The Cardiff Times

LOCAL APPOINTMENTS AND STATISTICS. 10TH Rifi.Rs.—Monday—Route snarching muster at 7.30 p.m. Uniform. Band to attend. All members are requested to be present. Wednesday-Squad and recruit drill at 7.30 n ,n Thursday—Recruit drill at 7.30 p.m. Friday-Position drill at 7.30 p.m. A copy of the orders are posted at the Stamp Office Docks. On duty for the week-Sergt. W. Price, Corporal C: Hardy, Bugler Hussey. 16TH RIFLED—Monday—Muster at the Drill Hall at 7.30 p m for battalion drill. Full uniform. Band to attend. Wednesday and Friday-Muster at Drill Hall at 7.30 p.m. foi company and squad drill. Orderly officer, Ensign Riley, non-commissioned officers, Sergt. T. Edwards and Corporal Mason. HAMADRYAD HOSPITAL SHIP.—Report for the week endinir Feb. 22nd, 1872.—Number of patients remaining last woek, 51 • admitted since, 17; discharged, 18; died, 0; out-patients tre^ 90: remaining on board, 50. 0-,C,AED"'r INFIRMARY.—Report for week commencing Feb. 16, 1872: Remaining by last week, 47; admitted since! 8; dis- charged, o died, 2; remaining in the house, 48; number of out- patients on the books, 308. Medical officers for the week commencing February 27-Physician, H. J. Paine, Esq., M.D.; Surgeon, William Taylor, Esq., M.D.; Consulting Surgeon, J. R. Reece, Esq. Gentlemen visitors for the week—Rev. A. Tilly, Messra. J. Morgan, Rees Jones, H. Bo wen, W. J. Gaskell, E. C. Downing, and W. Vachell. Present—Rev. A. Tillv, Messrs. E. C. Downing and W. Vachell. House Surgeon, pro tern, Mr. W. Gregory M.B. & C.M. The Matron earnestly solicits con- tributions of old linen and old flannel, old slippers and old toys for children. -0'

RAILWAY TRAFFIC RETURNS. 1872 1871 arent Western, week ending February 18 £81,843 X76,795 London & North Western. week ending Feb. 18 134,444 125,943 Taff Tale, week ending Februray 17. 7,444.. 7,134 Penarth, week ending February 17 1,565.. 1,623 Rhymney, week ending February 17 1,694.. 1,105 Brecon and Merthyr, week ending February 18.. 1,297 1,167 Monmouthshire, week ending February 17." 3,18! 8,283 Mynvi and Ogmore, week ending February 17 993.. 901 Llanellv, week ending February 17 921 789

auh [These aUllouncements are inserted free of charge, but they cannot be attended to unless authenticated by the name and address, in full, of the sender. No cards are charged 2s. 6d. each.] MARRIAGES. EVANS—PRICE.—On Feb. 21, at Bedwellty Church, by the Rev. Edward Jones, Vicar, Mr. Thomas Evans, grocer, Church-street, Tredegar, to Jane, second daughter of Mr. Thomas Price, of the Tredegar Iron Works. DEATHS. SHARP.—On Feb. 17, at 46, Wood-street, Cardiff, after a lingering illness, Mr. James Sharp, aged 45. Much respected by all who knew him. W)LUAM.s.—On Feb. 20, at Brighton-place, Conwav-road, Canton, Cardiff, Arthur Edward, eldest son of Moigan ltees and Eliza- beth Williams, aged 7 years. HARRIS.—On Feb. 19, at Ely, neay Cardiff, Mr. William Harris, land agent to the Caerphilly Charity School, atred 82 years. MKRKDITH.— On Feb. 13, at 83, Windmill-street, "Gravesend, Eliza- beth L., wife of Mr. Henry Warter Meredith, Pentre Bychan Hall, Denbighshire, and only surviving child' of Mungo Park, the African traveller. TWIRK. OTI Feb. IS, at the residence of her uncle, Mr. F. Hardy, ] M.D., Claremont-terrace, Southport, Louisa, fourth daughter of Mr. John Twire, of Pembrey, South Wales, aged 9 years.

CONSUMPTION, Bronchitis, Asthma, Coughs, and Colds, « all diseases of the Lungs, Chest, or Throat, and general i debility speedily cured by "Brown's Golden, Tincture," ( tvhich was never known to fail. Price 2, 6d., and wil G securely packed and forwarded upon receipt of post- IFFI'UE order. Address, P. J. Brown, 4, Margaret-terrace, I Latimer-road, Notting Hill, London. 2063 S I .(.

