The Ragged Trousered Philanthropists [204]
in the armchair with his eyes red-rimmed and full of tears, which ran down over his white, flabby face.
The arrival of the other members of the committee put an end to the interesting discussion, and they shortly afterwards proceeded with the business for which the meeting had been called - the arrangements for the forthcoming Rummage Sale.
Chapter 39
The Brigands at Work
The next day, at the meeting of the Town Council, Mr Wireman's report concerning the Electric Light Works was read. The expert's opinion was so favourable - and it was endorsed by the Borough Engineer, Mr Oyley Sweater - that a resolution was unanimously carried in favour of acquiring the Works for the town, and a secret committee was appointed to arrange the preliminaries. Alderman Sweater then suggested that a suitable honorarium be voted to Mr Wireman for his services. This was greeted with a murmur of approval from most of the members, and Mr Didlum rose with the intention of proposing a resolution to that effect when he was interrupted by Alderman Grinder, who said he couldn't see no sense in giving the man a thing like that. `Why not give him a sum of money?'
Several members said `Hear, hear,' to this, but some of the others laughed.
`I can't see nothing to laugh at,' cried Grinder angrily. `For my part I wouldn't give you tuppence for all the honorariums in the country. I move that we pay 'im a sum of money.'
`I'll second that,' said another member of the Band - one of those who had cried `Hear, Hear.'
Alderman Sweater said that there seemed to be a little misunderstanding and explained that an honorarium WAS a sum of money.
`Oh, well, in that case I'll withdraw my resolution,' said Grinder. `I thought you wanted to give 'im a 'luminated address or something like that.'
Didlum now moved that a letter of thanks and a fee of fifty guineas be voted to Mr Wireman, and this was also unanimously agreed to. Dr Weakling said that it seemed rather a lot, but he did not go so far as to vote against it.
The next business was the proposal that the Corporation should take over the drain connecting Mr Sweater's house with the town main. Mr Sweater - being a public-spirited man - proposed to hand this connecting drain - which ran through a private road - over to the Corporation to be theirs and their successors for ever, on condition that they would pay him the cost of construction - ?5 - and agreed to keep it in proper repair. After a brief discussion it was decided to take over the drain on the terms offered, and then Councillor Didlum proposed a vote of thanks to Alderman Sweater for his generosity in the matter: this was promptly seconded by Councillor Rushton and would have been carried nem. con., but for the disgraceful conduct of Dr Weakling, who had the bad taste to suggest that the amount was about double what the drain could possibly have cost to construct, that it was of no use to the Corporation at all, and that they would merely acquire the liability to keep it in repair.
However, no one took the trouble to reply to Weakling, and the Band proceeded to the consideration of the next business, which was Mr Grinder's offer - on behalf of the `Cosy Corner Refreshment Company' - to take the Kiosk on the Grand Parade. Mr Grinder submitted a plan of certain alterations that he would require the Corporation to make at the Kiosk, and, provided the Council agreed to do this work he was willing to take a lease of the place for five years at ?0 per year.
Councillor Didlum proposed that the offer of the `Cosy Corner Refreshment Co. Ltd' be accepted and the required alterations proceeded with at once. The Kiosk had brought in no rent for nearly two years, but, apart from that consideration, if they accepted this offer they would be able to set some of the unemployed to work. (Applause.)
Councillor Rushton seconded.
Dr Weakling pointed out that as the proposed alterations would cost about ?75 - according to the estimate of the Borough Engineer - and, the rent being only ?0 a year, it would mean that the
The arrival of the other members of the committee put an end to the interesting discussion, and they shortly afterwards proceeded with the business for which the meeting had been called - the arrangements for the forthcoming Rummage Sale.
Chapter 39
The Brigands at Work
The next day, at the meeting of the Town Council, Mr Wireman's report concerning the Electric Light Works was read. The expert's opinion was so favourable - and it was endorsed by the Borough Engineer, Mr Oyley Sweater - that a resolution was unanimously carried in favour of acquiring the Works for the town, and a secret committee was appointed to arrange the preliminaries. Alderman Sweater then suggested that a suitable honorarium be voted to Mr Wireman for his services. This was greeted with a murmur of approval from most of the members, and Mr Didlum rose with the intention of proposing a resolution to that effect when he was interrupted by Alderman Grinder, who said he couldn't see no sense in giving the man a thing like that. `Why not give him a sum of money?'
Several members said `Hear, hear,' to this, but some of the others laughed.
`I can't see nothing to laugh at,' cried Grinder angrily. `For my part I wouldn't give you tuppence for all the honorariums in the country. I move that we pay 'im a sum of money.'
`I'll second that,' said another member of the Band - one of those who had cried `Hear, Hear.'
Alderman Sweater said that there seemed to be a little misunderstanding and explained that an honorarium WAS a sum of money.
`Oh, well, in that case I'll withdraw my resolution,' said Grinder. `I thought you wanted to give 'im a 'luminated address or something like that.'
Didlum now moved that a letter of thanks and a fee of fifty guineas be voted to Mr Wireman, and this was also unanimously agreed to. Dr Weakling said that it seemed rather a lot, but he did not go so far as to vote against it.
The next business was the proposal that the Corporation should take over the drain connecting Mr Sweater's house with the town main. Mr Sweater - being a public-spirited man - proposed to hand this connecting drain - which ran through a private road - over to the Corporation to be theirs and their successors for ever, on condition that they would pay him the cost of construction - ?5 - and agreed to keep it in proper repair. After a brief discussion it was decided to take over the drain on the terms offered, and then Councillor Didlum proposed a vote of thanks to Alderman Sweater for his generosity in the matter: this was promptly seconded by Councillor Rushton and would have been carried nem. con., but for the disgraceful conduct of Dr Weakling, who had the bad taste to suggest that the amount was about double what the drain could possibly have cost to construct, that it was of no use to the Corporation at all, and that they would merely acquire the liability to keep it in repair.
However, no one took the trouble to reply to Weakling, and the Band proceeded to the consideration of the next business, which was Mr Grinder's offer - on behalf of the `Cosy Corner Refreshment Company' - to take the Kiosk on the Grand Parade. Mr Grinder submitted a plan of certain alterations that he would require the Corporation to make at the Kiosk, and, provided the Council agreed to do this work he was willing to take a lease of the place for five years at ?0 per year.
Councillor Didlum proposed that the offer of the `Cosy Corner Refreshment Co. Ltd' be accepted and the required alterations proceeded with at once. The Kiosk had brought in no rent for nearly two years, but, apart from that consideration, if they accepted this offer they would be able to set some of the unemployed to work. (Applause.)
Councillor Rushton seconded.
Dr Weakling pointed out that as the proposed alterations would cost about ?75 - according to the estimate of the Borough Engineer - and, the rent being only ?0 a year, it would mean that the