The County Echo

Lifeboat Institution. The following is a list of the subscriptions received for 1908 by the hon. secretary of the Fishguard Branch (Mr W J Vaughan):-Capt. W Bewan 5s, Mr J C Bowen 5s, Earl Cawdor 22 2S, Rev. W Evans, 5s, Capt. Titus Evans 5s, Messrs Eaton Evans and Williams 105 6d, Capt. John Howells, 5s, Mr E D Jones, J.P. 21 Is, Mr F Jolly, 10s, Mr V J G Johns 5s, Capt. W Lewis 5s, Rev. Lincoln Lewis$s,W4.r Nicholls (chief officer of coastguards) 5s, Col. Porter, J.P. 21 Is, Capt. Sharp 5s, Mr W J Vaughan 5s, Mr W T Walters 5s sums under 5s, 98 2s gd. Donations:—Amount received from Capt. Sharp, being amount collected by Capt. Thos. Williams on board the ss. St David, 24 13s. Amount received from Capt. Sharp, being amount in collection box on board the ss. Pem- broke, 3s. Amount received from the Rev. Isaac Jones, being moiety of offertory at Granston Church, IOS. Amount received from Rev. Henry Miles, being offertory at Llanstinan Church, 10s. Amount received from Capt. Thomas Will- iams, being collection made by him from offi- cers and crew of ss. St. Andrew, 91 10s. Amount received from Capt. C A Watkins, being collection made by him from officers and crew of ss. St. Patrick, £1 lis 6d. Amount received from Mr James Evans,being offertory at Rhpsycaerau Chapel, 10s. Contribution boxes Commercial Hotel, Fishguard, gs Ship and Anchor Inn, Fish- guard, 15s; Cartref Refreshment Rooms, Fish- guard, 10s boxes under 5s, 5s 7d. Total donations, XII 7s id; total subscrip- tions, E16 7s 3d. Grand total, £ 27 14s 4d.

BIRTHS. March 30th, at Dyffryn, Goodwick, the wife of Mr B James, of a daughter. April 1st, at Dyffryn, Goodwick, the wife of Mr A. Caduggan, of a daughter. March 28th, at Goqdwick, the wife of Mr W Thomas, of a daughter. April 5th, at Dyffryn, Goodwick, the wife of Mr O'Donald, of a daughter. April 13th, at the Boot Stores, Goodwick, the wife of Mr W. J. Davies, of a son. April 2nd, at Wallis-sireet, Fishguard, the wife of Mr David Evans (carpenter), of a daughter. DEATHS. April gth, at Valley Fach, Croesgoch, Mr David Mathias, aged 84 years. j

ENTRE NOUS. The excitement generated by the Fishguard elections has evaporated with a rapidity second only to that which characterised its rise. How far the general public regards the matter in a serious light is somewhat problem- atic, but it is to be feared that the average local voter views the exercise of the franchise as an opportunity of demonstrating the value of his friendship, rather than as an act invol- ving grave responsibilities to the corporate community of which he is but an infinitesim- al part. It is a strange fact that, where a man's pocket is directly concerned, lie will institute the most searching enquiries ere en- trusting its care to any individual; whereas when he is dealing with public funds to which he is an unwilling contributor, the chief factor which enters into his consideration is his personal like or dislike for those who are candidates for office. 0 ? is Far be it from me to cast any reflection upon those whom he has favoured with his support my sole object is to point the moral. No one will gainsay that the gentlemen who were last week elected to either the Urban Council or the Board of Guardians are em- inently fitted for their respective posts, but it is equally true that, during the heat of the contest, one seldom heard any references to a candidate's qualifications; it was his person- ality that was almost invariably discussed. i;: ¡: i¡ It is an unfortunate, but inevitable, result of all elections, that, to place a good man upon any public body, it is necessary—failing a vacancy—to dispense with the services of an old servant. Sometimes circumstances arise which render such a change in public representation a subject for congratulation rather than for regret, but too often is it the case that, through no fault of its own, the public appears to have been guilty of in- gratitude to one who has served it faithfully in the past, and against whom no complaint has ever been uttered. So is it on this' occasion the Council has gained three new members, each of whom bids fair to justify the con- fidence which has been reposed in him but it has also lost two others with whose ex- perience it can ill afford to dispence. ? ? ? w Capt. TITUS EVANS is a veteran amongst local administrators, has done good service for his native town and at one time filled the chair of the late Parish Council. Mr J. C. YORKE, J.P., is a man with wide experience —both Home and Colonial—of executive machinery, and endowed with a shrewd common-sense which has frequently assisted the Council to arrive promptly at a sensible decision. Their loss to the Council is sincere- ly to be regretted, and I, for one, trust tnat it will prove to be but temporary in its dura- tion. The suggestion that one or other of them should be co-opted as Chairman for the j ensuing munical year would be a graceful tribute towards their worth, but I am con- vinced that neither would be willing to accept a position offered on the principle of robbing Peter to pay Paul. "0 The three new members are all good men, and I shall watch with interest the effect which their election will have upon the deli- berations of the Council. Mr WALTER J. VAUGHAN is no stranger either to office or to that authority. I understand that Fishguard's new Guard- ian regards the responsibilities of his office in a serious light, and that it is his intention to personally investigate all present and future cases of persons