The Welsh Coast Pioneer and Review for North Cambria

DENBFGHSHIRE COUNTY COUNCIL, QUARTERLY MEETING AT COLWYN BAY. INFORMAL OPENING OF NEW COUNTY BUILDANGS. ROAD MAINTENANCE AND DUST PROBLEMS. The handsome block of county buildings erected by the Denbighshire authority in Colwyn Bay for Council, police, and other purposes were, brought into public use for the first time on Fri- day, when the quarterly meeting of the County Council was held there. As already indicated in these columns the bu;lding3 are from the designs, and have been erected under the supervision, of Mr Walter D. Wile, architect and surveyor to the County Coun- cil. They comprise on the lower floor charge office, searenroom, messroom, male and female cell accommodation, with airing court attached on the upper floor; a courtroom—58ft. by 35ft.—with fittings of Austrian oak, magistrates' retiring- room, with the walls panelled in Austrian oak, ante-rooms, solicitors'-rooms, witnesses'-rooms, lavatories, etc. Attached to the buildings are an inspector's residence and cubicles for single constables; detached from the main block are the weights and measures offices. The building is built of local limestone, with red Helsby sandstone dressings; all the floors are constructed of reinforced concrete, the roofs covered with green slates, and the building heated on the low-pressure hot-water system. 's. rs Messrs John Mayers and Son, of Chester, were the general contractors. The cell fittings are by Messrs Charles Smith and Sons, of Birmingham; the heating by Messrs Dilworth and Carr, of Preston; the ironworks and asphalt flats by Messrs Homan and Rodgers, of Manchester. Mr Thomas Dawson was the clerk of works. It should be added that the buildings and the site have cost complete something like £ 10,000, and Mr Wiles is to be heartily congratulated as much upon the insignificant sum in the form of extras included in the bill, as upon the excellence of the work throughout. The contractors also deserve praise for the manner in which they have carried out their part in the scheme. As the premises have not been properly furnished yet, they will not be brought into full use for some weeks. There was no formal opening ceremony, and, apart from the favourable comments one over- heard between members in private, not a word was uttered either from the chair or the benches. So-far as the court-room is concerned there is but one thing open to criticism-it" acoustic pro- perties are unsatisfactory. However, Mr Wiles ia confident that he will be able to remedy this defect in the course of time. Mr Aneurin O. Evans (chairman) presided over the meeting, which was not so well attended as one would expect under the circumstances. The other members present were:—Mr W. E. Samuel (vice-chairman), Colonel Cornwallis West, Colonel C. S. Mainwaring, Dr. D. Lloyd, Messrs Edward Roberts, James Fraser, J. Stephen Jones, J. Wil- coxon, Jonathan Griffiths, Christmas Jones, God- frey Fitzhugh, Thomas Jones, Wrexham; Boaz Jones, Geo. Cromar, Geo. Bevan, John Allen, William Gritfith, J. A. Harrop, D. Mac. Nicoll, John Roberts, Bennett Jones, Thomas Jones, Plas Coch; D. Owain Williams, J. W. Evans, J. A. Chadwick, J. R. Williams, J. T. Millward, Trevor Lloyd Jones, Evan Roberts, Thomas Owen, F. A. Sturge, R. A. Jones, T. Rogers Jones, Gomer Roberts, J. D. Jones, St. George; H. Rawson Williams, E. Lloyd Jones, D. J. Wil- liams, Ed. Allen, Ed. Williams, David Edwards, John Hughes, Rowlands, with the clerk (Mr W. RJBvans), deputy clerk (Mr John Roberts), the county accountant (Mr n. Humphrey Ro- berts), the county surveyor (Mr Walter D. Wiles), the Chief Constable (Major Leadbetter), the county main roads surveyor (Mr R. B. Adams), the county treasurer (Mr Guy Conran), and the inspectors of weights and measures (Messrs J. Clark Jones and Noah Price). A COMPLAINT. At the outset Colonel CORNWALLIS WEST asked why the meeting should not have been convened half an hour earlier—11.30 instead of 12 o'clock. The majority of the members had had to wait an hour before commencing their work. Mr GEORGE CROMAR said that the majority of the members had not arrived until 11.30, and some cf them had been anxious for a little lunch bofox& .beginnings tlieur business. The CHAIRMAN: And there was a committee meeting at 11.30. The CLER.K Held according to the instruc- tion cf the committee themselves. Colonel WEST: I protest against any other business taking place on the day of the Council (hear, hear). NEW CONSERVATOR. Mr Francis E. Roper