The Dorset County Express and Agricultural Gazette.
Dorchester, Dorset, England, 1862-02-11 00:00:00

THE WILTS AND DORSET BANKING
COMPANY,

The benefits conferred by Joint-Stock Corn- and its transfer more easy." What the particular
panies on the trading community and on the measures may be will soon be before the world,
frugal economist who, living within their income, but we doubt not that they will be thorough and
prudently hoard up their earnings, always in- comprehensive, for no one can be more alive
duce us to look forward with lively interest to than Lord Westbury is to the urgent necessity of
the periodical publications of their balance- improving the law of real property, and no one
sheet. It is, indeed, this publicity which at ie more conversant with the principles and details
their commencement won for them an encourag_ of the subject. Nor will the Lord Chancellor be
ing share of public confidence and its repetition without efficient aid from the opposition—in the
in yearly or half-yearly reports has raised them House of Commons at all events—where Sir
to the position they now occupy. The twenty- Hugh Cairns, Mr. Matins, and Mr. Walpole
sixth annual report and balance-sheet of the combine ample scientific and technical knowledge
Wilts and Dorset Joint-Stock Banking Corn- of real property law, and sound progressive views
pany, which we this day publish, will be examined on the subject. That the land in this country,
by many of our readers with no small degree of the most coveted, though often the most mis-
interest. There can be no greater proof that managed property, should have remained till this
the foundations of this bank have been firmly day hampered by a system originating in
and solidly laid, than the fact that, notwith- feudalism, is a reproach to our national intelli-
standing "the greater portion of the past year gence. The result has been that landed property,
was marked by general depression, produced by which should be the safest to hold, and most easy
the unfavourable harvest of 1860," the directors, to dispose of; is so beset with legal figments and
after paying the interest due to depositors, and formulas, that no mail can purchase it without a
the income-tax, making ample provision for bad troublesome and costly investigation of title, nor
and doubtful debts, and disbursing the expen- can be sure, when he hiss bought it, that he
diture necessary for carrying on twenty-aix will be able to dispose of it again without a
establishments, have been enabled to declare a further and perhaps still more expensive exami-
dividend and bonus among the proprietary equal nation. The merchant or capitalist, who has not
to 144 per cent, for the past twelve months, subsided into the mere landowner, looks with
The net profit realised WU £26,908 12s. 6d apprehension at any investment in land, aye,
This enabled the directors, after paying the even in the secondary character of a mortgage, as
_ being probably non-available and inconvertible,
handsome dividend we have named, to appro
priate £6,658 12s. 6d. towards increasing the either in a commercial crisis, or when another
Surplus Fund, which now amounts to 236,741 advantageous investment suddenly occurs. The
Bs. 10d., and to place £l,OOO to the complexities of titles to land, and the difficulties
credit of an account to be entitled "Officers' and expense of transferring it, have rendered
Pension Fund,":to meet the claims of officers of landed property so cumbrous and unwieldy, that
the Bank, whose length of service and general the enterprising and active, who would form the
good conduct may be deemed to entitle them to best improvers, are repelled from any connexion
consideration. Contrasted with the balance- with land. And this operates moat injuriously
on agriculture. What is wanted for the advance-
sheet of last year, the one before us bears a
ment of English agriculture is that land should
favourable comparison. The profits for the past
twelve months exceeded those of the previous be held by men who would deal with it on com-
year by about £4,000, while the deposita ondtmercial principle.; who would regard it as a
current and other accounts, now amount to property possessing latent value to be developed
nearly a million and a half sterling. By the and utilised by intelligent management, and by

attracting to its occupation the most enterprising
men who can be induced to adopt husbandry as
a profession. We hope that the present
session will furnish a complete remodelling of
the law as it affects the title to, and the
transfer of land. Such a measure will form one
of the most practically and extensively useful acts
of legislation which remain for the present genera-
tion to effect. The immediate operation of a
really simple real property law will be to enhance
the value of land, especially in the hands of
those proprietors who know how to turn it to
account by intelligent.management.

