The Cambrian News and Merionethshire Standard

ystwyth. mm Ma. PORTMADOC. For the week ending October 231'd, 1872. ARRIVALS.—John, Jones, Newry T°P?Z> »och; William and Mary, Jones, Cardiff J Johv!l Jbnes, New Ross; Piince of Wales, Wilhan19* Ne s John aad Ann, Jone?, Newry; Petit Louise, lin- William, Cadwal; der, Dublin; Mary Jonas, Mochras; Elizibeth, Jenkins, Truro; 'Endeavour, >vii- liams, Newry; Ann Prchards, Evans, Liverpool: Ann, Eliza, Richards, Youghal; HopeweU, Williams, Pwllheli, Margretha. Roach, Dubl n Margaret and Mary, Koberts, Dublin; Janet and A ice, Lloyd, Cork Elizabeth, WilliatnF, Belfast. — DBPARTTTRES. — Miss Thomas, Robert?, Rotterdam; TwBlve Apostles, HugheF, London; Lark, Jones, Cardiff; Ei ea Griffiths, Griffiths, I on "on PiJgwm, Jones, Ham- bu- g; Patriot, Willi mp, St. tt Elizabe h, Jones, Glou- eert.er; Ruby, Roaerts, Dub in; Frebrck, lEvAqo, New- j rort; foha and Margaret, i(nes,N.Lewport,

ALOSRATION OF PRICE. ON and aftee: this date the Priee of the Cambrian Jjfyws will be lid. unstamped; 2d. stamped. A subscription of 68. 6d. in advance (7S. -6d. credit), covers the delivery of the paper for twelve months at any hoffise in Aberyatwyth, Aberdovey, Towyn, DolgelleY, Bala, Corwen, Batmouth, Portmadoc, and other places. Apply to the publishers at Bala, Portmadoc, and Aberyst- wyth, or to the local a-ents. In case of any difficulty in the way of delivery, an. application direct to the publishing office is REQUESTED. On receipt of -8s. -Sd. in advance the Cambria* News will be sent post free by Thursday night's post, or delivered at be sent post free by Thursday night's post, or delivered at any railway station, on Friday morning, for twelve months. Credit Price, 10a. Published by JACOB JONES, High-street, Bala; DAVID LLOIT. Portmadocand J. MORGAN, 27 <uote ithe number), Pier-street, Aberystwyth. October ISth, 1-872. PARLIAMENTARY NOTICES. TO SOLICITORS, PARLIAMENTARY AGENTS, AND OTHERS. T I IHE issues tlie damlrian News on the 15th, 2'2nd- A and 2&th of November will be available for Parlia- mentary Notices for MERIONETHSHIRE, C APNARVONSHIRE, CARDIGANSHIRE, &c. The CAMBRIAN NEWS is published I IN MERIONETHSHIRE Ey JACOB JONES, High-street, Bala. IN CARDIGANSHIRE By JOHN MORGAN, 27, Pier street, Aberystwyth IN CARNARVONSHIRE By DAVID LLOYD, Portmadoc. It is requested that Notice of Advertisements may be sent as early as possible, but arrangements can be made to receive thein up to any time on Thursday eveRing, Nov. 14th. NOTICE. All Advertisements for the Cambrian Neivs should be sent to the Publish- ing Office at Bala, or the Railway Book-stall, Aberystwyth, not later than Thursday morning.

THE REAL SECRECY OF THE BALLOT. There is no doubt, we are afraid, that an attempt will be made at the forthcoming muni- cipal elections to persuade timid voters that there is no real protection in the Ballot. The party that will lose by secrecy, and that will therefore endeavour to nullify its effects by proving it a sham, will, it is true, be exposing its own worth- lessness in a sufficiently emphatic way. But, un- fortunately, there are always a large number of electors who on public grounds may wish to vote one way, while private interests seem to point the other, and the food of the household perhaps depends upon the decision. A man of real courage will ignore results, but it is easy enough to say that, and terribly hard to bear the sight of children crying for bread. It is for the pro- tection of this class of voters that the Ballot Act has been passed, and, seeing that the most powerful argument within the grasp of election- eering agents of a certain kind, the argument which derives its force from human weakness and suffering, is threatened, we cannot wonder at the efforts which have been and are being made to de- stroy belief in the secrecy of the system. Electors will be told that their votes can be discovered under the Ballot, and that they are in as much danger as ever of losing their work if they support the wrong candidate." All that is totally and entirely false. The Act gives perfect protection, and provides for the punishment of any attempt to obtain documentary evidence of a vote. Of course, the disreputable persons who formerly traded on the cowardice of the electors can now put their truthfulness to an equally magnanimous test. The man whose vote is worth anything as an ex- pression of opinion will be incapable of telling a lie even to these base traffickers in sin and suffer- ing, and the Ballot calls for a more rigid exercise 0 of truthfulness on the part of the electors but let them only be truthful and firm, and they need not fear the result. The secrecy of the Ballot is so profound, that the machina- tions of men who cannot understand any but dark and crooked ways are certain to be confounded, and the elector may select his own candidates, and defy all the agents in the world to say how he has voted. A brief description of the process of voting, and the penalty for trying to violate the secrecy of the Act, wdl be suffi- cient to show this. The voter will proceed to his proper voting station, of which due notice will be given, and there receive from the officials a voting paper containing the names of the can- didates. With this paper he will retire into a compartment provided for that purpose, and, screened from observation, record his vote. After "secretly marking his vote on the paper," and folding it up so as to conceal his vote "—we are quoting the very words of the Act—he will place the paper in a closed box in the presence of the presiding officer, after having shown to him the oiEcial mark on