The Dorset County Express and Agricultural Gazette.
Dorchester, Dorset, England, 1861-03-05 00:00:00

THE WEYMOUTH TOWN COUNCIL

THIS is decidedly a country par excellence for eccen-
tricities. There are eccentric dukes and eccentric
dustmen. There are eccentric counts and eccentric
cabmen. The police courts and the police force, the
commercial, financial, artistic, literary, and theatri-
cal worlds, are all rich in eccentric characters. This
is the country where millionaires are "odd fish."
and beggars professed butuourists, and in which the
majority of the population seem to take an individual
glory in being am unlike their neighbours as possible.
We need not say that this wide-spreading eccen-
tricity takes far too many directions for us to endea-
vour within the compass of a column, to enumerate
them; let it suffice that me draw attention to that
marked peculiarity of the eccentric genus which
manifests itself in aversions. Your real eccentric
has generally a fixed and determined hatred to some
person, or class, or object, or institution, and the
best portion of his life is spent in the manifestation
of his virulent opposition to the thing which he may I
happen to hold in abhorrence. Now, it is against !
the use of soap and water for the purposes of ablu-
tion, or of clean linen, or of pantaloons free from
patches, that the eccentric seta his face. Now. he
has a strong disinclination to pay hisjost debts; now
on conscientiously eccentric grounds. he declines to
pare his nails, to shave his beard, or to brush his
hat. Some people are so eccentric that they turn
their children out of doors, and leave their wealth
to the Queen instead of their natural relatives.
Others, (ruin a purely erratic jocosity are led to
blacken the eyes of their acquaintances, and jump
on the rile of their wives. A perverted eccentricity
leads many to sordid avarice, to reckless prodigality,
or to setting their brains or vitals on fire with
alcohol. Of the peculiar phase of the eccentric mind
which incites ladies and gentlemen to take things
that do not belong to them, to rule the stalls at
fancy fairs of their contents, and linen drapers' coun-
ters of their merchandise, or to walk into the back
doors of gentlemen's houses for stray spoons and the
cook's workbox, we forbear, through delicacy, to
speak ; although such eccentricities, which the law
unkindly treats as larceny, may be due, after all,
only to :squalid aversion LO purchasing the adjuncts
of the toilet and the table in a manner according
to the due routine of tueresuble transactions.

Those who are familiar with the reports of the
proceedings of the Weymouth Town Council must
have been thoroughly convinced long ago that that
august body have a remarkably eccentric antipathy
4. everything like regularity and order. It would
not be eorrect, perhaps, to say they ate really pug.
llACilolla. It is not the dog that shows his teeth that
is moat likely to bite. In fighting for the inteaest Of
the borough the members employ larAe fowling.
pieces, which being heavily leaded they discharge at
each other, but as only powder is used, without any
danger of producing much harm. There is, however,
a vast amount of noise and smoke, and the skirmish.
ors, undoubtedly, persuade themselves that they are
knocking down the abuses that exist as surely as
our rifieuien intend to knock down the French should
they have the presumption to attempt a hostile
landing on our aborts. Their snixle of conducting
the business of the Council Boardiecertairily unique.
Vulgar people lag down Wu fur their guidance;

