Evening Express

The Massacre of a British Force. FRENCH BELIEVED TO BE INVOLVED Beater's Agency learns that, wtile no further details of the cutting up of a British force in Northern Nigeria. hawe been received from Sir Frederick I/ugard, telegrams from other sources lead to the belief t1:8t not only the Bntuph. but also the French, were involved in the defeat. Owing to the distance of the scene of the disaster from the head of the telegraph tine details are still wanting, but it is known that the Whole affair resulted from the I some of a new Mahdi, and that the disastrous attack on the British took place on February 14. The fact that the French are mentioned in connection with the affair leads to the belief that the trouble has occurred to the north- east of Sokoto, in the neighbourhood of the frontier. Piecing together the scanty details avail- able in the light of the knowledge possessed by officers who have lately returned from Northern Nigeria-, it would seem probable that on the news reaching Mr. Hillary, the acting Besidenit of Sokoto, who had mioceeded Major Burdon, that a Mahdi had arisen the mounted infantry, with a nuarim, were despatched to the aoene of the trouble, with the result already known. Shortly afterwards the news reached Sokoto, pro- bably from survivors, nd was thence taken by a runner to Gaudo (two days' march to the south of Sjotooto). near which place t'he telegraph line commences. The disastrous result of the affair would seem to point to am attack from the Tuareg, who have already inflicted such serious &fee,ts on the French in those regions. HIGH COMMISSIONER INTERVIEWED. Beater's representative has had an inter. view with Mr. William Wnace, C.M.G., Acting High Commissioner of Northem Ni?eria? who has MTived in England from the protectorate. He said: "The news oomee as a great surprise. I am certain that the move- ment is from the north, and does not, there- fore, emanate from Northern Nigeria, but it is just one of those surprises which are to be expected among a fanatical population. Sir Frederick Lugard has plenty of troops avaU. able, and I am sure that the movement will not be allowed to spread. As, no doubt, the affair occurred close to the frontier, we may expect that the French will render valuable assistance. My own view is that the affair hae been occasioned by some one among the great and truculent Tuareg, who have given so much trouble to the French in the past. There are plenty of troops in the protec- torate, but it must teke some time to get them together. There can be no definite result until March, by which time the troops from the south should reach Sokoto. I am certain that the Emirs of Sokoto and Kano will rejnain faithfud. Of course, the defeat of a British force is a grave matter, and wi>14 tend to exoite popular feeling, but British rule has obtained sudh a hold on the Fulani that I do not think there is any chaam of any Bmir in Northern Nigeria, being able to secure any permanent success against us. The loyalty of our troops is assured. In three necks' time there will be some thousand troops concentrated at Kano."

At mkfenigfot & Police-oonstable on duty in U .= 9 %ethala Green, London, was set upon and brutally assaulted by three r?u?bs of the h001i type. The anfortuna?e omoer •was tooctoed down and rendered temporarily aeMeteae. Passers-ny. however, came to his assistance, and after a desperate struggle succeeded in securing oue of the men. who VIVA taken into custody. The other two MMnd.

[ THE COAL-TAX. I MINERS & THE CHANCELLOR'S REPLY. I I Opposition to be Continued to the End. The National Conference of Miners con- vened to ccmsider the ooai-tax was resumed in London to-day under the presidency of Mr. W. Abraham, M.P. The Chairman expressed satisfaction with the statement yesterday made by the Chan- cellor of the Exchequer on the subject of the coal-tax, but added that they were not yet out of the wood. Unless the tax were removed they would continue their opposi- tion. Mr. Fenwick, M.P., who arranged the depu- tation with Mr. Aaquith, said that the next Budget would really be that of the present Chancellor's predecessor, and it would all depend upon the state of the revenue as to whether he would this year be able to remove the impost. Mr. Hugh Boyle (Northumberland) moved that the miners' representatives call the conference together again, if necessary, when the Budget is introduced. Mr. A. Onions (South Wales) seconded, and remarked that if when the Budget was introduced provision was not made for the abolition; of tihe tax, then be tibougbt, they ought to put forth every effort to lobby members against the tax. Personally, after the statements by Mr. Asqnith the previous ,day, he did not see how he was going to avoid making provision for its abolition. The resolution was carried unanimously. Subsequently a conference of the Miners' Federation was held, and arrangements were made for the Bills to be introduced this session. Sir John Brunner will introduce the Eight Hours Bill, and Mr. Oompton Bickett the Goal Regulation Amendraeut BiM.

STORY OF BOY BURGLARS. I Remarkable Case Heard at Llanelly. The Llanelly magistrates had again before them on Wednesday two young brothers, named James R. Hopkins, thirteen, and Sidney Hopkins, eight, charged with breaking into the warehouse of Messrs. Margrave Brothers, wine and spirit merchants. The lads have already very bad reputations, previous con- victions having been recorded against them. The evidence showed that they had behaved with the most daring audacity, the younger brother being pushed by the other through an iron grating covering a window. They took away with them 30a. in money, a bottle of champagne, a bottle of whisky, and some hundreds of cigars. W. Robert Margrave, J.P., gave evidence as to missing some 750 cigara from the ware- house, their value being R4 8a. 6d. On going to the safe he found that all the loose money had been taken, a X5 note being left behind. The Bench sentenced the elder defendant to six strokes of the birch and three years in a reformatory, the younger boy to receive three strokes and five years in a reformatory. Subsequently two men, named Frederick Williams and W. Morgan Lewie, were charged with receiving stolen goods from the two boys. Mr. Ludford appeared to defend Lewis, and Mr. Edwards represented Wil- liams. The case was adjourned to Saturday.

ALIEN SEAMEN PROBLEM. MR. LLOYD-GEORGE PROMISES TO INQUIRE AND REPORT. In the House of Commons on Wednesday, Mr. HARRY MARKS IU., Thanet) asked the President of the Board of Trade whether, in view of the judgment at the Board of Trade inquiry into the lose of the steamship Ordovician, of Cardiff, and in view of the fact that there had been three inquiries held at Cardiff within a month in connection with the wreck of vessels in which deck hanns had been chiefly foreign seamen with no knowledge of Bnglisu, he would consider the advisability of taking measures to prevent the employment on British vessels of alien seamen who were unable to speak or under- stand the English language. Mr. LLOYD-GEORGE replied that hie attention had been called to the judgment. He would make full inquiry into the incidents referred to in the course of the proceedings, and he hoped to make some statement on the subject in introducing the Merchant Shipping Bid/1, of wfoi-cih notice had beta given.

NEWPORT HUSBAND AND WIFE SENTENCED. A middle-aged man, named William paviid Israel, was before the Newport magistrates on Wednesday on two serious c/harges. The first charge was that of an aggravated assault upon a woman named Eliza Fitz- gerald, who said she was a married woman, whose sailor husband had left her his hialf- pay. She had been living at the house for a week, during which time she paid the man 17s. On the Saturday and Sunday, a.t the close of that week, because she did not pay him more money, he struck her in the eye, knocked her down, and kicked her in the mouth and in various other parts of the body. The second dhsurge was that Israel kept a disorderly house a<t Shaftesbury-street, and his wife, Minnie Israel, was ciiarged with assisting in tihe management of it. The priaoner Israel was stated to have been in the house eleven weeks, and was the tenant of the Great Western Railway, whose district property ogeut was Mr. Jones, of Nea/th. In the result the Bench found both guilty. They had been convicted before of being cioucrxned in the carrying an of such houses -onoo cut Cardiff in 1896, and once at New. port. On the latter occasion they were fined £1JJ each. The made defendant was sent to prison for three months for the assault and four months for the other offence. The female was sent to prison for four months.

CRUDE SEWAGE OVER OYSTER I BEDS. In (the Chancery Division, London, on Wed- nesday Mr. Jhistice Buckley granted an in- junction to Mr. Alfred James Hobart, flsh- merdhant, to restrain tihe Southend Oorpora.- tion from discharging eewajge over his oywter beds in Hadleigh Bay, Essex, together with £1,500 damages and costs. His Lordship found that the sewage was discharged in a crude state, without treatment, and caused the pollution complained of, and that the cor- poration had no legal right to do so, as tlhey claimed. Stay of execution wtas granted.