the back." The official mark has nothing whatever to do with the vote, which neither the officials or any other person will be able to discover without a gross breach of the law and danger of imprisonment. The Act pro- vides that no person shall directly or indirectly induce any voter to display his ballot paper after he shall have marked the same, so as to make known the name of the candi- date for or against whom he has so marked his vote," and 11 any person who acts in contravention of the provisions of this section shall be liable to imprisonment for any term not exceeding six months, with or without hard labour." The Act also compels the officials to do all in their power to guard against a breach of secrecy; and when the election is over the ballot papers are sealed up and taken charge of by the returning officer, to be counted. Any papers which contain any writing or mark by which the voter could be discovered, or votes re- corded for more candidates than have to be elected, will be rejected; and the electors must be careful, therefore, to observe the require- ments of the Act. The number of councillors to be elected can easily be ascertained, and only for this number must votes be marked. The pro- cess of voting is a very simple one, and all the electors have to do to ensure perfect secrecy is to follow it out in the way we have described. Mis- representations of all kinds will probably be made to them they have only to reply that they know the provisions of the Act, and to persist in the statement till the molestations of the canvas- ) sers are over. It is certain that a vigorous effort will be made next Friday in many places to frighten timid voters, and to violate the spirit of the Act, but all that is required, in dealing with those who will make the attempt, is a little firm- ness and a good aeal of incredulity, and the electors will find that they can vote in perfect security.

THE UNIVERSITY COLLEGE. The promoters of the University College have achieved a success of which they may well be proud, ;sacl the gloomy predictions have been falsified in a way which cannot fail to inspirit the true friends of ,this most important movement. The days when suc- .oess was doubtful are now over, and-a tithe of the per- tinacity which has already been displayed will bring results of which every WELSHMAN must be proud. The enthusiasm that formerly [animated a few will rapidly spread, and we have no doubt the 'University College of Wales will soon become one of its most cherished institutions, to which men of every creed can come for a high-class education. As Waf; pointed out by Mr HENRY RICHARD, M.P., at the breakfast, there was a time in the past when Wales stood high among the nations of the earth on account of'the number and excellence of its scholastic institu- tions, and we are sure that there is no <reason why its ancient fain* should not be eclipsed i-i this respect. The DOVE of learning has not declined among the peo- :pl, as is clearly shown by the determined efforts to make tke best of the Education Act offM70, which, at the best, is only a defective measure. All that has been wanting was opportunity, and, uoless we are grievously mistaken, the future history of tlhe Univer- sity College will show that the old love for learning, and the old power to excel is still as strong as ever, As the RECTOR of MERTHYR said in a letter which we published last week, all individual jealousy must be laid on "e side, for as he truly observes, unity in the matter is the first great requisite, and when we remember how numerous and powerful are the enemies of TKI« movement, and how much yet remains to be done by its friends, the necessity for remembering the RECTOR of MERTITYWS counsel is very great. Minor points of difference and individual desires must give way for the oie great end in view, and, judging from past experience, we have little doubt this will be done so completely that the op-1 ponents to the pcheme will be rendered almost power- less, as their success in retarding the success of the college depends almost entirely on divided counsels and want of unanimity. Towards the completion of the handsome building Mr DAVID DAVIES, of Llan- dinam, has given XI,000, and promised X2,000 to wards scholarships when a guarantee fund of X50,000 has been raised. This generosity will probably stimulate other gentlemen in Wales to give liberally, but to obtain the S20,000 necessary to complete the college, every class of the community ought to give, and we hope that a special effort will at once be made, commencing at Aberystwyth, so that, if pos- sible, the required sum may be collected in the course of the next twelve months. The necessity for prompt liberality is very great, and, notwithstanding past failure, we firmly believe that if Wales by large sub- scriptions shows that it is in earnest, Government will not long withhold that assistance which is given to English, Irish, and Scotch universities. The fact that Mr GLADSTONE telegraphed to express his regret at not being able to be present at the opening is not per- haps of much significance, but at any rate it shows that he is not opposed to the movement, and if the committee are importunate they will doubtless suc- ceed in making the CHANCELLOR ZOF THE Ex- CHEQUER relax his hold on the nation's puise to do a graceful act of nationtal justice. The present is the time for action, and we think the initiative ought to be taken by the people of Aberystwyth, so that the successful proceedings of last week may not fade from the memory before the sum necessary to com- plete the building has been obtained.

