The Dorset County Express and Agricultural Gazette.
Dorchester, Dorset, England, 1865-01-10 00:00:00

TEIII TOLL QOZOTION.

The next business was to receive a report from the
General Purposes Committee with respect to the ques-
tion of tolls pending between Mr. Ensor and the
Council, and to consider what should be done thereon.
The CLZRK read the report, which was as follows :
" The Committee, in pursuance of the resolution passed
at their last meeting on the sth inst., have met for the
purpose of considering the pending question betwe,n
the Council and Mr. J. T. Ensor as to his liability to
pay market and fair tolls in respect of stock and other
articles offered for sale in his repository sale ground,
which would be liable to tolls if exposed for sale in the
public streets, or in the place appropriated for the
holding of the ordinary fairs and markets for the
borough.
" The question was fully discussed and considered in
all its bearings at a very full meeting of the committee,
and it was at length unanimously agreed to recommend
to the Council that, on Mr. Ensor accounting in the
ordinary way for the usual and accustomed tolls
payable for all stock and other articles offered for sale
in his repository ground, he would be allowed to
continue his sales there without further question on the
partsof the Council, and that allowance out of such tolls
made to him for providing his own pens, hurdles,
labour, and other conveniences, after the rate of 10d.
per score for all sheep, and 3d. for every horse so offered
for sale ; and it is satisfactory to the committee to be
able to odd that Mr. J. T. Ensor, who attended the
meeting, and took part in the discusaion, expressed his
assent to an arrangement of the question between him
and the Council on those terms.
"lii the course of the discussion, opinions were ex-
pressed that it was expedient and desirable to revise
the existing bye laws and table of tolls, built must
rest with the Council to determine on the necessity or
otherwise for such a revision, and whether authority
to a committee to consider and report thereon should
be given by specific resolution.

"(Signed) JOHN PETTY ALDRIDGE.
"Dorchester 13th Dec., 1864."

Mr. ENI3OII said he did not understand that part of
the report which stated that he was to account for stook
and articles as toll. Councils might change at any
time, or a new one might be chosen, and then he should
have to pay tolL

The TOWN CLERK remarked that it would be neces-
sary for Mr. Ensor's protection that the report should
be carried out under the common seal of the Council.
Mr. ENFIOR thought that, as the report was worded, it
seemed that he admitted his liability to have tolls levied
en stock which he sold on his ground. In his letter of
the 7th June, he believed he said that, subject to his
private rights, he would pay the Bd. per score for sheep.
The TOWN CLERK read the minutes of the committee
meeting in order to refresh Mr. Ensor's memory of
what took place there.
Mr. VERNON said that he understood Mr. Eneor would
pay the Bd. without making himself liable to pay tolls
at all.

-.—
Mr. ENSOR replied as a compromise only.
Mr. VERNON considered that the conclusion which
the committee had arrived at was most satisfactory and
agreeable to all parties.
Mr. ANDREWS said the report was not unanimous,
and he wished to record the feet that he did not vote.
He liked to vote on principle.
Mr. PROUD proposed, and Mr. VERNON seconded, that
the report be adopted.
Mr. ANDREWS moved as an amendment that the re-
port be not adopted, for it did not appear that it was
unanimously agreed to.
The MAYOR suggested that the word "unanimously"
should be expunged, which was accordingly done.
Mx. ANDREWS said, although he was only one
amongst many, still, being a councillor, he thought he
had a right, or he fancied he had, why he should state
why he did not agree to the report. Labouring under
that fancy, although it might be a delusion, he begged
to state why he could not agree to the report. He
could not see that it had been shown to the Council, at
any time, what their tale originally were. He had
taken some troable to look through books and papers,
and could not see, and the Town Clerk had told him be
did not know, what the tolls were previous to the year
1106, when it appeared that the charge for pens wax to
be raised to Is. 6d. The Council ought to act upon
some principle ii order to see if they could justify
their conduct to the town at large. If they oould not
see what the chsrges originally were how could the
Council say whether they had done right or wrong in
the present ingrown. As far as he would wee of the
matter it seemed as if the Council had sail to Mr.
Ensor "You are selling upon private ground, and we
will permit you to do so an long as you pay us RO much."
He asked the Council if there was principle in such a
course as that. It appeared to him that the Council
bad as mush right to demand toll of any person in the
schedule of tolls as of Mr. Ensor, and it was far that
reason why he moved that the report should not be
adopted.
Mr. VERNON', addressing Mr. Andrews, said it
appeared to him that he wanted to be square with the
public, and for them to know that he was not squander-
ing away the funds of the Council.
Mr. ANDREWS having replied in the affirmative,
Mr. VERNON stated that the reason, he believed, why
the Council had come to the arrangement to allow Mr.
Ensor 10d, per score for sheep, for providing his hurdles,
wee in order that the public should be guarded.
Mr. GALPIN, in reference to the remarks made by Mr.
Andrews, said that that gentleman bad made a charge
against the Council that their proceedings were not con-
ducted on principle. If there were no records of tolls
levied previous to 1800, bow could they set? but from
that reoord it was ascertained that Is. lid. had been paid ,
for each score of sheep offered for sale in the Fair '
Ground, which had been paid, and never disputed by
Mr. Enter when he had his sales there, and he there-
fore eoniended that there was no ground for stating that
the Council were not acting upon principle. He did not
think it should go forth to the town that they were
tahiatingslimanbarb4ad been widthltraa't edbeing For
80 years
therefore eonsidered that, under these circum-
stances, a perfect answer had been made to Mr.
Andrews' reworks. ItmidErn expressed • hope
th that alter e fen many meothigs
whioir bad iskeeklallgri *tatter • sleet nado
ai7
qres I.le :Weed 40ohio4od epni: tr)44 x•olnl"