The Cambrian News and Merionethshire Standard

THE BURIALS BILL DEBATE. The following is a full report of Mr G. O. Morgan's speech on the second reading of the Bunai s bill In the House of Commons on Wednesday, March 2G, Mr OSBOBNE MORGAN rose and said I rise, sir, TO movethe second reading of the Bu.ials Bill; and under all tV circumstances, coloring that this i* the fourth year I have had the honour of moving it in this House, I should have been content to do so without comment but sttoaiu n Prime Minister—perhaps I should rather^av of a future Prime Minister—to challenge the second reading of the BUI after three years of silence ami nfter his absence from every one of the numerous and crit:cJ.l divisions which took place last year, is, I need not sVan occurrence of no ordinary character. Io is no, for me'to speculate on the considerations which have induced ™ co-ummate a tactician to enter the lists with so mi- K~r ) it mav be that the lion, gentleman, wrh ♦V-t i-eonne«s"of perception which distinguishes him, has ^Tco-ered that this is one of those great and burning nestions which demand the interposition of a 1 arlia- I" T)ivinitv It may be resolved that meutarj Umnity .V University a,all be renewed in the the Coyest seCond great party bittle of the churchy^, ^'™ttover the grave. It is not for me to of the rk'ht hon. gentleman s anxiety to pi;«up rrditical capital "among the tombs, or to form a rallying 1 n,l for his nartv round the last resting places cf .he ground for rns nar hoIK gentleman h -s. ere now, d Sore us as the*ill-starred champion of a waning and if bis defence of the Burials Acts b, no better f,* i:, d°fpnce of some institutions wlncii have now be- than hi» d J:en.e or J ,.ave n0 c.ul3ri f„r regret, ThTri dithon. gentleman, though a hard hitler, us a fair X-hter' a«d mv earnest hope is that tuii bid wul be fo. gat ilfc fulV," and will not be got rid of as lfc was but; ear, n v n JSroc.-«3 of midnight ^angulation (Hear, hear). I should we been almost appalled by the opposition, and ov^-nv,m- w petitions v,V,ch have pour.d in agam-tthisBid. weie it <- "r rvne c'nr-oltn<* fact. The persons who have go., up sv-ed the petitions against the Bill have not taken fiie't o":ble to read it. The Bid has b-,n denounced as a measure of spoliation and c mfs -atior., (Hear, hear bv the O.fo^or^ no unfamiliar words (Hear hear.) Again it °;id t 'be a measure for the disestablishment, and non .establishment, but for the ^endowment o nv, of England. And yet the Bill touches no part rev, ones of the Church the Bill tokes no part of the f the Church of England the Li!l takes n„ Chur< h of England except indeed the barren Lfw'Sr-wt said the odious-right of claiming conformity f n c>rr-" 1 do not wish to oe misundersood. No V' fY,e i risli charohvard is in some sense ves,e t :n t-e r''V. Xnt" He could resist trespass or in and lie • M .TSCO in whom rests the ng.it of acti n. 1 ne t e «« ih,: 4^nd :3 vested in her Majcty, who could .se a.e v- ne%0T. it in the S ime way that she could exclude any ai.v ne ,r v en»itlpd to sit here from enter g to.- ^'the same ti,;e, the,e int.^ts are vesl:d rl reyman not for his own use, j t for; his n; r^, nal occupation, out a-, a tr•■ (tIed • 0lV;1 f th3 C uirch of England ? l<< r his own V No such thing. It is vested n. Inm a, a for*the parish us?, and that in th-largest and, it I L- -ivtoe -vord, most secular sense. Kvery per.so who > ;W'.inrd a settlement in the parish, be he Jew, infill, or „ ?!h«s the same right of inteiment as the r ghi, h -n. rVt'" i-aen or the most orthodox Churchmen ^oston :„.n..k-. That parish ngnt jomtermeu., ^.glan ui.' i iA:ii''i will' iefer him''o (:eIe crated eccb^i i=ticl treatise, where he will find the Jaw aid down precisely as I have stated it. He wal hnd that the parish church is as much parochial property as the parifli vp-try hall. It is quite true thit the Compulsory Church Rates Abolition Act, when it abolished cbureli rates, did not provide any means for keeping the churchyard in repair. It alwavs appeared to me that was an omission from that Act, and in a Bill which I formerly introduced I provided that means should be supplied tor keeping the cnurchyard and walls in decent reuair—that there shoma be laid before the vestry un aecmnt of the expenses; and unless there w->s some'other fund to provide the means, the overseers should, ont of the rate nvide for the relief of the poor re- t) ky to the churchwardens the money so expende by tli-iii. Who opposed that clause ? Upon the first reading of that Bill the hon. member for Cambridge, whom I am sorry not to see in his place, resisted the clause, and the clause was thrown out in committee, I think on the motion of the hon member for Boston. Nearly every speech made against this Bill nearlv every letter written against it, proceeds upon the'supposition that the chu'chyards are the proper- ties of the Church, and that I am seeking uO give outsiders rights which they did not possess before. Of curse I do not mean that lawyers will take that view-lawyers like my hon friend the member for riouth-west Lancashire, wh ) is far too g .od a lawyer to put forward any such proposition. LL- The hon. gentleman saJS tnat tne cnurcnyam I we pio perty of the parish in the s.une way as the church in a cer- tain sense is said to be the property of the parish^ rie means that the right of interment implies an ob!iga:ion to conform to the Church. But just observe the w:mt of analogy between the two cases. In the first p-ace it is a question for a man's consideration whether he will go to church at all. He may goto a neighbouring cnapel. Unfortunately a man has no option as to being bIried or u. >t, and in the 12.000 and odd parishes in En land in which churchyard-! exist, he has no option as to the place in which he will be buried. But there is a further fallacy m the ar- gument Up in what test does the right of the clergyman to insist uuon reading the burial service depemi ? Is it communion with the Church It is no such thing. Is it attendance at church on the part of the de- ceased ? It is no such thing. The ceremony of bap- tism administered by any minister, or even by a woman, l;i res the el, the right to insbt on the burial ser- vice when he is deal. So that the same service which enables a minister to sly "This man when alive was a member of my fold and was sealed under my seal," gives the clergyman power to say De tth Ins made him my property, though living I did not seal him with my seal, though he _H.' r1'>rl",nc>,1 oJ", dnnr f f niv church while he was alive." 11CVl: \.1u.1D.11" .4. I think that on need only be stated to show 1t3 pb-urdby. How did such an absurd law come to pass ? The re-son is obvious. Dissent at that time was unknown. The pirish priest was the father of his flock, and so far from its being a grievance to have the Church service read over the remains it would be considered the direst result of the major excommunication that a muan should be refused decent burial. But when Uissent sprung up, what so n itural, S,) obvious as that men should wish that the same minister who attended them in health and sickness should perform the rites over their graves? Thus it will be seen that a rite which was intended to be the comfort and consolation of the man, has become th" prerogative of the priest. Do not think I shall say one word against the beautiful service ot the Church of Kngtand-the most beautiful of uninspired compositions, aid one which I never hear without emotion. I do not say one word against it. What I object to is its bein" forced upon people wUether they wish it or not. I can well understand chat, taking this point of view .he clergv of the Church of Kngiand have a right to complain. For observe that oil the one side the law enjoins thm to read the service over every person who h,,e once been LaptiseJ, and is not excommunicated or a felo de se, no matt; r what his religion or creed. So that on the one hand a in in who leads a life in detiance of the laws of God and.nian, who passes suddenly out of the world in some drunken brawl with all his sins upon him, is committed to the grave in the sure hope of eternal life, and, as is well said by the Timet this morning, he is said to rest in the Lord after his lainnrs, no matter what those labours may have been; while, on the othiT hand, the unconscious infant who has known no wrong or the young man or woman who has led a