Mexborough & Swinton Times – Friday 15 December 1933
Conisbrough U.D.C.
Feed the Bairns
New Appeal to Education Authority
Bus Speeds
“Wooden” School Condemned
The principal topics at the monthly meeting of the Conisbrough Urban Council on Wednesday were the provision of school meals for necessitous children, the question of the proposed wooden extension to Conisbrough Middle School, and excessive speeding through Denaby.
A letter was received from the Unemployed Workers’ Association drawing the attention of the Council to the urgent need for school feeding of necessitous children, and stating that it was imperative the Council should press for the Act to be put into operation. This would rescue many children of the unemployed from malnutrition, which made them susceptible to disease. There was ample evidence that under-feeding did exist and that disease and misery were prevalent.
The Chairman, moving that the Council should do what it could to invoke the Act, also mentioned the inadequacy of unemployment insurance benefit, and proposed that the Council press the Government to raise the standard.
Mr. H. Gomersall: This ought to be referred to the local Education Sub-Committee, whatever observations are made there.
Mr. John Webster moved that this course be taken and also seconded the chairman’s resolution.
Mr. J. T. E. Collins suggested that there should also be a strong recommendation in favour of the Act for the provision of school meals being put into force when the matter was referred to the sub-committee. With regard to their pressing for increased unemployment benefit it might be advisable to state the amounts they considered adequate, £1 a week for a man, with 10s. for a wife and 5s. for each child.
Mr. G. Oldfield pointed out definite figures might not agree with the Labour Party’s amendments to the Unemployment Bill.
It was decided to send a letter to the Prime Minister, the Minister of Labour, and the local M.P., asking for increased rates of benefit for the unemployed.
Mr. Gomersall urged that before referring the matter of school feeding to the education sub-committee with a recommendation in favour of its being put into force, the Council ought to understand the position and, if necessary, discuss it. As chairman of the sub-committee he could assure them that this matter had already been dealt with once by that body. A short time ago enquiries were made and the sub-committee received a report which showed that there was not sufficient destitution in the district to warrant the Act being put into operation.
Mr. Chas. Webster said that every child desiring subsidiary nourishment was getting it, and the sub-committee were helpless in the matter.
Mr. John Webster: When I seconded this I did not do so with the idea of a strong recommendation being passed, because there is no one round this table who can give concrete instances of need. I cannot go further than recommend that this be passed on to the proper authority. We are just wasting time.
Mr. G. A. Chadfield: No doubt there are children in Denaby who are in need, but they are too proud to ask for the subsidiary nourishment.
The Chairman said they had had more disease than usual this year and a number of people had been prosecuted for not sending their children to school, when the real reason was that there was no food for them.
Mr. Gomersall: No matter how we put forward our case we have got to substantiate it. We have got to prove to our own satisfaction that it is necessary to put this Act into operation. If the authorities do not agree with us it will not be done.
It was decided to refer the matter to the education sub-committee.
Wooden School
Discussion on the extension to the Conisbrough Middle School was re-opened by Mr. Collins, who mentioned that a public meeting had been held the previous week in connection with the matter. A deputation had been appointed from that meeting and attempts had been made to get an interview with the Board of Education with a view to making known the opinion of Conisbrough people on the extension. These attempts had not been successful, and he moved that the Council also take up this question with the Board of Education and back up the townspeople in trying to get the extension carried out in brick instead of wood.
Mr. H. H. Wray: I second that; I am against spoiling the ship for a ha’porth of tar.
Mrs. Levers: I did not know about this meeting, but all I know of my views. I am strongly against the extension.
Mr. Collins’s resolution was carried.
Revised ‘Bus Time-Tables
Referring to negotiations with the Yorkshire Traction Company with regard to their new time-table, the Clerk (Mr. Spencer Baker) said they would now give a 15-minutes’ service between Waterdale (Doncaster) and the Star Hotel (Conisbrough).
Mr. Gomersall enquired whether any undertaking had been given with regard to the speed of the buses, remarking that fast traffic through Denaby was very dangerous.
The Clerk said the time allowance for the journey of 20 miles between Doncaster and Barnsley had been increased to 85 minutes.
Corporation ‘Buses
Mr. John Webster asked if the Rotherham and Doncaster Corporations had also had their attention drawn to the speeding of their buses through Conisbrough.
The Clerk: They say there is no need for this speeding. The time allowance is ample and it must be the fault of the drivers. That is why they want specific complaints.
The Chairman said it seemed that through the Council’s action there had been a lessening of speed by the Yorkshire Traction buses, and they ought to press the corporation buses to conform.
It was decided to send further letters to the Rotherham and Doncaster Corporations requesting them to ensure that there should be no speeding of buses through Conisbrough.
Suggested Speed Limits
Reverting to the subject of danger from fast traffic through Denaby, Mr. Gomersall said they ought to ask for the imposition of a speed limit through Denaby.
Mr. Wray seconded, and the Surveyor (Mr. H. Thirlwall) said they could only get a speed limit fixed by applying to the County Council and the Ministry of Transport. It would be best for the Sanitary and Highways Committee to prepare two schemes, one for Denaby and one for old Conisbrough, as one might help the other. This should be done with thoroughly concrete proposals put forward.
The matter was referred to the Highways Committee.
Waiting for a Lead
The Clerk read a letter from the Mexborough Urban Council, which stated they had before them the question of a 40-hour week for all Council employees without any reduction of wages, but before making any decision they would like to know whether the Conisbrough Council was in favour.
Mr. John Webster: Then Mexborough is waiting to get a lead from Conisbrough. What will Mr. Clif say? (Laughter.)
The matter was referred to the Sanitary and Highways Committee.
Boots
Drawing the Council’s attention to the need for boots by many children in the district, Mr. Collins mentioned that more than 40 applications had been forwarded to the County Public Assistance Committee, but only about half-a-dozen cases had been successful. He proposed that they should urge the County Public Assistance Committee to consider favourably all the genuine cases put before them.
This was carried.
Reduced Fares?
The Council decided to support an application by the Doncaster Corporation to the Traffic Commissioners for permission to alter their fares over certain stages between Sheffield and Doncaster. It was explained that the fares would be reduced if the application was successful.
Unemployment Bill
On the motion of Mr. Collins the Council decided to forward a demand to the Government that the Unemployment Bill in its present form be withdrawn.
Denaby Crossing
Moving confirmation of the minutes of the Sanitary and Highways Committee, Mr. Gomersall remarked that the Council had decided to write the County Council with respect to the provision of a bridge over the Denaby crossing.
Scarlet Fever
He also referred to the incidence of scarlet fever in the district and said there had been 23 cases during November. They understood, however, from the medical officer (Dr. J. McArthur) that the disease was on the wane, though diphtheria, measles, and mumps were still present, and it was essential that all precautions for the prevention and isolation of cases should be taken.
Coroner’s Request
Referring to a letter to the Council from the Doncaster District Coroner with respect to the fencing of land adjoining the main road at Denaby, Mr. Gomersall said the matter had arisen through a recent fatal accident to a child at this point, but he desired to point out that the land in question belonged not to the Council but to the Montagu Trustees, and the responsibility lay with them.
Condolence
The Council stood while a vote of condolence with the family of the late Mr. A. Hirst, sewage works manager (who died last week), was passed.