The Brecon County Times Neath Gazette and General Advertiser for the Counties of Brecon Carmarthen Radnor Monmouth Glamorgan Cardigan Montgomery Hereford

THE NEW MINISTRY. AFTER much anxiety and many efforts Lord Derby has at length succeeded in forming an Administration. The elements of its construction are what is understood as purely conservative. There is however here no wilfully exclusive adherence to party. The Premier, with the view to the strength and permanency of his Government, used his best exertions to establish a coalition Ministry in other words, to form a Cabinet with a fusion of the leaders of the moderate reformers, who seemed to mark out an independent position for themselves by voting against the Reform Bill. In this the noble Earl's expectations have been disappointed. No doubt he duly estimated the strength of his own party, properly so called; and after a careful review of the tendency of the great political sections and of public opinion felt an urgent need of some extraneous support. It was for a long time doubtful, whether his Lordship would finally succeed in constructing a Cabinet which would hold out the hope of an existence for a decent period, while the affairs of the country were creditably carried on. Lord Derby has however gone into office with such materials as were at hand, and in doing so has shown as much courage as patriotism. For it is not to be denied that the present state of Europe is such as to demand that the Sovereign should be left in no protracted difficulty with regard to the constitu- tion of her Government. No doubt his Lordship is sensibly alive to the emergency of the crisis, and has boldly come forward to accept what the wishes of the Queen and the great public interests of the country made it difficult for him to decline. In coming to a resolution of this kind, under all the circumstances of the case, Lord Derby is undoubtedly entitled to the generous and unre- served support of every individual member of his party of every class. He is not without, some very efficient support in both Houses of Parliament on the part of men who have proved themselves to be equally good as administrators and debaters; and in the House of Commons he is particularly strong in this respect. To the country he may look not only for the confidence of his party, but very probably for the adherence of hitherto wavering Conservatives; since it is the character of Englishmen to appreciate pluck and honour wherever they are to be found. All this, and something more, may be said for the great Conservative party which once more assumes the reins of power. But if we look at the probabilities before them of a long tenure of office, we are afraid that the ground of such hopes will be found upon examination a very slender one. The decisive and unanimous refusal of the Whigs to join the new Cabinet is perhaps the most ominous event which could have befallen the noble Earl in his struggle to form an Admi- nistration. That he should confessedly stand in need of their assistance, and that this should be uniformly and peremptorily refused, is on the face of it a confession of weakness and disappoint- ment, and of itself makes. his advent to power a bold and somewhat desperate step. These sece- ders from the Liberal Government at the most trying juncture of its existepce by declining the overtures made to them-which overtures seemed to be naturally invited by their conduct-give the Conservatives and the country much reason to believe that means will be found to effect a reconciliation and fresh alliance with their own party. This 'will no doubt become the general feeling and, as we have said, there is nothing assuring in it for the hopes of the new Ministry. On the other hand, public respect and confidence for Earl Russell and Mr. Gladstone have, it must be said, by no means improved of late. Their embarrassments began from the moment when the great head of the Liberal Cabinet was removed by death and there is clearly no one commanding political genius capable of directing and holding together, as Lord Palmerston did, the ever-restless, fickle, and ambitious elements of which his Government was composed. This we look upon as the signal misfortune of the great Whig party —that it is wholly without an efficient chief, and no longer possesses the advantages of having at its head a man of unexampled popularity and unparalleled tact and influence. Now, the same difficulty is not to the same extent felt on the side of the Conservatives. Lord Derby is the recognised head of the Conservatives,—his party works well with him, and he enjoys the respect and admiration of that large portion of the country which sympathises with the safe and moderate policy which, under his inspiration, his party in the Legislature steadily upholds. Mr. Disraeli, as a statesman and an orator, has long ago given evidence of powers which eminently fit him for the post of a foremost minister of.the Crown and he is moreover a discreet and tractable, as well as most useful, subordinate to his eminently gifted chief; and both are followed by their partizans with a zeal and fidelity which upon the whole leaves them little room for complaint. Thus much may, and, as we think, ought to be advanced on behalf of the Conservatives who have taken upon themselves the responsibility of Government at a critical juncture in the affairs of the world. That the country is safe in their keeping we may feel pretty sure, and may be equally certain that the business of Government will be creditably carried on. It may be that some further advances will be made by Conserva- tives upon what is well understood as Liberal ground and the late negotiations on their part with the leading Whigs would greatly encourage such a presumption. If this be so, and Lord Derby and his party become more clearly and directly identified with the prevailing political sentiments of the country their tenure of office may be of longer duration than is at the present moment generally imagined. The two great parties are now-a-days divided by so fine a line that a rapprochement for all practical purposes might without any great difficulty be effected. For ourselves, therefore, we should wish for the Conservatives a fair field." If their measures fail to harmonise with the wants and aspirations of the country, and any unsightly remnant of ancient Tory bigotry and prejudice peep through, they must look to give place very speedily to others of more Liberal views, and who better understand the discernment and temper of these times.

MARRIAGES. FOLLIT-FBATEIM.-At St. Mary's Church, Brecon, July 3, by the Rev. Herbert Williams, vicar, John Follit, Esq., of the Stock Exchange, London, to Marion Roy, second daughter of Thomas Frater, Esq., of the National Provincial Bank of England, Brecon. DEATHS. MORGAN.—At Stourbridge, July 4, Elizabeth, relict of the late Mr. John Morgan, maltster, Hay, aged 74 years.

