The Dorset County Express and Agricultural Gazette.
Dorchester, Dorset, England, 1883-01-16 00:00:00

Pant Conntq Expren.

DOBCIIESTKR, JANUARY 160, 1883.

Mr. Gladstone's loss in Midlothian will
probably turn out his gain in Palano-yard when
the Session opens, as it will do next month.
We cannot afford to have the secrets of the
Queen's Speech scattered broadcast before the
constituencies • month before the time. Mr.
Gladstone would probably not commit himself,
as that miracle of iudiscreet egotism, Henry
Broughem, when he went down to stump York-
shire shortly after he had become Lord() haneellor.
But there are times when silence is golden, and
the Ministry will do well to keep a discreet
aflame as to their projected measures f r •
month at least. We can patiently wait after
two sessions wasted in talk for a session, which
is to be one of bond fik work.

The new Primate will be enthroned at
Canterbury Cathedral on April the 3rd. We
do not think it is generally known that Bishop
Benson owes hit elevation to the Primacy a
good deal to the influence of Mr. and Mrs.
Wickham. Mr. Wickham is Head Master of
Wellington College, and his wife is Mr. Glad-
stone's favourite daughter. This has brought
Bishop Benson's merits prominently before the
Premier. At the same time, we cannot help
thinking that the Bishop made a mistake in
writing to Lord Mount Edgecumbe almost ask-
ing permission to give up the diocese of Truro,
aim think Lord Mount Bdgecumbe's reasons for
cementing to let him go are equally beside the
mark. The reasons for his move upward to the
Primacy are the same of those by which •
Pulses Judge would take the Chief Judgeship,
and there is • touch of cant in looking elsewhere
for an excuse.

Some matters are managed better in France.
Had Gambetta died in England, there would
certainly have been an iiiqueet upon his body,
and, with their latitude of enquiry, which is now
becoming characteristic of English inquests, all
kinds of evidence, with regard to the private life
of the deceased, would have been received and
published to the world. It is generally under
stood that the late statesman neithar meditated
self-destruction, nor was the victim of an
el:tempted assasaination. The story that a
woman's hand fired the fatal shot was, however,
tly not without foundation in fact.
;FhPearsnre seems no reason to doubt that it was in
frustrating an attempt at suicide on the part of
a lady, who was his wife in all but name, that
the ex-dictator received his death wound.

It very appropriately chanced to fall to the
Lot of the Attorney. General to "move " first of
any member of the Bar in the New Law Courts.
There was some little disappointment that he
did not rnabe any reply to Lord Coleridge's
little address. His motion was to bring up the
publisher of the Times for contempt in printiug
oomments upon • pending action for libel,
which is creating no little stir in Clubland. He
'poke in his usual rapid and incisive manner,
and left the Court as soon as he had obtained
his "rule." Far different was the manner of
Mr. Charles Russell, when he almost immedi-
ately afterwards roes to move for a new trial in
the Belt Case. His speech is the best thing
which has occurred in that case yet. In •
majestic and highly-oraterical manner he opened
fire at once upon the Judge who presided
the trial, and sustained throughout the day
what was in fact a fine philippic against an
occupant ot the Bench in a tone of eloquence,
which has been all but abandoned by the
modern Bar.

The Hounslow Case has drawn public atten-
tion more strPngly to the need which there is for
reform in coroner's inquesta. Proceedings at
these anomalous Courts are too often perverted
under the indueace of popular feeling into
irrelevant and sometimes cruel investigations. It
Is upon such occutions that solicitors ot a certain
class almost openly appeal to the audience, and
bully the coroner and terrify witnesses. An
inquest is not an inquisition. Its object is to
enquire into the means by which the deceased
came by his death, not to ruin his private foes
or to rake up extraneous scandals or to gather
materials fcr collateral litigation.

DOZORISTIa.

We understand that the new Parc•le Post will
team into operation in June next. Toe delay iv
attributable to the complexity as well se novelty of
the arreagemeuts necessary to the satisfactory work-
leg of the whores. Doily News.
Fain AND Essr.'—A very pleasant evening vu
swat on Friday by JO or more of the above society.
Mr. Marjoram, of the Old House at Home Inn,
prepared an excellent supper, which was approved of
by all present. After the supper, the company was
well entertained by Messrs. &fly, Fox, Dean, Mayo,
Sags, Underwood, l'ollins, Cable, and Wellman,
who sang some very =ring mop. The evening
pared very pleasantly.
OollTACHOtte Dumdum (Awni•La) Am —At •
stalof the Justices of the Pup for the petty see-
ivision of Dorchester, on Saturday, at which
Mr. J. Ploys:. Mr. G. W. Floyer, 2d P. Mr. E. Pearce,
sod Colossi Bingham were present. Messrs. J. Lundie,
Weymouth, J. Mayo, Hower, R. Mayne, Dorchester,
Daniel Symonds, Ashton, T. C. Saunders, Water-
combs ; and Henry Mayo, Coker; Frame. were ap-
pointed as a sub-committee under the Contagious
Disease (Animal.) Act. 1878.
. • . _

