The Merthyr Express

ELECTION OF COUNCILLORS AND GUARDIANS FOR VAYNOR PARISH. Sir,—Kindly allow me spaoe in your widely- read paper to discuss the merits and demerits of the candidates for the representation of the parish of Vaynor. It is unfortunate that a contest has been forced upon the ratepayers, due in a great measure to the persistency of I the pronounced Socialist candidate, MT. John Williams (miners' agent). The electors have told Mr. Williams on two previous occasions, and in no uncertain manner, that his services are not so indispensable to the parish as he evi- dently thinks they are. Why is it that Mr. Williams, aiter his repeated failures at Cefn and elsewhere, ie again foisting himself upon the electors? Is it because he has not already enough to do in representing our interests AS workmen, or do the "inner circle" enjoy a con- test? Days off at the workmen's expense are, no doubt, a welcome relaxation from the hum- drum of everyday life. The circumstances have not altered sinoe Mr. Williams was rejected, and there is no reason whatever why the rate- payers should now give him their vote and con- fidence. Besides Mr. Williams we .have four well- qualified oandidates in the field. Mr. John Rogers, the present chairman of the Rural Dis- qualified candidates in the field. Mr. John Rogers, the present chairman of the Rural Dis- trict Council, although regarded as a represent- ative of the great firm of which he is secretary, I has a strong claim to the suffrages of the elec- tors on that ground alone, but his claims are greater than this, and he has never allowed his connection with capital to affect, in any Ihgree his warm-hearted sympathy for the poor, who have, unfortunately, to resort to the 1' Guardians for assistance. It is true he is not resident in the parish, but Mr. Rogers is in daily touch with the people who are resident and takes a keen and intelligent interest in every cause aiming for the welfare of the parish. Mr. Joseph Price has served the parish well, and no man knows its needs better, and he has carried out his duties in a fair and impartial manner. We have an able member in the "Mayor 4 Pontsticili," Mr T. B. Grea.torex, and he has proved a deoided ac- quisition to the Board. His straightforward actions in all He dealings have made- him deservedly popular even with his bitterest political enemies, and the ratepayers can ill I a.fford to lose a man <tf his undoubted ability and integrity. The gentlemen named have sat through long discussions on the new I Sewerage Scheme, and they are well conver- sant with its details, and it would be a severe loss to the parish wer. their services dis- pensed with at the preeeat juncture. Then, again, we have a new candidate for honours in Sir. Roger Vaughan. It ia true that Mr. Vanghan is not a born or&tor, but be loses nothing by this as the Board is already well supplied in this direction, but I have every confidence that Mr. Vaughan would make a good sound representative. He takes a. very keen and intelligent interest in the welfare of his native parish, and has the necessary leisure time to devote to the duties of a Councillor and Guardian. I appeal to my fellow electors to again tell Mr. John WiLiams in no unmsstakeable man- Mr. John WiLiams in no unmsstakeable man- ner that his services are not required, and that' he has not the slightest justification in putting the electors to the expense of an election, and that the funds of our Federation are drawn upon too largely for this and like purposes already. I very much hope that my fellow Paris honors of all classes and denominations will give Mr. John Wiliams's name a miss on Monday next, as by so doing they will be studying the best interests of the parish,. Many thanks in anticipation-Yours truly, "SON OF TOIL."

BOARD OF GUARDIANS' ELECTION, PENRHIWCEIBER. Sir,—Please grant me a small space in the correspondence columns of your widely-read paper re the above. Mr. John Williams, who seeks re-election, has served the ward faithfully. It was he who fought successfully for the pay station for the relief of the poor at Ynysyboeth and also for another guardian. I the elec- tors of the ward will be alive to the fact on polling day, and remember the candidates who have worked in the local pits, and by their own energy and perseverance have succeeded in going into business.—I sir, yours faith- fully, LOYALIST.

PUBLICANS WHO DO NOT SUPPLY FOOD. Sir,—Some tima ago I was on my way to Ferndale from Longtown. I had to change, and had to wait a good while for my train; there- fore I went to an hotel, and since I am a total abstainer, I asked for a cup of tea. The waitress said, "There is a restaurant close by." I asked her, "Don't you supply tea?" but she said noth- ing. It seems keepers of public-houses and hotels don't want to give food; they only want to sell intoxicating drinks, but they are licensed to sell food. They are licensed victuallers, and total abstainers ought often to go to public- houses and hotels and demand foodi I was at Abergavenny a good while ago, and a young man came out of a public-house, and told me that they refused to give him food, and he wanted to go by train very soon. I told him, "Go in again, and demand food; they are! bound to gJve it to you." Well, for us to keep the publican up to the mark in this respect, and if he refuscs, oppose the renewal of the licence. It is a shame that publicans refuse to give food to people, and so help to make them drunk, because thev drink ail day, perhaps, and have nothing to eat. May God save us from the oppression of the publican and make him all over the world a real licensed victualler. I was at Merthyr not long ago, and I thought that the people and the authorities of Merthyr ought to petition and ask the Taff Vale Rail- way Company to build a railway station there worthy of the town and place, worthy of the traffic that is carried on there. There ought to be a new and commodious station at Merthyr. The T.V.R. Co. are very alow to meet the con- venience of their customers. I am afraid they were the same when their stock was paying 14 per cent., or even 18 per cent. of course, those days are gone for ever. Ill the matter of seats in stations, the T.V.R. Company is vrary niogardly; in regard to fires tn stations it is the same. When I was in FeiaadaJo in Novem- ber, there was a wretched fir* in the waiting- room, and as I was trying to Qut new life into it, a half-drunken man was Snouting, "Leave it aJone, father, or it will be out." Then the carriages are not warmed as they are on the G.W.R.; there is little comfort. It is time Ye there was an improveincii,. ttrs truly, D. H. Dafxs. Lopj^own, Abergavenny^

