Glamorgan Free Press

+ PontyDridd Guardians. Attendances of the members for the half-yea* ended Lad y-(lay. 1897: General Committee Meetings. Meetings. JV Jg 13 ;2 73 S 3 'm 3 a Y O t; S < 0. <1 00 EgJwysiJan- Henry Anthony 3 26 8 24 Thomas Thomas 18 26 9 1] Alfred Jones 20 26 15 15 Llanfabon- John Edwards 19 26 9 9 Richard Davies 26 26 14 14k Llanwonno- W. Little 10 26 6 33 James Davies 10 26 4 It Samuel Evans, J.P., 19 26 34 51 William Williams 21 26 19 44P Richard Richards 25 26 8 a Rev Robert Thomas 9 26 7 13 Pontvpridd— .P T. B. Evans 21 26 13 41 William Lewis 12 26 11 18 Rev Joshua Thomas 15 26 11 2a Edward Williams 24 26 "53 4J Mrs Lewis 17 26 21 33 R. L. Phillips 23 26 29 44 Iago Daniels, M.E. 17 26 7 34 Rev W. Rees 21 26 18 33 Mrs Hill-Male 19 26 22 33 Thomas Jones 23 26 27 4J Mrs W. H. Morgan 17 26 17 33 James Richards 24 26 56 50 Y stradyfoowg- William Jeffreys 26 26 29 51 William Morgan 16 26 5 3t Mrs Phillips 17 26 12 33 E. P. Davies 25 26 15 15 E. H. Davies, J.P., 24 2ti 32 60 Rev W. Jones, 8 26 12 IS John Mason 25 .d 13 4) Thomas Thomas 84 26 13 19 David Davies 11 26 4 1 William Davies 20 26 7 II James Morgan 20 26 3 29 John Williams 25 26 7 8 Mrs Abraham 18 26 11 33 Dr Evan N. Davies 9 26 0 28 Dr Ivor H. Davies 21 26 7 3* Dr Ivor A. Lewis 13 26 0 (I David S. Davies 23 26 11 31 David Edwards 15 26 4 a David Fen wick 11 26 13 18 Thomas Jones,J.P.,Maindy 2U 26 9 11 T. Jones, Blaenlleehau 15 26 6 4(J Llantrisant- Godfrey L. Clark, J.P. 18 26 27 69 Evan John, J.P. 25 26 2n 28 William Thomas 25 26 16 18 Evan S. Richards 4 26 4 41 John Jenkins 11 26 4 8 William Evans 25 26 18 18. Llanfwit Vardre- Thomas Lewis 25 26 18 18 Daniel Bryant 25 26 34 M Lewis Williams 15 26 20 4lt

+ PONTYPRIDD GUARDIANS. The weekly meeting of the Guardians was held! on Wednesday, Mr Godfrey L. Clark, J.P., prepq siding over a fair attendance. LLANFABON'S MEDICAL OFFICER. In accordance with his notice of motion, MjJ E. H. Davies, J.P., proposed that Dr Leigbl should be re-appointed as medical officer, and vaccination officer for the district of Llanfabon. This appointment might perhaps not be in ac-o cordance with the views of the Local Govern-d ment Board, but they had no other applicant. He, therefore, proposed that Dr LeiLh should be re-appointed as from May last, when his former appointment expired. Mr Alfred Jones seconded, and the resolutiolt was unanimously carried. PAUPER LUNATICS. Mr E. H. Davies proposed that a coiyiraitteex consisting of one member from each parish. should be appointed to visit the Bridgend asy- lums to see the paupers chargeable to the Union. II; was customary about this time of the yeatt to do so. Alderman W. Morgan, J. seconded anJ Messrs Edward Williams (Pontypridd). William Thomas (Llantrisant), Alfred Jones (Eglwysilan), William Williams (Llanwonno), Lewis Williams (Llantwit), E. H. Davies, J.P. (Ysfradyfodwg).- and John Edwards (Llanfabon), were appointej the date of the visit being fixed for Saturday fortnight. HOLIDAYS FOR THE MEMBERS. Mr William Evans, Tonyrefail, in accordance with his notice of motion, proposed that the Board should adjourn to the 25th inst., and from the 25th to September 8th. He thought* many of the members would like to take their, holidays just now, and after doing so he had uct doubt but that they would come back physically; and mentally refreshed, and ready to serve thEi interests of the ratepayers. (Hear, hear). Mr Daniel Bryant seconded, and the motioit was earned.