Clj.e Cardiff Ctmcs. SATURDAY, FEBRUARY :.?4, 11'372. LOCAL EXPENDITURE AND TAXATION. THE constitution of a central authority in London last year, under the title of the Local Government Board, was a step in advance towards the time when our local bodies, drawing the "sinews of war" from the pocket of the ratepayers, will be amended and consolidated. The Unions have no longer to be inspired by the Poor Law Board, which is now defunct, and the Local Boards of Health and Government, have not now to bend to the fiat of the HOME SECRETARY. Being con- solidated into one Board the various local bodies we have cited have only one authority to consult. This is a step :towards simplicity, and simplicity, we all know, is not only more akin to Nature, but it tends to more economy and, we might add, to more public confidence, by being better understood. Mr. GOSCHEN'S Bill of last session was a bold attempt to grapple with the difficulty but it erred in one serious particular, and that was in making the parish the unit or basis. We hope the Bill, which is promised this year, will be much more comprehensive, and avoid the errors of its still- born predecessor. Whatever measure is to be produced it ought to have the support of all parties in the House for the question of local finance is not one of party politics at all. As JUNIUS observed upon another sub- ject: "This is not the cause of faction,of party, or of any individual, but the common interest of every man in Britain." We may have many different opinions with regard to politics or religion, but the "root of all evil,"—the "filthy lucre "—has a touch of common humanity, so to speak, about it, which makes the whole community akin. The levying of sixteen millions of money for local taxation—and a system of taxation, too, which presses unequally—is a subject which melts the hearts of Tory and Whig, of Liberal and Con- servative, into one sympathetic expression of feeling. There is no good reason theoretically why all Imperial or State taxes should not be levied in one uniform way and from one source but there are grave reasons in a practical sense why they should be collected a.s they are from divers springs and in various ways, as for instance in the case of direct and indirect taxation. There are, however, as great, if not greater, arguments in theory for local matters to be dealt with in an uniform manner. When, however, we come to deal with the sub- ject in a tangible way, we feel the difficulties of the matter to be very great. There is surely as great a show of reason ia the one case as the other, to have a central exchequer taking the township in place of the State. But how different is it The greatest variance and perplexity exists. Boards of Health, Town Councils, Unions, School Boards, Turnpike Trust, &c., may overlap each other— may go to law with each other, and spend and waste large sums at the expense of one man, and that man is the ratepayer. Take for instance the threatened action between the Canton Local Government Board and the Highway Board on account of a disputed footpath in that interesting, but muddy suburb. We are glad to see that the Cardiff Town Council are alive to the advance of the times in this respect, and have amalgamated the accounts of the Local Board of Health with their own. The great disadvantage which accrues to the public may be forcibly put to them by looking at the amounts collected and paid by the three sani- tary bodies which exercise sway within what, we think, naturally, are the confines of this town. We mean the Cardiff Local Board of Health and the Roath and Canton Local Government Boards—not but that, were the boundaries of the Borough ex- tended to include them, the present law would remedy this present inequality—but'simply to show by figures what a waste it is to have any divided authority in these matters, financially, at all. In one year the Cardiff Board collected £13,391 5s. 6d., and expended in salaries, rent, and incidental expenses necessary to that collection, £722 153. 10d. This expense was at the rate of 121d. per £ The Roath Board in the same year collected £1,214 2s. lid., and expended JE134 6s. 9d. for the same purposes, or at the rate of 20kl. per £ —more han double the former. The Canton Board was worse still—showing the smaller the bulk the gfeater the per centaje. The amounts were respectively £421 8s. 2d., £60 17s., and 34fd. per £ The whole sum collected amounted to £15,026 15s. 9jd, and who would deny the assertion that, in all proba- bility, the Cardiff officers would have done the whole work for the sum they received for the Car- diff collection, or at all events, for very little more ] It is to be hoped that the next time the Town Council dabbles in ^amateur legislation, the Borough boundaries will be extended to include the suburbs we have mentioned, and thus abolish the absurd irregularities we have pointed out. It is not less to be wished for, in the new Bill contem- plated by the Government upon the reformation of local rating and also upon sanitary arrangments, that some such extended basis as the Union dis- trict may be adopted. This area is the easiest of all to adopt under present circumstances, and all descriptions of rating could be compactly included within its administration. The machinery is all at hand, and there is no good reason why the Board of Health regulations could not be controlled by the Board of Guardians, whether under that name or not. The fact is, the assessment of poor rates, as