At a meeting of this Council on Wednesday night there were present Messrs. F. Knight (chairman), G. Denton (vice-chairman), J. Claridge, W. Bazeley, W. H. Wilkins, G. H. Skinner, T. Swindall, G. Fountain, with G. S. Mason (clerk), Mr. W. B. Madin (surveyor), and Mr. J. B. Martin (sanitary inspector).

Sewage Farm Committee

The Sewage Farm Committee met at the farm on Tuesday, 19th June. Present:- Messrs. Geo. Skinner (chairman), W. Bazeley and T. Swindall.

The Surveyor submitted a plan for the erection of new buildings at the Sewage Works and the Committee unanimously agreed to recommend the Council to erect the buildings shown on the said plan upon the site of the present old shed and to advertise for tenders for carrying out the work.

The report was adopted.

Plans &c., Committee

A meeting of the Plans, Highways and Lighting Committee was held on Wednesday, 19th June, 1900. Present:- Messrs. Fred Knight (chairman), W. H. Wilkins, J. Claridge, W. Bazeley, J. S. Clipson and T. Swindall.

Plans

Plans were presented by

J. F. Adams for bungalow on Rushden Court Estate and passed subject to cesspool being constructed in accordance with Bye Law 89.

W. Woodward for house and stable on Bedford-road and passed.

Mr. W. Packwood for four houses in Pratt-road and passed subject to section of party wall over passage being shown.

Sharman and Archer for alterations and additions in rear of Feathers Inn, High-street, for the Newport Pagnell Brewery Company, and passed.

A. Franklin for three houses in Portland-road, and passed.

Geo. Fountain for bicycle shed at rear of his home in Griffith-street, and no exception was taken thereto.

Robert Bailey for house in Harborough-road and rejected on account of drain showing no outfall.

Wooden Buildings. – A letter was received from Mr. T. Swindall in reply to the Clerk’s letter as to the wooden building erected by him in Wentworth-road, and making several alternative suggestions with regard thereto, and consideration thereof was adjourned to next meeting of this committee.

Highways

Carting Road Materials. – The Surveyor was instructed to advertise for tenders for carting road materials during current year.

The committee’s recommendations were adopted.

Finance &c., Committee

A meeting of the Finance, Cemetery and Sanitary Committee was held on Wednesday, 27th June, 1900. Present:- Messrs. Fred Knight, Geo. Denton, J. Spencer, G. Miller and J. Claridge.

Finance

A number of accounts were examined and passed for payment.

Sanitary

Groome and Sons’ Factory. – Notice from the Inspector of Factories of certain Acts of neglect or default at Messrs. Groome and Sons’ factory having been received, as follows:-

Closets unsatisfactory, effluvia entering the workrooms.

The Medical Officer reported that he had inspected Messrs Groome and Sons’ factory and found the closets, which were on the pail system were built inside the factory and opened directly into the workrooms. The Medical Officer recommended that the closets should be detached, with cross ventilation, and also strongly recommended the use of moss peat instead of earth.

The Clerk was instructed to forward a copy of the report to Messrs. Groome and Sons’ and to request their immediate attention thereto.

Infectious Diseases. – The Medical Officer further reported one case of Scarlet Fever, and that the usual precautions had been taken by the Inspector.

Post Office Buildings (High-street). – The Sanitary Inspector reported the entire absence of closet accommodation at shop No. 33, High-street, Rushden, in the occupation of Mr. A. Smeathers, and offices above in the occupation of Mr. F. Newman, Solicitor, and was instructed to inspect the remainder of the premises in the occupation of Mr. Chas. Hewitt, and ascertain whether any additional accommodation is required beyond that already reported.

The report was adopted and the committee was empowered to give formal notice to Messrs. Groome and Sons to make the alterations necessary to correct the state of things reported on by the Factory Inspector.

Highways &c. Committee

A meeting of the Highways Committee was held on Friday, 29th June, 1900. Present :- Messrs. F. Knight (chairman), W. H. Wilkins, W. Bazeley, J. S. Clipson and J. Claridge.

Team Labour. – The Committee had before them tenders for carting the road materials for the current season and resolved to recommend the Council to accept the tender of Mr. Packwood for part of the town and Mr. A. Sharp for the remainder.

