The Merthyr Express

MERTHYR AND DISTRICT I MAY HORSE SHOW AND PARADE. PENYDARREN PARK, THURSDAY, MAY 12, 1910. £150 in Prizes for Riding, Driving, Jumping ■ Trotting and Galloway Classes. A SPLENDID AFTERNOON'S ENJOYMENT. The MUNICIPAL BAND SELECTIONS OF MUSIC during the day. JUDGING TO COMMENCE ABOUT 12.30 ADMISSION TO PARK, Is. CHILDREN HALF-PRICE. ENCLOSURE, 6d. EXTRA. HALF-PRICE TO FIELD AFTER 4 O'CLOCK. Schedules and all Particulars from the Secretary— W. T. JONES, 50, High-street, Merthyr. MERTHYR SELECT SKATINC RINK ANGEL BUILDINGS. Entrance Gillar Street ELECTRIC LIGHT Music REFRESHMENT & CLOAK ROOMS. SMOOTHEST RUNNING MAPLE FLOOR IN WALES. RICHARDSONS & WINSLOW'S BALL-BEARING SKATES. FOUR SESSIONS DAILY. r 10 a.m. till 1 Admission and Skates, 6d. 2.30 till 5 p.m. „ „ 6d. SUMMER PRICES 1 7 till 10.16 p.m. „ i „ U. j Special Session for Ladies and Children 6 till 7.30 Ladies, 6d., Children, 3d. GWENT CHAIR EISTEDDFOD (12,th Annual) NBY, WHIT-TUESDAY, MAY 17th. 1910. CHIEF CHORAL-(a) Britons, Alert!" (Elgar) £ I 00 (b) "Sylvia" (J. H. Roberto) ilUU SECOND CHORAL-" The Lord is my Shepherd (H. Evans) JB20 MALE VOICES-" Peace, be Still" (D. Jenkins) j625 LADIES' CHOIRS-" Gentle Spring" (Holbroke) £15 JUVENILE CHOIRS-" Who is Sylvia?" (D. T. Evans) £10 BOYS' CHOIRS—" Whispering Wind" (Labbett) JB5 AWDL Y GADAIR-"Y Duffryn" £ 5 ft Chadair Gwent PRIF DRAETHAWD-" Diarhebion Cymru: Ell Swyn a'u DylaQwad I) H. £ 3 lie, BRASS BANDS (Class B)-" Robin Heed" (Macfarren) £18 Solos, Two Guineas each. Recitations, Ambulance, to. ProrrammtS-Twopenoe each". L W. EDWARDS, Secretary, The Terrace, Rhyraaef. MERTHYR TOWN MISSION HALL (Shiloh), CHURCH STREET. NEXT SUNDAY, GOSPEL ADDRESSES by Rev. H. O. HUGHES. Missioner. DUET Miss MORRIS and Miss EVANS. Selections by Mission Orchestral Baud. PARK BAPTIST CHURCH, THE WALK, MERTHYR. PREACHER NEXT SUNDAY Rev. J. Lloyd Williams, Pastor. Services at 11 and 6 o'clock. SPIRIT UAL ISWI ON SUNDAY NEXT, APRIL 17tb, AT 1HB ^JBITUXL TEMPLE, TBAMROADSIDE N OBTH, Mrs. Jessie Crompton, of Bolton, The World-renowned Inspirational Medium, will deliver TWO INSPIRATIONAL ADDRESSES. Commencing at 11 a-m. and 6 p.m. j On the following MONDAY Evening at 7.30, she will also occupy the platform. CX-AiaVOYANT descriptions at the close of each Service. Silver Collections. earnest seekers after truth are cordially invited to w the services. ABERCYNON I.L.P. ft- J. Campbell's Lepture HAS BEEN POSTPONED UNTIL FUTURE DATE owing to ILLNESS. Ticket Purchasers are requested to retain i"— their Tickets. THE ART UNION OF LONDON-, 112, STRAND. W.C. A Subscription of Bl Is. entitles the Subscriber I Copy of a fine Plate, whioh is on artistic rendering in colour of the ORIGINAL MINTING, by Alfred Parsons, A.R. A., entitled SPRINGTIME. the subscriber may select from the many fine S^ffavings and Etohings previously issued by the RV^'ety, and also the chance of WINNING A PRTZK the Society's Annual PRIZE DRAWING in ApJiI. For full particulars apply, I. WILKS, AUCTIONEER, 14, Glebeland Street, Merthyr. Venetian Blind Works 11 THOMAS BROS., & 12, Tudor Lane, CARDIFF. t. Tel. 2058. PRICE LIST Frtzi. .Merthyr Mutual Investment and Loan Society. ^0X8T«B*N UNDER THE FRIENDLY SOCIETIES ACTS). (MUTUAL AND CO-OPERATIVE). f_°vides a Safe aud Profitable Investment of to20s. weekly. it wade to Tradesmen, Artisans and others j, *est cost, repayable by easy instalments. trn,„°?.l?ectus and full information to be obtained W0ln the Secretary, JAMES LEVER, REGISTERED OFFICES POST OFFICE CHAMBERS. X MERTHYR. TYDFIL. CHAlflES l. STEWÄRT VAT ACC°UNTANT and AUDITOR, k ^UER, HOUSE and ESTATE AGENT °HtQAGE and INSURANCE BROKER Tr Debts Bought or Collected, Rents Contra^?" Accounts Regularly Posted by Special Tax and Loss Accounts andtfEScome •A-Udih, Prepared, Quarterly and Annual ■Aitkifjj Vn°ertaken, Bankrupts' Statements of -^rangement with Creditors, Valuations Aeanf for Probate, etc. p,or, the Chief Life, Accident, Fire, and O* Glass Insurance Companies. :-BULBOURNE CHAMBERS, —- MERTHYR TYDFIL. "EXPRESS" LIBRARY (In connection with MCDIS'B). £ Consignment of the Latest r°Pular BOOKS 8TJB JUST RECEIVED. OltlPTIoNS COMMENCE AT ANY «mb. i— 1-IEY & SONS ce, Merfliyr, j IMAESTEG AND DISTRICT COOIAGE HOSPITAL EISTEDDFOD. GRAND CHAIR. EISTEDDFOD OP-mtog, Tuesday, August 2nd, 1910. AGGREGATE PRIZES— £ 200. Adjudicators-Music: Dr. S. Coleridge Taylor, London Preliminary; W. Thomas, Esq., Treorchy; Brass Bands: Tom Morgan, Eqq., London; Literature: "Gwili"; Ambulance Dr. D. J. Thomas, Nantymoel. CHIFF CHOITAL-" Hark! the deep tremendous Voice" (Haydn), 1st prize, 170; 2nd £ 20. SECOND OHOSAL-"The Lord is my Shepherd (S. Davies, G. & L., M esteg),trize £20. MALB Voics-" Spartan Heroes" (Dan Protheroe\ 1st prize, £ 20; 2nd £ 5. JUVENILIG CHOlit-" Over the lield, of Clover (Adam Geibel), 1st prist, £ 6 2nd £ 2. BRASS BANDS (2nd Cla.