Weekly Mail

Tn-PLATE TRADE,' «&. BEv A CIRCULAR TO SE EMPLOYERS. °rk=r?f><1 to th«a CJPy °' the circnIar to he bj fe. £ TmS°f:irs a" ""A* ° Pr°Prieiora an^ „ "lu. ,(„r Directors of Sirg Works. of be held fn&olnvitefi to attend a con- "Tha Jtfarch a» a wansca, on Monday, the "l. T °bJects of n, CC to advertised. (f late draw Ur> conference are: — \) lifor^^Panies for^M&reement with a11 tia" Ks. m Working ,• an uniftjrm tariff; (b) "2. °nditiori3, hours of labour, ^r&*es of alftf Pr'-ce anfl standard y ') \te3 °r bia<'k"p'ates: a °UIM; Qfacturers • « arranged and signed "Sn ^'Ilce to hQ '• nes aud penalties for non- irranl lmP°sed. for t £ ien/s ^ave been successful and 'Wk l textile industry of Lanca- J- only h an' and rich industry, "The86 Methods611 Bave(* from ruin and decay has been adopted by the si idal tbere h trade of the Midlands, and succeis- The sui- lHse ^'lastrv fu com^tUkm in the Welsh tf Ne 8 the real ateiw th? trade with col- li Pripoa caU3e of demoralisation and hI due to the absence of an j ij)~ *^1 ettini^ selling price, those f, fer aSes jja yers who are constantly redu- a 11 ti^^TJetitr. 0ri'y a momentary advantage j Utij 6 advanti follow the precedent, and J 'Vo 4llother'f6 °/ t^Le reduction disappears, "W ioing down of wages takes u >nij, v obvjnn 01 a Policy of reduction 2 o .J^Hg s+ 8 to Practical minds, and can VPlo^t! °n to workmen and ruip j o ^T8, hon0 compact as to prices and j t J lCiar]fpt observed, will bring stability h ^aram '01; n and black plates, while o the employer and capita- a favourable n> yours sincerely, "BEN TILLETT." AT LLANELLY. mak °f Mr- Ben Til,ett to the Welsh ^aQe] ] ^j ■^Las created little or no stir ^W' doe and up to the present. ^tiri8 *ttpr,<3 110^ appear to have attracted 'fta.y jj. 10n' This attitude of indiffe- ^oori,a' serim pay accounted for by the fact dispute is pending at More- "N t'me h^-nd tlle 01(1 Castle Works, and ''ttu the energies of employers L|L .are engaged in attempts at a '<siy 5r Bia Bame time, however, the CIobilitt a.sterg are fully alive to the :ttl<l if ok establishing a uniform rate of ""o* brjjj ~Jr. Tillett's proposed conference L \rk*°Uld v/' 3 about, then, indeed, a great Ie. — conferred upon the industry as at the present time 9,0d ^eak men among the manufac- ql., lti is they who have been the 'H)] in Shcle to the establishment of uni- ate. In conversation ^aou-fa^'turer, our reporter c°Ucern7,that, so far as the trade itself low n°thing could be better than arrangement. He was afraid, ot be carried out. "T* the experiment is worth try- i« cew-a ^6 reporter. Mn y an excellent idea, but what ■^Im118 in +v ln the past makes me very fcov4 is a Present instance. Besides, Mr. ia .My new man to the trade, knowing f or next to nothing, of tile Ce- The fact that a number ((J3*1 ^akftR611 ^lav6 joined the Dockers' 1 K^t ook, too, as though the present! t 0«as, a kittle bit of special pleading the Union. No comparison can "etween the Lancashire cotton d 1lse the the Welsh tin-plate trade. y, the °Qe is rich and the other poor. nn industry has been impoverished let" down movements in the wage- Dj ^tiojjJthing that would put an end to t v this kind is to be welcomed. I ,piii0Wever' that we must not look to ett for salvation." 'O'Mn- 1r CONFERENCE OF WORK- JF. MEN. <a? ^kiUips, at the request of the k v r»ers of Pontardulais and other Mx? keld Convened a conference of the men da.3' at the Bird-in-Hand, Swansea, on Jeti e ia r twelve o'clock noon. The con- lQn in ^lled with a view to taking united yfca«^e,ila.n^8ard to the increased reductions ijitti ed ky the employers. It is to be itwrSto°d that the conference is held J11(iice to matters relating to e<j Q t tI. The only questions discussed :r8(t directly connected with the pro-1 ^TB —— *< AT THE DUFFRYN WORKS, Ti,uIORRIST°N- l *vOhr.- "wtt and his agents have been > to settle the dispute between f ? employes and the proprietors at ''yn Works, atorriston, without any J W 3-tld on Tuesday evening the strikers to the house of a workman who was j j'tiijig in employment, and accompanied • the gate of the works, asking him if j Hj^ded working. He went inside the l ih-^e Processi°n waiting outside. In a i S u, utes he returned and informed the 6(f1l.t he would work no more. The men R and the tin-house is now idle. ?

WALJblSi idOERlS. (j ^UEBATIOIT JCEETRTIRA AT F 111 CARDIFF. 0 !,1l1 of the cotmcil of the South Wales j ederi -ion was held at the Park Hotel, 1 O bon Friday morning. Mr. W. Abraham, A and Mr. Brace was the vice- i tlt. Th" following members were also A 'Alderman David Morgan (Aberdare), J (Ri! ^aronwy Isaac (Treorky). John Wil- fA vW6n'" Dayies (Ton), George carn), John Evans (Blaina), James m •aj-i8Ca^ ^n^cl1 Murrell (Merthyr 'i (t ^am Vyce (Ebbw Yale), Alfred A easurer), and "Tiomas Richards (sec- j) 3 Monnl dealt with several amend- ? the rules relegated to them by the ) Terence, and instructions were given l? d of the roles. It was also j to> secretary should prepare i 8 ^or lodge secretaries, and seals ^1. Hie other business was purely

