The Dorset County Express and Agricultural Gazette.
Dorchester, Dorset, England, 1881-08-02 00:00:00

211 E RWST-STREET IMPROVEMENT
WiLLVE.
MAIM? FOIL THE KATEPATBUS.

An adjourned :pedal mretinguf the Local Board was
hell in the Council ChMilber on Tuesday night to con-
sider the sabwet of the West-street improvement. At
a meeting on Tuesday last week the Board was unable
to arrive at it derision, and hew,. the adjournment At
this meetiug there were present the Mayor(C. Edmunds,
Aldermen IL E. llounsell and J. Beach, Coun-
cillors J. Munson. W. Knight, A. B. Banister, I). J.
Itibhlconibe G. A. Samson, F. U. llohnwood.lL
Howell, T. IL Edmunds, with F. W. Gundry, Esq.,
Town Clerk, and Mr. F. Cooper, Surveyor.
The Mayon., in opening the business, said a few of
the mcnifsms preseut on the last occasion were now
ul.sent from home. At the last meeting, after euusider-
able discussion, they were nimble to arrive at aWith,
factory colielitedult, and it Was thought advisable to
continue the diacussion, and they were here to-night to
continue it. It thought it would be well to get to the
lousiness as soon :is possible. The report had been laid
on the table, and perhaps souse friend would move Iluit
11, e report be reeeived. and then they could consider
whether they would adopt it or not :ifterwards.
Mr. H. llowsti. them inoved—ving heard the
report of the committee appointed to collect and carry
tho' for the est-street inipmventent, this
Board is of op* .. in that as the. nitepayers at a publie
meeting in the Town Ball consented and recommended
the work to be tarried out by private subscription, and
not liya he rate, re,o: •nd that ,t public meeting of the
ratepayers ~f Itri.liset be called to re vive a report of
the cm tee, and determine how the deficiency is to be
111. •!. a : 11,. I tail appointed the col 1111 l Alec on the SWUM-
Inca publie meeting:
Mr. BaNt.rint seeonded the resolution.
Mr. T. IL. Eon( Nus. cliairnutu of the West-etreet
Improvement Committee, said he did not think it was
the duty of that commit:tat to report to any public
ineetio4. Not that he was afraid, or shrank from any
meeting of the ratepayers, for he was sorry to say that
In e laid reeeivml a greater amount of courtesy from the
raticiyerS than from the members of this Board during
the .past few years.
Mr. BANntrsu then rose to a Nutt of order. lie
wished to know what Mr. Edmunds meant by tlw word
clique.' having used the word in a publie letter.
Mr. Banister wished to know what interpretation he
placed upon that word.
Mr. EnmuNns explainml that he had used the word
Iwcause he had been found fault With fur not giving tile
work to a Tulin party.
Mr. BANtsitai said that if Mr. Edmunds had counted
up the number in favour of giving the work to a certain
party, lie would have found 20 in favour of it, and he
,Mr. Banister) was one of them.
Mr. EtimuNns, in further conversation, said he did
not apply the Word elhine" to the Local Board.
Mr. IlamsTun dl h. was satisfied with that answer.