CHURCH OF ENGLAND CLERGYMEN 1 AND THE BREWERS. Sir,—In submitting my temperance report to the Baptist Association at Abercarn, ana while briefly reviewing—from the Temperance stand- point-the events of the last General Election, I said "that it was grievous to find clergyman of the Church of England joining hands with brewers and publicans." In your issue of March 12th, there was a letter written by an Ebbw Val& curate bearing upon those remarks of mine. I must confess that the rev. gentle- man's 'letter perplexes me very much. First of all, he says "that such a charge is a very ser- ious one against the clergy." But he himself does not deny it; he only says, "I doubt the accuracy of this rev. gentleman's allegation." If lie had only watched olosely the events of the last election with an unbiassed mind, this uncertainly, this doubt, would have entirely vanished from the horizon of his imagination. Then he goes on and says that "charges against the Church are being made with a light heart" and "keen de'Iighrt" by preachers of the Gospel in order to "damage" the Church. It seems that he wants to infer that my object in speak- ing was to do harm to the Church, and that it was a matter of joy to me to see the Church damaged. That is a. most unfair charge; the rev. gentleman, himself has quoted my words, "that it was grievous to find clergymen joining hands with the brewers" and then he says that I and others who preach the Gospel feel "a keen delight in speaking of the attitude of the clergymen towards the drink question. God only knows what a burden it has often been on my heart to see the Church of England work- ing in the elections with the enemies of tem- perance, and joining with the classes against the masses that are fighting for equal rights and privileges. As a spiritual institution, I have never yet met a Nonconformist that wants to damage or to cripple the Church. I admire many things in the Church, and I wish it with all my heart Godspeed, whenever it stands for righteousness, champions the cause of the weak and the oppressed, and fights against the evil forces that are in the world. The rev. gentleman caps it all when at the end of his letter he says, "Even if the clergy did join hands with the brewers, etc., it is a less disgrace to the Church, than it is a reproach to Christianity for such to be raked up," etc. I am really astounded at his words—"a less disgrace to the Church" to use its influence on the sjd-e of the drink traffio than it is for us to expose before the public such an action that is unjust and un-Christian! Were the words in which I referred to clergymen in any way misleading? I am willing for your readers who are well versed in the events of the last election to judge between us. If I had said anything that was not correct, I must say I would feel most sorry for it. I did not say that all the clergy joined hands with the brewers; there were honourable exceptions. But it is a matter of common knowledge that the major. ity of the clergy and members of the Church of England did use their influence and their votes on the side of tha brewer and publican. In one respect, the last election was the brew- ers' election, fcr it was they, chiefly, that forced the hands of the House of Lords to throw out the Budget and to cause the elec- tion. And when the election came, they made the best use of their vast resources to get the Conservatives into power, so that the people's bread, etc., and not the brewers' dividends, would bo taxed. In the London "Daily News" about a month ago, two or three letters written by Church of England clergymen appeared in the "Gladstone League" column. In those let. ters, these clergymen were admitting the sad fact that they were in the minority, and that the majority of their fellow-clergymen were working with the Conservatives, and so they were working with brewers and landlords. When at Abercarn, I remember that those let- ters were on my mind when I referred to the attitude of the clergy. In fact, if I had not read thosd letters, I would not have touched upon the matter. I was only repeating what clergy had already written- So the rev. gentle- man from Ebbw Vale's quarrel is not really with me, but with his fellow-clergymen! I am sorry I have not at the moment a copy of these letters, but I daresay your "Daily News" lead- ers remember them. In the "Daily News", of January 28th, a cor- respondent wrote about the "Terrorism" of Toryism in the election at South Oxford." He said that "every public-house was for the mo- ment a Tory agency." Further on, ho referred to the "unholy alliance between pastor and publican. The Church as by law eetablished has a strong hold upon our village life. We have ninety villages in the division, and only one parson could be found ready to identify himself witi the people's charter. The rest were either silently or openly working against Mr. MorreU's (the'Liberal's) return." Another writer from Bridgwater, in the 'TDaily News" of February 11th, said; "Liberal papers axe practically impossible to get round here, and the person having one would be 'spotted' by the parson or the Primrose dame." Again, in the "Daily News" of January the 25th, we had the contents of a printed circular signed by the Rev. Charles Bankes Williams, who is vicar of a. parish in Suffolk. In that circular, he said, "I am not a party man, and am only forced at the present juncture to take sides because I am convinced that if a Radical Gov- ernment bo returned to power, it will be a disaster to our parish." In the "Daily News" of February 7th, the Rev. C. Llovd Evans, B.D., Vicar of Mel- bourne St. Andrew's, Blandford. said that "one of the best men North Dorset ever had was defeated. Labourers received presents of whisky; bands of roughs, in a semi-intoxicated condition, were breaking up Liberal meetings. In my parish, a Tariff Reform parson was actually imported to tell the people the usual Protection mis-statements." Here we have not a Nonconformist minister but a. clergyman giving facts to prove that "clergymen were joining hands with brewers, etc." In the "Daily News" of January 22nd, there was a reference to a letter of protest issued by the Rector of Upton Lovell against a document issued on behalf of tbo clergy and lay synod representatives of the Deanery of Heytesbury, in West Wilts. Here waa an organized at- tempt to get all the olergy within that district to join hands with the brewers and publicans to defeat the Liberals. In another, issue 02 the "Daily News," a correspondent'wrote: "What wjth the lords of the manor, the Church of England parsons, the squire, the Tory farm- er, and the Tory village schoolmaster, who in some instances were sub-agents, no'wonder we lost." Your space will not allow me to quote letters which prove how clergymen used their schools—which are mainly supported by the State—to help the Tory and the brewer party. The Church's schoolmasters, in rnanv instanoes, vp<*re ap^nfo school* tation" lesson to the children, and told them to take it home for the inspection of their parents. Here are one or two sentences from it: "It is not too late to save the country from her enemies. A strong fleet and Tariff Reform will save uil. Vote for the Unionist. This may be your last chance." The wives of some clergy- men, too, were very active. The wife of a vicar in Carnarvonshire went to a shopkeeper, who was an ardent supporter of Mr. Lloyd George, and told him, "I have instructed over fifty members of my husband's congregation never to entre your shop again." In the "Daily News" of March 1st, Mr. E. M. Bennett, late M.P. for Woodstock Division, wrote: "With few exceptions, the clergy exer- cised their influence strongly against us; re- forma like old age pensions, temperance legis- lation. excite little enthusiasm in the mind of tha average country parson; what he desires at all costs is to support tha Tory Party-it is his nature to do so—and to con- trol 'his' school, while he leaves its mainten- ance to the general ratepayer! In close work- ing alliance with the clergy and the squires. 1 • • • were nearly all the inn-keepers, ajid beor played its usual pert." I think that I have proved to the hilt that what I said at, Abercarn was true. I am really sorry that it is so. Why is it so? Why is it that the majority in the Church of England is continually in every election joining hands with the brewers, landlords, and all the vested interests?^ It is an undeniable fact that one branch of the Christian Church—and the most weadthy and influential-is continually going to the polling booth, not with the temperance army, not with too masses, not with right against might, but with the classes, monopolists, brewers, etc. It is a very sad, humiliating fact, and it grieves many a Christian. How to get the Established Church on the side of righteous- ness, sobriety, on the side of the weak, eto. ? By putting an end to the unjust alliance that is between it and the State. Make it a free, not a tied Church. T. C. DAVIES Llanhilleth, Mon.

