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0- -o_ I OUR OUTLOOK. The Revolt Spreading. The revolt on the Armenian question is gaining ground, though the party agitation started by Mr G. W. E. Russell is condemne d on grounds of expediency by leading Liberal newspapers, which hold that a party agitation is Hnltboly to attain the ends it has in view. Meanwhile it is t j be observed that the resolutions which the General Committee of the National Liberal Federation is to be asked to adopt at Liverpool next month indicate a modifi- cation of that complete confidence in Lord Salisbury wbioh has been so loudly professed of late. The Com- mittee is to be asked to express "its profound regret that the attempts ,1ich have been made up to the pre- sent time to bring about such action have beer. so barren of tccsod resultand to assert its belief that the nation wi!l not hold the Government free of guilt unless it proves beyond question that every effort has been made, and L" still being made. to give effect to the view. which the country has expressed at public meetings marked by such. extraordinary spontaneity and absence of party feeling." An influential and representative body of London Nonconformists has recorded its regret that its past assurance to Lord Salisbury to support any action he might take to relieve the distressed Armenian people ha-s-been followed by ineffective action on the part of the Government,"and Dr Lunn, who moved the resolution, described the Premier's speech at the Guildhall as a wanton disgrace, una one which Nonconformists could nst allow to pass without protest." Mr Herbert Glad- stone has recently delivered a passionate and well reasoned speech in favour of England's right and power to act aJune, and Mr G. W. E. Russell, who haa been inter- viewed as to his movement follows this up by stating that supposing it transpires that Russia fca? been offered a free hand and has declined to use it, then this country ought not to be precluded by any private declaration from acting single-handed if necessary. If we pledge ourselves not under any circumstances to act single-handed, we place ourselves in such position that the other powers can disregard us." Mr Russell add, that sympathetic letters have been received from LiberaLs in all part- of the country who warmly approve of the movement. France Awakening. It ii.gratifying to read that at last a popular Agitation onbahalf of the Armenians is catching on in France. Tha Abbe Fremont speaking on Armenia not to hundreds but: to thousands in the beautiful Madeleine Church, before the largest, wealthiest, and most representative congregation in Paris, said, after describing the matftiscres :—" I would like to take you by the hand over the battle fields of 1S70, show you the victims of Woerth, R-iehslioffen, Speiehern, Gravelotte, Mars-la-Tour, Sedan, Bazeilles. Buzenval, Villersexel. If you could see your fellow-countrymen of 1870 in their graves, the horroo: would be such that you might well die from it. But. at any rate, between French and German:* it was a fil.between heroes and heroes, struggling after a declara- I tioin-of war for great national issues—the preponderance in Errope of France or Germany. The total of victims in At mania come up to the united death roil of ail those I great battlefields, but the Armenians were basely mur- dered, and tho survivors have been ruined or compelled to forswear Christianity." The Abbe's description of the massacres was most touching, and for the first time in FT? nee, tears were shed over the victims of Urfa, Sassoun, I Erreroum. and Constantinople, and purses were emptied." A generous collection was made on behalf of the distressed Armenians. Meetings are also being organii-^d in the provinces, and the French Foreign Minister Rtid to be greatly alarmed at the growth of the movement. « # My Lord and My Lord Bishop. <' Whatever they might have heard about rat^-aid," said the Bishop of St. Asaph, addressing the deanery of Wr?xbam. he did not believe it would paw through the presant House of Commons, and therefore they must be prepared for State-aid, which he hoped would put Voluntary schools upon such a basis as ffjuld prevent tii 'ru from being in such a perpetual state of begging as tb.J.'l had been in recently." "Prepared for" is a decidedly peculiar phrase in such a connection It suggests that the friends of Voluntary lichoolf are getting ready to make the best of a bad job. The Prime Minis- ter's son (Lord Hugh Cecil) is still advocating rate-aid, however, and he is even "prepared" b concede popular control in order that he may get it. But what kind, of popular control "He suggested that under such .control the representatives of the ratepayers should haver power to dismiss a teacher, as this would be a guarantee that secular education would be properly safe- guarded, but that the appointment of teachers ,-houkl rcttt.witb the school managers, so that there would be a guarantee Lhat the teacher would be a religious minded maffwho could be trusted with the religious instruction of children." With Lord Hugh Cecil, Chijrehism and religion are synonymous terms. But the Bishop of St. Asaph is right for once. Rate-aid will never be granted by the House of Commons on any such condi- tion.?. London Nonconformists demand as the condition of further aid to Voluntary schools, that national etbtt'Stioa should be liberated from clerical subjection, that local educational authorities, elected ad hoc by thj ratepayers, should be substituted for priestly and diocesan control, and that the appointment and dismissal of toachers should be vested in the popularly-elected manners, the teachers being set free from sectarian religious tests. In this matter the London Noncon- formists express the views of the whole Liber/,I The Leadership Difficulty. Revelations are promised or threatened with