Penarth Chronicle and District Advertiser

Notes and Comments. THOSE inhabitants of Penarth who have the good fortune to be acquainted with the Welsh language, have a treat in store for them'. On Thursday even- ing next, the 14th inst., Miss Rees, (Cranogwen), will deliver a lecture at the Welsh Calvinistic Methodist Chapel, in Hickman Road, on "Arian ac Amser,' (Time and Moneyl. Miss Rees is generally admitted to be the foremost of the lady speakers of the Princi- pality. Those conservative members of the other sex who object to the public ministrations of women, universally make an exception of Cranogwen. This able woman has distinguished herself not only as a lecturer, but also as a poetess. Years ago the car- ried off an important prize at the National Eisteddfod against such competitors as Ceiriog and Ialwyn. The poem by which she won herself this distinction, bad for its subject, The Wedding Ring." It is a fault- less piece of composition, and has been published with other poems of the authoress. in a volume which has been widely read. Miss Rees rendered her country- women excellent service for years by editing a magazine for women called "Y Frythonea-" Her lectures are marked not only by fine thought and pure taste, but also by choice diction and great oratorical power. We trust that her reception on this her first visit to Penarth will be a worthy one. PENARTH SCHOOL BOARD. A CONTEST is inevitable. rrhere are seven seats, and for these twelve candidates have been nominated. It is stated that had there been no move on thejjpart of the Undenominationalista of the town there would have been a walk over for the seven old members. Possible, but not probable, and even if this were the case we are not prepared to accept the suggestion that it would be for the good of the children and the unsectarian character of the schools. Messrs Q. C. Thompson, J. Llewellyn, k. Holman, and S. Thomas, appear to regard any interference on the part of the electors with their positions as unjustifiable, but when there is a doubt as to the stability of a member, to oppose his re-election is not onlyjjustifhble, but advisa- ble. There was good reason to believe after Mr Thompson had addressed the electors at Cogan one evening during the recent Parliamentary contest, that he did not hold views which would justify his re elec- tion by the Undeipminationalists, hence the reason for Calling the public meeting last Friday evening, so as to give him an opportunity of declaring and making clear his views. The meeting was an eye-opener. It was discovered that not only was Mr Thompson not in touch with, many of the people who had previously elected him to office, but that even Mr Sam Thomas was not as sound as could be wished, although his declaration was more in accord with the party be pro- fessed to represent than was that of his colleague, Mr Thompson, Mr Llewellyn and Mr Holman unhesitatingly answered certain questions submitted to them, and in a manner which at once satisfied their questioners. These gentlemen are Undenomina- tionalista to the back bone, and in every way have they been true to their supporters. When a resolu- tion was submitted, however, proposing the adoption of Messrs Llewellyn, Holman and Thomas, with the Rev J. M. Saunders, as a new candidate in place of Mr Thompson, then it became manifest that an alliance had been formed between the first three and Mr Thompson, and Mr Holman did not hesitate to state that if Mr Thompson was not adopted he should decline to slaIld. Mr Sam Thomas did not go quite so far, but stated that he would have to consider his position, and thought thai, be and Mr Llewellyn would withdraw from tbeconhd-31 and then Messrs^Llewellyn, Holman and Thomas diesiveied speeches eulogising their mucu-sinned-agaiiu colleague to the very skies. I And no one doubted a word they said. He nas made l an excellent chairman; when the Rector sought for his curates to attend the schools and give reJiKionl instruction. Mr Thompson vigorously opposed it, and in other ways has he done good I service, which everyone gratefully acknowledges, and had be been of the same principle as Messrs Holman and Llewellyn a vote of confidence would have been unanimously passed in favour of each and all of the party. The questions asked were of a simple and definite charac- ter. Mr Llewellyn, as senior member, was the first to reply, and he, in a clear, lucid, and perfectly hon- ourable manner, dealt with each question fully, and Mr Holman, in few words, satisfied the meeting that be was perfectly sound, but Mr Thompson did not satisfactorily answer the questions, but made a speech which left the meeting somewhat in doubt as to his postion. Further questions elicited the fact that in one important particular he did not come up to the requirements of a large number of those assembled. As he was in favour of giving to Denominational schools, increased assistance out of the rates, without putting the schools under popular control, many of the audience declined their further support. When the vote of confidence was taken, the whole four representatives received ten votes, there being nine against it. but many remained neutral, preferring to await events. The split in the camp was undoubtedly what the Church party wanted, and so they rushed another candidate forward in the person of Mr Riches. Mr T. Emlyn Jones, as the result of a joke, it is stated, allowed himself to be nominated, bat what as, it bath not yet transpired, and Dr. Aitken was nom- inated by certain of the « Saiuts." The position has now become complicated. The gentlemen