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ABERYSTWYTH TOWN COUNCIL.
ABERYSTWYTH TOWN COUNCIL. TUESDAY. Present: Councillor R J Jones (Mayor) presiding, Aldermen E P Wynne (ex-Mayer), Peter Jones, and W H Palmer, Couucillers C M Williams, W Thomas, T J Samuel, J T Davies, R Peake, and It Doughton, with Mr A J Hughes (Town Clerk), Mr C Massey (Deputy Town Clerk), Mr H L Evans (Accountant), and Mr Rees Jones (Surveyor). CANADA. A long letter from Lord Strathcona, High Com- Eiissioner of Canada, was read by the Town Clerk. His Lordship pointed out the advantages of Canada as a home for emigrants from these islands, and Mentioned among other things that free grants of 160 acres of land were granted to all males of 18 years of age. S. P. C. A. BRANCH. A letter was read from Mrs Phillips, president, and Miss Trubshaw, secretary of the branch of the S.P.C.A., asking the Corporation to support them by a subscription, so that an inspector could be retained in the town for two months of the season. -Referred to the Finance Committee. YEOMANRY. A letter was read from Mr J C Harford, of Fal- condale, Lampeter, captain of the new Yeomanry Company, asking the Council to rent the Company a field fcr exercise from now until the end of May. -Councillor Peake understood that the Flats Would be suitable, and the letter was referred to the Public Works Committee with power to act. BOARD SCHOOL PREMISES. A letter was read from Mr Roberts, clerk to the School Board, asking the Council to supply them with enough concrete slabs to form a pathway from the school door across the playground.— Councillor W Thomas explained that after great difficulty be had at last secured the services of a labourer who was putting the ground in order.-In reply to the Mayor, the Surveyor said there were plenty of slabs in hand, and the Council allowed the application. HARBOUR COMMITTEE. Councillor R Donghton presented the report of this committee which was as follows :-A letter was read from the secretary of the Aberystwyth Steam- ship Co., enclosing a bill for X2 23 for damages sustained by the s.s. Countess of Liaburne through the alleged defective state of the discharging berth at the harbour. A claim amounting to £110" was also pubmitted by Capt Thomas Daniel for a grappling chain lost in connection with the Queen Bee disaster. Both claims were d eferred pending tartber information.-The report was adopted. PUBLIC WORKS COMMITTEE. Alderman Peter Jones presented the report of this committee which was as follows An applica- tion was made by Mr Weller for permission to e seed, etc., at a sum not exceeding £ 5. for the ^n' at>d £ 1 for the Cemetery. Your Committee i th0 application be granted. Read if anvl/™ Hugh Hughes asking the Council workhnnaf °v! were to break out in the of the Isolation Hos'pSr™!? S a"OWed tb V86 Commi) f0„ -o-ospital and the terms. Your accommodaSnow a^th^d-40 miffpo "e disposal of tke com- reaupo'f c^nnofc at present accede to the Evano n ,T\, a Jefcter from Mr John HouJ °nlbeba °t, Mra M«rgans, of Moreb Mouse asking the Council to reconsider the plans adopted by the Council at their last meet- i solution, was moved in the matter. Jone8's property at the corner of North parade and Terrace road, were approved of subject to the removal of the w.c. from the site shown on plan to a site to be selected bv the JH.ougn surveyor. The plans of the proposed new niidmgs to be erected by the Misses Morris, of ei oo Hotel, in Bath street, were considered, Your committee recommend that the borough sur- veyor be asked to consult all parties concerned, and report to the next meeting of the Council. Your Committee recommend that the plan prepared by the borough surveyor, and showing a deviation of sixteen feet mid-distant between bastion 4 and & of the Promenade extension be approved of. Your Committee recommend that the borough surveyor be authorised to purchase a steam crane. Your committee recommend that the plan prepared by the Borough Surveyor for the completion of the vacant space between the promenade extension of South Marine terrace, be approved of. Your com- mittee recommend that the Town Clerk be in- structed to apply to the Cambrian Railways Com- pany for permission to erect an urinal near the Railway Station, on the vacant piece of land, and owned by the Railway Company. Your committee recommend that the following members be appointed a sub-committee to examine the reports of the Medical Officer of Health and Inspector of Nuisance, and report to {the Public Works Com- mittee Councillors G F Roberts, Robert Doughton, Thomas E Salmon, T J Samuel, and the Mayor. That the Surveyor be in- structed to forthwith have the boats removed from off the Promenade on to the Beach.- In reference to the proposed new buildings to be erected by the Misses Morris, of the Waterloo Hotel, the Surveyor reported that the parties con- cerned had not arrived at an agreement, and said he -was unable to present his report that day. He bad been to Leeds to see about a steam crane and, having chosen two, called in Mr Metcalf who kindly assisted in the final selection, and he had ordered one costing £310, which would be down in a week or nine days.