periodical limewashing of same.

A book belonging to the Free Library found in an infected house had been destroyed. It was resolved to recommend the Council to replace the book.

Defective yard paving in various parts of the town had been repaired or renewed during the month.

An application had been received from Mr. W. A. Dickens, of Wymington, to be registered at a Purveyor of milk in Rushden, and his name placed on the Register.

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

Cemetery

The Cemetery Registrar’s report for the quarter ended March 31st last was received, from which it appeared that there had been 51 interments during that period, viz., 14 children and 37 adults. Eleven grave spaces had been purchased and two reserved for a period of 14 years. The receipts had been £45 2s. 0d., and there were no fees outstanding.

The Committee considered the report very satisfactory.

Scavenging

The Committee had under further consideration a report from their Surveyor as to the improvement of the scavenging arrangements for the town, and after full consideration came to the conclusion that the most efficient and economical method would be the purchase of an electrically-propelled dust van, the cost of which including the necessary appliances would amount to about £1,250. Provisional arrangements had been made for suitable tips, and it was resolved to recommend the Council to apply to the Local Government Board for sanction to a loan of £1,250 for the purchase of such van.

If this proposal were adopted by the Council the Committee further considered that they should forthwith purchase two horses and carts for ordinary daywork purposes so that the only team labour which the Council would have to procure on hire for the future would be that for carting the road materials.

Mr. Claridge moved that the electric dust van be purchased, and said the committee were assured that this would be the best thing to do.

Mr. Bates seconded.

The Chairman reported on a visit to Kettering to see a similar system there, and it was perfectly satisfactory. He thought it would be a saving to the town.

Mr. Spencer complimented the Committee on their decision and heartily supported the recommendation.

Mr. Swindall thought the van could also be used for carting the road material, as it would do the work in less time that was occupied by the present system of collection.

Mr. Claridge said that the van would pay for itself by the time the loan was paid off. It would cost about £150 to £160 a year, including interest.

Mr. Hornsby supported.

In reply to Mr. Swindall the surveyor said that a steam-drawn vehicle would be better for hauling road material. The advantage of an electrically-driven van for dust collecting was that it could be stopped and started easily.

The motion was carried.

Mr. Claridge moved that two horses and carts be purchased, in accordance with the committee’s recommendation, and this was carried.

Mr. Horrell moved that Messrs. Knight, Wilmott, Swindall, and Hornsby be appointed a committee to purchase the horses and carts.

Mr. Spencer seconded, and it was carried.

The rest of the report was adopted.

Local Fuel and Lighting Committee
Meeting Held May 7th 1919

Present: Mr. T. Wilmott (chairman), also Messrs. Spencer, Clipson, Hornsby, Tomlin, Claridge, Swindall, Watson, and Percival.

Composition of Committee

On the application of the Rushden Co-operative Society, the Committee agreed to Mr. Wigginton being appointed as a member of this Committee in place of Mr. Cure, their last manager.

Having regard to circular (M.H.F.8) received from the Board of Trade, Coal Mines Department, re composition of Local Fuel and Lighting Committees, it was agreed that Mr. J. S. Clipson retain his seat as a member of this Committee.

Coal Received During April

The Local Fuel Overseer reported that according to the returns submitted, 422 tons of coal had been received and distributed by the local merchants and dealers during April. This quantity was totally inadequate to meet the Town’s urgent requirements, and a good deal of hardship had prevailed in consequence. The Local Fuel Overseer had notified the Divisional Officer of the shortage, and asked for further supplies to be sent, but owing to the Strike, they had only been able to forward three trucks of Emergency Coal during the month.

Mr. Spencer protested against the present coal control system, and said that a system which gave some districts a reasonable quantity of coal while others were very short wanted altering. There must be a gross inequality when Rushden had only a ton of coal per house in 7½ months, not counting houses where there were two families in a house. The present system of coal control had been a failure.

Mr. Wilmott said the committee had received information that the Government were about to make an alteration in the system. It required 650 tons to supply Rushden with one cwt. of coal per house, so they could see there had been a shortage.

Mr. Swindall said the Surveyor and himself were well satisfied with their visit to the district commissioner at Leicester, and were now sorry they had not been before. He thought those who bothered the most got served the best. In April the average of coal per house was only ¾cwt., per week, which was totally inadequate. Kettering, with double the population, had four times as much coal in the same period.

Pensions Committee

Mr. Bates proposed that Mr. Spencer be appointed a member of the Old Age Pensioners Committee in place of the late Mr. G. H. Skinner.

