The Dorset County Express and Agricultural Gazette.
Dorchester, Dorset, England, 1877-04-17 00:00:00

The pretty occupation of petting and feeding our beantifel
swarm will draw the ladies who have little to do when
. . . . . . . .

the sustain a wondrous " pond life," and even he might.
If he had lost dear ones in the raging billow!, long for the
time when "there shall be no more sea.' I wish l'or
Portland—whoee turbulence is its curse—that its pecntle
may earn, deserve, and receive the fulfilment of the
promises made to those who love peace.
Discs.Ns_

their husband.' and fathers' ;Seitz 147e-iii-ile-i•hrTilir,-- and
balls and races are not "on.' Ido hope that everybody
who lives or works alongside the Harbors, will pet Giese
noble birds, or at least do nothing to make them more
shy.' It would be a pretty picture if our artists could
sketch the Nothe, the Outer-pier, the yachts, with some
pretty boats and nettle swans in the foreground ; or the THE AQUARIUM SCHEME AGAIN.
picture could be turned the other way, and the well-
appointed steamers of the Portland company, the Itilemier, A public meeting was called by the Mayor for Mon, lay
the bay, and the crewcut of fine houses, could form the evening, to receive from Captain Chinimo, R.N., sc one
middle distance ant background, the yachts and swans v duekle information respecting the proposed Attired nni
being still to the fore. wel Wearer Garden for Weymouth. At the time nanwel,
eieht ''click, but few amsenffiled, however, after the
The proposed new School of Art will, perhaps, furnish "usual 15 minutes" the numbers increased fast. On this
us with artists that will give us sock attractive pictures, eccision the seats at the side of the Bemis were utilised.
and for this and other lewd ends, the school will. I hope, There were present ; -The Mayor (Mr. Lundie)s Captain
he heartily encouraged. The Rsv. J. Miller is a farseeing Oshtemo, RN, Mr. Jalilei Robertson, r., Dr. Smith,
and wise man for trying to help forward slush a capitil JP., Me Alderman Thounas, Mr. T. B. Groves% Mans.
scheme. It is really astonishing that the •• semen of the boys, 'Mr. W. B. Morgan (borough surveyor), Mr. B.
South, the pet place of Alltien southern come" the Hopkins, Jr. Mr. Hallett, Nen., Kr. J. G. Rowe. Mr.
" Naples ~f England"—•• all shish I st,,,trastly believe," M. 11. Devenish, Mr. S. S. Milledge, Mr. It. Wheeler,
should be behind Dorchester and Bridport. 'toluene Menses,. Louis Rossi, J. J. IL Longman, T. Grant, J. B.
sympathy makes me very sorry for clever Mr. Baker's Cole, G. 11. Welsford, O. It. Crickmay, J. Vincent, H.
continued colds -wretehed things, too feehionaldenufortn- Nangle, E. Cons W. Lancing, G. Eliot, Jr., Lemke.
mitely, and which make many a "good man go wrong ;" Iluthings, S. Wallis, S. Vickery, C. J. Freeman, Now'
but Weymouth most he obliged to the discomfort of pert, Felton. Plowman. R. Cox. Hodder, T. Stone, E.
. Dominy Ayles, see., Russell, O.
,
Maiden Newton station, if it send US such a g,esl man as Mae*, J. D ioniny,
Mr. Baker away from the town of ropes and twines. Carter, Manley, Vincent, Read, Burbidge, kes Ac. The
Doubtleee Bridport will I • ready to offer its peculiar pro- Mayor occupied the chair and said he had received either
ductions to the officials that made Maiden Newton station notes or telegrams from the following gentleman who
so awkward ; list whether they are " stabbed with a were unable to he present :—Mr. Alderman Milledge, Mr.
