The Cambria Daily Leader

SWANSEA CAPTAIN. Drowning Tragedy !nvest!' gated at B!yth. The death of Capta'n Fr-"d rick T I Richard ;on. of l.'plsndf, Swan-"en, 1J13i-;er of tho steamer Roxburgh, was invosti- fcatecl .)t a Blvtli intjuepf on Thursday. After the captain and four h engineer, •Jo?eph Henry Martin, had been to the tqwn and reac hed the rjuiyjide to board the re«.s«l about 10 oVlor': r- Wednesday nicrbt, while a^'cnd" I ♦ H»o's ladder, dec.v-'d Water. >fa'-t;rt dived leí, •>I CAN(.;ht his rín i'. o- e~co«t oil the ladder. A vi> die, of accidentally drowned ;-(1 i tv .•

j LLANELLY FIRM'S CHANGE. j Hc-d Offices to be Removed to I Swansea. j Me-srs. Richard Thomas and Co., Ltd., | l !n- « ell-known tin plate and steel manu- ) r'j'-tuiers. contemplate removing their ulli(,.i?s from Llanelly to Swansea, I j Tho scarcity of coal at Llanelly is very i ac;:te and some of the tin plate works | have been seriously affected thereby this week.

I PEMBROKE PROFESSOR. I I Mr. H. Stuart-Jones, M.A.. Gian-y-mor, I Saundersfoof, l'em., b:1 been elected Camden Professor of Ancient History at J Oxford University. Mr. Stuart-Jones is a fellow of Trinity College and also a fel- low .of the British Academy (of which body he is member of the council). In Wale*, Mr. Stuart-Jone? is best known as a w-.uker on t!:e Governing ?.(!v f 'h-? C:l1I"?in \)!? and on the cnut). i! of ILe L' -L?. C?llp?e of- JW?. 

Sun Rises 8.13, Sun Sets 4.4. Lighting-up Time, 4.34. High Water 927 a.m., 9.57 p.m. Kintr'p Dock, .'iflft. 6in. a.m., 37ft. 9in. p.m. To-morrow, 10.12 a.m., 10.44 p.m.

DIRECT LABOUR. I lie Labour Association, wrote the other clays to the Housing Committee urging the ex- tension of the housing scheme by direct labour; It was stated in the 1 ■letter that the Building Trades Federation wero prepared to guar- antee economy and efficiency pro- vided they had a voice in the iii au- agement and control." Tho Hous- ing Committee considered the sug- gestion at some length, and ulti- mately deferred decision. The architect is to prepare a report in regard to the size ot the experiment be would suggest if direct labour is to be used as a basis of the housing sc heme. In the meantime a depu- tation of the Operative- Builders is to be invited to give its views on the "quest ion of securing direct ad- ministration. We are living in days when eld creeds have lost much of their forcG; or rather s!wnld we not say I that the interpretation of oM "is I has eon?Ideratdy changed. Direct I a peasant hii-t?ry ??per-iaHy in re- admiui&tration in Sw?j?ea I?as not gard to the housing question. But the need of houses is no great ;n ate not foolish enough to say that the* suggestion should not be considered. l,et, -,I be dealt with altogether on its merits, quite aparh from any pcji- tical or social prej ud ice. The f!J:f(lt thing to bear in mmd is lhat we want. houses, and any method which will hasten the. day- when in fhynn- sea there will be en<>agh room for its population to live ought to be welcomed. For all that we feel dis- turbed when we read the report of the Housing Committee meeting. Alderman On-en, for instance, said the operatives would not con- tract in a lump sum. Mr. ITarj- ing asked if they would guarantee to put the houses up at the same price as the builders would erect, them. "They would go so far as to say it would tiQ. cheaper," answered Alderman Owen, but .they won't give a price." l^ere we have in a nutshell the whole proo- lern. If the men can develop a scheme by which business men can be convinced that direct ndminiha tion would be more economical; if in this scheme they could shew that the work can be carried out free from jobbery and unpleasantness and patronage; then we think we can say that all Swan^a will bid I them (led-speed in their work. But can they give this undertak- We very much dClIbt it. It i„ for the Building Trades Federa- j tion to set to work now, realising first- that they have a great deal of prejudice to convert, and secondly that quite legitimate ob- jections by business men have to be met and satisfactorily answered. We think we may say that Swan- &ea will not be agreeable to a scheme being entered into in a loose way—that is upon a general undertaking that it will be done a? cheaply as any builder can do it. In this respect the suggestion Councillor Harding is of some value. He said that if the Oper- ativos could build the houses cheaper he did not thin the com- mittee would object to their doing 5" on the same conditions as builders, say by forming themselv.