Llangollen Advertiser Denbighshire Merionethshire and North Wales Journal

TO CORRESPONDENTS, d-c. To ensure insertion, letters should be in hand not later than Tuesday. WRITE on note or ordinary size letter paper, and only on one side. Foolscap and other large-sized papers are objectionable. WHEN a local event is a week old, a report of it is of little interest to anyone but the reporter. Better half-a-dozen lines the following morning than a column after the lapse of many days. Will corres- pondents kindly bear these two facts in mind. ADVERTISEMENTS received up to noon on Thursday.

THE LITTLE RIFT WITHIN THE LUTE. WE print, in another column, a letter in which Mr. George Saint defines the position in which, in his own opinion, he stands towards the rate- payers of Llangollen in general and the members of the Urban Council in particular. We pre- sume we are correct in accepting this pronounce- ment as the appeal to Csesar with which he menaced the Urban Authority at their meeting some weeks ago. At anyrate we find that, before concluding his epistle, he indicates that he will be greatly obliged if his constituents, to whom he addresses himself, will form a Committee of ratepayers, which he will be glad to meet together with the Council, and further explain matters. +In all sincerity we would ask is not a mountain being made out of a molehill in this matter?" There is not the slighest obstacle that we can see in the way of Mr. Saint taking his seat at the next meeting of the Council; and he is perfectly correct when he states that the authority would be exceeding its legitimate powers were an attempt to be made to interfere with his doing so. Membere have had quite sufficient time to cool down since the somewhat heated proceedings at previous meetings; and, we feel sure, in the opinion of the sensible majority, who have permitted sober second thoughts to influence their conclusions, there is no cause at all for sustained ill-feeling on the matter. That, from the commencement of the misunderstanding—for we can dignify it by no other term-any serious doubt has been enter- tained that Mr. Saint has acted conscientiously and, from his point of view, in accordance with a high conception of public duty, we do not believe for a single moment. This must be admitted as readily as it is admitted that his long and valuable experience in the past renders his views concerning matters connected with engineering works of considerable weight. To ascertain that the members, of the Council realise this, it is only necessary to turn up reports of meetings that took place when, with other members of the soi-disant "reform" party, he came before the ratepayers to solicit their suffrages. His claims to be considered an authority on matters with which he has been associated for the greater part of his lifetime were then advanced, and we hold rightly advanced, by most of the men the electors authorised to take seats with him on the Council. We do not think what was white eighteen months or so ago is black to-day; nor do we imagine there is any real desire to question that either the value or the importance of the work that Mr. Saint is qualifier perform for the town as a member of tt Urbau-Council has decreased. The secret of the misunderstanding i-or rather one phase of it-appears to be ndicated by what Mr. Saint writes in his com- munication in another column. He says It appears I have been too zealous in my duty to the ratepayers for some of the members which has caused me to be insulted and libelled by the clerk and a member of the Council." This is precisely what we suggested when dealing with the subject in a previous issue. Not for one moment do we dispute the councillor's zeal; but this does not prevent the reflection that, to some extent at anyrate, he permitted this quality to overstep his discretion. That this was so is regrettable because it involved the occupation by him of a wrong position and the question to- day is how is he to get out of this wrong position without some sacrifice of amour j)ropre ? We are afraid it is impossible to do so by any attempt to justify the attitude he assumed at the meeting of the Council where the trouble commenced. The position he then adopted is perfectly untenable just as the terms in which he described several members are altogether outside the limits that regulate controversy at public bodies. That the mark is overstepped, in the heat of the moment, even in the highest spheres of debate, is admitted and those who have followed the proceedings in Parliament this week will have noticed that even the cool and collected Colonial Secretary has been guilty of the offence. But they will have noticed, also, that upon reflection he frankly withdrew the offending expression. This