The Welsh Coast Pioneer and Review for North Cambria

THE CARNARVONSHIRE TEACHERS' GRIEVANCES. THE EDUCATION COMMITTEE'S REPLY. ANOTHER CONFERENCE ARRANGED. (From Our Reporter.) A special meeting of the Carnarvonshire Edu- cation Committee was held on Tuesday, at the County Education Officer-, Caernarvon, the Chair- man (Mr I). P. Williams) presiding. Tile REPLY of the committee to the st.ateme.nt oubmittd by the Teachers' AS&ceiat.on, to- gether with the representation of Messrs A. R. Pick 0, and T. J. WJiiams, wa-J brought forward by Mr htard Da vies, the chairman I the Staff Committee, for adoption. Ti-o reply w-8 as follows:— Supplies.—With regard to tchcol supplies, it will Iy seen on reference to the code of regiila- TIONS winch have been adopted by tuo committee that hoe application of the teachers for a grant in re.p.cr of supplies BASED on THE number of pup is C'.) the rolls, has already been conceded. The committee, however, do not admit the dib- parity set forth in the statement between the amount of the expenditure in the school of the county before the" appointcd day," as com- pa ed with that for the year ended 31st. Die-am- ber last, for t'e Education Comin tree have made extremely favourable arrangements with the schorl contractors, whereby an expenditure of 2. 6d per head by the committee would provide an an average a.-) much material as an expendi- ture of 3.i per head by the defunct school au- thorities, who, in many cases, paid maximum pro s for H cal suppl os. Staff. — There are 180 schools in the county, and the teachers in their statement call atten- tion to 23 of t'hese. In three of t,he 23 cases, they do not allege a reduction of staff. In the o:¡.cc of Pantglas they allege* that a new staff has been appointed without experience. In the two* other cases, viz., St. George's Mixed and St. Gecrges Infants, Llandudno, t.hey allege shortage of teachers and changes of staff, owing to small salaries. The Education Committee have from time to time experienced consider- able difficulty in securing te.chcK who will un- dertake service in non-previdcd schools, and in Rural Council Schools. They have a number of supply teachc s who undertake duty in tchools where temporary weakness of staff exists, owing to temporary vacancies or illn<*E of teachers, and every effort is made to fill up the vacancies as they occur. The dearth of teachers cannot be duo, AS stated, to low salaries, because un- eerriiicated teachers, among1 whom the shortage exi-sts ar' pa.id en tho same fcalc in all school. ALLEGED REDUCTION OF STAFF. With regard to those cases in which there is an allegation of reduction of staff, the follow- ing observation,* should be made, viz. :— Abe erch N.P.—The stall on the. appointed day IS g.ven as one Art. 50, three P.T., and one cand.da e, a> compared with two Art. 68's in 1907. As a matter of fact tho STAFF in 1907 oon- sisted of two Art. 68's, together with the assist- ance of an Art. 50 supply teacher. This school, with an average attendance of 105, has, accord- ing to the code of the Board of Education, a stuff equal to 155. Gar.h P.—This staff is stated to have included fivo certificated a>isisrante, one Art. 50, and four pupil teachers in 1903, against four certificated a.CS.tants, two Art. 50, and one supplementary teacher in 1907. The supplementary teacher in this case IS all experienced ex-pupil teacher. It shou'd be stated in this cHroe that of the fivo certificated Kacheris i.n 1903 two were appointed within three months of the "appointed day." The s!aff now consists of eight experienced teachers, as compared with seven on the "ap- pointed d;ly,'l and js equal to 410 wliolcir-5, WHEREAS the average attendance is 273. Glanadda P.-II) this case the staff in 1903 is if put at five certificated assistants, o.ne Art. 49, four pup 1 teachers, and three monitors. The staff now consists of four certificated teachers, two Art. 50 s, one provisional assistant, and one pup L teacher. The staff is now equal to 440 scholars, while the average attendance is 252. Hirael Infants.—There were at this school in 1903 two certificated assistants, three Art. 50'E, with three pupil teachers. There are now two certificated a&sistants, two Art. 50's, and one Art. 68. The staff is equal to 290. The aver- age attendance is 170. St. Paul's School.—In this case the staff in 1903 is put at five certificated assistants, two Art. 50's. 1 Art. 68, and four II.T. "I but, h matter of fact, one o. the cert-ificated teachers commenced duties in January, 1904. There are .now six certificated assistants and one P.T., or a staff equal to 440 ag'a nst an average attend- ance of 278. Bottwnog.—The position in this cose in 1907 was identical with that. of 1903, a.9 the tempo- rary assistant at the latter date was a supple- mentary teacher. The present staff in this case is equal to 80 against an average attendance ol 47. Carnarvon R.C.