Welsh Newspapers

Search 15 million Welsh newspaper articles

Hide Articles List

4 articles on this Page

r -.-. -----THE L. & N. W.…

News
Cite
Share

r THE L. & N. W. RAILWAY TEMPERANCE UNION ANNUAL CONFERENCE AT LLANDUDNO. Delegates Accorded Public Welcome. i INTERESTING PROCEEDINGS, [FROM OUR REPORTER.] IThe choice of Liandudno at which to hold the aaLi,.iaa conference of the London and North- extern Railway Temperance Union has been mUJè than j Lustiiiod. The proceedings at the nu oungs on Saturday will do much to further the objects of the Union in North Wales, and the success which attended this year's oonfer- e,i-C{' wiil no doubt be followed by a material in, e;:LSe in the number of members. Tills.is the iirst occasion on which the (Joe if er once has boon hold in the IVoruhe-ni part of the Frind- paJKy, and the delegaJtee and oJiars who came from long distances will long retain pleasant recoileoMons of their visit to Llandudno. weloame extended to the delegates by th6 Urban Dustriot Council, on behalf of the towns- people generally, was as hearty as it was aim- cere, and that it was fully appreciated was quite evident from the remarks of speakers at the various meetings. Unfortunately, Mr Marias, the chairman of the Council, was unavoidably absem, but he had an excellent substitute in Councillor T. W. Griffith, A cardial welcome was also extended to the delegates by the Rev. W. Phillips, on behalf of the Llandudno Tem- pcra-nce Federation, and by Mr J. T. Partington, on behalf of the Chester and North Wales Die tract Council of the Union. In fact, everything possible was done to make the visit an agreeable one and to facilitate the work of the Conference. The Urban District Council placed at 'their dis- posal the Council Chamber and the Town Hall, and they also, in conjunction with several townspeople, eniert-ained the delegates to luncheon, the local Temperance Federation enter- taalling them to tea. The piier company granted free admissions to the pier and concerts to ail the members of the Union. The only unre- deeming feature was the weather, which unfor- tunately was ainything but favourable to sight- seeing. But, as Mr Bone bumorously remarked, ge people of Llandudno, although they can- Ct>;kid a good many tihmgs, had^iot yet got foil control over the weather. Early cm Saturday morning special trains brought hundreds of railway men, their wives, or friends, and by the afternoon, when the weather had improved, the streets of the town were arowded with people dnawn from all parts of England and Wales, to Wihum the Conference was the oontro of attrac- tion. North Wales members of the Union were naturally much in evidence. For instance, a special train from Holyhead and intermediate etations brought into the town 350 railwayman. Another special from Llandudno Junction, which connected with trains from the branch line, was responsible for the influx into the town of about 200 members of the Uoion, whilst the special train run tram Llandudno Junction to Llandudno on Sunday ovening carried upwards of 300 passengers. The trains from other star tions on the line were equally crowded. A REMARKABLE ORGANISATION. The London and North-Western Railway Tem- perance Union occupies a high place amongst similar organisations in the United Kingdom. During itB twenty-two years' career its record is one of continuous progress. Each year sees its membership role increasing, having within the past two years gone up from 4777 to 15,560. Although like Unions have been formed in oonnf ction with most of the railawy systems of the country, that of the London and Nortii- WeSi'Cm has undoubtedly enjoyed the largest measure of suoeesB. A membership of 14,560 oomparea very favourably with that of other companies. Of other Unions the membership is as follows: Great Western Railway, 7086; Midland Railway, b04G. North-Eastern Railway, 5735, lwdon amd Sou til-Western Railway, 3332; V, Great Northern Railway, 1029. These lig- area afford an admirable index to the growth od the temperance movement amongst railway men. The London and North W ester n Railway Un- ion is divided into 19 District Councils, with 77 branches. The Liveipool district comes first with a. membership of 2413, London comes next with 1734, followed by the Central district (which includes all rtations from Stafford to Lichfield) with 1696, and then oom,i,h, Chester and I North Wales diolriot-with a roll call of 1588 This district, like others. is exceptionally fortu- nate m having such energetic officials as Mr J. T. Partington, the president, who is also vice- president of the UnlDl), Mr G. 0. WTilliams the Secretary, Mr J. Hall, of Holyhead, the trea- surer, and a strong Council. They have every reason to foel highly gratified at the results of their efforts along the North Wales coast during the past two years, and we are glad to learn that the work in this district