Docks and Railways I PORT TALBOT DEVELOPMENTS I The half-yearly meeting of the Port Taibot Docks and Railway was held at Winchester House, London, on Wednesday. It was pre- sided over by Colonel J. B. Wright, the deputy-chairman of the company, in the absence of the Earl of Dun raven. In moving the adoption of the report and accounts the Chairman said it would be gathered from the accounts that since they last met the progress then shown had steadily continued. He was glad to be able to say tihat for the first time the ordinary share- holders would receive something, however I small, after making provision for the deben- ture interest and the full preference dividend. Turning first to the revenue account, an increase in the gross receipts of £ 2,806 would be observed, with an increase in expenditure of XM-roughly, 31 per cent. of the increased receipts. The total percentage of expenditure to receipts was 56.66 per cent., as against 58.18 per cent, in the correspondfng half- year, a decrease of 1.52 per cent. Be: > rating the railways from the dock, the per. Qentage of working expenses for the half- year on the railways was 60.98 per cent., and OlD the dock 58.07 per oent. The receipts from tihe carriage of coal and coke had increased £ 798, merchandise showed an increase of £.83, and the receipts trom ship- ping and dock an increase of £ 2,147. On the other hand, the expenses on acoount of ship- ping amd doc' had decreased by R13. Main- tena.nce of %ay showed a decrease of X41. and traffic expenses had decreased £172. Locomotive power had. however, increa.sed L425, caused principally through the heavier amount of shunting and extra. overhauling of engines. The imports and exports at the docks for the half- year amounted to 665,550 tons, as com- pared with 601,000 tone in the corresponding period of 136t year, a.n noreaee of 18,330 tons. The balance carried to net revenue account was £ 21,566, as compared with £ 19,630, a? increase of £ 1.926. They had again to acknowledge their indebtedness to Mtio Tal- bot. "or remitting her land rent-charges, amounting to £ 1,340. As stated at the last meeting, Mies Taibot made this remission for the benefit of the ordinary shareholders. A further section of the main line had been renewed darning the half-year, at a cost of £ 411 13s. Zd. Nitfety-eight pound rails had been laid down to re-place 751b. rails, which latter had been taken down to the docks for the purpose of extending the storage sidings. The directors had deemed it prudent to place £ 1,000 to a reserve aocount for general renewals, and the sum then available for appropriation waa £15,520, as aga-imet eil,765, an increase of L5,755, and out of this they recommended the full preference dividend of 4 per oent. per a.nnum, and also a. dividend for the half-year at the rate of 1 per cent, per annunf on the ordinary shares, leaving £ 401 to be carried forward. It would be seen from the capital acoount that there was a total charge of L79,486, E6,046 of which had been spent on new sidings at the docks for! the storage of the increasing traffic for ship- ment, and £6.606 on the oonstruotion of a. new import wharf, with sidings. The new powerful hydraulic coal hoiet which he had mentioned at the last meeting was being rapidly constructed, and by June next it was expected would be at work. The adoption of the report and the accounts was seconded by Mr. S. H. By ass, and carried unanimously. Mr. Byaes next moved that the diTidend at the rate of 1 per cent. be agreed to, and this was also adopted. On the motion of Mr. Gardner Williams, the thanks of the meeting were tendered to Miss Talbot for her considerate treatment of the ordinary shareholders, and on the motion of the Chairman, seconded by Mr. Watson, Mr, G. Lipaoomb and Hr. J. J. Smith were re-elected directors.

NEWPORT MAN'S MAD ACT. I Woke Up Out of a Drunken Sleep. A story of incendiarism and violence was told in the magistrates' -court at Newport on Wednesday, when an elderly man, named Daniel Grace, was brought up in custody charged with setting fire to his furniture at 59, Henry-street, thereby wUfully doina damage to the dwelling-house, a.nd also l"i.il ,aæa.uloog Poli ce-oonatables Thomas and Griffin. Police-constable Thomas (27) stated that at 11.30 on Monday night he was called to 59, Henry-street, where the prisoner lived. He saw people bringing children downstairs and carrying them away to a place of safety. There was a large quantity of smoke in the rooms. Prisoner was standing near the place where a fire had been, and exclaimed, There yon I told yon I would make you clear out of it." The place had been in a blaze owing to a bundle of IsartJhs having caught fire. The table in the room and la partition Imd been burnt. With the assist- ance of one of the fire brigade, the fire was put out. Witness then told prisoner that he would have to go to the police-station. Pri- soner shouted that he would not go, and on the constable declaring that he would, pri- soner reached out for a hatchet, and said he would split bis skull open. The constable, thereupon, drew his staff, but Grace said, "I don't want IQQIIle of that Thomas; I've had some.- Samuel Grace, aged nineteen, a son of the prisoner, stated that at five minutes past eleven on Monday night his father woke up out of a drinken sleep in front of the fire, and ordered him (the son) to go for bottle of beer. When he returned and said it was too late he (prisoner) threw the bottle at his head, which luckily did not strike him, but smashed the glass to fragments. The prisoner then exclaimed, Now you I'll have you all out of thie." He got together a bundle of sticks under the table, poured a bottle of oil over them, and set fire to them. Witness shouted to him Pu-t that light out," but prisoner got at a. batchet and responded, rn put your light out." Witness ran out to find his sister and to wakem the people who lived in a portion of the house—they had gone to bed-and when he got back the place was in a. blaze. Prisoner did nothing at a.U to try to put the flre owt^but seising witness to try to put the flre o-t ?t, by the muffler and coat collar, said, "You'll popidh in aft." Witness, however, adroitly loosened Ms muffler and ooaIt, and slipping away, left the garments in fris tafcher's grasp. The Clerk: It is a very fortunate thing for him (pointing to the prisoner) that he is not here for murder. Aft the end of the oaae Mr. T. Oordey, the presiding magistrate,-said: Grace, you have been bere fourteen times before. You wia now htvro oil nioutbw imprisoaunenlt with hard labour. Let ue hope that you will sober dawn and get ittto a better frame of atad. I .ePl.ln: ,.øDb ad&&-=& -OAM&

ITAff VAL DECISIONI IAcute Cabinet Crisis. I j SPLIT OVER THE BILL. i The situation of Ministers has for some days been highly critical (says the Lobby correspondent of the "Standard"). The trouble has been caused, not by diffe- rences of opinion in regard to dealing imme- I ddately with the Asiatic labour question in South. Africa-, but by fundamental objections Ion the part of certain members of the Cabinet to the introduction of a Bill for reversing the Taff Vale decision. There is reason to believe that the opposition to the measure within the Cabinet has, with a. single imporfcamt exception, now been with- drawn. When it is sta.ted, however, that the exception aliuded to is understood to be no less a person than the Home Secretary him- self, it my be readily seen that the situation must still be described as serious. It is hoped by those Liberal members who are befaind the scenes that what would other- wise prove to be a. disastrous blow to the new Ministry may yet be averted, as it is urged that a concession of opinion on the patrt of the Chancellor of the Exchequer, who was a strenuous opponent of the Taff Yale Bill, may well be followed by graceful yield- ing on Mr. Herbert Gladstone's part. The secret of the threatened split has been well kept, but those who were aware of it have had an anxious time during the last few days, and do not yet feel able to state with confidence that the Government are out of the wood. I

Wedding Presents Sold I I WIFE'S STORY IN DIVORCE COtkRT iI I Making Porridge for the Dog! I Alleging cruelty, desertion, and misconduct against her husband, Mr. Thomas dough, a Blackburn solicitor, his wife, who before her marriage was in a milliner's shop in the town, asked the court for a dissolution of the marriage. Hr. Barnard, K.C. (instructed by Messrs. Bawlo and CoJ, who represented the peti- tioner, explained that the magistrates had found the husband guilty of cruelty, but that decision was under appeal. The parties were 'married by licence on February 6, 1894, at Barrow-in-Furness, and for the fifst month or two they were on a.1Iectionate terms, except that the husband from the outset never gave his wife any money at aU for household purposes, and she had to spend what had been given her as wedding presents. After a month or two he appeared to have begun to neglect ber, staying out late at,. night, and frequently returning the worse for drink. On mamy occasions the neighbours found the wife without food, and if they had not relieved her she would have starved. Her parents frequently sent her money. Her husband used to abuse her and tell her to I clear. out of the- house and go to her I Fenian Relations." He threatened to shoot her and drown her in the corporation park lake. One night in June, 1895, he came home under the influence of drink, and when they went to bed he told her that all he had to do via to put his hand out of bed and he could send her to kingdom come. The aiext day she found a loaded revolver in the room, the charges were drawn, and her husband promised never to load it again. One day in October, 1895, she was ironing when the respondent came in tihe worse for drink, and began to make porridge for the dog. While he was doing it he picked up the hot poker and burnt her on the Nrist with it. In Bebruary, 1896, her father L Jk her away from tihe house, and before she left she promised her husband that she would return if he would turn over a new life. Negotiations were begun in the following year for her to go back, but she heard that a Hies Drake, to whom the respondent had at one time been engaged to be married, had given birth to a child, of which he was the father. The young lady was in court, and was prepared to give evi- dence. In reply to the President, Mr. Bayford, who, with Mr. Tobiin, X.O. (instructed by Messrs. Mack and Co.), represented the hus- band, said that his client toad not yet arrived, but his instructions were To Dispute Everything. I Mrs. Clougih, oroes-ezamined by Mr. Bay- ford, said her mother's last wish, was that she (petitioner) should leave her husband on account of his ill-usage. I see you write: My darting HuWby,—This is what father says: "If you go hack to bim-to begin with, look how dreadfully in debt he is; then you won't luave any money to start with for coal, food, Ac., to say nothing of clothes, wfhich he has never bought you since you were married." Mr. Barnard: The husband writes: My own darling Wife,—I fafter my last letter you have not the morad courage to say you will c6me to me, I cam only think your love for me is dead. My people would much (prefer you to return, and so you ought to, and stick to your husband. They know how I have been, and I have aleio promised them to mend. Then in the next letter: You know if I keep off the drink we can be happy together, and the money I have spent in drink will "help to make us com- fortable. Witness went on to say that she had heard Mxat her bndbtand's office had been sold mA am tihaA he had ceased to practice ae & solicitor. Miss Dmke was called, and on going into the witness-box said that she was now mar- ried, and 'asked to be allowed to write her name. That course wae adopted, and ebe bad I'beg-n.n by saying that at one time she was engaged to the respondent, when the President asked heir if she were willing to give evidence. She said she would rather mot, and left the witness-box. The hearing was adjourned.

