The Cambria Daily Leader

OCTOBER AT THE I FRONT. As we writ-e, Swansea is under a heavy pall of weeping clouds,' and everything about the November weather tends to create depression. We think of the plight of our soldiers upon the Western front, knowing by hearsay what quagmires are in their way and the fearful state of the roads over which their supplies have to come, wondering how all this will affect the military situation and the prospects of progress on the Somme front. Bapaume must be in sight of our army, but the Butte de Warlencourt has still to be reduced, and to the .north of the national road there is much clearance worlc to be done. How far are we en- titled to hope the British and j French forces will go before winter's grip becomes too pronounced ? Sir Douglas Haig's review of operations during the last fortnight of October ought to serve as a tonic. He gives- us a vivid picture of the front: Heavy rain has fallen almost even? day and the chalk soil of the uplands between the Ancre and SOIDme has become a wilder- ness of mud." Yet our men are going on, through the mud! On Wednesday afternoon, with the French, they went on from Les Boeufs our ally also swept forward, capturing two enemy trenches, and mastering a strongly organised trench system on the fringe of St. Pierre Vaast Wood. Our wonderful armies are fighting Bocho and weather equally well. They wade to triumph through the wilderness. The British Commander-in-Chief, after stating that, the conditions hamper military operations very seriously, introduces an inspiring l nevertheless. Let us wg on read- ing—" nevertheless, during the past fortnight we have made progress and have advanced our front to- wards the Butte de Warlencourt- and in the neighbourhood of Gueu- decourt and Lesboeufs." A fine tonic against the depressing thoughts engendered by a morning under weeping skies! Mr. J. A. Spender, who has just visited the French and British fronts, supplies another excellent and sound corrective to the folk who are beginning to set into motion a new wave ef depres- sion about the Somme offensive. He has walked over the tragic ground conquered by our soldiers in July. Only by looking on it and seeing one after another these lines of trenches and the fortress villages on which they rested can we measure the im- meity of the effort and the achievement. Out there over the ridges it is all going on again; and, says Mr. Spender, if anyone is tempted to complain that the pro- gre&s is slow, that the generals are cautious, that they are trying now to make the guns do what at the be- ginning was done by flesh and blood, let him come here alook. Looking inspires a great confi- dence, but also counsels patience. The army which has got over these obstacles to that ridge can surely go anywhere, but in such conditions it must be given time and trusted to work out the problem in its own way. The first dominant impres- sion is that of the immense scale of this battle and the infinity of ob- stacles that have to be overcome. The people at home see it as a whole, which makes a totally differ- en" t impression from that of the day's report of a given twenty-four hours. ho urs. Mr. Spender heard the awe-in- spiring roll of gun-fire, from the muzzles of nine miles of guns, when the, British started a barrage. The writer some time ago used the phrase, the orchestra. of the Somme"; the distinguished editor of the Westminster Gazette falls back upon the word orchestra, which-indeed is much in the mouths of men at and behind the front, in describing the sound of the guns. The noise is by no means deafening, he says, and you soon abandon the impulse to stop your eam. After a few minutes you can distinguish all the notes, as of instruments scored to their various parts. The impres- sion is overwhelming, and on the scale of Nature rather than of man. Never in the world's history can there have been so appalling a mani- festation of human anger and power. A thousand years hence the his- torian of a reformed humanity may describe such a scene as a mon- strous night,mare of the barbaric steel age. You, standing on this spot, think only of your own flesh and blood at grips with the enemy behind that ridge. When you realise that no general can move.), hundred yards unless he has this power behind him, and that every battalion is liable to be wiped out which is with cut its shield of shells over it and in front of it, and when you see the enormous effort that must be made for one day's push m a battle that must be measured by months, you feel as never before the immense duty which the munition- worker owes to the soldier. Progress during October ha,s been slower than had been anticipated; we have not had that break through which some people ap- peared to expect. But it must never be forgot ten that we have come up against positions fortified with wonderful ingenuity; that around Bapaume, which Major Moraht boasted was absolutely im- pregnable, we have to brak down works of tremendous strength. For weeks, the struggle has raged be- tween Les Boeufs and Transloy, where the Germans have concen- trated their gun-power. The front" is a mora-ss in which it is difficult to move. Along roads deep in mud, over a wilderness of desolated fields, where every shell hole is filled with water, supplies have to be brought up, and the work oannot be other than slow. Indeed it is surprising that in the wretched weather of October, we have done so well as we have. The German war writers tell their readers the old tale which has served them at intervals for three months. Erich von Salzmann says in the "Vossische Zeitung" that the battle is at a standstill; that it has passed its height; that the German I resistance is increasing day by day and the battle becoming more and more a duel between artillery, be- tween two great rows of machines." The enemy will be disillusionised, as he has been in the past. The Battle of the Somme is, not at a standstill. Our military authori- ties are very well pleased with the progress made; they are satisfied with the present situation of affairs; they are confident with regard to the future. Mrs. Coombe Tennant, one of two women serving on the Neath Rural Distric't War Pensions Committee, is calling attention, we are glad to see, to the insufficiency of the sepa- ration allowance granted by the Government to the third and younger children in a family. She gives an example: Separation i Allowance. Idris, aged 10 5s. i Blodwen, aged 9 3s. 6d. David, aged 7! 2s. Nest, aged 6 2s. Gladys, aged 4 2s. Llewellyn, aged 2t 2s. Baby, aged I 2s. Now all the four eldest cost much about the same to feed, and all the three youngest should cost about the same to feed if Baby even could I -r get milk at 5d. a quart! "Of I course one is told," sa?s Mrs. j Tennant' that the larger ?e party t the lower the sum needed for the i keep of each member per head. 11 have evidence of the imDoeeibility of feeding, housing and cloth- ing a woman and seven children on 81s. a week, with the purchasing power of the sovereign dropped to 12s. 4d. in the case of food and to 13s. 6d. in the case of general necessaries. With the, spectacle of bishops ful- minating against the falling birth- rate and the Local Government Board and the Board of Education tumbling over each other in tl,-eirl efforts to proclaim that the children I are a nation's wealth, that infant mortality must be attacked, and welfare centres scattered over the face of the land, it appears, as she declares, a very poor form of war economy to mulct all the younger children in a family simply because they are younger children, and to! allow them a pittance on winch I they cannot, as prices nw stand, be properly fed or clothed. b

