The Dorset County Express and Agricultural Gazette.
Dorchester, Dorset, England, 1864-03-29 00:00:00

seess.an organization through which we cm make
our T.. 100 to lie heard. It is true we have hail
several of such questions to deal wits since the for-
mation of our coml. But if it be sail that ne
have too much upon no bands at once, our reply 4,
we think we win get throuxh it, and plea-
your to to so. Acd if it ghoul,' appear that farmers
are mitt:ring from an scromulation of woes, all wo
can nay i. that whatever the socuinulats
may be, it is not the fault of farmers' clubs,
but rather from the want of them, and specially
because equal messures of justice have not
been dealt out to them many years ago.
Then, gentlemen, I have to congratulate you on the
proeprity
of
t o nh
this w club.
eh We have
han:o% and
notanyi
eistrtliLise
fund,club
respect we can afford to be poor. But we have
what is fir more valuable (and what kat been
peculiarly manifest throughout the seasion that is
now closing) good brotherly accord, and we can
show good healthy growth in the increase of the
number of or members. And there is one other
point to which I am sure you have DeVtr been
ildifferent—l mean our growth in public estimation.
You cannot fail to have noticed many symptom of
this, and I mention it as a source of encouragement
in our future course—it may be, not unfairly taken
as • testimony to our usefulnees and proprietry of
pieeeerling. I trust we shall won see the day when
the disabilities of which we now complain re-
moved. Meanwhile, as no Government likes to
yield to clamour, let us, by a temperate and modest
advocacy of our rights, eudesvour to disarm oppnsi-
tion, and prove ourselves deserving of the benefits
we ask. (Applause)
The CHAIRMAN, in inviting discussion on his
lecture, said be saw a new member present, who
was a county magistrate, and he should like to hear
what his opinions on the subject were.
Mr. R. ti. ELIOT said, as he had been called on
by the Chairman to state what his views were, he
would take the liberty of saying a few words on the
subject. He must say he was struck with the clear-
ness with which Mr. Wood had brought his subject
forward. As far as he (Mr. Eliot) was individually
concerned, he could not say that he had given the
matter any great consideration ; but it seemed to
him, upon first sight and first consideration, that the
arguments which the Chairman had brought forward,
and the moaner in which he had done so, were
exceedingly fair and reasonable. It seemed to
him a great anomaly in the working of
the county finances, that those persons who
paid the rates shoutil not have any To to in
their expenditure. thought the allusion made
by the Chairman to the Highway Bard ROA a very
striking one. It worked in a very satisfactorily and
easy manner, and he saw no reason why a similar
plan should not be adopted with regard to the
county finance. In conclusion, he again expressed
, the satisfaction he felt at the cd-arness and fairness
of the Chairman's reasoning and arguments.
, Mr. ANDRIMII said, supposing they should be sble
' to form a County Finance Board uron the Name
, 'principle as the present Highway Boards were
formed, there was one thing which, in his opinion,
they must take great care about, and that was that
the officer who in the Finance Board should Ammer
to the duties of the surveyor in the Highway
Board should not take too much upon himself. In
the Dorchester di% ision the distance the surveyor had
to go was from 30 to 35 miles—from one end of the
' district to the other —so that it was impossible that
be could do his work. He hoped the Finance Board
, would not put so much work upon their officer,
otherwise it would never be carried out.
The VICINCHAIRMAN remarked that he perfectly
agreed with Mr. Eliot, and soil that the very plain
and straightforward manner in which their worthy
[chairman had brought the subject forward, left but
little to say on their parts in reply. As a yeoman in
, this county for many years, and perhaps not the
keg ratepayer in the room, be said that the longer
1, he lived the poorer he got, and had to pay more
money; for things had gone on for the last 20 years
worse and worse, year by year, and day by day. lie
thought that as ratepai-ers, MI common with every
treat yeoman of England, that they should never
have justice done them until they had the same
opportunity of having
.a voice in the expenditure of
the connty as the maguitracy. Some purees had two
strings, but until the yeomen had hold of one string.
and the magistrates the other, as a body he did not
believe they should have it in their power to de
justice to the ratepayers generally. But magistrates
could now come down upon them for wheat at
iS 10a a load, and increase their expenditure, build
immense lunatic asylums for future generations, net
paying the money themselves. If they were only
honest enough to pay the money, it would be •
different sort of thing, but they called upon them to
do tie for generations yet to come. He did not think
there would be justice done to ratepayers if they had
not a tingle voice in the county impend Aura He could
only say that every word the chairman had brought
forward in his lecture he agreed with, and had only
to say that he hoped they would feel with him that
they were mach obliged to Mr. Wood for his lecture,
and would cordially vote him a vote of thanks. In
continuation of the subject of the county finance,
Mr. Harding said that at Piddletown the rate"
formerly were on an average of /.700 a-year,
but now they were £lO4O, and this he attri-
buted to the oust for keeping up police rates,
highway rates, and building lunatic asylums for
future generations. The rates at Dewlish had also
increased in the same proportion.
Mr. G. HOMRR thought that in the formation
of County Finance Boards, the members @tumid
not be taken from Boards of Guardians, or from '
Highway bawds, but should be elected for the
special purpose by the ratepayers in each highway
district, the Chairman of each Board of Guardians
acting as returning officer.
Mr. Daman said be rose with much plasm" to
second the vote of thanks to their Chairmen for
the remarkable clear way in which he had brought
his subject before them. He could not help thinking
that the matter was of to much importance that
some active steps should be taken at this or some
other meeting of the club to memorialise the
county members to move in the question, which
would grow like many others which had justice on its
aide, and there was no argument that could be
brought against it. It was safe to grow, and all
cleanse of the community would soon see the necessity
of moving in the matter. He knew it was said by
the magistrate' that they were indirectly the rate-
payers of the couuty, but be contended that so long
as they let out their farms, and the yeomen farmed
them, the latter were the ratepayers, and therefore,
in the matter of taxation, the magistrates had DO
right to say that they were the ratepayers. Mr.
lianen concluded by seconding the vote of thanks to
Mr. Wood.
The,,Cuarewas in reply, said he had to acknow-
ledge with gratitude the vote of thanks which the
club had been kind enough to give him on this
00:MMOO, but in doing so remarked that there did not
seem to have been mach said against what he bad
advanced. His friend and nephew (Mr. G. Homer)
had attempted to pith a small hole, but he (the
Chairman) did not think it was moth of an cam,
and that be could not find any Ludt which wee not
likely to be obviated, if they could only get their
plan carried out. When he (the chairman) spoke
about getting the members for the Finance Board
from the Highway Board,he suggested ealy the class
of men they should take. In alluding to a remark
which Mr. Homer gave exprethiroi to,the Chairman
said that hard-hearted and soft-hearted men were to
be found both in Boards of Guardians and Highway
Boards; but be hoped that is them they would find
men whom minds were preveded with justice and
qualifications for such tautness as they bad to under.
take. He believed a Finance Board would he a
great help to the magistracy, and that they would
often wish to refer to them as men of business. In
the imestrootion of the Highway Board he had seen
that done with advantage. He had now only to
ekes the meeting„ thanking them for their kind
attention, and kir the order they bed pre-
served, not only at this meeting, but through-
out the samion. Be hoped their lives might be
to see the opening of mother am, sad
Erea
that they should eater upon it with increased
seal and good humour. He supposed that any thin
which would promote their views with referee°, to
the formation of Financial Boards, meat be left
until another year, as they were too late to take any
proceedings, and that they must endure their
grievances a little longer. From the diseathea this
night, something would go forth to the public; the
subject would be ventilated further, and light would
be thrown upon the matter, and, perchance, there
might he light thrown upon those minds who were
yet in the dark, but who were infinental members of
the community.