blameless lite is committed t) the ground with all the indignity of ecc.esiastical stb'Hi'. Two petitions signed by clergymen of the Church of .England wine sent to the Archbishops, praying them to endeavour to alter this state of the law-a IANV which would be intolerable if th-Jr own good sense did not ltiuuce tnem to disregard its provisions. (lJ-ar hear.) But there are others who have shown a determination to uphold the law I mentioned on a former occasion several instances of cKricd outrage- I can call them by no other name—uiough to make one's blood curdle. I shall refer now to oniy one instance. It occurred some years ago near Guisboro. A poor woii-an had been delivered of twins. One of them was baptised, but the other lied before the rite could be aumims- tered. They were put into a coffin together, The fact be- came known to the clergyman while the service was being read. He stopped the sen-ice, and had the coffin bruken open, and, while the baptised child was decently buried, the other poor unbaptised child was sent away to be put into an unconsecrated grave. And that was done in strict conformity with the laws of the Church of ImglamL Is not this a cruel outrage ? (Hear, hear.) It is a scandal to our ai;<> and a disgrace to our country. (Cheers.) Is this an isolated case ? Cases of the same kind occur every month. I heard recently of a case of the same kind at Lei'di in Kent. [The hon. member read a letter from the Tanbrid'je Wells Gazette giving an account of the case, which was of a peculiarly painful character.] Aud a case A nfcoWt-. in Staffordshire, on the 1/til ot .No- vember The account which I took from one of the Not- tingham papers is too long to read, but I may state it thus The child of a poor woman di> d unbaptized through no fault of her own, for she had endeavoured to get a clergy- man to baptize it, but the requisite number of persons could not be obtained. The child was not baptized. The friends took the body to the churchyard at the time allot tier funerai was on in the hope that by the means they nnght come in for a benefit of a portion of the Church service. But the clergyman was not going to be taken in in that way. He removed to the further side of the graves, about fifteen or sixteen yards from that of the unbaptiz-d child, and pointed, emphasized, and confined the rite to our here de- part d sister," lest it should be supposed that any part of the burial service could be intended for a schismatic child. I will read one extract fiom a letter which I have received from a Baptist member named Mr Gibson Oti briday last an old gentleman of the name of Viney was interred in the churchyard at Crayford, Kent. The family being at- tendants on my ministry at the Baptist cnapel, Crayford, were desirous that I should conduct a funeral service This I did in the chapel. The corpse was then taken to the churebvard. On the way there I asked the undertaker if the clergyman was expected, and his reply was that h" harl not. seen nor heard anything of the clergyman. On arrival at the gate of the churchyard no clergyman was to be seen. The corpse was then lowered into the >»rave and I, standing in the road outs.de the charch- vard 'concluded the service. Word was then brought to the mourners at the grave that the curate was in the church waiting and that he insisted on the corpse being taken up out of the grave and taken to the church. Soiiie of the family went to him to endeavour to dissuade him from this. The remainder of the family with myself took our seats in the mourning coach. The son and son-in-law of the deceased came to us and said that it was no use, the clergyman would have the corpse taken from the grave and°taken to the church. The daughters and other mem- bers of the family had to suffer the outrage to their feefin^s of seeing the coffin carried across the churchyard to the church, and then carried back to the grave, the clergyman and the clerk going through the service. When our children die they refuse to read the funeral service when requested to do so. When our adults die they com nel us to have the service, however repugnant to our feelin 's." Now, sir, I do not know that 1 need labour these "grievances any further, for the grievances are really admitted. In fact two Bills have been brought in from the othf side of the house for the purpose <>f remedying thera. The first was the Bill of Lord Beauchamp, brought into this hou-e last vear by the hon. member for South West Lancashire. That Bill raised no objection against Dis- senters coming into the parish burial ground provided that no service was read over them, and that it must be on con- dition that they cjane in in the same fotm as a felo de se, without anv service at all. In otli';r words, the bon. gen- t'eman said in effect to Nonconformists-' Take your nhoiee hpfween b-iM" buried like a Churchman or being buried like a dog." (ub, oh.) I do not mean to say that my hem. friend made use of any such expression but that was the sense in which it struck Dissenters. I am peakii, opinion of almost every Dissen er in the hou.-e when I 8,Y that a compromise such as that can onlv be regarded as an insult. Just kt me read an article from the Spectator <-n that very point But what snould we Churchman say to such a privation ? Is it not ot the very essence of funeral rites that at the last look of the coffin, at the solemn moment when the angukh of the last leave- tikinor is felt, there should bo words of prayer and reli- gious hope pronouiiC 'd ? Why, you might just as well propose to reîus; DissetittrS the right of shaking hand3 at the moment of parting on the ship or in the train, on the plea that it would be quite good enotgh for them if the" got the outward leave taking done in their own homes"' as propose that they should coldly deposit the cori'Sf without a word of solemn prayer or hope, in the earth, and so leave it. It you reduce I ttuman f irms to the minimum which reason, apart from ) fteling, will justify,you really do away with them altogether, If we Churchmen \"alu." as we do, that part of the service conducted at the grave, as of the very evened of the burial s why not remember that Dissenters are 'of the same fl -sh and blood,'and are not likely to be content with silent individual prayer and the bare act of in- ter .uent ? '1 he clergymen all feel, and feel most intensely, the grievance to themselves in any sort of displacement from their or in any compulsory mutilation of their own service, but their keen sense of the indignity of being ex- truded from their riirht-ful place does not seem to help manv of tn -m in the least to enter into the indignity which the Disorders feel at their systematic extru- .sit,il fro,l s Well, sir, the other Bill was the Bill of th" hon. member for Satford. My hon. friend by his Bill said, "We will give you every opportunity for having q Iti.t cemetery of your own." es, but at what experig(, ? There are. as ,t appears fiom a return moved | for by the hon. member for West Surrey, only 531 parishes in Engl.'iid piovid:* I with public cemeteries, while the w io!e numb r of pari is a'.out 13,000, so that it would b- necessavv in eeirving out I!i.- Bill to provide cemeteries for Hore than 12,0'V> parbe .s. J. do not knew what the cost would be, but I kno v it must b- sum thing m millions. And all ibis cost iv to be, incurred and Dissen- ters are to be deni d the melancholy privilege of being laid beside their departed relatives, are! Kr.gl m! is to be covered over with cem"teri'-s, this one lab eled '• Ciiurch •' an 1 the other I);^seut." in order that y-ni ln-iy pr..claim ti the world how thes- CLrisiians hat" IJ:l( ;• nether ami how even ie d"ath they wih b^- divided. at th-1 sab'-Tuard?. Vv hy the iiili li .'rallv ri-tl;- wit'- ^u.-ee p-ds In fee. it i- the number „i s.fevr-N vdiieb it e ee.es w iei^i as niaue io ofll.1\ .