The Cardigan Bay Visitor

lACHYNLLJiJTH. COUNTY CRICKET MATCH. — Mr Peter Vaughan, in addition to Mr Walton, has been sel-cted from the Machynlleth club to play for Montgomeryshire against Shropshire at Shrewsbury to day (Friday). CRICKET.—On Saturday, Machynlleth played Towyn at Towyn. The homesters went in first and scored seventy runs. Machynlleth had scared thirty-four runs far eight when time was called, the game thus ending in a draw. FISHING. The recent fill of rain hag greatly favoured fishermen. On Monday the Dovey Club made the biggest haul of the season, landing eighty pounds of fish which were sold out in a very short time atl.s to Is 4d per lb. POSTAL.—It was stated In a paragraph published last week relating to th* success (,f Mr Pugh Jones, Machynlleth, in the Civil Service examination that Mr Jones had been f,)r Pi("hteen y ars under Mr Clements. This is obvio is y an error. It should have read eighteen months. I Accir)E-NT.-An accident befell Mr Roger Howell, headmaster of the National School, la"t Fridiv. In running across the schoolyard his foot carne in contact with a stone and he ted head foremost against the boundary wall. He sust-untd a most I' severe scalp wound. Under the care of Dr Willi>lms he is progressing favourably. BEGGING.—On Friday an aged tramp chargei by P.C. Tudor at the Town Hall witn having begged at Llanbrynmair. Defendant the charge. He said he left a handkerchief contain- ing some food in an outbuilding vhere he had sl pt overnight and had to b' g for something to "it: The magistrate (W. M. Jones, Esqr) discharged defendant on his promising to leave the town SMART WORK.—Whilst at dinn- r witi a neigh- bouringfarmer last Saturday Mr Rowland Williams Penrhosfach, had the misfortune to swallow a porticu of a needle. He immediately repaired to the surgery of Dr Williams who found that the needle, which measured about an inch and a half, had become fast far down the threat. After two or three unsuccessful attempts the doctor ultimately succeeded in removing the needle with- out in any way injuring the throat. I MIRACULOUS ESCAP; —A man named William Jones, of Gelley, Taliesin, had a miraculous escape in the proper acceptation of the term last Thursday. J He was leading a pair of horses attached to a wagon loaded with straw through the town when one of the horses shied at something opposite the home of Mr David Joues, butcher. William Jones was knocked diiwu and the wagon, which weighed from one and a luilf tons, to two tons went over both his legs. Every person who witnessed the accident concluded that both leg, had been fractured. Oa examination by Dr. Williams, however, it was found that Jrnes had only sustained a few bruises, none of the bones being broken. URBAN DISTRICT COUNCIL (Special Meeting), ) TUESDAY, JUNE 20TH.—Present: Mr J. M. Jones, j mayor, presiding Messrs John Thomas, vice- chairman John Pus»h, Henry Lewis, Richard Rees, G. W. Griffiths, T. Parsons, R. Gillart, J. M. Breeze, Edward Rees, Rd. Owen, and David Smith Messrs J. Rowlands, clerk J. P. Jones, assistant clerk and J. Jone?, surveyor, STnCK. On the proposition of Mr John Pugh, seconded by Mr Rd. Rees. Mr Parsons was appointed in the pHce of Mr T. R. Morgan to examine and certify as to the correctness of the Surveyor's stock account. WATER FOR rEXTRKHEDYX-STREET. The Surveyor submitted an estimate of the cost of extending the main in Pentrehedyn-street. He stated that the labour would cost £ 2 9s.-It was decided to use the pipes from the Council's iitock for the piping and to order a fresh supply to the amount of £ 20. THE NEW RATE. The Clerk submitted the estimate for the ensuing year with the view of fixing upon a rate. He stated that last year the actual expenditure in connection with the sewerage, including the removal of house refuse, was £61 2s 4d. This year the Surveyor estimated the expenditure at £ 54 133. For street, highways, works, and other improvements the estimate last year was C157 Ss Od and the actual amount expended 1:168 lis Si. The estimate this year was E251 5s Sd. That was based on the Sur- veyor's estimate. There was one ra-her big item included in that, viz., £ 4S 6"1 8d for 200 tons of stones at 4s 10d delivered at the Station. That meant that they had had to go out of the district for stone and it was a new it: m. Last year the estimate for lighting was f70 103 and the actual amount expended dE78 4s 6d, T,e reason for that expenditure exceeding the estimate by that amount was that they had paid £ 9 for repairs which had not been included in the estimate. The estimate for this year was £ >5. As they knew, there wepe more lamps this year. The next item was X3 15s for cleaning and lighting the Town Clock, Then came the maintenance of the waterworks which wa^ a new item in the estimate. Last year no pro- vision was made for this, but the sum expended after deducting income derived from water rents was £ 5S 53 4d. For next year he estimated they would require £60 14s, including salary to John Jones for caretaking. That day they had in- creased the estimate by £ 20 by the order for pires, making it ESO Us, Owing to the adoption of the Libraries Act, 929 10s 3ll would have to be provided, being the amount that a penny rate, would produce. Articles required for the offices including a new safe which they had decided to procure, would amount to £15, For salaries of officers last year the estimate was £ 105 and they paid E147 10s lid. The reason for that difference was that the Collector's salary