The Abergavenny Mail

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TEACHERS ON STRIKE. Many Schools In Herefordshire Closed. The Fight Begins. The Union's Claim for a Scale. The strike of the Herefordshire school teachers began on Monday, and whatever may bp the ultimate outcome of the dispute, the earliest tactical success will rest with the strikers. In all these disputes between employers and employed a third party goes to the wall. Generally it is the community that suffers most. In this deplorable dispute between the school teachers and the County Education Committee the first and most serious loss will be that of the children. The strikers themselves have out of work benefits guaranteed them to the extent of their salaries if the dispute goes on for five years. If they have to accept positions of a value below the best the Herefordshire authority would give them, they draw on their union for the balance. No doubt, too. the members of the County Education Committee are having a very anxious time. They may possibly lose something in the way of grants, and hard cash must be going into their very spirited efforts to fill the vacant posts. But to neither side does the strike bring the damage which must accrue to the thousands of children for whom there is no school bell in the morning. Over nearly half the county the work of the elementary schools will be held up while the disputants compose their differences. The notices of the head teachers went in two months before Christmas, and it does not need much imagination to realise that there would be two months of unsettlement in which the beat school work would not be done. Then came the Christmas holidays, and work has hardly been resumed when again it is arrested and the children have their first lesson in the strike method, their pedagogue the object on which it is based. An edifying spectacle truly! In our industrial dssputes in which the con- sequences are certainly not more vital, there is always the arbitrator, the peacemaker, waiting in the background to be called up. The fact that anything more serious than extra halfpence on the rates, another five pounds a year for the teacher hangs upon the issue, does not seem to have occurred to anybody so far. The interests of the children, of course, demand an adequately remunerated instructor, but in our highly- organised educational system one would have thought there must be some agency to attain that end without the violent fracture of school work which certainly occurred on Monday. THE STRIKERS' SUCCESS. For there is no doubt about the initial success of the strike. Teachers in more than eighty schools will not take up their work in the morning, and the enterprise of the county authorities has failed abjectly to secure an adequate staff to fill their places. Possibly In from a dozen to twenty of these schools teachers may be found to carry on the work. The precise number it is a little difficult to say. The National Union of Teacbers has distinctive and very effective methods of picketing," and the county authorities prefer to keep their very few finds" in the way of teachers secret until the morning of the school opening. The 1902 Act gave the school managers the right of selection, but in the present circum- stances the Education Committee have felt theinfielves justified in taking matters into their own hands, and have made the appoint- ments in Council schools without consulting the local managers. Managers have been informed that Mr So and So has been appointed to a school, and, to guard against, indiscretion, are kept in ignorance as to whence he ounp*. Apparently there have I been some disclosures. The appointments bave become known to the NLitiona, l,nion of TeacLcrs, with the result that in a con- J stderable number of cases such pressure has been brought to bear that the teachers concerned have cancelled their engagements. In several cases assistant teachers in the county have been offered headships carrying increases of f,40 and £ 50 per year. One or two accepted so tempting an offer, but have since withdrawn their acceptances. Such a one is Mr Phillips, offered the head master- ship at Walford with an immediate incre- ment of £ 40. Another assistant was offered an advance of C50 to take up a similar position, but he refused it. A Birmingham teacher, Mr R W Parry, appointed to the headmastership of a Bromyard school, has since intimated that he will not take up the work. Scotland the Education Committee found a more favourable recruiting ground than England and Wales, but several of those who had accepted positions in ignor- ance of the circumstances have notified their refusal to fulfil the engagement. In these circumstances it is impossible to appraise the number or the class of teachers whom so far the committee have been able to secure. I have good reason, however, for saying that the number is not more than twenty. The class of teacher, Mr Wiltshire, the County Education secretary, informed me, is excellent-a roseate estimate which cannot be applied to strike-breakers in other walks of life. Mr Nicholls, who is at the head of the National