Bridport dagger" or not, lam very pleased that Mr. Baker Stemma, Dr. Moorhead, Dr. Simpson, General Baugh,
has seen what is good for himself, and is coning to live at Mr. John Devenish. He regretted the absence of these
Weymouth. 'Ti, • wonder he did not think long before gentlemen: but was persuaded they would readily agree
of us; but he could hardly have tact a Weymouthian, or with what was done that evening. Already two or three
he would have been inspired with some of the love for meetings had been held with regard to the establishment
our dear town that makes every native feel just the of an aquarium and winter garden ; because they felt
opposite to a Scotchnian, and, wherever he roams, lays the that if such places were requires! anywhere they were
homesickness on him till he comes back to his darling required in this town. During the winter there would be
hardly anything else to fall back upon, and if one
"Lives there a man with soul so deed, addition could le made to the attractions of the toren in
Who never to himself hath said— winter, for in summer it certainly WAS not destitute of
Returning from a foreign strand, attramiens, it would he the very thing for the town. He
'This is my own. inv native land was ImPPY to see this really a representative meeting,
But the Sands, the Nothe, the Sutton Hill, and even the atteeded IT those who take an interest ite the prosperity
King's Statue and the Esplanade, are making me wander and welfare of the town, and Captain Chiruuso who bad
from my subject, in delighted thought of the charms of token a great deal of interest in the matter would explain
my native town. Let ois return to the School of Art. "'lint heni.hed• and all would he ready to lend a helping
Although it would seem strange that Government money hand. rho scheme, he understood, had somewhat
should be laid out for the encouragement of artists who extended its aspect and requirements, for whilst it is of
have wealth of their own, yet the arrangement is equitable great importance that we Amulet have an aquarium and
and just, it fact it favours the working classes. The winter garden, it was of greater impereinee that some.
School of Art is almost self-supporting through the cons- thing else should be connected with it, he meant a public
paratively large fees Inaid by the young ladies and gentle- rolls, which might he used for purposes front whir h now
men who attend the morning and afternoon classes., we are debarred. The room is also needed for the require-
while the artisans get the benefit of the lest leaching for ments f a School of Art, tor rooms such as do not now
a very minute sum. In fact the upper classes support the eaiga in the town will certainly be required for that,
also a free library, reading-room, a room for lectures
school, and the artisans reap the benefit for a mere trifle.
With this very favourable arrangement, the least the and concerts, such a room as we feel the want of every
Government can in justice do, to to supply models, es 'to week of our lives. Of course there are rooms; but they
the young artiste on favourable terms, and to give them are in connection with hotels, or are so situated as to
the chance of winning rewards. As a Weymouthian I be praetically of very little use. Iu connection with the
must be a little " shoppy," and point out that such a thought of an somariuni and winter garden, we must
school will do much good to the town, by rising refined think of making the plan what to mercantile own is of
occupation to those who otherwise would only solace the greatest importance, • pecuniary sweetie. For the
themselves with the doict far ;sissies growth and prosperity of the town, it is important that
something shotild be provided in addition to lodging-
Melees and shops. With other places advancing on our
right and left, we are almost alone in regard to this
desirable &dilate to the town; Bournemouth, Torquay,
Plymouth, Ssarlorougle Vermouth, and elsewhere, it is
only to take sip the list which Captain Chimmo has,
to show that if we are not to be entirely distanced, it
is absolutely necessary to lend ourselves to the establish-
ment of seine such institution here. Some difficulties
exist as to sites, and the former failure arose from sonic
anxiety and doules as to the proper Kite. The site
propoed was at the back of Victoria-terrare, and it
was considered that would not have been sufficiently
central for the wants of the town, and it was altaticlonsel
solely on that account Bet it wordi be unwise to
al, stidon it again on that ground Weymouth is growing
more to the north than in any direction, ill fact lie slid
not see how it was to grow except towards the north; and
he regretted that • site with such advantages of cheapness
and eligibility was hastily abandoned, and we had been
wandering about without knowing where to direct
attention. Other sites hart been names!, one in connection
with the New Ganlens and opposite Pulteney and Vein'
shire buildings, hy the extension of the rowl beyond the
present Esplanade. That question was for the surveyor
and architect, whether it could be made equally cheap as
with the purchase of land, or whether one might be set
against the other. His Worship then again introduced
the warm-hearted and sincere advocate, (he was going to
say the persistent advocate) of an aquarium and winter
garden for Weymnuth, Captain Chintzy,. (Applauw.)
