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

j ;LLOYDS BANK I LIMITED. HEAD OFFICE: 71, LOMEARD ST., E.G. 3. SAVINGS BANK DEPARTMENT. II The services of this Bank, with nearly 900 Offices in England and Wales, are at the disposal of the public for the deposit of savings, however small. Interest is allowed, and withdrawals not exceeding £ 5 in amount can be made without notice. Fult particulars can be obtained on application at any of the Bank's Offices. Local Branch: 38, HIGH S i'-iE, BRECON.

) WHEN SORE, TIREQ FEET ALN-CA. UKE ULCERATED TEFTH. Just soak them in common saltrated water. and bid all YOJIr foot misery a final good-bye. "Before joining the Army my work required long hours of constant standing all my feet, and I thought then that I knew what bad foot tortures were, but I have smce discovered that civilians can form no real idea of the acute' foot misery often produced by hard military train- misery often produced by hard military train- ing. After my first few long ^outc marcher, the intense aching, soreness, and scalding pains I made me fear that the terrible strain had caused weak or fallen arches in my f cet. Any readers who suffer from foot misery may be interested to learn how I finally succeeded in ridding myself permanently of all the aches and pains, also why such minor troubles a&. old and painful corns, callouses, blisters, swelling. chilblains, excessive, perspiration, etc., j disappeared and never came back. "After numerous powders, ointments, and other things had only increased the torture, I consulted the medical officer, who explained that my foot troubles were simply indications of injured tissues, and. if the feet are properly I cared for, such painful afflictions need never be suffered by anyone. The pains can all be stopped almost instantly, and the cause of them quickly and permanently corrected by simply resting the feet in a warm foot-bath containing a small handful of Roudel bath saltrates, an inexpensive compound which any chemist can supply. It contains certain essential medicinal constituents found in natural curative spring waters; and forms a highly medicated and oxygenated foot bath. It soon makes corns or callouses disappear, and your newest, tightest shoes feel comfortable as the oldest pair you have. A friend to whom I recommended saltrated water, even tried it for serious rheumatic and iroutv pains, with astonishing results.—T. S. W." NOTE.—A London physician, when shown the above letter said "The feet being the farthest points to which the heart must force blood, foot troubles are usually due to defective circulation in these extremities and shoe pressure on sensitive. irritated nerves. Saltrated water stimulates the circulation aud renders the skin active, so acid perspiration and sebaceous matter escape instead of remaining to clog the pores I and ferment, thus causing soreness, bad odour. dry or hardened skin, etc."

Brecon Lad's Ordeal. Pte. Trevor Williams, of the Motor Trans- port, son of Mr W. Williams, gardener, of Free street, Brecon, who was formerly employed by Messrs J. E. Xott and Co., has wqtteil a thrilling account of his experiences in the heavy fighting in France at the end of March to a Brecon gentleman. Whilst he was on duty with a small car carrying wounded back from the Front, Pte. Williams states, a big shell made a large hole in the road 500 yards ahead and a piece of it struck his helmet. He had to take his gas mask off to see to get round this hole and had just passed it when a gas shell fell near and he had "il full dose of it." He kept on driving though he felt himself weakening, and had got within sight of his destination when he was struck in the ankle by a .small piece of shrapnel aud lost consciousness. He was removed to a casualty clearing station, and when he recovered consciousness found that he was blind for the time Kejng and could only whisper. The letter proceeds "Just then a nurse's voice reached me from somewhere, shouting out 'All men that can walk move out at once, as we are being heavily shelled, and make for ————/ Suffering as I was, with ) only one leg to walk on and unable to see, I I' got up and by the senses of hearing and feeling I at last got to the road for but as this road was like a London street. I lay on the. roadside and would have been in the enemy's hands or else blown up by now, had it not been for a wounded bov who was passing picking me up (he was wounded in the chest he II told me). On we wnut until he attracted the attention of the driver of an ambulance car going in our direction and so we eventually arrived at y, hrè things were much I quieter." Shortly afierwards Pte. Williams was removed to another hospital, where he received the attention of one of Canada's finest surgeons, who saved his eyesight. Under this doctor's special care he soon recovered his health, and when iiz wrote on the 16th April he was about to return to the Front. We think it should be added thai notwithstanding what he had gone through. Pte. Williams's letter shows that he cheerfully looked forward to serving his King and country again.

