The Cardiff Times

Wife's Story of Shame. I DRIVEN DESPERATE BY HUSBAND. At Bridgend on Saturday Mrs Elizabeth Williams, of Oddfellows-row, Bridgend, applied for a separation order against her husband Edwin Williams, blacksmith, on the ground of peSstent cruelty. Mr T. J Hughes Messrs Hughes and Lewis, Bridgend), who act<_d for Mrs Williams, said that it was one of the most sad and sordid cases of sin and misery that bad ever come under his notice! When the parties married they lived at Cardiff in .Coplestone-road, and after- wards in Ivy-street. While at Cardiff defend ant kicked his wife in the stomach,;mdawe«.k afterwards she gave premature birth. He also forced her by means of blows and threats to earn money upon the streets of Cardiff, and he took her immoral gains. Her father, a most respectable man, got to hear of the life shefwas being forced to lead, and he took her from/ Cardiff to live with him at Bridgend. Detenl ant soon followed her, and lived practically upon his father-in-law for some months. Defendant continued to cruelly ill-use his wife, and at last she applied for a separation order, but relying upon his promises to amend his wavs she withdrew the application and cave liim another trial. His hc,?a)'10^r wards her, however, remained as bad as ever, and eventually, driven to desperation, she ran away from him and went to live with pother man. Defendant followed her to Bargoed and brought her back to Bridgend. He continued to ill-use her and had ruined her health by his mMrsIVVTiHi-ams gave evidence bearing out her solicitor's statements. She said that her hus- band's sisters took her on the streets at Cardiff, and they and her husband spent her CaTh^ ChairmL1? (Mr Robert Llewellyn) char- acterised the case as very sad mdeed. Ihe woman had in desperation become a, loose character owing to the treatment she had received at the hands of her husband. The separation order would be granted, and as the woman was suffering in health through the mis- conduct of her husband he would have to pay her 15s a week, a larger order than would have been made in different circumstances.

AFTER TWENTY-SEVEN YEARS. On Saturday Mr J. W. Nicholas, coroner for the Three Coramots and Kidwelly district, con- ducted an inquiry atBolahaul into the circum- stances attending the death of John Jones. of Tyrbryn, Llangunnor, who on the previous day hanged himself in the mansion coach- house. John Owen, tho Bolahaul gardener, spoke of the depressed state in which deceased had been since he had had notice to lease the land on which he had resided for 27 years. and Colonel Aslett stated that the deceased W not been in his employ but in that of his late mother-in-law, Mrs John Lewis Phihpps, on whose death last March all the servants oi Bolahaul were, by order of the executrix, Sven a month's notice. An exception was 'made in the case of the deceased, who, by rea- son of his long service, had a three-months notice. He (the Colonel) said he was giving up all his horses, as he could not afford to keep them on, and he, too. had dispensed with the services of his employees, except two matasand thegardener.Witnessadmitted thatthe'deeeased had often asked to be kept on, but with regret his request was not granted, as he was more fit to be a coachman—as he was for years-than the cleaner of a moLor-car-which witness had purchased—or as a gardener. Asked as to how deceased was discovered, the Colonel said that he and his wife, on going to the coach-house to overhaul some kit. found Jones with a rope round his neck suspended from' a beam. W it- ness's wife fainted. He hurried her from the ghastly scene, called the gardener, and^ the latter ind a neighbour named Morris cut down the body, which was quite cold. Death must have been extinct for quite an hour. The jury returned a verdict of Suicide during tempo- rary insanity,"

NEWPORT EDUCATION. The Newport Elementary Education Com- mittee has decided to take no action with reference to the appeal for £35,000 in respect of the building debt of the New University Col- lege of South Wales and AJonmouthhshire. Mr J. H. Roberts (Corporation-road Boys') has written with reference to the Welsh National Pageant asking permission to take advantage of the special opportunities offered for the admission of school children to the full dress rehearsals on July 21st. The committee decided te offer no objection to the proposal provided it came within the scope of an educational visit." It is reported that 124,214 meals had been supplied to the school children up to the end of March by the Canteen Committee. The question of adopting a scale of salaries to be applicable to the staffs of the Intermediate Schools has been considered, but the com- mittee do not desire to tie their hands. and have decided to be guided by the recommen- dations of the head teachers as to the merits of the stalls. It is estimated that the now regu- lations (Circular 703) with respect to the staff- ing of public eleimmtary schools would eiiteCL an additional expenditure of g90 in 12 months or £1,121 in four years, irrespective of the capital expenditure required by the increased number of classes. The t eaching capacity of the present staff is 18,195. The new regula- tions will reduce it to 16,735. There are at present on the books 14,688, with an average attendance of 12,084, so that in the aggregate the present staff is regarded as sufficient to comply with the new regulations.

MR LLOYD GEORGE, M.P. The Right Hon. D. Lloyd George, M.P., Chancellor of the Exchequer, accompanied by Mrs Lloyd George and Miss Megan Lloyd .George, were at the Gwalia Hotel, LJandrindod WeHs, on Friday and Saturday last. The dis- tinguished party arrived at the hotel by motor from Worcester, and were ac- companied by Mr Llewelyn Williams, M.P., and Mrs Williams. The journey from Worcester was via Bromyard, Leominster, and New Radnor, and according to a Worcester paper the car in which they travelled was placed at their disposal by Lord St. David's. The immediate purpose of the visit was to see Mrs Davies, a sister of the Chancellor, who has been staying at The Towers for the sake of her health for some weeks. The dis- tinguished party left by motor about 10.30 on Saturday morning for triccieth, via Rhayader and Aberystwyth, -the route chosen being one that would cover a part of the Principality the right hon. gentleman had not previously tra- velled. Much interest was aroused when it became known that Mr Lloyd George was at the Gwalia. The right hon. gentleman made free with his friends at the hotel, chatting pleasantly with the; guests he knew, and dining with the rest of the visitors at the hotel. Mr Edward Jenkins stated that Mr Lloyd George was just as homely and natural as when he first knew him 20 or 25 years ago.

