The Dorset County Express and Agricultural Gazette.
Dorchester, Dorset, England, 1872-12-10 00:00:00

NOM OF THE WEEK.

In default of any exciting political topics at
borne, bxweesed attention is given to the
critical condition of things in France. After
apparently opening the door of compromise by
carrying M. Dnfaure's motion, the Assembly
has now shut it fast. The majority is evidently
bent upon removing M. Thiers's Ministers one
by one, and substituting others from their own
ranks, establishing in the meanwhile the Perlis-
' mentary responsibility of Ministers. In fact,
the Right want to keep M. Thiers nominally in
power, but with • Ministry that shall do their
work ; and if they persevere in this cause, we
cannot see well what resource the President will
I have but to resign or to execute a coup *Taut,
declaring the Assembly dissolved and appealing
to the country. The Assembly may have
nominally the supreme power in It. hands, but
there is little doubt that M. Thiers has the
, substantial power if he chooses to exercise it.
Happily we have no such crisis to apprehend
as that with which our French neighbours have
to deal; but it is becoming Increasingly evident
that Mr. Ciladatone's Ministry must take up
oven more difficult questions than the Church
or the Land Question in Ireland, if they wish to
retain the confidence of the country. Mr.
Shaw Lefevre may not be a very eminent
member of the House of Commons, but his
utteranoes at Reading the other day, are
symptomatic of the feeling which is growing up
In the mind.* of Liberals of not the most ultra
description. Speaking of the dearness of meat,
the hon. gentleman cited Lord Derby's admission
that the land produced only half of what it
might be made to produce, by the application of
additional capital. Mr. Lefavre attributed the
deficiency of capital employed in agriculture to
four MUM :—first, the tying up of so large a
quantity of land in the hands of a few tenants
for life, who have no interest in investing capital
upon their estates ; secondly, to the law of land
tenure; thirdly, to the over-preservatioa of
gam* • and hotly, to the great amount of land
in the hands of corporations, who have no
interest in improving their properties. Here we
have roughly forMulated a few of that "cluster
of questions' referring to the land of which the
Attornsy•General lately spoke, and with which
It is expected the Government will commence to
deal next seesion.

After a three day.' debate, the Wesleyan
Committee has adopted a series of resolutions
which lay down the basis upon which the future
action of the Wmleyans will be taken in regard
to education. One resolution adopted affirmed
that furture legislation for primary education at
the public east should provide for such education
only upon the principle of unaectarian schools
under the school boards. This resolution
reverses the policy hitherto pursued by the
Wesleyan body, and although one clause of it
upholds the existing isehools, the gradual satinet-
tWn of denominational schools and the substitu-
tion of sehools under the control of the boards
is evidently contemplated. The Daily News
thinks that when one of the three bodies who
own the denominational schools admits the
failure of the system, and asks forth, repeal of
the 25th clause and the establishment every-
where of school boarde and board sobools, there
can no longer be any doubt about which way
public opinion is going.
Thom who quarrel with State management in
other matters will hardly_ canoed* to Govern-
ment the right or the ability to take over the
railway intent ef the United Kingdom. Cen-
tralisation cannot always be defended. The
legislature that grasps too much, often fails in the
meanest detsils ; and yet without the able paper
by Captain Tyler, K,N. , published in • recent
blue book, we can see much to recommend the
scheme for bringing all our railways under State
control. There are certain enterprises of such
essential importance to the comfort and con-
venience of the general public., that they should
not be left to the caprice or self-interest of private
competition. If Her Majesty's mails, for
Instance, were at the mercy of rival companies,
we might find more than one gap, perchance, in
the despatch and delivery of letters. No one
will deny the increased convenience that has
resulted from the plan of postal telegraphs.
Railway traffic would, probably, prosper also
1 under one strong central rule, the guiding
, principle of which would be the greatest good
, for the greatest number, and not the sole
' aggrandisement of shareholders. The crying
needs of the public are increased facilities of
intercommunication both for goods and pas-
sengers, increased security, and reduced rates,
The first would follow when trains were run
so as to dovetail into one comprehensive
scheme; there would be • great guarantee
against accident, when the fate of a Cabinet
hung on the avoidance of collision; end
prices must needs fall when lines were
not primarily worked for profit. The financial
difficulties which would be entailed by the
assumption of railway manage ment, are cer-
tainly not insuperable. The chief obstacle
would lie in the judicious re-organisation of
existing details, and the brains of • better man
than we could at once lay our hands upon would
be needed to construct the new system on •
sound and satisfactory basis.
A letter which Mr. Jamee Caird wrote to the
Time on the 25th November is of more im-
portance now than it was at the time of writing,
He is, as is well known, a very high authority
with regard to harvesta and food prospect,. It
may be remembered that he stated that he had
great fears for our harvest of next year, owing
to the wet seed-time, and he expressed the
opinion that if the wet weather continued we
shall find the harvest of 1873 as unproductive as
that of 1853, which was the worst we have had
since the repeal of the Corn Laws, and which
was the consequence of the wet autumn and
winter of 1852, Unhappily the wet haa con-
tinued since this was written, and in this respect
as well as other, the long continuances of rain is
becoming serious. No doubt the present state
of things will direct the attention of farmers to
the advantages of getting barley sown in
Februazy, potatoes planted in February and
March ; and tillage for spring crops done in
autumn; for nine farmers out of every ten
throughout the country are learning by painful
experience the mischief of delaying the autumn
wheat seed-time, and the great advantage thoee
have reaped who got their land ploughed in the
dry and sown while days were still of average
length, and evaporation still had the advantage
of the downfall.