Union organisation here, tells me that not a single member of his body has accepted a position under the county since the dispute commenced, though a certain number have refused to tender their resignations in respect of appointments they now hold. It must be borne in mind, too, that the position becomes aggressively worse unless the county authorities can immediately secure the services of a large body of teachers. The notices of masters and mis- tresses at about half the schools of the district expired on Monday. Many more take effect at various dates up to and including March 31. I NO INDICATIONS OF A SETTLEMENT. I Unfortuately there are at present no indi- cations which encourage one to hope for an early settlement. A deadlock has been reached, and between the two bodies no basis exists on which a compromise can be affected. A week ago, by the good offices of the Bishop of Hereford, the two parties were brought together, but after a discussion lasting for about an hour the negotiations broke down on the question of a scale of teachers' salaries. From the report of the proceedings it appears that the teachers' representatives were prepared to go a long way in the concession of details if the Ed uca- tion Committee would agree to the establish- ment of a scale, while Sir James Rankin and Colonel Decie, spokesmen for the county authority, would not treat unless the scale was foregone. And unless some outside authority can exert pressure the deadlock will continue. The firmnes8 of the attitude taken up by the county committee is a little surprising to outsiders. So far nothing they have done, not even the concession of increases totalling Ll,330 a month ago, has shaken the solidarity of the National Union's forces. A large number of the schools are closed without any prospect of their being reopened at an early date unless either dissension comes into the ranks of the teachers or the County Committee concede the principle of of a scale and negotiate the details with the union. It, is inconceivable that an authoirty which succeeds in securing at most a score of teachers after two months' hectic search can till a hundred or more places in a week or two. The Committee, I understand, have high hopes that the bulk of the teachers now on strike will withiu a few days repudiate the union and resume their service. It is exceed- ingly difficult to find any evidence to support that view. Eighteen teachers out of some- thing like 300 have, I understand, with- drawn their notices, and it is to be presumed I will continue their duties, but recent meetings of the teachers have shown them to be as firm in their determination to continue the struggle as w hen the notices were served. They risk very much less than dues the industrial worker on strike. They have at their backs one of the most powerful unions in the country. It has a huge sustentation fund on which it is, with the full approval of its members, prepared to draw indefinitely to carry this Herefordshire campaign to a successful termination. Each of the members on strike is guaranteed full wages for five years. Beyond this there is an indemnity against any member being the loser should he or she have to accept a position at a lower remuneration in consequence of the dispute. THE UNCERTIFICATED TEACHERS. Uncertificated teachers are not eligible to be members of the union, but for the success of the strike it was thought desirable that they, too, should come out. and the union have guaranteed them three months' salary, their cases to be reconsidered at the end of that period if the strike continues. Fifty. of these teachers have consequently sent in their notices. The National Union profess to have made generous allowance for a protracted strike, and declare that even then their sustentation fund will still have a credit of £ 30,000. In these circumstances the position of the strikers seems very strong indeed, stronger indeed than that of a county committee with small prospect before it of staffing its schools. If force is to prevail, and the battle is to be fought out between the two antagonists, I think public opinion is right in assuming that the teachers will win. That is not to siy that public opinion believes the teachers to be in the right. Public opinion is a little difficult to estimate over a whole county, and while the teachers have a wide and personal sympathy in the villages, the committee's regard for the interests of the ratepayers receives a con- siderable endorsement from the agricultural community in the country districts and the middle classes in the towns. Herefordshire ratepayers will not cheerfully yield up their distinction of having the lowest education rate in the country. The Education Com- mittee are not receiving a great deal of help from the local managers of the schools. In a large number of cases the managers have refused to consider the question of the appointment of successors to the strikers, believing it to be in the best interests of the schools that the differences between the teachers and the committee should be composed and the masters and mistresses be reinstated. There has