The Aberdare Leader

Visit of Mr J. A. Seddon, M. P. Continuing his active propaganda on behalf of the National Union of Shop Assistants, Mr. J. A. Seddon, M.P., visited the Aberaman Branch on Monday last. He first addressed a meeting at Cwmaman at 4.30 p.m., when Mr. Evan Jones, Cwmaman, occupied the chair. His audience was composed chiefly of miners, and Mr. Seddon dwelt chiefly on the Labour issues at large. In the evetiing Mr. Seddon addressed the shop assistants of the district at Saron Hall, and a fairly large number of miners also attended. The chair was occupied in an able manner by Mr. C. B. Stanton, -nipeis" agent. Aberdare. The speaker dwelt forcibly upon tht fact that out of 750,000 shop assistants in the United Kingdom, only 20,000 of their number were organised. He wanted many more to join the N.A.U.S.A. so as to strengthen their hands in getting amendments to the. Shop Hours Bill passed through Parliament. The reason why they wished to force the' Govern- ment who were responsible for this Bill was to rid them of their idea concerning "hasty legislation." Ten years" legisla- tion in the Commons brought into force the law that « persons under 18 should not work more than 74 hours per week in shops," and ten years further legisla- tion in the House of Lords brought them permissive legislation which had proved ineffectual. Ninety per cent. of employ- ers were willing to reform shop liie, but the remainder, "the odd man," spoiled their efforts. The experience in our Colonies was that shop assistants became brighter, more attentive and assiduous when they had shorter hours. The re- forms which they desired, therefore, were: (1) 60 hours per week inclusive of ineal times; (2) universal application, of the Bill, i.e., cities, towns, and villages to be treated alike; (3) to cease work at 1 o'clock mid-day on every half-holiday; (4) adequate meal-times for employees, viz., 1 hour for dinner, and t hour for tea. Finally, Mr. Seddon appealed to all outside the ranks to become real Unionists, as they were morally dishon- est as long as they reaped advantages without paying towards getting those re- forms. The solidarity of Labour was already a great force in this country, and by uniting still more it would become triumphant in the end. (Loud cheers.) —The formal amendment to the Shop Hours' Bill was proposed by Mr. Handel Harries, Cwmaman, seconded by Mr. W. U. Lewis, Aberdare, and carried unani- mously.—A vote of thanks to the speaker was proposed by Mr. Matt Lewis, and seconded by Councillor E. Stonelake. Councillors T. Bowen, Illtyd Hopkins, and Guardian Meth Davies were also present.

In fleeing from Aberdare to Cardiff does the "Little White Father" show the white feather ?

