Herald of Wales and Monmouthshire Recorder

<' NEATH AND DISTRICT BILL-POSTING CO. AUVERTISING CONTRACTORS. Owners of all the Principal Hoardings in NEATH and District. Far Terms, etc., apply:- MANAGER, 45, LONDON ROAD, NEATH.

SILVERTOWN REBUILDINC I SO A. MOlD REMOVES MISCONCEPTIOItS On Monday, in the House of Commons, replying to a charge made by Lord H. Cavendish Bentinck regarding the re- building of property in Silvertown, damaged by the munitions explosion, The First Commissioner of Works (Sir A. Mond, Bart., M.P.). said: The noble lord has raised this eujeot more than once, and I can quite understand, knowing as we all do his very great interest in the welfare of the people, that he considers he has a very good case. I must take very citrong exception indeed both to his state- ment of facte, which is inaccurate, and to his attribution to me of indifference in this matter. I would like to explain to the House for one moment if I may the con- ditions under which this matter arose, and the reason why my department took it up, at all. We all remember that on the 19th of January this year there was a sud- den disastrous explosion at Silvertown. I happened to be away from London at the time, and as soon as I came back I went down, I saw the eite, I saw that a very large number of houses were damaged, some destroyed, and that we had a most dimculty emergency to deal with. This has nothing to do with my Department whatsoever, and if I had been indifferent, as the noble lord 5"'ùge6. I should have gone away, left the district to look after itself, and left the people to starve in the cold, and done nothing at all. I thought it was an opportunity of rendering as- sistance, and I suggested to the Prime jfihister the next day that my Depart- ment would be prepared to deal with this omergency as rapidly as possible, and to make the houses winter and waterproof, and- so re-house these people as -on as possible. Lord H. Cavendish Bentinck: A matter of charity. Sir A. Mond: It was not a matter of oharity. The Prime Minister consented and within three days of the explosion fork was begun. The noble lord says it was a matter of charity. There again he is entirely mistaken. Lord H. Cavendish Bentinck: You sug- t it is a matter of charity. Sir A. Mond: No, I do not. My De- partment acted in this matter as the agpat of the Ministry of Munitions. It is obvious that these houses to be repaired oould have been dealt with in two ways. either by leaving it to the private owner to do ae he liked, at his own expense, and afterwards to make a claim against t file Government; or to deal with it rapidly, properly, and more cheaply, by means of the Department over which I have the ltonour to preside. That is the line that was taken. The next question was: What were we to do? Were we to rebuitd and alter the character of this private property at the public ex- pense, or were we to endeavour to replace to the best and quickest advantage? The instructions we had, and I think the natural instructions, were that we were to replace, and these instructions within these limitations were carried out. The noble lord seems to think that this ques- tion did not occur. -Xr, a matter of fact it was i,ite- of the very first questions that urrtid to me. I asked: What powers aad we to deal with landlords whose iDiises were in a poor and even insani- .trv. condition could we compel them to •cutribute? My department had no Y,;iver whatever to deal with thi-s matter. irnen proceeded to the Local Government Board, which is the public authority, and consulted them, but they had no power to deal with it either. The next point I suggested was bringing pressure on the Local authority. The local authority and the borough engineer were fully cognisant of what was being done, but in spite ol the bye-law which the noble lord read out, there is apparrently no power in the local authority to condemn houses as in- sanitary which are actually being re- paired. I would point out that this is not merely a question of floors. If the noble lord had accompanied me he would have found other things much worse than floors, which I think ought to be attended to if you are going to rebuild the houses. He has never made clear to me what he I, expected me to do. We were repairing some 900 h. We were to pull up the floors of the whole of the 900 houses and put down ooncrete floors where there were jaud Soors, and if so, were we to keep these people for months out of thtir houses with nowhere to go—people who were sleeping in schools and tempornry huts? If we were not to do that, what vr,we wfeto do? Most of these houses have bo damp courses in their walls, and con- crete floors, unlfiM you constructed the waife would be a waste of money leading to very little effect. The next step would ha.ve been to pull down the walls. What the noble lord invites me to do is not to I trQut to pull them down at the piljliic expense and rebuild them for ihe feltt&t of the p-rivate landlord. He couid serious in it. All this time these 1.