IS IT POSSIBLE TO GET JUSTICE? Sir,-At the time of writing another attempt is being made to effoct a peaceful settlement m the coal trade. If a settlement is arrived at that is not satisfactory to the miners, there is no hope whatever of them accepting it, especi- ally in the Blaina and Ebbw Vale districts, In the first place they do not oolien in arbitration by any outsiders, bocause they lack the know- ledge of the conditions under which men have to work, and also that experience has taught them that it is a failure, and cannot bring justice. Again, in the two named districts neArly all the workings are abnormal, and if nothing is done to meet this, there will be no end of strife among the workers. The coal owners' proposals to meet this is mere childish talk. Do they think workmen have nothing else to do but go to court every week to claim their rights? Nay, nay, men aro not fools to run about for their pleasure. Too much of that has been done, and we want to secure now a wage rate, and know what we are working for. I wish to say further that in regard to abnormal workings, the judges of our courts have beea misled by .the coalowners They have described abnormal workings by faults, washouts, and jumps, but the fact is that no workings can be normal that are undermined by the working of other seams. This is practi- cally the condition of all workings in the dis- tricts of Ebbw Vale apd Blaina. There are three seams, namely, three-quarter, big coal and elled. The lowest of these is worked in advance of the other, and so on until the three are worked out. Aa those are worked the ground gives and sometimes falls from one to the other. Would any man contend that these conditions are normal? This is why the miners are claiming a wage rate, and unless they are successful, it will mean that we shall be screw- ed down to work at a price which will not keep body and soul together. Why is it that the coal- owners cannot accept the proposal of the men's representatives in regard to the 50 per cent, being minimum and maximum for a period of five years? The Welsh coal is not likely to go far below the 14s. 8d.; it is more likely to rise above. In this case the ooaJowners would be greatiy benefitted, while the miners in case this price goes down, would receive but very little profit. Probably this is not the greatest trouble of the coalowners, but that clause proposed by the men to delete the sixty hours, which cannot be of much benefit to either men or masters. God soeed the day when every man will not seek to gratify self, but every man his brother. Then, and only then, will it be possible for men to live out the best that is in therLL-Yours, etc., A WORKER

