Evening Express

CORPORATION V. PEOPLE. At its next meeting the Cardiff Corpo- ration will again have before it the ques- tion of permitting the sale of refresh- ments at Roath Park on Sundays. Good Fridays, and Chfistmas Days. It is ear- nestly to be hoped the city fathers will take a reasonable view of this quesion, and not be brow-beaten by a few narrow- minded faddists who are some three or four hundred years behind tne age. There can be no question whatever thac the step proposed would be hailed as a boon and a godsend by immense numbers of Car- diffians, and we utterly fail to see in what way the privilege could possibly be abused. The objection to permitting the sale of simple refreshments oil Sundays equally applies to the opening of the Park itself on that day. Having overcome the ob- jection to running the tramcars on Sun- days, there ought to be very little difficulty in )overcoming the refreshment house objections. In other towns there is a battle royal going on over the Sunday question. It is largely, of course, a matter for the people di the town. If the Newport folk do not want Sunday ears then there is no reason why they should be forced upon them -but if, as was the case in Cardiff, the majority of people want them, then the corporation have no right to place their own personal prejudices in the way. There is ho ques- tion iik-t- the majority of Cardiff people who use the Roath Park on Sundays want the refreshment-house opened, and it is nothing short of disgraceful that a majo- rity of the corporation should withhold the privilege. j

We wonder was it with intent that the Cardiff Bench made the punishment so neatly fit the crime as they did yesterday. A lad convicted of stealing a half-sove- reign was awarded ten strokes with the birch. A simple calculation works this out at a shilling a stroke, and no doubt before the basting was over the culprit wished the decimal or some other system had reduced the num ber of ohillings in the small but glittering piece which so captivated his fancy.

——— It is satisfactory to note that Cardiff Corporation are no longer marking time with regard to the western sewer, but that they have served the requisite notices to treat, and will soon be considering the claims of the landowners interested. It is well known that for a long time past this question has been growing more and more urgent, and that the absence Of an adequate sewer has been handicapping the west as compared with the more favoured east. The construction will be a question of time; still the ratepayers, who have waited so long and patiently, will be thankful that the matter is moving at last.

Mainly About People. Sir Frederick Mappin has resigned his directorship of the Midland Railway, and this is taken to indicate that he will shortly' retire from Parliament. Sir Frederick, who is the oldest member of, the House of Com- mons in point of age save one-Mr. Spencer Charrington—is eighty-two. He has sat for the Hallamahire Division of Yorkshire since the creation of the constituency in 1835. The King and Queen, says the "Onlooker," ) showed the sincerest sympathy with the late Viacount C-oiville throughout his illness; and during the last few days of his life they came to his houae together, and sat for some time at his bedside, conversing with him, and hold- iag his band. The immediate cauft of his illness wna a slight cut on his foot, which might have had no ill results, but he was very averse to making an invalid of himself, and instated on standing and walking about on his golden wedding day, while, like a true courier, he was determined that nothing should interfere with his Court duties, and the black silk stockings, which he wore with the regulation dress, poisoned the wound, so that, at his great age, it caused gangrene- and then the end. Old Mme. Lonbet, the President's mother, still lives, and however much occupied he may be, the President always finds times occasion- ally to visit the old home at Marsanne. Ib has often been told that the only member of his inner circle who did not rejoice at his election to the Presidency was his mother. She failed to see how his being President would conduce to his happiness. When he was President of the Senate she was busy baking the week's bread as he unexpectedly ■ dropped in from Paris. She asked him to I watch the oven while she was arranging to add something to the family dinner. M. Loubet immediately put on her wid-e blue apron and sat patiently attending to the loaves until relieved King Alfred up-to-date. Most of us are philosophers enough to expect a little pain occasionally; what worries us most is that it always comes in the wrong place. Mr. Chamberlain has certainly been the toatt of more venomous attack and unfair insinuation than any living Engliah states- moll There it a ramour (says the Club Chatterer" in "To-day"), for instance, that his sudden crusade in favour of preferential trade had no nobler object than to wreck the Government, and, by, consequence, the Irish Land Bill. Only last week, again, it ,Waa declared that Mr. Chamberlain by the obsti- nate stand he took in the Cabinet on the ques- tion of the minimum price almost brought about the resignation of Sir Antony McDonnell, the Irish Under-Secretary. Those who know Mr. Chamberlain best pay little heed to such canards. Few men have fought more consistently during the last twenty years for fair play to Ireland than the Colonial Secretary. When sitting in Mr. Gladstone's Cabinet, in the early eighties, he stood out against the adoption of coercive measures until the la-st moment. So con- cerned did he become later as to the badness of the Irish land law that he stumped" around many of the towns of Ulster, rousing the people to the demand for Radical reform. Moreover, it is an open secret that the great Irish Local Government-Act a few years ago was planned and designed by Mr. Chamber- lain, who saw it carried through, much against the inclinations of Lord Salisbury himself. I expect the conception of Joey" as a hater of Ireland is chiefly due to the fset that the Irish members have for many years regarded him as their arch-enemy. In the course of the Home Rule struggle, he did not mince his words, and, in turn, came in for quite a torrent of abusive language." Judas," traitor," and so on, were names commonly flung at him, and every crime of meanness in the calendar was at one time or another attri- buted to him. It is only the sensation- mongers, however, who are at present build. ing on this foundation the picture of a demoniacal Colonia I Secretary scheming darkly for revenge, ready to wreck hia party and the Empire in order to get his own back out of the Irish members. Lady Spencer, who is lying seriously ill at Spencer House, has for nearly fifty years been one of the most important and dis- tinguished women in London society. She was Miss Charlotte Seymour, daughter of Mr. Frederick Seymour, who was grandson to the first Lord Hertford, immortalised by Thackeray as the Marquess of Steyne. Her marriage with Lord Spencer took place in 1857, *and has been among the happiest and most peaceful of unions. Lady Spencer was once a very beautiful woman, and has always maintained a fine presence and great dignity of bearing. In her young days she was known as Spencer's Faery Queen. She studied dress, and rich costumes well became her, as did her splendid diamond tiara, arranged in the Grecian key pattern. In past years Spencer House was famed for its brilliant hospitalities, but of late few enter- tainments have been given, with the excep- tion of dinners and an occasional political party. The last time that Lady Spencer was well enough to appear in public was on the occasion of the Coronation of King Edward and Queen Alexandra in Westminster Abbey. Queen Alexandra has always evidenced a sincere esteem and affection for Lady Spen- cer, often writing to her, and seeking her society in the afternoon for the purpose of visiting picture-galleries, etc. St. Leonards owes Lady Spencer a debt of gratitude. She discovered its charms, and mild salubrious air; and, by her wish. Lord Spencer pur- chased a residence there-The Marina-wh-ere he and his wife have stayed for months together during the last few years. Lady Spencer may also be said to have set the ball of fashion rolling in the direction of Bays- water. La8t summer—the Corona-tkm. season—she and Lord fencer took a house in Lancaster Gate for several months. Lady Spencer has been the noblest of women in her life, has many friends, and not a single enemy. All the world will wish her a speedy restoration to health. The Army, from its highest member to its lowest, will congratulate the first Baroo of Kilvey—or, to give him his more popular name, Lieut.-General Francis Wallace Gren- fell—on his betrothal to the Hon. Aline Majendie. Whether as Sirdar in Egypt, as Inspector-General in the War Office, or as Governor of Malta, the gallant warrior has displayed a knack of getting himself at once liked and respected, which few men in authority have ever equalled. Lord Grenfell is a Welshman, and all Wales loves him for his genuine pride in being called the Swansea' Boy." His war career is well known to most people, but it may be mentioned that he is an ardent Egyptologist. He has been a widower since '99, and he lost a son, as brave and urbane as himself, in the battle of Omdurman.