-000 families, in the middle of the winter, would have nowhere to go. Ifc was obv-iowly an impossible proposition. and the policy we had' to lay down—only one of I hundred of similar points that arose— was the policy of re-instating as far as possible and making the houses as habit- able as they had always been. The noble lord seems to be unaware of the fact that 00 per cent. of the workmen's houses in Lc:mdOtChave exactly the floors that the houses of Silvertown have. Although I have met concrete and damp course lfoors, which are an advantage, it is an enormous exaggeration to say that houses like these at Silvertown are so unhealthy that iI, people Qannot live in them. As a matter of fact, the report of the medical officer Qo.l t)lio district shows that there have been lew epidemic diseases here in the last few' years than in any other part of r the borough. I do not attempt to explain b it, hut. I can show the noble lord that ^-ateawafe. I think it may be explained to the etatement he made at the end of lm speech and the effect of which he may not quite have realised. He said, The London. County Council sewage may some- I time* overflow. If you put down a con- i-p?fce-fk>or which is impermeable, and get ? ?' "?te-Jbemdon County Council sewage ou it, 1f *onid be dangerous." ? 'L6W H. Cavendish Bentinck It comes ? ?'rhro?h the floods. .ØkA:)fond: It would stop on them. !tt'uld be more dangerous than if it was allowed to go out. jjt Lott! H. Cavendish Bentinck: If you ? ?- BNFe ?"& ?pologiae for it you can. g? J?S'?-. Mond: I do not think that is a f,ll1,.I,.vnterruphnn. There are only two COW tiw noble lord raised, and which I ljnow very well, because he has raised them bsfcre—those are the cases of two Wouses where the water he complains ,.nt was due to burst stop cocks in the J1.W}s un&r the hou. The pipes y<? rRP44red, the wet &oil was taken up. apd th £ space filled in with dry rubble, .the condition of the houses is actually superior to that of the majority in the bwOugh. I must confess that I do not think it is right on two cases like that oi tsp. hurst stop coclo3 to make against Tjavarr tip1 ntotMrtwonf harve of h carrying outfca great piece of work under difficult conditions with indifference. Lord H. Cavendish Bentinck: I did not make it on those two cases: I made it on several cithers, if the right hon. gentle- man wants to know. Sir A. Mond: They are the only two the noble lord has produced so far. Lod H. Cavendish Bentinck: No. Sir A. Mond: I can only deal with the cases he produces Lord H. Cavendish Bentinck: I have only mentioned two, but I gave two other witnesses who hare mentioned other houses. Sir A. Mond: The noble lord says he mentioned two witnesses, but he has not given me the number of the houses, and I cannot possibly reply to it. I &ay he has only specificiallv referred to two houses. I have gone into the question of those two houses out of the 885 repaired. I can only deal with facts put before me. The noble lord said: Why did not I bring pressure? I did. I could show him minute after minute on this question which I put down myself very early in the pro- ceedings, asking if pressure could not be brought on the local ovrners, and we did succeed to some extent in getting local owners to contribute. When the noble lord says the property has next been im- proved, he is entirely mistaken. 1 do not know whether he has ever seen the pro- perty but I have. Lord H. Cavendish Bentinck: LNo. I have not. Sir A. Mond: As a matter of fact the property has been very considerably im- proved. and for that I can produce evi- dence from quite independent sources. The fact that I received quite unsolicited testimony from something like four hun- dred of the dwellers in these houses when they saw that. an attack was being made on me and my Department, is a great; gratitieation, not so much to me person- ally, though I took a great interest in the matter, but to those who did such ardu- ou and difficult, and I mav say ungrate- ful, work in dealing with this question- It is obviously not a grateful task to the Department which has produced the Well Hall Garden City which. I think, is a model to repair property a great deal of which I agree with the noble lord, is of d very poor character. I hope it will some day be replaced. But it is a very differ- ent thing from charging either myself or my Department with having neglected our duty in dealing with this matter. I can only repeat that 1 have gone into it very fully and followed it very closely. I went down there very frequently myself, and I feel nothing to reproach myself with in this matter, or to reproach those who acted on behalf of the Department which carried out the work.

