I I


'v J. I


t ‘ n


,\s.


m [ADVERTISES, AND TIMES. FRIDAY. SEPTEMBER 21. 1928. (THREE)


|ID3 p . ) Kisoniont, when


liiicsa balea roa |ilo\vs:—


to s t or Found! ■ to sales only_


8ix Insertion*do • |;iddrc?s of the


lined at the ■inico.


1 liox Numbers by post, an


lis uiado for a llials) ” ruoana


[d intli order; I at the ofhee


Ijincnt must be |rc3scd to the c/o the


I ’lFicos, or will nccompaniod


• Le s , Ir.ates:—


[dar biiainessoa tbo Private


Six .. . o n IIS.


I m em o im a m , I*?, Etc. • ledgments, if


[2/6 each; if


linam Notices |i lour Iino.s of if hooked, of verse or


[6 ; if hooked.


Insoi tionn 5


^ .. U 3 ■ncc of SIX


. 8 a . 0 a


1 onv(*I(»po or li


OVERHEAD CHARGES : CLAIM THAT FIVE PER CENT SHOULD BE ADDED TO SURVEYOR’S TENDER.


Clitlioroe Tmvn Couiieil, by .an moren.sed nmjonty, on Tm-.^diiy again


*iapi)orted a clmngo of poliov m lioiise-lmildmg, the dcci.sion to accept the t/‘ndcr of a private contractor being defended in vigorous terms by Consei\nti\e


monibers. Resolutions protesting against tlie aeceptanee of a tender 1200 liighei


than that of the Borough .Surveyor bad been sent by several oigiinisations U> the Minister of Healib. who invited the Conned to fnrnisb obsei vation.^ on


the subject. Councillor Bootbman moved th a t a leplj' be .sent .stating th at iiftei eight


years oKperience of direct labour, the Conned considered the fiitiiie inteie.sts of ratepayers could be.st be served by the Bornugb Suiveyoi attending to the duties of’ bis various offices nitlier than by continuing to erect boiise.s. l ie Hulimitted other worlc bad been delayed by boii.si-buildmg.


Effect of Falling Prices. other Conservative speakers held th a t five per cent, should be added to


tlm Purveyor’s bousing tender for overhead ebarges, as in the case of Moik done for other dejiartments. Councillor .Snttertbwaite contested the ebiim f hi't £20 000 bad been saved bv direct labour on the first ‘10 bouses built, stating tti'it larldiiu' did not begin until prices ot matennl bad been ieduced from the level riirmg'’\vhen tenders were obtained.


Labour members deiiieil that overhead ebarge.s were anywlieie iieai a.s


Irnh as suei'csted and declared notlimgjbeir oiiponenets bad said justified th^- acceptance of a tender £200 more than that of the Surveyor. It was stieaiiouslv denied that bmise-buitdmg was resjionsible for delav ill olbei Moik aiid an amendment was propo.sed referring the matter to the Housing Com­


mittee so that a .suitable reply could be ju-ojiaied. Alderman Soedall held th a t a t least 120 people .still need bouses and th a t


til ■ Conservative majorttv, having '• betrayed the confidence reposed in them,’ were condemning people to live under nasty, ovor-eiovded, unbcaltby,


immoral conditions. •\fter a lively debate lasting two hours. Coimcilloi Bootbimin's lesolution


w IS eirri'cd bv niii" votes to five. Before the division, the .Surveyor dramatically intervened to sav that if the letter was sent as drafted, it was the bigge.st insult


he. bad ever leeeived. LABOUR PROTESTS AND CONSERVATIVES REPLY.


“I


was re-mieacd by letters .uUbe.ssed to the Hown (V.niicil l)v j\li. JI.


TJic qiie-st-ioa of .Ciitlieioe s lani.3iiig [.olici ingl(, on hch.iit


nl till, <onvenm'.s of a ineeling .at mIik Ii .1 protest, risoliitioii was (allied, .iiid h.\ eorn'spoml.aiee fioin tlio ^liiiistii ol tle.ilth, lavilinp the Coaiual s eomnieats on k-tteis received with regard to tho decision to accept llio tender ol a jinvate cnntiaclol. 'j'iie enrrcsiinndcnco, road I>.\ the deputy


Town Clerk, was as f o l l o w . s , , , . “ At a. meeting ol ratepayers held in the


Weavers’ Iiistitiile, on Wednesday, beptem- her oth, 102P, two resolutions were iiiiam- monslv ad..plod, vi/.;


'I'hat this meeting ol ratepo.vers dcvsires .