ROSE • IJI9E "MEHB, Econc«icd CAKES. PUDDINGS and PIES, li B^B^G^DER in the Worldjs •

wafers Review and Public Meeting at Brecon I There was a very successful recruiting rally i for the Women's Army Auxiliary Corps and the Women's Land Army at Brecon on Friday. In the afternoon there was a review of a large number of both corps and a parade of the town, which drew a very big crowd of people, and in the evening—there was a splendidly attended I meeting in the Town Hall, the great majority I of those present being women and girls. The 11 .•.••gemciibs were ruade by Mis. Ash'oy, County House, and were most complete. A number of local ladies entertained all the girls who were in uniform (over 100) to an excellent treat at the Parish Hall. Tn the review and parade a number of W.A.A.CVs were brought from Newport to join with the local women workers in woods, on the land, Arc., and the parade state was very effec- tive. The review was made at the Monument by the Mayor of Brecon (Mr. W. F. Parry do Winton), Colonel Thorold (representing the General Officer commanding the Western Com- mand), and representatives of the Auxiliary Corps and Laud Army, and the Mayor and CMonel Thorold delivered short addresses, the former mentioning that women were doing excellent work ploughing with tractors in Brecon and district, after very short training. The Band of the Depot S.W.B. played joyous music before the review and led the parade of the ionn. Tht; procession II àS unique and interesting. It included a couple of tractors, a dray with trussed hay, and a milk float, all in charge of women whilst all kinds of farm and limber cutting implements were carried by those walking. THE EVENING MEETING. The Mayor presided at the evening meeting, and was supported by Miss Andrew (W.A.A.C. Recruiting Controller for Wales). Miss Words- worth (Land Army Organising Secretary for Glamorganshire), Miss Hilda Yaughan (Laud Army Organiser for Breconsliire). Colonel Thorold.. Colonel and Mrs. Going, the High Sheriff (Mr. David Powell).- Captain Tyndall, Lieut. C. H. deWinton, the Rev. J. Simon. Mr. A. A. Mitchell. Mr. C. W. Best. Mr. W. J. Price, and Mr. T. Morgan (Pontwillim). In his opening speech the Mayor said that more and more "men would have to be sent to France to fill the ranks, and yet the amount of work to be done to keep the population fed must be a constant quantity. Therefore, if the men were taken there was no alternative but to ask the women to fill their places. He had had ladies in his office for upwards of three *ars. and he said definitely that they had established themselves in their calling as bank clerks. He was quite satisfied that after the war there would be as many girl clerks in banks and offices as there were to-day. if not more. With regard to the employment of girls on the land, the chief obstacle, from the farmer's point of view, .was that they were not under the same discipline as the other employes. For the latter there were no stipulated hours they I were expected to do the farm work when the I weather suited and he understood that in the I case of the girls it was stipulated that they should rise at seven and work a certain number J of hours, and that if those hours were exceeded overtime should be paid. This introduction of I a second method of employment put the farmer in a dinicultv. I Miss Word worth, in the course of a forcible address, emphasised the superior claim of national over every other. form of service at the present, time and she appealed to women to think for themselves whether the work they were engaged in was that which they could do best, and was most essential for the nation. We now had to find. our own food, and it was to help the farmer in food production that the Women's Army was required. The farmer had been very lucky until now in keeping a large percentage of his ordinary labour, but he had not been able to keep it all and lie had to cultivate more. To do that he needed additional labour, 'and that labour must be ready for him when he was ready for it. He had been rather led to think he could rply on the release of a large amount of soldier labour. but the last few weeks had made that very improbable. 3Ian power was now such a neces- sit-y that no able-bodied man should be doing work that a woman could do, Snd women w*ere wanted to volunteer for every branch ox national work. In Breconsliire women were I doing a good deal of work in timber and cross sawing, aud in forage and hay baling, but a number of them were imported, and that meant I expense to bring them, and addtng to the pressure on the tralll service. If local women would come forward to work in their own county it would save that expense and pressure. Quite nine-tenths of the shells recently supplied to make up for losses in France were made by women, and the labour of women would secure the home supply of food formerly imported. It must do S,) if the nation was to keep going. '"Dammed in this war are those v.ho are serving only themselves was Miss Wordsworth's em- phatic closing sentence. Miss Andrew, the next speaker, devoted her speech to an explanation of the conditions of service in the W.A.A.C.. and specially men- tioned that at the moment the great need witt- for women to act as cooks and waitresses. III the>e day-. 1'118 remarked, it was an inducement to join the corps that the Army rations were good, and there wa.?bacon every day. (Laugh tor.) Colonel Thorold. in the course of a humor- ous speech, suggested that the remedy for the farmer who was in trouble about two methods oi employment was to hire only women. (Laughter.) Generally he looked on overtime as a premium on bad work. (Hear, This was a time of national emergency, when the land owed, everything to the nation, aiid he put it seriously to farmers that they -houid move with the times, or the time would o '.iv. when they would have no choice. If they did take women, and play the game, and. Tniikc the land yield every ounce it cotdd— well, substitution might be compulsory. 1, Hilda Vauuhau made a tolling appeal f<_r women, for laud work. She said Breconsliire

