The Dorset County Express and Agricultural Gazette.
Dorchester, Dorset, England, 1876-06-13 00:00:00

lannt enuntg fxpreos.

TUESDAY, SONE 13, USA

NOTES OF THE WEEK.

Dr. Richard Gee, the learned and reverend
Vicar of Abbot's Langley in Hertfordshire has
made a most reasonable and sensible suggestion,
which it is to be hoped will not be allowed to
fall to the ground for want of support. The
haymaking season will soon be upon us. Dr.
Gee thus opportunely puts in a thoughtful word
for the hardworked hkymaker. "I would press
upon employers of labour in the hay and harvest
fields," he writes, "the desirableness of paying
their labourers entirely in cash, and letting them
find their own beer. Where, as is now common,
the employers find beer, the quantity stipulated
is generally in excess of all real requirements.
I believe in my neighbourhood it runs for a
man from four to six quarts. This quantity
each man thinks himself bound to drink, other-
wise he will, as he considers, lose part of his
remuneration. If each man were debited with
his own drink, he would be relieved from this
bad inducement." There is a sound common
sense about this argument that is altogether
unanswerable.

The London correspondent of the Manditster
Guardian hears that Mr. Lowe will oppose the
renewed attempt which is to be made in Parlia-
ment to abolish grocers licenses for the sale of
intoxicating liquors.
The morning edition of the Echo has been
discontinued. In the literary world, its
collapse was expected, as it was well-known that
Baron Grant's experiment with the Press had
proved the reverse of a success.

Such a glut of money has not been known in
the city within the memory of living man. The
accumulation of money for which no profitable
outlet can be found is such that in four of the
leading joint stock banks the deposits exceed
the sum of £19,000,000. The interest on deposits
has accordingly fallen to 1 per cent.
The managers of one of our northern con-
temporaries have perpetrated an act of vandalism
which deserves the severest punishment that
the classic nine can inflict. They have pur-
posely rented some of the high lands in the
north, which command a good prospect, and
there they have barbarously disfigured the face
of mother Nature by cutting in the turf the
name of their journal in gigantic letters nearly
a hundred feet high. Advertising is a precious
boon to the public and not to be gainsaid, but
surely we ought to draw the line somewhere.
Various versions are presented to the world
of the closing scene in the life of Abdul Azis.
It was officially represented that he had com-
mitted suicide; this was followed by • report
that he stabbed himself with a dagger; and
then came the suggestion that the blow was not
self-inflicted. The Minister of Foreign Affairs
has telegraphed to the Ottoman representatives
abroad that Abdul Asir, "who had for some
time past given evident signs of mental derange-
ment," locked himself in his apartment and
killed himself by opening the veins of his arm
with a pair of scissors which he had concealed
about his person. It is scarcely probable that
we shall ever know the whole truth of the
matter.

There is scarcely a newspaper published from
one end of the year to the other that will not,
if critically considered, give offence to some-
body in the community. The politican objects
to the way his speech is reported. The buyers
of one set of shares are offended because the
money column reports another set as going up
or going down. Gentlemen who find them-
selves in the hands of the police are grieved at
the license of the press which reports their
arraingment and trial among the police proceed-
ings. The sympathiser with France is offended
at letters from Berlin, and the believer in
German unity mourns over despatches from
Paris. The newspaper thus offends someone,
just as the weather—rainy to-day and sun-
shiny to-morrow—is sure to annoy somebody.
The common-sense view is that the newspaper
is the history of yesterday written to-day; that
it is the mirror of the time, and that those who
conduct it care nothing for individuals, except
to do them justice.

When doctors differ who shall decide 1 The
stipendiary of Manchester and the magistrates
("the great unpaid ") of Salford, have delivered
exactly opposite decisions. The former holds
the three-card trick to be a game of skill, and
discharges offenders brought before him for
manipulating the cards in public; the latter
say it is a game of chance and send the delin-
quents, if such they are, to gaol for a month.
Without presuming to answer the query with
which we started we may be allowed to say that
we think they are both right. Undoubtedly it
is in itself a very skilful operation, as any one
who might chose to experimentalist, in it would
find; and at the same time it is a game of
chance, for, the" chances" are about 1000 to one
against the boobey who backa himself to name
the picture card for " 'arf-a-crown." Still, we
uphold the decision of the Manchester justice,
for the reason that the generality of idiots will
never obtain experience unless they buy it, and
dearly. Stupids who fancy themselves "aw-
fully clever" get full value for the money they
may be relieved of in having it evidenced to
them, in the only way by which their conceit
can be touched—through their pockets, that
they don't know everything. As a plain spoken
magistrate once said "the laws are not made
for tools." A man who loses a sovereign over
the three-card trick has no more right to
complain than the one who " lays " his money
on a useless animal laudated by the swindlers
on the turf.

