The Montgomeryshire Express and Radnor Times

WELSH DISENDOWMENT. Another important letter on the Welsh Church has been written by the Rev. R. Temple. We have much pleasure in publishing it:— This is a much harder question than Dis stablish- ment, inasmuch as it is far more iuvohed in details and in degrees of practical expediency. B. fore deal- ing with them, however, it may be well t > ci e n out of the way certain fancies, traditions, and superstit. ions which have gathered aroaud the subject. I do not know whether anyone now believes that all en- dowments, bequests, and intentions of piau", foun- ders" should by divine right remain valid f. r ever and ever, but, especially for the purposes of the Welsh Church controversy, there are plenty of people who talk as if they believed it. Now, if this belief obtained in action and in fact., the whole world would have be«n long ago in mortmain, and neither private pro- perty nor individual right could exist which result is, I to me at least, absurd. Another notion is ihat. at any rate, property given for religious purposes belong to God for ever, and th it it is Sacrilege to distui b it. That, great scholar and sage Bishop Thtrlw^li of St. David's disposed effectually of this fallacy in his speech on the Irish Church Bill. To attribute to the Almighty, whose are the cattle on a thousand hills," the desire for the acquirement and reten- tion, in any direct or personal sense, or any earthly possessionii is in effect, though doubtless not in intention, nothing less tbau anthrop- omorphic blasphemy. If tno words are used in an indirect, sense, then they mean that property given to promote the welfare of man in any way may be figuratively said to be "given to God," but as soon as truth and justice, religion ai d piety ceape to be established by the endowment it should, in the in. terests ot God and man, cease. It is in the ex pe, ence of all history that when endowments ce tse to be use- ful they cease to exist, and, to my thinking at ieast, it is the necessary conclusion of common justice and common sense that th"y should so cease. Wii, n the world became Chvistain the temples and endowments of Pallas Athene and Paoebus Apollo fell. It I en- dowed au aliopathic hospital to-day and mankind turned homcepathists t o-morr,,w there might be some stalwart Conservatives to maintain uiy otous inten- tions in the face of a recreant universe, but I should at once proceed to find an idiotasylum fOZ their bene- fit. But, we are often a-fced it eudowm nts are med- dled with, how cm jou miiatain privatj propeity. I utterly deny the analogy—ei.do .vrneats f xiit absolute- ly and solely for the benefit of the community at large and if they are no longer of use to thtt community they have no longer a el-im to exist. Private pro- perty exists, at least in its direct and primary in. tention, for the benefit) of the individual owner, and was his, so far a* he could hold it, before any com- munity was formed. Tile question of endowment and disendowment is then, as I hold, DO one of divine right or prescriptive sanctity, and just a far as the who'.e or any part of an endowmnt can be sh wn to be of service to the people affected by it, so far and so far only should it stand. I purpose to show, in a future epistle, how they should be applied to the Established Church in Wales.

EARTHQUAKE IN WALES. Asevereshock of earthquake wa experienced in Wales on Thursday evening. At Milford Ha., en the shock is reported to have lasted about, welve second?. At Swansea, Tenby, Kuthin, and Car- marthen considerable alarm wat manifested, and I many persons were so frightened that they rushed out of their houses iu terror. Bells were rung, I windows shook, doors hanged, producing quite a sensation. A slight shock was also felt in Shrews- bury and district. Mr McKay, of Brook Cottages, K-'rry, infcrms us that. whiie seated iu his house ou Thursday night, about five minutes to ix, a distinct trembling of the earth was perceived. The lamp upon the table shook, and Mr McKay was at a loss for a few minutes to j allocate the cause. He proceeded to various parts i of the house, and ficaing t.o reasoD for the shock, went to his neighbour, Mr Martin, who had also noticed the disturbance; his windowa having been 'shaken.

MRS. F. SIMMON £ >H, Laandress, Eastborne, has used Messrs. RECKITT'S PARIS BLUE for the past six years, and co isidere it unequalled for beaatv and eeenomy. Certainly much superior to thumb or Liquid Blue. 628

A MR. TOM ELLIS, M P., ON THE WELSH PROGRAMME- At a public meeting, held at Llandderfel, to con. sider the Parish Councils Bill, Mr T. E. Ellis, M.P., was the principal speaker. In the course of his speech he said: The democracy and the House of Lerds have been brought face to face in sharp con- flict on the question of the rights and duties of nationality (cheers). Wales realises to the full its vital concern in the issue of that conflict (cheers). A border bishop, acting no doubt on behalf of his unob. trusive episcopal brethren of Wales-(laughter),- very considerately afforded Wales a few picturesque object lessons to show what a love the House of Landlords and Bishops bears towards Wales (laughter). He tried to defeat the charter creating the University of Wales because a sectarian college maintained by the Ecclesiastical Commissioners was not given the status of a Welsi national institution. He endeavoured to sectarisniae the new public secondary and technical schools of Merioneth. He cat out, root and branch, from the Cardigan inter- mediate scheme all the provision for enabling boys and girla, including poor boys and girls from remote villages and country sides, to pass from the primary schools to the new secondary and technical schools and thence to the University. All these performances have served to increase the interest of the Welsh people in the provisions of the forthcoming Welsh Disestablishment Bill (cheers). It is not many months since the Bishop of Bangor said that Welsh Disestablishment would not become a question of gractical politics for ten or twenty years (laughter). Bat the first reading of the Suspensory Bill by a majority of fifty-six placed Welsh Disestablishment at a stroke in the forefront of the living politics of the day (loud cheers). Next year we shall be in the thick of the conflict over the bill itself (renewed cheers). Be the conflict long or short, victory is cer- tain (cheers). The longer the conflict the more numerous will be the national interests involved in the national controversies of Wales (hear, hear). The landlords of Wales choose to ally themselves with the Anglican Establishment in Wales and all the bitter associations of injustice and shame. They cherished and allowed themselves to become the victims of every Anglicising influence. They separ- ated themselves from the life of the Welsh tenantry and peasantry. They lost