The Dorset County Express and Agricultural Gazette.
Dorchester, Dorset, England, 1876-11-21 00:00:00

BEGGARS' KNAP AGAIN!

The first business was to receive the report of the
General Purposes Committee. l'revious to its being
read,
Mr. A. Pore asked the Council to afford him as a
young member some explanation with regard to an
stem he saw in the Treasurer's report. He there saw
entered among the miscellaneous charges of payments
" cash paid to the Duchy of Cornwall for fair
ground, £657 13a." Now he was under the impression
that the fair ground was purchased by a payment of
£l,OOO console but he was not aware that there was
any other payment such as that referring to it. He
asked them to afford him some explanation.
It was a mistake of the Treasurer's, the MAYOR
imagined.
It related to Beggars' Knap, Mr. Buaiirrr said.
The fair ground had been purchased long before, the
MA TOR further explained.
Then it was purchased for the purposes of the fair
ground, Mr. POPR argued, amid cries of "no, no."
as it was a mistakelof their treasurer's that
cleared the matter up.
The ?Aram then read the report of the Committee
as follows :

" Your Committee have had under their further con-
sideration the plan of the site on the northern side of
Beggars Knap proposed to be let by the Council in
building leases, and they have revised the same so as to
avoid the intersection of any tree by the boundary lines
of the respective lots. It has also been found necessary,
as the sanction of the Treasury has not been granted for
the sale of the leases in consideration of sums of money
as fines, in addition to the stated ground rents.
to increase the minimum ground rents at which
the several iota should be offered, and with that
view your Committee have made the following alterations
in the amount of the ground rents originally stated,
viz. :
"On lots 3 to 21 inclusive, from XI 10s. to al.
'On lot 2, with the portion of lot I, of which the
Treasury have sanctioned the leasing. Lt 10, the
originally proposed rents being .123 10s. on each lot. It is
not proposed to make any alterations as regards the
ground rent of .C 1 charged upon lot t 2, • portion of the
hind comprised in that lot having been removed for the
purpose of widening the road leading to the western
entrance of the new lair grounds, and the eastern
boundary line thereof having been altered to • point
nearer its western end, in order to avoid the intersection
of an adjoining tree.
"Your Committee also recommend that the mininium
outlay in buildings to he required of the leases of lot 2,
with the portion of lot 1, to be leased therewith be fixed
at £7OO in substitution for the outlay of £450 originally
intended to be required on each of such lots.
The question as to the reservation of the trees standing
on the land proposed to be leased as also been further
considered by the Committee; and they recommend that
a reservation of such trees be inserted in the proposed
building leases, but that no further portion of the land
itself be retained than may be necessary for the formation
of • foot-path along the northern side thereof. Building at
least to be fixed at least 25ft, from the trees.
"Your Counnitte, in submitting this report and the
accompanying revised plan for the lotting of the land,
recommend that instructions be at once given to the Town
Clerk to prepare the nwessary conditions, and snake
arrangements for offering the property by auction forth-
with."

The Borough Bnavrtoa in reply to a question, gave
it as his opinion that the line of buildings should be
further off than 25feet, otherwise the trees would touch
the buildings.
The matter had been fully discussed, the Marna
sail in committee, with a view to arrive at • decision,
and he thought they might now discuss it in the
Council, according the known rules of debate,
therefore he would ask if any person was willing to
make a motion n the report, and if it were seconded,
then a debate could follow in the proper way.
Mr. Gazoonv Before the adoption of the report—
The MATOR : I object to hear you, if any gentleman
present wishes to propose a resolution, let him do so.
Mr. GREI:ORT : I wish to make a few remarks on
the report.
The Maim' : You me quite at liberty to do that
after the report has been proposed and adopted. Let
us get to beeillera.
His object. Mr. GaI:GORY said, was to get to
business, but he wished to save the time of the
Council in their having hereafter to alter things they
might agree upon that day. He could only say that
before they discussed the matter he thought it would
be wise on their part to go to the spot and see the
lines marked out before they came to any decision.
As regards the line of frontage he thought it would
be better if they put it back 35ft. They would then
get UAL of garden at the back besides the court yard.
With regard to the footpath, they would see in the
narrowest part !there was scarcely room for two
persons to pass each other.
Mr. Porn than drew attention to the report of the
Committee as read, AAA declared it was not a correct
one.

