The Dorset County Express and Agricultural Gazette.
Dorchester, Dorset, England, 1858-06-22 00:00:00

RITEABILITY Or GOVERNMENT PROPERTY.

Mr. GALPIN, in reference to the movement set on
foot at Portsmouth, relative to the non-rateability of
Government property, said he thought all property
should be rated alike, and begged the Council to affirmn
the proposition—" That in the opinion of this Council,
it is desirable to assist any measure, having for its ob-
ject the rating of Government property, in the same
proportion as private property."

Mr. BISHOP seconded the Motion. There seemed no
reason whatever why any property which was a source
of profit, whether public or private, should be exempt
from ordinary taxation and local rates. Government
might take up, hereafter, a Considerable portion of a
locality, and if that property were freed from local
rates, it must deteriorate adjacent property to that
extent, whilst a large burdeh would be thrown upon
the surrounding locality. It was • simple act of justice
that property acquired, or to be acquired by, Govern-
ment, should be rated to the district rates. The bar-
racks in this town was a source of profit to aovern.
ment, to some extent, and the residents of the neigh-
bourhood had to repair the roads leading thither, while
the barracks was not rated.

The motion was adopted, and an order was made for a
oopy of the resolution to be sent to the authorities at
Portsmouth.

WOLLABITE FIELD.

The TOWN CLINK read • report from the Corporate
Property Committee as to the disposal of Wollaston
Field, for building purposes The document stated that
the committee had procured the assistance of Mr. Hall,
in accordance with the plan submitted to the Council on
the 17th ult. Mr. Hall had laid out the lots at an
expense of seven guineas, and he had likewise made
specifications and elevations for houses under several
lots on the estate at • further expense of £6.
Mr. GALPIN moved that tie report be adopted and
referred to • committee of ths whole Council, to adopt
such method as they may think expedient for erecting
house,' in Wollaston Field, sad to expend such 1111111, of
money as may be necessary.
Mr. ENRON seconded, the proposition, and it passed
after a brief oonveraation, us the course of which the
Avon said he hoped the colimittee would Busse the
oeautiful elm tree in the middle of the field unless it
was absolutely necessary to out it down.
_ . ' "

Mr. DEVENISH remarked tut, building wholly upon
the estate would exclude all possibility of the town ever
having • fair•ground at Wolluton.

VISIT OF THB BATH AND WEST OF ENGLAND WHITT.
ENBOR regretted the absence of Mr. Andrew',
the honotary secretary of the Dorehoster Agricultural
Society, who had a letter reed at • recent committee
meeting of that society, intimating that the Beth and
Welt of England Agricultural Society intended lmolding
their anniversary at Dorchester, in 1560, He thought a
meeting of a committee of the Connell should be at once
held, to mealy' Mr. Andrews' gommunioation.
Ths Maros said that a private letter had been ad.
dressed to him, from Mr. Harry Fookos, enclosing slitter
which stated, that • member of the committee of the
Bath and West of Englind Agricultural Society lied
mild the committee wore telktrig about coming to Dor.
(Metter in 1800.
. . .

...—. .....--.
Whilst the Immediate imptetanoe a the question was
acknowledged, it was tacitly grood to t bit till the next
meeting of the Doroliester Agrioultursl &misty's oom•
mitt., on July lit, when something more oertain might
transpire, which would probably be brought before the
Council by Mr. Andrews.
The question of binding the vole. of The Patents'
Journal wee postponed till the next meeting of the
Counoll. This oonoluded the business of the Council.

LOCAL BOARD OF HEALTH.

The MAToft, who had silently listened to the sourer-
'salon of the police and the functionary on his left, re-
quested that, as Chief Magistrate, he might be allowed
to ask what the business was which the officers were
diseusaing, Superintendent Pouncy having satisfied his
Worship as to some of the particulars of the case, the
Mayor remarked that, if the matter required it, the
woman might, if those present thought fit, be brought
up now, or she might be taken care of and come before
the Bench at the close of the Board of Health meeting.
?early all tile Members of the Board present were ma-
gistrates, who, whilst considerably aintesed and gratified
at the successful coup detat of his Worship, agreed to
hear the case at the close of the Board business.
A conversation arose as to discharging the Gm Com-
pany's demand of PlO4 19s. 6d, for the supply of gas to
the public lamps, for the half-year ending December 31,
1857. It was ultimately agreed to stand by the deduc-
tion of 10s., proposed by the Pinanoe Committee
sometime ago on account of lamps not being lighted;
and an order for payment of £lOl 9s. 6d. was accord-
ingly made.

THR WATER QUESTION.