CARDIFF TRAMWAYS. Returns of Cars, Passen gers Carried, and Receipts. No. of PaA mgers Receipts. I Week ending: Cars Carried. L s. d. March 14 430t 389.310 1,676 12 4 Md-rch 21 434 ,3a9,053 1,675 16 8 i March 28 446 391,424 1,683 1 11 April 4 466 393,541 1,699 5 2 Atril 11. 597 420,057 1,872 19 8, April 13 620 453,583 1,979 18 0 April 25 603 379,251 1,6.39 9 ;1 May 2 ..n. 611 399,489 1,719 14 6 May 9 .n.. 603 400.920 1.729 166 May 16 60S 394,$26 1.704 2 tJ May 23 647 433.012 .1.e79 12 Hi May 30 693 483,520 .2,096 3 11J June 6 737 605,855 .2,734 6 8 June 13 714. 445,573 .1.924 3 5 June 20 7C6 423,590 .1,832 0 3 June n. 712 471.019 .2.060 9 4 July 4 741 486.242 .2,126 a a Last week: Sunday. 64 32,920 151 15 6 Monday 110 71.674 31111 2 Tuesday 110 67.239 293 8 2 Wednesday 112 78,269 347 3 5 Thursday 110 69.508 302 11 1 Thursday 30' Friday 110 62,738 270 18 11 Saturday 125 103,894 449 05 Of the 741 cars 532 were ordinaries, 107 ¡I specials, and 102 workmen's.

DOWLAiS BOY'S ESCAPADE. Edward Rowlands, a little boy, was charged before the stipendiary at Merthyr on Thurs- day with stealing a purse containing £2 108 7d. from the dress pocket of Ann Jones, in the Dowlais Market, on Saturday after- noon. The prisoner after taking the purs? ran away, but he was chased, and he threw :t down and succeeded in escaping capture On Saturday night, when he saw Police- sergeant Edwards approaching him whilst playing with other boys, he made a bolt. The sergeant on Wednesday saw the prisoner, who had not been home since the robbery playing on the Gellifaelog tips. Two constables in plain clothes were sent after him. but he ) disappeared into a culvert and, opening a trap-door, got into a 20-inch sewer pipe, where he remained for about two hours before he emerged. The prisoner, who was stated to be beyond the control of his parents, was re- manded to the workhouse for a week with a view to arrangements being made for sending him to a reformatory.

NEWPORT TRAM FARES Two important questions bearing upon trrmway matter at Newport are before the corporation of that town. Councillor Moxon proposes at the next meeting to bring for- ward a, motion revising the fares on the Cor- poration-road and Chepstow-rcad routes; and Councillor Abrahamson proposes that before any further expenditure takes place on a tramway system for Stow-hill the tramways committee of the corporation be asked to make inquiries and report to the council upon the question of the adoption of motor buses.

———————————— FATALITY AT DUNVANT A terrible accident occurred at Mr. Samuel Jones's Penlan Quarry on Thursday after- noon. By some means a man named John Daniel, aged 50, of Waunarllwyd, fell over the quarry to the ground below, a distance of some 300ft., and when picked up death was found to have been instantaneons- Dr. Davies, Gowerton. was sent for, bat could do nothing.

MAN AND WIFE. i Merthyr Couple in the: j Law Court. HIS HONOUR AND "TWO OLD FOOLS." I At Merthyr County-court on Thursday Margaret Prosser brought an action against her husband, Evan Prosser, a farmer, of Derl, to recover certain goods or, in the alterna- tive, their value, '.vhich she claimed as being her separate property, part of them having belonged to her before marriage and the rest being presents given to her since. Mr. W. R. Edmunds appeared for the plaintiff, and Mr. F. P. Charles for the defendant. It transpired that the paries, who are elderly people and whc had been married 27 years, had had some disagreement, and were now living apart. Recently the present defen- dant instituted a Cha-ncery action, whereby a sum of £ 800, which had been banked in the name of the wife, was directed to be trans- ferred to his name, but he allowed her JE80 out of the money, and agreed to pay her 10s. a week. It was alleged on the part of the husband that the plaintiff had taken away all the things belonging to her, and that he had no effects whatever of hers now in his possession. His Honour Judge Williams described the pair as two old fools, and adjourned the case till next court, with a view to seeing if some mutual arrangement could not be come to in the meantime. COMPENSATION CLAIM. Sarah Jones, Stuart-street, Merthyr. claimed compensation from Messrs. Crawshay Bros., Cyfartha (Limited) in respect of the loss of her son. Dlvid Jones, who was fatally injured whilst at work as a collier in the Cwm Pit in the beginning of the year. Mr. A. Parsons (instructed by Mr. J. W. Lewis) appeared for the applicant, and Mr. F. Sydney Simons represented the respondents. The only question at issue was as to whether the mother was wholly or only par- tially dependent upon the earnings of the deceased.—His Honour held that it was a case ) of partial dependencr, and made an award I for payment of £250, with costs on Scale C. I SEQUEL TO AN ALLEGED ELOPEMENT. I Mr. W. R. Edmunds, solicitor, applied to his Honour under Section 17 of the Married Women's Property Act for an order directing that a sum of about JE150 invested in the Post Office Savings' Bank in the name of Mrs. Gillett, of Merthyr Vale, should be transferred to the name of the husband. The money, he said, represented the earnings of the hus- band. The wife had left home, and was sus- pected to have eloped with another man, and a warrant had been issued for her arrest.— His Honour granted the application. RUNNING DOWN CASE. I Henry Bale, an assistant timberman. living at Dowlais, claimed compensation against W. H. Hek, cab proprietor, Merthyr, for personal injuries sustained on the 14th of April. Mr. A. Parsons (instructed by Messrs. Griffiths and Thomas) appeared for the plaintiff, and Mr. J. W. Lewis for the defendant. The evi- dence showed that whilst the plaintiff was walking on the edge of the pavement in High- street, Merthyr, the shaft of a cab, owned and driven by the defendant, struck him on the back of the shoulder and knocked him down into the roadway, the near front wheel pass- ing over him and causing injuries which ren- dered him incapable of doing any work for a period of three weeks.-His Honour held that there was negligence on the defendant's part, and gave judgment for plaintiff for ten guineas, with coste.

GERMAN'S SUICIDE AT CARDIFF The adjourned inquiry into the death of Carl Muller, the German who died rather sud- denly in a Cardiff lodging-house, was con- cluded at the Town-hall, Cardiff, on Thurs- day (before Mr. E. B. Reece). The inquest was adjourned from Wednesday in order to allow Dr. Buist to make a post-mortem examination of the body. Externally (said Dr. Buist) there were no marks of injury what- ever. He opened the body, and found about 5oz. or 6oz. of a dark thick fluid. The blood vessels in the wall of the stomach were con- siderably congested. He was of opinion that I Muller died through taking carbolic acid. Deceased had a weak heart, but he would have lived for a long time had he not taken the poison.—Mr. E. B. Reece said that, judging by the letter which Muller had written, and which was read on Wednesday, the man's mind had evidently been affected-tbe sen- tences not having been fir-,ir-hed.-The jury re- turned a verdict of "Suicide whilst tempo- rarily insane."

