The Carmarthen Weekly Reporter

CARMARTHEN UiVDEIl TE E SEARCH-LIGHT. II Come come, and sit you down you shall not biulge shall not go, till I set you up a glass. wnere you may see the inmost pari, of you," —————— SHAKEPEAEH. At the Boar's Head Hotel on Wednesday next, on the occasion of the quarterly meet- ing of the Carmarthenshire Chamber of Agri- culture, Mr H. Jones Davies, of Glyneiddan, will read a paper on the -Agricultural Labourer Problem in Carmartheiishire." The County Council is going to take steps to protect wild birds. Jackdaws willl not be included. They are not "wild." It is the people who have to put up with them who get wild. I quite agree with the protection of birds which either on account of their song or of their plumage add to the beauty of the country. And the birds who are useful to farmers by destroying insect pests should also be protected. But in this latter case the difficulty arises when you undertake to decide which are useful and which otherwise. Every farmer has his own theory on the sub- ject. People deal with birds as they deal with nationalities, or sects, or parties. If they once take a prejudice against a bird, no number of testimonials will make them re- gard it benevolently and if they are pre- judiced the other way, nothing will induce them to believe any evil of it. The evil of bird-catching exists in an acute form in this neighbourhood, because the neighbouring counties protect wild birds and the catchers being warned off make Car- marthenshire an unhappy hunting ground for the birds.. The slaughter which goes on is something terrific. In most-if not all- species of song birds it is the cocks which are valuable, the hens being of little or no value as songsters. As a consequence, the bird- catchers simply wring the necks of the hens whom they find in the nets. I was told of a case the other day in which a dozen hens)bull finches I think they were) were found lying in a heap with their necks wrung. The wholesale slaughter of the females in this fashion, is, of course, the direct road to the extermination of a species and the ex- termination of such species would be an offence to God and man. The greatest charm of the country round about Carmarthen is that it has not been dc-ruralised it has not lost. its natural beauties and, therefore, has one of the principal charms necessary for a holiday resort. But this sort of thing has a very uncertain tenure except the bird-catcher is warned off. -.¡:+ The Assizes are to take place at Carmar- then next week. It is to be hoped by the way that the difficulty about the Judge's lodgings will not prove a very serious one if the owner of the present lodgings gives up the contract definitely, no time should be lost in at once procuring other suitable pre- mises in their place. We hear of secret societies, and we hear about wire-pulling but all these are small beer compared with the efforts which the Llanelly people are ready to make to get the Assizes held in their own Town Hall. The biggest. houses in Llanelly would be offered gratuitously as judge's lodgings to secure this end. Yet some Llanelly people would sell their immor- tal souls (if Llanelly people really have souls) to ensure the fulfilment of that aspiration. Carmarthen people may take this as a joke; but it is no joke. *• It is not unusual for one ladv to copy another lady's methods of attiring herself. But Carmarthen people are at present inter- ested in the case of two men one of whom is copying the other in every detail of dress. When one appears with anything fresh in the way of apparel, people look confidently to seeing-within a week at the most-the other sporting a precisely similar article. If imita- tion is the sincerest form of flattery, some- body has a right to feel flattered. I am asked to define jobbery" of which we have heard so much. So far as I can make out, it is this. If I and a few friends start working with the object of getting a certain appointment for a friend or of getting a cer- tain contract for a friend, that is all fair and square, and above board. But if anybody else on any pretence whatsoever tries to get the contract or the appointment for somebody else then that is "jobbery." I hope I have made myself sufficiently clear. You see I and my friends at the outset are so con- vinced of our own immaculate motives and of the rascality of the motives of others, that we know, it must be jobbery. "Orthodoxy is my doxy heterodoxy is