been some resentment, too, against the Education Committee's selection of masters over the heads of the local managers. In several villages demon- strations in favour of the strikers have been made, and resolutions of sympathy and support passed. The committee have shown that in their own way they are prepared to increase their teachers' salaries, and I gather from recent utterances of leading members will go further in that direction in the future. But —and the but connotes the cause of the strike—each case must be considered on its merits. The teacher must prove that he has earned the increment. The committee will have nothing to do with the scale system which implies the teachers' right to a periodical increase within limits unless be is proved by the committee or its agents to have been incompetent or guilty of unworthy conduct. And the opposition to this scale system which works smoothly with so many other authorities comes mainly from the fact that Herefordshire is a county of many small schools and a few medium-sized or larger ones. Naturally enough, the committee are not prepared to give the same salary to the head master of a school of 25 or 30 children in a remote village as they would consider fair to the teacher controlling a school of two or three fully-equipped departments in a toww like Leominster. A GRADED SCALE. I The National Union met the objection with an offer to grade the schools. They suggested ( the following scale:— I HEAD TEACHERS. Men. Women. Number on Roll. Min. Max. Min. Max. E. X. jE. je. 80 and under 120 160 100 140 81 to 120. 140 180 120 160 121 and over 160 220 140 180 Annual Increment, £ 5. CLASS TEACHERS. Men jC90 to 9150 Woman 980 to JE130. Annual Increment, JE5. The scale sacrifices to some some extent the minima which the union have set up as sort of national programme," but even then it was not put forward as an ultimatum. It was to be merely a basis of negotiation. The County Committee would have none of it, and the first proposal which gave promis- ing ground for discussion was summarily rejected. As it stands the committee are, no doubt, rightly interpreting the wishes of their constituents in rejecting the terms of this proposal. According to a calculation Mr Wiltshire has made, the adoption of this scale would have increased the salaries list at the end of eight years by over LIO,000, equal to the fourpenny rate, and a largely increased contribution would have become immediately operative, since the proposals were to be retrospective to some extent. Statements made by the union's representa- tives, however, show that this scale is not the irreducible minimum which would be acceptable to the teachers. It is hardly likely that, even if the scale system were conceded, the committee would prepare to include all schools with from 25 to 80 children in average attendance in the one grade, and in fixing their minima the National Union authorities appear to have left a margin for inevitable con- cession. But as the first scheme which has afforded reasonable ground for negotiation between the parties it does seem worthy of a more careful consideration than the County Committee have so far given it. In a brief interview on Saturday, Mr Wiltshire estimated the number of schools which would be closed on Monday as about fifty. The teachers the committee bad engaged to take the places of strikers were of an excellent class. Eighteen head teachers under the committee had withdrawn their resignations, and he believed that the number would be swelled considerably during the next few days. The committee continued firm in their determination to resist the introduction of a scale, but they would treat fairly each individual case which came up before them. In a county of small schools like Herefordshire an inelastic scale was unworkable, and in resisting the extravagant demands of the National Union of Teachers as set forth in their scale the committee would have the ratepayers of the county behind them.—" Birmingham Daily 1 Post," February 2, 1914.

Views of Sir J. H. Yoxall. I The Strong Position of the Teachers. Sir J H Yoxall, M.P (general secretary to the National Union of Teachers) interviewed at Coventry on Saturday by a Daily Post" representative, gave the strike his fullest approval, and predicted a successful result for the teachers. I was very anxious," he said, that for the sake of the children and the schools some settlement should be arrived at before the outbreak of hostilities, but the negotiations broke down because the Herefordshire Education Committee steadfastly refused to adopt our suggestion. The teachers refuse to work on the terms offered, and the re- sponsibility is now thrown upon the Educa- tion Committee of keeping the schools going. We say that they cannot do so. Unless the schools are adequately and efficiently staffed the attendance must suffer and the grant will not be earned. It will therefore cost the Herefordshire Education Committee more in this way than it would have done by granting the increases." Sir James said he thoroughly approved the action taken by the union, as did the great majority of members. That