The Dorset County Express and Agricultural Gazette.
Dorchester, Dorset, England, 1871-02-21 00:00:00

DORSET CHAMBER OF AGRICULTURE.

A meeting of the Council of this society was held on
Tuesday at the Colidhall, Dorchester, when there were
preAnt —Mr. It Fowler (Whitechttroh), Mr. J. Pope
(Symendsbury). the Rev. W. J. R. Percy (Silks), Mr.
H. W. Smith (Stoke Abbott), Mr. S. Symes (Nether
Came), Mr. R. Damon (Dorchester), Mr. J. Crane
(Tolpuddle), with Mr. B. Look (Dorchester) and Mr.
It. Geer (Waterson). hon. secs. Mr. Fowler was
voted to the chair.

In opening the proceedings the CHAIRMAN said that
as he thought this meeting of the Council was neon-
wary, he should perhspe say why he was of that *pinion.
He found that the Local Taxation Committee in L
don had sent circulars, upon tho advise of Sir iltatsey
Lopez, to the magistracy of every county in Ragland,
torough the Clerks of the Pesos, salting them, as the
local rating authority—for they knew no rates could be
collected without the sanction of the magistrates—to
take into consideration the sivisability of petitioning
Parliament, as bodies of magistrates, on the subject of
local taxation. In various counties the matter was
brought before the Courts of Qoarter Sessions, and in
twenty•four • resolution for petitioning Parliament was
unanimously carried,while in four others they agreed to
memorialise the Homo Secretary on the subject But
in Dorset, unfortunately, the matter did not seem to
have been noticed—it was altogether put aside,
although the same papers were sent to the authorities
of this county as to others. Under these oircumstanoes
he suggested that they should send a circular to the
Overseers of the various perishes in the county asking
them to obtain signatures to • memorial praying the
Court of 'Quarter Sessions to consider the subject. In
Somerset the following memorial was unanimously
adopted :

To the Justices in quarter
,Sessions oesemblekt for the County

qf SoonsratL

The humble memorial oi the ratepayer, et the mkt uoupty;

The undersigned ratepayers, owners, and occopiers of laud
and houses in the county of Somerset, feeling the urzent
necessity oft revision and re-adjustment of the present basic
of assessment, and of Inducing the Government to contribute
more largely towards thom rates which are levied under the
authority of Courts of Quarter Sessions, would respectfully
beg to call the attention of your honourable court to the ex-
treme importance of thissublect, and would express a hope
that the court, as the rating authority, will, on behalf of the
ratepayers, petition Parliament to take this question into its
early consideration.
Your memorialists would observe Gut these burdens have of
late years been vastly Increased by rates for new objects,
such as police, buildings for militia stores, lunatic
asylums, education, &c., &c , which objects, they contend, are
for the common snail, rather than for the benefit of one pard-
tieular class of the *immunity.

That memorial wee sent throughout the different
parishes, and wu numerously signed : the Somerset
Court of Quarter Sessions took the question into con•
aid-ratios, end unanimously agreed to petitiou Parlia-
ment. Therefore, that it was a question for C iurts
of Quarter Seasions, had tome prutically aokuow•
ledged. In Wiltshire the motion was supported by
the Chairman—Mr. Mereweather, Q.C. and Sir G.
Jenkinson ; in Devonshire, Sir Stafford dorthoote and
Sir Massey Lopez were in favour of the course pro.
pued ; in Nottinghamshire, the Speaker of the Rouse
of Commons spoke strongly on behalf of the petition ;
in Woroeatanhire. Sir John Pakington made a very
long and learned speech on the mattsr, and curled the
whole of the magistrates with him. He therefore,
suggested, they should take the steps he had indicatA
forgetting the matter brought before the Dorset Wart
of Quarter Sessions,
The Rev. W. J. R. Prater thought it would be well
to add to the memorial adopted in Somerset, that
24 Courts had reacilved to petition Parliament, and 4
to memorialise the Ruins Secretu7—(hear, hear).
lir. J. POPS considered parrying out the object
mentioned by the Chairman would be • very legiti-
mate au of the means at their disposal, and he
moved: That the Judaea in Qaarter Sessions be
memorialised that they would on behalf of the rate-
payers of the county petition Parliament to take
into consideration the question of the revision
and re-adjustment of the present basis of assess-
- .