regard to the relationship between Sir William H ircourt and Lord Rosebery which are alleged to have caused Lord Kaeehery's resignation. A correspondent of The W p.sbrn Morning News states that The entire corre- spondence is to be published, and some startling revela- t-;o2ii are to be made. It will give the whole details of tiro-quarrel from the beginning, and will contain each of tho statesmen's explanations of his own actions Conse- quently it will be no one-sided statement." This writer goes.on to assert that the correspondence" will show that in resigning Lord Rosebery took the only manly course open to him, that he sought to bring about s, reconcilia- tion; and that his position as leader became absolutely untenable. On the other hand. Sir William fiareourt is not liksly to come out of the affair in a very favourable light. Certainly there is a rod in pickle for Sir William Hrrrcaurt, and I fancy that his chance of continuing to lead the party will be remote when the wtjoie story is published." A" weli-informed correspondent of 'The Mrarahester Guardian' says that a cert air; series of facts in tolerably precise outline and the nature of a number of documents bearing on the r»utic-ao of Sir William Harcourt to Lord Rosebery havi- some months past been the property of a few leading Literals. Rumrrctr?5 of what has been known to a tew BEEN LOW to have, reached injudicious or interested quarters, and it appears to be the intention to press them forward with tbrgr- avowed purpose of injuring the positicr;. of Sir WHiSm-Harcourt as leader of the party ia tin- H xu.v> of Coannoxrs." A Different Tale. Tha Guardian's' correspondent incJi&ab to tL- belief that the suggested publication of the correspondence is tc.tJe made in the interests of the Unionists rathcc than of Lord Rosebery's followers, and denies that Sir William haa-anything to fear from it. The publication L" is, in fadtr, absolutely certain, to strength*?: his Loid on the confidence and appreciation of the party ao a v»hole, and especially of the advanced men in the pa.rty aid of the maii,i,of the party in the country. The correspondence, in. nhort, will completely clear Sir William Harcourt fronrthe vague and injurious suggestions and insinuations which ills personal enemies have tried .-o persistently to disseminate. And especially it will prove that in the main features of the Liberal policy at the periixl covered by tha-correspondence, and in the most striking feature of eii-the policy of making the right niet. pay,' the keynote of the Finance Act of 1894, the !-)("()P- had in Sir William Harcourt the wise and strong defender of the
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"The Time" in Glasgow. Special interest is given to the following para- graph from a contemporary by the fact that the Glasgow system of clocks has been proposed for Newtown :—One of the most interesting of Glasgow enterprises is what may be described as municipal time for the entire city. Some years ago the experi- ment was tried of placing municpal clocks in promin- ent positions all over Glasgow and regulating them by synchronisation. The present scheme is much more elaborate, and is nothing less than the establish- ment of a system of standard time, by means of electrically controlled clocks, regulated every second from the steliar clock at the Observatory. A regu- lating clock, directly controlled from the Observa- tory, has been placed in the City Chambers, and this in turn controls three circuits of public clocks erected at various points in the city In the meantime, only about a dozen clocks have been provided, but if the trial proves successful, the Corporation intends to erect from 200 to 300 eighteen inch dials, thus pro- viding a reliable system of standard time for all parts of the city. This extension of the circuit will involve the laying of sixty-one miles of wire. It is hoped also to include time-keeping in private houses.
LLANIDLOES TOWN COUNCIL.
LLANIDLOES TOWN COUNCIL. WATER QUESTION: A WARM DISCUSSION. A special meeting of the Council was held on Tuesday evening, under the presidency of the Mayor (Councillor E. Hamer). There were also present: Aldermen Ed. Davies, E. Bowen, W. George, and W. Ashton; Councillors A J. Morris, J. K. Jones, R. George, Ed. Dakin. James Grant, Geo. Hercomb, T. Pryce Jones, and Daniel Davies, with Mr Arthur Davies (deputy-clerk). The MAYOR announced that the first business on the agenda was the consideration of Mr Radford's report on the water scheme. Alderman EDWD. DAVIES thought they should decide whether this meeting should be public or in committee. The MAYOR That is for the Clerk to decide. Alderman BOWEN: According to the notice it is a special meeting. Mr A. J. MORRIS said the meeting was public, unless they resolved themselves into committee. Personally he thought there was nothing that should be kept private. U Councillor J. K. JONES proposed that the Council be open. Mr E. DAKIN seconded. The MAYOR (addressing Alderman Davies), I don't know upon what you base your argument. Alderman DAVIES replied that unless they resolved themselves into committee the meeting would be public. He had no objection at all, othei" wise he would have made a proposition. He simply wanted to know for the sake of peace and quietness whether it was to be public or not. Alderman ASHTON Seeing that nobody has pro- posed that the meeting be in committee, we can go on as at an ordinary meeting. The CLERK then read Mr Badford's report:- Pelham Chambers, Angel-row, Nottingham. November, 1896. To the Mayor. Aldermen, and Councillors of the Borough of Llanidloes. Gentlemen. ■WATERWORKS COMPETITION. In accordance with your instructions I have carefully examined the whole of the' 17 competitive schemes sent in, and have read every report, examined every plan, and made careful notes of each scheme. On November 6th I