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FOREIGNERS IN THE ANTHRACITE…
FOREIGNERS IN THE AN- THRACITE DISTRICT. —— » Industrial trouble of a kind seldom encountered in the British coalfield has arisen in the upper reaches of the Swansea Valley. A number of Span- iards, with a sprinkling of men of other nationality, have been given employ- ment side by side with Welsh and English miners, and disaffection that has long been fermenting unobserved, has now become open and menacing. The foreign workers themselves, and the management concerned, will have to effect a speedy and radical re- adjustment of affairs if serious trouble is to be avoided. Only in Scotland, we believe, is there a considerable colony of foreign miners, and these 4come from a part of Poland where they have had experience of the kind of work they have to perform. They are good trade unionists, thev have assimilated British standards of life, and in a general sense, they have lined up with the requirements of the;- fellow-workers and of the Miners' Federation. Except of a small minority, the same cannot he said of the non-British workers at Aberorave. That is the real crux of the problem which is engaging the serious attention of the leaders of the Anthracite Dis- trict. It goes without saying that objection is not taken to these men on grounds of racial prejudice. The native miners at Abercrave are Federationists. mem- bers of the Miners' Federation of Great Britain, which is linked up with the international miners' organisation. They are also members of the Labour Party, which is affiliated with the working-class political parties of the world They have much too sound a grip «f the fundamental principles of Labour to dislike the foreigners merely because they are of another race and tongue. If anything, this iast fact has constituted a claim on their chivalry. The circumstance that the foreigwers are strangers in a strange land has induced forebearanee, but }.ha; fcrebearanc? is approaching its I i!'1;<S. What are the facts cf the pHun?ion I at Aberrrave ? Some of the foreigners are skilled workmen and loyal trade unionists: of them there is no com- plaint. But there are others unskilled, with little knowledge of the English language, and with but a meagre con- ception of the:r somewhat complicated rights under the Minimum Wage Act, and they are unable, even if they have the inclination, to demand those rights like the native miners. Moreover they are depressing the standard of living in the neighbourhood. Some of them exist under housing conditions sug- gestive of Kaffir kraals, and it is high time that the Labour members of the Ystradgynlais Council jogged that body, and it.s officials, into activity. We think that the foreigners are more to be pitied than blamed for their position. Theyi are the victims of cir- cumstances over which they have no control. It is not their fault that they are ignorant of conditions in Anthra- cite collieries, and certainly they are not responsible for the dearth of de- cent houses in Abercrave. But some means must be found of re- dressing the grievances of the Welsh miners. Without making charges or imputing base motives, we say plainly that the management a.nd proprietors of the oollicrv can reduce very con- siderably, if net abolish entirelv, the industrial grievances. If this is not done, sheer se'f-preservation will com- pel the /b'-rcrave miners to take definite ste-w to protect themselves, just as the obduracy of the shipowners has driven Ilie sailors' union to organ- ised measivi^ to prevent the employ- ment of underpaid Chinese on British shins, and he white workers of Aus-I tralia to prevent their f-tandards of wages and life l>emg debased by an influx of Asiatic workers. The conditions in the best collieries in the Anthracite District are not ideal, but stieli as they are they have been won at great cost. In earlier days men have risked their livelihood in standing up for their rights and those of their fellow-workmen. Some have experienced victimisation, and even starvation, because of their fight for good conditions. Others have been driven to ()"her districts, and even over-seas. The conditions won hv the sacrifice of these men, and maintained bv thf) Anthracite District, the S.W.M.F., and the M.F.G.B. are not lightly to hp frittered away. The miners of A bore rave have firmlv made up their inind,, that the insidious levelling of their conditions must cease, and they will take everv step, con- sistent with fair dealing hy rren more sinned against than sinning, to secure that end.
