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OLD AGE PENSIONS.
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OLD AGE PENSIONS. Mr Lloyd George's Speech CONTRIBUTORY SCHEME REJECTED. Sliding Scale Basis. GOVERNMENT OPEN TO CONVICTION. INFIRMITY AND AGE LIMIT. In the House of Commons on Monday, Mr LLOYD GEORGE, in moving the second reading of the Old Age Pensions Bill, said the scheme which the Government put forward was necessarily incomplete. They had never professed that it was complete, or that it dealt with the whole problem. It was purely a first step. It was necessarily an experiment, and it must be considered by the House as such. He also wished to point out that those who criticised most severely the dis- qualifications which the Government had in- troduced were in the main those who were op- posed to the principle of the payment of old age pensions by the State. Therefore, he ad- vised his hon. friends to look very cautiously at those criticisms. (Hear, hear.) The first general criticism which had been made against the Bill was that it was a non-contri- butory one. He was not sure that that was not the meaning of the amendments of Mr Harold Cox and Lord R. Cecil—those two anarchist leaders. (Laughter and cheers.) He (the Chancellor of the Exchequer) de- murred altogether to the division of schemes between contributory and non-contributory. While commodities were taxed, there could be no such thing as a non contributory scheme, because the State exacted a contribution from every man in the land in one way or another. Therefore, when a scheme was financed out of public funds it was just as much a contribu- tory scheme as any scheme arranged on the German or any other basis. Again, a work- man who by his labour had added to the nation's wealth had already made his con- tribution. It was also a rather remarkable thing that most social reformers who had taken up the question of old age pensions had, on mature consideration, abandoned all con- tributory schemes on the ground that they were unequal in their treatment of the work- ing classes, cumbersome and expensive, and in a country like ours hopelessly impracticable. He reminded the House that Mr Chamberlain was at first in favour of a Contributory Scheme, but ultimately abandoned all idea of it, and Mr Chamberlain's Committee after full inquiry was unable to recommend any contributory scheme. Practically all parties and groups in the House with one or two exceptions had given up the contributory idea, but there had been a revival of it. The more he considered it the more clearly it was seen that there were insuperable difficulties in the way. A con- tributory scheme would practically exclude the women of the. country from its benefits. The majority of working men were unable to deflect from their weekly earnings a sufficient sum of money to make an adequate provision for old age in addition to the provision they were now mak- ing for sickness, infirmity, and unemployment. The fact that so many of the working class had provided against sickness and unemploy- ment was in itself proof that they would have provided for old age if it were possible to do so with State assistance. (Hear, hear.) With reference to the suggestion that the Govern- ment scheme would Be far more equitable if they had a sliding scale in place of a fixed income limit, he said the Government had an open mind on that point, and were prepared to consider suggestions provided that they did not substantially increase the charge upon the Exchequer. Other objections to the scheme, if embodied in amendments, would have the effect of increasing the expenditure, and he wished to warn the House that the. figures given were elastic. (Ironical Opposition cheers.) Although at first the scheme might not cost more than six millions, he believed he was not overstating it when he said that in the result the Trreasury commitment would probably amount to Seven-and-a-Half Millions Sterling. At first! people might be shy of claiming their pensions, but the feeling was not likely to last long. The pauper disqualification was a vanishing one, and its full effect would only be felt in the first year. Again, the right to a pension was likely to induce aged people who were earning more than 10s to consider that the time had come when they should rest from their labours. Therefore, he asked the House to realise what was likely to be th £ 'cost of the Bill without its being altered in any particu- lar. He also claimed that this scheme of the Government was much the most liberal scheme which had ever been suggested by any responsible authority in that House. The Colonies, having no great naval and military expenditure, could afford to be more liberal, but this scheme of the Government exceeded in liberality that of Any such country as Ger- many-, Belgium* Denmark, and France. With reierence to the question of age limit and the proposal. to reduce it from 70 to 65, he pointed out that it would be only possible to do that by placing half the cost of the scheme upon the local rates, and he did not anticipate that anyone would make such a proposal as that. Moreover, he was of opinion that the old-age pension ought to begin at 70, and that pen- sions granted to persons who had not reached that age should be based upon the principle of infirmity rather than age. With reference to the reduced pension to be given in the Case of Couples living together, he said the proposal of the Government was based upon the question of household economy. He protested against the language which had been used in regard to this part of the scheme. A stranger would imagine that the Government engaged in a nefarious attempt by crafty, harsh, and even immoral means to rob thousands of old people of an honourable provision made for them by Tory Administrations in the past—(Ministerial laughter and cheers)—whereas the fact was of course that they were for the first time making provision for nearly 600,000 aged persons who otherwise had nothing before them but pauperism. (Hear, hear.) He asked members to remember-that the Government scheme was merely a beginning, and it was essential to its future development that the foundations should beiaidrwith care. There had been a great deal of misapprehension with regard to the industry test. It was a test to exclude the loafer and the wastrel. The Government were perfectly willing to consider verbal amend- ments of the clause if it was considered that the net was too wide, but they considered it was of the greatest importance that loafers and wastrels should not be treated in the same way as men who had" given the best of their lives to the service of the State.. (Hear, hear.} He recognised the possible danger that this Character Test might be used for the purpose of excluding persons of good character, who for some reason had rendered themselves obnoxious to the authorities. To remove that fear he would propose an amendment, which would exclude from the operation of the subsection all persons who had been for a certain number of years before they reached the age of 60 members of Benefit or Friendly Societies, Trade Unions and societies of that kind, the membership of which showed that a man must have been in more or less regular work. As to the pauper disqualification, as he had said that was a vanishing disqualification but before the pauper question was fully dealt with they must wait for the report of the Royal Com- mission on the poor law, and must consider the relations between local and Imperial finance. The Government had to look to the means at their disposal. They had come to the con- clusion that in the course of next year at any rate they could not see their way to propose anything which would cost more than the figure he had indicated. The effect of propos- ing amendments to extend the scheme by eliminating the disqualifications would be to destroy the scheme. The disqualifications on the face of them might appear harsh and unjust at the moment, but he asked the House to rememberjthat the scheme was purely an experi- ment made in an old country for the first time. It was a beginning, but the Government claimed that it was a real beginning. (Hear, hear.) The Government recognised that the problems of the sick and the infirm and of men who could not find the means of earnings livelihood must be dealt with by the State, and in asking the House to give a second read- ing to this Bill he desired hon. members to take the Bill as an evidence of their wish to utilise the resources of the State to make pro- vision for undeserved poverty and destitution in all its branches. (Ministerial cheers.) Tory Complaints. Mr CHAPLIN, pointing out that the Chan- cellor of the Exchequer had announced only one concession, namely, his willingness to con. sider a sliding scale, said he was bound to say that so far as he was concerned he did not think the Government Bill improved upon acquaintance. Emphasis had been laid upon the point that the Government scheme was simply a beginning and an experiment. It was evi- dently in contemplation