DORCHESTER PITCHED CORSI MARXIST, Saturday,
February Bth.—The attendance was small, and the
disposition to do business was ths exception aud not
the rule. Wheat fetched late rates, with only •
limited sale. Barley use wanted more for seed than
malting purposes, and in some instances fetched
rather better prices. Oats, seed/ and other articles
remained unaltered in value,

MR. W. S. WOODIN'S CABINET OT CURIOSITIES.
--Our readers will perceive, by advertisement in
another column, that the good folks of Dorchester
will shortly have the opportunity of enjoying, to
their heart's content, one of those happy and
amusing entertainmtnts, which, by a rapid change of
dress, united to a charming mimicry, the far-famed
"Olio of Oddities," now seeks, under another name,
to enlist the patronage and support of the public.
Mr. Woodin has for many years been a great
favourite, and has won for himself "golden
opinions from all sorts of persons ;" and from the
very flattering notices which have appeared in the
leading journals, of his "Cabinet of Curiosities," we
may truly assert this, his last happy hit for popular
fame, is even superior to the former ones. Mr.
Woodin will appear at the Townball, Dorchester, on
the evening of the 19th inst., and at the Corn
Exchange, Blandford, on the following evening.
We sincerely wish him a " bumper " at both places;
and to those of our readers who have not seen this
amusing pourtrayer of actual life, we would say "Go
and see."