1  Portra*iil o .1i E Goff, Cottage, Saltney Ferry, near Chester, !I who writes:- For five years I suffered greatly fr.. I an ulcerated leg. which at one time waa | covered with open wounds from knee to | foot. there being as many as 21 wounda 9 in it at once. I tried all sorts of pr- 9 parations and attended the Infirmary, I bat .0 thing seemed to do me any good. 9 and I was -ent away from the Infirmary B as Incurable. One day my daughter saw I Clarke's Blood Mixture advertised in a I newspaper, and read it to me, and I de- J cided to give it a trial. Finding the first lot was doing me good I persevered with it. and after having four bottles my leg was completely healed All this happened some eight years 'go "d I have had no return of the trouble ever since. Clarke's Blood Mixture by reason of its remarkable blood purifying proper- ties, can be relied upon to give spcedv relief and lasting benefit in all cases of Eczema, Scrofula, Scurvy. Bad Legs. Abscesses. Boils, Pimples Sores and Eruptions, liles, (Jlandular Swellings, 3 P-heumatism. Sciatica, Lumbago, Gout etc. Pleasant to take, and free from | I anything in j urious. Ask for and see gJ t ycu get Clarke's Blood Mixture I" Everybody's G!cod Purser." 3 I Of all Chemists and Hares. 2?9 per bot l

TEAPOTS AS MISSILES. I At Aberavon on Thursday, the Bench gave their decision in the case of Ellen Davies, lodging-house-keeper, Cwmavon- rond, Aberavon, whu charged her husband John Davies, with persistent cruelty, and made an order for the payment of 5s. a week. Mrs. Davies now charged her husband with assaulting her last Tuesday, and the husband issued a cross-summons. Mr. Dan Ptrkins represented the wife and Mr. Evan Davies the husband. Com- plainant said she returned from Fish- guard on Tuesday, and on her return he caught her by the throat. In cross-examination complainant said she threw a cup at her husband when he picked up a candlestick. She then picked up a broom. Mr. Davies: Did you chase him round the room ? I Complainant: No, he took the broom off me and said he wou !ld put my daylight out." I ran away from him, but he fol- lowed me to another kitchen. He threat- ened me and I shouted "Murder!" and in defence threw three teapots at him. Thpre wereeigbt people in the room. Mr. Davies: Which matrimonial ven- i ture of VOUTS is this, Mrs. Davies? Is it your third? f Mr. Perkins objected to the question and Mr. Ewan Da vies had a heated altercation with the bench, who disallowed the ques- tion. The husband said his wife threw five teapots full of boiling water at him, but he dodged them. The bench dismissed both summonses.

RISKED HIS LIFE. I At Aberavon on Monday Winsor Morris, Tycapol Farm, Pontrhydyfen, was charged with trespassing on the Rhondda and Swansea Bay Railway on 13th July. Mr. Home (Messrs. Deer and Deer) prosecuting, said the defendant was in the hahit of crossing the line to fetch corn from a granary. On one occasion he had a narrow escape, as an engine knocked down a sack of corn which he was carrying. He had tres- passed before and after the summons. A fine of £ 1 was imuosed.

NEW WAGE AGREEMENT INTERVIEW WITH MR. MATT ClLES. (By Our Trade Correspondent). Mr. Matt. Giles, the divisional organiser of the South Wales and West of England district of the Workers' Union, visited Swansea on Thursday to meet some of the local leaders of that organisation. [ thought it would be well to seek an inter- view with Mr. Matt Giles, especially in, view of the report just issued by the Commissions appointed by the Govern- ment to consider the question of "Labour Unrest." "My own view." said Mr. Giles, that it is better not to have too much Gov- ernment intervention in these matters, but that it is preferable that the manage- ment of works and the representatives of the workmen should meet and discuss matters concerning these great industries without outside or Government inter- ference at all. Some of the grievances which we have had to deal with recently have led to local friction simply through delays caused by centralisation—not that there was any unwillingness on the part of Government Departments and officials to go into questions, but that red-tape" and the pressure of war-work on the De- partments concerned made delays inevit- able. Take the Mond Works, for example. There was some difficulty, a few months ago, over certain grievances there, and there is no doubt those difficulties were attributable to what I have alluded to. We had no quarrel with the proprietors in the ordinary sense of a trade dispute, and now that we have arrived at a settle- ment, the agreement entered into on July 1 2nd put6 the wage question on an auto- I maitic four-monthly revision, with direct dealings between us, as officials, and the works committee, on the one hand, and the directors on the other. Provision is made in that agreement that, every four months, questions of wages and working conditions