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....--.. ICOBDEN AND TRADES…
COBDEN AND TRADES UNIONISM. Fiscal Address at Landore. Commercial Motives and the Corn Law.1 f:lIr. F. B. Last on Dumping*. At the Landore Constitutional dub on hPridav evening, Councillor Dd. Davies ad- dressed a large gathering of working men on the subject of the fiscal policy. Mr. F. B. Last (manager of Messrs. Baldwins, Ltd., Steel Works, Landore), presided, and Mr. R.. E. Jones supported. The Chairman emphasised that the fiscal question was not a political one. It was, however, a matter which concerned working .men very much, and very seriously, and they would find, before they were very much oMer, that they would have plenty of time on their hands to consider the subject, a.nd, Slaving done so, at would be for them to say whether in the end they were going to play their part well or not. Irade in the Landore ■district was very bad, and he was extremely sorry to gay that at the Landore Works a lot of men would be given notice on Satur- day morning, and that that notice would probably have to be extended the following week. He was sorry for it, especially at this time of the year, but before many years were over a great number of the working men of the district would find themselves out ■<j[ work for a time. They would have to consider what their position was going to be in the future—whether they were going to insist upon the continuance of what was called Free Trade, or whether they were •going to demand Fair Trade. (Hear, hear.) lt was for the working men to say, for they -would be the sufferers if the present policy remained, and tihey would be the voters. Tie himself was there, not as a manager of "works, but as one who believed that the pro posals before the country were the right ones for the working men to adopt. They knew at this present moment that there was ftus dumping of foreign steel, which they them- selves ought to make, and tibat meant that 10r every ton of tin bars placed down into the Landore, or any other of the local works, practically £2 was lost to the wages of work- ing men generally. To steel workers, col- liers, qtiarrymen, railwaymen, etc., it meant a loss en wages of £2 for every ton of foreign bars that was dumped down into this district. JDid they, as working men, not think that a serious matter, especially when it was re- membered that all the rates and taxes were paid on this side and not a penny came from abroad? That had got to be stopped. if they, as working men, thought otlherwdse, and believed that (he present system was going on for ever, they were living in a fool's paradise He was speaking in all earnest- nef!6, and unless the present fiscal policy pt the country be changed, half of the word- ing men would be starving. The present .condition of things could not go on it was an utter impossibility. It was one of the most serious matters the workers had hal to consider, and he trusted they would study botth sides of the question, do what they thought best, and take the consequences. (Applause.) Mr. David Davies prefaced his lecture by also urging that the fiscal guesfaion was es- sentially a business, and not a party ques- tion, and tin this connection he refuted the popular belief that Free Trade had always been the policy of the Liberals, wihile Protec- tion had always been allied to Conservatism. Up to 1792, this country exported more corn than it bought, and consequently the old Tories, wflio owned the land, were in favour of Free Trade, so that thev might sell the products of the land as advantageously as pos- sible on the Continent. The Protectionist party then was the old Whig party, which, for a long period, was identified with indus- tries. The fiscal question, however, was really above party, and apart from party. Whichever way the problem was decided, the consequences would visit every Ihome in the country, and he therefore appealed for a serious and dispassionate" consideration of the subject, and not permit prejudices to affect their judgments in a matter of such vital importance to all). (Hear, hear.) Disabus- ing the minds of his hearers concernjjg one notion prominently put forward by Free Traders,that the destitution of the country in th0 forties was directly attributed to the corn laws, and another that the people who brought about tlhe change an our fiscal potncy and introduced Free Trade were influenced chiefly by vbe desire to end the period o detitution and human suffering, Mr. -Davies targed that during the years between lo00-4. the condition of th3 people, not only of Eng- land, but of the Continent, was one of great suffering, owing to the terrible sacrifices ne- cessitated by the wars of Napoleon. In this country a great national debt had been in- curred, taxes were high, and the result was that the conditions, industrially, were not what thev might have been. The corn laws had nothing to do with it. but whatever effect the fiscal policy had upon the country we -faould never again as a peopte-isoltated bodies might do so—return agaan to the can- ditcons that existed m those far off days, because since that time the general standard of comfort had been rising all over the world. (Hear hear ) An entirely different motave than the lessening of tlhe suffering and desti- tution that existed actuated, however, Mr. Cobden, Mr. Bright, and the other gentle- men vdentified with the Anti-Corn Law League It was a perfectly sample one, and from their standpoint economically sound All they wanted was to cheapen the cost of production. That was clear from Cobden's speeches and letters and his anm was to -Sfcrow open our ports to the corn oi the world, and so bring the price of corn on the Continent to the same pomt as it reached in this country. There was a perfectly simple world, and so bring the price of corn on the Continent to the same pomt as it reached in this country. There was a perfectly simple reason why tpat should be the aim. 1 hey were capitalists who held that the btaw should interfere as little as possible with the undustries—that employers and employed should be able to make their own bargains without interference. And it was because of that belief that Cobden had such a great distrust of Trades Unions. He had a perfect- hatred of Trades Unionism, because, to Mm, labour was merely one of the elements which went to make up the cost of production. Anvthing that interfered with cheapness he regarded as mischievous, and an the same wav anything that made labour more expen- sive he denounced. It