—CounciHor Williams You will now be able to carry out the work of extending the Promenade with greater speed than hitherto ? -The Surveyor: Oh, yes.-Councillor Doughton a? 3 1 proposed to proceed with the com- p e ion o the vacant space between the Promenade extension of South Marine terrace at once.—The Mayor: Yes.-Councillor Doughton I question if it would be advisable until we have completed the larger work. I also think a slipway should be constructed on the front in order to expedite the clearing away of the sea weed, the odour from which in the warm weather was objectionable to the visitors. Councillor C M Williams presumed that this extra work would be covered by a supple- mental loan and that it was not proposed to pay for it out of revenue.—Alderman Jones replied that the work would be covered by such a loan and perhaps they might include in the loan the cost of a slipway as suggested by Mr Doughton.- In reply to the Mayor the Borough Surveyor said that the majority of boats had been taken off the Promenade.—Councillor J T Davies asked when it was intended to pave the side walk,in front of the new houses in Queen's Road.—The Surveyor said that he would report upon it to the next meeting of the Committee.—The whole of the report was then adopted. FINANCE COMMITTEE. The ex-Mayor presented the report of the Finance Committee, which recommended for payment bills of labour sheets, etc., amounting to X534 98 Id. The application of Mr Nelson Nelson for the renewal of the lease of No. 39, Portland street, was considered, and your committee recommended that the same be granted. Your committee recommend that a record be taken daily of the electric current passing through the recorder. Your committee instructed the Town Clerk to inquire into the question of the arrangement with reference to a supply of gas for the Cemetery Lodge. The application of Mr L Morgan for compensation for the accident he had met with was considered and deferred. Your com- mittee recommend that Messrs Daniel, Son and Meredith be instructed to value the freehold of the site applied for by the trustees of Salem Chapel.— Councillor W Thomas said that he wished to point out that a meeting of the Public Lights Committee had not been held since November, and he did not think that was as it should be. They were charged £ 8 2s 6d a quarter for the town clock and during the day the gas was left burning and some report ought to be made on this point. Three or four years ago the amount was only half this sum-Councillor Dougbton Sometimes it was more than double.- Councillor Thomas: There was a large escape then. Take again the general lighting of the town. My own impression is that it is badly lighted. Take again the electric light; under the first arrange- ment the light was to be turned on after sunset Councillor Peake: An hour after sunset.—Coun- cillor Thomas: At sunset.—Councillor Peake No; an hour after words. -Councillor Thomas But now it is quite dark before the light is on.—Alderman Peter Jones said that an hour after sunset was the usual thing every where.—Councillor Thomas added that the contract with the Company had come to an end 12 months ago and he hoped when a new contract was made that arrangements would also be made for lighting up at suasent. In future he would protest i1 at any bills should be paid which which were no: examined and passed through the usual channels.—Councillor R Peake, chairman of the Public Lights Committee, said the charges for gas and electric light were fixed charges per lamp and the accounts were always certified by the sur- veyor. If they thought that as chairman of the committee he was going to do the work they were mistaken. With regard to the alleged large con- sumption of gas in the clock tower it ought to be reported to the surveyor who would then take the necessary steps to have it rectified. The agree- ment with the Electric Company was a reasonable one, and as for calling a meeting together he did not see what there was to do because the scheme decided upon by the committee three months ago had not been completed.-Alderman Palmer: I think Councillor Peake had better have kept quiet. If I :were chairman of a committee I should attend to the work and take the respons- ibility upon myself of seeing that it was done (hear, hear). Very often men have been appointed merely for the honour of being chairman of the committees, and I have seen it in many cases. When a man is appointed chairman he ought to do the work.— Councillor R Donghton said that by going inside the town clock he had gone to the root of the matter and found that the lights were very small in the day t'me and that the glass magnified them.- Councillor Samuel pointed out that the standing orders insisted upon the com- mittee meeting once a month.—Alderman Jones reminded the Council that an arrangement had now been made whereby a reading of the indicator would be taken every day.—Councilor W Thomas I hope yon will not lose sight of the fact that the contract has expired twelve months ago.