the other man's doxy." The Board of Guardians on Saturday dis- cussed the question of "clubs." The "clubs" are not offensive weapons nor arc they associations for evading the Sunday Closing Act. Clubs" is a term applied locally to friendly societies everything of the kind is a club in Carmarthenshire from the "Pru- dential" down to the smallest local associa- tion which would bust if it had to pay zclo .3ick pay in one winter. Some of them are so small and so weak, that they have no right to be called clubs. They are simply switches # The discussion arose in the case of an appli cant for outdoor relief. He belonged to a club but for some reason which was not quite clear he either couTd or did not want KJ? dub' aIth0l'8h he un- .°" fi, f 'V 1 -.1 ^atagonia Lewis sugges ted thatpossibly the rules of the society were such that if he were a member for a few years more without coming on the funds, he might be entitled when the time came, to a generous allowance for permanent incapacity The Guardians deferred the application until the next meeting so that all available infor- mation on the subject could be procured. 0 Now what can the Guardians do in such a case as is sugested by Mr Lewis ? The Board has no right to relieve anybody except those who are destitute (wholly or in part). And a man who can get money from a Society by applying for it is not destitute—any more than is a man who can get money out of the Bank by asking for it. It is the business of the relieving officer to relieve want-not to enable people to assure a more substantial provision for the future. I am not saying1 that this is exactly an ideal state of the law, j but I have no doubt it is the law. I am told that there are many neople who would rather "go on the parish" than" go 0a,t,e,cIIub'" The statement- is extraordinary and had I not had it on excellent authority. I should doubt it. That such should be the case is a peculiar instance of perverted senti- ment. Most people consider it an undesirable thing to come on the rates if it can be helped and they see nothing objectionable in draw- ing on funds which practically represent their own savings. On the subject of clubs, it may not be out of place to point out the great loss which many people sustain by being connected with some of these societies which are unregis- tered and which possess very poor organisa- tion. There are small local clubs in exis- tence which are so carried on that they must infallibility go bankrupt. They offer a rate of sick pay for a certain payment which appears very small; but any person with the smallest knowledge of business must know that it is only a question of time before they become insolvent. A properly organised society is so arranged that its income meets all possible claims which can be foreseen and. also leaves a balance in hand for unseen circumstances. The extraordinary happenings, like an epi- demic. must also be taken into account. Many small rotten clubs cannot hope to meet their ordinary claims for any length of time. —to say nothing of making provision for extraordinary claims. And being unregis- tered there is practically no remedy against themselves. If you have a grievance against a registered friendly society you can sue them very easiiy in the case of these rotten clubs you had better whistle. The matter of the hours worked by the attendants at the Joint Counties Asylum was discussed at the last meeting of the Com- mittee of Visitors. The day attendants come on duty at 6 a.m. and go off at 8 p.m. TIley have certain half hours for meals; but nobody would count this. The meals are taken on the premises and the attendant's are liable to be called at any moment to the wards if anything should demand their pre- sence there-zliid such emergencies I should fancy are common enough in lunatic asylums. No man in a railway office, a lawyer's, or a newspaper office, would consider himself" off duty," if he took his lunch on the premises in a quiet half hour, but ready to be inter- rupted at any moment if anybody should call or anything turn up to demand his attention. »** This means practically that the atendants work fourteen hours a day and anybody who has seen the inside of the ward knows that the attention required is unremitting. No officer in his senses would think of keep- ing a sentry on duty more than four (or six at a stretch) and the attendants having to see that the patients do not injure them- selves or one another have to do the sentry pretty keenly. On every third Sunday, the attendant gets off at 12.30 p.m. he is ex- cused 7.