The Dorset County Express and Agricultural Gazette.
Dorchester, Dorset, England, 1862-07-22 00:00:00

NIGHT POACHING.

In the House of Commons on Wednesday
night Lord Berner's Night Poaching Prevention
Bill, which had pegged the House of Lords, came
on for a second reading on the motion of Sir B.
Leighton. Sir G. Grey and Mr. Henley strongly
opposed the Bill, which had been as badly and
as clumsily drawn up as any Act of Parliament
within the memory of man. The House played
into the hands of the Lords, and carried the
second reading, after considerable discussion, by a
' majority of 149 to 94. That an alteration is
required in the game laws, few, we apprehend,
will dispute; but the present measure seems to
be framed in open defiance to all sound principles
of legislation ; and in agricultural districts, if it
pass into law, will be most unpopular. It pur-
poses to enact that the cost of carrying out the
preservation of game shall be transferred from
the landlords to the ratepayers of the county,
and practically converts police-constables into
game preservers and night watchers. It em-
powers every constable to search, without war-
rant, every individual he may meet on the high-
way, or any other pnblic place, between sunset
and eight o'clock in the morning, and whom he
may suspect of having in his possession game, or
implements for their capture. The gentleman in
blue is to have the same prerogative with regard
to carts or vehicles of any description concern-
ing the contents of which he has formed a similar
impression; and the magistrates are to have
power to deal with cases so brought before them.
With these extra duties, the police force in
counties must be either greatly increased at the
expense of the •ounty ratepayers, or their
ordinary duties of preserving order and protect-
ing property must be greatly neglected. Poul-
terers are also to be compelled to keep a register
of their game in the same way as a marine store-
dealer keeps a register of the purchases made by
him; and if they cannot, when a constable comes
in, glibly run over the pedigree of a rabbit or
pheasant, they are to be punished for their want
of knowledge. The Bill directly attacks the
personal liberty of every Englishman, and de-
grades the county constabnlary into official
spies and inquisitors more intolerable than
the gendarmes of Prance. If the Night
Poaching Bill were thoroughly known and
rationally discussed, we are confident peti-
tions would be sent up against it from all
parts of the country. If it Ls carried it will
have the effect of nearly doubling the county
police, and that, too, mainly at the expense of
tenant farmers. Mr. Scully said, with more
force than elegance, perhaps, that the Bill de-
served to be kicked to the door of the House.
Without adopting his language, we perfectly
agree with the sentiment, and heartily thank
Sir George Grey and Mr. Henley for their re-
sidence to the measure.

DO ROH ES TE —Ptii.nau CORI( Kumar,
Saturday, Jody I9.—We had a good attendance at
our market to-day. There was a fair amount of busi-
ness done, and prices of all articles remained about
stationary.
THR WEATHER AND Tax CROPS. --During the
peat week the fog and rain have somewhat blighted
the wheat, but the crop will (weather in future per-
mitting) be quite an average one. The oats and
barley have not suffered much from the weather,
and the cutting of the former will commence in this
district during the present week.
IMPORTANT ALTERATIONS RESPECTING THE Ra-
amnesia:l or Larrans.—On the let August next,
and thenceforward, the fee charged at all post-
officei for registering inland letters during the
present hours of registration will be reduced from
6d. to 4d. The registration fees on foreign and
colonial letters will remain unaltered. At the
Metropolitan chief offices,--at the London district
offices (including the Lombard-street and Charing
Cross branches),—and at all provincial bead offices,
registration, whether for inland, foreign, or colonial
letters, will be extended until the closing of the
letter box for each despatch, or until the office is
closed for the night, upon payment of a late fee of
44., in addition to the ordinary registration fee.
The Post-office cannot undertake the safe trans-
mission of valuable enclosures in unregistered letters.
So sent, they are exposed to serious risk, bat when
registered they are practically eafo. As a step,
therefore, towards the more general registration of
all such letters, it is intended not only to reduce the
fee, but to treat as registered all letters unquestion-
ably containing coin, even though they be posted
without registration, charging them on delivery
with a double registration fee—thatis to say, with a
fee of Bd. in addition to the ordinary postage; and
further, should it be found that any such letters
cannot be registered in time to be forwarded by the
mail for which they were posted, they will be de-
tained for the next deepatch. In the first instance,
however, this course will be adopted only as regards
letters posted in, or addressed to, or passing through
London—foreign and colonial letters excepted.

GONIIAMATIONS--The Lord Bishop of Salisbury
intends bolding confirmations during the ensuing
week u follows :

Tuesday, July 22
WiuterbornaliVbitehurth. at 3
Wedneaday, July 23
Tarrant Beynaton, at 4
Thursday, July 24 ...: Blandford, at 3
Friday, Aug. 5 .. Frampton, at 4