DO RC H EST —Prrce so Cons Mw,
flatarday, March 26.—Tbare was a liberal supply of
all kinds of grain—prioss unaltered from tbe pre
-
Timis weeks. Ballow mom doing in sesda
Wormy Perry Bassions, Bblrebell, ftworday.
Bd. H. Williams, Fag, (okairama) Major
lEO*mA. Captain Manning, G. T. Bullock, E. W.
Williams, H. C. flocidden, sad R. H. Swafilskl,

Fara
Unusgswgzes.—Willisin Henry Waters was ooni-
witted for 7 days imprisonment, with hard labour,
for being drunk and disorderly at Portland on the
19th inet.—The ow was proved by P.C. Cooper.
VAGILINCT. —Geary Tribbegt was charged with
sleeping under • hayriok at Wyk& ;He promised
lop to the Union if the Bee& discharged him,
which accordingly they did.
APPOLIMMIT OF OVIISIIIIM —This being the
day for the appointment of overseers, the following
persons were 1000105.4 for the andsiuwolioned
Plasm , George Walbridge and Henry
Boatswain; Atbelbeinface, George James Wood
and John Paine ; Macomb., William Oak. and
William Bind; Bradford Peverell, Peter Barrett
and Francis Fooks; Broadmayne, William Taylor
and George &wring ; Broad wey, John Gals and
Charles Repro; Bookland Rinses, John Oslo and
William Millar; Burlsssooa. GIOCIP James Wood !
sad John Hooper • Cbanninstar, Samuel Barge and
John Dyer • IV 6,4 Ohickereß, Charles Allen and
Charles Cbilfroms, Henry Harris end
George ; Compton Abbas. Joseph Pool
and Thomas Con, Compton Valsons, Joint
Chick, am, and John Chick, jun. ; Dew-
link Charles Heat and Henry Bed ; Doe-
°heater (Holy Mob') James Miles and Moses
Basing; Evarobol, Thomas itothwail 4 Joh,