Rhondda Leader Maesteg Garw and Ogmore Telegraph

"?XTIL?IFa" CANNOT BE EQUALLED FOR Natural and Aftifuc'a) ???? WREATHS, 2?2 Oxfeu'd St., opposite Na.toina.! SohooJa and Central Stal! Market SWANSEA. _4835

EvangeHst to Messrs. Cory Bros, Rev. Goo. Har-ris Welcomed at Pentfe. A public meeting was held at the Cory Hall, Pentre, on Thursday last to extend a, welcome to the Rev. Geo. Harris on his advent to the district as missioner under the aegis of Messrs. Cory Bros. Mr. Harris is a. noted evangelist, and for the last twenty years has been en- gaged in the capacity of evangelist and colporteur with the Metropolitan Taber- nacle, under the superintendence of the two well-known Welsh philanthropists, Messrs. Richard and John Cory. He Jias recently been transferred from the Car- diff district by Messrs. Oory Bros. to the Rhondda. Valley to continue his good work amongst their workmen. Mr. Richard Cory, who was spending a holiday at Llandrindod Wells, out of respect to Mr. Harris purposely came all the way from the Wells to Pentre to be present at the meeting, and to introduce the evangelist to the workmen. Mr. Cory was voted to the chair by Mr. W. D. Wight (general manager, Cory Bros.), who was to have presided. Mr. Cory spoke very highly of Mr. Harris' past life and work, and said they could never have a, better man for such a. glorious work. He hoped they would rally round him and give him all the encouragement needed. Mr. G. H. Rule (mechanic, Pentre Col- liery) extended a hearty welcome to the evangelist to Pentre. Dr. W. Morris, Treorchy, said lie had known Mr. Harris for the past twenty years, and had always known him to be consistent and active in his work, and they should feel grateful to Messrs. Cory for sending such a man to the Rhondda. Other speakers included Mr. Owen Williams (Post OiEce) and the Rev. T. Bromham} Pontypridd. On the motion of Mr. W. D. Wight, a hearty vote of thanks was accorded the chairman.

'L ?HYARCHER&?t KONB!RErUBH?t ?? -??aEei?TER)BB??-?<? ?N Archef's Golden Returns .I Mt* ? 0. ftjKMW&

