Strong Complaints by Rushden Councillors
Country Footpaths - Are They Being Closed to Public?

  More Criticism of the roadway and footpaths in High-street arose at the Rushden Urban District Council’s meeting on Wednesday, and the condition of the pavements between Victoria-road and Station-approach was the subject of strong complaint.  As High-street is in the hands of the County Council, the local Highways Committee has had to ask the County Surveyor to give the matter his attention.

  The Highways Committee reported that their attention had been called to the bad state of repair, in many places, of the County roads and footpaths.  The surveyor had been instructed to communicate with the County Surveyor with a view to the necessary repairs being carried out at the earliest possible moment.

  Mr. Spencer asked whether any of the culverts had been repaired, and mentioned one at the bottom of Wellingborough-road.

  Dr. Greenfield said the High-street had been patched up and was very bad.

  The Chairman: From Victoria-road to the Station?

  Dr. Greenfield: Well, further up the street than that.

  The Chairman: We shall all agree that it is a very unsatisfactory state of affairs.

  Mr. Roe said he called the County Surveyor’s attention to a portion of the street just before Christmas, because splashing occurred every time a vehicle went by.

  Mr. Allebone said the complaint the Council were sending was on the agenda for discussion by the County Roads and Bridges Committee next Saturday, and he thought the Rushden surveyor would soon have a communication from the County Surveyor as to what they proposed doing.

Footpath To Newton

  The discussion reminded Mr. Perkins of public right-of-way across the country.  Before the war, Mr. Perkins said, there used to be a footpath leading to Newton in conjunction with the footpath that went past the Cricket Field.  He daresay some of the members had often used it, but he had an idea that it had now been closed.

  Mr. Coles: If you like to leave the matter I will accompany the surveyor and go up there.

  Dr. Greenfield suggested that they might go further than that and get the Surveyor to mark all accepted footpaths, because these paths were being closed in all parts of the country.  There were the old warded footpaths and others which by usage had become public footpaths, and he thought they ought to have a plan showing where the public had a right across the fields.

  The chairman said this question could be included on the agenda of the Highways Committee at the next meeting.

  Mr. Richardson complained that the traffic in High-street was often congested, and that the congestion sometimes became dangerous.  It seemed to him that something should be done.

  The Chairman: I think that is a matter for the Police and out of the purview of the Council.  You might suggest it to them.

Horse v. Motor

  Mr. Sawford was not quite satisfied with a report from the Health and Sanitary Committee, who contemplated the purchase of a horse-drawn van – to supersede a hand truck – for the conveyance to and from the Council’s disinfecting station.  He thought they should go one better and have a motor, specially as the Council had no horses and would have to hire one.

  The Chairman said the question was fully discussed by the committee.

  Mr. Richardson said they had one motor vehicle, which was fully employed.  They thought they could hire a horse when they wanted one, and that it would be the cheaper way.

  Mr. Sawford: Personally, I don’t think so.  I don’t mean a big lorry, but a 7 or 8 h.p. van which could be used for these purposes and also for work in other departments.

  Mr. Perkins said that if the sub-committee could come across a second-hand motor van they might consider buying it.

  Mr. Allebone: I hope this Council won’t begin to buy trouble!

New Buildings

  Building plans were as follows: 12 houses in St. Mary’s-avenue, for the Waverley Building Co., Ltd.; house, Park-avenue, Messrs. A. Sanders, Ltd.; four houses, Prospect-avenue, Messrs. T. Swindall and Sons; four houses, St. Margaret’s-avenue, Messrs. M. M. Drabble; house and shop, St. Margaret’s-avenue, Messrs. M. M. Drabble; additions to surgery, Park-road, Dr. R. W. Davies; shop window to No. 1, Woburn-place, Mr. H. W. Smith; wooden store, Spencer-road, Messrs. Sanders and Sanders; wooden garage at 191, Wellingborough-road, Mr. W. A. E. Sherwood.

  The Surveyor (Mr. J. W. Lloyd) reported that in 1934 plans were approved for 84 Council houses and 191 ordinary private houses.  Eighty-six houses were certified as completed; 84 Council and 76 private houses were in course of construction, and 58 private houses, plans for which had been approved, had not yet been commenced.

