The Carmarthen Weekly Reporter

ALL PARTIES HELP A BILL. SWEATED INDUSTRIES BILL. AN EXPERIMENTAL MEASURE. In the House of Commons oai Friday, the Speaker took the chair at 12 o'clock. Mr Toulmiin (L., Bury) moved the second reading of the Sweated Industries Bill. He explained that the measure provided for the establishment of wa.ges boards throughout the United Kingdom for the tailoring, (kess- J < %a&lbg, lainld isliirtmaking, altering, Ü'im- ming, fhiiishinig, and repaiaiing, trades. The Home Seicretary might, if he thought fit, otn application, being made, direct that a wages court should be established for any other trade in, any district. The Wages Beard Avould have power to, make regulations fixing the miniiinaim rate of wages to be paid to persons employed in their dctetrJct in or about the/ir trade. One half of the members of the Board, other than the chairman, (should be revesentative of the employers and the re- mainder representative of the employees, the tenni of office varying from two to five years. The payment of less than, the minimum wage would be a punushahle offence under the Act and any person who was paid a lower :wage would :be entitled to. recover the deficiency. iMr Percy Allden (L., Tottenham) ioi seconding said the sweating evil was wide- spread and existed in aill countries whether protected or free trade. In makiing this ex- periment they risked, perhaps, the creation of other evils, but aifter many years' study of the question he thought it was onily right that they should face the risk. Sir Frederick Banbury (C., City of Lon- don) said an insidious attempt was being made under guise oif sentimentality to obtain the sympathy of those members of lite House whose hearts were larger than their heads. in order to secure the passing of a Social- istic measure. The effect of this proposal, he said, wouild be to dnive capital out of the country. He moved the rejection of the Bill. Oaptain Craig (C., East Down) seconded the rejection. Mr Viilliers (L., Brighton) said wages boards in Victoria had worked admirably, and other States were talking of giving up arbitration courts -in. favour of this system. Mr Cunilaii (Lab., Jarrow) Stalid if this Bill was 'Socialism there was a great deal of Socialistic legislation already on the Statute Book. 'Mr V cruey (L., North Bucks) saw in the proposal some danger of discouraging Trade Unions. Mr Wedgwood (L., Newcastle-under- Lyme) thought the effect of the Bill would be to drive sweated condition& imto a uarger circle of trades. Mr Chiozza Motney (L., Paddington) argued that the poor relief given to the un- fortunate workers in these sweated trades was -in reality a subvention: given out of the rates to the sweaters. The best employers welcomed the Bill, and he urged Sir F. Ban- bury to withdraw his opjxwsi tion and allow the measure to go forward as unopposed. Mr Richardson (Lalb., Nottingham) ex- pained the object of the Labour >]>arty in can- nection with this Bill as beinig to secure a more equitable distribution of the wealth earned under our Free Trade system. OPPOSITION HELP. Mr Lytitleton (C., Hanover Square) re- jo iced that the House had almost unana- mously appi-ioved of the principle of the Bill, because he agreed that that a,gaiiist which the measure was intended to strike was realty a inatiional disgrace. He desired to see the success of this measure, but he ho;ped the pro motors wdiiild ccinsent to make it truly an ex- perimental measure. Jilll his opinicn. the three trades scheduled we e rather too large alll experimental area, and therefore he hoped that in the interests of tell Bi'i the pro- motors would consent to the earh ul s: lect:on af one maniageable trade f )r the ^xpci'rmeiit If that experiment proved successful future legislation miight safely be left to the House, and therefore he suggested the de'etion of the clause which gave power to the Home Secretary to extend the prov<:s-.io.io of the Billl to include other industries than those sc'hediulled. HOME SECRETARY'S SJyEEOH. Mr Gladstoine (Home Sec retary,) sa d he had liiytencd to the speech of Mr Lyttleton with much. sympathy and agreement with his arguments, and after the s'jroing expres- j, sion of opiiiiion from the a i.gli.t gen tie- mail he hoiped that Sir F. Ba-jbury would not persist with his hostile amendment. Sir F. Banbury: Will you accept his pro- posal ? Sir Charles Dilkc (L., Forest of Dean) :a¡(l lie was sure the promoters of the Bill would accept a further TileN, were anxious that the, iiieiiit should be tried under faToumaible conditions. Tha t was all they wanted in the first instance. Mr Gladstone said it was remarkable as dhowiimig the trend of public opinion that a.1- though the BilJll had gone before the House for some ti/me there had been no hostile motion put on the paper in regard to it. As the result of direct State interference the condition of la/hour iiii facitories had been grelrutily dinuproved, and he agreed that efforts must now be directed to improvi ng the con di,tiions of home work and to make them as tolerable as the i('OJIJI(BtÐorns in factories. Efforts, had been made during the last 20 years to get 'at'ihi's great difficulty through legislation., 'but wlitth very little result. A vast mi,iii,y of people. men and women, wmtohedly ]>oor, aanid the most squalid con- ditionis, existed en a pittance eked out by the poor rate and private charity, whileh were in effect a premium to the employer who exploited the laour of these people, cut of whioh lie got too frequently a most in- ordinate profit (cheers). That mcamt a grave, festering evil. Tlnese people, who were unorganised, could no moire remedy their own inii-eries than a low lyinig fever- producing siwamp could remove itself and its datngers from those who lived near it. The laissez faire system had failed. Legislative attempts up to the present had failed, and under the judgment of the High Court thcise pooir peope had been deprived even of the help afforded them by the operations^ of the Truck Act. Thcv were helpless, miserable, powerless, and the time had come for dis- covering a mou-c effective remedy (cheers). The proposal in the Biilil to set up Wages Boards desei-ved consideration, but there were other proposals for effecting the same olbject. At the present time -im trade dis- putes methods of concilia tion aaul arbiitration were gaining favour every day. and there was mo reason to be alarmed at a proposal to carry these methods further by statutory provision (hear, hear). The general object of the Bill! was to organise amd induce agree- ment between, employers and em|:loyed upon reasonable payment for work done, and to gÓve unorganised workers a certain measure rf the advantaiges; whiicli or^aniiieed trades had olbtained for themselves. The Covernimeiiit were oif opinion that a case had been' made out for impi iry, and therefore he accepted th,e proposal to read the Bill a second time and refer it to the select committee on Home Work. It must be understood, however, that the Government were not caminitied to the principle of a compulsory mniwmum iwa fe. 1 Sir F. Banbury said he did not Intend to pire-.s his amendment to a drivi eon. The amendment was then negatived with- out a div..si.on. The second reading was agreed to. The House rose at 3.10.

