The Aberdare Leader

How did your weather prediction turn out?" The prediction was all right," answered the prophet a little sternly. But somehow or other the weather went wrong again."

Food and Milk Prices. On Friday evening last at the Public Hall, Trecynon, a well-attended meet- ing was presided over by Guardian John Davies. Councillor Stonelake spoke on the above subject. He said that the present high price of foodstuffs was in detail the same as at the close of the great Napoleonic wars. We had the same exploitation of the poor but in a more accentuated form to-day. At that time the working-people had not the ability nor the power to protest. We find that in the year 1816 a weaver's wage was 4s. 3Ad. per week, and the cost of a 41b. loaf was Is. Id. Not- withstanding this condition of things British merchants were known to charter tug boats and meet cargoes coming from abroad, purchase the cargo and throw it overboard in order to maintain their prices. Mr. George Barnes, M.P., speaking recently in the House of Commons, said that a circular had been issued by the Wilts and Dorset Milk Supply Company, calling upon farmers to give the milk to the pigs rather than reduce the prices. Dealing with the milk prices the speaker said that dur- ing the whole of the three weeks over which the campaign had extended no milk vendor or farmer had made any attempt to justify these abnormal prices. He (Mr. Stonelake) was anxious- ly waiting for these people to do what they were continually saying they were prepared to do, i.e., justify their prices for milk. It was true that foodstuffs had gone up, but this item was grossly exaggerated. Cows were kept on grass the greater part of the year, and nature had been overkind during the last summer. When the increased price of foodstuff was worked out upon the milk yield of the cows it was very small indeed. He appealed to his audience to abstain from the use of milk until it was within reach of the working class.—A resolution of protest against the increase was passed, the same to be sent to the Board of Agriculture; also calling upon the Aberdare District Council to establish a municipal milk supply. A further resolution was carried that all paying the advanced price for milk pledge themselves to abstain from the use of milk from Mon- day.—Councillor Idwal Thomas briefly dealt with food prices generally.

-.ro; 4IIIIf j The Welshman's Favourite. I MABON Sauce I i An good as its Name. DON'T FAIL TO GET IT. BlamOB'S, St. Poew St., Cardiff. i law———wnn-n —

Aberdare Miners' Meeting, o At the monthly meeting of the Aber- dare District of Miners on Monday Mr. William Williams, Abercwmboi, presid- ing, the Agent, Mr. Owen Powell, re- ported on the allocation by the M.F.G.B. of six Parliamentary candidates to South Wales. He said that the Execu- tive Council had decided with regard to Merthyr Boroughs to recommend—in reply to the proposal of the Merthyr Boroughs Labour Party to run two can- didates-that the Federation would not be responsible for a candidate if more than one Labour candidate be selected. Reporting on the question of mini- mum wage claims, Mr. Powell intima- ted that the management at one colliery had refused to take a one week basis in deciding claims, and it was decided to take the matter into court. He also attended before the local Tri- bunal with regard to the question of exempting house coal hauliers in the employ of the Powell Duffryn Com- pany, a matter which had caused some anxiety owing to the difficulty of de- livering house coal to the workmen. Dealing with the general wage ques- tion, Mr. Powell said that the existing agreement for the regulation of wages in the South Wales coalfield was alto- gether unsatisfactory, and they were now moving in an entirely new direction, with the object of taking into considera- tion the cost of production and the employers' profits. It was obviously necessary to provide machinery for the more equitable adjustment of the rela- tions between the emyloyers' profits on the one hand and the workmen's wages on the other.—The Agent was thanked for his report, which was adopted.

