The Cambria Daily Leader

CASTLE CINEMA 1 F _Leader II Office jg ?(Aoddj]oinring ?Leader" office). ■ TThh uurr ss dday, Friday, Saturday. K ■ THE MYSTERIOUS M R. TILLER, « 1 O| f An Absorbing Five Part Detective B Story. | FOLLOW THE GIRL, # m A Five Part Western Story. m

Agh K IM SSU R am oft lu Aft E ON NEjSIIIES RIDGE. Stupendous Battle Raging I BRITISH WITHDRAW FROM ARMENTIERES. TO-DAY'S BRITISH OFFICIAL. ? General Headquarters, France, '?' Thursday, 11.59 a.m. 1 c The battle is continuing on the whole front from La Bassee Canal to the Ypres-Comines Canal. Severe fighting has taken place in the neighbourhood of the Lawe and Lys Canals, and from about Lestrem to II Armentieres. Our troops have been withdrawn from Armentieres, .which is full of gas. North of* Armentieres ere is little change in the situa- tion. tion. Heavy fighting was cpntinuing at a late hour last night in the neighbourhood of Ploegstreet, Messines and Wytschaete. On the remainder of the British front there is nothing to report. TO-DAY'S FRENCH OFFICIAL. General Headquarters, France, Tliumclay. Our artillery showed itself active in the course of the niglit b- leen Montdidier and Noyon. l An enemy detachment caught under our fire in the region of Or- .villers and Sorrel, was dispersed bdore reaching our 1 nes>. To the north-west and to the east of Rheims we made some suc- cessful surprise attacks and brought in about twelve prisoners and a machine-gun. In Champagne the enemy attacked our advanced posts to the east of Souain. He was repulsed alter a lively combat. Another enemy attempt in the Appremont Forest failed imder our fire. There is nothing to report elsewhere. Aviation.—During the daytime of April 10th, two German aero- planes were brought down by our machine-gun fire. The battle in the North of France which opened on Tuesday on a 10-mile front be- tween La Bagroo and Armentieres spread across the Belgian border on Wednesday i for another 10 miles. The new fighting ground is on the eastern slopes of the I3,femines Ridge, and the weight of the ?Bcrny? assaults has pressed our troops back to the top of the ridge and to Ploe?. eteert in the south. At one time on We<l neaday morning the enemy got a footing in the villago of Messines, but were < driven out by a, counter-attack. South of Armentieres the enemy had on Tuesday driven in a salient of 3? miles from Neuve Chapelle and Fauquisz-ari far as the River Lys. On the southei?n flank of the attack Givencliy, on rising ground near La Bassee Canal, had been captured. Later in the day. however, the 55th British Division made a counter- attack in this region and re-took Given- chy, with 750 prisoners. There was a prolonged struggle on .Wednesday for the crossings of the Lys, itnd of its tributary the La we, which covers the town of Bethune. At the close of the day the enemy had established himself over the river at points between jfifttaires and Bac St. Maur. A crossing was also made of the Lawe at Lestrem. Here, however, the enemy was driven back. and thence to Givenchy was held. EMPTY SHELL OF TQWK. By the crossing of the Lys south of Ar- mentiere.s and the advance on the slopes of the Messines Ridge and into Ploeg- eteert Wood the empty shell of the town of Armentieres is closely threatened. Between Armentieres and La Bassee the Germans claim to have taken 6,000 ..Portuguese and English prisoners and about 100 guns. On the maiu battlefield fighting has not been heavy. A determined attack made on the French near Hangard, on the Amiens front, on Tuesday night, was de- feated after a swaying battle. Other minor actions have taken place near Castel, on th-t Avre,, and to the west of I Novon. NOT TAKEN PRISONERS. I During the recent retreat a ccrtam number of medical units, such as casu- alty clearing stations, fell into the hands of the enemy. None of the medical and nursing personnel of thooc units or patients were taken prisoners, but some I -loctors and nurses became casualties. I ST. OMER SHELLED. I Nightly Air Raids on Calais. I _.=t- t_- Paris Wednesday.