— The Mayor Perhaps the chairman will call a meeting. —Councillor Thomas i If he won't I hope you will. -Alderman Palmer protested against the sale of any town property as was suggested in the report of the committee, for the time had come to follow out the principles of the man who made Abelystwyth- Joe Sheldon-ana whose motto was Lease but don't sell. But they had been selling what they had no right to sell even for a chapel, college or a library. It was all very well to say that the land was sold at market value, but supposing Joe Sheldon had sold land at market value in his days, where would the property of the town be that day ? If they sold the land of the town at its market value that day what would the people a hundred years hence think of them ? The Baptist Chapel had got a lease of 990 years. Was that fair ? Let them lease at the smallest rent if only £1 a year for 75 years but do not let them bind the hands of the children yet un- born. He would oppose every such proposal and he thought that it was the duty of every one in Aberystwyth to oppose the sale of even one yard of land.—Councillor C M Williams said that they would have to obtain the sanction of the Local Government before they could sell the land which invariably was disposed of at its full value, and the money invested for the town and a revenue in per- petuity secured.-The report of the committee was then passed, Alderman Palmer and Councillor Peake voting against the proposal to sell the land. THE COURTS AND ALLEYS. Councillor C M Williams moved the following resolution of which he had given notice :-That instructions be given to the borough surveyor to carry into effect the resolution of the Council passed on the 24th November. 1896, and 18th Dec- ember, 1900, with reference to the levelling, paving flagging, channelling, and lighting of the courts and alleys enumerated below, and for that purpose he be instructed to prepare the necessary plans and specifications forthwith :—Crynfryn buildings, Gateway buildings, Laurel court, Vulcan court, High street c; urt, Fountain court, Eagle court, Union court, Mill street court, White Horse court, Bridge End place, Lime lane, Trefechan, Castle lane, Trefechan, Harbour terrace, Trefechan, Spring gardens, Trefechan, Rose cottages, St John's build- ings, Trinity row, St David's place, Blue gardens. He said the work was really urgently needed and wonld not cost the ratepayers anything as the owners would have to refund.—Councillor Thomas seconded the proposal, but hoped that at least some of the courts would be closed.—Alderman Jones was of the same opinion- and suggested that the surveyor should bring in a report before they went on with the work.—Councillor Samuel was pre- pared to move this as an amendment, as Councillor Williams was not disposed to accept it.-It was eventaally agreed to proceed with Crynfryn Build- ings, Gateway Buildings, Laurel Court, High Street Court, Eagle Court, Union Court, and White Horse Court. THE POSTAL SERVICE. In accordance with notice of motion Councillor Williams moved the following:—That the Town Clerk be instructed to communicate with H.M. Postmaster-General calling his attention to the fact that no improvement has been effected in the postal arrangements, and to inquire when it is con- templated the promised improvementwill be effected. On January 29 he said a letter was received from the Postmaster-General saying that an improve- ment would be made but nothing had been done up to the present time, aud the delivery of the letters was as bad as ever. If there wns no improvement they would have to take it to the House of Commons.—Councillor It Doughton said that he get his letters in Bridge street at 7-30 a.m. —Councillor Williams On Monday morning per- haps.—Councillor Samuel seconded the motion but thought they should carry out their original intention and send a deputation up to London.— Councillor Williams: If the answer is not satis- factory we can move again.-Alderman Jones said that a new postmaster was appointed and they were hopeful of having some alteration. The proposal was then carried. CORRECTIONS. Referring to the ratepayers' meeting held last week Councillor Williams said that Mr R Fear said that the Town lost zE142 each year on the Market and slaughter house and Mr Rufus Williams asserted that the loss came to X176. He tbought it only right that the public should knn", the real facts. The total receipts for three y ars averaged £269 19s 2d and the expenditure X256 5s 4d, leaving a balance to the good of £13 13s 10d instead of a loss of £176. They had also been told that the acoounts of the workmen's dwellings was not correct and that £126 had been taken out of the rates. Now the facts were these. The work was began before the loan had come to hand and the money was taken out of the revenue account but put back so soon as the loan was received. But if they vvere to contradict;. e ve»vr tltin/zr _A in some quarters it would take the whole of the members of the Council all their time to requte these aimless charges. The Council then went into committee.
