The Dorset County Express and Agricultural Gazette.
Dorchester, Dorset, England, 1878-01-22 00:00:00

fa. liammtaro rocttbing 0.

TN! oPENIIO OP PARLIAMENT.

The fifth Sesdon of the ninth Puliament of Queen
Victoria was opened no Thursday afternoon, and
although the Queen did not openly perform the
ceremony, there was a very lwge attendance at
Westminster to witne.. the assembling of members of
the two Holum. Jun alter tw o'clock the Royal
.'ommi,sioners appexral. They were the Lord
Chancellor, the Dues of Richmond and Gordon, the
Marquis of Hertford, Earl Beauchamp, and Lori
Skelmersdnie, and at this time there were not twee
than about :10 peers in the bAy of the House but
almost the whole of the Peers' benches were occupied
by ladies. In the Stranger,. Gallery there was a
crowded assemblnce f ladies and gentlemen. The
Lord Chancellor read the Queen's Speech as follows :
Mr Laws LSD Giorniattn,—

I have thought it fit to iseemble you before
die usual period of your meeting that you
might become acquainted with the efforts I have
made to terminate the war nowl devastating Eastern
Europe and Armenia, and that I might have
the advice and assistance of my Parliament in the
present state of public affairs. You are aware that
after having unsuccessfully striven to avert the war I
declared my intention to observe neutrality in a
contest which I lamented but had failed to prevent,
so long as the interests of my Empire, as defined by
Imy Government, were not threatened. I expressed at
the same time my earnest desire to avail myself of any
op ortunity which might present itself for •wompting
a peaceful settlement of the question at issue between
the belligerent power.. The successes obtained by the
Russian arms, both in Europe and Asia, convinced
the Porte that it should endeavour to bring to a close
hostilities which Were causing immense sufferings.
The Government of the Sultan accordingly addressed
to the Neutral Powers, parties to the Treaties relating
to the Turki-la Empire, an appeal for their good
offices. It did not, however, appear to the majority
of the Power' thin addressed, that they could use
fully comply with the request, and they communicated
this opinion to the Porto. Tte Porte then determined
on snaking a separate appeal to my Government, and
lot once agreed to make an enquiry of the Emperor
of Russia, whether hi. Impenal Majesty would
entertain overtures for peace. rb. Emperor expressed
in reply his warmest desire for peace, and stated at
the same time his opinion aa to the course which
should be pur.ned for its attainment. Upon. this
subject communication have taken place between the
Govern:mute of Russia and Turkey; and thus my
good offices, I earnestly trust, may lead to a
pacific solution of the points at lame, and to a
termination of the war. No effort on my part will be
wanting to promote that result. Hitherto, so far es
the war has proceeded, neither of the belligerents
have infringed the conditions on which my
neutrality is founded, and I willingly believe
that both parties are desirous to respect them
so far 'ais it may he in their power. As long
as thew conditions are not infringed, my attitude
will continue the same • but Marmot conceal from
myself that should hostilities be unfortunately pro-
longed, some unexpected occurrence may render it
Incumbent on me to adopt measures of precaution.
Such measures could not be effectually taken without
adequate preparation, and I trust to the liberalty of
my Parliament to supply the meana which may be
required for that purpose. Papers on these affairs
will be forthwith laid before you.
My relations with all Foreign POlrerl continue to be
friendly.
I am thankful that the terrible famine which has
ravaged Southern India is nearly at an end. Strenuous
and successful exertions have been made by my
Local Government to relieve the suffering
population, and in that duty they have been power-
fully seconded by the liberal aid of my people at
home, and in my colonies. I have directed that an
enquiry should be made into the measures most
prorer to diminish the danger of such calamities for
the future.

