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

Dorstubirt.

QUARTER SESSIONS.

The General Quarter Sessions of the Peace for the
county of Dorset were commenced on Tuesday last,
at the County Hall, Dorchester, when, as Penal, the
civil and financial business of the county was disposed
of. The attendance of magistrates was very numer-
ous, comprehending the following gentlemen :—The
Rev. H. F. Yeatman (chairman), the Lord Digby,
Hon. H. B. Portman, M.P., HG. Start, Esq., I
M.P., G. N. Butt, Re q., QC., J. H. Calcraft, Eq.,
C. • Porches, Eq., R. Gordon, Esq., John Floyer,
Es, Fleury Frampton, Eq., H. C. Start, Esq., W.
C. Lambert, Esq., John Goodden, Req., H. C. Good.
den, Esq., 0. W Farm, Esq., J. J. Farquharson,
jun., Req., W. PI Okeden, Eaq., H. N. Middleton,
Req., C. H. Foster, Esq., A. B. Foster, Req., H. P.
cambridp, Esq., Joseph Gundry, Req., W. Eliot,
Esq., —Eliot, Eq., J. F. Falwaseer, Esq., M. S.
yooteme, Ely., Thomas B. Bower, Esq., H. 804,
Esq., Samuel Cox, EN., W. L Henning, Req.,
P. Guedrl, Esq., George Whieldon, Esq., J. T. Sid-
le°, Es+, Herbert Williams, Fag., W L Adye,
Esq.,lf. W. 0- SweJSeld, Esq., G. P. Mensal, Esq.
R. J. Bourchier, Eaq., W. Trevalyan Cox, Esq.
Weld, Faq., Revd,. 0. P. Cambridge, J. A. Tem-
pler, H. Bower, J. T. Hinds, J. H. Austin, C. W.
llinghain.
Richard James Bourchier, Esq., and W. Trevelynai
ces, Req., qualified,. magistrates for the county.

VISITING JUSTICILIe IMPORT.
This report was brought up by CHARI.6I3 PORCHES.
Esq.. and euibraced the usual routine statements and
statistical faces.

- Every part of the prison was found perfectly clean, and
in complete order, and no complaint was made by any eri-
soner. The number of prisoners in custody was, males, ;
females, 18; total 93. In the infirmary one male. In
custody for trial at these erosions, males, 9; feni.deis 7,
total 16; on bad, males, 3; total for trial, 19; for trial
at next assizes one male. There had been an increase
of 34 in the number of prisoners received during this
quarter, it being 138; corresponding penod last year
104. The daily average of prisoncn was 95, namely, a
males, and 13 females. In corresponding quarter last
year, 81, namely, males, 67; females, 41; increase this
quarter, 14. There was an increase of four in the num-
ber of recommitments this quarter (31.) Disbursements
DIV Bs. Bd. ; ditto corresponding quarter last year,
£se4 12e. ed. ;.inoresse, 1 as. Ave/aseptic* of wheat
Ell ltle. 3d. • seam quarter last year, Ell ; increase,
16s. 3d. per load; bread, lid. per lb.; same quarter last
year. ; increase, Id. (oat of maintenance per head,
7s. 2d. ; same last year. Punishments this quarter, upon
• daily average of 95, were 22; ditto corresponding period
last year. 13; increase 9.
Mr. PORCH/II said he had received a communication
from Sir John Km:newsy, chairman of the female refor-
matory in Devon, wishing to ascertain whether the
county of Dorset were likely to become subscribers to
that institution. The subject had been previously brought
before the jastioes, when it was thought the sum asked
wm rather too high for this county. The letter stated
that Mr. Baker had visited the institution the other day,
when he impressed his regret that so useful • machine
had not more work to do. There were 25 beds, each of
which were in a separate cell or compartment, and in
which there were only six inmates. There was, there-
fore, • considerable number of beds to spare, and they
wished to know whether any of our females might be
mat there. The institution at Blandford was not • Re-
formatoey, but • penitentiary, and there was no place in
the county where a young woman could be sent without
taking her entirely away from every connection in the
county. The stun asked was about £2O per year per head.
Mr. IMIGHAIII said they had refused to treat with them
becalms they asked such an exorbitant sum.

The CHAIRMAN remarked that there WU in the county
of Done* • Penitentiary • but he must inspreas upon
the Court Use fact that there was a marked distinction
between the two establishments. The one at Blandford
was for women of abandoned character; the other, for
the juvenile offender, was • school in which else would
be kept from felling deeper into vice.
After some further conversation the Chairman under
took to write to Sir John Kennaway, and hoped at the
neat sitting of the Court to he able to report something
favourable.
•NNU•L MRPORT OF THE CHAPLAIN OF THR GAOL.

