Herald of Wales and Monmouthshire Recorder

I LATEST WAR NEWS o- t-—— Dash on Verdun Front. Many Villages Captured. Successful F?anco-American J? Attack. 'Without entering into details of the movements that have lieen going on from day to day, we can place on record the fact that satisfactory progress has been made on the Western front; positions have been held, attacks frustrated, and advances made, although, ot course, at a steadier pace now that we Ban had t hø enemy driven back to the original IIindenburg Line. Foch maintains the offensive and .holds the initiative, and something great is anticipated which will prevent the Ger- mans fcrom carrying out their plan of de- fensive lighting by means of digging theumtlves ill," as they did before. Tlfo enemy 11.1. h. lasting the Allied front, to try to discover weak parts or get an indication of aims and intentions, but uii,-uce"tully. I .—.——— <- -————.

VERDUN NOW. France, Thursday Afternoon. ,t The Press Association Correspon- (lent with the Army in France says, a big Franco-American attack was launched this morning on a wide front in the Verdun sector. The attack so far has been suc- cessful. The enemy Shas falien back on 'both fronts, Our troops are fighting magnifi oently. The Press Association adds the attack is on the other side of the St. Mihiel salient, the southern attack being on a 12 miles front, and on the western on an 8 miles front. Ten villages have been captured in an advance which has reached a depth of severl kilometres on a 15 kilometre front between the Meoye i and Moselle. TUESDAY'S BRITISH OFFICIAL. France. luesday. 1.6a p.m. Except for local figlitinR on the Epehy and Gouzeauoaurt sectors, in which we secured prisoners, there is nothing of special importance to report on the battle front south of the River Scarpe On ths Lyp front cur patrols have made elight progress north-east of Neuve Cha- pelle and west of Armentieres. Stormy weathr continues. On September 9 low clouds and rain equalls made the weather most unsuitable for flying. Our artillery machines persisted in Work whenever an opportunity offered. .There. id nothing else of interest to re- port. Plying was imr)ossible at night. WEDNESDAY'S BRITISH OFFICIAL. General Ilea dq iitirters, Wednesday, ) 10.45 a.m.-We advanced our lino yester- day in the direction of Atilly and Ver- rnond- In the evening the eneiii again strongly attacked our positions on the Tidge west of Gou7.eancmut. Si?rp fight- ing followed, as th? n'su It of which the attack wa? comph tely beaten off except at one point, where one of our posts was left in the enemy's possession. Local fighting took place yesterday afternpon 6nd evening in the neighbourhood of Moe%vres and Eoourt St. Quentin. h. tlw former place an attack by a strong party of the enemy succeeded in entering -Ilr trenches. !)tIt was repulsed by our counter-attack. At Lcourt St. Quentin also the enemy was. repulsed after stiff tighting. We advanced our lines slightly during the night west of LOrquingham. THURSDAY'S BRITISH OFFICIAL. General Headquarters, Thursday, 11.10 a.m.—Yesterday evening our troopc cap- tured Attily, Yermond and Vendelles, and during the night we progressed in the "western outskirts of Homon Wood. English troops carried out successful local operations yesterday afternoon in the Havrincourt and Moeuvres sectors, overcoming considerable hostile opposi- tion. Our troops have crossed the Canal du Nord north-weet of Havrincourt, and have established themselves on the west bank of the canal and north of Moeuvres. During the night our troop3 attacked and captured a strongly-fortified position kl><>WU as the Railway Triangle, south- west of Lat Bassee. We took a number of prisoners and machine-guns TUESDAY'S FRENCH OFFICIAL. £ ranee, tuesoay. n p.m. Between the Sopime and the Oise our troops increased their progress in spite o: the enemy's lively resistance. VJtS linvp. iznxui i,-P-m-L-UiiAvourA, ab d' re- ptflsed a counter-attack debouching from Essigny-le-Grand. 'Fighting took place along the La Fere road to St. Quentin. We occupied the village Travccy (1J miles north of La Fere). South of the Oise we drove hack several counter-attacks in the Laffaux region. In the Vosges two German coups-de- main failed. WERNESDAY'S FRENCH OFFICIAL. I Paris. Wednesday, 11 p.m. A German counterattack carried out eouth-east of Roupy was repulsed. We took prisoners and machine-guns. In the region of Laffaux and Cellos- eur-Aisne the enemy six times attempted during Tuesday night and to-night to ap- proach our new positiong. He was re- pulsed every time. We Took 150 prisoners. THURSDAY'S FRENCH OFFICIAL. I To the north of the Ailette a surprise attack broughtv us some prisoners. There was Artillery activity in the region of Rheims and at. Prosnes. Two enemy surprise attacks were re- pulsed in Champagne and in the Vosges.

NEATH FAIR. I Npath fair, reputed to be the largest in the Principality, opened on Thursday morning. Business was combined with pleasure, and the town was full of visitors from the neighbouring towns and valleys. The pleasure fair was crammed with amusements, shows and varied attrac- tions. The horse fair wes well supplied. and the demand was good. Mr. LI. Joseph, Margam, sold a two-year old mare for 130 guineas in the early morn- ing, -and this was the highest price real- ised.' Cart horses of good quality were f scarce, but found a ready to £ 100. Light carters averaged £70 to EM; tWJear, olds, 1:4(1 to £ 55; cobs, toM to i £ 70; «arV ponies, £ 34 to £ 15.