—Tit-e-LTon-dition of native affairs in South Africa has
of late caused me some anxiety, and has demanded
the watchful attention of my Government I have
thought it expedient to reinforce my troops in that
part of my Empire. I trust that a peaceful and
satisfactory eettlement of all differences may be
shortly obtained.
GM:MILKEN or ma Hooss or Costmors,—
I have directed the estimates of the year to be
prepared, and pretested to you without delay.
Mr Loans AND Gettnnams,—
A Bill will be laid before you upon the subject
of County Government, and your attention will be
Aoki called to the consolidation of the Factory Law,
and to the Summary Jurisdiction of ltLwistrates.
You will be asked at an early period of the session
to take Into your consideration a Bill on the subject of
Cattle Dimas) in this country. The question of
Scottish Roads and Bridges and of Endowed Schools
and Hospitals in Scotland will also be brought before
Ton.
Your attention will be invited to the subject of
Intermediate Education in Ireland, and to the Grand
Jury Law in that country. Among other measures for
the a.mendesent of the law • Bill will be laid before
you to simplify and express in one act the whole law
and procedure relating to indictable offences.
commend these subjects to your most careful con-
sideration, and I pray that the blessing of the
Almighty may attend and guide your deliberation..
At the close the House was suspended for • short
time. On reassembling, the address in reply to the
Speech MY moved by Lord Wbarncliffe and seconded
by Lord Loudoun. The Howe was crowded in every
part,
among the strangers_ present being the Empress
lgralie, the Fringe Leeds Napoleon, and M
p idhat

iti;l" Gummi, who followed the seconder of the
address, asked what had happened, or what the
Government were to do ar the twelfth hour, that they
had summoned Parliament en hastily?
Lord Biscoustuan rejoined that Parliament could
never object to being summoned for constitutional
Re also, with some warmth of manner,
CrnErhat there was any dissension in the Cabinet,
or that his opinion was not that of his friends near
him. The maintenance of neutrality was to the
interests of this country, and the efforts of the Govern-
ment would still be directed to procure the termina-
tion of banalities, but if they should have to defend
the interests of this country. the Government would
never hesitate to take every measure for that purpose.
The Duke of ARGYLL felt gratified that in the
enumeration of British interests by Lord Derby no
mention was made of the integrity and independence
of the Ottoman Empire, and he regarded the absence
those words as very significant. Turkey was no
independent Power. She was doomed to die, and he
called on the British Government to recognise that
fact and act accordingly. He trusted that the Empire
of Russia would agree to no terms of peace which did
not secure to the European populations of Turkey a
fair share of self-government; and to leave Constanti-
nople or any part of Turkey in the hands of the ruling
classes there was not a result called for by British
interests or British honour.

--17or—d—fi;tiniu—a7r -al;;;;:enudiated the notion of the
existence of disunion in the Cabinet. He sympathised
with the different races under the rule of Turkey. but
he believed that the misery accumulated during the
short recent war would equal that experienced during
generations of Turkish misrule.

FRIDAY.
A Select Committee was appointed for the purpose
et inquiring into the prevalence of habits of intempw-
soca, and into the manner in which those habits
bad been effected by recent legislation and other
anew.
Souse other boas' ea of a formal character was trans-
acted.

THURSDAY.
In the House of Commons at the evening sitting,
following nearly a hundred notices of motion, IG.
wilbrabam Egerton moved the address in reply to the
Speech from the Throne. This was seconded by Mr.
Tennant, who with some unexpected plainness depre-
ca log war drew forth cheers from the Opposition
benches._ _

The Maw= or Hsirrurovoe following, in a
speech of nearly an hour's duration, reviewed the
Ministerial policy as far as it was known, and the
Queen's Speech as far as it might be understood. The
noble lord denied that there was any humiliation for
the country which had distinctly declared that it
would neither be an ally of Russia nor of Turkey but
would observe a position of neutrality. He complained
of the obscure passage in the Speech referring to the
contingency of aaldng for supplies. He gathered from
it that it was intended to ask for money at once, a
course which, he added, amid load cheering from the
Opposition benches, was "open to grave objections,"
The Speech mentioned an " unexpected occorrence
as likely to lead to alication to Parliament for
supplies This he thought wee either dangerous to
England or cruel to Turkey. Either Ministers knew
what the unexpected occurrence was and kept the
Information to themselves, or they poseesaed no such
Information, in which cam it was cruel to tempt
to make one last attempt to continue a hopeless
ewire"&anceitos of the &raise= said that while
he did not wish to defend the observations of certain
indiscreet friends and political supporters, who had
distorted facts and drawn erroneous inferences,
tenfold more injury had been done by that hon.
gentlemen opposite and their friends, who had said
that whatever declarations the Government
made they were not to be believed for what
they really meant was war. If it had not been for
suspicion, which had been promulgated, nothing of the
unmeaning which existed would have been heard of; a
statement approved by loud cheers from the Opposition
benches The cheere were confined to the same pert
of the House when the Chancellor of the Exchequer
warmly, and, as he raid, "most solemnly." protested
aainst talking about the humiliation of England.
''The position of England," he added, "I. by no mewls
one of humiliation—bin° means one of isolation." As
to the "unexpected circumstances." although the
phrase was susceptible of verbal criticism, its
was clear. At present we could not say whaTe=
be the conduct of Rued". The two Turkish Envoys
had not yet reached the Humehin Head-quarters, nor
would they for a day or two, and the Rued= terms
were not yet know. But until they were known the
Government would have no proposal, to make. ,If the
Enigma terms were satisfactory to the Porte and the
Porte and the Neutral Powers—radii weatio ; but the
oeeos could be made without the assent of the
kuropeen Power lilt affected arrangements to which
they were parties,ould until the answer of Russia to
the Turkish application was known it was necessary
to maintain an attitude of reserve.
. -

