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Buntingford Rural District Council
Monthly Meeting
Appointment of Rate Collector
Over 30 Applicants
The monthly meeting of the Buntingford Rural District Council was held at the Board Room on Thursday of last week.
Present - Capt. H.H. Williams (in the chair), Mrs Dimsdale, the Rev. L.W. Wright, Messrs. G. Graves, C. Hummerstone, F.B. Cannon, W.J. May, A.J. Hayes, G.C. Wilson, E.J. Marshall, H.C. Marshall, Claud Fraser, A.W. Page, and T.J. Stick, with the Surveyor (Mr E.G. Thody), and the Clerk (Mr E.C. Clarke).
Surveyor's Report
The Surveyor reported as follows:
Isolation Hospital
No cases of infectious disease have been notified, and the hospital remains closed.
Waterworks
The consumption of water during the month has been:
1st week - 262,000 gallons.
2nd week - 249,000 gallons.
3rd week - 248,000 gallons.
4th week - 248,000 gallons.
Four hundred gallons of paraffin are required and 40 gallons lubricating oil.
Licenses
Three persons make application for licenses to store carbide of calcium, and 14 for the renewal of their petrol licenses.
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The purchase of the paraffin and lubricating oil was approved, and all the licenses were granted.
Roads
Mr H.C. Marshall reported that he had interviewed the County Surveyor, and had arranged the matter of the roads which the County Council proposed taking over from the Rural District Council. The arrangements were subject to confirmation by the County Council.
The Chairman said the Council were very grateful to Mr Marshall and Capt. Morris for what they had done in the matter.
Appointment of Rate Collector
There were over 30 applicants for the post of Rate Collector, at a salary of £150 per annum. A Sub-Committee had been into the applications, and had chosen six applicants for interview by the Council.
Mr Hayes: I don't think there was any suggestion that the Sub-Committee should open the applications and choose any number to come before the Board. It has caused a lot of talk in the town, and I heard last week that it was almost decided who should have the post.
The Chairman: You have heard the minutes read, and no doubt you noticed that you seconded the resolution, proposed at the last meeting by Mr F. Cannon, that the Sub-Committee should meet and go into the matter immediately after the last day for receiving applications for the post.
Mr Hayes: I certainly seconded the resolution, but I did not think that the Sub-Committee would go into the matter so early.
The Chairman: Immediately after the last day for receiving applications: that was the resolution.
Mr G.C. Wilson: I quite see Mr Hayes' point. I admit that I was a little surprised to find that the Council were interviewing applicants today. At the same time I think the Council are very grateful to the Sub-Committee for going into the matter so thoroughly.
The Rev. L.W. Wright: I quite agree. It would have been a lot of unnecessary work for the Council to have to go into the question of the whole of the applicants today. The Sub-Committee has done quite the right thing.
Mr Hayes: I am quite satisfied now, only I heard that there was a good deal of canvassing.
The Chairman: As far as I am concerned I can say that I have no spoken to anyone or interviewed anyone respecting the post.
Mr Hayes: I am satisfied. Let us get on with the selection.
The Council then interviewd the six applicants recommended by the Sub-Committee, and after ninety minutes' deliberation it was unanimously agreed to appoint Mr W.G. Bonness.
The other business was of a formal nature.
