The Dorset County Express and Agricultural Gazette.
Dorchester, Dorset, England, 1880-02-17 00:00:00

ST. VALENTI NT,
Ts Vat Editor.

wish to draw the attention of the better disposed
public to the annual visit of that ancient Bishop of Rome,
St Valentine, to Dorchester. I don'tknow how they manage
in other townxbut from what I have seen and beard I am
disposed to think that his =Dual return here is productive
of resul s which are a scandal to the town and • disgrace to
humanity. Surely we want • society for the suppression
of vice, or some other authority, to put down the exhibi-
tion and sale of the shameful, wicked, and scandalous
productions which have been offered and sold during the
last wcek. That any respectable tradesman can be fount
to carry on such • traffic is only equalled by the wonder
that any manufactory can exist to turn out such • cleAs of
goods. I hays no habitation in stating my belief that on
auotha occasion the Town Council might be fairly justi-
fied in putting on the police to examine the shop-windows
and report upon them, and I am quite sure that every geed
citizen and householder, every father and mother with
sous and daughters growing up, would come forward to
support the authorities and police in such a duty. No
doubt the age of chivalry is gone. From the
immuneo of population we are cast upon utilitarian
days, when &roe competition, accompanied with envy
hatred sod malice, unite to grind out every noble aspiration
and sap the bettor feelings of our nature. Deeply also it is
to be regretted, that the youth of the period imbibe but
too much the prevailing atmosphere. Instead of courtesy,
kindness, and consideration for others, wetted selfishness,
pride, and eozcombry in the one sex„and jealousy,ecaneal„
and depreciation in the other, Ons might truly ask, what
are the uses of our churches and chapels, our preaching
and preying, whilst the inner IltliC•11 are over-charged
with slander and scandal ready, like the slime of the toad,
to be spat out wbon an opportunity offers? Of course, it
will be said that every community has its residuum that
at certain tirues the scum and filth of every place will rise
to the top, and that it is an axiom that you will never
change the loop iris' spots, nor alter the tiger's skin. This
Is • fact indeed; but it remains to be discovered whether
the existing law is not sufilaiently powerful to grapple
with • scandalous literature, at well as an obscene one. I
was shown a specimen of • so-called comic valentine, *eat
into the house of a private respectable family, which
beggars description. The abandoned heartless miscreant
who sent this valentine, deserves to be tied up to the
tien pump and receive two dozen from the Admiralty
cat, well laid on ; and if sent by • female (which is, alas :
probable), the sooner she takes her departure to a platten-
tier, or reformatory the better it will be for society in
general and herself in particular. I have been given to
understand from good authority that this year especially
the vilest, moat revolting caricatures, those bordering the
nearest to indecency and libel, have been mocured and
seat out by females, women and glee. It seems they
' have been sent through the Post-oe in wrappers open
at both ends, and thus requiring only • halfmenny
postage stamp. To my mind this is terribly taking the
I gilt off the gingerbread. Nothing can be worse than to
estimate one's own merit at • low value. Surely another
year this sneaking meanness must be courageously got
over. Depend upon it a lot of these half-penny packets
must have been easily seen through, and as • matter of
course they have gone into the flames without being
opened—a sal result indeed. Then, again, the fact of
dealing out envenomed slander and filthy malice in half-
pennyworth's is laughable. and under these cirmunstances
the guns is scarcely worth the candle. Perhaps, how-
ever, to the contemptible, drivelling, half-starved,
clad, paltry wretch who posted them, • halfpenny rived
is a halfpenny earned. It will be noticed that no 'illogic*
hal been made to the regular professioaal criminal
libellers, who do • smart business in the way of anony-
mous letters, and by other =max in their neighbours'
houses. They will have to be dealt with by mother more
certain process. In the meantime it miglat not be angel
to mention the state of the law as it stands upon the
subject of criminal libel The handbill, the detection,
the summons, the information, the commitment, the
trial at the criminal bar, and the two years' imprisonment
with hard labour.—l remain, yours, Isc.,
Obsawrga.
WXYKOUTII.

