The Cardiff Times

FURNTSrr THROUGHOUT IRROB.) OETZMA-NL-N,, &COG fc7, 69, 71. 73, 76, 77, & 73, HAMPSTEAD-ROAI), LONDON (Near Tottenham Court-road). BEDROOM FURNISHED UONIPLJZTH for B5 511. Illustration and Full Particulars Post Free. The" W AJ,THAM' ASH BEDROOM SUlTR, pj 159. Illustration and Full Particulars Post Fres. BEDROOM FURNISHED COMPLETE for 28 18s fcd. Illustration and Full Particulars Post Free. The "LYNTOiV" DRAWING-ROOM UITE (Settee and 2 Easy Chairs) for Sb lbs 6d. OHDERS PER POST RECFIVE PROMPT AND CAREFUL ATTENTION. 4100 ILLUSTRATED CATALOGUE POST FKEK

WORKMEN'S TOPICS. BY MABON, M.P. MASTER AND SERVANT. RECEIPTS FOR MONEYS PAID. It may also be said to be a duty of a faster, and it is certainly a duty to himself, to take a formal receipt when he pays the wages of his servant, and it would in many cases save the master from a demand made by the servant for the payment of wages oVer again. Although in the case of work- men such a practice would be inconsistent and impracticable, for where it is the rule that the workmen are paid the money due to them at stated periods—such as weekly or fortnightly pays—no workman, after a short lapse of time, would be allowed to make claim for wages, on the ground thai; he had never been paid, unless he could actually prove the fact; still, in the interest of Workmen generally, and more especially those working by piecework, the receipt the money should take the form of a duplicate list of what is paid separately for all Kinds of work that is customary to be to be done by such workmen added after- wards into one total sum. This in many Ðaaea would prevent subsequent disputes arisin as to the amounts paid and to be paid for various kind of works to be done. Where person serves in the capacity of a domestic servant, and no demand for the payment of Wages has been made by the servant for a considerable time after such service has terminated, the inference is either that the Wages have been paid or that the service Was performed on the footing that no pay- ment was to be made at all. WORKMEN'S RIGHT OF WAGES. If a master or an employer at any time during the service becomes bankrupt, the 8ervant or workman has a right to claim all th wages or salary due to him, and so much Salary in the case of a clerk or servant as j°es not exceed four months' salary, nor p>0, and in the case of a workman or labourer, so much as does not exceed two j&onths' wages will be paid to him in priority I to a.U other claims or debts, except rates and taxes, and will be paid in full j^less the property of the bankrupt is Insufficient for the purpose. If a master happens to die during the service, or even one of the firm of masters happens to die, he servant is discharged unless the contrary agreed upon when the hiring is made, f^id it seems, though very strange, that, in •he absence of any custom to the contrary, ?° servant can by law claim wages for any broken period of service. For instance, if the service is a yearly and the master 0r servant dies before the year is up, or any bUbsequent year is complete, no wages can ?e recovered for that portion of the year, however large it may be. However, happily may be asserted that in all trades a UtOIn to the contrary exists, and especially it so in the case of domestic servants, for their service is broken by the death of the master or servant the full wages can be recovered, even up h the day of his death. t anything else were carried it would over- crow the more just principle that servant is to be paid for his 1rork," so that in point of fact the enly case in which the above principle holds good is where the contract is en one side for a whole year's service, and on the other for whole year's pay. Hence, servants th°"U remember that/ if the master dies tof service is at an end, and if they mean to ata.y they should enter into a new con- fa i with a member of deceased's tiv* -or with his legal personal representa- —that is his executor if he has left a "'ill, or his administrator if he has not. MORAL RESPONSIBILITIES. .It is the moral duty of a master, combined his right, that he should look after the habits, cleanliness, and comfort of hia 8erVants. His keeping of his servant in his depends a great deal upon the per- ormance of this duty. If the master dis- covers the servant to be guilty of any fault \and this applies equally to all manner of and workmen) he is not j ustiiied in nking or chastising his servant if he or le be grown up. But it seems that a aater may inflict some moderate chastise- ment upon a young male person. His temedy, supposing that the servant or workman commits a fault, or is fiuilty of idleness or disobedience, is to glVe the same warning, and upon a tepetition of the fault, or idleness, or dis- obedience, to expel the lazy drone from ,18 family and leave him to his own .,e8garly condition." And the remedy of e servant, if the master inflicts chastise- Pon him, or if, being a boy, the master Punishes him immediately, is by action for images against the master. But it must be orne in mind that there are some faults at are occasionally committed by servants e master ha3 power to punish him more eavlly than by chastisement, and that is by iSchar^lng him at once without a character -moreover, it is not only the moral duty of toaster to look to the cleanliness and com- °rt of his servant it is to a great extent a egal duty as well. For doubtless in the case of a domestic servant a master or tnistrelils is legally liable to provide such Person with necessary food, clothing, or 0<lging. Should he or she wilfully, and without lawful excuse, refuse or neglect to Provide those things, or were they to unlaw- and maliciously assault such person, "hereby their lives are endangered, or their j^lth is, or is likely to be, permanently frjured, such master or mistress is guilty misdemeanour, and being convicted tereof, is liable to be imprisoned with or Without hard labour in the common gaol or of correction for any term not exceed- lrig three years. Therefore, it is beyond Question that a master is bound to take care () his servant, and if he assault or uses Violence towards him he is liable to an action or damages j and if a mistress culpably jjteglects to supply proper food and lodging or a servant at at: me when the servant was Sauced to such all enfeebled state of body Its to be helpless and unable to take care of herself, and the death of that. servant was Caused, or accelerated by such neglect, the distress is liable to be found guilty of man- "laughter. LEGAL ISSUES. It may be said to be in some cases the uty of the master to support his servant I** an action against a stranger, or to an action against another for beating or misusing the servant, assigning as a ground for the action a loss of serice; he may be justified in assaulting a stranger in defence of his servant, even as a ervant is justified in assaulting a stranger order to protect his master. However, Jt may be as to the validity of this point, he employer has a right, and it may there- ^re be said to be a duty on his part, to r*!1g aa action against any person who eiltices away his servant from his service, ^d also harbouring and detaining him er notice lias been given to such person lat the servant was bound under a con- tact to serve the plaintiff. To maintain ;uch an action as this it would be necessary Or the master to prove that the man that °^ticed the servant away knew that the servant was the plaintiff's servant, and also *°J>rove that the defendant induced the to break a valid contract of service. °r it is no offence in law to induce a ser- to leave his employment at the end of his or even to persuade the servant to notice to leave, although it may be Proved that the servant had expressed Previously his wish to remain in the service, otherwise no one would care to help a ood servant by offering him higher wages, fear of being liable to an action for anjap; if came into that person's MEDICAL PROVISION. Hre master is legally bound ta provide attendance for his apprentice, but '■r <* servant- in case of illness or If the servant is ill and unable to n1<iical attendance for his apprentice, but nût '■r <* servant- in case of illness or If the servant is ill and unable to y y .'he doctor's fees, the parish will be for each medial attendance just aa it is for any pauper. The reason for this is said to be that it is more for the advantage of servants that the legal claims for medical assistance should be against the parish officers rather than against their masters, for the situation of many masters who are obliged to keep servants is not such as to enable them to afford sufficient assistance in cases of serious illness. Doubtless the servant has a strung claim morally upon his employer for his help in time of sickness, and few employers would resist it. But at the same time, if the servant falls ill while at his employ- ment, the employer is bound to send for a doctor, whether he declines to pay for him or not, for he will be guilty of manslaughter if he allows, "by his gross neglect, his servant to die. MISCELLANEOUS. In case of the death of the servant, it will be an incumbent duty of the master to see that proper notice is given to the regis- trar of deaths of the servant's death, and also that the servant is decently and pro- perly buried. He is not bound to pay even for the burial of his servant. Still, if there be no relations, or they refuse to interfere, and he is obliged to order the funeral, he may repay himself out of any wages that may be due to the servant. Jn the case of servants or workmen not living with or in the master's house, this is not the case. In fact, no duty arises on the death of the servant, except that of paying the wages that may have been due to that servant to his personal representative.

