Board of Health. Some sort of communication had passed between the Local Board and supposed competent persons at a distance, and it appeared to him that before the matter was settled the Council would be saddled with enormous expenses arising from the claims of two or three engineers at once. At the present meeting, Mr. Williams’s fears appeared to be on the eve of being realised. Mr. Milne, who had already been engaged to examine and report on the Waterworks, after treating the Council with contemptuous delay, sent in at last a long and unsatisfactory report. Then, Mr. Rammell, after some delay, came to test the drainage plans of Mr. Gant’s, on the evening of the 27th of April, walked over the district on the following morning, and left for Devonshire in the afternoon. In the meantime he called on the Town Clerk and gave him to understand that he expected to take the whole of the drainage into his own hands. On being told that the Council would not consent to that, Mr. Rammell said he was willing to examine Mr. Gant’s plans, and if they required no alteration his charge would be 100 guineas and traveling(sic) expenses; but if the plans for drainage and water supply required him to recommend modifications or additions, his charge would be 2½% upon the entire outlay. Then referring to Mr. Rammell’s prospective charge, Mr. Williams calculated that it would be “ a four hundred guineas job”. Coun. Beck said, as Mr. Rammell was connected with the General Board of Health it appeared strange to him to call in an official of that Board to give an opinion on plans already approved by the said Board. A discussion followed, which ended in Mr. Rammell’s services being declined.
Approval of Plans. At a later meeting, Mr. Braithwaite’s report on Mr. Gant’s drainage plans was received and full details of his examination were given, together with explicit answers to all questions put to him by the Board. He said he thought it was due to the surveyor selected by the Board to state that every care had evidently been taken by him in the prepara(sic) of the plans. They were so ably laid down that little remained for him to say or do but to approve generally of Mr. Gant’s system. [Hear, hear!] That gentleman showed a degree of efficiency not often met with in a provincial surveyor. He really had great pleasure in speaking of Mr. Gant’s plans. It was seldom that he had seen work so carefully laid out, and drawing plans so admirably executed. He had tested many of the sections, and considered the result reflected great credit on the Surveyor. The Clerk then read Mr. Braithwaite’s report, after which all the great points discussed at previous meetings were successively elucidated, much to the satisfaction of all the members of the Board. At the conclusion, Ald. Scrivens said that the Council were much indebted to Mr. Braithwaite for helping them out of their difficulty. Those who had heard him thought that not only was he distinguished for ability, but also for sound common sense. He (Ald. S) had been much pleased with Mr. Braithwaite’s explanations, and he thought the popular opinion out of doors would be that the Council had done right in obtaining the services of that gentleman. He moved that a vote of thanks should be presented to him for his very able report. Mr. Braithwaite felt much indebted to Mr. Scrivens for the handsome terms in which he had proposed so great an honour, and to the Council for the manner in which they had received the proposition. He felt deeply interested in the town of Hastings; and in any way in which he could contribute to its interests they might rely on his services being at their command. He was exceedingly delighted at the business-like manner in which he had been met. The questions were very different to those which he mostly met with, and were all to the point. He had never been at a more business-like meeting in his life. The meeting broke up, after passing a resolution to advertise the report in the three papers possessing a local circulation.
No hurry. At the Council meeting on July 25th, Coun. Picknell said he had made enquiries since their adjourned meeting, and he had not found one man but what said “Do pray let the drainage stand over for the present.” At least 18 out of 20 did not think there was any need to be in a hurry. Taxes were heavy enough now, but nothing to what they would be if the general drainage were carried out. The estimate was £17,000, but, no doubt the cost would be £25,000. Estimates always went like that. In Battle town, -
