The North Wales Weekly News

CELEBRATION AT RHYL. SIR HERBERT ROBERTS ON WEALTH AND POVERTY. In celebration of the enrolment of a hundred I members, the Commercial Travellers' Associa- tion, North Wales Branch, dined together on Saturday night at the Queen Hotel, Rhyl. Mr. Tom Lawrence, of Colwyn Bay, the branch Pre- sident, occupied the chair, and was supported by Sir J. Herbert Roberts, M.P., Mr. F. Coysh, the General Secretary of the United Kingdom Commercial Travellers' Association Mr. T. Grainger, Chairman of the National Executive Council Mr. T. H. Morgan, the Hon. Solicitor Mr. D. Gwesvn Price, the Hon. Social Secre- tary Mr. A. Rhydwen Jones, the Chairman of the Rhyl Urban District Council and Mr. LI. B. Evans, Vice-Chairman of the Rhyl Council. Councillor A. L. Clews occupied the vice-chair. There were also present Messrs. J. Taylor, C. Palmer, J. Foulkes, H. Davies, G. Jones, D. P. Morris, E. Evans, E. G Evans, W. McKinley Davies, W. G. Mobley, Oakley, E. W. Parry, H. Roberts, Doughty-Davies, J. W. Roberts, Tom Bell, W. P. Parry, D. O. Williams, T. G. Humphreys, W. Carmichael, T. H. Roberts, S President TOM LAWRENCE, ESQ., COI.WYN BAY. H. Williams, J. F. Stone, J. B. Griiffths, E. B. Jones, W. T. Williams, J. H. Williams, D. D. Davies, Hope Jones, F. Weston, W. Levin, O. W. Roberts, J. T. Jones R. F. Williams, W. Elphick, 'F, D. C linker, Trevor Roberts, and Horace Haselden. The tables were beautifully set out, and Miss Denham, the manageress of the Queen's Hotel, placed before the guests an excellent repast, of which the menu was as follows:- Consomme Royal. Cream of Celery. Halibut, Shrimp Sauce, Fried Filleted Soles. Jugged Hare. Roast Ribs of Beef, Horse Radish Sauce. Boiled Leg of Mutton, Caper Sauce. Roast Duckling. Plum Pudding. Trifle. Dessert. The loyal toasts having been duly submitted ( from the chair, Mr. T. H. Morgan proposed 4, The United Kingdom Commercial Travellers' Association and its Chairman. In proposing the toast, Mr. Morgan com- mented strongly upon the fact that the Associa- tion was too well known to need elaboration or explantion at his hands, and it was gratifying for them all to know that its objects were becoming more and more known every day. It was a desirable thing for any profession to have such an Association, but in particular was it desirable in the case of an Association such as theirs-an Association which would look after all the interests of the commercial fraternity. He did not think that any profession could be likened to that of the commercial traveller. The interests were very wide, and extended to all parts of the world, so that their Association could not but be one which would confer a benefit upon the members. Three years ago a change had taken place in the constitution of the Association, and they had all been pleased with that change, seeing that the Permanent Secretary, who had been appointed, was a gentleman whom they were all proud of. (Ap- plause.) Since then they had prospered im- mensely. It was growing daily, and they now had 65 branches and 14,00-0 members. He ven- tured to think that in time to come the Associa- tion would be a power in the way of linking commercial brethren together. The central offices were now in London. They should have had them there years ago. Seeing that London was the centre of the world. Concluding, Mr. Morgan said that if they had not advanced as far as to have a Member of Parliament of their own, yet they had in Sir Herbert Roberts a gentleman who was a Member of Parliament, and A as 1\: the san'e time one of them. (Loud applause.) The toast '.vas then drunk with great enthusi- asm. Mr. T. Grainger, who wore the beautiful chain of his office (the gift of Mr. W. H. Lever), in responding, said it reflected the greatest credit on the branch officers and secretary, who had worked with such enthusiasm. (Applause.) The Association was particularly necessary in the present time, and the U.K.T.C.A. claimed to be the best association of its kind and to be run on business lines. No association, he ventured to say, paid more attention to the details of its work that that to which he at all events was proud to belong. (Applause.) What, it might be asked, was the Association for? It could not settle the wages or the hours on the ground of its members, but it could make it easy for the -members to get over the ground by securing good facilities with the railway companies, it could assist a lame dog over a stile, it could see that the agreements between employer and employed were properly drawn in the interests of the members, and it could see that justice was done. Further, it could assist those who fell by the way or their widows and children. The benefit society and the benevolent funds were very useful adjuncts, and the Association was in many ways advantageous to the profes- sion, and not alone in material benefits, for there were moral and social advantages too. (Applause.) Concluding, the speaker put forward an elo- quent plea for more earnestness and less critic- ism on the part