The Dorset County Express and Agricultural Gazette.
Dorchester, Dorset, England, 1866-10-23 00:00:00

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THZ BRAINAGII OF THI TORY.

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I.'-. bound to put

The only businew upon the paper was to receive Mr.
Hawksley's report as to the drainage of the town, and
to decide what stops should be taken thereon.
The MAYO' read letters from several gentlemen who
were unable to attend owing to unforeseen circumstances,
and remarked that the gentlemen who were absent were
very favourably disposed towards Mr. Hawksley'. report,
and, to a eertain ezteat, approved of it. It was, how-
ever, a question whether with the number at the meeting
that day they should at once go into the discussion. It was
not often they get a much Liter body together for the
transaction of business, but certainly it was a question of
Importance, and highly desirable that it should be fully
discussed. He would leave the matter in the hands of
the Board as to whet steps should be taken.
POTHICAIT said, with respect to those gentlemen
who were Anent, though they bad conveyed their ideas
that they approved of Mr. Hawk.ley's plan, yet it was
a matter which required every member to be present to
speak for himself. It would be useless for anyone to
nay "I intimated that I Approved of the plan to a
Mend," and then by and by, when resposibility came,
to renounce such a statement. Taking into considera-
tion the fact that so many were absent, he thought the
course which gave greatest satisfaction to the ratepayers
In this matter, inasmuch as they were applied to some
years wro for their signature' for or against the drainage
of the town, and he thought it would give them greater
gatisfaction and do away with any odium that might
hereafter be cast upon them as a Board, lithe Mayor
would take upon himself to invite the ratepayers to a
public meeting to meet the Board and hear any observe- I
tion which they might then think proper to make.
When he spoke to Mr. Rare, yesterday, at the Union,
he told him he could not come because he had made a
prc Octal' engagement which he could not break off. If
proper time was given they could make their arrange-
ments accordingly.
The MATO{ observed that, with regard to calling •
public meeting, he really could not we any particular
advantage to be derived from it. The Board were sent
to the Council Chamber as representatives of the town,
and if he might venture to say every one present took
• greet interest in the welfare of the town He dare
say that Mr. Potbeauy was perfectly •wars that any twe
or three ratepayer t under the new Act of Parliament
really could enforce the drainage of a town being carried
out, It became a matter of fad now-a-day that all
towns must be drained, and by any ratepayer moving in
the matter could compel such to be done. Under these
cireumettnces be could not see what would be gained by
calling • public meeting. It was true they would have
a variety of opinions, but no decision, be feared, would
be come to.

Mr. POTS/CARY remarked that that would bare to be
aaoertained.

Mr. Mow rid at any rate it would give an oppor•
tunity for all the members of the Board to be present-
Mr, MILLI:DOR remarked that there had already been
one or two public mretinp on the subject.
The Maros did not think a public meeting would
wei:v.e a good purpo!e..

Mr. KtrarcAaT looked upon the matter in this light.
The meeting last Saturday was a most momentous one,
Rad the owners of Pnd' bad no knowledge of what
then took place, and the Board most candidly admit if
they were owners of prop.ety and not members of the
Board they would like to have the fullest information
no to what then took plane. The Board bad the handling
of other people's property without their knowledge;
whither it was without th it consent they would base
to ascertain, Mr. Hawksley began with £16,000, but
last Saturday had come up to £20,000 as hi/estimate for
draining the town, and then the holders of property
would have to pay £lO,OOO more for connecting with the
mains. Assuming that to he true, there would be • 2s.
additional rating, and the rata onllectors would give
them information as to the difficulty of *collecting the
money at present, but what would be the oonsequence
If that rate was doubled? If the drainage was to be
carried out lot it be done with the knowledge and comment
of the partise most deeply interested—the owners
property and the ratepayers.
The MOTOR observed that he thought Mr. Hawksley's
jumping to £74,000 was on account of sumo gentlemen
present suggesting things to be carried out different from
what WU stated in his report. Mr. Griffin attended
and made • most important statement, showing the
necessity of enclosing a certain piece of land.
would be attended with considerable expense, and there
were other suggestions thrown out by some gentlemen
which Induced Mr. Hawkaley to say that the pro-
bability was that the drainage would eat £30,000.
Mr. POTRiCART : His estimate was irrespective of
that,

The MAYOR, further said that he hinvol would hare
come to this conclusion, so satisfied was he in I. own
mind that if there was no tank at all, if the pipet were
carried oat into deep water, that the sewage could he
con red into the Backwater without the least annoyance
or nantie to the town.
Mr. Pcrruccua : SO I think too. But, u Mr.
Ilawkidey remarked, you cannot get rid of the pre.