TEACHFRS' COMPLAINT. At a conference of the Incorporated Associa- tion of Assistant Masters in Secondary Schools, held at Cambridge on Saturday, the chairman remarked that the recent action of the Leeds education authority and the corresponding attempts of Crewe and Bradford seemed to show that where there was a balance on the wrong side of the educational budget the teacher must be made to suffer. The reason that their salaries and prospects were so un- satisfactory was that they indirectly contributed to the cost of their pupils' education. The whole machinery of education in secondary schools was engaged in grinding out a £20 training for a £10 school fee. They now learnt that for deficits arising from costly extravag- ances the teacher might be called upon to suffer. Resolutions were passed unanimously pro- testing against local authorities repudiating their contrasted obligations to the teachers and regarding attempts to suspend increases of salary or to reduce salary scales as deroga- tory to the best interests of secondary educa- tion.

CAERLEON ANTIQUITIES. Excavations on behalf of the Liverpool Anti- quarian Society and the Monmouthshire Anti- quarian Society have just been recommenced at Caerleon, under the superintendence of Messrs F. King and C..f. Fox. By permission of Colonel Sir A. W. Mackworth a portion of the Priory Field, which is partly surrounded by the city wall, will be excavated. Already in the south-western corner of the field, inside the wall, a watch-tower has been imcovered. The masonry work in the foundations of the tower is very fine. Some dou b exists as to the age of the tower, the difference in the state of the masonry in the wall' and the tower being very great. A large number of trinkets and coins of Dominican and Vespasian times have also been found and deposited in Caerleon Museum. The excavators at present are engaged in fol- lowing the course of a large culvert which has been discovered, and it is hoped, later, to com- mence excavations on the site of the old amphitheatre, known as King Arthur's Round Table.

WELSH QUARRY SUBSIDENCE. On Friday morning the slate quarry district of Abergynolwyn, near Towyn, was thrown a state of consternation by the fall of thousands of tons of rock at the Bryneglwys slate quarry. The quarry is worked by means of tunnels running into the bowels of the earth, and the slate is thus worked out, and from the main tunnel several chambers run in various directions. It was in three of these chambers, Nos. 8, 9, and 10, that the fall occurred. Fortunately, the quarrymen were not at work at the time of the fall, owing to the fact that they were recently placed on four days' work on account of depression in the slate trade, otherwise the consequences might have been disastrous. The management of the quarry had, however, for some time anticipated a fall, and had ordered the quarrymen em- ployed in that part to be cautious, but they little thought the fall would have been so!great. As the result, an extensive piece of land, over a quarter of an acre, has been swallowed up, including a pool, which has been entirely swept away.