« PARLIAMENTARY.
« PARLIAMENTARY. A MANCHESTER BILL REJECTED. In the House of Commons Mr H C Smith (Tyneside) moved the rejection of the Manchester (Market street Area) Improvements Bill, which was down for second reading, on the ground that it was proposed to give to a private syndicate powers for the compulsory purchase of private property which ought only to be possessed by local bodies elected by the ratepayers. Mr J Reid (Greenock) seconded the motion. Sir J Fergusson, Mr Groves and Mr Platt-Higgins spoke in support of the bill, which was opposed by Mr Galloway, and rejected on a division by 179 votes to 102-majority 77. In the course of questions, Mr Brodrick stated that the trial of Kritzinger had been postponed, as the consideration of the evidence was not complete. THE CONDITION OF THE CLERGY. Saturday. In the House of Commons yesterday, Mr Hnmphreys-Owen asked the First Lord of the Treasury whether, in view of the poverty of a portion of the clergy, and the consequent need which prima facie existed of a revision of episcopal and other ecclesiastical incomes with a view of mitigating the gravity of the evil, he was willing either to move, or to assent to a Motion, for the immediate appointment of a Select Committee of the House to inquire generally iuto the existing endowments in the Church of England and methods of their more equitable readjustment, and into other schemes for the improvement of the pecuniary condition of the clergy and to report thereon without delay. Mr Balfour.-I entirely concur with what the hon. gentleman says about the condition of poverty of many of the clergy of the Church of England; but I cannot, at the present time, at all events, consent to his proposal for a Parliamentary Committee. I may remind him that the work of diminishing, this evil is being actively and efficiently carried on by the Ecclesiastical Com- missioners. If he will look at their last Report he will see that up to the present time 6,000 benefices have been endowed or augmented, and jS800,000 a year devoted by the Commissioners to that purpose out of their own funds. In addition, they have obtained from private benefactions the annual sum of JE220,000 also devoted to that purpose. I am further advised by the Commissioners that augmentations to the amount of nearly a quarter of a million of money are annually made by grants out of their common funds in necessitous cases. Mr Humphreys-Owen.—Is the right hon. gentleman aware that the Ecclesiastical Com missioners do not, as a rule, give augmentations to small livings where there are small populations, and that that work is left only to Queen Anne's Bounty? Mr Balfour.-I do not care to enter into a dis- cussion as to the work of the Ecclesiastical Com- missioners in answer to a question, nor do I feel qualified to do so without further notice; but I think that I have given a generaal indication of the nature of the work which they carry on.
MARTIAL LAW IN SOUTH AFRICA.
MARTIAL LAW IN SOUTH AFRICA. In the House of Lords on Monday, Earl Spenoer drew attention to the exercise of martial law in South Africa, and muved for a return giving certain particulars as to its operation. He referred to regulations which had been issued governing the conduct of courts-martial on previous occasions, and asked what regulations had been laid down in the present case. He quoted, figures to show the very large number of sentences passed by these courts during the past year, and said it was of the utmost importance to the high constitutional pri- vileges we had to maintain that the Government should give to Parliament a proper and clear rea- son for the exercise of martial law. He could not help thinking, he added, that the gigantic difficulties which must present themselves when the war was over would be very much increased by the harsh administration of martial law. Lord Coleridge supported the motion, and spoke of the question chiefly from a legal point of view. Martial law was being applied, he said, by the mere fiat of the Executive, and as such it was unknown to the Con- stitution and was prohibited by the great statutes that preserved English liberties. The Lord Chancellor (Lord Halsbury) replied. The question was, he said, whether they were at war or not. If it were once admitted that war existed he did not think there was the smallest doubt in the mind of any lawyer as to the pro- priety of using armed force and as to the dis- location of society to such a degree as to prevent the ordinary course of law from being followed. He condemned the motions for returns on this and other matters connected with the war as unreasonable and as hampering the Government in the conduct of the campaign. Lord Rosebery commented on the extraordinary attitude of the Government towards requests made for infor- mation, and remarked that if no questions were to be asked it was no use the House sitting. Lord Davey, in the course of a speech which was almost inaudible in the press gallery, said if Lord Halsbury thought that the fact that war was going in some places in a country justified the suspension of con- stitutional authority all over the country he did not agree with him. Lord Salisbury also spoke, and said that a srreat manv directions had been given with reference to the exercise of martial law, but it was quite impossible to produce them. Lord Spencer's motion was negatived without a division, but it was intimated that the Government would consider a motion for a portion only of the infor- mation asked for at a future sitting. The House then adjourned.