such, has become a mere farce. Take, for in- stance, the return of poor rates, &c., given in the annual report of the Poor Law Board. Out of a sum, nominally collected, in one year for poor-rates, amounting to eleven millions sterling, only about two-thirds were actually expended in bhe relief of the poor. The remaining four millions or so went in police rates, costs of law proceedings, expenses of Highway Boards, fees to Registrars and Clergymen, Vaccination fees, Municipal and Parliamentary lists, Parochial Assessment Act expenses, Burial Board fees, expenses of Fire Brigades, Baths and Wash-Houses, collection expen- ses, &c. The subdivion of works in administering relief, organizing sanitary measures, finance and police arrangements, could easily be dealt with by committees, and the excessive expenses of the col- lection under the present system, and the multi- plication of unnecessary officii would be abo- lished, or at least greatly curtailed. A writer in the Edinburgh RevÏtm foroiM ob- rerves We beheve that the people of this ;1 country have but little to complain of the taxa- tion levied by the State. It is equally imposed, it is cheaply collected, it is honestly spent. But <0f the enormous sums levied under the form ■< of rates and1 locaj taxation, the very reverse must «be said. Dr. TocQnEvu1Ej some tWrt tgo, pointed out the more busies-like plan the nen of the United States have, and we find a cor- espondent of the Jouruol the Chamher of Agri- ■dime pointing out now the same lesson. In a u-ize essay, recently published, on « Local Taxa- 'ton," the author, Mr. C. F t „ J uARDSEK B.A., of Cambridge, advocates strongly reform „f ,mmi- ipal burdens. He conclude, hi, aWe lt„,ka,.e by aying that the removal of the grei>t i(;vance •lamed of "is neeessarvto suitt>,a 5 'ments of the times." He, fter the manner of the Chambers rfT\ ,Lrc' n imperial area and collection fi S1'101, '.Li. i x 4.1 4.-U ihis we do not gree with, but think the same end could be gained i the economical management 0f lGcal finonce bv Msolidation in localities which £ £ Z ich other, and still preserve our luumcipal mde- endence, which is one, if !lot the greatest, ¡ay of our liberties.

REFORMS IN THE CHVRCH OF ENGLAND. THERE are reforms and reforms, and the Church of England is likely to have a plentiful supply of both sorts. In fact judging from the way in which the secular newspapers are filled with reports of ecclesiastical debates in Convocation, in Parliament and in St. James's Hall., we might sup- pose that the only class of subjects which had any interest for the public referred to the government and the doctrine of the Church. On the very first night of the session the very first measure which the First Minister of the Crown announced was one for enabling deans and canolls to resign their deaneries and canonries. About the same time the Archbishop of Canterbury, in the presence of fifteen other Fathers of the Church, announced that not one of those present believed in the damnatory clauses of the Athanasian Creed, which, thirteen times a year, they declare that they do believe. Since then the two Houses of the Convocation of Canterbury Province have debated this and other matters with considera- ble warmth. The Church Reform Society, which held its meeting last week, proposed to eli- minate thia creed, or to relegate it to that part of the Prayer Book which contains the Table of Degrees, the Thirty-nine Articles, and other mat- ters which laymen never read. Certain proposals also were made, some of them on the high autho- rity of the Bishop of Exeter, for reform of Church patronage and for a representation of the laity in the councils of the Church. Bishop Temple has already deserted well of his fellow Churchmen, but his claims to their grati- tude will be greatly enhanced if he should succeed in devising means by which the sale of advowsons shall be prevented, fthd parishes shall not be left any longer at the meTcy of an autocratic incumbent, who chooses solely, of his owN reverend will and plea- sure, to substitute a Roman for a Puritan ritual, or few and lifeless, for frequent and hearty services. On Monday evening the Bishop of Peter- borough, in one of the wittiest and ablest speeches ever heard in the House of Lords, tore to shreds Lord Shaftesbury's preposterous measure, which would have enabled any three old women at one end of a diocesS1 to prosecute a clergyman at the other end, without obtaining the previous consent 8f the Bishop-e. measure so monstrously unjust that it passes our comprehension to understand how any peer could undertake to stand sponsor for it. Tuesday evening saw the first legislative as- sembly in the world," that is to say, from three to four per cent. of ito Members, discussing two pro- posals which had been brought before that august body. The first related to the instruction of the living, the second to the interment of the dead. Mr. Cowper-Temple asked fftr leave to intro- duce a bill which would allow an in- cumbent with the consent of his diocesaa, to invite ministers of other communions than the Anglican to preach in the pulpits of the English Church. He shewed very clearly that the present exclusion was a comparatively modern innovation, known neither to the Primitive, the Medieval, nor to the Reformed Chureh in its youth. Origen, though a layman, was invited to preach by the Bishop of Jerinalem. Archbishop Ussher, Richard Bax- ter, John Howe, all-preached in spite of the fact that at the time of preaching