is all that was required in Mr. Saint's case and, to have taken back words that it is the general consensus of opinion in the country should have no part in discussions of public bodies, would by no means have been synonymous with relin- quishing, or even weakening, the position he assumed towards those whom he regards as having treated him with scant courtesy and consideration. On the contrary, in our opinion it would have materially strengthened this position. A good deal may be said in favour of the robust Anglo-Saxon practise of calling a spade a spade. But if, by so doing, it is necessary to violate the amenities of public debate, it is hard to see what one loses by designating it an agricultural implement-one may get there all the same. The point Mr. Saint appears to have misunderstood is that, by re- tracting the words complained of, he must, as of course, withdraw from the position he assumes. This is a misconception. Authorised language is quite flexible and quite florid enough to lend itself to every requirement without any violation of parliamentary forms of address. As to the merits of the case, behind the scenes, we have not a word to say. The matter may be, we have little doubt that it is, too serious for levity. All that we can do is to form an estimate of the merits of a situation from what transpires in public and the public have an undoubted right to claim, and we imagine they will claim, that. in the transaction of their business, things shall )e done decently and in order. This much for ;he past. What of the future,? In our opinion < Mr. Saint will find the best possible solution of the difficulty by taking his seat in the ordinary: way at the next meeting of the Council; and we 3hall be very much surprised indeed if any attempt be made to hark back to proceedings at previous meetings from the contemplation of which it is impossible for anyone concerned to gain any satisfaction.

—„ NOTES AND NOTIONS. Ware Beaters. IT is quite right that the members of the School Board should utter a word of caution to the gentlemen in the neighbourhood who are in the habit, at this season of the year, of employ- ing young lads, who ought to be at school, to act as "beaters" on their "shoots." If a trades- man is guilty of engaging a boy under school age he is quickly and quite properly brought to book by the authorities and we must have the same treatment meted out all round. Not that we imagine it will be necessary to do more than bring the matter to the notice of the offending parties to secure immediate compliance with the provisions of the law but the fact that so many parents quote as an excuse for their children's non-attendance at school that they are employed in the manner named, indicates that the matter requires to be accentuated. The worst of it is many parents imagine they are quite justified in acting contrary to the law in these matters if they are told to do so by squire this or squire that. Its an old feudal miscon- ception that dies hard. + Shadows Before. CHRISTMAS is coming along with rapid strides and, although just now the weather is a shocking dissembler, in ten days the festive season will be with us once again. It is pleasant to note directions in which the purse strings of public charity have already been loosened in the desire to enable those to whom, under normal conditions, Christmas must mean anything but a time for merrymaking and rejoicing, to mark the Yuletide of 1900 as a red-letter season in the record of their lives. It is'gratifyingto note that the Cor- wen Guardians have decided to follow the good old custom of providing the inmates of the Work- house with the wherewithal for merry-making at Christmastide; and it is also gratifying to have the assurance that, in view of the "cold snap that is bound to come and that will be all the more keenly felt because of the manner in which it is being delayed, an increase has been made in the amount of out-relief given to the deserving poor. Something further is required, however, and it is the widespread adoption of means of reaching those "deserving poor" who never come on the rates and to whom season- able gifts, at this particular time of the year, would bring with them something of the bright- ness that is associated in the minds of all with the advent of Christmastide. 