The Cambrian News and Merionethshire Standard

Jjmie anb J\uuic»3 "4. Do you ever have your own way ? '"asked the cynical near relative. •• Yes," answered Mr Meekton. Sometimes I have my onn way but not without consulting Henrietta very carefully before I make up my mind." Little Dot was taken for a walk by lier mother one day, and on passing a wood she noticed an intimation which said thac "Ties- passers will be prosecuted." In saying the Lord's Prayer as usual that evening, she stopped after And forgive us our trespasses," and then added in solemn tones—" because trespassers will be prosecuted." Toole one day went into a milk shop and, with the most serious air, said to the dairy- man, "I want a boy please." "A boy?" repeated the man. Yes," said Toole, I want a nice boy, and I'll take a girl, too, if you have one," and he jlooked inquiringly round the shop. "I am afraid there is some mistake," the shopman began. "Oh, no," said Toole, just come outside," and when on the pavement he pointed to the window, on which appeared' in enamelled letters the legend "Families supplied."

Jjrom the papers. The estate of the late Mr Benjamin Pickard, Labour M.P. for the Normanton Division oi the West Riding of Yorks, who began life as a working miner, has been valued by his son and daughter at £ 2,OJ.1 gross and £2,019 net. The National Anti-Vivisection Society has received from the Hon. Stephen Loieridge, its hon. secretary, a sum of L915 8s. lOd as a contribution to its general funds, this amount being the balance left over from the contri butions sent him to defray the damages and costs in the libel action brought against him is' by Mr. Bayliss. At the St. Asaph Board of Guardians, on Saturday, a widow applied for out-relief in sad circumstances. Her husband, a few weeks ago, on going to an undertaker's to order a coffin for his dead child, was spoken to about some repairs to a roof. He mounted to the chimnev without a ladder, fell and was killed. A subscription was opened and P,18 was col- lected but it was said that this money was absorbed by the double funeral expenses. The results of the Welsh county council elec- tions have now been summarised as follows South Wales: Breconshire, Progressive major ity increased from 1 to 11; Penhrokeshire., 2 to 20 Cardiganshire, 34 to 38; Glamorganshire, 51 to 57; Monmouthshire. 9 to 19; Carmar- thenshire 35 to 39; Radnorshire, sectarian majority of 6 converted into a Progressive majority of 10. North Wales: Anglesey, Progressive majority, 30; Carnarvonshire, Progressive majority increased by 12; Mont- gomeryshire, Progressive majority increased by 6; Denbighshire, Progressive gam ot £ >; Merioneth, Progressive gain of 1. there being only four contests Flintshire, Progressive gain of 1.

parliament. LAND VALUES. In the House of Commons, on Friday, the second reading was moved of the Land V alues (Assessment and Rating) Bill. An amendment was negatived by sixty-seven majority, and the second reading was carried. HOUSE OF COMMONS, Monday. THE WELSH STAND AGAINST THE EDUCATION ACT. At three o'clock the House went into Com- mittee of Supply to consider .a vote on ac- count of £ 21,500,000 for the Civil Service. Mr. J. AY Lowther took the chair. Mr. Lloyd-George, who was received with Opposition cheers, moved a reduction of £ i>OU in order to call attention to the administration of the Education Act, particularly in Wales. Ho proposed to ask the Government whether, having regard to the state of opinion in the country and the way in which the Act was being worked, it was not a case in which they ought to consider the advisability of suspend- ing the asperities of the Act and even the operation of certain clauses, until the country had had an opportunity of considering the whole question and pronouncing an opinion on it—(Opposition cheers.) As a matter of fact there was no section of opinion in the country which accepted the Act as a settlement of the religious difficulty. The "Church Times" last week in its leading article said, Nothing but a complete resettlement of the whole question of religious instruction can save us." As to the Nonconformists, 18,000 summonses for the non-payment of the rate had already been issued, and there were in addition 80,000 cases in which final notices had been served. He was not expressing an opinion on the passive i-esistcrs movement it was not a question for the House to consi- der. (A Ministerial member: Oil. ) 11 it Was why did not the hon. member opposite raise it Nobody doubted that from a strictly technical point of view it was a conspiracy. Why then did not tho hon. member propose that resisters should be prosecuted P For the simple reason that lie knew it was not a case for prosecution, and that public sympathy was father with the resisters, as had been shown in recent elections, like Mid-Herts. Coming to the question of the administration of the Act in Wales. he said the county councils, which were mainlv composed of Nonconfor- mists had come to the conclusion that it was a fairer and braver thing on their part to take the responsibility of protesting against the Act themselves than to allow their con- > stituents to do so. The Secretary to the Board of Education had already taken the first step towards issuing a mandamus against the county councils by ordering an inquiry in the case of Carmarthenshire. A mandamus ^'°uld probablv mean imprisonment for con- terupt of court eventually. Did Sir A\ Anson think, having regard to the state of public 0Pmion in England and Wales, that this was case for proceeding to extremities? Was it £ °t rather a case where he ought to take a Droad and statesmanlike view of the situation attempt a settlement P (Opposition cheers.) Ministers as Law-Breakers. ij^e did not challenge the opinion of the ouse in regard to the action of the county jOUncils, but ho would point out that they thUn? some justification for that action in rpjo language used by Ministers themselves, jj Us the President of the Local Government q °ai'd, who was his authority on constitutional H estions—'(laughter),—in addressing a meet- inl j°me time ago on the subject of law-break- g by motorists, after pointing out how com- 11 offences were, went on to criticise na8P.H 'L the police for prosecuting drivers and set- ting traps for them. E\ en thl. Pnme Min- ister has suffered in this respect," said Mr. Long. (Laughter.) Yes, and it was not the only respect in which the Prime Minister had suffered by allowing himself to be driven by a headlong chaffeur. (Laughter and cheers.) Mr. Long went on to say that the law was a farce and must be amended. -v- Daniel come to judgment? (Laughter.) Mr. Long was, of course, the President of the Local Government Board, and the county