Towyn-on-Sea and Merioneth County Times

THE DEFENCE OF LADYSMITH. BRITISH CASUALTIES IN SATURDAY'S^ FIGHTING. The War Office have just issued the following War Office announcement: That 135 were killed and 244 wounded at Ladysmith on Saturday. DIED OF FEVER. The War Office announce that Gunner H Cory, 53rd Battery Royal Field Artillery, died yesterday at the Base Hospital of enteric fever. WOUNDED PRISONERS VT PRETORIA. The General of Communications, Natal, telegraphs to the Secretary of State for War the information furnished by the Identity Department Red Cross Society, Pretoria, that 29 non-commissioned officers and privates are wounded prisoners in the Pretoria hospital on the racecourse.

EARL OF AVA KILLED. The Central News regrets to learn that the Earl of Ava, eldest son of the Marquis of Dufferin, died in Ladysmith yesterday from severe wounds re- ceived in Saturday's fighting.

OPENING OF PARLIAMENT. The Royal Proclamation summoning Parliament to meet on the 30th for the despatch of divers urgent and important events is published in to- night's Gazette.

THE SEIZURE OF GERMAN VESSELS. BERLIN, Friday evening. At the request of the Minister for Foreign Affairs all resolutions respecting the seizure of German vessels by British warships have been postponed.

CASUALTIES AMONG THE OFFICERS. The War Office has, yesterday afternoon, pub- lished a list of casualties amongst the officers in last Saturday's engagement at Ladysmith. It gives 11 officers killed, and 27 wounded. Amongst the killed are Major R S Bowen, Major D Mackworth, Major Milner, Major Wallant, Captain Lafone, and Col Dick Cunyngham, V.C., the wounded officers include Lord Ava, Major Edwards, Majors Karn Davis, Doveton, Simpson, and Woods. All the wounded officers are doing well.

BULLER MOVING. A PRELIMINARY CAPTURE. ENEMY STRONGLY ENTRENCHED TO THE NORTH. General Buller yesterday telegraphed to the War Office: "Springfield, January 11, 9.20 p.m.-Occupied south bank of Tugela Tat Potgieter's Drift this morning, and seized pont. River in flood enemy strongly entrenched about four and a half miles to the north

A TURNING OPERATION. Potgeiter's Drift, where General Buller has seized the south bank of the Tugela, is fifteen miles to the west of Colenso, and Springfield, whence the message is sent, lies south of the drift. It is believed to be a turning movement, which will avoid the Boers' main fortifications, and should give the British the command of the river. The northern banks here are very stepp and rocky, but beyond them there are good roads direct to Lady- smith.

(FREE STATERS ACTIVE. ENGLISHMEN COMPELLED TO FIGHT AGAINST TH Kill OWN COUNTRY. MASENS, Monday. — The Free State Boers are now making a final effort to get every available man to the front. Not content with getting old and unwilling men, they are sending forward Englishmen, who had consented to defend the Basutoland border, but who had been assured that they would never be compelled to fight against their own countrymen. Many have escaped and fled into Basutoland which is now full of refugees.

BOER ATTACK REPELLED WITH THE BAYONET. A DARING RECONNAISSANCE. NAAUWPOORT, Saturday. A large number of Boers to-day approached our right, coming to within 1,000 yards of Col Porter's camp at Slingersfontein. They rested themselves content with the dis- charge of a few rounds, and retired directly we opened fire upon them. The entire Boer force in front of us shows signs of extreme restlessness. The enemy are apparently apprehensive of the tactics of General French, and fear the development of movements to cut off their retreat. Many of the women and children are leaving L oles- berg and are being sent across the Free State bor- der, and from other evident signs in the Boer laagers it is certain that they regard a general re- tirement as possible and are preparing for it. Eighty-seven English prisoners captured in re- cent operations have been sent to Bloemfontein, but there are still 37 of our men who are wounded lying in the school at Colesberg. It is certain that the enemy in this district are almost without provisions. RENSBURG, Sunday. The shelling of the enemy's camps steadily con- tinues. One man of the Essex Regiment has been wounded while at a watering-place. Monday. It has been observed from a hill near Colesberg that all the Boer tents have been removed eastwards as a result of our shell fire. The Boers this morning attempted to take a hill occupied by a company of the Yorkshire Regiment and the New Zealanders, but were repulsed at the point of the bayonet with a loss of 21 killed and about 50 wounded. RENSBURG, Monday. A very important reconnaissance has just suc- cessfully concluded. A party consisting of cavalry, horse artillery, and mounted infantry, under Major Allenby, of the Inniskilling Dragoons, left here on Saturday. Our men bivouacked six miles west of Bastard's Nek, and on Sunday pioceeded so far as Colesberg Bridge over the Orange River, which, together with the adjoining laager, was shelled from aj distance of 500 yards. Boer reinforcements arriving, our troops retired. The enemy made an attack on the rear and flank of the little column, and then retired, but our troops escaped without a single casualty, arriving in camp this morning. It is thought that our unexpected move has compelled the Boers to withdraw their troops from their main position in order to cover the Colesberg waggon bridge. RENSBURG, Monday. By General French's orders a daring recon- naissance has just been successfully completed by Major Allenby, who, with a force of cavalry and artillery, has thoroughly explored the country be- tween the camp and the enemy's position on the Free State frontier. The little force penetrated as far as the waggon bridge on the Orange River. There they found the enemy's laager, and our guns at once opened fire at long range. The shells repeatedly burst in the enemy's position. The Boers, though in force, did little in the way of reply. They were evidently completely taken by surprise. Major Allenby, having obtained all the informa- tion he was sent to gather, returned safely to camp this afternoon without a single casualty.

