The Dorset County Express and Agricultural Gazette.
Dorchester, Dorset, England, 1859-10-25 00:00:00

Somersetsbir e.

UNios.—lt will be remembered that some
weeks since Mr. Elias Whitby, who has filled the
office of clerk of this union for many years, resigned,
and that a successor was advertised for. As it was
particularly requested that no candidate should can•
vass the Guardians, it was believed that the office
would be bestowed On Mr. Whitby'sson, who was A
candidate; but at a meeting of the guardians, on
Tuesday, three amilidates presented themselves,
viz., Mr. Joseph Whitby, Mr. Rodber, late mana-
ging clerk to Messrs. Slade and Vg, and Mr. War.
Ohm, assistant clerk of the Chippenham Union. 47
guardians, including 6 ex-officers, were present, and
on a poll being taken, neither candidate obtained a
majority. On a second poll the numbers were :
Mr. Rodber 26
Mr. Whitby 2O
Mr. Warrilau 1
Mr. Rodber was therefore declared duly elected.
BRUTON NATIONAL SCHOOL.—An interesting en-
tertainment took place at the national schaol•rooms
in this town, on l•riday evening week. Some prizes
were to be awarded to the most deserving of the
scholars, and Mr. and Mrs. Ryles, the able and zeal-
ous inwter and mistress of the school, availed thew.
selves of the opportunity to arrange& little evening's
amusement. No blowing of trumpets or printed
placards announced the meeting, but nevertheless, at
half-past 7 o'clock the spacious rooms were densely
crowded, chiefly by the parents, brothers, and sisters
of the children. The entertainment consisted for the
most part of songs and chants intermixed with reci-
tations of poetry, dialogues, itc., by the pupil teach
ers and children of the school, and all of them per-
formed their parts most creditably. At the conclu-
sion the Rev. James White, the vicar, awarded the
prizes and addressed some appropriate words of en-
couragement to each recipient. The most noteworthy
incident of the evening was the heartfelt pleasure
evinced by the audience, consisting, as I have said,
chiefly of the relations of the children, at the perfor•
Ill&OLVS, and the award of prizes were accompanied
with cheers and congratuhitions, which must have
been as encouraging to the children as it was gratify-
ing to the master and mistress.

TAUNT:M-11r. Vining, the district auditor, has
published his abstract of the accounts of the Board of
Health of this town, from which it appears that
1.2,176 1 Is. 7d. have been raised in rates in the past
year. The most considerable items of expenditure
are highways, £722 ; sewers, ; lighting.
£835; salaries, £230. The travelling expenses of
the candidates for the office of surveyor amounted to
£24 18s. sa.

The body of a newly-born male child was found in
the canal, near this town, a few days ago. A brick
was tied up with the body, which, when found, was
supposed to have been in the water about twenty-
four hours. An inquest has been held, and an open
verdict returned. "that the body was found in the
water, but how death was occasioned there was no
evidence to show."—Another newly-bunt infant
was recently found in the closet at the residence of
the Rev. F. B. Portman, at Staple Fitzpaine. It
turned out to be the premature offspring of a mail.
servant in the house, named b:eitell, who gave evi-
dence at an inquiait which has assembled on the body,
that it was still born. The jury returned a verdict
to that eruct.

Sarah Allen, who was the plaintiff in the case of
breach of promise of marriage, tried at the last Som-
erset Assizes at Wells, and was unsuccessful in her
suit, appeared as an insolvent at our county court,
held Monday week. She was opposed by the person
against whom she brought the action, on account of
her not having paid the costs. The court ordered
her detention for two mouths from the date of her
vesting order. There were live other insolvents, but
the cases possessed no feature of interest. A " horse
ease" between two farmers of the neighbourhood oc-
cupied the attention of the court some time. The
plaintiff was Mr. Colman, of North Petberton, and
Mr. tlapper, of Pitminster, was the defendant. Mr.
11. Trenchant appeared fur the former, and Mr. F.
Trenchant for the latter. It appeared that Mr. Gap-
per sold a horse to Mr. Colman for .Z3O, and war-
ranted it free from vice. It however turned out a
kieker. After hearing the evidence, his Honor
ordered the horse to be returned, and the defendant
to pay the plaintiff .Z3O.
THE ELECTRIC TELEGRAM —For some short time
since it has been in contemplation to bring the tele-
graphic wires from the railway station to the centre
of the town, and Mr. Saunders, the enterprising
superintendent, has been engaged in making the
neixviiary arrangements for this purpose. The whole
of those persons to whom application was made for
leave to affix the wires to the tops of their houses
readily amok,' to the request, and suitable offices
having been found mn premises connected with the
Loudon Hotel, it only remained to obtain perms-
Mon of the owner of Priory F'ann, to fix two or
three posts in different places there for sustaining the
wires between the station and the first dwelling-
house. That gentleman, however, we are sorry to
say, set a wintry face against the suggestion. observ-
ing that he did not see the use of electric telegraphs,
and could by no means allow any wires to pass over
his property! A change of route was then made,
but met with a similar objection from a townsman
who should rather have lent assistance to a work
likely to approve of so much utility, than hare op.
posed it. We understand that it is now intended to
take another direction, a room for the requisite
offices having been obtained at the NtarYet-houss (the
use of which the trustees of that building will no
doubt readily sanction) ; and wires will be carried as
nearly as possible in a direct line from the station to
' the home in question.

