Welsh Newspapers
Search 15 million Welsh newspaper articles
7 articles on this Page
---_._-----------BARMOUTH…
BARMOUTH URBAN DISTRICT COUNCIL. THE Barmouth Ratepayers' Union has scored a unique victory. Nine candidates were nominated for the nine seats on the new Urban District Council, and eight of the nine have been returned, the ninth member, who was returned fourth on the poll, being the RECTOR, the late Chairman of the superseded Local Board. The inhabitants of Barmouth are to be congratulated on having worked together in a way that is alrogether admirable, and that speaks well for the future prosperity of the town. We have never said, ana have never believed, < that there is anything hopeless in the condition of Barmouth, situated as it is in one of the most beautiful parts of Wales, but we think there has been unwise expenditure; there has been a damning policy of secrecy; there has been a lax I way of keeping accounts there has been, in short, a happy-go-lucky system of govern- ment in which tco much was left to the CHAIRMAN and to the CLERK. We do not impute blame, much less culpability. In towns like Barmouth there can be much l unwise expenditure, and great laxity, without actual culpability. The Government audit of the accounts has been postponed again, we believe for the third time Some public works are suspended. There are serious difficulties, financial and otherwise, to be grappled with, and we believe that the ratepayers will have to prepare themselves to make considerable sacrifices before the town can be put into thac sound and prosperous position which it ought Ull- doubtedly to occupy. The RECTOR may have said a good deal that is wise, but he has also said a good deal that is other- wise. His attempts to minimise the serious- ness of the local situation have been as inept as his attempts to discredit criticism have been futile. The first duty of the new Councillors, both for the benefit of the ratepayers, and for the safety of the Councillors themselves, will be to call in a chartered accountant to prepare a full and accurate statement of the financial condition of every department of the finances of the town, namely: The loans; the town estate; the liabilities on current account; the arrears of rates and ail the sources of revenue. If this is not done the newly- elected representatives of the ratepayers will be told before a year is over, as the ratepayers have been told already, that there is nothing that needs the skill and independence of a chartered accountant. What we urge is that the accounts should be prepared by a disinterested accountant, so that they may be presented before the Government AUDITOR, and may be a starting place for the new representatives of the people. We think the new body will have to make large calls upon the patience of the ratepayers, for, unless we are greatly mistaken, a good deal has to be done before the new Council will be justified in entering into the completion of the sus- pended 0 works. An entirely new start should be made. The RECTOR may have it in his power to render considerable assist- ance, but from what he has said and written during the past year, we much doubt whether he knows as much as from his position on the late Board he ought to have known. We shall see. The clean sweep made of the old members places serious responsibility upon the new members. Tlwv will reouire to act with much caution under good advice, and we think they could not do better than appeal at once to the Local Government Board for assist- ance. More money will probably be required than the town is authorised to borrow, and it is most desirable that the new Councillors should be careful to see what they take over. If everything is as satisfactory as the RECTOR has represented it to be then he will score, but if the condition of things is as unsatisfactory as we fear, he may be more to blame than any other of the old members. Nobody expects parsons to be very good business men, but everybody expects them to resent criticism and to protest against doubt being cast upon their ZD wisdom. The ratepayers of Barmouth have done the right thing in not electing the 0 old members. The new members have a perfectly free hand, with just an admixture of the old leaders which will help to bring -n out the salient facts of the case. It is to be hoped that whatever is done the new members will pull well together, and I will be thorough. The victory of the rate- payers is unique, but it must not be forgotten that all the work is still to do, and that it is difficult work, and work that cannot be done either hurriedly or at once. We believe that whatever has to be done will be done, but there is danger that in the desire to justify the great confidence of the electors the Councillors miy do hastily what wouid be better done after great deliberation, and with great care. We need scarcely say that "I we have no desire to dictate, either to the ratepayers or to their representatives. The t RECTOR has not been wise, and he must now realise that while he personally has been returned, the policy he has championed l has been condemned. It is to be hoped that in future the Council meetings wil be held more regularly, and that the public will in future be trusted with full knowledge of their own affairs. Secrecy in public bodies is fatal to progress, and if there ever was a place that might court publicity with advantage, that place is Barmouth. The great thing is to avoid division. The task before the Council is an arduous one, but Barmouth has a successful future before it and, great as the indebtedness is, the burden may be borne without disaster, and every future growth will share the burdens among a greater number. The popular victory at the recent election should be wisely used. Recriminations are worse than useless. The great thing is to attack 9 6 the confusion which now exists, and to bring to bear upon public affairs that business keenness and that intelligence which ensure success in private affairs. By watch- fulness, carefulness, and wisdom the mistakes of the past itieky not only be avoided in future, but the consequences of those mistakes may be modified. The first step is to get to the root of the matter, and to put the public business of the town on a sound footing, The RECTOR may depend upon it that in these days it is impossible to persuade the people anything that is con- trary to comnion sense. The bad old order of things has been most emphatically con- demned, and the new Councillors may rest assured that they will receive the hearty support of the inhabitants of the town in any measure that they may think fit to adopt for enabling Darmouth to take the high position which its great natural advantages entitle it to take. The first 'b work is to evolve order out of chaos. The second is to abolish official rule. The third is to establish a system of book- keeping. The fourth is to decide on a policy of public works. And the fifth is to establish a balance between receipts and fxcenditure. If the new Councillors do not get to know the exact present condition of things they will be blamed for all the past. What Barmouth wants is a fresh start.
