Feb. 2nd.—The Rev. Henry Squire was advertised to deliver a course of lectures at the Old Meeting.
The case of the King against the Aldermen of Yarmouth is reported.
Feb. 9th.—With regard to which the following notice appears this week:—
THE KING AGAINST THE ALDERMEN OF YARMOUTH.
We are authorized to state that the Report of the hearing of this cause, in our last week’s paper, is incorrect, Lord Tenterden having observed that there was no ground for an attachment, as the parties had acted bona fide; that the business of the Corporation must be done, and directed that the rule should be enlarged, to give the Defendants an opportunity of doing so. The Counsel for the Defendants said they were ready to proceed, but could not compel the Mayor to call an Assembly, or the Common Councilmen to meet,—whereupon his Lordship, on the motion of Defendants’ Counsel, directed a mandamus to be issued for the filling up all vacancies, and then transacting the other necessary business; and upon a Return being made to the Writ, the Rule will be discharged.
Feb. 16th—A general meeting of the inhabitants was proposed to be held to take into consideration the expediency of erecting a new Workhouse, “it appearing by a report of the select Vestry now published, that the present one is quite inadequate to the purpose, both as to extent and arrangement, and as being utterly incapable of affording room for that classification which is indispensable to the moral improvement and employment of its inmates, and also to the comfort of the aged and infirm. It is now about fifty years since any room was added to it. The increase of inhabitants in the town, and not less so of pauperism during that period, calls for enlarged accommodation. It appears by the report that they are without a day room for the females, or any means of separating the sick from the healthy, and so cramped for lodging room, that a considerable number of the inmates are compelled to sleep three in a bed. It is intended to proceed agreeably to the directions of the 59th Geo. III. cap 12, and 1st and 2nd of William IV. cap. 42.”
March 22nd.—The National Fast had been observed “with a decent solemnity.”
April 5th.—The appointment of a Recorder is noticed as follows:—“At a Corporate Assembly, held on Tuesday last, the long-contested question of ‘who should fill the office of Recorder for the borough?’ (vacant by the resignation of Robert Alderson, Esq.,) was decided. The first business which came before the Court was the accepting of that gentleman’s resignation, after which Isaac Preston, Sen., Esq., proposed the Sub-Steward (I. Preston, Esq.,) to fill the vacant office; this was seconded by C. Symonds, Esq. R. Cory, Esq., then proposed Mr. Sergeant Merewether; this nomination was seconded by Samuel Paget, Esq. On a ballot being demanded, the numbers were found to be equal, viz., 20 for Merewether and the same number for Preston. There were 41 members of the body present, one of whom declined voting. A second ballot was proposed and acceded to, and the same result followed. The Deputy-Mayor (who presided in consequence of the extreme ill health of the Mayor) then said that he would give the members of the Court the chance of a third ballot, on which the gentleman before mentioned voted for Merewether, which gave the learned Sergeant a majority of one, the numbers being for Merewether 21, for Preston 20. Thus has terminated this long agitated question, the product of much squabbling, aye, and of much litigation too. Lord Viscount Exmouth was unanimously chosen Lord High Steward; Isaac Preston, Jun., Esq., and J. Baker, Esq., were elected Aldermen; and Messrs. J. E. Lacon, E. H. L. Preston, Henry Costerton and Samuel Jay, Common Councilmen. At this Court, Mr. J. Seaman received the appointment of Parish Clerk, and Mr. J. Daniel, Sexton; 50 guineas were also voted to St. Mary’s Church, Southtown; £15 per year granted to Mrs. Breeze (widow of the late hall-keeper), and £12 annuity settled on Mrs. Absolon (widow of the late Parish Clerk.) It was likewise ordered that the usual fee of 20s. upon apprentices’ indentures should be taken off. It is only right to state that the entire business of the day was conducted in the most amicable way possible, and that the greatest good temper and gentlemanly feeling was displayed during the discussion on the pending Recordership.”
April 12th.—The thanks of the Corporation were voted to the Rev. R. Turner upon his resignation of his office of Chaplain to that body.
The Sylvan (owned by J. H. Palmer, Esq., and commanded by Captain W. Gilham) and the Preston (belonging to I. Preston, Esq.) had respectively sailed with 100 and 110 emigrants.
April 19th.—Two more emigrant vessels, the Syren and Miser, were advertised to sail for America.—On Friday, then last, (here commonly called Black Friday) the annual meeting had been held at the Guild Hall for the purpose of “reading over” the income and expenditure of our local affairs when “secundum custom (sic.) it was proved that the receipts of any sum, say £5,299, and the payment of £5,298 was balanced by £1 being added to the credit side.” Mr. Shelly and other gentlemen protested against the manner in which these accounts were made out and presented to the freemen.