NOTICES. W. M. (Brecon.)-Your letter requires considerable revision and condensation before we can insert it. The Proprietors will, at all times, feel obliged for intima- tions oj forthcoming important events in the district in which the BRECON COUNTY TIMES circulates. We insert notices of Births, Marriages, and Deaths, 7itzz OT CHJLBGB (except marriages containing the words No Cards," which are charged 2s. Ga. each), and should therefore be obliged if the friends of the persons concerned, who wish such announcements to appear in our columns, would forward them direct to the Office, accompanied by the full address of the sender. By these means greater accuracy of detail can be insured than is otherwise possible. Persons who wish to have the BKBCON COTJNTT Tiiimfortvarded to them regularly, should send their orders at once to the Office, High-street, Brecon; or to the most convenient District Agency.. The terms to subscribers arc as follow.- Per Copy. Per Quarter. On Delivery. In Advance. Credit, Delivered by Messenger. 2d. 2s. 2d. 2s. 6d. By Post (on Friday evenings). 3d. 31. 2d. 3s. 6d.

FRANCE. (riou OUs OWN COBBESPOKBKHT.) PARIS, Wednesday, July 11. Tax remarkable and most unexpected turn which the war has taken fills everybody with surprise. The signal successes of the Prussians over the Austrians were by no means reckoned upon in France; but the earliest result of those triumphs, the giving up by Austria of the bone of contention, Venetia, to the Emperor Napoleon, is a kind of stage effect never con. templated by any of the politicians who watched the progress and speculated upon the consequences of the war. Of course the offer was immediately accepted by the ruler of France, and from that moment Venetia became a French province. The gift of this territory, too, was made absolutely and unconditionally; but the Emperor was at the same time asked to interpose with the view to an armistice and a subsequent settlement of the dispute which brought both Prussia and Italy on the back of Austria. It is well understood that Napoleon III will hand over Venetia to the Italians; but in the meantime negociations will have to be entered into, and are at this moment indeed prosecuted with great activity, with Italy and Prussia, first as to the basis of the terms to be agreed upon; then as to the future relative position of the belligerents. This will undoubtedly involve an enormous amount of diplomatic work. The Prussians with their allies being so well assured of wresting Venetia from Austria by the success of their arms may be ill-disposed to be pulled up short in a career of victory and to accept as a gift from France what they might have won by the sword. It is affirmed, however, that King William of Prussia has assented to the principle involved in the transaction; but what stumbling blocks may present themselves on entering upon the many details of the question remains to be seen. Of course France is very proud of the homage ren- dered to her power and influence by the concession, and all Paris and the principal cities of the empire are gaily decorated with flags as if a veritable victory had been won by French arms. That this position will be altogether viewed with satisfaction and without jealousy by England and Russia is more than I can say; but it is quite probable that both these countries will acquiesce in a state of things which it would give them a great deal of trouble to resist. There is no question that France by the operations in progress extends her boundaries, and makes a solid and faithful ally of Italy, while she makes her strong. To a certain extent France becomes an interested party in the alteration of that very equilibrium of Europe, which from the com- mencement of the war Napoleon III declared it to be his policy to maintain; and to which end he laid down the rigid line of neutrality which his government was to pursue. Now, curiously enough, both the equilibrium and the neutrality doctrine are blown to the winds, not apparently by the voluntary act of the Emperor but by the kind of theatrical eccentricity of Francis- Joseph. Whether political consistency and political principle ought to have resisted the breach that has been made in both of them by the acceptance of ter- ritory, so temptingly offered, may hereafter become a fertile ground of discussion. In what way the excited passions of Germany are to be calmed down, and how the unity of Italy is to be reconcifed with the temporal power of the Pope; and how the injured pride of Austria is to be healed and her future interests secured, are all very great and difficult questions. It is probable that all these have been revolved in the brain of that remarkable man who rules over France, and that it Is he who, with wonderful prescience and consummate skill, will direct these issues. If it shall be so, let us hope that this great work will be achieved on the part of the Emperor by a bloodless victory like that by which Venetia has just fallen into his hands. The following statistics relating to agriculture in France and England may be interesting to some of your readers: There are in France 37,686,313 inhabi- tants, and of these 19,876,493 are agriculturalists in this number must be reckoned 9,088,012 proprietors who cultivate their own land, and this nine million again comprises the families of these small landowners. In England-that is England and Wales-there were, according to the census of 1861, 20,066,224 inhabitants, of whom only 1,924,110 are farmers. Thus in France more thaa half the population live by the cultivation of the soil, whilst in England the proportion is only one-tenth. In France half the cultivators are pro- prietors in England the number of proprietors is only 30,766; and in England there are no proprietors amongst the labouring class. In England the farmers number one-third of the agricultural population, the labourers forming two-thirds; in France the farmers are a fourth of the agricultural population, the labourers making something more than another fourth. 9 I don't know whether the moon comes more near the earth than she was wont, and makes men mad,' but the mania for suicide in France is just now some- thing astounding. Among these excitable people suicide is by no means uncommon, but the crime is increasing to a frightful extent. In one day only, last week, there were within the walls of Paris alone no no fewer than thirteen cases of suicide; eight of these unfortunate creatures hanged themselves, three put an end to their existence by drowning, and two perished by the fumes of charcoal. Most of the victims were young men, and many of the fatal acts are attributed to jealousy and unrequited love. The weather in Paris has during the last few days been exceedingly changeable,-and the sudden alterna- tions of heat and cold have had a very prejudicial effect upon the public health, young and old, and middle-aged persons alike succumbing to their baneful influence. The cholera at Amiens has been very severe, but is now abating. Happily we have as yet but few cases of the epidemic in this capital.