SHERIFFS EOR 1862.—At the Court at Osborne
House, Isle of Wight, on the sth inst., the Sheriffs
appointed by Her-Majesty in Council were—Dorset-
shire : J. Gundry, of the Hyde, Bridport, Esq.—
Devonshire: Major General Edward Studd, of
Ozton.--Somersetahire: Ralpole Neville Gunville, of
Batteigh Court, Esq. —Wiltabire : John Elton
Mervyn Prower, of Purton House, Swindon: Req.—
Berkshire: Robert Campbell, of Buscot Park, near
Lechlade, Esq.
DISTRESSING CASE OF SUICIDIL—On Sunday
last, shortly after one o'clock, the inhabitants of
Fordington were alarmed by the intelligence that
Mr. Esau Mutford, tailor, of Mill-street, had com-
mitted suicide. Unfortunately the intelligence
proved too true. It appears that the unhappy man
had been „in a very desponding state of mind for a
long time; indeed, ever since his brother was found
drowned at Cull's Frame the deceased has been
in a low melancholy state; and of late, in conse-
quence of several parties owing him money, this
has been more fully shown. He has been in the
habit of getting up in the night, and at times going
out into the garden with only his shirt on, and
sitting in the same state fur a couple of hours to-
gether in his lower back room. His distressed
wife has been as careful and particular as possible
not to have any dangerous instruments ready to
hand, but it appears that so determined was he to
commit self destruction, as to take the opportunity
when his razor was sent up to him to shave with, to
immediately commit the dreadful act. His wife
hearing a gurgling sound, hastened upstairs, and was
horrified to see him in the act of falling,
with a gash in his throat, from which the
blood was pouring. She immediately alarmed her
neighbours, and as soon as possible, Dr. Ensom, in
the unavoidable absence of Dr. Aldridge, was in
attendance, but life was quite extinct, that gentle-
man stating that the unfortunate man must have in-
stantly expired. He leaves a widow and three
children to lament his untimely end.—On Monday
an inquest was held at the school-room before G.
Symonds, Esq., coroner, when Dr. Aldridge stated
that be attended the deceased for some time past,
and that be had frequently urged upon him to get
into the country for change of scenery, and that he
had several times told Mrs. Mutford. on no account,
if possible, to leave him alone. The jury were
unanimously of opinion that the deceased had
destroyed himself while in an unsound state of mind.
BOROUGH PETTY SESSIONS, Monday.—Before the
Mayor, and J. F. Hodges, Esq.—Thomas Webb and
Henry Smith, seamen, belonging to H.M.S.
Colossus, were brought up by P.S. Davis, charged
with creating a disturbance and assaulting several
parties. stated that about half-past ten o'clock
on the previous night he was called to Mr. Bowles's,
as there was a disturbance at the Crown. On going
there he found the prisoners fighting and making a
great noise. They had collected a mob about them.
He called P.C. Keech and took them to the station-
house. He could not get hold of the parties with
whom they were fightinf.—P.C. Keech said that
Nat Seale seemed to be in the row, but he did not
see any fighting. The defendant Webb said he would
stab the police if they attempted to take him and
his companion.—Daniel Shepherd said he was at the
Crown Wore the row began. The prisoners came
to the bar and put down some money for a penny-
worth of tobacco. They wanted change for • half-
sovereign. Blandamer said it was a aixpence. They
commenced a disturbance, on which the landlady,
being so frightened, came down in her night-dress
and assisted her husband to put them out. They
could not shut the door, and called on witness to
assist. Webb then burst open the door and
'struck Blandamer, and both then went out. Smith,
the other defendant, then attacked witness, and
a scuffle ensued, in which both went down. Witness's
brother then assisted him, and they threw Smith
down. Webb then drew his knife and called on
Smith to do the same. Witness armed himself with
a poker to ward off a blow from the knife. Smith
aimed a blow at him, and had the knife been • sharp
one, he believed the blade would have entered him.
He then struck Smith with the poker, and at length
succeeded in getting the knife away. At one time
both the defendants were on to him.—Webb
denied having drawn his knife till after
he was struck by the poker. He con-
sidered that they were the ill-used parties,
and that the complainant ought to have been the
party charged with the assault. He said they were
shamefully treated.— -Henry Gawler, working at the
gas house, volunteered to give evidence. He said he
was passing the Crown at the time the landlord was
endeavouring to get defendants from the door.
Shepherd and his brother came out and attacked
them. Shepherd got one of the men down in the
gutter and knelt on him, and kept bumping his head
on the stones. It was Smith who was down. He
begged him to leave him alone and to be quiet, as he
had kicked up crow with nobody. Three or four
rushed out of Mr. Blandamsra house, and fell noon
the defendants, and knocked them about dreadfully.
He did not know any others but Shepherd and
his brother. He supposed he stood there half-an-
hour looking on, but took no part in the row. A
great many persons came there, and the police also
came and took them away. While Shepherd was
kneeling on Smith, he heard him say that the latter
had a knife in his hand, but he saw no knife. He
mid to another man—" come here you b—and
keep his head down, he has a knife in his hand."
He saw Webb MR up the street, but did not see him
follow any one. Witness did not see Blandamer
in the street.—John Blandamer was then sent
for. He said that the two seamen came to his house
for a pennyworth of tobacco. He served them. One
of them gave him a sixpence, and he gave them five
pence in change. As it was closing time he tried to
get them out by persuading them to leave. He
went out first and they followed. At that time no
words had taken place. When he went back and
abut the door, they pushed it open, and he had some
difficulty in getting them, away. After they were
in the road a scuffle ensued between the defendants
and Shepherd and his brother; but he (witness) did
not go out. There was some other man standing in
the road, but he did not know his name. He also
and the Shepherds bad been drinking in the house.
On being questionedby the Bench Blandamer denied
the truthfulness of nearly the whole of Shepherd's
evidence. He said there was no dispute about a
half-sovereign in the first instance; that they went
out civilly ; and that his wife was not alarmed nor
had to put the men out. After one of the men
were down he heard Shepherd, who had got
him down, say "he's got a knife." He did not see
the poker used, and did not know bow it got into
the road.—The Magistrates said it was quite evident
from the appearance of the sailors that they had been
very ill need,and it was quite evident that there had
been some grossly false swearing somewhere.
Shepherd had been contradicted by Mr. Blandamer
in lob, and by Gawler, who stood by and saw the
whole affair, and who had said that they had
knocked the sailors about dreadfully.—The defen-
dants would now be discharged, and it would be for
them to consider whether they would cause Shepherd
and his brother to stand in their places.

COMMITTED TO THE DORCHESTER GAOL —Hard
Labour: John McDonald, assault at Fordington,
14 days ; William Grant, leaving family chargeable at
Corte Castle, 3 weeks; Peter Whillen, vagrancy at
West Chickerell, 14 days; Henry Frampton, vagrancy
at Gamine All Saints, 1. calendar month; Charles Fox.
leaving family chargeable at Toiler Porcorum, 1 calendar
month ; James Cox, stealing turnips at East Stoke, 14
days ; Sarah Gibbs, stealing a veil Ito., at Bridport, 7
days; Abraham Watts, stealing a shovel at Blandford,
14 daya.—/mprisonment : Charles James, drunkenness
ka., at Porthuid, 7 days.
WILTS AND DORSET BANKING COMPANY.
Directors : Alexander Hayward Minty, William
Long, John Waters, and Henry Warner, Salisbury;
William Maokrell, Devises; William Mandeld,
jun., Dorchester; John Milee, Marlborough ;
William Cockrell, Trowbridge; James Lush. War-
minster. ; George Waters, Wimborne : Thomas
Fuoks, and William Bide, Yeovil,—The twenty.
sixth annual meeting of the proprietors of this com-
pany was held on the 3rd inst., Alexander Hayward
Minty, FAN, in the chair, when the following
report and balance sheet were read, adopted, and
ordered to be printed for the information of the
shareholders. Thanks were presented to the

General and Local Directors, the General Manager,
and other officers of the company, for their efficient
ser vices daring the past year.
REPORT.