WHY PROGRESS IS SLOW.
WHY PROGRESS IS SLOW. THOUSANDS of the inhabitants of this country have been made members of local governing- bodies during the past few days, and hope runs high that many of the evils which sadden the sympathetic observer will be removed quickly. We do not cherish this hope. Repeated disappointment tends to modify expectation. The new Parish and District Councils will do something, but that something will not be just what is expected, or even what is most needed. There are apparently insuper- able obstacles in the way of progress, and we will try to define some of them for the benefit of those who have entered for the first time into public life. Let us look at some of the older bodies which, for reasons difficult to describe, fail to accomplish the ends for which they were brought into existence. The great complaint made against the House of Commons for instance, is that it cannot pass useful and necessary measures. The members of the House of Commons may be willing to work, and anxious that measures for the well-being of the people should be passed, but the machine will not move quickly enough, and all sorts of evils have to be tolerated because the nation's legislators cannot legislate. Nothing is so calculated to generate a sense of utter hopelessness as an interview with half-a-dozen Members of Parliament. They quickly convey the impression that the House of Commons is a great unworkable machine from which it is practically useless to expect a steady flow of useful work. What is true of the Bouse of Commons is so true of the House of Lords in still more aggravating degrees that the country is angrily demanding the removal of the hereditary chamber out, of the way of the people. Every great De- partment of State is an example of the same incapacity that renders the House of Commons useless. The POSTMASTER GENERAL, the PRESIDENT of the BOARD of TRADE, the PRESIDENT of the LOCAL GOVERNMENT BOARD, and the heads of the other great departments are like wooden men. They move along ancient lines, and they are for ever crying out Impossible, impossible it cannot be done." From the highest to the lowest the officials are bound in r<-d tape. Pre- cedent is heaped on precedent, and change is resisted with perfect unanimity and perfect success. What is true of Stite Departments is equ-dly true of great enterprises like the railways of the country. Charges for travelling are still made by the mile, and tickets are still given out of a rat-hole sort of arrangement after the manner of fifty years ago. When we come to local administrative bodies we find the same inability to rise to fiesh conceptions of what is possible. At the last meeting of the Aberystwyth Town Council it will be seen that the Members gravely admit that the sanitary condition of the town is not what it ought to be. This admission has been made over and over again during the past quarter of a century, but just as nothing effective ,n ,1_, =- uuue m times past so nothing was done last Tuesday. Aberystwyth is a first- class health resort, and there are, therefore, excellent reasons why the town should be kept scrupulously clean. If we turn from local governing bodies to the great religious bodies, we find the same inertia, the same bondage to precedent, the same deadly routine. I Old notions of God and His government of the world cannot in these days be main- tained, but the old methods are upheld and the religious systems remain, ineffective, while the masses of the people sweep, by the temples of a oiic-day-i,.i -the- week relig'on. Any attempt to keep pace with the require- ments of the people is branded as Atheism. W 3 see, then,, that in the legislative assem- blies, in the great State Departments, in large private undertakings, in local governing bodies, MI religious organizations, and else- where, there is a paralysing element that prevents growth, or development, or adaptation. Z, The candidate who declares that if he is elected he will push forward reforms, quickly becomes Tory, The breath of office stifles him. Officialism gets hold of him almost immediately, and he is lost. Hundreds of Parish and District Councils have been formed, but does anybody who has had experience believe that people who tolerated all sorts of evils in the past will now cease to tolerate them ? We do not believe, for instance, that the new Aberystwyth Board of Guardians will rise above the immoral prin- ciple of getting its provisions and its work at the lowest price, irrespective of any other conditio: We do not believe that the Aberystwyth Rural District Council will now do the work efficiently which has been done inefficiently for twenty-one years. We are not seeking in these words to raise a pessimistic cry. All we wish t) do is to 11 warn those who are entering upon public life for the first time not to expect too ? much. We have been foiled year after year in all sorts of ways, but this paper, wi y I ? I;ope, is still fighting for conditions of clean ,Iphysical life and clean moral life to-day as I strenuonsly as ever. We believe that women ■1 will do something, and we are not without hope that men also will take a step forward under the new order of things. Progress is slow because men and women are not agreed as to what is progress; it is slow because all sorts of small personal hates and jealousies come in; it is slow because men love power and dread unpopularity it is slow because paid officials do not like to create opposition it is slow because public expenditure is disliked it is slow because public bodies do not like to be taught it is slow because progress develops fresh needs and reveals fresh evils it is slow because every step forward j injures somebody; it is slow because the public weal is not supposed to be on a par with private interest; and, last, it is slow because the reformer cannot move more quickly than those who do not want reform. If the inhabitants of Aberystwyth, for instance, were to rise and say that the sanitary condition of the town must be j above reproach, the work would be done in a week, and a great deal of it would be done j by the people themselves. We do not despair. It is true, too true, that progress is slow, but there has been progress, not only at Aberystwyth, but all ever the district, and not only in respect to the grosser health and life destroying sanitary defects, but in other directions. We trust that in every part of this district men and women will come to the front, and will fight for municipal cleanliness and beauty. There is no reason why our streets and roads should not both be clean and beautiful. Beauty—colour, trees, flowers, ornai-nelir s, elegance in design and excellence in workmanship are all worth having from a public point of view, and are worth more than ugliness and dirt. There are heights in public life to which we have I not even aspired, much less reached.
