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ST. ASAPH. THE QUEEN'S DIAMOND JUBILEE. A LIVELY MEETING. THE COMMITTEE'S RECOMMENDATION REJECTED. On Monday night, Mr. J. Howes Roberts presided over a meeting in the National School, convened to consider the report of a Commit- tee appointed by a previous meeting to con- sider the best method of celebrating the com- pletion of the 60th year of Her Majesty's Reign. There was but a sparse attendance of citizens, but the proceedings turned out to be more ani- mated than was expected. The Chaiiman in explaining the object of the gathering regretted the smallness of the atten- dance. It was said that the posters calling the previous meeting had not been seen by many, and a larger number were printed on the pre- sent occasion, but he was sorry to see the attendance was less. Mr. T. F. Roberts (the Parish Clerk) read the recommendation of the Committee, which was to the effect that a tea be provided for the poor and children of the city, that a brass band be engaged, and sports held on the day ap- pointed for the celebration, that medals be or- dered for the children, and that any balance remaining of the subscriptions be devoted to the purposes of a nucleus of a fund to place the Common in proper order for the pleasure of the public. He also said that letters contain- ing other suggestions had been received from Mr. Heaton and Mr. W. H. Clift. Dr. Easterby suggested that those letters be read to the meeting. Mr. S. Powell said they were like a lot of old women for tea parties, and he was sick and tired of them (laughter). Let them go in for something substantial. They sadly wanted a public hill in the city, and he strongly advo- cated the erection of a public room in 1887. Now they had an opportunity to do something that they could hand down to their families as a memento of this glorious reign. He had no family himself, but would plank a rive pound note down for a start, if they went in for some- thing substantial. There was nothing like building (laughter). It would provide work for the people and would be something to look at. He was sick and tired of these tea parties (laughter), and did not think he would subscribe one penny towards it. If a king's reign they wanted to celebrate, he must think what a lot of old women they were in St. Asaph. They were always going in for tea and buns (laugh- ter). Now there was the old pinfold and the garden attached if they could buy that from the Ecclesiastical Commissioners it would fur- nish a splendid site for a public building, with reading room, billiard room, and baths (ap- plause). He moved that they take that ques- tion into consideration (hear, hear). If the Parish Council could not undertake to do the work, let them form a strong syndicate. They were surrounded by squires, colonels, and cap- tains, and they would come out strong to sup- port a substantial movement. It was an insult to their nobility to suggest a tea party (laugh- ter and applause). Dr. Easterby asked if Mr. Powell had con- sidered what it would cost to build a room sucl as he described? Mr. Powell: From a £1,000 to ;f1,200" Dr. Easterby And what subscriptions are we likely to get ? Mr. Powell: That is a serious matter to con- sider (laughter). The Chairman remarked that for the jubilee celebYation in 1887 £147 odd were subscribed. But on looking through the list he observed that people who had subscribed jES2 Os. 6d. of that sum had gone from amongst them, some by removal and others by death. He did not say that others would not come forward to make up for that to some extent, but he was afraid that the whole would not be replaced. Mr. Powell What were the subscriptions for then ? Dr. Easterby A tea party (laughter). The Chairman: Theie was a tea party cer- tainly. Mr. Powell: Do you think that our nobility would not come out more handsomely than that for some substantial thing ? The Chairman went on to say that out of the subscriptions received in 1887, they had had something beside the tea party. There was a lamp post erected at a cost of 960, and they had a brass band and sports, and medals for the children, and a tree planted in the Cathedral yard. Mr. Powell: Has the Parish Council power to take the matter up ? The Chairman was afraid they had not, out of the rates. But what they had to do that night was to adopt or reject the recommenda- tion of the Committee. Mr. Walter Williams thought the question put by Mr. Powell was a very fair one. Had the Parish Council power to build? The Chairman repHed that they had power to build a room for their own use. Mr. Powell: If we had the shell, we would soon finish it. Continuing, he said a public room would be a source of revenue to the city. At present there was not a single room there large enough to hold public meetings in. They had an Eisteddvod there—and he congratulated his Independent friends on their energy in con- nection with it-every first of March, in which the competitors only would fill that room they were in (applause). Besides, the Parish Council would want some place to meet, and to keep their books and documents. The Chairman remarked that it was the cele- bration of the Queen's Reign they had under consideration that night. Would anyone move the adoption or rejection of the report of the Committee ? Mr. Powell: Never mind (loud laughter). Mr. Miles R. Partington, junior, moved the adoption of the report, and said that whatever else they might decide upon, the things men- tioned in the report were inevitable in connec- tion with rejoicings of the nature of the one under discussion. Mr. Cleaver moved that