wrote intimating his inability to act as a conservator for the fishery district of the River Dee, and Mr R. H. Story was appointed. CHECKING THE DUST NUISANCE. Mr J. W. Summers, chairman of the Flintshire County Council, wrote confirming an offer he had made to share the cost of tarring the main road at Rossett as an experiment in regard to dust prevention. He wrote: "I have seen the roads in Surrey and Kent, and I feel it will be a great boon to the people living along the road at Rossett if the tarring be done." Mr E. W. THOMAS moved that the offer be rejected on the ground that to expend money on the special treatment of any particular part of the county's main thoroughfare would be a wrong precedent. a Mr CROMAR said he hoped the committee's recommendation would be adopted. The dust was responsible for more injury to cattle and cro!)s along side the main thoroughfares than anything, and they should do everything reason- able to try and cope with the nuisance. Mr MILLWARD, Abergele, said that the question of tarring the roads had cropped up in his district, and that method of remedying the dust evil had proved very successful. In "fact the tar had kept the dust down to such an ex- tent that never before had they experienced such a relief. lie thought that method to be the best and cheapest way possible of abating a nuisance so detrimental in every resnect Colonel CORNWALLIS WEST said he had had tho opportunity of inspecting a great many roads treated in that way, and the treatment, ap- peared to be most efficacious for it not only kept the dust down, but it remained on the road for a long time, and proved generally beneficial to it. Mr J. ROBERTS said that, while they should thank Mr Summers for his offer, he thought the question was whether it would be fair from the ratepayers' point of view to accept it. The nuisance affected all parts of the country, rural and urban in character. Was it fair under the circumstances to contribute towards the checking of it in one part of the county more than another. seeing that all ratepayers alike would have to pay for it? Mr ED. ALLEN, Colwyn Bay, said that this had been the first summer during which thev had been able to live in anything like comfort at Colwyn Bay, and that was due to the tar treat- ment of the main road. The Urban District Council had spent hundreds of pounds on the work, and he felt positive it would prove a cheap method of keeping up the road as well as prove beneficial in other respects. Cohvyn Bay had been exceptionally free from dust throughout the summer. Mr BOAZ JONES, Denbigh, agreed with Mr Roberts that as the country people would have to pay they should be treated alike. He thought it would be a mistake to take any action of that kind until they got an extra allowance from the Imperial purse to meet the expenditure. He acknowledged that the treatment referred to had proved very beneficial at Denbigh, but they had paid for the work locally (hear, hear). On a division the committee's recommendation that the offer be accepted was adopted by 19 votes to 11. "PLEASURE SEEKERS AND RACING GENTLEMAN." Mr GOMER ROBERTS, in bringing up the report of the Denbigh District Main Roads Com- mittee, said the committee was pestered with letters from associations of motorists, and from other quarters, with regard to the roads. The question came to this—Were the County Council going to maintain the roads in a manner sufficient for local requirements, or were they going to make them into racing tracks for other people (hear, hear). The cost of upkeep was increasing at a. serious rate, and not to meet the require- merits of legitimate local traffic, but for pleasure- seekers and racing gentlemen (laughter). In 1893 the main roads cost L12,534 in maintenance; last year they cost C20,404, an increase of £ 7870' or nearly ;CBOOO. It was true that latterly the County Council had adopted steam rollers, but this Increased cost was mostly due to the motor- cars. He moved that the Cardiganshire County Council's resolution be approved petitioning the Government for increased grants out of the Im- perial fund in aid of local taxation. It was pointed out by Mr W. G. SAMUEL that a resolution on similar lines was passed at the last meeting. Mr GOMER ROBERTS: Never mind. Let us keep the matter on the anvil (laughter). I am willing to pass the resolution guce a quarter until we get it acted upon (laughter). Mr Roberts then pointed out that the revenue to the County Council from motor car licences was only