-The merciless bom- bardment of certain towns by the Ger- Inans continues with unabated fury. Refugees' Bulletin states that Arras is being pounded daily with large shells, causing a number of fresh victims. Other districts constantly bombarded are St. Pol (20 miles north-west of Arras), Aire 6ur la Lys (the same dis- tance north-west of La. Bassee), and St. Omer (30 miles west of Armentieres). At Calais not a night passes without an air raid, but the shelters are excel- lent and no victims are reported. "WE SHALL SUCCEED. I General Foch, in the course of a state- fltent on Wednesday, declared: "1 as- pre you that shall succeed. I GERMAN RESERVES. I It is asserte d at The Hague that the Germain are forming a reserve army of juanceuWe, in imitation of that of the Allies. Under General von Linsingen, it will consist chiefly of certain divisions of von Liosingen's combined with others liberated from Rumania and the Ukraine. HUNS'. PRESENT OBJECTIVE. Seeking the Coalfields of France. I Mr. Illingwortli, Jfostmaster-Generajl, "peaking in London on Wednesday, said the situation was one causing grave anxiety to the Government. Desperate fighting was taking place in F-iamee, where the Germans were making a super-human effort to get control of the coa.1 area still being worked by the French, and where they were now getting as much as seven million tons of coal a year. The new call for men would be certain to caus6 further restrictions of the postal facilities of the country, but it was hoped to make ■ "4.- .1 uoh arrangements as would reduce tho I inconvenience to a minimum. A DIVERSION. I French Opinion of New Battle I Phase. Paris, Thursday.—Renter's Expert Com- JKntafcor, writing of tho battk, says Fluctuations in the line are of no moment, compared with the maintenance of the positions which cover the direct basin of the neighbourhoodof Bethune. Thus the German Headquarters Staff con- tinues to lengthen out its field of action, but the attack on the front of 40 kilo- metres between La Bassee and Ypres soems too remote to be able to constitute an integral element in the pricipal opera- tion which still remains in progress in the region of the Somme. For the moment we must regard it as merely a diversion on a large scale, intended bo retain in the north those British divi- sions which might otherwise He sent down to the south and to keep them out of the principal battle zone. Such a diversion was by no means un- booked for, and doubtless the British re- serves will be able to re-establish the situation which would only become grave if the advance of the Germans were notably increased. Nowhere can the enemy find in our front the breach which is essential to their ultimate victory. A GOOD IMPRESSION. I The French and British communiques this, afternoon produced a good impres- sion in the Lojpbiee of the Chamber. M. Painleve, the ex-Premier, declared he was particularly pleased with the excel- lent condition in which the French Army leaders, Generals Foch Petain, and Tlavolli, were harmoniously collaborating. 1 Commenting on the German offensive wear Armentieres, M. Painleve remarked on the fine resistance offerd by the British and Portuguese troops. He regarded the latest German movements merely as operations with limited objectives or ,.inipl.v preventive operations. M. HUTIN'S VIEW' I Paris, Thursday—M. Marcel Hutin, in the Echo de Paris" says: I still con- sider the German attack in Flanders as a diversion which will lead very far. Ludendorff is desperately endeavouring to destroy the junction between our Allies and ourselves. It is, therefore, Amiens which still remains the objective on which above all we must keep our eyes fixed. If the enemy should find a weak point in Flanders he is certain to facilitate all < the communications at his disposal in I Belgium and in our departments to the north, and he will push us back towards the sea with energy. All the German prisoners declare that their officers have told them that the war will be over by April c--I-Nchange. IS IT WORTH WHILE? I Big Price Paid for German I Successes. I fTt1 'L tI The Exchange Telegraph Company's military critic, commenting on the fights ing at Armentieres on Thursday, says-.— We now find ourseleves up against the bf-g offensive, with one of its objectives as a drive to the eea. Although Amiens re- mains Liidendorfff4 main ob jective, ho will probably follow up his drive at Arinen- tier?* The Germans are far from havrng ob- tained the advantage necessary to realise this dream. At no point have they ad- vanced over eight kilometres in depth, and we are entitled to ask if this is worth his sanguinary losses. NO MORE TALK. I Kaiser Stops Hertling's Speeches. The German Chancellor, Count Hert- ling, is visiting the Main Army Head- quarters. It is alleged that Generalissimo Luden- iforff threatened to resign at once if Hertling and Czernin mado any more speeches about peace, as such talk might influence the moral of the German pol- diers and endanger the plane of the General Staff. The Kaiser is said to have adviaed HflsfcHng not to make the speech..

