The Abergavenny Mail

KING & SONS' | GREAT Winter Clearance SALE Now Proceeding? And Continues for 21 days. me- GREAT REDUCTIONS IN EVERY DEPARTMENT. DRAPERS, MILLINERS, COSTUMIERS, LONDON HOUSE, HEREFORD

Important Meeting at Hereford. I There was considerable discussion over a resolution urging procedure with the Hop Sub- stitutes Bill by the Herefordshire and Worces- tershire Hop Growers' Association at Hereford on Wednesday. Mr Myer urged caution in the matter, because there was a feeling among the brewers t'niit it was from the association that various proposals emanated which were designed against the interests of the trade. (No, no.) He was afraid this feeling would reflect itself in unwillingness to purchase hops from members of the association, and it behoved them to be very careful as to the acceptance of reports and alii to the description of how arsenic originated in beer. He knew of one case in which the hops of a member of that association hae been refused. Mr J M Parry remarked that brewers who used the propir ingrefii-iuts had nothing to fear from the Hop Substitutes Bill. From the returns given it was not possible to tell how much preser- vative a brewer used, and it was not incumbent upon the brewer to record the quantity. He pointed to the fact that a smaller acreage of hops would place the brewer more at the mercy of the foreign competitor, and found general agreement with his declaration that the interests of grower and brewer were one. He could not imagine an honest brewer seeking to retaliate on any mem- ber simply because he supported the bill, because it was in his own interests, and on Mr Myer's own showing, there was only ft small percentage of firms which used aub-tfitntes. At the same time he was glad that Mr Myer had made the growers acquainted with the feeling of the brewers, because they, as an association, could declare that they had no animosity against them, but only wished to work in harmony. Mr J A Thompson supported the bill, in which- he urged that it was only right that the use of deleterious ingredients should, as in the case of other foods, be made illegal. This, he claimed, was in the interests of the honest brewer, as well as in the interests of the public and the grower. Aa regards the refusal of hops, there was some ill-feeling between a brewer and hiuiself, but they were accepted, though he could have dis- posed of them elsewhere. Mr Shew agreed, and quoted the" nice attitude of the Bishop of Hereford in the House of Lords that beer should be the traditional beer of malt and hops, an.i not some concoction bear- ing the same relation as margarine did to butter. Other speakers agreed that Mr Myer had done a service in bringing the brewers' view forward, but the association were unanimous in stating that they had no animus whatever against the brewers, while Mr Shew reminded the meeting that a few years ago the association arranged meetings all over the two counties on behalf of the trade.

HEREFORDSHIRE AND WORCESTER- SHIRE HQP-GROWER Arsenic in Beer. f At a meeting of the Worcestershire and Here- fordshire Hop Growers' Association Committee at the Hop Market Hotel, Worcester, on Satur- day afternoon, Mr Boddington (the chairman) said they had seen reports in the press of persons being fined for supplying beer contaminated with arsenic. This was a very serious matter for the community, and also for them as growers of hops. The time was ripe for the association to press forward with the utmost vigour upon the Government their demand for legislation which would do away with the use of any sub- stitute in the brewing of beer. Mr Parry said it was the prevention of the use of chemicals that they were aiming at. They must draw the attention of the Government to the possibililty of injury to the public by the use of chemicals in beer. On the motion of Mr Parry the following resolution was adopted "This meeting of hop growers urgently requests the Government to pass the bill preventing the use of hop substi- tutes, and thus enable the public to procure wholesome beer. The meeting also draws the attention of the Government to a case at Handford, near Stoke-on-Trent, where a licensee has been recently convicted of selling beer con- taminated with arsenic which, it is stated by the brewers, arose from the use of chemicals."