! LOCAL AND GENERAL NOTES.…
LOCAL AND GENERAL NOTES. The Victrria Legislative Assembly have passed a Bill, after an all-night sitting, imposing a tax on the unimproved value of land. Unimproved land should be resumed by the nation, and should be sold to those who will improve it. A tax on what is practically worth nothing will probably result in its being made worth something. Lord SWANSEA, on takiug his seat in the Upper House, will give hia active support to the Conser- vative Party. His father, better known as Sir HUSSEY VIVIA-4, was, throughout a long political career, a staunch supporter of Mr GLAD- STONE. The new peer, no doubt, does not feel that his nobility is robust eneugh for him to submit it to the severe strain of Liberalism. j; jIt is said that Mr R. N. HALL, the secretary of the South Wales Liberal Federation is going to resign his position. We have never been able to understand what part the South Wales Liberal Federation has played in the political life of the country. It is now opposing the establishment of branches of the Cymru Fydd League, and that does not strike us as a labour to be proud of. The Weft era Mail really must be careful. Here is another of its paragraphs :—" Far and away the "proudest man in Cardiff on Monday night was Dr D. RHYS JONES. Of all the vast army of candidates for Poor Law guardianships the Fabian doctor was the only man who beat a woman." The fewer men there are who beat women either at the polls or anywhere else the better. What does the b e-stern Mail mean by thinking that any man sheuld be proud because he has beaten a woman. Religion in its conventional form is a curious thing. The members of the West Merionethshire monthly meeting, it is said, have passed a resolution expressing disapproval of the introduction cf Sunday excursions cn the Cambrian line. It is doubtful whether one -day-in-the -week religionists have not done more to injure religion than has been done by all the wicked people. Freedom is a very good thing on which to build religion, but when will the Churches learn that freedom is better than com- pulsion in morals and religion ? Mr JOSKPII ARCH says that the Parish C uncils Act w:.s going to bring them back to the land. Every labourer that was on the land to-day, and every youth that was growing up, would be able to demand his acre of land, and this would stop the migration into the towns which had been gointr on for the past thirty years." A statement of this kind makes us doubt once more, what we have frequently doubted, whether Mr JOSHPH ARCH understands all the causes which have been operating, not only during the past thirty or forty years, but ever since the beginning of the century, to drive people from the land. Landowners have a great opportunity in their hands if they only knew it. Members of the :Church of England will cot pay for their religion. The amount subscribed every year is so small that the aid given to curates is being withheld, and in a way the Church of England is being disestablished and disendowed. There is nothing surprising in this. We have no doubt that the parson as we know him will loon be a thing of the past. On Saturday the Archbishop of CANTERBURY urged Churchmen to inform themselves of the facts of the history, of the Church, and to strenuously opp-.se thp passir.g of the Welsh Dis- establishment Bill. If Churchmen make themselves acquainted with the facte of the history of the Church they will learn that the Church, from the beginning, has been the enemy of freedom. We do not care how strenuously Welsh Disestablishmeut is cpposed. The more strenuous the opposition the sooner the English Establishment will fall. Nleii eyerywherp, are beginning to learn that it is not God, but the priest who pretends to speak, in His name, who is the enemy of the people. If Parliament will not disestablish and disendow the Church of England in Wates the people of Wales are quite equal to the task. Archbishops can be far from wise. Sir GIORGE OSBORNE MORGAN, Bart., is very much in evidence, so much so that we sincerely wish he could have the peerage conferred upon him which he hankers after, and we might hear the last ot him. Our LiberaJ readers will understand why we are anxious to hear the la<t of him when we tell them that he is always doing Liberalism harm by his ignorance of Welsh politic?. In addressing the Liberation Society's Conference, at Birmingham, the other day, he declared that it would be an act of unpardonable disloyalty to doubt the sincerity of Lord RosEsasRY and his colleagues, after their pledges as to the passing of a Welsh Disestablish- ment Bill next Seat ion. He, however, believed they had commenced the most tremeadcua struggle to which the Liberal Party was ever committed, and he warned Liberals that if the run was obstructed by amendments the twentieth century would still find ihjm fighting on this question. If this is not an invitation to the Tories to report to oh-truction (to kuo.v wh ;t an i-ivit:ion is. If tile Dis- establishment question is kept open for six years we doubt whether there will be any Welch 1 Cauich to