The Pembrokeshire Herald and General Advertiser

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LOCAL INTELLIGENCE. PEMBROKESHIRE QUARTER SESSIONS. These sessions were commenced at the Shire Hall on Tuesday, before J. H. Scourfield, Esq. M.P., (chairman) Earl Cawdor, the Hon Col. Edwardes, M.P., J. P. A. Lloyd Philipps, Esq, Dale Castle C. Allen. Esq, Tenbv; R. H. Buckby, Esq; Capt Lloyd Philipps, E. T. Massy, Esq, H. S. Morgan, Esq, J. Revnon, Esq, Trewern James Higgon, Esq. Scolton John Higzon, Esq, Captain Child, J. B. Bowen. Esq, Llwyngwair; J. L. G. P. Lewis, Esq, Henllan W. Owen, Esq. W. Stephenson Owen, Esq, Capt Edwardes, Trerhos; Dr Dvster, Tenby Capt Lfach J. M Jones. Esq. J. R. Bryant, Esq. S. Harford Esq, Rev. S. W. Saunders, Saint fshnnael's Rev R. Buckby. Begelly Rev J. Philipps, Rev. P. Phelps, Rev J. Tombs. CHIEF CONSTABLE'S REPORT. The Chairman read the following report of the el Chiel Constable:- Chief Constable's Office, Haverfordwest, 4th January, 1370. My LORDS AND GENTLEMBjf.—From my usual returns which I have the honour to present to the Court, it will be found that, during the past quarter, one hundred and ninety two males, and twenty females have been pro- ceeded against, for offences determinable on summary conviction, for which one hundred and fifty two males and twelves females have been convicted and variously punished, and torty males and eight females discharged. Thirty indictable offences have been reported to the police, which on preliminary investigation have resulted in twenty-four committals for trial. Two police con- stables have been fined for neglect of duty during the past quarter. I have the bonour to be, My Lords and Gentlemen, Your obedient servant, (Signed) A. B. O. STOKES, Chief Constable. DEPORT OF THE COMMITTEE OF VISITORS OF THE JOINT LUNATIC ASYLUM AT CARMARTHEN. The Chairman read the following reports relating to the Joint Lunatic Asytum :— 0 REPORT OF THE COMMITTER OF VISITORS OF THB JOINT LUNATIC ASYLUM AT CARMARTHEN. Yonr Committee beg to rrport that at the close of last year (1868) there were 216 patients confined in tbe As>!um. viz, 109 males and 107 females, and that at the pre-erit time there are 234 patients in the Asylum, viz, llfi (natesand 1W females. Your Committee beg to remind the Courts of Quarter Sessions that the plans of the Asylum, as originally prepared and adopted by your Committee, and approved o' by the Commissioners in Lunacy and Secretary- of Sta e. afforded accommodation for 260 patients; that in the antuma. of 1862 it was arranged that so much only of t'.ose plans should be carried out in the first instance as would give accommodation for :!12 patients, thereby leavu g the erection of two retiring vyings-oi-e on the male fdeof tbe building, the other on the female side, and calculated together to afford accomfrodation .'or 48 patients, in abeyance for the time; that the Commis- ioners in Lunacy and Secretary of State approved of that arrangement, upon the understanding that the p!an- as arigitiall) canotioned by the Secretary of Stare will be fullv carried out as eoon as the necessiry for accom- modation arises It is ,howti above that the number of patients now in the Asylum is 231, heing 22 in excess of the number which It WAil intellded should be provided for by the present < building, and your Committee firmly believe that application will continue to be made to admit still further patients, and they are therefore convinced thst the time bas arrived for furnishing increased accommo- dat on. Your Committee have taken steps to effeet that object and houe to be able to proceed with the erection of the wings in the oprit g of next ye;ir according to plans wilier will be submitted to your Courts for approval, notice having been alrendy gi»en to the different Court- that at the approaching Session* application will be madt for the snm of £ 4,»00, your Committee being in hop. < that that sum wi.l t»e snffioiei.t, or nearly so, to givt I luch :ncrea-e.i accommodation. )' Your Committeu also beg to inform the Courts that tht ir gas works have been completed, and that tbt Asylum is now supplied with gas of their own maau fa. ture, whereby a very considerable saving in the es tav hrhment is effected. 8 Your Committee further state they made a secon- reduction m the weekly charge for the maintenance o thi r alients. and that such reduced charge (lis ld. pe head ptr week) toos effect on the 25tM day of Mart- last; aDd your Committee believe that they will b enabled ere long to make a still further reduction i that charga, but your Cornrl ittee beg to state that i, & ifew 3c'!5$ft? swfc# rjob filter tion it will be indispensably necessary that the Guar- Jians of the Pllor Law Unions throughout the three rtunties should be punctual in the payment of the visitors' quarterly bills for the maintenance of their respective pauper patients and your Committee regret that they are compelled to state that in several instances very great irregularity in the payment of those bills has existed, very much to their inconvenience. Your Com- mittee are fflad to report that the dispute wit(i their lite architect, Mr. Brandon, Teferred to in their last year's report has been settled, Mr. Brandon having honourably met their views in a manner tatisfact»ry to them. The annual statement of all receipts and expenditure and other subjects rela'ing to the Asylum for the year ending 31st December, 1869, shall be audited and pub- lished previous to March next, in compliance with the Lunatic Asylums' Act, 1853; and in oonclusion your Comm.ttee have much pleasure in stating that the management of the establishment daring the past year has been to their entire satisfaction. Dated this 7th dav of December, 1869. JOHN L. GRIFFITH P. LBW-J, Chairman to the Committee of Visitors. Your Committee have to report that, in consequence of its having been suggested that the plans furnished by Mr Brandon for the erection of the retiring wings to the Asylum may be advantageously mod;fied bv slightly altering tbe internal arrangement of those wins and making a small addition to tbem, they instructed Messrs Martin and Chamberlain, of Birmingham, Architects, to prepare for them plans shoeing such alterations. Your Committee wuld observe that Mr Brandon's plans, which have received the approval of all necessary parties, were prepared to give accommodation for forty* eight patients, viz., twenty four on the male and twenty- four on the female side of the Asylum, at a cost of X4,250, as estimated by Mr Brandon, but inasmuch as it would be indispensably neces ary to add a stairs to each wing, which si&irsis not included in the original plans, the expense of carrying out such plans with thenecessary stairs will now amount to the estimated sum of £ 5,500. Your Committee would also remark that Mr Brandon's plans give sleeping accommodation only, with a corridor for the patients to pass the day in, but no day room. The plana prepared by Messrs Martin and Chamber- lain give sleeping accommodation for 104 patients, viz., 52 ou the mate side and the like number on the femile side, with a spacious day room tor the patients on either side, the estimated cost ef both wings being £ 6,500. Your Committee, therefore, taking into cun-uderation the increased as also the improved accomm -dauon given by Messrs Martin and Chamberlain's plans, and the comparatively small increase in the estimated expense of carrying them out in lipu of Mr Brandon's plans,— resolved at their adjourned meeting held this day to adopt Messrs Martin 'ind Chamberlain's plans, provided