the letters of Dr. Heaton and Mr. W. H. Clift to the Committee, be read. The Parish Clerk read the letters. Dr. Heaton in his suggested that a fund be formed for the purpose of buying the Irish Square, and pull down the present houses there which were a disgrace to the Cathedral city (applause), and to erect in their stead a row of workmen's dwelling-houses with a frontage to Denbigh Road, and without the square inside in which to accumulate filth. And that the houses be called Victoria Houses, or Victoria Row, and that a path be made from the Smithy to the National Schools, and that the footpath on the Cathedral side be lowered to the level of the road and paved (loud applause). Mr. Clift sug- gested the purchase of a fire engine, As they were situated at present, in the case of an out- break of fire, they would have the pleasure of looking on, and seeing it burn. B200 would cover the cost of an engine and accessories (cheers). The Chairman said of course they could not adopt all suggestions made to them. The Com- mittee would have been glad to adopt any one of the suggestions, but they were afraid they would not be able to get sufficient funds, hence their modest recommendation. Mr. Lucas seconded Mr. Partington's proposi- tion. Mr. Powell said he would move that the re- commendation be not adopted. The Chairman was about to put the question of adopting the report to the meeting, when Mr. John Lloyd (Solicitor) rose to a point of order. Mr. Powell, he said, had moved an amendment, and Mr. Walter Williams had se- conded it. Should not the amendment be put first? The Chairman said he did not understand Mr. Williams to second the amendment, and that gentleman said he had not done so. Mr. Joseph Lloyd (Solicitor) said then he "would second the amendment. In doing so he iJa¡d that the scanty attendance that evening .was-not due to a want of interest in the quos tk*1*' ^ut the inconvenience of the hour, and mode in which the Committee proposed to 'O'Ble'b,rate Her Majesty's glorious reign. This event should be celebrated by something more than a tea. He would not say the erection of a town hall, but he would like to see something erected that he would be able to show to his children as what their grandfather had helped to build in the days of good Queen Victoria, be- fore England went to the dogs (laughter and applause). Mr. W. Williams asked if he understood that the Committee could not see their way to re- commend something more substantial, because of the want of funds. The Chairman said that was exactly so. If they were sure of funds they would be only too pleased to recommend something of a perma- nent character. Mr. Williams said the ground on which the old pinfold stood would be a splendid site for a public room. Mr. Robert Jones stated that the Commis- sioners would not sell the ground for any build- ing purposes. Mr. Powell said then let them go in for the purchase of Irish Square. Dr. Heaton was a. man of considerable influence, and would, no doubt, influence subscriptions. It would be the salvation of St. Asaph, and they would get plenty of bricks from the Square to build a town hall. The recommendation of the Committee was then put to the meeting, when 7 voted in fa. vour and 10 against, and it was consequently rejected. Other suggestions were then made, and Mr. Robert Jones asked if that meeting was not called for the purpose of considering the Committee's report ? The Chairman Yes. v Mr. R. Jones Then it is at an end now? The Chairman Practically, it is. Mr. M. R. Partington rose to move a vote of thanks to the Chairman. Mr. Powell asked if he might suggest that another Committee be appointed to consider the question further, and report to another public meeting. The people were so disgusted with the idea of a tea party that they would not come to a meeting to consider it, notwith- standing the 400 invitations. Place something substantial before them and they would come. Mr. R. Jones: Was there anything in the paper convening the meeting about tea ? The Chairman replied there was not. tfVlr. Powell said it was known generally what the recommendation was. He knew before it was put in print. Mr. Luxmore Can Mr. Powell account for the fact that there were but one or two more present at the first meeting than at this one? (hear, hear). At this stage it was again suggested that the meeting was at an end. To put the matter right, Dr. Easterby suggested that Mr. Howes Roberts should leave the chair, and they could commence de novo. Mr. Roberts having left the chair, Dr. Easterby moved that he again be elected Chairman, and this was carried. The,.Doctor then proceeded to explain what had influenced the Committee in making its recommendation. In 1887 the subscriptions in round numbers amounted to £ 150. But St. Asaph was not now what it was then. Three parishes had been taken from it, and under those circumstances the Committee felt they could not recommend more than what they had. Mr. Powell proposed that a Committee be appointed to further consider the matter, and to correspond with the owners of Irish Square as to what it could be purchased at and to ascertain if the Commissioners would sell the Pinfold ground. Mr. Walter Williams seconded Mr. John Lloyd moved that the Committee be allowed a free hand in the consideration of the question. They would, of course, pay due regard to what the feeling expressed at that meeting was. Mr. Griffiths seconded the amendment which was carried. A Committee was then appointed.

ST. ASAPH (DENBIGH) RURAL…

. BOARD OF GUARDIANS.

CORWEN, "......._-----...........

EDEYRNION RURAL DISTRICT COUNCIL.