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THE CABINET. ---
LEASES, &C. An application by Mrs Margaret Jones, Graig- gocb, for a renewal of her property in Portland street was referred to the committee. — Wit;, reference to the granting of a Jnew lease to Messrs R. J. Jones and E. Evans, 18, 19 and 20, Prospect place, Marine terrace, the Town Clerk explained that the gentlemen named desired a separate lease for each boure and if the council acceded to this the conditions at the back of the lease as to re- building would not be complied with. He sug- gested that they should get an undertaking from thoce gentlemen in the matter. This was agreed to and the matter was referred back to the com- mittee.-Seals were fixed to leases for Miss Jukes in respect of 20, Terrace road Mr Nelson, 39, Portland street; and Miss Mary Hughes, 20, Pros. pect street. THE CIIANNELLINGS. IF Mr Daniel Thomas called attention to the fact that some footpaths were without channelling and that in other cases the channelling was useless.- Alderman Jones said that Mr J. Evans was sup. posed to report to the committee on these matters. -Mr C. M. Williams said there were troughings in Terrace road which were defective and one could not walk on the pavement in some places.—The Town Clerk said he would write to Mr Evans say- ing that the matter must be attended to. CONSIDERATION FOR VISITORS. Mr Charles Williams said complaints were made about the voise at the Quarry at the back of Victoria terrace. There were several parties stay- ing in the terrace and they should be considered. He asked whether the noise could not in some way be minimized. Complaints were made by those who were not in the habit of complaining;-Alder. man Jones: Perhaps it is getting infectious in the district.—The Borough Surveyor said that work at the quarry up to the present was not started until eight in the morning but the men worked later in the evening. Now they could not work late in the c.tr n™;njr tn fJHT-knosa setting in and the men had to start earlier in the morning. mmofoi, they did not start until seven o'clock. The council then went into committee with reference to the old Assembly Rooms and the Pendinas foot. paths. THE CABINET. APPOINTMENT OF MINISTERS. Six Ministerial appointments were announced on Monday night. Mr Austen Chamberlain succeeds Mr Ritchie as Chancellor of the Exchequer, the Hon. A. Lyttelton becomes Secretary of State for the Colonies in the place of Mr Chamberlain; Mr Arnold-Forster, Secretary to the Admiralty, is Trade Secretary of State for War; Mr Brodrick leaves the War Office and replaces Lord G. Hamilton as Secretary of State for India; Mr A. Graham Murray, Lord Advocate of Scotland, takes Lord Balfour of Burleigh's place as Secretary for Scotland, and Lord Stanley, Financial Secretary to the War Office, is Mr Austen Chamberlain's successor as Postmaster-General. Three elections are rendered necessary by these appointments, Mr Lyttelton vacating his seat at Warwick and Leam. ington, Mr Arnold-Forster his in West Belfast, and Lord Stanley his in the Westhoughton Division of Lancashire.
RESIGNATION OF THE DUKE OF…
RESIGNATION OF THE DUKE OF DEVONSHIRE. The Duke of Devonshire has resigned his position as Lord President of the Council. In his letter of resignation, dated October 2nd, and addressed to the Prime Minister, the Duke states that the speech delivered the previous night by Mr Balfour at Sheffield makes it no longer possible for him to remain a member of the Government. He had hoped to find in the address a definite statement of adherence to the principles of Free Trade as the ordinary basis of our Fiscal and commercial system, and an equally definite repudiation of the prinoiple of Protection in the interests of our national industries. But in their absense he could not help thinking thit such declarations as those made by Mr Balfour could not fail to have the effect of materially encourag- ing the advocates of direct Protection in the controversy which has been raised throughout the country, and of discouraging those who believe that our present system of free imports, and especially of food imports, is, on the whole, the most advantageous to the country. Mr Balfour, in replying to the Duke of Devon. shire, expresses his surprise at the step taken, and points out that, on September 16, he informed him of his resolve to remain in the Government, a decision preceded by much confidential corres- pondence, and much intimate. conversation. The Prime Minister adds that a decision arrived at after these preliminarieR, he had a right to consider final, and he certainlv go considered it. The Duke now told him that the principal occasion for his action was his speech delivered at Sheffield. In intention, the Prime Minister says, there was no doctrine in that speech which was not contained in his Dotes on Insular Free Trade and his published letter to Mr Chamberlain. The Duke feared that the Shef- field speech would aggravate Party division, but Mr Balfour remarks tkat if there is anything certain it is that the declaration of policy then made pro- duced, and is destined to produce, a greater harmony of opinion than has prevailed in the party since the fiscal question came to the front six months ago. He sees no difficulty in successfully carrying 11 out the policy which, for a fortnight, the Duke of Devonshire was ready to accept, by the help of the Administration which, for a fortnight, he aided him to construct.
