the “Liberties” of the port of Hastings, but were not within the “town and port”. — In support of the two propositions in this respect, ancient records and surveys were produced on each side. — The Vice-Chancellor said he thought this question could not be disposed of summarily. There was a substantial question as to who were the recipients of the Charity, and the order must therefore be discharged; but if the parties thought they had produced all the evidence they could procure and wished to avoid the expense of an Information, he was quite ready to decide the question. The parties having signified their consent, the Vice-Chancellor said he thought that upon the evidence the charity was confined to the two parishes of St. Clement’s and All Saints, and there must be a reference to the Master to settle a scheme according to that view. He was satisfied that the Court, as the evidence then stood, could never alter the distribution. The form of the order would therefore be, first to discharge the former order, and the parties having agreed to submit the question for the opinion of the Court as to what parishes were entitled to the benefit of the charity, the Court is of opinion that the parishes of All Saints and St. Clement’s were solely entitled to the benefit, and refer it to the Master to approve of a scheme for the application of the fund for the poor of those parishes; and let the costs of all parties of this and the former petition be paid out of the Charity fund.
A vestry meeting at All Saints was held on the 16th of April to consider the best means of applying the funds of the Magdalen Charity, and it was resolved that a committee of the two parishes should meet the trustees to discuss the question; also that the Vestry Clerk write to the Rev. G. D. St. Quintin, and Mr. Burton to ask if they were willing to pay their own costs, or intended to apply for them out of the Charity funds? The costs were expected to be heavy. The result of the conference of committee and trustees was reported to be to distribute the funds in the usual way, but that such distributions be not less than £2 nor more than £5. Also to arrange for building leases after the lease of the land had expired.
The St. Leonards Mechanics Institution
At a quarterly meeting on the 28th of January, the number of members was shown to be 193, with a favourable balance of 17s. in money. An offer having been made by Mr. Decimus Burton to present a piece of ground, whereon to build premises for the Institution, the Secretary was requested to ask that gentleman to state his proposal in writing, that it might be placed before the Committee. On the 3rd of March, Mr. Pitter delivered a lecture on “The Science of the Sunbeam”. On the 16th of March Mr. F. Beck delivered a lecture on “Our Country and its Elevation”, and on the 24th of the same month, Mr. J. Banks delivered a lecture to a full room, on “The Electric Telegraph”. On the 7th of April, the Rev. F. J. Sharr, gave his interesting lecture to the members on “Geology”. On the 2nd of May, the winter season closed with a concert given by members of the Institution, assisted by Messrs. Wood and Elford, which resulted in a profit of £2 7s. 6d., helping a favourable -
