The Cardiff Times

CONGREGATIONAL CHURCHES. WESTMINSTER Wednesday. At the Welsh Church Commission to-day, Lord Justice Vaughan Williams presiding, the Rev. J. T. Rhys, Godreaman, chairman and secretary of the East Glamorgan English Congregational Union, who gave evidence yesterday with reference to the English Con- gregational churches affiliated to the South Wales English Congregational Union, was further examined by the Ven. Archdeacon Evans. Witness said he had taken his figures re communicants in those churches from the Congregational Handbook, 1907, and he main- tained that such figures were as accurate and reliable as it was possible to get them in a document of that kind. Upon this the Archdeacon called witness's attention to the fact that Mr Richard Martin. the Swansee. witness, had said that seven of the English churches in Swansea had made no return at all to the Year Book since 1904, and that in the case of 17 of the English churches in Western Glamorgan their figures in the 1907 Year Book were the same as in the 1904 Year Book and that in the case of 10 of these churches the figures in t>he 1907 book were identical with those in the 1905 Year Book. How, then, could the figures submitted by witness be accurate ? Witness said if there was any doubt he would be glad to make special inquiries with a view to testing the accuracy of tlyese figures. The Chairman said that witness had been called to speak for the English churches. For- tunately they were not dependent upon this witness for statistics. Examining the reports put in, the Arch- deacon pointed out that of 33 who bad left the English Congregational Church, Bargoed, during 1905, J9 had contributed to the church finances during that year. Was this not a high proportion ? It showed that the mem- bers had taken an active interest in the church up to the very moment they left. Rev. Morgan Gibbon Are you not proud of that fact ? Witness Certainly. Witness agreed that a fair proportion of those attending English chapels in Wales would be Welsh-speaking, but in Glamorgan- shire the proportion would not be so high as one-half. The Archdeacon said he had compared the membership in these English CongregAtional chapels in South Wales with the monoglot English population, and found the proportion to be as follow :—Carmarthen, 5*9 per cent. Cardigan and Pembroke, 6'5 per cent. Rad- nor and Brecon, 2'1 per cent. Glamorgan, 2'5 per cent. total, 3'8 per cent. The accom- modation provided in South WTales for Eng- lish monoglots by the strongest Nonconfor- mist church in Whales was equal only to accom- modation for 9*5 per cent. of the monoglot population. Witness Do you say that our denomination is the strongest in Wales ? Archdeacon Evans I think you will find that it works out so. Rev. Morgan Gibbon, describing witness as one who had specialised in temperance work, asked whether in that work he had the co operation of ministers of the Established Church. Witness said that he had received consider- able assistance from the Rev. W. A. Edwards, rector of Llangan the Rev. Mr Morris, vicar of Bettws Mr Green, vicar of Aberdare and the vicar of Hirwain- Monmouthshire Nonconformity. Mr D. Roger Evans, solicitor, Newport, was further examined with reference to the statis- tics he produced yesterday in relation to the Free Churches of Monmouthshire (excluding the county borough of Newport), which in 1901 had a population of 224,282. Excluding Roman Catholic churches and J ewish syna- gogues, the Free Churches provided accom- modation for 149,107 people as follow bap- tists, 57,910 Calvinistic Methodists, 19,010 Congregationalists, 31,650 Wesleyan, 23,050 other Free Churches, 17,487. During the last ten years the 410 churches comprised in this list had made the following financial contributions :—Buildings, £71,588; ministry, £31,750; missions, £3,064; chapel debts..E39.930 connexional objects. jE3,906 non-connexional objects. JE831. Witness spoke of the rapid development of Monmouthshire and the growth of population since 1851, and submitted statistics showing how the Free Churches had kept pace with that growth in the matter of accommodation. In 1851 Non- conformists had accommodation for 49'1 per cent. of the population. In 1906 tho percentage was 66'4 per cent. I n the Nonconformist Sunday schools were 37,194 scholars under 15 years of age over 15 years of age, 25,106 total, 62,300 teachers. 5,438 these in proportion to population being as follow :—Baptists, 10'9 per cent. Calvinis- tic Methodists. 2'8 per cent Congregational- ists, 5*7 per cent. Wesleyans, 4*4 per cent. others, 3'9 per cent. total, 27*9 per cent. The- proportion of members (or communicants) and adherents of different Nonconformist denominations to population were as follow Percentage ot Percentage ot Communicants. Adherents. Bapt if-ts. 8'6 16'5 Calvinistic .Methodists.. 2*2 5*0 Congregationalists 4*7 8*4 Wesleyans 2'2 5'1 Others IS 4'8 19-5 19.8 The total of Nonconformist communicants was given at 43,815, and adherents at 89,365. The population of Monmouthshire being largely Nonconformist, said witness, Noncon- formist influence naturally entered largely into the public life and administration of the county, the public bodies in most instances consisting of a majority of Free Churchmen. The Par- liamentary representatives of the county were all Nonconformists and in active sympathy with Free Church movements and aspira- tions. The Chairman said they might sympathise with the aspirations of the Socialists and suffragettes without necessarily agreeing with their operations. Witness said-he was quite prepared to sub- stitute the word aspirations for opera- tions." His personal experience in Mon- mouthshire had been that in districts where Nonconformity was weak the Established Church was correspondingly inactive and lethargic whilst in districts where energy and activity were shown by the Free Churches a far greater degree of life and energy was shown by the representatives of the Estab- lished Church, and a better and more har- monious relationship existed between the Free Church ministers and clergymen, and a greater degree of co-operation was seen in relation to. social matters and reforms. Examining the schedules upon which the statistics were based, the Chairman asked if three chapels were given in witness's returns with a total membership of 600, while those same chapels had also been included in the Brecon county evidence. Witness replied that he feared that was so. These churches were just on the border. The Chairman Then we must strike them out of your proof. Later witness said he had received no returns from some parishes, and he had to rely for information upon other sources. Still he maintained that the returns that he had received and had put in were absolutely accurate. The Chairman T have not had the good fortune to meet, in the course of this inquiry, with any returns that were absolutely correct, but it may be that Monmoi^hshire is an ex- ception. Still there is a return from Ebbw Vale, and the columns relating to ordained ministers, &c.. are not filled up. I cannot believe that Ebbw Vale is in such a condition that it has not a single ordained minister nor a lay preacher. Archdeacon Evans said witness put in no figures with respect to 41 out of 157 parishes in the county, thus indicating that in those 41 parishes, which had.a population of 6,839, there was no Nonconformist provision of any kind. All these parishes were on the eastern (or English) side of the county. Witness de.c!ine'I to accept the Archdeacon's proposition that there was an unreadiness on the part of large and thriving churches to assist weak churches. He was not aware of any such unreadiness, though there might be a difficulty in raising money in some churches. Aberdare Valley Evidence. Mr D. M. Richards. Aberdare. was the next witness, and he submitted evidence on behrtlf of the Free Churches in the Aberdare and Mountain Ash District Council areas, and the hamlet of Rhigos. The 1901 census gave the populations as follow :—Aberdare 43,365, Mountain Ash 31,093, Rhigos 939. In the Aberdare district there were 68 chapels with sittings for 34,238, or 79 per cent, of the popu- lation. In Mountain Ash there were 44 chapels with sittings for 22,739, or 73 per cent.; and in Rhigos two chapels with sittings for 500,or 53'5 per cent. The Nonconformist communicants were Aberdare 13,942,or 32'1 per cent. of the popula- tion Mountain Ash 8,534, or 27'4 per cent. Rhigos, 224, or 23-8 per cent. Witness emphasised the manner in which all the Nonconformist denominations in the district were providing for the growing needs of the population by erecting new chapels and extending old ones in places where the popula tion was growing. The Chairman But I take it that as things stand the Nonconformist sittings are enor- mously in excess of the user. You have pro- vided for 76 per cent. You don't suggest that that proportion of the population go to chapel at the same time. Witness thought the word enormously should be withdrawn. Most of the big chapels were crowded on Sunday evenings. True, some of the chapels in the centre of Aberdare were not so full, people preferring to use the chapels built in the ijew districts. Proceeding, witness said that the nearest Church of England to the hamlet of Rhigos was at Hirwain, three miles away. At Peny- waun. a small village between Aberdare and Hirwain, the only place of worship was a Con- gregational church, and such was the feeling of Christian brotherliness amorig Nonconfor- mists that there was no prospect of any other denomination building a chapel there. Non- conformists occupied ali parts of the valley. At Cwmdare,a village around theBwllfa Collieries, all the Nonconformist chapels were erected and the churches formed before the Church of England had made any provision for worship in the place. All the chapels there had been repeatedly enlarged as the congregations in- creased. Witness referred also to Cwmaman, Abercwm- boi, Abernant, Tresalem, Cwmbacb, and added —" In ficto wherever a pit is sunk and a population gathers around it, sqrnc or all of the Nonconformist denominatTons at once make provision for the spiritual needs of the residents by holding cottage prayer meetings, and branch Sunday schools in cottages, these efforts being followed by the erection of schoolrooms or small chapels, which are enlarged as the church and congregation grow and the popula- tion around increase." The Chairman Do children attend chapel three times on Sundays in Wales ? It seems rather a full day for them if they do. Witness said that his experience was that that was so. Very many parents took their children to chapel for the evening services, much to the discomfort of the preacher and everybody else. (Laughter.) The Chairman (laughing) I should-think so: Witness showed what the Congregationalists had done ai Mountain^Ysh as an illustration of what had been done by other denominations also.