cu unci Is reasoned that if their chief said that, then they were per- fectly justified in setting a bad law at defi- ance and calling for its amendment. That was also the position of the Prime Minister in regard to licensing when lie advised the ma- gistrates to suspend the op.'ration of the law until there was an opportunity of amending it. (Opposition cheers.) Some Remarkable Cases. As showing that the exasperation which had been excited in Wales was justified even by the administration of the Board of Educa- tion, he mentioned two orders which had been issued in regard to parishes in Carnarvon- shire. In the parish of Pant Glas there was a school with Church trust (keels, though it had been built, very largely by the efforts of the parishioners, who were almost exclu- sively Nonconformists. Unfortunately these trusts were generally settled by the landowner, who gave the site, and not by the subscribers. For some time it was run as a Church school, but as there were practically no Churchmen in the parish it could not run very far as such, and on extensions and repairs being carried out the parishioners subscribed, on condition that it became a parochial school. The cler- gyman accepted the condition, and a commit- tee of management representing the parish- ioners was appointed. But when the Act was passed the clergyman, being able to get on without the parishioners, applied to the Board of Education, and an order was made constitu- ting a new body of managers. Here was a school built largely by Nonconformists, with not a single Church boy or girl in it ——— Sir W. Anson—That was a draft order, made in correspondence with the trust deed, and it is liable to be reconsidered by the Board of Education when the usage of the school in times past is brought before the Board by persons in the locality. Mr. Lloyd-George—I am very glad to hear that. (But the County Council have presented these facts to the Board, and I have not yet heard that the Board have determined to con- cel the order. (Cheers.) Under this order the ex-officio manager was to be the principal officiating minister of the parish, and failing him the archdeacon, who livo, liiilps awav. The. second manager was to be nominated from time to time by the principal officiating minister, which meant that he would be the curate, and the two representative managers were to be appointed by the subscribers. Of course there were no subscribers now, and the representa- tive managers would really be appointed by the clergyman. (Opposition cheers.) The order provided that -the only persons qualified to act as foundation managers should be and should continue to be bonn-fide members of the Church of England, and no person should be entitled to act as a foundation manager un- til he had signed a declaration that he was a member of the Church. This was in regard to the management of a school which was exclu- sively Nonconformist. (Opposition cheers.) He believed the same provision appeared in all the orders: There was also a clause disquali- fying any manager who became a bankrupt, lunatic, or Nonconformist. ((Laughter.) All the children were Nonconformists, yet not a single Nonconformist was allowed to become a manager. And the Board of Education were going to mandamus the county councils be- cause they refused to stand insolence of this sort. (Loud Opposition cheers.) Mr. Lloyd- George described a similar order which had been issued in regard to Clynnog, another parish in Carnarvonshire, where of 109 chil- dren attending the school 100 were Noncon- formists. In this case also a representative board of management was to be superseded. It was amonstrous injustice. (Loud opposition cheers.) Then there was the case of a village in Montgomeryshire, wlif>iv the clergyman had appointed his two daughters and an old housekeeper at the rectory as foundation man- agers. (Laughter.) Canon Brownrigg, who represented the National Society, wrote to the Times not exactly to defend the rec- tor's action, but to point out that the parish was 1,200 feet above the sea-level—(laughter) —and therefore evidently so much above all ordinary ideas of fair play. Under these or- ders it was competent for the clergyman of the parish to have his own board of man- agement. An Enquiry AVelcomed. The Board of Education had appointed Mr Lawrence, K.C., to make an inquiry in regard to Carmarthenshire. Was lie going to in- quire simply into technical breaches of the Act or into the whole condition of the county ? If it was to be a general inquiry then they would welcome it. In every parish in Carmarthen- shire there was a Sunday school attached to a chapel in which the Nonconformists might easily start a day school if they desired. But if they did that it would mean that in a parish containing, say, 120 children who now attended one school, and were brought up as one little community, those children would be split up into three or four little hostile camps, which would be a bad fhing both from the social and the educational point of view. (Opposition cheers.) In this matter the Government had been misled by the bishops, who said the Welsh county councils would not act as they had done. It was wonderful how this Government ob- tained its information-in South Africa from the Rand magnates and in Wales the views of the Nonconformists from 11 i- ei-fums. (Laugh- ter.) The last county council elections proved that AVales was unanimous in this matter. (Cheers. This was a case not for police action, but for statesmanship. I am speaking for the vast majority," he said, when I say they would rather have a settlement than strife, but if the Government insist on pressing mat- ters to extremities they are prepared to endure any infliction which the law can impose on them. (Cheers ) I submit to the Government that this is a case for toleration, for considera- tion, for a real inquiry into the matter. The danger of a Minister is to play the part of what is called a strong man, but a really strong Minister is one who is ready to take the ha- zards of a right course of action." (Cheers.) Mr. Haldane, who seconded the amendment, considered that as a supporter of the principle of the Act be., was entitled to join in an appeal to the Government based on the ground of the damage that was being done to the cause of education by the circumstances to which atten- tion had been called. (Cheers.) It was wor- thy of notice that the Welsh county councils had not refused to administer the Act. but the Government could not work an Act of this kind without the greatest toleration and for- bearance and without considerable modification of the clauses of the measure. In his opinion the State should confine itself to education, and leave religious matters