THE FORTHCOMING ELECTION AT ABERYSTWYTH. There was, perhaps, never a time in the municipal history of Aberystwyth when it behoved the bur- gesses to exercise more care in electing Town Coun- cillors than this year. The fact that the financial state of the town is very unsatisfactory, and that there are many important questions waiting for solution, will, we trust, induce the ratepayers to elect gentlemen to represent them in the Council Chamber who will do their utmost to improve the position of the borough. Now that the Commis- sioners are virtually abolished the duties of the Coun- cil will, be considerably increased, and we have had ample proof during the past few months that public business has not been conducted as well as it might have been. Of course it is possible that some of the confusion which exists has been brought about by the existence of two bodies, but still we think the ratepayers have a right to ask the gentlemen who represent them either to devote themselves more fully to the interests of the town or retire from the Council. We do not feel called upon to apportion the blame for the discreditable state of things re- vealed by the letters read at the Council meeting on Tuesday, but we trust the electors will show by their votes on Friday next that they appreciate the gravity of the situation, and that they intend in future to insist on the finances being properly managed Now is the time to obtain redress, and if the ratepayers refuse to record their votes, or elect men who do not possess the requisite qualifications for a seat in the Council Chamber, they will only have themselves to blame for heavy rates and an ill-lighted, ill-sewered, and ill-paved town. At former elections, when votes were given openly, it was possible to pur- chase a seat in the Council Chamber, but, under the Ballot, bribery is out of the question, and now every elector can vote without giving offence, and there is no reason why the best men should not be chosen, irrespective of personal considerations. If Aberyst- wyth depended on trade for its prosperity there might be some excuse for the delay in carrying out public works, but under present circumstances there is none and we sincerely hope that an effort will be made to give the town a ci editable appearance before next summer, so that it may compete on favourable terms with other watering places. We have no desire to ignore the great difficulties with which the authorities have had to contend, nor do we wish to depreciate what has already been done, but, at the same time, we think there is room for considerable improvement, and we are afraid that an unwise economy is at the root of many of our difficulties. To save the rates is a laudable object, but if that means allowing Aber- ystwyth to sink into a third-rate watering place our read,¥s will see that a more suicidal policy could not be adopted, nor one that is more likely to be followed with repentance when, perhaps, \t is too late to pro- vide a remedy.

A silver tea and coffee service was presented to Mr William Pughe, late managpr of the National Provincia Bank, at Dolgelley, on Tuesday afternoon. Mr Pughe is leaving Dolgelley for Bangor, where he is going to fill a more important situation of the same kind as that he has held at Dolgelley for the last six years. Mr GLADSTONE has paid a visit to Cloverley Hall, near Whitchurch, the residence of Mr HEYWOOD. The following in reference to the weather, and crops in Wales, appeared in the Times on Thursday, October 17th: —" The equinoctial storms which have prevailed during the past fortnight have been very disastrous to the late harvest in North Wales, and the heavy rains have been fol- lowed by frost and snow. Since Friday up to yesterday snow covered the Berwyn and other mountains in the Snowdon range, and the frost on Monday night was so sharp in Denbighshire that the ice remained on the pools and flooded meadows up to mid-day on Tuesday. The late harvest has been greatly impeded, and a great deal of corn will be spoilt or seriously damaged. In the county of Denbigh, and in Merionethshire, Montgomeryshire, and on the Carnarvon shire- and Cardiganshire sea coast, much cut corn still remains standing in the fielc s. and stooks of oats, beans, and some wheat stand in the saturated field". The beans will not be so much damaged by the weather as the other crops; but the cereals are dis- coloured and weather-beaten, and having been SO continu- ously wetted, the sprouted and the tops of some of the stooks are quite green. The late potatoes, which are be- ing dug, are found not to be so bad as they were reported earlier. The crops are good, and in some favourel places there are only very few bad tubers. Agricultural opera. tions generally are much in arrear, owing to the wet condi- tion of the land, which quite stops the use of the ] lough. The land, to), is very foul, and it is ig.possible to clean it," ( Mrs MATTHEWS, of Grrindley Brook, near Whitchurch, waScrofIsing the new line from Whitchurch to Chester, on Friday, October 18th, when she was knocked down by a train and killed. The deceased was about seventy years of age, and it is supposed that she could not hear the approaching train. Both landlords and tenants have good cause to hate the rabbit, amongst other re-teons, because of the mischief he causes between them. Many agriculturists must have been surprised and disappointed to read the letter from Captain COCKAYNE COOT to the BROWNLOW tenantry, which we published in ow last. It was hoped that a sounder and more liberal policy with regard to game had been established on the Brownlow estate* and we must c-infess we cannot understand the sudden revolution which has been effected. Captain CUST'S letter puzzles us so much that we feel considerable difficulty in discussing it. One thing, how- ever, we