—The allegation in this caM JE thaLanArt. 51 was put as head tcac er in place of a certificated teacher; but the fact is that the committee, on the. application of the managers, consented to replace a certificated teacher with .n Art. 50 and one Art. 51 teacher. This STULI is equal to 90, at) againvt an average attendance of 3Z Ede.vrn N.P.—At this «5ehcol t.hero was a certi- ficated assistant in 1903 in the person of the then, master's wifon, but the staff requirements did not cuil FOR the services cf a certificated M- s:stant. On the master'^ death, the widow was appointed to succeed him. The present staff im equal to 125, as aga.nst. an average attendance of 78. Doifcadarn Infanta.—The committee arc ef opin- ion that the staff is not, ]&*S efficient than cn the appointed day." The teacher entered as an Art. 68 in 1903, was in receipt of a salary of only £ 17 per annum, was presumably only a monitra-s. The Art. 63'11 now on the staff shou'd be better qual ified, as the commit-too have now provided training for them as for ethers, at the Saturday classes, fo.r Upwards of two years. This staff IS equal to 200, against an average attendance of 168. Pentf-a'rwaen P.—In this case there were c.no certificated assistant, four Art. 50'S. one P.T.. and one moirtor in 1903, whilst in 1907 the staff was six Art. 50's. and one Art. 68. The ftaff is equal to 305, with an average attendance of 178. L'anfairfecha.n Girls.—The comparison in ihis case IS unfair, as a number of children were withdrawn to a new Council school, and the classes reorganised. The staff now equals 170, W T.h an average attendance of 128. LL\sfaen N.P.—In this case in 1903 t-he e were one cert'fieated assistant, one Art. 50, one Art. 63, TOGETHER with a monitress. There are now two Art. 50's and two Art. 68's, and the staff is equal to 200, with an average a: tendance of 144. Pcnmachno N.P.—There "were only two Art. 50 teachers in 1903, and not, three as stated. There arc now one Art. 50, two. supplementary teachers, a.nd two pupil teachers. The staff is equal to 215, with an average attendance of 118. Penmaenmawr.—There were three certificated assetants, one Art. 68, and two P.T.'s in 1903. There are new three certificated assistants, and three Ait. 50's. so that. the committee have in- creased the staff by appointing three Art. 50's in place of one Art. 68 and two P.T.'s. The staff is now equal to 365, with an average at- tendance of 294. Pwllheli Boys. Tncre were one certificated assistants two Art. 50's, one P.T., and one monitor in 1903 There are new two certificated AS-R.stants a supplementary teacher, and two mc.mtors. The staff is equal to 245, with an average attendance of 139. Borthygest Mixed. — The statement is erron- eous as to the staff in 1903. It would be clearly absurl to provide a lie-ad master with a certifica- ted assistant, one Art. 50, two Art. 51b, and one P.T., for 96 children. The Haff in 1903 con- s'sted of one ceRtificated assistant, one Art. 50, and CJIO P.T. It now consists of three Art. 50's and one Art. 68, and is equal to 215, with an average attendance of 90. Portmadoc Girls.-T,ie staff in 1903 consisted of thRoe certificated assistants, iwo Art. 50's, and one P.T. It now consists of two certificated assistants, two Art. 50's. and one Art. 68,- and is equal to 290, with an average attendance of 175. Portmadoc Boys.—This staff consisted of threo certJlcated assistants, one Art. 50, and four P.T.'s in 1903, and now cons:STS of two certifica- ted assistants, two Art. 50's, two provisional as- sistan S, and io equal to 320, with an avetage at- tendance. of 170. Portmadoc Infants.—There has been a reduc- tion of one certificated assistant teacher in t.h=8 staff, but even as it now stands it is equal to 275. with an average attendance of 178. Tremadoo P. There is clearly no cauch- for complaint in this case, as the staff is equal to 230. w.t.h oil average attendance of 94 only. We may fairly assume that the Teachers' AKse.oat.ion selected what they d-emcd the most glaring cases of underfltaffing they could put forward, and yet, 60 far from justifying1 their complaint, the above cases DISCLOSE, in every in- stance. provision for a largo number beyoixl the code requirements. UNQUALIFIED AND INEXPERIENCED TEACHERS. With regard to the allegation of the teaofiers that, there has been a tendency to apiioint un- qualified and inexperienced teachers, the charge is not borne out by facte. In the 23 eehoola scheduled in the teache.ro' statement, it is shown that there were 40 ohild teachers on the staffs of these schools alone in 1903, in fixe capacity of pupil teachers, monitors, or candidates, while now the number is only eigiit. The total num- ber of this class of teacher so engaged through- out t.he whole county was 259 in 1903, while now the number 's 44 only. The exstence of theso