the three Coutts of Quarter Sessions shall approve cf the same. Your Committee, therefore, reoommend the respec !ve Courts to consent to the abandonment of Mr Brandon's plans, and to give their approval in lieu thereof, to the plans and estimate of expense of carrying out the same, as prepared by Messrs Martin and4 Chamberlain, and which your Committee now submit to your Court, for the above purpose in compliance with the provisions of the Lunatic Asylums Act, 1853. Your Committee beg to add that upon the above men- tioned plans and estimate of expenses being approved of by the three Courts of Quarter Sessions, they will be forwarded to the Commissionerain Lunacy, to be bv them reported upon to the Secretary of State and for his sanction of the same. Dated this 28'.h day of December, 1869. JOHN L. GRIFFITH P. LEWIS, Chairman of the Committee of Visitors. Mr Harford said that before the Court granted the moneys applied for, there should be an investigation as to how far the accommodation was required, and they should see whether under the circumstances, it was necessary to incur the expenditure. Mr Lewis Pardon me for patting you right: we have already exceeded the bounds of our accommo- dation. The accommodation it for 212, and we have 239 patients, aud they are coming in everv day. The Commissioners require us to have 12 beds vacant on either side. Mr Harford So it may be but we know nothing about the additions until the present moment. We are very loath to spend money even when required. I don't object to the system, but I think we should look closely into the charges connecred with the county, and as a question of expense it requires a good deal of consideration. If this matter be put off for another quarter, without inconvenience to the arrangements of the Lunatic Asylum, I shall be very happy to look over the matter, and to take it coolly and dispassionately into consideration, but I think it is rather precipitate for us to do it without knowing the views of our neighbours—that is to say, the other counties who are concerned with us. We ought to have some little time to consider this matter, and undoubtedly their co-operation is required. You cannot come to a dectsion to-day without commu- nicating with the other Courts of Quarter Sessions. I know that there are certain parties who represent the different counties at the board, but we know nothing about the Board, at least I do not. We are in a state of perfect ignorance: this is the only report we have to guide cs. I don't igncre it: I don't find fault with it: we don't say that it is not necessary but we ought to have some communication with our neighbours and see what their wishes are. I should like myself for Mr Lewis to explain whether it can be postponed io another Quarter. There is another matter, which strikes me at this moment, and perhaps Mr Lewis will be able to explain that. I have been told that there are a number of idiots, or peopie oi aencient intellect, in the Asylum now. The report to day shows that every patient in the Asylum costs lIs Iii per week: I don't find fault with that, but there comes the question whether we can get rid of a certain number of these idiots- dull, I think you call them here-silly lads they call them in the north. Mr Philipps, (Dale Castle): What will you do with them, but send them to Asylums? Mr Harford I don't think that follows. Some of these pec pie may be kept by their friends who might have an allowance of 3s 6d or 5s a week. 1 should like Mr Lewis to explain whether there be any of this class in the Asylum, where they cost us lis Id per head, and if we could get rid of a certain number at 3s 6d or 5s a week, it would he of some importance to us. The rates are becoming fearfully heavy in all directions. Capt. Child Fearfully heavy. Mr Harford: Unriet these circumstances we must turn our attention to economy as much as we pos- sibly can. I consider it false economy not to do anything that is required, I am notior that. but when economy can he judiciously applied, 1 shall do all I can to do so I have given no notice of my question, and don't want to take Mr Lewis at a disadvantage, but I shall be glad if Mr Lewis will have the kindness to explain these matteis if he can do so. Mr W. Owen: Do you propose that this be de- layed ? Mr Harford: Yes, but I want to hear Mr Lewis first. Chairman I merely wish to make one statement with regard to what Mr Harford has stated as to the other counties. I apprehend the fact would be this -if the other counties were to reject the plans, we could not proceed. I think that would be clearly the case, and I don't see that correspondence with them would be of any purpose. Suppose tor instance the other two counties were to agree, and we should wish not to agree with the other counties, the p:ans would for the present be suspended. With regard to Air Harford's remarks about idiots, 1 have given a good deal of attention to that subject, and I was to a certain extent accessory to a clause being put into an act o-' Parliament whereby there was a power given of keeping idiots in the workhouses but the committee have no power to reject at the Asylum any persons who are properly committed. They have no option in the matter. With regard to dis- missing them, they can only have them dismissed by the medical gentleman certifying they ought to be dismissed. In that matter the committee have no option whatever. Mr W. S. Owen I think there is an Act of Par- liament, passed two years ago, which gives power to the authorities at the Lunatic Asylums to remit lunatics they consider incurable. Chairman With the consent of the Commissioners in Lunacy. Mr Owen I mean that. Mr Harford We should make an allowance to their friends for keeping them. Certain parties, say the guardians, should see that they are properly treated. Let them remain in their own places where f they would be more happy than in a Lunatic Asylum. If it can be done, it would be of some importance to us; if it can't, of course then my arg iment falls to the ground. Mr Lewis Before you make any motion, do you wish me to answer the questions put to me ? Mr Harford I think so. Rev James Phillips Will you kindly inform us whether any application has been made to the other counties ? Air Lewis: It is made to day at Cardigan, and will be made at Carmaithen on Thursday. N ith re gard to Mr Harford's question as to the accommo iation, I think the answer is furnished by the tact that the accommodation is for 212, and tha' we h;tve at present 239, and the Commissioners in lunacy require us to have 12 spare beds on either side to re- ce ve patients. That is sufficient to show you that we require further accommodation. Mr Harford has Hsked me whether this matter can be put off, and •ommunication had with other counties. The ob- jection to put off the matter is this if we are to huild, we must be begin in May. It is known that d}(I k>9'14ip^ fWyr.a pmtpd iff tha spring and summer, than in the autumn and winter. All I can say is that we are advised that it would be advantageous, and much more economical for the county, if the building is to be built, that the work thontd be pioceeded with at once. Mr Harford I thought yon said in May. Mr Lewis If yoa refuse we can't begifi it Way, -we shall not be ab!e to do so till .July. Then as to the number of persons in the asylum who may be idiots, and improperly kept there, Mr Scourfield has answered thr.t question. Air Owen states that there is an Act of Parliament by which, if the visi- tors consider it necessary, they may send back such persons to their friends, or to the different .unions. We have in every case the opinion of the medical superintendent, who has no object in the world in keeping people thtre-; be brings before us every case he thinks should he seht out, and in one or two instance we thought persons should be sent out whom he had not reported, but we have always found that, with one exception, he has been invariably right. He sees the patients every day, and we are not so capable of judging from seeing them only once or twice. The persons who send them there are responsible for sending them there, and the superintendent dare not refuse to admit them. I don't believe there is A single person in the asylum who is fit to go out; if there is, I have no duubt the case will he brought forward for us to discharge them. In order to test patients we send them out on trial, and they are generally obliged to be brought back again. There is not one in every four that is not sent back. On my own responsibility I took a person out trom my own neighbourhood, and the conse- quence was that she became very much worse. 