allusion by Mr. Putland to Mr. Planta's letting of his house was felt to be not only injudicious, but also a blunder, even by some of his own party, who knew all the circumstances, and who, saw that there was an opening for retaliation in the fact that the speaker was interested in a pecuniary as well as in a political sense in the return of Mr. Hollond. The reply to Mr. Putland's accusation was a correct one; for not only did Mr. Planta take a house in Hastings when he let the one known as Fairlight Place, but by means of such arrangement he brought another family into the neighbourhood. It was in my own knowledge that Place was occupied for about six months by Mr. C. B. Ponsonby and family, and that after their removal in consequence of Mrs. Ponsonby's death, the premises were taken on for a time by Mr. Little. These families were served by tradesmen of Hastings. Mr. Putland was also at fault in asserting that Mr. Planta's votes on the Poor-law Bill were all opposed to those of Mr. Hollond. The latter gentleman admitted that he voted against many of its clauses as being extremely harsh, and that he did not approve of the Bill. But Mr. Planta, instead of voting for or against specific clauses, voted against the Bill as a whole, his opinion being that its provisions were altogether bad. It need hardly be said that the Bill was not favourably accepted by the people generally, but, as has been shown in an earlier chapter, the old systems of relief to the poor were such as to urgently require a decided change. But, under any system, there are likely to occur difficulties in the administration of relief to the poor. What with the fetters of centralisation, and sometimes the misappropriation of means, local troubles will occasionally arise. One source of these troubles has been the sundry defalcations by assistant-overseers and relieving-officers, as of those which apply to the Hastings Union in 1841, 1852 and 1897. The first-named irregularity, although perhaps not present to the minds of Messrs. Planta and Hollond when they condemned the Poor Law while speaking on the hustings, must, nevertheless come to their knowledge. The following advertisement will indicate the nature of the occurrence:-
Whereas Thomas Thwaites and Thomas Cloake, relieving-officers of the Hastings Union, have absconded, the Board of Guardians hereby give notice that all persons to whom the said officers are indebted on account of the said Union are requested on or before Wednesday, the 28th of July next to transmit the particulars of such account to Mr. Inskipp, clerk to the Board in order that they may be examined and discharged.
Of Mr. Planta's defences of the Corn Laws and Sugar Duties, one would have to speak with bated breath, as against the now long-established Free Trade system; yet there was much in his argument that, unfortunately for British industries has been too thoroughly realised. Farm Labourers, in consequence of lower wages or lessened employment have migrated to the towns, there to compete with urban labourm thus helping on the numerous and lamentable strikes which have occurred against the lowering of wages through which the suspension of work has resulted in untold hardship. Sugar growers and refiners have also suffered immensely in consequence of the importation of undutied and bounty-fed sugar until it has become necessary to send out money for the relief of the West Indies. Also thousands of British farmers have been brought to ruin, consequent on their inability to market their produce at a profit.