-s into an association. But, Mr. Hard- ig warned the committee they would be, actiii,, blindly if I hey al- lowed them to ga on with 1, 'T,li without some gucraDtc. blank cheque idea won't do at all. We should say as a general matter that thero is more likeli- hood of the echeme being pro- ceeded with quickly if we left ex- perimcnts of this kind severely alone for the present,. The history cq l c,iie f or tlic,? of direct administration in Swansea, as elsewhere, has not been of a nature to make us expectant of the best results if such a process is ap- plied to the housing sc heme of Swansea. What we want is speedy building. We want that even more than Ve want cheap building. We want hustling methods employed in building. That is not to say that we want the masons and joiners and other workers bustled; but that h 1 dn. we waiit the long administrative processs cut short. There is still far too much ct-lhc circumlocut-ion office about the whole business. As far as we can see, unless a short cut is discovered from the endless of departmental restrictions and departmental red tape, the process of building houses in Swansea is going to be a very long one. Only those who IUHr. had dirett evidence of overcrowding in Swansea can realise how intense is the need. Swansea, let us be candid m say- ing, i§ apathetic generally speak I ing. because people who are living in fair comfort cannot understand the inconveniences and the priva- tion to which those less fortunate than themselves are put. If they could only bo taken touring through some of the streets of the town- and those not always in the poorer i quarters—and see how families havb to huddle tOgethc-r two or; 11 1 three sometimes in one small house, they vfould understand that there is no social problem in front of us ot such pressing importance as the I, it there will always be unrest. Until we give every man and his family I a roof tree of his own. how can we expect there to be happiness? Because we ourselves have been I made to see the present need, be- cause wè have still a vivid picture of how hundreds of people in Swan- sett have to live in these days, be- cause daily wo are having evidence I given to us of the way in which social life is being spoilt by the I failure to secure to live and ef which to most people h one of its chiefost joys, we pay quite, candidly that, if tho Swansea Building Operatives can produce a business-like working Rcheme, then it will be the dury ?r the Swansea Housin' Comnnttec t" consider it on its morits. But the Housing Committee must take great care that it is a business grei-it ?cfkre iii.,it it is ,I 1)111?-In(Iss r o more evils than the eril ir gets itself out to cure. j

i FOR WELSH TROOPS. — i Downing Street Presentatior, I ts One of the Pionears. Mr. William Lewie, who has been I honorary secretary of the Welsh Troops Fund from its inception, was presented withapnntp?i ot cutlery at a special MMtingoftherotumiitccheIdatNo.]!), Mrs. Lloyd George and Lord Justice Bankes were there to pay eloquent tri- butes to Mr. Lewis's untiring and disin- terested services to the Welsh soldiers and their families, and Lacy Treowee. Tadv Moftd, Mrs. Herbert Lewis, and Sir Vincent Evans were also at the meeting. Mr. Lewis at one time «eenied to he I likely to be returned il.P for Hadnor- shire. but his. Parliamentary ambitions I' ?c'-? decked on the h?nd by the Redis- tribution Aci, wLifh m<'t?d Radnorshire in Bre?omlnrf. He has ?pff'iMli?d in pensions, and was appointed to the Ministry under Mr. John Hodge as ( I e- puty inspector for England and Wales, hut resigned his post to take up the IJHlftlîgenhip of Sir Owen Philipps'a steamship companies. A llnent speaker in two language*, he has a great grasp of ;Iî:'ai, and bnks like jfoing far in the ,<liippingr world, For many years fit, has rendered invaluable assistance to lrs. Lloyd George in her social and political work.

