Pioneer

I The Electric Theatre. One does not have to seek far fro the wonderful improvements in the houses of the Electric Theatre just recently-it is to be found in the superlative programmes which the management have been securing for this popular house. Yet strong as these have been, we are to have better yet. Everyone knows the Keystone firm that has given so much that is best to the kinema. Well, the Keystone Company have reorganised their service, and provided a kind of de luxe class in films under the title of Triangles, and the Electric has secured a series for the next few months The new Tri- angles, which includes a huge variety of sub- jects, all characterised by the distinctive taste, acting, photography and novelty which is the standard that must not be undercut by a Tri- angle, are starting next week with a couple of comedies—one in each programme—of which more anon. When it is remembered that the Keystone's reputation was builded on celebra- ted comedies-including the earliest and, in my opinion, best Chaplins-one has something from which to start an anticipation of the great things ahead. So far as the present week's programme is concerned, it is no streten ot the truth to say that, in my opinion, no programmes this year have offered such a feast of perfect enter- tainment to the patrons. There has not been a weak number. "The Price of Her Silence," which topped the programme for the first half of the week, is one of the most human, most powerful and fascinating dramas that I re- member. The book is splendidly done, and the acting is .superb—particularly that of Florence La Ballie, who has, in this, considerably en- hanced her Million Dollar Mystery" fame; and little Helen Badyley, that most amazingly clever child actress, and all the supporting number were equally strong. "The Diamond from the Sky," in particular, is one long whirl of breathless happenings and unexpected de- velopments in these its advanced chapters. To-day (Thursday) the list has been headed by a wonderful war film-tCThe Blind Man of Verdun." I am always a trifle suspicious of these topical products, whether in filmography, art literature, or the legitimate stage; but the Blind Man of Verdun" is a picture that is only enhanced by its topical touch. It is a picture that would make an irresistible appeal even if we had not heard the bayings of the war dogs since we kennelled them after the South African Campaign. The story is strong, and possible and the acting far above what one expects in these pictures which, from their Inq A'Bq oq. OAailoq ol pauipui si euo olqll an ephemeral interest. "Greed," in the adj- G ree d in the ac? venture with the Opium Smugglers, is gripping as never before. The adventure in the lion's den is the greatest thing—from a dramatic- point of view—that even this great series has given us. It is somewhat with regret that I for one said "Goodbye" to the "Girl of Lost Island," who is imiaking her last appearance. Next Monday the big feature is to be a new Trans-Atlantic 3ireeler, "His Neighbour's Wife," a powerful domestio drama, dealing forcefully and meaningly with an aspect of our social life that we are too loathe to dwell upon; and touching on it with a delicacy that is in excellent taste, without glossing anything that were better said. "Fatty and Mabel Adrift," the first of the Triangles, tells the funny story of a honeymoon cottage afloat on the ocean, and from this bare outline one can see the scope there is for clean comedy of the side-splitting brand. Samson," the story of a dock labourer's rise to king of finance- is the big line in the Thursday to Saturday programme, and I ain, told of this latest release that it is one of the triumphs of the cinema; one of the few stories that come along in pictures that one remembers for ever. "Crooked to the End" is another of the Triangle comics. It is a boister- ous comedy with a train wreck, and a long list of bewildering effects. "Greed" tells of the American gambling hells—the worst in the world—and incidentally Bruce finds himself ar- rested on the capital charge. I PLAYGOER. I

MERTHYR I KILLED IN BIG Pusia-Private John Jones, of the 5th Battalion Welsh Regiment. has been killed in the Big Push on July 19. His par- ents reside at Twynyrodyn, Merthyr Tydfil. Two MERTHYII BOT.8 WOUNDED—Pte. Ll. Phil- lips, 28th (Public Schools) Battalion, Royal Fusiliers, has been wounded, and is in hospital at Sheffield. He is the son of Alderman David 'Phillips, Merthyr. Another Merthyrian in the same battalion, Pte. Haydn Griffiths, is also reported wounded. HAULIER'S DEATII-lt was stated at an in- quest, held at Merthyr on Wednesday, that Alfred Pritchard, a haulier, living in Dynevor street, whilst loading beer barrels on a lorry from a truck in the Merthyr Railway Station Yard, was crushed between the lorry and the truck. A post-mortem examination revealed, however, that death was due to heart disease. —Verdict accordingly. GAVE UP ALL HIS WAGES—In a compensation case heard at Merthyr County Court on Thurs- day, William Griffiths, Ponilottyn a scavenger employed by the Gelligaer District Council, said that his son, who was killed in April last whilst in the employ of the Rhymney Iron Co., gave up all his wages, even after his mar- riage, to his mother, on whom he and his wife (now also dead) lived. Judgment was given the respondents.

