The Dorset County Express and Agricultural Gazette.
Dorchester, Dorset, England, 1881-07-26 00:00:00

A SCENE IN THE CHAMBER.

THI RUT-STRUT INPROVIIIMIT SORIIIL

A .pecial meeting of the Local Board wa• held on
Tuesday evening, when the proceedings were of a very
nnimated char•cter, and hated from seven p in. till
i 0.15 p.m. The time was mostly occupied in di.cuas-
log and determining upon the Improvement Scheme,
concerning which • str ,ng feeling has existed with
regard to the Board itself acid the ritepayers of the
borough.

_
There were present—C. Edmund., Esq. (Mayor),
J. T. Stephens, Eon. (ex-Mayi.r), Aldermen A.
Firynoick J. Beech, J. P. Suttill, E. (lox. aid H. E.
H Councillor. 11, Hiwil, l). F. Biddlec imbe,
W. Kui;ht, A. E. Banister, G. A. Samiion, F. G.
Holmwood, J. Houneell, F. W. Gundry, Esq. (Town
Clerk), sad Mr. F. Cooper (Surveyor).
After • few unimp rtant items of Council and
Board business had been disposed of, his WORSHIP
celled upol Mr. T. If. EDMUNDS, Chairman of the
West-strce: linprovemei t C ,mmittee, to present his
report. The Mayor hi.pid that no personalities would
be indul red in, aol that members would speak to ale
point at inns. The following report wan then pre.
sented :
" We have great pleasure in reporting the completion of
the Weet•etreet Improvement scheme. The original
estimate bee been exoeeded from various cause*, of which
cur surv-iyor will give a more detailed account. J. P. F.
Gundr7. Big.. has utierouely given another subscription
of .C5O towards It, in addition to his gvuerous rift ot the
land and £lOO. We w.iuld al-o acknowledge the kindle
help and sympsthy we hsvo received from hi'. H.
enstivl. But +a th•nli the ounces. .1 the whole enter-
prise me lag ay due to the skill and untiring energy of
yJut Surveyor.'
(Signed)
"1. If. EDMUNDS Chairman."
Statement of accounts was Oven. It was shown
that the original estimate of the ixst of works we.
£7OO, but having been c impletied the total cost was
found to be no lees than £1.106 17s. 7d. ;so that extra.
amounted to £4OO and upwards.
The Surveyor then explained how the expenditure
hexi_exceaded the cathode.

Mr. KNIGHT Mithed to know to whom the estimate
was given, and
Mr. EDMUNDB paid to the Local Boar I.
Alderman RiTNGLIDS asked lilt were on the books.
The Maros explained what was really on the minute
book am to the zarrying out of the scheme.
Mr. Ksiout said hi understood that a meeting was
held in the Town Hall in 1878. when It was
unanimously decided that the affair should be cirried
nut by public subscription, and not by the Board, and
be should like to no the minute@ confirming that the
B,ard was liable. _

Mr. &moans said he could set that right, and
referta I to paragraphs in the local pipers concern-
ing the meeting converged t ) lay the scheme before the
rttepayers, the argued that the resolut.on did not
Imply that the whole of the money would be c .11ected
by submription, and he said at the time that he had
no d inut he could collect two two thirds of it.
Tee ex-Maros' asked, what was meant by the words
"to collect money for the purview,"
The Maroa explained that it wet for the committee
appointed (Mews. T. Edmunds, J. Hounsell, and D.
E. Biddlecombe), t collect the money,
MI. Karon*, salted if it were usual foe a Ohairroan
of C .mmittee to spin I what money be liked, and then
to bring le such a liability without asking their advice
on the anbject.
The MAYOR explained that a great deal depende I on
what c raimittees are appointed. It had been rather an
unusual committee and now the report showed a
de e .it of e I hundred pounds.
Mr. Erniolne, in answer t, Mr. SYgentve, said
that by accepting the scheme, the Board accepted the
responsib lity, and undoubtedly the Board would be
expected to make up the deficiency. (No no.)
Alderman IiRTMOLDS said he understc;od that the
committee ph rul I not spend any of the Board's money.
It was an extraordinary proceeding, No account of
soy of this work CAWA before the Finance Committee.
It WWI believed that they (the committee) had to
colle4 thl money and carry out the work. Mr.
M 'mantle lii not elvand money in other committees
w Omit I .yi, g it-before the Fitianoe Committee. He
could nt u e how it could come out of the rates.
(Heat, beer.)
Mr. STFPHICIA 'mid it was to him a panful task,
and they, the B ard, were called upon as representa-
tives of the ratepayers to nee that it did not come out
of their rates. At the convened meeting of ratepayers
it was distinctly decided that the resolution should not
be carried unks the words, "by public subacription,"
be added. Such • proceeding ram Dever before mien
iinder that ro 4, and he booed it would
thr-ra again. It wet altogether a moat unfortunate
piece of business. hut they condi not. and dared not
trivah a farthin , of the money of the rate. The Mayor
then read • resolution uses at that t me, sni, as
mover of that resolution. he wee eon that whatever
was the intention of some of the ratepayers at the
time,
_the r- solution did not show that the whole
should be collected by public subscription.