Mexborough & Swinton Times – Friday 03 June 1932
The Opposition
Things Darfield Doesn’t Want.
Mr. N. Goodyear, Clerk to the Darfield U.D.C., ” said they entirely opposed Scheme 1
He did not know of one service in which there was mutual participation by Wombwell and Darfield. They contended that Wombwell had not the capacity to govern the proposed area: a statement they based on what Wombwell had done in the past.
There could not be any effective joint scheme of street lighting; Darfield were already supplied by the Electrical Distribution of Yorkshire, Ltd. and Billingley had almost completed negotiations with the same firm. The roads at Wombwell were very much inferior to those at Darfield
“Wombwell is notorious for its bad roads: I doubt whether they have a good one in the district.”
Their street lighting, too, was poor: the only reason they did it with gas was that they owned the gas undertaking. They owed £24,000 on the undertaking, and not many years, ago they borrowed £28,000 to purchase a plant for making gas. After they had had it only a short time they came to an agreement for the supply of crude gas from Mitchell Main Colliery. That did not suggest efficiency of administration; and to make it worse he understood that the Wombwell Council had the offer of a crude gas supply at the time they purchased the £28,000 plant. The outside districts supplied from Wombwell were paying high charges in order to meet the loan charges on a plant which should never have been bought. Those charges were £5,000 a year. The Council bought crude gas at 7d. per 1000 cubic feet and sold it at 5/3 per 1000 outside Wombwell, and 4/10 in Wombwell-800 per cent. profit on their purchase price. He mentioned those facts and figures to offset any suggestion that Wombwell had favours to offer. “We don’t want their gas undertaking.”
Darfield suggested there was no need for any extensions of the present areas. Neither Darfield nor any of the parishes mentioned had any overflow of population from Wombwell. Such developments as there had been in the last ten years had occurred in the opposite direction from Darfield; which was why, he supposed, Wombwell wanted part of Brampton Bierlow. Darfield had carefully considered the proposals during the last few years, and had come to the conclusion that there would be definite disadvantage, less efficiency and economy, if there were the suggested amalgamation.
Whither To Market?
The people of Darfield did not do their marketing at Wombwell, but at Barnsley, which they could reach more easily by the main road than they could reach Wombwell. Darfield was one of the main ‘bus centres of South Yorkshire.
The Wombwell market had for a long time been declining. The profits decreased by nearly £400 from 1929 to 1930, a drop of two-thirds. Wombwell, moreover, was by no means the most convenient administrative centre. It was at the extreme end of the proposed enlarged district. The scheme meant an area seven or eight miles long, which, he suggested, would be a most unwieldy urban district. The interests of Little Houghton and Wombwell were quite different in every way, and the proposed area could not be satisfactorily divided into electoral wards.
The trams were of no rise to Darfield. Wombwell did their best to get Darfield to join in the original undertaking but Darfield had the foresight to see that it was doomed to failure from the start.
Wombwell’s outstanding indebtedness in respect of “this white elephant” was £110,651. “If Wombwell asked us to join them and exonerated us from Light Railway responsibility altogether, we should not want it. It is an example of their squandermania. If Darfield Joined Wombwell they would ruin us. The Light Railway alone would mean a loss in rates to Darfield of 2/11 ½ in the £ in the year.”
Wombwell Baths were of no use to Darfield, much less to Great Houghton. The workers in those places had their pithead baths, and were not going to Wombwell for a bath. And the Wombwell Baths were by means a paying proposition, judging from their rate demand note, on which they were charged 6.13d in the £ on that account during the year ended 31 March: in spite of the fact that during that year £400 was received in winter lettings for dances.
Let them compare Darfield’s “splendid financial position,” with their outstanding ioan balance only £12,000 under the Public Health Acts. Wombwell’s indebtedness amounted to £25 per head of the population.
“Darfield is in every respect a better place than Wombwell, geographically, financially, and in the way its resources have been used. We suggest that no case has been made out to show that this scheme would benefit the public of this area.”
Ambition.