NO TEA LIHK I I NilQ kerT Of* ALL GROORRID,

Merthyr Board of Guardians. On Saturday. Present: Mr. T. T. Jenkins (chairman), Mrs. A. N. Jen- kins, Mrs. llichards, Mrs. Wills, Mrs. M. T. Williams, Mrs. M. A. Edmunds, Revs. Ll. M. Williams (Rector of Dow- lais), W. A. Jones, Messrs. John Davies, Dd. Jones (Hirwain), John Prowle, T. D. Williams, D. P. Jones, J. W. Hurt, Morgan Williams, Meth Davies, John Hughes, Rees Rees, Wm. Thomas (Cwmaman), Evan Davies, Samuel Davies, Walter Lewis, J. God- frey, Wm. Parker, Staffron Bolwell, John Davies (Gelligaer), John Edwards, David Jones (Dowlais), Henry Evans, John Lloyd, Patrick Mansfield, Henry Owen, Samuel Thomas, A. J. Howfield, Wm. Jones, Edwin Thomas, Joshua Aurelius, Samuel Morgan, Dd. Harris (Hirwain), Joseph Price and James Davies, with Frank T. James (clerk) and G. A. Cook (deputy clerk). Big Dan's Children. It was men- tioned that the two children of Dan Sullivan, Dowlais, who was hanged for the murder of his wife, were to be sent to a Roman Catholic Home. Mr. Patrick Mansfield said that while in Ireland he had interviewed Sullivan's brother in Glengariff, who agreed it was better for the children's identity to be completely buried, rather than that the children should grow up in a locality where the crime was known. Downing's Case.—A case which was discussed at some length at the last meeting was referred to. An order of 2s. 6d. a week had been made by the magistrates, and the Clerk had been instructed to apply to the Bench for a reduction of the order. This had not yet been done.—Rector: I think you are afraid of going to Court. (Laugh- ter.)—It was stated that a summons would be applied for next week.

Abercwmboi Man and His Wife.-Scene Between Rector and Miners' Agent. Mr. Walter Lewis, J.P., miners' agent of Bargoed, asked leave to men- tion the case of a woman in Bargoed where the local relieving officer had re- fused relief. He alleged that Mr. Jones, the officer in question, had never visited the house. The woman and children were destitute, and he had in- structed the officer to relieve in kind at once, and that he (Mr. Lewis) would be responsible. There were numerous complaints, added Mr. Lewis, with re- gard to the aggressiveness of this offi- cer, who was more fit to be a navvy or a farmer than a relieving officer. (Cries of dissent.) Mr. Jones (the Relieving Officer) said he was not satisfied it was a case of destitution. The husband, a man named Roberts, living at Abercwmboi, had offered his wife a home there, and she had refused. He (Mr. Jones) had seen a copy of the latter. He had sent his wife various sums of money, therefore there was no destitution. Mr. Lewis having again spoken the Clerk asked if he understood the man was now in the Army. Mr J. Prowle No, he has come over to Aberdare, unfortunately. The Rector moved that a small com- mittee be appointed to investigate the facts of the case.—Mr. Staffron Bolwell seconded.-Mr.. J. Prowle remarked that a relieving officer's duties should be to ascertain whether there was food in the house, or whether there was money there to purchase food. That was the real test and not make enquir- ies about the father and fill in case papers and all that twaddle. See about the children's stomachs first and all the other things would follow. Mr. Walter Lewis moved- an amend- ment that the committee investigate into the general conduct of the officer. Rector: No, that won't do. The statements you have made here have been highly slanderous. Mr. Lewis If you wish to invite me Rector: I will see that the officer gets fair play. I am surprised that a gentleman of the status of Mr. Lewis, who is supposed to be an advocate of fair play to all, should make such a cowardly attack on hn officer. Mr. Lewis: I have not acted coward- ly. (" Order, order.") The Chairman ruled Mr. Lewis' amendment out of order, and the Rec- tor's motion was agreed to. A com- mittee consisting of one member from each Ward was selected. No Election Next March.—The Clerk reported that the usual Guardians elections would not take place next March. (Cries of "Good news.") Postponed Mr. J. Prowle had the following notice of motion. on the agen- da: "That the Board call upon Mr. Llewelyn Richards (Warrant Officer) for an explanation of his conduct in defying the recommendation of the Maintenance Committee in the case of D. J. Williams (late of Trecynon) when he appeared in Court for a reduction of his order of 12s. a week."—Mr. Prowle asked leave to adjourn this till next meeting, and this was granted. War Bonus.—A war bonus of 2s. 6d. per week to all relieving officers whose wages were under £ 8 per week, an application for a war bonus by non- resident officers, such as tailors, gar- deners, etc., was referred to the i ance Committee.