WELSH GLEANINGS. By Lloffwr- My readers are probably aware that one of the most interesting features of the recent Band of Hope Union National Bazaar, held in London, and opened by a royal princess, was a Welsh stall. Among the wares dis- played was a "Peithynen," the handiwork of the patriarch bard, Nathan Dyved, consisting of a Gosteg o Englynion beautifully carved in bardic letters. I am glad to learn that this sold readily for a handsome amount—as it well deserved to do. I may add that I had the pleasure of seeing this Peithynen, the work of a man over 80 years of age, before it was i sent up to London, and though I am not, generally speaking, an envious or a covetous man, I am inclined in the case of the owner of this Peithynen to covet my neighbour's goods. » • The following letter from a reader in South Australia will be of interest to many ;1.. Brighton, South Australia, June 2nd, 1890. Dear Lloffwr,—I always take great pleasure iu reading your Welsh Gleanings," and thought a few gleanings from Australia would be accept- able to you in reference to a friend of mine. Mr John Greely Jenkins, M.P.. the senior member for the district of Sturt, one of the most important districts in the colony of South Australia, is a Welsh American. He was born io the Welsh settlement of Dundaff, Penn- sylvania, in 1851. His father, the late Evan Jenkins, was born near Swansea, Glamorganshire, and left Wales for America in 1834. His mother was a native of Brecknockshire. The late Rev Jenkin Jenkins, an Independent minis- ter, well known in many of the Welsh settlements of America, was bis uncle. The subject ot this sketch spent the first 20 years of his.life attending school and working on his father's farm, He then travelled in Canada and the States for a publishing house for several aud left America for Australia in 1878. He settled in Adelaide, and soon took an active part in many movements for the advancement of the colony. He has for years taken a deep interest in Freemasonry, and is now the Senior Grand Warden of the Grand Lodge ot South Australia. He was mayor of Unley (a large suburban town, where he resides, near Adelaide) in 1887 and 1888, and was returned for the district he represents in Parliament iu 1887 at the beid of the poll. He carried out his duties as a member with such satisfaction that at the recent elections (last April) he was again returned at the head of the poll by a laiga majority. There is a great deal of tho Welsh fire and earnestness in his speeches, and he is a thorough Liberal, and advocates justice to all, and favours to none. I am posting one of our daily papers to you containing a portrait of Mr Jenkins, with a longer sketch of his life. WILLIAM LEWIS. Gynt o Penrbywronen, Troedyrbiw, Mortbyr. Gadawais yn 1863. » Next comes a letter from a corresponnent referring to another Welshman—this time in Canada :— Lloffwr,—I sand with this letter a copy of tho Presbyterian College Journal, in which you will tiud au art'eis written by the Rev John Griffiths. Mr Griffiths is a Welshman from Iihondda Valley, and a warm oistedavodwr. He holds a high position in the Presbyterian Church in Canada, and is a frequent contributor to the leading journals there, chiefly on Welsh questions. He was until two years ago pastor with the Calvinistic Methodists at Talybonfc, in Brecknockshire, but be transferred to the Presbyterians there and works with might and main. Since he is out he has bad a most success- ful career. From the very interesting article which my correspondent has been good enough to send me I have only space to give the follow- ing extracts :— The Welshman's University. A university in the ordinary sense of the term Wales does not possess, and though it possesses three University Colleges, all founded, chartered, endowed, and supplied with a complete univer- sity apparatus, except the power of granting degrees within tho last twenty years, not oue of them could be designated the University of Wales. But long before Oxford or Cambridge was founded, yea, long before Arthur ruled in Britain and Hywel the Good gave his laws, the institution which I take the liberty of calling The Welshman's University flourished. It had received its present shape some centuries before tho Normans conquered the island, and it is perhaps the most ancient institution that exinits now iu Britain. It is called in Welsh Eisleddvod (pronounce dd like th 10 father, and give the vowels the continental pronunciation). The word signifies place of sitting," and is now used to designate the assemblage of druids, bards, and other literati of the Isle of Britain. From time immemorial it has done for Wales, to a great extent, what the modern university has done for ether countries and now that the educa- tional system of Wales is nearly complete, it is a striking fact that this ancient institution is growing in popularity year by year and that it is in harmony with modern ideas is proved by tho fact that the latest feature added to it is an annual conference of Welsh educationists. It is a unique institution, the product of thel intelligence and mental activity which charac- terises the Welsh people, from which in return the national mind has received a powerful impulse. The English press until very recently regarded the whole thing as a relic of barbarism and if now and then its salient features were noticed, it was only done in order to ridicule the institution. We would expect that this lemsant of an ancient race, after having for so many centuries guarded bravely their language and national institutions among the mountain fastnesses to which they bad bean driven by the arms of the invaders, meeting in these modern times, not for any purpose of violence or sedition, but to pro- mote the study of literature and of arts, to preserve from extinction the store ef poetry and of music, which they had derived from their ancestors,and to diffuse among the people generally a love for these pursuits, would have inspired some feelings of interest in tbe bosom of every mau of liberal taste aud generous sympathy." So spoke the late Henry Richard, whom Mr Gladstone was wont to address as my honourable friend the member for Wales." Southey, Thierry, Chevalier Bunsen, and Bishop Thirlwall, the historian of Greece showed their high appreeiatian of the Eisteddvod: The late Mr Matthew Arnold said: "The Eisteddvod no doubt is a kind of Olympic meet- ing, and that the common people of Wales should care for such things shows somelbiug Greek in them, something spiritual, something human, something (I am afraid one must add) which with the English common people is not to be found." It is true that many of the bardic forms and symbols now practised at the Eisteddvod are anachronisms but the answer of Gower to Pistol, who flouted another Welsh custom, is applicable to this case :—" Will you mock at an aneieut tradition began upon an honorable respect and worn as the memorable trepby of pro-deceased genius ?" The English papers dwell almost exclu- sively upon these anachronisms, and judge the whole institution by some of its appendages. Englishmen do not understand nor care to under- stand the significance of the Eisteddvod. They pretend to look with suspicious eyes on these time-honoured customs, and circulate some dark hints that Taffy" is growing intractable. John Bull always clamours about suppressing small nationalities, but who has suppressed eo many as he ? How he frowns if any of his adopted children show some vigour and independence! The object of the Eisteddvod is not to foment the feeling of nationality in the political senseab all, nor oven to perpetuate" the Welsh language and\ customs. The boat security for the duration of the Welsh language is the passionate attachment of the people to it as the vehicle of religious worship and instruction. They like the Eistedd- vod, not only because they revere old custom sand traditions merely, but because of the genuine delight which they take in such intellectual excitement which the exercise of oratory and composition, poetry and music, afford them, Just as the common people of England take delight in horse racing, fox hunting, and pugilism. "It is a most remarkable feature," says Bishop Thirl- wall, in the history of any people, and such as could not be said of any other than the Welsh, that they have centred their national recreation in literature and musical compostion." The Eisteddvod is very comprehensive in nts constitution. Last year's gatherin!1;& were con- ducted by a State Church clergyman and a Radical M.P. On the platform could be seen the Tory peer, Lord Tredegar, and the religious enthusiast, Father Ignatius, clad in bis monk's habit, rope-girded waist, and shaven crown, expatiating in his speech on the work of the Non- conformists, especially the Calvinistic Methodists t or Presbyterians of Wales. To conduct s four- day's gathering of the kind, at a time when the people are organizing themselves for a quiet revo- lution, was a grand achievement. Peiiticai strifes in the Principality are shorn of mnefcof ^tbeic.- asperity by the conciliatory influence of tbe Eisteddvod.