to take care of themselves, or rather to be cared for by the people concerned with them. (Cheers.) Sir W .Anson, referring first to the state- ment that the Act had met with almost uni- versal disapproval, pointed out that all the local authorities had by the framing of schemes displayed a willingness to undertake its admin- istration, and this was the case even with the AVelsh county councils if only they could -ir I administer some portion of the Act precisely in their own way. He asked what was meant by the statement that Nonconformists were anxious for a settlement? Did they wish to drive everybody into schools where that form of religious instruction was given that Non- conformists preferred, or did they wish to secu- larise education altogether?" (Ministerial cheers.) Mr. Lioyd-George—AY e accepted the pro- posals made by the Bishop of St. Asaph. (Opposition cheers." Sir W.Anson said that in January last Mr Lloyd-George stated that the Bishop of St. Asapli had entirely misunderstood him if the I Bishop thought that denominational religieu-i teaching would be admitted in the school hours. The alternative, therefore, was really between secularised education, which in spite of the opinion of Mr. Haldane would not be popular in this country, and a religious ty- ranny under which all would be required to send their children to schools in which teaching was given that Nonconformists especially, if not they alone, preferred. (Cheers.) Mr. Lloyd-George explained that the pro- posals of the Bishop in regard to the basis of religious instruction were accepted. The sug- gestion was also accepted that the school hours should be put back once or twice a week in order to enable Church children to receive such special religious instruction as they required. Sir W. Anson repeated that, according to the report of his speech which appeared in the Manchester Guardian of the 6th January, Air. Lloyd-George denounced the idea that de- nominational religious instruction would for a moment be admitted in the school. Mr. Lloyd-George replied that Sir W. Anson was ignoring the suggestion which came from the Board of Education that the school hours should be put back. This was accepted by the AVelsh councils. (Cheers.) Sir W. Anson asked the House to consider whether the dissatisfaction with the Act was a genuine outburst of public opinion, or whe- ther that feeling was not really fostered by Mr. Lloyd-George and his friends. He him- self had been taken to task for speaking of passive resistance as a political move. On that point he quoted from a circular letter is- sued on behalf of the National Free Church Council, anl also from a speech delivered by Mr. Lloyd-George at a passive resistanc. lun- cheon" and said, with every respect for con- science, which, no doubt, had found its place in some part of the movement, he confessed that with the evidence before him lie could not help putting this movement into the category of energetic, and possibly well-directed political agitation. (Ministerial cheers.) Sir H. Campbell-iBannerman—Have even the Bishops done nothing politically? (Cheers.) Sir W. Anson said the Bishops had not taken part in any passive resistance movement. (Laughter.) He asserted that behind this energetic organisation there had been an abun- dant stimulus of misrepresentation, some ex- amples of which lie quoted, and said for him- self he should be willing to contribute to any form of religious teaching that woald impart to the authors of these misrepresentations some elements of Christian truthfulness and char- ity. (Cheers and laughter.) Speaking on the question of the final orders, he stated that the practice of the Board had been to leave out the qualification of being a communicant imlr.s this occurred in the trust defcd, and even then this was left out unless specially demanded With regard to the Carmarthenshire inquiry the Board would impress on the commissioner that the inquiry was of a serious character, and that the Board ought to be as fully in formed as possible of anything that could effect its judgment in making an order such as might have to be made as the result of the inquiry. lie went on to refer to the efforts made to arouse public feeling against the Act in certain I trl 11 parts of AVales, and described the influence- brought to bear on the Carmarthenshire au- thority as coercion. As to the result that had attended the efforts to induce the county coun- cils to put the Act into operation so far as Voluntary schools were concerned, lie state t that some schools had been left practically derelict, being without apparatus and without coal for fires. The Council refused to pay anything except the Parliamentary grant as it came in. Not only had the Act n t had a fair trial but Nonconformists who lied pre- vented its having a fair trial boasted of their law-breaking propensities, one gentleman (the Rev. O. Campbell) declaring that by breaking laws they had got them repealed. Such ut- terances clearly pointed to anarchy. (Cheers.) He trusted the House did not think he was insensible to the difficulties the Act had incited. (Opposition cheers.) No one who had been engaged as he had been for more than a year in the administration of the Act could fail to be painfully conscious of the continual irrita- tion and dfficultios occasioned by the recur- rence of these disputes over the appointment of foundation managers and the payment of the small amount the local authorities were asked to pay to the Voluntary schools. "j he great difficulty in any solution such -is he would like to see effected was in the law not cf 1902, but of 1870. from first to last in the recent debates he had said there was :eio-:lie>r settlement of the religious difficulty whien we should reach some day, although the recent 1 ct was, he bell a fair and reasonable compro- mise. (Opposition cries of No.") Ho desi ed to see a system under which religious te,ic' I should be available for all who wanted th-it -i i- teaching, and in the school hours, safeguard-d by a rigid conscience clause. The recent Act should have a fair trial so far as he was a lie to insist upon it. He hoped the inquiry that- had been instituted in Carmarthens\ire would put the Board of Education in posi'ssnm of the entire facts of the case, and the Board would then have to consider what form of order they should make to enable the Act to Le car- ried into effect. (Ministerial cheers ) It was quite possible, he thought, that the remedy might be more effective than the hon. m ,'ibrrs supposed. (Cheers.) If it was not, he would have to ask for further powers. (Choirs and laughter.) He would like to ask members on the front Oposition Bench how they regarded this disobedience to the law by individuals wnd this collective disobedience to the law ] v the county councils, whose members offered th .