Welsh Newspapers
Search 15 million Welsh newspaper articles
5 articles on this Page
THE SAME THING.
THE SAME THING. THERE has been trouble at Criccieth owing to a special meeting of the Council not being held as decided upon without the Council itself being con- sulted. The same sort of thing from time to time happens in almost every place in the district. We are not going to say who was wrong at Cric- cieth, but we think it is quite clear that the DEPUTY CLERK was not to blame) except, perhaps, for not definitely and determinedly refusing to have anything whatever to do with postponing a special meeting which it had been agreed should be held when counsel's opinion on a certain matter was re- ceived. We have no doubt that the DEPUTY CLERK only did what has been frequently done before, and for him not to have acted on the suggestions made by members of the Committee would have laid him open to questions more serious, perhaps, than those which gave rise to much heat at the last meeting of the Council. What we have over and over again protested against in these columns in reference to public bodies is that far too much of their business is irregu- larly carried on 1n the streets and in other places where the business should not be carried on at all. At Aber- ystwyth, for instance, if certain mem- bers of the Council do not like some- thing that is agreed upon, it is never carried out. There is a good case in point now before the town in refer- ence to breaches of byelaws. If the same members want something done which the Council does not agree to, then the matter is brought up again and again until the wire-pullers achieve their object. It is true that if the special meeting of the Criccieth Council had been held as arranged nothing could have been done that was not possible at the forthcoming ordinary meeting, but that is not the point. The point is whether anybody, no matter who, should have the power to render a resolution of the Council inoperative. We say that no person should have that power. We contend that if a local governing body decides to hold a special meeting to consider whether or not twice two are four the individual members of the Council, backed up by the greatest arithmetician in the wrorld, have no right to interfere with the holding of that special council meeting. We know the cock-a-hoop, God Almighty person, who thinks that his judgment is everything. He is to be found everywhere. Our experience of him is prolonged, painful, and ,aggravating The whole question can be put in a sentence. When the Criccieth Town Council resolved to hold a special meeting as soon as counsel's opinion on a certain question had been obtained, no person or number of persons, official or otherwise, had any right whatever to prevent that meeting from being held. Let us suppose that the result of not holding that special meeting, which it had been decided by the Council should be held, had resulted in the loss of ^100,000 to Criccieth, would the good intentions of the inter- ferers, whoever they were,, have justified their action? Certainly not. r Well, the interference of the busybodies was equally unwarranted and unjusti- fiable, although the town does not lose sixpence and may even have been saved a few pence through an unneces- sary meeting not being held. That which is wrong, and it is verv wrong, not only at Criccieth, but all over the district, is the presumption of certain individuals-thev are well known in their respective districts that they can go behind the back of the local governing body and make arrangements on their own responsi- bility for what they deem to be the igood of the whole community. We do not want these providential per- sons. Nobody wants them. Thevare a curse to public life. Their meddling interference strikes at the root of municipal prosperity. We could easi.lv give scores of instances of their bale- ful influence, quite apart from Cric- cieth. These are known as the They," the "Old Gang\" the Following." We oppose them from first to last, even when their interference is beneficial, as it some- times may be. Our contention is that the representatives of the ratepavers should rule and that their decisions, whether wise or foolish, should be acted upon, and that nobody, under any pretext whatever, should do what was done at Cricciethj whoever it was that did it. A public body like the Criccieth Council is something more than a number of individual ratepayers, and i,t would utterly destroy the administrative efficiency of the body if individuals, however well-intentioned, could prevent meetings being held as this special meeting in question was prevented from being held. We are not going into the he "said" and" Ishe said of this question. The Council resolved that a special meeting should be held when counsel's opinion had been received in reference to a certain question. The counsel's opinion was received and the special meeting of the Council was not held because somebody had intervened who, we contend, had no right what- ever to intervene. Even if all the members of the Council had met in the streets, or elsewhere, and had unani- mously agreed that it was not neces- sary to hold the special meeting, still the special meeting should have been held. There is no safety for the people of Criccieth if the sort of thing that was protested against at the last meeting is to prevail. Suppose that only a paltry thousand pounds had been lost by not holding the special meeting, would the individuals who prevented the special meeting being held pay the thousand pounds? Wc presume not. The only security for Criccieth, and for other places all over this district,, is for the law to be care- fully observed. We know the fussy individual who thinks that he is in some sort of way the embodiment of communal sagacity and wisdom. He is a very dangerous person and is a drag on the wheels of municipal pro- gress. Our contention, and we are upheld in it by the highest authorities, is that the bodies entrusted with the administration of local affairs should not be interfered with on any ground whatever. We have no case to put for or against this side or that in reference to the course pursued by the DEPUTY CLERK. We feel sure that he did what he thought the individual members of the Council thought should be done in the interests of the town. The question is one of principle. It ought not to be possible for anybody to prevent a special meeting of the Council being held when the Council itself has re- solved that a special meeting shall be held. Whether the meeting is wise or unwise, necessary or unnecessary, has nothing on earth to do with any indiv- idual, whether an official or a repre- sentative of the ratepayers. There can be no shadow of security for the ratepayers, either at Criccieth or else- where, if the consequential sharp s'lly person can go into the street and pre- vent the decisions of the Council from being carried out. What we have to do with is the principle and not the individual case.