 POST-WAR MFMMS !• I PREMIEB & LEAGUE OF NATIONS i MAN CHEST ER, Th ursday. Mr. Lloyd George was to-day presented with the Freedom of the City of Ian- chester. The right hon. gentlemanJ who was accompanied by tho Lord Mayor and other civic dignitaries, drove through the ¡ sfroets lined with dense, cheering crowds, from the Mansion House to the Hippo- drome, vrhere the distinction was con- ferred. The hall v.-as packed with lead- ing citizens and many prominent Parlia- mentarians. Mrs. Lloyd George occupied a seat on the platform. There wa" great cheering when the Town Clerk, i?i reading an account of the Premier's career, an- nounced that Mr. Lloyd George was born an o uiie(-dtli,,it .N-Ir. Linyd George was 1)1)r. Replying for his election as freeman, Mr. Lloyd George paid a tribute to Man- chester for its eminence in industry, poli- tics, an art. Manchester, he said. had never lieen afraid of new ideas in the past, and he sincerely trusted she would show t4iB same courage in the future. (Cheers). Alluding fo the war, he re- marked that there was no section of the community who would gain more by the crushing of Prussian militarism than the humblest in every land. (Cheers). He went into this war reluctantly, be con- tinued, but he felt that it was not a thing t> be done in a half way. When we commenced our men were; hardly equipped, and the Germans des- troyed our gallant troops with mocking impunity. Nothing but the most daunt- less courage and the amazing endurance displayed by our soldiers, enabled them to hold the water-logged trenches of 1914 and 1913. I am glad now that the bal- ance has been redressed. In a single week of the battle just fought the British Army fired fip' times as much metal in a single week as was at their disposal dur- ing the whole of ten months at the early stage. I The enemy now is being subjected to a bombardment which is seen by his nerves. The news is distinctly good. (Cheers). I mean good, not merely in appearance, but in reality. (I.<nid cheers). We are not through the tunnel, or rather I might say that though we are throusrh ¡ one very long tunnel, we are not at the cncLof the journey. There are some more steep gradients" to climb There may be dark tunnels, but they will be short. The worst s over. (Loud cheers). I slav that as one who has been watching things from the inside for four years. 1 do not know how many corners we have to turn on the roa' before we reach the terminus. I do not want anyone to exag- gerate our victory, for the end is not yet. Nor do I want anyone to u-iiiiiiiic-e tili victory. It is of real significance and im- portance. The Germans nre under no de- lusions. You have only to read \'on Hin- denburg's appeal to them last wek. He is oot in the habit of jr-suing appeals of that kind, which advertise tlie serious position of .the enemy to the whole world. He is not in the habit of doing that Un- ) less there is a really deep and urgent rea- son for doing so (Cheers) "The enemy had under-estimated our reserves since March; and the Americans have cont- across the AtlantÏe-f he a.i-I vance guard of an army of at least ten millions, of the finest material in the world. (Cheers). The Germans have no America, and the measure of their despair is that th?y are actually turning to Aus- tria. Recently we 'have captured 88,093 prisoners and 750 guns. It has taken us about a month, and the casualties are less than ono-fifth of what they were in 1916. (Cheers). The victory is Dot I merely great in magnitude, but better in quality. "That is why we rejoice so greatly. There is no crack in the joy- bells ringing in our hearts to-day. (Cheers). An important condition for all that has been unity of Notliinq but heart failure on the part of the nation can prevent our achieving a real I victory." (Cheer,). Victory, he continued, was essential to a sound peace. The' Prussian miiitarv I power," exclaimed the Premier, must '¡' not only be beaten, but Germany herself must k.now it. The (German people must know that it their rulers outrage the law of humanity the Prussian military strength cannot protect them from pun- ishment. There is no right, national or international, that you can establish un- less you establish the fact that the man who breaks the law will meet with the inevitable punishment." (Loud cheers). Unless that is accomplished, the loss and. sufferings and burdens of the war will have been in vain. (Cheer). This must be the last war. If it is not, there arc men here who will see the loss of civilisation." Continuing, the Premier said he was all for a League of Nations; in fact, the League had begun. Allied countries were a league of free nations. After the war Gernwuj,. £ re*uiroui military dominion, would be welcomed to the great League of Nations. With regard to peace terms, President Wilson had stated the'terms. and we stood by them. We should not accept ourselves nor impose upon our toes, a Brest-Litovsk Treaty. Mr. Lloyd George dwelt at length on reconstruction aft war, and said: You cannot maintawi an At Empire with a C3 population." (Cheers). We must pay more attention to our schools, for the greatest enemy we had to .fight was the schools in Germany. After the war there should be no longer men of one party or another, but a people of one spirit and purpose, united to .uplift the land out of wretchedness and misery. We must approach the conditions which would prevail, unfettered by prejudices and predilection-}. If men declined to take the best course Inx'aupe it was in- consistent wilh wtiot ,they said or thought before, they would never achieve, any- thing. Men who learnt nothing were good for nothing, and they should certainly not be employed in the settlement of after- war problems. Do not let us turn our backs on. the future, or to dote on the past. lIe could hear sounds of elaborate preparations for setting up the same old medry-go-round that gave men the illu- sion that they were prancing at a terrific speed, whereas they were merely circling round the same old cranking engine, to the same old tunes. The Premier .then referred to the hous- ing problem, which, he s:iid, was tho most urgent awaiting treatment. We have played with it for 50 years, but it j has never been really taken in hand. We must hix-e a more intelligent organisation of the forces in charge of the health of the nation to make up for our enormous hisses. If the health of the people had been maintained at a higher level they rould have obtained a million more men 1 for the fighting line. We must see that in future labour is requited with wages