Welsh National Library. Description of the New Buildings. TO The annual meeting of the governors of the National Library of Wales was held at Aber- ystwyth on Friday, Sir John Williams, K.C.V.O., the president, occupied the ehair, and he was supported By Mr Herbert Lewis, M.P., vice-president Dr. Henry Owen, London, treasurer the Hon. Walter F. Rice, Dr. Gwenogwyn Evans, Professor E. Anwyl, Mr E. D. Jones, Fishguard Rev.. John Fisher, Cefn, St. Asaph Alderman T. U. Howell, Newport; Professor J. Young Evans, Sir T. Marchant Williams, Mr D. C. Roberts, Mr W. Thomas, Mr J. W. Summers, Mold the Hon. Mrs Bulkeley-Owen. Oswestry; Colonel Joseph Bradney, Penpergwm Mr Morgan Stuart Williams, St. Donat's Castle Mr D. LleuJer Thomas, Swansea Mrs T. Ellis, Mr J. H. Davies, Principal T. F. Roberts, Principal Bebb, and Mr J. BaUing-or, chief librarian. A Gift from Mrs T. E. Ellis. Mr Ballincr reported that MrsT. E. Ellis desired to present to the National Library a massive silver inkstand for use at the meetings of the Council. The inkstand was a wedding present to the late Mr T. E. Elln by Sir John Blythe, and Mrs Ellis desired to perpetuate the memory of Mr Ellis by asking the governors' acceptance of the gift. (Applause.) The President said he accepted the gift with the warmest feelings of pleasure and gratitude. The late Mr Ellis was one of the first and most active workers in the movement almost from its commencement, and the governors were deeply indebted for the work he did. (Hear, hear.) The President reported that Professor Henri Gaidoz, of Paris, had sent 18 volumes to the library, and expressed the pleasure he felt at learning that the National Library had been founded, and that so experienced a librarian had been secured. On the motion of Mr Herbert Lewis, seconded by the Hon. Walter Rice, the meet- ing passed a vote of thanks to Professor Gaidoz. Mr Ballinger reported that a letter had been received from the Record Office enclosing two schedules of records relating to Wales, which were to be handed over to the NationalLibrary. A vote of thanks was passed to the Record Office for this gift of valuable documents. The Council's Report. The report of the Council stated that storage space for 80,000 volumes had been arranged in the temporary buildings, and. if required, book cases for a further 30.000 can be provided. Included in the list of books presented by the University College of Wales at Aberystwyth are :—The MSS. of William Floyd, 534 vols. MSS. mainly of the 17th century, presented by the late Dr. T. C. Edwards MSS. and books of Gwallter Mechain the Welsh library of the Rev. Owen Jones, B.A.. Llansainfcffraid book and MSS. of the late Lewis MorrisJ of Pen- bryn MSS., autograph letters, and books, including Y Beibl Bach (1630), bequeathed by Mr R.ichard Williams, Celynog the Celynog history, presented by Mr David Davies, M.P. books and MSS., presented by Mrs Basch, of Crosswood the general Welsh history of the College a copy of 1 Bishop Morgan's Bible (1588), presented by the Rev. W. M. Lewis, Ty Llwyd, PemJ)., being the first book given towards a Welsh collection. The Peniarth collection, which had been secured through the generosity of the president, had been placed in a fireproof room. There was ample evidence that the Library would be largely used for research purposes, and later on a. collection 'of duplicate books would be formed for circulation for educational purposes. At the time the charter was granted a sum of £20,281 15s had been promised towards the building fund, and on March 31st of this year £9,677 3s lOd was in hand. The Library would receive the publica,tions of the British Museum, and 78 vols, had come to hand from Washing- ton Library, America. The Council appealed for further contributions. Mr Ballinger said that a great many parcels of books were received daily, and it was evi- dent that the people of Wales recognised the important position the Library would hold in the intellectual life of the nation. (Hear, hear.) In moving the adption of the report, Mr Herbert Lewis said he felt sure all the gover- nors would agree that it would have been im- possible to discover any building more ad- mirably adapted for the purpose it was intended to serve than the one in which they were assembled. Adequate provision could be made for the storage of the moat precious books and MSS. in perfect safety; the greatest care had been'taken in regard to the protection of the building from fire, and donors who may be in doubt as to ,sen9-ing their books and MSS. to the Library need not have thcslightest trepidation upon that score. The presentation of the Peniarth collection by the president was the crowning act of generosity to an institu- tion for which he. had already made such splendid provision. (IJear, hear.) Referring to the collection of books presented by the British Museum, he said they were again in- debted to the president for having induced his Royal Highness the Prince of Wales to take a personal interest in the matter, and who attended the meeting .of the trustees of the museunrsuid used his influence on behalf of the National Library. (Hear, hear.) Mr Bal- linger WI" s doing his best to make the collection of books as complete as possible, and they congratulated him upon the admirable progress already made. (Hear, hear.) In seconding, Sir Marchant Williams said he had been greatly impressed by the progress made and also by the admirable way in which the librarian put the business before them. In Sir John Williams they had at the head of the library the man best fitted for the work. (Hear, hear.) He held that they were singu- larly fortunate in having the National Library at Aberystwyth, as they had on the spot Prin- cipal Roberts and Mr J. H. Davies, the latter being the greatest book collector in the country. (Hear, hear.) Reference was made to those who had pre- sented gifts to the library, and the report was, then adopted. The selection of the place for holding the next half-yearly meeting was left to the Council. Mr Ballinger presented the report of Mr Reginald Blomfield, professor of architecture at the Royal Academy, who had been chosen assessor of the plans for the new buildings. He selected the plans sent in by Mr Sydney K. Greenslade, of London. The new buildings are estimated to cost £85,000, and the descrip- tion of the buildings is given belpw. In his description of the plans the architect says that his great aim has been to lay down a fine scheme, trusting that in the future it will event ually be completed. The site demands a building of a large size, and, low rather than Tiigh in its proportions. For this reason archi- tecturally as )vell as for the spaciousness essen- tial inside the building has been spread over a large area. As seen from the surrounding hills and from the sea the building should be a strong, well-defined mass, and particular atten- tion has been devoted to this masking and the grouping of the roofs and their design. By placing ,the librarian's house to the far left, and the lighting and heating building with the lodge at a lower level to the far right, the extreme width of the site is made use of, and a very strong horizontal line obtained. The treatment externally is purposely flat and severe, the end windows of the library and exhibition halls being the important features because they have to carry the long lines of the sides. The centre portion is purposely not emphasised because the great approach up to it would be amply sufficient to mark the main entrance. The style of the elevations is classi- cal, adapted to modern requirements. The plan of the buildings is a quadrangle, the administration block being in the central portion of the front, flanked on one side by the great library hall, and on the other by the exhibition hall, the fourth side of the quad- rangle at the rear being the book stack, which as planned by the architect will hold 332.000 volumes, but with a variation which the librarian suggests, the book storage in the stack could be increased to over 500,000. The features of the buildings are the library hall, on the left or westerly side of the main entrance, the exhibition on the opposite side, the great central hall, from which the public will obtain access to all parts of the building, and the manuscript department placed axially across the quadrangle between the central hall and the book stack. The treatment of the manuscript department is exceptionally good, as it secures that isolation from risks of fire and theft so essential when dealing with priceless treasures such as the National Library already possesses, and which it wiU no doubt possess in still greater number in the future. The library hall is a magnificent apartment, Where over 100,000 books can be placed within sight of readers, and offering conditions as regards the readers which cannot fail to make it a delightful and inspiring place for re- search workers. The exhibition hall provides space for the public exhibition of rare and interesting books, manuscripts, fine bookbindings, and other things of a like nature, while the prints and drawings, art books, patents, Parliamentary papers, and many other departments have space specially allotted > to them in the ex- hibition wing. The council chamber with the president's and librarian's rooms are in front of the administrative portion of the building. The Hon. Walter Rice proposed, and Principal Roberts seconded, that tilie plans be adopted, and this was agreed to. Replying to Mr Lleufer Thomas, Mr Ballin- ger said the plans would be open to inspection by the public, and during July and August there would be an exhibition at the library of books and MSS. If the arrangements allowed the library would be open to special readers about October. They had not wasted any time in getting the library ready for the public-(hear, hear but a great amount of indexing had to gone through, and the library would be opened at the earliest moment. (Applause.)

LIGHTS OUT AT BRYNMAWR. Much inconvenience was experienced in Brynmawr on Saturday evening through the gas supply failing just at the busiest period of the evening. Business premises had to be illuminated by oil lamp and candles. The' gas is supplied from the Blaina works of the Brynmawr and Blaina Gas Co. It was off close on two hours. During the time that the town was in darkness it is stated that several busi- ness people lost goods from their shops.