lJis :»tabh&;i. But what can anybody ;t y'k; platform, or from Sit G. 0. MORGAN 2 i The armies ot Purope arc rapidly jbecoming^a far greater danger to the dynasties and aristocracies thin to the common people. Why cannot arrra- ments bt reduced? The reason is that millions of military parasites feed upon the national body. We do not think it requires any special vision to see that unless something is speedily done the history of France in 1793 will be repeated in many another I European nation. The resources wasted on arma- ments, if devoted to improving the condition of the nations, would quickly remove evils far greater than war. Some day the rulers of Europe will find that either they or their armies must go. Why should not the nations sign a truce for twenty years to be renewed at the end of fifteen years. # An inquest was held last week at Gateshead on WILLIAli BAGLASS. He was playing in a Rugby football match for Blaydon against Low Fell, when he was charged by an opponent, whose right knee struck him in the abdomen. An "S" shaped buckle on the deceased's belt had been driven into him by the force of the collision with his opponent, and one of the small intestines was completely severed. The CORONER said it was regrettable that football should now have become so dangerous a game, and some means should be devised so that it could be played with less risk to life and limb. could be played with less risk to life and limb. He thought that all interested in football should consider the necessity of something being done. If the jury inste?.d of returning a verdict of "acci- dental death had brought in a verdict of man- slaughter something would have been done there and then to reduce the brutality of football. ■* There are advocates of compulsory religion and compulsory morality in this country. In Germany the EMPEROR is in favour of compulsory popularity. A few days ago some of the members of the Reichstag refused to cheer the Empercr. The appli- cation of the PUBLIC PROSECUTOR to take criminal proceedings against Herr LIEBKNECKT and other Socialist Deputies for not rising to cheer the EMPEROR was supported in the German Reichstag by the Chancellor Priuce HOHENLOHE, and after dis- cussion was rejeced by 16S votes to 5S. So it is not yet a crime to refuse to cheer the German EMPEROR. The best way of keeping things as they are in the main, and we are astonished our Con- servative friends do not realise it, is to see that it is not to the interests of large masses of the people to pull them down. The German EMPEROR is always playing at soldiers and otherwise making an uss of himself. S-jine'-hnes the advocates of justice to women are told tlut it is unwise to force women into the rough-r.ud-tumble business of life. We have had tome share for thirty years in advocating the claims of women for equal laws and equal political privileges, but we never thought that when educa- tion was given to women, and when they were allowed to vote, or when all professions and businesses were opened to them, that all the small pretty little women would become coalheavers and navvies and butchers. Nothing of the sort. We have always believed that women who became wives and mothers would rear families, and they will rear families when a marriage ring is not a badge of servitude and inferiority, and when rearing children -niotlierhood-is not a reproach, but is recognized r as a useful and an honourable service to the State. Education and freedom are as good for women as for men, and we hope to see women in the Houses of Parliament. They would surely not be more out of place there than on the throne What has become of the scheme for leasehold enfranchisement, which we al ways considered to be a scheme for robbing the public to benefit the individual. What the country wants is the muni- cipilisation of leaseholds in every urban district in the country. In towns like Aberystwyth and Liverpool, where most of the ground belongs to the Corporation—that is. the community—injustice may be done to iudividual owners of property by attempts to confiscate it, but that the ground values should belong to the community we have never had a doubt. It is only by dilapidated property falling eventually into the hands of the community that towns can be kept fit to live in. It is, of course, monstrous that the increased value of the land on which a town is built should go either to the original owner of the laud who lets it on lease, or to the builder of the house who leases it. The increased value of the land should belong to the community, which gives it the i: creased value. This is a subj-cc that County Councillors, Town Councillors, and ratepayers generally ought to try and understand. Sir MOHNTSTUART GRANT-DUFF (late governor of Madras) presided at the twelfth annual meeting last week of the Liberty and Property Defence League. and in the course of a speech said that the chief cause of tne crazy Socialism which was becoming year by year a more serious danger on the Continent of Europe was the violence which had been done to the great principle of the sacredness of