MISSION TO SEAMEN. I Successful Bazaar at Oxford j Street Schools. | ) i-—. Oxford-lit reft- Schools on Thursday afternoon was the scene of the (opening of [I foprnat- in ekl of tho funds of the Mission to Seamen Institute, New Cut Bridge, The hall presented a very bright appearance with'-its number of well-stocked stalls. There was also a number of varieties in the shape of bran- tub, houp-!a, fish pond and a Do-by race ingeniously contrived with the aid of a few shuttles, ronie lengths of sti-ing and some toy engines. The. opening ceremony was performed j by Mrs. J. M. Pollard, was sup- j portpd by her husband. Major Pollard, I Mr. Joseph Hall, and Rev. J. A. Bifbop, j ehaplnin of the Mission in Swansea, Mrs. Pollard outlined the need for funds, g]'?- j ine; instances of the work whiAh the mis- j '-ion was regularly doing for the seamen 11 who came to thf port. Mr. Joseph HaJJ ?nd the Rcr. J. A. Bishop abo spoke. STALL-HOLDERS. N Tho stall-holders were Needlework I Mrs. J. A. Bishop. Mrs. Thompson, Mrs. J. G. lieea, .Mrs. .J¡¡gnt, )1r!i. Si-d Peters, and ll's. Willimn. Fancy work Mrs. AJlister Will iams, "J rs. J iv, noii. Mrs. Matt Hare) Miss K. Brnim- í.1. Refreshments: M)s.i Roberts, Mrs. Walter Jones, Mrs. Whitburn, Mrs. Francis, Miss Elsie Pyke, Miss Nifci Arnold, Miss Doris Francis. Flower Parker. Fish pond: Miss Parker. Miss Nitu .Tenkitvs. Llandkev- fibrerf stall: Miss Km'y Jones. Mrs. Tay- lor. Miss Morgan, Miss ( athenn» Wil- liams. Miss Eileen Mrs. A. G. Hill. Mrs. Waters. Mi.v, 'Iris Walters. Miss Ethel Hill. Ileup-li:: Mr. Allister Williams. Mr. Frank Evans. Book stall: Itiss Gladys Morgan. Winnie Morgan. Miss Kitty Lyden. Bran-tub: Miss Dollv Lloyd, Miss Edna Rees, Miss Vera Williams, Miss Joan W. Bishop. Derby race: Master James Rees, Master John Morgan. The judge of the various humorous competitions was Mr. J. G. Rees. In the evening a very successful un- cert, arranged by Mrs. Bishop, took plaoe. The Mayor (Col. Sinclair) wrote that on account of his engagements in London he very much regretted being unable to at- tend. The Vicar of Swansea (Rev. C. Harrington Lees), came in during the evening.

VALLEY WATER SUPPLY. j Mr. G. Sw-ayne, London, presented a long report to the Vstradarvnlak; Council on Thursd-sr dealing with the existing water supplies in the (liFtri,f, t,p,-ttber with suggestions as to the hpst method? which should be adopted to collect water in cafe of drought. During a loncr discusnon Mr. Swayne said tliet, would ha," to gn out? ids the A I)T)l r if they looked to an -> i;, 1 •> rv.->ulation in the future

ASTOUNDED. I Premier and South ¡ Wales Deputation. i The Transport Muddle! Last evening some 50 representatives ot I Swansea Chamber of Commerce and other associations in South Wales, representing an area -stretchi ■ from Swansea Valley in the west to Ebbw Vale in the east, waited on Mr.' Lloyd George at 10, Down- ing-street, in reference to traffic conges- tion on the railways and at the docks of South Wales aud Monmouthshire, com- plaints as to which bad been made at a large aud representative meeting vhich took place a fortnight a^-o. i That meeting decided lo send a deputa- tion, and, at the request of. Mr. lowyn Jones, M.i' h. Lloyd George agreed w receive them personally. Sir Geddes s tei, was tuso present, iitanny tile uasj put. tdrw«rd. Air. jLaoyii George piOiUi.v.'ii lo consult Willi his experts, gu Uuoujju papers leit with huu, 1 aiKl give iiis xepjy at. ul.vU tins morning, j v.iifii lie unuertuoji to receive tile deputa- j lion again. THE DEPUTATION. I The deputation included the following: Welsh J'late una biicc-t Manufacturer (chairman), it. C. Bond. W. E. Neviti. J. T. Davies, H. Foliand, George KoAvc. W. B. liailives, E. It. Phvliiiis, .David Wil. iiaws. and 11. Clement !