A WIFE. I WANTED A WIFEI
 A WIFE. I WANTED A WIFE I AMERICAN APPLIES TO COUNTY COUNCIL. From Illinois a man has appUc.d to the chairman of the Holland (Lincolnshire) County Council, asking the assistance of that authority ill securing him a wife. The writer says that if the Council know of any middle-aged woman of about 40 years of age, without encumbrance, who wishes to oome to the United States, he will be pleased if they will put her in correspondence with him. He adds that he is a man of 51 years, in business for himself in a nice town, in a. prosper- ous farming country, and that he (jan provide a good home. The woman must be a good cook and housekeeper, as he wants a capable woman whom he' can take for a wife. He states that any applicants will receive a courteous reply.
IFraternal Visits to Germany…
Fraternal Visits to Germany I Greeting of fraternity from the Leices- ter Trades Council will be carried by a largle party of members and friends of the local tranch of the Workers' Educa- tional Association, who are visiting a number of towns in Germany next week. The party will be conducted by Mr. F. 0'Kelly, who accompanied the recent Adult School peace deputation to Ger- many, and he is firmly convinced that better understanding of each other by the workers will tend to make international strife impossible. Twenty members of the Leicester In- dependent Labour Party have left on a similar tour, to extend over eight days. They will stay at the Volkshaus in eaoh town visited, and the Socialists there have undertaken to act as .guides. .Â
GARNANT MARRIAGE.
GARNANT MARRIAGE. The marriage took place on Wednesday at Garnant Church of Mr. William Henry Harries, second son of Mr. and Mrs. John Harries, of Brynlloi, Glanamman, formerly of Swansea, and Miss Gwenllian Mara, only daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Hu-Gadarn Thomas, of Woodburn, Glan- amman, formerly of Tredegar. There were three bridesmaids. Miss Blodwen Thomas, Tredegar (cousin), Nfiss Dolly Gilbert, Monmouth, and Miss Blodwen Williams, Garnant. The best man was Mr. Edwin Harries (-brother). The Vicar (Rev. William Williams). assisted by the Rev. Oliver Davies, officiated.
Advertising
I Ystradgynlais & District I Agricultural Society. The First Annual Show In connection with the above Society will be held on TUESDAY, AUGUST 4th, 1914. When Upwards of ;CIOO wlU be offered in Prizes for HORSES, CATTLE, SHEEP, OPEN DRIVING CONTEST, JUMPING and TROTTING COMPETITIONS. Also TIMBERING AND SPLICING COMPETITIONS, Etc. For Schedules and particulars, appiy to— JAS. E. MORRIS, General Sec., Bank Bui'Idirc~, ^l '■
CORRESPONDENCE. I
CORRESPONDENCE. THE "FOREIGN ELEMENT" AT ABERCRAVE. To the Editor of "Llais Llafur." Sir.—Allow me to controvert every item of the letter which appeared in your last issue signed "Chwareuteg." In the first place he invited me to make inquiries of the secretary of the local lodge of the Federation. This I have done, and, have been informed that all foreigners employed at the colliery were members of the Federation. This proves the falsity of "Chwareuteg's" state- ment that 30 per oent. of the foreigners were non-Unionists. In regard to his statement that at a recent general meeting a large number of them declared that they would never become members of the Federation, the fact is, that one of the foreigners said he would not pay money and be robbed, and referred to the occasion when certain irregularities in connection with lodge finances occurred. However, when the matter was explained to him by the chairman at the meeting, he decided to become a member. The amendment to which "Chwareu- teg" refers was not moved by me, but by another for whom I was to interpret, as was intended to be -explained before the voting took place. The next item is that during the past six years, foreign workmen have in- creased from 3 to 300 ot whom 200 have arrived during the past two years. This is also untrue. The correct number of I foreign workmen in the Abercrave eel. l ieries at present is 89 and it never has been more. In regard to cheap foreign labour, I maintain that all foreigners work for the same price as natives, and when working under the Minimum Act, it is claimed by them. This could be proved at any moment to anyone that doesn't hide him- self behind a fictitious name. Your correspondent states that a large number of the Spaniards are fugitives and cannot go back to Spain, and that they have to take what they get in the way of work and wages. This again is a false statement. There are no fugitives here; we are all honest workers, who have