The Welsh Coast Pioneer and Review for North Cambria

IMPORTANT NOTICE. We are frequently asked to give free insertion to all kinds of notioes of forth- coming events, which are simply and purely advertisements, and as such should be paid for. While we are willing to insert a pre- liminary paragraph when a coming event is advertised in the "Pioneer" we J. ..st decline to insert free paragraph adver- tisements. The "Pioneer" has a much larger cir- culation than any other newspaper in the district, and for the great publicity it is able to give to announcements in its columns the charges are reasonable.

More and more ftress seems to be laid on the necessity of voice training for the clerg). Often enough the most admirable of sermons loses force and authority through lack of speak- ing power, while it is a truism to say that the complaint known as clergyman's sore throat is often the outcome of a want of knowledge re- specting voice regulation. It is suggested that bishops should require candidates to pass a de finite test in reading and preaching before or- dination. Whether that idea will be adopted remains to be seen, but its introduction wout- rule cut from the commencement a number of men—happily, nowadays, few—who think that an impediment of speech is no bar to the offi- cient discharge of clerical duties. I The case of the elderly curate seems a little mjsteriousL It is said, on the one hand, that if a clergyman does not get a benefice by the tuns he is forty-five, he will discover at tifty uhat it is almost impossible to obtain a curacy. On the other hand, it is asserted that tiie el derly curate who lacks an appointment is com- paratively rare, and that there are not a few beneficed clergymen who have been lately or the look-out for him, but without avail. No doubt the "oung' curate has the best chance. He is probably considered more adaptable, and, perhaps, likely to be more energetic. But the supply is limited, and as a consequence it is claimed that the elderly curate nowadays is in quite good demand. It has not always been so. Appaient;y, fortune now smiles favourably upon him, because succeeding generations of curates do not come forward so rapidly. • • • • During the Hudersfield election a speaker was brought to represent the Labour party. He was exceptionally eloquent. As he spoke his long locks waved in the wind, and he made a picturesque fignre. The crowd listened to him intently, for he had an impressive manner, and, in truth, his matter was excellent. One hearer was impassive. He was unmoved by the elo- quence, and seemed from the outset to distrust the speaker. He was a hairdresser by trade, and when he was accosted by one of the repre sentativea as to why he failed to show any en- thusiasm he murmured: "Socialist, is he? Call him a Socialist? Why, 'e's got ninepenny- worth o' hair on his head." Alas! Mr Russe'l Williams lost one vote by bringing the poetic- looking' speaker. There is some philosophy of human nature lying behind the story. » • • « A very amusing issue of nursery rhymes has been published by Alston Rivers (Limited), under the name of "Sessional." They are "Big Ben Ballads," and the first one reads:— "Sing a song of Parliament, a session full of fads; two and twenty Ministers in terror of the Rads. Ships and Army mutilate; education rob! Isn't it a dainty sort of six month's job?" Then, to the tune of "Tom, Tom, the Piper's Son," we get:- Lloyd George, the harper's man, Stole a march with his Home Rule plan; Home Rule fails and Lloyd George rails, But still Pontificates in Wales. # » » • We understand that the great reason why Sir H. Campbell-Bannerman has caused so ffw peers to te created is that ho is not sure of his men, and has fearful apprehension that if he were to create peers their independence of thought would return to them, and they would be found amongst the "not contents" in Government questions. » The union men in the collieries of North Wales have had a meeting', at which it was decided to send an ultimatum to the colliery proprietors to discharge all non-union men, or they would strike and resort to "peaceful persuasion." What an uproar there would be if the non- union men were to adopt the same tactics and the masters were to dismiss the union men! Radicals have curious notions of the liberty and freedom they prate so much about. » "What I complain about in them there Lords," said the Radioal workman who was in the Hyde Park procession of the unemployed, and meant. to remain so, "is that they don't do no work, and we working men 'ev got to keep • » » Dr. C. F. Aked, of Pembroke Chapel, Liver- pool, has not yet intimated his acceptance <r otherwise of an invitation to assume the pas- torate of Fifth-avenue Baptist Church, New York. Mr J. D. Rockfeller is a member of the churoh in question, and when he preached the other day within its walls some of the New York newspapers paid special attention to Mr Aked's discourse, giving as a "flare" heading, right across the page, "Dr. C. F. Aked Preaches Brilliant Trial Sermon before the Richest Man in the World." It is stated that the salary offered Mr Aked at