At a meeting of this Council on Wednesday night there were present : Mr. J. Claridge (chairman), Mr. G. Miller (vice-chairman), the Ven. A. Kitchin, Messrs. G. H. Skinner, F. Knight, F. Ballard, C. E. Bayes, T. Swindall, C. Bates, J. Spencer, W. Bazeley, and J. S. Clipson, with the Clerk (Mr. G. S. Mason), the Surveyor (Mr. W. B. Madin), and the Sanitary Inspector (Mr. J. F. Allen).

Council In Committee

A meeting of the whole Council in Committee was held at the Council Buildings on Wednesday, the 28th June, 1911, when there were present :- Messrs. J. Claridge (chairman), G. Miller, F. Ballard, C. E. Bayes, C. Bates, W. Bazeley, J. S. Clipson, F. Knight, and the Ven. A. Kitchin.

Team Labour

Scavenging. – Tenders were received from Messrs. W. W. Smith and W. G. Wilmott for the supply of team labour required for the removal of house refuse, the collection of tins, crockery, etc. and for the collection of street sweepings, and it was resolved to accept the tender of Mr. W. W. Smith, the lowest, for the collection of house refuse and street sweepings for a period of two years from 30th instant at the following prices :

House refuse; One horse cart and driver at per hour 4d.

Street sweepings; One horse and cart, the Council to provide a driver, at per hour 4d.

The Chairman and Surveyor were requested to see Mr. Smith with regard to a tip for the tins, etc., and if a satisfactory one can be provided by him, to accept his tender for that work at 5d. per hour.

General Daywork. – Tenders were also received from Mr. Alfred Packwood, Mr. W. G. Wilmott, and Mr. W. W. Smith for team labour required for general daywork, and it was resolved to accept the lowest, viz., that of Mr. W. W. Smith for a period of two years from the 30th instant at the following prices :-

One horse cart and man at per day of 8 hours, 6s. 6d.

Two horse team cart and man at per day of 8 hours, 9s. 6d.

Mr. Spencer asked whether there was a fair wages clause in the scavenging contract.

The Chairman said there was no such clause.

Mr. Bates said it was impossible to pay fair wages when a cart and driver were supplied for 4d. an hour.

The Chairman : Well, the men have to look out for that, haven’t they? If the men, horses, and carts are not satisfactory, of course we should have to step in.

The report was adopted, Messrs. Bates, Spencer, and Bazeley voting against.

Plans, Etc., Committee

A meeting of the Plans, Highways, and Lighting Committee was held at the Council Buildings on Wednesday, the 28th June, 1911, when there were present :- Messrs. J. Claridge (chairman), G. Miller, F. Ballard, W. Bazeley, J. S. Clipson, C. E. Bayes, and Fred Knight.

Plans

were presented by :-

Mr. W. Oliver for cycle shed at the rear of his house in Gordon-street and passed.

Mr. G. S. Mason for cycle and potting shed adjoining his house on the Hayway and passed.

Messrs. Sanders and Sanders for cycle shed at their factory in Spencer-road and no exception taken.

Newton Road Depot

The Surveyor reported that the entrance gates to the Depot were worn out and beyond repair.

It was resolved to recommend the Council to have fixed new wrought iron gates with cast iron posts at an estimated cost of £10.

The Ven. A. Kitchin : Are these gates provided for in the Budget?

The Chairman : No, it is one of those things we did not foresee.

The report was adopted.

Finance and Estates Committee

A meeting of the Finance and Estates Committee was held at the Council Buildings, on Wednesday, the 4th July, 1911, at 10 a.m., when there were present :- Messrs. J. Claridge (chairman), G. Miller, F. Ballard, W. Bazeley, F. Knight, and T. Swindall.

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 Accounts

The Committee examined the Collector’s accounts, from which it appeared that the following sums had been collected since the last meeting :-

Treasurer’s Accounts

The Treasurer’s accounts were also examined from which it appeared that he had received the following sums since the last meeting :-

And that the following balances were in hand on the under-mentioned accounts :-

Tradesmen’s and Other Accounts

A number of accounts, amounting to £2152/16/1 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 5th July, 1911, when there were present:- Messrs. G. Miller (Chairman), J. Claridge, C. Bates, G. H. Skinner, T. Swindall, and the Ven. A. Kitchin.

Health and Sanitary Reports

The Medical Officer reported that five cases of infectious disease had been notified since the last meeting, viz., three of diphtheria, one of erysipelas, and one of tuberculosis.

The Sanitary Inspector reported that during the past month 24 preliminary notices had been issued calling attention to nuisances, etc., which were receiving attention.

Acting on the advice of the medical practitioner in attendance, the Inspector had destroyed, after a death, a quantity of bedding which was in a foul and dirty condition. It was resolved to recommend the Council to replace the bedding.

Fifteen house to house inspections had been made during the month and preliminary notices served to put in repair any defect found.

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

Refuse Receptacles

The Inspector of Nuisances submitted a report with regard to houses without a sufficient ashtub, ashpit, or other receptacle for the deposit of refuse, and it was resolved to recommend that a notice be served upon the owners requiring them within 28 days to provide for each house a sufficient and proper receptacle.

Sale of Grass

The surveyor reported that the sale of grass at the Sewage Farm, Cemetery, and Hospital took place on the 19th ultimo and realised as follows :-

Sewers

The Surveyor was instructed to fix a flushing siphon (which he had in stock) to the sewer in Winchester-road.

Scavenging

Collection of tins, etc.- The Surveyor reported that he, with the Chairman of the Council, had seen Mr. Smith with regard to the contract for collection of the tins, etc., but Mr. Smith was unable to procure a suitable tip and was therefore unable to accept the contract.

It was resolved to recommend the Council to accept the tender of Mr. W. G. Wilmott for two years from the 30th June at the price of 6d. per hour, the tip being at his sandpit on the Wellingborough-road.

Electric Lighting

A letter was received from the Board of Trade, intimating that they had revoked the Higham, Rushden, and Wellingborough Rural District Electric Lighting Order (1906).

Another letter was received from Messrs. Brown and Wells, of Northampton, giving notice that they were about to apply, on behalf of Messrs. F. H. Thornton and Brook Sampson, of Northampton, and Mr. John Clark, of Rushden, for a provisional order under the Electric Lighting Acts authorising them to supply electricity for public or private purposes throughout the whole or part of the Urban District of Rushden.

Mr. Swindall : We shall have further information later?

The Chairman : Yes.

Fair Wages

Mr. Bazeley asked if it was not a fact that a resolution was passed by the Council to the effect that a fair wages clause should be inserted in all contracts.

The Clerk said the only resolution on the minutes referred to the building of the Council Chambers.

Mr. Bazeley said he remembered a fair wages resolution being passed at a meeting in the old Vestry Hall, and he understood at the time that it would apply to all the Council’s contracts.

The Clerk said he had not only searched the minutes but also the newspaper reports but could find no trace of such a resolution being passed, though the subject was discussed.

Mr. Spencer said he moved the resolution.

Mr. Bazeley said that as the resolution could not be found he would give notice to move that a fair wages clause be inserted in all contracts. The Labour members of the Council were very dissatisfied with some of the tendering that night, and he was giving notice of motion to prevent a repetition of it.