The North Wales Express

'} THE NEW RAILWAY. To be or not to be, that is the questl° £ Is the hope, which the "Liverpool Mercury has once more revived in the Carnarvon shire breast about to be ralize, or are we again to be doomed to disappointment. Our daily contemporary in its issue of Tues- day last gives particulars and details of a scheme long dreamt of, long hoped for, but never yet realized-a scheme which' would transform Porthdinlleyn into a new Holy- bead, which would go far to relieve Carnar- vonshire from the incubus of London and North Western monopoly, and which would, m all human probability, result in the ac- quisition of a grand trunk line which would bring Cardiff within four or five hours ot Carnarvon, open up the wealth of Mid- Wales, and bring into closer relationship than ever before the mineral wealth of the South and the agricultural productions of Ncrth Wales. The scheme, according to the authority we have named, consists in the extension of the present Cambrian line to Porthdinlleyn, not in the form of a continuation from Pwllbeli, but of a diversion from Abererch. This would make Porthdinlleyn instead of Pwllheli, the Cambrian; terminus. This standing alone would not be much. Indeed it would 30 so little as to be scarcely worth the having. But it isn't all. It is really only an in- troduction 'to what follows. Porthdin- iiejn is to be made into a deep water har- bour, which would answer the double pur- jpose of docking large ships and of serving as a Harbour of Refuge for all vessels seek- ing shelter in Carnarvon Bay. This is to be secured by the construction of a break- water as an extension to the existing natur- al rock, and whichl, according to expert opinion is a practicable and not excessively mostly scheme. Porthinlleyn having thus been made into a magnificent harbour, is then to become a Welsh terminus port for the Irish trade, and especially for the South' of Ireland. Porthdinlleyn will rival Holyhead, and Wexford challenge Dublin. This new line of steiixners will run in connection with express trains at each end, as is the case at present at Holyhead and Dublin. Assuming that this is true, though we mucli fear it is too good to be true, even this would not be all. Porthdinlleyn made 8" into a great sea port, he express con- nection would necessarily mean an enorn o1. expansion and development of the Can. Railway system. We should have throu expresses running between Cardiff and Porthdinlleyn, as they now run between London and Holyhead. Portmadoc, Bar- mouth, Aberystwyth, Machynlleth, Llan- dloes, Newtown, Welshpool, would all be brought into the new system and would benefit by it. These towns would be brought Unto immediate and direct con- tact with the great rushing world of busi- ness and commerce which is now to a large extent, outside their ken. And who can calculate what all this would mean? Nor is this all. Granted all we have pictured above more must necessarily fol- low. There would be a keen competition between the Great Western and the Man- chester and Sheffield Railway Companies for direct access to the new port. We should see a competing line of railway which would effectually kill the monopoly which the London and North Western Railway has so long to our sorrow enjoyed in North ales. There is not a trader in the North- ern counties but would rejoice in such a consummation,— for the Simple reason that, there is not a, trader but has suffered directly and immediately from the London -and North Western monopoly. Even more still would thpu be possible. Porthdinlleyn might become a great At- lantic port, possibly in time no inconsider- able rival to Liverpool itself. It possesses most of the natural advantages, and re- quires only the connection with great trunk railways leading into the great centres of industrial life to make almost any future possible for it as a leading ocean port. We can only repeat our hope that the blissful picture the "Mercury" has just painted for us may even yet be realized. It is only the riviving of a comprehensive r, scheme which the great engineers of a past generation contemplated. Sooner or later it must come. Let it come sooner lather than later—and sooner the better!

THE ASSISTANT OVERSEER. It is not our intention to deal with the merits of the question as between the as- sistant overseer for the parishes of Llan- beblig and Waenfawr on the one hand, and the authorities at Carnarvon and Lon- don on the other. That we. leave to tho who are officially interested in the matter. I But we accept, as a practically accomplished f fact the resignation of Mr Thomas Thomas, and ask, What next? The power of appointing his successor or successors will rest with the Parish Coun- cils. That is to say the Parish Council of Waenfawr can appoint its own assistant overseer, and the Parish Council of Car- narvon—or in other words the Carnarvon Town Council, which has adopted the powers of the Parish Council—can appoint an assistant overseer for the parish of Llan- be dig. Vhat the Parish Council of Waenfawr may do does not now concern us. It may or nay not, elect to act again in conjunc- tion with Carnarvon. But the question just now is, What will Carnarvon do? It is to be hoped the Town Council will approach the question in a broad-minded and generous spirit; that they will have three essential principles in view in arriving at any decision, these three being economy for the sake of the ratepayers, efficiency on the part of the collector, and effective super- vision and control on the part of the Town Council. Now we venture to submit that the time has arrived for consolidating the collecting department of the borough. Time was when we had one collector for the water rent, another for the gas dues, a third for the poor rate, and a fourth for the borough and district rate. It is a simple axiom that the multiplication of offices tends to the piling on of expenses. When the officers who fill these posts are independent of each other it means that efficiency is often sac- rificed. It follows too that the greater the number of independent officials the less effective must be the supervision of them by lie local authority. If we are right-and we believe public opinion will support a I we have said-it follows that the Town Council will best consvlt the interests of the town by plac- I ing all the collecting in the charge of one official, who shall be directly responsib e to the Town Council. Let his salary bo sufficient for the work to be dene-tnd more. If the combined duties of poor rat collector and borough collector be m r than he can reasonably be expected to ac- complish, then let him have what would be given to any other town official similarly circumstanced, namely, an efficient assist- ant. This is what the Council shoula do. On the other hand it should not multiply offices or officials; it should not underpay men who do the work; it should not in- flate the salaries of any ornamental figure- heads llltdor any name or excuse whatso- ever. The town will take a keen and watchful interest in the steps the Council may now take in the matter.

