Complimentary Speeches
The Ratepayers’ Burden
Protest From The Chairman

  At a meeting of the Council on Wednesday night there were present Messrs. F. Ballard (chairman), W. Bazeley (vice-chairman), F. Knight, J.P., J. Claridge, J.P., C.C., G. H. Skinner, C. E. Bayes, J. S. Clipson, T. Swindall, J. Paragreen, C. Bates, G. Miller, C.C., and A. J. Dobbs, with the Clerk (Mr. G. S. Mason), the Surveyor (Mr. W. B. Madin), and the Sanitary Inspector (Mr. H. Hunter).

Council In Committee

  A meeting of the whole Council in Committee was held at the Council Buildings on Wednesday, the 11^th March, 1908, when there were present:- Messrs. F. Ballard (chairman), W. Bazeley, C. Bates, C. E. Bayes, J. S. Clipson, A. J. Dobbs, F. Knight, J. Claridge, G. Miller, J. Paragreen, and T. Swindall.

Irchester And Washbrook Roads

  The Committee had before them the Surveyor’s estimate for carrying out the proposed improvements in these roads, amounting altogether to £360, and after a lengthy consideration it was resolved by a majority to recommend the Council to apply to the Local Government Board for sanction to a loan for carrying out the works.

Bandstand

  A letter was received from the Secretary to the Temperance Band asking the Council to take into their consideration the question of erecting a Bandstand in the Cemetery field.  The Clerk informed the Committee that they had no power to apply any money out of the rates in the erection of a Bandstand in this field.

  It was resolved to appoint a small Committee consisting of the Chairman, Vice-chairman, and Mr. Knight to meet the bands of the town and confer with them as to the best means of providing a suitable Bandstand for their use.

High Street South Improvement

  A letter was received from Miss Eady asking the Council to provide a gateway into her land when the improvement is affected.  It was pointed out that no provision for a gateway was made in the terms of purchase from Miss Eady and that no means of access to the land in question from the High-street had hitherto been available.  The Committee thought it reasonable that if Miss Eady required a gateway she should pay any additional cost involved in providing one.

  The Clerk was instructed to reply to Miss Eady to this effect.

  The Chairman moved the adoption of the report.

  Mr. Miller moved that the recommendation with regard to Irchester-road and Washbrook-road improvements be referred back to the committee.  He was given to understand that the necessary work could be done for about £10 without burdening the town with a loan.

  Mr. Skinner seconded the motion, and thought they should do all they could to save the rates.  Besides, most people going along Washbrook-road walked in the roadway.

  Mr. Claridge was very much opposed to those small loans.  It was necessary for something to be done for the safety of the public in Irchester-road, but he thought it could be done at a small expense without further burdening the town.  He thought in a matter of that kind they should consider the ratepayers.

  Mr. Bates, in seconding the adoption of the report, said it was very necessary that the work should be done properly.

  Mr. Bazeley said it seemed to him that if the work was to be done at all the expense should, as a matter of principle, be spread over a number of years.

  Mr. Clipson did not see that any harm would result from referring the recommendation back, though he did not agree with the suggestion that they were so hard up.  It might be thought that the town was on the verge of bankruptcy.

  Mr. Dobbs thought the amendment was just an attempt to scotch the improvement.  It was two years since he brought the matter forward, and it was time they did something.  He did not wonder at people walking on the road instead of the footpath.  The only excuse for not doing the work was that it would cost money.  It would have to be paid for whenever the work was done.

  Mr. Paragreen thought it was very desirable that they should defer such expenses as long as possible.  His own rates were higher than he could pay now.

  The Chairman repudiated the suggestion that the Council did not consider the ratepayers.  They had always considered them, and there was not a member of the Council who would rob the ratepayers of a farthing.  No section paid all the rates, and none liked paying.  (Laughter.)  He did not oppose the amendment, but something ought soon to be done.

  The amendment was carried by seven votes to three, and the remainder of the report was adopted.

Plans, &c., Committee

  A meeting of the Plans, Highways and Lighting Committee was held at the Council Buildings on Wednesday, the 25^th March, 1908, when there were present:- Messrs. F. Ballard (in the chair), W. Bazeley, C. E. Bayes, J. S. Clipson, G. Miller, F. Knight, and A. J. Dobbs.

Plans

were presented by:-

  Mr. A. Osborne for stable in Brookfield-road and passed.