to remove some of the disqualifications, and he thought it would have been more to the point if the Chancellor of the Exchequer had given to the House some idea of what the ultimate expense would be when the scheme had passed beyond the experimental stage. Radical-Tory Amendment. Mr HAROLD COX (L. Preston) moved as an amendment— That while it is desirable that the State should organise aid for the unfortunate by establishing and assisting a general system of insurance against the principal risks of life, it is unjust to spend the taxpayers' money in giving subsidies to persons selected by arbitrary standards of age, income, and character. He was not opposed, he said, to the principle of old age pensions, but he was opposed to the Government's scheme, because it was un- just in principle, therefore necessarily unjust in almost every one of, its details. From minute to minute the Bill was changing its most essential features, and he was beginning to understand why the Government were so anxious to pass a closure resolution. In his Budget speech the Prime Minister had declared himself agafnst a sliding scale in the matter of incomes. Now the Chancellor of the Ex- che*HtfT anzumncad &b.t. toe ftcnesunjent were prepared to accept a sliding scale. under which the biggest liar would get the biggest pension. (Laughter, and Opposition cheers.) The scheme of the Government would relieve not the man who was said to claim the pension, but the wealthy employer who was paying nothing. As to the character or industry test, no doubt pressure would be brought upon the Government to abolish it. (Labour cheers.) But were Labour members prepared to give a pension for honourable service to all the drunkards, pimps, and blackguards in the land ? Under a non-contributory scheme you must either give an honourable pension to old blackguards, or you must have a painful in- vestigation into the character of honest people. It was only by having a contributory schemc that you could escape from that dilemma. (Opposition cheers.) If Labour members con- tended that these pensions were claimable as of right for honourable service to the State, then they were bound to accept the contribu- tion test, which would provide that there had been such honourable service. The true ideal to set before the country was not to subsidise poverty and industry by schemes such as this, but to raise wages, and he held that this scheme of non-contributory pensions was opposed to the essential principle of Free Trade. (Opposition cheers.) Lord ROBERT CECIL (C., Marylebone), seconding the amendment, alluded to the fact that the Chancellor of the Exchequer had described him as an anarchist. He preferred to describe his form of political belief as a reasonable trust in personal freedom and reasonable trust in personal freedom and personal liberty. He imagined it was not only in this country that a bureaucrat thought he who differed from him was an anarchist. (Laughter.) He presumed the Chancellor of the Exchequer was really making a confusion between anarchism and individualism. He thought that in the main question of prin- ciple it was fair to say that those who differed from the Government plan differed because they were of a more individualistic tendency than was shown in the proposals of the Government. The proposal of the Govern- ment was to make an enormous gift of money to a very large section of the working classes, who were possessed of very large electoral power. He did not wish to be an alarmist, but he felt that with the vast responsibilities of this country we had in the last resort to look only to the national character to defend us. They had no right to assume that in the next 25 years we should have such a simple and peaceful course to steer as we had during the past generation. (Hear, hear.) No one who looked at the existing situation could fail to see that there were certain elements of dim- culty and danger in the future, and if we had to enter upon a great life and death struggle as might well be the case in the next few years, and we had weakened the fibre of our people by a system and a policy of which the Govern- ment scheme was to be the beginning, then the House of Commons which sanctioned that miserable backsliding from the true statesman- ship of Empire would have much to answer for. (Opposition cheers.) Flavour of Socialism, Mr P. GRADY (Lab., Leeds) admitted that the principle upon which the Bill was based largely partook of Socialism, although some of its clauses bore the impress of the minds of individualistic members of the Cabinet. The claim set up by the Labour party was that the old age pension should be given as a social right, and that there should be only one bar- that of criminality". Sir WALTER FOSTER (L., Derby) thought that the Government had acted wisely in taking the line they had. He accepted the Bill with gratitude. BLACK (L., Beds) was delighted with the Bill. In his opinion it was simply splendid to have made such a beginning. Agricultural labourers with whom he had dis- cussed the measure regarded it as a great boon. Mr MADDISON (Lab., Burnley) protested against any suggestion that such a preference should be given to incomes derived from Friendly Societies or Trade Unions. He accepted this scheme of the Government whole-heartedly as a beginning and as an ex- periment, because he realised that they must take this scheme within the four corners of the financial resources which they were told existed. Poor Law Reform. Mr HALDANE (Secretary for War) said the scheme of the Government did not profess to cover the whole field it was part of a very much larger reform of the poor laws which the Government were contemplating when they had the report of the Royal Commission. That revision would undoubtedly comprise a better system of classification of the persons who need State assistance, and one of the classes marked out for help was composed of persons who had worked hard, but had been unable to make provision for their old age —the class in fact which would be provided for under this Bill. He anticipated that by the reform of the poor law a considerable saving of public money would be effected by the pre- vention of overlapping. The Govern ment Bill was not complete in itself, It was not intended to be complete. It was the first step in a journey which might require more Parliaments than one to com- plete, but they felt it was their duty to enter upon it at the earliest possible moment in an attempt to solve a great and pressing problem. Mr WALTER LONG (C., Dublin) thought the Secretary for War had put the Bill upon a totally different footing to that on which it had been placed by the Prime Minister or the Chancellor of the Exchequer. He had dis- covered that the principle of this measure was rooted in the old poor law. The debate was adjourned. In the House of Commons on Tuesday, The debate was resumed on the order for the second reading of the Old Age Pensions Bill, and Mr Harold Cox's amendment declaring that while it is desirable that the State should organise aid for the unfortunate by establishing and assisting a general system of insurance against the principal risks of life, it is unjust to spend the taxpayers' money in giving subsidies to persons selected by arbitrary standards of age, income, and character." Mr LONG (C., Dublin) expressed regret that the Prime Minister intended to restrict the discussion of this Bill by a system of the closure, having regard to the fact that the measure was the most important from the point of view of social" reform that had been introduced to the House of Commons since 1834. Mr Haldane on the previous night had presented the Bill in a light which ex- hibited the persons who were to receive pen- sions under this scheme as a new class of paupers, and he confessed on that point he should like to hear the view of the President of the Local Government Board, whose absence through ill-health he regretted. (Hear, hear.) In setting up a new kind of local authority the Bill was bound to produce overlapping, and unless it was followed in the next Session by a Bill to amend the Poor-law its effect upon the existing Poor-law adminis- tration would be of the gravest possible kind. In his view, the most satisfactory scheme of old-age pensions would be one which combined the contributory principle with the plan of the Government, under which individuals who could afford to do so might contribute something to the pension fund, while provision would be made for the very poor and the sick and infirm. At the same time he could not vote for an amendment which would have the effect, if carried, of destroying the Bill and preventing that fur- ther debate upon its proposals which he still hoped would result in some modification of the Government's proposals. Mr THOMAS BURT (Lab., Morpeth) said a fatal defect in any contributory scheme was that it could not immediately come into operation, and it would exclude thousands of the most necessitous and the not least deserv. ing. (Hear, hear.) There were many thou- sands of working men who were