NOTES OF THE WEEK. This is the age of light r.Iways. No sooner is one scheme brought before the public than another quickly follows. Car- narvonshire has been very successful in I hatching schemes, tut, in some instances, they have not been proceeded with further. For example we might mention the Ebenf zer light-railway scheme, which, a few months back, was boomed with blazoned trumpets. Meetings, reported to be crowded and enthusiastic, were held in the different villages which the proposed rail- way would touch, and even members of the Carnarvon Town Council attended, at the expense of the ratepayers, to advocate the claims of Carnirvon -s tei minus. Well prepared spec ches were delivered by these gentlemen showing the superiority of Jarnarvon over Bangor, also a claimant to the terminus. But their eloquence seems to have been entirely wasted. For some time past nothing has been heard of the Ebenezer scheme, and though an attempt was trsie from time to time at the meetings of the Carnarvon Town Coun- cil to gain .ome particulars of the move- ment, the public are none the wiser. We believe that a committee was appointed by the Council to watch the interests of the town, but it is evidently a lethargic com- mittee, existing in name only. In this column some time back we referred to a projected light railway from the Angle- sey ferry to Dwyran, Newborough, and other places. This week it is announced that th« scheme, which has the support of the Dwy- ran District Council, is likely to be carried through. Llanddwyn is mentioned as one of the points lkely to be touched by the line. This is a most attractive pleasure resort, and in the summer months is much frequented by the Carnarvon people, and were a rail- way of the kind proposed made, the place would be made accessible to Carnarvonites who are too chicken-hearted to cross the bar. Carnarvon would benefit considerably by such a railway. It is true that the majority of the inhabitants of Dwyran, Newborough, and other places at present do th!eir market- ing at Carnarvon, but under great difficult- ly. The construction of a light railway ù. help to increase the traffic across the "ncT, thus make Carnarvon beyond Iil,stion thk-, foremost market town in North Wales. Little credence was attached to an an- nouncement made by us some time ago that the London and North Western Company had declined to listen to the repeated ap- plications of the Bangor City Council to make a station at Llangaffo on the ground that there is already too great a demand on the ma in line. This week a similar state- ment appears in the "Liverpool Mercury," and until it is contradicted! bv those inter- ested in the matter we must assume that it is true. We are fortified in our belief that it is by the fact that the Dwyran District Council, who at one time, in conjunction with the Bangor City Council, formed a deputation to the London and North West- era Railway Company in support of a sta- tion at Llangaffo, ha,ve changed their tune, and are now hand and glove with the Car- narvon people who were despised by them when there was a probability of the applica- tion of Bangor being granted by the rail- way company.

Seven-day Newspapers The following appeared in Wednesday's ''Dailv Mail" —The "Sunday Daily Mail" is dead The final issue of that journal was made on Sunday last, and we bury it to-day without regret. In the course of a lengthy article the "Mail" says The resolutions of protest and the appeals froirthe religious and other bodies throughout the country asking that we should discontinue the seven-day paper have assumed gigantic proportions. These have not only not been, ignored at the "Daily Mail" office, but have been carefully considered by the proprietors, although it has been a physical impossibility to ack- nowledge the receipt of a vast number of them.

CADBURY'S COCOA, on the testimony of the "Lancet," "represents the standard of highest purity. "It is entirely free from all foreign substances, such as kola, malt, hop, &c., nor is alkali used to darken the colour (and so deceive Lba eye).

