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advocating electric motors for the removal of house refuse. Mr. Brown advised
the purchase of an electric vehicle at £1,400, for the roads and other work;
also a mechanical tractor for the collection of house refuse, the quantity of
which is estimated at 7,000 tons per annum, or 23 tons a day. He maintained
that by this horse system the collection and transport cost 13s. 7d. a ton; the
cost of Knifton's system is 10s. per ton; he proposed four electric carts, which
would cost to run 11s. 7d. a ton. This report was referred to a Special Council
Meeting.
During June, seven complaints were received, but several streets
were not collected at all. On the 6th June a horse and two men were hired
to clear Westoe Road and Harton Road (at one house three-quarters of a load
of refuse was found waiting removal). On the 13th June, Seymour Road and
Eastbournia Avenue were cleared. Thus four loads, weighing eight tons, were
collected in these two days.
The Public Health Committee, in July, recommended that the cost of
this be recovered from the Contractor. A Special Council Meeting of July
22nd considered the report of a Special Committee, dated 23rd July (!), based
on visits to Sheffield, Nottingham, Dover and Ipswich. This Committee
recommended that five Edison electric vehicles be purchased at £1,309 each—
four for house refuse and one for use on the roads—and that £1,900 be further
expended for building and charging plant at our farm. This report was
adopted. The expenses of this Special Committee were £50.
The current contract with Knifton, at a cost of £3,462, expired in September,
1919, so the Engineer was, in September, instructed to see the contractor
and arrange for six months 'extension at £1,997. 6s. 0d., as the Engineer expected
to have the electric vehicles ready by the 1st April, 1920.
In July and August there were nine complaints, but the daily dust sheets
were not accurate. Extra collections (to be charged to the contractor) were
made in three roads. The Ministry of Health was asked for a loan of £8,500
and in September the Ministry asked for full details.
There were few complaints in September, but three roads were cleared
by the Council.
In October there were twelve complaints, and no dust sheets were received
at all.
In November an agreement with Knifton was. accepted for £1,997. 6s. 0d.
for six months, subject to additions for men's bonuses or increases in wages,
and the provision of a chain-horse on the shoot, and the deletion of any clause
in the contract about fines and penalties. This was sealed in December.
In November, eight complaints were received, two roads being very much
neglected.
In December, 13 complaints were received, also a petition with reference
to the non-collection from Junction Road. It was decided that the contractor