in receipt of wages of less than 20s a week. How could they contribute ? "I know one man in this House," he said, who has made an attempt to live and bring up a family on little more than 20s a week, and he found it no easy task. I can speak with absolute confidence on that subject' (Hear, hear.) Although he was not entirely satisfied with the Bill, he would sup port the Government through thick and thin in their effort to carry it. (Hear, hear.) He thought it was an honest, straightforward, and substantial step in the right direction, and it would do much to benefit and encour- age the veterans of industry. (Cheers.) Mr GOULDING (C., Worcester) thought that the House and the country were to be congratulated upon the fact that at last a Government had been found with courage to undertake the. responsibility of producing an Old Age Pensions Bill, While he could not agree with all the details of the Bill, he would certainly with joy support the Government should the amendment go to a division. MrFLYNN (Nat.) said the Bill was generally approved of in Ireland. Mr HODGE (Lab., Lancashire) referred to certain utterances of Mr John Burns in days gone by with reference to the question of old age pensions, and said it would be interesting to know what was the opinion of the right hon. gentleman in regard to this wholly in- adequate scheme proposed by theGovernment. He (the speaker) wanted a universal scheme, and when he was asked where the cloth was to come from he replied that there was plenty of cloth to be had if the Government only had the courage t get it. (Labour cheers.) For instance, the land tax of 4s in the £ was still assessed on the value of land in 1698. If it was levied < n the present value, according to the best authorities it would bring in 40 millions, which would get the Chancellor of the Ex- chequer out of his difficulties. (Labour cheers and Opposition laughter.) Mr HORRIDGE (Lu, Manchester) felt that they owed a debt of gratitude to the Govern. ment for having called them to justify them- selves before their constituents for the pledges they had given. IiI his opinion the Government had taken the grandest step in social legisla- tion which had ever been taken by any Government. A Lordly Attack. Earl PERCY (C., Kensington) supported the amendment. He was not prepared to say that a contributory scheme was the only pos- sible scheme, but a contributory scheme had this great and overwhelming advantage that it would commit the country to no financial liability the extent of which they could not foresee. That was not the case with the Government's scheme- They at in the House as trustees for the taxpayers of the country, and to commit the country to an expenditure of seven and a half millions, only one and a half millions of which was provided far in tk present yeøz, was nothing short of a breach of trust. The speaker asked what the Government were going to provide for next year's naval expen- diture. That consideration of naval expen- diture had much more force when it was re- membered that the House was quite ignorant of the actual expenditure which they were now being committed to. Already the estimate had jumped from 6 to 7t millions. The PRIME MINISTER 1 have already explained that 6 millions was my estimate of the cost of the scheme during the next financial year, and the 71 millions is the esti- mate of the Chancellor of the Exchequer of the ultimate cost. Earl PERCY, continuing, declared that the Government were really merely proposing by this Bill another form of outdoor relief, and he wanted to know what the effect of the new system was going to be upon the existing system of outdoor relief. There was no plea of urgency in the matter of old age pensions —(cries of Oh ")-and there was no reason why the Government should not wait six months until they had received the report of the Poor Law Commission. (Hear, hear.) Mr Balfour's Criticism. A succession of speakers having praised the Government. Mr BALFOUR (C., City of London) asked had they been given sufficient material on which to judge of the merits of the Bill ? Even members of the Government talked of it in tones which did not add to the confidence of the House in the proposals put before it. The Chancellor of the Exchequer himself spoke as a somewhat embarrassed stepmother —(laughter)—of the merits of the offspring to which he stood in loco parentis. and his speech was occupied not in defending the Bill but in explaining the concessions he meant to give to meet the objections raised to it. Neither on the finance of the Bill nor on the social question involved had the Govern- ment been able to supply the informa- tion which was absolutely necessary. The Chancellor had admitted that the scheme was arbitrary in the sense that it was wholly illogical, and that there were many just and natural claims that would appeal to every humane mind, but he pointed out that he had only got a certain amount of money to give. That was quite true. If the benefits that they could speculatively distribute among the population of this country could be supplied out of some illimitable fortunatus purse, the task of social reformers would be compara- tively easy, and the task of the Chancellor of the Exchequer would not deserve the well- earned remuneration of £ 5,000 a year. (Hear, hear.) Unhappily, that was not the case, and nobody knew it better than each successive occupant of that post. The Government were going to spend six millions next year, seven and a half millions the year after, and, in the absence- of some hypothetical reform of the poor law, they were going to spend eleven or twelve ♦millions in a very brief period-(Opposition cheers)—and yet they had not received from the Government the smallest hint or suggestion of the methods by which these immense sums were to be paid. Even supposing this money was at the disposal of a wealthy and happy Chancel- lor of the Exchequer, were the Government sure that this was the best method of using it for the benefit of the wage-earning classes of the community ? (Opposition cheers.) The late Government had been reproached for having omitted to deal with this question. (Ministerial and Labour cheers.) No member of the party c to which he belonged need ever be ashamed of discussing in that House the .comparative per- formances of various Governments--( Opposi- tion cheers and Minisieriallaughter)-in respect of legislation designed to benefit the wage-earn- ing classes of this country. (Opposition cheers.) What he complained of was that this was an attempt to deal with a very small fraction of a very big subject in a very incomplete and fragmentary fashion. It was perfectly true that they all wished to keep the pension sys- tem apart from the ordinary system of the Poor Law, but it was perfectly impossible to consider it apart from the Poor Law. How could they deal with the question of the deserv- ing poor unless they knew what the Poor Law was ? It was folly to try. They were using all the money which the House was told was to be squeezed out of the taxpayers by means at present unknown entirely lor the benefit not of all people over 70, but for the people over 70 who could live in their own homes to the exclusion of everybody over 70 who ought to be in an infirmary who for some cause not con- nected with their own fault were unable to earn a living. That was so one-sided and so arbitrary a method of dealing with the matter thathe thoughtit required some recdnsideration. They did not propose to abolish the Poor Law system altogether, and therefore they were going to keep it for everybody under 70 and tor the undeserving. If they kept the system they must distinguish, and if they distin- guished they would inevitably bring in all the evils which Labour members had forcibly called attention to. Premier's Slashing Reply. Mr ASQUITH, who was received with loud Ministerial cheers, confessed that Mr Balfour's speech had left him in doubt as to the manner in which the right hon. gentleman intended to vote. How was it that during the 10 years 1895-1906, when he and his party exercised un- disputed authority in both Houses of Parlia- ment—(loud Ministerial cheers)-and he (Mr Asquith) well remembered put old age pen- sions in his election addresses in 1905—(loud Ministerial cheers) — not one step was taken to fulfil this pledge ? The right hon. gentleman said it wes due to the South African war, but that war did not break out until the end of 1899, and during the years they were in office they possessed large surpluses, inherited from the previous Liberal Government—(loud Ministerial cheers)-and a great and growing revenue from the death duties. (Renewed Minis- terial cheers.) The present Government had not attacked the old age pension question earlier because they had been engaged in pay- ing off the debts of their predecessors—(Minis- terial cheers)—and placing the finances and credit of the country in such a condition that if it pursued a system of Free Trade finance he had no doubt the resources of the country would be equal to the test. (Ministerial