Weekly Mail

SOCIETY SENSATION. < tTliE DUKE AND DUCHESS OF MARLBOROUGH. e are requested by Sir George Lewie, who v ^ing as solicitor for the Duke of Marl- to that the reports which have Published that the Duke and Duchess ^arlboroug'h had signed a deed of separa- and that their children are at present « th« custody of the duohees, are without ^odation. to, deed of separation haw been signed, and till tv*° fions of the marriage are in the l^^°dy of their father at Blenheim PaAaoe, o«re they are residing1 with him. report referred to was to the effect a deed of separation has been signed een. the Duke and Duchess of Marl- i1J 11gb, on the ground of incompatibility. lv^eT its arrangements—so went the report __the duchess will continue to live in Sundcr- ,d House, Curzon-street, while the duke have exclusive possession of Blenheim. -K^mour has been busy for some time with [vj6 relations of the duke and duchess, who jtjvnow been married for eleven years, kj duchess is a daughter of the millionaire, ji* W. K. Vand/erbilt, and it was during the i. e's visit to America in 1895 that she met L the wedding taking place in the same The duke was then in hit* twenty-fourth i.^r, having succeeded to the title on the iv^kh of has father, the eighth duke, in 1892. W-as stated at the time that the duchess a dowry of a million. fiftn duke went to South Africa during the (j3" and was assistant military secretary to Roberts. From 1899 to 1902 he was Pay- He was afterwards ap- Jr^oted* Under-Secretary for the Colonies, (•jf1?8 .succeeded, on t>he resignation of Governniiemit, by his coos&n, Mr. Churchill. ja^e duchess soon became one of the lead- figures in English society, and a popular "stess m London and at Blenheim. While h-oeband was in Africa she lent her aid the equipment of field hospitals. She was win the duchesses who carried the silver (i the canopy held -over the Queen's at. the Ooronatioxu

SHOP-GIFIL AND CLERK. CHEER UP, DARLING-, TRUST ME." extraordinary story connected with called the -Chalet in VaOTball Bridge F°ad was told to the Ctroydon County magis- recently, when Samuel dare Effis, k. was summoned by Winifred Hoath, of h7titon6 to show cMse why he should not the jadged the father of her child. The oompfeinamt, a eanartiy-dreeBed girl, toged 2L stated that she was single, and at Present lived at Oarshalton with friends. In Ifieptemher, 1904, she was employed as an Assistant in a confectionery and tobacco )^op asar Victoria Station, and the defen- Jj&nt, who was employed by a firm in Vic- ^tia-street, was frequently there as e. cne- h?^er. They became ao<jnainted, and in jT^Jaxy, 1905, they frequently went for, together. L/^hen she realised that she was in trouble informed defendant, who wrote, "Cheer darling; trust me; I will see,that every- Aitg goes right in the end." jJ^tJB&esamdined, shestated tha'tshe «ainti Et&s been atone together in the back room '1 the Chalet, in which she was employed. y.J. Jrss a front shop with a room behind it, ^Jyided by a curtain. She had not cotnpro- S^sed herself with other men, and if a Mr. made any such allegation it would be jjJ*krue, and if Miss Kent said she had wit- it it would be untrue. u ^Ifie Kent stated that she was assistant w Horath <vt the Clsaiet from Fobrua/ry [j*. end of September. 1905. She knew a Brans, who visited the stoop, and had him with the complainant in the back lez on several occasions between March September. The Chairman said they believed t-bedcfen-) was the father of the child, and he f8i>+ have to pay 5s. a week until it was *teen years old, and £ 2 18s. costs.