J6114 per annum. The resolution was agreed to unanimously. PATROL SHEPHERD. The Special Committee appointed by the County Council on the 1st May, 1908, appointed Mr William Jones, of Maes Cadarn, Gyffylliog, Ruthin, as from the 15th June, 1908, patrol shepherd for the administrative county of Den- bigh, and an inspector under the Diseases of Ani- mals Act, subject to the conditions contained in the duties as defined by the committee on that day. PROTEST AGAINST SHEEP SCAB ORDER. A letter was read from the Board of Agricul- ture informing the local authority "that the Board have caused a revised leaflet on the subject of sheep'scab to be prepared in Welsh, and suggesting that arrangements should be made by the local authority to distribute the leaflet as widely as possible to sheep owners, and others interested in the subject, in any part of their district wherein Welsh is spoken, and that the Board would be happy to supply any number of copies which may be desired for the purpose. It was decided that application be made for 5000 copies of the leaflet, and that the same be distributed by the police inspectors under the Act, and also "that this committee respectfully protest against that, part of the Sheep Dipping Order which requires a second dipping within 28 days before sheep can be moved to a fair or an auction, and apply to the Board to amend the order so that sheep may be moved within the prescribed dipping periods after having been dipped once only." A COLWYN BAY CLAIM. The County Accountant had previously reported the reoeipt of particulars of the claim by the Colwyn Bay Urban District Council against the County Council with respect to road maintenance during the year ending March last, which amounted to £ 1916 15s 5d, but as he had not examined the particulars and vouchers he was not in a position to make any definite report thereon. Possibly the Council could make a payment on account or induce the Colwyn Bay authority to accept £1000 in full settlement of the account. The Clerk to the Colwyn Bay Council now wrote stating his Council regretted being unable to accept £1000 in settlement of the account, but they would accept £ 1000 in settlement for a cer- tain period. Mr G. BEVAN, Colwyn Bay, remarked that that would mean up to the end of the current financial year—March 31st last. The letter was referred to the Main Roads Committee with power to act. GRANTS TO URBAN AUTHORITIES. IMPORTANT PRINCIPLE AT STAKE. A special committee appointed to consider the question of expenditure on main roads in urban districts reported that they had received many claims for the "maining" of additional roads, and that there were only one or two roads which might be "dismained." The committee recom- mended that, taking into account the large ex- penditure which would be incurred on the county mi.;n roads if all the applications were dealt, with, no highways be "mained" at present, but that a grant of £ 150 should be made to the Corpora- tion of Wrexham towards the cost of maintain- ing Grosvenor-road and Bradley-road, leading from Ruabon-road to the Chester-road—a length of a little over a mile. Mr W. T. SAMUEL, who moved this, said the two roads were virtually main roads. Mr GOMER ROBERTS seconded, and added that he did not see why Wrexham should have such a contribution more than Colwyn Bay, whose quota towards county funds was nearly as high as that of Wrexham. Mr THOMAS JONES said that if as strong a case was made out fpr it by any other district he would support their request. Colwyn Bay claimed nearly fcuOO a year for the maintenance of their roads, and the Council had just agreed to pay IPIOOO in part settlement of that account. This virtually meant that they would pay JB250 per mile for Colwyn Bay roads, wbile they refused JE150 per mile for the three miles of Wrexham road now in question, though it was for all practical pur- poses a main road. He would remind the Coun- cil that whilst the traffic on the roads of Wrex- ham made the thoroughfares tremble with its weight, that in Colwyn Bay was of "the very light and rubber-tyre order" (laughter). Mr MAC. NICOLL aid that if they established a precedent of that kind in regard to Wrexham they must, to be consistent, be prepared to do the same thing all over the county (hear. hear). If they had J6150 to spend they could spend it to better purpose- on widening and improving dan- gerous points-in-their, own roads. The Wrexham Council were well able to look after themselves, and at the last meeting of