The Dorset County Express and Agricultural Gazette.
Dorchester, Dorset, England, 1858-07-13 00:00:00

Sonterietsbire.

MILBORNE POR'; BENEFIT CLUB.
The members of the Whom* Port Benefit Club mid
at the Town hall on Monday eisning to hear an address
from the Rev. H. F. Footman on the' Prinoiples of the
Dorset Friendly Society." Sir William Kedlyoott,
hart., look the stair. There wee e considerable at-
tendance of ladies and gentlentro, beside, Many of the
members of the dub. After the Chairman had made a
few introductory observations, the Rev. Mr. Yeatman
addressed the meeting. He remarked :—Before we
enter upon something like an inquiry into the working
of the rules of this Milborne Friendly Society upon the
one side, and the Dorset Friendly Society upon the
other, we may advert for a moment to the necessity of
these associations being instituted at all. There id •
great number of persons who say ibis all very well to
emulate for a certain purpose—it brings a °drain num-
ber together—they have a great convivial meeting, but
there is no real necessity for Institutions of this descrip-
tion; and they go away, and, as I have reason to know,
afterwards, When it is too late, something breaks in to
tell them that it would have been infinitely better for
them if in the earlier part of their lives they had
become members of such associations. The Indians don't
settle on the great Savannah by themselves ; you meet
with them in tribes, an.l not without a head, a coin-
mender, a chief. Then look at their habits of life—the
bee hunter with his hatchet, and the deer hunter with
his mum., going forth from the wide Savannah, into the
deep and unexplored forest, both acting on the great
principle of making provision for the winter that is to
coins, thus harmonising beautifully with the advice
given us in the book of all wisdom, I mean the blessed
Bible, "Go to the ant thou sluggard, consider her ways
and be wise, which having no guide, overseer, or ruler,
provideth her meat in the summer, and gathereth her
meat in the harvest." I have seen hundreds of my
fellow creatures in advanced periods of their lives, in a
state of poverty and distress, who would have been thank.
ml if in early life they had learned to act upon that
principle, and who would admit with sorrow the tome of
those is:preemies lines written by ons who was no
stranger to this locality—for I hellfire souls hall mile
from this spot they chow a slump of trees planted by
that gentlemen—l mean the celebrated Mr. Pope, who
we know was often to be found at Sherborn• Castle, and
who, speaking of the instability of human attain,
Kays