GLAD7fOIfI ex -pree*Mxl hie thankfubasee at the
general tons of the Chancellor of the &Aeons°e
E?which he predicted would be received with a
relief throughout the country. With regard
f %dun contingency he reserved his opinion, but
he wa• convinced that nothing existed in the present
circnneetanoen, se far as they were known, to justify
an increase in our mill
After • speechfroentazYGOrt hforr•oon, Mr.
MITCRILL Roger Moved anaiiiiMallat to the address
by adding athe duty of
Parliament, in paragraph,
e condition public afairs,
at the nerli•eterortunity to consider a wise and
t the national demands which the
ra,„,alial. repeatedly raised. This led to a
&baboon Rule, which imainelly was adjourool
to rtiday.

Flutur.
The CH•fronttot of the Exotic/M. In MOW to •
question from Sir H. 1). Wolff, promised thst, if it
were moved for, • paper should be laid on the table
containing extracts from various treaties giving a
history of the 11?liti0al conditions established at
different times with reference to the navigation of the
Black Sea, the Bosnhorus, and the Dardanelles
The debate on Mr. HVOIT'S amendment to the
Address was resume!. A long discussion took plane
and • division bovine been taken the amendment was
ne 'mired by 301 to 4s.
The Addrfts in answer to the Speech from the
Throne wit, than agreed to.
Oyer 80 Bills were subsequently brought in by
private members and read a first time.

agritultarat Items.
AGRICULTURAL HOLDINGS ACT.
A COIVIIILBATIOX.
A. You certainly have altered the appearance of
this place Mr. R. sines Hest saw it. I remember you
had just purchased the farm.
B. No doubt, sir, it is altered a little, but you,
perhaps, forget that it is more than 30 years since
you were here, and one ought to have something to
show for one's outlay and labour during a whole life-
time.
A. From here it appears nearly all wood together,
and as I remember it, there was formerly scarcely •
tree on the place.
B. Now the half of it is planted. You see You
portion that we hare cut down' well, it has returned
more than six time, the cost of the land and planldng
since you were last hare, 34 year. ago; but the land
was bought cheap.
A. It must have reduces' your stock of cattle, &a,
very much.
No; I think we keep about three times the
quantity we could when I Snit got the farm. Cer-
tainly in winter we do, but before I plants,' the high
pastures 'hey carried a few more cattle during the
height of summer, which, however, gained little but

A. Ah ! I fie now from this hill how it is you are
able to winter so much more stock; why these green
meadows when I last saw them were little else than
swamps and peat boga.
B. You are
~,pute right? three-foarthe of the
ground wan worthies', and the remainder of it ae poor
U possible.
These pastures, too, are full of crass; as I re.
member them they were little else than beds of RMe
and stone. flat adjoining farm belonging to the earns
party I. not a bit altered. What a contrast betwixt
one aide of the hedge and the other—one ea green as
grass and the other as black as one's hat. But ae I
remember them there was little or no difference in the
a of the two farms.
irartr6 there was any difference at all it was in my
neighbour's favour.
A. Let us go over it. Why, such land as this
cannot be of much value.
. -

B. It is not worth more than 2a. 6d. per acre, and
yet It Is capable of being made into good meadow—i.c.
as good Uany peat mon meadow, and worth MOri;
than ten times it. present value.
A. Why doe, the owner not drain and improve It?
It would pay him well to do so. But here is ante.
fresh-looking partunt that some one ha. done some-
thing for. lam it has been lined.
B. Yes, but that ham been at the tenant's expense,
the landlord will not help, and it is rather costly work
nowadays.
A. Who is the tenant?
B. I am.