simply left our native country to seek a living across the frontiers. In regard to the immorality of over- crowding, and where he states that it has been said by a councillor that 30 persons were herded together in a hut which con- sists of two rooms about 9ft. square. I have only read, as the councillor said, that it was a rumour; but if your corres- pondent maintains that the rumour is correct, I shall have the honour of telling him that it is a house consisting of five bedrooms, a parlour, kitchen, pantry and washroom, and never has been occupied by half of the number he says, let alone a hut of two being occupied by 30. Fellow workmen, I think it is despic- able of a person who, not having a just cause against a particular class, tries to fan the flames of racial hatred. Yours, in the workers' cause, M. ESTEBAN. HOUSING AND TOWN PLANNING REFORM. OFFER OF PROPAGANDA. LECTURES. I To the Editor of "Llais LLtf ur." I Sir.—The South Wales Garden Cities and Town Planiung Association is a purely propagandist and advisory body, which has for its main object the ad- vocacy of housing and town pla ru" i ng re- form. It is quite non-political and un- sectarian in constitution, but it is pre- pared to co-operate with all kinds of or- ganisations in the furtherance of its par- ticular aims. Large numbers of lecture societies, poli- tical and religious bodies, Labour organ- isations, etc., will shortly be arranging lectures and public meetings for the forth- coming winter season, and many will doubtless be desirous of hearing discussed the subjects with which the Association deals. Wo shall, be glad to supply the servioes of lecturers on the Garden City Movement, Town Planning, Municipal and Co-operative Housing Bye-law Re- form. The Small Dwellings Acquisition Act, Pit-head Baths, and other allied subjects. Lectures may, if desired, be il- lustrated. Series of lectures may also be arranged. Organisations desiring to avail them. selves of this offer are invited to com- municate with me as early as possible. Yours, etc., EDGAR L. CHAPPELL. Secretary, South Wales Garden Cities Gar d en Cities and Town Planning Association. 3, Pembroke Terrace, Cardiff. YSTRADGYNLA|S I.L.P. AND TRADE UNIONISM. To thte Editor of "Llais Llafur." I Sir. In continuing the discussion with Young Liberal" let me state how sur- prised I am that he has not as yet un- masked himself. It is, however, a well- known fact that certain Liberals in Ystradgynlais have a partiality for send- ing anonymous letters to the Press and also, at "judicious intervals," anonymous postcards to I. L.P. speakers. In his last letter "Young Liberal" al- ludes to the absence of my knowledge of ringcraft. It is plain that he has been well-trained in that respect. For exam- ple, look how he manages to dodge my challenge to a public debate on "Social- ism versus Liberalism." He objects to the debate on the grounds that, "being a loyal Trade Unionist." he cou id 'not discuss this matter at the 'home' of per- sons recreant to the basic principles of Trade Unionism." What a splendid ex- hibition of agility and footwork I always imagined "Young Liberal" and Mr. Lloyd George to be men having, "Two souls with but a single thought, Two hearts that beat as one." But I have been mistaken, for did not Mr. Lloyd George tell us in his "great" Criccieth speech that he was anxious to exchange pulpits with us. and that he deplored sectarianism, both in religion and in pol ties? l,wonder what epithets Mr. Lloyd George would apply to his "caddy" were he to know The notions which "Young Liberal" has of Trade Unionism are ludicrous in the extreme. TTp no^v evidently ccn- siders that to be a loyal Trade Unionist he must not discuss political questions in an institute belonging to persons holding different opinions on political and indus- trial matters from those which he h.1(18 himself. To meet this objection, I sug- ge.st that the debate takes place at tue j "proposed" new Liberal Institute. Here is another example of "Young Liberal's" footwork. He states that I said with regard to domestic servants that "there are many who want a iob." I said nothing of the kind. In my illus- tration I simply asked him to assume that this was so. It is possible that there is a scarcity of domestic servants at the present time in this part of the country, but in the crowded towns I daresay there are thousands of women and young girls who wculd glady accept posts as domestic servants rather than endure the life wn they have to lead under the tern )!