CSOP-S m_ STOSK. Returns for Breconshire. The Board of Agriculture has recently issued the first part of the agricultural 1 statistics for 1917. The admirable introduc- tion by Sir Henry Rew is valuable as showing the changes in agriculture during the war, but the statistics for counties are of little worth, there being no comparative figures to show which way the returns point, and the paper used for them might very well have been saved. Generally there has been an increase of cultiva- tion in the United Kingdom, despite the decline (chiefly in Ireland) in the extent of land devoted to agriculture. Up to June last the numbers of cattle and sheep in the kingdom were well maintained, as compared with pre- war times but as compared with the high water mark of 1916, the numbers showed a material decrease, largely due to the agricul- tural policy adopted by the Government. The number of cattle in Great Britain, however, showed an increase, the decline being in Scot- land and Ireland. The number of horses on farms yhowed an increase of 1 per cent. in Great Britain and a slight increase for the whole kingdom. The number of pigs showed an extraordinary decline, the total being the smallest since 1880. No reason can be found for such a big urop. The extension of the wheat area was general in Wales, and all Welsh counties showed an increase of barley, oats and potatoes. More mangolds were also grown in the Principality. O" the othnr showed a decrease (the decline was general in Great Britain) of the area under clover, sainfoin and rotation grasses and of permanent grass (23,000 acres less permanent grass in South Wales). In South Wales there was a decrease, as compared with 1916, of 7,000 cattle, including 5,000 amongst milking herds. There were 5,000 less cattle under one year old in South Wales, but' 4,000 more between one and two years old. The Principality showed a drop of 211,000 sheep, including 99,000 in South Wales, where 21 lIOn of the Josoq was in breeding ewes and 53,000 in lambs. Throughout Great Britain there was a decrease in small holdings (1 to 50 acres) except in South Wales, where there was a small increase of 22. Large holdings also decreased in number, whilst the number of medium sized farms increased. In Breconsliire, in June, 1917, there were 40,391 acres of arable land, 155,901 of per- manent grass—(tais disproportion is now being much altered)—and 242,983 acres of mountain and heath land used for grazing. There were 3,840 acres of wheat, 3.652 of barley, 12,678 of oats, 1,142 of potatoes, 4,055 of turnips and swedes. 583 of mangolds, 162 of rape and 13,829 of clover, sanfoin and rotation grasses. There were 12.588 horses on farms, of which 5,562 were used' for agricultural pur- poses, and some 5,000 were unbroken. Cattle in the county numbered 42,000, including 12,232 cows and heifers. in milk, 2.277 cows in calf but not in milk, and 2,146 heifers in calf. The balance was divided between cattle two years and over, 4,300 between one year and two, 10,349 and under one year, 10,H%. Of the total of 509.422 sheep, 200,336 were breeding ewes, 146,871 of the others were one year and over and 162.215 under one year. Pigs only numbered 5.294. of which 1,071 were breeding sows. < Of the 3,189 holdings in the county, 54'50 per cent. were between 1 and 50 acres, and 25'21 per cent. were between 50 and 100 acres.

