The Dorset County Express and Agricultural Gazette.
Dorchester, Dorset, England, 1867-07-16 00:00:00

BLANDFORD WOOL FAIR.

This fair vas held on Saturday last, and was very
numerously attended both by the seulturists of the
neighbourhood and also by dealers. 9ixteen lots of
wool were shown in the Corn Exchange, of • fair
ass-rage quality. In consequence of the very flat
report. froni the consuming districts, buyers were not
dixPo•eti to follow up Dorchester fair moss, and con-
sequently no business was done in the morning. The
usual fair dinner was provided at the Crown Hotel
which was filled to overflowing, the large room not
being capable of containing the whole of the party.
The dinner, as usual, was in Mr. Eyer's first-rate style.
Mr. H. Fookes took the chair, and Mr. Lock and Mr.
Flower the vice-chairs.

On the removal of the cloth, the health of her
Majesty having been given from the chair, and heartily
responded to, the Chairman supplemented the next
toast. that of the Prince and Princess of Wales, by
remarking that be was sure all present would join srith
him in expressions of thankfulness that the Princess
would in • short time be able to take her usual rides In
the park. With mini to the Prince he was happy to
say that he had the pleasure of awarding him a prise
at the recent Norfolk meeting for Bouthdown sheep,
and he trusted if the Prince had disposed of any wool
he had sold it at eighteenpence, the price be (the
chairman) meant to have for hisHlaughter, and bear,
hear). . .

The Chairman said that the next toast was one more
immediately connected with the business of the day.
It was the heath of those gentlemee, who, many of
them. came from long distances to buy their wool.
He was glad to see them, and he hoped they would yet
be able to do buninem, though there was now some
difference between them as to the value. He saw their
old friend's face in the corner by the side of the vice-
chairman, Mr. Flower. He bad for many years bought
largely at our fair, and he begged to give his very good
health, and hoped that lie. Boon would be able to give
the price he caked, Is. 6d.—{loud cheers).
After • abort pause, Mr. Boon rose in response to
Instil calls from all parts of the room. He said .• Mr.
Vice-Chairman, and Gentlemen—l thank
col:7'1 10th ly for your wrual compliment of the semen—
(cheers)—and though no "wool has been sold at the fair
up to this time, /et I congratulate you on the prices we
paid at Dorchester on Bth July. A price which neither
you or I expected would be realised three months mo.
Buffering from • severe cold, and I fear scarcely able
to make myself heard, I shall not detain you long with
my remarks on the wool trade; but as it has been
usual to go over the general questions connected with
the trade, I would observe that we have been passing
through • transition state during the last few years.
The war in America was as a double-acting lever to
force prime above their natural leveL On the one hand
the supply of cotton to this country was restricted, and
on the other the consumption of goods was Increased;
and as demand caused supply to a larger extent than
was required when the war nosed there was • large
quantity of goods throws on the markets, and this had
the effect of niacin values. The continental war had
also the same effect in OW direction, and, like all wen
when it mused, mimed the circulation of money to
decline? and left the country so poor that a less demand
for goods was a natural conssqu.nce. In addition to
these calamities the Joint Stock system (Limited) has
produced bad effects, helping to raise prices unnaturally,
and then, when the collapse came, reducing them to a
lower level. And although money stood at 21 per cent
at the Bank of England. yet there seems no immediate
t of our being able to follow up the prices given
sir rchester, but on the contrary, I believe, you will
find at the close of the day we shall buy your wools at
a half-penny per pound lees than we gave then—(eries
of "so, no.") But you must not be out of heart about
this, as you have generally made moreet this fair and
you cannot always expect to do this. lam reminded
by my friend, the ram-Chairman, that only a few I
samples have been shown to day, and es I have told '
you on former oocacions, which fnow repeat, that it
should be either • decidedly pitched sample fair, with
the name and particular of each lot on every beget.
tosave time— (hear, hear)—or else you should up
the pitching of maniples sltogether—(cheers). ore
I sit down I wish you to underhand that I am P
to take my usual lota at the fair market
_pries,=oel
will find me in • few minute. in my old *am in the
Corn Exehangse—fspplaneh.
The Chairman then roes and said that he thought
what his friend, Mr Harvey, had said, was some
near the mark,that Mr. Rom had made his own tale
but said nothing in their favour—llaughtm). His
opinion we. his wool was worth eighteenpesee, and
he meant ro have that to-day if he sold—Omar, heart
He wished that more samples had been shown, and
be thought perhaps there might be if the Corporation
would lower- the tolls or do away with them altogether.
He hoped before the next fair to have that accomplished
—(cheers).
Mr. Mower (France Farm) : Mr. Chairman—l can-
not imagine what Mr. Boon would have said if he had
not a cold—flaughter)—which he appears to have
brought with him from Dorchester. There is one
question which he has said nothing to us about in
connection with the wool trade, and that is the extreme
pressure of the money market He had noticed in the
papers of yesterday that money was still lower, of
which Mr. Boon bad said nothi!ig—(hear, hear).
The Chairrioui then prowled "the health of Mr. John
Ford, as being the founder of the fair, a toast
which was was most heartily responded to by all
present.
Mr. Ford, after acknowledging the compliment
referred to the commencement of the fair and con-
gratulated the supporters on its suceses. He fully
endorsed what Mr. Boon had said with merd to the
samples, and hoped the Chairman would he able
to carve out his Tian" to do away with the toll.
With regard to Prime, he yet hovid. avail the marmot,
to mall his wool at Is. 6,1.
Mr. Boon then nee and asked the Chairman to read
the last report of the Bradford woolmarket, remarking
that he bad been accustomed to do ee for man y rem
at their fair—(nks of "Read it yourself.") This Mr.
Boon proomedel to do, but prefaced it by • that
the printer's devil must certainly have L a
mistake —(rwn of laughter). The report ins as
ollows t--

