The Telegram. — 1899-04-11 (Weymouth, Dorset, England)

THK CHAIIGIL—Lord Ludlow, in charging the Grand Jury, said that the comparison of crime during the past quarter, as compared with the correvonding Period of last year, showed no material increase in the crime of the county. There was lio substantial increase, anti he . .  'teed make no remark with regard to that. Titecalendar contained the names of 16 prisoner, and looking at the calendar he was pleased to lind that in nearly every case the magistrates on committal had bailed the party charged. In passing he might observe that the word " bait" was probatly incorrect, for the word bail implied suretyship, but the Act of Parliament which recently became law was passed for the purpose of doing &war with the necessity of suretyship and enabling magistrates to release the party charged upon his own recognisance. He wished to take that opportunity of saying that he thought that a very valuable power to confer on magistrates, and a power which they ought to very liberally exemise, except when there was any reasonable grouud for supposing that the party charged would abscond for the purpose of defeating tly, law. Further, there might he cogent circumstances winch might justify the magistrates in not acting under the valuable powers to which he had referrel. He said cogent circumstances there was a case in the caleudar of a man named Smith, who was charged with attempting to commit suicide at Westbury. He found that on emu. initial that pints, was not released upon his own recognizatuns. He was committed on February Bth and hati been in prison ever since. Now, lie did not fur one moment say that tied was an improper course , far the magistrates to pursUe.lt mniht have been tii ugh t that Elm man on Leine released might make *notate attempt upon his life, and under .ueh circumstances the urteistrates would be fully justified in not releasing him.llut if on the other hand the act which he commonIsted doing was the result of drunkenuess or or some sudden paroxysm, or something of that kind, and there was no reasonable grouud for suppos:  ing that be would repeat the act, or if he 114c1 someone who would take charge of him during the time that would lapse from the date he WAS committed until he was tried,. the better course would have been to have released him upon his own recognisance. They would see that the mall had been imprisoned for nearly two months, and if lie was tried there and found guilty that ought have been a longer punishment than they inight think proper to hifitet upon him. Proceediug, ne said that there were only three or four casts in the calendar he need call the grain! jury's attention. The charges against the prisoners were of the usual kin.:, au4 they were not very large in number. He then dealt with one or two of the ca-es, making special reference to the charge against Thos. Muir, of Trowbridge, indicted tor unlawfully mating a transfer of his property, to wit, an assignment of book debts, to one John Laughland the younger, with intent to defraud his creditors, at Trowiiridge, await the month of July, 1898. The circumstances of the ease were peculiar, and required the eio.c attention of the Grand Jury, for unless they could find that there was reasonable evidence to show that the intent to defraud was in the mind of the man  at the tine he sold his book debts they ought iiot to tind a true bill. His lordship pointed out that the nook debts were sold about threw weecs before a petition wrs filed against the man by a creditor. It was for the Grand Jury to say whether there was any evidence of intt nt to defraud the creditors on July 2nd, at. a time, so far as the evidence showed, the man, , . .  Stair, —did, not know he would he made a 'bankrupt, for he was not made a bankrupt until three weeks later. It was for the Grand Jury to say whether tney found a true hid against, him. ..  TUN HOLDING or QUARTER Szsmorm.--Lord Ludlow 3aid that it would be remembered that UL the laid Quarter Sessions • committee of iustices was appointed for the purpose of e.muiring and reporting on the arrangements relating to the holding of Quarter Sessions. That commilte. had held two meetings, one  at Devizes and one at Westbury, tut they protalse'd to hula further meetings, certainly. one at Warminster,  and perhatoi one at Salisbury. The committee had not Peen able hitherto to hold those meetinipi, and he therefore asked that the date for presenting the report he postponed until the neat Quarter Sessions.