they were not ordained. Rcoently two of our own bishops, aitid those by no means the least Conservative, have been preaching in a Scotch kirk, and it seems but reasonable that liberty in one direction should be met by liberty in the other—that if the English clergy may preach outside their own Church, other clergy may preach within it. Mr. Cowper Temple dwelt with some force on the advantages tliat would re.uilt from thia concession. It would throw jyore widely open the doors of the Church, and thus remove one of the principal inducements to disestablishment. It would also tend to make pivachars deal more with practical life and morals limn with dogmas, for a Dissenter called upon to preach in a Church pulpit would naturally seek out the points on which he agreed with the incumbent, rather tliflti those on which they differed. Mr. Heresford Hope's objec- tion were of the weakest possible description. It is absurd to suppose that the presence of a Dis- senter in the pulpit wouM produce greater "sensa- tion" or excitement among the congregation than that of any notable Church preacher. There would be no more room for jealousy on the part of Dis- senting Ministers not asked than there is among clergymen who have not been invited to preach in the University pulpits, or at the special services in St. Paul's and the Abbey. Moreover, as it has now become a common tiling for laymen to be licensed by the Bishop to act as "readers" and expounders of the Scriptures, it is impossible to understand how there can be any objection to the teaching of men who have already received credentials from the authorities of their own communion, and who, in addition, have to get the licence of a Bishop and an incumbent. Mr. Gladstone's objection that there would be a diffi- culty in admitting to the office of teacher in the Church those who had not subscribed to her formu- laries nor consented to her discipline, would have had more weight if those formularies and that dis- cipline had hot utterly failed to prevent far greater differences of opinion within the Church than exist Without it. Those who fear disestablishment would, do well to accept a change which would convert Wany opponents into snpporters of the Church. Mr. Osborne Morgan's ]J;:rial Bill has probably a better chance of passing than Mr. Cowper- Temple's Occasienal Sermons Dill. Its promoter on Tuesday night made a vary important conces- sion. He agreed to accept the amendment of so decided a Churchman as Mr. J. G. Talbot, to the effect that any service, if not according to a published ritual, shall consist only of prayer, hymns, or extracts from the Holy Scriptures." This proviso will guard against a difficulty which certainly did exist before, namely, that the churchyard might be turned into a discussion orum, in which the newly-admitted Dissenting minister might proclaim his disapproval of the in- cumbent's opinions. There is still one objection to be met, namely, the possibility that the" published ritual" may itself be offensive. Mr. Cawley rightly pointed out that the authors of the « questionable book" which Mr. Gladst6ne quoted in his 8peech Greenwich> mig t pu is a ritual that would be as offensive to Nonconformists as to Churchmen. Is it too much to ask that Noncoufcn^ will themselves draw up a service which they can use in common ? It ought not to be, seeing that many of them already adopt the service of the Church.

THE NEW VICEROYOF INDIA. IT is significant of the great change which has taken place in the political balance of power that it should be thought necessary to make an explana- tion of, and almost an apology for, Lord North. brook's appointment to the Indian Viceroyalty. It is not a usual thing for a Minister who has held only a subordinate post in the Government to be selected for that high and splendid position. But as the Times remarks, it is not Lord Northbrook's fault that he had not risen higher. He laboured under one disadvantage he was a peer. Of old that circumstance would have been one of the best passports to the Cabinet. But times have changed. The chief Ministers must, with very few exceptions, be in the Commons. It is only a few noblemen who can hope to hold Cabinet posts, and these must for the most part be contented with such ornamental offices as the Privy Seal and the Duchy of Lancaster. Lord North- brook, had he remained in the Commons, would doubtless have profited by the numerous changes which have taken plage^ since Mr. Gladstone first formedTtis Ministry. But the fatal gift of a coronet to his father prevented the son from attaining to the position to which his abilities and his industry entitled him. However, he has now been consoled. No more splendid prize than that which has just been bestowed upon him can fall to the lot of any subject. Though we have had Viceroys who have been commoners, the office is, fortunately for our nobles, not closed against the peerage, and thus Lord Northbrook goes out to rule over some 200 millions of the hu- man race. It is a tremendous responsibility, not to be, as we are sure it has not been, lightly. undertaken. We believe that the Viceroy desig- nate is a man of great conscientiousness and bound- less industry. His career hitherto has made him acquainted with many departments of government, the knowledge of which will greatly assist him in his new sphere; and we may hope that, barring some great calamity such as has befallen his prede- cessor, he will, five years hence, return with both fame and fortune.