NOBTH HEREFORDSHIRE FARMERS' I UNION. The Question of Parliamentary I Representation. The annual general meeting of the North Herefordshire Farmers' Union was held at the Town Hall, Leominster, on Tuesday. Alderman A P Turner resigned the presidency, and Mr J M Parry, the representative of the branch on the National Executive of the Farmers' Union, was appointed in his place. Mr W Smith (Bishops Froome) and Alderman J Farr (Brier- ley) were elected vice-presidents. The meeting then proceeded to discuss the question of forming a society for the purpose of receiving grants from the Board of Agriculture in respect of the improvement of live stock in North Herefordshire, and afber discussion it was decided to form such a society, arrangements being left to the executive committee of the branch. The advisability of establishing in the district a creamery on .co-operative lines was also discussed, and adjourned for further con- sideration. In regard to Parliamentary representation, Mr J M Parry said he bad felt greatly honoured in being invited to consider the suggestion that he should stand as a Farmers' Union candidate for the division. As he had stated at the time provided the feeling amongst the members of the branch in the constituency was the same as that expressed at the meeting when the invita- tion was extended to him, and provided a sufficient sum was granted, he would be pre- pared to give the matter his most serious consideration. He was thoroughly satisfied with the feeling that had been shown, and it remained for them to provide the funds, a fighting fund being necessary.—It was under- stood that the idea was not abandoned, but postponed. At the annual dinner, held in the evening at the Royal Oak Hotel, Mr E T .Cave, Chairman of the branch, presided, and others present included Captain C L Ward-Jackson (prospective Unionists candidate for the division), Mr J M Parry, Mr J A Thompson (chairman of the South Herefordshire Farmers' Union and its representative on the National Executive), Alderman J Farr, Mr J H Trewin (chairman of the Kington Branch), Mr G Butters (Newton), Mr George Edwards (Dilwyn), Mr J E Lewis (chairman of the Wyeside), Mr W Smith, Mr A H D Powell (secretary), Mr C E Boddington (Shelsley), Alderman H F Russell, the Rev T Howell, the Mayor (Councillor J Watkins), Alderman H Gosling (Leominster), &c. In proposing "The National Farmers' Union," Mr J M Parry said he wished to empha- sise the fact that if there ever was a time when it was necessary for farmers to unite, now was the time. At present all sorts of suggestions were in the air, and now was the time for farmers to join together to express their opinions so that these opinions might be conveyed to quarters where they would be heard. Mr J A Thompson, in responding, congratu- lated both North and South Herefordshire on the progress made during the past year so far as the union was concerned. He understood that in North Herefordshire they had increased their their membership. In regard to Parliamentary representation, he said there bad never been a time when direct representation or expert opinion Was more required in the House of Commons than it was to-day, or than it was going to be in the near future. A number of other toasts were honoured.

HUNTING. WITH THE LEDBURT. A large field turned out on Friday last, when hounds met at The Pheasant, Welland. Among those present were :— The Master (Sir George Bullough), Lady Bullough, Mr G S Albright, Miss Calvert, Miss Holland, Mr Vincent and the Hon Mrs Yorke, Capt Hoblyn Allen, Capt Palairet, Mrs Masefield, Miss Edwards, Mr and Mrs Rowden, Miss de Montgeon, Mr Rowden, jnr., Mr and Mrs C L Blew, Mr W J Smyth, the Misses Strickland, Capt and Miss Dawe. Mr G Hunter, Mr M C Albright, M.F.H., Mr T Molesworth, Mr G 0 Deane, Mr A Bartleet, Mr C W Bell, Mr H G Farrant, Mr T Weldon Thompson, Mr H J Gresson, Mr Terry, Mr Surman, Mr H Green, Mr H Guilding, Mr Cowell, Mr Unwin, and many others. The Stanks, contrary to expecta- tion, were tenantless, but on going to Mr Harry Green's plantation a fox soon made off over Mr Smith's farm, pointing for Birtsmorton, then swinging right handed for Welland reached the Stanks. Running right through as though the Long Cover was his point, he turned over E istington Hall Farm, and going to our starting point he got to ground in the main earths and was left. A succession of pmall covers were then drawn blank. On the outskirts of Black- lands a fox was roused in some long grass, and hounds raced him along the brook side, on over the Tewkesbury-road, through the Downend Covers to Linders. Leaving the Thistles on the right, he led us over Mr Jeffs' farm to Eldersfield. The Marshes were crossed as we sped away for Rice's Coppice, and turning right handed he entered the Berrow Wood near the Lime Kilns, and going right through for the church, crosed Mr Woodward's andWhiting Ash Farms for thQ Duke of York. Skirting the Harrels, hounds hunted him on to Castlemorton Common, when he again turned left handed, ran the dingle to Mr Hooper's, the White House. Right ahead were the Rigged Stone and Chase Ends Hills, and as our pilot faced the heights, the music of his pursuers was returned to us in countless echoes. The White Leafed Oak and Fowlet were soon left behind, as our panting steeds proceeded for Bronsil. Eastnor Park was visited near the Monument, and here the chase ended, for it was evident reynard had reached the recesses of Newer's Wood. There were few who saw the end of this capital run of 2 hours 20 minutes. Mr G S Albright received a nasty knock during this gallop. His horse, jumping very high, brought its rider's face into contact with the bough of a tree, breaking his nose, and causing other severe inj uries. On Monday last, The Holly Bush was the venue. Hounds had scarcely entered the drive, when a "halloa" on the hillside announced reynard's departure. Over the hill he went to Pendock Grove, with hounds in hot pursuit. Through the High Wood and across the grounds of Bromesberrow Place he ran to the Ashbed. Here a slight check occurred, by our fox start- ing to run one road and then doubling back up the other. His ruse, however, did not deceive