Mr. Tomlin proposed that Mr. Wilmott be elected, and pointed out that Mr. Wilmott was of the same party as the late Mr. Skinner.

Mr. Spencer withdrew his name, but said he hoped there would be more consideration another time to the Labour Party.

Mr. Wilmott was then elected.

Notices of Motion

Mr. Bates gave notice that at the next meeting he should propose that the working hours of the Council employees be reduced to 48, without any reduction in wages.

Mr. Spencer gave notice that he should move that an application be sent to the M.R. Company and to the Government to reinstate market tickets and also to run cheap trips during the summer and autumn, so that the children would have a chance of getting to the seaside.

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The Rushden Echo, 20th June, 1919

The Municipal Housing Scheme
Captured German Machine Gun Offered to the Town and Declined With Thanks
The Site for The Tank
The Good Health of the Town

Wednesday, present Messrs. F. Knight, J.P., (chairman), J. Claridge, J.P., C.C., (vice-chairman), W. Bazeley, J.P., C. Bates, J. Spencer, J.P., J. Hornsby, T. Swindall, L Perkins, B.Sc., C. W. Horrell, J. Tomlin, T. Wilmott, and C. E. Bayes, with the Clerk (Mr. G. S. Mason), the Surveyor (Mr. W. B. Madin), and the Acting Sanitary Inspector (Mr. A. E. Lloyd).

Plans, Etc., Committee

A meeting of the Plans, Highways, and Lighting Committee was held at the Council Buildings on Wednesday, May 26th, 1919, when there were present: Messrs. F. Knight (chairman), J. Claridge, L. Perkins, J. Spencer, T. Swindall, and T. Wilmott.

Plans

were presented for:-

A motor house off the Wellingborough-road, for Mr. Edwin West, and no exception taken.

A store room in Robinson-road, for Mr. C. Espin, and passed.

A boot and shoe factory in Essex-road, for Mr. E. Wrighton, and passed.

Alterations to No. 135, Wellingborough-road, for Mr. F. Caswell, and passed.

Damaged Lamp Column

The Surveyor reported that the Insurance Company had paid £5 in respect of the damage to the lamp column in Park-road.

Tar Boiler

The Surveyor reported that this Boiler required repairs to the casing, and he was authorised to instruct Mr. W. Leeson to carry out the necessary work at an estimated cost of £9.

Steam Tipping Wagon

The Surveyor read correspondence with the County Surveyor as to disused Army road equipment which was being disposed of, and the Committee authorised him to visit the Depot at Richborough with a view to acquiring a Steam Tipping Wagon if a suitable one were available.

Main Roads

Surface Tarring. – The Surveyor reported that the Road and Bridges Committee of the County Council had authorised an estimated expenditure of £393 15s., of which amount the Road Board would contribute £295 6s. 3d., and the County Council £49 4s. 5d., leaving a sum of £49 4s. 5d. to be paid by the Council.

Church Clock

A report was received from Mr. Ginns calling attention to the bad condition of the winding line, and the Surveyor was instructed to obtain a price for a new one.

Essex-Road

On the consideration of the report, Mr. Bates asked if any correspondence had been received with respect to the proposed erection of a factory by Mr. Wrighton in Essex-road.

The Chairman: There is a memorial to be received tonight.

Mr. Bates: I understand that the people in that locality are sending in an objection to the erection of a factory there.

The Chairman: It will not make any difference in passing the plans, and the memorial will be received later.

The report was adopted.

Park Committee

A meeting of the Park Committee was held at the Council Buildings on Wednesday, May 26th, 1919, when there were present: Messrs. F. Knight, (chairman), J. Claridge, C. E. Bayes, J. Tomlin, and T. Wilmott.

Finedon Old Band

An application was received from the Finedon Old Band for permission to give two open-air Concerts in the Park on a Sunday.

It was resolved to accede thereto, the concert in the evening not to commence before 7.15.

Agricultural Workers’ Union

An application was also received from the Wellingborough Divisional District Council of the Agricultural and R. W. Union for permission to hold a demonstration in the Park on Sunday, July 20th, and acceded to.

The Tank

From the report of the Surveyor who had visited Derby on the occasion of the arrival of a Tank there, it appeared that the Green would not be a suitable place for one, and the Committee agreed to provide a site on the left-hand side of the main entrance to the Park.

Cricket Pitches

The Committee visited the Park and allotted two cricket pitches, and also decided that any stalls, etc. to be erected on the occasion of the Fete organised by the Working Men’s Club Benevolent Aid Fund should be erected immediately inside the main entrance gates, and that they must be cleared from the ground during Sunday.