I ANOTHER CORPORATION DEALI I Land Bought for More Than It I Will Sell For. At a meeting of the Cardiff Publio Health Committee to-day the estimate of expendi- ture for the year ending March 31, 1907, was II presented, and approved. It amounted to 930,789, compared with am estimate of 930,384 for year ending 31st March next, and an actual expenditure of CZ8,785 3s. Alderman Edward Thomas observed that included in the estimate were several items, chiefly for road widening, which might have been borrowed over twenty or thirty years, amounting in the aggregate to 91,949. Aldenman David Jones called attention to the fact that the land which was left over alter widening Cathedral-road ant the narthem end was still unutilised. He asked whether it could not be sold or let for build- inr. Mr. Harpur stated that the oorporstam wanted the same money for the land as they paid for it, and that waa considered too much. A question had arisen whether, if the necessity arose, a school could be built upon a por- tion of tike land, seeing that it was outside the city boundary. It was resolved that tile town-clerks atten- tion be called to the matter.

POSTAL PROGRESS. I I To the Editor of the "Everoang Expreem. I gir,-A i&Ww posted to me at Bute-otzwt a.t 10.30 P.M. was not detfivejieid at aaisbm till past one on the following afternoon 1 Five miSes im fifteen hours does not seem a great rate in these days of oeilerity.—I am, i I &co. READER.

< Three lads figured in Cardiff Police-court to-day 'before the Stipendiary, on a charge of playing pitch and toss, and a fourth was represented by his sister, who with deli-gh tfull. | candour, said she had merely called to ask j how much her brother had to pay. Ehe ?t?HB \i. I

i TRADES DISPUTES T.V.R. MANAGER'S EVIDENCE. Unions Declared to be Not II Beneficial. I In the minutes of evidence taken before the Royal Commission on Trade Disputes and Trade Combinations, the name of Mr. Ammon Boasley, general manager of the Taff Vale Railway, is more conspicuous than that of any of the other witnesses who appeared before the Ooanmissiom, and more space is given to his evidence thau that of any three I, or four other witnesses combined. In answer to the chairman (the Right Hon. Andrew Graham Murray, K.C., M.P., Score-j tary for Scotland), Mr. Beasley said that the two Trades Unions which he had been I brought directly into contact with were the I Amalgamated Society of Railway ServaIDts: and the Assooiated Society of Locomotive j Engineers and Firemen- Directly, they had I nothing to do with the bliuers, Federation,! but anything that led to a strike in the; mining industry was very disastrous to the: Taff Vale Railway. Personally, he had no j knowledge whether a man belonged to a Union or not. He had never once j asked a man., or allowed a man to be asked whether he was a member of a i Union or not. He made no difference between ( Union and non-Union, men. Mr. Beasley quoted j figures showing that the membership of the j Amalgamated Society of Railway Servants I had fallen from 85,928 in 1897 to 52,355 on the 31st of December last. He quoted these fig-uree j from the official report of the society to show that railwaymen, as a rule, would not I join a Trades Union, and that they were I content and satisfied with the terms of their I service. f Mr. Beasley, in reply to a further question, I" i quoted a, statement received from the assistant-secretary of the Amalgamated Society of Railway Servants, showing that the society horaet.ed of 9260,OW, which sum represented the accident, benefit, and sick fluids. The society was unique in so far as it invited subscriptions and donations from the benevolent public for the orphans, and the whole of the sum so derived was avail- able m. the event of a strike. COAL CONCILIATION BOARD. In subsequent evidence Mr. Beaeley gave detailed "counts of what he considered to be the arbitrary methods adopted by the Trades Unionists in the South WaJes coalfield, men- tioning the Horwain dispute in particular. He referred to a passage in a speech by Mr. Stanton, who nrged the Trades Unionists not to drink with the non-Unionists, nor speak to I them, and avoid them as men stricken with leprosy. Mr. Beasley also gave extraote from articles written by Mr. W. Brace, M.P., to the "Western Mail." In his (Mr. Beasley's) opinion, the board of conciliation was a practical failure, and he instanced the fact that 30 strikes arising out of questions of, wages during the year 1903 was a proof that! it had so failed. There were as many strikes now, if not more than before the Miners' Federation was established. THE TAFF VALE STRIKE. I Mr. Beasley quoted passages from inflam- matory speeches delivered during the Taff Vale strike of 1900 by Mr. James Holmes, organising secretary of the Amalgamated Society of Railway Servants, and Sir wll. liaan Thomas Lewis, as one of the Commis- sion, asked, Is t-hat man still alive?" Mr. Beasley replied, I believe very much so. That man was very largely reeponsible for the strike; in point of fact, I think one might almost say it was entirely due to him. During the strike about 400 men from out- side took service with the Taff Vale Com- pany out of 5,000 applicants. The company could not take on more than 400 at one tune, and these men had to "learn the road," and they had to be taught under very difficult circumstances. A good many of these men were maltreated and "sent to Coventry." So recently as last March one of the imported men found a paper with the word "Blackleg" printed in large characters upon i,t nailed on a telegraph post within a few feet of his front door. LAW OF PICKETING. Speaking on the question of legislation, which had been proposed at various times, Mr. Beaisley said the feeling which had got abroad that Parliament intended a Trades Union funds to be exempt from action on account of the action of one of its agents had no foundation arising from the proceed- ings of the only two previous Commissions on this subject. in 1867 amd 1894. He would make no complaint, he went on, of workmen being permitted to go to other workmen and trying to induce them to leave their employment without breach of contract. However much one nlight dislike it, if it were legal one could not complain. He con- sidered it was d-ifficult. to make a general rule on the question whether the actions of a combination should be liable to a penalty for conspiracy, and thought that each case must stand by itself and be dependent on its own circumstances. He considered the law tegarding picketing needed amendment, as the permission to attend at a house for the purpose of giving or receiving information might apply to an unlimited number cf persons for an unlimited time. It allowed the possibility of intimidation by numbers, and, speaking from experience, he asserted that there was no such thing as peaceable persuasion or as attending merely for the purpose of giving or receiving information. TO PREVENT STRIKES. Speaking of railways amd other public services, such as docks and water and light supply, he said he would make it an offence for persons to conspire together to indnce persons to send in their notices as a whole with a, view of giving rise to a stoppage. He considered it of considerable importance that the law should 6tep in to prevent in the interests of the public the stoppage of all meems of communication. He was quite alive ¡ to the fact that this would prevent the organisation of a strike at all. He also oon- sidered that anything which would restrict output or interfere with a man's ability to work or his earning capacity or right to engage hi,?.If where he pleased should be punishable. He regarded the safeguarding in every way of the freedom of the indi- vidual as the moat essential thing in trade disputes. He was prepared to apply the same law to combinations of masters as to oom- binations of workmen, but he could conceive circumstances where the action of a Trades Union might constitute intimidation on acoount of the great powers it exerted over its members, whereas a. combination of a few employers could not exert anything like the same force over its constituent members. One or two employers could not exercise coercion over an individual employer, but if they did he would put them in exactly the same position as a Trades Union. He would like to make it illegal in the interests of the workmen for a Union to coerce a man to give up his employment under threat of expulsion from his Union. He had no hesitation in saying that Trades Unions had conferred no benefits upon workmen. He thought they had done an incalculable amount of mischief to the individual working man. It was a stand- ing puzzle to him that a great number of clever, energetic, active workmen joined I Trades Unions. I WELSH OOALFIELD CONDITIONS. I Mr. Charles Kenshole, solicitor to the Mon- mouthshire and South Wales Coalowners' Association, mdd the members of that aæo- ciation represented M.2 per oent. of the 00&1 output for South WaJes and Monmouthshire for the year 19M. The number of workmen employed by the members was 127,360, of whom 125,568 were members of the South Wales Miners' Federation. The Taff VaJe: decision had very greatly reduced the num- ber of stoppages of work due to the Unionist and non-Unionist question, as far as strikes without notioe—that was, in breach of con- tract—were concerned. He regarded pickets ing as a species of coercion, and it generally led to a broach of the peace. He agreed that the more picketing was legalised the more abuses of it were likely to occur. If picketing was allowed in anything like imru- bers peaceful persuasion became an imp;io- sRuKty. He thought it should be legally wrong for Unionists to strike against non- Unionists; it put the non-Unionists in very considerable difficulty. He would make it a breach of the law for one workman to refuse to work with another. The practice of South Wales employers in engaging workmen was to make no inquiry whether a man was a. Unionist or non-Unionist, and he should not consider it an offence for an employer to refuse to employ a. man. in respect of breaches of contract, they wished to pre- serve the right as an alternative to proceed either against the Trades Union fumds or against the funds of individual offenders. INTERVIEW WITH MR. JAMES HOLMES. Mr. Jafmes Holmes, the organising secre- tary of the Amalgamated Society of Railway Servants, gave one of our representatives the following opinion upon the reports of the ,commission:- "There is very little in the majority report with which I disagree, excepting the ckuuse which recommends the separation of Trades Union funds. Clauses 1 and 2 practically restore us to our position before the Taff Vale decision, and Clause 3 gives us the right of peaceful picketing so long as there is no breach of contract. Bat Clause 5, which separates Trades Union funds iito benevolent and fighting funds, is impracticable, because j if the benevolent funds of the Trades Union are not liable in oase of illegal action, cannot see how they can legally be used in support of a strike. The funds of Trades Unions are the common property of the mem- bers far aH purposes contained within the objects of the Union, and that, in my opinion, Cfess must reraaio. Sir W&jaw Thame » Lewis's minority report can be disregarded, as it is 60 obviously prejudiced, its language is so violent, and ite suggestions are so one- sided that it cannot for a moment be con- sidered as serious. "The view I take Ls this: I am not at all certain that we want to be placed in the position we held before the Taff Vale deci- sion, but we want the law to affect equally both master and man. At present it is all in favour of the master and all against the Trades Union. As the law is at present, a master can with impunity sue a Trades Union or dismiss one of its members without in any sense being liable under the law, aud we have I ample evidence to satisfy ourselves tha.t men have been dismissed for no other fault than that they were members of a Union. Yet the law provides us with no remedy. The law that we shall demand must give ns the right to documentary reason for the dismissal of our members, as it gives the master the right to call for Union documents in case of trade disputes. The majority report recommends soime reforms for which Trades Unions have been seeking for some time, and it is a, marvellous thing that, while most of the members of the Cammdssion were men whose environment would seem to make them antagonistic to Trades Unions, they should have given a report which is so favoarable to us. Generally speaking, however, the report by no means sa-Liefi-es the demands of Unionists, while the minority reports are contradictory in almost every impartam,t particular. I have no doubt that the presemt Pa.rlit, or those pro- moting the Bill on this question, will oom- pletely i?BOtM this report, and wiU legislate on the Lines of the Trades Disputes Bill which, was introduced into the last House of Dom-I mons." Labour Party and the Report The Parliamentary committee of the Trades Union Congress on Wednesday unanimously adopted a resolution that it in no wa.y recog- nised the report of the Royal Commission on Labour Disputes and Trades Oombiniations, inasmuch as the Trades Union Congress agreed to ignore the Commission for the reason that no representative of Labour was appointed upon it.