-i. r 'o 1 c t', fact, everv safeguard constitutes a peg on which every 1 hon. member who opposes the Bill wishes to hang another safeguard. I will bj as short as I can. The Bill pro- that notice may be given to the incumbent that a burial may take place in the churchyard without the services of the Established Church, hut that no service shall be per- formed by a clergyman of the Church of England other than the service of his own Church. That proviso is not of my seeking. I objected to it at first. It was introduced by my hon. friend the member for the Uiiiver. ity of Cambridge. In fact. in the first instance—and I hope it will be made known outside this house-I had inserted a proviso giving clergymen permission to use a different service. Then conies a, clause providing that any service, if not according to the public ritual, shall consist only of prayers, hymns, and extracts from Scripture. I am almost ashamed to have in- serted that. (Hear, hear.) From what I know of Non- conformist minister?, there is not the slightest reason to suppose that they would make use of a friend's grave for a political oii in opponent. But perhaps it is better to err on the side of conciliation. Then the fifth clause provides that all burials shall be conducted decently and solemnly, and that all services shall be religions. The Act shall not authorize the burial of any person who, previous to the passing of the Act, ha 1 not "the right of interment- TT ffives the largest possible facility for the acquisition of cemeteries by private interest and benefactions, and it pro- vides that in places where there fire public cemeteries the Act shall have no application at all. That is the whole of the Fill-a Bill which it is said is to shake the Church of England from its foundations, and which has actually brought up the leader of the Conservative party into the front of the fray. Hon. gentlemen may say it is not what is in the Bill it is what may grow out of the Bill. The churchyard, they say, is the entrance to the church, and if Dissenters get into the churchyard we shall not be ab'e to keep them out of the chnrch. (Assenting cheers by the Opposition ) I have spoken to very little purpose if I have not shown that the case of the churchyard and the C'¡3' of the Church depend upon very diff, reiit considera- tions, and surely there can be nothing more illogical than the mode of meeting one issue by raising an entirely different one. Giievances such as these are the worst weapons you can put in the hands of those who desire dis- establishment. Can voii be surprised that men should de- sire the overthrow of the Establishment if they find that year after year a measure so just, so fair, and so con- ciliatory, is to be wrecked on the rock of ecclesiastical pre- j idice. (Hear, hear.) It is said that many who support my Bill will also support the motion of the hon. member for Bradford, and that therefore their objects are the same. That is a peculiar kind of syllog.sia. It may amuse the House, bnt it will not affect the Bill. it may be that. a prof that the feeling of the country is against my Bill is given by the fact of so many petitions' being sent up against it. I think I can throw a little light on the mode in which these petitions have been got up. There is a family likeness running through every one of them. They are al' turned out of the same manufactory. About a fortnight ago I received a printed communication from a postmaster near Manchester. It was sent to me because I suppose it had been misdirected, and, on opening it, he found my name used pretty freely in the course of the communication. It purported to be from in associa- tion, and it was what I may call a most disingenuous statement. It does not allude in any way at all to the concession I made in restricting the service to hymns, piayers, and quotations from Scripture. And, With re- ference to the statement that cemeteries can be provided for Dissenters, what are the facts? There are 5>1 parishes provided with public cemeteries. There are upwards^of 12,000 not provided with them. I say deliberately, any in- ference which has been based on such a statement as that in the document I have referred to, has been based on false pretences, and I adc the House to p-iy no atte to petitions obtained in that way. Another argument used against this Bill last year was that Dissenters would make uue of the funeral service for the purpose of making attacks upon the Church, and for what are called politic id ora- tions." How it is possible to combine political orations with hymns, or prayer, or portions of Scripture, I, f >r my part, am perfectly unable to see. Of course, it in iv be said that a g',od detI of political aninuis m!l>Y be thr.wn into hymns and prayers and portions of Scr pture. it that argument is used, I reply that we have the best possible answer, and one founded on practical experience. In Ire. land—the home of sectarian anim0-ity-in Ireland, where party spirit runs so high that voters have to be escorted to the poll by the military, and political and social questions arc sometimes settled by the aid of bludgeons and blunder- busses, a law far less stringent than the law I ask to intro- duce, has existed for not less than seven years. Time after time I have stood here and asked hon. gentlemen opposite the question "Gin you produce one single-instance in which the law has been abused in Ireland ?" For several years T have asked that question, and I have asked in vain. It is not only in Ireland that law prevails, but in every other country in the world different sects are allowed to be buried side by side, with their own service. When I b>ought in this Bill last year there were two countries- England and Chili where these restrictions existed. Now England is the only one, for the Parliament of Val- paraiso has removed all barriers (Cheers ) In France, in Spain, v, tl I o v-7 in Catholic Switzerland, all sects are allowed to use the churchyards. I do not know whether anyone whom I ad- dress has visited the beautiful churchyard of Zermatti. in the most Catholic canton of Catholic Switzerland, close to the scene of the appalling occurrence on the Mat- terhorn. If they have done so they will not have forgotten the spot where the dust of our brave but ill fated young countrymen mingles with the dust of the noble hearted guide who gave his life for them, and the remains of the Protestant clergyman sleep peacefully beneath the shadow of the Catholic Church. What would have been said here if the Catholic priest had insisted that Mr Hudson and his companions should be interred with Popish rites ? The hon. member for North War- wickshire winces at that question. (Laughter.) And well he may. [Mr Newdegate "No."] Then he ought to do. (Renewed laughter.) The hon. gentleman knows there would have gone up a cry from every Orange lodge in the kingdom, and that it would have been re-echoed from Exeter Hafl to Belfast. Is Catholicism so much more Liberal than Protestantism ? Is it to be believrd. that the Anglican priesthood, who are supposed to be most liberal in their opinions, still maintain restrictions which the poor half- caste in South America has consented to put away. Is it the fact that the clergy of the Church of England are opposed to this Bill ? The hon. gentleman, opposite once boasted that he had the angels on his side. Is it true that the Church is on his side ? The whole of the Broad Church s in favour of this Bill. The Church Reform Union, of which my hon. friend the member for South Hampshire is at the head, and of which the hon. member for Stafford is a distinguished member, havs-approved of this Bill as a measure of conciliation and compromise. Another Churoh Association, although they do not approve of the Bill of last year distinctly stateit that witn some 01 me provisions which are now introduced they entirely approve 1 of it. The Dean of Westminster, speaking from that pulpit from which the bigotry of a few fanatics &trove-but, thank Gorl, strove in valn-to keep him, spoke in favour of the Bill. The Rev. Llewellyn Davies, one- of the most large- hearted of clergymen, has written an article in the Guard- ian so noble and manlv in its tone that I will ask per- mission to read it to the house Allow me a few lines to protest that there are clergymen—I hope not a few-who, instead of opposing the Burials Bill, are heartily in favour of it. It seems to me that Christianity and policy would equally urge us to make the innocent concessions proposed by this BiU. Imagine the case of a Dissenting famiiy in a country parish. They bave been accm- tomed to worship together in their own chapel. The father dies, and is to be buried. The chapel has no bury- in-ground. The churchyard has been a sacred spot in the eyes of the family all their lives. The survivors would like much to lay the remains of their dead in the common burial-place of the pnrish. But they do not wish at such a moment to go through an act of conforming