New York is close upon 25000 a. year. • • • • That clever attorney, Mr Lloyd George, has a real Welshman's mind. He is indignant be cause the Lords have presumed to amend a Bill that has been sent up .to them from ihe Commons, and would away with them root and branch. We have never noticed any great amount of hesitation on the part of the Com- mons in dealing1 with Bills that are sent to them from the Lords. • • The Prime Minister has contributed £ 20 to the Dr. Clifford birthday fund, and haa acconv I anied his gift with a letter of an appreciative character. It is reported that the fund has now reaohe I a total of close on £4500, but some _0- of the tooal auxiliaries have yet to send in, and it is expected that from this source an- other £1000 will be forthcoming. The aim is to secure a total of L7000. The fund is most likely to be closed at the end of the year, and an early date in February is named for the pre sentation. Arohdruid Dyfed on a recent occasion visited Strata Florida, and on seeing the devastation made in the Welsh Westminster by the ravagep of time and local vandalism his muse was stirred within him, and that night he com- posed a fine poem on the subject. That com- position will see the light of day next spring, when the bard intends bringing out & second volume of poetry. » » Some abuse has lately been levelled at ohurch- keepers on the ground that they do not keep churches and chapels so clean as they might, and are consequently responsible for some of the unhealchiness associated with public wor- ship. But even a worm will turn, as is shown by a protest from a chapel-keeper which ap- pears in the columns of tho "Methodist Re- corder." The writer says:—"Per myself I open every available window when sweeping*, and let them remain open for a time, and in fine weather I leave some of them open day and night. It would be more to the credit of trus- tees if they would whitewash the ceilings and walls a little oftener. The chapel I am con nected with was done eleven years ago. I contend that microbes do settle on dirty, dis- coloured walls and ceilings." < < The W oleyans are OIl the eve of a momentous discussion Under the existing system a preacher is appointed to a circuit for a period of three years, and at the end of that time he usually has to move to eome other locality, whether he likes it or not, and frequently to tho regret of hig congregation. Now a movement n on foot for securing greater freedom alike on the part of ministers and of hearers. The disadvantage of the peripatetic system is, of cotirse. ttlat almost as soon as a minister ha glot to know his people he is required to move on. Tho WTesIeyan Conference, in fact, is a sort of policeman and the minister a kind of "Poor Joe."

Personal and Social. The Duke and Dudhess of Westminster have left Cheshire on a short visit to Paris. The Countess of Dundonald left London on Monday for Gwryoh Castle, Abergele. Sir John Puleston, on Monday afternoon, re- sigbned the chairmanship of the City of London Conservative Association. Lord and Lady Mostyn have promised to at- tend the prize distribution in connection with the Rhyl County School, on the 21st inst. The Marquis of Anglesey and the Earl and Countess of Powis were included in the Ear. and Countess of Pembroke's shooting party at Wiltcm House, nea.r Salisbury, last week. Mr T. Westlake Morgan's festival anthem, "Cenwoli i Dduw," is to be repeated at the next St. David's Eve Festival in St. Paul's Cathe- dral. It was written for the anniversary service of 1905, and produced on that occasion with much success. LORD CARRINGTON ILL. Lord Carrington is suffering from a slight at- tack of bronchitis, end was not able to attend the farmers' dinner in London on Wednesday night. _————

BISHOP OF ST. ASAPH'S VISITATION. THE CHURCH SCHOOLS. PROGRESS OF CHURCH WORK IN THE DIOCESE. On Tuesday the Bishop of St. Asaph com- menced his triennial visitation of the dio- cese at Welshpool, when there was a large gthering of clergy in the Parish Churoh. The Bishop, in his charge, said once again they were warned that an attack was to be made, not only upon the position and pro- perty of the Churoh in Wales, but upon ner organic life as part and parcel of the great Church of England. Those two great subjects, touching their schools and their Church, naturally and Dloot rightly en- grossed their first thought and care. They were entering upon what must inevitably be a time of controversy, of struggle, of active contest. The issue was in God's hands. Their duty was plain. They must contend for what was right and just with- out thought or fear for consequences. They were trustees, whose most sacred trust was to care and provide for Christ's little ones, and they must see to it that their Churoh took no detriment in their keeping. In their defence let their hearts be possessed with the supreme resolve not to tarnish their profession by words, methods, or ac- tions unworthy of a Christian. Turning to the question of the schools, his lordship said a careful study of the educational record for the diocese during the nineteenth century established beyond