The Chester Courant and Advertiser for North Wales

DIARY OF COMING ENGAGEMENTS. Dec. 13, Sentenced for Life" at Royalty Theatre. 13- Wirra I Board of Guardians. 13-Flintshire County Council. 14-Hawarden Petty Sessions. 14-Chester Cattle Fair. 14-Natituich Cheese Fair. 14-Chester County Court. „ 18-Hold Petty Sessions. „ 18-Antatettr Theatricals at Theatre. „ 18- Wirral District Council. „ 19-Col. Cotton-Jodrell at Acton.

0 THE SPLIT PARTY. The centre of political gravity has shifted again from the new Premier to his former colleague, Lord Rosebery. The interest in the appointment of the new Ministry is pass- ing compared with the public concern in the large, general policy of the Radical party and Government regarding Ireland. Lord Rose- bery has been taken to task for misunder- standing Sir Henry Campbell- Bannerman's very plain Home Rule speech at Stirling, a speech which no person of ordinary intelligence could fail to grasp. Put in a single sentence, it was an encouragement to the "ardent Nationalists" to persevere in their demand for complete Home Rule, and if they could not get the larger policy at once, to accept as much as was vouchsafed them as instalments. Lord Rosebery at Bodmin declined to serve under that banner." His speech on Monday to the Liberal League was devoted almost entirely to an explanation of his relations with the present Prime Minister, but it must be confessed that if his lordship is desirous, as he professes, of securing unity in the Radical party, he would have been well advised in preserving a discreet silence. His so-called explanation only serves to make matters worse. He set himself, in the first place, to prove to his fellow-countrymen that he is neither a knave nor a fool, that he has not lived to the age of sixty years without being able to comprehend the significance of his native tongue. He repeated Sir Henry Camp bell-Bacnerman.9 plain declaration on Home Rule, and put it to his audience whether he could have arrived at any other conclusion than his interpretation of the present Premier's intentions regarding Home Rule. Sir Edward Grey, Mr. Asquith and Mr. Haldane have striven in vain to prove that Sir Henry Campbell-Bannerman did not mean what he said. If these gentlemen have received private assurances from Sir Henry that their interpretation is correct, Lord Rosebery bluntly confesses that he has received no such assurance, private or public, and in the absence of such assurance he claims, and rightly claims, that he is entitled to place the interpretation upon the Stirling speech which he did at Bodmin, and to that interpretation and declaration he adheres. If Sir Henry's speech has been wrongly understood by Lord Rosebery and by the great bulk of the people, who place precisely the same interpretation upon it, Lord Rose- bery now says what could have been easier than for Sir Henry to have said so? Why should he not have said traukly There have been various interpretations given by my late colleagues and friends of my own, of my speech at Stirling. I repudiate altogether the interpretation of Loru Rosebery, and I accept the interpretation of Mr. Asquitli, Mr. Haldane, and Sir Edward Grey, or all three." In place of making this candid avowal, Sir Henry maintains an enigmatical silence, which can be interpreted only as meaning that what he said at Stirling he stands by, and which is ample justification for the attitude taken up by Lord Rosebery. So far the Liberal Peer is lucid and consistent, but when he proceeds to place reliance upon the new Ministry, because it con- tains aaleguards against Home Rule in the persons of Sir Edward Grey and one or two others whose views are supposed to coincide with those of Lord Rosebery .himself, we utterly fail to follow the argument. If Sir Edward Grey was powerless to keep his chief from making a plain, bold bid for Home Rule at Stirling, how can he be able to restrain that individual now that he is Prime Minister, from putting his Home Rule ideas into practical shape 1 The inducement offered to the Premier will be all the more tempting, when he finds himself confronted by the well- disciplined Irish phalanx of eighty in the House of Commons, clamouring with one voice for Home Rule either in pieces or in its entirety. The Irish Nation- alists have read the Premier's speech in the same sense as has Lord Rosebery, and they are not the men to be turned aside from their purpose. They will pin the Radical Prime Minister to his pledge, and they will exact the uttermost farthing. This grave problem of Home Rule overshadows all other questions in importance at the General Election, and we look to the Unionist party to defeat the insane proposals for separation as they have defeated them in the past.