SIR GEOnOE REID I u!n ULU??L nHU Death of ex-Premier of New I South Wales. Sir George Reid M.P. for St. George's, Hanover-square, died at nine o'clock on Thursday inurning at his London resi- dence. He had been un well for some time, and on Wednesday had a cerebral seizure. Deceased, who was a prominent figure in Australian public life for many years, was born in Renfrewshire in 1815. H.€ was Premier or New fuuoth Wales from 1894 to 1893, during which period be carried the Federal movement to a successful issue. Sir George, who was knighted in 11)09, was High Commissioner in London for the Commonwealth cf AU3- from 1$10 to imc. in jrhich latter rear he was returned as an independent Imperialist for St. George' flanover- square. Deceased w#s the author of BeV- eral publications including Five Free Trade Essays and New South Wales, the Mqtlier Colony of the Australias." Sir George Reid epoke- at a Swansea Chamber of Commerce banquet some years ago. LOSS TO PORT TALBOT.! Thp !at? Mr. Jcnkins had taken a pro-¡ minent part in public life at ?'f?on. and ?M primp movpT of £etœ. etc., in aid of v.ar charitK? He had been organist and j choirmaster at S? John's Church, Xe!- j ion for 32 ."e?rs. was a graduate ?? iic?n- ciate and c?pcutiv? member of the Tonic ¡ So?ta College as TrpU as bein? rl well-known mnsical adjudicator, He was also a pro- minent m"m!?ar of the N.U.T., an olli <? tbp R.A.O.B. and of the Church I.ad, I Brigade. lie had pr hlished a number ?f ?Lthr-ms and ot?li(,- Jli-, E?eninin-,? will he removed to his home on Thursday I morn i ng for the public funera l on Mon- day. which will leave Mafondr at 2.30 for Llanfabon Parish Church.

FATE OF CZAR S FAMILY. The "Daily Express" understands from a source which is beyond doubt, that the Empress ot Russia and her (Wr 'laughters have bwn murdered by the Bolsheviks. The whole immediate family of the late Czar has thus been exter- minated.

LIVES EN D A N G E RED. On Tuesday at Swansea, Thomas Young, collier, was charged with having cigarettes in his possession ai the Copper Pit Colliery, Morriston, conlrary#to the regulations of the Coal Mines Act A-line ()f £3 and. £ 2 2s. costs was im- posed. Defendant did not appear. The 13rncii regarded the case as a very serious one. It endangered the lives of many men working there.

= ==- NEATH SOLD IE R'SSACRlri:ICEl The Rev. I)egv;ell Thomas pastor of I Orchard-place Baptist Chapel, Neath, has been officially informed that a brother, Pte. Dan Thomas, R.A.M.C., has been admitted into hospital at Nottingham, suffering extreme weakness iron: loss of I 4 ttttt Dan Thomu." formerly an assistant with -111. Griffith Isnae, chemist, Neath, .w&s engaged on duty as dispenser at a military clearing station somewhere in France. When- a call came for a volunteer to give his blood that the life of an officer might be saved, Pt« Thomas volunteered arul gave 1 i pints of his blood in a'successful attempt b ??vr the o?fifpr's Efe. Pte. Thomas, has In-en for two years in France. Another, brother, Pte. David! Thomas, made the supreme sacrifice in ¡ August, 1916.

SWANSEA'STEXAMPLE. I At Wednesday's meeting of the eath Rural a letter was read from Mr. Ree's Llewellyn, of the Munici- pal Employed Association, asking the Council to pay the workmen advance of 2(ls. a week on pre-war v. agps, anfF pointed out that Swansea was paying 25s. i w eek. The Chairman (Major W. B. Trick) said the question had been somewhat sprung upon the Council. arid thought it should be referred to the Wages Com- mittee for consideration. Mr. J. Davies (Cimlo) asked that the matter be decided that day. It was a clear issue. Mr. T. Williams (Neath Abbey) said t.hat on the understanding that the work- men would tx; paid retrospectively should the application be granted, he would move that it be referred to the Joint Wages Board. Mr. F. H. Beaman (Resolven) seconded, and it was agreed to.