touch of the progressive life and aspirations of the people. They were ousted from the political representation of Wales (loud cheers). They have forfeited their control of the county business of Wales. Now the very system by which they command the rent of Wales, and-influence the life and industry of the rent producere, is on its trial (hear, hear). No public inquiry in Wales ever created so profound an interest or affected so vitally the relations of the social and industrial life of rural Wales as the Royal Commission on Welsh Land (applause). After many long days of patient investi- gation in counties like Merioneth and Anglesea it is still felt that not a tithe of the peasants' story of hardship and suffering has been told. The evidence of the wrong perpetrated under cover of law is steadily accumulating, how rents have from decade to decade been screwed up, how improvements aDd reclamations made by tenants have been confiscated, how tenants have been harassed and taught a degrad- ing submission, and how the commonable lands and mountain pastures of Wales have been filched from the people and monopolised by a few rent receivers (cheers). Yet Lord Penrhyn, the figure-heal of the Landlords League, solemnly proceeds to reply to this fast accumulating indictment by presenting to the Commission a mosaic of newspaper quotations beginning with the annus terribilis of 1886 (loud laughter). This is as pitiful as the Bishop of St. Asaph's elaborate and ludicrous attempt to prove that only a few people speak Weleh in Wales (laughter). Lord Penrhyn's paper bulwarks will collapse at the first onset (hear, hear). From county to county, facts pregnant with the condemnation of the present land system will come till proof is com- plete, and till conviction is brought ta the mind of Parliament (loud applause). Meanwhile the very able report on the condition of the agricultural labourers of Wales by Mr Lleufer Thomas throws a flood of light on the social problems of Welsh agri- cultural life. It lays a very serious duty upon Parlia- ment and upon local sanitary authorities. The figures of the last census showed the serious depopu- lation of all the raral counties of Wales. Page after page of Mr Lleufer Thomas's report clothes these census figures with meaning. Light is thrown upon dark corners and spots in Welsh rural life. It is my firm conviction that there is imperative need for the Welsh members and for the Government to grapple earnestly with the state of things disclosed in Mr Thomas's report, with defective local government, with unfit housing, with the sad tack of means of recrea- tion and social progress in our villages (hear, hear). I have always endeavoured to impress upon you that the extension of Welsh local government from the parish as the unit to the whole Welsh nation as a unity is a necessary preliminary to the ordered pro- gress of Wales (applan-e). The establishment of oemocratic local councils alone makes possible effec- tive control of education, of land, of tithes, and of local institutions and methods of progress (applause). The Local Government Bill, instructively called the Parish Councils Bill-(cheers)-will give anew status and a new instrument in toe labourers' hand (ap- plause). The Welsh Disestablishment Bill must be infused with the purpose of improving his whole con- dition and social surroundings (applause). We must 4also secure a Housing of Welsh Labourers Act (loud cheers). Under the Labourers' (Ireland) Act, 1881, in the two provinces of Leinster and Munster 12,706 roomy and comfortable labourers' cottages have been built by boards of guardians (bear, hear). The cot- tages are provided with gardens or allotments, pig- styes, fowihouses, and sanitary arrangements. The establishment of parish and district councils will open the way for securing a similar Act for Wales (cheers). The second reading of the Welsh Local Veto Bill by a majority of thirty-six—(cheers)—is a presage of the time when the drinking shops of our country towns and villages will be replaced by town and village in- stitutes, with libraries, reading.rooms, and means of recreation and social reform (applause). From these remote Welsh villages we watch the turnings of the great struggle for a living wage which his carried on in the great industrial communities. It is none the less imperative to urge constant war against every tendency or system which starves or cripples or degrades the rural lite ot our country. There is no one panacea for the ills which afflict our rural dis- tricts. No single Act of Parliament can by itself constitute a remedy. But this great stirring of in. terest in the problems of rural life will give a val- uable impulse to the movement for carrying out the programme of Welsh reform, and for helping Wales forward on its oaward and upward path of national progress (loud cheers).

GREW MASSACRE OF BLACKS BY ENGLISHMEN The Matabele war is over. The machine guns of the civilised whites proved too much for the brave Africans, and the battle between the two forces was a massacre. The telegram giving particulars reads thus The Matabele were wary and cautious, but for days they were in touch with the scouts of both columns. On Friday a Matabele impi opened a determined attack upon Major Forbe's column. The fight was vigorously sustained, but the Matabele could make no impression upon the white forces, who held a position m laager. They were mowed down on all sides, and finally retired with heavy loss. Fresh impis resumed the attack next day, Major Forbes and the combined columns being then within few miles of Buluwayo, the capital. The blacks ea,,ht with the bravery which was expected of them bnt in face of the machine guns and the unerang rifles of the whites could never get within striking distance of their eaemies. Finally the attack weakened, and the Ma abele showed signs of retirement. Then Major Forbes gave the order to charge. The Maxim guns played upon the dense masses, and the whites in- stantly after rushed upon the wavering warriors. Only the Royal Imbizo Regiment attempted to stand its ground, but over half its number were shot down and the remainder fied Lobengula, the king, com- man ieci in person. He retreated to Buluwayo after the fight. A forward movement was at once decided upon before the blacks had time to rally. The com- bined columns opened an attack upon Buluwayo, but there was little fight left in the Matabele, and they fled, Lobengoula beiug with them. A column was at once made up to pur.ue the flying natives and keep them from rallying, though both Dr. Jameson and Major Forbes believe-tbe Matabele to be thoroughly beaten and cowed and Lobengula's power completely gone. The loss on the side of the Chartered Com- pany's forces has been only slight, and mainly con- fined to Major F<<rbes's column. The loss tf the Matabele is reported to exceed 3,000 killed and wounded.