was for that reas In that he once said that he would prefer to live under the tyranny of the Bey of Al- giers—whom, he regarded as the very em- < bodiment of tyranny-than to belong to a Trades Union. Trades Unions, by seeding ••to better the conditions of the workers, was calculated to interfere with cheapness of pro- duction. That the aim in throwing our ports open was not to cheapen food in this country as to make food on the Continent as expen- ds ve as in England was stated by Joseplh Hume with perfect frankness, who said that food in this country cost 30 per cent. more than on the Continent, and of the ports were thrown open the result would be that the price of corn would readh the same level, and in that way we should be placed on equal terms with any people who might want to manufacture on the Continent. And there was this striking fact that the masses in this country, at that time, stood away from the proposal. Cobden himself com- plained that he could not induce the artisans to take an intelligent part in the doings of the Anti-Corn Law League, and said a fund of £400,000 was got from the manufacturers, but he could get no support at all from the workmen of that period. And it was because Cobden and his party relied upon capitalists and manufacturers for support that the Chartists, who were at that neriod the most influential body of organised labour. would neither take part nor lot in the Anti- Corn Law agitaition. In fact. Thos. Cooper, one of the leaders, said the Chartists would have nothing to do with tlhe agitation, be- cause Cobden and his friends wanted to reo peal the law, not for the benefit of the work- ing men, but their own. In those days it was an established economic principle, as urged by Bicardo, that wages were deter- mined by the cost of food, and that the lower went the price of food the lower went the wages. To show that tlhose early Free Tra- ders were not seeking to elevate the masses, but simply to cheapen the cost of producing their own goods, Mr. Davies went on to speak of the strenuous opposition offered by the manufacturers to the beneficent legisla- tion begun immediately after the repeal of the Corn Laws by Lord Ashley, afterwards better known as Lord Shaftesbury, for the proper regulation of the factories that at that time employed children as young as six years of age and women who worked under insuf- ferable conditions. 'Mr. Bright, who held strong views on national economy bamseif, predicted that the effect of the factory 'ejr- islatieu would be to bring disaster to British industry, and he and Cobden were such ar- dent believers in the non-interference of State with labour, and its relations, that he sisted everyone of the factory laws. Why to-day we would regard labour worked under unendurable conditions were it not for the factory regulations. (Applaure.) Mr. Davies desired to emphasise the point of the Cob- denites view of Trades Unionism, because to- day they had the remarkable spectacle of a large proportion of the Trades Unionists of the country associating themselves with the Cohden Club-an institution that- had been raised to the glorification of the man who nated every form of Trades Unionism. (Hear, hear.) Mr. Cobden's prediction that, assum- ing England would adopt Free Trade, there would not be a tariff in Europe that would not be dropped in less than five years to follow our example, was so far from being fulfilled that England to-day was practically tlhe only first class country in the world that stiM adopted what was called Free Trade, but was really free imports. Bismarck saw that Free Trade was "bleeding Germany to death," and Protection was adopted; with the result that the advance of Germany from that day had been one of the most phe- nomenal, industrially, that thev knew of. (Ap- plause.) Cobden's other prediction that he had never been one. who believed that the re- peal of the Corn Laws would throw a single acre of land out of cultivation was equa'ly unjustified by the results, for while in 1851 the workers on the soil numbered 1,676,900, in 1901 that number had gone down to 981,623; tho amount of land under cultiva. tion for wheat in 1866 was 3.350,000 acres, while in 1902 it was only 1,726,000 acres, the amount of pasture land, which was the least profitable, having increased in the same period from 11.148,000 acres to 16,806,000 acres. The importance of that was that the agricultural labourer had been driven off the soil into the towns, which not only had the effect of greater competition among the w ur- kers. but also lowering the standard of the physical manhood of the nation. (Hear, hear.) Mr. Chamberlain had not been alone in the belief that the commercial condition of this country was in a very grave condition, for Lord Rosebery, in 1888. thought an in- quiry might well be instituted into the causes of the decline of British trade, while Mr. D. F. Thomas, M.P., who was recently on Mr. CampbeU-Ban Herman's platform, wrote a paper to the Royal Statistical Society point- nng out that the small increase of exports since 1871 was entirely due to the export of coal, which meant that capital which could never be replaced was going out of the coun- try for the benefit of the foreign manufac- turer. Statistics were quoted showing a great falling in the- exports to protected coun- tries of British articles of manufacture dur- ing the past quarter of a century while at the same time the Coltonial trade with tlhe Mother Country had increased enormously, and this justified the nation securing the commercial sympathy of the Colonies by means of preferential tariffs. Regarding dumping, Mr. Davies quoted Colonel Wright's remark- able figures showing the great loss of home employment by the importation of 200.000 tons of steel bars. and pointed to the curious spectacle of Trades Union leaders advocat- ing Free Trade notwithstanding that the conditions of tlhe German workmen were such that if a German works were established in this country under the same conditions of employment an immense outcry in favour cf Trades Unionism would result. McKinle? s policy of national economy to conserve i.i1! home industries for the building up and de- velopment of their own States was touched upon, and Mr. Davies showed how j America could afford to send their surplus 1 stocks to this country by the adoption of this policy. The ultimate effect, however, of the dumping would be that British works would be closed and then up would go the prices of the raw material in this country. The Socialistic