Edition Bobbett1. Texts by Elizabeth F. Bobbett: 1.1.2. Correspondence, Letters to the authorities
1936 Elizabeth Bobbett: Letter to the Wicklow County Council, 01.03.1936
Source: Wicklow County Archives (WCA), County Council Minutes, 1936/37, p. 583, 16.03.1936
Finance Committee’s Report No. 2. on the Rate Estimates for the service of the financial year ending 31st March, 1936.
A Special Meeting of your Finance Committee was held in the Council Chamber, Court House, Wicklow, at 12 o’clock, noon, on Friday, the 6th March, 1936. The following Members attended: Councillor David H. Haskins, Chairman; Councillors Major Robert Smith, James Everett, TD; John P. O’Donnell and Christopher M. Byrne.
The Secretary submitted the following letter: Springfield, Kilbride, Wicklow, 1st March, 1936. The Secretary, County Wicklow County Council, Wicklow.
Dear Sir. We are informed the Finance meeting of the County Council will be on Friday, the 6th March, at 11 am, with reference to striking the Rate for the coming year. A Committee of Farmers’ representatives of the County have been asked to wait on the Finance Committee and place their views before them.
Yours faithfully, Elizabeth F. Bobbett, Honorary Secretary.
The following Deputation presented themselves before the Committee: Messrs R. Kearon, Samuel Burgess, John Diver, Thomas G. Kingston, Jacob James Bourne, Michael Kinsella, James Kavanagh, and William E. Clune. Having heard the views of each member of the Deputation, the Committee proceeded to transact the business for which they were convened and the Deputation withdrew, having first asked the Committee to submit the following resolutions to the County Council: “We, the farmers, of the County Wicklow desire to point out to you that we cannot understand why you should ask us under present existing conditions to bear the intolerable burden of excessive Rates. Our financial position at present is deplorable, we find that we cannot pay our ordinary shop debts or buy even the necessities of life. Our families and our employees are grievously wronged and our homes are vanishing. We have not the money to buy seeds and manures and cannot obtain credit for such, and our farms are becoming wastes under these appalling conditions.
We appeal to you as Irish men of our kith and kin to consider without delay the gravity of our position and earnestly appeal to you for instant relief. We also request that we be given an extension of time until July 1st for payment of the current rate. We further ask you as Wicklow men to treat with the greatest charity those of our people who hopelessly find themselves in arrears.”
“That we, the Members, of the Knockananna Branch of the United Farmers’ Protection Association earnestly appeal to the Wicklow County Council to defer all Schemes that would be likely to increase the coming rate.”