Merthyr Times and Dowlais Times and Aberdare Echo

Merthyr Tydfil Local Board Water Bill. WHEREAS at a SPECIAL MEETING of the W Merthyr Tydtil Local Board of Health, held at the BOARD-ROOM, situate at No. 71, HfGH- STREET, MERTHYR TYDFIL, on MONDAY, the 12TH NOVEMBER, 1894, it was resolved by an absolute majority of the Board That it was expedient for the Merthyr Tydtil Local Board of Health to promote a Bill in the ensuing Session ii* Parliament for an Act to authorise the said Board to execute the works and exercise the powers following, or some of them." That i'- to say— I.-To construct and maintain an additional reser- voir, conduits, or water mains, and other works for increasing the supply of water to the district of the Local Board, or to any part or parts thereof. 2. -To enable the Local Board to purchase land and to acquire casements in or over land, and to make and carry into effect contracts, agreements, and arrange- ments for the aforesaid purposes, or any of them. 3.—To borrow money for the aforesaid purposes, and to grant mortgages or create and issue Debenture Stock. 4.—To confer upon the said Local Board all such powers, rights, and privileges in reference to the aforesaid matters as may be considered expedient. And at the said meeting it was determined That the costs and expenses in reference to the "promotion of the said Bill, shall be charged upon and payable out of the District Fund and General District Rates of the said Local Board." And whereas, at a public meeting of owners and ratepayers within the Merthyr Tydfil Urban District, duly convened and held at the Vestry-room, Glelieland, Merthyr Tydfil, on Thursday, the 3rd Day of January, 1895, at Five o'clock in the Afternoon, the following resolution was passed That this Public Meeting of Owners and Rate- pavers, within the Merthyr Tydtil Urban District, duly convened in accordance with the provisions of the Municipal Corporation (Borough Funds) Act, 1872, having considered the provisions of the Merthyr Tydfil Local Board Water Bill, presented to Parliament m the Session 1895, do hereby authorise the Mer- thyr Tydfil Urban District Council to promote the said Bill with a view to the protection 0& '• the Inhabitants, Owners, and Ratepayers of '■ the Urban District of the Merthyr Tydfil Urban District Council." NOW NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that a Meeting of the Urban District Council of the Urban District of Merthyr Tydfil being the Governing Body for the said District within the meaning of the Municipal Coiporations (Borough Funds) Act, 1872, will be held in the Council Chamber situate at No. 71, High-street, Merthyr Tydfil, aforesaid on Thursday, the 24th day of January, 1895, at 5 o'clock in the afternoon, to consider the propriety of con- firming the resolution of the said Merthyr Tydfil Local Board of Health passed on the 12th day of November, 1894, and to consider the propriety of confirming the promotion of the said Bill with a view to the protection of the interests of the Inhabitants, Owners, and Ratepayers of the Urban District of the Merthvr Tydfil Urban District Council. Dated this 9th dAy of January, 1895. THO. HENRY BAILEY, Cliairniau.

