Weekly Mail

RURAL JOTTINGS. VALUABLE HIAKD INFORMA- TION. ALL ABOUT PRUNING FRUIT TREES—ITS ADVANTAGES. It is often a difficult matter to get some I '10 Prone their fruit trees. The operation is thought to be too artful to be properly j carried out by a novice, while others think that the trees do quite as well without pruning. As to the first difficulty, it is purely imaginary. There is no art or way which all may not readily accomplish in pruning fruit trees. It is a matter of very simple detail, and can be followed without any special learning. As to the trees being as satisfactory unpruned as when pruned, that is an idea or contention which anyone with a knowledge of fruit trees could never possibly agree to. I admit the trees will grow without pruning, and become large bushes, and blossom and fruit, too, profusely, but the produce of unpruned trees is vastly and invariably inferior to that of the pruned ones. The fruit on the unpruned is under-sized, deficient of flesh, and disagree- ably void of flavour; while on pruned trees each fruit becomes a -perfect sample in every way, being large, bright, and good, much relished on the table, and commanding the highest prices in the market. No one has ever got his fruit trees to pay who did not prune them systematically and intelligently. It is a grand guide to the perfect develop- ment of the best qualities of the trees. It increases and maintains their health, too, as a properly-pruned tree has its branches sufficiently far apart to admit sunshine and air to all parts. The fruit in the centre is just as fine as that on the outside branches, whereas on the unpruned trees the fruit on the inner branches is so much shaded from the air and sun that it is always deficient of size, flavour, and colour. Such fruit will not be accepted in the market, it is not relished on the table, and it will not keep for any length of time, as. being so much shaded, it never matures thoroughly. Not a single word can be brought forward in favour of non-pruning, and it is impossible to say too much in its favour. THE BEST TIME TO PRUNE. Pruning should never be done until the leaves have fallen, and it is still 'more impor- tant that it be completed before the sap begins to rise in the spring, as when it flows the new cuts allow much to escape, and this weakens the trees. December, January, and February are safe months to prune in, and that period ought to be ample for all to complete it. I can hardly listen to persons making an excuse and saying in March or April that they omitted to prune, and desiring to know then if it may still be done, as. surely, with three months to do it in all ought to be accomplished. There is no kind of weather in which pruning may not be done in, wet or dry. frosty or mild. The first condition is not desirable, but it is all right to prune in the time of frost. I wish this made clear, as I know some have an idea that it hurts the trees to prune in the time of severe frost, whereas it absolutely does not. In market and other large gardens, where work is always pressing, if the frost is so severe that nothing can be done on the soil in digging, Ac., pruning always affords employment, and the trees never suffer in consequence. If the ground is too cold, for the feet, use two pieces of board to stand on, and move them wherever needed. HOW TO PR-UNE. I am always anxious to make it clear to all that pruning is not difficult to do pro- perly. I know many are afraid to spoil their trees, but by following a. few simple rules there is no danger of this. and on no account neglect it. Overcrowding of the branches is the great condition to avoid. When the young trees are first received from the nurseries, they are never over-loaded w h shoots. They stand well apart and free from each other, and they should do this through- out their whole existence. The principal branches should be allowed to grow to form a well-balanced head. The side ones which they produce should be kept as near M pos- sible at equal distances, and it is the little shoots produced every summer that must then be kept closely cut off every winter. It is these which produce the great masses of leaves and exclude the sunshine and air if allowed to accumulate. Examine each tree first. If the main branches are in any way crowded in any part, remove some of them completely, then go on cutting the small shoots off. If there are any great vacancies in the tree, let one or more young shoots remain to grow, and fill them up, but, as a rule, the bulk will need to be cut off. Cut them back to from one to two inches from the main stems or branches. When pruning is completed, each of the chief branches will have a rather naked appearance, as there will only be a lot of short, projecting pieces of wood on them; but many of these will be bloom or fruit buds and capable of bearing the best class of fruit. If the trees have attained as great a height as is desired, cut the top shoots back to three inches, but if they aire still extending upwards and out- wards the end shoots may be left one foot in length. It is not wise to let them remain longer at each pruning, as the branches may become spindly, and they should be kept robust. Do not let any branches form nearer the ground than eighteen inches, as the soil will splash up on the fruit when it rains. The trees are also benefited by having a. free circulation of air under them. This style of spur pruning eflionld be followed with apple, pear, plum. and apricot trees. Cherry, pea-ch, and nectarines fruit best ón the last- formed shoots, and in their case the bearing shoots should only have an inch cut off each end; but a great many of their shoots require cutting out altogether to avoid crowding. They, as a, rule, are not thinned sufficiently, which is one reason why peaches and nec- tarines are often øo small and deficient in quality. PRUNING YOUNG AND PARTIALLY. DECAYED TREES. Those beginning fruit culture and planting for the first time will wonder how they should treat their new trees. The conclusion generally arrived at is that they will not require any pruning the first year. They will not require much, but if the shoots formed last summer are over one foot in length cut the point of each off back to that length. If they are very strong and from two to three feet in length, cut them half-way back, as it is important that the trees begin with a sound foundation, and not a tall, straggling one. Where the trees have a quantity of decayed wood about them, a4!! is the case in some gardens and many orchards remove every inch of the dead wood. Cut it off at the part it joins the live wood. Where large branches are decayed it may leave gaps in the tree to remove them, and young shoots should be left on to re-place them Trees on which the greater part of the wood is decayed should be rooted out and re- placed with young ones, or the head cut off and the stem left to graft on in the spring. When this object is in view, leave each of the main brunches about one foot in length from the trunk. Trees that are suffering from canker are hardly ever worth retaining, and if they are so affected young ones should be planted to supplant them at an early date. PRUNING TREES ON WALLS. Fruit trees on walls are pruned in the same manner as the standards or bushes-in thinning out and shortening back the young wood and giving ample spa^ totween the branches, but in their case the fruiting spurs all grow on the face, and all shoots that form on the wall side of the branches should be cut off wholly. Trees that have been neglected may have the branches sticking out from the wall from one to two feet, but that is too far. as they really get away then from the protection of the wall and its advantages, and all such branches shoald be cut back close in to the stems, and new ones allowed to form much closer in. Cordon trees should be surrounded with little spura, but not too closely. Espalier trees should be pruned like those on walls, but they will have shoots on each side, and when these get a long distance out they should be shortened back considerably. Overcrowding ocours very generally amongst this class of trees, and cutting out and shortening are urgently needed with very many. It may have to be carried out to such an extent