I LOCAL JOTTINGS. (BY A "RAMBLER"). Evidently "cythraul y canu" has again taken possession of the Carnarvon singers; in fact it never entirely left them. The history of local choral singing is made up in a preat measure of petty squabbles, which follow each other in such quick suc- cession as to become quite sickening. The latest news is that the Eryri Male Voice Choir, fmdoubtedly one of the best "choirs in the Principality, nas been disbanded as the result of a dispute. What the nature of the dispute is I am not prepared! to say. I think it is the duty of those who are close- ly connected with the choir to enlighten the public as to the true: state of affairs in order to arrest the erroneous rumours that are being circulated: by some busybod'ies who glorify in the downfall of a choir of which they were not deemed worthy to be mem- bers. There was a probability of the choir sing- ing at Windsor at least a rumour was current to that effect but in the face of recent events I question whether they will ever again sing at home let alone at Wind- sor. Never did a choir win fame in so short a Mme. Formed shortly after Christ- mas they went to London and won chief honours at an Eisteddfod at the Queen's Hall. So magnificent was their rendering of the test pieces that their praises were sung in the principal daily napers of the country. The members were afterwards brought together on a very interesting oc- casion, namely the visit of the Duke and Duchess of York to Carnarvon, and they again at the Castle sang a number of items as only Welshmen can. With the advent of Royalty to the town came also the end of the choir a choir that rose into fame like a rocket but fell like the proverbial stick. It has been suggested in a contemnorary that the Carnarvon choirs should be run by a syndicate "because there is money in it." I do not agree with the suggestion. Filthy lucre is the rock upon which most of the Carnarvon choirs have came to grief in times gone by. Local singers must realise the fact that no choir will ever be a success until the love of i*usic and not of money becomes the dominant passion. A movement is on foot to make a pre- sentation to Mr W. Lloyd Griffith, corn merchant, for his services as secretary of the Male Voice Choir. He worked as- siduously, and he deserves some acknow- ledgment at the hands of the members of the choir, with whom he appears* to have been exceedingly popular. The Y.M.C.A., a branch of which was recently formed at Carnarvon, is an excel- lent institution, and I am, "leased to find that it is so well supported bv the young men of the town. Commodious rooms have been provided!, and! occasionally en- tertainments of a miscellaneous character are held on week nights. I am told that the premises are not open on a Sunday. Why this should be the case I cannot understand. Judging from the character and the title of the association Sunday, to mv mind, is the day of the 'even on which the rooms ought to be open at any rate between services and especially after evening service when so manv young men parade the streets aim- lessly for the want of a better way of killing time. It is evident that our local public men who have passed away are not entirely for- gotten, as Messrs Hugh Jones and Co., of the Seiont Slate Works, Carnarvon, have just been entrusted with the work of pre- paring memorial stones to be placed over the graves of Glan Padarn, the Rev W. Ph. Williams, Croesywaen, v-vaenfawr, and the Rev John Owen Williams, Rhosgadfan. A committee in each instance is responsible for the expense of carrying out the work, In the course of rebuilding the sea wall on the promenade a workman found a half- penny over a hundred years old. He I offered it to the highest bidder, and ob- tained for it the sum of eienteenpence with which he andi his companions went to wet their whistles. If the workman in ques- tion should again come across a coin of a similar kind: I should advise him to take it to the Castle in order to help to form the nucleus of a national museum! What has become of the many interesting ancient ar- ticles found whilst excavating in the bor- ough in recent years ? Who can answer ?

Proposed Light Railway for Anglesey. The Dwyran District Council have adop- ted a scheme for the construction of a light railway in that- district, the costi of which without the land is estimated to be about £ 30,000. The line will have its northern terminus at Gaerwen, adioining the London and North-Western Railway Company's main line across the island. Thence it will run to Brynsiencvn, in theo narish of Llan- .ynq idan, and on to Dwyran and Mwboroiigh. Between Brynsiencyn and Dwyran will be a junction, with a branch line diown to Tal- yfoel. This is the Anglesey starting place, of the ferry boat to Carnarvon. The scheme provides for the extension of the railway as soon as practicable to Bodortrarr;' another station on the London and North-Western route, and algo. to Llanddwyn, on jbho southern coast of the island,. This place promises in the near future to become a summer seaside resort. The new line will b.? seven miles in length-that is. the sec- tion to be first constructed—the gauge being three" feet. It, will follow the roads where they are wide enough, and where the roads will not accommodate it the railway will take to the fields. The power will be electricity, conveyed from the generating station by the overhead systemJ. In con- struction the line will resemble the ]lcrbt agricultural railways at present in use .in the North of Ireland!. The farmers will be able to load produce upon the waggons in their own farmyards, and will not need to tranship until the ordinary railway, or the ferry, as the case may be, is reached. After much careful consideration this scheme earned the general approval of the Council. Other routes had been pegged out, but that above described was chosen as the best. Generous treatment, it, is exoected, will be accorded: to the undertakina; by the landowners, but as "to this point the engin- eer who prepared tine plajns, Mr W. E. Jones, of Graiq, Llanfair -c.G., the Angle- sey county surveyor, and the (1'ent to the Marquis of Anglesey, JS, after consulting with the landowners, to report at the next Council meeting.

Considerable sensation has been caused by the report that seven Englishmen, who are alleged to be ex-officers, have been ar- rested at Johannesburg and lodged in Pre- toria Gaol. The charge against them is high trenson, and it is stated that incrimi- nating documents have been found upon them. They are alleged to have been en- gaged in inciting a rebellion, and two thousand persons are said to have been en- listed by them. Mr Chamberlain, in the course of an interview, discredits the ser- ious significance attached to t1: epixcde.

