At a November meeting the two overseers and one other person only were present, who decided to levy a borough-rate at 3½d and a county rate at 4d.
Magdalen Parish
The first vestry meeting in 1850 was at the Warrior’s Gate Inn on the 4th of April. There were 14 persons present with R. Deudney in the chair. The persons named for selection of overseers were Jas. Smith, Jas. Nocholas, Fred. Tree, John Wellsted and Sam. Woodgate. The Surveyors of Highways were Hy. Tree and Hy. Hughes. The Collector of the highway rate was Jas. Everett. — On the 17th of the same month the accounts produced showed £24 due to the Surveyors (Voysey and Roberts) and £17 7s. uncollected of the 1849 rate. — A meeting on May 9th was held at the Horse-and-Groom when it was resolved to expend a small sum from the highway rate to put into a better state the road disturbed by Mr. Clark in laying down water mains — a work that it would be reasonable to suppose Mr. Clark should have done at his own cost. A borough rate at 2d. was passed, and an order made for the parish boundary to be walked on the 16th of May, commencing at the St. Leonards Hotel. — On the 11th of July the meeting was again held at the Warrior’s Gate, attended by only four persons, who passed a poor rate at 4d. in the pound. — The next and last meeting for the year was at the Anchor Inn, where seven parishioners passed a poor rate at 4d. in the pound. Much would it add to the source of contentment if the ratepayers of half a century later could get off so lightly. — At one of the meetings Mr. Metcalf complained of the dusty state of the roads, and regretted that so large and influential a parish should allow visitors and others to be thus incommoded. He was told, however, by Messrs. Austin and Eldridge that the surveyors could not legally apply the rates for watering the roads except for the purpose of preserving them. Counsel’s opinion had been taken, in which it was stated that there was no other means but for those who wanted the roads regularly watered to pay for it.
Wesleyan Items
On the 8th January two elegant discourses were given by the Rev. Dr. Joseph, of London, to large audiences in aid of a fund for erecting a new gallery for the Norman road Chapel. The services for this purpose were continued on the 13th of the same month, when sermons were preached by the Revs. S. Coley and H. W. Williams. The financial result of these efforts was a collection of about £30. — On the 27th of January the Rev. W. Barton, of Brighton, preached in the St. Leonards Chapel the anniversary sermons in aid of the Wesleyan Missions, and a meeting was held on the following evening, presided over by Mr. S. Symonds, a gentle-