1 very much regretted having done so, and I will never do so again. Mr Owen says there is an Act of Parliament by which visitors may dis charge these persons. It is very easy for a person to say so; but will Mr Owen point out the Act of Parliament which we have neglected to comply with? It is easy to say this, and it is j tantamount to saying that we are retailing in the asylum persons whom it is ccmpetentjfor us to send out. Mr W. Stephenson Owen: I gave the Act of Parliament to Mr Scourfield I did not maKe an) charge. Mr Lewis: I understood you to say that you consider that the committee should discharge them. Mr W. Stephenson Owen: Send them to the workhouse—not discharge them. Will you allow me to read it ? Mr Lewis Yes, Mr Owen here read sec. 43, c. 106 Vict. 30 and 31, and added I think the Court will s^e that the Act of Parliament bears out what I have stated. Mr Lewisv. 1 don't think it does. The Act of Parliament simply says that the visitors, it they think fit and proper, may send them to the Union if the Board of Guatdiatis will receive them, but what is your insinuation ? That we are re- taining persons there who are not fit to be in the asylum. The Superintendent invariably brings before us any patient that be thinks ought to go out, and we send them to their friends on trial. Not a single person is ever retained there unneces- sarily, and your insinuation must be that we have for some unknown reason retained persons in the asylum who ought not to be there. I ask whether you consider the accommodation really necessary when We have 239 patients in the asylum, the accommodation really being for 212. Dr Dyster: There is one point upon which I am able to speak with some degree of confidence. I think out of the 239 patients in the Asylum, I know 230 that is, I have inspected them more or less on every occasion. As a medical man, I most speak with some degree of confidence, and f believe there is no case which would have such a chance of re- covery—if there be such a chance—in any Work- house they could be returned to, as they have in the Asylum there. There was one improper case that is to say, the case of a girl who was sent there from Carmarthen Jail. The Superintendent decided in that particular case that the girl was not a fit inmate of the asylum. He said that the giH Was vicious, not mad, and we discharged her. She was sent back again, and we again discharged her, and she was sent to the woikhouse. At all events, she was returned to our hands, and ultimately we were obliged to receive the eirl by order of the Secretary of State. We did our best to get rid of an improper case, and to the best of my knowledge, I believe that is the only case that ought to be elsewhere. I speak with great confidence, for 1 have taken great pains to make myself acquainted with the casea. With regard to the question of time raised by Mr Harford, I think that is a point which is completely answered by the bare patent facts. He says—" Let us see whether we want the additional accommoda- tion." The house was built for 212; the Commis- sioners always require 12 beds vacant on either side for emergencies. Instead of 212, we have 2j9 patients in accommodation calculated for 212. That complt-te'y answers the question whether additional accommodation is needed. I earnestly trust that the Court will come to the conclusion not only that the works are necessary, but that they shou:d be com- menced immediately. I am satisfied that there are in tne tnree counties, Carmarthen, Pembroke, and Cardigan, large numbers of people whose only chance ofrestotationto sanity is in being received into the Asylum. They are hidden away in all directions; but the reluctance to send them to the Asylum is gradually diminishing, because their friends have found that the patients are well treated. As that is found to be the case. we shall have lunatics sent in when there is a probability of their recovery, inbtead of beine a life long charge upon the county. Mr Owen: In reference to the remarks of Dr. Dyster as to the recovery of the patipnts in the Asylum, we know from the Commissioners' report th-¡t there are gO per cent. of the lunat'es incurable. Taking that for granted, there are only 10 in a hundred of whom there is a chance of a cure. Taking the patients in the Asylum, there are 90 there, and there are only 10 of whom there is a chance of cure. Earl Cawdor 230. Mr Owen: I am speaking of Pembrokeshire, my lord. We have 90 patients Carmarthenshire' has 10,000 more population than Pembrokeshire, has 10,000 more population than Pembrokeshire, and they have only 89. There are more patients from Pembrokeshire than from the larger county of Carmarthen. C, Captain Child: Do you speakoflunaticaor idiots ? Mr Owen They are people from here, call them what you like. We will consider the expense of the lunatics at Carmarthen, and I will just show you how the county rate has increased, and this increase has been caused principally by this. In 1810 the county rate was £ 1,347; in 1837, £ 2,350; in 1858, £6,027 and last year, Michael- mas 186869, 910822. Tbill has been mainly increased by the Lunatic Asylum. We borrowed for the Asylum £13,800: last year we spent £255 for gas, and the repairs cost £544, as that 1:799 were added last year to the building expenses making altogether £ 14,590. Looking at the interest you have to pay; it is'borrowed at 5 per cent, and 21 is payable for tbejredemption ot the debt. The interest we had to pay last year was £ 1,151. zC799 had to he paid by the rate- payers, making the cost of the building last year £ 1,850. The maintenance of the 90 patients has cost £ 3,000, so that £ M.500 were taken out of the pockets of the ratepayers of Pembrokeshire for the maintenance of the building and the patients. 