cheers.) There was no difference between the two sides of the House in regard to giving old age pensions, and all he had to deal with was the controversy between the universal and partial systems and between the contributory and non-contributory systems. Financial exigencies put a universal system out of the question. They had ruled out a contributory system because they were anxious to improve the lot of the aged poor. He quite agreed that that was simply a fragment of a larger question, but they could only deal with that larger L questionstep by step. There were other aspects, and the Government had never said that with regard to some of them it might not be desir- able to combine voluntary effort with State assistance, but all the voluntary schemes which had been suggested were, in their opinion, inadequate and futile, No volun- tary scheme which had yet been suggested would bring in many of those whose needs and merits were greatest. With all respect to the hon. member for Preston, who was one of their most valuable members-(cheers)-who always said with courage those things which some of them had thought but had ceased to think- (laughter)—and which others thought but were reluctant to say—(laughter)—they felt bound to reject contributory schemes. He trusted that his hon. friend might long retain the confidence of the electors of Preston, and if any of those mishaps which befel the best of them—(laughter)—should occur to him it would be almost a necessity to provide some means for his special existence. (Laughter.) His hon. friend knew a great deal about a great many things, but there was one subject on which his knowledge was in need of im- provement, and that was the character, dis- position, hopes, and motives of the average British citizen. (Loud laughter.) As to the actual criticisms of the scheme, what did they amount to ? They all related to the dis- qualification of persons otherwise entitled to a pension. The expulsion of those in receipt of Poor Law relief would undoubtedly give rise to cases of exceptional and anomalous hardship but this was not a permanent but a provi- sional disqualiifcation, and without it Boards of Guardians would have been tempted to get rid of their obligations and add to the applicants some two to three hundred thou- sand persons, with an additional cost of not less than three millions sterling. As to the so- called character test, the Government would be no party to any roving introspective examination of the character and morat ante- cedents of applicants. He admitted that some of the words in the definition were open to criticism, and would no doubt at the sugges- tion of the Government itself be altered in Committee-(Ministerial cheers)-the only ob- ject being to exclude wastrels and loafers. It is true (said the right hon. gentleman in conclu- sion) there are difficulties in our way. You cannot settle this question or any other by a wave of a wand. But because of the difficulty and the complexity of the task are we to sit still with dumb lips and folded arms, with bewildered brains and palsied energies while this great procession of the poor, the necessi- tous and the unfriended linger but the last years of strenuous lives given to the ser- vice of the industry of this country ? We say no, and we ask the House to take the first step towards this beneficent object. (Loud Ministerial cheers.) THE DIVISION. The House divided, and there voted- For Mr Cox's amendment. 29 Against. 417 Majority against 388 I The Bill was thereupon read a second time without further challenge, and committed to Committee of the whole House.
SALE OF TELEPHONE SYSTEM.
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SALE OF TELEPHONE SYSTEM. The-Swansea borough accountant( Mr Hopton) has submitted tothe Finance Committee of the Swansea Corporation a statement which shows that the profit over the sale of the municipal telephone system to the National Company was £ 894 14s lid. Alderman Solomon said the original estimated profit was £1,600 to £1,700. but the borough accountant said he knew of no such estimate. The Mayor said he was rather disappointed, because he thought the profit would be about £ 1,400. Mr Solomon said probably the difference would be found in that the Corporation worked the exchange from March to August, and that the National Company had not paid them. The Accountant, however, said every halfpenny had been paid. Eventually it was decided to refer the account to a tfub-committecv
From Sierra Leone.
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From Sierra Leone. BLACK MAN'S LOANS IN LONDON. Giving the name of Hubert Horatio Palmer, a well-dressed coloured man appeared at Clerkenwell Police Court on Saturday, charged on remand with obtaining cheques by false pretences from David Endacott, engraver, of Hatton-garden. Mr Endacott said that he first made the acquaintance of Palmer at his place of busi- ness in February last. The prisoner purchased some articles there. He became a frequent caller, representing that he was a rubber mer- chant of Sierra Leone, and was now making a prolonged stay as a delegate to the Pan- Anglican Congress." As a deacon and Sunday school superinten- dent the prosecutor was naturally interested, and believed the prisoner's statement. In March Palmer mentioned that a cus- tomary cheque had failed to reach him. Could witness advance him £7 or £8 for a few days ? By this time Palmer was on intimate terms with the witness and his family and ac- quainted with the church for which witness worked. On March 9 Mr Endacott advanced £5, and on March 10 tl 15s. From time to time prisoner called and made excuses for not repaying. At last Mr Endacott told prisoner he was a fraud," and the prisoner expressed astonish- ment that a Christian man would take the thing in that way." Witness thereupon informed the man that he believed him to be a hypocrite and had informed the police. Palmer replied that he would take witness to some friends who would satisfy him. They went out together, but the prisoner managed to give Mr Endacott the slip by means of a public lift. The Bishop of Sierra Leone said he knew Palmer as a resident of Free Town. He had a shop there, but he was not a delegate to the Pan-Anglican Congress. Prisoner What the bishop says is quite true. I never said I was a delegate. The Bishop added that he had never re- ceived any subscriptions to the Church from the prisoner that he knew of. Mr d'Eyncourt: Perhaps they were sent anonymously. (Laughter.) There were numerous complaints about the man, Mr d'Eyncourt said, but, of course, mere borrowing without security was a matter for another court. The prisoner was formally remanded' for a week, on the understanding that a further remand must follow. Bail was refused.
POST OFFICE DEPOSIT.
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POST OFFICE DEPOSIT. Extraordinary Fraud Charge. At Bow-street on Monday afternoon (before Mr Marsham) James Hickey, described as a telegraph clerk, having no fixed abode, was charged with attempting to obtain money by means of a forged instrument. Mr Stroud, who prosecuted for the Post- master-General, said "that on Friday last the prisoner obtained possession of a Post Office Savings Bank book by depositing a shilling at St. Marti n' s -1 e Grand. The next morning he called at the same office, and asked to be allowed to withdraw by telegram JElO from his account. An examination of his book showed that the one shilling deposit had been altered to JE40. When subsequently seen by a detective the prisoner said that he was a detective-sergeant in the Royal Irish Constabulary, that his name was James Clarkson, and that he lived in the married quarters at Dublin. He had been sent over to fetch a prisoner from Woolwich, and having the £411s in his pocket, had deposited it for safety in the Post Office Savings Bank. After being confronted with the clerk who had received the deposit on the previous day, the prisoner admitted that he had altered the figures in the book, and that the name and ad- dress he had given were those of his brother- in-law. Evidence of arrest having been given, a re- mand was ordered.
DECAPITATEDTT LLANSAMLET
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DECAPITATEDTT LLANSAMLET Mr Morris, Swansea deputy coroner, on Monday held an inquiry into the circum- stances attending the death of William O'Brien, a young labourer, who was decapi- tated on the Great Western Railway at Llan- samlet on Saturday. Deceased was crossing an accommodation level crossing on his way to get a compensation certificate, when a goods train passing at 15 miles an hour knocked him down. At the time the engine driver saw him deceased was standing between the metals with his back to the train. The whistle was blown and the brakes applied, but deceased did not move quickly enough, and he was struck by a buffer. The Coroner said if deceased had gone straight across the line instead of waiting and looking about him the accident would not have happened. A verdict of "Accidental death" was re- turned. •
WHOLE-STREET UPSET.