may safely say, that Earl BROWNLOW'S words and this extraordinary communication cannot be recon- ciled without some explanation, which, as yet, is not orthcoming. Earl BROWNLOW recognizes rabbits only to condemn them but this letter recognizes them to protect them. From this kind of Protection the farmers cry to bo delivered, and for the sake of the agricultural interest, and the country, and the landlords themselves, it is to be hoped that the letter will be withdrawn. An appropriate address was presented to Lord HANMER by his tenantry, last week, on the occasion of his receiving the honour of the peerage. His lordship has always been distinguished by the not too common virtue of political integrity, and the address may be safely regarded as a sincere expression of respect and regard. It would be all the more acceptable to Lord HANJIER because a political opponent, the Hon. G. T. KENYON, t)ok a leading part in the presentation. On Wednesday evening, October 16th, Mr G. 0. MORGAN addressed his constituents at a large and en- thusiastic meeting at the Cefn, and in the course of his re- marks contended that the present Ministry had accomplished more than all the administrations put together since the first Reform Bill. Referring to his Burials Bill the hon. gentleman said he entertained strong hopes that Govern- ment would take that measure in hand. He expressed an opinion that the disestablishment of the Church was much nearer than was generally expected, and said it would not come from Mr MIALL or the Liberation Society, but from the Church herself. A vote of confidence in Mr OSBORNE MORGAN was moved by Mr EDWARD MORRIS, and supported by Mr G. H. WHALLEY, who did his best to assist the Tory party by bringing an absurd charge of deception and political fraud against Mr GLADSTONE. The folly of Mr WHALLKY is happily so well known that the enthusiasm of the meeting was not damped by the un- burdening of his conscience, and the cheers which greeted the CHAIRMAN'S remark that Mr GLADSTONE is the most Liberal man in the Cabinet must have convinced the mem- ber for Peterborough that such a meeting w .s the wrong place to choose as a confessional, especially when he had nothing better to do than to abuse the greatest statesman of the age. At the Oswestry County Court OR Saturday, October 19th, a case of considerable interest to servants and their employers was tried. James LANGLEY, a coachman, sued his late employer, Mr REYNOLDS, of the Erwy, for damages for an alleged libel which had arisen out of some com- munications that had been sent by Mr REYNOLDS to the Rev. J. S. ROGERS, who had employed the plaintiff as coachman. When Mr Reynolds was first applied to for plaintiff's character, he gave him one that induced Mr ROGERS to employ him, but subsequently defendant had reasons for thinking that pi lintiff did not deserve all that had been said in his favour, and wrote to Mr ROGERS to that effect Plaintiff was then told that he must clear himself from t'.ie charges brought against him by the de- fendant or leave Mr ROGERS'S employment, and after some attempts to get a written apology from Mr REYNOLDS, an action for libel was brought, and the damages were laid at 2100. A verdict was given for the defendant. At the Denbighshire Quarter Sessions, on Thursday, October 17th, Harriet Jones was charged with stealing a quantity of property from the house of Mr JOHN PARKIN- SON, schoolmaster, of Pentre School, near Chirk. Prisoner contended that the articles had been given to her by the prosecutor, but this story was not believed, and the jury brought in a verdict of guilty, and she was sentenced to twelve months' imprisonment, with hard labour. At the same sessions, a tailor, was sentenced to twelve [months' imprisonment for a criminal assault upon an old woman at Llanrhaiadr-yn-Mochnant. One of the most gn tOfying things about the opening of the Welsh University College last week, was the receipt of a congratulatory telegram from the PREMIER. There are smaller men who discover in this attempt to provide high class education for Wales something to laugh at, or, as they call it, a mere Dissenting College," to depreciate and oppose. Mr GLADSTONE, whatever certain Noncon- formists think about him, has too big a soul to understand the jealousies of sectarianism, or to withhold his sympathy from a college because the acknowledged scholar chosen to preside over it happens to be a Dissenter. He has shown his genuine sympathy with the Principality, where he spends so much of his leisure, and with this great and un. sectarian movement; and his graceful message to the Aberjstwyth meeting will very properly increase his already great popularity in Wales.

The workmen in the Sheffield trades are combining to- gether for the purpose of erecting manufactories on their own account. The scheme is planned to extend throughout the who!e of the local trade, and is supported by the unions. A man named George Dunn has been committed for trial on a charge of attempting to bui n nine persons by setting fire to two cottages at North Nolton. At midnight on Saturday, nine persons, two of them being a bedridden old couple, wire sleeping in the cottages, and had to be roused and carried through the flames, which had thoroughly mastered aad .eventually consumed the dwellings. Dunn ccnfjssed his crime, which, it appeared, was dictated by by supposed injury. The fire was, by the merest accident, discovered in time to save the inmates. The principal part of the town of Northwich was flooded on Tuesday, October 22nd, to a depth of five feet, owing to the River Weaver having overflowed its banks. At least a dozen shops were completly inund tted, and very con- siderable damage was sustained. Traffic was materially impeded throughout the day, and boats were usel for supplying the wants of