The County Administration Bill, about which
there has been so much agitation in Prussia on
amount of the opposition displayed by the
Upper Home when it wee before the Chamber
on a former occasion, has been peened. The Bill
was carried by • majority of twenty-seven, the
twentrfire peers meshed for the purpose of
pas the measure having been reinforced by
two ers, An attempt was made to amend
the Bill, but this failing, it was peened in the
form in which it maw from the Lower House.

THE AGILICULTUR•L ROCIZTEES or DORSET.
Daring the pant week the annual markings of four of
the pest agrionitaral moieties in littlish the farmers of
threat generally are Interested, have been held, begin-
aim at etalbridge on Monday. There the show was a
mall woe, but the,. ware maay missals of merit. Mr.
RH %midfield, with namesakes and relatives, took
many ail Lb. stock pima, and Mr. Jamas, of Map-
powder, again maintained the reputation of his Ham
fords. In the sheep °lames thore was keen oompetition
between kr. G. W. Homer, of Athelhamptco, and Mr.
T. Moscow' Raanders, of Wateroliabe. both breeders
of Improved Hampshire Dowes. • rain belonging to
the latter was plead first, Mr. Romeo's being samosa.
The iodise were Mr. J. Coate, Mr. Senior, and Mr. W.
Mlles. At the dinner Lord Richard Grosvenor pre-
sided, and took moodon to express his adherenos to
Ilberal principle'. Tim pleasures of fox hunting In the
Vale of B:ookmoor, and the probability of Priem Arthur
gorging down this Sdaiioo, were the yrinoipel items of
the after dinner talk.
On Wedoesday the Sturrnineter meeting war hell,
and it was eminently sueoeadriL. In Brawling stook,
the prise for beet bull fell to a Hereford of Mr. W. H.
Drew; End, & lienjolield. One year old bun, 14. W.
Warren ; 2nd. H. Harding. Dairy oow, Ist, W. B.
Warren; 2a4, r. Benjefl,ll. Pair of two year oil
heifers, ist, J. W. James; led H. Hording. Pair ono
year t
nm. Hainpabir. Down ewes, let, T.
C.
8
W, H.
Beet.
Rad, 0. W. Homer. The Dawn rein tette* wen
awarded ins, oontraey to what they were at %abridge,
Mr. Homer's being plaited let, sad Mr. Raunder's in the
End place. At the dinner the Hon. ft & Knotan,
M.P. presided. In giving the loyal touts, the Chair.
mu said he towel the intended visit of the Prince and
Princess of Whim was pat off for another year, if,.
Portman laid he believed the Government were going
the right troy to make the army ealoient, bet be
this year's wets of the autumn m•imenvres woad ho
£2O 000. Komponding to the toast of hie health, be said
he thought two great measures to next acadou would
he Irish &location and Local Taxation, and that they
woold imperil the Government. As to the latter he
for what seemed to him best
held himself free to vote
for ti.e interest which he was afraid might be considered
antsgoolatio to the town—the country. H disavowed
any wish to disootabilsh the church. On the land
question he was favourable to milder land as easy of
transfer as other property. With rotiorci to cotter's he
favoured the tenant lades Imo on lease with his
farm, and that the leadlord should keep the reel is hie

