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worked out by a irresponsible board. He would suggest that 500 copies of the committee's report be circulated to counteract the effect of Mr. Cressy's report. Mr. Williams, in reply to some objections, said it was wrong to suppose that the Board in London would have the appointing of officers; the local bodies were empowered by the Act to do that. In regard to the controlling body, the Town Council, it was a matter for deep regret that the election of persons to that body was too often made the batttlefield of politics [Hear. hear]. He hoped it would not in future be a question of Whig, Tory or Radical; but that of fitness for carrying out the important powers devolving on them [Cheers]. After further remarks, Mr. Williams concluded, amid loud cheers, and his motion was carried by 24 votes to 8.

Here is a proof that Mr. Horatio Nelson Williams - named after the hero of Trafalgar - had shot home in the most convincing manner, and that he, though regarded by Radicals as an unbending Tory, was in this, as in the Town-hall business, the Water-supply, and in many other public matters, a veritable reformer. He said, at the commencement of his long and practical address, of which I have given but a summary. that previous discussion had cleared the way for business, but it was himself who really cleared the way out of what was little better than a chaotic impasse; and it was he, as will be seen, when I review the proceedings of the Town Council, who practically initiated the Health of Towns Act. Talk of Williams being a Tory of the old school, who wanted things to go on as they hitherto had done; why, he was 40 years of time before some of his liberal opponents!

The August monthly meeting of the Hastings Commissioners was of a more routine character than that of the preceding meeting, and consequently less exciting. As touching the water supply, it was shewn that the receipts from the rate amounted to £821, such sum being £44 over the receipts of the preceding year. As regards the borrowing of money, capitalists did not appear to be much more enamoured with the Hastings Commissioners than they were with the kindred board of St. Leonards. The only response to the former's advertisement for the loan of a thousand pounds was that of Mr. Aubert’s, of Wellington square, at 5 per cent. interest. The question of fly-stands came up once more for discussion, in consequence of a complaint from Messrs. Lansdell, Shirley, Goldsmith, Noakes and Murray, owners of property in Breeds place and Castle street, that although there were stands in front of Breeds place for only four flys, there were frequently as many as 9 or 10 at that spot, the extra carriages having to stand on the beach, thus proving a nuisance in more ways than one. No remonstrance was sufficient to remove the additional carriages, the owners or drivers contending that the beach was not within the Commissioners' jurisdiction. In the discussion which ensued, Mr. Ginner said that to provide stands for all the licensed carriages (just the number that there were weeks in a year) would require the whole of the space from the town's western boundary at the lower end of York Buildings to Diplock’s Library in George street. The discussion ended with an order to the Clerk to inform the complainants that the Commissioners could not interfere with carriages on the beach.

At an adjourned meeting, a week later, it was resolved to accept the loan of a thousand pounds offered by John Daniel Aubert, Esq., at 5 per cent. on the security of the rates, tolls, &c. It was further resolved that £100 then lying in the Bank be paid over to any creditor who would receive it in discharge of such portion of the St. Clement's debt.

At their next monthly meeting, on Sept. 2nd, the Commissioners got a sort of quid pro from Mr. Lansdell, as a set-off against their inability to interfere with the flys in front of Breeds place. Mr. Lansdell had been requested to abate what was held to be a nuisance by lengthening the drain-pipes from his houses to the beach. He, however, refused to comply, but in such a manner as could not well be complained of. His objection, he said, was based on the consideration of the Health of Towns Bill being in the near prospect, and which would provide for a general drainage. At the same meeting, Mr. Styles applied for permission to place a pavement, 5 feet wide, with sundry gratings, from Wellington place round to Pelham street in front of the houses he was then having built. But, as he had carried up the ​building​s on the full extent of his ground, and required the pavement to be taken from the ​road​, a committee was appointed to investigate the same. Also a committee was appointed to arrange with the South-Eastern Railway Company to exchange a piece of the Company's land for that at the Priory, on which stood the water-wheel, the tank and the donkey-stand, their removal being required for the approach to the station — now the lower part of Havelock ​road​. The next matter was a proposal by Mr. Beck (the chairman) to reduce the water rate from 9d. to 6d. in the £, Mr. B. being of the opinion that as the debt was so nearly annulled, and with the prospect of the works soon passing into other hands, then was the proper time to make the reduction. Mr. Harvey contended that such reduction at such a time would depreciate the property to a serious amount when it came into the market. Mr. C. Duke was in favour of a reduction, but there should first be a greater supply. Mr. Womersley argued against the system of making people pay a price beyond the cost of production; and in reply to certain questions, was told by the Clerk that the works cost £5,300, the debt on which was £1,600, such debt being in process of reduction by the excess of rents over expenses. This was a condition which materially differed from Mr. Beck's statement that the debt was nearly annulled, yet it required Mr. Williams’ eloquence, as usual, to convince the meeting that the rate should not be reduced. Mr. Williams — our local Rupert of Debate — in a long speech, contended that the town had not received a farthing benefit from the works, recollecting, as the Commissioners ought to, that in estimating the cost of the works they were chargeable with £500 and interest for their share in the expenses of procuring the Local Act, the cost of which had been £1,500. It had always been understood that such cost was distributable in equal portions on the Market, the Waterworks and the general improvement of the town. They had also for the last month or two been soliciting a loan of £1,000. Was that, then, a time for reducing the town's income? These and other arguments were so far effective as to induce more than two-thirds of the Commissioners present to negative the motion for reduction.

The Last Meeting of the Hastings Commissioners

This, however, turned out to be the last meeting of the Board of Commissioners, their powers, under the Local Act having been absorbed by the Town Council as the new Local Board of Health.

Town Council Proceedings

Inspector of Nuisances. At a special meeting of the Council on the 4th of January, a request was received from the Board of Guardians for the Council to appoint an Inspector of Nuisances. The request, Mr. Ginner thought, was a very good one, as no one could expect unpaid persons to give their time and attention to such matters, bound, as they would be, by no authority. The payment of such an officer, said the Mayor, rested with the Guardians, and the payment for such an officer would come out of the Poor-rates. The Town Clerk said he could not see what the duties pertaining to such an office would be, and it was possible to overstep the Act.

The Burgess List. A letter having been received from the Rochester Town Council, requesting Hastings to petition Parliament to submit the revision of the Burgess list to the hands of a revising barrister, the Clerk said he thought the letter had been written in a party spirit. — Mr. Ross thought something should be done to improve the system, seeing that warm partisans, if they had the will, certainly had the power to make their own side preponderate. The letter was simply acknowledged.

Charity Trusts. In letters received from Mr. Fearon, Secretary to the Charity Trust Commissioners, it was asked what had been done with the Ellsworth Charity since 1809; and in reply the Town Clerk said nothing had been done since Mr. Breeds intermeddled in the matter. — Mr. Ross considered the word intermeddled very inappropriate. The town was under a deep debt of obligation to Mr. Breeds for the part taken by him. He would like a committee to be formed for supplying the Commissioners with as much information as possible. He considered they would be only doing their duty by such -