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ST. ASAPH (FLINT) RURAL DISTRICT…

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ST. ASAPH (FLINT) RURAL DISTRICT COUNCIL. MONTHLY MEETINC. FRIDAY. Present: Messrs Rice J. Williams (chairman), W Conwy Bell (vice-chairman), Miss Bennett, and Messrs John Jones (Waen), E Morgan, T Howes Roberts, W S Roberts, R C Thompson, George Williams, Charles Grimsley (clerk), and J Lloyd (road surveyor). Smallpox Hospital Echoes. The minutes of the last meeting having been read, the Chairman asked whether any letter had been received from the Local Government Board in answer to their communication respecting the treatment meted out to them by the Flintshire County Council in connection with the late smallpox hospital at Waen. The Clerk I have received nothing at all. Later on it was reported that a circular letter had been received from the Local Gcvernment Board, enclosing a form of register to be kept of all patients treated in any smallpox hospital, whereupon Mr Thompson exclaimed amidst considerable laughter The next business, Mr Chairman. The next reference to smallpox arose in connec- tion with a letter from the Rhyl Urban District Council, enquiring upon what terms the Rural Council would receive smallpox cases from Rhyl to the isolation hospital at Waen." The Chairman: Perhaps we could have made money out of this affair after all. The Vice-Chairman I propose we refer them to the County Council and the Local Government Board (laughter). The Chairman I will second that. Without further ado this course was agreed to. Dymeirchion Water Supply. The Council were to have discussed, in company with a deputation from the Dymeirchion Parish Council, suggestions by the Sanitary Inspector for the improvement of the water supply source at Mynydd Bychan but Mr Morgan said the Parish Council was desirous of deferring the matter for a month. There had been a meeting of that authority, which he was requested to attend,for the purpose of discussing the water question,and the Chairman and Vice-Chairman were appointed as a deputation to meet the Rural District Council. It had since turned out that the Chairman could not attend on that date, and as the Parish Council were desirous that that gentleman's views should be heard, he having taken a leading part in the matter, it was the speaker's duty, unless they considered the matter too urgent for delay, to ask the Rural Council to put off the discussion for a month. He also read the following resolution passed by the Parish Council :—"That this Council is of opinion that "Mr Bell should be asked to submit plans to the deputation representing this Council, and the members so appointed will be pleased to meet the District Council for the purpose of laying their views on the subject before them." The matter was accordingly deferred. North Wales University College Appointment of a Governor. As it was the business of the Council to appoint a governor of the University College of North Wales for the year 1903, Mr Thompson proposed that the Chairman once more accept the post, and this was seconded by Mr Morgan. The Chairman did so only with reluctance, remarking that the duties, or rather qualifications, of a governor were somewhat outside his province, especially in regard to the proposed new college, the estimated cost of which was between £175.000 and him to take any part in voting away such an enormous sum was hardly recon- cilable with his ideas of economy. Mr Morgan All the more reason why you should accept the office (hear, hear). The Speed of Motor Cars and Cycles. A discussion relative to the above ensued upon the reading of a circular letter from the Yeovil Rural District Council in favour of amending the Light Locomotives on Highways Order of 1896. Mr T Howes Roberts thought that if the Board of Agriculture were contemplating action in this matter they (the Rural Council) might as well leave it alone. At the same time he did not want the restrictions upon motorists to be too severe, as such action would do no good to what had become an important industry in the:country. The Vice-Chairman, though he did not personally mind a motorist passing him whilst on a horse at the rate of twelve miles an hour, supported the resolution contained in the circular. He felt it was right in the interests of drivers aad riders of horses generally that there should be some fixed rule to be observed by motorists when approaching horses on the highway. While they did not wish to be hard upon anyone, they had to remember that there were motorists and motorists, and it was not at all a pleasant experience, at this time of the year especially, for anyone in charge of a horse to find himself in a ditch of water, which once at least had been his unhappy lot. Mr Morgan supported the Vice-Chairman. The Road Surveyor, speaking from personal ex- perience, said he had also found that the holding up of one's hand as a warning to motorists to approach a horse cautiously was a failure. Often it was unheeded in fact he had sometimes to get down and lead the horse past the motorists. The Vice-Chairman There are some real gentle- men amongst motorists, as i I can testify from experience. Mr Thompson thought if they were to act upon Mr T. Howes Roberts' suggestion they would have to wait till doomsday. The idea of waiting for the Board of Agriculture recalled the words of the poet, Man never is, but always to be blessed (laughter). The Chairman having also expressed an opinion in favour of some amendment of the Order, a reso- lution similar to that passed by the Yeovil authority was adopted. Roadmen's Hours Questioning the Surveyor. As the expenses in connection with the Road Surveyor's department for the ensuing month were rather heavy, Mr Lloyd asked tor a cheque for £70. This application led the Vice-Chairman to ask whethbr the Surveyor had a systematic method of checking the time of the workmen. He thought this was a matter in which he should exercise particular care. The Surveyor Any of the men leaving their work before the proper time have first to ask my permission. Being on the roads pretty well every day, I can tell whether they are at work or not. The Vice-Chairman, replying to the Chairman, said that some time ago it was settled by the Council that the men in their service should only be required to leave their houses at 7 a.m., and that they should knock off work at an hour which would unable them to be home again by 6 p.m. The Chairman It seems to me a rather extra- ordinary rule. The Vice-chairman went on to say that whereas according to the Surveyor's time sheets for the past month one man was returned for 24 days, he knew for a positive fact that that particular man had not worked 24 days. That was the reason why he asked whether there was any systematic way of getting at the times and attendances of the road- men. He could also state