} hours duty in plain English. This is an average of 21 hours a week. Seven times fourteen equals 98. 98 minus 2, 1 equals 9.31. "K-:¡'E- It was stated by Dr Goodall that the attcn dants sometimes had leave of an afternoon but this certainly won't count 51 hours a week on an average. To be generous to the system, however, we will concede that and put the hours worked in round numbers at 90 a week. 90 hours a week Think of it ye British workmen who regards it as a hardship to work 54 These men actually work 3G more four more of your days every week. On the basis of a ten hours day even, they work nine days a week. Talk of white slavery It. may be said that this is all in- evitable. Constant duty does not necessitate long hours. In busy signal cabins, the 24 hours are divided between three men (not two) and matters are so arranged that two men are on duty at a busy hour so that each man may work on an average 9 hours a day. Something the same practice in a modified form prevails in the arrangement of police- men who have difficult duty to perform in large cities. «** The Rev William Griffiths asked if "the long hours were not taken into account in fixing the salaries ?" Professor Jones, the chairman, took this remark seriously. I don't know who is at fault—whether the Rev W. Griffiths made a funny remark quite un- consciously or whether Professor Jones failed to see the joke where it was intended. The attendants (men) get £ 20 a year to start with. That is 10s a week. Their rations are little different to that of the patients- which is certainly good and ample food, and would be so considered by any working man. The keep of the patients costs 7s 7d a week, including the salaries of the medical officers, clothes, etc. The attendants do not get medical attendance, and I will consider the clothes separately, so it will not be unfair to value the rations at 7s a week. The uni- form, etc., I shall value at £2 12s a year (quite enough)—Is a week. Here the man earns Wages 10s. Rations 7s. Clothes Is. Total i8s. Eighteen shillings a week Two hundred and sixteen pence Two hundred and six- teen divided by ninety equals two and two- fifths. The value of an able-bodied man's services therefore at an asylum is a fraction less than 2jd an hour. 'I This fairly represents the rate at. which men may expect to be paid who seek service at the Asylum. Of course, they do not re- main at £ 26 a year. They rise in the course of time and those who have been there 10 or 12 years may get £ 3o a year or as much as 2 and eight-ninths of a penny per hour, whilst a select few who have lived a life-time almost in the service may expect to rise to the dazzling heights of £ 40 a year-equal to nearly threepence and one-eighth of a penny per hour. The police have better pay, easier work, shorter hurs, and the certain prospect of a pension-which the Asylum attendants have not. I It is when you come down to hard figures that you see the absurdity of the whole thing and the fine sarcasm of the Rev William Gnffiths. I have not spoken of the condition of the female attendants. The reason is not because I do not sympathise with their grie- vances as well I am well known as an advo- cate of Woman's Rights. But the payment of the men contrasts badly with what steady respectable workmen could earn in other con- stant employment such as rn the service of the railway companeis, etc., etc. ) The position of the female attendants, how- I ever, does not compare so unfavourably with domestic service. They begin at jE12 a year. The hours are long but the sweaters of the servant girls won't let their victims stop at 8 p.m. even though they started at G a.m. I The female attendants at any rate get ample rations and many of the people who try to j keep up appearances starve their servants on beggarly "allowances" which would land them in the hands of the police did they .J. 1 ireat ciogs in such a fashion. I don't say for a moment that the position of the female attendants at the Asylum is what it ought to be but in the presen state of public opinion as regards the labour of women, the case is not quite so bad. L. The Bi'pt.ilrr will be in the hands of the Carmarthen public almost five hours or so before the result of the municipal election is made known. I have no prophecie-) as to the result. I never prophesy. People who were not supposed to