auctions. [ JOHN F. SEAL, AUCTIONEER AND HOUSE AGENT. < BEGS respectfully to thank hh numerous patrons 1 and the public generally for their liberal ] patronage during the past seven years, and trusts by < continued attention to business to still merit their.) confidence and support. ( HOUSE PROPERTY sold by Auction or Private j Treaty. Sales of FURNITURE, k-e. effected. I VALUATIONS for MORTGAGE. PROBATE, &c. COLLECTION OF RENTS. ) J. F. S. gives special attention to this branch of his business, and at present is favoured with the COLLECTION OF OVER 500 HOUSES. Owner? will save much personal trouble by placing their Properties in J. F. S.'s hands, besides finding their nett incemes much increased N.B.—Appointed to Levy Distresses for Rent. Unsolicited testimonials. OFFICE 5, CASTLE STREET, MERTHYR. [2818. BETHESDA STREET, MERTHYR. SALE OF DWELLING HOUSES. MR. EVAN LEWIS has received instructions to SELL BY PUBLIC AUCTION, at the DYNEVOR ARMS, GEORGETOWN, Merthyr, on WEDNESDAY, the 23td Day of JAN L AKY, 1895, at Eight o'clock in the Evening, subject to such con- ditions as shall then be produced, all those FIVE LEASEHOLD DWELLING HOUSES, Situate and being Nos. 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5, in Probert's Court (below Britannia Public House), Bethesda- street, Merthyr, together with the large space of ground in front of and from the said Dwelling Houses up tõ a line with the garden wall in Bethesda-street, adjoining Mrs. Hallesy's house. The Dwelling Houses are let to tenants at monthly rents amounting to £ 28 12s. annually, and are held for the tern) of 99 years, from 29th September, 1819, at tbe yearly ground rent of L7 8s. 10d. For further particulars apply to the Auctioneer, Mary-street, Dowlais or to W. BEDDOE, Solicitor, Merthyr. Dated 9th January, 1895. -n_ TAt HARRrRBLAWD FARM, PONT- MORLAIS, MERTHYR. IMPORTANT SALE OF HORSES, COWS, FOWLS AND IMPLEMENTS. MR. EVAN LEWIS has received instructions from Mr.. PRICE, Anchor Inn (who is giving up Farming), to SELL BY AUCTION, on THURSDAY, the 31st day of JANUARY, 1895, the whole of his STOCK AND IMPLEMENTS Comprising.—HOUSES One steel grey mare, in foal, one bay mare, ditto. Cows: Four cows, in full milk, eight cow tics. Dairy utensils. FOWLS: A fine lot of fowls, 30 in number. HARNESS: Two set? of cart harness, two sets of trap ditto, five horse collars, two sets of hames, two riding bridles, one saddle, two trap bridles, three head collars, one new leading rein and breast plate complete, three horse cloths and rugs, one set of front chains. IMPLEMENTS: Three carts, one new butcher's trap, one splendid trap with cushions, two chaff cutters, lakes, pikes, forks, (tc., two hcoks, three hedge clippers, one hay knife, and a lot of useful articles too numerous to mention. Sale to commence at Two o'clock sharp. Terms— Cash. For further particulars apply to the Auctioneer, 41, Mary-street, Dowlais. [2816 N ANT YG W EN IT 11 STREET AND CAEPANT- TYWYLL, MERTHYR TYDFTL. SALE OF LEASEHOLD BEER-HOUSE AND DWELLING-HOUSES. MR HENRY LEWIS has been instructed by the Mortgagee to SELL BY AUCTION, at the DYNENOR ARMS, GEORGETOWN, MEKTHYR TTDFIL, on WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 30TH, 1895, at 7.30 o'clock in the Evening, the following LEASEHOLD BEER-HOUSE AND DWELLING-HOUSES, Subject to Conditions to be read at the Sale. LOT I.-All that Beer-house and Premises, called the Moulders' Arms, situate and being in Nanty- gwenith-striet, Georgetown, Merthyr Tydfil, in the occupation of Messis. J. Braddick and Son, Brewers, or their under-tenant, at a yearly tent of £14-. These premises are held under an under-lease for the term of 99 years from the 29th day of September, 1824, at the yearly rent of -01 15«. 6d. LOT 2.—All those Six Leasehold Dwelling-houses and Premises, situate and being Nos. 8 and 9, Taff- street, and Nos. 1, 2, 3 and 4, Lewis-court, all in Caepanttywyll, Merthyr Tydfil, aforesaid, in the occupation of Edward Sullivan and others, at low monthly rents amounting yearly to £ 3316s. These premises are held for the term of 99 years from the 1st day of May, 1831, at a yearly ground rentofjB314s.6d. LOT 3. —All those Two Leasehold Dwelling-houses and Premises, situate and being Nos. 10 and 11, Queen-street-, Caepanttywyll, aforesaid, in tlie occupa- tion of Jeromiah O'Neale and John Thomas, at low monthly rents amounting yearly to £8 9s. These premises are held for the term of 99 years from the 1st day of November, 1844, at a yearly ground rent of JB1 14s. 8d. All the above premises are in a good state of repair, and are situate near the Cyfaithfa Works. For further particulars, apply to the Auctioneer, Market-square Chambers, Merthyr Tydfil, or to MR. DANIEL JONES, Solicitor, 2822] 1, Quality-court, Chancery Lane, London.