A TERRIBLE STORY. DUBLIN FUSILIERS BURIED ALIVE BY BOERS. Sergeant T Jewiss, of the Royal Artillery, now with General Clery's field force, writing to his sister at Gravesend, says:- We have been here (Frere Camp) now nine days, but we expect to make an advance on Monday to Ladysmith, and from there then to Pretoria, old Kruger's capital. And the sooner the better. God help the Boers when our fellows do get a rub at them, for they are the most cruel men that you would dream of. They buried some of the Dublin Fusiliers alive, poor devils, because they were wounded, and the Dublins since they have been reinforced are like a lot of mad men, thirsting to get at the Boers. The other day a troop of cavalry went out reconnoitring and saw three of our troopers tied up to trees and each of them with 20 shots in them. To see some of the houses that the devils have looted is shocking. Doors smashed in, furniture and goods that they could not carry away they smashed to atoms. Our Brigade of Artillery has been in two battles since we have been out here -the battle of Estcourt and the battle of Mooi River—but no casualties on our side. With- out a doubt the Boers are good shots, but they can't stand cold steel. As soon as our troops are near enough to make a charge they are off as fast as their legs can carry them."

BOERS ILL-TREATED. PROTEST TO PRETORIA. CAPETOWN, January 13th. A fragment of the "Kimberley Advertiser," of December 2nd, just received, described the manner in which the Boer commanders persis'ently keep their rank and file in complete iguoraiK-e of what is going on and especially of their own losses in various battles. Boer prisoners brought into Kimberley agree in stating that the Boers in the field are prohibited even from visiting their comrades. The men of one laager are not allowed to wander to other camps even if they be adjacent to their own. On one of the prisoners was found a petition signed by a number of men of the Bloehof Com- mando addressed to the Executive Lt Pretoria complaining of the brutal treatment to which the men were subjected by their officers and requesting to be transferred to some other Commando. Mr Rhodes had presented a pipe and a pound of tobacco to each soldier in Kimberley.

WHAT KHAMA IS DOING. The Chief Khama, who was in England a few years ago, is well known and much respected in this country. Cape Times, writing about his con- duct during the present hostilities, say :—"Kh.ima is behaving splendidly, and is the only chief ia the Protectorate who is not afraid of the Boers. He has about 1,200 armed men on his border patroll- ing and doing intelligence work, a-id not a Boer dare show his face on the border. There was a scare here last week, and all the won eu were anxious to get off to Bulawayo at once, but he quieted them down and re-established order. Khama beard of it, and was quite insulted, saying he had had the English in his town many years, and had always looked after them well, and he hoped the women would not go away now, as no Boer would ever touch them as long as he or any of the men were left alive." Khama, it may added, quite despises the Southern Protectorate natives for doing nothing to help the English after enjoy- ing their protection for so many years.