Cape (Aimee me., believed he might address them as
"fellow townsmen," having hied here four or live yew.,
and intending to live among them for the rest of his life.
(Applause.) Looking over his papers, he found it was le
months mince the lest meeting on this subject. Their
worthy mayor had paid him a compliment which he (Capt
Chinon.) would accept, for he dill not think any one
could have spent more time than himself in censidering
plow for buildings which would draw people to Weymouth
and advance its prosperity. In the statement he made
last year, and which appeared in the papers, every item
was drawn out, and he chewed nut the annual receipts
would be £llOll, and the expenses £I,SLI no that the
unmmuoil ineume would be L2.limi7; and now in addition to
that, they would have £1,00.1 for the lint year, hecause
since he hrought the matter before them, all those who
had c ineented to work for the benefit of the winter
eerden and aquarium—including directors, solieiter anti
secretary, intend to work for the first twelvemonths with-
olit any reward, or until the aquarium is found to PAY.
Thl: lirst year therefore there would be £OlO surplus. Ile
had been in correspondence with the managing director
of all the aquaria now being built in England or on the
Continent, and there are now aquaria in working order at
seventeen places, including Brighton, Southport, Great
Yarmouth, Tyneinnuth, Roulogw, Berlin, Naples, limn-
bergh, lietlesay, lthyl. Clifton, and Torquay. Out of all
the A.,veat,..en labief.4 only three were failures ; at Brighton
the aquarium paid Ile per tent, on a capital of J.:151),0110:
at Soutleiea 15 per out., at Yarmouth till per cent. on
LAMM. At Weymmish a place for MOM would pay
well, and it only nerels a little loCal spirit to start it At
Tea-quay the capital wan 4:511,t5e1, although Torquay IA a lees
impertant place than Wey h, the residents are not
Medd to ask the puhlic for tOtkatek anti of it elkuele has
leen collected in Torquay. }sniffing out about the aquaria,
which had failed, he made a point of, and the reasons for
their failure. Margate aquae-num the Westminster one,
that at the Regent's park garden, hal failed; but Mr.
Mosey wrote that the Margate company spent all their
money in building an expensive sea wall, thee they
liquidated, and sold their property to another company,
who are carrying on operations. Ihe Regent's Park one
had failed, lweause it was made in a conservatory, a
diametrically wrong notion, as they found more and more
each successive slimmer, the teniperiture tieing sietit
Westminster aquarium was ruined for lack of patience on
the part of the directors, who refused to let Mr. Matey
have proper engineering awsistance. Capt. Chime., con-
tinued that be bad visited Westminster aquarium, with
special reference to the animals and the tanks, and it was
never intended for an aquarium at all. The salt water
was brought front Brighton, in Pickford's sans, and they
had to pay lid, a gallon for it, besides that the first year
they found that the vibration of the Uuderground
It !Away started all the cement work, and they were
ohliged to build it up again, costing them several thou-
tumid pounds. Bat these are the only three that have
Need. At Great Yarmouth they had a grand affair to
look at, costing £125,0110 ; but they very quickly raised
that. He also showed a picture of one at Tynemouth.
No doubt au aquardun to be successful must be con-
structed in connection with the sea, for the fishes and
other animals are broken to pieces if sent a distance,
hefere they arrive in the tsinks. Weymouth therefore is
peculiarly fitted for a building of the sort. At Mod, in
Wales they have husilt a pier that cost edeelle, amid this
from among people. We could nut said Capt.
