The North Wales Express

CORRESPONDENCE BETWEEN XR T. H. OWEN, BRYNLLWYD, AND MR W. J. PARRY, COETMOR HALL. We have been requested to publish the following :— Coetmor Hall, Bethesda, 7th February, 1885. Sir,-In yours of the 27th ult., which appeared in the North Wales Chronicle of the olst, you take exception to my having published the correspondence li without gir- Ing you the slightest intimation of your intention." Let see if it is so. I am not at all ready to take your word °r anything. My experience of you does not justify my doing so. On the 31st December I wrote, '•* If you will 0,1ly drop me word, I shall see that the correspondeuco is Published in full." -4 I shall expect your answer before end of the week." On the 2nd January you wrote as ollowj ;—"Publish the correspondence whenever you ^e, but I must inform you that I have not yet done with You, Your suggestion therefore is, I must confess, rather Premature." We have here a very clear intimation of 'lay intention and your permission is complete. I do not place any great value on your opinions. You are too reckless in your assertions to justify anyone taking you for a truthful man. Try to be careful, and so save your- Belf these continua] corrections. Champion of abuse." You must, some time or other, ave pictured yourself as the coming "champion" in sOrne character or other. "The "champion" is always tu- PreseutiQg itself before your eyes. Can it be ch-i Plun of bigots" or "champioIl of persecutors" or cham- pIOn of the worlie class of quarry managers the country saw. Whichever else it might have been you clearly "e abandoned your claim to be "champion of abuse, aJter doing all in your power" to qualify for the post." 1 Although I did not charge you with making use of etters" marked private," but of private letters, still I prepared to prove that you have referred to letters marked private." And as you have thought proper to 8'11 ill this direction, and taken advantage of thise letters to try an(j misrepresent what they contain, I give you this challenge, Mr Owen. You give me permission to Publish the following letters, received by me from you, aud dated as followsSept. 4th, 1874 (not marked. Private); Sept. 15th, 1674 (marked "private"); Sept -■3rd, 1874 (marked "strictly private") Sept. olst, 1874 ("ot marked private); Oct. 5th, 1874 (not marked pri- |ate); Oct. 2i-»th, 1874 (marked "private"); Nov. 12th, (marked "private"); and Nov. 18th, 1874 (not marked private) and I shall give you full permission to Publish all letters received by you from me, whether hey are marked private or not. I may remind you, Mr Uvveu, that the strike at the Penrhyn quarry commenced the 1st August, 1874, and terminated on the ilth 5IOV ;1S74! Between these dates we did some work! °Qie persons knew that between these dates we were tr-iag to upset the former management because of their Wrungcloings. Towards the beginniug of November the tioble emplUyer was about appointing new mauagers °lHe, doubt, who considered themselves qualified to the general management of such quarries as the ^Qrhya aa(i Dinorwic, were anxious to secure one of the Posts ICan it be that any one of them thought tha.t the trIte Committee were such idiots as to think for a raoltent that they would have any voice in such an ap- pointment v The publishing of these letters is but an f?1 of justice, as you have taken the liberty to convey, to ~e Public, an impression about them which the letters hemselves will not support. I am not afraid to see them Published. If you decline to give this permission the Public will know why. To quote from Mr Owen, Bryn- fiwyd, «Let truth and falsehood grapple. Whoever *lew truth put down to the worse in a free and open en- c°uat3r. With unflinching truthfulness and unsparing seventy I" am ready to "enter into details on this subject. Keep your compassion to yourself: I prefer gOIng after facts. Remember now, Mr Owen, that it Is You that first trod on this dangerous and sacred ground." 1 am glad to find, from jour present letter, that at last "av'e convinced you that all these side issues are the of the course taken by you in this correspondence. '■s some consolation to hud you, bit by bit, coming round to the verv thing I asked you in my first letter. hei'e is some little more yet to be done to bring you (tnpletely round. Never mind I shall be amply repaid Or the trouble when all the work is done. 1 see it com- i.g. I have only one short, simple step more, unless you are tempted to enter upon any more" side issues." If you do, all well and good I shall make good my promise to follow. Although you are not sufficient of a gentleman to withdraw the remark made by you that the above are all false," still I am glad to find that you have not bew Q-ble to gainsay i single statement 1 advanced upon this 'Question. The proof produced by me cannot be refuted. You cannot help yourself. My witnesses and my proof are too strong for your weak armour. The 1874 incident continues clearly to give you pain. It is very tantalising to have to give up your very best testimonial. I pity you. You must look out for another. lir Francis's won't replace the one you have lost. If you £ I have no doubt you would use the rope You been anxious to use it. All your actions prove you to be the very type of a hangman." You would have done well if you had lived in Mary's reign. The only disadvantage to an ambitious character like yours would be this-that the names of the mean instruments of that hellish reign have not been allowed to pollute the pages of history. We have the names of a few of the chief in- 'trunients recorded but those who used the rack aud kindled the fires were of a meaner type I Let me give you, Mr Owen, the opinion of your Tory organ of the judge who presided at the late assizes at Carnarvon. It says that his visit "was characterised by outbursts of temper which were neither dignified nor ex- cusable. He snubbed counsel and lectured witnesses, and In an argument with a learned practitioner of tke law, •ctually used a big, big D." You are welcome to your Signified authority. What a pity you are not a solicitor." Allow me to inform you, Mr Owen, that I never wanted to be one. I declined to be articled to one because I never its- tended entering the profession. I never wanted to Qualify. Although you have persuaded yourself that You are qualified it is fortunate for both master and tten that you are not a quarry manager. You have Proved yourself totally unfit to be placed in charge of any body of men. You have no control over your own actions. You are too sensitive, too irritable, too Lettish and bigotted, unbalanced in