South Yorkshire Times Friday 10 February, 1933
Conisbrough Urban District Council
Means Test Again
A Slump in Boxlng
At the monthly meeting of the Conisborough Urban Council on Wednesday (Mr. H. Gomersall presiding), a resolution of protest against the new regulations of the County Council in connection with public assistance was passed.
Mr. J. T. E. Collins moved “That the Council strongly object to the recent decision of the County Council in connection with public assistance and transitional payments which had resulted in extreme hardship being inflicted on many working people. The Council therefore suggest that the County authority withdraw these latest proposals and allowed the various Guardians Committees to administer public assistance much more humanely.”
Mr. Collins said the matter was discussed for nine hours in the County Council meeting before the decision was arrived at. “To my mind.” he said, “it is a very dastardly action on the part of those responsible at Wakefield, particularly as it is winter. Had they brought this forward in summer there might have been some excuse. We have had many women coming to us in tears, but it is difficult for us to anything but protest. We cannot bring compulsion to bear on the relieving officer. He has his instructions to refrain from paying anything more than is laid down by the scale.”
Mrs. Levers seconded, and Mr. Ben Roberts said they should go further by making fuller enquiries into cases of sickness and death which came under their notice. “These matters ought to be made public and the people responsible for them exposed.”
Mr. J. Shelton: I can only support what has been said. I have had people coming to me and saying: “There is only one thing left and that is the river.”
The resolution was carried.
Earlier in the meeting the question of winter relief for the unemployed was again discussed when a reply was received from Assistance the Clerk to the County Public Assistance Committee to the Council’s request for permission for the disbursement of such relief to be granted.
The reply stated that neither the Public Assistance Committee nor the Guardian were legally entitled to give a general authority to grant extra winter relief. Subject to any instructions of the County Council and the general restrictions of the law Guardians Committees were entitled to grant adequate relief by reference to the particular circumstances of the applicant.
Mr. Collins said the letter mentioned “adequate relief.” and also that guardians committees determined the amount. He wished to refute both these statements. He contended that adequate relict was not being granted, and that relief sub-committees subservient to guardians committees obviously knew more of the particular circumstances of applicants.
Mrs. Levers: All the power ha, been taken from our hands. I consider the guardians are nothing but “mugs” to carry on. I have no patience with the matter, until the people realise the position and remove these people at Wakefield as well as the government.
Scavenging Costs.
Moving the confirmation of the minutes of the Sanitary and Highways Committee the Chairman said that in view of the fact that there had been some criticism of the Council’s scavenging being done by direct labour it was interesting, to notice the low coat of collection by this method. The cost per 1,090 persons per annum in Conisborough compared with the average cost in 54 other urban districts was £97 against £155, and the cost per 1000 houses per annum in Conisborough compared with the average cost in 54 other urban districts was £474 against £678. There were few urban districts or borough where the cost was lower than at Conisborough.
Mr. J. Webster, seconding, asked for the proportion of the rates which went in scavenging compared with the proportion in other districts.
Mr. H. R. Wray said that Mr. Webster’s question showed that he was not at the committee’s meeting on Monday. Of the 83 county boroughs only four were lower on total cost than Conisborough. Only seven of the 66 boroughs showed a lower figure and only eight of the 54 urban districts. The rate for scavenging was 7.07 d.
Mr. Webster said he wanted to know the maximum and minimum costs for urban areas. “If there are any better than us we are not good enough.”
The Chairman: I don’t intend all the details to be gone into again, as they were discussed very fully in committee.
The Chairman mentioned that as a result of the Conisbrough gas undertaking been taken over by the Rotherham Corporation the Council would save about £350 and Street lighting, but Mr Webster remarked that it was pleasing to hear that, the people should know that some will be absorbed in other directions and they would not derive much benefit from it.
Mr Collins asked the Medical Officer (Doctor J McArthur) were the people in the district had been more prone to contact influenza’s had been unable to get proper nourishment during the present bad times, and Doctor McArthur replied that it was well known that person whose vitality was lowered was more susceptible.
Boxing Slump.
A minute of the Baths Committee referring the cost of the equipment recently installed, brought Mr. J. I. Webster to his feet. “I think the public ought to know, what the cost was,” he said. “The boxing ring cost £93 9s. 6d. to erect and about £20 for lighting. The total cost of the equipment was £296 5s 10d.
The Chairman said so far as dancing was concerned they had served the public well, and were getting a good return. “The snag is the boxing.” he went on. “This equipment has cost about £115 altogether. We had hopes of a good return as there is a considerable boxing fraternity in the district. Promoters asked ns to do certain work to assist them, but these promoters have been conspicuous by their absence recently and instead of boxing locally having the fillip we thought, these people are neither assisting us to regain the outlay we have made, nor are they providing the public with the sport they promised.”
Mr. Roberts said this was probably attributable to bad trade and influenza, and expressed the opinion that results would justify the expenditure in a few years.
Mr. C. E Webster: We ought to have a Council boxing tournament. (Laughter.) The Chairman: It would be a good idea. I could knock a few out myself. (Laughter.)
Slippery Slopes
Mr G Oldfield asked the surveyor (Mr Thirlwall) if he would give his attention to the condition of the crags during the periods of frost like that through which they had just passed. They had been in a very dangerous condition, and he suggested that dumps of ashes might be placed at various points for distribution at such time.
Mr Thirlwall pointed out that if this course was adopted the Ashes would probably not be there when required. Another aspect of the case was that during the last frost tobogganing and been enjoyed to a greater extent than he ever remembered on the slopes. There were two sides to the question, and the wise course for people to take was to walk round by the roads and not to resell limbs on precipitous slopes.
Land for the Unemployed
Referring to the purchase of land in Denaby Lane for the purpose of cultivation by the unemployed, Mr R.H. Shephard, chairman of the Allotment Committee, reported that it was recommended they should buy 11 acres one rood and eight poles at a cost of £250 and that six acres should be let to the Conisborough and Denaby Unemployed Social Centre at a rental of 2 pounds per acre.
Mr Shephard remarked that they “had practically begged the land,” and he was pleased to be able to say that the unemployed were very keen to start cultivation. He moved confirmation of the Allotment Committee minutes and Mr Wray seconding pointed out that £250 including £20 for an extra portion which they had secured in order to obviate the necessity in the near future are having to buy a way leave.
Mr. J Webster was not quite so sure that they had “begged the land,” because it was a prescribed area and no one could build on it because of the proximity of the Powder Works. “It might be cheap, but I’m not going to have it that we have begged it.”
The surveyor remarked that all the facts were before the committee, and it was in any case obvious that no one would wish to build on land adjoining the sewage works.
Items
It was decided to send a letter of sympathy to Mr H.W. Gillott, a member, who is ill.
The Clerk was instructed to write to the parents of pupils holding Council scholarships at the Mexborough Secondary School pointing out that people were not making satisfactory progress and requesting them to give the matter attention.
Just over £100 was expended by the Council on snow clearing during the recent cold spell.
Public seats are shortly to be placed in Denaby Lane.
Pit Head Baths for Denaby
The proposed site for pit head baths for the Denaby Colliery is on the council allotments in Denaby Lane, and the Council are to make no objection to the proposal