EXPLOSION AT A CARDIFF HOTEL An explosion of gas created considerable consternation at the Milton Hotel, Castle- road, Cardiff, on Thursday. The incident occurred at four o'clock, the explosion taking place beneath the flooring boards of the back bedroom. The flooring in the room was blown up, also the flooring in the passage, and one of the front windows was blown out, but strangely enough in the room where the explosion occurred the window remained intact. However, the flooring in the back bedroom became ignited, and in response to a telephonic message the fire brigade, under Superintendent Geen, proceeded to the scene, only to find upon arrival that the flames had been extinguished with buckets of water by a man named Frederick Sampson, of 87, DonaUl-street.

LICENSING TRANSFER AT CWMBRAN I The practice of allowing one person to hold two public-house licences was questioned at Cwmbran Poie-court on Thursday, when applkation was made on behalf of Mrs. Phoebe Eliza Rowe, the present licensee of the Queen's Hetel, Newport, for the temporary transfer of the Eanbury Arms, Caerleon. from Mr T. Radcliff Brown, the present holder. Superintendent James raised an empliatie objection to granting the transfer, as he did not think it wa3 desirable, in the inte- rests of proper control, that one person should hold two licences. Mrs. Rowe stated that it was her intention to allow her son-in-law and daughter to manage the house. Sir Arthur Mackworth: Then why is the application not made in the name of the aon- in-law ? Mr. T. R. P. Herbert, who appeared for the applicant, explained that Mrs. Rowe had pur- chased the present lease, and she was anxious that the licence should be in her name. Sir Arthur Mackworth, speaking person- ally, said that they had had considerable trouble with public-houses at Caerleon lately, and it was desirable that the licensee should live on the premises. Mrs. Rowe said she was very anxious to have the fall control herself. After a retirement the Bench decided to grant a temporary authority. I

CHARGE AGAINST A RHONDDA CLERK I Henry Thompson, a booking-clerk at the Taff Vale Railway Company's Dinas Station, was brought up in custody on Thursday at Porth and charged with stealing £38 7a. 6d., the moneys of his employers.—Detective Edwards said he received information of money missing from I Dinas station, and on examining the windows, doors, and safe failed to find any marks. I Suspicion fell on the booking-clerk on duty on Tuesday night, and witness asked him to account for his movements. Defendant at first denied any knowledge, but afterwards admitted taking the money, and said it was done in a drunken fit, he having had a lot of beer that night. All the money, excepting £ 1, was found concealed in a wall.—The prosecutors' case not being completed, a remand of a week was granted.

ANTI-RATE CAMPAIGN I Lively scenes took place at Sutton Police- court on Thursday, when warrants were issued for the payment of the education I rate against 25 passive ysisters. As each defendant made his protest against the rate he was loudly applauded. The magistrates threatened several times to have the court cleared. Eventually, the threat was put into I effect, and the court was cleared amid deafen- ing uproar.

THE BUTTER STANDARD I The Standing Committee on Trade sat on I Thursday to consider the Sale of Adulterated f Butter Bill. The Government proposed an I amendment to reduce the standard of pure I butter from 20 per cent. of water to 16 per cent.—Mr. Dalsiel opposed, and said the Irish members had been bought over.—The Irish members of the Committee were div-ided. -.ine aELdndment was said to be directed against milk-blended bntter.-The amendment was finally carried by eighteen to eight.

THE TIN-PLATE TRADE The men's wages and disputes board in the tin-plate trade held a meeting on Thurs- day at the Dookers'-ball, Swansea, under the presidency of Mr. James Wignall. The busi- ness involved matters of detail in preparation for the next meeting of the conciliation board.

I JEALOUS LOVER. Found. Hidden Under the Bed. ASSAULTS HIS SWEETHEART AT PORTH. Williams Simonds, 10, Eirw-road, Porth, appeared at Porth on Thursday in answer to a charge of doing grievous bodily harm to Caro- line Groves, of 17, Eirw-road. Complainant said she had been keeping com- pany with the defendant for nearly a year. He used to lodge with her mother, but was sent away a month ago owing to his drinking habits, and witness rejected further attentions from him. On Saturday night the defendant went to their house drunk and hid under a bed upstairs. He was seen there by a brother of the prosecutrix and came downstairs. He rushed at the complainant, taking hold of her by the throat, and she fainted. Police-constable Davies arrested the defen- dant, who, in reply to the charge, said, I wish to say it ia all through jealousy. I have been going with Miss Groves for a long time, and we agreed to get married, but now lately she gave me up and is going with another young man." Mr. James Phillips, who was for the defence, said the act was committed while the defen- dant was in a state of mad drunkenness. If sober he would have caressed rather than assaulted her. The Bench reduced the charge to one of aggravated assault, and sentenced the defen- dant to three months' imprisonment.

LAW DEPARTMENT SUCCESSES I Good Work by Aberystwith Students. The students at the faculty of law at Aberystwyth have been uniformly successful both in the university and professional examinations. Mr. J. Griffiths Morris and Mr. David Jones have passed the first exami- nation for the degree of Ll.B. The examiners were Mr. W. Bla-ke Odgers, K.C., Ll.D., and Professor Levi, M.A., B.C.L. Mr. Blake Odgers paid a high tribute to the work of the two candidates. Mr. T. G. Deane Burdett obtained a firet-class in the intermediate solicitors' examination; Mr. Trevor Hughes, a former stndent, recently obtained the same distinc- tion. Mr. Noyes, who is reading for the degree of Ll.B., and Mr. Harries, son of Dr. T. D. Harries, were also successful at the intermediate solicitors' examination. Another stndent at the law department, Mr. H. Ton- kinson, B.Sc., is a candidate for the Indian Civil Service, and is expected to take a very high place at the Civil Service examination in August. Mr. Edward Jenks, reader in English Law at the University of Oxford, undoubtedly one of the most distinguished jurists of the day, has consented to give the inaugural lecture of the law department next session.

A MYSTERIOUS WELSHMAN. Arranging for a Cymric Colony in Canada. A recent copy of the Toronto "Mail and Empire" states that a man named Thomas Davies, of Cardiff, has arrived at Montreal, who says that he has been sent on behalf of a party of Welshmen who intend to settle in the North-West of Canada. He stated that the party that woald come ont, if his report proved satisfactory, would be largely made up of farmers of means. The number would probably be between 100 and 200. Mr. Murray, the Canadian agent at Cardiff, was asked as to his knowledge of the above-named gentle- man, and said in reply that he had heard of no such movement in Wales as that mentioned by Mr. Thomas Davies, and, consequently, he believed it highly improbable that such a movement was on foot. Of course, there waa a possibility that Mr. Davies's mission was genuine.

SANITARY CONGRESS. Theory of the Survival of the Fittest. -1 In the course of the proceedings at the Sanitary Congress at Bradford yesterday Professor Clifford Allbutt combatted the Dar- winian theory of the survival of the fittest, and urged that the medical profession should cease to mitigate incurable maladies whereby useless lives were prolonged and the survival of bad stocks promoted. Papers were read on the -treatment of consumption, and all the doctors present were unanimous in their atti- tude that consumption ought now to be treated as a disease of which notification should be compulsory under Act of Parlia- ment, and a resolution which will go to the Government was passed to that effect. Dis- cussion showed and it was generally agreed that the chief cause of consumption was over- crowding in towns.