WELSH COMPOSER. The funeral of the late Mrs. Morfydd Jones (known in musical circles as Miss Morfydd Owen), wife of Dr. Ernest Jones, Harley-gtreet, London, took place on Wednesday afternoon, leaving her father- in-law's residence, Craig-y-mor, Mumbles, for Oystermouth Cemetery. The Rev. Lewis Mendus and Rev. A. Arnold Evans officiated, and amongst those present were: Dr. Ernest Jones (husband), Mr. Wm. Owen "(father), Mr. and ?irs. Thos. Jones (fah(>in-!aw and mother-in-law), fr. Daniels, Mr. W. D. Owen. Mr. R. Austin Owen. Mr. Owen Daniel, Mr A. L. Thomas, Mr. Vivian Thomas, :Mr. (Hyn Daniel, Mr. Dl. Daniel, Mr. and Mrs. Blundell, Prof. W. Evans, Mr. Ed- wards. Mr. Wm. Evans, Mr. Percy Smyth, Dyfed, Mr. O. Davies, Mr. D. Morgan Jenkins, and Capt. M. N. Wil- liams. The funeral arrangements were in the hanrJs of Messrs. D. C. Jones and Son, Castle-square. f

YR HEN CORPH "GWRDD MISOL" AT HEATH Th" West Glamorgan WelslLMethodis: Prc-soytery was held at Bethleiiem Green, Neath, on Wednesday. The Rev. Rhys Davies (Penclawdd) was introduced as Ministerial Moderator for the remaining period of the year. Many letters of ack- nowledgment were received from many re- cipient.s of votes of sympathy in bereave- ments, including Lady Rhondda. Mr. T. O. Morgan (treasurer Sunday School Union) read the financial state- ment, which amounted to JjfO. Mr. Mor- gan was thanked for his labour". The Rev. T. C. Lewis read a list of the recommendations for the deserving churches. On the recommencHiion of Mr. Lewis, Mr. Morgan Jenkins (hon. treasurer, Swansea) was thanked for his indefatigable labours in connection with the weak churches of the conference. Mr. Jas. Clement (Sc-riven) brought in the report of the foreign mission collec- tions for 1917, which amounted to „ £ 72(i 18s. ïd. Mr. Clement, en rtsignin: after three years of service, was thanked for iii., valuable services. A long discussion took place on the question of holding two days' humilia- tion and thanksgiving." It was proposed that one day be ordained. An amend- ment that two, separate days be selected— of humiliation one day in the next week, and a thanksgiving day in the second week of October-was agreed to. In the second session, 12 new deacons were received, seven from Trinity (Park- street. and others from Gowerton and Llan<-amlct. The Rev. Wm. Thomas questioned each cne, and Mr. John Lewis (Port Talbot) gave the new members an excellent charge." Tho Rev. Ii. Jones (Crennant) brought in the Building Committee report, which was adopted. Mr. T. James brought in the report of th, Ministers* Education Committee, which rcc-ommrndcd the doubling of the grants as a bonus for this year. One of the ne^v magistrates stated that. if 19 others joined ■ him, he would agree to a F,- F-ist, in the payment of the interest on loans of the t\£'-e churches. Ur. T. E. Lewis, J. P.. brought in an appeal for sustaining a Welsh chaplain at Aldershot, who conducts Welsh services tor soldiers. e appealed for Is. 6d. per 100 members "per week from all the churches. < The Rev. Charles Williams gave a report of the Association's meeting recently held it Ogmore" Ya Lo. Seven churches had not yet &ent in their subscriptions. Air. A. II. Thomas, J.P., as the oldest 'ivagi-trate, begged leave to felicitate the four new magistrates belonging to that Monthly Meeting, viz., Messrs. John Thomas (Poiftrhydyfen), W. G. Roberts (Maesteg), Llfwelyn D. Howells (Aberdy- liiis), and T. James (Porthcawl). All were jjood men. county bench would be enriched by their presence. He wished from the bottom of his heart long life and r Tlie Rev. jVIoriV XTorgan supported equally as heartily. Mr. Ben Joves, J.F. (Mayor of Swansea) snid he knew the latter three personally, and much adftxired them as good, trust- worthy men. r Mr. Recs Llewelyn (Llansamlet'i wished them long life, to exercise their influence for good. The vote wis agreed to with cheers. The question of a Lay Preachers' Order was deferred to the next meeting, and so was the motion of the Rev. J. L. Rees to divltje the monthly meeting. Mr. Jas. Clement gave notice of motion to amend Mr- Rees's motion, viz. •. "That six members of East and West Glamorgan meet to settle the boundaries of the three divisions proposed."

MARSHAL FOCH. t Free Picture Portrait of the Great I French Soldier. There is on greater military favourite o* the Allies than be who holds supreme command on the. western front—Marshal Foell. As a strategist he has no equal, and under his brilliant leadership the Allies are united in their,great fight for liberty, justice and right. The Sunday Companion," one of the brightest and nicst interesting weeklies.. will present free with this week's issue a magnificent picture portrait of Marshal Foch, in full colours. The size of the portrait is 13in. by 10in., printed in art paper. In di?d in this wMk's edition is a reiiiarkabofine new serial story by the favourite author, Joseph Hocking, and a S200 prize com- petition. Readers of round. healthy liter- ature sflould order their copies at once.