remedies—taxation of royal- ties, and the nationalisation of land and railways—were denounced, as in regard to the first named of no material advantage compared wnth foreign countries, and in re- gard to the other two as stealing unless the nation was prepared to pay for the land and railways. And, in conclusion, Mr. Balfour's retaliation proposal was advocated in order that we might have a weapon with which to make commercial bargains with other coun- tries, while Mr. Chamberlain's preferential tariffs would enable the bond of union be- tween the Mother Country and the Colonies to be considerably strengthened. The Em- pire he wanted to continue to grow strongly so that the beneficent influence of the Brutish race might be for the good of humanity generally. (Loud applause.) On the motion of the Chairman, seconded by Mr. J. Leek. a hearty vote of thanks was accorded Councillor Dd. Davies. and in seconding a similar compliment to the chair- man, proposed by the lecturer. Mr. Alfred Thomas (mill foreman at the Morfa Works) drew picture of old men at the Landore Tin Works—men who from their boyhood had been reared in the trade—having to spend tfceir savings and seek unskilled labouring work as a result of this foreign competition. The motion was carried with acclamation. »
Pontardulais Grocer's Credit…
Pontardulais Grocer's Credit Bill. BIG CREDIT FROM A LITTLE SHOP. Mr. John Thomas, of the American grocery stores, Pontardulais, is now converted to the ready money system. "Why give all this credit?" he was asked by the Official Receiver at the Swansea, Bank- ruptcy Court, on Friday, in reference to a sum of £268 book debts. Debtor did not seem to have a ready jvply. and so in answer to the next question be .said 1. had been a pedlar and received all ready money. The Official Receiver: And you are now in favour of the ready money system? "I am, worse luck," was the answer. He added that he came to Pontardulais quite a stranger. The Official Receiver That entailed greater care on your part? Debtor: Well, I thought the people were honest. Debtor's statement of affairs showed lia- bilities expected to rank for dividend £792 19s. 4d., assets, including book debt- esti- mated to produce JE445 7s. 10d., and a de- ficiency of JB557 lis. 6d. and the causes of fail- ure were alleged to be "bad debts, depression in trade, sickness in familv." It was in 1896 that debtor opened his Pontardulais business with a capital of £250 and he told the court that of the book d-nbts he had contracted £:08 worth he had sold for £18. These were very doubtful debts. mostly widows' contracted during their husbands" lifetime, and le sold them six weeks before filing his petition be- cause he wanted the money. The Official Receiver: Had you any inten- lion then of filing your petition? Debtor Well, no. Were you pressed?—Not exactly pressed, sir. Was there any execution in?—No, sir. The Registrar Numerous judgments? Debtor admitted it. The Official Receiver And you know execu- tion usually follows. Debtor said he knew he could not pay 20s. in the £ when he was served with a writ a fortnight before he filed his petition, notwith- standing that he had had "an occasional jndg- ment summons" for the previous 18 months, The Registrar: And in all these judgment summonses you were adding the expenses of the Court. Debtor thought he would be able to recoup himself, and further answering questions, s-.id he kept no cash book or ledger. The Official Receiver So that no one cculd see from your books how you stood? Debtor: No, sir; only by the invoices, that's all. 11- The Registrar What is the explanation for the extraordinary number of debts due frtm vou in small sums? Debtor replied that he bought from so many creditors because "they all came round. The Registrar: Surely not all for the trade of the shop? Debtor Yes, sir. The Registrar muttered "Over 100 differ- ent firms, anJ the examination was ad- journed.
ABERAVON'S PORTREEVE.
ABERAVON'S PORTREEVE. Sequel to a Curious Action. Mr. J. C. Jones Sent to Paison. { Mr. Justice Buckley had before him on Fri- day in the Chancery Division of the High I Court of Justice, a motion by the Mayor of Aberavon, Aldermen and Burgesses of the Borough of Aberavon, to commit John Charles I Jones to prison for breach of an order made on the 20th of June, 1902, restraining him from purporting to act as port-reeve of the borough, and from interfering with the Cor- poration's market. A number of notices served by the defen- dant, either as port-reeve or recorder, were put in, and After the defendant, who appeared in pc r- son, had spoken, His Lordship siid he had no alter- native but to commit liim to prison, and directed the officer to take him into custody immediately. CLAIM TO ABERAVON'S MARKET TOLLS. It will be remembered that some twelve months ago Mr. J. C. Jones, who had been acting as recorder and portreeve of Aber- avon, brought an action against the Corpor- ation to secure certain ancient rights, to wit, the market tolls. The High Court I decided I in favour of the Corporation, and also re- strained Mr. Jones from further interfering in Corporation affairs. Notwithstanding this mandate, Mr. Jones afterwards issued two summonses against the Mayor and Corpora- tion of Aberavon on the same grounds, and in face of this repeated interference with the Corporation, which has already had to pay £200 in costs, it was recently decided to apply to the High Court to enforce the pre- vious judgment. This was the application that came before the High Court on Fnday with the result already stated. It is under- stood Mr. Jones will be detained in custody at his Majesty's pleasure. It may be added that Mr. Jones is an ex-Mayor of Aberavon, a grocer in the town, and is welll-known throughout the district. The news of his ar- rest has caused a great sensation in the an- cient borough. The plaintiffs in the action of the Mayor, Aldermen, and Burgesses of the Borough of Aberavon v. JeneG moved on Friday, before Mr. Justice Buckley, in the Chancery Divi- sion of the High Court of Justice, that the defendant, John Cliades Jones, mighit be committed to prison for contempt of court for disobeying an order of the 20th of June, 1902. A brief report to this effect appeared in Friday's "Post." The following is a full ieport of tho proceedings: — Mr. Arthurs, K.C., who, with Mr. Woods, appeared in support of the motion, stated that the defendant had given the plaintiffs a great deal of trouble, purporting to have certain rights or portreeve or recorder, and claiming