Mrs Hobson_{to Bobby, who is out calling"with his mother): This 's the first time you baveseen my baby, lsn t it, Bobby Bobby (critically) Yes, ma am. and I think it's quite nice. Mrs Hobson: Nice,.Bobby? Why, it Bobby Ma says it's the homeliest child she ever saw. First Doctor Busy,? Second Doctor Yes, almostworkedtOQeatb. "So am I. It will be two months before- the people returning from their health-getting trips will quit sending foi' th doctors." If it wasn't for these health resorts ^tofcgo^out^of, ;ft

THE WELSH LANGUAGE. IS ITS RETENTION DESIRABLE ? By the Rev d. A. Jenkins, Cardiff, I.—MORAL AND SPIRITUAL IN- TERESTS. —(Continued). The disuse of the Welsh language would result in an incalculable moral loss" to the Welsh people. It is true that they would probably share in the persistence of the English character. They would, how- ever, be influenced not only by the strength, but also by the weakness of the English character. It is not perfect. A masterful- ness of bearing and a certain kind of materiality of spirit are noticeable defects in the English character. The Welsh people altogether deprived of their own language, would more easily participate in these weaknesses than in the virtue of persistency for it is with nations as with individuals— they can more easily participate in the evil, than share in the good. Whereas, if the Welsh people were to retain their own language and become perfectly acquainted also with English, they would both share in all that is good in English character and life and be also able to avoid the evil to a great extent. Perhaps the following illustration would make my meaning more clear. A boy is brought up in a home, where only gentle- ness is seen and only words of affection are heard. The gentle side of the boy's nature has been well developed. His parents are anxious that the sterner side of his character should also be the object of care. With this in view, they permit him to play, for a few hours every day, with boys who are com- pelled to fight for themselves. If this boy were sent to live altogether with these com- panions, he would learn their wicked habits, as well as acquire to some extent their stern qualities. But his occasional contact with them enables him to derive from them much of the good in them, with only a little of the evil. If the Welsh language were to fall into complete disuse, the people, by being brought into the closest possible contact with the English people, would be affected by the evil as well as by the good in the English character. Whereas by the reten- tion of their own language, combined with a thorough knowledge of English, the Welsh people would be in the favourable position of deriving from the Knglish character all the good possible, and also avoiding to a great extent, the evil. Thus they would share in the persistency and yet avoid the materiality. THE LANGUAGE A PROTECTION AGAINST IMPURE LITERATURE. The moral loss of the Welsh people, re- sulting from the disuse of their language would be considerable* in another respect. English literature would soon deluge our country, with some advantage, it is true but with much disadvantage as well. As things are at present, and as they would remain in the ca.se of the retention of the Welsh language combined with a thorough knowledge of English, our nation possesses the advantage of being familiar with what is good in the English language, either directly or indirectly through translations into Welsh, without being brought into too close contact with the evil in it. Even now, there are very few We]shmen, who can lay claim to being intelligent, unacquainted with the best English authors of the past and the present. The disuse of the Welsh language, as a living speech, would not materially in- crease their number. The rei&uSion of the language is a protection fol the people against what is evil in English literature. As long as the language is retained, the educated, the intelligent alone, among the Welsh people, will have the leisure and the desire to devote their attention to what is to them the literature of a foreign nation. They will naturally study the best. The disuse of the language would be immediately followed by the rush into Wales of the flood of English literature—the bad as well as the good. The lower classes of Wales would not study the best authors nor study the best periodicals the consequenae would be that their staple food would consist of what is most demoralising in the English press, and what is most frivolous in present-day English literature. The retention of the Welsh language is more effective than the re-con- struction of Offa's dyke in keeping out this undesirable flood. WELSH NEWSPAPERS. The disuse of the Welsh language as a living speech, would result in the extinction of its own newspaper literature and in the consequent wholesale introduction of the English press. The loss would be very great. The Welsh weekly newspapers are a credit to the nation, according to the testimony of those who are conversant with the news- papers of more than one country. The articles on music, poetry, politics, and religion and social problems are written by men of taste and intelligence. Welsh interests of every kind are represented in the Welsh newspaper. The newspapers being weekly and representing so many diverse interests are not compelled to fill up space by detailed accounts of divorce cases, murders, executions and races. Neither can Wales be accused of having published within its borders or having printed in its language, such frivolous t1.nd contemptible papers as Scraps, Ally Sloper, Referee, Sporting Chronicle, and Police Neics, and numerous others of the same kind. Atheistic news- papers also are totally unknown to the Welsh people. Present observation teaches us that the wide circulation of the high-toned Welsh newspapers maintains a high tone in the English newspapers which are published in the same locality. The disuse of the Welsh language would result in the extinction of the Welsh press, and in the rush into Wales of the inferior English press. What would be the result to the morality of the people ? It would of necessity deteriorate. The immunity of the Welsh people from serious crime and from gambling and other forms of vice is due to a great extent, to the fact that they do not come into contact with them in their newspapers. An eminent Russian statesman said the other day, that there would be no war in Europe if he were per- mitted to hang all the editors of newspapers. The space devoted in the English press to. serious crime and betting intelligence has.. much to do with the existence of these vices, and their exclusion from the Welsh press accounts for the immunity of the people from these forms of wickedness. » The re- tention of the Welsh language ,is consistent with a thorough acquaintance by the people with the best works in English literature and with the best English periodicals. At the same time the retention of the Welsh language is a protection for the people against what is evil in English literature abd demoralising in the English press. The retention of the Welsh language, combined with a thorough acquaintance Tith English, is best calculated to promote the morality of the Welsh people. Archdeacon Griffiths plainly said in his evidence before the Com- mission on Education, that "where the Welsh people retain their own language, not only for ordinary purposes, but especially for religious purposes, their morals are superior to the morals of those who have thrown aside these national privileges and become amalgamated with other nations." T THE WELSH PULPIT. The disuse of the Welsh language would result in much spiritual loss ta the Welsh people. It would involve the-less of pulpit power in the country. The Welsh language is peculiarly adapted for the .e^p^essicm of the religious emotions. Some yeài-s ago, a clergyman in England conversant-with the Welsh language, succeeded that Welsh is better adapted fehaai English ior the pulpit, on account of.hissig sounds as s, z, sh, j, and thej^flheug of its sounds. For the Welsh people, pleaching tin their own language is more effective than in English. The pulpit is the chief moral and spiritual power in Wales. Wales is tho No ldcan boast in such mighty masters of assemblies. A popular Welsh preacher has written the following words in an introductory essay to a book entitled The Welsh Pulpit of to- day"—"In despair of gaining the wild liberty it was accustomed to, and, conse- quently of excelling in the arts and science that invariably accompany liberty, Wales threw all the fiery impetuosity of its nature in the direction of the pulpit, into the pro- duction of the sermon. And all critics competent to pronaunce a judgment, must confess that it comes behind, in this particu- lar, none of its larger and stronger sister- nations. Nature and grace, ambition for celebrity and desire for usefulness, combined to i^ake the pulpit the one great farce in Welsh life, for it was the only outlet the nation couM find for its pent-up energy." The pulpit -bas made Wales what it is. Even when the press had not yet come into existence. The pulpit single-handed transformed the whole of Wales from a moral point of view —what had been a wilderness became like the garden of the Lord, St. David, the patron saint of Wales, is said to have preached on one occasion, with such pt>wer that Nature was changed. We are certain that the preaching of Howell Harries, and Daniel Rowlands and other pulpit ciants, changed the moral nature of the "Welsh people. The pulpit still continues to be the great, moral, and spiritual force of the country. The retention of the language, both becaure of its better adaptability ::> to the expression of the religious emotions, and also because it links in the minds of the people the pulpit of the present with that of the past. THE WELSH BIBLE AND HTMNOLOGY. The disuse of the Welsh Bible and Welsh hymnology would result in much spiritual loss to the people. Professor Henry Rogers, in a passage entitled "The Blank Bible" in his work on "The Eclipse of Faith," draws a vivid description of the consequences which would follow the loss of the Bible. To many of the Welsh people—indeed, to the large majority of them—the loss of the Bible in their own language would be almost equivalent to the loss of the Bible altogether. It would be a sad spiritual loss for the people to be deprived of their own hymns, which are associated in their minds with the religious experiences of their forefathers, and which appeal best of all to their religious emotions. The extent to which religion and their own language are linked together in the minds and hearts of the Welsh people is to be seen in the fact that, wherever they are settled in England and foreign lands, they cherish it as the vehicle of their de- votion and worship. The moral and spiritual interests of the Welsh people will be best served by the retention of the Welsh language, but this is quite consistent with a thorough acquaintance by the people with the English language.