All Connoisseurs with this fact agree, Harris, of tls Ceutral Stores, for splendid taC 2349

Death. LEWIS.—Died at 24, Maltster's Road, Rhydyfelen, on Wednesday, the 11th August, 1897, Elizabeth, widow of the late John Lewis, Greengrocer, Rhydy- felen, after a long illness. Aged 56 years. 3432

"Y Gwir yn arbyn y Byd.Kyric Proverb. Give me, above all other liberties, the liberty to know, to utter, and to argue freely, according to conscience."—John Milton.

THE MARCH FORWARD. The revival of Welsh national sentiment cf late years is most gratifying to all true patriots. The vitality which has been so spontaneously infused into the aspirations of the people has created new vigour all round. There is no splxeie of society where its influence is not felt, and the "fellow-feeling" of "hands across the sea," the responsive sympathy of compatriots in other countries, is both hearty and cheering. It must be admitted that the soil in which this new national life spread its roots had been previously well prepared. The truest and highest love to kith and kin, the desire for their advancement, and the formation of grand ideals, -ire all based on love to the Almighty. The preservation of the nobler traits of Welsh character, under the cold shades of unpardonable neglect, is due main- ly to the dominance of deeply religious instincts stirred into an activitiy by the efforts of the reformers of a hundred and fifty years ago. No- thing else can account for the intensity of the desire for the acquisition of knowledge and the cultivation of intellect so prevalent in Wales. The Welsh people to-day, for ought we know, might be on the same low intellectual level as their cousins across the English Channel—the Bretons—but for the pervading efforts and ele- vating influence of their Nonconformist religious teachers. These pioneers deserve our respect and admiration; and though it may be the fashion in certain circles to raise the lip in contemptuous levity at the mention of their names and work, it is to the 'orious self-sacrifice and the untiring effort exhibited by them in the face of so much obloquy and persecution that we are mainly indebted for the love of learning so characteristic of the Welsh people, and for their law-abiding citizenship. The keen enjoyment and appreciation of mental effort under the wise guidance or able teachers in oui Sunday Schools which dot hillsides and valleys all around, prepared the people to give enthusias- tic response to the call to avail themselves of the increased educational facilities brought to their doors. Wo would not, however, forget to give due recognition to the influence of the National Festival, the Eisteddfod, and its ad- juncts, the hundreds of competitive meetings annually held in every town and village through- out the land, as important factors in the de- velopment of literary and musical talent. What- ever may be said of the surroundings of the Eis- teddfod in the past, it no doubt materially assisted to keep the flame of mental progress burning. Long may this pa0."t'rn0ss for advance- ment and progress hold sway over the minds (,f our people. The "divine of A VGIl was wont to dcseLoJe the Welsh characters as being heavily marked with We "preenness" of inno- cence, simple credulity, combined with an irre- sistible inclination to boast o frich relations dead and alive, and the Welshman's attempts at En0."lish speaking were made to do (ilit.v as in- centives to ridieide. This was, no doubt, de- lightful enough as the background whereon to expose the sordid and designing propensities 01 his other characters. Oilier writers have also superciliously followed the example of the im- mortal William, and have gone further in the attempt to belnue and vilify the Welsh charac- ter. But those days of wilful misrepresentation are passing away. The bloom of whilom ver- dancy, if it ever existed, is gradually disappear- ing, and since John Jones has had the temerity to rub shoulder to shoulder with compe-.u>rs in all walks of life, his diffidence is also wearing off. As he becomes better understood, he is respected as he deserves to be. He is not now handicapped by the prejudices and overpowering presence of the "superior person"-his neai neighbour. He has discovered for himself that whenever he gets the opportunity, he can hold reins of government with as firm a grip as his neighbour can. Ho finds he can initiate and carry out movements, social, political and re- ligious, with as great success as others about him. And let it be said to establish this confi- dence in himself is the great desideratum, the great point to be gained, and the said John Jones may then be trusted to hold his own. The ability is there already-that fact is well- known-but through diffidence and reticence and hesitation at critical moments, the neighbour is allowed to forge ahead and the Welshman is well content, without a murmur, to take the back seat. The spread of education, combined with trustworthiness of character, and the rub- bing off of angularities by contact with others have succeeded in inspiring him with that indis- pensable confidence in his own powers which will open out to him the possibility of usefulness and emolument in all departments of service. The education imparted 20 or 30 years ago. crude and utterly inadeouate as it was, has nevertheless brought abundant fruit in the parents of to-dav in a srreatly extended appreciation of benefits reoeived. They have tasted of the sweets and realised in a measure its advantages in the battle of life. With the uplifting of the masses to a higher plane, and the impetus lately given, who knows but that the lively imagination, and the inventive genius inherent in the Celtic race, will start from its new vantage ground to add a larger share in the common contribution to the world's progress? Till comparatively lately, "as it was in the beginning," etc., was the dirge dinned into the ears of the -pople, damping their aspirations and stultifying their aim. Young Wales will, however, listen no longer to the melancholy refrain, but with outstretched hands and ardent hope will more and more ven- ture to grasp at the opportunity whenever it offers itself, and spring on to fortune and to fame. As it is, the numerous examples already before us of men of undoubted ability born and bred in the seclusion of remote localities, who with the aid of culture obtained under well-nigh insuperable difficulty, have attained to brilliant positions, will certainly act as incentives to effort on the part of those now entering on the struecrle of life. And now that we are fairly on the March Forward with the wide world before us, we cannot refrain from quoting advice given in Holy Writ, of setting aside the sins that do so easily beset us. What a calamity it would be to allow frivolous and unworthy objects to distract attention and engage energies so as to prevent bright hopes from being realised! Much as we admire the prowess of footballers and th" excellent qualities of endurance and tactical skill brought into play by cricketers, it would be a catastrophe if these should ever come to be regarded as the be-all and end-all of existence So far as athletics help to fit young men for the race of life, they are good and serviceable; but they should never be allowed to engross the whole attention. Above all and beyond all there is no more terrible and insidious enemy to present or future prosperity than strong drink, This is the Juggernaut under which briinant prospects are crushed and hopes blighted, end- ing in despair and destruction. Young men and women, shun it as you would the plague.