tv1' a. non-existing body the toils of the Corporation's market. Originally the governing body of the borough was the port- reeve and Corporation, bit by an order in Council in 1861 the rights, properties, and duties of tho Corporation under the name of portreeve and Corporation were transferred to the mayor, aldermen, and burgesses, and the Corporation become a Corporation under the Municipal Corporations Act. Further, there was a declaration by the Master of the Roils in 1875 that all the rights and duties of the old portreeve and Corporation were as from 1861 vested in the then and now pre- sent Corporation. The defendant lind caused an enormous amount of trouble. He took upon himself alternative functions. At one time he said he was portreeve and at another recorder. He claimed the right to recover and receive the stallage rents of the Corporation's market, which wac erected ;n 1848, but which, of course, had sin • 1861 been vested in the Corporation. He had in- terfered with the fair, and had sent the Cor- poration notices threatening them if they carried out their duties. The plaintiffs 1 ad brought an action a,gainst defendant, arid en the 20th of June, 1902. the defeidant under- took to deliver up a seal purporting to be the seal of the portreeve of Aberavon, tnd an order was made that he should be perpetu- ally restrained from collecting the tolls of the market, and from attempting to prevent the plaintiffs by their agents from collecting them, and from purporting to act as recorder of the Corporation or borough or on their behalf under the name of portreeve, alder- n en, and freemen of Aberavon, and from representing that he had any authority or control over the property and effects of the borough, and from in any way using or affix- ing to any documents the seal formerly used or purporting to be the s^'tl of th > portreeve. The defendant had delivered up a seal, which was a new seal, but still retained pos- session of the old seal of th« portreeve, and had used it since the order. There seemed to have been some contempt and disobedience of the order last year, and the matter was brought before Mr. Justice Byrne, who upon the defendant apologising and giving certain undertakings male no order upon the mo. tion, but that the defendant should pay the costs. After that the defendant had issued a writ in the King's Bench Division against the plaintiffs, claiming damages for purjury and injurv to the defendant in his business. Ibat action was dismissed as frivolous and vexatious. Mr. Jones appealed, and the ap- peal was dismissed. On the 25th of May this year there appeared in the "South Wales Daily News" a statement by the defendant, and on the lltli of December a copy of that statement was received bv the mayor. The defendant's statement published :n the news- papers was in itself a contempt, but the do- cument sent to the mayor went further, as attached to it was the seal which he had undertaken to give up and which he was r&- strained from using or affixing. On the 19th of September, 1902, Jonas wra»t« to Mr. Wm. Pearce, one of the market inspectors, to '.lie effect that if he went on receiving the toils he would be criminally liable, and the letter was signed and sealed "portreeve." On the 30th of October the deefendant moved the ¡ Chancery Division for a declaration that he was the duly appointed portreeve, but, as there was no writ in any action, the court declined to hear the application. The ds- fendant had not paid a.ny of the costs of the j motion before Mr. Justice Bvrne. The defendant appeared in person, and said that he had no wish to disobey the order of the court, and was only attempting to prevent one body from, appropriating the revenues of another. He was a grocer. Mr. Justice Buckley said that he could not go behind the order of the 20th of June and re-open the whole matter. The only thing the defendant had to do was to show why he had not obeyed that order. Mr. Jor-fs said lie only had the recorder's seal, which he hod given up. The other was in the possession of his father, the re- corder. Mr Anbury: The father is in court. They change and change about. 1 he defendant said lie had no idea of vio- btinu the order. Mr. Justice Buckley: You have over and ever again used the old ;.e:11 and signed your- self as portreeve. Mr. Jones: Only of the ancient Corpora- tion. not of the new Corporation. He did not, he said, attempt to interfere with the plaintiffs in the management of their town, but only in respect of property of the an- cieiit borough. Mr. Justice Buckley said th..t lie had no alternative but to commit the defendant to prison. Ha had given an undertaking and signtd the registrar's book, and the under- taking he hai not complied with, and he had beon perpetually restrained from doing things lie was still doing. On the 18th cf April lie had issued a writ against the Cor- poration which was ridiculous and contompt- itle. He had heard enough of the circum- stances to see that it was perfectly obvious if this gentleman was responsible for his ac- tions, which having seen him he had no rea- son to doubt, he 0 had rep.ate Uy and de- liberately acted in contravention of the order ly,¡,de in June and the undertaking giVtll by him in September. The defeendant would stand committed to Brixton Prison, and he directed the officer of the court to take Lint into custody at once. His Lordship asked wh th-1.- the defendant before he wju* taken into custody was pre- pared to hand over tho seal. Mr. Jones said he con hi not Land over a seal tlhait was in the 'Hinds of another men. Mr. Justice Buckley Very well.
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Swansea Licensing Case.
Swansea Licensing Case. About fifth down the list, before the Divi- sional Court, is an appeal from Swansea, in- volving am interesting point in licensing law. The appeal is that of Bagg v. Colquho" n, the respondent being the Ohief-constable of Swan- sea. The appellant was charged with b? ouches of the WeMi Sundav Closing Act on "licensed premises known as the Blaak Horse. When the case came on for hearing the two justices whe heard it disagreed, a.nd the case was ad- journed to when other justices were in the rota. On the case again coming on a ma- joiity of these justices found against the ap- pellant. The grouulds of appeal now are that the information being of a criminal nature the justices in the first instance had no power 10 adjourn the hearing, and the Bench being tnen equally divided, the information f Vuld have been dismissed.