own heads. The tattle plague being entirely a foreign.
immortals's be eameklered tho strengent peocsutione
"could he taken to prevent Its entry into this oosetry.
As to the Lthourer Unions he thosght while the
labourer had • right to strike if heehaw be elloald
esnaddsr whethor the fanner wee not more likedy to be
his friend than ther agitator. dborat tenant right Ito
thought the fanners meld take pretty good care of
themselves. if. approved Capt. Tyler's
that the railways Amid be takes by the State;
and
in eraelusion referring to two boys that bad taken
prises who Wien work at sem, said ha thought ten
warn eerie esouth for &Mega to begin work.—We
should add tint the judges of breed log. stook were
Mr. Kokomo Mr. G. Path,,., and Mr. Clothier.
The SherbOrne meeting took on Thansdiy. and Was
reckoned one of the best this season. Mr. C. Davy's,
(ileaminsthr) Hereford bull which took second honours
at the teat meeting of the Bath and West of England
stood first in the Opel] elms; 2ad, J. T. Vitebsk
Miry oows, la. R. Davis. Harlington; 2nd, H. Hard.
leg, West Sawa. Pelf two year old heifers, bap
Harding; lid, J. W. James Pair one year olds. Ist,
J. W. James; 24, It. Davis Nine Down ewes, T. C.
Saunders, Watercombe; 2nd, G. W. Homer (as they
stood at Starminster). Nine Solar Down ewes. let,
0. W. Homer; 2nd, R. Brook. Yeovil. Ten Dawn
obilver lambs Ist, T. C. &under!. Beet Down ram,
both pries. to G. W. Homer. The judges were Mr.
Go; Mr. Danford, and Mr. Paull. Al the dinner Sir
Richard Glyn presided. The Rev. H. Thomnson, of
Leigh, was anxious to hear the Libour Question
mooted. He did not blame the labourers for striking I
—(langhter and miss of "Oh I oh"). If they did not be
-IN if the, would not got their right•—(oh I oh
He feared that farmers attributed the arikes to oduse-
lion in some measure, but he believed °dictation would I
make the labourer • better sun and • better worker.
Sir WiUlem Modlyoott expressed an opinion that the
beet destroyer of rabbits is the fox It Sir Rickard
Glyn said agricultural labourers had boon on more of •
family footing than • butanes one; and though the I
strong working man did not get high wages be hod I
many perquisites, and was kept on when old and did
not earn his wages. He thought however the
lebourers hod a right to expect better pay, bat he con-
sidered Colons noteohieveua. He advoutod the plus
guano. In many eases work we. now dawdled over
and very Inefildently done, bat the oleos system would
stimulate men to work more, earn higher wars and
be able to feed themselves better. Mr. Denby Bop
moor said Local 'Paretic.) and the Land Quistion were
the raining questions of the day, sad they were so im-
portant that be thought
to t they should be ventilated by
the Mashers of altars. A. the Lebow qua.
lion, seethe that strikes bad base expertensod all over
the country he did not think issuers should feel
ITirted. that e agricultural labourers wanted to
he the
most a( their labour.—Prefeseor Beekman
a.noplained thee tbs breeding sheep exhibited were
fatlesed, and of the wool trimming—Mr. (3. W.
Homer said Iwo should be happy to exhibit his sheep in
stook oonditioa an Profaner Beaune& said if it WWI
the oaken to do so, and be would bask his flask al