«s)—"Memories of the Past" (W. Rimmers) 1st price £ 10 2nd £ 5; 3rd £ 2. Action Song for children.. 1st prize £ 2 2nd £ 1, Solos I i gfns. each. "Prvddesfc, 2 gns., tt handsome Chair. Ambulance Competition, £4. Together with substantial prizes for other musical com- petitions, Essay, Recitations, Eqglyn, Sua. Full particu- lars, see programmes, 2d., from the Secretary, J. P. James, 15. Brynmawr-place, Maesteg, Glam, Abertysswg Third Annual Library Chair Eisteddfod. The above Eisteddfod will be held at Ammtwo on AUGUST BANK HOLIDAY TUESDAY, 2nd, 1910. Adjudicators Music—Joseph Bo wen, Eeq.. Porth Literature-Rev. Crwys Williams, Brynmawr. Jacob Gabriel, Esq., Argoed. GHIBt CHOILIAL. 11 How great is Tby goodness (Edwin Jones, L.T.O.8., Pengam), £ 15. JUVBHIMS CHOIRS, lTOnward" (D. Jones, A.C., Bargoed), £5 and .£2.. Pryddest, 12 and a valuable Chair. Quartette, Y,2 2s. Duet. Al 53.; Essay, £1; Solos, j Sv J^'tations, M.; Englyn; Ambulance, £ 2 2s. ana £ 1 Is, and Mining Competitions. Programmes can now be had from Hon. Secretaries, Mr. W. A. LEWIS, 4 Hill-road, Mr. D. J. EVANS, McLaren House, lid., post free. Abertysswg. HIGHFIELD SCHOOL, 9, NINIAN ROAD, ROATH PARK, CARDIFF. THE PRINCIPAL, MISS CARYL, HAS VACANCIES FOR A FEW BOARDERS IN HER OWN HOME. NEXT TERM COMMENCES APRIL 25TH. HIGHEST REFERENCES. MODERATE FEES, j PROSPECTUS SENT ON APPLICATION ARITHMETIC. Expert Courses for:— 1.-PRELIM. CERTIFICATE. Are you afraid of Part I ? 2.—OXFORD LOCALS. 3.—The CERTIFICATE EXAMINATION. By an EXPERIENCED TEACHER. Drop a post card giving particulars, flDERWEN DEG," Ton Pentre, nr. Pontypridd. The South Wales High School < for Girls. Summerfield Hall Maesycwmmer A Thorough High-Class Education' at Moderate Fees. Preparation for Cambridge, Local and Royal Academy Examinations. Tennis and Hockey. SUMMER fiSH, will Commenee TDESDAY, MAY 3rd., 1910. Boarders return May 2nd. Proepectus on application. At home to parents on and after April 26lh. University College of South Wales J and Monmouthshire, Cardiff. ] SCHOOL OF MEpICINE. ] THE Winter Session begins on October 5th.. All 1 ■ Classes are open to both Men and Women i Students who may spend.Three out of the Five Years of their Medical Curriculum at this College. The instruction given is recognised by the < various: Universities, Royal Colleges and other licensing bodies. Special Courses are given in preparation for the Examinations for Diplomas in Public Health, and for the Certificate of the Central Midwives Board. For further particulars apply to- DAVID HEPBURN, M.D., C.M., F.R.S.E., BJEiuSTm rafSNl.lTl&StSr. THE BOAT INN, BOUGH ROOD, LLYSWEN, 8.0. On the banks of the Wye. FREE FISHING. GOOD ACCOMMODATION. Prop.rietor < E. LEWIS. f ^HrARtHER^llS BGOLDESRETURMSI ■■*5*552*5525*8^1^ 0P Facsimile oj Qnt-Qunct Pa&U ] Archer's Tho P«rfeotlon •( Pips Tobaoeo* < Golden Returns < 0Mr.. ( -h 81M THEATRE ROYAL AND OPERA HOUSE, MERTHYR TYDFIL. Lesee,t-THE SOUTH WALES ENTERTAINMENTS Co. MONDAY. APRIL 18th, 1910 For Six Nights. MR. C. WATSON MILL will present the Romantic Spectacular Drama— FOR LOVE AND THE KINC Mr. MILL will appear as Jarval," Supported by a Company of Recognised Artistes' DOORS OPBN, 7.15. COMMENCE 7.45. Circle, 2s. Stalls, 18. 6d. Pit, Is. Gallery, 61. MAY 9th, 1810. BARGOED & DISTRICT 5th ANNUAL MAY-DAY SHOW AND PARADE TAKES PLACK AT BARGOED. Splendid Classes, Local and Open, Cash Prizes. Fire Brigades Tournament. Ambulance Competitions. Timbering: Competitions. Fancy, Novel and Comic Classes SPECIAL CLASS FOR BOY SCOUTS. Schedules and Entry Forms may be obtained from D. G. STAPLETON, Sec., or ALF. THOMAS, Assist. Sec., BARGOED. MR. T. RHYS LEWIS, Late of Moody-rdanaere and D'Oyly Carte's South African Coa., GIVES LESSONS ON VIOLITC, VIOLA, and 'CELLO. PUPILS SPECIALLY TRAINED IN ORCHESrRAL and CHAMBER MUSIC, ]L and SIGHT-READING. 43, UNION TERRACE, MERTHYR TYDFIL.