G.O.M. OF GOLF. Golfers at! over the world will regret the death of Tom Morris, the doyen of professional golfers. "Old Tom," as he was affectionately called,was within a few weeks of his 87th birth- day, and all his life was connected with the links. He had a magnificent record. He won the open championship four ti:n s, in 1861 with a score of 163 in 1862 with 163 in 1864 with 160 and in 1867 with a score of 170. In his' great match with Willie Park, which was played over Prestwick, Musselburgh, North Berwick, and St.* Andrew's links, he beat his opponent on each green, and won the match,.going out i ) Mr Tom Morris. at the second hole on St. Andrew's green. One of his greatest matches was that in which he and his brother George played Willie and Da v-id Park 36 holes. Tom and his brother were not one hole up the whole way until they won the match at the last hole. Tom declared he was a golfer from his sixth year,when he b< gan to toddle about at the short holes wi' a putter under my airm." Of Willie Park he said, He was a splendid driver and putter. I've been neither, yet I managed to beat him."

A "BRUTAL MURDER. The Meurthe-et- Moselle Assize Court has just condemned an agricultural labourer, named Huraux, to death for murdering an old woman ty striking her with a hammer 22 times. Mme. Balosse,the victim,was 81 years of acre, and lived at Eulmont. She was wealthy, and Hura,ux,who had spent his childhood with her, was familiar with her habits. He entered the house by making a hole in the rOof..The old woman, wakened by the noise, offered the man money not to kill her. But he ignored her appeals, and struck her with a hammer until the breath left her body. He tried to open a secretaire, where Mrne. Balosse had JE2,000 in notes and money, but did not succeed. He then ransacked the house, hi; booty consisting of E6 in money, two sheets, three shirts, and a handkerchief, which he sold to a dealer in Nancy. He was arrested next day. An attempt was made to prove that Huraux was a degenerate, but the jury returned an affir- ntative verdict without extenuating circum- stances, and he was condemrfbd to death.