BANGOR NOTES. (By EDIPUS). I saw in the streets of Bangor last week, a. sight which appears to me to be significant of the change in affairs which is gradually being effected by the spread of education in its modern sense, which is, in many respects, its best sense. What I saw was a number of younp curates, or at anyratc, candidates for the priesthood, sauntering about the streets, with their hands tnnist into their trousers pockets in a very devil-may-care fashion, not at all characteristic of the An- glican priesthood, young or old, as we have been accustomed to see it in tne days gone by. They were fine, clean-limbed, square- jawed, athletic young fellows, everyone of them, and their general carriage of them- selves (eonune vous portez vous), was more characteristic of the -ugilist than of the clergyman. And in spite of my boundless admiration of perfect physical development, the manner in which these young men com- ported themselves jarred somehow on my sense of the fitness of things. And that is what I want to speak about now.' I venture to think that I am not alone in a kind of mstinot that a man who has de- voted himself to the preaching of the gospel looks at least "a bit off" in walking, or rather sauntering about the streets of a town with his hands thrust carelessly into his trousers pockets. In such men we instinctively look for a gravity of demean- our, a decorum of deportment, and a gentle- ness of general appearance, which is totally opposed to the thrusting of the hands into the trousers pockets when walking about i6 s^Tee^s a town, especially the streets of a Cathedral town, like Bangor. I do not go so far as to say that it is sinful to walk about the streets with one's hands in one s trousers pockets after having taken orders, or after preparing to take orders, but I do feel that it is hardly the correct thing on the part of acolytes of the Church of England. Yet, it'is a very comfortable style after all, and one wliici. I much affect myself. But then, I do not. set myself up as an example to others. It is certainly not the style of our older clergymen, and it is, I should think not the style which would commend itself to our new bishop, or, for the matter of that to any Bishop. And yet, after all, what a significant thing this little detail in deportment is! How utterly different is tne training which makes it possible to that which the prede- cessors of these young fellows went through! "Grave and reverend" used to be the char- acteristic of the deportment of the acolytes of my younger days; "gay and festive" would be more descriptive of the carriage of the present race of aspirants for the ser- ious and responsible work of Christian teachers. In the old days, the teaching used apparently to be directed mainly, if not entirely, to the imnarting to the young student of a deep knowledge of the dogmas of theology: of a serious, not to say solemn deportment on all occasions; and to a gen- eral air of being "not as other men." That end achieved, health of body. agility of limo, smartness of appearance, appeared to be matters of minor importance. Now- adays, all this would seem to be changed, anu the chiefest end of teaching would a,p- pear to be to develope the physical side of the animal, letting the mental and spiritual take their chances. Te results are beginning to be made manifest, and specimens of the work done at our colleges am now to be seen saunter- ing about our streets, with their hands thrust as deeply as those of the "Artful Dodger" into their trousers -ockets, and indistinguishable, except for their clerical dress, from athletes at ease, or pugilists on a vacation. In many cases, the universal ciparette is in evidence, and. altogether, some of our coming preachers have a reck- less air which is hardly in consonance with the deep gravity of their intended vocation. Though I do not wish to cast any stigma on these young men, or to hold them up to op- probrium, I must say that their appearance is hardly what one looks for an aspirants for the priesthood. The other dlay, a case most discreditable to Welshmen in general came up in the Bangor Police Court, in which one young man was charged with biting the end of the nose of another young man off, while an- other one was included in the case on the charge of having kicked the plaintiff while he was on the ground. The charge against the latter was dismissed!, but the Bench considered the case against the first-men- tioned defendant proved, and sent him to prison for a month. It is a pity that when our young men get into a fight, they should resort- to such savage methods of action as was done in this case, and the Bench were right in miarkin" their sense of the brutal- ity of the assault by the severe sentence which they inflicted. Of course, it is only amongst the most ignorant classes that such brutality i manifested, but that there should still remain amongst us a re- sidum of brutality as was here proved to exist is lamentable. However, education is rapidly leavening the whole lump of Welsh national life, and as time goes on, we shall doubtless find such causes becoming rarer and; rarer. Bangor people pride themselves upon being able to heat Carnarvon at almost every point, of lite" either wiallv, vmnici- pally,^ or intelectuatty. I am from subscribing to this theory, but I Mention it as the theory ge.nel.lv ,held by Bangorians, and, as far as my obScrvation goes, they cer- tainly do manifest a superiority over the Carnarvon people in many respects. In football, for example, the Bangorians are far ahead of the Canaries. This may not be regarded by some Carnarvonites as a matter for regret, but personally, I think it is an indication of some value in estimating the amount of vitality among the young men of the respective towns. There are other respects in which, it appears to me, Bangorians certainly show a superiority over the people of Carnarvon, but I need not go into details here. But there is one sphere in which the Bangorians are cer- tainly inferior to their despised neighbours, and that is in choral singing. Over and over again have the enterprising Bangor- ians challenged the superiority of their rivals in this respect.and: have always failed. It is therefore with a, considerable degree of interest that T note the formation recently in the Cathedral Cit^ of a, new male voice choir, under the leadership pf Mr D. R. Ellis, of Dean street. I have not had an opportunity- yet of hearing the Bangor sir.g- ers, but I am tcld that they have made a very fair start, "and promise to blossom into a formidable choir. The,, gave a concert at the Penrhyn Hall on Tuesday evening, which was in every resnect, a n-reat success, and they compete at Colwyn Bay Eistedd- fod en Wh,it >-Mondav, when oeir merits will be severely tried, though not. as they would' be in competition with the Carnar- von Choir. I wish the new venture every success. The Committee for promoting the local effort towards the provision of a, National Memorial .for Tom Ellis met the other 11nt.. and decided to issue an appeal for subscriptions for the object in view, forth- with. The Committee showed their earn- estness in the matter by subscribing amongst themselves a sum of P,36, and of this Principal Reichel is responsible for £ 10, Professors Lewis Jones and Arnold, for C5 each, and the Mayor for E3 3s. It is to be hoped Bangor will do itself credit in its reply to the forthcoming appeal, for Tom Ellis did much for L. educational work of the country, from which Bangor is benefiting in a monetary sense, far more than any other town in North Wales. Cer- tainly Bangor should not stop short of E300 as its quota to this very deserving move- ment, and if the matter is energetically worked, I do not despair of seeing this amount reached.

