The Dorset County Express and Agricultural Gazette.
Dorchester, Dorset, England, 1868-09-01 00:00:00

WIIIIIORNE.

Sum Donsrr RIFLE N'occirriras.—A brass band
for tlio fith Dorset is being organised in Wimberne.
ART. —There is exhibiting at the George Inn,
Wheberne. a very old and interesting painting "The
head of the Saviour."

A Cat-mg.—Herr Heinemier. tho reputed Germsn
art ia te, who gave a vocal and josh ume Ltal en le rt .in MOD t
at thu now Town-hall a week or two ago, left the town
forgetting to settle his acconnta ; it lia.s been d
also that the Wimborue folks are not the only peoplo
who have been so duped by this pseudo-German.
SoUTH W7131111N RAILWAT COltrANT.—Tho South
West. rn Hallway Cempany, in deference to a numerously
signed memo. ial from merchants and traders using the
%%inborn° station, have consented to construct an
approach road to the siding, on the southern aide of the
station, in order to bring those sidings into use for
purposes of general traffic. The work will be pushed
forward with as little clulay as poasible.

ME. AND MBA. CHARLIDI WEBB.— Triumphal arches of
great beauty spanned the streets, and the Minster hells
sent forth a merry peal, in honour of Mr. Ch tiles Webb
and his bride, who returned to Wimborne on Saturday
A very handsome sliver kettle inscribed " Pr .sented to
Mr. Charles Webb, on his marriage, by hie friends and
fellow townsmen," and a belutiful ormolu inkstand, the
latter the gift of his workmen, were presented to the
happy couple, on their arrival at their residonoo in the
West Borough.

THE DRAINAGE QUERTIOIC—MT. George Bishop has
written a long letter, in reply to the strictures tamed
upon him, at the recent parish tneetiog, relative to the
action go has taken for obtaining the adoption of
, drainage works in this town, He gives a history of
the matter. The dead well and cesspool system
prevail, and have been for years a mule of complaint
and annoyance. In 1863 • meeting was convened for
adopting the Local Government Act. The ratepayers
confounded the Board of Health with the Local Govern.
meet Act, and thus conjured up in their minds •
, frightful "ogre," which wu to ruin them all, and
, which they have never since bees able to dispel. The
I adoption of the Act Roo thereupon negatived. So
I matter, remained till 1865. when another attempt was
made to adopt the Local Government Act. Cotunrittees
were suggested for carrying out a system of drainage
without the Act, but this was seen to be impracticable,
and the question was referred to the Board of
Guardians. They communicated with the Poor Law
Board who advised the Guardians not to undertake
drainage works, and pointed out the 28 and 29
Pict., c. 75 so being likely to enable the parishiosiera
to obtain the remedy required. Two more years
elapsed, when the "pestiferous stink" from the open
ditch between the town and the railway station led to
another attempt being made to adopt the Act. A
majority again rejected it. During the late hot unison
the town has been anything but "sweetly orloriferoua,"
and he (Mr. Bishop) feeling that the very purport and
intent of the Sanitary Act of 1867 was to provide •
summary remedy through the Secretary of State, he
wrote to the churchwardens asking them to call a
meeting of the ratepayers in vestry (the sewer
authority) to consider the nuisances of ill.drainage all
over the town, with the consequent danger to public
health, and take immediate action. He added, "If
you consider that the expression of opinion at the
meeting referred to is • sufficient indication that the
ratepayers will do nothing to remedy the evils com-
plained of, and you decline to call • meeting, I will
thank you to write me a line and say so. It is right I
should say that I am expressing the opinion of a largo
majority of the inhabitants, in stating that the town
I. very inefficiently drained (if it can be said to be
drained at all), and I shall be prepared with medical
, evidence as to the great dangers attending it." The
churchwardens did nothing, and consegnently he wrote
the much•coruplained-of letter to the Secretary of State.
He had distinctly informed both the churchwardens,
more than once., that he should call on the Secretary
' of Stale to exercise his power. in the matter. This
being so he leaves others to judge how fax the
charges of 'underhand conduct," "groin miss-
representation," he., are appllciablr to him. Ile deniei
that be 1,111 the means of calling that parish
meeting. The Secretary of State'. letter simply required
an "explanation ;" was a rnreting necessary to assist
th,m in writing • letter./ From the rambling state.
meats made he imaginee the old adage "Too many cooks"
he. would apply. But no one wee so bold as to deny
that the town is most imperfectly drained. He declines
to allow Mr. Parkinson to be his guide as • "unitary"
or "civil engineer." or to determine what la practicable
or otherwise for the "worst drained p•rbs" of Wini-
borne ; and commend, to him the proverb ise *Woe ultra
crepidam (" Let not the aboemaher go beyond his last.")
Ile concluder, it is a matter of congratulation, no doubt,
to be told that we have escaped epidemics, and that
our death-rate is below the average (if each he lie foci),
but I have yet to team that that is any reason why
[miasmas of the kind described are to prevail. Happily,
we live between two riven, and have • favourable
subsoil; bet for this we should be • second "Tinsley."
May our immunity continue! but there is an old
French proverb that "sickness comes on horseback.
and leaves on foot," and I hope our seidous

member of the Eseulapitg mina= may not, for ,
this piece of handiwork, ever be addressed as;
an Irish doctor attemling a foneral once WOO :
—" Faith, doctor, You are like • tailor, going holuo
with your work." There are other members of the
medical profession in the town. of very extensive
praotioe, What do they say! With some curiosity I
await the " explanation." Fatal.° action will depend
on thin; and as a word of oautiox to the ratepayers I
.°"id my to them, "Take air. Taylor's aivice. Ile
will no doubt give it cheerfully, and you will do well to
follow it. You have bevn forew•rned for soma years.
Tis never to la.e to mend:'