The Montgomeryshire Express and Radnor Times

SOCIALISM. "Thanks to Luke Sharpe." Sir,—On behalf of a number of Socialist readers of the Express,' allow me to thank Luke Sharpe for his remarks on the Tory holy war against Socialism. We fully understand that it is no small matter to defend the honesty of those who dare to go out of the conventional to unselfishness. We do not expect any favour; we seldom get bare justice, and knowing how much is done to-day through the "gutter press" to poison the minds ef those who have not time oi inclination to do their own reading and thinking, we feel grateful to the Express' for the atand taken on more than one occasion. However much we may oppose or iefuse to support those measures put forward by the Liberal party, on the ground that they do not meet the case, every Secialist has a thorough knowledge of the history of the Tory party, and on this ground and the faith in our cause, we say, Let 'em all come." The Tory party got badly mauled at the last election; if they l.ave the courage, or, I should say, the stupidity, to carry out this holy war" against the Socialists throughout the land, there is such a licking in store for them they little dream of. I do not know what the Earl of Powis knows about Socialism; I very much dcubt if he knows anything of the subject. Let him join the new order of Tory swashbucklers and legal scavengers, who are to run and rid this country of Socialists. His education on that particular sub- ject will be very much improved.—I am, sir, yours faithfully, A POWYSLAND SOCIALIST. P.S.—I have just been looking over The Labour Church Hymn Book," and may I ask you to find a niche for Ebenezer Elliott's God save I the People!" When wilt Thou save the people ? OGodofmorcy: When ? Not kings and lords, but nations! Not thrones and crowns, but men! Flowers of Thy heart, 0 God, are they Let them not pass, like weeds, away— Their heritage a sunless day God save the People Shall crime bring crime for ever, Strength aiding still the strong ? Is it Thy will, 0 Father, That man shall toil for wrong ? No," say Thy mountains "No," Thy skies; Man's clouded sun shall brightly rise, And songs ascend instead of sighs God save the People: When wilt Thou save the people ? 0 God of mercy When ? The people, Lord, the people! Not thrones and crowns, but men God save the people, Thine they are, Thy children as the angels fair, Save them from bondage and despair, God save the People Mr Haldane. Speaking at Newcastle on Tuesday evening, Mr Haldane, the Minister for War, said:— It was true that all parties in the State were Socialists now; it was a question of degree; but there were things put forward in the name of Socialism which would be very damaging if associated with the creed of the Liberal party. There were many things which the Liberals could do without the least imputation of lending them- selves to what was revolting to a large section of the public, and those things, if accomplished, would lift the nation a stage higher and advance progress by a generation. They must not sup- pose they were any better for labelling themselves Labour instead of Liberals." Liberal ought to be wide enough to take in all that was requisite, and if it was not they would make- it so. Ours was a complex democracy. Advanced Socialism, although not a thing that was as a rule put on paper in detail, meant certain aspirations towards better things. The difficulties came when they tried to translate it into practice, and he sug- gested it would be better to stick to the solid and substantial, if humdrum, method of Liberalism, which sought to mark out in advance every step before it took it. He was afraid of Socialism a3 tending towards a Tory reaction in the country, and because it destroyed works which Liberalism had done and could do to a yet greater extent in the future. It was unjust to label Socialism with irreligion." Statement by Robert Owen's Grand- daughter The following letter has appeared in the Daily Telegraph,' signed The Grand-daughter of Robert Owen." A letter was published recently in your esteemed journal quoting a sentence from my grandfather's book, 'The New Moral World.' The phrase runs as follows: The irrational names of husband and wife, parent and child, will be heard no more.' Doubtless, the words are correctly given, but apart from the context a quotation is apt to be misleading, as it certainly is in this case, for the lives of my grandparents, of my father and mother, Robert Dale Owen and Mary Owen, of my uncles, David Dale and Richard Owen, and their wives-all these and many more strictly moral and legally married lives in our family prove that no contempt, no disregard of the legal marriage bond was contemplated or permitted by Robert Owen. We were taught in our family to be not less but more law-abiding than the world in general. "Yet, strenuous as our efforts have been— efforts extending over four generations—the experiment at New Harmony was a dead failure, although no more favourable circumstances could be secured than those which obtained in our community. My grandfather had an income of £ 40,000 a year, and he spent the whole of his fortune on his experiments, dying without a pound in his pocket. Thus the village was entirely free from debt, and and money stress could be avoided. My grand- father was a noted administrator, the spot was exceedingly well chosen, for the village had been well built and planted by its former German owners. The surrounding lands were vast and exceptionally fertile. There was water power and an exit via the Wabash, Ohio, and Mississippi rivrrs. Xoveit'ieless, an experiment begun under th"s., t.ivourihle auspices failed in three short y^ftr-s. As the father of co-operation Robert Owen j-ucjeeded well; when he shared his fortune equ illy with his tieighbours, both he and many of h s neighbours cains3 to gritf, because only the noblesse among them were willing to work efficiently when tin pressure of daily need was removed." A Cannibal Love for the People. Mr Victor Grayson, M.P., at a demonstration in tho Huddersfi-dd Town Hall, said that the Tory and Liberal parties had been most unfortunate in the men they had put up to oppose Socialism- altruistic dukes and lords, men who could not sleep o' nights for thinking of the people, whom they loved as cannibals loved missionaries (laughter). Socialism had too distinguished and intellectual an ancestry to be abolished by the empty-headed cackling of such people. It was asserted that Socialists wanted to put everybody on the same level, but he protested, as a Socialist; he refused to be intellectually the equal of the Duke of