MARGAM COUNCIL. 'fh0 Margam Urban Council met on I Monday, Capt. Preston presiding. The Sanitary Committee recommended that a letter be sent to Mr. R. J. Rhys, divisional food commissioner. CardifF. 1 drawing his attention to Hie large quan- I tity of unsoumi meat, w^uch hltd meentiv been sent into the district. The Council hoped that he would take steps imme- diately to prevent this in future. With regard to the Council's decision to present Mr. Lloyd George with an address. Mr J. T. Davies. private secretary to the Prjme Minister, wrote stating that the date for conferring the freedom ftf Aber- von had not yet been fixed. and would certainly not be until the autumn. A committeo was appointed to raise snb- ffcriptions for the Kings Fund for the Disabled. The Council odecided to increase the price of gas by 4d. to 4s." 4d. per 1,000 cubic feet. The Town Planning -Committee, who had considered a plan prepared by the surveyor for a protoosed scheme for about 1,600 new houses in Margam district.

THE WRONG VARIETIES. I 1 rosecutions by the Board. of Agricul- ture under the Wart, Disease Order were conducted at Aberavon, on Monday. B: L. Wolf charged Thomas Martin, a Coun- cil employe. Cymmer. with planting pota- toes which had I)e-tn prohibited. R. Cawley. a Board of Agriculture in- spector epoke to finding King Edward and Up-to-Date potatoes growing on defend- ant's allotment. Mr. Windsor Williams. for the defendant .produced a receipt showing that the defendant had bought the seed from the local Allotment Associa- tion as Great Scot, which were immune. The Bench adjourned the case for a fort- night, so that the prosecutor might in- quire into the point raised by the defence. Wm. Billett, Lloyds-terrace, Cymmer. and Joseph Davies, Jersey-terrace, Aber- gwynfi, were similarly charged. R. Caw- ley, the inspector, said that wart disease was prevalent in these gardens in 1917, and they had been warned to plant im- mune varieties only. A tine of !Ms. aDd 180s. respectively was impend.

I CYMMER GROCER ————— ————— Sequel to Deal in Dessicated Cocoanut. Evan Jenkins. grocer. Old Post Office, Cvminer was charged at Aberavon on Monday by Daniel Harrison. Food In- spector for Glvncorrwg Food Control Co ;tt", with selling dessicated cocoa- nut above the maximum price; selling meat to unregistered customers; selling In:U"r similarly; selling ham to unre- gistered customers; and further with a shortage of coupons.—Mr Windsor Wil- liams prosecuted, and Mr Moses Thomas defended. Mr W. M. Thomas, Bridgend, held a watching brief for the whole- salers Garfield Williams, a boy, said he wa sftt bv the Food Inspector for a quarter 6f dessicated cocoanut. Mrs. Jenkins charged him Is. Dan Harrison said the. maximum ). price for dessicated cocoanut was Is. a lh. He spoke to Mrs. Jenkins, and in rep *-o his question she replied she usually sold it 2td. per oz. or lOd. per quarter. Margaret Jenkins, defendant's wife, who was charged with aiding and abett- ing, denied sellng the cocoanut to the bov 0'" telling th? inspector that she charged JOd. a quarter. fler daughter sold the cocoanut. x  BIodwea Jenkins (12). said she made a mistake in 0harg;ng 3d. for an flunce in- stead of for a quarter as her mother had told her. Evidence was given in the other cases that the defendant wa<; registered as « retailer, but had no registered .customers. Prosecutor produced invoices showing that butter and ham had been supplied, but no coupons were sent to the Food Office. The defendant said that no butter was received into stock. Mr. Moses Thomas said the defendant was N colliery labourer, and it was the smallest 611op in the place. He submitted that there was not sufficient evidence, to convict. Defendant was fined t5 10s., and his wife 10s. for aiding and abetting, making £6 in all.

SWANSEA WEDDING. I Ktiydoings C.M. tJhapel, Swansea, was prettily decorated on Thursday morning, when the wedding of Capt. Howell Mey- rick Williams. R.A.M.C., son of Mr. and Mrs. H. Williams, Pas-y-Coed, Rutliin, and Mies Olwen Gee, only daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Gee, 6, Clarendon-road. Sketty, Swansea, was solemnised.

SHORT-LIVED STRIKE. I The whole ot the men employed at tbc Cynon Colliery, Cymmer, Avon Valley, came out on strike on Tuesday morning, owing to the refusal of the management to pay one of the h< uliers the extra half shift per week for working in the water. Some of the men, it is alleged, adopted a threatening attitude towards the man- fggr, and followed him to Pontrhydyfeh. where he had to see* protection. Later in the day the dispute was re- f ferred to arbitration, and the men agreed to resume work on Wednesday &nornino;

LLANDILO GUARDIANS. I The Llaodilo Board of Guardians met on Saturday. Mr Gomer Harries presid- ing. In reference to the proposal of the Board to increase the slari of the master and matron (Mr. and Mrs. D. Evans) to £ 75 and dS60 w*>rt 'vi.ly from j!50 and .£1-0 per annum, the Local Gov- ernment B'J:Td wrote th. t in view of the comparative emaltcess of the insti- tution, and having regard to the fact that both were already in receipt of war bonuses, they were not prepared to sanc- tion the proposal in its entirety. They however approved of. an ir "e to ,-C65 to the master and X55 to the matroa. The Board decided to ace pt. The Trea?urer? report showed a tobJ. due of k2.576 3s. M., and a ba?nce 'n hand of R3,330 18s. 5d.—The Board de- cided to put on the agenda for oonsidera- tio at the next meeting an application for an increase of salary by Mr. Re?s Davies. rate collector for Bettws.