"John of Gower's " Career…
"John of Gower's Career Closing Next Sunday will hear the last for the time being, at any rate, of Rev. W. ludor ( Jones' evangelical hero, "John of Gower." On Sunday the congregation at the Swansea Unitarian Church listened to the "elation of John's adventures in Liverpool and his re I moval to Scotland, where the "creeds" I had a stronghold. John's three -(-ears' Liverpool wo*-k had resulted in the bringing ] together of a great number of people, -w hose J iivts Mere completely changed and whose ideas and minds had been widened and heed from the artificiality which ¡tad hitherto crippled, cubined, and confined them. Leav- iag the Liverpool mission in capable hands, the young and newly-married preacher went to Glasgow, which city was Mifi. John's na- tive place. Although not in good health, he began work at once against prejudice, perse- cution, and opposition similar to that mark- I ing his opening sermons at Liverpool. Two years were spent in tne Second City in the j Empire, and disciples carried on similar meetings in Edinburgh. An invitation from j John Packer to visit Oxford, "the dark city j in religion," took Mr. Jones' hero there po6t- haste, and the final instalment next Sunday J bids fair tc be exciting, as the minister- author promises a wonderful revelation. j J
Sir J J. Jenkins and Carmarthen…
Sir J J. Jenkins and Carmarthen J Boroughs. j i SIR JOHN JONES JENKINS' DEFINITE: DECISION. The chances of Sir John Jones Jenkins j contesting the Carmarthen Boroughs has I been up to now an important factor in the I minds of the party agents in the boroughs. ) We learn, however, that this, eventually has I just been set at rest. Sir John has been written to by the party secretary and asked I to receive a deputation, and has declined, j explaining that receiving a deputation might give rise to an idea that he might contest the constituency. He has intimated his dee- finite decision not to come forward. I MAJOR JONES STILL BUSY AT LLANELLY. Major Jones continued bis campaign ss j labour candidate for the Carmarthen Bor- oughs by addressing a meeting at Bethel Schoolroom, Llanelly, on Friday. He dealt with the fiscal question, and said that pro- tection meant hunger, famine, a.nd riots. He contended that under Free Trade the co'in- try had enjoyed unexampled prosperity, and the people were not prepared to sacri- fice that prosperity by reverting to an cx- ploded theory of the past. Referring to the tinplate trade, Major Jones said that the idea that Americans were going to dump finished tinpla-tee into this country was ab- surd. He was not ahaid of the future of the tinplate trade in Wales. As long ai Free Trade principles prevailed we could compete with America in every market except America.
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Swansea's Trade with Russia.
Swansea's Trade with Russia. ARRANGEMENT WITH A RUSSIAN RAILWAY. The directors of the Baltisch .'md Pskov- Riga Railway have concluded with Messrs. J and P. Hutchison, of Glasgow, a contract for the maintenance of a regular steamship service betwan Reval and Swansea, for the forwarding of goods in the Northern Inter- national Un.r-2<1, traffic-not less than one beat per month to be despatched in each di- rection The local agents for Messrs. Hut- chison are Burgess and Co., Ltd., Queen's Buildings, Swansea.
Swansea Finances Committee.…
Swansea Finances Committee. A meeting of the Finance Committee of the Swansea Corporation was held on Friday, Hon. Odo Vivian presiding. The Town Clerk said the deputation from the Corporation met the Governor and the Chief Cashier of the Bank of England with regard to Corporation loans. No definite reply had been received, but the GovErnor told the deputation that they would favourably consider the application of the Corporation for a continuation of the pre- sent arrangement. The Governor pointed out that in the past the Bank had been advancing monies to Corporations without any form of security beyond a mere signature, of three members of the Corporation, and he thought the Bank—and the Town Clerk agree-d-shouki have some form of security. The Town Clerk told the Governor the Corporation would be prepared to meet the Bank in t::at respect. The Town Clerk thought the Cor- poration would now be able to arrange with the Bank for a continuation on the present terms. The Bank would not now tie up monies for 12 months; their attitude was this "We will carry it on for three months, and then the position must be renewed."
Vicar of Margam at Landore.
Vicar of Margam at Landore. The consecration services of St. Paul's Church, Landore, were continued en Fridiy evening. Rev. Geier Jones read the prayers after which the Vicar of Margam, Rev. Z. P. Williamson, delivered a powerful sermon on the story of Ahab, Jezebel, and Naboth. The spoliation of the latter's vineyard and the slaying of the proprietor, the preacher likened to the efforts in ide by the present day world to induce the Church to give up th-ir inherit- ance. Scientists said "Give up your (,bjec- tionable doctrines of the Trinity, the incarna- tion, and the resurrection. They are opposed to all scientific ideas, to the laws of nature. If you do this multitudes who at present bold aloof will join your fold." No! they would never surrender those traditions. They were the birthright of the Church, and had been handed down to them from generation to generation, and their ministers were in direct line of Apostolic succession from Christ himself. The latest phase of the movement against the Church's inheritance was the cry "Take your catechism out of ""our day-schools, and we will readily find money for you—there will be no objection to funding it for your schools." No, the Lord forbid thev should give up the inheritance of their fathers. 'l1.ey would die first. During the service a number of special hymns and anthems were sung by the augmented choir, Mr. Thos. Jones (Mor- n&ton) organist.
,Cwmbwrla Land Rents Case.I
Cwmbwrla Land Rents Case. | At Swansea County Court:. on Mouday, Meters. Riahard Thomas and Co., Ltd., Llan- e-Jiv, sued Mrs. Minnie Co when. Swansea, for ? the recovery of £ 8 8s.. rent on l uid in Cwm- ) bwrla, pn.rohai-ed by her in 1899, and which toJTnerly belonged to Mr. Odvert loses.— Mr. Williams (instructed bv Messrs. Roderick and Co., Llanelly), appeared for plaintiffs, and Mr. Meager (in.'trncttd by Mr. John R. Pochards, was for defendant. Defendant had been paying six guineas t-nt, ) whereas the original lease stiipuhi'ted t. e sum of eight guineas. The oiiginal least had been destroyed by fire in a s linitor's cffice. David Jones, a clerk in the employ (' f tihe ptlaiiiltifif con..p(my, who had received the rents eince 1889, &aid that. early this year they discovered they were entitled to eight guineas, instead of six, and thereupon brought a claim for the extra two guineas. He had never heard of any arrangement t,o reduce tlie rent. Conn. David Griffiths also gave evi ience. Verdict, for plaintiffs.
IS Jewish Lecture in Swausea.
