assist in removing the paltry residue of the St. Clement's debt. Thus a narrow parish feeling is allowed to prevail, to the injury of the town".
“Music hath charms”
Says a writer — “Music hath charms to soothe the savage breast”. “No, it hasn’t” says the critic; — “for it often excites the canine race to savageness and to a fit of incessant howling; besides which, those whose employment it is to disseminate the harmony of sweet sounds are themselves too frequently the most inharmonious”. It will be no difficult task to reconcile these divergent views; but, leaving that work to others, the intention here is merely to place on record the difficulty with which the Hastings Band had to contend in 1850, and the cause of its abrupt cessation of performance. It ceased playing on July 25th because the Committee had only paid for 2½ weeks. The Band was censured for its hasty action, but the Hastings News remarked that the getting in subscriptions appeared to be a work which neither the Committee nor the band could manage. But (said the same journal), see what St. Leonards is doing! A letter, in explanation appeared in the News, dated Aug. 15th, of which the following is the substance: —
“The band was engaged at £6 10s. per week. The third week commenced and no payment was made, the Committee not having begun to collect subscriptions. The Band felt there was a want of energy, and that there was likely to be a failure, as in previous years. The Committee has since collected, paid the demands and ceased to act. It is 27 years since the Band began to play on the parade, and by dint of great study and expense, have gained a name that will rank with the first local bands in the kingdom. A collecting Committee was formed in 1847, and after the Band had played 13 weeks there was collected only £16 11s. They waited till February of the following year, and then when the subscriptions were got in, they shared 11¼d. a man per night. — If Hastings requires a band, the Hastings Band will feel honoured by being engaged; and all they require is to be placed on the same footing as a German band.”
Proposed New Baths
On the 30th of January, a meeting was held at the Marine Hotel to promote the establishment of Baths and Wash-houses on a more popular scale than at that time existed. Mr. Humbert attended, and submitted plans for such buildings on the Priory ground. It was contemplated to supply the public with good baths at very reduced charges.