who were not prepared to support Mr Thompson are accused of forcing a contest. They retaliate by saying that the contest is forced by Messrs Llewellyn, Holman, acd Thomas refusing to give up their alliance with Mr Thompson, and so between the two or three stoo], there is a probability that when the result is declared, the Undsnominationalists will find themselves in a minority. Several meetings have been held this week of those opposed to Mr Thompson, in the hope of effecting a compromise, and at the last sitting on Thursday night it was resolved to support the can- didature of Mr Llewellyn, Mr Thomas, Rev J. M. Saunders and Mr T. Emlyn Jones, but Mr Llewellyn could not make a promise whether such an arrange- ment could be accepted until he bad consulted with Mr Thomas and Mr Thompson. At the meeting it was also resolved that, provided Mr Thompson would give a pledge that he would not support any petition for giving increased grants to the Denominational schools, or otherwise that he would resign, that the candidature of the Rev J. M. baunders, and Mr W. Jones Thomas be withdrawn- This pledge at the last moment has been given. We deem it right that the ratepayers, and the Undenominationalists more par- ticularly, should be made thoroughly acquainted with Mr Thompson's actions, right through the whole question of a contest, and following we give the ques- tions submitted to him last Monday night, with his replies, also the letter received this Friday morning. Although this letter has been accepted, rather than I cause a division, yet Mr Thompson, should he be t elected, will never agaiu have the confidence of the electors at in the past. It is to be hoped that the fiasco of the past week will be a lesson to Nonconformists, and that when the next occasion arises for the election of a Sohool Board, things will move more quickly and more decisivelyfthan they have now done. Although there will now be no division in the Undenomina- tional ranks, there will be a contest more keen proba- bly than any in the past history of the Board. Quessions, 1. Are you in fwourot further subsidising denom- inational schools ? 2. Are you in favour of placing denominational schools on an equals y 'lith Board Schools apart from I public control ? 3. Are you in favour of supporting the present I unsectarian policy, of the Board ? ( !jt To those questions the following replies were received during the next day Penarth, 0. November, 4 1895, feir. In reply to your questions 1 and 2. Provided adequate securities are taken on the part of the public to see that it gets money's worth in secular education, and also to secure liberty ofparental choice, especially in rural districts. I should be disposed to favour any practicable scheme of sufficient aid from public money to enable Denominational Schools to be carried on, incases where the whole of the cost of the buildings, c., is furnished from private sources. I am most emphatically in favour of supporting the present unsectarian policy of the Penarth School Board Yours Ac., GEO. CARSLAKE THOMPSON. Richard Hancock, Esq. Copy of letter received on Friday morning :— Penarth, November 8th, 1895. Dear Sir,-In the event of my being elected to the ensuing Penarth School Board, then, if it should be proposed that the Board should express an official opinion on the question of further aid out of public money to Denominational schools, I will vote against the Board's expressing such an opinion, inasmuch as they will not have been elected for that purpore and furthermore, if the majority of the Board should, not,, withstanding, decide to express an opinion, I will not vote one way or the other on the question what opinion they are to express. Yours faithfully, GEO. CARSLAKE THOMPSON, Robt. Hancock, Esq.

SCHOOL BOARD ELECTION. Jnst now, in view of the Penarth School Board Election, the foUowing may be interesting to our readers. The inaugural meeting of the newly-formed Birm* ingham and Midland Educational League to resist increased grants to denominational schools was held on Tuesday pvening in the Birmingham Town Hall. Mr George Dixon, M.P., who presided, said that all that remained to be accomplished of the programme of the old National Educational League was to make the Board schools universal, and that the area of their operations should be co-terminius with that of the District Councils. The Denominationalists had become exceedingly active of late in putting forward theif claims for increased assistance. Tbe proposal "of Cardinal Vaughan and the Roman Catholics was that all Voluntary schools should receive assistance from the rates in the same proportion as the Board Schooli, the management to remain in the bands of self. elected individuals. That was totally unjust to the ratepayers The proposal of the Archbishops of the Anglican Church that the Government should take under their charge the whole of the teachers in every elementary school in the country, and pay them their salary out of the public funds was opposed to all the principles of the old Liberal party. They had been trying to deeenc tralise government, but this would centralise it. He condemned the proposal of the National Union of Teachers as involving an additional burden upon the country of over two millions a year. A resolution was proposed by Alderman Hart, seconded by the Rev. J. Wood, and supported by the Hon. Lyulph Stanley, approving of the formation of the League, which pledged itselfjto resist the demands being made fof increased grants to denominational schools' and to provide a universal system of Board School education