SOVIET DEFIANT "u EBMAN ULTIMATUM REJECTED BY RUSSIANS Petrograd, Wednesday (received Thurs- day).—German troops have occupied the station of Lgoff, 70 versts from Kursk, and have sent an ultimatum to the Soviet of the town demanding that they ehoKild yield without fighting, and restore to power the former Municipal Council, which had been elected before the Re- volution. The Soviet rejected the ultimatum, and ordered a general mobilisation. The e:;emy took possession of the large sugar refineries in the neighbourhood of Kursk, containing half a million pounds of sugar. BATTLESHIPS ESCAPE. Petrograd, Wednesday (received Thurs- day).—The Russian battleships which left Helsingfors yesterday are expected at Cronstadt this evening. With regard to the 30 torpedo boat destroyers, 40 sub- marines, and 50 transports which, accord- ing to the Naval Staff's information, are still at Helsingfors, they are being die- armed as it is impossible to evacuate them. According to a message from Helsing- fors, the former Russian ice-breaker Volynetz and the Finnish ice-breaker Tarmo, have landed & small German force at Lovisa, between Helsingfors and Viborg. The port and town of Lovisa have been occupied. It is reported that a German squadron with several transports is nearing Lovisa from the direction of Reval. ADMIRAL KATO,'S -REASON S- Tokio, Monday (received Thursday). The Vladivostok Soviet aud the princi- pal Council have protested to the Japan- ese Consul against the landing of Marines and says the trouble which led to the landing was purely one of burglary. They promise that full steps will be taken to arrest the offenders. The Japanese Consul replied that the landing was purely a protective measure and not intended as an interference in Russian affairs. Vladivostok, Monday (received Thurs- day).—Admiral Kato has issued a procia-, mation stating that he does not intend interfering in Russian politics, but the situation necessitated the landing of Marines for the protection of Japanese and other Allied subjects. The Maxima- list authorities have issued a warning to all restless spirits. The town is now quiet, and no trouble anticipated. RUSSIA'S VAST LOSSES. Petrograd, Wednesday (received Thurs- day)—A report read to the Commissariat of Commerce give6 a summary of what Russia has lost by the Brst-Litovsk Peace Treaty. It includes 780,000 square kilometres of territory, 56 million inhabi- tants or 32 per cent. of the whole popu- lation; one-third of all iier railways, 73 per cent. of the > t«tal iron production. 89 per cent. of the total coal production besides an enormous number of fac- tories. Territories which now become Ger- man, formerly brought in an annual re- venue of 845,23& million roubles.

A.S. E. MAJORITY. Oamb-Out Accepted by Engineers. The. result of the A.S.E. ballot on the man-power proposals was: For 58,650 Against 46,332 Majority for 12,318

WAR BONUSES. Concessions to Swansea Workmen. X- The Committee, on Production (fays London correspondent) have granted ap- plications for war bonuses or wage ad- vances as follows:—To South Wales maeons an advance of lid. an hour from first full pay after February 4th: to plain-time engineers employed hy British Metal Extraction Company. Swansea, a bonus of 12 per cent. on earnings; to laI>ourers in South Wales iron and BtJ trades. JOd. a day from next full pay day,- to work er*: at Messrs. Guest. Keen nnr) NetUcfolds, Newport, 19 years and over. 5s. a full week,boys under 18 2s. 6d. a full wf-ic. from first p3,. day after March 2S The claims of the A.S.E. members em- ployed by the Swansea Vale Spelter Co.. and Me<ssrs. Dillwyn and Co., have not been established; but the same clase of workers employed by the British Meta! Extraction Cc?. are awarded 5s. a wM-k. and boys under 18 26. 6d. a week, from z)nf', 1),,)vs under 18 26. 6d. a week, froll,