Mr. G. Dickinson, Chairman of the Darfield U.D.C.. said some years ago they were treated with scant courtesy when they sent a deputation to ‘Wombwell to discuss gas; but now Wombwell held out the hand of friendship. Wombwell were very ambitious; their next move, if that scheme were approved, would be an application to the Privy Council for a charter of incorporation, The census of ‘bus passenger tragic between Darfield and Wombs was misleading, because on that route a population of some 3000 on the Wombwell Council’s New Scarboro’ and other estates, which would travel on those ‘buses.
Parishes Averse.
Mr. E. Hammerton, Clerk to the Great Houghton Parish Council, read a unanimous resolution of a recent parish meeting that the parish remain in the rural district of Hemsworth, which the parishioners strongly hoped would be allowed to remain an administrative unit. In the event of its not doing so, they would much prefer to join with Little Houghton and Billingley and amalgamate with Darfield. Thera was nothing whatever to be gained by their joining Wombwell; in all probability they would be much worse off. There was no community of interest, and the only gain would be Wombwell’s own salvation.
Mr. J. Potts, Chairman of the Great Houghton Parish Council, and a member of the Hemsworth R.D.C., said he remembered how they were treated when they wanted gas from Wombwell. Wombwell involved the Dearne Valley Water Board in much needless expense by going to Parliament instead of cooperating with the other constituent authorities. The parish strongly resented any notion of going to Wombwell. They were quite satisfied with the administration at Hemsworth. He had been a member of the Rural Coon for over twenty years, and was sure they could get no better facilities anywhere else.
All Content.
Mr. A. Birkenshaw, Clerk to the Little Houghton Parish Council, said they passed a similar resolution and were strongly opposed to being linked up with Wombwell. The position of the Hemsworth R.D.C. was as good as that of most authorities in the County, and they were satisfied that’ Wombwell could not administer their area more efficiently. They failed to see what amenities Wombwell could give which they bad not already, without their having to pay for something they did not want. “We are only a population of 700, but as we are being courted from all sides we want our voice to be heard in the matter. We shall certainly fight hard to keep out of Wombwell.”
Mr. A. Francis, chairman of the Little Houghton Parish Council, said the Wombwell employment exchange dealt with only a portico of their workers, the bulk going to Goldthorpe. They did not want the Wombwell fire brigade as they got better service from other quarters. They had their own library, and their own public, health services, administered from Hemsworth, were as good as any in the county, and certainly better than Wombwell’s. ‘Wombwell were not the first to provide houses for the workers at these collieries: Hemsworth R.D.C. were the pioneers of the country in that.” it became necessary they could provide their own gas; they were already fully equipped with electricity.
“We say the Hemsworth Rural Council have proved fully efficient and economic in their administration and there is no need to break the rural district.”
Mr. Goodyear acting also for the Barnsley Rural Council, said what he had pleaded for Darfield applied equally to Billingley in most respects, but in some instances with greater emphasis, He quoted from a report in the “South Yorkshire Times” of May 20 which, he said, set forth Billingley’s feelings in the matter as definitely as he could hope to.
The Unkindest Cut.
Mr. Bammerton, Clerk to the Billingley Parish Council, quoted a resolution that the township remain the Barnsley Rural Counoil, and that the rural district remain as at present it possible. If the district were to be broken up they preferred to join Darfield. “If we were amalgamated with Wombwell. almost every resident would leave the district.” (Laughter.)
Mr. A. PICKLES, Clerk to the Rotherham R.D.C. opposed the scheme so far as it concerned ßrampton, which hall all the essential services, paid for, and provided by the Rural Council. They had their own arrangements for baths, library and fire brigade, and had a superior welfare scheme to Wombwell’s. Wombwell had no services to which Brampton need turn. Brampton had equipped itself with houses. Probably less than 15 per cent. of the employees at Cortonwood Colliery lived in Wombwell. The Rural Council paid half the cost of the bridge over which the trams passed—referred to by Mr. Collindridge—but they did not see in that a reason for proposing to take Wombwell into their area. The parish of Brampton Bierlow was in good condition, the sanitary arrangements were perfect and the opinion of the residents throughout had been firmly against inclusion in Wombwell. They preferred to remain in the rural district.