WHITSUNTIDE OX TH 4 CONTINENT.1 Return tickets at reduced rite-4 available for eight days will be issued to Brussels via Har- wich and Antwerp. Passengers leaving Lon- don in the evening reach Brussels next morn- ing after a comfortable night's rest on board the steamer. For visiting The Hague Scheveningen (The Dutch Brighton) and Amsterdam for th" cities *>t the Zuyder Zee, special facilities are offered, via. the Great; I Eastern Railway Company's British Royal Mail Harwich-Hook of Holland route. From the Hook or Holland through carriages and restaurant cars run on the express trains to ¡ Cologne, Bale, and Berlin..

Baptists at Llanstephan. DENOMINATIONAL EFFICIENCY. Principal Roberts's Appeal. TOTAL ABSTINENCE AND CHURCH MEMBERSHIP. The annual meetings,of the Carmarthenshire and Cardiganshire Welsh Baptist Association were held at Bethany, Llanstephan, on Wednesday, under the presidency of Mr J. Lewis, Ammanford. Principal Roberts, Aberystwyth, president of the Welsh Baptist Union, attended and appealed for co-operation in the effort of the Welsh Union to bring all the denominational affairs, for the sake of greater efficiency, into the hands of the proposed Union Council. He spoke of the great advantage which would accure. from the appointment of such a Council. The principal referred to home and foreign mission work, and said greater effort was required. More young men left the Scotch colleges for the missionary field in proportion to the number from Wales, and he attributed this to the more efficient education which had been given in Scotland. He ex- pected great things from the Baptist Young People's Guilds which had been recently formed, and he advised all these guilds to study during the winter months some book dealing with the history of the denomination. The Temperance Committee's report, pre- sented by the Rev. Trevor Jones, Lianelly, rejoiced at the introduction of the Licensing Bill. The committee requested the association to induce the churches to establish a Temper- ance Sunday, with special temperance sermon at annual meetings, and also called upon the churches to discourage the practice of giving beer at auction sales. Mr .T. LEWIS, Ammanford, the President. (Symonds, Llandudno.) Rev. J. Herbert, Penygroes, seconded the adoption of the report. Rev. Hugh Jones, Lianelly, supporting, said there -was urgent need to do away with grocers' licences. He rejoiced that 90 per cent. of the ministers in Wales were total abstainers, and he wished for an equal proportion of abstainers amongst their deacons. He regretted that out of 113 churches only 34 returned the circular letter sent out asking the percentage of abstainers in the diaconate. One encouraging sign was that the deacons recently appointed were all. total abstainers, and he wished he could say the same of the old ones. Rev. R. H. Jones, Llangcndeirne, thought ft would have been better had the circular letter been sent to the secretaries of the churches instead of the ministers, as he did not think it was a pleasant task to face the diaconate on such a pertinent question from the pulpit, Mr John Thomas, Lianelly, described grocers' licences as the curse of the country, Mr T. Conwil Evans, Carmarthen, said he was sorry that the ministers had so little influence with the diaconate. It struck him that the Gospel was not being preached as it should. It was the minister's duty to preach against other evils than that of drink. The recommendations of the committee were eventually adopted. There was again an animated discussion at the afternoon meeting on the drink question. Last year the association at their meeting recommended that the opinion of the various churches be sought on the question of total abstinence and church membership Of the 10 definite replies now received the Secretary (Rev. Henry Evans, Penrhyngoch) reported that one was against insisting upon all church members being total abstainers. Mr J. Hinds, London, said he was not ashamed 1 o say that the dissentient church was Castle-street, London, who had passed a resolution to the effect that whilst they were in sympathy with a movement of that charac- ter, and rejoiced at the awakening on this im- portant question, thevrespectfully declined to approve of the stand suggested to be taken, as they considered it interfered with the indepen- dence of the churcbe#^according to the consti- tution of the denomination. Every church, he claimed, was self-constituted as to who they receive or reject as members. Rev. John Job, Aberporth, exhorted them to move cautiously in this matter. Mr John Lewis, Meiros Hall, said that if they insisted upon excluding buyers of drink from church membership as well as sellers they must all become total abstainers. (Laugh- ter.) The recommendation was too drastic. Rev. Trevor Jone}> Lianelly. moved that, with a view to takirig something definite back to their churches, they recommend all churches to exclude in future all persons seek- ing membership who are connected with the licensing trade. If the husband, he said, was' the holder of a licence, let them refuse him membership, and if the wife was the holder they should similarly deal with her. After further discussfon the motion-was car- ried. There were a few dissentients. The President, in a stirring address, dwelt upon the responsibility of the church to adapt itself to new conditions. Innocent Welsh Girl's Peril. Mr J. Hind, London, referring to church transfers, urgod that in cases where people were leaving for London the secretaries of various churches should acquaint the secre- taries of the churches to which they intended going of their depatrure and their prospective lodgings: He referred to a recent case where but for the intervention of the police an inno- cent Welsh girl would have been taken to a brothel.