Puffin Island Biological Station (To the Editor). Sir,—May I ask you to permit me to make an appeal on behalf of the committee who carry on the work in connection with thte Puffin Island biological station. The appreciative reception which their report received from you last year was most en- couraging, and induced the committee to hope for a larger measure of support from the public in the future than they had e- ceived in the past. This looked for aid has not come, and as the funds of the com- mittee have reached a low ebb through the death of some of their warmest supporters, and from other causes, the continuation of the work is seriously threatened. When in 1892, the station wa.s acquired by a committee of this College, and a com- mittee of management appointed the work of investigating the fauna and flora, of the coast, of exploring the ancient ruins on Puffin Is- land, and of promoting the sea fisheries of North Wales was proceeded with. This work has been continued up to the present time with marked success. It is a work which ought surely to interest and appeal to many Welshmen, and I earnestly urge upon them not to allow the organised labours of the committee to come to an end through lack of adequate support. For long it has hpen a cherished wish of mine that the work which the committee has been doing in connection with the sea fisheries might lead to the establishment of a fisheries laboratory at some suitable point on the TVelsh coast. Such an institution would be an immense boon both in the cause of research and in promoting the fisheries of the Principality.—Yours, &c., PHILIP J. WHITE, Hon. Director of the Station. University College, Bangor.

The Carnarvon Cycling Club. (To the Editor). What a delightful run the club had to Llanfairfechan last Thursday! We left Carnarvon to the number of ten and reached our goal to the sacred number of seven. What became of the other three does not concern us. We did hear that one of them reached home with his bicycle "the worse for wear." Like the seven sages of Greece the faithful had the inner-man supplied. The road between Talybont and Llanfairfechan was a little bumpy, so we enjoyed the good tea we had at the Castle. Unlike the seven sleepers of Ephesus we started back in good time and reached Carnavon about eight o'clock, having thoroughly enjoyed the run, and felt better in mind and body. Our purpose in writing is to ask why more members do not take advantage of these club runs. Is it because some are afflicted with a little pride; or is it because the runs are too far ? Are there any members or ex-members with disappointed ambitions ? Rumours say "Yea." Surely the runs are not too far-some 30 odd mile's. We are living in an age of the revival of athletics in various forms. The Welsh pulpit, in the past at any rate, has assiduously assailed all games and forms of exercise which tend to develop muscular energy Its teaching has gone a little too far. For Athens, the very centre from which we derive much of our modern civiliza- tion, was devoted to athletics. Greece re- nowned for its learning, carefully cultivated its Olympic and Pythian games, and Rome its Appohnanan and Circensian. We mention this to show that the physical and Inental-body and mind-must, so to speak, go hand in hand; and to induce our lethargic members to greater effort for their own sake. Our worthy captain hopes that we shall have visits or runs to places made beautiful by man's ingenuity and nature's bounty. We do not think that our friends who do not follow (not those who cannot) the ordinary runs would be justified in following these particular runs. We hope there will be an in*ro-%Iement.Yourig, &,c., < CLUBMAN.

CARNARVON. It is reported in the "Bangor Diocesan Church Calendar and Clergy List" for 1899 that a debt of J6800 still remains on Llan- beblig Church. About C500 has been col- lected during the past year. EARLY CLOSING. At a well-attended meeting of shop assistants held this week, a resolution was unanimously passed, "That a deputfttion of three be appointed to inter- view the masters early next week concerning the desirability of closing their shops at 7 p.m. during summer."