mind, and utterly in- capable of controlling your temper too suspicious, too jealous, too restless. Any works that you might have been placed over would immediately become a seeth- ing volcano. I can imagine you maintaining a gos- siping post to receive your gossiping friends, whose gossip you would carefully record in the Green Book kept by you. You would spend a good sum upon spies. Next morning the quarry office would be filled with men whom these gossiping spies would have given you the names of, to be examined as to what they are supposed to have said about your hat, about your shoes, about your overcoat, about the li, ilr you got out of bed, and turned into it, as to how often they had seen you in the village during the day. The owner would have to engage another manager to at- tend to the other duties, while you were engaged looking into these awful-these serioftS-these trea- sonable gossiping charges I cannot trust myself to describe the punishment you would inflict upon the supposed guilty ones. Again I have to ask you to be careful what you write. It was not may," but what you wrote was After this correspondence has come to a definite conclusion, I shall, with your permission, deal with a few incidents in your career, which, in my opinion, require a little wholesome ventillation." If you are not the mean coward I take you to be you will not refuse my challenge to enter upon it after getting the permission given you. The reader is quite capable of seeing that what you wanted was permission to say whatever you liked, knowing the same to be untrue. J Ilst like a coward—the most detestable of the class. If I can shame you to proceed I will. If you knew beforehand that you could not prove what you asked permission to write you would be ashamed of yourself if your moral sense were not entirely gone. Your ambition, jealousy, and suspiciousness have made you blind to every feeling that constitutes a gentleman. Not if it pleases you to do so," Mr Owen. This is an afterthought. Can it be that you feel now that you have taken too much upon yourself ? The reader will decidedly come to that conclusion if you refuee i to proceed. I can threaten. 1 can brand, too. I brand you as the "meanest of cowards" if you at- tempt, in any way, to get out of your threat. You wanted the reader to believe that you had something. Then out with it. You would like to "be spared the trouble," would you ? Not just yet, Mr Owen. Now for your last paragraph. I take it for granted that you have the permission of Col. West for saying that lie never told any gentleman that he disclaimed responsibility." I told you at the time that I believed Col. West. I am prepared to accept Col. West's word. My authorities for what I said are the Rev. R. S. Williams, Bethesda; Mr R. Jones, Cloth Hall; Mr 0. Williams, Carneddi B.S.; and Mr Gwilym Jones, Ogwen-terrace. If Col. West says lie did not say such a thing, I should be very sorry to throw the least doubt upon his word, and prefer coming to the con- clusion that Mr Rathbone misunderstood him, or that the four gentlemen named by Ill,) misunderstood Mr Rathbone. I am not responsible further than that for the use I made of the names of Col. West and Mr liathbone. As to the other portion of this paragraph let me quote from previous letters I told you at the inter- view that the person I had in view, in some of my remarks at the Market lIall, was the one who was responsible for arranging a counter demonstration, on the same night, the same hour, and in close proximity to the Liberal meeting on the 14th October, and this with torchlights." When you met me on the 20th October and denied that you were responsible, I told you that some of my remarks were intended tor the person responsible, whoever he might be." I stand to this." What more do you want, Mr Owen? Now we come back to the point we started from; and the point that would have settled all than—before any of the s!de issues had been raised—it you had acted wisel v If there had been the least trace of the gentleman in you, you would have been glad to act upon the sug- gestion I made at the interview, and which I repeated in my very first letter, via., that If you require from me any definite denial or explanation of any- thing I have said I must call upon you to put dow* in writing what you accuse me of." AlIo," I will not be referred to the speech in general, without it is stated what remarks in particular you want me to explain." Also, Put down your definite charges in writing, and you shall have my plain and straightfor- ward answer." You say, Mr Owen, in your very first letter, that at our interviews you accused me of making certain stateme>its in the course of my speech, which, in your opinion, reflected must seriously upon the Bethesda Conservative Association in general, and yourself in particular." If you were able, at the in- terview, to accuse me of making certain statements what is there in the way of putting these "certain statements down in black and white ? I know why, but I want the public to know it also. Your doing this will protect you, Mr Owen, from tolling any falsehoods about them to anyone. Try and act the gentleman. Remember that a drab coat and a white hat do not constitute one. Ten shillings p?id as a donation will buy the same amount of meat as ten shillings given as a subscription! Do write down these certain statements." If you will condescend to do this, we shall end where we started—so far as I am concerned whatever. Yours, &c., WM. JNO. PARRY. T. II. Owen, Esq., Brynllwyd.

DELIVERY OF LETTERS AT LLAN- ERCHYMEDD DISTRICT. To the Editor of the OBSERVER AND EXPRESS. SI—Please allow me a small space to add to my letter of last week. Since then No. 2 carrier has been treated in a most tyrannical manner. It appears that rumours of the very small pay given these persons had reached the llev, R. W. Mason, rector of Llantrisaut, hence he asked Owen Hughes, the letter carrier, as to the correct- ness of the same, which was replied to in the affirmative but because this badly-paid servant. of the post-office dared to give a truthful answer to a fair question he was peremptorily dismissed, with a week's wages as compensation, and yet this despotic and arbitrary treatment has been dealt towards the best carrier that our district has ever had. I am pleased to find that the inhabi- tants of the town and neighbourhood have taken the matter up in earnest, and are sending letters and petitions to the Postmaster-G-oiieral, begging for a thorough investigation into this and other r, grievances which we have been compelled to put up with for a long time.—Yours, &c., JUSTICE.