(FROM OUR LONDON CORRESPONDENT.J THURSDAY. The dulness of Parliamentary proceedings, and the fossil state of the Tichborne case, have had the effect of concen- trating public^ attention on platform-building and' seat- letting. This is the question of the day, and it* is not in quite a satisfactory state. The efforts o the London tradesmen to turn an honest penny out of the primd facie religious duty of Thanks- giving are doubtless legitimate enough, hut thej are rather overshooting tha marks. The letting pro- ceeds on an enormous scale, but the accommodation is cor- respondingly large, and it is the) fact that some of the shop. keepers who subscribed the noble sum of £70 to decorate !the whole of FleJt-street, are not getting their one, two, fcnd three guineas a. seat so rapidly as could be wished. A little more moderation would have produced quicker returns. As it is a good many houses on Thanksgiving Day will, in* theatrical parlance, consist largely of paper. How could it be otherwise ? When some fifteen thousand persons an to be accommo- dated in St. Paul's, where is the public to be found to pay such heavy prices for outside seats. It is not surprising to learn that a very large proportion of orders comes from the country. The recognised leaders of the working classes are, as migit be expect. at a loss to "know what to do with th >ir 3oats. Some, of course, scon, to go at all; but a committed, fornud to apportion persons to seats, are at a loss to most the claims, so general is the working-class interest in tkis royal day. There is little information to be gleaned respecting the Alabama difficulty, and that little comes from America. and is favourable. There are no indications that the "Wash ington Cabinet will recede from its position, and drop the indirect claims. It cannot, indeed, do so in face of the Presidential election. 33ut there are abundant signs that General Graft's second return is far from as certain as it seemed a little while ago. The general con- demnation of the foreign press on the demands for the indirect damages has worked a visible e.iect upon American opinion, and many thinking Americans hold that it would be good policy to drop Gencial Grf.,lt and start the arbitra- tion business minus the indirect damages and plus a reasonable administration. Gcneial Gr:u;t will lose almost the whole German vote, which is powerful in the States. He has contrive 1 to oil end the G ernifms, who were formerly attached to him-this result being partly owing to the President's indiiference touching ths export of arms to France during th3 war, partly owing to other causes. The German alienation is visibly redacted in the home German press, which is bitterly in condemnation of the indirect claim manceuvrj. "Absurd," ridiculous, monstrous," indicative of a low state of public morality," are some of the epithets employed. Yet the German papers are far outdone by their Tlussian contemporaries Animated by the recent Catacazy affair, the St. Petersburg and Moscow editors pour out daily volumes against what one calls The destruction of the noble principle of arbi- tration." It is, at all events, satisfactory to have the rest of the world on our side. Lord Nortlibreok's appointment as Viceroy will be attended with the double advantage of relieving the Upper House from the most dreary and long-winded of orators, and of transferring M'u to a s i 1: et-ii where his immense power of work will be fully avalvbla, :md where his terrible speaking vdll bo little in ropiest. These are great points. But most people soom to have o/erlooked the prime defect of ihe new Viceroy. In private- lie is known to be the I( asi assuming and grandiose of men. of display—the love of which so largely contributed to Lord Mayo's success—he has something like a horror. In- deed no more extravagant notion than that of Lord Northbrook taking the leading part in a great pageant can well be conceived. How ho will get on with the Orientals on theso terms, remains to be seen. In addition to the industry, judgment, experience, and general capability which Lord Northbrook possesses, India requires a good deal of shew ..lld "buncombe," which he does not possess. Earl Kimberley would have been preferable in this respect, but he declined. It is, I believe, not correct to assume, as the Daily News does, that the offer to Lord Northbrook was the first and last made. The Colonial-Secretary was a better choice, and he accordingly received the first bid. Nobody can adequately succeed the Viceroy in his pre- sent post-tllat is, nobody who is likely to accept an Under-Secretaryship. The Under-Secretary must be a peer if his chief be in the Commons; and he ought to be a fairly strong man, for their lordships debate army questions in a very incisive way, several tunes every session. Lord Northbrook always defended the Government well—in his way. He spoke so drearily that he never failed