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

Plans, &c., Committee

A meeting of the Plans, Water, Highways, and Lighting Committee was held at the Vestry Hall, on Wednesday, the 15th day of June, 1904, when there were present:- Messrs. J. S. Clipson (chairman), T. Swindall, J. Claridge, Geo. Denton, F. Ballard, W. Bazeley, A. Mantle, C. Bates, Fred Knight, G. H. Skinner, and W. H. Wilkins.

Plans

were presented by:-

Mr. T. Harris for two houses on the Hayway (in lieu of the plan for one house passed at the meeting on the 30th March) and passed subject to the drainage arrangements being made to the satisfaction of the Surveyor.

Mr. T. Swindall for two houses on the Washbrook Road and passed subject to the drainage arrangements being made to the satisfaction of the Surveyor.

Mr. P. Collins for corrugated iron building to be used as a leather store at the corner of Oswald Road and Denmark Road and passed subject to its being placed 15 feet from the adjoining property and 8 feet from the roads.

Education District Sub-Committee
National Schools

The Chairman produced a communication he had received from the County Council Education Committee informing this Council that Mr. W. H. Wilkins had been appointed to represent the County Council Committee on the body of Managers of the National Schools and that it had been decided that the representation of Non-provided Schools on district Sub-Committees should consist of :-

(a) The County Committee’s representative.

(b) Any one of the other five Managers whom the District Council might choose,

and accordingly asking the Council to appoint one of the Managers of the above schools as a representative on the District Sub-Committee.

It was unanimously resolved to appoint Mr. G. S. Mason as such representative and to report to the Council at their next meeting accordingly.

The report was adopted.

Finance, Etc., Committee

A meeting of the Finance, Estates, Cemetery, and Sanitary Committee was held at the Vestry Hall, on Wednesday, the 22nd day of June, 1904, when there were present:- Messrs. J. S. Clipson (chairman), T. Swindall, G. H. Skinner, J. Claridge, A. Mantle, W. Bazeley, C. Bates, J. Hornsby, Geo. Denton, F. Knight, and W. H. Wilkins.

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 Account

The Collector’s accounts were examined from which it appeared that during the past three weeks he had collected the following sums on the under-mentioned accounts:-

Collector’s Fittings Account

By the Collector’s fittings account now produced it appeared that he had collected the following sums on the under-mentioned account during the past three months:-

Treasurer’s Accounts

The Treasurer’s accounts were also examined from which it appeared that the following sums had been paid to him during the past three weeks by the undermentioned persons on the following accounts:-

The following balances were found to be in hand on the undermentioned accounts:-

Tradesmen’s and Other Accounts

A number of accounts were examined and passed for payment.

Health and Sanitary Reports

The Medical Officer reported as follows:-

“Only three cases of infectious disease have been notified since the last meeting, viz.:- of scarlet fever, two in Crabb-street and one in Pratt-road; everything continues to be satisfactory.

The Inspector informed the Committee that he was carefully looking after the cases mentioned by the Medical Officer and taking every precaution to prevent the spread of the disease.

With regard to a complaint received by the Clerk from Mr. E. Gilbert as to a nuisance arising from live rabbits being kept at No. 90, High-street, which had been referred to him, the Inspector reported that he had visited the premises and informed the occupier that the rabbits must be removed forthwith.

Farm Sub-Committee

This Sub-Committee reported that the sale of the growing grass at the sewage farm, Cemetery and Hospital took place on Friday last, realizing as follows:-

The total being £15/6/- more than last year.

Vestry Hall

A letter from Mr. George Miller directed to the Chairman was received, making an offer of £300 for this property.

The Committee instructed the Clerk to reply to Mr. Miller that at present they must decline to entertain the question of sale.

Telegraph Posts

The Chairman read a letter received from Mr. Thomas Watson, the secretary of the building scheme for the new Wesleyan Methodist Church in Park Road, calling attention to the telegraph post recently erected at the corner of Park Road and Griffith Street, which, he stated, would completely spoil the appearance of the building, and asking the Council if they could take any steps to have the matter remedied.

