The Dorset County Express and Agricultural Gazette.
Dorchester, Dorset, England, 1864-01-12 00:00:00

olattSET EPIPHANY SESSIONS.

The Smitereet versions commenced on Tuesday, at
Taus.tvit. •rh, following magistrates were present :
Sir W. Mihs, Bah. M.P., Colonel Phip, Captain
Donlon, Sir A. llcval, Bart., M.P., W. H. P. G.
I,stigton. 1.. q , 11.1'.. Mr Serjeant Kinglake, M.P.,
W. F. Ku ttchbuil, Esq., M.P., R. A. Seaford, Fog.,
It N. GICI.VI Ir, Wood, Esq., J. R. Allen,
C. :Smith, ft q., F. H. Dickenson, It. Allen, Es' q.,
S. Fry, Ks+, W. Blake, 13.. q., T. G. W. Carew, Esq.,
T. T. Knytant, Es 1., T. Walsh. Eml., IL K. M. King,
Esq., H. G. Massey. Esq., H. Bedew*, Eul,l. IC,
Indeed, Esq., W. Bandon, Fog.. it. U. King, Rol.,
If. 11. Stisrgoreve. KA., W. Woollen, Esq., W. S.
Wails Eel.. .1. Herat RN, and Rogers, Esq.
The fellowits; gentlemen more sworn on the grand
jury :—Mevars. C. F. Perkins (foreman), T. Alford, J.
Bond, T. Maros., J. Clarke, D. C. Comae., O. Coombe,
J. B Clarke, T. T. Cuff, J. 1) Dunning, J. IL Fisher,
sl. Farthing, S. S. Frith. J. Helier, W. Hopkins, R.
N. Jane., R. T. Kensington, F. May. W. T. Munekton,
J. (1.11. r, jun.. IL Palmer, and J. Ns.
The following gentlemen were fined 1:20 each for non-
attendance: -Mesas. G. Bird and J. B. Payne.
Sir WILLIAM MILLS. in his chap to the jury, observed
that there was a cutividerable diminution of alive in the
county. for although there were 40 prisoner* for trial,
yet there were only 29 cases. He Glen drew their
attention to two esses in the calendar—one • ease of
indecent &resuli. and the other • ease which happened
at Stockhinsl, Bristol, in which • gannekeemr, in tie
...nine of the Rev. Mr. Daniel, suspecting that persons
were on his master's land in the pursuit of game, made
• search, and saw two persons, one of whom he pro-
posed to scorch, but he resisted, and, standing at the
distance of nine yards from the gamekeeper, pointed •
can at him, and thre dental to give him the contents of
iii! he advanced • step forth. r. No other await was
oncamitted ith the ezception of pointing the gun, and
it would be For the jury to consider whether the prisoner
had any malicious intent.
Mr. E. A. &aeon, was appointed chairman in the
second Court, in the abet one of Mr. Moody.

COUNTY LUNATIC AITTLUIL
Mr. DICCINBON brought np this report. The asylum
had been free from epidemic during the pest quarter,
and the patient. generally healthy. There were •t pre-
sent in it 727 males, and 265 females. Coutraots had
been made wish Bath and Bridgwater for the reception
of their patients for fire years. The charge to the
ratepayers was less than in Dorset, s county which the
Commissioners in Lunacy had t forth as & atodri
for economy. The repprt recommended the establish-
ment of an asylum for idiots for the county, similar to
the one at Bath. The report was adopted.

A rate of one halfpenny in the pound was ordered to
mixt the expenses for the quarter. The committee
recommended that a new house should be built at
Glaatonbury for the residence of the aloof const.l,l,,
the present one being reported to be unfit for habitation.
Mr. IL N. GIVIVILLZ and Mr. STRAP. GNATS strongly
objected to the outlay of £1,300. believing that the pre•
trent honer% by an outlay of £5OO or £6OO, could be made
fit for the residence of any gentleman. Sir WILLIAM
MILES. an chairman of the committee. strongly supported
its recommendation. Mr. Oxxxciudt proposed that the
question should be deferred until the next sevsion, and
that in the meantime the house should be drained ; but
this motion was lost by a majority of 21 to 10. Mr.
Moxagx thr n proposed that the matter should be deferred
mita tie ato i.e .r could report more folly upon the
purchase of .1 I 1.3 VI belonging to Mr. Austin, the wet
of which wmo4l he from 11,200 to E 1,500. Mr. E.
SAttruans -cooled the nropontion, which wuoarried.