t -== A LIFE 0F MR GLADSTONE. Messrs Ward, Lock and Company, who have purchased the copyright of Mr George Barnett Smith's "Life of Mr Gladstone," have just published a new and cheap edition of the work. Such a publication is extremely useful. The pressure of current agitations has a tendency to obscure those principles upon which political action must be based, and as the individual elector is prone to neglect almost all questions other than the one or two which are the subjects of immediate debate, it is by the perusal of such volumes as this that he may gain a right appre- ciation of the relative importance of matters at issue in political life. Only by instruc- tion in past history, especially that of the last half-century, wherein Mr Gladstone has taken active part, can voters of to-day become fitted to reach decision iu the points submitted to their judgment. In dealing with the earlier life of the great Liberal leader, the author has to touch upon questions which have direct bearing upon current controversies and if his references serve to direct the reader to study of the prin- ciples involved in past political action, and to inquiry of what has been the result of adopting those principles, he will gain knowledge of in- finite value in regard to present times. He will learn that the troubles in Canada were settled by adoption of the principle of Home Rule, which principle, extended to all the other great colo- nies, has secured their cordial union with the empire, and this despite the blundering in- efficiency which is the prevailing characteristic of the Colonial Office. From the issue of the great Free Trade struggle, he will learn the essential verity of the principle of freedom of commerce, this country having advanced enormously in wealth and in national strength and prosporily, although we have as yet only partial operation of the system. Upon the disestablishment ques- tion, a book like this is of the highest value, for Mr Gladstone's personal history has been peculiar in that be, at first the great champion of the Establishment, became the disestablisher of the Irish Church. The principles of national finance which Mr Gladstone has from time to time enunciated may be studied in the volume now before u, and the reader thus be placed in a position to criticise intelligibly the Budsret statements that are presented, and to recognise their merits or defects. Consideration of the period-1863-74-not inappropriately termed the golden age of Liberalism" cannot fail to moderate expectations of great things which are promised for the good time coming, when our side shall be in office nor, on the other hand, will it fail to show how much may be done in a single session, when ministers feel that they have the great majority of their countrymen at the'ir_back. We heartily welcome the cheap issue of this book, and commend it for its good type and general get up. It should command a large sale and Messrs Ward, Lock and Co. have rendered essential service to the Liberal cause by placing Mr Smith's work within reach of all.

PERPETUAL PENSIONS. A Treasury Minute has been issued, showing the terms upon which it is proposed to determine some of the remaining perpetual pension!. The office of Master Surveyor and Keeper of the Hawks was granted to the Dnko of St. Albans and his heirs male by King James IL in 1689. The net amount of the emolu- ments is £ 965, and the Lords of the Treasury propose that t bis payment shall be commuted for 19 years' purchase of it. A pension of L2,000 a yearwas granted to Lord Rodney in consideration of his "eminent naval services. The original grant, made in 1783, was for his life, and to the next heirs male of his body; but in 1793 the pension was made perpetual. Their lordships propose that this pension shall be commuted for 27 years' purchase, A pension of £ 2,GOO a year was'granted in 1814 to Lord Exmouth and his heirs male to whom the title ebeuld descend, in consideration of the distinguished which he bad rendered as a naval com- mander. Their lordships propose that this pen- sion shall be commuted for 27 years' purchase. The hereditary office of Keeper of the Palace and Gardens at Holytood was granted by King ChaileSrl,, in 1646, to James, Duke of Hamilton, which grant was subsequently ratified by Act of Parliament. The fees and allowances were, on the accession of King George I., converted -into'fixed moneypiayments. Their lordships pro- posed that the salary of the Hereditary Keeper (£45 10s) shall be commuted for 22 years' pur- chase of it, and that. the allowances payable to the Deputy Keeper and Porter (#8715s 4d) shall determine on the resignation or demise of the present recipients. By letters patent of King Charles II., in 1660, Arthnr Hill and his heirs and assigns for ever were appointed to the office of Constable, of the Fort of Hillsborough, in county Down. Lord Downshiro is the representative of the original grantee, and to bun the payment continues to be made. Their lordships propose that the salary attached to the Con- stableship of the Fort of Hillsborough (£54 39 4d) shall be commuted for 25 years' purchase and that the pay of-the-warderg (2162 103) shall determine on the, resignation or" demise of* the presenfexecipien ts.

a uselessTinveniion. MM RooNBT: Ycz MB tek-thot boire sistim sewin'-machine back pberye21 got it. MB ROOKBT: Oi T'ought it would plaza ye2. MRS ROONKT It do not. I-pit yure ■ Sunday breeches in tb' top av it patch it pitor-tbuft.iu fca tours.