the Main Roads Com- mittee they had had to expostulate against the extravagance of the Colwyn Bay Urban District Council over their main roads. Mr WM. GRIFFITH pointed out that when the St. Asaph Council had asked the County Council to contribute £ 10 per mile to help them the request had been refused. Mr E. W. THOMAS and Mr J. ROBERTS contended that the resolution meant the adoption of a principle which would have far-reaching and serious effects. It would cast them into tur- bulent waters. The committee's recommendation was adopted by a small majority. SMALL HOLDINGS. LIST OF APPLICANTS FOR LAND. Mr JOHN ROBERTS stated that the Allot- ments and Small Holdings Committee were mov- ing as rapidly as possible. They had interviewed eighty-six applicants, and recommended seventy- five for further consideration. The special officer they had appointed, Mr R. Herbert Williams, of Plasvward, Ruthin, had interviewed many of the applicants and also a number of landowners, most of the latter being favourably disposed. One of the applicants visited was found not to be cul- tivating the garden he already had, and, of course, his case was set. aside. The committee were negotiating for several farms, and by the next meeting he hoped they would be able to tell the County Council that they had some ap- plicants on the land (hear. hear). In reply to Colonel CORNWALLIS WEST, Mr ROBERTS said that. there was a motion by Mr Cromar tha.t the applicants should be required to prove that they had a capital of not less than £ 5 an acre, but it had not been decided upon yet. The Council approved applications for land by the following:- Robert Edwards, Aber Uchaf, Bvlehau, Den- bigh, contractor, three acres; Owen Hughes, Post Office, Groes, do., blacksmith, ten acres; Henry Jones, Shop, Rhydgaled, do., grocer, five acres; Thomas Jones, do., farm labourer, 30 acres; Dd. Roberts, Ty Iorwertb, Llansannan, Abergele, shopkeeper, five itcres; Owen Williams, Bryn Gwynt, Llannefydd, Llanfairtalhaiarn, do., farm labourer, ten acres; Roland Jones, Rhiw Isaf, Llanbedr, Ruthin, farmer, 50 acres; Ed. Roberts, Pen Hirwaen, do., farm labourer, 20 acres; Dd. Evans, Pont-v-Gwyddel, Llanfairtalhaiarn, farm labourer, 15 acres; Thomas Foulkes, Penthir Cot- tage, Towyn, Abergele, do., 15 to 20 acres; Wm. Griffiths (iunr.), 8, Chapel-street, Penysarn, do., do., 15 acres; Thomas Hughes, Rhvdyfoel, Llan- ddulas, do., poulterer, ten acres; Owen Pritchard, Pontydd, Towyn, do., platelayer, 18 acres; Louis Royle, Glandon, Foryd, do., poulterer, eleven acres; Thomas Jones, Bryn Goleu, Moelfa, do., labourer, ten acres; Thomas Jones, Tynewydd, Towyn, do., farmer, ten acres Edward Edwards, Ty'n-y-fcdw, Llanarmon D.C., Ruabon, farm labourer, 45 acres; Edward Edwards, Glan-y- Geifr, Llanarmon, do., gamekeeper, two to three acres; David Evans, Ceiriog Villa, Glyn, do., coal merchant, three acres; Edward Jones, Bryn, Pontfadog, do., quarryman, 30 acres; John Jones, Brynafon, Llanarmon D.C., do., labourer, 50 acres; and Thomas Parry, Old Post Office, do., farm labourer, 50 acres. Mr Herbert Williams, of Plasyward, Ruthin, was appointed special officer to superintend the Small Holdings Scheme in the county at a salary of B130 per annum, "with reasonable travelling expenses actually incurred." WEIGHTS AND MEASURES INSPECTION. QUALIFIED ASSISTANT TO BE APPOINTED. It was decided to allow the Weights and Mea- sures Inspector in West Denbighshire a qualified assistant at £ 104 per annum in place of the un- qualified assistant at £ 52 hitherto employed. This will enable the inspection of the weighing instruments at all the farnas to be carried out once every two years, Mr D. MAC. NICOLL remarked that the pre- sent Government had already foisted two ad- ditional officials upon the county, and this was the third. The CLERK (Mr W. R. Evans): Anything to be stated in the advertisement about lan- guage? Mr GOMER ROBERTS: Certainly. I move that Welsh be essential. The DEPUTY-CLERK (Mr John Roberts): Is English required? (laughter). Mr GOMER ROBERTS: I took that for grant- ed. There are very many ignorant people who know English (laughter). It was agreed that a knowledge of English and Welsh be required. LLANRWST BRIDGE. IMPORTANT ALTERATIONS. The Countv Main .Road Surveyor reported herein as follows:- W e oolnmenoedto remove the maoadam from the surface of the roadway over ibis bridge on the 29tih ci June, when we fcund that the hauncihetf and pillars had been filled up wMh sofl and small stones. All this h.'wl to be