M. in tl." $hi'-¡ 11HHP" 'uM tMf M Mt. M it be thwo M)d I ww? I Merthyr Peace Council. A MASS MEETING Will be Addressed at The Olympia Rink, Merthyr BY MR. R. C. WALLHEAD Prospective Labour Candidate for Coventry. Sunday Afternoon Next. Chair to be taken by MR. F. A. JONES at 3.45 p.m.

Proposed South Wales Labour Federation. I INTERESTING AND USEFUL SUGGESTION FOR CO-OPERATIVE EFFORT. I INAUGURAL CONFERENCE TO BE HELD. Mr William Harris, the energetio Political Organiser for North Mon., has supplied us with the following circular which he has been in- structed to send out to the various Labour Party bodies for South Wales. We trust that the idea herein contained will be taken up en- thusiastically and will bear good fruit for the Democratic cause in the future. Arfryn," Bryn Road, Pontllanfraith, Mon., August 1. 1916. Dear Sir,—Although the various political par- ties have declared a truce so far as political warfare is concerned during the period of the war, there has existed for some time a feeling in favour of strenghening the Labour Organisa- tions in Wales generally, and in South Wales in particular, so that we may be able to better deal with the many problems that will need to be dealt with when the war is over. The circular issued to the Trades Councils and L.R.C.'s of South Wales recently by the Llan- elly Labour Association is some evidence of this. and-the North Mon. and West Mon. L&- baiir Parties had decided to ask me to convene a conference of the various organisations to consider the same question. An informal meeting of representatives of the Llanelly, Swansea, Cardiff and Newport Labour Parties, together with my colleagues- Messrs. Mardy and Meth Jones—was held at Swansea on June 17 last, when it was agreed that a conference should be called for the purpose of forming a Federation of the various Divisional Political Organisations in South Wales and Monmouthshire; and I was asked to convene such conference. We suggest that the following should be adopted as the basis of the Federation:- (1) To form a Labour Federation for bouth Wales and Monmouthshire for initiar tive purposes. (2) To co-ordinate with the various politi- cal organisations that exist in connection with the Labour Movement in South Wales, and to assist each other in political propai- (3) To assure that Labour interests are adequately safeguarded in all social and political movements inaugurated in South Wales. (4) To bring before the Labour Party any questions of importance to the Labour Move- ment. (5) To co-operate with the North Wales Labour Congress in all matters affecting the interests of Wales generally. We tommend the foregoing objects to your consideration, and invite you to send deleg- ates to the Conference to be held at the Ruskin Institute, Royal Arcade (St., Mary St. End), Cardiff, on Saturday, September i6th, 1916, at 6 p.m. It was agreed that no more than two deleg- ates attend on behalf of any organisation, and that representation be confined to the Divisional Organisations, except where there was no or- ganisation for the division; then, local Labour Parties are invited to send delegates. In addition to the foregoing, I am asked to invite the Welsh Labour Members, Labour Candidates; those residing in South Wales who have been adopted as candidates by the various societies but who have not yet been adopted by any constituency as a candidate; and also Mr James Wignall, J.P., of Swansea, who is the only member of the Labour Party Executive Committee residing in South Wales. A suggestion has been made that the Execu- tive shall consist of one representative from each of the Divisional Organisations, together with the Labour Members and Labour Candidates. Yours faithfully, WILLIAM HARRIS. I

Oar Appeal for Navvy Pat. I B. d. Pioneef 2 8 Bargoed Pioneer Committee 1 9 Tonyrefail Pioneer Committee Huston 1 (J I 8

r" | WHEN REQUIRING | I SUITS, COSTUMES, or GENERAL DRAPERY j I SEND A POST CARD TO Thomas St., S | JOHN BARR ZZ"?, |  IAND A REPRESENTATIVE WILL CALL. | t Cash or Instalment System. | Cash or tnsta!ment System.  I SUITS and COSTUMES to Measure a Speciality L.i

BIRTHS, MARRIAGES AND DEATHS. GOLDEN WEDDING. ROWLANDS—WILLIAMS—On August 13, 1866, at Zoar Congregational Church, Sarah Wil- liams, Pontmorlais, Merthyr; to William Rowlands, of Penyard. Plymouth. Merthyr.

