The Dorset County Express and Agricultural Gazette.
Dorchester, Dorset, England, 1876-08-29 00:00:00

times sane or sensible, but if they acted *wording to
the best of their belief he for one was not Ashamed
of that course. (Cheers.)
Dr. ROBINSON had had the opportunity of speaking
to all classes of the inhabitants in reference to this
question, and out of every 100 he did not believe five
were in favour of the scheme. (Hear, hear.) He
suggested that if a claws were put in the leases, that
if the trees were cut down and others put in their
places, it would meet the wishes of a great number of
people. ((beers.)
Mr. Councillor Holmes announced that he was an
unwilling auditor as well AS an unwilling speaker, for
he hail had no idea that it would be consistent with
what they called good taste for members of the
Council to have been present on an occasion when a
meeting of the inhabitants hail been convened to take
into consideration the actions of, and the resolutions
adopted by, that Council, but finding that other
members were intending to come, he thought it would
only be proper that mule own defence as one of the
wminority, he should
uled also
hear.)
He hadreeentthhd what earearwat what
as w he said
been said, and what his good friend Mr. Galpin had
advanced, and to that he would wish to make an
answer. Throughout the whole discussion of the
scheme he had proved himself, lie trusted, an honest and
important consistent
to all
otopponpeunb bodies—that t it..Hie—hettm iitit:eiople had no
bea matter
right to take public money to buy things for the
purpose of selling again at a purexible disadvantage.
(Tumultuous applause.) Briefly reviewing the fircum-
stances under which the land was purchased, Mr.
Hodges proceeded to contend that if in the first
instance the whole of Beggars' Knap haul been
acquired,urwwothderhae
have
socenuopt
iwthethsel
that, he affirmed, was the true position for it, not only
conxidering the convenience of those who attended
ignobes northern doubt the
andW
mr
their markets, but for the promotion of the trading
interests of the town itself. What did they hear
experienced agriculturists say? That they could not
put stock into a more exposed place. On the other
hand if the ground had been at the northern end they
would have had shelter for cattle, and the advantage
of very nice and beautiful trees, which furnished an
ornament to the appmach to the town. On those
grounds he had honestly opposed the attempt to sell
the ground far a lease of 99 years —which really
amounted to *ldling it in fee --and which, he contended,
was opposed to the original intention with which the
Council purchased it. (Applause.)
Mr. Councillor lefuemite, like the previous speaker,
was received with cheering. Like the previous
speaker also, he had originally no intention of being
present, for he thought it a matter that vu ncenied the
ratepayer.' • but finding that his Worship and several
other members intended to be present, he thought he
should not be out of place in accompanying them
there also. Mr. Galpin had stated he had come there
to answer for himself, and had stated to them the
reasons for the opinion which lie held. N.. doubt he
thought he was quite right, and he had also given
credit to them for considering they were justified in
holding theirs; but he could not quite underlitand the
arguments he used. There was es Weal,. a determin-
, &Lion to go on and maintain the iewe they had taken
lat all hazards. But, fur his part, if he held views
which he believed to he right, but found there was
such a strong feeling against them aniong the rate-
payers that numerous memorials were presented
against them, he would think there must be some
foundation for the arguments on the other side, and
feel it right to gii e way to the majority of the rate-
payers ; and he would say by all weans let them have
the ground, although we may think it more beneficial
to use it otherwise. (Cheers.) lie would like to
see some little concession mAde among the mem-
ber,. ..f the t'oniteil. His only wish was to
preserve the tree.. Mr. Galpin had Athl there was
a great cry for more lielews. Ire admitted there was
a very great cry, especially among theworking demises.
(Hear, hear). Belt en the south side he eaul they could
build 30 or 40 comfortable cottages for working men,
had his plan been adopted. That, however, bad been
overruled, and now, as there was a determination to
build on the northern portion, be was quite willing to
give way to that, although he maintained it was their
bounden duty to preserve the trees. They were
handed down to them by their ancestors and he would
continue to maintain that view. and te defend them as
long as he could, and his mottoe with regard to them
would be "no marrender." (Much cheering.)
Mr. G. J. ANDREWS, in a speech which laded
samosa three-quarterui of an hour, keut his audience
in roars ..f laughter. He would not have ventured to
have spoken that evening, after the very kind and
excellent temper that had been exhibited throughout,
had not Mr. Galpin put, as he understood it, this
question--" Why is there now such a sterm raised
about our meeting and our resolution of last week
and have we not hitherto persisted in that course?"
Most decidedly, a small section, as he called it, of the
Town Council had. (Laughter.) 'lley had persisted in a
course which he ventured to think was opp...ed to the
wishes of the bulk of the ratepayers and of the
inhabitants of Dorchester. (Applause.) He was
one of a class who did not like working without being
paid for it; and when at a recent meeting he found
himself placed here, and the Town Clerk there, and
the reporters where they could not hear anything that
lie (Mr. Andrews) said, he wished himself out of
(Laughter.) Really he did, because he heard such
monetrous etateinente, and he hoped he xhould uot
offend any pers..n by saying to; but in his opinion,
and it was merely Ins opinion (the speaker here cari-
catured the emphatic utterances of a previous
speaker, and the audience at once seeing the joke
roared again), and he had a right ti it as nitich as any '
one else, if he hail unfortunately found his opinion to
be entirely adverse to that of 19 people out of 20, he
would begin to think this "Well am I a fool or other
people (Much laughter.) Of course lie wouldn't
like to consider himself so, but he would gay "well
gentlemen I maintain my opinion, but still I think it
I would be the ple.aeantest for us all if, you being 19 out of
' 20, I hive way.' (Cheers.) Now Solomon. who upon
very few occasions spoke unadvisedly with his lips,
said in the multitude of Councillors there is safety—
(great laughter)—and he (the speaker) intended to
make a little Town Council of his own, the members
of which should be the ratepayers and the inhabitants
of Dorchester, and then he thocight the 19 20th. would
show the wielom of Solomon saying. lie himself
was not one of thous so entirely wedded to his opinion
that he was determined to stand by it and would not
alter it. Their excellent chairman hail given them a
Latin quotation which he was quite sure must Ise
offensive to sonic of the Town Council. (Laughter.)
