Welsh Gazette and West Wales Advertiser

A RECORD SEASON AT ABERYSTWYTH. ABERYSTWYTH was never more thronged with visitors than during the present week. The railway traffic on Thursday, Friday and Saturday was unprecedented. Notwith- standing that the ordinary service had to be supplemented by numerous specials, yet all the trains were full to their utmost capacity. Three of the largest Cambrain Railway waggons were busily occupied from seven in the morning until nearly ten at night in carrying the passengers' luggage to various parts of the town, and, but for the improved arrangements for dealing with luggage it Z7, would have been impossible for the railway servants to cope with the traffic at Aber- ystwyth this year. The advanced luggage system works admirably, and saves railway and passengers endless delay and trouble. Con- sidering that the resources of the railway- men were so severely taxed, it is satisfactory to find that no untoward accident of any kind marred the pleasures of the holiday- makers. Although the accommodation at Aberystwyth is larger than ever, still the I Z!1 season is a record one. The number of visitors in the town during the week has zn been estimated at about fifteen thousand, and the people on the Marine Parade last Sunday evening formed the largest crowd n el ever seen there. The main causes for this increased influx of visitors is, no doubt, the fine weather and the general prosperity which prevails, and last, but not least, the rapidly growing popularity of Aberystwyth as a health resort of the first rank. The Aberystwyth Marine Parade is unequalled by any other on the Welsh Coast, and the water supply is acknowledged to be the best in the whole Kingdom. "I am delighted with this pretty place," said the PRINCE of WALES when at Aberystwyth three summers ago, and all who visit the town echo the golden opinion of His. ROYAL HIGHNESS' Visitors who return to Aberystwyth after many years absence are pleasantly surprised at the many improvements which have been carried out in the various parts of the town, and warmly congratulate the inhabitants and the Council upon the splendid progress that has been made within recent years.

THE 'f SPREAD OF DISEASE IN ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS. At a meeting of the British Medical Conference at Portsmouth last week, a resolution was adopted requesting the Council of the Association to take steps with a view to obtaining power for Medical Officers of Health to inspect Elementary School when necessary. Dr. SYDNEY DAVIES of Plumstead, advocated systematic medical inspection of children, urging that a school authority which obliged children to go to school should take care that the children were protected from risk of receiving or com- municating disease in the schools. He mentioned that in London the School Board refused to allow medical officers to pay visits of inspection in connection with outbreaks of measles. Dr. Davies urged that medical officers should possess power to order schools to be closed for five wenks in the event of one-tenth of the children being affected. Several other speakers said that the means of resisting infection in elementary schools were totally inadequate. Dr. KENWOOD said compulsory education should not mean compulsory disease. He deprecated giving medals for attendance, on the ground that to gain them children were frequently sent to school when unfit. The medical officer of health was the best official to conduct an inspection, because of his superior knowledge of the epidemic occurrence of disease. Dr. HEXRY MAY, of Birmingham, remarked that the motto of school boards appeared to be Education at all costs," but it was not the duty of a medical officer of health to visit schools unless he was specially delegated to do so. The solution of the difficulty appeared to be the appointment by school boards of their own medical officer, who in case of epidemic would agree with the health officer as to the course of procedure to be adopted. It was pointed out that the closing of schools was useless unless children could be isolated and disinfected; and many parents in this district will share the views of Dr. FRASER, of Portsmouth, who said that the closing of schools in towns was of no use, as the children communicated freely after school hours, and closure was not found to be effectual in stopping the spread of disease. The subject is an important one, and should be carefully considered in connection with the question of attendance, which is being thrashed out at the present time.