THE APPROACHING GENERAL ELECTION.
THE APPROACHING GENERAL ELECTION. IT is always dangerous to prophesy unless you happen to know, and as we do not know what the results of the approaching election will be we will not prophesy but it would not surprise us if the Liberals gained thirty or forty, or even fifty seats in the United Kingdom at the impending election. The Lords have been foolish, very foolish, and now nothing can save them but one of those peculiar twists which happen from time to time in business, in municipal affairs, and in national politics. As things now stand the Conservatives are in a hole, and to a considerable extent they owe their predicament to Mr. JOSEPH CHAM- BERLAIN and his son, Mr. AUSTEN CHAMBERLAIN. The aristocratic Con- servative may be somewhat blind—he cannot help that—but as a rule when he comes up against popular opposi- tion he is wise enough to give way. The CHAMBERLAIN section,, whether it is large or small, is not aristocratic, and is not possessed of those instincts which through hundreds of years have saved the nobility of this country from disaster. The question to-day before the country is, Peers or People? The answer, we believe, will be in favour of the People, and that answer will be strongly emphasised by the foolish tariff reform scheme which seeks to tax the bread of the poor and would unquestionably result in revolution if it were not possible again to appeal to the country if the result of the approaching election was to favour a tax on food as it is not likely' to be. Fortunately the issue before the electors is quite simple, and the Government have been very wise in appealing to the constituencies for a decision before the issue could be complicated as a section of the Conser- vatives are doing their utmost to com- plicate it by gross and cowardly mis- representation. Are the Peers to rule or are the People? -Is the food of the poor to be taxed or is it to be free? Any working man who wants to have the force knocked out of his parlia- mentary vote and who desires to eat taxed food and to see his family eating it, will vote for Conservative candi- dates. We can take a quite indifferent attitude in reference to the whole sub- ject, as Wales is likely to be as Liberal as ever it was and in the constituencies where this paper mainly circulates the Conservatives have no more chance than a Sedan chair would have in a race with an express train or a motor car. Mr. AUSTIN JONES may 1 L m contest the seat in the Carnarvon1 Boroughs, but he is no more likely to beat Mr. LLOYD GEORGE than a worm or a snail in a race would be likely to beat a flash of lightning. In Car- diganshir. if the Conservatives have any money they want to get rid of they can again oppose Mr. VAUGHAN DAVIES, the Liberal member, who is as ready for a fight and is as sure to win as ever he was. We are not going" to oppose a 0 contest or to raise any bogeys. Political contests are no dis- advantage to us, and if anybody wants to fight Mr. VAUGHAN DAVIES let him come in and take his drubbing, for Cardiganshire is not in favour either of the dominance of the House of Lords or of taxed food, especially as Con- servatives have done their best to make u C[Ult:efcIear that .tariff reform will not benefit farmers whatever else it does. In Montgomeryshire Mr. DAVID DAVIES is as secure in his seat as if it were an hereditary possession, and the only way we know of by which he could be got rid of would be to send him to the House of Lords-if he would go. In the Boroughs the political twicer, Sir J. D. REES, has departed, and we have not yet heard of anybody who is sorry that he has gone. Mr. A. HUMPHREYS OWEN, whose case has been well and briefly put by Lord RENDEL, who himself fought great battles