Av ANGLESEY D YNAMITARD. "—Travellers arriving by rail at Bangor and Menai Bridge are still sub- jected to very close surveillance. Towards the close of last week, a medical gentleman who has retired after a practice of many years in :he East, and who was on his way to Anglesey to pay a visit to his sister, the wife of a clergyman in charge of a parish not far distant from Holyhead, came under the special notice of the detectives who have to note the movements of suspicious characters, especially between Chester and Holyhead. The gentleman in question was" spotted at Crewe, traced to Chester, and the detectives at Ban- gor were duly apprised by wire that he had booked to that station. His arrival was carefully noted, and his request that his luggage, which included the usual black bag, should be sent on to Iihosgoch, a small sta- tion on the Anglesey central Railway, was calculated to excite further apprehensions on the part of those who were on his track as a suspicious character. After alighting at Bangor, the gentleman continued to be carefully watched by the detective, who kept his eye upon him during a brief stay at the King's Arms Hotel, followed him across the ferry to Beau- maris, and thence back to Menai Bridge, five miles distant, where he joined the train, leaving Bangor for Gaerwen Junction and the Anglesey branch, having meanwhile secured the services of a plain-clothes offi- cer from Beaumaris. Finding that lie had not booked to Rhosgoch, but to the terminus at Amlwch, the sus- picions of the detective were still further aroused, and he telegraphed the local police sergeant to meet the train on its arrival. Whilst the detective was looking out on the Amlwch platform for the member of flu Anglesey constabulary who was to assist him in making what promised to be an important capture, the mys- terious stranger, who, it is said, was fully aware of tlu unwelcome attention which was being paid to hi; movements, and which imparted an additional zest t( his outing from Beaumaris and thence to Mena Bridge, had as mysteriously disappeared. Afrer con siderable inquiry, the detective and the sergeant rai him to earth at the Bull Bay Hotel, about two mile from Amlwch, and found him enjoying his pipe an< entertaining the landlady and a few friends to whoti ne was weii Known wiui an amusing account or now he had bothered the bobbies." It need hardly be added that neither the detective nor his companion remained to join in the conversation after discovering the fool's errand upon which they had devoted the greater part of the day.—Liverpool Mercury.

CLEAN GRATES, NO DUST ON FURNITURE, &C.— Birkett's Black Lead when tried proves itself the bes and cheapest. Birkett's City and County Supply Stores, Bangor,

THE NEW VALUATION BASIS IN THE BANGOR AND BEAUMARtS UNION. The following report has just been issued by Mr J. H. Thomas, Carnarvon :— Carnarvon, 29th January, 1885. Sir,—I have the honour to inform you that I have completed the new valuation lists of all the parishes in the Union and have delivered them to Mr Thomas, your clerk. Annexed hereto is a statement showing the effect of Union charges for three months calculated upon the new totals as compared with the calls made to meet the expenses of the common fund of the union for the quarter ended Christmas last. I have endea- voured to check my totals, and as the following will show, the difference between the totals of the gross estimated rental in the new lists and those of the income tax assessments is as little as might be expected in a work of such magnitude. Parisheis in County of Anglesey, Income Tax. £44,827 do New Lists £ 44,815 do Carnarvon Income Tax £118,500 do do New Lists £118,428 On completion of the work, I anticipate the assessment committee would be glad to know the manner in which their instructions have been carried out. My first duty was to call with the surveyor of taxes to request his favour for the loan of the income tax assessments this was readily granted, and I wish to acknowledge the courtesy and kind assistance I re- ceived from Mr Williams during the progress of the work. Though the charges in the income tax assess- ments had been corrected up to the end of 1884, it was found that the names of the occupiers and owners were those copied from the poor rate books made three years ago. In order that these particulars may be more accurate I had the poor rate last made, copied. Unfortunately the order of the rate books had since changed greatly, one reason, given was that the auditor finding large aud small tenements mixed directed that in all subsequent rates they should be entered separately. In many of the parishes this ne- cessitated a change in the "order" of almost every page. The committee can in this way realize that the work of identifying properties so as to place the charge in income tax assessments opposite the right properties was rendered extremely difficult, and made the labour of preparing the new lists a great deal heavier than if the work had been undertaken at a time when the poor rates and the income tax assessments were more nearly in the same order. It might save the committee future trouble if they could induce the overseers to keep as much as possible to the same order in the preparation of their rate books. The frequent changes in urban districts consequent on new buildings, &c., makes irregularity unavoidable. In rural parishes there cannot be much necessity