Severn Waterway. A £ 2,000,000 SCHEME. The Royal Commission on Canals and Water- ways has been appointed and is at work pre- paring to report upon "'facilities, improve- ments, and extensions desirable in order to complete a system of through communication by water between centres of com- mercial, industrial, or agricultural im- portance, and between such centres and the sea; and the prospect of benefit to the trade of the country compatible with a reasonable return on the probable cost." Sir John Wolfe Barry is conducting, on behalf of the Commission, an engineering inquiry as to the probable cost of enlarging and improving certain main canal routes from Birmingham and the Midlands to the sea, and the Royal Commission is taking evidence as to prospec- tive trade. It is understood that the Commis- sion will favour a proposal to deepen the waterway from Gloucester to Worcester, and the canal lrom Worcester to Birmingham, to a sufficient extent to take barges carrying 100 tons and upwards. This will enable manufac- tured goods from the Midlands to be brought down to Cardiff for shipment, and enable goods imported into Cardiff to he transported to the Midlands. It is of interest to remember that a very considerable quantity of manufactured goods is now conveyed from the Midlands by the Trent and Mersey Canal for shipment at Liverpool, while there is a very considerable amount of traffic between Runcorn and the Potteries along the same route. It is sug- gested that this canal may be deepened in order to place the Midlands 'nt° better communication with the sea, but there are enormous engineering difficulties to be overcome before the waterway constructed by Brindley can be made sufficiently dcep and wide to carry barges greater than 40 tons capacity. There is a belief that the Commission will recommend the enlargement of either the Severn waterway or Trent and Mersey waterway, but not both, and in view of the fact that the Severn scheme i will be much the cheaper (costing two mil- lions) it is important that South Wales traders should understand the importance of a strong presentation of their case Evidence has been given on behalf of Cardiff by Councillor F. G. L. Davis, who has taken great interest in the question. The Comtnission now desire to ob- tain the names of traders Jikely to use the new waterway, and with the object of assisting the secretary of the Cardiff Chamber of Commerce has issued a circular aSking for infermation in the following terms May I inquire whether your firm would re- ceive or forward traffic by water if done with regularity and despatch by the Severn Canal Waterway if reconstructed, assuming the rates Waterway if reconstructed, assuming the rates of transit favour the water route, &nd I shall be glad to have your reply to the following queries:— querIes -I.-Would you receive or forward traflic by water ? 2-—If so, what reductions in canal rates in your opinion would be necessary to induce you to receive and forward traffic by water as compare^ witjr the present rail- way rates ? vn 3.-Would it be of advantage to your business to be able to send boatloads of from 100-to 300 tons ? 4-—What would be the average amount (in tons) of a consignment ? 5.-What traffic do you fstimate, within a reasonable time after the opening of an enlarged and improved waterway, you would be likely to receive and forward re- spectively if the ratea for water transport were reduced below the lowest railway rate by, say, 20 to 25 per rent T there cannot be any doubt that the enlarging and improving of the Severn Waterway would be of immense advantage to the traders of this district, and, if carried out, would enormously increase our import tr^e aj)d place the port of Cardiff in the forefrontfajs-i. distributing centre. The Commission bave." under consideration,, schemes for the reconstruction of canals from. London, Liverpool, and the Humber to the Midlands, as well as the Severn Waterway. Only one of these schemes Will, at any rate for the present, be adopted, and unless we move quickly it may be that we shall lore our chance of the Severn Cantfl being enlarged for many years to .come. The Severn scheme would pro- bably be the least costly, and if we can make our case strong enough, we stand a fair chance of seeing it carried through." The map which we are enabled to publish shows the routes of the proposed schemes. It has been suggested that a conference between the Corporation and Chamber of Commerce and a public meeting should be held to further the scheme, which will be of the utmost impor- tance to Cardiff, and to South Wales generally. The names of at least 60 importers and ex- porters likely to be users of the improved water- way have been submitted to the Commission by Councillor Davis. It may be stated that this is no new proposal with reference to the Severn waterway, for already a large amount of money has been subscribed by local authori- ties and traders. We give a list of the contribu- tions leading up to the Severn Navigation 4et of 1890. These sums were contributed and expended by the Severn Commissioners in the dredging of the rock shoaj which hindered the' free navigation of the Severn. That work has now been accomplished, but because of the bar- rier that exists at Gloucester in the shape of\& lock, which is too small, and of the fixed fridge which crosses the Severn askew, the trade de- velopment which was anticipated nearly 20 years ago has not been brought about. Ad- vances were made under the provisions of the Severn Navigation Act, 1890, by the following; Cardiff Corporation £ 5,000 Worcester Corporation £ 5,000 Marquis of Bute £ 2,000 Lord Plymouth E2,900 Messrs Watson, timber merchants, Cardiff £ 2,006 Messrs Bland,timber merchants, Cardiff £ 1,5C0 Messrs Alexander, timber merchants, Cardiff iEI,500 MessrgSpillers '(nowspillers an(tBakoxs), Cardiff SLo00 Mr John Corbett, Cardiff £1,000, Mr John Cory, Cardiff £ 1,000 Mr T. Rowley Hill f. £ 1,QQ0

BOARDS OF GUARDIANS. MERTHYR. Nursing Staff Praised. At Merthyr Board of Guardians on Satur- day, Mr D. Hopkins presiding, the House Management Committee reported that they had discussed the Guardians' proposal to erect a building at the Work- house for the accommodation of the nurses. Mr Kitcllin, Local Government Board architect, suggested that, instead of carrying out that proposal, a new maternity block Should be erected at the rear of the infirmary kichen, and the present administrative block enlarged so as to accommodate the whole of the nurses. The Board resolved that Mr Roderick, architect, be instructed to prepare a sketch plan showing how the suggestion of Mr Kitchin could be carried out. Dr. Fuller, Local Government Board medi- cal inspector, stated that the nurses trained at the Merthyr Workhouse were equal to those trained in any other institution, and he sug- gested that an assistant medical officer should be appointed for the workhouse, instead of a resident medical officer, as proposed by the Guardians. The Rev. Ll. M. Williams (rector of Dowlais) gave notice that he would move that the whole question relating to the ap- pointment of medical officers be re-considered. Merthyr Vale Medical Officer. Dr. J. E. Edwards, Aberfan, was appointed medical officer and public vaccinator for the Merthyr Vale district, and Dr. R. Ryce, Aber- canaid, was appointed medical officer for the Troedyrhiw district. Dr. W. W. Jones, Merthyr, who has held the appointment tem- porarily, was elected permanent medical officer for the Merthyr lower district and public vac- cinator for the Troedyrhiw district. The chairman of the board, Mr D. M. Richards, the Rev. J. Hathren Davies, and the clerk were appointed to attend the next conference of the South Wales and Monmouth- shire Poor Law Conference, to be held at Penarth on the 15th and 16th of June. '=" ..—'

REFRESHMENT TENT ROBBED. Merthyr Constable's Smart Arrest. A large quantity of cutlery, intended for a refreshment tent, and athletes and gymnasts' outfits had been stored in Penydarren Park, Merthyr, ready for-to-dav's gala an<J sports. On Friday night or early on Saturday morning the shed was broken into and the articles mentioned taken away. Suspicion fell upon a man named Thomas Kennedy, a native of Sal- ford, who had been seen wandering about, the town, and when Police-sergeant Hunter and Police-constable T. Evans arrested him on Saturday evening a portion of the stolen pro- perty was found upon him. The whole of the property, which is valued at S6 or X7, has been recovered. Part had been sold and part had been hidden in the old Ynysfach works. Kennedy will be brought up at the police court on Tuesday.