4 Free Literature. READERS will notice, from a report of pro- ceedings at the Corwen Parish Council, that that authority, mainly through the activity of the Chairman, has been instrumental in securing a free gift of books for the Parish Library, from the Record Office, London. The volumes secured, entirely free of cost, include works of surpassing interest to Welshmen and the whole are valued at upwards of Jb50. The question naturally arises" If Corwen can do this why cannot Llangollen?" If these books are to be had for the asking, surely the local authority will take the steps necessary to obtain them. « The Return of Volunteers. AFTER Mr. Broderick's speech in the House of Commons, on Tuesday night, there are no grounds for anticipating that the volunteers from Llan- gollen, who left with the Wrexham contingent on February 11th last year, will return before March. The war has not been the walk over that many of the too sanguinely disposed im- agined it would be on the outbreak of hostilities and although, as Lord Roberts assures us, the back of Boer resistance has virtually been broken, the end is not yet. Therefore, as Mr. Broderick puts it, aware as the Government is of the strain that has been imposed upon the men, they must be called to make a further sacrifice by remaining at the posts which they have been asked to fill. Naturally this is a disappointment to friends who are anxiously awaiting the signal to prepare a warm "welcome home;" but the wisdom of the authorities in pursuing the course decided upon is not likely to be questioned. + The Growing Market. THE successful Christmas Market held at the Smithfield this week has been widely commented upon and it is no exaggeration to describe it as the largest and best sale held in the town. The possibilities of further development to which it points are, perhaps, even more important than the result actually achieved. It has been clearly demonstrated there is a decided call for the means of disposing of stock in the neighbourhood, without incurring the loss incidental upon con- veying it to a distance for sale purposes and it has also been shown that, once they realise their requirements are catered for at Lfangollen, intending purchasers will flock to the market. Every credit is due to the auctioneers for the energy they have thrown into the work of bringing things to their present satisfactory condition-of course they are serving their own interests but they cannot do this without serving the interests of the town as well-and, in view of this fact, they, and the public at large, have a right to expect that there shall be no hesitation on the part of the authorities to provide every reasonable facility that may be necessary for further development.

— OUR LONDON LETTER. AFTER morning service, there was a full attendance of society" people in the Park last Sunday. Lady Romney and Lady de Trafford, Miss Muriel Wilson and the Ladies Mead were there, and M. de Several, Mr. Alfred de Rothschild, LordVilliers and Mr. Derek Keppel. It is said that the Canadians in London have received magnificent and overwhelming hospitality. On Saturday, Lord and Lady Tweedmouth gave them a dinner party at Brook House, when the Duke and Duchess of Argyle, the Duke and Duchess of Marlborough, and Lord Rosebery were present. At the Imperial Institute, Lord and Lady Strath- cona held a grand reception for the Canadians. Lady Hartford and her daughters were there in a very sociable way, and chatted long with a couple of privates. The annual dinner of the Savages" was held at the Hotel Cecil, on Satur- day, and the Lord Chief Justice gave an interes- ting speech to 400 members of the Club. General Gough, Y.C., responded to the toast of the Imperial forces." The Earl of Dudley also, was a speaker. At the Agricultural Hall THE SMITHFIELD CATTLE SHOW shows signs of Christmas, and while a few year# ago there might have had more exhibits, there can be little doubt that whereas then six or seven year old animals, weighing 30 cwt., were con- sidered good specimens, now three-year-old animals are expected to weigh about a ton, the meat being very good and the bone extremely small. The prospect of turkeys from Italy is very promising, and many ducks are coming from the Aylesbury and Wykeham "neighbourhood, where many flocks number from five to six thousand, and farmers often keep two or three thousand ducks in a small way." Though the Christmas stock has not yet arrived, dealers are already preparing for it, especially in the markets near the City. A REMINISCENCE OF LLANGOLLEN. Mr. W. Jones of the G.W.R. at Paddington, as stated in your obituary last week, has had to mourn the loss of his brave and earnest wife, formerly head-mistress in the Llangollen British School, which preceded the Board School, where during late years there have been in charge many of those who are recognised as the glad matrons of the present generation. One of the earliest ladies fulfilling this important duty was a lady of great dignity, afterwards well known as a matron. This lady was followed by a learned Scotch lady, who excited the young pupils with the incidents of her marriage. The bridegroom, a well-known head-master of a school near