MR. E. J, GRIFFITH AND THE BOER QUESTION. IF there is one public question more than another on which Welshmen of all creeds should unite in declaring their opinions —that question is the one which faces us in South Africa. A fortnight ago we should not have thought it necessary to say this, but since that time an event has happened which has filled many Welshmen with disgust. For many years we have prided ourselves on the growth of democracy in Wales and on the moral courage of the Welsh people in breaking away from the political bondage of narrow- minded squires and clergy, as a century ago, our fathers had shattered the bonds of an alien and anti-national church. To all of us the surest sign of this advance is seen in the election of young men of no social position and without wealth to represent Wales, as she should be represented, in the Parliament of the United Kingdom. When Mr. THOMAS ELLIS, the foremost of this band of young men, took his seat in the Parliament of 1886, there were grave forebodings. Old men shook their heads and saw in his selection the beginning of the end. What could a man without rank or social prestige, without money or a profession, do for Wales? Now all this has been. changed. To-day the constituencies clamour for young men, indeed the very qualities which were regarded as fatal fifteen years ago are now looked upon as necessary and desirable. Perhaps the country is going too far in this direction, perhaps the vanity of some people is being fed at the expense of enthusiastic electoral divisions. But we have to-day in Mr. LLOYD GEORGE, Mr. HERBERT LEWIS, Mr. BRYX ROBERTS, Mr. S. T. EVANS, Mr. WILLIAM JOXES, Mr. WILLIAM ABRAHAM, and others, representatives who are worthy of their country, and who we believe will ever be true to the trust reposed in them. What does the Welsh nation ask of these men ? She simply say- be true to Wales, look after her interests; Wales is a small nation, vVales is a poor nation, her requests are slighted, her dearest wishes mocked at, she nuist fight for every reform. Ireland also is in the same plight, so are other small nations, help them. Be on the side of justice and truth." We think that is practically the message our member* convey to the assembly at Westminster. No Welsh member has any right to forget zn these principles, or to, uphold an unholy and unrighteous cause. At this moment most important issues are at stake in South Africa. On the one side stands an okl man, supported by some 30,000 farmers, an old man of simple tastes and stern virtue; on the other side stands an ambitious and skilful Englishman, egged on by greedy financiers, and an over-bearing soldiery. This is no question of right and justice, though the cloak of virtue is thrown over the'gaunt skeleton of tyranny. Justice has been conceded, such justice as Wales cannot get. But what have crafty financiers to do with justice ? Their god is Mammon, and their desire is gain. Just at this juncture the voice of the County of Anglesea is heard. The representative of that county, which arrogates to itself the proud title of Mon Mam Cymru," makes himself heard. The representative of Anglesea out-Herods Herod, he attacks the old Boer farmer and his administration, with a bolder effrontery and a keener prejudice than Mr. JOSEPH CHAMBERLAIN himself, and he levels his bitterest personalities at his own colleagues. Surely he was not sent to Parliament to do this. We have long felt that Wales is but a name to him, he has never spoken on Welsh questions such fire, he has never taken so bold a step for Wales. What is the meaning of it ? Does Mr. ELLIS JONES GRIFFITHS represent the opinions of the people of Anglesea on the South African Question ? Do they approve of Mr. Chamberlain's policy ? We can hardly believe that Mr. GRIFFITHS would dare to give voice to any opinion contrary to the feeling of his constituents, at least he has been as regards Welsh matters always on the safe side, a model indeed of discretion. But if he has on this occasion transgressed, and if the Liberals of Anglesea are for justice and righteousness, then they should demand an explanation from their member, and they should take steps to make certain that no representative of theirs shall in future be guilty of behaviour that brings the blush of shame to the cheek of every right-minded Welshman.

NOTES AND COMMENTS. Several deaths from heat li&ve been reported during the past week. Mr. J. L. Pickard's second lecture on fruit culture will be found in another part of the paper. Her Majesty s Commissioners for the Exhibition of 1851 have appointed Mr. James Travis Jenkins, B. Sc., of the Uni- versity College of Wales, Aberystwyth, to a Science Research Scholarship, of tho value of X 150 a year. THE Cheshire County Council have made it a condition of the 'employment of work- men on the main roads that they should become members of a friondly society, if eligible, and at the same time the CouirjrU increased their wages by 6d a week. The Annual Show of the Corris Garden Society was held last Saturday. The Society of which Mr. Humphrey Davies, J.P. is the President, is doing excellent work in the district, by fostering the love of gardening, and crafts among the cottagers. We reprint in another part of the paper a letter sent to the W estern Mail by the Venerable Archdeacon Bevan, in which lie exposes what he regards as a weak point in Dr. Macnamar.a s address at Aberystwyth on the attendance question. In our report of the Aberayron Urban District Council