South Yorkshire Times, April 28st 1939.
Protest at assessment jump.
Darfield Urban District Council accomplished a new record in speed on Friday. This is what they achieved in four minutes: –
Elected a new chairman (Coun. J. W. Camplejohn.)
Elected a new vice chairman (Coun. S. Blackwell)
Elected the chairman of 10 committees.
Elected representatives of 10 Constituent authorities.
In eight minutes they had transacted the whole of the business of the annual meeting, and passed on to the work of the ordinary monthly meeting. It was all over in half an hour.
“Time gentlemen please”
the meeting opened with unusual hustle and a marked disinclination to dawdle. The fingers of the clerk at the end of the Council chamber registered barely 6 – 30 when the chairman Ald. T. H. Foulstone, J.P. vestibular pulled out his watch, compared it with the official timepiece, looked inquiringly at both and then remarked, “gentlemen I think it’s time we were making a start.” One member protested that it was not yet 6-30, whereat Coun. Falstone remarked that they wanted to be “strictly legal.” Exhibiting some doubt as to the accuracy of his own final meter, he checked it with the press. He was told that the council clerk was three minutes late and the meeting duly opened at 6-31.
In a 10 word speech Coun. J. W. Camplejohn was installed in the chair. He was proposed and seconded by Coun. Foulstone and Coun R. Randerson, the latter remarking that he had had good service from the council and would make a successful chairman.
In accepting the honour, Coun. Camplejohn was equally brief. “I thank you,” he said “and help with your cooperation we shall have a very successful year.”
By Coun. R. Randerson, Coun. E. Taylor was proposed for the vice chair, but he declined the preferment, remarking, “I am very much obliged to you but I would prefer not to take the office. I would prefer to see one of the late members take it. I proposed Coun. Blackwell”
The resolution was seconded by Coun. Foulstone and Coun. S Blackwell moved up.