  Mr. Coles described these particulars as “very interesting and satisfactory.”

Street Christened

  “St. Mary’s-avenue” was adopted as the name of the new road, off the Wellingborough-road opposite the Lightstrung motor works.

  As evidence that the name was appropriate Mr. Coles mentioned that the new street ran parallel with St. Margaret’s-avenue and towards St. Mary’s Church.

  It was reported that the owners of houses proposed to be dealt with under the Housing Act, 1930, would be interviewed by the Health and Sanitary Committee on January 24 and 25.

Belisha Approves

  A letter from the Ministry of Transport conveyed the Minister’s approval of the Council’s scheme for the establishment of pedestrian crossing places and mentioned that further particulars would shortly be issued, when the Council would review the scheme and issue a supplementary scheme if necessary. 

  The appointment of Mr. John Lea, of Wellingborough, to the Area Traffic Commission, was duly notified.

  Mr. Spencer inquired whether there was any prospect of further progress on the 26 houses to be erected on the Irchester-road.

  The Surveyor replied that the tenders were at present in the office, and Mr. Roe said they would be opened at the next committee meeting.

King’s Jubilee

  Mr. Capon referred to the approach of the King’s Silver Jubilee and suggested that, as they would wish the day to be celebrated by the children, they might call a town’s meeting and form a committee from representatives of the day schools, Sunday schools, Boy Scouts and other young people’s organisations.

  The Clerk; The Vice-Chairman and myself are attending a county conference on the question next Wednesday.

  Favourable reports were received of six milk samples sent for examination under the Milk and Dairies Orders.

  It was decided to have the 16 trees on the Winchester-road side of the Cemetery lopped at an estimated cost of £8.

Inspection of Cows

  The Veterinary Inspector reported that of 155 cows he had inspected at 16 premises the whole were clinically normal and the majority in good condition.

  In a report for the whole of the year the Inspector said that the majority of the cows were in good condition, especially in view of the shortage of fodder and the exceptionally dry summer.

  Reporting for the second half of 1934, the Cemetery Registrar stated that there had been 84 interments.  Fifty-two grave spaces had been purchased and others reserved, 17 headstones erected and 39 spaces enclosed with kerbing.  The fees totalled £213  14s. and none was outstanding.

Easy Payments

  A new system for the issuing of Council cheques was adopted in order to save the time of the Chairman and members.  Hitherto each cheque has been signed by the Chairman, two members, and the Clerk.  In future the Clerk and the Accountant will sign the cheques, and the Chairman and two members will merely sign a list of amounts passed for payment.  This list will be forwarded to the bank.  The cheques will also incorporate a form of receipt.

  Mr. Capon said this was a break-away from custom but a step in the right direction.

  The Finance Committee recommended that in case of illness the salaries of Council officers which did not exceed £25 per annum be paid in full for the first month, reduced by 50 per cent. for the second month, and thereafter be reconsidered.  In the case of officers whose salaries exceeded £250 per annum it was recommended that each case be considered on its merits.

The Wedding Fund

  Commenting on a letter from the secretary of the National Wedding Gift Fund, the Chairman said it had already been made known that the Clerk and himself would be pleased to receive subscriptions.  A county list had also been opened, but they would prefer local subscriptions to go through the Council.

  The Council received favourably an invitation to attend a sportsmen’s service at St. Peter’s Church.

  Councillor Sugars, who has returned from hospital following an eye operation, wrote thanking the council for a message of sympathy and stating that he was making good progress and looking forward to meeting his colleagues in the near future.

  The Chairman said they were pleased that Mr. Sugars was on the way to recovery and would be glad to see him back.

  Members in attendance were Messrs. J. Allen, J.P. (Chairman), A. Allebone, J.P., C.C. (vice-chairman), J. Roe, T. W. Cox, F. Green, D. G. Greenfield, M.D., L. Perkins, M.B.E., W. E. Capon, J. S. Denton, A. Wilmott, J. Spencer, J.P., J. E. Dilks, G. W. Coles, J.P., W. J. Sawford and J. T. Richardson.  Apologies for absence were received from Messrs. J. White, E. A. Sugars and J. Hornsby.