Wednesday, present: Messrs. L. Perkins, B.Sc., J.P. (chairman), C. Bates (vice-chairman), T. Swindall, T. Wilmott, C. E. Bayes, C. Claridge, F. Knight, J.P., C. W. Horrell, C.A., F. Corby, G. W. Coles, J.P., with the Clerk (Mr. G. S. Mason) and the Sanitary Inspector (Mr. F. S. F. Piper.

  Committee reports were presented as follow:-

Plans, Etc., Committee

  A meeting of the Plans, Highways, and Lighting Committee was held at the Council Buildings on Wednesday, August 29^th, 1923, when there were present: Messrs. T. Wilmott (chairman), C. Bates, G. W. Coles, and F. Corby.

Miscellaneous Buildings

  Applications were received from Mr. E. Chattle for permission to erect a small wooden coal-shed at the rear of 37, Pytchley-road, and from Mr. J. E. Smith for permission to erect a small iron building at the rear of Messrs. England Smith and Co.’s warehouse in Victoria-road, and it was resolved to recommend the Council to take no exception thereto.

Telephone Kiosks

  The sub-committee appointed to consider the site for the proposed telephone kiosks reported that they had now agreed with the District Manager as to the exact positions.

  The Clerk submitted a draft agreement with the Postmaster-General as to the erection and maintenance of the kiosks, which the committee approved.

Danger Lamps

  The Surveyor was instructed at once to order six danger lamps for night warnings at the price of 14s. 6d. each.

Asphalt Department

  The Chairman reported that the asphalters required a new truck;  he, together with Mr. Bayes and the Surveyor, had inspected a second-hand one at Messrs. Whitby and Sons, which the sub-committee considered would be quite suitable, and recommended that it be purchased at the price of £7  10s.

  The committee approved and resolved to recommend the Council accordingly.

Classified Roads

  The Surveyor reported that, in accordance with the instructions of the Ministry of Transport, a census of traffic was taken on the Irchester road during the week commencing August 19^th, the total number of vehicles, etc., registered being 3,192.

High-Street South

  Attention was called to the dangerous state of the wall opposite the “Compass,” High-street South.

  The Surveyor was instructed to communicate with the owner with a view to the danger being obviated.

  The report was adopted.

Finance and Estates Committee

  A meeting of the Finance and Estates Committee was held at the Council Buildings on Wednesday, September 5^th, 1923, when there were present: Messrs. L. Perkins (chairman), C. Bates, F. Corby, C. W. Horrell, and Fred Knight.

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 also examined, from which it appeared that he had collected the following sums since the last meeting:-

Treasurer’s Accounts

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

And that the following balances were in his hands:

Tradesmen’s and Other Accounts

  A number of accounts amounting to £1,395  2s.  6d. were examined and passed for payment.

Housing

  The committee considered at length the question of the provision of further houses, to be erected, if possible, by private enterprise.

  It was pointed out that under the Housing, Etc., Act, 1923, the Ministry of Health would subsidise, to the extent of £6 per house for 20 years, cottages erected in accordance with the Act and the Ministry’s circular No. 388.

  It was resolved that a sub-committee, consisting of the Chairman and Mr. Knight, together with the Clerk, be appointed to draw up a report and submit to the Council at their next meeting.

  The report was adopted.

Health and Sanitary Committee

  A meeting of the Health and Sanitary Committee was held at the Council Buildings on Wednesday, September 5^th, 1923, when there were present: Messrs. C. Bates (chairman), L. Perkins, C. E. Bayes, C. Claridge, F. Knight, J. Spencer, and T. Swindall.

Health and Sanitary Reports

  The report of the Medical Officer for the month of August was received.

  The Sanitary Inspector reported that since the last meeting 24 nuisances had been dealt with, and of this number twelve had been abated, together with twelve of the outstanding cases.

  A quantity of meat and offal, various tins of fruit, fish, and vegetables, and also a quantity of bacon, to the total weight of 8 cwt. 2 qr. ¾lb., all of which had been voluntarily surrendered, had been examined and found to be unfit for human consumption and destroyed in the usual way.

  Following cases of infectious disease, two rooms had been disinfected, a quantity of bedding disinfected at the depot, and a quantity destroyed at the request of the owners.

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

Factory and Workshop Act

  Under this Act 35 lists of outworkers had been received, containing the names of 45 outworkers, eight of which had been transferred to other districts.

Sewage Works

  The Surveyor was instructed to obtain tenders for the outside painting of the buildings at the outfall works and submit to the Farm Sub-Committee, who were authorised to accept the lowest.

  The report was adopted.