of the general body of the sub- scribers, who should endeavour to familiarise themselves more with the details of the work of the Association, in place of criticising the efforts of the workers, seeing that that only brought about a general apathy towards the work. In nine cases out of ten such onslaughts were r:de either bv men who had an axe to grind or dis- appointed with life. Mr. Grainger also tenre- cated in the strongest terms the attitude which some members adopted of withdrawing from the Association if they could not get their own way. Tn some cases such members did not want 2S- sistance, but it was nice to know that they weie assisting others if they did not want assistance themselves. (Loud applause.) Mr. F. Coysh, the General Secretary, said that to commercial travellers an association "-as as necessary as combination was among those connected with every other avocation, 't was doing good to the profession, but it could do more if the members would give it "reater financial resources. He described the COTTE- sponding Association in Germany, which lias a huge membership, large funds for defence purposes, palatial offices, the rents from vhich return a dividend of 4 j er cent, besides s upply- ing accommodation for the Association rent free. He advocated a change in the system of administration of the British Association with a view to increasing the proportion of subscriptions sent up to the central office on the basis which in Germany has proved so effective. Mr. Coysh also offered to the North V- £ les Branch his heartiest congratulations upon its success in past years. The reason of that success was very simple. It was due to the unity and the earnestness and the enthusiasm which characterised the Welshman's handling of almost everything he took upon himself to do. When Welsh people got hold of a good thirg, they froze on to it as much as possible. It was thought at one time that such an association was not wanted, but times and conditions were changing in such a way as to make the Associa- tion a vital necessity, just as associations v;ere wanted for other trades. lIe would tell however, that the Association was rot doing the work it should do, seeing that the funds weie not adequate to the demands made upon li m. He urged them not to reduce the programme, but to provide the funds adequate to meet its demands. He would like, however, to tell tlxm Chairman COUNCILLOR E. G. EVANS, RIIYL. that the constitution oi the \ss.ociaiion was -till quite wrong, and was noi yet on a right system Branches were right, but as they were now run they did not conduce to a right development of the Association as a whole. It was a case of the branches and the districts being placed before the work as a whole, and until that was altered they would lack a fine and safe constitution. He urged that every subscription ought to be made direct to the central office in London. In Germany, out of a subscription of thirty-four marks, thirty were sent direct to the central office, four being retained for branch purposes. Such a reform, said the speaker, would tend to of men who had their own axes to grind, and bring to an end the carping and the criticising at any rate it would place the Executive Com- mittee abon such criticism. It would also do away with the danger of the rate being manipu- lated bv two or three of the discontented. Such tactics weakened the power of the central auth- ority, for no association had been better served by a set of voluntary officials than theirs. They were men who were doing their best for the Association as a whole. It was most vital to see that the men who took to the road in future were fitted morally, educationally, and physical- ly to carry on the work. (Loud applause.) A POLITICAL "TRAVELLER" Sir Herbert Roberts, M.P., proposed The North Wales Branch and its President." He had the honour of assisting in the inauguration at all events of the branch, and of being a member of the branch and its first President. He was a commercial traveller of a political type he was always on the road, and belonged to a firm which happened for the present, at any rate, to be a going concern. (Laughter.) There was no salary attached to his position, but, on the other hand, he had not yet received notice to quit.. (Laughter.) Whatever the future might bring forth, he hoped nothing would occur to sever his connection with the branch to whose prosperity he was now asking them to drink. (Applause.) He was delighted to think that on an occasion of that kind politics could not creep in any way. After all, the trade and commerce of the nation ought to be out- side the bounds of political considerations. (Applause.) The day would, he hoped, never come when the shadow of politics would fall upon our commercial situation. (Applause.) I He wished to congratulate the North Wales branch upon its progress numerically. A year ago the membership was 76 now it had achieved its century. (Applause.) He wished also to congratulate the Society upon its Secre- tary (Mr. Humphreys), for