Mexborough & Swinton Times – Friday 18 March 1932
“Stewards” Meeting.
Conisboro’ Councillors Off Their Perch.
Sabbath Electioneering.
Labour On Its Defence.
The Conisborough Urban Council’s “stewardship” meeting in the Welfare Hall, Denaby, the calling of which was prompted by trenchant criticisms of the Labour majority’s conduct of the affairs of the district, made inside the Council Chamber and at meetings of the revived Ratepayers’ Association chiefly by members of the “opposition” on the Council, drew a good attendance on Sunday morning.
The meeting lasted over two hours and gave scope for the airing of a number of grievances, and for a good deal of debate on the Council’s administration.
The meeting was attended by practically the whole of the members of the Council, and by the officials. Mr. G. A. Chadfield, chairman of the Council, presided.
Immediately the chairman got to his feet to open the meeting, a member of the audience rose and said “Before you open the meeting. I ask to be allowed to speak from the platform—and you know what my business is.”
Another man in the audience called to the chairman, “We have come to hear you, not anyone else.”
When order was restored the chairman said the meeting had been called in order that the Council might give an account of their stewardship. There had been “false accusations” of the Labour party, including a charge of being “satellites.” Those accusations arose through meetings of the Ratepayers’ Association.
Mr. Charles Webster, interrupting: Stewardship!
Mr. Chatfield: I want to deal with this first —we are coming to the stewardship. I deny the statements Mr. Webster has made at the meetings of the Ratepayers’ Association. The Labour party on the Council vote for the benefit of the people and they all vote together.
No Flies on Denaby.
Councillor H. Gomersall said criticisms had been levelled not only at the Labour party, who were the dominant party on the Council, but at the officials.
Mr. Webster in his meetings had emphasised the fact that the rate was 17s. 6d. in the £. But how many people realised how that rate made up, and how many people were under the delusion that if the Labour party were swept off the Council that rate would be reduced to 10s? Of the 17s. 6d., ten shillings was called for by the County Council. He was proceeding to outline the services to which that portion of the rate was devoted when a voice called, “Does it include ‘taxi-rides?”
Mr. Gomersall : I am dealing with public business. I have no personal grievance with anybody. Proceeding he said another 1s 1 ½ d. of the 17s. 6d. was called for by the Doncaster and Mexborough Hospital Board, leaving 6s. 4d. actually levied for local services within the district. That rate was less to-day than when urban powers were granted in 1921: it was 7s. 6d. then. With that 6s. 4 ½ d the Council had to maintain highway services and streets, public sanitation and refuse disposal, health services, baths and so forth: and pay interest and repay capital on loan, equivalent to a rate of 1s, after receipt of block grants. There were plenty of people in that room who knew how backward the district was before the grant of urban powers. He was one of the agitators for the abolition of privy middens 20 years ago. They had brought that to pass and it had cost at least £26.000. Naturally the rates were increased as a result — but what about the gain to the districts “Denaby Main has been materially improved, and money doesn’t count against the saving of child-life. Figures show that the infant mortality rate has considerably decreased in the district.”
He recalled the famous libel case at Leeds Assizes. “You remember the headline: ‘Where Do Flies Go in the Winter?’ Well, now we want to know where flies go in the summer—they have gone from Denahv Main.”
Great Progress.
They knew that no adequate housing provision was made by the Rural Council in that district. The Urban Council assisted the Conisborough Housing Association to put up 460 houses at Conanby and under the Acts the Council built 2614 houses, 204 of them by direct labour. Criticism had been made of direct labour: his reply was that, if the houses built by that method did cost a little more, they were far more substantial houses —”the best in South Yorkshire.”
In the old days, again, there was no provision for open spaces, public baths, recreation generally. There worn no social amenities in Denaby. Only since they got urban powers —and particularly since Labour got into power—had Denaby obtained some social and amenities. They recently laid out a Memorial Park at a cost of £3000, and the ratepayers would not be asked to find more than a halfpenny in the £ for that. If there was one project lit was proud of being associated with, it was that Park. (Hear hear). Many people did not seem concerned with the humanities. “That Park will be a convalescent home for the old people in the summer.”