HENL&Y REGATTA The last day of Henley opened in bright sunshine, and the racing was watched by a large attendance. In the final for the grand Challenge Cup, Leander beat Third Trinity by 6ft., after a great race all the way. Time. 7min. 9scc. Ladies' Plate (Final).—Magdalen (Oxford) beat Eton. This was another close race. Magdalen won by a length. Time, 7min. 33sec. Thames Cup.-Dublin beat Kingston by a length, after a severe struggle. Time, 7min. 37ffec. Goblets (Final).-Berlin R.C. beat Kingston. Won very easily by a dozen lengths. Time, 8inin. 45sec. Stewards' Cup (Final).—Third Trinity beat Netherlands. Trinity led almost from the start, and won easily by three lengths. Time, 8min. 5sec. Wyford Cap.-1st, Kingston; 2nd. London. Won by a length and 4ft., in 8min. 283ec. WORCESTER REGATTA. There was a strong entry at Worcester I Regatta on Thursday in the Severn Plate for junior forms. The Taff Vale Amateurs in the fourth test met Birmingham, who had already beaten Bridgnorth in the previous test. Birmingham led at the start, and, after keeping a bad course, won by two lengths. The Amatenrs were never really dangerous. Birmingham were beaten in the final by Worcester. This was the only event for which the Taff Vale Amateurs entered.

WILL OF THE LATE GENERAL I MACOONAtD The will of the late General Sir Hector Macdonald was lodged in Edinburgh on Thursday. It was signed at Umballa on December 27, 1899. before the deceased pro- ceeded to South Africa on active service. The movable estate amounts to £ 4,402. the testa- tor 'bequeathing everything to his son, Hector. The general bequeaths his swords of honour and addresses to his son as heirlooms, and directs that his old charger, "Knowall," should be shot, and one hoof mounted and given to General Sir Charles Zr. Aguilar, and the others kept by his son. With the excep- tion of his plate, the Mahdi's banner, certain pictures, swords, and spears, the remainder of the testator's goods is to be sold for the benefit of his son. The will appoints Mr. Turner, of Wigan Junction Colliery, guardian to the testator's son, but, Mr. Turner having predeceased General Macdonald, the guardian- ship falls naturally to Lady Macdonald.

AUTOMOBILE TOUR IN IRELAND The automobile tourists on Thursday jour- neyed from Dublin to Cork in order to carry out that part of their programme arranged for the South of Ireland. The cars, number- ing about 40, adopted various routes, but the majority of the travellers drove straight through to Cork by the shortest road. The weather was very favourable, the roads were good, and everywhere the motorists were well received by the people. The cars are to be on view in the exhibition grounds on Saturday, and the Lord Mayor of Cork will present the prizes to the successful competitors.

SUICIDE OF A DEFAULTING I STOCKBROKER J. S. Meakin, a former well-known mem- ber of the Birmingham Stock Exchange, died at Rromsgrove on Thursday from self-inflicted wounds. He resided at Ombersley, and was found with his throat cut in a wood near there on Wednesday night. Meakin before joining the Stock Exchange was casfiier in one of the best-known banks in the city, and resided at King's Heath. On Wednesday he was posted on 'Change as a defaulter under Law 175, and declared no longer a member of the Exchange. This, no doubt, led to the suicide.

THE MOST FASHIONABLE BESTATTBANT TEA 1 Booms in Wales.-Varied menu, refined cookery, and most modmut Deroar, nwb-VL. cum. onm I

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YOU CAN NOW BEGIN I The Easy Competition for 100 Sovereigns, IN WHICH EVERYONE MAY TAKE A HAND. On July 1 began the easy competition of which details will be found on Page 4 in "the "Evening Express" every day. In this effort every one may take part. Pick out the paragraph which you think the most interesting on any date in the three months in either of the two columns named in the notice on the said Page 4. For convenience' sake paste this paragraph on the top of a good-flized piece of paper (say a foolscap sheet), and underneath the paragraph write the date upon which it appeared in the "Evening Express." Then, day by day, paste on to the same sheet 60 of the coupons which will appear in the "Evening Express" every day for the next three months (see above). Seventy-nine coupons will appear during the three months, but it will be sufficient if you send in 60 of diffe- rent dates with each paragraph selected. You thus have a margin of nineteen days in case you happen to miss a few days through being away on holidays or other causes. With the 60th and every later coupon will appear a form, having linea on which you will write, very plainly, your name and full postal address. If you have any questions, send them along to the Editor of the "Evening Express," Cardiff.

WELSH CONGREGATIONAL UNION. Fourth Day's Meetings at Dowlais. The proceedings of the Welsh Congregational Union were continued at Dowlais on Thurs- day, under the most favourable circumstances. At nine o'clock the new executive of the Union met at Gwernllwyn, when the various sub-committees were appointed. It was resolved to print the resolution on the Educa- tion Act which had been submitted to the two crowded public meetings held at Bethania and Gwernllwyn Chapels on Wednesday evening, and to forward the same to all the education authorities in Wales and Monmouthshire. The next meeting of the committee will be held at Llandrindod Wells early in September for the purpose of preparing the programme of the next annual session of the Union, to be held at Bangor. The annual meeting of the Congregational Pastors' Provident Society of Wales (estab-1 lished in 1875) was held at the same hour. The treasurer's statement of accounts showed that the receipts during the year were L396 6s. 4d. and the payments ES07 15s. Throughout the remainder of the day preach- ing services were held at the various chapels,! which were crowded, and among the preachers were the Revs. Principal Lewis Probert, D.D. (Bangor), O. Lloyd Owen (Birkenhead), W. J. Nicholson (Portmadoc), W. Ross Hughes (Borthygest), W. Rhydderch (Waunfawr), Machreth Rees (London), and T. Evans (Amlwch). At the public meetings held at Bethania and Gwernllwyn on Wednesday evening cordial votes of thanks were tendered to the Churchee and the people of Dowlais generally for the hospitality shown towards the Union dele- gates, special mention being made of the local committee and Mrs. Jones (Galon-uchaf) for the reception tea which she provided. REFORMING THE CONSTITUTION. Probably one of the most important and far-reaching of the resolutions parsed at the Welsh Congregational Union at Dowlais was tha.t of which Mr. T. Roberta (Landore) had given notice. Hitherto the Union has had several committees more or less independent of the executive and of the Union itself, which have done good work—such :0.8 the Canied- ydd" committee, Sunday School committee, literature committee, and temperance com- n ittee. It has. however, been felt for some time that it would be advisable and advan- tageous to have all these separate committees amalgamated, and that a trust deed be forn.ed to secure all the copyrights and pub- lications of these several committees and make them the property of the Union.—After some discussion a resolution to this effect was carried, and though it will take some time to make all arrangements for the carrying out of the resolution, there is no doubt that the results will exceed the most- sanguine expec- tations. TLe Welsh Congregationalists are moving in the direction of having a book-room and a publishing department of their own and its own permanent staff. In short, they are exerting themselves to have the denomination in Wales placed on the same basis and con- ducted on the same lines, as far as possible, as the denomination in England.