Rutland (applause). Dr. Macnamara talked about fighting the Socialists with their own weapons, but he not got them. One of the charges against Socialists was that they were irreligious but there would be some surprises in heaven when the reckoning-day came (laughter). For what was religion worth if it were not mani- fested in the social, political, and industrial institutions of the time? The Socialist move- ment was meeting with the same kind of opposi- tion that Christianity met with in its early days; the high priests, the governors, the respeetables, the Scribes and Pharisees were against it; but he prophesied that Socialism would ultimately pre- vail against all its enemies. Mr Ramsay Macdonald. Mr Ramsay Macdonald, M.P., addressed a maet- ing in Oldham under the auspices of the Indepen- dent Labour party. Socialists, he said, had noth- ing to apologise for. The Socialists were doing their level best to make the country a pleasant, a just and a holy place for English men and women to live in. He traced the progress of society from the time of the Apostles and the early pooling of possessions, and for the justification of Socialism he referred its detractors to the Scriptures. The moral action of a moral man was to serve the community, to serve humanity, to identify himself with his fellow men, to make the common good his individual good and the individual good the common good. They had got the st reams of economics, of politics, and of morality all flowing to the grest ocean of Socialism (applauso). No party in the House worked more strenuously at the wheel than the Labour party. It was quite true that they kicked occasionally, but when the day of reckoning came and the Liberals faced their constituencies once more, they would find that the achievements which would be the most popular were those which they would have to thank the labour party for having driven them to pass. Mr Asquith said Liberalism alone was a defence against Socialism and would remove the obstacles that impeded the prosperity of the workers. Mr Asquith's assumption was that the poorer they were the more Socialistic they became. The assumption was that Socialism was a revolt of the Have Nots" against the Haves." That was not so. The more progres- sive they were the more progress they derived (applause). The Rev. R. J. Campbell. On Thursday night the Rev R. J. Campbell, addressing a crowded meeting at Fulham, said he had been asked why he had been driveul to Socialism. He was driven to Socialism by the sheer weight of the Gospel which he preached. Socialism had proved itself the greatest of the world's forces in the direction of international brotherhood. It had already done more than all the forces of diplomacy put together. That famous definition of democracy-" Government of the people, by the people, for the people "—best described Socialism. A Voice: That's the Liberal platform." "Exactly," said Mr Campbell, "and I claim every Liberal in the room for Socialism (laugh- ter and hear, hear). He added that it was the ideal with which the Christian started, Thy will be done on earth," showed that for the same purpose primitive Christianity and modern Socialism were so near akin that they could regard the two as the same movement. Let them take a leaf out of the book of the great combines, and presently take not only a leaf, but the whole book (laughter).

A Gregynog Tragedy. WORKMAXS DEATHLY DRINK. Sad details were related at an inquest held on Thursday by Mr J. T. C. Gittins, Newtown, on the body of Edward Jones, Gethinwaen, Aberhafesp, a workman employed on Lord Joicey's estate. John Jones, identified the deceased as his father, who was 70 years of age. He last saw him alive on Monday, when he was quite well. Evidence of the tragedy was given by John Oliver, Tregynon, gardener's labourer. On Wednesday afternoon he said, he went to the cabin near Gregynog for dinner, and deceased was there by himself. He had had dinner and was sitting by the fire drying his clothes. The bottle produced by P.C. Davies, Tregynon, was by the fire place. He had several times before seen it on the ltable. Sometime ago he remembered one of the men asking what it was, and another man replied "mineral water." Witness thought the the bottle must have been there about twelve months. On Wednesday it was nearly full. Deceased asked what it was, and witness replied that it was a bottle belonging to old Parry. He had heard Parry had had it off old Mrs Maxwell, wife of the coachman, who used to be there. Deceased took hold of the bottle and smelt it, remarking "I will taste it any way." He then put the bottle to his lips, took two swallows, and said it was very bad. He afterwards asked witness to taste it. Oliver put his tongue to it, but did not swallow it. In a few minutes deceased com- plained of feeling sick. He went outside and vomitted. Shortly he returned and again com- plained of being very ill. Witness offered him some whiskey, but he did not drink it. Jones then went to the lavatory, where witness and Fred Gate subsequently discovered him kneeling on the floor. As they approached deceased they heard him making a gurgling sound. He died almost immediately. Between the time he drairk from the bottle and died would not be more than half an hour. He thought deceased simply tasted L1.ZJ_- _ue_-L me iiquiu xor curiosity. Medical evidence was given by Dr Shearer, Newtown. In response to a telegraphic message he proceeded to Gregynog where he fcund Jones in the harness room, dead. Witness was informed he had drunk the contents of the bottle produced. He examined his mouth and throat, and found that the back of the mouth showed signs of having been burned. He considered the liquid to be a kind of liniment containing a corrosive substance, which would cause shock. He did not think the liquid got into deceased's system, because he had vomited. In his opinion death was caused by shock to the system by drinking the liniment. The jury, of which Mr R. Corfield was the fore- mam, returned a ve diet accordingly.

Could Not Maintain His Mother. The adjourned application of Mr T. Edwards, clerk to the Llanfyllin Union, for an order to be made on Thomas Jones, Haughton, Llandysilio, to contribute towards the maintenance of his aged mother, was heard at Llanfyllin Sessions on Tuesday. The case had been adjourned from the previous Court, defendant having alleged that his mother had received money from a son who was at present in the Asylum. Mrs Jones denied the allegation, and, despite defendant's protest that he could not possibly contribute anything towards his mother's main- tenance, the Bench made an order for Is weekly.

