The Carmarthen Weekly Reporter

Proposed Electric Lighting of Carmarthen. To the Editor Carmarthen Weeldy Reporter. Sir,—It is not my intention to enter into any personal disputes, and if Mr Richards will use more correct phraseology there will be no cause for any misunderstanding. He indulges in nasty little giibes, and when they are returned to him he does not like it. Does he think the hinting is to be all one one side He assumes the position of an injured inno- cent, and it ill becomes him to shield himself behind offended dignity. My endeavour is to pLace facts before the ratepayers, and if be can. refute them, so much stronger will his claiim be as an advo- cate of a scheme that will give the inhabit- ants "their light at vastly cheaper mtes than prevail at present." Mr Richaords must not forget that in his disparaging (remarks concerning gas at the Council meeting on the 12th ult., his conten- tion was that electricity is more efficient, economical, and preferable for public pur- poses. I :have endeavoured to show that the general experience is that it is not so. In his letter of the 15th inst., giving capi- tal invest-ed in gas and electricity, and then the percentage increase, Ethows the absurdity of comparing £ 121,241,000 as against £ 24,457,000. He does not say how much ot electricity capital is for traction purposes. The total lamps connected in equivalent 8- candle power is 17^059,564. The last Board of Trade returns show total gas sold, 155,579,725,000 ou. ft, if this is com- plete, as equivalent to 8-candle power lamps. 17,059,564 is a very insignificant figure. Mr Richards states "I omit to mention that the electrical system was an old one that had been superseded by gas in Queen Victoria street, Fleet street, and Monument area." Then he proceeds to show the difference be- tween the old and new. Let us taike the newest and finest streets in London—Ald- wych and Kingsway. These are lighted by gas obtained in open competition with elec- tricity. So is the new Victoria Station, and when complete will be lighted by nearly 400 lamps varying from 175 to 1,000 candle power Electricity was offered at the abnormally low price of one penny per unit, but the Rail- way Compainy considered the advantages of gas lighting superior to the best abilities of electric lighting. These are evidences of ga > heating electricity on the most recent impor- tant modern improvements in London. In the London districts cited where elec- tricity its used there is no mention of cost. Here are the figures of the cost per mile in some of the districts: Shoreditch L750, Is- lington £ 893; St. Pancnas £ 236, Hampstead L493, Marylebone £ 728, ul H £ 880. Southwark k949, Battersea (a) £5;S;J (0) yd (there is ailso a rate in aid of the undertaking of £ 12,115), and Hackney £391. Contrast these figures with the cost per mile of street lighting by incandescent gas: Lewisnam £i2, Deptford C74, Greenwich £i9, Cambetrwell 990, Lambeth £91. Will Mr Richards g-ve the reasons for the costly expenditure -of elec- tric lighting Provincial towns are named "where gas has been replaced by electricity for public lighting in all or nearly all the streets." The lighting at Chelmsford was so unsatisfactory that I see from a report of the Lighting Cern- mittee they recommend the Council to with- hold the payment of the account. A mem- ber suggested "that the Committee should have power to negotiate with the Gas Co. for I the public lghting of the main streets and then perhaps the Council may succeed in getting a proper light." Wellingborough is another town given as using electricity for street lighting. It did, partly, and this if the first year's cost Electricity only for 135 Lamps. £ 486 15 8 Gas only for 278 lamps L356 8 11 For current only 135 lamps cost L130 more than for over twice the number of gas lamps. In July last the electric light gave way to gas under a seven years' agreement with the Gas Co. If these are specimens of successful electric lighting, it is sheer nonsense to claim "that all or nearly all the streets" in the places named have replaced gas by elec- tricity. Mr Richards invites full investigation into a list of towns where both gas and electricity is supplied hy the local authorities, and "where gas has been entirely supplanted by electricity or are lamps installed in all the important thoroughfares." The Corporation of Edinburgh wanted the best system of light tng, and after the fullest consideration adop- ted gas not electricity, which means that some thousands of inverted burners were ordered in place of the existing arrangement. I ihope Mr Richards is satisfied with this testi- mony to the efficiency and economy of gas. Further investigation will, no doubt, yield him some surprising results, and it would fce well in future if he investigated a little fur- ther before citing such instances of success- ful rompetiltion with gas. At the places named wfhere the number of gas 4Donsumens are siu/pposed to be very insig- t nificant, I find: the latest results ^published give the following: Aberdeen 4,300, Accring- ton 1,737, Barrow in Fnrness 1,181, Batdey 1,023, Birkenhead 3,335, Blackburn 2,578, Blackpool 2,135, Edinburgh 11,387, Glasgow 27,156, Morecambe 477, Leeds 15,834, Nott- ingham 6,466, Paisley 1,720, Perth 1,168, Salford 9,454, Southport 2,379, Wallesley 2,061, West Bramwich 1,033. A total of 95,000. So there aim still a. few left! As Blackpool there a-re over 2,000 gas lamps in use. Why not give the cost per year for the wonderful 2,700 candle power "Ex- cello," including current, carbons, wear and tear, and labour? The capital expenditure for electricity is £ 188,155; the gross profit for last year, £ 17,479; net profit, 95,741. This is not all derived from lighting, but in- cludes traction. The price charged per unit for private supply 3.62d., and for public lighting 4.25d. Capital expenditure for gas, £ 210,152; total receipts, £ 79,670; net profit, 217,855. Compare these with the electricity department, and it will be seen the net profit on gas is three times that of electricity. When a definite scheme is before the public I shall then, proba!bly, have something fur- ther to say, but when we get the glorious ambiguity that under the scheme electricity "cannot go aibove 3s 6d," so much has to be assumed. „ Yours faithfully, B. A. LEWIS. Gas Works, Carmarthen. January 29th, 1907.