LOCAL WILL. Dr. David Thomas Glyn Jones, of Castle Green, Llansawel, Carmarthen- shire, formerly of 12 Clifton Crescent, I Aberaman, physician, for whose al- leged murder a man is now awaiting trial, left estate of the gross value of £ 2,044, of which £ 1,712 is net person- j alty, and probate of his will, dated 27th September, 1902, has been granted to his widow, to whom he left the whole of his estate absolutely.

ilL Doctor, that bottle of medicine you left for babv is all gone." Doctor: Impossible! I told you to give him a teaspoonful once an hour." "Yes; but John and I and mother and the nurse have each to take a teaspoonful, too, in order to induce baby to take it."

Temperance Rally. On Thursday evening at Tabernacle 1 Church, Aberdare (kindly lent) a meet- ing was held to bid farewell and god- speed to Mr. E. J. Johnson, Derby, of the British Temperance League, who has < been conducting a 16 days' mission in j the Aberdare Valley. The Rev. George I Windram occupied the chair, supported by the Rev. T. Madoc Jeffreys, Mr. R. H. Miles, and Mr. A. Bushell, Swansea, I President of the Commercial Travellers Temperance Union. The Rev. T. M. Jeffreys offered prayer. The Chairman stated that personal experience had made him an out-and-out Prohibitionist. Bro. T. Beynon, Trecynon, appealed for prayer as well as organisation to pro- mote Good Templary in the district and create a Temperance atmosphere.—Mr. Bushell advised Temperance friends to awake from their lethargy and fellow the lead of progressive, active and practical workers.—The Rev. T. M. Jeffreys said that the right note had been struck by Mr. Johnson in his mission. He wished Mr. Johnson well in his future campaigns.—Mr. Johnson advocated the practising of what was preached. The physical and moral benefits of Temperance and the utility of temperance legislation were dealt with by him. In proportion to the extent that the spirit of Christ was in the work would the work prosper. He did not believe that more women were addicted to drink to-day than be- fore the war, only that the evil was more apparent to-day. He pronounced against Government control of the Liquor Trade, which reduced the number of liquor shops but created greater facilities for drinking. He urged all to do their duty in the cause. This would be the best thanks they could render to him and the best form of success for his mission.

[Cwmbach Wife's Death. INQUEST AT CARDIFF. On Monday Mr. W. L. Yorath, the Cardiff City Coroner, held an inquest on Matilda Jones (32), wife of Edward Jones, Middle Duffryn Cottages, Cwm- bach, which took place at the King Edward VII. Hospital, Cardiff, on October 11th. Edward Jones, husband of deceased, said that his wife was somewhat deli- cate, but was apparently quite well when they went to bed on Sunday night, the 8th inst. During the night she had a miscarriage, but refused to allow him to fetch a doctor. The next morn- ing he called in a friend, and later on they sent for a doctor, who advised that his wife should be taken at once to the Cardiff Hospital. Mrs. Annie Cook, a neighbour, said Mrs. Jones was fond of children, and only three weeks ago expressed the wish to have a child. She thought she might have better health. Asked by witness, the doctor said he could not say what was the cause of the illness, as he had not had such a case before. Mrs. Jones was the cause of the illness, as he had not had such a case before. Mrs. Jones was not the sort of person who would do anything to risk the loss of her life. Dr. Razzak, resident house surgeon at the Cardiff Hospital, said that on her admission it was found that deceased was suffering from shock. She was operated upon, and died the following day. A post-mortem showed that part of the small intestine had been removed. The cause of death was heart failure, due to inanition from the loss of the small intestine. Dr. R. H. Moffit said the deceased was a very delicate woman. When he examined her he found her condition so serious that he advised her removal to the hospital. He could not explain the displacement of the intestine. It was certainly not due to the use of any instrument by him. The jury returned a verdict in ac- cordance with the medical evidence, and expressed the opinion that no blame could be attached to anyone for the woman's death. Superintendent Rees, Aberdare, watched the proceedings on behalf of the Glamorgan Constabulary. I