The ToWts CLff tos read the following communication
from the Engineer to the Hoard, which came to hand on
Saturday :
County Surveyor's Office,
Weston-Super-Edve, Somerset,
June 17th, 1868.
Dear Sir,—The weekly reports and samples of chalk for-
warded to me by the resident clerk of works have given me
complete Information as to the position of this work, and I
verified it by personal inspection on Tuesday last. There can
be no doubt, from the presence of flints, that the bore hce not
vet reached the bottom of the "upper chalk," and that water,
in quantity, can not be obtained fill that formation has been
pierced. The observations made during thti work show that
the quantity of water has increased, and assumed • higher
level Wee the boring was commenced; and this fact, together
with the information I get from good geological observers,
tends to strengthen the grounds on which I recommended
the Council to seek for an additional supply of water by boring.
I think it is only a question of time and expense. With
reference to expense, I may state that under the limited
powers of the Publlo Health Act, no practicable mode for
supplying Dorchester with Water was within our reach but
that which has been adopted. Whitfield Spring, no doubt,
offers the most ready source of obtaining water, but this
could only have been used under a private Act of Parliament
and by paying compensation to the several mill-owners who
claim a beneficial interest in the water. The difficulties of
dealing with Whitfield Spring were fully discussed by members
of the Council, who on two occasions personally inspected the
locality with me.
Under these circumstances the well was sunk on the site of
the reservoir, and, certainly, no less expensive source of supply
could have been obtained, and it will require a very large
outlay on the well to equal the cost which any other work for
water supply would have involved. The amount paid for
boring has been £55 10a., and the bore had on Tuesday reached
a depth of 151 feet. This amount does not include the hire of
the boring tackle, and I ooreider it to be unusually moderate.
I recommend the Council to continue the boring.
In wordanoe with the resolution of the Council, passed
24th March IW, I have not called on the oontractor to proceed
with the building of the engine and boiler house but as, at
the present distance from the bottom of the well, the operation
of boring is sanded on at • great disadvantage, I am con-
sidering a plan for fixing the engines and pumps, whereby the
well may be kept dry, and the boringetage shifted down to
the level of the -headings, and I will shortly forward this plan
to you.
I remain, yours truly,
ARTHUR WHITEHEAD.
To G. Elpioros, Esq.,
Town Clerk, Dorchester.

The MATOft asked the Clerk of Works, Mr. Rut-
ledge, if it would not have been possible to get water
from the vicinity of Stanton's mill, and, if needful, to
lift it by machinery to the height necessary.
Mr. RUTLEDGE replied that this might have been done.
Mr. &MR said the plan now mentioned by his Wor-
ship had not been discovered till the well was coin-
menced. . . . .

The MAYOR acquiesced, but added that it proved that
the plan named by Mr. Whitehead was not perhaps the
least expenaive plan for supplying the town with water,
after Whitfield Spring had been given up.
Mr. RUTLEDGE further stated- that six feet had been
bored since Mr. Whitehead's visit to the well, making
157 feet, or obolt 280 feet altogether. The staging was
to be lowered to the bottom of the well, which would
allow a large number of men to be employed. He
could not say how deep the "upper chalk" reached'
it might be some hundreds of feet, but the borers had
got through the flints and were in soft chalk, through
which they bored at the rate of four feet a day. The
water level was 12 inches higher in the headings than
when boring began. Mr. Whitehead intended to visit
Mr. Bristow, the geologist.
Mr. HODGES moved, and it passed—That a letter be
addressed to Mr. Whitehead, requesting him to forward
a further report mentioned in that read to•day, with the
plans he purposes to submit for the erection of the
engine, by the next monthly meeting of the Town
Council on July 5, and that in the meanwhile the boring
be continued.

A letter was read from Mr. Charles Dunn, of the
White Hart, offering to cover, at his own expense, the
open drain in front of his house, under the supervision
of the Board's officer, and the Board determined to ask
that the plan be first submitted to them.
This concluded the business of the meeting, and the
Board broke up between 12 and 1 o'clock.