Batchelor, who getting hounds again on his line, ran him over the Churches Farm to Redmarley Racecourse. Turning left-handed he went by Windbrook Lane over Mr Shipton's farm, point- ing for Staunton Coppice. Again turning left- handed over the main road, he took a line straight away for Gadbury, where he got to ground in the Gorse, after a good 60 .minutes. Returning to Hacklers, a fox went away at the lower end for Clenchers Mill, then turning left- handed ran the brook side to the Pepper Mill. Leaving Silver Hill on the right, he crossed Toney's and the Hill Farms, to Howlers Heath. High Wood he ran through, going away at the bottom end, over the Chase End Hill to Bromesberrow drive, where a false halloa saved him his brush. A brace was found in Haffield covers, the one selected going away for the Noad Farm, then turning left-handed crossed the Vineyard Farm for the Quabs. Going through to Mr S Smith's hounds had to be stopped on account of approaching darkness. Wednesday's fixture was abandoned on account of the death of Mr A Strickland, but hounds will meet at the Kennels to-morrow (Saturday) instead. Sporting men will be pleased to know that the serious epidemic that has been raging in the Kennels for the past month, has now been mastered and that after next week hounds will hunt four days a week. FOR'ARD ON. I

The "Ledbury Reporter" is the acknowledged leading newspaper in the Ledbury district. It is taken by all the best families and the farming fraternity. It is the Constitutional organ for Ledbury and district; is the only paper patronised by the local auctioneers; has a genuine circulation among all classes, and therefore an exceptionally good advertis- ing medium. The Reporter is not an off- shoot of any paper printed outside Ledbury and is therefore the only local newspaper that can claim to have a circulation far ahead of any so-called local paper imported into Ledbury.

I UNIONIST MEETING AT COLWALL. I I Speeches by Mr W A S Hewins, M.P., and Captain Clive M.P. A largely-attended meeting under the auspices of the Colwall Branch of the South Herefordshire Association was held at the Workman's Hall, Colwall, on Friday night last, when trenchant speeches on current political questions were delivered by Mr WAS Hewins, M.P. for the City of Hereford, and Captain P A Clive, M.P. for South Herefordshire. Mr 0 N Holt-Needham presided, and was supported on the platform by Captain and Mrs Clive, Mr Hewins, and others, and amongst those present were:— Rev Dr Harris, Capt Raymond, Mr and Mrs C Bulton, Mr and Mrs T Wall, Miss Lake, Mr and Mrs W C Allen, Miss Allen, Mr and Mrs T C Monre, Mrs Burroughes, Mr and Mrs Clee, Miss Ryan, Miss Davis, Mrs Holt-Needham, Messrs J G Holt, D A G Birchlev, A E Law, A Evans, C Hyde, A T Waters, W H Lawton, J Stallard, J Wells, T F Davis, B L Mitford, H E Hanson, N Harris, W Bough, C Pedlingham, R 0 Allen, W Leighton, F Crabb, T Wilkins, S Roberson, G Jones, H Eagles, J Barnett, J Lloyd, J Toombs, J Preece (Ledbury), W Bannister, W Evans, C Hinett, T Bridges, WE Hyde (Trumpet), T D Morgan (Unionist agent for the division), etc., etc. The Chairman, in opening the meeting, said they would be pleased to give a very hearty welcome to their Member, Captain Clive, and Mr WAS Hewins, M.P. for Hereford. (Loud applause.) He hoped Captain Clive would be their Member for many years to come, I 1_ (Applause.) I SPEECH BY THE MEMBER FOR I HEREFORD. Mr Hewins was the first speaker, and at the oetset he said it was very desirable that they should have meetings at the present time because all the signs that they could see in public affairs pointed to the probability of a great crisis in the fortunes of the country in the course of the next few months. Parliament would meet on February 10, and in the few remarks he had to make to them he would do his best to make them realise the nature and gravity of some of the questions that Parliament had to consider and for the solutipn of which they as electors were of course responsible; Captain Clive and himself were only instruments. It was the electors who really had to decide all these questions and therefore it was meet that they should see exactly where they were. He was not sure that the electors of the country, particularly the Liberals, realised quite the grave situation in which the country was. Last year they had a budget of 195 millions. That meant roughly speaking that 195 millions had to be raised by taxation and by the more or less very few beneficial things which the Government had under its control. That vast sum was in addition to all they had to pay in rates, and that money went as well to pay for public affairs. This year they were going to have a budget of at least 200 millions, probably more. That was not the end of the story, either. By the mere automatic growth of expenditure, whether the Government did what it. ought to do for the Navy or not, there would be an increase on the Navy. The Government was pledged to a gigantic scheme of expenditure on education, there was the automatic growth of old-age pensions, the Government had to pro- vide money for insurance, and as he would point out to them presently there was every reason to suppose that the prophecy many Unionists made at the time Mr Lloyd George chose to force, in the stupid way he did, the Insurance Bill through the House of Commons--they prophesied it would bring ruin to the friendly societies-and it was coming, too. They had got to keep that little thing in their mind. The Government was also pledged to deal with the reform of the system of local taxation. That might run to anything like 30 millions. There were people who wanted them to nationalise everything, and he did not know how much they were going to nationalise if the Govern- ment stayed in. They had therefore to consider not only a Budget of 200 millions, but one in time to come of 300 millions. WHERE WAS THE MONEY COMING FROM? Who had got it ? Mr Lloyd George said the dukea had got it, and he awtoed his land taxes. He (the speaker) knew a little about history, and there had been in the course of history some egregious fools who had been ministers of finance, but there had never been a man minister of