SIR WATKIN AND HIS TENANTS. Sir,—It is not easy to understand the purpose of the letter written by R.H.R." in your last issue. He discerns for the most part the sweet reasonableness of the clauses contained in the revised agreement, but lightly skips over those, or part of those, that would seem to operate harshly or unfairly upon the tenants. We only get a glimpse of his conception of fairness when he reads with apparent astonishment the restric- tion placed upon the work of the farmers' dogs on the sheep-walks during certain months of the year, which he says is open to very considerable objection," and then, as if forgetful of all that he had written, he concludes that" if every agree- ment was exposed as this has been, very much stronger and still more unwarrantable clauses would be brought to light." More unwarrantable clauses is a peculiarly forceful phrase to find in an epistle that attempts to belittle the agitation which this revised agreement has caused. His interpretation of clause 3 is that the land- lord's roservation of hares and rabbits simply enables him to take them concurrently with the tenant. Then what is the use of such a clause ? You have answered that in your recollections of the Land Commission, where, as J. distinctly remember, it was stated over and over again that this self-same clause in agreements was accepted by the tenantry as an intimation that the ground game was required for the sport by the landlords, hence the failure of the tenants to avail them- selves of the Ground Game Act. With absolute security of tenure no farmer of any spirit would tolerate such an encroachment upon his legal rights without that security the farmer cannot afford to contest the wishes of his landlord. I would advise your correspondent to peruse the evidence given before the Land Commission on this point, after which he may be better able to appreciate at least the moral effect of this reservation from the tenant's point of view. In his treatment of clause 7, "R.H.R." con- trives to shirk the real grievance. He dilates upon the necessity of keeping dogs tied up over night in order to prevent sheep-worrying. This, as everybody knows, the farmer is obliged to do under the Dogs Act, but the clause in the agree- ment requires him not to allow his dogs to be loose about the holding except when accompanied by himself or some person in his employ. There was reason in the stipulation of the old agreement that dogs shall not be allowed about the farm except for actual use. Again, I ask the purpose of an epistle presuming to present a fair view between landlord and tenant, which omits to note a restriction like that. When your correspondent came to clause 8, he seems to have suffered a chepk in his landlord line of thought, for he suddenly veers round to your manner of thinking. For general and incidental repairs he and I agree that the tenant should do the haulage gratuitously, but (and we again agree) for new buildings the tenant should be paid compensation on an agreed scale should he leave the farm before a certain number of years have expired." This is exactly what you con- tended for, and that rightly. It is, indeed, a very qualified approval which R.H.R. gives of clause 9, which prohibits the erecting of wire fencing, or mending fences with wire, unless with the consent of the landlord or his agent. If," he says, the landlord will find the tenant timber for fencing, no objection will be taken." If the landlord intends to do so, why doesn't he make it plain ? If R.H.R." were a tenant on the Wynnstay estate, wouldn't he expect to be informed? If he himself were the landlord, would he not consider it necessary to accompany that prohibition with a promise of timber ? So much for the if argument. More amusing still is his conception of clause 14, which gives the landlord and incoming tenant the option of purchasing the outgoing tenant's sheep, instead of, as formerly, compelling the latter to sell them to either party. If, he says, sheep are low in value, the incomer will be cer- tain to take them; if they are then dear in the market, and he refuses to have them, the outgoer will profit by being able to dispose of them in the open market. The logic is really laughable to the ordinary mind, but I daresay the outgoing tenant will do something else than smile at a suggestion which subjects him to every disadvantage. We have a return to the if argument in the consideration of clause 15, which restricts the number of sheep a tenant shall keep on the sheep walk, If it is agreed when the tenant took the farm that only a certain number of sheep should be kept on the sheep walk, then it is only fair that he should pay something to the landlord for any in excess of that number." If there had existed such an agreement, why the insertion of this clause, which is a new one? And the "some- thing which your correspondent considers fair is only seven shillings per head." Again, note the argument in support of the dog restriction. "I think it is the intention to prevent dogs, preved to be mischievous and uncontrollable, doing Itarm." Doing harm to what ? To sheep or game? Imagine a farmer taking a mischievous or uncontrollable dog on to a sheep walk. Yet your correspondent, as [ have already pointed out, regards this stipulation as very objectionable." I am glad that such a letter has appeared. Whatever its purpose, it has succeeded in throw- ing light upon unwarrantable clauses," regarding which the President of the Board of Agriculture must have something to say soon.—Yours truly, AGRICULTURIST. A Message to the Wynnstay Tenants. Sir,—Being a tenant farmer living amongst Sir Watkin's tenants, I have read with great interest the extracts from the new agreement in your paper that Sir Watkin requires his tenants to sign. I quite agree with Old Campaigner" that we may ask with astonishment, "Are we living in the boasted twentieth century ? It seems not. No, I cannot think for a moment that these intelligent farmers, men of principle, will ever submit to these unusual and unfair conditions. If they will, let me ernestly ask them if they do not study their own interests, and do not ask for fair play themselves, what about others P What effect will their actions have upon other landlords ? I hear that one part of the tenants are having a meeting to consider the situation. Why not all ? Now is the time, and I (like many others) sin- cerely hope that all the tenants who have notice will meet together, and have the matter thoroughly discussed before they sign. Sir Watkin will most certainly take the matter into his serious considera- tion if only asked to do so.