The Carmarthen Weekly Reporter

The Coi federates in Conclave. No. 1: -y friends, we arc here assembled together for the purpose of considering the best way in which we may further our plans. Our first object as you know is to consider the best means of-er-what shall I say No. 2: Dishing Carman-then. No. 1: Not at all my friend. Our object is to get a status. You know what a status is; it is-wliat shall I say—it is-a status of course. It is wonderful how some people get status. You will find one man who is regar- ded as a country gentleman, and lords call on him and hob-nob with him, although it is as much as he can do to keep one horse to his carriage. Another man who has made his pile lives in a house five times as big, and keeps twelve horses and slings his money round like the man that broke the bank at Monte Carlo, and yet-what do they call him. No. 2: A bounder. No. 3: An upstart. No. 1: Exactly, because he has not status. Status, my friends, is not to be raised like whiskers. An American friend of mine asked one of the Fellows of Oxford how they managed to get such velvety grass in the quadrangles, because he wanted to have it like that at his own summer residence. The answer of the Fellow was "We've mowed it every morning for six hundred years." Status is exactly like the Oxford turf. It e must not speak of turf, or Carmarthen will say "Keep Off the Grass." But if you cannot grow a status, you ca.n, at any rate No. 2: Steal one. No. 1: No! no! I object to such ugly words. The expression is unparliamentary, and, therefore, unworthy of the Llanellyshire County Council or any of its informal sub- committees. As it would take us at least a thousand years to grow 18 status of our own, we had better transplant that off Carmar- then. No. 2: A good idea. No. 3: Transplant is a better word. Verily a Daniel come to judgment. I thank thee for the word. No. 1: There is no other word for it. lue process is quite common. Many of our wealthy tradesmen buy the family pedigree and the family ancestors with the estate. Of course, when the wealthy soap boiler buys the mansion everybody knows what he is. But his gr nd-children can change the spelling of their names, and pretend that they are related to the old family, and their grand- children aigain will really believe it. If we call this place Llanelly even after getting all the public institutions, it will stilll only be No. 2: Llanelly. No. 1: Exactly. You hit the nail on the head that time. No. 2: I should like to hit somebody on the nose. No. 1: Perhaps you shall. But let us drop this frivolity. Who ever heard of Llanelly? Even the "South Wales Daily News" the other day perpetrated a grave injustice to us. It published a map of the route from Fish- guard to Cardiff. The distances were shown to Haverfordwest, Carmarthen, Swansea,— but where was Llanelly ? No. 2: Too bad. No. 1: No matter, a day will come. We will -remember. Altogether: We will; We will. No. 1: We'll have the Quarter Sessions. All: We will. No. 1: As the natural centre of the crim- inal population of the county, we have every right to it. No. 2: But it is proposed to make it move- able. No. 1: Of course. That is all a mere tem- ponary expedient. A court off justice is not going to go perambulating round the county in a gipsy van with the prisoners chained behind like the tinker's dog. No. 2: Certainly not. No. 1: But is is necessary to proceed on the easy instA 'ment system—5a down and the balance at Is a week until you are bald- headed. We must get the County Council meetings to Llanelly. No. 2: But would that be convenient. No. 1: Converrient P It will certainly be convenient to ue. And we can only think of ourselves. All: True, true; very true. No. 1: When you go in for high policy you must not consider anybody but yourself. If you take the population of Llanelly and multiply it by three, and subtract it from the rest of the county and divide the answer by four and extract the cube root of the remain- der, you will find that we represent tlie greater part of the county. All: Very dear. No. 1: I have thought it necessary to show you how to work out the sum, because certain illiterate persons who have not been taught the Llanelly mathematics have come to the conclusion that we are about one-sixth of the county. These problems are not to be solved by the common or giarden arithmetic of the county schools. All: No; no. A little learning is a danger- ous thing. No. 1: Let us do our best-or our worst— for Llanelly. Never do I gaze on the romantic seen ly stretching from the. railway station to the new Townhdl, or the beautiful valley round about the New Dock lock-up but I think of the words of the poet: Llanelly the pride of the ocean, The home of the bnave and the free, Where'er through the wide world I wander My heart it still dings to thee. If there's not much reason about that there's a little rhyme at any rate. This As not part of my duties; I am only dropping into poetry as a friend like Silas Wegg. We'll have Carmarthen C-astle-- All: We well; we will. No. 1: And we'll get famed in song and story. The Carmarthen poet has written about L'landiilo and Llandovery, and Pem- broke and Cardigan, but never a word of Llanelly. Remember! All: We'll remember. No. 1: But we have plenty of poetry of our own. All: Sospan Fach. No. 1. So let us an stick together. Don't trouble about the rights or wrongs of the affair. Get votes. That's the point. Never mind whether it's fair or not. Let us get a majority and we'll pass it, and those who do not care about coming to Llanelly No. 2: Can stay awa-7 1 No. 1: Quite so. In fact, we'd much rather they did. Remember this our own sacred cause, handed down from generation to generation like the Russians on the way to Port Arthur No. 2: But they failed. No. 1: But we must not fail. In fact, we can't afford to f a;il. It is now a case of neck or nothing. So long as the meetings are held at Carmarthen, the bulk of the county can use its majority; but let us hold them in this corner, and Llanelly will have a permanent majority. No. 2: 'Ve'h have justice! No. 1: Not at all. That would never do. In fact that would be very awkward for- us. What we want is a status, and we'll have it even-- No. 2: If it be only the status quo. No. 1: That would never do. But if this should not pass now, we'll memorialise the War Office All: What for? No. 1: To get the militia recruits trained at Mn nelly. No. 2: What! Turn our new Townhall into a barracks! No. I We must get something. And we must get the Carmarthen coat of arms-f or we have no coat armour—and study records of Ancient Boroughs, for it is really time we tried to look genteel. All depart on wire pulling expeditions.