Birtbs, OOalTíaoes a Deaths. DEATH. JEXKJXS. On Wednesday, at one o'clock in the morning, Hannah Jenkins, 35, Thomas-street, widow of the late John Jenkins, .aged 81 years.

NOTES AND COMMENTS. y PEI.YDKVN is a new monthly devoted to the cause of "liberal religion. ft is published at Pontypridd, and edited by the Rev. W. Griffiths, Ph.D., B.D., the well-known Unitarian minister. The first number is distinctly disappointing. In addition t » the introductory remarks of the editor, and some other miscellanies, it contains three articles of some length. The tirst deals with the pulpit in Wales, the second with the dogma of inspiration, and the third with the Sunday School. To be candid, they are not worth the paper they are printed on. There are a few good points here and there, as in the second of the three but the literary setting of the articles is exeerablt, and the sub-editing very negligently done. Errors of spelling and construction abound. Dr. Griffiths should commission a fairly intelligent composilor to sub-edit the copy." A magazine to propagate Liberal ideas in religion is one of our long felt wants but the I'tlydryii, if we may judge from the first uumbcr, will propagate no ideas, liberal or otherwise.

IN a police-court at Conway last week, the language difficulty was seen in a very acute form. A witness was giving evidence in Welsh, and there arose a dispute as to the English rendering of what he said. The court interpreter gave one version of it, and a solicitor another version, and a magistrate II. third version. A fierce wrangle ensued between the solicitor and the magistrate. It was an unseemly altercation, not calculated to enhance the dignitv of a court of justice. Why should the evi- dence have to be translated into English at all? Simply because one of the magistrates did not know Welsh. Had that gentleman happened to be at an agricultural show, or a Primrose League gathering, as might well have happened, the case could have been heard from beginning to end in the language with which the witnesses were familiar. Is it unreasonable to ask that the people of Walts should have these legal disputes discussed and settled in their own language?

AKr. schoolmasters eligible to sit on boards of guardians The question has been raised iu the Merthyr Board, and Mr. James, the clerk, has been instructed to give his opinion thereon. Possibly the matter w ill have to be decided by the Local Government Board. A great number of schoolmasters were returned on district councils and boards of guardians at the recent election, and it will be a serious matter if they arc not eligible. We hope they are, for the public Mill surely derive considerable benefit from the services of so intelli- gent a class of people. To say that their salaries come from the rates is misleading. They are paid from the Poor Education Rate, over which the Guardians have no control.

WHAT a splendid thing the Sunday Closing Act has been and is for the t-sltrn Mail When the silly season is with us, and when enterprising journalists, despite their marvellous ingenuity, fail to discover material for a big sensation, there is always the Sunday -Closing Act to fallback upon, and the Cardiff shebeens to boom. The Mail, is once more on the job. Docs it want another Royal Commission ? h it Hot satistiell with the report of the commission which investigated the matter some years agoThere is no reason to suppose that another commission would present a report different from that presented fioni the former one. There is no evidence to lay before it. no fresh tacts to be adduced, no novel crime invented by the thirsty of soul. In auother column wc print the opinions of several gentlemen who have a thorough knowledge of the subject. One of them puts the whole case in a nutshell Docs the existence of shebeens necessarily prf>v c the failure of the Ac' ? Would it be wise to open all the public-houses in order to do away with the shebeeus Most people will reply in the negative. It is better to have a few shebeens than to open the public-houses. And then, if the police were powerful enough and vigi- lant enough, all the shebeens could very soon be sweyt out of existence. The evil must be admitted, but the remedy i8, not to open public-houses, but to shut the shebeens. The opponents of the Act say the former is the only remedy. That is their invariable prescription, and they din it unto the ears of the public with a pertinacity worthy of a better cause. Is their bona jidt* above suspicion ? Hardly. What many of them really desire is not so much to enhance the cause of public morality as to benefit the liquor trade. Hence the opposition of the Tory party to the Act. Buttheliquortrade itself does not ask for this benefit. All the respect- able publicans consider the Act a great boon, shebeens or no shebeens, as it secures for them a much-needed day of rest. Why abolish it then ?