to clear the House, and he spoke so lengthily that few cared to break the unwritten rule which stipulates that their lordships' sitting shall be as brief as possible. He took two hours to settle the question, of the twenty thousand veterans whom the Government discharged, having afterwards to replace them by raw recruits he required an hour and three-quarters to tell the House how many field-guns we haLl; and an hour and a half to decide whether we had or had not enough gunpowder in store last year. Of this great quality, the Earl of Morley, who is generally desig- nated as his successor, possesses but a very small sha,ie< 1. et no other candidate has arisen, and it is difficult to imagine that any other can be found. It would be interesting to learn how soon the Ministry will, as M. Thiers said of the Empire after Sadowa, have left no blunder uncommitted. It was a great mistake for Mr. Gladstone to refuse to receive the deputation of the Labour Representation League Who desired to ex- plain their views in faV0ur of the proposal to throw the necessary election expenses on the constituencies. The Times rates him soundly for the decision, indeed waxes so angry over the matter as to insinuate that when Mr. Gladstone gets into Opposition he will press home the charge with an effusion of virtuous enthusiasm," wherein the Times shews its appreciation of the position assumed by our new masters much better than the Premier docs. It is only by a com- promise that the great danger to the Liberal party of cross-fighting between middle-class Liberals and Radical workmen can be avoided, and such a compromise the arti- sans are willing to offer. It is understood that the vague body denominated "the leaders," are willing to be satisfied with a limited number of candidates next session if this provision respecting election expenses be passed. If it is not they are resolved to fight" promiscuously." It is notorious that immense pressure was last year brought to bear upon, Mr. Gladstone in order to secure the withdrawal of the obnoxious clause.. It was only by that sacrifice that the Premier secured the silence of his followers during the Ballot debates. But by escaping this reform they will not avoid contests with men of ability and limited means as they hope to do. The money will be forthcoming some- how. An effort will, in fact, be made to induce the trades unions to provide it. There is some likelihood that the fight over railway amalgamation, which will, perhaps, be the most obstinate of the year, will produce certain results which may, at the I outset at least, tend to the public advantage. In order to effectually counteract the evils of monopoly, certain members, of both sides of the House, will, it is understood, propose more stringent rules respecting cheap trains. Every company will be required to run three cheap trains a day, and in order to prevent the present selection of outlandish times of starting, it is designed that an interval of between six or seven hours shall elapse between each train. Special accommodation is to be provided for this railway battle. None of the ordinary rooms in the "Westminster Palace will suffice to bold the combatants and spectators. It will, perhaps, be remembered that the disappearance the Rev. Mr. Speke brought into being a. good many imitation Spekes, who went wandering about the country very pleasantly until their cash was exhausted. So fai, I have heard of but one imitation Bauer. this is a young gentleman who abstracted a considerable sum from .fcbe cash-box of his employers, left a note behind, describing, not the operations of a secret society, but his intension jto commit suicide, and was found two of'three "days'ago in .Liverpool In company wen I lated to bring a speedy end to his finances. There is but too much reason to believe that Mr. Bauer hinis^' from some cause or other, is dead. •" d The British Chess Association, which has been reriye after a short period of decay, will hold a large meetiM this year. Lord Lyttelton has consented to act as ?Tetl' dent; the Earl of Dartrey, Lord Walden, de Lisle and Dudley, Lord Ravensworth, Sir John Trelawney, as Vice-Presidents. 1'b' leading foreign players will be invited o*'r' An international contest will probably take place at tJ1' Exhibition. Speaking of games, I may mention that We arrangements for the cricket season of 1872 are of usually brilliant promise. It is hoped that the Surre1 County Committee have secured several players who revive the waning glories of the shire that was premier jJ) cricket a dozen years ago. Mr. W. D. Keyworth, the young and rising sculptor, bJI nearly finished his bust of the Marquis of W estmms-tet. The best judges pronounce it a remarkably successful formanoe. It is additionally noteworthy from & being the first for which the Marquis has sat. 3^' Keyworth has succeeded after many of the best-kno^* London artists have failed.