CHEAP RAILWAY TICKETS. I Important Action by Newport I Council. The Newport Corporation, through its Par- liamentary and improvement committee, has been giving attention to the question of return and week-end railway fares, which are of so much interest at this time of the year. The matter arose on a letter from the Liver- pool Chamber of Commerce asking that the corporation should strongly support a move- ment for a proposed reduction in railway fares, which were procured for Scotland by the united efforts of various public interests, and suggesting that the corporation should approach by letter or otherwise the principal railway companies in this district on the matter. It appeared that ordinary return tickets at a fare and a half, available for six months, and allowing break of journey at all places en route, are issued practically from all places in Scotland to all places in Scot- land and England without any distinction being made between ports, manufacturing towns, university cities, and other places of historic note; in fact, without discriminating between business, educational, and pleasure purposes, and that week-end return tickets at single fares plus 2s. in the case of first-class tickets and Is. in the case of third-class tickets, are issued on Fridays for journeys undertaken in both Scotland and England, and are available for return up to Tuesday night by all express trains, including the English expresses. The committee resolved that the town-clerk be instructed to write to the Great Western Railway Company, pointing out these facts and respectfully suggesting that similar facilities on their system ought to be offered to thj8 district.

OBITUARY I MR. J. E. POWELL, BEDLINOG. I Mr. John E. Powell, of the Old Post-office, Bedlinog. died early on Thursday, at the age of 59. Mr. Powell waa a. native of Llandovery, and the eldest son of the late Mr. John Powell, grocer, Wellington-street, Merthyr. Mrs. Powell aDd five children survive him. He had been postmaster for twenty years, and, though not a member of any public body, he was one of tha best known and most highly respect-ed men in the district.

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DISPUTED WILL. I Local Lady's Charitable Bequests. PARTIES COME TO AN ARRANGEMENT. Mr. Justice Kekewich, sitting in the Chan- cery Division of the High Court, of Justice yesterday, resumed the hearing of the adjourned summons in the matter, which raised interesting questions under the will and codicils of the testatrix, Mary Ann Estlin, late of 36, Upper Belgrave-terraco, Clifton, in the city of Bristol. The summons was issued on the application of Mr. Edgar Albert Pritchard, of Bristol, solicitor, and Mr. Francis Gerald Senior, of Richmond, Sterrey, the executors and trustees of the will. The defendants were certain -ladies residing at Aberystwyth, in the county of Cardigan, and the Governesses' Benevolent Institution, who claimed to be beneficially interested under the will and codicils of the testatrix, who died on the 14th of November, 1902. The questions to be decided by the courts were numerous, and were reported at the opening of the case. The testatrix conceived the idea of forming a home of rest for lady teachers, where governesses could take their holiday and rest. She made a reference in her will to her desire, and expressed her wishes in a letter addressed to her executors, and sub- sequently made a oodicil, in which she re- ferred to gifts, and confirmed her will. The firs question was whether the letter was j part of the testamentary document. The next question.was whether the testatrix had constituted a valid charitable gift, and if so, was it a practicable gift. If it were not a practicable gift the testatrix directed her houses at Bristol to be sold and the proceeds to go to the Governesses' Benevolent Institu- tion. Assuming it was a good gift, the court was invited to say how it was to be carried out. Mr. Justice Kekewich, in giving judgment, said he did not entertain the slightest doubt that this was a good charitable bequest. He did not think there was any intention to use the word "lady" in a vulgar sense, but as meaning those who were capable of supporting themselves or above that class of society which in a broad sense might be said to be poor. He thought the meaning of the word "lady" in this case was teachers of the female sex. The home was a place where they found not only reasonable comforts of life according to their position, but where they found the comforts of home, and to find a home for those who needed a home was, at any rate, a charity within the broad sense, whether it was within the statute of Elizabeth or not; but still, there was a distinct charity in providing a home for any one who needed a home, but the stronger words he thought were to be found later down in the letter. After the death of the testatrix four bedrooms and one sitting- room were to be taken over by Miss Thomas for the reception of lady teachers in need of rest. This home was required in order that lady teachers might pursue their ordinary vocation of teaching the young by rendering them more vigorous and healthy. It was not intended for teachers who had become incap- able of pursuing their avocation, but only for those who for a time were incapable of te ach- ing and required a rest in order that subse- quently they might more vigorously discharge their duties. In that sense, perhaps, they were incapable for the time being of doing that in which they had been brought up. It was for the benefit of the public that there should be a class of teachers; that they should be well educated, and that they should be vigor- ous in body and mind; and in order to secure that they required not only from time to time holidays, but they required a rest to enable them to begin their duties again. It was for the public benefit that there should be pro- vided a place for ladies who were teachers who could from time to time have a short rest which would be sufficient to enable them to resume their duties with renewed vigour. Those con- siderations induced him to think that this home was undoubtedly within the meaning of the statute. His lordship asked if there were any more points to decide ? After some discussion, his Lordship directed that the oosts of the application should come out of the estate, as between solicitor and client. Counsel's briefs were endorsed as follows:- Appoint Miss Senior to represent the legatees; a declaration that the letter of the 12th of September, 1900" is to be treated as in- corporated in the will and codicil; declare that the gift for purposes of a home of rest for lady teachers is a good charitable bequest, and the court, being of opinion that the testatrix's wishes and plans expressed in the said letter have become impracticable, and by consent of the Governesses' Benevolent Institution, and the Attorney-General, and the defendants Miss Thomas and Miss Williams, that the trustees pay to Miss Thomas the sum of zC2,000 clear of all deductions for duties. Costs, or otherwise, or if the gross sum apportioned of the legacy of £ 7,000 before deducting duty and costs is less than L6,000, then one-third of such gross sum is to be paid to Miss Thomas clear of all deductions, and let the trustees pay to the Governesses' Benevolent Institution the residue of the sum apportioned to the legacy of £ 7,000, and upon such payment let the lease- holds and furniture be assigned to the Governesses' Benevolent Institution, subject to Mrs. Prentis's interest in the leaseholds; ex- tend the time for selling the leaseholds for one year from November; declare that the legacy of Mrs. Thomas for pupils is payable to the legal personal representatives of Mrs. Thomas, subject to abatement with other legacies; costs of all parties between solicitors and clients to be paid out of capital estate.

SUICIDE AT LLAWELLY. Labelling of Bottles Containing I Poison. The Llanelly coroner (Mr. W. Buckley Roderick) held an inquest at Zion Chapel Schoolroom on Thursday evening touching the death of William Harries, an elderly man, who committed suicide on Wednesday evening by taking carbolic acid. The evidence showed that deceased had a bottle in his pocket, which, he said, contained brandy. A neighbour, named Mrs. Owen, who saw and smelt the liquid, suspected that it was not brandy, and tried to take the bottle away from the man. He refused to part with it, and after striking the woman three times left the house. Later on he was found lying dead in the backyard with the bottle by his side. Mr. Evan Jones (chemist) gave evidence as to the pureh4 cf the oa?btme acid at his Bho? by the deceased, who said he wanted it for killing rats. The Coroner directed Mr. Jones's attention to the fact that his name as a chemist was not on the bottle, as required by the provi- sions of the Act. Mr. Jones explained that he sold the bottle in a cardboard packet on which his name was printed. The Coroner replied that he did not think that complied with the requirements of the I Act. The jury (of which Mr. W. Davies, printef, was foreman) went aside to consider their verdict, but Mr. W. B. Jones, who was one of the twelve, did not leave hie seat. The Foreman said they were unanimous in finding that deceased had committed suicide, whereupon the Coroner pointed out that jw-r. W. B. Jones had not been consulted. The Foreman: I thought he was among the crowd. Mr. Jones remarked that he agreed with the verdict.