the inhabitants of houses surrounded by water. The fires at the neighbouring saltworks were ex- tinguished, and a large quantity of salt was washed away. The river Dane also overflowed its binks, and the meadows between Northwich and Middlewich are under water. The flood has been equally disastrous in and around Winsford. Colonel Tomline, M.P., has issued a handbill to the in- habitants of Great Grimsby, his constituents, in which he glories in having compelled Mr Lowe to acknowledge that there is a dearth of silver in circulation. He has another crow to pick," however, with Mr Lowe. Mr Tomline maintains that the silver coin is debased 91 per cent, and he says this is not fair to working men, "for all foreign produce-tea, coffee, tobacco-they pay 91 per cent more than they ought to pay, because the foreign owner of mer- chandize will only accept our silver coin according to the quantity of silver in it, careless of the name we call it." On Tuesday, October 22nd, tl "a was a terrible explo- sion at the Monkland Iron Company's Works at Calder- bank, near Glasgow, by which four men were seriously in- jured. A number of men were drawing out the molten slag from a furnace when the accident happened. A perfect shower of boiling metal burst upon them, and three of the men were knocked down among the molten metal and burning coke. The men were all horribly scorched, and two of them became delirious, but the other retained con- sciousness. A fourth man sustained injuries, but of a less dangerous character. A Jersey farmer, named Clement Bisson, was disturbed by the noise of some children, who were playing, and he opened one of his room windows and fired a fowling-piece among them, wounding a boy named George Alfred Romeril, seven years of ag. The gun was loaded with grains of oats, and the farmer has been committed for trial at the November assizes. The other evening, George Sefton, William Johns.on, and George Stamp, platelayers, went to work in a tunnel near Wakefield. Before going into the tunnel, Stamp filled two large lamps with naptha, which is used in all the tunnels on the Midland system. Johnson took one of the lamps and Sefton the other. Sefton, who had been acting as ganger'' over the other two men from the previous Friday, had not taken more than a couple of strides when the outside of his lamp, which had been filled to overflowing, began to blaze all round. Sefton placed the lamp oil thq ballast, upon which Johpson asked him if he might pour a little more naptha upoi it in order to make it blaze harder. Sefton inJE irmed him that if he d'd so he would kick the btus'ng lamp upon him. J (hnson t'len said to his ganger Thou will? wherj d< e> thou tl ink I shallb<to letthte?" Sefton ana <ve e" Tee a 8->me on and try xnc." Johmoa Thou will ? wherj d< e, thou ti I nk I shall b to letthte?" Sefton ana Are- e Tee a 8)m.e on and try xnc." Johmoa I then "held lamp over Sefton's, as if in the act of pouring more naptha upon it; but whether he actually did so, or only professed, is not known. Immediately Sefton saw what Johnson was doing he kicked the blazing lamp and it went upon Johnson. The effect of this rash and unfor- tunate act it is impossible to describe. In an instant the poor young fellow's clothing was enveloped in flames. Un- fortunately, Johnson started to run down the line towards the station, and by this means ha caused the flames to spread over the whole surface of his body in a few moments. His two companions, who were aw-stricken, had sufficient presence of mind to lay hold of their greatcoats, rush after Johnson, throw them around him, and endeavour to smother the flames. All their efforts, however, were in vain, and Johnson fell to the ground. He was most horribly burnt on almost every part of his body. As soon as possible the sufferer was conveyed to Clayton Hospital, Wakefield, where he died. At the inquest, a verdict of manslaughter was returned against Sefton, who is twenty- three years of age, and a native of Chester. The deceased was a single young man, twenty-three years of age. Telegraphic communication has been established be- tween this country and Australia. The extensive blast furnaces belonging to the Plymouth Iron Works Company, Aberdare, were stopped some time ago, in eonsequence of the outrageously exorbitant de- mands made by the colliers for an increase of wages. The colliers asked for a rise of forty-three per cent, in addition to the eighty-five per cent which had been already granted. The company refused this exorbitant demand, and the furnaces were blown out. At the suggestion of the exe- cutive committee of the Amalgamated Association of Miners the notices have been withdrawn, and acting upon this retirement of the men from the hostile attitude which they had assumed, the Plymouth Company have announced that the furnaces will be at once re-lighted. The managing partner of the Plymouth Company is Mr Fothergill, M.P. A young artiste once wrote to Rossini, and asked him as to the best manner of composing an overture. He received the following answer: "1st recipe. Wait till the evening before the first performance. Nothing excites inspiration like necessity the presence of a copyist waiting for your work, and the view )f a manager in despair, tearing out his hair by handfals. In Italy in my time all the managers were bald at thirty. 2nd. I composed the overture to Othello' in a small room in the Barbaii Palace, where the baldest and most ferocious of managers had shut me up by force, with nothing but a dish of macaroni, and the threat that I should not leave the place alive till I had written the last note. 3rd. I wrote the overture to Gazza Ladra' on the day of the fir3t performance, in the upper loft of the La Scala, where I had been confined by the manager, under the guard of four scene-shifters, who had orders to throw my text out of the window bit by bit to copyists, who were waiting below to transcribe it. In de- fault of music I was to be thrown out myself. 