-I am, sir, yours truly, TENANT FARMER. A Liberal Contemporary's Conclusion An Oswestry Liberal Contemporary who has diligently procitimod Sr Watkin's "excellence" as a landlord now concludes: We think it will be found on closer examiaatio-i th.t some of the proposals which are at present lo.kol upon askance, are really drafted in the interests of the tenants themselves." This opinion is evi- dently formed on the strength of a conversation which that journal's representative has had with Sir Watkin. Here is part of the representative's "information" aiad im-Dressions. Sir Watkin, in conversation with one of our representatives, laughed to scorn the suggestion that, under the clause reserving to the landlord the right to enter a holding "with or without horses, carriages, carts, and other vehicles," he intended to take a string of hunting motor-cars through fields of young wheat, and suggestions of that kind. If we are not mistaken, one of the main objects of the clause is to give the landlord the right, which he could not get except by agree- ment, to enter a holding to see that the land is being properly tilled, while such a proviso is also necessary to enable the owner or lessee of the sporting rights to have access to the land. Criticism is also made of the clause forbidding the tenant to put up any wire fencing without the consent of the landlord, to use any wire for the purpose of mending or in any way in connection with the existing live or dead fences. Such a clause, we are assured, is essential to good husbandry. A loose tenant, it is pointed out, is inclined to let his fences fall into decay through want of attention on his part, and then in order to strengthen the dead fence he uses wire or netting. These soon rot, and, in the event of a change of tenancy, an unfair charge is imposed on the new tenant for doing that which is pre- decessor should have done. ir Probably what may be regarded as the most irksome clause in the whole agreement is that which calls upon the tenant to protect the trees, underwood, game and game eggs, etc., upon the holding, this being held by some to constitute the tenant the landlord's keeper. Our represen- tative asked a well-known Montgomeryshire land- owner for information as to the usual rule in regard to this, and his reply was that he knew very little of what his own agreements contained. They were in effect so much waste paper, which were hardly ever studied or treasured. In the matter of the sheep walks, the main purpose of the clause seems to have been over- looked. Sir Watkin's object in this matter is,, we are assurred, to save the small flockmaster I from his more prosperous neighbours. In the old agreement, we believe, a loophole was left for the large flockmaster to exceed his limit, thus taking the grazing of the small pwner, whose circum- stances do not permit of his keeping a shepherd on the hills to secure for his sheep that propor- tionate amount of grazing to which they are entitled as much as the larger owner. This course, we learn, has met with the approbation of the small holders in Denbighshire and Merionethshire, and not a few, we are reliably informed, have not been slow to express their indebtedness to Sir Watkin for his interest in their behalf. It is evident that the provision, which is framed in a sense of fairness, aims at bad tenants, and these it will no doubt properly effect. It is a pity our contemporary's represen- tative ommitted to ask the landlord among other things for an explanation of the restriction upon the use of dogs on the sheep-walks during April, May, and Juns, or the necessity for the tenants notifying in writing their intention to gather or remove their flocks from these sheep walks during the months of August and September. Another Contemporary View. Dealing with the subject in a leading article the Yorkshire Daily Observer' says:- "Yielding to an unquestionable desire through- out the country, the Government passed an Act last year which was intended, among other things, to secure the farmer against loss due to the ravages of game. Sir Watkin Wynn's reply is to give all his tenants-and they cover the greater part of uhree counties—six months notice to quit. This is the legal preliminary to the great landlord's intention to put all his tenants under new agreements. These, as described in another column, will make the farmers practically Sir Watkin's unpaid gamekeepers, and tteir farms his pleasure-grounds whenever he may see fit to use them as such. The landlord reserves all game and game eggs on the holding with exclusive liberty to enter with dogs, and even carriages, to hunt or shoot. The tenant, on the other hand, is to be so restricted that during certain months of the year the landlord ma. prohibit him even from taking dogs on to his si aep-walks. Sir Watkin Wynn is very likely employing only his legal right to do as he likes with his own, and he perhaps counts among his personal assets the liberty to set the people of three counties by the ears. The English Land Tenure Act may be offensive to Sir Watkin Wynn. But it falls far short of what the majority of Welsh farmers think they were entitled to expect from a Liberal Government. The Welsh members, however, have acquiesced in the English bill doubtless because they recognise the limited capacities of the Parliamentary machine. Special legislation for Wales would have involved two bills instead of one, with the prospect at the end that the Peers would have rejected the Welsh measure. The Peers, zealous as they are for landlord's right, gave their approval to the English bill, and this is sufficient proof of its moderate character. Manifestly, the Welsh landlord who had any dis- cretion at all would have been eager to co-operate in making the new Act a means of removing at least the most clamant discontent. But while Lord Rosebery declaims in Scotland against the vices of dual ownership, Sir Watkin Wynn seems determined to prove in Wales that there can be no security for the tenant, no guarantee of peace- ful and prosperous industry, while any freedom is left to landlords to determine the nature of contracts." Statement by Mr. Richard Jones. The perfect attention given at a late hour of the Welsh National Convention at Rhyl, to the speech of Mr Richard Jones, of Caersws-one of the members of the Welsh Land Commission,— indicated the concern which is felt in Wales at the step which Sir Watkin Williams-Wynn has taken in regard to his tenants. Mr Jones, who was speaking upon a resolution in reference to land reform, said that during the Land Com- missioner's inquiry the evidence tendered in regard to the Wynnstay estates generally showed that there was contentment and prosperity among the tenant farmers, and