Important Coalfield Case. I COMPENSATION AND THE NEW AGREE- MENT. I JUDGE BRYN ROBERTS' AWARD FOR MAN IN DOWLAIS CASE. A compensation award affecting the whole of the South Wales Coalfield was decided at the Merthyr County Court on Thursday by Judge Bryn Roberts. The case was a claim for compensation by Mrs. M. J. Price, respecting the death of her husband—David Price, an assistant repairer who was killed at Messrs. Guest, Keen and Nettleiolds Colliery at Bedlinog in March last. Mr E. Roberts (Dowlais) wa for plaintiff and Mr D. W. Jones, Merthyr, for respondents. Arising from the South Wales miners' strike in 1915, the issue was whether the computation of the amount of compensation was to be based upon three years' earnings or upon the increased rates of wages paid to miners under the New Agreement made after the settlement of the strike. For the plaintiff it was contended that she was entitled to t300 under the new agreement as the week's strike and the notice to the em- ployers preceding it terminated the old cont- ract whilst on the resumption of work a new contract was entered into. On the grounds that there was no break in employment the respoudents contended that the compensation due was P,259, based on three years' wages. His Honour gave judgment for plaintiff, and awarded the amount of compensation claimed. He thought there was a complete break in the employment, and that a new contract was entered into hy deceased with his employers on the return of the miners to work and the sign- ing of the new agreement. Consequently the amount should be based on the man's earnings I from that time until his death.

George Lansbury & Indus- trial Conscription. The following letter from the pen of Mr Geo. Lansbury appeared in a recent number of "The Daily News and Leader": Sir,—Is it not possible to stop the authorities in their efforts to rivet industrial conscription on the necks of the workers? Mr Asquith and, indeed, every Minister gave us their pledge that the Conscription Act would not be used for the purposes of industrial compulsion. These pledges have been broken. First of all, con- scientious objectors are being set to work of various kinds at rates of pay and under condi- tions which, to say the least of it, are very much below those which obtain in normal times. On top of this, steel workers at Llan- elly are being paid, not the trade union rates, but army rates of pay. This is really an outrage Surely the House of Cmmons has not become so decadent that it cannot stand up to those who are breaking faith in so flagrant a manner with the .working classes! Those of us who fought the Conscription Bill prophesied that this kind of thing would happen. It is no satisfaction, but a great shame to us, that our Government should have: sunk so low and demonstrated the truth of our prophecies. I GEORGE LANSBURY. I 21 Vdor Street, London, E.O.

IJ. H. Hudson at Merthyr I.L.P. Mr J. H. Hudson, prospective Labour Candidate for the Eccles Division, is paying a visit to the I.L.P. Rooms, Merthyr, next Wed- nesday night, on behalf of the local N.C.F. The meeting, to be held in Bentley's Hall, will be open to sympathisers; and it is hoped that there will be a big attendance to welcome the popular lecturer who made such a strong ihm- pression on his recent visit to the borough.

I The Editor's Appeal. Share Capital. s. d. s. d. Cwmbach I.L.P. Group 10 0 Bargoed Pioneer Committee 10 0 20 0 Shilling Fund. Owmbach I.L.P. Group PO 0 Abercwmboi Pioneer Committee, per Dai Jones and Jack D&vies 6 9 Bargoed Pioneer Committee 4 4 B. Jones, Dowlais .n. 2 6 -1 23 7

DOWLAIS I I Bic. DAN SULLIVAN'S PETITION—Mr. D. O'Driscoll, Dowlais, received to-day from the Home Secretary an acknowledgment of the re- ceipt of the resolution parsed at a public meet- ing of the inhabitants of Dowlais petitioning that the sentence of death passed upon Daniel Sullivan should be commuted to penal servit- i tude for life. It was also stated in the Home Office communication that Sullivan had ap- pealed to the Court of Criminal Appeal against his conviction. j

