The Dorset County Express and Agricultural Gazette.
Dorchester, Dorset, England, 1868-01-21 00:00:00

Corrtsponlunct.
COUNTY terms BoROUGH FT LICE.

To Mr Editor.
Rtn, Your correspendt nt " Auti-Cantralitation
should make himself acquainted vri h facts, before he
writes on a sui.ject which he evidently has tois.under
stood. In the first place his whole statenient rests on
the suppated fsct, that Mr. Eliot, in brining forward
his motion for the amalgamation of the Flo'rough p„1
with the County Constabulary, anti the consequ•nt
inning to the borough of £l3O per annum, would ',lris •
the reduction of the force front 12 to 7 men.
Nothing of the kind was Wed by Mr. Eliot. The
strength of the foree under the proposed arrangement
would be the same sa at I resent. It would be tooter
the onmediat• supervision of • Superintendent sod the
chief Constable, •nd in mule of disturhance• its number.
could be largely increased in a few hours be itrsfts from
other parts of the county. As to any injustice to the
members of the present foree, they would, if they**
wished, he taken into the Counts' Cmostabulary, and the
borough would save at least 11.130 ter annum—a sum
more than suffieient to pay for the inerea-ed espendi•
tore which will soon be required for keeping the
intended garden in the Rings in nob r. Stich as. the fmt•
of the case, and thus in the " exit:testier, argument" of
the chairman "as to reduction of force ot•king all the
dideren." disposed of. As lo the Borough Police hcing
hell up "it, a malt 1 to the mb county," I doubt
whether the worthy 'news& ft of Sr. John's Church.
who has lately lost kit plate, or the worthy Doctor
who lives close by, as well as others similarly
situated, would he inclined to endorse that opinion. The
borough authorities at Itridport,Rimftesbuey, sod Lyme
in this county, as in many other parts of England, are
well pleased that they have amalgamated with the
County Constabulary. Indeed, be giving six months'
notice. they may at •tor time dissolve partnership, but
they have found it in their interott and for the public
good not to do so. It certainly might he as swell for the
ratepayers of Weymouth to save onwards of £lOO
a y, ar, while their troperty would at Dm same time be
equally well, if sot Wiwi.. looked aft. r.
I am, Sir, your faithfully.
A RATEPAYER.
_

P.B.—Aftel all it it giant') a duration of efficiency
and eratiomy. Would the police of the borough be more
efficiently sod twonondeally carried out by amalgama-
tion with the Cooney Constabolsry ? If so, what I. the
real value of the raipposel honour and dignity of the
proseut gement to he set against the proposed
scheme? Anyhow, why .hould not the plan be tried
for a time? If the autlioriiies, upon fair trial, should
find that they Lad iii-de a bal bargain, or that the lose
of their ancient privileges and honours was absolutely
ii,teltr.ble, then, as stated above, the partnership
might be diatoleed litany tone, and the police arrange.
memos would retain to their former conCiti•dt.

In confiimation ,f the stittement by "
!Mine in our lost hum, th it the Weltnouth police bane
41 • remise po mera b. yond the limits of the borough,
Waytnouthinn" write. :—'' I would beg to ',fee ' Anti-
.n. to the 76th motion of the fith and 6,6
William sin: commonly milled the Municipal Reform
Act, by which it in enacted that Vie Watch Committee
e.J • Meriough shall from time to time appoint •
weilleient number of At men, who Anil be sworn In It
see conotablea. ' And the men so sworn shall not
only within such borough. but 4.0 within the county
In which such borough Or part thereof stoat be 'Rusted,
gong 4.0 within geoe, gonnty, being within seven miles°,
soy port of such borough: and also within all liberties
In %ny such c nastr. have nil such powers and privileges.
and be liable to all such ;Italie. and responsibilities as
any conoteble duly appointed then had, or thereefter
might ham within hi. c instiiblenick, by virtue of the
Common Law of this Realm or of any statutes matte or
de Its made.'"