The report was adopted.

Finance and Estates Committee

A meeting of the Finance and Estates Committee was held at the Council Buildings on Wednesday, June 4th, 1919, at 10 a.m., when there were present: Messrs. F. Knight (chairman), J. Claridge, J. Spencer, and T. Wilmott.

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 on the under-mentioned accounts were as follows:-

Tradesmen’s and Other Accounts

A number of accounts amounting to £1,926 7s. 2d. were examined and passed for payment.

Public Clocks

An application was received from Mr. W. Ginns, the Church Clock Attendant, for an increase of salary.

It was resolved to recommend the Council to increase his remuneration from £6 to £10 per annum dating from July 1st next.

Housing

The Clerk reported that the sanction of the Local Government Board had been received to a Loan of £3,030 for the purchase of land for Workmen’s’ dwellings, and that the Ecclesiastical Commissioners had offered the Loan at £5 10s. per cent.

The Clerk was instructed to negotiate the Loan with the Ecclesiastical Commissioners on these terms.

Officers’ Salaries

A circular letter from the Local Government Board, dated May 20th, 1919, on the subject of War Bonuses to the Officials of the Council was submitted suggesting that the new scale adopted for civil servants might be taken by this Council for guidance in fixing and amending War Bonuses for their Officers.

A circular was also received on the same subject from the National Association of Local Government Officers, making a strong appeal to the Council to adopt the Civil Service scale for the whole of the administrative and Clerical Staffs of the Council.

It was resolved that the Chairman and Vice-chairman confer with the various Officials, and then consider the matter with the whole Council in Committee.

The report was adopted.

Health and Sanitary Committee

A meeting of the Health and Sanitary Committee was held at the Council Buildings on Wednesday, June 4th, 1919, when there were present: Messrs. J. Claridge (chairman), F. Knight, C. E. Bayes, C. Bates, J. Hornsby, and J. Tomlin.

Health and Sanitary Reports

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

The Sanitary Inspector reported that during the past month 24 preliminary Notices calling attention to nuisances and other matters had been issued, all of which were receiving attention.

Four lots of infected bedding had been destroyed after cases of infectious disease and the rooms cleansed. It was resolved to recommend the Council to replace part of the bedding destroyed at a cost not exceeding £1 7s. 6d. in each case.

A book belonging to the Free Library, found in an infected house, had been destroyed. It was resolved to recommend the Council to replace the book.

During May the following food, which had been voluntarily surrendered, had been destroyed in the usual way as being unfit for human consumption.

A quantity of Suet weighing 37-lbs,.

One box of sausages weighing 120-lbs.

Ten cases of Mackerel weighing 120-lbs.

A case of overcrowding had been investigated and the nuisance since abated.

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

Factory Acts

The Inspector also reported that during the month of May six additional lists had been received relating to eleven outworkers receiving work inside the district and five outworkers receiving work outside the district.

Meat Supply

A letter was received from the Rushden Industrial Co-operative Society asking the Council to use their influence with a view to having the cattle required for the meat supply of this district slaughtered in Rushden owing to the meat often arriving from Wellingborough in a state unfit for food.

It was resolved that representations be made to the Food Control Authorities that the continuance of the present arrangements whereby the slaughtering of all cattle intended for Butchers’ meat in this district takes place at Wellingborough and is distributed from that town in the middle of each week, is no longer necessary, or desirable; that the system during the summer months is dangerous and injurious to health by reason of considerable portions of the meat arriving at the outlying towns unfit for food, and moreover causing grave unrest and discontent amongst the working classes owing to no fresh meat being available for Sunday cooking.

That copies of this resolution be sent to the Area Meat Agent, the Divisional Food Commissioner, the Joint Area Local Food Committee, the Local Government Board, and the Member of Parliament for the Division.

Hospital

The Surveyor reported that the Caretaker of the Hospital on the Bedford-road had resigned; the resignation would take effect on the 28th instant. He was instructed to advertise for a successor to live on the premises rent free.

The report was adopted.

Housing Committee

A meeting of the Housing Committee was held at the Council Buildings on Wednesday, June 4th, 1919, when there were present: Messrs. F. Knight (chairman), J. Claridge, C. E. Bayes, J. Tomlin, and T. Wilmott.

Housing

A letter was received from the Local Government Board approving the Newton-road site and the amended lay-out plan subject to the houses in Trafford-road being kept at least 70 feet from house to house measured across the road.

The letter also stated that the amended house plans were approved subject to slight modifications in the specifications. The modifications referred to were of an unimportant character and were approved by the Committee. The Surveyor stated that Mr. Fisher was now proceeding to obtain tenders for the first 28 houses in Trafford-road.