The Committee agreed that the pole in its present position was most unsightly, and were prepared to do anything in their power to have it removed to a more convenient spot. A small committee, consisting of the Chairman, and Messrs. Knight and Skinner, were appointed to consider what could be done.

Mr. Ballard, referring to Mr. Miller’s offer for the Vestry-hall, asked if that was the offer referred to at the recent inquiry.

The Chairman: Yes.

Mr. Ballard asked whether the sale was blocked altogether now.

The Chairman: No, only for the present.

In reply to Mr. Wilkins, the Clerk said nothing had yet been heard from the Local Government Board.

Referring to the telegraph pole at the corner of Park-road and Griffith-street, the Chairman said the sub-committee met the same night they were appointed, and eventually agreed with the Post office engineer to remove the post to a spot near Mr. Tailby’s house, entirely out of the way of the footpath. The cost of the alteration would be borne by the Wesleyan trustees.

The report was adopted.

Sanitary Inspector

The Chairman moved the re-appointment of Mr. J. B. Martin as Sanitary Inspector, and said Mr. Martin had served the Council well in the past.

Mr. Wilkins seconded the motion.

Mr. Bazeley introduced the question as to the desirability of having an officer who was qualified by examination.

Mr. Claridge said he did not think the Council had been under any disadvantage through not having a certificated man.

Mr. Skinner said he preferred a practical man.

The motion was carried nem.con.

The New District Rate

At 2/- in the £ for the half-year was sealed, and the Clerk stated that the rateable value of the town was £38,467/5/-.

Future Council Meetings

The Council then considered the question of altering the system of fixing the Council meetings, Mr. Knight having suggested at a previous meeting that the new system under which all the members of the Council were on all committees made the regular Council meeting almost unnecessary.

Mr. Denton suggested that the Council might meet on the same night as the Plans Committee and so do away with the necessity of a separate meeting.

Mr. Knight said it seemed a farce to meet to pass resolutions which had already been passed by the whole Council in committee. He was sure the officers would be glad to have a night off as well as the Council.

Mr. Denton asked if they could not go further and have meetings once a fortnight – one night for the Plans Committee and the Council meeting and the other night for the Finance Committee.

Mr. Ballard thought they ought to revert to the old system by which committees were specially appointed. In his opinion small committees were more efficient than large ones.

Mr. Claridge said he preferred the old system to the present one.

Mr. Swindall said he was never in favour of the new system.

Mr. Wilkins said if they appointed half the Council in each Committee they would simply meet then as a Council to pass what half the Council have done.

Mr. Ballard: But we can trust the other half of the Council.

Mr. Denton moved that the Council meet once a month, on the same night as the Plans Committee, and that the Finance Committee meet a fortnight afterwards.

Mr. Knight seconded the motion.

Mr. Ballard moved as an amendment that the Council revert to the old system.

The amendment was not seconded, and the original motion was carried, Mr. Ballard being the only dissentient.

Sunday Evening Concert

An application was received from Messrs. Leadbitter and Harvey, solicitors, Newcastle-on-Tyne, stating that they were instructed by Mr. Edwin Percy Harvey, electrical engineer, of Richmond, to give notice to the Council that he intends forthwith to apply for a provisional order for the supply of electricity for all public or private purposes within the Council’s district.

The Chairman said some gentlemen came to see him on the matter, but he told them he could give them very little information on the subject. It seemed they thought they could put down plant near the river and supply Rushden, Higham, Irthlingborough, and perhaps Finedon.

Mr. Denton said they could only await developments.

The Chairman said he told the promoters that there would be a strong feeling on the part of the Council against handing over a monopoly to a private company, and they told him they would be prepared to hand over the works to the Council.

Mr. Ballard: For a consideration.

The Clerk pointed out that the provisional order would come before the Council for their consent, and they could then take what action they pleased.

