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The Weekly News and Visitors' Chronicle for Colwyn Bay Colwyn Llandrillo Conway Deganwy and Neighbourhood

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An Ancient Criminal Court…

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An Ancient Criminal Court in Conway. In accordance with custom dating from beyond the time of legal memory, the ancient Cotitt Leet, Court Baron, and View of Frankpledge of the Crown Manor of Nantconwy was holden at the house of Robert William Nicholson, known as the Blue Bell Inn, in the Parish of Conway," on Friday, November ist. Mr W. H. Moore (Crown Receiver for Waies), the Steward of the Manor, presided, the Deputy-Steward (Mr Job Bowen) being also present. The principal business of the Court in modern times is to ascertain and report to His Majesty's Office of Woods and Forests any encroachments or trespasses on Crown lands or foreshores within the limits of the Manor of Nant- conwy, and, it being a Criminal Court of Record, it became necessary to empanel a jury. Jury summonses signed by the Deputy Steward had been duly served upon the following twelve com- peilable and competent persons, the first six named having been expressly chosen as being members of the Conway Union Assessment Com- mittee :Councillor John Roberts, of Colwyn Bay, Chairman of the Conway Board of Guard- ians County Councillor Hugh Owen, of Llan- dudno Junction, Vice-chairman ot the Board of Guardians Councillor John Jones, of Dinarth Hail, Colwyn Bay, Chairman of the Assessment Committee Alderman Hugh Hughe*, J.P., Mayor of Conway Mr John Roger Dawson, of Llandudno Councillor Phillip Henry McClement, of Penmaenmawr Councillor WTilliam Frederic Jones, of Bodidda, Llechwedd; Captain Arthur Wall, of Copdmawr Hall, Caerhun Councillor Edward Roberts, of Conway; Councillor David Garic Roberts, of Llandudno Principal Officer of Customs John Warton Mortimer, of Conway and Mr James Andrew Pollit, of Penmaenmawr. Councillors John Roberts and David Garic Roberts being absent, the first named justifiably (he being | required as a witness at a Colwyn Bay Local Government Inquiry),their places were filled by Mr John Porter,of Llandudno Junction and Mr Alfred Edward Kemp, of Conway. Captain Wall was sworn as Foreman, and a similar oath was ad- ministered to each of the other Jurors. No en- croachments were reported this year, although several matters relative to public rights within the Manor were mentioned with a view to a watchful eye being kept on the same. The record of the Court, however, was not blank, the following being a copy of the inquisition signed by the Jury, so far as it sets forth the business transacted :— We present Mr David Garic Roberts, of Albert Hote), Llandudno, for neglecting to obey his jury summons-, and, if his absence is unaccounted for by illness, we fine him two shillings and sixpence. The following resolution was moved by Councillor John Jones,seconded by Alderman Hugh Hughes, That all applications for Crown property should be submitted to Local Authorities before such applications are granted,' and carried nem. con. by the Jury.' The Steward then, in the name of the King, thank the Jurors for their attendance that day, and expressed regret that other Crown business prevented him and Mr Bowen from being present at the dinner which had been provided for the Jury. Mr Moore, however, on behalf of himself and Mr Bowen, promised to remain to dinner with the Jury after the Court Leet next year. The business of this ancient Court having been disposed of, the Jurors sat down to an excellent dinner served in Host Nicholson's best style. The good things having been done justice to and the board cleared, Captain Wall took the chair for the usual after dinner gathering, and appointed Mr J. W. Mortimer toastmaster, and the Mayor of Conway vice-chairman. The Lord Paramount of the Crown Manor of Nant Conway, His Most Gracious Majesty King Edward VII. and The Heir Apparent and the rest of the Royal Family," were appropriately proposed from the chair, and were loyally honour- ed by the company. The toast of "The Imperial Forces of the Crown" was proposed by Mr John Jones, of Dinarth Hall. Mr Jones said that many times had he proposed toasts but never before had he had the honour of proposing the Imperial Forces. However, he was an Imperialist in every true sense of the word, and his idea of imperialism was the predominary of this Empire over all the Colonies, and that it should stand as the pioneer of civilisation set in the very forefront of progress, in front of every nation. [Applause]. We lived in a very serious time as far as our Imperial forces were concerned. He believed in every subject having the liberty of his own opinions, and that every man might think in what- ever way he pleased as regarded the war. But he thought they could all join in this, — when they remembered the thousands ot their fellow country- men who were engaged in the great war,—that as many of them as possible might return to the shores of their own country. [Applause]. It was difficult, especially in these times, to propose any- thing in connex:on with the Army or Navy without some people, at least, misrepresenting one's ideas. Since he was a boy he had had the strongest admiration, after he realised the history of his country, for the Government of this great Empire. He believed that in this war,—the great Boer war,—brave