I t Patent [ t out cic- f he most have


Loalargc l.^iriety of l^hcrnew } d e I s


I' f f e r e d, '11. Wo


1/11 to 16/9.


to enter a most emphatie protest against the decision ot tlie 'town Council iii a.'CeplMig tlie tender ot a pm ate in in for till, ereeliim of 12 lioiisos m Cliallmrn- road siicli lender heing £201) liighti tlian the tioroiigli bnrveyor s tender, and e.ills niion the Cmineil to reconsider its pasitioi. and accept the lioroiigh Siir- veyor’.s lender, abd that a copy (if this rm'olnliua he forwarded In the Miiu.stry


Ilf Ileabli. Tliar, this iiusiLiug slrongly protests


On helialf of the raicpa.ycrs present, your.s fnitld'iilly. Holiert 'I’ingle, 20, I'ort-strcet,


Clill'.erne.'’


clnsiiia... was sent liy the Jfiiii.stry of Hralth : •


Til,' follmving letter, with copies ot eii- • I am directed l,y tho Minister of tloaltli


. r ISOOTERS street


to relVr to vonr letter of tho Uni nistanC with regard ’to the iiropo.sod orectina ol 12 himsos on I lie Chathiini-road silo, and to stale that he would, in the first iiistance_, be olad to he famished with any ohservalioiis which 111.' Town Comicil may have to olfor on Ihe enclosed copies of three lelters re­ ferring to the acceptance by the loiyii Council of Messrs. Veovers' tender for the


erection of the houses.’ CI.n'UKIiOR TltADKS AND LAliOUl! CODNCIb.


To the l i t . Hon. N. Chamhorhiin. Oi-ar bir.—At a .special meeting ol the


aliov!' Council, a resotiition was iiassed protesting against the actmii of tho Cbtlieroe I'owa Conned in accepting .i tender of a private hrm, when the teiidei of the liorongh Surveyor was £200 c.ss, for hmi.a. building. Tins action i.s likely to roiiipel 00 men to haic to apply im unemployment insnniiico and we (tmsiih.i that sm-h actions arc not in the he.st in-


-iO


fere-,(- of tho town. Tho mooting asks t in t von will give vmir carofiil allentioii to thisunatter heforo giving .you;- I'cr-


missjon to hudd.—Tniirs, • I ’ol.eit Jingle.


faithfully,


c id T i iK n o i i wi‘;A\ BUS, w in d f .i i .s , ANI> WAlil’EHS' ASSOCdA'HON.


'To the becrctnrv. 5I;mstry of Health, •Whitohall, London, S.AV.l.


of the aliove Association have in.sti acted mo to forw.ard to you tin. following ncfobdion which was passed unamniously


at onr mi'otmg hold last night {August


.until)That this meeting desiro.s to piote.st against the action of the Clitheroo lown


. Conned in accopling the tcmdci of .a private, linn lor the erection of 12 honsos ill Olmtburn-road. Clilheioo, at £_00 inoro than tho Horough Suncyor’.s tcndoi for the samo scheme, and hopes that ttie Ministry will institute imimries as to wliy this £200 should ho .spent. nnnecc.ssardy


and Tofiiso to sanction the action ot tlio Clitlioroo Town Coniicil.”—1 mn, bir, vonr (ibedient soivaiit, George Braine.


X IREET


CLlTHhTtOF. BOItOtiOH LABOUR PART^ m r __T am iiistnieted by tho Excciitiio


Com’mittco of the above, t(), offer a pro- tissl, on their behalf, against the new hmmiiig policy of t lo Clitheroc Toiyn


Council. I t li.a.s decided dehnitcly to (1 s- contimie tho erection of houses, on the Hoiitliorn-rond site, iind .dso the cessa tion of building by direct Inhoiir. l iirthor the. Council has decided to nceent a tender from a local contractor, .which is £2(IO nioro than the tender .sidmiitted h.v


the Bofmigh Siirvevor. plus the cost of a . a e rk of AVorles. I t is felt that an urn


Sir —'J’ho CommitttH! of Itfanagcincnt


against tli(! ee.ssatioii of lioii.so hailding on th.‘ JC.iisford site.


niecliato inquiry uccotssaij, bcfoie tlio .^sanction of vour <lepartmonfc is given. In decHling to stop tho building on tlie Henthorn site, the Council ignore, tbo fact that tliero are still twonty-lwo houses to 1)0 erected, tor which sanction has alroadv been given bv your departinont. TliLs will mean that aiiproximately thirty workmen will ho uneniploycHl, and tho plant will bo lying ullo and con.scquontly depreciating. As direct laboiii on tlio llonthorn .site lias saved tho ratepayers thoiusand.s of pounds, we consider iL bad j)olioY to change at tins .iniictuic, o.specially wlien it is realized tliat the rouses to be built by tlie local contractor will not bo erected lor ‘ ‘ letting ” pur- liouscs to be built by the local contractor “ to let.” We trust you will oiidcavonr to deal wiUi this request for an inquiry, a'^ i t IS one ol nriinarv importance to Clitiieroe, the wliole change of policy liaving been clfocted by the casting vote of tiie Jlayor.“ Yours very sincerely, iliehard Trimby, 3, SoiHlaU-avemie, Glit-


heroo. CONTJlAGTOltS’ TiKTTER.


