Mexborough and Swinton Times February 6, 1909
Conisboro’ Parish Council
Another Discussion on the Water Question.
The Cemetery Bell Once More.
The monthly meeting of the Conisboro’ Parish Council was held at the Station road. schools on Monday evening, ‘when there were present Messrs W. W. Norwood (in the chair), H. Baker, J. Greathead, H. L. Smethurst, A. Moody, J. Urch, A. Hulme, R. J. Clarkson, and C. Keys, with the Clerk (Mr. J. Hawksworth), and the cemetery keeper, Mr. Hodgson.
Deeds and Documents
The CLERK reported that he had now received into his custody, from Messrs. Alderson, Son ,and Dust, the deeds and .documents belonging to the parish, which had formerly been in the keeping of the late Mr. Godfrey Walker.
Mr. BAKER enquired whether the Council had a safe in which the awards ,and other deeds could be kept.
The CHAIRMAN said the documents were in tin cases. They would have to go to a bank to find a. safe large enough to hold them. He took it that for the future it, would be understood that these doouments ‘were in the, hands of their Clerk, and that they could be inspected by members of the Council or by ratepayers who wished to refer to them for any specific purpose.
The Saw Mills Fire.
The CLERK reported that with regard to the account for the expenses of their fire brigade in connection with the recent fire at the Don Saw Mills, the difference which had existed between the Council and the Insurance Company had now been removed, the latter having paid over the full amount of the bill, as presented by the Council and the insurance company had now been removed, the latter having paid over the full amount of the bill, as presented by the Council.
On the question of tenders for the supply or a hand-cart for the use of the fire brigade, the CLERK reported that Captain Jones, had not yet got out the necessary measurements, so that he had been unable to prepare the specifications.
The CHAIRMAN: That does not look as if the matter is such an urgent one as it was at first made out, to be.
Mr. BAKER: Why, I thought from what we were told last time that the whole place was Likely to come down, if we didn’t have one, and yet there is another month gone by, ,and nothing done. We make a great noise sometimes, but are very slow to action.
Mr MOODY: Except at dinner time!
Clerk’s Action Criticised.
The CHAIRMAN ,asked the Clerk if he had had any reply from the Doncaster Rural District Council regarding the recommendation made at the last meeting that they should carefully consider the proposals of the Denaby and Cadeby Main Colliery Company to put down a plant for the purpose of softening the water supply to Conisboro’.
The CLERK said he had received no reply.
MR BAKER: When did you write?
The CLERK said that as a matter of fact he had not written. He had seen certain ‘officials of the Rural Council, and they had told him that it would be no use him writing, as at the present time there were no proposals before the Council from the Colliery Company
Mr. BAKER said he must rise to a point of order. At their last meeting they passed a resolution that certain recommendations be made to the Rural Council, and they took it for granted that the Clerk would forward those recommendations in. the ordinary way.
The CHAIRMAN: There is too much talking between officials. If a resolution is passed by this Council it is the duty of the Clerk to forward it whether he believes in it or not. Our recommendation was by way of preparing the District Council to receive the proposals of the Company, and to let them know that the Parish Council favoured a scheme for softening the water.
The First Opposition.
Mr. KEYS, who was not present at the last meeting of the Council when this matter was brought up, said he thought a question of such importance should have been placed on the agenda for the last meeting, so that all the Councillors could have had an opportunity of having a voice in the matter. It appeared to him to have being sprung upon the Council with a view to paving the way for its adoption by the District Council. With regard to the figures Mr. Smethurst gave at the last meeting and which had appeared in the Press, he hardly took some of these has been authentic. If they were correct, we believe money was being wasted over the scheme.
Mr Smethurst stated that £600 per year was the sum received by the colliery company for supply the parish with water. He believes that in fact they were paid £1200 per year or more. If the colliery company were only getting £600 where was the rest going to? He knew they were powerless, but he thought he should know where the money was going to. He did not entirely approve of the scheme as it stood. When the colliery, contact for this water they did so for extension sum, and undertook to supply Conisbrough with suitable water. Now they found the people were dissatisfied and wanted to introduce the scheme should mean an additional 1d per 1000 gallons, or an addition of £100 on the present annual cost. Mr. Smethurst had called this a generous offer on the part of the Colliery Company, but he did not see where the generosity came in. If they as a Council truthfully represented the feelings of the ratepayers he said they ought to oppose this scheme.
Will The Scheme Work?
Mr. GREATHEAD asked if it were not a fact that this softening scheme which the Colliery Company were proposing had been tried in other places, and had been a failure.
Mr. SMETHURST said he had only been informed of one place where the scheme was in use. That was at Sandringham, and there it had proved successful.
Mr. GREATETEAD said he knew of a place, the name of which had would not give now, where the scheme had been tried and had been a failure.
Mr. MOODY was of opinion that if they improved their water supply they would improve the health of the parish, and he for one was in favour of the scheme.
The CHAIRMAN said their water was very good to drink, but it was very hard for domestic purposes. If this could be remedied it would be an advantage. So far they had committed themselves to nothing.
Mr. SMETHURST said there was one correction he ought to make as to the figures which he gave on the last occasion. He then, said that the Colliery Company pumped 480,000 gallons per day. The correct figure was 220,000. That was the only case in which this figures were incorrect. Mr. Keys was entirely wrong in his statement that people were dissatisfied ‘with the water. The water had been tested and shown to be of exquisite purity, but very hard for domestic purposes.
Mr BAKER said the Doncaster Board of Guardians had already decided to put in a, softening plant at the Workhouse. The scheme would be in use before long, and. he would report to the Council as to its effectiveness.
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