Bowling Greens Complaint
The Newton Road Corner Improvement
’Buses Stopping Place
Swimming Baths For The Town

  Wednesday, present Messrs. C. Bates, J.P. (chairman), T. Swindall, T. Wilmott, C. Claridge, F. Knight, J.P., L. Perkins, B.Sc., F. Corby, J. Spencer, J.P., J. Hornsby, and G. W. Coles, J.P., with the Clerk (Mr. G. S. Mason), the Medical Officer of Health (Dr. Muriset), the Surveyor (Mr. W. B. Madin), and the Sanitary Inspector (Mr. F. S. F. Piper).

  Before the usual business of the Council began, the Chairman said it had just come to the notice of the Council that Mrs. Bayes, wife of Councillor C. E. Bayes, had passed away.  He moved that the members signify their sympathy in the usual manner.

  The vote was passed, the members standing in silence a moment.

Parks Committee

  A meeting of the Parks Committee was held at the Council Buildings on Monday the 23^rd June, 1924, when there were present:- Messrs. F. Knight (chairman), C. Claridge, G. W. Coles, L. Perkins, and T. Swindall.

Bowling Greens

  A letter was received from the Secretary to the Bowling Club complaining of the order that all matches in the Factory League were to be played on the No. 2 Green.

  The Chairman stated that the suspension of match play on the No. 1 Green was only temporary, and was ordered in the best interests of the users of the Green; after considerable falls of rain it was necessary that a Green should have a little time to recover.

  The Clerk was instructed to reply to this effect and the Committee approved and confirmed the action of the Chairman in ordering the suspension.

Rushden Feast

  The letter from the Labour Party with regard to the letting of Spencer Park for amusements at Rushden Feast, referred to this Committee by the Council at their last meeting, was considered.

  It was resolved to defer the further consideration of the matter until an application was received for the use of the ground.

Football Pitches

  Two applications were received for football pitches for season 1924-25 and adjourned until the whole of the applications were received.

Blind and Crippled Children Fund

  An application was also received from this Society asking for permission to again form up a children’s procession in the Park on the 5^th July next in connection with their annual Fete and Gala, and acceded to.

  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 25^th June, 1924, when there were present:- Messrs. C. W. Horrell (chairman), C. Bates, G. W. Coles, F. Corby, L. Perkins, and T. Wilmott.

Health and Sanitary Reports

  The Report of the Medical Officer for the past month was received. 

  The Sanitary Inspector reported that nine additional nuisances had been dealt with during the month and together with the outstanding cases, 11 had been abated.

  Thirty-two visits had been made to premises where food was prepared or sold during which inspections a quantity of port and beef offal to the weight of 1 qr. 22 lbs. had been found to be unfit for food and destroyed in the usual way.

  A number of articles of bedding, wearing apparel, &c., had been disinfected at the depot and a quantity of bedding destroyed at the Sewage Farm, all after cases of infectious disease.

  Seven rooms had been disinfected, as also had two schools since the last meeting.

  The Inspector gave a detailed statement of his work and inspections since the last meeting.

Dairies, Cowsheds, and Milkshops Order

  The quarterly report of the Veterinary Inspector was received, from which it appeared that on the 23^rd and 27^th May he visited 27 premises in this district and inspected 193 cows, making an individual examination of each udder.

  The report was considered very satisfactory.

Cemetery Field

  The Surveyor reported that only one offer had been made for the grass in the Cemetery Field, viz., from Mr. C. Holley, and it was resolved to recommend the Council to accept it.

  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 2^nd July, 1924, at 10 a.m., when there were present:- Messrs. C. Bates (chairman), C. W. Horrell, C. E. Bayes, C. Claridge, G. W. Coles, F. Knight, T. Swindall, and T. Wilmott.

Collector’s Accounts

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

Tradesmen’s and Other Accounts

  A number of accounts amounting to £1541  19s.  10d. were examined and passed for payment.

Main Roads

  The Clerk reported the receipt of a cheque from the County Council this morning for £622 being a further instalment on account of the maintenance of the main roads in this district for the year ended 31^st March last.

