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ILEDBURY AND DISTRICT AIR-RIFLE…

I NEWENT.I

rLEDBURY URBAN COUNCIL.

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r LEDBURY URBAN COUNCIL. The Building Society and Bank I Crescent-Road. The Electric Lighting Provisional I Order. Council's Consent CIASN. I The mosthly meeting of the Urban District Council was held on Monday at the Barrett- Browning Institute. Mr E H Hopkins (chair- man) presided, and also nresent were—Messrs. J E Craddock, A C Lewis, C H Bastow. S Clarke, H Thaeker, R Lawrence, J Preece, W L Tilley, A T Jones, A Warren, W G Davis, and Rev Father Lynch, together with the Clerk (Mr Reginald Mase- field), and the Surveyor (Mr R G Gurney). THE NEW YEAR. I The Chairman said before they commenced the business of the evening he would like to extend to them a hearty wish for a Happy and Prosperous New Year. He hoped trade in Ledbury Urban would, if possible, be even more successful in the present year than it had been in previous years. As far as the relations of that Council weue concerned, he hoped wise counsels would always prevail, and that all they did would be to the advantage of their fellow ratepayers. (Hear, hear). SYMPATHY WITH A BEREAVED I MEMBER. The Chairman then said an uncomfortable duty devolved upon him, as in one breath he had to extend to them a hearty wish, and in the second breath to ask them to extend a vote of condolence to Mr T S S Gardner, one of their members, who had recently been bereaved. Mr Gardner had been a member of the Council for a good many years, and had had the good wishes of his colleagues at all times. He had always taken a great interest he the work of the S Council, and they deeply sympathised with him 1'0 his bereavement. Mrs Gardner was a lady who did not take an active interest in public work, but if they only knew the grcod work she did in a quiet way she would take a good position among other ladies of the same stand- ing. He would ask them to pass- the vote of condolence by standing. This the Council did, and the resolution was carried in silence. GAS. I Mr Lawrence asked what was the matter with the gas? A large number of Itamps in Happy Land, Newtown, Worcester-read and other places were out of use altogether. The Surveyor I was not aware that any lamps are out of repair. Mr Lawrence The one opposite the old pike house has not been burning for a week. The Surveyor said he had not been up there to see. He had had trouble with two lamps owing to the water getting into the pipesy and there were one or two others th,-tt the Gas Company would have to see to. It was just possible that in Worcester-road the light was affected by the new gas main. At his own house one night they had no light owing to air getting into the pipe. Mr Lawrence said there was one. lamp opposite the sally beds in Happy Land and two in Oatleys-road which had not been burniag for a fortnight. The Surveyor said he would attend to them. Mr Lawrence: I spoke to the lamplighter about it and he said it was water in the pipes. The Surveyor That may be. It is the duty of the Gas Company to get it out, but they would not do so until they had notice from me. THE. TOWN HALL AND RECRUITING I POSTERS. The Clerk read a letter from Captain P Prince, Recruiting Officer, Hereford, stating that it had been reported to him that the recruiting posters now on the Town Hall at Ledbury had got to be taken down. He asked for informa- tion ii this was correct, and if there was any other place where they could be displayed. He also pointed out that these posters were a great incentive to recruiting, especially for the county regiment, and that their removal would un- doubtedly be a great hindrance to recruiting, which was already a most difficult problem. The Clerk said he replied to the effect that the Council had nothing to do with the nutter, as they had no control over the Town Hall. The Chairman I dont think we have any control over the matter. Mr Lawrence It is a matter apart from us altogether. It is one for the Joint Charity Board. Mr Warren They were put there without any, permission. They are certainly a disfigure- ment to the Town Hall. The Chairman We can't do anything. It is a matter for the Joint Charity B, trd. I THE ELECTRIC LIGHTING PRO- I VISIONAL ORDER. The Clerk reported that he had received fropi I Messrs Seymour Williams and Co., Parlia- mentary agents, a copy of the Bou'd of Trade Provisional Order for which application was being made by the Ledbury Electric Supply Co., Ltd., to the effect that under the rules of the Board of Trade it was necessary to prove the consent of the local authority to the application for a Provisional Order, and they would be glad I to hear that the Council gave their consent to such application. It was necessary that notice should be given of the intention to move a resolution giving consent in the manner in which notices were usually given by the Councillors, and a certificate would be required that this had been done and that the resolution had been duly passed. A form of certificate was enclosed. The Clerk read a further letter from Messrs Seymour Williams and Co., on the question of the Ledbury Electric Lighting Order. He stated that in the Provisional Order it was pro- vided