JUDGE ON HYPOCRISYI PLYMOUTH BRETHREN AT LAW 1 Amusing Case at Bridgend I County-Court. At Bridgend County-court (before Judge Gwilym Williams) William Beryard, a -aJil- way signalman, of Cardiff, sued Alfred Love, 9, Station-terrace, Nantyffylloa, Maesteg. for JE20 7a. fed. in respect of money lent. Mr. William Williams, of Cardiff, appeared for plaintiff, who, in his evidence, said that he and defendant were Plymouth Brethren, and had both been preachers of the gospel, but defendant was not a. preacher now. He sent defendant a cheque fcr .f.3) to enable him to complete some painting work in oonnection with two houses he had built at Nantyffyllon, and he also got some trees from Mr. Treseder, of Cardiff, which defen- dant planted in his garden. When be sent the cheque to defendant he received the following nepjy:— My dear Brother in Christ,—Just received your welcome cheque for EM. Dear brother, you know we shall not be long before we shall, by God's help, be able to repay you. The Lord's blessing will rest upon you for this. The Lord's blsesing miaketh rich, and he addeth no sorrow. Defendant did not repay him, not-with- standing his applications On Christmas Eve last year witness sent defendant a printed form warning him that county-court proceedings would be taken. His Honour: That was your Christmas Message. to your Dear brother in Christ," I presume. (Laughter.) Plaintiff: I wanted him to pay me. The letter plaintiff next reoeivtd was addressed plain William Beryard. The Dear" had even been dropped. His Honour: You were not brothers in Christ then, I suppose. The second letter plaintiff said was as follows:— In answer to that notice I received with yonr ungodly iueart to go to law with me. I am sorry that you should go to such measures. Who shall lift up his head against the Lord's anointed and be inno- cent?" If you carry out, or attempt to carry out, your ungodly. thTealt you will get nothing but maelf in prison. What is tha-t to me. Remember, I am as dear to God as ever, and He would abide with me in prison, and you will be without your money. If you will have patience you will get it alL His Honour: This is the kind of thing that disgusts mø more than anything in the world. Mr. Williams: Defendant then goes OlD. to refer to a varre in Corinthians. His Honour: Oh, yes. yee. Let him refer to the law books. I don't remember the verse. Mr. Williams: The verse is about dbmynwag the devil. (Laughter.) His Honour: Was he referring to me,? (Land laughter.) Mr. Williams: I hope not, air. DefemdaiDt, cointdnued Mr. Williams, went on to quote a verae about forgiving everybody. His Honour: I daresay; but dpes he say amything about paying up ?, Dsfenda-mt (to the judge): I 8m very aorry that ever such a case was brought into oourt, sir. His Honour: Oh, you need not be sorry. We don't mind sorrow here at ail. Defendlant continued that a counter-olaim should be set up in respoot to lodging, the plaintiff having stayed with him for week- ends for some years. Plaintiff made a remark, apparently a. scriptural quotation, which was inaudible by the reporters, and his Honour, addressing him sharply, sadd, "I don't lite the introduction of these religions verses into business, because those who use them the most freely axe generally the most dishonest. Limit these verses, and donit irritate me by quoting scripture. They say the devil can do that. In the end his Honour gave judgment for pteintiff.

COAL STRIKE INEVITABLE. I Pittsburg (Pennsylvania), Thursday.—Mr. Mitchell, head of the Miners' Union, who is leaving for New York, said that a strike m the bituminous coalfields was inevitable.- Reuter.

I. Hockey. I ABERYSTWYTH COLLEGE v. CARDIFF I COLLEGE. The girls' hockey teams of these coneges ipiltayed this morning at tlbe Cardiff Inter- ScIhool Oround, acd an exciting match resulted in a draw of a goal each. Miss R. Tfbomas, who played well for Cardiff, ehot their goal, and Miss Burskam, the visiting O3Ip'tœn. was responsible for the Aberystwyth I captain, Atoerystwytih pressed for most. of the I score. second half, and had tiaid lines in not winning.

G.W.R. OFFICIAL ASSAULTED. I Joseph Bogers, labourer, Uwmlbran. vme at Newport on Wednesday fined 40s. for assaulting Hopton "Morgan Williams, a railway officer at the Great Western Station. He wanted to get to Owrnbran, and because the officer prevented him eetting into a Bristol train in motion, he struck him. day.

LLWYNYPIA CHILD DROWNED. I On Wednesday am inquest was held by Mr. R. J. Rhys, coroner, into the circum- stances attending the death of the four-year. old son of Bees Rees, oolliery repairer. Sher- wood-place, Llwynypia. It appeared from the evidence that the child was playing in a neighbouring garden when it fell QTer a wall into the river. The lad's playmate acquainted the mother of what had happened, but before she could get to the spot the body had been carried away by the water for a distance of 200 yards. A verdict of Accidental death" was returned.

HUSBAND DIES FROM GRIEF. I At the little village of Lteuxrhystyd on Tues- day Thomas Clarke and his wife, London milk vendors, were buried together. A fort- night ago the young couple were well and happy. Then the wife had a stroke, and the husband, grieving, became ill himself and died of pneumonia. His wife sneenmbed on I Saturday. The bodies were taken to Aber- ystwyth, and thence by road to LAanrhyetyd. A little girl of three is left.

