March 26,1898 Rural District Council - Cumberland and Westmorland Newspaper Transcriptions

March 26,1898 Rural District Council

RURAL DISTRICT COUNCIL.

The fortnightly meeting of this Council was held on Wednesday, the members
present being MR. W. DOBSON (chairman), LADY CARLISLE, Messrs. F. P.
JOHNSON, J. WATSON, R. G. GRAHAM, A. LEE, J. THOMPSON, E. P. WANNOP,
I. LAMB, W. WILSON, J. CHARLTON, T. R. RIDDELL, S. FALLE, R.A. NOBLE,
G. HUTCHINSON, J. ARMSTRONG, W. RICHARDSON and F. R. BOWMAN, the clerk
(MR. BIRKETT), the Medical Office (DR. SYMINGTON), the relieving officer
and sanitary inspector (MR. REAY), the highway surveyor (MR. N****), the
assistant surveyor (MR. H. REAY), and the workhouse master (MR. THOMAS).

THE HALLBANKGATE DRAIN.

The SURVEYOR reported that in company with the Sanitary Inspector he had
inspected the choked conduit at Hallbankgate. The **** of putting in a
9-inch sewer pipe from Clement ********* to the centre of the road leading
to Coal*******, and also a short branch leading to the Temperance ******, he
estimated at £9 5s, the length of pipe required being 32 yards. MR.
JOHNSON, who had formed one of the committee who had visited the place,
thought it was quite the duty of the Council to get this drain *******, and
he moved that the Surveyor get the work **** - it was agreed to.

REFUSAL TO PAY WATER RATE.

The CLERK submitted a letter from Messrs CARTMELL and BURNETT, solicitors to
**** ****, owner of several cottages, declining to pay a **** ** water rate
until they were assured that the ******ed supply was provided. He said that
the ***** parties had got into arrears before, and a compromise had been
come to. They then wished the assistant overseer to sign an agreement that
a better supply would be guaranteed in future, but he advised the assistant
overseer not to give any such undertaking. The CHAIRMAN: They cannot
decline to pay; they are using the water. They get as much or more benefit
than any other residents. The CLERK was instructed to ask for payment, and
intimate that the gravitation supply would be put on shortly.

DANGEROUS ROADS.

A letter from the Kingwater Parish Council drew attention to a dangerous
place on the County road at Clark's Hill, where there was no protection
between the road and a steep bank on the south side. The Parish Council
wished the District Council to appoint a small committee, with the Surveyor,
to meet the Parish Council, and send the matter on to the County Council.
LADY CARLISLE said they ought to live in Switzerland, or even Wales, and
they would not be so nervous about these places. MR. JOHNSON did not think
the Highway Committee of the County Council would entertain any application
on the matter, and he moved that it be deferred for a month. - This was
agreed to.
THE ASH CART QUESTION.

As has been stated on a previous occasion, the Parish Council sent a letter
to the Local Government Board with reference to the District Council's
application to have half the cost of the horse, cart, and man employed in
the removal of house refuse declared a special expense on Brampton Parish,
instead of the whole being, as at present, a charge on the whole Union. A
copy of the letter was forwarded to the District Council by the Local
Government Board, who asked their observations thereon.
    Some time ago, a committee of the District Council went fully into that
question, and recommended that fully one-third of the total cost (£145 a
year) be charged to Brampton, one-third to the Highway, and one-third to
the General Sanitary Account. The ground of this recommendation was that the
horse and cart is employed, not only in removing the ashes, etc., but the
scrapings from the roads, and in carting stone, coal, etc., to the
Workhouse.
    The Council, however, against the united voice of the Brampton
representatives, decided that one-half the cost should be a special charge
on the parish, and application was made accordingly. In the letter of the
Parish Council, it was contended that the present system was equitable.
Brampton now pays in round figures £30 to the cost of the horse and cart,
the rest of the Union £115.
    As the committee found that only one-third of the carter's time was
taken up with the removal of ashes, which could be done by contract for £35
a year, this they considered a fair proportion, more especially as Brampton
contributes £430 of the Highway Rate, while the mileage of district roads in
the parish (11-1/2) could be maintained for £160.
    By the proposed change, Brampton would have to pay in all £85 towards
the cost, but of the remaining £60, the rest of the Union would only pay
£40, the remaining £20 being paid by the Exchequer. - A lengthy discussion
took place on the letter.

MR. CHARLTON strongly protested against the inclusion of the roads in the
statement as unfair. Roads were, and must be, a Union charge. If Brampton
had a small mileage of road, it had an excessive number of paupers, and
plenty of parishes in the Union had none. Many hundreds were spent quite
recently on Brampton, and if they were determined to pay no special
expenses, the outside might make reprisals.