Housing

  The Clerk reported that the Ministry of Health had sanctioned the loan of £12,000 for the additional 30 houses, and he had communicated with the Rushden Co-operative Society, who had advanced the £12,000 at 4¾ per cent.  The loan would be subject to being called in by the society or paid off by the Council at six months’ notice.

Satisfied

  The Chairman read a letter from the donor of the children’s paddling pool in Spencer Park, enclosing cheque for the cost and expressing pleasure at the way in which the work had been carried out, and assuring the Council that the donor was fully satisfied.

Inquiries

  The Clerk reported that he had been formally notified of the public inquiries to be held next Thursday in regard to the Council’s application for increased membership on the Council and an increased number of representatives on the Wellingborough Board of Guardians.

  The Chairman, Mr. Coles, and Mr. Swindall were appointed to put the case of the Council at the inquiries.

  Mr. Perkins said they would notice that no mention had been made of an increased number of County Councillors, although the request had been principally for such an object, but it had been quietly shelved.  The present inquiries had been granted only because the other request had been shelved because it was thought that the question had not really become a public question – there had not been enough agitation in the town.  One member of the meeting held at Northampton had suggested that it might be a good topic at the next election, but that would mean putting off action for three years.  It was up to the Rushden Council, if they wished, to insist that something be done in readiness for the next election.

Park-Road Council Field

  In accordance with notice given, Mr. Bates moved that the Council provide swings and extra seats in the Park-road Council field.  Probably all the members of the Council had heard complaints that not enough was being done for the top end of the town.  There were young children and old people who could not get to Spencer Park, and provision ought to be made for them.

  Mr. Bayes seconded.

  Mr. Swindall moved as an amendment that, as the summer was practically over and neither the swings nor the seats would be wanted much until next spring, the matter be referred to the Parks Committee to deal with in the early spring.

  Mr. Wilmott seconded, and said he hoped the Council would not provide large swings.  He thought the best thing would be to put extra swings in Spencer Park, where there was plenty of supervision and the children were looked after.

  The Chairman said there would be no difficulty in putting in extra seats, but there might be over the swings, as the ground had been purchased for a cemetery.  He agreed that it was a long way to Spencer Park from the top end of the town.

  It was agreed that the matter be referred to the Parks Committee to report.

Proposed Extension of Spencer Park

  Mr. Coles had given notice at the last meeting to move that the Council consider the question of purchasing additional land to add to Spencer Park.  In view of the absence of members of the Council, he suggested that, if it was permissible and the other members were willing, he might withdraw the notice, to be put at another meeting, in the interests of the town.  He was fully prepared to present his case if an adjournment was not permissible or desirable. 

  Mr. Swindall said that only two members were absent.

  No member having moved that the question be adjourned, Mr. Coles presented his case.  He said that everything that had been done in Spencer Park had given immense satisfaction and was a great success both from a health and a social point of view.  The Council could take the fullest credit for it, knowing it was fully appreciated in the town.  He would like to mention that Spencer Park was not such a

Heavy Charge

upon the rates as some people might imagine.  The receipts of the present year from tennis and bowls alone would probably be £180.  To the end of August it was over £160.  From other sources the receipts would probably reach £200.  He had one regret – he would like to have seen more of the members of the Council in the park oftener.  It would be beneficial both to them and to the people who elected them.  The time had now arrived when, in his opinion, the Council ought to consider the extension of the park.  He would suggest that the land adjoining Spencer Park should be acquired if the Council were able to purchase and the price was reasonable.  There were three fields, one of 10½ acres, another of four, and a third of six acres.  He would be content if the Council took the first two fields, but he considered it would be most advisable that the three fields be taken.  He estimated that the land would cost not more than £100 per acre.  The present park was bought at that figure, be believed, and, the additional land (the two fields) being less valuable, the cost should not exceed £1,450, or rather less than a halfpenny rate as an annual charge.  Even if the 20½ acres were bought, the annual charge would not be more than a three-farthing rate.  It would need developing to be worth having been purchased, and he suggested that a lake be constructed covering about four or five acres.  Part of the lake could answer the purpose of baths and he would remind the Council that every member was committed to the consideration of providing public baths before their term of office expired.  He claimed that the swimming baths (part of the lake) would be cheaper than a specially constructed swimming bath in any other part of the town.  Unemployment threatened to be very acute during the coming winter, and, if the Council accepted his suggestion, the work necessary for laying out the extension would absorb all the spare labour in the town.  He was not arguing against swimming baths, because if the present suggested scheme was dropped he should support the idea of public baths.  But the construction of swimming baths would, for the time being, take skilled labour from housing.  Also, the lake would have two sources of income, swimming and boating, and would probably be self-supporting.  The top part of the land along Hayway-road could be used for the erection of dwelling-houses in two rows.  Although the Council had done all they could to provide houses, not one member of the Council would say that the housing shortage was not as acute as ever.  They ought to erect 200 houses and, for some years, 50 new ones a year.  Opponents to his suggested scheme would probably say that they must think of the ratepayer.  The ratepayer had been considered too much in the past.  The Council were elected, not for the primary purpose of looking after the ratepayer, but to work for the health and happiness of the people.  So long as the ratepayer got value for money he must be content.  On the other hand, he would not advocate schemes that were beyond the town.  Another point that opponents might possibly raise was whether it was opportune.  There had never been a great question brought forward without that cry being raised.  In view of the