SOCIAL GATHltlaNo.—;rbe members of the " Dor-
chester " Loclips of Good Templus held • social
gathering on Thursday evening last, to which they
Invited their friends, the object being to advance the
princiOw of Good Templary, and a thoroushly good
attendance was the result. Itefreshmenta were pro.
sided, together with • plentiful supply of music. The
Worthy Chief Templar (Bro. Squibb) ably presided,
and la the course of his remarks invited those of their
Minds who were not as yet Good Templars to give
In their names to become such. A good and lengthy
me:gramme wag gone through, while those listening
also occupied their time with various games, and at
ball-past ten the National Anthem closed a very
pleasant evening.
Duweiran Crown &amino Ageoctartog.—The
Gemara Committee of this Arsociation met on Tues.
odiazetternoon. An application wee received and ron-
from the Rev. J. Hunt in reference to the
rewating of the pariah church of Fifehead Magdalen,
In the Arehdescoary of Dorset, at an estimated out-
lay of Elea It was decided to make • small grant of
£lO towards the work, provided the report of the imb-
eommittee which was appointed to look into the plans
wee satisfactory, A mooed Doreetshire owe which
wee oonsidered and dealt with was Logigneet St. Mary,
war Poole. The application frame from the Rev.
John Louis Williams, the vicar, and was for ajd to-
wards commencing an extensive work of restoration in
Nord to the parish church. The present proposal
was to almost rebuild the tower, to restore the west
end, and to alter the seat., the existing mono omodation
being for 600 perions. The estimated awe of the pro-
posed work was £2,000 and • grant of am was agreed
to.
MINIM BULL AND BONS' Banmettrros.— With
1•1•11110 O to the suspension of payment of Messrs.
Joseph Bull and Sons, of Southampton, it may be
Interesting to compare the amounts of the various
fienders for the New Law Courts :—Messrs. Bull,
£719,797; Kirk. £754000; Perry, £759,000; Jackson
and Shaw, £759,878; Baker. £780,600; Lome',
£613,686; Higg4 2322,500; Cockburn, £846,790;
Dora, 2853,200; Trollope, £859,313; Holland, C961,Z13i
Brown and B daimon, £861,930; Brass, £856,863 ;
2870.870; Brims, £871,242; Peta, 20.9?.,500 ; an
Lovett, 5L000,060. Th. liifference between the highest
and the lowest is £280,231, so that even adopting the
figures originally sent in and considering them
Irma the deviations and althratlons made as the mg
were developed it would seem the payment by the
Government of the amount named would not be an
excessive stretch of liberality. It Is, of enures,
=by all parties—by the Government officials
an by the builders, that lithe RIM payable
Is S. be determined by straight measurement of the
work, it would occupy so long a period as to greatly
Prrindim he firm and the intereata of the creditors
whose funds have contributed 'to the oomple-
eke of the building in the way which, from a
wearily structar el point of view, is admitted greatly
So Tamed to the credit of the coots-actors. No
doubt the Government would desire in thew draw-
stances to act justly, not to say liberally, in the
business, and if this anticipation should be ref used it
will 004 only be highly beneficial te the creditors, as
enabling them to realise the estate without delay, but
It might be expected materially to assist in restoring
the firm to the position it occupied before underooking
this national work. The London correspondent of
the Water. Morning News (Plymouth) says :—No
surprise is anywhere expressed at the failure of
Mews. Bull over the new Law Courts. This wee
we of Mr. Ayrtmes contracts, and he drew the strings
of the purse so tight y that none of the metropol;tuo
contractors had any chance. Metsre. Bull did their
work sonecientiously ; hut for tome time past they
have dons so only by advances from the Government
of larger post-oestages than is usual in such caw.
Had not Mr. Street been • very careful man in all
hie estimatee, had he not worked out the detail.' to
perfection, and kept well within the tatimatr, the I
result would have been wore unfortunate for the con-
traathre than it has proved. But an things. tand, Messrs.
Ball will still, it is hopsd, get clear. Ibeir reward
will be the hollow and glory of having done good work.
The townloormspoodent of theft/44ra led ms,kajaisc,
any. is stated that the Messrs. Bah, the coo.
tractors of the New Law Courts, will he able to meet
tkeir liabilities in fail, though the residue of profit on
their gigantic labours of the poet few years will not
-moue to much. From the first they have fought
a.
a,..;•upt groat di/acuities. Toey were the most prone.
• Aims of the great mason's strike several years
mut gimpy mit hy the expedient of importing
ago, Thu of Italan and German masons. As it
large sumbeee •hat the foreign workmen go about
wee not d•ginibi• -eagrooted • kind of barracks for
tows, lung% Bali 00. of the Ars or the Law
thew within the anolon, all provision.
Omuta They bad their -74arealais means the
bow supplied at cost pries. s.. 00.107 was
=doom alterative of paying forfeit -4, se gas
ameba But the experlasai was costly,
•01 taikballegy.