in Montgomery- shire, we believe will defeat I RYCE JONES by an increased majority. Whatever may be said about ColoneF PRYCE-JONES he does not shirk his opinions. He believes in tariff reform and in the House of Lords, and he will stand by his opinions now as he has stood by them before. It is for the Liberals of the Montgomery Boroughs all of them—to vote for Mr. HUMPHREYS OWEX. The eyes of the whole country are fixed on "the Mont- gomery Boroughs, owing to the silly action of Sir J. D. REES, as the eyes of the country are not fixed on any other constituency and it is in the power of the Montgomery Boroughs to render a distinct and valuable service to the Liberal cause. Wc believe the electors will render that service. In Merionethshire there have been all sorts of rumours and among them one stating that Air, ANWYL of Lligwv, in- tended to oppose Mr. HAYDN JONES. This rumour is without foundation as Mr. AXWYL makes clear in a letter pub- lished in another column. Mr. HAYDJJ JONES may be opposed, but his majority will be greater than it was before. The electors of Merioneth- shire cannot be converted to Conser- vatism even by telling them that they will grow fat on taxed food and have more wages by taxing what is raw material. The manufactuied articles of one industry is the raw material of another, as leather and nails and thread and buttons are the raw materials for boots and shoes. In Carnarvon Boroughs Mr. LLOYD GEORGE is to be opposed, but he. will not mind, 'nn the county there is not to be a contest, so it is said. Taking Wales from end to end there will be fewer contests than last time and if Denbigh Boroughs and Radnor are re- gained there may be not more but fewer Conservative members in the Principality than at present. To read what is said by Conserva- tives about Ireland anybody might think that Ireland is not part of the United Kingdom and that it is crimin- ally wrong for Irishmen who have been driven by Irish misrule to emigrate to the United States and the colonies to subscribe towards political funds. The Irish members of Parliament have achieved great things for their country, and those great things have been achieved by noble self-sacrifice. No Irish member holds a Government position), or receives State honours. There is still much to do for Ireland, and we believe that some of it wiil be done by the present Government. The Irish members have always stood loyally by Wales and we are sure that whatever Wales can do for Ireland will be done well and gladly. The misrepresentation which is go- ing on in the shabbier sort of Tory papers, and especially in reference to the House of Lords, is most dis- creditable. There is no desire for a single House of Parliament and no in- tention to abolish the House of Lords. What is desired is that the altered House of Lords shall no longer be able to dictate to the people of the United Kingdom and to thwart Liberalism at to. every turn. The People must have some sort of grip even on the Second House of Parliament, however it may be finally constituted. We are rather sorry for the here- ditary Conservatives who have fallen into the toils of the Brummagem turn- coats and are having a bad time in consequence.
EDITORIAL NOTES.
