The Dorset County Express and Agricultural Gazette.
Dorchester, Dorset, England, 1864-01-05 00:00:00


flfl'Oin r litanw.ty stunlia AT

iiiiiiiiiza:

A ine•-•do4 of he rat payers in the district of Were
mitooorao.e etr- •,•-i tor Aatunlay, the 2nd of January,
but for li Aeon* Vie meeting was accelerated by
• for:Ugly, t •give more tin,. for an organised
endeavour to ot kitet bellow the Quarter Seaxione I:ench
1.. trio bee the ied ctiou of the act for a year, if not
wholly to ode-sex ilovir steps. Then could not have
ban less from 'ila/ to 300 persons present. On can-
nier:clog Irieness. Ur Steph ro Ne de, of Tytlocrinaton,
proposed, tool Mr. tlelsome seconded, that Lord
Ti.soue he reopaeote li.. take the chair.
Lord 11. Tht log the.. took the chair, and opened the
meeting a. foPuter -1 fuel the greatest plena» is
as.nouin.; this and sodding poi in any fair sod
I -gittonete way I cen in presenting your petitions, or
taking aby at,ger yeas to op; om • measure which
reqwires at l.a.t maeli it onght rad eonablerati, a before
it is furore' upon us. I shall he most happy to hear
whato,..r rrnunig. any gentlemsn may Mee to make on
tilue aul.ject. but I fr. lg. you will excuse my observing
to y-.3, ti.i.t I fee' cur: no el...coped was really
ammo to the depilation, which waited on the
Committee of Magl-tratee, at Trowbridge, ten days
ago. The magistrates di I nut really know that the
deputation was at the door of the room where the
I-tooting was or of einine thsy smell loose beeu
ioatantly &distilled. I btu quite Olin no magiatren in
tido county would desire itotentitonelle to pet any slight
upon • body anon, whore coootorstion is so onetatiel
to the good of th.o county. Alitow um also to add that
OWeref anCOUSI may be (and I tenet I hare shown my
f. cling already) to oppose the Itlealnin in urn-Minn, yet
I frel &maid. rally tongue-6w', and it never would do
tor me, one of the existing euminolttee, to pledge Wyse If
to any partictalasr emirs. ef *ethos, or to hasoper nay
in pr0...4M0 your ohjeet before the dormant...
Mr. CitamioN then rose and expremed his hearty
concurrence in what he understood was the object of
the meeting ; and observitog their out and much
esteemed friend and neighbour, tho Rev. Prebendary
Fine at the meeting, he took the lib rty of requesting
'bat gentletnan to give them his opinion and *dolor. as
he so often had done on former oeritsions of a like
ammeter, and he felt secured that the meeting would
most gratefully listen to whatever he might say.
( t pplanse. )
When Mien.* was obtained, Mr. Font addreseed the
oneetitig SA follows : —ln rising to obey your cell, I can
truly say I do co with the nttnost plerwure and satisfac-
tion. The invitati. n to take part in thin meeting is a o
ler, madden awl unexpected, that you Myst litake so
allowance foe the reoloaike I may plume before you.
Still I feel I have a full right (of you wiah it) to speak
to you, as being a landowner with a very consiihraqe
'take in this division, but motel, more, as one
oho has taken an active and most hearty is.
rest is whatever earoterna
_your prosperity and
nromotos your harmony. Upon tlois occasion,
velintelree remarks I may make, I can most
toneeientionsly say that my anxious win's is to promote
peace, and to endeavour to obviate the estrangement of
ulas.eu. elmoi good I'm bug and hearty cooperation is
emential to the well-being of thee:aunty. (Loud cheers.)
I an, prepared boldly to affirm that at this moment that
p. social end hartooniour action as ill the greatest peril—
if the tenant., if the 1, mem, if the freeholdera of
entailer bat indeoendent positions, find that their rights
and privil-ges, tin ir long erialdi.l....l offiom and
positions see ignored by those (hoc,.! by Providence
as their leaden and guides—if the ratepsyers,
short, find that the rate imp...di thrtrit boniest
own them without their having full opportuoity
oroteating agaimt sorb hoorah tre.tment, I mu
limits cure a feeling of hostility sill take the place
of sympathy and mote.' reaped, and an angry and
uurly averelon to take part no the edminietration of ths
low in our aisle-me and parishes will take the One
fib. self denying sod with which nor parochial offing
are filled by utoosid men, shoos only reward is the
approval of their own conocienee mod of their
nrishionero. (Lou.! cheers.) I trust this great evil
may be averted ; but in toy experieuee I never
eitneesed so etrong, so hitter a feelings. that arising at
11.'.. moment in the minds of the landed interest, who
rent or hold land throughout England. (Hear, hear.)
%Now in. to eutreat of you to eodesvour to get rid of
this feelung. I ion 911 it• certain that if thin
matter loas been hastily carried forward if
apparently there has been harsh treatment of ta..
amtitaroarri in the' case—yet am quite sure no sued
intention existed, end that in perfect sincerity
tile magistrates ere moat anxious to consider Anil to
consult those who in some sense are their constituent,;
and I feel • confident hope that they will at all events
grant to ratepayers of this county • reprieve of a year.
to consider more deeply the matter. end to watch the
the operation of this most obnoxious law in other
counties. It now behoves me to obey your commands,
cud giro you my opinion of the Dill itself, and of its
operation. First, as to the Bill. Now, I consider the
course of modern legislatioa. as to county matters, is
the most mischievous that con be imagiamdincousionot.
Now SIP am OVUM, Of 414'1460n roan—ti, vestry i.
robb;al by degrem of all to pried les —tho guiatelian at
• hoard rrylaces the commit at the entry —the seoveto-
went member at lois board Pnrillanta all the moment
machinery for valuing or rating a garish—and rural
pollee replace the as.,. nt onsteble ; soul, lastly, we are
by this 13.11, to transfer our waywardeto front his local
parliament to the central bleed, unlospply, invariably
connected with its paid dark, ttenurer, surveyor.
deputy surveyor. soil its expensive machinery and
moohroua official digoities. (11.-ar, heard Now, I
(lankly submit, I deplore noon,' expression this
rradual opraating of all customs—this transfer
of local responsibility to • central depot ,
of all lastuess (('hoose) Ant oast,
•I ,
ask, is this change needed at this parti-
cubit. time? I have en extensive knowledge of south
Wilts. and I most unhesitatirgly say, that the improve-
ment in the roads that &reborn fide required for airtime
traffic, in my euem-Ty, is quite surprising. Doubtless
there are many tracks diver-gni from the main roads
not in equally good order—newt they be so? Certainly
not. They are tequired for rough and coarse
traffic, and they are sufficient for the purpose
Again, is this a suitable time to settle this
when,.? Our railroad system is developing itself
year by year. With • direct line, for inemooo from
Salisbury to Wartn inter, is the same perfection of
road required as before! I say, then, the time is badly
chosen foe the fundamental clangs now to be forced
upon us. I have another mustserious objection to this
oince you ask toy opinion and I give it with all
deference to those wiser but cc more honest than my.
pelf. Who called for this Bill I Who petitioned for it!
The ratepayen? I now not INo —half our modern
changes are the work of ambitious talkative
grieranos-mongers—who, ottihing mats Pirliument
must talk or catechiee for totoriety and personal
ambiton • not our great lea/owners, like my
Lord Dai)., or Mr. Lung, oruur worthy friend Kr.

