Factory Hooters Distress Council
Civic Blood is Curdled and Bedlam Feared
Post Office Flayed

  Factory sirens and hooters which “warn people for nothing,” wake them up in the morning, rouse dogs and make councillors’ blood curdle were condemned by Rushden Urban Council on Wednesday.

  The Finance and General Purposes Committee had a minute headed “Factory Hooters” and hoping in grave official language that local manufacturers, presumably using the hooters “on the revocation of the war-time Order controlling noise,” would refrain from using them.

  The committee doubted the need for such time signals and felt that if used by a number of factories, particularly in the early morning, they could easily be a source of annoyance and a nuisance to residents.

  Said Mr. A. Allebone, himself a manufacturer: “They are horrible things.  I don’t think they are any good at all, and when they blow at 7.30 either the man should be at work or he isn’t.  There is one at Irthlingborough at six o’clock in the morning, and it is a nuisance and wakes some people up.

  “If we are going to have this considerable hooting at all times of the day to warn people for nothing, Rushden is going to be a Bedlam.  It upsets old people, children and everyone else.”

  Mr. Allebone promised that if the hooting continued he would move that the Council applied for an Order to suppress it.

“Sheer Swank”

  “It is sheer swank,” declared Mr. H. Waring from the chair.  “In so far as the hooters resemble sirens they send the blood curdling down your back.”

  Coun. E. A. Sugars was mildly surprised at these outburst.  “Nobody seemed to take any notice of it before the war,” he said.  “I can’t quite understand why it is taken so much notice of now.”

  “It was not connected with war experience then,” returned the Chairman.

  “During the five years of war,” said Mr. J. H. J. Paragreen, “we had such a packet that we never want to hear them again.  I hear the one at six o’clock in the morning, and when it starts it fair turns one over.”

  And Mr. Paragreen added: “We can get there in time if there is some encouragement for us to get there.”

  When Mr. Allebone announced that the hooters even woke his dog the councillors considered their protest complete.

Postal Service
4,000 People Without A Sub-Office

  One-third of Rushden is without a postal sub-office, and the town’s main office is only a branch of Wellingborough.

  These points were hammered home with spirit when Mr. A. H. Bailey rose to move “that the Postmaster-General be asked to revise the postal services in Rushden with a view to providing the town with a head post office, and that provision be made for a sub-office in the south Ward.”

  Mr. Bailey, who lives in the South Ward, said the people there had been without postal facilities for five years.  Early in 1940 they had one sub-office – in Park-road.  The postmaster had to give up for health reasons, and the authorities simply left the ward to its fate.  The council petitioned the Postmaster-General and were told they could have no consideration until after the war.

“And so,” said Mr. Bailey, “we get this ridiculous position, with 4,000 people without a sub-office.  I don’t know that we can even buy a stamp in the area.”

Luckless Pensioners

  Mr. Bailey spoke of the old age pensioners who have to make the journey to College-street.  There were premises available, he said, and only last week an application was made by a private trader to open a sub-office.  He had all the necessary facilities, but again the reply was “After the war.”

  The Postal service in Rushden was in woeful need of revision: it was ridiculous that a town of 16,000 should have no head office, and it was time that the ridiculous business of taking the mails to Wellingborough on Sunday and bringing them back on Monday was finished.

  Coun. J. T. Richardson seconded, and Coun. J. Allen declared “We should stand it no longer.”

  Coun. W. J. Sawford spoke of “certain literature” being sent from Rushden to Wellingborough and back again.  “If the Government thinks that is the way to run a business,” he added, “I don’t think there are many in this room who agree with them.”

  Mr. Allebone favoured placing the facts before the new M.P. - “when we know who he is.”

  Mr. Bailey’s resolution was carried, and the mover said he had in mind consulting the M.P. if the Post-master-General gave no satisfaction.

New Industries
“No Need To Collect Information”

  Following the conference between the Council and Government representatives, and a request made by Coun. Bailey, the Finance Committee, at its meeting on July 4^th, considered the question of assembling information which might be useful in connection with post-war industrial development.

  As some of the information might soon become out of date, the committee saw no point in collecting it.  They also pointed out that any person or firm wanting information about local public services, zoning and planning restrictions could obtain it from the Clerk.

  Mr. Allen complained of the condition of Hall-avenue, a private road, saying that both carriageway and footpaths were dangerous and that the road was never swept or cleared.  Most of the residents were owner-occupiers, and 99 per cent. had paid their road and other charges.

