The Dorset County Express and Agricultural Gazette.
Dorchester, Dorset, England, 1875-04-20 00:00:00

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Bowl Cottutti Ewen.

TOMMY. APRIL; U. 111/5.

NOTES OF THE WEEK.
Speaking at the annual dinner of the Dor-
chester Farmers' Club, on Thursday, Mr. Damen
gently chided the agriculturists u a body for
their inconstancy, and pointed to recent events
as a bea co 9 warning them against putting their
i trust n this or that political party. Years ago
the Repeal of the Malt Tax was the bait held
out to the farmers by Conservative orators;
their arguments against it were irrefragable,
their condemnation of its iniquity was scathing.
Well, the voice of the nation has called the
Conservatives to power, with a docile and strong
majority, yet they have not repealed the Malt
Tax—or, for the matter of that, any other tax
—but, still worse, the champion in the move-
ment, Colonel Bartellot, has gone out of his
way to declare that the Malt Tax ought not
to be done away. What was spoliation in 1873
is justice in 1875; the tax which pressed with
crushing weight upon farmers two years ago is
now their proper burden. Whence this remark-
able alteration 1 Here it is—Ministers change
and party politicians change with them. When
Colonel Bartellut was amongst the " outs" it
suited him to condemn the Malt Tax, but now
there is a Conservative Ministry £6,000,000 of
revenue cannot be spared, because they do not
pretend to give In economical government.
Cheeseparing they abominate—lavish expendi-
ture is the good old plan, and, therefore, neither
Malt Tax nor Income Tax can be repealed. We
are bound to admit, however, that there is not
unanimity amongst farmers as to the desirability
of repealing the Malt Tax, and that may account
in some measure for the abandonment of &Kit*:

-bui

tion to get it repealed. But there was an united
cry for a readjustment of Local Taxation,
coupled with the rating of personal property.
Mr. Pell, one of the members for Leicestershire,
was a strenuous advocate of this reform ;
Chambers of Agriculture started into existence
in all counties in furtherance of the movement;
Somersetshire, under the stimulus of a well-
known agriculturist, now, alas! no more, was
thoroughly aroused; Dorset joined in the
enterprise' although rather languidly; and Sir
Massey Lopes, member for South Devon, led
the crusade with irresistible prowess, shamefully
beating the late Government, and carrying
everything before him. But what is the result
of it all I An additional one-fourth of the coat
of the police is paid out of the Consolidated
Fund, and pauper lunatics are partly provided
for from the same source. But personal property
remains to all intents and purposes untouched,
and while the relief we have indicated has been
given with one hand it has been taken again
with the other, by throwing upon parishes the
maintenance of the highways. Yet the agita-
tion for taxing personal property ceased, in
blind trust of the farmers friends; and, un-
kindest cut of all, Sir Stafford Northcote, in his
Budiet speech, declared there is no pressing
need for any readjustment of taxation. Tenant
Right was the next pet subject. Long leases,
with freedom in farming till the last three or
four years, was the general requirement; and
the Premier, being in some way committed to
attempt an amendment of the present varying
systems, an Agricultural Holdings Bill has been
introduced by the Government. The farmers
asked for bread, and have been given a stone.
Where it is most required the probability is that
the permissive clause will be adopted to bar its
operation, and in some other cases at any rate it
may be used to rend them. If, as Mr. G. W.
Homer pointed out, an agriculturist, by unto-
ward circumstances, is obliged to take temporarily
a farm out of condition, with its fences broken
down, and its buildings out of repair, the Act
will compel him to make all good on leaving!
What can be inure unjust? Far better to trust
to an open bargain or to that "good under-
standing' which generally prevails between
landlords and tenants in Dorset, than to
lean upon such a broken reed. In a Parliament
of landlords, and, above all, a Parliament
where the majority arc returned to support a
particular Government, the farmers of the
country stand small chance of any helpful legis-
lation. Yet the movement will do good. Any
change is better than stagnation. Harrassed by
a one-sided measure, the agriculturists of the
country will be goaded to an agitation such as
has not stirred the country districts since the
time of the abolition of the Corn Laws. And
then they will take Mr. Damen's advice—not to
trust this party or that, but will elect as members
those only who will support measures which the
farmers themselves feel to be necessary for their
welfare. In promoting their own intermit, we
believe the agriculturists will be enhancing the
general good, and we hope the day will soon
arrive when they as one man refuse any longer
to be the shuttlecock of party politicians.
The pollution of rivers by discharging into
them the sewage of towns and villages has been
condemned over and over again byscientific and
medical men and Parliamentary commissions,
but the difficulty which has hitherto been expe-
rienced in providing a remedy, has stayed the
hand of the Government from vigorously repress-
ing such pollution. But, whenever occasion
offers, they condemn the practice, and can in
various ways press unwilling Corporations to
avoid such an evil, however costly the remedy
may be. Local Boards of Health everywhere
must sooner or later face the subject. At
Dorchester, happily, there would not be any in-
superable difficulty in keeping the sewage from
the river Frome, while at the same time it may
be pmtitably applied. But Weymouth can only
get rid of its waste at immense additional
expense under the water system, while fastidi-
ousness prevents the adoption of any other.
The disposal of the refuse of towns inoffensively
and with facility is yet an unsolved problem.
We do not forget the dry earth system ; but
although excellent in villages, it has not at
present been shown by practical experience
to be adapted fora town population. It may be;
it does not seem impossible to frame a scheme
for its application, but we have not seen it in
operation, nor, while civil engineers as a body
seem so averse from it, are we likely to do so.
Yet in it we believe is the true principle, which,
properly applied, can alone give relief to many
towns.
A more dull uninteresting Budget than that
of the present year has perhaps never been
brought forward. The remissions of taxation
benefit two classes only, brewers and civil
servants, and the rest of the world really care
nothing about the Chancellor of the Exchequer's

