the rating lowered on that portion of the line running in the parish, and as the meeting considered that the gardens in the Trinity parish ought to be rated - namely the gardens on the Priory Farm, the meeting was adjourned for the purpose of getting information on the matter. Presumably the information when obtained was not favourable; for, at the adjourned vestry the gardens were not rated; but the rating of the Gas Works was raised from £100 to £400. On the other hand, Mr. Clark's water mains were assessed at £20 instead of the previous £40. At a later meeting of the same parish, a poor-rate was agreed upon at 3d in the pound, whilst at the vestry meetings of other parishes, 5d. was figured for St. Michael's, 9d. for St. Clements, and 10d. for All Saints.
All Saints Vestry Oppressive as was considered to be the ten-penny rate on the poorest parish of the borough, it rose to half as much more at the next vestry meeting on July 10th. But before the making of that rate of 1/s in the pound, Mr. Edward Wingfield was presented with a silver inkstand and a gold pen, worth about £5. He was acting as vestry clerk, and was so much surprised that he hesitated to accept the testimonial, saying that he was afraid that some of the parishioners had subscribed to it who could not afford it. He would gladly have it sold for the good of the poor. Being assured that not one had contributed who could not afford to do so, Mr. Wingfield said he would not delay the business of the meeting, but accept the testimonial with a thankful heart. This testimonial was in recognition of Mr. Wingfield's gratuitous service for a series of years. The rating in All Saints parish shill increased, and at the next vestry meeting, it attained to 1/4 in the pound. Mr. Sampson's salary was also increased from 7d. to 8d. in the £ for collecting. At the same time the St. Clement's poor-rate was 1s. and the Borough part of St. Leonards 4d.
A Nose-pulling Case. One of the All Saints Guardians was Mr. Anthony Harvey, and on the 19th of August a fracas occurred between him and Mr. Alfred Vidler, of St. Mary-in-the-Castle. At the Board of Guardian's meeting that day, one of them gave the other the "lie direct" and the other pulled or twisted the offender's nose. This resulted in a legal suit, and at the County Court on the 28th of September, the case Harman versus Vidler came on for hearing, damages being laid at £50. Vidler, who on public occasions, was sometimes more vivacious than discreet - at the said meeting of the Board of Guardians, said that -