Mayon saiil it would be unfortunate 11th., ;Cf:;
Itni.on pivoted unchallenged. Hu hail distinctly said
that it %Vila to be ruled by the vote of the ratepayers.
Nothing was said about how the money waste be raised
hir the adienly, He had, as far as possible, maintained
a neutral ground, and got them to work together for the
pantie good. and to see fair play all round. This mis-
take had been of more than one, and whatever feeling
they might have of one of them, all wore more or less
to blame in this matter. We could always be wise
after a snistake hail been made, and should net be too
severe on our friends, after they had laboured for the
publie good. Ile did not think there would be a strong
feeling in the town against the deficiency being paid out
of the rate, provided it be not paid out of the current
rate. The trade of the towu was depressed at present,
idol if they could borrow the money, he tleiught that as
a whole the rateyayers would be satisfied to pay. He
would move as an ai..••,,lmem Tint, cow:At:rim: th it
the Weat-strem Inthroventeat coalmine.. have, from st
variety of eirewastfinees found it necessary to exeerti
the original outlay fir the work, and while regretting
the inability lit the 4.ollllantne to raise the whole of the
1111 l unt required by public subscription, yet, believing
that the leic4l Peianl is liable for the outlay, that the
work is for the general and permanent improvement of
the borough, that it will have a heavy annual charge
for the repairs of the rothl adjoining, and prevent to a
great extent the inconvenience ht whielt residents near
have been subjected in time of flood, this Board deems
it nilvi'fibit' to may off the deficiency in the accounts
presented by borrowing the amount at a rate of interest
net ex,eeding four per tam!, per ann ttttt ; suet, amount
to bo paid out of the !meal Board rates, within use
years frutu this dine. via., by an aULIWII pigment of LW
oi principal, with such interest as may be due at the
time of each payment."
11r. Bantam asked what position they (the Board)
would place themselves in if they accepted the amend-
ment, with regard to persons who might refuse to pay
the rate, if they made this rate? Sotne large retePuYere
had expressed themselves to the effect that if this rate
were load., they would rather Vey ['Wail/4AM of,, law-
1411n than to pay it; and if ,they refusoil to pay the rate.
how odd the Board compel them? If they only put
their shoulders to the wheel, the money could be raised
to pay the deficiency.
Mr. T. 11. Emit :ins said that since the last meeting
a number of ratepayers had spoken to hint, asking what
lieu opponents had given towards the ilethieney. They
had talked a gmel i(al, but had not given a penny.
Mr. ILLNIBIIII2 Sinkt that for his part he had not been
asked.

Mr. T. H. Entirmus: Don't interrupt Inc.
Mr. Emit:Nits eontinuing, sold hn hut' n lint of times.
tont would Into Mr. Stephens no 000 of his strongest
opponents When personalities wereprotested against by
tu..odo r. of the Board.
"

Mr. ItAxixit r :ne.".•1.70 speak, when
Mr. I.:wit:vim appealed to the chair not to be
interrufte•L Ile had been railed upon by sow rate-
paers about the matter. awl if a piddle meeting w•.re
held lw would not be afraid of the results. Tlw
promptitude of Mr. • lundry's reply to give another C:#o
hut elwered hint. In subscribing the people had felt that
the re,idue should 1,11110 out OE the rates. •• His wife had
Aldenirm i'eses wife that evening, and Alderman
Cox's wife had told his wife that Mr. Cox had never
appeared t.# regret a thing so fowl' in his life that he
could not, be there that evening, as ho had gone to
Bideford."

'rhe MAYOR, in answer b. Mr. Howell's resolution,
said he understood that the ',oldie meeting recommended
the Hoard to appoint the ofmnitittoe.
Mr. HOWELL agreed that the Local Board to carry that
resolution effectively. appointed m that committee, but
argued that they conk' nut let the money come out of
the rates. bemuse they bed no provision for iL
The MAVOIL said it was only at the last meeting they
knew they owed any money.
Mr. HOWELL Said In. bad met numbers of the large
ratepayers who said if it can. main the ratosthoy
would
have refunded tho money they had subscribed.
ME. I:Axil:telt said he hrel heard ratepayers say that
they would ratter try the ease legally, and if it were lost
rather pay a led. r.ite than pay a ,a voluntary rat...
ME. tininwr said the Board was moat unjustified in
making the ratepayers pay the money; he had beard a
number of thou say that they would rather fight it
individually. It WAS al MOM iniquitous thing.
Mr. T. H. EDMENDE seconded the amendment moved
by the Mayor, and on being put to the meeting MLA lust.
The resolution put by Mr. UOWELL Was muvied by •
larfVll°•l2; then asked if the Hoard wished hint to
convene a meeting.

-•
Mr. Jlaxtnsa moved a resolution, Seconded by Mr.
Kmaurr, but withdrew it for one moved by Mr.
ae,onded by Mclennan Hounsell, Vi Z. —4 That
the Mayor he requeated:to all a Ineetity, at an early
date to eonsider the resolution which has been carried
at this lueeting."

Alderman lionstsuLL baid. in seconding that resolu-
tion, it appeared perfectly legitimate that the repurt of