Colonel Hughes, the agent, a man of great sagacity, laid great store on the fact that some of the holdings on the estate had boeen in the same family for generations. It seemed to Mr Jones now, however, that there had been a change of attitude. Sir Watkin had taken a step which, to put it mildly, has caused a great deal of unsettlement in the minds of his tenants. In giving them six months' notice to quit, he had told them that the new agreement was prepared to meet the provisions of the Agricultural Hold- ings Act. Mr Jones feared the owner of the Wynnstay estates was approaching that Act in a hostile spirit By way of defence. Sir Watkin said he was offering better terms. Well, one clause in the agreement stated that the number of sheep a farm was to carry would be fixed by the landlord. A farmer on one of the estates had 1,500 sheep on the mountain. Under the agree- ment he would only have 750, and that limitation would operate against the tenant in a twofold manner. First of all a large amount of the grass on the sheepwalk would cease to be consumed. If 750 sheep were kept on a mountain that would support 1,500, what in the world was to consume the remainder of the grass? It was no use to horses or to cattle. Mr Jones contended, as the second point, that the farmer would lose a pro- portion of the value of the sheep he would have to remove. Again, it was stipulated that the dogs were not to be used in the months of April, May, and June, but in these months grubs in sheep abounded, and it was necessary for the tenant farmer to have dogs in order to assemble his flock. All through the agreement there was this power of reservation. It was said over and oyer again that the tenants were signing the agreement without demur, but what were they to do ? To him the system of tenancy at will was a complete failure, but the Welsh Land Commission had recommended that there should be a charter of liberty for the Welsh tenant farmers, with a judicial tenancy, fair rents, fixity of tenure, and freedom of cultivation. Not until they had these would there be a free, independent, and prosperous Welsh tenantry.—The speech was loudly cheered at the close. The Rev Hugh Edwards, in supporting, said: Once they used to sing, John Brown's body lies a-mouldering in the grave, but his soul goes marching on The latest version was, Penrhyn is dead, but his spirit go marching on-in Sir Watkin Williams- V\ ynn" (H ugh ter a id applause) A Lawyer's Expla.na.tion. The London correspondent of the Manchester Guardim' stys :-In regard to the discussion that has arisen over Sir Watkin Wynn's new agreements with his tenants, let me mention the explanation that a conveyancing lawyer has sug- gested to me. "Of course," he said, "I know nothing about this particular case, but it is gener- ally a mistake to assume that in such a case the landlord personally has intended to alter the leases and customs of his estate. I should guess that in such a case the agent would naturally be alarmed at the recent legislation, whioh he does not perhaps quite understand. He suggests to the solicitor for the estate that it may be desirable to have new agreements or leases strengthening the landlord's rights. The solicitor at once sends instructions to counsel, and counsel as instructed draws agreements entirely from the landlord's point of view." The point for agents and lawyers alike to remember is that agreements and leases of this kind are in a sense of a public characte r of this kind are in a sense of a public characte r Opinion of Mr. Fred Horne. Mr Fred Home writes: My attention has been called to the fact that attempts are being made in Shropshire, by landlords or their agentp to force tenants to sign agreements contrary to the provisions of the Agricultural Holdings Act passed last year. The provision of that Act, insisted on by the House of Lords, that it should not come into operation until 1909, was recognised by the promoters of the bill to be a dangerous amend ment, but very clear declarations were made by the Prime Minister, the Chancellor of the Ex- chequer, and Sir Edward Strachey, who represents the Board of Agriculture in the House of Com- mons, that if landlords took advantage of the postponement of the Act to put pressure on their tenants, the Government would be prepared to re-open the subject. It is a great pity that the landlords do not recognise that the Act is now the law of the land, and that they are evading the law and acting as bad citizens in coercing their tenants to sign fresh agreements. They should know, too. from past experience, that the better the condi- tions of tenancy allowed to a tenant, the better will be the cultivation of the farm, and a corres- ponding benefit will accrue to the landlord."

CAERSWS GUARDIANS. Lunacy Commissioner's Report. The Chairman (Mr Rd. Evans), presided at the monthly meeting of the Caersws Guardians, on Wednesday, and there were also in attend- ance Mr David Lloyd (Vice-chairman), Mrs Bennett, Messrs Evan Williams, Daniel Higgs, S. Powell, D. Whitticase, J. W. Whitticase, D, T. Francis, T. Evans, J. P. Francis, Ll. D. Humphreys, J. Gethin, J. Thomas, T. Francis, J. Davies, Wm. Jones, T. Jones, P. Pugh, and W. Alderson, together with the Clerk (Mr C. T. M. Taylor). ACCOMMODATION AT THE HOUSE. Reference was made by the Clerk to the discussion at the previous meeting upon the accommodation at Caersws Workhouse. At that time he suggested that the rooms should be measured, but before doing so he wrote to the Local Government Board asking to be supplied with the certificate of the old Poor Law Board. He received an acknowledgment, but on Monday last he received a further letter stating that it was not now the practice of the Board to fix the accommodation of provincial workhouses, and the Board would leave it to the Guardians, in con- nection with the Medical Officer, and the Inspector, to decide the accommodation. He (the Clerk) proposed leaving the matter until they saw the Inspector. This course was adopted. Mr Evan Williams inquired whether there was any further correspondence in reference to the accommodation at Bicton Asylum. The Clerk replied that the Board's resolution relating to the Bicton Asylum question had been received by the Secretary of State, Lunacy Commissioners, Clerk tc the County Council, and Mr David Davies, M.P.'s secretary. VAGRANTS ON THE INCREASE. The Master (Mr Jno. Parry), reported that Divine service had been conducted in the House during the month by Mr R. Jones, Rev D. A. Evans, Rev J. Davies, Rev H. Parry. There were 74 inmates in the House compared with 79 during the corresponding period last year. 331 vagrants had been relieved compared with 245. The Clerk reported the receipt of £ 809 9s. lid. from the Local Government Board, a grant under the Agricultural Rates Act. VISITORS' EULOGY. The Visitors' Book contained the following items: It is quite a treat to go through Caersws Workhouse. The cleanliness and order are most praiseworthy, and speak well for the Master and Matron.