to the Church. A not dishonourable sentimeat irakes them unwilling to stamp the departed, wha had chosen to be a Dissenter, :\S a Churchman. Would not all humane and Christian feel- ing dispose us to meet such a case in a kindly spmt ? Well, what concessions does the Burials Bill make to the Dissenters ? It provides that any minister or member of a religious body or congregation having a registered place of w(,r,hip may recite prayers, hymns, and extracts from Holy Scripture at a funeral in a churchyard. No other pe> son may take any part in the service, no use of the church is allowed, and no address may be delivered. It is further provided that the funeral must not be at an in- convenient" time, that all burials under the Act shall be cmducted in a decent and Solemn manner, and that no part of any service shall be other than of a religions character. What harm could so carefully guarded a liberty possibly do to the Church ? All that can be said is that it is a con- cession it gives up some exclusive rights, imd our Church defence societies are sounding their war-notes of resistance and defiance. It is actually preferred that Dissenters should be driven to insist, as a point of honour, upon the creation of unconsecrated burial grounds within reach of every cottage in the land It is difficult to believe that food Churchmen should he persuaded to favour soimpolitic a course, and to do what they can to widen and fix the "ulf between rural Nonconformists and the Churjh. But I am more concerned to remonstrate against the ungracious attitude promoted by our Church defenders. Non defen- soribus istis tempus tege. It will be a lamentable thing if the Church is induced to repudiate the large-minder, hnmane, Christian way of acting which becomes the Church of the nation, and to adopt instead the bristling, sectarian habit of mind, the attitude of watchful jealousy "bnut rights, which is mtural enough to a militant sect." The Rev. William IVeemantle, rector of St, Mary's, Bryariston-square, writes to me even still more strongly. He says Some one sent me the other day your Burials Bill, wishing me to get up a petition against it. It is really sh^metul that when you have fenced m this proposal for a pure act of justice by every needful safeguard, there should be this agitation to resist it. I write to ask, is there likely to he any public meeting or any ineaii, of expressing conviction in favour of the Bill? I would join any movement for the purpose, and I cannot but think that if public expression were given to a sense of justice on t ie part of a few clergymen, it would be responded to, so tl""t we might not have ag'1in to undergo the. shame of being supposed to resist the demand of right through jealousy of our supposed privileges." The Rev. Mr Drake, chaplain to the Queen, and the Rev. John Griffith—a name venerated in Wales by Dissenters as well as Churchmen— have writ- ten to me to the same effect. Time would fail me were I to read a tithe of letters I have received from country gentlemen, as well as from town clergymen. I have elt- deavoured to meet them in the spirit they have shown. It was objected when my Bill was brousht in that its pr > visio-'s were too wide. I consented to insert provisions to remedy that. It was argued that it rmght ne made a pretext for political demonstrations. I inserted a provision that the services should be strictly devotional- Ihe hon. nv mb-r for West Kent said that was not enough. I put ia to the servic -s to hymns, prayers, a..a ..eriotural n notations, and he accepted the amendment. X„ ? „u..r htvl iv done so than the m?v-- b-r began to quri-1 wi'-h 'its o">vn aim iv-Inr/at-t is Well ;t should be W). Perhaps it is better that the question should I rest on its real issue. (Opposition cheers.) Yes, it is well it has b2eyl stripped of the miserable sophistries with which three years of bitter controversy have invested it. It is well it should be understood that this is no longer a ques- ti n between those who seek to invade and those who seek to defend the sanctity of the grave. It is no longer a question between Churchmen and Dissenters. No; I will tell you what it i,. It is a contest between outraged hu- j inanity, on the one side. (Opposition laughter.) Can hon. gentlemen mean to say that if clergymen are to open a coffin and take out the body of a dead child, and fling it to the ground, that is not an outrage on humanity? (Minis- terial cheers.) It is a struggle between outraged humanity on the one side, and that ecclesiastical non possumus which is as rampant in Canterbury as in Home—which mistakes obstinacy for strength, and clings with desperate tenacity to the poorest rag of its prejudices, lest it should be sus- pected of the weakness of a just concession. (Loud cheers.) It is the old straggle which the celebrated poet of the last century bewailed more than a hundred years :160- While nature melts let superstition rave, This mourns the dead—and that denies a grave." The hon. member resumed his seat amid renewed cheering.

OJ' MACHYNLLETH. NOMINATION OF GUARDIANS.—The following have been nominated as guardians of the Machynlleth union for the ensuing year; -Cc-.rniiiies, Lewis Williams, Tynrhos Dar- owpn, Evan Hughes, Cilywenllan Is-y-garreg, Griffith Griffiths, Tynohir Llanbrynmair, Edw. Morgan, Wynn- stay Arm, and lilchard 'Williams, Hendref Llanwrin, the Rev. Daniel Evans, Llanwrin llectory Machynlleth, Richard Gillart, Llynlloedd, and Edward liees, Penrallt- street; Penegoes, Edward Pugli, Nantyfyda; Pennal, Jas. Meredith, Penrhyn Scaborycoed, Evaii Jones Ynyshir; Towyn, Robert Edwards, Aberdovey, Evan Newell, Es/ian, Morris D-.vies, Cefnllegoediog, and Owen Daniel, High- street. Mr F. P. Srrousberg has again been nominated for Machynlleth and Penegoes, but on account, we believe, of some informality in his nomination papers, they are ren- dered invalid. With regard to Towyn it is believed that Mr Newell will withdraw from the congest. In that caje t'no e will be no election this ye;r throughout the union. f RURAL SANITARY AUTHORITY, FamAY, MARCH 28TH.— Present: Mr C. F. Thrustoe, ex-ollicio (in the chair), Messrs Richard C-i'dart, Edward Roes, and Evan Jones. Dr Llovd, m xlical officer of h )u!th Mr Jara«s I'. Lloyd, iuspector uf nuisances; Mr D. Evans, assist;ant clerk. M A C H Y >' > • L f.T H. Mr J. LLOYD presented his detailed report of his house- to-hoese inspection in Machynlleth, and stated that he had finished his visits in Machynlleth, The report was carefully nne through. At the request of Mr DOYLE; the medical officers were asked to report, upon the general sanitary state of their dis- tricts,, and as to how far, in their opinion, sickness in their districts anise from defective sanitary arrangements. Dr LLOYD, medical otlicer of the Machynlleth dis'rict, reported as follows :— "In reply to,til foregoing questions, I have to s'ats that no epidemic attributable to defective sanitary arrangements has occurred in this district since the years wbei typhoid fever prevailed to a consider- able extent in he t¡WII of Machynlleth'; chiefly in a locality notorious for its defective sanitary condition, namely, the Garshon and Pvvllan. Scarlet fever exists in this district, and has existed for upwards of twelvemonths, but gener- ally of a mild kind, only three deatha- from this disease having taken place during that period, to my knowledge. The drainage in general, but (specially in the town of Machynlleth- is highly discreditable, ow-iog both to defec- tive construction and want of flushing. The protection derived from the letter (namely flushing), owing to the unusual downfall of rain during the past eight month*, I con«ider largely to be the cause of our fre'dom froai mala- rios influences so frequently o mnected with ordinary ill- nesses. The 3miller cottages are for the most pirt very defectively constructed for affording efficient ventd-ition. Air GILLAET said there were other b:lJ places besides those mentioned in Dr Lloyd's report. Dr LLOYD said he hid specified the worst places. Mr GILLART did not think it was fair and ju<t to report upon one particular locality, and to leave cut others. The report should either be a general or a rpecbd one. Dr LLOYD said he merely mentioned where the typhoid fever was. Mr GiLLART: There has been typhoid fevei in Maengwyn- strœ, as well as in other streets. Dr LLOYD: I allude more especially with- reference to