Pioneer

DOWLAIS. I TRADE AT DOWLAIS.-Trade has been brisker -again at Dowlais this week. Under the pressure of orders both from the Government and gene- ral consumers, every effort has to be made to keep pace with the demand, and but for the shortage of labour and iron ore the records would be still more satisfactory. Operations at the blast furnaces were proceeding with grow- ing efficiency, and the same remark applied to the steel plant. The Goat Mill was engaged with billets, cogging steel, etc., and the rolling mills with steel rails, squares, and some quantity of tin bar. The Big Mill turned out a large quan- tity of steel rails, small commercial steel, and fish-plates and sole-plates. The fitting shops were well engaged. BEDLINOG MINERS FINED.-r-Ernest Hamblyn, Bedlinog. pleaded guilty at Merthyr on Friday to sleeping whilst in charge of the fan engine at the Nantwen Pit, but pleaded that he had been ill that night, and slept for a quarter of an hour. He was fined 12/- (or 7 days)-- Three colliers—J ohn Davies and Henry Griffiths, of Bedlinog, and Win. George Jones, Fochriw were charged with damaging their lamps, and were fined 20/- each. REMANDED IN CUSTODY.-At Merthyr Police Court on Friday, Mary Ann Griffin (18), Ivor Street, Dowlais, was remanded in custody till Friday charged with stealing a purse, containing 13/ from the person of Annie Dunn. Chief Inspector Phillips said the police intended pre- ferring a series chargas against the girl, and they wanted a remand in order to endeavour to arrest another girl who was with the prisoner.— Det-ctiveSergeantDave stated that when ar- rested Griffin said, "I did not take it; ———— took it."

gi," Sodden with Drink." I SHOCKING NEGLECT CASE AT MERTHYR Her constant plea was that she had been led away by other women, and when I threat- ened proceedings she said, For God's sake give me one more chance," remarked Inspector Starr, of the NSPCC., in giving evidence at Merthyr on Tuesday against Mary Ann Connel- ly, a soldier's wife, of 4 Vincent's Place, who was summoned for neglecting her 6 children. Mr, C. B. James, who prosecuted on behalf of the NSPCC., saii that no less than £3 16f went into the defendant's house each week in- cluding 26/- Army separation allowance. The defendant was sodden with drink. There were only two apokigies of beds for eight people. Inspector Starr intimated that the children were fed fairly well, out the house "reeked." The hushanl was invalided home from the front—he was now in hospital at Porthcawl and when witness told him of the way his wife was acting he said: 'I have seen in the paper about other soldiers' wives, and I quite ex- pected to see my wife's name there as well," Che eldest boy ran away and joined the Army. When witness visited the house on one occasion he found defendant and another soldier's wife, who carried a. child 11 months old, helplessly drunk in the bedroom. Defendant had black eyes, which she alleged her husband had given her. Defendant, who sobbed bitterly, appealed for another chance, but the Stipendiary remarked that children ought not to be allowed to suffer in this .manner, and defendant would have to go to prison for 2 months with hard labour.