MKT CJNITTABLI.S IMPORT.

The follow:nu rim tlic chief oonetable's report:
"Chia °Moe, Olutonbury, 4th January,
1861

' My L male nod Gentlemen,—
'' lim compliance with the rules laid down by the
Se,retary of S•ate, I have the honour to submit for
yonr inform ,tin the criminal returns for the quarter
enilemi time 31st laemniher, by which you will ohmerve
that during that period there were 93 indictable
off, flees committed, 123 pertain apprehended, 88 coup
withal for trial, nod 35 discharged.
" Tiler° Pito aleo 1.154 cases determined summarily
by the justices, and 869 convicted.
"Thin number of persons apprehended for indictable
offences appears so great in proportion to the crimui
committed, that I deem some explanation Peasantry for
tho inforumation of the Court. The circumstance to
which 1 have adverted was awing to several persons
having been arrested in variouicrases forth* commission
of Vie some offence. thus in two cases which oocarrad in
the Wincanton and Taunton districts there were no lam
than 13 persons appreheinted.
" I beg to recommend that Superintendent John Rose
be appointed inspector of weights and measures for the
Wivelisconibe dietrict, TICS Giddy, who 1.18 retired from
the establishuient.

'1 annex the usual manuscript return, showing the
strength and distribution of the forte.
"1 have the honour t , be,
" My lords and gentlemen,
" Your moat obedient servant,
"VALeremes 0001. D,
"Chief Constable for Somerset
The IleTistrates of the county of Somerset
in quartet passion amembled."
Till GAOLI.

The following gentlensen were appointed visiting
justices of Taunton gaol for the ensuing quarter : —The
Hon. W. W. Addington, Dr. Kinglake, Rev. W. J.
Allen, T. Walsh, and It. HeJley, Eaqrs. The following
gentlemen were appoinged as visiting justices of Stiepton
gaol :—Coloncl Pbiips, Mr. Ernst, and Mr. Hippieley,
junr. With regard to the gaols of Taunton nod Shepton,
the visiting justicies thought it expedient to make
material alteration in the dietary of the prisoners. It
appeared from examination that the dietary heretofore
*applied in the gaol. of thin county had been higher
than thou of most of the other counties in the kingdom.
It hail been therefore determined to recommend a
diminution in tbe quality and quantity of the food, by
substituting soup for dressed meat, and cheese on
Sundays for dressed meat and potstuss. The alterations
were reowuniendeel with the concurrence of the surgeons
M both gaols. The magistrates also recomnieuded that
every convicted prisoner on lint being committed should
be placed on the lowest idus of diet, and rise pro-
gressively in the classes aecordiug to the terms of his
imprisonment. They also reemninended that the tread-
mill should he employed as much u possible when the
prisoner was sentenced to hard labour ; but in that case
the surgeons conaidared that a greater amount of food
would be required than when employed solely on indus-
trial labour, and for this they had made provision in the
proposed new dietary. After some reinuks by Sir W.
Mimi and Colonel PHIPPS the report was adopted.

TI I HIGHWAYS.

A pruciaional order was confirmed, whieb ins made
at the last session, for combining the tithing, of
Wallow, Baggridge, Shoscouthe. Stony Littleton.
Twinney, and White-extuead within the parish of
Yellow. in the highway district of Wallow, and for
uniting the hamlet of Woodborough, in the pariah of
Camerton and Wellow, into the highway district of
Clutton. The parish of Wainbrook, in the Bridport
highway district, was subtracted therefrom, and added
to the 11nm:inter highwey district.

erroass.
Colonel Ppig T brought ap tbe report ot the committee
on the 2nd Somerset Militia stores. the cio•t of which,
according to the plan of Mr. Filippa, would be £5,017.
The Dolomitic' recommended the adoption of that
report, and aaked for L'2,000 on account. nail also twenty
guineas to be awarded to the second best plan. and ten
guineas to the third. This was airreato.—Lord PORT.
11 AN sent. letter from the Secretary of State for War,
cimplaining of the damp oondition of the Ist Somerset
Militia barracks at Taunton.—Colotiel PHIPPS mid be
could gik it remedied for £l5, and that sum was
trusted.