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WHOLE-STREET UPSET. Hearing three men ^"shouting in an empty house in Somerset-streets Cardiff, at midnight on Saturday, P.C.'s Frank Brooks and Welsher went in to them. One, David Gwyn (31), struck P.C. Brooks in the stomach, and they fell to the ground. Here Gwyn kicked the om- cer two or three times. All the way to the Police Station he was violent. P.C. Welsher informed the Bench on Monday that the men were singing a disgraceful song, and that the whole street was upset. Gwyn, who had been three times previously convicted of assaulting the police, but had been behaving himself well for a long time, Was fined £1, or 14 days' im- prisonment. Permission for time in which to pay the fine was refused. His brother, Edward Gwyn (26), was then charged with assaulting P.C. Welsher at the same time and place, and was sent to prison for a month's hard labour without the option of a fine.
CONCEALMENT OF BIRTH.
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CONCEALMENT OF BIRTH. Exemplary Sentences. At Essex Assizes on Monday, Frederick T. Ferrell, a gardener, and Gertrude Boreham, his wife's sister, pleaded guilty to manslaughter and concealment of birth of the latter's child. No preparations were made for the child's birth, and its body was found buried in a gar- den. A rag was stuffed in the child's mouth, but death was due to hemorrhage through in- attention at birth. Ferrell was sentenced to nine months' hard labour, and Boreham to three months.
IEATH FROM EXCITEMENT.
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IEATH FROM EXCITEMENT. At an inquest at Nottingham on Monday as to the death of Isaac Hardy, who died on Sat- urday night after an altercation with a man named Slingsby, who is in custody charged with causing his death, the jury foupd that Hardy died from syncope, due to the condition of his heart, and accelerated by the excite- ment of the quarrel.
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DfSPAIRED Of CURING BOILS Suffered Incessantly for a Year— They were Very Large and Pain was Dreadful- Could Hardly Bear Clothing-Hearth Much Impaired. WAS ABSOLUTELY CURED BY CUTICURA REMEDIES II I have to thank Cuticura Reme- dies for completely curing me of one of the worst attacks of boils it is pos- sible to imagine. I suffered from boils incessantly for a year, and I was so unsuccessful in trying remedy after remedy that I began to despair of ever getting my system clear of this dis- tressing ailment. My shoulder and back were principally, affected. Any one who has had a single boil knows how dreadfully painful boils are. so it will be evident how much I suffered when I tell you that I had four large ones. They would be a long time com- ing up and so very painful all the time that I could hardly bear my clothes on. They were very large, one on my back extending to the size of a five- shilling piece, while the smallest was as big as a sixpence. My health suffered much as the result of the attack and I got into a very run-down condition. After I had tried other means without any benefit, I read of a cure by Cuticura, and though I had not much faith. I thought I could not do any harm in trying Cuticura Soap. So I bought a tablet and after I had washed the affected parts a few timed I noticed such a great improvement that I de- cided I could not do better than try the whole Cuticura Treatment. I got the Cuticura Soap, Ointment, and Pills, and my progress from that time was truly wonderful. A great change for the better took place almost immedi- ately and now, well within three months from when I started with the Soap, I can pronounce myself absolutely cured. Cuticura Remedies have got the disease right out of my system. I am ex- tremely grateful for the great benefit I have derived, and I wish most ear- nestly to recommend Cuticura Remedies to every one troubled with boils. I shall never be without Cuticura Soap. Mrs. E. J. Chapman. 9. Union Square. New Kent Road, London, 8. E.. July 15.1907." Send to nearest depot for free Cuti- cura Book on Treatmentof Skin Diseases. Cuticura Remedies are sold throughout the work!. A Single Set often Cures. D«>ots: London. 27. Charterhouse 8q. Parts. 5. Rue de la Patx: Australia. R. Towns A Co" Sydney; South Africa. lamon. LtcL Cape Town, etc.: U. S. A.. Potter Dins Cbem. Cars. Sole Batten.
¡Bogus Bachelor.
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¡ Bogus Bachelor. YORK LANDLADY DELUDED. A bigamous marriage and the elderly de- ceiver's suicide were the features of the evidence given at York at Saturday's inquest on Harry Drummond Hastings, who had lived at Blackburn, Bristol, and Liverpool. Mrs Elizabeth Alice Whittaker, a widow, licensee of the Black Swan Hotel, Corney- street, York, said that the deceased was 67 years of age, and had been living in Bed- ford-street, Liverpool. She had known him nearly two years, and in September last went through the ceremony of marriage with him. He had posed as a bachelor, but, as a matter of fact, he was married, and his wife was still living at Bristol. He did no work after their marriage, and resided with witness at the Black Swan Hotel until January last, when witness learned that he had deceived her and told him to go. She provided him with funds to go to Toronto, and she believed he went. On June 5th she received a letter addressed from Liverpool. Mr A. Proctor, the deputy-coroner, said the letter contained one or two sentences which might throw light on the matter. Deceased wrote :— By the time this letter is in your hands— the last I shall ever write—I shall have passed to where beyond these voices there is peace." It is quite impossible for me to live through another week. The letter went on to ask that before his burial witness would get a surgeon to cut one of his wrist veins so that he was not buried alive," and added that he had written to the York coroner apprising him of hisdeath. The Deputy Coroner As a matter of fact no letter was received by the coroner to this effect. In further evidence the witness said she supposed from that letter that deceased had drowned himself. She could throw no light upon his death except that he wanted to come back to her and she would not have him. The coroner's officer said that on deceased's clothing was found a letter, dated June 3rd, from Mrs Whittaker's solicitor, declining to grant him an interviewfor which he was press- ing her, owing to the position she had been placed in by the illegal ceremony of marriage gone through last September. Written across the letter in lead pencil were the words, Was a perfectly legal marriage." The jury found that deceased committed suicide, and that there was no evidence to show he was insane.
Domestic Tragedy.
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Domestic Tragedy. MOTHER'S AWFUL CRIME. A terrible domestic tragedy was enacted at the Clydeside town of Dumbarton late on Saturday night. An electrician, named Wells, employed on the borough tramways, on re- turning home about 10 o'clock, found the door locked. Surmising that something was amiss, he informed the police, and on the door being burst open a terrible spectacle met their gaze. The mother was lying on a bed in the kitchen, her throat fearfully hacked, while the dead body of her eleven months old infant lay beside her, its throat cut from ear to ear. In the next room the body of Wells' seven year old son, Daniel, was also found lying dead with the throat cut. Another girl, five years of age, had been attacked, but her injuries, though of a serious nature, are not dangerous. She explained to the policeman that, Mamma did it with papa's razor." It is alleged that Mrs Wells, a woman of prepossessing appearance, had given way to drink, and that this was the cause of the tragedy. She was removed to the cottage hospital, Dumbarton, where she now (lies in a critical condition. A later message says the woman died in Dumbarton Cottage Hospital on Sunday night. Her injuries were evidently self-inflicted.