—Alix Minnie Clark, 70, Clifton Terrace, Newtown. We, the undersigned, have visited the House this day and find everything in good order. The inmates seem very comfortable, and the rooms are very nice and clean.—J. Davies, P. Pugh, and *E. Thomas. Satisfactory reports as to the boarded out children were received from Drs. Salter, New Mills, F. Wilson, Newtown, Snow, Caersws, and Jones, Llanidloes. KNEW FROM EXPERIENCE. During the discussion on the Master's report several members complained that certain notorious characters were in and out of the House throughout the year. Mr S. Powell said some of the men were so filthy the lodging house keepers refused to admit them. Then they went to the Workhouse to clean themselves, after which they obtained their discharge amd got into the same dirty state. This is how they continued throughout the year. Replying to a member, the Master said some- times he kept the tobacco allowance from the men, but they demanded it just as if they were entitled to it. He should like the Guardians' support in this matter. The Chairman: Certainly. Mr Powell: I think the Master should use his discretion. Mr T. Jones: They can do without tobacco; I have done without it (laughter). A Membar So have I. The Chairman: They should have no luxuries. We will leave it to the Master's discretion, and instruct him to be very strict with those men whom we complain about.—Agreed. APPOINTMENTS. The Local Government Board wrote sanctioning the appointment of Dr R. J. Jones, Llanidloes, as medical officer of health, at a salary of .£60 per annum. With regard to the appointment of vaccinator, the Board asked for the previous contract for their inspection. This (reported the Clerk) had been forwarded, but no reply had yet bean received. THE IMBECILE INMATES. The Local Government Board asked the Guardians' observations upon the following report, submitted by Dr Coupland (the visiting commissioner in lunacy) upon his visit to the workhouse on September 10th:—"There are to. day in this workhouse, on the list of imbeciles, four male and eight female inmates, whom I have seen, and who are suitable for workhouse care. Since the visit paid by my colleague three years ago, two of each sex have been received, and the orders for their detention were produced to me. One of the females was in bed temporarily indis- posed, but with this exception all appeared to be in good health. The children are no longer kept apart, but are under the charge of a nurse. One of them, a boy, is on the female side. He is not so defective mentally as to be unable to go to school, and it would be to his advantage if, when he is a little older, he could be maintained at a special institution, as he is obviously caDable of some training. These inmates seem to be kindly treated and properly cared for. They were suitably dressed, and were quite contented. They are taken out for walks into the country. Bath- ing is weekly, or oftener if required, each person having fresh water. The beds and bedding were in good order. All but three of the men slept in rooms on the ground floor, but those three occupy beds in an upper dormitory, which is unprovided with an alternative exit. Their lives would be imperilled if, in case of fire, escape from the room by the staircase were cut off. The recent occurrence of serious fires in workhouses emphasises the desirability of authorities provid- ing adequate means of escape. There has been no employment of mechanical restraint." xne master scared that the commissioner had made a mistake with reference to the exit. There was an alternative exit in case of fire. It was resolved to write the Local Government Board to this effect, and a committee was appointed to consider the recommendation respecting the young boy. ASSISTANT MATRON. In compliance with the Board's instructions, the Matron reported that she had appointed Miss Morris, a former nurse, as assistant matron. The Board then sanctioned the appointment of Miss Morris, at a salary of £ 20 a year, the engage- ment to be terminated by a month's notice on either side.

The Minister's Plea Did Not Avail. The Rev John Edward Thomas, Congregational minister, Meifod, appeared at Llanfyllin Sessions last Tuesday, on behalf of John Jones, Wernykeel, who was charged by Attendance Officer Morgan Jones, with having neglected to send his boy to school regularly. Defendant, stated Mr Thomas, was unable to attend Court. He admitted transgressing the Jaw. and asked for the Bench's sympathy He was a father of 15 children. Nine had been turned out, and he had done his best to give them a good education, even when he had to pay for it. There were five children 11 1. 1Q scnooi, ana tne ooy m respect of whom the charge was made would be 13 years of age next month. He had kept him at home during the harvest time, and did not think it worth sending him afterwards. He was not aware that a labour certificate could be obtained. Attendance Officer Breeze, Welshpool, who proved the case, said the boys' percentage for the year was only 54 per cent., just over half-time. A fine of Is and costs was inflicted.

Dr. W. R. Gillette, formerly Vice-President of the New York Mutual Life Insurance Company, who was convicted of perjury on October 24th, was sentenced to six months' imprisonment.

CAERSWS RURAL COUNCIL More Insanitary Pictures. Mr Joseph Davies presided at the monthly meet- ing of the Newtown and Llanidles Rural Council on Wedesday afterneon, when a letter was read, from the Local Government Board sanctioning the appointment of Dr. E. D. Rees, Caersws, as Medical Officer of Health. CAERSWS WATER SUPPLIES. Referring to the resolution passed at the last meeting, that the water supplies in Caersws be analysed, the Medical Officer (Dr. Rees) re- ported that he had made inquiries and discovered that there were almost fifty sources of water supply in Caersws, and they could not get the samples analysed for less than 10a per sample. He did not think the Council anticipated expending about .