The Dorset County Express and Agricultural Gazette.
Dorchester, Dorset, England, 1881-08-16 00:00:00

THE CALAMITOUS WEST-STREET IMPROVEMENT.

PRATISTATIONS Or ILATIWAY IRS.

More than 80 per cent, of the ratepayera are protest-
ing air itigly against an aqua IT strong effort on the
part f the eta:rman of the West-street Improvement
flonunit'ee ( %fr. Eamma) t, force the deficit
of £4OO and upwards noon the b 'rough rates; against
Vie distinct under•tani'inz of the meating convened to
n cdt r the roheme in 1879. As stated la.t w.-dt, the
chairman hes been unable to collect anvthiog like the
inquired money, and new comes t the ratepayers to
fin. I that they are far (torn willing to ewes out cheerfully
and willingly to CAW. I the deficit.

It will 17e'rernemhered that ha -the hat report of the
Local hoard nvetin;, Mr. R. ilowell moved the
fit'lowing resolution, which was carried :—" Having
heard the report of the committee to carry out
and collect the monies for the %Vest-atreet improve-
ment. thh, Board is of . pinion that, an the ratepayers
in a public meeting in the Town Hall consented to and
recommended the work be carried out by private cub-
.cript'ous and not by rate, reconirnmd• that a public
meeting of tba ratepayers of Bridietrt be called to
receive a report of the committee, and determine how
the deficiency is t% be met. as this Bleed appointed
the committee on the re*nntuendation of that public
mecin."

-7k-hle-reno• luti n wee peened with the support of nearly
the who'. Board, which refused to receive the report
presents d by the chairman of committee. In conic-
quenee of the success of the above resolution the Mey
(C. Edmunds, Esq.), convened a public meeting of
ratepayers fr Fri ley evening last, when the Town
Hall WY filled to overflowing. Considering the
diversity of o; inion on this matter, which the rate-
payers never expected would again come before them,
and e rattily considering the strong and gem rat
feeling of the ratepayers that they should not be
. . . .

burdened with it, the meeting was as tolerant an could
be expected, and the few interruptions which t sok place
wry pxrdonable. The Mayor was voted to the chair
ami I applause. In the hall were Aldermen H. E.
Hounsell. It. Cox. and J. Beach, with Councillors H.
Howell, F. G. llolmwood, D. E. Biddlecombe, T.
Flonnsell, and T. H. Edmunds, F. W. Gundry, Fog.
(Town Clerk), Mr. F. Cooper (Borough Surveyor), Lc.
The MAYOII having read the notice convening the
meeting, called upon the chairman of the committee,
asking him whether he would be prepared to give a
report to this meeting.
Mr. T. 11. EMIUND9 said he was present as • rate-
payer, and Already had made a report to the Board,
but if anything called for comment he would make it.
Mr. H. HOWELL, as the mover of the resolution, then
rose to speak, and said he proposed that resolution at
the B ,ard meeting when a report was presented
from the Weedstreet Improvement Committee. He
would remind them that before the work was commenced
the ratepayers were called together, and he under-
stood it was their wish that no expense should
he thrown upon the rates, but that it would
have their good wishes and cordial support if the
money could be coll-ctsd. (Hear, hear.) The Local
Board appointed a committee to carryout the improve-
ment, and collect funds for the purpose. Now it
appeared that they had spent more money than they
hot collected; but when they found the Jr expenses
ge'ting greater than the estimate, they should have
come to the Lxcal Board an I said —"We have collected
£7OO, but find the work will cost £lOO more, and we
want your assistance as to how we ahall proceed with
an .l finish the weeds." Then the Board might have
instructed, but now when the work was completed
they came for the £4OO to be pail out of the rate,. He
c tittl not colecientiouely say that the £4OO should
come out of ths rates. He had said "No, before they
consented to do that call a public meeting, and hear
what the ratepayers ha I to say." There was no other
way of doing it unless some gentlemen would come
forward and collect the money. The great question
was how the £4OO was to be made up, whether any
..:entlemax would come forward and collect it, or the
e mittese who ha I collected pot, or that the money
should con' out of the rates; but he believed the
meeting understood the money should be o 'fleeted by
privates subscription, and not come out of the rates.
(Apt:limner.) . . . . . . .

Mr. MARGRRY complained that pe .ple had not been
asked to ellen ribe, ant /14,1 there been a h mse to
hou-e c mv-Iti the money w .ul I h aye been obtained.
Al le. nays Ho,.:IC4PLI, went hack to the time when
the sellemo we. f..r the 6r4 time discussed, and then
he fit that the most equitable way of making any
poblic eat eiditure was by rate, and he moved a
r •Rola'hoi to that effect, but withdrew it for a re.olu-
tion avhioh pr .vided that the work be done by public
an 1 that resolution was carried by a
tax4a majority. The report of Oat meeting was pre.
sew d ti the Local BoarJ, and the Local Board
appointel a committee to carry out the wishes of the
ratepayer', not to do it as a Loaal Board, but by
collecting the money, and not expending a penny of
the rate., (hear, bear.) He believed it to be the
Intention of every puma at that meeting that it was
not to be paid out of the rate... He would recognise
the fa -t th at an en amoue amouut of energy had bean
devoted, and only regretted that it bad cost so much
money as it had. (Hear, bear.) It was f. r them to
decide wh. thee the money shonid be paid out of the
rates. Ni ole would cavil at the work done, but as a
member of the Local Bard he should consider it an
act of illogality and dishonesty to vote for the money
to be pull out of the rates. It we. decided that the
work should be done no.ler certain conditions, and to
him it was extraordinary that after 18 menthe or two
years the coalitions should he nuilifie i and broken.
He consi&re 1 the most straightforward way was to
have come to the ratepayers and any the money was
expended. He concludrd by maintaining that the
, Local Board could not pay it out of the rates unlem
the ratepayers gave them permission ti do so.
Mr. Sarum Lusa soled—Firstly : Before pre-
senting their report, why did not the committee
thorwighly canvass the town? Secondly: Had the
gentlemen who had alee..dy subscribed bee., under the
intores.i .n thee w ..111 have to pay it in rates?
Mir Ily : Had tilt f 04.1 be n risen at the West Bridge
at the expense of the Improvement Committee?
The CRAIIIYAN : I C ii ate ear for the road at once—
That wee a separate thin.; at the coat of the Board
about MOO.

