Mr. George Naish, as custodian of the fire-engine, was accepted, and Mr. James Mann appointed in his place. — The resignation of Mr. Walter Carey, as coal meter, was also accepted. — The coal duties were sold by auction to Messrs. Hughes and Austin at £275 for the year. — The Commissioners declined to put down a pavement, as requested by Mr. Jas. Mann, for his three houses in St. Clements place.
Preparing a Case. — At the same meeting, the Clerk was instructed to prepare a case to lay before Counsel to advise on the liability of St. Leonards to the rate lately ordered by the Hastings Town Council for payment of the map made by Mr. Gant under a contract with the Local Board of Health (See discussion on the subject at the Town Council meetings). The Commissioners had previously sent the following letter to the Town Council: —
- The St. Leonards Commissioners beg to assure the Town Council of Hastings of their readiness and desire to fall in with the wishes of the Council so long as they are consistent with justice to the ratepayers of St. Leonards; but they must frankly declare that in their opinion, the cost of the map contracted for by the Local Board of Health for their own purposes ought, on every principle of justice to be paid for as agreed upon by the Local Board of Health; and, indeed, that the contractor has no legal and equitable claim on any other body than the Local Board of Health. The St. Leonards Commissioners cannot doubt that the characteristic straightforwardness customary with English public bodies, and so honourable to them, will always prevail, both with the Commissioners of St. Leonards and the Town Council in their intercourse with one another.”
Parochial (St. Leonards) Meetings
At the meeting on the 3rd of March, held at the Railway Terminus Inn, the persons named for overseers were Messrs. Payne, Lamb, Gausden & Chas. Farncomb. The Highways Surveyors were Messrs. Deudney and Draper. The Assessors were Messrs. Noon & Newton, and Draper and Farncomb (in bounds and out bounds, respectively). The Vestry Clerk was Mr. John Phillips, of Hastings.
The meeting on April 22nd was to pass a borough-rate at 5d. in the £, and a highway rate at 3d.
The only business transacted at a meeting on the 7th of October was the making of a poor-rate at 3d., to produce £60.
At another meeting in the same month (Oct. 15th) a borough-rate at 4d., to produce £76, was passed by the only three persons present. It was also resolved to increase the assessment of 72 to 77 Marina by £10 each, and to assess Nos. 78 and 79 at £110 each. Also to increase the Misses Dynely’s house, stables and grounds from £100 to £120; and to assess the new public-house (the Marina Inn) in Sussex road at £30.