ment witli • view to inducing Parliament to pass
measures whereby the nontribution towards the
rates levied under the authority of the Court of '
Quarter Sessions should be more largely paid
out of the Consolidated Fund ; that such memorial be
in the form suggested by Mr. Fowler; and that forms
of the same be sent to the members and to the over-
seers of the various perishes in the county, asking
them to obtain the signatures of the ratepayers in
their respective parishes as speedily as possible, that
the subject may be submittal to the next Court of
Quarter Sessions; and in order that the Clerk of the
Pease may be oommunicated with in order that the
subject may be included in the agenda paper.
Mr. Main mentioned that in Somerset nearly 3,000
signatures were obtained to the memorial.
Mns DOGIBILI, in supporting the motion, said they
had been lax on the subject hitherto in Dorset. The
matter was mentioned in the Queen's speech, though
verbsps there was not so mush said as should have
been but it showed notice was taken of the efforts that
had been put forth, and that if they kept pressing the
subject forwerd they would some day get redress; he
hoped that day was not far distant—(hear, hear)
This Rev. W. J. R. PIUICY said he knew that some of
the Dorset magistrates were with them on the subject
—(hear, hear).
The CELkllltilt though they did quite right by assist-
the Local Taxation Committee in London as much as
they could, especially seeing the position taken by the
men of high position he had named. They did not
reward it as any question of politics, but simply as a
,1 ratepaying question—(hear. hear).
On the motion of Mr. DOCIDALI. seconded by Mr.
8111T11, it was unanimously resolved that the sum of
EIS be subscribed to the Loral Taxation Committee
for the year 1871.
It was unanimously resolved on the motion of the
Rev. W. J. R. Plll.Ol, seconded by Mr. Dames, that
the usual subscription of £5 be given to the Central
Chamber of AgrieuUure for the year 1871.
Maas. Fowler and Dugdale were requested to
attend the Central Chamber of Agriculture on behalf
of this Council. . . . .

Mr. FOWLCII said as it was their wish, he would con-
tinue to represent them at the Central Chamber. He
had attended the meetings at different times, but be
had not said very mush because be found many there
who with more time on their hands had perhaps
studied the questions brought forward more than he
had done, so that he could learn rather than teach;
but be always voted as be believed to be right, and be
thought that unless • man bad some information to
impart he had better listen than talk—(bear, hear, and
laughter).
ktr. Doonacn expressed his willingness to continue
one of their representatives at the Central Chamber,
and to promote in the best way he could the objects
they all desired to see attained.
With regard to the Frani). Peasant Farmers. Seed
Fund, the CHAULIWI suggested that any help they
were disposed to give as individuals should be in the
shape of money and not in corn, for it was too late to
sow wheat, the corn sown there was very different
from what we used, the expense of conveying it to
Fran.) was great, and corn could be 'taught cheaper
there than here.—Other members of the Council
concurred. . . .

Mr. POPE proposed That this Chamber is of
opinion that under the preseat partial system of load
taxation, it would be unjust to charge the ratepayers
with the maintenanee of the turnpike roads : that the
turnpike roads, being made and maintained for imperial
as well as boil purposes, the expense of their mainten-
ances should be net partly from Imperial taxation and
pertly from a want, rate." He thought nothing could
be more jest than the spirit of that resoletion, for it
would be extremely hard for individual parishes to
have to maintain turnpike roads when the toll-gates
were dose away with, when all the public: partook
equally of the advantages the reads afforded for transit
and business. It oecarred I. him that though the
present system of toll•gatee was inconvenient, it was
tolerably equitable, as now three who used the roads
had to pay for them ; but he believed that the opinion
of Parliament and the country generally, was averse
Lo the present system, and therefore it Irdioved them
to endeavour to get the new burden &Masted fairly
upon all classes of the community. With this view he
proposed the resolution, and invited them to adopt it
—(bear, hear).
Mr. Edrrn seconded, and it was carried.
It was mentioned that the subseriptions for 1871
were now due, and circulars are to be issued asking
for their payment.
The Rev. W. J. K. PIRO! moved a vote of thanks
to the Chairman, for the able manner in which he had
oondeeked the business.
Mr. lloariaxs seconded, and it WU carried.
Mr. Ponca acknowledged the compliment, and said
be was always very glad to do anything in his power
for the advantaged the agriealtaral body generally.
PORTL &ND'

Out readers will he glad to notice from the Perlis-
montary reporli in soother column, that Govern-
ment are about to introduce • measure for rendering
Government property liable to local rates. This will
be • great relief to Portland.