YOUR FOOD CARD. Have You Filled Your Form Yet? Swansea's meat ration will be ilb. per week per head this week. vrybody should have had an applies tion form for food .cards under ?he national scheme.■ yafe i pbm= have not filled them inland Wturn?d them to the Borough Food 404a" riins. into four figures. The echdi^Kofat||jr Afco opera- tion on the 21st of  and those who are left ?T???b ?'??d will therefore be without 1fàye no one to blame but themselves. Those who have not had forms should apply to the Food Office, Free Library, for them. The period for registration for sugar for jam-making, which was extended from April 14th, ends to-day. Those who desire sugar for this purpose should ap- ply by to-night at latest. You may get sugar only if you grow the fruit your- self. Marrows and rhubarb are regarded as fruit for this purpose. In the Swansea Rural area the food and meat national scheme is in operation irom this week. The whole of the cards were issued by last Thursday, and to-day no person can buy tinned meat or other commodities in the district except in ex- 1 change for coupons. Mr. David Williams and his staff are to be complimented for the splendid work they have done.

NO UNFIT MEN WANTED. At the House of Commons Appeals Tribunal on Thursday Sir Donald Maclean (chairman), referring to the great change in the military position, eaid that the tribunal did not intend, and he hoped other tribunals also, to relax their efforts to prevent unfit men being sent into the Army. "We can no more assist the Arnw," said Sir Donald, by sending in unfit men than you can get up steam on a battleship by using sand instead of coal.

I MEETING ENEMY'S FULL STRENGTH I BRITISH ENDURANCE II GERMANS SEEKING TO CAPTURE BETHUNE The new battle begun on Tuesday has developed northward (writes Mr. Hamil- ton Fyfe). On Wednesday morning tho j German front of attack was extended up to and beyond Messines. There has been heavy fighting for the ridge, and at the moment of writing it is believed that we have retaken it, but there is too much o b- scurity as yet to admit of any definito statements being mada The enemy has apparently sufficient superiority in numbers over the Allied Armies that he can afford to attack in two or three places at once. It is prob- able that the British Aiiny wilil have to meet the entire ava-ilable re^erw; of the German Army, in addition to the number of divisions which it hai had opposite to it all along. A sound judge of military affairs aays the Germans decided that they must throw their whole weight either against us or against France, and that their choice fell upon us. If this view be correct- and I dio not ,see any reason for doubting its correctness—the British Army is in for a long spell of tough, dft«nsive fighting, and the British people everywhere must make up their minds to keep a stiff upper lip, however sorely their nerves or their courage may be tried. There is no need lor any fear of disaster so long as the Sritish-Army remains, as it has remained. uU through the recent trying period, a compact, well-disciplined, unbroken fight- ing force. I PORTUGUESE PLUCK. I The Portuguese Artillery behaved ex- tremely well (says Mr. -Ilereii-al Phillips). their loss both in men and xuns was considerable, though nearly all the guns were already smashed ,by the enemy lire, and of those which were not so ruined the surviving gunners brought the breech- blocks awiiy with them. in many cases the Portuguese Artillery kept firm at point blank range. Then a body of Portuguese infantry, which also showed the g/eatest gallantry, held out near La Coutoure until two in the afternoon, when they sent word ask- ing for more ammunition. It was sent, but it io doubtful if it reached the little band of men. Their commanding officer refused to retire, and they stuck on until the German infantry charged them—the lirst instance of an enemy bayonet charge L have heard oi-and very few survivors V>no Ir I BETHUNE AIMED AT. Captured maps show that the objective! oi the day's operation was the occut)a- tion of Bethune, for Which they have at least four miles to More interest- ing still Hie iht ca^-UiTti German in- structions to the troops engaged in the attack in the Givenchy area, which tell them they heed have no fear, as they r.re attacking with three divisions against six English companies, and the 56th Division before them is already tired out. If it was it did not stem to know it. I THE PRESENT POSITION. The position may lie summarised by iaying that between La Bassee and Ar. mentieree we are holding the Germans well on the River Lys, after throwing him back aero«s the briogehffid "at Bac St. Maur in the night and out of the sub- urbs of Est aims to the eastern bank this morning; the indomitable 55th Division of West Lancashire and Liverpool troops is hanging like grim death to Givenchy he-side the La Bassee Canal, having lost it twice and twice taken it back with j homb and-bayonet; Armentieres, at last ¡ accounts, was still full of gas, but I hear of no fighting there; there is a sanguin- ary 6truggle on the slopes of Messines Uidge, where some of the enemy eeem to have reached the village of that name only to be flung out. I MIST HINDERS AVIATION. I On Tuesday over the new battlefield no aeroplane work could be done in the morning owing to thick mist. Later when the weather cleared a little our air- men went up and bombed the attacking troops. Five low-lying German machines were destroyed. Two of our aeroplanes are missing.