Mr. H. SYMONDS : It may not be verbatim,
Mr. Pope: But it is not correct in effect.
The two gentlemen contintexl to maintain their
respective opinions for some time, Mr. Bustrrr
remarking it WAS a waste of time, and the MATOS
intimating that, an far as his own observation went, it
was a correct transcript of what took place at the
meeting of the Committee.
Mr. Port having "hammered away at the report,"
N.r. Symonds expressed it, he carried bin point, and
a few word* here ntruck out, leaving the report as
above. . .

Mr. Alderman GALFIN then proposed the adoption
of the report. He was only anxious the business
'Mould be proceeded with, and that they should make
a fair start. For his own part he thought, though
disputed by some of his friends, that if they went
down they would Nee there was sufficient space on the
north side of thetrees for the footpath. He, with others,
had been willing to give up some of his convictions—
although be still retained the same—in favour of
what sc,Me supposed would be in the interests of the
public, and therefore he trusted there would be no
attempt to make further alterstione or to introduce
further disputes. He would refer to one point in the
report; it recommended that the distanee of the
frontage .4 the houses from the trees should be 251 t. '
Now, tie thought that would be too much. It would
render the ground useless and valueless. Let them,
if possible, give as much land as they could to the
back, and then he thought they would sell their land
to advantage.
The motion was seconded by Mr. F. LOcu.
Mr. Hoi)uss remarked that he gave every credit to
Mr. Loot mid Mr. Fume for the resolution they
proPcsed awl se‘otoltsl at tke meeeting of the com-
mittee which, no doubt, they wasid.ephi sufficient for
the preservation of the trees, hut he must say he
preferred Mr. Pope's, which was that the Council
should retain the land on which the trees stood. He
wee against building altogether as before; but having
to submit to the majority he was endeavouring to
make the best ..f it.
The line of frontage further from the trees wee what
Mr. As s.F.UORT would like to see. Mr. Galpin had sail
the land would be useless so would the houses if it
were brought nearer. ale would suggest that itbe fixed
at 351 t. south of the trees, tu.e that the boundary ot
the path be 3ft. south of the trees. he plooeed an
amendment to that effect, hut it was Led by a large
majority.
Mr. Alder-num DAvis thought the reservation for
the preservation of the trees should be very stringent.
A tree in front of the South-Western cottage#was
poLowe4
Dr. Nuson Mr. Paces if he were an accessory
attar the fact? . . .

.thlerman fistem thought is en. unfair and very
unkind that such remarks should be Suede and insinua-
tions thrown out that there was a deterministic')
existent that the trees should he destroyed at all
risks. Why should this be maid? Why should it be
supponed the people who would oocupy their leases
would not keep them properly? Why should it be
insinuated they would be wicked enough to do that ?
insiourtions were 1113410 aid had been made, which
ought not to 'rive been made. It was not for anyone
to point his fingees at the owners of the leases, and say
they were worse than °them
Dr. Esilios remarked the only way of meeting the
difficulty was to sweep them down altogether, have
three feet more of the land and plant au entirely new
row. That would meet every difficulty and every
objection.
Alderman Davis imposed and Mr. GRZII°RT
80001140, that the Town t lerk be instructed to include
in the leases a condition that in case the present trees'
become decayed, the Cc.uncil should have power to
replace them with others.
On being put to the vote six voted in favour and
seven against.
[Alderman Davis should have taken a leaf out of
Mr. iSurnett's book, and have claimed, according to
the rules of the Council, that the votes of the two
gentlemen who did not vote and did not leave the
Member should be recorded in favour of the original
motion. His proposition would thus have been carried
by a majarity of one !J