drainage. There was not a single case in the-Barracks, nor a single case in the Old Bank. In the course of further conversation, Dr Lloyd said lie had had no.ices from the Inspector to visit certain houses in the town, and pointed out one or two nuisances that re- quired immediate attention. He also referred- to a ca=>e of overcrowding, where husband, wife, and eight children lived in a room 10f.t. by 14ft. and 6ft. high,and the only light was through a pane of gl iss in the door. Rsplying to the Chairman, Dr L'eyd made a few practical observations to the meeting. VENTILATION. The following letter from Dr Richard GrivSths was read —" To the Sanitary Committee of the Machynlleth Union. —Gentlemen,—In reply to your question ns to the number of cubic feet of air required for an adult in a sleeping apartment, I consider that 300 cubic feet i3 the minimum quantity compatible wbh health; but if a sufficient aper- ture be made near the ceiling to ensure the escape of the noxious gases; 200 cubic feet will snffioe. For young children half the quantity will be sufficient. In a dwelling room, where there is generally more ventilation from oppli doors aud chimneys, there is of ciurse less danger to health f'om overcrowding. Very few of the cottage bedrooms in the neighbourhood are provided with fire places, and as a rule the windows- do not open, so that whan more persons sleep in a room than it can properly contain, the air be- comes fearfully polluted, and is very detrimental to the health of the inbabitants.-I am, gentlemen, your obedient servant, RICHARD GRIFFITHS, medical ofi:cer of Darowen district." LLANBRYNMAIR. Dr Robert Edwards, medical officer of the Llanbrynmair district, reported as folhws The sanitarv state of my district is healthy considering the bll., of year. This parish has been invaded with an epide-mic of illnesses universal but not fatal in any case I have visited or been informed of. It ran its course for a week or nine days. The district has also been much affected, with fatal effects of hronchitis.combined with pleuro-pnsumonia which in old subjects have almost invariably proved fatal. Scat- tered cases have been suffering from dysentery and diarrhoea, as I deem, owing to the inclemency of the season. Gro, Pennant No privies, mixens, when visited, too near the- abode. A few of the cottages deficient of ventilation. To make a summary, the cottages that were visited bv he Insoector and mvselP which were either deficient of^ proper ventilation or where the number of iD- m'ltes who occupied each house exceeded the accommoda- tion. The same may he reported cf Bont, Wern, Pandy RlllW, and: Saeson. There are some few cottages unfit, from leaky walls, &c., for human. habitation, although with slight repairs, as the Inspector's report demonstrates, they cen, be made inhabitable. Bont and Wern No privies, with few exceptions. The bedrooms there are- overcrowded in some instances. Pandy, Cock: Many houses at the former place deficient in space in the sleeping rooms-and all deficient of privies." DABOWBS. The medical officer of the Darowen district, Dr Richard Gliffiths, reported—"There is no sickness at the present time existing in my district whieh can fa:rly be attributed to defective sanitary arrangements, although the aforesaid s are by no means perfect. Zymotic ij3eases are rare, but an occasional slight outbreak of scarlet fever or continued fever, generally occurring in the most crowded and ill-ventilated houses, tells- its own tale. Still on the whole the district is tolerably healthy. The cottages, as is generally the c ise in this neighbourhood, are badly built, ,and dilapidated. Drainage in all the hamlets very bad, and privies much wanted. I attribute the general good health of the inhabitants to their being principally em- ployed in out-door occupations, which counteracts to some extent the ifleets of the above causes. I consider there is great room for improvement in all these respects, as an immunity from epidemics in past years does. not ensure a like immunity for the future." The committee we informed that Dx Yughe had nat Y'1"DClAY\h:.a.rl VIIQ 1"pnort.- IJL'QVLl.U"'1.a "0.1 "1' VA INSPECTOR'S REPORT. The Inspector ef Nuisances reported a.s follows :—"March 21st.-Dear sir,—In reply to your questions I beg to make the following statetn(!nt :-The water supply in the district generally is frosa wells and small livulets it is abundant and of pure quality. In the town of Machynlleth the supply is from pumps. As to its quality it would be im- possible ithout analysis to say if the water is polluted by sewerage or other matter that might drain through the gra- velly ground to the wells of the pumps but the general good health of the inhabitants, Mid the almost always total absence of fever, go far to piove that the water is pure. The drainage, in the conntry especially, is very de- ficient, and some of the drains are worse than useless for, on account of their ill-constructum and insufficiency of fall, they have been chosed up and a deposit of the most Slthy nature is in them, and there are accumulations at their inlets. In oth r places there 1).1"; not been the least attempt at drainage, and the surface wafer and refuse are left to take their own course, and "enerally lodge in stagnant piols jnS oetore the doors of the houses. I'llf.- drainage of Machynlletn, before it can ucive satisfaction, must have some alte. ntiona—for t-xamp e, the main sewers into which many^ watercloset pipe, (tis- ("harge are left \vi"h only open gratings to ree,ive the sur- ;n face water, instead of being trapped. The stench arising from them sometimes is abominable. Also, the outie, of the sewers is in a very improper place. They discharge into an open ditch at a place called Garshon, within a few of the doors of the houses, and their contents are left there to accumulate in great quantity and topolnuetiie air. If the sewers were carried a little further and made to discharge in'o a covered cesspoo1, with an overflow pip.» leading 'from it, traps inserted at all the sewer gratings and alfew additional back drains made, the drainage of Machynlleth would give satisfaction. rlhe venoilation of almost all the old cottages is very deficient. Many aie without a single ventilator in any of the windows, and de- pend entirely on the doors and fireplaces, together with the holes that may be iu the walls or ceiling for ventilation. Those lately built are well provided for v -nfiiation. I have s en -ome very bad cas s of overcrowding, as ma-.y a s rven 't eiohfc, nine, and even ten, sleeping in tie same bed-room, mak'n" an av< rage of not 100 cu JIC feet to each individual; but I am h-uioy to state that these arc only exceptions, and that the ceneral condition of the district is pretty well on tbis point. Privy accommodation This is the most r-ener il c -mt>laint against the district, and ready it is ve y bad. One diy I visited eighty-four houses, coiit-didng j., inhabitants, and found only six privies. Anoihc-- d .v I vi-'ted two hamlets, in one of th, re wr-s ro ■ r v i'o 'a i r'va 'anv-. and th» oth.-r bamb.f. w.u wi-'o ut rny for or!vat? or pubVc la another instance i one privy ueionging to ten tamuies, and trat sItuaed < ageiust the wall of a house* and on the side 01 the public road. Existing nuisances, as pigstys, manure heaps, &c. A few rather bad cases, but not of a very serious charac- ter. Almost all have now been abated. Perhaps this will give you a general idea of the state of the district, the details of which I laid before the Board. I might further add that in all my inspection I found only one serious case of fever, in a house where n, father and two children were lying ill of it. The drainage and privy ac- commodation about that place were extremely deficient, which, in my opinion, shows that strict attention ought to be paid thereto. If I were to classify .your s from best to worst 1.'J they affect the health of this dis- trict, I would say bt. water supply, 2nd. ventilation. 3rd. existing nuisances, as &c., 4th, overcrowding, 5th. drainage, Gth. privy accommodation." The CHAIRMAN pointed out that Mr James Lloyu's engagement terminated on the 25t.h March. On the motion of Mr nEES, seconded by Mr GILLAUT, it was resolved, subject to the approval of the Local Government Board, to appoint Mr Lloyd to continue to act as inspector of nuisances till June 24Gb, tt the same ) rate of alary as before.