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and that applications from the men in the Devynock and Ystradgynlais districts for a further increase be left to the chairman of the committee and the Deputy Roads Surveyor with full powers to acrf Mr H. M. Lloyd contended that the 7/1) bonus was inadequate. They were giving the police- men 1'2/ and living was quite as dear for road- mo,, nolicemen, and he hoped the Council would grant an increase. Replying to ouestions, the -"Deputy Roads Surveyor said 28/6 was the wage in some dis- tricts, but at Brynmawr. Ystradgynlais, and other industrial districts the men had more. Mr Idris Davies remarked that at Ystrad7 gynhis the county roadmen were paid less than the men employed by the District Council, and he would like to have a resolution passed that day to bring the wages up to the ditrict rate. Mr David Powell hoped the Council would not do so. There were cases where they must make exceptions, as some roadmen were worth considerably more than others. They would see that the committee recommended that the matter be left to him and the Deput3- Roads Surveyor. Mr Lloyd felt strongly that they were not paying the men enough. Sir* Jos. Price, referring to the cost or living, declared that a fowl which was purchased at Brecon weighed only lbs., and the timber in it was enough to make a gambo shaft. (Laughter). Mr Idris Davies proposed that the rate of the county roadmen be brought up to the dis- trict rate, and Mr Jas. Powell seconded. The Clerk pointed out that the Council could not pass a resolution of that kind without its going before the Finance Committoe. The Chairman You cannot follow a district council always it would not be right or wise. Mr D. T. Jeffreys In those districts where the local rate is lower are we to reduce the county rate of wages ? Mr Idris Davies I am dealing with Ystrad- gynlais only. Mr David Powell I should be sorry to follow the lead of the Ystradgynlais District Council. Mr Davies In some things. Mr Powell In anything. Mr M. W. Morgan hoped that the Council would not follow the Ystradgynlais District Council. At the committee meeting he advo-' cated an increase of wages, but not because they should follow the Ystradgynlais Council he did not know where they were going to stop. Mr Idris Davies It is merely a question of rate. You have a rate for policemen. Mr David Powell There is no comparison between roadmen and policemem. The road- men are stationed in one place, the policemen have to go where they are sent. Mr C. W. Woosnam asked if it was suggested that that Council should be ruled by any rate of wages any district c^uld chose to adopt. In that case, if any other council chose Io go one better than Ystradgynlais the County Council would have to revise their scale again. He did not regard that as a practical resolution to put before a body of sensible men. (Hear, hear.) Mr Miller I suggest that we leave this question in the way committee propose, and that they report to our next meeting. Mr Idris Davies thereupon withdrew his motion, and the committee s proposal was adopted. HEALTH COMMITTEE. The Health Committee reported that Mrs M. J. Kinsey, of Harp terrace, Brecon, did not now desire to take up the midwifery scholar- ship granted her. They recommended that midwifery scholarships of Y,30 each be granted to Miss Jessie Parsons, Twynfera, Abercrave, and Miss Mary Davies, Brynderwen, Aber- crave. There were a number of parishes in the county without a resident midwife, and the Committee had considered how an effective midwiferv service was to be established and maintained in the county. They had decided that the best scheme would be to_ eucourage the formation of additional district nursing associations, to be affiliated as far as possible with the South Wales Nursing Association, and associations, to be affiliated as far as possible with the South Wales Nursing Association, and recommended a grant not exceeding xo J per annum to any new association on the condition that n nurse-midwife was employed at an adequate remuneration. With regard to the inquirv of the Ystradgynlais District Council as to the provision of joint isolation hospital accommodation, the Committee were of opinion that at the present time such a scheme was too •large for any definite action to be taken. Mr Beckwith moved the adoption of the report, and added to the clause with regard to new nursing associations a condition that the scheme of the association must have the approval of the County Medical Officer of Health before any grant was made. C0UXTY RATE UP A PENNY. The estimates presented by the Finance Committee showed a total of anticipated county expenditure of £ 4-1.997, against £ 37,434 actual in the year 1917-18. Increased police pay and war bonus account for about, £ 1,0U0 of the increase and a new item is 91,500 for the cost of registration. Half of the latter sum will be eventually repaid by the Government. The estimate of receipts in grants, &c., is £ 19,299, against t 504 actual last year, and the Com- mittee proposed a county rate of Is. 7d. for the year, to produce £ -23,780. The rate last year was Is. Cd, and in the previous year it.was Is. 9d. The balance in hand at the end of 1917-1K (less sum for-first quarter payments) was £ 7.348, comparing with £13.755:1 year ago. It is estimated that the balance twelve months hence will be These figures do not take into account the reserve fund for work on main roads and bridges stopped by the war. The education rates of Is. JJd. elementary, l jd. higher, and d, intermediate, were also recommended for adoption, so that the total calls from the county on the ratepayers amount to 3s. 1 jd. in the £ -t- I Mr David Powell moved that the call be made, and said the Council would notice that the general county rate was increased by Id.. whilst the education rate remained the same. They were compelled to increase the county rate because of the extraordinary expenditure which they would be called upon to make during the year of the registration of electors, estimated at t: 1,500. They could not get away from that matter, and they were singularly fortunate at a time like the present in having to increase the rate by a penny only, Mr Miller seconded the motion, and it was passed witbout comment. TREATMENT OF TUBERCULOSIS. The Finance Committee reported that the amount to be paid by the county to the Welsh National Memorial Association for the years 1915-16 and 1916-17 had been adjusted at £ 1,151 16s. 7d., which was £ 256 lis. 9d. than on the pooling basis, The associa- tion had appealed for payment on the pooling basis on the ground that if the £ 256 Its. 9d. was not paid to them it would mean a loss of £ 513 3s. Gd. The Committee refused the appeal, as^the Council had declined through- out to accept the, pooling ba.sis, stating clearly they would be only responsible for the deficit in respect of Breconsliire patients. Mr Miller said the association would lose auothev ia Government grant if the Council adhered to the refusal to pay that sum, and he appealed to the Finance Committee to be more generous. Replying to a question, the Clerk stated that the Memorial Association had accepted the Council's form of agreement for future relations, no other county having raised any objection, DISCHARGED SOLDIERS OX THE PENSIONS COMMITTEE. The Clerk reported the nomination by the War Pensions Committee of Mr J. Trename, I Ystradgynlais, and Mr A. Hitchings. Brynmawr. to act on their body as representatives of discharged soldiers, and of Mrs R. D. Ganions I Williams. Lwnyneyntefn. Sennybridge. to represent widows of soldiers. He also. read a letter from a number of discharged soldiers in Brecon district urging the claims of the district to have a member on the committee, and another letter from the Brynmawr branch of- the National Federation of Discharged Soldiers and Sailors urging their claim to a seat. vMr Beckwith explained that at the meoting of the Pensions Committee, at which he pre- sided, he was in favour of having one discharged soldier from the National Federation and one from the Comrades of the Great War, but he ascertained that the Comrades of tho Great War were not then sufficiently organised in the county. A post had now been organised, at Brecon, and there was one at Crickhowe! and it might be well"- for the Council to defer the appointments to give the Comrades of the Great War afl opportunity of making a nomination. After some discussion it was decided to postpone all the appointments till the next meeting. RECONSTRUCTION. Prof. Jcserli Jones proposed that Re- construction Committee, to consider the problems of rural development, &c., be ap- pointed, to consist of the whole Council, ith sub-committees for agriculture and rural development (consisting of the Main. Roans. Small Holdings. Executive, and Special Devoirp meut Committees), for finance (County Ilu and Rate Basis Committees) for health rum housing (Health, Housing aud Town Planing and Mental Deficiency Committees), aud for local government (Local Government, T>.ides and Standing Orders, and Parliamentary Con- mittees). Mr Beckwith seconded, remarking that at present reconstruction was in the air, but when it came about it would be a very big job, and the whole Cour.dl should be the coiuinUt'.fc.— Agreed. i Mr Beckwith and Prof. Jos. Jones were ao- I pointed to vepresent the Council on the com- mittee of management of the South. V,- ales Nursing Association. CC:UNTY ,RATE BASI, I A revised county rate basis shcwfng