r. "Merthyr Express" Diary. All fixtures advertited, in the "Express" will be included in the diary free of charge. Sunday, APRIL 17, Mrs. Jessie Crompton at Spiritual Temple, Merthyr. Monday, APRIL 18, Skating Rink, 'Angel Buildings, Daily. Palace, Ebbw Vale, "Trilby," also Tuesday and Wednesday. Thursday, APRIL 21, Palace, Ebbw Vale, "The Woman in the Case," also Friday and Saturday. Football, Neath v. Merthyr Amateurs, Rhydycar Judas Maombaeuo, Drill Hall, Merthyr. Thursday, APRIL 28. Carnival at Blackwood Rink Pavilion; also Friday, Apri] 29. Monday, MAY 9. Bargoed May Day, Show. Thursday, MAY 12, Merthyr May Horse Show and Parade.. Whit-Tuesday, MAY 17. Gwent Chair Eisteddfod, Rhymney. Eisteddfod, Cwmaman, Aberdare. Tuesday, AUGUST 2, Eisteddfod at Maesteg. Eisteddfod at Abertysswg,

Notice to Subscribers. Three editions of the "Merthyr Express" are printed every week one for the Aberdare Val- ley from Hirwain to Abercynon; one for the Bor. ough of Merthyr Tydfil and East Glamorgan; and one for West Monmouth, inclusive of the Rhymney Valley. Subscribers in one district desirous of obtaining the edition in another district can be supplied with it through their regular agents by sending a post card to the publisher, Glebelana. street, Merthyr, intimating their wishes and nam- ing the agent.

MERTHYR QUARTER SESSIONS. ON Wednesday there was a scene at the Town' Hall which made all those who witnessed it proud of the old town of Merthyr. The new Court of Quarter Sessions for the county borough was opened for business on that day, and the interesting proceedings were watched by a crowded gathering with deep interest and satisfaction. It being the inaugural sessions there were some features about it which will not be repeated at subsequent, sessions, but which remain to make this first sitting of the court memorable and historic. The hon. and learned gentleman who has been appointed to the office of Recorder, Sir David Brynpior Jones, K.C., M.P., was duly ushered into the court by the Mayor (Mr. Frank T. James), in his scarlet robe and wearing his chain of office, preceded by thp mace, and on arrival upon the Bench his Worship swore in the Recorder and then delivered a brief address, congratulating the learned gentleman upon his appiontment, which had given universal satisfaction to the inhabitants of the borough. Sir D. Brynmor Jones, in acknowledging the Mayor's complimentary observations, in his turn congratulated the borough of Merthyr upon the acquisition of its new dignity, and observed that it was not a little remarkable that in little more than five years Merthyr had received its Charter of Incorporation, been raised to the rank of a county borough, been granted its own commission of the peace, and last of all had received the crowning honour in local self-government of a Quarter Sessions for its own area. He trusted that these great powers would all tend by their judicious exercise to the material, moral and intellectual welfare of the whole community. Mr. John Plows tendered the congratulations of the Bar, whose members assembled in considerable strength to do honour to one of the leaders of the South Wales .circuit, and the learned Recorder having made suitable acknowledgment the business ot> the court proceeded. Seeing how many persons were drawn from the borough to this court, upon business of one sort and another, it was a matter of general comment and con- gratulation, that there would be no more trips to Swansea and Cardiff upon Quarter Sessions business, that can be done with equal efficiency in our own municipal centre, with immense saving of time, and an incalculable avoidance of worse evils than the mere waste of time.