that the maximum price per unit should be 9d, whereas the general practice was 8d per unit. He wrote to Messrs Seymour Williams and Co. on this matter and received from them the following reply 38, Parliament-street, Westminster, 3rd January, 1914. Dear Sir,-In reply to yours of yesterday I it is correct that the general practice is to name 8d as the maximum price. The pro- moter, however, in view of the future possibilities of the half-watt lamp which has recently come within the sphere of practical work, though not at the moment of small incandescent lighting, thinks it necessary to protect himself by asking for an increased maximum especially in the case of small country installations such as yours. We think you may take it, however, that in the Urban portion of the area it is unlikely that the maximum to be charged will, except in the case of the introduction of the new lamp, be more than ad, and our client will give an undertaking to this effect to the Council.— Yours faithfully, SEYMOUR WILLIAMS & Co. The Chairman said the Clerk communicated with him with regard to that letter, and it would come up later. DANGER OF CELLULOID ARTICLES. I The Clerk read a notice issued by the Home Office as to the danger of fire from celluloid articles, aud enclosing a copy of a warning notice that had been issued. It was decided to obtain 50 copies of the warning notice and distribute them to shop- keepers stocking celluloid articles. THE MOTOR CAR ACTS. I The Clerk read an order from the Local Government Board issued in connection with the Motor Car Acts as to the carrying on a motor car of a lamp exhibiting a red light in the direction contrary to that towards which it is proceeding or is intended to proceed, and explaining the circumstances under which a motor-cycle is exempt from the provision. HOUSING ACCOMMODATION. I The Clerk read a letter from the Loca1 Government Board with reference to previous correspondence with the Council a? to ? rovision of additional housing accommodation in the urban district of Ledbury, and er quiring the present position of matters. On the motion of Mr Davis, seconded by Father Lynch, the letter was referred to the Housing Committee. RATE COLLECTOR MUST BE INSURED. The Clerk read a letter from the National Health Insurance Commissioners, in reply to a letter from the Council as to whether the collector of rates and water charges should be insured or not, stating that the parson employed by the Council as collector was liable to be insured in respect of such employment, unless his remuneration therefrom was at a rate exceed- ing in value the equivalent of 9160 a year for whole-time service. The Chairman said the matter would arise on the Finance Committee's report. THE BUILDING SOCIETY AND BANK CRESCENT. The Clerk announced the receipt of the following letter New Street, Ledbury, December 29, 1913. LEDBURY BCILDINO SOCIETY. Dear Sir,—I am in instructed by the Direc- tors of the above Society to acknowledge the receipt of the Surveyor's report relative to the Bank Crescent-road and to state that they ,are somewhat disapointed at the same they hoped it would have been more favourable to the Building Society, and they certainly never thought it would be suggested that the road should be entirely remade. Since the last report the Directors have spent something like 250in fixing new gullies and tar-paving the one pathway, and they naturally expected a reasonable reduction in the Surveyor's estimate, but they find there is an addition of some £ 30. The Surveyor recommends that the road should be eoated with 12 inches of stone. This is 3 inches more than was originally placed on the road, and more than on the other roads on the Society's estates. The Directors would point out that there is only very light traffic on the Bank Crescent- road, and very little wear and tear, and the road once placed in decent repair would last for a number of years. .The Directors sincerely truet that the Council will be disposed to give instructions for a modified report to be submitted, which will materially lesson the cost and thus enable them to carry on negotiations with some prospect of success. The Directors would remind the Council that the Building Society has been in existence 28 years that during this time four estates- have been developed, about 100 houses have been erected on those estates, the ratable value has increased £ 1,200, and the annual contribution to the rates about £350, and that the Directors have served the best interests of the Society and the town without fee or favour for those 28 years, and are still deeply concerned for the best interests of the Society and the town of Led- bury. The BteMding Society was originally pro- moted to advance the welfare of Ledbury, and it must be patent to the members of the Council as to the manner they have succeeded. The Directors desire to express the hope that the Council will take as favourable a view as passible, and give instructions for the preparation, of a less drastic report, or that in the alternative the Council will appoint a deputation to meet the Directors to discuss the matter in conference so that the question of this ?ak Crescent road m?y be settled.