I THE EGG SUPPLY. I Swansea Poultry Keepers' New Enterprise. Th-e-re was a representa tive gathering of poultry keepers at the Market Restaurant, Swansea, on Wednesday evening, when the annual meeting of the Welsh Utility Poultry Club was held. Mr. Griff. Jones presided. The secretary presented a very; favourable report of the year's work, and the balance sheet. He stated when the! club started some 12 months ago it was; only supported by 18 members, but he was pleased to say that number had now increased to 143. The Chairman referred to the much dis- cussed question of opening a stall or shop in the market to encourage the members to sell their produce at market pries. The secretary reported that he had been offered an open stall at 3s. 6d. per week, exclusive of gas, etc. Ho had also had an offer of a ciosed-in shop at 13s. 6d. per week. The Chairman said it was the very en- terprise required, but at least 2,000 eggs per week would be required. These, he stated, could be supplied by the members, and in the lirst stages of the existence of the stall or shop they wouid be charged 5 per cent, for disposing of their goods. There would be a continued supply of new laid eggs every Wednesday and Saturday, and these would be sold at market price. He foresaw great prosperity for them. It was, as far as he could see, bound to be a grand success. Mrs. Harris moved that the shop be taken at 13s. 6d., and this was seconded by Mr. Freshwater and carried. The Chairman stated that any profit would be placed to a reserve fund. The balance sheet showed there had been an income during the year of £ 23 7s. 3d., and an expenditure of tll 16s. ll £ d., with a balance of tll 10s. 3d. It was announced that the winners in the poultry-keeping competition recently held were: 1, Mr. Devonald; 2, Mr. Powell; 3. Mr. Lane. Mr. D. Gilbertfion was re-elected presi- dent, Mr. Griff. Jones chairman, Mr. Harrison, secretary, and the committee en bloc. The usual votes of thanks were passed.