MERTHYR BANKRUPTCY EXAMI- I NATIONS, At M-arthyr Bankruptcy-court on Wednes- day the exaoninations of the following debtors were declared closed: -Thomas Davies. con- tractor and builder, Merthyr; William Jones, oollier, Pentrebach; Moses Wm. Black well, collier, Troedyrhiw and John Belt, collier, Duffryn. The examinations of Lewis Cad van James and William James (trading as James Brothers), grocens, Gilfacfc Bargoed, and Wil* liam John Williams, fiehseller, Pen^damn, were adjoorned astil the 2I8t. of lIaiI:da-

THE ALTCAR MEETING. I Patron: The Bight Hon. the Earl of Seftoa. I Committee: Duke of Leeds. Sir R W B Jardine. Bart., Mr H Brocklebank, Mr G F Fawoett, and Mr R F Gladstone. Hon. secretary: Mr J Hartley Bibby. Assistant secretary: Mr H Hime. Stewards: Colonel J M M'Calmont, Mr H: Birkbeok. Mr H Hardy, and Mr G W White. Field stewards: Colonel 8 A Bruoe. Mr T Graham. Mr R V Mather. Mr G M'Gall, Mr N ¡ Smith, Mr B M Stollery, and Mr W Wing. | Judge: Mr S A Brioe. Slipper: E. Wilkia- I son. jun. SECOND DAY. I C0UB3IXG BELAYED TKKOO-'tH FOG. I LYDIATE, Taursday (10.0 i.rn.i. I The eau went down last night in a pecr:>ict bitie of goktan splendour, and the general indi- cations suggested a frost during the might. We awoke this morning to find log very much U1 the »eotndmt, I and reports Irom the caumiug ground were the revem I of reassuring. Despite the gloomy outlook, t.M i?;. trowd which was again in evidence keenly antlcipaxed another enjoyable entertainment cnce the sua had obtained the mastery over the log. The firbt-ciass special whiclf steamed out of the Central S-tation punc- tually at 8.45 was again packed with enthusiasts, and the circuitous trip to Lyliate was :ompletad in excel- lent time, despite the obstacle to speedy limomot.ioa presented by the thick weather. The tog exhibited a tendency to disperse at a quarter to tan, but the vapour again thickened, and at the time fixed for the I resumption the raage of vision was confined to objects within about one hundred yards. The thick ooating of rime imparted an extremely wintry appearance to the scene, bat only the bare ground in the vicinity of the I gateways were at all aftectea by the night's frost. The wind which blew out of the sun was daiiciouily brucmg, and shortly before eleven o'clock Old Sol began to smile upon the scene, and the iim brace in tb-c third round of the Cup were ordered to the slips, but Wilkinson had no sooner taken charge cf the com- petitora tfaan. the log again descended, and blotted the hurdles from the y,ew cf tie crowd, whiei evinced admirable patiaoce in » taJitoiisinj situation. This was the state of affairs at 11.2a A start would probably have been effected earlier I.h-r..II. was the case but for tha extreme shyness of the ha-res, who were dnven 00 to the Carrs from right to left, and against the wind. However, the weary spell of waiting ended at Hires minutes to tweive, when a good hire came forward fox Mxrko amd Kewcasttetou, but tile light was very Jadiffe- rant. The sport continued at a steady rate when once the machinery was in motion, but the early trials as a rule were not quite the equai of those of the previous day. Going a third time through the Cup, Jive abso- lute first favourites justified the position. Hoprend. Bsoedict, Pentonville, Pionear, Dnidond Deferred, asd stE-e Surgeon all went welt Hoprend and Pioneer making their respective The WATJ3KLOO OUP ifwita CUD. TAIUC Zift added by the Barl of Seftont. for 64 rab- eoribers, at £25 each; winner L5W. second £ 200. two doge £1;0 each, four dogs £38 eaeli, eight dogB £ 210 each, sixteen doge Slo eaak. the Waterloo Purse and Waterloo Plate, JHM: total. £ 1.603.  ROUND HL I IK?i?ko beat KewcasUetaa.  H?pread beat Handsome Cu?.. ) Benedict beat Briers Hey I Pentouvffie beat GMStoa Fwyy. M?HXitm beat Forest 'Ilgr.  Pioxww beat Coady. I D&klend Deferred beat H?watht. Staff Surgeon beat Parson Parkes. BKCBXPTiOH OF OO CBSES. BOUND ill. < Mirko beat Nepcaatletam.-Bettmg: 5 to 4 on New- IcaatletoB. At eleven o'clock the p&ir were ordered to I the wpa, bœ, the fM t??m blotting out the slipping hardies and bare* being shy, it was not t?til thr,?e minutes to twelve o'clock that a start was made. I Newctfttietoa was the first to show m from, bat the j white collar gradually collared him, and made the ) turn almost clear. fine working trial followed, well I ran by Mirko, who twice only narrowly missed her game in attempts to kill, and, having nearly Utreo- fourths of the pomu, she won in decisive fashion. Hioprend beat Hand&ome Cup.—Betting: 5 to 2 on Hoprend, who -ent a cracker from the slips, and strewshiag out some three lengths as puss was reached, he wrenched strongly once, and, dashing into his same, brought off the kill at the first stroke. Benedict beat Briers Rey.-Betting: livens an Bene- (Lot. Benedict at once left Briers Hey in the larch, and, bringing ho bare round some three lengths in front, and using it two or three times, he placed his game fDr Brien Hey to kill and lose. 1':íHii=.ting: 3 to 1 on PemLonTil,i& The f?Taurtte began to open up & gap very early, but, steadying himself nicely, he would be about two lengths ahead nhw be shifted the hare, He hoU his place cleverly for second and third pomis, I end then gmmbled badly. However, be was always tDo smart and clever for the Ferry, and wae an easy winner of a course of nice Jength. Maiuftai beat Forest Tiger.-RcUing: 2 to 1 on Man- dint A splendid raoe from the slips was witnessed. Mandini just getting up first, zlld & rattling trial ewxed. It was give and take for some time, but Man- dini made a strong ft-"&, and gamed a cle,er victory. MaMer beat Coady.—BobtiB?: 21 to 30 an Pioneer. The pMf split very wide from the sUps, and Coady aPPe" to have much the batter of the razimt i PIoneer struggled resolutely, and, getting past, knocked ptiss up Into the air fit the first attempt for Qoadv to kilI-an electrifying performance the part of Pio- neer. Dividend Deferred beat Hiaw,&tha.-Betting: 9 to on Dividend Deferred, who started slowly, and Ria- watha wae in front for some istance. The fawn siyely made up his leeway, an4 brought his hare round about a length and a !M? in front. He ran much the Oteadier &llda.n: t:: onil1t:ë ::u faW: was veil beaten when the kill was effected by Hiawatha the only good point that she soored. Staff Surgeon beat Parson Parkes.-Bettlug: to 1 on Parson Paikee, who was showing pace from the slips, but Staff Surgeon forged past fir the turn, which ho secured two lengths in front. The latter soon had his course won, and, although the Parson looked like wiping off -the arrears. Staff Surgeon came again tor a oapital finish and the kill, and was left » dectefte winner. BETTING ON THE GFWHJND BEFORE COUBSING. 5 to Z aggt Hoprend, 0, after 275 to 100. t a to 1 — Mandini, o, after 500 to 75 taid 100 to 12 Pioneer, t and o 9 to 1 — Dividend Deferred, t and t 100 to 8 — PentomTme, t 20 to 1 — Benedict, t and o 200 to S Haadecrme Cup, t 200 to 4 — Mirko, t TTM WATERLOO PURSE of £115. taken from the Oup tfabkeB, for the 3Z dor* beaten in the nCTBt round of the Oup; winner £15, eeoood QQ, two does £15 each. four docs £1. eip docs £5 eMb; total. £215. The WATERLOO PLATE of £145, t&ken from the Oup Stakes, for the 16 docs hearten m the tost ties 01 the Oup; winner ETS, second SM, two docs RiC eaah, four does 96 eacà; totak £ 145. THIRD DAT—KBIDAT. WsUrioo Pane (eeeond ties) 4 OanrM. Waterloo Plato (first ties) 4 OOQIMB. Waterloo OILJ) (fourth ties) I opuremil Waterloo Punse (third ties) Z OaaiBca. Waterloo PItK (<ecoo? tM<) < Op?nM*. } W?terl?o .?..??.Deci?Bt Oouiwe. Waterloo PaTM Deoi^isc omwm. WA44WI00 Kate — .Deoidi*« Oo?M

SULLY COURSING MEETING. I For the forthcoming meeting an lud-oit 6. Hr. Hol XeyBOfeb bu beesi T<ert*ifi9& 118 judge, W. Strocb wa am ag slippet-

FOUND DEAD IN BED CARDIFF WIFE'S DISCOVERY I A taboorer, aged 71, named George Kong, (hod ouddonaw iu bed dbas worumg &A has house in Adelim&otcvet, Moors, Cardiff. Deceased went to bed last night apparently i.n hie usual state of health., and has wife this morning was shocked to diaoover ber hugbamd lying dead beside her. The body wsuj coid, so that d-eath must bare taken plaoe some time previously. The coroner has been informed, and an inquest will be held. Dearth is supposed to bve been, due to heart failure.