IS Jewish Lecture in Swausea. Mr. Hyman Goldberg presided at Su-iday's meeting of the Swansea Jewish Literary So- ciety at the King's Minor Hall. The lec- turer for the night was Mr. E. Eilpem, of the London School Board, who had ^'ourneyod specially to Swansea to speiak upon "The j Wit, Wisdom, and Women of the Talmud." The speaker kept a large audience entranced with liis excerpts from the great Jewish book of teaching. He instanced many examples cf its wonderfjl insight into human nature, the grasp cf many s.-ienees, such as medi- cine and astronomy—including many things fondly imagined by moderns as beiug latter- day invention. In the Talmud. also, was the same theory ventilated as that of Dar- win's in his "Origin of Species. Nothing was new under the sun. One striking char- acteristic of the Talmud was its belief in the virtue and wisdom of woman. It was writ- ten in a time when woman was very lowly regarded, and it teamed with instances and examples of feminine astuteness and good- ness. The lecturer, in conclusion, appealed to the local Jewish colony to unite in their, common welfare, and the mesting closed with hearty votes of thanks.
Christmas Boxes Banned.J
Christmas Boxes Banned. J A circular has been issued by the Imperial Toba-co Co. (consisting of about twenty of the old houses) withdrawing all Christmas boxes. A well-known Swansea. tobacconist tells us in this connection that ihe is not surprised nor is he disappointed, as the question of X- mas boxes has grown to such large dimensions as to become a serious question. He says that in face of the circular he wrill now with- draw on his part all such "ifts as he has hitherto found necessary to make. WHAT IT MEANS TO THE COMPANY'. "It is merely an intimation from tbe com- pam" said Mr. C. A S-and?', of "Tit- Bits," Castle-street, "that they will not after this year make any Christmas boxe3 to either principals or assistants." "Does it me m much to them?" i "They have been in the habit of giving, sav, a "box of cigars- Individually it is not much, but in the aggregate it amounts to :i lot. I daresay then- Christmas boxes run into four figures." Mr. Sander added that the circular vo,lld not interfere with the retailee-ns' liberties. He himself gave no Christmas boxes, but a few others did, and probably they wo aid make this an excise for discontinuing the custom.
Alleged Co-operative Boycott…
Alleged Co-operative Boycott near Swansea. A meeting had been arranged and auly advertised to be held on Saturday evening at Calfaria Schoolroom, Ravenhill, under the i auspices of the Cwmbwrla Co-operative Society, Ltd. The permission was. eaail v accorded, and the chair was to be taken by Rev. T. Teifion Richards. Some privote trades of Swansea and district, it is alleged, set to work, and in compliance with the special wish of the officials of Calfaria Chapei the Society decided to refrain from holding the meeting as had been announced. "Hitherto we have not in Swansea district met with opposition of this sort,' said Mr. Howells, the secretary, to a "Post"' reports "But in the North, where Co-operative Societies are powerful, there has been the fiercest opposition, even to the extent of get- ting employers of labour to ask tnen men to resign membership or sever connection with the works. At St. Helen's, especially, it has been awful, but the result was total defeat cf the schemes, and advance of the principles of co-operation." "We have been doing well in Cwmbwrla. r' 1 ave now 295 members, and our takings last quarter were £ 1,900. So it is only to be ex- pected private traders should be up in arms! pected private traders should be up in arms! It's a question of bread :;nd cheese. In Ravenhill we've a lot of good new members. Most of the shopkeepers there are deacons of the chapel—the bigger the purse, you know, the more likelihood cf being made a deacon "At our committee meeting on Friday even- ing, we received a letter from Rev. T. Teifion Richards, the pastor of Calfaria. ask- ing to be permitted to withdraw his offer to take the chair, so we thought it advisable to abandon the meeting. "We have written to the CI rk of the school Managers, and are hoping to secure the Cockett School for that purpose. "This will be a very good thing for u;s; persecution always evokes popular sym- pathy."
Serious Fire at Sandrirgham.
Serious Fire at Sandrirgham. An alarming outbreak of fire occurred at Sandringham House, where the Queen is in residence, on Thursday morning. A beam over the fireplace in the room of the Hon. Miss Ivnoilys (woman of the bedchamber to her Majesty) was discovered to be on fire about. six o'clock, the beam being under the floor of her Majesty's bedroom. Great consternation prevailed. Her Majesty and the other in- mates of the house were at once aroused, and the household fire brigade quickly cxtin- guisiied the fire before much damage had been done. It is supposed that the beam be- came ignited through the heat generated bv the fireplace. Another message says:—Fortunately, Miss Knollys was awakened and gave an alarm, By that time the flames lnd got a good bold of both rooms, and her Majesty and Miss Knollys had a somewhat narrow escape. The discipline which is always maintained at Sandringham was strikingly manifested.
Her Majesty's Narrow Escape.)'
Her Majesty's Narrow Escape. Further details go to show that there can be no doubt that her Majesty had a most unpleasant experience, attended wdth con- siderable danger. Shortly after five o'clock the Hon. Charlotte Knollys, who is well known as the Queen's constant companion, was awakened by her bedroom being filled with smoke. Miss Knollys ouickly got out of the room. and wnth commendable presence of mi>id rushed to her Majestv's apartment. which is sdtuated immediatelv above her own bedroom. She aroused the Queen, and both. attired only in their dressing-gowns, rushed ] from the room. and not too soon, for the floor of her Majesty's bedroom almost imme- diately rol!ap?ed at the spot where she I been sleepdng. The household fire brigade had by this time been alarmed, and within a very short space of t'me the hoac was plav- ing oil the flames. The outbreak was con- fined to the two bedrooms, and was soon got under, thouoft not before considerable dam- aue had been done both bv fire and water. The conflagration, it appears, was due to the defective insulation of some electric iisW wires which was being installed. The fusing of these ignited a beam situated over the fireplace. which, en turn, spread to ihe 1 ceiling, and thence through the floor of her Majesty's apartment, The damage was at first estimated at some thousands of pounds. h'lt a subsequent survey reduced this to a few hundred uounds.
