The Cambrian News and Merionethshire Standard

MERIONETH COUNrYI COUNCIL. The second meeting of the Merioneth County Council was held in the Shire Hall at Bala on Thursday last, the 28th February. The hall, which is in an npper storey, was arranged so as to seat all the councillors at tables and was in other respects made most comfortable. Mr Pope, Q.C., the provisional chairman, took the chair at twelve o'clock, and all the Council, with two or three exceptions, were present. They were-Aldermen A. Osmond Williams, Deudraeth Castle, Edward Peters, Tynant, William Williams, Market-square, Corwen. Edward Griffith, Springfield, J. Hughes Jones. Aberdovey, John Evans, Gwastad- fryn. William Davies, Pant, Dinas Mawddwy, E. H. Jonathan, Blaenan Festiniog, John Cadwaladr, Festiniog, the Rev Griffith Ceidiog Roberts, Maen- twrog, and Andreas Roberts, CwmorthirA Councillors I W. r on!fees Jones, K. V. Kooerts, ana tne xiev n. Cernyw Williams. Ccrwen, Robert Edwards, Gwyddel- wern Henry Davies, Tyfos, Llandrillo, Edward Watkins, Bala, Roger Hughes, Bala (Llanycil), R. J. LI. Price, Rhiwlas (Llanfor), Thomas Jones, Brynmelin (Llandderfel). the Rev Michael D. Jones, Bala (Llan. uwchllyn), Edward Jones. Cae'rffynon, and Morris Jones, Plasucha, Dolgelley. Robert Pugh, Helygog (Dolgelley rural), Robert Vaughan, Nannau (Llan- facbret-h). Lewis Lewis. Hillside (Barmouth), Charles Williams, Hengwm (Llanaber), the Rev John Davies, Glanyraorfa (Dyffryn), Ellia Pugh Jones, Hendre, Llwyngwril, W. R. M. Wynne, Peniarth (Llanegryn), John Jones, Llwyngrug (Mawddwy), Morris Thomas and the Rev W. Caradog Joned, Corris, William Davies, Cae'rblaidd, and John Hughes, Hafodfawr-isa, Festiniog, Robert Roberts, Isallt, John Parry Jones, Baak, Robert Owen Jones. High-street, D. Griffith Jones, Glasgow D. Griffith Williams, Church- street, A. M. Dunlop and William Parry Evans, Church-street, Blaenau Festiniog, John Joneo, Ynysfor (Llanfrothen), John Humphreys. Fronwnion-atreet, and Robert Hagh Pugh. Brynllefrith, Trawsfynydd, John Bennett Jones, Brynyfelin, and John Rowe, Glasfryn View, Penrhyn. R. T. Jones, Penygarth Villa, Harlech, James Meredith, Pennal, Henry Haydn Jonee, Towyn, the Rev Griffith Evans, Aber- dovey (Towyn rural), and James Webster, Aberdovey. The Hoo. C. H. Wynn and Mr Oakeley, Tanybwlch, wrote stating their inability to be present. It had been decided at a caucus meeting of Liberals held before the Council, by over thirty votes to nine, that Dr Edward Jones and not Mr Pcpe should be chairman, and that Mr A. O. Williams should be vice-chairman. ELECTION OF CHAIRMAN. The CHAIRMAN (Mr Pope) said the first business to come before the meeting was the election of a duly- qualified person to be chairman, whose term of office flrguld expire 011 the 7th November next. Would some rAfeiwber fti t"be Council propose a qualified member to be chairman. Mr PASEA, Rhiwla3, said he rose with the greatest feelings of pleasure to propose a chairman, the gentle- man who sat in the chair at that moment—their worthy friend, Mr Sawmel Pope, Q C. It was not often that a county council had the opportunity of electing a ge&tieraaa more eminently fitted for the office. They had, and n.1 had for some years, resident among them a gentleman who, though an Englishman, had identified himself with Wales, who was pre-eminently famous at the English Bar, who held che first position, one might say, at the Parliamentary Bar of this country and it appeared to him a sin and a shame if they cast away and did not appropriate his valuable services. Those who had beca engaged with him in the transaction of county businees knew Mr Pope's method of conducting business and his extreme facility in doing so. Most of the Council besides himself (the speaker)—except the few who bad been elected aldermen since the last meet- iOIl-had had an opportunity of seeiag Mr Pope in the chair, and be was sure they would all agree with him in bearing testinaony to the extreme fairness and ability with which he conducted the first meeting. He gave them, so to speak, a taste of his ability, and if the Council did not elect him it seemed to the speaker a reckle throwing away of a grand opportunity. Mr W. R. M. WTNNB seconded the proposition and remarked that he had heard, whether rightly or wroftgly, that the Majority of the Council had already selected a chairman whose name he (Mr Wynne) was absolutely ignorant of, but however eligible that gentle- man might be, be must say that he heartily coincided with the remarks just made by his friend, Mr Price. He had for a long time acted with Mr Pope at Quarter Sessions, aud would -.n them candidly that under Mr Pope's instructions he had learnt a great deal in the transaction of county business. What county business was now to be done by County Council was similar to