fm•lu^■lled with" any observations the Council miglit Jiavo to oiler on the following letter received by tho Jlinistry Iroin Messrs, liklmondsoii Jirothers, buildcr.s and contrac-


toiv, Clithcroe: He Cliatburn-road liousing Scheme,


Clitiieroe. Hear Sir,—AYe are drawing your atten­


tion to tho Clithoroo Corporation’s adver- tiHcnient in AVe.st .Ijancashiro for lenders for the above. Five or six tenders were submitted, tlio first two rejected, tho tliird accepted, and ours—a pound or two more—and tlie rest rejected. AVo fail to see why thi.s linn is more entitled to the contract than ns and why tho contract was not split up locally. Tho Corporation might possibly think this Jirm is more reliable than the rest or periiaps his sub-contractors are more re­ liable. AVo have no complaints lo make inul the contract becMi let to the lowest tender but wo fail to see why this par- iicnlav tondor was favoured.—Your.s truly, U. .F. liklmondson.


Coumallor liootlimaii moved that a reply be sent to tho i^limstrv m tbo following


terms: -After eight years’ exiienenco ol llio


hmlding of liouses by the Survovov with duett labour, this Council is ol Iho opinion that tlio luturo uilcrosts of tlio latepioeis can


he-st 1)0 served bv llie .Llorougli »Suivojoi attending to tbo duties ol lus ^aMous oflicc-.s, rather tliau bv continuing the election ot hoine.s bv direct labour. “ The llorough Surveyor is responsible for


tendent. and .1 inspector of Housing. He is also clerk of works to tho Flcetricit.v Hepait- inonL which at the present time is making oxtensions to tour noighhouring villages. Furtlier, his department is at tho prisout time Imsilv eagaged in tho prcparatio i of tho neoessarv plans, spcoilications and estimates in connexion with tlie ptopo.sed ercotion of two elomentar.r schools. • “ The erection of house.s by direct labour through the Rorough Surveyor’s department lias undoubtedly rt\suItod in serious delay and m the accuniimilation of arrears in tho legitimate work not only of this dopnrtinont, but also of the Rorough Troa.surcr’s dopart- incnt. Neither of tlicso departments po.ssess eLthor tho equipment or the stall necessary


the whole of tho higlnvays, including the countv roads within tiio borough, and for all ncce.'s.sary wodc in connexion with tho same- Ho is also' A A


Sewage A^’orks Fngincor, I’ arloi Superin­ ^ alorworka J^ngnicor,


tor tho extra work entailed. “ Tho Council are of tho opinion that it


is praeticallv impo.ssiblo to arrive at tho amount of the overhead cimrgos incuiTod tlirongh the Rorough Surveyor’s dcimrtmcnt for housing. Other Cornoration departments, and in tho making up ol streets under tho Private Street AVovks Act, are charged o per cont- for .«;upomsion and overhead charges, and tho Council would point out that if this wore cliargod, tho tender accoptod .sub­ ject to tlio sanction of tho Roard will still ho less than tho ostiiiiatc of cost .submitted bv the &nrvoj'oi‘. ho Council commenced the erection of houses by direct labour as a purely tem­


'.I’be ^linistry of Hcaltli also asked to be


IrU TUE OEDEl l i t or Wantod’


CLITHEROE’S HOUSING POLICY.


. . -------------- ;---------------------------------------------------- •


BUILDING SCHEMES ALLEGED TO HAVE CAUSED' DELAY IN OTHER DEPARTMENTS.


WHY FIRST FORTY HOUSES COST LESS THAN TENDERED PRICE.


porary inoasuro in order to tido over a- period of rapidly falling jil'ices and wages. This having .served its purpose, tho Council aro now of tho opinion that a return to the- former praeticQ of contracting is advrsablo.