liberty and property. Militarism had destroyed the first. Protection had destroyed the second. Let them send back to useful labour, by disarmament on a great Ecale, a large proportion of the men who were now fool- ing their time away in barracks, from Brest to the Ural and from Dantzig to Syracuse. Let them abolish all protective tariffs and keep only such Customs duties as were necessary for revenue purposes—and the fewer of them the Lettet." The starving Socialist would use up all that has been saved, and then what? Universal starvation Millions of soldiers aud the waste they entail create the hundreds of thousands of Socialists. But who is to teach kings and aristocracies that they are playing with their own existence ? It would be as difficult as to persuade the Protectionist that, he cannot make a nation rich by getting them all to pay more for things than they are worth. Nobody ever got well off by buying a shilling*' worth of goods for eighteen pence. Are the Welsh more litigious than other nation- alities ? We do not think they are, but owing to the smallness of the communities and the strong feeling that exists everywhere, there is a tendency for erery conflict to be fought out to its ultimate issues. In larger, duller communities nobody cares what happens to the man in the next street, but iu Wales a family dispute will interest half a county, and everybody takes sides. Fear of what will be said by their friends and acquaintances if they give in, or allow somebody to get the better of them is strong, just because relationships, friend- ships, sympathies, antipathies, and interests are strong. In a large or apathetic community personal irritation or individual sense of injury is allowed to die down. In Wales it is fed by friends on the one side and by opponents on the other, and litigation results. The way ill-natured remarks will travel and grow in, Wales is wonderful, but this. is due to the community of feeling there is, and not to what the Y im k. a would call sheer cussedness.. Mr Justice STERLING has a strong view as to the litigious pro pensities of the Welsh people. A case had been dragging its slow length before his lordship for about a week. It was a trivial suit which raised no question more impnrtaafc than the rijht of to the back part of certain premises, but in lighting over this matter some hundreds of pounds wer spent. At the ckise of the action, Mr .Tr.sthe STERLING, with some warmth, said it was »'ird to think that such a c .s.- could rccum-d outside the Principality of Wabs. We have no d(J..t l this case, which is a typical one, was. made ll- g possible of settlement owing to the interest taken in J ië by all cf p. c.plo. aud not bees use t);, V. ]-h j are litigious. The small tiling is inagi.ih.td 11' the small community. We know men who live wretched li es :n W- Its because they are always magnifying what somebody either has sai-1 or | bsiieved to have said about them. It is said tha" women seem sometimes positively to cultivate rudeness to shop-girls and others. If to cultivate rudeness to shop-girls anct others. If I women wish to elevate themselves they should respect each other. The day i, not far distant when wcv.en wh > • not forced to work for bi eid, will work the same as men work, and then it will not be. safe to be rude to those who wait, and serve." What an impetus well-to-do women could give to th^ir own cause if they abolished badges cf servitude, terms of opprobrium, and adoptedjjlrespeetful terms of addness to their less fortunate sbwrs. The Rev C. F. AJE, of Liverpool, is a true ma-n who thinks that religion has something to do with this world, and who acts in the faith that it is his duty to help his fellow-men whenever help can be given. In a recent letter to a Liverpool paper he aid Of one thing we can be perfectly certain it is social questions which are supreme. And if, nationally. athe Liberal party is not ,;ble or willing to grapple with the greatest of social d'.2kuit;es— the liquor question, then it must be blotted out. Horv can the drink question be grappled with when the whole nation battens on the profits of the traffic, and temperance advocates are not only un willing to be taxed, but they themselves take drink revenue for the education of their children, as they take it iu Wales. What the nations want is to be lifted out of hypocrisy and to be brought face to face with their own sham morality. In a Liter to a London daily paper a number of prominent temperance advocates say that they think cne "subject has- not attracted sufficient on, and that is the organised attempt which is being made in many places to capture these district councils in the liquor interest. Here in Westminster, for instance, there ave no fi-weo than ten publicans, one distiller, one distiller's manager, one retired publican, and one publican's manager standing as candidates, together with several other persons closely connected with the t-r-'je. Every publican, brewer, and diitiller is a re.-enue collector, and the result of their labours a sum of £ 34,000,000 of revenue, which temperauci people are not willing to pay but are scandalously eager to share. We cannot induce tempen,1lC a in Wales to face this obstacle in the way of t: e se'tle- ment of the drink question. What doc-s the Rev C. F. AKED say about it