4th. For Barbiere' I did better. I composed no overture, but tacked on one intended for a very serious work, called Elisabetta.' The public were delighted. 5th. I composed the overture to Count Ory' when angling, with my feet in the water, and when in the company of M. Aguado, who was talking Spanish finance all the time. 6th. That of 'Guillaume Tell' was written under somewhat similar conditions. 7th. I did not compose any overture for Morse,' &c." An expeditious way of spending money is to get up an election petition. It appears that the costs of the petitioner (Captain the Hon. W. Lc Poer Trench) in the Galway election petition are estimated at about £ 12,000. Of this sum between L4,000 and £ 5,000 is for counsel's fees. De- ducting the average reduction made by taxation, the net amount may be expected to stand at as nearly as possible 210,000. The costs of Captain Nolan's side will probably be about £ 8,000. Putting the petitioner's and respondent's costs together, both of which, by the decision of Mr Judge Keogh, have to be defrayed by the latter, the sum of 218,00,3 is arrived at. A dealer in obscene prints, who, probably, could "not afford" to give up a trade which undermined the moral life of the country, was brought up at a London police court on Tuesday, October 22nd, for selling obscene books and stereoscopic slides. He was sentenced to two years' hard labour. Miss Agnes Livingstone has forwarded to the Scotch papers some extracts from a letter which she received on the 20th October from her father, Dr Livingstone, dated Unyanyembe, 2nd June and 1st July last. The first three sentences refer to the search expedition, and his proposed journey before turning his face homewards, subjects which were treated at greater length in the letter published on Tuesday, and addressed to Earl Granville. After stating that he had entrusted his journals and chronometers to Mr Stanley, the illustrious traveler added, with regard to the latter gentleman He proved himself a good Samaritan to me in my sore distress, and I felt, and still feel, truly grateful. I have written two letters to the New York Herald. I meant to keep most of my matter for publication by myself, but the very great expense Mr Bennett went to in sending Mr Stanley led me to give him frankly what may enable him to write a book. It will, in his hands, do us no harm, for the Americans are good generous friends." The Rev. James Rowland, who has been the Congrega- tional minister at Heiiley-on-Thame3 for thirty-six years, died suddenly on Saturday, October 19th. The dinner bell was rung as usual at the residence of the deceased, and as he did not come to the dining-room, his daughter went to his study and found him sitting in his arm chair, but quite dead. Mr Rowland had enjoyed his ordinary health up to the time of his death, and had arranged to take part in a service at Newbury on Monday. On Tuesday, October 22nd, the Rev. C. T. Smith, Vicar of Cannock, left the vicarage, leaving behind him a letter, presumably intended for communication to the paiishioners, stating that, finding the Church of England to be fast running into infidelity, heresy, and error, he had resolved to join the Roman Catholic Church. In token of rejoicing at his departure application was made for the bells to be set ringing. A new pastoral staff has been presented to the Bishop of Hereford. In consequence of the general fall in the price of coal the Steam Coal Owners' Association at Cardiff resolved, on Tuesday, October 22nd, to reduce the market price of steam coal Gs. per ton. Perhaps the dealers in this district will follow the example here set them.

O(a:X ltnct gtetrirt Mrs Parton, better known as Fanny Fern, is dead. ECCLESIASTICAL PREFERMENTS.—Collins, Rev. G., M.A., Curate of Middle, Salop, vicarage of Oakengates Salop.— Jenkins, Rev. W., to vicarage of Dy)iffe, Montgomery. Robert*, Rev., J. C., to rectory of Ryton Shropshire. CHIRBURY AND FORDRN AGRICULTURAL SOCIETY.—By an advertisement in another column it will be seen that the annual ploughing matches, and other field. trials in connection with this society, will be held at Chirbury, on Friday Oct. 25th. -D *J L-U BANKRUPTS &C.—Thomas Hand, painter, Bridgnorth, Salop". James Vaughan and Charles Goulbourn Vaughan, cabinet makers, Oswestrv, and the separate estate of James Vaughan and Charles Goulbourn Vaughan. John Hum- phreys. farmer, Stottesdon. Salop. THE WPA.TRER.-The effects of the heavy rain which fell during the early part of the week are apparent in the deluged meadows and impassable roads which are visible for a considerable distance on each side of the Cambrian Railway, between Pool Quay and Buttington, some acres of country being completely under water. Near Welsh- pool several fields were flooded through the rising of the Severn. The Floss, a large district between Montgomery and Forden, was also submerged to the depth of some feet. An endeavour is being made to secure a pension from the Roval Literary Fund for an eminent Welsh scholar, Mr R. J. Pryse (Gweirydd ap Rhys), and a memorial on the subject has been presented to the Premier, signed by eleven members of Parliament and a great number of the literati of Wales. The subject of the memorial is now old and suffering from defective sight. It is stated that no Welsh- man his ever been a recipient of any annuity from the fund. OSWESTRY AND WELSHPOOL SCHOOL-TEACHERS ASSOCI- ATION.