The ('onncil arc lurthcr ot the o^mnon that unlc.^s this course is taken addiiious to the staffs of tlio departmonts conecnicd cannot be avoided. ” Uej)Gated commmiicalions have heon re-


bj*(dircct labour alone. The ratepayers, have boon told of 96 authorities—96 out of over 700—which liavo built hoiLses by direct labour. Tbo ratepayers liavp nob been told how many of those authoritiori aro building by direct" labour to-day, or of n miiglo one


coived iroMi the Unemployment Grants Com- mittco and from the JMinistry complaining of the delay in tlie execution of works, and in the lurntshiug of tho necessary returns in connexion with tho same. AA'ith regard to the'erection . of 40 houses under tho Addison sciiomc, completed in 1023. a final sottleniont of accounts with the aAlini.stry’fi auditors was only arnviKl at .so recently a.s .Inly last, eight "years after work wa.s emn- menced, and three years after completion. ” conploto list of tenders received is


enclosed herewith and tho. Council will bo glad to receive the olwcmilions of the Alinistrv upon tlie matter, having coiisidor- ntion In the fact that the UMider was awardcil to the lowest local tender and that there is a great amount of unonqiloyniont in the lown at the present time.”


should send in replv to tlio Mimstrv’.s letter,” .said Cuunciilor Jloolhman. ” Jn moving the rc.sohitioii, it may not he out ol.iilace for mo to . refer to statomoiits which have been made l^v incmhers ot this Council at a so-called ratepayers’ meeting—a. meeting called by the Sociah.st partv bold at Ibe Socialist" beadquarlers and conducted on tlie principle that if only enough imul is thrown .some of it IS sure to stick.” Cimnciiloi' Clavton: Will that be in tlie


letter? Councillor Roothman: lu order to arrivo


at a clear understanding of the issues in­ volved and in order to remove anv miscon­ ception that may arise ni.the minds of tlie ratopavors bv rea.son of statement.s that have been made, I feel it advisable to lake those statementB and to enter into their relation­ ship with regard lo liousmg.


Some six


inontliH ago, when 1 had the honour of pre­ senting tlie annual estimates to the Council, T found it ncoc.ssarv to ask the ratepayers for a very largo increase in tlio .sum for carrying on the work of tho lown. A request of that character, at such a time of acute unemployment and decreased oavnings, carries with it a need for adequate explana­ tion .as to the nocessitv for sncli a demand. The fignrc-s given had been aoprovod l)v tho various conniiittces and tlicv fihowed con­ clusively that the two greatest inoroasos in .spending were in the Health and the Farks departments Alderman Scotlall, as chair­ man of the Health Committee, has recently told UK, and for a second time, that he wa.s sovorolv criticised for this and that ho look :C200 off the ostimatos. Afnv T sav that my remarks wore addressed To the whole Council, which constitutes the Health Com­ mittee, and it wa.s the Connci! that redneod tho estimates of the Health CoininiUco by some £200 and not Alderman Sco<!alI. Alderman Seedall: Not correct.


Carting Chargos. Councillor Roothman; 1 showed tliat the


expenses of tlio Health department had in­ creased 111 five years bv .£1,000 a year, or £20 a week. The figures given*have never been cliaileiigcd. An attempt lin.s been made to explain lliem away, accompanied by a violent per.sonal attack upon mvscM on Hie prin­ ciple that ” il yon have got a find case abuse tlio other follow.” A


“ l{ Enough Mud is Thrown . . That j.s the re|)ly I move the Town Clerk


o.xcopt Clitheroe Hint hns built by dirvci labour only. Surely we are nob tho 0110 authontv that has up to now pur.sucKi iho only right policv with reference to housing. ^la"v we not profit by Hio expcnonce of the authontie.s mioted. Have we iioHiiiig to learn in Chtlioroc?


Schemes Nooding' Attention. “ I t ha.s hcon .statctl that tho cessation of


Inulding on the Henthoni Kite by direct iabmir will throw 30 Clitlieroe men out ol work,” added Councillor Roolliimiii. “ Uj) to the present I have not been able to ascertain that there ever were 30 Chthcroo men ciiiployod on tins site. There will he plenty ol work for all tlie nnskdled labour during Hio next twelve nioiitlis. AAork that ought to have been done during Hie pa«t two or tliree year.s, work su61i aa the making up ol Mos.s-sLieoL and Raclc Corporation-


.street, in order to obviate the Hooding which periodieallv occurs in those .streets. For quito a long tune jicojile residing in Rack Commons have found it necessary lo wade througii mud and water in order to roach their homes. Hundreds of CliLhoroe people, as well a.s liun<lro<ls of visitors, have had to <Io tho same in order to u-sp tho two foot- patliH beyond, which lend to .some of tho prettiest parts ol tlic beautiliil .Ribblc Valley. George-strrot and Whaliev-strcKJt arc "just .some o f tlio jobs waiting to be tackled by Hio Suiveyor’K department. Talk about direct labour hndln^ work for Clit­ hcroo men, every month tins Council pasMsS accounts loi large quantities of joinery work done out o' town. .L am told Hint not a .single brick or other building inatorials have been carted on to the HciiHiorn .site by local hntilage contractors, and that it could not bo a quo.'Stion of price, lor Hiev liavo never been a.skcd to give a quotation. A'ot one lias noticed outside contractors’ w agoiis coming into the town loaded day after day, week after week.