I ^BLSH GOAL miMS, k 4t t GJ!:Jl. OEDELTS FOB CARDIFF. A h ",e Cardiff Exchange on Tuesday morning A fofer ^Ported the Cie Generale Trans- j ?> had accepted tenders from local col- li" t ^P^tors for the supply of about J th ns of lar^e steam coal, to be delivered f ensuing twelve months. The con- J the Ocean Coal Company (Limited), 4 hJVa Colliery Company (Limited), and the j b Iron and Coal Company (Limited). Prices obtained by these firms have ? disclosed, but it is stated to be 12s. and 24 per cent. The Lisbon order for the supply of 50,000 tons of <t i^eam coal has been secured by the Trading Company (Limited), whose j Vlt is stated, was 169 4 per ton, c.i.f. p) ?JJHJulian Royal Navy contract for the ,4 ?*t 1 °f bunker coal to the fleet over the j en months has been also given out. this order the coal is to be delivered at m Ports, including Spezzia and Venice. The jl t? to; be supplied is 50,000 tons, and the t. Ja ttated to be 21s 4!d per ton, c.i.f. OUTPUT IN MERTHYR PAE1SH- fi • Gilbert Evans, assistant overseer, pre- 91 to the guardians of the Merthyr Union (h* ay a return showing that during the there were raised in the various in the parish of Merthyr 1,016,328 tons te 189,494 tons of small coal. There wtre 113 of large Mid 5,699 tons of small coal ijrjtto bank in the parish of Merthyr, which worked in pits in other parishes. These r Sv as compared with the output for the yeax, show a net decrease on large S.. ^9,443 tons, and on small coal of 116,244 II a result, of course, attributable to the strike. aI

1t1!:ST OF DEAN COAL TRADE. 5 ^^f-yearly dinner which the Office of gave the coalowners of the Forest of cjjo. on the occasion of the half-yearly rent- < f*V Waa held at the Speech House Hotel on vV?ay evening when Mr. Thomas Forster 1ft" ,deputy-gaveller of the Forest of Dean V ijl^ld, presided. The Chairman, in giving r Ojj^ast of "Success to the Coal Trades of J.^feet of Dean," observed that their output increased beyond that of the previous 3 K the extent of 250,000 tons.—Messrs. Brain >' \~eakin responded. Mr. Deakin was of « tha«b the Forest of Dean colliery W08 he made into one great, com- fl al80 complained of the railway —Mr. Brain proposed the health of the »»or of mines, and Mr. Martin, in reply, v. SJhat in 1890 the Forest of Dean yielded r4\ of 0081 per man per year, but last year rJ, to 272 tone per man per year, which xboth for the owners and the men. i\

NR THE COTTON- TRA^. Vjefaalf of 11,000 Oldham operatives one A £ *s notice has been g-iren to the local v cotton spinners' association of a ? of 7d. in the R, admnce in mges. A s{ this claos of operatives, to decide I nation to oease work shall be given, l^ia Opera* ? J^bmors' UDfon. which has 14,CDO members Vitem. will tender a forxoal ncsOi^HMtiAO

THE BUILDING TRADE, | LOCK-OTJT ORDERED. The Press Association states that the dispute between the National Association of Master Builders and tha National Association of Operative Plasterers has now reached an acute stage, the masters having on Wednesday decided upon a lock-out of the Union men. Ths dispute, which principally refers to the coercing of foremen, has been going on for some time. and on February 1 the Builders' Association draw up an ultimatum demanding that the alleged objectionable practices should cease forthwith. The reply from the opera- tives' society was declared by the masters' association to bis an evasion of all the points at issue, whereupon the plasterers announced that the whole matter would be placed before the members of the society, their votes being returnable on March 1. The masters' standing committee met in London on Wednesday after- noon, and decided to send the following com- munication to the Plasterers' Union: — "Unless there exists a determination on the part of your association to persist in the objec- tionable practices set forth in our letter of February 1, there can be no reason why the assistance required should not have been given at once. The masters' association has, there- fore, decided to declare a lock-cut against the membei-3 of the Plasterers' Association on Mon- day, March 6, which will remain in force until your association will guarantee that the said objectionable practices shall cease." A Press Association representative communi- cated this decision of the masters to Mr. Deller, secretary of the Plasterers' Society, who observed that he was not at all surprised at the builders determining to lock the men out. "Of coursc," said he, "we shall have to fight them, but it will not alter onr arrangements for taking the ballot." He added that, a.s the country members were not fully acquainted with all the points in the dispute, the com- mittee was sending out to the members a full statement, which explains the concession made by the Union regarding foremen; asserts that some, at least, of the employers are spoiling for a fight, and that the masters' association have included in their demands terms which they know cannot be accepted by any body of Trade Unionists without sinking the manhood of its members; denies that the arrogance of the Plasterers' Union has brought about the present crisis, and points out that, although the matters affects only the London men, the whole of the country members are to be locked out, in defianoe of the mutual understanding that three or six months' notice must be given for any alteration in the existing agreement. MEETING OF MASTER BUILDERS, AT CARDIFF. An adjourned annual meeting of the Cardiff Builders' Association was held at the Royal Hotel on Wednesday evening, when the dis- pute between the National Association and the Plasterers Union was referred to. A telegram was read from Mr. Symonds, who was in Lon- don, stating that no settlement had been arrived at, and in accordance with the deci- sion of the National Builders Association a, lock-out would be ordered on the 6th of March unless satisfactory terms were arranged in the meantime. The situation was fully discussed, but, of course, no decision could be arrived at by the Cardiff Branch. The proceedings were private, but from what we could gather after the meeting, the "objectionable practices" alleged against the plasterers do not apply to Cardiff. As a matter of fact, there is no local dispute, but in the event of the central orga- nisation calling upon the builders of Cardiff to adopt a certain course the Cardiff Associa- tion will be almost compelled to adopt it. The only alternative is to cut themselves adrift from the National Association, and this they have no intention of doing. It is not antici- pated that the dispute will extend to other branches of the building trade, except so far as the progress of work will be delayed by the case of the plasterers.

BOILERMAKERS' GENERAL. SECRETARYSHIP. The resignation by Mr. Robert Knight, J.P.. if the general secretaryship of the United Society of Boilermakers and Iron Shipbuilders' Union has not unnaturally given rise to much speculation in Trades Unionist circles in Car- diff as to the possibility of Councillor F. A. Fox (tho society's present representative in South Wales) being selected to fill the vacancy. The executive committee of the Union are very sanguine of retaining Mr. Knight's services for at least another twelve months. In the event, however, of Mr. Knight declining to adopt tho executive's suggestion, i. is understood that Councillor Fox will be selected almost unani- mously to fill the vacancy. In the event of this occurring Mr. Fox will be compelled to take up his residence in the North of England and to resign his seat on the Cardiff Town Council.

