Digest of stories from the Beds & Herts Saturday Telegraph: August 25th, 1917

A special meeting of the Luton Town Council was held at the Town Hall on Thursday to appoint a Food Control Committee. The proceedings were marked by one or two lively exchanges, but in the end the Council arrived at a unanimous arrangement.

The Town Clerk read the instructions received from the Ministry of Food per the Local Government Board. Lord Rhondda, the Food Controller, said the three main principles of policy would be: to conserve supplies, to ensure that they shall be equally shared by rich and poor alike; and to keep prices down. A deal of administrative and clerical work would be involved for the first few months, and the Exchequer would defray costs.

Numerous local bodies had written asking for representation on the committee and there was a lively discussion as to the proportion from inside and outside the Corporation that should form the committee.

Ultimately general satisfaction appeared to be secured by the nomination of the Mayor and two representatives from each of the three council wards (West, North and East), two representatives of the Tradesmen's Association. one representative of the Labour Party, one representative of the Co-operative Society and the Mayoress (committees were required to have at least one woman member).

It was agreed that the accommodation be found in the Town Hall for the work, and the Council sanctioned the Town Clerk's appointment as Executive Officer should the committee appoint him.

• A special meeting of the Luton Borough Education Committee was held at the Town Hall on Tuesday night to consider a communication from the National Union of Teachers to receive a deputation with regard to salaries, particularly in relation to a new supplementary grant. After a lengthy discussion the committee passed a resolution regretting its inability to receive a deputation from the N.U.T. under existing circumstances. During the debate the committee indicated a readiness to meet a deputation made up of local teachers and representing all teachers, including those uncertificated. The N.U.T. represented only certificated teachers.

• Two accidents occurred at Commercial Cars Ltd yesterday morning within quarter of an hour. Hammerman Mr Thomas Medcraft, 36, of 33 Peach Street, fell while leaving the blacksmith's shop and the wheel of a passing chassis went over his leg, resulting in bad bruises and swellings and a sprained knee. And capstan turner Sterling White, 21, of 13 Ivy Road, had the end of a thumb severed in a chuck. The thumb was amputated at the middle joint. Both men are progressing favourably at Bute Hospital.

• In the early hours of this morning considerable alarm was occasioned in the Wellington Street district through a serious fire in the premises of the Star Supply Stores at No. 26. Men from Luton Fire Brigade broke into the shop, from which dense clouds of smoke were pouring, and extinguished the blaze after an hour's work. The whole of the food and other articles in the shop were totally destroyed by the intense heat, smoke and water.

• Beyond the fact that he has met with an accident - probably of a serious nature - noting is known in the town of the circumstances of L-Cpl Arthur Roe, the Luton Town footballer. He is an inmate of a Canadian hospital in France, and news of his welfare is being anxiously awaited. He joined the Footballers' Battalion about two years ago, and was subsequently drafted to France. [Roe survived the war and later returned to play for Luton Town.]

• Luton lads in the London Regiment have been undergoing great hardships in the present offensive in France. Among them is Cpl Henry Janes, nephew of Insp Janes of the Luton Borough Police Force, who joined the Londons early in the war.

• We learn that Pte Horace Painter, who until joining up five months ago was in business in Barber's Lane, Luton, as a hairdresser, is now in hospital in Sheffield suffering from the effects of being gassed. His military training was with the Middlesex Regiment, but upon going to France ten weeks ago was transferred to the Manchesters.

• Special attention is called to Wellington Street Picture Hall, where next Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday, from 5pm to 11pm, the latest and most appealing official war picture will be screened. It is the splendid film of the King's visit to the Grand Fleet and depicts all the operations of the fleet, and includes the only Royal investiture at sea since the days of Nelson.

• Five Luton boys appeared at Luton Borough Police Court this morning charged with wilfully damaging an oak tree to the extent of 3 shillings on August 19th. They had trespassed on the Stockwood Estate to be able to climb up the tree at Farley Hill Lodge, but Mrs Crawley did not wish to press that charge. Each boy was bound over for six months and had to pay 5 shillings costs.

• This morning's papers publish the first list of those whom the King had honoured by admission into two new orders - the British Empire and the Companion of Honour - which his Majesty has instituted. It will be particularly interesting to this district to learn that a munition worker has been awarded the Medal of the Order of the British Empire. The distinguished young lady is Miss Violet Golding and the award is made for "devotion to duty in resuming work after losing a finger in the making of detonators". Miss Golding lives at 11 Cross Street, Dunstable,. She was treated at the Bute Hospital on June 27th, 1916. Her age at that time was 16. [Violet's accident happened at the George Kent works at Chaul End.]