Mr. S. Audtw, continteng, stilted—Fourthlr : Why
was it that, after • pni•lic meetin; decided It .bon ti
n•t be pal,l by re., the revel B oard aPt"i,•• a la-
mittee to (14 it'("or, hear, al I ..p.d .ts I.'4lldg .•
What would le tit- t• -• tln.ric •if 11.- to •t o; d:cioed
not to pay th • to n v it; tee? ( astg'it•
The CHAIRXAM : To. n it will have t • b • paid in some
other wry.
Mr. ALL'S( thought the town sh nil be thorondltly
cananveted before arriving at a deciaion. Two years
a.m tba Lanai Board had no m meg t open,' in
improvements, and he supposed thay were now in no
better position,
Mr. J. P. l'ouNicir asked whether the reeolution
pawed at the prior meeting applied to the larger scheme,
or to 11,•th.

The ALATIII understood it to apply to the larigor
Fch me.

J. Huang, of Allinglin, addressing the
ch &man and gentlemen, said that hie retiring modal,
through life ha I been hie ruin. (Loud laughtY.) Bit%
it seemed to him Wrongs that after • public meeting
had emphaleilly said "No" to • subject, that the
Local Baird ha I taken it for granted that the meeting
meant "Yea." (Loud toughttr.) It seemed that the
centleman who nndertook to collect the money said
" Give me permission to collect the money ; you dirct
my nctions. and ru find the money." But he hid
not folipt the money, hut had got tot, a dilemma, and
came to ask the ratepayers to help him out of it. " I,"
sit.! Mr. Hughes, care for no Man, on the glorious
nriori Is that no Inan cares for (Cheers and
laughter.) Ile would give "that gentleman " credit
for the work ,• but did he oak himself, knowing th it
trade was work slack, and money aho-t, that if
he involved the ratepayers, whether ha would be pre-
pared to help him out of it. lie now tyke.' for their
sympathy. when they previ lusty toll him they would
not hell. him. Wheys.)
Mr. T. 11. (hdlosse proposed "That the deficiency
he paid ont .1 the rites, and that the payment be
v eonderl over. five yeah." (Cie' of "Nit, no, and
" Hear, hear..)
Al Iceman E. Cox rose to secnnd.
The CHatsn tk of the c manatee Vien roe', and
after aiits I og to the time he his 428444 to the work,
the me 'Peg f the scheme. an.l its being submitted t
it,' li.arti with it. approval, call that ha only knew of
£l5O in pr noises b fore the firet meeting wee held, hut
f-It he knew tha Bid limit people so well that he
c.. 01 fairly hold ont a proepect of getting two tab.& of
the est Mia, d cost of the work. By the act of the
PO iT.I 13 adopting the scheme they did, he held WA
they oa-nut i the responsibility . I pr .vi ling the other
liar. Mr. Granary had generously given the whole of
the and reptile I and 2100, and, hut for the gene. nit)'
of Mr. (Ininiry, tho work coil I have been carrie I
Out. M. Edmunds at this point indulged in various
personalitirs, and as the remarks but indirectly affect
the point we pass them over. Answering the sec .nd
question put by Mr. Allen, Mr. E imunds said he
d that nearly every man CallV42l2td • ) thoroughly
derst oei the ',att...., viz thst he would have to
pay hi. prop ruin .4 the b dance in rates. There would
now be a saving of 00 a ear in material, which used
to be washol away from the rowi in West-str..et. In
*newer to Mr. Allen's third question, Mr. E Imunds
said the Local Board were resnousible to the rate-
payere, and the c inanities were responsible to the
Local Board. Wi• h ',card to the last question put by
Mr. Alleo, IP. Edmunds call Le must rater him to
Mr. Gundrys the legal officer.
Mr. GOMM miff te was present there 28 lb rate-
payer. and woul I therefore decline to give a legal
opinion noon a question which might thereafter crop
up in a different form.
The diecusei in c ntinued for same time, daring
which Mr. Alderman Hommel!, Nit% Biddlecombe, Mr.
bidden, Mr. Caok, Mr. Howell, Mr. Allen, ie.,
spoke.

As an an atnenrlment to the above resolution, Mr.
AUKS MIVO I" That b.fore thi4 meeting arrives at
&by (LI t wi should be thorou:p.ycanvassfd.
The resolutio., mg I .mon,lntent being put to the
meetiva, but 12 row] fur the former, and nearly 70
tote tatter,

_ ....
TE us the t )wn is to be thor uzhly canvassed.
;on the 'notion of Mr. C. Coon, it was decided that
the Local Bo.dd he requested to appoint another
c ,motittee to solicit subscripto ns.
A vote of thanks to the Mayor was carried by
acdamatlon, aad the meeting divined.