That veteran actor and manager, Mr. Charles
Buckatone, had something like a " benefit " on
Thursday. An immense audience filled "the
old Drury," and Mr. Buckstone has the pleasing
satisfaction of paying in £1,200 to his banking
account.

The great friendly societies of the country
commenced their annual assemblies on Whit
Monday. At the meeting of the Manchester
Unity of Oddfellows, which is being held at
Ryde, Isle of Wight, it was reported that the
number of members was 508,013, and the total
accumulated fund of the Unity on the Ist
January £3,879,780. The Independent Order
of Oddfellows, an offshoot of the Manchester
Unity, holds its annual meeting at Bradford this
year; it numbers 43,700 members. The Order
of Druids, who meet at Oldham, have nearly
80,000 members, with a total fund of £212,528.
The ancient Order of Shepherds, meeting at
Ashton, reports a membership of 87,188, and the
" value of the Order " is given at nearly
£120,000.

The Comte de Paris left Southampton on
Thursday in charge of a burden which painfully
rocas the changing fortunes of his family. He
has taken with him the bodies of his grandfather
and grandmother—King Louis Philippe and
Queen Marie Amelia ; of his mother, the
Duchease d'Orleans, who, though a Protestant,
was interred with her husband's family; and of
the young Prince de Conde. They all died in
this country, in exile, and the Comte de Paris
has received permission to remove their remains
from the vaults of the Roman Catholic Chapel
at Weybridge to the mausoleum at the family
residence at Dreux in Normandy. For some 30
years the vaults there have been waiting for
their occupants, who thus return from exile to
their last home on French soil. France has no
motive for grudging her last King a grave.

Many of our readers know Mr. Edlin, Q.C.,
late of the Western circuit. His acerbity of
manner was in strange contrast to the sobriquet
by which he was familiarly known, and it would
seem since his elevation to the Middlesex Bench
over the head of Sergt. Cox—for whatever
special qualification it is difficult to imagine
the sweetness of his temper has not improved.
The following little scene in court which took
place a few days
judge committingarates the old joke of a
.
During the Assistant-Jute's summing up a smart
scene arose between court add counsel. Looking across
to where Mr W. Sleigh was sitting conversing rata you
with his clerk, the Judge exclaimed, in aloud and angry
lone, "I trust I shall have silence there; this talk in
court is most improper and disrespectful."2-Mr.
Sleigh: I wu merely asking my clerk to procure me
a book; I apologise to your lordship. —The Judge :
Then your clerk should know how to speak when here
in a much lower and more respectful tone—Mr.
Seigh Mly clerk didn't speak at all ; it was I, and I
have alrady apologised to your lordship. —The Judge:
Your manner, sir, is most disrespectful to the Court,
and I beg of you to remember what is due to us.—
Mr. Sleigh (energetically) : Don't attack me, my lord.
You have no right to do ais—The Judge (warmly) : I
shall speak to you very strongly unless ysu desist, and
rebuke you in terms which your manner towards us
merits—Mr. Sleigh : And I am perfectly prepared to

receive the rebuke.—The Judge (insensed) : Sit down,
sir. Sit down, and let us proceed.—Mr. Sleigh: I
am not standing up, my lord, at the present moment.
The summing-up was then continued.

THI Towx BANDwill perform another selection of
music Thursday evening in the West Walks at 'Wi-
ped seven.
HAYMAKING has commenced in this neighbourhood,
but we hear the crop is indifferent and the swathe by
no means heavy, although there are a few fields where
then is a fair cut.