"BRADFORD MAIM, TRIM DAT.—Wool..—Not_
withstanding the dh4Jy.Llnpfovin prpe of a pod
harm* sail the almost an led demises of
money, the deemed for wool quieter, and it.
value gradually less. The failures at Amerioan houses
already reported, and, whet is worse, tier rumours of
more, aro producing a remarkable feeling of apprehen.
lon to-day. Buyers act only according to necessity,
and will not buy at all eseept at a reduction on last
week's qnotations. This reduction holders for the
mot Put veillingly ooncedLifll:et preemie of new
wool on the market is so .0,46° to °l° 41'
mend that it would be folly to hold oat. The depression
11* chietlY in briNhthaired wools, however, and down
woes remain flatly firm." At Buckingham fair

TuderdaL I good deal Ina offend, aid prime ruled
"et. Half-11°1 lota lang ad from 37a ion,. per tod.
There wire no Yorkshire bayers"
The word dearness shou'Ael have been cheapness, and
the reader waster • slioAe time obliged to pause through
the hearty laughter w aich ensiled.
The Chat-num tin A vacated his seat, end the company
proceeded to the C orn Exchange. A few iota were sold
at the following pootations : —Down', ewes wether
and lamb, laid •, duo, one-third to one-half tag lota, 17d.; all tep. 11'0. We did not hear of horned lot
being dispow 4ot
In the or swing $ large party assembled on the lawn in
final ag fae Crown tiotei, which ham been *molders/Ay
enlarged and beautified; and as a portion of Lard Port-
man's %Ark is now tenanted by Yr. Byers, visitors have
the •Jaitional Adventist of • pleasant stroll to the river
tidr. Byors's ben. performed exceedingly well •
„i;eo oaoseion of music, and a most pleasant evening
' rag enjoyed by all moment.

THR CHIMES! FAIR was held the same day, only a
very limited
sad on the quail:air pitched. Trude was dull,
prices

BRIDPORT.
BRIDPOIEf 0•11 AID 113E2 OOMPAST.—Thie annual
general rneetiag of this array was held io the Town.
ball on Tarday, the 9th Ira, at which were present
the following directors :—llLeesre. B. P. ()unary (chair.
' man), T. Nash, Ff. R. lloun.ell. C N..b•rn, &
, Stephens, and C. Tooker. and • small 'somber of the
shareholders. The very eatisfactry report of the
directoos having been previorly forwarded ro each
shareholder was conaidered as reed, sad was moved and
sdopted. The principal subject in the report was
that the largely increased consumption of is had
rendered necomary the erection of a new grholder,
of large dimerions, of • retort house, perffying
apparatus, and of other attention., calls for which
would have to be made on the new shares
from tins* to time as required. A further reduction of
fid. per 1000 feet in the prioe of ps should femora
from the let of October neat, thus bringing the pries
down tot., per 1000, and that • dividwnd 01 71 pm
omit. should bo declared iambi" this month. Mr. J.
P. Stephens moved and Mr. Dunham smosided, that
for the future • sum of £6O par annum should he appro-
priated to the payment of the director., and II per
annum for the auditors. Tb• retiring directors
llemws. B. P. (Sundry, W. Hourell, and T. Beer, ,
were thew elowied, aa were Mao the audiWs, llswers. 8.
W. vrbob., J. Tinnplemaa. and 3. C. Balm. WWI
of thanks to the Airman, direetora, and to the able
meneffer (Mr. Lowe) and seeretary (Mr. Male) were than
pumped, and the meeting separated. It is right to Mete
that a diescussion with regard to the great balance of
assets over liabilities elicited the unanimous opinion
that the reel value of the shares was larply over the
nominal value, £lO, to re amount of at lead 90 or 40
Per sent--a sonsiderble amount of the roar having
been devoted for many years past to improving the
plant and largely 'Derwin( the working powers of the
company.