all question one fact. The Church was the pioneer in the work of ponular education, and until the State stewed in in 1870 the great bulk of tliat work was done by the Church. The Act of 1879 was passed not to sup-plant but to supplement voluntary effort, and the supporters of the voluntary schools were specifically encouraged not only to maintain, but to go on extending their schools." In 1873 Mr Gladstone came down himself to oppose tile formation of a school board, on the ground that he pre- ferred voluntary effort where it was possible. In that diocese they had gone 011 with the work, and now provided places for 35,000 children. At the low estimate of Rio a place—the official amount was £ 15—that re- presented a capital value of £ 350,000. Since 1870 they had spent on the maintenance and extension of those schools not less than £ 2-50,000. Half a million of money did not represent what that small diocese had done for popular education. He did not compute the value of those services, voluntarily and ungrudgingly given, in every parish, still less would he endeavour to compute the loss to the cause of education involved in the nishment of the voluntary worker and the substitution of the paid official. Ignorant people sometimes said their schools were largely built by Government grants. He had had an official return com- piled of all the building grants made to that diocese, and they did not amount to £ 14,000. A pretty trifle, indeed, to base such assertions on. The building and main- taining of the national schools had been a constant burden not only upon the purse of the laity, but on the slender resources of the clergy, the most generous and de- voted workers in the cause of popular edu- cation. Controversy had sunk indeed to a low level when such self-sacrifice could be interpreted as more base selfishness. The Government bill was tainted through and through with injustico. He feared that its varigated facilities would prove more-be- lieves and makeshifts, and that the cause of definite religious instruction would, if it became law, suffer grievously and per- manently. Altogether apart from the in- terests of the Church, he regarded the blow dealt by that Bill to the cause of religious education as a national disaster. Whatever happened they should not neglect their duty. Passing on to the question of disestab- lishment, the Bishop thanked the clergy for filling nn the many forms that he re- T1" a,nd said he intended shortly to publish the result in a complete form. There was abundant and convincing evidence of solid progress made. In 1890 the population of that diocese was 282,990, and the number of communicants actually present on Easter Day was 14,534. In 1906 the population was 288,175, and the number Coln^Qni0a^ts present on Easter Day was 24,938. During the 17J years of his episcopate he had confirmed 39,775 cate- chumens. Ihe voluntary contributions in the diocese to church work during the past 14 years amounted to over £ 600,000, while the average attendance in their schools since 1890 was almost stationary, the population had gone up from 19,000 to 24,000. The number on the books at present was 29,799 They had nothing to lose from a full state! ment of the whole truth. It was their duty and their desire to let the people know the past and present history of their Churoh It was his earnest prayer and hope that the work of the Church might by the blessing of God prosper and abound in the land. The real power and influence of the Churoh lay in something deeper and greater than the noisy controversies of to-day: they would pass like a dream. But the true life and power of the Church would flow on in a perennial stream rich in spiritual truth and influence-

the I LORDS' AMENDMENTS ¡ TO THE I EDUCATION BILL. I PRIME MINISTER'S SPEECH. PROSPECTS OF COMPROMISE. 1 In Unionist circles, says a Parliamentary corres.pondent, the almost unanimous belief is that the Education Bill is dead. Dis- agreement with the Lords' amendments restores the measure to the condition in which it left the Commons in the first in- stfance-that is to say, without the Lords' amendments. If their lordships decide not to waive their amendments then the Bill is dead. In pursuance of the Government's decision announced by Mr Birrell, the Prime Minis- ter moved in the House of Commons the following resolution That the question of agreement or dis- agreement with the Lords' amendments to the Education Bill be put with respect to the amendments as a whole. Subjoined are the principal points in the explanation offered by Sir Henry Campbell- Bannerman of the course adopted by the Cabinet: We do not desire to shut the door against compromise. We do not want to see a coun de grace given to this measure until we are certain a coup de grace is intended in another quarter. In order to understand the olianges made in the Bill you must look at the whole scheme of them. The precedents were in favour of dealing with the amendments one by one. But those were the precedents of the Liberal party. Mr Balfour (in regard to the treatment of the House or Lords) has had a different experience