COCKETT MYSTERY. 1 BODY IDENTIFIED AS THAT OF AN YNYSHIR MAN. The man whose body was found on the Gtreatf- Weatem Railway, near Qowerton, on TtLeaday mftht has been idewilfed by his landlord, who lives at Ynysbir. His name is J. Rees Dairies, single, who for some time woatoed at the Standard CoERery, Ynywhar. PIrior to tibial he was employed for some yeass by the Oaiflow Farjt Dairy Oom.pa.ny at Briton Ferry. Eariy last week the deoeaeed eeci. a tele- graw to his landlord art. Ynyshir telling him if he did not return before Saturday, to draw his (money from the oolliery. A day or so later this telegram was followed by a letter asking the landlord to sell his goods and chattels, and to make the best use he could of the mouey. The landlord seeing a report of a death on the railway in the U Evening Express" yesterday, went to Gowerton this morning, and identified the body as that of his missing ledger.

SIR GEO. NEWNES AND GROCERS' I QUESTIONS. Tbe Swansea Grooere' Association met on Tuesday erening, Mr. A. S. Baldwin presiding. A letter was read from Sir George Newnes in i rowy to a. }Mt of quwtions Mked him in con- ??ecti<M? with trade matters likely to come befoM Pa.rœment. In this the borough mem- pmmised fair &nd favourable considera- tion to adl questions tihat might arise in Parliament. Perhaps the most important was that of the sugar-tax. He was in favour of its removal, and the non-renewal of the Sugar Bounties Convention in its preset form.

NAVVIES' MISSION AT NEWPORT. I Mr. W. M. Bird, who has been an agent of ) the Navvy Mission Society for 24 j ears, has been appointed to take chaage of the work now found necessary at Newport, where there are over 700 navvies employed on the Alexandra Docks extension works. The con- tractors, Messrs. Easton Gibb aad Son, have plaoed a large oabia on the worte at the disposal of the mianoa.

WARWICK MEETING -i a -The DEBDALE X A T EN NATIONAL 1.10 HUXT FLAT RACE of 100 ao?B, for four year olds and upwards; winners extra.. Two miles. 6 11 13 Mr 0 H Jones's Armature M-, Ferguson. 1 t 11 13 Mr E C de Craspigny's Prince Tallej-raad Sir C (ie Grespigny 2 a 1113 Mr H Ingram's Chief Warder Mr Goxdott 3 Winner trained by Bostock. Betting—10 to 1 on A-nnalure, ami 1W W 8 agel any otli-cr. Chief Warier led for half the journey, when Arma- ture drew out cl-eer of Prince Taifcevraard, and. making the remainder of the nrrmtng, won in a canter by eight ltngtlis; a bad third. start &d at 1.45. O 1 CT— Tihe LAMMAS SELLING HURDLE —•JLO RACE of 60 son, for four yeM olde and upwards; winners extra. Two miles, over hurdl-ee. FALCON", 1; CHOUETPE, ?: THE S4VAM3, 3. 12 ran. ADDITIONAL ARRIVALS THIS MORXING. KJ?rit. ACaàjC' What Kcxt, Little BiHie, Cincin- na-tus, MOL?? Bose II., Poor Bea3t, Warlock, Th, and Ticket o' L?ave.

NEWMARKET NOTES. (FROM OUlt OWN CORRESPONDENT.) NEWMARKET, Thursday. LEFT FOR LINGFIEUD PARK. Galega. WARWICK MEETING. SELECTIONS FOR TO-DAY- Barford Steoplechooe-DATM or AMETHTST. Coventry Steeplechue-W ARLOCX or MOSS ROSE ll. Leamington Grand Annual Steeplechase— ROYAL BOW H or ROYAL DRAKE. Wellesbourae Hurdle Raoo-TICKET OF 1 LEAVE or SHOEBLACK. ?bdtaJe National Hunt Fla? £ aoe— =TRAVAGANCE or :VaGHTWICK.

OFFICIAL SCRATCHINGS. [ T*« nas beta officially zfLiamce fey Xtmrs. Wattberbjr of th* foilowiaff KmtcfciseB:— All ement.Km.1Imd W 2.5 yeatenissJ. All eBg&gem-an is—Floss ooit, OrsntfefieM, wa4 Eo*ee- dropper. ————————————————

YESTERDAY'S LONDON BETTING. Catty Cng, XormaJi Bride, cad Y«fec4ty «li tmau fnemds for tbe Lincol1lØhn Handicap at 100 to V. The faivomrttes for the National irwe quiet, but Tijoothy Titus and Tiie Gunner were oaaked at 100 to Z Most interest centred, however, in Sir C Nagent't three, who were all rapported, and after W% W W bad bom taken = ':¥O:Pf('l&nO 7 WM hetlO beat oSw. Det.?jb- LINCOLNSHIRE MAKWCAf. (la Tuesday, Mini 27. DwUlcx, mm Mia.) 100 to 7 agst Catty Crag, t 100 to 7 — Norman Bride, t 100 to 7 Veloctty, t 100 to C — Aadover, t aad • 100 to 8 Vergia., 0 25 to 1 Staadea, o I GRAND NATIONAL STEIFLIOKtU I (Bo* Friday, March 30. Dfttaara, &%Mt four —In I Ud 19t • 100 to 7 agst Timothy Titus, i 100 to 'IDe t 100 to 7 Jobn ILP., o 20 to 1 Dru.cm, t 28 to 1 Roman lAw, t 25 to 1 — Letnster, t !5 to 1 — Gladiator, t ead 0 100 to 3 — Hercules IL, o THE CRaBT. t to 1 agist Black Arrow, t

1 TOPPING AND SPINDLER FLUSHING. HOLLAND. The OLDEST TAFTBUSHED UD OUAT TXTTUSIVT IM of Turf OornmiMion Agent. is ibe World. LINCOLN HANDICAP, GRAND KATIONAI. STZZPLMCHASIM, CITY SUBUBBAN HANDICAP CHESTER cup, ke.: be. Domble and Troblo Evecta, B P., and AocunLaWives S.P., k All letters to be add TOPPrNft a84 SPINDUtK. Flashing, Holiud. Postop Ud. pst, 8ÑI, Id. e1f1'

I FOWL IN THE OVEN. t SURPRISE FOR A RHOKDDA LAND-I I LORD. Two brothers, Fred a Waiter Mardeii, oo^iiers, Blaenllecbaou, were charged at Ponty- pridd on Wednesday with stealing fowls from the oot of F. Preece, Fern dale. Pnoeeoutoir stated that his oot was raided OIl the 12th, and depleted of no t.hajr> thirteen out of fifteen fowls. Two heacle of the fowls were found in the lane, and the blood was traced for some distance. Evidence was aJso sriven to the effect that the two men were not at work on the night in question, and did not arrive at their resi- dence until 1..30 a.m., and about live o'clook, when eoing to work, the def, ndanw lamd- lord was surprised at the aromatic odour which enDamated from the oven, and on open- ing which he was stall more surprised to find a, fowl in the ptrooeas of being cooked. Defendants' explanation was that they bad bought the bird from a man om the road between Tylorstown amd Feradale for 6d. Polioe-ooostaMe Daviee's assertion, that he saw the defendants at Femdale at "stop-tap," wae stoutly denied, amd the case was ad- jomrned for the purpose of ena.bling the deSemdants to call evidence to prove UI. aJibi, which they stated they could set 119.

268 MILKS IN SEVEN DAYS. SOLDIER'S FORCED MARCH FROM I CARDIFF TO SCARBOROUGH. Edward Elliott, a militiaman, who saw service in the Boer war, g-are himaeil up at Scarborough Police-station in the early hoars of Wednesday to answer a ewmroone takem out by his wife, who asked for a maintenance order on the ground of persistent cruelty. Defemdaat, who appeared before tbe Mayor, asked for an adjournment. Be informed the court that be had tramped the 268 miles from Cardiff to Scarborough in order to defend himself. He set out from Cardiff when he heard that a Bunmons had been taken ont. and it had taken him jast over a week to tramp the distance. Mr. Whitefield, who represented the wife, said that defendant's service abroad had evidently not suited him, for when he returned he practically went mad. The Mayor: H the case is adjourned you must not carry on like this. Defenda.nt: I give you my word of honour I will not. It was all caused by my wife drinking. The case was adjourned until Monday.