The Chairman read a letter which he had received from Dr. Addison (President of the Local Government Board) expressing his appreciation of the earnestness of this Council in submitting their scheme for housing in the district and asking, now that approval had been received, that the Council should proceed to obtain tenders for the work and commence operations at the very earliest possible moment.

The report was adopted.

Public Health

Mr. Claridge referred to the annual report of the Medical Officer of Health (Dr. Baker), presented at the last meeting, and reported in full in the “Rushden Echo” exclusively. He thought they might congratulate themselves on having such a good Medical Officer and Sanitary Inspector, and upon the excellent nature of the report. In June last year there was a serious outbreak of influenza in the country and another outbreak in October and November, but in Rushden fortunately they suffered very little. In numerous towns there were many deaths, and many people suffered from the epidemic. In Rushden 13 deaths occurred from influenza and Dr. Baker attributed the comparative freedom of the town from influenza to the good sanitary condition of the place. The death-rate for the year was very low – not quite so low as last year, but nearly as low. The birth-rate was extremely low, and this Dr. Baker attributed to the abnormal conditions which had prevailed during the 4½ years of war. The infantile mortality the previous year was very low – he thought the lowest in the county – and last year it was lower still, which showed that greater care was being taken with regard to the rearing of the young. The death-rate among infants (under one year of age) was as low as 44 per 1,000 births, whereas he remembered when it was as high as 120 and 130.

Mr. Bazeley said he thought the Council should not live in a fool’s paradise and think that things were altogether satisfactory. A house-to-house inspection of Rushden would show a good deal of overcrowding, and would reveal that a lot of property was in a bad state of repair, so that he thought they were liable to an epidemic at any time through these two causes. They might congratulate themselves on the report, but they must not close their eyes to the need for still looking after the public health.

Council’s Workmen

The Clerk read an application on behalf of the workmen employed by the Council for a reduction in the number of working hours according to the national agreement.

Mr. Bates moved that the hours of the Council’s workmen be reduced to 47 a week, and said that the Kettering Urban Council had already taken this step. At the last meeting he gave notice to move that the hours be reduced to 48, but he since found that the national agreement was 47 hours.

Mr. Bazeley responded, and said he should not have been surprised if there had been a further demand for an increase of wages. He knew there was a lot of dissatisfaction and had been for some time on the part of the Council’s employees, not only with regard to the working hours, but also with reference to the wages, and it would be much better for the Council to deal with the whole matter before losing their employees. He should like the Finance Committee at the next meeting to go into the question of wages. A man who was getting 5d.an hour before the war and was now getting 8d. an hour was not so well off as in pre-war days. As a Council they ought to be model employers. He understood that the men only had ordinary pay for overtime, whereas they ought to have time-and-a-quarter.

The Surveyor, in answer to Mr. Wilmott, said that at present the men worked 56 hours in summer and 52½ in winter.

The Chairman, in answer to questions said that at Wellingborough and at Bedford the Council employees worked 48 hours. In Northampton County and in Northampton Borough the hours were longer.

Mr. Hornsby supported the motion.

Mr. Tomlin said that the bricklayers and others in the building trade worked 52½ hours.

Mr. Swindall said that the building trade had amicably arranged for 52½ hours. The Council employees in the past had generally followed the hours in the building trade, and if the hours of the employees of the Council were now reduced to 52½ that would meet the case very well. He moved this.

Mr. Wilmott said that to test the feeling of the Council he would second this.

Mr. Spencer said that since there was a national agreement for 47 hours for Council employees he thought they should adopt it for Rushden.

The Chairman said that if Mr. Swindall had made his proposition 48 hours – as in the case of the shoe trade – there would not have been much cause for complaint. If indoor work-people could work 48 hours, the workers out-doors, which was more healthy, should not want less.

Mr. Swindall’s amendment was defeated.

Mr. Claridge moved a further amendment that the hours be 48, which was seconded by Mr. Bayes and carried. Mr. Bazeley being the only dissentient.

