he would be one of the first to urge the inhabitants of St. Leonards to appoint a counter-deputation to wait on the Postmaster-General at the earliest moment.
Coun. Putland also addressed the meeting at considerable length. He said that from 100 to 150 circulars had been sent through the Post-office from London or some other distant place directed in the most ridiculous manner, such as George street and Caroline place, “St. Leonards” This was done, he believed, to make the number of missent letters larger than it would have been. His information came from a source on which he could depend for its accuracy, and for the purpose of getting a higher average of wrongly directed letters. Then, even supposing that there was such an inconvenience as alleged in the western district, why was it that there was no complaint from the people in that district. Was there a single individual that complained? He did not know of one. He hoped that by the vote to be given the independence of the Council would be asserted.
Ald. Ginner briefly replied, reminding Mr. Putland, that he (Mr. G.) had admitted himself in error with respect to the misdirected letters sent by the night mail, as he was not aware of a special messenger being employed to exchange them, and in which it appeared there was no delay, but although the St. Leonards gentlemen thought there was no delay in the remainder, he knew that some people would call it a delay when letters which might have been delivered at two or three o’clk(sic) were not delivered till six or seven. He concluded by saying that he had taken all the remarks in good humour, and would bow to the decision of the Council, although he should still maintain his own opinion that the deputation should not go with a gentleman who was opposed to the object. The resolution, on being put to the vote was supported by five members only, all the remainder apparently voting against any change in the constitution of the committee. The result was loudly applauded, in which not only the West-Ward members joined, but also some of the East-Ward. It must have been gratifying to the former to have had the support of Messrs. Winter and Howell, who, although Liberals in politics, as were all the prime movers in this renewed agitation, allowed their sense of justice to become paramount, the effect of which was to defeat a machination, which even if it had been successful, could have brought no honour to a Corporative institution, whilst it would assuredly led to the developement(sic) to a counter and more determined effort, already conditionally -