—The members of the above society met jn the National School, Oswestry, on Saturdav, October 19th, to appoint a treasurer in the place of Mr Edwards, who has left the neighbourhood. The attendance was small. One new member was admitted. Mr Nelson was voted to the chair. Mr Gwyther was appointed treasurer. The meet- ing agreed to the first and fifth clauses of the report of the special committee appointed by the Manchester Conference, and the secretary was deputed to write to the absent mem- bers to ascertain their opinions.—The next meeting will be held in Welshpool, on the first Saturday in December, and the annual meeting will be held m Oswestry on the third Saturday in January next. TRAFFIC RECEIPTS. 1872. Great Western £ 100,252 West Midland 1871. South Wales. ) £ 92.412 1872. London and North-Western. "> £ 149,260 Shrewsbury and Hereford > 1871. Shropshire Union J £ 149,506 CAMBRIAN RAILWAYS.—Approximate return of traffic for the week ending October 20th, 1872:—Miles open, 173. Pas- sengers, parcels, &c., 21,667 merchandise, minerals, and cattle, 21,87Do; total for the week, 23,526; aggregate to this date, 967,257. Corresponding week last year. Miles op<n, 178. Passengers, &c.. 21,631 merchandise, &c.. 21,814; total for the week, £ 3,415; aggregate to this dat, 46-3,158. BRECON AND MBRTHTB RAILWAY (61 miles open).-It& tarn of traffic for the week ending Oct. 20th, 1872 •— Passen- ??" PAMELA, &c., £ 215 5s. Id. goods and live rtock £ 1,144 Is. 5D.; total, £ 1,359 6s. 6d.; £ 22 5S. 8d. per per week. Corresponding week last year (61 miles oDen). -Passengers, parcels, tic., £ 190 2s. 3I. goods and UTO stock, £ 1,159 18s. 7d.; total, £ 1,350 Qi. 10d.; £ 22 2s. 8<L per mile per week. Increase for this week, £ 9 5S. 8D. Aggre- £ 2ie7«aT If rnly' 1872' £ 22'831 '<a- J ditto, 1871^ 7s. 2d. Increase for sixteen weeks, £ 1,04119S. LQDU HUNTING APPOINTMENT'S Th m [WEATHER PERMITTING.] Tuesday 0^29^ Harrier8 ^Mr Ues"s) wiu meet on Saturday, NoV 2 LLA,QDRINIO> Llansilin At llileven o clock. Friday, OCFEFSF" HARRURS WIU AT hali-past Teiu

BALA. BIBLE SOCrETY.-The annual meptfintr of the hp Auxiliary of the British and Foreign Bible Society was held at the Town Hall on Friday, thf 18th o^nh vf JOM. Vrondderw, took th. ch.it, aad £ hi T upoa the llberal ani1 catholic spirit which vaded th.e Principles and operations of this noble institn". tion, and compared the success and progress thereof with that which attended other similar societies which had entered the field before this one, on account of each being based on a narrow and sectarian basis. The parent society was represented by the Rev. E. Evans,. Carnarvon, who delivered an eloquent and interesting speech, recounting the extensive operations of the society in all parts of the IS- earnestly pleading, in the face of the enormous work yet undone, for more liberal contributions and ex- tended co-operation for the future. The annual statement of the receipts and disbursements of the auxiliary show- ing an increase of contributions on the previous ve'ar WAB 'wad by thcEc, L. Edwards, D.D., who aKSrST" the lois sustained by the auxiliary in the death of its faith. tal and valuable Treasurer f-i.ice the year 1840, the late Mr #-n?aVL r^em.ynf?J' w^° ^ad by his will left a legacy of £ j0 to the Briu ih and Foreign Bible Society. Tlie com- I^n W ap5°lrted Mr W- 0wen> National Provincial 1 ij SUC3eed Mr J°ne3 as treasurer. The meeting was also addressed by the Rev. James Donne, Llangefn!,lfc O. Richards, M.D., and Mr Simon Jone?. Though the weather was unfavourable the hall was crowded, and the pr0C,pCu /u we-re brou-ht to a dose by singing he doxology. The following lad es were named collectors for this year Miss Edwards (late), Bangor; Miss Lloyd, Graienyn; Miss Roberts, Henblas; Misi Peter, Arran L.ine.

PORTMADOC. THE BRITISH AND FOREIGN BIBLE SOCIETY. A local meeting of this society was held at the SaTem (Ambroses) Chapel, on Thursday evening the 17t-H October. Mr Robert Rowlands, 'he B°n £ wL oW ri\e meeting was opened with devotional exer- cises by the Ivev. Henry Hughes, Brynengan and Gam. There was a fair audience. The local secretary, Mr John irtiillips, legidon, read the accounts for the" last year after which Mr Owen Morris addressed the meeting. He" thought that the increase in the receipts for last year should have been, comparatively speaking, greater than any of the previous yea.-s, because of the increase of trade in the port and of the inhabitants- As to the difference between Wales and other countries, he (Mr Morris) attri- buted it to the influence of the Bible, which was exten- Rively circulated amongst the inhabitants. For this good all should repty the society as much as possible, by con- tributing towards its funds. When collecting in the neighbourhood for the society, he must c mfess that people always received him kindly, and he had been especially surprised at the sums the working men contributed to the society. The Rev. Thomas Owen spoke of the influence of the Bible; after which Dr Charles, of Aber. swytb, addressed the audience as the representative of the parent society. Mr Rob. I. Jones, the Rev. Mr Hughes (Wes- leyan), and others also addressed the meeting, and a vote of thanks to the Chairman terminated the proceedings. FOOTBALL CLUB.-At a meeting held here on Tuesday evening, Oct. 22nd, by the members of the Portmadoc cricket club and the supporters of the Poitmadoc athletic sports, it was unanimously agreed that a foot-ball club should be at once started in Portmadoc under the'manage- ment of a committee, consisting of the following srentle- men ™ Messrs H. L. Price, R. Casson, C. Roberts, R, •Iv. It ?-B, Humphreys, R. Isaac> and j H Thomas with Mr J. Williams, National and Provincial Bank, as hon. sec. Tuesdays and Wednesdays were appointed as side days. A hope was also expressed that advantage- should be taken of every fine moonlight night for holdine a game of foot-ball. EARLY CLOSING.—All the shops, with the exception of a few, close now at seven o'clock p.m. on every evening except Saturdays, when they close at nine p.m.