EDITORIAL NOTES. Dr. MACNAMARA says that the House of Lords is being closed for repairs. If the House of Commons were sitting, we have no doubt that Sir J. D. REES would ask somebody why he does not know his own political mind, if he has one. The weather during the week has been severe. There has -been heavy rain. The temperature has been low. Hail showers have been common. Doctors are the only- busy people! in the district. The SPEAKER, in the House of Com- mons, referring to Sir J. D. REES'S desertion of his imaginary Liberalism, said it is never too late to mend. We think it is in his case, but we will wait and see, The members of the Carnarvonshire Education Committee think that compul- sion is for the good of the people of Treanadoc. There have always been reformers of this sort. They are usually called tyrants. Mr. LLOYD GEORGE has certainly reached greatness. The Conservative papers say that consols fell owing to his' last speech im London. When consols rise and fall according to a member of Parliament's speeches he has certainly reached greatness. The return of Professor EDWARDS by a. very substantial majority at the Aber- ystwyth Town Council election, on Satur- day, is quite satisfactory and gives the University College of Wales a voice in the Council that it ought to have had more than thirty years ago. Nobody objects to the repeated return of Mr. ROBERT DGTJGHTON, although they may not know of anything noteworthy that he ever did. It is to be hoped that before long the Welsh National Library will be also repre- sented on the Town Council. We now await reforms. There is ample. need for them. 1
Advertising
RICHARDS & GOMPY. LADIES' AND GENT'S HIGH-CLASS Tailors and General Outfitters. BOYS', YOUTHS' AND MEN'S READY-MADE >xc>x<a»xox<M>xox<™>x<>: CLOTHING > <> <> <> <> = <JIII[>: OF EVERY DESCRIPTION I Umbrellas, Caps, Hats, Ties, Collars, Shirts, Pyjamas, Bags, Portmanteaus, Trunks, Carriage Aprons," and Travelling Rugs. z 4—6, MARKET STREET, ABERYSTWYTH. FIRST SHOW OF XMAS NOVELTIES. S. N. COOKE Is now Showing a large assortment of Novelties suitable for Christmas Presents. TOYS, GAMES, & ANIMALS IN ENDLESS VARIETY. Also Cosies, Cushions, Table Centres, Pincushions in all the Newest Patterns. 12, PIER STREET, ABERYSTWYTH. And at 20. NEW STREET, BIRMINGHAM. STFAM SAW MILLS, ABERYSTWYTH. R. ROBERTS and SONS, TIMBER AND SLATE MERCHANTS. EVERY DESCRIPTION OF JOINERY DONE QUICKLY AND CHEAPLY. CARS' and BOAT6' SAILS made on the Premises; also all kinds of SACKS COAL BAGS, &c. ESTIMATES GIVEN. JOBBING DONE. FELLOFS, FOR CART WHEELS, TRAPS, AND OTHER VEHICLES. ————————————— CHRISTMAS AND NEW YEAR PRIVATE GREETING CARDS SAMPLE BOOKS NOW READY. Cards Designed by the most famous Artists of the day. New materials, Fresh Ideas, Novel, Beautifu Designs. REMEMBER YOUR FRIENDS ABROAD. On Receipt of Postcard, Books will be forwarded for inspection, or our Representative will call. "CAMBRIAN NEWS" STORES, Terrace Road, ABERYSTWYTH Coal m We eupply 4)n1,. «", dean dors no* •IfoTfl thr-aanwcjoali^' burning, of Coat. ltisacnattevot-exrerv dheat knowledge to tnov fUØ wbero the moil serviceable coal eomej from. We claim to have gath- £ COBl erefl that knowledge. Mad w be? and 'n position to give foxt (he «uppl? benefit. Let oa bave • (Stall v' §j at ,rial order—the tatgc order •tllft H marRel certainly (bUov. Any quantity, H prices, from a bandtedaaifkt to «t! I truck. Inad r EVANS & Brown Wrapping Paper. FROM 15/- per Cwt AT THE "Cambrian News" I Works, Important to the Public. i BOOTS BOUGHT FROM DICKS Means Four Good Things GOOD TASTE. GOOD MATERIALS. GOOD WORKMANSHIP. GOOD VALUE. I All their Branches in this district are now stocked with the Finest Display of AUTUMN & WINTER GOODS. Never were they in a better position to give satisfaction as regards STYLE, DURABILITY, and PRICE. Agents for the well-known K Boots and Manufacturers of tbe famous Perfecta make of Boot-Shoes. Repairs a Speciality with the best of everything. X>XG3C@, 12, Great Darkgate Street (Next izJ"Poi) ABERYSTWYTH, AND AT Barmouth. Festiniog. Portmadoc (Bank-place). Cardigan. Lampeter. Pwllheli. Carmarthen. Machynlleth Newtown. Dolgelley. Newcastle Emlyn. '.0;. AUSTRALIA'S Offer I 1 To Parents with Capital* Place your sons on Australia's The Commonwealth is a wide new fertile lands, where they may land- To-day 2,974,581 square speedily become prosperous mileS are h?ld by *37°,°°°- r P an average of 435 acres to every farmers. head of the population. Note the value of production and the rate of progress 1901. 