The Dorset County Express and Agricultural Gazette.
Dorchester, Dorset, England, 1883-05-08 00:00:00

Monet Countg Expreos.

13011011118TER, MAY Btb. 1883.

PARLIAMENTARY BUSINESS.

Whatever may be the politioal consequences of the
defeat the Government has lutanist over the Ar
nation Bill, the practical elect of the vote on Thur..
day night cannot fall to be that of patting fresh
Impediments In the way of practical legislation. Nearly
half the Session has expired, and it may be said that
our representatives are only on the threshold of the
work they are pledged to see satisfactorily performed.
The disappointment is all the greater because the
country was lad to believe that more than usual energy
would be the charecteristie of the Session. Of the two
Important measures which were to form the chief
features of the session, we are not now likely to hear
mach more. In the case of one of these, indeed, there
Is no reason to believe that the postponement will Dot
awaken strong regrets. There will be no time for the
Metropolitan Bill. The Premier has said almost as
much. County Bouds, which every day seem more
necessary and more desired, will in all probabilty have
to await also • more convenient season. The
Grand Committees have done good service so far;
but even they cannot legislate at railway pace,
and, what with numerous subeectioaa and
amsodneents, thry have as yet been unable
to complete the measures committed to their
eau. Tours need be no diaapp Antment at
this. They are doing • silent good, nd towards the
end of the Session it will be found that, while the
House itself has been engage] la fruitless talk, • diges-
tive process has been going ou which will conduce
much to Parliamentary health. What the House has
to guard against as much as ever, it seems to us, is
obstruction—not of the kind which necessitated the
Closure, bat of that sort which it would be in the
power of menthes, themselves to avoid. The lane on
the AlErmation Bill was an example of the evil we
meas. Instead of being continued night after night
with swltunseets repeated ad neasaus, and the question
Itself threshed till there was nothing but the flimsiest
Meow to operate upon, the aeon of the HAIM
might as well have been awe-tabled on • single night.
Nothing fresh was urged on either side during the
dosing nights of the debate. A precious week was
wasted throngh what the senior member for North.
ampeon not inaptly turned • " rampant orgy of
verbosity." There is as yet no remedy for useless talk
In Parliament, unless, as proposed by Hr. Jesse
Collings, sessions be continued till all the measures
mentioned in the Queen's Speech are carried. With
all our boasted enlightennaeat, we bare not yet learnt
how to hold our tongues. One occasionally wonders
II business capacity has kept pure with reformed 105E4
haiku'. We are unwilling to compare the present state
of things with that which existed in the good eld days
when George the Third was King; yet we have a lurk-
ing suspicion that what was necessary to be done was
got through with greater despatch, albeit the giants of
that period indulged in very ponderous debates. The
idea receives confirmation from the fact that when
Revolutionary France set up its fleet National
Assembly the E oglith Parliament was regarded as •
pattern, though the French orators of the time fell far
short of the ideal, for it is said they not only spoke but
read their speeches, and even borrowed speeches to
real I If our legislators adopted the same practice
they could not retard business much more effectually
than they are at present doing. A rod is kept in p'skl,
for those who wilfully obstru:t. Will it be necessary
by and bye to provide another for members who talk too
much? Keen the Premier's ingenuity would be taxed
to discover an • iditional remedy. Nevertheless/4 if
things go on mach longer as they are going, he or
someone else will have to lee that legislation is not
Impeded without good ration. Shall we never see the
prectics adopts, i of determining beforehand who shall
take part in • debate, and for what limited length?
Such • c mese would ill sword with freedom of speech,
but perhaps, in comes of time, even this great heritage
of Englishmen will be deemed of less importance than
despatch of business.

Tai Rev. C. SPOIGIOS will pay • visit to Dor-
chester early in JOIN.
BOSOCCH MOSTALITT STATISTICS, A.PSIL, 1883.
lpflunmation of In caused three deaths • bronchitis
oonsum
and ption two each ; convulsions, Itiart disease,
and " drink ' on. each. Two Inquisitions were mho
held. making the dsath•rete equivalent to 191 per
1,000 per annum. Five out of the 12 deaths occurred
In Fordington. Seven were registered as over 60
ream of age, and n es* under one yes, old, which is
satisfactory.—E. J. DAY. Medias' 011icer of Health.
BASIROPTCT Visa—At the Dorchester
Bankruptcy Court on Thursday, before Mr. Henry
dimoads, deputy-registrar, the debtor, his wife and
ot, witnesses nods/went • searching examination
me to their badness transactious for the last few years.
Mr. R. N. Hosesrd reprensated the trustee (Mr. T. L
Desman, of Yeovil), and Mr. Street was for the
debtor. . .

Bcgoo. AMIrD•IiCI CAM:I.—At the borough police
court this (Moods') morning before the Mayor (H.
Darden, Esq ), and Feud Jullard, E.g.. a number of
persons were summoned Oudot the Education Act for
not sending their children to school. Mr. T. A.
Rearm appeared on behalf of the Soho Attandenee
Committee. Illness formed the ground of most of the
excuses; bat some of the phial advanced pleated
much credit on the ingenuity of the parents. Various
penalties were billeted.
CIIOEST. be opening match of the @MIMI of the
Excelsior Club was played in Frampton Park on
Friday, and resulted In a victory by five wickets for
the &million. Score.:—