I BARGOED. I ARRESTED AT BARGOED.—Charles xliomas, lab- ourer, formerly of Semghenydd, ap- peared before the Pontypridd Bench on Fri- day charged witth deserting his wife and child. it was stated that the amount of relief granted by the Guardians was L4. Defendant, who was arrested at Bargoed, was sentenced to two months' hard labour. SMASH AT FLEUR-DE-LIS. Frank S. Powell, grocer, Fleur-de-lis, was summoned at Black- wood Police Court on Friday for recklessly dri- ving a motor-oar, and also for driving to the danger of the public. Mr. Harold Lloyd, Car- diff, defended. The evidence showed that on a wet, st or my night, defendant, who was driving his car, collided with a pony and trap, owned by a man named Haines, both vehicles being smashed up. The Bench gave defendant the benefit of the doubt, and dismissed the case, and said it was a vary dangerous spot where the accident took place. HENGOED BANNER AFTER ASTRAY.—Mary Hint- on (36), married Hengoed, was summoned at Bargoed on Friday for assault bv Leah Rogers, and by the latter's daughter-in-law, Mary RdJ- gers. There was a cross-summons for assault by Mrs. Hinton.—Mary Rogers, in cross-examina- tioned, denied that there was great rejoicing over their encounter with the defendant, and that an aptron was hung out from a flagstaff.- Mrs. Hinton, who, the Bench said, had acted under great provocation, was bound over. The cross-summons was dismissed. The younger Ro- gers was ordered to pay 10/- for damage done to Mrs. Hinton's door. FIRE AND BANKRUPTCY.—A Gilfach debtor in the Merthyr Bankruptcy Court on Tuesday assigned his failure to the fact that he lost jE30 one hot day by the oil on his cart igniting and burning his cart and all he had, on the Gelligaer Mountain. The debtor, Morris Jas. Rees (30), now a. collier, but formerly an oil dealer and general merchant of Gilfach, Bar- goed, stated that his gross liabilities were C283 5s 9d, and his deficiency £ 249 10s lid. He was prosecuted once for working a horse in an unfit state, and that cost him £12, while on account of his horse running away on four occasions he had lost £4.5. The hearing was adjourned for the production of some accounts. DERI COLLIER'S AFFAIRS.—"The rearing of a large familv -and illness," were the causes of failure alleged by Stephen Bowen, Jenkin's Row, nri, a collier, a.t the Merthyr Bank- ruptcy Court on Tuesday, His gross liabilities were -put at £ 112 8s, all of which was expected to rank for dividend, and his deficiency was R99 8s. Debtor, aged 53, had lived at his present address for 45 years, and had reared 11 chil- dren He admitted knowledge of his insolvency three years ago. butxpreeted to meet his liabi- lities with the assistance of his sons, who, how- ever, married. The examination was closed. HAPPY EVENING AT BARGOED.— A whist drive and dance were held at the Parish Hall, Bar- goed on Thursday, .February 3, there being a good attendance. Whist was played till about 11.30 p.m.. when the room was cleared for dancing, which continued until 6 a.m. The winners in the whist drive were -Ladies: Mrs. Jones, New Tredega.,r (a silver vase) and Miss P. Gay, Bargoed gent's: Mr. Jones, New Tre- degar, a pair of military hair brushes. There was iu,, appeal for the Soldiers' and Sailors' Cigarette Fund, and the collection amounted to RI 10s. The proceeds of the dance is to be given to the Red Cross and St. John Ambu- lance Funds. One thing that marred the whole affair was that several things were missing from the cloak room

PONTYPRIDD. I "Democrat in the guise of our old friend and comrade, Oliver Jenkins, of the Pontypridd I.L.P. in last week's "National Newsagent," under "South Wales Notes," writes:—"It can- not be said that if the Federation of Newsag- ents passes over the heads of non-association members themselves to the democratic 'buying public itself that the 'attitude is precipitated or ill-conceived for in districts where little is known or felt of the work of the .Federation, there it can be summed up in a case of want of knowledge. As a kind of elderly Trade Union- ist, the writer of a sage gone before is ever in my mind when he averred that "Man's inhu- humanity to man makes countless ages mourn. This is not only applicable to this deplorable world's war, but can be narrowed down to the action, or rather want of action, on the part of those newsagents who stubbornly decline to re- cognise the inevitable and come into line with organised brothers. It is a true saying that the pace of a regiment is decided by its slow- est members. So in this case incalculable harm is done by those who criminally look on, for- getful or quite indifferent to the fact that con- cessions are being withheld that perfect orga- nisation should obtain, and the newsagency frat- ernity come into their own. As matters stand, our position! considerably worsened. When with rates, taxes, rent, cost of living, etc., gone up in such an alarming degree, the posi- tion is beooing too grievous to be borne. The way of salvation would become apparent to one and all if they would but sacrifice an afternoon and attend the Federation meetings." The last meeting was held at the Y.M.C.A., Pontypridd, on Thursday, January 27.