-l'iri-et-oire-.-=-D;uing the week the following local
petitions have been presented to the Imperial Parlia-
ment :-In favour of a measure for the prevention of
the practice of vivisection within the United Kingdorr
by Mr. Neville Grenville, from Wincanton, and by
Capt. Digby, from the Island of Portland.
Mow's° Maxcn.-The annual mowing match, in
connection with the Dorchester Agricultural Society,
took place on Thursday last at Frome Farm, in the
occupation of the executors of the late Mr. R. Smith.
10 competed. The judges were Mr. G. Symonds, of
Monkton, Mr. W. It Damen, and Mr. J. Best, of
Warmwell, and the prime were awarded as follows :-
1 Ist, Harry Heiner, servant to Mr. A. B. Foster. 2nd,
G. Symes, servant to Mr. W. S. Hull. 3rd, James
Peach, servant to Mr. E. Baunton ; G. Hooper,
servant to Mr. J. Space, highly commended.
JOIFMNILIL ODDIIILLLOWIL -The return of the Juvenile
Oddfellows of the Bud of Hope Lodge, in the town for
the past year has just been issued. From it we learn
that the lodge is gradually on the increase in numbers
and funds. The Benefit fund at the commencement
of the year amounted to LI Its. Bd.; this has been
Increased to .C3O Its. 4W. The management fund
shows a balance of .Cl 5 17a 9,1. The total number of
members on the books at the end of the year was 109.
Only 3 have been sick during the year, and the average
amount of the funds for members is tle. bid. Mr. W.
R. &moll ia the secretary, and Messrs. Pike and
Lamprey the trustees.
Tax WRATIILIM-The following is our meteorological
report :-

i
Lama
Date. INoon. Point eAI Wind. 1 State of Weather.
Night. ,
I
. 1
June •
5 63 46 8W
ft, 50 46 ,NWa 8W 1
7. 64 41 NW i
068 46 Id& 8 1
01 80 43 NW It N 1
10 64 38 NE !
11 57 45 N I

!!!•47

line, F.
Fine, cloudy
Fiso
Flue, stormy, thunder
Gloomy, tine
Fine

COHNITTIO TO nig DORM? COUNTY PRISON.—
SAGiOn4I ' John Legg, alias Holcombe, obtaining
money by false pretences at Radipole • Hard Labour:
George Batley and Henry Briggs stealing clothes at
Weymouth, 3 calendar months each; George Runyard,
night poaching at Cranborne, 6 weeks, and to find
sureties ; John Glass, stealing a meerschaum pipe and
case at Wimborne, 1 calendar month; John Barrett
Coombe, vagrancy at Symondsbury,l4 days; Edward
Street, drunkenness at Gillingham, 7 days; Imprison-
seen : Sarah Mitchell, stealing money and eggs at
Winfrith, 1 calendar month.
CAUTION TO DOG Poisoxess. —An Act of Parlia-
ment has just received the Royal Arent, the object
of which is to prevent the administration of poisonous
drugs to horses and other animals. It is provided
that if any person wilfully and unlawfully administers
to, or causes to be administered to or taken by, any
horse cattle, or domestic animal, any poisonous or
injurious drug or substance, he shall be liable (unless
some reasonable cause or excuse be shown on his
behalf), on summary conviction, to a penalty not
exceeding £5, or, at the discretion of the court, to
imprisonment, with or without hard labour, for any
term not exceeding one mouth in the cane of a first
offence, or three months in the case of a second or
subsequent offence. The provision is not to apply to
the owner or person acting by hie authority.
BOROUGH Parr Smote, Yesterday (Monday)—Bef ere
Mr. J. F. Hodges, Or. Aldridge, and Mr. G. J. G.
GrarrrYin White, a respectable-looking married woman,
who cried very much. was charged with having been
drunk and riotous on the 27th of May.—Mr. Super-
intendent Coward raid it was a common occurrence with
the defendant and her husband.—She admitted her
fault. —Police-constable Carter proved the case, and said
she disturbed the whole place.—Fined se. and meth •
sum, Mr. Hodges told her, as she had a family, that
might have been much better expended in other ways.—
On leaving the Court she pint the constable what
Fordington ladies would call " the length of her tongue.
Witham Payne, • carter, of Grove-buildings, was
summoned, on the information of P.C. Gould, for riding
without reins in West.street.—Fined les.

SERIOUS CHARGE OF ASSAULT.
At the Magistrates' (County) Clerk's Office, on
Friday, before Major Cam Sykes, Robert Gordon, the
late landlord of the Ferry-bridge public.house, Wyke
Regis, was brought up in custody charged with
assaulting and doing grievous bodily harm to John
Williams. Evidence was given that the injured MAU
was lying in a critical position, and the doctor's
certificate to that effect was produced. It appeared
the origin of the affair was a row about a fishing
seine, and the prisoner used a glass bottle pretty
freely about the head of Williams. He was bound
over in sureties of £lOO himself, and two others of £5O
each, to appear at the next Sessions. Mr. Edwards,
baker and proviaon merchant, and Mr. A. Whittle,
postmaster, gave the required bail. Mr. Weston
watched the case for the defendant.