Women's Institute Concert
Dear Sir,
May I, through your Paper, thank all who so kindly helped in various ways with the concert held in the Benson Hall on November 3rd.
The sum taken altogether was £15 16s. 10 and a half pence. After deducting £7 4s. for expenses, and giving £3 to the Nursing Association, the balance of £5 12s. 10 and a half pence has been paid into our account.
Yours faithfully,
A.M. Boniwell, Hon. Sec. B.W.I.
Buntingford, Nov. 11th, 1926.
Aspenden
Parish Council
On the 27th ult., a Parish Council meeting was held at Aspenden School.
Captain H.H. Williams, the vice-chairman, was in the chair, and there were also present, Messrs. F. Camp, F. Crouch and J. Boniwell (clerk).
The main business was the receiving of the rents from the allotment holders, who attended for this object.
A precept was drawn on the Overseers to defray the cost of street lighting for the current half-year ending March 31st next.
A small cheque for 5s. 6d. was drawn for payment of tithe.
There were no further agenda items.
Layston Annual Church Meeting
The Annual Church Meeting of the electors of Layston was held at the Women's Institute Hall on Tuesday evening, when there was a good attendance.
Following prayer and the reading of the collect for Ash Wednesday by the Vicar (Rev A. Howard), who was in the chair, the minutes of the previous meeting were read by the hon. secretary and treasurer of the Parochial Church Council, and these were duly signed.
Mr Maughan, in presenting the report of the Church Council for the past year, mentioned that an active Church Councillor had been lost by the death of Mrs H. Coleman. The receipts for last year amounted to £75 4s. 0 3/4d., and the expenditure totalled £73 8s. 2 1/2d., which left a larger balance in hand than the previous year. The sum paid to special societies during the past year amounted to £49 4s. 9d.
Mr Fraser moved the adoption of the accounts, and Mrs M. Corp seconded Mr Fraser's proposal.
The Electoral Roll was presented, showing that 16 names had been erased due to death and removals, and 29 had been added, and the number now on the Roll was 252.
It was reported that Mrs Howard had been able to send the full quota (£35) to the Diocesan Board of Finance, this amount being chiefly comprised of contributions received in connection with the Free-Will-Offering-Scheme.
The Parochial Church Council, viz., Mrs J. Smith, Mrs Howard, Mrs Dixon, Mrs Butler, Mrs Macklin, Mrs Corp, Miss Boniwell, Miss Davies, and Messrs. Freeman, Miles and Pateman, were re-elected en bloc on the proposition of Capt. Tollemache, seconded by Mrs H. Clarke. Miss Woods was appointed to fill the vacancy on the Council.
Another representative, in addition to Mr Fraser, was required for the Diocesan Conference, and Mrs Howard was appointed, she having expressed her willingness to serve.
Mesdames Butler, Macklin, Dixon and Howard were elected representatives on the Ruri-decanal Conference.
Regarding the repair of the organ at St Peter's, the vicar expressed his thankfulness that what he considered to be a "stumbling stone" had been rolled away, and after paying nearly £50 to Messrs. Corps there was a small balance left over, and this he had placed to the magazine account, because he was continually paying money from his own pocket to meet expenses which the magazine entailed.
The new heating apparatus has involved a further expenses, and the vicar mentioned that after paying £50 to Messrs. Grundy a sum of £29 was still needed, and he appealed to all to help raise this amount.
The vicar also mentioned that the initial expenses in connection with the new Churchyard were being borne by Mr Fraser, and the Bishop would consecrate the ground in the spring. The Bishop would also conduct a Confirmation Service at St Peter's on June 22nd.
Warm thanks were expressed by the vicar to all the officers for their past services, also to Mr Fraser (the host of the evening) and all helpers, and this concluded the business meeting.
Refreshments, which had been kindly provided by Mr Fraser, were then served, and musical programme followed. Miss M. Macklin, who presided at the piano throughout the evening, gave two delightful pianoforte solos, and Mrs Armstrong sang "The Second Minuet" with fine expression.