KHYMNEY SCHOOL MANAGERS CRITICISED. Sir,—While perusing your valuable pape, I came across a report of the doings of the Rhym- ney Valley School Managers with reference to the supplying of spectacles to children. So remarkable were the statements made by the chairman and clerk that I had to put on my spectacles in order to verify my first reading; but the process afforded1 me no new light. I noted that the chairman argued that Newport was the place where there were "properly quali- fied men (opticians)." To clear the way per- hap3 it would interest the chairman to know that there are in England two recognised exam- ining bodies for opticians, viz., the Worshipful Guild of Spectacle Makers and the British Op- tical Association. Both of these hold searching examinations in sight-testing. Besides, the examiners are men of the highest standing. Among them are Dr. Lindsey Johnson, M.A., M.D., M.S., F.R.C.S., Dr. Glazebrook, M.A., D.Sc., F.R.S., Dr. Walmsley, D.Sc., F.R.S.E., Dr Clay, D.Sc., B.A., Dr. Cook, D.Sc., A.R.C.S.. Dr. Andrew Wilson, F.RVS.E., and Dr. Griffiths (Birbeck Institute). Now, if the chairman were to spy out the land, he would find that there are gentlemen in the neighbour- hood who hold the above diplomas and who are, therefore, recognised as "properly quali- fied men." Further, I observed that the clerk took Hp 8ta:rKl "the special (optical) room. Suffice it to say that .if that gefttjem&n will take upon himself a little trouble, he will discove* that there are "orpeew rooms" in places other than Newport, and. furthermore, that it will not be necessary for him to go out of the neighbourhood to find thtm. I think I am correct in saying that these two gentlemen have fallen into the saiDe error as the Galilee- ans of old in not recognising the prophet in their own country. Let me. in conclusion, make my position clear that I hold no brief for any optician, but that I am a lover of fairplay, and, as such, I have been tempted to encroach upon your valuable spa.ce.-Th;nkg you in anticipation etc.

GELLYGAER DISTRICT COUNCIL ELECTION. Sir,—I must congratulate the opponents 01 dio Rector of Gellygaer on the splendid ad' vertisement feliey managed to get in the "Mer' thyr Express" for nothing, whijst my own sur- vcy of things in Gellygaer in your last issus was considerably condensed. I think I know the particular "Owner of Property on Both Sides," and regret that any remarks of proved so bitter to his taste But after writing with his pen in gall, I hope he is somewhat relieved. I can fairly well judge svho the wrner of the letter is by some of its phrases. In tlia ligh of the report of the Rector's me-sting at Hengoed (given in the same issue of the Mer- thyr Express"), the writer should bluah ar lJi1 own narrow, mean, and bitter insinuations. As to my notes about the new road being along the west side of the railway being wgestd by tiie Rector, to call it by no worse name, it is a misrepresentation. The Rector's own speech at Hengoed shows that such a route had but poor prospects, and that he cert aird1 d:d not lend countenance to it himself. xma alone gives the lie to the imputation about iny echoing the Rector in this matter. AuA.,eow lei me show how keen and fair-Sighted, of otherwise, the people are who want one of theil own little clique to take the Rector's place. The route along the eastern sidc-tho valley side—is the one practically decided upon, but it appears tha. one or two landowners stand out for an exorbitant price for bits of their land. If only one route is considered available, or desirable, are such landowners likely to abat<! the price they have asked? Would it not ba more likely that they would do so if an alter- native route were considered available? In- stead, therefore, of laying hold of a suggestion in that way—given as the view of a private individual-as a means whereby negotiation* migw be renewed with the object of getting better terms—this "far-seeing" little clique try, to make capital ou* of such a personal opinion, and to make it damage the Rector's candidatura by imputing something to him which he knettf no more about than the man in the moon. I have my own opinions as to the course of the road-and the opinions expressed by me are evidently not the Rector's—but, if the little clique was uc so obsessed with spite against those who objec (in the interests of the parish at large) to the mean and unworthy tricks tl'ey have recourse to to get a good man ou and a far inferioi man in, they could have seen tJJ6 advantage which could have been taken in the way of business of such a suggestion of aD alter- native route. They see nothing beyond them- selves. The suggestion, too, abou my writing with a view to favouring certain sectional in- terests, or of any individual, is one which I invite the writer to formulate in writing, and I will then take my own course for deaung wita it. Knowing, as well as I know inyseif, tbaf my hands are clean from anything so base a: that, I can only hold it Ul for the electors of Hengoed to view as the kind of meannes3 which some, who are so strenuously striving td get the affairs and appointments of the parish into their own hands, are themselves capable of. Here I publicly, in writing, give them a challenge to make good their words. In sucfl a matter they are past masters, and I am pre- pared to make good my words against that little clique I have in mind. And now, about the Rector It is not a per- sonal matter with me. I, as an elector, favout the Rector simply as the bes* and ablest man. in my opinion, for the Council's business. i frankly told the Rector's opponent so to bis face when he asked me the plain question. A oertam schoolmaster has more than once re- monstrated with me about the show I give the Rector in the Council work. Sir, the Rector in his efforts on the Council has had, like tha others, just what he merited, and no more. But a certain little clique would not complain if I abused the Rector and extolled them. 1 would extol them, and do extol them, whenever there is anything to extol. In all that I hav." written in the way of comment, I have tried to ba as unbiassed as possible. I am no party man; my notes will prove that to anyone who has not green eyee. Why I support the Rector in my private capacity, as an elector, is because in view of the efficiency he has shown in tha past, and the great matters which have to bel carried through in the naar luturo, the parisl1 will be more advantageously sewed by him than it could be by Mr. Sidney Jones; and I say that without a scintilla of personal dis, respect for Mr. Jones. During the two I have lived at Hengoed, I have kept myself free from influences. I have been obliged td hear things from this side and things from that side, but so far as local things are concerned, I have written from my own standpoint. Had Mr. Sidney Jones a leaser opponent—a man, I mean, with less ability than himself, or of in- ferior integrity—I would support Mr. S. Jones; but in this case that is not so, and with the history of the unhappy past, I maintain it is the duty of the electors of Gellygaer to elect the most prudent and efficient men they caP find.—Youra faithfully, RECORDER