-m selves for election in order that they might carry out the duties imposed on them, anl who, having gone out of their way to obtain election, deliberately and avowedly cast the law aside. (Cheers.) Did hon. members con- done or approve such conduct ? If they did not, would they have the honesty and courage to say so? (Cheers.) He was quite sure that whenever the country had to decide between the two political parties—whatever the deci- sion might be—that decision would not imply approval of the action of the AVelsh councils, who, in order to carry out a political purpose, had—to use' the phrase of the leader of the Opposition—practised "methods of barbar- ism "-( Ministerial clieers)-wlio had neglected the children, left them without teachers and without books and materials, and had allowed them to remain cold and wet in the winter months from want of fuel. (Cheers.) He doubted whether the country would approve such action, stimulated as it was by political animosity, by religious bigotry, and he might almost add tho personal ambition of certain members of the Nonconformist body in Wales. (Cheers and derisive laughter.) Sir E. Grey said he had hitherto had some hope that by this time the Government had seen that the anticipations they entertained as to the smooth working of the Act had not been realised, but Sir "AV. Anson's speech had left members on the Opposition side more hopeless than ever of obtaining any amend- ment of the Education Act from the present Government. (Cheers.) Sir AAT. Anson had complained that fhe feeling against the Act took a political form. It was precisely be- cause the feeling was strong and genuine and that the injustice was deeply felt that the matter had become political. (Cheers.) It was not merely denominational teaching, but denominational management that was at the root of the matter. (Cheers.) It never oc- curred to th Government that the real cause of the friction they deplored was the Act itself. (Cheers.) Answering an interruption by Mr. Balfour, Sir E. Grey said that as far as reli- gious teaching was concerned he should per- sionally have no objection to full liberty for such teaching, provided out of private funds and given out outside school hours, for which he would give facilities. If we really made up our minds to have one system he believed all sections of religious opinion would be found more reasonable and conciliatory and open to compromise than some people perhaps supposed. (Cheers.) He was sure that Mr. Lloyd-George would be the first to resent the idea that he or the other Welsh members had manufactured the political opinion that had made the Welsh councils act as they had done. This action was simply due to the feeling that the present state of things was not just. (Cheers.) There were times when the House of Commons used to refuse supplies until grie- vances were redressed—times to which we looked back with honour. He was aware, of course, that the AVelsh county councils were subordinate authorities, but we should not dis- pose of this difficulty by taking narrow legal points. It would be remembered that the councils making these difficulties were not the most backward educationally, but the most progressive. (Cheers.) Sir W. Hart-Dvke, while failing to see, that Air. Lloyd-George had proved a single grie- vance on behalf of AVales, was prepared to ad- mit the possibility that some amendment of the Act to meet the peculiar needs of Wales might be desirable. At the same time. Mr. Lloyd-George and his friends should give a fair trial to the Act before trying to wreck it. Mr. Abel Thomas repudiated the suggestion that the recent Act was a compromise. He gave hon. members opposite the credit of be- lieving that everyone of them would be a pas- sive resister if they were placed in the same position as the Nonconformists of Wales. In Carmarthenshire the Cbumh nnrtv on the council were so weak in numbers that it would be impossible to form a quorum if the Non- conformist members walked out of the room. In AVales and Monmouthshire 471 county coun- cillors were pledged against the administration ] of the Act in certain parts and only 126 were in favour of it-a majority of three to one. Were the Government going to send them all to gaol? Would it not be better for them to face the position and recognise that they had passed an absolutely unworkable Act P (Op- position cheers.) Sir AVilliam Anson talked about Christian truthfulness and Christian charity. Could they not get some of it on the Church side ? (Cheers.) c:- T~i,~ n > 1- .1 x* 011 ouun uuist reieriea to me siiuauon as an extremely grave one. He pointed out that the Welsh people were not opposed to the fun- damental principle of the Act ,which was the devolution to local authorities of educational power and responsibilities, but that the county councils had taken up this attitude from a de- sire to force an amendment of certain parrs of the Act. He would have had very much more sympathy with their objections if it had not been that those who suffered in this at- tempt were the unhappy children. There were three ways of dealing with the religious difficulty. One was for the State to restrict itself to sular education entirely. That system had been adopted in a great many of the colonies and he did not know that ex- perience had shown that it led to irreligion. It, certainly developed the Sunday school and made it a real thing. (Cheers.) The experi- ence of America had shown that a perfectly religious and pious population could grow up under such a system. (Cheers.) The great objection to it was that the people of this country would not have it. The second sys- tem, which was tried to some extent under the Act of 1870, was to invent some form of faith in which everybody would agree, and he knew no kind of religious instruction which came so near to that as the religious instruc- tion given by the London School Board. It was admirable as far as it went, and he did not. know of any bettor preparation for fur- ther instruction in dogmatic theology. (Cheers.) But there again the great objection was that the people were not content with it. Mr. MacNamara—-What people? Sir J. Gorst—Jews, Roman Catholics, and a very large proportion of Churchmen. Then they came to the system of frankly denomina- tional teaching. He always thought that the religious difficulty could be solved in the simplest possible way, as it was solved already in hundreds of schools. Why not make it the duty of the managers of every school to see that as far as practicable all the children in the school should receive such religious instruc- tion as was acceptable to