EDUCATION OF THE MINER I Mr. Henry Davies, county council lecturer upon mining for Glamorgan, has issued an interesting little work, in which he chats in "a brief resume" of "Ten Years with the Glamor- ganshire Mining Classes." He writes of the increase in the number of classes and of the progress made, and says there are several weak links that require careful attention. The first of these is that lads from the elementary schools enter mines with only the crudest notions of the nature of a safety lamp and in total ignorance of the rules formed for their protection. Many accidents were attributable to that cause.

WATER POLO GLOUCESTER V. NEWPORT. These teams met on Thursday at Gloucester. A very fast game was witnessed. Goals were scored for Newport by J. Herbert, A. G. Oliver, and Thompson (2), and for Gloucester by H. W. Harris (2), and Smith, the game end- ing in a win for Newport by four goals to three goals.

WYE ARCHERY CLLB I At the second prize meeting of the Wye Archery Club held at the Park, Ross, Miss E. Seaton had the highest score with 184, includ- ing three golds. The highest score of the gentlemen was 141 by Colonel P. Thomas, and the beet gold was secured by Mise M. Witton, of Foy, near Ross.

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I MERTHYR WORTHY. Death of Aid, Thomas Williams, J.P. CLOSE OF A REMARKABLE CAREER. Mr. Thomas Williams, J.P., Gwaelodygarth, Merthyr, died at his residence at 8.30 o'clock yesterday evening. Mr. Williams, who was one of the most notable figures in the politi- cal and religious life of South Wales, came home from Llandrindod. where he was spend- ing a holiday, on the 19th of June in order to undergo an operation for a growth on the lip, and the operation was successfully per- formed by his medical attendant. Dr. Pearson Cresswell, assisted by Dr. Stuart Cresswell and Dr. Webster. The patient bore the ordeal satisfactorily, but in a few days there came a recurrence of an old internal trouble, which caused the gravest anxiety on account of Mr. Williams's advanced years and the conse. qnent loss of recuperative power. On Tues- day, the 30th of June, Dr. Reginald Harrison, a London specialist, who had seen the patient on the occasion of his last previous attack of a serious nature, was called in, but the eminent surgeon could do nothing more than what was being done by Dr. Pearson Cress- well and his son, and after staying the night returned next day to London. At times the patient showed signs of slight improvement, but these symptoms were merely transitory, and, getting gradually weaker, Mr. Williams passed peacefully away as stated. Mr. Williams was a Merthyr man, having been born in the capital of the iron and coal industries in the year 1823. Born of humble parentage, he received the rudiments of edu- cation in his native town, and when sixteen years of age was apprenticed to a local grocer. Eventually he removed to Hirwain, where he carried on business on hia own account, and established a reputation as a fair and just shopkeeper. At Hirwain he remained for about eight years. A Congregationalist in reli- gion, he became deacon at Nebo Chapel, which was the place of worship attended by his parents also. From Hirwain he removed to Trecynon, Aberdare, where he opened a large grocery business, and. became one of the lead- ing tradesmen of the town, his fame as a prosperous merchant reaching far and wide in Wales. His name was as well known in Cardiganshire and Carmarthenshire as in his native county, for he did much business with the carriers" who brought butter, cheese, eggs, and bacon from West Wales to the teem- ing population of the Works in those days. His stay at Trecynon continued for about twelve years, and during that time he was called upon to fill many local offices and was held in universal respect by his fellow-towns- men. Prospering exceedingly in the grocery trade, Mr. Williams judiciously laid out his surplus capital in various investments, chiefly connected with the iron industry. Eventually he disposed of his business at Trecynon and severing his connection with Aberdare, greatly to the regret of all he returned to his native town some time during 1852. Since then he lived at Merthyr, identifying himself with every good movement calculated to be of benefit to the town, and filling from time to time many offices of trust and responsi- bility. No man in Wales, probably, was con- nected in one way or another with so many public bodies, companies, and movements, either as chairman, office-bearer, or member. He was a director of the Great Western Col- liery Company, chairman of the Pontypridd Building Society, and chairman of the Mer- thyr Tydfil Building Society. He was ap- pointed on the commission of the peace in 18?4, was chairman of the Merthyr School Board and treasurer of the South Wales Congrega tional Association. Mr. Williams was an ardent Congregationalist. No layman in Wales, probably. did more for the sake of his denomination than he. Ever ready with his purse, he contributed cheerfully and liberally to every good cause connected with it, and otherwise furthered every movement, both by personal influence and on the platform. In proof of the great esteem in which he was held by the denomination and as a mark of appreciation of hie life-long services to the cause, it may be mentioned that Mr. Williams was. in 1890, honoured, by being elected to the chair of the Welsh Congregational Union. the first layman who filled that office. Mr. Wil- liams was also an ardent temperance reformer. Early in life, in fact, while a mere youth at Merthyr, he joined the temperance movements, and from 1839 to the day of him death kept, his pledge faithfully. He was an alderman of the Glamorgan County Council, in which capacity he ren- dered excellent service to his native county in various ways. Genial and generous to a fault, lie was highly respected by men of all social degrees and religious and political views. As a Liberal, he was a man of advanced opinions, uncompromising and con- sistent in all he dirt and said. Though, how- ever, a stern Liberal himself, he freely admitted the right of others to think and act differently. By his death Merthyr Tydfil loses one of its most prominent and respected citizens, a man who did much to further the interests of the town, and was himself an embodiment of the spirit of enterprise and prosperity which has marked Merthyr Tydfil during the present century. Mr. Williams was probably the most promi- nent and influential layman in the Congre- gational denomination in Wales, and his name as a liberal donor occurred in the lists of subscribers towards every cause and move- ment in that body for many years. He was treasurer of the Twentieth Century Fund. and on one occasion occupied the chair of the Congregational Union. He was a truly religious man. a man of devout feeling, to whom religious observances were as his daily meat and drink. In all probability, it was his religious and devout feeling that chiefly inspired him to set out some years ago on a visit to the Holy Land. He felt a longing to visit those scenes in the life of the Old Testa- ment worthies, and, above all, of Christ him- self, of which he had read in the sacred, narrative a hundred times. On that occasion he had as his travelling companion a Cardiff friend. By all accounts Mr. Williams experienced a similar emotion on setting his foot on the soil of the Holy Land with that which the Crusaders are said to have felt-he felt inclined to kiss the very ground. Indeed, it is recorded of him that while walking one day on the banks of the River Jordan he felt a sudden impulse to bathe in the sacred stream. At that spot thb current was strong and swift, but Mr. Williams was in mid-stream before his fellow-traveller had quite realised the situation. A cry from his struggling friend in the water made him hurry to the rescue. Overhanging the water, happily, there was a tree, and, laying hold of one of the branches, one friend was able to extend a helping hand to the other and bring him safe to land. It was a miraculous escape, and Mr. Williams might have on that occasion crossed the Jordan in more senses than one.

WORKMEN'S TRAINS. Special Facilities for Rhonddai Colliers. There are prospects of the movement which has been on foot for some time in the Barry district, to urge npon the management of the Ba.rry Railway Company to establish a system of cheap workmen's trains between Barry and Porth, in the Rhondda Valley, proving successful, for, we understand, the Barry directors have practically decided to establish a service of two workmen's trains a day over their main line, and the fares will be fixed at a low rate to enable the col- liers and other workers of the Rhondda Valley, where house property is scarce, to live at Cadoxton and Barry Dock, where there are a large number of vacant houses. These new trains will commence running on the 1st of August.