inspected the district with the Committee, and visited every proposed source of supply, with the exception of several that were inadmissable for reasons in connection with the engineering or water-rights. In my opinion the three best schemes are those sent in under the mottoes Verax," Aquarius," and Thorough. Most of the other schemes are either too expensive for your borrowing powers, or the engineering is faulty, or the interference with the water rights is too serious. VERAX. The author of this scheme proposes to pump the water from the alluvial deposit at the junction of the Severn and Dulas, across the river into a large open reservoir to hold 3,173,000 gallons and to be situated in field No. 391, from which reservoir the water would gravitate through 4-inch mains and be distributed in the town. There would be a well about 15 feet deep, with collecting drains, and the water would be pumped by duplicate oil engines the cost for oil being estimated at t20 per year. The great object of this scheme is to avoid compensation for inter- ference with water-rights, by pumping from a well in the gravel instead of taking the water direct from any stream, thus avoiding the necessity for an Act of Parliament! The estimate is as follows -Pumping Station. 7.59 13s (jd: reservoir. < £ 6224 14s 7d: mains, £1219 lis 9d con- tingencies, 0: 5d total for works. £ 9021. If the reservoir is reduced to one and a halt' million gallons the estimate is reduced by < £ 2,700. Assessor's remarks: The principle of this scheme is good, because no water-rights are interfered with, and tnere is no legal power to prevent your obtaining the water in this way. In the case of schemes for taking water from the streams, if you failed to agree with the millowners and others as to compensation water you would require an Act of Parliament. Moreover," to supply the compensation water would be more costly than to compensate the millowners. and considerable litigation might result. There appears no doubt that the water would be good, as it would be naturallv filtered through the gravel, and it might be artificially filtered afterwards. The scheme is, however, very crude, and could be greatly improved. The site of the well on field No. 2520 would, no doubt, give the requisite supply, but probably as good a supply conld be obtained on either of the fields Nos. 2472, 2473, 2475, or 2441, and the reservoir would undoubtedly be very much better if placed above Summerfield. on field No. 2424. as shewn on the attached plan, at a level of 725 O.D. If these sites were adopted, the length of pumping pipes required from the pumping station to Short-bridge would be 840 yards of 2,600 yards, and the whole of the works would be within the district, thus avoiding notices under Sections 32 and 54. and preventing the necessity of paying rates to other districts. The well should be 10 feet diameter, placed outside the, engine house, with suction pipes dipping into it. There should be two sets of three throw pumps, each raising 4,000 gallons per hour, so that both can be worked if desired. The two oil engines would be about 6 H.P. each. The quantity of water available to the town should be about 70,000 gallons daily. With this scheme there would be an unlimited supply, and the Cambrian Railway could be supplied. The proposed reservoir to hold 5,173,000 gallons is about 40 times as large as need be. A small covered reservoir to hold 70,000 galls., or one day's supply is everything that is needed, and more than is provided in most towns. This would provide quite sufficient reserve in case of fire, as both pumps could be started if there was a large fire, and there is a duplicate pump in case of break-down. This one alteration would reduce the cost of the scheme t5,000 odd. A small set of filter beds, about 100 square yards in area, should be provided close to the reservoir. The rising main should be five inches, and the main from the reservoir to the town should be 6-inch, and there should be a bye-pass for reservoir cleans- ing. All these schemes should include the cost of the lead pipes from the mains to the boundaries of the properties taking the water, as these connecting pipes across the streets are almost invariably laid at the expense of the authority. The estimate might therefore be revised somewhat as follows ;—Pumping station, well, and machinery, < £ 1,203; covered service reservoir and filter beds, .£1,000; rising main, t200 mains, valves, and hydrants in town, < £ 1,000; pipes from mains to boundaries of properties, X.400, contingencies, < £ 400 or a total of X4,600 for works. To this must be added cost of land and fees. The ar.nual cost, when the whole of the town took the water, would hardly be likely to exceed < £ 100. The above estimate reduces the cost of the reservoir enormously.' but allows much larger prices for all the other works. AQUARIUS. This scheme provides an impoundage reservoir to hold 7i million gallons, or about 100 days supply, and to be situated on Nant-y-Geifr, in fields Nos. 675 and 676. The watershed is 260 acres, and the top water level of the reservoir would be 953 O.D. The dam would be 30 feet high. There would be a 6-inch main from the reservoir to the town. The author says that the stream yielded 44,000 gallons a day in dry weather, but this is probably a mistake, and should be 11,000 gallons. There is only the Town Mill that would have its water right interfered with. There are the usual mains in the town. The esti- mate is For reservoir, < £ 3,400; mains, = £ 2,256 total for works, = £ 5,656. Nothing is said about compensation water. Assessor's RemarksOf all the streams we visited the Nant-y-Geifr appeared the most suitable, because the watershed appeared likely to produce good water, with a mininum of pollution, and because the water rights af- fected were less than in any other impoundance scheme.