>iKictary). South Wales Siemens Steel Association— Messrs,. Frank Keea, W. llopjjs, H. Clarry, and l,c.vi& Jones, ^secretary). The Iron aiKl Steelmakers' Association. •-Jlessrs. Itowel p" Jones, Captain L. 11. VV Jiitehead, S\x eet-iiscott. and Tom Phil. lips I J he (.opper and Spelter Trades.—Messrs. C. H Eden, }!. J. ?. Uo?rv, and John liudd. Soutli Wales Acid Association.— Messrs. P. 1. Beck and E. G. Smith. I The Swansea Chamber of Commerce.— Messrs. Arthur Andrews (shipping sec- tion). A. IV E- Wynno (exporters' sec- tion), (collieries section). If S. li. Cook (coal trade section), and B M. Ihn'?'?s (?Y'ra! cargo seetien). Welsh Engiiif e.»s'\ and Foundpf?' As- sof'aHon.—Me?sfs. ?. J. Tuylor and W. E. Clement. British Mannesman TOIIP (onipany.— An ofiieial from the London ofifce. Swansea Gas Light Co 1V, I Johns (secretary). 14 I Swansea Merchants' Association.— Mr. J H. Down. The Iron anil Steel Trade?;' Confedera- tion.—Mr. W. R. Pees. I The Tin and Steel Miilmen's Associa- tion.— Mr. Ivor Gwynne. The Dockers' Union.—Mr. W. PugTi. General Wojkers' Vninn.— Mr. W. Vic- tr-r Morgan. •The Welsh Artisans' Union.—Jlr. J. It. John. The A.S.E.—Mr. C. A..Tamp-. DRASTIC ACTION NECESSARY. j The deputation was introduced by S'r Etigar Jones, and was accompanied by, among others, Messrs. Towyn Jones, j J. Hinds, M,l' Duvid Mattbewn, M.I' J.. Jlugh Edward*. Major J. Edwards, Messrs. Wi-nall, M.J' Ben Tillett. M.P.. John Williams, M.P., ,T. Ifodge, M.P., Torn Griffiths, M. p" and T. liev.is, M.P. Sir Edgar Jones. M.I' in inHr.ducing t!ie deputatiuii, said fhaf iihlcfc'.s there wa-i immediate and drastic act ion grave con- sequences to be feared. Some works were on slop already, and the different interests represented showed bow wide- spread the grievance was. The deputation then proceeded to state their case on the lines followed at the meeting in South Wales the other day. Mr. Gibbins, chairman of (he meeting held in Swansea, stated that great indig- nation, was shown because the Transport Minivlry did not send a representative to J the meeting as had I teen n.-I.c-d, ni--r did t,hp Ministry reply to their letter. lie spoke of the delays over.vwhere, and Niíd 1 that the excess of materials at the works owing to these delays was something like one and a halt millions. Tin was held up for weeks in Tvtidon. and then returned to South Wate, and there was an extra cost of 3d. a Ion if goods were rent by water. He gave many ►instances, o n of which was that the send- ing from one works to another 30 miles way had taken no less than 28 days, instead of a K? hanrs, There were dozens and dozens of such Ciuses, and ii' there was an election io-inorrow iie would <'<? Sinn Fein rather t?an i?r <hG 'G()\"ernTI1f'nt Hnle: blln-allnatii contra were taken aw«y. Ho referred to the tact that there w? no production, and that the workmen were getting restivc. He indicated that there were trucks lying idle without any attempt being made to use them. Materials for production, too, as well as produce, were held up with all this bungling wilh the railways in London and locally. STATE OF CHAOS. [ Mr. Ben Tillett, M.P., said the tran". port workers were ready to co-operate vitk tho Govern'.nent, as thev had during tho war;, but t lus was different. When the war was on they didn't care so much for t It", tlexuys. I hoy \ne recognised as inevitable. But the sum reason and ex. ctK-e did not now. The pre?, nt situation was chaos. There could not be regular employment for lnftl as long as regular transport was' lacking. The transport workers wanted to i)(- cl i t f, maintain trade, but « good deal of de-content was due to the p:\ient state of things, and irritation was felt at the ran. U>ins of industry in general and tile Government in particular, )1r, A. W. E, .vnne (Swansea Cham- 'I i ber of Commerce) referred to the delays :it SwaiuM Docks, and asked the Prime I .uni.