C. G. Eversfield was appealed to, but that gentleman having a grand building scheme in view, naturally declined to sell his land for a cemetery. The next available land within easy reach was the Horntye field, but, as before shown, only 13½ acres could be purchased at a legal distance from the Bohemia houses. Mr. Frances Smith next offered 14 acres of his land at Silverhill at 100 guineas an acre, but on testing the nature of the soil, it was pronounced unfavourable, and the offer was therefore declined. Negotiations were afterwards entered into with the trustees of the Magdalen Charity for 15 acres that would have been suitably situate(sic) for all the parishes, but the high figure of £200 an acre was demanded for it. The Burial Board offered £150 an acre, and negotiations were carried on till the next year, when, on the 12th of January the Board resolved to purchase 15 acres of the “Great Field” of the Magdalen Charity estate at £200 an acre, the Board paying all expenses of conveyance of the land, and the investment and re-investment of the money. Also that the Secretary of State be applied to for his approval, and that trial shafts be sunk upon it before Mr. Grainger’s visit. [The further curious history of the Cemetery will be found among the items of the next two chapters.]
The Board of Guardians
The Press Prohibited. At a guardians’ meeting on the 25th of May, Mr. Anthony Harvey moved that the admission of the Press should only be discussed at meetings made special for the purpose. He also threatened to publish certain charges against Mr. North [charges which had been proved to be baseless]. The resolution was carried by a bare majority, and by the help of certain members who on other occasions were generally absent. Harvey next moved that a bye-law be made and submitted to the Poor Law Commissioners to prohibit the Press altogether, and thus make it altogether impossible for the question to be raised until such law be repealed. A debate then ensued which for bitterness and personal abuse was almost unequalled at Hastings meetings; and that is saying a good deal, after what has appeared in these pages of the conduct of some members of the Town Council. The minority made an emphatic protest against such proposed bye-law, during which Mr. Bromley declared that if Harvey had levelled such a charge against him as he had done against Mr. Smith, of St. Michael’s, he would have punched his head. After an hour’s wrangle, the latter motion was lost, it being considered too drastic and peremtory(sic) even by some of those who were opposed to the admission of the Press.
The Great Increase of Pauperism. At a Guardians’ meeting on June 15th it was shewn that there was the unusual number of 888 persons receiving relief, of whom 748 were out-door recipients, including 162 able bodied.