the cfmsty business of the past. What would be added to that business in future depended in great measure on how the business already in the hands of Councils was csnducted. In Merioneth they had no experience of municipal work. Therefore was it not advisable to have at the bead of the Council a lawyer to start them fairly in their way at any rate until next November. when opportunity would occur to appoint another chairman. The CHAIRMAN asked if there was any other name f to be snbuaitted. The Re* MICHAEL JONES said he rose to propose Dr Edward Jones, Dolgelley. He thought it very necessary that they should have a man understanding both languages. Mr HNMPHRBYS, Trawsfynydd, seconded the pro- position. Mr POPB said that as far as he was concerned he did not desire the office, add hoped his friend, Mr Price, would think it right to withdraw his name frem com- petitiou. Nothing would have induced him to accept the office excepting a desire largely expressed by the I Council to do so because be might be useful in perfect- ing the-machine which they had to get into working order. He was not a competent man to lffi chairman I of a Welsh County Council, because, first, he did not ¡ speak Welsh, and, second, because his engageaaents were such that during a considerable portion of the year he should find it extremely difficult to attend I occasional meetings of the Council. He hod thought therefore it right to allow them to consider how far they attached importance to the perfecting of the machinery of the Council, in which he might be able to assi&t them. and how far they desired before that machinery was perfected to put their hands as a majority upon the chair and say it should be filled by a man who represented the national feelings of the county in which he resided. He could only say this--t"t if any large number of the Council—if a considerable majority of the Council thought it right to ask him to assist is the perfecting of the machinery—for that was all that could possibly be lone before next November--he should have tried and did his beat. If, on the other j hand, the feeling was that it was imperative—that it was desirable—he would not say imperative—so far desirable that the chairman of the Council should be a man acquainted with the both languagea, of course be was not the man who had the qualification, and therefore he should himself desire that his friend, Mr Price, would withdraw his name from competition in order that the appointment of chairman might be at all events without contest. [ Mr R. J. LL. PRICE said that of course after the f observations of Mr Pope he had but one course open to him, and that was to withdraw the proposal. Not- withstanding Mr Pope's not speaking both languages, he was sure the Council would soon regret the loss of his valuable services in the chair. Mr Wynne also having consented to withdrawal the CHAIRMAN said the only proposition before the meet- ing was that) De Edward Jones, of Dolgelley, should be elected chairman of the Council until next November. A show of hands having been takp, the CHAIRMAN said the proposition had been carried without dissent. Continuing, he observed that the Act of Parliament said that their election of him (Mr Pope) at the first meeting—and the minutes so recorded it-was for that meeting and the second meeting. Still be had observed that in other counties, and especially in London, the elected chairman had taken the chair immediately upon his i-l^etion. He therefoseinvited Dr Edward Jones to Ii.> the chair for the remainder of the meet- ;s „ Dr EDWAKL> JONES (the chairman elect) thanked the Council for the honour they had done him in electing him unanimously to the chair of the County Council. It was a position of honour certainly, and also a position of great responsibility. With the assistance of the able men he saw around him, however, he hoped and trusted he should be able to carry on the work of the Council in the interests of the county at large. He did not agree that they should lose the services of their able friend, Mr Pope. He would be at their meetings to assist councillors in their labours. He proposed that Mr Pope should continue to preside over the meeting that day. (Cheers.) Mr W. P. E VANS, Festiniog, seconded the pro- position, and it was agreed to. Mr R. 0. JONES, Festiniog, then proposed, and Mr MORRIS JONES, Plasucha, seconded the appointment of Mr A. 0. Williams as vice-chairman of the Council, and the proposition was agreed to unanimously. The VICE-CHAIRMAN said he was very grateful for the high compliment they had paid him notwithstand- ing the f%ct that there were on the Council abler men. He hoped, however, he should prove himself worthy of their confidence. THE WELSH LANGUAGE. The CHAIRMAN said he desired to say a few words upon a topic which