THE GOVERNMENT AND THE CONTRACT…
THE GOVERNMENT AND THE CONTRACT SYSTEM. In the House of Commons on Monday Sir H Campbell-Bannerman moved that a Select Com- mittee be appointed to inquire into all contracts and purchases made by or on behalf of the Govern- ment for His Majesty's forces in South Africa in respect of remounts, meat, forage, freights, and transport. Pointing out that the total expenditure, mak £ >3. th- n- iA..— the end of the next financial year amounted to over £120,000,000, he said that the contractor had done, was doing, and meant to go on doing well out of the war. He referred at considerable length to the scandals that had arisen in connection with the Remounts Department, to the large profits that were alleged to have been made by the Cold Storage Company on the meat contract, and to the remarkable recurrence of the name of the shipowners, Messrs Houlder Brothers, in con- nection with contracts for remounts, transport, and even meat, and urged that the Government would do well if they courted the earliest and fullest investigation of these matters. Mr Labouchere having spoken, Mr Brodrick said that the Government had nothing to fear from an inquiry. When it took place it would reveal nothing of which the Govern- ment had any cause to be ashamed. With regard to the monetary transactions of the war, he neither feared inquiry nor deprecated it; indeed he pressed for it and demanded it. The question between them was not a question of principle but a question of time, and he stated reasons why no Minister who was responsible for the conduct of a great war could possibly contemplate during its continuance an inquiry of the magnitude suggested. It was not alleged that any scandals had arisen which impaired the efficiency of the troops in the field, and he appealed to all members who desired this campaign to be satisfactorily carried through to support the Government, not in burking an inquiry for their own advantage, but in postponing it to a season when it could be properly carried through.—Mr Yoxall drew attention particularly to the relations of the officers of the Remounts Department and the firm of Messrs Houlder Brothers. Among others who supported the demand for an inquiry were Sir R T Reid, Mr C E Hobhouse, and Mr Lambert, while Mr Cochrane, Mr A H Lee, and Capt Seely opposed it. The debate was adjourned and the House rose at 12-5.
THE CONTRACTS' DEBATE.
THE CONTRACTS' DEBATE. GOVERNMENT MAJORITY 155. The debate on Sir H Campbell-Bannerman's motion was continued. Among those who supported the motion were Mr T P O'Connor, Mr M'Kenna, Mr E Robertson, and Mr Dillon. Lord Stanley took the responsibility for having recommended the acceptance by the War Office of Mr Bergl's tender for the meat contract, and said that when the full and complete inquiry into the contracts was held after the war was over they might find that there had been mistakes, but he would stake his life there had been no fraud. Lord Balcarres, who also opposed the motion, warned Mr Brodrick that if he was inclined to give way to the Opposition in the matter there were mem- bers behind him who would attempt to thwart him. Mr F W Lambton twitted the Liberal Imperialists on their silence in the debate. Mr Asquith sup- ported the motion, and said that if inquiry was to be effective it had to be prompt. The choice was between inquiry now or no inquiry at all. Mr Bal- four said the kernel of the question was, did they think it right to have inquiry, the desirability ot which nobody disputed, at the present moment, or were they to defer it to the end of the war ? An inquiry now would be worth a reinforce. ment of 5,000 men to the enemy. He urged the House to regret the motion as one that imposed an undue burden on the war authorities and that would set a bad precedent for the future. On a division the motion was rejected by 346 votes to 191. THE EASTERN QUESTION. In the House of Lords on Tuesday the Earl of Portsmouth raised the question of the Government's change of policy regarding Wei-Hai-Wei, and Lord Goschen, who was First Lord of tha Admiralty when the place was taken over, and Lord Selborne, the present First Lord, spoke, the latter explaining the reasons which had led to the reversal of the former Board's decision. Earl Spencer commented on the seriousness of the difference of opinion between the two Boards, and said he was afraid this was one of the instances in which action bad been taken without due foresight. On the motion of Lord Spencer a return was ordered relating to the cases of civilian subjects tried by courts-martial in South Africa, and the House then adjourned.
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