receiving relief in the parish of Fishguard North. The idea is an eminent- ly sensible one, and Mr RICHARDS is to be congratulated upon having conceived so valu- able a precedent. ? -w ? $- If my memory serve me rightly the condi- tions upon which the Urban Council permits tipping upon Penslade are that the spot shall be chosen by the Surveyor, and that all matter so deposited shall be tidily levelled and banked. For some reason this latter pro- vision is now being ignored, with the result that considerable disfigurement is being effected. Steps should immediately be taken to ensure the remedy of this state of affairs as, otherwise, the Council may, at some future date, find itself compelled for aesthetic reasons to execute the work at its own expense. < ? ? ? On Maundy Thursday, fortified by an ex- cellent dinner, I went a-trespassing. My ob- ject was not the pursuit of game, for I sadly fear that I should be unable to distinguish a hare from a rabbit, or a pheasant from a partridge, but rather to obtain views of the two harbours from unusual quarters. Un- daunted by an impertinent bird perched aloft, which persistently advised me to Take care take care! take care!" I forced my way through the brambles and budding gorse which protect the slopes of Saddle Point up to the look-out station upon the summit, pro- ceeding thence by the coastguard track of white-washed stones for some distance, and ultimately skirting the cliffs until I reached the French Walk. It was irresistibly borne in upon me that, in failing to develop this valuable natural asset, the local community is pursuing an exceedingly short sighted policy. Beautiful as is Penslade, it is none the less a cul-de-sac, and visitors invariably express surprise and regret when confronted with the dead-end. The desirability of con- tinuing the right of way around the headland until it unites with the French Walk must be patent to all, and I sincerely hope that the date is not far distant when steps with that object in view will be taken by either the Council or some body acting on behalf of the community as a whole. To purchase land sufficient for the purpose might prove too ex- pensive an undertaking, but I should imagine that, if properly approached, the owner or owners of the estate would be willing to grant at a nominal rent permission to construct a pathway which would enable visitors and residents to make the entire circuit. At the least the project is one which might be essay- ed, and I commend it to the consideration of such of the townspeople who are endowed with public spirit, if only for the reason that it would immeasurably enhance the attractive- ness and reputation of the locality as a water- ing place. I have hitherto regarded the much-malign- ed War Office rather in the light of a dog with a bad name," but its latest display of logical acumen has proved too strong for even my charitable disposition. The fact that Pembrokeshire is unable to maintain at full strength its four Territorial eowpanies of Royal Garrison Artillery has caused consider- able perturbation amongst the wiseacres of Whitehall, who, after mature deliberation, have evolved a remedy so simple that it is astounding that it had not already appealed to the members of the County Association. Briefly; the idea is that, what the county as a whole, with the aid of Milford, is unable to accomplish, will be easily achieved if Milford be left to her own unaided devices. It is suggested that the companies at Fishguard and Saundersfoot should be disbanded, and that three, instead of two, should be concen- trated in the neighbourhood of the Haven port! ? s What a pity it is that a few of these bureaucrats, who are bred in an aroma of tubes, taxis and trams, cannot be compulsor- ily transplanted into a mountainous area where towns have position but no magni- tude," and are few and far between, whilst means of inter. communication are as yet in their infancy Presumably the theory is that the members of the disbanded companies would be merged in the new ones established at Milford, and, were Pembrokeshire London, there would be no insuperable difficulty in the way of this being carried into effect. Unfortunately, however, for the success of this brilliantly-conceived scheme, the Premier County bears about as much resemblance to the Metropolis as Pekin does to New York. It is not, therefore, surprising that it has been decided to inform the War Office that no ad- vantage* would be 'gained by the change, and that the formation of three companies at Milford is impracticable—an exceedingly polite way of phrasing it! ? '? iiio i; It is a remarkable fact that the number of men who realise that beauty in nature is a relative term is exceedingly small. Seated on Pentour on Good Friday morning I over- heard an enthusiastic visitor commenting upon the charming spectacle presented by the Gwaun Valley as it lay mapped out below and fading away in the mountainous dis- j—=* tance..His euloguims were certainly merited, but I could not forebear a covertsmite when he remarked that, though some people prais- ed inordinately the Thames Valley, it was not, in his estimation, comparable with that of the Gwaun. This estimable gentleman would not for a moment have attempted to establish a comparison between a seascape by Turner and a painting of the Pre-Raphaelite School, yet he saw nothing incongruos in con trasting the sylvan beauties of Father Thames with the rugged glory of the mountain pass which gave to Fishguard her first name.