Aberdare Teachers' Salaries. I Increases Granted Total £ 1,400 per annum. The Aberdare Education Committee, at their meeting on Wednesday, Oct. I 18th, adopted the following recommen- dations of a sub-committee of eight members chosen to consider the appli- cations of teachers for increases of salaries :— (1) That any increases granted be by means of additions of the Com- mittee's scale of salaries and not by means of war bonuses. (2) That the following increases he granted :—(a) Head Teachers (men) An immediate increase of C.5 per an- num to all earning less than £ 200 per annum and C10 to the headmaster of Penvwain School, (b) Women An im- mediate increase of £ 3 per annum to all earning less than E130 per annum. (c) Certificated assistant teachers (men): An immediate increase of tIO per annum. Maximum of scale to be increased by £10. (d) Women An im- mediate increase of jE3 per annum to all earning less than £ 130 per annum. Maximum of scale to be increased bv £3.. 3. Uncertificated assistant teachers (men). An immediate increase of £ 5 per annum. Maxima of scale to be in- creased by £ 5.—Women An immediate increase of R2 10s.. Maxima of scale to be increased by jE2 10s. 4. Supplementary Teachers: An im- mediate increase of £ 2 10s. per annum. 5. That the application for increased annual advance be not entertained. 6. That the above increases be grant- ed to teachers who have been in the service of the committee for not less than 12 months and to teachers on mili- tary service whose salaries (less Army allowances) are being paid by the com- mittee. That war bonuses at present being paid, be continued in lieu of in- creases of salary in cases where such bonuses are greater than the specified increases. That the Finance Com- mittee be requested to consider the Re- gulation relating to the scale of salaries and recommend such modifications as may seem necessary to make them con- sistent with the changes specified above." ? The amount involved is estimated at about P,1,400, equal to a ratp of 2d. in the dB.

Dainty in Design. Skilled Mechanics. Detection Impossible. Ease and Comfort. D Ernest Williams, FOR Commercial St., PERFECTION 1 street' Mountain Ash. Aberdare. Aberoynon. Cwmaman. Ynysybwl. TEETH Hirwain. t Et t M. Painless Extractions. Pain Abolished. Fees Strictly Moderate. Health Giving. @@@@@@@@@@@@ W 1 IF HAD ONLY KfiuAft W N I should have furnished with the u Roath." 68 A How many People have said the same, g £ After visiting our showrooms and compared ? $our prices and terms with others ? I DON'T BE SHY, BUT '@ M Walk right in and have a look around. 8 § Our Manager will be most pleased to conduct 9 You through our spacious showr oms. m CALL TO-DAY I THE i | DPI ATU Furnishing | llUA M Company, 1 Taff Street, Pontypridd. CASH OR EASY PAYMENTS. « tfQ- .4;