! XOGlI anli District. ------------------------..--..-----
XOGlI anli District. The wild strawberry (Syfi goch) was found in fruit irc fruit in the neighbourhood of Penc.-».rier this week. UNIVERSITY or WAL.ES.—The date of the first matriculation examination has been fixed. It. will be held on the five davs. June 11-15. IS95. The Bishop of St A;-a.I, had the honour of dining with herJMajesty and the Royal family st Windsor on Sunday. His Lordship left the Castle on the following day. Lord Tredegar has intimated to the Registrar his intention to contribute f300 towards the Building Fund of the Uuivers.ty College of Wales, Aber- ystwyth. Irs Mclllquham was elected Chairman cf the Staverton Parish Council on Thursday last. Mrs Mclllquham is known in this district and has been a member of Tewksbury Board of Guardians for many years. THE MEETING OF PARLIAMENT.—The London Gazetif of Friday night contains theoffi?i*! proclama- tion by the Queen summoning Parliament to meet on Tuesday, 5th, February, for the despatch of divers urgent and important affairs. The Hebdomadal Council of the Univerily of Oxford have appointed Mr P. E. Mathesomc, M.A.. Fellow and Tutor of New College, an-i the Council of the Senate of the University of Cambridge have appointed Dr R. D. Roberts, M.A., of Clare College, to be governors of the Royal Holloway College, under the supplemental scheme recently established by the Charry Commissioners. DESPERATE AFFRAY WITH POACHERS—On the Mar- quis of Londonderry's estate at Wyuyard, near Stockton, on Friday morning, a gang of poachers attacked three gamekeepers, 'one of whom was shot in the neck. One of the poachers, who gave th? name of Dunn, of Castle Eico, was arrested. Tin Western, Jlail say. Obampions of women's rights like Mr J. Gibson, of Aberystwyth, who has written a book on the subject, will be derigiivod to learn to-day of the triumph of the sex in tne Cardiff guardian elections. 10 all the wards save one a lady candidate heads the poll. It is difficult to divine the cause of this unusual success, so credit ibli: to \vji.;an- i kind." UNIVERSITY OF WALES.—A letter has beeu received from Dr R. D. Roberts, secretary to the Gilchrist. Educational Trust, offering the University, on the part of the Trustees, a sum of jESO annually, to be awarder1, as a travelling studentship to the graduate of the University of highest qualificat ons who intends to become a. teacher in a secondary school. The intention 0; toe Trustees is that the studeu: should. devote at least three months to the practical study of some educational system abroad or some educational problem in secondary education in the United Kingdom, and prepare a report thereon for publication. The studentship is to be open to men and women alike. The House of Lords gave judgment on Monday in an action in which the Assessment Committee of Holywell U nion and the churchwardens and overseers of the parish of Halkyn were the appellant;, and the Halkyu District Mines Drainage Company the respon- deat. The court of Quarter Sessions, in which the the case was first tried, held that the Company were liable to be rated in respect of certain tunnels and drainage works in the district, and Mr Justice Mathew and Mr Justice Collins upheld this view. The Court of Appeal, however, reversed the judgment of the Court belew, and the case was then taken to the House of Lords, which has now reversed the verdict of the Court of Appeal and restored that of the Queen's Bench Division, ordering the respondents to pay the costs of the action in all its stages. The Lord Chan- cellor delivered the judgment, and Lords Watson and Maceaghten concurred. CAMBRIAN RAILWAYS.—Approximate return of traffic receipts, for the week ending December 16th, 189.1: Miles open, 237. Passengers parcela &c., £ 2,3S3 merchandise, minerals, and live stock £ 1,979 total for the week. £ 4,362 aggregate for half-ye■•\r end- ing 30th June, EOO,000 aggregate from commence- ment of half-year, £ 129,SS8. Actual traffic receipts for the corresponding week last year Miles open, 237 passengers, parcels, &c., £ 2,346 merchandise, minerals, and live stock, EI,899 total for the week, £ 4,245 aggregate for half-year ending 30th June, £ 00,000 aggregate from commencement of half- year, £ 126,029. Increase for the week Passengers, parcels, fee, £37; merchandise, minerals, and live stock, iSO total for the week £ 117 aggregate from commencement of kalf-year, £ —. Decrease lor tti-e week Passengers, parcels, &c., ;E- merchandise, minerals, and live stock, fOOO total for the week,. £ —Aggregate increase Passengers, parcels, &e £ 2.094; merchandise, minerals, and livestocks. £ 1,765?- total for the week, E- aggregate from cons- mencement of half-year ;C3 859. Aggregate decrease,. Passengers parcels, &c., E- merchantise, mineral, and live stock, £- total for toe week, E- aggre- gate from commencement of half-year, LOOO,
