The Dorset County Express and Agricultural Gazette.
Dorchester, Dorset, England, 1868-07-28 00:00:00

strengthened and confirmed—{applause.) I have
',pollen of our approaching the end of the session—
it probably will come to • close in the course of a very
few dor, soil it may not be inopportune just to look
back for a few minutes upon what loss passed during
the eight mouths over which it has been extended. If
I were asked what peculiar feature, Las most marked the
conduct of Pediment daring the present session, I
think, remeinbering the various conversations I have
had with my friends in this twenty and elsewhere, and
looking at the topics moat discussed in the public print',
I should say that the feature most dwelt upon has been
the prevalence of strong he irty struggles and observe-
tints, and the occurrence of what may be termed to be
tailor violent pereon.l heats and animosities. 1.10 not
ds fend, nay, I would rather deplore, the ocesuir.mce
of strong Personal observations, especially when they
are of a bitter and hostile nature—(hear, hear); at the
same time, there is a right and good side to them, for!
believe that there is nothing which would be more to be
regretted than the absence of • strong interest in our
political institutions. When men think strongly they will
speak strongly, and I, from', should deeply lamenta time
when people ceased to think strongly upon political clues.
lions. I believe that mobilo d'scuseion— warm and
zealous discussion— is the sorest safeguard for English
liberty,the surest course to proeflas, and the surest way
in which we shall improve'our institutions and band them
down unimpaired to them who may come after u•—
(opplanse). But I think that if we look to the causes
of thet particular characteristic of the past session, we
shall not be very 'sr to find them. Questions bare
been discussed relating to Irish matters, and especially the
Irish Church. which have never beencxueded in import-
sere, and which, coming home as they do to every moon's
religious feelings and his dearest and most intimate
association., cannot fail to produce very strong helloes
in the breasts of those who are affected by them, and,
if so, they cannot fail to call forth expressions oorn•
paratively strong, and, it my be, e little exceeding the
due limits of Parliamentary discussion. Again, we most
remember, that during the lout l'arliament, the
Goremment have bee..n in a very serious minority.
Opposition melitherl see nicosares carried by their
opponents which in some respects they may think ore
right measurer, and therefore they may fancy that they
are the party most entitled to carry them out. The
Government, again, being in • minority, have many
times had • difficult c .urao to steer, and have been
obliged to put up with being overborne and prevented
currying out that particular line of conduct which they
think best Indeed, the positi on became so difficult,
that the Chancellor of the Exchequer (Mr. Ward Hunt)
did not hesitate to observe that the position was
altogether so unbearable that he could not any longer
, endure it, and that be fur s ne, was most enema% by
pushing forward the be,
801 l and otlor similar
! measures, to batten that appeal to the country to which
the people are now generally looking. Whether or not
the some feeling entirely extended to the able leader of
the Government, I AM not prepared to sty; Mr.
Dianteli's remarkable talents find a very fitting display
in the position be now bolds, of carrying on the Govern- ,
meet of the country in the face of &strong and power( el
Opposition, Ile is one of those men who, by the remark able
power be has of aelf-eontrol, by his great skill in debates,
and by his unquestioned ability in the management of !
the House, is able to find fitting employment for those I
great talents; and any man haying such talents and I
such a scene for their employment, cannot fail to
experience great enjoyment in the use of them.
Now, these sic observations which, although they may
not altogether justify the strong personal language
which I have spoken of as characterising the present
session, do to my mind miscount to a very considerable
degree for the conduct of Parliament in • matter for ,
which it has been severely criticised ; and I hope that,
in suggesting these grounds of justification for it, you
will allow me to do so as one of the members, having !
been the whole of this last Parliament • member of the
House, and, as ouch, interested in its fsir fame and its
approbation at your baud.. With regard to other !
questions more intimately and nearly affecting us as
agricultorits, it is true that no measeres of any im-
portence that I remember have been pas-el during the
past session. Various subjects have been brought
before the House for consideration, one of the most
important of which to us, as cattle and sheep breeder+,
has been the Bill for eotablishing ci foreign cattle market
in the inomediate vicinity of London. I think that
measure has hardly been dealt with fairly by its
opponents. It is • question no doubt of very great
importances. Many of you remember with what alarm
we used to mumble in this room and try to the best
of our ability to make provision against the ravages of
the cattle p'agne, if it should visit us; and any measure
really calculated to dvfend our flocks and herds against
that dreadful epidemic, presents, I think, • question
than which none can be more fitting to engage the
attention of Psrliainent—(applause). But our opponents
have it:leen off the measure till at last the Government
have been obliged to abandon it. The Bill itself was
founded on the report of the Commissioners for the
cattle pirogue, it waa submitted to a select committee
In the House of Commons, it was repotted by the oom-
mittee to the Houma and it has since that time broil
the subject of many deliberations in the House ; but.
obstacles and impediments have bet n raised against it by
the Metropolitan members at every stage of its progreas;
I have sat in the house night after night almost till
morning dawn trying to ensure its progress—trying to
ensure for it a fair and reasonable discussion, but we have
been defeated. Night after night we were met by
arguments which I think otuite unworthy of those who
used them. It has been said that it wass ineuure of Pro-
tection in another form, and that we were only trying to
serve our own interests as landlords and the interests of
the tenant termer, in advocating that measure. I think
that it is not the fair way to meet such • grave question.