that the crop of 1904 will be somewhat deficient, but it is better to reduce them to order at once, when the benefits of it will be keenly enjoyed for years afterwards. PRUNING SMALL FRUITS. Gooseberries especially suffer much from non-pruning and overcrowding. Very often it is impossible to get one's hand into the middle of the bush to gather the fruit with- out getting it scratched, and it may be taken as a guide to pruning that the middle of every bush should be reached and the fruit gathered comfortably without receiving a scratch. Many require quite one-half of the wood to bo cut away, especially from the centre. No branch should be allowed to remain nearer the ground than one foot, as gritty berries are not acceptable. They are all pruned on the spur system, by cutting in all recent growth very closely to the old wood and extending the bushes, if necessary, by allowing more to remain at the end. No fruit-bearing tree responds more quickly to pruning than the gooseberry, and, if the berries have been small, hard, and flavour- less of late years, this winter's pruning will improve them in all respeftta next season. Red and white currants are pruned on the spur style, but bla-ck currant. fruit on the previous year's shoots, and these should be left nearly their whole length. The bushes must, however, be kept well-thinned, and in doing this remove the older branches and let their place be taken by the new, when the finest fruit will be produced. Raspberries have a way of their own of objecting to over- crowding, and it is a pity that every fruit tree does not possess the same. None of their shoots live for more than two season. Those formed in the past summer will fruit in 1904. and then die, to be re-placed by a fresh lot. Healthy plants will, however, pro- duce more rods than are required, and the weakest may be cut out altogether or dug up with a root attached, and planted else- where. All the rods may be topped at four and a, half feet up from the ground, and the weaker ones at about three feet. Some cut their raspberries down to about two feet from the ground, and many cut several feet from the top, but this is not a good way of treating them, and rods from four to five feet in length should be reserved wherever growth will admit. SELECTING CUTTINGS AND GRAFTS OF FRUIT TREES. Where any kind of fruit tree is to be grafted in the spring the young shoots formed this season are the material required. Grafts should never be saved from any but the best varieties or sorts that prove espe- cially well-adapted for certain localities. Before beginning to prune, go over the trees and cut off some of the best-developed and most-matured shoots from six to eighteen inches in length. Tie ea-ch variety up in a little bundle, and attach the name; then put them in the soil, with the cut ends buried some inches under it, to remain till the time comes for grafting. Cuttings for rooting of gooseberry and currants should also be selected before pruning, and laid in the soil, to await treatment a. few weeks hence. NEW POTATOES AT SMITHFIELD SHOW. The potato boom or craze was rampant at Smithfleld. Fat stock, even the champion winners, was quite a secondary subject of conversation and inspection compared with the desire to see and learn more of Northern Star and some other noted potatoes. The public swarmed round every stall containing them. That of Mr. Findlay. the raiser of all those sensational potatoes, was absolutely besieged, and all might well have been asked, "What came you forth to see?" Had Northern Star, some types of Up-to-Date, and some others been mixed together in one basket, I question if anyone in the hall could have re-sorted them accurately, as the Star possesses no special features to indicate its extraordinary superiority over its fore- runners. That the craze for it will continue for a year or two seems certain; but whether those now being prepared to supersede it will meet with the same excessive attention is questionable. The next sensational variety it) now being exhibited. It wag on two stands at Smithfielü-that of Mr. Findlay, the raiser, and a Lincolnshire firm. Mr. Findlay was booking orders for delivery in 1905 at £300 per cwt., with a slight reduction on a. ton. The Lincoln firm, who showed about a dozen tubers, refused £150 for lib. in the show, but they were holding out for £200 per lb., and probably they will Becure it. This potato is named "Eldorado." Like so many more, it is a kind of half kidney, half round form, with a slightly pink tinted skin. It does not indicate special merits, and what its surpas- sing qualities are cannot yet be stated. Its chief qualification at the present time is its capability of adding to the peculiar form of insanity now raging on one or two kinds of frail potatoes. Apart from these prohibi- tively-priced subjects, there were many fine potatoes exhibited, including Sutton's Epicure, Supreme, and Ideal, King's Alpha, St. Paul. King Edward VII., and Beauty of Essex, Lord Rosebery's Dalmeny Red, Hero, and Beauty, Fidler's Duke of York, Pioneer, Royal Kidney, and Snowdrop, and Webb's Goldnnder, Progress, Wordsley Pride, and the well-tried and still excellent Stourbridge Glory. TABLE POULTRY AT THE SMITHFIELD SHOW. Progress was noticeable in many of the sections of the Smithfleld Show last week. but in nothing more conspicuously than the table poultry. I feel that the club are always to be congratulated on introducing and main- taining this most popular and instructive section, as big shows are so apt to consider poultry a, little beneath their notice. Certainly, the Smithfleld authorities have no reason to regard it as such, as it really forms a feature that the public appreciate heartily, and it is an undoubted and most valuable encouragement to the improvement of table poultry-a profitable industry which England long failed to recognise; but such shows as the one in question place it in the front rank, a position it well merits. There were nineteen classes provided. Dorkings came first, but they were not the best in quality or the greatest in numbers. Buff Orpingtons were the best-fllled class, and the majority were excellent. Thio fowl is undoubtedly one of the very best for table purposes, and, being a good layer, it affords a profitable combination which some others lack. The pullets won fir-sit prize in the class, but cockerels were second. The old English Game appear to be the favourite fowl with the Duke of Devonshire, as his exhibits won first and second prizes in this class. Lang- shans were large and coarse. Black Orping- tons were deficiently represented, and not inviting. Plymouth Rocks were unusually fine, and here. again, there is a. good table and laying fowl combined. Wyandottes were poor. White Orpingtons were scarce, but those exhibited gave indication of excellent table qualities. Game and Dorking Cross is a, well-known one, and still holds its own. Almost ifl every instance an Indian Game cock bad been jwit with the Dorking hens. The olas^ps for other cross* breeds were well filled, and the exhibits were especially meritorious here. In cockerels the first prize was won by a really fine couple bred from a Sussex cock with Buff Orpington hens, the second being from a Buff Orpington cock and Sussex hens. In the pullets the first had been produced by an Indian Game cock and Buff Orpington hens, while the second were from Red Game and Sussex, and the third from a Dorking cock and Buff Orping- ton, and all pointed to the excellency of the latter for crossing. Guinea fowls did not muster well, and consisted of four couples only. Ducks were plentiful, the Aylesburys being conspicuous in aize and quality. In the any other pure breed class Pekins won, and the cross-breds were really admirable. both the first and second prizes going to couples bred from Pefcfn drakes and Ayles- bury ducks. The geese were the finest I have ever seen at Smithfleld, the cup going to Emdens, and in cross-breeds to the Emdeu and Toulouse. All the cross-breeds were from these. The Mammoth Bronze turkeys were almost exclusively shown, and won all the prizes. All the poultry was cleanly plucked, excepting the neck and head, and the legs and wings were closely secured1 to the bodies and the breast prominently dis- played.

