The Dorset County Express and Agricultural Gazette.
Dorchester, Dorset, England, 1883-09-18 00:00:00

BLAND/FORD.

ESTIRTAISIIIIIT. —On Taeaday evening,
In the Girn Exchange here, Mrs. Chadwick, elocution.
let, gave a first-class entertainment of recitations from
the best authors to a rather numerous company, who
testified their approval of the lady's giftel talent by
frequent plaudits.
itaavar TeAsuarvixa Sumas were held in the
parish church on Sueday, when .pecial hymn., lessons,
etc., were given. The genie' led little church was
nicely decorate! for the occasion with tiwer. and
fruits. The sermon was delivered by the rect,r, Rev.
W. Chambers, and cillections were mule alter chOil
service in ad of the funds of the 13 irs3t Cunt,
H 49its1, The cAlections amounted to £5 9s.

FOILISTRT.—We are pleased to hear that the Court
" Hiding Star," belonging to the Weymouth United
District, which was established in March, 1882, is
progressing most favourably. The members already
number nearly 40. Since the establishment of the
Court there has not been a single call on the Sick
Fund, • fact which speaks well for the health of the
village. Mr. T. IL Payne is the secretary, and
would be pleased to receive any new members for
admission.

FAIR BOWLING.

The cricket seaman is practically over, and the
question of tulair bowling is till 4.1 far from a settl. -
moot al ever, in spite ,f the minifeslo loot ii b, t
Committee of the biarylebeue Club early in the
irt•on empowering umpire, to n ,•ball anyone whose

delivery l; open to suslocion. The bowlsrs, whose
actisn has chiefly given rise to the recent agitation
against throwing, are systetnatictlly continuing their
al doubtful prmctica unohecked without •real proteet.
The fact that the chief representatives of the throwing
school were ta itly approved, or, at least, not con•
damned when they appear at L .rde, has been used as

au argument by ut er umpiree who, though
their uwo statemeutt eati.fiect thot mime

those whose actions they have watched have
refr dual from using their full provers, defend
their disinclination to no-ball. It Is quite
natural that umtUres, who of course are as •
rule old professional cricketers, should hesitate to use
extreme meaures which would in all probability ruin
the future man of the very class from which they them.
*elves sprung. Yet at the same time it cannot be too
forcibly p doted out that their refusal to fulfil the
responsibilities of their ~ffioe urges • lack of the in-
dependence essential to the proper fulfilment of such
an important pwition. If there were any doubts in
their minds with regard to the action of a few dubious
bowlers their position would be tenable. It is certain,
though, that there is no such doubt, and we do not
hesitate to say that the sup.neeess of the men whose
mission it is to adjudicate on what is fair and unfair
play during the season just closing, is the strongest
argument in tsvour of a change in the system of
umpiring. The standsrd of umpires, even improved
as it has bees, still needs to be raisel, It is essential
that these officials should be men of pwitioo
and intelligence, n d mere machines. It is of
importsoce that their authority sh,nl.l be to
thoroughly recognised as to make them fearless in the
fulfilment of their duties, and until the statue of
umpires is improved, or until the whole work of first-
class matches is put int, the bands of • few men .4
unimpeachable character, and men who have the
courage of their opinions, bowlers of the throwing
order will remain unmolested as at present. The
question is one of vital interest, ant it cannot be
too forcibly urged that the existing uncertainty
about fair bowling is see,ously injuring the game. The
PerPetuation of the throwing school will be the more
to be regretted should the Australian cricketer. visit
England next summer, as Is very probable. In the
whole of the colonies, we venture to say, there is not
a bowler of any position whose delivery hi open to
suspicion. Yet ni one will dispute that in this
department they can claim • decided advantage over
English cricket, and it will be a lasting disgrace if
we are obliged to leave out in some of our representative
matches with the Australian cricketers, elele Of the
most successful of our sovalled bowlers out of sheer
shame.—Load and Water.

KINGSTON Pees CC. V. "Exonsioe " C.C.—This.
we believe the last of the Park matches, wee played on
Tuesday, end resulted in the defeat of the home
team on the first inninga sitar an exciting game. In
the first Innings of the /C:ageton Park, Mr. Lashing-
ton again proved himself col)* a batsman of 'intents
ability, his hitting being bard sad his placing almost
without • fault. At the oommosoegosat of the