The Dorset County Express and Agricultural Gazette.
Dorchester, Dorset, England, 1880-03-02 00:00:00

TOWN COUNCIL

A meeting of this lystly was held on Tuesday, and
there were present—the Mayor (Councillor G. Curtis),
Aldermen .1. Buckley and G. Green, Cuuncillors J. S.
Hudson, H. T. Trevanion, R. Aldridge, J. Hayman,
E. N. Blanchard, .1. Gifford, T. Buckley, W. Mate,
and W. N. Western.
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_
THE CHARTIST:HT ISEQUEsT.—The first business on
the agenda paper was "Ti receive a communication
from Mr. Baker, the Attorney at New Orleans,
representing the Council in the matter of the " Charm-
bary Request," requesting the Council to take an
opinion upon several questions referred to in the com-
munication, and if so determined to instruct the Town
Clerk to take the opinion of counsel as suimested.-
-Councillor Hudson sail it appeared to him that Ws
business had very much better be discussed in com-
mittee, and he sugge.ted that this be done. if e
thought the public interests would be best served by
their adopting this course, as something might pass
which would militate against their interests if it
appeared in the newspapers, and they might be pre-
judiced thereby.—The Mayor said as far as he was
individually concerned he should very muck like to
have a public meeting of the ratepayers called to
consider the question. that they might back tip the
action if the Council.—Councillor Ifiels.al proposed
that the matter be eonddered in c,sniniiittee, and this
was seconded by Comaillor Trevanion, who agreed
with the remarks of Mr. Hudm,n.—The proposition
was carried, and we understand that the meeting
decided to take the opinion of eminent counsel, but
English and American.
THE LATE 'MATRON Or THE GAOL The Town
Clerk read an application (nun Mrs. Whitehall, the
late matron lif the gaol, to have her pension com 1111 l ted
for a sum in cash ; hut it was resolved, upon the
proposal of Councillor Western, seconded by Alderman
Buckley, not to entertain the application.

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THE SALE OF FOOD AEI) DECtDI' ACT.—The Town
Clerk read a communication from the Local Govern-
ment Board asking what steps had been taken by the
Council to obtain samples for analysis under sec. 13,
of the Sale of Food and Drugs Act.—Mr. Dickinson
read the section named, which requires the appoint-
ment fan officer to carry out the provisions of the
Act.—lt was decided, upon the motion of Councillor
Mate, seconded by Councillor Hudson, to appoint Mr.
John Hutchings, the Asdstant Inspector of Nuisances,
to the post, at a salary of tri per annum.
THE FROPELSED BOROUGH Orricmt.—The Mayor
said the followi-g tenders had been received for the
adaptation of the gaol to borough offices : —G. Huey,
£1,28h; G. Pearcey, £3,010 1.5.; \V. Wheeler, £1.017
10s; J. Dunford, £1,000; \V. H. Gray, £1,007 10.4 ;
11. T. Habgood, I.IISO ; W. M. Morris, t9so.—llis
Worship said what they at present paid as rent and
the additional income they expected to receive if
this work was carried out amounted to MO 10s. per
annum. They now paid £.lO for offices, £l2 for
stables, and £7 10s. for a place for preparing asphalte.
They anticipated an additional income of Ell a year
from the Green Market, which now only produced
0. There would be a house worth V; a year which
they proposed to let to the house-keeper, and there
would be an office which they could let to the
relieving officer or someone else for a further sum of
£8 per annum, making altogether the 1.34 UN. There
were a large number 14 mechanics out of employ, and
this wouhl give them some work. J— Councillor
Trevanion said he could not support so large an out-
lay, and he asked the Council to pause. before they
pledged themselves to it. The gaol cost them LS.-.0,
and as there was no provision for furniture
and extras in the £950 he might put it in round
figures that the offices would cost them 1.1,000, and
he wanted to see what return there would be for it.
He considered that some of the items mentioned were
visionary, and that the utmost return they were
certain to get was £44 per annum. He asked theni to
pause before they inflicted an additional burden on the
rates, when there was a possibility of the rates being
increased without it.—The Mayor said the committee
proposed to borrow £l,OOO, and not to put the expense
on the rates at once. The Surveyor was of opinion
that the surplus material at the gaol would not only
pay for the furniture, but be sufficient to carry out
some improvements in the town.—Councillor Mate
agreed with Mr. Trevanion that they were not justified
in making such a large outlay.—Councillor Hudson
said he did not think it was fair to strike out some of
the items, as if they did not get the return in one was
they would in another. All things considered, it way
really a judichnoi outlay.—The Mayor said it was one
of the very best outlays they could make if they
borrowed the money and spread the repayment over
30 years. He should be very sorry to take the money
out of the rates at once.—Councillor Hayman was of
. . . . . .

opinion that the additional expenditure would not be
very much, and he was in favour of accepting the
lowest tender.—Councillor Hudson said the £835 paid
for the gaol was borrowed at 4 per cent., the repay.
ments extending over 90 years, and if they borrowed
an additional £l,OOO at the same rate they would only
have to pay about £73 a year as interest, so that the
difference between the income and the expenditure
would only be 1:12 per annum. lie thought this was a
fair way of looking at the matter, and proposed that
Mr. Morris's tender be accepted.—Councillor Hayman
seconded the proposition, which was supported by
Councillor Western and Alderman Buckley, and
carried with only two dissentients, viz., Councillors
'rrevanion and Mate.