Sympathy

The Chairman: Before the business of the Council commences I wish to move a vote of condolence with Mr. Knight in the loss of his son. Every member of the Council feels deeply grieved for Mr. Knight and the family in the severe loss they have sustained. It is a great sacrifice for anyone to lose his son in the war, and Mr. Knight, with his long period of public service, must feel it acutely.

The resolution was passed in silence, the members rising.

Plans, etc., Committee

A meeting of the Plans, Highways, and Lighting Committee was held at the Council Buildings on Wednesday, the 20th Dec., 1916, when there were present:- Messrs. J. Spencer (chairman), T. Wilmott, W. Bazeley, Fred Knight, J. S. Clipson, and T. Swindall.

Public Lighting

A letter was received from Mr. H. Bates requesting that the lamp near his shop might be lighted. The Clerk was instructed to reply that the Committee considered it useless to approach the police with a view to the lighting of any further lamps in this vicinity.

Fire Brigade Telephone

The Clerk reported that notice had been received from the Contract Manager on behalf of the Postmaster General intimating that in future the annual charge in respect of the telephone at the Fire Station would be increased to £6/5/0.

The Clerk was instructed to sign the necessary forms.

The report was adopted.

Finance and Estates Committee

A meeting of the Finance and Estates Committee was held at the Council Buildings on Tuesday, the 2nd Jan., 1917, when there were present:- Messrs. T. Wilmott (in the chair), J. Claridge, C. Bates, J. Hyde, and Fred Knight.

Surveyor’s Cash Account

The Committee examined the Surveyor’s cash account with the wages books, the expenditure shown therein being as follows:-

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 were as follows:-

Tradesmen’s and Other Accounts

A number of accounts amounting to £1032/16/5 were examined and passed for payment.

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 3rd January, 1917, when there were present:- Messrs. T. Wilmott (chairman), J. Spencer, C. Bates, J. Claridge, and L. Perkins.

Health and Sanitary Reports

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

The Sanitary Inspector reported that during the month of December five statutory and 22 informal notices had been issued in connection with the nuisance bye-laws, all of which were receiving attention.

Two lots of bedding had been destroyed after deaths from consumption, and the rooms sprayed and fumigated. It was resolved to recommend the Council to replace the bedding at a cost not exceeding £1/7/6 in each case.

Four books belonging to the Public Library discovered in a house from which a case of diphtheria had been notified had also been destroyed. It was resolved to recommend the Council to replace the books.

The Inspector also reported that the drain and gulley to the house No. 30, Church-street, were in a defective condition, thereby creating a nuisance. It was resolved to recommend the Council to serve a notice on the owner requiring him to remedy the defects and abate the nuisance forthwith.

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

Slaughterhouse Licences

Applications for the renewals of their slaughterhouse licences were received from Messrs. E. Hollis, E. Warren, and James Knight, and it was resolved to recommend the Council to accede thereto.

Dairies, Cowsheds, and Milkshops Order

The quarterly report of Mr. Bainbridge was received, from which it appeared that on the 7th, 8th, and 10th December, 1916, he visited 31 premises in the district, and inspected 227 dairy cows and heifers, making special examination of their udders and throats. The Committee considered the report satisfactory.

Cemetery

The Cemetery Registrar’s quarterly report was also received and considered very satisfactory. No monies due on the Cemetery account were now outstanding. The total receipts for the quarter were £36 2s. 6d., and the number of interments 36.

The report was adopted.

The Land

The Board of Agriculture forwarded a circular letter with regard to the cultivation of waste land so as to increase the supply of food.

The Chairman said that every member of the Council realised the urgency of the matter. They should make the very best effort they could to increase the food supply of the nation. Undoubtedly the Allotment Society could render very great assistance. The Rector of St. Peter’s thought that perhaps the school-lads could do something to cultivate waste lands. The Chairman moved that the Council do their best to carry out the scheme.

Mr. Claridge seconded.

Mr. Bazeley said the circular would read better on paper than it could be carried out in a practical manner. Agriculture needed trained men and scientific methods. He hoped the Government would show the same eagerness after the war, when the men came back and there was not such a dearth of labour, and they should see that the men had a chance to cultivate the land, and the Government should further have the power to take away land that was not properly cultivated. If the men took up the cultivation of the land now they should have some security beyond the one year’s produce, which would not justify anyone in making the initial expense. He was heartily in sympathy with the idea, but he could not see, from a practical point of view, with the country in its present state, how the scheme could be effectively carried out.

Mr. Wilmott said that not many towns were better provided with allotments than Rushden. He would rather see the land which was already in a fit condition properly cultivated. If the Allotment Association would help to cultivate all the plots which were now idle through the occupiers being away they would be doing the best thing they could.

Mr. Swindall said the committee of the Allotment Association would render all possible assistance.

Mr. Bates said that people would not take the risk of cultivating the land for one year only. The scheme was years too late. If the Governments of the past had made the procuring and cultivation of the land easy, the country would not have been in its present position.

The Chairman’s proposition was carried.

Mr. Clipson moved that five members of the Council be appointed to carry out the scheme, and that the Allotment Association be asked to render all help possible.

Mr. Wilmott seconded and it was carried.

The following members were appointed: Messrs. Spencer, Wilmott, Claridge, Clipson, and Bates.

Pigs

A letter was received from the Local Government Board suggesting that bye-laws be suspended with regard to the keeping of pigs.

Mr. Bates moved that the bye-laws with respect to pigs be held in abeyance in cases approved of by the Sanitary Inspector.

Mr. Clipson seconded, and it was carried.