and soon it came out that Mr. Peacock was totally unable to give a satisfactory account of himself. But, Mr. Wise, the St. Leonards station-master, knowing something of his antecedents, sent him in charge of a messenger to Hastings, when it was found that he had got away from his owner, Mr. Kennett, of the Hastings station, who promised that for the future his Peacockship should be kept in close confinement.
Petitions to Parliament
Petitions against the “Revised Code” were, in the month of February presented to Parliament from the Managers of the St. Leonards National schools. The objections to the measure as embodied in the petition are summarized thus:-
- It would effect a diminution of public aid to the schools, and would be a hardship to certified teachers; uncertainty and unfairness in the distribution of grants; deterioration of teaching; additional liabilities, which the managers could not be expected to undertake; the drawing of a sharp line of demarcation between religious and secular instruction, to the great detriment of the former; a severe pressure upon such schools as are at present the most difficult to support; an inferior arrangement for the instruction of pupil teachers; and changes of a large and sweeping character which would amount to a complete subversion of the existing system.
The Permissive Bill. In the House of Commons on the night of Monday, the 12th of May, F. North, Esq., M.P. for Hastings, presented a petition from inhabitants of St. Leonards, in favour of a permissive law which would empower a majority of not less than two-thirds of a parish or town to prohibit the sale of intoxicating liquors within their boundaries.
Testimonials and Presentations.
The Rev. W. N. Tilson-Marsh was presented with a handsome quarto Bible in the last week of February, on the cover of which was the following tribute of respect:- “Presented to the Rev. W. N. Tilson-Marsh, the respected incumbent of St. Leonards, in consideration of his faithful ministrations, by a few young members of his congregation.“ The worthy recipient recorded his acknowledgement thus:- “The Rev. W. N. Tilson-Marsh begs to return his sincere thanks to the younger members of his congregation, who have most kindly presented him with a handsome quarto Bible for the reading of the lessons, in token of their recognition of the value of the Gospel of Christ, our Saviour as preached in the St. Leonards Church – a recognition which he most highly estimates – together with their assurance to him that his labours in the parish are not in vain. By such an assurance the hands of the ministers of Christ, our Lord, are upheld. – Marina, St. Leonards, Feb. 25, 1862.”
J. Gibbs Esq. was the recipient of a testimonial, on the 16th of July, -