whom he confessed a high regard. (Applause.) WEALTH AND POVERTY. Always he had looked upon the central prin- ciple of that Association as of the utmost conse- quence in the development of the national life—namely, self-help. (Applause.) Not for a moment would he minimise the very grave scandal that existed to-day with regard to the inequality between riches and poverty in this land. No one could look upon the life of the country in many directions without sorrow and dismay, and they would all do what they could to bring about an epoch when there would be greater equality of opportunity for all. At the same time he hoped they would not forget that it would be impossible to regenerate the life of this nation without carrying out in all its fullness the principle of self-help, of individual effort, and individual lesponsibility. The sal- vation of the nation must come from high char- acter and from individual effort and intelli- gence. (Applause.} A NECESSITY IN TRADE. He hoped that the travellers would all realise the importance of the profession to which they belonged. It was a profession. The com- mercial traveller was an absolutely essential constituent of the trade organisation of the nation and Empire. (Applause.) He supplied the channel, and, in a large measure, the motive power by which the trade and com- merce of the country were carried on. As Europe was giving a great deal of attention, through its commercial travellers, to Great Britain, so ought Great Britain to give some attention to the trade of Europe, and he would seriously urge upon the members of the United Kingdom Commercial Travellers' Association the importance of doing something in the direc- tion already suggested by Mr. Coysh, ot bring- ing about in time that type of intelligence, that knowledge of language, and that technical skill and experience which would enable Britain to do in Europe what the European commercial travellers were doing for their own trade in this country. (Applause.) Their parish, said Sir Herbert, should be any- where where trade was to be done, and accord- ingly he wished the Association every success in the future. (Loud applause.) He thought that they could look forward to a period of greater prosperity in North Wales, and they would all benefit from such increased trading conditions. Especially would that be the case in respect of an improvement in agriculture. He hoped that the North Wales branch and the Central As. sociation would prosper in numbers, in power, and in influence. From the bottom of his heart he desired its success. (Loud applause.) The President having offered a few brief re- marks, Mr. George Evans was called upon to re- spond. In doing so he said that he found it difficult to find words to thank Sir Herbert for the cordial way he had proposed the toast, and for the enthusiastic manner it had been hon- oured. You will permit me," said the speaker, 11 to say in the name of the North Wales branch how deeply indebted we are to Sir Herbert for his great kindness in coming amongst us on the most inconvenient evening of the week. We appreciate and thank him. (Applause.) Sir Herbert stands among the foremost sons of Wales. (Applause ) the whole Principality is proud of him and his achievements. (Cheers.) We honoured him by electing him to be the first President of the branch in 1905. Of course, he could not say whether the presidential chair of the North Wales branch of the U.K.C.T.A. had been a stepping-stone to higher honours- (laughter.)-at any rate we honoured Sir Her- bert first, and no one rejoiced more than the commercial brethren of North Wales on the great honour that had been bestowed upon him. (Cheers.) Mav Sir Herbert and Lady Roberts long enjoy the much-coveted but in their case richly deserved honour. (Cheers.) Their next President was Sir Ernest Cochram, whom, he Vice- h_- irman MR. J. KOIIEIT s, i\ 11 YL regretted tn say, tney did not see much of, owing to his residence in Ireland and London. Their present President, just plain Mr. Tom Law- rence of Colwyn Bay, a man of worth, a man of integrity and delighted at all times to give them a helping hand. They owd him much for the success of the gathering. For two vears he had filled the office with credit to himself, and won the appreciation of the members. He had been a real live President. (Cheers.) May the presidential chair, in his case, be a stepping- stone to higher honour, that one day they would see him grace the magisterial bench of their neighbouring county of Denbigh. (Cheers.) As Chairman of one of the progressive branches of their great Association, they were proud of their -record. The branch was established in July, 1905, and after five months' existence had 16 members. At the close of 1906 they had 32 members, and after a period of five and a half years they reached the century. (Cheers.) Still, like Mr. A. J. Balfour on the naval question, or Mr. D. Lloyd George on the success of the Budget, they were still dissatisfied, yet hopeful, for they sa-w 200 up in the vista of the