is stilll progressing. An appeaJ is being made for the establish- ment of institutes at Llandudno Junction and Mold Junction, where the population at both places consists almost entirely of railwaymen and their families. One of the features of the Union, which has been responsible iln a large measure for its success in the past, is the establishing of counter-attractions to tine public-house. In all probability, one of the firat questions to be dealt with by tihe new Executive Committee will be the appeals from the two mentioned rapidly- increasing railway centres. It is gratifying to note the encouragement and eupport extended to the Union by the directors, general manager, and officers of the London and North-Western Railway Company, who have at A.1J times shown their readiness to support the Union, and to further its aims and objects. DELEGATES CORDIALLY WELCOMED. THe delegates, about two hundred in num- ber. met at tine Council Chamber on Saturday morning, under the presidency of Mr E. C. Grindley (Euston), when a cordial welcome was extended to them on fcbear visit to Llandudno. Councillor T. W. GRIFFITH, on benalf of the Chairman of the Llandudno Urban Dis- trict Council (who had written expressing his regret at being unable to attend, and wishing the Conference every success), and on behalf of tne townspeople, said he had great pleasure in extending to the delegates to the Confer- ence a most hearty and oondiial welcome to Llandudno*. He need hardly swy that he was in full sympathy with the aims and objects of their eocietv. The work of the officials and men on the railways was so arduous and ex- acting that it demanded the highest qualifi- cations, and best efforts to diaaharge them to the satisfaction of the company as well as the public generally. In fact it demanded the best, from the best man at his best, and no man was at his best if in any way under the influence of intoxicating drink, therefore the object of this society ought to commend itself not only to the dmreotre of the company, but to the gnblic at large. He wished tne society much prosperity in its laudable work, and fent-TT/xi trial their visit to the "<^u«ern of Welsh watering places" would prove beneficial and ex luWaUng to one and all (applause). The Rev. WILLIAM PHILLIPS, M.A., eaid it was very fitting that the first visit of the Union to the Principality should be to the "Queen of Welsh watering places." Rail- waymen required as a rule a very keen eye. It was due to the steadiness of the men that so few accidents ooouxrod on the Line, and there was nothing that promoted steadiness more than temperance (cheers), The great progress made by the Union in so slum a time was astounding; they had now a mem- bership of over fourteen thousand. He attri- buted the result of such an enormous increase to the fact that a prominent place was given to religion in the Una on—(hear, hear),—and in we second place to thcar great organisation, frtr if anybody knew anything about rules and Tegulataons it was the railwaymen (laughter and cheersV Already, one-sixth of the em- plorvees of the Ixmdon and North-Western Railway Company were memJben» of the Temper ce Union, IIJOO be felt certain th" if Vll- k prospered at the same rate as it had «ome during the past few years they would *erv aoon enrol] ail the staff of the company. Another cause that added much to the success W tfio Union was that it embraced two classes, vrbole-hogger- -(L-mgfc/tafr)—and the mode- "Mfl; that. WM «ywtair.Jy the best way to Tr^ (<wIn coniduKion, Mr Phillip* said Mi h*mli id tW JiMdndno Fcderattion it afforded him much pleasure to welooime the members of the Railway Union to Lb-dud-o Mr J. T. PARxING'iX)N, on behalf of the Chester and North Wales District Council oi the Union, also desired to extend to the mem- bers of the Union a hearty welcome to the town. I.n Llandudno they found kind hearts and willing hands (oheera). The extreme kind- nefti of tne Llandudtao Urban District Council and cf the Local Temperance Federation would, he felt euro, appeal to all who were present thai day. The whole of North Wales had looked forward to their visit to Llan- dudno, and everyone had done their best to roake this year's Conference a record success (cheers). Ho was pleased to note that in the Union they had no sects, but all worked side by side for the great and noble cause of tem- perance (applause). The CHAIRMAN said that on behalf of the membeo-s of the Union, he desired to thank Councillor T. W. Griffith, the Rev. William Phillips, and Mr J. T. Partington for the very kind words they had spoken, and also to thank- people of Llandudno generally for the hearty welcome they had given them. He called upon the members to ripe and give a round of apl--I-tuse for LLandudno and its people, a request which was heartily complied with.

THE CONFERENCE.

IPUBLIC MEETING.

-----_.-G El RIO N YL»D R…