Digest of stories from The Luton News: Thursday, July 4th, 1918.

It was the unanimous opinion of the Luton Town Council at their meeting on Tuesday night that the last item on the agenda was the most momentous they have ever had to deal with. It concerned the application by that august body, the Army Council, for the loan of the Town Clerk (Mr William Smith) for the purpose of carrying through an immensely important scheme.

There was no little heart-burning among the members and the discussion lasted nearly two-and-a-half hours before a majority of four enabled the Army Council to become possessed of the Town Clerk. The voting was 13 against nine on an amendment that Mr Smith should not be allowed to go, but open opposition was then withdrawn and the resolution was carried that he should be placed at the disposal of the Central Committee as secretary and executive officer for controlling civilian forage supplies.

Following the lengthy debate, the Town Clerk [pictured right] said he had never had such an embarrassing evening in his life and he hoped he would never have to undergo another such experience. He did not think the other matter would make him forget all the debt he owed to Luton, and he felt that he owed it a great deal.

[The Army Council offer seems to have given William Smith a lot of soul-searching. On Monday, July 8th, he sent the following letter to the Council: “Since last Tuesday I have been much harassed as to whether I could (notwithstanding your consent) be acting rightly in accepting the Secretaryship of the Central Council on Forage. Upon further reflection I am convinced it is not possible to hold the position without seriously interfering with the execution of my Luton duties (which cannot be appreciably reduced as most of them require close personal attention) and I yesterday definitely decided not to take advantage of your offer to release me. I consider my duty lies in Luton and regret therefore that you have been troubled with the matter unnecessarily. You will perhaps excuse me for adding that my mind is now relieved of a pressing burden.”]

• The record breakers is a title which everyone will agree suits the Biscoteers, the fine party of entertainers associated with the No 6 Reserve Brigade, Royal Field Artillery. In Connection with the 'N.T.F.' Prisoner of War Fund they gave an excellent concert at Wardown Park on Saturday evening, and fulfilled a promise that they would try and break the record. With the assistance of Mr Milner Gray as Chairman and the dramatic appearance of Pte Thomas Samuels, the first Lutonian prisoner of war repatriated from Germany, a sum of £42 16s 0½d was realised. Pte Samuels produced a parcel such as he had received as a PoW and this was sold by auction several times, raising a record £12. ('N.T.F.' was a fund-raising magazine begun by businessman on the 9.35 train from Luton to Harpenden. After the war, it was acquired by The Luton News and incorporated in a new newspaper, The Tuesday Telegraph – later Pictorial].

• Capt W. T. Hare MC, son-in-law of the Rev W. E. Lewis, St Matthew's Church, has just been gazetted major in the Regular Forces. He joined the R.A.M.C. In January 1915, was son promoted captain, won the Military Cross and was made Deputy Assistant Director of Medical Service, placed on the staff and now is made major. He has been in France since November 1915.

• Pte G. T. Peacey, stationed at Biscot, was walking along Dunstable Road on Tuesday evening when he slipped on the edge of the footwalk, causing a double fracture of the right arm, for which he is now being treated at the Bute Hospital.

• The Bute Hospital Committee of Management, at its quarterly meeting on Monday evening, was told that like other institutions the hospital staff was seriously overworked. They were as many as six nurses short on one occasion, due to a feeling among health workers that it was their duty to take up Army work. Good news was that an anonymous donor had made a gift of 50 guineas.

• An exciting incident occurred in Wardown Park on Sunday evening shortly after 8 o'clock, during the band performance. It appears that a child ran away from its father near the boating stage at the side of the lake, and ran blindly right into the water. Its father, a discharged soldier, ran on to the bridge and dived into the lake, swimming with the child to the side and thus affecting a rescue.

• At its meeting on Tuesday night, Luton Town Council decided to invest £5,000 in War Bonds as a contribution to the forthcoming Tank Bank Week. The event was to be opened at 12 o'clock on Monday by Lady Wernher, accompanied by a military display. In reply to a question about why the event could not begin earlier, it was pointed that it was impossible as the tank had to be brought from Wales and would not arrive until Monday morning. [The name of the tank expected was 'Julian'. The one which arrived was 'Egbert'.]