--------HUNTING APPOINTMENTS.
HUNTING APPOINTMENTS. SIR W. WILLIAMS-WYNN'S HOUNDS WILL MEET ON Saturday, Oct. 10 Shavington At 8 30 a.m. Monday, Oct. 12.Wycbes Wednesday, Oct. 14.Colemere At 8 a.m. Friday, Oct. 16 Lordship (BaBchurcb) At 9-30 a.m. Saturday, Oct. 17 Mill Wood (Duke's Wood) At 8 a.m.
HOW TO PROMOTE TEMPERANCE…
HOW TO PROMOTE TEMPERANCE LEGISLATION. At the St. Asaph Diocesan Conference held at Welshpool on Wednesday and Thursday last week, Archdeacon Wynne Jones read the: following paper:—It is impossible to speak on a temperance question at this conference without a backward glance at the great event which marked our last meeting and a grateful memory of the archbishop who then pleaded the cause of temperance. To many of us his words brought a new inspiration. He rests from his labours, but the impulse he gave to temperance work is his abiding memorial among us. It has usually seemed peculiarly difficult to combine zeal with sanity in temperance advocacy, but he was as sane as he was earnest. He set be. fore us, I think, for his example the ideal attitude of the temperance reformer. I can wish nothiag better for to-day's discussion than that it may reflect this tone and temper. It is quite true that we have heard a good deal on the subject of temperance reform. But (a) the evil of intemperance is always with us, and it is not easy to see how we can cease toj-vvork for temperance until intemperance ceases to exist, (b) Public opinion is always advancing and changing its standpoint, so that the temperance ideals of one generation become the common places of the next. It is needful, therefore, to be always appealing to the conscience of the nation in its constant changes of growth to greater sensitive- ness. (c) Parliament is always legislating or talk- ing of legislating on temperance questions, and with each fresh statute, even with each new debate in the House of Commons, the position is modified and new conditions are set up. (d) Even in the existing law judicial decisions give a fresh interpretation and involve a new attitude. All this is proof that the choice of this subject for discussion was amply justified in spite of its familiarity. It is also true that the subject is an extremely wide one. We might with profit, per- haps. pursue it into all manner of distant Utopias. We might consider many interesting and ingenious (and sometimes impossible) ideas for national reform and we might with much advantage to ourselves try to appreciate some of the wise and statesman. like proposals which we hope may some day have the support of an educated public opinion. All this we might do—if we were here for a week- but since our time is limited to the latter part of an afternoon at the fag end of a tiring day, we shall be wise to set olose bounds to our subject. I would not remove one single ideal from the horizon of the temperance reformer, but for to-day I shall only try to deal with what is, within our reach. We will consider, therefore. Dot what were fair in lire, provided it coo d be, bvt finding first what may be, then find how to make it fair, up to our means." Leg:s5ation wl ( follow the demands of public opinion. Op'n'o-i follows education. No other sequence is possible. To obtain practical results, therefore, we mast now propose such legis- lation only as public oo'<ron is row educated to approve. The coni/nual p ogtess of opinion will bring other measures of ) e'orm within the sphere of practical politics. But any p"oposed legislation which 5s, or can be made to appear, oppressive or unjust, apart from the ceita-fity, of its failure, will also inia!bly injure the p aspects of future, progress by seti-?n3 back the steady ad- vance of opinion on whc!i everything depends. Serious. cont'dera. Ion must > o\ uber be given by would-be reformers !o the well ascertained fact that it is impossible in a civilised community to enforce repressive legHai ion in face of consider- able minority who oppose. The history of the late of prohibition in the large centres of population in the State of Maine is a sufficient proof of this. Probably the past record of smuggling is another case in point. Are we going to see this ancient business resto1 ed to activity by a new tariff ? When it becomes worth while for a Jaw to be evaded-it is evaded. In view of these consider- ations and of othei s which we will presently look at, it may be argued with much show of reason that at this particular moment more good is likely to result to the cause of temperance from an im- proved administ' a! ion of the law as it is than from any immediate attempt to secure further legislative reform. This is not my view, but we shall see more clearly how the case for new legislation stands if we know first the conditions of the law as recent statistics and decisions of the Courts have left it. We carnot compla?n that Parliament has done nothing for us of late years-though we may at times fi et that it might easily have done mere. The strength of the organised opposition to temperance proposals is a serious factor in