THE NOBLE 24TH COLOURS DEPOSITED AT BRECON. The 2nd S.W.B. took leave of their historical colours at Aldershot on Tuesday morning. The Battalion was drawn up under the command of Lieut-Col Roche with an escort of 100 reservists with fixed bayonets. The colours were brought on parade cased, and were handed over to Capt and Adjt Grant, Lieut Riddell, Col Sergt Scott and Col. Sergt Griffiths, for conveyance to the Depot at Brecon. Escorted by a guard of honour and headed by the band and drums the colours were marched past the battalion on parade, and conveyed thence to the railway station. Hero the escort pre- sented arms as the colours were taken to the plat- form, and the band took up a position at their side. As the train came in that was to convey the colours to Brecon, the band played the Welsh National hymn," Land of my fathers," and as the train steamed out God save the Queen." The colours have a unique interest. They bear a silver wreath of immortelles, placed there by Her Majesty to commemorate the gallant efforts of Lieuts Melville and Coghill to save the colours after the disaster at Isandhl wana and the heroic defence of Rork's Drift in the Zulu war of 1879. THE STORY OF THE COLOURS. It is interesting to recall the brilliant acts of Lieutenant Melville and Lieutenant Coghill to save the colours of the regiment in South Africa on January 22nd, 1879, the day of the terrible attack of the Zulus on Isandhlwana Camp. Death was imminent when Lieutenant-Colonel Pulleine said to Lieutenant and Adjutant Melville, "You as senior subaltern will take the colours and make your way from here." Melville was accompanied by Lieutenant Coghill. The two brave officers rode hard for the Buffalo River hotly pursued by Zulus. They arrived at the river bank, but it was in flood. To hesitate, however, was to be lost. Accordingly they plunged their horses into the stream. Coghill successfully crossed, but Melville, who was greatly encumbered by the colours, got separated from his horse, and was washed against a large rock in mid-stream to which Lieutenant Tligginson, of the native regiment, was cling- ing. Melville called to Higginson to lay hold of the colours, but the current which was run- ning like a mill-r&ce, washed them both away. Coghill who had reached the opposite bank in safety, at once plunged his horse back into the stream and rode to their rescue. In the meantime the Zulus had gathered on the river bank and were mercilessly hurling assegais. Coghill's horse was killed and his rider left to swim for his life. After repeated but unsuccessful attempts to reach the colours the officers had to make for the shore, which they reached in a dreadfully exhausted state. They were within 20 yards of the top of the bank when the relentless Zulus, 20 to 1, came up with them. Placing themselves side by side against the rock, the gallant couple fought bravely, killing several of their pursuers; but even they could not hold out against overwhelming odds and at length were both killed. Their bodies were afterwards found side by side, surrounded by the bodies of dead Zulus. The colours were subsequently found in the river by a search party.

WHY THE POOR RATES ARE HIGH IN THE TOWYN PARISH. A SERIOUS MATTER FOR THE RATEPAYERS. SECOND ARTICLE. [SPECIALLY CONTRIBUTED.] The article which I contributed under the above heading in your last issue has created a great deal of favourable comment in the Towyn parish. I simply gave vent to what is known to some of our local public men as a scandal that should not be tolerated any longer." I notice that the Editor has taken a stand in opposition to my views. All I can say is, that he has undertaken to champion a very bad case, and one which will not bear the light of investigation. From the leading notes I quote We must bear in mind that the people who pay the rates derive no advantage from the presence of the poor in their districts. Why then should Llan- brynmair ratepayers be mulcted in a penalty in the shape of an advanced rate for something from which they derive no benefit?" Sir, it is not Llan- brynmair that is mulcted in an advanced rate but the Towyn parish, and against which we are groan- ing. To illustrate my meaning I will use a mathe- matical process. Take, for instance, that the Machynlleth Union asks for a sum of 2s in rates from the above two parishes. Not only does the Towyn parish pay the half (Is), but it has also to pay another 4d for the support of r/lanbrynmair, which therefore only pays 8d as against Is 4d from the Towyn parish. In other words, the Towyn parish contributes £ 799 and Llaubryninair £224, whilst the number of paupers in the former is 96 as against 54 in Llanbrynmair. The Towyn paupers receive less than is contributed by £ 291 16s, whilst Llanbrynmair gets £158 in excess of the sum con- tributed in rates. This I consider is an injustice which should be remedied with the greatest speed. I do not want any parish to be unfairly treated, but I am firmly convinced that the poor rate levied upon the ratepayers of Towyn parish is unreason- ably high. Our representatives should not fail to point this out to the guardians and thus relieve us by reducing our rates at the expense of increasing the calls from the other parishes. Of course, the representatives of the other parishes will allow the existing state of things to remain while the Towyn guardians continue inactive. But should our representatives be mute ? Let them awake to their duties and speak on behalf of those who elected them. I hope to be in a position soon to make some astounding statements in regard to the assessment of the different parishes. For the present suffice it is to say that the overseers for the Towyn parish have been seriously and grievously insulted by the Assessment Committee of the Machynlleth Union. I am given to understand that the overseers re- cently sent certain figures to the committee as fair assessment of certain properties, but when these figures were brought before the committee they were unceremoniously raised. The well-considered figures of the overseers should not be tampered with too cheaply by perhaps inexperienced mem- bers of even such an august body as the Assessment Committee. Let them not listen too often to those persons who may perhaps prefer to see the assess- ment increased rather than decreased. The time will be within the recollection of the reader when an enormously large number of ratepayers from Towyn and Aberdovey had to appear before the committee to appeal against the assessment, but with very unsatisfactory results. Will the repre- sentatives of this parish speak for or against the ratepayers when this matter again comes forward? I should like to draw the attention of all the Guardians in the Union to the annual returns of pauperism in North Wales. This shows that North Wales is improving as a whole, but the Machynlleth Union is a dark spot. The number of paupers in receipt of relief at the end of the year was 15,875 as against 16,939 in the corresponding period of the previous year. There is a decrease of 882 in the outdoor paupers and 182 111 the number of in- door. The ratio of paupers to the population is 3'4 in North Wales as against 3-1 for the whole of Wales and 2-3 for England and Wales. Would it not be reasonable to expect that in North Wales-where the population is thin and the people law-abiding— the ratio of paupers should be much lower than in England which is given to all kinds of vices which we in North Wales are supposed to know nothing about ? The facts are quite the reverse. The tabulated list of Unions showing the percentage of pauperism on the population puts Forden with the lowest percentage and Anglesey the highest. The cost per head in the Forden Union is 2s 3d, in Machynlleth 5s 4|d, in Llanfyllin 3s 6d, in New- 4 town and Llanidloes 4s lljd, and in Anglesey 6s 2id. In Machynlleth Union there has been an increase in the percentage of out-door paupers, while Dolgelley, Forden, Llanfyllin, and others show a decrease. The above figures show that the Guardians do not pay sufficient attention to the dis- tribution of out-relief and the necessary discrimina- tion in giving relief to deserving and undeserving cases. Next week I shall proceed to explain a scheme which I have thought out for rectifying this injustice. Maybe my views will not be participated in by all the ratepayers, and by some may not be considered feasible, but I am bound to say that many in these parts will not rest satisfied until a radical change has come over the present state of things. I have strong reasons to believe that our local members will have to act upon some of my suggestions or else they will be spared the trouble and expense of a visit to Machynlleth after the ex- piration of their term of office on the Board.

