Sheffield Daily Telegraph – Thursday 11 April 1929
“Too Many Lectures.“
Conisborough Councillor and Retiring Woman Chairman.
There was an unusual outburst by a member at the close of the monthly meeting of the Conisborough Urban District Council last night, when Mr. E. Collins proposed a vote of thanks to the retiring Chairman (Mrs. A. E. Kaye) for her services during her past year of office.
Mr. J. I. Webster said: I am not going express any platitudes, and I hope we shall never have a woman in the chair again. We have had far too many lectures and far too little business done. I do not want the Council Chamber to be a bear garden for another year.”
Mr. H. Gillott said he seconded the vote of thanks as a bad boy of the family. He could only say that he hoped Mrs. Kaye would be at table when he was sitting in the chair, and he would be as nice to her as she had been to him.
The Clerk put the motion and remarked, “Carried unanimously, I think?”
Mr. Webster: No, not unanimously.
Mrs. Kaye, referring to Mr. Webster’s remark, said that three ladies had been recently elected to the Council, which rather put the men in the shade. The next time Mr. Webster came on the Council he would find a very different atmosphere. The Conservative Party had given women the power of voting, and they had made use of it. Electors evidently did not share Mr. Webster’s opinion.
Mr. Gillott moved a reference back of a recommendation to insure the electric plant at the reservoir for £27 19s., on the ground that the machinery was British made and as near perfection as was possible. It was not likely to go wrong for many years. The insurance was a waste of money, he added.
The Surveyor explained that it was the course to insure and safeguard the property of the Council.