Chinon°, close our eyes to the fact that Weymouth is
deteriorating every year; we have wily to look back at •
visitor's guide and see the visitors and tourists who used
to come Isere six or seven years ago, and compare them
with those at the present time. No doubt a place of
recreation and amusement is very much wanted ;
people will not sit in their windows, having
no place to go to; it may he possible for gentlemen to pass
time at their clef.; but ladies find it very dreary work to
have no place to take their families for recreation, and
such a place as this aquarium ought to to started. He
had now personal friends from Yorkshire who brought
their horses; but they declared they would not come
lewautte there is nothing to do. Old resident&
remember seeing lb or 111 hunters exercising on the Sands,
and five or six hunting boxes but now there is only one,
that belonging to Mr. Austin, of Wylie. That showed,
Captain Chien.) thought, that Weymouth is deteriorat-
ing, while we have places such as Bourueumuth on the
east, and Torquay on the west, which are going fast
ahead, and drawing people away from us. The Mayor and
himself went to Bourumuouth to see the winter garden,
and although it is only a huge hothouse, a conservatory
which cost .£13,000, though they cannot go into it in
summer, for it is too hot, though it only contains a few
pounds worth of plants, yet it answers. Lust Thursday
there was a meeting here for a School of Art, and it was
decided on at once that it would be • goes! thing; bust the
difficulty was—" Where is the room 1 A building of the
bort he advocated would supply every necessary; there
would be a room capable of being used for gatherings, a
skating rink, places for Badminton, aviaries, flower shows,
exhibition stalls, and a School of Art All these would
bring a very great income, and there Is no doubt would
le very attractive, ansl draw the people. But the shoals-
ling block bad been—" Where shall the site be r A good
many sites have been proposed ; but none come up to
what it ought to be. One abuts on the Gardens, and the
other is in the Park. Now, they had a great objection to
the Park, and so had he in its present state, but when •
building with 33ft of glass above a basement of 15ft, of
stone, is erected there, plenty of builders will be runuing
up villas for the officers of the aquariuut, and we should
not kuow the place in five years, It was intended for a
Park. and it has still the tnakings" of a Park. Some
elsiestion e ill be felt to erecting the building near the
Gardens ; but be had spoken to several people living
there, and they were delighted, the landlord of the hotel
thero says he shall make his fortune. The building
would be made room for by building the Esplanade out
Weft. into the gay, and thise would improve that corner
very much. During the season a great number of invalids
comae to Weymouth for the benefit of the mild atmosphere,
and by establishing a winter garden, e great many more
would be drawn, and he regretted that Dr. Moorhead was
not present, to give his °enema on this. The building
would possess all the requirenienta necessary; it would be
adapted for any purposes rcquirml, and as to the adminis-
tration, they might cheesed upon it, he would take care it
should boa place that he should never hesitate to send his
children to, for instruction as well as amusement, and
they would be able and satisfied to send their own. (Ate
Pialr. Icing called on, said he came as a hearer
not as a speaker; but if such an institution were estab-
lished, it would be a very excellent thing. All that
Captain Chimmo had said he agreed with, except as to
the deterioration of Weymouth. His experience of Wey-
mouth, he moist say, is that it is greatly improved—Omar)
-he had been in Weymouth more than *3 years, when be
came the number of inhabitants was about 9.001.1, and they
have increased to about 11,0011. All knew that Weymouth
is on the increase, not the decrease. The inhabitants, he
wa shappy to think and believe, are much more wealthy
now than when he came here; we see finer shops, liner
Undoubtedly the collection and expenditure of rotes is houses built, and a vast nurrher of people from the higher
of great importance to every ratepayer; for if anylwdy, classes conic her to reside. If, however, they could
and particularly if any number of persons, pay less I establish such an institution, it would be a great means of