men were defending their country against the forces of Britain. As far as the Colonies were concerned, it had always struck him as one of the greatest features in connexion with the war that they had the colonists from New Zealand and other distant parts fighting side by side with the forces of the mother country in South Africa,—fighting that the people living in South Africa might have the same just government as they themselves possesed. That was one of the finest features of the war. They might not think the same as he did about the war but he thought their soldierslwere the bravest of thebrave, and he thought our sailors the most skilful of any upon the seas at the present time, and they mitrht be trusted to maintain and uphold the honour of their country whenever called upon. [Applause]. He coupled with the toast the name of Captain Arthur Wall, the chairman. [Applause]. Captain Wall, in responding said that Mr Jones had paid a high tribute to the forces but he had not said a single word too high for them. With regard to their brave fellows fighting at the front, they had only to read their letters home to know their record, and some of them were being very badly treated by some good people, not only in Wales, but in England tooi-treated in a way that was shameful to think of. The war would have been finished if it had not been for the Pro-Boer. [Hear, hear.] And who was England fighting now in the Transvaal, but Germans, French and Russians? Nobody liked a fight better than the speaker did but let it not be brought about by silly women who preached and talked a great deal too much about camps. But he would say that the Army and the Navy, though they had of late had great catastrophes with regard to the Navy, were worthy of their confidence and their admiration. But let them beware, in spite of these great forces, that they had no civil war at home let them be friendly one to another. Let them have no politics to the great extent that they had now, and then they would hold the King on his mighty throne for a good many years to come, with his true good Queen. [Applause.] Mr J., Rog-er Dawson proposed the toast of "The Ancient Borough of Conway and the Mayor and Corporation. Conway, said the speaker, became a Borough when that Court was already ancient. They knew that because in a MS. bearing date of 1286, only two years after the Charter of the Borough was signed, it was inci- dentally mentioned as then an ancient Court. And now they had the Council with added powers,—powers that were being added to by Parliament year by year, privileged to do great things for the people of the Borough,—to make life more easy, and yet to make life more real and more earnest in the Borough,—to remove causes of ill-health from the Borough, and to prolong life within the Borough,—in every way to give prosperity to the Borough that was what the Town Council, the Mayor and Corporation of Conway, were privileged to do under the law, and it was a high office, which they endeavoured to faithfully perform. There was still room for further improvement, for in the nature of things there always would be room, but he hoped that in the future they would always aim higher and higher until Conway became the most prosperous and the most healthy of the Boroughs of Wales and England. l Applausel. His Worship the Mayor of Conway (A'derman Hugh Hughes, J.P.) said that he felt very grate- ful to Mr Dawson for his very kind remarks. He had undoubtedly raised the prestige of the Cor- poration very high. He could assure them that whatever the Borough had had placed before them, the Corporation had tried their best to deal with it in the best possible way. Sometimes they had to face grave difficulties. They had even had to fight with the Crown, but the case was clear, and resulted in their favour. They hoped to continue in their labours, whether for the poor or for the rich, and to make Conway as pleasant and healthy a place as could be desired, to which visitors could come from all parts of the world. Large number of American visitors came to Con- way last summer, and they showed great interest in all the old features of the town. They were to keep the Castle in a state of repair, and to make the most of the Town Walls. Councilor Ed. Roberts also briefly responded. Mr James Pollitt proposed The Crown Steward, Deputy Steward, and Crown Tenants." He was not well acquainted with Mr Moore, but Mr Bowen he had known for nine or ten years, and whatever anyone wished to know respecting common or foreshore rights or gravel on the foreshore, Mr Bowen was most courteous in affording the information desired. Mr James Pollitt also proposed Mine Host of the Blue Bell." He was sure that they would endorse his statement that whatever Mr Nichol- son took in hand, he did it second to none in the town. Mr J. W. Mortimer responded on behalf of Host Nicholson, who was prevented from being present through illness. Councillor Roberts in appropriate terms pro- posed the toast of "The Press." Mr 1. B. Rees (representative of the "Weekly News ") responded. Mr Dawson proposed The New Members and Absent Past Members of the Court Leet Jury," and Mr John Porter responded. Mr J. W. Mortimer gave the toast of The Foreman of the Jury, Capt. Wall." Capt. Wall responded, and afterwards pro posed the toast of The Toastmaster," to which Mr J. W. Mortimer suitably responded.

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