I THE UNSHADED LIGHT. I For failing to shade the light in his bon.^e, at Town flill Vil-la- Swansea, so to make it invisible from Swansea, on March 30, Harold Rutter (43), was fined 1106. at Swansea on Thursday.

I SIX SHIPS SUNK. I The number of British merchantmen reported Funk by submarines last week was the smallest for many weeks. Four vessels over 1,800 tons were lost, com- pared with six in the previous week, and two vessels of lesser tonnage, against seven.

I MAIDp BY WAR PRISONERS. I _t An^nterestijfjfj wiutfew display is to be ee-en- At D. L. Davids The Bon, Gower- street, Snaea. n4, article6 exhibited are the products of the interned prisoners of war (in* Switzerland), and the collec- tion includes, wood-carving; lace and wool work, etc. The articles have been brought to Swansea by Mr. Glan Griffiths, who was in. charge of the Y.M.C.A. in Switzerland.

I ALSACE-LORRAINE. I I Austrian Attitude Angers Germans. I I Paris, Thursday.—A message from Zurich rfays that all the Gorman papers, without exception, publish a note of a semi-official character, calling upon the Government to give an explanation on the subject of the Emperor Carl. relative to. Alsace-Lorraine, and mentioned by M. Clemenceau.

PONTARDAWE WEDDING. I At St. Peter's Church, Pon tarda we, on Thursday, the wedding was solemnised between Mr. Willie Davies, third son of the late Mr. and Mrs. John Davies, Kock. Alltwen, and Miss Sal Evans, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Evans, Wauncoed, Pontar- dawe, and until lately a teacher at the Infants' School, Pontardawe. The bride who was given away by her brother-in-law, Mr. W. Price, ?as attended by Miss R?ch?I M. Da vies (sister of bridegroom). Mr. Howel J. D&vies (brother of bride- groom) was the best man, whilst the Rcv. Joel Davies (vicar), assisted by the Rev. T. W. Jones, officiated.. ? -;is+i-LWi+. -•

ACE LIMIT MAY BE LOWERED COVERNMENT DETERMINED ON IRISH CONSCRIPTION The second reading of the new laJl- Power Bill was carried in the House of Commons on Wednesday, after Mr. Bonar Law had hinted at possible concessions— one that the age limit might be lowered- and had made it absolutely clear that the Government meant to pass Conscription for Ireland, or to resign. This speech followed weighty criticism by Sir Donald Maclean and Mr. Asquith. The former, speaking as Chairmfln, of the London Appeal Tribunal, said that most moa over 39 were Grade 3, and he feared the Government would not get more than 3 per cent. of men of any military value. Mr. Asquith said he and other members had been overwhelmed with letters point- ing out the grave consequences of raising the age-limit beyond 46. He doubted whether the additional military strength- to be gained from Ireland would counter- balance the drawbacks. The majority in favour was 223, two Welch M JVs—Mr. Ellis Davies and Mr. Llewelyn Williams—voting against it.

PALESTINE ADVANCE. Germans Amongst Prisoners Recently Taken Thursday. The Secretary of the War Office an- nounces:—Early in the morning of April 9th our troops west of TulkerlAi-Ramleh railway advanced their line to a depnh of one and a half miles on a front of b miles, and captured the villages of El Hefr and Rafat, despite the stubborn resistance • i the enemy, whose counter-acts -were broken up by our artillery a'id machine- gun fire. The prieoners taken incliddd a feia Germane.

