The Dorset County Express and Agricultural Gazette.
Dorchester, Dorset, England, 1860-02-28 00:00:00

PRIOR r. nrot.

The executors of the late Anthony Pryor, of Ply-
mouth, propounded his will, dated the sth of November,
18.16. the only question in the case was whether tbe
attestation was sufficient. It appeared that Samuel
Perry. one of the attesting witnesses, told the testator
after he had signed that it would be necessary to have
another witness ; that th, testator expressed a wish to
have WlMain Charley. Perry's son-in-law, but, as he
eid not loqqsm to be at hand, the testator desired Mrs.
'barley, ho had been in the room while be and Perry
were signing, to sign for her husband, and she accord-
irek her husband's name inateed of her own as an
attesting althea'.
iiwalsy, for the executrix, submitted that the
requireme.ds of the Wills Act having been substantially
votasplied with by the presence of both the attesting
witnesses at the tone of the execution. the will ought to
be admitted to probate, notwithstanding the wrong
name written by one of those witnesses.
iHas Lordship took time to consider his decision.

Wirratorrn.—St. Mary's Church. --The Rev. T.
A. Omen has issued • circular to the parishioners
of Melcombe Regis, with reference to a proposal for
adagios the accommodation of St. Mary's Church.
The rev. gentleman calls attention to the fact, that
with the exception of a very inadequate umnber of
free sittings, the whole of the seats are private pro-
perty. and consequently the Churchwardens have no
pour or &Doting sittings when application is made
o them. The population is rapidly increasing.
especially among that class who cannot afford to
reut sittings, and ninny visitors during the season
are compelled to leave the church from inability to
obtain accommodation. He urges the consideration
that a parish church ought to affonl accommodation
to the parishioners —especially the poor; and more-
over, from the dependance of Weymouth on ite
T isi tors for temooral prosperity, the town ought to
provide for their spiritual wants whilst amongst us.
Me states that • rough plan for enlarging the
l'hurcb, was to secure 700 additional free sittings,
has been submitted to Mr. Christian, the eminent
Chard' architect, and if his report is favouroble a
very large sum will be forthcoming to carry the
project into effect. The c.mt of this enlargement is
attitude/I at £'2,500, towards which the Patroil. the
Rev, E. Hollond, has offered £lOO ; the Rector
himself is ready to contribute £3OO, and friends
have premienl about £4OO. He states that the plan
when carried out would secure to the present pew-
owners increased rather than diminished accommo-
dation, with virtually the same positions. It is pro-
to reduce the present height of the pews, but
atm retaining the doom. The above stuns are
offered on the conditions that the Church be repewod
and warmed, which would cost about £1,200,
making a total expenditure of £3,700, towards
which, in addition to the £1,400 above named, £6OO
nay be expected from the Church Building Societies,
loving X 1,400 to be raised. The rev, gentleman
intends, in the event of Mr. Christian's report being
amtisfactcry, to appeal to the parishioners generally
for assistance, and in order to prevent cause of com-
plaint from the pew proprietors, purposes to invite
thew to select a c.ommittau from amongst themselves
to protect their own interest. In conclusion he asks
the iwishioners to suspend their judi,nneut until the
matured plans are laid before them.
AMATEUK TIMATRICAUL —The officers of the
Bedfordshire Militia and the Royal Engineers gave a
public performance at the Royal Hotel Assembly-
rooms on Thursday evening, to a very crowded
audience. The programme consisted of "Love in
Humble Life," Capt. ()may's original play of' One
Good Turn deserves Another, and the amusing
farce entitled "A Thumping Legacy." The actors
inpiitted themselves in their weldknown excellent
style, and occasioned great satisfaction to the audi-
tory. Mr. Evans, of the Beds' Militia, was
remarkably good as "Jerry Ominous" in the
Thumping Legacy. " and represented the
part of a conceited cockney with admir-
able humour and spirit. Captain Grayson's comic
song*, as usual, were irresistibly ludicrous, and con-
vulsed the company with inextinguishable laughter.
His " Make up, and burlesque of sorrow in "Lord
'Atwell," and " The Lost Child," were inimitable,
and proved the gallant officer to ponces comic
powers of first rate quality. The fun& of the even-
ing will be devoted to lucal charities.