MAGISTERIAL QUALIFICATIONS. Recently some fuss has been made in Wales and elsewhere as to the appointment of county magistrates, the allegation being that undue favouritism had been shewn to the Unionist party. The fact of the matter I is that many of the aspirants to the magisterial bench are not qualified according to the statute, and, therefore, they need not blame one political party any more than another. The oath taken by a new justice of the peace for a county in England or Wales sets forth that he has for his own use free- hold, copyhold or customary estate for life in England or Wales of the annual value of £100 clear of all outgoings and encumbrances, I and over and above all rents and charges payable out of the same. Alternatively any person is eligible who has estate in immediate reversion or remainder in lands or heredita- ments, which are leased for one, two or three lives, or for any term of years determinable upon the death of one, two or three lives upon reserved rents, and which are of the clear yearly value of t300. The third alter- native condition admits to the bench any person who, during two years immediately preceding his ^appointment, has been the occupier of a dwelling-house in the county assessed at not less than 2100 per annum. Peers or Lords of Parliament, their eldest sons or heirs apparent, do not require any property qualification. It will be seen, accordingly, that some of those who are loudest in their complaint that the bench has been packed with supporters ot the Unionist party have no ground for cavilling, inasmuch as the ones who are supposed to have been slighted do not possess the statutory qualili- cation. In the same way it is urged by those ultra-democratic agitators that the office of mayor should be open to the humblest citizea, quite oblivious of the fact that the I Mayor is obliged to take oath, on his appoint- ment that he is possessed of this world's goods to the extent of a thousand pounds over and above the satisfaction of his just debts. The object of these enactments, of course, is not to ensure that the occupants of the magisterial bench shall belong to one particular party, but that they shall be men of some sub- stance and responsibility in the locality in which they act.

When Mr. Yerburgh. in his happy little speech at the Volunteer prize distribution. on Saturday night, said he would give overy Volunteer a vote for services rendered to die country, ho was making no ad oaptanduriy remark, with an eye to tho proximity of a General Election. The member for Chester, as one of the pionoers of the National Service League, for years past had advocated this policy of admitting to the franchise all members of the. Volunteer foroo, who patriotically dedicate much of their leisure time to fitting themselves for the defeiioo of their fatherland. The Volun- teers as a body have fulfilled their duty in spite of tremendous discouragements in the past, dis- couragements that would have killed service had it not been animated by the noblest ideal of patriotism. The conferring of the Parliamentary franchise upon all members of the force, irre- spective of any other qualification, would ba in reality but a poor return for the self-sacrifices which these public-spirited fellows make on bo- half of their Mlow-countrymen. There must bo many Volunteers in this city who are not pos- sessed of even a lodger vote, and who are in every sense e^izons worthy to exercise the fran- chise. Mr. Yorbuigli proposal is excellent, and would, moreover, tend to act as an additional rocru-itijig agency for the force.

When the new Education Committees were in- stituted. we stoutly opposed tho idea of throwing open their deliberations to the Press, becauso a committ.ce is in its essence a private meeting. Wo also urged that many tlrngs came up for dis- cussion at committee meetings which it was un- desirable to publish. Mr. Linooley was one of the strongest advocates of publicity at tlie Chester Education Committee, and his friends carried the day. Had Mr. Lancelcy listened to our advice at the time, ho would have escaped a humiliation at Monday's meeting of that body. He there raised a matter which was ono for strictly private in- vestigation, and which ought never to have been discussed in the presence of the Press. It must, therefore, have been rather mortifying to Mr. Laneeley's dignity to sea the Press representa- tives requested to supross the topic whioh had been recklessly raised in public, and to have in addition to swahow a well-deserved reproof from the Chairman for having ventiiated a sub- ject of the kind in a publia meeting.

