Page:Item 10 1862.pdf/147

had(sic) arrived for the change to be made. Great alterations were taking place, and it was impossible to know what would be a proper division of the borough in a few years' time. He would admit that the proportions of the Council were both unequal and unfair. Coun. Bromley said that under the Municipal Act if they made any division of the wards, they could not add to the number of councillors, but must take from one and give to the other. He thought the change would be far more unequal than it was. Gausden"The Burgers roll has nothing to do with it." - Bromley "I say it has." Gausden "Upon what grounds?" Bromley - "Upon the numbers." Gausden "The Act does not mention burgesses; it distinctly says ratepayers" - Coun. Winter was pleased that they had got beyond the limits of the memorial presented to them; he got it was wise to give that the go-by, and to argue upon the broad principle as to the benefit of the town. During the last few years the parish had sprung up like a mushroom, but he did not think it had presented a case for the proposed alteration, and he would oppose it with all honesty and sincerity. He thought they should rest a few years and see how the town progressed. - Coun. Howell represented the East ward, but rose, he said to support the amendment (Hear hear!) He must say that he felt astounded at Mr. Rock's argument, for a more monstrous one he had never heard. It would justify any wrong upon the face of the globe. It was the answer that Russia had given to Poland for the last forty years, and one that would be given to the West ward for the next forty years, unless the question was forced upon the attention of that ward. There was an old saying that taxation without representation was tyranny, and he maintained that it was tyranny for the West ward to pay upon 73,000l towards the expenses of the borough, and not to be allowed a fair share in the representation. - In reply to a question, the Town Clerk said the number of Councillors in each ward must be divisible by four. Mr. Howell in resuming, said the 2,314 assessments in the East was paid upon something like 19l each, whilst the 1635 in the West ward represented 40l each. Mr. Rock had confessed it was a great wrong and he was one of the first who knew of a wrong, would set about to crush it. It ought not to be a question of East and West, except as an endeavour to obtain justice. - Ald. Ross, in his reply maintained that Hastings was one of the most efficiently conducted towns in the kingdom. He could not see the slightest reason for this agitation. They ought to be satisfied with things as they were. He thought the East Ward had no more councillors than it ought to have, and that the West Ward was just as it ought to be. In putting the question to the vote two East-ward council and the six West Ward voted for Mr. Gausden's amendment; whilst three aldermen and nine East Ward councillors voted for Ald. Ross's motion, thus carrying the original motion by a majority of four. Coun. Gausden then proposed that an application should be made to the Home -