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interests of the workers-a mau who knows when he is right and will not be diverted from his purpose." The writer is anxious to defeat any sinister purpose which may underlie the half disclosure in the Western News,' and expresses the hope that the documents alluded to will rest tranquilly in pigeon-holes or despatch-boxes." # Not a Party of Teetotallers." A very interesting and important discussion on the relations of the Liberal party to the temperance question has been raised by a dispute which has arisen between Mr Johnson Ferguson, M.P., and some of his constituents in the Loughborough division. Mr Johnson Ferguson spoke at a banquet of Licensed Victuallers, and some of the local temperance people "have taken him severely to task because he said that excisable liquor is not injurious, and that the national drink bill, showing an average expenditure of 2d. per head per day, is nothing to be alarmed at. Even those who defend Mr Johnson Ferguson against the indignant teetotallers admit that his speech was not a very wise or discreet one, for it is manifestly absurd to excuse the vices of those who drink too much by the virtues of those who do not drink at all. But the chief points raised are whether a Liberal member must necessarily be a teetotaller and a supporter of local option in the precise form of the late lamented Local Veto Bill. Mr Johnson Ferguson is in favour of the principle of popular control of the liquor traffic, but some of his constituents declare that they will not trust temperance legislation to a man who holds that excisable liquor is not injurious, and that the drink bill is not excessive. The Speaker's diarist expresses the opinion of the majority of Liberals no doubt when he says the Liberal party is a party of reform, but it is not a party of teetotallers, and the attempt to convert it into one can only lead to disaster. # A Plea for Temperance. Again it is surely a great mistake'' judiciously observes the Daily News,' for Liberals to treat every licensed victualler as a necessary opponent. There are matters on which the party of reform might appeal to the interests and sympathies of the publicans. The brewing interest, as a whole, must no doubt be regarded as a Tory interest, but the real interests of the brewers and the licensed victuallers are not always the same. After all, the great majority of the British people are glass and pipe men," and to speak and act as if those who catered to the beer consumers were accursed or unclean is absurd. It is, we are convinced, bad policy from the Temperance point of view and most certainly it is not Liberalism. How, asked Sir Wilfrid Lawson, is the Liberal party to be returned to power within a measurable distance of time ? By adherence. we reply, to the principles and the spirit of Liberalism— and not least by fidelity to toleration and temperance —yes, temperance even in the cause of temperance itself." Not for, but by the Landlords. Lord Carrington talks extraordinarily good common sense, especially for a landlord, and his downright honesty is even more remarkable. It is not merely that lie says the relief of Is an acre given to the land by the Agricul- tural Rating Act is no good to the farmer. Nobody seriously pretends it is. What W2 like about Lord Carrington's speech at Southport is the advice he gave to his brother landlords to cut down their expenses and get rid of their mortgages. Lord Carrington had not only precept to offer, but example as well. Every shilling of his income is derived from land, yet at a time when agriculture is supposed to be a ruined industry this is what he has been able to accomplish. About 38 years ago he inherited a landed estate with two large country houses, one fortunately being only on lease, with charges and obligations on the property to the extent of nearly < £ 400,000. Since that time, though the rents had gone down about 30 per cent., he had repaired all the farm- houses and buildings, and had only lost, excepting in cases of death, 20 of the large tenants, and Jjad put on the land several thousand small holders. He had bought and paid for < £ 30,000 of property in Bucks and his mother's family place in Wales, and had never, with the exception of one strong clay farm for a short time, had a single acre of land unlet, and he had cleared off over X350,000 of mortgages, encumbrances, and obligations by selling out- lying portions of his property, a Welsh estate, and one of the large country houses-the maintenance of which was a great drain on the income of the estate." The moral is in Lord Carrington's own words that the situation should be saved not for the landlords, but by the land- lords themselves." s Made in Germany." Fair traders seem unable or unwilling to grasp the significance of the fact that merchants pay in goods and not in gold. Yet the lesson ought to be clear enough. Lord Farrer has been trying to lay the Made in Germany" bogie with a few facts illustrating this principle. Our trade with Germany was no less than one-twelfth of our- whole trade, and amounted to no less than £ 60,000.000 a year. The fact that we exported more than we imported showed that the Germans were not killing our trade. Our exports of domestic produce and manu- factures to Germany were actually greater than they were to any other nation. Germany was our largest customer, ar.d the United States was the next. Germany sent us < £ 17.000,000 worth of raw materials and XIU,000,000 of manufactures. It would therefore be seen how extremely valuable our trade with Germany was and how little reason there was for any kind of despair, in spite of all the subsidies and bounties which were intended to increase their exports and diminish their imports. About one-fifth consisted of sugar on which a bounty was given. The case of the German sugar bounties was admirably used by Lord Farrer to show how clmap imports encour- age instead of injuring our trade. It is complained that the admission of cheap sugar from Germany injures our Colonial sugar trade. But Lord Farrar points out that through the cheap sugar Germany sends us we have become the confectioners and buscuit makers of the world. And at the same time the English cottager is able to buy sugar at less than 2d which the Germans and the French have to pay 6d and 8d for. While the Germans have increased in the output of iron by 32,000 tons, England has increased by 600,000 tons, more than all the other countries put together. The trades in which the Germans beat us are cheap textiles, cheap printing, bookbinding, musical instruments, and toys. A Useful Digest. A handy digest of the bulky report of the Welsh Land Commissioners has been prepared by Mr D. Lleufer Thomas, secretary to the Commissioners. Mr Thomas explains that his object has been to prepare a less expensive volume, as well as to give the gist of the report in smaller compass. His digest, containing all that the average student of the Welsh Land Question will wish to have, can be obtained for four shillings, whereas the report itself costs ten shillings and sixpence. The methods upon which Mr Thomas has gone to work will be best stated ir his own words as found in the preface. It was necessary," he explains, to condense certain portions very considerably, and I have thus treated those parts which are mainly historical and do not bear directly on the more practical issues of the present day. I have. moreover, wholly omitted the Commissioners' detailed description of Welsh agriculture (which in the official Report extends to more than 150 pages), except where I have quoted (in Chap. xi., section 2) a number of sug- gestions which are made for improvements in the method of farming. I have thus obtained more space for treating of the relation of landlord and tenantrecognising that this is the subject in which public interest is chiefly centred, and that it was mainly, perhaps exclusively, for its consideration that the Commission was primarily appointed. To this subject, therefore, is devoted by far the larger part of this digest. So much for the scope of the work. As to ita method--so far as possible I have throughout reproduced the actual words of the Report, so that the Commissioners are able to speak directly for themselves. In dealing with those portions of the Report which are adopted by all the Commissioners, and in which they review the evidence and present a statement of the facts generally, my aim has been to bring the more important points into greater saliency, introducing only such brief observations of my own as seemed absolutely necessary for explanation and continuity of narrative. Where the Commissioners, however, divide-some in favour, others against a Land Court--I have stepped entirely aside, so that the full text of (a) that portion of the Majority Report, where a Land Court is recommended, and (b) the whole of the separate Report of the Minority have been reproduced,"
LLANIDLOES TOWN COUNCIL.
