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Ho. 8. Ward.

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Ho. 8. Ward. To the Editor. I read your interesting notes respect- ing the merits of the candidates in the various Wards. As regards your observations on the No. 8 Ward, I am in complete agreement with yov as regards Mr T. Griffiths, Cymmer. His qualifications for the post are not only undis- puted, bat are of such a stan lard that few candidates of his attainments are put at the service of the electorate, especially so now, that the Council have acquired the Gas and Water Works in the Upper Rhendda. His scientific and practical knowledge will be of vast service. The late Council acted very wise- ly in electing him chairman of the Gas and Water Committee, and it is to be hoped that he will be returned at the coming election, and il, be again allotted to the same post. Still there are not a few people at present who do their utmost to reject him, notwithstanding that they thereby militate against their own interest. However, it is to be hoped that wiser Council will prevail. As regards your remarks on Mr Powell, in the main, I do not agree with you. Possibly and probably you do not 1mow him intimately, and when you heard him speak, he was hardly equal to himself. He has had but very little practice at public -speaking, and possibly he was rather nervous when you heard him. He was so the night he spoke at the Primitive Chapel, Hannah Street. From my personal knowledge of him, be will give a much better account of himself at the Council. If he left an impression of narrowness on you, I can assure you he is not. He is not "a save money at any price rate- payer." Indeed, he is not so "close-fisted" as some of his competitors. The primary duties of the Council are to look after the sanitary condition of the district. So vast a popula- tion is grouped together in this district, that the refuse of "man and beast; of vegetables, in the shape of cabbage leaves, potatoes, car- rot and parsnip peelings, wash water suds, etc., etc., are produced in such quantities that would generate disease and epidemics violent enough to sweep away the inhabitants in a very short time. Therefore, the proper sani- tary conditions must be attended to at any cost. Mr Powell does not stint this for a mo- ment. I am speaking thus not from consulta- tion with him since the publication of your notes, but from personal knowledge. Yet everybody will admit that primary condition having been secured, the next important duty -if the Council will be to exercise strict economy for a rate of 2s 9d to 3s in the £ is not a light matter. When the working man who pays 25s per month understands that nearly 4s of that goes to bear the expense of the Council machinery, then he will come to exercise great- er prudence in selecting his representatives on the Council. Mr Powell is well acquainted with drainage and sewerage work, with sca- venging and road metalling. No one knows better the weak points of this department of Council work and but very few equal. It is not craving after the honour, that animates him solely. That he will be assiduous to the Council duties, if clectoct, has been amply demonstrated by his conduct in the past. He is not seeking honours and promising to work after, but has already in the past rendered eonsiderable service to the Ward in conjunc- tion with others by agitating for greater Pos- tal facilities, to obtain a Police Court and sit- ting of the County Court in the Ward. as well as-prevailing on the Magisterial Bench to ap. point one of the Overseers of the Parish from Forth. All of these efforts have been success- ful. and consequently he has some claim on the Ward, and the Ward on its part is under a certain amount of moral obligation to him. Taking him all in all, to say the least, he possesses equal qualifications to either Mr Brocks and Mr Rees, and has the advantage of being an older inhabitant and previous ser- vices. The nomination of Mr Rees for a seat on the Council has surprised most people, but those that know him intimately arc well aware that lie possesses considerable latent resources. Hi chief fault as a public man is his retiring dis- position. Whatever he will do in the Council, if returned, as most likely he will, the elec- tors may rely on its being on the side of right and honour. Possibly, some will say that we -,want men of knowledge and ability to repre- sent us on the Council. Quite so; but we have only four to select three otle of them. Mr Griffiths is able and experienced. Mr Powell undoubtedly has considerable knowledge oi Council duties and qualifications to discharge them. Mr Brooks and Mr Rees have so far manifested no special aptitude, in public, for tlO> post, and must be regarded as apprentices. 'One excels in some points and the other in others, but Mr Rees has the advantage of being brought up in tha Ward, and is now re- sidmg in a centre of the Ward that ought to have a representative. It is not honourable that two candidates from Perth centre should seek two seats and leave Hufod centre without oii, If Mr Griffiths was allowed to represent Cymmer, Mr Powell to represent Porth, for not only is he the ablest member, but has ren- dered considerable public service in the past; and Mr Rees tha Hafod Eirw centre, it would be a fair and sensible arrangement.