can be dis- cussed between the representatives of the union and the board of directors, in London. In regard to the wages, the very im- portant point is settled that, during the war, and for six months afterwards, we are to be guided by the Board of Trade returns. It is calculated that the cost of living is 70 per cent, above what it was before the war, in a working man's household. It is therefore fixed upon the basis of an advance of 4.2 upon the wages of pre-war days. A labourer's wage per hour was 6d. Seventy per cent. on that, or 4.2, now makes it 10.3d. We shall be meeting the directors again in October, and it will then be just a question of what the figure may stand at in the Board of Trade returns—not for food only, but the whole cost of living- as to what the wage-rate at that date shall be and for four months longer. And it is the desire of the manage- ment as well as ourselves that if there arft suggestions that can be made for im- prcnd methods, they should be submit- ted, on either side, and discussed. Every opportunity will 00 given to bring for. ward and mutually discuss grievances and suggestions. In the interim of four months no doubt many matters will arise, and possibly omø grievance?. The men will have this alternative: They can report any matter to their fore- man, or, if they prefer, report it to their works committee—consisting of representa- tives of the workmen of various works and departments under the company—and if the works committee are of opinion that they can deal with the manager, they can do so. The local manager investigates; and replies to them in writing. In thei event of the reply not being satisfactory, they refer to us—Mr. Evan James or my- J tlelf-and we see the manager as to what; can be done. Failing then to get satis- faction, it is agreed that the matter will be brought before the fuill board at the four-monthly meeting. It is left to us and the men to decide as to what representation we take to Lon- don. We have always done that. At the conference which resulted in this agree. ment there were present, Mr. Chas. Jen- kins, Mr. Kelly, four representatives of the men. and myself and Mr. Evan James. As I said before, the difficulties with Government headquarters officials were got over. The delays were not deliberate. It is impossible for them, to deal with these matters centrally. That is why I welcome the Reconstruction Committee's interim report that joint committees of employers and employed should be set up. They are on the spot. They know the local conditions, and time saved in deal- ing with questions arising would always tend to prevent misunderstandings and grievances developing into disputes. The President of the Board of Agricul- ture and Fisheries calls the attention of farmers and eowkeepers to the national importance of the maintenance and economical utilisation of milk supplies. There are many farms from which it is not possible to dispose of all milk for direct human consumption. Among alter- native methods for its disposal, the Presi dent urges its direct conversion to cheese.

II ——"— 1 I I- I —^ I LOCAL MILITARY WEDDING. j The Bride. i — The Bridegroom. I A smart but quiet wedding was solem- nised at St. James' Church, Standard Hill, Nottingham, on Thursday, July 26th, when Marjorie Alice Caborn, elder daughter of Mrs. Caborn and the late Mr. Charles John Cabofn, of Lynton, The Park, Nottingham, married Second-lieut. J. Clifford Davies, 10th Batt. Welsh Regt., only son of Mr. and Mrs. William Davies, Westfa. Eaton-grove. Swansea, who is home on short leave. The bride, who was given away by her mother. looked ex- tremely smart in a dainty navy blue taf- feta and tulle dress and becoming hat to match. The bride and bridegroom were the recipients of many and costly presents. The bride's cousin, Mr. J. Hammeraley, acted !as best man. Only the immediate relations of he bride and bridegroom were at the recep- tion. Lieut, Davies joined the Public Schools Battalion at the outbreak of warr, and has been in France for some time

I THE SCROLL OF FAME I Official news hab been received of the death in action of another Waunarlwydd hero, Gunner Job S. Griffiths, R.G.A., who has been killed in France. Sapper Tom Davies, R.E. (Motor Air Line Section), has died in France. He lived at 9, Glannant-road. Carmarthen, in which town he was a postman before he enlisted. He was very popular. He leaves a widow and one child. Mrs. Emma Duff, 35, Hawk's Villas, Car- marthen, has received information that .her husband, Gunner Charles Duff, R.G.A. has died of fever at Khartoum. Fifty-six years of age, Gunner Duff was an old campaigner, and had been on active ser- vice in this war for two. years. Sap. Tom Davies, Carmarthen. (Died in France.) Pte. Da. cniuips, Morriston. (Killed in Action.) Lieut. G. P. Lewis, son of Mr. G. P. Lewis, schoolmaster. Burryport, has been wounded in action in France, having