The Crossing of Passengers at Llanstephan Ferry. PARISH MEETING PROTEST. A well-attended parish meeting was held at Llanstephan on Monday evening to protest against the unsatisfactory management of the ferry .Sir John Williams, Bart., was voted to the chair, aiud several strong complaints were made about the inrresponsible manner in which the ferry is at present conducted, and the great inconvenience and unnecessary ex* pense caused o the iinhabitants. A resolution was passed unanimously drawing the atten- tion of the Carmarthenshire County Council to the unsatisfactory n-banagemermt of the ferry. As the present owner claims the ex- clusive right of conveying passengers across, the resolution asked the Council to obtain counsel's opinion upon the question, and to take steps as would compel the owner to pro- vide efficient aooominodation in return for the alleged exclusive right. -a

LLANDILO. VOLUNTEBRs.-The local volunteers under the marching orders issued by the adjutant took their first tramp on the evening of Wed nesday, the 23rd. About forty turned up in response to the hugle call, and proceeded down Carmarthen road, thence to Penybank, and 'home past lilwynhelig. The night was intensely cold and after their ti-emp tihicy en- tered the friendly shelter of the Drill Hall, those who wore mackintoshes found they were grizzly with icicles. Major T. G. Wil- liams has been gazetted as Lieut-Col. tie has received a good many congratulations on his promotion, as a result of his long con- nection with and enthusiasm for volunteer-

LLANDOVERY. THE annual licensing sessions for the Llan- dovery Division have been fixed far repruary 8th. During the past year only one iicensae has been convicted.

LLANDYSSIL.. MR David James Williams, of Spring Cot- tage, Velindire, Llandyssul, and now m the sixth form at Ysbrad Menrig School, has wo a an exhibition of £ 90 a year, tenable for three years at the UØversity of Oxford,

The Welsh Church Commission. RESUMPTION OF SITTINGS. We ase officially informed a meeting of the Welsh Church Oarmmission will be held at the Roya<l Commission House, Old Palace Yatrd, Westminster, to-day (Friday), Feb- vruary 1st, at 10 a.m. It is presumed there will be sittings on two days, at which jvi- denoe will be taken from representatives of Wesleyan and Uniitariian churches, and adher erats of the Church of England in Carmar- then and neighbourhood.

Both Conscientious at Llandovery. t CHAIRMAN OF JUSTICES AND ANTI- V ACCIN ATOR. At Llandovery Police Court on Friday P.C. Reynolds, Cilycwm, Llandovery, applied for a certificate exempting his child from vaccination. The choirman of the Bench (Colonel Lloyd-Harries, Llwy ndewi) said he had a oomscientious objection to signiing such certificates. Discussion ensued between the other two justices, Mr C. P. Lewis and Mr John Williams, to whom tho,&pplioant started he had a consoientidus objection to vaiccina- t/ion because he believed an elder child had been injuriiously affected by the operation. Finally the application was adjourned for & fortnight.