Local Mems. BY MEMO. in last week's "Punch there is an illustrated joke of a lady, a constable, a field, and a Zeppelin wreck. The lady begs the man in blue to be al- lowed to enter the field to see the wreck, but Robert courteously declines. She begs more persistently and pro- mises to subscribe handsomely to some Police Charity Fund. But the con- stable is adamant. Thereupon the lady turns angrily to him and asks: Then will you tell me how is it you are not in khaki?" Thus she had her revenge. And it strikes me a good many people nowa- days resort to similar remarks as a means of revenge. "How is it he is not in the Army—a lusty chap like that?" Who said that that man was indispensable?" Is it not a scandal that so-and-so is *still swanking about Aberdare while others are in France, fighting?" A woman could do his work." These are typical observations one often hears, and very frequently from people, old and young, who have no one near or dear to them doing their bit." But if these questioners knew all the circumstances of each man, possibly even they would be satisfied. The various Tribunals ascertain all the cir- cumstances of each man's case, and de- cide accordingly. The public hear the decisions and do not know the facts on which the decisions are based. That is the difference between the Tribunal and the public. In the bulk of cases the facts are private and cannot be published in the newspapers. The miners ask why should young single teachers who have passed Class B (Medical Board) not be compelled to join the Army? The teachers question the wisdom of an Act of Parliament which exempts clergymen and minis- ters, but embraces members of the Manv scholastic profession. Many small business men lament the fact that they have to sell up all they have and go into the Army, while thousands of railway- men and miners of 20-25 years of age are allowed unmolested in civil life. And so on ad infinitum. Time was when a man would tell his enemies and trade rivals to go to hell. Now he prays that they shall go into the Army, and if the Tribunal don't send them at once to the Army there is sore disappointment. Judging by the talk of a few people—and they are precious few locally, and as a rule they are men who have no sons and no em- ployees of military age to lose—there is no need at all for Tribunals everv maR between 18 and 40 without exception should go. That is the standard of their wisdom. The military representa- tives, let it be remembered, are always on the scene, and no glaring cas of ex- emption is allowed to pass them with- out a protest and without an appeal to the County. The scheme propounded bv Mr. Joseph Wedgewood, M.P., is to take all men up to a certain age, say 30. Take the farmer's sons, take the munition workers, and allow natural causes to readjust the industry of the country," he says. The proposal of raising the age to 45 is less favoured now by those in authority, for exper- ience has proved that men of only 3.5 to.40 break down under the strain of trench life. The very humorous letter sent home by Private Wat Phillips, the noted tenor of Aberaman, and quoted in the "Lender" a fortnight ago, is only one of many which he finds time to pen in his trench in France. Writing to Mr. Gwilym Phillips, his brother, Wat said that every day was a 5th of November out there. While I write there goes another shell over our lines," he added. "I wish I could jump on the barhook and land somewhere near Cardiff." An example of his dry humour was provided in an incident which hap- pened some time before the war. Wat- kin was visiting a friend who had just had a leg amputated. In the bed- room was a picture of Christ on the Cross. Pointing to the picture tÎat friend remarked soberly If 1 get over this, J shall follow Him better than 1 have done in the past." And Wat just as soberly answered: NV ell, if you couldn't follow him when you had tn-ø legs, you stand a very poor chance of following Him with only one." While referring to Aberaman, I might ask who were the two men who went te see friends or ^relatives in military camp somewhere in England, and on their way hack lost the train at Head- ing? Having a long time to wait, and being enamoured of the martial bearing of the soldiers they had seen, mey re- solved to start training there and then, and proceeded to walk about 16 miles to Didcot and catch another train there. Both are considerably above military age, and their plight when they reached Didcot, after a night march, through strange country roads, mistaking rail- way stations for country mansions and other blunders, had better not described.

Inquest at Mountain Ash. At the Mountain Ash Police Station on Saturday morning Mr. R. J. Rhys, district coroner, conducted an inquiry into the circumstances touching the death of Morgan Jones.—Annie Jones, mother of deceased, and wife of Morgan Jones, stated that she lived, at 20 Chancery Lane, Mountain Ash. Her little boy was two years and four months old. On Tuesday at 1.30 p.m. he was scalded and died on Wednesday night. She left her three children in the passage, and when she came back she found her little boy inside the guard. The kettle was on top of him, and the boiling water had gone all over the lower part of his body and his thighs. One of the other children told witness that Morgan got on to a chair and fell over the guard.—Catherine Barter, 17 Chancery Lane, deposed that she heard Mrs. Jones scream, and when witness went in she stripped the child.—The jury returned a verdict of "Accidental death."

-r, Price of Milk at Aberdare. Herewith is a copy of a letter sent by Councillor Stonelake, Aberdare, to the President of the Board of Trade:- Sir,—The increased price of-milk is causing much indignation in this town and neighbourhood. The people feel and know that a price of 6d. per quart cannot upon any grounds be justified. The prevailing price throughout the summer was 5d. per quart, and the present price 6d. per quart. In our opinion the summer price of 5d. per quart was more out of proportion than 6d. at the present time. But, with milk the summer and winter prices should be averaged, and we therefore beg to submit that the average price for tne current year is outrageous. At a public meeting held under the aus- pices of the Trades Council at Carmel Hall, Aberdare, on Monday, Oct. 9th, the accompanying resolution was unani- mously passed with instructions that it be forwarded to your Board.-Yours faithfullv, E. STONELAKE. Copy of Resolution.—That this pub- lic meeting of the inhabitants of Aber- dare and neighbourhood, having due re- gard to the unwarranted high prices charged during the summer months for milk, and the consequent hardship to the sick and poor, do hereby protest against a further increase to 6d. per quart during the winter months, and calls upon the Government and the Local Authority to take such action as will effectively" protect the community from the undue exactions of Farmers, Milk Supply Combines and Vendors.