he could now deal with without any suspicion of influencing the Council in respect to the appointment of Chairman. With reference to the use of the Welsh language they bad already been made acquainted with what he believed to be the exact law upon the question and, of course, subject to discussion, every chairman, whatever his nationality, was bound by the law in the conduct of the business which was I confided to him. Possibly they might not have I realized the fact that Wales was not the only part of her Majesty's dominions where the difficulty of national language was constantly amine. Very likely there was no people who had clung to their language with more tenacity than the Welsh people had until at last Welsh-speaking seemed to have become almost a badge of Welsh patriotism. There were, however, other places, and other places where judicial and legal business was administrated under the English Crown, where the same difficulty arose and be had taken the opportunity of the presence in London of influential ministers connected with Canada and with the Cape, to ascertain what the practice was in the legislatures of those countries. The Council knew that they had in Canada what Wales had not yet, an independent Parliament, and they had the same in the Cape Colonies and the question there arose as to the conduct of business in the ruling language of the Crown which represented the ultimate authority in this country. He understood that the practiea in Canada and '.t the Cape was this, that though the business of the legislature was transacted in English and the records kept and submitted in Bnglish, every member of the legislature if be found it more conveni- ent was permitted t8 speak in the language in which he preferred to speak. (Hear, hear). With that pre- cedent he thought they could arrive at a very com- fortable solution of the question which agitated the Council on the last occasion. He should advise the Chairman certainly to permit any member of the Council who felt that be could express hirwseM better in Welsh than in English to Jise the Welsh language when addressing the Cou nciv-(hear. hear)—but, on the other hand, he should advise the Chairman that it was equally the right of those who did not understand Welsh to have an interpretation of the address which was so made. (Hear, bear). That seemed te be the law and the practice in similar cases elsewhere a»d if that was the practice persaed in the Merioneth County- Council he (lid not think there would be any complaint either of illegality or want of courtesy to those members who desired to use their native tongue. That was all he desired to s*-y and he said it then because it co-ld have no effect upoa their judgment as to the eleceion of Chairman to which they were good enough to propose him. (Cheers). The Rev. MICHAEL JONES asked if he was in orier in asking a C) :oiet..n ? The CHAIRMAN—Yes. The Rev. MICHAEL JONES—Is rt equally legal when there is an English speech that it should be translated into Wehh for tbe beuefit of those who do roOt under stand English ? The CHAIRMAN—Certainly. Assuredly; And I should advise the Chairman, if any Welsh member of the Council says he is unable to understood a which is given in Engjish that he should be eatitled to caU upon the Chairman to have that &peeok traMb into Welsh, the object being. of course, that everybody shall be able to take part iu the discuss, fm'which eemoa before us in the language he mest readily vader&fcaada. The legal obligation is that the official couduct of the business—the records of the court—shall be ia .O.. the ruling language and not in the nauve tongue. Mr R. J. LL. PRIeB asked who was the proper inter- preter-the officials of the court or should an interpreter be appointed ? The CHAIRMAN thought the duty devolved upon the officials of the court but if he WM a ei -"rman ap ing both languages, he thought be should take upon himself the duty of taking care that every member understood the business. (Hsar, hear, and laughter.) He did not think they should find any great difficulty practically. Dr EDWARD JONBS-Hear, bear. The CHAIRMAN (co&ti&ui&g) said there were not many speeches directod to a point of tuffioieat werth to require trasslairios, aDd what was said in conver- sation could be gathered from neighbours. When aa important question was being debated it was of course desirable that every member of the Council shoutd understand what was going forward. MODH 017 PROCEDURE. On the proposition of Mr ANDREAS ROBBRTS seconded by the Rev. CEIDIOG ROBERTS, it was agreed that nine members should form the committee to consider the mode of procedure and to frame draft steading orders for regulating the proceedings and business of the Council. The following members were elected Messrs