Welsh Gazette and West Wales Advertiser

PROPOSED WEST WALES MOTOR SERVICE. EFFORTS are being made to start a motor service for West Wales, and it is probable that a sample car will be placed on the roads in this district in the course of a few weeks. We have pointed out on several occasions that the motor would prove far more serviceable to the country districts of Cardiganshire and the adjoining counties than a light railway. The service of a railway would be limited to the community along its route, while that of the motor bus, on the other hand, could be extended to all parts to meet new demands—and that with- out incurring hardly any oxtra cost. Given fairly good roads, there is no limit to the lervices of motor machinery. As means of communication, and for collecting and dis- tributing the products of agriculture and other industries the motor is unequalled. The motor has come to stay, and its influence is already impressing itself in all directions. The motor 'bus has passed beyond the ex- perimental stage, and although it is not yet perfect, there is no room to doubt its ultimately supremacy. During the past four years the motor 'bus has undergono a com- plete metamorphosis, and it is now being made more durable, quieter, of less initial cost, and less maintenance cost. We believe that the Cardiganshire County Council spends over five thousand pounds every year on its main roads, and even a larger sum is spent on the up-keep of their roads by the District Councils. But, taking the roads as a whole, this heavy expenditure is not justi- fied by the present use made of them. There are several long stretches of main and district xoads in the county on which there is, during the greater part of the year, but little or no traffic. Yet, notwithstanding this, the roads have to be maintained at the expense of the public. If a motor service were introduced and the roads utilized to a greater degree, the ratepayers would have some return for their money by the im- proved means of transit. We are given to understand that all the arrangements for the running of the cars have been provisionally drawn up, and that the services, for some time,will be confined to roads along the Coast between Aberystwyth and Cardigan Haverfordwest, and Tenby. It is proposed to have two services daily each way between Aberystwyth and Aberayron and to provide extra cars on fair and market days- If ,ill goes well, these services will, no doubt, be speedily extended to Llanarth, and N ewqnrty, and on through the Yale of Aeron to Lam- peter. The fares, which will be in units of threepence, will work out at about 1 jd. a mile. It ts to be hoped that the County Council will encourage and support the proposed undertaking by doing all it can to improve the roads,'and so help to open up and develope the rural districts.

THE WELSH NATIONAL SHOW. THE wish, no doubt, is father to the thought that the Welsh National Show will fizzle out." But will it "fizzle out." We think not; and the prophets of evil will have to wait a good deal longer than twice three more years for the final collapse1" Twice three more years is not very long to wait, but we venture:to state that if the wiseacres who now so boldly bode evil to the National Show can :ifroi-d to wait not twice three more years," but a few decades longer, they will have to swallow THE leek—and a real Welsh one too. It was said, when the I Welsh National Society was started, that its first show at Aberystwyth was to be a, phantom show." But was it a phantom show ?" Ask the people of Aberystwyth, and the thousands who attended it from every county in the Principality. The great majority of them, no doubt, are well able to distinguish between subjective and objective phenomena. A little knowledge especially in figures, is a dangerous thing. It is quite true that there was a loss of £212 on last year's show but only the most slip- shod of critics would rush to the conclusion from that simple solitary fact that the Society is in a "humiliating position." There are two sides to every question-a good and a bad a dark and a bright. And why give the bad and the dark side only in discussing the affairs of the National Society ? What good purpose can be served by that ? If it is necessary to croak on the housetops that last year's show resulted in a loss of 01 £ 212, why not state also that the Society! gave E220 more in prizes last year than in the previous year? It iH, of course, an ex- cellent thing to be on the safe side, but the National Society was not established with the sole object of making monetary profits. Had the Society not expended any extra money on its prize schedule last year, it would have been able to show a substantial balance to the good. The Welsh National Society has already amply justified its I existence, and its annual shows at Aber- ystwyth have been eminently successful. The Society's exhibitions won the highest praise of the leading agriculturalists in the country, and all wei e agreed that their organization reflected the greatest credit upon Mr. Lewes Loveden Pryse, the manager. The Society is doing good work, and its is, we believe, destined to do a good deal more. We, hope, for the sake of the Society, and of Aberystwyth, and the country generally, that we shall have an equally and even more successful show next summer again.