Musical and Eisteddvod Notes. BY MAELGWYN. AN EOHO OF THE BRIDQEND EISTEDDVOD, It is always desirable that a full and detailed adjudication on all important choral and band competitions should be published, or at least furnished to the bead of each body of competitors. Bat there are times when it is impossible to do this, and one of these times was, I suppose, the 7tb of July, the date of the Bridgend Eisteddvod. So far as the great choral competition is concerned, it must have been well nigh impossible to take proper Dotes of the singing of the last choir on account of the darkness. And as every choir believes that under more favourable circumstances it could have given a better performance than it did, and as almost everybody was satisfied with the decision, there is not such a general demand for the detailed adjudication. The competitors know they got justice, and they sympathise with the adjudicators in their arduous labours. Yet, it will be remembered Mr John North promised to supply all information to those who applied for so it is possible that the full adjudication may ytlis published. But although the choir appear to care littl1. whether the adjudication be published or not, the bandsmen are in a different frame of mind. They clamo ur for the detailed account, so that their merits and demerits may be pointed oat to them, and their demand is not unreason- able. One of the couductoVS says he has no intention of quarrelling with the decision, but at the same time he considers it but rrtgbt that the whole thing should be published, fo that the bandsmen might learn something their experience. As I said before, this is a reasonable Remand, and as the adjudicator had ample time to prepare his notes and to consider his decision, it is to be hoped that be will accede to it. Our bauds deserve to bo encouraged in every possible way, and the publication of all adjudications which concern them will always be welcomed by them. It is also to bo sincerely hoped that next year the Bridgend Eisteddvod Committee will select a more suitable test piece—one in which all or nearly all the instruments will bo able to show to advantage—say an operatic selection of airs. Such a pieco would be ever so much better than one which throws the heaviest work upon less than half a dozen instruments, SWANSEA NATIONAL EISTEDDVOD. The psople of Swansea are evidently determined to show the world that the Gorsedd acted for the best when it decided to hold the National Eistedd- vod of 1891 in that town. In the musical depart- ment there will be five adjudicators who will between them do all the work. The gQHtismen selected are Mr Joseph Barnby, Me August Manns, Dr Joseph Parry, Mr David Jenkins, and Mr J. H. Roberts (Pencerdd Gwynedd}— two Englishmen and three Welshmen. The list of subjects for competition will be ready almost immediately, and may be had for a few pence of Mr Rees Jones, Landore, the secretary of the South Wales Branch of the Welsh Musical Association. It would be doing barm to the eisteddvod promoters to publish the full list here, but it will no doubt be interesting to have a few of the test pieces named. In all the choral com- petitions-and there are four of tbem-there will be two prizes. Three test pieces have been selected for the chief choral competition—a descriptive chorus by Mr Jenkins, a chorus by Mendelssohn, selected for the purpose of testmg the qualities of rsfinement possessed by the choirs, and the stupen- dous double chorus, The people shall hear and be afraid from Handel's Israel in Egypt. Alto- gether, this is a tremendous amount of work to impose upon the choirs, but the prizes are de- cidedly munificent, the first being £200, and the second J650. Only on three previous occasions has a sum equal to this been given to eisteddvod competitions. The first was at the Liverpool Eisteddvod in 1884, when £210 was given for the hsst rendering of four test pieces. At the great Jubilee Eisteddvod at Poutypool, two prizes equal in value to those offered at Swansea were given, and only one chorus— Wretched lovers "—was set for competition. The same year in London similar prizes, were awarded, there being then three test pieces. But to return. The chief competition is, of course, open to the whole world. The second competition is confined to Welsh choirs, the prizes being respectively, JBM and £26, This is the competition in which Mr Pritchard Morgan's gold baton will again make its appear- ance with the provoking condition that it must be won twice before any choir can possess it absolutely. The test pieces include one by Mendelssohn and one by Mr Emlyn Evans. The third competition has a condition attached to it which is almost certain to be overridden by every choir that com- petes. The condition is, that the choirs must each belong to the same congregation. The prizes are £25 and £10. The male voice cbora competition is sure to be popular, not- withstanding that ue accompaniment of any kind will be allowed. The chief test piece is The destruction of Gaz" by De Rille—a companion work, so to speak, to the "Martyrs of the arena" by the same composer There will be two prizes of the value of JB30 and £10 respectively. Provided only that the chorrs are satisfied with the adjudicators who have been selected, the success of the choral competition;is assured. For the orchestral band competition no better selection for the post of adjudicator could have beeu made than that of Mr August Manns., The test piece will be a symphony by Haydn, and the priza—there is but one in thi&» case—will. bejBSO. Might I be allowed to suggeettbat the committee should confine this competition to Welsh players. In contests of this kind where, we cannot hold our own against the world, a little Protection "is absolutely necessary. A prize of eight guineas wilLbeiven- for the best perform- ance of a string quartette. The prize in each of the vocal solo competitions is two guineas, and in the vocal duet contests the same sum is offered. This is a manifest anomaly, which, I Buppose* will be corrected now that the attention of the' committee has been called to it. THE ROYAL COLLKGE OF MDSXO OBEQA. On Wednesday in last week, the annual operatic concert was given by the pupils of the Royal College of Music at the Savoy Theatre. The' opera selected for representation was Mozart's Cosi fan Putte, a composition which abounds with sweet and sprightly music, but which is for some reason almost unknown. A special English translation of the words bad been prepared for this occasion. Amongst those who took the principal parts were Miss Maggie Davies. as Despina, .and Mr John Sandbrook, as Gratiaoo. It is jnly fair to the latter to say that although the part allowed him ample scope to display his vocal abilities it was in no way a distinctive part in which. any individuality would sbow itself. Hence^he.does not come in for especial mention by the news- papers, although his singing is praised on every hand. Miss Davies was far more highlyfavoured. Her part stOttd out in bold relief in everycact hence, she bad more scope to display her ability than had ber fellow student from Wales, and right well did she acquit herself. The Standard goes into raptures over her performance, and the Times (whatever may be its faults and follies, the "Thunderer," it must be admitted, is always kind and genereus to our Welsh singers), says: Amongst the soloists much promise for future was ahown,.and with one case it was possible to' give much less qualified praise- than this. Miss Maggie Davies, as Daspina, while rising ber pretty voice with excellent taste and, iopod style, Mted witb delightful spontaneity-and fun, most rarely falling into any of the. conveDüonal attitudes or gestures whicbiappeared te compnse the whole stock -in-trade of some of her companions. bs made the most of her opportunities iq the Lrscenescwhen.tbe saucy waiting-maid masjjuerades as a doctorand ■ a ..notary, andber bsginning/of the second act was effective features of the performance. TWO NBW WBLSH SONGS. There«eeems to be quite a dearth of new^Welsh- itsongs. I think it is almost a year since-I.received Two,-however, have just come to hand. 'Mr.SethP^ Jones, of Benson House, Penclawdd. has-set himself»*Jiiffcofc *a«k to ^mpose^inwinj to Islwyn's fine words on the Night." But Y FallllaiddNos "is a charming eong in etery sense. ItJs quite out of the •rdinary enn O tuneful, and yet not: bUs. On the wholevitls eaey^Jautit ds just difficult enough to warrant its being included as an eisteddvod" test piece. The. accompaniment it highly artistic, and. > adds materially .-to the general beauty of the^song.>, "Cadeirio'r Bardtd," as may ber supposed, is com- • posed in a popular etcaiu. It is .intended as an ehfteddvod-BOSg aatJ'-swr Bao& ..it ia eminently suitable. It is published by Mr E. 0 Parry, Llewelyn Chambers, Llandudno. ANSWERS TO CORRESPONDENTS. Will those kind friends who have written to me in terms of praise of last week's notes accept my best thanks I F. C. T. (Pentre).-Many thanks. Never fear Mr Thomas has laughed at that Hen Wlad incident, although he has not written to say so, Write as often as you like, especially if your letters are always as cheery as this oae. O. D. E.—I absolutely refuse to enter into such a-discussion, because it would only tend to create ill feeling between the choirs. My opinion is now precisely what it was last August, and there is nothing in common between the two contests. So let sleeping dogs lie, and let me give you a bit of advice Instead of trying to II catch" me, as you call it, do what you can to promote-afeeling of goodwill among allthechorrs. Then, although the rivalry will remain as keen as ever, bitterness will find no place, and perhaps the defeated choirs will be the first to congratu- late the winners. This is a nobler task in which to employ your time than that of raking up wbat happened long ago.