A BURNS SOLD FOR zCl,000 I A first or Kilmarnock edition of Burns, 1786, in original blue paper covers, has been sold by Mr. G. S. Veitch, of Paisley, to the committee of the Burns monument for their museum at Alloway. The price paid was £ 1,000. The book is faultless in every respect.

ABERDARE CHURCH BAZAAR The two days' bazaar which was opened on Wednesday at the Memorial-hall, Aberdare, was continued on Thursday under favourable auspices. There was a large gathering of the leading Churchpeople of the parish when Mrs. William de Winton, Maesderwen, Brecon (who was to perform the ceremony of declaring the bazaar open), was introduced by the Rev. C. A. H. Green, M.A. (vicar of Aberdare). Mrs. de Winton, in declaring the bazaar open, expressed the hope that the financial burden now borne by the parish would be considerably lessened as a result of the bazaar. Mr. J. E. Tremellen proposed, and Mr. E. T. Jenkins seconded, a cordial vote of thanks to Mrs. de Winton, which was enthusiastically carried. A sum of nearly JE200 was realised on Wed- nesday.

LORD KENSINGTON'S HOMECOMING Lord and Lady Kensington passed through Haverfordwest Railway Station in the down express train on Thursday evening for John- ston, where they leave the train for St. Bride'a. Arohes were erected along the road, and a hearty reception accorded the happy pair. The Mayor of Haverfordwest wired his con- gratulations to his lordahip, which were duly acknowledged. It is proposed that the cor- poration should present his lordship with an address.

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EDUCATION FINANCE I a Cost of Working the New Act. MR. LLOYD GEORGE AND I COUNTY COUNCILS. The House of Commons went into Committee of Supply yesterday, and considered the vote of E5,249,850 for the salaries and expenses of the Board of Education and for the pur- poses of edi,-ation. Sir WM. ANSON, who was but imperfectly heard, made a statement as to the working of the Education Act of last year. The number of councils of counties, county boroughs, boroughs, and urban districts en- trusted with the whole work of education within their area was altogether 333. As to the line which had been adopted by the board in regard to thefr education schemes, he would point out that the board were bound to insist primarily upon there being persons of every sort on the education committees repre- senting all the various educational interests and needs of the area. How these people were to be placed on the committee was a matter which different councils might treat in different ways. The councils might put these people on the committees by their own selection, or they might invite other bodies to nominate for the committee. All that the board had to see was that no injustice was likely to be done to any kind of school or class of education. In the schemes which had been sanctioned he thought the interests of all denomina- tions had been fairly dealt with. Addressing himself to the question whether we were get- ting a good return for the money we were spending on secondary education, the hon. baronet was understood to say, he feared we were not getting a really satisfactory return. In many schools both sorts of secondary edu- cation were really neglected, namely, the ordinary good liberal education, with such a. knowledge of science a3 would enable a man to understand the world he lived in, and that further secondary education which involved some knowledge of literature and history Mr. WM. JONES (R., Carnarvon, Arfon), while congratulating the Secretary to the Board of Education upon his very honest and frank statement, remarked that he thought the real weakness of our educational system was in the lack of thoroughly trained teachers. He was glad to find the Govern- ment were going to begin to remedy this weakness by insisting on the better training of pupil teachers, and in doing away alto- gether with the practice of setting little boys and girls to teach other little boys and girls. Mr. LLOYD-GEORGE (R., Carnarvon) said Welsh education, to which reference had been made, had been a success because the Welsh county councils had started school? of their own, which they controlled completely, instead of frittering away their resources for the purpose of subsidising private ven- ture schools. Sir William Anson, in language which savoured of the King's Speech, had stated that his relations with the county councils were of the most friendly character. (Laughter.) He was not quite sure, however, that the hon. baronet knew all that went on at the Board of Education. All the pre- dictions as to difficulties made by the Oppo- sition last year had been completely veri- fied. The hon. baronet had spoken of suggestions which had been made to the county councils. He (Mr. Lloyd-George) thought the suggestions were more in the form of pressure. The Education Depart- ment had made a sort of Star Chamber; mayors, e?-mayors, and aldermen had been hauled up from all parts of the United Kingdom trembling. The great Inquisitor- (laughter)-not Sir W. Anson-told them that they must put in representatives of outside bodies. Sir W. ANSON: There has never been any suggestion that there was any compulsion put on representatives of outside bodies from beginning to end. Mr. LLOYD-GEORGE said he had it on the authority of gentlemen who were present at these interviews that there was an attempt to bully these corporations into giving representation to bodies who had no right to it. He wished to know why they had heard nothing as to the opposition to the Act. It was very unpleasant for the local authorities to be compelled to sell up some of the best citizens in the country, but it was a task imposed upon them by the Govern- ment, and, therefore, the Government ought not to leave them in the lurch. He wished to know, therefore, what the Government proposed doing, especially as the policy of passive resistance had been declared to be illegel. If it had happened in Ireland they linew perfectly well what would happen. Was the Government going to con- fine itself merely to writing letters? He saw they were going to do something about the Welsh county councils. Mr. Boscawen, at the instigation of a bishop, wanted to know whether the resolutions passed by these councils were illegal or not, and the reply of the Government was that the standard of efficiency at all the public schools must be alike, unless special educational reasons could be shown for the distinction. There were special reasons why a distinction should be drawn, but the Parliamentary Secretary of the Board of Education had never inquired whether there were special reasons. Every county council examined the case upon its merits, and they came to the conclusion that for special reasons, which were purely educa- tional, they could not maintain the same standard of efficiency in schools not under their control as it schools which were under their control. If these reasons were illegal what were the Government going to do? So far as three fourths of the Welsh county councils were concerned they did not feel justified in squandering public money to maintain schools which were prac- tically under other control and which im- posed sectarian tests. He was very glad with regard to the schemes that the Government had seen the wisdom of climbing down. The Board of Education had set them the example of breaking the law, so that they should be the last people in the world to find fault with them. (Opposition cheers.) Sir WILLIAM ANSON said, in reply to the hon. member for Carnarvon, he must say that he was not in a position to reply to the point he raised with regard to councils of adjoining counties in Wales. There were certain rules that had to be observed, and if they were not adhered to action would have to be taken. Mr. LLOYD-GEORGE said there was the im- portant question of delegation to the joint committees. Sir WILLIAM ANSON said he was not in a position to argue the points raised at the table of the House. He would rather talk over the matter privately with the hon. member, because the subject was rather com- plicated, and at the present moment he was not able to discuss it. He was prepared to deal with the question in order to carry out the rules of the department. Sir WILLIAM ANSON further said that he doubted whether Mr. Lloyd-George's remark about the Board of Education being turned into a Star Chamber for bullying local authori- ties was seriously meant. If the Welsh county councils persisted in withholding rate- aid from the voluntary schools within their areas there were certain proceedings marked out for the Board of Education to take. He preferred not to say more, and he would rather not contemplate a state of things which he hoped might never come to pass. The Vote was agreed to. Swansea Defies the Board of Education. The letter from the Board of Education objecting to the Swansea education scheme has been considered by the Swansea Corpora- tion General Purposes Committee. According to the letter it did not appear to the Board "that the representation of those branches of education which have hitherto been indepen- dent of the town council is sufficiently secured for the future by a scheme which so restricts the field of selection." Dr. Rawlings said he would rather lose any money than depart from a matter of prin- ciple, but Mr. David Davies said that general consent would not be obtained to the forma- tion of a committee that excluded all repre- sentation of the voluntary schools of Swansea, which taught some 3,000 children. After a long discussion Mr. H. G. Solomon proposed that in Clause 2 of the scheme the wording should be altered so that it would read;—"The committee, when complete, shall consist of 25 members appointed by the coun- cil, including persons of experience in educa- tion, and persons acquainted with the needs of the various kinds of schools in the county borough, of whom twenty (instead of twenty- three) shall be members of the council, and two shall be women. Councillor Solomon's resolution was defeated by eight votes to seven. Other sections of the letter from the Board of Education were after- wards dealt with, and it was eventually decided that Clause 2 (referring to co-option) should be re-affirmed. Meeting of the Carmarthenshire I Education Committee. A monthly meeting of the Carmarthenshire Education Committee was held at the Guild- hall, Carmarthen, yesterday, Professor D. E. Jones presiding. Several communications and resolutions sent by Nonconformist associations and confer- ences with regard to the non-levying of rates towards non-provided schools were read and laid on the table. The following annual maintenance grants were made towards intermediate education, namely: Carmarthen managers, £ 1,000; Llan- dyssul, LM; Llanelly, £ 1,2G0; Llandilo, £ 900; Llandovery, £ 400; and Whitland, L400.