BACK TO THE LAND. THE Premier has on several occasions during the recent elections shown in no ambiguous terms that not only are his sympathies with those who desire to pro- mote the more general occupation of the soil and the revival of rural life, especially at the hands of those who have been lured to the towns, but that he intends, if possible, to carry into effect some practical measure of legislation when the way is sufficiently clear. The ownership and occupation of the soil by the many is the chief feature of the landed system of almost every great European country. Et inculcates thrift, promotes health, simplicity of character, self-reliance, prudence, humility, and con- tentment. The man who owns his little home and its surroundings—und I speak with a knowledge of THS life of the small holder in several cotititrics-h-,is nothing in sympathy with the feverish desire for ex- citement and pleasura which is so potent A characteristic of so many members of our working classes. Hi., table is frugal, his dress simple, his desires few, and his personal expenditure limited, For these very reasons he is the safest member of society, and therefore the beret of citizens and the most trustworthy member of the community. It may be asked how a larger y ;n number of the population is to be attracted to and retained on the soil. The answer is, briefly, by the provision of land and cot' ige homes. If it is claimed that a Government has no moral right, to assist a particular class of the community, even though it be the poorest,, one can only answer that what- ever is for the benefit of the poorest of the people and the nation at large can never be wrong. Land should he provided for I direct sale to those who prefer td purchase it at a low rate of interest and by payment on the instalment system extending over a lengthy period. Nor is there any reason why the conditions which apply in Ireland, and which have been followed by the erection ion of many thousands of cottages with small plots of land attached, should not be adopted. There aie, however, differences in the preferences of men, many of whom, we are told, limit their demands to the renting of land so long as their occupation is guarded either by fixity of tenure-which should be applied to the entire tenancy of the country —or by a perpetual lease. There is, too, ample room for a third course, the success of which has been proved by the splendid organisation of working men in ISewcastle- on-Tyne. Here a mimber of estates have been purchased without the aid of the titled or the capitalist, and cottages with small plots and gardens have been purchased and occupied by the artisans of the northern city. Nor, again, is there any reason why legislation should be restricted to the pur- chase of land alone. Homes are essential, and if any scheme is 1 nuiplete it must provide for their erection and sale of the tenancy under conditions which are within the reach of those fo'- wnom they are in- tended. Here, however, difficulties have to be met and conquered. The building by- laws which apply in so vast a number of our rural districts must be modified without interfering either with the substantial and healthy character of the home or the com- pleteness of its drainage and water supply. Professor James LOUG IN the Manchester Guardian.

