The Dorset County Express and Agricultural Gazette.
Dorchester, Dorset, England, 1863-10-27 00:00:00

SOMERSET MICHAELLIAS SESSIONS.

Thesessesions were held on Tuesday last at Wells,
113ir W. Mile*, Bart, M.P., presiding.
The other magistrates present were General Coles,
W. Pinney, Esq., M.P., Sir H. A. Hoare, Sir A.
H. Elton, Lord Cork, Earl Cavan, W. H. G.
Langton, Esq., M. P., Rev. T. R. Joliffe, Colonel
Glossop, Sir W. G. Hayter. W. H. P. G. Langton,
EN., M.P., Colonel Luttrell; Rev. H. Bennett;
H. King, R. K. H. King, J. Wood, T. P.
Broadmead, R. T. Combe, K G. Broderip, R. Allen,
F. W. Newton, F. H. Dicksoson, V. Stuckey, IL
N. Grenville, W. F. Knatchthill, J. C. Somerville,
E. H. Dickinson, J. March, C. A. Moody, A. G.
Lethbridge, R. Clerk, H. F. Emery, Sheppard,
E A Freeman, E. B Napier, K. Murchison., H.
Ernst, It. A. Kinglake, G. Warry, P. P. Bouverie,
T. T. Knyftoo, W. S. Wait, J. Wollen, W. B.
Bytheesa, and H. Rocket., Esqrs.
The following gentlemen were tined £lO each for
non-attendance : Messrs. W. H. Groan, W. Gee,
J. nodding, D. B. Joyce, W. J. Langley, and J.
Hill. Mr. Hill and two other gentlemen attended,
and having explained the cause of their absence,
their fines were remitted.

CHANCE TO Tin 011. AND JURY.

Tbe CHAIRMAN, is charging the Grand Jury,
after remarking upon the state of the calendar, pro-
ceeded to comeisint on various Acts relative to
the county business which had been pawed daring
etiti last son. The tint Act he called attention
tto was for the proper regulation of bakehouses,
'which limited the boors of labour of times employed
in theta. Amongst other domes it was enacted
that persons under 18 should not be allowed to work
longer than from five till nine. Penalties of £2, £5,
and £lO, being enforced for the infringement of it.
There were, besides, clauses compelling ventilation
and oleanliosek end also enacting that no sleeping
apartments should be on the same floor as the bake-
house. A law had also been passed, enacting that
no innkeeper should be responsible for the goods of
ra guest, ',MA might be lost or stolen, to • greater
amount thin £llO, except where snob goods should
have beer last or stolen through the wilful act of the
*innkeeper or his marmots; but each innkeepers must
keep printed copies of the Act in the halls of their
inns, or they cannot partake of its benefits. Another
AM pawed was for the further secants of the person
-against vote of personal violence. The Legislature,
by that Act, had authorised the committing ;nage-
trates, that upon conviction of highway robbery, or
attempted highway robbery, with violeooe, to men.
tome the offender to be once, twice, or thrice
publicly whipped. In the Highway Act the Legis-
lators bad, by that curious way which he
regretted
to my it sometimes acted, passed • short Bin
to
remedy some little lades in the law, instead of
amending the Act itself, to remedy the doubts exist-
ing as to the powers of Highway Boards, ooutribrit-
ing to the repairs of roads in turnpike districts.
This, he believed. had been brought about by a aim
sit Wincanton. He also glanced at the Act passed
'to enable the magistrates to appoint Roman Catholic
'chaplains to gaols, but expressed his opinion that it was
intended to refer only to where large numbers of
Roman Catholics were confined. Another Act the Hen.
-Chairman referred to was relative to the removal of
poor persona from England to Ireland, and also to
the alteration of the law in reference to the misap-
propriation of property of masters by servants.
:Formerly, servants taking corn or food for the pur-
pose of giving it to their master's hone* contrary to
his orders, was by law a felony; but by the present
amendment it was not a felony, but the offending
•servant might be fined or imprisoned without hard
labour by a magistrate for simple larceny. Another
Act palmed WM to prohibit the sale or use of
Poisoned grain, and the was especially deserving the
notice of farmers, as in future if arsenic was used as
• preparation before sowing wheat, as was often
dose, the party would be subject to • penalty. The
Lamed chairman Pen alluded to the amended Act
"dative to drunkenness, and afterwards dismissed
she gram' jury to their duties.

ItNAIICS.

Earl Coax reported that there was a balance im hand
of £73 4s. 7d. There were bills to the amount of
£2368 6e. 14., which tte °Gamines resinmended
should be paid. The report referred to • bill ot £l6,
sent in by the surveyor of the county, for 'sties
rendered in connection with the barracks for the First
Somerset Militia at Taunton. The committee thought
this came within tbe term. of the appointment of the
surveyor, who was to take charge of all the county
buildings. After some dimension it was finally decided
that the surveyorabooldonly be paid for services rendered
before the building became the property of the county.
A county rate of a half-penny in the pound was
allowed.
LCIIILTIO ASYLUM.

