Blandford Weekly News. — 1886-02-20 (Blandford, Dorset, England)

ATTACK ON GUARDIANS.  An extraordinary scene in connection with the working of the Labourers Act has been enacted at Kilmallock. A number of labourers met at Bruff, and having baliotted for fifteen cottages in course of election there, determined on coercing the guardians of the union into acquiescing with this novel method of disposing of the union property. A noisy crawd of over 200 labourers assembled in front of the unio,n building at Kilmallock, and cheered or groaned at the guardians as they passed in. One of the guardians was forcibly prevented from entering the board-room. The labourers ultimately knocked down the gate-porter and others employed to prevent their entrance to the board-room, and, rushing up the stairs, took possession of the premises. In vain did the chairman alai other guardian strive to reason with the labourers as to the illegality of their proceedings, as it was only those labourers whose former dwellings had been condemned that could be legally entitled to the houses in course of erection. One labourer said as he had drawn a ticket he would "stick to the house, and hang for it." Ancther declared that they w. uld not let the guardians have their way in thennatter, and that the board was ruled by farmer influences, a remark which was warmly applauded by the other labourers present. A third labourer, who brandished a stick, shouted that they would not allow a man named Murphy, who had got a cottage from the board by consent at a previous meeting, to take possession until he "drew from the hat" like the rest of them, and that be would take possession of Murphy's house. The labourers, on being induced to withdraw, proceeded to the front of the building, and were addressed by a speaker, who called on them in excited terms to stick to the result of their ballot. After the lapse of about 10 minutes the labourers again broke into the board-room, arid 3nly after a scene of confusion consented to leave, on condition that four of their number were allowed to stay inside during the deliberations. It was finally agreed that the choice of occupants for the houses should be left to the clergymen of Bruff and the kcal guardians, and the labourers expressing themselves satisfied, the meeting adjourned.  A woman named Knight, living in Clerkenwell, who had of late been drinking to excess, has murdered her infant child and made an unsucce.,,nful attempt to commit suicide by cutting her throat.  Mr. Cooke, the Marylebone police magistrate, in dealing with a complaint made respecting dog which had bitten two persons, remarked that the law with regard to cases of this kind was in a disgraceful state. It was most difficult for people to bring actions or to interfere except they could shew that the dog had previously injured people. The relations which exist between the Duke of Devonshire and his Furness tenantry have been illustrated by an interesting incident. An olcDtenant, Mr. William Slater, recently left the Park Farm, Dalton, and his Grace sent him a beautiful drawing-room clock, with four dials. it bore the following inscription : " Presented by William, Duke of Devonshire, to William Slater, on his quitting Park Farm, in remembrance of the Lug connection in the relation id landlord and tenant between their respective families."