Did Their Ears Deceive Them? - Council Mystery of Siren - Damage in Park
Soundness of New Domestic Shelters Assured - Does the new Park-road siren sound, or doesn’t it?

Some members of the Rushden Urban Council have “heard it,” but another says it is incapable of a sound. The two parties astonished one another with their “revelations” at Wednesday’s Council meeting.

The Council functioned more rationally on a few other points, including damage at the Hall Grounds, and an assurance was given that the new domestic shelters would be a better job than those which have fallen to pieces in other towns.

Councillor Bailey enquired about “the delay with the siren in Park-road.” He had been informed that the linesman had completed his work, but he believed the siren was still not ready for use.

Councillor Capon: All I can say is that I have heard it!

Councillor Weale: I have heard it, too.

Mrs. Muxlow: I thought I did!

Mr. Bailey remained unconvinced, saying he had information that “something internally” was needed.

The Clerk (Mr. W. L. Beetenson) said he was informed a fortnight ago that the work was completed, and had not since heard anything to the contrary.

The chairman passed the riddle on to the A.R.P. Committee.

Shelters Opened

A report on public shelters showed that four already in use had been strengthened and equipped with sleeping bunks. They were also being connected to the town electric supply. Three more, also with bunks, were ready for use, and the building of 12 surface shelters was proceeding satisfactorily. Those in Duck-street and College-street would soon be ready.

Tenders had been invited for the erection of domestic shelters in one district.

The Clerk announced that he was arranging for the enrolment of shelter wardens.

Replying to Councillor Spencer, the Surveyor said that the three new semi-surface shelters were open to the public now.

Answering Councillor Richardson, he said the domestic shelters would have flat reinforced concrete roofs and would be much more substantial than those they had heard of in other parts of the country.

Children Blamed

Councillor Weale asked if something could be done to prevent damage to the trees at the Hall grounds. There had been difficulty with the children, and it was almost beyond the capacity of the caretaker. The beautiful trees close to the Hall had been damaged.

Councillor Waring said it was a question of the physical capacity of the caretaker to be in all places at all times. He would like to appeal to the townspeople generally to assist the caretaker by watching for anything of that nature and preventing any damage, which was, of course, irreparable.

Councillor Spencer said the children were complaining that they could get no water from the standpipe in Spencer Park and that there was no water in the paddling pool. There should be some facilities for the children, whom the Council had robbed of a number of pleasures.

“I am not so despondent as Mr. Weale about the trees,” Mr. Spencer added. “I have seen little wilful damage, and if I did see any I should do what I could to check it.”

Mr. Waring indicated that enquiries would be made about the standpipe, and the Surveyor said he had now given instructions for the filling of the paddling pool.

Kitchen Appeal

Reporting on the collection of kitchen waste, the Surveyor (Mr. J. W. Lloyd) said the results so far were by no means satisfactory, and he would like to make an earnest appeal to all householders to make the collection a success. In order to maintain the greatest possible number of pigs and poultry, the maximum amount of kitchen waste must be collected and used as a substitute for feeding stuffs.

Additional bins are to be placed about the town.

General salvage during May was valued at £56 16s 9d and included 10 tons 16 cwt of paper, 10¼ ton of tins, one cwt of brass, 11 cwt of bones, four cwt of rags and 102 dozen bottles.

Councillor Green was appointed to serve on a new local committee, organised by the Rushden Allotment Society, to deal with food production in private gardens.

Mrs. V. Clark was appointed as temporary assistant in connection with A.R.P. work, and it was announced that the County Council would cover the greater part of the cost.

Before proceeding with the provision of a building for food decontamination the Council decided to confer with representatives of the Higham Ferrers, Raunds and Irthlingborough Councils.

Billeting Money

It was agreed to appoint a male assistant (who would also act for Higham Ferrers, Raunds and Irthlingborough) for the recovery of billeting allowances in certain cases under the Government evacuation scheme.

Permission to hold services in the Hall grounds on four Sunday evenings was given to the Rushden Ministers’ Fellowship.

The use of the swimming bath during certain hours on Monday, Tuesday and Friday nights was granted to the Rushden Swimming Club.

Owing to the large expense involved and the difficulty in obtaining materials the question of fencing the brook in Spencer Park was deferred.

Councillor Waring was announced as the new chairman of the Parks, Baths and Hall Committee.

It was announced that two houses falling vacant had been let to Mr. A. Loakes and Mr. J. W. Smith, late of Roberts-street.