THE VETO RESOLUTIONS. .k S. NOTWITHSTANDING the desperate plight of the Government, according to the Unionist press, they seem to be making very good progress with their Veto campaign in Parliament. Decisive majorities have again demonstrated the unity of all sections of their. supporters upon the supreme question. Their position has unquestionably been materially strengthened in piiblip opinion by their steadfastness of purpose and their refusal to be thrust off the straight line which they have marked out for the pursuit of their object, by the incessant tricky assaults of their opponents. In -th( debate on tho second resQlutiQDj Uniting the veto, Mr. Balfour, for the first time, approached the question in a. serious mood, and he argued with much force that by this resolution the House of Lords would be actually strengthened as against the House of Commons. They would have the power given by statute to hang up every measure, if they thought proper to do so, for two years. When Mr. Churchill's turn came to|answer tho leader of the Opposition he promptly nailed him to s admission, which destroys everything that has been said, or can yet be said, about the aim of the Govern- ment being to establish a one-chamber system. Mr. Churchill's speech was a magnificent piece of oratory, as conspicuous for its wise, practical and moderate statesmanship as for its rhetorical features. It was also a plain and forcible statement of the real purposes of the Govern- ment. They were determined to establish equality of rights for all parties, and to make the machinery of legislation effective for ensuring for the majority, at any time and of whatever party, power to carry out the will of the electors by whom they were elected. Under the present system that was not so. No Liberal majority in the House of Commons can carry measures to which Mr. Balfour objects. He gives the signal, and the House of Lords does the rest. Liberals are tired of the wasteful and exhausting mileage of lobby tramping, to which the last four sessions have borne witness, and they intend to have a change which will give equal value to Liberal and Unionist votes. Both resolutions were carried on Thursday nigh; under the guillotine.

ft \.> THEj SENSATION OF THE WEEK. THE political sensation of the week has been an extraordinary divulgence of alleged con- fidential conversations between Mr. W. O'Brien and Mr. Lloyd George, and the intervention of Mr. John Redmond as a third party, at whom Mr. O'Brien, it is supposed, is really directing his shafts. Mr. O'Brien made the disclosures at a meeting of his supporters, in County Cork, and he read to them the copy of a letter which he gave them to understand had been sent to Mr. Lloyd George, setting forth the concessions which Mr. O'Brien demanded, and which the Chancellor of the Exchequer wis willing to grant if the consent of the Irish people were first obtained. Mr. O'Brien's point against Mr. Redmond was that he refused his assent on behalf of the Irish people that hi £ party represented, and therebysacritlced very material advantages for Ireland. It was all a matter of bargaining about Irish support for the Budget—or at least withdrawal of effective hostility. Mr. Lloyd George denied that the alleged letter had ever been received by him, or that a copy of it had ever been read to him, and the whole matter was a gross breach of confidential exchanges of views. Mr. O'Brien reiterated his original statement, whilst Mr. Redmond declared it to bo fabulous, and only intended to inflict injury upon him. The hon. member for Cork has obtained the Speaker's consent to bring the matter before the House of Commons on Monday night, when the Budget is to be introduced and a resolution for summary process moved. There will be some lively interchanges between these big guns," without doubt, but we think in the result it will be made clear that the brilliant imagination of the hon. member for Cork city has conceived statements of a nature that theJ[ChanceIlor would not deliberately commit himself to, or I that he has placed constructions upon statements which they did not bear. Mr. Lioyd George is too astute and experienced a Parliamentarian to give himself away to an opponent while amicably and confidentially trying to ascertain his views and to see how far they could be reconciled with his own.

i. GOSSIP. It is stated that certain members of the Merthyr Corporation are in favour of an effort being made to secure an extension of the borough boundaries by the inclusion of Bedjinog, Trelewis, and part of, if not all, the Hengoed Ward. The matter has been talked about for some time, but so far no definite move has been made. It is pointed out that there are hundreds of people living in Dowlais and working at Bedlinog, and that Merthyr has to house these people, provide sanitary arrange- ments for them, ana educate the children, while Gellygaer takes all the gains from the pits. The Corporation also supply Bedlinog and Trelewis with water, and deal with the sewage of the latter place. This is a question that will provoke discussion when a scheme is laid before the Council. Arguments may be ad- vanced both for and against the proposal. Would it be to the advantage of the places named if they were included in the borough ? Would they be better looked after than they 1 are at present ? Are the existing ties sufficiently strong to warrant the Corporation proceeding „ with the scheme ? And is the present an opportune time for making the attempt to bring about an extension of the borough, which is almost certain to be opposed ? These are questions that readily suggest themselves. Others may present themselves when the details of the scheme are laid bare. The owners and residents in the district must prefer (if they desire it) a request for admission within the borough, and not the Corporation seek, against their will, to force them in. The parish ani county would be up in arms against such a movement. « Arrangements are being made for an Inter- national Free Trade Congress to be held at Antwerp in August, under the auspices of the Cobden Club. It is estimated that to give all the officers under the rank of inspector one day's rest in seven, it would be necessary to increase the Merthyr Police Force by ten constables. This would mean an extra expenditure of about t800 per annum. The matter has been under the consideration of the Merthyr Watch Committee, who received the proposal sympathetically. It was agreed, however, to defer consideration until it was seen what would become of the Bill now before Parliament, the object of which is to make it compulsory for police authorities to allow police officers under the rank of in- spectors 52 days' leave of absence every year. Illness is a crime," declared Miss Kate Behnke, in the course of a lecture in London, on the nature cure." They ought, she added, to be ashamed of themselves for being ill. They ate the wrong food, they over.clothed, they clothed in the wrong things. The most impor- tant feature of the nature care was the light and air bath and the sun bath, and the uae of clay, which had extraordinary properties for drawing out poisonous matter from the body. A conference of representatives of the Welsh Free Churches Disestablishment Committee, the Welsh Liberal Council and the Liberation Society, was held at Shrewsbury, last week-end, the object being to formulate a basis of co-oper- ation