Sflcal Jj1tUlii4jeiT.ee. SHORT TIME MOVEMENT. —The saddlers and harness; makers of Cardiff have agreed to adopt the nine hours system on and after the- 1st of March. GREAT WESTERN RAILWAY.—Messrs. L. L. DillwyJJ, M. P., and Richard Bassett are proposed for election as directors of the company, at the next half-yearly meeting- CHAMBER OF COMMERCE. —The monthly meeting of members of this chamber, which should have taken place Wednesday, was postponed for a week, in consequence o. the absence of the President at the meeting of the Asso- ciated Chambers in London. THE NINE HOURS' MOVEMENT.—The Tin plate workers of this town met on Saturday last, at the Blue Bell, High' street, to hear the report of the deputation. Fronj theif statement it appears that the Ironmongers and Ship Chandlers readily conceded the request, the system being already in operation in many establishments." A vote °} thanks to the employers for their kindness was unant' niously carried, as also a vote of thanks to the delegates and chairman. BOARD OF GUARDIANS.—At the weekly meeting of the Board on Saturday, the reports of the masters of the Workhouse and Schools were read. The admissions to the House had been 18, the discharged 19, and the number remaining 291, being a decrease of IU upon the correspond- ing week of last year. In the Industrial Schools there ha" been six admissions and three discharges, leaving 274, 8J1 increase of 15. RUNAWAY HORSE.—On Monday afternoon a little coca- motion was caused in Angel-street and Duke-street by runaway horse. The animal belonged to Mr. Sant, farmer, Ely, and was standing outside the Cardiff Hotel, when, taking fright at some noise, it bolted, and dashed off with the trap at a rapid pace. The excited horse was stopped near the top of Duke-street, and, luckily, had done no harm in its short but sharp run. THE NIXE HOURS MOVEMENT.—At a meeting of the sailmakers of Cardiff, held Monday evening at the BlueBell Inn, a vote of thanks to the masters was unanimously carried for the kind manner in which they received the delegates, and for their kindness in granting the request of the workmen. A vote of thanks ,vas also unanimously passed to the delegates COLONEL STUART paired with Mr. H. C. Wise in favour of Sir Roundell Palmer's amendment on Monday night. We regret to hear that the hon. and gallant member waS suffering from slight indisposition, and though present in the house that evening, was not able to remain until the division took place. FUNERAL OF A POLICEMAN.—Pryce Turner, a constable of the borough police force, who died on Monday morning last of consumption was buried yesterday at the Old Cemetery. His body was followed to the grave by a large body of his old comrades of the borough police force, a. body of the Bute Dock police, and a detachment of the county police force. The deceased was an active and intel- ligent officer, and was much respected by his brethren in the force, and by the public. NATURALISTS SOCIETY.—The monthly meeting of the members was held in the Grand Jury room or the Town Hall, Cardiff, 011 Thursday night. The weather unpro- pitious, as it has been to the society for sometime past, was the means of reducing the attendance to a few of the most devoted members, who was presided over by Mr* F. G. Evans Some useful papers were read, and an interesting series of microsopical specimens illustrative of the striking lessons of vegetal)!e physiology, were exhibi- ted by Mr. Franklen Evans. The business concluded by the election of several new members. CARDIFF PERMANENT BUILDLSV SOJIKTY.—The annual meeting of this society was held at the offices, Crock- herbtown, on Monday evening, Mr. J. N. Flint pre- siding. The report, an abstract of which has already appeared, was taken as read, and its satisfactory state- ment of the finances of the society met with "eneral approval. Mr. W. P. Stephenson and Mr. J. Sloper were added to the list of directors, and Messrs. Harvey and Cross were elected auditors fer the current year. The secieLuy read the result of an analysis of the accounts. which showed that the society had made safe and satis- factory progress during the past year. Votes of thanks were passed to the directors and various crfficers Which closed the meeting. DK. CORBY'S DIORAMA OF IRELAND.—Crowded houses every night have hitherto characterised the excellent entertainment presented to the Cardiff public at the Stuart Hall; but last night, we are sorry to say. when the proceeds, were to be devoted to the Infirmary, the audience, owing no doubt, to the unpleasantness of the weather, was not equal to that deserved by the character 01 the performance and the benevolent object in view- I he Mayor of Cardiff was present, and so were a ..ood many who braved the driving rain but the sum the In- firmary gains is not so large as Dr. Corry and hia manager (Mr. Hodges) desired and expected. The magnificent paintings of this grand diorama gave great delight, and the accomplished pianist and the talented vocalists, in no way daunted by the thin house, excited frequent and admiring applause. At the close of the proceedings Mr. Hodges delivered a short address in which he expressed, on behalf of Dr. Corry, his regret at the unpropitious state of the weather which had caused a thinner attendance than usual. He, however, begged the Mayor's acceptance by a donation from Dr.