Diconwsox said he had no special report to make.
be plicate were now in a healthy state, and the
asylum was conductexl to tbe satisfaction of the Lunacy
4r.ommlalioners.
TOLICIL

The CRATRYAN stated that in compliance with the
request of the chief constable, he bad inspeetvel his resi-
dence at Glastonbury, in company with Mr. Knatchbull
and Mr. King, sad they found a quantity of sewage
bad percolated nder the foundation, and the resell
would be a great injury to the health of the chief
constable's family if a thorough change was not effected.
The chief omstable was at present Bring from (Nestor,
which was very inconvenient to him. The
.sommittsc recommended building anothet bones in a
.more mutable site in the garden, at a cost including old
material. of ZOO. A long di...anion ensued, and it
was belly agreed that the committee should aaeertain
if Mere was a desimble site on the premises of the
county; if not, to ascertain if a house could not be
rented in Glastonbary.
From the report of the chief constable we extract
the following :—On referring to the financial statement
It will be observed that the ordinary expense for the
year amounted to £19,861 7s. 108., but MUT deducting
the Government grant of £4.166 4s, 4d., together with
the sum of £662 15s. repaid by the town of Weston-
super-Mare and the boroughs amalgamated with the
county, the cent will then be reamed to £15.012 Bs. 68.
On examining the criminal returns, it will be seen that
there were 375 indictable offences committed, 366
persons apprehended, 290 committed for trial, and 66
discharged. There were also 4.8.17 eases determined
summarily by the justices. and 3,684 persons convicted.
On comparing these returns with (hoes furnished for the
corresponding period last year, I find there is a decrease
of 25 in the Indictable offences, and an Menem of 39 in
the offences determined summarily.
The Cs arestrall remarked that the Court was not at
mama in a condition to make a new eramement for a
meaty rate, bulbs might NUM that the working of the
woe Asseennent Act was most satisfactory in this
county. The excise in the poor-rates over the old one,
.consequent on the new Act, was £240,129 in tan unions
from which he bad received replies, vii.. Bedminster,
£19,569 ; Chard, £19,572: Dulverton, £8.897 Frame.
£7,118; Keynabam, Z 8,366 • Taanton, 629,117?
canton,Win-
£2lo4B; Weston, £12,315; Bridgwater,
.Z 48,001 and Axbridge, £511.13&
COONTT GAOLS.

Mr. lizerron brought up the report of the visiting
justices of Taunton gaoL The justices had agreed to
continue keeping the Middlesex prisoners until
December next. The contract would produce • large
return to the county, and it was prorated to give
gratuities to the following officers :—ESO to Mr. Oakley,
E. 35 to the surgeon. 1125 to the chaplain, £5 to the
matron, and sums to warders and others, which would
make a total of £2OO. The report also stated that the
Roman Catholic priest had applied to be appointed AS
chaplain to the gaol, grounding his application chiefly
upon the fact that in Ireland Protestant chaplains were
appointed to pols where only • few Protestants were
confined. The visiting justices appended to the report
the statement that the number of Roman Catholic
prisoners in gaol wan very small. In 1860 there were
18; in 1861. 15; in 1862, 18; in 1883,34; this large
Increase being occasioned by the Middlesex prisoners.
The number of Roman Catholics in the gaol at one time
would not be more than three or four, and these were
ehiedy Irish vagrants or deserter..—The report was
adopted, and Yeses. B A. Sanford, H. G. Moysey,
and C. Smith, were appointed visiting justices.
The report. from Shorten Mallet gaol WOTO satirdae-
tory. The chaplain reported that there were many
hopeful prisoners discharged. The number of those
who could not my the Lord's Prayer warn increasing,
which he attributed to dissent and the optional teaching
of religion in schools. There had been two Roman
Catholics in the gaol, who had preferred the ministra-
tion of the Church of Esigland.-81r Arthur Elton gore
notice that at the next sessions he should move the
appointment of a Roman Catholic chaplain. —Mr. J.
Wood : I beg to say I shall take the opportunity of
resisting it.

_RIONVIAT&

Several tithing, in tl;erstirie—h-ni Wallow were ordered
to be included in the h' way district which embraced
the parish of Wellow. The tithing d Woodbcwough
was ordered to be included in the Clarion district.

NILITI,

COlOO4 PI M NIT prem----13-1;d-iir7plan of Mr. Phippe,for
a hospital sad stores at Bath, for approval, but Mated
although the committee had chows it be eoucidered it
isae not so good oath. plaa of Mr. Dacia. After • very
loos disc-Dation the pious were referred hook to the
committee for re-cousideratiou by • majority oil—lS
voting easiest the Mugmal