Plans, etc., Committee

A meeting of the Plans, Highways, and Lighting Committee was held at the Council Buildings on Wednesday, November 25th, 1914, when there were present:- Messrs. J. S. Clipson (chairman), T. Swindall, J. Claridge, F. Knight, J. Spencer, and T. Wilmott.

Plans

were presented by:-

Mr. T. Swindall for additions to No. 19, Brookfield-road, and passed.

Mr. Enos Smith for alterations and additions to his house, No. 165, Wellingborough-road, and passed, subject to certain amendments suggested by the Surveyor.

Messrs. Wm. Green and Son for sheds in Allen-road and passed.

Messrs. Cave Bros. for shed at the rear of the Standard Rotary Company’s factory in Duck-street and no exception taken, provided Messrs. Cave Bros. obtain the consent of the adjoining owners.

Mr. W. Packwood for shed in his building yard off the Newton-road and passed.

Mr. D. Nicholson for a shed in his yard off the Higham-road, and no exception taken.

Messrs. Eaton and Company for additional bay to plan passed on the 28th October last, and passed.

Mr. C. W. Horrell for leather warehouse off Moor-road, and passed.

Building Bye-Laws

The letter from the Local Government Board with regard to the Building Bye-laws, referred to this Committee by the Council at their last meeting was considered, and it was resolved that a sub-Committee, consisting of Messrs. Swindall, Knight, and Wilmott, be appointed to go through the Bye-laws with the Surveyor and report to the next meeting.

Rectory Estate

The Surveyor submitted specification for the completion of the roads on the Rectory Estate, which was approved.

Higham-Road

A letter was received from Mr. Irving Haigh, asking the Council to asphalt the strips of land between the footpath and the garden walls of the houses from North-street to No. 88, Higham-road. The Surveyor estimated the cost at £12.

It was resolved to recommend the Council to put the work in hand.

The Green

The Surveyor reported that the lamp near the Green had been damaged by one of the Wellingborough ’Bus Co.’s motor buses. He was instructed to send to the Secretary of the Company the account for the necessary repairs.

The report was adopted.

Finance and Estates Committee

A meeting of the Finance and Estates Committee was held at the Council Buildings on Tuesday, the 1st December, 1914, at 10 a.m., when there were present:- Messrs. T. Swindall (in the chair), C. Bates, J. Claridge, 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 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 balances were as follows:-

Tradesmen’s and Other Accounts

A number of accounts amounting to £1,333/9/2 were examined and passed for payment.

Rectory-Road

The Clerk reported that the apportioned charges in respect of two of the properties belonging to Mr. Joseph Knight and Mr. Wallis Wilkerson respectively, abutting on this road, were still unpaid, and that the notice to them that the Council would in case of default exercise their statutory powers had expired.

It was resolved to recommend the Council to appoint a receiver for the purpose of taking possession of the properties and collecting the rents until the amount of the charges had been satisfied.

The Clerk, in answer to Mr. Bazeley, said that both Mr. Knight and Mr. Wilkerson thought they were unfairly dealt with and ought to be charged on a single frontage basis.

The report was adopted, and the Clerk was appointed as receiver.

Health and Sanitary Committee

A meeting of the Health and Sanitary Committee was held at the Council Buildings on Wednesday, the 2nd Dec., 1914, when there were present:- Messrs. T. Swindall (Chairman), J. S. Clipson, C. Bates, W. Bazeley, L. Perkins, and G. H. Skinner.

Health and Sanitary Reports

The Medical Officer reported that ten cases of infectious disease had been notified since the last meeting, viz., one of scarlet fever, one of erysipelas, three of tuberculosis, one of opthalmianeonatorum, and four of diphtheria, one of the latter of which was fatal.

The Sanitary Inspector reported that, during the month of November, 31 preliminary notices had been issued, calling attention to nuisances, etc., which were receiving attention.

One lot of bedding had been destroyed after a death from consumption and the room sprayed and fumigated. It was resolved to recommend the Council to replace part of the bedding destroyed at a cost not exceeding £1.

The Inspector also reported that the houses numbered 139 and 141, High-street, and the two unnumbered cottages at the rear thereof were without proper sinks, drains and appliances for the carrying off of refuse water, thereby causing a nuisance. It was resolved to recommend the Council to serve a notice on the owner requiring him to abate the nuisance within 28 days.

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

Infringement of Nuisance Bye Laws

The Sanitary Inspector also reported that his attention had been called to a nuisance caused by the keeping of pigs by Mr. W. W. Smith on his premises in Griffith-street. The pigs had since been removed. It was pointed out that the keeping of pigs within a distance of 80 feet from a dwelling house was prohibited by the Nuisance Bye-laws, and the Clerk was instructed to write to Mr. Smith warning him that upon a repetition of the offence proceedings would be instituted before the Magistrates.

Refuse Receptacles

The Inspector of Nuisances submitted a report with regard to the following houses, showing the nature of the accommodation for the deposit of refuse:-

No. 84, Moor-road, box without cover

No. 86, Moor-road, tin bath without cover.

Owner, Mr. W. Garner, baker, Higham Ferrers.

It appeared to the Committee by this report that the houses therein referred to were without a sufficient ashtub, ashpit, or other receptacle for the deposit of refuse, and it was resolved to report to the Council accordingly, with a recommendation that notices be served upon the owner, requiring him within 28 days to provide for each house a sufficient and proper receptacle.

Isolation Hospital Accommodation

A circular letter was received from the Clerk to the County Council, together with a tabulated report on the Isolation Hospital accommodation in this County, asking this Council to take into consideration the provision of such accommodation.

The Clerk was instructed to reply that the Council did not consider the present an opportune time to move in the matter.

The report was adopted.

Shopping Hours

The Chairman said that the Sub-committee had on Tuesday conferred with the principal shopkeepers, who were unanimously of the opinion that there might be one closing order for the whole of the trades, and they practically agreed to the same hours. No objection to the hours suggested was expressed, and the tradesmen appointed a committee, consisting of two from each trade, to obtain signatures to a petition asking the Urban Council to make a closing order. When the signatures were obtained the petition would be presented to the Council, who would then act.

Roll of Honour

Mr. Claridge suggested that a Roll of Honour should be prepared, and placed in the Council Buildings, giving the names of the residents who were serving the country during the war in any capacity – military, naval, ambulance, etc. He proposed that such a list be prepared.

Mr. Perkins seconded, and it was carried unanimously.

Mr. Bazeley said that over 250 members of the Boot Operatives’ Union were on active service, on one capacity or another.

Messrs. Clipson, Bazeley, Perkins, and Claridge were appointed a committee to prepare the roll.