Bir- kenhead, came without his marriage certificate, and, after a visit to the surrogate," the wedding had to take place in the Established Church, there being not enough time to get a dissenting licence. The incident caused some stir in the town. Then the next head-mistress was married to a popular Welsh vocalist, amid great enthusiasm. Next came a young lady with a cheerful, ringing voice, from England, and she,after gaining many friends, was shortly wedded to a gentleman who became afterwards a G.W.R. official in London, the wife having been then the first head lady-teacher under the town School Board, but the marriage terminated her charge thereof. She was perhaps the last of the teachers to pay the salary of her pupil-teachers, which was at first paid by the Government and afterwards by the local managers. These are some reminiscences of the ladies who bad the training of the former mothers of the Valley of Llangollen. Honour be to their memory! Mrs. Amelia Jones, who came there as Miss Horton, calls for this notice in a London Letter, as her husband is an honoured Londoner. THE SCHOOL BOARD. Mr. G. C. Whiteley, who is clerk to the licensing justices in South London, and is a barrister who has written a well-known book on licensing law, took the chair temporarily at the first meeting. Lord Reay, the old chairman, was re-elected, but there was a contest over the vice-chairmanship, Mr. L. Stanley, the very able old vice-chairman, being elected with a majority of six over Mr. Barnes. There was afterwards a discussion on the election areas, as the present areas are awkward. In Marylabone only 17,648 voted out of 118,520 electors! Mr. Chamberlain spoke well on THURSDAY IN THE HOUSE OF COMMONS, and explained the way to be adopted in settling South Africa. The bullying talk of the Afrikanders is exciting animosity here. If they have so much liberty, the Germans and Russians wonder at their continuing the war in spite of it. England is too lenient to deal in the best way with disloyalists. Mr. Chamberlain says the Boer boroughs will have muncipal freedom and be independent of the Home Government. "CHEER BOYS! CHEER! In Maida Vale, a part of London where I have been dwelling for over ten years, there died, last week, the composer of the above song, Mr. Henry Russell, who, in 183:3, after some years conducting in Europe and London, started on a tour in the United States, where he soon became popular. When he returned to England, in 1841, he was very popular and was received with great welcome. Among the songs he composed or introduced were Good time coming Boys and "To the West!" He also gave us, in conjunction with George Morris, the American poet, Woodman spare that tree and Life on the Ocean Wave," "The Old Arm Chair," and the well known song which contains the spirited words at the heading of this paragraph. Surely the death of such a composer of hopeful songs is a loss that will make old England poorer. Coming too, so soon after the death of Sullivan, who has written long-to-be-remembered songs and tun es of cheers Such authors and composers are to London what Mr. James Clarke, was sometime ago to Llangollen; or Mynyddog was to Wales; and who can say what England owes to Russell! OXFORD V. CAMBRIDGE. The rowing competitions prepared for in Oxford and Cambridge are fast beginning to draw atten- tion. In the one crew there are several Welsh- men, while in the other crew there i.s the well known name of Tottenham. As the son of the well known Oxford coxswain is this year pre- pared to be in the crew, and as he also hails from Wales, the Principality will be specially interested in this year's boat race, especially if these men are rowing, as is likely. MISCELLANEOUS. Lady Bute intends, it is said, dwelling at St. John's Lodge, Regent's Park. Sir Matthew Ridley's titles will probably be Viscount Ridley and Lord Wensleydale. Lord Kenyon has been having a succession of parties in Gredington, his place near Whitchurch. The Duke of Beaufort is said to be offering for sale his castle in Monmouthshire. The Duke of Westminster might have been seen at a dinner party in a refreshment place here the other day. The Prince of Pless was with him. The Duke is going to marry the sister of the Princess of Pless, both daughters of Col. and Mrs. Cornwallis West, of Ruthin Castle. Mr. Lloyd George acted his part very ably on Monday evening, in the House of Commons, when he attacked Mr. Chamberlain's connexion with certain companies. Mr. Robson, Q.C., and Mr. Haldane, Q.C., also spoke with great ability. Mr. Chamberlain was, as usual, very masterly and calm. The Welsh M.P.'s get a hearing now-a-days Ap VANER. Thursday.

FOR FANCY AKTICI-ES suitable for Xmas Presents go to HUGH JONES'S, Stationer, Castle Street, Llan- gollen