The cost of storing compensation water would, however, be almost prohibitive, and consequently it would be ad- visible to carry out the schemes only if the owner of the Town Mill would accept a reasonable inoney compensation instead of compensation water, thus avoiding an Act of Parliament. In this case, perhaps, the reservoir would be sufficient if made to hold 5,000,000 gallons, but the dam should be arranged on a curve, and designed so that it can be raised afterwards if necessary. I consider there should be small filter beds and small clear water reservoir near Summerfield, similar to the one recommended for the Verax scheme. This would enable the main from Nant-y-Geifr to the town to be 4-inch instead of 6-inch, and this would save a considerable sum towards the cost of the service reservoir. The main should not be laid on the bed of the stream, and probably you would find it better to cross Felindre Bridge instead of going under tho bridge. No regulating tank would then be required. The estimate for this scheme would be more likely to work out as follows:—Reservoir for 5,000,000 gallons, -C3,000 4-inch main, < £ 805; mains, valves, etc., in town, £ 1,500: small pipe connections, < £ 300; service reservoir and filter beds, XI,000 contingencies, £ 600; or a total for works of 17,200. To this must be added cost of land, fees, and water rights. THOROUGH. This scheme is for an impoundage reservoir on the Afon Brochan. The estimate is < £ 5,600, including .£160 for land. This is a good scheme, with a good set of plans, but the water of this stream is probably not so good as the Nant-y-Geifr, and the compensation for water rights would certainly be much more serious. It is hardly necessary to criticise the details, but probably the esti- mate would be exceeded, particularly as filter beds and service reservoir ought to be added to the scheme. SUMMARY. As it is difficult to tell which scheme should be adopted until you have ascertained the compensation required by the owners of the water-rights, I advise you to divide the premium equally between Verax and Aquarius." When you have capitalised the cost of pumping we still find "Verax" to be the cheapest scheme, and the one which involves the least interference with the existing rights. No special powers would be required to carry it out, and all the works would be within your own district. I believe you will find that the Verax scheme will be the most economical, and the one you will probably find it best to adopt. The best way to proceed will be to ascertain the cost of the various sites in both schemes, and the cost of the water-rights in the "Aquarius" scheme, together with the necessity or otherwise for an Act in the case of the latter scheme. You should also have a trial hole dug on the site selected for the Verax scheme, and see if the water supply is sufficient and the analysis satisfactory. The well should go a few feet below the rock. When you have obtained the above information you can judge better which would be the scheme for you to adopt. If you adopt the Verax scheme you should engage the services of the author of it, if the resuit of his past experience has given you sufficient confidence in him, but if you think he has not had sufficient experience you should see the author of Aquarius," and failing him try Thorough." If you carry out the "Aquarius scheme you should engage the author of it if his experience is sufficient, and, if not, see the author of Thorough." The usual terms for an engineer is 5 per cent. for plans and superintendence and 2 per cent. for the contractor's quantities, together with out-of-pocket expenses in rail- way fares and hotel expenses, and extra charges in con- nection with land negotiations, Provisional Order, or Act of Parliament. You pay the clerk of works. In comparing the above three schemes with other schemes you must not take much notice of the estimates, as in some cases these are not reliable.—I remain, gentle- men, yours very truly, W. H. RADFORD, C.E. Alderman DAVIES: I should like to know the real names of "Verax," "Aquarius" and "Thorough," Councillor MORRIS: Before we disclose the names I think we should decide to whom the premium is to be awarded. I propose that the premium be divided between" Verax" and Aquarius." I think we should accept Mr Radford's suggestion and intimate to them that the premium, according to the assessor's award, is divided between them. Councillor E. DAKIN: May I take it we cannot get out of it, because I don't believe in his award at all ? If we cannot get out of it, I second Mr Morris's proposition. I have heard competent judges express dissatisfaction at his award. Alderman E. DAVIES: I move as an amendment that we have the names of Verax," "Aquarius" and Thorough." Alderman GEORGE We were told two months ago that two gentlemen had written asking if an assessor was to be appointed. Would there be any harm if we had the names of those two persons P Alderman ASHTON remarked that whoever sent to the Engineers informing them that an assessor would be appointed did so without the consent of the Council. Councillor MORRIS: It is quite out of order. If it was in order I would reply to it at once. There is a minute on the book to the eflect that there was to be an assessor appointed. Mr J. K. JONES: I think Alderman George's question should be answered. The MAYOR My opinion is that we had better proceed and put the Ex-Mayor's motion. Councillor R. GEORGE thought the question raised by Alderman George should be answered. If the parties written to were not the two or the three who wrote the Council, then they were not bound to Mr Radford's decision; if they had been of the number written to, then the Council weie bound. The MAYOR: That gives more light on the question; now we have a reason as to the question being asked. cl Councillor D. D VIES thought it was imperative to pay this money as awarded by the assessor. They could not appoint another assessor, and it was incumbent upon them to pay the premium in two parts. Councillor HERCOMB asked whether each of the competing engineers had an intimation that Mr Radford was appointed assessor. The DEPUTY-CLERK answered that a circular had been sent to each competitor. Alderman E. BOWEN: We are quite just; we are bound to pay the money. Alderman GEORGE repeated his question, and The DEPUTY-CLERK replied that he could not give him the names of the gentlemen then. Councillor MORRIS thougiit they were going outside the question altogether. They had the matter before the Council previously, when the Clerk was asked