Tenders For Bath Accepted
Two Hundred Houses Needed
Footpaths: County Council Obligation

  Wednesday, present Messrs. J. Hornsby, J.P. (chairman), F. Corby (vice-chairman), T. Wilmott, T. F. B. Newberry, J. Roe, A. Allebone, W. C. Tarry, D. G. Greenfield, M.D., C. Claridge, J. Allen, T. Swindall, C. W. Horrell, C.A., L. Perkins, M.B.E., J. Spencer, J.P., G. W. Coles, J.P., W. Bazeley, J.P., and C. Bates, with the Clerk (Mr. G. S. Mason), the Acting Surveyor (Mr. J. W. Lloyd), and the Sanitary Inspector (Mr. F. S. F. Piper).

Plans, Etc., Committee

  A meeting of the Plans, Highways, and Lighting Committee was held at the Council Buildings on November 30^th, 1927, when there were present: Messrs. J. Hornsby (chairman), A. Allebone, Charles Claridge, G. W. Coles, C. W. Horrell, F. Knight, T. F. B. Newberry, J. Spencer, T. Swindall, and T. Wilmott.

Plans

were presented for:

  House in Purvis-road for Mr. A. F. Drage, and passed.

  House in Carnegie-street for Mr. H. Timpson, and passed.

  Applications for subsidies in respect of the foregoing houses were received, together with estimates of the cost thereof, which did not exceed, including the cost of the land, £620, and it was resolved to recommend the Council to issue certificates in respect of same as coming within the Council’s scheme for the subsidy of £70 each.

  House in Hayway for Mr. Leslie Sanders, and passed.

  Extension to warehouse in Portland-road for Mr. F. Hawkes, and passed.

  Alterations at the Gasworks (conversion of boiler-house into a messroom), and passed.

  New showroom for the Lightstrung Cycle Co., Ltd., at their premises off Wellingborough-road, and passed.  The Company offered to give up a small piece of land in front of the proposed new building subject to certain conditions, and a sub-committee consisting of Messrs. Hornsby, Knight, Swindall, and Wilmott was appointed to see Mr. Denton and settle conditions with him.

  Temporary garage in East-grove for Messrs. Lovell Bros., and no exception taken.

  Five lock-up garages in Carnegie-street for Mr. Jack Joyce, and passed.

  Additions to motor garage for Mr. Joseph Harris near his house on Irchester-road, and no exception taken.

  Motor house (wooden building) for Mr. E. Pack near his house in Robinson-road, and no exception taken.

Graveley-Street

  A letter was received from Mr. Austin with regard to the condition of the road leading from Irchester-road to his factory in Graveley-street, and offering to pay one-half of the cost of putting it in order if the other frontagers would contribute the other half.

  The Surveyor was instructed to prepare a specification of the works required and an estimate of the cost and see Mr. Austin thereon.

Building By-Laws

  A further letter was received from Mr. W. Goosey with regard to Mr. Silburn’s building joining his property, stating nothing had yet been done.  Having regard to the recent death of Mr. Silburn, it was agreed to adjourn the matter for a month.

Market

  The Collector reported that the public had practically ceased purchasing from the stalls at the Saturday evening market, the tolls taken for the past twelve months not meeting the expenditure.

  It was resolved to recommend the Council to close the market at the end of the present quarter.

Electric Supply Company

  Notice was received from the Rushden and District Electric Supply Co., Ltd., of their intention to lay electric lines contained in pipes under the following roads: Wellingborough-road, Pytchley-road, Washbrook-road, Graveley-street, and Gordon-road.

Road Sides

  The question of the grips cut in the grass borders of the roads outside the town for the purpose of conveying the surplus water into the ditches, referred to this committee by the Council at their last meeting, was considered, and the committee were agreed that it was impossible under present conditions to fill them up, but where new footpaths are constructed the opportunity might be taken of placing ordinary field drain pipes into the grips.

Public Lighting

  The surveyor was instructed to place a lamp in Wellingborough-road opposite Montague-street, as arranged last year.

  Attention was called to the want of better lighting near the Oakley where the ’buses stop to set down passengers, and the Lighting Committee was asked to inspect this part and make arrangements accordingly.

