Pioneer

House Coal Shortage. I BARRY QAILWAYMEN'S THREAT. I At a meeting of the Barry No. 2 Branch of the National Union of Railwaymen, the follow- ing resolution was unanimously passed — That we, the members of the above branch, hereby give, serious notice to the miners for domestic, coals tiisDk wnless the supply is im- proved immediately to meet the requirements of the public at home generally, we shall be compelled to stop shipment of the same.

The N.C.F. and Mr. Walter Long. PROTEST AGAINST ADMINISTRATION OF TRIBUNALS. (To the Editor of the PiexEER.) Sir 'The following letter has been sent to- night to Mr. Walter Long regarding the ad- ministration of the Military Service Act:- H. W. PEET. 18 Devonshire Street, E.C. The Rt. Hon. Walter Long, M.P., Loca.1 Go- vernment Board, Whitehall, S. W. Sir,—During the passage of the Military Ser- vice Bill through the House ci Commons, we had occasion to submit to the Prime Minister the views of our members, pointing out that the great majority of conscientious objectors could make no distinction between oombat.an. and non-combatant military service. The Military Service Act in its final f orm empowers the Tribunals to grant absolute cer- tificates to conscientious objectors; statements made by Ministers during the oassage of the Bill, and the Circular of the Local Government Board have removed all doubt as to the Gov- ernmnet's intention in this respect. Up to the present Local Tribunals have, with few exceptions, imposed non-combatant ser- vice on conscientious oofectors, even where applicants have made it abundantly clear that this fails to meet their objection to participa- tion in war. Mr. Tennaat's statement in the House of Cemonoiis on the 29th February: "It will shortly be possiblv., I hope. to employ con- scientious objectors in setting free any men fit for combatant service who may at present be employed on non-combatant duties," bears out the contention that by undertaking non-combat- ant service a conscientious objector would thereby be assisting in the prosecution of the war and directly releasing others to do that which he feels it is not right for him to per- form himself. As to R.A.M.C. duties as an alternative, our members, with few exceptions, can only regard the work of such a corps as part of the military machine, its primary func- tion being to maintain the efficiency of the fighting forces, and re-equm the wounded for further fighting. The general failure to under- stand the nature of a conscientious objection will inevitably lead to a very large number of appeals, We would point out: (1) That the decisions so far seem to dis- regard the provisions of the Act on the one hand, and the point of view of the con- scientious objector OIl the other, the Tribun- als failing apparently to understand the Gov- ernment's desires as to the administration of the Act as expressed by Lord Lansdowne and ira the Local Government Board's circular, (2) That applications on identical grounds are producing conflicting decisions from different tribunals. Continued failure in these respects in the higher Tribunals will have no other result than a large amount of resolute opposition to their decisions. No penalty will make otlir members false to their belief. We are, Sir, Yours faithfully, ¿ On behalf of the JNo-Oonscnption Fellowship, CLIFFORD ALLEN. Chairman. A. FENNER BROCKWAY, Hon. See. On behalf of the Friends' Service Committete, ROBERT 0. MEKTNELL, Hon. Sec. and Treas. RUBERT W. PERT. Organising See.

EVERY PRINTING ORDER given to the" Pioneer. Press means more Ammunition for Party Propaganda. Get into the Line of our MUNITION WORKERS.