SCOTCH MINERS AND THE EMPLOYERS. The Press Association Glasgow correspondent telegraphs that, in view of the Scotch miners remaining idle to-morrow (Friday) and Satur- da.y as a, protest against the refusal of the masters to grant a 10 per cent. advance, the decision of the Lanarkshire coalmasters, who met in Glasgow on Wednesday afternoon, is important. It was decided to instruct the secretary to point out that the coalowners had not, as stated by the men's leaders, been asked, and had not refused, on the present occasion to meet the miners' representatives. This decision will pave the way for a joint con- ference, and thus avert a strike.

ENGINEER'S WAGES. A oonference took place on Wednesday at Bolton respecting an application by the engi- neers for an advance of wages. The employers refused the application.

THE COMPENSATION ACT. This week a cheque of £234 will be paid by Messrs. George Watkinson and Co.. proprietors of the Fernhill Colliery, Treherbert. to the widow of Thomas Pole, residing at Gwendoline- street, Treherbert. Pole was a collier employed at one of the levels, and was killed on the 22nd of December by a fall of stone from the roof.

B AILWAYMKiX AM) THE BEER FRIEÐ DRINKS AND A ORRY SEQUEL. A charge of stealing a kilderkin of beer was preferred at Newport Borough Police-court against Beven railway men named George Morley, la, Bath-street; George Norvill, 26, Pugsley-atreet; Thomas Albert Evans. 27, Mer- chant-street; Lewis Perryman, 12. South Mar- ket-street; Charles Somers, 18, Harrow-road; Charles Martin, 21, Orchard-street; and Henry Sweeting, 64, Duckpool-road. The beer was the property of Mr. William Gibbs, Royal Albert Restaurant, Commercial-street. With the ex- ception of Sweeting, who was an employe of the London and North Western Railway, the accused men were employed by the Great Western Railway Company. Mr. L. H. Hornby, solicitor, represented the railway company; Mr. W. L. Moore defended five of the men. Mr. Hornby, in a brief opening, said that Sweeting, a drayman, on Friday last delivered a consignment of various liquors at the Royal Albert Restaurant, and in the ordinary course of affairs would take back empties. The num- bers on the casks were usually checked by the cellarman, Henry Thomas Wheeler, but on that occasion he was called away and had the numbers checked by Sweeting himself after the empties were placed on the lorry.—This statement was borne out by the cellarman, and the loss of the beer was established by Mr. William Gibbs, the owner. A peculiar contretemps here arose. Mr. Gibbs remarked that he was not the prosecutor. Mr. Hornby: Was not the prosecution taken, with your consent? Mr. Gibbs: No. Were yon not seen by the detective?—I was, but I told him I would not prosecute. Mr. Moore: You are not the prosecutor, and the railway company are not concerned with the ownership. Therefore, there is no prosecu- tion. A Magistrate (after a. long pause): Where are we? The Clerk: You must hear the case. Mr. Hornby: The Great Western Railway are the prosecutors. Mr. Moore: The goods would be sent by the London and North Western Railway; therefore, the Great Western Railway has no locus standi. The objection, however, was temporarily set aside, and Polico-constable Hiles stated that when he arrested the men, Evans said that when Sweeting returned to the station he said, I have a full kil. of beer here. The cellarman was drunk." Norvill admitted having beer, but did not know it was stolen. Amos Wilks, an employe of the Great Wes- tern Railway Company, stated that when Sweeting returned to the station the kilderkin was stored behind Evans's desk, and that attempts were made to get the beer out by means of a suction tube. He afterwards had a. portion of the beer himself. A statement made by Evans acknowledged that he and the others used the tube for the drawing of the beer, and after some had been placed in earthenware jars the residue was wasted, and the cask returned 4o Burton. The objection raised by Mr. Moore was repeated, and, after consultation, the Bench over-ruled it. Mr. Moore then urged that a railwayman, knowing that such an offence would mean dismissal, would not take a. few sips of beer unless they believed it wai a per- fectly fair perquisite, He also protested against the arbitrary way in which the men's houses had been searched, Sweeting, as the chief offender, was fined £3, or a month's imprisonment, and Evans, as a lesser offender, 40a, rest were dismissed, bat admonished. Oitsrtes Bomers was also charged with steak ing a pair of boots whilst in transit, and was 1inod.or.Gh's imprisonment,