finance who had been so mistaken as Mr Lloyd George. (Applause). He remem- bered some years ago, before Mr Lloyd George introduced the Budget of 1909, he remombered being present at a little society at which Lord Haldane, Sir Edward Grey, M' Sidney Webb, Mr Wells, the novelist, Mr B?nard Shaw and (,' many more eminent men were present, and they had a discussion on land taxes. He ven- I' tured the opinion at that time that they could t not get any money out of land taxation, but they were told, and it was insisted upon by some eminent persons at that meeting, that they could get 50 millions a year out of land taxation. All the land taxes brought in was the salaries for the officials who valued the land, and if that went on they would have everybody paying everybody else for valuing their pos- sessions. (Laughter). There were 11 million valuations to be made, and they had provision- ally got through 4i millions, and. there was another valuation due next year. (Renewed laughter). They had only got to go on having these valuations, and every individual in the country would have to be on Mr Lloyd George's staff. (Loud laughter). The humour of the situation was that they would not get any monay out of land taxes, however many valua- tions they made. Surely nobody had ever been so mistaken as Mr Lloyd George. (Hear, hear). They could not got money out of land taxes, or landlords, or millionaires. There was no money there. Where was it coming from ? Mr Asquith made a speech the other day in Lan- cashire, and he pointed out that the finances of the country were going to be put TO DANGEROUS STRAIN. He had a great admiration for Mr Asquith and he was perfectly certain when Mr Asquith said that that the position was exceedingly serious. Mr Asquith went on to point out the sources from which the Chancellor of the Exchequer had to get money. They were told that there had never been such a prosperous country as this, and it had never been so prosperous as during the past two years, and yet they were told that their finances were to be put to a dangerous strain. That was rather damaging to Cobdenite finance. He thought they might have done better if they Tariff Reformers had been in power. It was a pretty state of things when the great high priest of Free Traders had to come along after all this wonderful prosperity in this great country, and according to him it was within measurable distance of bankruptcy. He knew what he should do with a stateman who played the fool in that way. They should revive the old methods when they had got ministers in the responsible position of Mr Asquith stumping the country and lying as they had lied about the proposals of Tariff Reform, and that great statesman, Mr Chamberlain- (applause)—and when they had statesmen like these on the Liberal side who said that the only way of reducing the expenditure was to sell the birthright which was won them by Lord Nelson and others years ago. (Loud applause.) Mr Asquith said they should revise the income tax downwards. At the present time people who had less than £ 160 a year did not pay income tax. Mr Asquith's brilliant sugges- tion for getting the country out of difficulty was that they should make these people pay income tax. It was a suggestion which had the approval of that great Welsh hero, Sir Alfred Mond. (Laughter.) He did not know how they would like that. It would hit all the people who had so many burdens at the present time, those peaple who had small incomes and who really did not quite know how to make both ends meet. Of course, a great many working men would be brought in, and he supposed employers would have to send in a return of wages they paid to people they em- ployed. Mr Asquith seemed to think in the speech he made that they HAD ABOUT REACHED THE LIMIT in the taxation of millionaires. The fact was the taxation of millionaires was not worth very much. They could not get at them. He was not a millionaire, but he knew one or two, and some of them had told him how they managed. He could therefore explain. If a man was a millionaire he did not consider such a ridiculous country as England at all. They might have a small banking account here, but there was no reason why they should bring their income into England to be taxed, and therefore they avoided it. All those beautiful ideas of getting money from the millionaire failed, and the money had to be found by small people who were patriotic enough to stay at home and spend their money here. So there was nothing in millionaires. There was not enough to go round. Having givem them Mr Asquith's suggestion of dealing with the finances of the country, he would ask them to consider why they were in such a terrible mess. Mr Chamber- lain told them ten years ago how to raise money, but they said he was But vote-catching, and the Liberals chose to misrepresent what Mr Chamber- lain wanted, and they misrepresented the Tariff Reformers' proposals all over the country. He (Mr Hewins) had never complained of the way people voted on the question Mr Chamberlain brought before them. Given a clear issue, a plain issue, and he would trust any issue to the working classes of England—(applause)—because whatever some people might think they were absolutely patriotic. They were more patriotic in many ways than other classes. They had. nothing to gain really and they had no interest to serve. They were accustomed to sacrifice, they were very courageous and sympathetic in dealing with each other, and if he wanted an audience to whom be would refer any proposal affecting the interests of the country he would take an audience of working men in preference to the most select audience they could get out of the best Universities of Europe. (Applause.) Had they done what Mr Chamberlain wanted them to do they would not have had this difficulty at the present time. This expense had grown through the growth of armanents, but if they had done as Mr Chamberlain wanted them to do they would have had the whole of the Empire behind them. and there would have been practically nothing the Dominions would have refused them- Going on to refer to the manner in which the Government had pledged itself, Mr Hewins said nobody