4 CONSISTENCY (?). A CAPITAL move was made by Councillor F. G. Edwards, at the meeting of the Pontypridd District Council on Tuesday, to ascertain the true feeling of the Conservative members of the Council with regard to the proposal of having a park for Pontypridd. A resolution was received from the Chamber of Trade asking the Council to purchase lands on the Ynysyngharad Fields for the purpose of making a park there. In order, therefore, to enable the public to see the cost of the two suggested sites-the Common and Ynysyngharad—Councillor Edwards pro- posed that the Clerk be instructed to write to the trustees of the Llanover Estate, asking the price per acre of the Ynysyngharad Fields, or any portion thereof that the trustees were pre- pared to sell. At the Chamber of Trade meeting It was stated by a prominent Conservative that the land could be purchased at very small cost, and Mr Edwards' object now was to see if this was so, or whether the statement was merely childish prattle. Now, what does that champion of the ratepayers' rights and privileges, Mr Jones-Powell, say ? He had no objection to seeing the Ynysyngharad laid out as a park, but—always "but"—it would cost a consider- able Rum of money, and there were other things which were more necessary. He thought the public would appreciate other things being done before they entered into a discussion with regard to a park. He thought tkey should spend money in making a bridge across the Berw, where the public wanted it. He considered it premature to have a park. Mr Powell was considerably taken aback when told by Mr Watkin Williams that the bridge across the Berw would be carried out almost immediately. From this it is pretty evident that Mr Jones-Powell is not at all desirous of having a park in Ponty- pridd it were far better to remain in the same old position, instead of advancing with the times. Talk is cheap, and a little time ago Mr Jones-Powell took care to impress upon the representatives of the Press that he was most anxious to see a park in Pontypridd for did he not say at the last meeting but one of the Council I have no objection at all to obtaining a public park I am in sympathy with it; but I think we have a site far more central and more accessible than the Common is at present. The Common is at present a public recreation ground, and no one can take it from them, but if we want a park we have a place more con- venient. I hope the Press will take a note of this! The Press did take note of it, and are taking notice of it in a manner not pleasing to Mr Powell, for we now plainly prove that a man who at one meeting says he is in favour of a park and at the next is directly opposed to it has no right to a seat on a governing body, for he surely has no mind to call his own.