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"Eochfarfs" I Comments, Although for a long time now it ha$ been a settled thing in the minds of the friends of the late Alderman Thomas Williams, J.P., that he was "breaking" fast, it is with the news of his death the full realisation of the loss Wales has sustained comes home to the minds of his fellow-countrymen. Of all the Welshmen who have been prosperous monetarily in South Wales during a generation of time, Mr. Williams, perhaps, was the most successful in retaining unchanged all the associations of his younger days. Practically he spent all his years in his native place, he tilled all the highest offices of the religious denomination of which lie was such an excellent represen- tative, and died within the communion of the body to which he was attached when a boy. Being an excellent public speaker in Welsh and English, he always addressed a Welsh gathering in his native tongue, although lie readily changed into English if his audience demanded it. Being a. lifelong abstainer, he remained until the end of his days a strenuous supporter of every effort at temperance reform. He bad always impressed me as bemgrf prompted by no consideration but that of deep conviction, and he was not slow to reproach his friends who were inclined to treat serious problems in a light vein. I well remember an occasion when the late venerable Henry Richard, M.P., and Mr. Williams were addressing a political conference, and luncheon time was, announced, but the apostle of peace" was in no mood to shorten his remarks. A well-known man in South Wales at last whispered sufficiently loud for Mr. Richard to hear him the words, Mesur byr" (short metre), and the speaker instantly sat down. Immediately he did so Mr. Williams approached the inter- rupter and gave him a sound lecture for his indiscretion, and he was plainly told that if such as he remained at home the character of public conferences would be vastly improved. There was no anger in the tone of his voice, and, although the interrupter greatly resented Mr. Wil- liams's remarks at the time, I know they remained firm friends until the last. "Thomas Williams, Gwaelodygarth," as he was familiarly called by all his intimate friends, was one of the men who can safely be described as the salt of the earth, and his grave, kindly face will be greatly missed in the future popular assemblies of his native land. It is unsafe to prophesy what phrases may become memorable. Long afterwards some public incident will cause certain words, perhaps carelessly uttered, to be recalled, and they become the symbol of a great movement or the motto by which a historic event is remembered. Be that as it may, President Loubet's parting words to the King of England suggest enormous possibilities. Here we have two great nations possessing enor- mous intellectual resources, with a. great many commercial interests that can be easily cultivated with mutual benefits with the capitals of their Governments within an easy day's journey of each other. The one country produces all the bounties that the art of agriculture can. produce, and the other has the minerals and other commodities that are essential to its national progress. At the end of a. friendly visit the chief citizen of a gteat Republic greets a King whose dominions are world-wide, with tHe words, "France, the friend of England! It is a note that the friends of peace will welcome everywhere, the advocates of inter- national amity will clap their hands with joy, and, like President Loubet, we cherish the hope that good understandings among the nations will be more and more substi- tuted for armed conflicts. The Porth magistrates will gain the commendation of every sane individual for their unmistakable determination to put down cruelty to animals. There can be no sympathy with men who herd together such defenceless creatures as pigeons in such a way that they die of thirst. Four- teen hours in a cribbed and cabined crate without food or water! It is galling to have to witness the manner in which animals that are destined for sport are thrown about the platforms of our railway stations during the hot weather we are now expe- riencing, and without any provision for food or water, whilst their civilised owners are regaling themselves at the nearest refreshment counters. We are thankful that the Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals is maintaining its activity, and equally thankful that magis- trates are learning to make an effective use of the legal power they have to mini- mise cruelty to animals as much as pos- sible. A good understanding between the authorities in the districts from which an.mals are sent with those who claim to be sportsmen and the authorities of the dis- trict ia which they are received will still further help the administration of justice, in such painful cases. An interesting movement was inaugu- rated in London yesterday, viz., an attempt' to combine for mutual help the home and Colonial universities. It is intended to promote an interchange of students and professors. Why should not a student, who is broken down in health or whose circumstances require his removal to the Colonies, be enabled to take up his studies at his new home just where he left off in England, and without sacrificing the position he has attained here? And why should we cling to the foolish notion that every university college is a Nazareth from which no educational good can come from such as we get from our very respectable, but very reposeful, older universities ? This movement may help in checking also the increasing number of British students that go yearly to Continental universities, largely through the astrick policy of our educa- tional bodies. The gathering to be held at the Hotel Cecil, London, to-night, under the presidency of the Prime Minister, will be one of great brilliancy, for there were to be found at the rooms of the Royal Society yesterday, and will be found again to-day, all the notable educationists of the Empire. The council of the Aberystwyth Univer- sity College is pursuing with laudable per- sistence its policy in favour of scientific agriculture, and the acquisition of an experimental farm can have but a very beneficial effect in so purely an agricul- tural district as that of West Wales. Unfortunately, the efforts of the press and the platform have been unsuccessful in establishing co-operating farming in the same neighbourhood, but that and other experiments may be demonstrated more effectively on an experimental farm. It is noteworthy that Irish butter is rapidly re-establishing itself in the favour of the public since the adoption of co- operating creameries in Ireland, although Danish butter nearly ran it off the British market a few years ago. The Irish creameries effects that uniformity of quality which enables purchasers to trust almost absolutely to brands, and without the necessity of repeated testing of tubs of butter which the buyers had to resort to under the old regime. Welsh farmers must adapt themselves to more scientific methods of providing for the provision markets, or it is idle otherwise to hope for better prices and better times.

PARLIAMENTARY BILLS 1 FISHGUARD AND ROSSLARE RAILWAYS AND TYA-BOU-RS. In the House 01 uommons on Thursday. during private business, the Lords' amend- ments to the Fishguard and Roaslaro Bail- ways and Harbours Bill were considered, and, the Bill was ordered for third reading. TAFF VALE RAILWAY. The opposition to this Bill having be<m withdrawn, it has been referred to the con- sideration of the Committee on Unopposed L:ou ? e in the House of Commtone. The Bill ?h already been passed by the Rome <4 ?rd.