  Mr. F. A. Skeeles for additions to his house in Montague-street and passed.

  Messrs. W. Green and Son for additions to their factory in Queen-street and referred back for amendment.  The work to be allowed to proceed on the amendments being made to the satisfaction of the Surveyor.

  Mr. W. Joseph for the erection of a screen and open shed at the rear of No. 125, High-street.  The Committee took no exception to the screen but were unable to recommend the Council to approve of the erection of the open shed.

Jonathan Northern

  The Surveyor submitted a letter he had received from Mr. Northern with regard to the footpath in front of his shops in the High-street, asking if the Council would raise the same to suit the cellar lights in his pavement as originally contemplated when the buildings were constructed.

  The Committee felt unable at present to recommend the Council to proceed to raise the footpath as requested but agreed to recommend them to authorise the Surveyor to inform Mr. Northern that in the event of him lowering his pavement to suit the present level of the footpath the Council would, if at any time the footpath is raised by them, bear the expense of bringing Mr. Northern’s pavement to the same level.

  The report was adopted.

Finance Committee

  A meeting of the Finance Committee was held at the Council Buildings on Wednesday, the 1^st April, 1908, when there were present: Messrs. F. Ballard (chairman), W. Bazeley, J. Claridge, and Geo. Miller.

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 District Rate Account

  The Committee also examined the Collector’s District Rate Account, from which it appeared that since the last meeting he had collected the following sum:-

Cemetery Registrar’s Account

  From the Cemetery Registrar’s Account produced it appeared that the following sum had been paid to him since the last meeting:-

Collector’s Fittings Accounts

  By the Collector’s fittings account produced it appeared that since the last meeting he had collected the following sums:

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 were examined and passed for payment.  The report was adopted.

Estates, Cemetery And Sanitary Committee

  A meeting of the Estates, Cemetery, and Sanitary Committee was held at the Council Buildings on Wednesday, the 1^st April, 1908, when there were present:-  Messrs. W. Bazeley (chairman), F. Ballard, C. Bates, J. Claridge, J. Paragreen, G. H. Skinner, and Tom Swindall.

Health And Sanitary Reports

  The Medical Officer reported that he had inspected four cottages in Green’s-yard, Nos. 5, 7, 9, and 11, which he found in a very bad condition; he had suggested that the old thatch should be removed, the outer walls and windows raised, the cottages re-roofed with tiles and ceiled, and the damp walls rendered with cement and glazed with silica.  He understood that the owner had agreed to carry out these suggestions.

  Five cases of infectious disease had been notified during the month, four of scarlet fever and one of erysipelas.  The small-pox contact case was received from Southampton.  The man was placed under observation, but no development occurred.

Factory And Workshops Acts

  The Inspector reported that complete lists of outworkers had now been received.

Consumption

  The Officer asked the Committee to consider the desirability of asking the local doctors to voluntarily notify phthisis as they come into touch with cases.  The Committee were given to understand that such arrangements had been made in other towns and were satisfied that a considerable amount of good might be done if the Inspector could visit the houses and inspect the conditions in which the patients lived.  It was resolved to recommend the Council to ask the doctors in Rushden if they would be good enough to assist in this direction.

  The Inspector submitted his usual monthly statement of work done, complaints investigated, and notices served.

Footpath Obstruction

  A letter was received from Messrs. J. T. Parker and Son with reference to a complaint made by the Sanitary Inspector to Messrs. Wooding Brothers as to their using boards outside their shop for the purpose of displaying goods on Saturday nights.

  The Committee carefully considered the reasons given by Messrs. Parker for allowing the use of the boards in question but felt unable to sanction the continuance of their use.  The Clerk was instructed to reply accordingly.

Cemetery

  An application was received from Mr. Sabey, the caretaker, for an increase of salary, and it was resolved to recommend the Council to grant him an increase of 2s. per week.

Humane Slaughtering Of Animals

  A circular letter on this subject was received from the Local Government Board.

  Regarding the notifying of consumption, Mr. Dobbs hoped that the notifications would be kept private, or some men in the first stages of consumption might lose their employment.

  Mr. Bazeley said the Committee did not suggest that the notifications should be made public, but they thought the Inspector might be able to give good advice to the people concerned, as he had already done in some cases.

  Mr. Swindall did not think a doctor would notify a case in an early stage.