!tL' miunnniM —— "SIIATTERED ROMANCE AT BURRY PORT. ■^tBJXxROOM GOES TO LONDON I INSTEAD OF CHURCH. -^Uch surprise was created in Bajrry Port «Saturday morning when it was made; that Wdllaam Thomas, railway guard, yfas to be married at nine o'clock at J^Wnacle AVelah Baptist Chapel, had T^denly disappeared. ■PhoTmag oame to Burry Port about ,t.hs ago, and was in the employ of the Port and Gwendraeth Valley Railway y. He is a native of CaEmatrtdwrn. "Or to his coming to Burry Port he had f^ved in the South African -war, and is in of Eeservist pay. The would-be ^de ia Mary Hannah Jones, a young ■JtHan of 22 years, living with her parents. jJ Pantyrhiw, Pembrey. -wedding party asaem4>led at the house to be occupied I t;h young couple at Springfield, Burry betfiore the ampobvted time, and; .P^iently waited until nearly ten o'clock, the best man, John Rees WiTKams, a 'my stoker, went in search of the bride- j and found that Thomas hod left his a>bont 7.30 for the railway efeation, had booked for Paddington. Further twere then made, and it wae found the bauns were not entered at the .f^SSiatry office until last Monday, neither had minister been notified. Much sympathy "fritter the young woman. BRIDEGROOM RETURNS. 't Tale massing brideganom retrrrned from I,Qm CIIl Monday with a gietrntleman friesnd, on arrival visited his intended bride at home. — —-

LETTERS OF A HYPOCRITE betters written in a strained, hypocritical i^le by Arthur Edward Smith were put jf°re judge at Clerkenwell Sessions, pillion, when Smith -was found guilty ol i Ruining money by fraud. In one of the ^^irs, composed in Brixton Gaol, he wrote: Each day, week, or holiday as it comes round carries me Oaclr to its predecessor, nd reminds me of the ha-ppy hours spent ith her who I have for ever lost. I am an Outcast, down-trodden, and thrown on the Vztycide of life. I have done wrong, but have also sought pardon from Him of Whom alone pardon can be craved, and 'With God's help I can for the future lead a. true life, whereby that bygone sin will become purged and purified, and my soul frhite and fair again. I^etective Ohilds said that since 1902 pri- ^her had been convicted five times for theft fraud. I)Ar. Lov-alarnd, K.C., said the prisoner's CV;rs on=ll,1;' to be put iT1 the Central ^tiina 1 Court museum. He sentenced pri- to three and a half years' penal servi- and two years' police supervision. ^L_ I

—————————————————" '—? For something about 1 Adwk Ewllk mw-w it I Er-a m m Nib." m m EW& BOVRI See p. 4 under title- ,.u .t.pe.. a..rqrage' O[:"UDr "JllDleS. j

OPENING OF THE CARDIFF CITY-HALL & LAW COURTS. Nature could not have bestowed a more unpleasant day than Monday for s the opening of the new Cardiff City- hall and Law Courts by the Marquess of Bute and the Lord Mayor. It seemed a freak of jealousy. For had not proud man, with his lofty architectural ideals, invaded that central field where Nature, imprisoned in high walls, once held sway? Had not the green field been changed into a great public place, a rival, on a small scale, to the Place de la Concorde ? And the most inveterate lover of Nature-not wild or bountiful Nature, but the Nature of quiet green fields and restful trees—must acknow-. ledge that the transformation makes fort the dignity of Cardiff, and marks out the Metropolis of Wales as the patron of learning and of the arts, the faithful guardian of the proud traditions of the Cymric race. In the Cathays Park Cardiff has built, at a cost of £ 517,000, one of the most magnificent groups of municipal buildings in Great Britain. The cost is heavy, but the citizens are proud of their new City-hall and law courts. It will stand for ever as a monument to their proud civic spirit and to^ the dauntless enterprise that has made Car- diff one of the leading towns in the British Empire-renowned in every highway of commerce on sea or land. The City-hall and law courts are the first of other great buildings to be built in the same spot. The University College is already in course of construc- tion. The Welsh National Museum is LORD MAYOR OF CAJJDIFF. [Photo, Freke, Cardiff. to follow, whilst the Welsh University Offices have been completed for some time.

TH E NEW CITY-HALL OPENED SPEECH BY THE MARQUESS OF BUTE. Torrents of rain fell without intermission while the finishing touches were given to the preliminaries of the opening ceremony on the covered platform erected immediately in I front of the main entrance to the new build- ing, and the thousands of people who had gathered to witness the ceremony were simply drenched. The large open space in front of the building was one black m-dss of dripping- umbrellas, and one surprising, no less than gratifying, feature of an historic event was tha't there was so much oivio 1 enthusiasm to prompt so many thousands br,a,vin.g the elements and putting up with the oouseqi;ent discomforts. X-oariy all the ladies who were privileged to sit on the platform were early in attend- ■an-ee, one of the first to take her place in the front row of chairs being t'he Lady Mayoress, who wrvs accompanied by Mrs. Windsor j Jacobs and other friends. Not.withstanding the deluge of rain, it was a good-tempered crowd, diversion and amusement being found wt intervals when Mr. John Gibson, who had erected the platform, poked up the canvass canopy with a long stick so as to free it from the weighty a-g-^res^.tion of rain water, which threatened to bring about