Minutes of Committee Meeting Cocken Hall
January 4th 1915
Present:- Lord Southampton, Col. Bowes, Colonel R. Burdon, Capt. Lowe
The minutes of the last meeting were taken as read.
Colonel Bowes mentioned the question of the payment of the funeral expenses of members of the battalion killed in action at Hartlepool on the 16th December, and asked if any expenses extra to the sum provided by the War Office would be met by the committee. This was granted.
He also asked whether he might consider that the balance of expenses of the Christmas Dinner- if it could not be covered from the Canteen funds- might be met by the Committee. This was agreed to.
It was decided to obtain, through the Clerk of the Works, tenders for the erection of shelves in the barrack huts; and also for wooden grids for the bath-room.
Colonel Burdon was instructed to obtain tenders from the Army & Navy Stores for 1350 rifle slings; Col. Bowes stating that he had already placed the order for equipment for the Depot Company.
It was agreed to ask the Paymaster at York to send down a Clerk for one day to give instruction and advice in the Orderly Room with regard to certain forms which presented some difficulty.
Colonel Bowes reported that the bath-room had been taken into use and was satisfactory: that a drying room had been allowed to each Company to be used as required during certain hours; and that the miniature Rifle Range was working satisfactorily.
The Canteen was found to be very successful; and the room a very
good one for sound for Entertainment.
Colonel Burdon was requested to communicate with Mr. Gray with regard to the provision, if possible, of a special train for the conveyance of the Battalion to Sunderland for recruiting purposes.
The question of recruiting was also considered, together with a letter from Capt. Longden, and it was decided to let the matter stand over for a week to see how the new arrangement of the extra fee of 1/- [one shilling] per man to the Recruiting Sergeant would work in practice.
Col. Bowes was requested to draft a letter, in conjunction with Capt. Longden, to be sent to magistrates and notables, asking their assistance in recruiting.
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