TO HOLD 10,000 PEOPLE. BIG-HALL PROJECT AT CARDIFF. At a meeting of the Cardiff Property Com- mittee onWednesday, Sir William Crossman p re- siding, the sub-committee reported rega rding the request of the Glamorgan County Associa- tion under ->■ the Territorial Forces Act for two and a half acres ofland in Cathays Park for drill hall purposes. The sub-committee re- commended that the Council should sell two and a half acres to the association for £7,500, which was based on the amount paid by the Glamorgan County Council for one acre, or lease the land for 75 years at E300 a year,which was equal to 4 per cent. on the capital expen- diture. Councillor Caple said he did not regard the terms as quite as favourable as the County Association had expected. It was true that the Glamorgan County Council provided rate- able value, but they did not provide a real public convenience, as the drill hall would do, for it would be so built as to provide accom- modation for 10,000 people, and could he used for public meetings. He felt that so long as the Corporation lost nothing- they should not at- tempt to make anything on the building. If the Corporation paid only 3 per cent. on the purchase money they should not charge the County Association more than that. The City Engineer pointed out that the land cost £ 4,800 per acre. Councillor Caple said. in reply to Councillor Tavlor, that the County Association would have to go to the War Office for the money, and it would be really in the nature of Im- perial expenditure. The recommendation of the sub-committee was adopted, and the matter will come up at the next meeting of the Council.

VALUE OF LICENCES. Compensation at Newport. The Newport Li censingAuthority met onWed- nesday,when the cases of the SouthWales Rail- way Tavern beerhouse, Albert House.terrace (Messrs Phillips and Sons) the Ship and Castle, Canal-parade: and the Royal Arms, Llanarth-street low nsr, Mr G. P. Cobb, Here- ford) were dealt with. Mr A. J. Stevens pre- sided. In regard to the first house Mr H. S. Lyne stated that it was given up voluntarily by Messrs Phillips and Sons and was referred for compensation by the authority. He called Mr J. W. Hunt, who stated that the house was not suitable for the trade, and, further, that. there was no need for" it.The total compensation value was £1,259 9s. The Bench refused the licence, and fixed compensation at this figure. In the case of the Ship and Castle, which Mr Hunt said was an old-fashioned house with a small trade in a neighbourhood whose popula- tion was decreasing, the total compensation valuation was il.587 2s. The Bench gave their decision in accordance with Mr Hunl's valua- tion. The Royal Arms. Llanarth-street, was ob- jected to on the grounds of redundancy. Mr Lyndon Moore said he represented the mort- gagees, who had lent £ 5,000 on this property. The Bench said that an extraordinary propor- tion of spirits was alleged to have been sold. M) Moore suggested that the compensation value should be given at not less than £ 3,000. The Bench, after retirincr, refused the licence, and fixed the compensation value at £2.386 4s 6d—the valuation recommended by Mr Hunt.

On Wednesday morning the French steamer Houcau and the ss. ¡'ho came into collision in the entrance channel at Swansea, the former j immediately afterwards, as the result, bump- ing into the dsedger Abertawe. Neither of the steamers was sufficiently injured to render it necessary to put back, but the dredger sus- tained slight damage to her stokehole.

1,500 Men to Cease Work SENGHENYDD NON-UNIONISTS. MOUNTAINSIDE MASS MEETING. Work will be suspended on Saturday next at the Universal Collieries, Senghenydd, where about 1,500 men are employed. This decision was arrived at on Wednesday night at a mass meeting held on the mountainside at Seng- henydd. The question of the non-Unionists at this colliery has several times previously cropped up. Notices have been tendered and subsequently withdrawn, but on the 1st of the present month another attempt was made to bring about the desired reform. Hard work has been done by the local committee during the past few weeks, and oft Wednesday night a mass meeting was held to hear a report on the state of affairs. There was an unusually large attendance, over which Mr Tom Andrews pre- sided. — At the outset of the meeting a vote was taken as to the place of holding their annual demonstration, the voting being as follows:- For Chepstow, il Barry, 69 Penarth. 6. On the non-Unionists' question the com- mittee reported that there were at present at the colliery 134 non-Unionists, 84 in arrears ana 63 without transfer cards. Since the notices were tendered 117 had joined the Union. I The Chairman said it would now be abso- lute madness for the men to withdraw from the fight they had started upon, If they did they would for ever abandon any hope of settling this difficulty. He believed that there was going to be a fight to a finish. He was sorry that this should be forced upon them. The battle was not between the men and the company, but between the workmen them- selves. The company were loyal to their own Union, and this should stimu- late the men to emulate their action. If they were going to stop on Saturday next— and he hoped they would do so—they would set themselves the task of making a clean sweep. He pointed out that the men would receive financial aid from the central fund. He was, however, fully satisfied that if the men all stuck together they would have every non-Unionist into line within a few days. Mr Jenkins then referred to the practice which was in vogue at the colliery of summon- ing men to attend at the colliery office in the event of an injury so as to be medically examined. This was decidedly illegal, and a man who was injured had the perfect right to refuse, as such examination should be done at the homes of the men. It was not only unfair but out of all reason. A motion was then carried protesting against this practice, and the men pledged themselves to ignore such requests if made in the future. It was proposed, seconded, and carried unanimously that the men reqlllin out until all the non-Unionists join the Federation.