have a chance some- times astonish everybody and the favour- ites sometimes occupy the bottom of the poll. Nothing in the way of election results will ever startle me I have seen too much for that. My firm opinion is that these dog- matic articles in newspapers with prognostica tions which turn out fiascocs are written by the office boys. Once you pass sixteen years of age, you are never quite certain of any- thing until it has actually happened. There is one thing, too, I won't. do. When I find that the public have returned a man whom I opposed, I won't turn round and say that I was supporting him all the time. Elections need cause no ill-feeling. If you decently and honestly oppose a man, my ex- perience is that he thinks none the worse of you for it whereas if you try to be on both sides you simply incur the contempt of both. I may have been violently partisan at times in elections but one thing I have not done yet. I have never damaged the cause which I was supposed to be helping. But I know— and many of us know—three cases in which a candidate was helped greatly by the outra- geous character of the opposition which con- fronted him. +- There are all Ioj,ts of hypocracy at elec- tions. I have known a man boast to his friends of what he had done by his vote and interest for one candidate and then when the polling was declared he fawned sponging- ly on the other—the victor. These are the rats who flee from the sinking ship the mugwumps who wish to be on the winning side. The true nobility of character is in the men who stand loyally by a losing cause in which they believe. We may loathe Kruger but we all admire De Wet. The organ recital given by Mr Silver at St. Peter's Church on Sunday evening was the best attended and in every respect the most successful held since the inauguration of these events. The change in the hour seems to have been a singularly happy innovation. "11 The Bishop of Swansea on Monday even- ing at the Guildhall referred to the possi- bility (as he thought) of the Bible being mis- understood by heathens who knew nothing of Christianity. One Biblical incident to which he referred was the killing by a woman of a guest who had taken refuge under her roof. I take it that. the Bishop referred to the case of Jael killing Sisera (Judges iv). I flatter myself T. know my Bible and that is about the only case which fits the descrip- tion. Now this is a case which many people seem to consider a matter of offence to Biblical Morality. There has been too much made of it. But, frankly, moralists awake no re- sponsive echo in the hearts of the public the example falls flat. If some Frenchwoman in 1870 had managed to nail Bismarcks head to the ground, or even if some Colonial Eng- lishwoman had done it to Snyman when Mafe king was beleagurcd we should not have been so horrified. Perhaps if we knew more of Sisera's character we should not blame Jael. If he treated the Israelites as Claverhouse did the Covenanters, or as Cumberland did the Jacobite clansmen, no explanation is re- quired. Why should we blame Jaei and admire Charlotte Corday ? The gentleman who has finished off Johns- town Wells either has no sense of humour, or else he is a practical joker. There is a notice board placed up between the two wells The board is painted marble white, and is cut exactly like a plain Puritan toombstone, and bears black lettering. The inscription is not visible from the roadway to read it you must go on the grass and wet your feet. At my present time of life, I cannot afford to run risks of that kind. But the whole appearance of the tablet suggests that the first line should begin "Er cof anwyl," or In loving memory," and that the remainder of the inscription is devoted to a eulogy of the character of the dear departed. tHHt On each side of the board are the wells." rhey are now little brick erections a couple of feet above the ground—exactly similar to the vaults one sees in the Cemetery. The effect of the whole thing is most depressing; it looks like a newly founded place of sepul- ture in some lonely colony. )t is most pa- thetic. You stand there in the silence (it always is quiet there), and you watch the rain beating on the tributes to poor morta- lity and you think how nice it would be to lie there at peace with the roaring linn a few feet further up, churning your requiem for ever. I see the object now in trying to entice invalids down to drink the waters. The object is not to cure