MERCHANT V. ARCHITECT. LOAN TRANSACTION INVESTI- GATED AT GLAMORGAN ASSIZES. At the Glamorgan Assizes on Saturday Mr. Justice Bruce had before him a case in which Thomae Rees, hay merchant, of Pontypridd, sued C. Telford Evans, architect, of Cardiff, for the recovery of L250" money lent. Mr. C. M. Bailhache (instructed by Mr. Edward Horley) wae for the plaintiff," and Mr. AbeJ Tnomas, K.07, M.P.. and Mr. A:. Parsons (in- structed by Mr. A. F. Hill) were for the defen- dant. Mr. Bailhache said that a Mr. Beddoe, a solicitor practising at Pontypridd, who had since absconded, had been lending money to, and finding money for, jlr. xelford Evans, who was engaged in some building opera- tions. In March, 1899, he came to the plain- tiff, and asked him to advance £500 to Mr. Evans. Plaintiff consented to lend MM, and Beddoe gave him an undertaking in writing, dated March 27, 1899, to give plaintiff deeds to secure X500, with interest at 8 per cent. Plaintiff drew a cheque for £ 250 in favour of Mr. Telford Evans, and gave it to Beddoe, who handed it to Evans. Defendant endorsed the cheque and cashed it, and they were now suing for its re-payment. Shortly afterwards Beddoe absconded, and plaintiff did not receive the deeds promised. Defendant said that in 1897, 1898, and 1899 he was developing certain building land, and Mr. Beddoe was financing him. Beddoe had promised in March, 1899, to let him have £400. He asked for it, and, Beddoe having been out witness thought to the bank- brought a cheque for C250, signed by Jur. Rees. Witness had given no authority to Beddoe to borrow money for him on mortgage, and he always regarded this as a debt to Beddoe. When Beddoe absconded he was in- debted to the bank, and witness had paid the bank money, including this LZ50, which be had borrowed from him. His Lordship held that Mr. Rees had no notice of the arrangement between Beddoe and Evans, and was not bound by it. He gave judgment for JE250 for plaintiff, and re- fused a stay of execution*.