had any right to pledge themselves on these questions of public policy. When a man was elected to Parliament he was elected TO GIVE THE: BEST ADVICE HE. COULD to his Sovereign=(applause)-and there was no other limitation on his freedom of action. But the Liberals had preferred to pledge themselves up and down to do this and not to do that and the other. Mr Hewins then went on to point out the ridiculous net the Liberal Party had allowed their leaders to get round their feet so that they could not move, through the Parlia- ment Act, and they had to introduce the Home Rule Bill in order that the Irish Party would keep them in. power. They introduced a Bill the country had rejected twice. He went on to point out how when the Home Rule Bill was discussed in the House of Commons Liberals were absent and when the division bell rang they came flocking from everywhere where they were spending their £400 a year—(laughter)— and went to the whips and asked" How do I vote ?" (Renewed laughter.) And that was how the Liberals were conducting their business. That was how the Home Rule Bill had gone through, and he ventured to say that there were not 12 men on the Liberal side who could tell them what the financial proposals of the Home Rule Bill were. Did their Liberal Candidate at the last election tell them that in the first place the Bill created an Irish Parliament co-ordinate in authority with the Imperial Parliament ? that the Government proposed to hand over to an Irish Parliament powers which would enable them to make engagements with foreign countries ? Were they told that Ireland was to have a separate customs system? that the labour legislation was to be split up 1 And so they could go on through clause after clause of this Bill. The trade union movement was going to be split into fragments by this Bill. And then they had another serious question—the religious question. It was very important they should realise that in the British Empire they had every known religion, and they dsare not introduce religious dissension. They might play with their colonies, they might neglect them, andi make blunders about them in ordinary legislation, but they could not introduce religious dissension into the Empire or they were going to split it. There was no other proposal possible in the governmeitt of this Empire THAN RELIGIOUS TOLERANCE, a.nd this Home Rule Bill had done more to breed religious dissension than anything during the last 50 years. And what were they going to do about the Ulster Volunteers, who had a perfect right to resist the Home Rule Bill. These Uister men, many of them, were Liberals by tradition, and it was certainly not the Liberals who bad the right to force the Home Rule Bill on them. He would like to see what the Liberals would do in the case of armed resistance. How were they going to put it down ? Were they going to bring the forces of Crowu against them t They could not, and the Liberal Preas admitted it. He would not consent to a compromise on any terms whatever. Passing on to the question of Welsh Dis- establishment, Mr Hewins observed that such questions as the betterment of the labouring classes had been thrown on one side in order to talk about robbing the little Church in Wales. How were they going to find a way out of all this ? There was only one path in which they could move with safety and that was to organise the Empire. At present it looked as if they were going to encounter great difficulties and to his mind they should have turned over a new leaf years ago. (Loud applause.) At this point Mr Hewins left the meeting, amidst applause, as he had to address another meeting in Hereford the same evening. Before his departure the Chairman voiced the thankst of those present to Mr Hewins for his able and lucid address. The vote of thanks was carried with acclamation. CAPTAIN CLIVE'S ADDRESS. Captain Clive, who received a great ovation, addressed the meeting. He prefaced his remarks by saying that Mr Hewins had ably explained to them the difficulties of the Liberal Party at the present time and which they, the Conservatives, hoped to be able to remedy in due course. It remained for them to consider on the one hand whether they should adopt the Prime Minister's proposal of lowering the income tax or whether they should make that beginning which must commend itself to all professional men, namely, to make a beginning with Tariff Reform and tax those luxuries which were imported from foreign countries, and thus give encouragement to manufacturers at home. The Radical Party, as far as they could see, were at loggerheads about the Navy but he hoped the electors would insist upon the country being unchallengeable in this respect, for the Navy was the life blood of the nation. (Hear, hear.) As regards the Army he looked upon their present position with the greatest alarm. Every officer he had met had put the question to him "Suppose my regiment is ordered to Ireland and I am given the order to fire upon a loyal Ulsterman shall I obey it ? These officers were obviously turning over the possibility of disobeying the lawful command. This was to his (the speaker's) mind an appalling state of things. It was necessary that the discipline of their army should be unchallengeable but could I those present wonder at it when such an amaz- ing proposal was in the air, when it was possible that the army might be called over to Ireland to fight again those Ulstermen whose only crime was their wish to remain loyal to their king and country ? The beat thing, perhaps, would be that those who received the order should obey it. Ulster, would, however, have the support of the Conservative Party in everything they did until the country had decided upon a General Election. In a recent speech Mr Bonar Law had given out what seemed to him (the speaker) the only possible course for them to .take in order to solve the present difficulty. Mr Bonar Law said he had been having con- versation with the leaders of both parties and J that they had, so far, r I FAILED TO FIND ANY SOLUTION I to the Home Rule problem. Mr Law had come to the decision that the only course for them to take was to refer the question to the electors of