Aberystwyth Chapel Row. THE REV. GEORGE EYRE EVANS IN A NEW ROLE. At Aberystwyth Police Court on Friday (before the Iayocand Mr George Davis) Hector and Amy Waylen, man and wife, re- siding at Greenfield street, were charged with having disturbed the Rev G. Eyre Evans at the Unitarian Meeting-house, New-street, on Sunday. The case was adjourned from the previous Wednesday on the production of a doctor's certificate stating that defendants we unfit to appear. Mr A. J. Hughes, town clerk, who appeared for the prosecution, pro- duced copy of a letter which he sent to defendants, An which he suggested, on behalf ailld witih consent of his clients that it would be desirable to end those proceedings if the defentdanta would enter upon an undertaking noit to interfere or annoy and refrain from aittending the services, and to pay the ex- penses. His letter was returned without any reply, and the conduct of the defendants was to treat the process of the court with con- tempt. There was no evidence before them of their unfitness to be present. The Chief Constable handed in a letter sent to him in which the male defendant said that the doctor had informed him that hie < certificate held good. Mr Hughes: I object to that, I should pre- fer it from the doctor. The bench decidedto bear the case. The Rev George Eyre Evaais was then called and said that ait the end of the third hymn, just before the senmon, the two defendants remained standing, and when he announced that the evening collection would be devoted to the building fund of the Sych- bant Chapel, the female defendant interrup- ted, and S8!i.d that she was authorised by the Rev John Davies, minister of the chapel, to proh-ibi-t the collection. Witness said tha; there could be no interference with Divine worship, and he went to the door and asked the lady to quietly leave the building. Not doing so, he asked the assista-nt secretary to see the lady out of the builcKantg or obtain such assistance as was necessary to do eo. When ne returned to the reading desk the husband in- terrupted him, referring to something that happened in October. In the evening the conduct of the defendantis was repeated. Mr Hughes: Whart is the effect on the con- gregation ? Witness: Many rose from their chairs and were generally disturbed. I was so much up set that I dtid not preach in the evening, and another minister did so. David Iron Jones, secretary of meeting house, said that the defendants remained in the meeting house a full hour after the morn- ing service. The husband, with his -hot on his head, hands in Ms pockets, walked about the room jingling coins, whistling. He con- tinued mafcimg remarks about Miss 'Evans, and when that lady's tmp appeared, he said "Oh, here comes the chairiot," and asked where the dogs—her body guard. Rev Geo. Eyre Evans, recalled, said that the collection was made on the application of the secretary of the Sychbant Chapel. The Bencihfinoo each defendant 10s o*i each charge, and ordered them to pay costs..

ALLTYFERIN. CONCERT.—A musical entertainment with living pictures took place at the Alltyferin Concert Hall on Thmrday, the 17th inst., the proceeds going towarrds the funds of the Girls Friendly Society, and we are pleased fo say it proved a great success, and it would be very unfair to mention anyone in parti- cular, as from the youngest to the oldest, everyone did this or her own part to perfec- tion. Mrs iand.Mim Bath, Mrs Hughes, Mrs and Miss Thomas must have worked very hard to have dome so well with the artistes, as with one exception, they were all members of the local branch, and that one was "Llew Cib" of Lliandido; it was well worth the price of admission to hear him only. Mrs Hughes at almost the last moment was taken ill, but Mrs and Miss Both kindly undertook her part. When we say that Mrs Thomas presided at the piano, that is a sufficient guarantee that that part of the programme was carrie dout all right. After the usual votes of thanks to the various parties prj- posed by 1ihe Vicar, the National Anthem brought a most successful meeting to a close.

LLANGARTHGINNING. DEATH OF MR. J. LEWIS.—Mr John Lewis, late of Lianigarthginning, St. Clears., died n Saturday of Hast fwiepk at Virginia Water, near London. He was the son of the 'ate Mr N. Lewis, Gillfach, Iiahwiinnio, who in his day was one of the largest farmers in Car- marthenshire The subject of our present notice was educated at Llandovery College, and Queen's Univemity College, Cambridge, where he graduated with a view of entering Holy Orders, having abandoned famming for that pupose. A few years ago, however, he became a Buibject of melancholia, and his rela- tions deemed it best to put him undler perma- nent nied-ical supervision,. He was a bachelor and 70 years of age. The funeral took place on the 23rd ult., the place of intefnment being Llanwinnio Church.,

KIDWELLY. TINPLATERS' BANQUET.—On Tuesday the millmen employed at the Kidwelly Tinplate Works, with some ifriends, numbering alto- gether 115, sat down to an excellent repast at the Town Hall, Kidwelly, prepared for them hy Mr Thomas Lloyd, of the Bell Inn. Mr John Thomas the popular manager of the Kjidfweflly TinploAe Works, presided, having on his right the Mayor of Kidwelly, Coun- cillor W WiiUkins, the ex-Mayor, Alderman H. E. Smart, and Councillors A. Stephens and S. H. Anthony occupying the vice-chairs. OP.GAN.-Tile authorities of Kidwelly Parish Church have purchased the large three manual organ which was used in St. Mary's Parish Church, Swansea, previous to its 1"e. storation and the installation of the great eilectric organ there.

FJSHGUARD. INQUEST.—An inquest wlas held on Friday on the body of Emma Edwards (52), spinster, who was founde dead in bed at the Commer- cial Hotel, Ford, near Fidiguard. Deceased for some years Lived at The Square, Fish- guard, and possessed some property. The evidence showed that she was in the habit of taking stimulants daily, end the jury re turned a verdict thiat death was due to suffo- cation, probably caused hy drink.