<» sweating systems which obtain there. With regard to Liberalism and lia-It Unionism. would it be impertinent of me to ask "Young Liberal" what steps he has taken to see that in future the Lib- eral Government employs only Trade Union Labour, and also what steps he has taken to see that work done by Gov- ernment contractors is not contaminated by contact with non-Unionists ? A re- currence of the Woolwich Arsenal strike would be avoided if "Young Liberal" de- voted his supertiuousi energiesi to "setting his own house in order." "Young Liberal" refers to Mr. Lloyd George's Budgets as "making history." Mr. Lloyd George himself, in explaining his Budget, last May, told the House the reason why the Government intro- duced it. Speaking to a prominent mem- ber of the Opposition he used these words "The right hon. gentleman and his friends think that the murmurs of in- surrection can be heard only in Ulster. He is mistaken. There is a revolt urging up around him in this country amongst millions of men against their conditions, and unless the opulent peo- ple of this country are prepared to make sacrinces. they will look back in amazement and regret at the days when they protested against a one-and-fourpenny extra insurance against revolution." There we have it-a bone thrown to a dog to prevent it from biting! The Gov- ernment believe that the millions can be kept in subjection by giving them such doles as these. We are told by "Young Liberal" how much Mr. Lloyd George's 1909 Budget Taxes have realised in four years but he does not tell us how much of this sum has been used in increased expenditure on armaments, neither does he tell us that not a single penny has been used to reduce the taxes on our food. I still maintain that "Young Liberal" can never hone to be a true Trade Union- ist so long as he supports the Liberal Party, a party composed chiefly of em- ployers of labour. He agrees with me that in Trade Union negotiations his employer is his opponent, but he says that at elections he is not an employer but a citizen. Such a statement forces the conviction that "Young Liberal" is either very ingenuous (and ignorant)—or that he under estimates the intelligence of your readers. A common practice, by the way, on the part of Liberals, young and old. Has "Young Liberal" never heard of the Employers' Parliamentary Council ? Evidently he does not read Government White Papers. Let me show him how Mr. Lloyd George and the employers arrange their little affairs, as stated in a, White Paper published hy His Majesty's Stationery Office. This paper contains reports of deputations to the Chancellor in connection with the Insurance Act. The Spokesman of the deputation on behalf of the Employers' Parliamentary Council asked Mr. Lloyd George how the employers could prevent their contributions under the Act from interfering with their profits. Mr. Lloyd George in replying said "What is not absorbed in improved efficiency must fall upon the consumer. Again, in reply to a deputation led by Sir Algernon Firth, the Chancellor, com- paring the Insurance Act with Mr. Cham- berlain's Employers' Liability Act said that the charges are not paid by the em- ployer but by tho consumer. By this he means, of course, that the employer does not pay his Insurance contribution from his profits but from the extra price that he puts upon his goods. This extra price is paid chiefly by the worker, so "Young Liberal" can, or should, see that eventu- ally it is the worker who pays both his own and hig employer's share of the In- surance contribution. So much for the citizenship of the emplover in Parliament and for Mr. Lloyd George's reforms! "Young Liberal," referring to my col- leagues in the profession, states that I convict the majority of them, out of hand, when I say that no true Trade Unionist can be a Liberal. I am a mem- ber of both the National Union of Teachers and the National Federation of Class Teachers, a.nd this is the first in- timation that I have received that the majority of my colleagues are Liberals. I am afraid that "Young Liberal" is carried away by his imagination. I used to think that the majority were Conser- vatives, but there is no doubt whatever that the last ten years have seen wonder- ful progress in the permeating of these two Unions with Labour sentiment. Let me insert for "Young Liberal's" educa- tion a quotation from a recent number of "Class Teachers," the monthly organ of the N.F.C.T. The writer after describ- ing the results of the Hereford teachers' strike says "To-day we have tasted of the fruits which come to ns from the ap- plication of Trade Union tactics (the strike, boycott aud picketing). In addi- tion we have a Labour M.P. of our own, in the person of the latei editor of the 'CIa.'