excavated and removed. The aroh gtones w#re lalid baro and swept clean. Several of the arch stones in the largte or central arch were cracked right across. The haunches and piljans; were then filled with cement concrete; the archcs were aibo covered with ooincrete up to the level of the roadway. Fourteen cwts. of one- inch steel rods, each rod being 24 feet long, were bent to the shape of the arch, and then embedded lengthways in the concrete over the crown cf the central arch. Nearly 37 tons of cement were used on the Denbighshire half of the b^dge. Each eounity had two gangs of men worlding ailtonnately, one gang commencing to y/cirk at 4 a.m. and working until 1 p.m., the other. g-ang- commencing at 1 p..m. a I'd working until 10 p.m. The Llanrwst Urban Council very kindtly allowed their irurveyor (Mr George Wynne) to assist me in superintending' the work. The parapet wall on the too or east side cf the central arch had to be taken down and rebuilt, both parapet waUs had' to be raised at the entranoc to the bridge. The oot-t .I tho niitcrial-s and haulage for the Denbighshire half of the bridge was £ 159 148 3d, and the manual labour on the same portion Amounted to L65 Is lid. or a to:a.J, of JB244 16a 7d. Wc did not anticipate that such a Jarge (juan- tity of rubbish would have to be taken, out of the niliars and haunohes, before we got. to fomethmsr solid." The ropcrt was approved. APPROACHES TO COUNTY BRIDGES. It was resolved that the acceptance by the Coutiiv Main Roads Surveyor of tjhe tender of Mr D.ivid Evans, Bontnewydd, llanfairtalhai- arn. for repairing the road approaches to and over the three bribes called Yr Aled, Y Gwyddel, and Mfcred.ydd, for the sum of £1 15s, for the ciirrecit, year be confirmed. RUTIIIN BOROUGH MAIN ROADS. After considerable <J;scussion of the Account- After considerable <J;scussion of the Account- ant's report, it was ultimately resolved:—"That t'he Coantv Council be recommended to pay £ 932 16s to the Town, Council cf Ruthin in discharge of their claim of £ 994 10s for the maintenance, repair, and improvement of the borough mai.n roads for i-,he i-ear ended 31st March, 1908, pro- vided the. Town Council agree to enter into a contract for the maintenance, etc., of the main roads during Lhe current year for the sum of L400, Afeo that in. tiie event of the Town Council declining to enter into a contract for the current, vear for JB400 the consideration of the I,, -)jzn for tho post-year be erreduntdI T1113 next- imVeting of the committee, and that the Town Council be paid the sum of £ 700 on ac- count of such clarm." ABERGELE MAIN ROADS. It' was resolved, on consideration of the Ac- countant's report, that the Abergele Urban Council be offered the sum of £ 421 m full saiis- factictn of their claim for lihe maintenance, re- pair, and limprovement of the main roadrj for the mat vear. On consideration, of the report of the County Main Roads Surveyor, and of the reort- of the Co:wity Accountant, it wag resolved that the Countv Council be recommended to enter into a contract "Üh the Abergele Urban District Coun- cil for tie maintenance, etc., of the main roads for the current year for the sum of £210. A letter was read from the Abergele Urban Dislr'joc Council suggest,;ng quarterly payments on account of expenditure o,ii main roads, but no proposal was made 0:1 the subject. The AbergWe Authority hfd also written en- quiring what 'arrang'?iren.:s the County Council were prepared to make towards poyrng their contribution of £ 150 towards the cost of widen- ing and improving Cliapelstreet, Abergele. The Clerk h'td replied, calling attention of the Urban Council to the fact that the rossJ-ution of 'he Coumy Comcil, passed on the 4th Mav, 1906, referred to two pieces of land to bo conveyed, one of 110 yards on the east ade of Chapel-fit., and one. of 75 yards on tiho w-e^t side of Chapel- street, and that the land o,n the eaist side only is shown on the draft conveyance. Tho Abergele iCouncil rap lied, stating that they bad been ~u.n- alal'i to acou'ije the land'on' the west side of Chapel-street. It was resolved that the oonnideration of the subject be, deferred unitd the next meeting of the Road committee, aii-cl that the Urban Council be reauested to eond m a revised Mate ment of the amount proposed' to be expended in improving Gha.pel-st.reet, Abergele, in consequence of the widening not being carried out 011 the west s,^de of. the street. WIDENING OF MAIN ROAD TO MQCHDRE Tho following t'eport of Messrs A. 