deter- mining the extent to which reforms can go. Greater powers have been given to justices to deal with habitual drunkards. A former Statute of 1879 gave them authority to license "retreats" for inebriates who should voluntarily choose to go into them. The late Act gives power to commit any offender, whose ciime is found tc be the result of drunkenness, to an inebriate reformatory for a period up to three years. In some counties large expenditure has been inourred in building these reformatories. Evidently more could be done in this hopeful direction, if compulsion were legally possible in other than criminal cases. Liberty of the subject is no doubt a great constitutional principle. Most of us remember the often quoted dictum of Archbishop Magee that he would sooner see England free than sober. But it may be questioned if the encroacbmentson this principle already sanctioned—e. g., compulsory vaccina. tion, and compulsory education,—have not so weakened its hold that it will be a. comparatively small matter to permit the State to interfere with the liberty to get constantly drunk. It would be I believe, a. national benefit if it were legally possible to place habitual drunkards in inebriate reforma- tories without their consent or without any crime on their part. Prevention after all is much better than cure. This attempt to safeguard the young from the contamination of the public house habits and atmosphere is not a very sweeping reform, but it at least marks a move in the right direction. The age, under which it is now forbidden to publicans to sell or to serve with liquor otherwise than in sealed bottles, is 14. Many will think that the age originally suggested in the reports of Lord Peel's commission, i.e. 16, was better designed for the object in view. Boys and especially girls, need protection from evil surroundings at least as much from 14 to 16 as earlier. I hope that an alteration of the Act to this effect may be possible before long. The supposed hardship inflicted on the working class parent by the restrictions of ithe Act, is not a serious objection, and most parents may be expected to submit to some little incon- venience if need be for their children's sake. Last year's bill deals with several points of import- ance to temperance reformers. Part I., amending the laws to druakenness; Part II., modifying the licensing laws Part III, containing provisions as to clubs. It would take too long to go into the various sections in detail. That which made the most vivid impression on the public mind was the section forbidding the sale of liquor to habitual drunkards for three years. It was expected that the terrors of the black list would work wonders and no doubt something has been achieved, but it has been found impossible to make the regulations effective in large towns (where they are most needed) on account of the ease with which persons move from one district to another where they are unknown. A Chief Constable told me lately that for persons possessing money the black list has no restraining influence. In one point the Act has blundered. It could not have been intended that the consent of the drunkard was necessary before his name could figure on the black list, but this is what the Act says. As a result if he refuses his consent, he must be sent to quarter sessions under an indictment as the alternative. There are man y reforms effected by the Act comparatively small in themselves but amounting in the sum total to a substantial gain for the cause of temperance and we are grateful to the government which passed it. It is not only by legislation that the position has undergone modification of late but by some impor- tant decisions of the courts as to the powers and duties of magistrates in inspect of public house licences. The question of temperance reform is closely bound up in that of licensing, for there is no real doubt that to reduce the number of licences is to reduce drunkenness, and perhaps more is to be hoped just now from the result of the new view of their authority which has been opened up to the licensing justices than from any recent Acts of Parliament. It is now clearly decided that the licensing justices s'b not as a. court but as an administrative body-thai their business is the protection of the public that in dealing with licences they have to determine in the public interest how many houses there shall be. It is plainly therefore the duty of magistrates to use their discretion as to what licences they shall renew -and on what conditions. This is a complete re- versal of the tacit, assumption that every licence was to be renewed unless some valid objection was laid before the licensing authority on which it was their business merely to decide judicially. Already in many parts of the country magistrates are alive to the responsibility of their position under these new conditions, and their activity is likely to prove fruitful in the reduction of the excessive number of licensed houses in many localities, and in the stricter supervision of those that are allowed to