1908. 114,585,000. £ 164,945,000. Note also the value of the produce of the soil:— Farming. Pastoral. £52,195,000. £47,259,000. In 1908 the farmer for the first time beat the pastoralist. And the 1 farmer is only commencing. 1 Australia has 576,000,000 acres I A pleasant, sunny land which with a rainfall of 20 inches and more, enjoys the lowest death rate in the i.e., a farming rainfall. world. REDUCED PASSAGES FOR AGRICULTURISTS* The HIGH COMMISSIONER for the COMMONWEALTH of AUSTRALIA, j 72, Victoria Street, London, S.W. i Christmas Presents. GO TO THE "Cambrian News" Stores, TERRACE ROAD, For Presents of All Kinds. Useful and Ornamental A PHOTOGRAPHIC VIEW ALBUM WITH 250 VIEWS OF ABERYSTWYTH I AND THE DISTRICT I s. ONLY. THE BEST VALUE EVER OFFERED. ON SALE ONLY AT THE Cambrian News Stores," TERRACE ROAD. Christmas Presents. r«Pvlt K For Infants, I the Jlged. A FOOD of J great nutritive 8 be made suitable for any i degree of digestive power by || the simple process of letting it 8 <sRjr stand for a longer or shorter time B at one stage of its preparation, g be made suitable for any i degree of digestive power by || the simple process of letting it 8 eRy stand for a longer or shorter time at one stage of its preparation, Therefore Benger's Food is pre-eminently suited for if I Infants and Invalids and those whose digestive powers ji I have become weakened by illness or advancing age. If I The British Medical Journal says—" Benger's Food §§ I has, by its excellence, established a reputation of its own." if I Mothers and interested persons are requested to write for Booklet," Benger's Food 11 I and How lo Use it. This contains a Concise Guide to the Rearing of Infants, M I and practical information on the care of Invalids, Convalescents, and the Aged. §§ t | Post free on application to Benger's Food, Ltd., Otter Works, Manchester. BS3 |j| > ign t trtainm cuts, (fftc. PIER PAVILION. SYDNEY JAMES AND HIS FAMOUS "STROLLERS" Will give their celebrated ENTERTAINMENT At the above On Tuesday & Wednesday, Dec. 6th & 7th Direct from the Palace Theatre, London, and previous to their Tour of the World. I A Rffined und Original Programme full of Sparkling Wit and Humour, including Singir g, Whistling, Mimicry, Ventriloquism, Thooght Reading, American Coon and Buck Danciog, Burlepqueg, &c. The first and second half of the Programme will conclude with the following Burlesques "A COSTER'S OUTING" (Portraying the revels of a Coatermonger's Holiday) "THE GERMAN BAND" (Depicting the trials and troubles of a Street German B*nd). Plans and Tickets at Wheatley's Music Warehouse. Doors open 7.30. Commenct, 8 o'clock. r734 ABERYSTWVTff FOOTBALL CLUB. A GRAND DRAMATIC PERFORMANCE in aid of the funds of the above Club, will be held at THE COLIsEUM, WEDNESDAY, 25th JANUARY, 1911. Full particulars will ba published shortly. r620 ENORMOUS SUCCESS. THE NEW MARKET HALL, ABERYSRWYTH, as an up-to-date PICTURE PALACE AND ELECTRIC THEATRE I By A. CHEETHAM, I Proprietor of the famous Silvograph Pictures. ( Aberystwyth Visitors from London state that these Pictures are superior to any in London. Two Shows Daily at 7 and S-30. 3d., 6d., and is. Afternoon Performances, MONDAYS and SATURDAYS at 3 o'clock. TOWYN & ABERDOVEY NURSING ASSOCIATION, A JUMBLE SALE WILL BE HELD ON SATURDAY, DECEMBER 10th, IN THE ASSEMBLY ROOMS, TOWYN In connection with Lhe above. SPECIAL TEA at 6d. each which it is sincerely hoped will be largely patronized. r723
ABERYSTWYTH MUNICIPAL AFFAIRS.