Overhoad Chargos. ” .lust a woixl with reference to the A ith regard to Hie


increase for Park.s, Alderman Tliornber, wlio hud been Chairman up to Novoinher last, said that he did not tiiink that Hie depai L- moiit ought to liavo been overspent by £200, Flo Jiad used every emloavonr to Iceep me


expenditure within the estimates. 1 said the figures ipioted had been given to mo and if lio could throw any light on tho matter, 3 should be only too glad. Alderman Thornber inirsuod tho question and found that a sum ot £300 had been charged for carting ashes on to tho Castle held and that if tliis item were omitted, tho Farkii Committee liad underspent their estimate by £100 instead of veiug overspent by £200. Alderman Tliornbor having solved the allogod overspending on Parks and such solution bbing found in carting charges, one may, by the more association of ideas, ask if any of the increased expenditure of tho Hoaltli JDepartinont could possibly be due to the same cause. The an.swer can bo supplied by Alderman Socdall telling us how much was charged to liousing, for the 000 or 700 tons of ashes carted on to tho housing site by Hie wagons of the Health dopartmout. Alderman Sccdall further tolls us that Hie stulf carted buried thousands of bricks cos^ ing £1 per 1,000. .1 feel that the Council and the ratepayer.s ought to know what thoso bricks really did cost.


Alderman SwKlall will tell ns. Alderman Secdall: May I jii.st say lliks: A’hon 1 read the ” Advertiser and Times ”


A


tells us that £2(> would bo ample for an annual wage bill of .05,200 for Jiousing. Other Corporation dcjiartmcnts aro cliargwl and have boon lor tho last dozen years, £2()0 lor tho .same-exactly ton times as much. Add to this Hio cost ot ovcrtimo ,111 tho Borough Surveyor’s and in tho Roioiigli T’rca-suror’s oflice.s during the last tuo or throe voars, of which, so lar as ,1 ha\o boon able to ascertain, not one penny Im.s been chargeil to liousing. Add also the piopor- tion of the £535 per annum salary drawn bv tlic Surveyor for work winch is in arrears and tho £2(i0 becomes a very much larger amount indeed. Tho people of this town know loo well that in liousing at any rate they are not getting soinething lor nothing, and what is allogetl to ho saved on the housing prices is being paid 111 rates. ‘ Tho resolution 1 have moved loaves it to


(iubjeet at a later date. AVo know that the total expenditure on housing for tlio twelve montlis wlien tcndcr.s were received nmount«l lo £100, Hint iho 40 houses were built m lour years, and that during this tiino tho cost of luatorials fell by some 00 poi cont. and wngc.s liy Sd. per hour. Aldcunaii Seedall has been pleased to call the letting of building bv contract a spendthrift course, a throwing away ol £200. Suppose ue cx- ainiiio this statement lor a inomont. AYliat happens when the Surveyor’s dopartnicnt docs work for other departments or under the Private Streets AVorks Acts? At least 5 per cont. is cliarged for supervising, and ovorlicad chargos and vet Alderman Seodall


alleged savingi of £20,000 by llio Surveyor Imilding hv direct iabmir. AVe do.noU accept the ligmes given and personally ,1 am (piito prepared to leave them for the present, in the hope of returning to Hie


over • the contractors. Tliroc months later another droll of 25 per cent, occiirrod, mml again the Corporation had an advantage tho contractora could not fori-eo. AVIion tho ork' was started wages wore 2d. per hmii


lower thim when the contractors tondorod. and by tho time 20 houfics wcro heiiig erected workmen were receiving 8d. ,]»ei hour less than tho rates on which the conlractor.s wore, c.alled upon to tender. Tenders for a .second 20 houses wore invitetl about April, 1923, and ivork was begun in August. A.s Alder­ man Scedall has said, prices had dropped consideiablV- The tenders were for a dilferent ivpc of house and tho lowest pneo quoted was £190. The work <lono by direct labour was spread over IS months, and in Hint period the Corporation had no dilhcvdty m elfccting a considerable saving.


I lie


tenders were obtained for a period uhen no ere emerging from a condition of tlueuiaU ug prices. There wan no slidiililj, no


assurance of stability in the cost of inatennls, and contractors were unwilling lo take ex- eeplional risks, particularly when hard mid f.nst specificnlioiis had to he adlieied to. J t ivas not a condition suitable for good ten- ilering, and by delaying tho erection of the hoiisea tho Corporation had no dinicuUv. 111 offocting further considerable reduclioiih. 'lo obtain toiulers and then to .spread tml the vork over four years belore hnally eompar- ng tho actual cost with v'.stimated co.st.is ibKolutelv unfair. Councillor Farhor is fond of exhorting us to be .sports, and 1 also am going to snv ‘ Re H[)ort«, and admit t waK not a fair comparison to inalie.’