re- main. It may be thought that so great and vital a change in the position justifies us in holding our hands for the present in order that by the quiet and careful exercise of their powers the licensing authorities may work out the solution of this part of the temperance problem. But the powerful interests of the drink trade have taken alarm at the new movement. Two bills were introduced last session to check the redaction of lictnces one by Mr Butcher the other by Sir William Hart Dyke. The cry of spoliation has been raised, and many people and not a few magistrates are under the impression that grave injustice is likely to be done if licences are not renewed to re- spectable holders. It is of course easy to reply that a licence is only annual, and that it is re- cognised Dy line insurance companies as a security liable to destruction. Yet on the other hand many licence holders have been called upon by the licensing authority to expend money on their premises, and have done so, in the belief that they were secure so long as they conducted their houses well,-and the collectors of revenue have not failed to take probate duty on the value of the licence. The State has in fact encouraged the licence holder to consider his licence as his property, and these would certainly be cases of serious hardship if licences could be arbitrarily withdrawn without compensation. We do not admit a legal claim to compensation, for there is no legal interest in a licence beyond the term for which it is granted. But in equity we must concede some claim for redress, and even if we do not, public opinion assuredly will. This question of compensation for licences refused on grounds of public interest, is the great battle ground now on which the temperance fight now rages. It is admitted that though men can- not be made sober by act of parliament, yet they can be kept more sober by having less opportunities of getting di ink. The Trade (so-called) and tem- perance reformers are at one in complaining that an excess of licence in a district causes competition to be so keen that it is almost impossible for a publican to make hie living honestly-and it is quite obvious that it is an easier matter for the police to inspect and control few houses than many. The point of conflict is, who is to bear the loss caused by the necessary reduction of licenses ? It is the duty of the legislature to deal with this burning question in final settlement, and the Church of England Temperance Society has laid down the following conditions as needful for a fair and right settlement. The grave danger is t!lat in a measure wh:ch provides for a compulsory reduction of licences, coupled with compensation, a legal interest in licences may be created whee none exist Against this risk we must be ready to fight might and main. We have now reviewed the position as it is-what is the next step ? It it to be a reduc. tion of licences by the Compensat-ion Bill ? This would be the line of least resistance. But I fear the risks outweigh the benefits, and so far as the temperance party are concerned greater gain would result from the dovelopment of the authority now in the hands of the licensing justices, if not checked by legislation as has been suggested. Aay attempt to fetter the hands of magistrates should be op- posed, and it is possible that in many districts arrangements will be made similar to that at Bir- mingham, of which Mr Richard Chamberlain is the apostle, by which tne owuers of licences themselves voluntarily surrendered licences selected by them- selves in certain specified districts, compensation being given by a levy on the remaining houses whose trade presumably benefited by the lessening of competition. It is only fair to say however that this scheme has broken down in Birmingham after a period of success. But I am sanguine that in time the existing powers of licensing justices will be found effective to reduce the num- ber of licensed houses in most districts to a level less dangerous to the community. Some previously suggested amendments of recent Acts :—An amendment of the Welsh Sunday Clos. ing Act; an English Sunday Closing Act-(in both cases bona-fide hotel and restaurant business to be differentiated from mere drinking houses) an Act to check the transfer of licences and requiring all agreements for [.transfers to be produced to tie licensing authority; reduction of licences and trade compensation local veto the abolishing of private interest in the drink traffic on the lines of the Bishop of Chester or Lord Grey, but care to be taken not to so increase the attractiveness of the drink house as to make it still more dangerous all directly temperance legislation must contem- plate construction as well as destruction—human nature will have recreation and amusement, and no legislation which forgets this can do good. It may seem that I have dealt coldly with a subject of vital importance. It has not been from want of feeling. I believe that there is nothing which bears so directly on the [national interests as this question. It is