ABERYSTWYTH MUNICIPAL AFFAIRS. THE change in the personnel of the Town Council by the electors on the first of November and on Saturday last is so great and extraordinary that it would be s'heer folly for the remaining old members to attempt to ignore the dissatisfaction which the rejection of old members and the election of new ones indicate. We have received from the ratepayers the assurance we asked for, that they are not satisfied with the way the public business of the town is conducted. We think that there is substantial ground for the existing municipal un- rest, but whether reform will come remains to be seen. The difficulty of effecting reforms is very great owing to the presence of an over-ruling they," backed up by officialism, and strengthened by old custom. There must be reform. We do not want to make out a case against the Town Council as a body. The work of managing a town like Aberystwyth is no slight task without taking into account the fact that the town owns an estate which brings in more than ^3,000 a year. That the management of that estate should be muddled up with all sorts of public questions is a most unfortunate con- dition of things, and in our opinion opens the way to all sorts of favouritism, injustice, waste, and in- competence. It is obviously ridicu- lous that persons who cannot efficiently manage their own busi- nesses should from time to time have the power to manage or mismanage the affairs of the town and, among themt, the Corporation I estate. The present condition of the Borough Fund is a reproach to the Council and an injustice to every rate- payer, and the fact that the majority of the members of the Council do their very best does not mend matters. It is incompetency we are dealing with, and the sufferers from this affliction are, alas, themselves helpless. There can be no doubt that it would be greatly to the advantage of the whole community if the members of the Council could agree to remove the management of the Corporation estate, from the arena of the ordinary public business of the town. In what way this could be effectively done is a matter for careful consideration, but some action should be taken that would get rid of the personal element for or ag,ainst this or that proposal. It would be a great achievement if the estate could be managed without per- sonal bias or interest. We do not expect perfection, nor is it possible to altogether eliminate the personal element, but the. Corporation estate has had much to do with the far too numerous meetings of the Council in committee. There is a deeply-rooted feeling that there is rottenness behind the affairs of the borough of Aberyst- wyth. That the ordinary work of managing the Corporation estatfe should be done in private will be con- ceded, but questions of principle and policy in reference to it should certainly be discussed and settled in public. What is to be done to get rid of the existing system of slurring through work in committees it is hard to say. The only way to get all sorts of details arranged is to refer the work to com- mittees, and the work of those com- mittees would be hindered, and perhaps prevented, if the committees were open to reporters. What now fre- quently happens is that a subject— principles, policy, and details-is referred to a committee, and the whole J thing ioS either slurred through or is buried and for ever lost sight of. j Take the case, for instance, of the' borough extension. This is not a new subject. There is no ordinary language that can describe the neglect, incapacity; and muddlement which have signalised the career of that ancient project. The open Council should have decided that the borough was to be extended, and how far. Whatever then was necessary in the way of plans, cost, number of new residents to be brought within the borough, and any other details should have been referred to a committee consisting of four or five members. The complete project should then have been submitted to the Council and any necessary amendments should have been made. Then, if necessary, the perfected project should have been sub- mitted to the ratepayers at a public meeting .and, If accepted, the necessary work of writing the clauses for obtain- ing- Parliamentary powers should have been done and have been carefully considered so as to be sure that what it was desired to obtain would be secured. Jnstead of this work having been followed up in the open week after week,, there have been all sorts of big and little schemes and many kinds and degrees of personal influences, and we doubt whether the ratepayers as a body know to-day what the proposed extension of the borough includes in population and area. What is true of the extension of the borough boundaries is true of many other important subjects. For in- stance, the relations between the Council and the Police in respect to the enforcement of the Jaw are a source of constant ridicule. Ther Is the law against obstructions, and begging, and awning irons. The Council is apath- etic or spasmodic and the police wink. Ought the police to wink at one breach of the law and to take action in refer- ence to another breach? We think not. The law should be enforced, and it is not for the Town Council or the CHIEF CONSTABLE, or anybody else, to say which law shall be carried out and which shall be ignored. For a long time the Town Council has been feeble—inexpressibly feeble —and the question is whether the Council or its officials are to rule. One thing is perfectly clear, namely, that the Council up to the present time is unable to enforce official obedience to its own definite orders. This 'is a state of things that is not going to be allowed to continue. The ratepayers may not object to being badlv governed, but they will not be ruled by officials who are paid for services which they do not think in the interests of the community should be discharged. There must be publicity. The rate- payers have a perfect right to know how their affairs are managed, and they mean to know. There must be prompt and perfect official obedience whether the Council is wise or unwise in their decisions they must be obeyed without delay or question. Officials have nothing whatever to do with the consequences which arise out.of action based on the orders of the Council. There must be reform in procedure the present system places the welfare and prosperity of the community in the hands of a few chattering busy- bodies. If there is no reform during the present municipal year, then next November four or five more of the old members must go we think there is no doubt that if nothing drastic is done between now and the first of next November they will go.