Page:Item 6 1854.pdf/146

From Historical Hastings
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Ald. Ginner [who was one of the Hastings merchants benefitted by the St. Leonards publicans and others who purchased his porter and coal] thought the motion was right in principle, and that there was great credit to the founder of St. Leonards, who had taken special pains to prevent the name of St. Leonards coming to Hastings. He not only took out an act of Parliament, but put up an archway to show the boundary of that Act. That gentleman had no idea that the name of St. Leonards woud ever be brought to Hastings. As regarded Mr. Putland's remark that in the title deeds the property eastward of the archway was defined as St. Leonards, he thought Mr. Putland had made a mistake. (Mr. Putland assured Mr. Ginner it was so in scores of instances, and indeed, in nearly all). He (Ald. Ginner) thought they could not legally call it St. Leonards, yet if any violent alteration was effected without first giving notice of the intention, they would be throwing the town into great confusion. There was certainly one great abuse, and in which Mr. Putland seemed to glory. He referred to the two post-offices within a mile and a half of each other. That was a gross abuse, as it was evident that one post-office would be better than two, and he heard Mr. Putland's remarks to the contrary with astonishment. [Mr. Ginner, had he been alive at the time of writing this History, would have been more greatly astonished at knowing that within the same distance there are at least five post-offices, two large sorting-houses, and a great many wall and pillar boxes for the deposit of letters]. He thought the proper course would be to petition both Houses of Parliament, for it was of no use to represent anything to the post-office. He contended that there ought to be only one Post-office but its position was no object to him. [Then why not let it be at St. Leonards, the result of which would be that instead of the morning mail arriving at Hastings at 4.30 am, and St. Leonards at 5am, and the night mail leaving St. Leonards at 9.30 p.m., and Hastings at 10 p.m., the conditions would be reversed?] He would, however, suggest to Mr. Ross that after having given such a public notice of the matter, he should withdraw his motion, and substitute for it at the next meeting, that they petition both Houses and the Queen in Council for only one Post-office. One postmaster would be enough for these towns. If they could get this alteration, every other alteration which they thought necessary, could easily be carried out. He was quite sure tht the tradesmen in Mr. Putland's -