THE REV. T. J. JONES'S ELECTORAL ADDRESS AT HENGOED. In your issue of March 26th, the address o! the Rector of Gellygaer was given all due prominence and publicity. May I also ask for equal treatment ttireply through your columns tc1 the statement made by the rev. gentleman on the occasion of his add-rese at Hengoed-I meaii that portion that refers to myself only, regard- ing the contemplated new road from P- to Hengoed. In your* .report he -Is made to sa-r that I asked £ 559 15s. "in order to go through a bit of his garden and take down a part of hi3 wall round his house." True, I did ask tho above amount, but only after having the pro* perty valued by competent valuers. I don. know what is the Rector's conception of "a blt of garden," but I do know what this means to me. This is the case: The proposed new road would pass through the front portion of two houses, which, of course, necessitates the pull-1 ing down of the existing two houses and erects ing two new ones instead, as per lease. I puJi it to the Rector, can he pull two houses down and erect two decent houses much under £ 450* —besides giving away 17 porches of valuable building land, and losing probably a year's rent, Further, since submitting the above prio9 to the Gellygaer Council, I have not been f&voured even to this date with a reply from that body as to the ree.sonable-ness or otherwise of the prioe asked. Can the Rector possibly know of a recent transaction between mysel* and the Council, per Mr. J. Jones (their sur* veyor), when I did not ask for a penny? should be only too pleased to do whai- I can is my small wav for Hengoed and its develop" ment j and if this suggestion is any good, why not appoint an arbitrator, tho Council them- selves choosing a man, and the costs to b8 equallv borne? Does this meet the Rector'* idea of fair play ? This is a very unkind cut to an old sup porter of his. Thanking you fof kind insertion,—I remain, yours faithfully. WILLIAM EDWARDS. Trelyn Inn, Pengam, nr. Cardiff, March 29th, 1910.

MR. S. JONES'S SERVICE^ TO GELLYGAER. Sir,-As one who lived in close proximity to the parish of Gellygaer for ten and a half years, and into which parish my duties frequently took me, may I crave a small space in youl valuable journal to commend to the eledor.1 the candidature of the adopted Progressive candidate for the ward—Mr. Sidney Jones, of Hgood. I have known Mr. Jones intimately for fully twelve years, and have pleasure iO heartily^ commending him to all the Progressive force* in the ward as a gentleman worthy of. their ungrudging and enthusiastic support. Mt.í Jooee ia a. native of the parish, and received his education at ihe Gellygaer Village Boa'" School and Lewis's School, Pan gam. With exception of one short interregnum, he 4 spent his life in the parish. This, in iself, 10 sufficient proof that he is well acquainted ivit-is the needs of the parish, and particularly WIIP the needs of the Hengoed and Gellygaer wards- Moreover, at the Parish Council election of 1907, he was returned at the head of the P!?11 for the Bargoed Ward, and was appointed chairman. His honesty, straighttorwardne^ impartiality, and sound commonsense during criticaj period in the affairs of tho parish the admiration of the whole Counoil, with th* result that-he was unanimously re-elected cliai*" man, and retained the position until urbaØ powers were granted to Gellygaer. Ho was onf of brave men who gave of their thought, energy, and time to clear up mess into which the affairs of the parish h3 got through careless and inefficient administra-' tion; while his piesent opponent was enjoy- ing himself in the seclusion of his r-eetory" Ono would have thought that that would IAlo befin tho time for the Rector to concern hl self with tho municipal affairs of the parish Of which Ho is tho recognised spiritual leadcr« and not now when everything is runnia* smoothly and well. I would warn the electors of the ReotOr" specious argument that the t'lto present Cox'15! ciliors for the Ward hail from Hengoed a Ystrad Mynacb, and if another resident Hengoed is returned, Pengam and GeU?' gaer will be disfranchised in the CouncJl. This is purely and simply an electioneering dodge, and is calculated to throw citist into the eyes of the people to obscure th6 real issue, and I would warn the electoral against it. The Progressive candidate is candidate for the whole ward, and riot *ny part of it. He knows the needs of ever? part of tha ward, and if returned to Council will serve tho ward honourably, partially, and efficiently. His services on late Parish Council, hid work on the CfiUSg*j|T Group of School Managers, his long resi^ in the parish, and his keen interest in eve1?" thing which conoern9 the welfare of tb* people entitle him to the cordial support 01 VLN the electors. Mr. Jones is a sound Progrc;s!V^' a keen educationist, an earnest social work«r» and, best of all, a gentleman of uninip<'a<^1' able character, and I appeal to all the forces in the constituency to rail* round him and leave no stone unturned return him at tha head of the poll on Monda-J nark.—I am, etc., AMBROSE LEWIS- Baptdat Huiist* Wipn (late MaesycwmiaerL March 29th, 1910, Printed publ<• i i.y the Proprietor, IIANO WOOD Scuiuiiv, lit (J )2:1J1-f; 1@J. 4_i,-