SWANSEA CHARITY ORGANISATION…
SWANSEA CHARITY ORGANISA- TION SOCIETY. Annual Meeting Appeal for Funds. ] The Swansea Charity Organisation Society held its annual meeting at the Guildhall, on Fridav afternoon. There was a large attcn- dance, including Lady Llewelyn. Miss Gladys Llewelyn, Mrs. Eben. Davies. Mrs. K,te Freeman. Mrs. Joseph, Mrs. C. H. Perkins, Mrs. Treharne-Thomas. Miss Brock. Mrs. Wales. Mrs, Tudor Jones. Mrs. Snelling, Mrs. Roberts. Mrs. Pontifex, Mrs. Ingram, Miss Glascodine. Mrs. Williams- (Heathfield), Mrs. T. P. Richards. Mrs. Walter Reid. Mrs. Picton Turbervill. Miss Dixon. Mrs. Pat on. Mr?. Arthur Davies, Miss Lindsay, Mr. Jcs. Hall. Rev. W. Tudor Jones. Mr. Corker, Mr. Walter Rtid. Mr. D. Meager. Rt v. Chal- loner Lindsiy. Dr. Stephens. Mr. W. Yeo- man, Mr. C. Maggs. Mr. Collins. Mr. Astlev Samuel. and many others. Rev. Oscar Snell- ing presided pro tern, until the arrival of the Mayor. Rev. Clialloner C. Lindsay, hon. sec., read the annual report. A point was that fewer cases than 1902 had come under the notice of the Societv. and not a single begging letter. Mr. Collins road the balance sheet, whion snowed a balance of -12s. 8d. The chairman, in moving the adoption of th" rep 'rt, said nobody unconne-oted with the society could have the slightest idea of the work done. All they willed was to get suffi- cient funds to carrv on the work wiidi mt run- ning into debt. The expense were not heavy. and he tihotrght that if they launched out and contracted greater debts the world would probably think more of them. It was a phase of up to diivte life, which they wlio were getting older would groan about. He would say that with the new as- sistant secretary, Mr. Yeoman, they -were- ex- tremely pleased. He showed an excellent in- sisht into the cases, and his reports were ad- mirably clear. In an appeal1 for extra funds. Mr. Snelling sa;d he wished everyone's name to be rin the "Golden Book" of the secretary, and asked that if circulars headed "special case" were sent out they would be fruitful of generous donations. Mr. P. G. Cawker seconded. Mr. Jos. Hall moved the re-election of all the officials, joining Mrs. Walter Reid as hon. secretary, with Rev. C. C. Lindsay, eu- logiising the work of all. Mr. W. Astley Samuel seconded. Sir. Ernest Aves, of Tenbv read a long and interesting paper on "Health and Homes." and received spontaneous and hearty vote of thanks, moved by R?v. O^cir Snelling. and seconded by Mrs. Kate Freeman. Dr. Stephens moved, and Rev. 0. C. Lind- say seconded a vote of thanks to the Mayor for the use of the Guildhall and for presiding. The Mayor, who had just come in. suit- 1 1, ,za ablv responded, wishing the Charity Organiza- tion Society every success. Tea was then served, and closed a success- ful gathering.
Sir Wilfred Laurier Rebuked.
Sir Wilfred Laurier Rebuked. w riting to the "Times," the Hon. Chas. Tupper severely criticises Sir Wilfrid La I- rier's claim for treaty powens for Canada. In his opinion thev involve nothing less than the severance of Canada fnm Great Britain. I He contiaues: -"Ra ve Sir Wilfrid Laurier and his colleagues who demand the severance of almost the only tie that now unites us to Great Britain forgotten tha", when 'ur ves- sels were seized m the Behring Sea by the cruiseis of the United States and confiscated, reparation was demanded by Great Britain. and n projaeiiy-constituted internatio id tri- bunal arranged, with tin res lit that the United States were compelled to make good the damage they had inflicted? Nor musit it be forgotten that during the delay lP. n1', ing the ari.mgements for that tribunal the Secretary of Stale of the United States noti- fied Sir Julian Pauneeiote that the Amen x.m cruisers bed been instructed to feize toiv Cenadiin sealers found in Behrmg Sea., and that upon the indignant protest of myself, tht; vepi :ve of Ouruida. Lord bury sent all ultimatum through Sir Julian Pauncefote, saving that, If a CanadL-m sealer was seized, the United States must be pre- pared to take the consequences. This ivas e promptly foil awed by the recall of the in- stiuctions givin to the American cruisers, Ulill and Canada was spared the humiliation sli« must otherwise have suffered. It wIll thus be seen that the right to negotiate co.Tiin. i_ cud treaties has been fully conceded, and I do not bdieve that the fact that Sir W llirid Laurie- has failed so lamentably in all Ijs diplomatic efforts will be- considered a sum- cient reason bv the Deople of Canada for practically assuming a- position of absolute independence by rejecting the authority of the Crown in all treaties, and divesting our- selves of any clim to the support of Great Britain."
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i - " HOME SECRETARY FOR SWANSEA.
i HOME SECRETARY FOR SWAN- SEA. Addresses a Public Meeting in January. We are in a poscition to state that Mr. Akers Douglas, the Home Secretarv, has ac- cepted the invitatcon to address a public meeting at Swansea on 27th January, on the occasion of the annua! meeting of t&e South Wales section of the National Uncoil of Conservatives.
HARCOURT AT TREDEGAR.