them, but to recon- cile them to death. Nobody could now sojourn in that spot for long without being reconciled—not to say anxious—to die. 4K A town which possesses a school of art ought to be able to do better than this. 00* The Johnstown water scheme is progress- ing. The roadway is opened, scores of work- men are excavating trenches, and braziers of charcoal stifle the passer-by with their fumes. I think this latter contrivance must have a ceremonial use like the censer for distri- buting incense in grand ecclesiastical functions I have never yet noticed any- body make any practical use of it. r The Carmarthen United Choir are going ahead industriously they are practising Mendellsohn's "Hymn of Praise" and will render it at a concert to be given next month 0" We hear a good deal of the loss to the town in rates which will be caused by the station being in Pensarn. But the boundaries of Carmarthen can be extended. A bill with that. object could hardly be effectually opposed and the cost of the bill would be recouped in two years rates. I hope to re- turn to this subject again. The Council will do nothing practical for a month at least. On Friday forty or fifty dogs passed through the town unmuzzled and nobody com- plained. Still the country is said to be in the throes of an epidemic of rabies. But the sports of the aristocracy must not be inter- fered with. Anybody who wants to see puddles is invi- ted to inspect the pavement in Lammas- street between (say) Mr Davies (the stone- cutters) and the Old Plough Hotel. You really cannot dodge the pools as you walk on the pavement.. Some are big enough for duck ponds. I suggest ducks no clean, respectable swan with a character to lose would be seen in one of them. At the meeting of the School Board on Friday, the Chairman, the Rev E. U. Thomas reminded delinquents that in future they could be fined zCl (instead of 5s as heretofore) for neglecting to send their children to the schools. This is all right but who is to make the justices act on it ? What we want is an Act to provide backbones for those magistrates whom Providence has launched on the world without that requisite. On Wednesday morning a characteristic sight was to be seen in our streets as early as ten o'clock. A band of five or six- voters were perambulating the towns. They called on one candidate for municipal honours and having been there a short time, they called on another, and so made the grand tour. As I was not present at the inter- views, I draw no conclusions. I simply state facts. But candidates must be fools to waste time (if nothing else) with fellows who are simply doing the round." But such men are the fountain of Carmarthen municipal honour. ALETHEIA,

Park Gardening, SOME SUGGESTIONS FOR THE CAR- MARTHEN PARK COMMITTEE. The management of the flower beds in public parks should always be under the direction of a competent man, otherwise it frequently happens that we get a show of flowers for less than half the season, and those of secondary merit. The object the Park gardener should have in view is a con- tinuous display from April to October, and that object cannot be attained while the authorities continue to depend for their supply of seeds and plants from generous- hearted donors. The surplus or part of it, which the Park Committee hold, could well be put to a good purpose in buying flowering shrubs, rose trees, seds and bulbs for the Park's decora- tion during the next season. It can scarcely be credited, but it is a fact, that measures have not been taken yet towards filling the beds for a Spring display. And what does that mean ? Just that the grey beds will remain grey until June next. But why should the Carmarthen public be deprived of two months floral beauty—those of April and May—to say nothing of the uncertainties of the following months. Is it that the sense of art is absent or latent, or that they are ignorant of the duties expected of them ? We take it to be the latter. A public park should never be without its rose bed, because it is a source of satisfac- i tion to everyone, be what their tastes will. Roses for this purpose need to be carefully chosen. It is no use selecting roses which, are described in catalogues as fine and full, splendid for exhibition." Those qualities are insufficient alone, as it often happens that the choicest roses flower but during the month of June, being the rest of the year of no more ornafnental value than an ordinary' hedgerow