it's collapse at any ¡ Eorosni. Wfcern this water happened to fail over the unba/ppy head of a policeman, as ME. H. V. LANCHESTER, [Photo, Stereoscopic, London. it did on a couple of occasions, there wle great fnn, for the discomfiture of a, man of blue under any circumstances is always a welcome excuse for hilarity. DIGNITY UNDER DIFFICULTIES. The first, citiaseu of importance to mkenis appearance was the Keoorder of Cardiff (Mr. B. }'ra,ndG- Wi lli-ams ICC.), who wore his im- posing dark wig and official dress. Mr. Francis- Williams had to walk about the platform alone for some time and to present a dig- nified a.ppearance in the eyes of the thou- sands ga.zing upon him as the only com- manding object of interest at that time. Eventually he found relief from the dilemma by engaging in conversa- tion with Mr. George Isaacs, solicitor, of Swansea. Presently the martial strains of the Men of Harlech could be heard in the distance, and in a few minutes the Cardiff Military Band came marching past the platform, fol- lowed by the students from the University College. Still the rain was pouring down in sheets, but the students heeded it not. They were out for the day, and were evidently determined to make themselves heard, and thuo maintain an ancient, if somewhat jecnliar, tradition. Having taken up their allotted places near the platform, they sang "Soepan Fach" with great gusto, and in- dulged in the customary running flre of ba.nter at the slightest provocation. Between the deafening din of their cat-calls and in- cessant. shouting, and the constant dull thud of the falling rain, it was qqite impossible o give a thought to the important ceremony that was impending. The members of the procession filed into their respective places, those makimg the bravest show being the mayors of the various Welsh boroughs and the foreign Consuls, nearly all of whom wore their scarlet mayoral robes or bright, gorgeous uniforms. The Welsh, mem.bers of Parliament, the city aldermen and councillors, and other leading citizens, in suits of ordinary broadcloth and the conventional top-hate, looked sombre and heavy in conrparison. but there was a saving clause of immaculate respectability in their r appearance for all that, and it was really remarkable how well they had protected their hats from the rain. THE OPENING CEREMONY. Malring up the rear of the procession were the Lord Mayor (Alderman Robert Hughes), the Marquees of Bute, Sir William Thomas Lewis, and the Town-clerk (Mr. J. L. Wheat- Isy). An enthusiastic reception was given to Lord. Bute and to the Lord M-ayor as they walked to the front of the platform, the cheers being mingled with a fanfare of trum- pets. It was not a day for wasting a moment of time, and this was a fact fully appreciated and acted upon. Alderman Oarey, as chairman, of the Town- I hall committee, bad the first duty, and that! took the form of a request to the Lord Mayor to introduce Mr. H. V. Lancheeter and Mr. E. A. Rickards (the architects of the new bilildings), and Mr. J. E. Turner and Mr. W. H. Turner (the contractors) to the Marquess of Bute. This having been done, Alderman Carey asked Lord Bute to open the gates of the City-hall, and Mr. H. V. LanChester, on behalf of his firm, asked his lordship to accept a gold key as a memento of the day's proceedings. The key bore the following in- scription: Presented to the Most Honourable the Marquess of Bute and Earl of Dumfries by Measra. Lanchester and Rickards, architects, on the opening of the Cardiff City-hall, the 29th day of October, 1906. Lord Bute, having ac-,epted the key, descended from the platform and performed the ceremony of opening the gates of the City-hall, after which he returned to the platform and declared, amid loud cheering, which was called for by the Lord Mayor, that the Oity-hail bad been opened. PRAYERS BY THE BISHOP. The Bishop of LJandaff, who looked a striking figure in his episcopal robes, offered, with uplifted hand, tha following dedicatory prayer in Welsh:- "Oe yr Arglwydid mid ademlad-a y ty, otfer y liatfuria ei adeiiadwyr wntho: os yr Arglwydd ni cheidw y ddioae, ofer y gwylia y oeid-wad. "Ofer i chwi fore godi. myned yn hwyr i gysgu, bwyta barla. gofidiau: felly y rhydd Efe hum i'w ammylyd. "Yn enw Duw y Tad, y Mab, a'r YØpryd Gten, yr wyf yn cyissegTU yr adedladau dinasol hyn (a'r llysoedd cyfredthdol byn) i'w ogani<ant Ef ac i wasanaeith dyn, gian woddio am i'r Presennoldeb Dwyfol bob aimser fen- dithio, llywio, a rhecleiddio holl ymgyng- horiadau Eli. botJI yn y fain hon, a'r rhai a bennodir i wneutirar cyffcswnder ao i am. ddiffyn y gwir." The following is the English version of the prayer Except the Lord build the house, they laibour in vain that build it: exoept the Lord keep the city, the watchman waketh but in vain. "It is vain for you to rise up early, to sit up larte, to eat the bread of sorrows: for so He givofeh His beloved sleep. "In the name of God the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost, I dedicate these munici- pal buildings (and these law courts) to Hia glory and to the service of man, praying that the Uivxne presence may continually bless, control, and guide the deliberations of His people, and of t-hoee wfho are appointed to execute justios and to maintain truth." While the prayer was being recited, the rain came down with pitiless force, and the beautiful words could only be heard by the few people standing quite near