1 bring these facts before you, gentlemen, and I think with Mr Harford it is quite time to hesitate and consider before you charge the county with another sum—very likely £ 2.000. I think we should consider before we grant it; let there be a committee appointed incfpptndent of the gentle- men who visit the Asylum, and let us consider the matter over, and- see whether we can avoid it. I quite agiee with Mr Harford that if we are com- pelled we cannot save ourselves. First of ail, let us consider whether we can or cannot, and if Mr Harford propose that the consideration of this question be adjourned tili next Quarter Sessions, I shall be happy to second him. Captain Child: The question appears to be, is it imperatively necessary to enlarge the asylum, and whether there are in the asylum idiots who might be provided for outside the'huildinjr. I feel delicate in charging the county with any further expense on account o the ratepayers, who are so fearfully pressed at this moment by high rates. I believe there is one from my own parixh that might be put out of the asylum, and his mother 11 y is every day at my house "asking me to try to get him out. There are two,—one is David Jones a"nd the other is Thomas Thomas. I should think enquiry should he made whether these persons are in a fit state to he sent to unions. I cordially concur with everything that has fallen from Mr Harford. M r Lewis: David Jones was spnt to the asylum because he threatened to murder his mother, and is one of the most dangerous at times we have in the asylum. Mr Buckby will, bear me out, that if we discharged him, he would send him back to the asylum at once. Rev It. Buckby Most decidedly. Mr L twjs With regard to Thomas Thomas, ] I suppose lie is a recent patient Rev R. Buckby I was obliged to send the police J thtrp IQ interfere, w prpvefi! tjija RjyrdgFWa' his I father and mother. I thought it time to remove him. n Mr Lewis There is one other rrtatter which perhaps will have some \Veig\it with the court. You are aware we cannot take any more patients, and if fre reject them, they must go to Briton- r ferry, where tliej cost 15s a week, while we hope to maintain them at 10s 6d. Mr Owen: They cost now more than 203 a head. Rev J. Philipps I think we are travelling out of the record. The question is whether the iricrfeaSed accommodation is necedsAryj And t think Mr Lewis has ptdved that it is necessary, and we have no other step to take. Mr Lewis and Mr Buckhy have tfeplied to the remarks ot Mr Child, and I think the magistrates are all equally as ready to retrench as those gentlemen who are advocating retrench- ment. Lord Cawdor t I wish to dra w. your attention to one point which has not been mentioned to the Court. The wings were approved of at the time the original plans were Approved, and i t Was agreed by the Commissioners in Lunacy and the authori- ties that the wihjjs should be postponed until they were required. I believe-in fact there is no doubt, these wings are required, but, in conse- quence of adding a staircase, an additional expense would have to be incurred; but we should be quite justified-we have it in our power-to pro- ceed with the wings without asking the (Quarter Sessions of the three bounties for their consent; But it would be obviously absurd to proceed without, the addition of this staircase, which was omitted before, whether from being thought un- necessary, or as a matter of economy, we can't say. We ask the counties for the additional jEl,000, but if we choose we can come upon you and make you build according to the plans originally agreed td. The question is, therefore, is it wise for the eddrt to refuse to grAnt the additional sum to provide the incrteased accommodation, when if you refuse We £ An Cortipftl you to carry out the original plan, which will not afford the accommodation 8d well. I think that would be excessively foolish, and bad economy, and therefore we ask the court to grant the additionat sum required* Mr Owen the Chairman has just stid that if one county dissent, the plans are not imperative. so tar as my ricouecuon goes, me county ui Cardigan did dissent. Mr Lewis: The county of Cardigan consented to the whole of the plans; the wingfS1 to be built when required. Mr Chven You know that the coUnty of Car- digan did object. Mr Harford We shall save money by adopting this plan instead of the original plan. Mr Lewis: You increase the money by £1..5dO, and you get the difference between 10,11 and 48 in increased accommodation. The original plan provided for 48 this plan provides for 104, at an additional cost of £ 1,500, Chairman: If I understand the question cor- rectly. it presents itself to the Court under two aspects. The original plan of Mr Brandon was submitted to the Court with an amended plan proposed by the Committee, furnished by Messrs Martin and Chamberlain. So far as I have been able to collect the opinion of the Court, there is a general unanimity of opinion that it would be advisable to adopt the amended plan and there- fore the issue before the Court is not to decide between the original plan and the Amerided plan, but between adopting the amended plan and ad- journing it. That is the issue before It. The c only question is whether the report should be adopted or the consideration of it adjourned. Mr Owen: I should like to know what is to become of the £ 1,000 to be recovered from Mr Brattuoo; 1 think that in justice to the fcdutity it should be restored to the ratepayers. Mr Harford: We have had no report to the Court as to the pecuniary;arrangements with Mr Brandon. Mr H. S. Morgan I have never had the honour of being present at your deliberations before. J have only been able to gather your proceedings from the public papers; The discission on the question of the Lunatic Asylum appears to be almost perennial. Every Quarter Sessions some motion is brought forward reflecting on the ma- nagement of the Committee of Visitors. I cannot be supposed to be at all identified with any party at present, being so young a magistrate but as one of the public, I deprecate these continued discus- sions, which seem rather for the purpose of throw- ing odium upon th e Committee of Visitors. I metely as an individual deprecate these continued discus- sions. I think we are deeply indebted to those gentlemen who form that committee of manage- ment, and who take such unwearied pains not only in looking into the management of matters which are brought before them, but 'nto the expenditure of every shilling. Mr Harford i I perfectly agree with that. I am sure 1 should be the last man to bring anything against the committee; but I think, under the circumstances, we have a right to call upon these gentlemen who are kind enough to take the re sponsibility for explanations of certain matters. I don't consider that we have been insulting to them. I think the explanation of Mr Lewis and Lord Cawdor is exceedingly satis'actoryj and I am exceedingly obliged to Mr Lewis and the commit- tee for the very onerous rfnd disagreeable task they have performed. Chairman: I can assure the Court, as one of the committee, that we are always ready and most anxious to give every possible explanation about every outlay. It is almost superfluous for me to mention that the Chairman of the committee is the person upon whom the main weight of the trouble has fallen, and I must say that with regard to his transactions with the architect, the thanks of the county are eminently due to Mr Lewis for the amount of-I will not use a less word-—tbe positive drudgery—the disagreeable work he has gone through in investigating a most painful busines") and coming to the best conclusion for the county. With regard to any explanations, I am always myself most happy to give it. After some fur;her conversa'ion it was ordered that the report be adopted, and that the plans oi Messrs Martin and Chamberlain be sanctioned and on the suggestion of Mr Harford, the thanks ot the Court were given to the Committee of Visi- tors for their services in connection with the Lunatic Asylum. COUNTY SURVEYOR'S REPORT. The Chairman then read the report of the Sur- veyor, which was as tollows Mr LOR'H AND GENTLEMEN,—In accordance with diTeetionp received at the lallt Quarter Sessions, I hare written to the various District Road* B mrds in the county, inviting them to enter into contracts for the repairs of approaches to county bridges in their respec ti ve districts. The Boards, in reply, sttte that they will consider the matter at their next general meetings, which will be held about the middle of this month. ABSTRACT OF ESTIMATES £ ;«. d. Pembroke District (7 bridges) 9 16 6 Tenby ditto (4 brid». 