child teaohcrs on the staffs not only involved indifferent CLASS teaching, but also necessitated constant and considerable attention being de- voted to them by the head teachers. The latter have now been, to a great extent, relieved of this bra.IOH of work, and the standard of edu- cation in the.sohcols should, for this reason, have benefited from improved organisation and teaching by, or on the part of the, head teach- ers, i.11 view of their greater freedom to attend to this department of their work. Of the 30 unqual lied and inexperienced teachers whom they allege to have been appointed in 1907, the majority are teacher^ who have gamed the &en- ior certificate of the Central Welsh Board, and who are qual fied as Art. 50's aJtor three or four years' tuition at the County Schools, and there is, clearly, 1.0 evidence of indifference to educa- tional progress in this fact, seeing that this number compare." w.th as many as 259 pupil teichers and monitors who were recognised on the staffs in 1903. The committee arc already satisfied from ex- perience that teachers who are academically qualified either by the senior examination of the Central Welsh Board or the Welsh matricu- lation examination, are well abio to undertake responsible wo k after a few months' at an elementary school. The explanation of the ex'S'tence of SO many mpplementaxy teachers is obvious, t,hey are a legacy from our prede- cessors in offioe. The great majority of the boys and girls who were pupil teachers and monitors under the old regime have since failed to pass a.ny qual fying examination, and th s notwith- 6tand ng that the committee have provided for upwards cf two years, fuil and efficient instruc- tion with a view to their s'atus being improved. This is the explanation of the. allegation that- the increase in unqualified teachers has been »rO'fx>rtionately larger than i.n the certificated teachers' class since t.he "appointed day," but the INCREASE is not duo to fresh appoint- ment* from outside. Th Teachers' Avocation make a comparison between Carnarvonshire and the. whole of Eng- land by reference to the fact that there is only one certificated teacher to 70 children in average attendance in the county. whde i.n England there ie one to every 62 children. Th s is an unfair comparison, as owing' to the vast population, centred in a large number of places in England, it is cheaper for the English authorities to staff their eel. cols exclusively w:t!h certificated teachers: e.g., it is cheaper to engage one certi- ficated ass'stant- at £80 to take charge of a class of 60 children, say Standaid III., than to em- ploy two Art. 50's at ;650 each to take a Standard III. of 30 and a Standard IV. of 30 children. In the whole cf Wales, the;e is only one certi- ficated t-cacher to every 73.8 children. In the English administrative counties, one for every 73.7. In the Welsh administrative counties, one for 80.9. Carnarvonshire, then, with cne for every 70 is (1) higher than t.he average for Wales as a who'e. (2) higher than the average of Eng- lish administrative counties, and (3) higher by 12 per cent. than t'he average of We'sh adminis- trative counties. The teachers' contention that "the increase i.n unqualified teachers has been proportionately larger than in the certificated teachere' class," thus falls to the ground. DONE ALL THAT IS HUMANLY POSSIBLE. The Education Committee have already done all that is humanly possible to improve the st-atui of their tcAcher6 by providing CLASSES at conven ent centres, under the direction of thor- oughly competent teacoers w.thout, so far, in- volving the assistants in any expense, either as regards trave'ling or tuition fees in attending the classes. If the assistants had been required to attend these CLASPS at their own expense, it M'ght have beeii urged by them that they could not afford to do ir, but when this expense is also borne by the committee, they are absolutely without excuse, and even with regard to any case.-i, where on the ground of distance, assist- ants may find it impossible to go. to the classes, the comjiiitteo HAVE given further evidence cf their de-irc to improve their position, by pro- viding correspondence lessons for them free of charge Tie SATURDAY elas ewh'CH have rJxeady been referred to prov'do tainOng for Art. 50's desiring to prepare for the certificate examination. Car- narvonshire is one cf the few counties in which such provision has beoq made for the benefit of teachers. Further, the. committee have recently shown their anxiety to provide increased facili- ties to teachers by joining with Angl{.3Y to im- prove their status by taking over the Bangor Normal College, and thus making a large in- crease of accommodation possib'E, and making prevision for the training of men A.nd women. Tho teachers state that there are 34 schools where there is no certificated assistant teacher, but as a rule these arc small rxhools, and their circumstances are such t,hat efficiency is amply secured by the employment of uncertificated asfcislante. A school is much better served by an Art. 50 for each of four standards than IT would be by two certificated teachers, each of whom would take a CLASS ir.cludi.ng two stand- ards. Tho teachers comiiiain that- seme teachers are. in chargo of classes with a roll very con- dL-, C, blv in excc P. of the number COT cut in Art. 12 oi the code, and refer to two eases of certifi- cated teacher.