home against the Profeence's for 8100 I—(langbeer).
The Yeovil (Banereet) meeting took plea on Friday,
with about the venal sueoses. lb. C. Harding, of
Kontaeute, was aijoriged to have the beet Devon bulL
Devon Miry mows—R. Davis, Horeington. Devon
Hitters—B. Davis. In the Hereford 011110116. van,
W. B. Peron. South Postherton ; dairy cowl, Penn;
heifers, Ist, J: Gifford, 2e4, Perm. Shorthorns—ball,
dairy cows, and haters, J. Brook, Briton:llore. Dairy
cow of any pure breed, J. 8. Ball In the edam for
South down sheep both Mr. Saunders and Kr. Homer
had entered their Improved Hampshire. whisk have
been at all the other shows, and Mr. Roomer had •
single ram not so good as the others pet aside. The
dioqualified the prise sheep at other meetings of
teror breeders but actually gave the prise for bent ram to
the one Kr. Homer had put aside, and shish was own
Arctic" to thefts' disqualified I However,the judges
thought he showed mono of the Sussex breed this
his more pampered relatives. But this (celdest shows
that jodidess oreming will poule late beams, judges
Tits gentleman shouted on this osisaion were—Mr.-H..
rookies Whitookuroh, Illandfoed (for years • Judge at
the Royal. and Beth and Wort of Roglaad shows), Mr.
W. With, Littiewood ; and Mr. Foolra, Klmore,Ohard.
For improved If sathethise Doss ewes, the pries was
awarded to T. C. Saunders. Hores—liase,K G. Legg,
Boanciarter ; ewes Lou ; ram lambs, sad altar
ambe, R. J. Smith, Stoke Abbott. At the dinner Ks
R. N. Grenville, WP. presided. At to the past Par,
liersentery session, he had well oomeidered the different
matures serried, but out of them had earns, u in the
ass of nub of the grain this season, a very poor yield
—(laeghter). He did not astiothate • 'templets Utopia
bestow of tat Ballot. The Llamado( 818 he supported,
thinking it a step in the right direction. Oe the
question it Ulla Taxation Kr Massey Lame had given
gnat offense to the Government by beating them by •
majority of 100, and he feared the Ministry were going
to tate up the subject in • arty spirit and set clue
against slam: that they wished to divide the oscuplers
of houses from the 000 u eters of land, and the occupiers
from the owners. All those claws were rowing in the
name boat, mast look seriously at the GOVIMIZIODi
measore, and seek some relief from what • majority of
100 had pronouseed the greet injustice of the present
mode of levying terstion. Mr. Glyn was not justified
In saying Sir llaray Lopea wished to put LOOM money
into the landlords' pockets. As to the Labour
he denouneed the agitators though he did not say the
Ithourer had everything be could wish or the highest
possible woges, but if the lab Auer WON discontented
be weld go wh be Gould get a better place.
There were bed labourers arid " anew " farmers, but
ite • general rule the farmer yea the labourers' friend.
—Mr. Denby Seym iar. et a Liberal, wart in favour of
extending the area of taxation, and thought the burdens
on the land should be diminished. He deprecated
eoademoing the Lout Texatior. Bill of the Government
before.its provisions were made known.
. . . .

To-day Illoadar) the Gillingham meetlmc La to be
held. with Mr. J. Floyee, IL prooldlog at the
dinner.