Uanelly's Strnggle for a Status. el THE CASE FOR CARMARTHEN. As a result of the meeting of the Town Council last week, the following circular has been addressed to every County Councillor in Carmarthensh,i,re:- TO THE MEMBERS OF THE CARMAR- THENSHIRE COUNTY COUNCIL. Gentlemen,—I am directed by the Town Council of Carmarthen to express to you their hope that the County Council will not assent to the proposaJ which, as the Town Council are informed, is shortly to be made for trans- ferring the County Offices at Llanelly. It need hardily be said that the proposed transfer of the offices would lead to the hold- ing -of all Council and Committee meetings and the transaction of altl County business -at Llanelly, and would go far towards the substi- tution of that town for Carmarthen aa the County town. The Town Council consider that such sub- stitution, wthile, of course, specially detri- mental to the interests of their town, could by no means be justified on the ground of convenience to the County as a whole. It is unnecessary to point to the geo- graphical position of Carmarthen and its situation on several converging lines of rail- way as making it the proper centre of the County; these facts are obvious, and the case for making Llanelly the County town depends on the proposition that they are not of paramount importance in view of the aggregation of wealth and population in the Soat/h Eastern part of the County. But if alll considerations other than that of the distribution of the population of the County were disregarded, it could still be 7 shown that Carmarthen, and not Llanelly, is the most convenient centre for the County as a whole. A study of the map of the County and of the census returns will shew that to less than half of the population of the County is Llanelly more easily accessible than Car- marthen, and an examination of the dis- tances which the members of the County Cuncil would have to travel to attend meet- ings at either place will shew a result corres- ponding to the population statistics, a result which may be (approximately stated by saying that the average distance to be travelled by a County Councillor in attending a meeting at Llanelly would be (in going and .return- ing) nearly five miles more than if the meet- ings were held at Carmarthen. And not only would the 'burden of travelling be less in the aggregate with meetings at Carmarthen, but it would be much more evenly distributed. It may be said that the County at large will never be properly represented at meetings held at a place far from the geographical centre of the County. The tendency in such case would 'be 'for the members representing remote constituencies to find the time and expense of travelling prohibitive, and the result, in the case of Carmarthenshire, that the rural districts would be deprived of adequate representation and an undue share of the county government would fall upon the representatives of constituencies mainly urban in character. And it may be also said that the Llanelly Lrban District is already an autonomous area for purposes of elementary education, so that the population of this area has not in this important particular an equal interest with the 'rest of the county in the business of the County Council, and in the not unlikely event of Llanelly obtaining a charter of in- corporation, the town would cease to have an interest in some other matters of county government. It is true that the same may be said of Carmarthen, but the claim of Car- ma.rthen to remain the centre of county government is not based on the consideration of the population or importance of the town, but on the argument of convenience to the County at large, and if the populations of Carmarthen and Llanelly were equally ex- cluded from consideration, the case in favour of Catrmiairthen would be considerably strengthened. It is hoped that the considerations indi- cated albove will be given due weight by the members of the County Council before a deci- sion is given on a question which is of very great importance as affecting the future of the County. I am, Gentlemen, Your obedient Servant, R. M. THOMAS, Town Clerk. Carmarthen, 13th July, 1906.