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Aberdare Trades Council. FRIDAY.—Present: Messrs. Isaac Grif- fiths (chairman), W. U. Lewis (vice- chairman), E. Stonelake (secretarv), K. W. Gray (assist, sec.), J. H. 'Brutoii (treasurer), Councillors Illtyd Hopkins, Owen Powell, D. Davies, D. J. Thomas, Guardians Meth Davies, J. Prowle, Idris Davies, and a good representation of delegates. ORGANISING LAUNDRY GIRLS. The Chairman mentioned that two of ilie members of the executive had visited the girls employed at a local laundry for purposes of organisation, with what suc- cess would be stated in the report of the executive which would be submitted in- due time. RACK-RENTING. Mr. W. T. James, chairman of the joint conference of Trades Council and local ministers to discuss rack-renting, gave a brief resume of that meeting, a te- port of which appeared in our last issue. The Chairman, said that the Trades Council had in various ways and for a long time pursued their campaign against rack-renting. Mr. James thereupon read a circuinr which had been issued by the secretary to members of the executive and others with the view ot obtamiog names and ad- dresses of rack-renters and all particulars available concerning rack-rented proper- ty. Councillor 0.. Powell said that .the exe- cutive were to be commended on then- action. He would move -that they be thanked and that the report be adopted. Mr. John Jenkins seconded. He said he knew of a good, many members of churches and chapels who were guilty of the evil of rack-renting. Mr. J. H. Parington said that it was not likely that the ministers would go against the front seat men in their churches. The Chairman, said that if the ministers had not had enough work in the past they would have enough now—in tackling the rack-renters. The motion was carried. ABERDARE TRADESMEN & EARLY CLOSING. The Secretary explained that a deputa- tion had been appointed to see Mr. Man- der and Mr. Matthias with the object of trying to induce them to fall in with the action of the other tradesmen in Aberdare who closed their establishments at 7 p.m. on Mondays Mr Matthias was not prepared to receive a deputation, but would see the secretary personally. Therefore he (Mr. Stonelake) saw that gentleman, and put the matter before him, but all to no pur- pose. Mr. Matthias finally said he would consider the matter. Mr. Mander was interviewed by the Secretary, Chairman, & Mr. D. Stephens. The common reply of these gentlemen was that they had consulted their employees and that they did not desire the change. ("Rot.") They also held that Monday night was an inconvenient night for clos- ing early. Both gentlemen volunteered to suggest to their fellow tradesmen that they should—in lieu of closing early on Monday—close an hour earlier on Satur- day night. He (the sec.) felt that it was useless to have such interviews unless the assistants were prepared to say, u We are bound to have what we want, or we shall stop working." The Chairman said that Mr. Mander had emphasised the fact that he did not work his men after the specified time- of closing, as some local tradesmen did. Mr. D. Stephens said that Mr. Mander had pointed out another difficulty. He kept a butchering department, and it was unfair to expect him to close earlier than other butchers in the town. Mr. W. U. Lewis expressed his regret that he was unable to accompany the de- putation. The question did not concern Mr. Mander's employees alone, but also all employees in the town. It was a mat- ter for regret that the Aberaman Shop Assistants had taken up this matter. It was the Aberdare Chamber of Trade that took the initiative, and thev should really continue it. He' would suggest that the Shop Assistants go at it in a constitu- tional manner. Inasmuch as the assist- ants concerned did not want a change, he thought it better to drop the matter now. Mr. I. Hopkins: Are the employees of these gentlemen members of the Shop Assistants" Union? Mr. Lewis: Some of them. The report of the deputation was adopt- ed. RELIEVING OFFICERS AND THE POOR. Ii The Secretary read a circular issued by the Labour Group on the Merthyr Board of Guardians, which stated that some of the deserving poor in the Union were being harshly treated. In order to ob- tain a mandate from their fellow-workers they convened a meeting at Aberdare to discuss the matter. Mr. J. Jenkins said that the relieving oificers were giving a very restricted meaning to the word destitution," and that the poor suffered greatly thereby. NON-PROVIDED TEACHERS. A SERIES OF SCENES. The following motion was down in the name of the Bwllfa Lodge: That this council ap hereby instruct the Labour Group on the Aberdare Education Com- mittee to support the giving of equal salaries and privileges to teachers in Non- provided (Church Schools) as are given to all teachers similarly qualified in the Provided Schools." Mr. J. Prowle, in moving the resolu- tion, said that they should not regard the question from the, political or religious standpoint, but from the Trades Union point of view. Mr. John Jenkins seconded the resolu- tion. Mr. Evan Jones moved a direct nega- tive. He contended that the question should be submitted to the various wards in order to obtain the voice of the elec- tors. Councillor 1. Hopkins strongly objected to the resolution. He held that they should not go back on the pledges made at the last election. Could they not go to the electors with this question? Air. Idris Davies: Yes. You would get a reply in the ballot box. ilfr. Idris Davies held that if they ih- sisted on carrying the motion they would surely lose two labour seats. He was sure that the Bwllfa delegates had not got the mandate of the workmen. Let them fight the next election on this ques- tion. When they had the passive resist; ance agitation Aberdare was strongest in its favour. Mr. D. J. Thomas said that he had given jus word to the electors six years ago that he would never favour giving non-provided school teachers the same facilities as others unless control was ob- tained Let them all continue to stand firm. He would rather resign than vote for tins equality without first having the voice of his electors. T Mr. Bruton wished to know why the Liberal Government had not given us another Education BUIP Voice: They have, but the Lords threw it out. NIT. Bruton: Well, why did not the Government take the Lords to task the same as tliev do now? Councillor O. Powell said that they weTea.11 agreed that the Act was bad. But it was a cowardly policy to make the children suffer. Let them agitate for a repeal of the Act. 1fr. J. H. Parrpgton said he could not see how any Trades Unionists could stand up that night and denounce fellow Trades Unionists, because a certain Act was bad. v Let them send the parson and the preach- er to Mountain Ash to have a ten-rounds contest, because they were the people who were interested in this dispute. Why should the schools be made a battle ground for these people who differed as to the way to the glory land P Mr. W. T. James: That is not the ques- tion. Mr. Stonelake held that the present Education Act was a fairly good one bar- ring the control question. In all the Aberdare Schools—even the National Schools-the majority of the children were the offsprings of Nonconformist par- ents. So he considered that all the teach- ers should be equally paid. He could not see much difference between the religious teaching in the provided and that in the non-provided schools. What, he could not understand was Nonconformists in Aber- dare protesting against giving rate-aid to National Schools and yet sending their own children to the same schools. I Guardian Meth Davies held that Mr. Stonelake in his last election address had expressed himself in favour of the no cash no control policy. Mr. Stoiielilie No, no. I have it in print. Mr. Davies: I also have a proof of it. Let us defer this question.. Mr. Prowle: Faint heart. Mr. Davies: No, I am prepared to fight Mr. Prowle on this question. It is not right that a member should, after making a promise to the electors, say afterwards that he would have his own way. Mr. Stonelake demanded the withdraw- al of this statement. Several others, including the chairman, joined in the demand for a withdrawal by Mr. Meth Davies, but he refused, declar- ing that he could substantiate what he had said. A loud uproar ensued, several members shouting simultaneously. Mr Meth. Davies made another attempt to speak, but the chairman declared that he should not speak until he withdrew the remark com- plained of. Mr. Davies held that he had a right to speak at the meeting. Councillor D. Davies said that he held strong views on this subject, but he was quite prepared to abide by the mandate of the ,electors. Mr. Hillier (Tinplaters) objected to the Councillors trying to educate the dele- gates. He would support the motion At this juncture Mr. Griffith Jones took exceptmn to a remark made by Mr. Illtyd Hopkins, which, he held, reflected on the character of Mrs. Davies as mem- ber of the Aberdare Education Commit- J. TJ:I -r ,r TT tee. xi ne (jar. nopivins) insinuated that Mrs Davies was on the committee to further the interests of her relatives, what about Mr. Hopkins and his own son ? statementf11 Y°U must witidraw that T\r t't °.n-es: 1 sllall not withdraw until i ???klns withdraws what he sa^d about Mrs. Davies. Mr. Hopkins: If I said anything calcu- lated to damage Mrs. Davies' character I withdraw. v, But what I meant to say was that probably the I.L.P. members were more enthusiastic regarding tlrs matter, owing to Mrs. Davies' relation to that body. Thereupon a delegate cried out that he was not there to witness a fight between two cocks. (Laughter.) ^r|i ^^0T1,^ ?•f^ have seen worse quar- rels than this here. ijtmrrefs^e: n°^ say anything about "ocks to'nelako; You mentioned fighting Delegate: But there is a difference be- laughte% S quarrelling. (Loud pn!lrn'jr()wle' in replying, said that the ^TrTlC ?r!SS11Te' br°nght to bear upon the Church teachers had compelled them to join a union other than the NUT -Let them get the people out of this Non- fpr l°^nU °,g-' aRd educate them to bet- ter things. Let them face like men the issue embodied in the resolution. Ihe negative was carried by 15 votes against 12 for the motion. On a cumula- Y°te being taken, the negative ob- tained 38 votes and the motion 36.