who instructed him to write to the Engineers stating that an assessor would be appointed. ,J The minutes were turned up, and it was found that it was clearly understood that an assessor would be appointed, and that the Clerk had sent the same letter to all the engineers. Alderman GEORGE: That is not an answer to my question. Councillor MORRIS: I believe more than two j gentlemen wrote, at least two spoke to me asking the same question. The CLERK Nearly all the engineers wrote ask- ing if an assessor would be appointed. Alderman ASHTON said the circular was sent to the engineers in the month of May. In July the Council decided that the scheme should be submitted to an engineer, but somebody had sent the circulars two months previously. Councillor E. DAKIN thought the question was thrashed out at the last meeting of the Council. He believed Alderman Ashton was the gentleman who proposed a certain resolution, so that when they came to think of the matter no one was to blame but themselves. The minutes were read at a previous meeting and showed that those in authority were perfectly in order in what they did. The circular sent to the engineers was then produced. Alderman GEORGE I do not dispute that at all. Councillor HERCOMB What is the date of that circular ? The CLERK: They were written on different occasions. The MAYOR: Give us the date of the first one that was written. The CLERK: On the 11th May. The circular letter was read; it stated that the Council required the schemes to be sent in under noms de plume, and they would be submitted to an expert. The MAYOR I do not see the use of hunting up these things. Alderman ASHTON I am quite satisfied. Councillor J. K. JONES seconded the amendment proposed by Alderman Davies. Councillor MORRIS thought they should know the names of the candidates as soon as they decided. It was most unusual and a bad principle to ask the competitors to send in plans under a nom, de plume and then disclose their names before deciding. It might prejudice some people if they knew who the competitors were. He thought the proper thing to do was to decide the merits of the schemes under the noms de plume and then declare the names after- wards. Alderman DAVIES: Before we go any further I shall stick to my proposition that now is the proper time to disclose their names. The amendment was put and carried by seven votes to five. THE NAMES were then read as follows:—" Verax," Mr H. Band- croft, Manchester; Aquarius," Mr Frederick
LLANIDLOES TOWN COUNCIL.
Beasley, Westminster, London; and "Thorough," Messrs Conyers,. Kirby, and Son, Newport, Mon. The MAYOR: Shall we accept Mr Radford's decision and write to the successful competitors? The whole Council were in favour of the suggestion .9 with the exception of Alderman Davies, who did not vote either way. Councillor DANIEL DAVIES proposed that the Assessor be paid his fee without delay. Councillor T. PRYCE JONES seconded, and the motion was carried unanimously. Councillor J. GRANT proposed that the successful competitors be not paid the premium until the Council had time to consider the plans. Councillor E. DAKIN seconded. Alderman ASHTON Are we compelled to pay the premium as the Assessor has awarded it? Councillor MORRIS We can defer payment until we consider the schemes. In many cases it has been found possible to arrange with the engineer to forego his payment. Alderman ASHTON But are we liable ? Councillor MORRIS We are certainly liable, but I do not think there is any harm in deferring it for a short time. The motion was carried. The MAYOR said the next question on the agenda was the selection of water schemes for further con- sideration of the Council. He did not know whether they would go into the question that night, but it would have to be gone into. Councillor GRANT would like to sav, although it might be considered presumption on his part to criticise Mr Radford's decision, that he was not in favour of a pumping scheme for the town. With regard to the other scheme, he thought they should carefully consider it and go into the matter care- fully. They should first of all get the water analysed a.nd determine the quantity by means of guaging boards. Having got the information they would be able to go into the matter and carry it out (hear, hear). Alderman E. DAVIES said there was another question of great importance and that was whether they would be able to borrow money when they had decided upon a scheme. The Assessor pointed out to those who went with him that it was a muddle to get the loan paid off and then BORROW MONEY for another purpose. He said it could not be done. He (the speaker) thought the matter should be thrashed out before going any further. If they adopted a scheme now and made all preparations for carrying it out they would find themselves in a bad position if they could not get the money. It was no use going in for a water scheme until they had settled the other question. If one failed both failed. The MAYOR said the question before the Council was the selection of a water scheme. He did not see that they would be confined to any of these three schemes recommended by Mr Radford. They could take their own course if they selected some other scheme. Alderman E. DAVIES: How about the other scheme; would you pay the premium then? Councillor GRANT: Certainly; you are bound to pay the premium. Continuing, lie said the first step certainly was to get the loan settled. If they had not the money they could not get a water scheme. Alderman E. D IVIES He told us plainly that we could not get rid of the former loan. Alderman ASHTON said there were gentlemen who said they could have money for 40 or 50 years. Mr Radford said nothing of the kind; 30 years was the longest period. He questioned very much if the Local Government Board would allow them 30 years. He had been thinking about the water scheme that day, and he was thinking who was calling for it. Neither the inhabitants, nor the health of the town, nor the scarcity of water, nor the Local Government Board called for it. They recently had an election, and the only one who pledged himself strongly for a water scheme was unsuccessful. He did not take that as any criterion, yet it showed something. Councillor MORRIS How about the three at the top of the poll P Alderman ASHTON said Mr Grant took it for granted—(laughter)—that the water scheme would be gone in for, but Mr Kerr took it the other way. He could assure them on the highest authority that there had not been a case in the town for ten years that could be attributed or traced to the