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A Study in Unemployment. Suffering in one of its many forms is com- mon. to all men and although in itself an undoubted evil, it carries, as Shakespeare has it, a jewel aft its snout; for when we have loajrnt ita lesson, there is a resulting gain to the character of permanent advantage, whereas the pain and loss is but temporary. It -is known that when men or nations cherish qualities such as love of ease and self- indulgence, the corresponding weaknew. in exact measure to the extent of the fault will appear in the life of that individual or nation We know also that if a man or a nation puts into its ilife,its best efforts to be of ser- vice to ats felilows, ability tends to increase, with a resulting gain to the character in just the measure proportionate to the volume of the effort put forth. Such Laws .as are described by the axiom "act-ion and re-action are equal and oppo- site" are ailso* found to adjust results with the utmost nicety throughout all nature; and no on the physical plane only, but every- where and on ail planes. In short, just as a farmer reaps the same kind of crop as he sows, so does a nation or an individual obtain in his life a crop according to the seed. Nevertheless, it is a common weakness L f humasn nature to believe otherwise; when a young man fails to succeed in life, he blames has circumstances; his parents did not direct him into the right channel; his master was haird and unjust; he could not make any pro- gress because of some outside hindrance; but had thepossesised the right timbre in his character, these hindrances would have only strengthened his powers, and made the final victory more complete. It is at once seen that all human effort would be paralysed if we could not count on the justice and the staibiity of the Laws which determine human destiny. And the same laws which govern in the individual life must apply to the larger life of the nation. In endeavouring to reach a right conclu- sion as to national misery caused by unem- ployment, we cannot, therefore, do better than take for our study some individual illus- trations which will give us a cue to the gen- eral law operating alike in individual and ii, national life. Here are two men; the one suffers from Dyspepsia, and the other enjoys a good diges- tion; it is unbelievable that the over-ruling powers of the Universe love one of these men more than the other, aind yet the one suffers pain and inconvenience, whilst the other en- joys good health. Here are two other men; one is much em- ployed, (has more work to do than he can get done; has to employ say a hundred people to help hian to do it; the other is chronically out of work, and can't get anyone to find him a job. And yet 'both sets of men live in the same world, under the same human and cosmic laws; they may have been even born in the same village, and possibly in the same family; the difference cannot, therefore, be in ex- ternal conditions; it must be interior and personal to the men themselves. We notice that the man with sound health is good-tempered, he does not worry, and he takes litfe philosophically, and nature rewards his kindly spirit)by giving him good physical conditions. The dyspeptic, on the other hand, is in- clined to be ill-natured, he worries over small thinks; he is content to make everybody about him miserable; perihafpa he is also a little selfish in other things; too greedy with his food, or self-indulgent in still more vital ways. There is a direct connexion between the characteristics of these two men and their respective appearances and if we study the other two men, we find effect again in exact relation to cause. The man who is much employed, we find to be a man who loves work for its own sake, and also that whatever work falls to his lot, he makes himself master of. Not only does he do his work as well as it can be done, thus developing his capacities, but he makes his pleasure recreative, and does not scatter his strength in dissipation. In this way he stores his vitality for useful service, and is thus able to do still more and better mork, and "action and re-action being equal and opposite" in the life of men in physical nature, better work gravitates to- wards him, until ultimately he has more to do than one pair of hands can accomplish, and he has to get others to help him. The chronically unemployed, on the other hand, whatever his virtues may be, is never a man who is passionately fond of work; he is not even imbued with any real wish to give a good return to the rommunifty for the food and other things which he receives from societv at Haree. He does not, therefore, make any great effort to increase his efficiency beyond the point which will bring him his wages, and HI consequence, that most valuable form of all wealth, a, men's pensonal talents, is allowed to stagnate; when he puts on the market such capacities as he ;has ,he finds it over- stookedwit,b the all too common quality f the product he has to sell; and then he goes about and complains tihat there is something wrong with a state of society which brings a poor fellow such hardships. But these two men have been living under precisely the same human and cosmic liaws; the one by giving freely of his best, places the community in his debt and becomes a prosperous man; the other by giving niggard- ly of his service becomeea debtor to his fellows and ends a pauper. But the question may be asked: How, according to this theory, should the whole of society be called upon to suffer for the sins of the few, for