organisa- tion was now a powerful one, no fewer than 10 000 members having been added within the last year, with the strengthening of their financial position to a corresponding extent. They would pay the teachers not only their full salary, but also the increases which were granted by the committee a short time ago. In concl usion Sir James repeated that he did not think the Herefordshire authority could fill the vacancies created, and in that case they would be unable to discharge the duty imposed upon them of maintaining the system of elementary education in the county. If that happened the Board of Education would probably put the Defaulting Authorities Act into operation, and create fresh machinery for carrying out the work. But the dispute was at present in so early a stage that it was perhaps not wiae to speculate what course events would take. 1

NEWENT. I POST OFFICE ENTERTAINMENT.—A very suc- cessful entertainment in aid of the Rowland Hill Memorial and Benevolent Fund was given at the Temperance Hall on Saturday, under the chairmanship of the Rev Canon Connor. The stage was tastefully decorated with flowering plants and palms kindly lent by Mesdames Beechey and Smith. The musical and vocal programme arranged by the local hon. secretary, Mr R H Bisco, opened with a pianoforte duet by Mrs Lancaster and Miss E Harfcl-tnd, followed by "songs from Miss Cicely Sm, It (Newent), Mr W Hawkins (Gloucester), Mr C Tunnicliff (Newent). Bob Dobell and Frank Wood, comedians (Gloucester). The picture programme included some 100 limelight view s on postal work at home and abroad, compiled and exhibited by Mr Eustace Good, followed by instructive, pathetic, and amusing cinema films. Each item throughout the programme was received with applause by a crowded audience. The proceeds amounted to j312 8s 3d, including J31 8s 6d in donations. The annual new year's treat at the Work- house was held on Thursday. The rooms were prettily decorated, and the efforts of the Master and Matron and officers to make the occasion a happy one for old and young were crowned with success. Among the visitors were Mr and MI s Grafton (Clifford Manor), Miss Hutchinson, Canon W H Connor, Miss Connor, Rev C L Whatley, Rev A and Mrs Wynne, and Mr A Jonea. After a bountiful tea had been thoroughly enjoyed, toys, sweets, and oranges were given to the children, tea and sugar to the women, and pipes and tobacco to the men. Canon Connor presided over the first put of the entertainment which followed, and the Rev C L Whatley over the second part. After a piano duet by Misses Baldwin and Trubshaw, songs were contributed by Miss A Gurney and Messrs Tunnicliff and Berkley. The Ross Pierrot Troupe also gave a very interesting pro- gramme. Mrs Wynne played the accom- paniments. Mr Whatley proposed a hearty vote of thanks to the subscribers and to all who had taken part. He also expressed sincere sympathy with Mr W S Hankins and family in their great trouble.

1/8 8en to the Reporter Office, Ledbury, will I ensure a copy of this paper being sent post free every Friday evening for a quarter (13 weeks).   ?- ??. ??! ?? M E? j ? ?     ? ':?!i? A;?' ? ??? ?..?-.  ?. t ? L j ??????  ??? ????.?'P ??:?.?''?cx?'s? ? '? ."? ?' ?s?;. '—— !?"?''??? ?if ?? ?"??'1 ? ??  lllllti •   ?..?  ?i.H?  ????? ??..??  ????'?? ?. '?   ? ? ?. ?,, h?;??? ?? ?l?BE&S.SL? '?..S?ESES????? _?-? 4?-??? ??f???Af .??.? .,? .?' ?" ??'?'F??-? 9  /;A¡;i iIW' -"<.c?I!

CYCLECAR AND MOTOR CYCLE I NOTES. I [By CELERITER.] I THE RULE OF THE ROAD. I LUBRICATION BY MIXTURE. I 8. 'I. I Although motor traffic has made such huge strides during the last few years and the amount of traffic on our main roads is far inexcess of any previous traffic, there still appears to be a very considerable amount of doubt in the minds of road users generally, including motorists, as to the rule of the road when under certain circumstances. Of course every driver of a vehicle knows that he must keep to the left when driving along an unobstructed thoroughfare, though there are scores of drivers one meets in a day's journo vho seem to have an utter disregard for the rule, also every pedestrian knows thut he or she should keep to the right, though in the case of pedestrians the rule is even further disregarded. Having got thus far, however, one is bound to confess that the vast majority of drivers, particularly those in charge of slow moving vehicles, do not ap ear to possess the slightest knowledge as to the common sense rules of the road beyond the rule already referred to. Taking the case of the unobstructed straight road in a busy main thoroughfare for instance, one sees any number of vehicles of the slow moving order, such as coal carts, heavy drays, etc., driving along in the very centre of the roadway, even though the near side of the road is quite unobstructed. Then when a faster moving vehicle wishes to over- take the slow vehicle, the driver of the latter either has to step off the footpath and drag his horse to the kerb, or give the horse a sharp tug at the bit. Of course the excuse is that the camber of the road makes it awkward for the horse, so he chooses