Printers to the Montgomeryshire County Council Newtown and Llanllwchaiarn Local Boccri Machynlleth Union, Newtown and Llanidlett Highway Board, Newtown 4" Llanidloes Unfak and other public bodies. PHILLIPS & SON, 19, BROAD STREET, NEWTOWN. BOOKBINDING. "Vf" AGAZINES BOUND IN PUBLISKEBg*' COVERS AND OTHER STYLES. MUSIC NEATLY AND DURABLY BOUND, AND CAREFULLY SEWS, SO AS TO OPEN FLAT. s ———— FAMILY BIBLES BOUND IN ALL STYLES, FROM STRONG SHEEP, TO MOROCCO ELEGANT. BOOKS FOB VILLAGE LIBRARIES REPAIRED AND RE-BOUND IN THE MOST USEFUL MANNER. SCHOOL BOOKS BOUND IN EXTSJ* 8TEONG MARBLED SIRIR P. ILLUSTRATED WORKS FOB TSM TABLE BOUND IN CALF, MOROCCO, RUSSIA, AND FINISHED IN THJS BEST STYLE. "PORTFOLIOS TO ORDER IN ANY SIM f MAPS AND PLANS CAREFULLY MOUNTED & V ARNISHBD, fi PRINTING FOR CONCERTS, HARVEST FESTIVALS, CHAPEL ANNIVERSARIES, TEA MEETINGS, CRICKET CLUBS, MASONIC LODGES, CHARITABLE INSTITUTIONS BAZAARS, PUBLIC COMPANIES, DRAPERS' SALES, SOLICITORS, LECTURERS. HORTICULTURAL SOCIETIES, FRIENDLY SOCIETIES, TENNIS CLUBS. BALLS, ATHLETIC SPORTS, ESTATE AGENTS, PUBLIC BOARDS, MANUFACTURERS, and all BUSINESS Xk"Ae PRINTING. THE" EXPRESS" OFFICE IS KITTKI* UP WITH THE NEWEST TYPE AND BEST MACHINERY, FOB THE EXPEDI- TIOUS DESPATCH OF ALL ORDERS* ø- SPECIAL—IF THE ORDEE IS URGENT, IT WILL BE DELIVERED' SAME DAY AS ORDERED,—A GREAT BOON TO COUNTRY CUSTOMERS. BILLHEADS, —— BOTTLE WRAPPERS, BUTCHERS' TICKETS, BUSINESS CARDS*- CATALOGUES FOR SALES, CHEQUE BOOKS, CIRCULARS FOR ALL TRADES DRAPERS' TICKETS, HANDBILLS, ADHESIVE LABELS, MANILLA TAGS. MEMORANDUMS. MEMORIAL CARDS THE MOST JEXTINSIVX STOCK IN THR Ooumtt%. PARTICULARS A CONDITIONS OF SALE PENCE ENVELOPES, POSTERS, of &U Sizes and all Styles, PROGRAMMES, RECEIVING AND DELIVERING NOTE. TIME SHEETS. WINDOW BILLS, CALENDARS. THE ADDRES8- PHILLIPS & SON, "EXPRESS OFFICE" NEWTOWN, N.W. —————————————————————————————————————————. „ H i—m HA LF.PRICE. excellent English made Piano- JLL forte, full compass, sweot tone, neat case, hi good condition. Has been out on hire. cut and see it at PBOUK A (}N'i Music Wp* heIBM, 19, Stead Dtiwi, i- fV^own

OLD WELSII BAPTIST ASSOCIATION. The half-yearly meeting of the Old Welsh Baptist ..Association, comprising the Baptist Churches in the counties of Montgomery and Radnor, met at Velin- d.r,t an Wednesday and Thursday, October 25th and 2tth. Mi" inters and delegates met at the Baptist Chavp-elat 11 o'clock, when conference was opened by the president for the year (Rev W. D. Young, of Mr Hamar, of Knighton, and Mr Joues, New Welle, offered prayer, and after the singing of the hymn, the President addressed the Conference, .owd referred to the improvement which had taken ptte@ in the singing through the two counties, which fee attributed to the holding of choral festivals. The potttts in his address were We must have a ba?is to itorkupon. Let ns all seek to be fit to carry out our gres-t mission let us care more for our denomina- rtioM.; let us have its interests at heart; we are igicmtd to think that we have been made such a bles- aiag while wo have large congregations; there is i&lettty of work. There is a great responsibility rest- log' on the ministers, and on every member let us do sit in the fear of God.—-Rev D. B. Davies, late of Sas»« had been appointed to read a paper on Chris- .-Q&f¡ giving, but, having removed to Swansea, the, Kev W. Bkiaoer, Presteign, was appointed to read a iptpee on the curiae subj-ct at the next half-yearly .eretín.g. Tn,3 preachers appointed for the associa- joøta bo held at Cuersws in June, 1891, were the ikew W. Q. Ma ,field, Velindre (the temperance tseemon), Rev W- Wiiliams, of Knighton (the sermon -J.c the young). The preachers at next half-yearly TgBtieti It- v W. D. Young, Gravel (the temperance ommon), Rev T. Roivson, Welshpool (the sermon to ifrGyo&ug)■ A «errno>i bearing on mission work to ^4preached by Rev J. Nicolas, Neworidge. A .iUMfttasion to^k place rpgar! ing a missionary depu- tgtiot, and it was icsoved-That if the separate ^baceaes des'red a deputation they were to com- jHttefeate with REV W. D. Young and Rev D. Blllhes. Cwmbelai, A letter having been read re- •penstinff the Welsh Building Fund, it was agreed to fosve the matter until tin nexc association. A dis- tmtff- took place regarding tl Sunday Schools. It ttMtgsolved that the school je asked to use the IttfctfflWfctional lesson-The Conference then ad- josetted for dinner, which had been provided in the Sffiiool-room.