of a certain district changed from St. Leonards to Hastings, which no legal powers had been given them to effect themselves.] Coun. Howell, in some lengthy remarks, attributed to Ald. Ginner the invention of some of the statements he had made, and said it was his desire the question should be fairly represented and discursed before the Postmaster-General, leaving that official to be the judge between the two sides. It was with this view he had proposed Mr. Gausden’s name on the committee, and now, when through the pettishness of one or two gentlemen that member was to be put on one side, and those gentlemen came before the Council to ask it to undo what it had previously done, on personal considerations, he thought he would be justified in saying they were attempting to rule by a cabal. [Ald. Ross, interrupting, “I think you are gone a long way out of order.] He contended that the committee had no right to come and ask the Council to rescind the former resolution on such grounds as had been put before them. Surely the three gentlemen could not have been afraid of the abilities of Mr. Gausden, seeing that they were three to one, and well able to state their own case. He did not care so long as both sides were fairly put before the Postmaster-General; for then there need be no fear of intrigue of “backstair” influence. There had been an intrigue to get the post-office shifted from George street. Many of the Council resisted that, but one fine morning they found the head office shifted by some back door influence to the Priory. Many had complained bitterly of the disadvantage this had been to them, and he wanted them to remember [that if the proposed change were effected] the visitors and others would have to put up with similar inconveniences. He asked them whether they would not be ruining instead of improving the place? He contended they had no business to attempt to destroy St. Leonards as a post town. Mr. Ginner had stated that there was no other place where there were two Post Offices in one borough; but he would ask him if he knew the Post Offices of Birmingham and Dudley and Walsall; yes, and Rochester and Chatham, and many other places, all of which were similar? Mr. Howell next referred to the question of “Hastings v St. Leonards” for the St. Mary Magdalen portion of the borough, remarking that that, after all, was the whole matter to be tried on, and that if the question were to be put to the vote, the entire district would be against the Council. He concluded by calling on the members to assert their independence, and not rescind the resolution; also adding that if rescinded -