  The Inspector pointed out that unless a patient was in the doctor’s hands there would be no notification.  No notification would be made public.

  Mr. Skinner: No man with consumption ought to work in a shop.

  Mr. Dobbs: But they are obliged to, Mr. Skinner.   

 The report was adopted.

Small Holdings

  A letter was received from the County Council asking the Council to appoint four representatives to act with a member of the County Council Small Holdings Committee as a sub-committee to inquire into the qualifications of the Rushden applicants for small holdings.  The amount of land applied for in Rushden was 490 acres.

  Mr. Miller, who has been appointed a member of the County Council Small Holdings Committee, explained the steps taken by the Committee to put the Act into operation, but said it would be some time before things would be in working order.

  The Chairman, Vice-chairman, Mr. Swindall, and Mr. Bayes were appointed as the Council’s representatives, and were also appointed representatives to the conference convened at Wellingborough to-morrow (Saturday).

Council Chambers v. Public-Houses

  A letter was received from the Local Government Board stating that difficulties were often experienced by trade unions, friendly societies, and similar bodies in finding accommodation for meetings except in licensed premises, and the assistance of the Board had been requested.  Where a local authority were in possession of a town-hall or offices, it was competent for them to let their premises to the bodies mentioned, so long as the local authority was not put to any expense in the matter.  It was very desirable that the societies should not be compelled to meet on licensed premises and the Board trusted it would be possible for the Council to make arrangements to obviate this necessity.

  Mr. Claridge:  It is rather a tall order, though it is an important matter.

  Mr. Skinner:  There are the schools.

  Mr. Claridge:  They are not at all suitable.

  The Chairman:  We have only the one room and I don’t know whether it would be large enough or suitable.

  Mr. Swindall did not think the circular was applicable to Rushden.  There were several rooms in the town that could be hired.

  Mr. Claridge said he knew the Foresters wanted to get away from a public-house.

  It was decided to refer the matter to the Estates Committee.

Fire Brigade

  A recommendation was received from the Fire Brigade for the appointment of Mr. J. T. Colson as second officer in place of Mr. C. E. Bayes, resigned, and Mr. G. R. Turner (secretary) as third officer in Mr. Colson’s place.

  The recommendation was adopted.

Councillors’ Attendances

  The Clerk presented the following table of attendances of Councillors during the year:-

* Mr. Dobbs was added to the Finance Committee on one occasion, viz., July 3^rd, 1907, for the special business of cottage property rating.

Votes Of Thanks

  Mr. Claridge, in view of the fact that that was the last meeting of the Council for the year, moved a hearty vote of thanks to the Chairman for the regularity, ability, and impartiality with which he had discharged his duties.  He also spoke in high terms of the good work done by Mr. Ballard outside the Council.

  Mr. Skinner seconded the motion and said the Chairman had treated them all with courtesy.

  Mr. Miller wished to cordially endorse all that had been said, for Mr. Ballard admirably maintained the dignity of his office.

  The motion was carried with acclamation.

  The Chairman thanked the Council very much for their vote.  He had tried to do his best and it had been a pleasure to preside at the meetings.  Several improvements had been carried out in the town and but for the cost of the water scheme they might have had others.  Many people spoke of the excessive rates, but he thought Rushden was perhaps as well off for its size as other town in the county. And it must be remembered that, out of a 4/8 rate, the Council only spent 2/6, apart from the water scheme.  He wished those who spoke of the depressed state of the town would remember that it was not to the advantage of the town to make such remarks.  He believed every member of the Council was actuated by a desire for economy.  He thanked them heartily for their kindness and forbearance.  He moved that the best thanks of the Council be given to Mr. Bazeley for the efficient way in which he had discharged the duties of vice-chairman and said he should not ask for a seconder.

  The motion was heartily passed.

  Mr. Bazeley, in reply, said the Council and town were welcome to his services.  He had tried to do his best in the position and it was very gratifying to him to find his work was appreciated.

  The Chairman moved a vote of thanks to the officers of the Council for the admirable way in which they had discharged their duties.

  Mr. Claridge seconded the motion, and said the Council were very highly favoured in their officers.

  The Clerk, in reply, said it was a pleasure to do anything for the Council, for they were so kind and considerate.

  A vote of thanks to the Press, on the motion of the Chairman, concluded the proceedings.