Presnroption of Death of a Carmarthenshire Man. In the Chancery Division, the case of Wil- liams v. Williams, ex parte Phillip Williams, came on for hearing. The plaintiff, Annie Williams, of Greenfield House, Gorelas, ap- plied fon- an order presuming the death of her husband, Phillip Williaims, who left tne country in August, 1897. With the exception of one letter, received within a month afteir his departure, nothing has been hean-d of him The missing man having become entitled to certain moneys under the wtili of a relative, Annie Williaims asked for the order to be followed by lettea-a of administration. Mr J. Davies-Williams (instructed by Mr Claud R. Davies, soliciitor, l,landilo) appeared for the applicant. The order was miade as asked for.

CURED COUGH & COLD FOR 35 YEARS Hayman's FOR COLO 31- Ralsam -T. BELL, Kendal. M W g% A11A11 9&1/2/6. and tfUUOin* Agent: S. T. Rees (late J. P. Richards & Co)., Chemist, 16, Lammas-street, Carmarthen, «

Canon Williams and the Morality of Carmarthen. To the Editor Carmarthen Weekly Reporter. Dear Sir,—While reading your paper for week ending July 6th, I noticed there ia-asin- serted an account of a meeting which was heild at the Guildhall, on Friday June 29th, in sup- port of the Diocesan Home near Oystermoutli for unfortunate women. At this meeting, the Rev. Canon Camber Williams made a serious and astounding declaration to the effect that the moral of our girls and boys were bad, and thajt prostitution was on the increase at Car- marthen ,and also that a great number of the paronts not teaching the principles of religion at home were practicailly responsible for this, I have lived at Carmarthen for the last fifteen years, and have spent nearly all the days of my life in religious and social works in connec tion with the elevation of the Human Race, I have worked at a great number of towns in connection with missionary work, such tas working in Low lodging houses, where I had a fair opportunity of studying what were good and bad morals, also I have travelled for a few years with a Christian party, and have work- ed in some of the lowest slums. in England and Wales, where I came in contact with unfor- tunate women of all nations. After reading the speech of Canon Williams I came to the conclusion that there must be some terrible mistake, so I thought I would make all pos- sible enquires where information was obtain- able, aloo at the saime time using my own per- sonal knowledge and observation in the mat- ter, as I considered that the characters and reputation off our girls were at stake, also the reputation of our town would be very much diministhed in the eyes of these wno visit it from year to year when they read the account of the words which fell from the lips of the rev. gentleman. I ,ailoo notice that he said in his speech, re this increase that it may be seen by walking through our streets. Surely Canon Williams does not mean that, simply because a girl walks. through the streets that that is an indication of such a thing. Or does lie wish the Carmarthen people to believe, according to what he says, that the girls of Carmarthen are in the ha-bit of accost ing men in the streets, as they do in some of our neighbouring towns; if he does noc mean this, I should like, to know what really does he moan ? I always considered that any per- 80nwho asserts anything of this description, should at all times produce material evidence to that effect, or I may say that I may not be far wrong in saying that the rev. gentleman found himself in some sort of predicament to say something appropriate of the occasion. which himself and the Bishop and numerous friends had met for at this meeting. I notice that the Rev. gentleman calls upon the Church to do its duty in connection with the bringing about of a better standard of good morals and purity. In my estimation it woulu be better for him, before lie calls upon the church to do its duty, to waitch the streaming multitudes of Church members who come out of Church on Sunday. There he will have the opportunity of seeing for himself the corruption and pride which is so evident there to-day, wihille the money that has been 6pent on decorating the corrupt bodies might be spent on the feeding of the poor of Carmar then. Also let him have the Christian forti- tude and courage, like some of our ancient ,re- formers, at the very first occasion that he will preach at some of the Carmarthen Churches the true principle of Jesus, and to remember the words of the Saviour to the accusers of the woman who they brought to him, and, who, in accordance with the laws iji existence at that time, should have ,been stojied to death, But what was the reply of the Saviour to those who brought her, "Let him who hath no sin oast the first stone at her." So in the same words as the Saviour, I say to Canon Williams "Let him first cleanse the Church from its imperfection, corruption, and hypocrisy, be- fore lie dares say anything in connection with the morals of girls, for which 1 consider there has been no justification. I wish also to in- form him as one who is acquainted with near- ly every person amongst the poor of Carmar- then, that from my own pei-scpial experience, [ can prove to him that prostitution is not on the increase, but has largely diminished through the good work of those who work out- side the jurisdiction ef the Church. Indeed, I think as one who has assisted the Church in mission work in other towns, and where good work has been accomplished, that it is high time for the Church to awaken from its state of apathy to the consciousness of duty to the elevation of those who are outside the fold. Lot him look to his own people before he comments on our girls, also I wish to say that his speech has a tendency to make iimmoral men who live in some other towns, when they read that prostitution is on the increase come to the conclusion that that is so, and when t,hey wend their way down here the conse- quences will be that it will not be safe for girls to walk our streets, in the peaceful way that they do at present. I am sorry, too, that he should have commented on the Religious teach ing at Home. I consider that he merely said this from a political point of view. Trusting that the Canon will pardon my spirit in reply ing to what I consider that I have every justi- fication in holding up the reputation of boys and girls, and the old peaceful town wherein I was born, I am, your& truly, D. DAVIES, 28, Bridge Street, Carmarthen.