C?9lty

Who thinks that Fortnne cannot change her mind
Prepares • dreadful lest for all mankind.
And who atends safest ? Tell me, is It he
That speeds and swells In puffed prosperity,
Or, blessed with little, whose preventing care
In Peace, provides lit arms against • war ?
Now, having shown you that from the nature and con-
stitution of WWI, la from his halides' state, there is a
necessity for his entering into amicable omobinations
and friendly aesuclatione for the peat purpose of
mutual outman and knowing that Kurth combinations
exist, lASI have existed for oenturios, then oomes the
important question, how is that great principle best
carried out/ Those who have fur a number of years
000duated the great &neurone* moieties of England have
acted on a sound and searching, ystein of economy but
that has not been so ill the iilOOl.lOU. There as nut
been a guide oubolently learned In the mortality of men,
and above all in the different ratios of mortality which
exist muting different individual, placed in different
eirouinalanoes, to be able to understand and construct
those tables under which, and upon the working of
which, the great benefits of this society are to be
obtained. A peal authority, Dr. Rees, 11111 stated that
this sort of tabloo " ought to be computed with tuella.
1111101041 preolsion." And how can the elieward of a
parish *Mb be expected to attain to knowledge, whiolt,
is of the mat abstruse and reflood description f Mr.
Malthus, says—" In the town of Geneva, in the 15th
century, the mean life of a wait ensounted to 18 years
and half. In the 17th century it amounted to 23 and
a fraction," Bo that there we. a Auotuation—within
that period of 100 pare, mortality had decreased, or
vitality had ineremed, and human life had been pro.
longed. That was the owe so far ea the country was
tioncierned, but It is still more interesting and wore
striking to draw a comparison between the mortality of
towns and crowded cities, and that of the rural dietrillic.
He says "In seven towns in Switeerland, In a division
of the Pays de Vaud, the mean life was 38 years i but
In nine parishes in the Alp. it WS 40," Bo that we welter,
a fluctuation from 18 in one century to 93 in enolliscand
from an in one district to 40 in another, By adverting
to the very last report of the Itsgistrar•Oenersi, I AA
this remarkable eMtemeail i—" The mean life.thile of
the people in the least unhealthy district In England Is
40 year', and the mean annual mortality 1? in 1,000.
But In Loudon the mortality is 2448 per 1,000 1" the
fluctuation between the mottality of the healthiest parte
of the country and the metropolis being?, or near 30
per sent. Now, any society which problem to deal
with them complicated and abstruse questious, Milt
base it. operations upon a strict regard to the different
ratio" of mortality which I have 'Averted to. If not
they go on pelt-inch, without the slighted guiding
principles to regulate them, and either give
more than they can afford, and so in • short
time bring the society to stand-still or they give lees,
and so prolong the duration of the society at the expense
of the unhappy members. This is an error into which
the Dorset Friendly Society has not fallen, and it le for
that reason only that I in vi your consideration whether
It woold not be better for you to inoorp.rate yourselves
with that moiety, or if not—if you have your own load
feelings and still desire to remMn under the command of
your excellent king end emninander, my dear friend in
the chair- whether you will not 110 upon a sure foundstion, and adopt their rules and tables of ealoulatione
By referring to your third rule, I And it laid down that
the ordinary members shell copyist of 1114011, who shall
not be less than 15 nor more than 95 years of age ; and I
must confess I was sadly disappointed when, looking at
that rule, I found that your advantages were oonfined to
the me/online gender. What I is there to be no provi-
sion for gentle woman? Open your doors wide and let
them in, as we do, to grace the society to which they
belong, and by their presence on public occasions to
cheek wildness and irregularity, and to preserve order
and decorum. last very sorry to perceive that although
the entrance Is very properly limited to 15—beemes
boys are apt to take upon themselves obligations with-
out understanding them—yet that the limit of your esis
of admission is 35. Supponing any nian within your
district begins a new career of life, avoids his old tempta-
tions, and comes to you • prudent, careful man, ready
to make provision for his old age, he comes only to find
the door closed against him for ever I That is not the
case with the society which I have the honour to repre-
sent, the emend rule of which says, it shall be open to
all parties, males and females, of good health and
character, between the ages of 15 and M to be admitted
members of this society. The man of 55is admitted by
neon condition that be pays smart money for his negli-
gence. In your soolety • man pays Is. a month-12s. •
year, but you have • very strong and binding rule,
which says that he shall not receive anything until two
years have elapsed. At the end of twe years he receives
i walking pay, but be cannot rewire that for more than
12 weeks. At the end of that 12 weeks, however severe
his illness, bet. obliged to descend • lower sage until he
owned to *superannuation pay of le. &I. • week. If the
man had enlisted in our society he would receive sick
pay—not at the end of two years—but six month,; so
that he receives relief • year and • half earlier in our
society than he doea in yours, and I think that is one
great advantage to begin with. If a lad of 15 enrols
himself in our society he subscribes Std. per week; but
we will take a man at 30—he pays 4111., and having paid
that for six months he is entitled to 7s. a week so long as
be lives. The man at 40 pays Si. per week, 23. a yetr,
and no more. We will suppose sonic old gentleman tot-
ters over—an old gentleman of 55. Well, we look at
him with surprise, but we are not so fastidious as they
are at Milborne. We admit him, but we nick* that
indiscreet old gentleman pay Iltd. per week. Well,
this old sentient= is taken sick, and only think what
his inward comfort oust be on redmiting, 'Well, I have
been • most imprudent, reckless, worWeas fellow, but I
did one clever thing—l joined the Dorset Friendly
Society, and now, hot or cold, wet or dry, I shall receive
is. • week aa long as I live." Now if a man at the end
of two years Is taken ill in your sognisty he receives for
the first IS weeks Os. • week—E3 ; then walking
ray, 44.--211 Bs. ; if then be becomes anperannuated,
• week foe six months—lll lea. He would have
paid lb. a year-245.; be will have paid 275. to get
8e„ eo that his ohm pin is ills. Now take the man
of 30 in our society, who pays 4td. per week. In six
months that would amount to 9e. ; 19 weeks' omi-
tributions would ainount to 4a. 9d. nor,-14s. 3d. If
you deduct the 14a. 3d. out of pocket from the four
plume he would have received his dear pin in nine
months Is £3 9c 9d., contrasted with your dear pin of
0110 guinea at the end of two years and three months.
(Loud Misers.) Deduct your guinea, and the increased
pin to the man by becoinlngu =Huber of the Dorset
Friendly Sanely is £2 fia. b. Supposing the man
wishes to approutim his son, or to make some little pro.
vision fortbeWoollll he loves, amordlngtooarlaws be may
provide for her • sum when be Is gathered to his fathers
and this, and a sum for apprenticing a child may be
*Mined for an amount uni.ki the sum of Melones—
down to, I believe, as low as twopenes a week. A set of
dull fellows of what they gall a eonvivial tura oak me
hew they aro to pay the oontribstions "'golfed by the
0:112i ii My reply- boa been—"My geed show there
is so 'sq. Just drink one sue of be M the lees
eke , is done." In our society ye Is power
of telsase ; a man from a variety of eirestestenses might
wish to dles=hltneelf from the miciiny, and them is
one OM BO in *at in oasaselks with the Wilts