the centre of the road but surely this is a very lame excuse, and it is time that the police of our large towns were empowered to compel slow moving traffic to keep well into the kerb, as is done in the Metropolis. I am aware that in many of the large towns the police do try to make drivers of slow vehicles keep away from the centre of the roads, but they have no power to enforce this, and in very many cases the drivers are so ignorant that they do not know that it is incumbent upon them to keep well to the near side of the roadway. The absence of common sense which leads to these conditions can as a rule only lead to inconvenience to other road users, but there are other conditions wherein this lack of reasoning leads to many an accident. For instance, there is the butcher's or baker's b >y who persists in driving across amain thoroughfare at full speed. Probably he never realises that the main road traffic has a prior right over the crossing. Un- fortunately there are some motorists, too, who fail to realise this danger, for many accidents have been caused where they might have been avoided had the dri ver approach- ing the main road taken the caution that was due from him, and which the main road driver could reasonably expect to receive. Though the danger is less there, there is always the risk of running down the stupid driver who comes pell mell out of a side turning into the main road. Fortunately such cases are more rare than in the past, though they are still far too frequent. In some cases ignorance may be pleaded, as for example where a strange driver is approaching a crossing where all roads are of equal width and therefore appear equally important or unimportant as the case may be, bu. wbere actually the road to be crossed carries a large amouut of fast traffic which has H right to assume that traffic crossing will proceed with due caution. Iu such cases I would suggest that the usual warniug triaugles should be erected, but those on the roads approaching a main road crossing should have a large white M in the cuutre of the triangle so that the stranger may take extra precaution. Another rul e of the road about which a good deal of doubt seems to exist in the minds of many motorists, is with regard to passing aud overtaking other vehicles. It has been ruled that an overtaking vehicle may go as far as possible into the off or wrong side of the road if it is necessary to do so to pass the overtaken vehicle even though there might be room to pass on the near or right side of the vehicle, providing of course that no vehicle is approaching from the opposite direction. This applies iu the case of tramcars particularly though mauy motorists do not seem to realise that they are entitled to pass a tramcar on the offside, and I have even been shouted at by pobcamen in some cities for so doing even though it were impossible to pass on the near side, though I do know that there have been one or two ruliugs that it is quite permissible to do so. In the case of the obstreperous driver who will cling to the middle of the road when an overtaking vehicle wishes to get by, it is difficult to know how to deal with this type exactly. It is risky to try and pass on the near side —between the kerb and the obstruct- ing vehicle-for if whilst doing this the driver should suddenly make up his mind to draw into the kerb, the driver of the over- taking vehicle would be blamed for any damage done; then again, if one has to swing right out to the off side to get by and a foot passenger should step off the kerb and be knocked down, the driver would again be held to blame. Therefore it is really necessary in these days of rapid traffic that the driver of the slow moving vehicle should be brought to his senses and taught which is his proper placa on the highway, namely well into the kerb on his near side. These last few remarks apply to cyclists also, and those who have a habit of sticking to the crown of the road should realise that the motorist must not attempt to overtake on the near side and therefore the cyclist should give way as soon as possible. Of course in wet weather every motorist realises that it is difficult for a cyclist to at once turn out of the crown of the road if there are tramlines there, for fear of a skid, but every reasonable motorist realises this and makes allowances accordingly. CODE OF SIGNALLING. Another matter arising out of the rule of the road is that of signalling when the driver of a moving vehicle wishes to change his direction of travel. The arm signal to indicate a stop or a left or right turn is now almost universal amongst motorists, but the very people who ought most to make these signals, the drivers of the slow vehicles are the last to adopt the system. The current issue of The Motor has some illustrations of various arm signals which motorists might do well to adopt, in addition to the commonly accepted signals there is one in which the hand is held out, and one or more fingers outstretched to indicate that cattle are on the road ahead at a distance approximately as indicated by the number of fingers held up. Drivers of closed cars have