pay for them. Coun. Vidler (an avowed economist) said it pleased him to hear people to talk about improvement and get up and grumble about paying for them. Coun. Bromley said he should find fault with the expenditure whenever he pleased. Coun. Putland did not think the money had been sent extravagantly. There would, of course be a continued demand for improvements, but there would be an increase of rateable property to meet it. It was the general expenditure that seemed to be growing and would have to be watched. He hoped and believed they would go back to the sixpenny rate, notwithstanding new roads and improvement of old ones.
A rate of 4d. was also passed under the old Hastings Improvement Act.
A general district rate at 2d was also agreed upon at the December meeting, the said rate to extend as far as the water mains were laid. The estimated amount was £350.
Market Tolls
At the August meeting, Coun. Treee(sic) opined that it was quite time that the Board arranged for the collecting of the Market tolls at the west end. Gardeners and hucksters, he said, came down the London road and passed into Stanhope place, where they were met by the shopkeepers, and goods changed hands without any payment of toll. He believed the dealers would willingly pay the toll, but they would not go all the way to the Market and back [a distance of 3 miles] before they could dispose of their goods. Subject referred to Stonebeach and Market Committee. At the next meeting of the Board, it was resolved that the Market Committee be empowered to appoint a proper person to issue tickets in the West Ward for Market tolls, to obviate the necessity of gardeners and others taking their goods to the Market previously to selling them.
Proposed Pier at Verulam Place
At the Council meeting on the 6th of October, a letter was read from Messrs Scott, Tahourdin & Shaw, solicitors of London, asking permission to erect a pier at a spot to be selected, and a grant from the Corporation of a necessary portion of the beach; also that the latter would appoint a committee to carry into effect all that might be requisite for vesting in the Company the portion of beach selected. Mr. Hooper, a gentleman connected with Mr. Sharp, a railway contractor, was in attendance and in reply to Alderman Ginner, (who thought the estimate of £4000 very low), explained that the Southport pier, which was £1200(sic) feet long, had cost £8,700, which was even a less proportionate sum. A committee was formed consisting of the Mayor, Messrs. Rock, Ross, Ginner, How, Gausden, Winter, Bromley, Howell and Putland. – At the next meet-