THE BRECON COUNTY ROADS BOARD. An important meeting of this Board was held at the Shire-ball on Wednesday last. Present :-The Rev. Hugh Bold (in the chair), H. Allen, Esq., Gwynne Holford, Esq., Hugh Powell Price. Esq., Rev. Charles Griffith, Captain Parkinson, John Bevan, Esq and the Rev. W. P. Morgan. The general superintendent of roads for the South Wales district, together with Mr. Cobb (clerk) and Mr. Kirk (surveyor), were also in attendance. The object of the meeting, as set forth in the notice convening it, was to move- "That a report be made to the Right Honorable the Secretary of State for the Home Department, with the aid and advice of the General Superintendent of County Roads in South Wales, recommending that the portions of Roads hereinafter specified, heretofore maintained as Turnpike Roads, or some of them, should cease to be so maintained from such dates as shall be therein named:— 1.—So much of the No. 1, or Abergavenny, Brecon, and Carmarthen Mail Road as lies between the Town of Brecon and a spot 300 yards west of the Bridge carrying the same road over the Brynich Brook. 2.—So much of the same road as Hes between the Town of Brecon and a spot 100 yards east of Tarrall Bridge. 3.—So much of the No. 2, or Brecon to Hay Road, as lies between the Struet and a spot 300 yards south of the Forge Turnpike Gate. 4.—So much of the No. 2, or Pencerrigcochion Branch Road, as lies between the Watton and a spot 300 yards south of the Pencerrigcochion Turnpike Gate,—the above being respectively wholly in the Borough of Brecon, and 5.-So much of the No. 5, or Brecon to Builth Road, as lies between the 8th milestone thereon, in the Parish of Merthvr Ovnoe. and the Town of Builth. 0 Also recommending that all or any of the following New Toll Houses and Toll Gates be erected, viz. 1.—On the No. 1 Road aforesaid, at a spot 100 yards or thereabouts west of the Brynich Brook, in lieu of anyother gate in the Borough of Brecon on the same road east of the Town of Brecon. 2.—And also on the same road, at a spot 20 yards or thereabouts west of the Tarrall River, in lieu of the existing Llanfaes and Tarrall Gates; and 3—On the No. 5 Road aforesaid, at or near the 8th milestona thereon, in lieu of the Bank Gate at Builth. The cost whereof, according to the estimate of the said General Superinten. dent, will be in the whole £ 350." The meeting was also called- "For the purpose of ordering that a Toll Gate, Turnpike or Chain, with other conveniences, be forthwith erected upon and across the No. 1 Road aforesaid, at or near and on the east side of a place where the way called Heol-lladron joins the said road, in the chapelry of St. Mary, in the Borough of Brecon, and that Toll be taken thereat. And also of ordering that such new or substituted Toll Houses and Toll Gates, or some of them, be erected and built at the places before named so soon as the requisite authority for the same be obtained as aforesaid." Mr. Cobb said that he believed the object of their meeting that day had been looked upon as slightly concerning the Brecon Board of Health, who had chosen to deliberate with closed doors upon it. It became, then, a question whether the present meeting should be a public one. Mr. Bold: I am against closed doors. The Town Clerk (Mr. Stephen Bowen Evans), here entered the meeting, and inquired whether it was necessary for him to make an application for ad- mittance. If so, he begged to do so. Mr. Bold: It is rather premature, because we don't exaotly see our way to carry out what has been pro- posed. The meeting has only just commenced, and we don't exactly know what the meeting will determine. The Town Clerk: I need not inform you, as chair- man, that there is a notice issued of an alteration materially affecting all property in the borough, and that has to be decided by the county Roads' Board, but not, I should think, upon any ex parte principle. Mr. Bold: The meeting has only just commenced. The Town Clerk: I was told you had commenced the business. Perhaps you will allow me to remain. Mr. Bold: We understand you sit with closed doors, and, therefore, if we sit with closed doors, you must not be surprised. The Town Clerk: I don't see how that can be said to be so, when our meetings are so fully and faithfully reported. Mr. Bold: We don't know whether we may not turn the representatives of the Press out yet. How- ever, so far as I am concerned, I don't care whether the whole town know what we are doing. The Town Clerk: We are not so much afraid of the Board as of its officials. Mr. Cobb: The only report is: they resolved them- selves into committee,—of not publishing to the world what happened. That is the report of the meeting. Mr. Bold: I don't see why there is any occasion for us to follow a bad example. But if the Board wish it, then the representatives of the Press must retire. Mr. Griffith: It cannot be made too public. The General Superintendent: It cannot be too public. Mr. Allen: I shall vote for publicity. Mr. Griffith: Mr. Evans can stay, but he must not say a word. We can have no object to do things privately. How many turnpike gates have we? Mr. Kirk: 24. The Chairman: Do you wish to have General Wortham's letter read? Mr. Griffith: I think so. The following letter was then read:— Brecon, 26th May, 1866. DEAlt SIK,—AS the County Roads Board is about to take into consideration the removal of the Watton Gate, I think it will be proper to call their attention to the state of their revenues generally, with the view of being prepared to take such other measures as may be necessary previous to forming the estimates for the ensuing