The Dorset County Express and Agricultural Gazette.
Dorchester, Dorset, England, 1879-08-26 00:00:00

THE
.EDDYSTO?.(E LIGHTHOUSE.

-
The second atte. tpt to lay the founclatio
the new Eddystone Lighthouse was made on Tuesday
by the Ihske of Edinburgh, Master of the Trinity
estristration, ald although the heavy dowuptur
robbed the "erasion if its testis e character, the was es
proved friendly, and the ceremony wax liuccodully
performed. The Prince of Wales wax again present,
and, in company with his brother, subsequently suitelt
the existing lighthouse. The new structure is
estimated to cost 1.78,000.

THE LIBERAL GATHERING
At Chester on Tuesday night passed oN with great
enthusiasm. Mr. Gladstone, who spoke at some length,
said he had never known any election at which the issues
submitted were so grays as those they would shortly
have to consider. Referring to his own candidature for
Midlothian. which he amid was • stronghold of the foe, the
es-Premier read from • document Issued by him to the
electors—the profession of his politial faith, and
expressed his determination to act firmly up to it when
the opportunity presented itself. Speaking of the
approaching dissolution of Parliament, the exact period
of which they did not now know, but knew it welcoming,
he said that lithe Liberal party thought they ought to
have an early dissolution he had not the slightest
doubt they could make one. Let them not suppers
by any violent proceedings; it would be simply
by sending their men Into the field in the different
constituencies Alluding to Cyprus he said, though
it was • little island, it was • great imposture. It had
been used as • kind of ready.money—as something which
the people of England should swept as an earnest of the
blessings in store for them. It had been from the Liberals
that all the great measures had sprung which led to an
unbroken period of prosperity down to li; but the crisis
had since come, and matters had been prolonged and
aggravated by the financial extravagance of the present
Government and by the want of °mildew* they had
infused into our relations with different nations. Let the
I people be true to themselves, however, and he had no fear
as to the result. Mr. Dodson, M.P., was among the other
speakers ; and the Hon. B. Lawiey was adopted as the
second Liberalcandidate for the borough.

BANK DIRECTORS SUMMONED.
The first definite step toward the prosecution of the
directors of the late West of England and South Wales
District Bank was taken on Tuesday, when the Bristol
magistrates, on the application of • solicitor representing
the Treasury, granted summrases against eight of the
directors, including one gentleman who had retired from
the Board a Cie of years before the bank stopped. The
offences all are conspiracy and misdemeanour in
f balance sheets relating to the affairs of
Mbibierititiring the six yeart ending twelve months prior
to the failure. The investigation will commence at the
Guildhall this day week. Sympathy is felt in many
quarters for the directors, ell of whom are gentlemen
well known and highly respected in this city and neigh-
bourhood. Mr. Jerom Murch, the chainnau of the
board of directors, ha. long enjoyed the confidence of the
citizens of Bath, as evidenced by the fact of his having
been thrice elected to the honourable position of chief
magistrate. Mr. George Hare Leonard is a member of a
well-known and honoured family of this city, a large
colliery proprietor, and • local magistrate; and by •
singular
.concidence he was on Monday discharging his
magisterial duty in an adjoining court to that in which
application was being made for summonses against him
an his Imo co-director Mr. Leonard retired in 1877, and
sold the raves which he held in the concern. Mr.
Alexander Alien is a gentleman living at Tyndall's
park, Clifton, who appears to have suffered more than
any other Penton hY the ttoPoate of the bank, for at the
time of its suspension a larger number of shares were held
by him than by any other individual, as many as OW
being registered in his mane. The Rev. Hereford Brooks
George Is resident in Oxford, and • member of the
Council of the Bristol University College; Br, Clement
Lucas was the manager of the branch bank at Cardiff;
and Mr. J. H. Selwyn Payne, who formerly held a posi-
tion in the holthi baring bought • large number of shares,
was sleeted on the board of directors. Mr. (filbert has
long been knows as the aspenl manager of the bank,
haying sumeeded the late Mr. Rates. He retired in the
early part of last year, and was then elected to a seat
upon the board.

ROYAL CIYII4II2SION ON AGRICULTURE
But foe the character of the Ministry in charge of the
subject, it would be strange that no single representative
of the agricultural labourer, who is so deeply interested in
this enquiry, finds • place on the Commiasion, nor have
the G worriment shown that candour, in respect to its
attitude in this respect, which might reasonably have
been expected of them, Wing the possible future effects
upon the sinews of the country of the eventual rsoommen-
dation' of the Commission, and the Ittislation which may
be based thereon. When first a4ed to appoint a
repreesntative of the labourer class, the reply ot the
Chancellor of the Rxche,quer woe to the effect that the
Government were considering the subject; next he said
it had been found impracticable to appoint a labourer;
and lastly they appear to have arrived at the convenient
conclusion that if there were to be found a labourer
enjoying the middens.* of hla fellows, his appMntinant
could not well be made. According to W. Bank*
• Lincolnshire agriculturiet, who is the general
secretary of the Amalgamated Labour League, not onii
have the Government, so far as can be ucertain
omitted to make • single enquiry on the subject amongst
the la. purer% but the league offered to pay the ell
expenses of one of their representative* on the Commis-
sion, and proffered • list of over 20 names to select from
as men enjoying the confidence of their fellows. Yet
Sir Stafford Northoole, replying to questions in the Roues
of Commons, sok. ea though Um Ministry had compassed
sea and land to catch so mesh as a representative agricul-
tural labourer. and had
.1

.-BaITi;FM-Wp;ii. for tiemsolvse If the Ministry were
so afraid of the labourer in his owe proper person sitting
on the Gommisiion, thereneed not have been experienced
the slightest difficulty in making a selection from some
half -a-dozen names from thiwe moving in • twitter sphere
—among whom our neighbour. Mr. Atiberon Herbert, may
be regarded as a type—who would hare commanded the
entire confidence of the agricultural labourer claw e .cuit
show is apparently to be made by subcumniimions„
said by some to number more than • dozen, who are to
visit the four quarters of the British Ides, and to go
on the Continent and even to Americo, sea proof of the
determint.ion of the Boawas4ad Government to mak*
the enqu searching and thorough. A Commission,
however, which in its ineeetion is unsatisfactory is not
likely to improve upon more intimate acquaintance.
The rewt of the Commimion, after all, It must be
remembwed, will practically be the product of but two
or three minds. of whom the lord president of the
council, as chairman of the Commisaion, is likely to be
not the least influential, his views no doubt being duly
seasoned by the prejudices of the Land question of his
brother peers. Whether it is possible for the Commis-
sion to suggests single proposal calculated to interfere
with exis "vested intends" in the sacred rights of
property—which is the very kernel, the pith and marrow
of thepresent agriculturallCWww--umming the'report to
appear during the decode of years upon which we are
about to enter, and before mak a curiosity.. • former is
unknown in England, remains to be mesui.--Herits
I