The GLIO Site

HANTS EPIPHANY SESSIONS. 

     The general Quarter Sessions for the county commenced on Monday. The Court opened at half-past 11 o’clock in the Grand Jury Chamber, when the treasurer's accounts were presented for allowance, also various bills. The journals of the governor, chaplain, and surgeon of the prison were severally produced for inspection, and received the signature of the Court.

     The business relating to the assessment, application, and management of the county rate commenced at half-past 12 o’clock. The following magistrates were present:— 

     The Right Hon. Lord Eversley, Chairman, the Earl of Carnarvon, Sir Wm. Heathcote, Bart. Lord Henry Cholmondeley, Hon. Ralph Heneage Dutton, M.P, Hon. and Rev. Frederick Baring, W. W. B. Beach, Esq. M.P. John Bonham Carter, Esq. M.P. H. B. Coles, Esq. M.P.  F. R. Thresher, M. Portal, J. T. Waddington, T. Graeme, W. H. S. Stanley, W. C. Esdaile, F. M. Lewin, W. Nevill, R. Cole, J. Wood, H. B. Mulcock, T. Chamberlayne, F. J. P. Marx, J. Theobald, H. Compton, H. C. Compton, S. Smith, W. W. Bulpett, John Deverell, W. L. W. Chute, and G. E. Eyre, Esqrs.; Major Wingate, Col. Aitchison, Rev. L. B. Wither, and Rev. J. T. Maine.

     The Noble CHAIRMAN said the first business was the appointment of a second Court for the trial of prisoners, at which Mr. W. W. Farr would preside. 

     Finance.—Mr. M. Portal read the report of the Finance Committee, from which it appeared that the Treasurer had received during the last quarter; 

     The Committee therefore recommended that a ½d. rate be now ordered for the general expenses of the county. With regard to the Constabulary account, 

     The Committee had much pleasure in recommending therefore that no rate be now ordered for the purposes of the Constabulary.

     The Noble CHAIRMAN put the motion that a rate of a halfpenny in the pound be made for general purposes, which was unanimously agreed to. 

     Mr. F. J. P. Marx expressed his opinion that the magistrates were under very great obligation to the gentlemen of the Finance Committee, for the care and diligence they had exercised in the management of the business entrusted to them [hear]. The Alresford Board of Guardians, at a late meeting, feeling what was due to the committee, had passed a special vote of thanks to Mr. M. Portal (the chairman) and the other members, for the attention they had given, and the able manner in which they had conducted the affairs of the county. 

     The Finance Committee were appointed for ensuing year. 

     County Prison.—Lord HENRY CHOLMONDELEY read the report of the Visiting Justices of the County Prison, which was as follows:—The Visiting Justices are enabled to report favourably of the conduct of the prisoners, and of the general healthiness of the prison. One death has taken place after a protracted illness. Although the military and naval committals are still numerous, yet the Visiting Justices are glad to report that a considerable reduction in the number of these offenders has taken place during the quarter. Since the last Quarter Sessions a careful comparison has been made of the expenditure of the various County Gaols and Houses of Correction throughout England, as given in returns published by authority. The Visiting Justices have now the satisfaction of informing the Court that, of the 40 counties of England, there are only four in which the prison expenditure per head is lower than in the prison of this county. In the five adjoining counties of Dorset, Sussex, Berks, Surrey, and Wilts, taking an average in those having more than one prison, the cost per head is as follows:—Dorsetshire, 331 18s 10d; Sussex, £28  8s  7d; Berkshire, £27 12s 11d; Surrey, £26 0s  3d; Wilts, the lowest of the five, £24  18s  6d. The cost in the Hants County Prison is £21 3s  7d, or £3 14s 11d less than in Wiltshire. During the past quarter the bills have amounted to £578 8s 3½d. In the corresponding quarter of last year the amount was £860  16s  0 ½d, showing a reduction in the present quarter of £282  7s  9d.—The report was laid on the table. 

     The Visiting Justices for the ensuing year were appointed as follows : —Alton, R. Cole, Esq.; Andover, Rev. T. Best; Basingstoke, F. J. E. Jervoise, Esq.; Droxford, W. J. J. Higgens, Esq.; Fareham, G. Wingate, Esq.; Kingsclere E. Currie, Esq.; Lymington, N. B. Smith, Esq.; Odiham, Sir H. B. P. Mildmay, Bart.; Petersfield, J. Bonham-Carter, Esq.; Ringwood, W. C. Esdaile, Esq.; Romsey, Rev. T. H. Tragett; Southampton, J. Bernard, Esq.; Winchester Rev. J. T. Maine; and Isle of Wight, Sir. J. Simeon, Bart.