STIUlvEKiS AND THE RATES, ACTION AGAINST THS MERTHYR GUARDIANS. I Mr. Justice Homerc Chancery Division of the High Court of Justice 0(1 Tuesday, com- menced the hearing of the action brought by the Attorney-General at the relation ol the Powell Duttryn Steam Coal CoLiery (Limited), ratepayers of the Merthyr Tydfil Union, against the guardians of the Merthyr Tydfil Union. Mr. Ralph Neville, Q.C., who, with Mr. Cripps, Q.C., and Mr. Micklem, represented tie plain- tiffs, said his lordship was agked to decide a very important point, and the effect of the law being established one way or th2 other would be quite far-reaching. The ma tar arose out of the ccal strike in South Wales jam year. The relations between the employers and the colliers had been for a considerable time regu- lated under an agreement which embodied the hiding-scale, whereby the rate of remuneration of the colliers depended upon the rise and tall in tne price of coal. That agreement was subject to termination on six months' notice on either side, and the colliers gave that notice. Endeavours were mada between delegates of the men and employers to arrange terms, but the men did not iall in w the arrangement. A strike followed, and (tI the 31st of March the collieries were stopped. The question he was leading up to was whether the Poor-law authorities could letvally maintain the colliers on strike at a time when there was employment which they coald resort to at any moment at an increase of the wage at which they had been accustomed to labour for the preceding twelve months. The offered increase preceding twelve months. The offered increase was at first 3.16, and latsr on 5 per cent. Many of the men had nothing but their strike pay t* live on, and the Poor-law authorities opened stoneyarda, and offered employment to the men at so much per day and an allowance to their wives. The offer to the men to return to work at an increase of wages was made on the 11th of April, and a few availed themselves of the opportunity. On the 26th of April the defen- dant guardians opened stoneyards throughout the union, and 4,360 able-bodied men were daily employed in the yards. The total amount spent in relief was but the whole of that would not come into question, as many iron- workers and others were thrown out of work in consequence of the strike, and came on me rates, about £5,000 going in that direction. By the Poor-law Prohibition Orders of 1870 it was decreed that every able-bodied person re- quiring relief should be relieved in the work- house of the union, excepting where persons required relief in sudden emergency. There was a provision that if the approval of the Local Government Board should be obtained within fifteen days then the orders might ba suspended. In some cases the defendant guar- dians did get the approval, but in others they did not. Mr. Justice Romer asked if the accounts had not, to be audited. Mr. Cozens Hardy, Q.C., who, with Mr. Far- well, Q.C., and Mr. A. Glen, appeared for the defendants, said Parliament had given express powers to the Local Government Board if they thought proper to allow sums which had been properly disallowed by the auditors, and ho should contend that this court was not tho proper tribunal to decide this case. Mr. Neville urged that the jurisdiction of the courts was in no way ousted because of the machinery arranged for the auditing of accounts. Where there was a question of law the Local Government Board did not dccide, but they were prepared to do so where they was a question of discretion. A similar matter had been before Mr. Justice Stirling, who would not decide the question on a. motion, but he declined to say that that action had been mis- conceived. Mr. Justice Homer said he had no doubt there was an important question to be argued. Mr. Neville proceeded to read the correspon- dence that had passed between the guardians, the Local Government Board, and the plaintiffs. What was asked by the pleadings was a declara- tion that the establishment of the labour yards and the expenditure for the purpose of finding work for able-bodied men constituted a breach of the statute, and the plaintiffs asked for an injunction restraining the defraying out of the common fund or any funds contributed thereto by the ratepayers. The defendants contended that they had not committed a, breach of the statute. The learned counsel submitted that a strike was not a sudden emergency that brought the applicants for relief within the exceptions of the prohibitory Order of 1870, and that the defendants had acted illegally except in those cases for which they obtained the approval of the Local Government Board. He would go further than that, and say that the approval of the Local Government Board only applied where the relief would be otherwise legal. Mr. Justice Rom3r asked if justice would not btl met by the disallowance of the amount at the audit. It would be most inconvenient if questions of whether guardians had rightly or wrongly granted relief to a pauper should be made the subject of Chancery actions. Mr. Neville contended that questions of prin- ciple were proper matters for actions in Chan- cery. Were the ratepayers to stand by and have a huge rate paid away avowedly for an illegal purpose without applying for an injunc- tion? Mr. Cripps followed on the same side. He submitted' that no one who had the means of livelihood open to him and didn't like the con- ditions could take advantage of the Poor-law and ask for relief. Mr. Cozens Hardy said the defendants would prove, if it were not admitted, that there was all investigation made into every single case, and the guardians satisfied themselves that destitution :n fat existed. Mr.- Cripps accepted that statement for the moment, but submitted that it did not affect the principle. A man could ask what terms he chose from an employer, and could refuse to accept any terms he did not like, unless by reason of his attitude he threw the expense on the Poor-law. The hearing was not concluded when the court rose. Mr. Justice Romer, in the Chancery Division on Wednesday, resumed the hearing of the action of the Attorney-General at the relation of the Powell Duffryn Steam Coal Company aud otlrer ratepayers of the Merthyr Tydfil Union against the guardians of the poor of Merthyr Tydfil. Mr. Cozens Hardy, Q.C., for the defendants, contended that the action was altogether wrong in form and substance, and that no ground for relief had been made out. The duty of the guardians was a statutory one, enforced by special statutory provisions, and the court could not, and ought not, under its general jurisdic- tion, to giant any relief by the Poor Law Act of 1834. Power was given to the auditor to disallow amounts given for relief where it should not have been given. There was a double provision made for challenging the result of the audit. Any person aggrieved coild apply to the Court of Queen's Bench for the writ of certiorari, or, in lieu thereof, he could apply to the Commissioners, who had power to issue any order they thought necessary to determine the question. Those were the only tribunals which ought to hear such a case as this. The plaintiffs had come to the wrong tribunal. They might have appealed against the rate, and he was informed that they had got a case at the quarter sessions. What were the guardians to do in this case? There were some 18,000 people out of work in their district, some being copiers and lome ironworkers. Some 7,000 only applied for relief, and every individual case in which relief was applied for was inves- tigated by the officers of the guardians. If one of the colliers was, in fact, destitute, and his wife and children had not the means of subsistence, it was. ntirely unimportant in the view of the Poor-law whether the destitution was diM to the misconduct of the man or not. There was a positive obligation imposed on the relieving officer to grant relief irrespective of the cause of destitution, and if the relieving officer did not grant relief he might be indicted for manslaughter if death took place in con- sequence of his refusal. Mr. Justice Romer asked the learned counsel if he would contend that a person who wil- fully remained idle could compel the Poor-law guardians to relieve him. Mr. Cozens Hardy said he would put his case as high as that. The Merthyr Tydfil guar- dians could not send the people to the work- house, for there was no room. and nothing could be done except to open relief worka. It was not suggested that the opening of relief works was ultra vires. He contended that no case had been made out, and that the action should be dismissed. Mr. F. T. Bircham, Local Government Board inspector for the South Wales district, Mr. F. R. James (clerk to the Merthyr Tydfil guardians), and Mr. James Davies (the relieving officer) were called to prove that destitution existed when tho labour yards were opened. It was stated that 4,900 persons were given relief out of between 6,000 and 7,000 who applied for it. Mr. Bircham said the opening of the labour yards was a necessity, and the guardians, in his opinion, had no other plan open to them. The workhouse was quite full when the strike began. Mr. Neville, in reply, said he could imagine no more cruel kindness to the working classe in this country than to suggest of them that i.n the last resource they could throw them- selves on the Poor-law guardians, and that there was a law which entitled them to remain in idleness if they did not choose to accept the wages offered to them. His learned friends had oontended that this was a matter of emer- gency. and that a. person who could work but would not was entitled to be saved from star- vation by the guardians. The plaintiffs com- plained that several thousands of able-bodied men were maintained at the public cost for a period of thres months with the clear know- ledge of the guardians that they had work offered them. and that they declined to accept it beoatue they did not like the terms. It was clear that relief maintained for months was not relief given In an urgent eafe. He con- tended that the parsons relieved did not come within the class that the guardians were bound to support, Tha duty of the guardians was plain. They ought to have refused relief, and if they found that persons had obtained relief improperly they ought to have flr06 cufced t, If flie persons who applied for relief came within the class that the guardians were boattd ff) relieve he admitted the pladn- tiffs' case was altogether wrong. how- ever, contended that the application of perma- nent relief to those persons was altogether ultra vires, and if he was right in the conten- tion the action was rightly constituted. Mr. Justice Romer said that, so far as he saw, the proper course would have been to see whether the Local Government Board func- tioned these payments. If tha payments were not sanctioned they would bs ultra vires, and if the guardians persisted in the payments he could then restrain them. To ccine first to the court to restrain them seemed to him to be a wrong procedure. It appeared to him he ought to wait to see what the Local Government Board would do. Mr. Neville thought not. It was the right of the Local Government Board to know whether .the guardians acted illegally or not. Mr. Justice Romsr said it would all depend upon whether the applicants for relief were proper objects. Mr. Neville said that whether they were proper objects did not depend on the individual posi- tion of each applicant, but to the circumstances that were common to them all. They were people who might have got work, but refused to take it. But he had put his case before his lordohip, and must leave it in his lordship's hands. Mr. Justice Romer reserved judgment.