—After dinner, Conference re-assembled at two o'clock; prayer was offered by Mr Allerioti, dt k"&Va. The deputation appointed to the spring I VUUittngn of the English Baptist Union which meets London, conilisted of Rev W. G. Mansfield, Yelin- dW, Rev W. Skinner, Presteign. The question of jkokung quarterly meetings was brought forward by Mr Bdmunds, Newtown. It had the approval of itimm present, and vas thought it would be a help to ,we&k eharches, but n.) action was taken. The Rev ffTiiiiams, secretary to the Homd Mission Fund, gave his report. A long discussion took place over tttlm which had been drawn up, most of these were adopted, but some were adjourned for further con- ou. The matter will be watched with a keen (oterees by the churches. The application for grants W6K0 received, and it was resolved to continue the gesau for Bettwe, Llanllugan, and Craven Arms. Twcp now applications were received, and after some dSooveccation and the examination of the balance ahedfc# of the churcnes, it was agreed to grant five poatida to the church at Welshpool, and three pounds totUit of Rhayader. Notic-of motion was given to fN bfJBghb forward at next ass ciition, that one- third of the money collected by tin churches for ffftffMiai-inn be given to Association Fund, and not the ønéí- Hum to the church where the association is bttd, Resolutions were passed in favour of the Wetefc Veto Bill and Welsh Disestablishment. The fitter was accompanied by a rider urging the House of (foauBone to pass it at the next session. Copies of dw resolutions were ordered to be sent to the Treatter. Stuart Rindel. Esq., M P., Frank Edwards, Ega„ M P., and Sir Pryce Pryce-Jones, M.P. A ?<} £ & at thanks was proposed by Rev J. Griffiths (teewtHTj). Llanidloes, and seconded by the Presi- jon4 Rev W. D. Young, and supported by the Rev J. toines. Llandriniod. To the church at Velindre flttA ifci Puator, Rev W. G. Mansfiflld, for the kind- HMt- riiofpn in receiving the Conference, and for .ooa.ting the ministers and delegates. This .carried with acclamation, and Rev W. G Mans- responded. Rev John Jones, Lla.ndrindod Wei H, closed the Conference with prayer. The minigters and delegates adjourned to the School-toon tar ten. which had been provided.—The Conference eac preeeded by a prayer meeting on Tuesday even- ing, KMreral of the ministers being present. OG Wedstesday evening at 6-30 services were held as faBaaa at Bettwa. Rev T. Rowson, Welshpool: Rev I) Daries, Maesyrhelem, were the preachers at the WlWleya.n Chapel, Cwmgwin, kindiy lent for the Ogetmoa; Rev W. Skinner, Presteign, was the p-rewher at the Baptist Chapel, Velindre, Rev J. Jon", Liandrindod, introduced the service Rev D. paana Cefnp >le, preacbed a sermon to the young tj&ev, W. Williams, Knighton, a sermon bearing oa ,.tb& Lord's Bupper. There was a good attendance at ,.øuh of the places of worship. On Thursday a, prayer iting was held at nine o'clock, Rev W. D. Young d, and gave an address, and several of the j.tofotafcsrs and delegates engaged in prayer. At 10 SO a paiilvt service was held, Rev D. Evans, Cefnpole, j £ ttttt»do«a5. the service, and Rev D. D^vies, Maesyr- L-gtics. Rev W. Skinner, Presteign, preached. A > gwvlee was held at 2-20 in the afternoon, Rev W. D. Gavel, introduced the service and preached; J. Jones also preached an able sermon. At SKiCiica was held, Mr D Davids, of Knighton, service wm bell, Mr D Davids, of Knighton, .ed the service Rev W. Williams, Knigh- -ian £ *nd Bar W. Skinner, Presteign, preached. Mr conducted the singing, and Miss L. Rees pmrid&l at the organ The attendances at the ser- wa« all that could be desired, the chapel was arosjitad ill the even ni8.—On Thursday Mr Griffiths -pirovided tea in the School-room for visitors, and this proved f,,i be an excellent arrangement. The Rev J. A secretary, Mr T. Pugh, treasurer, and the Ber Vf. O. Young are officers of which the denomi- ,I%sdxm.ttt,4y weil fet;l proud. We were glad to see I h good arrangements made by the church at \3T«iia<ilr6t, The services were much enjoyed by all.