l Lecture by M!r. Vernon Hartshorn. Labcurg Conflicts. "Labour's Conniets" (past and pre- sent! was the subject of a splendid lec- ture delivered by Mr. Vernon Hartshorn (miners' agent for the Maesteg district) at Ebenezer Chapel, Tynewydd, Treher- bert, on Wednesday evening last. The proceeds were in aid of Mr. W. C. Jones, Scott Street, Tynewydd. Mr. Enoch Davies, C.C., J.P., pre- sided, and remarked that he was glad to be present to extend the hand of bro- therly assistance, to a man in distress. It also afforded him pleasure in being, present to have an opportunity of listen- ing to Mr. Hartshorn. After a brief dis- course, he called upon Mr. Hartshorn to deliver his tecture. Mr. Hartshorn said he. was not one of those who believed that the conditions of labour were ever better in the history of the world than they were to-day. He gave incidents in the progress of labour during the last hundred years, remarking that the story of labour's conflicts con- stituted the saddest history contained in the world's literature. In order to clearly understand what progress had been made, it was necessary to. go back to about the year 1800, and ask what was the position of the workpeople with regard to wages, social status, how treated as men and workmen, and what were the laws of the country under which they were governed. It would then be realised what vast strides had been made in the progress of labour during the, last hundred years. When considering the question of wages, said ho, it was not sumcient to take into account the amount of wages a workman received. They should consider the pur- chasing power of his wage (hear, hear). Every tax added to the necessaries of life, reduced the purchasing power of a man's wage and reduced the means of life. There were taxes on everything on the earth and on all things which came from under the earth in the last century. Bread was sold at Is. IHd. a loaf. The heavy burden of taxation and the high price of bread reduced very consider- ably the purchasing power of the wages m those "good old days." The domestic condition of the work- people of the last century was deplorable,. The gutters ran with nith, there were no paved streets, no trams, no parks, no policemen, no fast trains, no cheap gas, cholera claimed its victims by thousands, and fever and small-pox decimated the population. Yet, added the speaker, many people were under the impression that nothing had been 'done, But there was room for improvement still. Continuing, he said that in the middle of the last century it was illegal for workmen to form themselves into Trades Unions or formulate any demands with a view to increasing the wages or im- proving the conditions of labour. Any form of organisation was a breach of the law. Strikes were illegal. Notwith- standing all the forces of opposition, our forefa.thers were Trade Unionists, and displayed remarkable grit and deter- mination in the battles they engaged in to improve their economical state. Some Dorchester farm labourers earn- ing 7s. a week were threatened with a reduction to 6s. Six of them formed a I't,ile Union, but they were taken before a judge for so doing. The judge asked the jury to nnd the men guilty, for fear of offending the Grand Jury (the land- owners), with a result that the poor wretches were given seven years' trans- portation for being Trade Unionists! Mr. Hartshorn wanted to impress upon his hearers what it had cost the minds and bodies of their forefathers for the privileges which were now enjoyed. No workman then had a voice in the govern- ment of the country. While they were fighting for Trade Unionism they had also to nght for the franchise, for the right to say who should go to make the 1&.W8 under which they lived. While our forefathers had no right of combination, they had no education, as they were taken to work between the ages of four and five years. When he considered their position in those days, he marvelled at the intellectual, industrial and physical privileges of the present day. The speaker washed that they now had the stamina and grit of the old people. At the present time they had to bring some pressure to bear to induce men to become Trade Unionists. With all that had been done, the con- dition of the people was still far from what it ought to be. Unemployment, sweating, and poverty was rife in the land. On the other hand, there were people who had wealth beyond the dreams of avarice; 270 men owned between them 300 million pounds. Did these men ea-rn their wealth? He illustrated how this would be impossible. All wealth said he, was due to the application of labour to the land. There was no necessity for poverty: no necessity for workmen in South Wales to be bordering on star- vation. The trouble was not in the pro- duction of wealth, but in its distribution. The time had come when the men should realise that they had the power in their hands to alter the present state of things. It was in the Dower of the workers of the coalneld to turn the profits of the coal trade into their own pockets. This was one of the connicts which was before them. They ought also to seek to establish a guarantee minimum for all the workmen of the kingdom (applause). The promts were there and it could easily be got if they went about it in the right way. They must have a minimum standard of exist- ence, but before they could undertake this conflict the coalfields must be united from John 0' Groats to Land's End. They ought to stand up for a minimum stan- dard of existence for workmen in other branches of trade as well (hear, hear). If it was in the power of organised labour to stop wars by stagnating trade, it was also in the power of organised labour to make Governments disarm (loud applause). He believed that organised labour would have to exert a great influence in the future over Governments, especially in the question of disarmament. In conclusion, he wanted the workmen to realise that they were all members of one national organisation (loud applause). A hearty vote of thanks, proposed by Mr. James Varker, and seconded by Mr. T. E. Davies, was accorded the lecturer.

Suicide at Trealaw. Ta!!ot*a Body Found in a Gutter. An inquest was held at the Judge's Hal], Trealaw, on Monday ia.t. by Mr. R. J. Rhys, district coroner. OB. the body of Henry Jones (34). tailor. 108, TreaJaw Road, Trealaw. Deceased's wife gave evidence of identi- fication. She said she missed her hus- band about 1 p.m. on Thursday, tho 20th inst. She searched the house &nd made enquiries, but could not- his whereabouts. Deceased had been a bit depressed during the last week, but had enjoyed good health. He had been work- ing regularly up to last Wednesday. She. had made enquiries, but could find no trace of insanity in deceased's family. They had one child—a boy. She knew of nothing that worried the deceased. John Watkins, 12, Gaj-th Road, Tre- alaw, said that about 2 o'clock on Friday afternoon, three little boys Mille to him .and told him they had seen a m&a Meed- ing in a ditch on the mounta.ia. Wit- ness went with the children t.t thø spot, and saw the deceased tying in a, gutter about 25 yards from the path !ea<ding to the Brithweunydd Farm. He was on his back, and a razor was on the groand about a yard away from him. Witness infot'med the police. P.O. Spencer said that about 2.35 p.m. he was called to the place where the body had been totidcl, and there saw the deceased lying on his back. His shirt was open at the neck. and a tremendous gash had been inilicted on the neck. Dr. Weichert said he had examined the body, and found that the wound extended from ear to ear. Everything in the neck had been severed, and it was evidently self-indicted. About 12 or 15 montha pre- viously deceased had suffered from delirium tremene. A verdict of Suicide whilst temporarily insane was returned.