The Audit

The Clerk reported that the audit of the Council’s accounts for the past year took place on Friday and Monday, and the auditor (Mr. G. L. Gibson) certified that they were correct.

The Chairman informed the Council that the Auditor Complimented the Clerk and the Surveyor on the way in which they had kept the books, and said the work had been done in a very satisfactory manner.

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The Rushden Echo and Argus, 27th July 1900

RUSHDEN URBAN COUNCIL

There were present at Wednesday night’s meeting Messrs. F. Knight (chairman), G. Denton, W. Bazeley, G. Miller, J. Claridge, J. Spencer, G. H. Skinner, J. S. Clipson, W. H. Wilkins and T. Swindall.

The minutes of the committee meetings were considered.

Plans, Etc., Committee

A meeting of the Plans, Highways, and Lighting Committee was held on Wednesday, 11th July, 1900. Present :- Messrs. Fred Knight (chairman), W. H. Wilkins, J. Claridge, J. S. Clipson, and W. Bazeley.

Plans

Plans were presented by:-

Messrs. Jaques and Clark for additions to factory in Midland-road and passed subject to footings of walls being shown in accordance with Bye Law 17.

Mr. Swindall for open timber shed in Wentworth-road and passed, subject to the lower portion of the west side being enclosed with corrugated iron instead of wood and the remaining portion entirely open.

A plan was also submitted on behalf of Mrs. Warner for the re-erection of two shops and dwelling house in the High-street, destroyed by fire in March last. The committee resolved to recommend the Council to allow the buildings in question to be reinstated.

Tax on Bicycles, Motor Cars, etc. – A circular from the Ashbourne District Council was received, asking the Council to pass a resolution in favour of imposing a tax on cycles, motor cars, etc. The committee recommended the Council to take no action in the matter.

Main Road Improvements. – It was resolved to recommend the Council to apply to the County Council for sanction to carry out the following improvements during the current year :-

Near Coffee Tavern. – Lay Victoria pavement with granite curb and construct channel		£43 12s 3d
Orchard-place to Queen-street – Lay Victoria pavement with granite curb and construct channel		£62 18s 11d
From Capital and Counties Bank to Duck-street – Lay Victoria pavement and construct channel		£11 17s 6d
Near Rose and Crown – Construct channel		£ 7 17s 6d
Near Post Office — Construct channel		£ 3 1s 11d
Near Conservative Club – Construct channel		£13 11s 4d
		£142 4s 2d

Brook near Old Gas Works.—The Surveyor reported that the fence at this point required renewing and he was instructed to procure and erect an un-climbable iron fence.

Public Lighting. – It was resolved to commence the lighting of the public lamps in the High-street on August 18th.

The minutes were adopted.

Finance &c., Committee

A meeting of the Finance, Cemetery, and Sanitary Committee was held on Wednesday, 18th July, 1900. Present: Messrs. Fred Knight (chairman), Geo. Denton, J. Spencer, G. Miller, G. H. Skinner, and John Claridge.

Finance

A number of accounts were examined and passed for payment.

Sanitary

Wheatsheaf Inn. – A letter was received from Messrs. Wm. Dulley and Sons, Ltd., calling attention to a nuisance arising in the yard at the rear of the Wheatsheaf by reason of the storm water from the property above washing down the yard. The Surveyor reported that the complaint had received his attention and he found the lie of the vacant land at the rear of the Wheatsheaf to be such that at times of heavy rain the water flowed in that direction. It was from no default on the part of the Council that the nuisance arose. The Clerk was instructed to write to Messrs. Dulley and Co. accordingly.

Sanitary Reports

Medical Officer’s. – The following report was received from Medical Officer of Health.