Boeiety, of which we hi &unmet oiay be proud to
beams hullatore, that I will read it to you :

"Wuai YIIIIIIIIMY 80CIIITT.—At the two last meetings of
the Warminster branch of the above society, during the pail
month forty new inembore have been enrolled ; and doubtless
Increased sumer would attend other branohas If the prisiohtlee
.4 the society were fully understood. The following ow will
illustra4 the great advanterges resulting from the new rules
whion bars been so wieely devised by 'be hon. secretary, T. H.
d.Metcourt, Eq. I—Jedites Maxfield, a member id this branoh
for the last 14 yearn, about to emigrate to atuerloo, made sp-
olloation to the steward to ascern4ii if, under ths new rule',
he was entitled to any portion of the ouctributione paid during
rile membership, vim., 410 6e., being Is. ad. per month to
maitre Ts. per week during Muer and 411 at death, lie hod
melted during illnem 411 lOs.; still, on examination, it wee
found that there woo no less a sum than 41 17e. li. which
(undid the new rube) he woe entitled to, and o liloh mum woe
paid to him last week—so amount more than suMolent for his
voyage to the land of his adoption,"
So thst adding the mune in. received, £l3 18e. and
£8 170. 6d.-818 15e. 84„ and taking from the total his
payments of £l3 he wins clear gainer of £5 104.13 d.,
And here, for IMO trilling stuns I hare named are tholes
advantagea I—You may resolve not only To. per week
10s. if you like to nay the higher soils—an/ you may
withdraw if siroulustanoes «nivel you, and naive the
that may be owning to you I—you ire no longer
under the noosed!y of going to the Poor Law Doctor- •
but you oau have the beet advise and the services of
those whom the gentlemen of the neighbourhood are
4114 to oonsult. Having observed that the rulea had
been certified by au actuary of eminence, and having
referred to the inoreaoe of capital of Olie Dorset Friendly
Society, from £2,251 10 Of., in 1854, to be 1 Bs. flad.,
in 1857—the slur gain last year being £460 h 11d., After
payment of £589 10e. sick pay, the Her. Gentleman, in
oonolitsion, said If you admit the benefits, I cell upon
you to lose no time In endeavouring to obtain them. If
you doubt, remember not to trust to your own strength,
ballot me oolu.nen4 you to a Counsellor who, if rightly
sought, never will desert you—to Him to whom all
heart' ars open, and from whom no swots are hid.
Mr. Longinan, provident of the Club, Raked if the Dorset
County Society would revolve them into connection as a
whole slob? They had some members ape! N. Mr.
Yeatmau said the Dorset Society did not Naive
members after 55. Mr. T. Halsor suggested that the
propoeltion might be made to them to take the funds of
the society as a 00111pemation for the old inemben.
(Hoer, hear.) Mr. Yeatman said by the 14th rule the
terms on which any Club would he incorporated were to
be settled by an actuary. Ti. Chairman suggseted that
they should empower Mr. Longman to aseertaln if the
Dorset Society would sooept them, and on what terms,
and tble proposition having been heartily aseented to,
thanks were voted to Mr. Yeatman for his attendanoe,
to Sir W. Medlyoutt, and to Lady Medlyoott and the
ladles, after which the meeting broke up.