between these bodies for the purpose of furthering the Welsh Disestablishment move. ment. A resolution was passed pledging the conference to support the Government on the question of the Veto of the Lords and the Budget, on condition that the first measure to be dealt with afterwards shall be the Disestab. lishment of the Church in Wales. A campaign in England and Wales was decided upon. « A branch of the League of Young Liberals is to be formed at Brynmawr. < The death is announced of Mr. Richard Morgan John, headmaster of the Elkington- streei Boys' School, Birmingham. Mr. John was a native of South Wales, and was educated for the teaching profession at Borough-road Training College, London. His first appoint- ment was under the Merthyr School Board, but in 1880 he joined the teaching staff of the Birmingham School Board. He assisted to establish in the capital of the Midlands the Undeb y Brythoniaid. « An entrance to Cyfnrthfa Park is being made at the top of Gwaelodygarth-lajae, opposite Ardwyn House. This will be a great boon to residents in Gwaelodygarth, Fenydaryen and Dowlais. t t Mr. Edgar Jones, M.P. spent last week-end in the constituency. On Saturday he addressed meetings at Merthyr an« Aberdare, arranged 1 by the. local branches, of t4e League of Young liberals Both meeting^ were vrcll attended and tha enthusiasm displayed augurs well for the future. These organisations will be a potent force whenever the next election takes place. Mr Hemmerde, K.C., M.P., had also been announced to speak at each meeting, but unfortunately he was unable to be present, owing to indisposition. A capable substitute was found in Mr. Clem. Edwards, ex-M.P. for the Denbigh Boroughs. Mr. Jones was able to show that he has done much useful work since he entered Parliament, not only for the benefit of Merthyr, but for the Principality. It is gratifying to learn that the local brandies of the Liberal League are meeting with sub- stantial support. For many years there has been little propaganda work on behalf of Liberalism in the Merthyr Valley, and to this may be attributed the fact that many former Liberals and sons of old Liberals are to-day found in hostile camps. The Young Liberal Leagues have not been formed a day too soon. Other parties have been very active in the past, and undoubtedly converts have been made. It has never been difficult to rouse Liberals to enthusiasm during an election, but the election over the enthusiasm has been allowed to die out, and ardent spirits have found other spheres in which to work. The new League will help to sustain the enthusiasm. Public meetings will be held from time to time, and other means will be adopted for keeping young Liberals in the ranks of the party of progress. The Merthyr branch has made an excellent start, and the same may be said of the branch at Dowlais, under whose auspices a public meeting was held on Wednesday. The branches in the Aberdare Valley are also displaying great activity. Converts are being made every .veek, and not a few of those who had fnrsaken the principles held by their fathers have been won back. The Young Liberals are working zealously and deserve all the support that can be given them. On Sunday night, Mr. Jones, who was accom- panied by Alderman D. W. Jones, attended the service at Zion Welsh Baptist Church, Twynyr- odyn. Mr. Joseph Dobson, who frequently visited Merthyr, has been found dead in an upper storey of a house in the main street at Islington. Mr. Dobson was a bookseller, and paid periodical visits to Merthyr. At one time he conducted one of the best-known auction rooms in Black- pool. He was a man of exceptional attainments, but very brusque. Little is known of his antecedents, though he is said to have been a native of Yorkshire. To attend one of his auction sales was always as enjoyable as being at. an entertainment. He was rerv smart and witty, and often cracked jokes at the expense of his audience, but woe to the man who attempted to playa joke upon him. Dobson's scorn would cause any man to beat a hasty I retreat. What he said respecting articles offered for sale must be taken as gospel truth," and if bids were not forthcoming he would quickly clear the room. Although so brusque and odd in his manner those who knew him best speak of him as a most genial man. The International Congress of Chambers of Commerce, which will meet in London shortly, will discus.3 the adoption of what is called a normal calendar for the whole of the Christian world. The proposal is that the normal month shall have thirty days, the last month of eacli quarter 31 days, and the odd day needed to make up the 365 be New Year's Day, which shall be considered as an extra mensual day. If this system should be started, New Year's Day will fall on a Sunday, and the next year— January 1—would begin on Monday. As rounding off this symmetrical system, the movable feasts of Easter Bad Whitsuntide are to be fixed, so as to give us regularity all through the year, and making all holidays as liuuiut^ble as thatlof August Bank Holiday. The fields above King Edward's Villas, Merthyr, and forming part of the Meyrick Estate, are now being cut up for building purposes. It is the intention, it is said, to erect a number of small villas on the land. Although eighty-one years of age on Sunday General Booth continues to lead the strenuous life. When not preaching and lecturing he keeps his private secretary and two shorthand writers busily employed, and lie puts in so much work that there is said to be little chance of his autobiography being completed unless some period of enforced leisure comes, as was the case last autumn, when he experienced considerable trouble with one of his eyes. He spent last week dictating a volume of sermon- ettes on various social topics for the special ue of the Army. Telegrams reached the General in hundreds, on Sunday.^fiougwXulating him on attaining his 81st birthday. Mr. Keir Hardie, M.P., delivered an address on India," at the Market Hall, Aberdare, on Sunday evenini. It is rumoured that Mr. Leif Jones will probably be the Liberal candidate for East Glamorgan, in the room of Sir Alfred Thomas, who may retire at the next election. Other names have also been mentioned, including those of Professor T. Levi, Aberystwyth, Mr. Rhys Williams, son of the late Judge Gwilym Williams, and Alderman R. Lewis, of Tonypandy and Pontypridd. It is not at all certain, yci, how- ever, that Sir Alfred will retire at the next election. No official announcement has yet been made. The final ballot to decide whether Mr. C. B. Stanton, Aberdare, or Mr. A. Onions, Tredegar, shall be the Labour candidate, has resulted in a majority of 2,727 for Mr. Stanton. The figures were:—Mr. Stanton* 11,879; Mr. Onions, 9,152. » There is every probability," writes a correspondent from the Rhymney Valley, that what has happened in Mid-Glamorgan will be repeated in East Glamorgan. Had the choice of the miners' lodges fallen upon Mr. Alfred Onions there would have been no objec- tion raised by the Liberals, who, up to the present, have worked in harmony with the Labour party. They would accept Mr. Onions, or any other Labour candidate of the same type, willing to consider the claims of Liberals to have a. candidate selected by Labour that would be acceptable as a representative to them. Mr. Stanton, however, is a politician of such extreme Socialistic opinions that they will