TOWYN AND PENNAL SCHOOL BOARD.—TUESDAY. Present: Rev R Jones, chairman, presiding, Mr E Rowlands, Pennal, vice-chairman; Rev R Davies, Mr W Jones and Mr Henry Evans, with Mr Ernest Richards (acting clerk), and Mr John Owen (school attendanse officer). ATTENDANCE. The report of the School Attendance Officer showed that the attendance of children at the schools had been interfered with on account of prevailing illness, otherwise the attendance waS satisfactory. TOWYN BOARD SCHOOL AND THE NECESSARY ALTERATIONS. The next matter was to consider the terms upon which Mr J Corbett was prepared to sell a site for an infants' school at Towyn. It was explained that Mr Corbett was prepared to sell a quarter of an acre of land close to the present Board School buildings for £30 10s.—The Board decided after some discussion to accept this offer.—Mrs Daniel, Brynhyfryd, declined to sell land. SETTLED. In view of the above decision it was considered unnecessary to consider the sanction of the Education Department to the proposed tem- porary arrangements at the Towyn School and to give instructions for the construction of a tem- porary cloakroom. It was decided to proceed at once with the construction of the new infants' school.—The Clerk was instructed to advertise for the best design of an infants' school to accommodate 120 children, cost not to exceed £ 500. The priz offered for the best design is C3 3s. PLAYGROUND Ar BKYNCRUG. It was reported that the Urban Council had come to terms with Mr Wynne as to the land at Bryn- crug, the price decided upon being £S. The Urban Council wore prepared to sell the land to the School Board for the same price.-It was decided to purchase it if it met with the approval of the Towyn members who are to inspect the place-the Hev It Jones, the Rev R Davies and Mr Henry Evans. ABKRDOVKY BOARD SCHOOL. The phins of the proposed addition to the Aber- dovey Board School were returned by the Local Government Board with three slight alterations.- The Clerk was instructed to have the necessary matters attended to by the architect, Mr J T BaspeLr., and to return them to the Local Govern- ment Board for their approval. PUMP AT PENNAL. After some discussion in regard to the construc- tion of a pump at Pennal, towards which the Board was expected to pay one-third, it was decided to adjourn the matter for a month.

SPECIAL SHOW OF INVITATION CARDS COUNTY TIMES OFFICES, WEliSH-POOL & ABERYSTWYTH Printed and Published by Samuel Salter and David Rowlands, at their Offices, 21, Berriew Street, Welshpool, in the County of Montgomery, and Rock View, Towyn, in the County of Merioneth. -Thursday, January 18, 19CO.