Work for Pembroke Dock
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Work for Pembroke Dock NEW CRUISER LAID DOWN. Ladies and Children Rivet Plates. The new unarmoured cruiser of the Boadicea class was formally laid down in No. 5 building slip at Pembroke Dockyard by Mrs Kingsford, wife of Captain Superintendent H. Coare Kingsford, R.N., on Monday afternoon. In anticipation of the ceremony a platform, gaily decorated with flags, had been formed in the slip for the accomodation of those taking part and the chief spectators, and two or three lengths of flat and vertical keel plates, connected together, had been placed at the highest point of an incline, leading dowrrsgards to the keel blocks on one side of the slip. The laying of the plates was accomplished by simply starting an electric motor, which caused them to be drawn down the incline into position on the Mocks. After a trifling subsequent adjustment Mrs Kingsford tapped one of the plates with a hammer, and pro- nounced them laid, and then caused the first rivet to be driven into the plates by means of an improvised pneumatic arrangement. Each of the other ladies and some of the children present then drove rivets by the same means, until an entire butt strap had been rivetted. Amongst those present, in addition to Mrs Kingsford, were Captain Kingsford, Staff Captain Moulton, King's Harbour Master Mr H. Pledge, chief constructor Staff Surgeon and Mrs Gibson, Mr N. A. Hay, naval store officer, and Mrs Hay Mr Mogan, assistant civil engineer Mr F. R. Hunt electrical engin- eer Mr J. Rogers, assistant constructor, and Mrs Rogers and the Rev. R. D. Lewis, M.A., dockyard chaplain. The new ship was originally intended to have been an exact replica of the Boadicea, but shortly after preparations to commence had been begun at the dockyard the Admiralty directed that her beam was to be increased so as to give her an additional displacement of 50 tons with the same draught of water. This altera- tion, which was decided upon in view of anlim- provement contemplated in her turbine machinery, as compared with, that of the Boa- dicea, necessitated the widening of the ship by about a foot at the "dead flat" or widest part. In other respects she will be similar to the Boadicea. The principal dimensions of the ship now are :—Length between perpendiculars, 385 feet; extreme breadth, about 42 feet: mean load draught, 13 feet 6 inches displacement, 3,350 tons coal and oil fuel capacity, 450 tons. She will be fitted with turbine machinery of 19,000 horse power, which is expected to propel her at a speed of 25 knots per hour. Her arma- ment will consist of six four-inch quick-firing guns, and she will carry two deck torpedo tubes. The cost of the vessel will be about £.350.000. That of the hull, as distinct from the machinery, guns, and other equipment, will be about £125,000. The Navy Estimates for the current year make provisionfor an expenditure of £36,685 for labour on the vessel. The launch will probably take place about the end of the year. The ship is the 242nd which has been laid down at the dockyard. No announcement as to the name was made.
BEPOSmONS TAKEN.
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BEPOSmONS TAKEN. A Swansea Saturday Night Raw. William Morphet, rag-and-bone dealer, is in the 'custody of the Swansea police, charged with an assault on Arnold Morris, labourer, on Saturday night. The condition of Morris, as he lay at the Union Infirmary, was so serious that it was deemed desirable to take his depositions. The accused denies the assault, and alleges a general row. At the Police Court on Monday W. Morphet was charged with doing grievous bodily harm to Arnold Morris. Mr Lawrence Richards, for the police, said that Morris's depositions had been taken at the Workhouse. He received the injuries in a lodging-house brawl, and he applied for a formal remand for a week. This was agreed to by Mr Thompson, for the de- fence, and the application was granted.
HEALTH IN THE HOUSE. / .
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HEALTH IN THE HOUSE. Writing on this subject, Health declares that a frequent source of danger is the soiled clothing which awaits the weekly washing. lnstea d of being thoroughly aired and dried in the sun. and kept in a room remote from the bed-chambers and living rooms, it is thrown into a hamper kept standingin a bed-chamber, or in a pile in one corner of an adjoining closet, damp with poisonous exhalations from the body, and here the warmth of the room generates or throws off poisonous germs, which are inhaled by the occupants. In view of the care ordinarily given beds, and the garments worn during the night, one can only wonder that insomnia is not even more prevalent than it is. Apart from the bed-chambers, every occupied room in a house should be disinfected every day by flooding it with sunshine and pure air.
BARRY DISTRICT COUNCIL
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BARRY DISTRICT COUNCIL At the Barry District Council on Monday evening. Councillor W. J. WiUiama, J.P., pre- siding, reference was made to a letter from Superintendent Giddings, deputy chief-con- stable, resigning his position under the Council as captain of the fire brigade and inspector of hackney carriages, petroleum, and explosives. Councillor J.D.Watson, in moving a vote of thanks to Superintendent Giddings, said they were losing a valuable servant, and the best wishes of the Council would go with him in his retirement. The Chairman seconded, and the motion was car- ried unanimously. On the proposal of Councillor J. Marshall the question of providing a new reading-room in Dock View-road, Barry Dock, was referred to the Libraries Committee.
--------H I PPODROIVIEIBTRNT.¡
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H I PPODROIVIEIBTRNT. ¡ Twenty minutes after the audience had left on Saturday night flames were seen arising from the Maidstone Hipprodrome, con- structed chiefly of wood and corrugated iron, and despite the efforts of the fire brigade the building was destroyed The cause of the out- break is unknown.
. A Petition from Porth.
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A Petition from Porth. PROPOSED PURCHASE OPPOSED Training College Scheme REQUIREMENTS OF THE BOARD OF EDUCATION. The monthly meeting of the Glamorgan Education Committee was held at the Gwyn Hall, Neath, on Tuesday. Dr. T. H. Morris presided. A public petition was received from Porth petitioning the committee not to proceed with the proposed purchase of the higher elementary school at Porth from the Rhondda Education Committee. The Chairman said there was a great deal of feeling at Porth against the Rhondda Educa- tion Committee over their proposal to sell the higher elementary school. Alderman Morgan Williams, Porth, hoped that the Glamorgan Committee would not entertain the question of taking over this school. At present the school was full, and out of the 350 scholars 300 fived within a mile and. a half of the school. The proposal was to build schools in other parts of the district in lieu of it. The people of Porth agreed that the Rhondda required other schools in other parts of the district, but there was no reason for depriving them of this important school. A public meeting had been held at Porth, and there was much feeling in the matter. A peti- tion had been sent to the Board of Education and to the Rhondda Council. The Chairman said he did not know what the Rhondda Committee would do without the school, but possibly they had other provi- sion.—The Clerk (Mr T. M. Franklen) No, they told us that they could not let us have it for at least two years, and the consequence is we shall be at great disadvantage with regard to the education of pupil teachers of that dis- trict. I have written to the Board of Educa- tion asking them to" allow us to go on as we have been, but whether they will allow us to do so or not I cannot say. Alderman Morgan Williams was informed by the chairman that this committee had already decided to take over the school, but Alderman Williams would have opportunity of moving at the County Council meeting that the pur- chase be not confirmed. It was unanimously resolved, in view of the petition, to proceed no further with the pur- chase at present, and to write to the Rhondda Urban Council asking them to come to a deci- sion in the matter as soon as possible.
PROPOSED TRAINING COLLEGE.