Mr. W. Cloke, chairman of the Rotherham R.D.C., contended that his authority had provided all the essential services, which were superior to anything Wombwell had to offer. Moreover, if Brampton were taken away it would seriously prejudice the efficiency of the Rural Council’s services. If Rotherham Corporation were to take so much off here, and Wombwell so much off there, the administration of the whole area would suffer. He was satisfied that if Wombwell did take Brampton and provide anything like the present amenities, they would cost the Brampton ratepayers more than they had to pay at present. The developments at Brampton had had nothing to do with Wombwell: they were all due to the Cortonwood Colliery Company, in conjunction with the Rural Council. Incidentally if the part of Brampton desired by Wombwell were taken away, it would leave two other areas for the sanitary conversion of which loans bad already been approved, and it would not be fair if those portions had to bear the whole burden of the improvements contemplated, with an important part of their rateable value taken away.
Mr. S. S. Haworth, Clerk to the Brampton Parish Council, said the parish passed a unanimous resolution that they be administered as at present.
Whys And Wherefores
Replying to the discussion, Mr. Collindridge said one of the striking features of was that while criticism was plentiful of Wombwell’s services, little was said about the alternatives which other authorities had to offer. All they got was “a lot of platitude about desiring to remain as they were.” If the districts named were taken in, Wombwell would be able to continue and extend her present services more-effectively. Regarding the gas undertaking, the plant they purchased was to replace the old type horizontal retort plant, which was worn out. It was totally incorrect to state they had the offer of crude gas from Mitchell Main at the time they bought the new plant. There was an offer from Cortonwood at 1s. 6d. per 1,000; and that added to the cost of its conveyance to the Wombwell works, and set against the cost of the new plant, could not be entertained.
Mitchell Main would not then supply so the new plant was obtained and was in successful operation from 1919 to 1925, in which year the position of the coke-oven gas industry altered considerably. Cortonwood’s price went down to 9d. and Mitchell Main quoted 7d.; and against the cost of £4,500 which it would have cost to convey the crude gas from Cortonwood, Mitchell Main’s offer included the laying of a main to the Wombwell works. These facts were he suggested, a complete repudiation of Mr. Goodyear’s accusation of lack of acumen on the part of the Wombwell Council.
Market Profits.
Mr. Goodyear had also quoted grandiloquently the profit-making propensities of Wombwell. e did not mention what had to be done to the crude gas between its delivery and its service to consumers. They had recently succeeded in reducing a great deal of that cost, and consequently, the charges to consumers, and hoped to make still further reductions. There was also some flippent comment about Wombwell’s street lighting; he would leave the committee of inspection to see that for themselves. Darfield’s streets were formerly lighted with gas, but they had taken to electricity and the lighting was the subject of frequent comment and discussion; and had had to be altered frequently. The inspecting party would be able to compare the two systems of street lighting. Regarding the suggestion that Darfield people went to Barnsley to market : the cost of travel would be at least 1s., which was a consideration in these days; while the cost to Wombwell was 4d., and the distance could be sulked in twenty minutes. Taken over the last ten years, the average profit of the Wombwell market was £500; it was perfectly natural to expect, in the present economic stringency, a temporary decline in those profits.
The tramway undertaking was mooted in 1911. but there were the usual difficulties that local authorities had to meet. In 1913 they had overcome most of their difficulties, but the order granted in 1915 could not be operated owing to the war. The original estimate of cost was £150,000; when they were able to proceed with the scheme that coat was doubled.
A voice: Why did you construct then?
Mr. Collindridge suggested that he was a seer indeed who could have foreseen 25 years ago the amazing development of road transport that had occurred. Touching baths, words failed him to express his opinion of an attempt to compare pithead baths with swimming baths. Men did not swim at pithead baths; women and children did not use pithead baths. The per head of indebtedness was largely for housing, to cater for the workmen at the collieries in and around their district. Quotations from rote demand notes might be all right in a broad way, but they did not give indications of hlock grants.
“Wombwell’s scheme was drawn up with a view to the advancement of the whole area. We feel we are not obtaining the fullest advantage of the ratable value of a great industrial area as we are at present constituted.