5.--At the Norfolk Quarter Sessions, a memorial was received from the
Norfolk Chamber of Agriculture, affirming the necessity of the revision
and re-adjustment of the existing mode of assessment, and of inducing the
Government to contribute more largely to the rates levied under the
authority of Courts of Quarter Sessions. Mr. C. S. Read, M.P., moved,
"That, inasmuch as many of the charges at present paid by county rates,
such as police, lunatic asylums, military stores, coroners, gaols, &c.,
are rendered necessary not for the benefit of any particular class or
locality, but of the community at large, it is both just and politic that
those charges should be much more liberally supplemented from the
National Exchequer, and that a petition from Quarter Sessions be
presented to the House of Commons to this effect." The resolution was
seconded by Mr. Dalrymple, M.P., and agreed to.
5.--The trial of the election petition presented by Mr. Gardiner C.
Stevens against the return of Mr. Jacob Henry Tillett, as one of the
members of Parliament for Norwich, commenced at the Shirehall, Norwich,
before Mr. Justice Keating. Mr. O'Malley, Q.C., and Mr. Griffits were
counsel for the petitioner, and Mr. Rodwell, Q.C., Mr. Serjeant
Ballantine, and Mr. Simms Reeve for the respondent. The case for the
petitioner closed on the 6th, and on the 7th Mr. Rodwell commenced his
address on behalf of the respondent. On the 10th Mr. Serjeant Ballantine
summed up the respondent's case, and on the same day Mr. O'Malley
replied. His lordship gave judgment on the 11th, declaring the election
void, and stated that he should report to the House of Commons "the names
of everyone engaged with this shameful and disgraceful bribery." (_See_
February 20th.)
18.--Died, in his 93rd year, at Alexandra Road, Norwich, Christopher
Bunting. "He was present at the capture of the French ship Genereux,
whose ensign now hangs in St. Andrew's Hall. In his early days he was a
steward in the Royal Navy, and not only saw the ensign strike to the
Foudroyant, but on the quarterdeck of that vessel saw it packed and
addressed to Robert Harvey, Esq., then (1800) Mayor of Norwich, little
imagining that he would subsequently reside in Norwich, and for more than
half a century have the opportunity of seeing the flag decorating the
walls of its principal building."
24.--Died, suddenly, at 2, Rectory Grove, Clapham, Mr. Henry Harrod,
F.S.A., aged 53. Mr. Harrod was a native of Aylsham, and commenced
practice as a solicitor, at Norwich, where he resided some years. He was
best known for his devotion to antiquarian pursuits and by his
contributions to the Transactions of the Norfolk and Norwich
Archaeological Society, of which he was an honorary secretary, in
conjunction with Mr. R. G. P. Minty. His principal work was "Gleanings
from the Castles and Convents of Norfolk." Possessed of remarkable skill
in deciphering old documents, his services in this respect were taken
advantage of by the Corporations of Norwich, Lynn, and other boroughs,
whose ancient records he undertook to arrange. Mr. Harrod was local
secretary of the Society of Antiquaries, of which he was a Fellow, and of
the Archaeological Institute, and a corresponding member of the New
England Historic Genealogical Society.
27.--A new reservoir constructed by the Norwich Waterworks Company at
Lakenham, from designs by Mr. Thomas Hawkesley, C.E., of London, engineer
in chief to the company, was opened. It cost between 6,000 and 7,000,
and was of 1,400,000 gallons capacity.