lLIFEBOA T INSTITUTION Successful Reports from Wales. The annual meeting of the West of England District of the Royal National Lifeboat Insti- tution (Lifeboat Saturday Fund) was held on Wednesday at the Guildhall, Bristol. Mr Henry Anstey presided, and there were pre- sent Mrs Lewis. Pontypridd, Messrs W. Lovering Bate, R. W. L. Bass, Noel Methley, D. L. Howe, and C. E. Thompson, Bristol J. Harvey and W. Tarr, Swansea; Colonel Petty and Mr R. Leyshon, Cardiff Mr A..T. Phillips, Newport Mr J. R. Roberts, organis- ing secretary; and Mr Herbert C. Solomon, Swansea, district secretary. The District Committee reported that £2,512 135 2d had been remit! ed to the Central Com- mittee by the towns in the district, which was an increase of £68a over the previous year, and the highest amount sent since the establishment of the fund. The Central Committee had been able to hand over £20,686 lis lOd towards the special objects of the fund. During the year the institut on granted rewards for saving 1,156 lives, making a total of 47,345 since the insti- tution was established. The committee desired to thank the Right Hon. the Earl of Plymouth, who had acted as president of this district for five years, and during that time had collected no less than jE419 10s 5d for the lifeboatmen. The highest amounts received from towns during the past year were as follow :—Bristol JE635, Swansea JE320, Cardiff £225. Swindon £210, Newport .t121. Gloucester £110, Exeter JE90, Pontypool £79178 3d, Taunton £78, West of England president's appeal JE64 10s 6d, Plymouth £63 10s, Aberavon and Port Talbot £47 12s 2d, Chippenham jE45, Llanelly £10, Weston-super-Mare JE26 lls 7d, Frome jE24 lis. 6d, Pembroke Dock £ 20 18s lOd, Milford Haven £20. The Chairman, in moving the adoption of the report, said Bristol. Newport, Cardiff, Swindon, and Swansea had done remarkably well. Colonel Petty (Cardiff) seconded, and the report was adopted. Mr J. R. Roberts, one of the organising sec- retaries, gave a brief outline of the work in the district. At Swansea their friends were deter- mined to make a great effort this year. Thpre was unabated interest, at Newport, and Aber- dare and Merthyr were doing well. They were glad to see Mrs Lewis, the representative of Pontypridd, present that day, who had done splendid work. (Applause.) The Rhondda Valley towns promised well. The following were elected on the Central Committee to represent the districtMr H. Anstey, Bristol Mr Noel T. Methley, Bristol Colonel Petty, Cardiff Mr A. J. PhilJips, New port and Mr W. Tarr, Swansea. The Earl of Plymouth was re-elected president, and Mr Solomon secretary. The District Secretary (Mr H. G. Solomon, Swansea), in his report, stated that the village scheme was in hand, and 17 villages had made their collections and jE34 had been received. The Earl of Plymouth's appeal had again been sent out, and the replies justified the hope that last year's sum of JE64 would be equalled this year. The towns in West Wales which he now worked west of Cardiff would, he thought, be very satisfactory this year. Swansea had obtained jE46 from the vice-president's appeal, and the ladies would canvass all the works on pay day, and the Mumbles -Pier would he used for a gala on July 16th. At Aberavon Mr Barry had been very successful in the past, and would have a town's. meeting in that town in a few weeks. At Llanelly Mr Spowart, the town clerk, had again kindly promised to organise a collection in November. Milford Haven and Haverfordwest would operate in August. Neath has not had any demonstra- tion for some years, only a schools' collection, but he was hoping to obtain the Mayor's sup- port and obtain a larger sum than in previous years. Aberystwyth last year did not appear in the list of towns contributing, but the town clerk had promised his help this year, and advantage will be taken of the summer visitors in August. Next month he proposed to visit the small towns and villages in Carmarthen- shire, Cardiganshire, Radnorshire, and Brecon- shire. Mr W. Tarr. Swansea, proposed that the next annual meeting be held at Plymouth, and the suggestion was referred to a sub- committee. Colonel Petty, speaking for the Cardiff branch. said he must apologise for the posi- tion Cardiff was holding, and he took that opportunity of congratulating his friends from Swansea on the great work they had done. At the present time Cardiff had not done very much, hut what they had done was greater than they did for the previous year. Now they had a large number of workers. They had ar ladies' auxiliary of 160, and a similar number of men who had undertaken work on the Executive Committee. He might men- tion the great interest taken by their worthy Lord Mayor of Cardiff and the Lady Mayoress, his daughter. With regard to what Cardiff would do this year, it w. iuld give the com- mittee an agreeable surprise at the end of the financial year. (Applause.) They had about £250 to the good for this year, and last year they had only £225 for the whole year. They ha recently organised appeals to the captains of the ships with much success. (Applause.)

THE HAVERFORDWEST RELAY OFFICE. PROPOSJED REMOVAL At the quarterly meeting of the Haverford- west Town Council on Tuesday night, Mr Isaiah Reynolds brought forward the question of the proposed removal of the Relay Office from Haverfordwest, and proposed that the Council co municate with the loealauthorities in the South of Ireland as to the best course to be adopted. He had been given to understand on the best authority that it was absolutely necessary to get a station to repeat the current in order to efficiently despatch the messages. He was told that it was a matter of great dimculty to send messages of any great length without a repeat current, as difficult as to send the River Cleddau to Precelly's top without pumping stations. It was said that the sluing of a letter was often is the tail, and the end of the letter from the Postmaster General, it was said that" in any case. I could not give an undertaking to keep the relay office at Haverfordwest if it be found to the advantage of the service to place it elsewhere." They could not find fault with any department for advocating economy, but economy and efficiency should go together. He was told that the instruments in the Relay Office were of the most delicate nature, requiring special training to work them efficiently. If the office was removed to Cardiff, and worked there by the existing staff, th"re would be less efficiency, because there would be con- siderabJe delay in transmitting the messages. The office in Haverfordwest was in the very best geoograpliical position for messages between England and Ireland. He thought the best course for Haverfordwest to take was to call the attention of the local authorities at Watc-rford, Limerick, and Cork to the matter. To maintain the station at Haverfordwest was not only of pecuniary ad- vantage to the town, but was of national im- portance. Mr Herbert Geo. Llewellin seconded, and the resolution was carried. ( Lowest Death Rate on Record. Dr. Brigstocke, said the deaths in the past quarter were equivalent to an annual death rate of 10'92. and the lowest death rate for the first quarter of the year. when the mortality was unusually high, that he had ever recorded.