Beef Trust Methods. HOW TARIFFS AFFECT FOOD. The value of Free Trade to this country is once more* being demonstrated in the most forcible fashion, and that in connection with the price of meat. Our readers (says the Westminster Gazette '") have before now been told a good deal about the operations of the American Beef Trust in this country, and the power it sways in the United States is once more shown by the fact that it has raised meat prices by about 20 per cent. in the last fortnight. As a conse- quence, the retail prices have been raised from lid to 2id a pound on beef. Ordinary beefsteak, which serves the most popular demand, has risen from ahalfpenny to a penny a pound, while higher class meats have advanced as much as lid and 2d a pound. Lamb chops are quoted at Is 5d a pound, which constitutes a record in 'price, even for America. This is the second time within a year that the price of meat has gone up, and it is now almost out of the reach of the poor, ex- cept for very inferior portions of the Beef Trust's products. The impossibility of finding customers at these enhanced prices has lorced several hundred of the New York butchers to close their shops and temporarily go out of business. The Telegraph's New York correspon- e.'ra dent points out that this advance in the cost of meat has followed the original increase in wheat caused by the Patten corner at Chicago, and all other general provisions have been raised in price in consequence, vegetables and groceries in particular. Meat has been a luxury to the poor man." said Mr Edward O'Neill, president of the New York State branch of the Master Butchers' As- sociation, to the Telegraph's correspondent. The poor man has been able to eat meat only once a week, but with this new rise in prices it will be impossible for him to get it at all.. The trouble is that five men control the meat market of the country. The butchers have appealed to Mr Taft to abolish the tariff of 27 £ per cent, on beef. That is the only solution of the situation, because with the tariff off meat could be imported from Argentina at a profit, and the Beef Trust,would be forced to lowet its prices." No Effect in London. Now, it has been suggested that these opera- tions in New York will affect London prices. They might, if we had not Free Trade, but in the absence of a tariff the Beef Trust is shorn of much of its power and in spite of the fact that prophecies of increased prices often fulfil themselves by starting that additional buying which causes the rise, there need be no fear of a general increase of meat prices. That could only take place if there were a general shortage in London. But no such short- age exists. Plenty of mutton and lamb may now be had, and at very low prices. This mainly applies to Colonial produce, but there is also a good supply of English and Scotch meat. For the purpose of showing how plentiful the supply is a representative, who visited Smith- field, was given figures comparing the first four months of last year with those of the corres- ponding months for this. They represent the shipments from Australia, New Zealand, and River Plate. They are as follow :— SHEEP (In Carcases). 1908. 1909. January. 375,200 578,800 February 336,250 571,800 March 457,750 693,250 April 472,200 596,000 LAMBS (In Carcases). "IQfiR 1909. January 362,450 495,950 February 462,950 448,950 March. 508,250 515,500 April 371,000 517,750 QUARTERS OF BEEF (Frozen). 1908. 1909. January 171,812. 170,500 February. 155,350 102,300 March. 132,100 183.400 April. 174,350 138,550 QUARTER4 OF BEEF (Chilled). 1908. 1909. January 47,638 61,000 February 44,925 75,000 Mareb.. 56,000 90,000 April. 69,950 82,256 There is nothing in these figures to cause any alarm," the salesman consulted pointed out. It is, of course, quite true that Ameri- can live stock has shown a shortage, and they are showing a tendency to hold more-for their home market by reason of the increase in their population. But, 011 the other hand, there is a growing increase. in Argentine beef, and it is not a little singular that in many of the shops controlled by American syndicates may be seen but very little of American and a great deal of Argentine beef, together with Australian mutton and New Zealand lamb. Incidentally, I may mention the fact that so many of the American firms trading in similar fashion cer- tainly suggest one or more rings, whatever may be said to the contrary." The increased activity in Argentine meat is regarded very favourably. It is almost like tapping a new source," eauaUansed this gentle-, man. Large supplies of Colonial lamb and mutton promise to continue for two or three. months ahead. A Blue Book issued on Saturday contains minutes,of evidence taken before the Depart- mental Committee on Combinations in the Meat Trade. The Board of Trade appointed a committee, with Lord Robert Cecil as chair- man, to inquire how far and in what manner the genetal supply, distribution, and price of meat in the United Kingdom were controlled or affected by any combination of firms or com- panies. Some interesting tables are appended to the report, which shows the estimated meat pro- duction of the United Kingdom in 1907-8 to have been 25,313,020 cwt., whilst the estimated total supply was 46.850,380 cwt.. the percentage of home to total being thus 54'0. The imports of meat, alive and dead (excluding rabbits, poultry, and game), into the United Kingdom in 1908 reached a total of 21.646,939 cwt. Details with reference to the business trans- acted at Smithfield Market are contained in the evidence given by Mr H. W. G. Millman, superintendent of the market. Of the beef 20 per cent, came from the United Kingdom, the Irish contributions being small. Practically none came from Australia, and of Continental supplies the chief items consisted of • pork and some mutton and veal from Holland. Home and Continental supplies had recently in- creased whilst Australian remained normal and North American English killed and South American had slightly declined. There are 210 firms in Smithfield Market. comprising 340 tenants, occupying 344 hold- ings. Sixty-seven occupy more than one stall and two have nine each. Armours have four, Swift six,. Archer and Sulzberger Hhree, but the assertion that Americans hold 44 is, accord- ing to Mr Millman, false, although efome impor- ters of chilled and frozen meat have large hold- ings. In order to prevent perpetual holding by large companies the stall is let to one man only, and in the case of a transference, the name of the actual holder must be publicly exhibited. In the opinion of Mr Millman, the foreign hold on the market is largely due to an insuffi- cient and decreasing home supply, and the lack of desirable co-operation among English firms preventing equal railway deductionsaugmentcd by the system of decentralisation introduced by American firms. He did not believe there was a controlling combination of North Ameri- can firms as to the price of supplies, and re- garded this as impossible so long as competi- tion existed from Australasia and the Argen- tine. Competition was not as yet serious in the best meat, but it was increasing.