* in charge of CLASSES of 71 and 72 respectively. These, presumably, are classes in the Carnarvon Boys' Council School, where the cert ficated teacher in charge of Standard J. has two ,,tud,iit teachers to help him, and the cer- tificated teacher in charge of Standard III. is as- sis cd by ono student teacher. Salaries—In view of the policy adopted by the County Council, the Education Committee aie unable to proceed wit-h a scale cf salaries untd the education difficulty is settled. The teacneis complain that salar.es have been reduced in connection with new appointments to certain headsips, while at the same time it is a subject for complaint that length OF service, is not- re cogni.-xxl. Tee c: mmii'oe w sh to PO:11t out that the r(ouced salaries at. which appointments aro mode, are net of necessity permanent, and they reserve them«eiv€« the right of rcc gnising merit and length of seivice. Enqulri( s.-The committee tiuet that tl e regu- lation > which have already been adopted w.;h regard to tho method of conducting enquiries, WILL GIVE entire satisfaction Regula,tions.-Thc committee regret- to find that the Teachers' Council indicate a disposition to complain unduly and unfariy o-f the new codo of regulations which has been adopted. The only regulations to which any objection WAS offered by the Teachers' Cour.c'L, a.nd which tho committee, after long and careful consideration, were unable to amend, are the following, viz. 14. The Teachers' Council desire that the power to vary the fixed hours of attendance hould be in the hands of managers and not the committee. 16. TiJis regulation provides that the doors must be opened not later than 8.45 in the morn- ing, and 1.15 in the afternoon. The teachers desire tlrs to be altered, so as to require the txe-hools to be opened ten minutes cn:y before school begins. 19. Tits proyde., that no action shail be taken in removing a child's name from THO register, without the sanction in writing of the managers or one cr mire cf their body deputed for the purpose. The Teachers' Council require the managers' conscnt to be done away with. 25. This provides that under no circumstances are teachers to send children, during school hours, to enquire after absentees or upon errands of any description. The teacher re- quire THE words "not connccted with school -%York-" to be added- 30. This provides that facilities may be afforded for children who rtccire to remain on the school premises for dinner, and the head teachers shall arrange for the attendance of a* member of the staff to exeieise supervision. Tho Touchers' Council objected to the latter provi- sion- 31. This provides that where children arc per- mitted to remain in the school buildings for any purpose, a member of the staff shall in- variably be requested to take charge- Tho Teachers' Council desired t.H"S to be eliminated. 38. This provides that corporal punishment shall be administered by head teachers only. The Teachers' Council require "and Certificated Class Teachers'' to be added. 41. This provides that all teachers shall re- side in the neighbourhood cf the school. The teachers desire a substitute for these words "with such distance from the school as will enable them to comply with the regulations with regard to punctual attendanoe." 42. This proyidcs that no case of absence or withdrawal from the school, for however briet a period, of any member of the staff, shall be permitted without the consent of the managers- The Teachers' Council desired the words "for however brief a peri to read "for more than one day." 43. This provides that whenever, from any cause, the head teacher is required to be, or is absent from school, he or she shall at once noti- fy the fact to the Secretary of Education. The Teachers' Council desired the words "for more than one day" to be added after the word School. 46. This refers to the keeping of a time book. 55. This regulation provides that any notice determining an engagement shall expire on the last day of a calendar month.I.'he Teachers Council desired the last paragraph to be elimi- nated. 63 This deals with the importance of setting j apart a certain time for systematic Temperance teaching- The Teachers' Council objected to the last paragraph cf the regulation which reads as follows: "The committee will expect that the head teacher shall from time to time report to them the means employed in carrying out the aL-(3\e instructions." 