box-gates put up in the place of inconvenient stiles.
The Tackleway. — At the same meeting a memorial was received from ratepayers at the foot of the East hill for an improvement of the Tackleway, and the Local Board resolved to make application to Lady Waldegrave, as the owner of the hill, and to Mr. W. M. Eldridge, the possessor of the Crown Lane, for permission to make a carriageway of the Tackleway.
The Water Supply. — Coun. Ginner thought it would be best to come to terms with Mr. Clark and Mr. Eversfield for the waterworks which those gentlemen had established. A letter from Mr. Clark’s solicitor stated that from three to four thousand pounds had already been spent on the works, and that Clark had no desire to sell his interest. — Coun. Ross did not think the waterworks were worth treating for; an efficient supply might perhaps be got from Robertsbridge for that amount of money. [Perhaps not!] The Surveyor had great expectations of the new waterworks at Ecclesbourne.
A District Rate at 6d in the pound, on the motion of Councillor Deudney, was agreed upon, and another district rate at the same percentage was ordered at the meeting of the Aug. 6th.
Illness and Death. — At the meeting of Aug. 6th and at two or three previous meetings Mr. John Phillips performed the duties of Clerk, in consequence of Mr. Shorter’s illness. A letter of condolence was also ordered to be sent to the widow of the late Inspector of Nuisances. The said Inspector (John Dungate Thwaites) died on August 4th, at the age of 61 years, and was buried in the ground of the old Ore Church, where were also interred his first wife, who died in 1815, his second wife some years later, and three of his children. His third wife survived him till 1866.
What about the Drainage? At the same meeting (Aug. 6th) the Clerk, in his report, said, in February last he delivered to the Surveyor Mr. Gant’s plan of the town, with instructions to prepare plans for the drainage so far as the plan extended, but up to that time he had not been able to discover what progress had been made. He had asked the Surveyor to report in May, and it was then postponed to June, but even then there was nothing to show what had been done. He (the clerk) concluded that the Surveyor had been six months thinking about the drainage, and required three months more to adjust his thoughts. He was of opinion that in point of economy, as all the main drainage plans would require inspection and certifying by the General Board, it would be better to apply at once to the Board to send down a competent engineer to go over the town, and with the assistance of the Surveyor, to prepare a general system. — Coun. Rock moved that such application be made. — Coun Deudney would like to hear what the Surveyor could do. Mr. Putland then spoke at considerable length, saying it would be impossible to do any drainage that year. There was nothing -