- Yours faithfully, H. J. PRITCRD, Secretary Ledbury Building Society. On the motion of Mr Warren, seoonded by Mr Tilleyv the letter was referred to the Streets Committee FINANCE COMMITTEE. The Chairman submitted the report of the Finance Committee, which showed that the receipts amounted to £ 271 3s 4d, of which J3217 7s 8d was general district rate, and 250 8s 6d water charges. The bills for pavment amounted to J3177 18a 9d, of which £40: Ms 7d was for labour bills, £ 20> Is 101 to Messrs Fielding and Platt for repairs to engines at the pumping station, the usual salaries, and JS15 15s 6d to the Ledbury Ancient Order of Foresters for 33rd instalment of principal and interest on the B100 loan. 14th instalment on the j3200 loan, and the 35th instalment on the RWO loan. As regards Messrs Fielding and Platt's bill for repairs to the engines at the pumping station, a difficulty arose with both engines. It was impossihl* to start either of them, and one of Fielding and Piatt's men, from the works where the engines were built, had to be telephoned for, so as to enable the pumping of water to proceed. It turned out afterwards that the cause of the, defect was the bad character of the oil and now a different kind of oil bad been obtained the engines readily started and went on with the work. It was felt it would be better to have any renewals done that might be necessary before long while the man was at the pumping station, and that was done. The collector reported that Mr Gorin, in New-street, thought his charge for water to be excessive, and the meter was taken away and sent to the maker. III consequence of the Mply from the makers, after inspection of the nister, they had no option but to order the amount t. be paid as it stands. In reply to the Chairman, the Surveyor said the meter was 5 per cent. slow. The Chairman said the meter was registering 5 per cent slow, and personally he thought the Council were quite right. In the case of Mr Bixley, the meter was found to be registering fast, and they recommended an allowance of h. As it appeared necessary that the collector should be insured under the National Health Insurance Act, the Committee recommended that Mr Maddox be insured as from October 1st last. With regard to the defective oil supplied by MrVal Palmer the Committee were of opinion that Mr Palmer should be called upon to pay a proportion of the coat incurred in consequence of the poorness of the oil. A letter had been received from the firm who supplied Mr Palmer with the oil, and they said they regretted it, and would undertake to supply him with better oil, but seeing that the Council had incurred a serious expense in connection with it, they decided to call upon Mr Pal mer to pay 22, which he believed Mr Palmer understood he he would recover from the makers. He moved the adoption of the report, that cheques he signed and the bills paid. Mr Craddock seconded and the report was unanimously adopted. STREETS COMMITTEE. Mr Bistow moved the adoption of the report of the Streets Committee, as follows :— Water Supply.—The Surveyor reported a break down in the engines at the pumping station, and the steps he had taken to repair the trouble, which appeared to have been caused by a defective sample of oil supplied by the manu- facturers to the local agent. Homend Path.—It was reported that this would probably be relaid in the Spring. South Parade Road.—The petition from some residents in South Parade asking for an expression of opinion as to the cost of putting the road from the Southend in order so that the Council could take it over was considered. The Committee recommend that the Surveyor be requested to prepare an estimate of the cost and that subject to payment and the consent of the owner the Council will consider the possibility of taking over the, repair of the road. Mr Bastow said that with regard to the Homend footpath all the tarred path would be treated. As to South Parade the Committee considered the matter very carefully and came to the conclusion that their recommendation was the proper way to deal with the matter. There seemed to be some difficulty as to who the road was vested in, and that they would have to find out. The petitioners would have to get the owner's consent and it would then be considered. Mr Clarke seconded. The Chairman said he promised to raise the matter of the Homend footpath at the meeting of the Roads and Bridges Committee and see what could be done. A recommendation went from the Committee that it should be included in the estimates for 1914, and be done in the way Mr Jack suggested. He was hardly satisfied with that and asked that something should be done in the way of temporary repair, and Mr Jack promised that it should be done and that he would report to Mr Gurney. Mr Thacker said it seemed to him that they would not want an Urban Council if the County Council were going to do it all. The Chairman We have no option. It is the County Council's road. The report of the Streets Committee was then adopted. SANITARY COMMITTEE. Mr Bastow also submitted the following report of this Committee Local Government Inspector in District.— The Inspector reported that a Local Govern- ment Inspector had been a week in the district and had gone carefully into everything in the district. Drainage of Electric Light Station.