SOLICITORS AND CLIENT. JUDGMENT IN THE BRIDGEND CASES. Mr. Justice Bruce delivered judgment on Saturday at the Glamorgan Assizes in the cases between Messrs. Stockwood and Wil- liams, a Bridgend firm of solicitors, and the Rev. W. and Mrs. Parry, a Unitarian minister and his wife, of Newton, near Porth-cawl. Mr. S. T. Evans, K.C., Mr. Arthur Lewis, and Mr. Rowland Rowlands represented the firm of solicitors, and Mr. Bailhache was for Mr. and Mrs. Parry. In the firat action, in which Uessrs. Stock- wood and Williams sought to recover from Mr. and Mrs. Parry L464 15s. 6d. costs of Jhan- cery proceedings, hir Lordship gave judgment for plaintiffs for the amount claimed, and found that Mrs. Parry was jointly responsible with her husband only for that portion of the costs incurred after January 29, 1901, the day on which she undertook to become responsible. In the second and third actions, which were heard together on Friday, Mr. Williams and his sister, Mrs. Grover, sued for the recovery of principal and interest advanced on mort- gage of property to Mrs. Parry, and Nre. Parry sought to recover the deede from the firm of solicitors, who detained them oa the ground that Mr. Stockwood had a lien upon them.—Judgment was for the plaintiffs in the mortgage action for £i24 as claimed, and also for the solicitors on the claim for the recovery of the deeds, on which the Judge found that Mr. Stockwood had a lien. Mr. Bailhache asked for a stay of execution in the first case, in which Mrs. Parry was held to be jointly liable with her husband for costs. The Judge said he was reluctant to enoou- rage further litigation, but after argument consented to stay execution for fourteen days.

ALLEGED SUNDAY TRADING. SINGULAR DEFENCE TO A NEATH CHARGE. At Neath Borough Police-court on Monday I Edwin Mortimore, licensee of the Exeter Inn, Melincrythan, was summoned for opening his house for the sale of intoxicat- ing drink on Sunday, December 6. Mr. W. H. David appeared for the defendant, who pleaded Not guilty." It appeared from the evidence of Police-eergeant Michael and Police-constable Thomas that the landlord's daughter, a married woman, left the inn on the Sunday morning twice, apparently with something bulky under her cloak. She went to the house of a, Mrs. James and a. Mrs., Moxley, both of whom lived in Whittington- etreet, close by. The sergeant and the -constable subsequently went respectively to the houses of Mrs. James and Mrs. Moxley, and there found fresh-drawn beer, which they took away with them. The landlord, when questioned, said that no beer had been drawn that day, during which he had not been out of t-he house. For the defence, Mr. David called evidence proving that the daughter was in a certain condition that would have accounted for the inferential evidence of the police, who were in hiding some distance away. She went across to Mrs. James's house for some fresh mint, and afterwards returned, saying that dry mint, the only mint that Mrs. James had, was of no use to her mother; and she had gone to Mrs. Moxley's house for some tea, which was given her. There was abundact evidence to prove tha.t the beer was purchased by Mrs. James and Mrs. Moxley on Saturday night,-The Justices said that the case was not oon- olusivelt. proved, and they dionkood ftb,