W. Davies, Cae'rblaidd, J. Jones, Yynsfor, S. Pope, E. H. W. R. M. Wyime, H. Cernyw Williams, Morris Theaaas. St. J. Ll. Price, and Lewis Lewis, Barnouth. STANDING JOINT COMMITTHB. The CHAIRMAN said that the next business was to determine the number of the members of the Council who should represent the Council on the Standing Joint Committee to be appointed by the Court of Quarter Sessions a-ad the Ceuacil, whioh, under sec- tion 30 of the Act, would have ceatrel of aU the joint officers and of the police. He was a little in dnubt whether it was for the Provisional Council to appoint the Committee. Some counties were appointing, some were not, but if they appointed and it was sot the propef time until after April lst. the apn could then be confirmed. The Committees of the Council and of Quarter Sessions were to be equal in number. In the event of disagreement, the Local Government Board would decide the dispute. They would elect their own chairman and they would not be responsible to any other authority than themselves. It was a strange arrangement, but it was the arrange- ment of the Act of Parliament. He suggested twelve as the number of the Committee representing the Council. Mr PARRY JONES, Festiniog, proposed that twelve should be the number; and Vr.R.J. LL. Pmos proposed six. Mr HAYDN JONES seconded twelve, and Mr WYNNS seconded six, adding that twelve oa either side would make an unmanageable committee. Dr KDWARD JONBS. on the other hand, thought it an important committee upon which the county should be well represented. If six only were appointed as representing the Con-ncil-one for each petty sessional division—the immense district of Penrhyn and Festiniog would be] rr preseu Sed by one member ouly. The CHAIRMAN said the Council could only suggest their own number, leaving Quarter Sessions to adopt it or not as they thought advisable. Mr LEwIS LEWIS said that the Committee would have moat important work to transact, and twelve would not be too many. Mr R. J. LL. PRICE suggested nine as a compromise. A large committee was unwieldy. Speaking in the best interests of the county he recommended a small committee. The CHAIRMAN thought the intention of the Act of Parliament was to interest as many as possible in the administration of the affairs of the county. The reason why the appointment of Chairman and Vice-chairman was made annual was that it was intended that it should be an object of ambition to every member of the Council to conduct the duty of the chair, and every member ought to qualify himself by attention to the general business of tha county. On the other hand, it would be simply waste of power to make the Committee too large. He thought that ten from each body or nine would give a sufficiently large committee. On a vote being t»ken on nine against twelve, the latter was agreed to by a considerable majority. Mr MOJUns THOMAS proceeded to nominate members; but the CHAIRMAN said the number must first be agreed upon by Quarter Sessions. The Com- mittee could then be appointed after the 1st April. FINANCE COMMITTEE. The Rev GRIFFITH EVANS proposed and Mr DUNLOP seconded that the number of the Finance Committee should be nine. Mr ANDREAS ROBERTS proposed and Mr J. HUGHES JONES seconded twelve, and the latter number was agreed upon, with the Chairman and Vice-chairman as ex-officio members. In nominating members, Mr WYNNE declined to act, remarking that the majority against him on th* com- mittee as nominated was so great that he should be outvoted on every question. At the same time he, outside the Committee, would give the members every possible assistance. The Rev Michael Jones, Dr Edward Jones, aud Dr Hughes, Bala, pressed Mr Wynne to act on the com- mittee. The Rev GRIFFITH EVANS said they all bad a very high opinion of Mr Wynne and very great respect for him. Though they did not agree with him on every subject he was very much thought of throughout the county. The CHAIRMAN said he would join the general churus in asking Mr Wynue to act on the committee. (Haar, hear.) He knew no man who so throughly and intimately knew the finances of the county than Mr Wynne and if there had not been unhappily a differ- ence of opinion in other respects he was the man who naturally would have taken the lead in that Council. It was, perhaps, too much to expect not to recognize so large a divergence of opinion but let them have Mr Wynne where they could get him. The Rev MICHAEL JONEs-Finance is mathematics, and there can be no difference of opinion about mathe- matics. (Laughter.) f Mr WYNNE said that after the advice given him by his friend and colleague, Mr Pope, and after the very I strong opinion expressed, he felt that he could not but serve them to the best of his ability. (Hear, hear.) r As his friend, the Rev Michael Jones said, the arith- metical table was