The Lord-lieutenant of the county of Somer.
set has announced that the Queen is pleased to
accept the services of the rifle corps at Taunton, and
has decided to appoint the following officers :—Mr.
W. Ashford Saufonl, Captain; Nit.. Arthur Allen,
Lieutenant ; Mr. Richard Easton, Ensign.

eft EWKEKNE.—Our annual Court Leet was held on
Saturday morning week, at the George Hotel. The
Court was opened and the chair taken by Salter,
Esq., of Chant. The jury for the hundred being
duly sworn, the bubiness was proceeded with, when
Mr. Oliver Stubbs was duly elected as cvmatable for
the ensuing year ; also John !tendril, of Misterton,
was elected pound hayward for that place. This jury
being dismissed, the town jury wee next installed
into office, when John Chart was elected, and John
Pitman and John Mills re elected to the duties of
pound haywards for this pariah.

BRIDGWATER RIFLE CORPS.—A meeting, con-
vened by Mr. B. C. Greenhill, of Knowlehall, l'uri-
ton, was held in the Clarence Hotel, Bridgwater, on
Saturday, for the purpose of enrolling persons will-
ing to join the Somerset l'ohlen•hill Rifle Corps.
There was a numerous attendance, and the Mayor
(Mr. R. It. Woodland) presided. Mr. Greenhill
intimated that, in addition to the equipment of five
volunteers each by Mr. J. Browne and Mr. H.
Westropp, he would also equip five himself, Mr. G.
Kiallruark would do the same, and Mr. J. L Sealy
would equip two. He spoke of his readiness to
afford the corps every accommodation in the practis-
ing ground he should provide for them, and read a
list of subscriptions. Mr. J. L. Sealy proposed the
first resolution, to the effect that a corps should be
forthwith formed, and in doing so impressed upon
the meeting the importance of every man in Eng-
land acquiring a knowledge of the new arm of pre-
cision. Mr. J. Browne seconded the proposition,
and urged that the safety of this country as well as
her freedom from periodical panics demanded that
the male population should become as expert in the
use of the rill.: as our sineestors formerly were in the
use of the bow. He snirgested that as a number of
the inhabitants of Bridgwater would join the corps
Hi consequence of one not having lieen formed in
their own town it would be well to change the
designation to "Thu Bridgwater and Polden.hill
!tithe." With this recommendation Mr. Greenhill
at once complied, and the revolution was unanimously
passed. Other formal resolutions were formally
submitted and approved, all the speakers thanking
Mr. Greenhill for the manner in which he had
brought the movement before the public. On an
appeal being made to the assembly to enrol their
names 33 stepped forward and appended their signa-
ture* to the muster-roll. Among the 33 were Mr.
Greenhill and his send's-law, Mr. G. Kiallmark, the
Mayor, two surgeons, a solicitor, several tradesmen
of the town, and a number of farmers. The matter
was well received, and a company of 60 or more is
sure to be raised. The majority of the inhabitants
of this busy little port appear to be more lavourable
to a club than a carps, anticipating that the latter
would make too large a demand upon their time, and
conceiving that by means of a club they can better
obtain the chief essential—a knowledge of the rifle.
leis probable, therefore, that the attempt to form a
club just set on foot will be very successful. Already
promises of support in money and men have been
liberally made.

