The Dorset County Express and Agricultural Gazette.
Dorchester, Dorset, England, 1859-08-09 00:00:00

LOCAL BOARD OF HEALTH.

On Monday (yesterday) morning, a meeting of the
Town Council of this borough, acting as a Local
Board of Health, took place in the Council Clia2nber,
Townhall. There were present—Thu Mayor, H.
Lock, Esq., in the chair; Alderman Ilanfield,
Councillors Dcvenish, Coombe, Bishop, Stanton,
Hodges, Galpin, Ensor, Bennett, Curme, and
Andrews.

The TOWN CL6III read the minutes of the quarterly
meeting, which were confirmed.

THE CHRONICLE'S " GARBLED" REPORT.
Mr. COOMBS said that at the laid meeting he attended
• report was received from Mr. Whitehead, which after
some discussion was thought could not be adequately
considered until a copy of the document had been
placed in the hands of each member of the Board.
There was an objection, on the question of printing the
report being mooted, that the report per se was not a
proper document for publication, without other
papers; and it was agreed that the Council should have
an opportunity to give the Report a private consider-
ation ere it was made public. Lithographed copies
were accordingly ordered to be furnished to the Council.
These copies were procured, and supplied to the
Board, and one day afterwards part of that report was
published by one of the newspapers of the town. Mr.
Coombs, therefore, wished to know on what authority,
and by what means, that report got into the hands of
the printer; because if the Board were of opinion that
• matter was not ripe for publication, an expense to
avoid publication being incurred, and then part of a
report to be further considered was made public, it
was very little use to determine what should, and
what should not be private. It was • matter for serious
notice, because somebody must have handed a copy of
the report to the paper in question.
The M.tvoil replied that no authority had been given
by I• for the publication of the portion of the report
alluded to. .

Mr. ENSOft remarked that, those who attended the
meeting understood the report was to be privately con-
Alden.' by the Board, prior to being made public, but
members who were absent and to whom lithographed
copies of the document had been sent, could not be
aware of the meeting's decision.
Mr. STANTON hoped members would go so far SS to
have the remaining part published.
Mr. COOMBS said it was the wish that the whole
might be made known simultaneously which had been
turned aside by the partial publication. A clear
understanding must be some to as to questions resolved
to be considered privately prior to being made known
to ratepayers.
The TOWN CLZILK explained that on the Thursday
night an order for lithographing Mr. Whitehead's re-
port having been given, he (Mr. Symonds) despatched
the document to London, and at midday Tuesday re.
ceived the copies. After bring examined they were
sent round very late that night to the Courted, loins
members possibly not getting them till Wednesday
morning.
Mr. Iltdxies said there was no delivery of litho-
graphed copies up to 7 Tuesday night, and the menu'
seript copy went to London.
Mr. STANTON said there was a second manuscript
copy in the Mayor's hands.
Mr. CALPIN quite agreed with Mr. Coombs, and
was glad the subject had been named. It had been
wished that the report should be printed to go forth to
the ratepayers when the remark was made that all the
papers ought to go if one went. But it appeared that
the wish to print the document had been carried out
instead of the Board being allowed to consider it first
in private. Of course temporary secresy in any mat-
ter was only desired for the good of the town, but it
seemed that other matters were equally made public,
for the morning after the Committee meeting on the
surveyora' testimonials lie heard in the street that
there were 45 applications, that the salaries ranged
Irons much a price, and the qualifications were so and
so. Members ought boldly to say that they thought a
subject should be made public if others desired to pre-
serve secreiry for • while, otherwise public business
could not be carried on. Ho was astonished to see the
document in the newspaper.
Mr. DNVENISII never heard secresy advocated at the
Board except for the good of the public.
Mr. HODOSH was astoniahed and equally sorry to
see the publication referred to, as a great deal of unfair.
nem might result therefrom and great injustice might
be done. It was important that a fair and proper re-
port should be presented to the public, and everything
should be printed which the public ought to know;
but the thing was, he did not hesitate to say, the
document published was a garbled report; it was hut
part of the report sent by Mr. Whitehead, and there
were notes, appendices, and many clauses explanatory,
left out. It was impossible for any one taking the
printed part only to come to • right opinion on the
subject. And then there was • commentary upon this
piece of a report (A Voice: Indeed !). But how was it
joinable to understand the subject when the documents
only embraced jart of the report? If public opinion
was to be led let it be led on the whole facts. To
make • commentary on part of the proceedings was
most extraordinary in his (Mr. Hodges') opinion. He
was very glad the subject had been mentioned.
Mr. DETNNISH was glad the subject had been men-
tioned, because it revealed an tuibusinessilike and engem
tlemanlike proceeding.
The MAYON : Certainly no publication of it proceeded
from me at all.
Mr. HODS= : Did Mr. Whitehead send it to the
Pllre'tblarog : I don't think he did, because he sent to
ine for a oopy of the report.
Mr. ter otroN : Who ma the proprietor of the paper?
Is he in the Council or not?
_. .

not a proprietor.
Alderman Maurizio As far as I am concerned I
have nothing whatever to do with the paper.
(Laughter.)
Mr. GALPIN : It is not your intention to make any
motion on the subject, Mr. Coombs?
Mr. Comma : I know not what motion to make; but
when there's a subject which ought to be private again
I shall know what to expect. I don't say whether we
were right or wrong in not having it printed, but I say
this—if we think it right to keep a document hack for •
time we ought to have an opportunity of doing au.
Mr. tilrawron : I bad nothing to do with the matter
in making the publication.

Divitsain : WO—lathe Chronick hays any object-
ion to state where they got the copy from?
The MAYOR: I don't suppose they would at 411
.„
kir..firsirrom : It is their private business, and they
might decline to reply.
Mr. CO011116: I move that the Town Clerk be re-
quested to Raoertßin if possible by what means that
ropork because published.