C. B. at Blaenant. I KEEP PICK AND SHOVEL GOING AT I FULL TILT. MUNITIONS COMMITTEE SPEAKERS AT I ABERDARE PIT-HEADS. Mr C. B. Stanton, the Junior M.P. for the I Borough, addressed the Blaenant workmen last Thursday, at one of the mysterious meetings organised at the pit-heads by the Munitions Parliamentary Committee. Mr. H. E. Pratten, Sydney, Australia, accompanied C.B., while Geo. R. Young, M.P., and Mr. Barnstaple ad- dressed the Llettyshenkin Colliers. Mr. Stanton said that he came among the workmen of Blaenant with the conviction that they would not be behind in the effort to pro- duce the utmost ounce of coal at a period when every lump was sorely needed He had been asked by the Ministry of Munitions to extend to them a hearty and sincere expression of thanks for their services in the past. It was hardly necess- ary for him to appeal to them for a continuance of their help, as he, of all people, had abundant proof of their readiness to contribute, to the last breath, to the supreme effort which was needed to crush the foe once and for all, by an amalgamation of unremitting activity among the various industries of the country. ,5 As most of you know," continued Mr. Stan- ton, "I was lately with the 'boys at -the front. I came across some from this district: They had only one message, which was that the people at home should play the game by ex- pending their maximum strength in the pro- duction of the mateiiial which they required to carry on their perilous work in the trenches. Tell the boys at the pits, Mr. Stanton,' jocu- alrly said one of them, to keep the old flag flying by using the pick and shovel at full pelt.' I promised him I would do so, and I now convey to you his reasonable request. Although the,re may be local trouble and political differ- ences of opinion in regard to the war, I feel confident that you will not allow anything of the kind to come between you and your duty, but that you will continue to do your best at a period when your help is imperative for the preservation of the unity of the British Em- pire." Tenders of vote of thanks to the speaker, the meeting passed a resolution to the effect "that we will continue to do our utmost to produce as much coal as we possibly can."

National Council Against Conscription. IMPORTANT MEETING OF CENTRAL BODY. iVI-r. Robert Smillie took the chair at the (meeting of the National Council Against Con- scription called last Thursday to consider the question as to whether the Council should con- tinue its activities now that the Bill whose passing it was formed to oppose has become law. The decsion on that point was unanimous, and the future activities of the Council are clearly set out in a printed notice which is being sent out to individuals and organisations all over Great Britain. It is essential that for every area where there is a tribunal there should be certain people ap- pointed to whom the Council may refer applic- ants for advice and assistance. It is hoped that there may be also found persons prepared to undertake the other functions set out in a Memorandum. The Council therefore in- vites all individuals or organisations will- ing to perform such services to communicate at once with its Secretary at 18 Bride Lane Lon- don, E.G., stating precisp)p what particular du- ties they are willing to undertake. The Council invites all requiring such advice and assistance to apply to the Secretary either for direct information on definite points or for a reference to a person in their swn locality who is able and willing to advise them.

English Congregational Church, Abercynon. 7th COMPANY BOYS' BRIGADE PRESEN- TATION. A social tea and presentation meeting was held in the schoolroom of the above church on the 7th instant, when Mi-. E. H. Battram pre- sented an enlarged photo of the Company to be hung in the minister's room. Captain F. Rad- ford, on behalf of the Company, thanked Mr. Battram for the gift, and for the interest he took in the welfare of the boys. Mr. Battram gave the 'boys an inspiring address, and com- mended the company upon their smart appear- ance. Addresses were also delivered by the Rev. M. Jenkins, Captain F. Gibbon, Mr. Radford (senior) and Mr. Pope, Seoretalry of the Pontypridd and District Battalion. Reference was made to the impending de- parture of Captain Radford, who will this week join the King's Forces. A warm tribute was paid him for the excellent work he had accom- plished in connection with the Brigade. Mr. F. Gibbon has been appointed captain pro. tern. There were present with Mr. Battratm the following officers of the Chui-vh: -Mr. W. Hop- kins, Messrs. G. Stone, T. Jomes and F. Ed- wards. An excellent tea was provided by the follow- ing:—Mesdames Gibbon, Stephens, and Rad- ford; Misses' May Herbert. B. Herbert, B. Matthews, Stephens, and Radford. A very pleasant evening was spent, the boys thoroughly enjoying themselves. The Company is one of the largest in the Battalion, and Drill-Instructor Stephens is to be highly commended for the smartness and proficiency of the Brigade.

44 Poetry of Democracy." I It is particularly requested that all mem- bers of the I.L.P. should make a special effort to be present at at the Rooms on Sunday, when Mr. Herbert Davies, B.A., Hons. (Oxon) has promised to read a paper on the Poetry of Democracy," a subject with which he is by nature and training specially fitted to deal. He gave us a foretaste of what to expect last Sunday night in his few remarks at the close of Comrade Dan Evans' paper—remarks that whet- ted the appetite.

