Notes from Newport Town Council Minutes
These are not full transcripts of the Minutes. They are my own notes.
1890-91 (November 1890 - November 1891) Source: Newport-on-Tay Council Minutes, newspaper reports
| Candidates for election: Chief Magistrate Scott, Senior Magistrate Walker, Junior Magistrate Miller, Alexander Duncan builder, John Welch bank accountant. Only 5 vacancies, therefore no contest. [Courier 31 Oct 1890] |
| Commissioners: Alexander Scott Chief Magistrate, John H Walker Senior Magistrate, Alexander Robertson Junior Magistrate, John Welch, Alexander Duncan, J F Millar, Andrew Leitch, Robert Hunter, Edward Moir [Evening Telegraph 10 Nov 1890] |
| Sewer rate to remain at 4d per £1, police assessment to be 11d. per £1 (3d more than last year). Alexander Tosh appointed auditor to tthe Commission. [Advertiser 14 Nov 1890] |
| When the municipal buildings were erected, one thing being lookded forward to was a public library and reading room in them. At present there was a valuable library under the charge of Mr Moir in the Congregational Church, containing 1500 volumes, ready to be handed over to form the nucleus of a public library. At one time proposed it be controlled by the Literary Society. Through Mr John Leng MP, Mr Andrew Carnegie had generously given £1000 to further the scheme. Mr Leng thought the library should be under the control of the commission, one or two of the members of which, along with Mr Blyth Martin & the Secretary of the Literary Society could manage it. The commission was in no way responsible for the library further than for the rent which could be easily managed from subscriptions. There was an admirable smoking room in the buildings, the use of which could be had by those who attended the reading room. Agreed to go ahead, Mr Moir, Mr Walker, Mr Scott plus Mr Blyth Martin and Mr F E Scott (Secretary of the Literary Society) be appointed to take charge of the library. [Advertiser 14 Nov 1890] |
| The order of retirement from the commission needed to be addressed: In November 1891 Commissioners Hunter, Leitch & Moir will retire; in November 1892 Junior Magistrate Robertson & Commissioners Duncan & Welch; in November 1893 Chief Magistrate Scott, Senior Magistrate Walker & Commissioner Miller. [Advertiser 14 Nov 1890] |
| Letter to the Editor complaining about the lack of justification or explanation for the 3d per £1 rise in rates. [Advertiser 21 Nov 1890] |
| Chief Magistrate Scott gave a dinner at his home for members of the Newport Police Commission and friends. [Evening Telegraph 9 Dec 1890] |
| The Justices of the Peace resident in Newport recently signed a recommendation to the spirit dealers in the burgh to close on New Year's Day aas otherwise there might be an unusual influx of visitors for the purpose of obtaining intoxicating drinks. The hotel keeper, 2 proprietors of public houses and 4 licensed grocers - being the whole of the vendors of drink in the burgh - have unanimously agreed to act upon the recommendation and close their places of business on New Year's Day. [this is not Police Commissioners business but JPs as members of the licensing court of the county.] [Advertiser 24 Dec 1890] |
| Comment piece: Newport in 1890. Newport has decidedly improved by its three years' experience as a police burgh. Its drainage and water supply are good, its pavements are comfortable to walk upon, and its streets are well lighted. Sometimes on nights when the moon fails to shine when advertised the lamps are not lighted, and the streets are left in darkness, but this does not happen very often. Many accidents have happened at the East Braes, one of them fatal, and although the danger has often been pointed out, nothing has been done to avert it. Mr Alexander Robertson, who was elected Junior Magistrate, has built many of the houses in the burgh and his experience ought to be valuable to the Commission. The large increase in taxation has been much commented on, and an impression seems to be gaining ground that the affairs of the burgh are being conducted with undue expenditure of the ratepayers' money. [Advertiser 26 Dec 1890] |
| Newport Police Commission is taking a lead in sanitary reform, which might with advantage be followed by neighbouring burghs. Dr Littlejohn's services have been secured to inspect and report on certain buildings, and the proprietors have been notified that immediate action must be taken to place the houses in a thorough sanitary condition. [Evening Telegraph 13 Jan 1891] |