OAK APPLE DAY. Saturday was oak apple day, but with the exception of a few who are -enthusiastic over the zestoration of the merry monarch the anni- versary remained unnoticed. Even the school children during the past quarter of a century have become unmindful of the custom of wear- ing the oak, challenging their undecorated colleagues with Show your oak," and as a punishment allowing their victim to choose between a pinch or a punch." There was one spot in London where the Royal oak was remembered, and that was at the grave of Richard Penderell (" Trusty. Dick" ), who saved the life of Charles IL after his memor- able rout by Cromwell at Worcester, and who is buried in the churchyard of St. Giles-in-the- Fields. Upon the altar tomb of Penderell on .Saturday morning was, placed a large wreath of oak leaves from Shropshire" with the inscription, In memory of a faithful subject and companion of Charles II." Another memorial came from Pinner. One contributor had tied to a sprig of oak a quotation from the grandiloquent memorial of Pendercll Trusty Dick." Whilst Albion chronicles with matchless fame, Embalm the story of great Pendrill's name." Penderell died in 1671. After the Restoration he came to London, and there served the monarch until his death with the devotion, as'one of his biographers says, of a characteristic country woodman."

ANVENING STROLL. At Llandaff,%Iag istrates' Clerk's Office, Work- ing-st., Cardiff, on Saturday, Charles Palmer, of Guildford-street,Cardiff,was charged with steal- ing a purse containing Y,5 7s 8d and a gold ring from the person of Margaret Lawrence. Mr Harold Lloyd defended. It appeared from the evidence of prosecutrix that she was in St. John's-square about 6 o'clock on Monday evening last when a man came up to her and said, How do you do ?" She told him he had made a mistake. Hè persisted he did know her, and asked her to go for a walk. They went along the cana) bank as far as Maindy, when she stated she felt his hand in her pocket. Immediately afterwards his hand was removed and she took her purse from her pocket and held it in her hand. Prisoner snatched it and ran off. Later he was arrested by P.S. Brice. Mr Harold Lloyd stated that prisoner was a man of respectability and was employed as a brakesman on the T.V.R. He was married. It seemed a great hardship because Whit-Monday fell on the same day as the police court that the prisoner would have to be remanded for a further nine days. The case was remanded until Monday week, bail beina, allowed.

Bathers' New Peril.. DANGER OF POLLUTED SEA WATER. On Saturday-at a time when most of us were thinking about holidays-some un- pleasant truths about the dangers of sea- bathing were emphasised at the proceedings of the seventh international congress of ap- plied chemistry, which is being held at the Imperial Institute and the Royal College of Science, Kensington. Professor Kenwood and Mr F. N. 'Kay-Menzies placed some alarming information before the section on hygiene as to the pollution of sea water. Edible sea shell fish, reared or deposited round our shores. Professor Kenwood said, were often exposed to dangerously contaminated sea water, and in an age of increasing concern and nicety for sanitary details the question had often been raised as to whether sea-bathing in contaminated water might not be dangerous. Coast tides, currents, and eddies were capable of conveying sewage contamination for some distance from the actual outfall into the sea, to parts where there was no local contamina- tion added, and there was nothing to indicate the previous pollution. A period of 24 hours would suffice for the contamination in a very dilute form to reach several miles from its outfall, and laboratory experiments indicated that typhus bacilli could survive several days in sea water. The subsequent papers read were also fuH of interest. £47,000,000 Flood Damaged The next speaker, Dr. Frenkel, of Paris, then described the system he had devised of deodoris- ing the gas escaping from motor-cars. The motor-car deodoriser consists of a silencer con- taining a series of catalytic cells of platinised asbestos or platinised biscuit porcelain. The mixture of air and malodorous gas is passed throusrh the cells to make them incandescent the combustion of malodorous gas is effected automatically, and the motor-car passes pleasantly by. Another speaker argued that in some cases the use of chemicals to preserve food is neither necessary nor desirable. He called these cases immoral, and demanded legislative action. But he consoled the common man by oncluding that nearly e eery preservative in common use has been proved to have no in- jurious effect on health, and, in reasonable pro- portion, to be actually beneficial. A fourth chemist reported that he had been observing through a microscope the changes in the germination of wheat. The grains were cut and placed on wet flannel for 36 hours. After three days the grain had increased one- eighth in size. An American chemist advoca- ted international harnessing of water for power purposes. In the United States 85 to 95 per cent. of the total volume of water is wasted in floods. Instead of suffering E47,000,000 direct yearly damage by floods the American Govern- ment should conserve the water power, a small part of which would work every mill, spindle, train, and boat, and light every city, town, and village in tho country. One little brook would save iCI5,000 a year in coal. But the brook was wasted,and the waste was equivalent to allowing 30,000 tons of coal to fall over a precipice yearly. Babylon is what it is to-day largely because of the destruction of its irrigating system of war, and there should be an international law against the military destruction of any country's conservation works." Coal Dust and Explosions. Mr W. Galloway, F.G.S., past Professor of Mining in the University College of South Wales and Monmouthshire., dealt with the question Af coal dust, and stated that the in- spectors of mines, whose business it was to elucidate the causes of great explosions in this country, had ignored the existence of coal dust, and did not even refer to it until some years after 1875. The speaker said he made in- vestigations, and by means of searching ex- periments satisfied himself that fine coal dust, when miited with the air, was capable under certain conditions of playing the same part as firedamp itself. An explosion could be initiated in a dry and dusty mine when a cloud of dust was raised and a large flame simultaneously projected into its midst by the explosion of a larger or smaller body of fire- damp or by a blasting shot. It was obvious that if the deposition of coal dust in the road- ways of mines could be altogether prevented, or, failing that, if after being deposited it could be rendered innocuous, great explosions would become impossible. The only means of effecting the first of those objects would be the use of dust-tight mine waggons, and the second by watering the floor at frequent in- tervals so as to keep the dust continuously damp.