DOLGELLEY. PETTY SESSIONS, TUESDAY, OCT. 22.-Before R. M. Richards, Esq., and Owen Richards, Esq., of Ba?,a. Drunk and Kiotous.—John Ellis, joiner, of Dolgelley, was charged by P. C. Thomas Parry with this offence, in Eldon-square, on the 5th October. Defendant, who did not appear, was fined 10a. and costs, or, in default, seven days' imprisonment.—Richard Williams, of Dolgelley, was also charged with the same offence by the same officer. Defendant, who pleaded guilty, was fined 5s. and1 costs, or, in default, seven days' imprisonment. R bert Griffith, of the same place, was also, for the same offence,, fined 53. and costs, or, in default, seven days' im. prisonment. -Dax-id Roberts, of Dolgelley, was charged, byP.C. R. Vaughan, w.th the same offence, on the 10th October, at Upper Smithfield-street. Fined 5a. and costs, or, in default, seven days' imprisonment. Drunk while in Charge of a Horse--Hugh Pugh, farmer °f charged with this offence on the 9th Oct., at Dolgelley. Defendant pleaded guilty, and was fined 20s., and costs. ° J' Smoke Nuisance•—Mr William Hughes, printer, was charged by the Clerk of the Dolgelley Local Board, under the Smoke Nuisance Act.—Mr Griffith Pugh, of Arran View, proved the offence, on the 7th August last. He was cross- examined by Mr W. R. Davies, and said that the smoke came from the chimney of the printing shop and fell into his house, although there were others in the neighbourhood. The chimney in question was higher than witness's Wi .dowF», Witness produced a lot of soot which he gathered up in the passage of his house on the day in question. It came to the house through the windows from Mr Hughes's chimney. On some days there was no smoke when they were at work.- Defendant was fined 5A.—Mr Pugh said he did not ask for Costs, as Mr HAgbes was a large ratepayer, and promised to use smokeless coal or coke. j > r BOARD OF GUARDIANS, THURSDAY, OCT. 24TH.— MT R M Puf?\TLlan«elynin, in the chair W v Charles Jones, ex officio Messrs Wm. Hughes,Dolgelley; Hugh Jones, Talyllyn; Owen Owens, Llanfihangel-y-Pennant; Edwd. Richards Mallwyd and Thomas Davies, Llanenddwyn; Mr Jos! Roberts, Clerk. Financi,al.-The out door relief for the past fortnight was reported as follows:—Mr John Jones, Barmouth dis- trict, £ 118 17s. 4d.; number of paupers, 610. Mr Morris, Jones, Talyllyn district, 396 paupers, and 264 9s. expended in relief. Balance due to the union, tl,263 193.4d. An Explanation.-Mr Charles Jones explained that his remarks at the previous meeting of the Board, with regard to advice given a collector, had reference not to the call then under consideration, but to a previous call. The Welfare of the Aged Paupers.-Mr Hugh Jones, Talyllyn, invited the attention of the Board to the high price of flour and coals, and gave notice that he would on that day month bring under the consideration of the Board the question of augmenting relief to paupers of sixty years of^ age and upwards throughout the union.—Mr B. M. Richards said he did not see why, if they had an enquiry, they should not include all paupers, irrespective of age. The Relief Lists. Mr R. M. Richards referred to a good custom" the Guardians in that union used to keep by going through the relief lists at fixed periods in order to give consideration to all cases where support from re- latives could or could not l-e demanded, and to reduce the a"lrifnivi i parochial relief where deemed advisable. He should like to see that custom revived. Notice was given that the lists would be gone through at the next fort- nightly meeting.—Mr Richards observed that just at the approach of winter was a very good time to do that work.

PRESENTATION. On Tuesday afternoon, October 22nd, a very! interesting meeting of a semi-public character was held in the Grand Jury-room in the County Hall, in this town, for the purpose of presenting Mr William Pughe, late manager of the National Provincial Bank, Dolgelley, with a handsome testi- monial, consisting of silver tea and coffee pot, sugar basin, and the cream ewer, value £ 50. On the motion of Mr David Pugh, solicitor, seconded by Mr E. Jones, Ship Hotel, Mr R. Meredyth Richards, of Caerynwch, was unanimously elected chairman. Mr W. R. DAVIES, solicitor, being requested to state the object of the meeting, said that the present testimonial was got up rather differently from the way in which those things were generally promoted. In the present instance no adver- tisement appeared in the papers, nor were any circulars issued; the matter being mentioned 1,y one friend to another, and the money was obtained without further trouble. He, itS secretary, had been rather severely bL m d by several tradesmen and friends of Mr Pugh that the matter was not made more public, in order that a larger number should be enabled to show their good-will in the matter. But although he must apologise to those friends, it was only a further proof how greatly Mr Pugh was esteemed in the town. He was very sorry to lose Mr Pugh, being one of his most intimate friends; but at the same time he was glad of being able to do what was in his power in getting up for him such a handsome testimonial. Mr RICHARDS said it gave him very great pleasure to be present that day; and when asked to preside on the occa- sion he did so most willingly. The testimonial in itself showed how greatly Mr Pughe was esteemed by the in. habitants of the town and its immediate neighbourhood and no one knew the kindly feeling of the inhabitants better than he did himself, having always lived amongst them; and with any little difference which might occa- sionally arise amongst them he always found them true and kind at heart. (Cheers.) He might add that his own feeling was entirely in the matter, npt only as a subscriber, but as a sincere well-wisher of Mr Pughe. With respect to the beauty of the service, he would only remark that they were extremely well chosen of very hand- some, and suitable design, and bore the following inscrip- tion. "Presented to Mr William Pughe, on his leaving Dolgelley for Bangor, by his friends at Dolgelley August 30th, 1872." They ,11 knew that Mr Pughe descended f om a very old and a highly respected family in the neigh- b, urhood, and he was very glad to see the son of an old neighbour reoeiving such an honour that day. If Mr