Reported Improved Postal Arrangements. It is announced that important improve- ments are about to be effected in the rail- way service in Carnarvonshire. The mail, it is reported, will start from Afonwen 20 minutes later at night. This will mean a hatf-hour's later posting at Portmadoc, Criccieth, and Pwllheli, and a, 20 minutes later posting at penygkoes, Carnarvon, Portdinorwic, and Menai Bridge, still con- necting at Bangor with the 8.5 ordinary night mail from Holyhead. The railway authorities have come to the conclusion that a late train from Carnarvon, carrying on the 9.10 from Afonwen to Bangor could only be run at a loss, and in the, absence of a substantial subsidy from the Post Office could not be undertaken bv the company all the year round. But during the season this late train will be run, enabling passen- gers to get into Bangor about half-past ten. These concessions are largely due to the personal interest Mr Ephraiin Wood, of Pabo Hall, has taker, in the matter.

Galvinistic Methodist Assembly. MEETINGS IN LIVERPOOL. ELECTION OF MODERATOR. The first session of the thirty-fifth annual meeting of the General Assem.blv of the Calvimstic Methodists of Wales 'was held eTveain& in tne Fitzclarence f X verPwi> ^er the presi- dency of the retiring moderator (the Rev Evan Jones of Carnarvon). There was a iarsre Attendance of dedegat^s kmd other members from all parts of '%Vale, Louder Manchester, and the United States. The representatives of the General Assembly of the United States were the Revs Dr. Jos- eph Roberts (New York), W. Machno Jones (Lake Crystal), and John Pu-h (Cincinnati) On the motion of the Rev Dr Jamec (Manchester), seconded by the Rev. Daniel Rowlands (Bangor), a, resolution of welcome to these gentlemen, and: of greeting; to tie American Churches, was passed with en- thusiasm. The Moderator afterwards referred very feelingly to the death during the year of the following prominent members of the con- nexion -Revs. David Evans, Whitchurch Thomas Gee, Denbigh; Owen Jones, Llan- santffraid; John Williams, Rhyl: W. R. Jones, Carnarvon R. H. Morgan. Bangor; John Williams, Dwyran Thomas Hughes 'L s, Rhosgadfan. and Messrs Thomas Thickens, Pentre • J W. Jones, Millom.; and Thomas H"<^ Bomere Heath. The next business was the election of Moderator for 1900 (from North WaleB), and for the purpose voting papers were diis- tnbuted to the members of the assembly. In the first voting a list of over a dozen nominees was reduced to three—namely l T RVti /p HfUghf' M A- (Liverpool); W (fftD^doc)- and Thomas Ro- berts (Bethesda). The second voting 2? It P th^ectl0 £ fcy a large majority of the Rev. Thomas Roberts, of Bethesda As secretary for two years, the Rer. j. E. Davies, M.A. (London), was elected by 76 votes out of a total of 122. An invitation to the General Assembly to meet at Llanberis on the 19th, 20th, and ted Ue-' Was unanimously accep- The retiring, Moderate* next delivered the annual address from th& chair, and the public being now admitted, he was accor- ded a most attentive hearing bv a erow-Ied congregation. Taking for his subject the words "The truth as it is in Jesus," the rev. gentleman offered an able defence of Christian truth, which, he asserted, would stand unshaken amidl the intellectual up- heavals of the coirling centuries. The Rev Evan Phillips; of Newcastle Em- lyn, the Moderator-elect, was subsequently conducted: to the chair by his predecessor, and in the course of a. short address he ex- pressed his appreciation of the honour conferred upon him by the Assembly. Votes of thanks were passed to the re- tiring president and the retiring secretary (the Rev. T. Gwvnedd Roberts). The remaining business was the recep- tion of deputation from various Presby- terian and other bodies. WEDNESDAY. The General Asse-bly of the Calvinistic Methodist Church of Wales was continued, on Wednesday, under the presidency of the Rev F. Phillij s, of Emlyn. Reports were presented dealing with foreign missions, the denominational publishing department, the property of the Connexion, and thenumerical and financial statistics for the year. It was proposed that a Twentieth Century Fund should be. opened, and the ParfIamertary and Property Committee in their report sug- gested that if the proposal were carried out, it would be desirable that a substantial por- tion of the money raised should be applied to the liquidation of chapel debts.

Fatal Accident at Dinorwlg Quarry. On Tuesday a fatal accident occurred at this quarry. It appears that a quarryman named Owen Lewis had two shots to fire, but one did not take effect. The man went to ascertain the cause, when the rock gave way and some tons of shale fell upon him. His body, frightfully mutilated, was re- covered in an hour and a half after the accident. He was 26 years of age and had only been married a few mouths.

Alleged Concealment of Birth. At the Llangefni Petty Sessions on Mon- day, Margaret Williams, a young woman residing at Cae Iago, Menai Bridge, but latterly in service at Ty Bach, Llanddan- ielfab, was charged with concealment of birth. Wh'en formally charged the prisoner said she did not wish to say anything. cl, She was then committed for trial at the assizes, bail being allowed, herself in £ 20 and two sureties for £5 each.