with certainty the num- ber of days the man he had just referred to was absent from work during the month He was'sorry to say this was not the first time such a thing had occurred. This knowledge was common to many members of the Council. He thought that one way of making sure of the men's time would be for the Surveyor to nominate his foreman over those engaged on different sections. He felt it his duty to bring this matter forward, as one of the representatives of the ratepayers, and he might state further that this particular case was first brought to his notice by a ratepayer. If it had happened on this jccasion, there were doubts whether this sort of thing had not been going on for some considerable time. The matter ended with the granting of the cheque and the promise by the Surveyor that he would endeavour by the strictest supervision to avoid a recurrence of such conduct on the part of any of the men. Cwm Waterworks The Contractor's Alleged Unfair Conduct. On behalf of the committee appointed to report as to the progress of the Cwm waterworks the Clerk made a detailed statement, from which it transpired that the contractor had applied for a month's extension of time, which had been agreed to. Mr Thompson said the clerk of the works had informed him that things were very unsatisfactory. It appeared also that since the month's extension of time was granted, the number of men engaged on the work had been reduced. He also under- stood that Mr George Bell, the engineer for the scheme, had expressed an opinion unfavourable to further payment at present for work done. A letter was here read, according to which the contractor asked for an advance of £100 Mr Thompson went on relating the conversation he had with the cleik of the works, winding up with the remark, attributed to his informant, that it would be a pleasant sensation for the Council to know that they had two such enterprises on hand at the same time (the other being the Dymeirchion water scheme). The Chairman I doubt very much whether the clerk of the works ever expressed such an^ opinion (laughter). The V ice-Chairman considered the contractor had taken rather undue advantage of the Council, especially when they remembered that he was under a penalty of £1 a day for the time beyond that in which he was originally required to com- I plete the work. They certainly did "not agree to I the extension of time in order that the contractor I might reduce the number of men, as he apparently had done, but with the object of having the work done more efficiently. As a member of the Council he would not agree to vote the contractor another halfpenny until the work done had been tested to the satisfaction of the engineer and the Council. He felt very much annoyed at the advantage he had taken of them. The Clerk was also of opinion that at present it would be a great mistake to make the contractor any further payment. Replying to a member, he said he had been paid £589 already, and the amount of the contract was £871. The Chairman said he quite understood that the contractor asked for extra time in order that the work might be done thoroughly. In fact he was rather struck with the man's apparent determina- tion not to give up the work until he had made a thoroughly good job of it. The Vice-Chairman urged that Mr Grimsley should be instructed to put the matter strongly before the contractor; and in the absence of a certificate from the engineer it was decided not to accede to the request for an advance of EIOO, and to point out to the contractor that it had come to the knowledge of the Council that since the month's extension was granted men had been dis- charged from the works. The Sanitary Inspectorship An Increase of Salary Agreed to. One item on the agenda was to consider the reply of the St. Asaph (Denbigh) Rural District Council as to conferring with this Council on the subject of providing assistance for the Sanitary Inspector." The Clerk said the Denbigh Council's answer was to the effect that as Mr Geo. Bell's year of office had all but expired, they had decided not to trouble about the matter until March next, when the question of his re-appointment would again come up for consideration. The Chairman did not see what useful purpose was to be served by deferring the matter in this way. It appeared to him at the rate they were proceeding that it would take the whole interval between now and next March to arrive at a decision. Mr Thompson This is just the time of the year when he wants assistance most. The Vice-Chairman Can this Council act independently of the other ? The Clerk Yes, you can act towards Mr Bell as you think best. Mr Morgan What about the understanding between the two Councils as to the division of the Sanitary Inspector's time ? The Clerk thought that was left to the discretion of the officer concerned. Mr Morgan proposed that they also defer the matter until March, and Mr Jones seconded. Mr Thompson thought this would be "hard lines" upon the Sanitary Inspector, and the Vice-Chair- man gave it as his opinion that he had saved the Council many pounds in various ways, especially in regard to the undertakings for which he had acted as engineer. It was explained that when first appointed Mr Bell received JE250 a year for the whole Union, but that subsequently £50 was knocked off, so that at the present time he was only getting £ 200, although when his salary was reduced he was promised that it should receive consideration in due time. Mr Thompson It seems to me it is a character- istic of this Council to talk a great deal and to do little or nothing. Let us get to business now. I propose that Mr Bell be allowed carriage hire for such journeys as to Cwm and Dymeirchion during the winter months. The Vice-Chairman To test the feeling of the meeting, I propose that so far as this Council is concerned the Sanitary Inspector's salary be increased by jE25 from to-day. Mr T Howes Roberts seconded. The Chairman How many amendments have we now before us ? Mr Thompson I withdraw mine. This cleared the way for voting, and the result was that by five to three the Vice-Chairman's motion was carried, and it was decided to grant Mr Bell an increase of JE25. Miscellaneous. The receipt of £ 138 10s 7d, the usual half-yearly grant under the Agricultural Rates Act, was reported. The Chairman called attention to the erection of notice posts warning people against trespassing on the sandhills forming what has for years been known as Dyserth and Rhuddlan Common. He thought the matter demanded iuvestigation on their part; and after some discussion the Clerk was instructed to make what enquiries he could respecting private rights to the land in question. It was reported that the St Asaph Parish Council had repaid all the expenses incurred by the Rural Council in connection with St Asaph Common.

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