their parents? (Cheers.) If such an idea as that was carried out with fairness the religious difficulty would cease to exist. But he pleaded most ear- nestly with the Welsh people in the meantime till an amendment of the present religious pro- visions could be secured—not to let the chil- dren suffer, but to try to come to some modus vivendi with the iBoard of Education. Mr. Lloyd-George—Hear. hear. Sir John Gorst—I greatly honour the hon. member for the attempt he has made to bring about such a modus vivendi. for which I have nothing but praise, and I hope he will renew his efforts. Air. AlacNamara did not think the situation was so hopeless after the last speech as it was when Sir W. Anson sat down. But under such a system as Sir John Gorst had suggested they must have absolute and complete public control, and the teachers must be entirely the servants of the State. (Sir John Gorst'indi- cated assent.) If they could secure that then ho could see a way out of the difficulty. Sir William Anson complained of misrepresenta- tions of the Act of 1902, but his statement that that Act was a compromise was the most seri- ous misrepresentation he (Air. Macnamara) had ever heard.) (Cheers.) That was exactly what the Act was not. The scheme which Sir John Gorst suggested was really the St. Asaph compromise, which Air. Lloyd-George so hon- ourably tried to bring about, but which broke down owing to the stupidity of one or two leading Church dignataries in Wales in not act ing on the Scriptural injunction "Agree with thine adversary quickly, whiles thou art in the wav with him." Those disrnataries showed lack of statesmanship, for a time might come when it would bo impossible for them to secure the terms which they had rejected. Another com- promise, which Canon Ede and Air. Samuel Storey very nearly brought about in the county of Durham, and which was even more favourable to the Church, was also upset by one or two leading Churchmen. He believed that half a dozen members drawn from both sides of the House would settle the question in a very short time. If they were to lock up Air. Lloyd-George and Lord Hugh Cecil in a room, and not let them out until a settlement was affected, he honestly believed that they would get a settlement, though he had grave doubts as to which would come out alive. (Laughter.) Mr. Macnamara proceeded to point out that the Board had shown a much greater willingness to sanction the scheme of the London County Council, a great and pow- erful body, than the schemes of little towns like Loughborough. and Bridgwater, although the scheme of the London County Council did not satisfy clause 17 of the Act. The Attorney General said he was afraid Mr. Lloyd-George was largely responsible for the miscarriage of the proposal of the Bishop of St. Asaph. (Opposition cries of "N-o, no.") The hon. member insisted that denomin- ational teaching should not be given in school hours. Mr. Lloyd-George—If that was the reason why it was refused that reason was not as- signed by the clergy at the tijne. (Hear, hear.) 1 read out our acceptance of all their conditions as to religious education in most unqualified terms. (Opposition cheers.) The Attorney General—If you had this in- struction put out of school hours the tempta- tion would be strong to keep the child away from attendance at the appointed hour, and allow him to amuse himself or to do something which would bring in a profit to the parents. (Ministerial cheers). Sir Alichael Foster said that, in order that religious strife might be hushed as soon as possible, he would wish to see some amend- ment in the Act. (Opposition cheers.) The State could not well and truly handle those things about which there was large and bitter division. (Opposition cheers.) ilhe State should therefore confine itself to such teach- ing as was the basis of all religions-the dif- ference between right and wrong and man's duty to his neighbour,—and allow each de- nomination to come in and teach at its own cost its own particular tenets. That was the only solution. (Hear, hear.) It must come sooner or later, and the sooner the better. (Opposition cheers.) Mr. Humphreys-Owen said the clergy ought to recognise that the time had now come WIlen they should give up the control of the schools. (Hear, hear.) He would not himself be a party to any compromise on either popular con- trol or the abolition of tests. kupposition cheers.) At the evening sitting, Mr. Humphreys-Owen, continuing his speech, said the question was whether the Gov- ernment would remedy an admitted grievance or whether they would remedy an admitted grievance or whether they would try the stupid plan of repression, which would simply increase the difficulties on both sides. In the end they would certainly have to give way. Mr. G. T. Kenyon, speaking as one who re- presented Churchmen in the northern part of the Principality said that in the days of the so-called corcordat Mr. Lloyd-Geor was very friendly with the Bishop of St. Asaph; in fact he fancied his hon. friend thought he had cap- tured the Bishop. But the Bishop declined to ba captured, and from what he had told him since he believed the Bishop rather thought that he had captured Air. Lloyd-George. (Laughter.) The compromise broke down on the Cowper-Templc clause. The representa- tives of the Church were willing to concede the appointment of teachers by a joint board, re- senting the county council and the diocesan conference, but they insisted that they must have adequate facilities for teaching Church children in religious matters during school hours. Mr. Lloyd-George said Mr. Kenyon knew perfectly well that there were two children in the Board schools in Wales for everyone in a denominational school. With reiard to those children we gave a guarantee for general reli- gious instruction, in accordance with the syl- abui demanded by the diocesan representatives of St. Asaph and we were also prepared to give facilities for denominational teaching in the Board Schools so long at it was given tech- nically out of school hours. Surely that is an important consideration. (Opposition cheers.) Mr. Kenyon read a letter from the Bishop of St. Asaph in which he said that so far as he was concerned the concordat broke down be- cause the facilities offered were insecure. It meant, said Mr. Kenyon, that'no facilities which could have been offered could have been secured without the abrogation of the Cowper- Temple clause, and Mr. Lloyd-George told them that he never dreamt of assenting to that. Personally, he was bound to say that he ) attended the meetings in regard to the concor- dat with great reluctance, because he did not feel that it was possible in the present temper of AVales to arrive at any