TFLE HEALTH OF R. EDWARDS, M.P.
We are sorry to hear that, in consequence of Mr.
Edwards seeing somany people on Thursda, he passed
a sleepless night, and the doctor is compelled to insist
that he shall at present see no one, as t only retards
his recovery. The healing of the leg and the uniting
of the bones iv going en welL

SATURDAY.
" Mr. Edwards' condition continues to improve,
although necessarily but slowly : he thanks you and all
Weymouth friends for their enquiries."

WEYMOUTH CONSUMERS* GAB COMPANY.
The ordinary half-yearly meeting of the shareholders
of this company was held at their office', St. Thomas-
street, on Thursday, Mr. Damon, the chairmen of the
Board of Directors, presiding. There were also present—
captain Itobene, Mr. J. E. Robens. Mir. J. Robertoon, Mr.
B. Oakley, Mr. B. Hopkins, Mr. R. Thomas. Mr. E. 0.
Hallett, Meows. T. Abbott, H. Itendell. G. Cook, ff,
Limning, White, Kum end Slone isemetarr and mauve/.
Mr. Smut rred the report of the directors, widish re-
commended • dividend of 10 per cut. on the original
spares and 7 per cent, on the new (1875) shares, payable
In eight days. The statement of accounts was also pre-
sented and shown to be most satisfactory.
The CIIAILKAN said the business seemed to have main-
tained its onward progress, for the income for the last
six months was .C 240 in excess of the corresponding six
months of the previous year, 1678. He, however, asked
them to remember that this increased income brought
with it an increased expenditure, Some of them might
hare noticed the somewhat large sum for bad debts and
allowances. £6B 13r. He explained that £.16 had arisen
through a firm to whomthe, sold sulphate to the amount
of £lll5 having suspended- paymeht and placed their
affairs in the bands of solicitors, not with the view, be
believed, of liquidation, but to see if that particular
business could be carried on, and the crediton paid in
full, so that the £45 might not be really an entire lost
They were asked to concur in thisarrangement; but as
they had not been consulted Prior to thls baying been
done, they declined, and premed for an early settlement
However, it ended in their receiving an Immediate Pal.
mint of 158. in the A with the condition that should the
business work out Mie. in the 4 they should receive the
&defense.
After • little discussion the 011-111KM1 moved that the
report of the directors. together With the half-yearly
statemeat of amount., be received and adopted.
Mr. COOK seconded the moUon, which was married.
The Clletallen then sald—The mocha te will remain at the
°Moe for the next few due, and, together with the 6peke,
are open to the ineose*n ot the shareholders. Thou
shareholders who were present at the last half-yearly
meeting will remember It was stated £lOOOO of the loan
capital of the company would have this year to be paid
off, and it was proposed by the directors to meet that sum
by issuing debenture bonds. lam now authorised to state
Man bonds will be issued as from the let of July next
Each bond will be of .P. 50 value, with coupons attached bearing ave per cut interim.
_probably free of Income
Tax and Payable half-yearly. This being an investment
of • high class the hoods will be offered to the holders of
ordinal shares pre wilu The share capital of the first
Issue being £3O OW, and the amount now to be raised
being .CIOMOO, It foilows the proportion will be elm to
three. Tits owner of 15 shame will be entitled to one
debenture bond, but as there are holders of • less number
than IS shares, and, moreover, there are some probably
who may not accept the allotment, we are enabled to
commence the distributdon from ten shares. The follow.
log scale, which has been very carefully prepared by the
up:vary apd one of the directors, and ef tar giirdo
reconsidered at • special meeting of the directon• will
give You the Weds* alum IleUms of from 10 to 20
original shares will be entitled to one debenture bond ;
from IN to two ; from 35 to 50, three; from 51 to 71;
four; from 72 to 80 flu ; from id to 100, six from 101 to
110. seven. 1 may merely_ murk cher nill beer Sys per
gr. uttered. wiL be probe* free of Imam 'Tax, grid
hue the orecedeoas of other beta( the
Von th• Alit Proltertir Old