Ancient Court Rolls. THE WYE FISHERY DISPUTE. Freeholders' Claim Resisted. In the Court of Appeal on Wednesday, be- fore the Master of the Rolls and Lord Justices Buckley and Kennedy, the case was resumed in regard to fishing rights in the river Wye. The matter had been before Mr Justice Neville in the court below, when the Earl of Chesterfield and Dame Alice Madeline Foster sought an injunction in the action of Chester- field and another v. Harris and another, to restrain the defendants from fishing in certain parts of the Wye. Mr Justice Neville refused the injunction, also one for trespass, consider- ing the defendants had established their right to fish. Against this the plaintiffs appealed. Mr Upjohn, K.C., Mr Methold, and Mr S. Moore appeared for the appellants, and for the respondents Mr Levett, K.C., Mr Micklem, K.C., and Mr J. G. Woods. Mr Micklem con- tended there was a grant incorporating the freeholders, and the evidence was that the Court must presume that that had happened. Replying to their Lordships, MrMicklem said some years ago Sir Humphrey Hoskyns must have been acquainted with the right claimed to be exercised on behalf of the freeholders, because he was steward of the manor to the preceding owner. Sir Humphrey must have known that the freeholders of the Hundred of Wormelow had for years exercised their right uncontested. The Master of the Rolls If there be a Lord of the Manor of Ballingham, docs Lord Chesterfield claim it ? Mr Upjohn Yes, but there are no court rolls. There are court rolls for Bolston dated 1514. There is also a Royal grant by Henry VIII., after the dissolution of the monasteries. Then there ig also the Royal grant to the Scudamores. The Court roll of 1§27 relates to the tenant of the mill who had the right of free fishing. We have a number of pld grants dating from 1216, but no Court roll. Originally the grant was made to the Devereauxs, who conveyed it to the Monastery of St. Guthrie. Afterwards the King, when the monasteries were dissolved, made a lease to John ap Rice, of Bellingham. The Master of the Rolls: I think,Mr Upjohn, we will hear that in your reply. it is very in- teresting. Mr Micklem said the Wormelow Manor was the high road to Wales in ancient days, when warfare was at its height, and the English and the Welsh were so bitterly opposed. The evidence, he contended, was against the claim of the appellants, the right of nshing by the freeholders having been exercised for years. He submitted that the decision of the learned judge below should be upheld. Mr Upjohn submitted that the Earl and Mrs Foster had clearly established their title to the land a.nd the fishing. The learned counsel was still speaking when the Court again adjourned.

HEADLONG DOWN THE SHAFT. One Kilted and Four Injured at Mountain Ash. On Saturday night a serious accident occurred at the new upcast shaft that is being sunk at Messrs Nixon's Navigation Colliery, Mountain Ash. The walling stage was in the act of being lowered into its proper position when something went wrong with the crab," which resulted in the staging descending with terrific force to the bottom of the shaft, which has been carried to a depth of about 50 yards. There were five men on the stage, two of whom were seriously injured, the other three escaping with very little hurt. William McGee, of 20, New-street, Abercwmboi, and William Evans, Duffrvn-street, Mountain Ash, suffered most. McGee, a single man, 41 yeras of age, had severe concussion and died early on Snnday. The deceased .is a stranger in the district, and only started work at these sinking operations a week ago. He is thought to be a nati ve of Durham, but his exact address is not known. The injured men were attended by Dr. McCarthy. Wm. McGee, who died as the result of in- juries received by falling from a stage in the new up-cast shaft at Nixon's Colliery, Moun- tain Ash, on Saturday, was a native of Scotby, near Carlisle, and a brother of Tom McGee, a professional champion wrestler of his day, about 30 years ago. Mr Rhys, district coroner, held an inquest at the Mountain Ash Police Station to-day on Wm. McGee, aged 41, sinker, who sustained injuries at Messrs Nixon's Navigation, Moun- tain Ash, on Saturay evening, and succumbed' early on Sunday morning at the Cottage Hos- pital. David Price, sinker, said he was working on the same shift as McGee. There were six on the platform when the accident occurred. He shouted Short stage quietly," and they were lowered about eight yards. When it was re- lowered the second time the staging ran wild, and when ascending it tilted sideways, and McGee lost his footing and fell off. John \V lliams, foreman engineman, said that it was his duty to overlook the engine at the linking pit.. He examined it about 10 iri the morlriing'. and it was then alt right aitd ih good order. He was on < he spot about half an hour after the accident, and found two pins, a tooth of the cog-wheel, and the shaft of the engine out of position. He did not detect any flaws in the metal. A verdict of Accidental death, caused hv the breaking of the engine," was returned. No blame attached to anyone. Abertridwr Man's Terrible Death. A shocking accident occurred at the Windsor Colliery, Abertridwr, on Sunday. John Hughes, 42, residing *at King-street, Abertridwr, had descended the pit for the purpose of making repairs. The deceased, with two other men, was alighting at the landing in the pit, when by some means he slipped. His companions heard a scream, and subsequently found his remains at the pit bottom. The deceased had fallen a depth of 45 feet. He leaves a widow and six children. At the vestry of the Welsh Methodist Chapel, Abertridwt:, on Tuesday,- Mr D. Rees (dis- trict coroner) held an inquest touching the death of John Hughes (42), of Kimr-street, Abertridwr, wh6 was killed at the Windsor Colliery on Sunday by falling down the shaft. Mr F. Gray (inspector of mines), Mr Treharne Rees (manager of the colliery), and Mr Hubert Jenkins (miners' agent) were present. Edmund Norman,head sinker at the colliery, ( said deceased and five others were engaged at the work of putting hoops around the pit. The shaft was 602 yards deep. The work was in progress about 24ft. above the 4ft. landing There was a space of 2ft. 3in. from the ca«e to the landing. The men were all perfectly sober, and there was plenty of light from, nine lamps. After reaching the landing the men would remain in the cage for a while be- fore stepping off in order to get accustomed to the light. Mr Gray Would it not be better to go down to the bottom of the pit in the cajge and then reascend to the needed point on the top of the cage? Norman: We have got off the cage hundreds of times in the same manner as we did on Sun- day. Charles Baldwin said he descended the shaft with the deceased. Witnesff was the first to jump off, and Robert Belton got off on the other side. The deceased was going to get off on the east side, but he did not actually see him do so. He heard a scream and missed deceased. The cage was lowered, and they found him at the bottom. In answer to Mr Gray, witness agreed that if the cage was taken to the bottom and a flap door at the top cf the cage used it might pre- vent a similar accident. He did not think that the deceased was under the impression he w."s at the bottom of the shaft. He had either stepped too far or not far enough to the land- ing. By Mr H. Jenkins The cage was quite Steady when they jumped off. Belton said he jumped off and a man named Nash fallowed. The latter then went to show light to the deceased. He next heard a shout, when the deceased missed his footing. He also heard another shout as the deceased alighted at the bottom. He could not coincide in the suggestion made by Mr Gray, as there would be a greater danger by the flap at the top of the carriage being open. Mr F. Gray But, my dear man. the flap would be closed down after passing through. A verdict of Accidental death was re- turned.