MARGAM REGISTRARSHIP. I At a spc-eir.1 meeting of the Coedffranc Parish Council, held on Tuesday evening. at the Council Room. Skewen. with Coun- cillor F. Curtis in the chair, the recent Margam appointment was again dis- cussed. The local District Councillors and Guardians having been invited to be present to explain their attitude, the Clerk (Mr. W. P. Jenkins) read their reply, as follows:— We are desirous of pointing out that, while we are prepared to meet your Coun- cil to discuss or consult upon any matter Meeting our parish, we do not feel dis- posed to do the same with regard to i matters in general which come befoie our Board. We respectfully suggest that this is not a matter directly affecting the purlsh. and m-Q are partier.r!y jealous. .of our rights, as representatives o i t,, I ratepay<?&. to use our chscretion. and are prepared to justify oar votes to them (nN 4p any -nperior or minor authority) when- ever they desire. (Signed) Ogley L. David, Richard Williams. Benj. Dadea,; Thomas Williams." 1 Councillors Price and Slee expressed with much warmth their disapproval of the aftion of their District Councillors in refusing to attend, while Councillor T. Lloyd thought they should answer the parish and not the Parish Council. Councillor Slee proposed, Councillor Lewis seconded, that a parish meeting be called to ventilate the matter. Councillor Jones proposed, Councillor J. Lloyd se- conded, that the matter be dropped as far as their Council was concerned. The ■ voting was: For the proposition, 3; the amendment, 8. The matter then dropped. We have received from Mr. Percy S. Fealey, the Port Talbot hon. sec. of the I¡ National Federal ion of Discharged and Demobilised Soldiers, a copy of a lengthy communication which has been sent to tho Registrar-General and "various mem- berg of Parliament regarding the con- troVersy which is going on concerning the appointment of registrar for the Margam sub-area of the Neath 'Union district. Owing to the scarcity of space at our dis- posal, it is impossible to publish the let- ter giving all the details. ,It appears, however, .that since the op- position has been raised to the appoint- ment of Mi&s Beynon by the Neath Guar- dians. conflicting statements have been publicly made as to whether the Guar- dians or the Registrar-General should be held responsible for the preference being given to Miss Beynon-over a discharged soldier. Statements made at the public meeting are quoted, and. as it is declared to be the intention to promote a petition on the subject of the appointiufnt .information is respectfully asked for ae- to the facts. v

.'WET AND SUMY' I SWANSEA fViEAT COf-DHVIHEQ i At a meeting of the Swansea Jioalta Committee on .Tuesday unrig, Mr. W. Oucn moved that they thaiili the veter- inary msjK'otor for his action, and con- firw it, III rtcentiy condemning trozen meat, and wadded Mr. Owen), we ought to congratulate ourselves he is so alive to our interests. The circa instances were that quantities of nr at, ,rabbits, etc., had been condemned as uniit tor food. This included 5, lbs of iiozen meat (in con- sequence of delay in transit), and 221 lbs. of bacon, faultily cured. One hind quar- ter of beef was condemned, and corres- pondence with regard to it was read from the Assistant Divisional Food Commis- sioner .at Cardiff to the effect that the Divisional Food Commissioner desired Li:a to call attention tu the action of Mr. Weir (tloe vet. inspector), with regard to the condemnation of frozen meat, and to a report by M). A. Woodman, the divi- pionut disttihutu?) t'.tlict'r. which alk?d t:hat the Uifat ?as nt t?r food. It wmdd appear from the remarks ti 1. 2 to Mr. Woodman," eays the report, tllat cei-ta n but- chers in Swansea are endeavouring to take up the position that they will deal il-ith the frozen meat in such a way its they think proper. This is a pj Ition wnich cannot be tolerated, and if frozen meat is to be condemned in Swansea on insufficient rrounds by the inspector, it will greatly add to the Minis-try':? difficul- ties in dealin with the whole question of e distribution of meat there. In view" of the great importance of the food ques- tion he (the town clerk took the matter up very strongly indeed, and received a report from Mr. Weir, who gave his reasons for condemning the meat. They were that the meat was slimy and wet, and that green discolouration (III pilrts), and decomposition had set in. The Same night Mr. Woodman ex- pressed the view that the meat was all right except that it was wet. He also Aeicled that if the quarter "èTl washed in a solution of horax and hot water he would guarantee it world b? all right on the next morning. On t,lo following day Mr. Weir examined the meat and found it much wetter, more slimy, and the stench of decomposition was more pronounced than before the washing. He (Mr. Weir) therefore refused to withdraw his certificate of condemna- tion. Mr. Woodman (son of a Pontar- dawe butcher) phallenged this re- port, and the Town Clerk pressed the matter forward, and ultimately wrote the assistant Divisional Commissioner a letter accepting the view of Mr. \Veir a qualified man with great experience. Ue (the town clerk) thought that the in- Kpector could have done no other than what he had done in the matter, viz., con- demn the meat. The Chairman snid that the people must riot lose confidence in their officials. The motion of Mr. Owen was carried.