The annexed accounts, which the Directors have now
the pleasure to submit to the shareholders, show that
after payment of current expenses, directors' fees, and
income tax, and writing off bad and doubtful debts.
the net profit realised during the past year, amounted
to £26,908 123. 6d., which has been appropriated as
follows :—At midsummer last a dividend was deolared
at the rate of nine per cent per annum, for the half
year, being an increase of one per cent upon the rate
of dividend paid in the preceding year. A dividend
bas berm declared for the last sir months at the rate
of ten per cent per annum, being a further increase at
the rate of one per cent, per annum. A bonne at the
rate of four per cent has also been declared. The sum
of £20,250 has been transferred to these accounts.
The balance, £6,658 12s. 6d., 'has been carried to the
credit of "Surplus Fond," making the total amount
at credit of that account, £36,741 Bs. 108. When it
is borne in mind that the greater portion of the past
year WAS marked by general depression, produced by
the unfavourable harvest of 1860, the result of the
operations of the bank cannot but be considered
highly satisfactory, not merely as yielding an increase
of profits, but as furnishing undoubted evidence of the
stability and soundness of the holiness of the company.
The improved prospects of the agricultural interest,
arising from•the fine harvest of last autumn, lead your
directors to anticipate, with confidence, a continuance
of prosperity. The bank has now been established
twenty-six years, it may therefore be expected that at
no distant date, the Directors will be called upon to
entertain the claims of officers, whose length of service
and general good conduct may be deemed to entitle
them to consideration at the hands of the Bank. The
present prosperous condition of the company has ap-
peared to yoitr Directors to afford a favourable oppor-
tunity for the creation of a fund to meet such claims ;
they have therefore determined to place the sum of
£l.OOO to the credit of an account to be entitled
"Officers' Pension Fund," such fund to be under the
exclusive control of the Directors of the Bank for the
time being, and to be invested or otherwise dealt with
as they may think fit. It is contemplated to increase
the fund from time to time, whenever periods of pros-
perity may afford opportunity for so doing. (Signed),
ALYEANDIJI HAYWARD MINTY, Chairman.

Balance Sheet for the year ending 31et December, 1861.
I.4I6BILITIILL, £ s. d'
To Capital " 150,000 0 0
„ Surplus Fund... ... ... 30,082 16 4
„ Ciroulatitin in Notes and Drafts ... 79,945 0 3
„ Deposits on Current and other
Accounts 1,449,236 17 1
„ Interest due.to.Depositors ... 14,689 2 1

Bills for Collection ... .. 34:572 3 2
„ Net Profits for the year ending 1141 27,543 10 1

£1,786,069 9 0

Aserre. E a. d.
By Investments in Exchequer Bills,
Government Securities, Bank of
England Stock, and East Indian
Securities ... 604,258 1 9
„ In Railway Debentures, Preference
Stocks, and other Securities ... 273,204 9 1
„ Bills Discounted, Loans, Over-
drawn Accounts, kn. 707,387 14 0
„ Freehold and Leasehold Premises
at Head Office, and the Branches 17,448 410
„ Cash in hand, and in hands of
London Bankers and Agents ... 183,772 19 4

£1,786,069 9 0

Dr. PROFIT AND LOSS. 4 e. d.
To Expenditure of the Twenty-six
Establishments, including Rent,
Taxes, Licences, Stamps, Salaries,
London Bankers' Commissions,
Poetises, StationerT, &c. ... 18,334 1 1
„ General and Local Directors' Fees 634 17 7
„ Biz Months' Dividend at
Nine per Cent. per
Annum ... 26,750
„ Six Months' Dividend at
Ten perCent.perAnnntn £7,500
„ Bonne at Four per Cent.
per Annum ... 26,000
„ Balance carried to Surplus Fund

20,250 0 0
6,656 12 6