Alderman Cripps was considered a practical man as well as being able to negotiate through conflictive situations.

At the Borough Council meeting on Wednesday, March 9, 1892, the mayor (Alderman Cripps) was present along with Aldermen Webb, Tremain, Walker, Rickard, Taylor, Crago, Kenny, Simmons and Ryan to handle the business.

The statement of accounts was presented from February 24 from the City Bank, Bathurst. There was a balance of £11,584 10s 6d, with cheques drawn since of £442 18s 3d. Since then, £107 2s 6d had been banked. 

The balance of the passbook overdraft was £11,821 11s 2d.

The council received a letter from Peel and Stanley Street residents drawing attention to the state of the footbridge and asking the council not to remove it, as previously suggested. The residents said the bridge was of great convenience to the ratepayers. 

The mayor said the bridge was in a dangerous condition and they could not prevent horsemen from crossing on it. 

There was a bridge in the centre of the street and pedestrians would only have to take a few extra steps to cross by it. 

The timber in the footbridge was unsafe and he had ordered the overseer to shut it up and it should be removed.

It was resolved that the mayor’s instructions be carried out.

In a letter to the council, Mr G. Stone, manager of the gasworks, said the price for tar was decided in 1888, with small quantities 4d per gallon and large quantities 3d. 

These prices had always been charged since the works had commenced, he said. Mayor Cripps said he had inspected the books of Mr Stone and found that nothing less than 3d had been charged.

Another letter was received from Mr George H. Marsh, of Paddington, offering Bathurst Council two water-carts for £60. 

Alderman Rickard moved and Alderman Webb seconded, and it was carried that the letter be received, and that the mayor visit and inspect the carts when in Sydney.

Some of the council’s payments that were passed may be of interest to readers. The staff pay-sheet for the month was £32 5s 5d, the overseer of works' pay-sheet was £122 2s 9d, the gasworks pay-sheet was £61 0s 3d, the waterworks pay-sheet was £48 8s 8d, the water inspector’s pay-sheet was £12 7s 11d and the head gardener’s pay-sheet was £23 1s 9d.

Other payments included Wright, Heaton, and Co., purchase of coal £20 9s 9d; Wright, Heaton cartage £19 9s 6d; Briscoe, Drysdale and Co., plant £3 18s 0d; A. Lewis, N.P. Act £18 16s 0d; G.S. Dawson, cartage 8s 4d, 0d; Payne, blacksmith work 18 shillings; H.S. Clifton, fittings for wagon £2 3s 0d; W. Courtney, cab hire 14 shillings; W. J. Freeman, tinsmith, repairs 11 shillings; E. Webb and Co., sundry supplies 6s 6d; E. McEvoy, pound fees £1 17s 2d; W.H, Hudson and Co. Timberyard, timber, etc. £17 15s 2d; Thos. Fletcher and Co., stoves £9 11s 1d; Eastway Brothers, baskets 16 shillings; J. E. Salier and Co., coin-operated gas meters £31 6s 6d; Vale Colliery at Lithgow, coal £31 5s 6d; J.J. Atkins, construct framework for crusher £10 5s 0d; and L. Edgley and Co., goods £14 1s 7d; for a total of £481 8s 4d.

On January 11, 1894, with Mayor Cripps in the chair, the Bathurst aldermen were read a letter from the divisional engineer, Railway Department, intimating that the siding at the Corporation Saleyards was complete and interlocked for safe working. 

As the outlay upon construction had been considerable, the commissioners requested to complete the races from the trucking yards to the siding, so stock could be loaded and unloaded from the railway trucks.