never silently assent to his nomination for the seat simply because the colliers have given him a majority of votes in their lodges. The persons who voted include thousands of non- electors, and the real electors will not be put aside by them. Of course, Mr. Stanton will now contest the seat, but he will have to fight a Liberal in sympathy with Labour. I don't know what the feeling at Pontypridd and in the Rhondda portion of the division may be, but I can say for the Rhymney Valley Liberals that they will never accept a Socialist, and especially one of the extreme type of Mr. Stanton." This points to a three-cornered fight whenever Sir Alfred Thomas retires. t w The other day a fox dashed into the Smith's Arms Hotel, Aberbargoed, and ran about the rooms. Chase was given and eventually Reynard was caught in the billiard room. There was no "hunt in the district that day, and evidently the fox wandered to the village from the mountains in search of a little excitement. "The chief menace to Free Trade is ignorance." It is a capital watchword, and one which the Free Trade Union is acting up to with vigour. The Union has just published a neat booklet of twenty pages showing how to form branches. The scheme, broad in its grip, thorough in its attention to detail, bears evidence of the organis- ing ability which has brought the Free Trade Union into the front rank among our fighting forces. The book is entitled Fighting for Free Trade." It promises local Free Traders through- out the country generous help. If they will attack Tariff Reform with energy and determina- tion the Free Trade Union will place the whole of its resources at their disposal." No charge is made for copies of the booklet, which may be obtained, post free, by any member of the Free Trade Union who desires to form a branoh, on application to the Free Trade Union, S, Victoria. street, Westminster, S. W.; or to any of the district agents of the Union. < For a long time it has been urged that the public footpath behind Park Baptist Chapel, The Walk, Merthyr, should be closed. It no longer serves any useful purpose, but it has been the resort of undesirable characters at night. The question has often been discussed, but the Corporation have always been opposed tok taking action unless the public received oome quid pro quo. An understanding now appears likely to be arrived at. It is said that Major Morgan is prepared to transfer the land above the chapel, trom the Walk to thelboun- dary of Penydarren House grounds, on condition that the Corporation will agree to apply to Quarter Sessions for an order to close the path. Major Morgan has been in Merthyr this week, and as a result of his visit it is believed the Corporation will accept the offer of the land, and agree to the closing of the path. The land north of the chapel, it is Suggested, should be laid out and reserved as an open space. If this be done, and a few seats be provided, a great boon will be < conferred upon the residents in the locality, especially the old and infirm. The land eauth ot the will grobabty be used for building purposes in the near future, and the I public will reap the advantage from the rateable value which will accrue. It transpires that the cost of the recent prosecution at Merthyr of a doctor for an alleged illegal offence amounted to £ 110. The Chief Constable thinks it might be possible to recover this Bum from the County Council. ♦ recover this sum from the County Council. Sometime ago reference was made in the Express to the proposal to lay out the land at the rear of The Chase," Merthyr, as a "garden city." Objection was raised to the scheme, as the road leading to the proposed city did not comply with the bye-laws in the matter of width. As it is a very short stretch of road the objection has been waived, and the plans have now been approved by a Committee of the Corporation. If the Com- mittee's resolution is confirmed by the Council on Monday next, building operations may be commenced at an early date. Altogether this portion of the Bolgoed Estate com- prises about fifty acres uf ground, and it is said there is room for six hundred semi- detached villas. It is not proposed to cut up the whole of the land at once, but only that portion immediately behind The Chase, and that on the west .side of the path leading to the Goitre Farm. Applications have already been made for building sites, And it is said several building clubs will be formed. » The first portion of the scheme provides for the erection of about three hundred villas. Winding lanes are to be constructed and trees planted, so as to give the city a rural aspect. There will be a main avenue running due north, l thirty-six feet wide, and from fehis a road will run to the boundary ""of Cyfarthfa Park, to i which an entrance will be made. This will be a convenience which will be greatly appre- ) ciaCid by those who reside in the Penydarren and Dowlais districts. The villas, it is said, are to cost three hundred pounds each. If all | the building Eites be taken up and houses erected the town will gain in many ways. The garden city" will be an attraction in itsejf. | Then there will be the substantial addition to the rateable value of the borough, while the erection of such a large number of houses will relieve the overcrowding which at present exists. « Speaking at Cardiff, on Saturday, Mr. D. A. Thomas, M.P., said that those who watched the commercial barometer had no doukt that all the indications pointed to an improvement in the trade of the country, and of the world generally. He did not think we should experi- ence anything in the nature of a boom, but next year we should, in all probability, see an enor-, I, mous improvement in trade. ) A fourth conference of representatives of local authorities in the Rhymney Valley was J held last week-end to further consider the proposal to form a Joint Water Board. This is a matter of some interest to Merthyr, as a portion of the Rhymney Valley now receives its water from the Corporation. A step forward J was taken at the conference, a resolution being I passed recommending the various Councils to approve of the engagement of .an expert engineer, to report on the matter. The Rector of Gellygaer ventured the opinion that Merthyr could supply the whole of the valley if a new reservoir were constructed. Developments will be watched with interest by members of the Merthyr Corporation, and by the ratepayers generally. Would Merthyr gain financially by constructing a reservoir to supply the Rhymney Valley ? As we have sufficient water for our own use, would it be a wise in- vestment to build a reservoir to meet the needs of outsiders ? It is probable that more will be heard about this matter in the near future. Peace in the South Wales coalfield is now assured for the next five years. At the meeting of the Conciliation Board, last Friday, the new agreement was signed by all the representatives of the owners and men, with the exception of Sir. C. B. Stanton, the Aberdare miners' leader. A mass meeting of miners in the Aberdare Valley was held on Monday, to consider the situation, and a resolution was passed directing Mr. Stanton to sign the agreement. It would have been nothing short of a calamity if a prolonged stoppage had taken place, and all will be thankful that this has been averted. The new agreement does not completely satisfy either side, but parties to a compromise never