TRIBUTE TO ENGLAND. On Saturday, on the eve of the departure from England of the German municipal councillors, who have been the guests of the City Corpora- tion during the week. Dr. Reiche, the Burgo- master of Berlin, made an interesting and ap- preciative statement to a Press representative. He said The question naturally arises,' What influ- ence can 30 or 40 Berlin gentlemen, come to London to return the visit of a like number of London gentlemen, have on the future rela- tions of our two great countries ? And to that I SJi^jthat our visit will result in a better un- derstanding1 of eacji other. Londoners and Berfiners. Englishmen and Germans, are con- ditioned bv the same ancestral origins, by the same racial instincts. There are 8,000 English- speaking residents in Berlin. In the past we have been inclined to confuse English with Americans. The German comic papers have been in the habit of depicting the Englishman as opening his great mouth (den grossen Mund aufmachend), whereas in reality this habit is to be attributed to the American (as one sees in pic- tures of President Roosevelt) and not to the Englishman. I am glad to say that this pre- sent visit has opened our eyes. The Englishman does not talk in a loud voice, either physically or metaphorically. Among high and low this English attitude of restraint of natural dignity has impressed us. I spoke yesterday on the road to Windsor to a litte cobbler by the roadside who answered me in self-assured, quiet manner which com- mands respect. It is the fundamental quality of,the English race, this supreme self-respect, this innate consciousness of his own superiority. He never doubts but what the English race is the salt of the earth. This feeling is England's strength—and at the same time England's danger. It is this indifference to other nations which made Rome and which destroyed it. We in Berlin are eager to convince every new- comer of our progress.' We like to assure every- body how great we are, because we are not so dead certain about it ourselves. You in London have the instinct of race preservation very strongly expressed. One sees it in your massive horses, in your massive policemen— both the result of centuries of clover. I was at the Carlton the other evening-what a well- bred race of tall, well-groomed men, what clean-cut features, the result of hundreds of years of racial selection. In England what graceful, divinely tall, daughters of the gods. The Londoner likes solid, definite institu- tions, and lives the solid definite life of a solid man. His houses are dwelling-places, not decorated frontages, as so often with us. I have never been able to realise the reality of London from photographs. White squared stones, blackened with age or climate, they stand deep-rooted as Cyclopean masonry, set as sturdily as the English Colossus across the world. London is more real in our minds to- dav than we ever thought it could become. r We can now understand the force of the entire race and the reason of its domination of the world."

MATRIMONIAL BILL The Stantonbury Dilemma. The text is published of a Bill presented by Mr Herbert Samuel to confirm a provisional order made by the Home Secretary to legalise the marriages solemnised in the Church of St. James's, Stantonbury, Bucks, during the last 48 years, when thechurch has not been licensed for marriages. To remove all doubt touching the validity of the marriages solemnised in the church the Home Secretary has made a provi- sional order in the following terms :— 1.—All banns of matrimony and marriages published and solemnised between the 6th day of December, one thousand eight hundred and sixty, and the date of this order in the Church of St. James, situate at New Bradwell, in the parish of Stantonbury, in the county of Bucks, in the diocese of Oxford, shall be and shall be deemed to have been as valid as if they had been pviblished and solemnised lawfully. 2.—A minister who has solemnised any mar- riages referred to in the first paragraph of this order shall not be liable to any proceedings for penalties whatsoever or to any ecclesiastical censure by reason of having solemnised the marriages. 3.—The registers of the marriages so solem- nised or copics of the registers shall be re- ceived in all courts as evidence of those mar- riages in the same manner as registers of mar- riages duly solemnised or copies thereof are by law receivable in evidence.

PICTON CASTLE TENANTRY. -+- There was an interesting gathering at the Salutation Hotel, Haverfordwest, on Satur- day, when Mr H. E. E. Philipps, of Picton Castle, was presented with a massive silver centrepiece, two silver salvers, and an illumi- nated address on the occasion of his forth- coming marriage to Miss Gwynne-Hughes, Llandilo. In addition to a large number of tenantry there were also present Sir Charles and Lady Philipps. In making the presentation Mr Edward White. Ugmaston, referred to the happy re- lationship which had always existed between the tenantry and Sir Charles and Lady Philipps, and to the feeling of esteem and admiration for Mr H. E. E. Philipps. He then read the illuminated address, which stated that the gifts were an expression of goodwill on the part of tenants in Haverford- west, Boulston, Camrose, Freystrop, Llan- stadwell, Hamlet of St. Martin's, Slebech. Ugmasj/on, Walwyn's Castle, and Wiston. In accepting the presentation Mr Philipps said he was deeply impressed by the generosity of the tenantry, and mentioned that on the previous day he received a magnificent salver from the tenantry in the Narberth district. Sir Charles Philipps also referred to the cordial relations! between owners and tenantry on the Picton Castle estate.