The subject was then allowed to drop.

Rushden Railway Station

The Chairman said he and the vice-chairman and the Clerk attended the big gathering at Messrs. Butlin’s at Wellingborough, and while there they had a short conversation with one of the managers of the Midland Railway with regard to the needed alterations at the Midland Station at Rushden, and he promised to bring the matter before the Directors.

Mr. Knight said he had received an intimation that the Directors were going to consider the matter during the month.

The Chairman: the meeting was to come off to-day.

At a meeting of this Council on Wednesday night there were present Messrs. J. S. Clipson (chairman), T. Swindall (vice-chairman), F. Knight, G. Denton, J. Hornsby, W. H. Wilkins, G. H. Skinner, J. Claridge, F. Ballard, W. Bazeley, and C. Bates, with the Assistant Surveyor (Mr. W. P. Smith), and the Clerk (Mr. Mason).

A meeting of the whole Council in Committee was held at the Vestry Hall, on Wednesday, the 13th day of July, 1904, when there were present:- Messrs. J. S. Clipson (chairman), T. Swindall, J. Claridge, J. Hornsby, Geo. Denton, F. Ballard, W. Bazeley, A. Mantle, C. Bates, Fred Knight, G. H. Skinner, and W. H. Wilkins.

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 Account

The Collector’s accounts were examined, from which it appeared that during the past three weeks he had collected the following sums on the under-mentioned accounts:-

Treasurer’s Accounts

The Treasuer’s accounts were also examined from which it appeared that the following sums had been paid to him by the under-mentioned persons on the following accounts:-

The following balances were found to be in hand on the under-mentioned accounts:-

Tradesmen’s and Other Accounts

A number of accounts were examined and passed for payment.

Plans

were presented by:-

Mrs. S. Pallett for house on the Higham-road and passed subject to the drainage arrangements being amended to the satisfaction of the Surveyor.

Mr. W. Nurrish for house adjoining the above and passed subject to a similar condition as to drainage arrangements.

Mr. Jacob Wilkins for house on the Hayway and passed subject to a similar condition as to the drainage arrangements and to the wall between the living room and the hall being made 9 inches thick.

The Rushden and Higham Ferrers District Gas Co., Limited, for extensions to their workshops at the Gas Works and passed.

Health and Sanitary Reports

The Medical Officer reported as follows:-

“Six cases of infectious disease have been notified since the last meeting, viz.: of scarlet fever, five of which have been in Crabb-street and one in Higham-road.

“A case of diphtheria has also been notified. I have visited the house and found everything in good order.”

The Sanitary Inspector informed the Committee that he had visited and inspected all the premises where the fever cases had occurred and found them in a satisfactory condition. With regard to the diphtheria case, which was at 12, Winchester-road, he had carefully inspected the w.c. and drains and found them in good order; he had disinfected the same and supplied disinfectants for further use.

Higham-Road

The Surveyor submitted an estimate for asphalting the footpath from Messrs. Phipps and Co.’s cottages to the Higham boundary amounting to £140, including a brick edging.

The Committee resolved not to recommend the Council to undertake this work during the present year and instructed the Surveyor to repair the path with chippings.

High-Street South Improvements

The Chairman reported that he, with the Surveyor, had interviewed several of the owners, and negotiations for the land required to be given up were proceeding satisfactorily.

The Surveyor was instructed to prepare an estimate of the cost of carrying out the improvements immediately the Chairman had made final arrangements with the various owners concerned.

Wymington-Road

The Surveyor informed the Committee that he was about to construct the channel down Wymington Hill as arranged last year, but before doing so he would like the Committee’s instructions as to whether it would be desirable to slightly widen the road by taking in a portion of the footpath, which was unduly wide.

A special Sub-Committee, consisting of the Chairman, Vice-Chairman, Mr. Wilkins, and Mr. Knight, was appointed to view the site and give the necessary instructions to the Surveyor.