sanitary con- ditions of the town. As far as the supply of water was concerned they had lately had a summer without an equal for 30 years, and there had been NO COMPLAINTS. If the ratepayers were pushing for it, or the town suffered from a scarcity of water, there would be nothing to do but to go in for it. But there was nobody calling for it. A good deal was said about the sewerage—that it was dangerous to health. He had spoken in the hall about going in for a scheme for flushing purposes. He heard a gentleman in that room say that they did not want water for flushing purposes, and a few days later in another place that same gentleman said they did not want water for domestic purposes but for flushing (laughter). One of the engineers said it was a most ridiculous thing to have either a sewage or water scheme as nature had provided them with both, and if they wanted to spend a little money his advice was to get up the sewage pipes. A gentleman who had a good deal to do with the town, and took a great interest in its welfare said to the speaker, Do your best not to get a water scheme for domestic purposes; you will never get water as good as now through pipes." lie felt that the people were very much against it. They had got a better commodity for nothing than they would ever get by paying a lot of money for it. Mr Radford said that the estimates of some of the schemes were most ridiculous. Some schemes put down at < £ 5,000 would cost between < £ 8,000 and < £ 13,000. In view of that he was inclined to leave the matter where it was. If they took it up they would be in the same position as they were in with regard to the ser/age scheme, and the job would be left half done. They would then have a sewerage system and a water system costing perhaps £ 20,000, and neither worth anything. Councillor E. DAKIN said that was a special meeting of the Council, and they had a special sub- ject under discussion. Whether it was right or .i wrong, or whether it was necessary or otherwise, was for the Council to decide. He believed the strong feeling of the Council was that water was necessary for the benefit, usefulness, prosperity, and health of the town. They might listen to Mr Ashton and his PESSIMISTIC VIEWS, but he must give them credit for a certain amount of common sense. They as a Council had pledged themselves to go in for a water scheme, and, in fact, Mr Ashton evidently went in favour of a water scheme until they adopted some scheme which did not meet with the approval of the Council altogether, but they did not condemn the whole principle simply because this one did not meet with their approval. They were not against a water scheme. They did not want a pumping system when they had natural reservoirs in their neighbourhood. They could make them cheaper than the scheme suggested. They had got schemes, and must have waterworks. At Rhayader they were on the job at Builth they were spending y I X3,000 in a water scheme and at Knighton they had a complete water scheme, and in addition to that they had a fire brigade. Why, then, were they behind the age saying that there was no epidemic and no scarcity P Their Medical Officer told them that they would wait until they were obliged to pro- vide a scheme. He told them continually in his report that they must have a water scheme. By and bye it would In insisted upon, and how small they would look. A scheme would have to be adopted, waterworks they would have, and waterworks he would agitate for. He was prepared to stand the "racket" next November as to whether waterworks were necessary for the town. He would fight his best for it as long as he was in the Council. He thought it was time they should grapple with a question that had for its motive the benefit of the town. They had been playing with the question much too long. Alderman ASHTON said Mr Dakin had stated that he (the speaker) was in favour of a waterworks scheme. The Council decided that they were going in for schemes. He did not see the force of getting 16 or 20 schemes submitted to them who knew nothing about them. He thought in that case it was only fair to submit the schemes sent in to an assessor. Councillor A. J. MORRIS asked whether they were discussing if they were going in for a water scheme or not? He understood Alderman Ashton to say that he would be glad to support a scheme if they could afford it. He now said they did not want water. He WAS ASHAMED of the sanitary condition of their premises. He did not know whether Mr Ashton was. They were very much behind any other ;,town with a similar popula- tion in the United Kingdom. He thought it was thoroughly agreed at a previous Council meeting that water they would have if they could afford it. It was now a financial question. Alderman Davies
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i, Bankrupt Companies. I Of tho joint stock companies floated during 1895, 57 per cent. were unsuccessful. One out of two come to grief. This we learn from the annual report of the Board of Trade on the liquidation of joint stock com- panies. Smaller companies form the bulk of the liquidations of the year, and these were for the most part formed to carry on existing businesses without any practical change of management or ownership, and the number of new enterprises in which the public are concerned as shareholders is only about 18 per cent. of the whole. The most striking feature in the record of these undertakings is the extremely small proportion of the failures duo to misfortune or to bona fide miscalcula- tion of probable results. The Inspector-General asserts that it is within the mark to say that more than 90 per cent. of the entire number of failures were due to cir- cumstances connected with their promotion, formation, or management, which were entirely within the control of the promoters or directors, and which, in the judgment of reasonable men, could only lead to failure." Classifying the failures under different heads, one fourth of the whole are stated to be those of com- panies which had no real capital, but were simply devices for preying on the trading community. Others, forming about 36 per cent. of the whole, had a real capital, but one which must have been known by the promoters and directors to be insufficient. About 16 per cent. of the insolvencies consist of companies formed by traders for the purpose of escaping the liabilities of bankruptcy by transferring these liabilities to the public. The failures of the remaining companies are ascribed to the fact that the businesses were conducted throughout at a loss.