« No Surprise to Carmarthen. is pleasant to hear that a Carmarthen reside nt has met with most welcome good forune. There are many of us here who suffer from kidney trouble of ene kind or another, backache, rheumatism, dropsy or gravel, so that this news of a sure means of cure is truly welcome. But we are not sur- prised such cures by Doan's Backache Kid- ney Pills occur every day. Mr Thomas Raiillieu, 17, Spilman street, Carmarthen, says: "For Soane time I was troubled with my kidneys, and the urinary systean was very much effected. The secre- tions were scanty, and slightly scalding in passing. I had pains in my back and loins, and also round tpe loans there seemed to be a great heat. I was troubled with indigestion, too. "Of all the (medicines I tried only Doan's bacKache kidney pills helped me. After a few doses I found they were doing me good, so I kept on wiith them. Now, I am pleased to say, Doain's piMs have done more for me than anything else I ever used. The urinary system is in perfect order, and my back is better than it has been for years. I shall gladly recommend the medicine to others. Signed (Thos. Bailliieu." Doan's backache kidney pills are 2s 9d per box (six boxes for 13s 9d). Of all chemists and stores, or post free, direct from Fo&ter- McCleUan Co., 8, Welfls-street, Oxford-st., London, W. You are sm-e to get the right medicine if you lask distinctly for Doan's.