we publish a complete list of the boats, with the names of the owners, and the number of passengers they are allowed to carry. To give publicity to such a list cannot fail to be the means, to some extent, of checking over crowding. A correspondent suggests that in oidei- to improve the postal service along the coast we must agitate for a Welsh Mail. An improvemeet is urgently wanted. From Lampeter a reply can be received to a letter posted at Aberystwyth on the same day, but not from Barmouth until the third day. In an addi ess on tuberculosis in milk at the British Medical Conference, Mr. Leslie Eastes strongly condemned the action of farmers in allowing milk from unhealthy udders to be mixed with that from healthy cows, particularly as they were careful not to allow a calf to suck from a cow which was suffering- in the udder. In another column we publish some interesting extracts on field paths from William Howitt's Book of the Season," first published nearly seventy years ago. Dull, indeed, would he be of soul who could read Howitt's words, and say that our rapidly vanishing field paths, those privileges of the public," are not worth fighting for. The staff of the Aberystwyth Inter- mediate School are to lie congratulated upon the splendid success of their pupils at the recent examinations. Four pupils have passed the Matriculation Examination of the Welsh University, and two have passed the same examination in four of the five subjects. The list of successes in the various examinations conducted by the Science and Art Department are equally satisfactory. The half-yearly report of the Cambrian Railways Company is very satisfactory, and speaks well for the management. The report shows a net increase in receipts of X3,370 and a net increase of £ 1,253 in expenditure. The net revenue for the half year thus shows an increase of < £ 2,117, as compared with the corresponding period of last year. After providing for all fixed charges and for the interest of 4 per cent. on A, B, and C debenture stocks, there remains a surplus of 0£1,847, which is carried forward to the next half year. Miss Jane Sumpter, who until recently was a member of the Bethnal Green Board of Guardians, was charged at a London* police court on Saturday with corruptly soliciting gifts from contractors to the Board. Evidence was given by six contractors to the effect that they had received letters fiom the defendant stating that she was in financial difficulties and asking for help. I& return she promised her vote and influence-fat some future time. The defendant reserved her defence, and was committed for trail, bail being allowed. The Bishop of Chester, Dr. Jayrce, preach- ing on Sunday at Chester Cathedral, said the decision of the Archbishops of Canterbury and York that the liturgical or.iceremonious use of incense was illegal, was an indepen- dent and most weighty eonfiriisation of the unbroken series of opinions ami judgments.. to the same effect. Any lingering doubt a&, to the legality of the practice had now been, dispelled, and he must be a singularly self- confident member of the Chu.r«h of England: who refused to how to such a concensus o £ learned and authoritative opinion. Mr. J. Meyrick Jones, of Dolgelley, wkt» is retiring from business, has sold his weit known and erstwhile faaious mills at Glyndwr to Messrs. Solomon Andrews and- Sons, of Cardiff. The mills have been-, in Mr. Jones' family for about two centuries, and in days gone by occupied a large ntu&ber of hands, and did an extensive trade in Jill kinds of woollen goods. The mills have maintained their reputation throughout}. and there is no reason why th :<vy should not recover and increase their business. Tons of- wool are sent away from the- district every, year to the Midlands, and it is to be hoped) that through Messrs. Andrews' energy, iifwill in future find a ready sate at Dolgelley* The Rev. Dr. Cobb, assistant secretary to the English Church Union, dealt in-a sermon at Ethelburga's,. Bishopsgate-strQQts London,, with the Primate's recent decision. It* implied, he said, that the Chnreh, was boundf hand and foot in all her spiritual activities by Parliament. He had convinced himseif that to expect from the State-any change in the law that would give thG. Church sosae liberty off her own was folly. The sole course left was to demand d\se<stablishnijent. For years he had written, spoken, and worked against such a revolution, and it was with inexpressible grief that he felt forced to the conviction that no. other solution was posible. He was certain that the most important result, of the Lambeth decision was to make disestablishment successful at the next general election. He regretted it more than he couM say, but it was no good siuiwing their ey to patent facts. Last week the members of the Agricul- tural Association of the Aberystwyth College paid a visit, untier the charge of Professor Murray, the general secretary of the society., to Rothamsted, the seat of Sir John Rennet} Lawes, the eminent authority on agriculture, Sir Henry Gilbert conducted the pasty i-otiiid tho lalxn-atory, and explained all she points of interest aim importance connected with it, afterwards, introducing them to an excellent luncheovi, which Sir John's kindly hospitalityaUll f orethought had prepared for thvm. Undev the guidance of Willis and Dr. Miller the students were, afterwards conducted, over the fields in which the experiments were taking pl.tee, and were much impressed with the work that was being carried out.