not a matter of poiitics. He hoped that all political differences would be set aside, aa had ¡ been the case at Quarter Sessions, and that they would all join in trying to keep down the expenditure of the county as their predecessors in county ,?over!nn0ut had done. He hoped they would pcr.:uadc MrPope, whose dong experience would be invaluable, to act on the committee. The Rev Michael Jones, Mr Price, Rhiwlas, Mr T. i Jones, Brynmelyn, and Mr E. H. Jonathan asked to be allowed to withdraw their nominations, and the following committee was finally appointed :—Messrs iW. R. M. Wynne, S. Pope, A. M. Dunlop, Edward Griffith. W. Davies, Cae'rblaidd, J. Parry Jones, Haydn Jones, R. D. Roberts, Corwen, J. Jones. Ynysfor, Morris Thomas, J. Hughes Jones, and R. Pugh, Helygog. OTHER COMMITTEES. It was agreed to postpone until after the 1st April the appointment of a committee under the Contagous Diseases Act. The Hon. C. H. Wynn, Dr Ffoulkes Jones, Corwen, and Dr Hughes, Bala, were appointed visitors to repre- sent the Council on the North Wales Counties Lunatic Asylum. Messrs R. Edwards, Henry Davies, Edward Griffith, Ellis Pugh Jones, A- M. Dunlop, D G. Williams, J. Jones, Ynysfor, Dr HugJes, E. Watkins, James Mere- dith and W. Davies, Pant, were appointed a committee (a) to confer with the Quarter Sessions Committee appointed under sec. 106, sub-sec. 7; and (b) to con- sider and make arrangements with regard to main roads. THE SHERIFF'S BILL. The CHAIRMAN said the next business concerned a serious item. It was to consider and determine whether a contribution should be levied for the purpose of defraying the cost and charges of the Returning Officer in the matter of the elections. The cost of the first elections, as delivered by the Returning Officer, amounted to £ 1,534 lis. ld. The CLERK of the PEACID (Mr Robert Jone3) said he had since received an additional bill of E130 5i. Id., the co&t of rilling up casual vacancies. (Oil and whistling.) The Rev CEIDIOG ROBERTS proposed that the bills should be referred to the Finance Committee with a request that they should use every means within their power to reduce the amount. The CHAIRMAN said he presumed the Council would adopt the ordinary course of referring the bUt to the County Court Judge for taxation. He mast say that the amount astonished him, because he knew some- thing of the cost in other counties in the south much larger than Merioneth, quite as seattered, quite as awkwardly shaped, and he had not seen a single bill amounting to anything like that sum. He believed it was equivalent to a county rate of ld. Mr WYNNE said it was more than sufficient to pay off the whole debt remaining on the county and enough to maintain the m1.in roads of the county for nearly a year. It was a very serious item. The CHAIRMAN thought it would be bad finance not to pay the cost of elections as they went on, and a county rate had better be made when the bill was taxed. Mr WYNNE said he heard the Montgomeryshire elections cost £ 770 and Montgomery was a larger and more populous county than Merioneth. Mr LEWIS LEWIS believed that Anglesey only cost £ 771. The CHAIRMAN moved, so that the matter might be proceeded with with all the authority of the Council, that the bill should be taxed in the ordinary way. Mr WYNNE seconded the proposition, and it was agreed to. the Chairman observing that after the bill was taxed it would go before the Finance Committee who would make a recommelldation to the Council how the bill should be met. Mr R. 0. JONES, solicitor, was requested to attend before the County Court Judge to conduct the taxation on behalf of the Council. PLACE OF MEETING. The CHAIRMAN said the next subject was to consider and determine the place or places for holding the future meeting of the Council. Mr R. J. LL. PRIGS proposed that Bala should be the place, remarking that he would support hia proposition by four or five reasons. If they took a pair of compasses and wentround the county it would be found that Bala was about the centre. Three lines of railway converged at Bala, and Bala was a cheaper place of meeting than any place else for all the members of the Council. Dalgelley was a very excellent town and was certain to be proposed as an amendment; but it was out of reach in winter from Featiniog later thaa hall past three in the afternoon. (" Oh "). Moreover, the convenience of that room at Bala was much greater than the room at Delgelley and the expenditure of E25 or jE20 in the provision ot a lavatory, &a., would make it complete. Bala also was nearer Loudon than Dolgelley and therefore more convenieut to members of the Council coming from the metropolis to attend the meetings. Mr DUNLOP asked Mr Price-to amend his motion so that the meetings should be held alternately at Bala and