been shot in the right chest. Previous to join- ing the colours he was a certificated assis- tant teacher at the Burryport Boys' School. Miss Nancy Jones, daughter of Captain Jones, Aberayron, who acted as district nurse' a.t Pontardulais before the war, at- tended afi Investiture this week, and re-! ceived the decoration of the Royal Red Cross for valuable services rendered at the Military Hospital, Bristol. Official news has been received by Mrs. Hannah Phillips 97, Graig-road, Morris- ton. that her son. Pte. Dd. Phillips, has been killed in action. The deceased, who was only 19, joined the colours in October last. prior to which he was employed at the Worcester Tinplate Works, Morristoii. News has been received that Corporal Jack Duffy, Welsh Guards, son of Mr. -uar(I s, son of Ilr. and Mrs. Duffy, 6, Greenfield-street, Swansea, has been gassed. Last year Cor- J poral Duffy was wounded in the leg. and was for some time an inmate at the Neath Hospital. His brother, Pte. Jim Duffy, has ju?t returned to the front after short leave. I News has been received that Sergt. W. G. Lloyd, youngest son of Mr. and Mrs W. H. Lloyd, of 35, Slate-street, MorrM- ton, ha.s been slightly wounded in action. Sergt. Lloyd, who is a married man, 24 years of age, joined the Army on the third day of the war. He has been brought to England, and AS now at Southampton. Prior to the war he worked at the Dyffryn Steel.and Tinplate Works. Pte. ln Jones, Devon Regiment, son of Mr. and Mrs. David Jones, The Grove, Pontardulais. has received a commission in the Indian Army. At the outbreak of war he was a student in training at the Royal Albert Memorial College, Exeter. He has seen practically three years' ser- vice in the East. He was at one time on the staff of the Pontardulais Boys' Coun- cil School, and was a well-known athlete. Gnr. J. S. Griffiths, Waunarlwydd. (Killed.) oig. U, H. Jonas, Morriston (Survivor of Otway.) I Mr. and Mrs. W. J. Griffiths, Rhandir- las, Pontardulais, have received news from the matron of a hospital in France that their son, Cpl. Mathew H. Griffiths, of the Welsh, passed away peacefully ou the 24th inst He had been so badly wounded in the leg that amputation of the limb became necessary. Complications followed with fatal results. Corpl. Griffiths was a nephew of Coun. Mathew Griffiths, J.P., and was only 22 years of age. He was formerly engaged at the Teilo Tinplate Works. Second-Lieut. J. P. Lloyd, youngest son of Mr. and Mrs. James Lloyd, 2, Belmont- terrace, Cwmbwrla, was reported as missing at the war office on July 25th, 1917. Second-Lieut. J. P. Lloyd joined up I in September, 1914. as private with the R.W.F., and eventually was made a lance-corporal, corporal, and then sergeant. On August 15th, 1916. he was gazetted second-lielatenant. on the field. He is a Swansea Grammar School boy. Al- together three sons of Mr. and Mrs. Lloyd joined the services. A service was held at St. Peter's Church, Pontardawe, on Sunday, to the memory of the local boys who had made the supremo sacrifice during the past three months. The lpcal platoon of the V.T.C., in charge of Captain F. R. Phillips and Lieut. J. Morris Jones, together with the Boy Scouts, in charge of Scoutmaster David Williams, attended. The Rev. Joel Davies delivered an appropriate sermon, and he was assisted in the serviceby the Rev. Jenkins. The Last. Posf*" was sounded by Scout buglers. Pts. A. Thomas, Llandilo. (Killed in Action.) Sergt. H. Doherty, I Swansea. (Killed in Action.) News has been received by Mrs. Doher- News has been received by Nirs. -I ty. 6, Worcester-place, Swansea, that her youngest wn, Sergt. Hugh Doherty, R.F.A., bali been killed in action. His captain, writing home on the 20th to give the sad news, says: Your son was tilled this morning. It will be a terrible Llow to you, but when you know that be died in action at his gun it will be some consola- tion to you. He and his detachment were just waiting to open tire when a shell burst in the gun pit. He and two of his mates were killed instantly. l?t has been a big blow to me and the whole battery. Your son was the best sergeant I had, and did exceptionally well at his work, and would very soon have been re- commended for his commission. On Saturday Mr. league, Colbren-road, Gwauncaegurweii. was the recipient of the sad news that his son Bert had been killed itl action in France Pte. W .H. Rees has died of fever in Mesopotamia. Before the war Pte. Rees I was employed as a haulier by Mr. Lewis Williams, Llwynhendy. It is reported that Stoker John Jenkins, whose wife and two children live at Glan- yrafon-road, Pontardulais. has been drowned. lie was a naval reservist. Mr. and Mrs. Williams. No.5, Jeffreys- place, Swansea, have been relieved of their anxiety regarding their son Clifford, having received a letter from him stating ■ that he, is a prisoner of war in Germany. Omcial news has been received that ?T,c.e.