this country. Let the electors decide, he said, and abide by their decision. The Conservative Party had thus shown itself in the truest and simplest manner to be the democratie Party in this country, the Party which said, when there was a question like the Ulster problem, and which the leaders of both parties had failed to solve, refer it to the electors of this country. Therefore, he would ask those present, in anticipation of such an event, to prepare themselves for an Election when it did come. They must try and keep this issue before their minds and remember that upon the verdict of the electors of this country depended I whether there would be civil war or not. He asked them to set aside all other proposals and "rare and refreshing fruit." (Laughter.) They must bear in mind the seriousness of the question before them and if they wished to avoid civil war, vote for the Conservative Party. (Hear, hear, and applause.) Of late the Chancellor of the Exchequer had endeavoured to divert their attention from this serious question of Home Rule. What was the past record of this man- Lloyd George. Certainly he had to his credit the question of Old Age Pensions. They (the Conservatives) would give him full credit for that. In his speeches Mr Lloyd George had been good enough to say that the Act could not have become law if it had not been for the spade work done by the Unionist Party in the early days. The old people were enjoying their pensions but at the same time the Act required amending seeing that there were people taking the penj t who did not ought to have it. But this wa. Ir Lloyd George's legislation all over. They ha t, however, a far worse example of it in the National Insurance Aet. (Cheers.) For this Act he (Captain Clive) had few words of commendation. From what he could gather a big national disaster was imminent as regards this Act. They might ask why has it not come before ? It was because they were living on a half-ye 's accumulation of funds received before Kay Benefits were given at all. This was obviously BAD FINANCE. I He hoped something would happen. He hoped the Unionist Party would go into power and then the first thing for them to do would be to appoint a good committee to go into the question with a view to seeing how the matter could be put right, and thus try and prevent t,he disaster which threatened them. (Hear, hear.) In the midst of their present troubles Mr Lloyd George had come out with a fresh scheme. He had come down upon the land. He apparently looked round and discovered a part of the country where things did not seem to be going quite right. Talking about the land he said You Englishmen are not fit to deal with the question of the land between man and man, it requires Government officials to do it for you." (Laughter.) Having made a brief reference to, the question of land valuation. Captain Clive went on to say that they seemed to be threatened more and more with a new method of Government so long as the Liberal Party were in power, and he would ask those present to think deeply before they gave their approval to the Chancellor's new land scheme. Referring to the question of housing, Captain Clive said the Radicals talked a great deal about cottage building. They had brushed aside the Unionist bills and refused to find time for their consideration and finally they had left the Conservative Party to the conviction that it was not cottages the Liberals wished to build, but to pass a bill and get the credit for it. It was a question which any Member of Parliament who could find time to frame a measure to deal with the problem, was entitled to do so. Continuing, the Member asked those present for their support at the next election for the reason that the Unionist Party's aim had been government by the will of the people, which practice bad not been followed by the Radical Party. The Liberals passed the Budget which they had not a majority for in the House of Commons and only achieved their object by winning over the votes of the Irish Party and by promising Home Rule. He would ask them to return a Unionist Party to power because it was the Democratic Party. Further a Second Chamber would be formed which would enable them, when they returned a Party with a majority to the House of Commons, to feel that there was a Second Chamber if any- thing revolutionary was proposed, to see whether the electors were to have it or not. (Cheers.) Whether the Liberal Party liked it or not he believed a General Election would come soon and he would agiin ask them to be ready for it when it did come. He would ask them to resent any curtailment of their powers and by a large majority to show their appreciation of the I stand made by Mr Bonar Law for Liberty and Democracy. (Loud and prolonged applause.) Questions being invited, Mr A T Waters asked if the hon Member would follow the example of Mr Bonar Law, Mr Balfour, the late Lord Biiconitield, and the late Lord Salisbury in supporting the Women's Suffrage Bill. Captain Clive, in reply, said that he had thought the matter out, and agreed that if a man householder should have a vote, so should a woman householder, but so long as the militant suffragettes destroyed property so long would he refuse to vote for the mea- sure. Mr T F Davis asked if in a scheme of Tariff Reform this country took off duties for the Colonies, would the Colonies do the same for them ? Captain Clive replied that each colony would have to be considered, and he had no doubt but that perfectly just terms between both would be decided upon. Miss Lake (Brook House) said that no one deplored more the doings of the militants than their Society (Mrs Fawcett's Society). Was it not rather hard that, because a few women, who were the worst enemies, did wrong things, that all should be punished ? Cape. Clive said that he sympathised with the 50,000 members who composed the National Union of Women Suffrage Societies, but they must suffer for the offences of their militant allies. Capt. Raymond proposed a vote of thanks to Captain Clive and Mr Hewins. Mr Hanson seconded. A vote of thanks to the Chairman for pre- siding was proposed by Mr D A G Birchley, and seconded by Mr T F Davis.

