The Poor’s rate was 1s. 4d. in the £.
Nov. 14th.—Thirty-six gentlemen had attended the dinner given to the Ex-Mayor at the Town Hall.
Herring was selling at from £12 to £20 a last.
The adjourned Vestry Meeting for the purpose of considering the propriety of making a Church rate had been held in the Town Hall. There was a large attendance of ratepayers, who were, of course, presided over by the minister of the parish. The Committee appointed to consider the value of the Church property recommended that that which had fallen in, and which would fall in on the 25th of March next, should be re-let on repairing leases of 14 years’ duration, at a rental of £76 16s.—Mr. J. H. Harrison, one of the committee, gave a detailed account of all the Church property, both of that which fell in in September last, and that which will fall in during next year and 1859 and 1860. He had no doubt, whatever, that if the property was properly managed, there would be no necessity for asking for a Church rate after 1860.—Mr. C. S. D. Steward and Mr. E. R. Aldred, the Churchwardens, moved and seconded respectively, “That in consequence of the increased rental of the estate belonging to St. Nicholas’ Church not being available for the current year, a rate of 1½d in the pound be now made and assessed.”—Mr. J. H. Harrison thought that St. Peter’s Church ought not to be included in the rate, and moved as an amendment, “That St. Peter’s Church having been erected by voluntary contributions, with an understanding that it should be maintained and supported by its pew rents, and should in no way become a charge upon the parish, this Vestry deems it advisable to refuse making a rate until the Churchwardens do exclude the said Church of St. Peter wholly from their estimate.”—Mr. J. Lawn seconded the amendment, but the Chairman refused to put it, on the ground that he could not consistently with his duty do so.—After considerable discussion, in the course of which the Clerk stated that St. Peter’s Church could be legally included in the rate, Mr. W. T. Fisher moved, and Mr. J. Lawn seconded, on the ground that the Church property, if re-let at its full value, would realize more than sufficient for the necessary repairs of the Parish Church, and that money, which could afterwards be repaid out of the surplus, could be borrowed to defray the expenses for the next two years,—“That this meeting resolves to adjourn for four weeks, to obtain the necessary amount and thereby to avoid the necessity of making a Church rate.”—The Chairman conscientiously refused to put this amendment on the ground that it was not a bona fide one, and also the following amendment, which was likewise moved by Mr. W. T. Fisher, “That in order to give the Churchwardens time to prepare a proper estimate, the Vestry to adjourn for three weeks.”—Mr. J. H. Harrison then moved, “That it is inexpedient and inadvisable to make a Church rate at this meeting.”—The Chairman, however, refused to put this, as also another amendment by Mr. J. H. Harrison to the effect, “That a Church rate of a farthing in the pound be levied.”—After a great deal of uproar, the motion of the Churchwardens was lost by a considerable majority. A poll was then demanded, when the Chairman appointed Mr. J. L. Cufaude to be the assessor, and the meeting adjourned. The following numbers were polled during the afternoon:—For the rate 225, against it 195.
Nov. 18th.—The polling of the Vestry had been concluded as follows:—
| For the Rate | 651 |
| Against | 771 |
and at 10 o’clock on Saturday, Mr. Hills stated that the poll would not be re-opened.
On the following day (Sunday) the clocks at the Parish Church and St. George’s Chapel were stopped, and the bells “tolled” at the hour for performance of divine service.
Nov. 21st.—Mr. D. Tomkins, of the British School, had again satisfied the Government Inspector.
R. Hammond, Esq., had presented 40 cwt. of coal to the inmates of the Fisherman’s Hospital.