Festiniog. (Laughter). Festiniog had the largest population in the county. In the Local Board district they had 15,000 inhabitants. The people of Festiniog also were much the largest ratepayers, and he was asked by the Local Board to claim an alternative meeting for Festinio&. Mr PRICE asked if Festiniog bad a suitable room ? Mr DUXLOP said the people of Festiniog had not only a room, but a whole house for the Council. (Laughter). Mr PRICE said the Council would have to pay for accommodation. Mr DUNLOP did not think the Festiniog people would be very hard on the Council in that respect. Mr PRICE asked Mr Dunlop to propose Festiniog and Bala as an amendment, and possibly later on he (Mr Price) would see his way to fall in with it. He should first like to take the sense of the Council on the motion. Mr HENRY DAVIES, Tyfos, then seconded Bala and Mr Dunlop proposed and Mr W. Davies, Caer blaidd, seconded Bala aud Festiniog alternately. The Rev J. DAVIES. Dyffryn, hoped the Council would not be guided by Mr Price's compasses. (Laughter). He thought that Dolgelley would meet the convenience of everybody and therefore proposed Dolgelley. Mr LEWIS LEWIS, Barmouth, said he expected to hear Mr Price conclude his reasons in favour of Bala by inviting all the Council up to Rhiwlas to dine. (Laughter). He seconded the amendment in favour of Dolgelley unless the members like, to meet a: Barmouth in the summer. Mr PRICE said he would invite the members to dine when his son came of age. (Laughter.) Mr WYNNE hoped the Council would not divert from the course adopted by Quarter Sessions in meeting alternately at Bala and Dolgelley. (Hear, hear.) Taking everything into consideration, he thought that plan met the general convenience of the Council, Before the railway from Bala to Festeniog was made he always advocated Dolgelley as the most convenient place, but since the making, of the rail A ay that view must necessarily be very much modified. If anybody did not understand him he would repeat what he had said in Welsh, but he did not think it necessary. If, as Mr Price suggested, they put one point of the com- pasSeR down at Bala the radius of the other poiat would include a great deal of Cardigan Bay on tho one side and of Denbighsbire and a largish bit of Mont- gomeryshire on the other sides. He therefore did not think the compass argument cut quite fair. There was a great deal to be said in favour of the room at Bala. It was an excellent room and must comfortably fur- nished. The room at- Dolgelley was not convenient, but it might, without much expense, he made suitable for County Council purposes. There was much to be said about distance. To have always to come to Bala from Corris, Pennal, Aberdovey, and right away to Penrhyndeudraeth would surely be a very grt iacon- venience and would create a hardship. With regard to Festiniog he admitted that its population was great; but according to the Act population was not the ques- tion which was entirely to be taken into consideration. The population of Festiniog confined within a compara- tively small circumference could express their wishes to their representatives better than could the scattered population of districts of larger areas. With regard to Corwen it was about eight miles further to Festiniog from that district than to Dolgelley. He thought that meetings alternately at Bala and Dolgelley would fairly meet the convenience of all, and therefore he ventured to make that amendment. The Rev MICHAEL JONES and Dr EDWARD JOE seconded Mr Wynne's amendment; Dr Edward Jones pointing out that Dolgelley union, with Towyn and Pennal. was larger than half the county in area. Mr DAVIES, Caerblgidd, said that if the Council took figures they would find that there were thirty to whom meetings at Festiniog would he convenient. He thought that the fairest way would be to meet in rotation at Dolgelley, Festiniog a&d Bala. Mr JONATHAN seconded an amendment to that effect. Mr CHARLES WILLIAMS reminded the Council that the majority of the members had pledged themselves to economy. By paying for a room at Festiniog would they be economising the rates or studying the interests of the ratepayers ? It was a great honour to be sent to the Council and he thought they ought to pocket a little inconvenience. Mr DUNLOP then withdrew his amendment in favour of Festiniog, Bala and Dolgelley. Dr EDWARD JONES suggested that the matter should be postponed till the next meeting in order to give time to consider the matter in all its bearings. Mr DAVTES, Pant, said he had come over Bwlchygroes in the snow that morning in order to attend the meeting, and. he would sooner travel twenty miles by train than ten miles by road in winter. Mr JAMES MEREDITH hoped that the majority of the Council would be fair to everybody. He was willing to meet the