The Dorset County Express and Agricultural Gazette.
Dorchester, Dorset, England, 1858-04-13 00:00:00

COUNTY NAMPO.

Kr. GORDON brought forward an objection to the
basis or standard for county rates for the extra-paro-
chial place of Leweston. By rule 110 it was incumbent
upon him to make out a priesd facie ease ere the ob-
jection could be entertained. The matter had arisen,
he said, through his own negligence and would not
have arisen had he furnished the committee with •
proper description, bat illness prevented his doing so
at the right time. In many cages the basis of the county
rate was formed from the population returns of number
of acres. The population return was 640 acres at
Leweston whsreas the real number was but 318.
(Laughter.) He had • map showing the extra-paro-
chial land, and there could be no question about the
extra-parochial land at Lillington, Longburton, and
Holnest. He was rated £BO3 • year for the 318 acres.
(Laughter.) He admitted be had a house and garden
upon the land. The basis of the county rate was £BO3
and the average was £2 10s. 64. per acre. (Laughter.)
Now, taking Over Compton, the seat of his friend Mr.
Goodden, where the land was remarkably good, while
that at Lewescon was remarkably bad, there were 788
acres set down, and the mansion would form • parallel
to Leweston. Here the basis was fixed at 508 and the
average per acre was £1 lea. 3d. (Laughter.) Enford,
which was also extra-parochial, was £1 Is. Old.; Melbury
Osmond, El 98. 44.; Frampton was only £1 Os. 74.
per acre ; Bryanston only 17s. an acre (loud laughter),
and not £2 10g. 6d. (renewed laughter) ; Long Critobell,
with an acreage of 1,869 and a basis of 1,161, was rated
at only £1 Os. 3d. per acre; More Critchell, us. 11d.
Mr. Gordon repeated that be blamed himself only.
Lord PORTMAN said that Mr. Gordon's land was taken
as veined by Mr. Easton in 1842. The Este Committee
had no means of ascertaining what land was parochial
and what was extra-parochial. Mr. Gordon did not
give any information and, of course, the pariah did not
tell the committee. In such cases the committee put
down as near as they could and left the persons to object.
As far ag j intim oould be done to Mr. Gordon he (Lord
Portman) was quite sure the committee would do all
they could. His lordship was willing to tell the history
of all the other cases enumerated, the fact being that in
every instance they took either the old assessment or the
property-tax assessment, or when the property-tax
assessment was less than the poor rate the committee
put on the poor rate valuation as their guide. In many
Instances it was found the property-tax valuation
was founded upon a corn rent, and this was less than
the poor rate valuation, no the poor rate valuation was
taken. It so happened in the ease of Bryinston that the
property-tax was founded upon • corn rent, and the
corn rent at the time the rate was made was exceedingly
low. That am the way In which some parishes were
nagenpi ate lower inne. Had the dowdy rate been
Elring iihe tete tow years instead or when the
*Alt lower the rate-would haw boss very
In one owe of a parish where the acreage
we. very lama, and the come rate MO, the properly.

tax was so oonfused that the committee had to put on a
stun they thought right, compared with surrounding
lands, so as to enable the owners and occupiers to show
cause. They did show cause, when it was found the
corn rent under which they were living gave £l,OOO a
year. The parish was accordingly so assessed; but had
it been assessed in the same way last year it would have
amounted to £1,600. He (Lord Portman) had no doubt
the time woo not far distant when the whole county
rate would have to be revised. The time WAS not yet;
but when the railways were finished, or something like
finished, would be the time. Till then it would be un-
wise to stir the county rate. A great deal of property
wax not rateable. Therefore if the whole acreage of a
parish were taken, and divided by a specified sum, it
appeared to give a very low rate, whilst a considerable
portion of the parish was not rateable.

AUXILIART CHAIRMAN.
The CHAIRMAN, regretting the absenoe of the Rev. G.
P. Cambridge, said it was desirable to ascertain who
should be the auxiliary chairman in his stead. The
Court had power to appoint a chairman and deputy-
chairman only, but it was needful to have an auxiliary
chairman in case of illness of the presiding chairman.
Paying a tribute to the eminent services of the Rey.
Mr. Cambridge, the Chairman said he had been privi-
leged to attend 107 courts of general and quarter
sessions out of 109.

The consideration of the question was postponed till
Midsummer. . .

-167-ii;iirrow said the elixir= of • second court last
wasions (260) had been disallowed by the Treasury.
Mr. Philip Dodson attended and took the oaths as
Mayor of Weymouth.
The Court rose shortly after 4 o'clock, adjourning till

WEDNESDAY.

At 10 o'clock, Wednesday morning, the Court wee
opened, and, after the usual formalities had been gone
through in the Nisi Prim; Court,
. . .
-

The Rev. H. F. YBATMAN (the Chairman) delivered
his charge to the Grand Jury. Gratified at again ad-
dressing • grand inquest of this county, he said although
he saw seven names inscribed on the calendar, he
thought it quite unnecessary to offer even • single ob-
servation thereon. Having, then, nothing particular
to allude to respecting the immediate business of the
Court, he availed himself of • privilege to advert, to
other matters of public importance. He directed at-
tention to statutes relating to Reformatory Schools.
Whilst, by an am passed in 1854, power was given to
send an offender to a Reformatory, for not less than
2 or more than 5 years. up to six weeks ago it was un-
certain to what ltdonnatery • delinquent would go,
through magistrates not knowing what schools were
drily certified. Within the last twelvemonth, indeed,
three offenders had been sentenced, at the end of • term
of imprisonment, to a Reformatory, yet were let loose,
after • brief incarceration, as no Reformatory was found
to receive them. For though the information was pub-
blished in the Lawton Gazette, magistrates in Dorset
knew not what wheels were oertified ; but in February
he (the (Jhainnan) received, in reply to an application, •
fiat from the Home Secretary of the whole 45 certified
establishments. Still it was doubtful if criminals would
be received by them. Well, in Angturt last was passed
" An Act to promote the establishment end extension of
Reforniatoryliehools in England." This measure gave the
Court power to pay towards the entire or partial creation
of such establishments for the reception of criminals ;
and, also, upon two months' notice from five justice*, the
Court maid appoint • committee to °entreat with the
managers of any Reformatory School to receive and
retain, in consideration of • periodical payment, youth-
ful offenders from the oounty or borough requiring snob
aooommodation. With such an agreement, magatratee
would know offenders would be taken in, and not be
under the necessity of asking if either or any of the 45
Schools would receive a juvenile delinquent. In Somer-
set the justices had contracted for three years only at
215 per head; and if the Dorset bench contracted, as
it was hoped would he the case, with a Reformatory
School in Devon, the pressure upon the ratepayers
would not be measureable by • county rate of the smallest
coin in the pound. A proper notice on behalf of this
county had been Signed by the Lord-Lieutenant, the
Earl of Shaftesbury; Lord Fortin= ; Kr. Calcraft,
1 M.P.; Mr. George P. Hansel • and the Rev. C. W.
Bingham ; and it was hoped the subject would be dis-
cussed at Midsummer. If it should be hence deemed
' expedient to hand over • sum for the care of eight or
ten criminals from this county, he thought no ratepayer
would murmur. The Chairman ooncluded by touching
upon the first case in the calendar, and dismissed the
Grand Jury to their chamber.