--
Wzrisot-ru ELECTION.—At the meeting of Par-
liament on Friday week, the Speaker real a letter
from Mr. H. J. It. Campbell announcing his inteti.
tion of withdrawing the Petition lodged by himself
against the return at the last election.
THI CHANNEL FLEET. —Telegraphic orders wars
received on Saturday week for the fleet in Portland
!toads to preiere for nailing on the following Wed-
'lmlay. The ships will probably make a cruise of
about a fortnight.

MR. GL A DATON t'S LICZNAI NG SCHEME. - Petition*
Xi Parliament havo been prepared for signature
against the measure proposed by the Chancellor of
the Exchequer, for granting licenses to pastrycooks
and others at a small sum. Extremes have met in
this instance, the project being equally unpopular
with the licensed victuallers and the teetotallers.

THE GRE•T EASTERN.— .11dt-hell's Strom Skip-
piny Journal, in an article on the Great Eastern,
saysthat the new directorate of this company " is a suc-
cess on the ride of fir, inte rears of the South Western
'Railway Company ; and if the ship is to mail from
Squthaniptun the shareholders have acted wisdy in
having the chainusii of the railway and docks on
their Board of Directors." The Marquis of Stafford
lithe new chairman °ill's, Great Eastern.

SIMI:OWNE. Liferary u.titution. Thursday
evening last was pleasantly spent by some of the
sumsirters of this society in listening to a lecture by
the Rev. Francis Garden, M.A.. one of the Soh-
Deans of Her Majesty's Chapels Royal. The sub-
ject was "King Arthur," concerning whom poets
have sung, and historians and archsologists long
disputed. That there was such a monarch some
thousand years or more ago. the lecturer would nit
take it upon himself to affirm ; but the gallant
deeds attributed to him, if true, prove him to have
been imbued with the very essence of all that was
lofty, noble, and good in chivalry, and with the
urbanity, gentleness, and kindliness which mark the
gentleman of the present day. The lecture was
interspersed with readings (ruin Le Mori cl A rthure,
written long before the poet Laureate's sublime
Epic of that name which he gave to the public last
year. The frequent applause accorded to the lec-
turer evinced much interest by the audience, and at
the close the customary vote of thanks was tendered
by the Chairman, W. C. Macready, Es' q.

_
TIM ASSOCIATED INSTITUT/M.—rho first meeting
of the new council of this body was held at Yeovil
on Friday week, when delegates from Sherborne,
Dorcheetei, and Taunton were present. The Chair-
man, W. C. Nlacreatly, Est,, on account of his
regretted removal, was obliged to announce his
resignation of office; but he assured the council that
he •hould lose no opportunity of forwarding the
interests of the association, and that his annual
subscription of five guineas would be at the
treasurer's call. John C. Manse!, Esq., of Long.
thorns, was proposed by Mr. Macready as president,
and elected by acclamation. Letters were read
from Poole and Blandford, announcing the
appointment of delegates. The disadvantages
of • winter meeting, added to the circum-
stance that the students break off their class-work
just at the period of the year when they could most
conveniently attend the evening classes, led the
council to determine, unanimously, to postpone the
General Meeting for Rewards from November (when
it has hitherto been held) to May. The Taunton
meeting will, therefore, be held in that town in
May, ItS6l. The clamors in connection must be
opened in the week commencing April 16th next;
and all competing students must enter before the
let of November. Those who enter late will, of
course, be at a disadvantage, and it is hoped that
this reflection will induce the youths to enter as
won as the classes are formed. First and second
eLlas prises will he given at the next examination
for superiority in the following subjects :---1.
Reading, Writing, Spelling, and Arithmetic (to
Proportion and Decimals.) 2. History (period from
1656 to accession of George III.) 3. Geography
and Map-drawing (Italy and the Isles of the Mediter-
ranean.) 4. Grammar. 5. French. 6. Geometry.
7. Book-keeping. First-class youths must take up
three subjects, besides the first, which is indispen-
sable. The members of council residing at Sher-
borne were appointed a sub-committee to carry out
the resolution of the last annual meeting, for the
engagement of a paid travelling agent to make
known the advantages of the association, and endea-
vour to obtain students and funds.