future. (Cheers.) Institutions such as that appeared to pass through three stages of existence. The first, that of enthusiasm the second, that of criticism and the third, that of appreciation. For two years the enthusiastic stage prevailed, and they were immediately plunged in the stormy sea of criticism but the faithful held on to the oars with stout hearts and with an unfaltering faith until that night they made a call at the port of appreciation. (Cheers.) But we mean to set sail again to further progress," said Mr. Evans. Continuin, he said he wished to say, incidentally, that if any in- stitution had been helped forward by the Press, both provincial and local, it was the North Wales branch of the U.K.C.T.A., and he de- sired to take that opportunity of thanking the Press for their aid in the past, and hoped for their assistance in the future. (Cheers.) In their branch work they had been blessed with enthusiastic workers, past and present officers vieing with one another in the service of their fellows. They had established a branch of the Benefit Society, and had a local Benevolent Fund—two adjuncts they were proud of. They had been successful in dealing with local mat- ters with the railway companies. He took that opportunity of thanking the officials of the L. &• N.-W. Railway Co. for their courtesy and kindness in meeting their wishes in regard -to stopping the Greenore Boat Express at Colwyn Bay that night, so as to enable their friends to return home. This was the second occasion they had granted this concession, and might he throw out a hint to the Colwyn Bay Urban Dis- trict Council that they join hands with the North Wales Branch of the U.K.C.T.A in peti- tioning the 1.. & N.-W. Railway Co. to stop that express train at Colwyn Bay on request? Seeing that Colwyn Bay is not so important a town as Rhyl—(laughter),—" by request should satisfy them. (Laughter.) They were affiliated to the North-West District Federation of the U.K.C.T.A., co-operating with a view of en- hancing the progress of the parent body in that district, which extended from North Wales to Carlisle branches, and it was worth noting that a member of this branch was the Vice-Chair- man of that Federation, with its 23 branches and a combined membership of 3,000. At the Na- tional Conference they had carried the idea of free transfers between branch and branch, constituting a policy of continuity on national lines. The official Year-book, although defeat- ed at the Hull Conference, was not dead, and they looked forward to the Executive Council reviving it in some form or other in the near future. Let them stand fast, and as a mighty yet peaceful army aim at the increased pros- perity of the nation. May they live up to the high standard of their calling, developing the commercial side of their lives, and also enrich- ing the nobler traits of their characters, that they may be truly be called "Anbassadors of Commerce, and "play their part in the main- taining and enhancing of the honour, the in- tegrity, and the prosperity of British commerce in the eyes of the whole world. ,T.oud applause.) A PRESENTATION. A very pleasing feature in the arrangements of the function took place in the form of a pre- sentation to Ir T. G. Humphreys, of Colwyn Bay. the Hon. Secretary of the branch, of a beautiful French 400 day clock of old English design. The clock bore the following inscrip- tion Presented to Mr. T. G. Humphreys, as a mark of appreciation of five years' service as Hon. Secretary of the North Wales Branch U.K.C.T.A., October 22nd, 1910." In taking part in this ceremony, Mr. E. G. Evans said that during the five and a half years Mr. Humphreys had beer their Secretary they would agree with him that he had been inde- fatigable in his efforts, and had given them of his best. (Applause.) During that period no one could have done the work better, and the present magnificent gathering was his crowning work. It was their desire, therefore, to present him with some small token of their appreciation of his efforts. (Applause.) The Chairman, in making the presentation, said that he endorsed all Mr. Evans had said. ¡ Mr. Humphreys had not only served them well, but had served them with a smiling face. (Ap- plause. ) In responding, Mr. Humphreys said: "I have listened with interest to the kind, though far too flattering words which liave been spoken con- cerning myself and work, and I am more than pleased to receive this token of the recognition of my humble efforts by my fellow members. I am deeply moved by the kind thought and gen- erous action of my co-workers, and I shall value this token for its intrinsic value as well as for what it represents, the esteem and kindly feel- ing of my commercial brethien. It is some- what difficult to express all that I feel on this occasion. I ask myself the question. What have I done to merit this? Five years ago, it is true, there was entrusted to me, an untried and comparatively unknown man, the formidable task of organising the commercial travellers of North Wales into one strong branch affiliated with our National Association. I instantly re- cognised the importance of that task, and re- solved I would be true to my trust. With the valued help and hearty co-operation of those around me, we put our hands to the plough, and although the furrows were rough, a barren waste has been transformed into richest pas- tures. But after all, I have onlv done my duty, and I feel that others who have helped in the work should also share in the praise. To-night, on the eve of my letirement as Secretary, I have the satisfaction of knowing that our work has not been carved in snow. As much as I an. touched by year kindness, the greatest reward I could ever hope to secure is to know that the Hc,ri. 