for departing from the order of one assessment when preparing a fresh rate. The parishes in which the greatest difficulty in this respect was experienced are those of Bangor and Llandysilio and Llanllechid, and it is not impossible but that some of the charges may have been entered against wrong properties, especially those situate within the district of Bethesda, where during the last three years many leasehold houses have reverted to the ground landlord and a conside- rable number of new buildings erected and old houses taken down and rebuilt. On the Cefnfaes estate much of such changes have taken place. All these have been dealt with, with as much care as I could bestow, but with respect to the errors that may arise from causes referred to, or any other, the assessment committee cannot do better than follow the practice of the in- come tax commissioners whose rule is to recognise the possibility of errors in their charges, leaving however the onus of correction upon the taxpayer himself on appeal. And it would be as well that simultaneous on approval of the valuation lists, the overseers be directed to prepare a supplemented valuation list to contain all new properties and of properties that may have been inadvertently omitted. Perhaps the com- mittee will not think me travelling very far from my instructions if I attempt a few observations with reference to the reported objections to the new basis adopted by them for rating purposes. No ratepayer in your Union can plead ignorance of the proposed change. The official public notice of deposit of the new lists (copy of which is hereto annexed) have been freely put up, and no inconsiderable prominence has been given to the matter by the local newspapers; the appeals therefore will be the best test the assess- ment committee can have as to whether the grounds of the objections against the new lists are satisfactory or otherwise. A report upon all the notices of appeal received is appended, reference to one only will be here made, viz., the occupier of Plasnewydd, Llan- gocd, is assessed in the new list at a gross estimated rental of £115, he says his rent is jE76 5s. This farm is owned by the trustees of Llandwrog charity. The commissoners appointed to make inquiries concerning charities referring to Plasnewydd state;—"In year 180U it was let on lease for twenty-one years to John Thomas for .£105. In 1824 the rent was re- duced to £ 95, in 1825 to .£80, the present rent, this was done on a valuation of Mr Williams of S90 3s lOd, but in consequence of the frequent repairs required on the old mansion, the trustees agreed to reduce the rent to £80, the tenant to keep the premises in re- pair." The assessment committee will please note that the valuation of this farm made sixty years ago is in excess of what would be inferred from the notice of appeal, the present tenant thinks he ought to be rated at. Also, that the law provides that cost of repairs are to be covered by deductions from the gross to form the column rateable value. The general objections to the new basis may be summed up something like the following :—" That in taking the income tax as a basis, the rating is sure to be unequal, consequently unfair because landlords vary so much in fixing their rent, and the tenant who is fortunate in securing a low rented farm is about to be made doubly fortunate by a low rating and vice versa. This is not always so, as the following cases will show :— Income tax charge Rent Llanedwen Tyddynfadog £60 £:35 do. Pontryronwy £ 52 £ 40 Llaugoed Plasnewydd £ 115 IC80 The commissioners of income tax, in each of these cases observed the rule in the Act of Parliament, viz., "But if the same are not so let at rack-rent, then at the rack-rent at which the same are worth to be let by the year." I venture to think that the assessment committee need not be greatly concerned to combat the objections which have been brought under my notice, and which have been reported in the papers. Experience shows that valua- tions, however made, cannot be without serious uneven- ness, and that a perfectly fair and equal rating is practi- cally impossible their duty is rather to find a mode of rating the least open to charges of inequality. After much consideration and some experience of more than one mode of rating, I cannot help thinking but that the assessment committee have done wisely in adopting the income tax charges as their rating basis. It would appear that the mode of arriving at a valua- tion most favourably received by the opponents was to refer the present valuations to the parishes for revision. The wisdom of such a course can be judged by an exa- mination of the past work under supervision of the ves- tries; for such a purpose I have applied two distinct tests -the results will speak for themselves. The first refers to farms, part of which is in one and a part in another parish. There are over 30 in your union. In but one instance only do I find overseers of two parishes in agreement as to value per acre of the land. The nature of soil may account partially for the difference in the valuation. I cannot think that it does for the whole. The following are a few examples:— "g o IS 'ii « 2 Farms and Parishes. £ <3 s 2. S fZi > c3 < o £ >- -1- Creinlyn Llanddona 350 397 22s. 7d. Llaniestyn 110 115 20 9 Hafoty Llanddona 100 92 11 5 Llansadwrn 112 100 17 11 Ty Fry ••• Penmynyid 98 104 21 2 Pencraeth 261 326 24 11 TreforwyddPentraeth 22 18 16 4 Treforisa [ Treforbwll ) Llandsadwrn. 