AN AMUSING DIALOGUE. MERTHYR SOLICITOR SUGGESTS I THAT DEBTOR IS A GOOSE. At Merthyr Bankruptcy-court, before the registrar (Mr. Lewis), on Wednesday Joseph Sparkes, grooer and butcher. High-street, Bedlinog, came up for hie adjourned exami- nation. Mr. F. P. Charles again appeared for Mr. Jenkin Edwards, a creditor, who had obtained judgment againet the debtor in am action for libel brought by the debtor against him at the Swansea Assizes in July of last year, and Mr. R. H. Spencer, Trede- gar, appeared on behalf of Mrs. Sparkes, who claimed to be the "owner of certain houses, ae to which her husband was ques- tioned at the last sitting. There were some sharp passages at arms between the debtor and Mr. Charles. The debtor protested against Mr. Edwards priming his solicitor with questions, which he characterised ae a "lot of rot," and Mr. Charles begged him not to make himself ridiculous. Sparkes declared that he wae too old a bird to be caught by Mr. Charles, unless Mr. Charles had better lime, where- upon the learned advocate suggested to him that if he were a bird, since he oertaimly wae not a swan, he was probably a goose. The examination was eventually declared closed.

A HKAVY BANKRUPTCY. I The creditors of Mr. White, formerly tmanaging director of White's Carriage Oom- pany, Liverpool, who is now in prison on dbarges of fraud and forgery, met on Wed- nesday at the official receiver's omoe. White having beoome bamkrupt since hie arrest. The OffbdM ReoeiTer stated that the gross Liairili- taes were put down at £ 211,999, a.nd after deducting securities held by fully and partly secured creditors there remained CI14,439 ex- pected to rank for dividend. The total assets were returned ad. £ 15,836, leaving a. defioienoy of £ 98,628, which would probably be larger. The losses arose through liha" deaJiogB, which aoooumted for £ 5SUM0 of the deficiency, wlhile £10,000 wae lost in corn speculations. Last January White paid into one bank 9254,000, and drew in the same month E2WODD. Most of the creditors are for money lent in sums varying from £100 to £ 40,000. A letter was read from WhÍlbe acknowledging his betrayal of trust and the confidence of his friends, amd promising if be survived the heavy punishment in store for ham to try amd a&one £ or Us wrong- doing.

1 J M ■—I— 1 I THE WESTERN MAIL ABC TIME T A BLJCS, ——' FOB CARDIFF, NEWPORT, and SWANSEA. PRICE. ONE PEY ÂOR MONTHLY. T?e Westers M?il ABC Time Tsbim we published every Month in three separate editMOs. namely, Cardiff. Newport, and Swansea, each of which can be obtained for One Penny from all Newsagents or at any of the offices of the Western MaiL" For an Annual Subscription of Two Shillings a copy of either of the Time Tahiss will be sent free by post to any address each gMOtfe immediately after publtcclio* BIRTHS, MARRIAGES, DEATHS ANO m MEMORIAM. Xotices appearing onim tbeot headings m rlwuJ sA the loUowiSg: rates:— If inserted m the EVENING EXPRB6S," WO& TlCRN MAIL," and WMtKLY KAIL." 3a. tar » Words, and Id. for eacb additional word. If inserted m Vat BTBNING EXPBBSS A" WEEKLY MAIL GIlly, is. for Je Worts, M4 I*, for ewrr Two Extra Wards. So notices of this description w111 be UMOttrt "Hi— authenticated by the name and addfaat of tbe aendac. Teferrame and telephonic awaMgw eaauot be aetad aa nnt-J eeufcrmed in writioc. AUGUSXLNK J. STONE FUKERAL FCENISHER FUNERAL DIRECTOR. Fexvcaal Supervision to All Ord-em. Nat. !& OardJS, iht. 704; Peat Oftee TIL N D. 618, Caardl*. Telegmaie. AUOUBIINZ STON*, CAXDIFF. AUGCETXSI StOKt, BABIty DOCKS. 5, WORKG-ST., QARDUT. 101, HOCTON-BOAD, 15Aiwy DOCKS.

CARDIFF ARRIVALS. JtUATH DOCJL Feb. 2 (a.m.).-Iledruth, g, 1,505 (Jtmhqfr. Hornillo, iron ore. Doris, S, 2,549 (0im-,rell.- Venice, water ballast. Princee.6 Sophia, a. 197 (Ga-lybins), East Dock, nil. Taruma, a. 987 (Cnrigtensen;, Glasgow), water ballast. Box- grove, e, 1,939 (QaUraith), Windsor Slipway, water ballast. BUTE EAST DOCK. Feb. 22 (a.m..—Baloo, 6, 066 ,(M'ConneU| B-ouen, water ballaet. Michael, s, 1,4& (Lfcracas), Oompbeltown, water ballast. BUTE W d3T DOCK. Feb. 22 (a.m.—Miarciuese of Bute, s. IX (Mourei, Liverpool, general. Bonita, 37 fdu- chester), Barnstaple, gravel. Voltaire 6, 132 (Gartwrigteti, Liverpool, general. Skomer, s. 46 Peters), Sea, fish.

I SMtlWNa CASUALTIES. [Ltoyd'c Telerrajnfl.] Ttmrsdtoy Jarveipark.—Copenhagen telegraphs: Brttuta steamer Jacrvelpark, previously reported ashore Pateraoefcer Rocke, floated waA arrived here yesterday; wag towed from Marstrand; hat- sustained extensive damage; all piropelter blades brolon, Norwood.—Preeton telegraphs Steasaer wood, whtch grounded South Wall, flowtat and proceeded Newry yesterday morning^ DO DAMAGE reported. Battle Isle.—Stornoway telegraphs. Steamer Battle Isle, previously reported aahaaK Goat Island, floated and beached tiibie mornin's tide. Isaac T. Campbell.—Ne? York cables Anie can schooner Isaac T. Oampbell ;.t=.2:. bdly rrraged by collision.

LONDON FINANCE BANK RATE. Bank Eate, 4 per oent. No change pry ORM LOifDOil OOKSBSPOKDUrrj LO-NDON, TOrarsdas. 2-0 P.m Call Money in strong request &t. 4 per oeagy three months' bills 32. Bombay and CSalcatft trausierc 1.6 3-32d, Kio 16 9-lbd, Valparaiso 4 13-16. The Stock M&rket? show a. steadier^ea> dency HUB mwning, though there is ?bUe doing beyond ooBQjpletiog the settlem in connection with which two-small fail ares ane announced, though more may f*iiow. No important firm ie likely to fail, assistance haring been given to some of the weak posi- tionB. Consohs 90t for Money and 90i for the Ac-.ount. Home Rails firm; only four fractional changes recorded. Americans inactive, owing to holiday' ia New York. With the exception of a rise of 1 in Norfolk Prefs and i in Uhesapeake prioeH are all j to 1 down on the day, several being now under parity. TirankF J up. FowigmeTs irregular. Bussian, .Japanese, Turkish, and Peruvian being i to 3- up om the steadiness of Paris and Frankfort boereep South Africans 1-16 to i up. Bear closing less anxiety regadding the settlement.

LOCAL Fl NANCE, [BY OUE FIKASOLAiL LDITORJ CARDIFF, Thursday. 2-0 p-nt. There was very little change in the general oondition of the local Stock Market this morning. South Wales railway stocks wexft steady, but quiet in most cases. Colliers shares were still strong, and South Afrioaa mines showed slight recovery. Other depart- ments were neglected. NJEATH AND BRECON RAILWAY OOMPANT. The directoro of the Tie&th and finaoaa Railway Company in their half-yearly repad show receipts totalling f,31,958, on increase of £ 2,245, wbile the expenses were £23,138, as increase of £ 1,422. After providing for inte rest on the prior issues, the directors pro- pose a distribntion of 4 per cent, on the A"" (2) Debenture stock, carrying £5fJ1100 the far- ther improvement of the undertaking. The distribution on the "A" (2) Debenture stock a year ago was 3i per cent. ANSWEHS TO CORRESPONDENTS. W311 "Constant Reader" kindly aund as tab D and Address?

METALS. GLASGOW, Thnrfc., Feb. 22.-Opening: Ciewe- land strong; moderate business Øaoe at 48s Id and 4Be 3d cash, and 488 7id and &, 94 month; buyers, 48s Z¥1 oaeh and 486 6&A motrtti; eeliers, 48s 3d ca-ib and 4Sf m month. Cktmberhtn4 firm; email businew done at 63s 7td month, buyers, 6.)E month; sellezE, 635 cash. Other brands neglected.

TRECYNON MAN "SHADOWED." At Pontypridd on Wednesday- Vbofom Joaoc, an elderly man, residing at BelL street, Treoynon, wae charged with traveittnc on the Taff Vale Railway from LlaodaS to Pontypridd wirt/hont a ticlult. Detective Edwards explained to the bench how be had "ehadowed" the defendant from Oardiff to Aberdare. At Cardiff the defen- dant booked for Llandaff, where he got. oat until the train was about to fttart, when few jumped into the train. He did the same thing at Aberoynoa, and at hit destination at Aberdaze he banded the ticket collector the return half ticket from A ber dare to Pontypridd. Defendant now pleaded that he had intended making up the difference, but bad forgotten to do so. TThe Stipendiary, however. regarded tte ease ae a bad one, and imposed the maxi- mum penalty of £2 and ooste (146.).