___._--------PWLLHELI.
PWLLHELI. FAT STOCK SALE Al) SHOWS.—The first annual sale and show was brought to a most successful issue on. Wednesday week in the field capitaLy arraugtd for the occasion at Llysifor, Ala Road. About fifty sat down to lunch at the Crown Hotel to the invitation of Mr W. Maurice-Jones, the auctioneer. Mr John Jones, Central Buildings, Llandudno, pietidtd. The f.viewing awards were made st rh s c'w B-st 0X, I t. the Hon. F. G. Wynn, Glynbifon 2nd, Hon F. G. Wynn, Bodvean 3rd, Mr W. Jones, Llyngwyn i reserve, Mr D. E. Hughes. Caemawr, Ang'iesea Best maiden h-ifer, 1st. Mr W ..Jones, Llymgwyn 2mi aud 3rd, Mr W. Roberts, Gimblet Sirp,. Pwlllli,.Ii recei ve, Mr John Roberts; Gwnhinger Mr John Jones. Penrhj nydyn; h c J. E. Hughes dr legist a-d O. Wiiliams, Hirdrefawr. B t'. cow, 1st and 3rd, the HonF. G. W),ilr), Bc(lvean; 2nd. M>-R.Griffith, Tr«wan; reserve, and h.e Dr Hunter H-ghes, i'timiu-. >' he. Mr T. M. Joce Sam h.c. Mr Owen Evan Broom Hall. Bubs, 1st, Mr Owen Evans. Bjoom H d: 2nd, Mr G. Roberts, Bodvel Hall. In the sheeo c1 the principal prize winnc-rs were M,:ssrs G. Roberts, l/o-'vel Hall: W. Roberts, Bryuaerab Rt-b-rt 'A'illinms -iiln J. F. Rrb-rts, Gron! o Mr R i>crts, Gimblet Shop, and Gap'ain IV •••.id, l.lwye.breoo. In -re poultry o.ses the uoief 'oie jr liter's were Mrs •!• ncs, Bro;iphiJ]ip; W. Roberts, !hv>>,jerau; R. Robcr-s,< iorscoed; Hugh Roberts E. W. T.'ovd, r t • MycyuUissa "lid w. Wilhu s ucny i i he 'oOL'i'L o < v. the A :i-| icneer oih 1, r sab- by ai'C.iDC, cati'e, 133 'he-p. •00 p«-ul ;y. X.mie s;ir tui bid 1;iig took rlace o- < v the so* v. Ion vs. i r. re cattle £ 2, < c-j. gn p r_> ::1. j '• 1(' effected J C S,
Advertising
> p" _.tP i "NOTICE. We have been forced to híJlil over until next week a important report of a meeting of the Western bea Fisheries Committee, held at Barmouth on Tuesday.
A LOST OPPORTUNITY.
A LOST OPPORTUNITY. LAST week the Cardiganshire Standing Joint Police Committee met at Lampeter, specially convened, to receive a report from the CHIEF CONSTABLE to the effect that the "moral suasion policy in reference to the collection of tithes had failed. We never believed that it was either wisdom or good policy on the part of Liberals and Non- conformists to discountenance the perfectly legal and reasonable protest made by the Z" Welsh people against paying tithes to a church that is only the church of the rich minority. The policy has broken down and is practically at an end. What Wales wants is that the Church of England should collect its revenues at the point of the bayonet, as they will have to be eollected if the resistance to Disestablish- ment should be as successful as the Es- tablishers would like it to be. The day is not far distant when Wales will be as full of soldiers as it is of chapels, ministers, and deacon?, and we make no attempt to dis- guise our opinion that it will be the duty of the people to resist the payment of tithes in every possible legal way if the House of Lords rejects the Disestablishment Bill. As Welsh Nonconformists have carried Disestablishment to first place in the Govern- ment programme, nothing much is to be gained by carrying on the tithe wnr now, but let the measure for Disestablishment be thrown back in the face of the Welsh people, and those who do the throwing will see what will happen. We are glad to see an end of Liberal and Nonconformist tithe collections. In future let the Church of England collect its own tithes in any way it finds possible, and convenient. At the outset of the meeting Mr WILLIS BUXD, who was quite up to his usual mark of maladroitness, said he presumed that the reason why he and others had not seen the CHIEF CONSTABLE'S report was that it had not been finally revised by various members before the meeting." The right course to have taken in reference to this damaging insinuation against the CHIEF CONSTABLE, and against n n those members of the Committee who were practically accused of revising his report, was to have at once moved the suspension of the standing orders, so that this accusa- tion might have been investigated and a resolution moved on it. Instead of doing this several members meekly denied that they had revised the report, but nobody had sufficient confidence in the CHIEF CON- STABLE to take the charge and deal with it in the only effective way it could have been dealt with, namely, by resolution. The Rev. LL. EDWARDS pertinently asked whether it was necessary that every member should get up and deny the imputation. He half saw what ought to have been done, but did L, not move'the necessary resolution. Mr C. M, WILLIAMS had his say about proceeding "as gentlemen," and he, too, denied having revised the report, but did not move a resolution, und so the matter dribbled on. The CHAIRMAN showed that he knew what ought to have been done when he said that he had