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Antiquarian Column. THE MERTHYR RIOTS. A fortnight ago "An Old Reader" asked Whether anyone could give the story of the JWfcrthyr Riots, during which the books belong- ing to the Merthyr Court of Request were burnt. Mr D. Morgans now writes:—"This is the story cf the Court of Conscience: The mob on the morning of the riots had called at the house of a grocer in Quarry-row, named Twm Brymy If seems that be had taken a chest of drapers m payment for goods from a person. After getting the chest back to its original owner, they went to Dynevor-street, to the house of Mr. Coffin, who was a head baril iff, and iemanded the book. He tried first, to put them away by throwing them an old book, but they wanted the book up-to-date. Mrs. Thomas, of The Court,- knew that Coffin was in trouble, she went to his rescue, and to smuggle him out of his house she put her dress, fcioak, and hat on Coffin. When the rioters saw Ure. Thomas, as they thought, coming out of the house, they made way for her. After this the mob burn" the book." THE OLD MERTHYR DIRECTORY. A correspondent writes:—"I am very pleased to find tha4. you have started an Antiquarian Column in your paper. I am certain it will be touch appreciated by a 131'g-. number of readers. The names from the old Directory given in your jast Mle were very interesting. I may point 18 out that Daniel Da vies, Dissenting minister. Was the minister of YnYlIgtltI from 1785 to 1810 5r 1811 Ha was a native of Llandyssul, in Cardiganshire, being the son of the Rev. James Davies, ih", minister of the Presbyterian Churches at Abermeung, BlaenpennnJ, Cil- gwyn, etc., in rhst county. He was educated at Carmarthen Presbyterian College, and at the termination of his college course he became pastor of Yaysgau, Sept. 3rd, 1735. The ordin- ation ceremony took place on May 6th. 1736, according to 0.00 account, and on September brh, 1786, according :o another account. After his marriage he gave up the charge of Ynys- gau, and lived fcr some time at Cwm, near .Caerphilly, and subsequently at Pontypridd. He died at Pontypridd in 1851, having reached ,the advanced age of 91 years. Mathew Wayne, fhown as acoomptant, was, doubtless, the Mathew Wayne who became subsequently bet- ter known a» the furnace manager a* Cyfarth- fa, the father of Thomas and William Wayne, of Glandare and Plasnewydd, Llwydcocd, the pioneers of the coal trade in the Aberdare valley, and the founders of the Gad'ys Collier- jeo and Ironworks. Of the names given under Gentry, a. few are well known, especially Messrs Richard Crawshay, Richa.rd Hill, S. Homfray, iet., but any information that, can be given about the other nr.mes mentioned in the list will be interesting." AN OLD ROAD BOOK. Brecon to Cardiff.—The following description t>f the road from Brecon to Cardiff from the Itxth edition of "A new and accurate descrip- rn of all u.e direct and principal cross roads England and Wales." by Daniel Patterson, 'Assistant 10 the Quartermaster-General of His Majesty's iS'orcas, may be interesting. The book was published 1784. The portion I-give below is a part of the description of the Chester to Cardiff road. and shows that the main high- way between Xorth and South Wales was in Ihai day through Mid-Wales, and not via Here- ford as at piesen' The principal towns on the route w*re: Wrexham. Newtown, Llanbedr Fawr, Builth, and Brecon. From Brecon down, ihe following is the table. The figures in the first column denotes the distance from the last place named, and those in the second column (he distance from Chester:— -Breoon — 100 River Tab 3z 104 Bullavan Hills 1 105 Capis T&fechan 6 Ill Pont Stucketh 2 113 Ruins of Moriest Castle 1 114 Beacon Hill 5 119 Caerfiliy Castle 12 lal Coal Works 1 132 Iron Works 1 133 Cardiff 6 139 The hot is interesting for its quaint speUiug of jPonteticill and Mortals Castle. Is not the Taff (or Tafy) as given wrongly located? Where, too, are the Bullavan Hills? Taf-fechan Chapel is well known, and so aro Pontsticili and Morlals Castle. Is Beacon Hill Cefng lais mountain? Which were the Co&i aid Iron Works below Caerphilly? Perhaps the groatest surprise "of all is the complete absence of Merthyr Tydal en this route. There is no record in the book of the road from Cardiff through Pontypridd to Merthyr, nor of the road from Neath to Merthyr, or even the road from Neath through Y stradiellte to Brecon.