Gardening Notes. I If any reader who is in a difficulty with refer- eLOO to his garden will write directly to the address given beneath, his questions will all 00 answered free of charge, in full detail, and jy return of post.—Editor. INFORMAL BORDERS. Geometrical beds, especially w hen fantastic- ally cut from the greensward, invariably lack k indefinable charm of a beatuiful garden, and should be admissable only in parks, which are in some sort public museums. On the other hand large simply shaped borders and beds, planted and sown informally with bold groups and clumps of such lfowers as one loves best mostly perennials, perhaps, that will come up year after veaa-are delightful in their exuoei- ance of form and colour from early spring till November, while they do not involve half the care, cost and attention necessarily devoted to the culture of plants for stereotyped summer- bedding. with its resulting four months or so of meagre vegetation, Such informal mixed borders infinitely more satisfying as they are to the eye and refined senses tha.n the small, aggressively designed and laboriously heaped-up beds so often to be seen in town gardens, are always charming i.f tlio, following simple rules be adhered to in their PTparation: I.-Make the soil friable and rich to a depth of 221 feet, so that perennial plants may remain unmoved for some years. i.n clttd-i-ps or massse large enough to permit of one revelling in the frag- rance or colours of any of the .flowers chosen. 3.-Sednlously eschew dotting, taking es- pecial care to avoid repeating some favouiable plant—a mistake often unconsciously made- at regu lar intervals along a border. 4 _T.]Seyer graduate the plants by height from back to front of borders, but allow tall flowers to mingle with dwarfer ones. 5. Do not attempt carpet-bedding pure and simple, or. indeed, attach too much importance to the surface of the ground, though it may well be covered with such plants as creeping forget-me-nots. Briefly, grow your favourite flowers in luxu- wous profusion as Nature does. so that blos- soms may be abundantly gathered without marring the harmony of the whole. To admirers of formal or precise bedding we venture, in all deference, to suggest a visit to one of those wonderful old-world gardens hap- pily yet floiwlsiiing here and there-gardens fresh and sweet as the breath of heaven, with their indescribable charm of restfulness, their mellowed beauty, and their atmosphere laden and heavy with the fragrance of honey-suckle, rose and mignonette, of southern-wood, thyme and lavender, and of that sweetest of all flow- el -s. the clove carnation. Once, we repeat, become familiar with such a garden, and the gayest formal beds or car- pets of geraniums, coleus and similar plants, be they never so curiously devised and cunningly executed, eannot again be perfectly pleasing. Som half-forgotten odour, or. it may be, some unconscious associaation of colour will always awaken memories of the mossy-stemmed trees dropping beneath their loads of gold and crim- son, the lichen-stained walk clothed with fair jasmine, wistaria, clematis and rambling roses, j the hedges of sweet briar and rosemary. and "e informal borders, rich in lovely lilies pinks; heliotropes; iris; wall-flowers: hyacinths; for- get-me-nots hollyhocks cornnowers poppies; sVeet-williams; stocks daffodils; that come before tbe swallow dares," azaleas snowdrops asters; daisies: (,andvtLIft'"S' ,no wflakes; lark- spurs sun-flowers marigolds cowslips lemom- scented verbenas pansies: columbines; violets; primra-,es-there is music in their very na.mes- and many another flower fairer than words can tell. In the garden. What in the garden? Jacob's ladder, and Solomon's seal. And love lies bleeding with none to heal, In the garden. Spinach Culture. t This annual plant makes capital greens, and is particularly useful during early spring and late autumn, as it is very hardy and easily grown. In order that the large, succulent leaves shall be tender, the crop must be quickly grown in land that is in ftne tilth and rich in humus. Seed may be sown in a frame or out of doors as early in spring as the ground is in condition for working; and the rows may foe set. 12in. apart. It is usual to sow about 40 seeds to each foot of row, and to cover the seed wi £ h an inch of soil. A dressing of nitrate of soda pays well, and is customarily given by market-gardeners who grow this crop for profit.. About loOlbs. are used per acre, this quantity being applied at twice, with an interval of two,1 weeks between the separate applications, and soon after the plants get a good start into growth. It is wise to sow at intervals of two or three weeks to secure a nice succession of foliage during the summer and autumn and the leaves will be large enough to gather in about eight weeks from sowing time. lilies iii the Open Air. lI.C 11- .rln.f-r..il +nl +1- many lilies <WC! <iu.au luu iui u>» L..s iu LUC open air and now is a suitable time for planting most of them. They dislike wet soils, and mav. indeed, perish if planted where the ground is saturated with stagnant water. Where none but wet seils are available, the remedy is to plant in raised bed, which, when finished, should be 18in. above the surrounding level of the ground. A common cause of failure is frqst- reaching the roots during the winter; but this can be prevented by mulching the lily beds with 6in- depth of newly fallen leaves, kept in place through the winter by brushwood or boards. Coarse hay or stray can also be used; aad some growers prefer to employ a layer of coarse manure. Lilies object to ext- remes of any sort; and for this reason a mulch of freshly cut grass is desirable in summer, as it, helps to prevent the soil becoming too hot T V I and dry for the roots. 'Where desired, a mulch of this kind can be provided in the form of liv- ing. carpeting plants, but they are objectionable in dry seasons, as they use U1) too mwch of the sojjknoisture that is one-oded bv the lilies. The flowers are always best when grown in partial shade, such as that afforded by a shrub- bery or building. Where lilies axe grown in beds exposed to the full sunshine, a light lattice roof 6ft. above them will ensure the blossoms being mtieh larger, better, more clearly de- fined in their colours and imarkings, and less liable to dry at the points of their petals. Almost the first question asked by everyone contemplating growing lilies is: "In what soil will they do best?" So far as our experience goes the condition of the soil is of more import- ance than its actual composition, aswe have known lilies successfully grown in all kinds of soil, from practically pure sand to clay. The essential fact to grasp is that lilies, like other plants, do not only live on the soil, but also live in it. It is their home. and the conditions of that home must be made congenial if the plants are to thrive in it. Heavy soils should be enriched and provided with good drainage, and light soils need both enriching and pro- tecting by a. mulch from the heat of the sun. Then both will be found to give good results. The method of planting is most important. To ensure the very finest plants, dig out the bed to a depth of 2ft., and place in the bot- tom of the hole so made Bin. of manure, that from the cow-byre being best when it is ob- tainable. The manure should be in rotted condi tion. and itiust he well trodden down. Inen place upon it 12in. of good garden soil or rotten turf surfaeed'with an inch of clean sand, upon which the bulbs are placed. Cover them with clean smd. and fill up with soil similar to that used below. Under such conditions the plants will be found to thrive to perfection, and to also increase very rapidly. Once the lilies are well establish td. and sbowli h" their luxuriance of growth that conditions are congenial to them, they should be left un- disturbed year after year for as long as they continue to lfower .satisfactorily. E. KEMP TOOGOOD. F.L.S.. F.R.Met.S.. pro Toogood and Sons, The King's Seedsmen, Southampton.