     Public Works.—Mr. M. PORTAL then read the report of the Committee on Public Works, to the following effect:— The Public Works Committee have to report that the new police stations at Basingstoke, Petersfield, Southampton, Havant, and Lymington are completed, and are now occupied by the police. That the works at the stations at Droxford and Fordinghridge are proceeding satisfactorily, and will be completed by the time specified in the contracts, and that the works ordered at the last Sessions to be done at the Blackwater Bridge have been finished to the satisfaction of the respective surveyors. Your Committee have caused plans to be prepared for the alteration of the old Gaol at Andover, and its conversion into a police station for the county, which they now lay upon the table of the Court, they recommend the Court to adopt them, and to authorise the Committee to advertise for and to accept tenders, and to enter into the necessary bonds and contracts for the carrying out of the same. Your Committee have to report that an offer has been made by Major Brice to purchase for the sum of £40 a piece of land containing about 50 perches, the property of the county adjoining the police Station at Fordingbridge. This piece of ground not being required by the county, the Committee recommended the Court to accept Major Brice’s offer. In compliance with the last Court’s order, the Committee had considered the hall keeper’s duties, and the scale of payments to be added to his salary. The duties were to take charge of the hall and contiguous offices and premises, to keep them clean and in proper order, and attend to the lighting and firing. He was provided with a residence rent free, and allowed fuel for his own use and all necessary articles for the performance of his duties. The Committee advised no alteration of the salary fixed in 1851, at £20 per annum, thinking no other payments or allowances should be made to the hall-keeper, as his total receipts, including the fees and emoluments incidental to the office, was sufficiently remunerative for his services. The Committee recommended that candidates be advertised for for the office of hall-keeper, which was vacant by the resignation of Mr. R. Newlyn, and appoint a successor next Sessions, and that Mr. Newlyn, jun. be allowed to continue in the office until the appointment was finally made.

     The whole of the recommendations contained in the report was unanimously agreed to. 

     Lunatic Asylum.—Mr. W. H. S. STANLEY read the annual report from the Committee of Visitors to the County Lunatic Asylum. They announced that the establishment continued in a satisfactory state, reflecting much credit upon the medical superintendent and those to whom the management was more immediately entrusted. The pressure upon the accommodation had been unusually severe, especially in the female division, but no application for admission had as yet been obliged to be refused. Several chronic harmless cases had been removed to workhouses, the patients’ helpless condition in all such giving no reasonable expectation of ameliorating them by any remedial treatment; and it became a question for consideration whether it was desirable so many demented and incurable persons should be sent to the Asylum, and there returned to the exclusion of urgent recent cases, or whether the institution should be a purely curative hospital. A vast proportion of the insane in Pauper Lunatic Asylums were of the class named chronic, not requiring the same amount of constant attention and medical treatment as recent and more hopeful cases, and the Committee submitted that if the Asylum was kept disencumbered of these cases, the curative means afforded would be rendered applicable to a larger number of curable patients, and a further extension of the present, or the erection of a second asylum would be unnecessary, which otherwise was threatened at no great time hence by the progressive increase of lunacy. When the Chichester and Poole patients were removed to their respective asylums, the vacancies thereby created would afford adequate accommodation for the wants of the county. Certain alterations and additions had been made during the year. The water supply had been greatly improved by adopting measures suggested by the County Surveyor. The Asylum well gave out in October, but Mr. Stopher having deepened the well and adjacent chambers nine feet, that simple remedy proved effective; the daily consumption of 20,000 gallons was now easily obtained. A new auxiliary engine of six horse-power had been erected for the purpose of pumping the water into the tanks, and not before it was needed, as the old engine needed considerable repairs, and serious consequences would have occurred in case it had given way as to have prevented its efficient working previous to the erection of the supplementary one. Careful economy had been observed in the maintenance expenditure, and the cost of maintenance during the year had been reduced from 9s to 8s 6d per head per week, without curtailing the comforts of the patients. From the crowded state of the Asylum, and the numerous paralytic and epileptic cases, the general health of the patients during the year had been below par, compared with former years. The place, however, had been free from epidemic disease, with the exception of three or four cases of measles of a mild character. In 1857 the Committee urged upon the magistrates the desirability of the Government erecting a State Criminal Asylum; Government had since agreed to provide the said accommodation, and the site had been selected and plans approved by the Secretary of State. Tables affording every information would be presented to the Court at the adjourned Sessions. The receipts of the past year on the Asylum Act had amounted to £13,150, and the expenditure £12,710 18s 7d, including £550, the second instalment with interest upon the loan of £1500, raised at Michaelmas Sessions, 1856, leaving one more instalment with interest for liquidation this year. Mr. Harrison had been appointed Clerk to the Visitors and the Asylum, and Mr. Moxey, M.D. of Edinburgh, assistant medical officer. In December, there were 230 males and 265 females, total 495 in the Asylum; at the present time the number was 238 males and 285 females, total 523. 

     The report was ordered to lie on the table. 

     Sir Wm. HEATHCOTE said the present, like all the other reports which had been received from the Asylum Committee, had proved of a very interesting character. But there was a hint in this (he supposed his hon. friend would move it be printed) which ought to be received by the Court with a very great deal of caution—he meant the suggestion as to the constant and permanent removal of such insane patients should from time to time be found to be incurable. The removal of incurable lunatics from an institution established for the medical treatment of insanity might indeed be most desirable, but if such a plan was carried out at their County Asylum, they must look the matter boldly in the face, and not suffer it to be so managed that incurable pauper lunatics should be remitted to the union workhouses, only to take their chance among the general body of paupers; such a course would be very dangerous. If the committee’s report meant that such incurable patients were to be removed to the workhouses, and placed in proper wards under fit care, then he should answer that proposition with the remark that the expense which it would be requisite to incur in the several union workhouses would be much better laid out in an enlarged central asylum under proper surveillance, and the care of a properly appointed staff of officers, as at the County Lunatic Asylum. Against this they could not up-hold  the adoption of different systems at different branches in remote places. With these remarks he would leave the matter in the hands of the Court. He had nothing to move on the present occasion, knowing that there would be other opportunities of discussing the contents of the report.

…