iRiDSORSHIEK COUNTY CODXCIL ThIS 'la.rtedy meeting of the Radnorshirn CGunty Canceik w&s held at Knighton, October 27th last, ti2e, (%air cu;t ii (Lord Ormathwaite) presiding. There W.M £ a £ ood attendance of members. The Council jMajg-aedad to the work of appointing a ciistrict awmivsfc. in accordance with The Fertilisers and Staffs Act, 1893." It was agreed to leave ? ifa4appoiatmetit in the hands of a committee, as also wsta: the selection of a person to advise the B,)ard of as to the value of pigs about to be ^{kagrtafcared under the provisions of the S .vine Fever ISSS. The report ot the Standing Joint Com- Mitt&& «'aa received and adopted.—Upon the pro- pm*t of the adoption of the report of the Roads and Committee by Councillor T. E. Daggan, AUtseviif f± C. U. Rogers drew the Council's attention •to ttta ;a,ige increase in the expenditure on the roa(la during the past year, saying he did ,-BOt think, they had been improved in proportion to tii*additional expenditure on them, and moved an s*BM*»iaieat that the Committee should reconsider aadt report to the next meeting the desirability of putting a limit on the expenditure.—Councillor Jftir/Stag seconded the amendment, and complained tW expenditure on these roads had increased <fart £ »s5 the past ttireeyears.-Councitior Dugg An said the Conimittee regretted the increase.—Councillor J. Kamar said ha hoped the Council would adopt ettaze better system with regard to the management of tfee scheduled roada —The report, as amended. adopted.—The report of the finance committee and report of district auditor were received and adapted. The report of the directors to the Joint CwL'ttCuM Asylum at Abergavenny was next con- sidtfrad. Alderman tiogers propo ed, and Councillor Dw<pMi seconded, that the report be not adopted, iaassaaeh as the County Council of Monmouthshire am& the visitors to the asylum for that county had mwolved by resolutions to dissolve the union w.th Itroca" tud Radnor.—The Chairman proposed that -.■•Sb&V (tho Council) should co-operate with Brecon- in opposing the dissolution of the union. They 4MMM feave to pull cordially together aji i defeat the or Monmouthshire, as in would rrl,- in a, great aust to Radnorshire, should the disiolii, take This was seconded by Councillor C. H ^tatenuPrtce. Councillor Harding (who has taken a ■cety active part in the question) supported the swiioa. And spoke at great length, reviewing the wii'ject, and pointed out how hei vily it would fait on the latepayers of Radnorshire should the dis- jwltttioa take pittee-as they would have to build a lww cr join some other county in doing so. JEie c;owÚ ered it a m-.st iniquituus thing to turn JSadtear out of the union. The Chairman's prnposi- tion vam carried. I" was further agreed to appoint a. ^^Bsitiee to aot with Breconslure, and that the fianujWS gtKHCtary be petitioned to hold atiinquil-Iiito ■sfcHB-aiffbjeet. The report of tht-Icspejtoruf "eights ¡ ;«<nilBeaeUies was adopted, as that of the Printing ex&tui; at ion of plans and specitica- tiong. al bmitterl by the Birmingham Cor-.)o,-a: ioii, of ii sptist chapel iu substitution for the one now «tio*ted at Garregddue, in the parish of Llansaint Maud Cwtndauddwr, in pursuance of the Birmmg- sltiaa. Coloration Water Act, 1892, was referred to a 4awc*»Etfce", composed of the following :-Couii(,iilor,; tA. Li,)Sd )e. Mi)rgan, J. Hamar, Meredith mid Witia.ms. The arrangement for additional police gutd fce'ttp rai-y buildings in contice,ion with the Water Works were also discussed, and its Urn hatids of the Chairman, Chief Constable, Mtf tf r bpha, Williame. county surveyor.

BOARDS OF GUARDIANS. NEWTOWN & LLANIDLOES,— WEDNESDAY. Present:—Capt. Adams (presiding), Messrs R. Bennett (vice ohairman), J. R. Pryse (ex-officio), C. Morgan, David Davies, Evan Jones, Ed. George, Richard Nutting, Edward Edwards, William Jones, William Gittins, John Lloyd, David Jones, John Thomas; with Mr Richard Williams, clerk, and Mr C. T. M. Taylor, deputy-clerk. STATISTICS. Amount administered in on,relief during the past fortnight:—Newtown, per Mr R. H. Lloyd, first week £ 39 2" to 286 recipients, second week ^651 3s 6d to 274 recipients Llanidloes, per Mr R. Owen, first week X44 lie 9d to 411 recipients, second week .£42 3j 9d to 411 recipients; Llanwnog, per Mr J. Hamer, first week .£23 Is 6d to 170 recipients, second week .£21 2, 6d to 170 recipients. Number in the house, 49. Number of tramps relieved during the fortnight, first week 95, against 57 during the corresponding period of last ytar, second week 117, against 68 during the corresponding period of last year. The last number being the highest on record. MASTER'S REPOKT. The Master reported that the Rev A. C. Pierce, Llanidloes, held service at the House on Friday. S.nse last Board the Master had to get someone to at- tend t the pump. VISITING COMMITTEE. The visiting committee reported that they had visited the House, and found all in good order They also reported that the water supply was not equal to the demand. LOCAL GOVERNMENT BILL. The Clerk read a circuiar from the Wandsworth and Clapnam Union, which contained the following resolution :—" That this Board is of opinion that the changes proposed in the Poor Law Administration by the Luca.1 Government Bill should be omitted there- from, a:id that auy alteration should be dealt with by separate legislation, after full inquiry by a Royal Commission. That a oopy of the lesolution be for- warded to the Local Government Buard, and to all Poor Law Unions."—The Clerk said the Bill would come before Parliament on the following day, and he did not think anything they might say would effect it. The proposal referred to was to do away with existing Hoards of Guardians and to elect a new body on whicu ex-ofiicios would be done away with.—No action was taken in the matter. THE TRAMP QUESTION. uL!- ine committee appointed at tile last Jooara meeting to enquire into the accomodation and tasks of the casual tramps reported, that with the aid of the Master (who said that no more than twenty pro- fessional tramps visited the House per week) in the face of the Parish Councils Bill they were of opinion that it would be unwise to make any additional out- lay in altering the House, than by the adoption of their report of July 12th, 1893, which required the convers on of the boys' playroom into sleeping accommodation.—Mr Edward Edwards proposed, and Mr Evan Jones seconded, and the report was agreed to. MR. TUDOR'S CLAIMS. Mr Evan Jones, who was appointed at last meeting to get full particulars with regard to Mr Tudor's claim for damages dune by the fire, reported that Mr Tudor claimed the sum of .-£1 18s 5d, and he (Mr Tudor) also wished to point out to the Board the time the men lost while they were assisting to put out the fire He first claimed X2, which amount was accounted for by the loss of paint, etc., but he after- wards reduced the sum to XI 18a 5d.—Mr Evan Evaua proposed that he be given the sum of £ 2, which was seconded by Mr E. George, and agreed to. ALTERATION OF PREMISES. Mr C. Morgan proposed that the alteration of the premises, reported on July 12th be carried out, and that they have a sketch of the alteration before proceeding, as Mr Bircham would most probably insist upon its being done.—Mr Dd. Davies seconded the motioB, and it was carried.