The Merthyr Perjury Case, oHAUFFUER FOUND "NOT GUILTY" AT GLAMORGAN MSSIZES. Walter Phillip Jones (25), chauffeur, appeared before Mi. Justice Atkin m the Crown Court at the Glamorgan Winter Assizes at Cardiff on Friday charged with committing perjury at Merthyr on September 3, 1915, a charge to which he pleaded "not guilty." Mr. Trevor Hunter (instructed by Mr. J. W. Lewis) was for the prosecution, a.nd Mr. Lovat Fraser (instructed by Mr. Harold Lloyd) for the defence. Mr. Trevor Hunter said the cliarge arose out of certain affiliation proceedings that were heard at Merthyr Police Court. A girl -named Ruth Owen gave birth to a child on June 10, 1.915, ani she alleged that the father of the child was a man named Daniel Jones. In the subse- quent proceedings Daniel Jones alleged the real father was a. man named David Thomas, and he called defendant Walter Phillip Jones as a witness. This man said that on the second Wednesday in September 9, 1914, he drove a party consisting of the girl Ruth Owen, David Thomas and another young woman and a iiuin from Aberdsfc*e te Pont-N etl.th- V aughau. Whilst there defendant alleged he saw the girl Ruth Owen and David Thomas in a compromis- ing position. As a matter of fact, said counsel, David Thomas was not with Ruth Owen at Pon.t-Neath-Vaughan in September at all. but was there at a-later date—October 28, 1914. The remainder of the story was untrue. The. suggestion of the prosecution was that defendant deliberately put back the date so as to suit the case of Daniel Jones on whose behalf he was giving evidence at the police court. David Thomas, butter merchant of Merthyr, gave evidence in support of counsel's statement, stating tha,t on September 9 he was at Owm- taf trying to buy a horse. He was not at Pont-Neath-Vaughan. On October 28, 1914, he went with a party, consisting of Ruth Owen, her sister and another man. They were driven by defendant. It was not true that the girl liath Owen a-ntd himself were alone on the road, and that anything improper took place, Cross-examined by Mr. Lovat-Fraser, witness said the party consisted of Mr. Hsglies, a com- mission agent; Ruth Owen and her sister Fran- ces. He denied that the journey was to in- dulge his profligate desire. As to starting the journey from Aberdare, he did not agree that this was an arrangement so that they might not be -,em with the girls a.t Merthyr. He admitted- giving defndant 10 f for tea, but denied it was as hush money. Ruth Farr, whose name before she was mar- ried was Ruth Owen, also gave evidence in sup- port of the case for the prosecution, stating that the motor journey was at the beginning of November. She also denied improper conduct with David Thomas. Walter Phillip Jones, who said he now lived in London, stated that in the middle of July or August Mr. Jones, of the Wheatsieaf Hotel, came to him. He received a summons to appear as a witness at Merthyr and gave evidence as to the da,te, but did not give evidence as to the exact date. He said he thought it was the second Wednesday in September. It was his memory that allowed him to say it. He went into details as to the journey, and said except for the date, which he admitted was wrong, everything else was true. Defendant was found not guilty and dis- charged.

'Phone 597. 'Phone 597. WILLIAM TRESEDER, Ltd. THE NURSERIES, CARDIFF." WREATHS, CROSSES, CUT FLOWERS, &c. BEDDING PLANTS. Asters, Stocks, Dahlias, Marguerites, Lobelia, &c. Tels Tresidjek, Flokhst, CARDIFF. ¡