Festiniog people by going to Bala if they met him at Dolgelley. The Rev J. DAVYES withdrew Dolgelley in favour of Mr Wynne's amendment in favour of Dolgelley and Bala. The Rev CARADOG JONES, Corris, spoke of the inconvenience of Bala and Festiniog to his side of the country and suppoited Dolgelley. The Rev CF.RNYW WILLIAMS, Corwen, said, to be generous, Corwen members were prepared to meet at Corwen and Bala. If they went to Festiniog they should in fairness go to Towyn and Barmouth and other places. He thought it better to stick to two places where rooms were already provided. Dr EDWARD JONES withdrew his amendment in favour of Bala and Dolgelley. The CHAIRMAN then put the proposition of Dolgelley, Bala, aud Feetiniog to the meeting, when the show of hands was against it. It was subsequently agreed to meet at Bala and Dolgelley alternately, Mr Price's amendment in favour of Bala alone being lost uy 33 to 17- It was also agreed that the next meeting should be held at Dolgelley on the 1st April. TRAIN SERVICE. Mr MORRIS THOMAS gave notice that at the next meet. ing he would move that negotiations should be opened with the railway companies for cheaper fares when at- tending meetings of the County Council. Many felt a hardship in having to travel so far. Mr WYNNE thought it advisable to get the companies to run more convenient trains as on the occasion ef the holding of assizes. COMBINED DISTRICTS. The CHAIRMAN said that in future the county would have to rsvert to the single electoral division and the single member. It seemed to him that in view ef any vacancy that might occur in any combined district, members elected for such districts should agree among themselves which parts of the district they repre- [ sented. COMMON SEAL. The question of recommending a common seal was left to the Standing Orders Committee. VOTE OF CONDOLENCE. Dr EDWARD JONES said he did not think it would be right for them to separate without expressing the regret they felt at the loss sustained in the deirA of Alderman Jones, of Plasyracre, a gentleman whom they all respected, who.. also, had done good servies for the county. (Hear, hear.) j The CHAIRMAN said it was hardly necesgary to second a vote to proper. He was sure that it Has the unanimous wish of the Council to express regret and that the expression should appear on the records. He understood that the official announcement of tha lost had not been made for obvious reasons because it would have involved a new election at the meeting. When the announcement was made that Council would have to elect from among the Council or outside another alderman to fill the place of the one ttoey had leal. INDUCTION TO THE CHAIR. The Presiding CHAIRMAN then said that in retiring from the chair let them permit him to thank them very sincerely for the honour they had done in placing him in it. He not only acquiesed in the choice made but he could see the wisdom of the choice thoy had made of a Welsh-speaking Chairman. All he would say upon that waa this. It did not follow that because he did not speak Welsh that he did not heartily wish prosperity to Wales. (Cheers.) He should of course be at all times ready to place at the disposal of the Council and at the disposal of his successor in that chair any experience which he might have gained else- where in connection with municipal affairs. His interest in the county was not one whit lesa and his friendship and obligation to every member of the Council had not in the least been interfered with became they allowed him to pursue his own avocationa in London rather than saddle him with the responsibility of a council whose language he did not understand. Would they further permit him to ask Dr Edward Jones to do him the further honour of "inducting him (Dr Jones) into the chair as the first chairman of the Merioneth County Council. Addressing the Chair- man elect, Mr Pope said-Dr Jones, allow me to con- gratulate you upon the honour your fellow citizens have done you. Dr EDWARD JONES, having taken the chair amid cheers, thanked Mr Pope for the services be had already rendered the county in putting the Conneil in a satisfactory working order. With the assistance of many gentlemen he (Dr Jones) saw around him, he hoped to be able to discharge the duties of the chair satisfactorily, and that in all their meetings the business would be conducted with the greatest amicable uess. Mr PARRY JONES, proposed and Mr A. 0. WILLIAMS and the Rev MICHAEL JONES seconded,a vote of thanka to Mr Pope for presiding over the Provisional Council, and the proposition was carried with acclamation. Mr POPE, acknowledging it, said he had nothing more to say than what he had already said. If he could say it in Welsh he would do so. In English he said, Loag live Merioneth." (Cheers). The Council then rose.