BOROUGH PETTY SESSIONS, Townhell, Monday, June
21.—(Before the Mayor, William Manfleld, Esq., and
John Ensor, George Curine, M. Devenish, and J. Galpin,
Eaqrs.)—A lunatic, named Mrs. Groves, who arrived at
the South-Western Railway Station from Wool on Sun-
day wu placed before the Bench. Her daughter at-
tended and gave some requisite infortnation, after
which the poor woman was ordered to be taken to the
overseer of Fordington and thence to a county magistrate
prior to removal to Forston Lunatic Asylum.
MIDSUMMER QUARTER SESSIONS. The General
Quarter Sessions of the Peace for this county will be
held next week. On Tuesday the finance and civil
business will be transacted, and the county treasurer
elected, and on Wednesday morning the trial of prisoners
will begin. The calendar contains 22 names, 6 toeing on
bail. The names of the prisoners and their offences are
—John Bowditch, stealing two brass pans and two lead
cheese beds, value 10s., the property of William Hallet,
at Thorncombe ; Mary Ann Legg, stealing one piece of
beef, value 4e. Bd., the property of Charles Puckett, at
Dorchester; Michael Scott, breaking and entering a
building of James Harding, and stealing therein
two black frock coats, two waistcoats, one silk handker-
chief, one cravat, and one hat, the property of Robert
Soard, at Piddletown ; Samuel Duey, stealing a six-
barrel revolver pistol, the property of Samuel Sim-
monde, at Melootnbe Regis; Francis Edwards, receiving
into his possession certain money to the amount of £1
and upwards, in the name of Ann Harding, his mistress,
and feloniously embezzling the same, at Shaftesbury;
Elizabeth Barrow, stealing one silver watch and one
chain, the property of Ethelbert Hooper Elliott, at West
Parley ; Amelia Curtis, stealing two pair of trousers,
one shirt, and one waistcoat, value 78., the property of
William Symonds, at Fordington ; Giles Legg, breaking
and entering the dwelling house of George Cox, and
stealing therefrom a pair of boots and a pocket handker-
chief, his property, at Loiters; Eliza Thorne, stealing
two half-sovereigns, the property of Robert George, at
Cerne Abbas; Charles Legg, stealing one rabbit trap,
the property of John Michel, Esq., at Dewlidi ; the
same, stealing one axe, the property of John Cutler, at
Dewlish ; William Tompkins, stealing one silver egg
spoon, the property of the Rev. Edward Collins, at Ever-
shot ; the same, stealing one silver tea spoon, the pro-
perty of Esau Knell, at Evershot ; Elizabeth Tomkins,
feloniously receiving of William Tompkins, one silver
egg spoon, the property of the Rev. Edward Collins,
at Evershot ; Ann alias Fanny Tompkins, ditto; Eliza-
beth Tompkins, feloniously receiving of William Tomp-
kins one silver tea spoon, the property of Beau Knell,
at Evershot ; Ann alias Fanny Tompkins, ditto; Ednar
Stockley, stealing a sovereign, the property of Robert
Cotterill, at Corfe Castle; George Wellman, breaking
and entering the dwelling house of Joseph }Lansford,
and stealing therefrom llb. weight of bread and a pair of
eorton braces, value 6d., his property, at Sydling Saint
Nicholas ; James Latty, maliciously inflicting upon
Caroline Latty, his wife, grievous bodily harm, by
wounding her with a knife, at Melcombe Regis. On
Bail : William Hussey, stealing from the dwelling house
of Robert Spitler a pair of corduroy breeches, his pro•
pert 7, at Whitohurch Canoniaorum ; George Loveridge,
receiving into his possession the sum of 25., for, and
on account of, John Chick, his master, and feloniously
embezzling the same, at Bridport ; Edwin Grant, stealing
one crab, the property of Charles Barnes, at Langton
Matravers ; William Bridle, ditto; Benjamin Case Ler-
usinbe, receiving of Samuel Lucy one electro-plated tea-
pot, one dozen large black handled knives and forks,
ilk china chimney ornaments, one telescope, and one
tolostuo jar, well knowing the same to have been stolen,
the property of Samuel Siinmonds, at Meloombe Regis;
George Lawrence, stealing one lien turkey, value 84., the
property of Frederick Good Miles, at Fontinall Magna.