IVIntorial and Labour Cost Loss. I do not wish to decry these early ex-


lernnonts,” said Councillor Satteithw aite. ‘ They had their value. Times wore ab-


nonuni and a great deal of money was .saved to the Corporation bv the policy advocated and earned out by tlio Suiveyoi. Aluc-h of the -success deiicndcd on the fact that Hio lionso.s were built 011 a falling market. 1 have paid a tribute to tho vSurvoyor in tliifi re.spcct, and I re[)eat now that had it nob iKJon for the ability of tho Surveyor in understanding these tacts tho scheme would probably have broken down. It was earned out by a small stalF with careful sui>crvi.sion and this Corporation wn.s able to modily lU own 6i)ccifieations. Jletluetron.s 111 tho puce of ' material in tho lirst eighteen months would have knoulaxl iKjtween £3,000 and £•1,000 off tho contractors’ ligures. You can wipo that out now, and you can knock olE at least £1,000 lor four years wliicli should he added to the net cost to cover ovorlioad charges. Tlio (:iodit loi anj Sii\- was due to the policy being earned out r an ahnornuil i>eriod, ana not to tho


magical ellects ol tlirect labour itMill. The comparatively small margin ol eontractor.s' profits alfeeted tlie inattor very little indeed, i t waa not until April, 1021, that wo really titarted to build housos. Conditions were tlien almo.st normal. Rnek prices ^at tins period at last cominencetl to fall.


competition. The lowest tondoia uere ob­


oyor was not lace<l with charges like rent, ate-s and ta.xcs.


Jlo had no Iroublesoniu


tained twelve mouHis boloie. He had no hard and fabt si>ecilications to keep to. No financial consideratioiiH to worry about. No risk and plenty oi lionses to go on wiHi.^ No w'oiider the Chairman oi tho Housing Com­ mittee stuck so tenaciously to Heulhoin. Nowhere could conditions he so ideal lor direct labour. Yet wo have far too inanj houses in ono place, and wo havo had no coinparatrvo tcndoit* for live jearr.. ,lL i.*> not the contractor who putfj on a .sale profit who gets the job. Usuallj it is the man who takes the biggest risk, 01 makes the biggest mistake.


In times when woik


IS scurco employers are moio inclined to tiiko risks tliaii at others, and so the past three v<-*ars liavo been eminently suitable for good tcndeniig.


Tho Roconi Tenders. When tenders were invited a few weeks


the lilinistry of Health to say whether tho lowest or wlncli tender shall bo accepted. Ry tbo time tho liouscs m Chatburn-road ami Rrowmlow'-strcct are comjilctod £100,OOU will have been borrowwl for housing. Councillor P a rk e r :' Yon will liavo tlic


houses, won’t you? Scheme To Sell Houses.


erect all these housos under the AYlieatloy Hcheino. For two years 1 havo been trying to get out a scliemo to soli .some of these houses to working-class owners.


I liayo l*orhaps


j round that 1 had said there were 40.000 bricks at £4 a ton. That wa.s a slip of the tongue. I meant 10,000 bricks a t £4 per 1,000. L do not cast any rellcction on iho reporters. I accent that statement as hay­ ing been made. -It was a slip of Hio tongiic and the rcquivt was absolutely correct. Councillor Roothman: AVith reference to


the transformer station which cost by direct labour £1,200, and which Councillor FarUor tolls us wa.s .such a choan job because £1,8(4) was in tbo estimates for it, may 1 say tliat the amount placed in tlic estimates bears no relationship whatever to the actual cost. Tiio £1,800 was a purely provisional amount inserioa for llio purpose of making Hio ipplieation to tho Commissioneio loi an


Older- Neither site, extent, materials, or do^iign had even boon considered at the time.


Comparisons.


which might lead ratepayois lo as.sunic- that tins Council witli iLs Constuvatnc luajoiity hud been lax in tho carrying out ot tho provisions of tho Act for the liousing of the working clas.ses,” Councillor Roolninan i\ent on. ” As a matter of fact, o.xaotly the op­ posite IS true. I have not boon able to liiid a single town that lias built more lionscs in proportion to the population than has. Clit- hcroo- At the same tunc, 1 am not able to find a single authontv which, like Clit­ hcroe, lia.s erected all it« liou.ses on one site and all bv direct labour. Con.sidor the ioi-


lowing figures: CliHieroo with a population ot 11,900 has


spent £82,000 on housing, all on one site, and all bv direct labour.


spent £110,000 on housing on seven sit^s. Chorloy with a population tlireo times that


Nelson has erected house.s on six diuciont Darwon with a iKipulation .31 tunes that of housing on tliroo sites.