MINERS JOIN UP. Rush to _Colours in South Wales. Inquiries at the National Service head- quai-tero at Cardiff show that since Easter there has been an extraordinarily large number of voluntary enlistments. Every day young colliers have been coming in from all parts of Glamorgan and sur- rendering their certificates of exemption in order to serve their country in the fighting forces with as little delay as pos- sible. It is particularly interesting to note that on one day this week the largest number of recruits came from the Mer- thyr and Aberdare districts, where paci- fism is supposed to have its strongholds. Lads from the Rhondda Valley, of the right age and physical fitness, have also coiao up in considerable numbers. The same remark applies to the youngsters from the mining districts of Maesteg, Neath, and the Swansea Valley.

RULE DISCHARGED. Action Concerning Property in Swansea Valley. In the King'6 Bench Divisional Court en Thursday, Justices I)arliW Avory, and Sheaiunan heard a case raising a point as tb the liability of William Bur- chell Rees, now of High Holborn, Lon- don, to apy rates in respect of certain property in the parish of Llanguicke. Mr. Rees appeared in person, and the rating authorities were represented by Mr. A. M. Latter (instructed by Lambert and Hale, agents for Jenkins and Lloyd, Swansea). Mr. Limbert said hehad to show cause against an order for a rule niei for a writ of certiorari, granted by the court to Rees, as to why they should not quash an order for commitment made in 1910 by the justices of Pontar- dawe for non-payment of rates in respect or property in Llanguicke, of which, it was alleged, he was the owner. Mr. H-ee61 had been granted the rule on the ground that he had ceased to reeide in Llan- guicke since 1908. Their lordships decided that the rule should be discharged. Justice Darling remarked that it seemed to him that Rees had puzzled his head over a great deal of -law which had no relevanoe to the case. He relied on a oase decided in 1693, but apparently did not understand the true effect of the decision. Mr. Rees: Will your lordship commit m< to prison for pcrj ury ? Justice Darling: We do not commit you to prison for perjury, however much you deserve it

RAID SEQUEL. ) As a sequel to a police raid on Wednes- day night on a gambling club in Wind- mill-etreet, London, W., 22 persons were charged at Marylebone Police Court on Thursday, including tlie kee per of the ki<n-ae and his wife, named IlIghtfoot, who wore charged with keeping the house for unlawful gaming. Ail the defendants, with the exception of Mr. and r". Lightfoot, were bound over in the sum of £ 10 not to frequent such places. The charge against Mrs. Lightfoot was with- drawn. Her husband who. it wnj; stated, had been discharged from the Army, and had a small pension, was fined S95 and 9-i .costs, or. in default, three months' imprisonment The police stated that the other defendants were mostly foreigners, and the table round which they were seated was laid for faro.

AEEgAVON'S GIFTS. At the Old Town Hall, A beraron, on Wednesday, Mrs. Koss. secretary of the local Voluntary War Workers' Commit- tee, was presented with a Worcester china afternoon service on her leaving the district. Mr. W. J. Williams, J.P., president of the committee presided. The Mayor, in making the presentation, complimented the workers and Mrs. Koos upon the splendid work they had performed. The Chairman announced that during the past year they sent over £1,200 worth of helmets, knitted scarfs and dories, giov^s mittens, hospital socks, and m >s- quito nets to the soldiers, and this year they hoped to do better. The commit- tee regretted the departure of Mrs. Koos from the district. Mrs. Koos suitably replied. Mrs. Richards, wife of the Rev. Jacob Richards (pastor of Ebenezer Chape;), has been appointed secretary in plcos !-of ,A-ire. Koos.