—The Inspector reported that he had arranged for the Manager of the Electric Light Co. to lay a new sewer from this and that he had arranged to connect Mrs James' eottagas to it and that the work had been done. Housing Act.—The Inspector presented his report and the reports on the houses concerned were gone through in detail. The Committee recommend that the recommendations of the I Inspector as specified in his book be adopted. Mr Bastow said the Local Government Board Inspector had gone thoroughly through the district and inspected the different houses, and went thoroughly through some of the houses which had before them on a good many occa- sions. From what they gathered the Inspector soemed to be fairly well satisfied with the district as a whole. He informed the Council's Inspec- tor (Mr G'T-rsey) that he was very pleased with the stot*, f things in general, and that the I worst cott -i,es were not so bad as he had found in otihor places similar to Ledbury. It was rather a comforting thought to all of them, because they were rather afraid that he would have said they very bad indeed, With regard to the drainage at the electric light station it was found they would have to lay a sewer at a very low level to drain the water in their works, and the -uncil h%cl a sewer there as well, and the Surveyor arranged with the manager of the Company to lay the sewer at a low level and then the Council take it over as a public sewer. The result was they had practically got a new sewer at the expense of the Electric Lighting Company, and the only expense the Council had been put to was to connect the cottages to it. Mr Davis: The old sewer ran six yards the wrong way. Father Lynch seconded, and the report was adopted. SANCTION TO- THE ELECTRIC I LIGHTING PROVISIONAL ORDER. I I ihe Uhairman moved "That the Council consent to the grant by the Board of Trade to the Ledbury Electric Supply Co., Ltd., of Victoria-street, Bristol, of a Provisional Order under the Electric Lighting Acts, 1882 to 1909, in respect of the Urban District of Ledbury, in the county of Hereford." In moving that resolution, the Chairman went on, he would like to say that he was pleased indeed to see that the Company, after having this matter under consideration for some 12 or 18 months, had at last decided to take the step which was on his mind when it was first mooted that they anticipated coming to Ledbury with an electric lighting scheme. The Provisional Order was of the usual character, it gave the Company a locus standi, it protected the Company with the Acts referring to electric lighting, and at the same time it protected the Council and the ratepayers. The question that was on his mind some little time back with regard to an agreement between. the Council and the Com- pany he wns- advised by electrical experts was not necessary now, in view of the Provisional Order, and if at any time the Council of the future were deter twined to take over the electric lighting works they could do so by giving them the prescribed notice as laid down in the Act of Parliament, and at valuation. In that respect the Council of the future would be perfectly protected without an additional agreement. On looking through the Order he noticed it was suggested they should have the right to charge 9d per unit. With a full knowledge of the fact that the Board of Trade maximum was 8d per unit he thought it only right and reasonable that he should ask the Clerk to communicate with the Board of Trade on that point. It seemed to him that the consumers and the town generally should be protected, and he certainly thought the question should be raised, because unless some satisfactory arrangement had been entered into he would not have pro- ceeded with the resolution. The Clerk Mr Edwards gave the under- taking, but it is not binding on the Company. The Chairman said Id per unit was a con- sideration, and he thought the maximum was going to be 7d. Mr Davis Ninepence is mentioned in the Order as their maximum, but they are not going to chaise it. The Chaiaman Yes, but they could charge it. Mr Davies Yes, if anybody would have it at that price. The Chairman then formally moved his resolution. Mr Davis seconded, and said he did not think the 9d per unit would affect anybody in actual use. There was a new lamp brought out, the half watt lamp, if they used it their expense of putting the plant in the house would be the same cost, and it would only affect those people using the half watt lamp. He did not think they would find it get up to 9d, as people would not have it at that price. The firm were here to make a business of the electric light and if they could not make it pay at 7-id they were not going to make it pay at 9d, as people would not have it. Mr Warren Do I understand that there is some general statute whereby the Council could take the electric lighting over without an agree- ment ? The Chairman Yes the Provisional Order provides that. Mr Davis Yes, at valuation. I MEDICAL OFFICER'S REPORT. Dr Harrison (Medical Officer of Health) reported that during the month of December eight births and five deaths had been reported. One case of diphtheria had been notified. The Council then wenb in Committee. I

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