do secure all they desire. The essence of a compromise is give and take, and such a policy was adopted by the reasonable men on each side. All concerned are to be congratulated on the result of the protracted negotiations, and it is to be hoped that nothing will occur -to 'disturb the harmony which now prevails. The Merthyr Tennis Club, I hear, have taken a portion of College Field, and it is proposed to lay out three or four tennis courts. The top portion of the field, it is said, is to be utilised for building purposes. « Halley's comet has been sighted by the observatory at Perth, Western Australia. The comet may be visible with the naked eye as a morning star towards the end of April and as an evening star a month later, when it will be very near the earth. It will then be much better placed for observers in the southern hemisphere than for those in Europe. Towards the end of March the comet passed behind the sun and could therefore not be seen. On May 18 it will pass before the sun and be only twelve millions of miles from the earth instead of 150 millions, the distance it occupied from the earth last November. After May 18 the brilliant spectacle will rapidly recede. The Halley comet travelled towards the sun at the rate of about 70,000 miles an hour. Since the comet's last return in 1835 it has been much disturbed by the action of the planets, especially Jupiter, being drawn out of its paths by the law of gravity. Sir Robert. Anderson must, by this time, have been a hundred times sorry that he ever took the world into his confidence as to the origin of the articles in The Times on Parnellism and Crime. Perhaps he was vain enough to desire to have his name handed down to posterity. as the author of the articles, or seme of them, but the manner in which the disclosure of the secret, at the end of a quarter of a century, has been received by the Government, members of Parliament, and the public generally, who regard it as a confession of a very grave breach of public duty on the part of an official holding an extremeSy important and confidential position in the Criminal Investiga- tion Department of the |Jpme Office at the time, must nave convine«<L him of his rash indiscretion. The Irisb members are taking the matter up very seriously, and the consequences may be more unpleasant to Sir Robert than he could have imagined to be possible. < The memorial to the late Judge Gwilym Williams, a life-size figure in bronze, in court dress, has been erected on a grey marble base in front of Ae Law Courts, Cardiff, and will be unveiled to-day by the Earl of Plymouth. The memorial has been executed by Mr. Goscombe John, R.A. « According to a report presented to the Witch Committee by the Chief Constable, there was a considerable decrease in drunkenness in Merthyr during last quarter. < Arrangements have been made for the museum and art gallery at Cyfarthfa Castle to be re- opened on Monday next. A new collection of exhibits has been received from the Victoria and Albert Museum, which includes examples of metal work of all descriptions, embroidery and wood carving. There are also several framed examples and specimens of water-colour draw, ings of the excavations at Pompeii. In addition there is a very interesting collection of steel engravings of Raphael's famous cartoons, pre- sented by the Mayor, together with a choice collection of bronzes, prints, pictures and paintings by all the old masters. POLONIUS.

—;—=3 PARLIAMENTARY NOTES." BY EDGAR R. JONES. M.P. PRIME MINISTER STONE WALLING." Some readers may be anxious to know whether we are to have a General Election, and if so, when. Many members in the lobbies here are inquisitive, too. But there is only one reply Wait and see The Prime Minister comes in to questions, these days, just like a cricketer who has to hold the innings for another to score, or for an opening of some sort to be given. He is stone. walling." That is a wise, and indeed a necessary policy. There are three parties whose actions govern the situation:—(a) The Irish Party, (b) the House of Lords, (c) the King. Until each of those has been put to the test, and we have seen the result of the tests, we cannot say what the next move will be. If the Irish wreck the Budget, then the Government is shipwrecked, and all is lost. So we must wait and see." If the Budget is passed the Lords will have to deal with the Veto Resolutions. The Lords may hang them up, or negauve or amend them such action will be regarded as rejection. But the Lords may accept the resolution as to Money Bills, in an amended form, and only reject the general resolutions, if so, the Government will have a very delicate question to decide Whether to take the risk of fighting for all or none, or to take the decision that secures for ever the control of the house of Commons over finance. So we must wait :1nd see." If the Lords will not come to terms we musl deal with lae King. What will the King do 1 There is one answer: Wait and see." One thing "-hat the rank and file of every party sees quite clearly is the uselessness of another General Election on the question. The Torieaf confess that they do not expect to come back with a majority greater than that of all the other parties combined. That means that after another election we shall be in much the same l position as we are to-day, except that the anancial muddle and loss will have increased. Of course, the Tories hope that business men .in the towns, and working men unemployed, will jget tired of waiting for some substantial legis.. lation to be produced. They hope that peopla I will get tired of fighting, and will say, Let the Tories go on with some work." Such a counsel of despair has often seized the democracy before. The hard-working Esau has, in a moment of weariness, yielded his birthright to the scheming Jacob. The Tories know that human nature is weak now a.s of old, and they anticipate somf advantage from that weakness. That is thff ¡' only reason that the Tory parly can give for another election. But, why should the im. patience of the voter swing in that retrograde direction ? Is there no chance that Progressivef may get the benefit of the despair Let the voters who went Tory last time say We want to, get things done we want new Budgets to go through rapidly, a reformed poor law systems unemployed insurance, land reform, etc, etc. Let Nonconformists say We want education^ licensing and social reforms we want Disestab; lishment." Let them say No real work caB be "despatched until the obstacle to reform it removed." Then thei- impatience should cauMi them to go over bodily for Liberalism against the Lords. If despair could thus be turned tel account there would not be complaints muoK longer that nothing is being done. I sat last Friday listening to Tory member outvieing Liberal and even Labour memben in their ardent desire for reforming the poor-lavf system. That great work, the social and economic possibilities of which captivated my imagination, would be worth all the long sittings of one autumn session. But of what use will it be to build another storey on the present foundations. We must get the incidence of taxationand rating put right first. We shall never get that until the supremacy of the Commons over finance is established. So we must" wait and see." Not wait with folded arms, but wait as the farmer waits, with the implements of toiljm our hands, constantly afc work.

