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. BEEF TRUST.

11THIS DAY'S RAGING. ———.———

IPARSONS AND WOOLLEY._I

"THE EIESIDENT."

LOAN COLLECTIONS. -.ft

ICHANCELLOR'S SECRETARY.,…

LLANELLY NOTES.

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LLANELLY NOTES. I A WEEKLY REVIEW. I (BY "THE WATCHMAN.") The Llanelly Hospital is a concrete example of what is possible when em- ployers and employed co-operate in a sympathetic manner., and industrial communities that fincl it impossible to maintain an institution of this sort would do well to take our scheme as an object lesson. Without demur, the, workers allow deductions to be made from their wages week after week, and this has been going on for some years with unfailing regularity—apart, of course from the periods when the works I were at a standstill. As a result, too workers of Llanelly have been able to contribute substantial sums, which have increased with each succeeding year, to- wards the Hospital. Out of the ordi- nary income of JE2,478 3s. last year, the workers contributed no less than £ l,498' 15s. 5d., which was E107 in excess of their total contributions in the preceding year. Their self-sacrificing efforts in this direction do them great credit. It is apparent that they arc not unmindful of the misfortune that might befall them at any moment. In these days of in- dustrial competition labour-saving devices are continually being intro- duced into the labour market, and generally speaking they involve greater risk to life and limb. This being so, the expediency for having a hospital sum- ciently largeand equipped with the most modern surgical appliances to meet with any emergency cannot be too strongly emphasised. Thanks to the fore-sight of the workers, together with the tan- gible support of works proprietors and others, this necessity has in a large measure been met at Llanelly. We have a Hospital which would be the envy of every institution of its kind in South Wales if people only knew the actual state of affairs. These words are not mine; they are the utterances of Dr. J. Edgar Davies, whom, it will be admitted, is qualified to speak with some authority on the subject. Dr. Davies added at the annual meeting this week "Our. hospital is going ahead and is keeping abreast of the times very well indeed." Such an unsolicited tes- timonial as this ought to make the Man- j agement Committee swell with pardon- able pride, and at !the same time be sufficient assurance, if indeed, any as- surance were necessary, to the workers and others that their money is being judiciously spent. To administer the affairs of a hos- pital under the conditions that obtain at; Llanelly is no easy task. Composed as the Management Committee is. of per- sonsv representing the various classes of the community, questions that require delicate handling naturally arise only too frequently, so that oil has to be poured on the troubled waters. Frac- tious and capricious criticism would spell disaster if they were allowed to meddle with affairs, and happily the Manage- ment Committee have found such dis- agreeable persons few and far between. Instead of being hindered, the commit- tee have, in consequence, been able to work harmoniously under the guidance of Mr. Dan Wiliams., J.P., to whom the town is under a deep obligation, if only for the great sacrifices he continues to make on behalf of the Hospital. For many years now, Mr. Williams has filled the chair with dignity and distinction, and nothing gives him greater satisfac- tion as an employer of labour than the whole-hearted support he receives from the representatives of the workers. He never attempts to conceal his feelings in this direction on the contrary, he publicly acknowledges his indebtedness to them. While winning the undivided support of the workers, it is pleasing to note that he has done nothing to alienate the sympathies of the other classes. Through his instrumentality new friends, whose actions speak lou-der than words, keep cropping up. May their number increase! Sufficient has already been written to indicate that Mr. Dan Williams has proved himself to be an ideal chairman, and it is pleasing to find so many ready to pay honour where honour is due. Per- haps it is only natural that he should desire to relinquish the position, seeing that it involves so much anxiety and multitudinous duties, but in the iii- terest of the Hospital, it is to be hoped he will continue to fill the chair for many years to come. Perpetual chair- manships are not always commendable, but there are instances where they are extremely desirable, and this is one. II On the year's working the Manage- ment Committee were able to show a credit balance of ;C,350-a somewhat unique occurrence, in the history of the institution. There should be no slack- ening of efforts on this account, par- ticularly having regard to the state of the tinplate trade at the present moment. The cessation of operations at some of the works will mean a big shimp in the working men's contribu- ) tions to the Hospital in the current year. This in itself would be sufficient grounds for keeping en plodding, but there is another reason which is of even greater importance, and that is, the necessity for more accommodation. Operations, if they are to prove success- ful, must, generally speaking, be per- formed at the earliest possible oportu- nity, and it therefore goes without say- ing that the Hospital should be sum- ciently large to deal with any emer- gency. Within recent years Llanelly has developed wonderfully, and the Hos- pital, if it is to keep abreast of the I times, must he enlarged. More funds are in consequence necessary, and the Management Committee would be well 'advised if they organised something in the nature of a carnival or flower day, ,and now that we can boast of a hand- some park, the opportunity for holding either of these is far more favourable A fortnight ago, owing to the Western Tinplate Works having been at a stand- still for three months, I ventured to suggest that steps ought to be taken at the first favourable opportunity by the TTrban Council to proceed with the formation of the lake in connection with Pare Howard, so as to provide employ- ment for some of the unemployed. The Old Castle Tinplate Works since then has been stopped for a week, and al- though the new mills were restarted this week, the others are still idle. To add to the seriousness of the position, the moulders at one of the foundries have been out of work for a month. It will thus be seen that the position is daily becoming increasingly serious. Happily, a large number of the men have succeeded in finding temporary jobs at other local works, but there are others who must by now be feeling the pinch of poverty, and it is these that the Urban Council ought to strive to assist. A relief fund has been suggested and as a last resource such a fund should be opened. Seeing, however, that the Coun- cil, if they feel so disposed, can provide the men with employment, which I feel sure would be far more acceptable than charity, they should do so, and thus obviate the necessity for opening a fund. The Labour members are being criticised in the town for not having exerted their influence on the Council in the direc- tion of securing work for the un- employed, and I am not so sure that the censures are not warranted, because the Labour mem bers allowed another opportunity of raising the question to slip last Friday night. As a matter of urgency, it will be competent for any member to call attention to the existing state of affairs at the ordinary Council meeting on Monday evening next, and if this opportunity is allowed to go a-begging again, the Labour members in particular will have to look out for squalls among their fellow-workmen. In an informal way, I am given to under- stand the question was mooted a month ago. This being so, it cannot be de- nied that in the meantime the situation has been aggravated. There should be no further delay, because before the lake can be proceeded with, the consent oi the Local Government Board will prob- ably have to be obtained, and experience has taught us what red-tapeism means. If the Council are in earnest, the necessary consent can be obtained under the exceptional circumstances without much difficulty, but if, on the other hand. they are indifferent, the question will drag on for months. Apart from providing work for the un- etnploy-ed the formation of the lake would put the finishing touch, as it were, to Pare Howard. The inhabitants are yearning for the lake which will makc the park an even greatcd source of at traction than it is to-day. Moreover the lake will be the means of bringinc in some revenue through liottiric, ij not swimming. One or two Councillor* will argne that the recreation ground :it Bigyn sIkmiM be proceeded with n.-fora the lake at Pare Howard. Personally, I disagree with this view entirely. People flock from ail pnrts to Pare Howard, which is easily accessible, and even though the recreation ground were formed at Bigyn, it would for some time to come be, comparatively speaking, because the 'Bigynites would prefer spending their leisure in the most at- tractive spot. If a plebiscite were taken. I have no hesitation in stating that the ratepayers would vote for pro- ceeding with the formation of the hi ke first, and this without any further delay.

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