concordat, but after the hubbub had passed away he felt it was pos- of Wales to arrive at any concordat, but after the hubbub had passed away he felt it was pos- I sible that they might arrive, at no very distant date, at some solution. If the Nonconformists were then prepared to meet the Church people, as they seemed willing and anxious to do some time ago, and if they tried to promote a fair and reasonable compromise, he- did not despair of a settlement being arrived at. He congra- tulated Mr. Lloyd-George on his triumphal progress through the Principality. I rom Snowdon he could now survey the county coun- cils of Wales. all practically lying at his feet. But was it worth all the invective, all the trou- ble, all the motor-car journeys—(laughter)—to deprive the poor children in the schools of 3s. 4d. worth of gas or 5s. 6d. worth of elementary school books, for that was the hon. gentleman's triumph. (Cheers.) He admired the hon. gentleman's abilities and his invective-it was one of the assets of the House. (Laughter.) But wait till the wheel of fortune turned1 to- morrow, and the hon. member found himself sitting on the Treasury Bench—(cheers)—

BORWICKS DflWnCD rUvvUtli

^^a where they would all welcome him as Home Se- cretary, preserver of peace and legality in these realms. (Cheers.) AVould he still advocate a nu-rate policy on the part of the county coun- cils of AVales? He congratulated the Govern- ment that, after some hesitation, they had taken a line worthy of them. Mr. Lloyd-George—Very worthy of them. Mr. Balfour, who was loudly cheered by the Ministerialists, said he had never brought in the Bill of 1802 believing it would be a populaT Bill. The Government had never supposes that it was a measure which would conciliate universal opinion, or arouse great enthusiasm, either among those represented by members of the Opposition or among the general ratepay- ers of the country. hat they had believed, and' believed now. was that the time had come when a great educational reform was abso- lutely necessary, whether popular or unpopu- lar. (Alinisterial cheers.) It was, unfortun- ately, impossible to deal with education and avoid the religious difficulty. Sir Michael Foster had measured their iniquities by the amount of passive resistance. A\ ere they to measure the sincerity of the opponents of the Billi by the amount of the illegality it caused, in many cases very cheap illegality, because in the history of the world there had never been a less expensive form of martyr- G-om. (Loud laughter.) He had never been able to understand the moral distinction be- tween contributing to schools paid for out of rates rather than taxes-(Ministerial cheers) —and he had never been able to understand the argument about tests applied to teachers. If they held that education should be secular only, he agreed that to require conformity with the creed of any particular denomina- tion was the application of a religious test in the true and in the offensive sense of the word but since they required the teacher to teach religion, be it Anglicanism or AVesleyan- ism, or any other form, and not least the London School Board syllabus-(hear. hear) —they were bound to find out formally or informally, whether the teacher believed in that religion and was capable of teaching it. (Ministerial cheers.) But if he had been un- able to understand the contentions of his Non- conformist friends, had they on their part been fair to the efforts of the Government to alleviate the difficulties t>f their position ? He had seen leaflets directed against the Educa- tion Act, in which he had been unable to detect one statement which was true, and he understood these hac been left on every house- hold over large areas in the couiitrv-(-),Iliiis- terial cheers)—but he had never seen the smallest recognition in any Nonconformist utterance, except in some private letters, he had received, of the great changes made in the educational system entirely in the inter- ests of Nonconformists. The Act completely removed, as far as statute could remove it, the grievance under which Nonconformists had laboured with regard to admission to the teaching profession, and if they could not ob- tain the head teacherships in denominational schools, the subordinate places, which were far more numerous, were thrown open to thca. completely. ("i Xo. no/' and Ministerial cheers.") Again, the Act had provided for the first time the machinery by which Noncon- formist teachers could get that training In their profession which should equip them worthily to carry out their high fu tcr.on Did honourable members think it fair mtro versy to connive or make no protest against the spread of amazing falsifications of the Act. and never once suggest that in every particu- lar it was more favourable to Nonconformists than was the Act of i870. There were inter- ests before them which they should safeguard, interests imperilled incomparably greater than the relatively insignificant fights between this or that Protestant sect. There was a body of truth common to all Protestants sects which might be most profitably and use- fully taught to the children of this coiini,r.r. Was that common doctrine to be settlec.1 by Act of Parliament ? The House of Commons, constituted as it was, could not undertake it. It must be left to the parents to decide how their children should be taught. There were symptoms that religious men. be their denom- ination what it might, were becoming sick f these disputes-(Ministerial cheers)—which did infinite harm to education and still greater harm to religion. (Renewed Alinis- terial cheers.) But if the contriversy was to be approached in the spirit of some gentlemen he had heard1 that night he did not see how it was to be brought to an end. It could not be brought to an end so long as one element in the Nonconformist programme was that under no circumstances should the Cowpeiwemple clause be trenched upon. On the Welsli question, Mr Lloyd-George, that missionary of peace and goodwill to all men—(laughter)—would at all events admit that the educatioin of the children of Wales was a duty that devolved upon the Government of this country. If it were not effectively oarried out bv those legally responsible for it, some remedy must be de- vised. He (Air. Balfour should hope that, without legislative interference the present deplorable state of things would be brought to an end, otherwise the Government would have to see that the Welsh children did not la-k the education given in other parts of his Majesty's dominions. (Ministerial cheers.) THE DIVISION. 9 The House divided. There voted— For Mr. Lloyd-George's motion 128 Against 248 Government majority 120 The House adjourned shortly afterwards.

