Edition Bobbett1. Texts by Elizabeth F. Bobbett: 1.1.2. Correspondence, Letters to the authorities

1944 Elizabeth Bobbett: Letter to the Wicklow County Council, 07.03.1944

Source: Wicklow County Archives (WCA), County Council Minutes, 1944, p. 19 & 20, 13.04.1944

The following letter was submitted by the County Secretary: The Irish Farmers’ Federation.

Secretary: Miss Elizabeth F. Bobbett, Springfield, Kilbride, 7th March, 1944.

P. T. Healy, Esq., County Manager, Wicklow County Council, Court House, Wicklow.

Dear Mr. Healy. At the Annual County Convention of the Irish Farmers’ Federation, which was held in Clash on 5th March, I was instructed to write and ask you would you receive a small deputation from the Irish Farmers’ Federation at the next meeting of the County Council. There are several very important matters which we would like to place before you and the Councillors.

First, we want an extension of time for the payment of the present half-year’s Rates till 1st May, as very many farmers have great difficulty in trying to purchase their seeds to comply with the Tillage Regulations, and to press these farmers now for their rates would mean that many of them would be forced to sell their young, immature cattle at a very bad time of the year, thereby being at a great loss on the sale of his cattle – a loss which could be avoided in the matter of the extra few weeks to meet the rates.

Secondly, the farmers are very disappointed with the small reduction in the rates for the coming year, we are entitled to a much larger reduction.

Thirdly, we demand that the Rates Estimates be dealt with at the County Council Meeting item by item and not in bulk, and we demand that the Estimates be published in the local paper item by item and comparative figures for preceding year given.

Please let me know the date of next County Council meeting so that I can notify the members of the deputation in time to attend. Yours faithfully, Elizabeth F. Bobbett, County Secretary.

Proposed by Councillor Joseph Kavanagh; Seconded by Councillor Christopher M. Byrne, TD.

Resolved: That we hereby request the County Manager to urge the Minister for Local Government and Public Health to extend to the 30th April, 1944, the period within which the Poor Rate Collectors shall have for the purpose of closing their 1943/1944 Collections, as it has been submitted to this Council that a great hardship will be inflicted on many Ratepayers otherwise. Passed.

The following Notice of Motion was handed in by Councillor Daniel J. Kehoe and accepted by the Chairman: Notice of Motion. I give notice that I or someone for me will move at next Meeting of County Council that a second Agricultural Instructor be appointed permanently.