COLLIERS AND THEIR PAST. THE SMALL ~C0AL QUESTION. By our Rhondria Valley Correspondent. If we but look over the newspapers of the past year or two we find them bristling with reports of col- liery disputes in various localities or districts throughout South Wales; and if we but losk for- ward we clearly perceive signs of similar disputes, some of which appear serious indeed. Amongst these is the small coal question. The matter has paused a hitch between the management amS the miners of various collieries on various I occasions during the past 40 years or more, and\'t is full time that an old dispute of this kind should be finally settled. The colliers of that comparatively ancient period claimed pay- ment for the small-which was deducted from the •gross weight of coaiv sent out by them from the minea andivery selpUS wraugles and quarrels and disputes often occmwed so looK back as that, because tbe miners bsliered that the employé, of-the company abstracted mOYie than they should from the trams of sable mineral bad filled. But if the colherB 40 or 20 ^?ars ago considered they were morally entitled to payment for small coal which tha "croppwr" croppeJ them of, surely the minors of the present day stand on considerably firmer ground. In con- sidering the claims of the men we must really take into consideration the numerous important inventions which have been adopted in various parts of the world for the utilisation of the small coal. Colliery proprietors 40 years ago might perhaps say that they could find no use for the small coal which was deducted from the large but now tbocase is quite different. Thousands upon thousands, of tons of small is now used for making patent fuel, and greatly improved machinery has been invented and constructed to consume coal which was hitherto too small. I was chatting with an aged collier the other day when a locomotive and a large number of wagons running along the Taff Vale Railway in the upper part of the valley passed us. Did you see those big lumps of coalou the tender?" asked the experienced workman. "Yes," I replied. "Have you ever seen the drivers throwing the large lumps into the fire-box ?" I don t think I have." they invariably smash them with a hammer. They make the big lumps small." On the premises of numerous collieries in South Wales are screens of various sizas specially con- structed to separate the different kinds of coal, orlarge, nut, small, and very small or powdered coal. The men are paid only-for the large, although thousands upon thousands of tons of the different kinds of small coal are annually transmitted from the mouth of collieries iu South Wales to various yarts of the country and of the world. For various kinds of industries, the small, or nut small and one coal, is better than the large, and saves the trouble and expense of pulverizing; consequently it is but fair that the miners should be remunerated for their work performed in thte bowels of the earth—hundreds of yards in most cases below the surface. Colliery proprietors or the management of different collieries have not been satisfied with the improved screens which lower and ascend accoruing to the requirements of the companies' workmen, who shift about the contents of the trams immediately after they are tipped into the receptacles, for they adopted two or three years ago an apparatus which the men christened "devils." Different companies employed a different apparatus. The apparatus of the Ocean Collieries was very diminutive compared with that—there was only one—at the Bute Colliery, Treherbert. Like the demon of old, these colliery innovations caused considerable commotion in the localities where they resided. The manage- ment of the Ocean Company planted one on each of the screeus and about the middle. The appa- ratus consisted of a pyramid-shaped piece of cast-iron, and the management alleged they per- formed their work—that is, to separate the small and cause it to drop through the bars—remarkably well. The men, on the other hand, exclaimed indignantly that the appliance interfered with their coal and pulver- ised it, and therefore reduced their earnings. After an agitation which lasted for some week. the appliance was removed, and has not put in an appearance since, The apparatus at Treher- bert was located under the screen. Its under parts consisted of an iron -cylinder, according to the men's description, and it had long teeth poking through between the bars, so when the trams of coal were being tipped, this mon- ster automatically whirled its spikes round, tossing the mineral about in every direction. The men had to strike before they could rid the locality of this contrivance. I have noticed from time to time announcements in the various mining journals of another kind ft apparatus, but I believe tbe colliers in the Rbondda Valley need not be alarmed by my calling attention to it. I; have referred to these appliances in order to show the public at large the combination of adversaries the col- liers of South Waleibaye bad to contend with. Is it any wonder that a collier should occassion" ally exercise his wits when filling the ooal which he has hewn into his tram ? You should not be surprised:to bear that a miner, in some collieries, if be finds a iat lump of coal, puts it iht on the bottom of the tram and sprinkles some water over it in order that small coal might stick to it or slide with it into the wagon instead of dropping through the bars of the screen. In the report of the pro- ceedings.at Newport it is stated that MrG. W. Wilkinson, consulting engineer and general manager to the two defendant companies, replied to bis cross-examiner "that if the trams were properly filled and handled, there ought not to be more than 1 cwt. of coal in each tram," But Mr Wilkinson should be reminded that the condition of coal even in the same branch in different collieries varies consider- ably sometimes; in some stalls it-may be brittle, in others in the same district good. Then soma stalls or working places are over a mile away from the bottom of the shaft, whilst others are much nearer; consequently, assuming tbat the stalls are good in both places, tbe rocking of the trams in their transit from the farther place would unquestionably cause a greater quantity of small. Some miners consider it advisable to put a little small amom; the large coal to prevent the lumps crushing or rubbing against each other. It saves as straw prevents the breaking of earthenware when conveyed in packages from place to place. But if a miner fills coal as clean as it is possible to do so, be generally fiadsrecorded on the cbeckweigber's book in the evening when he calls,.five or six cwt. ot small, especially ir the stall is far from the bottom of tbe pit, and the railroad roughly constructed as is generally the case underground. If the House of Lords decides that payment must be made directly for small coal abstracted not from the mineral contracted to be gotten," but from the gross weight of coal sent out by the men, then the question will naturally arise, how much must be paid in proportion to the larKe ? It is obvious that the highest tribunal cannot legally dictate to the masters the amount they must pay to the miner for the small abstracted from the gross weight all the House of Lords can do is to declare that payment must be made directly. Then a very important question will ensue, and one which will probably lead to grave dispntes between the masters and the men. It the colliery proprietors will but pay one farthing per ton for the small deducted, legally they wiH conform with or recognise the provision of the act. That, however, would not satisfy tbe meo) and consequently an agitation would follow. According to Judge Owen's decision, the men are entitled to equal payment for the small as for the large. But obviously experienced and good colliers would not advocate such a system. In every colliery there are good and bad workman. I say that in South Wales there are thousands of clodhoppers employed in the stalls or working places underground. If the same prices must be paid to the miners for the large and small, tbe management of the various .collieries would certainly reduce tbe prices they now pay for-the large. The consequence would be that the corduroy fellows who had recently quitted the turnip fields would earn more money, and the I experienced less. The slovenly or the rustic who pulverises the coal in hewing it would be less handicapped, if he obtained the same price for mixed coal. I think this is an important question for experienced miners. But I am positive that tthe general body of experienced miners in the ;Rhondda and other districts ia South Wales would notdemand they same paymecc for tbe large and "small,. were they able to claim it legally. This is a question which l am sure will be thoroughly discussed at one of the next of tht .Rbondda