Welsh and Irish Politics. ADDRESS BY MR T. P. O'CONNOR, M.P. On Friday night last Mr T. P. O'Connor, M.P., addressed a meeting of the Welsh National Leagjue, held at the Castle Street Welsh Chapeil, under the presidency of Mr Ellis Griffiths, M.P., his subject being some "Aspects of Welsh Politics." The lecturer said whatever the Celtic mind was, it was not a mind that loved, or even tolerated, compromise. He would not say anything against the Church of Engl and as a religious body; that was not ih:s business. There might be a great deal to be sard, esecially by EnigjLisihmcn, as to the beneficence of its spirit of compreheniveness, but a Church which embraced equally wEthin the fold of its orthodxy the Rationalist, who was amost an Agnostic, and the Ritualist, who was almost a Catiholic, was just that sort of cam- promise wihiioh could never take a real hold of the uncompromising Celtic minid. Beginn- inig 1*111, a difference of raccal tendencieis, tliisi difference Ibetiween the people of Wales and the Established English Church was aggra- vated by the amti-national and anti-deino- oratic spirit of the Church itself. Again., with the land system, th.at system was un- suited to the racial tendencies and economic desires of the people. At the same time they should -not be too narrow in their national views. They should not regard a love of their own country as implying a hatred of t any other nationality. To under-rate the genii us and capacity of the English people always seemed to him to be not only irra- tional, Ihut vulgar and impertinent. Respect of the individualtiy of each nationality was compatible with, and indeed was the only way of creating that mutual respect which would brirng allies, and would ultimately bind them in work and in ideal's that would be beneficent to them all. MR ELLIS GRIFITH ON WELSH M.P.'S. Mr Ells Griffith in his presidential address said many years ago Wale had a Land Com- mission, but the lamd question, still remained. There was the Church Commission possijblly existent. The Welsh members were blamed for their inaction. He had aiio brief to defend them, but he thoght that a country got the members it deserved to get. When 11 1. the Welsh people were prepared to make the Siam sacrifice, and to adopt some of the politi- cal practices of their Irish friends, they, Would get the relief they desired.

