to the public at large involved by the change (cheers). He thought the St. Leonards people had shewn both taste and tact in the calling of that meeting. He had been gratified by what he had heard from the previous speakers, whose observations were all extremely to the purpose.
Mr. F. W. Staines, J.P. said he was both a Hastings man and a St. Leonards man - a sort of amphibious animal. He was extremely sorry that the discussion should have arisen, and thought that the Town Council had been very inconsiderate in acting without at all consulting the wishes of the inhabitants. He did not desire to say anything about the legal question of right to put up the name of Hastings, because it might come before him as a magistrate, but he supposed the reason why they changed the name was because the locality was in the borough. The borough extended a great way. They had parts of the borough in Kent and elsewhere, and they might just as well write up "Hastings" there (cheers). Mr. Staines also referred to the fact that each railway had a terminus both at Hastings and St Leonards. If the name were altered, as proposed, the present Gensing station would be in Hastings, and there would then be two Hastings stations on the same line. What a confusion that would make! He next referred to the inconveniences of changing the name on medical grounds. If a patient wanted a mild air, he was sent to Hastings, but if he wanted a more open air, he was sent to St. Leonards. He could only remember one similar instance, and that was Bristol and Clifton. They were both in the borough of Bristol, but in that case, the people of Bristol did not want to put their name at Clifton. He felt an interest in both Hastings and St. Leonards, and he would remind them that a house divided against itself could not stand (cheers). The Chairman then put the resolution to the meeting, and it was carried unanimously.
Mr. Cooper Gardiner (surgeon) said he had the honour of being requested to move the next resolution - "That it is the opinion of this meeting that all such steps be adopted as may be necessary or expedient for the purpose of preventing any alteration being made in the present arrangement of the St. Leonards Postal District, and that a committee, consisting of five gentlemen, be appointed for that purpose, namely, Mr. Burton, Mr. Wagner, Rev. W. W. Hume, Mr. Beecham and Mr. Putland". Then said the speaker, after all that had previously been said, he need not take up the time in further remarks except to say that he thought all present must feel satisfied with the present -