proposals.
Vacancies in the representation of the .pi•ople
continue to occur at an unusual rate. Only on
Saturday it was announced that through the
death of Lord Tredegar, his son and heir left a
vacancy in the representation of Breconshire by
his elevation to the peerage; while Mr. Bassett,
the Liberal member for Bedfordshire, announced
his intention to retire. These vacations of seats
and by-elections are interesting as showing the
tendency of current public opinion.

DORCHESTER.
THE cuckoo was heard On Saturday morning at Stillw
ford, and on Monday morning at Frome.
Tug offertories at the Holy Triuity services at All
Saints' church, on Sunday, realised £3 l. 9d., chiefly in
pence.
We learn that the profit on the recent amateur concerti
on behalf of the building fund of Holy Trinity church is
ascertained to be Der Os. 10d.
Barran LXD Foams Bawl Socierr.--Gollections
were made on Sunday last at St. Peter's Church on behalf
of this valuable 'matt% and the amount contributed was
.Cl 2
HIGHWAY 110.01 D.—At the first meeting of the new
Highwav Board, held at the Shirehall last Saturday, Mr.
Herbert Williams was unanimously re-elected chairman
for the year, and Mr. Norris Roper, vice-chairman.
Hotr Thiene undenitand that Mr.
Miles, builder, of Charminster, has been appointed clerk
of the works, to superintend, on behalf of the committee,
the re-building of the church.
IT is dated that the Rector of Holy Trinity is going on '
a deputatism tour in Devon and Cornwall for one of the
Church Societies, which will occupy about three months,
but that be will be here six or seven Sundays during that
period.
Slues or The Tines —ln a garden belonging to Mrs.
Paul, at the lower part of the town, there is e thrush's
nest containing four young ones, fully fledged. A swallow
i
was also seen n the early part of kin week at Coker's
Prone
Tim PRICE or Cain Honaes.—A dozen cart horses, the
property of the late Mr. W. Watts, of Frampton, were
sold by auction, by Mr. Enaor, last Saturday, and made
astounding prices, some of them realising as much as 91
guineas each.
We understand that James Senior, who was acquitted
of the wilful murder of his daughter, at Sherborne, on
the ground of insanity, was removed on Friday from the
county prison to the Broadmoor Lunatic Asylum, by an
order from the Secretary of State.
DOLS= VOLIINTL/LR Eycsstrentrr. —We understand
that the annual ramp of the Dorset battalion of rifle
volunteers will be held at Burton Bradstock, commencing
on Monday, July 26th, and concluding on Saturday, the
31st By this arrangement the volunteers will only be
taken from business one Saturday.
Juvireita FOItZWIT.IIB.—Tbe second annual statement
of the Juvenile Foresters' Society in connection with
Court "Progress' has just been issued. It shows that
the Court, though young, is is a prosperous state.
, During the past year the rateittee have been enabled to
(avert £l4 in the savings' bank after paying all claims
upon the sick and funeral fund. The espenditure includes
.CII is. for surmson's salar. L 5 701. has teen paid to
Is momben, and tke total worth of afek fund at the
end of March was rri ISs. 214. The committee in
presenting their statement of accounts Mader their
thanks to Mr. G. J. G. Gregory for annual subscription
to the Rev. E. Pears for use of his schoolroom, and to ml
who have given assistance to the society.