> Teacher.' The 'revolutionaries' and dreamers of a few years ago may prove to be the only people' w hose. pol icy is practicable and effective when tried and proved under the conditions of pre- sent day society." This writer here re- fers to Mr. Gold stone, M.P., and I be- lieve and trust that at the next election .A,lr. J, Hudson. M.A., another teachers' representative will be returned Labour M.P. for Eccles. Number-; of local asso- ciations hayeaffilinted with Trade and Labour Councils, and with Labour Repre- sentation Committees all over the coun- try. Teachers are rapidly growing aware of the fact that the Labour and Socialist movement is the only movemerj, which aims at giving every child born into this world equal opportunities, and which will give more facilities for educating the masses than the present Liberal Party gives for increasing the Army and Navy and perfecting new engines of death, and that is saying a lot. "Young Liberal" will be pleased to hear that the tennis court is nearing com- pletioii, and that Trade Unionists (who really belong to a Trade Union) are look- ing forward with eagerness to it-s open- ing. They underst-aitd that it is the of- fering of a. band of untiring but impecun- ious workers to a cause which is as far above Liberalism as "Young Liberal" in his conceit, is above the lowly beasts of the field. Yours, etc., LLEW. E. MORGAN. I YstrAd?ynl&K.
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Summer Sale In full Progress at -4 Wm. Davies & Co. Victoria Buildings, lE^OUST T-A_ :R,Idawe We have made startling price-reductions in our Stocks for our Sale, and, note also, that our offers include the NEWEST, FRESHEST, MOST CHARMING goods produced for Summer. A Few of our Sale Values Ladies 8/11 Sports Coats. During the Sale at 3/11 2/11 Costume Skirts in the new Black and White Checks. During the Sale J/lli i/ni Corsets in good strong Coutil. During the Sale t Od. 200 Blouses. Usual price I/II. Sale Price 1/01 Children's 2/11 Cream and Coloured Hats. Sale Price 1131 Ladies' 2/11 Trimmed Straw Hats, ready to wear. During Sale l/0 £ Men's 1/11 Straw Boaters- During Sale 10id. Boy's 2/11 Cotton Tunic Suits. Reduced to l/6 £ Scores of other Splendid Bargains See our Display at Sale Prices Now is your time to Save Money for the Holidays by buying Boots and Shoes for yourself and Children at <S3HonH-a a 3~IVS ±009 XV3UD XV ^jn;i;sui e4 'BMjjCieisi '(ssnoqieu am 01 jooa ixam) NO misi 'nv pue jsjg sinr 'XcpanjES puc Aepuj .IIlS jo sxva XSVl OMl iiaAiusoj V
JUSTICE'S JUSTICE.
JUSTICE'S JUSTICE. Mr Neft. the Lqanellv dentist, .brought a libel action against a weekly newspaper for a grossly offensive com- parison of "one who was foremost in romoting the last railway strike in tLlanelly" to Peter the Painter, the "notorious criminal associated with the 3Ioundsditeh crime, of which the Sid- JK>Y Street was a se quel. He was Awarded one farthing damage, and an order for costs was made in favour of the defendant company^ Contrast this with the £ 500 damage and costs against "Llais Llafur" in the lihel action brought by the Liberal candidate who was de- feated at the last Gower election! But tle mnarkable feature 4 Mr Neft's c.ilge was certain observations of the jftdge in sjumming-up. He said: The plaintiff regarded himself in the light of a philanthropist gifted with insiglvt into social and indup,- trial matters which made him a fit and proper person to deal with the affairs of working men. They might say that was egregious vanity on his part, and that if he stuck to his business of dentistry he would be a much more useful member of society, whether he lived in'England or in Russia. rWhat effect was this likely to have on m middle-class jury, not too favour- ably disposed towards Jews. and oer- eta-inly not harbouring friendly feelings itowards Socialists? A bigger jury than 9that at the Glamorgan Assizes will "torobablv say that the judge would do ^■better to stick to his business of dis- jjensing justice than to make irrelev- ant and prejudicial remarks about the ^political and social opinions of a plain- tiff. The capitalist classes have long enjoyed a rronopoly of educated parti- sans. ami if a professional man choses to devote his energies to helping the workers in their fight against poverty he has a perfect right to do so. We ha.ve said Ix^fore that Mr Neft acted unwisely during the Llanelly strike, but his indiscretion does not rob him of his rights of protection bv the law. The verdict confirms the working- class movements.