It ought to have been disclosed on its own merits, and
on them alone—(hear, hear). I believe there is some
difference se opinion amongst able men a/ to whether
this was the beat measure that mould hays been
suggested to guard us againat that terrible •isitant
the cattle plague; but, at any rate, it was worthy of
sober and dispassionate consideration ; and I feel
it has not received from a considerable portion of the
lek,islature that consideration to which I think it
eminently entitled. Another measure was brought
before tho House for increasing the kinds of property
which are rated to the various matters of local taxation
—(hear, hear). That Bill was called the Mines Assess-
ment Bill. It is true that in its direct application it
does not affect the county of Dorset, but I mention It
for this reason—that in considering the principle of the
Bill and its clanger, and in a division which was taken
apon the clauses, the House did express a very strong
and decided opinion with regard to mines and,
therefore, I asscine, in regard to all property which can
be made subject to local! ,nation and which is now exempt
freer paying rates—showing the House is Inclined, nay,
it is deteomined to carry out the principle for which we
have lately, in this and other countries, been contend.
lug—(applause). Another subject which has been
brought in in the shape of a bill before the House,
affecting us as agriculturiate Is the question of Turn-
pike Trusts. That Bill was brought in by Mr. Kutch-
bull Hugeuen. It is a subject which has been several
times before the House of Commons, although not
exactly in the Aomori it came this year; but, like the
Mines Assessment Bill, it came to an untimely end,
being withdrawn by the member who introduced it.
The difficulties of dealing with turnpike trusta are,
no doubt, very great. I think we are all of us more or
less agreed that the present arrangement of turnpike
trusts is not satisfactory. The course of traffic has been
much altered by the railways, and the very great
Improvement of the highways of the county, under the
direction of the Highway Boards, has nos.do the
turnpikes less exclusively the great means of transit
through the county which they need to be. Now the
traffic very often pasees over roads which used to be
kept entirely by the parish out of the parochial funds,
and are now in as good order as the turnpike roads,
maintained by the payments of those who travel on
them, who'when they go into another parish have to pay
because the road happens to be a turnpike road. It
does appear to me that this arrangement cannot be
called satisfactory, that it invites consideration, and if
we can ascertain the proper mode does call for amend-
meet —(bear, bear). I think this is a euestien
eminently within the province of the agricaltunsts and
those who live in the country. If they can devise any
plan by which turnpike trusts can be placed on • better
footing or by which tolls can he got rid of, I us quite
sure it will command the most reside attention of the
legislature. I should be most anxious for your adviee
on this question, if it came up for consideration, and if
you can give me any useful hints I shall be very thank-
fttl foe them. These ars matters relating to us am
agriculturists which have been the subject of bills in the
put session. Other questions have been brought before
the House in a different manner, having been made the
subject of inquiry before committees. Amongst these
line, matter in which I know many of you take con-
siderable interest—l mean the Malt Tax—(bear, hear).
The report of the committee on the malt tax was pre-
sented to the House a few days ago. The conclusions
of the committee were not, I think, very important—
they do not cony us far beyond the position in which
we stood, as to praetical remedies, before the committee
met; bat the evidence taken is, I think, in many parts
of it. qa yrry valuable character. Many of you will
remember that among the arguments used in favour of
the abolition of the malt tax—one which created • good
deal of interest, and I know weighed heavily with many
—was, that if the malt tax was repealed home brewing
would become very generally adopted amongst the agri-
cultural population. That opinion was often combated,
soil It was very difficult to see on which side the truth
lay. Some people thought that the agricultural popu-
lation would readily brew if the malt tax was removed;
others held that it would never answer for them to brow
at home. Now upon this point of the question very
remarkable information Is given by a man of high
character and position—Mr. Fielding, who lives in the
maaufacturing district. He caused inquiries to be in-
stituted into this particular fact—whether the labouring
classes did or did not brew at borne. His inquiries
cannot be said to be limited, for they extended over no
less than ten thousand familias in bin neighbourhood,
and, in that large number of families, he states in his
evidence, he foued that 76 per cent, brewed at home.
10 per cent. slid not driuic beer, and 8 per cent, more
would have brewed at home if they had more
means to enable them to do so ; and that con-
serpent'''. so far as his inquiries went, there was a
very small reeklutin who prefer.' to buy beer at the
brewers to making it at home in their own cottages. I
think that is very remarkable evidence. But is is said
that the artisans in the manufacturing district', partly
g good wage. ea well as them-
from their families earning
selves, and the high rate of wages in some of those
districts, are more in a position to enable them to brew
than the agricultural labourer*. I quite grant that the
gross earnings of an artisan and his family in the menu-
facturiug districts are greater than those of the agricul-
tural ?copulation, but if the former is able to brew at
home with the malt tax at the lfigh figure which it now
stands, I think it is, at any rate, strong proof in the
direction of those whoa?* of opinion that the agricultural
labourer would brew at home if no doing was brought
within his means by the removal of the malt tax—(hear,
boar). Other questions have been raised in the House
'of Commons for discussion. The question of Local
Taxation was brought forward Icy my frirad. sir L
Musty Lopes, and at another time by Mr. Corrance.
On the first occasion, Mr. Mill and other men of
eminence and mental power took part in the discussion,
and, althongh,nothing came of it, I think the discussion
was highly satisfactory to those who think some change
I should he made in the pressure of our local burdens—
(hear, hear). lilt thould be my lot again to represent
this county in Parliament, as I have now bad the
honour doing for Po many years,it is possible that I may
be able again to take part In a discussion upon a similar
subject—(bear, bear). What the temper of the new
house will be it is beyond the power of the longest
calefulster astd most powerful prognosticateg to fortl.