the bishop. The Rev. W. E. Winks afterwards led the recital of tho Lord's Prayer in English, and the Bishop of Llandaff pronounced the Bene- diction in Welsh. • INTERESTING GLIMPSES INTO aiEDOWS CIVIC PAST. The Marquess of Bute, who was again cheered to the echo, then delivered his address, saying:— My Lord Mayor, Ladies, and Gentlemen,— Having taken part in the inwresting work of this building, from the laying of the foundation-stone, in October, 1901, to the placing of the cap-stone of the tower by Alderman John Jenkims in August, 19M, it affords me special pleasure to meet you here and to be able to help in the opening ceremony.. In doing so I have but little doubt that I Am following in the footsteps of my ancestors, the Lords of Oardiff, who from time to time have been called upon to per- form similar duties. This City-hall, which we are about open- ing to-day, is the latest of a series of at least four buildings erected for similar purposes at Cardiff. There have been at least three earlier halls, the sites of which are known; the first halving been probably built shortly after the date of the charter, by which its site wae If the earliest Cardiff charters had not, unfortunately, been lofft,, it might hav>e been possible to show that still earlier halls existed for it is known that there were burgesses of Cardiff possessing important privileges at least as early as the twelfth oentury • and while the burgesses may not have been so aza-bitiousw the present coun- cil they would, no doubt, have provided some place of meeting for public business, whether it was called a Town-hall or not we--cannot now be sure. However this may be, it is oertain that by a charter which must have been granted not earlier than 1329, nor later than March, 1336 William le Zouche .and Eleanor, his wife granted 'a piece of land m the High- etreet of Cardiff for the purpose of build- in°- a publi-o-hall, and as the dimensions of th £ land granted were only 46ft. by 26ft., the building could not have been very capacious, nor, I hope, have greatly strained the resources of the lord and the. burgesses of the time. This was the build- ing described in Speed's map of 1609 as the Town House." That old building appears to have served its purpose until after the middle of the eighteenth century, when it had fallen into decay, as is shown by a. minute of the corporation of the 19th of June, 1759; and shortly after there was erected upon, or nearly upon, the site of the older hall, the I building which many persons still living remember as the old Town-hall of Cardiff. This eighteenth century hall was built, in part at least, by subscriptions from the Lord of Cardiff and various gentlemen of Cardiff, as well as contributions from different parts of the county of Glamorgan. different parts of the county of Glamorgan. The population of the borough at that I time could hardly have been more than about 1,500 souls, as at the census of 1801, when, probably, the then recent construc- tion of the Glamorganshire Canal and Sea lock had necessarily added somewhat to the population, the number of people was found to be only 1,870. In passing, however, I should mention that there is good reason for supposing that in the earlier part of the fourteenth century, when the charter of William la Zouche was granted, the population via greater than in the eighteenth century. The Town-hall so built in the eigh- teenth century continued in use until 1854, and I expect there a.re many persons present to-day who well remember the very indifferent accommodation which necessitated the building of what we now call the old Town-hall, which was begun in 1849 (and, like its predecessor, partly sub- scribed for), and was opened on the 1st of, June, 1854. Inasmuch as I desire to avoid anticipating the interesting etatistica which I have no doubt the Lord Mayor and other members of the council are burning to give out as to the extensive accommodation provided in these new buildings, and the great economy that has been exercised in the expenditure, I will not further debain yoa, but with great pleasure wiU now deolMw the dty- ———— hall open, and express a fervent hope that as yeans go on the scheme for the acquisi- j t-on of this magnificent Site for public buildings, municipal, legal, educational, and otherwise, will be more and more justi- fied and appreciated by its increasing use- fulness in the interests of the Greater Oity of Cardiff. (Loud cheers.) Sir William Thomas Lewis, who was stand- ing ait the side of Lord Bute, clapped him on the shoulder in approval of an excellent effort. THANKING THE MARQUESS. It was Alderman Carey's turn to speak next, his duty being to move a vote of thanks to the Marquees of Bate. "In the first place," said the alderman, I must oongratu- larte Lord Bute upon having given us such an ALDERMAN P. W. CAREY, J-P-. Ohaarmain Town-hall Committee. [Photo, Freke, Cardiff. interesting historical description of the old Town-halls of Cardiff. It will be very useful reading to many of us. Lord Bute laid the foundation-stone of these buildings, and I know that he attended that ceremony at great inconvenience. But, with the assist- ance of Sir William, his lordship was pre- vailed upon to come down and lay the founda- tion-stone, and that was-his first public act as Marquess of Bute. The interests of Cardiff and the Bute family are synonymous. In the City-hall here we have portraits of his