I SOLDIERS5 VOTES. I Special Register Bill Withdrawn. During the debate in Committee on Wednesday on the Special Register Bill, Mr. Pringle Raid as the Committee was unable to include soldiers and sailors the Govern merit should withdraw tho Bill and introduce one that wouid. He IDQved to report prrit was useless to go on in existing circumstances. Capt. Craig said that they had come down to discuss the Bill under an entirely erroneous impression. Sir E. Caron and Sir II. Dalziel sup- ported the amendment to report, progress. Sir J. Simon said tho teal substance of what they wore striving to reach had been ruled out by Mr. Speaker Col. Croft, Mr. Glyn Jones, and others urged the Government to accept the motion. [ PRIME MI-NISTERIS VIEW. Mr. Asqiuth said that so far as the Gov- ernment were concerned they were most anxious to devise a means by which sol- diers and sailors could record their votes at any election which took place during the special condition of the war. The question was what was the best way of doing- it? He thought the matter might be brought to a head bv bringing in an ex- press Bill for the purpose. The i"<ue ought to be directly raiserl and decided by the House of Commons. Ho -suggeffted they should go on with the present RjJI. tb,,it was a l most im- I Ptr E. Carson said ttat was almost im- possiblc. MOTION ACCEPTED. Mr. Aequith. said the Bill effected a very large enfranchisement of the people oil war work, but in view of the unexpected ruling from the Chair he thought the matter should be brought to a direct issue, and he accepted, the motion to re- port progress to give time to consider the best means to briag tins about. Progress was reported, and the House rose at 6.10.

PLEA FOR NONCONFORMITY. Echo of the Cardiff City Ceremony. The Tyst," the organ of Welsh Congre- gationalisms, edited by the Rev. H. lu. Hughes. Cardiff, in a lending article on the ceremony at the Cardiff City Hall last Friday, says:—Two things stand out as blots In the first place, not a single word of Welsh was spoken by any of the speakers. On an occasion so national in its character this was inexcusable. The second mistake was that the Church of England and the Church of Rome alone were honoured and represented at the chief h hIe of the bannuet that followed. The Bishop of Llandaff and the Catholic Arch- bishop of Cardiff were on the right an left of the distinguished guests, but not single Nonconformist minister. And this in Nonconformist Wales! Lord Rhondda, of course, was not to blame for this, but it was so much of a blunder as to amount to an offence against good taste and contempt for the majority of the people of Wales. If the Cardiff authorities will insist on ignoring Welsh Nonconformity let them not be surprised to find more than the National Library going h Ii another place, and the claima of Cardiff to be recognised as the c,lpibl of Wales meat- ing with a decided denial. I

Staff Nurse Miss E. K. Parker, Queen Alexandra's Imperial Military "Nursing' rvice, and Miss E. B. St. John, Volun- tary Aid Detachment, are reported dead in to-day6 casualty list. For procuring intoxicating liquor for wounded soldiers William Bradslias, Lud- now-road, Wandsworth, was cent to j prison for a month.

