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members there were 21 present - namely, six aldermen, all residing in the old town and eleven of the 12 councillors, also of the old town or East Ward; whilst there were only four present of the six who represented the parishes of St. Leonards and St. Mary Magdalen of the West Ward. Even then with that great disparity of 13 to 5 there must have been one of the East-Ward men who voted with those of the West and four of the East-Ward who abstained from voting with their own party - the full strength if all had been present, being 18 to 6, a most unjust representation.]

The Boundary Question. At a special meeting on Dec. 28th, the first topic was that of the "postal arrangements and other matters relating thereto". The Mayor said the meeting had been called from a requisition of nine members of the Council, and it now remained for some of the requisionists(sic) to bring forward their subject. Before they did so, however, he had to lay before them some communications. He had received a copy of the resolutions passed at a meeting at St. Leonards, accompanied by the following note:-

Gentlemen, - We beg to enclose you a copy of the resolutions passed at a public meeting of the inhabitants and visitors of the postal district of St. Leonards-on-sea, holden yesterday. These resolutions, we believe, express the almost unanimous opinion of the district, and we earnestly hope that, under the circumstances, you will not endeavour to enforce a charge so entirely at variance with the wishes of the people. We are, gentlemen, your obedient servants,
Alfred Burton, G. H. M. Wagner, William Pain Beecham, jun, W. W. Hume, Stephen Putland"

The Clerk then read the resolutions as they appear on pages 101 to 114 of this History. The Mayor said he had also received a communication from the St. Leonards Commissioners, with the following letter:-

Dear Sir,
- The Commissioners of St. Leonards deeming it proper and courteous towards you that you should be informed of the purport of a letter that I have, by their instructions, sent to the Secretary of the General Post-Office by this evening's post, I enclose you a duplicate copy of such letter, and am, dear sir, yours faithfully,
Wm. B. Young

— To. Mr. J. Rock, jun. Mayor of Hastings

The Clerk then read the following copy:-

Sir,
- The Commissioners for the Improvement of the town of St. Leonards have had under consideration certain resolutions and proceedings of the Town Council of Hastings at their monthly meeting on the 4th inst., having for their object to obtain an alteration in the existing postal arrangements for the district within the -