CHESTER CATHEDRAL. SHRVICE LIST FOR WEEK COMMENCING DEC. 13. WBDNKSUAY, JJKCK.VKKR 13TIl.-Morning, 7.46: Matins and Holy couainuniori. to. 15: The Limay hymn LOi. Even- ing, 4.15: Service, Weedcn in C anonem, "Kejoice in the Lord" (Kediord). 8.0: Special Service processional hymn, £ 08 Psalm xevii hymn 4b The Last Judgment (Spohr). THURSDAY, DKCEIIBKA HTU.—Morning, A.0: Holy Com- munion. 10.16: Service, Wood in D; anthem. "He that shall endure" (Mendelssohn). Evening, .15: Service, Huberts in F anthem, near. 0 heavens (Humphreys). FRIDAY, DKCKMBKR 15TIl.-Moriiing, 7.4ii: Matius and Holy Communion. 10.15: Thb Lit ny hymn 108. Even- ing, 4.15: Service, Gibbons in F; an Liieill, Got so loved the world" (Stainer). SATL'itDAY, IJKCKMBBK loin.— Morning, 8.0: Holy Com- munion. 10.15: Service, Frost in lJ; antheru, Have mercy upon me" (Palestritia) Evening, 4.15: Service, Iliffe in G anthem, Awake, awake (Stainer). SUNDAY, DKCKMBKR 17TH (iSrd Sunday in Advent. Ember Week),-Mornitig, ELO: Litauy and Holy Communion. 10.3U: Service, Best in O; inlroit, hymn 312 Holy Com- munion (Merbecke); preacher, the Canon in Itesidence. Evening, a.iij Service, Outtely in B flat; anthem, "Thus saith the Lord ol Hosts, &c." (Handel); hymn 355. 6.30 Magnificat and Nunc Dinnttis to Chants; processional hymn, 29i hymns 50, 52, 650; preacher, the Rev. W. H. Hutton, B.D. Hymn 39B, sung kneeling, before the Bene- diction.

The Marquis of Cholmondeley left London on Saturday for Cholmondeley Castle. Saturday for Cholmondeley Castle. Earl Egerton and the Duchess of Buckingham have returned from London to Knutsford. Lord Stanley of Alderley on Saturday left Penrhos. his Anglesey seat, for town. The Marquis of Linlithgow left London on Mon- day for Crewe. Lieutenant Colonel Lord Harlech, at a meeting of the Oswestry troop on Thursday night, announced that the Shropshire Imperial Yeomanry would next year again train at Osweatry. The Lord (Lieutenant of Anglesey, Sir R. H. Wilhams-Bulkeley, Bart., who was included in the shooting party of Lord Lathom, at Lathom Hall, Ormskirk, returned to Baron Hill, Beaumaris, on Saturday. Colonel F. W. Bromfield, who had all his regi- mental service in the Cheshire Regiment, has on I return to India been appointed officiating Deputy Adjutant-General of the Western Command under Sir Archibald Hunter. I Countess Grosvenor, Lady President of the St. George's, Hanover-square, District of the League of Mercy, was present on Monday afternoon at a I drawing-room meeting held, on the invitation of Mrs. Lumley Holland, at 5, Wilton-crescent. • Lady Grosvenor explained the working of the organisation, and the results attained in her district. A marriage has been arranged between Roger Charlton Parr, of Killichronan, Isle of Mull, only son of Mr. J. Charlton Parr, of Grappenhall Heyes, Warrington, and Staunton Park, Hereford- shire, and Julian Mary, elder daughter of Lieut.- Colonel the Hon. Robert J. O. Jocelyn, of Tulla- more Park, co. Down. The death of Lady Raw,-on, wife of Admiral Sir Harry Rawson, the Governor of New South Wales, who was accompanying her husband to Sydney, is announced from Colombo. Lady Rawson died on board the Orient Pacific steamship Ormus in the Red Sea on the 3rd inst. She was the daughter of the late Mr. John R. Shaw, of Arrowe Park, and married Sir Hairy Rawson in 1871. Mr. Martin Hall, younger son of Lieut.-General Julian Hall, lately of the Coldstream Guards, was married on Saturday at Holy Trinity Church, Brompton, to Alice, daughter of the late Mr. W. W. Hasler, of Aldingbourne, Sussex, the Dean of Ripon, cousin of the bridegroom, officiating, assisted by the Rev. W. W. Kelly, vicar of Aldingbourne. The bride was wearing a costume of ivory satin duchesae draped with antique Brussels lace, and trimmed with silver sequin embroidery, and a long Court train of brocade was veiled with Brussels lace. Master Geoffrey Holt and Master Patrick Payne acted as train-bearers, attired in Court suits of white cloth, with lace jabots; and there were five brides- maids-Aiiss Joan Hasler, Miss Agnes Hall, Miss Barbara Strickland, and the Misaes Geraldine and Molly Grey. An engagement is announced between Graham second son of Henry