Experimental Education.1 LECTURE] AT, MERTHYR."T An interesting lecture was given by MrJ Stanley Watkins, M.A., on "Experimental Education," to the members of the Merthyr^ Dowlais and District Branch of the N.U.T., on Friday evening, at the Abermorlais Boys. School. ""The president, Mr. T. Thomas, Aber- morlais School, was if the chair. The chairman^ in introducing Mr. Watkins, mentioned that he was a Dowlais boy, and at present pursuing a course of studies at Leipzic University. Mr. Watkins, who was very cordially received^ then delivered his address. He said experi- mental education owes its origin to the rapid development of the experimental sciences- moreespecially physiology and psychology— during the last 50 years. With the child as ita centre of interest it is concerned in the investi- gation of the mental and physical development of the child, its various individual and typical differences—the psychology of individual differ- ences-and in the more didactic problems of the dispositional relationships of the various school subjects, from the point of view of the mental processes involved in their study and of tha accompanying fatigue conditions. The mental life of the child may be analysed through experiments on sensation —[the ability, for example, to appereeive tone, space or colour. through the measurement of muscular action; and through measurement of time reactions in response to various stimuli. In this regard interesting work has already been done in the determination of the mental inventoiy" of the child at its entrance into school lite. From: the practical aspect, perhaps, the most important series of investigations are those concerned with the enquiry into the mental work of the rhikf and its accompanying conditions, together with the problem of fatigue and the question at mental hygiene. Three chiefjPmethods am devoted to the investigation of the mental processes involved in t learning act, all based" on the rate of forgetting and the power and time of recall of nonsense syllables, arranged and exposed under distinct and varying conditions By this means almost the whole of the ideational life of the child can be experimentally considered/ andlso the development of the theory of tha economy and technique of learning with the endeavour to formulate laws with due regard to which the memory functions may proceed most quickly and efficiently to the desired The conditions of fatigue may be physiologically determined by the observation of the decrease in muscular work, by means of the dynamometer or the ergograph; psychologically by the measurement with the sesthesiometer of tha varying sensibility of the skin, or by the deter- mination of the decrease in quality and quantity of such mental work as the addition or multipli- cation of simple figures. Experiments of the latter nature are well/ adapted to group work in the school itself. Results show that the skin loses its sensibility after the hour's work I the various lessons have thus been found to to have definite co-efficients, mathematioi being more fatiguing than languages, a.DII languages than geography or drawing. .The lecture was illustrated by lantern slides,- showing the various apparatus used for testing children.—Mr. R. G. Price, Dowlais Boys* School, moved a vote of thanks to Mr. Watkins for his able address. He mentioned that Mr. Watkins was a specialist in this new phase of education, and that several ideas had suggested themselves to him during the address, but that the lateness of the hour would not allow him to go into them at present.—Mr. T T. Jenkine, Pentrebach School, seconded the resolution, remarking that he was greatly indebted to Mr. Watkins for giving such an insight into what was being done in experimental education in Germany, and adding that it was all for the benefit of the child.—Mr. W. Edwards, H.M. Inspector, supported the resolution, mentioning that he was pleased to be present, and to hear Mr. Watkins, who had come direct from the laboratory. He stated that much could be gathered from the results, and that in infants* schools the lessons were of short duration, and also in the lower classes. He hoped that this was a pioneer lecture. He would be delighted to attend more lectures of its kind in the immediate future.—Mr E. Williams, Gelli. faelog School, also supported the resolution, and said he was proud of Mr. Watkins, who waa an old pupil of his at the Dowlais Schools. He also proposed a vote oflthanks to the lantern manipulator.—Mr Watkins seconded. Both votes of thanks were carried with acclamation,

An inquest was held at Cwmbwrla Friendly Societies' HaJJ. Swansea, on Tuesday, toucMnfr the death of Irene Richards (5). residing with her pa.rent6 at Middle-row, near Cwmlel;n. The" mother said that she found her sister wrapping the deceased in an apron. The child, which was deaf and dumb, had been playing with < window nth, and Lad pushed ft into the re. The littlo one not cry out or say anything about the affair.—Dr Hubert Thomas said death was due to convulsions following burns. —The jury returned a lIerwq in accordance. with the medical evidence