shrub. The most essential quality, which roses for park decoration should bear, is that of being continuous bloomers, and that quality is found more pronounced in the China roses than in any other class. Although floriferousness should be the primal quality, roses of beter form should not be ignored. What, I ask, can be more pleasing to the senses of sight and smell than a standard of la France or Paul Neyron, or a bed of trail- ing roses made up of Mad Berard and Gloire de Digen ? In selection, the quality of hardi- ness should also receive a consideration, ex- cept that we are to suppose the less hardy ones wil be given protection in Winter. Bedding flowers should be chosen which are best adapted for massing, and which will produce a flaring display of bright colours for the whole of the summer season. To meet this want at least omo bed should be given over to tuberous Begonias, while one each should be devoted to Petunias, Phlox Drummundi, Geraniums, and Ageratums. Mignonette is so popular for its quality of fragrance. But while we have next Summer's flower- beds foremost in our mind's eye, the matter of Spring and Autumn decorations also merit a share of our attention. What an amount or floral beauty we should lose, were we to neglect to provide for a show of yellow, red, and striped Tulips: blue, white and mauve Hyacinths the gt-acefiii Pheasant-eye and other Narcissus the multi-coloured Polyan- thus and its cousins. All these will have I flowered and died down by the time ourfickle weather permits of the Summer bedding stuff to be planted. To fill the gap between the Spring bulbs and real Summer plants, the Anemonies and Ranunculus, in the national colours and shades between, should be employed; while the jump-up-and-kiss-me Pansy is such a popular favourite that it should be freely used, It may here be in place to mention that the Pansy ha,'f brother, the Viola, in its variety of colours, has tfte quality of 7' giving such a continuous show from the begin ning of June to the middle of October, as to merit the attention of those to whom the ordering is entrusted. I The Pseony has now been brought to such a standard of excellence-its colours so striking and varied, and form so perfect- that a border to a cariage drive in considered incomplete without them. For August and September the Gladioli are invaluable. The attention which our pro- minent horticulturalists have given to these lovely flowers, places them in the forefront position for that period of the year. To follow up the Gladioli, the dwarf early- flowering Chrysanthemums, such as the Mad. Deogranges, should have a place with the June sown stocks and Asters, that the beds may be gay until frost cuts these semi- hardies down. An herbaceous border would also be a source of much delight to many, with its tall Helianthus Maxiinus for a background, j where the Foxglove. Hollyhock, Delphinum in it slovely shades of blue. Chrysanthemum Gaillardia, Doronicum, etc., etc., would find a pleasant home. The long stretch of bare wall around the Parsonage could be covered with self-clingers such as Ampelopsis Veitchi, the variegated Ivy Aurea Maculata, and other Ivies. The Ampelopsis Virginicus, Honeysuckles, Pyrus Japonica could be usefully employed to make pleasing that which is now an unsightly wall. The Park Committee might consider the adivsability of training one each of the Passion flower, Clematis, Climber, and the Crimson Rambler, around the bandstand. If they have finished dumping earth over the bank by the cycle tarck, the bank would be greatly improved by the planting of flowering and evergreen shrubs.

LLANSTEPHAN. Mil PARNALL'S LLANSTEPHAN ESTATE.—On Friday evening the tenants of the Cottage estate were entertaioed to a capital dinner at I the Union Hall Hotel in commeration of the 25 th birthday of Mr Robert Henry Parnall and his succession to the property. Mr Vincent Howell Thomas, Carmarthen, the agent of the estate, presided as the representative of Mr Parnall, who was, unfortunately, unable to obtain leave of absence from his military duties. CLARKE'S B 41 PILLS are warranted to cure in either sex, all acquired or Constitutional Discharges from the Urinary Organs, Gravel and Phinsintheback. Free from Mercury. Established upwards of 30 years. In boxes. 4a 'Gd each, of all Chemists and Patent Medicine Vendors throughout the World, or sent for sixty stamps by the makers, the Lincoln and Midland Counties Drug Compauy, Lincoln.