64. This regulation reads as follows:—"In cases where children are advanced more than one standard, or put into lower standards, cr kept in the same standard, another year, a re- port of each case should b;) entered in the Log Book, anJ leported to the MANAGERS and to the Education Office, and the reasons for the course adopted shall be given. Special atten- tion is to be called to the caao of any child to vbom promotion NAIA. been ret used in the pre- vious year." 75. This regulation deals holidays, and provides for a total of 10 weeks in the year. The Teachers' Council asked that the detailed provisions of this regulation should bo elimina- ted, and the following substituted, viz. :—"Not less than 10 weeks' holiday to BE given in the year at the discretion of the managers." 84 (d). This provides that it any serious com- plaint by or against a teacher is investigated by the Education Committee, notice shail be given to managers, teachers and parents concerned, in order that the teacher and the parent shall bo present, and the managers represented by One or more of their number- Teachers' Council desire words to be added to enable the teacher to be accompanied by his legal adviser. These are the only regulations to which ex- ception was taken by the Teachers' Council when the draft was submitted for their con- sideration, and which the committee could not concodo. It is difficult to understand on what grounds it can be suggested, much less proved, that these regulations in any way reflect upon the honesty or the honour of the teachers. Regulation 16, providing for the opening ot schools 15 minutes before time, is expressly de- signed to meet the casee of country children in particular, who have very often to walk long distances to school, and who in winter often enter the school premises in wet clothes. The' opening of tho school premises must necessarily be uniform throughout the wnole county, and it is believed that this provision will enable little children from long distances especially, to have ample opportunities before sitting down to their work, to dry or dIspose 01 wet clothes and other inconveniences- With regard to Regulation 19, it is really designed more than anything to protect the teacher, as applications are otten made for the transfer of children, from one school to another- This regulation removes every responsibility from the teacher, and imposes it upon the managers, who may be reasonably expected to intervene in cases where parents have griev- ances, imaginary or real, against members ot scnool staffs inciting them to desire to remove their children without adequate cause. Regulation 25, The committee think it un- desirable to the children to disturb their les- sons in any way by requiring tnem to go out of school while work is in progress even 'n connection with school work. With regard to Regulations 30 and 31, the committee think it essential in the interests ot school discipline, and for the protection of the school buildings, that some responsible member of the staff shall be upon the premises, if and when children a,re permitted to take their mid- day meal in school or if from any cause the children are permitted to be upon the premises outside school hours. This regulation already exists in practice in a large number of schools, but the committee were constrained to insert it in this form, as unfortunately sericus complaints have already b en received with regard to schools which have recently undergone improve- ment and repair at considerable cost, that chil- dren were allowed to run wild about the school building during the dinner hour without any- )j one in charge. Where circumstances permit, the teacher who undertakes supervision during the dinner hour, should be allowed to leave the morning school sufficiently early before 12 o'clock to provide the opportunity Kir obtaining re- freshments, and the committee hope that the teachers will take it in turns. On the question of corporal punishment, the committee hold such strong views that they are unable to grant the teachers' request. If, how- ever, after a year's working, it bo found that this regulation operates to the disadvantage ot the scnools, or inflicts a hardship on the teach- ers, tho committee will be prepared to consider any observations which tho teachers will be gcxxl enough to make. With regard to Regulation 41, it is so adop- ted in deference to representation of head teachers that members of the assistant stan have been constantly law arrivals at schcol in the mc-rning, owing to their being resident away from the school district. With legard to Regulation 55, it is clearly desirable that all notices should expire on the last day of the month, as a simitar regulation is already