Fotheron Fsteourt. No- but Immo lc/nations " Thro-
ri, s' I who min either hi see • t (ft 4100(0; O
Church-rate to ruin • hustings shout, aml .tend f rill SI
• h.:in:mini. I hers r I hilt are her La o poi:.tl to
touch upon. (hie, ta aft ttoli.. 411 ttt•to'. 114 t 1
would cull our Lu smile cull I t our age 1
ruttier declining pow. In *eery parish, tit. IttlYtillt
who for years itasearned &full day** pay, for a full ,kty.,
work. becomeu nail for such a tat ou his fr.orno ; thee
I. there open to sick an one for years tic,. st
eittrleyment at a ler rats en our roads? I fear ill.
will wholly team. and he change* from full t
will be—not to the lighter johs which our road
rupsiring will off,-r, ant which are ilonslty
bin t., the itheiring 1,61,er, end perhaps the union.
One peculiar advantage of our local government and
I lend officials is this. Thep wish deputes the care of
the reeds to the waywarden. Ile is an umrahl ofllccr.
Is ;volubly one of the 11,rgeNt awl most influential rate-
payers in the puisit. nis every .!av employments
naturally leml hint to different parts of the pans!' mails.
and he is at all times aide to Fee what rem.ire are re-
quired. On the other hand, no sooner is the local
waywarden turned into tine floanl Coninaisition,,
then he is called away from his Maims.: and what
with his Monthly Boird of Guardians, Lis Tuesday
As,esament Committee. his Wednesday Ceara of
Highways, his Saturday's attendance at the Parings
Bank, 6is whole week is nearly swallowed up,
awl his thousand acre farm must be cared for
by a bail, or else wholly neglected by himself.
Arid Lim to rho advice I would giro yen. First, ho
augured the Qssrter B,suiettu, in sue pting gist rally the
noisome, are anxious to d. the best fur the tvionty. I
so oil urge upon each friend and neiebbaur, tsar,
iivecially upon each teadistrate of rash retry South nil
Bench, to re-run tier this autijivt, and not upstate the
n.tereat and sympathies ut landlord and tenant, lower
or lessee, magittran• and ratepayers, an-1 at all event. I
I', grant to them. 'oho to b-ar the Irsrden of this
new i•elienie • full usni 0,04 iim (triunity of reconsider-
ing the reliject, both 17 thentrelveo, the magistrate',
awl al. by the ratepayer,. (Lot sheers.) In con-
Od•lste you to forward pita to OM Quarter
13•11406.., Praying that the Act you are so ninth opposed
to might not he forced upon them. Nothing would be
lost by waiting. Give U. • little time ; a little opper•
Sanity to see what happen. eluewitere ; and then, if the
worst inu4 COW, 14 a. honeatly try to make (be best
or wlrit I rind ever thiLk a li.ll and uziac%ie•iotsa
ones-are. (C,i yrs.) I wou:d pr,ii the • renilut,•,n
be drawn up that should the :P.n. of the
fleet i.e. 1 will 1114 Mr Hurt to t-. 1 he meeting what
• ffeet it has already hat in a S ..neract•hire parish
'with which he is acquainted, sad what dis ki.ows Of it.