all the men who aire out of work have to be supported directly or in- I directly by those who are employed? And the reply to this is, that the nation as a wihole resembles an organism, composed like the human 'body of millions of individual cells, each of which is related the one to the other. Or it may be regarded as a multiplied family, composed of people in different stages of growth and development; if those who axe more advanced, representing the older mem- bers of the family, fail to take interest in the welfare and prosperity of the less advanced, not giving them such guidance as they are able to command, mischief is sure to follow, and this not onty among those who go astray, for the family as a whole will iinevitably ahiare in the commpn disgrace and downfall. And we may take it that there has been gross neglect of social duty in the better edu- cated and more advanced members of our own national family, before the bad social conditions we now have could come about. Before the breaking up of the Roman Empire, the clamour raised by the lower orde-rs had been such that free games and free food bad become the right of all Roman oitibens; but this did not save them from destruction; by sl-ackening individual effort, it merely hastened the process of national deterioration which had already set in. It follows from all this that the salvation of the individual sufferer from unemploy- ment will be found in learning, as quickly as he can, the lessons that his sufferings have come to teach, and he may be assured that when he begins to have a truer aim in his work, a desire to improve his talents, and make the best contribution he can to the service of his fellws, he will plant his feet on the road which will, at a later stage in his evolution, lead hiim to happiness and pros- perity. He cannot, however, get rid all at once of the iresulkts of his past ignorance, but these will tend to disappear as the crop from his improved aspiimtions begins to come into fruition; for every seed sown in the indi- viidual or national life, brings fruit after jts kind. Society, as a whole, will also And redemp- tion from the burden of unemployment when it begins to take to heart the lesson which the present experience has to teach; and if society, as a whole, rnalise lilts essential unity and begins to -rooognise the social obligations wihiah each memfber owes to every other mem- ber; and when every one is actively inte- rested in the common good, the day of our social satmtion will not tairry. When there ie an epidemic of small pox, we do not deal with it in the (haphazard wvy we deal with unemployment; in the case of small pox we give our best endeavours to ispread inforifaation with regard to preven- tion, and see that all sanirtalry IIUtaVters are as perfect as they can be made, dirt being the starting point of this disease. Now, unemployment is a far more deadly and dangerous canker in the social body; and in dealing with it we foolishly labour with the effects only; the stream from which it takes its irise flows on unchecked; and yet there is no sound reason, so far as I can see, why we should not deal as effectively with unemployment as with smallpox, if we tackled the difficulty with equal intelligence and prescience. We might just as sensibly endeavour to bale out a lake at one end while allowing a river to run in at the other, asto labour with the effects of unemployment, and make no attempt to stop its cause. In the coming years, and especially if we get a year or two of bad trade, the truth. of this proposition will become more and more imperative; -and the sooner we look the fact in the face, the better will it be for all con- cerned. For the problem which confronts 'us of hav- mg to find etnlploymentfor ttihe eight thousand I new applicants who present themselves or work every week in the year in these islands, is not a small one. And the difficulty will not lessen with the steady growth of population; for what it really means is, hat Iwe must develop enough ability to produce commodities which will sell a-gainst stN comers in the neutral markets of the world. And this is not a question of skillful manual labour only, it is more a question of growth of talent of the higher kind; for lalbour is least plentiful and worst paid wherever there is a lack of men who possess initiative talent and where no men of exceptional talents arise to start new industries, or invent new and better things which can be sold in the mar- kets of the world; for each new invention, oi even an improvement to an article of common use, extends the use of the article improved, and leads to more employment at the place where it is produced. The more imen of exceptional ability born into a nation, the less will it be troubled with unemployment; and the best results in this direction can only be obtained when every unit of society is working on lines which will develop talent, for men do not gather figs off thistles, and exceptional talent always takes its 'rise where the general level of aJbility is high. The conclusion to which our study has brought us is that we suffer from unemploy- ment because we have allowed the level of ability to faht helorw the line where employ- ment freely generates, and as we raise the general level of abifity the pressure of un- employment will tend to cease; it will not cease otherwise. In brief, it is in the spread of more en- lightened ideas as to the laws which govea-n human well-being, that the true solution of the question of unemployment will be found. -J. 0. S. Bibby, in llibby's Annual.