Albion Place

The Surveyor was instructed to make good the footpath where it had sunk in consequence of the works of the Council in laying a sewer some time since.

Main Roads

The Clerk submitted an amended draft agreement with the County Council modifying the method of payment by the County Council of the agreed sum for the maintenance of the main roads.

The Committee considered the modification to be to the advantage of this Council and authorised the Clerk to approve the agreement.

Midland-Road Depot

The Surveyor submitted prices he had obtained from several firms for the erection of a wooden boundary fence; he also submitted prices for an unclimbable iron fence.

The Committee were of opinion that the iron fence would be preferable and agreed to recommend the Council to purchase the same from Messrs. Bayliss, Jones, and Bayliss, at the price of £43/7/6.

Asphalters’ Hand Cart

The Surveyor was authorised to purchase a new hand cart for the use of the asphalters from Messrs. Knowlton and Co. at the price quoted by them, viz.; £5/15/0.

Cemetery

Extension – The Surveyor submitted his plans of the proposed enlargement of the burying portion of the ground which the Committee approved, and authorised him to proceed with the work.

Selection of grave spaces – The Clerk reported that in one or two instances burials had taken place in a portion of the ground not stumped out in grave spaces, the graves being purchased and additional fees being charged, but there were no regulations in force with regard to this.

It was resolved to recommend the Council to authorise the Registrar on any future applications for such spaces to allow the same on double fees being paid for the purchase of the spaces required, and not less than two spaces being taken.

Waterworks

The Water Sub-Committee reported that they had visited the works and found everything working in a satisfactory manner. The daily pumping averaged about 100,000 gallons.

Wymington Sewerage

The Committee reported that the effluent from the recently constructed outfall works was discharged into the brook entirely untreated and in a very unsatisfactory state.

The Clerk was instructed to call the attention of the District Council to this and to inform that body that unless some immediate steps were taken to remedy the matter this Council would be compelled to apply for an injunction restraining them from turning the effluent into the brook.

The Chairman said that in view of probable alterations at the bottom of Wymington-road it had been decided that it was not advisable to do anything at present either with regard to the channelling or the footpath. Referring to the paragraph in the report relating to the waterworks, he said the supply had kept up remarkably well considering the dryness of the season. The supply had been short, but he did not think as much had been pumped for some years. The water being very low in the reservoir recently, advantage was taken of the opportunity to thoroughly clean the reservoir out. Since then the amount of water in it had increased and on Tuesday there was a depth of 4 feet 6 inches.

Mr. Claridge questioned the Chairman’s statement as to the quantity pumped. There was no doubt the town had been unusually short of water.

The Chairman said that was so, but he based his statement on the fact that the pumps were now about five hours in exhausting the water, whereas formerly they had to stop after pumping for about twenty minutes.

Mr. Wilkins said he was inclined to think there was a great waste of water in the town through the want of an inspection of the water supply fittings in houses.

Mr. Skinner agreed, and mentioned an instance which had come under his own notice.

Mr. Hornsby said he had noticed a number of taps which were defective and there was no doubt there was a tremendous quantity of water wasted.

Mr. Claridge believed that they lost a lot of water in that way.

Mr. Bazeley thought a water inspector was needed.

Mr. Bates said he had been informed of a case where a tap was running to waste for eight hours.

Mr. Skinner said people did not take the trouble to report defective taps. If they had to pay by meter they would soon report them.

It was understood that the subject would be further considered in committee.

The Clerk, referring to the pollution of the brook at Wymington, said he wrote to the District Council, and had received a reply asking for further particulars. These he had supplied, and he understood that some steps had already been taken to remedy the matter.

The report was adopted.

Pawnbroker’s Certificate

Mr. H. W. Beaverstock applied for a renewal of his pawnbroker’s certificate, and the Council acceded to the application.

The Seal of The Council

was affixed to the agreement with the County Council as to the main roads and also to the water rate for the current quarter. The total amount of the rate was £504/15/6 as against £503/10/8 for the previous quarter.