PALACES OF PAIN. I SCENES DURING THE FIRST WEEK OF TnE VUSH. I Col. Sir Berkeley Moynihan, the well- known surgeon, related an incident which came under his notice. A young I boy had been horribly mutilated, and it had been found necessary to amputate just below the hip. He asked him how he felt. The boy turned his white, weary face, lifted his chin above the bedclothes and replied, I'm tip-top, sir." He died half an hour later. THERE are feome recollections of j_ France that one would gladly banish for ever from the mind if (' one could, scenes distance and time do nothing to diminish in' poignancy. One saya resoiutely that he can and will for- get-and a stray paragraph, a chance word, brings them back with all their aching, rending associations. The sur- geon's anecdote lights up again within me a room in memory I try to keep shadowed, it recalls the inspiring yot agonising, tho proud but pitiable, days in early July, the first week of the Great Push. I see again, as though it were but yesterday, Lhe Red Cross trains—the Palaces of Pain -that carried down to the ba.s9 the heroes who went over the top on that sunny Saturday and fell wounded in the first hours of triumph. They paes again, a white and glorious, a shining and bloodied, procession. I hear again the slow and steady rhythm of the long andbeautilul coaches; I see the faces of men through the windows, pain-twisted, white, worn I see the faces of youths who have become old, aged ere their prime, and a look in their eyes as of those who have come out of torment. A week in July one would do much to forget, a week which ie unfor. lettable. One turns from the sorrows that have no appeaæment-and on the Red Cross trains there were sorrows too deep for tears—to some of the incidents that forti- fied the workers who had the priceless comfort of ministering in any degree- even to a cup of cold water—to the wounded heroes stricken on the Somme. Of some scenes the pen cannot write, nor I the tongue talk. Of the whole thing in perspective one would fail to give any far- away, faint idea, for it was greater than man is capable of telling, too grand and noble for words. « We say often in our glib journalese, U When the history of the war comes to be written- We know too well that the history of the war never will be written so that people shall see it as it was. Little episodes in it, its design, its movements according to set military values we shall have, but the tense human phase of it, what it has ( meant to us in blood and tears, no, this I' we shall never see wholly, complete, an on one heroic canvas. I thought when I set out to write this that it would not be very hard-and it is not easy at any time to. touch upon war memories— to give a picture of the Red Cross trains as they passed a station at the back of the front in early July. I find that I cannot, that the subject is too big, too tragical, too hallowed, for a pencil that | halts and stumbles-over every word. Ij think of the soldier who died und er our eyes in the waiting-room of A- station one morning when the dawn was near, of the limbless lad who smiled at us from i his stretcher upon the platform at L •, and I see that, for me at least, the task of describing even impressions of the precious parsing freight of wrecked lives is too heavy. The epic of the trains that bear the Sign of the Cross may be given us by genius; it will be written with his I Wood and his tears of pride and grief will stain every page. Some little things, however, leap to life again when one reads the surgeon's anec- dote. I recall the first ambulance train that went through upon the Saturday when we broko the German line, and the i mtcited, boisterous spirits of the men who were able to come to the windows and talk to us. We rid ourselves of out store of cigarettes and listened to their great tales of what had happened to the Boche. We were shown their woiznd", and given ee,,tf and dumb cards "—this is the Army name for the I am well, I am wounded" post- card all arc familiar with—to fill in and post for them. A -picture eomes to me now as I write of a little fellow with a dado of bandages around his head, and a grin like the Cheshire Cat's extending over tho small part of the face that was visible. I'm a beaut, chum, ain't I?" he said to me when "he had his U fag" well going. The 'un, 'is mark Patented." Bad? I asked. U As nice as Blighty, eon, as ever I could wish to have. Face peppered a bit 'igh explosive or somethilik an' it 'urts a fair treat, but doing well as they say in the papers "Going over the water, I suppose? That's the ticket I takes it. [He laughed; an odd twisted sort of laugh it was] Lor lumme! What will the olo gel say when she sees this face 0' mine. She iKsed to say it was ruddy well ugly before! She will be proud of every scratch," I said. Don't make any mistake." He laughed again, that twi&ted laugh it hurt one to hear Well," he replied reflectively, may be you're right, though she was never the one to pay compliments, no she wasn't. But, God: we've given the Allemand (soincthink to go on with to-day I We said our So longs," and the train was off. My last recollection of it was another bandaged head peeping out over my friend, a German helmet crowning the maze of linen strips. Another picture: A lad with an arm wound—fracture nnd clean bullet passage —walking up and down the platform, a casualty come from the clearing station among the hills to join the Red Cross train. He was singing softly to himself. and as I passed I caught an Army version of the "Glory Song." "There will bo I Blighty for me, Blighty for me, Blighty for me!" be W, h(,n he got into con- versation he told me that his only pain was that some miserable bleeder had pinched his &O.uvnirE. OHicer's helmet ¡ I had," he said with bitterness; "grand one for my girl to hang up in the parlour. Pinched! And with rare satire in his voice, and yet a ecDse of humour that! would not be su?pr?sed And that's how they treat England's heroes, my «on! So, leaving in shadow the tragedies too sacred for words, keeping them in fhe un- lighted room near one's heart, one recalls the men who passed down in the Red Cross trains, the men who made laughter cf their grievous wounds, the men who were uplifted to heights where only heroes can breathe, who joked in pain and sang in anguish. God help us to fit our- pelves for the companionship of such as tlieso. J. D. W. [