Georgetown Burning Fatality. I A sad burning fatality, resulting in the death of a Georgetown soldier's five years old daughter, occurred on Wednesday. The tiny tot, Hetty Mary Foley, was left in a room for a few minutes by her mother, who. on her return, found the child's clothing ablaze. As a result of the injuries and shook, the little one died six hours after her discovery. The father has been serving in France for the past 18 months.

rn- II U_II "_II It Is WHEN REQUIRING 1 j SUITS, COSTUMES, or GENERAL DRAPERY I SEND A POST CARD TO E-T om-m-lm- 28 Thomas St., )JOHN BARR???. |  !t  CALL. I AND A REPRESENTATIVE WILL CALL. j I Cash or Instalment System. f SUITS a?d COSTUMES to Measure a Spec?aHty t

Little Tales from Spain. THE ABYSS. (Translated by E. PEN A.) The prodigious palace surrounded by gar- dens and orchard! What fine fruit depend from the trees! What dainty lfowers cover the fields and pea-fume the ambient air! Tell me, powerful, the history of so many wonders When the earth had been distributed and peopled, there remained only an abyss deep and terrible, without life and almost inacces- sible. A stone Hung into it would have taken vears to reach the bottom. The agile goats that slipped and fell over its brink left their skins, and bones crushed in the rugged projections of the rocks that formed the walls of the gulf; and had a man but looked in the abyss he would have felt dragged over its lip by the giddiness. Like a s#owaway from Heaven, yet one more man came to earth. I wish to live," the strange visitant said, and entering the city with the insensate cry upon his lips, he tried to accommodate himself in the first house he found-. But the house had an owner, and since the man could not pay for hospitality, the owner threw him on»t.^ "I wish to live!" repeated the crazy one, and he entered one by one the dwellings in the city, only to be rejected as before. cit" y, I wish to live!" he reiterated and began to build for himself a hut, bringing the stones for the fabric from the mountains on his shoul- ders, and wresting the timber that he needed from the woods. But the mountain, too, had an owner, and the woods belonged to the King, and the land whereon he had begun to build his house belonged to the Council; they re- moved the stones and timber and flung him out of the City. I wish to live!" repeated the unfortunate, and ran over roads and fields without finding accommodation anywhere, because all was al- ready possessed, and so he ran over the whole world. A" woman, taking pity on his strange mad- ness, detained him under a tree, and awakened in his breast the passion of love. It was the first consolation that the man had received in his life. If thou lovest me," said the woman to him one day, "obey me." The man loved her tenderly, because he had with her many offspring, and he readily pro- mised to obey. Look!" the woman said to him, some are born rich and others poor. The poor must serve the rich. If you desire that we should be happy, we must offer the strength of our bodies and the skill of our hands to the Lord of yonder palace, that you see in the distance. He will then give us something to cut every day, and permit us the roof under which to live." Full of admiration the orazy one replied, "Mine is my strength, and mine the subtlety of my hands. The Lord of the Palace did not give them to me. My arms and my strength are sufficient to apportion to me and mine, what the Lord has apportioned to himself. Look at that bird which flies overhead, and that fox that scuttles through the bush! They wish to love, and live! Why can we not do the same P We have not put our foot upon land that does not belong to someone. Who condemned us to this before we were born? Where is the piece of land that will sustain us? Why we are less than the fox that runs, and the bird that flies. They who tell us that the world and all that is contained therein are my enemies, though my only offence was to come to earth. Oh You have deceived me. You have given me your love only to enslave me. You are in league with my enemies," and in an excess of fury he slays the poor woman. Soon, however, came the revulsion and the tears streamed from his eyes on to the oold corpse of his friend. M7,, poor beloved he sobbed. "You were not trying to deceive me. You were but trying to transmit to me your mistake, which the wic- kedness of men has made you the victim of. I wish to die with you, crying on your tomb. I will select a beautiful place at the border of a road, and there I will dig your sepulchre. The men, surely more merciful to the dead than to the living, will take care when I die to bring me to your side." He put the corpse on his shoulders, and at the border of a read under the shade of a poplar, he began to dig the grave. A worker saw him and told him that the land had an owner, and he would not be permitted to bury anyone in it. He went to another place, and then an- other, and another—and in every place where he began to dig the grave, they told him the same thing. What do yen do?" then asked the unfortu- nate, "with them that die?" "Don't you know?" they answered him, "that there is a holy place where, under crosses, flowers and symbols, repose the dead?" They directed him, and with the corpse on his shoulders, he, went to a cemetery. He was received by a priest, who asked him a thousand things, which the crazy one did not understand, and, only under pretext of such, was he permitted to pass with his load. In the place which he thought most beautiful the unfortunate began to dig the grave. P/ut again they stopped him at his work. A grave- digger pointed out a very large :a-re where men were unloading a cart of quartered human debris. I "Fling there your mad," he said. That is the sepulchre of J. jne poor." Full of terror, the' man escaped from that place, Carrying with him the corpse of his be- loved. And he ran-and ran desperately until he came to the border of the abyss. "Whose is that abyss?" he asked a farmer that was passing. As it is of no use, it belongs to no one," replied the farmer. There is the sole thing that can be mine!" cried the crazy one. Let us run, my poor be- loved, to the place which them that came be- fore have reserved for us." And with one leap, he flung, with the load, in the abyss. The echo repeated the noise of the breaking of the corpses as they flew to the bottom, and, when the night arrived, only the moon could reach them with its silver rays. Thousands of generations, sons and daughters of the unfortunate couple, afterwards followed them, imitating their conduct and filling with their bodies the abyss. Suicides and desperadoes crowned the end, and time and the rainfalls crumbled the bones and converted the flesh into slime, and the slime turned into solid earth. That abyss disappeared, like others have dis- appeared before, and others will still again. There came into being one more place to inhabit. Upon it I have built my palace. Of that BLOOD and that FLESH are formed that fine fruit that depends from the trees, those dainty flowers that cover the fields and perfume the ambient air. Where go they, powerful, those who. like that man, can find no soil to plant, nor piece of land in which to sleep the eternal sleep?" "They go to fill other and other abysses so deep as that one." Prodigious palace, surrounded by gardens and orchards! What fine fruit depends from the trees What dainty lfowers cover the fields and perfume the ambient air." Don't tell anyone, powerful, the black his- tory of so many wonders."