WELSH INTERMEDIATE EDUCATION. THE BISHOP'S MUTILATION OF COUNTY SHEMES. The sevanth general Conference of the Joint Education Committee Ol Wales and Monmouthsnire was held on Tuesday at Shrewsbury. Mr A. C. Humphreys-Owen presided, and amongst those pre- sent were the Earl of Powis and Mr Richard Lloyd. Mr W. Napier Bruce, Assistant Charity Commis- sioner, was Hleo present. The Cell,fer-onoe consi iered amendments to the draft scheme for a Central Welsh Board. A long discussion took place on a proposal by the Rev Aaron Davies that the proportion of income to be contributed by each county to the Board should be reduced from a to 4 per cent., in the course of which Mr Bruce mentioned that counties which did no become affiliated to the Board would not lose their iuterest in the charities dealt with by the scheme. Mr Bruce estimated that the income of the County Governing Bodies would net be less than X80,000 a year. The proposal to reduce the percentage to 4 per cent. was defeated by 8 to 5. A proposal to strike out the provision requiring the payment of a capitation fee of 2s 6d for each scholar examined was, after some discussion, withdrawn, and it was decided that schools which did not come under the Central Board, but wished to be examined by it, should be required to pay the total actual cost of the inspection. Mr Bruce said he was glad to be able to announce that the Treasury had informed the Charity Com- missioners that they had no objectiun to make to the draft scheme for a Central Education Board, and they would be prepared to make provision in the Estimates when the time came for the contribution asked for by tie Board (cheers). That was not the only point upon which the Treasury had made very important concessions to the Conference. There were several points on whicn Mr Goscben, the then Chancellor ot the Exchequer, made criticisms, and he thought that iu every case now the Treasury had penerousiy met the Conference and satisfied them.- On the motion ot the Rev Aaron Davies, seconded by Mr Ivor Jamed, a vote of thanks to the Treasury was unanimously adopted. Principal Owen in moving the omission of all referenco to Betton's Chaiity from the scheme, said there were rlifferences of opinion as to the policy of altering the administration of this particu- lar otu rity.—Mr Pennant seconded the motion.— Three vo^ed fur the motion and a large number against it. With regard to the Meyrick Fund, which is the iccoiiK* of a sum of X20,000 to be paid by Jesus College, Oxford, Mr Bruce said the only suggestion which had reached the Commissioners was from the Montgomeryshire Committee expressing the opinion that the original proposals dealing with the Fund would have been preferable to the clauses drafted.— A resolution was adopted requesting the Charity Commissioners to further communicate with the College on the subject. On the constitution of the Central Board, another long discussion ensued. It was decided to give the ceniiicated elementary school teachers five seats, three tor bouth Wa!es and two for North Wales, :nd. to make the representation of the secondary teachers the tame, it was decided to add one to the number of Governors elected by them, making two representatives of the mistresses and three of the masters.—A long discussion took place upon the repr, sentation of the County Councils, and finally, on the motion of Mr T. E. El.is, M.P., it was decided to increase the representation of the County Govern- ing Bodies to 25.—It was also decided to increase the representation of Jesus College, Oxford, from one to two. P. iucipal Owen moved that representatives of St. Dtvid's College, Lampeter, be added to the Board. —Mr Pennant seconded the motion.—Mr Grove said if they agreed to the motion they would introduce the question of denominationalism, and that would cause a great amount of dissatisfaction throughout Wales.—On a division the motion was defeated Dy 12 to o The Rw L. James called attention to the action of the House of Lords with reference to the Cardigan and Merioneth county schemes, and asked how other schemes would be affected by that action.—Mr Bruce said that he understood the effect in the case of the Cardigan scheme was to strike out all the provisions tor ncholarship3. He understood further that the Vice-President had intimated that that scheme would now be put forward in its mutilated condition for approval by the Queen in Council. The Govern. ing Bodies constituted by that scheme could at once be elected, and as far as the establishment of schools was concerned it could be put into force as rapidly as possible. The cuurse tie imagined proper to pursue with regard to the scholarship clauses would be that the Cardigan County Governing Body or the local bouies or perhaps both, should apply to the Charity Commitsioners for an amending scheme, which wouid aim at resuscitating so much of the suiiolarfhip clauses as were not covered by the House of Lords, which he understood was only concerned with the application of scholarships in the Lampeter and Tregaron districts.—Mr Gwitym Evans said he should be prepared to move that the action of the House of Lords did not meet with the approval of tuat contort nee—Mr De Winton said perhaps it. might interest the House of Lords to know that the conference waited until it had dwindled from thirty to ten members before proposing the resolution.—Mr T. E Ellis, M.P., said he did not think the propor. tion of the conference present waa any smaller than the proportion of peers who spoilt those two schemes. -Principal Reichel said the house of Lords had exercised a constitutional power, and h3 was afraid he could not support such a motion.-Principal Owen said the Cardiganshire Committee were only asked to do for Lampeter and Tregaron what Flintshire had done for the district of Maelor, and Carmarthenshire for a similar district.—Mr T. K. Ellis, M. P., said a resolution of the conference was of very little importance it was clear what was the opinion of the Welsh people. The main objection to the Cardigan scheme was that a certain school at Lampeter was not allowed to hold the county scholarships, and because of that the whole machinery of the exhibitions, scholarships, and bursaries was cut off to the very last word. That was considered, and would continue to be considered, an extremely serious matter as bearing on the ques- tion of whether Wales was to have Its schemes ma.ngled by twenty or thirty peers in the House of L rds.—Principal Owen said there was no other way of remedying an injustice to a district of the county. The damage done was nothing like so serious as it wai represented, as the delay would be for no more than a year, tlnd he had yet to learn how the children could be benefited before the schools were built.— Mr Ellis, M.P., said the scheme contained a distinct provision for the Treearon district, that a school might be built within five years, not a private school regulated entirely outside the scheme, but under a representative body. Principal Owen said the Lampeter authorities were willing to accept the scheme of the Charity Commissioners to give a popular character to the Lampeter College School, bus they met with the most high-banded cavalier treatment, and he would take the part he had taken twelve times over if neeessary.-Mr Gwilym Evans said if the scheme did not come in for a year or two the L >rds would have ceased to exist, and would be unable to stop it again.—The subject then dropped. It was left to the Chairman and Secretaries to call the next meeting.