Railway Facilities

Mr. Spencer moved that an application be sent to the Midland Railway Co., the Local Government Board, and the Board of Trade (1) for cheap market tickets to Northampton, Wellingborough, and Bedford, (2) for cheap excursions to be run to the seaside, and (3) for cheap week-end tickets to be run to all places where such tickets were available before the war. He was not raising the question of the 50 per cent. increase in the ordinary fares. They talked of a 50 per cent. increase. In many cases it was 200 per cent. increase. Numbers of people, for instance, went from Rushden to Northampton to go to the Hospital and before the war they could get cheap tickets twice a week for 1s. 8d., whereas now it was 3s. 10d., or an increase of 130 per cent. It was practically the same for people going to Bedford. In the cheap long distance excursions before the war, Rushden people could go to Liverpool for a day for 5s. 6d., or for a week 8s., whereas now it was 35s. 3d., an increase not of 50 per cent., but of hundreds per cent. The same thing applied to Brighton, Yarmouth, and other places. In a Sunday school recently he asked the number of children, who during the past year had visited the seaside, and scarcely anyone had done, and in the previous two years scarcely any had done so. At the present fares it was almost impossible for the working classes to take their children to the seaside.

Mr. Horrell said they would all be prepared to second it if they thought it would be effective.

Mr. Claridge: It cannot under the present conditions as regards rolling stock, etc.

After discussion, the proposition was carried unanimously.

Meat

The Clerk read a letter from the Divisional Food Commissioner, in answer to the request from the Health and Sanitary Committee that the Rushden butchers should be allowed to have live cattle and slaughter it in the town, instead of it all being slaughtered in Wellingborough. The Commissioner granted the request.

Several members of the Council said that, although the Rushden butchers now had the opportunity of having the cattle alive so as to kill in the town, they preferred the present system of the animals being slaughtered at Wellingborough, as it saved them trouble and expense.

Mr. Hornsby said the whole of the people should be considered before the butchers.

In answer to Mr. Bazeley, the Clerk said that the Rushden Co-operative Society’s representative said they were perfectly satisfied with the present arrangement.

Mr. Hornsby said that was not the opinion of the society.

Housing

The seal of the Council was affixed to the conveyance of the Newton-road site for the municipal housing scheme from Messrs. Knight and Bradfield to the Urban Council, and it was decided to draw a cheque for £2,971 3s. 0d. in favour of Messrs. Knight and Bradfield as purchase money.

The Council’s seal was also affixed to a mortgage to the Ecclesiastical Commissioners for a loan of £3,030, repayable by equal annual instalments of principal and interest combined at £5 11s. 6d. per cent.

Mr. Bazeley: How far have we now advanced in the housing scheme?

The Chairman: Mr. Fisher is advertising for tenders for this week-end. No time is being lost.

German Gun

The Chairman: An application was made some time ago to the War Office for a gun for Rushden, but so many applications were received that they are going to distribute hardly any, but they state that we can have a captured German machine gun if we like.

Mr. Hornsby: Is it the wish of the town that we should have a captured German machine gun here?

Mr. Bazeley: I think it should be turned into a ploughshare before it comes.

Mr. Wilmott: I should have liked an English gun here to commemorate the late Lieut.-Colonel Bernard Vann, a Rushden boy who gained the V.C.

The Chairman, referring to the Surveyor’s visit to Derby to see the arrival of a Tank there, said that Mr. Madin thought it would be a mistake to place it on the Green, as the space was not sufficient. The Park Committee favoured it being placed on the left-hand side of the main entrance to Spencer Park.

Mr. Bates: It would be a more suitable place than the Green.

Mr. Perkins, in answer to questions, said that the German machine gun would need protection.

The Chairman: Personally I think we might thank them for the offer of the gun and not accept it.

Mr. Hornsby: It would be better to put up swings in the Council field in Park-road.

Mr. Bates proposed that the offer of the gun be declined, with thanks.

Mr. Tomlin seconded, and it was carried.

A Protest

A memorial was received from the residents of Park-road, York-road, and Essex-road, expressing regret that it was proposed to erect a boot factory in Essex-road on a small plot of land immediately surrounded by residences. They stated that they had no legal grounds for complaint, but thought the time had come when all new factories should be built on sites away from residential property, to avoid the depreciation of existing property.

The Clerk said the Council had no power whatever.

Mr. Swindall: Can we adopt a bye-law, so that we could have a voice in the situation. Victoria-road is spoiled in exactly the same way.

Mr. Wilmott: The only way it can be stopped is when new estates are being opened; the owners then can make a stipulation to the effect that no factories should be built there.

The Chairman: There are stipulations on that estate to the effect that there shall be no clubs or public houses, but there is no recommendation as to factories.

Mr. Bazeley said he had seen Mr. Wrighton and his son, and they would do all in their power to ensure that there should be no nuisance, but Mr. Wrighton took the view that there were factories in the adjacent streets. He was not acting out of perversion and everything would be done to obviate nuisance. It would be a one-floor factory and electricity would be used instead of gas.

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