grandfather g|d his late revered father, and I hope we «Rtll have portrait of the present Lord Bute to adorn those walls and ensure continuity. In the centre of the city we have a. statue of his grandfather, and the oarporatksn have reserved exclusively the magnificent site opposite these buildings for a statue of his father. (Cheers.) That is only an indication that we of the corporation, and you as citizens of the town, are always pleased to welcome him amongst us and to work together in every possible way. I have much pleasure in proposing a vote of thanks to the marquess. for coming down to open our buildings, and also in asking the Lord Mayor of Cardiff to second it." HILARIOUS STUDENTS. The Lord Mayor, in the course of hih said:—My Loird Bute, Ladies and G-entlemem, I have much pleasure in seconding this vote of thanks. it itas been a matter of the greatest satisfaction to the Cardiff Corpora- tion and to the inhabitants of the city, as THE MARQUESS OF BUTE. well as all those who are present to-day, that the interesting and historic ceremony which has just been performed should have been performed by the Marquees of Bute. Ladies and gentlemen, Lord Bute has once more shown to-day that he regards himself as a citizen among fellow-citizens in the chief town and port of the Principality of Wales. The city of Oardiff is only a year old, but it is by to-day's ceremony already provided with a civic home which, I venture to say, reflects credit, not only on the architects and the contractors, but also upon the courage, the wisdom, and the foresight of the Cardiff Corporation when they decided, perhaps with some misgivings and some hesi- tation, to commence the construction of this noblo building, the gafles of which have just beetn unlocked. It smnds in, t-his mctgnifl- cent park an out,wrd and visible sign of the growth and prosperity and the public spirit of the premier town in Wales. It wfl9 onr determination, in which I think yon will agree we have succeeded, to have a- City-hall worthy of the position of Cardiff in the Principality, one of which v/e can be proud, and which need not fear compari- son as regards the building itself and its surroundings, not only with the Town-halls ot the greatest towns of England, but with similar buildings in the chief cities of the Continent. [The students at this point broke forth into laughter, to which the Lord Mayor smartly retorted: "You haven't seen them yet."] Ladies and gentlemen, it is not too much to say that the whole of the past history of the city seems to be represented or illiis- ALDERMAN DAVID JONES, JJP., De<praty-chadrman Town-hail Ooanmittee. [Photo, Freke, Cardiff. tinted by the buildings in this neighbourhood -the rectangular Roman fort, built to pro- tect the Via Julia and to keep in order the turbulent Silures; [Again the students became hilarious, and the Lord Mayor, joining heartily in the fun, said, I am not well up in the classics like you., The Norman keep and castleuof the power- ful Robert of Glasgow, where the Norman barons dispensed justice to a whole country as absolute masters, independent of the I Crown in their own domain. Under the shadow of this castle the Cardiff of the middle ages grew, first under charters of the Norman lords, afterwaads under Grown patronage. The Franoiscan Monastery was built by one of the greatest of the lords of Glamorgan, Gilbert de Clare. This monastery was spared by Glyndwr when he sacked Cardiff. On its ruins rose the old Jaoobea-ri house of the Herberts, a family long and honourably associated with the town, play- ing a prominent part in the history of their times, and still represented by the Marquess of Bute. The tower of St. John's is notable since it was first built by the daughter of the last of the barons, Anne, widow of Richard III. The thatched cottage reminds us of the Cardiff of the early nine- teenth oemfcury—a pleasant country town. The circle of stones (Chorus of students: "Where, where?" The Lord Mayor: "Over there," pointing to his left, amid further uproar and laragihter) which was erected for the Gorsedd at the last National Eisteddfod held at Oardiff, saw a re-union of the branches of the Celts. The interest Utiken by the Bretons in Welsh matters has contri- buted to that entente cordiale between Bri- tain and France which we rejoice in. (Pro- fessor Barhier, Who was standing among those on the platform, here interjected in a loud voice, "Bravo Monsieur le Maire, bravo, bravo." The students knew the fami- liar voice of the professor, and cheered and laughed louder than ever, while the Lord Mayor smiled his acknowledgment). Con- tinuing, the Lord Mayor said:— My Lord Bute, ladies, and gentlemen,— With all these historic associations, what better site could we have found for this building, and who could more fittingly or more appropriately have performed the oere- mony we have just witnessed than the Mar- quess of Bute? Ladies and gentlemen, I will not detain you longer. (Loud cheers by the students and roars of laughter.) I have much pleasure in seconding the vote of thanks. Alderman Oarey then put the motion, which was carried with acclamation. In reply, Lord Bute said: I very much appreciate the vote of thanks you have given me, and the good feeling displayed towards me and my family has greatly increased my pleasure in assisting in today's proceedings. This part of the day's ceremonies ended with another fanfare of trumpets.