no power to force the with- drawal of the insinuation. The CHIEF COX- STABLE may learn a good deal from the discussion, and he may aiso remember, perhaps, that it was gooc advice he received when he was told long ago to act always upon his own judgment and not to take this or that man into his confidence. The Liberals of Cardiganshire may ask how it happens that at the meeting on Friday so 0 y poor a fight was made. Thti reason is not far to seek. The Liberals are disunited. Each man said his own little say, and the common cause was injure! in conse- quence. The Rev. LL. EDWARDS might not know it, but it is known that Mr PETER JONES, Mr D. C. ROBERTS, and Mr C. M. WILLIAMS were not working in unison on Fridaj according to a plan. This may be denied, as the revision of the CHIEF COX- STABLE'S report was denied, but we venture to give this as the reason for the absence of anything like fight against Mr WILLIS n Z!1 BUXD'S statement. After the irregular con- versation that arose on Mr WILLIS BUND'S suggestion tha.t the CHIEF CONSTABLE'S report had been revised by certain members of the Committee, the leport was read, and at once another irregular and pointless conversation, it will be seen, followed, in which Mr C. M. WILLIAMS is reported to have spoken about a dozen times, and Air PETER JONES still oftener. The CHAIRMAN advised the Committee to discuss the report, and rebuked untimely joking, but the Com- o mittee did anything but accept the l:n A UHf v' advice. In the Onnreo nf this conversation Mr C. M. WILLIAMS 'V and Mr TOBIT EVANS exchanged amenities, and it is hard to say which of these members of the Committee excpeded the other in darkening counsel with a multitude of words that had nothing to do with the point at issue. After a long and pointless conversation, Mr WILLIs BUND, with his extraordinary knack of doing the wrong thing, moved that the discussion should be adjourned until after certain cases have been heard. Mr ARTHUR J oES saw that if this resolution were carried it would prevent the CHIEF Cox- STABLE from taking further action, and he moved as an amendment "That the power asked for by the CHIEF CONSTABLE should be granted." This amendment was seconded by Colonel EVANS, and supported by the CHAIRMAN, but when It was put to the vote it was lost, Mr WILLIS ncm's resolution being carried by the votes of the Liberals and Nonconformists. We do not think it was wise on the part of some of those who made up the majority to vote with MI- WILLIS BUND. It would have been wiser, we think, in the long run, to have supported the CHIEF CONSTABLE in his request. The temptation to score off Mr WILLIS Dum was too great. It is clear that he does not consult his own side but acts on his OWn strange initiative, and the result on Friday was that he had the Radical members of the Committee helping him to delay pro- ceedings for the recovery of tithe-. Nothing more ludicrous can be imagined, outside a Christmas pantomime, than the proceedings at the Connniltee. It is hard to believe that any man off the comic stage would piay into the hands of his opponents as Mr WILLIS BUND played last Friday, and as he has played many times before. The CHIEF CONSTABLE has not received the powers he I asked for. Delay in taking proceedings for! the recovery of tithes has been agreed upon, and the Church is partially disendowed, while a matter that has nothing whatever to do! with tithes is ^euied. Mr WILLIS BUND it will be noted did not withdraw his insinua- tion after it had been repudiated. Mr J. C. HAHFORD, the Chairman, acted wisely, tem- perately, and with dignity throughout the procoedings. He might, with advantage, have insisted more strongly on closer adherence to the business in hand, but he had several ex-chairmen of the Committee present, and if they did not assist him by their own voluntary compliance with the rules of orderly debate, he was, perhaps, wise in giving them lattitude which they were unwise to avail themselves of. We commend the report of the proceedings to Liberals and Conserva- tives alike, as a ridiculous instance of what may happen when members of parties arc either not consulted, as it is clear Mr WILLIS BexD did not consult his party, or when members of parties are at loggerheads, as it is clear the Liberals were at loggerheads on Friday. It is true that in the end the Liberals voted together with Mr WILLIS BUND, but that was because he had evidently blundered, as usual, into a wrong position. The Liberals would have acted more wisely, in our opinion, and with greater credit to themselves, if they had refused to avail themselves of the opportunity offered to them by Mr WILLIS Bmm. The Liberals have much to be thankful for in Mr WILLIS BUND, and we hope the Conservatives will long remain satisfied with him. He has a unique faculty for doing the wrong thing, and his success is quite phenomenal.