The London Welshman

Home News. ANGLESEA. Speaking to his tenants at Penrhos the other day Lord Stanley said he did not wish to be a leader, but only a co-operator. He was willing to take counsel with the people and give them the results of his experience. Welsh people did not like to be led, but wanted to think for themselves. If they thought and acted for themselves they mght make mistakes, and could then blame themselves and avoid such errors in future. If anyone led them into error they would turn round and abuse the leader. Above all, he believed in people acting as they themselves thought right. CARDIGAN. The selection of Aberystwyth as the site of the Welsh National Library was celebrated with great rejoicing in the town on Saturday. At the request of the Mayor, the townspeople decorated their shops and houses with flags, and in the evening many places were brilliantly illuminated. A torchlight procession was also organised. Starting from Smithfield at nine o'clock, it paraded the principal streets, and was accompanied by the Mayor and Corporation, Principal Roberts, and other members of the College staff. Afterwards congratulatory speeches in English and Welsh were delivered from the balcony of the Belle Vue Hotel by the Mayor, Principal Roberts, Alderman Peter Jones, and Professor Anwyl. The annual sessions of the High Court of Wales of the Independent Order of Foresters were held at Aberystwyth on Tuesday and Wednesday. There was a large attendance from various parts of the Principality, and the delegates were formally welcomed at a reception by Councillor Isaac Hop- kins (Deputy Mayor). The following officers were elected for the year :—H.C.R., S. Jones, Colwyn Bay; H.V.C.R., E. Thomas, Port Talbot; H. Secretary, S. M. Wilkinson, Cardiff; H. Treasurer, J. Williams, Swansea H. Physician, Dr. White- Jones, Bala H. Counsel, S. A. Hussey, Cardiff H. Auditors, J. W. M'Conan, Port Talbot, and C. West, Newport. Port Talbot was chosen as the next place of meeting. Jewels of office were voted to Bro. J. T. Rees, of Cardiff, the outgoing H.C.R., and Bro. Sykes, of Newport, P.H.C.R. CARNARVON. The annual conference of the African Institute Association was held at Colwyn Bay on Friday, Dr. A. J. Parry, Rhyl, presiding. The report showed that great progress had been made during the year. The tutor's report was encouraging and interesting. About thirty certifi- cates in connection with public examinations had been obtained by the students during the year. Two had just sat for the London matriculation. One student had passed his final examination as a medical practitioner in Edinburgh last March, and another his first medical examination. The former is in the Tropical Disease Hospital, Liverpool, taking a special course of study for a few months. He will return to Yarubaland, West Africa, next autumn a fully qualified medical missionary, and will support himself by means of his profession. He will not cost a penny for his maintenance to any society in this country once his foot is placed on his native soil. Herein lie the two features of the Institute's work-namely (1), to use the negro him- self to carry the Gospel and light of civilization to the Africans (2) to make him self-supporting by means of his trade or profession. DENBIGH. A mass meeting of colliers engaged at the Hafod Colliery, Ruabon, was held at Rhos a few days ago. Mr. William Garner presided. Mr. Hughes, miners' agent, said it had been agreed that the men should give and take under the farthing, but Mr. Dennis now wished to withdraw from this. He would pay any coin of the realm, but not fractions. These fractions meant a good sum per week to the masters, and that amount ought to be in the pockets of the men. It was unanimously agreed to demand the 20 points due. At Tuesday evening's meeting of managers of Llangollen Grouped Council Schools Mr. J. C. Davies, Director of Education for Denbighshire, said that the county authority were formulating a scheme for supplementing instruction given to pupil teachers in the nineteen schools of the Llan- gollen district. They had decided in favour of Saturday classes, and asked for the views of the managers as to whether these shall be held at the County School and conducted by County School teachers, or at the elementary schools. A long dis- cussion followed, in the course of which the Director said that the possession of a well-ordered laboratory, indispensable to science teaching, was a strong argument in favour of the County School.—Mr. W. P. Williams The County School by all means. Let us lift the matter above the elementary teachers, some of whom in the district, I am sorry to say, will not assist their pupils but rather keep them back. It was decided to recommend that the classes be held at the County School, and that two County School teachers be asked to conduct them. At the Ruabon Petty Sessions an old man named Edward Wallers, of Ruabon, employed as a road- man by the Denbighshire County Council, was formally remanded for a month on a charge of having assaulted William Wellings, a boy nine years of age, who resides at Moreton View, Gyfelva, by striking him with a shovel. It appears that the old man, who had been annoyed by a number of children playing pranks upon him, imagined that Wellings, who passed by a few minutes later, was one of the number and struck him with the shovel. Dr. Lawton Roberts (Ruabon) stated that the boy was still in danger, and it would be a month before they could say how the case might turn. The Clerk It is possible it may terminate fatally. Dr. Roberts It may do.Wallers, who had nothing to say and appeared in a dazed condition, was re- manded for a month. GLAMORGAN. A