year. The receipt of tolls for the year 1865 was £28340 12s. 9d., or L881 4s. 2d. below the average for the previous five years, and j6945 13s. lid. less than in 1864. The estimate for repairs in 1866 was consequently necessarily reduced to E2483, or about f.1000 less than the average of the previous five years, and though the state of the roads was such that no material deterioration was contemplated from that reduction for one year, it is not considered they can be perma- nently maintained for less than £2800, which amount, it is feared, from the formation of railways, cannot be raised without having recourse to the very objectionable system of parish haulage. In order, if possible, to avoid this alternative, or, at all events, to reduce its amount as much as possible, it would probably be desirous to abandon certain portions of the turnpike road, thereby throwing the repairs on the parishes. Thus, by removing the Watton Gate to within 300 yards of the old Brynach parish road, which nearly coincides with the boundary of the borough, about one and a-half miles of road might be abandoned, and about £100 a year saved from its main- tenance, from which sum £25 might have to be deducted for the clearance of the Bwlch Gate, so long as it may appear desirable to keep up that gate. The Llanfaes and Tarrall Gates might be united, and the road abandoned to a gate at the junction of the roads, by which about £70 a year might be saved. A saving of about 175 a year might be made by removing the Bank Gate, south of Builth, to the neighbourhood of the eighth mile-stone, near Baili-brith, and abandoning about eight and one-half miles of that road. After the opening of the Centtal Wales Railway the little Hall Gate, west of Builth, might probably be done away with, and the road to Tavarn-y-pridd abandoned, but the amount of tolls likely to be received there, or the expense of repairing the road cannot be estimated with anything approaching accuracy till after the opening of the railway. The abandoning the rodds to within 300 yards of the Furnace and Pencerrigcochion Gates might also be worthy of considera- tif)n,-by which a. saving of from B40 to JMO a year. might be effected. If 1:245 were still received for the Bridges, tolls to the amount of E2770 would possibly suffice for the surface repairs of the remaining roads and the general expenses of management. If the tolls should fall below that amount it would be necessary to have recourse to parish haulage. Hauling the quantity of materials then required would probably save the County Roads Board about £550, any necessary proportion of which might be thrown up in the parishes. It would probably be desirable to adopt the above proposed removal of the Watton, Llanfaes, Tarrell, and Bank Gates, at once, giving the necessary notices for obtaining the sanction of the Secretary of State to the abandonment of the portions of roads connected with them, as above stated. I am, dear Sir, your obedient servant, H. Y. WORTHAM, M. General, G.S. The Chairman: Then before you go to the next matter, let us decide as to the Watton first of all. How far does the boundary of the borough go in that district? The General Superintendent: To the Brynich brook. Mr. Bold: Then, if that is the case, you ought to remove the gate into the county, above that brook. The General Superintendent: Then you lose the traffic of that part of the country. Mr. Bold: I am aware of that; and by putting it 300 yards you catch the people there. But if you remove the gate at all, remove it to the extreme point of the county. Will any gentleman move that this notice be adopted? Mr. Allen: Will you take the items seriatim? Mr. Griffith: I am going to move it, but before I do so, I would say that the income now received from our roads amount to £ 2,834. Now, it becomes a question, not only whether we shall remove this, but whether the whole of the roads shall not be thrown upon the highways, for the expenses of collecting the tolls, to- gether with other payments, are very heavy. Here we have 24 gates, and the tolls of them cost us between Y,700 and 9800 a year to collect. However, at present, the notice does not extend to this, but it is a matter for further consideration. And I will now move that the Watton gate be removed to the situation proposed by the General Superintendent. The Town Clerk was about to rise to address the meeting, but the Chairman reminded him that, as he was not a member of the Board, he could not be allowed to speak. The General Superintendent: The gate becomes a special matter. Mr. Griffith: Then I will move No. I. Mr. Price: And I will second it. Mr. Bold said he was not prepared to vote for this resolution, because he could not consent to abandon the roads through the borough of Brecon. An amendment, negativing the proposition of Mr. Griffith, was put to the meeting, and carried. Mr. Griffith said he would move No. 2, but as a mere matter of form. He thought it was due to the General Superintendent, who had taken the trouble to be present, that all his suggestions should be taken into consideration,—that they should all be moved, but he thought the sense of the meeting was against it. How- ever, he would move No. 2. t, Mr. Price And for the same reasons I will second it. Mr. Bold Now, before you put that to the meeting I must say a word or two. My friend, Mr. Griffith, said that out of respect to the Superintendent, it should be discussed. Now, I am glad to pay attention to the Superintendent, but I must exercise the little discretion and judgment I have. Still, I am not wanting in conrtesy to the Superintendent. The