| Quarterly meeting of the police commissioners held in the Municipal Buildings on Monday night. Dr Littlejohn had made an examination of the property in William Street which was alleged to be in an insanitary condition. He was of the opinion that the tenement known as Mathewson's property was by reason of an ashpit etc in a very insanitary condition. He had rarely seen a worse ashpit, and characterised it as a disgusting and dangerous nuisance to the tenants. He had no hesitation in saying the Commissioners should take steps to remedy the evil. He also stated that, along with the Medical Officer & the Sanitary Inspector, he had made a general survey of East and West Newport and he pointed out several places as nuisances which should be removed. He stated that Newport was now no longer a country village, but a town of villa residences, and it behoved the Commissioners, after providing a water supply and drainage, to make a thorough clearance of all accumulations of refuse in the shape of ashpits, etc. The agent of the property had expressed his readiness to do all that was reasonable to affect a remedy. The Clerk had asked the Board of Supervision should it progress the matter under the Public Health Act or the Lindsay Act? An answer is awaited. [Fifeshire Journal 15 Jan 1891] |
| A bill to amend the law relating to roads and streets in police burghs in Scotland is in progress in parliament. [Fifeshire Journal 15 Jan 1891] |
| Forgan School Board told to put a pavement around Newport School [Advertiser 10 Apr 1891] |
| Meeting of Police Commission last night (11 May). Closing of accounts on 15th May. Gas supply to the burgh during the past year cost £86-16-2. Suggested that the lighting of the lamps be continued for a longer period next year. Resolved to make several additional street crossings in various parts of the burgh. Commission decided to call on certain proprietors to concrete the footway adjoining their porperties on the south side of the thoroughfare between the foot of Station Road and James Square. Plans approved for a villa on south side of the road near Woodhaven. The Board resolved to petition in favour of a Bill to amend the law relating to roads & streets in police burghs in Scotland. [Advertiser 12 May 1891] |
| Comment - The Magistrates of Newport should consider the advisability of arranging for a Police Court being held in Newport, as at Tayport. It is awkward that the policemen on duty at Newport should be called away, often for a whole day, to Cupar, and that money should be spent in conveying police and prisoners to Cupar, and again in bringing them to Dundee when the wrongdoer is to be imprisoned. [Evening Telegraph 22 May 1891] |
| A number more of the footpaths are to be laid with granolithic concrete and several more crossings are to be paved. These improvements will add greatly to the comfort of the inhabitants, especially in wet weather. [Advertiser 17 Jun 1891] |
| [Comment piece] A fatal accident at the site on the Braes where a previous near-fatal accident occurred - this will surely force the Police Commissioners to erect a protective barrier. [Evening Telegraph 28 Jul 1891] |
| Public Notice on p. 1: Burgh of Newport. The Commissioners of Police for the Burgh of Newport are hereby summoned to attend a meeting of said Commissioners to be held within the Chief Magistrate's Room, Blyth Hall Buildings, Newport on Monday 14th September 1891 at half past seven o'clock pm, to resolve, if they think fit, to undertake the management and maintenance, in terms of the Roads and Streets in Police Burghs (Scotland) Act 1891. John Scrimgeour, Clerk to the Commissioners. 11 August 1891. [Courier 12 Aug 1891] |
| Smart turnout of the Newport Fire Brigade who turned out for practice on Saturday afternoon. The hose carriage was run out to James Square where the hose was fixed and the water turned on. After unfixing a run was made to the Blyth Hall, where the hose was fixed both in front and at the rear of the buildings, and the apparatus was locked up, all within three-quarters of an hour. [Courier 24 Aug 1891] |
| The ground around the fountain at the Braes, Newport was some time ago planted with trees and shrubs by Mr Berry, Tayfield and the Police Commissioners have given special instructions to their officials to keep a watch over the trees. At the holiday time, a man was challenged for damaging the trees and was warned off the braes. He returned to carry out his promise to uproot every tree & shrub and was arrested by Sergeant Wyness. He had already twisted and broken five young sycamore trees and was in the process of uprooting a sixth. [Advertiser 10 Sep 1891] Subsequently fined £3 or thirty days' imprisonment. [People's Journal 12 Sep 1891] |