-ter to use hi. great influence wi.h the workers to agree to work the full 2t I hours in eight hour shifts for a short period, and so help in the present emer- the. loss of time with ships ran I into days and weeks (jhite unnecessarily. STOCKS ACCUMULATING. I <t?a;? 'T hitehea-d, speaking for th< I mm ami tcei works of úutll ?utes and Monmouthsliiio, said stocks liad accuniu- [ lated enormously through traific oonge.-> j tion. He spoke of the difficulties in get- ting materials, both to and from the works. The bulk of the materials came from a short distance, and yet they ,t ere held t:p in the mills for weeks at a time. In some cases mills were actually stop- ping production, in .some cas«s they had been reduced 50 per cent., if not more. The Prime Minister asked that papers and full particulars brought by the depu- tation should be left with him. He con- fessed he was astounded by the revela- tions put forward. He recognised that the fullest investigations and the speediest reforms were necessary. The matter was of uh importance that he I would like to go into it fully with Sir ?Eric God das axia the G.W.R representa- tives that night. j He would in,?o4 the deputation on Fri- day mpmiiia! at JOt.i A; de.?pd give them his J reply. That, he thought, would pio; s? » he deputation better than if he gar? :i j reply to them that night, because he wanted to tell them something that would be of use to them. The proceeding wem then adjournt4I ?till this morning.-

TOWN TALK. They call lior Violo(n)t D<V.ujlas- Pennant now —: o: — If is only natural for the Widows and Orphans' Fund to expect; f-ontc" dough frum f lie Bakers' Association. -&- We are not putting the whole of our energies and 111inds on water.Coun- cillor Walters at ••?rad,,vnlais Council. I -:0:- New ork still Falling read s a news- paper headline. The fateful. seventeenth must hare arrived there a little before ,.1 it was expeetcd. Swansea Guardians decided An Thurs- day to send three numbers to the A«vlum instead of two. They go, it should be explained, vi-itors. (le np hear, is an :m- moni-ely popular line in a Jug", High- hti eet houso. They do a tremendou* trade, and the manager devir.res fcLey get the commodity in a ton at. time! — O :— An rdi ra t I ("n committee in the Metropolis has decided that in future its meetings shall be opened with praver. Go thou and do likewise is the advice a correspondent would like to offer to b. gentlemen composing local public bodies. j tyousing matters have had ii groat deel of prominence in the papers this wcei. In tact (gays a .Mount i'leasant man), the commitleca .have sat st, lonj that it I ftllitp likely houses niav Lt hatched seno day. —"<— There is only one 4oct?,r on the short list for the P-??t of medical officer for t? county of G la morgan who resides in ta? county I The other four hail iK? A"?h?py, <):-?):trthfn5hi?, ?Joumcuth. shire, and Breeouohne. -;8:- The superintendent (Mr. BJi-s) say* that the standard of Dyfatty boni-,eri never was very high Thero isa gentie- man named—well, never mind his name -who would talk to Mr. Bliss seriously on the subject. Where ignorance is o: — Mr. Ben Williams, chairman of the Vitradgynlais Council, yesterday sug- gested that they should have a synopsis c a long report Which was before them j Mr. Jeffreys Mfrkl thought that was jus the word to attempt ot eleven o'clock m the night. —: o; — Our" lown Taik column seems to be known in the most out of the wav eorners. FIH instance. "The 1: s an d Feeding Stuffs Journal" in its las- fortnightly issue, reproduces, with due acknowledgaieiC. the wh ile of one of our pan;. — :o Answer to "ctt'h/'— No. th English  Cup final cannot ? played at Swans'a. jl ? is the rul?'itat the match mu?