ZIG-ZAG LINE. Germans Fail to Break the British Front. p AÆociation Special Corra? pan dent, France, Unrrs <ja-y .—Our rort agmmrd a T?TT z:g-za-^ line, but n:) •where hare the Germans succeeded in push ing beyond our battle zone positions, notw-ithstaud- ing the great waste of numbers they are throwing against us. Just bafore dawn our artillery opwaed a heavy- protective barrage upon the sector6 in wfeich. the Germans might be ex- pected to attempt an advance. Be- yond some bursts erf shelling there is nothing to report between the Scarpa and the Somme, save that the enemy tirmen are busy over enrr lines m far as our own airmen will permit them. The weather continues dull. MARKET MANAGERI SALARY. Swansea. Market Manager was to- day recommended by Finance Cam- mittee lor £ 50 rise. He ie getting £ 290 plus a bonus of SSC. THE IRISH CONVENTION. In Parliament to-day Yr. Duke said he hoped as abundant supply of Irish Convention reports and docuxneatss would be available to-morrow. tOs. IN THE POUND. S,gnoWs rates for next year will bé 10s. in the t, an increase of 1M. I k I CATTLE MABKET London, .Thursday.—Metropolitan Market. Thirty-fire beasts and 145 sheep were penned at to-day's market, these beinc allotted at regulation prices.

[TO-DAY'S ALLOTMENT HINT. An parly sowing of vegetable marrow seeds should now be made. Sow tbree seeds in a four-inch pot, and place the pots in a frame or in a deep box covered with a pane of glues; place the box in the sunniest and most sheltered position in the garden. As aoon as the.et-odlixigs ai)-- pear, the glass may be removed on all fine days, replacing it during jtormy weather. ShoiiM fiost threaten, cover the glass with a mat or some straw during the night, removing it during the daytime. The varieties Moore'6 Cream and r?n y Byd are both useful for early work. followed with Long Green or Long White for later work. Where early pe«.s are showing through the soil, a light dusting of soot early in the morning, wWie the plants are damp, will render them unpalatable to slugs and snails; but it must not be laid on with a heavy hand or more harm than good will result. Another sowing of a good second early variety mav be made now. Senator, Strategem, or Prnce of Wales are all ex- cellent varieties to Now now. Grower.

HEAVY BACON ARRIVALS. In view of the recent heavy- arrival of American bacon, -shoulders, and hamsiat Liverpool, the Government have made allocations to the trade on the )-),asicof the full 1916 requirements, which, owing to the new rationing scheme, is consider- ably in excess of present civilian needs.

URGENT SUMMONS* Kaiser Sends for Count Hertling. Paris, Thursday.—The Zurich corres- pondent of the Matin ha.s telegraphed that Ccrtint Hertling was urgently sum- I moned yesterday morning by the Em- peror. His sudden convocation is attri- buted to the turn discussion has taken relative to the declaration of Count Czernin.

JUGS AND PLATES. At Aberavon on Thursday, Arthur Tre- harne 06), collier boy; Evan J. S. Davies, labourer (16); Stanley L. Jones (16); Ea- ward Charles Shaw (17), and Hubert Thomas (17), collier boy, of Aberavon, were charged with otealing 33 jugs, 37 plates, etc., value £ 5, the property of Ernest Charles, Chappell. second-hand dealer. Water-street, Aberavon. Prose- cutor said he missed the china from a era to in his shop on the 3rd iust. P.S. Swaftield said that all the- boys adinitte(I stealing the cliina.-nev were bound over and ordered to pay the costs a.n<1 and value of the china.

TC-DAYS WAR RESUME "Leader'' Office, 4.50 p.m. We have, withdrawn from Armentiere;, which is full of gas. Haig reports that the battle is con- tinuing on the whole front from La Bassee Canal to the Y pres-Cominec Canal. There iias been severe fighting iu the neighbourhood 01 the Lawe and Lys Canals, and from about Lestrem to Armentieres. Last night there was heavy fighting in the localities of Plopgsteert, Messing., and Wytschaete. A Petrograd message say6 that German trooplS have occupied the station of Lgoff, 70 versts from Kursk. The Soviet have rejected the ultimatum sent, and has ordered a general mobili- sation.