SMALL PREPAID ADVERTISEMENTS. One In- Three In- Six In- sertion. sertions. sertions. i s d. s. d. ls d9" 20 words 0 6 1 0 1 9 30 words 0 9 1 6 2 9 40 words 1 0 2 0 3 6 50 words 1 3 2 6 4 6 60 words 1 6 3 0 i1 5 6 In all cases the t^ame and Address are counted as pa-i t of the Advertisement. These prices apply only to Advertisements ordered for consecutive i.'Insertionstand which are prepaid. Trade Advertisements are insetted under the Hooding "Personal "-at 9d. per line. All Adve-rtiiementil should be posted to the Office on or before Monday. Medical. ?J-PAGE BOOK ABOUT HERBS AND U4* for ene. HOW TO USE THEM, post free. bend for TRIMNELL, THB HERBALIST, 144 RICHMOND ROAD, CARDIFF. Established 1879. Literary. I UNITARIAN PAMPHLETS on "The Bible," "Heaven," and "Hell p)' given post free.-Miss BARMBY. Mount Pleasant, Sidmouth A N Educative Percentage Book for Miners j- and Colliery Clerks, post free 5d.- E. EVANS, 38 Church Street, Penydarren, Merthyr. Prize Drawings. PnrzE DRAWING OF ABRAM HAMER, Troedyrhiw, POSTPONED until March 14th, 1916. Miscellaneous. A STROLOGY.—Life events, changes, for- XTJL tun ate days, business success, matri- mony; two years' future added; send birth date 1/- P.O. Prof. GOULD, "The Nook," I Heathfield Road, Cardiff.

ABERDARE. RAILWATMEN'S RESOLUTION. The National Union of Railwaymen (Aberdare Branch), at its meeting last week end, unanimously passed the following resolution:—"Resolved that we, the Committee of the Aberdare Branch of the National Union of Railwaymen, endorse the action of the Aberdare Trades and Labour Council in the attitude taken up by them re the case of Holding and Rees, which was recently tried in the Aberdare Police Cowrt and we further desire to point out the nee/j; of additional representatives on the magisterial Bench." ABERARF CIJBIIKSHIP .— X specal meeting of the Aberdare District Council was held on Wednesday to, ;~uuce the number of applicants for a successor to Mr. D. Llewellyn Griffiths, who L!s resigned his position as Clerk to the Council. There were 13 applicants, and the fol- lowing were placed on the short list:—Mr. W. R. Morgan, solicitor, Aberdare; Mr. Percival C. Morton, deputy clerk to the Corporation of Halifax and Mr. Douglas Sargenson Twigg, as- sistant solicitor to the Corporation- or w HELP THOSE WH" HELP YOUR P'-IERI