The Welsh Bevival. INTERESTING STATEMEN BY CANON CAMBER WILLIAMS. The Rev Canon Camber Williams, St. David's diocesan missioner, had some inte- resting references to make in regard to the Welsh revival at a conference of mission clergy held at Fulham Palace, London, last week. The Oanon said there might have been extravagance in word and action, but it should be remembered that the Holy Spirit worked through human instruments, and only perfected them in the process, and if the door was opened for sham revivalists and seekers for notoriety, that need no more dis- credit the movement than the doings of the Sons of Soeva discredited the reality of the revival at Ephesus. He bore very high testi- mony to Mr Evan Roberts, and said that they in > > alas thankfully recognised the visitation of the Holy Spirit in the late revival. Speak- ing of the results, the Oanon said that acconuts differed, but whenever he had been able to ascertain the facts, the converts among dissenters were going on steadily the percentage that had fallen off being very small; while in the Church, so far as his in- formation went, there seemed to have been hi,thoreto practically no falling away. Deal- ing wi,th the future and the earnest expecta- t'?" ?,f Wtual visitation in England, he f in Wales led him to believe that withm the Church the revival u ^ree from certain features of wn-ich some Nonconfomist writers were now complaining. Her sacrimental system and teaching would guard against depression fol- lowing the re-action by pointing out to the newly-convertecTthat he is only at the foot of khe Christian ascent, and at the same time holding out the encouiiagemient of divine strength through the grace of Sacrament.

Mr T. W. Barker's Letter. To the Editor Carmarthen Weekly Reporter. Sir,—I am very reluctant to follow Mr Barker in his meaiiderings and wanderings, but a small detail of no public interest, but of great -persona! importance to me, demands attention. Mr Barker's clerk partly describes my interview thus. "Have you written to Mr Barker, for if so, your letter has been sent to him." Mr Thomas's reply was "No." I visited the office to compare my figures with Mr Barker's official figures, because he had not replied to my letter asking for his official figures. The derk says, he knew such a letter had been sent. That unanswered letter was the reason for my presence in the office; this was understood during our con- versation, and I knew that under ordinary oircuinstances, that letter could be produced. Thus neither 1, nor any other sane person, could have said "No" in reference to THAT letter. But I understood, and still understand the clerk to ask, if I had written to his employer for the purpose of an interview that after- noon, to which the reply would naturally and correctly be "No," for a letter making such an appointment had not been sent. On the clerk's representation of the inter- view, Mr Barker saw his way clear to base a violent personal attack upon me-the first of the kind ever made upon me, and, notwith- standing my account of the interview and declaration of pure motives and straightfor- ward conduct in the matter, which account appeared in the "Reporter" for July 6, he has failed to see his way clear to apologise, but shields himself behind his clerk, with a plea of justification, and thus. vastly increases his culpability. No apology is hereby demanded, but the case fiii-iiishes Air Barker with an opportunity of proving himself wortny of the excellencies usually claimed by persons in his position. The readers witil be interested to know it he is equall to his opportunity. The attack is utterly unjustifiable. Inasmuch as Mr Barker has displayed in his letters a propensity for trivial side issues, absurdly small affairs, and unkind personal remarks, together with a. spirit worthy of the Anglican Church during the reign of Charlea II., I decline to take any further notice of his literary efforts, uuless oompeliled, in self- defence, to ward off a personal attack, of which he seems unejiviaibly capable. I have neither time nor taste for quibbling, and Mr Barker has yet to learn the art of debate. I am, etc., E. U. THOMAS.