Nelson butcher nearly lost his reason in trying to understand tne following note from a customer:— "Place sir will kindly cape to pon of beef of the ronden. The beef i had last saturday it wis very taf. place to gave the boy 6dpeny of stake, i will be don to morry." The Bishop of Llandaff has made the following diocesan appointments Examining Chaplains The Ven. William Cony- beare Bruce, M.A. (Archdeacon of Monmouth), Rogiet Rectory, Newport; the Rev. Charles Harris, D.D., Bryndulas, Lampeter, Cardiganshire; and the Rev. Canon Lewis, Ystradyfodwg Vicarage, Pentre, Pontypridd (Welsh). The two latter held similar appointments under the late Bishop. Chaplains The Ven. Frederic William Ed- mondes, M.A. (Archdeacon of Llandaff), Nolton Court, Bridgend the Rev. Precentor Beck, M.A. (Vicar of Roath) and the Rev. James Rice Buckley, B.D. (Vicar of Llandafif). The first-named acted as one of the chaplains to the late Bishop. Last Friday Captain Richard Davies, Dockmaster of Barry, died at his residence after a long illness. His death, although not altogether unexpected, will come as a great shock to his many friends. Captain Davies was a native of Borth, in Cardigan- shire, and went to sea first when about 16 years of age. Ultimately he became Assistant Dockmaster at Penarth, and when the Barry Docks were opened he accepted the position of Dockmaster there, a post he filled to the greatest satisfaction of both the Company and the public. He connected himself with all social and educational as well as religious movements in the town, and his death, at the com- paratively early age of 57, will prove a very great loss. In religious matters Captain Davies was prominently identified with the Methodist cause, and was a deacon of the Trinity English Presbyterian Church. He leaves a widow and five children, the eldest of whom is married to Coun- cillor W. J. Williams, of Parkside, Barry. One brother of the deceased is Mr. William Davies, J.P., Ex-Mayor of Battersea, and another is Mr. John Davies, of New York. MERIONETH. Competition has forced the Festiniog and District Slate Quarry Proprietors' Association to take off, except in the case of the four larger sizes, the pre- mium of 10 per cent. which has been in existence for the last two years, on the price of all sizes and qualities of slates. The change will come into operation on July 1, and will be applicable to home trade only. How fierce the competition is may be gathered from the fact that to England alone £ 370,000 worth of slates was imported in 1903, and £ 285,000 worth in 1904. It was rumoured that it would be also necessary to reduce the hours of labour of the 4,000 quarrymen concerned, but it is gratifying to learn from an authoritative source that this is unnecessary. Con- temporary with the withdrawal of the premium, however, will be the withdrawal of the 5 per cent. bonus, which was added to the wages of the men when the premium was put on. MONMOUTH. A sharp little duel seems to have been going on between the Clerks to the Pontypool and Monmouth Unions over the relief of a Monmouth pauper and her five children who recently chose Pontnewynydd as their domicile. The Clerk to the Pontypool Guardians, in informing the Monmouth Union of the progress of affairs, said that the Monmouth Union had succeeded in starving the woman out." After the Guardians had met, the Clerk wrote,to Mr. Watkins stating that he was instructed to draw particular attention to the grossly insulting remark that the Monmouth Union had succeeded in starving the woman out. The matter came before the Pontypool Board of Guardians on Thursday, and they passed a resolu- tion endorsing the action of their Clerk in replying: in the strain he did. At Newport Bankruptcy Court, J. T. Morris,, builder, of 13, Summerhill Avenue, Maindee, came up for public examination. The gross liabilities were set down at £ 2,516 14s. 3d., and those expected to rank for dividend at £ 566 14S. 3d. There were no assets. He attributed his failure to loss on building the Wesleyan Church at St. Julian's Avenue, Caer- leon Road, the contract price for which was £ 3,684. He sued for a sum of £ 1,000, the balance which he considered was due to him, but judgment went against him. Asked by the Official Receiver (Mr. F. Gardner) how he made out that a balance of £ 1,000 was due to him, the debtor said he could not exactly tell, but he knew that there was £800 due to him according to the evidence which he had at hand at the trial. If that sum of £ 800 had been paid him he would have been a solvent man. The examination was closed. RADNOR. The Welsh National Liberal Council is not only in existence but, judging from the reports presented at the annual meeting at Llandrindod Wells. recently, has een doing a considerable amount of work. Nearly all the prominent speakers at the Conference were South Wales delegates, but that must have been an accident, for the Council represents united Wales, and Mr. Lloyd-George has once again been chosen as president. Yester- day a number of resolutions were adopted, which constitute in combination the Welsh Liberal or Nationalist policy. Perhaps the most advanced claim is that for a modified form of Home Rule for Wales, which is officially described as devolution." More than one attempt has been made of late to extend the powers of self- government possessed by Wales by transferring executive and administrative authority from White- hall to representative bodies at home. Even here no alarming rate of progress has yet been attained,. and towards the larger object—which some Welsh Nationalists still keep in mind-of attaining some degree of legislative power Wales can hardly be said to have moved at all.