Blandford, Wimborne and Poole Telegram. — 1875-01-29 (Blandford, Dorset, England)

THE TELEGRAM, I  FRIDAY, JANUARY 29, 1875.  ------NOTES OF THE WEEK. Although the choice of a Liberal leader has necessarily been the most interesting topic of the past week, nothing yet has been definitely done in the matter, and in all probability no decision will be arrived at till Parliament is on the very eve of meeting. There have been three lames most prominently before the public of late in connection with the position which Mr. Gladstone has vacated—Mr. Forster, Lord Hartington, and Mr. Lowe. The latter gentleman, a taste of whose quality we have just had in his letter relative to Lord Russell's recent work, is perhaps unrivalled in ability among all the members of the ex-Ministry, and in him Mr. DiAntall would find a foeman worthy of his steel, but then Mr. Lowe is somewhat deficient in those conciliatory qualities which are necessary for leadership. Between Lord Hartington and Mr. Forster the choice of the Liberal party seems at present to be, but we incline to believe that the former will be 'chosen. He is strongly liked by no large party, but then he is strongly disliked by none. He may be called a judicious or moderate Liberal, or, if you will, a Whig, who would have the support of the old Liberal party. As to Mr. Forster, the antagonism of a large section of the Dissenters and of the more " advanced " members of the Liberal party will, we think, be fatal to his possibility of leading the party. The Liberation Societk and the Birmingham Education League have severally passed a resolution opposed to any appointment to the leadership which will involve the continuance of the policy pursued by the late Government in respect to national education. Though Mr. Forster's name is not mentioned in these resolutions, they are really directed against him. The Liberals, however, are in no hurry to come to a resolution. There will, we hear' shortly be a meeting held at the Reform Club to take the subject into consideration, but this meeting will not be final, and probably a larger meeting to which the whole of the Liberal members will be invited, will be held either at Willis's Rooms or some other convenient place. We may just allude to the names of Sir William Harcourt and M,r. Goschen. because they have been freely talked of, but there are special reasons for each of these gentlemen being passed over.  The gales of Saturday and Sunday resulted, we regret to say, in two wrecks on the Dorset coast, one of them involving the loss of four lives. The first occurred on Saturday on Swanage ledge, when a brigantine laden with coals was dashed to pieces, though happily the crew were rescued, and found good friends at Swanage. The second took place on Sunday afternoon, when a vessel embayed on the west side of Portland, was driven upon the Chesil Beach, and, despite gallant efforts, four of the crew of fourteen met a watery grave, in the presence of thousands of sympathising spectators, yet helpless against the terrible sea. An important inquiry.is being held before the Weymouth magistrates, touching the death of Elizabeth Cox, a young woman who had been an inmate of the Weymouth Union, but was allowed to go out on a visit to her friends. On the following morning the body of the poor girl was found drowned. She had been seen in the company of a man named Hunter the previous night, circumstances cast suspicion upon him, and he was arrested. The theory of the prosecution seems to be, that after Hunter and the girl had been at several public-houses, drinking till they were scarcely able to walk, they quarrelled, that Hunter knocked her down, that he dragged her by the heels some distance into the bay and cast her forth to drown, which she did, and that he then placed her bonnet on the Piersteps to avert suspicion, and lead to the conclusion that she had committed suicide. Of course we shall offer no comment on the evidence adduced in support of this theory; but, if it be maintained, a more foul and unnatural murder was never committed.  The annual meeting of the Winfrith Farmers' Club took place last Thursday, great interest being given to the proceedings by the announcement of the judges' awards of the prizes for root crops. These prizes are keenly contested, far beyond their intrinsic value • but a good root crop being, as Mr. Chapman Saunders said, "the foundation of good farming," whether they win or not the competitors have their reward. We may note also that the Lord of the Manor, Mr. Weld, cordially expatiated on the value of the Club in improving the agriculture of the district.