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but Lord Elgin's predecessor or yourself, they found that the despatch your hardship had apparently been forwarded as requested, but had been kept back by His Excellency for a considerable time after it had been forwarded to them; they thought it unwise to alter the decision that had been come to at the special, and what the committee considered a final, meeting, held in December 1849, at any rate until after receiving a reply to this letter of the 13th May.
With regard to the charges brought against the committee, of awittingly being false to the notice of the public the Lease of the ground on which the City Hall stands, and the minutes and correspondence relating to the Government Grant, the committee have only to state that the whole of these documents were laid before the Special Meeting held in December and were fully discussed and considered thereat.
As from what His Excellency stated your Lordship might infer that these new rules were agreed to by a majority of one only, the committee think it right to state that the following gentlemen were present at the meeting Viz :- How: M. Keswick (Chairman), How: W. St. Marsh, Ston: A Rye, St. Hoppo Eaq: D. Ruston fee Esq: F D. Sassoon Esg: M. St. Forbes Esg: His Honour the Chief Justice Sir John Smale, and his Lordship the Right Reverend Bishop Burdon, and that the new rules were agreed to by a majority of six to three. The only reason that the committee did not discuss it only in Dec.