LLANIDLOES. PETTY SESSIONS.—On Thursday, the 27th March, before the Rev. John Evans, Clerk Edmund Cieafcou and Richd. Woosnam, Esqs.. Sergeant J. Owen chafed D, tili e I .Jar- man, the younger, Glanbidin, Llangurig, with ri,ling on his cart on the turnpike road on the 4th day of March. Fined Is., and coats. Money paid.—P.O. Tanner charged Eliza- beth Ashton, Velindre, with allowing her pigs 11 stray on the turnpike on the 5th of March. Fined is., and costs. Money paid. — I'.C. Tanner charged Win. Hamilton, hawker, with allowing his two donkeys to stray oil the highway. Fined Is., and costs. M«ncy paid.—Samuel Jone-% collector of poor-rates for the parish of Llangurig. charged one Rich ird Evans with non-payment of poor-rates. Order made for payment in the usual way.-The following were apointed overseers of the poor for the parish of Llan- idloes, viz., Messrs Thomas Jones. Surran-erfield Park; John Davies, Dollys, farmer Edward Bowtm, Great Oak- street, grocer and John ,Jone3, of Shortbridge-street, inn- keeper. The following were appointed overseers of the poor of the parish of Llangurig:—Evan Jones Tynddol, sarmer, and Thomas Lewis, Cefnhafodau. farmer.— Paro- I chi d constables for each parish were ".ppointed.-Samuel Jon -s was appointed assistant overseer for the pariah of Llangu' g.

TREFEGLWS. VESTRY MEETING.—Th annual vestry meeting for the appointment of i.verse; rs o-r the poor, and surveyors of highways was held at the Red Lion Inn, on \Vadnes-y, March 26th. Mr John Lloyd, of Cefnbanacb, and Air Thomas Francis, Birchenhoude, were first on the list for each division, as overseers. The old surveyors were re- appointed.

CORKIS. S-T-nxG AT THE QUARRTE. — More than 209 workmen employed at the Braich (Joc'i ftiate Quarries struck work on Monday, the 21th March, ir. consequence of a notice put up-to the effect that all the workmen in t1 e employ of the company would in future be required to commence work at half-past six a.rn and not at seven a.m., as here- tofore, aad to leave off work at sksp.m., the same as usual; and on Saturday morning io begin duty at six am., ant not at four a.m., as formerly. Meetings were held by the workmen^, to consider the wisest course to.adopt in the matter, and pass resolutions thereon. A proposition was made by-a workman that they should not resume work llefore Friday, the 23th March, as the pr,)I.,rie,ors (Messrs Birley) would be at the qnan-i-. s on that day. This prop "itioll was carried unanimously. l-fcuever, at this ssa'" of the procHõ-c11D;!s, the out-door nniifgir made his appear, nee amongst the men, and urged them to commence work on the new syoe-m until the Messrs Birby would visit them and a few of them returned to work os Tuesday morning, as suggested. It was afterwards arrange 1 to asmoint four of the men to attend upon Messrs Birley oi. Friday, and to lay before-them the general opinions-and view's of the workmen in the place.

CORWEN. PETTY SESSIONS, MARCH 23TH.—Before the Rev. J in Wvnne, and Captain Taylor. J Pigs —Thomas Roberts, of Cynwyd,. was charged by P.C. John Roberts with adowing two pigs to stray on the turnpike roaddeading from Corwen to Bala on the 24th March. Defendant admitted the charge*. Fined tid., and 9s. Gtl. costs. A Grateful Itriinkird.—Owen Will ii (,'aerwvc;, Flint, horse dealer, was charged by Sergeant Hugh Williams a, with being drank and incipable on the last Corwen March Fair. When taken in charge a large 3:m of money was found on defendant, who thanked the Sergeant for taking hiin into custody, and so saving his funds. As the ch irge was the first known to the magistrates they fined him in the sum of [" wit h 12s. 91. costs. Highway Obstittction.—David Roberts, of Bryngolan, was charged by P.O. Lewis with obstir.ctng the highway by showing a stallion which appease I to be his own pro- perty, on the fair, posters'having been put up to the effect that no stallions were allowed to parade the streets during the :-tir,-P.C. Lewis having proved the cha"ge, and being corroborated by Inspector ,Jor>e-\ defendant called Robert Hughes, who intended buying the stallion, whose evidence proved fatal to defendant's case, who was fined 10s., and '124. 6d. easts. Drunk.—William Williams, junior, alias Wil Tatws Clacth was charged by P. C. Lewis with hein drunk at High-street, Corwen, on the 1st of Alarch. Defendant pleaded not guilty. The magistrates fined defendant £1 and costs, this being the second offence under the new Act, and warned him that if he came before them on a similar charge again he would be committed to gaol. Assault.—David Jones. Pentre, rabbit catcher at Rhag- gatt, summoned Edward Salisbury, Tyrac.wr, for assaulting and beating him on the public road on tbo&th March. Mr E. James appeared on behalf of David Jones, and Mr W. O. Jones for Edward Salisbury.—Defendant pleaded not tfuiltv. — Complainant's statement was to the effect that on the night in question defendant met him on the ro id at nine p.m., when a quarrel ensued, in which Edward Salis- burv first struck complainant in the e\ e; then a re-ular affray took place, the defendant being assisted by a person named Mary Hughes.—In the absence of corroborative evidence, Mr Jones contended that no case bad been made out for the complainant, but calle 1 Mary Hughes forward in support of the defence, who said she was not certain who struck first, but that Edward Salisbury had the worst of the quarre.Defeii(-Iant was fined 3s. and costs.— Jonathan Hughes was charged by thbicomplaintllt in the former case with entering into his house-on the night of the 7th of March, stripping off his coat in the presence of Ann Jones, complainant's wife, and challenging complainant to fight. Complainant was afraid that he would do him some tidily injury, and prayed that defendant be required to find sufficient sureties to keep the peace and be of good be- haviour. Mis James appeared for complainant, and Mr W. O. Jones for defendant.—Complainant's wife, who was called to prove the charge, corroborated her husband's evi- dence, and added that she was so much frightened that she fainted.- Defendant was ordered to-be bound over for the space of twelve months, in the sum of £10, to keep the peace towards the complainant and wife. Cruelty to Animals.—Jame3 Goorge Bevans, an officer of the Denbighshire Association for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, summoned Robert Hughes, of Cerrig- ydruidion, carrier, for cruelly beating a mare, his own pro- perty. Mr W. O. Jones appeared for the defendant. After evidence, showing that the mare, which had been. sold for 5s., was whipped and- made to go q dckly, or. the 14th February. -Nfr T. veterinary surgeon, was called, and, the lower part of the off leg being produced*— said he had examined it on two occasions, and was of opinion that the mare must have been very lame aad; suffering from disease. Part of the bone was worn ou.t, which, may have been done in walking ten miiies; this was attached to the coffin bone inside the hoof, which made the mare not lit to go a mile. In answer to a question, Bevans sahi the leg was taken ofB. on the 2«>th of February, in a, very poor condition, the mare having died.