THE LAND COMMISSION. SWANSEA. The Welsh Land Commissioners resumed their sittings in South Wales at Swansea, on Tuetday, under the presidency of Lord Kenyon. The Mayor of Swansea gave evidence with respect to the encroachment on common land at Plasmarl. The whole district near which the land lay had recently been taken into the borough. He understood that there were seven or eight copyholders who had the rights over the common. The land had been taken at various times, some by squatters, who had held it fcr a long time and then claimed the freehold, and never bad paid any fees to the Duke of Beaufort or anyone else. Mr Bryumor Jones said that if any further en- croachment took place and they became aware of the fact, all they had to do was to bring the matter before the Board of Agriculture, which bad power to deal with such cases, and no land could be legally claimed unless it had received their sanction. Mr Glyn Price, agent to the Duke of Beaufort, said that no land enclosed within the last thirteen years on Plasmarl Common had been leased. In answer to certain questions from the Commis- sioners it transpired that the Duke of Beautort, hough not encouraging enclosures, received rents for encroachments on the Plasmarl Common imme- diately they were made. Mr Osborne Sheppard, of Neath, said he had for twenty-seven years acted as agent for Mr Vaughan Lee, Mr Edward Vaughan, and others, whose property comprised 10,000 acres in Glamorganshire and 2,500 in Breconshire. The relations of landlord and tenant were extremely cordial, and he could say from ex- perience that it was more friendly in Wales than it was in England and Scotland. The Chairman: Have you considerd the question of the Land Law. Mr Sheppard: Not seriously, my Lord. I hope it will never come to that. If it did I think that in this part of the country it would be practically a dead letter. In no case had they ever received a farthing extra rent for improvements made by the tenants. Mr A. Glasbrook, Llacgefelach, tenant of Mr Vaughan Lee, said he did not believe that farmers were afraid to come forward or that any depression existed. He was satisfied that he was making a decent living on his farm. He liked yearly tenancies because they gave the tenant greater freedom. They hid no written agreements. Mr Herbert Lloyd, of Plaskilybebyll, near Swan- sea, owner of 2,800 acres, gave evidence generally for his own estates. He considered that the residence of landlords upon their estates was of the greatest advantage to tenants and absenteeism was a curse. Services in addition to rent had been obsolete for the last thirty years. Rents were fixed by private agree- ment, but landlords and agents were fair in their dealiags with tenants, and farmers were alive to their own interests. There had been hardly any increase in rent on his property during the last fifty years; neither bad there been any reductions or abatements. Labour was difficult to get owing to the proximity of works and collieries. Uompensation for impiovementa was paid to tenants by custom. Game preserving had little or no effect on cultivation, and none on the relations of landlord and tenant. John Davies gave evidence with reference to the Hir-viiin Common. In 1860 or 1865 3,000 acres cf common land were allotted between the landowners in the neighbourhood. Prior to this allotment there svere hundreds of sheep on the common belonging to the workmen, small farmers, and others. The users of the commons were turned oat, and some squatters who bad held for lees than twenty-one years were now charged rent, while the cottages of others were pulled down. Some portion of the laud, amounting to thirty acres, had been allotted for recreatiou ground, but the Hirwain people had not yet had pos- session of it, nor was it ueed for recreation purposes. His object in giving evidence was to show how the aieat landowners of the country had taken posses- sion of common land, and deprived the poor of rights which they had previously eajoyed. The allotmenci given to to the public wete not nearly sufficient compensation to the Hirwaen people for the loss -ustained when the common was taken away from them. BRIDGEND. The Welsh Land Commissioners, under the presi- dency of Lord Kenyon, sat on Wednesday, at Bridgend, in Glamorgan. Mr T. J. Hughes, county councillor and solicitor, save voluminous evidence showing how prices of stock had fallen, and the consequent loss to tenant farmers. His experience was that financially smaH farms of 100 acres and below were very badly off, and hid been especially so during the last two years. Applications were more and more frequently made to him for advances upon mortgage. Many small farmers whom he had asked to give evidence de- clined to do so, stating as their reason that they were afraid of getting into hot water with their landlords. In support of this one farmer on the Margam estate, referred to a speech which Mr Knox, the chief agent ot the eatate, delivered, in which he condemned the action of the South Wales Liberal Federation in urging upon farmers the necessity of appointing committees to give evidence before the Commission. He hoped the farmers of Margam would not appoint such a committee for political purposes." So far as he had seen, Mr Knox had never withdrawn tiioite remarks. Reading between the lines, witness clearly inferred that Mr Knox advised the farmers not to combine to lay evidenee before the Commission, and he (witness) could, therefore, quite understand the hesitancy of th« Mat gam tenants in coming forward. Mr Edward Knox, the agent of the Margam estate, gave rebutting evidence, and declared he had never advised tenants not to give evidence. He had been misreported. His point had been that polit ics should uot be mixed up with agriculture. Several of the tenants had told him they werb opposed to a Land Court, as they preferred dealing direct with the laud- lord or the agent. Dr Wyndham Randell, the medical officer for the Local Sanitary Authority, complained of apathy in the administration of ths Public Health Act with reference to farmhouses, and attributed this to ignor- auce on sanitary matters on the part of members of sanitary boards and magistrates. Many old agri- cultural labourers, though receiving some amount of parish relief, were on the brink of starvation the minimum relief to adalts should bo 7s per week. Rev Thomas Howells, a Congregational minister, also spoke of the effect of Mr Knox's speech. No persuasion could induce the Margum tenants to come forward to make their grievances known. Witness was present and heard the speech. Mr Knox bad certainly advised the tenants nut to combine to give evidence for political purposes. This was regarded