GOODWICK Rhosycaerau. We would remind our readers of the Eisteddfod to be held at Rhosy- caerau on Friday next. The entries are very numerous and keen competition is anticipated Irish Mail Statistics.—In the estimates of the Post Office for the ensuing financial year appears amongst the payment for packet ser- vices in the United Kingdom a sum of £ 600 in respect to Fishguard and Rosslare (includ- ing conveyance by railway in England and Ireland), which was not included in the 1908-9 estimates. It is interesting to note that for the Holyhead and Kingston general service the Government pays £ 98,000 for the Holy- head North Wall (outward American mails on Saturday) £ 4,600; Holyhead-North Wall (special packets, homeward American mails) £ 660 and Holyhead North Wall (supplemen- tal Irish night mail} £ 700. With the excep- tion of 213,000 for America, and £ 310,000 for Asia and Australia, the Holyhead packet charges are the heaviest that the Post Office 0 have to meet. Dinner.—A dinner promoted by the G.W.R. Loco' Department, to which about forty sat down, was served in the Rose and Crown Hotel on Good Friday evening. Irish Cream.— The importation of cream from the Emerald Isle commenced for the sea- son on Tuesday of last week, and is increasing daily. The consignments are conveyed by the morning turbine from Rosslare. Breakdown.—The 3.25 a.m. train on Good Friday left the Harbour Station with a very heavy load which necessitated the employment of two engines. When about a mile and a half beyond Goodwick, the cylinder cover of the second locomotive broke. After some delay the train was taken back as far as Good- wick, which was reached at 4.50. Here a fresh engine was brought out of the loco' shed, and the journey was resumed at 5.10, after a delay of 22 minutes. Holiday Traffic.-On Thursday morning a special relief train arrived at the Harbour from Cardiff, and subsequently no less than 390 passengers crossed to Rosslare aboard-the 'St George,' The number carried on Good Friday morning was 252. Traffic that day was conducted on the lines prevalent on Sun- days, the carge from Rosslare being conveyed by the Pembroke,' which arrived during the course of the afternoon. The traffic returns for the holidays show an increase all round over the figures of the corresponding period of last year. Booth BJat.- The s.s. Anthony is due to call at uie Harbour on the 23rd inst. Obituary.—We regret to have to record the demise, which took place early on Sunday morning at Goedwig Villas, of Mrs Bewan, wife of Capt Bewan, and a lady who had devoted a considerable portion of her life to the furtherance of good works, in which task she was always to the fore. Holidays.—The bulk of the Marine Office staff had leave of absence from Thursday to Monday. Personal.—We regret to learn that Nurse Bowen, daughter of Mr and Mrs Gwynne Bowen, Goodwick, has been suffering from scarlet fever for the last month, but we are pleased to say that she is now gradually recovering, and is expected home shortly.— We also regret to have to report the serious indisposition of Mr G. Davies, of Dyffryn. He has now been ailing for about two years. We sincerely wish him an early recovery. April Hay.—The unusual spectacle of newly-dried hay in April was to be witnessed at Drim on Saturday, the phenomena being attributable to the combined efforts of the steam navvy in the adjacent cutting and of the exceptionally warm weather prevalent during the latter days of the week. Vestry.—In another column will be found a report of the annual vestry meeting, which took place on Monday evening. Shooting.