General Superintendent said that it was con- trary to the South Wales Act that borough roads should be sustained by the County Roads Board. Mr. Bold That bill has about nine years longer to run out. Some gentlemen present may perhaps see it out, but I shall not. Having, however, gone on with the roads, I see no reason to abandon them, The General Superintendent The reason is a financial one. You had funds before, but you have not now. It then became a question whether some of the roads should be abandoned, or whether you would call on the parish. Mr. Bevan: There must be a possibility of now re- ducing the expenditure, for the railways have .decreased the traffic. Captain Parkinson: Have the buildings in the town increased. Mr. Bold I don't see that they have. The General Superintendent: Nothing material. Captain Parkinson There is, then, no reason to differ from the mode of repairs now than when it was first started. The General Superintendent: Yes; you have no longer the funds. Mr. Bevan: I will second No. 2. Mr. Holford: What objection is there to uniting the two gates? Mr. Bold: Before you do that I should like you to consider whether you will abandon the way up to the Town-hall, Brecon. If you remove Llanfaes gate to the Tarrall bridge, you will let Col. Pearce and others come in without paying toll. Mr. Cobb: The Board is aware that we don't repair the roads through the town of Brecon. The Town Clerk: That observation is certainly rather Jesuitical in its terms, though probably not in its intention.. After some conversation an amendment counteracting the force of Mr. Griffith's "formal" motion was duly carried. Mr. Griffith, however, continued to move the adoption of the suggestions incorporated in the succeeding paragraphs, numbered 3, 4, and 5, but his motions were negatived by amendments; and at length it was agreed upon to remove Watton toll-gate to a spot near the first mile-stone, on the road to Aber- gavenny. THE GRIGOS GATE. Upon the suggestion of Mr. Allen, it was ordered that the keeper of the above gate, who had been knocked down by a restive horse, should receive JB6 2s. Od., the amount of a bill rendered to her for medical attendance while suffering from injuries re- ceived by the accident, which she appeared to have met with while in the execution of her duty. A. PROPOSED RAILWAY SIDING TO THE MARKET. Mr. Cobb inquired whether the railway company might be allowed to place their rails upon the turnpike road, into the Cattle Market, provided they did not use locomotives upon the siding. The Board replied in the affirmative, and, upon the suggestion of the general Superintendent, a rent of 2s. 6d. a year is to be imposed for the concession. This concluded the business of the meeting.

THE IRON, COAL, AND GENERAL TRADES OF SOUTH WALES. The extraordinary turn of affairs on the Continent has brought about a pause in the iron trade, and it is already evident that a check has been given to the downward tendency of the market. A week ago the future was by no means encouraging, and the general belief prevailed that the war would be a protracted one. Orders from the European markets were being gradually reduced, and even countries such as Holland, Sweden, and other kingdoms that were not mixed up in the conflict, took less iron than usual. It cannot be said as yet that there is any positive change for the better, but should the war terminate there is no doubt that there will be a large increase in the demand from the Continent. It will also induce greater confidence at home and a more rapid reduction in the price of money, and this will bring out orders which are now withheld on account of the financial pressure. The inquiry from the East has not improved, but there is a hope that the Indian specifications which were withdrawn some time since will again make their appearance soon in the market. For pig iron there is only a limited inquiry, and quotations continue to get easier. At several of the principal establishments of the district the contracts on the books will not keep the works in full employ for more than one month, and hence, under these circumstances, the employers bad no alternative but to give notice of a reduction in wages. As far as can be gathered, the men, upon the whole, have received the notice in a good spirit, and there is little doubt that they will submit to it without opposition; and, in fact, a different course would be far more injurious to themselves than to their employers. A meeting of the creditors of Sir Charles Price, Marryatt, and Co. was held on Friday, and it trans- pired that the Ynyscedwyn Works had cost the firm over £ 130,000. The concern was sold to the present company for Y,40,000 and a share of the profits; and should the undertaking succeed a very material addition will be made to the assets of Price, Marryatt, and Co. The creditors of Mr. Lumley, of the College Iron Works, have determined to dispose of the entire establishment. In the tin-plate trade there is a better demand, and a good many parcels have been disposed of within the last few days. 32s. per box for charcoal I.C. was the price fixed upon at the last quarterly meeting, but there are indications that higher quotations will soon prevail; Steam coal proprietors are full of orders, and the collieries are well employed. Aberdare steam coal is in excellent request, and the ruling quotations are obtained without difficulty. Should, however, the Continental conflict be brought to a close, it is clear that there will be a decrease in the shipments to some of the European markets. In house coal business is decidedly quiet.