•
Mr. IIART replied he conl.l only say that hefsre the
Ow system hail her, aitopt,d the repaire for certain
roadsnil; cont arninu for two yea..
whereas onder the !tsar mmem I'll 1.. l alniagly been
loiii for the reraira of the coma, sot tau ninole• iu-
stalloeuta wuiihl shortly again here to be 01 010.
hoar.)
Mr. PANE: That's saying something&o the pmint.
Mr. PANE then prim-eel the following note:lotto° :
"hit we the waders:pied hog to otetitom your honour-
able Court of 9.otrtnr SesMoua at. Me•;ses assembled, to
suapenil for it knit OUS 311 Na the force of the Highway
Aet upon the volute of Wan." (Ch.ern )
Mr. PATNII. nt Pert.c".ll. secoaol•ol the resaletion.
was pot to the weetuig by the ehairmau, sad
earrie.l tmanimendir. _

The Rev. W. GRAT. of Upton Twvell, said ha per.
hotly agreed with every reinank that had fallen (tom
Mr. Fano Ilea shooLl urge the resolution by every
means in his ',deer, for he was still Englishman enough
to support local government lie contended that if
they were to have lortal government abolished, local
taxation should not be continued.

After cline fortin.r rent...a-kg froni the Chairman, Mr.
Jostrif HARDING, of Stoarton, foreihly objected to the
system, as a great and palpable injustice to the agricul-
tural classes, and said that the tenaleeey of every
innovating measure that had ad late years been intro-
ducerl had been to injure the homer, whilst nothing
was done for his welfare. (Loud cheers.)
After several other gentlemen had expressed their
opinions on the subject, the thanks of the meeting were
eonverol to the nohle Chairman for the able manner
In which he had conducted the husine.s.