Mr. John Dainter had lived in St. Leonards sixteen years. The town contained 230 houses, the annual rateable property was £12,050, and at the present rate it yielded £1,200 a year to the Commission. The qualification for a Commissioner was to be a resident and to have £50 a year freehold. The limit of the rate was 2s. in the pound per year. The Commissioners possessed ample powers for the construction of gas-works, waterworks, etc. The population was about 2,000. The Commissioners could borrow £16,000, and they had already borrowed £14,300. He was collector of rates for the Commissioners. £7.026 had been repaid to Mr. Burton for the town improvements. [See chapter IX for the manner in which the sum was applied]. The remainder of the debt was for the general improvement of the town. St. Leonards was opposed to the Health of Towns Bill and so was he. As collector he had £40 a year by percentage. Hotel-keepers were precluded from serving on the Commission. Out of the 230 houses 176 were first class.
Mr. Henry Hughes had lived in the town from the commencement. He was a builder and had been engaged in the construction of some parts of the town. The drains were very good. The main drains had a fall of one in twenty and had their outlets 100 feet from the sea-wall. Was not aware that of any of the houses having bad smells from the drains. Their intention was to put St. Leonards into such a state as should make it attractive to visitors. He thought the town did very well under its present management.
Mr. Samuel Woodgate, builder and house-agent, had never heard any complaints from visitors about bad smells more than at other watering places. Cesspools which once existed at the west end of the town had all been removed. No town in the kingdom was better supplied with water.
Mr. Louis Gordon, civil engineer, had been engaged to take the levels of the houses along the Marina and examine the drainage. He found the facilities for draining perfect. Drainage into the sea was the best plan. There was a fall towards the sea sufficient for all the houses except a few at the west end.
Mr. Alfred Burton was deeply interested in the prosperity of the town. With few exceptions, the inhabitants were most anxious not to be included with Hastings under the Health of Towns Act. One main drain went down the valley and another down the road which led round it. They discharged by means of iron pipes on the beach, from 100 to 150 feet from the sea-wall. Never knew the sewerage to be pent up by the tide. He had lived at St. Leonards more or less ever since its commencement, and never had known, except in one instance, when by a great and sudden upflow, the water to rise through the pipes. Tenders were now being received for lengthening the outlets. It had been intended to drain the west end into the Haven, but as the sluice-gates were to be taken away by the Commissioners of Levels, it had been now decided to drain the west end into the sea, with proper valves, etc. All -