July 17th I beg to call your attention to a house No. 11 Newton-road which I visited with your Inspector; the house consists of two living rooms and two bed rooms all of which are in a most dirty and dilapidated condition and totally unfit for human habitation. There has been only one case of infectious disease reported viz., diphtheria in a young woman 21 years of age. The case has been visited and disinfectants supplied and every precaution taken. The Clerk was requested to forward a copy of the report relating to the house in Newton-road to the owner with a request that he would attend to the matter at once. Sanitary Inspector’s – The Sanitary Inspector reported a case of typhoid fever (notified this morning) in Hayway, the patient Richard Houghton, being a lodger just removed from Higham Ferrers where he had been living up to 22nd, with his brother suffering from the same disease. The doctor attending the case agreed with the inspector that the patient brought the disease from his previous place of abode. The Inspector further reported that on examination he found the drains and w.c. to the house in Hayway in good order and that they had been thoroughly disinfected. Further disinfectants had been supplied for future use and all necessary precautions taken. The Inspector reported that the drains to several houses in Queens-terrace, the property of Mrs. Robinson, of Northampton, were in an unsatisfactory state and required immediate attention. He was instructed to serve a formal notice on the owner requiring the necessary work to be done within seven days, in accordance with the recommendation contained in his report book. Consumption – A circular from the Local Branch of the Society for the Prevention of Consumption was received, in which the Sanitary Authority were requested to endeavour to induce manufacturers and others to post placards in their business premises, calling attention to the danger arising from spitting.

The Clerk was instructed to submit the circular and placard to the Medical Officer and ask for his observations thereon and if he approved to order 100 copies of the placard which the Association supplied free of charge.

Mr. Mason said the medical officer highly approved of the placards, and he (the Clerk) had ordered them.

The minutes were adopted.

Council in Committee

A meeting of the whole Council in Committee was held on Wednesday, 18th July, 1900. Present:- Messrs. Fred Knight (chairman), G. Denton, J. Claridge, J. Spencer, G. Miller, J. S. Clipson, T. Swindall, W. Bazeley, and G. H. Skinner.

Town Depot and Fire Station. – Plans for the erection of a Town Depot and Fire Station on the Council’s land, Newton-road, and the Surveyor’s estimate therefore amounting to £3,626 were considered. The committee approved the plans with slight modification and resolved to recommend the Council to apply to the Local Government Board for sanction to a loan of £3,750 to carry out the work.

Water Supply. – The Chairman reported that Mr. Eunson visited the well yesterday and advised that the work of driving headings be discontinued, the result so far being unsatisfactory with no promise of improvement. Most of the members of the Committee had inspected the headings.

It was considered desirable that before finally abandoning the work, further advice should be obtained, and it was unanimously resolved that Mr. R. O. Middleton be asked to confer with the Council, and that he should be asked to make an early visit and inspect this well before the work ceases.

The Chairman said the matter of the town depot and fire station had been before the Council for some years. The assets of the Council were now rather valuable and at present there was no proper storage for carts, water carts, &c. It was now recommended that a loan be asked for to carry out the work. He moved that this be done.

Mr. Wilkins seconded and said the loan would involve the repayment of about £200 a year, but the town would be the gainer to at least an equal extent. The additional facilities for the fire brigade would be so great that the benefit derived would be at least equal to the £200 a year. Unless some scheme of this sort had been adopted, the intention of the Council to have their own horses could not have been carried out.

The motion was carried, and the minutes passed as a whole.

Water Supply

The Clerk said that Mr. R. O. Middleton had undertaken to do what the Council wished and he would visit Rushden next Tuesday.

The Chairman: They have found a little more water to-day in the north heading.

The Surveyor: No great quantity.

Mr. Skinner: The other supply continues the same?

The Surveyor: Yes. This is additional.

Rate

The Clerk said the collector had made out the new rate of 2s in the £, and it came to £2,771 12s 6d.

Seats

Mr. Bazeley moved that 12 seats be provided in and on the outskirts of the town. In his opinion there were some very suitable places for seats, and he thought they would be very much appreciated by the public. All the same there was a great deal of illness in Rushden, and people going out for the first time after recovery needed some place where they could rest by the way. Such seats would also be a benefit to the old people going out.

In answer to the Chairman, Mr. Bazeley mentioned places where he thought seats might be placed with advantage.

Mr. Spencer seconded, and said that while the expense would be small the benefit would be large.

Eventually it was left to the Highway Committee to provide seats to be put down in places which they deemed suitable.

Swimming Bath

Mr. Clipson asked if anything further had been done in the matter of the swimming baths.

The chairman: We have heard nothing about it yet.