PROCESSION RE-FORMED, VISITING MAYORS IMPRESSED BY BEAUTY OF THE BUILDINGS. A big fanfare of trumpets marked the con. clusion of the opening ceremony. Then the procession was re-formed, and passed between two lines of brightly-uniformed firemen standing on each side of the entrance arch- way into the City-haH. The chief clerk of I the works (Ifcr. E. O. Howell) and the head- oonstable (Mr. McKezisie), in fxrfl uzrifosm a.nd spurs, led the way, and the other members walked in the reverse order to that wbioh was adopted for the street procession. In the entrance-hall they passed between the huge banks of ferns and grasses which flanked the wide staircases, and slowly ascended the eastern staircase to the reception-hall. The visiting mayors from neighbouring towns could be seen oaeting envious eyes at the magnificence and splendour of this great pillared and maa-ble-floored space, which is the show piece of the two buildings. Some of them spoke of its massivemees, its imposing structure, the beauty of the marble, of its pillars and floor, while the effective design and colouring of the stained-glass windows was not unnoticed. In such a place the scarlet mayoral robes and the uniforms of Consuls made, indeed, a brilliant scene, the effect of which was little deadened by the gloominess of the morning. Just skirting the eastern side of the recep- tion-hall, the procession moved into the eastern corridor, and slowly passed through the four main corridors which led to the offices of the staff. These brought them back to the reception-hall by the western entrance. They descended the western staircase, and walked .across the en trance-hall to the main entrance. By this they left, without having made any pause during their progress. There was a good-sized crowd of spectators in this hall, and, in fact, in every available space in the corridors people were crowded to see the procession go by. Outside the hall the Military Band took the lead, and to the sound of its music the pro- Outside the hall the Military Band took the lead, and to the sound of its music the pro- cession walked through the rain, which was now pouring down again, to the entranoe of the law courts.

CKREMONY AT THE LAW COURTS. THE LORD MAYOR AND THE DIGNITY OF JUSTICE. While the majority of spectators sur- rounded the entrance to the City-hall there were several hundreds of people around the barricades which enclosed the entrance to the courts of law. They knew that they had to wait at least half an boar after the processian a.rrived at the park before they; could catoh a glimpse of the notabilities who were announoed to take part in the proceed- i ings. Yet they remained, msuny of them drenched to the akin by the heavy showers of rain which, with short intermissions, j poured down upon them. Sheltering undpr the almost leafless trees wjiich form the main avenue between the City-hall and the courts was worse than useless, from a protective point of view, because the droppings from the branches fell incessantly. A very heavy shower about 11.30 shattered the persistency of many in the crowd. They quietly walked off to seek shelter, and a quarter of an hour later, when the procession, headed by detach- ments of the fire brigade and police and the Oardiff Military Band, came round the corner: of the avenue from the porte cochere of the City-hall the ranks of .srxH:tatore had been considerably thinned. The strains of a smart quick-step, the robes of local mayors—with one exception, by the way, scarlet in I colour—and the usual pomp and circum- I stanoe of municipal functions gathered! together a very large crowd. The weather! in the meantime had moderated. Regular downpours of thunder rain had for the moment made way for a gentle drizzle, with an oooa-sioual glimpse of the sun's rays. A STRIKING SCENE. This was the condition of things as the Lord Mayor of Cardiff, Lord Bute, and the gorgeously-attired civic heads of other towns, among them the newest of all, Councillor Elloc-h Morrell, of Mcrtbyr, ascended t.he broad steps of the law courts on the eastern side. Somehow or other, the opening of the law courts did nOt arouse so much sentiment as the throwing open of the City-hall. In the first place, there was no platform upon which the guests could be picturesquely grouped, and, besides, law courts are not so inviting as municipal buildings, in which many social functions of more or lees importance are held. The invitations to the City-hall will be of a friendly and hospitable character, but these which bring many people to the law courts are compulsory. Yet the scene on the steps was a striking I one. The Bishop of Llandaff, Canon Beck, and other representatives of the Church of England were prominent figures in an assembly which represented the wealth and commerce of South Wales. One outstanding figure was that of Sir William Thom-as Lewis, who, in spite of his worrying attacks of ecda/fcioa, ascended the steps apparently without diflaonlty, and stood a little distance away from Lord Bute, who waa on the righa, of the Lord. Mayor. Alderman P. W. Oarey, the chairman of the » Alderman P. W. Oarey, the chairman of the » Town-hall P. W. Carey, the chairman of the upon Alderman David Jones, the vice-chair- man of the committee, who in formally inviting the Lord Mayor