-epl. W. G. Gregg, Welsh Guards, has been severely wounded in the left side. He had only pust returned after being home on leave. His wife and two children re- side at Sea View-terrace, Lonlas. Mrs. Hughes, 1, Incline-terrace, Morris- ton, has been informed that her son, Pte. -am Hughes Monmouth Regiment, has been wounded in the left arm and leg. Previous to joining the colours lie was employed at the Morriston Tinplate Works. Official news has come to hand of the death of Pte. Adolphus Thomas, Welsh Guards, from wounds' received in action in France on the 15th inst. Pte. Thomas was the son of Mr. and Mrs. Lewis Thomas, White Lion Hotel. Llandilo, and was 26 vears of a.. Fred Perrett. Britonferry, the old Welsh international and Northern Union for- ward, who was witu the Welsh Guards in France when he was recommended for a commission for special services, has just been gazetted second-lieutenant with the Royal Welsh Fusiliers Official intimation has been received by the father of Mr. David Evans, Lowther- fctreet, Britonferry. that his son, Pte. D. Evans, has been wounded in France. Formerly he was emyloped at the Vernon Works, belonging to the Ferry Tinplate Co., Ltd. He is 23 y.ars old. Pte. Henry Ward, of the Welsh Guards. has been killed in action. The son of the late Mr. H. A. Ward, of H.M. Customs, Cardiff, he was we/l-known in Swansea, his mother residing at Port Tennant-road. He was about 30 years of age, and was a brother of Mr. Jack Ward. the Danygraig Rugby full-back Cpl. M. H, Griffiths, Pontardulais. (Died of Wounds.) Pte. J. H. Cottrell, Swansea. (Wounded.) See.-lieut. Albert P. Lloyd has been pro- moted on the field to a full lieutenancy isinco May 23rd. Lieut. Lloyd has been; nt the front over a year and has been home on leave only once. His promotion i3 a well merited one. He is the son of Mr. Daniel Lloyd, of Lloyd Bros., the con- tractors. He has a brother in the artillery, Sec.-lieut. Arthur Lloyd. Official newfe has been received that Pte. J H. Cottrell, Welsh Regiment (a former member of the Swansea Police Force), who enlisted about 18 months ago, has been wounded in France, necessitating the amputation of his left arm. Pte. Cot- trell has been recommended for the Mili- tary Medal. He is now in hospital in France, and is progressing favourably. Mr. W. Beddoe Jones, Springfield-street, Morriston, has received news that his son, Signaller D. H Jone.s, who was on board the ill-fated H.M.S. Otway, which was sunk by an enemy submarine last week, is one of the survivors. Signaller Jones, who is 21 years of age, was the first to sight the submarine. News has come to hand that he has been recommended for the D.S.M. News has been received by Mr. and Mrs. J Evans, Hopkin-street, Brynhyfryd. that their son, Lieut. E. Evans, of the Welsh Regiment, is suffering from gunshot wounds in the shoulder, arm, thigh and face. Lieut. Evans joined as a private during the early months of the war. He was formerly a teacher at Brynhyfryd School. A brother. Pte. E. J. Evans, is serving in Egypt. Mr. and Mrs. George Mill. of 172, Rhyd- dings-terrace, Swansea, have received in- timation from the War Office that their second son, Rifleman George Mills, has been missing since July 10th. Rifleman Milks is 25 years df age. Prior to enlisting lie was a coach-builder in London. Mr. Mills had already lost one son in the war —Sec.-lieut. J. B. Mills, who was killed in April. Stoker Richard Hy. Pendrill Charles, Swansea. (Lost at Sea.) Rfm. Geo. Mills, Swansea. (Missing.) Official news has reached Swansea that Naval Stoker Richard Henry Pendrill Charles has lost his life at sea. The de- ceased, who was about 33 years of age, leaves a widow and five children. He ioined the Navy at the outbreak of war, prior to which he worked for Mr. Row- lands, the Swansea Harbour Trust con- tractor. Mr. J. Williams 'schoolmaster at Swan- tea Prison), of Argylc-street. Swansea, re- ceived the news on Tuesday that his son, Gunner D. 13 Williams, had been gassed in France. Gunner Williams was a well- known pianist. Mr. Williams has three other sons serving—Driver B. J. Williams, now in Salonika; Gunner L. Williams, now in Egypt, and Pte. J. C. Williams, now in France. Official information has been received from the War Office that Pte. Henry Her- bert, who was officially reported missing 0.1 September bth, 191G. is presumed to have been killed on that date. Before en- listing Pte. Herbert, who was in the Welsh Regiment, was employed as a deco- rator by Mr. George Symons, of Oxford- street. and lived with his parents at Pentre Estyll. He was 25 years of age and unmarried. News has been received by Mrs. Thomas, of Kiivey-terrace, St. Thomas, that her husband Pte. lorwerth Thomas, of the Oxford and Bucks Light Infantry, has been brought to England to undergo an aperation for appendicitis contracted in the trenches. Pte. Thomas, who is a married man, joined the Cvelist Division IWD after the declaration of war. In peace timse he was a draper, and indulged in J athletics. J