to extend the right arm when making a turn no matter whether to right or left. I would suggest that in order to indicate which turn is to be made, for a right turn the arm should be held straight out with palm outstretched and thumb pointing upwards, and for a left turn the hand to be reversed, and the thumb pointing downwards. MIXING OIL WITH PETROL Since the publication of my notes last week I have been asked by a number of motor cyclists why, it I think the mixing oil with petrol on the Triumph lightweight is good, that other makers have not long ago adopted the system of their engines. The explanation is very simple, and as no doubt the question may have arisen in the minds of others, I will explain. In the first place it must be remembered that until the show there were only two or three two-stroke machines on the English Market, the makers of one of which, the Levis, were already experimenting with a mixture of petrol and oil, secondly, the Triumph lightweight machine has a two- stroke engine that the system of lubricating by a mixture of petrol and oil can be adopted. It must be borne in mind that in a two-stroke engine the incoming mixture is fed into the crankcase and cylinder on both sides of the piston before it is fired, therefore the oil which is in "suspension in the mixture, in the form of a fog more or less, is free to lubricate the internal revolving parts of the engine. In the case of the ordinary four- stroke engine this is not so, however, for the charge is sucked into the cylinder on the top side of the piston only, and therefore oil which is sucked into the cylinder would only lubricate the cylinder walla, unless the piston and piston ring were very badly fit, and allowed all the oil to escape into the crankchamber. It is quite possible that a slight amount of oil mixed with the petrol in a four-stroke machine would have a beneficial effect providing the rider first made a series of experiments to determine the exact proportion required to be mixed with the petrol, aod a like proportion of oil to be injected in the ordinary way, as other- wise the main effect of the oil in the cylinder would be a sooted plug or plugs. When one comes to consider the extra trouble and messiness entailed where such a system is employed without any proper means of measuring and replenishing the tank, in addition to the ordinary system, it seems hardly likely that the system will be used much in connection with four-stroke engines, nor indeed is there any need for it. ——— —— )

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Ledbury Produce Market. I 1 here was a moderate attendance, and not much produce on offer. Prices :— Butter (wholesale), Is 3d per lb „ (retail) Is 41 por lb Eggs (wholesale),' 10 for Is (retail), 8 for Is Fowls, 4s 6d to 5* per couple Rabbits, 8d and 9d each. Potatoes, lOd to Is per peck. Apples, Is per peck:

Ledbury Corn Market. The market at the Feathers Hotel Cora Ex- change on Tuesday was very sparsely attended, and not much doing. There is plenty of stuff on offer, but the markets are slow and have a downward tendency. Quotations :— Wheat (new), 3s lid to 4s Id. Beans, 3s lid to 4s Id Peas, 3s 9d to 4s 3d Vetches, 4s 6d to 5s Rye, 4s Oats (old), 22s to 288 per qr. It (new), 20s to 22s per qr. Flour, lirm. Maize, 25s to 27s neT qr, English Barley, 28s to 32s. Foreign Barley, 22s to 25s 400 f.o.r. Sharpness. Bran, X6 10s per ton.

BY CONSULTING t an introductory journal full of GrENUINE advertisements appealing to all classes of ladies ad gentlemen desirous of marriage. No Exorbitant Fees. ed. PMt Free in Sealed Envelope. Editor, 18, Hogarth Road, Earl's Court. Perhaps it is not geneially understood that we undertake all descriptions of Coloured, and Plain Stamping. We get dies cat and turn out th6 order complete, Send on a trial order to the Repertsr Office.

FARMER THRASHED. Mr Oswald Riley, M.F. H., and the Drag Layer. The remarkable spectacle of a master of foxhounds thrashing a farmer with a hunt- ing crop was witnessed on Wednesday in last week, near Grateley, Hants. About fifty people attended the meet of the Tedworth pack at Abbotts Ann. The • first fox was found in Stonehanger Wood. but there was no scent, and the fox escaped. The master proceeded to draw other coverts, when suddenly, without a trace of a fox, half-a-dozen hounds picked up a lina in the open. The master at once recognised this as a drag from the smell of aniseed. The pack went away on the false trail at lightning speed, and the master allowed the hounds to continue, in the hope of overtaking the layer of the drag. When the hounds were racing towards Grateley the master saw a horseman ahead, so he galloped forward and overtook him. The man was a prominent local farmer, and the outcome of the meeting was that Mr Oswald Riley. the master, administered a thrashing to him with his hunting crop. Then the master promptly ordered the hound a back to their kennels for the day. Mr Riley will be recognised by Hereford- shire people as a son of Alderman J Riley, of Putley Court, Ledbury. He is a noted breeder and trainer of bloodhounds, and an all round sportsman.