Partridge and Mrs. Partridge' of Castle Htll, Blechingly, Surrey, and Marian- Clouston, youngest daughter of E. C. Thin and' Mrs. Thin, of The Uplands, Noctorum, Cheshire. A niarriage will take place on Thursday, January p>th, 1 DOG. at Christchurch, Higher Bebington, between Edgar Lancelot, youngast son of the Rev. Henry Sharlock, of Bildeston. Suffolk, and Barbara. May, youngest daughter of G. H. Eaton, of Gorsey Hey, Higher Bebington. Alderman W. H. Vaudrey, of Manchester, upon whom the King has conferred the honour of knighthood, traces his ancestry back to an old Cheshire family of Vaudrey, some of whose repre- sentatives were prominent residents in the Bowdon, district between the years 1500 and 1700. There are several house parties in Cheshire for the Knutsford county ball, whioh takes place this (Wednesday) evening. Lord and Lady Stanley of I Aldc-rley am entertaining at Alderley Park, which has been redecorated and added to quite recently by the present peer. Lord and Lady Newtan have a party at Lyme Park, and Lord i.goiton of Tatton and the Duchess of Bucking- ham at Taiton Park. Among the guests at Tat- ton is the Earl of Albermarte's eldest son, Lord Bury, who has just come back from Canada (where he was on t.ho staff of the late Governor- General), and will now rejoin his regiment, the Scots Guards. Mr. Henry P. Hussey, son of the. late Mr. Echv. Hussoy, of Scotney Castle, Laruberhurst, Kent-, was married at Holy Trinity Church. Sloane- square, London, on Monday afternoon, to Miss Margaret Peel. daughter of the late Mr. Edmund Peel, of Bryn-y-pys F.vntehire. The service was choral. The Bishop of Bangor (uncle of the bride) officiated, assisted by the Rev. II. Hannico, rector of Grendon. Warwickshire. There were six bridesmaids. The brido was married in a dress of white ivory satin, with ,erni,t.-ain covoied with a coat o: old Brussels family lace (which was worn by the late Lady Willoughby de Broke, feie<«t-aunt of the bride, at her own w-tddmg over sixty years ago), and Brussels lace veil over a tiara or orange blossoms. The rceeption, held at 45, Ealon-squaro. lent by Mr. J. Eldon Baukr*. was largely attended. Early in the afternoon Mr. and Mrs. Henry P. Hussey left for the Riviexa,. where they will spend their honoymoon. The Duke of Westminster and Sir Arthur and Laoy Lawlcy left Capetown on Wednesday by the Walmer Castle for home. The December number of "The Entomologist'' contains an interesting article by Mr. J-. Arkltv of Chester, on "Entomology at Barmouth." The wedding took plact) oil TuLsday at t. Peter's Church, Eaton-square, London, of Captain Bryan Cnetwynd-btapyiton, Cheshire Regitnent, son of Lieutenant-General and Lady Biirbara Chetwynd- Stapylton, with Miss Dorothy Ponsonby, daughter of Mrs. Chauibre Ponsonby, of Kilcooiey Al.)bey, Thurles. NEW CHURCH AT CREWE.-The Bishop of Chester visited Crewe on ,>aLurday and dedicated the completed portion ot St. John's Church. The church, which has cost about. £ 'o,400, is situated in the south end of the borough, in the centre of a large and increasing population. The Bishop, in the course of an address, said that the work ot the Church in that part of the district was full of encouragement, and he congratulated those who had earned it through oy their patience and courage and liberality and harmonious cu-uperation. IHh, TRAMP PEST.—-Yesterday (Tuesday), at. the County Police Occasional Court, before Air. W Williams two tran.ps named George Roberts and John Dempsey pieadect guilty to stealing a. tweed jacket, value 6!> the property of Unliam Johnson, at. Poultou on the previous day. Prisoneis took the jacket from a. field where, a number of men were working. When appre- hended by P.C. Richardson they said they were making tho:r way to Wrexham to pledge the, coat in order to buy bread. Prisoners were le- manded till Saturday. WILL OF MRS. M. GLEGG.—Mrs. Margaret Glegg, oi Backford Hall, Chester, who died on the 10th October last, aged 83 years, widow of Lieut.-C-olonel Holt Glegg, left estate of the gross value of £ 11,354. 18s. lid., including £ 11,125. 