in force in the case of the great majo- rity of Education Authorities in the Kingdom. This leaves Regulations 42, 43, 46, 63, and 54 to bo considered, and it cannot be believed that 'ble bt, a responsible body of men propose to establish a charge of tyranny against the Education Com- mittee simply because the teachers are required to obtain consent if they desire to b3 absent from school, and because the Education Com- mittee require a periodical report to be made to them with regard to Temperance teaching, and also on account of a regulation that if chil- dren are held back or advuntod, a special re- port shall be prepared dealing with the matter- The Education Committee are satisfied that very many teachers in their service have in practice observed most of these regulations. The following extract, taken from a letter received from the headmaster of one of our largest schools, bears this out, viz.: We con- gratulate ourselves hero upon the fact that the new code of regulations corresponds almost to the letter with the rules that liane been in force here for many years." And this has been corroborated verbally by a number of t'ho teachers, who recognise in the regulations adopted, a great help to the com- mittee in securing punctuality of attendance and r efficiency of discipline among the staff- A CONCILIATORY REPLY. In submitting the reply, Mr Issard Davies stated that it was drawn up in a proper spirit, and in tone it was conciliatory, and seemed to set out the position of the Local Education Com- mittee on all points. The teachers seemed to be under the impression that they as a Local Education Authority had been animated by some spirit 'of antagonism towards them, but there was really nothing of the kind (hear, hear). The committee when asked to draft the regulations wrote to all the best education authorities throughout England and Wales, from whom they secured regulations, and the regulations proposed in Carnarvonshire were enforced by other educa- tional bodies in the country. Some of them might be modified and made more elastic, but on the whole they were very reasonable. We have no quarrel with the teachers, we do not quarrel with them, and we have no wish to quarrel with thorn," said Mr Issard Davies. "We come here periodically spending time and money, and no doubt it is a pleasure for us all to attend to this work, but if the relations of the Local Education Authority and the teachers is to be a state of war then the pleasure is gone, and I don't care how soon we get out of it. I hope there will be a compromise now we have replied, and I hope the teachers will meet us in the same spirit as we have met them, and that wo shall work together. I was sorry to read that at Llanberis the teachers stated that some of these regulations were degrading to the profession. If they can prove that any of these regulations are degrading then I shall bE the first to vote that they be left out, and I Venture to assure the teachers of this—that however great their anxiety might be about their status, the jealousy of the Local Education Authority for the same object is quite as great (hear, hear). We must be proud of our teachers, and we must take every care to do nothing which would detract from their position as teachers. Mr J. R. Pritchard (Carnarvon) hoped that the teachers would be met in friendly conference, for the more discussions they had the better would be the results arrived at. In a short time they would see what modifications were re- quired in the regulations. The teachers would be met in the spirit Mr Issard Davies had stated. Of course, there we-e some who searched every hole and corner to find fault with the Education Committee, and some tried to make political capital out of their alleged deficiencies, but the committee had only tried to carry out the policy of the County CounciL If the County Council wished to change their policy the Educa- tion Committee would do likewise. Personally he believed that the more powers the managers obtained the better it would be. Mr Abel Williams, as an old teacher, agreed with what Mr Issard Davies had said. He had not noticed any inclination on the part of any member of the committee to interfere with the rights of the teachers whose status was always respected. There was, however, one sentence in the regulations he should like to expunge, that which provided that no case of absence or with- drawal from the schools for however brief a period of any member of the staff, shall be per- mitted without the consent of the managers. The Chairman: That has been settled, and you are out of order. The committee have adopted the regulations. Mr Abel Williams: I understand that they are before us now ? The Chairman: No. Mr Fisher: Let us consider a conciliatory atti- tude towards the managers. The. Chairman: The queation now is the reply to the teachers.