Llanelly Family Tangle. At Llanelly Police Court on Monday Sarah Richards, Pantyglien, Bynea, applied for a maintenance order against her husband, Ben- jamin Richards, Penliwyncrwn, Bynea. Mr John Jenkins, Swansea, appeared for the applicant, and Mr T. R. Ludford defended. Applicamt said she was & widow when she maimed the defendant, who was a widower at the time. There had been considerable ua- pleasantness arising out of the compensation money in respect to 'her first husband to te paid out to her children. On January 12tu last dofendtant aimed a blow at 'her which she avoided. He also said, "You only have five minutes before going to eternity." He con- tinued to threaten her, and she ran out. Mr Ludord: You had four children before marrying the defendant?—Yes. And he had six?—Yes. So that you started with a family of ten?—Yes (laughter). And you had 9275 as compensation money?-Yes After your marriage the whole dozen lived together?- Yes. And your daughter married your pre. sent husband's (brother?—Yes. So that you are a mother-in-law to a sister-in-law —Yes. Defendant denied having ill-treate^his wife. Cross-examined by Mr Jenkins: Was this a marriage of love? Yes.—The Bench in dis- missing the case asked the advocates to use their endeavours to get an amicable settle- ment.

Supken Sailing Ship. DAMAGE TO FISHGUARD-ROSSLARE BOATS. After weeks of search for the sunken wreckage that has damaged from time to time the propellers aind pLaites of the three new cross-Channel turbines, St. David, St Patrick, and St. George, a huge frame of a sunken sailing shilp about 100 feet in length, has been washed ashore at Rosnlare. The St. George was the last to receive damage whilst on her journey to Fishguard when off the Tuskar Rock, and Captain Gerity, in com- mand at the time, on taking soundings found that the St. George was in a depth of 45 feet of water. Plates were indented to the length of several yards on the vessel's side and were sprung. The size ,and weight of the wreck- age is calculated to be such as would aiccount for the da.ma,ge the vessels have sustained. Much satisfaction is expressed among both the Groat- Western Railway Company's offi cials and master mariners alike at the dis- covery.

Brynamman [Notes. L A public meeti!ng was held tat the Public Halll on Wednesday week to re-appoint com- mittee-men for the ensuing year. Mr Arthur Emmanuel presided. The niewly appointed members consist r the following: Messrs Thomas Barthplemew, M. E., D. Walters, Gwilym Vaughan, E. W. Evans, LMorgan Davies, John W. Rees, God f my Evans, W. J. Williams, C.C., Tom Jones, Rees Alexandier, Arthur Morgan, W. Hopkim. and T. Hopkin Thomas. Oil Mr E. W. Evlans was re-appointed secre- tary for the ensuing year, and the committee expressed high praise on the work he aooom- plished during the past year. —UK— Mr Rees Jones left Brynamwimn for Oxford last Monday week, wibere he will undergo a twelve /months' (training at Ruskin College. UII n H-- He won the scholarship out of 27 applic- ants. Mr Jones's ability is well known in the Amman V&Uey. Quite recently he was appointed an examiner for the South Wales district to the "Welsh Phonetic Society, which Society was re-established last August in North Wales. --un-- t £ Farewell meetings were held before hia departure at the Council School and at Salem Baptist Chapel, where Mr R. Jones is much both meetings he was presented with a puree of gold, (and- several speakers eulogised the recipient. The mortal remains of the much respected mfe of the Rev H. O. Jones, Ebenezer, were conveyed to Aberdulaiis to be laid in tho family vault. The deceased Jady was the daughter of the Rev Mr Pritchard, Panty- ffynon, a well-known figure in the Calvinistic denomination The funeral was largely attended from far and near; the sad news of her death cast quite a gloom in the locality. She was about in the early part of the week, and ha.ving to unrego an operation, she succumbed. The mortal remains of Mr John Jones, familiarly known as John Teilwr, was con. veyed to iits last restiny plaoe on Mondiay last. The funeral was well attended, tne deceased being a well known figure in the locality.

Teachers' Associations. At the National Schools, Llandilo, on Saturday, the annual meeting of the Llan- dovery and Llandilo Association of the Nat. Union of Teachers was held, Mrs Roeaer (Ammanford) presiding. The following offi- cers were elected: -President, Mr W. J Price, Ammanford; vice-president, Mr W. Lewis, Cross Handia; secretary, Mr W. Wil- liams, Llandehie; and treasurer, Miss Call- ard, Penygroes. The association numbers 75 members. The resignation of Miss Painter, Llandilo, as secretary of the association, was accepted with .regret. The annual meeting of the Pembrokeshire County Association of Teachers was held on Saturday at Haverfordwest, Mr W. H. Tymims (Crescelly) presiding), and there was a fair attendance. The treasurer's account showed a balance in hand of JE5 14s, which was less by £7thau last year, but this was explained by the fact that more meetings had been held. The Secretary (Mr Walter Win- berry, Pembroke Dock) said the membership was 172, and not one-third of the teachers "n the southern end of the county were members of the Union. He pleaded that education ought to be wholly a national charge, and that Pembrokeshire ought to have a tnoro satisfactory scale of pay for teachers.. Mr Frederick Lewis, of St. David's, was elected president for the year; Mr John Lewis, Tegrin, vice-president; and Mr T. C. Rees, Haverfordwest, representative to the Welsh Federation. Mr W. D. Bonvoaiini, Letters- ton, brought forward a resolution declaring "That fthe only logical solution of the present education deadlock is purely secular instruc- tio.n in iaii public elementary schools." Mr O. D. Jones, Fishguard, seconded this on the ground that it is purely illogical for a parent to depute the religious education of child to an outsider." After aai attempt to move the previous question had keen defeated by one vote, an amendment was carried by a preponderant majority in favour of an alter- ation of the law which shall secure to the county a national system of education based upon complete iand effective popular control, and freed from all tests but those of charac- ter and capacity.