Little Tales from Spain. THE PEOPLE. j J (Translated by E. PENA. ) I Where will the ox go that will not have to? ploughs, and where the poor who will noi ;| suffer ? | With terror the king saw that the enemy ? was approaching his realm. By watching the dust cloud that the hoofs- jf of the war horses stirred up from the surface of the hard road, the king could see clearly the squadrons arriving at the gates af his- (,ap,ital. T'IieN- (-!Ollllllily. to snatch it from him. And the worst was that lie had his troops at a great distance soothing with shots the dis- satisfact ion of the separate provinces. .1. Order,' said the king to his ministers, J "thM the people rise in mass to repel thos J that are coming to carry off mv realm."  "Th? people, sir," they replied, have ae?m | the enemy coming, and are not aisqiiieted "Tell them to assemble in the market," the J king ordered. The people assembled; and the king ful of s anguish, harangued them to defend the coun- try. But the people replied "I have no nationality; nor is an inch of land mine; nor does one of the fruits that de- pend from the trees belong to me. Let those who enj oy the country protect it." Through the mind of the exasperated king. ■ flashed the idea, of a great punishment; but, realising the danger drawing near, he hold, his indignation in check, and said to the peo- ple. "Protect your home." "I have no home." replied the people; 11 1 hire it from a usurer, who will throw me out of it as soon as I do not pay the monthly* rent. a Protect your mothers, sisters and wives," 1 cried tlie king. "They are too ign orarft, to he stron,, and, too poor not to be weak. Will they not be "Vonrs more than mine if vou wish to buy them J with your Protect your children," said the king. J Are they mine? Do you not carrv ti'lem of from me as soon as they grow up and a,r? I strong strong?" The enemies are coming." replied the king suddenly. Protest the remains of your ? fon:fathers their tom bs will be profaned; pro- tect your religion; our enemies will sooff at it. Protect your freedom they will make you their slaves." In your name, or in the name of vour friends." replied the people, "mv forefathers were profaned alive. What does it matter to me that their tombs be profaned if nobody will wake them out of the only tranquil sleep they | hayr> enjoyed? My religion! Do I feel it in anv, other thing than in the augmenting of my | load? It has for you all the consolations: for ? me all its griefs. Did it receive me. when E .? was born. as it received you. intoning a choir of cherubs and a jubilee peal of cathedral belk •-> Will it accompany me, when I die. as you, with canticles and prayers to the border of the sepulchre? Wilt tlicy pray without ceasing for me, as for you, to the Almighty, to forget my sins, and open to me the doors, of heaven? My freedom! But do I have it? What vexa- tions could your enemies impose an me that you do not impose? My arms and members- must move for you. It is on my feebleness- that you live. Could thev do more?" I he clamour of the invasion extinguished the voice of the people and drowned tions of the king. What desolation The city has been taken without a fight; the king made prisoner. That, land has changed its name, and the light of a new day has illuminated another fla,g on the lofty towers of the royal palace. But the people appear not to have been in- formed of the change. As before, in the name- of the Jang, of religion and of freedom, the* go dragging their way through an afflicted life. and singing: ( Where will the cm gio that will not have to plough, where the poor that will not suffer ?»"

Army Needs, Not Sentiment VIGOROUS APPEALS TO TRfBUNALS. Lord Derby, in a preface to a booklet entitled "Group and Class Systems: Notes on Admin- istration," for the guidance of military repre- sentatives and advisory committees, says:- CI In emphasising the need for the continuance of labour which I know to be heavy, may I, as Director-General of Recruiting, express my most sincere appreciation of the ungrudging, assfetauce that has been given in all parts of the country." It is stated in the booklet that the experi- ence of the past two months luts shown that in. d certain cases the military representative haa- allowed his sympathy for individual hard cases, or the special business needs of the locadity h, outweigh his responsibility in obtaining men for the Army. As under the new regulations, personal and business interests are given ample- 4 protection, a military represe-ritative should 1"1>1- U cognise that, so far as the military interests; f are concerned, he is the pivot of the machine, j and if he allows his decision to be influenced5 by any other consideration than that of the- national interest, he cannot be held to be ful- filling the duty for which he is appointed." A travelling staff of inspectors has been ap- pointed, working directly under the War Office, and Lord Derby hopes that full advantage will' be taken of this staff by military representa- tives in order to secure uniformity of procedure. Emphasising the need for rapid decisions,. Lord Derby points out that every appeal sent in means one man lost for the time being to the Army, and every day's delay in dealing with: the cases means a further loss of one man for 1 one day to the fighting forces. "During the next three months there will, be. great pressure upon all parts of the tribunal organisation, and it will need businesslike ra- pidity if the machine is not to become clogged with accumulations." The foregoing calls for no comment.

Remembered the Stocks. FUNERAL OF MERTHYR NONAGENARIAN; The funeral took place at Cefn Cemetery on Friday last of Mrs. Ruth Rees, of Plymouth Street, Me,rthyi, one of the most interesting eharac-ters in the borough. Born at Thomastown 94 years ago last June, she had always lived in the town, and was for about 80 years in the employ of the Plymouth Company, In the old days, when the works "turned out" 40.000 tons of iron a year, the deceased was em- ployed at the top of an incline to let down the mine." and until a short time ago she busied herself about the offices. She had recol- lections of the stocks in Mill Street, and of having seen prisoners in the stocks, and re- membered the strike riots of ISal. • i