BRECON POLICE INTELLIGENCE. BOROUGH PETTY SESSIONS, MONDAY-Before the MATOR (John Prothero, Esq ), JAS. WILLIAMS, Esq, and Jos. JOSEPH, Esq. DRUNK AND RIOTOUS.—JAMES Powell, a navvy, was charged with being drunk and riotous in the streets on Sunday night. Defendant admitted the offence, saying that he had not been drinking in Brecon but at Cnewr where he lived. The police informed the Bench that it had become a practice with some of the navvies on the Neath and Brecon Railway to procure a small cask of beer on Saturday evenings, and dispose of it at the common lodging houses. Defendant was fined Is. and costs. NUISJ.NCE.- William Stephens, china and earthen- ware dealer, was summoned by Superintendent Lee, Inspectdr of Nuisances, for not complying with a notice served upon him to remove some pigs from his premises within a prescribed period. Defendant, who was absent, was represented by his wife. Supt. Lee said that since proceedings had been taken, the defen- dant had removed the pigs, and he would there- fore not press the charge if defendant would pay the costs incurred. The Bench made an order accordingly. ASS&ULT.- Charles Thomas, the younger, was sum- moned for assaulting Joseph Lee. Mr. S. B. Evans appeared for complainant. Complainant deposed: I am the son of Supt. Lee; on Friday I went with others up the passage leading to The Deinter;" it was then 20 minutes past nine in the evening; I saw several persons there, and among them was the defendant; while standing on some timber, about three yards from the engine, defendant said to me, go you off out of that;" I jumped down, and was going away, when defendant said, "go quicker;" he used bad language to me, and then came up and shoved me on my head twice, and exclaimed, "if your father is master of the town, he is not master of the railway." By the Bench: I was not much hurt; I was not on the rail- way at the time, I was on some large baulk (timber) near the railway; I did not see some boys sent away just before; I did not pass over the railway. Defen- dant, in reply to the Bench, said: I am not now on the railway; I was "sacked from it on Saturday; I was a watcher, and I was obliged to do my duty, as a policeman. Charles Turner, a youth, gave evidence corroborative of that given by the complainant, adding that the latter did not refuse to go away from the railway, and that, he was going away slowly when defendant attacked him. The Bench reprimanded the defendant, and ordered him to pay the costs. LEAVING SERVICE WITHOUT NOTICR.- David Bevan, mason, charged by the Messrs. Williams, builders, with this offence, did not appear. The case had been adjourned from the last Court, at the request of Mr. Bonnel Bishop, who now said he was without instruc- tions from defendant, who, he found, had left the neighbourhood. The case was again adjourned. ASSAULT.—William Vaughan, plasterer, v. Morgan Williams, mason. The Bench advised the pariies to settle their dispute ianicably, for neither had an v money to throw away in costs. The magistral es' suggestion was adopted,

LOCAL INTELLIGENCE. THE ROYAL COLLEGE OF PHYSICIANS. — At a meeting of the Fellows, on the nomination of the Council, Dr. Randle Wilbrabam Falconer, of Bath, and brother to the respected County Court Judge for this district, was elected to be one of the Fellows of the College. RENT DINNERS. On Tuesday last Captain De Winton's (of Maeslough Castle), half-yearly rent dinner took place at the Bear Hotel, when about 28 of the tenant farmers sat down to dinner. Gwynrie Vaughan, Esq, of Cynghordy. The usual half-yearly rent dinner of this gentleman took place at the above hotel on Wednesday; about 30 tenant farmers partook of dinner. MERTHYR CYNOG. On Tuesday and Wednesday, the 3rd and 4th July, the re-opening of a beautiful and commodious chapel was celebrated by the Cal- vinistic Methodists in this parish, which is situated about nine miles north-west of Brecon. The interior of the edifice is 39 feet long by 32 feet wide, with a vestry-room 32 feet by 15, and a dwelling house under the same. The height of the building from the plinth to the square is 20 feet. The interior is beautifully furnished with rising seats and a handsome platform decorated with scarlet velvet cushions, and the panels fluted with the same material, the flooring being also carpeted at the expense of the young ladies of the neighbourhood. In fact, taken altogether, the chapel is one of the finest places of worship of the kind in the county. Great credit is due to the architect, and also to Mr. Roger Williams, contractor, for the manner in which the work has been executed. The following ministers officiated on the occasion:—On Tuesday evening, at six o'clock, the Revs. D. Williams (Tre- castle), and Dr. H. Jones (Classical Tutor at Trevecca College), preached, and the collection at this service amounted to X12, 19s. 7d.; at 10 o'clock on Wednes- day morning, the Revs. E. Williams (Defynoek), and Dr. H. Jones preached, and the collection realised 926 19s. 10d.; at 2 o'clock in the afternoon, the Revs. E. Rees (Brecon), and D. W. Davies (Presbyterian Church, Brecon), preached in English, and X7 8s. was collected; at six o'clock, the same evening, the Revs. R. Davies (Llandilofane), and Benjamin Morris (Cefn- coed-cymmer)— £ 5 2s. 7d. collected-making a total of the handsome sum of .