asked on all sides how are we to be free traders or protectionists. I say quite con- fidently that it is still more to the lpoint to ask are we to be a drunken nation or sober ? But legisla- tion refuses to be hurried by enthusiasm and hard facts, but sentiments are required to produce laws. Yet earnest work is more required than ever out- side the sphere of legislation, to educate and guide public opinion and to organise it effectually. IThis is the part which falls to the lot of every one of us as patriotic and Christians. We cannot shirk our own responsibility for bad liquor laws if we do not try to rouse and rally public opinion against them. Rembember (in Biglow Papers) Government ain't to answer for it, God'll send the bill to you." Captain Mytton said no further legislation was at present necessary. What was required were more defined laws to enable the magistrates to act upon. As a magistrate it would not be advisable for him to exprass strong opinions on the subject. He was called upon to administer the law and hear appeals, and therefore he ought to have a perfectly open mind with people coming before him (hear, hear). He was of opinion that in this country the liberty of the individual was too much interfered with. The laws temperance reformers would have made would be tyrannical in the extreme. He was glad that the recommendations of the majority report of the Licensing Commission had been fol. lowed in most instances, and he thought they would have very good effect. Temperance reformers had gone a great deal too far already, and if they let them have their own swing he believed they should lose all their liberty. Drunkenness as such should be punished in every way. It was a crime, and it led to crime being committed, and the sooner it was taken in hand and punished in the first instance the more likely they would reform the drunkard. He thought there were few in that assembly who leaned on that broken reed-the faith of expecting everything from an Act of Par- liament. They assembled there, had a high prerog- ative. They were able te teach in their different parishes to try and mend the individual, and he thought it was to that teaching the cause of tem- perance would flourish. The aim was to change the hearts and affections of the individual and then they would change and mould the man's character. He entirely agreed with the declaration of the Church of England Temperance Society, and he thought it was by example and efforts that they should endeavour to reduce the intemperance in the country (applause). The Rev A. G. M. Jennings, Isycoed, favoured the no drink between meals plan.
y FATALITY AT LLANGYNOG.
y FATALITY AT LLANGYNOG. A fatal accident ocourredj at the Old Rhiwarth Slate Quarries, Llangynog, on Monday, when one of the employes of Mr W. H. Thomas, who was en- gaged in driving a tunnel through a part of the quarry, with a view to extending the workings, met with his death, owing to a large piece of rock, between 20 and 30 tons in weight, falling upon him- The man was an experienced miner, and bad just left the Dolgelley gold mines to work at LIangynogt in order to be with his wife and family, who lIve there. So far as can be learnt, there is no blame attached to anyone, and everything that was neces- sary to carry on the work with safety was provided. The accident probably occurred through some fla^ in the rock. The quarries have been free írof!1 accidents for a very long period, the last fatal acci- dent having taken place over half a century when the present foreman's father was killed ina similar manner. Much sympathy is felt for tbe widow and three children.
IE.
I E. R. 5TH VOICKTEEB BATTALION THE SOUTH Yf^ BORDERERS. REGIMENTAL ORDERS By LIEUTENANT-COLONEL E. PRYCE-JONES, M.P., Commanding. Headquarters, Newtown, 3rd October, 1903. NIL. By Order, F. GILLESPIE, Captain, Adjutant 5th V.B. South Wales Borderer J. COMPANY ORDERS. On duty next week: Clr-Sergt A. Whalley an Cpl J. Roberts. (Signed) A. W. PRYCE-JONES, Captain, Commanding Detachment 5th V.B. S.W.B.
[No title]
The wheel of fashion ^has taken a violent tor backward, and if you would prophesy the novels' of tbe coming season, turn to the fashion plates half a century ago, and you should be fairly correJt. This idea is not a new one, and there is no longer a. question of changing styles. The fashions of yeSt terday are simply abolished, and no amount 0 ingenuity will make a last season's gown reaw up-to-date. Formerly we had pouched, shape16 bodices and sheath-like skirts. Exactly the rever.|} will be the case in the future. The bodices illI closely follow the lines of the figure, with the inevitable long shoulder seam, while the skirts "ffa be either gauged or pleated around the waistba" j They are made on the lining, to which are » to the rows of gauging, lending a pouched eSeO the skirt. This is when the bouillonees, whrc the correct term, appear in the body of the 8 Sometimes the entire skirt hangs loosely £ a few rows of gathering which form a hip-y0^ 'a Mrs. Leach's Practical Family Dressmake- October, ..i: