The Dorset County Express and Agricultural Gazette.
Dorchester, Dorset, England, 1881-08-30 00:00:00

DORSET MIDSUMMER ADJOURNED

SESSIONS.

The adjourned Quarter Sessions for the county were
held at the Bbirehall on Saturday last, when the fol.
lowitromagistrates were present H. B. bliddleton,
Bag. in the chair), Montagu Guest, Req., M. P., 0.
Hain Rog , Benett-Stanford, Req., Major-General
C.,Hennini, L, Col. Bingham, Col. Steward, CoL
Swailield, Dr. Smith, H. 0. Goodden, Esq„ A.
Clayton, Req., .1. W. T. Pyle', Req., R. W. Kin-
dusky, Esq., and L. Holtorci, Req.
The first business was to receive the report of the
Bridges and Buildings, act Roads Committee, which
was read by the Chairman of the Ommittee—Mr.
iiAlll33O. It was as f Atom

_
Your Comoutree have to report that on the 4th ultimo
they met the Weymouth Corporation in conference for
the purpoes of considering the subject of the Backwater
Bridge. end ascertaining to what extent the Corporation
wools contribute towards improving or rebuilding it
Alter considerabie discesidon, it appeared that the Om
poratMn were unwilling to pledge env amistance.
The Corporation had Obtetned • rule sin for the county
to show cause why • fine should not be imposed, and on
the Bth instant the Court of Qmen'e Bench extended the
rule until the fleet day of the next Michaelmas sitting.
The plena prepared by the County Surveyor for near-
ing me bridge are now before the Board of Trade for
AP and the following communication has been
recirelillry the Clerk of the Pesos:—
Board of Trade (Harbour Department),
Whitehall Gardena, S W. 911. Aurae., 1881.
812,-1 am directed by the Board of Trade to ack-
nowledge the receipt of your letter of the 3rd Instant,
further upon the subject of the works proposed to be
carried Out by the County Authority far Doren at the
Weymouth Backwater Bridge, and I are to acquaint you
that they are now prepared to proceed with the matter."
"The Board Wilt, however, as • preliminary step,.
quire that an adirertimaient a draft of which Ii e
Mould be inserted et the expense of the 0 mnty Authority
twice, with en interval of one week between each
advertisement."
"tam Sir,
Your Obedient Servant,
HEART G. CALCRAPT.
Your committee would recommend to the Court that
the advertisement, be issued as required by the Board of
Trade._

T 1;. County Surveyor report/ that Tithirley Bridge, in
the parish of Chardstock, is in • bed state of repair. It
le an old turnpike bridge, and the county became liable
to repair it last year.
The County Surveyor reports that the main abutment
at the south-west approach cd the largest of the throe
bridges bee been scoured out and injured by the flood;
and requires attention while the water is low.
Culls or sacks 511.1 with macros should be placed
roend the exposed footings, to protect them from farther
injury.
The whole of the masonry of the three bridges should
be repaired and pointed, and the parapets and copings
made good.
A flood arch between the Load es and South-Western
Railway and the principal bridge also requires repair.
An application for a license for a I .c 'motive has been
received (rem Mr. T. C. Gregory, of Burton, and your
committee recommend Ova the license be granted. Also
one from Mr. Francis K ideion for a renewal of his
Bream, which the committee ale° recommend.
Mr. Id innLatox said the first question would be the
acceptance of the part of the report which referred to
Tithsrleyßridge.
The outlay Wall agreed to unanimously.
Till WITYOOIII BACKWATIR 5111301.

Mr. HAIM° said the opinion of the committee was
Oat the best course to adopt In reference to this
bridge would be to repair it, and not rebuild • new
bridge. To do the latter would entail • far greater
expense than the county at the present time would be
disposed to incur. To adopt the recommendation of the
committee would place them in such a poeition that at
the next Quarter Bemiring, the Court would be enabled
to accept tenders. and proceed with the work as soon
after as possible.
Mr. hi ipm.rrog said he had received a communica-
tion from Lord Portman containing some recommenda-
tions which he wished to mike. They were of •
rather different character from those of the committee,
but at the same time it seemed to him they could
quite possibly run concurrently with them.
Dr. Sarni asked if it would be • temporaey repair
or • permanent structure.
Mr. Hanna° replied that they should put the
bridge in such a state that it would last as long as an
ordinary timber bridge.
Mr. H. C. GOODDIRI enquired if it would not he
advisable that a surveyor experienced in the building
of bridges should assist Mr. Fletcher. It was a very
expensive affair, and it was most important that it
should be done well. It was done, he believed, ones
before.
Mr. RAMIRO said in the case referred to. the question
arose whether they should build an iron bridge at
Axes and they then had another engineer to consult with
Mr. Fletcher as to the iron bridge most suitable. In
this neee it was simply • question of driving in
wooden paw to replace the i.nas which were worn out.
Them was no engineering or architectural difficulty
about it.
Dr. Sitrra was strongly in favour of Its being made
• permanent structure, and not a temporary repair.
Mr. H. B. Mmocrroir thoaght it was quite clear
that the Court had not decided positively whether to
teethe bridge or build • new one.
HAIIBIO said the committee had very carefully
ocaskiered the question of making • permanent bridge,
and they had owns to the conclusion that it wobrthilt
a very unwise thing to spend £1,3000 when very likely
some very important alterations would be mad. In the
Illvreys Act, so that the turnpike roads and the
bridges on them would be taken over and repaired by
the State. Vary much the same thing occurred with
their gaol. Thousands were spent on it, and then the
Government said they would take all the gaols and
relieve the counties of them' and so they sold the
gaol for about £l,OOO, and the whole of the money
which they had spent on it was lost.
Mr. BENITI"STAIDIORD : Are we not liable to • fine
If we do not proceed to do something?
Mr. HLMBIO : Yes; but an long as we propose to
do something, and are willing to take action in the
matter, the fine would not be enforced.
The motion was then put to the Court, and carried.
Mr. MI,,DLISON then brought forward Lord Port.
man's resolution, which was that the County Surveyor
should prepare plane for building an iron bridge, pro-
vided that the Weymouth authorities should reclaim
land on both rides of the Backwater, which would
make the bridge about half its present lenzth.
Mr. FTLZR : But the Weymouth people say they
won't spend one halfpenny, whatever we propose.
Mr. MIDDLITOIf continued that Lord Portman
recommendation contemplated a different scheme, and
It WM certainly to be hoped that the Weymouth
authorities might take up the matter, either In a public
way or by private subscription; and it was to give
them an opportunity of doing that, that he load been
Instructed to move this resolution.
Dr. Sarre had pleasure in seconding the resolution.
Mr. Mcarraqua Gazer said he 'hoard be very sorry
to place himself in opposition to so experienced •
gentleman u Lord Portman, but one rather felt that if
they proposed to the Weymouth people that they
Amin do &certain thing that they would be morally
bound to do their part of the contract. Suppose they
said "If you spend £4,000 we will spend £8,000," and
If they spend the £l,OOO, he considered they would he
In the position of being simply bound to spend £B,OOO.
After what Mr. Hambro bad very justly said, in regard
to the uncertainty of the Highway Act, he thought
they ought to think twice before they laid themselves
out to spend a large sum of money.
The question was raised by Mr. ICtrtngasure whether
it was advisable to spend £4O in drawing up plans,
when very probably the Weymouth people would not
accept it.
It was ultimately agreed, on the motion of Mr. M.
Gcerr that the Clerk of the Peace be directed to suer-
lain from the Corporation of Weymouth, whether is
the event of the plans being prepared they would bear
the cost of reclaiming the land on both sides of the
Backwater.

gm humanism
Mr. F. T. iiOLFORD, of Castle Hill, qualified as a
comity magistrate, sod Mr. Steele, of Dorchest.r,
took the oath' as a borough justice.
This was all the business.

FRAMPTON.

Lapwing' llirmit.—Open•air services in onnection
with this society were held here on Sunday last, in
beautifully fine weather. In the afternoon a service
wag held in the village, conducted by Mr. S. Pike. of
Canford, escretary foe Dorestshire, and was Isidro:end
by himself and Mr. W. B. Davis, of Dorchester. The
evening service was held at the °chastens Viaduct.
and was attended by about 360 persons from the
neighbourhood; being addressed by Mr. Pike, Mr. J.
Foot., Mr. H. Downton. and Mr. Davis, all of Dot.
chaster. A goodly number of Dorchester friends
availed themselves of the opportunity of attending,
which added greatly to the rendering of the ninefold
portion of the service. Mime A. Downton, of Dor.
chaster, sweetly sang "Will You Meet Me at the
Fountain r Than religions services are held from
place to Place fa order to raise funds that the society
may be Onalged to help in extreme moo of mod,
whether fo or outside their own society, mad is celled
the Bosovoloat Fund of the Agricaltura Lamm.'
tfoioo.