Challenge to Fight with Fiste or- Crops. Interesting Devsiopment Expeoted. As the result of the sensational incident in the hunting field reported above, Mr I Berry, a young farmer of Upper Clatford. three miles from Andover. has challenged Mr Oswald Riley, son of Mr J Riley, of Putley Court, Ledbury, Master of the Ted- worth Fiona,-a, to fight him "on sight. The affair is the one subject of conversation in the towns and villages of this part of Hampshire. Mr Berry refuses to go to law, and declares his intention of adopting what can best be described as Bret Harte tactics. Mra Riley and between 20 and 30 other ladies were present during the incident. Mr Berry, however, strenuously protested his innocence when I saw him to-day (says a Daily News "correspondent.) His face was scarred by a livid wheal across the left ear and cheek, and he was still obviously upset. I am shielding someone else and am, absolutely innocent," he assured me. I had heard there was likely to be a drag, but had nothing to do with laying it. What happened. was simply that I lost the hounds after being with them for two hours or so and was taking a short cut in search of them when Mr Riley rode up. My horse was walking at the time. not galloping, as has been stated. Very unfortunately I had no hunting crop, and was therefore absolutely defence- less. At my request Mr Riley put his hands- in all my pockets, and smelt my gloves, and he admitted that he could not detect a trac& of aniseed. In spite of that he struck me. twice. Nobody offered me a crop to defend myself with, and there was nothing for it but to get away as quick as I could. I have written to Mr Riley to-day chal lenging him to fight me on equal terms the- next time we meet with fists or crops or in any other way he likes. I'm no fighting man, and may get a licking, but anyhow t shall have the satisfaction." Mr Berry is a slim, wiry English farmer, and Mr Riley a much heavier country gentle- man of Irish extraction, with some reputation as a pugilist. Mr Riley, who lives at Cholverton, near Salisbury, sends the following message in reply to Mr Berry's challenge Isaac Berry knows what I said to him yesterday, and what to expect next time I meet him-and why. After this we may expect to find a good many people anxious to witness the meeting.

FOOTBALL NOTES. [BY THE TYKE. "] The only match in which locals were interested in was the Hereford Junior League game between Burghill and Ledbury Brotherhood, played on the former's ground, and won by the homesters by 2'-0. Ledbury bad the ad vantage of the wind in. the first half, nnd should have been three up by half- time, but failed to take advantage of the opportunities offered. W J Smith sent over the bar from two yards out in trying to lift the ball over the head of the back, the goal- keeper being beaten, while the goalie made a wonderful save from Walker, and Jim Smith hit the post. In the second half Burghill scored twice, Shinn being at fault in each case. Elsmore and Harris did well at back for the losers, and Hank i as was easily the best half. The three inside forwards did best, though Evans on the right wing did fairly well in the second half, and came very near scoring twice. The Brotherhood were repre- sented by :-Shinn Harris, Elsmore Habbits, Hankins, Smart; Evans, Walker* W J Smith, J C Smith and W Smith.

HEREFORDSHIRE JUNIOR LEAGUE. Pl'd won lost dm for agsb Pta Burlev Gate 13.10. 2. 1.51.. 21.2I Wye Valley. 13. 9. 4. 0.40.16.18 R A.M.C. 12. 7. 2. 3.31.19.17 Stretton United .12. 5. 5. 2.19.21.12 ) 2. 19 21 12 Burghill United. 13. 4. 5. 4.26.34.10 By ford United 12. 6. 6. 0. 19 29 10 Madley 12. 2. 5. 4.14.20. & Ledbary BrotlierhoodlO 3. 6. 1.23. 7 Pontrilas & District 10. 2. 7. 1. 8.34. S *fLugwardine United 9. 1. 8. 0. 6.28. 0 *Two points deducted in each case for playing ineligible players, fLugwardine hare resigned.