The Price of Folly. I IF, AFTER READING THE FOL- OWING, YOU WILL NOT CHANGE YOUR HABITS, YOU HAVE ONLY YOURSELF TO BLAME: I The world is full of disease. Yes, it is but that is because the world is full of ignorance and of foolishness. Disease is the severe price we pay for our folly and our want of thought. We cannot get one ounce of strength out of the body but what we put into it in the form of nourishing food. Now, if you learn and understand that, you are at any rate begining to know something of yourself. If you think that you can work a hard work from day to day with- out nourishing your body well from day to day you are making a great mistake. You cannot escape the consequence. You will get ill and diseased as sure as the sun rises. Perhaps you will blame Providence, and you complaiii of your hard luck and begin to kick against the pricks. Now, think for a moment. Don't overrate your powers of endur- ance. Take due precautions, and face the world with the comforting assurance that you will be able to stand the strain. What you really need to do this effect- ually is a beverage at once refreshing, pleasant to the palate, and strengthen- ing to both mind and body. Such a food-beverage is Dr. Tibbies' Vi-Cocoa. It has made happy many a home which otherwise to-day would have been wretched, and the ultimate effects of which it is impossible to foresee. For breakfast, dinner, supper-indeed at any hour of the twenty-four—Dr. Tibbies' Vi-Cocoa will be found light and refresh- ing; it leads the way among all bever- ages, and, as it costs only sixpence a packet, nothing can equal it. Do not ask your grocer for cocoa. Ask for 94&Cocoa —it makes all the difference. Every grocer sells Vi-Cocoa in 6d. packets and 9d. and 1/6 tins,

Aberdare Pastor and the Mew Theology. The Rev. A. B. Kinsey B.A. B.D., at Carmel Baptist Chapel on Sunday morn- ing pronounced against the New Theology, affirming tnat its idea of r white-washing sin had a deleterious effect by reducing the majesty of the Most High. Idolaters, said he, made their idols to suit their own debased tastes, and worshipped them, levelling, t them down to their own level, and the New Theologians were attempting the same with God.