In street lighting too, they were backward till the Urban Council got to work. They had associated themselves with Electrical Distribution of Yorkshire Ltd. but he assured them they were safeguarding the district against the unnecessary erection of unsightly standards. Their opponents on that platform were putting forward three concrete proposals in furtherance of their economy plea a reduction of official salaries (5% cent up £260 a year, and ten per cent over that; discontinuance of the use of the Council car; and, discontinuance of attendance at conferences. The first would effect a temporary saving of £212 per annum, the second a saving of £135, and the third a saving of £50. Conferences cost the Council last year £48. A penny rate raised £208 a year, so that the whole of the “concrete proposals” of their opponents amounted to a reduction of less than twopence in the rate. They anticipated that the county rate would be reduced a shilling for the year, and they hoped to knock another sixpence off district estimates.
“Satellites.”
In 1929 the changes involved in the new Local Government Act came into operation, including derating. Their rate that year was 16s. and they were anticipating a reduction of 15s., but the Local Government Act meant they had an additional 3s. 10d. added to the county call. The following year they reduced the rate 10d. The Labour party were said to be troubled with “squandermania.” They were representatives of the working people and were not wanting rates high. (Voice: “What about relatives?”).
Mr. Gomersall: I have no relatives on the Council! I am on my own. I am never going to be a party to reducing rates and starving the social services; that is what “economy” means. (Hear hear). The Denaby streets are a case in point. Had these streets been properly maintained they would not be costing £16,000 to-day to make up. Once you start starving services they go backward, and in the end you have to pay more to make them good than they would have cost in the first place.”
“We have been charged with being satellites. Satellites are ‘a group of small bodies circling round a larger body’—the larger body’ in this instance is the surveyor. Well, it I am going to be called a satellite because I refuse to accent the domination of a party who do not hold the principles I hold, I am willing ro he called it. My aim is to bring about the improvement of Denaby first, as the most backward part of the district: and no one is more anxious than myself to see the necessary sewage disposal extension scheme for Conisborough, to bring that part of the district into line in the matter of sanitary improvement.” (Applause)
“Office Work”
Councillor J.I. Webster was invited to speak the but refused to “those who had been instrumental in calling that meeting —Mr. Collins and Mrs. Levers—had spoken. He referred to memoranda and statistics which had been handed them that morning, and said clearly there had been some “office work.” He noted that the facts and figures were for the period 1927 – 32. They very conveniently left untouched the period before 1927. Had the known those figures were to be produced he would have brought his own notebook giving the details tor the preceding period. When the people he had mentioned had spoken, he was prepared to “talk for a long time,” and it they would not listen to him that morning he would be holding several meetings during the next fortnight, and he invited them to listen to him then. If they would not do that, they I could stay at home.
Voice: There is no sane man will come and listen to you.
The chairman remarked it was unfair of Mr. Webster to take that attitude. He had as much right to give au account of his stewardship as the rest of them. He, however called on Mr. Collins to speak next.
Sanitary Conversions.
Councillor J. T. E. Collins said the meeting was not called because of criticisms made by Mr. Webster or anyone else, but simple because the representatives of the people of Conisborough had a duty to give au account of their stewardship. During the period 1928-32 the rates had come down, but derating operated against the Council. The County valuation committee, aiming at uniformity of assessment, fixed the standard rate of “shafting allowance” for pits in the Riding of 2p. Owing to representations by the Finance Committee of the local Council, with the officials, they got that Increased to 2 ½ d and thus relieved the local rates to the extent of £1,143. Quite recently, largely on this occasion through the efforts of the officials they got a grant of towards dealing with the pithead baths sewage. Officials and members expected criticism but they wanted it honest.