....... lVFnSH SCHOOL OF INSTRU…
lVFnSH SCHOOL OF INSTRU MENTAL MUSIC. Great things are expected of the •eehool of instrumental music which is in process of founding at Abervstwvth. Full courses in instrumental music are to be given at University College hy teachers from the Schola Cantorum, Paris, as well as courses for the piano and the art of singing. Concerts are to be held in various centres in Wales, the College teachers assisting without lee, and it is hoped to stimulate the formation of musical clubs and orches- tras. This is the most hopefful enter- prise that Wales has known for many years. The trouble with us We'sh is that we are such incorrigible special- ists and iVr'ta+ors. When a Welshman win,- d i I 1;11 :)nv !)Mp there iq "»n i-rr-r. rv.-h >F ;1' rcycft ?he K_i;. Alter the .?'? d cs of the ? Puritan prison-house closed over V ales nearly every brilliant Welsh boy re- ga.rded a pulpit career as his chosen destiny: other professions might have been non-existent. When Wales had learned the art of playing Rugby foot- ball, every athlete of any note set his hetort on becoming an international footballer: other sports were neglec- ted. Boxing is at present in similar case with Rugby football a generation ago. Most of the new Welsh dramas are an imitation in essence of "Change," the first Welsh play to at- tract general attention. So the dazzling victory of "Cor Mawr Carad- og" set musical Wales on a pot-hunt- ing career of choral singing to the utter neglect of other phases of musio. The new school, by broadening the nation's scope and capacity in music, s, an d it is will help to change all this, and it is in accord with the best ideals of edu- cation that the school will attempt to diffuse a knowledge of orchestral work throughout the country, rather than produce a few performers of high quality. We wish that what is to be done for music could also be done for literature, art, and science. There b a great demand for instruction in the higher branches of knowledge in all the mining districts. A writer in the current "Fortnightly Review" declares that it is the miners and artizans who are the chief buyers of the reprints and books like the Home University labrary that are produced in such phenomenal numbers by modern pub- lishers. That is at oire a and effect of the Labour movement. Every improvement in wages, every measure like the Eight Hours' Act, every scheme of housing reform increases the demand of the worker for favourable conditions of life, and his command of what may be called the non- material amenities of civilisation. In itiself a minimum wage is not worth fighting for, but so far as it enables or tends ultimately to enable a man to buyt books, to engage on the study of music, art, and -science it most cer- tainly is worth lighting for. The Lab- our movement is not materialist, but without a ma.terial basis, culture is im- possi ble. just as a gardener does not grow flowers except in properly pre- pared soil. Because this new schoof of instrumental music helps towards the higher life it will "ecoive the sup- port of the workers of Wales, in the same way as the W-e4,sh National Library has received their help.