NOTES AND COMMENTS. GWYL DEW I SANT. Beth sJ'-n bod drwy Gymru Beth y\v dwndwr Cymru fad p Ysbryd Dewi sydd yn gwerrio Caloji Cymro at y wlad; Yn ei fedd mae corff ein Dowi, Yntau fry yn ngwlad yr ha', ¡ Ond mae'i onw gyda'r Cymry, Nid oes fedd i enir da. —-NE.DDFRYN, M I I --If- I Mr Balfour has found his way back to the iiouse of Commons. At the City of Lon- don election on Tuesday, he beat Mr Gibson Bowles by a majority ofll,340. Will no one give up his seat. for Mr Gibson Bowles? -¡¡- Replying to a deputation of grocers, Lord Carrington has promised that a Select Com- mittee should be appointed thoroughly to investigate the question of butter adultera- tion, so that legislation on the subject might be based on the best information. The disappearance of flogging from the list of navy punishments will make even less list of navy punishments will make even less known to future generations than it is to our own the fact that the language has to thank flogging in the navy for the phrase "N o room to swing a cat." One feels glad that oil a modern battleship there is now no room to swing even a birch or a cane. -h- Lord Tweedmouth, First Lord of the Ad- miralty, received at the House of Commons last week a deputation of members repre- senting the West Coast of Wales, including Sir Alfred Thomas, Mr. Lloyd-George, Mr. Vaughan Davies, Mr. Ellis Griffith, and Mr. Owen Phillips. The deputation urged that in the interests of Anglesey, Cardigan, and Pembroke the naval batteries should not be removed from Carnarvon, St. DogmaePs and Tenby. Lord lAvfeedmouth, in repily" said lie was afraid that these coast, batteries and many others would have to be removed in the interests of efficient training. For some weeks the hauliers at the Soutli Wales colleries have been threatening to terminate their contracts unless the dis- puted questions as to wages and conditions of employment were settled. On Saturday it the Special Committee of the Conciliation Hoard were able to settle all the principal points involved. A meeting to complete tho matter will be held next Saturday. -/1- As the result of tho Liverpool Licensing Committees representations, representa-, tives of the licensed trade in the city de- ClUekt last week that stringent instructions should be given to managers to discourage inordinate drinking by women, and also to discourage women in the habit of going to public-houses in twos and threes and treat- ing each other. There is room for a little improvement in this direction at Aberyst- wyth. -¡/- Liverpool Atlantic shipping com; re- port that the emigrant traffic, wliicv to ;)lls1;. opening for the season, promises to be ex- ceptionally heavy, especially from Germany, where the fear of war with France over the Morocco trouble is sending many to aeek a, home across the Atlantic. The Continental lines are also doing a large emigrant busi- ness, and the bookings are so heavy they are compelled to seek extra tonnage in Liverpool to sail direct from the Continent to America. -Jj- An interesting and useful souvenir of the general election in its relation to the Principality has just been issued from the Rees Electric Printing Works, CardifL Wales and Monmouthshire now return 34 Liberal and Labor members, and not a single Unionist; and photographs and brief bio- graphical sketches of the Welsh representa- tives are given in the souvenir, as also a few ( paiticulais about Welsh residents who; sit for other constituencies. -/¡- Sir John Gorst has resigned his connec- tion with the Primrose League, which he helped to found, because, lie says, the prin- ciples now officially laid down by the League differ entirely from those of Lord Beacons- field. whose memory and policy that body was originally intended to perpetuate. It is absurd to suggest that a political associa- tion wedded to Mr. Chamberlain's views ia- still loyal to the memory of the Conservative statesman who said Protection was not only., dead but damned. -If- The first division in the new House of Commons was interesting as showing tho grouping of parties. It took place on Col.. Saundei son's amendment) to the Address and was directed against the intention of Ministers "to effect changes in the system. of government in Ireland." As between tlia Liberals and Conservatives, the question was made a purely party one. The official di> ision-Iist shows that every Labour maa and Irish Nationalist present voted with the Government against tlw, amendment, thus forming a most striking combination. Including the tellers, the voting was. as follows: Liberals 314, Labour 28, National- ists GG, Conservatives 90. For the Govern- ment 408, against 90 Mr. Chamberlain is trying to make- ocrfc that he has been opposed to Chinese labour. Ho was a member of the Cabinet that intro- duced it. He has never denounced it in his speeches in this country, and, therefore, when we remember what an aggressive poli- tician^ he is, and that he was Colonial Secre- t<i,3, ue must be taken to have acquiesced in handing over the Transvaal to aliens from Gei many and China. Meanwhile, Mr. Chamberlain ought to be questioned as to his having doeeived- the people when lie said that the Transvaal mine owners—for whom this country was "taxed and bled-were giving £ 30,000,000 as a contribution to the cost of the war. He has never either apologised for, or explained, that falsehood.