Unemployment

and the need (and possibility of a site) for more houses, the time was now most opportune.  He had the whole of the Friendly Societies of the town in unanimous support of his proposal.

  Mr. Bates seconded, and said he agreed that the scheme would be a good thing for the unemployed.  Mr. Coles had made out a very good case, and he did not think it would be a burden on the town.

  The Chairman:  It seems rather a large order to be taken at once.  If we had had a separate resolution, say, the enlargement of the bowling greens or the recreative part of the ground, that might have been fully discussed and then the question of payment might have been considered, because then we should have had some land which would be paying its way.  The question of baths has only been delayed because of the financial position of the town.  Mr. Coles must not be guided too much by discussions which go on amongst the people who go to Spencer Park, because the majority of the people of Rushden do not go, and they would have something to say on the other side.  Naturally the bowlers are enthusiasts and want to see the grounds extended; but there are other questions which arise, apart from the purchase of the ground and redemption of the loan.  For instance, you could not enlarge the ground without increasing the expenditure for supervision.  The present caretaker has as much as he can do, and his wages are a set-off against the £180 raised by bowls, etc., as mentioned by Mr. Coles.  If we could increase the enjoyment at the park without involving the town in a large expenditure, then, I think, we should be meeting the wishes of the majority of the town.  I quite agree it would be a good thing to extend the park, but we are not yet sure we could get the land for the figures quoted.

  Mr. Corby:  We are indebted to Mr. Coles for laying the matter before us in the way he has done.  Mr. Coles looks at it in a very broad way, and he has laid the case before us very well.  But before we can consider such a large outlay as that, I should like to see other improvements made.  The fact that we have only one main thoroughfare through the town is to me a matter for regret.  If we could have another road from the railway station up to the Council Buildings, I think it would be a bigger improvement than enlarging the park, because oft-times High-street is a danger.  Personally, I feel tied to that improvement before enlarging the park.

  Mr. Swindall:  There was an outcry when we purchased the park by people who said we had bought too much.  It has turned out a great success, and the Council are to be congratulated on having such a splendid park; but every year the Council have to spend a little money upon it, and I should like to see further improvements made on the ground we have already got.  Quite half the land is unused – the Spencer-road part.  It would be better to beautify that part before enlarging.  For that reason I should oppose the purchase of further land at this time.

  Mr. Wilmott: I must remind Mr. Coles that all ratepayers, even in the poorest cottages, have to pay rates, and they do not want their rents raising too much.  Spencer Park is all right, and there is room to put up more swings and other things there at present, but this is a big thing, and, with regard to the figures put before us, there is no idea what it is going to cost.  We send the children to the park and bring them up in health, but if things are not soon altered, with the motor traffic as it is to-day in High-street, we shall soon have some of the children killed.  Something is bound to happen some time, if High-street continues to be so crowded, and children will be sacrificed.  The improvement of Rectory-road would relieve the High-street, would find work for the unemployed, and would give additional land perhaps in some places, where houses could be erected.  I think we must look round, when it comes to a question of cost, to see which is the best improvement.  I feel I should not be doing my duty if I voted for Mr. Coles’s proposition.  I want to find something for the unemployed, I hope it will be something for the benefit of the whole town.

  Mr. Coles’s proposition was lost, only two voting for it (the proposer and seconder).

Reduced Fares

  The Council unanimously supported the application of the Blind and Crippled Children’s Fund Committee in asking the railway company to allow people having to go to the hospital to go at reduced fares.

New Houses

  The seal of the Council was affixed to a contract by Mr. Arthur Sanders (Rushden) for erecting ten houses at £3,864, and to one by Messrs. Brown & Co. (Irthlingborough) for ten houses of a slightly different type at £3,269.

Railway Station

  Mr. Knight said that some months ago the Council, with the support of the Manufacturers’ Federation, met the M.R. Co. with reference to a covered platform at Rushden station.  They were satisfied with the reception they got, and expected that something would be done, but so far the company had let the matter slide.  Thousands of parcels were going out from Rushden every week, and there was no protection against the rain.  He moved that the Clerk write to the company again.

  Mr. Swindall seconded, and it was carried.