Thomas Per kin?, 26, a blacksmith, Croat Aber-cynon, changed 00 Wednesday before the Cardiff magistrates with being disorderly and using bad language in tihe Hayes, said some gdii he met had taken 10s. from him. The Bench discharged the prisoner, and advised him to go home to A ber cy non.

TOO LATE TO CLASSIFY. LATEST NEWStl BARGAINS IN WATCHES AND JEWELLERY, dn. SOL PHILLIPS. WATCHMAKER AND JEWELLER, 43, CAROLINE STREET (Off at. CARDIFF, Is Giving LIBERAL DISCOUNT off all Goods. WOMB" YOUR WHILE CAIXIHG. YOU WILL SECURE THE BEST BAIMAnn IN CARDIFF. ellM Q,IWOa( wanted under a 0ow2mma; muO be gQõi G?' ajid ia? W ride md dri?e; i;gh& weigtot; to live in.-Apply C. B. JDavtw, dysderw«B House, CEj'sderweu. eSOSSpM BA BM.A K w-an-ted; masi be reliable, hjocest, IWiI D eotoer; good wages to suitaUe pwgm.kTply. personally, woith references, Harriet., Mardy Hotel Hardy, GILM. e2QB4p2t iif.iN'I"ED, ¡o: &e2tlem*n'8 Family in tbe Coim^ H L-eneW Servant; c.?p?Ne of pkix "?*?f: earty riser, two othem kept; good teferecse irequfreft; wages £ 14 to £ 16.—Mrs. Sootl, Ldanateptaro. ClrmaB- then. eeoaotCB WÅNTEIDDilljMïi lbrfceir; boots and Reiierafiy tV osefui; poet %tm wpiined; fcve to.—Bute, Tto- horbcrt- e20»rpa» LAUY, Working ]I-MWIIPW, deøm!8 BeS^ngngK meet, where eervaat kept; refem"t,Ig 8f. Evenmg Szpiees, Cardiff. B Sale, Corrugated Iran Bwfldinge. Barry Doq^ J 90ft. x 50ft.; Ditto, 47 x 2D; Buffhite for worka— GwatiEtn, Pyle eeOB5p28 WAN TDD, experienced Geoerai for Country i- tT ban; two 'adiss; man dean knives, boott.. &c.- Afifty. wMob wages, age. references. Musses r.e..i8" Gtvnaetbuen, Uangadook. e20Sip28 IGIOUND, Btecfc Terrier; if not ckuxned witAxr, tm8 X daye wfli be sold.—Mr. T. Hams, 0, £ ore«t-»e«. nee, Blackwood. e2027p08 TKAVXL>L>K3 w tolt B.,ftry qwred TWOAW, w"ry and =moftm: am wtt? om- nection and aocueiomed to the trade preferred —CMC galop Bwwery, Shrewsbury. 06223 IGTOR Sate, faat Bay Cob, 6ve yemse old, 34.1 Dap- P out and Harness: been regitiarly driven and ridden by lad;.—Coachman, K&rUiwsHe. Femarth. eJIII WANTED munediatdy, aman, ArmW Gifi Ug Horace work; msaA ID tap-bar wlieo required.— Aprpiy, letter only, Manageress, King'e Heed Uct4 Newpcprt. egOMpai HOUSKKfSP&C owk. sa-at*m wuidw *?- JLIL B.OheW; no WzW pieWrred; widow.—L. F., Evenin g Iftrpreas, Newport. e205op24 RKSPSCTA £ L>E Widow <■«) requ-m* Suu«fc £ i Wkirtang Housekeeper to respectab4e PenIOn; road manager; good references. —E 65, Evomng Expreim. Cardiff. e2C&p28 TntT'A.N'nED,? ?Dod QemM?; tto fajn?v.—MMefJ? W Goklem Hoc ELateL Aberken6g, near Br:dgaoa. e2C83 paS W A.NTED, stsong Led, about 18 years, able to I>rive and lx>ok After Horses: sux« wagaa required—Apply Morgan, Minera! Water Works. ENIN6 wxln. e2080p3» Tr^XPWtti £ J< i.'ED Plain Cook or Oook-<ieoieT«J, iaxaU0 ri two; bouee-p&rtourmsid kept; separate roomwj ^lterdesired.—First wnte, witii Jeienmces, P., 17, quay-etreet, Cardiff. ee073p28 rA.NT-RD, WIIIMG, truetwm-My Hatfe-P-4-rmat& t'f ppiy Bomtie;, Pcnairtli. e207apffl TTOPSMUiBPa (WAPWWQ Genclsgaw Ladi; aomvmgamac- sum on&R-k-,Par" sS0 £ &J*aB v

NEWPORT BURGLAR DISAPPOINTED 1 The premises of Messrs. Heybyrne and Co., at Newport, were found on Wednesday to have been broken into during the night. Someone gained an entry to the office and forced the desk, damage being done to the I extent of from 10s. to XI. The thief or thieves' trouble was only rewarded by find- I ing ls. 6d., which was carried away.

POLICE-INSPECTOR STONED AT TONYPANDY. Hugfe Thomas, a. young CAydacfe Vaie collier, was charged art Pontypridd Police- court on Wednesday with assaulting Pohce. inspector Hoyle, of Tonypandy. The Inspector stated that when at Tony- pandy-square the defendant, who was under the influence of drink, seemed to have got infuriated at him without the slightest pro- vocation, as be (the inapeotor) had not up to then noticed tha-t defendant was there. The defendant commenced using abusive lan- guage, and said that he would knock the officer's —— brains out- Suiting the threat with the action, he picked up HaJf-a-doaen stones and hurled them at witness's hea4. Though, fortunately, the defendant narrowly missed each time, one stone knocked him on the coat. Defendant could now only account for his extraordinary conduct by stating that he was drunk at the time. A previous conviction for a similar offence having been recorded agarinst Mm, defendant was sentenced to one month's imprisonment.

GOLF. I MONTHLY MEDAL PLAY AT BOSS. I Some interesting play was witnessed on the Alton Court course during the monthly medal competition, and a good number of players put in an appea<rance. The best cards returned were as follows:- Gross. H'cap. Net. W. T. W. Jeffrey 117 20 97 C. L. Llewellyn 113 15 98 T. H. Ooombes 119 18 un Rev. H. Ll. Rice. 11-4 10 104 T. Kemp 122 18 104 C. H. Banning 122 IT 1Ø5 C. T. Blake 126 20 MS J. H. Hall 125 18 107 The nest monthly competition wail .1 ptece Sang fftftrdaa in jfooatfc

RAILWAY ACCIDENTS] I CAN THEY BE PREVENTED P Wha.t do the men on the foot-plate, in the guards' van, in the signal-box, and along the metals think of the accidents which nip them out of existence? Have they any idea as to how they are caused, and how to prevent them? If so, Mr. Lloyd Meyrick gives them a chance of telling their thoughts to the world. He wants to get at information which will reduce risks to tihe railway worker Mr. Meyrick does not look to the official, the manager, or the director for this information He seeks it from the men, who, if they think fit, should know moat of the dangers of their calling, viz., the engine-driver, the shunter, platelayer, guard, and signalmen. To 11.111 railwaymen engaged in the manipulation of traffic he offers three prices for the best explanatory statement of: — How best to avoid A&tal and non-fatal accidents on railways. The 1st prize will be Five guineas The 2nd prize will be Two guineas The 3rd prize will be One guinea The statement must not exceed 700 words in lengith, fmt the main vho writes any num- ber lem has the &&me cbamœ of a prize. AM Mr. MeyrMk -wants is ideas, and gram- mar and literary grace of composition wiU be as mere dust in the belamm.  The ?uimmg statements will be ?Mished in the Evening Erpress," and extracts from su<a others as may be deemed useful and advisable. Eacth cosnjpetator must write on one side only of foolscap sheets, "itpl his full name and address at the bottom. A pen name may 'be used, and the authors' names will, if desired, be k-ept absolutely private. Bach mian's occupation should be stated, as some guarantee that only genuine rail- wiayimen are coinvetiltors The statements must be sent addressed to Mir. Lloyd Meyrick a.t the "Evening Express" Office, Cardiff, on or before April 7 next. In the important task of adjudication Mr. James Holmes, organising secretary of the Anns,Aglaanateod Society of Railway Servants, will assist Mr. Meyrick, but the latter wishes it to be known that the essays of Unionists and fnom-Uniomists will reoeive perfectly impartial consideration.