Chapter LVI. Hastings. 1856
Town Council Meetings
Rock-a-Nore Groyne. At the meeting on Jan. 4th, it was resolved that Mr. Selden repair the east groyne, estimated to cost £50, about 30 feet of it having been broken down on Sunday, Dec. 23rd by a strong S. W. wind after a S. E. wind had washed away the beach from the east side. Coun. Picknell said it was not the first nor the fifth time that such groyne had been damaged, and he contended that the lower end ought to be 5 or 6 feet higher; he had mentioned it in committee, but they would not entertain it [Laughter]
Protection for Carlisle Villas. After considerable discussion at the same meeting, it was granted to the owners of property at Carlisle Villas to construct a wharfage for the protection of their property, with an understanding that the Council did not give up their right to the beach. Coun. Ginner remarked that the parties had built their property too near the sea.
Surveyor Discharged. The next resolution was "That Mr. Gant be discharged from his office of surveyor on the 28th inst, and that he deliver to the Town Clerk all accounts and documents; and that the Inspector of Nuisances (Mr. Winter) be surveyor, pro tem, under the Board of Health." At a previous meeting the Surveyor was asked if he had any remarks to make in reply to Mr. Putland's proposals to alter the drainage plans, to which he said he felt himself to be in a difficult position. This was after Coun. Putland, with considerable warmth, rebuked the Town Clerk for venturing a remark that he was not asked for, Mr. Putland protesting against such interference, saying that he (Mr. P.) was responsible to the Board, and did not mean to be interrupted by the servants of the Board. The Surveyor might well feel a difficulty after that rebuke to the Clerk, but being assured by the Mayor that he had the fullest liberty to reply to anyone who criticized his drainage plans, the Surveyor forgot the respect that was due to the Board, and stated that his plans had been inspected and approved by men of greater ability than any man in that hall, and he did not care a sixpence about the opinion of Mr. Putland or of Mr. Williams. Mr. Gant had certainly had much provocation, but that was an expression as unfortunate as it was unguarded. Any unbiased person who had watched the whole proceedings in connection with the drainage question would have seen that certain Conservative members exhibited as strong prejudice against Mr. Putland when he was the Surveyor, and that a few Liberal Councillors who, in every discussion manifested a favouratism(sic) towards Mr. Putland, were decidedly unfriendly to Mr. Gant as Mr. Putland's successor. Mr. Gant's plans were however, in the end so generally approved that when Mr. Putland on being again returned to the Council, began to condemn them, Mr. Gant might have cause to be indignant, but when in his hasty expression he made the mistake of belittling the whole Council (though, perhaps, not intending to do so), by questioning their ability, he could hardly be surprised at their decision to dismiss him. It was then very natural for the Board to believe that they and their surveyor would not-
