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Topical Tattle.I

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Topical Tattle. I The schools re-opened on Monday, after the strike and the closing the schools for measles, but I believe there is still a good deal of illness about, and two young children died yesterday (Thursday). At the girls' school I hear 80 odd children are being taught by one teacher in a classroom which accommodates 45. The space and desks which half of these children usually occupy remain unused in another rooom. What must the atmosphere be like ? And this after an epidemic which has resulted in the death of eiyht or ten young children. This is an urgent; matter and demands immediate attotit ioa. Monday night's meeting of the Urban Council was one of the mobt lengthy, and at the same time, the most interacting meeting of that body we have had for some time. The ball was started rolling at question time when Mr Davis wanted to know about the assessment of the Picture Palace. Of course the Royal Hall assessment is included in that of the Royal Oak Hotel. The question of the assessment of the machinery there is, after all, but a small matter, but what does matter is this When the assess- ment of the Royal Oak and the hall was made the hall was not in daily use as it is now. It was empty then for months at a time, but now that it is let practically permanently one natur- ally infers that there is a case for a re-assessment. If rumour is correct the rent of the Hall is not far short-if it is short at all-of double the assessment of the hotel and hall, and as trades- men are always assessed on improvements and increased rent, the overseers should certainly look into the matter. I invite their attention to it forthwith. What makes this matter loom somewhat largely in the public eye at the present time is that the local Company of Territorials were within an ace of taking over the new Drill Hall on their own with the object of letting it for dances and whist drives. The point that effectually put a stopper on the project was that they were told-rightly or wrongly-if they did so it would be assessed at 280 and they would have to pay rates on that amount. As a War Office building, used solely for the purposes of the local Territorial Company, it is not called upon to pay rates, and naturally the local Territorial leaders could not see their way to saddling themselves with an expenditure of not less than £ 20 a year in rates, without a definite prospect of being able to raise that amount by rents received for letting it. It was good news to hear that the general district rate is to come down from Is 4d to Is in the £ and thus equalise the increase of 4d in the poor-rate, which we ratepayers have had to pay recently. Our local Chancellor of the Exchequer seems to be of opinion that the poor rate will come down to its old basis of Is 6d. Naturally I hope it dees, but, like Mr Preece, I have my doubts. If it does come down, well and good, but all students of local government know that county rates—which are included in the poor rate-have a distinct tendency to advance, and I fail to see how the county can expect to reduce their call. Every ratepayer hopes that they will be able to do it, but there is a very distinct and big if about it. I only hope I am wrong in my view that the rate will stop at the figure it has been for the last six months. Then again, the water charge is to be reduced from 2s 6d per thousand gallons .to 2s, and the minimum charge will be correspondingly re- duced from 7s to 6s (including hire of meter). For my part, I have long been of the opinion that the Urban Council were charging far too high a price for water, and though 6d reduction is something to be thankful for, yet I think they might just as well have taken a shilling off and thus have given a reduction which would have been really felt. Still, I suppose we must be satisfied with small mercies. » At last, after years of correspondence between the Urban Council and the Building Society, with reference to the taking over of the Bank Crescent-road by the Council, representatives of the two bodies have met, and the question is now settled and done with on the Building Society paying over 2160 to the Council. What years cf correspondence could not accomplish, a conference has brought about, so who shall say that conferences between aggrieved organisa- tions should not take place ? And the public swimming bath scheme has got a move on it, even at the eleventh hour. Surprising how things can be shoved on a bit when there is an election looming not far ahead. I don't blame any of our Councillors for it, not me, because after all it is merely human nature. But it is worthy of the atten- tion of some deep thinking ratepayer to take stock of the unusual activity of councillors just before an election. I don't refer to this election approaching particularly, but to every election when you hear of a likelihood of a contest. And by all accounts, we shall have an election this time, a real tip-topper, if all I hear of the pros- pective candidates is true. Mr Lawrence has my sympathy over his resolution with regard to the need of a recrea- tion ground for Ledbury, which is a subject that has been repeatedly referred to in these columns in years gone by. We are all agreed that the youngsters should have a recreation ground, but in the present land-locked condition of Ledbury where is the land coming from, at a reasonable price? And that is the great, unsurmountable difficulty Mr Lawrence and Mr Warren will have to face. # I never knew till this week that the Union Jack of old England was once the flag of Napoleon But by the placard at the Picture Palace I am asked to believe that this is so. TATTLER. I

MUCH MARCLE. I

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