to open the new buildings said the duty devolving upon him at the present moment was a very pleasant one, and he was convinced that in asking' his lordship to declare the new law courts open the privilege would be one of equal pleasure. Mr. H. V. LaJlChester (of Messrs. Lauchester and Rickards, the architects) then presented the Lord Mayor with-a handsome gold key, similar to that presented to Lord Bute, with which to perform the function. The key bore the following inscription:- Presented to the Right Honourable the Lord Mayor of Cardiff (Alderman Robert Hughes, J.P.) by Messrs. Lanchester and Rieh-ards,, architects, on the opening of the' Cardiff Law Courts, the 29th day of Octo- ber, 1906. THE LORD MAYOR'S SPEECH. After a-uother fanfare of trumpets. The Lord Mayor, in opening the new build- ings, addressed the assembly as follows:— My Lord Bute, Ladies and Gentlemen,- It is now my pleasing duty to declare these law courts open. I think you will agree that the Corporation of Cardiff would have been wanting in their duty if when they erected the new City-hall they had noj, at the same time provided new, more spacious, and more dignified accommodation for the administration of justice and for those who are concerned in its administration. We hope that our efforts have been successful, and that these courts will be found more convenient and better ventilated than those of the old Town-hall, with which we are so familiar. We trust that his Majesty's justices, as well as our own recorder and the stipendiary magistrate and city jus- tices of Cardiff, and both branches of the legal profession, will not be disappointed in the facilities which we have provided for them, and that the members of the public will also find that their interests have not been neglected. Many great judges have administered justice in the old law courts, and many eminent members of the Bar have practised there. I may mention the late Lord Chaueellor, the Earl of Halsbury, who, as Mr. Hardingo Giffard, won his Tilii LADY MAYORESS OF CARDIFF. [Photo, Wills, Cardiff. laurels on this circuit and in this town. May these new courts be the nursery of other Lord Chancellors and holders of high judicial offices in the years to come. (Cheers.) The administration of justice is a sacred task, amd it is fitting that it should be carried on in dignified surroundings, worthy of the pure fountain from which its stream emanates. Such surroundings you have in this noble park and in the City- hall and the other public and educationa.1 institutiODB which will have their home here. In erecting these buildings the council of our city have had in view not only the requirements of the present, but of future years, when those who come after us will see, as we most fervenlly trust, a Cardiff larger, still more prosperous and more flourishing, and not less loyal or less law-abiding than the Cardiff of to-day. —(Applause.) The Bishop of Liandaff then offered in Welsh the dedicatory prayer, opening with the first two verses of the 127th Psalm, simi- lar to that offered by his lordship in the opening of the City-hall, and the Rev. W. E. Winks (Bethahy), the president of the Cardiff Free Churoh Council, led the assembly in a repetition of the Lord's Prayer in English. The bishop followed in the pronouncement of tae Benediction, also in Welsh. Alderman T. Windsor Jacobs said it now became his pleasing duty to propose a vote of thanks to the Lord Ma.yor for opening the law courts, and he did it most heartily. (Applause.) His lordship, said the alderman, had performed many interesting civic func- tions, hot none were so great, so important, or so historical as those he bad performed tha,t d&y. (Applause.) In Cardiff they were proud of their Lord Mayor—(hear, bear)-and they were also proud of the buildings opened that day because they were bound to add to MR. E. A. RICKARDS. [Photo, Stereoscopic, London. the dignity and prestige of the town. (Applause.) The Deputy-mayor said it afforded him considerable pleasure to second the reso- lution proposed by Alderman Jacobs. The ceremony which the Lord Mayor had per- formed that day marked an important epoch in the progressive city of Cardiff. It was pleasing and gratifying to know that wrapped up in and entwined with this momentous occasion would for ever be associated the name of the first Lord Mayor cf the city of Cardiff. (Applause.) The resolution was carried with loud cheers. The I/ord Mayor thanked the company most sincerely for the cordial vote of thanks which had been passed, and the mover and seconder for the kind references they bad made to his preeenoo there that day. It would be always a source of the greatest gratification to him that he should be privileged to play a. part in that ceremony, and that the City-hall and Law Courts were opened during the term of his offioe as Lord Mayor. The Lord Mayor, members of the oor- poration, and other invited guests ascended the north staircase to the hall, pro- ceeded through the northern, western, and soutfoera corridors, and returned to the hall. TMs part of the pro-. ceedinigs, which only occupied about ten minutes, being over, the prooeeeion re-formed, and, the band playing the popular quick-step Albertba," marched back to the Ctty-haJl, kwfeere luncheon was provided by the Lord Mayor.