altogether. Therefore I decline altogether to be lec- tured by him on proper constitutional con- duct in matters between the two Houses. There are at least forty amendments to the substance of which we could not pos- eiblv agree. They overlap and play up to each other with such an ecoumulailve effect that you cannot deal with them separately. For my part I am still not without hopes tha,t an accommodation of our differences may be found. But the chances of such an accommoda- tion would be imperilled if we launched on the discussion 01 individual amendments, when still unaware what concessions may, after all, satisfy tnose who control matters in another place. Does Mr Balfour wish to slam the door on conciliation or keep it open? If we get rid of these amendments we should be willing to build into the Bill as it left this House certain alterations such as were indicated by Mr Birrell yesterday- amendments which would bring it into closer harmony with the wishes of those who favour denominational education. I repudiate the idea of any want of con- sideration for the House of Lords. I firmly believe that it is not only possible but even probable that counsels of modera- tion and nt-qep will nrevail. Mr Balfour, rising immediately to reply, lost no time in challenging^the Prime Minis- ter's description of the Liberal party's edu- cation policy, and went on to declare that so far as any particular scheme was trace- able in the Lords' amendments, it was to give parental freedom in regard to religious instruction. As for the "unexampled and unjustifiable" procedure recommended by the Leader of the House, that- was a new form of ZaLr, and the alleged difficulty which was supposed to warrant it did not exist. "My personal belief," added Mr Balfour, is that they were most reluctant to embark upon the kind of debate which would have been forced upon them." Clause 4 itself as it went to the Lords was a mere sham. Finally, the right hon. gentleman declared, in answer to the Prime Minister's question: "I do not want the Bill to survive in the form in which you mean to send it back to the Lords-we will have no part or lot in starting a precedent which may have calamitous consequences." Certain amendments were disposed of, and the division on the Prime Minister's mo- tion resulted as follows:— For 817 Against 89 Government majority 228 Mr Lough then formally moved "that the House do disagree with the Lords' amend- ments," and the debate was adjourned. The feature of the division was that the Irish Nationalists abstained from voting. Difficult though it be to befleve it, it is nevertheless true that a certain section of the Liberal party believe that a com- promise will be the outcome of the present crisis. The feeling is, of course, not by any means general. For instance, Mr Perks, chairman of the Nonconformist Com- mittee, repeated his famous, if not alto- gether classical, declaration that "the bill is as dead as mutton." Still, he readily confessed that with him, perhaps, the wish was father to the thought. But important members of the Committee unhesitatingly asserted that the President of the Board of Education, notwithstanding his impetuous speech on Monday, strongly desires to find a way out of the present impasse. Compro- mise would, it is pointed out, turn upon four conditions—the abolition of the 5000 population limit under Clause 4, convert- ing the two-thirds into a three-fourths majority, the establishment of a parents' committee, and permitting assistant teach- ers in towns to give denominational instruc- tion in extended facilities schools. Should no such arrangement be now come to, the Government would, it is stated, postpone operations until early next session, when they would press through the House of Commons a Bill containing only one clause, and that the first clause of the present mea- sure as originally introduced. In the event of the House of Lords rejecting this Bill, the Government would, it is threatened, stop all money grants to the 14,000 volun- tary schools which exist throughout the country. Unionists listen with complacency, strong in the conviction tha,t t'.a public would not tolerate such revolutionary action.

LIFEBOAT RESCUE at LLANDUDNO THREE LIVES SAVED. On Wednesday afternoon a vessel off the Pierhead, Llandudno, was seen to display signals of distress. The liftboat rocket was fired at 3.10, and in 12 minutes "Theodore Price" was afloat. This is undoubtedly a record launch. A boat was also launched from the Pierhead, and succeeded in reach- ing the distressed schooner a few minutes before the lifeboat. This boat brought back one of the crew and a dog, whilst the life- boat rescued the captain and his son, the sole occupants of the schooner. Notwithstanding the raging storm, the beach was soon thronged with spectators, and the Pier Company evidently reaped a rich harvest for the crowd at the end of the Pier equalled that of an August crowd in numbers. Upon the return of the boats with the resoued crew, the men were ac- corded la tremendous oheerinlg, anjd Mrs Davidson, with her usual generosity, gave the lifeboat men a sovereign.