SWANSEA. To-day and to-morrow constitute the teachers' rest in Swansea and district. The la.dies connected with New Siloh Chapel, Landore, commenced their sewing class on Wednesday afternoon. The presi- dent (Mrs. Richards) gave the party an en- joyable tea. They are doing their bit by sewing shirts, etc., for the boys at the front. The Rev. W. Scudnmore, L.D., curate of St Paul's, Landore, ha.s received an invita- tion from the parish of St. Gabriel's, Swansea, to take charge of St. Augustine's Church. Mr. Scudamore has accepted the invitation, and will enter on his new duties on the 14th inst. During his seven years' services at Landore Mr. Scudamore has won a host of friends. He is a hard- working clergyman, and "a;s captain of the Landore Church Lads' Brigade he has be- oom very popular. When the V.T.C. movement was originated in the district, he was unanimously appointed to tie oom- mandership.

I GORSEINON. The death occurred on Wednesday of Mrs. Evans, wife of the late Mr. John Evans, Bron Dolau. Alexandra-rofed. One | of ",er sons is Mr. William Evans, a mem- ber of the executive committee of the Steel Smelters' Union.

LOUGHOR. I The number of students enrolled for j the winter session of the Loughor Nursing and Ambulance Class is so great that t'lio lecturer, Dr. Thomson, has arranged to, give two evenings to the work instead ot one.

PEMBROKE DOCK. Mr. T. H. Edwards, inspector o fshlP- j wrights, has been submitted for appoint-! appointed acting-foreman of the yard at a Northern dockyard, and Mr. John Row- !and. J.P., eenior chargeman of ship- wrights, ha sheen submitted for appoint- ment to fill the local vacancy caused.

ABERGWYNFi. -1 At a meeting of Port lalbot Group ot Schools on Tuesday, Mr. J. M. Smith pre- siding, it was mentioned that E. Beavan. of 35.. High-street, Abergwynfi, had al. tended the Girls' Schoo] for six years without missing once. The managers con- sidered that such a record was worthy of recognition, and decided to apply to the County Committee for a suitable reward

PORT TALBOT. 'I. T Grove-place WeitHI (VJ.M.; l/iterary Society visited the Dvffryn (Taibacli > Society on Tuesday night, when Mr. John Griffiths, Grove-place, gave an interesting lecture on Welsh folic songs. He illus- trated the lecture by singing several of the songs, and the accompaniment on the harp by Mr. Thomas, Abergwynfi, added considerable interest. The Rev. D. John (pastor of Dyfifryn), occupied the chair.

NEATH. Penydre Mission Hall—a flourishing cause doing good work-held a successful harvest festival on Monday. The hall was tastefully decorated wtith gifts of flowers, fruit and vegetables. Mr. Joseph Edwards, Rev. T. Mardy Rees, and Mr C. Nelson took part in the devotions, and a musical programme was. contributed to by Mr. Jones-Davies (Neath), and Mr. Rickets and family (Britonferry). At dw. close the gifts were valued and sold byi Mr. John Broad, market gardener.