and should my theinher attempt to inftinge these
rules be would be ea:ltil to order. The legliiiiitors
of our country are, we believe, govenierl by rules
and prelawlents in carrying on their debates ; but
this we all know is a very old fashioned way of
doing things, far too stiff and formal for your go-a-
head school. The Weymouth Town Council is
more after the American model. There is a
great advantage in this, as those formal
rubs of etiquette, which are eninetimes a great bore,
may frequently lie dispensed with. Besides, we
know that etiquette is often deceitful and leads to
falsehood. It is a rule of etiquette, where a lady
does not wish to see a visitor, to send word to the
door by her servants that she is "not at home."
This is nothing more nor less than fibbing. Every
lover of truth, then, must heartily rejoiee, that the
Weymouth Councilmen have thrown of these con-
ventionalisms of society. But in addition to all
this a much larger scope is given for the exercise of
their genius in carrying on • racy debate. They
may say what they please, standing or sitting,
while halls dozen niembers may, in defiance of all
et:outing orders to the contrary, carry on r. discussion
at Ole top of their voices oii three 4111h:rent sabjeuts
at the same time. None of our readers need fear
dying of emmui so long as • Weymouth Town
Council exists. We shall find the members come out
some day as lirst•class sportsmen. They are full of
fun and (colic. They will knock down their Town
Surveyor, simply for the purpose of abasing how
dexterously they can pick him up and sot him on
his legs again. They pretend that their object is to
teach him to construe Acts of Parliament. Hereto-
fore lie had read the clauses backwanhkand in inter-
preting their meaning had commenced at the little
finger instead of the thumb. Setting out on •
wrong hypothesis, he armed at a false conclusion,
and erroneously supposed he was their master in-
stead of their servant. They professed to be dreirl•
fully in earnest because the Surveyor said " You
(hind," when the Mayor said " I did," but it
would seem to be &question open to debate, whether
or not they were not as much in jest as in earnest,
especially when it is recollected that at the follow-
ing meeting • "brother officer" told one of the
members he "treated his observation with elm-
tempt," without receiving any rebuke. The
Council is divided into committees for carrying on
the several departments of the corporstion, but who
ever heard of a committee reporting to the general
meeting? In this they act upon the scriptural in-
junction of not allowing their left hand to know what
their right hand is doing. Two members of the
Board can dismiss • policeman upon some vague
rumour of something that happened "a long time
ago," without the knowledge of anvother member of
the Board, and if a resolution is passed that the
several amounts of the corporation shall be laid be-
fore every meeting, ten to one if the matter is ever
heard of again. The quality of the gas supplied to
the public lamps is a subject of little importance,
and instead of appointing an inspector to test its
quality, the private consumers are left to fight the
battle of the gas question by themselves. No doubt
the internal arrangements for carrying on the busi-
ness of the body corporate is delicately adjusted and
in excellent working order, but the machinery being
out of sight we can only judge of it by the effects pro-
duced. We do not know how these are viewed by
the ratepayers of Weymouth living in the vicinity
of the Guildhall, but viewed from • distance they
appear exceedingly iuteresting. There is, how.
ever, reason in roasting eggs. We may have too
much even of a good thing. The most devoted gour-
mand would not like to :Iva exclusively on plover's
eggs and pdle de/oie gras.

DORCHESTER PITCHED CORN M• RE lIT, Saturday,
March 2nd.—We have again to report • very dull
market, and, although there was a large attendance
and a small supply, there was no animation in the
trade, and prices of all articles remained in slaty
quo. We had many enquiries as to ouropinion of
the future state of the trade, to which we replied
to the buyers, "Secure all you can that will keep;"
and to the sellers, that we anticipate higher prices
for all good samples of corn.
DOECHICtrrill CATTLE M ARENT, Saturday, March
2nd.—We bad a large number of cows and calves, a
few fat, and some lean stock at our market to-day,
and anything in the shape of meat seemed to fetch •
good price, but with the lean stock we had a very
dull trade, and a great number of the cows and calves
went home unsold.

Among the name* of those presented at Court at
the levee on Wednesday, We perceive that of Major
Wilberforce Greathead. This gallant officer has
lately returned from service in India and China. and
has been nominated to the CB. of the Bath.
H.R.H. the Duke of Cambridge was pleased to
present this distinguished Donate-hire hen,
One of those cases which generally excite conside-
rable interest —an action for breach of promise of
marriage--will occupy the attention of the gentlemen
the long robe during the ensuing week. The
plaintiff is a female in humble life, and the defendant
is:inflected aith agliculture.

Winn. Foitnix-orox.--The Rev. H. Motile, rector
of this parish, has appointed the Rev. C. J. Bird,
M.A. to the incumbency of Christ Church. The
rev, gentleman is expected very shortly to enter
upon his ministrations, and we sincerely tried that
both by his teaching and example he may prove an
acceptable minister to those committed to his charge.
Ring COKI.B.—Wo are glad to hear that our
corps as about to forma singing class for the purpose
of mousing themselves whilst on the march. Some
excellent music has beta presented to the corps by
their chaplian, the Rev. Mr. Hawkins, and we believe
steps will be taken as esin as possible to bring the
matter to &successful issue.

A notice has been issued by the Pod-Master-
General to the effect that from and after the let of
the present month, • North Poet communication to
Ireland will be re-established, in consequence of an
acceleration of the North Mail from Bristol. Letters
for that country will, however, circulate through
London by the London mail.
_ .