—Mr White, cross-examined, said: The leg might have gone into that- state in a very short time ? the pain therefrom would be intense. It might have been, about a month so. Exercise or work would cause the leg to become diseased.—P. C. John Hughes was also cadet., whose testimony went to prove- the state the mare was in after being soid to David Roberts.— Mr W. 0. J°n>» contended for the defence that no cruelty or torturing, according to the Act, was proved, and called Evan gvan"z ostler at the Harp, who said I saw Robert Hughes anc? Lavid Roberts on the 14th of February with the mare in question, walking around the dunghill in the yard, the whip was used on the hind !e<?s once by Robert Hughes, went a little faster then no ill-treatment except that,. Tne |rnare did not trot, but walked. Had her leg swollen. In re-ply tc the Justices One half of the ground upon which the mare wa, going was paved.—Thomas Jones said The mare was able to walk. Did not see defendant doing anything to her. Might have touched her with the end of the whip. She trotted pretty well on the yard.—Robert Hughes, son of defendant, said he was at the Harp yard with the mare in question. Lead the mare round the dunghill, and touched it once with a whip. The Justices then considered the case- proved, but its being the first offence of the kind, he was fined £2, and £2 lOs" 6 h costs. yeglecting to Repair the Highway.—Robert Davies, Bronguddio, was charged by P (J. John Roberts wiih this offence.—Defendant was ordered to repair within a month, P.O. Roberts to inspect and report thereon by the next pstty sessions.—The of John Roberts. Tyfas, which was" adjourned from January Petty Sessions, was also h&arrl, when he was fined in the sum of £ 1 and costs for n jt having finished repairing according to the order. The" accounts of surveyors for the several districts of Ed irnion were produced and passed, whioh concluded the business of the day.

KERRY. PE I'TY" SESSIONS, FKID.VY, AIAUCH 28TH.—Before the I Lloyd, and W. Walton, Esq. Drunkenness.—Richard Williams was charged by P.C Humphreys with this offence. Fined 2-i. iil. and costs in default, seven days' imprisonment.—Edward Morgan, farmer, for a like offence, was fined 2s. Gd. and costs.— Richard Evans, a farm servant, who did not appear, was fined 2s. (id. and costs for a similar offence. Pursuit of Game.—David Jones and Walter .Tor.es were charged with In pursuit of game at the Vastre, on the 17th March.—Thomas Tudor, gamekeeper to Mr Walton, paw tie defendants beating a c iverfc bolot.ging to his master, to which they had traced a h ire tiuougo the snow. —Fined 10s. each, and costs. Overrun's and patvehial constables for the parishes in the division were ap; oiu ell at this meeting.

NEWTOYVN. P'.rrTY Scs-i >\ .,—A sreotal sessions was held 01 Wt d- re 9 lav, March 2iith, for the appointment of ovuise -rs and surveyors, when the necessary appointments were umle,-— The or.lv criminal cas1 was u charge of drunkemirus, pr«- fe r 1.1 '.) i i -vTiiet a pPl' 11:.r\r Mulli- gan, wmcli being admitted, a line of 2s. lid., and c sls, was iuflicted and paid. NEWTOWN AND LLANIDLOES BOARD OF GUARDIANS, WEDNESD AY, MARCH 20;H.— Present, the Rev. John Fvans, Chairman, Mr Cornelius Morgan, Vice-chairman, Mesr, T. W. Hare, Richard Woosnam, J. P. Davies, and Captain Adams, ex-officio Messrs Thomas Pryce, Robert Edwards, J. B. Owen, John R. Pryce, Rish ,rd Jone^, Edward Edwards, Richarct Lloyd, sen., William Fortune, Richard Lloyd, ju*' » Richard Morgan, Tlioiaas Phillips, Eiward Jones; Air D. Smith, Clerk. Inspector of Nuisances.-The sanction of the Local Government Board was received So the appointment of Lieutenant G. Walker, K.E., as inspector of nuisances to the Rural Sanitary Authority until the loth April, 1873, ) at a salary of t7 7 s. a week. Order of Business.—Iu accordance with a motion made at the last Board, Mr R. Lioyd, jun., moved that the general business of the Board be proceeded with afoer the minutes were read, and not deferred until the applica- tions for relief were heard. He agreed with the principle •' of the resolution passed SiX weeks ago, but owing to the great number of applications it waj not practicable in that union.—Mr Robert lid wards seconded the proposition.—■ 1'lie Vice-chairman supported the resolution, and said it was desirable th t they should take two books at once. He Wi>uid give notice taat at the nexr, meeting he would move that application be made to the Local Government Board for leave.—Mr Lloyd's motion was agreed to nem con. The Use of Australian Mea-t.—The c >ntr.»ct for the use of Australian meat having expired, the Lj ud, befors f entering upon the tenders, proceeded to reconsider the question as to whether this contract should be renewed. in order to ascertain the question of protit or loss, the Master was called ii1 and interrogated oil the subject. He produced the books, from which it appeared tiiao the con- ( sumption of English beef and mutton was 221;bs. per week, at per lb., against 181), bs, of Australian beef or mutton, at an average uf about <[- I. per lb., this being a weekly saving- of about £ 2 (is. 3d. by ttie u^e uf Australian meat. This v.-as 'lie weekly consumption of Australian I meat by the inmates alone, the amount consumed by the officials not being given in the calculation. He reported that it was used- either hot or cold, was not generally liked '.y the inmates, and not to any extent used by the officials, who he thought would not eat it. He explained that the reason why more was not used was that the doctor had ordered its discontinuance by the invalid portion of the inmates and the children, and as this me iley of diets would prevent his keeping his books in proper order, and thereby render him liable to mistake with the au iito; he had dis- continued its use. h pon this statement the Chairman and several of the Guardivii-i3 expressed a strong opinion. Their understanding was that at the time Australian ineat wag to be used by officials and inmates alike, and from what they could see, the inste id of setting <n ex-imple to the paupers, were doing all they could to discountenance its use. It was unanimously agreed "That the use of Australian meat be continued during alternate weeks for the ensuing quarter. That it be partaken of by officials and inmates alike; aod that the only exceptiou to it6. use be under the c. rtiticate of the me iical i-ilioer."