Welsh University Grants. The "Pall Malii Gazette" says the Chan- cellor of the Exchequer has called for alll interim report from the Commission ap- pointed by him to enquire into the claims of the three constituent colleges of the Univer- sity of Wales at Aberystwith, Bangor, amd Cardiff for increased Government graaits1. The Coniniiisslon, of which Sir Thomas Raileigh, K.C.S.I., is the head, has inter- viewed the of the three colleges, and has ireported on the whole sji favour of the claim. It is anticipated that Mir Asquith may provide—at least, to some exteiit-for the suggested increase in the estima tes for the commig year.

Biscuit Novelties. "A dilgestible &weet biscuit, very nutri- tious, with a delicate creamy nut Savour." Such is the favourable opinion expressed by those who have sampled the new Grape-Nuts Biscuit and the Grape-Nuts Wafer, now to be obtained in dainty and moisture- proof packets from most grocers. The Grape-Nuts Biscuits are deliciously crisp and short, and wild be very acceptable to those whose teeth do not admit of their eating ordinary Gliap-e-Xllts from the packet. A,s both biscuits and wafers contain a large percentage of this olionnslhlllg and partially pre-digestod cereal food, many will find them most acceptable for lunch or tea. The other ingredients used (for raising, shortening and sweetening) are fresh eggs and butter and pure sugar, all highly nourishing foods. By carefully blending Grape-Nuts in certain proportions with these wholesome ingredients there develops in the subsequent baking that delicious and distinct nutty, creamy flavour, so delicious in the w ell-known Grape- Nuts food. The Grape-Nuts Wafers are a little less sweet and short than the biiscuits.

N ewcas11 e- E m 1 yn PIou o-hi n o- ..«- J. b Match. The annual ploughin. gmaitch was held on Thursday the 20th iuist., at Pengellif a oh. The awards were made as follows:— Extra Chiamipcon Class: 1. S. Evans, p.yffryin, Aberporth; 2, J. Rees, Llandv- rinog. Champion Class: 1, D. Jones, Byrngwrog: J, 'S. Daviies, Bionwion. General Olias- 1, J. Thomas, Pengellli; 2, J. Lc\v;ls, Argoedfach, XeiwcastJe KuTlyn,' Junior Class: 1, J. E. Evans, CwmgeMi Cilrhedyii 2. E. Davies, Penharnddufach. Doube Furrow Class: 1, and silver lliedal, E. Davics. Penr'a.litybie.

Railway Facilities in the Gwen- draeth Valley. At a meeti.inig cf the Poanlvbercm Improve- Committee, Mr Greriiie, 3Iasedder- well, in the chair, the quest-ion of railway faciiitries was again diocussicd. It was deci- ded that puibSic meetnigs shoud be held ill), every vuliage in the G wcsidimetJi. Valley to consider the matter and to pass resolutions protesting aga.inst the ''di.sgraceifuj manner m which the district is served," and once, »«» "'P»' ««► "f X Bitry l'ort GwcBKlrautii Yafcy lL-iihvay to do wiiat itiliiey could to iunprove matters. lihe question of ^ecuring a second delivery of niailis ttias coins,idercd, and it was decided to communicate with the postmaster at Luanelly. V\ '.rt>h regaixl to the lighting ques- tion, Mr R. G. Giriffiuhs, Ciapel lUaJU, Collierj', consented to take the matter in hand and to report to the in text mcetinig.

Cradle that Cost 2d. NExplaniiiiiig to a mee,tillg of Newcastle ladies a scheme for the tu aininiig of jx>ar mothers m the brimgituig up of their children, Iiss Renaud said sihe had begun a series of weekly "welcome" meetings, which reaffly served Itlie purpose of a school for mothers. Miss Renamd ii'tlustrated her address by ex- hibiting a model cot, whi.'loh she said was only a baimana crte, costing tivopeince, and could be made> very neat by painting. It was far better, she thought, tihat a aid sV-ould sleep in one of these tiham under the appallin,'r can- diitions she had often secii in the homes of the poor.

The Great Skin Cure. BUDDEN'S S.R. SKIN OINTMENT will cure Itching after one application destroys every form of Eczema heal Old WouDds and Sores; acts like a charm on Bad Legs is infallible for Piles prevents cuts from festering will cure Ringworm in a few days removes the most obstinate Eruptions and Scurvy. Boxes, íj(i. and Is. l ',<j. 2 Agent for Carmarthen, WALTER "LLOYD ChemiKf Kidwelly. L. JUNKS Whitland, H. J. WALTEBV Chemist; Narberth, A. W. TOOUIG, Chemist Clynderwen, II. MORRIS, Cheu.ist.