-
MCNICIP•L.—Ou Friday last, the annual election
of anditore and assessors for the borough book place.
The auditors elected were Messrs. Richard Groves
and Joseph blorgan, and chessmen's bleeps. George
John Gregory and Luke Groves. The pro•
ceedings created very little interest, and were of a
formal character.
CultlOUs ORNITHOLOGICAL FACT.—The Bherborne
correspondent of our "small" contemporary is a young
Jack flaw. and stranger still, he reverses the ordinary
ornithological role, and carries his grapes to an elder
Ii rd. A correspondent thus facetiously vet-silks the
way in which Sherhorne "news" is concocted for distant
parts and ignorant readers :
" Says the young Jack Daw to the old Jack Dew,
May I write to the D.C.C.7
Says the old Jack 1* to the young Jack Dew,
Whatever you mend, mind, I see!

We copy the abore from our esteemed contemporary the
Skerborrie Journal, and at the lame time will ask the queattoo,
whether the "deists OINTLIIILe for whom the Dorset
Chroniald is now advert/dug for a cook, can posidbly be the
young Jackdaw in question Judging from the Caromed/4
littlenem we Imagine that this must be the use, and that
the cook required for the young Jackdaw (or to use the words
of the Chronicle sdrertleement the small gentleman"), will
pmeibly have to prepare • hash in the shape or • leader. We
will sot my any more for hese the Citrosiefer jackdaws may
. . . .

have the vanity to turgiue we are making game of them)
Tex DORCHISTIR Gas CON(FANY. —We have
frequently had =melon to complain of our bill for
gas, %%filch has of late been ridicnously exorbitant.
We are not alone in this matter, for nearly all small
towns suffer more or less owing to the entire supply
of • place being entrusted to one company. With
regard to I:lord-mites it seems no difference how
much the public pay per thoussnd feet. so long as
the shareholders receive their dividend of fire per
cent. We feel it our duty to call the attention of
consumers to the leakages in the pipes laid under
the public streets, for which enormous waste the
pocket, of the people must sutler in order to keep
up this " must be had five per cent." Now we do
uot mean to say that this is too high a rate of
interest, if things are properly managed, but when
the noxious vapour is allowed to poison the air of
our streets, we think it too bad to be °Wig. d to
Pe) 55- Uhl per thousand for gas which might (with
economy and perseverance) be supplied at 3s. 6d.
One of the leakages that has ann.% al us for the last
three months is at the bottom of Glyde Path Hill.
but there are others equally bad.
We call the attention of thaw, persons who are
summoned to serve on juries to the fact that it is of
no use to send medical certificates to the Under
Sheriff or other excuses for non attendance, as the
Judges always require the handwriting of the
medical man to be proved in Court, and any other
ground of excuse to be deposed to by some one who
knows the facts alleged, before allowing any claim
for eavruption.
INurttUTE.—PUBLIC RZSDlffett.
A very interesting reading wm given at the reed-
ing room of this institute on Thursday evening last
by Mr. Silk, who selected as his subject Shakspeare's
much admired play of "Hamlet." The attendance
was very large, much larger than at any of
the previous readings. The reader handled
his subject in a masterly manner, and at the con.
elusion a vote of thanks ass unanimously passed for
the instruction and amusement he had afforded. We
are glad to be able to *tat, that H. C. Start, Delo
has, with his usual liberality, presented two very
excellent honks to this society, consisting Of a French
Dictionary, and Walker's English Dictionary. Too
much praise cannot be given to Mr. Start for his
kindness at all times in attending to the welds of
the isstitnta, and we wish that other gentlemen
wad be iadaood to follow kW szample.

TIIR A PrlcoAollllllo AmilzicL -00rjUnittll will be
he.ked fora ard in with more than ordinary iuterevt.
im intotlnt or there being several cases ..1 no small
interest to this av e ill be BMA] by tlo:
iAlemlar p hiniteil ebewlirre.
TRANS/10g or LICENA.— At th• BurAngh Petty
Sessions, Monday, March 4th, the hewn's' of the
Bull's Head Inn, Fordington, was transferred from
Mr. Jeffery Russell to Mr. Thomas 'Ogg,.