YSTALYFERA NEW SEWERAGE SCHEME.…
YSTALYFERA NEW SEWER- AGE SCHEME. OPENING CEREMONY. I The formal opening of the Yittalyfera Sewage Disposal Works took place on Thursday afternoon, the ceremony being performed by Col. Fleming Gough in the presence of a small, but representative gathering. Amongst those present were Col. Gough, Mrs. Gough, Mrs. Stamford Raffles, Mies Vibart, Councillors Morgan Davies (chairman Pontardarwe Council), J. M. I Davies, Rev. E. Davies, F. R. PhiIHps, Owen Davies, J.P., H. J. Powell, J.P., Evan Hopkin, J. D. Rees, T. Wade Evana, T. A. Evans, D. J. Williams, W. D. Davies, Joseph Thomas, L. W. Francis, J. G. Harris, J. Howells, D. W. Davies (County Councillor), Messrs Wyndham Lewis (clerk), John Mor- gan. T. Watkins, A. E. Edmunds, J. G. Rees, Dr. W. J. Lewis (Medical Officer of Health), A. Seaton (contract- or), A. Jestyn Jeffreys, A. White, J. Jones. G. H. Strick, J.P., Simon Thomas and others. Mr John Morgan (engineer), on be- half of the contractor, handed a golden key to Col. Gough. The inscription on the key read "Presented to Col. Flem- ing Gough, July 30th. 1914, on open- ing the sewage disposal works at Ystalvfera. In declaring the works open Col. Gough said he was obliged to the mem- hers of the Council for allowing him to do so. He hoped it would tend to the health, comfort and cleanliness of the residents of the district. The Engineer then briefly explained the process by which the liquid sewage would be transformed into water by means of bacteria, and later the whole of the company were photographed. DESCRIPTION OF THE WORKS. The present population of Ystalyfera within the area to be drained is about 7,000, and the works are designed to provide for an increase of 50 per cent. The Outfall Sewer, 18 inches in dia- meter, discharges the sewage through a screening chamber into detritus and sedimentation tanks, and then into a set of dosing chambers, from which the sewage flows in cast iron pipes to four bacterial filter beds constructed on the percolating system, each 76ft. diameter by 4ft. 6in. in depth, and is sprinkled evenly over the surface of the filtering media by Farrer's facile distributors. The effluent from the filters flows into humous tanks from which it is conveyed in carriers for irrigation over a plot of land. J'wo storm tanks are provided to re- ceive the excess over three times the t dry weather flow. After sedimentation has taken place, the sewage is gradu- ally emptied byl floating arms, and discharged into the river. The cost of the whole scheme- amounted to over 221,000. After the ceremony the oompany- was entertained to lunch by Col. Clough at the new Godrergraig Church Hall. The toast of "The King" was proposed by the chairman (Col. Gotigli) and then the Rev. J. S. Jones proposed the toast of "The Council." The rev. gentleman said he hoped the Council would not now consider that they had complete d their work in the district, as they had a tremend- ous duty to perform in connection with the housing of the people—(applause). He hoped they would keep that ques- tion very prominently before them, and there was no time to lose if the general health of the district was to be guarded and improved. He remarked upon the very marked increase in the rates which had risen from 3s.4d. in the £ in 1903 to 10s. in the £ in 1914. Mr Morgan Davies. in responding, said that during the time he had been a member of the Council they had laid down three sewerage scheme, in ad- dition to which they had extended other schemes and also schemes of water supply in the district. The Council were carrying out schemes which were more like those expected t-L- be carried out in an urban district,, and as a matter of fact the Council almost possessed the powers of an Ur- ban District Council. Sooner or later the Council would be compelled to urbanise itself. The outstanding loans. were now P,79,426 out of which t23,982 were of a remunerative kind. £ 16,372 had been borrowed in connection with the Small Dwellings Acquisition Act. and £ .5,837 in connec- tion with the Housing Scheme at Ys- talvfera. The toast of "The Engineer and The Contractor" was proposed by Mr H. J. Powell. J.P., and responded to by Mr John Morgan, and Mr A. Seaton. The toast of "The Visitors" was pro- posed by Mr F. R. Phillips, J.P., and responded to by Mr G. H. Strick. "The Officers" was proposed bv Mr" Owen Davies and Dr. W. J. Lewis re- sponded. I. D avli er' pro p f)se,, d the toast Mr. J. M. Davies proposed the toast of "The Chairman," and Col. Gough, in responding, congratulated the Council1 upon having completed such an important work. He said he felt very keenly upon the Housing Question in the district. Godre'rgraig was going to be one of the most important parts of the district in the near future if the various colliery enterprizes succeeded, and as a landlord he wanted the land below laid out in a proper manner, so that there would not be the everlasting rows of houses, and be asked the Councillors to lend him their help and assistance so that they would denart from the monotony of those bar- rack row houses. (Applause). He wanted it laid out in such a manner that people in fututre would fed tht they Ituu dawr their duty. (Loud applause).