  The report was adopted.

  On the subject of the sides of the road, Mr. Newberry said it looked as if the question had been shelved.  It ought not to be, because the path was by no means a pleasure path, though it led to residences of some of the big ratepayers.

  Mr. Horrell said it was a matter for the County Council and that this Council was not competent to deal with it.

  The Chairman said that that was so.  The Rushden Council had come to the conclusion that it would open up a big question; and they did not know where to start, nor where they would finish.  For the time being they felt that the Council could do nothing without the sanction of the County Council.

Special Committee

  A meeting of the special committee appointed to arrange for the reorganisation of the staff in the surveyor’s department was held at the Council Buildings on Monday, December 5^th, 1927, at 10 a.m., when there were present: Messrs. J. Hornsby, C. W. Horrell, F. Corby, L. Perkins, D. G. Greenfield, and F. Knight.

  Thirty-one applications for the post of Surveyor’s Clerk were received, particulars of which had already been supplied to the members.

  It was unanimously resolved that the post be offered to Mr. G. S. Turner – the appointment dating from January 1^st, 1928. 

  Mr. Turner appeared before the committee and thanked them for appointing him and promised to use his best endeavours to carry on the work satisfactorily.

  The report was adopted.

Health And Sanitary Committee

  A meeting of the Health and Sanitary Committee was held at the Council Buildings on Wednesday, December 7^th, 1927, when there were present: Messrs. F. Corby (chairman), J. Hornsby, J. Allen, C. Bates, W. Bazeley, D. G. Greenfield, T. F. B. Newberry, T. Swindall, and W. C. Tarry.

Health And Sanitary Reports

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

  The Sanitary Inspector reported that since the last meeting 19 additional nuisances had been dealt with and 42 abated.

  Forty-six visits had been made to premises where food was prepared or sold, during which inspections a quantity of beef and mutton offal to the total weight of 3qr. 26lb. had been found to be unfit for food and destroyed in the usual way.

  The Inspector also reported that 51 rooms had been disinfected since the last meeting, all after cases of infectious disease.  At the Depot a quantity of bedding had been disinfected, and a quantity destroyed at the Sewage Farm, after cases of infectious disease.

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

Rats and Mice (destruction) Act

  The Inspector also reported that under this Act four premises had been inspected and any necessary action taken.

  During “Rat Week” 870 tails were brought in, at a cost of £10 17s. 6d.

Milk And Dairies Order, 1923

  The Inspector submitted the results of four examinations of milk taken under this Order, all of which were satisfactory.

Elm Street

  The Inspector reported upon his examination of these houses, from which it appeared that practically no works of repair had been executed by the owner since the last report.

  It was resolved to recommend the Council to instruct the Inspector to serve a statutory notice on the owner requiring him to carry out the works required within one month from the service of the notice.

Manning-Lane

  The Inspector informed the committee that, although the closing order has become operative, the houses were still occupied.

  A letter was received from the owner’s agent stating that he had ceased to collect rents as from Saturday, November 5^th, and the Urban Council were at liberty to collect the rents and deal with the property as they might deem desirable.

  It was resolved to take no action in the matter.

Inspector’s Office-Boy

  The Inspector read a letter from Mr. F. W. Linnitt stating he had obtained another situation and would like to be released from his present duties as soon as possible.  The matter was left in the hands of the Inspector to deal with, and he was authorised to engage another boy at a commencing salary of 10s. a week.

Smallpox Hospital

  Various matters of minor repairs required attention, and a sub-committee consisting of the Chairman, Mr. Hornsby, and the Surveyor was appointed to visit the hospital with the Inspector.

Scavenging

  The Surveyor presented his report on the arrangements now in force for disposal of the house refuse, and informed the committee that everything at the new tip was working well.  He suggested that additional covered carts of a larger capacity than those at present in use should be provided, and he was instructed to obtain prices for two of such carts for delivery early in April.  The question of the second tip on Wellingborough-road was also mentioned, but arrangements for securing it were held over for the present.

Elementary Schools

  The Inspector was asked to make periodical visits to schools in the town and report from time to time as to the sufficiency of their sanitary arrangements in the same manner as he does with regard to factories.