LEDBURY AND DISTRICT AIR-RIFLE I LEAGUE. LEAGUE TABLE TO DATE. Shot Won Lost Tied Agzrgt PCs Fox 16 16 0 0 3898 32 White Hart. 16 12 3 1 3726 25 Yew Tree. 16 12 4 0 3634 24 New Inn 16 11 4 1 3724 23 Putley 17 10 6 1 3785 21 Biddulph 16 10 ft 0 3623. 20 Nondescripts 17 9-7 1' 3908 19 Talbot 16 7 8 1 3581 15 Wellington 17 7 9 1 3784 15 Prince of Wales 17 5 12 0 3792 10 Wellington Hth 16 5 11 0 3508 10 Bell 16 5 11 0 3505 10 Plough 16 2 14 0 3365 4 Ledbury W.M.C. 16 0 16 0 3166 0 NONDESCRIPTS v WHITE. HART. Shot on the former's range and won by the visitors by 8 points. Score:- Nondescripts-E W Reed 29, R A Paul 29; D O Evans 31, H Cox 23, S Bo wen 30, C E Baker 28, T G Drew 31, W S Bowes 29-total 235. White Hart—T Phillips 30, P Adams 28, H Smith 29, C Curnock. 32..J. Smith 30; C Fardon 32, E Howard 32, W Connop 30—total 243. WELLINGTON. HEATH v. PRINCE OF WALES. Shot on the formei's range and won by the- visitors by 1 point. Score:- WeHington Heath—H Payne 29* T Stephens 28, G Jones 3l, CPedlinharn 2, J Hurdman 31, D Smith 27, SG Smith 27, C F Drew 24- total 225. Prince of Wales-If, Baynli%yn, 27. T Chadd 27, E Gibbons 31, W J Mansell 28) O. E Watts 27, C Hodges 25, J Joofs 31, T Davis 30-total 226, LEDBURY W.M.C. v PLOUGH. Shot on the former's range and won by the visitors by 15 points. Score :— Ledbiiry-J Sitiitti 27,; W F West 28, WGardiner 26, C Hill 23, W J. Smith 27, W Hodges 25, W C Chadd 26, A Harris 28-total 210. Plough—T Lane 23, J Madders 28, R Mark 29, H Turner 2S, E Haines 29> J Holder 2T, L A Ingram 31, J Seal, 30-totat 225. FOX v. NONDESCRIPTS. Shot on the formers range and woo by the homesters by 5,points. Score Fox—F Reece J Huish 29, G Walters 30, G Hulls 28. A Hampton 38, J Brown 33, E G Morris 31, J Hollings 32:-totai 248. Nondescripts-S Bo wen. 32, E W Reed 31, D 0 Evans-31, R A Pawl 27, T G Drew ro, H Cox 28, C E: Baker 27, W S Bowes 32-totat 238. PRINCE OF WALES v. WELLINGTON. Shot on the former's range and won by the visitors by 5. points. Score:- Princp. of Wales—H Baynham 30, W Turner 32, T Clitdd 23* E Gibbons 31. W Mansell 24, J Webb 27, J Jones 27, T Davies 31-total 225. Wellington-PGeorge 30, F Biake 30,G Wadley jnr, 29j J Hunt 31, C Moss 29, C Thomas 23, C Webley 27, W Laue 31 -total 230 PUT LEY v. YEW TREE. Shot on the former's range and won by the visitors by 7 points. Score :— Putley—A Hyde 25, A East 28, A H Wilson 27, G Evans 25, C Baggott .25, L Preece 27, C Taylor 28, J Smith 32 -total 217. Yew Ti-ee-ft Wharton 29, W Bourton 26, H Hill 29, H Baldwin 26. W Clarke 27. P Lewis 27, A Cotterell 31, G Moore 29-total 224. TALBOT v. LEDBURY W.M.C. Shot on the former's range and won by the homesters by 19 points. Score :— Talbot-J James 30, C Huish 27, F Elliott 28, C Podge 29, H Barnes 29, W Huish 30, G Han- kins 29, S Allen 29-total 231. W. M.C.—A Harris 24, W Gardiner 28, J Smith 25, W Hodges 26, C Hill 28, R Watkins 20, W Smith 31, W F West 30—total 212.