£52 10s. We must not omit to mention the great kindness and hospitality of the inhabitants of the neighbourhood to all strangers on this occasion, provisions on a large scale being pro- vided at the vestry-room, also at Mr. Prosser's (Bwlchyddwyallt), Mrs. Morgan's (Llwynllwyd), and Mr. Morgan's (Pentre), all of whom have from the commencement assisted largely in subscribing, and in other ways furthering the object. RIFLE CONTIEST.-The return match between 20 of the Volunteers of Herefordshire and 20. of those of Breconshire came off at Hereford on the 6th instant. The ranges were 200, 500, and 600 yards, with five shots at each range. We append the scores made:— Herefordshire. Breconshire. Corporal Butcher 49 Capt. Hughes 38 Private Seymour 36 Private Brown 32 Color-Sergt. Burden 33 Corporal Morgan 36 Private Maddison 41 Corporal Herbert 36 Private Baker 37 Lieut. Howell Gwynne 24 Sergt. Laxby 38 Sergt. J. D. Powell 36 Corporal Newbyn 35 Private Pritchard 27 Private Cox 35 Major Gwynne 35 Color Sergt. Taylor 24 Sergeant Morris 39 Sergt. Major Sye 35 Sergeant Davey 33 Private Newton 28 Ensign Parry 38 Corporal Piper 30 Sergt. Ward 29 Corporal Adams 27 Private Probert 2D Sergt. Hatton 37 Private Evans .31 Sergt. Llewellyn 33 Capt. Lloyd 27 Private Livason 36 Private Lewis 31 Capt. Pateshall 29 Sergt. Williams 30 Corporal Treen 41 Private Brace 40 Corporal Hanway 35 Sergeant Hoare 36 Private Llewellyn 37 Corporal Wehb 38 Grand Total:— 696 Grand Total:- 665 Herefordshire won by 31 marks. CRICKET.—Breconshire v. Radnorshire.—A match between the above clubs was played, at Brecon, on tbe 4th and 5th instant, in which Breconshire came off victorious by 67 runs. We appead the scores:— 1st Innings. BRECONSHIRE. 2nd Innings. J. C. B. Morris, I.b.w., Baskerville 0 b. Scott 1 H. Beavis, c. Morgan, b. Scott 7 c Scott, b Treveylan 2 D. Morgan, b. Scott 1 run out 2 E. "Wright, b. Scott 13 not out 44 J. O'Hara, 1». Scott 7 run out 0 E. Davies, c. Ricardo, b. Scott 40 c. Ricardo, b Scott 2 Captain G. Hughes, b. Scott 0 c Morgan bEntwistle 19 Captain P. Lloyd, c. Ricardo, b. Scott 2 run out -11 Rev, T. Hosken, c. Morgan, b Scott 1 b. Scott 6 C. Nichols, b. Morgan lb. Scott 4 E. Jones, not out 10 c Cheese bTrevelyan 0 Byes, 7; wides, 13 20 Byes, 8; wides, 11 19 Total 102 Total 110 1st Innings. RADNORSHIRE. 2nd Innings. E. Cheese, b. P. Lloyd -7 c. Hosken, b. Lloyd 8 T. R. Trevelyan, b. E. Davies 9 l.b.w., Beavis 0 T. Ricardo, c. Lloyd, b. Davies- 1 b. E. Davies -11 G. Phillips, c. J. C. B. -ivforris, b. Lloyd 7 b. J. C. B. Morris 14 W". M. Baskerville, b. Beavis 6 b. P. Lloyd 0 L. Morgan, b.-Beavis- 0 c. Nichols, b. Davies 11 E. Entwistle, run out 0 b. P. Lloyd 20 Rev. H. De Winton, b. Wright 7 b. E. Davies 0 C. Balfour, b. J. C. B. Morris 4 c. Lloyd, bE Davies 7 Hon. H. R. Scott, b. J. C. B. Morris 0 not out 0 T. W. Powell, not out 3 run out 3 Byes, 12; wides, 9 21 Byes, 2 wides, 4 6 Total 65 Total 80 BRECON AND MERTHYR RAILWAY.—68 miles op en Traffic for week ending July 1, 1866 :— Passengers, parcels, &c. 1451 9 4 Goods and live stock zC918 0 4 Total F,1369 9 8 jE20 2s. 9d. per mile per week. Corresponding week last year, 64 miles open Passengers, parcels, &c. £ 408 0 1 Goods and live stock E794 7 3 Total JE1202 7 4 JE18 15s. 9d. per mile per week. Increase E167 2 4 Aggregate from 1st of January, 18G6 £ 31726 7 10 Ditto ditto 1865. £ 24701 18 7 Increase. JE7024 9 3

DOWLAIS. "FALL" IN CVVM-CAWL MINE.-On Saturday last John Williams, a miner who worked in this pit and resided in Ivor-street, Dowlas, was accidentally killed by the falling of a large stone. The unfortunate mall was extricated by his fellow workmen, his body being much bruised, but he lived until Monday when he died after much suffering. Deceased was a married maiii and was 55 years of age. A SCAMPISH TAILOR.—At the Merthyr Police-court on Monday George Thomas, a tailor of Upper Union. street, Dowlais, was convicted of a brutal assault upon his wife, Elizabeth Thomas, and was sentenced to six weeks' hard labour at the house of correction. The wife, who gave evidence against her husband, said that they had a row one day, occasioned by the prisoner's bad behaviour. There was no food in the house, we children were hungry, and starvation almost stared them in the face, through the. father's intemperance. He gave her Is. 6d. to get some victuals, and because it did not purchase all he wanted they had some words; she threw a plate at him, but it missed him. He thetly being much excited, seized a thick walking stick and struck her a savage blow on the back of the bead, which laid her prostrate. She crawled to the front door, and was there found in a state of insensibility by the policeman (Childs), who said, in evidence, that she had a large gaping wound at the back of her beadi from which the blood was streaming. For some dals she suffered from concussion of the brain, and in con- sequence the prisoner had been remanded. Wben brought up the last time but one, a charge of theft and another of obtaining money by false pretences "as made against the prisoner by one of his former cus- tomers, and these will be proceeded with when be comes out of gaol.