The CLINK of the PIACI read the following Report
handed in by the chaplain, the Rev. D. Clemetion
In this, my 34th report, I have nothing of novelty,
and little of importance to communicate to the court,
beyond the very gratifying announcement that crime in
this county matinees steadily to decrease; and of this
we cannot have a more satisfactory assurance than will
be found in • comparative review of the number of com-
mitments for the last five years, as shown in the table
of cnuiinal statistics. From this it will be seen that
there has been a gradual decrease for the whole of that
period, from 816 prisoners in 1855 to 568 in the year
just ended. I should observe, however, that there
ought to be deducted from the numbers for the past
year the 132 prisnners from the vessels of war and the
Great Eastern in Portland Roads, as they could have no
connection with the moral condition of the county at
large. The numbers, therefore, of the last twelve
months, thus reduced to their legitimate amount, viz.,
44, as respects the morality of Dorset, cannot be, as
far as my recollection serves me, much greater, if any,
than in the two or three first years immediately after
my appointment in 182.5, and that too at a time when
the population of the county could not have very much
exceeded three-fourths of what it is now. From these
encouraging symptoms, I am disposed to augur favour-
ably of the future, and I cannot help hoping that the
movement which has been made, and is still advancing
in the right direction, will continue thus to progress till
the end—as far as the imperfection of our nature will
allow—be, in some degree, realized. I would only ob-
serve further on this point, that it is extremely difficult
to judge, ail to which of the many agent, engaged in
the work of reformation and the detection and punish-
ment of crime, is the most efficient. But, for myself,
RA far u I can judge after the best consideration which
I could give to the subject, I can coins to no other con-
clusion than that which I exiiressed in my report at
this mason last year, that the County Police, as a body,
constitute the most serviceable inatrument, under God,
of, at least, outward reformation, as far as it has gone.
The better education also provided of late years for the
children of the poor, has, no doubt, had its effect, to
soine extent, in the prevention of crime, and will con-
tinue to exercise a still greater influence in that direc-
tion, as the rising generation with their better instruc-
tion come to immaturity. Nor must we exclude the in-
ensue of the very favourable spring and summer,
which have crowned the year with gladness, and while
by their abundance they have brought bread—the great
staple of If., more within the reach of the poor, they
have lessened, in the same degree, the temptation to
theft. When I draw the attention of the court to the
circumstance that only 20 out of nearly 500 had received
a superior education, it would seem to be an established
law IN ethics, that ignorance, and particularly ignorance
of relishes, is, in more than 19 eases out of 20, the parent
of crime. A variety of useful details, too numerous to
be Inserted in the report, will be found in the table of sta-
tistics of education and crime. As this will be. in all
probability, the tut report that I shall ever present to
the Court, unless there should be a very great improve-
meat ie my health, far indeed beyond what I can ex-
pect at my Mose of life, I am anxious to bear my testi-
mony on baba of a very deserving body of officers of
every grade. To tha governor great praise is dne for
the admirable system of discipline established through-
out the prison, and maintained in full efficiency and
vigilance. Mrs. Lawrence Mao, the matron, is a most
bene•olind and irmeUent woman, firm in tbe enforce-
ment of discipline, but always ready to Mew all justi-
fiable kindness to those disposed to amend. Nor must
I omit I. nuke mention of Mr. Arden the surgeon of
the prism, for his devoted kindness and attention, at
all times, to this patients under his care. Of every
subordinate officer, male and female, I am bound to
speak in the most favourable tonna, as • well-conducted
and well-principled body of men—every one diligent and
faithful in their respective departments.
Mr. Froottersed • littler from the Secretary of State,
enclosing misted oirmilam from the War Office, request-
ing that puler attention may in future be observed in
the medical examinatioe of all men committed a de-
serters from Her Majesty's Service.
/11LIDG/ AND BUILDING 11111011.

This report was presented by W. PABST OCIDIS.
Etkalc. :
The . t
Clusinsaa's account for the laid quarter was era-
mimed and found correct. The Surveyor's account for
mosey received and paid during the quarter was also
examined and found correct. The new record office has
been reedy for the safe custody of the (aunty records for
WIN months. Fittinp are being made is requested by
tli• Clerk of the Pesos. In • month they will be reedy,
when the imunnittee hope the Clerk of the Peace will
see the necessity of psalms the records in safe custody
and vacating the present lumber-room for the use of
witnesses &Mending the Grand Jury. The county sur-
veyor has presented a resolution received from the
trustees of the Wareham turnpike as follows :—" Re-
solved, that no further outlay for bridges on the turn-
pike roads be incurred by the trustees, the county of
Dorset being liable to the repair thereof, and that the
surveyor do receive notice thereof." The committee re-
qtmd the opinion and orders of the court before these
bridges be entered upon the county list. The several
items below are now due for work done,