'I ret-,Ur(,r MR. J. W. TUNNA, COLWYN BAY. s nag which I was r-.ainiy responsible for unfurl- ing in North Wales is going to continue to be unfurled, and my earnest desire is that we shall go forward into the future with increased en- thusiasm, renewed energy, greater earnestness, and more determination, to link up every com- mercial traveller in North Wales into our Na- tional Commercial Brotherhood, and to make this branch still worthier of the name that it bears and the Association which it forms a part, thus lending our aid in the general ;dvan<,c- ment and uplifting of the whole commercial fra- ternity. (Loud applause.) The next toast proposed was that of The Chairman and the Council of the Town of Rhyl. It was proposed by Mr. T. W. Roberts in the course of a very witty speech. Mr. A. Rhydwen Jones, J.P., in resoonding to the toast, said he hoped that the members of the North Wales Branch of the U.K.C.T.A. would feel that they had received the best welcome to Rhyl on the occasion of their fifth anniversary dinner, and that they would have a profitable meeting in every sense of the word, as well as a successful future. So much was expected of them by those dependent upon their exertions that on behalf of the Rhyl Urban District Coun- cil, and in the name of the town of Rhvl, he wished their Association every success and God speed in their endeavours. They as a body of representative gentlemen knew by instinct and experience what it was to represent a good house, and how they conscientiously endeavour- ed, to the best of their ability, to discharge their dnties to their employers and- to those it was their opportunity to call upon, to facilitate the business they were individually concerned in. How disappointing at times were the results of even their best endeavours, and how necessary it was at times to arrange and re-arrange them- selves for further combat to succeed in what thev were really determined to accomplish. It required grit, perseverance, honesty of purpose, to profit from past experience, to keep them- selves to the forefront and to possess and secure the latest ideas in order to receive the patron- age of those who were at all times ready to sup- port a go-ahead, soirited policy. That was the position of all representatives, whether they were members of a council or of a commercial community. (Applause.) He did not believe in riish,"n,- into one scheme for the sake of spend- ing money foolishly before having overcome all difficulties of the last. Nor did he believe in standing unnecessarily still. (Hear, hear.) He believed in endeavouring to think out a real good, solid scheme, and when it was considered to be the best and the most feasible, not to cleave a stone unturned until it was accomplish- ed. (Applause. 1 Rhvl at the present time re- quired something exceptional from its repre- sentatives, and the sooner the better they and the town realised that they must rely more upon Hon. Secretary MR. T. G. HUMPHREYS, COLWYN BAY. their own personal endeavours rather than pend upon the irritating, flowery promises of company promoters, who did not seem to have the confidence (;f their own recommendations, by supporting them with their own capital in a reasonable way before ;>oiv»g to the British pub- lic, the (better it would be for the town. Confi- dence was a power of great delicacy, yet it was withal powerful, sweeping away predictions of disaster, drawing to its side and support the cultured, learned and gifted of the best in the world, to make the heart, the mind, and the eye pleasant in witnessing the success of its en- deavours. Take Rhyl at the present time. What were they as a Council reallv doing beside ad- ministering what they were in the ordinary course responsible for He was of the opinion that if they as a Council were unable at present to bring forward a definite scheme they should still endeavour to do so, and if necessary ad- opt means of tapping the minds of the rate- payers generally. For it was quite possible that a divided responsibility was no responsibility for which the ratepayers were depending upon. (Hear, hear.) A Council who may be dormant was wasting time in the immediate present. (Hear, hear.) He repeated what he had had the pleasure of before stating, that he was pleased that they had in Rhyl a number of commercial