0. Evane, Gomcr Roberts, and John Roberts W.i.ih regard to the widening of the' main road to. Jlflocbdre from Mr Edwin Jon'ce' house westward was 3.1)- proved ;—The ooiftmit-te«i'-inspected the road. and found that it vai»i-sd in width from 18 feet to 21 fect.. The committee consder that the widening of this road would be an improvement, but tiiey do not, consider that- it is absolutely ncodsfiary to widen v.t just now. The committee are of ooiTr'on that the London and North-Western, Railway Company have brought out their po:;t. and rail fence too far, and have encroached slightly on tiho roadway at this point/ The committee ncfrced that the road could be widened m the narrowest part, near, the gas works?, by moyimr a telegraph post. The committee also jloticød that the hedges abutting on thiis road reuuire attention. A DANGEROUS CORNER. The following letter had been recoived bi -e "conbirLittee from the Llandudno Urban Dvstrict Council, but no proposal was made on the wb- ject :~I am requested by the Llandudno Urban District .Council to call your attention to the ¡ Cchvy.n Bay Read Junction, oil the ii)a!.n -rc,,td along from Pensarri Bridge to Gian Conway', known, I believe, as Sarnymynaeh. In the opinion of my Council the corner is a very dan- g-erou« one, and they respectfully suggest that the question' is one worthy of the consideration <)f your County Council, one or two motor ac- cidents ha.yi.ng already occurred at the place mentioned. INCREASING THE CORONER'S SALARY. It was reported that the Coroner for' We-st Denbighshire (Dr. Hughes) had made an appli- cation for an increase in his salary, and a com- mittee recommended that he be paid £ 78 per [ annum instead of £ 56 as before. This was agreed to. ASYLUM COMMITTEE'S EXPENDITURE. The Local Government Board wrote sanction- ing an application for the loan of £ 4000 by the Council for the purposes of the. North Wales Counties Lunatic Asylum. Mr C KO. BEVAN commented upon "the enormous-amount of money spent on litigation, and in other directions" by the Asylum Com- miltce, and asked "Is it true tnat the worst cases in the asylum are put upon that ccmmit- tee ?" (loud laughter). SHOP HOURS ORDER FOR COLWYN BAY. The application by Colwyn Bay for an order under the Shop Hours' Act of 1904 had -been before a meeting of the Local Government Acts' Col tt-ee,- and a special committee meeting had bcon arranged previous to the Council meeting in order to discuss with Mr T. J-I, Mor- gan, solicitor to 'the Colwyn Bay Tradesmen's Protection Society, and a. deputation certain objections placed before them At. that committee meeting it was explained by Mr Morgan that objections had been made in regard to the tradesmen at Old Cob wyn. Here one side of the street is in Carnar- vonshire and the other side in Denbigludiiro, and it was pointed out that if the County Coun- cil made an order compiling the shopkeepers on the Denbighshire side of the street to close the'ir ehopa to customers, whilst those over the way might remain open, it would be very un- fair. The^ Carnarvonshire County Council, however, are being memorialised 011 the part of Old Colwyn in that county and that when they made a closing order the Denbighshire autho rity might follow suit. The committee, therefore, decided to issue an order forthwith applying to the whole of the urban district except Old Colwyn. and to extend it to Old Colwyn when the neighbouring county have done likewise. The shops are to close at 7 p.m. on Mondays, Tuesdays, and Thursdays, at 1 p.m. (half holi- day) on Wednesdays, at 8 p.m. on Fridays, and at 10 p.m. on Saturdays. The order was confirmed by the County Council. OLD AGE PENSIONS. The CLERK reported that a circular letter had been received from the Local Government Board dealing with the Old Age Pension scheme. Several matters to which, the Council were to give attention were referred to. A local pen- sion committee, numbering seven at ieast, had to be appointed for every county by the County Council, but the County Council might, form themselves into the pension committee. The re- presentation on the committee would., not be ne- cessarily restricted to county councillors, and the Council could delegate the whole of their [ powers to ,tho committee should they deem that desirable. The duties of the committee involved the consideration of individual claims for pen- sions, and it was intended that claimants should have an opportunity of appearing personally be- fore the committee if necessary. It seems to the