NOTES AND COMMENTS. THE National Eisteddfod in Gwent has passed with great and growing acceptance. The Newport people did not stint the outlay neces- sary to secure a high and lofty standard of excellence; and we are glad to learn that, when the settling day arrives, the enthusiasm of the guarantors will have no discouraging sequel to experience. The magnitude and colossal scale with which the 1897 Eisteddfod was carried out has been potent in the accession of respect and goodwill. The sneers and gibes of the foreigner are no longer harm- ful to its welfare. The rally of all Welshmen to the support of the Eisteddfod, and the respectful obeisances made by high and low, Jew and Gentile, barbarian and his opposite, to the merits and educational forces of its existence signify that it has emerged triumphantly out of its past furious and fiery critical ordeals, and that, furthermore, its co-existence must synchronise with all movements tending and aspiring to the elevation of the Welsh people. HOWEVER, all who love it must also be industriously loving in criticism which has for its objective its strengthening. Faithful are the wounds of a friend," and upon this basis as a justification we will make one or two observations which close scrutiny at Newport has suggested to us. We dealt last week with the adjudication on the Chief Choral competi- tion and the strenuous vigour of our dissent from the award was, though robust, not after a week's reflection a jot too severe. We must have no Anglicising dominance in our Welsh institutions. If cur choirs sing robustly and dramatically we shall urg: them to coLtpme, because heart in art we believe m as a ndiginn to be worshipped. If we tramplo technique, let us know where. We seek and we thirst for education in all things but do we get it in our choral adjudications by cur English a liudicators ? No We may go on for years violating le hnique for any corrections we get ip adjudications. This naturally leads us to the possible remedy. We must hive ad- judications detailed and full, and not mere rhaj sodical generalitifs and the bare, uu- supper!able-by-reason decisions. VYe g the Eisteddfod among our educational tions on the literary side, and partic -la"riv t. p v tic, we get adjudications whi 'h treat in detail the whys and the wherefores of preferen- tial selections. "Pedrog," when delivering the Chair adjudication, gave it with a fulness of d,ta;r truly permanently instructive. But the Chi irs g t none of this fro;n your English ad- judicators. If the Merthyr choristers are con- structing their musical performances on iaulty technique and mistaken vigour of vocal pro- duction they should be enlightened out of ^————i —- fallacy, and, by the education of the Eisteddfod, switched on the right technical track. We r°U!H-^1St,.Up0n rerr adjudicator, as part of ?a submitting in written detail the logic of his awards. THE bare ipse dixit of a Mackenzie or a Macfarren does not suffice the educational claims of the Eisteddfod. The conductors of our Welsh choirs are amateurs who would value and appreciate professional guiding lines, and, if they violate fundamental principles in ren- ditions, all the stronger the reasons why adjudications should be corrective as well as decisive. There was no instruction at New- port, and therefore we urge that this should be inseparably a part of the function in future contests. The Mid-Rhondda Eisteddfod made this a stipulation with Dr Risely. The result was obviously a great satisfaction to all the competitors. Not only did they get an ad- judicative detail, but an order of merit list was also given, which had a most refreshing and stimulating influence upon all concerned.

♦— Pauperism in Pontypridd Union. From a return issued by Mr Bireham. Local Government Board inspector, shewing the num- ber of out-door paupers (exclusive of paupeit lunatics in asylums and vagrants) relieved dur- m the half-year ended Lady Day, 1897, we ex- tract the following information of interest to the ratepayers of the Pontypridd Union. Ac-, cording to the census of 1891, the population of the Union is given as lto,811. During the per- iod named they relieved 2,172 cases of destitu- tion caused by old age or permanent disability, 1,.324 cases of destitution caused by the deaths absence, or desertion of husband or father;) 964 cases of destitution caused by the iemi>orar« sickness or want of work of male heads oE families and single men; whilst the number of single women in receipt of out-door relief id given as 24. It will thus be fotnyil that during the half-year mentioned 5,119 in this Union re- ceived out-door relief, as compared with 4,255 is the corresponding period of the previous reliefi the percentage of the population relieved being 3.4 and 2.8 respectively. The official figures amply bear out Mr Bircham's related warnings that the out-door recipients of relief are becom- ing gradually more numerous; but, at the samd time, we have every reason to believe that only deserving cases are relieved by Guardians and Officers, and that the public purse is not li,alneA more than is actually necessary.

One Thousand Welsh Farmers Wanted in Canada. The Canadian Government Agent, Mr Wm. L. Griffiths, writes to James Roberts, South Walea Emigration Office, Pontypridd, as follows: — "Dear Sir,—All persons will be required to pay their Ocean passages to Montreal, where arrangements will be made for their transporta- tion to the works at Lethbndge. The ehargai will be advanced, and afterwards deducted frota. their wages. The fare to Montreal is, I believe,, £ 5 12s 2d. WILLIAM GRIFFITHS. P.S.-Please note the assisted fare." Mr Roberts states that the rate from Montreal to Lethbridge is B5 113 7d. which the Canadian Government will advance, being about one-half of the cost of the whole journey. Only intend, inc settlors arc required. GOLD MINING IN BRITISH COLUMBIA. jVli- Roberts further states ihat it is too latf, in the year to reach Klondike Gold Mines or the Yu,,(,.n district; but those who want to be on the way might do well to go as far as the Kooienay district this year, taking ticket to Rowland, where rich mines have been discovered. Too fare from Liverpool to Rossland is E]4 2s lid.-