Plans of air-raid shelters in Victoria-road for Messrs. Dilks and Martin and in Rectory-road for the Coxton Shoe Co. were approved.

In view of the acute shortage of houses and the influx of evacuees the Highways Committee agreed to support an application by Mr. Fred Sutcliffe for permission to complete two partly erected houses in Harvey-road.

An application for permission to carry out work on the Royal Theatre was also supported.

Ministers Disappointed

In a letter written by the Rev. E. E. Bromage the ministers of the town conveyed their “sense of disappointment” that the proposal to open the Council meetings with prayer had been turned down. They hoped that the decision was not absolutely final and that there would be an opportunity of reopening the matter, in which case the Ministers’ Fellowship would be pleased to help.

Damage to street lamps by two boys aged 14 was reported by the Surveyor. A police report was also received, but in view of the tender age of the culprits it was decided to withhold legal steps on condition that the boys paid for the repairs and appeared before a sub-committee “for admonishment.”

The chairman thanked the members for their “valiant” support in the Social Services Effort last Sunday.

Members in attendance were Councillors T. W. Cox, J.P. (chairman), W. J. Sawford, J.P. (vice-chairman), A. H. Bailey, J. Roe, A. Allebone, J.P. C.C., F. Green, Mrs. O. A. H. Muxlow, J. Allen, W. E. Capon, A. F. Weale, J. George, T. J. Swindall, J. Spencer, J.P., J. H. J. Paragreen, H. Waring, E. A. Sugars and J. T. Richardson. An apology for absence was received from Dr. R. W. Davis.

Another Fete in August Week? - Rushden Trades Council Suggests Solution of Holiday Problem

Another Rushden charity fete in August week was suggested at Tuesday’s meeting of the Rushden and District Trades Council. On the proposition of Mr. Wills (A.S.L.W.), seconded by Mr. Wheeler (M. and G.W), it was decided to submit the idea to the Entertainment Committee of the Social Services Effort.

The Government, it was pointed out, were urging that holidays should be taken at home. Such an enterprise would keep the people at home and raise money for charities at the same time.

Discussing the salvage question, Mr. Wheeler spoke of the “lack of organisation on the one hand and lack of response from the public on the other.” He added, however, that salvage is now taken away regularly and does not accumulate in Council dumps as it did some time ago. The meeting (over which Mr. R. Welsford presided) resolved to urge the Press to assist in driving home the importance of the campaign.

A special resolution was that all wage rate changes affecting members of affiliated unions should be advertised in the local Press. Trade unionists are to be urged to consult their union secretaries before transferring to other trades.

Milk Position

Commenting on the milk position, the secretary (Mr. Harry Bailey) said the Ministry were in some measure to blame for the confusion that existed. The public, however, were complicating matters by claiming more milk than they had before rationing began.

It was decided to congratulate the North Midland Regional Food Price Investigation Committee on its stand against middlemen and profiteering, and the meeting deplored “the fact that the Ministry of Food had not acted upon information given by that committee.”

The secretary announced that a meeting had been called with a view to forming a branch of the M. and G. W. Union for employees of the Raunds Urban Council.

A balance of £42 was reported.

Messrs. H. Bailey and J. Egan were appointed as delegates to a Northampton conference on “The T.U.C. in war-time.”

Rushden Cemetery “A Disgrace” — Plot-holders Asked to Keep it Tidy

Town’s New Shelters

Communal shelters, the condition of the cemetery, and the breaking-up of a recreation field were leading themes at the Rushden Urban Council’s meeting on Wednesday.

The Clerk (Mr. W. L. Beetenson) announced that the Regional Technical Adviser had approved the scheme for the shelters in Zone 1 and accepted the tenders, which totalled £16,632 10s., and would be covered by a 100 per cent. Government grant. The shelters were being erected and the architects were now proceeding with a scheme for the second of the four zones.

Tenders had now been received for the strengthening and adaptation of basements as air raid shelters. They had been forwarded to the Ministry, whose reply had not yet been received.

Coun. Allebone: How many people will these shelters hold that are costing £16,000?

The surveyor (Mr. J. W. Lloyd): There will be 111 shelters, accommodating 4,260 people.

Coun. Green said he had understood that 30 per cent. of the shelters would be built first in each of the four zones. If they were going to begin by building the whole of the shelters for Zone 1, it would be a long time before the others were done.

The Clerk: We took this course on the advice of the Ministry of Home Security.