WEISIi LANGUAGE^ IX THE LAW COURTS, MR. JUSTICE DARLING'S TREAT- MENT OF WELSH WITNESSES. [BY MORIEN."] When Mr. Justice Darling was raised to the bench of Britannia's judges the London "Chronicle" more than hinted that the learned gentleman was too fond of "the light fantastic toe" for the grave position of being one of her Majesty's judges. It must be admitted that his lordship's fantastic conduct at Caer- narvon, of all places in Wales, in showing emnity towards the language of Wales, was unworthy of the bench and of Great Britain. It was at Caernarvon and Rhuddlan that King Edward I., with all England and the Lords Marchers and, Normandy at his back, failed to induce Wales to submit to England uncon- ditionally. An agreement was entered into between England and Wales, the former agree- ing to appoint his second son, Edward of Caernarvon, to be King of all Wales, while his eldest son, Prince Adolphus. was at the same time acknowledged as the heir to the Crown of England. Even Edward I, cruel and un- scrupulous as he was in dealing with the "Celtic fringe," never dreamt of asking the Welsh nation to allow their native tongue to be turned out of the law courts of their own country. From 1284, the date of the Statute of Rhuddlan, till 27 Henry Vill. (1535) Welsh was the language of all the law courts of Wales, excepting the courts of the Lords Marchers. There the English as weJl as the Welsh language was excluded, and only Norman French and Latin tolerated. In about 1535 the freeholders of Wales got Guttin Owen, a. learned bard, to draw up a petition to Henry VIII, and his servile Parliament to extend into Wales the land law of Primo- geniture instead of the law of Gavael, and thereby make each lauded estate to descend exclusively, from personal properties, to the eldest son of each freeholder. The Welsh nation was insanely too loyal to the House of Tudor, which was elevated to the Throne by the action of Sir Rhys ap Thomas, of Dynevor, and the Welsh warriors, who struck terror among the partisans of the monster King Richard III. by marching with the fire flag of Wales through Shrewsbury to Bosworth Field, and contributed more than any- body, as Valois states the same breed of men did to win the victory of Crecy, to place Henry VII. on the Throne of Great Britain. But Harry Tudor, after giving the name Arthur to his elder son in compliment to Wales, soon kicked down the ladder by which he had climbed. Prince Arthur died. and the wife murderer, Henry VIII., then Prince of Wales, instead of his deceased brother, was placed on the Throne. In response to the appeal of Wales for the introduction into Wales of the English law in respect to land inheritance, the King availed himself of the appeal to deprive Wales of the I rites and laws in the defence of which the Welsh nation had successfully struggled during a thousand years against all comers! It was only the murderer of Queen Katherine Howard, Queen Anne Boleyn, &c., who could "murder" Cambria—"gallant little Wales." A King of heroic qualities would have revered a little country like Wales—the mountain home of the ancient Britons, who had smashed Caesar s legions many times, and who had successfully resisted the utmost efforts of the Saxon and Norman Princes, at the head of the flower of their chivalry!— and would have honoured it l among the nations of the earth. But what did Henry VIII. do? As a part of I the history of a nation it is not so long ago. Why, not only did he grant the appeal, but, in addition, turned the language—the original language of Great Eiritain, including Scotland I and Ireland—out of all the law courts of Wales, and from the day schools from Cardiff to Hely- head and from St. David's to Chester, and the I Act of Parliament is still on the Statute Book. It is a tradition of the English press that a l Welsh jury once returned the following verdict j "Not guilty; but" (to the judge) "tell prisoner not to do it again." Another tradition: An English judge once on the Welsh circuit was going from one assize town to another, and saw a hare running before a pack of hounds I iu full cry. Looking at the hare, his lordship sagely remarked, "Nothing but a Welsh jury could save poor pussy." At one time Welshmen felt the ridicule cast upon their juries by the English press. There is much reason to fear that some Welsh juries have sinned iu an opposite direction and done injustice to fellow- countrymen on their trial. But more often Welsh juries have comprehended the points of the Welsh evidence better than the judge and the interpreter, and, taking hardly any notice of the judge's summing up, based on incorrect J view of the evidence, have astounded the judge by the nature of their verdict. It is hardly credible, but it is a fact, that the vast majority of English people who have never been to Wales, and who regard the name "Wales" as a mere geographical expression, suppose that the Welsh language is a peculiar dialect of English, like the Lowland Scotch. One of the best known English judges of the [ High Court asked the writer not long ago, "Are there many speaking Welsh in Wales now?" I was instantly on the back of the Red Dragon of Cadwalader, where one would like to see Mr. Justice Darling. The late Mr. Henry Richard, M.P., once told me that when Russia excluded the Polish language from the courts and schools of Poland the late Right Hon. William Ewart Gladstone, speaking to him, referred to it with extreme disgust. On Mr. Henry Richard, M.P., telling him England had done the same in Wales during the whole of the last three cen- turies and a half, Mr. Gladstone, who evidently had not thought of the fact before, was I greatly amazed and agitated- Let the Council of Judges in London select for the circuits of North and South Wales judges endowed with common sense as well as law, and not select for them men capable of acting after the manner of Mr. Justice Darling, for not only is it provocative, but a perjl to Justice itself.