7 0 0 Llawhaden ditto (6 bridges) 12 6 6 Hiverfordwest do (21 bridges) 36 16 9 Fisbguard ditto (14 bridge*) 21 13 6 Saint David's do (20 bridge?) 5 4 0 Cardigan ditto (18 bridges) 35 18 0 Trevaughan Bridge 3 0 0 i bave the henout to be, My Lords and Gentlemen, Your obedient servant, T. GEORGE. In reference to Mullock Bridge, Mr J. P. A. Lt. Philipps said that he bad sent a mason to survey the bridge, and he had reported that one of the arches was in a very dangerous state, being cracked in the crown, and liable to fall at any time. The mason was of opinion that it might he repaired if taken in time. Mr Owen said he thought the arch bad been defective for the last twenty years. Mr Philipps said that it got worse and worse every tide. His opinion was that if thev built a new bridge, it would cost £700, but it might be repaired, and last for twenty or thirty years. That was his opinion, and also the opinion 01 the mason- It was a very old arch, and he had called Mr Owen's attention to it years ago. It was resolved that a sum no-t exceeding X30 should he laid out in repairing the bridge, the re- pairs to be done under the supervision of N,r Lloyd Philipps. A motion on the paper for rebuilding Mu'jnpk Bridge, notice of which had been given by tli6 Rev S. W. Saunders, was not therefore brou ght lor- ward. ° CARDIGAN BRIDGE. The Clerk read a presentment fr-«omN Mr J. B Lowen, of Llvvyngwair, in refereiut» Cardigan bridge, and Mr Bowen gave that 1 je would move at the next Quarter Sessions that a sum not *•* ceeding £ 250 be granted towards ;rebui] di«<r ard widening Cardigan bridge in conjunction svuli tht county of Cardigan, and that the «-«unr survptn. he requested to consult with the coa, if:y.surveyor of Cardigan as to carrying out the sa ,R1C. THE TREASUItEft S ACCOUN; ,;$.. Mr John Harvey, representing the Treasure, wb. was stated to be unwell, applied for ty.0i n. v hTjjM*tU th9 £ aR(i 8 t,Qli-cs rate a h 'J The Cdat-t made an order in accordance with the &np!icaU6n of Mr Harvey. tip THE CONVEYANCE OF PRISONERS FROM SAUNDlfttSFOOT. Tlie Rev It. Buckby It may be iBfcjrour recol- lection that at the last Quarter Sessions Mr Phelps made some observations with regard to the charge of 16s for conveyance of prisoners from Saundevsfoot to Jail. The answer I then gave was that the con- veyance must be employed S^ssionS are held J ate, and the prisoners could not he kept there.- Vtr 1-helps Made an objection to the sum of !6s. I believe 16s was never charged by the police for bringing prisoners to Haverfordwest. The bill has been tampered with by putting an up stroke to the 0 in the 10, and making it JG". In order to substan- tiate this case il you will give me leave, I will call the policeman that broii'ght the prisoner here. I will call the man to provb the conveyance, and I will ask ydu to send for the persi ri who gave the money. I will refpr td the case df the twd prisdnfers Serit frdrii Saundersfdot—th £ nanieS are not 4iVen- in the report — Richard Morris and David Thomas. The man who conveyed them received 10s; according to tne Magistrate s order the charge is 10s, but bv the means I suggested it is enlarged to 16s. The next case is An order signed by J. M. Child, Esq. The amdunt received was 10s, but it appears in the publ shed report as 16s. the neitt case is one in which I made the drder to convey JameR Harries, but here the pen has not been sd busy 10s is only charged, but if you obserVg the date you will find that it cdnies after thij last Quarter Sessions when the matter WaS mooted, and it was not considered advisable to use the up stroke. After some further observations, Mr Buckby stated that he was prepared to produce his evidence then, or if the Court wished, he would apply for a Committee to investigate the matter. Mr Buckby proposed Mr Lewis, of Henllan, as a meriiber of the Cbfnmittefci Mr Lewis I am exceedingly sdrry ttl decline, and I hope Mr Owen will not take it amiss 4»ut he ho'.ds views so pectiliar-peilapi it is my fault and not his -that I must decline to act on any committee With him again; After his views on the county rate com- mittee, ( feel bound to declinft to aCt on any com- mittee with Mr OWem Mr Owen I assure vou, gentlemen, that 1 don't consider it any want of compliment on the part of Mr Lewis. I don't consider it any compliment to Sit oifta committee wlthMr Lewis. Capt! Child stated that the figures had been altered, ind a forcery committed. Tiie Court made an orcfe; i&ppdintinjg a corrimfttee, Consisting of the Ilev P. Phelps, Mr M. S. Morgan, Mr W. Owen, and Mr R. H. Buckby, to investigate the matter, with power to examine the '1 reasdrer's accounts and vouchers; and also to make enquiry into the amount of the fees forwarded or whie,1 ou ht to be forwarded by the clerks of the boroughs of l'enby and Pembroke. It was also ordered that in future the Amdrints of all bills, charges, and money orders presented to the Treasurer for payment, shall be expiessed at length in writing as well as figures. THE MILITIA STORES. Col. Edwardes drew the attent:on of the magis- trates to defects in the accommodation in the Militia Stores as reported by the Field Officer to the War Office, and read the correspondence which had passed between him and the Wai Office on the subject. It was resolved that the Surveyor be instructed to prepare a pIal) and estimate of a building on such a Scale as will suit the requirements of the militia, and that the Committee appdinted at the last Quarter Sessions be empowered to treat with the Corporation of Haverfordwest for the purpose of obtaining the ground adjoining the old lunatic asylum required for the ohjects of the building. Ou the motion of the Chairman, Captain Lloyd Philipps was adied to the Committee. THE GOVERNOR'S Kfc^ORf. The Chairman read the report of the Governor of the Gaol, which was as follows GAOLER'S REPORT. My LORDS AND GEN t'LKMEK.—During the past Quarter the daily average nurabei of prisoners has been 47, being somewhat less than the usual number at this sia-nn of the yearj there having been but very few Vagrants or Sailers for refusing diit.Vl At present there are a large number of pe'r^ofu waiong their trials, viz —12 for the Sessions io-morrow,—i for the Haverfordwest Sessions on Friday neAt,-Itnd 4 for the Assizes, though some of these are on bail. The following is the number and description of the prisoners now here, 10 of whom are soldiers for various offences. Males Femalos Total For trial at Assises 4 0 4 For trial at SeOsiorio till custody) 9 4 13 Tried at Assies and Sefsions 17 1 18 Under the Criminal Justices'Act 4 18 Assault" on Police 2 0 2 Soldii rs under sentence of Court Martial. 4 0 4 For Further Examination 2 1 3 .