SKEWEN. At a well-attended meeting held at the Boys' Sohool, Skewen, on Wednesday even- ing, comprising representatives from all sections of the community at Skewen and Neath Abbey, it was unanimously decided to take gteps to eomm-emorate in a sub- stantial form the life work of the late Aid. Wm. Howell, J.P., Skewen. The following officers were appointed to lead in the movement-Chairman, County Councillor Tho?. W. Da vies; vice-chair man, the Rev. T Morgan; hon. treasurer, Mr. James P. Rees, Tardelle; hon. sec., Mr. Evan -Tonhu-a. On account of the war, further definite action was postponed for three months.

AMMAN FORD. The news that considerable coiliery de- velopments are contemplated at Saron by the Blaina. Co. has caused lively satisfac- tion in tho town, which is entirely depen- dent for its welfare upon the coal mining industry. The colliery will be known as Saron Colliery. The Ebenezer Young People's Society opened its season on Tuesday night, when an address upon The Quakers" was given by the Rev. W. Nant.lais Williams. Ammanford. H-ev. J. Griffiths, B.A., B.D., presided.

LLA^OEBSE. A boy named Eddie Howelle, nine years of age, residing at Blaenau-road, sustained a nasty accident whilst playing with a chaff-cutter on Tuesday, by which a thumb was severed. A lecture on Trem dros V Ffiniall" was given by the Rev. W. Nantlais Wil- liams at .the Llandebio C.M. Chapel, Mr. Hy. Herbert, J.P., presiding. An impressive memorial service to the late Lieut. E. Du Buisson, son of Mr, A. E. Du Buisson, J.P., Glynhir, who died from fever at Salonika, was held at the Llandebie Church on Sunday, when the Rev. W. D. Thomas, M.A., Vicar, con- ducted the services.

PEMTRECHWYTH. A reception was given at the Pent re- chwyth Congregational Church on Wed- nesday evening to Stoker Wm. Howe and Pte. Charlie Tantrum. The chair wan taken by Mr. Charles Holcombe. SOí:/1 were rendered by Miss Olwen Rieb' T « and Mr. Wm. Aid ridge, recitati >ns by Mr. Richard Hooper, and solo whistles by Mr. E. Griffiths. Gifts of treasury notes were handed to each of the heroes by Miss Neta Stephens on behalf of the Bony- maen, Cwm, and Pentrechwyth Sailors' and Soldiers' Reception Committee. An address was delivered by Mr. Wm. Evans. The singing of Hen Wlad fy Nhadau n brought a very pleasant evening to a close.

CARMARTHEN. David Thomas, a farmer, of Penallt Farm, Login. Carmarthenshire, has been found dead in bed. He was 78 years of age and a. bachelor. Tie had been in weak health for years, but was about as usual on the previous evening. At a meeting of the Carmarthenshire Main Roads Committee, at Carmarthen on Wednesday, an application was made by the county roadmen for an increase of wages from 25s. to 35s. a week. They have already been granted a war bonus of 4 s. a week. The application was deferred till the January meeting of the County Council.

