The Telegram. — 1895-07-09 (Weymouth, Dorset, England)

SOMERSET JOINT COMMITTEE.  MONO —Held at the Shire Hall, Taunton, under the presidency of Sir Richard H. Paget, Bart., M.P. There were also present the Hon. R. C. Trollop?, Menu. E. J. Stanley, M.P., Cooke-Untie, H. M. Skrine, F. Weatherly, A. J. Guodford, G. F. Luttrell. A. F. Somerville, C. E. J. Maile, S. Fox, R. Brufurd, T. Carr, A. B. James, W. Spoke, E. ChisholmBatten, W. B. Broadmead, F. W. Penney, T. Mullins, W. J. 13raikenridge, S. L. Southcombe, the chief constable (Capt. Alison), the county surveyor (Mr. Willcox), the county treasurer (Mr. C. T. Horikins), and the clerk (Mr. W. Duun). Mr. A. F. Somerville presented the report of a subcommittee apppointed to consider the Warier' of clerks to the justices of the Wells, Somerton, Il minster, and Shepton Mallet petty sessional divisions, consequent upon the readjustment of the divisions. The report stated that the Wells division would have a net increase of 5,198 population, or over 993 per cent., and an increase of about 32.9 per cent, of cases. The clerk would also have to provide an office at Glastonbury. The committee recommended that his salary should be increased from £165 to 430 per annum. The Ohmmeter division would have a decrease of 3,911 population and about 126 per cent of time maces. The committee recommended that the clerk's salary ithould be reduced from £215 to £2OO per annum. The Somerton division would have a total net decrease .if 1,608 population, and a decrease of 178 ef cases, but the clerk would have to attend an additional court at Langport, and they therefore recommended that his salary should be increased from £126 to £l5l. The committee recommended that no alteration should be made in the ealary of the clerk at Shepton Mallet —The chairman remarked that the result of the recommendations was an increase of £9O and a decrease of £l5, making a net increase Of £7s.—Mr. Cooke-Hurle moved that the committee should be asked to further mmeider the matter, as he thought it was too much to ask that the salary of the Wells clerk should be £230 when the fees there only atuounted to about £loo.—Mr. Bruford seconded the amendment, which was loot, and the report was adopted.— The Shire Hall Cminuittee presented a report on the state of the cells at Taunton pram. They recommended that beyond some minor necessary repairs to the fabric nothing should be dune--The report was adopted, on the motion of Mr. Spoke.— The auditor's report on the county accounts was considered, but it contained nothing of importance. The auditor called attention to the fact that when refreshments were supplied to juries they should be paid for by the jurors themselves— An application was received for a grant in aid of the renovation of the training ship Formidable, stationed at Portishead. The application stated that after 25 years' service the ship required considerable repairs in order that the work might be carried on. The Admiralty had declined to provide another vessel, and an outlay of about £l,OOO would be required for the present ship. The managers propoeed to make an appeal to the public fist subscriptions, but before doing so they wished to bring before the Somerset Joint Committee the propriety of making a grant in connection with the proposed outlay.—The chairman said the number of Somerset boys on the venel was eleven. Mr. Weatherly said eleven did not represent anything like the actual number which was there from Somerset. He proposed that. the Joint Committee should make a grant of £lso.—Mr. Braikenbridge seconded.— The motion was carried.—Tbe chief constable presented the following report :—" My lords and gentlemen,-1 have the honour to lay before you the criminal returns for the quarter ended list March last, during which time 224 indictable offences were reported to the police, in respect of which 156 persons were apprehended or summoned. In the preceding quarter 204 indictable offencee were reperted to the police, and 121 persons pro. ceeded against. One thousand one hundred and sixteen non-indictable cams were determined summarily by the justices, as compared with 1,498 in the previous quarter. Of the cases determined summarily, 75 were under the Elementary Education Act, as compared with 222 in the previous quarter, showing a decrease of 147 cases in which proceedings were taken under that act. I have to report that there are at present living within the county 13 persons liberated on license or subject to police supervision ; of thieve 10 are earning an honest living, the mode of occupation of two is doubtful, and one is in the lunatic asylum. I beg to recommend that the following pension for life be granted out of the police pension fund for and from the 26th inst., vie. :—£46 10s 2.1 a year to Constable Charles F. Symes, aged 53 years, whose approved service is 30 years, and whose pay is £69 158 4d per annum.— The chairman remarked that the summary offences had fallen from 1,488 to 1,116, and cases under the Elementary Education Act from 222 to 75. This was very sotisfactory.—The report was adopted.— The chairman said applications had been received from Yeovil and Bedminster for an increase of the police fortse in those plaees.—Captein Alison said Yeovil had applied for an additional sergeant and three constables in consequence of an increase of population. There was now one constable to 1,608, and the rate for the whole county was 1,117.— The cousideration of both applications was postponed to the next meeting of the committee.  A miner was killed by lightning .312 Maeateg mountain, Glamorgan, on Monday. The six per cent. Chinese loan for £1,000,000 aterling, issued on Wednesday, has already been subsenbed three or four times. At the half-yearly audit of the Doke of Westminster's Halkin Castle Estate, Flintahire, his grace made a return of 10 per cent. to his agricultural tenants.  A fireman was killed and eight persons injured on Monday by a fire at M. Godellot's military clothing works at Paris, twelve adjonnug houses being burned.  The French Government has dPcided to prosecute before the Council of State all priests taking part in demonstrations against the new taxation of rel ig lOUR orders.  John Hicks, a naval pensioner. living with his wife and children at Devonport, attempted to commit suicide on Monday afternoon. No reason can be assigned for his conduct.  DFILiCIOUS