TALKS ON HEALTH. By DR: ANDREW WILSON. Loss of Speech. An extremely interesting topic, and one which deals with certain grave nervous con- ditions and ailments, is that which has been suggested by a reader, in the shape of the subject of loss of speech. When a person loses the power of speech he, as a rule, is also unable to write, so that spoken words and written words become in each case impossible to be per- formed. The loss of speech is known by the medical term of aphasia."whilst similarly the name agraphia is applied to the loss of the power of writing words. We must be careful to distinguish between loss of speech and loss of voice. The two conditions arc entirely different. Loss of voice does not imply loss of speech. for the person afflicted with, say a bad cold in the throat, can still speak, "although his voice is extremely husk. On the other hand, loss of speech depends on brain trouble of definite kind, affecting a certain well-known area or centre of the brain, loss of voice being merely dependent upon local conditions which, for the time being, interfere with the produc- tion of sound. The subject we are considering becomes of interest, because loss of speech is a symptom or sign of brain trouble affecting the speech centres of the brain, such an ailment generally consisting in the rupture of a blood- vessel or in the blockage of a vessel connected with the supply of blood to the part of the brain concerned in the act of speech. In an ordinary case of apoplexy the essential feat- ure of whigh is an injury to the blood-vessels of the character described, if the injury be on the left side of the brain and affects the speech area (with loss of power and movement on the right side of the body), aphasia will form a symptom or sign of the diseased condition. Some Ciyious Facts. In order to understand more clearly what loss of speech implies in the way of alteration of the brain structure, we have to keep in mind the important fact that each half of the brain governs the opposite side of the body. The fibres or nerves from each half of the brain cross at the top of the spinal cord to the opposite side of the body, so that this curious fact ex- presses a. fundamental condition of brain structure. We do not know why this trans- ference of brain power to the opposite side of the body should have taken place. We can only deal with it as a primary fact of our constitu- tion. It is obvious that as most of us are right- handed, the truly governing half of our body must be the left lobe of the brain, seeing that the actions of the less-used left hand and arm are governed by the right brain half. It is-a notable faot, that whilst the brain centres aæ found in duplicate in the two halves, the speech centres of the left half are those which are ordinarily exercised in the act of communi- cating with our fellow-men. It may be pee- sumed that in a naturally left-handed maa matters are reversed, for one may presume that the right half of the brain in him assumes the place of its dominant partner, just as in right-handed persons it is the left half which does the larger share of goveranee ol the body. It is, therefore, perhaps not tin- natural to suppose that the causes, whatever they may be. which have made man right- handed, have likewise brought the left speech J centre to the front and given to this pa.1"ticu-, lar area of the brain a striking predominance in human affairs. 0 The Explanation. Loss of speech, we thus see, in ordinary right-handed individuals, occurs when disea8e affects the speech centres of the left side, so that we expect to find in the majority of cases, right-handed paralysis present when loss of speech occurs. I n such a case the individual, although unable to speak or write, knows per- fectly well what is said to him. The purely mental and intellectual acts involving and the formation of ideas remain nnimpg.iiwic but the individual cannot give expression ta the ideas. He has lost the memory of writtea and of spoken words. Again, we have to take into account that in the case of language there are ingoing messages invol ved as well as out- going messages, which result in speech or wri- ting, so that if there is an inability to under- stand the meaning of words heard or the mean- ing of words written, we then find conditions all relating to aphasia, and known as word- deafness and word-blindness. Curiously enough recovery from sweh an ailment may take place, although the process of reconstituting the knowledge of words and letters may be a slow and laborious one. Furthermore, it has been found that in some cases where the left speech centre has been found after death to be destroyed, the power of the individual to regain speech to a greater or less extent has been explained on the supposition that the right speech centre, ordinarily dormant in use, has in such a case been awakened and taken upon itself the functions of the diseased left centre. All such cases, it need hardly be said, are of serious matter, and demand the attention of the physician, but they are in themselves extremely interesting, because they tend from the standpoint of disease to throw a good deal of light upon the manner in which the brain naturally discharges its complicated duties. About Zinc. Zinc figures as an extremely useful article in the list of drugs used for the relief and cure of disease. Various compounds of this metal are employed, an extremely useful and common substance being the oxide of zinc which, in the form of ointment, is used as an application to wounded and diseased surfaces by way of pr0- moting their healing. Sulphate of zinc ia another useful substance employed as an emetic to empty the stomach quickly in cases of poisoning. Ten to 20 grains of zinc dissolved in warm water acts extremely quickly in pro- ducing vomiting. Sulphate of zinc is also used as a lotion for relief of eye inflammation, one grain of sulphate of zinc to an ounce of rose water forming a suitable lotion, which may either be used for the eyes plain or diluted with water. A useful application for ulcers which do not readily heal is that known as red lotion." This is composed of two parts of sulphate of zinc, fifteen parts of compound tincture of lavender and distilled water up to five hundred parts. Sulphocarbolate of zinc is another pre- paration extremely useful as an injection in cases of discharges. For many of the diseases incidental to women a drachm of sulphocar- bolate of zinc is dissolved in a pint of tepid water and used as an injection. Yet another compound of zinc of use as a toilet prepara- tion is that known as calamine. This latter substance is really oxide of zinc coloured with iron. A useful lotion adapted to soothe an irrit- able skin is composed of four drachms of cala- mine, half a drachm of glycerine, and eight ounces of rose water. Similarly, an application for freckles is composed of four drachma of calamine, one grain of perchloride of mercury, half an ounce of cherry laurel water, half drachm of glycerine, and elder-flower water up to six ounces.

PRESS CONFERENCE. The delegates to the Imperial Press Confer- ence arrived in Liverpool on Saturday morning on the Canadian Pacific steamer Empress of Britain. The ship was berthed soon after 6 o'clock in the morning, and their long journey (some of them had come from the Antipodes) was at an end. The voyage from Canada has been a very pleasant one, fine weather prevailing during the whole of the time. In the Dominion the delegates had met with a most remarkable and hearty reception. They were met at Van- couver by Mr George H. Ham, the representa- tive of the Canadian Pacific Railway, who acted as their- convoy across the Continent. As soon as they landed they began a visit, every moment of which was filled with hospitality and the warmest of welcomes. Speaking to a representative, Mr F. Tem- per! ey, who represents the Australian Provin- cial Press Association, said that from the time that they landed in Vancouver until the day they left Quebec they had been right royally entertained, Mth by journalists and by the people of Canada generally. Everybody did their utmost for us," said Mr Temperley. Our visit to the Dominion will always be a wonderful memory for us. At Ottawa we were specially honoured by the Dominion Government. Earl Grey entertained us at Government House, and in Parliament we were allotted seats in the Senate Chamber. The Canadian Pacific Railway placed a special train at our disposal. We were much struck with the magnificence of the company's hotel. Some of us had never seen snow and ice before, and we had our first snowballing match in the Rockies. We were all struck with the wonderful future which lies before the Dominion—with its commercial activities, and with the phe- nomenal progress which is being made on. all" hands, and we found everywhere the same burning devotion to the Empire and the Motherland as exists in Australasia. We shall carry away with us the pleasant- est possible remembrances of our experiences during the first part of our trip." On leaving the St. Lawrence they came with- in a mile of a gigantic iceberg, and this Was another unique experience for most of the party.

MOBBED BY WOMEN. New York, Saturday.—An English miner-is the victim of one of the most extraordinary mobs that has ever gathered in America. He was repeatedly warned to stop making uncomplimentary comments about the women and girls of the Manifold mining village in South-Weatern Pennsylvania. The women de- clared that his utterances were slanderous, and on Thursday evening nine-tenths of the female population in the village held a secret meeting and decided to drive the man out of the town. Yesterday the women notified him that he had better leave while he had the opportunity to do so. He took no heed. however, and a mob of 250 women and girls, armed with sticks and pick handles, attacked him. He was chased for two miles, being repeatedly struck and knocked down. The police, in a buggy, pursued the mob and rescued the man. They drove him to a spot a. mile away and put him into an electric tram- car, warning him not to return. He soon left the car, and sought refuge in a wood close by. where he was discovered last night in a, dying state. A number of women have been arrested at ringleaders, and eifecs arrests are probable.