TIRYDAIL TROUBLE OVER. I As the result of a meeting between the arbitrators, Messrs. Oliver Harris and II. T. Walc-s, and representatives of tho owners and workmen, the dispute at Tirydail, which recently caused a --trike of 3,000 workmen in the anthraeite dis- trict, has been settled.

'BUS IN A BROOK. I An accident which might have had serious consequences befel one oi: lin.d South Wales Transport 'buses at the foot of Skewen Ilill on Wednesday evening. The engine went wrong and the fo«.r brake snapped while being applied. The 'bus, which was full. started backwards and jumping the curb it went over the side down a steep bank into the Skewen b rook, I fortunately without overturning. All the passengers escaped except one, who sustained a slight injury to the hand.

TAiBACH TAXI FIRE. The unusual sight of a taxieab on fire was witnessed on the main street betweer Port Talbot and Taibach on Monday ?i?itt. The ear, belonging to Mr. T. J. liichards, Beverley-street. Port Talbot, was being driven by Julius Olsen. He noticed something wrong with the wheels. and when fetching tools from the box under the seat petrol caught fire and flames immediately enveloped the body of the car. Margam Fire Brigade extin- guished the tiames. Passengers and driver escaped uninjured.

ABERAVON THEFT CHARGE. I At Aberavon on Thursday, Muriel I Meyrick (17), of Skewen, was charged with istealing ?C2 1 ( with stealing £ 2 10s. in Treasury notes, the property of Rene Roman, a Belgian woman, of ew Bridge-road, Aberavon. Rene Roman said that on Tuesday of last week the defendant came to her house with a friend and stayed there till Fri- day. She had a purse on the dresser con- taining £ 3 w. in rotes and 7s. in silver., On Friday she missed £1 10s. in notes. P.S. Swafneld said that when arrested deftndifnt admitted the-theft and handed him El 4s. 2d.. what was left of the money. The rest she had spent at the fair. Her father said the ;drl had been brought up hy ber grandmother. On f r> day week she ran away from home. He could not account for her conduct. De- fendant said she came down to some -friends at Aberavon. She pleaded guilty. The Bench bound her over for six months and ordered her to pa; 6.

A fatal accident occurred at the HzSfod, Swansea, on Wednesday morning, at about 7.45 o'clock when Wm. Williams. aged 13, of 2, Neath-road, Hafod, fell off .a wall.

TOO LATE FOR CLASSIFICATION. NEATH, UNION. TO TRADESMEN. rIMIE Guardians of the Boor of the Neath Union invite TENDERS for he Supplies of Provisions. Clothing, Meat, Cotftns, Ironmongery, Boots, Bread, Straw, Potatoes, for their Poor Law Institutions (Llettv Nedd and Cottage Homes) for three months ending 31st December, 1918; II*irc\itHhi £ Printing, Stationery and Milk for dz months; and Coal for Llett.v Sedd. Cottage Homes and the New In- firmary for six or twelve months. Form of Tender (in which alone will Tenders lie considered) may be had on application to me. Sealed Tenders must reach me on or before 12 noon on the 23rd September. 1P1S. r The Guardians do not bind themselves to accept any Tender in its entirety or I any portion of 6uch Tender. Bv Order. EDWARD POWELL, Clerk" Union Offices, Neath, j 12th September, HIlS. f