Mrs Corp's song "My ain folk" was also very much enjoyed. Mr E.E. Dennis then conducted community singing, such well-known songs as "Billy Boy," "Bobby Shaftoe" and "Loch Lomod" being popular with all; closing with the well-known hymn, "Jesus, Lover of my Soul," to the beautiful Welsh tune, Aberystwyth.
Joint Parish Council's Meeting
STREET LIGHTING
A joint meeting of the Aspenden and Layston Parish Councils was held at the Board Room, Buntingford, on Wednesday evening, when there were present: Mr H.C. Marshall (in the chair), Capt. H.H. Williams, Messrs. H.G. Stearn, C.H. Poulton, F. Camp, A.W. Wilson, G. Scarborough Taylor, P. Hamilton, J. Lawrence, H. Clarke, F. Crouch, and the Clerk (Mr J. Boniwell).
The chief business was the discussion of the question of street lighting in Buntingford and to receive a tender from the North Metropolitan Electric Supply Company for lighting the streets by electricity.
The tender submitted by the Company amounted to £131 17s. for twenty-three lights - viz., ten suspended lights, eleven mast lights and two bracket lights. The scheme included the lighting of Newtown.
The Chairman said the present system of gas lighting was costing £100 per year.
The meeting discussed the matter fully, and then decided to ask Mr Dixon-Browne, engineer-in-charge for the Buntingford district of the North Metropolitan Electric Company, to give the meeting further details in connection with the tender submitted.
Mr Scarborough Taylor asked if it would be practicable to reduce the number of suspended lights by increasing the power of the lamps.
Mr Dixon-Browne, replying, said the ten suspension lamps of 100 watts could be reduced to six suspended lamps of 300 watts. This would be cheaper than the scheme submitted.
Asked if the Company would reduce the term of years specified in their tender, from ten years to seven years, Mr Dixon-Browne said he was prepared to make the tender for seven years. He was afraid he could not hold out any hope of a lower tender than for the amount submitted, less the allowance in respect of the reduction in the number of suspended lights, as the price quoted was only just at working cost. The Company was bearing the entire cost of installing the necessary fittings and lamps, and in addition would have to bear all replacements.
Mr Wilson asked whether the lighting of Hare Street Road was included in the tender. Sunny Hill was as important as Newtown, and a lamp was badly needed.
The Chairman said he was afraid that Sunny Hill was not included, as it was not in the lighting area.
Capt. Williams then moved that the tender of the North Metropolitan Electric Supply Co. be accepted, on the understanding that the number of suspended lights be reduced to six, the tender to be for seven years, and that the lights be extinguished at 10.30 p.m. instead of 10 p.m. as mentioned in the tender.
In consequence of the amendments, the tender was reduced to £122 11s.
Mr Scarborough Taylor seconded the proposition, which was carried.
Mr Poulton asked why the parish of Wyddiall was not represented at the meeting. Wyddiall at present had one lamp in the High Street, and if the parishioners chose to keep out of the present scheme they could do so.
Mr Wilson asked what the position would be if the parishioners of Wyddiall refused to come into the scheme they had just adopted. They would be getting their light at the expense of Aspenden and Layston.
The Chairman said he thought the matter would be met if a small sub-committee be appointed to go into the matter with the North Met. with regard to the fixing of the lighting points. He would suggest that one or two of the Wyddiall parishioners who resided in Buntingford be asked to serve on the committee.
This was agreed, the following being appointed: Aspenden, Capt. H.H. Williams and Mr A. Wilson; Layston, Mr G. Scarborough-Taylor and Mr J. Lawrence; Wyddiall, Mr Claud Fraser and Mr Ernest G. Thody.
Mr Clarke raised the question of the apportionment of the cost. He thought Aspenden and Layston should divide their share equally.
It was finally agreed to leave this matter to the sub-committee to report on.
The Chairman thanked Mr Dixon-Browne for attending and for his explanations, and in reply Mr Dixon-Browne said that when they matter was settled and points fixed his Company would start with the work straight away.