^ Corry of five guineas, in aid of the institution. Ihe jNiayor briefly acknowledged the gift, aiu'l thanked Dr. L orry and his manager for their libe- rality. SUSPECTED SUICIDE IN THE CANAL. Yesterday Jioming at seven o clock, the body of a woman was seen boating in the Glamorganshire canal, near the timbet Yard of Messrs. Watson. With some difticnlty two men lIamed Charles Wood and Thomas Rees brought the body to the bank, and as it was evident that life had been for r0lne time extinct, it was removed to the dead-house. ijater in the day the corpse was identified as Julia w±es, 37 years of age, who had lived in Nelson- ''treet. The wwnan was an unfortunate, and, like most her wretched class, was addicted to drink. She it is ^atecl, several times, while under the influence of drink, "ad threatened to destroy herself, and it is suspected that a fit of depression during the night of Wednesday, she determined to end her life of misery, and threw herself luto the canal. An inquest will be held to-day. d,R'1.HK CIRCUS.—Despite the rival attractions which ( the past week have claimed the patronage of the 'rdiff public, the Circus, by the enterprise of its pro- fietors, and the brilliancy of its programme, has held its oWn and secured crowded houses. The sisters Vaidis, harvellous twins, as great in prowess as they are in a^e.' ave alternately startled and delighted the spectators'of wLmarvellous feats upon a traPeze, suspended at a stvli dlstance fl'om tlle f?r0,ind- Signor Parsini, who is yied the Flyixg Demon," though on what ground we den •We do Hot kn.ow> tor tllere is nothing particularly l0»iacal about him, is an extraordinary j>erformer, to +le deeds in themselves were sufficient to justify a visit al ?ircus" The ,rr;?U'ar c°mpany is a good one-it htLs been, £ tnd higher pruise csmnot be given, Hixd Mr^ters are wittv and laughter provoking in the extreme. aliagher, who, by the bye, is another fresh engage- u- > is comic enough to merit his title—that of the Humorous Hibernian Clown." We would call attention to the mid-day performance on Saturday, wben the whole company will perform. IR \VAUD8' DINNER TABLE. The report of this excellent institution which lias done so much good among the sick Poor during this winter, has just been published. It states that one hundred and ten invalids have been re- iieved, the number of dinners given being 700, as com- pared with 401 last year of these 285 have been eaten at the table, and 415 taken home, being in the proportion of two in to three out. Last year the proportion was five in to three out. It is to be regretted that so large a pro- portion of dinners should have been taken away as it lessens to some extent one of the chief objects of the chanty—that of seeing the dinners eaten by the intended recipients. It is desirable that givers of tickets should yar this point strongly in mind, and that they should on all oecasions make a point of impressing upon invalids the ne- cessity of dining at table when they are not too ill to attend." The balance sheet shows that the income of the institution which included a balance of ,£6188. fxl from last year' amounted to £59;)s. 11M, of which ,£-18 5s. was made up by subscriptions and donations, and £4 Os. 5M. by in- valids' pence. The expenditure was £47 Os. 5a., JB19 7s i d. having been expended (for 700 invalids' dinners, and 12s. 10d., incidental expenses, the two heaviest items "f which were matron's salary, £14128., and rent, JM) 2s We are pleased to see that a balance of J612 3s. Gid. re- mains in the hands of the treasurer.

SHOCKING CASE OF MATBECIDE. — EXTRA ORDINARY CIRCUMSTANCES. Mrs. Amelia Portbury, 37, residing in East-street, Bethnal-green, was brought up before Mr. Busbbv, at Worship-street, just previous to the rising of the court on Saturday, charged with causing the death of her mother, Mrs. Julia Aria. Edward Bryan, a gardener in the service of the de- ceased, deposed that on the afternoon of Thursday, the 1st inst., Mrs. Portbury, the prisoner, was quarrelling with her mother respecting some goods which, belong, ing to the prisoner, were in the house of the deceased. The prisoner wished to remove them, and was violent. She took up a decanter, and attempted once or twice to strike her mother. Witness was called away from the place to attend the kitchen, and when he returned the deceased complained that the prisoner had struck her with a poker, She complained of injury to her side, a.nd was for some days in bed. She also became iiiseil- ible, and eventually died on Friday morning last. Mr. Bushby thought that the case in its present state was not ripe far further inquiry, and accordingly direc- ted a rema.nd. Mr. Abbott applied for bail, which Mr. Bushby said it was impossible to grant in a case of murder. Prisoner was then removed ill custody.