SMALL PREPAID ADVERTISEMENTS. One In- Three In- Six In- sertion. sertions. eertiona, a. d. a. d. s. d. 20 words 0 6 10 19 t-0 words 0 9 1 6 2 9 40 words 1 0 2 0 3 6 40 words 1 3 2 6 4 6 60 words 1 6 3 0 5 6 In all o see the Name and Address are counted as part of the Advertisement. These prices apply only to Advertisement* ordered for consecutive insertions and which are prepaid. Tra-de Advertisements are inserted under the Heading PersonaJ at 9d. per line. All Advertisements should be posted to th. Office on or before Monday. Medical. £ *.4 -PAGE BOOK ABOUT HERBS AND 0?- HOW TO DSE THEM, post free. Send for one. TRIMNELL, THE HzlaBAMBT, 144 RICHMOND ROAD, CAKDIVF. Established 1879. Literary. TJNITARIAN PAMPHLETS on "The Bible," Lj "H?ven," and HoU, giv?n post free.-MU8 BABMBT. Mount Pleasant, Sidmouth Miscellaneous. ASTROLOGY. Life events, changes, for- tunate days, business success, matri- mony; two yean' future added; send birth date, 1/- P.O. Paor. GOULD, "The Nook," Heatbfield Road, Cardiff.

An Honorarium Discussion. I ALD. DAN THOMAS' PROTEST AGAINST TRIBUNAL PAYMENT. I PAYMENTS MADE WITHOUl CONSENT OF TRIRUNAL. Alderman Dan Thomas protested at Tuesday's meeting of the Merthyr Finance Committee ag- ainst the payment of certain sums out of the Government grants to the local Tribunal to Mr J. E. Biddle (Deputy Town Clerk) and Mr Tudor Evans (a clerk in the Town Hall offices). Both were full time officials of the Corporation, 1 and the members of the Town Council should have a voice in the allocation of the money. The grant to the Tribunal by the Government amounted at the end of June to £ 137. He wanted to be very careful as to what he (Aid. Thomas) might say, but (he said) the money had been dealt with and dispersed as far as these two payments were concerned without the knowledge and consent of the Tribunal. He found also all the stationery used at the Tri- bunal belonged to the Corporation, and then there was the use of the Council Chamber for the Tribunal sittings. It was an extraordinary state of things that two full time officials should have been paid whilst no record was made of the supply of stationery; and payment should also be made for the hire of the Chamber. Mr Biaaie explained, however, that seven- eighths of the stationery used did not belong to the Corporatior- Besides, whilst the officials got their money, his esteemed colleague on the Tribunal bench, Mr William Jones, Treharris, was not even ask- ed to send in his accounts for disbursements. To say they have not read the circular is to my mind an unreasonable subterfuge," he adiled. Coun. Marsh: This was money simply for the Tribunal, and not for the Council at all. We passed a. resolution unanimously except for Ald. Thomas, who walked out of the room. The members of the Tribunal (continued Councillor Marsh) also agreed that the amounts handed to Messrs. Biddle and Evans should stand; that also was the unanimous vote of the Tribunal. Ald. Thomas: You had no voice in allo- cating-- Coun. Marsh: We certainly had a voice. Coun. Francis: Has the Finance Committee any jurisdiction over the Tribunal? Coun. Marsh: No; we have no power what- ever. Coun. F. A. Phillips: The point to me is whether whole-time officials are entitled to ac- cept payments without the resolution of this committee. He thought this course should have been adopted, and no doubt the comimittee would have been quite agreeable to the pay- ments. Alderman Thomas mentioned that when the Town Clerk was appointed Clerk to the Tri- bunal which office Mr Biddle was now filling, it was not anticipated that the Government would make any monetary grants of hundreds of pounds. Coun. Marsh: It is simply a matter for the Tribunal, and the Tribunal only. Alderman Thomas: And the Tribunal was > not consulted—— Coun. Marsh: You must bring that up at the Tribunal. It is nothing to do with the Council at all. Ald. Thomas persisted in his statement that the members of the Tribunal knew nothing ab- out the money until the Chairman had divided it. He would raise the matter at the Council meeting. The Council had appointed the chairman. Coun. Marsh: The Tribunal appointed tIAs chairman. 1bu gabble as much as you like; you won't show me different, any way. Further discussion led to nothing, and orem- tually the matter flroppsd.