¡.. ¡ 42 7 49 1 have the honor to bè, My Lord! and Gentlemen, Your moat obedient servant, WILLIAM SANDERS, Governor. THE ASSKSSMENT TO THK COUNTY RATE. Mr Williatr Owen At the April QllarterSessions the subject that I am going to brine before the Court was introduced, hnt in conspquence of a recom- menda!ion from yodrself any further proceedings of the Assessment Committee were suspended. The Committee did suspend their operations, and I think it is a want of courtesy to you, sir, and to the Court, that they should again go on Without any further notide. f think it is a matter of impdrtande^ for very possibly an Act of Parliament may pass which will entirely upset all that may be done, and it would he better to wait than to put the county to expense and annoyance in having a fdrther assess- ment. However 1 happen to be one of that Com- mittee, and I am always very sorry to haye any difference of opinion with Mr Lewis, hut I claim just as much right to hold my opinion as he does his. 1 certainly differed at that Committee, and I think I was right and that he was wrong, and t hope t shall be able to satisfy the Beach that it is so. I am not going into personalities, which Mr Lewis is too fond of. Mr Harford Don t £ o into them. Mr Owen I go upon principle, and I say that if the Committee had formed their plans its to how the county was to he rated on a good legal basis. I should not have differed with them. The Act of Parliament says that the gross fstimated rental for the purposps of the Act shall be the rent which the hereditaments may be reasonably expected to let for from year to year free of all rates and taxes. That is the principle laid down by law, and it is ority the cdmmdn Sense view of it that the rating should he according to the fair annual value the land may let for but instead of that the Committee through the recommendation of Mr Lewis adopted the property-tax as a basis for the rating for the whole county. Now the Assessment to the property-tax is made rut by a clerk. The clerk receives a Coihmission, the parish overseer receives a commission, and the collector receives a commission, so that the whole assessment is levied by com- missioned agents. I think that is not right: I think the county should he valued and rated according to its real value. In order to show you how the rating to the property tax works, I will take some of the parishes. There is the parish of Ambleston—(I am speaking now of 1847 .-which was the last valuation of the county)—which is now £ 531 in advance of what it was at that time: Camtose is £548, St. Ishmaels £ 533, St. David's, £ 2 420; St. Dogmells fl,264, Tenby in-liherty is £2,000 in advance, and what is extraordinary, Tenby Out-libertv, is jE80 decreased St. Mary's. Pembroke, is £11,300 in ad- vance it contains the Dockyard, and there has been a large outlay there. Llanstadwell is increased £4368; Steynton, £ 4,000; Nevern, £1 616; Newport, £ 563: Hubberston, £ 1,200; Rudbaxton, £ 817 St. Dog- wells, £623: and Treffgarne has been doubled in value. There has been a decrease in the valuation of 3; parishes since 1847. Amongst those that have increased, there happens to be one in which I am concerned,the parish of Rudbaxton Mr Lewis has often he; d of it before, and says he is sick of it, but he will hear it again. The parish since 1847 has increased £817. The land you know is upon cold clay and dry Tab, and except upon a small portion of it you cannot get a crop without going to great expense for manure. For the sake of comparison, 1 may 9ta\e that the parish is rated at 19s 5d an acre, and r,ow I must take you up to the patishes of Llandewi and Henllan, and you will see why Mr Lewis is so v ry complimentary to me. 'I he par sh of Llandewi, as you all know, is situated upon a line rich alluvial soil it is upon the red sandstonemd limestone, the richest s:ratifications of any lands in the county. The land in Llandewi is valued at 20s per acre, taking Llan iewi and Henllan together at £ 1 Is 4d. I ask any gentleman who knows any thins: "f the difference in the quality of the land whether that is right ? Lord Cawdor: Is that the rating to the property tax ? Mr Owen The valuation is made on the property tax ? Lord Cawdor: Why don't you appeal ? Mr Owen What is the use ? We have appealed. Lord Cawdor: And not succeeded ? Mr Ovven Yes, succeued so far. I am g'ad your lordship has reminded me We employed Mr Davies, the solicitor, to appeal on the part of the parish of Rudbaxton, to the Committee. We were tolrl at once "There is the valuation we fix we raise yon up -2817 we fix that valuation there it ie, ii \011 are f H, a frpfh Ytlmlicii, wqjl; of course, a valuation of the whole parish would be very expensive, but the parish at last consented to have a valuation. We applied that Mr Goode should be employed, when Mr Lewis told us we were to have no person in this county- Mr Lewis: f am sure—— Mr Owen s I am sure I will not be interrupted it is true:—v. M? Lewis Tou shall he interrupted so far As this, that you shall not he allowed to make statements that are not correct. You say I did this and did that, while in fact the commitlee did it. Mr Owen You were the spokesman. Mr Lewis The majority of the committee decided, You objected to Mr Lewis Wilson, who is a Pem- btdkeshird matt. Mr OWen: I did, after you objected to Mr Goode. Trey objected to Mr Goode's valuation. That is the principle upon which the assessment committee have cdndiicted their business. They have summoned all the parishes througi.tiiit the county, and have taken their valuation from the income-tax. I heV brotight the persons from Nevern twice down to appeal. The first question Mr Lewis asked was Will you waive all legal technicalities 1" The committee had not gone legallv to work, and therefore the question was pdt," Will You waive all technicalities I" Very fortunately for the ratepayers (If the county of Pembroke generally, the solicitot for the paiiah df Nevern knew what he was about, and he said he Would not waive them. He was sent back to New- port And to Nevern, and another meeting was held, when he said he could not waive the techoic^Lities and upon that the proceeding bf the con&ijiittee were stayed. They could not go any idrther. I can't tell you th- number, but between 30 and 40 parishes gave notiee of appeal, and that is the way they were treated. Tl e solicitor appointed by the parish df Rudbaxton said :—" Well, it is very hard here is the adjoining parish of Camrose 14:1 7d, the parish of Spittal is 16s 9d, and the poor parish o Rudhaxton is 19,; 31. We have nothing to do," said Mr Lewis, with that; we have only to do with your parish." I say that is not according to lAw it is not according to the instructions to the assessment committee. What they had to do was to equalise the rates throughout the county. Is not that so, my lord ? so that one parish may not be Valued more than another. Lord Cawdor: One parish may be worth 14s an acre, and another worth a pound. Mr Owen But the object is to equalise the rates, —not to charge every parish the same per acre, but according to the quality of the soil. An extraordi- nary fact came out at the committee. There were 37 parishes valued at a fess snm than they were 22 years ago, hut. there were only two parishes that were less than the union rating, and they were Llandewi and Lampeter Velfrfv, Llandewi and Henllan decreased £ 359; and Lampeter £ 1,431- My object in bringing this forward is this,—the assessment committee have not taken the recom- mendation of the Chairman to suspend any further operations until they see whether the bill would pass They are going over the same ground again, and what I want is to save the county expense, to save annoyance, and to save the. appeals which they must necessarily encounter, and I should be fully satisfied if they ate requested to suspend thei- operations until they see whether this bill will pass or not. If the bill pass you will have one valuation for all the property in the county, but instead of that, the proceedings of the committee are quite opposed