Samuel's Sentiments. Samuel on People Who Want to Know. Without the pale of that educational arena where the tbirst for information is fostered by Act of Parliament, and where children and their elders are crammed with varied knowledge until thpv can pass examinations at the rate of 98 and 99 per ceut., there exists a clans of people wbo, with no regard to "ducational ad vancement, are always wanting to know something. If you volunteer au ordinary piece of information, or tell them the state of nffairs in relat-ion to certain events, they do not rest satisfied with #he bare statement ^uppiied, but at once aRk why such a state of affairs exists They want to know the cause for each effect of life, and more especially so if it be domestic. Whether they thoroughly attend to their own business may be questioned bnt that they take a deep and continual interest in other people s admits ot no possible doubt what- ever. You see they want to know, and if some of the means whereby tbey gain then ends are open to critic- ism, they do not cor sider that and if asked why they thus en deavour to lay bare the skeletons in the domes- tic cupboards of other people, they invariably give as their illogical reason that they want to know. They ferret out a cause for tho actions of their neigh- beurs- They wonder why the Government does not alter its plans in WANTS TO KNOW HOW TO MANAGHf HER LOVER. accordance with their own ideas, and they see nothing objectionable in their wanting to know the income and expenditure of tbeir friends and acquaintances. In fact, they ask so many ques- tions and want to know so much that there always seems to be considerable danger of their developing into peregrinating notes of interroga- tion. Heavy sinners in this respect are the daughters of Eve. It seems to be part of their constitution to annex, during their lives, an unique collection of more or less accurate infor- mation about things in general, and their friends in particular. If these ladies were not so fond of wanting to know the tongue of scandal would be silenced and the pleasures of afternoon tea would depart. From the cradle to the graweJthe thirst for in- discriminate information is gradually de- veloped and children are, with less evil Jesuits than their elders, igreat delinquents in the direction of wanting to know. For ?nWJ^C0» when Master Johnuy, mulat 4, is told that become the possessor of a new sister, be at onco'u^j £ ins to »Rk questions, and immediately wants to* ~\oow where his relative came from ? On his nurse, wIth the absence of veracity usual on such occasiofc^f* informing him tbat the latest addition to tbe 'household was found under the gooseberry bush \e evinces a desire to know what particular bush uf waR, and at the same time suggests a. voyage of dløcer, with a view to possible contingancies in the dnc- tion of a further supply of relatives. Should the fairy-tale be that the doctor brought tú new arrival with him in his pocket, Master Johnny shows that be has doubts as to the holding capacity of the said pocket and straightway pro- poses to interview the doctor on the subject. He wants to know. Another-species of want-to know people are the individuals who write to news- papers and weekly journals for information, and who expect to be supplied with it immediately- if not sooner. They expect editors ef papers, and especially such papers as are labelled "domestic," to be walking catalogues of facts and fashions, periods and passions; and they worry them week after week with queries on every conceivable subjeot, which they fondly imagine will be answered in their particular paper the same week they send them. I have lately perused much literature, if it can so be called, of the Answers to Correspondents" order, and I cannot but think that the ordinary (and now and then extraordinary) readers who want to know must have a high and reliable opinion of the modern editor. Their faith is a thing to dream about. You cannot shake it. They pour their secret troubles into the editorial ear, as though the literary ruler were a priest, and his office and waste- paper basket but details of the confessional. In this connection readers of the better class sensational weeklies of the Family Herald type are, perhaps, the worst sinners. They fancy the editor of their pet paper ought to be able to advise them on any domestic difficulty they may meet with, and in the matter of love, courtship, and marriage they would sooner take his opinion than that of » dream-book or a gipsy*. He ought to feel flattered, but I am mucli afraid that be will not see the faith in his powers in that way. He hasn't time to go into the niceties of the situation —it takes him all his time to answer the questions sent him each week. Let us glance at one or WANTS TO KNOW HOW TO MAKE LOVE TO HIS GIRL. two queries sent by ladies who are incapable of nianaging their love affairs and their young men. Here is a damsel who has, ap- parently, ,~uot yet learned the art of bookiug her fish. She writes to a popular weekly, pud tbis U the state of affairs she desires the editor te straighten up In Sus- pense has for five years receiving the attentions of a frentlemau, but with hardly any under- standing whatever. Now he avoids her. What is she to do ? Should she write ts him far an explanation ? Now as the editor could not possibly know either the young man or In Sus- pense be could as he did-only generalise on the state of affairs with the result that bis reply left the lady exactly where she was. If correspondenta only knew it, the domestic affairs of their editorial idol keep him as fully occupied as it is desirous in the interests of his non-cerrespondiug readers he should be. Married men usually object to being bothered with other people's experience of the unevenness of the path of true (more or less) love. You see they have travelled the road themselves. Still, in spite of good advice and gently administered sarcasm, the correspondent still flourishes and tells his or her tale of ^lighted affection or broken vows with an objectionable regularity. I am beginning to think that these ill- used lovers and perplexed maidens rathsr glory in their crosses. It gives them an oppor- tunity of writing to a paper; and I am firmly Convinced that they gloat over the replies in the seclusion of their bedrooms, and begin to have a glimmering and fatal suspicion that they may one day become authors and write for the papers. And all the outcome of wanting to know. Another of the want-to-know order to be avoided is the man who write- queries on eti- quette. He is a social terror. Judging from tbe number of questions this individual asks, one it forced to conclude that he ought not to be allowed out without a guide. If he be as ignorant of tbe rules of society as his questions suggest, he might in all fairness be expected to take his soup with a fork and peas with his fingers. If his ignorance be not assumed, he may be pardoned for wanting to know. Then there is the old lady, with money, who wants to know hew to make a will, and who never seems struck with the idea tbut she might consult a solicitor, who would not only relieve her anxiety in the present, but prevent litigation in the futuro. Possibly the old lady has no belief in the lights of the law, and prefers to dispose of her goods and chattels without the aid of a solici- tor. Well, experience has taught, ere this, that men of law are not the pleasantest things to have about the house. They, too, frequently want to know. Correspondents who ask the same questions are numerous, and the phrase upwards of a hun- dred seems to trouble the minds of not a few of them, for they ask the meaning of it un- ceasingly. Heights of mountains, depths of rivers, the age of actresses, and the value of shares are all things that people want to know through the medium of the papers they patronise. And if they don't get replies they write spiteful letters to the editcr. You see they know that editors live out of the public, and they do not wish them to forget the fact. And thci the world goes round, and people all WANTS TO KNOW WHT HIS QUESTION IS NOT ANSWER KD. want to know. From the dazziing hails of light to the humble cottage there is agreat IWlci yearniolt desire to know about thinrki, nd people and Lady Geraldine de Mont- morency is as eager to know the particulars of her dearest friends faux pat as Mrs Mooney, the char- woman is to bear the thrilling deta)ls of the latent disagreement between her friends and her neighbours, Mr and Mra O'Flan- wigaa. The are both by the same desire, and curiosity is th* mainspring which sets them on and theuch mischief may result from their desire they do not I generally act) from motives of spite. T'nydoit I •imply and selely because they want to know. f I SAMUEL; Hu diumMwm I

SOUTH WALES FACTORIES AND WORKSHOPS. MR LEWIS, in his report upon the factories and workshops of South Wales, says that, notwithstanding all the efforts which are put forth to keep the machinery well guarded, and to instil into the general body of work- people habits of caution, the number of accidents is large. The running-down cases are the most numerous, no less than a third of the casualties being due to this-cause. A stricter enforcement of the rules and regula- tions which have been framed for the guid- ance of drivers, firemen, and brakesmen are the only means, in the opinion of the inspector, by which these catastrophes can be averted. Some of the accidents are trace- able to carelessness oil the part of the men, especially in the case of two engine drivers who would oil the machinery while in motion, instead of taking the trouble to stop the engine. However, Mr Lewis does not say whether a certain amount of work has to be done by these men in a given: time. For instance, on board a boat it would be easy enough to stop the engines before oiling them, but what would the captain say who was in a hurry 1 Probably, he would find a reason for getting rid of the engineer, and the same practice is not un- known on shore. The inspector mentions the noble example which has been set by Messrs E. Morewood and Co., of Llanelly. They erected and fitted up at tbeir factory several rooms for the recreation and com- fort of their employees, and which was recorded at the time in your columns. The novelty of the feature is that in the kitchen the wives and daughters are given lessons in cookery by a good cook. The dangerous custom of allowing yeung children to bring meals to their parents who are engaged at machines is severely commented upon, as these children loiter and play about in close proximity to ponderous engines. EMPLOYMENT OF CHILDREN IN FACTORIES. IT does not appear to be generally known that a child 13 years of age, possessed of a certificate of proficiency in standard iv., or of having made 250 attendances at school in eaeh of any five previous years, may be legally employed as a young person, i.e., on full at a factory or workshop, and on the authority of Mr Lewis this is the law despite any bye-law which the local school boards may have passed. Children thus qualified for employment have frequently a difficulty in obtaining the labour certificate in districts where the local standard is higher. On the other hand," says Mr Lewis, "I find it often necessary to caution employers against the readiness with which they fall into the common error of employing on full time children under 13 years of age, on the strength of a certificate of exemption from further school attendance." GUARDS FOR MACHINERY. UPON this important matter Mr Lewis re- marks Acting upon the suggestion of H.M. Superin- tending Inspector, Mr Whymper, I have of late devoted special attention to the necessity of catch or strap books to overhead shafts and pulleys, and I have succeeded in getting them adopted at some important non-textile factories. As a result of the prominence given to the subject of shuttle guards for power looms, in the report which you last year submitted to the Secretary of State for the Home Department, I have bad my attention called to an improved guard, recently invented by Messrs Tyler and Co., Maesllyn Welsh Cloth and Woollen Mills, Llandyasul. It consists of two bars or rods of iron fixed at a suitable distance apart, extending horizontally aloug the slay, and covering the shuttle board at all points in a plane, parallel to that of the travel of the shuttle. It is hinged at each end, on the slay cap, and is arranged to rise and fall automatically on the hinges with the stop- ping and starting of the loom. At each end of the shuttle-board is a guide-plate, curved inward, so that in the event of the shuttle striking the plate it is thereby guided into the shuttle-box. Upon a recent visit to the Maesllyn factory I saw the guard in position, and upon inquiry of the weavers I ascertained that during the few months it bad been in use it had given every possible satisfaction, having prevented the shuttle from flyiiig even once. According to the testi- mony of the weavers and foremen, this guard is a decided improvement upon any other they have yet seen, and is unhesitatingly pronounced by them to be a perfect success.