The MAYOR: You will not be able to get rid of the
prejudice.
Mr. Lime: I do not think the prejudice will be quite
no strong se the Board imagine. At Hastings, where
the prejudice was so great, there was no Backwater;
the sewage is carried out to the front of the town.
Mr. MILLIWGII said he knew it as • fact that, unless
the Board took the drainage of the town into their own
Lands, and bestirred themselves speedily in it. there
were three gentlemen who would apply to the General
Board to come down and inspect the town, and carry
out the drainage system.
Mr. TllolllAll : Let them do it.
Mr. /bustle:le, in continuation, said this was an im-
portant point for the Board to consider welL The esti-
mate now was £20,000, but if the General Board inter.
bred they would not consult as to what the town wished
to be done, they would do what was neemeary, not
raring whether the weeks mat £50,000 or 00.000.
Mr. POTHIC•RY : We ere not to be frightened by
three gentlemen. Mr. Griffin may be a vea7 energetic
man, but he has a sort of drainage mania.
Mr. MILLZDOE thought it would be well for the Board
to conslier this matter very deeply and very eranest!y,
and to era whether it would not be better to carry it out
themselves than leave a door open for • chance of the
General Board to do FO. Whether the drainage rant
118,000 or P 20,000, they might fairly reckon it would
be doubled if the General Board took it in hand.
Mr. THONIII eald the remarks which Mr. Milledge had
uttered had fully convinced him of the oorrectness of
what Mr. Potheaary had stated as to the desirability of
the Mayor Galling • public meeting. He himself was
also strongly immured with the necereity of it, as they
would thou be raW to lay their plans before the rate.
payers at large, and enforce upon them the necessity of
the drainage. That would take • large amount of re-
sponsibility from off the Barad. It was all very well for
the Mayer and Mr. Alderman Ifilledip, who were fixed
In their seats for six yews without being deterred by
anyone outside who might say " You shall not go there
again." He was not accusing them of not wishing to do
their duty, or insinuating the wane which they were
Punning wan not a right one. He was fully impressed
with the imporrtanee of this quesdion so far ea the town
was concerned. H. knew its importance as a watering
place, and that their chief income was derived by the
whiten. Be had lately had some convermation with a
gentleman of large experienee aa an engineer to wbun
be bad hronght up the &ablest, and he full; endorsed
Mr. Flawraley's opinion, fro the mien ° had
had of many other town. in Zig1e,1716,4 urey would never get rid of the smells on the margin of the shore.
It was his ixtention to rapport the egirg.tion for whs.(
• public meeting, and regretted, with Mr. Poth that the pree. were not present at the Irak meeting to
have heard ell that fell from Mr. Hawbsley, for the
more the subject was ventilated the better they should
steed with the public, and the public would stand with them, and the costliest* between Wein woad be reel.
prorated.
Mr. MlLLlDGleaked if, in the event of. public meth
tfebides gelled and the voice of the majority of the
pavers should be against them, in what pretties.
would they thee !tend

_ .
—7171; 'Gros said the question before the Board was
wheibor they &mid decide on accepting Yr. Hawn-
ley'a report or not Did they mesa to support that
report to the rat•payere sad ikak them f they should
receive it or not ? yt they did so the Board would be
mere ommatitim.

-fer.-FO7ll-11041.111Y said the report wee so incompletelm
not to be fit to be presented to them. If be was to
receive the report in its present state, he should say
•irtainly not.
Mr. ELIOT said the simple gneetion was whether they
would receive the report or not.
Mr. POTNIOART proposed " That the Mayor be
roineeted to cell • public meting of the ratepayers to
meet at the Town Hall, to consult upon the report
Mr. Hamblin. and to remise their opinion as to the
desirability of ire being adopted.
Mr. Mason seconded the proposition.
The Illavolt said he should regret to me this step
e.nied out.

IT: I proposed the resolutioo, and you
t it

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