SWANSEA COITNTY-OOITRiT, PROPERTY DISPUTE. Walter's v. Llewelyn.—In this case, heard at the last court, in which Mrs. Walters, of Mor- riston, sought to receive possession from Sir John Llewelyn, ST.P., of a yard at the rear of the King David public-house, St. Mary- street.—His Honour said that the plaintiff and her predecessors, although formerly pos- sessing the yard, had done something or acquiesced in an act which deprived them of title. The plaintiff was apprised of the fact that a shilling a year wad being paid by tenants to Sir John in respect of the vard, and he gave judgment, therefore, for defen- dant, with possession. Plaintiff was entitled to the ancient lignis, with a email amount far obstruction.—Mr. Benson asked for costs on the higher scale, but his Honour peremptorily Refused this, saying the plaintiff lost her piece of ground on account of stupidity or negligence.—In reply to Mr. Meager (for plain- tiff), his Honour said he would take note of his points. His sympathies were with plaintiff, but when she went and paid rf-nt she lost pos- session.—Judgment was entered for defendant, with two guineas compensation to the plaintiff for obstruction of ancient lights. ADMIRALTY CASE. Morgan v. Briton Ferry Steel Company.—The plaintiff (for whom Mr. Sankey appeared) claimed £46 12s.. freight on scrap iron, and £4, demurrage on his schooner, Mary Elizabeth, at Briton Ferry, in November last.—Defendants paid £36 10s. into court, and claimed £10 damages for plaintiff refusing to remove frm the defendants' wharf when requested. The plaintiff was requested to remove his ship, and contended he had a right to be loaded.— Judgment was given for plaintiff for £44 12s., and the counter-claim dismisssd. AN EXPERT'S CLAIM. Jenkins v. ManseltoQ Estate.—The plaintiff, Mr. David Jenkins, claimed £22 1s. for services rendered to the defendants in giving evidence in an arbitration respecting land required by the Swansea- School Board. Liability was denied and "Uryde's" of chRr" alone what plaintiff wa.s entitled to—Judgment was, however, entered for plaintiff, with costs. A TUGBOAT'S CLAIM. Africa. Tug Company v. Leal and.—In thi* case. In which the tuff Afnoa claimed iS4 for services rendered to defendants' vessel off Oxwich, but judgment Wall entered for defen- dants, without costs,

THE LA Til DANIEL OWEN, A meeting was held at Mold on Tuesday evening of t (executive committee of the memorial fund pf the late Daniel Owen. The Rev. John Owea presided. Tile chief question befqre the meeting locale of the pwnu, I moot, The lieR øpUilEIB wa$that it should be erected iu Higjkstreet, Mold,