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Fernda!e. The North Street Congregational Church held the third of their etMcess- ful weekly entertainments on Wednesday evening, 19th inst- In the absence of Mr. John Jones, the chair was occupied by the Rev. J. E. Harries (pastor). The proceedings were opened with. a piano- forte solo by Miss E. Davies, followed by a. splendid recitation of Beautiful Snow by Miss F. Davies, Ma-rdy. Mrs. T. Short (Elm Street) gave a &ne tender- ing of "Annie Laurie. The essay, How to be happy though married only attracted two entries. and the prize was withhltcl. The solo for girls under 16 years, of age was very keen. a.nd t.he prize was awarded to Miss Doris Childs. A consolation was awarded Misa Maggie Hughes. Miss Childs was also successfui in the impromptu speech on Moon- light." In the recitation competition for hoys, Master Tommy Leach was declared the winner. A very interesting paper on Sam WeIIer was given by Mr. G. Childs, B.Sc. (Secondary Schools). A chorus by the North Street Congrega- tional Glee Party terminated & very pleasant evening.

I Weekly Stock Market Report. [From A. Mitchelson & Co., Stock and Share Brokers, 21, Mount Stuart Square CardiS.] There has been little change In the aspect of the stock market during the past week, the fresh disturbances at some of the pits having kept the colliery share market marking time. But although progress was retarded, the undertone of firmness has been wonderful, and would appear to denote that once the position in the coalfield is definitely settled, we shall see an advance in the prices of colliery shares. A large amount of buy- ing is still in evidence in Burnyeat Browns at about 34s. 6d. in Powell Dun'ryn "Old" and "New" -at 46s. and 23s. Tredegar Iron jBl (4s. paid) still attract attention at about 17s. 3d., and the ;61 fully paid at about 24s. There is a general anticipation that another sharp upward move to about 20s. is to be ex- pected. R.hymney Railway stocks have been in great demand on rumours of amalga.mation. In some quarters an amalgamation of Rhymney, Taff, and Cardiff Railway was talked about, but as a matter of fact nothing dennite is known. There a,re, however, good reasons for believing that in the ordinary course of developments Rhymneys are good for better prices. At the moment, the Pre- ferred Ordinary is about jE97 per cent., and the Deferred Ordinary at about L'115 per cent. The Preferred has the first call upon dividends up to 4 per cent. before the Deferred get anything, but all over the 4 per cent. comes to the Deferred. The last dividend was at the rate of 4 per cent. on the Preferred and 5t per cent. on the Deferred. Brecon, and Merthyr stock, which we advised our readers to become interested in, have shown great nrmness, and are still good buving at:—First 4 Per Cent. Prefer- ence, ;e83-;€85 per cent. Second 4 Per Cent. Preference, E62-t64 per cent.; Third 4 Per Cent. Preference, C41-t43 :per cent. Fourth 4 Per Cent. Prefer- t ence, jE27-.€29 per cent. Ordinary, £17.- £18-} per cent. In the Industrial sec- < tion, Port Talbot Graving Dock are worth attention at £4-£5 per £10 (E9 paid) share. SHIPPING SHARES. A decidedly interesting movement that has not been in evidence in local markets for some years past has been a. demand for shipping shares on the strength of the improved outlook In the freight market. During these years, prices have fallen hea/vily so that at the moment they may be considered to have touched rock bottom; in fact, to have started on the upward movement. There are buyers of the sha.res of Messrs. W. and C. Jones; in the shares of the steamers under the management of Messrs. Evan Thomas, Ratcliffe and Co. and Measrs. Owen and Watkin Williams; and Messrs. Ordern and Handford; also the Tatem Steam Navigation Co., Ltd. Undoubtedly one of the most attractive Railway stocks at the moment is Midland ) Deferred. The co-operative policy with the North Western Railway is having an excellent eifect, and one authority con- siders that an advance of CIOO,000 in net revenue for the current six months would not be surprising. This would make a- dividend of 3 per cent. for the whole year possible. Thus at the present price of E64,A2-, Midland Deferred would yield 5t per cent., while giving prospects of 4 appreciation.

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I/ù«l\ to' 10\,0 BABY DODD. Va!ue of V!ro! !n a case of CONSUMPTION J. DODD, of Main Street. Ravea- glass, Cumberland/writes:— "From birth up to eightmonths old my little girl had a fight between life and death. She was suffering from consump- tion of the bowels and catarrh of the stomach. Sha. was attended by two doctors and was given up by both. I said to my wife, We will- feed her on Virol.' In a short time we began to see a differ- ence in her. She is now two years and two months old, and a healthier and happier child never lived." V)ROL A Wonderful Food in Consumption, Anaemia, Gastric TrewMee, Malnutrition, Coughs, Colds, and Waetam In Jars, i/ 1/8, 2/ii. 152-166 Old Street, London, B.C. ?