—Mr J Hughes, of Goodwick, secured third prize out of eighteen competi- tors in the novice class at a clay-pigeon shooting competition held under the auspices of the Haverfordwest Gun Club on Thursday. -At St Davids on Bank Holiday, in a simi- lar competition, Mr Hughes won the second prize in the sweepstake, for which there were 14 entries, and the second in the novice class which comprised 19 competitors; Mr J R Davies, Hope and Anchor securing third prize in the latter connection. Mr H Petty was third in the open class (16 competitors) for a silver cup valued at £ 2 2s; whilst Messrs A Williams and Jack Griffiths were second and third respectively in the second sweepstake in which 24 guns competed. A Prolonged Holiday.—Operations in the Construction Department, both at the Har- bour and at Manorowen, were suspended from one o'clock on Thursday afternoon until 6 o'clock this (Wednesday) morning. Sir Hugh Owen.—The funeral of the late Sir Hugh Owen, Bart., is separately reported elsewhere in this issue. Liner.—A Liverpool liner outward bound for the Antipodes entered the Harbour on Monday night for the purpose of dropping her pilot. Manorowen.—This Church was beautifully decorated for Easter Sunday as usual. The following ladies most kindly took part-Mrs Colonel Porter, the Misses Yorke, assisted by Miss Williams, Mrs Nicholas, Miss Davies (Scleddy), Miss H Williams, Mr Browne, and others. The services on Sunday were at 11 a.m. and also at 6 p.m. Cantata.— A very successful rendering of the cantata entitled Lion of Judah" was given in the English Congregational Church on the evening of Good Friday, the proceeds being devoted to the Building Fund con- nected with that place of worship. Mr T Fairhurst efficiently conducted and Miss Ruby Davies ably accompanied, solos being con- tributed by Messrs Titus Jones, W Rees, and Blackburne, the last-named being on the violin. Drunkenness.— At the Lock-up House, Fishguard, on Monday last, before Dr. J M Owen and Mr T G Bennett, Patrick Fitzsimons, of Goodwick, was charged in custody for having been drunk and disorderly at Goodwick on Saturday night. Prisoner pleaded guilty.-P.S. Lewis stated that on Saturday last he saw the prisoner drunk and disorderly in Goodwick. He was making use of very obscene language. He was taken away towards his lodgings, shouting and swearing and struggling to get free. A large crowd collected and the prisoner got free and he was then arrested and locked up at Fish- guard Polic6 Station. While on the ground arresting the prisoner, he found an open knife in his right hand. He wrenched it out of his grip, and while doing so he had a cut about an inch long on his left hand, but the prison- er did not attempt to use the knife on him. The cut was done while taking the knife from him.—Prisoner had no questions to ask.— He was fined 5s and 5s costs, in all 10s, which was paid. Eisteddfod.—The Fishguard Harbour Choir, under the baton of Mr James Owen, carried off the Male Voice trophy at the Rechabites' Eisteddfod at Fishguard pn Bank Holiday. St Peter's Church.—The Easter services at the above Church were as follows :—Celebra- tion of Holy Communion at 8.30 a.m. when the Vicar assisted by the Rev J Jenkins (curate), celebrated. At 11 o'clock, there was morning service and a celebra tion of the Holy Communion when the Vicar again celebrated, and the Rev F Jones occupied the pulpit. In the afternoon there was an egg and flower service, which proved very successful. In the evening the Church was very full and the service was very bright and helpful. The choir, under the conductorship of Mr Drake, gave a splendid rendering of the anthem. The Church was most tastefully decorated for the occasion by the following ladies :—Mrs Lincoln Lewis, Mrs Edwardes, Mrs Davies, Miss Bowen, The Misses Gray, &c., who supplied flowers. The following ladies sent contributions of llowers also Mrs Hastings, Mrs Gray, and Mrs Moneypenny.

I dwell in the palace and mansion, My name's on the lips of the Royal, I am crowned with a million laurels By the hard-worn sons of toil; I am hailed with a spirit of gladness In the homes of rich and poor For I'm known to the nations for ever As Woods' Great Peppermint Cure, )