BEAUFORT. THE GREAT TEMPERANCE DEMONSTRATION. Oo Monday last the Rechabites of this place held their anniversary, in connexion with which the temperance interest was advocated. At two o'clock in the aftel" noon a procession was formed, near the WesleyaJI chapel, which was headed by the leaders of the temperance movement, followed by the RechabitB club, which, judging from the number of members that turned out, must be getting in considerable favoUf with the public once more, in this locality. The pr°' cession, which, though not very numerous, was vef? respectable in appearance, marched through the street as far as Wain-forest gate, and then down to the Rby" sate, the singers at intervals filling the air wit# melody, while women and children, as well as ott,orli crowded the streets to see the "teetotalers walking- After returning to the Wesleyan school-room, We members partook of tea and cike, which had beell provided by the lady teetotalers of the district. 111 the evening a public meeting was held at the Wesleyøll chapel, presided over by Mr. J. Wilcox, of Ebbw Vale, who, judging from his manner, must have struck JJ]so! of the audience as being an original." Mr. Jo Powell, contractor, who was first called to address tW meeting, said he stood up to advocate temperance to wage war with drunkenness. He did not inte^ that evening to attack the whole forces of the ene# having no time to dwell long on the subject, so many were to speak after him; he would therefore only attack one wing-that of holding benefit societieS in public houses. The speaker advocated Rechabitis because the Rechabite club was the first one he s»'f ever formed in the United Kingdom for the bene# of teetotalers and that from the consideration tl^ reclaimed drunkards were exposed to too many tejnptly lions by mixing with the then existing benefit societleSi Several other societies had since branched from it, all on the same principle, differing only in name in some minor arrangements. There was (the spea^ continued) no club able to pay so much in sickfle^l on so simple a subscription, as the one he advocatef a payment of 4d. per week for 12 months would ent^ the member, in sickness, to full pay of 10s per for 12 months. The Rev. J. Davies, of Scotland, nel- addressed the meeting. He said he had come on; visit to some friends in this neighbourhood, and be was glad to find, upon his arrival, that he had corne the time of this festival; and as "birds of flock together," he was happy to be with them. 3N^' there were some who did not like the name TeetoW* but preferred other names, such as Abstainers, but he was proud of the name. He remember^ many years ago, going with his friends to a festival^ Pontypool, when, passing a certain place, some asked a landlady who stood at her door what were? She answered, "Oh, they are what they Teetotals!" and one of them turned back and sáid: her, "Please, write it on my back, ma'am." N off, did not wage war with publicans, but he opposed tb1 traffic, on account of the injury it did themselves 0 others. In the place where he resided, in Scotland had drawn up a petition against a person who applijJJ for a license ten times, and he succeeded nine tiro# stopping him having it; he opposed another six tiJ^ and succeeded five times out of the six; and the K one afterwards found, to his sorrow, that he speaker) was doing him a kindness in opposing bif; for after he got a license his wife died within L months, of delirium tremens; he married anothd 0 three months, and buried her also in a short time, rhe same dreadful cause; in a while his daugb^ became a drunkard and a prostitute, and he himself ruined. That man now admitted that he v* speaker) was his best friend. The Rev. T. F. Nat&u' Brynmawr, said people had a wrong notion about € grace of God keeping men from becoming It would not if they continued to drink. It K avoiding the intoxicating drink that would keep t&V, from becoming so, and man could do that of biB^ Many pious men fell by drinking, while others, had not the grace of God in their hearts, kept selves sober by keeping at a distance from the The speaker gave many instances of the injury did to religion and religious people. The Rey-00 fovey next addressed the meeting, principally oil n advantages of Recbabitism. The West of Engl9^ Rechabite Society, he said, had now £ 6000 in which was nearly £ 10 per member. It was the of every man to provide for both the "life that na and that which is to come," but he would only tew words of the first—it was a duty to provide rainy day. Joseph in Egypt was an example of he gathered in the years of plenty against the Kt of famine. The principle upon which the Recb Society worked was, that for every weekly pa of Id. a member secured 2s. 6d a week during sic and that was a far higher proportion than any o society allowed. It was often asked how it was ill' to pay so much; his answer to that was that fig of members were teetotalers, and, consequently, were healthier and lived longer. Dr. three classes of men with him in his exploring dons, viz., teetotalers or total abstainers, drinkers, and excessive drinkers, and the results were that the first were able to endure more bard* p and fatigue than the others. The rate of sickneS> the army during the Crimean war was two p& among teetotalers, three per cent, among mo^ drinkers, and four per cent, among excessive At Merthyr, when wages were low, mortality in 1000; when wages rose and people got it was 32 in every 1000. These were facts whi?' speaker argued, shewed conclusively that abst^jjf- from intoxicating drink was beneficial to health- ujt< John Price said he was not a member of the Rec or any other club, but he had been secretary clubs, and therefore knew what they spent in The clubs, it was true, were benefit clubs, but for the benefit of the publican more than He did not join the Rechabite Society when because it was not then registered, but that ohj^ V was afterwards removed, but when it was reffl0^ was too old to join. He recommended the club on account of the safety of its funds, wh1" such as could not be guaranteed by many other The Rev. Evan Evans said he had watched the ments of the Rechabites since their commence. V and he approved of them. He had much tr"?$ one time in defending them, when they began 1 > Ifi place, and at' Tredegar, by opposing an tteloppi, excommunicate them from a certain religious nation on account of their forming such a by the course he adopted he incurred the disp jjjP of some influential parties who never