139 121 117 10 Pt. Dyffryn. Penmynydd 126 84 13 3 Pentraeth 91 99 j 21 U Ty Croes (or Rhos) Llangoed 108 43 8 0 Llansadwrn 47 31 13 0 Penliwynllys Llangoed .j 27 26 19 0 Llaniestyn .j 76 70 18 5 The collector for Pentraeth writes:—"There is no reason why the rateable value per acre of Pentraeth land should be higher or even so high as that of Penmynydd or Llansadwrn." The second test applied has reference to the farms belonging to the Marquis of Anglesey, Sir R. B. Williams Bulkeley, and other of the old large landed proprietors, whose properties are to be found in several parishes in your Union. I have ascertained upon good authority that the rents of the farms be- longing to theie gentlemen are fairly even throughout their estates; it was therefore but reasonable to expect that it would have been found that tie ovcr.-ee• valuation of the farms held under the same landlord would have borne some degree of equality in difference between their gross estimated rental and the actu tl rent. The following return proves the contrary to be the case:— Dilier- Owner and parishes in which Over- In- ence property is situate. seers come per value. tax. cent. Mar of Anglesey.Llanedwen 483 672 Llanfair I'.G. 195 239 21 Llanffinan 690 614 4 Llanddanielfab 174 188 8 Llanfihangel Es. 1136 1248 10 Llansadwrn 56 80 43 Penmynydd 95 357 21 Sir AV. Bulkeley. Llanfaes 188 291 55 Llandegfan 305 401 31 Llangoed 66 86 30 Llansadwrn 481 586 21 Penmon 176 j 245 39 Penmynydd 153 213 39 Llangristiolus 814 1183 45 Gen. Williams.Llanfair P. G. 220 292 27 Llandegfan 391 572 45 Lan'gelDinsylwyi 319 325 2 Penmynydd 249 301 21 Sir J. Meyrick. Pentraeth 14.5 147 I 1 Trefdraeth 334 387 15 Llangadwaladr 420 563 34 The above refers to groups of farms taken at hap- hazard from the income tax assessments. In the event of an appeal to sessions against valuations of the railway or any other property situate in more than one parish, and if the inference I draw from the foregoing return is sound, I much fear that rates made upon valuations so manifestly unequal would stand but little chance of resisting an order to be quashed. In concluding, I would beg to state that it has always occurred to me that valuations prepared (in your Union) by twenty-five different sets of overseers cannot be a fair basis upon which to charge the com-non fund of a Union, so large a number of minds cannot be" expected to be uniform in idea of rating. And further, whether the valuation be made by overseers or by professional valuers, the result can only be an "opinion" against which equally competent and equally experienced an "opinion" can be obtained differing most materially in result. But with a rating based upon rent" opinion is set aside and fact only is dealt with. Hoping these remarks will not be con- sidered unnecessarily lengthy, I have the honour to be, sir, your obedient servant, J. HENRY THOMAN. To COL. THE Ho:* W. B. SACKVILLE-WEST, Chairman of the Assessment Committee of the Bangor and Beaumaris Union. P.S.-After writing the above, I came across the following paragraph in the twelfth annual report of the Local Government Board, 1882-83, by which it would appear that the overseers' valuations in the county of Anglesey is lower in comparison to the crown valuation than that of any county in England and Wales :— "In the last year the gross estimated rental in the metropolis where the Valuation (Metropolis) Act is in force was short of the crown assessment by '07 per cent. only, while the English counties (exclusive of the Metropolis), under the Union Assessment Committee Act fell below it by 10'48 per cent., and the Welsh counties were 11-85 per cent. under the crown valuation. Some counties rank much below the average for example, Bedford, in its gross estimated rental at the latest date, was 21'17 per cent., Lincoln, 23'9S per cent., and Anglesey 33'22 per cent, under the gross annual value in Schedule A."

COMPARATIVE STATEMENT OF EFFECT OF PROPOSED WITH PRESENT RATING BASIS. Present Rate-New Rate- In- Nearly. i-AUlbtt^o. able Value, able Value, crease. Aber 44G2 4880 418 9 ct. Bangor. 35,801 43,791 799022 „ Llandegai 23,289 24,785 1496 6 „ Llaufairfechan 930-1 12,283 297032" Llanllechid". 12,731 14,967 2236.18" 1-1: 85,587 100,706 15,119 18 „ Beaumaris.i- 5487 6516 10297s Llanddaniel. 2015 2735 72035" LIanddona. 1491 1984 49333" Llandegfan. 3674 4688 101427 „ Dandysilio. 4664 6293 1629,34" Llanedwen 2354 3045 691 29 Llanfaes 2661 3392 73127 Llanfair P.G. 2621 3365 744 28 „ Llanffinan 933 1088 155:16 „ Lianfihang el Esgeifiog". 3523 4206 683 19 Llanfihangell Din Sylwy. 586 618 32 5 „ Llangadwaladrl 2206 2825 61928" Llangoed 1706 2301 60235" Llangristiolus 3345 4819 147444 Llaniestyn. 1374 1549 175 12 „ Llansadwrn. 2881 3719 8S8 29 „ Penmon j 980 1360 38038" Penmynydd..j 3568 4473 90525" Pentraeth 3065 4345 280 41 „ Trefdraeth. 4400 -5372 972j22 „ 53,534 68,700 15,166 28 „ < -1 139,121 169,406 30,285^21 „

GAZETTE NEWS. Ädjudication.-J ohn William Jones, Blaenau Fes- tiniog, grocer and general dealer. Notice of Intended Dividend.— Robert Ellis Roberts, 'N' Glanymorra, Tremadoc, grocer and flour dealer Feb. 20 William Evans, trustee, Chester. Application for Debtor's Discharge.—John Williams, the elder, and John Williams, the younger, trading as John Williams and Son, 6, Vale-street, and Brook- house, Denbigh, seedsmen and nurserymen; day fixed for hearing, March 23.