POINTS FOR FREE TRADE. The Injustice of Food Taxes. The food taxes which the Tariff Reformers propose are cruel and unjust in the extreme, because their incidence is necessarily against the poor. In 1904 the Hoard of Trade carefully investi- gated the proportion of income spent on food by various classes of wage-earners. They found that expenditure on food worked out thus, taking a large number of cases in each class Weekly Amount spent Per cent. of wages Income. on food. spent on food. s. d. s. d. 21 4 14 4 67-2 31 11 20 9 65-0 52 0 29 8 57-0 Thus to the family with 52s a week, taxing food means taxing 57 per cent. of the income. To the family with 31s a week food taxes are harder still in this case they tax 65 per cent. of the income. But it is the poorest who are worst hit. The family with 21s a week-spends 14s 4d on food, or 67*2 per cent, of the income. On the other hand. the family with JE500 a year feels food taxation very slightly. To them it matters little whether bread is 5d or 8d a loaf. Finally, to the man of thousands it is a matter of indifference whether food be taxed or not. while the revenue of the food tax lowers the income tax. When, therefore, the Tariff "Reformers talk of broadening the basis of taxation." what they really mean is putting taxes on the poor and relieving the rich, who are best able to bear taxation.—Mr L. G. Chiozza Money, M.P., in the Daily News."

DR. KILMER'S SWAMP-ROOT is an effective Cure for Kidney, Bladder, and Liver Troubles. Free Sample and Book- let. by addressing Dr. Kilmer & Co., 19, St. Bride- street, London. KC.

Merthyr School Children. NEW INSPECTOR'S FIRST REPORT. A Disduieting Statement. Dr. Asking, the recently appointed Medical Inspector of Schools for Merthyr Tydfil, pre- sented his fir si report to the Schools Manage- ment Committee on Wednesday evening. The report covered three of the Council schools. Of 283 children examined, 73 had defective eyesight, 87 suffered from diseases of the skin, 37 from diseases of the ear causing deafness, 57 from diseases of the throat and nose, four from diseasa of the heart, seven from anaemia. while 10 were mentally deficient and epileptic, and four deformed. About 95 per cent. of the children offered from defective teeth, and these were, in the larger number of cases, the second or permanent teeth. The percentage of defective eyesight and skin disease wa3 greater than that in most, schools where medical inspection was carried out. Dr. Askins said thAt he had a list of 30 cliildreh who had been away from school for periods vary- ing from one to ten months, suffering from skin disease, and all of these were cases which, if properly treated, could have been cured in a week or 14 days at most. The question of defective eyesight was, he said, a very serious one, and at present/the poorer classes had no means of obtaining a remedy. Dr. Askins said that he had met a large number of parents, and had found them glad to get advice about their children's health, ant he had discovered that many of the children reported upon had now been given pioper medical attention. In some of the worst cases, he had made arrangements fof the children to go to Cardiff for operations. Mining Scholarships. The committee also received a letter from the Glamorgan County Council relative to students in the borough attending the Glamorgan Summer Mining School and tour- ing parties, and decided to offer 15 scholar- ships, of the value of three guineas each, the teachers of mining and engineering classes to be desired to Dominate the most successful students.