STRANGE COMBATANTS. A correspondent writes I witnessed the other afternoon an unusual and desperate fight batwf»eu a big quarrelsome old dow and a cow. The former was the aggressive i»arty, and began the battle by following the cow about and making a kind of barking noise, foam- ing at the mouth, and grabbing fiercely at the cow's tail aad hind legs, but for what reason I could not make out. This excessive familiarity the cow naturally resented, and suddenly swinging round, she faced her swiney foe. The sow looked viciously at her for t moment, and then dashed at her face but the cow, with a swift movement, deftly sent one of her horns against the sow's anout, drawing blood and causing her to jump away with a loud' roar of pain. The cow then marched off but her enemy soon followed, and renewed the'fight the skirmishing being kept up for ten minutes or more, till the horned animal, at last losing all patience at her tormentor's persistence, ran full tilt at her, and with a terrific blow knocked her over grovelling on the ftound, completely stunning her for a time. The sow slowly rose on jo her feet after a while, shosk herself, and apparently thinking that discretion was the better part of valour, sullenly retreated towards her sty,"

GOOD ADVICE. YOVNG PHYSICIAN (who bad justlost a patient to. old physician) "Would you advise an autopsy, dsctor?" OLD PHTSIVIÃN: NO I would advise an -in. quest."

Aa Austin shoemaker is writing a book. There will probably be a great many foot notes. Ragman Madame, shust dventy-four pounds. Bridget: Ye old scoundrel, it weighs over forty, for I weighed it meself. Ragman :B-lieve me, madame, I vouldn't sheat a child bUt any gQales vill only vay P9U<1$.

FACTS FOR FARMERS. BY A PRACTICAL AGRICULTURIST. Numerous are the inventions which have of late years been introducsd in connection with farming appliances. Not many years since the farmer was considered by bis fellow men as being elow and thick-headed, with no inventive genius to help him to carry on his business, and this reproach Hodge well merited, as may be'seen wheniwe think of the different appliances and methods in vogue a com- paratively short time ago. Take the wooden plow of forty years past. No ana. can say that it was a better article than was used four hundred years ptior to that date. Again, what improve- ment had taken place in the system ot getting the corn from the ear within the last thousand years ? The common flaillabteà to .within the memory of many, and was only on a par with the system now in existence with the Ryah of India, that of treading out the cern by the hoofs of animals. Winnowing at the above date was probably very similarly done to the way it was many centuries before. Dairying, &c., was little, if at all, in advance of the other branches of farm work. Now, however, all this is altered. Instead of the flail for threshing, and being at the mercy of the wind to clean the corn, we have the powerful steam threshing <nnd winnowing combined machines; the steam plough and diggllr has taken the place of the antiquated wooden plow; we have machinery and appliances of every descrip- tion for every work on the land in a word, they are, as the auctioneer says, too numerous to men- tion. Hardly a week passes but that we are informed of some improvement made on such and such an article, or some new invention in relation to machinery, &c, JMPBOVJSMENT IN BUTTER MAKING, About the latest is the Iastantaneous Butter Maker. This is the invention of Dr da Laval, of Sweden. The following description of this machine is given in an agricultural magazine Dairymen are aquainted with the well-known form of the Laval steam turbine separator, which was awarded the gold medals of the British Dairy Farmers' Association and the Royal Manchester and Liverpool Agricultural Society. To this separator the new churn is attached. It consists of a cylinder about 12 inches long and four inches in diameter, within which a dasher revolves at about 3,000 revolutions per minute, being driven by a rape belt of the sTme kind as isusod to drive a power separator from the separator spindle. The cream on leaving the separator in the usual way passes over an ingeniaualy contrived refrigerator of new design, which is admirably calculated to reduce the. temperature as low as possible with a very small consumption of cold water. It then enters at one end of the cylinder, in the course of its passage through which the cream is churned into butter, and emerges at the othei end in a granular form. Dairymen who have had their butter-miik analysed from time to time know that there iøreat loss in the present system of churning large quantities of cream, as it is impossible to ensure that every butter globule shall receive the same amount of concussion, aud hencA the butter-milk often contains a large percentage of butter. This ia avoided with Dr de Laval's new invention, as the cream must pass equally through the cylnider, receiving a regular and rapid concussion from the revolving dasher. The cylinder is en- closed in a water casing, so that the temperature is kept very low, and the butter is consequently firm. It is very free from butter-milk, and there- fore keeps well. The churn is fixed to the separator frame, and can be attached to any of the Laval machines, as shown in the turbine. The whole process of separating the milk and churning the butter is performed by a jet of steam direct from the boiler, without intervention of shafting, belting, or an engine of any kind. The churn has no complex arrangements about it, and nothing couici «i»n/ot% affiinpte ttiito the way in wbiebit^n be taken to pieces and cleaned. The process is en- tirely automatic, requiring very little power and attention while in use. Haymaking, Haymaking, beyond almost every other farm operation, is incapabe of being conducted with success upon any definite or bard-and-fast system. It is so thoroughly within the control of the "clerk of the wsather," and that important "functionary" is so fickle that every season, nay, even every week, may demand treatment peculiar to itself. The farmer must watch closely these uncertain and shifty conditions, and be prepared at any moment to vary bis practice to suit them. This very fact renders it all the more important that the farmer should acquaint himself as fully as possible with the various methods of hayjnaking pursued with success throughout the country, so that he may have the greater resource in battling with un- toward circumstances as they arise. In England the prevailing methods of haymaking are some- what different from those most largely pursued iu Scotland. As a body Scotch farmers are not so highly accomplished in the art of hay- making as are their English brethren. Less experience and less encouragement are mainly accountable for this. There is only a very small extent of Scotland really well suited for hay culture, while in many parts of England the hay crop plays a leading part in the economy of the farm. I have many a time observed and con- templated with delight the care, intelligence, and methodical precision exhibited on woll- conducted English farms in tho harvesting of hay. The practice would seem to be reduced almost to the nicety of a Bus art, and it is con- ducted with enterprise and forethought, happily characteristic of British agriculture. The broken weather of the past few weeks has delayed hay- making and spoilt a good deal of bay. Very little had been stacked before the rains set in and there is more hay exposed in the fields now than there should be. But if the tedder or turning forks are kept diligently going, and every attention "ven to the matter of ventilation in the stack, a good harvest is often accomplished in the absence of suiishine. Our National Colleges and Agri- cultural Education. I am glad to find that this subject to which I have often directed the notice of readers of this column is attracting considerable attention. The Agricultural Gazette says" A correspon- dent has drawu our attention to a controversy which has appeared in a paper upon a proposal in favour of adding agriculture to the subjects of in- struction in the University College at Aberyst- wyth. At a meeting of the governors of the college, Mr Vaughan Davies proposed the addition referred to, and he was strongly sup- ported by other speakers, seme of whom referred to the good work done by the agricultural department of the North Wales University College at Bangor as worthy of imitation. Two of the Aberystwyth professors, Messrs Angus and Genese, opposed the proposal, on the ground that the science professors of the college could not teach agricultural science without neglecting their present work of preparing students for high examinations but by a large majority it was agreed to appoint a committee to consider the question. If the authorities at Aberystwyth do not choose to have agriculture taught in their college, it will be all the better for BaBgor, where a very complete system of agricultural education b as been established. But Aberystwytb is in the midst of an important agricultural district, and there appears to be a strong feeling among leading Mania the neigh- bourhood in favour of following ■ the example, of Bangor College." The Weather and the Crops. A Welsh correspondent writes to the Mark lane ExpressAfter about two days of broken weather, during which some very heavy rain fell, which has done no end of good to corn and green crops, warm, fine, sunshiny weather has set in. A large proportion of the early clover and rye-grass bad been cut and siace ying on the land during the rains; some had begun to lose its colour, but I now observe the carting is going forward rapidly. Turniareabout all sown, and about half the crop singled. Wheat is feathering into a good bind, and is in bloom, but the crop of straw will be mucfl lighter than last year. Parley is just out in ear, but has suffered con- siderably from the dry season. Oats are coming nicely out, and, like the barley, will cut up a roach lighter crop, in many instances not more than half the straw of last season. Cattle are heattbyand doing well. TradojjQt. quite eo