The Eisteddfod and the Sale of Intoxicants. The Committee of the Cardiff National Eisteddfod had under consideration on Tuesday a number of resolutions and ap- leals protesting against their intention to t llow the sale of intoxicants on the eistedd- fod grounds. After discussion the Com- ii ittee decided to adhere to their decision to iipply to the justices for a licence.

The Portmadoc Show (To the Editor). Sir,—Will you please allow me to inform all interested in the above show that the Hon. F. G. Wynn, Glynllifon, has instruc- ted me, through Mr John Owen, to hand over all the prizes won by him last Mon- day to the farmers next on the award list. Mr Wynn wishes to prove to Welsh farmers r that good horses can be bred in the country. I need hardly say that the committee of the show are highly pleased with Mr Wynn's handsome offer, which, let us hope, will induce other landlords to do likewise at future shows.—1 Yours, &c., R. G. HUMPHREYS, Secretary H., D., C., and P Show. Portmadoc.

I. FOR ACHES AND PAINS RUB IN I Elliman's For Rheumatism, Lumbago, Ellirnan's Sprains, Bruises, Fresh Ettiman's Cuts, Ellirnan's h Sore Throat from Cold, Eiliman's Cold at the Chest, Ellirnan's Neuralgia from Cold, Elliman's Chilblains before Broken, Ellirnan's t, Corns when Painful, Ellirnan's Cramp, Stiffness, Ellirnan's Soreness of the Limbs Ellirnan's after Cycling, Football, Ellirnan's Rowing, &c. Bottles 8id., is. ltd. 2.s. pd., 4s. Horses', Dogs', Bird's, Cattle Accidents and Ailments. 170 Pares; THE ELLIMAN FIRST AID BOOK. Copy 6d. post free, or the Label of a 2s., 2s. 6d., or 3s. 6d. Bottle, may be sent of ELLIMAN'S ROYAL EMBROCATION. No Horses kept-Ask for Dogs-Birds Section. This Free. Published by Elliman, Sons & Co. Slough, England.

Serious Charges against a Portmadoc Bank Cashier. Owen Robert Jones, lately a cashier at the Metropolitan Bank, Portmadoc, was brought up on remand, before Messrs R. M. Greaves, J. M. Greaves, and Dr Samuel Griffith, at Portmadoc Police Court, on Friday, charged with having stolen money, the property of the bank. Mr. W. George appeared for the prosecution, and Mr John Humphreys defended. Mr John Amphlett. inspector of the bank, Birmingham, stated that he was depu d to investigate the accounts of the Portmadoc Bank in March. The accused was cashier at the time, and had been since 1893. Witness produced a cheque dated 27tn January, 1899, appar- ently signed by Jane Owen's mark. The accused's signature was on it as a witness. He had examined the counter cashbook for that date, which contained an entry in the accused's handwriting. The amount ap- peared there as JE:21 8s 4d, having been paid to Jaue Owen. Witness had examined Jane Owen's deposit account, and it showed that S21 8s 4d was paid out to Mrs Jane Owen on the 27th of January. Witness came down again on the 23rd March, and On the 27th suspended the accused. He asked him to account for some payments outside the bank. He mentioned a pay- ment to one Robert Hughes, builder. Wit- ness asked accused where he got the S60 for Hughes. And he said he had it from his children s savings bank, saying he had not bad a penny from the Metropolitan Bank. In a subsequent interview before his dis- missal, but after his suspension, the accused offered to find half of the money involved Witness called in the customers' books, and in that of Mrs Jane Owen, found an entry of the payment of £1 8s 4d to Jane Owen in the accused's handwriting. From wit- ness's examination and belief he alleged the accused had stolen £ 20 from the bank. The sum of S.1 8s 4d represented the interest paid to Jane Owen. Griffith Owen, stated that Mrs Owen was bis daughter-in-law. He spoke to receiving from the accused £ 1 8s 4d. Witness was not aware that he put his mark to the cheque produced, nor do anything with any paper at all. Witness could not write his name, and he did not remember accused asking him if he could write. Witness com- plained at the time that the interest was very small. Witness took the book recently to be examined, and it had been in the custody of the bank since. Police-sergeant T. Jones said when he read the warrant to the accused he said that this would be the biggest scandal Port- madoc had ever seen, and that five more would be brought into trouble. The next case proceeded with was in regard to a charge of stealing £ 140. Mr Amphlett said he had inspected the bank book for January 7, 189P, aLd there was an account of Richard Humphreys, Garn. Witness produced certified copies of the counter cashbook showing payment of £140 to Richard Humphreys on tLe 6th of January. Witness alleged that this money had been stolen by the accused. Richard Humphreys, farmer, said be had a deposit account in the bank. On the 6th of January hs did not get a single half- penny from the bank. Frank H. Strowgcr, a j v' nior clerk at the bank, said he entered in the sum of X140 having been paid to Richard Humphreys on the 6th January. Witness took it from the voucher off the counter. He h-id examined the vouchers for that day. and they were all there except that rait-cul&r one. Evidence was further given by Mr Amphlett in regard to the charge respecting £ 139 5s on account of the scboouer Blodwen. The Magistrates' Clerk held that there ms no proof of forgery in respect of this item, as had been alleged. The next cese gene into was the charge of stealing £ 100, which, it was alleged, the accused purported to have paid iu regard to the schooner Blodwen. C«ptain Parry deposited to hsving paid a foreign bill for £ 139 os to the bank? Tbeie was no cash paid over the counter to him in £ g<?Qd- 10 ?at bilL He credit for £ 139 os on January 2. Afterwards he paid m a bUl of £ 100, but received no cash for V, oQ _e the 9th January pay vf f Ck' 8nd he knew nothing at>out the document produced. ^"chard, manager of the bank, said that on 12th December and 9th January he found the balance to correspond with the counter cash book and the other cashbook. The accused had signed cheque for a £ 100 to a Manchester firm, but it was not provided for "Ld was re- turned dishonoured. He wanted the wit- nests to pay the cheque but the witness refused. The witness found that the Cloo bill had been cashed on 22nd March, and he asked the accused what he hbd done with it and whether he had taken the money. The accused said he had not taken a single cent, aud that somebody must have put the voucher on the tile and thlit he foolishly put it in the book; but there was no file mark on the bill. At the close of the evidence it was intima- ted to the Bench that there was now no charge of forgery. The defendant pleaded not guilty to the charge and reserved his defence. He was committed to the Assizes, and allowed out on bail,-biniself in -ilOO, and two sureties in :60 eacb.-Afr Alfred Ivor Parry held a watching brief for certain parties,