was not leading in that matter at present, and she wanted it to lead. The War Agricultural Executive Committee had literally painted the county red. It used to be a greeu county, now it was a red one and it was splendid to see how well that committee had done its "work, and how well the farmers had responded in carrying out the ploughing orders. But how were aU the crops to be gathered in ? No more men were to be released for the land, and the farmer was already short of labour. People in authority had told her that more men were going to be taken from the land. Unless there was an exceptionally good season it would be almost impossible for the farmer to get in the crops with the labour he had, and if more labour was taken from him it would be quite impossible. The women of Wales were not goin" to let the Army and Navy down, were they r—(Applause.) The High Sheriff, in proposing a compre- hensive vote of thanks, said the scene in the streets that day showed that patriotism was not confined to the men. The women of the county might not be leading at the moment, but they were going to lead. They need not go far from Brecon to see really excellent ploughing done by women, work of which no trained ploughman need be ashamed. As this work could be done by women, he appealed to his farmer friends to give them a chance. The Rev. J. Simon, in seconding, said it would be a very excellent thing for a large number of young women in-Brecon if they en- gaged in national service, instead of being here walking the streets and occupying their time not too advantageously hindering men who were doing work for their country. (Applause). A number of recruits were enrolled during the afternoon and evening. L

assessable value C>f( :;I-JJ)7;í was adapted. ASYLUM REPORT. The Hon. R. C. IVwreux presented the 15th annual report of the Visiting Committee of the Brecon and Radnor Asylum, which showed that at the end of !117 there were 197 males and 158 females ir. the asylum, ag'ainst 236 males and 150 females at the end of 1916. There were 83 deaths 'luring the year, 75 males and 8 females. "f :ho number remaining 1:tl were cluirgealue Breeonshirc and 74 to Rad- nor-hire. The profit on oat-county and private patients had falk-n from £ 847 13s. 5d. to 19s. 911., owini in greatly increased cost of mainter.uiico. The counties of Brecon. Radnor, and Montgomery had now agreed as to the price to be paid by Montgomery for n shave in the asylum, details h-id been provisionally agreed tc. A most favourable, report by a Coin- Kiitioioner of g.1 ot Control was ap- pended. • To :ner"i< ^d the new partnership with approval, ?:.<■ -•:uk'd thai ihe advantages oC amalgamation, or. economical and other grounds, were w;v.ou>.