One thing it was essential to get on with without delay : the extension of their sewage disposal plant so that they could make the sanitary conversions at Conisborough. The sanitary conditions in Conisborough were a disgrace. They had dealt with sanitary conversions at Denabv, but could not do it at Conisborough until they got their works extended, and the surveyor’s department already had plans drawn up for that work. But they were then dependent on the approval of the Government department.
Value for Salaries.
Councillor B. Roberts “challenged anyone to say he had not done his best.” He stood for “reasonable wages”: but if they did what some of their opponents wanted, they would reduce the wages of the labourers employed by them.
Mr. J. I. Webster: You are wrong.
Mr. Roberts: If some of these people had their way you would not be able to pay your “packy.” your groceries or anything. As Labour representatives we stand for everyone being reasonably paid. I could not reasonably support the reduction of salaries. When people talked about reductions, they did not take into account the services rendered for those salaries. There were people on that platform who said £2 a week was enough for the baths attendant. It was said to be very extravagant to go to a conference at a cost of 35s. a day. He had always been used to a clean home and he expected reasonable board and lodging when he went away as representative of the people. He had not known any of “the other people” refuse the money or hand any of it back. “If these people don’t play fair, they will get their change. If publicans or shopkeepers do not play fair. I see no reason why our people should not be led by us and advised what to do.”
Mr. J. I. Webster: Well done, Russia!
No Regrets.
Councillor Mrs. Levers said she had “done nothing she regretted in her four years on the Council.” She was proud of the social services they had provided. She referred to an epidemic of the pre-conversion days, when she and her husband suffered heavy loss through catching the disease: and all that was due to the fact that middens were close to their house door. “I don’t object to paying a few coppers more in rates to get such things done. If we don’t make such reforms it is going to cost us a good deal more.”
Coming Events.
Councillor J. Morgan, one of the critics of the Labour majority, said if the sewage extension scheme had been neglected, why had they gone on building houses with a premium on them? During the two years he had been on the Council he had endeavoured to discharge his duties faithfully and honestly, with an open mind to approach all subjects as they came up. “It is said that coming events cast their shadows before’: I think that past events have considerably darkened the horizon of district ratepayers.” Among the things he had not done during his term of office was to use his position as a councillor for personal aggrandisement or to benefit any member of is family. (Hear hear).. He asked them to be tolerant and fair, and to submit the Council to the acid teat: judgment on their actions and results.
The Chief Critic.
Courcillor J. T. ‘Webster opened with a protest, which he “hoped all the parsons in all the churches were lodging that morning.” against the transaction of public business on a Sunday He had come simply to show that he was not afraid to “stand up and he shot at.” Coming to give an account of stewardship struck him very much like trumpet blowing. For anyone who read their newspapers there no need for any account of stewardship.
Replying “to Mr. Gomersall, he said no one had suggested they could reduce the rates to ten shillings at a swoop. Every ratepayer paid eightpence in the £ to subsidise houses—the Housing Act of 1919 anticipated a maximum of a penny rate, so Conisborough was paying sevenpence to much there. He did not object to the building of houses but wanted them built on a self-supporting basis, and he was not satisfied they had so tried to build them. He wanted them to note the admission of Mr. Gomersall that direct labour cost more. Regarding the quality of the houses, there were people on that platform who lived in them, and would say they were not the best houses in South Yorkshire—or if they were, the others were very poor ones! He was the man who mentioned the Memorial Park while at the Ministry of Labour. (Mrs. Kaye: We sent you there);
The Council were unanimous about that the economy proposal credited to him and his colleagues were only “the beginning of big things.” What if the immediate proposal would save only twopence – in the present state of affairs every penny counted He believed they started at the wrong end with their estimates. They should tell each department that they must draw up their estimates knowing they would be allowed to spend so much and no more. Did they knew that three-eighths of their rent was rates? “All the money doesn’t go to Wakefield!”
Mr. Spencer Baker: That three-eighths should the corrected.
Mr. Webster: If that is so, we were given wrong information on Wednesday evening.
Councillors: It was contradicted.
Mr. Webster: It was not.