LLANIDLOES TOWN COUNCIL.
had alluded to the financial part of the business, he thought he had misunderstood Mr Radfoi Under the Public Health Act they could not borro money for more than 35 years, and as a rule the loan was not allowed for over 30 years. But there were other means of getting money. They could apply by 11 y Act of Parliament and get it for 50 years. The report of the committee that had this financial ques- tion under consideration reported that the Local Government Board were prepared to take over the loan. They could go and borrow money anywhere without the sanction of the Local Government Board, and do what they liked with it. It all depended upon the party who advanced the money. They had had money offered by financial firms at 3J, or 3 per cent. Apart from that he would like to know what they were discussing. They were opening out a question that had been settled a long time ago, but an economical scheme for the town would be appreciated. The question was one of finance He had seen in tha papers a note calling the attention of the Council to this matter, stating that they should go into this this matter, stating that they should go into this question and re-arrange the loan thoroughly. The committee had brought in a report on the matter to the effect that the loan could be arranged, but they recommended that the transfer of the loan be deferred until they decided what to do with the money (hear, hear). He would like to answer Alderman Ashton's very weak argument about the last election. They had only two candidates out last election. The public could watch and see the conduct of those two old councillors. The one was a strong advocate of a water scheme and the other an opponent. The advocate of the scheme was higher on the poll than the opponent (hear, hear). Alderman ASHTON said he did not put it that way. He qualified it by saying it was not strictly on that that he took his stand. Councillor Morris had said that he had been in favour of a waterworks. He said decidedly not from the very beginning. THE GREAT CRY was that the health of the town was in danger. It that was the case he was willing to go in for it. He had said that it was a good thing for a public body, like a private individual, to pay old debts before contracting new ones. Councillor E. DAKIN I think the Ex-Mayor was perfectly in order in retorting as he did to Mr Ashton with regard to the last election. The two men who headed the poll are in favour of water- works. Alderman ASHTON: Question. Councillor DAKIN: It is not a question; it is definite information. Councillor J. K. JONES said with regard to Mr Ashton's argument that the health of the town was safe he thought they should take the reports of the Medical Officer for the last ten years. The late and the present Medical Officer had advocated a water scheme,—(hear, hear)—and pointed out the consequences if they did not adopt a scheme. He proposed that a committee should be appointed to look over the schemes, and go thoroughly into the matter, and report to the Council. Alderman BOWEN seconded and Councillor GRANT supported, observing that the committee should select two or three schemes to submit to the Council and to have the water analysed. Councillor D. DAVIES said one of the engineers had sent in a scheme for Bryncoch. He understood that Mr Radford did not pay a visit to that place. It seemed to him that they would be precluded from adopting any of the schemes chosen by Mr Radford on the score of cost. Either of his schemes would involve them in too great an expenditure. He had listened with interest to Mr Ashton and Mr Dakin. They had both delivered strong speeches for and against the scheme. It appeared to him that they were not in a position to spend a large amount of money on a water scheme for this town, neither was an expensive and comprehensive scheme necessary. The majority of the Council felt they required a scheme of water supply for the town—(hear, hear)- tor sanitary purposes, and no doubt thought it was most desirable to furnish the town with water for domestic purposes, yet he thought it was certainly not necessary. They had an ABUNDANCE OF WATER underneath their feet, better water than they would ever be able to convey to the town by pipes (hear, hear). If that were so, why go in for a commodity when they had it in abundance ? What they required was an inexpensive scheme for sanitary purposes. He thought that could be obtained from Bryncoch, which would cost them comparatively a small sum of money. They would not be justified in committing the ratepayers to an expensive scheme. Something had been said about consulting the rate- payers. Not five per cent of the people had ever given the matter a thought and therefore knew nothing or little about it. He hoped the Council would refrain from adopting an expensive scheme for domestic purposes on the ground that it was not necessary, and also that they were not in a financial position to carry one out (hear, hear). The motion was then put and carried, and a com- mittee, consisting of Alderman George, Councillors J. Grant, D. Davies, J. K. Jones, and J. Kerr, was appointed to go into the matter and report. They were further empowered to have the water analysed and guagings taken. Alderman E. DAVIES said all these preparations were no use unless they got the loan altered. If they went on any further with the scheme, which ho hoped would be done, they must also go on with the transference of the loan. Councillor GRANT thought it important to have their position made clear. It was simply a matter of ascertaining whether the Local Government would take the loan over. Councillor A. J. MORRIS said a committee was appointed for a certain purpose. That committee brought in a report which was adopted by the Council and the re-arrangement of the loan was deferred. Councillor DAKIN proposed that the old committee be re-appointeu. Councillor MORRIS thought the committee had done their work. They had been in correspondence with the Local Government Board and they were prepared to accept the re-payment of the loan at market price. That was all they could expect from the committee They had written to a financial firm who had offered them money for 210 years at 3» per cent., and had since said they would do it at less interest. Councillor D. DA VIES The Local Government Board will have something to say about the addi- tiona! 10a,1, raising the public debt of this borough to < £ 11,000. I do not think we shall be able to obtain this money without the sanction of the Local Govern- ment Board and they might raise an objection. 41 Councillor A. J. MORRIS: Under the Public Health Act we are allowed to borrow up to X14,000, double the rateable value of the borough. The MAYOR: The question is whether you think it necessary to appoint a loan committee to-night. Alderman ASHTON said the debt on the Borough was X8,000, so that if they borrowed to their full extent they would only have < £ 6,0u0 to complete the waterworks. Councillor MORRIS We shall have enough. The money can be borrowed without any addition to the rates. After some further discussion the motion that the old loan committee be re-appointed with a view to their meeting the waterworks committee and dis- cussing the financial position was carried, and the Council rcse.