BATH--The Mayor of Bath (Dr. R. W. Falconer)
has received a letter from Lord Portman, Lord-Lieu-
tenant of Somersetshire, intimating that Her
Majesty has been pleased to accept the services of
the Bath volunteers as the first and second Bath and
Bathwick Companies of the Sotnersetshire Volunteer
Rides. On Thursday afternoon the members of the
corps attended at the Guildhall, and were duly
sworn in and enrolled.
SINGULAR ACCIDENT.---1.04 week an accident of
a somewhat singular nature, though serious in its
results, occurred at tla soda water manufactory of
IVliitby and to.. Orange-grove, Bath. Ai the fore-
man, 'thiiiiias Burrows, a careful young man, was
engaged in filling bottles with soda water, one ex-
ploded in his hand with a report like that of a gun,
and the splinters dew in all directions ; the force of
the explasiou may be estimated when it is stated
that one of the splinters cut through a thick jacket
he wore at the time, and penetrated the flesh of his
wrist nearly to the bone, revering some of the sinews
of his fingers. It is customary, we understand, for
the persons when filling the bottles at these manu-
factories, to wear masks and thick gloves to guard
against accidents; but the young man, on this occa-
sion, hail neglected to put the gloves ou, and hence
the serious result of the explosion.
Bios-rot. Ririe Couto—The Bristol rifle corps
met for its third regimental parade on Saturday
afternoon in the Queen-square; and nothwithstand-
ing the heavy rain, there was a full and punctual
muster at the appointed hour. The roll having been
called and the minipanic' told off they formed upon
the coverers as a battalion in column right in front,
from which formation they passed in succession by
fours from the right, and headed by their band,
marched through the city to Durilliam-down. Here
they re-formed column of companies, which were
equalized for mancouvring, and performed with great
steadiness and precision the following evolutions :
Form quarter-distance column on the leading division,
open out to wheeling distance from the rear divi-
sion; tom quarter-distance column on No. 3, column
wheel to the left, deploy on the leading division, ad.
vanes, and retire in line, break into open columnn
right in front, form square on the leading division,
prepare for cavalry, re-form column, open colons
from No. 2, left wheel into line, from the left of
conipanies advance by tiles to the front, close
column on the leading division, first division extend
in tkinnishing order, second division form support
in close columns of sections, themselves advance, re-
tire, right and left incline, advance, supports and
reserve advance in double line, skirmishers close on
the centre. supports re-form companv, column ad-
vance in double time, column left wheel, brink into
quick time. It toeing now nearly dark the column
was halted, and at the conclusion of the evolutions,
which occupied nearly three hours, Lieutenant-Col.
Bush addressed the men, stating that they had given
him very great satisfaction. He said this without
any reservation whatever. Although they were a
very young corps the manner in which they had
gone through the various movements would had done
credit to soldiers of the line. More than that he
need not say; less than that he should not be doing
justice in saying. He was exceedingly well pleased
with the corps and their punctual attendance at pa-
rade was extremely satisfactory. He hoped that by
the next time they would umster a hundred stronger.
Nothing could be better than the progress they had
already made; and be believed that before very long
there would be no volunteer companies in the king-
ilotu who would make a better show than them-
selves. In due time they would beim' to be in-
structed in the use of the weapon they had now in
their hands; and they might depend on it that the
time already devoted to learning the preliminary
combined movements had not been lost. He re-
peated that he was exceedingly well pleased with the
corps, and he returned his especial thanks to the
officers for their continual attention to the men.
The manner in which they had practised in the ranks ,
was a most worthy example. and the efforts they had ,
made to bring up the corps to a state of efficiency
were well worthy of imitation and deserving of all
possible praise. Nor could he omit to mention the
sacrifices made by tradesmen and others of the mid-
dle classes as deserving of credit for the manner in
which they had given up their time to the duties of
the corps. He bad nothing more to say except to
repeat that he was exceedingly well satisfied with all
that had been ilone. The rulemen then gave three
cheers for their commanding Officers. The coin-
pailital then advanced in succession by fours from the
right, and the band having resumed its place at the
head, the battalion marched across Cliftmeilowns
an-1 thniugh Clifton to the opoi space in front of the
parish church, where it was halted and dismissed.
lie rain fell at intervals throughout the afternoon,
but there was, nevertheless, an immense number of
spectators assembled to witness the evolutions, and
several files were detached from each company to
keep the ground and prevent interference with the
univenaenta.