-ANTi- RUABIAH. FIRST MERTHYR ELECTION. The following appeared in the "Cambria.n" the week before the tint Merthyr Election in 1822. After the list of namss, the following an- nouncement was made:- [ "The Mertlv vi f Electors have determined to defray the expo uses of the Electicll." The explanatory notis are by Mrs. Jones, late of ILafod (.mother of Alderman D. W Jones). "We, the under; signed electors and others of be Borough of j) lerthyr Tydfil, invite J. J. '"iuest, Esq., to dii le with us at the Bush Inn '■n the day of the e Jection. W. Crawshay. William Crawshaj r, Francis Crawshay, Henry Crawshay (throe 1 sons of William. William, the son. was d rowned, and his horse, in crossing the eev rn; Francis went to Tre- forest; and Hen ry to the Forest of Dean. William Perkins ( Solicitor). Henry Jones. Christopher James (general dealer and wine merchant, father of Lord Justice Wm. Mil- bourne James. He afterwards went to Swansea, and sta ffced a chemical works). W D. Jenkins. Rice Lewis (drap er, London Warehouse, where the Court Arms is now. He built Courtlnnd House, now owned by Mr. Wm. Edwards, H.M. Ir tep^otor of Schools). W. Teague (kept th » Dowlais Inn). David Davies (of PE untyscallog). W. James (shopkec )pU, father of the late Chas. Herbert Jar oes, M.P.). Joseph Coffin (Clerl t of Court of Requests. He lived at Geo'-j fetown, and his house is still known as Ccnfi p's House. He contested Cardiff as a COO;) srvativ-e, but failed. He sunk a coliiary at Dinas, Rhondda). David Jones. Rhys Davies (one K if the leading tradesmen; kept the Post Oflkte; father of Mrs. Thos. Sbepn-ensr John Howell (priq her and bookbinder, The Glebe,land). P McGregor (see^ sman; a cultured old Scotsman. Mr. t, 3rtice Pryce, Lord Ab,r- dare's grandfathea the magistrate, used to ride over to the. Court on his pony, and often ate iris bra id and cheese and drink hi glass cf beer, at his shop. It was a great centre for pt oliticai gossip). John Ansell (currier) George Pierce (banit manager). rraliesyn Williams (kj ept the celebrated school in W üllingtolH,tree t "1010 Morganwg's" son). Daniel Thomas (Th Court). William Williams fengincer at; Cyfarthfa; father of Mra. Frai ik James). Thomas Evans (one <3 f the managers of Dow- lais Works). Samuel Thomas (kept a. grocer's shop in The Gleb?!and; marriedi a Miss Thomas, of The Court). i M. C. Harrison (cash^ ir at Dowlais Works). John Lewis Jameson Richard Bennett. D. W. James (curriel" a leading local man; cha-irman of the Loc al Board of Health for many years: son of < Christopher James). John Richards (The G rown). W. Jones. D. N Thomas (Davicfe Nicholas Thomas, gro- cer, Cefn Coed). Thomas Williams (grocer; father of the late Thomas Williams, solicitor-the coroner). Abraham Jones. Rowland Hopkins (Pen ydarren Works). William Ho wells (the Patriot Inn, an import- ant hostel; a great place of resort). Lewis Lewis (known as "L'ó}wls the Girushop" 1 dl afterwards lived at Olyntaff, Troedyrhiw). David Jones. William Williams. Thomas Chin (draper^ his daughters after- wards kept a milliqfrr's shop for many years). Joseph Trump. Lewis Robarte.. David Williams (the Greyhound; afterwards kept the Angel. John Nixon stayed at tne Angel when he was sinking at the Werla, and had no money 'to pay his board; he paid his bill by shades in the pit). Edward Purchase (thet Castle Hotel. Prev- iously he drove the (loach to Abergavenny, which used to go evry: day). William Williams. Richard Wood. Thomas Darker. John Thomas (undertaker). R. P. Davies (Dowlasis Works; afterwards manager of Trodegar Works). Edward John Hutchings (Dowlais Works; nephew of Sir John Guest). W. Richards. J. C. Woolridge (cashier at Plymouth Works). William Stephens (chemist ja. Chartist). John Evans (one of the managers of the Dowlais Wroks). George Kirkhouse (engineer, Dowlais Works). John Williams (The ùHClng Kong; grocer: known as "Lord John"; used to ride a very fine horae). Roger Williams (relieving officer). Stephen Jones (colliery manager of Dowlais, and lived at Pengamddu). Richard Henry (Bush Inn, Dowlais). Lewis Lewis. W. Puxneil (kept tho Companies' Shop in Dowlais). John H. Davies (tho druggist; one of the Pantyscallog family). Walter Morgan (Thei Ship Arewery, George- town. His son became a judge in India). D. Edwards. E. Edwards.. David Davies. lly. Charias (grocsr, Pontstorehouse). J. P. Strange (a doctor at Dowlais). Jame3 Stephens (of Plymouth Works; brother of Adrian Stephens, the inventor of the steam whistle). Henry Kirkhoufie (Llwyncelyn; father of the present VjN. of Cyfarthfa, the Rev. Howell Kirkhouse). John Rjchwd* I We have received a letter from "One Inter- ested in Antiquity" on "The Ruins of Capel y I Fforeat," in Merthyr Valley, which will appear next week. ==tl-,=t--