£25. so he had deferred sending the samples- away until the Council again considered the matter. The Chairman I don't think any of us antici- pated such a large expenditure. Shall we have portions of the water supply analysed, or enforce our resolution ? Mr Ll. D. Humphreys: Are all the wells public ? The Medical Officer: They belong to the people who live on the pioperty on which they are. Inspector Thomas: I have a list of all the pumps in the village. Mr Humphreys: We ought to have some an- alysed, but the question is which ? The Clerk (Mr J. T. C. Gittins): There are several in a very small area, would it be sufficient to take one in each area ? The Chairman: Suppose you take 12 in the village ? Mr Wm. Alderson proposed that a committee be appointed to select 12 samples, in conjunction. with the Medical Officer, to be submitted for analysis. The proposition was carried. A Member: Shall we have to rescind the former resolution ? The Clerk replied that under the circumstances he did not think it necessary to rescind the- resolution, but technically they ought to. TO RELIEVE THE RATEPAYERS. A circular letter was read from Rcss Council in favour of a more even distribution of the fees received by the Inland Revenue Commissioners. for motor car lieenses, in proportion to the mileage. and cost of maintenance of the main roads in the different counties. Mr Richard Evans thought that something should be done to relieve the ratepayers, and he proposed that the Council support the resolution. This was seconded and unanimously carried. INSANITATION AT PUBLIC SCHOOLS. Inspector Humphreys reported as follows Cwmbellan Council School, Llangurig.—The privies at this school have, in accordance with my notice, been thoroughly cleaned and emptied- Nothing, however, has yet been done in providing a water supply on the premises. Staylittle Council School.—The nuisance exist- ing here, which I reported to you a month ago, has not yet been abated. I intend serving a second notice and directing it to the District Committee at their next meeting. Rhydyronen, Llangurig. I visited these premises on the 25th inst., and found them in a. very insanitary condition. The roofs are very defective, the water streaming in in many places. The pig-styes and privy within four or five yards of the house door; no drains whatever on the premises, which are in a very wet and dirty con- dition. I saw the agent on the matter, who said that he could not get the landlord to do any- thing, but he promised that he would now-write him saying that the local authority was taking the matter up. I will report further on this. Trefeglwys Council School.—The closets her& are still kept in a very unsatisfactory manner; the buckets are not periodically emptied. On my last visit some of these were running over. The attention of the managers has repeatedly been called to these. I have now,. however,, sent a notice to the District Committee. A MISSING WATER SUPPLY. Referring to Cwmbellan School the Surveyor said at present the water supply for the school was obtained from a well about 150 yards away on the roadside. He had spoken to the head- > master, who informed him that one of the school managers had stated that the matter was under- consideration. The County Council were now- waiting for a loan to be sanctioned. It was decided to write to the County Educa- tion authority on the question. TREFEGLWYS SCHOOL With regard to this school, the Chairman said they would wait and see the effect of the notice served on the District Committee. The Clerk: The managers are really the ones against whom proceedings should be taken, but the District Committee generally refer such matters to the managers. NOTICES COMPLIED WITH. Inspector Thomas submitted the following- report:— 8 Caersws Water Supply.—We have not yet taken samples from every pump in the village as. instructed by you, it being such an expensive item that we considered it advisable to defer it pending further instructions from you. Lletyanwyl, Llanwyddelan.—Closet accommo- dation has now been provided here in accordance with my notice. I met the owner on the premises- on Monday last to point out other work which requires doing. Arrangements have been made to get it done at once. Kerry Drainage.—I have been in colmmunica- tion with the County Surveyor respecting the drains in Kerry village, and so far we have failed to agree as to who is responsible for the cleanli- ness of the street drains. We have decided to meet together on the spot at an early date. I shall report further on this matter at the next meeting. The Gate, Kerry.—The drains at this place- have been attended to in accordance with my notice. Owing to the proximity of the w.c. to the dwelling house, I have ordered the closing of the present pit, a pan receptacle to be substituted. This the owner has promised to do as soon as possible. SMALL HOLDINGS. The Clerk intimated that he had received an intimation-he supposed in the capacity of clerk. to the Rural Council-to attend a conference at Shrewsbury, when the Small Holdings and Allotments Act would be considered. If possible he would attend the conference (hear, hear).

Bishop and Vicar. Churchpeople in Blackburn are excited by a controveny which has arisen between the Vicar rl of Christ Church (the Rev. George Denyer) and the Bishop of Manchester. The vicar has stated his side of the question in the columns of the parish magazine, from which it appears that the Bishop had insisted that fermented wine should be used in the administration of Holy Communion, whereas the clergyman favoured unfermented^ wine on account of the temptation to which soirie of his people would be exposed who had formerly been addicted to over-indulgence in liquor. The diocesan, according to the magazine, ridiculed this suggestion, and subsequently intimated to Mr Denyer, who wished to take a deacon as curate, that he did not intend to allow any deacons to work in the parish. The vicar complains that his spiritual superior is commanding him to conform to a law that has not yet been established, and practically prevents him from having any assist- ant clergy whatever. A week of prayer and preaching was held in rural deanery of Greenwich, commencing on Satur- day, when the Bishop of South wark met, at South- wark Cathedral, the resident and mission clergy of every parish in the deanery. Services were held at all the churches in the deanery daily during the week. Visits were paid by the Bishops to the principal factories, schools and infirmaries.

Another Gift from Plasdinam. At the annual meeting of the Court of Govern-* ors of the University College, Aberystwyth, on Thursday, Lord Rendel, in presenting the report of the Council, announced that the College had received a further mark of the generosity of the Plasdinam family, who had offered to provide an endowment for an assistant professorship in his- tory. The endowment had been accepted, and the Council had decided td invite Professor Stanley Roberts, of St. David's College, Lampeter, to occupy the new post.