New Jimmies. —On Wednesday week Thomas
Somers, Esq., of Mendip Lodge, and Joseph
Gundry, Esq., of the Hythe, Bridport, were qualitied
as °minty magistrates M the Taunton Sessions.

FATAL CAI Or RIDING ON rue Sturm. —An
inquest was held on Tueeday, before W. W. Munct-
ton, F,eq., coroner, at the Baker's Arms Inn, Park.
street, Taunton, on the body of a young man 29
years of age, named Samuel Cattle, a carter, who
lust his death on Saturday evening, on the road at
Stepewater, through Ming from the shafts and
being run over by a wagon belonging to his em-
ployers. Verdict Accidental Death.

_ -
Ma. PIGOTT'S BIQUEAT TO TIN COUWIT 01
Somertster. —We understand that an arranpment
has been made with the trustee* under the bequest
of the late Mr. Smith Pigott, referred to by the
Lord Lieutenant at the Quarter Sesaions, whereby
this valuable collection of drawings, ito. oorn-
mitted to the custody of the Somerset Arch;sological
Society. The drawings are now deposited in the
museum at Taunton, and may be inspected on ap-
plication to Mr. Baker, the curator, at the satiety's
rooms. We may add that the "Pigott collection"
consists of about 1,200 drawings of the most interest-
ing churches, monuments, and specimens of ancient
domestic architecture with which the county of
Somerset abounds. They are beautifully executed
by the Mears. Buckler, whose well known taste and
accuracy in the drawing of architectural detail has
illustrated some of the most important topographical
works that have been produced. They are executed
in sepia or Indian•ink, and have occupied the artiste
from 1819 to 1847. In addition there is • volume of
drawings from impressions of seals, belonging to
monasteries In various parts of England to the
number of 266.

WAYIVHD.—A pair of small Communion plates
have been presented to Wayforcl Chun*, Somerset,
by the daughters of the Bev. Richard Cox, formerly
rector of the parish, who died July, 113411, by way of
a memento of the many happy years they both spent
in that pleasant village, where the remains of both
their parents are resting in their grave..
GLAITUNBURV.—Mr. Hodge'. Return. —Ott Fri.
day our townsman, Mr. Hodge, was to arrive hers.
Great preparations were making to receive him
and a oonunittee has been Ommed for oarrying out
arrangements. Balloons and fireworks were to be
let drill the evening in a field belonging to R. Bath,
Esq., on the Wells road, and many other amulemente
were to take plea*. Four b.t sheep, a large quantity
of bread, I owe, of Ghana, five hophema of older,
two hogsheads of Wrong beer, In., were to he dlstri•
buted among the poor.
Bunowercii.—/mproued Principle of Mowing.
—A farmer of experience and disownment, near
this place, onnasived that oonsiderable manual labour
was wasted by mowing ram with scythee so long as
they are generally used, In oonsequence of the swing
back necessary to enter the top of the woke in its
work. To oonvinoe himself, he ordered two soythes
fifteen inches shorter than the common length, but
in all other reepeote the earns, which hie Mourers
ere uow using. Mr. Tucker, of Chilton Pollen, the
farmer alluded to, consider' the experiment so Ison.
wailful that he is anxious It should be made public.
He says he le ready to prove the some quantity of
gram may be out in a given time, and one-third
Tabour saved, by using the short scythe instead of
thole of the general length.
DIIATI Or J. B. BADHAW, lately
noticed, rye the Briotoi TOM% that the health of
Mr. Wham was Inc stets which caused his Maids
the utmeet uneasiness. He had never recovered the
severe paralytic sheik of last summer, and which
occurred on the eve of the half yearly meeting of the
Bristol and Exeter Company, and has ever since
been in a very feeble stale of body, though to the
last he preserved that mental dearness and those
funds of information which rendered him so agreeable
and Instructive a companion. He breathed -his law
on Sunday. Mr. Dedham had been the Secretary of
the Bristol and Exeter Railway Company from, we
believe, its oommenoement, and discharged the
onerous and anxious duties of his post with energy
and Judgment, until his attack, soon after which he
retired upon an allowance of £5OO, which he lived to
receive but for twelvemonths. The deceased gentle-
man was formerly connected with one of the Urged
Spanish wool housee in Bristol, and was a meet ao.
oompliehed linguist, speaking sod writing with we
nearly all the European tongues.