as tantamount to a prohibition to appear before 1 he Commission, which, as it dealt with land, was iu a sense political. Colonel T. P. Tuberville, J.P., of Ewenny Priory, Bridgend, said he owned 3,000 acres. He knew of no case where an oulgoing tenant had failed to obtain compensation for improvements. Game was pre- served to a moderate extent, but tenants in most cases did not avail themselves of tile provisions of the Ground Game Act. Game preserving improved the relations between landiords and tenants. He had spent 10 per cent, of his rental on repairs and im- provements during the last twelve years, and had not churged interest on the outlay. Replying to Mr Brynmor Jones, witness said that the tenants knew him too well to think he would wish I to interfere with them in the matter of giving evidence before the Commission, anymore than he would inter- fere with the.r liberty to vote. Mr William Jenkins, of Roofe Farm, Barry, gave evidence on behalf of the farmers of the Vale of Glamorganshire, whose income, he said, owing to depression had been reduced one-third. Permanent reductions in rents were inevitable, but without a Land Court this would be impossible Ground renti and royalties should be taxed for the relief of t I ( burdens on land, and the duty on malt replaced. H. complained of the great hardship, tyranny, and in. justice wrought by land agents, who often made lift intolerable. They were as a rule keenly alive tc their own interests and well up in tbe knowledge of how to eurich themselves by impoverishing the tenants and injuring the landlords. Mr Miles Roberts, tenant farmer, called hy the landowners' representatives, declared there was no ground for the statement that farmers were too afraid of their landlords to come forward to e v.. ev'dence. A Land Court, he believed, would do away with the cordial feelings that now exitt d between owner and occupier, and would prevd: landlords from spending money on property. Considerable interest was manifested in the exami nation of Mr Edward Knox, who acts as chief agent to the well-known Margam estate. The estate, aaid Mr Knox, comprised 30 000 acres, of which 14 UOu were mountain land It included 14 manors, aiio was held in lee simple, the estate being unencum bered. His experience was that farmers preferred to rent on large estates, and there was absolutely n demand for leases. He submitted a copy of tho estate agreements, and did not consider its claube- oppressive. As to the penalising clauses, they were well understood as aiming solely at the prevention of bad farming. Farms were never let to the first bidders, the only qualifications looked for boijig a good farmer with sufficient capital. Rents bai b e much the same on the estate for the last fifty jc-a- No reductions had been given, but abatements vary- ing from 15 to 25 per cent. had been given oil t!i, < evasions since 1836. The depression commeuc-d i 1S79, and as one remedy be suggested a re<iuo ion o rates on land. The relations between occupier am owner on the estate were most friendly. Major Rees Thomas, one of the Magam tenants elected at a public meeting to give evidence, it was a general complaint among the tenants thtt rents were much too high. It was a fact that many tenants suffered serious losses through £ »ine. Wild geese were preserved as closely as the game, and did much damage. Permission, however, fiid now been given the tenants to shoot or drive them away. The geese came there in their thousands at this time of the year. Evidence on behalf of the Talygaun estate was given by Mr Godfrey Clarke, son of the landowner. Compensation was provided by a clau-e in the a, -rc e. ments, but almost all tenants claimed nnd-r tbe cus- tom of the country. Temporary abatements had Kaan 1'nA. Mr Ariliur J. Williams, M.P. for South Glamorgan, gave lengthy evidence with respec- to Crown lands, l'here was very little public Crown land in C lamol gan shire, but a very large extent of property which belonged to the Duchy of Lancaster. In the Select Committee of the House of Commons in 1890-1. of which he was a member, evidence was given ishowing that there were 84,100 acres of walSte lnud in Wales, the minerals u der which were owned by the Crown, and that the Crown also owned th., minerals under 90,863 acrea of enclosed lanJ, the surface of which must at one time have belonged to the Crown. He should like to ascertain what had become of the proceeds of the sales of these lands. Of this enormous property the Crown vt present owned only 500 acres of freehold surfaces. When the Select Committee pre- sented their teport for final consideration he brought thiii matter up, and moved as an amendment that it was desirable that the Crown lands for each county should be locally managed by its County Council and the proceeds applied for public purposes in the county, but the amendment was lost. He suggested with reference to the enormous commons, with the Ogmore lordship in the county belonging to the Duchy of Lancaster, that their management should be vested iu a representative local authority with powers to enclose small portions thereof for allotment and rabbit warren purposes, as allotmenta were scarce and the rabbits on the common did fearful damage. Such a scheme would open up the most beautiful coast in Wales to the general public and encourage develop- ment, with due regard to existing interests. This property remained the qaasi-property of the reigning sovereign, but no one would dispute that it was really national property. Alderman Gwilym Jones, Pontypridd, complained of encroachments by the Marquis of Bute. A sheep run of 219 acres once belonging to witness's relative had been claimed by his Lordship, and the relative, fearing litigation with so powerful a nobleman, cleared his sheep from the run, whereupon Lord Buto's agent immediately took possession of it, though there existad to this day landmerk-i on the run bearing the initials of his relatives. The Gla- morgan County Council were prevented fr,)m carrymg out important works of public improvement at Aber- dare Junction because his Lordship's agents refused reasonable terms fer land which was once a common. Similarly his Lordship, as lord of the manor, per- mitted quarrying operations on a common allotted to the inhabitants of Poutypridd for recreation purposes, whereby the common was being bodily carted away, aad the famous historic" R joking Stone," cnec the shrine of the ancient Druids, was in danger of dis- appearing. Un behalf of the Pontypridd Local Board witness solemnly protested against the continuance ot these encroachments by the Lord of the manor. It was a sore grievance that rents were being raised on tenant's own improvements.