LLANDILO, M -1 The death Has occurred in nis 83rd ] year at his residence, Glanbrydan Park, Llandilo, of Col. Wm. James Morris, lato of the 23rd Madras (Indian Cavalry). Deceased served in the Indian Mutiny. II He leaves two daughters, one of whom is Mrs. Evans, late of Dale House, Llan- dilo widow of the late Dr. Evans. De- ceased came to live in this district some years ago. The death is announced of Miss Mar- garet Thomas; of Pentre, Crescent-road, Llandilo, in her 79th year. Deceased, who with her brother Mr. David Thomas, resided at the above address, had up to September, when they retired, farmed very successfully at Pentredavis, Drys- llwyn, near Llandilo. Deceased was a sister of Mrs. James. Milton. Alan-road, LIandilo, and aunt of Mrs. Burnett, for- ) I merly of Golden Grove Farm. The funeral, which was largely attended, bool t place on Wednesday. v Ptps. Jack James and Dai Williams, of Ffairfach, who fought at Gallipoli, ari L home on short leave prior to proceeding It to France. It Mr. J. Picton presided over a meeting of the Llandilo Group of Schools. It Li' was resolved to call the attention of the :i Urban Council to the necessity of disin- fecting houses from which children likely r affected attended Ffairfach School.—An application from Miss E. J. Wright- 1 Cwmdu School, asking for her recogni- < tion as supplementary teacher was read, and it was resolved to recommend that o her salary be inorea<&ed, and to forward' both letters to the Education Commit- tee, as she had done her work most satis-; faetorily. A letter was read stating that, the salary of the head teacher of tlle i f Tallev School had been increased from ji) £1(J9 to fl20. I The chief mourners at the funeral me Mr. Pritchard Davies, a respected mem- ber of the Llandilo Board of Guardians# [ for many years were: Mr. D. Pritchard- Davies, chairman of the Llandilo Urbaji- > Council (son); Idris, Nancy, Elwyn and, Lena. (grand-childrèn); Urn. Thomas, ( Wenant (sister); Mr. and Mrs. J. i' Pritchard Davies, Amma.nford (son and daughter-in-law); Mr. Garnorus Davies. Clef,tefidd (son); Mi? Evans, New-road j|> (sister-in-law); Mr. Thomas. Cawdor n Estate ofbce., Carmarthen (nephew); Mr. f I; and Mrs. Jones, Grove-hill; Mr. and Mr? t l? TTnrries, Hope Inn; Mr. and Mrs. Davies, 1 1\ Brisken. The Rev. Alban Lloyd took the j ¡ service at the house and the Ven. Arch-- deacon Williams, assi6ted by the Rev.. ) W. A. Jones, curate, at the church and j grave. Deceased was formerly an en-, ■ thusiastic Volunteer, and had awarded the Long Service Medal, and was j .a member of the V.T.C., which he assisted I in drilling. Members of this body at- f tended the obsequies. There were present besides a large number of the chief in- f habitants and members of different public bodies from the town and district.

LANDORE FUNERALS. _I MR. JAMES REES. J On Wednesday afternoon, the funeral ? of the late Mr. James Rees, of 3, Washing- ton-terrace, Landore, took place at Cwm- gelly Cemetery. The deceased, who was 50 years of age, had been ailing for soma 1 time. He was employed as the chief fitter at the Landore G. W.R.-Engine-shed. where lie was highly respected. The chiFf mourners included Pte. Geo. Rees (son), Messrs. Jack and Geo. Rees (brothers), j Mr. J. Wignall, J.P., and Mr. W. Lewis. (uncles), Messrs. W. John, D. If. Beard* and James Huxtable (brothers-in-law)* Messrs. Geo. Hughes, G-eo. Rees, J. Floyd, J Arthur Maclntvre, E. John, and Jno. Wal- ters (cousins). There were also present, in addition to a large number of railway employes, Mr. E. T. John (foreman fit- ter), and Mr. F. G. Gibbs (travelling iThl spec tor, Neath). The Rev. W. S-Cudmorey L.D., St. Paul's, officiated. MISS M. A. RICHARDS. II The funeral of Miss M. A. Richards toolft place at Cwmgelly Cemetery on Wednes- day afternoon. A short service at her, mother's residence, 10, Richards-street, Manselton, was conducted by the Rev„ Hermas Evans (Libanus). The deceased, who had only been ailing for about a fortnight, was 37 years of age and was at school teacher at Manselton Schools. The mourners were:—Private D. Richards r (brother), Miss C. Richards (sister)* Messrs. Jonah Phillips and Phillip Pliil.4 lips (uncles), Messrs. Willie Phillips, W„ Phillips and William Phillips (cousins)* Miss 31. Thomas, Messrs. R. Demery. B. Evans, W. Edwards and F. Llewelyn. Thel following inembers of the Manselton teaching profession were prcgent and acted as bearers:—Messrs. W. Griffiths, J. E. Gething, W. T. Devonald, and Mr. Dan: Powell (caretaker). The Rev. Penar Grifi. fifths officiated at the church, and the Rev., Ben Evans (Bethel, Manselton) at this graveside.

