Digest of stories from The Luton News: Thursday, September 20th, 1917.

Not since pre-war days has there been such an animated debate in Luton Town Council as that which took place on Tuesday night [September 18th, 1917]. It arose over the question of the Mayoralty, Councillor Hubbard raising the question in a letter addressed to the Town Clerk.

The members became very excited and there was some very straight talk, but there was no satisfaction at the finish and from the temper of the members it appears as though the problem will not be finally settled until the November 9th meeting.

Councillor Charles Dillingham [pictured after being finally elected to office] had accepted an invitation extended to him by 11 votes to nine at the previous meeting of the Council in committee to make the mayoral chair in the ensuing year. At that time, he told Tuesday's meeting, he would readily accept, but he would rather have had a little time to further consider the matter. He had since carefully considered the question with those at home and come to the conclusion to accept the invitation, for which he thanked the members.

The letter from Councillor Hubbard, however, said he and others were not present at the preliminary meeting and so were debarred from recording their votes. They had also not been notified of the nature of the business to be transacted. Pointing out that he had nothing against Councillor Dillingham but pressing for Alderman John Staddon to continue in office for a third term [he had already declined], Councillor Hubbard asked for a further meeting to be held on the mayoralty to allow all members to vote on the question.

Amid accusations of "ungentlemanly goings-on," Councillor Bone said they all regretted that Councillor Hubbard was not present at the meeting a fortnight earlier, but he should not try to invalidate a decision because he could not be there.

It was finally decided to take no action on Councillor Hubbard's letter.

• The principal resolution before the monthly meeting of Luton Trades Council on Thursday arose on the report upon the Local Food Control Committee, which was adopted, and the following resolution was passed and ordered to be forwarded to the Town Council: That this Trades Council, representing 5,000 organised workers, is of the opinion that one representative is totally inadequate according to the numbers in the district, and demands a reconstruction of this Committee so as to omit all those concerned in the sale of foodstuffs."

• Bertram Ashwell, of 45 Stuart Street, Luton, who suffered severely from shell shock in the early stages of the war and was discharged, later joined the Navy. After short service the old injury reasserted itself and he was discharged from the Navy. Intent on playing some role in the service of his country, he had now been accepted in teh Expeditionary Force Canteens and had gone abroad.

• Inspector Hagley completes 30 years service in the Police Force on September 30th and he is entitled to retire on pension but, with an eye to economy, the Town Council have decided that he shall continue in the force and receive an increase of £26 per annum.

• Mrs Birchmore, of 34 Ivy Road, Luton, who received official information some week ago that her husband, Pte Bertram Norman Birchmore, of the Northumberland Fusiliers, was missing, has not heard that he was taken prisoner on April 29th and died in German hands on May 4th.

• Gunner Richard Bonfield, of the London R.F.A. and son of Mrs Bonfield, of 34 Grove Road, Luton, is now in hospital at Napsbury as the result of injuries sustained while serving his gun in France of September 4th.One of his feet was caught by the gun on its recoil and his toes were smashed.

• News has been received that Pte Frederick Gregory (East Surrey Regiment), eldest son of Mr and Mrs Gregory, of 98 Ashton Road, Luton, was wounded in action on August 17th. His parents have heard from him that his wound is not dangerous. He had for nine years before he joined up in May, been an employee of the Borough Electricity Office.

• Mr and Mrs Vincent Webb, of 25 Church Street, Luton, have received news that their son, Pte John Clifford Webb (Beds Regiment), has been wounded in action in Palestine. As the result of a midnight attack on a Turkish redoubt on July 20th he received gunshot wounds in the right thigh and was injured in the right arm by fragments of a high explosive shell. Still only 17 years of age, he joined the Beds Regiment in November 1915 and arrived at Alexandria, Egypt, on June 5th, 1916. Before joining up he was employed in the office of the Luton Borough Surveyor.

• L-Cpl Bandsman James Young, of 40 Butlin Road, Luton, who for 12 years served with the Territorials before being mobilised with the Beds Regiment, was admitted to the 22nd General Hospital in France on August 25th with gunshot wounds in the back, right hand and finger and burns on the right side. The former CWS Cocoa Works employee is now lying in Manchester General Hospital.

• Pte F. Plummer (Royal Welsh Fusiliers), of 67 Tavistock Street, Luton, now lies in Edinburgh War Hospital suffering from wounds sustained on July19th.

• Yesterday afternoon an interesting function took place at St Paul's Church, Knightsbridge, when Mr Eric George Oakley, second son of Mr George Oakley (Squire of Lawrence End and Chairman of the County Justices sitting at Luton), was married to Miss Alice Annie Osborne, youngest daughter of the late Mr Osborne, of New South Wales, and Mrs Osborne, of Knightsbridge. The bridegroom hold a position in connection with Messrs Bennett's Brewery at Dunstable. The bride has since October 1914 worked at the British Soldiers' Institute, Boulogne, and returned to England last month.

• An interesting wedding took place on Monday between Mr Arthur Staddon, of Bute Street and brother of the Mayor of Luton, and Miss Daisy Mildred Wilmott, third daughter of Mr Alfred George Wilmott, of Portisdown, Somerset.

• Mr W. J. Mair reported to the meeting of Luton Trades Council on Thursday that he had received a letter from the Minister of Labour requesting him to take the position of Chairman of the Local Advisory Committee for the disbandment of soldiers, and after some correspondence with the Minister of Labour he had accepted. Mr Mair's action was agreed to.

• At Messrs Shoolbred & Connell's Langley Street, yesterday morning, Miss Florrie Foulkes, 25, who comes from Buckinghamshire but is lodging at 27 Crawley Green Road, was working on a step milling machine when the cutter swung round and dragged her arm into the machinery, badly smashing the tendons of the wrist and fracturing it. She is in the Bute Hospital.