SEAMEN'S WAGES AGITATION EXCITING INCIDENT AT BARRY DOCK. An echo of the agitation on the part of the seamen of the Bristol Channel ports to ob- tain an advance of wages, was heard at Barry on Monday, when Ernest Malberg, a German sailor, of 78, Graving Dock-titreet,. Barry Dock, charged John Williams, board- ing-house keeper, of Bute-road, Cardiff, with assault. Williams aJso summoned Malberg and Max Schuster, a board ing-p aster, of Tra- vis-street. Barry Dock, forgassault. Mr. Harold M. Lloyd, solicitor, Cardiff, appeared for Malberg and Schuster, and Mr. A. Jack- son, solicitor, Barry, for Williams. The evidence of Malberg was to the effect that on the afternoon of the 9th instant he was on tHe island side of the Barry No. 1 Dock. He there saw thirty or forty men chasing a man. He walked to the top of the dock, and having crossed the bridge, saw a boy attending to a cart. He asked the boy why the man had run away, when Williams came along and said, "Here is one of Max Schuster's men, who was going to kill me," and then struck him several times in the face. Williams, however, swore that on the date in question he brought several men's bags to Barry, and when at the top of the No. 1 Dock, near the footbridge, thirty or forty men passed him, and Max Schuster, who fol. lowed shortly afterwards, shouted, Come along, lads; let's kill him." The crowd then attacked him, and the two defendants were amongst those who struck him. Several coal. trimmers came to his assistance, to protect him from their violence. During cross-examination, Williams showed several blood-stained articles of clothing which he said he was wearing at the time of the assault. Mr. Harold Lloyd: How did you come by, those stains? Williams replied that a man stabbed him in the back with a- penknife, but he did not lay information with the police as to his having been stabbed, and it was only when he reached home he found that he hxd been stabbed. He had not been to a doctor, but the mark was still on his back. William Price, a lad in the employ of Wil. liams, said Malberg came up to him and asked his master's name. He refused to tell him, and Malberg threatened to throw him and the trap he was in charge of into the dock. Be saw Malberg strike \v illiams on the back, but he did not know that Williams had been stabbed in the back. Dock-constable Rees said he was ca-lled by the witness Price to the top of No. 1 Dock. He there saw Malberg and Williams clinging to each other. In defence, Schuster said he did not strike Williams, but when he was near No. 19 Tip he saw about twenty men running after him. He did not urge the men to assault Williams. Hans Kroner, a seaman, corroborated the evidence of Schuster. Dr. J. Neale, J.P-, gave evidence as to examining Williams, and finding a small superficial wound in his back sufficient to cause the bleeding shown on the clothing. For assaulting Malberg the Bench fined Wil- liams 20s. and costs, the cases against Schuster and Malberg were dismissed.

WELSH INDUSTRIES. FINANCIAL RESULT OF THM BRISTOL EXHIBITION. The final meeting in connection with -tihe Bristol Exhibition of the Welsh Industries Association was held under the presidency of the Duchess of Beaufort. The Treasurer (Mr. J. W. Arrowsmith) presented the balance sheet, showing that the reoeipts were XI,540 2s. 8d., of which L592 17s. 5d. came from ordinary subscriptions, and 1435 9s. from the sale of tickets of admis- sion. The sales at the county stalls amounted to the large sum of £ 852, in addition to 9125 realised by sales in the competitive section. The expenditure left a balance in the bank of E516 14s. lid. It was agreed to give L500 of the balance to Bristol University College. and the Duchess of Beaufort at once handed a cheque for that sum to the treasurer cf the institution. The Duchess thanked those la.dies and gentlemen who had served on the various sub-committees, and who had offered hospitality to the visitors from Wales. Her graoe thought that they were specially fit. debted to Mrs. Burrow Hill. chairman of the Ladies Hospitality Committee, the Misses Har- ford, who took charge of the competitive section, and Mrs. Frank Girdlestone, who managed the teas and dinners.

MUSICAL EXAMINATIONS. In connection with the Cardiff Centre of Trinity College, London, Mr. Charles Schilsky examined a. number of candidates on Deoeoofc- ber 1 and 2, and the following paosed:- Senior Division.—Daisy Cox, Laurette Lewis, Margaret Sorter, and William Ware. Intermediatoe Division.-Eliza.beth Davlaa, Anthony Griffiths, Lily Thomas, and Nellie Williamson. Junior Division.-Becsie Gregory, Elizabeth Gwillim, Gwendolyn Jones, Harold Long, Violet Morgan, Mary Powell, Mary Richards, and Mildred Sutton. Prepara-tory Division.—Reginald Abel, Gladys Andrews, Mabel Davies, Lillian Davies, Mabel Edwards, Dorothy Evans, iailm Howell, Mabel Jackson, Lionel James, Dorothy Johnson, Eveline Nicholas, Lilian Rytun, Walter Thomas, Beatrice Tolfren, Dorothy White, Bryn WiUiame* 'Ild Xarl4zig Williams.