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ANOTHER CONFERENCE WITH THE TEACHERS ARRANGED. Mr J. R. Pritchard moved that a friendly con- ference should be arranged between the com- mittee and the-teachers and other representa- tives at a date to be decided upon. Mr Issard Davies: Our own teachers? Mr J. R Pritchard: I don't care who. I be- lieve in trades unionism. Mr Allanson Picton thought that the com- mittee should MEET their own teachers and any of their representatives. If Mr Pickles was nominated to appear before them they would be glad to see him (hear, hear). The Chairman said that the committee had better fix the number. Mr Allanson Picton asked what was the object of limiting the number. Why not let the teachers have as many representatives as they wanted ? Mr Abel Williams: Let's engage the Pavilion (laughter). It was decided to allow the general body of teachers to have six representatives, the assistant teachers two representatives, and the lady teachers two representatives. It was also de- cided that the conference should be public.

PENSION SCHEME AND THE POOR LAW. DEPUTATION TO MR LLOYD GEORGE. Mr Lloyd Geo-ge, Chancellor of the Ex- chequer, on Friday evening received at the Hcns-c of Commons a deputation from the AE- .oeiation ot Poor Jaw Unions of England and W ALEVI respecting he old age pension scheme. Mr J. BROWN, president of the As-ociation, a.go,J that the proposed pension committees WOULD not be effectively manned if t-iicir con- etitution did not include a fair proportion ot experienced Poor Law guardians. Moreover, he thought that in this matter their organisa- tion mignt fairiy claim recognition. He was glad the Government had adopted the principle ox a sliding scale. The Chancellor of the Exchequer, in replv, said he was on the whole pleased that Parlia- ment had decided in favour 01 the principle ot a sliding scale, and while regretting as Chan- cellor oi the Exchequer that a sum -of £ 334.000 'had been added to his already substantial de- ficit, he frankly thought it WAS worth some sac- rifice to eliminate THE original provision about couples hving together. There was not the slightest intention on the pajt of the Govern- ment to cast any slight or reflection upon guardians of the poor in not expressly includ- ing them, and giving them direct representation ai Boards of Guardians on the local pension committees. The Government were most anx- ious to dissociate the pension scheme from any direct and official connection with P-OOIR Lav," relief. Prde often prevented men who were suffering dire poverty from, seeking the charity of the Poor Law. Many would rather die first, and one could not but sympathise in a largo measure with that feeling." There was in the country a great deal of distress which was too proud to own itself, and it was most de- sirable to make recipients under the pension scheme feel that it had nothing officially to do with Pcor Law; but he thought local pension committee would b3 acting unwisely, and even stupidly, if they did not teek to secure the valuable aid and co-C-jneration which they could obtain from experienced and wise and benevo- lent guardians of the pcor in their respective localities. He thoueht the committees would invite such assistance. The proposed pauper disqualification in the pension scheme was purely a temporary expedient. It would have to be reconsidered at all early date in connection with reforms in the whole subject of the Poor Laws. It was quite clear that the Exchequer could not bear the whole burden of even the deserv- ing poor. He hoped the Association of Poor Law- Unions would in due course give the Government tho advantage of its valuable ex- perience when t.he time came for framing a scheme for reconstruction and reform ot our Poor Law system. The inteiview conclude 1 with an expression ot thanks from the deputation to Mr Llovd George.

