Mexborough & Swinton Times – Friday 16 March 1934
The Car Again
At the monthly meeting of the Conisboro’ Urban Council on Wednesday the Clerk. (Mr. Spencer Baker) read a letter from tin County Council with reference to the Conisboro’ Council’s suggestion that a speed limit should be imposed along the main road through Denaby and Conisboro’, and that a bridge should be erected over the railway crossing at Denaby Main. The letter stated that in view of the possibility of the Government dealing by legislation with the speed of road vehicles the West Riding Highways Committee was not at present prepared to deal with the matter. The letter added that no useful purpose would be served at present by considering a scheme for bridging the level crossing.
The Clerk mentioned that on a number of occasions he had had to wait from 20 to 25 minutes for a bus, and had been informed that it had been held up at the crossing.
Mr. H. H. Wray: They have been going to put a bridge there for 40 years to my knowledge.
Mr. C. Webster: They don’t seem to understand this is the main road we are asking them to bridge.
The Chairman (Mr. B. Roberts) suggested a meeting with representatives of the County Council to ascertain why the bridge should not be built.
Mr. J. T. E. Collins thought they ought to press the County Council.
It was decided to defer the matter to the next meeting of the Sanitary and Highways Committee.
Brook Square Problem.
Mr. H. W. Gillott asked whether the one way traffic system at Lamphouse Hill was working satisfactorily. His own opinion was that it created more danger than before.
The Chairman said he would like to see a better job made of the corner altogether.
The Surveyor (Mr. H. Thirlwall) said the scheme had been authorised by the County Council and the Ministry of Transport, but there were dangerous cross roads there. The chief danger lay in the emergence of vehicles from Clifton Hill. All the same, if all vehicles came cautiously out of side roads there was no reason for accidents. Every driver should know there was a oneway traffic scheme in force, the sign was significant enough. He did not think the scheme should be altered.
Mr. J. I. Webster thought the danger lay in vehicles from Brook Square trying to rush the short slope onto the main road.
Mr. C. Webster: The only danger in Brook Square is caused by the trackless cars taking up part of the road.
Mr. Gomersall: All this points to the necessity for clearing Brook Square. I hope some effort will now be made to demolish some of the condemned property. Lamphouse Hill, whether one-way or two-way, is dangerous.
The Surveyor: We cannot do anything without the consent of the County Council. We have reached a deadlock.
Mr. Gillott: I move we ask our new county councillor to take this matter up.
Mr. Gomersall: The fact remains that some demolition has been done by the ‘Council. Now we are doing nothing. This is as bad as the crossing. Mr. Collins moved that the attention of the County Council be drawn to the conditions at Brook Square.
The Clerk said the major difficulty was that probably the County Council would have to bear 75 per cent. of the cost, and considering that the county rate had been increased by sixpence he did not think there was the slightest chance of getting the work done at present.
Mr. Gomersall: Irrespective of the danger, this is an eyesore. We hope the new County Council will be more progressive than the last. It was decided to discuss the matter further at the next meeting of the Sanitary and Highways Committee.
Public Assistance.
Communications were received from the County Council on the subject of the administration of public assistance, in reply to the Conisboro’ Council’s enquiries concerning cases in which an allowance of coal had been made and a deduction representing the cost had been made from the amount of relief.
The County Council wrote that they were not aware of any grounds for the statements: With regard to the Council’s request that the amounts of relief be increased by 2s. 6d. for adults and 1s. 6d. for children, the County were “unable to take any action.”
Mr. Collins said there had been in many cases reductions in relief where coal had been granted. He moved they condemn the action of those responsible for stopping this money.
Mr. J. I. Webster said if Mr. Collins would move that they ask the County Council to investigate these cases he would second. He thought they ought to take specific cases.
The Chairman said this was the very subject they discussed at the County Council meeting that day. and it had been decided that the scales of relief should be revised. Liberals and Conservatives, as well as Labour members had voted in favour of revision. Mr. C. Webster seconded, and the resolution was carried.
The Surveyor’s Car.
The subject of he “Surveyor’s car” was again brought up by Mr. Collins, who raised an objection to the annual payment of £100 for upkeep. This grant meant an increase of £100 a year in salary in effect to the person who ran the car. The upkeep of the old car for the first five years cost nothing like £100 a year. The amount already received by the Surveyor should be enough to enable him to run the car. The Council had saddled the ratepayers with a heavier burden than they had previously had to carry. Furthermore, it was a question whether the car was more necessary now than when one was first obtained.
Mr. J. I. Webster seconded remarking that there was going to be an increase in rates of sixpence, which they were going to feel.
Mr. Collins’s motion was defeated 8 – 6.
Housing Fees.
Moving the minutes of the Housing Committee, Mr. Gomersall mentioned that the question of the Surveyor s fees in connection with the re-housing proposals had been deferred until the next meeting. It was brought up rather late in the meeting, when nearly half the members had left, and the remainder thought it was hardly fair to saddle themselves with the responsibility. Mr Wray said he was sorry this had to be deterred. He hoped it would be brought up early at the next committee meeting. Mr. C. Webster said the committee meeting in question did not start until 9-45.
The Chairman: At the next meeting this should be the first item. Mr. Webster moved, and Mr. T. Morgan seconded, that the matter be dealt with there and then.
The Chairman refused to accept the resolution, and it was agreed the matter should be raised at the next Housing Committee meeting.
The Hunger Marchers
On the motion of Mr. Collins it was decided to hold a public meeting in the Baths Hall on Sunday at 6-30 to give reasons why no delegate was sent from the township with the hunger marchers to London, and to receive reports from two hunger marchers from the district who had made the journey. He pointed out that in this case it was a matter of their having to foot the bill to some extent if the Unemployment Bill came into force. Had it not been for the hunger marchers there might not have been a Labour majority on the London County Council.
The Chairman seconded the proposal for a public meeting. but did not agree that matters such as the Surveyor’s car should be discussed.
Mr. C. Webster: It will not be an election meeting, will it? (Laughter.)
It was decided to hold the meeting.