Death of GWllym Gwenfrwd. The death has taken place, at his resi- dence, Hafod Alun, Mold, of the Rev. W. T. Thomas. Mr Thomas had not been well for some time, buffering from paralytic stroke and nervous debility. He was a nunister -or some years at Soar and Jeru- salem, near Mold, and was known alnona the bards by his bardic name ''Gwiiym Gwenffrwd." Mr Thomas was a native of Holywell, but had lived in Mold for about forty years, where he was highly respected by all. The interment took place on Tuesday, at the English "Congregational Churchyard, Mold. The funera1 being of a public cha- racter there was a large concourse of friends as well as relatives. :j

North Wales Wesleyan Synod. The annual Synod of the North Wales Wesleyan District opened at Dolgelky on Monday. The sessions were preceded by special services in the various chapels of the Dolgellicy c\.rcu,it on Sunday, which were conducted by ministers frcm various psrts of North ales. Preliminary com- mittees were held in the early part of Mou- day, and in the evening a theological ses- sion was held at the Congregational school- ream. The Rev Rowland Rowlands, Rhyl, read an interesting paper on "The Atone- ment," with special reference to SC-Gtt Lidgett's recent ""Ftirnley Leoture." The Revs J. ft. Ellis, Wrexham, and John Felix, Oswestry, delivered addresses on the same subject, and a vigorous discussion followed. The sessions were continued on Tuesday morning at the Congregational Schoolrocm, Dolgelley, the Rev Hugh Jones, Birken- head, presiding.—The Rev Edward Hum- phreys, Liverpool, was unanimously re- elected secretary, and the Rev P. Jones Roberts, Chester, assistant secretary. A leave of absence was granted to the Rev S. P. Jones, Caerwys, on account of ill- IJPalth. The usual inquiries having been made respecting ministerial character and efficiency, the Rev A. Lloyd Hughes read an obituary of the late Rev Hugh Owen, Llanfairfechan, who entered the ministry in I860, and died last year. The Secretary presented the annual statistics of member- snip, which showed that there had been nn increase in the number of members in twenty-six circuits, a decrease in six cir- cuits, and in three circuits the member- ship pemaiuiedi stationtaant. Considerable time was devoted to inquiries rfspecting, (t'sptrituar'st.-t of th'e churches ahd thar methods adopted in various circuits for the purpose of meeting the spiritual needs cf the children and joung people. The Rev D. Meurig Jones was recommended for cr- dination. A united session of the ministerial and lav members of the North Wales Wesleyan Synod was held on Wednesday at Dolgelley. The Bev Hugh Jones. Birkenhead, presided. The session had under consideration a number of questions, including the relation of the Welsh circuits to the Twentieth Century Fund, the erection of new chapels in North Wales, and the action of the Cardiff National Eisteddfod Committee in deciding to sell intoxicants on the eisteddfod grounds.

Prnpsed New Pier at Menai Bridge This project has not, it appears, been abandoned. A new survey is now being made by the engineer, Mr W. E. Jones, of Llanfair P.G., for the construction of the pier, which will meet the growing reguirementSl cf the district. The Esti- mated cost, it is said, will be a little over £3GOO.

The death occurred on Tuesday, at Col- wyn Bay, of Mr Thomas Williams. Bron- meillion, Llandudno, at the age of 71. The deceased, who had been in failing lealt' for months past, was at one time a m ber of the old Board of Commissioner" was a deacon of the Welsh Congre^r ists, «&nd the chairman of the L1 Pier Company. His wife prede' a.bc»i« twelve months age.