Continuing, Mr. Webster said it was the permanent officials who dealt with the County Valuation Committee regarding the assessment of pithead plant, and no member or group of members could claim special credit for that. The charge of wanting to reduce the wages of labourers had been levelled against him during the last month. There was no voice raised when the Joint Industrial Council award intimated a reduction of a halfpenny an hour owing to a drop the cast of living figures. The Council did not adopt the reduction.
Conferences.
He and his colleagues had consistently opposed members being sent to conferences at all. He was a delegate on one occasion, but that was a deputation on definite business, not a joy ride somewhere. “We went because we were assured Denaby wanted those streets doing. I am not so sure now that Denaby did. But the Council decided that one of the Labour party and one of the opposition should go, to show the Ministry we were unanimous. We went to get some money, and we got a 58 ½ per cent grant.”
Mr. Webster declared that not a scrap of benefit had ever come to the ratepayers through councillors attending conferences. That was the kind of thing that wanted stopping. He was not such a fool as to imagine that if they got a majority they could bring the rates down to an infinitesimal amount. They would have to begin with little things. And they would not starve the social services. Conisborough and Denahy would not be worse places to live in if they had not a Labour majority – they would probably be better. He still maintained they should have had an immediate reduction of salaries. Not a man in that room had not had some reduction. It was only fair the sacrifice should apply all round.
Voice: It was forced on us.
Another voice: lt’s us that’s not getting enough, not them that’s getting too much.
Mr. Webster said the surveyor declared the rota system could not be adopted in their work schemes. But they worked when it was necessary at the local collieries. “I am willing to answer anything that is shot at me. I had consistently opposed expenditure for which I could not see an adequate return. Only a penny on the rates’ they say – but for how many yearn is that penny on fhe rates? We are building up a cumulative burden for posterity.” (Applause).
Direct Labour.
Mr. Gomersall, winding up the discussion, said Mr. Webster had made statements which were shown to be incorrect by other statements made that very morning. It was “a weakness of his.” He instanced cages in which, he held, direct benefit had come to the district as the result of attendance at conferences, and declared that before Labour began to get representation on local councils, there was never any questioning of conference expenses. “But as soon as Labour gets a majority, and begins to seek education about its job, things change! (Hear hear and applause). Every amount paid out is scrutinised by the Public Auditor and he has never questioned an item in our accounts.”
Direct labour had been proved conclusively to be cheaper in scavenging.
Mr. Webster, rising to a point of order: It has cost more.
The surveyor (Mr H. Thirlwall) said the scavenging in the portion of the district worked by direct labour cost less per house than it did when worked under contract – and the contract price was a particularly low one. “We remove the refuse in Conisborough at a cost of 4s. 9 ½ d per ton. In Mexborough it costs 5s. 8d., and Mexborough pat themselves on the back about it.” (Applause).
Mr. Webster again rose to a point of order and Mr. Gomersall exclaimed. “You’re not going to raise any more points of order.”
Mr. Webster : You are afraid of it.
Mr. Gomersall: It will take more than ten Websters to frighten me.
The Webster Group.
Mr.,Gomersall, continuing, said they were not only scavenging cheaper but doing it cheaper. And—this was the point—they were paying men a living wage. (Hear hear). The points that chiefly concerned them when they considered that matter were the cleanliness of the scavenging and the wages being paid the main on the contract work.
“They are called the Webster Group, these economists, just as we are called the Labour party.
Voice: Yes! Webster’s chief whip. (Laughter).
Mr. Gomersall: In the .forthcoming elec. lion f know the unemployed are being exploited against the Labour party.
A man in the hall rose and interrupted: I am a member of the unemployed organisation, and repudiate that.
Mr. Gomersall: I don’t ‘say they are being exploited willingly. I don’t lay the onus on you or anyone else
Mr Gomersall said the Labour party, in spite of the criticisms, seemed to him to have earned the appreciation rather than the condemnation of the public for the services they had done the district in the last few years. Whatever “the other party” might say, reduction of rates could only mean the starvation of the social services, and that was bound to affect the unemployed, because work schemes could not be launched.