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PROPOSED TRAINING COLLEGE. The Board of Education wrote stating that before determining whether the proposed training college at Barry could be regarded as necessary they wanted as precise information as possible as to the area the college was likely to serve, the probable staff, prospective attendance, and the facilities in the neigh- bourhood for the students to study the workmg of schools. The Board returned the plan of the proposed site at Barry, stating that the site was not of sufficient size. The Board had expected something like eight acres would be required if suitable provision was to be made for the recreation of the students, but they now considered that a rather larger area than eight acres would be necessary. The Chairman Our site beforoJWas four acres.—The Clerk Yes, but if you like to take possession of the site already selected for a girl s intermediate school you will come up to seven acres. Alderman the Rev. D. H. Williams There is plenty of land adjoining this site.—The Clerk It is a matter that must be settled by the County Council at their next meeting, or it will be hung up. Alderman Hopkin Morgan Does not our action require confirmation by the County Council ?—The Clerk I don't think the matter can safely proceed until the County Council have confirmed this com- mittee's resolution. It is within the right of anyone to move at the Qounty Council that the training college be at Aberdare for instance. Alderman the Rev. D. H. Williams There is plenty of land available at Barry. Councillor D. Hughes: But by this new proposal we are altering the whole situation. How will the Barry scheme compare with the Aberda.re scheme now T Alderman George There is plenty of land available by Abernant House. Miss E. P: Hughes: I take it we should want eight acres at Aberdare. Councillor D. Hughes But the Aberdare cost works out at JE250 an acre, whereas Barry works out at £1,000. Alderman D. H. Williams No, £500. Miss E. P. Hughes: We have plenty of land beyond, and need not take the girls' site at all. Alderman T. J. Hughes said that the com- mittee had already had a full dress debate upon this matttef, and had decided Barry was a better place than Aberdare. All that was now required was to ascertain whether the land required was available at Barry. If it was, then the matter stood. He moved that the clerk make inquiries as to whether the additional four acres of land were available at Barry, and on what terms, and that particu- lars be laid before the County Council on Thursday. Alderman D. H. Williams seconded. Alderman George moved, and Councillor D. Hughes seconded, that the matter be deferred. The motion of Alderman Hughes was carried by 14 votes to 12.
MISCELLANEOUS.
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MISCELLANEOUS. A complaint by the mechanical engineering lecturer was referred to a committee of inves- tigation. The Pontypridd Trades and Labour Council wrote regretting that the County Council had not seen their way clear to hold a conference with regard to the regulations of evening classes in that district. In reply to Councillor Flemming, the Clerk said no promise to hold such a conference had ever been made by this committee. Alderman Hughes asked what had been the result of the Art and Manual Work Exhibition at Cardiff, and Alderman John Morgan replied that it was perfectly satisfactory, and it was desirable to hold another similar exhibition. It was resolved that a letter of thanks be sent to Mr Cryer, Mr Kerr, Mr Sutcliffe, and Miss Martell for their services in connection with the exhibition.
------CARDIFF SCHOOLS.
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CARDIFF SCHOOLS. Management Committee. The Cardiff Schools Management Committee on Tuesday considered 49 applications for the post of headmaster of Crwys-road Council School, rendered vacant by the death of the late Mr George Cook. The committee having appointed Mr H. Crabtree, headmaster of South Church-street, to Crwys-road by reason of seniority, proceeded to select a short, list of ten, from which the appointment to South Church street will be made by the Education Committee, and a promotion list of five selected for subsequent appoint- ment in order of position on the list. The ten candidates were Messrs F. Brown (Wood-street), Lyster Harpur (Park), J. T. Parry (Adamsdown), E. Trewatha (Court- road), W. Waters (P.T. Centre), Charles Wilkes (Marlborough), W. Arnold (Municipal Second- ary), Phillip J. Price (Radnor-road). John Francis (Splotlands), Thomas Morgan (Grange). The committee decided to make formal application to the Free Libraries Committee for the use of a room at the Canton, Roath, Cathays, and Grangetown Libraries for the purpose of medically examining scholars. Dr. Walford (medical officer) reported that the premises would be very suitable for this pur- pose, and if the request was granted the diffi- culties at present anticipated would be to some extent overcome. School Children and the Parks. Councillor Chappell (chairman of the Parks Committee) drew the committee's attention to the annoying behaviour of school children during the time when bands are playing in the parks and said further that much wilful damage was done to shrubs, trees, and plants by children who received permits to gather botanical specimens. The first matter was absolutely disgraceful," and the number of letters which he received on the subject was tremendous. The noise of the children, he said, was a perfect Babel," making it im possible for people to hear the band. He asked the committee to allow a circular to be sent to the schools requesting the head teachers to instruct the scholars upon the sacredness of public property. The Secondary School children were no better than those from the elementary schools. Councillor Taylor Worse Councillor Walter Thomas suggested that the head teachers might give a special lesson on the matter. Councillor Thompson seconded the request of Councillor Chappell, and the committee de- cided to grant it in order that something might be done before the summer holidays.
A TRAMP'S BRUTAL ACT.
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A TRAMP'S BRUTAL ACT. At Tredegar on Monday Cornelius Sullivan, a tramping labourer, was charged on remand with assaulting Elizabeth Carroll, an elderly woman, also of the tramping class. Prisoner met the complainant on the mountain, and struck her violently with a stick in the face, completely destroying one eye. She pre- viously had lost one eye, and was now totally blind.. Prisoner, who had been in custody for six weeks, was committed to prison for, six months wjth hard, labour. I
MUMPS IN THE NAVY.
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MUMPS IN THE NAVY. Owing to a serious outbreak of mumps assuming epidemic form aboard H.M.S. Nelson training ship for stokers at Portsmouth, a temporary camp was formed in the grounds of the Royal Naval Hospital, Haslar, yester- day, to which some 80 cases were removed. While the cases are under treatment the Nel- son is to be thoroughly disinfected, and steps are being taken to prevent the soroad of the comolaint.. ■ I
About 275 Per Cent.;';
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About 275 Per Cent. ø l TREDE6AR COUNTY COURT CASE. Judge Owen's Criticism. At Tredegar County Court on Tuesday (before Judge Owen) Josiah Hughes and Lucy Jane Hughes, Fleur-de-lis, were sued by John Kirkwood, money lender, Bristol, for t5 due on a promissory note. Defendant admitted borrowing JE15 and that the promissory note was signed by him"eIf and his wife. His Honour: How much money did you have ?—Defendant £10. Plaintiff's clerk stated that Hughes had paid back £10, leaving the interest, amounting to £5, still owing. His Honour You got the principal back in ten months. The interest is very high- Addressing Mr J. Sankey, the Judge asked him to calculate the interest charged. Mr Sankey said that roughly it amounted to about 275 per cent. His Honour Yes I thought it was near 300 per cent. Why you people go to money- lenders like this I don't know. The interest was reduced to 20s, to be paid at 6d per month. Defendant: He has got about JE40 worth of my property in his possession now. His Honour: Don't go to such people again. Important Compensation Decision. At the same court James Rees, Bargoed, claimed compensation from the Powell Duffryn Company, and during the hearing of the application Mr J. Sankey, who was for the applicant, raised an important point affecting a large number of workmen in the coalneid. The applicant sustained internal injury on December 20th, 1906, and was paid 17s 8Id a week compensation for some time. Then he was put on light work at his old rate of wages, JE1 15s 5d, but he was unable to work on several days because of stoppages at the colliery. Compensation was claimed for those idle days. The application was made on the provision in the Act that the respondents must either pay compensation or provide suitable light work, or prove that the man could obtain work elsewhere. Mr Parsons, who was for the respondents, submitted that to pay a man suffering from injury, who was doing light work, for days that the colliery was idle was placing him in a. better position than the workmen who had not met with an accident. Occasionally a colliery came to a compulsory stoppage owing to the breakdown of machinery over which the employers had no control. His Honour Your point is that the man is not incapacitated from working by his injury t —Mr Parsons That is my point.—His Honour said that it would have to be proved that it was partial incapacity and not want of work before the application could succeed. The Applicant, in reply to the Judge, said that if there had been work for him to do on those days he could have done it. Mr Sankey said that the man was working under the Conciliation Board, and therefore was entitled to 28 days' notice.—His Honour '< He might claim wages, but I dont see how he can claim compensation. The award was in favour of the respondents. —Mr Parsons As my friend says the case is of such vast importance to the coalfield, I ask for the highest imaginable scale of costs. Mr Sankey asked for a stay of costs owing to the importance of the application, and this was complied with. Award Ended. Mr Ivor Bowen applied on behalf of the Lancaster Steam Colliery Company for an order terminating the compensation paid to John Stephens, now residing at Gilwern. Mr Gaskell, Cardiff, was for the respnodent, who was injured in March, 1901, and had been paid 14s a week compensation since. It was sub- mitted that he conducted a flourishing business in the name of his wife, and he had been seen to carry 1 cwt. of potatoes on his back for about half a mile and to attend markets and fairs. Dr. Muir, Abertillery, considered the man was able to do his ordinary work. For the defence it was contended that the respond- ent was suffering from nervous degeneration and was not fit for hard work. The award was ended from that day. A New Point. The Tredegar Company applied through Mr Parsons for the redemption of the compensa- tion paid to John Sullivan, Sirhowy. Mr Sankey opposed. The case was adjourned at the previous court owing to there being no agreement or award as to compensation. An agreement was now put in, the terms being 5s 2d a week compensation and light work at 15s a week, and his Honour ordered the agreement to be recorded. Mr Sankey sub- mitted that, no redemption could take place after the agreement was recorded. His Honour said the point was a new one, and he would consider it and reserve his deci- sion.