than their ehares. other ratepayers actually loseby having drawing more, and of giving those residing here a means
to pay more, and if the rates are not economically ex- I of pleasure and recreation which they cannot now coin-
pended. it is a truism to say they most be made higher. 'nand. The suitability of a winter garden depends upon
The Vigilance party of Portland have been trying, they the way in which it is taken up, also whether we have
say, to lessen the expenditure, and this they aim et by arrivol at the period when we may expect success. The
putting in economical men. But they have not been difficulty of a site is very great, other places are more
very well supported by the rateimyers themselves, for suitable than the Park ; but they will not be available
they have only carried three men, if we don't include Mr. for a couple of years hence. Captain Chitorno had
;
Hodder. and except for the balance of power that gentle. examined the Park very carefully, and no doubt from his
man and the chairman hold in their hands, matters are experience the captain believed it adapted for the site
very much as before. The declaration of the poll under therefore he did net see what difficulties stand in the way,
their auspices was ever SO much later instead of earlier. The subject he (Dr. Smith) had not studied, and was not
and the "old party" could retort with great severity on Prepared to go into details; but he went to the West-
them if they chow to compare the times taken in count- spinster Aquarium, and found it not really an aquariam
i
ing. We shall see how the Vigilance party will get on • but a winter garden, there was a ball-room with dancing
but at present I feel hound to commend to them the old a concert room, and a dining room. About 11 or 12 o'cloc
proverb "Live and let live" If I were their servants he entered, having arrived by a tete train, and had about
(always excepting our good friend Mr. Robert Pearce), an hour there. Daring that time he observed hundreds
I'm afraid my friends would soon have a job for their or thousands of people; a kind of mimic theatre was
champion, Mr. It. J. Andrews' if indeed, we had saved there which hest no great attractions for him, but 600 or
enough out of the wages to pay for the funeral, and that 6usl people sat opposite the stage, and appeared amuses!'
I much doubt and rooms or galleries were there, in which people took
• their tea and other refreshment—whatever they wished.
Political "life" in Portland has extended to the In Weymouth we certainly must have soinehting more
parish vestry of St John's for there they made a stir than an aquarium, and other things in connection with
about churchweedens, I am ghoul that the gentlemen it might make it geese.' ; but an aquarium alone would
elected will give their services, for they are likely to be not Le sufficient, He should be very glad to see it estale
very useful; but I hope the spirit of struggle and dis- lobed, and to give it all the support m his power. (Ap-
union will not creep into St. John's. The Rev. T. Greaves Please-)
in his otherwise admirable sermon at the re-opening The MAYOR next called on Mr. G. 11. Crickmay.
services, seemed to speak rather in praise of strugglo Mr. PRICKMAT came, he said, to gain information, and
than of peace. Ile seemed to admire the raging sm. here a statement fem. Captain Chiromo. Quite agreeing
with its crested baleen, above what he called the greets with the captain as to the desirability of an aquarium
slime of the stagnant pond. But I venture, as a lay he did not think it would pay alone. A winter garden,,
preacher, who dares to criticise the "reverends," to show theatre, Au, were very much -required, for in Weymouth
the snakes other aide. Even the eloquent Rector of there is no place where visitors can go cm a wet day.
Melcombe Be& sleight see Wisdom hi the peen coeferso Success woeU depend almost entirely on the position ;it

But when gentlemen of the Town Council utter anxious
wishes for a good politic room in the middle of the town,
I can't help reniinding them that "they who iriU, need I
not! to wish." If the Couneil or Local Board will ,
only keep their steam in, and not waste their energy in I
talk and quarrels, they have a room almost ready to their
band, which "half the breath thus vainly spent" would
suffice to arrange for partitioning oti and fitting up. I
have the steepest respect in Market-house matters for Mr.
