Trade. Councillor Kenwood seconded. Coun. Howell said the project was progressing better than the objectors thought it would, and finding that they could not defeat it publicly, they endeavoured to do it by a side wind, and had raked up the Act of Parliament for that purpose. He hoped the Council would have the moral courage to sustain their former acts. [This speaker was not told by the Mayor that he had spoken before] Coun. Winter said there was something much larger at stake than the harbour question, howsoever important that might be; and if two or three gentlemen had done wrong, they ought to take kindly any effort intended to put them right, and cause them to act as the law directed. He did not think Mr. Gausden deserved the severe animadversions which Mr. Howell threw upon him. Coun. Gausden, in reply, said it was not the first time Mr. Howell had endeavoured to put him down by bullying [Hear, hear!], but he was one of the last men in the town to be put down in that way. He maintained that he had a perfect right to bring the subject forward, and as to the "side wind" accusation, he considered it an absurdity. Then as to the threat that some day, when he came before the town he should be thrown out of office, he was willing to stand up on his own acts, and if what he did was not satifactory to the town, he should also be willing that another person should be put in his place; but he was not going to be ruled by Mr. Howell. He came there to do his duty, and so long as he saw anything which he thought was not in accordance with the Act of Parliament, he should take an objection to it. Ald. Ticehurst observed that if they had done an illegal act, let them suffer for it, and let the town know who the gentlemen were who tried to upset the harbour project. The ladies, too had taken up the subject, and appeared to be afraid that the morality of the town was to suffer. He thought the ladies had better keep in their own places. Ald. Rock was sory that such an acrimonious discussion had taken place, and he must say that the manner in which Mr. Gausden had introduced it did not call for such a display. But, at the same time, it was the result of his act, and therefore, so far, it rested with him. Ald. Ginner presumed that those gentlemen who had already done what was considered to be an illegal act woud not seek to confirm that act by further illegality. [Hear, hear! and derisive laughter]. He merely wished to bring out the broad facts of the case. No doubt they would attempt to shield themselves by putting on two cloaks instead of one. As they urged him to bring forward a motion, he should test the Council upon the subject. Coun. Gausden again protested against the illegal voting of certain members, but they nevertheless persisted in voting against Mr. Ginner's motion, with a result of 11 against 9. This was followed by the exclamation of "Bravo, Rouse!" from Coun. Picknell, and loud cheers from the harbour promoters generally. [For a poetic effusion on this meeting -
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From Historical Hastings
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