OWNERSHIP ENTANGLE ME NT (J REMARKABLE PROPERTY DIS- PUTE AT ABERYSTWYTH. A somewhat peculiar case came before Judge Evans at tde Aberystwyth County. eourt. It was an action in which Miss Blanche Fuller, Penglaise-road, sought to recover from Mrs. Thomas, of Elm Tree- avenue, the eutn of £17 10s., half-year's rent, alleged to be due from the defendant in respect of the occupation of a house in Elm Tree-avenue. Mr. S Griffith Jones (instructed by Mr. D. Jonee.) was for the plaintiff, and Mr. E. O. Roberts, Chester (instructed by Mr. Samuel), was for the defence. Mr. Stanley Jones stated that the plaintiff purchased the house for jE550 from Mr. Salmon, of the Ter- minus Hotel, on December 6, 1902. Plaintiff was not aware that there was a lease in existence until application was made for the May rent.—Mr. Roberts said he had a receipt for five years' rent.—The Defendant stated that she and her husband formerly lived at the Terminus Hotel. Mr. Salmon married, and for clearing out of the hotel he gave her a receipt for five years' rent of the private house. Her late husband alleged that Mr. Salmon owed him money.-His Honour pointed out that the receipt purported that Mrs. Thomas had paid Mr. Salmon ,£115. but Mrs. Thomas, in cross-examination, said she paid nothing, and admitted having cove- nanted to pay the rent half-yearly after she had had the receipt.—The defence alleged that Mr. Salmon owed the defendant's late husband money, and that he gave Mrs. Thomas the receipt for five years' rent of the house in order to free him of those debts. H* contended that plaintiff had her remedy against Mr. Salmon, and not defendant.—Mr. Salmon was called, and stated that defen- dant's husband owed him money. Thomas was a friend of his, and he wanted to help him. He gave Mrs. Thomas the receipt for five years' rent because it was understood that in return Thomas was to paint and decorate for him seven houses which were being built for him. In consequence of bank- ruptcy proceedings against witness the work was not carried out. He informed Thomas then that the receipt was null and void.—His Honour, said that if Mrs. Thomas had paid the sum stated on the receipt, she would be entitled to judgment. Salmon, however, became responsible for the rent in order to help Mrs. Thomas, on the understanding that he could recoup himself from contracts I' which Thomas had on hand at that time for Salmon. Judgment would be entered for plaintiff.

SCYTHES AND POKERS. A "REGULAR DONNYBROOK" AT SWANSEA.. At Swansea Police-court on Monday the summons against John and Patrick O'Shea, 2, Ann-street, for wounding and assaulting Margaret O'Connor and Dennis O'Connor. was adjourned for a. week on a certificate from the hospital, which stated that Dennis. O'Connor was too ill to attend. Mr. Henry Thompson, for the defendants, asked for bail. He said prosecutors and de- fendants were each as bad as the other. He could only describe the fracas as a forest of scythen and pokers." The ChaiTman said it was a wonder half-a- dozen were not killed. It wm a regular Donnybrook. Eventually tnil was granted.

'PORTREEVE" OF ABERAYON. COMMITTED TO PRISON FOR CONTEMPT OF COURT. The plaintiffs in the action of the Mayor, Aldermen, and Burgesses of the Borough of Aberavon v. Jones moved on Friday, before Mr. Justice Buckley, in the Chancery Division of the High Court of Justice, that the defendant, John Charles Jones, might be com- mitted to prison for contempt of court for disobeying an order of the 20th of June, 1902. 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 for a non-existing body the tolls of the cor- poration's market. Originally the governing body of the borough was the portreeve and corporation, but by an Order in Council in 1861 the rights, properties, and duties of the corporation under the name of portreeve and corporation were transferred to the mayor, aldermen, and burgesses, and the corporation became a corporation under tbe Municipal Corporations Act. Further, there was a declaration by the Master of the Rolls in 1875 that all the rights and duties of the old portreeve and corporation were as from 1861 vested in the then and now the present corpo- ration. The defendant had caused an enor- mous amount of trouble. He took upon him- self 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 was erected in 1848, but which, of course, had since 1861 been vested in the corporation. He had interfered with the fair. and had sent the corporation notices threatening them if they carried out their duties. The plaintiffs had brought an action against the defendant, and on the 20th of June, 1902, the defendant undertook to deliver up a seal purporting to be the seal of the portreeve of Aberavon. and an order was made that he should be per- petually 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- men, 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 affixing to any documents the seal formerly used or pur- porting to be the seal of the portreeve. The defendant had delivered up a seal, which was a new seal, but still retained possession of the old seal of the 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 made no order upon the motion, 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 perjury and injury to the defendant in his business. That action was dismissed as frivolous and vexatious. Mr. Jones appealed, and the appeal 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 11th of September a copy of that statement was received by the mayor. The defendant's statement pub- lished in the newspapers was in itself a con- tempt, but the document sent to the mayor went further, as attached to it was the seal which he had undertaken to give up and which he was restrained from using or affix- ing. On the 19th of September, 1902, Jones wrote to Mr. William Pearce, one of the market inspectors, to the effect that if he went on receiving the tolls he would be criminally liable, and the letter was signed and sealed "portreeve." On the 30th of Octo- ber the defendant moved the Chancery Divi- sion 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 defendant had not paid any of the costs of the motion before Mr. Justice Byrne. The defendant appeared in person, and said that he had no wish to disobey the order of the court, and was only attempting to pre- vent 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 had not obeyed that order. Mr. Jones said he only had the recorder's seal. which he had given up. The other waa in the posseasion of his father, the recorder. Mr. Astbury: The father is in court. They change and change about. The defendant said he had no idea of violating the order. Mr. Justice Buckley: You have over and over again used the old seal and signed your- self as portreeve. Mr. Jons: Only of the ancient corporation, 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 reBpect of property of the ancient borough. Mr. Justice Buckley said that he had no alternative but to commit the defendant to prison. He had given an undertaking and signed the registrar's book, and the under- taking he had not complied with, and he had been perpetually restrained from doing things he was still doing. On the 18th of April he had issued a writ against the corporation which was ridiculous and contemptible. He had heard enough of the circumstances to Bee that it was perfectly obvious if this gentle- man was responsible for his actions, which having seen him he had no reason to doubt, he had repeatedly and deliberately acted in contravention of the order made in June and the undertaking given by him in September. The defendant would stand committed to Brixton Prison, and he directed the officer of the court to take him. into custody at once. His Lordship asked whether the defendant before he was taken into custody was pre- pared to hand over the seal. Mr. Jones said he could not hand over a seal that was in the hands of another man. Mr. Justice Buckley: Very well.