TOWN TALK. Ex-Sergi. P. Morgan has raised a pump- kin which weighs nearly 80 lbs. on his Burryport allotment. Can anyone beat this r -:0: The conductor of the Neath Orpheu- Male Voice Choir has been presented • with a book c-aso. Quite appropriate, but he generally book cases! Pontar«lulais named four aeroplanes, and Gorseinon a Tank. as the result .-1 their respective efforts 'during war wea- pons weeis. Excellent! —: Ix Neath anglers will hardly be interested in the fact that the trout season has been extended. It seems that all the trout in Xedd, and the Anglers, have been caught! -:0:- Port Talbct people like to be clean. The receipts at the Public Baths during July and August were Lt6 17s. 4d., as compared with .£22 4t;. Sd. in the same period last year. -:0:- Wise men of the East brought gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh. Farmers of East Carmarthen have brought even more valuable gifts to the Pontardulais Red Cross Committee in the shape of live and dead stock and other produce. -:0:- When the Llandilo Rural Council, on Saturday, decided to present an address of welcome to Mr. Lloyd George during his visit to that town—probably next month—one of the members pictured the Premier and the labyrinth of freedom- giving ceremonies and presentations of welcome, crying out, Save me from my friends." —:<* — Writing in the "Times" eome years ago a. correspondent says his mother told him she remembered this in Wales about 18.50: '"The Communion table stood in the aisle, and tile farmers were in the habit of putting their hats upon it, and when the sermon begati they lit their pipes and smoked, but without any idea of irreverence" The Council School at Three Crosses, which was erected in 1874, is unique, in- asmuch as every stone, brick and tile, as well as the timber used in the con- struction, was brought from Dunvant Station by mules. This is Y:'l"hed for by the older residents of the village, who distinctly remember the old muleteer and his big pack of mules. V. As an incentive to. economy the coal scuttles are to be removed from all rooms in centrally heated Government offices. Last winter Sir Alfred Mond, the I^j-.st Commissioner, and Sir Lionel Earle, Sec- retary of the Board of Works, bolk of whom occupy spacious rooms, contrived to do without fires. This winter they in- tend to follow the same Spartan course. It I would be interesting to know." wri a West Wales man, "the origin of the names given to the local fairs in the town of Carmarthen-" 'aev axe: Ffair Mis Bach (February), Ffair Newydd (June), Ffair John Brown (John Brown's Fair), Goosebery Fair. Ffair Mwyar (Blackberry fair), Ffair Calan Gauaf (November). — tt— Judge Parry tells a good story. ,\moD6 the visitors to an old Welsh church was a curate of the Vere de Vere stage type who kppt on saying his family came over with the Conqueror. He kept interrupt- ing the old verger's story of tIlt:, fabric, and after the fifth or sixth interjection the reverend snob was snubbed with "Yes, yes, but we was here long before that." A deputation from Aberavon and Port Talbot Chamber of Trade attended Mar- gam Council to complain of the smoke and grit nuisance caused by the local steel works. The Council lias made many re- presentations to the company, but all have ended in smoke, And more of it. 'Well, as we say at Landore, you cannot have prosperity without smoke. There are compensations from the biggest nui- sances. -:0:- Shortly after Sir Samuel Evans took silk in 1901 he appeared as leading coun- sel in a case in one of the Divisional Courts, and was in the act of dplivering an argument when Mr. John Burns, M.P., who was immediately behind him, placed his hat on the seat reserved for King's Counsel. Sir d.lll-1Pl immediately ceased speaking, took up the. hat, and handed it back to its'owner, remarking in ouite audible tones, "Only silk allowed here. John." —! Ot — At least one Ammanford councillor has a conscientious objection to serving on the Fuel Committee. as he contends that the Order in its enforcement in a town like Ammanford, where every two families out of three get their ton of coal a month un- rationed from the local collieries, will prove a mostun fair piece of business. One man with a small family will get .t,w,plre toTv«r -»-.f -,oal, and his next-door neighbour, perchance with a. large family, will get only tbree tons. —: o: — Sir Samuel Evans, who is happily re- covering from Tiis recent operation, is mentioned as the new Law Lord. Sir Samuel was always credited with being a sound lawyer, and if he is appointed to succeed the lato Lord Parker he will cer- tainly add lustre to the higher branch of England's great litigatory chamber. By the bye, the last time Sir Samuel visited these parts (accompanied by his charming American wife) was the occasion of at- tending the funeral at Oystermouth. of his old friend Lord Glantawe. -.I 0: The Llandilo Guardians are having cor- respondence with an inmate of the Car- marthen Lunatic Asylum as to his in- come. His last letter erred, if anything, on the side of can dour, for he seriously stated that he had for a long time now fully expected some of the m^^rers to arrive and ta6ke up their abode there, like himself. ,A roar of laughter followed this statement, which one member was dis- posed to regard as a sign of returning sanity on the patient's part. But in jus- tice to the Guardians, it should be said that they instructed the clerk to send a courteous letter in reply. —: o. — An Australian sergeant on leave de- scribes various methods he has of letting his son know in which part of the world he is. His son is an R.A.F. oiffcer. No platoon officer, after a morning's work at censoring letters, would suspect that the heading Somme-where in France" was anything but a case of mis-spelling. The Australia's son knew better. I hope you likee Swedish stamps I sent you. I will send some Turkish soon," he wi-ote when was in Gallipoli. Later, his eon, when on leave at a private house, re- ceived letters addressed to A. lias. Esq and Mr. B. E. Thune." It was not diffi- cult to decode Arras and Bethune.

Heard's Etnds Pre-eminent ruK FIRST-CLASS FRUiT, VEGETABLES, and CONFECTIONERY, WHOLESALE AND RETAIL. HEARD'S STORES, 17 Static Road, PORT TALBOT, 67, High Street, ABERAVON, j 10 Parade, NEATH, :i 18, Wsndcor Road, NEATH.

which will sustain the life at full vigour. The life of the worker must be a great charge on the State. We must see that the national resources are developed to the full. In the past LAgriciilttire liad been almost neglected. In. the future land must lie cultivated to its fullest capacity. When the war was over hun- dreds of miles of steel rails would be available for the development of trans- portation. Reconstruction must begin the moment the war ends. The Prime Minister went on to say that be asked no man to scrap his principles. He only asked that, to the new condi- tions revealed by the war, they would give consideration with an unprejudiced mind. We want neither reaction nor revolution, but a 6onnd, well-developed reconstruction. But they must win the war first. They must be prepared when peace comes. He had scanned the horizon, and could see signs that indicated atmospheric dis- turbances in the sound and economic world. If they took heed in time they would enjoy good weather for the great liarve,st wh I. was c(onjin, when the fierce heat of the summer now beating upon them in this great war would' be ovfT and past. The Premier epokg for an hour and a half. ¡,J,ltl.