to the provisions of that bill. They take the property tax as their standard. Mr Massy knows the parish of Prendergast very well, and there the county part is valued at cC2 lis lftd per acre. With that parish I have again something to do. Lord Cawdor: You own the best property in the county. Mr Owen You may think so, my lord. The valuation is 92 lls lOd according to the property tit", and the parish of Llandewi and Henllan is on!yjElls4d. Can anyone with common sense believe in the justice of that ? That is the work ingof the system. The parish of Crinow, which adjoins Llandewi Velfrey, is £ 1 lis ld per acre. I am very sorry to have occasion to bring these things before the court, but they are of so much importnnce to the county generally, that I am fully justified in doing so. The meeting of the com- r, mi'tee was open to the public; every person was allowed to be preset, and I think there is no breach of faith in my bringing these matters for- ward, as has been charged against me. The only magistrates present were members of the com- mittee, but I think every magistrate in the county should know of it 1 have been told that I should have nothing to do with my own parish, but I Speafe of tbe parishes I know. There is the parish of Lamphey valiled at Si 9s 9J per acre, and the valuation is less than it was 22 years ago. Can any person believe that is the case? I don't blame those gentlemen don't think for a moment that I blame them for favouring theirowu property. They would not be guilty of that. I have some interest in the adjoining parish of St Michael, which is returned fit 9-9 9s, 4(1 per acre. Lamphey is the better parish: in St Michael's they must drive up hill with manure, but Lamphey 19 on level ground. I would ask, my lord, do you think one parish is worth zC 1 19s 9d, and the other X2 Is for land only besides, the one includes the noble mansion of Lamphey and the old episcopal palace in that neighbourhood, as well as the whole village. Is this reasonable, I ask 1 Can you allo.v this to go on ? If you do. you know how the rates are increasing, and that every person is complaining, and the county will certainlv become preUy much in the same condition as lrefafid- Capt Child God forbid. Mr Owen They feel the pressure of the rntes. I have no wish at all for a valuation. 1 think it would be better to avoid it for the present: I don't think there is any occasion for a field valuation as was ordered by the committee for the parish of Rudbaxton. It you order afield valuation, you you will not have it it will be skimmed over. My opinion is tbis, that if instead of adopting the I income tafc they had taken the union rating, and had a competent surveyor to advise them, in a comparison between one parish and another, the work might have been done according to law ana in legfcl form. A field valuation would be very expensive, a"d when Mr Colby proposed it for the county, t thought it might be avoided as the union rating had been so lately made. If the proceedings go on, the parishes will be put to the expense of appealing, and every appeal will cost £100.. I think that is really unnecessary, and it the committee had taken the advice of tl e Chairman of this Couft, it Would have been the bestcoutse, and it Is not complimentary to the Chairman to go on without coming to the Court again. The parishes were told, Here is the valuation, will voir agree to it, if not, you must have a valuation." That is treating the landowners as they do not deserve to be treated. If the Manchester school had done that, the Whole country would have been in arms. Yet this is done by the magistrates of this county, and I hope that this Bench will not allow these proceedings to go on. I beg to move that with a view to obtain a fair and equal county rate it is expedient that a valuation of eacb parish in the county be made by a competent surveyor, and that steps be taken forthwith o cirryoutthe same. Rev James Philipps You are aware that cer- tain parishes in the county have been lately valued. Do you include those ? Mr Owen: The valuations were made by competent parties, and I don't think that a valuation should be again made in the case of those parishes. Mr Lewis: Before that motion is put, I may be allowed to make one or two observations. I think I mav perhaps clear the way of a good many of the statements made by Mr Owen, by referring to two of my colleagues, Mr Massy and Capt. Child. Throughout the whole of his address Mr Owen has insinuated that the whole has been my doing, and I am going to ask these gentlemen if I in anything attempted to dictate what should be done, and whether I did not put everything to the committee and take their voles without a single exception. MrOwtn: I did not say you did. Mr Lewis Then why dId YOIl make use of rey name, and charge me with d ;ing so ? Mr Owen Because you were the Chairman and you put the questions. Mr Lewis That is not the conclusion this court will draw from your speech. I appeal to these "entlemen to say whether I did not take the opinion of the Committee before giving my own! Captain Child Decidedly so. Mr Massv: I believe it was so. Mr Lewis: Then lneed not trouble myself with anv more answers to Mr Owen about my doing this anr1 that. Mr Owen: I did not say- s Mr Lewis: D,)i-i't iiitei-riipt me. If I make any incorrect statement, you may interrupt me. ] v/ill also ask those gentlemen whether we did not adopt or.e uniform rule in dealing with the parishes ? Captain Child Yes. Mr Massy: On the same basis. Mr Lewis We have never deviated in the least from that rule which we applied to every single parish. What is the meaning of yonr insinuation thft the parish pf Lstinpeter Velfrey and Llandewi &i-e too i"w, tuid that the parish Rudbatftoa w too high ? Why simply that I have adopted with regard to those particular parishes some particular mode to get them put at a low valuation, and different from the one applied to the parish of Rudbaxton. M t' Owen I most distinctly said that I did not. Mr Lewis: Then what is the object of your statement? I will not argue the point with you; j ni.erely, ,t)sh to put rriysglf right with the com- mittee, for if the insinuations wefdjtist, I should feel that the Court would not be justified in listen- ing to any observations from me. Mr Owen: I assure you, gentlemen, r did not do so. I stated that before. Mr Lewis What is the present state of things ? We were appointed a committee, and used our best endeavours to equalise the rating of tll" county. We have done so to the best of our ability, I am sure nobody regrets personalise-? more than myself, but I don't hesitate to say that the committee have been unanimous in the step they taken with the exception ol Mr Owen. We have bad differences of opinion, but the m >ment it was put to the committee, and the majority decided it, there was an end; but Mr Owen has persisted in bringing forward all objections hf has wasted our time. and has caused us to have twelve or thirteen meetings, while in Carmarthca- shire, the work was done in five, and it *rould bave been done in five in this county if we had a reason- able man to deal with. It is true, as Mr Owen states, that when we came to a certain point, we had not compiled with tbe £ ct of Parliament, bdt finding we had done wrong we immediately stopped, and began <le novo; and having gone stopped, and began de novo; and having gone tA -1 I tnfduglmRe whole county we are in a legal por- tion to bear appeals. The valuations we ha'e fixed for the county rate have been sent to tho-e parishes, and notice that their appeals