Board, continued tihe circular, that it will be necessary for the committee to delegate their powers arid duties generally to local sub- committees acting In suitable subdivisions of the area, but every sub-committee must contain at least one, member of the Council." The Clerk added that it would be necessary for the Coun- cil to decide now how many they. would, appoint on the committee and other matters, bceauee4 the question waa urgent. •Mr J. WILOOXON proposed tht? appointment of a committee of 29 memWs whom he named. Mr CHRISTMAS JONES seconded. Mr GEO. BEVAN moved that the whole Council acted as the committee at any rate for the time being, because the matter was import- ant, and there were several questions to be settled at the outset which the Council would be better able to deal with. Mr BOAZ JONES: I second that. Mr WILCOXON Very well, and I accept it. The amendment thus bcoame the motion, to which the Council unanimously agreed. The CLERK: As there is a large number of pensons who will become entitled to pen- sions at the beginning of January next, it is important that committees and sub-committees should bo appointed at the earliest date possi- ble, so that the longest possible time prior to January 1st shall be allowed to deal with the applications which will be made. It was decided to hold a special meeting of the Council at Denbigh on August 26th to deai applications which will be made. It was decided to hold a special meeting of the Council at Denbigh on August 26th to deal with the matter. FEEDING STUFFS ANALYSED. The County Analyst reported that under the Fertilisers and Feeding Stuffs Act, he had analysed five samples received during the quar- ter under the Act, two being samples cf feed- ing cake, two of meal and one of oil cake. The oil cake was sour, and unfit for feeding purposes, but the other samples were in ac- cordance with the invoices. ADULTERATED MILK, SPIRITS, PEPPER AND VINEGAR. The County Analyst also presented the fol- lowing report on the analysis of human food samples — I have the honour to inform ou that during the quarter ending Juno 30th, 134 samples have been received for analysis, and 21 have been found to be adulterated, or in the proportion of 15.67 per cent. The articles examined con- sisted of 52 samples of milk, 24 of butter, 12 of lard, 9 of coffee, 10 of pepper, 6 of checse, 12 of vinegar, and 12 of spirits. The adultera- ted articles were 11 samples of milk, 6 of spirit, 2 of pepper, and 2 or vinegar. The milk samples were deficient m< cream to the extent respectively of 4 per oent. 4.3 per 5.7 per cent. 10 per umt., 10 per cent., 10.3 pv,,r cent. 13 per cent., 17.3 per e^ot., 31.3 per cent., and 36.3 per cent. One sample also contained 3.4 per cent, <;f added water. The samples of spirits were three samples of rum containing an excess of wate. to the extent oi 3 per oant., 26 per 03nt., and <J5.4 per cent., respectively, and three samples ot whisky con- taining 2 per cent., 12.5 per cent., and 13 per cent. of water. One samjilo of pepper con- tained long p-epper. and the other was a dirty one, and also, contained an excels of- husk. 'Hie two sample-, of vinegar were below the standard for aoetic acid, one i.-o the extent of 8.5 per cent., and the other to the extent ol 21.3 per cent. One hundred and four of the samples were inform.al ones, i.e., no notification hd bC>8n given when they were bought, and of these twelve were found to be adulterated, of which four were milk, four spirits, two vine-, g:ir, and two pepper. All the milk and but- ter samples were free from preservatives, ,and the milk samples were clean. The butters were freo from the new form of adulteration cocoa nut oil. The vinegars were free from mineral acids, cund: correspond to malt vinegar. Sam- ples corresponding to six of the informal adul- terated ones have been taken officially, and these have .also' been found to be adulterated, but in on or two instances to a much smaller extent. The proportion cf adulteration is very high, and is largely above the average. This is probably due to the large. number of samples that have been taken informally. Tweniy thrcd samples were received from the Denbigh district, and the remainder from the" rexham district. Colonel CORNWALLIS WEST ro;nted cut that- though anaJy/>s generally wae properly and cffiden.tly carried out Uwy had .not yet anacfo any arrangements for the bacteriological1 examination of milk supplies. A station' for that work had been mooted at Wrerrham. but tJw -scheme had