{ be played on neutral ground. Start Saving t up a« SCK)U as the Christmas festivities are over, and then perhaps you will )? ahl 'j to manage the train far? to the scene ot j!j| the final fight. t —— With regard to the decision of the Swat!sea hakècJI not to hake or deliver hvfnd on Cliristaias Day or Boxing Dav, a Sand fields youngster last night said ho -didn't troublo whether they did or not. Tie thought he could manage fairly well on cake and pudding for a "few days at any rate. —: n. At a meeting of the Swansea Dotting ('ommitlee a bulv defined a house as a plaep in which a ii-oiiiiiii worked and a man lived. That sounds all right (writes a correspondents but what about the man who h;us to mind tho baby while goes to the pictures: D, he live in the or work in it -:0:- A little group of men in the early work- men's car this morning were enjoying a- tremendous joke. On? of their number, who said he was not feeling verv well, declared that, judging by the symptoms, what lie needed more than anything -i for a few v.coks. The word r.t" tickled them immensely -:0:- L; Mumbles to hive a bowling green n the front or at Newton? The, l'ark- Committee discussed the question at great lengtii and in great detail, but returned f" the position from which they arigin- ally started. Some cynical memloers re- marked at the close of the meeting that the oyster village would h0 lucky if (hey had a new one at all —: o: — Tli,py vR-(rP COMING FROM a COUNCIL coin- mittee meeting, when Councillor Figgins remarked to Alderman Ex-Atayor Sioneharfl is a very rudo man. I vucj conversing with him yeptorday up-on a certain matter, in the course of which he yawned no 1es= than three Ah I nesimnded Bone-s. perhaps h > was endeavouring to iiavo a word with yüul" — :0 Apropos ot the lists of the ten best books for Ivh s given in a well-known literary weekly, the following list of foiir to lli" read during the <"hristmas holidays, given by n lady teacher in a schrol not far from Swansea will be of interest I'endennis (Thackeray), lvanhoe (SeoH», Pick- wick Tapers" (Ihckens). "The Mill on t,b P Floss" (George Eliot). There has beer a football Iragedv at Killay. The terrible even' happened when the- homo team were playing Dun- van t and oiir -tit lf,,cr-I)e, it thus.- "In the tecond half Iviilav tcxik ful! n<I\ nn;a? of the wind, and yer# pressing v'?-r bard on the visitors' 'ii" wln-n nn?'irtuna.t?!T the haU W:l pnrte- I lu'red, thus spoiling 1 heir ( !I i i f .<-ccrin?." Sad to re!a?. arn'thfr ball Tra? not forthcoming. A correspondent writes: The decision of the Swansea Housing Committee to press for a clause in the new Housing Bill that unoccupied property should be comman- deered by local authorities is a step in the nght; direction. At present, he states, there ere two houses at the Mumbles which have been unoccunied for about two months. He considers it a scandal that. « such a statw of things should be allowed w hen so many are seeking hous?.?. -10:- The inhabitants of the Mumbles are much agitated over the (itiestion of whether the new bowiin<? green should bo laid out on the s-ca-front or at the field at Underbill. The consensus of opinion is in favour of the sea-front, and from a to be more productive than the Underbill site. Although the pic.sent gnu is small, the decision of the Parks Committee to put it in order for next, reason has ljeen r- ceived with approbation by the majority ( of the bowlers. -:oc- That Mumbles is p<*>rl^ of for recrea- tive facilities for the young men of the diftric. is a ?'ib?cl that is WDoh c'?' mented upon t hese dark evenings. only plficc that caters in this line is tY. I hutch ;ln-I the doors hare g ,-pen tor ..11 oigani-sations to becon-e nemh*TS. ti e accommodation is too limited. This is sufficient grounds for making a ouhlio appeal for su'.sr-up- tions <. and if this 1!4 done, the pro jet t will be jjf sure of success. > ^j