A. Yerel How did that come to peas
B. Well, you see, it was Isat in the hands of apeman
who was frequently chopping and changing his cattle •
and he got some complaint among them, so that I
dur4 not put my cattle on the adjoining fields ; so whin
he gave up the farm, I took it, in self-defence, as it
Weft.

A. Ah I sea ;or you would not hare had anything
to do with it. Have you it on lease, then ?
B. 1t.., for 1.5 years.
A. I suppose you will be draining and improving
It!

- B. I did not think of doing no when I took the farm.
When I stipulated for the farm, I stated expressly
that it was to be under the Agricultural Holdings
Act, but when the lease was drawn out and I came to
read it over, there waa no such claws 'needed in it ;
but being assured by the agent that they would never
object to its being no, and having already been in
possession some little tune, as well as at some expense,
signed the lease, and what do you think! Just
before the expiration of the time for giving notice, I
got one, amongst the rest of he tenants saying that
the farm would not be under the Act, Of course I
grumbled, but being fast I got nothing by it.
A. But you told me your landlord would not be
anything out of pocket. Why, he has been putting
the house in order I see.

B. Not a halfpenny. The lest occupants remained
In it as long aa they dared, and I wee obliged to be at
thia expense before I could gets labourer to go into
It That was how I fastened myself before dining the
lease.

B. No doubt it is foolish a tenant roofing and
repairing his landlord's house, as matters now stand.
You have accused me of one foolish act, so I may as
well tell you of another I intended perpetrating, had
the farm been under the Act as agreed on when I took
It I had intended draining that bog we crossed,
and then to have covered it with you hill of my own
land, for I don't see any place on this farm where
material could be found to cover it with; or if it
could be found at all, it would be at triple the wet,
and not half so suitable for the purpose, and it would
have done my field very little harm when levelled up
again. The Act points oat, both to landlord and
tenant, what ought to be done, and then ends by
saying each can please himself whether he does it or
not.

A. What difference would it have made if this farm
had been under the Act, as you stipulated?
B. I really cannot say whether the public, the
landlord, or the tenant would receive the rreateet
benefit; but I think it stands in the order in which I
have named, for the public would be Isenefitel
not only by the improvement whilst in progres, but
ever afterwards from the extra produce; my land•
lord would receive additional rent after my lame
on the improvements made at my cost; and I would
expect to be reimbursed according to the nature of the
advance of rent or improved value of the farm.
A. If you have louse of 15 yews, surely you would
be reimbursed in that time, as you say it would be
made to carry three times the stock.
B. Nonsense, my good fellow. If I had the purse
of one ssf your city merchants I could not transform
that worthless bog into useful land in no time. Such
land wants draining and levelling, and then a thick
covering of rough ground, or anything as a change;
then soiling, seeding, and manuring, and even then
the change is a work of years. Besides, you lee, a
farmer can only turn to such-like jobs at odd time',
as it would never do to neglect hie crops and other
work on account of It' still, I think I could have
made the farm capable of carrying double the
quantity of stock it now does before the termination
of my lease, which I fancy would be something like
doubling the rent, although the full improvement of
some of the land would not be manifest for some years
after.