J I British and Foreign Bible oeicty. ANNUAL MEETING AT CARMARTHEN. THE BISHOP OF SWANSEA AND NON- CONFORMIST MINISTERS. A meeting of the Carmarthen Auxiliary of the B. and F. Bible Society was held pt the Carmarthen Guildhall on Monday evening. The Right Rev. the Bishop of Swansea prc- sided. The proceedings were opened with prayer and the reading of a portion of Scripture by the Rev James Tayloii, Wcsleyan Minister. Mr R. A. Brockie read the financial state- ment for the year which he considered rather disappointing. The year had commenced with a favourable of balance £ 3 4s ¡1c1, and ended with a favourable balance a favourable balance of t3 9s Gel. The amount remitted to the Parent Society during the year was t- 26. The Chairman, in his opening remarks, re- gretted the smallness of the amount which had been forwarded to the^ Parent Society. He also explained that he took the chair in the absence of the Mayor, who was detained in London in connection with the home- coming of the C.I.V's. He also took the chair because he felt that Miss Thomas (tire secretary), and Mr Thomas Thomas and the family deserved support because of the work they were doing for the society. The Bibie Society was one of those organisations in eon- nection with which Churchmen and Noncon- formists could work together. There were not many such organisations, and he thought that they should seize the opportunity when it came for the lions and the Iambs to lie- down together (laughter). But they were all lambs that evening. His relations with the Nonconformist ministers of the town were always most pleasant. There had not been a single word of discord between them during the eleven years he had lived in Carmarthen. He would say that he had the deepest per- sonal respect for the Nonconformist ministers of the town, some of whom had now gone to their rest and he felt it a pleasure and a satisfaction to have known them. The B. and F. Bible Society was well supported by the Church of England, although the Church of England had its own Bible Society (the Society for the Propagation of Christian Knowledge) and he. wished to acknowledge also the indebtedness of the Church of Eng- land to the B. and F. Bible Society, which suplied by the Church missionaries with the Bible in so many languages. There was, how- ever, one point on which he did not agree with the working of the Society. He did not think it quite right to distribute Bibles amongst people who never heard anything of the Bible. Such people, he thought might draw wrong conclusions from what they read Distribute the Bible by all means amongst Roman Catholics, and Greek Christians, and Lutherans, and Mohammedans bitt when you put the Bible in the hands of a Pagan who never heard of God's word, he might be led to wrong conclusions. God might, in- deed, be pleased to give him His Holy Spirit to enable him to understand the Book. He might read of one of God's saints preparing to put his son to death, of a man who had a thousand wives, or of a woman who treacherously put to death a guest who went to rest under her roof. That, however, was the only point on which he felt any misgiving with regard to the work of the Society. He thought the distribution of Bibles was quite right whenever they could get the teacher to go with the Book. -The Bishop concluded by moving a vote of condolence with the Rev. Dr Cynddylan Jones in the loss of his wife. The vote was carried in silence by the audience rising to their feet. The Rev J. Hughes Parry (vicar of Rud- baxton) then gave an interesting address. He mentioned that when the Society started there was a great dearth of Bibles even rn Protestant countries. In Holland one half of the people had no Bibles in Esthonia many of the ministers in charge of congre- gations had not a copy of the New Testament ^nnand t^re °"ly 50 coPies amongst 50,000 people m Sweden 11,000 families did not possess a single copy of the Scripture Now the Bible was circulated by the Society in 373 languages the circulation last year, was o,000,000 c.opies and the circulation since the commencement was 105,000,300 copies. Last year's subscriptions to Society was £ 50,000, but our National Drink Bill i was £ 150,000,000 and we spent £ 20,000,000 last year on tobacco—a large sum to end in smoke Two out of every three of the human family were still strangers to Christ, I and his salvation. The income of the Bible I Society for the year was £ 211,000 but the expenditure was £ 235,000. £10,000 of this was spent in distributing the Dible at home I in various ways. The mem hers of tlm í T A- "LV I each received a copy of the New Testament ( from the Society, and a of St. John's Gospel with the letters C.I.V displayed on the cover. The Society had made similar gifts to all the contingents from this country and the colonies who went to South Africa. The speaker also quoted facts to show the sympathy of the Commander-in-Chief and Sir Charlos Warren with the distribution of God's word. One of the methods of the Society was the distribution of the Bihle by colporteurs who warked on the sunny hills of Spain, along the great rivers of India, amid the snows of the Russian steppes, and in the torrid climate of Malaysia. These men were all native of the countries in which they worked, in Franco amid much opposition men were beginning to value the Word, and encouraging words came from Spain, India. China, and Japan. I The Rev. D. J. Thomas proposed a resolu- tion pledging the meeting to support the British and Foreign Bible Society. In so I doing Mr Thomas said Mr Chairman, per- haps I may be allowed tu reciprocate the kind utterances of regard and appreciation to which you gave utterance at this meeting with regard tu the Nonconfonmst ministers of the town. I am sure we all regret your departure. Our relations with yourself have always been of the most cordial and amicable character. I think I may—not as senior Nonconformist minister of the town but as the senior present-join in heartily wishing great success in yopr new sphere.