  Attention was called to the delay in the payment of this and other instalments and the Clerk was instructed to write to the Clerk to the County Council with a view to earlier payments being made in future.

Subsidy Houses Loan, £12,000

  A letter was received from the Rushden Industrial Co-operative Society Ltd., who had agreed to advance this loan, requesting that the balance £6,000) be taken up at once.

  It was resolved to recommend the Council to accede to the request and instruct the Clerk accordingly.

Staff

  It was resolved to recommend the Council that the Assistant Surveyor’s – Mr. J. W. Lloyd – salary be increased by £10 per annum from the 1^st July instant.

Newton-Road Improvement

  The Clerk submitted a letter from the Ministry of Health enclosing the formal sanctions of the Ministry to the borrowing by the Council of the sums of £1,759 and £1,484 for the provision of public conveniences and the widening and improvement of Newton-road.

  It was resolved to recommend the Council to instruct the Clerk to at once negotiate the Loans.

Road Foreman

  It was resolved to recommend the Council to purchase a new bicycle for the use of the road foreman at a price not exceeding £8  10s., and to offer the old one in part exchange.

  The report was adopted.

Plans, Etc., Committee

  A meeting of the Plans, Highways, and Lighting Committee was held at the Council Buildings on Wednesday, the 2^nd July, 1924, when there were present:- Messrs. C. Bates (chairman), C. W. Horrell, C. E. Bayes, J. Hornsby, F. Knight, J. Spencer, and T. Swindall.

Plans

were presented for:- 

  Re-building a motor garage for Messrs. F. Corby, Limited, in John-street and passed.

  Additions and alterations to the National Provincial Bank, and passed subject to the drainage arrangements being made to the satisfaction of the Surveyor and the position of the coal shoot changed so as not to encroach more than nine inches on the pavement.

  Two lock-up shops in High-street for Mr. F. Cobley, and passed.

  Shed for Mr. W. J. A. Peck at the rear of his house on the Higham-road and no exception taken, provided he give an undertaking that the building be used only as a cycle shed, tool or wood shed.

  Shed at the rear of his house on the Higham-road for Mr. H. J. Goodband, and no exception taken provided a similar undertaking to Mr. Peck’s be given.

  Shed at the rear of his house on the St. Crispin Estate for Mr. J. Lymage, and subject to a similar undertaking, no exception taken.

  House on the Washbrook-road for Mr. H. V. Whitby and passed subject to the drainage arrangements being made satisfactory to the Surveyor.

  An application for subsidy in respect of the last mentioned house was received, and it was resolved to recommend the Council to instruct the Surveyor to issue a certificate in respect of the same as coming within the Council’s scheme for the subsidy of £100.

Newton-Road Improvement

  The Surveyor was instructed to obtain prices for the carrying out of this improvement on the west side of the Clerk’s house in accordance with the plan previously approved by the Council.

Roads Act, 1920

  The Surveyor reported that as instructed he had obtained prices for the Notices required in Little-street, Duck-street, and Manning’s-lane, in iron as well as wood.  He recommended that iron plates be purchased from Messrs. Armitage and Robinson, Limited, at the price of 35s. each.

  The Committee agreed and resolved to recommend the Council accordingly.

Washbrook-Road

  The Committee visited the site and considered the line of the footpath on the south side of this road but decided to recommend that the whole Council in Committee visit the site and set out the line.

  The report was adopted.

Miscellaneous

  Mr. Spencer gave notice that he should move at the next meeting that steps be taken to provide swimming baths for Rushden.

  Mr. Coles asked where the ’buses were supposed to stop in Rushden.  They stood too long outside the Wheatsheaf.

  The Chairman said they ought to proceed to Little-street, and if there was not enough room there, then they should stand near the high causeway, opposite the South End Schools.  He saw four ’buses stand outside the Wheatsheaf for twenty minutes.

  On the suggestion of Mr. Wilmott, the Clerk was instructed to write to the Police authorities, calling attention to the rule being broken.

  The seal of the Council was affixed to the “conveyance” of the Clerk’s House from the Rector and Churchwardens of St. Mary’s at £850, and the frontage of the Vestry Hall at £20 to the Rushden Council.