INTERVIEW WITH THE CAPTAIN. In the course of an interview with our reporter, the captain of the schooner, who is a man about 65 years of age, stated that they left Garston Dock with a cargo of coals for Aberystwyth, but when the storm came on they endeavoured to reach a port of refuge, and having been stranded oppo- site Llandudno with no hopes of going ahead, they signalled for help. The schooner was quite seaworthy, and had not suffered any damage up to the present He was the owner of the schooner. The crew consisted of himself (David Davies) as captain, his son, Edward Davies, and James Pugh, all of Aberystwyth. If the ooat was in a fit condition when the storm abated they intended to go back to her, but he very much feared if the storm continued throughout the night that her bearings would be damaged, and the schooner, which was named "Lome," would be blown away, and probably wrecked. The schooner was insured, but not to her full value. Mr Raymond, the local secretary of the Lifeboat Institution, met the rescued men and attended to their wants.

A thousand teachers from all parts of tte United States will visit) Europe next year vo study the different school systems.

'III" DOMESTIC SERVANTS AND TIDP. COMPENSATION BILL. The proposal to bring domestic servant* withip the purview of the Workmen's Comp^as&tioa Bill is a. subject which is viewed in ntrvinil lights, and the new position created is one which naturally gives rise to some fueling of da- quietude. For instance, some majjitaln that un- less there is compulsory State insurance, ta# servant may reap no benefit trorr. a ixiunt* 00art judge's award, for a considerable proportion of the small householders who employ a m&id-ot-all- work could not meet a heavy adverse judgment. What is troubling the officiaJs of societies whose aim it is to find comfortable aituationa for deserving girls is that the operation of the Act may put an end to the good feeling whic4 exists between the majority of mistresses and their domqktica. The Metropolitan Association for Befriending Youiig Servants is one of the best-known organisations watching over the in- terests of the workers betew-stairs, and last year the thirty-one registry offioes established by the society found places for 5254 girls. The secre- tary, Mhos Poole, in giving her views to a Press representative, expressly disclaimed authority to speak as the mouthpiece of the Council of the Association. No opportunity had yet been afforded to obtain an expression of the opinionp 0: the ladies and gentlemen who devote much time to the consideration ot the needs of the class whose welfare the Association was formed t°'Yt°wiliebe most deplorable," Mies Poole said, "if the result of the inclusion of domestic ser,- vante in the Bill is to create friction between employers and employed. Speaking with twenty- one years' experience of this Association am emphatically of opinion that the oondit 10n ol domestic servants has vastly improved They know their own value, and they have made their oosition felt in the demands for higher and more holidays. In twenty for domestics have risen bv more than 50 The demand was greater than the as servants found that they were sought after they naturally asked for higher remuneration. What will upset the relationship now exmtbj between maid and mistress more than anything else will be the intervention of a. trades union. No such body is at present established, but í cannot see how domestics are to obtain the benefits which the Act is intended to provide unless a servants' trades union is A girl may be hurt during her employment, but Lw is she to know that a patera*! has arranged that her employer should com pensate her for her injuries? A trades for domestics will arrive soon ^er the j^ing of the Bill. Of that I am confident. Whethe? the union would take the same viewasfteervant of the amount necessary to secure a fai'r w'Mo- ment of a claim is open to question, and ex- pensive and protracted litigation may "What class will be most injured by the pro P°^The dweller in the small village-the clerk who has to keep up a respectable position. Hte ■wife may now engage a young girl as g > but if the clause in the Bill becomes law ehe will have to carefully weigh the responslbihtieB of having in her employment a servant for whom her husband may be liable, ill case of to a heavy penalty. It is all very well to say 'you can effect a policy of insurance to cover the liability for a few shillings.' We know what a few shillings mean to a man who has to toU long and late in a oity office. AWhf\ haDoen will be that the mistress must point out to her help that a generous Parliament han ordained that an additional expense must be put on6 the head of each houphold in order to provide something for the benefit of the ser vant In the end the servant must pay for it. In the majority of cases the cost of insurance will be deducted from the wage# of the servant^ or, what is almost equally important, an increase vant In the end the servant must pay for it. In the majority of cases the cost of insurance will be deducted from the wage# of the servant^ or, what is almost equally Important an incr|Ji in wages will be postponed or refused. Sup- nosing insurance would cost as much as half eovereign which is probably an excessive figure, the refusal of a 'rise' would work against the servant seeing that increases in wages are almost invariably given by £ 1 or £ 2 per annum." "Would triction cause people to dispense with their helps?" "If the Act in ite operation is "°u— '« the householder you will find persons exch^"fi | their houses for flate where service MprcvM bv the owners. A great many people do not re- gard flat life as ideal, but if they find the oar-vant nroblem is rendered more acute by the com- pensation question they will chooee the lesser evil. Another important point f, theTC, i of the charwoman and the day Slr^- .J" y domestics, and will probably, be included in the Act. The 'peripatetic domeetia is an ever-present difficulty If insurance com- panies, in issuing policies, demand, as a pro- tection against fraud, that the person insur ng shall give the name of the maid in his employ the correspondence with which the companies will have to deal will be enormous. Many householders find it difficult to retain the servic^ of the charwoman for any length of time, and it is notorious that day girls do not generally keep in one situation for long. If the head of an establishment has to acquaint an insurance company with every change the volume of cor- respondence to be dealt with must increase greatly. Then there is the question of malin- gering. A girl who is injured may desire to go to her home, if sho is fortunate enough to re7 one. The advice given her may not be of the best, and she might seek to prolong her convalescence if wages, or the equivalent, were forthcoming. It must be remembered that the risk of injury to a domestic servant is very slight, and possibly in 90 per cent. of the cases where accidents happen the injury is the result of carelessness on the part of the person hurt. But you could not often prove contributory negligence, even where it existed." Asked as to the effect of the amendment intro- duced making an illegitimate child of a servant, a "dependent" for the purposes of compensation. Miss Poole thought that the amendment appealed to the humanity of everybody. "But," she added, "I question whether the gentlemen who supported it really considered its effect. It Is possible that an insuranoe com- pany might require to be informed of the de- ponderrte of a servant. In that case the amend- ment would make it necessary that a girl's pain- ful history should be disclosed. Supposing a higher premium was required in cases where a servant had dependents, no one would engage a woman with an illegitimate child in preference to a girl for whom a lower premium would be exacted. Besides this, employers are chary of taking into domestic service a girl with a past, and a large number of women, through inability to obtain situations, would run the risk of fall- ing victims to the temptations of the streets. The excellent work of the rescue homes might be rendered useless. Now a servant may go into one of these homes, were she will receive advice which improves her both morally and physically. w Her child is taken care of and a situation is found for her, but the authorities do their best to hide the girl's past. The perron engaging her is not told that the girl had once fallen. Experience shows the difficulty of securing a position for a servant under a oloud." Inquiries at registry offices elioited the in- formation that some mistresses anxious to obtain domestics had not heard of the proposed change in the law. These ladies immediately required to be enlightened as to the bearing it would have on the wages question, but they took a philosophic view or the situation when told that the Act could not come into operation till July 1st, 1907. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof.

GWESPYR SCHOOL DIFFICULTY. In the House of Common# yeubenday week Mr Massie asked oho President of tihe Board 01 Education whether an inquiry relating to the proposed provision of a new Council School waa to be held at Gwespyr, Flint- shire, on Saturday; whether he was aware that some tenants of the Talaore estate liv- ing near Gwespyr had received notice to quit, that others had had their rente raised, while others had been evicted from their holdings; and whether care would be taken at the forthcoming inquiry that the pro, visions of the Witnesses (Public Inquiries) Protection Act, 1892, would be read by the Commissioner appointed to hold the inquiry. Mr Birrell: The investigation which I had arranged to be held on Saturday next in regard to this school is merely into the ques- tion of size and site of the new Council School which the Board have decided must be erected, and the point had seemed so small that a public inquiry in the technical sense of the term had not seemed to be necessary. In view, however, of the difficul- ties which have arisen in regard to the case, and in particular of the allegations as to undue pressure which are contained in the hon. member's question, I have arranged the hon. member's question, I have arranged that a full public inquiry under section 23 (10) of the Act of 1902 shall be held. This will necessitate the postnonement of the in- quiry till Saturday, December 16th, in order that the statutory seven days' notice may be given. The fact that the inquiry will bring it within the provision of the Witness- es (Public Inquiries) Protection Act, 1892, and I have instructed the official to drfttf' the attention of those -resent at the in- quiry to the provisions of that Act. Mr Mas-sie asked whether the right hon. gentleman was aware that a letter, a copy of which he held in hia hand, had been sent round the Gwespyr cottagers by the agent stating that the landlord intended to re- serve his Gwespyr cottages to those who I were willing to send their children to his school. Mr Birrell: I have seen a copy. I do not I know whether the letter has been sent, but it will be within the Aot referred to.