EDUCATION MEETING. A large meeting was held in the Public Rooms, New- town, on Wednesday eveaing;, March 26th, for the purpose of discussing the question cf National Education. Dr Piatt presided. The CHAimrAy, after a few remarks, introduced Mr F. ADAMS, who addressed the meeting at consider- able length. The education question was perhaps the most important question affecting the nation "t larg->. The Government had sign illy failed in the duty it ha 1 under- taken to perform, but the effect of what had be n done would tend ultimately to the carrying out of principles- more and more in accordance with the interests of this great, nation, The National Education League had done much to bring about what had already been done. Their' policy-had been to promote in educition. The speaker then proceeded to t,ie in ny (ItEculties whiol School Boards had to contend against, and touched upon the action of the Established Church in the matter. His assertions were frequently interrupted with cries of "Turn him out," "Sit down," The lecturer then proceeded to consider Mr Forster's Act. characterizing Mr Forster as an artful dodger. The religious clause was a delusion and a sham. He advocated the forma- tion oS-free schools. The speaker concluded hy appealing to them-not to be "degraded by accepting this measure of iniquity, but show to the world that they would have power and enlightenment, and'that a free system of education should be established in the country." (Loud applaud The Rev. T. W. Triojrsox then- proposed the following resolution —" That this meeting heartily approves of the principles of the National Education League, believing that they form the only basis of a truly popular and national system of education, and pledges itneif to reader the League all possible practical assistance in securing its object." Thellev. J. P. JOXE3, Independent minister, seconded the resolution. The Rev. J. WILLIAMS, T'ector of Xewtown, said the lecturer* who was a paid servant of the Educition League, bad placed before them the views of the Ltague in an eloquent manner, interspersed with a good deal of very scandalous abuse of the Church of England. Every one had a right to send his children to what school he liked; Of course a Roman Catholic could not send his children to a school if there were no Roman Catholic schools, and the same with the Church of England; There was no compul- sion in any way. He wa3 himself an advocate for School Boards, and wished to carry out the principles of the Act as far as he possibly could. It appeared to h'm that the exclusion of the Bible from the schools would increase secularism, and produce a low state of mora ity in the public mind. Mr KEBDWELL hoped they were sensible men and would not accept the principles of the League. He moved as an amendment, That it is the opinion of this meeting that religious instruction should be maintained in our public elementary schools, and that the principles of the Elementary Education Act of 1870 should remain intact. (Loud cheers.) Mr JOHN JONES, Terrace Inn, seconded the amend- ment. Mr W. COOKE supported the original motion. The-lecturer having replied, The CHAIRMAN then proceeded to put the amendment to the Meeting, for which there appeared to be about twenty- five hands held up. On the motion being put, it WAS declared carried, amid loudicheering. The usual votes of thanks being proposed to the lecturer and;Chairman, the meeting terminated.

THE NEWTOWN WATERWORKS COMPANY. The first half-yearly ordinary meeting of the share- holders of this company wai held at the Bear's Hea on Thursday afternoon, March 27th. There was a large at. tendance, and Mr R. D; (rough, Aberhafesp Hull, presided. The CHAIRMAN moved the adoption of the following re port of the Directors, whiah was taken as read The directors have the pleasure of reporting to the shareholders that they have obtained an unopposed Act of Parliament for the construction of the necessary work* and acquisition of land, aJid which gives the company the sole right of supplying water to-the town and district on most favourable terms. The directors have obtained an analysis of the water to be supplied from Dr-Frankland, which is entirely satisfac- tory, and ar,, als,) able to report that it will be brought into the town at a much cheaper rate than in upwards of twenty towns mentioned in the prospectus. The directors consider that sufficient cipitaL has been subscribed to justify them in a-king for tenders; and the engineers are now busily engaged in preparing the detailed plans for the acquisition of the land, and the letting of the work in the present spring. The price of iron still continues so hjh, that the direc- tors propose to postpone the purchasing of the pipes until a more favourable time, which they confidently anticipate before the completion of the reservoir. It is necessary, under the Companies' Clauses Act, that the shareholders appoint an auditor at the ensuin" meeting. ° Mr Taibofc has kindly consented to act as honorary secretary of the company pro. tem. The special Act provides that the number of directors shall not be m .re than seven but up to the present time only five have been elected. They all retire, but are eligi- ble for re-election. 0 He did not understand why the company had been held in such bad odour when it was fir3t mooted. The water had been: brought into the town on cheaper terms than in twenty other towns similar to Newtown, and the quality of the water was excellent. It had been deemed necessary to have storage room for loO supply, and it had been resolved to commence tho work at once. Having gone through the remainder of the report he moved its adept'on. Mr J. C. BAYARD thp motion, and it was carried unani'mc-isly. The SoS!c-«ing were appointed directors: essrs R. D, (TOU di, .T. C. Bavard, • H]vt.»e avid Tb na.1, Lewis Lewis, T. E. Issard, and W. Francis. Mr E. R. Morris and Mr Edwd. Morgan were elected auditors. Votes of thanks w re then passed to the hnn, sec., Mr J. A. Talbot, the Chairmao, and the engineers, Messrs Powell and IswetAnham, are Mil e meeting terminated.

GL AX SEVERN, BERRIEW. CONCERT.—A concert was given in Jerusalem Chapel, on Wednesday, March 2Gth, by a party of performers frora Newtown, The Rov. J. H. Griffiths, minister of the place, presided. The following were the performers;- Messrs J. C. D. Hughes, Francis P. Wheld m, and W. P. Phillips, Mbs L,ui,t Davies, and K. Roberts.

FORDEN. BOARD OF GUARDIANS, WEDNESDAY, MAECH 26X11.—Present: Mr W H. Whit-iker (chairman) lb Wm. Withy, Lower Pool (vice-chairman); and Mess John Humphreys, Thomas Williams, and Edward Davies, Berriew; Win. Williams, Leighton; John .;ones, Llandyssil 5 Samuel Miller, Lianmercvvig; Robert Groves and Wm. R. Brown, Montgomery Edward Pr, C" and Samuel Powell, Middle Pool; Wm. T. Park-T, Upper Pool; and Thomas Jebb, Worthen. Mr Wilding, clerk. Out-Relief Statistics.—The sums paid by the Relieving j Officers in their respective districts during the list fort- night were as follows: — Mr R. Jones, Welshpool, £ 10 19s. 10d. to 279 recipients; Mr J. Oliver, Worthen, £:4 ,"°. to 253 Irr R. TVmley, Montgomery, £ :,J Gs. Cid. to 222; total, tit2 lis. .11.. to 7;)1. recipients, CONTRIBL'TIO.V J-AVMEN'TS. Mr PRYCF. drew attention to the fact that payments made by the various overseers tc thy treasurer were not r.ck:-<-w;-<ntd the full araounly <.f the contribu- tion oid"r-: un. Ae th; tooeting cl tie