MONTGOMERY TOWN COUNCIL. The monthly meeting of the Montgomery Town Council, held on Thursday morning, was attended by the Mayor (Alderman N. W. Fairies- Humphreys), Alderman A. Vaughan, Councillors H. Jones, C. P. Davies, C. B. Williams, T. Howard, and T. Mitchell, together with the Clerk (Mr C. S. Pryce), Assistant Clerk (Mr W. Jones), Inspector (Mr R. Tomley), and Medical Officer (Dr Kirk). TOWN HALL IMPROVEMENTS. Councillor Maurice Owen wrote regretting inability to be present, and enclosed a report upon the condition of the Town Hall roof. Mr &. Evans and he had inspected the timber of the roof, and found it in good condition. The slating and a few laths needed repairing, and it would then do fairly well until spring. The fire alarm bell he recommended should be placed upon the dormer on the west side of the roof. When fixed, it would not interfere with the slating, so long as they were made good, where the bell was fixed. Councillor Howard proposed that the slating be done, but the other items be deferred until they considered the whole question of Town Hall improvements. Councillor Mitchell proposed an amendment that everything be done together, either now or in the spring. The proposition was, however, carried. BUILDING BYE-LAWS. The Clerk intimated that at the last meeting a committee was appointed to* consider the building bye-laws of the Local Government Board, with a view to adapting them to the requirements of a borough like Montgomery. It had been suggested that the whole of the model bye-law3 might be adopted en bloc, and left to the discretion of the Council as to what portions should be enforced. He did not know whether the Council would like to defer the matter, pending a report from the committee. The Mayor: I think the committee had better report to the next meeting.—Agreed. A DAMAGED WALL. Mr J. M. E. Lloyd wrote complaining of the damage done to his wall in the Back-lane by cattle at the auctions. He had not been officially informed as to the result of the meeting of the auctioneers, but understood that they were unwilling to re-cope and re-point the wall. On previous occasions, when windows at his tenants' houses had been broken, the auctioneers had repaired them, but he did not look to them for protection or redress. He looked to the Town Council, who represented him, and who derived a substantial rent from the auctions. The obstruc- tion caused by the auctions on the auction days was, he maintained, wholly illegal, and could be put an end to by any individual. He had no desire to do that, but thought the Corportion should remedy any private injury done to an individual by the auctions, and not pocket all the profits. He again warned the Council of the danger to animals and human beings, including g drovers, who, when the lane was packed with cattle, ran along the top of his wall at imminent danger to themselves and his tenants. He sug- gested that Councillor Davies should allow the use of the Wynnstay yard for collecting cattle. In concluding, Mr Lloyd pointed out that delay meant greater expense, and asked that the Council should repoint the wall on both sides, and put on a coping of cement. AUCTIONEERS' OFFER. Councillor C. P. Davies stated that Councillor Williams and he met Messrs Morris and Mar- shall on the last fair day, and inspected the wall complained of. The auctioneers said they would have nothing at all to do with the wall, either pointing or coping it. They however, stated that they were prepared to extend their yard further down the lane, if Mr Mumford would allow them to do so, and he believed they were now in com- munication with Mr Mumford. It was distinctly understood that the Back-lane should be used as a gangway. If it was used as such it was alright, but it was dangerous to use it for marking cattle, etc. Whatever damage was done to the property the Corporation or auctioneers were liable. They could not damage private property, but he thought Mr Lloyd was crying out before he was hurt. As far as he could see, little damage had been done. The auctioneers were now willing to allow the Council 38 for a man to clean up after the auctions. He had tried many times to get men to clear the streets, but they would rather skulk about the public houses than earn two or three shillings. Councillor Howard said that Mr Lloyd, in his very long letter, tried to make out that the Council were reaping a benefit by the auctions, and he (Mr Howard) would like to know exactly how they stood. It was his opinion they were out of pocket to the extent of X6 or £ 7. The Clerk: Certainly we are not makinor money out of them. Councillor Howard: I am under the impression we are losing, but Mr Lloyd says we are reaping a benefit. y 6 The Clerk, at Councillor Howard's request, then quoted figures in connection with the auctions. Councillor Howard: We are losing JE6 or £ 7 without the cleaning up. That means about X12 a year. I should like the pregs to take notice that we are losing on the auctions. As long as we have a statement to present, I think we should ask the auctioneers for 5s. The Clerk: Really we are under an obligation to clean up according to the lease. Councillor C. B. Williams considered the auctioneers' suggestion to extend their yard was a very good one. Councillor C. P. Davies proposed that the auctioneers' offer of 3s for cleaning up be accepted. Councillor C. B. Williams seconded the pro- posal that they accept the 3q for the time being. The Mayor: Would it not be wise for the committee to meet on the ground and arrange for the keeping clean of the streets. Alderman Vaughan disagreed with Councillor Howard that the auctions were a loss. Personally he thought they were a benefit indirectly to the town and district at large. He thought the auctioneers had made them a good offer, and he felt in duty bound to support the committee. The Council used to pay 3s for the cleaning, but now the auctioneers offered the Council 33 to get the work done. Personally he did not see that much damage had been done to Mr Lloyd's wall, but it was their duty to repair anything that had been damaged by the cattle. Councillor Howard, replying to Alderman Vaughan, stated that directly the auctions were a loss to the ratepayers, and this should be pointed out to Messrs Morris, Marshall and Poole. The auctioneers were the men who made the money, and they ought to pay. Councillor Mitchell: Who is responsible for the damage to the wall, the Auctioneers or the Council ? The Clerk: In my opinion we have nothing, to do with the yard. We have leased to the Auctioneers the paved and fenced portion of the Auction. Outside that gate we have nothing to do with it. Councillor Howard: We can take the gate off. The Clerk Anybody can do that. Councillor Davies We don't want to do that. Councillor Howard: Not if they will meet us. Eventually it was decided to invite the Auctioneers to attend the next meeting of the Council, when the whole question will be considered. WATER SUPPLY. In the unavoidable absenee of the surveyor (Mr W. P. Hole), the consideration of the water supply was deferred. THE FIRE BRIGADE. The appointment of suitable persons to fill the vacancies on the Fire Brigade was left in the hands of the Captain. ODDS AND ENDS. On the motion of Councillor C. P. Davies it was agreed to erect a lamp on the Pool-road. The Mayor was re-elected the Council's repre- sentative on the Bangor College Governors. The Local Government Board wrote sanctioning the appointment of Dr. Kirk as medical officer, and Mr Richard Tomley as inspector. A circular letter was read from the County Council calling attention to the provisions of the Small Holdings Act, which comes into force in January next, and asking the Council to furnish particulars as to whether there was any demand for land for small holdings, etc., in that parish. It was decided to advertise the matter in the local papers.