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"The Church in Wales."

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The Incorporation of the Rhondda.

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To the Editor of the "Rhondda Leader." Sir,—The enthusiasm of the Mid- Rhondda CbamJjer of Trade in regard to the above matter is very remarkable. Another meeting under its auspices was held last Wednesday evening, which was reported very fully in your issue of the 6th inst. Two speeches were delivered by Councillors Tom Evans and R. S. 6th inst. Two speeches were delivered by Councillors Tom Evans and R. S. Griffiths, and it would be very ungrateful on my part as a citizen of the Rhondda to allow an opportunity to go by without thanking the latter gentleman for his very able and elevating speech. It was a fair-minded exposition of pros and cons of this complicated question. Although I am convinced that the disadvantages of a Charter in its relation to the Rhondda far outweighs its supposed benefits, yet I feel that such a speech is of educa- tional value, and it also proves that all our. representatives are not of the type who rush "Where angels fear to tread." With all the merits of such a speech, Councillor Griffiths' account of the amount naid to the County Council re- quires further enquiry. This is the fourth account of the amount paid, and neither is consistent with the other. Being, how- ever, that this contribution is a very im- portant argument in favour of a Charter by each of the speakers, I should be pleased to know if any member of the Rhondda Council really knows the true amount of the sum paid over annually to the County Treasurer. At the meeting held at Richards' Hall on October 20th, the following accounts were given by Councillor J. D. Williams: —Yearly contribution of the Rhondda Council to the County Treasury, £ 19,882 received towards rates and roads, £ 9,882. Councillor Tom Evans' accounts were:- Rhondda contribution to the County, £ 40,000 received in return from County, £ 8,000. At last Wednesday's meeting, Coun- cillor Tom Evans made an amended state- ment of accounts, as follows:-Annual contribution to the Council, £ 22,000; received towards roads, health, and edu- cation, £ 3,756. At the same meeting, Councillor Rhys Griffiths said that Rhon- dda contributed for the past half-year ending September last as follows:-The sum contributed to County last half- year, £14,600; received for roads and salaries, £ 3,000, The Guardians re- ceived during the same half-year £ 7,000. There is no doubt that the Rhondda Council makes a half-yearly contribution to the County Fund, but how much is a mystery, Councillor Tom Evans very graciously amended his former account by a reduction amounting to £ 18,000, and that very unblushindv, too. He seems to be a very dexterous manipulator of figures. ±ie appeared to be so extra- ordinarily clever that he even convinced his audience that fl five times one is five," and he felt so convinced of the fact that it was beyond dispute to him that five times one was the exact amount which the Rhondda Council contributed to the County Council. No wonder he so un- wittingly admitted that everyone who supported Incorporation was a "Humbug." It is intolerable that such would-be financiers and administrators should take upon themselves the task of solving muni- cipal problems which should be left to those better adapted for such duties. The Rhondda ratepayers would do well to ask Councillor Griffiths to publish a cheap pamphlet on The Advantages and Dis- advantages of Incorporation." In conclusion, may I ask those who support the obtaining of a, Charter whether they know, firstly, the exact number of police officers of all grades, the number of County police buildings, the number of County educational insti- tutions. the number of the teaching staff, the number of County Isolated and other hospitals, and the estimated cost of the annual maintenance of all such County properties and their officials within the Rhondda Council area; and secondly, whether, if the Rhondda were incor- porated, they can give an estimate of the additional cost of the maintenance of paupers and lunatics to be provided for, and the new buildings which would be necessary to provide for them within the proposed Borough? It would also be interesting to know the number of police and other official pensioners that would become a burden upon the Rhondda rate- payers when incorporated. It would also be interesting to obtain an estimate of the amount of corruption which would accrue through the proposed salary of the Mayor of the Rhondda? What a lot we are compelled to listen to of the higher status" which a Charter would confer, from the lips of professors of faithfulness to the working class. It may mean their millennium. Every smoker" at the Pig and Whistle Hotel" will be pre- sided over by the Mayor of the Rhondda. He will be in general demand in clubdom, chapel and church tea parties, at dancing parties and skating rinks. From the point of view of these professors'' a Charter is worth fighting for, because their ambitions are boundless. The thou- sands of working men who own their own homesteads in the Rhondda, earned by hard and diligent toil, might well arouse themselves in time, or they will be over- burdened by extravagant expenditure of proud agitators who clamour for every high chair in every public place. They call it "status."—Yours, &c., ANTI-HUMBUG.

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"The Church in Wales."

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