Llandovery Musical Competition. A meeting of the Llandovery Town Im- provement Committee was held at the Town Hall, under the presidency of the ex mayor (Alderman C. P. Lewis, Lbandlingat). With reference to the annual com/tests on Whit-Monday, it was decided to select ior the chief choral the same test piece as that in the seoond. chomal at the forthcoming Swansea Natbiontal Eisteddfod, namely, "And He saved them out of their distresses," and that a prize of E30, with two guineas to the successful conductor, should be offered. It was also decided that a hymn tune com- petition hould be open to choirs within a radius of fifteen miles, and that solo contests for sopranos, contraltos, tenors, and bass should be included in the programme. Mr David Thomas, Pontardullaas, amd Mr D. Oyl'ill Jenkins, Cilfynydd, were appointed musiic adjudicators. It was further resolved to hold brass band contests iai Classes A and B, the test pieces to be from "II Trovatore" and "Opera Gems," and Mr Greenwood, of Birkenhead, was appainted adjudicator.

Musical Failure at Pembroke. THE EISTEDDFOD COMMITTEE DIS- SOLVE. At a meeting of the Meyrick Ward Eis teddfod Committee, Pembroke Dock, Alder- man S. J. Allen, presided over a small atten- dance. It was explained that the delay in holding the meeting had been caused by the great difficulty that had been experienced in collecting the subscriptions promised. The financial statement of the eisteddfod held last Easter Monday showed a balance of R98. but, as £100 hd been subscribed, it appeared that the eisteddfod had not really paid its way, though from a musical point of view, t was the most successful everheild in the town The takings lat the evening concert showed a falling off of L40. Some discussion took place with regard to the holding of an eis- teddfod at Pembroke Dock this year, and :t was unanimously decided not to do so. The general feeling was that, with the decreased support to be expected, and the ill-feeling that had been aroused throughout the coun- ty by the refusal of the Pembroke Dock Choral goicicty to compete at the Haverford- west Eisteddfod on Whit-Monday, it would be impossible to run an eisteddfod this year with any hope of success. The Co-imnittee then decided to dissolve. j

Masonic Officers at Narberth. The following officers have been installed at the Narberth Lodge of Freemasons W.M., Bro. David Lloyd; I.P.M., Wor. Bro. Thomas Williiaims; S.W., Bro. J. W. Davies; J.W., Bro. W. N. Evans; treasurer, War. Bro. J. Roberts; secretary, Bro. W. ft James; chaplain, Bro. the Rev W. L. Davies, S.D., Bro. John Harries; J.D., Bro. D. J. Lewis; I.G., Bro. Benjamin Jones; C.cS., Wor. Bro. J. A. Davies; D.C., Bro. J. H. Davies; A.D.C., Bro. J. W. Cartr; organist, Bro. A. Lewis; stewards, Bro. John Harries amd Bro. J. Olive; tyler, Bro..1. R. Phillii)&. The masonic banquet was held at the Rutzen Hotel. _———.

Gamblers and Blasphemers. PASTOR'S FIERCE DENUNCIATION. A sermon pre-ached at Truro on Sunday night by the Rev J. Cook in, Free Church minister has created a sensation in the town. Mr Cockin s'aid he had been told of a Truro local preadher playing cards for money at a civic function, of 'Mlailderman of the city who was drunk on Saturday night and went to church on Sunday, and of mayors who were too drunk to find their own homes. He would rather go to Hell with a speculative thinker, whose mind was pure and whose life was tru-i than he would go to Heaven with drunken hypocrites who took the sacrament and gam- bled end blasphemed on the same day,

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Opening of Parliament. STANDING ROOM FOR M.P.'a aN THE HOUSE OF LORDS. Membere of the House of Commons desir. ing tickets for the opening of Pairil<i«ment by his Majesty are requested to send in their natmea and addresses to the Speakers Secre. tary on or before February 8. There will be about 150 seats provided in the galleries of the House of Lords for members of the Hou.-e of Commons, for whildh a. ballot wiU be taken on the 29th inst. upon names previously ænj inj to the Speaketr's iSecnetary, There will also be standing space for 240 members, for which tickets will be available.