—The rev. gentleman went on to say that he did not agree with the Bishop as to the dangers which would result in the Bible falling into the hands of ignorant people. He thought that such was the power and the blessing which attended the word of God, that even I when it fell into the hands of ignorant people, it might prove to them a blessing and briiig them to the feet of Jesus. ° Rev W. W. Lewis saiff that as one of the lambs of the town he had great plea- sure in seconding the resolution. He thought it was quite possible that a lamb might roar at times when his liberty was encroached on but it took a long time. He also testified to the pleasant relations which had existed hc- tween the Bishop and the Nonconformist ministers of the town. The relation was such that it could not be anything but pleasant they were at a distance great enough so that here was no danger of a collision of one say- ing anything which would cause ill-feeling against the other. But knowing the Bishop's character as a Christian minister he( Rev W. W. Lewis) regretted his departure from the town and he sincerely trusted the Bishop's efforts in his next sphere would be as success- ful as m coi-In, P,ell, and th t the Divine blccsing wordd him. Ee b,d the best \ishu; of uie Nonconformist minivers and neir prayers for the success of his labours in no e_i.en-ion of tne Kingdom of our common Saviour and Reedemer. The motion was carried unanimously. The Rev Jinxes Taylor proposed a vote of thanks to ttie deputation. He said that in considering the advanced Biblical Criticism, one was inclined to wonder how much of the nne was left and how much of the Bible the Society continued to believe in and it was quite a treat to know that the Bible Society clainiect a premier position for the Word of God without relation to the "heckling" to whicn it had been subjected by scholars during the last few years. He was one of those who had faith in the Word of God. Mr R. J. Jones seconded the motion which was earned unanimously. The Bishop of Swansea said that as one who nad followed the Criticism, lie thought they felt that thing., were coming right again At first very extrnne views were held these again had been followed by more moderate views. Rash conclusions had been drawn at first but these had been modified by fuiler first but these had been modified by fuller i L knowledge and the truth had prevailed Such was the history of Biblical as of ot^r Lriticisjn. Rev J. Hushes Parry, in reply, said that the Bible which the Society circulated had not been cut in pieces by a pair of scissors made in Germany. That splendid specimen of an Englishman, John Ruskin, had attribu- ted his taste in literature to the place which the Bible had occupied in his education. Rev A. Fuller Mills proposed a vote of thanks to the Chairman for presiding. In so doing he wished the Bishop a much larger sphere of influence for good in the new locil- ity to which he was going. He had alwavs felt that a meeting was safe in the hands of so great and so hearty a gentleman as the Bishop. He hoped that his remarks were not taken for flattery for as they knew he was not much given to flattery. Whilst the Bishop had been there eleven years, he (the Rev A. F. Mills) had been tlmre nine year; and there had been no friction between them Perhaps many a time. the speaker had given occasion for it by his extreme methods and manners but whatever public utterance he had given which might be cause for offence, he had always found Bishop Lloyd the follow- ing day as genial and as kindly towards him as q\ ei. He did not know whether the Bishop pitied his ignorance or whether it was that innate disposition to forgive his opponents which was characteristic of him The Bishop of Swansea might not be without cllcrnics no man was. But both rich and poor highly appreciated the work which he had done, and which would remain in the town for many years to come. Mr Thomas T- oiiia- of Disgwylfa in second ing, added his testimony as a Nonconformist layman to the kindly disposition of the Bishop. lie also apologised for the absence of Miss Thomas who was unable to attend. The vote was carried by acclamation. The Bishop of Swansea in responding said he had always tried to be what he admired in others-a man of peace. He concluded by proposing a vote of thanks oo the Secre- tary and to the ether workers on behalf of the Society. This motion was carried unanimously. The meeting concluded with the singing of the Doxology.