J. A. Talbot, who sail very little at the Council meetings,
but who pressed home his proposition for improvement in
the Market-house to a success which I have only found
comparatively silent men attain. Mr. Tiflliot found the
Market-house wretchedly inconvenient, the people being
cramped for want of space, and he pushed the matter,
with very few words, but a ith steady work, till lie left it
convenient and comfortable. I want another man of few
words to push on the making of the interior of the
Market-house into a gisid public room. Let about three
to six feet be taken off the stalls at the fish market end,
then there will be room for another row of stalls on that
fourth side, which will give ample accommodation for all
requirements of the market. Then the interior can be
oriole into a fine room, within the pillars; another room
can be constructed above it, at the level of the top of the
fish market; a place fur an orchestra can be found on the
fish market itself ; and there is all, and more than all, that
the Mayor longs for. If a temporary or small aquarium
were wanted there are the cellars, now so useless, but so
requisite for an aquarium, which needs a place for dark
tanks. A small but cheap aquarium below, a fine, well-
lighted public room above, and the disgrace of the wasted
space in the interior of the Market-ho-c wool I be
removed, and the Local Board would be again convinced
that the old proverb is true—" Waste not, want not."
Captain Chimmo is doing well again to stir up the ques-
tion of an aquarium. But if ho wants a great scientific
place big enough for porpoises and octopi I fear the scheme
, will turn out "very like a whale." Our needs in Wey-
mouth are moderate: we want a pleasant place where
visitors can gain shelter from a shower of rain. A very
I modest request, I am sure; yet hundreds on hundreds in
the season tell me of their want ,and piteously enquire
whether they
must go the publiehouses or take refuge
in the shops. I an. sure that we shopkeepers would sell •
great deal more instead of less, if customers were drawn
instead of forced in, while our time would be profitably
occupied if, instead of being hammed in. those who want
amusement, and get all the stock pulled about to furnish
it, we only had to shod with those who are willing to burs
and who know what they want. The employment lif our
laleour is not wanted for employnient's sake alone; we
have plenty to to in the season, without dancing attend-
ance on the

Profitable employment, that is what everyborlY wants,
and what is to be provided for our deserted children in an
industrial school. It reflects great credit on some gentle-
men that they have promised the money to establish one,
and on Saturday Mr. Vickery went to Bath virh little
Dupre, and inspected the industrial seleol, with the view
of having moael For the Weymouth one. All SIICCOR4 to
the plan ! If funds are wanted I would suggest that. the
Lifeboat Institution be mem 4... Used to take away the
ridiculous and useless lifeboat, and give us the building to
be sold for the benefit r,f the Industrial Sello. .Is' funds.
The annual cost of the lifeboat establishment here might
be also profitably devoted to the school, instead of being,
as at present, thrown into the sea, with only fruitless and
laughable spasms of effort as the result.

What spasms of effort a man must make in order to
live, if he is under the bat of the police ! How helpless
and hopeless after all must he feel himself ! George
I ;men, suspected of I,ing a cmcksium, is warned out of
his I.slgings, he wants to sleep somewhere, and goes into
a shed. The county police seize him, and find a lot of
fowls killed, and it is all up with George Green's
" struggles to live." Outside the prison a man seems
unsWe to get a lisolibool if the pollee are against I ;
hut yet everybody. must feel that George Green, with his
aptitude for making universal picklocks out of a bit of
wire, is well out of Weymouth, thanks to the mace ;
and yet you can't but feel for George Green, if you listen
to the pmulsr mnz, and
'Put yourself in his place."