The Editor wishes it to be distinctly understood that be will not hold himself responsible for the opinions or statements of correspondents, nor lunder. take to retnrn rejected manuscript. Correspondents MUST write on one aide of the paper only. Letters of a personal character will not be inserted f"v 'J.,J"

TO CORRESPONDENTS. I "Fair Play, have received your letter but cannot insert it.

MR. THOMAS STEPHENS'S WORKS. Sir,—Will you, or somebody else, kindly in- form me if othet literary oomposit.ions in print or manuscript, ascribed to the authorship of tb, late Mr. Thomas Stephens, of Merthyr TydBi, g may be added to the following lirit of hi works, so as to make it coniple-to of the Life and Times of Iestyn ab Gwrgant, the Last Notirt, Lord of Glamorgan," 1840; '"Hi: j tory of Remarkable Plaots in the County of Cardigan," "The Heraldic Poetry of Wales," 1845; 'The Literature of the Kymry, bsing a Critic*: Rssay on the History of the Language and Literature of Wales during the Twelfth and T'"c Succeeding Centuries," 1848; "Arwyddhirdd O/mni," 1349; "Cofiant Iolo Morganwg," 3852; "Llenyddiaeth y Cvmry yn y Canol Oes'rtd," 1353; "Y Nod (5yfrin a Myvyryddiaeth," 1854; "Trial by Jurv in Wa.ks," 1355; Sefyllfa Warciddiol v Cymry," 1856; "Llecyddiaefii, Moesoldob, a Chrefydd y Cymry mews cymhariaeth a Chencdloedd Cyf- agos," 1358; "Daxganfyddiad America gan Fadog ab Owen Gwyncdd." 1860; "History of Caerphilly Castle." 1S66: "Coelbrsn y Beirdd," 1872 'The Welsh Triads," contributed to the 'Beirniad": "The Gododin: Text, with Eng- lish Translation and Notes and Life of Aneurin."—Yours, etc., TALFYRYDD. 23, Clare-street, Merthvr Tvdfil, Match 28th. 1910. 1

SCIENTIFIC DRESS-CUTTING. Sir,—Referring to Miss Williams's great suc- cess iu learning my system so as to be able to draft without the book after only three lessons, allow me to point out to those ladies who think that Miss Williams had had lessons before which ware a great help to her, that such is not the ease, my chart being totally different to anything else of its kind. What Miss Wit- liams did was, after all, only what is possible to every pupil, even a novice, who applies her- self to her work, as many pupils now learning can prove. Mrs. Powell, junior, of High-street, Merthyr, has done equally as well without any previous knowledge. I am willing to teach a child (quite fret), 10 years of age, who knows nothing of sewing, and will undertake that she

MR, HARMED VOTES IN THE COMMONS. Sir,—Please allow me a small space of your valuable paper to draw attention to the utter- ance of Mr. Keir Hardie at Carmel Hall, Aberdare. He gave Army estimates from the time he firs* entered Parliament until the year 1915—-what they probably will be then — and criticised the Government unmercifully, and said that thev were unable to satisfy the peo- ple with sufficient reason for the increase. If Mr. Keir Hardie represented a constituency where there was a dockyard, we should not have heard this criticism. The Cabinet, he says, are not in unison, as though the party he represents are in perfect harmony. He pre- dicts an immediate dissolution unless a truco can be arranged between the Whigs and Tories. This constituency may as well bs unrepresent- ed just because his vote was neutralised by the Senior Member on the Navy estimates. It would be interesting to know how Mr. Keir Hardie voted upon the Army Bill when Mr. Barnes moved an amendment. It would reveal some inconsistency of those who pretend to do the right thing always. Did he and his col- leagues make a truce at the eleventh hour, lest the Government be defeated ? The record of the voting shows some confusion. Mr. Keir Hardie is anxious to get a Labour colleague to contest this constituency at the next election. The Liberals are quite as anxious, and feel cer- tain that the victory will not, be for Socialism, but for pure Labour and Liooraliem. ELECTOR.

I shall do as well as any adult on my system. MADAM KNIGHT.