BLANDFORD FRIENDLY SOCIETY,

h.24th ennivernery of this society was cedalwated me
Friday hitt, The church bells sounded forth merry
peals from an early boar, and The day being fine at-
tracted a large number of persons from the surrounding
villages. The members met at the Assembly Rooms at
10, and, after the usual business was oompleterl, walked
ill promeston to the church, accompanied by some of the
honorary inernbers and the Blandford Coniopean Band.
The sermon wag preaehed by the Rev. W. F. Radolyffe,
rector of Rushton, who took the opportunity of offering
the members, as well as othere present, some very ex-
cellent advioe.
At the conclusion of the service, the members made
the oustunavy perambulation, again preceded by the
honorary inembent and the band, who ;doled some
beautiful marches in their usual style. They than pro.
ceeded to the Assembly Rooms where a very excellent
and substantial dinner was placed before them by Mr.
Edmund Ball, of the Three Choughs' Inn, The Hon.
and Rot. g. G. Osborne presided, and amongst the
gentlemen present we noticed J. 8. Daniell, Es+,
mayor • W. C. Finchain, Fseq, Rev. W. F. Radclyffe,
Rev. W. Kerte, Rev. Loighty, F. T. Johns, W. it
Atkinson, Esq., Williamson Daniell, 16q., N. Harding,
Esq., Mr. Edward Fisher, £c.
I On the removal of the cloth, the usual loyal and other
toasts were given and responded to.
The secretary, Mr. James Domoney, then read the
report MI follows:—
Mr. Chairman and Gentlernen,—l have much plea-
sure in calling your attention to ttie 24th annual report
of the proceedings of our society.
You will have observed from the statement hrid before
you that our receipts since the last festival, for contri-
butions, fines;and admission fees, amount to £132 4s. 9d.
The interest on the sum invested with the Commission-
ers for the reduction of the national debt is £66 7s. 186.,
and on the amount in the Blandford Savings Bank,
£4 48., making the total income of the society for the
pest year £203 16s. 7d., exclusive of the subscriptions
of honorary members, amounting to £2O 16s.
With regard to the expenditure, you will see that
£79 10s. 83. hiss been paid to members in sickness;
and I am sorry to have to record the deaths of three
members and two members' wives since the last festival.
There are now only two members on the box, but
one of them has been receiving sick pay for six years,
and the other for four, and they are, I am sure, exam-
plea of the benefits of such societies as ours.
Five members have been expelled during the last
twelve months, and we have had only two new members
join, so that our total is now reduced to 141. I believe
the cause of our getting so few recruits last year is that
the Oddfellows have established a branch here, and
that is, of oourse, attractive, especially at the outset.
I only hope the young men joining it will endeavour to
carry out its rules in the same spirit of kindness and
as the members of our society do; for through
the excellent arrangements of our chairman and stew-
ards, every sick member gets his money regularly, and
without any deduction ; and I do not believe that
during the whole time I have been clerk to the society,
any claim for sick pay has been disputed.
Our society is certainly in the most flourishing ciondi•
tion, as you will see on looking at the summary. The
amount invested with the commissioners for the reduc-
tion of the National Debt is £1,700 16e. 11d. ; in the
Blandford Savings Bank, £157 3s. 7d. ; in the clerk's '
hands, on the auxiliary amount, ES 2a. 5d.; and the
oltairman had in his hands on the lit instant, £7 76. 21.,
making a total of £1,876 10s. id.; so that, notwith-
standing our heavy payments for sickness and deaths,
amounting to £lO5 10Is. Bd., we have saved, during the
past year, over VB.
The sums paid to members in sickness since the form'
ation of our society, amount to £1,438; and for deaths
we have paid £27l—pretty good evidence, I think, of
the great advantages of friendly societies.
I will not attempt to oonupy your time longer on this
occasion ; and I will, therefore, at once tender the
warmest thanks of the society to the honourable gen-
tleman who has again been so kind as to honour us by
presiding, and to the reverend gentleman, who has not
only been kind enough to preach us such an excellent
sermon, but, without solicitation, sent us • handsome
donation. 1 most also thank the trustees and honorary
subscribers for their kind assiatemae and support, and!
am sure we owe very many thanks to our worthy
director and auditor who, year after year, takes so muoh
trouble in going through and completely auditing the
whole of the accounts; and I trust that those amongst
us who may be spared to celebrate another anniversary
may get an substantial a dinner, as excellent music, and
as good a president and pastor, and have, altogether, as
pleasant • meeting as we are favoured with to-day.
About half-past 4 o'clock the company broke up and
an adjournment was forthwith made to the beautiful
meadow immediately opposite, where dancing was kept
up with much spirit to the stirring strains of Mr Byers'
band until after 9, and in a very short time afterwards
the field WU cleared.

WINDOTIND AND FRANI/FORD RAILWAY.—We are
inrormed that great efforts will be made by the directors
of the South Midland Railway Company to complete
that part of that line extending from Wimborne to
Blandford within the time specified by Act of Parlia-
ment. The price and sale of nearly the whole of the
land necessary for this part of the line have been agreed
on ; and no further obstacles need be anticipated by the
shareholders relative to this important part of the un-
dertaking. The progress already mule with the line,
and the facilities secured for more rapid progress in
future, allow us sanguinely to hope that the long-
looked for advantages of railway communication will
shortly place Blandford on a par with the travelling and
commercial aonveniencies enjoyed by most other towns.

The bond given on behalf of Mr. Oak, of the firm of
Oak and Snow, as treasurer to the Saving. Bank, has
been fully met; and the Court of Bankruptcy have
ordered the balance due te4 the trustees to be paid out
of the amount realised by-the sale of Mr. Oak's private
estate. The Savings Bank will, therefore, receive the
whole of the sum due from the treasurer, and not BUB-
tain the slightest lows from the late bank failure.