Mr. Waring was informed that no further news of table shelters had been received.

There was a round of humorous comments when Coun. Capon announced that the new South End siren was in working order. Coun. Bailey, however, declared that the people were very grateful and that the siren had brought about a great improvement in the turn-out of the street fire-watching parties.

“Full of Long Grass”

Coun. George called attention to the condition of the cemetery, which was full of long grass and “a disgrace at the moment.” If the surveyor could do something to make it presentable, he said, it would be worth the trouble. They knew the difficulties with regard to labour, but it was a matter that was being freely commented upon.

Coun. Bailey said he had received several complaints, and he understood the surveyor had been consulted with regard to additional labour. He thought the difficulties were understood, and he believed a great deal could be done towards improving the cemetery if the Press would ask the townspeople to keep the surrounds of their own plots tidy.

The Clerk reported that the Northamptonshire War Agricultural Committee had ordered the Council to plough up the Cemetery Field before September 15th and sow it with an approved arable crop for the harvest of 1942. The surveyor (Mr. J. W. Lloyd) was instructed to carry this out.

“We haven’t much to say in the matter,” observed Dr. Davies, “because the field is suitable for ploughing. The only other possibility would have been to leave it for grazing, but the draining would cost a good deal of money.

Coun. Roe: What are they going to sow it with?

Coun. Capon: I suggest that we divide it into 18 plots and cultivate it ourselves!

Coun. Waring: Will it be sown with wild oats?

The Surveyor: Wheat, barley, rye, oats, potatoes or beans.

Coun. Richardson said it would be utter folly if they ploughed up a nice children’s pleasure ground and land nearby was left to remain a wilderness.

Coun. Capon: That is beside the point.

The recent collapse of ceilings in a few houses was attributed to enemy action last year.

Building plans included additions to Messrs. John White’s factory in Park-place, air raid shelters for Messrs. C. W. Horrell, Ltd., in Fitzwilliam-street, and Messrs. Harris Bros. in Kimbolton-road, and various measures including the erection of shelters at the Alfred-street Schools.

Coun. Allen asked if the Alfred-street School scheme meant that the terrible condition of the building was going to be hidden from the public.

Coun. Weale replied that the work had already started. They hoped that a good job would be made of it and that a public eye-sore would be removed.

Coun. Capon: If the members look at the back of the building they will see what has been done already.

The Chairman (Coun. T. W. Cox): And I understand the front is being restored to its former state.

The Surveyor announced that he hoped to arrange a “Salvage Week” at Rushden in the near future, other towns having used this method with much success.. There must still be available a large amount of waste material which was not placed on one side for collection in the usual manner.

There had been an appreciable improvement in the amount of food scraps collected, but the quantity was still well below the standard laid down by the Ministry of Supply.

The June salvage, valued at £55, included 12 tons of paper and 1 ton 14 cwt. of kitchen waste.

No Ban on Children

Raunds Urban Council sought support of an application asking the County Council to make a bye-law controlling “the nuisance caused by children roller-skating on the roads and footpaths.” The Highways Committee, however, took the view that roller-skating was “seasonable” and not so prevalent in Rushden as to need control.

The question of providing static water supply basins, particularly in the higher parts of the town, has been referred to the Fire Brigade Sub-Committee by the Highways Committee.

Minutes of the Health Committee showed that a notice has been served regarding a nuisance at the Dial Farm slaughterhouse.

It was reported that 97 interments took place at the cemetery during the half-year ended June 30th. Twenty-four grave spaces were purchased and 26 reserved, 25 headstones erected and 26 grave spaces enclosed. Fees amounted to £172 5s.

In reply to an inquiry from the Raunds Urban Council, the Finance Committee stated that the Council would adhere to its policy of not joining the East Midlands organisation which deals with salary scales and the service conditions of local government officers.

There was applause when the Chairman offered the Council’s congratulations to Couns. Richardson and Green on their appointment as magistrates.

Members in attendance were Couns. T. W. Cox, J.P. (chairman), W. J. Sawford (vice-chairman), A. H. Bailey, J. Roe, A. Allebone, J.P., C.C., F. Green, J.P., Dr. R. W. Davies, Mrs. O. A. H. Muxlow, W. E. Capon, J. Allen, A. F. Weale, J. George, T. J. Swindall, J. Spencer, J.P., J. H. J. Paragreen, H. Waring, E. A. Sugars, and J. T. Richardson, J.P.