. Clitherop


Rlnclrburn with a iiopulation ten times that of Clithoroo has .spent


on housing on four sites, Not one of tho town.s- quoted has either *11


spent tho .same amount on ;


fipont four tinie.s ns much on housing on three sites.


Rurnicv with ton times our population has , ,


built as innnv houses o.s Clithcroo to the population. Not one of them has hiult on one site onlv. Not one of them has. built


tunes a.> nmeli . - ,


Colno with a population of 2o,000 lias . .


of Clithcroo has spent twice as iiuicli on housing on four sites.


“ F\ parte stalcments have been made


been unsuccessful but still 1 say that this sohemo of selling Hieih is sound. A modern liouso, with bath and electric light, streets made up so that tho house can ho kept clean,' ami near a school, for £50 dow’ii, and 12s. Gd. :i week for 20 years, isn’t a bad proposition for any working man. I t is nice to bo able to look forward to celebrating the day when the rent collector calls for tho last time. After all, Clithoroo people are a discriininat ing people, and take a groat interest in the govcrniuont of the town, which is a fine thing.—(Hear, hear.)—May I say further that in the long history of this town there liave never been lacking men to carry on straightforwardly the udininistrativc work of Hiis town. Such may be questioned by people who liavo been licre about ten minutes.


of the Miinstrv. Conceal nothing, but welcome any onquines or ob.sorvaLion.s Hint the Ahnistry mav bo pleased to make. On- doubtodlv tho result will he .111 the be.st interests of tho people.


notion to take with refercnco to tho loiter A/Vhon A'endors V/oro Obtained.


it ivas no use throwing out a taunt about much having been .said upon the subject Aluch more remained to be «aid, because a lot more h.ad to bo replied to in tho dis cussion winch had been going among mem- bers of the Council and the public outside the Council cliamber. bums ol £2(),0UU u[)peared to bo popular. Moinbcis of tlio Council hud been claiming Hiat £20,000 luul been saved to the ratepayers. Ono man bad won £20,000 by Idling up a football coupon, and another man Jiad just misswl winning £2(b000.


'llio last-mentioned said


it was iniicli better never to have had Hio money than lo havo had it and lost it. He hoped tho ratepayer.s would not led that thev had lost £20.000 whidi hud already been given them. AAlumcvor they were tallnng about early contracts thov should remember that Hioy were rolornng to that abnormal post war [Ksnod wlicu material! and labour costs .soaietl lo lieights nv\ei known beloro, mid when no one know the value of anvtlung. At such a time in October, 1920, tile contractors were asked to'givo a price for tho erection of 20 houses, That price was ridiculously high, and i t was verv jiroperlv turned down by tlie CVmneil, who decided they would proceed with the work themselves bv direct labour.


work was starte^l about February, 1921, and was conlimitHl until towards the end oi 1923 when tho first 20 houses were coinplotod


How Savings Wero Effected. “ AVhcu tho tenders wore submitted- the


price of timber iva.s £50. per .standartl. CouncillorSatterthwnito. said.,- “ AAhen building started tho pneo had dropped to £32 per standard, and the Corporation im mediately hud an advantage of 25 per cent


lh a t Seconding, Councillor Satlcrthw aite saitl J submit that this is tho correct Councillor Roothman: I t is proposed to


ago the lowest rocoivod was £-l4S Gs. bd. per house, the second was £450, the tbiul w.is for £4GG 13s. 4d., and tho hnirth lor £472 lOs. , Thcro were several higher, but the one.s


fairly good, and would fix


the value of tho houscti at between £45U and £470. AVo notieetl one fact. Throe tender: aro gross jirico and tho other is not [iriee ■fhreo of the contractors pay rent, rales and taxes, pay olfico and administration cliargos, and tako their own risks.


ai'O clear for the .sum named. TIio otlier is not clear. The Corporation must pay a this, amt iu addition take all risks.


ihoy


is 11 curious situation, because the otlior eoulrautor.s are helping ■ to pay tlii.s con- tractor’.s overhead cliargcs and helping to tako ids risks. To adjust in some degree this state of affairs I am going to .add o per cent, to this tender for £150.