ITO-DA_ IN BRIEF On the Black a coast -Turkish forces are before Batum. German destroyers bom Larded the Bel- gian coast on Tuesday night. In France tLe temporary releaee moboHsed men is suspended for all cate- gories. The blind workers of Swansea are hold- ing a Hag day on Friday and Saturday of this week. According to a report at The Hague, Bulgarian and Austro-Hungarian troops are being used to garrison German towns. Without potatoes Germany could not have carried the war into the fourth year," declared an agricultural expert ou Wednesday. .Ilr. Dax,-id Roberts, F.A.I., sold by pub- lic auction on Wednesday the freehold dwelling-house, No. 162, Llangyfelach- rDad. Swansea, for = £ 200. The Swansea Bench have granted a temporary transfer of the licence of the Recruit Hotel, Orchard-street, Swansea, to Mr. Adams, a discharged soldier. At Aberavon, on Thursday, a num he; •of alien seamen were fined X2 for beiir ashore without permits, and also w;ii, failing to notify their change of address. The Exchange Telegraph Co. on Thurs- day states that Mr. C. Fenwick, M.P. for the Wansbeck Division of Northum be; land, is resigning his seat owing to ill- licalth. At Aberavon on Thursday, Mary Ikachy (38), and Annie Ogiosby (38), 10n, married women living at Mabel -street, Sandfields, Aberavon, summoned for trc- iy,Siug on the R. and S.B. Railway near the and Beaohy, 30s. Lieut. John Randolph Stacey, who killed in a isying accident at Hounslov. on Monday, wae. a chief of Iroquois Indians and of five other North American tribes. He came to Englar: with the Canadian force, and gave or mise that he would )?ecome a very a' and skilful airman. Their golden wedding was celebra^ this week by Mr. and Mrs. Killard. d Bronllwyn, Windsor-terrace, Upland Swansea, who were married at Swansr:> on April 9th, 1838. They* are the fatiH' and mother-in-law of Mr. 1J. Williams (Licensing Department, Guildhall, Swan- sea), who is a brother of Councillor Dd. Williams, J.P.

MINERS & COMB-OUT. South Wales Delegates Msel at Cardiff. IOu-r Mining Correspondent.) A conference of delegates representing the whole of the minors of SoulS Wales arid Monmouthshire was held at the Cory Hal-1, Cardiff, on Thursday, to consider the comb-out scheme by which it is pro- ssed to take 50,000 single men from the collieries of the country (the quota of South Wales being 10,000, or 5 per cent. of the workmen) for the Army: and a?&o to djuss the recommendation of the South Wales Miners' Executive that the Federation itself should supervise the comb-out in order to secure due considera- tion for cases of additional hardship, etc. It was known that a large number of colliery lodges had voted for the council s recommendation prior to the conference, out up to the time of going to press the result of the vote at the conference itself was not known. Mr. James Winstone presided, and to- gether with the Right Ron. T. Richards, "?If.P. (the general secretary), explained the, object of the conference and the posi- tion up to date. The delegates, it was tainted out, had to decide whether the Federation machinery was to be utilis&i in aid of the comb-out arranged for by the Government. Tliere was a very full attendance of members of the Council and of delegates, and among the latter were a number of thbee who had attended the unofficial conference held at Cardiff last Tuesday week. No resolution was put to the meet- ing, and the proceed i ngs ware confined I to a gene.ral discussion, which lasted the whole morning up until tfhe adjournment.

I GRADE 3 MEY. To Be Stored Until Wantcf. When the case of a stockbroker and accountant, grade 3. came before the House of Commons Appeal Tribunal 01: Thursday, Sir Donald Maclean sajd: We do not know whether if he is offerf-cl to a Government department they would release 6ome man who is fit for the com- batant for?s. We propose in cass* hk? ?his, to store tlwm men for a month, aw! then intimate to the Government the there is a large supply of men unnt fo: militarv service who, we think, are (Jh vkrusly fit for clerical work in Govern rnont departments The ease was thereupon adjourned f(' a month. t

I IF THEY ONLY KNEW. I Wounded Soldier's Significant Remark at Neath. I Happy, though wounded, and lull (If confidence, a oonvoy or woundedsoldiers, numbering 85. arrived at Courtsart on Tuesday evening, and comfortable in the Neath War Hr ospital. The local VA D., under commandant J. Cook Rees and Capt. GodfreT. came-d out the duties of transfer from the etation to th., hôSmtal. Pushing back the band, age to put it iret into his mouth. one of lads that the Germans were hopeless. the* v only knew what was in front of them they wouldn't be eo eager to ush on!' They'll get a puah ba?k very moa. ahouted another.