The Dorset County Express and Agricultural Gazette.
Dorchester, Dorset, England, 1883-03-20 00:00:00

A PEVMI•I IIIIT•ICI 1

The AJIIIISTAIre-TORI4 CLERK stated Mr. Lewis, of
Gillingham, who had tendered for the Fein and
Market Toils the rum of £337 had now declined to
comply with the tender. The tender was mad* upon
the conditions prepared ler signature, and upon the
basis of the advertisement which referred to those
o onditions, which condition, he read to him when be
called, before the siguing of the tender. After the
acceptance of the tender the Mr. Symonds) wrote to
him telling him It had been accepted subject to the
usual conditions as to sureties. On the 10th of March
Mr. Lewis wrote to the effect that be was surprised t.
hew his tender had been accepted for £337, es he had
Instructed his daughter to send • tender for £273 (!)
and that it was done in mistake. Be further stated
hi wee quite willing to accept it at the latter figure,
£273. Tb. question for the Council to c milder was
whether it was really • boss risk mistake.
Mr. Alderman Goesoar remarked there had been
cases of • similar widths being made in tenders before.
Mr. F. LOCK aoked, supposing the tender bad been
sent in by his clerk, he would have been responsible for
his clerk • mistake?
The Assurrarr•Towk Cl.llll said if he had
authorised hi. clerk to send in • tender be would be
responsible, but if the clerk or the daughter were not
authorised he was of opinion he migh , be teleased in
• Court of Smiley. He did not thiuk • person respon-
sible for • mistake male by his clerk.
Mr. G. DAVID: I think it is • very good way of
getting out of it.
Mr. Alderman GREGOIT remarked they had only
to &aide whether they would hold him rcsoonsible or
not according to the amount he had stated in his
treader, or, as Mr. ARTHUR LOW( remarked, it was a
question whether they would go to law with him or
not, and compel him.
Mr. A. Loon said Mr. Lewis had now put his
tender £2 below the next highest figure, and be
admitted he had seen other tenders in the papers.
The ASSISTLICT•TOWN CLEM said it was certainly •
very peculiar mi.taltre t • write £337 instead of 'W. 3.
He could hays understood it if the figures were the
same, but they were not. He suggested the Council
should accept the nest highest tender.
Mr. Alderman Smote said if they made up their
miods not to compel Mr. Lewis to keep his bargain,
then they must consider what course of action they
should take. Last year he had • notion they might
be placed in the same position, and he accordinkil
proposed that the Council should coiled the tolls
themselves. That practios wag adopted In many other
towns, and he mentioned Weymouth and other
boroughs; therefore he did not see why they should
not adopt the same plan. Last year he had some
evidence collected on the point, and he was of opinion ,
if they adopted that plan they would know precisely
whet the tolls were worth—whether they were worth
£273, £237, or • great deal more; whereas at present
they were entirety in the dark as to their actual value.
There was • great deal of dust thrown in their eyes by
the different collectors, and they did not know the real
value of the tolls; although one would auppoes from
the tenders received they were worth a good deal
more. Lie therefore sugge.tel the C omen should
collect the tolls themselves, and for that purpose it
woold he necessary to appoint a clerk or toll collector.
The Maio' : If we are unanimous not to accept
this tender, the best thing for us to decide will be
what coores we shell adopt in the future.
The Aserstarr Tows Cuteig said if they were
satiate I& mistake had been made, they might give Mr.
Lewis the benefit of it, issue fresh notices for tenders,
, and hold him responsible for any lee, they might
sustain. No doubt Mr. Barge, the present Lewes,
' would go on • week or two until they could receive
, fresh tenders.
, Mr. F. Lock pretend l holding Mr. IsSl/11 to his

contract.
After • few other remarks, Mr. ARTIIOI LOCI
moved that Mr. Lewis be Informed utilises be aim-
plated his contract by Thure lay next, the Council
would either advertise for fresh tenders, or take such
other course u they might deem advisable, in con.
nection with the fairs and market tolls, and that they
would bold him responsible for any loss that might
canoe.
Mr. Alderman GILIGORT seconded the motion, which
was carried unanimously.
THE CONDITION OF THE TOWN HALL.