HARCOURT AT TREDEGAR. Dumping Requires Careful Consideration. Sir William Harcourt spoke for a Ion time at Tredegar, on Frid-ty. Prior to the iitect- ing he received a deputation of steel workers, and assured them that the question of dump- ing as affecting their particular industry wcuid special attention. In his speech, Sir dliam declared that the Government had examined Mr. Cliamberlain's scheme and had rejected it. The Government had lost its best officers, and was a derelict wreck. Alluding to "dumping" he declared that it had restored the tinplate trade of South Wales to its for- mer position. It was q ilik time the finished article employed and paid better labour than the unfinished article. Sir Wm. continued: "On the other hand they act of course to the disadvantage of the makers of the unfinished imperfect raw material, and they introduce a very stvere competition, of which those parties naturally complain. Now I have done my best to inform myself upon tlus subject, and I have been assisted, and I am ha.ppy to is recognise the fact, by Mr. Mills, the manager of the Ebbw Vale Company. He has placed in my hands the official report of that com- pany. Now it is evidently a matter which re- quires v ry caivful consideration. It must be considered with respect to the general in- terest of the iron trade, which is the greatest trade of this country. And I wish to say here, and to say very sincerely, that I should give the most careful attention to any pro- posal made by the Government or made by Mr. Chamberlain or anyone- else to deal with that question." He was glad to find that the tinplate trade was doing well Employment had no: diminished under Free Trade. There was nit less employment than under Protec- tion. "'The buildings you see surrounding Cardiff and Swansea and in these valleys and everywhere and the pleasure places on the coast aro used by people who have made their money in trade and business and have been in those trades or businesses which have been giving employment to other people." Con- stant and full employment did not exist in protectionist countries. Germany during the y 1-1 past three years had passed through a deplok able period of depression. Neither in Franco or the l'nited States was there full employ- ment. He did not envy any one of the Pro- tected countries. Protection is a blighting system oi the monopoly of organised capital. Let them bring back the people of the soil, not by tariffs, but by land reform, let them reduce the inordinate expenditure made to re- lieve the taxation of the people. Let them cultivate temperance, and not pose as patrons of drink. The scheme of Mr. Chamberlain was a counsel of reaction, and an old and dis- credited systtm to which thev would never return. (Cheers.) Mr. Alfred Onions, miners' agent, then pro- posed a resolution condemning the Education Act. the war report, and incidentals the fiscal policy cf Mr. Chamberlain and Mr Bal- four. Rev. D. M. Rees, Tredegar, proposed a resolution of confidence in Sir William, and the proceedings concluded.
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TRADE AT SWANSEA DOCKS,
TRADE AT SWANSEA DOCKS, [Specially Contributed, t Swans a, Monday. Dec. 14. 1903.—Tie trade of the port in the past week has been of a more favourable naUure than the previous one, although the weather. and a limIted supply of tonnage were adverse conditions. Compared with the correvspondine .vc*fk ef last year the figures are practically t-be same, The imports sthow a gain of 5.000 tons. but the exports a corresponding loss. Daitiess characterised the coal and patent fuel trades, particularly shipments of the latter. On the other hand, there was an exceptional import of foreign grain, and a satisfactory shipment of tdnplates and general merchan- dise. The shipments of coal for Fran;2 were 1,200 tons over those in the same week fast year, whilst last month tihey amounted to 110.546 tons, as against 86.426 tons in Octo- ber (an increase of 24,000. tons), and 118,<>57 tons in November. 1902. The week's imports include—France. 582 tons pitwood. 580 tons iron ore. and 450 tons general Spam, 41 tons fruit Germany, 600 tons general Hol- land. 700 tons general; Tunis. 2.034 tois zinc ore. and 99 tons copper matte Uivcr Plate. 2.905 tons wheat and 3,220 tons maize, United States. 655 tons maize, and 194 tons general; Chile. 720 tons gold, silver, a d copper ores. The Italian vessel Ciampa Emilia, arrived at Falmouth. December 8th, from Nova Scotia, with timber for Swansea. The coal shipments include—France. 17.838 tons; Sweden. 1.980 tons; Denmark, 1.850 tons Germany. 3.705 tons Italy, 2,700 tons Algeria. 1.410'tons; Mossel Bay (S.A.), 1,050 tons United States. 2.550 tons: and home ports, 6,952 tons. Patent fuel—France. 710 tons Italy, 200 tons and Algeria. 3.275 tons. The total shipment of patent fuel in the 11 moths of the current year show a loss of 58.000 tons. whilst coal is still in ex- cess (2,500 tons) compared with the like period of 1902, notwithstanding that upwards of 180,000 tons were shipped to America in con- sequence of the strike. Imports amount to 16,669 tons exports, 54.180 tons: and total trade, 170.849 tons; compared with 64.556 tons the previous week and 71.884 tons last year. Shipments of coaf, 42,060 tons patent fuel, 4,186 tons: and tinplates and general merchandise. 7.935 tons. The latter were—For France. 445 tons Por- tugal, 200 tons Germany 220 tons Belgium, 450 tons Batoum. 800 tons Italy. 150 tons Straits, China, and Japan, 3.000 tons Ulisted States. 800 tons and home pons. 1,870 tons. Shipments of tinplate. 78.606 boxes and re- ceipts fiom works. 65.213 boxes. Stocks in the dock warehouses and vans, 122,340> I boxes; compared with. 135,733 Doxes tilie previous week and 190.445 boxes at this datet last vea.r. The following are expected to load an the current week—Chicago City (New York). Kiston Grange (River Plate). l'enpol (Batoum). Coranian, Herman Meuzelh and Cvpria (Mediterranean ports). Laura (Portu- J n-al) City of Cadiz (Hamburg. Vadso (Co- penhacren and Stettin), Hero (Rotterdam and 1 \msterdamh Milo and Eanstroom (Antwerp) We note the following fixtures:—For Phila- 1 dejtphia. Minnesota. Dec. 18th Machimaw, January 1st: Montana, January 15th. For River Plate (Nelson Line). Victorious, Dec. 19th Highland Chief. January 2nd. For Francisco. General Boresdiffin.
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