The Dorset County Express and Agricultural Gazette.
Dorchester, Dorset, England, 1860-06-19 00:00:00

BLANDFORD.

CONT2STED CHURCH RATES.

The running about in our streets of respectable
and excited couples, the game of hide-and-seek
played by the wary and active in our nooks and
corners, and the winning diplomacy expressed in
the countenances of our religious forerunners, some-
what prepared us to expect a more than ordinary
large gathering at the vestry called for on Thursday
last, to grant a church-rate. Our expectation was
more than realized, as the Townhall was literally
crammed on the occasion; and when the Rev. W.
Harte took the chair we should suppose there must
have been present inure than 200 ratepayers. After
the(lu.litMAN hail read the noticecalling the meeting,
and briefly referred to the objects fir which it had lUMIII-
- Mr. C. liEsvii.tx handed in a written protest
against the present proceedings on the ground of pre-
vious illegal notices. Mr. JOHNS, one of the church-
wardens, then produced an account of disbursements
On a former rate. The charge, over XI for washing
the surplice was unsparingly investigated, and though
but a washing.tub•matter, the" wringing out" proved
iltstructive of a Bishop's dignity, and demonstrated
a before unknown potency in soap-and-water. Mr.
Ilisitor, the clergyman's right-hand man, who had
had charge of the linen, disputed the correctness of
the sum, but was reminded by one of the church-
wardens that the washing bill included other articles,
and the surplice topic was brought to a close by the
Cluurnian admitting that there hail been a mistake,
and a gentleman funnily remarking that cleanliness
was next to godliness. The excused list of the poor
was next objected to MI the ground that it had not
been sanctioned by a vestry, and therefore the
churchwardens could not legally take credit for it
in their account. Here professional law
and lay law 011110 into violent contact.
The professional churchwarden seeking to
justify the course he and his colleague had adopted
relative to the excused list on the ground of the
unusual circumstances under which the former rate
had been collected; and the opponents to the
rate pleading non-justilication on legal grounds.
The noisy desire manifested by a few stamper' and
bawler" in the background to bring a most impor-
tant inquiry to a premature conclusion obliged Mr.
M. Armen to propose that the amount represented
by the excused list should he reduced. The motion
was put to the meeting and lust, and thus a matter
which has at previous vcstry meetings been unani•
snowily considered of the greatest importance, was
oat aside by, we trust, a were temporary obliquity
of public discernment. Other ibmis in the account
having been questioned and remarked on, Mr. E.
Seim rum missed, and Mr. Bassi:Tr seconded the pas-
sing of the accounts, which brought this part of the
proceedings to a close. Mr. JOHNS now ',rough be-
fore the meeting an estimate of the expenses to be
incurred during the current year, and asked for a
rate of 4•1, in the pound. The items were as
follow

E 0. d.
For keeping church clock repaired 9 0 0
For keeping churchyard in order lO 0 0
For cleaning church
. . .

For ringing -bells
Fire Insurance
Washing surplice 2 10 0
:incremental wine
Visitation fee and confirming the rate 10 0 0
Steil .... ery
Painting outside of church
Itepairs to walls and roof 5 0 0
lie-glazing windows and leading the
anus

Each item in the estimate was separately discussed,
and after the clock had been taken "to pieces" by
Mr. M. FISHIIII, and charged with striking before
and after time, and occasionally not at all.
Mr. Wrarr brought the town regulator into debt
for .f 11. This matter was disposed ef by the church-
wardens pleading not indebted, under a resolution
plumped at a previous church-rate meeting refusing to
allow the expense of winding up. The item for keep-
ing the churchyard in order was objected to, and
withdrawn, as the expense is provided for under the
Burial Act. Washing the surplice and other charges
similar to those in amount just passed, were slightly
"re-touched," and though the estimate hail been cau-
tiously prepared, and rejoiced in a legal birthright, it
" passed" through a trying ordeal. Ar. I,Lowee
proposed, and Mr. W. Sit ITN seconded, that a rate of
11, in the pound be granted, being one Id. less than
the rate first asked for by the churchwardens, on
account of the withdrawment of the item of £lO for
keeping the churchyard in order. Mr. N. hum,

on rising to proirms an amendment, repudiated all
hostility to the Church of England, forcibly demon-
strated the success of the voluntary principle in re-
lation to church extension, and after taunting the
members of the church present with having nothing
to say for the rate, read the following amendment :
" That the vestry requests the churchwardens to
apply to the parishoners for subscriptions to meet
the erperlSed of the year, and adjourn for two months
to enable them to do so." The amendment was
seconded by Mr. C. HENVILIAL 'The Hey. B. GRAY
rose, and after stating that he had not taken any
part in the previous proceedings because he thought
such matters had better be left to those who usually
conducted them, lucidly pointed out to the meeting
how far each individual present was responsible for
the legal imposition of the rate, reminding them that
there was no law to enforce the rate, until they made
the law by a majority of the meeting, and effectively
showing how the odium of future consequences
would fall on those who vote-I for the rate.
The CHAIRMAN rose and refused to put the
amendment, stating that lie was advised such a
course would be illegal, and proceeded to justify the
principle of the rate by showing how property was
charged in being sold or let with the rate, and how
if the rate were abolished the amount now paid as a
church-rate would not lessen rent but pass into the
pockets of the holders of property. lie then referred
to an examination on church-rates that bad Laren
place before a committee of the House of Lords, and
charged dissenters with having a desire to slip in
the thin and of the wedge with the ulterior object of
separating the Church from the State. The
resolution 'ass then put and carried. The
CHAIRII•N having refused to put the amend-
ment to the meeting, Mr. M. FISHER immediately
handed in the following protest :—" I hereby object
to any vote being taken on the motion for a rate
until my amendment and any others which may
be moved are disposed of." The excited state of
the meeting at this part of the proceedings beggars
all description; and as opinions were alone expressed
by stamping, groaning, and hissiug,it was impossible
for the orderly business of the meeting to proceed.
The noisy physical demonstration having, however,
somewhat subsided, Mr. M. FISHER proposed the
adjoununent of the meeting, which was seconded by
Mr. C. lixxviti.a. The CHAIRMAN again rose and
refused to put any amendment, stating that he was
advised to persist in his refusal. The cry of "shame"
from the one party,and the shout of " you are dune"
from the other, now mingled with out-
bulls of excited feeling, and it was not till the
tumult and confusion had somewhat calmed down
that the Cirsium AN, much excited, put and carried
the resolution of a rate at 3d. in the pound. Mr.
M. FisiiEn, immediately the show of hands hail been
declared for • rate, demanded a poll, which was
appointed to be kept open from 12 o'clock to
o cluck the same evening, and then finally to close.
The result of the poll was a majority of 47 for the
rate. The number of persons polling for the rate
was 107, and the number polling against was 71 ;
the large payers, and therefore, those entitled to the
3,5, and 6 votes each, being more numerous in
favour of the rate than against it.