THE PICTURE PALACE. I The programme at the Picture Palace, the Royal Hall, Ledbury, on the first three nights of the week was a good one, including three star films, of which the best was The Light in the Window," a touching Bison story of the American Civil War. Honour Thy Father was a strong Cines film, and A Tragic Destiny" was an Eclair production. Two humorous films com- pleted the programme. For the week-end there is a cessation of pictures, the hall having been let for dramatic recitals by Mr Percy Walsh. Next week also will be a blank week so far as pictures are concerned, and instead there will be a programme of variety each night with the excep- tion of Thursday, when the hall is let for Dr Barnardo's Howe; Concert. The Attractives Comedy Costume Party will appear every night but Thursday, and on Saturday there will be the usual three performances. The programme will include songs, dances, original concerted items, sketches and burlesques, and there will be a complete change of programme at each performance. The artistes include Miss Hilda Thurlow (soubrette and dancer), Miss Cissie Haines (soprano), Miss Mabel Austin (comedienne and entertainer), Mr Ron Montague (at the piano), Mr Norman Dale (baritone), Mr Frank Monckton (humorist and monologiat), and Mr Reggie Dingle (comedian). Plan and tickets at Tilley's Library, Ledbury. » ——

No prher in Ledbnry does Lithography buc we can get any kind of Lithography executed for you if you will send to our office for your requirements, and perhaps at a cheaper rate than you can if you send your order away. 1/a sent to the Reporter Office, Ledbury, will j ensure a eopy of this paper being sent post free every Friday evening far 4 Quarter (1§

HSREFMB MARKET. (Special Farmers' Union Report). There was a moderate supply of stock in the market to-day, and a brisk trade generally. CATTLE. A good supply of stores and a fairly good demand for best quality animals, the less desir- able cUsses meeting with a rather slow trade. There was also a good supply of cows, good milkers making high prices. BEEF. A moderate supply, for which there was a Run trade at recent rates. Beat beef 7d to 7M per lb. Other qualities 6d to 7d. Fat calves 9M to 10M SHEEP. A-, moderate supply. A good demand for store sheep. The- trade in fat sheep was similur to that of last week. Best teg mutton 9d tolOd per lb. Wether mutton 81-d to 9d. Other qualities, 71d. to Bid. PIGS. A full supply. Stores ia good demand. Porks and bacons recovered the ground lost last week. Porks, 7d to 8d per lb. Bacons 6d to 61-d. Heavy-weiohts 5d to 6d. CORN. A well attended market, with prices firm all round. Som-e enquiry for seed barley and oats. Wheat per 62: I b-, 3ti lid to 4s. Od. Oats per 40 IbR, 2M 6cl to 3s. Malting barley per 56 lbs, 3s 6d to, 4s. Grinding barley per 56 lbs, 3s to 3s 6d. Beans per 65g lbs, 4s to 4s 2d. WHOLESALE HAY TRADE. Hay trade shows a little improvement, and there is rather more doing. Best hay 50s to 55s. Second quality 45s to 50s. Good clovers 50s to 55s. Straw 408 to 45s.

TA-RR-INGTON. Max's SOCIAL CLUB —A whist drive and dance will he he)<1 at the Parish Hall, Tarrington, on Thursday, J«,rm-try 2!th. the whist drive com- mencing at 7.30 p-ta., tiii-I tbe dance being from la 3D p. in. to 2 a. ni. Tickets may be obtained from the Foley Arms, the Post Office, Stoka Edith Railway Station, and members of the Committee, and the proceeds are in aid of the funds of the Tarrington Men's Social Club.

KYNOCH'S CARTRIDGES 8/6 per 100. 9/6 per 100. 10/6 per 100. ELEY'S CARTRIDGES Smokeless 8/6 100 (Pink Cau). Diamond Grain 10/6 „ (Sfcae Case). CeoxpeHill 8\Soa<; j «lliH H MfM lr*lfcfc—J i < £ The Cross, LE DB-URYB Printed and Published for and on behalf of the EXECUTRIX of the late THOMAS VAUGHAN, by WILLIAM S. BOWES, Manager, at the Printing Works, New Sbreet; Ledhwry, :ÍI¡ fche County of Hereford. <