LEFT IT TO HIS LORDSHIP. Amusing Incident at Pembrokeshire Assizes. Lord Coleridge resumed his sitting at the Pembrokeshire Assizes on Wednesday, when the action brought by Allen, Anderson and Co., of Gla'sgow, against John Pettit, trawler owner, of Milford Haven, upon a bill of ex- change for £210, assigned on December 12th, 1906, and the counter-claim by the defendant for JE356 19s, again occupied the Judge and a special j ury. The claim was admitted, so that the only matter in dispute was the counter- claim which Mr Pettit made. Mr Richards (London) was for the plaintiffs, and Mr Sam- son, Haverfordwest, for the defendant. The first witness on Wednesday was Fdwin Manners, manager for Allen, Anderson and Co., who built the Neyland for Mr Pettit. Colin Housten, an engineer of 40 years' ex- perience, said there was nothing defective in the material of the ring supplied. The spring had been blocked up with ice and dirt, and that had caused the breakage. Cross-examined, witness said that was not a part of the machinery that required overhauling fre- quently. Henry Clarke Reid, consulting engineer and surveyor, Glasgow, also said that the material of the broken ring was good and sound. Wm. Henry Yardly, general manager of Princep's. said Mr Lockwood waS now a member of his firm. The patent had now run out, and anyone could make the ring. The ring supplied by his firm and that sup- plied by Lockwood and Carlyle were the same, i although the details were different. j His Lordship ruled that the piston ring was supplied under the contract, which ruled out ( the demurrage and the profits. He said that if the damage was due to defective material and not neglect Mr Pettit would be entitled to re- cover £31 13s 5d, the expense to which he had been put. The jury retired, and were over an hour considering their verdict. On their return the foreman (Mr S. J. Watts Williams) said they were agreed that there was a contract for Lockwood and Car- lyle's rings, but that this actual make was not supplied. They left the damages in his Lord- ship's hands. (Laughter.) His Lordship But that will be trespassing upon your province. (Laughter.) I diseuss«» the question of damage with you. and I pointed out that in the event of your findirg- ae you have found-the contract was brrken for the supply of these particular castings, that the damages would work out at JN. 173 5d. If, on the other hand, the damage was caused by the neglect to keep it in proper order, there is no damage. The jury again retired to comider the amount of damages. Mr Richards intimated that he was quite content to leave thq. question of iamages in his Lordship's hands. His Lordship said that if he trespassed on I the province of the jury the-vffdict might be uptset. •' Mr Richards .I would be easy to upset a verdict Of this juryT (TAughter.) The jurv afterwards found»°r the defendant (Mr Pettit), 13l 13s 5d dam^ees. Mr Richards submitted that there was no evidence of any defects and if there was, it was covered by the agreements. He asked for a stay of execution. Judgment was giv<n for the plaintiff for JE21016s 4d, with injorest, and for the de- fendant on his counter-claim for E31 13s 5d with costs. Stay a execution was granted.

A FAMOUS MUSICIAN. Mr William Ganz, whose diamond juMiee concert took place on Tuesday, is one of the most decorated musicians in the world. He has been awarded the Franz Josef Order by the Emperor of Austria, the Prussian Order of the Red Eao by the German Emperor, the Order of the Si*e-Coburg family, and the Swedish Order of Wasa, besides countless minor decora- tions. He has been 1 he means of introducing a grmt number of famous musicians at these ■ n concerts. The most famous of all, Mme. Melba, sang first for him as Miss Nellie Armstrong' When Mr Ganz heard her rendering of a song from La Traviata he realised that a great singer had appeared, and mentioned the fact to Carl Rosa, the chief impresario of those days. Rosa made a note of an appointment with Melba on his shirt cuff. Carl Rosa fortcot to keep his promise, and Melba, in her indigna- tion, vowed never to have anything to do with him again.

GRIM JOKE OF A SHERIFF. The foreign element in the principal coal- mining district of Pennsylvania partiripated in a novel sort of entertainment yesterday. The Sheriff of Pottsville invited Russians, Italians* j Hungarians, Scandinavians, and Lithuanians^— 500 in all—to witness the execution of Feli* Radzius, a young Pole convicted of the brutal j murder of a woman and child six months ago. 4 The coAvict walked on the scaffold in full view of the motley gathering, the guests all jabber- ing like magpies in tongues just as inteUigible. For one moment Radzius gazed at the sea of blanched, upturned faces. Then he devoted his attention to his prayers, while his arms and legs were being pinioned, and the cap drawn over his eyes. When all was over the company Pled out of the prison yard sufficiently over- awed to be speechless.

PEMBROKE C.C. ELECTION. First Poll for Hakin. Polling took place at the National Sehoolfc Milford Haven, on Wednesday for the elec tion of a member on the Pembrokeshire County Council for the newly-created Hakin Division t of Milford. The contest was not fought oil party lines, and the result was an easy victory for Colonel Roberts, who is a Conservative leader and Churchman, but popular with all classes. The returning officer, Mr Matthias Thomas, Tenby, declared Hhe figures from the Council Chamber as follow :— Col. W. R. Roberts 234 Dr. T. B. P. Davies 125 Majority. 109

FIVE DAYS IN A FIELD. MISSING CHILDREN f-OUND. The missing Gloucester children. Jack anti, Charlie Vaughan. whose mysterious disappear* ance last Saturday has caused a great amount of trouble, were found on Wednesday morning by a working-man in a field of clover close tc the city, and in the same district in wbirh they disappeared. They are said to be in sO extremely feeble state. The news was by telephone at about eight o'clock at tbe volice station by Deputy Chiel'Constable H»f' rison, who with other officers forthwith pr0* ceeded Lo the place.