Down' Stature Assam —The commission- for
holding these assizes will be open on Wednesday
next, before Mr. Justice Williams and Mr. Justice
Keating. There are at present for trial William
Rig& arson at Lyme Regis ; Jaoob Willis, burglary
at Corte Mullen; Henry Peverell, rape at Lytchet
Minster; Thomas Smart, perjury at Wimborne
Minster ; Jane Tuck, concealing birth at Wimborne
Minster; John De Grant, burglary at Weymouth;
Ann Thompson, stealing silk, Ito. at Weymouth;
John Cox, wilful murder at Preidon-onm-Sutton
Point:; Robert Templeman, rape at Halstock ;
Charles Pike, rape at Shapvrick.
BOROUGH Porte', Monday, July 21.—Before
the Mayor and M. Devenish, J. F. Hodges,
and R. Davis, &qrs. Sidmouth Palmer,
a boy 9 years of age, residing at Forclington,
was summoned for throwing stones at the 12.30
train from Weymouth to Southampton, on Tuesday
week. The defendant pleaded guilty, and the
magistrates, in consequence of his age, and the re-
commendation of Mr. Mears, fined the defendant in
the mitigated penalty of 10s., including costa.—
Mark Crate, Michael Crate, Frank Pouncy, and
Frederick Norman, were charged with asaaniting
P.C. Cousins and Sergeant Davis at the Wood and
Stone Inn, on Tnesday, the lfith July. It
appeared that the constables had been sent for to
quell a row. On their going to the back yard they
saw some persons in a fighting attitude, and Mark
Crate was stripped. The police told him to put on
his clothes and leave. He refused to do so, and
Sergeant Davis took hold of him to put him out.
Michael Crate then threw off his clothes and
struck Cousins, when a struggle ensued.
When they got into the passage,Cousins was thrown
down, jumped upon, and kicked. Subsequently
they got into the road, where Cousins was thrown
down again, and struck and kicked. Keech after-
wards came to the assistance of the two policemen,
and he also was struck down by Michael Crate.
Norman said it was not he but the beer that did it.
He was very sorry it bad happened.—Michael Crate
said he vu always a very civil fellow. He had
never been in s row before, and he should not have
been in this if it was not for the liquor.—Mark
Crate also said he was drunk, and had been called
out to fight by some one who came along. —Pouncy
said nothing in answer to the charge.—The magis-
trates consulted together for three-quarters of an
hour, when they fined Mark Crate, Michael Crate,
and Norman, 40s. each and costa, or one month's im-
prisonment with hard labour. As Pouncy's conduct
was more violent than that of the others, the Bench
did not give him the option of a fine, but sentenced
him to two months' hard labour.

EXETER DISTRICT COURT OF BANKRUPTCY.
TUMIDAT, July 15.—(Befor• Mr. Commissioner
Andrews.)

Re Alfred George Maim, innkeeper of Gillingham,
Doiset. —This Was a sitting for last examination and dis-
charge.
Mr. Laidman appeared for the assignee, and said that
he saw by the bankrupt's statement filed, that be had
entered that his wife was entitled to receive on the
death of her mother the sum of £7O. On inquiring
into the matter, he (Mr. Uhlman) found that the money
was received and carried intovrhe business BOMO time
ate.
Bankrupt : It was about four months ago.

Mr. Hirteell (the official assignee) read the following
report :—The bankrupt's statement of accounts is
prepared chiefly from vouchers and from hit books.
He owes to unsecured preditors £570 17s. 1., and for
wages and rent £lO 1,01. 8d: ; total, £5Bl Bs. Bd.
Those debts have been lnostly incurred for necessaries,
except £llO borrowed in clash. The assets are—debts,
good £l7 Bs. Bd. ; bad lls. ; worth about £l5; property,
stock, and furnitum, estimated at £233; sold for
£195 8.1, Bd. The bankrupt has entered in page 13 of
his balance-sheet a reversionary interest to which his
wife is entitled ,• but of no benefit, as he states, to
hisestate. The bankrupt now states verbally that no
such interest exists, and that the entry hee been made
in error. _

_
His loner: What made von put down that your wife
was entitled to receive at the death of her mother £7O
inthe Three per Cent. Console
Bankrupt: I thought so, but I now find we have had
it.—Q. But it is act out here in your balance-sheet
with great circumstantiality ?—A. The fad was there
wee some unclaimed money in the funds, and I was
under the impression that that was it. The will states
nothing of the kind. I was very much confused at the
timw.—Q. What made you think that any money wee
lento your wife Did you draw upon your imagina-
tion? A. It might have been.—Q. What on earth
made you introduce it in your balance-sheet? There
must have been some other ground beyond the mere
supposition ?—A. As I said before there was some
money unclaimed in the funds, for which my brother-
in-law made application and claimed, and I was under
the impression that Mrs. Maton was entitled to a
portion.—Q. Whole the assignee in this case?
Mr. Laidwan : Mr. Joseph Matthews, a large brewer,
in the came town. Ile has inquired into the matter
and finds that there is nothing doe to the bankrupt's
wife.

His Honor: But I really cannot understands man's
putting such statement in his balance sheet. (To the
bankrupt) : you dream it, sir? (Laughter.)
Bankrupt scratched his head, but made no reply.
His Honor repeated that it was an r,extmordinary
thing for a bankrupt to put into hit balance-sheet
that his wife bad • reversionary interest under a rela-
tive's will.

Bankrupt : Really, your Honor, I was entirely
labouring under that impression.
His Honor: You might as well have put in that
your wife expected £lOO,OOO as £7O.
The Bankrupt was than allowed to pass and receive
his discharge.