was included in this year, but the total amount was paid during the last financial year. The estimate for the present year, including Collector's salary, would be JE117. The establishment charges last year amounted to C63. This year the estimate was X43, The estimate for election expenses was £15. The total estimate expenditure in respect to public works was therefore JE684 18s lOd. In respect to loans, the Council would have that year to pay £ 35S 7s 7d interest and part principal. Then he put down E48 17s for contingencies. On the other hand, he estimated that they would receive JE15 water rent. Probably it would be more and they would receive moieties of salaries from the Mont- gomeryshire County Council to the amount of E20. That, deducted from the total estimated expendi- ture of fl,093 59 lid, would leave £1,058 5s lid. Out of that again they would de- duct £ 136 14s Od surplus from last year on the general district rate account, which left an amount to be provided for of L921 11s lid. The actual expenditure last year was gS66 10s 6d. The Clerk added that he hacf not provided for pipes in that estimate, except the f20 order that morning, because he did not know whether they were going in for a sewerage scheme or not. If they did, such provision would not be necessary as the expenditure on pipes would be in- cluded in a loan. For the same reason the amounts of from JE75 to £ 85 due to Messrs Kirby and fro>a £ 35 to £ 40 to the Septic Tank Company had not been iticitided.-It was decided not to include these items in the estimate, it being understood that the Council would he going in for a sewerage scheme. —It was agreed, on the proposition of Mr G. W. Griffiths, seconded by Mr R. Gillart, to levy a 3s 6d rate which, the Clerk said, would produce £ 943.— It was also resolved to add f20 to the item for contingencies in the estimate, bringing up the total estimate to E941. APPOINTMENT OF RATE COLLECTOR. Two applications were received for the post of collector to th" Council, viz., from Mr Rhys Lewis, who wanted f3 15s percent commission on amounts collected and Mr D. Davies Williams who asked for three-and a-half per cent upon amounts collected. — \lr Richard Rees: I suppose we can accept any tender.—The Clerk said he believed the words the Council are not bound to accept the lowest or any other ttnder" had been inserted, but it was found that that was not so.—Mr J. M. Breeze was of opinion that they were paying t.10 much to their collector. At Llanidloes only two-and a-half per cent was paid. — Mr Richard Owen said he had always been in favour of having one man to do all the work. Until they adopted that he supposed they would have to accept the lowest tender.—?vfr Richard Rees also thought the amount paid to the Collector was exorbitant. Last year it was £ 31 10s, whereas they only paid the Clerk £ 30. They must remember that it was much easier to collect rates in an urban than in a rural district, where the col- lectors had long distances to walk.—Mr John Pugh said five per cent which was previously paid was no doubt very nigh, but having gone into the question and invited tenders would it be fair to go back upon that now after tenders had been received? They would be able to readjust the terms at the end of the year, but now he thought it would be unfair not to accept one of the tenders.—Mr Henry Lewis Would anyone take the office for two-and-a-half per cei)t There are only two applications now.—Mr David Smith If they can get one at Llanidloes, why cannot we?—Mr Henry Lewis I suppose the ratable value would be more at Llanidloes than ours.—The Clerk It is more.- Mr Edward Rees, seeing that they had invited tenders, proposed that the lowest tender be accepted, viz., that of Mr D. Uavies Williarns.-liir John Thcmas seconded the proposition.—Mr J. M. Breeze proposed, as an amendment, that the matter be deferred until the next Council meeting and that both applicants be asked to reconsider their applications.—Mr Parsons seconded the amend- ment.—Mr Richard Rees did not think the amend- ment was in order.—Mr John Pugh: Is it fair to these two applicants ?-Mr Parsons; I think the amendment is in order.—Mr Richard Owen observed that the advertisement did not state that the Council were not bound to accept any tender.—Mr J. M. Breeze I don't think we are bound to accept one LCnder.-Alr Parsons asked the Chairman or the Clerk to say whether the amendment was not in order ?—The Chairman My opinion is that it is not.—The Clerk, on being asked, said the amendment was in order. The question seemed to him to be one of argument.— Mr Richard Owen Is it fair to do this in the face of the advertisement ?—The Clerk That is a matter of argument. — Mr Henry Lewis It is not honourable if it is in order.—Mr Richard Gillart felt strongly that they were paying too much. Five per cent. was too truch, but he thought that having advertised for tenders they would not be treating the tenderers fairly if they did not accept one then. —Mr Bref Z then said he would not press his amendment and the proposition was agreed to without opposition.—It was decided to ask for two sureties for £ 100. THE SEWAGE DISPOSAL SCHEME. The Council resolved into committee to discuss the sewerage question.—A long discussion took place as to whether the Council should adopt a schema as with regard to the engagement of engineers.—Ultimately it was agreed to defer con- sideration of the matter until that day week and that in the meantime enquiries should be made as to sites.