Mimic Warfare. IMAGINARY ENEMY LANDS IN PEMBROKESHIRE. During last week Haverfordwest was th., headquarters of a. staff of officers numbering about 26, the Blue force, representing the enemy, staying at the Mariners' Hotel, and the Red force, in charge of defences, being stationed at the Oastle Hotel. Officers are present repreentdng all airms of the service -Roy,ail Horse and Field Artillery, cavalry. Royal Engineers, garrison artillery, and infantry, the whole being under the command oi General Scott. The general idea appears to be that an ianaginary enemy has landed :n considerable force in Pemlbrokeshire, from Dale to Fishg-iard, and seized the towns and villages on the coaettiine and th orailway. The defending force is seeking positions where, judiciously posted with its flanks secure, it can hold its own against superior numbers.

fhe Screaming Fkoli. The Screaming Skull of Buirton Agnes HaJI the seat of the Boyniton family, is one of the weirdest of the many weird1 and fascinating old legends that are told of the famous bouses of Bitain. An account, authenicated by Sir Griffith Boynton the present head of the family, is published in the February number of "Pearson's Magazine." The story goes that in her dying moments a centaln Anne Griffith made her sisters pro- mise that her head should resit for ever in the famflly mansion., but that after her death this was looked on as a mere dying fancy, and he promise disregarded. Then comes the weird part of the legend. "About a week after the funeral, on the same night of the week as that on which Anne died, just as the inmates were retiring to bed, they were startled by a loud crash in one of the upstair axioms. Concluding that a picture or some furniture had fallen, two men-servants went to the room to find out the cause of the noise, but everything was quite undisturbed. FuL of anxious fear, the family kept vigil; but the night wxyre on without any further sounds, and the next morning there was no evidence of any dis- turbance. "On the same night of the following week, at exactly the same hour, several of the heavy doom din the house began banging vio- lently, with apparently no cause. Toe alarmed household, terrified nearly out of their wirtB, rushed en masae in the direction of the sound, but as fast as they searched one part of the HaJIl the doors in another part would begin banging and crashing, only to be found fast closed, and in many cases securely looked. At Ila.-Athe oise ceased, and the sis- ters and their retainers retired tremblinelv to IRWA. "Next week, on the same night, the inha- bitants of the Hall were alanmed by hearing footsteps of a large crowd of people hurrying through the rooms and corridors, while heart- rending groans and screams broke the still- ness of the night. This time the terrified household dare not leave their beds, but lay shtvermg with dread under the bed-clothes. On the following day every woman servant had fled from the house. "The two sisters, horrified beyond measure consulted with their neighbours, Sir William Quentin and the Vicar of Burton Agnes. jhey confessed tearfully that Anne in her dying moments had laid on them a solemn injunction which they had promised to per- form, but had iaftemia,rds ignored, and they also told of her threat that unless her body or some part of her body, should remain 7n the house, she would haunt Burton Agnes till the Judgment Day. "After hearing their story the vicar sug- gested that some light might be thrown upon the matter if Anne's coffin were to be opened so this was accordingly done. When the lid W*i? T8m ,a ghastly spectacle presented t« self, lhe body, it is true, lay peaceful and uncoimipted, but the head had faMen to decay, and a grinning skull, already severed from the trunk, struck terror to the hearts of the beholders. "This was -at once accepted as the sign for whach the vicar had hoped. 'Let the skull be brought to the Hall,' ealid the sisters, 'for until that. is done the soul of our dead sister will never rest in peace.' •Ii?*1? Srisly 'relic was accordingly brought, with due reverence, to the Hall, and placed uP°,n a t?ble' and with its advent the ghostly nocturnal sounds ceased to alarm the listers, unci all was peace once more." a

Weather aud the Crops. Inie, weather domi,nia,tes the situation. The tense IVn H ^n ^vere, but not in- wnse len degrees at midnight and four at «oon nave been about the average. Wheat soracedy has take any harm and rye as if anything,hardier than wheat. The cold, in France is 10 degrees greater than in England and there being httle snow on the great plains anf Tiff P+al? may Pr°ve to have suffered. bailey trade is much more buoyant from a week ago, and maltsters are paying vei v j Prw^ f°r bright samples. Feeding barley and barley meal sell briskly. There is a general adivianice of 6d to 9d per quarter] n oats. The supply of whe-1 on passage has diminished slightly from a ago. Froln Monday's "Mark-lane Express."

South Wales Coal Trade. TRIAL BORINGS AT LLANELLY. Recently the workings at Mwrwg Vale Colliery, Llangenech, had to be abandoned owing to the volume of water, and in conse- ugh C,vaod Ivahed heoiitqthy oulwd quence a large number of colliers residing at Llangennech and Llanelly were seriously affected. Since Messrs Jdhn, Felinfach, have been carrying on boring operations at the Great Morfa -Miarsh, Llanelly. Very pleasing results have been obtained during the last few days. Ihey have already gone through a series of seams, known as the Glamorgan series, of excellent quality. This week they ome across another which is over three feet in thickness, and is said to contain the very best house and gas coal. It is estimated that these seams, when properly developed, will be capable of yielding an output of over 2,500 tons daily for many years to oome. No doubt iavge quantities- of this coal will eventually be shipped from the North Dock as in the case pf the Mwrwg Vale Colliery.