RKASONISGS ON DEBILITY.—Under this title a great deal has been written, and yet the substance of the entire subject lies in a nutshell," or rather in four words-impurity of the blood. This is the source o'f debility or weakness, whatever may be the proximate or immediate cause of the misfortune, and they are numerous. When Ilolloway directed his attention to this important and not unfrequent state of ailment, he found numerous theories existing but instead of being led away by vain disquisitions, lie restricted himself to the consideration of what Nature requires for the maintenance of health and strength in the human system. As he said, the stomach must reduce food into a wholesome pulp, which, in due course, is converted by admixture with the bile secreted by the liver into a milky substance, from which the nutri- tious portion is taken up by the absorbents of the bowels and conveyed through its appropriate vessel (the thoracic duct) to the heart, through which it passes to the lungs and becomes blood, circulating through every part of the system, whose wear said tear it repairs, renews and invigorates-if it be pure. If this be not the case, then the body wastes—evory part of it shrinks for want of nutriment-the vi tal stamina fail—and there is general debility or weak- ness. It was this accurate and simple view of t:ha subject which led to the composition of those Pills which the world has gladly accepted from Ilolloway, and found to be such a perfect restorative of broken and dilapidated constitutions-from whatever cauae proceeding—whether the result of unbridled licen- tiousness and vice, or the consequence of exhausting and poisonous mineral medicines. Fortunate for hu- manity was the day when Thomas Holloway inaugu- rated his new mode of treatment. How many loving parents have since then blessed him for the prepara- tion of a medicine which arrested the grip of Deaith when it was fixing its inexorable talons in the hea rt. of their sons and daughters, which restored pristine health and strength to worn organs, and, 11.1 it were, gave a new lease of life to bodies apparently doomed irrevocably to lingering decay and piecemeal dissolu- [ tion For, if there be one class of diseases more than others in which llolloway's Pills have been most suc- 1 cessful, it is General Debility,—Every Man his Own Doctor. o

MENAI BRIDGE. LOCAL BOARD.—A special meeting of the Boird was held on Wednesday afternoon. Present: Mr Parry (chairman), the Rev. E. C. Davies, Mess s John Morgan, John Jones, Hugh Will: tins, and Thomas Hughes (e'erk). The Common Land Enclosed by lIIessrs Davies Im- portant Discussion.—The principal object of the special meeting was to consider the minutes of the parish vestry respecting common land iielosed by Messrs Haviea and Sons, and to pass resolution thereon, but prior to that Mr Hugh Williams explained that what give occasion to his moving that Messrs Davies be asked to remove some timber was the fact that a certain piece of land was rented by Mr Evan Williams. It might be thought that he took the matter npon himself, but he hoped the reporters would make it known that, inasmuch as the Board rented a piece of land to Mr Evan Williams, they could do nothing else but ask Messrs Davies to remove the timber.—Rev. E. C. Davies But we have the right to do it.—Mr Wil- liams I don't doubt that, but they might think it originated with me personally.-The Chairman said there were some bricks there by Col. McCorquodale, and they should have to watch the next vessel bring- ing some more in.—The Clerk Messrs Davies have removed the timber, but there is still some timber there belonging to another party.—Mr John Morgan I should say that we ought to deal rather gently with this matter; for anyone may dispute our title.-The Rev. E. C. Davies: I hope the reporters will not state that.—Mr John Morgan I don't care if the whole world knows.—Mr Davies It would be our advantage otherwise.—Mr Morgan Let us face the truth.—The Chairman: If we don't have it now we shall have it. — Mr Davies The very fact that the timber is removed shows they admit our right.—Mr Jones: I think it is a pity, for the sake of the village, that that land is occupied by anyone, as it is the only place where the boatmen can land, especially when the tide is out.—Mr Williams Let us understand each other, and consider what has been hinted by Mr Morgan. Of course we take him as one of our principal leaders, and he advises us by what he has said to be cautious, but ha advised them to let it at the time. How can these things agree together ?—Mr Davies I think we are all right now.—The Chairman My opinion is that when we had no Local Board here nobody could ask them to remove. This harbour and landing place belongs to the town. That is my opinion of the matter. I don't know whether I am right or mot.—Mr Morgan: Well; you can try it, Mr Parry.—The Chairman The harbour belongs to the town.—Mr Morgan: By whose authority?—The Chairman: Well; I don't know.—Mr Morgan then ex- plained that before the land was separated it belonged to the proprietors of the ferry, and he referred to the history of the laud, and to the Act of Parliament that was passed to enclose the common, and in that very Act it stated that all land between the Queen's highway and the fore- shore leading from Cae yr Halen to Ynys Faelog was not to be leased or built upon 011 any account whatever. When the Llandysilio Commissioners made the allotment of the common, the proprietors of the ferry did not get one inch.—Mr D ivies We don't go upon that ground now. We try and get possession by simpler means. Somebody must claim. Unless we let it go into the hands of Messrs Davies and Co.—Mr Williams: Are we not taking the right step in asking Messrs Davies to remove the timber ? — Mr Morgan: I do not say anything about that.—Mr Williams And since we haVe let it on rent to Mr Evan Williams we ought to take means to remove the obstruction.—Mr Mor- gan I don't say anything against that, but I wish to understand the question generally.—The Clerk: There was a notice given to produoe the parish vestry book according to a minute in which Mwesr: Davies and Compamy promised to restore the land encroached upon.-The following extract was then read.