| A specially called public meeting of the Police Commissioners was held last night. Present: Chief Magistrate Scott, Senior Magistrate Walker, Junior Magistrate Robertson, Messrs Welch, Duncan, Miller, Leitch, Moir & Dr Stewart.The meeting had been called in accordance with the Act (the Roads and Streets in Police Burghs (Scotland) Act 1891) whereby the Commissioners can now approach the County Council regarding taking over the roads within the burgh. Along with other burghs, the commissioners had used their influence to have the Act passed. In Newport they were dissatisfied with the present management of the roads. They contributed a large amount of the assessment and only a small amount of that contribution was spent in the upkeep of the roads within the burgh. The chairman moved that the Commissioners intimate to the County Council that they intend to take over the management of the roads. Senior Magistrate Walker, seconding, said the anomalous position of roads management was one of the things which led to Newport being made a police burgh. The day had seemed far distant when they would secure the management of the roads, but by a stroke of good fortune the unexpected had happened and Newport was to enjoy one of the benefits of Home Rule. Resolution adopted unanimously. A committee was appointed to meet the County Council. (2) The chairman intimated that the Board of Supervision had for some time been pressing the Commission to adopt the Infectious Diseases Notification Act. There would be advantages to doing this but as in the meantime the Commissioners were unable to provide hospital accommodation for any cases which might be notified, he thought the y should delay until it was seen what action the County Council would take in providing a joint hospital. Dr Stewart explained the present position and agreed with the chairman. ... [discussion] ... Agreed to delay consideration of the matter. [Courier 15 Sep 1891] |
| Meeting of Fife County Road Board: considered a letter from Newport intimating their intention to take over the roads from 15 May 1892 ... likely to be followed by other burghs ... would affect the County Council financially ... refer it to the St Andrews District Committee [Courier 16 Sep 1891] |
| Meeting of St Andrews District Committee: considered a letter from the Commissioners of Newport and another from Tayport about the management of roads in their burghs. Agreed to set up committees to look into this. [Courier 3 Oct 1891] |
| Meeting of the Shareholders of the Newport Gaslight Company: The Company had, at the request of the Police Commissioners, resolved, at considerable expense, to continue the Company's main pipe almost as far west as the Granary at Woodhaven in order that there might be public lamps erected there. [Courier 5 Oct 1891] |
| Statutory Meeting of the Police Commissioners. Chief Magistrate Scott had had an interview with the County Council Road Board about management of the roads in the burgh. He advised delaying the arrangements for taking the roads over until they saw what was happening in the rest of the country. (2) He stated that it was hardly necessary to give a resume of the business which had come before the Board during the past year. However he would mention the most important branch - the drainage of the burgh. They had one of the best systems in operation and he was sure that now the work has been successfully carried out, there was no healthier place than Newport. (Hear, hear.) (3) Thanks given to Mr Hunter who had retired some time ago; and to Mr Moir for his service in connection with the reading room, and also their energetic friend Mr Leitch. He trusted that these gentlemen would offer their services again to the community. Mr Leitch, the only retiring member present, stated he would offer himself for re-election (applause). (4) Received £37 10s. 4d. - the sum applicable under the Local Taxation (Customs & Excise) Act - large enough only to warrant being added to the general funds rather than a specific outlay. [Advertiser 13 Oct 1891] |
| [Comment Piece] Newport ought to follow the example of Broughty in filling the vacancies at the Police Commission. [Evening Telegraph 15 Oct 1891] |
| [Letter to the Editor] Lack of a local Police Court. ... vandalism ... no punishments ... It will cost us money to get to Cupar, Dundee has no jurisdiction, we have no J P Court. I trust the Commissioners will establish a Newport Police Court. Signed B M, Newport. [Advertiser 19 Oct 1891] |
Previous available year Next available year