SUFFRAGE MARTYB& ILLNESS OF SOME OF THE LADIES IN HOLLOWAl. A few hundreds of people assembled in Hyde Park on Saturday afternoon to listen to the grievances and desires of the suffra- gettes, as expressed by some half doren. speakers, who addressed the orowd from a wagon stationed near the E-eformem, Tree. There was a preponderance of men present, amd much good-humoaned bajnt«r terised the proceedings. Mrs. Jtfartyn, one of the imprisoned suffinv- gettes, has had to be removed to the infirmary of Holloway Gaol, having broken; down in health as the result af prison com, finement. Mrs. Pethick Lawrence (bon. treasurer of the Women's Social a.nd Political Union) is seriously ill. The doctor slate* that it would be highly dangerous to allow her to remain in prison. The Women's Social and Political Union have accordingly insieted upon her allowing herself to be brought out of Hollo* way Gaol. TO BE TREATED AS FIRST-CLASS MISD EMEAN AJNTS. ( The magistrate at Westminster Police-court (Mr. Horace Smith), after conference with the Home Office, has exercised his power under a section of the Prisons Act of 1398 oil altering his decision in the case of the women suffragists comrmitted last week to Holloway in default of giving security for good behaviour. An order was sent by a messenger to the gaol on Wednesday to treat all- the defendants as first-class misdemean- ants instead of as ordinary prisoners. Great satisfaction was expressed by officials at the Women's Social and Political Union on being inf-ormed of the magistrate's decision. It is a victory for us," said Viea Christobsl Pankhurst to a press represents tive, as it would have been if our friends had continued to recei-ve ordinary trea-t. ment." Asked as to what she attributed the alteration. Miss Pankhurst expressed the opinion that fear of the adjournment of the House of Commons being moved had had weight, support for the movement among members of Parliament being wide. Their plans would not be altered, but when +h« ladies came out of Holloway thev woSff be nnich more fit to resume the campaign than if theyhad been treated as ordinary prisoners. They were waiting for bve- elections, and Miss Pankhurst added that they believed two were approaching When a vacancy occurred they would flood the constituency with organisers, canvassers, and literature as if they were themselves running a candidate. Regarding the health of their friends, Miss Pankhurst eaid Mrs. Martyn was still in the infirmary, but determined to complete her sentence, and Miss Miller was well. Miss Jessie Kenney on Monday saw her sister, and gaol better' and resolved not to leave

THEY DREW A WRY FACE SUGARED WATER AS WHISKY. Two whisky bottles stood one on each side of the Birmingham Stipendiary at the police-court. They were filled to the neck with a rather rosy-coloured liouor, which K?emed to have little of the traditional firmess about it. As a, matter of fact, although them were oapsn las on the bottles bearing the seductive stamp of Rhode rick Dhu," the contents were a delusion and a snare, being, an unholy concoction of burnt sugar and w:tter. I The history of the bottles formed a strange story, wrth which George Leng, alias ScarreJL who stood in the dock, was rather intimately connoted. In ftact, he was charged with sel- ling bottles similar to these under pretence that they were whisky, and managed to dis- pose of one for a shilling to a youth named .Frank Brown. The youth in question said that on Saturday week he and a group of companions were gossiping in Bartholomew Row when along came the prisoner. Do any of you chaps drink?" Soarrell asked. The' company looked rather dubiously at him. and nobody volunteered a reply. At thia said: Fancy, can't sell a bottle oB j whisky for a shilling!" Hearing this. Prank j Brown produced a shilling piece out of his waistcoat pocket and,-handing it to Scarreli. took the priie. It proved a poor prize, how- ) ever, for when Scan-ell had gone and the was drawn the first of the group who took a puM" at the liquor made a wry (face. The bottle passed round, and the general conclusion was that they had been had." The "whisky" was nothing more "thtiTi sweet water. Fueling' tlie loss of h.is shilling probably less than the feeling o £ having been deceived, Brown set off and told the police, with the Result that Scan-ell was captured. When he was arrested in Norar Scotia-street there were two bottles of the i '"Scaimedl brand" sticking out of his coat ( pockets. Seeing that he was caught-and the game up," he told the constable that if he liked to Tisit the lodging-house where he Gtopped he might find some more. So Police- eonstable Daniels visited the distillery, and there discovered quite a tempting array, of bottles bearing various labels of authenticity. They were all filled with the, same rosy fluid. Soarrell, in ccroes-examining the witnesmi. jeered him about being blistered," ae he called it. Witness: You didn't blister me set. alL Scarred!: Well: according to tihe programme I did. (Laughter.) The prisoner concluded his remarks with, suggesting that Brown and his companions thought the bottle was a stolen bottle of, whisky. They will buy anything in Bir- mingfoam so long as it's stolen," he said, aa he was led down the dock steps by the dock-i officer, pending the continuance of his trial' at the quarter sessions which are now sit- ting.

SOLICITOR'S SUICIDR. Mr Joseph Henry A. Shortt, aged 46, a. solicitor, of Dublin, was found dead in bed at tho Hotel Victoria, North um beri a-Tbd- avenue, ai;d at the inquest the following, letter, written by his wife, but which did not reach him, was read: — 51, Gro-rvienor-squiare, Dublin, Thursday Night. My dear Joe,—Come back all right at onoe. I was in town to-day, and was asked if I had heaird anything from you, as there are very strange rumours over the town about you. One is that you are going to be struck off the roll, Ac. We are ail in a fearful sta/te of mind. No time for more, hut if there is anything to be done let us know at once. Your business is being talked of.—Yours affectionately, EMILY. A green bottle was found in an ot-herwise empty chest of drawers in the bedroom, which had contained chloroform, and bora the worda, Not to be takem.—S-tarkie."

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