Local Political History. LECTURE BY MR. D. M. RICHARDS. The second and final chapter of a The Political History of the Merthyr Bor- oughs" was given by Mr. D. M. Rich- ards at the Aberdare Liberal Club on Saturday evening. The chair was occu- pied by Councillor L. N. Williams, J.P., and there was a good attendance. The chairman remarked that Mr. Richards was looked upon here as the historian of ADerciare. i'hey were all very much in- debted to him for the trouble he had taken in collecting material for that paper. (Applause.) Mr. Richards started with the election of 1857. Mr. H. A. Bruce, the then member for this Borough, was closely associated with an Act which gave better educational facilities for Wales. To him » also the colliers were indebted largely for the Mines Regulation Act, and Tem- perance people were indebted to him for a Licensing Bill, familiarly known as Bruce's Bill. It was he who, was mainlv instrumental in abolishing an Act of Parliament which rendered workmen i"1 LU Luree montns imprisonment tor leaving their work without notice. When our Socialist friends said that Liberalism had done nothing for labour, they were talking the most ridiculous nonsense. Let them read history for the last 50 years. (Hear, hear.) Lord Aber- dare was the first president of Aberys- twyth College, and he was a great sup- porter of the college when the Govern- ment turned a deaf ear to the demands of the Welsh people. It was in July, 1867, that Henry Richard's name was first submitted to the electors of this Division. In October of the same year he paid his first visit to Merthyr. R. Fothergill was also a candidate. Among those present at Henry Richard's first meeting were Rev. P. S. Johnson, Rev. Cornelius Griffiths (father of Dr. Cornel- ius Griffiths, Cardiff), Rev. Chas. White, Baptist minister; Rev. Nestor Williams, Unitarian minister; Dr. Waldo James, Mr. D. M. Jenkins, a director of Aber- dare Gas Works; Rev. John Davies, Soar, Aberdare; Rev. J. J. George, Uni- tarian minister, Aberdare. Of these, only Messrs. Nestor Williams, Waldo James, and D. M. Jenkins were now liv- ing. The polling booths in the election of 1.888 were more plentiful than now. There was one in Harris-street, Hirwain, another at 41, Harriet-street, Trecynon; Hirwain-road and Cemetery-road; 20, Margaret-street, Trecynon; Lewis Jones" grocery stores. Bell-street; Gadlys-road; Poor Rate Offices; 51, Gloster-street; 17, Whitcombe-street; Cross-street; Ynys- lwyd-street; 368, CardiS-road, Aber- aman; 21, Lewis-street; 222, Cardiff- road; Reading Room, Cwmaman; i, Commercial-street, Mountain Ash; 3, Duffryn-road, Cwmbach; 6,#- Bridge- street, Cwmbach; 7, Bailey-street, Mis- kin; a place opposite Jeffreys Arms, Mountain Ash; and 6, Oxford-street, Mountain Ash. The result of that elec- tion was: — Henry Richard, 11,683; Eothergill, 7,439; H. A. Bruce, 5,776. Bruce was defeated and that was the last election before the passing of the Ballot Act. In 1880 Sir W. T. Lewis stood as an Independent Liberal, but was defeated by the two sitting mem- bers. In 1885 the two sitting members were returned unopposed. In 1888 Mr. Chas. H. James resigned and Mr. D. A. Thomas was elected. Upon the death of Ir: Henry Richard there was a hot con- test. Inr. w. n toulKes urimths was the official Liberal, but Mr. Pritchard Mor- gan was victorious. In conclusion Mr. Richards read some old election songs which were very amus- ing. He also mentioned that the respec-1- tive voting strength of the two valleys was: Aberdare side, 15,050; Merthyr side, 10,200. The Chairman complimented the lec- turer upon his very interesting survey, and related many personal reminiscences in connection with events touched upon by Mr. Richards. Mr. W. R. Williams, B.Sc., Mr. Bed- doe Rees, Cardiff; Mr. J. Griffiths, Fwtrl-, Schools, and Mr. David Williams, Gad- lys, further spoke. The lecturer and Mr. Williams were heartily thanked for their services. On Saturday evening, December 11th, Aid. P. W. Raffan, Abertillery, will lecture on "Peers and P.eople. »

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