A. But suppose what you call your improvements
did not prove improvements, I fancy you would still
expect to be reimbursed for your today!
.B Not. bit of it. We farmers are not quite so
*elfish as you citizens think U.; we do not want both
a tenant's right and a landlord's wrong. H we spend
our money and labour foolishly, let us lose it ; but if
we on the other hand. improve our farms to the
advantage of our landlords and their successors why
should we not be rentunerated for doing so is is
not only reasonable—it is common justioa, and it is
more or lees applicable to every farm in the land,
whether grass or tillage farina
A. I can see the great alteration you have made on
your own farm, and, from what (remember of the
two places, I believe that • great improvement might
be made on this farm; and I must admit that anyone
who make. his farm produce three times se much beef
and mutton as it formerly did is a public benefactor'
but I cannot see that tlus tenant-right you speak of
would have any effect on the generality of farms that
are already drained and cultivated.
B. Very likely not; but perhaps you are not aware
that the general rule of such farms, if let on lams is
that the first third of the lertee is spent in cleaning
and getting it into a high state of cultivation by pur-
chasing artificial manures, bones, and feeding ift& at
a great cost; so that for the next third of the lease
the farm produces full mops; and then the last third
or so is spent in getting out of the land what the
tenant bad put into it, for fear of losing his farm or
having his rent advanced; so that you see only for
about half the duration of the lease is the farm pro-
ancnir what it is capable of doing towards feeding our
ever incoming popu'en. And if we look at farmers
under yearly tenancies, with • six or L? months'
notice ever hanging over their heads, the farms an in
will warm plight, never producing what they ought
and are capable of doing towards the maintenance of
the nation. And would you believe it, to this day,
old antiquated conditions are inserted as to cropping,
and restrictions enforced as to what produce may or
y not be sold off the farm, although the tenant may
be laying out annually the amount of his rent or more
In extraDeoua manures and feeding stuffs. What
would yon, as a merchant, think of such re:trictione,
applied to and restraining your transactions .
A. Oh I we could never stand that; but I fancy
each restrictions have been found mummy to prevent
you farmers from impoverishing alike your farms and
your landlords.
B. No doubt that was the intention 100 years
but then not • mousy of the tenant's was laid out in
extraneous manures, dm, instead of an annual sum
almost or quite equal to the rent, as is the case now.
A. That, of course, entirely alters the came; and if
this tenant-right you speak of would induce fanners
not only to keep their farms continuously in the highest
state of cultivation, by making it their interest to do
so. but also to reclaim any waste land capable of
improvement, it would no doubt add lesrnmey to the
food produce of the nation.
B. Iwmte solar as some bare done, and
my that it wouN double it, but that, and exemption
front imported contagious ft••••• amongst live stock,
would ;to von far towards doing so.
A. Bah aim imported dimmer, as you call them,
are jawa hobgoblin that you farmers try to frighten
as poor famishing citizens with.
p, You citizens may think so, but tell me, then,
what is the causeof a diminution of hall • million of
cattle and over two millions of sheep? For, depend
upon it, it is the interest of every farmer to keep as
large a held of Una as he possibly can with safety, as
I be knows that more stock also means more corn.
It is directly or indirectly attributable to imported
dinars.
A. It certainly ie • great diminution, and most be
an Immense loge to the nation, for it sounds very like
U. per Ilb, on the price of meat to the consumer, but
ww, am get lota of good meet now from America.
B. Perhaps so, btt give the farmers of the United
Kingdom an equitable tonant-right, and exemption
from foreign disuses, with freedom is . as
well as in the disposal of his produce then Zruatrfear
competition from foreign meat just about as =oh as
the cowstuner will Wish or dales
A. Well, I must may that if tenant-right wookl laid /
to ouch raelen..tJnu as you proposed caa7tag out, and

the keeling of farms continuously in the highest stele
of cultivation, and that exemption from foreign con-
tagious diseases, which freed .m of ultivation and
sale produce would enable the British farmer to
produce meat sufficient for the crest population of
them small islands. a. v.ll as add so largely to the
produce of our various cereal and other crops, surely
they must be questions that not only merit but. im-
reeratively demand the immediate attention of our
lt.la?Io nr7loubt they are, but di.l I not tell you that an
optiontl Tenant-right Act has been paused. What is
wanted is, that you citizens and all consumers should
first see the very great interest you have in these
matters, and the necessity there is that these small
islands should be made to produce all they possibly
can, and then say, thmitch your representatives, what
many farmers are too timid to assert—that tenant.
right shall be compulsory instead of optional; and
that we shall have a fair trial as regards the meat
=MAY, by closing our ports against foreign disease.
Depend upon it, sir, these questions are quite as im-
portant to the consumer as the farmer, and until you
can see it in that light, we may rest assured there
will be little legislation in favour of the farmer.
THE SEWAGE PROBLEM : • SUGGESTION AND AN orrn.