Prtpartd imdtr MtdittA Itutnution, FERRU- COCOA Is DELICIOUS a REFRESHING. It ENRICHES THE BLOOD and Is THE ONLY COCOA containing FERRUGINOUS ELEMENTS. Packed in 6d.. 9d. and 1/6 tins. Of All Grocers. FREE GIFT of Eleotpo-Sllvar Jug as an Advertisement. See Coupon inside tins. FREE SAMPLES SKMT TO ALL. Ferrn-Cocoa MaDofact'g Co., Ltd., 8, CROSS LANE, EASTCHBAP, LONDON, E.C. -=====- WORTH A GUINEA A BOX. iílD p FOR ALL BILIOUS AND NERVOUS DISORDERS, SICK HEADACHE, CONSTIPATION WIND & PAINS IN STOMACH, IMPAIRED DIGESTION DISORDERED LIVER, AND FEMALE AILMENTS ANNUAL SALE, SIX MILLIONS. In Boxes Is lid and 28 9J each. with the directions. The Is ld box contains 56 Pills, Prepared only by the Proprietor- THOMAS BEECHAM, ST. H E L E N'S, LANCASHIRE, BEECHAM'S TOOTH PASTE EFFICACIOUS- ECONONL ICAI,- CLEANSES THE TEETH-PERFUMES THE BREATH. 1n Collapsible Tabes, oi all Drui^ists, or from the Propri tor. for Is, post paid Tired Muscle$. tt TUBES 1^'rBC* ^US0^eS' business Jttitosscs. STEAM LAUNDRY ABERYSTWYTH. B. JONES — BEGS to inform his numerous Customers that owing to the increase of business he has put down additional NEW AND MODERN MACHINERY to enable him to execute all orders with promptness and despatch, and hopes to still merit your esteemed patronage and support. HOTELS AND PUBLIC INSTITUTIONS SPECIALLY CATERED FOR. SHIRTS AND COLLARS A SPECIALITY. All Goods Collect.'d and Delivered Free of Charge. Send a Postcard and the Van will ca I Particulars and prices on application DAVID PHILLIPS, CARRIAGE PROPRIETOR, NORTH PARADE POSTING STABLES BEGS to call the attenti on of the Inhabit- ants cf the Town and District his larg> assortment of conveyances. WEDDING CARRIAGES A SPECIALITY FUNERAL & MOUR\TlNTft COACHES KEPT TERMS REASONABLE. Private Address- 31, MARINE TERRACE. ABERYSTWYTH. FOR Incandescent Fittings SEND TO P. B. LOVEDAY, REGTSTKRED PLUM HER AND GENERAL DECORATOR. Moderate Ciiargf*. Estimates Free. Work Guaranteed. Immediate attention to all Orders. 17, QUEEN S T It E E T. ABERYSTWYTH. I COUGH MIXTURE. TRY ROBERT ELLIS'S COUGH MIXTURE AND CHEST TONIC NEURALGIA! NEURALGIA!! Do yon ,uff.,r agony from NEURALGIA, FACE-ACHE, <fcc. 1 If so, take MI ALL JONES' NEURALGIA MIXTURE. ONE DOSE gives relief. I" strergthens the nerves, invigorates the system, gives rest and sleep at night. Sold in bottles, Is. Hi. each. Prepired only by W. MI ALL JONES, PHARMACEUTICAL CHEMIST, 33, TERRACE ROAD ABERYSTWYIH. F. BENNISON, FISHMONGER & FRUITERER LISBURNE HOUSE, TERRACE-ROAD, FRESH FISH DAILY Caught by our own Boats, "Plover I anti Albatross," in the Bay. FRESH SALMON FROM THE TE1FY, SEVERN, AND OTFER RIVERS. [CE always on hand. Homers' clotted cream and cream cheese. Fruit and Vegetables fresh daily BENNISON'S FOSTING STABLES, PORTLAND STREET (late Skating Rink;, ABERYSTWYTH. The best-appointed LIVERY AND POSTING STABLES In Aberystwyth. HORSES AND CARRIAGES of every descriptlc- FOR HIRE. Landaus, Victorias, Waggonettes, Phaetons, Dog- carts, Governess and Jaunting Cars, &c., by the day or hour. Weddings and Funerals furnished on reasonable terms. All Orders, which may be left at Lisburne House or the Stables, promptlyattended to. iEusic. ABERYSTWYTH. MR CHARLES PANCHEN, ORGANIST & CHOIRMASTER ST. MICHAEL'S PARISH CHURCH, ABERYSTWYTH, Hon. Local Examiner (Scholarships), R.C.M., RECEIVES PUPILS FOR SINGING, ORGAN. PIANOFORTE, FLUTE, AND HARMONY, At 7, North-parade, Aberystwyth Private Ad- dress 3, P!as Iorwpr h, Caradoc-roal. Next Term begins Monday, January 4th, 1904. PORTMADOC, BARMOUTH, & FESTINIOG. 1VIR. J. CHAS. MCLEAN A.R.C.O., Member of the Incorporated Society of Musicians. Lessons IN PIANOFORTE AND ORGAN PLAYING SINGING, AND THEORY OF MUSIC. Barmouth visited on Tuesdays. Pwllheli Wednesdays. Blaenau Festiniog Saturdays. Lessons may be commenced at any time. Terms on application. Address-6, BANK PLACE PORTMADOC. (trburatiott. MORFA NEVIN COLLEGE FOR GIRLS, MORFA-NEVIN ON-SEA, N. WALES. Principal-MISS FLORENCE HART (Cert). Thorough education. All Accomplishments. Physical training. Magnificent Sea and Moun- tain air. Pupils from Welsh counties-Boarders -30 guineas a year. Day pupils from 1 guinea aterro. Spring term, January 25th. e254 WORKSOP. TOP ARENT SAN D GUARDIANS. INFORMATION ABOUT SUITABLE SCHOOLS AT HOME AND ABROAD, SENT GRATIS. Select at leisure. State whether Boys' or Girls' School desired. Apply— SECRETARY, CENTRAL EDUCATION AGENCY, e461 WORKSOP. OLDEST ESTABLISHED FIRM IN THE COUNTY R. JONES & SONS, COACHBUILDERS, NORTH PARADE AND CAMBRIAN IITIREIIII ABERYSTWYTH. Estimate Given. All orders promptlyattended to t 1 CEbucstimt ABERYSTWYTH HIGH SCHOOL FOR GIRLS, VICTORIA HOUSE, VICTORIA (MARINE) TERRACE, ABERYSTWYTH SEPARATE KINDERGARTEN. PRINCIPAL MISS KATE B LLOYD, Ce. v'tioiittJfi Mistress Assisted by a Staff of highly.qualified Resident Grovernesses. K$fKIl £ NCES— Thos. Joue-4, H