Mexborough and Swinton Times April 6, 1900
Something about the Rates.
Mr J Hawksworth, assistant overseer and rate collector for Conisborough, said that at the time he took office in 1883. The poor rate was 1/8 in the pound, and there was an additional highway rate of 6 ½ d. From that time there had been a gradual increase in the rate, there had been a corresponding increase in the population, as a result of the development of the collieries. Coal was first got at Cadeby Colliery about January 1893. In 1893 the rate for the year and risen to 4/1 in the pound. The poor rate then was 2/10, the highway rate 7d, and there was a special sanitary rate of 8d. The increases had gone on, until in 1899 the poor rate was 3/4, and the sanitary rate 1/8, making a total of five shillings.
Mr Wedderburn: You are to giveus calm facts, or express enthusiastic opinions?
I am here to speak the truth (loud laughter)
Mr Wedderburn proceeded to asked the witness is opinion as to whether or not, he Denaby, was joined to Conisborough, they should be differential rating, the effect of which would be that Denaby portion should pay less than Conisborough seeing that already a considerable amount of money had been expended at Denaby.
Mr Waugh said that on behalf of the promoters he was prepared to leave that question to the decision of the County Council. If Mr Wedderburn could show that old Conisborough was going to get any substantial benefit that could not be conferred upon the rest of the district, and the County Council is thought they ought to be differential rating, he was perfectly willing to leave it in the hands of the County Council.
Mr Wedderburn replied this that the contention of the opposition was that New Conisborough and Denaby Main had got all they wanted and that nothing that could be done for Old Conisborough could benefit New Conisborough and Denaby Main. If a new district was formed as proposed any money that was raised under its rates would only benefit a portion of it. It would be unfair to put upon, Denaby Main expenses out of which they would get nothing. The possible answer to that was that they should be, for 15 or 20 years after the district was formed, differential rating, and that Denaby Main should be required to pay no rates, or a very small rate, until it was clear that Denaby Main, was benefiting by the expenditure.
In reply to further questions by Mr Wedderburn, Mr Hawksworth said he did not think there were two persons buried in the Conisborough cemetery from Denaby in respect of whose funerals extra fees are being paid. The question of the provision of an isolation hospital for the treatment of cases of infectious diseases was regarded by the witness as an important one, but he was not aware that the Colliery Company were proposing to provide a hospital that kind for their district. The question of the provision of the new hospital had not being considered on the supposition that the application for urban powers would be granted.