Digest of stories from the Beds & Herts Saturday Telegraph: February 2nd, 1918.

We should imagine that many of the demonstrators in Luton on Tuesday have now come to the conclusion that they gained a Pyrrhic victory, for they secured what they asked but lost their dinners, or a very considerable portion of them.

"No deliveries of meat except to nursing mothers and invalids," they cried, and we agree they cried justly. The butchers agreed to no deliveries, and as a result no meat went to munition works [where most of the demonstrators were employed].

The Town Clerk and the Chairman of the Food Committee were away hunting up more meat on Wednesday, but the former was at home on Thursday, with the result that he was invaded by a concerned deputation from one of the works.

Just what happened we do not know, but we know they went to complain of the fact that no meat had been sent to certain works in the usual way, and to ask the Town Clerk about it.

We could almost have guessed from the consternation on the countenances of the gentlemen what the Town Clerk's reply was. We understand that Mr Smith pointed out that the butchers, at the request of the Food Committee, at the request of the demonstrators, at the request of the Trades and Labour Council would not deliver to anyone but invalids and nursing mothers, and so munition works and everybody else would have to obtain their meat as best they could - by queuing.

Hot-foot and hot-headed they delivered the news, and forthwith another deputation, headed by Messrs Mabley and Knight, visited the Town Hall. They, too, went away empty - and we don't know whose move it is next!

The issue will be awaited with interest, but in the meantime many others have been able to secure a little extra nourishment in the shape of meat. And very nice, too.

One of our representatives tried to draw the Town Clerk on the matter, but could not manage it. All we can tell our readers from him is that he was powerless to act as the demonstrators bound the Food Committee, and the Food Committee bound the butchers, who are bound not to deliver.

• At a meeting of the Hitchin Rural Food Committee on Tuesday night a letter was received on behalf of the residents of Darley Hall stating that for several years before the war Luton grocers supplied the village with butter. Now they were told that they must go to Hitchin for margarine, and as many were old and infirm and others had young babies, this was impossible. The letter concluded: "Many of us have not seen butter or margarine for weeks, and dry bread in not very filling. We have placed our sugar tickets with out grocers, but they don't send us any grease." Mr G. T. Hill (Food Inspector) said the only solution appeared to be for the Committee to get authority from the Ministry of Food to obtain a supply of margarine and distribute it among villages.

• Good trade was done on Thursday afternoon, when Messrs J. Cumberland & Son sold by auction about 160 timber trees lying on ground at the junction of Crescent Road and Crawley Green Road, Luton, the sale having been postponed owing to bad weather from January 17th. There was great demand for the timber, the chief buyers including a chair manufacturer from High Wycombe. The total amount of the sale was £750. The timber, which comprised oak, elm, lime and beech, had become well seasoned, and much was of good size and girth.

• Many in Luton will regret to hear that Second Lieut James Forsyth (Royal Warwickshire Regiment), son of Mrs Forsyth, of 41 Milton Road, has just had his left leg amputated. This was necessitated by a wound under the knee received in France, although when he brought to England and admitted into hospital at Manchester in September last it was thought that the limb could be saved. This proved impossible, but Lieut Forsyth is now fortunately making good progress, and is expecting to be shortly moved to a convalescent home at Blackpool.

• The morning rain had left the Town ground in a bad condition for the visit of a team from the Army Signal School, Dunstable. Luton Town took the lead a minute before half time through 'Bullet' Jones. Hardcastle added to the lead in the second half, before Sgt Mitchell scored for the visitors, to make the final score 2-1.