Hastings Chronicle

The tramway scheme was given official backing by the Council meeting on Friday 19 April. The Council was told that the background was: (1) The Hastings, Bexhill and District Light Railways (Electric) Company Ltd, under the 1896 Light Railways Act applied for an order authorising the construction of various lines. Hastings Council decided at its meeting on 21 July 1899 to support it. The application was heard on 27 July 1899 in the town hall and the Board of Trade then confirmed the construction of just the lines running from Kewhurst in Bexhill to 30 yards east of the Bopeep Hotel, but not any further into the town. (2) Mr W M Murphy then promoted a bill authorising the construction of electric tramways within the borough. The Council on 20 October 1899 supported the bill, which had now received Royal Assent. But many provisions had been cut out by parliament. So while the bill was being read the tram promoters had  made an agreement with the Council to support those omitted clauses. That agreement was made with a new company set up under the act, the Hastings Tramways Company, whose proprietors included William Martin Murphy, Joseph Barber Glenn, Arthur Salter and John Gardner, and which took over all responsibilities of the other company. The capital was to be £300,000 in 30,000 shares. The Council agreed, by a small majority, to sign an agreement with the company bringing the matter into effect. There was strong opposition from several councillors, not least because they had not seen the details of the agreement. There was particular concern over Mr Murphy being relieved of his personal liability for the project.