—" At a numerously attended meeting on the 8th November, 1877, it was unanimously decided that the land at Pone y Packet was part of the common and was still the legal property of the parishoners, never awarded to anybody else. It was moved, seconded, and carried that the following gentlemen be appointed as a com- mittee to get legal advice with a view to defend the parislioners' right of Pone y Parket—as recreation ground—namely, Mr John Morgan, Cadnant; Mr G. 1). Dew, solicitor Mr Robert Algeo, land surveyor; Mr Thomas Jones, wine merchant, Mr R. G. Thomas, architect; Mr Henry Humphreys, Bulkeley Arms and Mr B. Thomas, builder. On the 31st of January, 1878, a vestry was held to receive the re- port to recover ccmmon land encroached upon, who reported that they had been successful in stopping the encroachment of Messrs. John and Ebenezer Wil- liams on Pone y Packet, and the expense incurred was £10. They reported further that they found by the Llandysilio and Llaneilian Enclosure Act of 1814, all the waste land or common land below the Queen's highway from Cae yr llalen to Ynys Faelog, and the foreshore of the Menai Straits, belonged to the public, and was not to be enclosed or leased. Most of this land, however, was enclosed by the Messrs. Davies, upwards of twenty years ago. These gentle- mt promised the committee that they will give up their rights, provided that the parishioners get a special Act of Parliament to empower them (the parish) to hold and manage the said land and the land reserved for fairs, for the public good and power, to grant lease on moderate rent, to the Messrs. Davies on Pont y Packet Wrach."—The Clerk re- marked that that Act had now been'obtained.—Mr Morgan You are quite in the dark about the matter. What is in that resolution is quite true, and Mr Davies said every word therein stated. We went for a special Act, and Messrs. Davies promised to give us some land, but the Local Government or the officialg of the Woods and Forests objected to it and stated that the land belonged to the Queen and they would not allow the Act to pass. The Llandysilio Commissoners had spent a deal of money and they agreed to be satis- fied with what land they had had, inasmuch as the Government officials objected to Messrs. Davies living up this land. I am sure I am right ab«ut the affair.—Mr Davies; Then it means this; that enly Messrs. Davies or the Queen commands that land ?—Mr Morgan No I do not say that, but that as the Com- missioners won't give the land us they have disputed the right already. Things are exactly as they were before. Messrs. Davies and Company are willing to give up the land on certain conditions but the Government will not allow us to have the Act. In that way then it is not our fault, nor the fault of Messrs Davies. There was a deal of correspondence on the subject.-The Chairman Where is that correspondence ?—Mr Morgan Mr Dew was our solicitor, and maybe he has got it now. Theu we lost the land, in the first instance, because wo allowed Messrs Davies to close it. The Woods and Forests did what they could to get hold of the land, but tkey could not prove their claim. The result was that Mr Davies closed it, and the Woods and Forests said they would give him the lease. When they applied for rent he asked for the lease, but they could not give him the lease, and he would not pay them, and there the matter stands.—In reply to the Rev. E. C. Davies, Mr Morgan said that he understood that when Messrs Davies and Company began to close the land, the parishioners did try to stop them, and he (Mr Morgan) was speaking to Mr Davies about the matter, and told him the land be- longed to the parishioners, and he said," You slept too lon<?. You allowed me to inclose the land until it was too late'. Morally it belongs to them."—Rev. E. C. Davies It doet not matter for the objection of an Act of Parlia- ment. Ihey are morally bound to give back the land to the parishicuers of Menai Bridge, and no gentle- man can afford to break his word, whether it be a matter of policy or not.—Mr Morgan: Mr Davies has explained srthat he has no legal right to transfer and if he would give the land to us, he says the Woods and Forests would take possession of it at onc^.—Mr E. C. Davies: We don't want him to transfer, for the l £ -ad. is ours.-Mr Williams: How can the Woods and Forests claim it when they admit they have no power to give a lease to Messrs Davies. ^1 Morgan If you will read t.'ie correspondence you will see, aud they make out that tbe Que^n is the Lord of the Mauor" (laughter).—The Cleik; The land has never been rated to the poor, and it shows that it is common land.—Mr Williams; No; that might be the fault of the oriicials.-The Clerk But taere is a minute on the vestry book that it should L 'e rated. Mr Davies I think the matter will not end .here It is, and the thing will be thoroughly sifted, anü1 Mr Davies will have to suffer much dissatisfaction for it. I bear the greatest respect for Mr Davies in all things, but I cannot believe that this action is wise on his part for his own popularity as a member of the county, and it would be much wiser on his part to hand over the land. I cannot be persuaded that it is not feasible, for I think he can do it.—Mr Morgan said he had been speaking to Mr Robert Davies on the question, and he said the same thing, namely, that if it were given up to the parish, the Woeds and Forests would step in.—Mr Davies I think it is only quib- bling for the sake of getting possession.—Mr Williams: Surely there is no mystery aboutjit. The Woods and Forests have no respect of persons. What favour can they show?—Mr Morgan I am afraid it is too late.- Mr Davies The only thing I see is that Mr Davies has made a promise to a deputation, and he is bound -and everyone is bound if he values his word-by that promise.—Mr Moiv.an He is willing on certain conditions, and the conditions were put in the hands of the lawyers, and they put them in the Bill. They meant to pass the Bill, but the Government officials j objected. I wish you would cead the correspondence. I have been working at the question for years and years. The land belonged to the p trishioners, and it was never to be closed, but the parishioners allowed Mr Davies to close it. and he had possession of it for 20 years. It was then decided, on the motion of RER. E. C. Davies seconded by the Chairman, that a deputation, consisting of the Rev. E. C. Davies. the Chairman. Dr. Prvtherch and Mr Algeo, should call upon Messrs Davies and Of). on the subject. Some difficulty was experienced in getting some of the members to go on the deputation, and Mr Morgan declined, saying he had done his duty to the parish. Inspector of Nuisances.—A letter was received from the Local Government Board, stating that it was against the spirit and contrary to the Act to <0 combine the offices of clerk and inspector of nuisances together.—It was re- solved to appoint an inspector of Huisances at X12 per annum. r Notice of Motion.-The Rev. E. C. Davies gave notice of motion to stop the litigation which was proceeding inspecting Pone Packet. They had expended already about £ 100 for no purpose whatever.