The Sanitary Rate ((notion has been dealt with by
Mr. It. (jokell, and I cheerfully aiiree that be, at
any rate, will "escape the imputation of seeking to
Injure the character of the living, or wishing to defame
the dead," for Mr. Gasket!, if he wishes to 110 a harbour
of refuge for our shattered fireship, Mr. Walker, 8001115 to
have 'tail the ship up in ordinary." "Mild as mother's
milk," is Mr. Gaskell's bill, not only in its style (for which
I heartily praise him), but also for its facts and deductiona
Mr. Gasketi proves that the percentage of loss by relate,
uncollected rate, (Lc., die., has declined from 4.:16 11/1,
per cent. in P 473, steadily every year, till, in Ih7t, it was
only ,Cll 4s. 744. This is satisfactory, as far as it goes: it
, shows a steady improvement, and no, far exonerates the
late Mr. Taylor, and the auditors. What, then, is all the
fuss about I If Mr. Gaskell had shown, for instance, that
in Wyke parish on the poor-rate, the loss is only (by way
of supposition) from £7 to per cent, while in Weymouth
borough it ranges.from .Clti to XII, I could see the point of
his bill ; hut now lit) out of l(g) will wonder what it is all
about. And, above all, I am informed that, of the gross
amounts put on his bill as " anmunts not collected," a
large proportion was actually colleeted, though not before
the time when the respective rates were closed. Mr.
Gasket' has also not shown the amounts which actually
were not collectable, though it would be necessary ;s1 see
what could have been collected, and what could not,
before we could judge whether there is any fall, for dis-
satisfaction or not I desire to write with the utmost re-
spect to Mr. Gasket' ; but if that gentleman wished to
show there was any cause for dissatisfaction or any justi-
fication for the conduct of a friend of his, I must submit
that he totally fails. Now let us compare Mr. Single's
statement and the statement of Mr. Gasket!, which the
latter gentleman says is founded on Mr. Nangle's

DAM of Arrears according Amount no-t
collected,
It dei to Mr. Naugle. according to Mrltaskell
.1; 2 d. Lo. d.
Mty 1,72 811 1 5 109 10 2
Dec. 1172 79 15 2 715 15 101
Aug. 1873 93 7 3 731 15 1/
Mar. 1574 1171 I 24 531 S I I
Oct. 1574 151 13 51 670 4 91
Apt. 1575 210 15 21 DT II 1.4
Oct. 1575 500 11 11 IN3 10 111
Apt. 1576 77 15 1 515 8 101

We have thus the remarkable fact that, at first sight,
Mr. Nangles return of "recoverable arrears," is actually
greater in the last rate, than Mr. Gaskelfs statement of
"amount not collected," on account of properties being
void, excused, or otherwise. But then Mr. Nangle states
that, after the closing of the rate, on the list of August,
1876, Mr. Taylor collected and paid the treasurer, on
account of the arrears, the sum of £620 as., leaving
£lO7 is. Id., now in the course of collection 1•y liii
successor, with the present rate. Further, Mr. G iskell,
taking the average of the value of properties on which
rebate is allowed, shows that, on an average, one property
in every twenty ceased between August 1073, and Ann!
1076, to be void, excused, or charged with irrecoverable
rebate. What this shows, Isn't understand, if it does
not mean that there has actually been an improvement to
the amount of £5 per cent., between 1071 ant 1076.
Where, then, is any cause for dissatisfaction 1 Mr.
Gaskelfs bill will have to be explained, or 1 take it that
Mr. Gaskell himself shows there has been a steady
improvement since 1673, and that there is at least £5 per
cent. less cause for finding fault. But I reckon that, as
the "amount not collected" is that with which aloneany
fault can be found, the improvement actually amounts to
about 130 per cent. For the sake of calculators, I
submit my statement: Amount not collected, 10:73,
116 Iss. 1144. per cent.; amount not collected, 1876,
£ll 14s. 714. ; improvement, £5 Is. 44. on .Cl 6 154.
therefore--
I' As 1.16 15s. 1114,: £100:: .F. 5 laid. a
I should have thought even £ll odd a large per-
centage to lose, considering the powers which rave-
collectors have of summoning defaulters. Can we get
from any poor-rate collectors what is the usual amount
per rent, lost on a rate ? The parish of Wylie probably
comes under Mr. R. Gaskells pen; what is the average
per-centage lost on rates there?