MOTOR-CAR REGISTRATION. CARDIFF COMMITTEE TAKES ACTION. Mr. J. T. Richards presided over a special meeting of the Cardiff Cabs Committee on Friday. The business was interesting, viz., to discuss the provisions of the Motor-car Act, which will come into operation on January 4. The Chairman gave a lucid explanation of the Act, and said that every car registered by them in Cardiff would be marked "B. 0. with a number. It was open for the owner of a car to register it with any council in the country, but driver's licences could only be granted to applicants residing within the area of the council. For the registration of a. car the fee was 20s., and a motor-cycle would be subject to a foe of 5.3. It was resolved that the registers and licences be obtained forthwith, and that the head-constable bring samples of the necessary index marks before the committee, eo that they could be seen both by day and by night. Further, that the head-constable administer the Act; that the borough engineer and head- consta-ble report to the next meeting as to any dangerous corners, cross-roads, and pre- cipitous places in the borough in which sign- posts denoting such corners and dangerous places ought to be set up, and, finally, that the Cardiff Town Council be asked to dele- pate to the cabs committee all of ite powers under the Act.

TROUBLES OF LANDLORDS. PONTYPOOL LICENSEE FINED FOR A TECHNICAL OFFENCE. "I did not do anything more'than I con sidered necessary to protect my licence." This was the excuse which Mr. H. F. Edwards, landlord of the Globe Hotel, Pontypool. offered at Pontypool Police-court on Saturday when charged with riotous conduct by fighting with another man named George Bladon on the night of the 2nd inst.—The evidence of Police-constable Wanklyn- was that he saw Edwards fighting with Bladon just below his premises.—In answer to Mr. W. J. Everett, who appeared for the defence, the officer admitted that the man Bladon was under the influence of drink at the time, and that he was looked up overnight and fined for drunken and disorderly conduct on the following morn- ing.—Mr. Edwards gave a, totally different version of the affair. He stated that he was called to the smoke-room about half-past eight o'clock to eject Bladon, who had come into the house drunk. He ejected the man, and directly he got outside Bladon knocked him up against the wall. After he had recovered himself, Bladon again rushed at: him, but be guarded himself, and the man fell to the ground, pulling witness with him by the coat-tails. The landlord went on to tsay that the disturbance took place imme- diately in front of his house and on private premises.—The Bench considered a technical offence had been committed, and imposed a nominal fine of 7s. 6d.

NEW SERVICE FOR NEWPORT. A new service of steamers will commence to run between Liverpool and Newport and Bristol and Newport early in January. The steamers belong to Messrs. Alfred Rowland and Co. (Rock Line), of Liverpool, and the local agent will be Mr. E. C. Downing, 101, Water-street, Newport, and Redcliffe-back, Bristol The Liverpool service will be a weekly one, steamers leaving Liverpool on Saturdays, and Newport on Tuesdays. The Bristol service will be on alternate days- Monday, Wednesday, and Friday from Bris- tol, and Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday from Newport.

q -NOT. ADIURYS COCOA PROMOTES HEALTH & STRENGTH L a C°R° 1 f d I and it -should be consumed in a perfectly pure state. This exceIIent food no more demands that it should ir have additions made to it of extraneous substances than does i H i milk or meat." GUYS HOSPITAL CAZETTE says I COCOA may be considered the highest type of a pure cocoa, and from practical experience we can say it is most tempting to the palate, possesses high nutritive power, N and is a great restorer of muscular activity." HEALTH says, COCOA has in a remarkable degree those natural elements of sustenance which give the system endurance Son^aTroidere^t a most acceptable and reliable beverage." 1 THE LANCET says: I J||| CADB1JRI's IS THE STANDARD OF HIGHEST PURITY." I I CADBURY*S COCOA ABSOLUTELY PURE THEREFQRE BEST. |