In an which appeared in the Bauder in 1870,
entitled "Land, that want Hands," after dimming
the mode of forming colonies abroad, we said —" In
the United Kingdom only 16,000.000 acres out of the
entire area of 77,000,000 acres are at this moment
under cultivation. Why not save the expense at
flight, and start a normal home colony or two' We
have asked the question before. Why not make the
experiment of an organised settlement on • few square
tailed out of those 89.000 acres of the New Forest, of
which we have beard no much lately' There is no
untried climate to dread, no savage beset to fear,
while the soil principally bendy. We have the very
finest opportunity for the appl cation of sewage: the
fertilisation would keep pace with increase of tamales
don. Without prejudioe to other efforts, we might
readily and rapidly eat tblih one or two normal home
coloniea Cltarity. too, might in this case be tempted
by the offer of security—that is to say, the advances
asked from ,eivate sources would take the form of
philanthropic loan (with a good prospect of return)
ra. her than of charitable gifts. Who will be the first
to start a h 'me colony on the Builder's plan, and to
.how that it it not in poi, hing our rivers by the rich
, irate, contained in our sewage that we show our
in at I .mentanle blin Inear an I our most irretrievable
wwse of the sources of national wealth?' These
remarks excited some attention at the time, and had
nearly eventuated in a practical result. The advice
seems to us as sound now am then, snd the repitition
of the pa-agraph will serve to remind our readers
that we have consistently and continuously protested
against the waste and evil involved in pouring the
sewsge of towns into rivers. English capitalists would
better serve their country, and probably themselves
speo4llv, by devoting some of their accumulations to
the rendering of our waste lands fertile than by lend-
ing money to Russia to equip armies and form
strategical "Away, to damage &itish interests, if not
Britain. To show that we have the courage Of Our
opinion., and in the hopeof aiding the commencement
of • movement which could not fail to have 'good
results, we are willing to depart from a rule hitherto
acted on without deviation (is, never to have a finan-
cial interest in project, we have advocated on public
grounds), and to take shares to the extent of (say)
£l.OOO in any well-considered and well
scheme which shall include the reclamation of land
by means of London sewage and pauper labour.—
Builder,

GAME LAW I.I.OIISCIITIOri.
Two recent occurrences in connection with the
enforcement of the Game Laws require the careful
consideration of insgietratee and country gentlemen.
At Cheshire Quarter Sessions, on the last day of the
old year, a letter was read from the Home Secretary,
endorsing another from Mr. Peter Taylor, M.P.,
respecting a case tried at Oakmere Petty Sessions.
Mr. Taylor's letter stated that Detectiv t
Caahirg, of the Cheshire Constabulary, had
placed at the disposal of Captain Parr for the purpose
of watching hie gamekeepers, during a whole month,
at, it was presumed, the expense of the county; that
the detective, on discovering, as he conceived, some
Irregularity on the part of the head gamekeeper, bad
proceeded without a warrant to search the house of
two men concerned; and had further, still without a
warrant, detained the gamekeeper for four days in
custody until the case was heard by the magistrate*,
who at once dismired it. Mr. 'Taylor hoped the
Home Secretary would carman inquiry to be made in
regard to procedure apparently so violent and Illegal;
and the Secretary accordingly requested the Bench to
take such measures as they deemed proper. In the
subsequent discussion, the Deputy Chief Constable
admitted that the whole of the allegations were
correct, except that the police officer was paid by
Captain Parr for watching his rabbits; and, on the
motion of Lord 1)e Tabley, it was resolved to censure
the police superintendsnt for detaining the men in
custody without bringing them up for examination,
and to issue a circular to the county police warning
them against any such irregularities for the future.—
The second case we refer to has a somewhat aimilar
bearing. We are indebted for it to a correspondent
of the Timms, who states that at the Brecon Quarter
Sessions on New Year's Day, the proeecutor in a
recent night-poaching case, on the application of the
chairman, repaid the £34 costs, which had been paid
by the county, but had subsequently been disallowed
by the Treasury, who reorrnmended through the
Home Secretary that the individual Prosecutor should
be thus applied to.
It is unnecessary to express any opinion on these
matters. In each case alike it is the Convervative
Horne Secretary who has interfered to prevent public
money or nubile prosecutions being used to protect
what it is plainly intimatei will be regarded precisely
In the same light se privet° property of other kinds.
That this is the view held at the Home Office can no
longer be doubtful; and we are sure we shall be doing
a service to many of our readers in drawing their
attention to recent evidences of it —Prost the " Live
Stock Journal."