OUR Catholic friends are not so reasonable in their educational demands as the established clergy. The latter ask that the Government should main- tain the staff's in their elementary schools. The Catholics ask for a great deal more. They have just drafted a Bill setting forth their demands. The Bill drawn up by Cardinal Vaughan, the bishops, and the Duke of Norfolk, provides that a separate school may be established wherever there are 30 Catholic children, and this school is to derive precisely the same support per child from imperial and local funds as the Board School. But the Catholics, at least the Cardinal, five bishops. and the Duke, recognise the principle of popular control. Oh yes they go the length of providing in their precious Bill that two-fifths of the managers of these schools of theirs would be elected by the parents and guardians of the children. As these parents and guardians would necessarily he Catholics, it is not very easy to see where the representative principle comes in. They might just as well lea-ve the whole thing in the hands of the priest. Under this beautiful system innumer- able sectarian schools would spring up like mush- rooms all over the country, every one of them free from public control. Some day the payers of rates and taxes will arise in their might, and insist emphatically that all institutions supported by public funds shall be coiurolled by representatives chosen by the electors.

THE Aberdare Council did well in conferring pro- motion on one of their own servants rather than appoint an outsider to the post of water-rate collector. Public bodies are generally averse to such a course as this. When young municipal officials show signs of promise and capacity they are clearly entitled to promotion when vacancies occur. Otherwise it is only lI;cn of inferior stand- ing that will apply for civil posts, which is neces- sarily detrimental to the interests of the public. The Council, we notice, are bent on getting the appointment of overseers into their own hands. The public weal demands that this should be granted them.

WALKS has no reason to honour the memory of Archbishop Laud, the 250th anniversary of whose death has just been celebrated. He was bishop of St. David s for a while, and he unfrocked men like William Erbury, Walter Cradoc, and William Wroth, of Lanfaches, because they refused to read tlie "Book of Sports" to their congregations. Macaulav calls him a ridiculous old bigot." Like every bigot he was cruel with a cruelty almost beyond conception. He was certainly not it man worth remembering, or the anniversary of whose death should be singled out from the days of the year. And yet he did some very good things. He closed two out of every three of the alehouses in Oxford.

So far the directots of the L. and N. W. Railway Company have turned a deaf ear to all the public bodies of the country who have asked them to enquire into, the dismissal of monoglot Welsh labourers. That being so. another coursc is to be adopted all Parliamentary bills promoted by the company will be blocked by the Welsh MP.'s. There are some people whom you cannot influence except through their pockets. This is the only way to bring the L. and N.W. directors to a due sense of justice. Their action has outraged a nation's feelings in a tender spot, and if they will not listen to reason they must be subjugated by coercion.

THE eighth triennial report of the Merthyr School Board has just been published [Merthyr Tim'* Office]. It contains a resume of the work done bv the Board during its three years of office. To those interested in educational matters its pages will be delightful reading. Much has been heard lately of the expenditure of the Board, and the im- pression prevails that there was a tremendous fccrease last year. The figures are these — £ s. d. Total expenditure, 1893. 16.629 10 0 1894, 16,666 17 8 On page .'12 there is a very instructive table show- ing the dates when precepts were issued, and when the money was paid in by the overseers. But.we shall perhaps go into these matters more-in detail in future numbers. The preparation of the-.report has entailed a vast amount of labour, and the information is set forth in the dearest and most intelligible manner possible. People of but ordinary financial and statistical attainments will be able to understand the report from start to finish, and all will feel very grateful to Mr. Stephens, clerk to the Board, for doing his work so thoroughly and so lucidly.