J. bclievo, rooiiaded mo tliat arclutects’ Ice.s J f r . Brarno,


tor supervision wore init at tliis figure. Ibis department has to receiv’c quotations, order quantities, and keep particuhirH of all materials, to arrange for delivery, to pro- I'ido labour when and where it is rciniired,


to receive invoices, check them, ami paw them on to the accountants’ department. For supervision a share of tho salano.s wlulo the work is in progre-s.s .should bo borne, and to cov’or this and tho rent, rales and taxc^ of oflicctt I think 5 per cont. is a very moderate liguro indeed. The effect is U) increase the tender to £472 lOs. per house, which makes that tender bracketed tqurth ill the list- Obviously now tho (:lum.o is hotwoon two. Alderman SecKlall .says tiu( if lie could sea another tender .C20O lower than his own ho would gladh suppoit it. 1 now sav to Alderman Sce<lall it is up to von because obviously tho local tijiidoi wo liave rccominoiidod is .L200 lowoi than the Corporation lendci. ’


“ Act of Philanthropy.” Councillor SaUcrtUwnilc wont on lo say


that tho Chairman ot the llcni.sing Coni- mittoo liad boon, at considerable paiii.s to prove lhat the Corporation tendei was ically lower Hum was .stated. ” Ho told me in Hus chamber that overhead chaige.s wcie included in the tondor,” he wont on. ‘ J have a distinct recollection that when Ihi tenders wero di.scuwcHl and it was discovered that an outside temler-was £10 lowei than the •Snrvcvor’.s Hint the Surveyor in,ic.spoiu.o lo a question from the Chairman of the Hous­ ing Comnuttoo said ho thought ho . could come in at that ju-ico. The Surveyor dt>- tinetlv told ns no overhead charges wuo included. Alore than that, overhead cliargc-s never havo heon included in hous(^. AYhv would Hiov ho in Hus iirstance.-' J he Chairman said lie had bc;en niiging ui> a firm at Rnrnlcv. and had discovered that thov had not included, the better tjpo ot fencing. This was a Hat ..specihcation, ami superior fencing was put in as an altoimi- tivo price- This act, of philanthropy on tho part of the Corporation m oirormg to put fiomething in . not vciiuircd of them restores oiir eonlidonco in hniiian natuuv AVo cho«<' tho tonder of local contractors be­ cause thov employ local inen> and tho money paid in wago.s liafi a good, chance of circulat­ ing in the town. AYe are all of us aiiMous to prevent any lnird.ship. and we consider that tho local'employer would,accept point of honour to employ ns many of ,the Corporation employees as possible. Councillor Far-ker; I f they want them


A cordial invHation is extended to YOU to inspect our


'SPECIAL SHOW of ; arm


Wkter Coatings /


WILDINGS Iinvo spiired, nuitlicr pains nor money to put before .von the very Latest in Shades and Material, and should yon require Coatings, you uill save TlJn'I, TROUBLE and MONEY if you visit VVildmgs £ir.st.


DRESS and


SILK VICTORIA MARKET, MARKET PLACE, BLACKBURN


| | | |


m 1 * f J t


WALKDENS 13, MOOR LANE


CLITHEROE WVi ARE SHOWING OUR Nl/AV S'l.’OCK OE


Cardigans, Jumpers & 3 Piece Suits In WOLSEY SPORTSMAN


ALSO NEW NUiMBERS IN Wolsey, Rameses, and


/Vedonis Underwear For MEN, WOMEN and CHILDREN


Orders for Dolls, &c. for Christmas can ho booked now ^ ■lOlN OUR CHRISTMAS CLUB.


i! '’-T vVl ( t. -4 v-f- 'r'm iV, 'I'lie Sui- Ol A Huge Success


Hundreds of Bread Knives given away SINCE W! mtioduofd this wonderful gift scheme


to nibble Vnlloy housewives, huudieds of


fnmihes have received their Bread ICmves, and hundreds more will bo dispatched each week as the .scheme eontimie.s.


This beautiful gift will delight you just as nuich


as H.B-D. BREAD itself. Every housewife in Clithcroe, Whalley, Chatbiiru, Waddington and


Barrow can obtain a Sheffield-made Broad Knife free. Ask your grocer for H.B.D. BREAD to-day.- You’ll be glad you did.


H.B.D. BREAD 'tk / '-n K t'k i


6 6


SHIRTS 5/tl


. (Lined)


AVULCOSA” and


SOFT TEXTURli


EXCEPTIONALLY HARD-WEARING BEREI'ICT BITTING


A “ RADIAC ” PRODUCTION SOLD AND RECOMMENDED BV J. LEEMING, 4, KING ST. Tol. 257 CLITHEROE Blackpool Autumn Season


Illuminations We auk NOW BOOKINC


tut: AIIOVE ATTltACTION'. 51aK1: J’AUTy. J.ET U.S QUOTE YOU.


COMFORTABLI': CAILS. THE FIRM FOR HOLIDAY


U A U T I E ,S vou ui> youii OWN


f t ..


R l ’B J A B L l i : S E R V I C E WEDDINGS


GEO. TOMLINSON & SON CENTRAL GARAGE


Tol. 154. CLITHEROE ^ ft If ■K ( PYJAMAS ®/ll PI


(Ni' r/.


& a '


!ip,f I M-


ISl


K7Tt


‘ • fM i l >


Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12