THE PROVIDENT SOCIETY. SIR W. T. LEWIS APPEALS TO COLLIERY OWNERS. The ordinary quarterly meeting of the board of management of the Miners' Per- manent Provident Society was held at the Angel Hotel, Cardiff, on Saturday under the presidency of Sir William Thomas Lewis, Bart. There were present: Maasra. Louis Tylor, Pr, T. W. Parry, B. Ashton, T. Davies, W, JIughes, Kenry Richards, William Welle, Charles Powell, M. Reynolds, Henry Thomas, David Bowen. Henry Beddoe. Thomas Screen, John Levis, M. Roberts-Jones (solici- tor), and Evan Owen (general secretary). The President tFaid:-You will be as gratified to learn as I am to inform you that the Chief Registrar of Friendly Societies has granted a certificate for the renewal of our scheme for a further period of five years, modified by increasing the disablement pay to the workmen from 10s. to 12s. per week during the first thirteen weeks, with a reduced contribution from the employers of 4d. per week per workman in lieu of 5d. per week as at present. The increased benefit to the workmen will render their position still more advantageous as compared with those workmen who aite content to rely solely on the Workmen's Compensation Act. During the continuance of the present scheme the society, acting on the actuarial advice of Mr. Mr. F. G. P. Neison, has granted pensions to 400 aged and infirm members, and these amounts will, according to the estimates of my friend Mr. Tylor and myself, involve altogether a.n expenditure of £ 30,000. This great boon practically solves the problem of old-age pensions, as no deserving applicant over 60 years of age has been refused a grant, and I need hardly say that we should be only to glad if other districts would adopt the course which we confidently say has been productive of so much good to old miners in this coalfield. In addition to the pensions to deserving old workmen, the scheme of the society operates in such a way that ineasei of fatal accidents the widows with the largest families receive vastly greater L-enefitstlian those conferred by the Act, and, further, they obtain their relief weekly instead of its being, as everyone knows, dumped down in a large sum which is only too often spent without proper consideration. With regard to the reduced contribution from the employers, I was always of the opinion that the amount originally fixed for their contribution in respect of each workman in their employ was excessive, and 1 hope that this substantial reduction from 5d. to 4d. per week per workman will be the means of bringing back to our society a considerable number of our old friends with whom we worked so pleasantly and so advantageously in times past. I believe that apart entirely from the amicable feeling ensuing from the co-opera- tion of employers and workmen under our scheme the employers will benefit as well as the workmen, as a comparison between the employers' rates of contribution under our scheme and the present rates which they have to pay to first-class insurance compaaiiee will result in favour of our society because of the very great reduction in the cost of administration which is secured under our mutual arrangement. I take this oppor- tunity to make an earnest appeal to the colliery owners in this district who desire to continue or revive the amicable arrangement with their workmen, which prevailed for so many years, and brought such greatbanefits to this district, th&t they should give every facility in their power to encourage their workmen to join them in this greaot co-operative movement eo wonderfully beneficial to the Welsh collier and his family. The routine business was then dealt with, and the meeting terminated with a vote of thanks to the president. =

SCHOLARSHIPS AT OXFORD SUCCESS OF A MONMOUTH STUDENT. STUDENT. It was announced on Saturday night that the Henry Skymner Mathematical Scholar- ship at Balliol College, Oxford, had been awarded to Robert Petrie, of Monmouth Grammar School. The scholarship is of the value of £90 a year, and tenable for five years. provided that the scholar resides at Balliol College, oonducts himself to the satis- faction of the college, and continues the study of mathematics or natural philosophy or astronomy. Mr. Petrie distinguished him- self by coming out first in order of merit amongst the senior candidates in the Oxford local examinations in 1902 and 1903, this being the first occasion that any candidate had secured such success.

LONDON UNIVERSITY. ADDITIONAL WELSH SUCCESSES. A supplement to the "London University Gazette," just issued, giving the lists of successful candidates in recent examine tions, contains the names of a number of Welsh att-deuts, in addition to those already published. The following qualified for the B.A. degree.—Second division, Bichard Hughes, Aberystwyth. B.Sc.—Second division, Geo. R. Bennett, Cardiff College; Harry H. Hammond, Cardiff Technical School; James J. Paterson, Cardiff College; and Daniel Williams, Cardiff Techni- cal School.' Honours candidate recommended for a pass, John Morgan, Cardiff College. B.A. and B.Sc.—First class, Katharine P. Grisdale, Aberystwyth. Third clue, ReArietts Powell, Aberystwyth.