been unfortunately dropped. He thought it was very .necerisarv that some prov'tiori. lie made so that doctors practising in the county could have samples examined promptly and without ueiay. LEASEHOLD ENFRANCHISEMENT. INTERESTING DISCUSSION. A circular letter was read from- the Bethesda .Urban' District Council expressing theCr "strong con.yiet-c.n that the present system of Jeowholds IS unjust and oppressive; thai- .;t pressk-. hard upon the working and middtie classes, whore ea-rnMigt* when invented in such, properties are eventually ion the termination of the leases ap- piopnated hv the wealthier ''classes, who hive oono noting in many c-u6e,s to. add to the value of i the property; that the ground rent charged -Y in almost oil cases' ar^) .'a-baye the agriculture value of tihe land at the timo the lease is' granted; and that it is unjust tihat the hard earn ,ngs of the leaseholder and his'invp-'oveeients should lap. e on the termination of the lease'to the freeholder, who, in many caifcs, benefits to the extent of hundreds per cent, on the original value of tho land." To resolution thi Counol were asked to assent.. Mr D. MAC, NICOLL moved that the Nm. I)o left on the table. He thcug-ht- the resolution was a very one-tided' one. It tc,c,k men to make a bargs. n, and ialicy should certainfiy have the yie'¡:> of the ics-or as well these of the I if they were going'to ■deal v.ith the mo-ftter. His experience was I that the leasehold system was one of the greatest boons ever conferred on the country. Mr *WILCOX O.l propc.-ed 'that '4:1x0 resolution be approved. He did )-of agree with Mr Mac. N'jcoil because, it -IN ii not Tight titat persona should spend thousands cf -pounds u-pchi land and then at the end of a oer-lain. period that the owner took po-ssov<sion of what he-had not f-pent a, penny upon. Leaseholds should be abolished 'altogether, and land should be ail freehold. Let Lienhve the opportunity of spending money upon their land so that the-ir-tucceeding genera- tions eoui.d .have the benefit of it. Mr THOMAS JONES seconded, and sad he thought the -leasehold system was a very- oppres- sive one. ■ Mr MAC. NICOLL sought'permission to epeak •asrasn on the erou.nd that the Council had only- hoard 0110 aide of ouestion. The CHAIRMAN You ilvil have an opportu-- mt-v of replv:ne as the movelr. Mr GEO. BEVAN seconded the mot on, and rema'kcd that the proposal of the resolution was very unreasonable, because the leasehold system lilid enabhid -jeople who previously had. no property io become owners when they would not otherwise have been able to do eo. "People ob- tained leasehold' land on which- they erected their 11011,-0: but if they were conpdled to buy the land freehold many thousands would never have property at all. He saw no hardship at all about the system, and to pass a resolution con- demning the system would; not be right, fair, ö1 proper. They had not the time to adequately dea4>- With that question, and they should not deal with Ü .?"" lightly tu,7 C-0-ull4y -ils often d/d deal such matteis. that the Question be left over for further considera-. tion, for the leasehold system was as old as land. tenure im the country. Mr F. STURGE afco urged that the matter' be deferred, and remarked that while he had a I great deal of eyuipathy with the resolution it went too far. Mr MAC. NICOLL, replying to the -I, said the proposals in the resolution were mon- strous. The speaker proceeded to refer to the large a.mcunt of money which a landlord, had to I spend upon, making roads, i-ewere, and otherwise developing" land before it wa? fit to build upon, and added hat t was surely nothing other than right that ho should have something by way of return. Ho thought the leasehold system was j as honest a method of dealing as they oould have and if anyone was favoured by it it was the leaseholder. The Bethesda Teoolution sim- ply attacked cne or two odd individuals who had made a. little money out of the system. It was decided bv seventeen votes to six to confirm the principle of the resolution. A LONG JOURNEY. Tthe Intenrational Congress on Tuberculosis will be held in Washington, U.S.A., from Sep- tember 21st to October 21st next. A repre- sentative of the County Council was 'invited to attend. The CHAIRMAN: Let me make it quite clear to you, gentlemen, that I am not disposed to go there. I suggest that the chairman of the Publ,io Health Act Committee (Colonel Cornwall 1st West) be appointed (hear, hear, and lautrhterh This was untoimou&ly agreed to.