n. CANADIAN kiEWS ITEMS. One of the most Valuable discoveries in the territroy now being opened up by thg Pacific Great Eastern Railway has been that of a large deposit of fine quality dia* tomaceous earth at Queenel, British Col umbia. The particular uses of thia infusorial earth are manifold. Owing to its porus nature it has been used as holder of nitre-glycerine in the manufac- ture of dynamite. In some countries it ia used in the preparation of artificial perti- lisers. in the manufacture of water glass, of various cements, glazing for tiles, artio ficial stone, ultramarine and various pigi mento and colours for paper, Swedish matches, and a variety of other objects; and there is a large and steadily growing demand for it. Another important w*, of this earth is for insulation in electrw cal transmission. The Local Government of New Bruns- wick has appointed an advisory board in connection with the Farm Settlement Board. which will select lands suitable ()-v fanning. Particular attention will 1>0 paid to the settlement of returned soldiers on these lands. The community principle will have every consideration in complet- ing the scheme. The cinematograph is to be utilised td portray to the public in Canada and else- where a phase of farming operations little understood even by the general farming community. The Canadian Pacific Rail- way Company has engaged a moving pic- ture producer to obtain a film showing the process of farming by means of irrigation*

LLANELLY V.T.C. (K COMPANY). Orders for week ending 8th Noveiulwrt. —Next for duty: Officer, Platoon Com- | mander Willis Jonee; N.C. Officers, Pla- toon Sergt. Thomas and Section Com- l mander Davies. Parades: Friday, pla,- toon drill. Market Hall, 7.30; Sunday, company drill (band to attend). Drill HP.11, 3: Mondnpr, signalling. Drill Hall, 7.30; Tuesday, company drill. Market Hall. 7.30. Recruit drill: Friday, Mar- ket Hall. 7.30; Tuesday, Market Hall, 7.30. Tribunal exemptions: Exempted men, will upon application to the Acting Quarter-in ester at 14, Stepney-place. Llanelly, be afforded all necessary in- formation as to drills, etc. Alternatively, enquiries may be, made at .any parade of the rfif,tr-in-chargo. Meeting of N.C.O's? All N.C.O's are requested to attend a meeting in the Scouts' Hall on Saturday afternoon at 3 o'clock.—By order. Henry W. Spowart, Company Commander.

NATIONAL MOTOR VOLUNTEERS. Glamorgan Batt., Swansea and Distric4, No. 2 Squadron. Weekly Orders.—Friday next, the 3rci inst., at Headquarters, 7.45 p.m., ambu- lance drill and recruit drill. Saturday. ,4th inst., at 3.30 p.m., squadron drill, at Brynmor," by kind permission. Monday, the fifth inst., at Headquarters, 7.15 p.m., special lecture on "Map Reading." Wed- nesday, 8th inst., shooting practice at 8 n.m.; officer on duty. Section Commander TT. Richardson; next for duty, Section Commander, J'. G. Gardner. It is hoped that as many as possible will attend the lecture on Monday evening next, map read- ing "being an exceedingly important nart of military training.—Charles T. Ruth en, squadron commander.

Ask your newsagent for the splendid Coloured News of the World" Sixpenny, Wnr Map, which shows ALL the fighting areas from France to Kut-el-Amara. The death has occurred at Hertingford- bury. Herts, at the age of 83, of Mr.. Charley J. Tyler, one of the oldest Volun- teers in the country and a church bell- ringer for manj yearp f