  Mr. Sugars said there were houses and bungalows without footpaths.

  Mr. A. F. Weale said he understood a fund had been set aside for making up the road.  The time had come when coercion should be used, because the pavement was dangerous and had been the cause of more than one accident.

  The Surveyor (Mr. J. W. Lloyd) said the condition of the road had been brought to the notice of the developer of the estate, but nothing had been done.  He would approach him again following the discussion.

Fire Service Future

  A letter read by the Clerk showed that the future of the Fire Service is being discussed between the Government and associations representing the local authorities.

  Mr. Allebone observed that there were many factors for and against a return to local control.  The circumstances of the big fire at Wellingborough suggested that Government control would be beneficial, but on the other hand Rushden’s old agreement to be on call in Bedfordshire for £5 a year was iniquitous.

  The Chairman said the members of Rushden N.F.S. wanted to come under local control.

  Mr. Allen urged renewed efforts by the Council and public in the salvage of waste paper, emphasising that paper might send out still more boards used in the repair of bombed property.

  Mr. Sawford, while sympathetic to the appeal, expressed fear that the Government, if given plenty of paper, might send out still more forms.

Housing Estates
Short Lamp-Posts for Bungalow Site

  Satisfactory progress on the preparation of the Higham-road site was reported by the Housing committee.

  Laying of sewers and kerbs on the temporary site in Park road was stated to be well advanced.  The council has been authorised to borrow £2,477 for roads and £923 for sewers on this estate.

  The Clerk mentioned that as the Park-road contractors had sufficient labour he had not applied for the use of prisoner-of-war labour.

  The Council has made a second application for the removal of the static water basin on the temporary site, but has been told that the fire Force Commander wants the basin retained “for operational reasons.”

  Mr. Allebone spoke about the street lighting of the Park-road estate and said that standards shorter than those normally used would have to be employed, otherwise the bungalows would be dwarfed.  The lack of height would necessitate closer spacing, and the cost of lighting would therefore increase.

  No action was taken on a letter from the North Midland Region Price Regulation Committee advocating rigid control of furnished accommodation and urging that the Minister of Health should set up rent tribunals similar to those in Scotland.  The clerk said he understood a similar proposal had been made in the report of a committee set up by the Government.

Full Lighting?

  It was agreed that street lighting on the pre-war scale, if allowed by the Government, should begin on Sunday, August 12^th, and not on July 15^th, when double summer time ends.

  Following consultation with Higham Ferrers Town Council, which has an adjoining site, it was agreed to install gas street lighting on the Higham-road housing estate.  Twelve lamps will be required.

  It was reported that the County surveyor was unable to undertake the Avenue-road reconstruction work and that sanction to a loan for Rushden’s share of the cost was not likely to be given.  In view of the condition of the road, however, and in order to take advantage of the contribution promised by the Ministry of War Transport, the Council agreed to carry out the work without obtaining a loan, and the Surveyor (Mr. J. W. Lloyd) was instructed to obtain tenders.

   Presenting a programme of highway repair and improvement works, the Surveyor pointed out the need of “as much patching and surface dressing work as possible” this year, and a considerable amount of surface dressing next year.  A sub-committee was appointed to draw up a list of equipment required.

  The only building plan was of a conservatory for Mr. A. V. Abrams of St. Peter’s-avenue.

Health Report

  The month’s health report mentioned the following disease cases: Tuberculosis 4, scarlet fever 2, diphtheria 1, pneumonia 3, erysipelas 1, malaria 1 (non-civilian), measles 6.  There were 20 births (11 males) and five deaths.

  Messrs. Waring and George were elected to represent the Council on the Home Hospital Management Committee.

  The Chairman welcomed Mr. W. A. E. Sherwood, headmaster of Newton-road School, and several of his pupils, who attended the meeting as observers.

  Members in attendance were Couns. H. Waring (Chairman), J. George (Vice-Chairman), A. H. Bailey, J. Roe, C.C., A. Allebone, J.P., C.C., T. W. Cox, F. Green, J.P., Dr. R. W. Davies, Mrs. O. A. H. Muxlow, J. Allen, A. F. Weale, T. J. Swindall, J. E. Dilks, W. J. Sawford, E. A. Sugars, J. H. J. Paragreen and J. T. Richardson, J.P.  Coun. W. E. Capon sent an apology for absence.