SKEWEN MILK CASE. Warranty Plea Fails at Neath Police Court. At Neath County Sessions on .Friday before the Mayor (Aid. 11. P. Charles)—< John Harris Evans, milk vendor, Skewen, was summoned for selling milk alleged to. contain 15 per. cent, of added water. Mr. Edward Powell prosecuted, and Mr. Evan Rowlands (Swansea) defended. Supt. Ben Evans said that when he pur. chased a sample from a servant of de- fendant, the latter made a statement that two churns of milk were obtained from a certain farm that morning at eighl o'clock, and that he had taken it to the dairy, where it was divided by Evans, tha defendant. Inspector Gill said that when he served Evans with the summons the defendant remarked, Thank God the milk never came on my premises. 1 bought it from Jones, Drynnna Farm, and obtained a warranty for it." For the defence Mr. Rowlands said ho relied on the warranty, and called defen- dant. who asserted that the milk as supplied by Jones had not been tampered with, but sold in the same state and con- dition as received. Defendant was fined S5. the Mayor Wt- marking that defendant had faiM lamentably to prove that the milk was sold as it came from the cow. ¡

FAULTY VVEIGHING MACHINE I At Aberavon on Monday Inspector Ed. "Williams (weights and measures), sum- moned Dd. Edward and Sons, Neafh, col- liery owners, with a breach of the Weight? and Me at 11 res Act. Mr. lywis M. Thomas defended. Inspector Williams spoke to visiting Blaenmawr Colliery, Tonmawr, on June :ll(1. and testing a weighing machine. When tested with 9 cwts. it recorded an error of three-quarters and 7 lbs., an 1 when tried with a ton tram of coal it varied over a cwt. In every case it was against the com- pany and in favour of the collier. It was an old machine, and when fixed in 1916. witness advised that it would not record correct weight for any .length of time. Mr. Lewis Thomas said a new machine wa? expected. A tine of Z..) was imposed. I Printed auJ Published for the Swansea Limited, by ARTHUR PARNELL HlUKAva, a,t, Leader Buildings, Swawwft. ■ j

A SOLDIER I writing froro tWo! trenches says:— "THE HERALD OF WALESF IS A WEEKLY COMFORT."

I SEA FISHING CLAIMS OF TOWNS Oil WEST WALES COAST "Under the Sea Fishing (England and Wales Order) the Food Controller em- powers the Board of Agriculture to autho- rise the taking of sea fish in tidal or terri- torial waters by any method or appliance, the use of which is now unlawful, to use these methods or appliances at times and places and in circumstances otherwise unlawful, and to permit the sale of fish taken. Any such order may be made to apply generally or partially, and to oon- tain such conditions and restrictions as appear to be necessary. The use of fixed nets, stake nets, or other erections may not be authorised on tidal I 'ant-I.s without the consent of the Board of Trade, and a similar consent has to be obtained from the Commis- sioners of Woods and Forests for such erections on the foreshore under the con- trol of the Commissioners. There is a feeling (writes a correspondent to a contemporary) that in the suggestions recently made to the Board of Agriculture and Fisheries with regard to the develop- ment of deep sea fi. heri's, the important chums of towns and villsgcs on the West Wales Coast have not been sufficiently em- phasised. The Rev. A. Fuller Mills, Carmarthen, who is a member of the Towy Board of Conservators, '•ays certain pamphlets he has road on the question itrnored olaces like A berst.ywy.th, Mumbles. Laughame, Ferry-side, and Llangwm. "Take the herring industry in C.irdisrau Bay," he said; "That is surely capable of tremen- dous development. Gnrdi^an Bay herrings are erjual to if not better than any that can be found elsewhere, and there i? no reason why the herring market in that district should nnt rival that of Grimsby. Again, a great deal could be done to pro- mote the shell fish industry. Why cannot we have oysters on the Pembrokeshire Coast? I believe they get a few at Llan- gwm, where they already do a good cockle trade. They are doing well at the Mumbles. There are other kinds of shell fish that should be fostered." Speaking of the cocMf indu=try at S,,)e??kin,z Pf th(, in(Iii!ztr-v at a good detil more could be done to pro- mote it. Some ypars ^5° he visited Ferry-, side and tried to persuade the fisher-folk to adopt a sort of co-oner a tive scheme for the cleaning and picking of cockles—to- wards which financial support was pro- misfd—but without success. He added that in view of he efforts to increase the food supply fte;>s should be taken to ob- tain development grants from the Board A Agriculture and Fisheries in the in- terests of the deep sea fisheries and the shell fish industry, and he hoped the South Walew Deep Fisheries Committee would give the matter its serious con- sideration.