Bead what the PEOPI-LIC say who 1ATB Written I A PERPLEXED GAMEKEEPER. HE WANTED INFORMATION AND OBTAINED IT. A reporter of the "Newcastle Daily Journal," chatting with Mr. Thomas Dixon in his cottage in Dora-terrace, Bambnrgh, Northumberland, elicited the following remarkable story:— "My age is sixty-six, and I have been a game- keeper for twenty-six years. A few years ago, no doubt through night-watching, and being out in all weathers. I fell ill. I grew worse, and could retain no solid food, nor was I equal to my work. I consulted eminent doctors in Newcastle. Edinburgh, and Glasgow, and learned that I was suffering from congested liver and gastric ulcer. The pain was excru- ciating, and my system was getting very debilitated. One specialist in Newcastle gave me little hope of relief. Then my daughter came to see me, and talked about my hopeless condition. Suddenly she said, 'Father! Have you ever tried Dr. Williams' Pink Pills for Pale People?' I told her I had never heard of such a medicine, for my illness had spoilt my eyesight for reading. She said, 'I will send you a box,' and did. At first I thought, from certain symptoms, they were not suitable for my complaint, but I wrote to Dr. Williams' Company, Holborn-viaduct, London, and they replied, saying that was a sign that the pills were doing me good. I got more of Dr. Williams' Pink Pills after that, I and the benefit I derived from them has made a new man of me. All the pain, weakness, and lack of energy is gone, and I can now go about my work." SUNDAY SCHOOL TEACHER IN PERIL. SOME KINDLY ADVICE IN TIME. Miss Lucy Hannah Bettley, residing at 16, Little Moore-street, Wolverhampton, has for some years occupied a prominent position in the Church and Sunday School. After erjoying all her life the most robust health (writes a reporter of the "Wolverhampton Chronicle"), Miss Bettley towards the end of last year showed signs of serious indisposition, and j' suffered absolute torture for many months. "I never had a day's illness in my life until September, 1897, when one wet, cold day I had been travelling on the railway, and was wait- ing about a good many hours. A strange sen- sation came over me. and when I got home I went into hysterical fits until I was exhausted. One doctor said it was ansemia, and another liver complaint. I was in hospital for a month, and worse when I came out than when I went in. "I had a sort of seizure very often, my heart jumped and fluttered, the blood would leave my hands and face, and I was like a marble statue. The last time I >.eui to the doctor he said it was consumption (I had been spitting blood), and another told mo I hadn't a pint of blood in my body. Many a time I prayed for death. I was so miserable. One day a book about Dr. Williams' Pink Pills for Pale People was left, and in it I saw a case that seemed fike mine. So I wrote to the Dr. Williams' Medi- cine Company, and asked if the pilis would be likely to cure me. I received a kindly letter of so got a box of the pills, and felt better from the first. Before I had finished a second box I was well, but I took four boxes altogether, and have wanted no medicine since; I am strong and well as ever I was. Dr. Wil- liams' Pink Pills have savel my life." Miss Bettley said fhe had caught one cold upon another, and her exeperience on the railway had acted as the last straw, and broken her down completely. STRAW-PLAITER'S TEN YEARS' SICKNESS. A LIT TiE ADVICE LEADS TO A GREAT CURE. When a "Herts Advertiser" reporter called on Mrs. Read, at 94, Park-corner, St. Albans, she was busily engaged at straw-plaiting. "I had," Mrs. Read ztated, "suffered from pleuriry and inflammation for ten years, and I was very ill, being attended by two doctors. At times I lay unconscious of anything, and for fou years I scarcely went out of doors. I got no nourishment from my food, and the doc- tors did not seem to be curing me. "Then I got desperate, and having my atten- tion directed to the remarkable cures effected by Dr. Williams' Pink Pills I wrote to the Company about my case, and. after receiving a prompt reply, decided to try some of the piUs. After taking the contents of several boxes, I could eat my food with a relish. Now I can eat any food in comfort, though pre- viously it almost choked me. Before I com- menced taking the pills I could not do my housework or my straw-plaiting, but compared to what I was then I am now a strong womail. I fotind the pills greatly strengthened me. and enabled me to get benefit from my food." Mr. Read stated, "My wife would have to take to her bed every few days, and remain there practically helpless, and this was her condition for eight or ten years." A. GIRL'S PLAINTIVE LETTER.' ECZEMA, THE RESULT OF VACCINATION. The story told to a reporter of the Mid- Devon Times by Miss Edith Mary Harvey, of Fore-street, Kingsteignton, near Newton Abbot, is a startling cne. She said:—"I have always suffered from eczema ever since I was vaccinated, especially in my right arm. I consulted many doctors, who told me that when I got older I should get rid of it. But it increased, and spread over almost all my body. I have tried numerous remedies without benefit, and one London doc- tor told me, 'of course there is no cure for you." "One day in November, 1897, a neighbour gave me a book to read, in which I noticed that people had been cured of eczema by Dr. Wil- liams' Pink Pills, co I obtained a box of theSe pills, and after I had finished the first box. I quite voluntarily wrote to Dr. Williams' Com- pany in London, and stated my case. "I was advised, with certain directions, to con- tinue the pills. For many years I suffered from indigestion, but, to my great surprise, after I bad commenced taking Dr. Williams' Pills, this passed away. As you see, I have quite a bright colour now, previously I was as-pale as death. I was never able to do much work before. as I could not even put my hands into water, hot or cold. The pain I have suffered has been ter- rible. I am thankful to ray, however, that I am practically free from eczema, and I have got rid of the indigestion and the pains in my chest entirely. I never thought that I should feel so well as I do now." Dr. Williams' Pink Pills act directly on -the blood, and thus it ie that they are so famous for the cure of indigestion, anaemia and rheu- matism, scrofula, chronic erysipelas, and-genw tral weakness. They are also a. splendid nerve and spinal tOl", and thus have cured many cases of paralysis, locomotor ataxy, neuralgia, St. Vitus' dance, and nervous headache- They are now obtainable of all chemists, and Dr. Williams' Medicine Company, 45, Holborn-via- duct, London, at 2s. 9d. a box, or six boxes for 13s. 9d., but are genuine only with full name. Dr. Williams' Pink Pills for Pale People. L1930

CARDIFF SEAMEN'S HOSPITAL. A meeting of the Docks committee appointed to obtain subscriptions towards the erection of a seamen's hospital at Cardiff was held on Wednesday, when the deputy-mayor presided. A draft circular stating the terms upon which the Marqueee of Bute was prepared to double his subscription of £ 5,000, and requesting others to double their donations, was read.— Colonel Guthrie said he would at once adopt the suggestion, and make his subscription Sloo, instead of £ 50; and Captain Corfield did the same, his promise now being LW.-Two ship- owners present stated that if others would do the slime they would subscribe £20 per boat, and this idea, if taken up, would go a long way towards obtaining the 96,500 necessary to take advantage of the generous offer of the Marquess of Bute, which is only open for five months.—The Scandinavians added £50 to their previous subscription of £ 46, and Mr. Charles Baker (Board of Trade) put in a cheque for .£31 J.Qs. oolleoted by Mr. Shaw at Barry.

DkRKER SIDE OF CARDIFF, On Wednesday a.t Cardiff Police-court (before Messrs. R. Benjamin and Edward Thomas), Maud Wells, 32, was charged 011 a warrant with assisting in the management of a disorderly house at 15, Eldon-road, on the 21st of Feb- ruary. A raid was made by Police-constables Herniman and Frederick Gurney some time after midnight. They had previously seen eight men, and the same number of women, enter, and three men and three women leave. Prisoner was on the doorstep, and said some- thing to the visitors as she admitted them. The police disturbed people in most of the rooms.-OfEcer Herniman, in reply to Mr. Mor- gan Roos, who defended, said he had failed to find out the name of the occupier, and he was unaware that prisoner rented a room in the house and had lived there only a week. He did not suggest that prisoner was the proprietress.—Police-constable Gurney, in his evidence, sai .,I prisoner made the inquiry why the occupier was not proceeded against.— Prisoner was called, and denied having any interest in the management.—Mr. Rees con- tended that prisoner had been made a pcape- goat of, and tha.t the proprietor should be in the plaoe she now occupied in the dock. The woman must live somewhere.—Fined S5 and costs, or a month.—Mr. Reos applied for time. —Superintendent Hayward opposed, and Mr. Benjamin said that in such a case they could rot encourage any extension of time for pay- ment of the penalty. A CHARGE DISMISSED. Winifred Geary, 56, was also charged on a warrant with keeping a disorderly house at 38, Mary Ann-street, on the 20th inst. Prisoner lives next door at No. 37, and she admitted being the occupier to Police-constable Chedzey, who entered under the powers of a warrant. The police-constable related what he had seen in confirmation of the charge, and added that defendant, on being charged, said, "If you want my character go to my brother at Swansea." —Mr. Samuel: Have you any questions?— Prisoner: No, sir. The witness is dangerous. (Laughter.) I am as innocent as God in heaven.—The defence raised was that the house in question was a lodging-house, and that the people surprised by the police were nightly lodgers. The fee for man and wife was 8d. per night, and for single beds 6d.. and these were the regular charges.-The Bench dismissed the case.—Prisoner said humbly, and with a curtsey, "I am very glad; I'll never come here any more."

RAILAT LOGGERHEADS, At Stonehaven on Wednesday the sheriff gave his decision in the case of the skipper of an Aberdeen steamer, who was charged with having committed several offences against the master and crew of a German fishing lugger on the high seas. The prosecution was at the instance of the German Ambassador in London, and at the previous hearing, it will be remem- bered. the German skipper gave evidence to the effect that he told his crew "to sell their lives dearly and to fight, if neoossary. till not a single Scotsman or German was left alive." In his judgment, the Sheriff said it was in the highest degree desirable that any sort of attempt on the parti of fishermen to take the law into their own hands should be prevented, especially between persons of diierent nationalities. He did not regard the case as a serious one, and considered that it had been rsgarded as such because tho parties did not understand each other. Neither did he think that the charge of intimidating and threatening to run down the German vessel had been made out. As to the Aberdeen men having usd Inmltlng remarks. "D-- Germans were the only wordi complained of. and these were denied. He (the sheriff) thought that the lifting of the German's lines, and what took place on the sesond encoitnter between the two vessels, constituted a oontraoention of the statutes, n.nd for each of these offenres he fined the master of the Aberdeen vessel S5, or £.10 in alL Commenting on the insult alleged to have been offered to the German flag, he thought there was nothing in the evidence to warrant him in hold- ing that such an insult had been offered,

■MnpMBRVnoapNO«IIMM>MIM ALLEGED BREACH OF CONTRACT AT PONTYPRIDD. At Pontypridd Petty Sessions on Wednesday Jacob Matman, baker, Bummoned Councillor Hopkin Morgan, wholesale baker, for a breach of contract, and sought to recover £ 8 §8, tOd. wages, which, he alleged, were due to him.— The Stipendiary heIlt that Mr, Morgan was perfeotiy justified In diBoharging the plaintiff under the circumstances detailed, p-nd judg^ ment was, therefor^, given for to, 4dn the wages whioh wcpld haw! paid him far a Monday and Tuesday, aacd ooata.

NEGLECT OF CHILDRX, At Mountain Ash Police-court on WedtLmdav, Eliza Morris, Penrhiwcciber, was summoned for neglecting her four children in such a way as to cause them unnecessary suffering cr injury to health. Mr. P. T. Rhys appeared on. behalf of the National Society for the Preven- tior. of Cruelty to Children in support of the prosecution.—Inspector William Ruff said that on the 16th inst. he removed the defendant's husband and the children to the Pontypridd Union Workhouse, as they were homeless and destitute. The house in which they had lived was in an awfully filthy condition, and etank abominably.-Edwa,rd Morris, the husband of the defendant, said he was a timberman at Cwmcynon Colliery, and earned 5s. 6d. a day. practically all of which he had been in the habit of giving to his wife. She had taken to drink and to other evil courses, and she had neglected tbe home, and not provided either himself or tl: children with proper food.—Dr. Howard Davies, the workhouse medical officer, said the children's heads were covered with vermin ant sores, and one was suffering from a painfu, abscess arising from want of Cleanlinam.-Tlx defendant, whose conduct in court showed hot to be a terrible termagant, made aoensatiom against her husband, whom she described aft "a Christian in chapel, an angel in the road. and a bpller in the house."—She was sentenced to imprisonment for four months with hard labour, the Stipendiary observing that the case was one of a most disgraceful character.

WRIT LAND eCHOOL BOARD ELECTION. The triennial school board election for the united district of Llanboidy and Llangan was held on Tuesday. Result:- .John Scourfiekl (Independent) 460 W. G. Owens (Independent) 452 Thomas Phillips (Independent) 424 *Da.vid Thomas (Unitarian! 494 .Ca.therino E. Roach (Church) 360 *The Rev. Daniel .Tone? (Baptist) 348 *John Evans (Baptist) 256 NON-ELECTED. John Llewellyn (Baptist) 251 G. Powell Roach (Church) 32 E. Bowen Jones (Church) '26 Mr. G. Powell Roach, who is away on his honeymoon, telegraphed a request to withdraw bis name. This conid not. however, be accepted by the returning of&aer, the withdrawal havipg to be in writing. The •lectore were written to. and placards sect ecnt etafewg that Mr. Roach was not a csndiitete, yet 31 voted for him. Those marked with an asterisk were members of the old board.

MONMOUTH TOWN COUNCIL AND JONES'S CHARITY. The mayor (Colonel Walwyn) presided nt a special meeting of the Monmouth Town Council on Wednesday. A committee had in- quired into the best means of approaching- tbe Charity Commissioners conjointly with other public bodies on the Question of Jones's Charity. Clause 8 of the Welsh Education Act, providing for all surplus funds passing to tho county governing body; was condemned.—Alderman Yisard taid "be answer given to M'r. Spicer the otber night in. the Honse of Commons was not true, or. at least, not the whole truth. That councils he said, appealed against Clause 8 at tho ti*nw but. no notice was taken of the -Dbiection, Now the county council and the joint education committee were opposed to any revision what-, ever, and they would be supported by Sir W, il- litun Harcoort. Mr. XrKenna, ¡\nd. probably, even by Mr. Spicer.-It was resolved that a committee of the council be appointed if) meet a committee of the local governors$nd county governing body at -tii early date to <feoos* the matter in question, before taking *:ny, for, ther actjan.—.The council decided to let the market tolls by tender for one year froia March 25 next.

COMPANIES ACTS AMENDMENTS. Mr, Stewart, late senior official receiver under tho Companies (Winding-up) Act on Wednesday delivered an address to the London tD- of Commerce on *'Companies Aets Amendment." He estimated that nearly twenty million* jannually was lost through I ip, failure of joint stock companies, and oonte;« £ -d that the causes of failure were excessive, eapitalisatiooa, proceed- ing to allotment on insufficient capital, and ^Beejupetent directors. He voiidemn&d the prac* of nominating ornamental and unskilled dirsotom and urged the desirability- of more complete audits and the pablio examination of directors and officials even where no fraud was aliased.