Breconshire Licences.
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Breconshire Licences. -#. BRECON AND BRYNMAWR REDiicTfbrtfc The Breconshire confirming authority under the Licensing Act (1904) met at the Shire Hall. Brecon, on Tuesday, the Hon. R. C. Devereu* presiding. The houses, licence renewals of which had been refused, were taken as follow The Crown Inn, Watergate, Brecon (six days' licence) licensee, Miss Hannah Powell; registered owner. Viscount Tredegar. Mr D. W. E. Thomas, solicitor, Brecon, appeared for the renewal authority, and Mr D. T. Jeffreys (of the firm of Messrs Jeffreys and Powell, solicitors, Brecon) for the licensee and owner- Mr Jeffreys, on behalf of the tenant and the owner, said he was prepared to submit to compensation, and Mr H. Edgar Thomas, on behalf of Viscount Tredegar, consented. Alder- man LewisWilliams said the renewal authority was of opinion that the house was not re- quired.—Colonel J. Jones Compared with the other houses, is this house inferior ?—Witnees: Certainly.—The licence was refused, and the house referred for compensation. The Lamb Inn, Wattou, Brecon, six days' licence licensee, Mr Wm. Moxlev registered owners, representatives of the late Mr J. J. Williams, of Aberclydach, Talybont-on-Usk. Mr D. W. E. Thomas, solicitor, was for the renewal authority. The Chairman read a docu- menlishowing that the parties entrusted with the house were willing to submit to compensation. Alderman Lewis Williams said the renewal authority came to the conclusion that this house was not necessary for the requirements of the neighbourhood. There was very little business done in the house, if any the house was difficult for police supervision owing to there being a right of way through it to a gar- den at the back—the house and the garden being the property of different owners and in the occupation of different tenants. There were several houses of better class in the im- mediate neighbourhood. The licence was refused and the case referred for compensa- tion. The Sun Inn, Wheat-street, Brecon (seven days' licence) licensee, Mr J. Morgan Jones, of the Angel Hotel, Brecon; registered owners, representatives of the late Mr E. H. Teale, Newport. Mr D. W. E. Thomas, solicitor, was for the renewal authority. The parties in- terested in this house consented to its being referred for compensation. Alderman Lewlfl Williams said the renewal authority con- sidered that this house also was no t required. as there was superior licensed accommodation « in the neighbourhood. There was very little trade done in the house, and there had been six changes of tenants in eight years and three months. The licence was refused, and the house referred for compensation. The Miners' Arms Inn, King-street, Brynmawr (beer- house) licensee, Mr John Joynson; registered owners, Messrs A. Buchan and Co., the Brewery, Rhymney owner, the Duke of Beaufort. Mr jj T. Vaughan, solicitor, Crickhowell, appeared | for the renewal authority Mr C. B. Jones, (of the firm of Messrs Powell and Hughes, solicitors, Brynmawr), for the licensee and i registered owners, and Mr R. H. A. Daviefl, solicitor, Crickhowell, for the owner of the 1 property, the Duke of Beaufort. The solicitors for the parties interested consented to submit to compensation. Superintendent H. Hand said there were 54 public-houses in the town, [ or a percentage of 126"9 persons to each public" house. The Miners' Arms was a very small house, dark and dingy, and scarcely fit for 1 habitation. There were 11 other licensed houses in the immediate neighbourhood- j Since the Brewster Sessions structural altera- tions had been made. The Chairman: Do yo0 t know why the structural alterations were » made T—Witness I don't know. The house.1 is in a dilapidated state. The licence watf refused and the house referred for compenaa- tion.. The Beaufort Arms Inn, King-street, Rryn- j mawr (fully licensed alehouse) licensee, Mrf, Ann Jones registered owners, Messrs Buchan & Co., the Brewery, Rhymney owner ot i the property, the Duke of Beaufort. Mr T. Vaughan, solicitor, was for the renewal autho- rity Mr R. H. A. Davies, solicitor, for the Duke of Beaufort (the owner), and Mr C. B. Jones for the licensee and registered owners- Superintendent H. Hand said this house waS in a dilapidated state, and was not fit for a public house at all, apart from the drinking department, which was fairly good. There a deep well connected with the house, which was very dangerous to people. The houS* < was not required. Colonel Jones is a tied-house to Buchan & Co ? Supt. Hand 1 Yes. Mr R. H. A. Davies Are you aware that in respect to this house (the Beau' fort House), and the other (the Miners' Arm^)» the lease has expired, and Buchan & Co. aX* only yearly tenants ? Supt. Hand Yes. The authority refused the licence, and re" ferred the house for compensation.
I --T—— A DEGENERATE.
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I --T— — A DEGENERATE. The fact that beer produces body weight f!t no evidence that it is a food, for phpsphorus, and other deadly poisons do toj same. These poisons interfere with norJB f cell activity, which results in a retention waste material and fatty degeneration of tb* tissues. The increase in weight, says Dr. V" H. Kress, is, therefore, a pathological rathe* than a .physiological process. While in ap* pearance the beer-drinker may be the pictur* of health, the physician knows that in realify he is a degenerate,, incapable of from mild disorders.