8s. 2d. in nett personalty. She be- queathed her jet jewellery to her sons Birken- head Glegg, Maxwell, and Maxwell Glegg, and she left £3,000 London and Norfh-Westcrn Rai- Wa,y and £ 1*500 Birkenhead Lancashire and Cheshire Junction Railway Company stock to her son Edward Maxwell Glegg, and to him she left tho residue of her estate. POOR'S CHRISTMAS CHEER.—At a meet- ing of the Tarvin Board of Guardians on Satur- day, Mr. R. O. Orton presiding, it was decided to give the usual dinner and tea to the inmates on Christmas Day. On the motion of Mr. R. Cathcart Smith, seconded by the Rev. Morris Jones, it was also agreed to grant to recipients of outdoor relief during Christmas week an additional shilling to each adult, and sixpence to each child. In reply to a member, the relieving officer (Mr. Willis; said the children's allowance was not always given direct to the children, but the parents were given to under- stand that it was a separate payment from their own. and was to be spent upon their children. CHESTER BOARD OF GUARDIANS.—The fortnightly meeting of the. Chester Board of Guar- dians was heid at the Workhouse yesterday (Tuesday).—Mr. T. Knovvles mentioned that there were now forty children under four years of age, and gifts of toys would be very acceptable. He was sure the appeal had only to be made to the public for there to bo a. liberal response.—It was decided to give the children in the Children's Homes the usual Christmas treat, with roast beef and plum pudding, on Christmas Day.—Miss Mary A. Coleclough, of Longton. Staffs., was appointed by a majority of one vote as female at- tendant. on the imbeoilea. There was only one- other candidate. ( RESCUE FROM THE CANAL.-About seven o'clock on Saturday morning a man named Albert Lowe, residing at -Loui-se-trect, heard a splash while walking on the canal towing pa.th, near Cow-lane bridge. Turning round, he saw an old man struggling in the water, end went promptly to the rescue. By means of a boat hook he dragged him on to a flat, and with the assistance of the police conveyed him to the Infirmary in a very exhausted condition. The old man is James Garrity, about 74 years of age, a gardener, residing at 5, Union-street. He was going to work at the time, and in the dark- ness had probably missed his footing and fallen in the water. Garrity is now making satisfactory pro- gress towards recovery. CHESTER B.W.T.A.—In connection with the local branch of the British Women's Temperance Association a public meeting was h?ld on Thurs- day afternoon at the Temperanoe Hall, when Dr. (Miss) Charis Davies, of Chester, gave an instructive address upon the subject "Health and. Hygiene." Mrs. John Minshull, of Mollington, who presided over a numerous gathering, re- marked that the time had passed when it, was believed that a woman's place was in her house, and it was now reoognised that they were able to take their part with their husbands and brothers in the world's work.—The lecturer, hav- ing referred to dangerous diseases that have been extirpated by the progress of sanitation, gave a number of useful hints on the subjects of diet, Iresh air, and the feeding of infants, and pointed out the importance of securing the purity of milk.—Mrs. Melville Webster contributed several enjoyable solos. DEATH OF MRS. W. E. WILKINSON.— We record with regret the death of Mrs. W. E. Wilkjnwn which occurred in sad circumstances at Moss Bank. Chester, on Tuesday a,t the age of 24 years. The interment took place at Chester Gometery on Thursday, the first, portion of the service being conducted at Trinity Church. Amqjig the many floral tributes were those sent by Mr. and Mrs. Boa.rdman (Liverpool), the Misses Pierce, Mr. and Mrs. Eaton, Mr. and Mrs. Tremlett, Miss Board man, the teachers of Steers street Girls' Schcol. Fred and Florrie. Miss Ure, Mrs. Robinson and family. Miss Ll-zzlt) Metcalfe, Tom and Ciss, Mr. Wilkinson, Mrs. Wilkinson, Mr. and Mrs. Culm, Miss M-igda. Kerswell, Mr. and Mre. Stevenson, Mr. and Mrs. Ooleman and family, Harold a.nd Nell. Dick and ohildren, Will, Mr. and Mrs. Southard, Mr. and Mrs. Loadman and family, Mother and Sisters, Mr. and Mrs. RøP8 (Tranmere), "Ada and Jim," Mrs. Knowles and family, "A dear friend, Mr. and Mrs. Harry Ellis, Dr. Sutton, Harry and Ellie, Dora, Elsie end Winnie (nieoea).