OXE METHODIST COLLEGE. MR. LAV IB UAVL16, M.P.. Bl-YS THE HOTEL CAMBRIA. We are informed from an indirect soovco says tiiv Western Mail," that Mr. David Davies, for Montgomeryshire, has now become the actual owner of the Hotel Cam- bria, Atx iysUyth, having purchased it from Mr. Jonu i'rancis, auctioneer, Carmarthen, who bought the property as a speculation a short time ago. This statement may be contradicted in, diploma Lie language, owing to several pri~ vate considerations, which operate in the carrying out of important business tran- pactions Ci dm kind; but it is not unlikely J; aia!jorative announcement of the 6 ±l' ^cs W1^ be possible snoim. it as an open secret that the object- is to present the premises to the Methodist Connexion io: the purpose of a central college tor the body, in accordance with the amalgamation scheme which has been under discussion d-.iaig the past couple of years. t u a i"jim family are staunch friends of Aberj vta, and its university college and a sciouec wing of the latter is now ill course or erection at a cost of £ 23,000, borne by Mr. David Davies and his mother, as a noble gift in i-.ieti-io -y of the late Mr. Edward Davies uno was the son of the founder ol the fortunes of the family, n DaJVIC'" h,as offered £ 20.000 to the Methodists towards the cost of a eon- c;1!tgG -r"' ,tho1 preparation of minis- tenal stu-^nts, if the body decide to locate tne institution at Aberystwyth, and the Snrr^f°yhe P*™ 0awbrii « P** and parcel of tne scneme, which, it is hoped will soon be cfefinitely agreed ;ipon between S;.SO"TH WA!OS **««» °F TH. "¡s;

TÚE NEW SHERIFFS. At the court at Buckingham Paiaee on sl'Miff?to e KUlf th* following sluuffs to serve during the ensuing year •— Caruigaiismre- -Davia Charles Roberts nf 4 0, ooutn-terrace, Aberystwyth, Esq ArtlHIi' Edmund du rn SOI oi, Glynhxr. near Llandiio, Lsq. PHp-' n? MUir ^-—fcaptiun Atheist-one Robert at"'+ -ib<rhefen.ny, Oorris, R.S.O. Hankin Heap' .Va"Ki,a" o i V- ^u16 Casue, Dale, Esq. Radnorshire—Francis George Philins rvf Abheycwmhrr, Peuybont, ilsq of

VVALJb^ IN L, ,N Dors'. R<WUCP %nfiXt!y is ■exl)lx'^od «-ith the Wm I; {°bT S' the English ^sbjtcjuui Church at Westbouroe Grove on the death of Ins lather the Rev. D. Rob- Oit.S, of tilO 1 r' 4-' Methodist Church at Rluw, Blaenair^Fel- tiniog, who tiled on Sunday afternoon. Mr. forZnr 5* 0een m'mster, oi' the Church 'O' o e' years, and was highly esteemed A large company of Pembrokeshire men dined together on Saturday evening in hon- our of the county of Pembroke, under the presidency of Mr. Wynford PhHips The toasts of "St. David of PembS •' The Pembroke Society," and fi, • wercl honoured. A similar gathenV^T Glamorganshire men met at the same tim. under the presidency of Lord A her da Speeches were made by Mr. Brynmor Joins, otiiere A' ThoraaiS MP., an,/ The Castle-street Literaiy Society devoted tne batuiday evening immediately b-eforp S+ MrVKWfl.?"y T° «»k £ -VI William Jones, ^v.P., presided in absence of Mr. Lloyd-George. M p ,,1' w,,th the King's invitation to dine at Buckingham Palace. The Cha^r-in^T terred to the influence of national f,-)!! and melodies on national sentimnet and on the use of sentiment in the development of national character. Welsh songs were ren- dered by Miss Jennie- Ellis, a Merioneth- shire soprano, possessing a voice of except- ional sweetness; Miss IBodwon Thomas a prom^ing contralto; Mr. Ben Ivor, and Mr W. Tl. 1 homas. Miss Jennie e; rans ac- companied, and Mr. F. C. Barker (Caer- philly) played Welsh melodies arranged by Pencerdd Gwalia on the harp. °