inspector of Schools. LlaueJJy; The Rev. O. Evans, D.D., King's Cross, London. IC. H Short, EHj, H.M. Inspector, Abervstvrvtb Print, s;Roberts, M.A., U.C W Principal Prys, M A., Trevecoa College Dr Scholle, Aberdeen University. Rex. T. A. Penry, Aberys-wyth. PUpilE prepared for the London and Welsk Matriculations, Oxford and Cambridge Local EXiiminatitJl18, &0. For Term", &.c., apply PRINCIPAL HIGH -F'HOOI FOR GIKLS, BOARDIMG & DAY SCHOOL 14 and 15, SOUTH MA RINK TERRACE ABKUYSTWYTH, PRINCIPAL Miss MARLES-THOMAS Pupils have very successfully passed various public examinations. The course of work is specially arranged with a view to preparation for the University Col- lege, where scholarships have already been ob- tained. Great attention is paid to physical Educa- tion. GYMNASIUM AND SWEDISH DRILL. CAERLEON HOUSE Collegiate School zn for Girls. ESTABLISHED OVER 50 YEARS. PRINCIPAL I MISS RHODES Successor of Mies Trubshaw). Efficient Staff of Masters and resident Enclis and oreign Mistresses. Pupils prepared for London Matriculation, Cam bridge Local, Associated Board of Royal Academy of Music and Roya! College of Music, Trinity College, and other examinations. Physical Training, Hockey, and Tennis. FESTINIOG. FESTINIOG COUNTY SCHOOL (DUAL). HEADMASTER MR FRANK P. DODD, M.A. (Lond.) Late Vine-Master cf New College, Eastbourc ASSISTANTS MR JOHN GRIFFITH, B.Sc. (Lond. Hons.), Seoior Science Master. Miss A. GORNALL, B.A. (Lond.). Miss FRANCES E. HISSETT, MR ROBERT GRIFFITH, C.M. MR J. LLOYD ROBERTS, B.Sc. (Walos). MR. E. T EDMUNDS, B.Sc. (Hons. Wales). COOKERY AND LAUNDRY WORK Miss JANE THOMAS. • Tb5- P™1™808 are handsome and commodious, including Classrooms, excellent-equipped Chemical and Physical Laboratories, Science Lecture Roorr and Preparation Room, Dirk-Room, Work Shopl Pupils are prepared for the Universities, the Professions, Civil Service, and Commercial life. A special course of Technical Education has also been provided for pupils intending to enter upon ab industrial career. The successesi during the year 1902 comprise 37 Central Welsh Board Certificates (15 senior and 22 junior), aud various successes in other public ex- aminations, including the Medical and Law Prelim- naries Civil Service and Bank Entrance Examina- lons Fees :-Tuition, £1 per term Stationery, 28 3d per term. Entry forms, etc., may be received trom the Head Master, or from us, R. O. JONES AND DA VIES, Solicitors, „, Blaenau Fastiniog, Blaenau Festiniog, Clerks to the Governors Jan. 1st. 1903. yjgg RU TOWYN. TOWYN COL.,NTY SCHOOL. THE School Buildings are large and com- _A modions, are admirably suited for their purpose, and include Headmaster's House, built specially for the accommodation of Boarders the ordinary Class Rooms, Music Room, excellently equipped Chemical and Physical Laboratories Science Lecture Room Workshop, Kitchen, and Laundry. Pupils are prepared for the Universities, the rofessions, and Commercial life. SUCCESSES DURING 1903. London Inter. B.A., 1 London Inter. B.Sc. 2 Prelim. Scientific, London Matriculation, 4 Hon- ours Ceitificate Central Welth Bn&rd, 7 (14 dis- tinctions) Senior Certificates, ditto, 10 (18 dis- tinctions) Junior Certificates, ditto, 7 17 die- tinctions); Board of Education Advanced Certifi- cates, 33 Trinity College, 5 Pitman's Short hand, 5 Bank Entrance, ö. SCHOLARSHIPS, &a Principal's Scholarship of jE40 per annum at Aberystwyth College Commercial Traveller's Scholarship of f20 per annum at Aberystwytii College Entrance Scholarship of f30 per annum at Bangor Colhge (bracketed firqt on the list) Entrance Sch daiship cf JE25 per annum at Bangor College (bracketed third on the list) Entrance Exhibition of ill Is. pAt annum at Cardiff College Rendel Exhibitions of ;CIO per annum. During the last five years Scholarships, &c, of the vaiue of f.1,565 have been gained by pupils direct from the School Tuition Fees, f5 per annum. For Prospectus, Boarding Fees, &c, apply Headmaster, or to E. J. EVANS, Towyn, Clerk to the Governor* Oct BARMOUTH. BARMOUTH COUNTY SCHOOL J'Oll BOYS AND GIRLS). HEADMASTER EDMUND D. JONES, M,A. (LOKD., SCIENCE MASTER J. T. MORGAN, B.Sc. (LoND.). SENIOR MISTRESS: MISS C. MORGAN, B.A. (WALES.) ASSISTANT MISTRESS MISS A. M. SAINSBURY Cambridge Teachers Certificate). TEACHER OF COOKERY MISS A DANIEL TEACHER OF MUSIC MISS F. WILLIAMS. School Fees, jEl lOe per term payable in advance Stationery, 2a. CHIEF SUCCESSES DURING 19C1. The Principal's Scholarship of JE40 per annum and an Exhibition of JEIO per annum at University College of Wales, Aberystwyth the two County Exhibitions of fl0 c-ach the two Rendel Exhibi tions (for Merioneth) of fl0 each one London Matriculation Certificate two Honours Certificates and three Senior Certificates of the Central Welsh Board. Prospectus, &c., on application from the HEAD MASTER, or from J. LLOYD, Clerk. q452