THE council of the Merthyr Chamber of Trade resolved on I uesday night to recommend the Chamber to send a deputation to tlie District Council asking that the. Free Library Act be adopted. There seenis to be a general concensn; of opinion in favour of adopting the Act. The prospects are decidedly hopeful, and it seems as if Merthyr Valley were about to enjoy this great public boon.

How is it that the various towns in the Merthyr valley are not pemitted to send letters hy the late night mail for London and Cardiff? Most of our readers will be astounded to learn that the privi- lege granted to Merthyr is denied to Troedyrhiw, Merthyr Vale, and other towns down the valley. Truly the ways of the General Post Office are past finding out. The Merthyr Chamber of Trade have taken the matter in hand, and they will not rest, let us hope, until it has been put right.

THE annual banquet of the Caledonian Association on Friday night was in every way a great success. The proceedings throughout were most entertain- ing and enjoyable. Several excellent speeches were delivered, some of tlmm in a Gaelic brogue strong enough to blow a man's head off'. The memory of Burns was duly honoured. Another grcat Scotch writer has just breathed his last. He lies buried on a desolate mountain top in lonely, distant Samoa. Robert Louis Stevenson loved Scotland with passionate intensity, and made her name honoured among English readers alt the world over. Had the Scotchmen at the annual banquet thought tit to pay a tribute of respect to their illustrious dead fellow-countryman, cverv Welsh- man and every Englishman present would have deemed it a privilege to join them in such an act of hero-worship. It is gratifying to understand that the Merthyr Caledonian Association is in a very flourishing condition. Though heavy demai ds were made on its funds last year, yet the balancc is on the right side of the ledger.

LAST week we chronicled the death of Mrs. George Martin, Dowlais. On Tuesday night another Dowlais lady breathed her last. The death of Lady Charlotte Schreibei-is an event which will be deeply regretted not only by Dowlais people, but by the whole country. She was in cverv respect a remarkable woman. At one time the management of the Dowlais Works is said to have been almost entirely in her hands. By her innumer- able acts of kindness she had endeared herself to all sections of the people of Dowlais. In her early years she was an excellent public speaker, and was able in that capacity to be of great assistance to her husband, Sir John Gucd, She was active and full of energy to the last. In the closing days of her life, when she had passed her eightieth year, and when the light of her eyes had grown dim, she occupied herself making mufflers and cravats for London Cabmen. Lady Charlotte was no ordinary woman. But what she will be remembered most of all for by coming generations is her translation of the Mabinogion. As her husband, Sir John Guest, dived down to the bowels of the hills of Wales and brought out therefrom treasures rare and valuable, so Lady Charlotte dived into the recesses of ancient Welsh literature, and clothed the beauties she found there in words undcrstandcd of the great Teutonic people. Her English rendering of the Mabinogion is a classic. What a graceful pen she wielded Wc open her volume at random, and read And Geraint journeyed along the high road that was before him, aud the maiden went on first and near them they beheld a valley, which was the fairest ever seen, and which had a large river running through it: and there was abridge over the river, and the high road led to the bridge. And above the bridge upon the opposite side of the they beheld a fortified town, the fairest ever seen," The worltl of liter- ature will remember "Lady Charlotte Guest's name (the name she was best known by anion" literary men and scholars) as that of a factor. W e in Wales arc indebted to her iu a spcciaidcgrcc. She did more for the study of our ancient classical literature than any one else that could be named, and all Celtic students will reverr Itcrmonorywithdcepaffcctionandgratitudf. A noble and notable woman in many respects, her chief title to immortality is her literary work, and the most important of her efforts is the translation of the Mabinogion. This will secure for her an honoured place in the ranks of Cymric heroes and benefactors. FOUND DEAD IN BED. On Saturday morning an inquest wa;-held at the Tre degar police station on the body of Samuel Pritchard, labourer, ljefore the coroner, Mr. J. B, Walford. Fruiti the evif-letice it appeared that the man had not been so well as usual tor some few day. and was foucd •lead in bed on Wednesday morning. A verdict of Death froui natural cause;; was returned. Death froui natural cause;; was returned.