A CHILD'S PARALYSIS. LITTLE BOY HELPLESS. THREE HOSPITALS FAILS. CURED BY DR. CASSELL S TABLETS. Mrs Wat's, of Sheep Street Lane, Etohingham, Sussex, wr tes:Eighte. n months ago my little boy devaoped Infantile Paralysis. He was so bad that he could not stand, so I took him to a hospit.,1, when ho was pat in a plaster of Pam jaoket, but he was tie weak to wear it, so the doctor took it off. Then I got him jalttO another hospital, where he remained for a long time, and yet another, but he g'ot no better. so I took h:m home. He was practically helpless when I began Dr. CasselTs Tablets, but in thnce months he c)u'd run about, and is now quite weil. Ail consider his cure a miracle." Dr. Oassell's Table S can be got at any chem- ists for 10jd, Is L £ d, and 2s 9d (containing near- ly four times the 10d, size), and are a perfect cure for children's weakness, and nerve, stom- ach, and k.dney troubles.

Mr J. Hall Edwards, radiographer to the Birmingham General Hospital, underwent a second operation on Sunday at his residence, when his right hand, with the exception of the thumb, was amputated. A shepherd has been murdered just outside Par s, and a flock of 350 sheep driven off. The raiders had paid taxes amounting to JEM on the sheep passing*, the octroi, and the flook wu sold at looal market* for £b2ö.

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SIR THOMAS BORTHWICK, BART. Among the recipients of the King's birth- day honoitrs is Mr Thomas Borthwick, who has been created a baronet of the United Kingdom. He is tho elder brother of Mr A. Borthwick, üf Plas Liewelyn, Coed Coch, Abergele, a veil- I known agriculturist, ar.d is a nephew of tl e late Mr Ptter Borthwick, M.P., who sat in the Conservative interest for the borough of E,o". ho 111, and tiheiefo-e first cousin of the present Lord G!°neeto. Sir Thomas Borthwick is a native of Edinburgh, but at an early period ol his life came to Carnarvonshire, and resided in that eoi-nty for a number of years. Sub- sequently he removed to London, where he sjeedily succeeded in developing important com- mercial ulations with foreign and colonial countries, which resulted in a large and z roxv ing trade in various forms of prodncc, the firm of which he is senior partner, having establish- ments in London, Liver rood, Manchester, Bir- mingham, Glasgow, Cardiff, Bristol, Australia, and New Zealand. Some years ago Sir Thomae aoquired by purchase, the estate of Whitburgh, in the County of Midlothian, where he has a fine country seat, the home farm consisting ot 1000 acrea of arable and pasture land, being in high itate of cultivation. A

NORTH WALES QUARRY. MEN'S UNION. The result- was made known on Saturday of the polling in connection with the election of & financial secretary to the North Wales Quarrv- men's Union, in euooersion to Mr W. H. Wil- liams. resigned. Mr R. T. JONES (Festlniog) a.nd Mr O. Ellis Jones (NantJle), both quarry- iih n, werc- the candidates, and the forn^r ob- tained 1164 votes, being a majority of 195 over his opponent-

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Mr Fisher: If we don't send a reply to-day to the managers at Llandudno about the holidays they will over-ride us. Mr W. G. Thomas (Carnarvon) thought that the committee should listen to Mr Abel W illiams, though he quite agreed that they could not alter the rules. The Chairman: It will be out of order to discuss the regulations. We can only change them bv notice of motion. Mr Richard Davies asked whether it was under- stood that there was to be another conference. The Chairman: Yes, if the teachers apply for a conference. Mr Richard Davies said that more could be said on behalf of the committee than had been said. Mr Abel Williams remarked that he would like to remove some of the freaky things from the regulations. After further discussion the committee adopted the reply.