Endowments of St. Peter's. Carmarthen. [lh T. W. BARKER]. The yearly income of the Vicar of St. Peters, Carmarthen, is now made up of three sunaa:- 1 The annual payment of £i a year char- ged on the Tithes. 2..1-94 lls. la year received from the Bounty Office, and 3. per annum paid by the Ecclesi- astioal Commissioners. I now deal with these illlorder. £ .}' haye already mentioned the charge of ill31 u '1!1 not ailucle Either to it at present although I may give some more particulars later on with regard to the Tithes and the connection of the Priory of St. John with St. Peters, Church. 2. As to the £94 lis Bounty Office money, tha'c represents the interest at 3 per cent, on the sum of £ 3,151 lGs (3d which is credited to the living in the Bcuntv Wnnl-«. followsSUm divicletl into thre<5 Parts as (a) Augmented Livings, No. 2 615 11 6 (b) Bounty Lands, etc., Sold 1932 12 11 (c) Old Buildings, etc., Sold 603 11 7 (a.). The Governors of Queen Anne's bounty made two grants of R200 each in 1812 and 181 < respectively by lot out of the parlia. mentary grants placed at their disposal. To this sum of t400 there was added in 1831 the sum of £1-14 inrespeot of ]nter^t thereon, and £ /1 Hs 6d profits on stock transactions, bringing up the total to £ 615 lis 6d. JJJ?™ Richard Vaughan gave a sum o1 to the living. This was met by a grant of the smeamount from the Governors of Queen Anne's Bounty out of the Royal Bounty money. In 1732 the Bounty Office received another benefaction to the living, a sum of t200 having been appointed by the Rev. John King, D.D., Master of Charter- house out of Mr John Pierrepoints' estate. This they also met with a like grant of L200 out of the Royal Bounty money. The two beHcfactions of £ 200 each and the first grant ?-oo • '^inking altogether £ 600, were in 1/32 invested in the purchase of two farms know-n as Usjpvm and Pantgwm, situate in the 1 arish of Hang«then, which were then the property of Thomas Evans, of Glantowy Carmarthenshire. These farms were sold •^aHL n to the Hate Sir John Mansel for £ ljO*0. ole remaining t200 (i.e., the grant made in 1/31) was in 1738 invested in the purchase of a house and 20 acres of land in the parish of Llanarth, in the County of Cardigan This property was sold in 1849 to D. Lewis for -fonn ma jnf,r the two benefactions of £ -00 each and the two grants of the like amounts making altogether £ 800 had been mci eased to £ 1.9/0. In 1890 there was added to this the sum of JE33 12s 8d profits on stock transactions making the total cf £2,003 12. 8d. In 1890-1 the Governors of Queen Anne's Bounty spent t60 of this money in buying a piece of land adjoining the Vicarage of St. Peters and expended a further StUll of tll Os rrin, paying lor the cost of conveyances. 2? 3d ?edl,cted fmm the ro nqo io 'r 1 11"'ak<-s the balance of £ 1,J32 12s od now credited to the account of the living. (c). In 1849 certain property which appears to have consisted of the White Horse Inn, Priory street, Carmarthen, and adjoining cottages, and which was described as part of the ancient possesaions of the benefice was sold to David Bowen and W. Jones for £G05. 7°; tI^s there has to be deducted the sum ot £ 30 0s 8d for the expenses of the sale re- ducing the proceeds to t574 19s 4d. Profit on stock transactions subsequently added and amounting to R28 12s 3d, bring out the balance at zC603 lls 7d. I have so far been unable to trace when the White Horse Inn and Cottages became the property of the living, but I hope to give fur- thei particulars of it in a subsequent article. 3. The Ecclesiastical Commkioners made a 5;^ £ o a ^.ar by Order in Council dated 28th February, the income of the" living bein<» then stated not to exceed f:130 a year, On tlie 28th June, 1867, they made a fur- ther grant of £171, intending thereby to raise the living to R300, but their grant has proved insufficient for that purpose being founded on a return made by the then Vicar, i6 ,tinw>r Maurice Jones, showing what he had received during the last three years (I believe) which return I understand happened to include some heavy fees for memorial tablets, which were then an import- ant source of income, but which have long ceased to be such. ° I hope next week to give further particu- lars of grants and benefactions for the nnr- chase and improvement of the Vicarage, and oa y.Payments ™ connection With Yont rl "e"' as scono extracts from living th<! inCOm<> thS

LLANDEFEILOG. THE Snow. The Secretary of the Llande- feilog Agricultural Show wishes to remind intending exhibitors that the entries close on Saturday, July 28th, addressed to him at Plas, Ferry side.

NARBERTH. AVEDDING.-Tlie marriage of the Rev J. L. Rhoderick, B.A., Baptist minister, of Tony- pandy, with Miss Mary Gwendoline Evans the daughter of Mr Benjamin Evans, High- street, Narberth, was solemnised at the Nar- berth Baptist Chapel. The Rev William Stephens, the pastor, officiated, assisted by the Rev R. Williams, Congregational minis- ter Narberth. The bride was; given away by her father, and her brother, Mr Edo-ar Evans, was the best man. & CARMABTHJW: Panted and Publish!jd h Proprietress, M ^awrknob, at ber Offices 3 Blse-atrw*. FWDAT, July 20th, 1906, >