—Yours, etc., AN ELECTOR. -0- Sir,-Will you allow me to make an appeal t) the electors of No. 8 Ward. I regard the election as one full of unfortunate possibilities. The opinion is universally held that Mr Tom Griffiths is an ideal representative. He has served us admirably for 18 years. What I fear 'is, is that in our intense partisanship for our re- spective choice from amongst- the other three that we may forget the old veteran himself. If the most enthusiastic supporter of either of the other candidates were asked to give a list of the three that he would like returned I feel sure that 93 out of every hundred would give the first place to Mr Tom Griffiths. It is quite possible that even our old and faithful representative may be the victim of over con- fidence on the part of the elect-orate, who, thinking his safe, may neglect to give him one vote in their intense enthusiasm for other candidates. As we all want him returned let us reward merit by giving iiini our first vot, and then we can follow our own likes and dis- likes by allowing the other three candidates to fight for the second and third places. I sincerely hope that the tried and experienced member of 18 years' standing will have recog- nition from every elector by having his first vote. We can thus make sure of having one experienced and tried man cf 18 years and two apprentices. Our Ward is a growing one, and will need improvement and additional facilities Therefore, let us put in the new No. 8 Stall "in old workman and two apprentices, and give the old workman the blue ribbon of the contest.—I remain, yours, etc., GRATEFUL ELECTOR. Sir,—As the r()1JiE day of the above elec- tion is close upon us, let me, as one interested, make an appeal to the electors cf the above Ward .to consider the claims of each candi- date before going to record their vote. There are four gentlemen contesting for three seats, and of these, only two. in my opinion, are really capable men, namely, Mr Powell and Mr Griffiths. Mr Rees, I believe, deserves to be elected, although he has not the knowledge and experience cf the other two candidates. Why I don't think Mr Brooks a suitable gentleman to represent such an important ward as this is," first. the period of time which he has resided here is not sufficient to supply him with the experience and knowledge that is re- quired of a member, whereas the other three candidates have been m the locality the greater pait of their lives, and, naturally, they know the grievances of the Ward. Secondly, Mr Brooks is a Roman Catholic, and for that reason alone I don't think Mr Brooks deserves to represent us. Therefore, I urge the elec- tors of No. 8 Ward to do all in their power to prevent Catholicism entering into one of the most important Councils in Great Britain. I am very sorry to find that. members, and even deacons in some of our chapels, are supporters and canvassers of Mr Brooks. Is this con- sistency—to be a member of a Christian Church and a supporter of Citholicism? We have heard of the treatment of our forefathers in bygone days, and are we, after all, going to support that which brought misery and bloodshed across our country? Let the elec- tors open their eyes and see that they are re- presented by Christian men.—I am, etc., ONE INTERESTED. (This letter is, in our opinion, very damaging to the supporters of Mr Powell. There is plenty to say about him which is in every way admiral bn without flinging mud at M, r Brooks. We have no sympathy with the methods that attempt to rake up religious differences as a stalking horse in election aspirations.Mr Powell, we feel certain, has no sympathy with such tricks. We know that he is too upright to sanction such "be- low the belt hitting.' His claims are that he is an experienced man, well-versed in road-making, and unquestionably an un- bribable man. Then why should his suppor- ter above descend to arguments of religious bigotry? We hold also that there is no tiling inconsistent in ministers of religion supporting Mr Brooks. The creed of Non- conformity is religious equality, and those who worship under a Toleration Act ought themselves to be tolerant.-Editor "G.F.P.") —o— x Sir,-This Ward seems to be stirring in the election, and if the interest displayed by the candidates in this Ward at present will be continued, then we can look forward for some attention in the future. The three candidates who are seeking the suffrage of the electors for the first time seem to be making their interest felt in the Ward. The three gentle- men "have proved themselves good business men in their respective capacities, and are now prepared to devote their time and experience to the interest of the ratepayers, and they are fighting the election with very fair pros, pects of success. The twelve hour policy of the, old member, who is also a candidate, will surely militate against his acndidature for working men have been agitating too long for having their hours of labour shortened to have any sympathy with the 12 hour working day. Public bodies should be model employers, and follow the footsteps of the late Liberal Gov- ernment in this respect. Working men are beginning to learn that men employed to get the maximum amount of work done for the minimum amount of pay, are not the proper persons to watch their interest, on our public bodies. Employers have become the declared enemies of the organised working man, and their officials must obey them by carrying out their policy, and as such cannot use their in- fluence in favour of the "sous of toil." The three coming nearest to the point of a work- ing man's ideal representative are the three that. are unfettered by capitalistic influences, and who are prepared to servo the ratepayers interest whether it be in connection with their daily toil or their public influence. Messrs, Brooks.Roes, and Pow.H, have identified them- selves with the workmen's interest when they were fighting their employers for better con- ditions of service, 3n1 the three are likely to champion the interest of the masses on every occasion.—I am. etc., [ A WORKING MAN.

No. 9. Ward.

lo. 2. Ward.

Tonypaqdy and Trealaw Election.

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