will >e heard on a certain date. We are in a position to hear their appeals, and I think we shall be ablf to satisfy almost every single parish in the cr/u ity, tlirfeit we have so far as is possible for men ir our position, sitting in a room by ourselves, come to a fair and just conclusion. I ÙOJÙ pretend to sar that we are accurate, that there were no inaccura- cies, but I believe we are much nearer a fair valuation and equalisation of the county than by a vacation. What I complain of is this -;)t the time we were appointed Mr Colby thought we should have n valuation, and Mr Owen vv;>s the person who opposed it, and now after throwing awav our titne, we are come to the same point. In committee he has taken every objection, and thrown difficulties in our way, and then tlo: came into thi3 court. Mr Stephenson Owen gave notice of a motion for our dismissal, but when it came on no one was here to move it. Every tac?ir that could be adopted has been used to throw difficulties in our way, and I venture to say that if the whole history of this matter were known, it tw> lid be hardly possible for any body of men to be t eated in a worse manner, or to have more obstructions thrown in their way. Whether the Court will stop our proceedings or not. I am sure there is not a single member of the committee but will throw it up willingly if the Court wishes it; but I think 4. it willjbe a great loss to the county. I think myself when people see the value that has been placed > on the different parishes, they wiil be perfectly satisfied that the valuations are as just and fair as men reasonably can give. I shall not oppose Mr Owen's motion for a valuation of tbe county.but I would ask the Court not to tell us not to go on, as the notices have been given. We hope, when we bring up our report and our labours are finished, the Court will adopt that report, and that will be the basis for the rating of the county. If the Court thinks otherwise, it will be for them to say so, and they can then give the order hut at the present moment I hope the Court will not sanction a valuation which will put the county to some- thing like jE5,000 expense. Mr Harford seconded the motion of Mr Owenv The Chairman said that he was only anxious a» I Chairman of the Court to avoid saying one word f with reference to the principle of assessment ff because it was possible a case might 1H> brought forward on appeal, and it was inexpedit nt for hiriv to express any opinion, but he hoped the question would be discussed temperately and with a regard for the Irtiierent difficulties of the subject. If ever » science was completely lost, he thought it was that of valuation, aud it parliament bad rot settled the question, it was because whenever it came to close quarters with the subject, the difficulties were found to be so great that! it was obliged to postpone it. He should be glad to postpone the operations of the Committee until parliament had dealt with the question, but one session bad j | passed away, and be was not at all confident that another session would see an act passed. With J regard to valuations, he might speak with sorne «■ knowledge of the difficulties. for some years ago j there was a valuation made at Pembroke with re- gard to the Bash Est,alte, and the mktter WHS of so much importance that the Attorney General and other eminent men were employed on one T side, and the Chief Baron, Sir Fitzroy Kelly and another Judge were engaged on the other. So far as he could make out, the principal valuers' in the kingdom and the best valuers in this county were engaged, and they began on the one side at z, 11 £6,000 and on the other at £ 28,000, and they came down to £ 20.000 and £ 19,000. Theory gave a verdict for £ l5,000, and he was not at aU sanguine thai satisfaction would be given by a variation. The subject was one of very great difficulty, and I n y the more a personlknew of it, with the less conti. dence would he express himself Mr Bowen, of Llwvngwair, said that ns Mr Owen had spoken of the parishes of Nevern and i\ e\ port, he might perhaps be permitted to say that the reason why they insisted upon availing them- selves of technical objections was because they were decidedly opposed to taking the property tax as; a basis, and that there were peculiar circumstances in their case which made it unfair to them to adopt the property tax as a basis. He did not think the parishes were in favour of a valuation of the county. After some further discussion, a division took place, when there voted- For tlie thotion Against S J. B B )wen, E-q, Hwyngwair J. L. G. P. Lewis, Esq. S, Harford, Efq. Rev J amee Philipps Wm. Owen, Esq. Captain Child Charles Allen, Esq. John Blyron, Esq. i W. S. Owen, Esq. H. S. Morga1, Esq. 1 Rev R. J. H. Thomas—6 R. Buckby, Esq., jun- « Rev. Joseph Tombs.- B Rev. R. Buckby. Rev. Peter Phelps. • Earl of Cawdor—10. E The motion was therefore lost. M COUNTT ROADS BOARD. 'J Mr C. Allen, of Tenby, and Mr H. S. Morgan, of Tygfynydd, were appointed members of the County Rofda Board, i NEW MAGISTRATE. r Mr O. H. P. Scourfield, qualified himself to act #• justice of the peace for the county. The Court then adjourned. WEDNESDAY. j The Court assemhled to-day at 10 o'clock. The magistrates on the bench were Mr Scourfield, (Chair- man), Mr W. S. Owen, and Capt. Child. The Chairman, in charging the Grand Jury, said — Gentlemen of the Grand Jury-The calendar on this occasion presents to those who merely look at it cursorily a rather formidable appearance, but where analysed and looked into, the greater part disappears. With regard to the amount of crime, non of the cases are of a very serious nature: I have fatten the trouble to investigate the value of the property which is alleged to have been stolen in the whole number of the cases, and I find that it amounts to JE22. dist- tributed among 12 or 13 cases. There is one pecu- liarity aboot the calendar, and that is that every case comes from one place all the cases come from Pembroke Dock, which is a remarkable circumstance, and either tells extremely favourably for t he rest of | Pembrokeshire, or unfavourably for Pembroke. Another inference is that cases are sent from Pem- broke to this Court which in otherip'aces are dealt with by a summaiy process before the magistrates. There are three cases of assault by soldiers which I thinte might properly have been disposed of before the magistrates without troubling this Court. It might I be said perhaps that because there is a larce garrison at Pembroke Dock, the soldiers have contributed to swell the calendar: but I think it would be unfair to draw that infeience, for although there are five soldiers out of the 12 prisoners, yet these five are all connected with the same offence-some of them are for an assault arising out of the same offence. There- fore no inference can be drawn that there is any want of prorer discipline and conduct on the part of the soldiers. All are connected with the same offence, not of a very heinous nature, at all evetits not of a gross nature two are charged with steal'ng bacon, and three are charged with rescuing the otheis. The Chairman made a few observations on the other cases, and the Jury retired to consider the bill:- A true biil h ;ving been returned, the Conri Vïú- ceeded with the TRIAL OF PRISONERS. /A ROBI'ERY BY A SERVANT. Eliza Jenkins, ;m, servant, was charged with stealir g one thawl, one linsey dress, one cotton dresSi and other ai tides, together of the value of £3, the propeity of her mafter, John Belt$at V;-mblq40, 90 the -iih, December; 1fj6J, ? i