CONTEMPORARY WELSH LITERATURE. "Y GENINEN" (THE LEEK) .-A REVIEW. It may be interesting to n:any of our readers who de not understand the Welsh language, or, who, understanding the language, do not, for other reasons, read much or any of the current literature embodied in their native tongue, to give a short epitome, involving occasionally, it may be, some little criticism, favourable or otherwise, of some of the leading periodicals that circulate more or less extensively throughout the Principality, and are printed in the Welsh language. The one to which we propose briefly to refer in the first instance is the Qeninen, or the Leek. It is issued quarterly, and is sold at a shilling, and is as good a shilling's worth, we believe, as can be obtained in any language under the sun. It was first brought out some two years ago, and as far as we can understand succeeds as well as could have been reasonably anticipated. It is a periodical of a superior kind, contributed to by the leading men of Wales, of all sects and creeds. That a new publieation like this should succeed as it does, proves conclusively that there is a large Welsh reading public of an intelligent order, and that it suffers no diminution, to 'say the least, as time goes on. Moreover, it bears striking testimony to the fact that there is a large number of Welsh readers, who find pleasure in a higher kind of literature than is to be found in the columns of some Welsh newspapers. It is some consolation to think that there is Something more substantial provided as mental food for the people of Wales, and at a reasonable price, than the wretched gossip of senseless old women, and that hashed up from week to week in an endless variety of small dishes. If the writers who laboriously pen this rubbish, void both of wit and grit, would only aim at raising instead of lowering the intellectual and moral tone of the community, they would be spending their time much more usefully than at present. However, our business at present is to call attention to the particular periodical we have named above. In looking at the contents of the number for the current quarter it will be seen that the subjects treated of relates almost exclusively to religion, poetry, education, music and biography, and these as far as they concern the Principality. The articles bearing upon religious questions are given under the following headings :-(1) The Future of Religious Sectarianism (7 T/ VFC ernment (a) As regards the Church of England (b) As regards the Calvinistic Methodists, The first of these articles is by the Rev. Griffith Ellis, M.A., of Bootle, and is handled by him with his usual ability. The subject taken up by Mr Ellis is a very peculiar one. He sets out to inquire whether there are any grounds for hoping that at some future time the wall or walls of partition which separate the different branches of the Christian Church from one another in Wales will ever be broken down. As far as the Church of England is concerned, he sees but little likelihood of our ever attaining so desirable an end. The peculiar, and, to his mind, unwarrantable, assumptions of the Church of England absolutely preclude the possibility of any such union. Moreover, he points out that the breach existing between the Church and Nonconformists is very perceptibly widening from year to year. The Church is withdrawing further and further on the one side from Nonconformity, and Nonconformity on the other side is withdrawing from the Church. The Disestablishment of the Church also, it is thought, will tend still more to alienate the one from the other. As regards Nonconformists, the writer indulges in anticipations of a more hopeful character, though he admits that, in all probability, his views will be considered by most people as some- what visionary. However, he proceeds to show that if such a consummation could be brought about, it is certainly one devoutly to be wished, for the simple reason that it would prevent a waste of money which in many instances borders upon being sinful. This waste is peculiarly evident in connection with the English causes which are being established in various districts throughout North Wales. Two or three chapels are erected in districts where one would be amply sufficient, and the money might be devoted to other purposes of a far more useful character. Whatever our views may be as to the practicability of the union contemplated, there can be no doubt in any one's mind as to its desirability under such circumstances. Another evil pointed out in this article as arising from our religious differences is that the same differences are transferred to the heathen world by the missionaries sent out by the various religious bodies, and the progress of the gospel is to a consider- able extent thereby obstructed. As Mr Ellis points out, this is a very serious consideration, and is a sufficient reason why thoughtful Christian men should look about to see if there is any common ground upon which all, Nonconformist denominations at least, can possibly meet. The chief reason adduced for entertaining the hope of an ultimate union of the sects is that during the last twenty or thirty years there has been a very striking a/>procheme?it going on amongst the various denominations; that the spirit of co-operation has during this period been very strikingly developed and that the tendency of the age is to develop it still further. This brief summary will give our readers an idea of lie aim of the article. Churchmen will probably see 11 it. an indication that the "sects" are beginning to ;ee the errors of their ways, and that ere long they tvill be found knocking at the door of the mother whose home they have so long forsaken. But no inference could be more false. Mr Ellis is careful to point out that until Churchmen can agree to stand upon the same ground as other denominations of Christians, the possibility of union with them is utterly and ab- solutely excluded. We must confess that to our thinking, the hope of any union whatever of the kind contemplated, even amongst the various Nonconform- ist denominations, is only of the very faintest descrip- tion. Like Noah's dove, Mr Ellis has escaped from the ark, and, wafted upon the wings of faith, faith in his religion, and faith in his countrymen, through the atmosphere of love and good-will, views witn mis- giving the waters of dissension around him and sighs for the subsidence which has not yet come. (To be continued).

UNIVEHSITY COLLEGE OF WALKS, ABERYSTWVT.— The following students of this college passed the Matriculation Examination recently held by the University of London. In the Honours Division, W. T. Broad. In the First Division, D. M. Jones, John Morgan, A. Wheeler, and T. H. White. In the Second Division, John Owens and R. P. Sliarman. The following former students were placed-in the First Division, Isaac Edward Owen and W. Price in the Second Division, L. C. Thomas. Two VIEWS OF MARRIED LIFE.-The first view is obtained by reading the following verses straight- forward, as usual but in order to see the second, it will be necessary to alternate the lines, reading the first and third, then the second and fourth. That man must lead a happy life Who is directed by a wife; Who's freed from matrimonial claims Is sure to suffer for his pains. Adam could find no solid peace Till he beheld a woman's face When Eve was given for a mate Adam was in a happy state. In all the female race appear Truth, darling of a heart sincere Hypocrisy, deceit, and pride, In women never did reside. What tongue is able to unfold The worth in women we behold ? The failings that in women dwell Are almost imperceptible. Confusion take the men, 1 say, Who no regard to women pay Who make the women their delight, Keep always reason m their sight.