the Local Act which referred to the debt under William IV, which is now paid off, be repealed.
Messrs. Burfield’s application. An application was received from J. & C. Burfield, for the purchase of a small piece of land, then covered by a building recently occupied by Mr. H. N. Williams as an office for which as an acknowledgement 1s. a year was paid to the Commissioners. The occupants were making considerable alterations in the adjoining property, which they believed would be an improvement to the town. They made the application at that time because the Town Council in whose hands the Commissioners powers would soon be vested would have no authority to sell the land. They offered 20s. as that number of years purchase for the said small piece of land. (This was at one time part of an ancient passage leading from George street to West street, about 4 feet wide and 20 feet long. It was first hired by Mr. Powell in 1831 at 1s. per year.) Mr. Harvey proposed the purchasing price to be £5, and Mr. Barham proposed £20. Mr. Edward Wingfield moved a second amendment of £10. Mr. Williams said the original passage was a great nuisance, and Mr. Powell, who occupied the adjoining cellars, offered to fill it up if the Commissioners would let him have it at a nominal rent. Seeing that there was a warehouse overhead and that the filling up the passage beneath had been a public benefit, he would support the motion for £5. Mr. Wingfield discounted on the value of property until he made the small piece in question to be worth £40 or £50. When put to the vote the £10 amendment was carried. At a later meeting, the Clerk stated that they had fallen into an error, respecting the offer of 20s. as a twenty-years’ purchase of this piece of ground. Instead of it being the whole length of the passage, it was merely an office entrance and a very small piece, too, for which Mr. Powell paid 1/- a year. Mr. Bromley moved that the Messrs. Burfield’s offer be accepted, and Mr. Harvey remarked that considering the improvements lately effected by the applicants, no harm would be done even if the ground were given them. The motion was carried.
Alteration of names. Resolutions were passed at the same meeting to alter “Cobourge Passage” to “Cobourg Place”, and to make Cavendish terrace one with Cavendish place.
A long lease of land. At the Commissioners meeting on the 3rd of March, the Committee reported that at last they had arranged with Lady Waldegrave and the trustees of E. Milward, and Henry C. Milward, for a reservoir on their land in Ecclesbourne Valley for bringing water into Hastings on the following terms; — A lease of 999 years to be granted at a rent of £30 per annum, Lady Waldegrave’s house to be gratuitously supplied with water, the Commissioners to make compensation to tenants for damage, and proper accommodation to be made for the tenants; watering cattle and washing of sheep. The Commissioners were unable to carry out the arrangements -
