The Dorset County Express and Agricultural Gazette.
Dorchester, Dorset, England, 1881-04-19 00:00:00

PoOLE QUARTER SESSIONS.

The general Quarter Sessions of the Peace for the
town and county of Poole were held on Tuesday lest
before Gabriel Prior Goldney, Fsiq., recorder. There
were no prisoners for trial. The learned recorder was
accompanied on the Hooch by the Mayor (sir. G.
Curti.), the High Sheriff (Hr. H. T. Trevanion), and the
rector of Poole, Bev. A. Lawson.
The following gentlemen were sworn on the Grand
Jury :—Mesers. 11. R. llugmere, H. Conwey, G. Charl-
ton, T. J. Duncan' A. J. Elliot, C. Edmunds, J. V.
ilodwin, .1. Goff, J. Giff yd, J. J. Norton, T. A.
Oakley, W. H. Yeatman, and W. Yowl,
The ilicioaDza congratulated the Grand Jury upon
the peat-eful state of their borough and c iunty. It
spoke • great deal for those to whom was entrusted the
management of the borough and the police under their
control.
The Grand Jury having gone through the formal
business of declaring, they had no bills to pre.ent.
The CLZHIC of the Peace, addressing the Recorder,
said having observed upon many occasions when new
boroughs were created that the opportunity was taken
to present mayorial chains to the chief magistrates,
and also, knowing that in most boroughs the Mayor
was invested with a like mark of official dignity, be
had felt that this ancient borough had neglected its
duty in not providing a similar distinction for its
Mayor. At the request, therefore, of one or two
gentlemen, who had offered to contribute towards the
provision of such an ornament, he had taken the
matter up, and he was happy to say that the Borough
now possessed one of the handsomest chains to be
found in England. The links wee of 18-carat
and were hall.niarked. Eight links had been contributed
either by gentlemen who had held the nffioe or their
descendants, with the addition of • handsome centre
link, bearing the arms of Peole, which had been pre-
sented by their respected Recorder. The eight links
bore respectively the names of-1. George Olive 1778,
end Josiah Olive, 1785, both on the same shield ; 2.
George Welch Sedgard. 1820, 1821, 1822, 1826, 1831 ;
3. Thomas Wanhill, 1844, 1846. 1849; 4. William
Pearce, 1848. 1&58, 1869' 5. Frederick Styring. 1865,
1867, 1876: 6. J. S. Hudeon 1874: 7. Martin Kemp-
Welch, 1875; 8. George Moils, 1880, 1881.
The R1C0111.311 then received the chain from the
Clerk of Peace, and, addressing his Worship, said it
was his pleasing privilege to invest him with that
very hitndsome chain of office. A chain of office was
one .if the oldeet symbol, of auth rity known either in
civilized or uncivilized countries. So encient was it, th t
its origin was lost in the anna's iif antiquity. He felt
it a proud duty to place it about the neck of his
Worship. It was now some 600 years since one of
those bold—will almost be was going to s iy—barons
who then ruled the country with an authority only
slightly less than the king himself, granted the first
chart. r to the town, giving it the right of self.
Government. For 200 year. the town governed itself,
and held its own against the aggression of its neighbours,
until Henry VI came to the throne and granted it, its
royal charter of incorporation which was accompanied
by what in those days was considered one of the
most valuable privileges that could be given -the right
of "staple," the power of exporting goods to or from
abroad, and also to enclose the town with a wall--•
right that was typified on their coat of arms by the
mural crown. By this the Borough had the absolute
right of free government, of electing its own officers,
and maintaining its own rights. But, with those
privileges there was also the responsibility of defend-
ing the town against its enemies, whether foreign or of
its own country. That Poole amply discharged its
duties in that respect its records conclusively showed.
It was expoeed to annoyances from France and Spain;
but with but trifling exceptions it maintained its walls
intact, and kept its enemies at • diatanoe. About 100
years after that, Elizabeth came to the throne, a
sovereign whom they knew above all other delighted
in the liberties iif her subjects, and by her were
assisted and enooursi, ed. and sent out those bold
spirits from the South of England, who bad carried
the name of England into the remotest portion
of the globe. The maritime enterpri-es of • town like
Poole were not achieved in vain, for Elizab-th in-
creased it. privileges by inoorporating it se • county,
thereby enabling it to try its own prisoners. From
the time of Queen Elizabeth to the story days of
the Rebellion was a matter of history, but during the
whole of that time Poole maintained an unbroken
line of mayors. In spite of national troubles, or those
of their own turbulent subjects, the corporation of
Poole proofread its authority intact. After some more
appropriate remarks, the Recsrder said he congratn.
lated his Worship upon being the first to be invested
with the badge of office, and be handed it to him with
the fullest c sifidence that it would be handed down
to his successors with it. lustre undimmed and

THE VESTRY QUESTION.
THZ •PPOINTMINV Of OV SSSSSSS .
At the Petty Sessions on Friday when the Bench
called for the list of persons nominated to serve the
offioe of overseen, the assistant overseer, Mr. Munch.
ton, banded in four names agreed upon at a vsstry
meeting held some time back.
Mr. Turwrion rose and said he appeared on behalf
of several gentlemen of the town, and with permission
of the Bench he would gate their rowans for objecting
to the nominations which be just been presented to
their worships.
Mr. ELOOCR at one of the overseen begged to ask
Mr. Travanion whet right he had to do so.
The CHAIRMAN: I hove oat here AG Chan:ELM of thie
Beech for now a great many years, and I must say
that this is something totally new.
Mr. Tit:wanton said he did not appear se an inhabit-
ant householder, but as an aggrieved pari,hioner, and
be ventured most respectfully to submit that he hod a
feces sissdi as representing a number of the house-
holders of Wimborne who regarded themselves an that
light.
Mr. Rime' : Give us their names?
Mr. Tasysition oontinued that he was proceeding
mkt the 43rd of Elizabeth, c. 2,i. I.
The Miamian &eked Mr. 0. Mancktoo, Inn., tbe
aliotant overseer, who were sleeted at the vestry?
Mr. Munorron said six gentlemen were nominated,
but the vestry selected the four be had t.d—
Messrs. Barnes, Back, Henson, and Ruessil.
The CMAIRMAM ; Why are not all six presented?
Mr. Musogron : Because, sir, if you will remember
two years ago, you expensed • wish the vestry
should make their own selection, and requested me to
sok them to do thia I accordingly did so, and the
names were put to the vote, and the four I have pre-
sented were chosen.
Mr. Ratruont (the magistrates' clerk): The appoint-
ment rests entirely with the justices. That ham been
laid down in the Queen r. Roole, a Lancashire case
heard in IMO, and it was ruled that Ifs dozen persons
were nominated all the dozen must be seat in.
hfr. &woos : Elie were nominated, and two were
rejected.
Mr. : No, you most not make use of that
word.

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