Surveyor showed that so far as he was concerned in the work, that in order to get on with the plans, their awaiting the approval of the General Board, he had spent £6 per week, whilst his salary was only £3; but of that he did not complain. Ald. Clift wanted to see carried out the purpose for which at great cost they obtained an Act of Parliament. The Board had borrowed £1000, and they had an estimate of £12,000 for the drainage, but how were they to know that it would not cost £24,000? He verily believed that Hastings would be like Chelmsford, where, after a long delay, their drainage was nearly finished, after two or three surveyors had been thrown over.
The Old Warm Baths. The Clerk stated that at a recent proprietary meeting the shareholders had agreed to dispose of the Baths for £17 10s. per share, which in all would be £927 10s. The Local Board had agreed to give £600, and as the materials would probably realise £100, there would have to be raised by other means £227 10s. The public had subscribed £112, thus leaving a deficiency of £115 10s. Some of the proprietors had given as much as £20 or £22 for their shares, and some of them had not pledged themselves to take £17 10s., yet it was thought that they would not stand out. Coun. Deudney was surprised that the wealthy people who owned the obnoscious (sic) baths, should, by their large demand, place themselves as obtacles (sic) in the way of improving the town. He hoped the Board would not advance a fraction more; and if the shareholders, now that their dividends were decreasing, would not agree to reasonable terms, he would like their names to be publicly advertised. Mr. Coussens said the little pittance which the shareholders had lately taken up was not worth consideration, but perhaps if one or two parties had not threatened to throw them over, the shareholders might have felt differently. Coun. Ginner moved to adopt the Committee‘s recommendation to at once widen the road. Coun. Ross seconded and objected to any more money being taken from the rate-payers. Coun. Ginner then suggested that as Ald. Clement held a considerable number of shares, that gentleman’s name be added to the committee for collecting subscriptions. Ald. Clement objected, but was perfectly willing to let his shares go at the same price as the rest, whatever that might be; and he had no objection to subscribe £20 or £25 towards the removal of the Baths. For the last twenty years the dividends had been from 15s. to 20s.; and it should be remembered that the Baths did not bring a nuisance to the houses, but that the houses came to the Baths. [When the Baths were built, which now projected four feet into a narrow road, they were outside of the town’s western limit, which before 1820 only extended to the west end of George Street – that is to say – it was the western boundary of the Commissioners’ Act up to that time]. -