MR. FALLE denied that the highways were introduced by way of reprisal, but
only to show that the present system was perfectly fair to the whole Union.
At the same time, if the Council had adopted the recommendation of the
committee that Brampton should pay one-third, this question would never have
been raised. With regard to the number of poor, he could point to a dozen
who had settled in the parish in the last year or so. He asked that the
question be reconsidered, not as a favour to Brampton, but in common
fairness.

MR. NOBLE pointed out that if Brampton did pay a large proportion of the
rates, they only paid like the rest, according to their rateable value. No
other parish had the privilege of this ashes removal. If they could get
them removed for £35 a year, let them do it and end the matter.

LADY CARLISLE deprecated pushing Brampton too hard in this matter. The
parish had the remedy in its own hands, and might be driven to secede, which
would not be a desirable thing for the Union.

MR. LEE spoke in favour of reconsidering the question, and MR. LAMB thought
the position taken up by the Council justified.

MR. RIDDELL informed MR. NOBLE that if the District Council would empower
the Parish Couoncil to contract for the removal of the refuse, they would
take it in hand. The Union would still have to keep a horse and cart for
their own use as at present.

Ultimately, MR. FALLE, backed by MR. RIDDELL, MR. LEE, and LADY CARLISLE,
gave notice that on April 20th (the first meeting of the new Council), he
would move that the resolution re the application to the District Council be
rescinded.

The CLERK was instructed to inform the Local Government Board that the
question was being reconsidered.

BOARD OF GUARDIANS.

STATISTICS.

The MASTER reported 49 inmates in the house compared with 58 in the same
week last year. The vagrants admitted during the fortnight were 220 against
182 last year.

THE TWO DAYS DETENTION A FAILURE.

The CHAIRMAN remarked that the MASTER had kept a large number of vagrants to
the second day.

The MASTER: They rather like it; the number is steadily increasing.

Mr. CHAIRMAN: They say the same at Carlisle.

The CHAIRMAN: They have warmed cells. They seem to give them very little
work at Carlisle. If there is one thing the vagrant hates it is work.

ARMY PENSIONERS.

The CHAIRMAN read a circular from the St. George's Union, calling attention
to the emphatic condemnation by Mr. Justice GRANTHAM of the system of
quarterly payment of army pensions, and suggesting that Boards of Guardians
generally should petition the Government to make the pensions payable
weekly. - It was agreed after some discussion to support the proposal and
send a petition.

THE ELECTION.

The CLERK asked the permission of the Board to hold the poll on April 2nd
for the coming election of District Councillors in the Board Room. It was
much more convenient and comfortable than the Moot Hall, which was moreover
dangerous of access to old people. - On the motion of MR. CHARLTON, seconded
by MR. LAMB, the application was granted.

SCHOOL ATTENDANCE OFFICERS.

The School Attendance Officers, MR. J. W. STEELE, for the Hayton district,
and MR. HIND, for the Kingwater district, were re-appointed at the old
salaries, £10 a year each.

CONTRACTS.

The following contracts for provisions for the next six months were
accepted:

Coals and coke, Messrs. THOMPSON and Sons, Kirkhouse
haircutting and shaving, Mr. SMITH, Market Place
clogs, MRS. H. RUTHERFORD, Moatside
shoes, MISS MARY WATSON, Main Street
coffins, MR. T. WARWICK, Main Street
oats and bran, MR. DAVID BELL, Market Place
meal, flour, &c., MR. THOMAS PARK, High Cross Street
milk and butter, Messrs. P. HEWITSON and Son, Town Foot
butcher meat, MR. JOHN BLAYLOCK
bacon, MR. JOHN ARMSTRONG, High Cross Street
groceries, MR. THOMAS PARK.

ST. MARTIN'S HALL.

The last of the present season's concerts promoted by the vicar in aid of
the building fund of this hall was held on Saturday. The vicar presided,
and there was a good attendance. The Carlisle Philarmonic Society provided
the programme, which was comprised of selections from popular operas, and
was well received.

The performers were MISS AMY BELL, MRS. H. V. FRENCH, MISS BLACKBURN,
MRS. G. F. BROWN, MR. J. R. COCKBAIN, MR. W. HAUGHAN, MR. E. BABER, and
MR. G. F. BROWN.

The selections included "The Madrigal" from ' The Mikado ', and the "Royal
Queen" quartette from ' The Gondoliers '; duets, "Poor little man" from '
Ruddigore ' and "Bride of my youth" from ' Haddon Hall ' were also given,
and a number of solos were rendered in excellent style. MR. A. B. SHERWOOD
accompanied.

The entertainment was a pronounced success, and the performers were warmly
thanked by the CHAIRMAN at the close.