The committee appointed by the Council at their
last meeting have carefully examined the condition
of the Town Hall, and they now presented the follow.
Mg report :
" Your committee have made a minute and thorough
examination of the Town Hall, both inside and out, and
are unanimously of opinion that there are no grounds
whatever for the report. and fears circulated and eats; •
tertalned es to any part of the building being in en unsafe
condition, and your committee recommend that every
mesas be used to let it be publicly understood that the Hall
can and may be used with perfect safety for any purpose.
Your committee further rim immend that the chimney
topi built in stone on the Town 11.11 be removed to the
brickwork, and be rebuilt in brick and cement, and that
the roof be thoroughly well cleaned and swept, and all
defective tiles replaced with good ones, and that the sky•
lights be repainted. Your committee Mao recommend
that all loose port:one of stone in the front part of the
Hall, which they consider to be cau.sad by natural decay,
be redressed, and that tha whole be painted with a coat
of oil or silicate paint."
Mr. Alderman GIZOOIIY said the committee had
carefully examined the whole building and they were
' perfectly unanimous with regard to the report which
,1 they had presented. He wee rather inclined to induce
I the committee to call in a stranger; not that he had
himself any doubt as to the oondition of the building,
but rather that he thought the public would be more
satisfied if they had the opinion of some competent
outsider. The committee were unanimous that there
wee not the slightest danger whatever. Dancing might
be held there with perfect safety, and he hoped it
would go forth to the public that the hall was perfectly
safe for all purposes for which it might be required to
be used.
Mr. W. Magi supported Alderman Gregory's
opinion. The hall wee as firm as possible, and In a
perfectly sound condition.
Mr. G. Davie said he was surprised that Mr. Thomas
should have °imitated each • report, or that it should
have been circulated through the town that the ball
was unaele. There was not • crack anywhere; It was
just aa firm as when it wee built. The report had done
a great deal of injury already, and he heard • lady
say the other day she would never go there again.
The rumour would, no doubt, alarm • greet many
people. although, no doubt, it would be a great advan-
tage to the ,naWit Hall, the Temperance Hall. and
the sew hall of hie friend, Ur. Tilley. (Laughter.)
Dr. ALDZIDeII remarked it was a source of great
gratification to the Couocil end to the town in general
that they had obtained so good • report from the com-
mittee appointed to examine into the condition of the
ball. He hoped it would disabuse the public mind
with regard to the rumour of Winnable condition. He
had been exceedingly anxious that some gentleman
apart from the Town Council should examine the
building, but now that the committee had made their
report, he felt quite leashed, and he could only express
great regret that such a report should have got
abroad, that the surveyor &Meld have circulated it,
or that it should have originated from him. It now
appeared the report was utterly groundless, and he
; should like to have some explanation ea to how It
got about. It was a very wrong and • very unwise
thing to oirciabite such • report, for it wee calculated
to be very detrimental to the interests of the town.
Mr. Alderman SIMON said it Wee simply the revival
of • very old score which they had as long as SO years

ago.
Davis : At the sante time AS the clock goiter
was built.
Mr. Alderman Mawr : It is a great pity the mat-
ter was not brought before the General Purposes Com-
mittee before it had been allowed to get abroad. No
doubt it wee the surveyor's duty to point out the con-
dition of the hall, but it should have been reported to
the General Purposes Committee, so that the public
should not have got hold of the reiport bsfore the
Council. Ido not see that the surveyor did more than
his duty in apprising the Mayor of the state of the
hall.
The MAYOB thought he had sufficiently explained
himself at the last Council meeting. The Eurveyor was
perfectly right in reportiog on what he thought to be
the unsathdactory condition of the Hall. The state
of the atone work was oertainiy bad. He understood
the ressos why it wee not brought before the Council
or • committee 0300 ting. WAS that be only received the
report on the Saturday night, and the dance waa to
take place on the following Tuesday or Wednesday,
and therefore he (the Mayer) thought the best thing
they could do WAS to communicate with the committee
of the dance, informing them the dance could not be
held. He certainly felt he could not take the respoo-
sibility. under the circumstances, of granting the use
of the hall for the purpose.
The Surveyor explained the first thing he knew
'bout it was when Mr. Davis brought in the letter.
• Mr. G. Davis: The circular.
Surveyor continued Mr. Davis brought one a
teculars Into his office, and previous to that'll) was
'gamut& of its being Ironed. His report was
issued at the time Captain Hildyard was here. There
was very groat vibration, and he thought it his duty
to call the Mayor's attention to it. Ai SA instance
of the vibration he mentioned the shaking of things
standing on the large drawing tehle in his office, and
the water shaking In • glees A :plop was going on
at the time, and by had
the same extent- The Mayor was at the donee and
he also remarked the vibration was very great than
was • great number of people dancing at the same
time, and the vibration being so great he considered
it his duty to report it to the Mayor.
Mr. G. Davis : There is certain amount of vibra-
tion In every room.
Mr. AAllltfli LINA : Everyone knows where there
is dancing there must be vibration.
Mr. listrxgrr said if what Mr. Thomas said was
correct, the. it was quite right under the circum-
stances someone else should he called in. He said
this with all due deference to the report.
Mr. Loon: Simply because the ball vibrates, If it
goes forth to the public that the place shakes, people
will think 111. in danger.
Mr. G. DAVID said the report stated the hall had
sena one alas facbea Now, be and Mr. Tilley bad

tried it, sal they had found It only 21 Inches. There
wa• • great difference between 2 inches and nine. It
wag caused by the expansion of the roof.
Dr. AL-minus: Then it hie not increased at all
Mr. G. Dena : Not the alishtest whatever.
Mr. AJder men Gagaoar : In all rnouis where dancing
goes on there moat be a certain am mut of vibration.
You will find that In any building. You remember, no
doubt, am well as I do, there was dancing In the room
before any supporta were put in or tin-rods to the
roof.
Mr. Alderman E 115011: I supp,se, then, vibr.tion is
a twit of It. e.lety
Mr. Alderman GIIGORT : That is • question.
(Laughter.)
Mr. Al 19171:110 EIDSON said they mizht laugh, but if
they read the reports uf the earthquakes in Japan
they would find that the hrrases were purposely made
to allow of vibration. It well • te.t or the Wet) of •
building. If they had a very solid and a very unbend.
able building, in the case of an earthquake, it would
Ter/ likely collapse.
Mr. ARTUUR LACE move I the adoption of the
report, and that the Surveyor be instrocted to invite
tenders fer carrying out the rep drs.
Dr. *Loam's mounded the motion, which was
carried unanimously.
The C 'andl then res 'trod Itself Into Committee to
consider the Drainage 44 mcion. •