some peeple seemed to think that in carrying .put their
view, they must do so pee (as it isles, which he
interpreted to be through thick and thin, but he
thought there was a time when even the strongest
—he would not Kay further than the strongest
minded, might consent to show how big a man, and
how strong a man, and how excellent his opinions
were, by just saying, " Now, you little lope, who
have made all sorts of work, we are just going to give
way to you for once." (Great laughter, and cheers.)
Their excellent Chairman hail said let them have
nothing but good temper, lie could assure them he
meant nothing but the greatest respect te. the limited
number of the Town Council—he was not referring to
the whole of that most august and 'solemn body of
gentlemen. (Laughter.) But it seemed to him that
if at the late enquiry they hail instructed their Town
Clerk to use a little inure argument and a little lees
badinage, it would have had very much more effect;
because mane iwople waned to fancy that Mr. Cluttem
was humbugging them in his remarkx, particularly
when he niferred to the offer which hail been mule IT
a number of highly nespectable and influential inhale
tante"( a3O yeare'inirchase thatis.rti. .f tl g round.
Now he saw from the papers that that otter haul
never been entertained at all. (el ulcer lie. It appaar,„(
to him that this Town Council with he etn eig opinimus
if they would forgive 1 • for saying so the majority
melting and melting MVSY (nen Ili 4. I; eould only
arrive at a balance of 1."210e. beyond that eller if their
OWII plan were carried out. Ile failed to intieh
aulsantage to be derived from the letting of the
when the offer of the town, they must bear in mind, was
that of an immediate rental to ulate from the eth
of Judy last. 'rhe experience of Wollasten fiebls ought
to be a sufficient answer, and a very trust-worthy
member of the Council haul said it would take
about 15 years to let off. It appeared to him
then that the Council had arrived at this point, that
they considered their will their duty, and their
duty their will. He would not ;Lek whether the
Council prom.sed to put into their leases, a
clause to this effect " whereas you shall not
hang out your shirts., your stockings, nor anything
else to be dried" -(roars of laughter)—for—and that
had been one of the arguments brought forward by
the Tevni Clerk—he would ask in the name of common
sense would anyone submit to such a reetrictiun, or
would it be upheld for one moment. ( Hear, hear.)
Then as to the tree* not being an ornament, that they
were deal or dying. He would like any gentleman
(producing a photograph) to look at that and say if they
were net an ornament to the town ; and although he had
been twitted with talking about the glory of the
inhabitanta—but he hut never made use of such a
word -yet he would ask them would they cut ulown
such beautiful trees? (lieeponsive shouts of "N,'.")
Mr. Andrews then affirmed that not a single member
of the Town t',,,,, would take upon himself to ray
who gave the order for the marking of the trees ; he
referred to the "for uiui&c" of the Treaoury plan
which had to supply the plaw of the original; and with
regard to lot 2, asked if a person was bound by his
covenant to speud f:450 in building upon it, .fid it not
etanul to reason that every tree mmt sanue down. Mr.
Andrews continued in this facetious strain for some
length, alternately evoking the applame and laughter
of hie auditors, and in conclusion disclaimed any per-
sonal feeling against the Town Council, anul expressed
a hope he had not wounded the feelings of any Town
Councillor or Alderman, for if so, lie did not intend
to do so. He sat down amid much cheering.
Mr. J. SPRACKLIN made a very creditable speech,
looking at the matter from a working inane point of
view. He expressed Ids belief that the great majority
of the public were opposed to the removal of the trees but
at the same time, from his experience among the work-
ing claases,he believed they were not so witch adverse to
it if ulwellinge imitable to thernnelves were erected. Ile
*averted strongly to the enclocire by the Ibichy if
the treed on the Illandford road, and with considerable
pout, which tobl well, asked how it was that gentle-
men should be found -gentlemen who haul SO
strenuously oppesed the removal of the treed on
Beggars' Knap, had never thought it their duty u.r
worth their while to protest against thew trees being
enclosed. Ile contended that having tamely sub•
mitted to their enclosure, there was mouthing 4i prevent
the trees being cut down. And these preparatory
steps had been taken without even raiding a protest.
It appeared to him, on comparing the one with the
oilier, it wail veryit (
ueh
eiee
ltiken,s) N, man ni
triuning aat gnat anti
ng a cgu.e
hinieelf would be sorry to see the trees deetn.yed ;
but, he sail, if we are eons hue '1 their removal
would be for the benefit of the town, why,
let them go. The question was, would their
removal benefit the town? If they inteuded to
build villa.s there, he thought not, for there were not
many in Isareheater who withl afford to lit rchaae or
(qti'arite unmoved.)r'lihtwihengCouwhniscihl
is. erect some ten or twelve ce.ttages on
tewhveee even e m
peakint
it
eng ar
the land then lie thought they would be conferrii. ig a
real benefit upon the town, and he would confidently
assert that if 100 were built they would all be he; tu
less than three months, and that without le,eving a
single cottage in the town uninhabited. There was
no country town in England more in need of cottage