WELSH HEROES LADS WHO ROUTED THE KAISER'S PETS The battle which all the world has been expecting has begun. After weeks of in- tense bombardment, not on our side only, causing, as we know, grave alarm through- cut Germany and anxiety in our enemy's command, we launched a great attack this morning on a front stretching, roughly, from the River Lys to Boesinglie. We have gained ground everywhere, and with. the help of French troops, who are tight- | ing shoulder to shoulder with our owa men, in the northern part of the ime, -tbove Boesinghe. we have captured the enemy's positions across the Yser Canal and thrust him back from a wide stretch o country between Pilckem and Holle- beke.—Mr. Philip Gibbs (" Chronicle '). Magnificent tributes are paid to the Welsh troops by the special correspon- dents at the front. The part allotted to them brought them into conflict with the famed Berlin Cockchafers J1 (the Guards Fusilier Regiment). The Welsh lads, covered themselves with glory. THE COCKCHAFERS. ) The Guards Fusilier Regiment in the German Army is nicknamed the Cock- chafers." To this regiment the Kaiser de- livered a boastful speech on April 20 last year, when he eaid: In accordance with my orders you have come from east to west, you, the Cockchafers of the Army, to herald to tho enemy the approach of a martial spring season." The Cockchafers," in the early weeka of the Battle of the Somme, received at very severe drubbing from Haig's troops, ■and were withdrawn in a shattered condi- tion. "OUTCLASSED." To attempt to allot praise to one body of our troops above another would bo absurd. No man surely would dare tl» do it. But I would like to bear testi- mony, on the strength of all the er-i. dence that reaches me, to the magnifi- cent behaviour of the Welsh. The WeLh troops in any numbers have had no op- portunity to show' their mettle in a, grand attack since the days of Mamets Wood a year and more ago. They bad- a place of honour to-day. They were worthy of the place. They bad against them the Kaiser's own pets—the famous Cockchafers "—and never, perhaps, has a famous regiment been mora roughly handled or worse outclassed in lighting power man for man.-Mr. H. Perry Robinson (" Daily News and Leader "). "ANNIHILATED." To Welsh troops belongs the honour of having practically annihilated the famoug •k'd Battalion of the Guards Fusiliers, the Berlin Cockchafers which the Gernldrl. Emperor has styled the crack battalion. uf his army. The :1rd Guards Division, of which they were a part, came into the line to reliev'e the 23rd Bavarian Division, anft the operation was still in progress when. the Welshmen fell on them tins morning, taking prisoners of both divisions, and killing every man who showed resistance. —Mr. Percival Phillips in the Daily Express." MOST FAMOUS REGIMENT. The success of the day is shared by Eng- iisli troops, including the Guards, wllh. the Weish who fuught abreast of them with equal heroism, and with Scottish and AjiKacs. The Welsh have wiped out the most famous German regiment of the 3rd Guards Division, known as the Cpck- chafera.—Mr. Philip Gibbs in the IlIily Chronicle." UTTERLY ROUTED. During the advance Welsh troops, fight- ing with extreme dash, utterly routed the I notorious Berlin Cockchafers opposite; them. > Probably the storming of a certain Ger-. man redoubt was the severest of all the isolated lights. The place was a battaliuu headquarters, heavily defended with shell- proof dug-outs and pill-boxes," and a number of officers on the suot drove tita German soldiers to stiffer resistance than/ elsewhere. One German unit after another had been taken out of the line within a tew (lays and replaced, because they could not stand the strain. One division, the 52n-V Reserve Division, had only completed relief two hours before our attack opened. and the 3rd Guards Division, badly ham- mered on the Somme at Montauban, was actually in process of relieving the 23rd Reserve Division at the moment of attack. Prisoners from both were taken.—Mr.- Beach Thomas (" Daily Mail.") PULPED." As Mr. 13eacli Thomas states to-day, the Cockchafers were again pulped by Welsh troops yesterday.—" Daily Mail: