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Public Meeting.
Public Meeting. Interesting Speeches. To forward the candidature of Mr S. T. Griffin lot a seat on the Monmouthshire County Council, rendered vacant by the death of Mr W. B. -Gething, a public meeting was held in the Town Hall Usk, on Monday evening, when Mr A. E. Bowen presided over a representative body of electors of the district. On the platform were the candidate, Lieutenant-Colonel D. E. Williams (chairman Pontypool Board of Guardians), Rev H. A. Williams (Llangibby), Messrs. J. Maitland Watkins (chairman of the Usk Conservative Association), R. St. John Beasley, J. H. Clark, aii, Foster Stedman (South Munmouthshire Con- servative Agent\ J. T. Hughes (Monmouth Boroughs Conservative Agent), R, H. Marfell, -and G. Frazer. The Chairman, in opening the proceedings, said they had met for the purpose of having the last word and giving Mr Griffin a good send-off" tfor the morrow. (Applause). Having thought .over the matter, he had come to the conclusion that nothing but the sternest sense of duty could "have made two such level-headed and eminently respectable men as Mr Griffin and Mr Hiley to come forward as candidates for a seat on the County Council, and if that were so he thought those present should do their part in getting their man Into the right place. The office of a County 'Councillor was not an easy one to fill if all the duties were carried out. He could imagine each .of the candidates having a doubt as to what his .duties, other than general, would be, if elected. He might be put on the Parliamentary Committee, »and indirectly, by that meaus, learn a little of the •geography of the Metropolis, or he might become a member of the Main Roads Committee, and in that way ha-ve to go all the way round the County to look at our little roads which require widening ,in view of the increasing motor traffic. Again, he might possibly get on the Education Committee, .and he (the speaker) was told that the members of that Committee spent laborious hours signing -.cheques. (Laughter). It had been whispered to "him that the first thing Mr Griffin would do when lie became their representative on the County Council would be to ask the Council to make the Borough of Usk a present of a Fire Brigade. ■(Laughter). If that came off he could only hope .-that the Brigade would be a useful one. He then -called upon the candidate to address the meet- in sr. <.> MR. S. T. GRIFFIN I -said he felt that the first duty he ought to perform --was to return thanks to his friends who attended that meeting, and more especially to those whom lie recognised as having come in from a consider- able distance to assist him upon this occasion. (Applause.) He was not quite sure what kind of speech they expected from him, but he did not in- tend to deal with Imperial politics further than to say a few words upon the question which he found uppermost in the minds of the majority of the alectors he had had the privilege of canvassing in 'the outside district during the last two or three weeks, and that was the Education Act and its local administration. He believed that that Act, like all other great reform measures passed in their time, might require some amendment at the hands .f whoever might be in power at no distant date, but what he would like to point out was the small measure of control which the Act left to the pro- prietors of the schools-small indeed as compared with the practical annexation of the Voluntary schools by the Educational Authority for which 'the Act provided. He would say that the Act should not be made the ground for immediate and violent attacks, still less should it be regarded as -a. justification for the extreme steps taken by the "Monmouthshire County Council in fixing such a .crushing and, if he might be allowed to say so, so "dishonest a demand upon the agricultural commu- nity for the carrying out of educational work in -.the County. (Hear, hear.) In his walks through the district he found out that, whatever opinions people might have about the Act itself, there could be no doubt that the majority of the electors had ,-satisfied themselves that the Mon. C.C. had not -dealt with the district of Usk as they ought to have done. The Council bad not shown that fair- ness which they might reasonably have expected from them, especially when they read of the ex- -extraordinary amount of CONSCIENCE I which they pretended to possess. The majority of -the people of the district had been educated in schools supported by voluntary contributions, and prior to the passing of the Education Act of 1870 it would be pretty well safe to say that all were. To-day we were called upon to pay a rate of some- thing like a shilling in the £ for educational pur- poses. Why was that ? Since the passing of the .Act of 1870 thousands of pounds had been spent upon board schools in the Eastern and Western Valleys, for which the ratepayers of those districts were responsible. Now that the County Council liad become the educational authority, in their -wisdom they had relieved those school board dis- tricts of from Is. to Is. 6d. in the £ and cast the burden upon the agricultural districts, where the schools had been provided by voluntary contribu- tions. He maintained that the time had come .-when they should stand up and fight against such •,an imposition. (Applause.) The one-sided way in which the Act was being administered was the -principal reason for his consenting to fight the election. (Hear, hear.) Only recently an attend- ance officer was wanted for the Usk district, and the town of Usk provided two or three candidates, including one whose family had lived in Usk for -generations, one who was born in the town, appren- ticed in the town, with a character that would bear the strictest investigation, and who knew every yard of the district. But the appointment went to a man .at Abertillery, to whom personally he had not the slightest objection; his objection was to the prin- < ciple of the thing. (Hear, hear.) His residence vat Coedypaen was practically next door to the school which the Rector, with the assistance of a few farmers, had maintained by voluntary subscriptions and an occasional voluntary rate of -2d. in the 9, and the examination results and consequent grants were all that any reasonable man could expect. In the face of the fact that farmers could be found there to manage the school •■go satisfactorily, the Education Authority HAD GONE OUTSIDE I -the parish for a manager who had never before seen 'the school, and who had seen it, perhaps, but once •;<since he had been appointed. Was that fair to the -people of the district ? ("No.") Since 1870,40 "millions sterling had been voluntarily contributed to Church of England, Roman Catholic, Wesleyan, -licl other voluntary schools. To pass on to another question he had been pointedly asked if he were in favour of Sunday Closing. As a man ■who had lived in Cardiff he would tell them he .was not. (Applause.) He had had personal and practical experience of the working of the Act, a it had been an utter failure. At any rate, why should a poor man, who could not .;attord. to get a cask of beer, be debarred from hav- ing a glass on a Sunday ? Was it any more harm for a man to fetch that than for a richer man to go to his cellar and draw one ? (Hear, hear.) Then ,as to heavy motor traffic and the maintenance of the roads, he thought the time was not far distant when they should ask the Imperial Exchequer to contribute a part of the increased cost of upkeep -of the highways, and so more evenly distribute the burden. He complained that while applications to the County Council from the Pontypool R.D.C., for aid towards what were practically main roads were not reasonably met, applications from some ■other parts of the County received every attention. In conclusion, Mr Griffin said that if they did him the honour of returning him he promised that he would at all times use his best endeavours, without fear or favour, to further the general interests of the County, and the interests of the Usk district in particular. (Loud applause.) I RESOLUTION OF CONFIDENCE. Mr J. Maitland Watkins said that after the ex- cellent speech Mr Griffin had given he was con- vinced he was an admirable fighter, and he (the speaker) thought he had shown them all that he had a spirit which was very much wanted in municipal matters. (Applause.) It was with pieasure that he proposed the following resolu- tion :— "That this meeting considers Mr Stephen Treseder Griffin a fit and proper person to represent the Usk Division of the Monmouth- shire County Council, and pledges itself to use every legitimate means to secure his return." | Mr R. H. Marfell, in an appreciative speech, seconded. I MR. L. F. STEDMAN said it gave him very great pleasure to support Mr Griffin in the fight, and he should like to congratu- late him on the exceedingly able and lucid address he had given. (Hear, hear,) He did not think that if they were seeking for a man with grit and backbone, a man able to hold his own in the coun- cil chamber, they could possibly find a better representative than Mr Griffin. (Applause.) Al- though he was present to support Mr Griffin, he wished it to be thoroughly understood that he had no personal animosity or disagreement with Mr Hiley. These elections were fought, and ought to be fought, upon perfectly friendly grounds. Mr Hiley was a personal friend of his; he had enjoyed his hospitality, and joined him in the sports of the neighbourhood, and he hoped he should again many times. (Hear, hear.) At the same time, in contests of this description there were differences which separated men according to the ideas they held upon political and public questions which in no way affected their personal relationship and friendship. (Hear, hear.) Now he was inclined to think that Mr Griffin was the class of MAN THEY WANTED I on the Monmouthshire County Council. He (the speaker) had been present at their debates and had longed for a man who would get up and soeak fearlessly on behalf of the rural districts. The affairs of the Council were absolutely in the hands of a political caucus. Those present at that meeting might say it was rather extraordinary that the Conservative and Unionist Party should force its political organization upon the constituency at the present moment, and that he who represented that political organization should be on the platform that night. He would say, that if they could get a County Council which would be con- ducted purely upoo the ordinary lines of conduct of their municipal and local affairs, they should take political organization as far away as they could from it. For years, personally, he had watched the proceedings of the County Council, and had seen the majority taking the whole thing in the palms of their hands and working it from political motives. Therefore, not only in the interests of their own political party, but in the interests of the ratepayers of the County, Con- servatives and Unionists should try to stem this scandalous conduct of affairs. (Applause). They may have wondered at the unanimity which apparently existed amongst their opponents on the County Council, but the reason for that was not far to seek. The whole thing was in the HANDS OF A CAUCUS. I They met before every Council meeting, and all the Council business was cut and dried before the meeting. The only time for discussion was when those eminently superior gentlemen fell out amongst themselves. What the ratepayers wanted was men on the Council of the stamp, grit, and ability of Mr Griffin-(applause)-to stand up in the Council against them. There was not the slightest doubt that any Liberal returned to the County Council had to fall into line with the majority, and do whatever was found necessary at the preliminary private meeting of this party. In this district, perhaps, they looked upon the educa- tion question from a different standpoint to those persons who resided in the opposite side of the County. In this district they should wish to look after, and to command some sort of advantages for, the Schools which were responsible for the educa- tion of their children. If they elected Mr Hiley, their representative would be obliged to throw in his lot with the representatives of the Western Valleys, who were dead against the system of Schools in vogue here. He (the speaker) was not a bigoted denominationalist. He was brought up upon extremely broad ideas with regard to religion and education. Anything he might say, therefore, would not be from a narrow and bigoted point of view, or from a denominational and religious point of view. THE EDUCATION QUESTION, 11 however, could not be considered without going to the root of the matter, and In would ask them to take their minds back prior to the Act of 1870, when there were some 8,200 odd Voluntary Schools, which were responsible for the education of the neoDle. Thev were established in our towns and villages, and provided the whole of the education for the poorer classes. (Applause.) As time went on, the population increased, and the educational needs of the country became greater, it was found that that system could not possibly control or meet the requirements, and the Act of 1870 brought in the system of Board Schools. That was an Act brought in by a Liberal administration, and he gave Liberals all credit for ptssiog it. He con- sidered that it was one of the best which could be passed for the benefit of the people of the country, and it was supported not only by Liberals but by Conservatives as well, But when it was brought in it was never intended that it should in any way mean the abolition of the voluntary system. Mr Forster, the minister responsible for education, in introducing the Bill of 1870. said: — We must take care not to destroy in building up-not to destroy the existing system in intro- ducing a new one." Mr W. E. Gladstone said: "It was with us an absolute necessity—a necessity of honour and a necessity of policy-to respect and favour the educational establishments and machinery we found existing in the country." Lord Ripon, another strong Liberal, said "The Bill proposes to maintain all existing Schools in receipt of Government aid on their present footing. We desire they should continue and extend, and needlessly to destroy one of them would be to inflict a great mischief. Almost without exception they have been established by religious denominations. Now, we do not ask them to give up their connection with those bodies, nor do we forbid them to teach, in the most un- restricted manner, the doctrines and faith of those denominations." (Applause.) Mr Gladstone bad previously said: "If I were driven utterly to abandon the voluntary principle, or to place exclusive reliance upon it, I would not hesitate a moment in making my choice. In such an emergency I would say at once, give me the real education, the affection of the heart, the moral influence operating upon character, the human love, that are obtained through the medium of the voluntary principle." He (Mr Stedman) gave these quotations to show that when the educational that when the educational SYSTEM OF 1870 I was introduced there was not the slightest idea in the minds of the promoters of making war upon the class of schools responsible for education up to that date. (Hear, hear.) He would now show them what the voluntary system had done for education. In 1870 there were 1,693,059 children being educated in Voluntary Schools; in 1901, 3,041,673. In 1901 there were 2,721,173 children in the Board Schools. In 1870, when the Voluntary Schools were mainly responsible for education-in fact gave the only chance of learning to the poor, voluntary subscriptions to support them amounted to E418,839 in 1901 that amount had grown to £ 834,123. They would, therefore, see that Voluntary Schools and subscriptions had doubled themselves in 30 years, and that, however much they might be abused, they had been responsible for the education of more than half of the children of the country. Although the voluntaryiata were willing to put their hands into their packets it was found not to be sufficient to meet the advanceof education, and it was necessary to extend it in view of the education given to children abroad, it was impossible for the voluntary system to meet the needs of the country, and then came Board Schools to supplement them, supported by the rates. Then, later, to keep up ill the march of progress, it was necessary that the Voluntary Schools should also have I RATB ASSISTANCB. for they had been suffering educationally as compared with the Board Schools which were financed from the pockets of the ratepayers. The consequence was that the present Government to meet the exigencies of the case, and the advance- ment and requirements of the times, introduced the Education Bill a couple of Sessions ago. Now, one of the objections was that it abolished Board Schools. It, however, did nothing of the sort. The Bill abolished School Boards, which was a very different matter, and at that he rejoiced, for the reason that, for the main part, their members were not elected for their educational abilities and for the welfare of the children, but upon political and sectarian grounds. They had given way to educational authorities formed of persons selected from town, urban, and county councils, who acted within the respective areas of their jurisdiction. They had the power of co-opting other members of educational attainments who might be valuable in exercising their opinions. It was a great deal better that their local educational needs should be dealt with by such a body, who would know the local character, peculiarities and requirements of the people, than that they should be subject to the hard and fast red tapeism of Whitehall. (Applause.) The Act also brought about the consolidation of primary, secondary, and technical education. Under the old system each was dealt with by a separate body, now all were dealt with by one. This was in the INTEREST OF ECONOMY it prevented the overlapping of work, and better enabled the children to pass from one school to another, and to obtain an educational position which otherwise, perhaps, would be beyond their reach. In the past there had been a Rreat deal of extrava- gance as regarded educational management. Now the body which was responsible for the levying of the rate was also responsible for the spending of the money, and it gave the ratepayers, who were now so hardly hit in this district, a better chance of checking extravagance than they had in the past. Then came the question of popular control versus clerical control." as it was called. He could not see what objection to the Act there could be under this head. In many instances there would have been very little education in the rural districts had it not been for the parson. (Hear, hear.) If in the past the parsons bad had, in any instance, any unfair or autocratic control of the Schools, they had lost it under the Act, but he denied that locally there had been any complaints with regard to this. Nonconformists could take advantage of the con- science clause, and keep their children from school until the religious instruction had been given. The Act gave Nonconformists AN ABSOLUTE CHARTER. On the board of management were now placed two outsiders who would probably belong to a different denomination to that of the School, and who would see that no injustice was done to the children belonging to other denominations. All orders re- garding secular education were in the hands of the Education Authority, as well as all power of spend- ing monev. The buildings had to be kept up at the cost of the denomination to which the School belonged. The management of the teachers, too, was in the bands of the County Council. who were elected by the votes of the people. Under these circumstances he could not understand why there should be all the cry there was about popular control. All that the denominational managers retained was the right to give religious instruction in the Schools for balf-an-hour each morning, and in return for that they handed over, unfettered and unrestricted, the whole of the School buildings in their possession, of a value of from 20 to 30 millions. Not only had the voluntaryists carried on out of their own pockets the Schools in rural districts, but in many towns, in addition to maintaining their own schools, they had ALSO HAD TO CONTRIBUTE I their quota to the Board Schools, and this they had I done without whining. (Hear, hear.) Board Schools in 30 years had drawn over £ 75,000,000 from the rates, while the Voluntary Schools had not drawn a halfpenny. What was wanted with regard to our educational system now was absolute justice for all; all Schools should be put upon the same basis and supported out of the rates, so that the secular education of the children might be properly attended to. (Hear, hear.) The action of the passive resisters seemed to him to be not only absolutely contemptible but illogical, and it brought the law of the land into disrepute. If once they allowed the people to refuse to carry out an Act of Parliament passed by the representatives of the people they were bringing into force some- thing exceedingly dangerous for the welfare of the country in the future. The Monmouthshire County Council had not carried out the Act in its entirety nor in fairness to many of the districts of the County. Their shilling rate was not short of an absolute scandal. (Hear, hear.) In Monmouth- shire they had TWO ENTIRELY DIFFERENT DISTRICTS I with two entirely different classes of schools. One I part of the County was industrial, and there the Board Schools, upon which thousands of pounds had been spent, abounded, and the education rate amounted to from Is 8d to 2s in the S. There were e debts on those Schools of £ 300,000. The other part of the County was agricultural, and there the Schools had been provided and maintained by voluntary subscriptions, or a voluntary rate of 2d or 3d in the L. The Monmouthshire Education Committee had taken away the 2s rate in the Western Valleys and School Board districts, and because they bad' a Radical majority they had spread it over the whole of the County, so that those on the eastern side, in the agricultural districts, were called upon to pay a rate of Is in the 9, not for the advancement of education in their own Schools, but in order to keep going the expan- sive Schools on the other side of the County. That was an absolute scandal. (Hear, hear.) It could easily have been avoided. If the Committee had wished they could have placed three quarters of the expenditure upon the Western Valleys and one quarter upon the rural districts. To saddle a rate of Is in the £ upon the latter was eminently unfair, and did not benefit the rural schools in the slightest degree. In conclusion, Mr Stedman asked all to work hard to return Mr Griffin on the morrow. LIEUT.-COL. D. E. WILLIAMS (chairman of the Pontypool Board of Guardians) also supported the motion in an able speech, in which he referred to Mr Griffin's work as a guardian. He deprecated the introduction of politics into looal government elections. The Rev. Herbert A. Williams followed with another interesting speech on the education ques- tion, and Mr J. H. Clark also supported the resolution of confidence in Mr Griffin, which was carried with acclamation. Mr Griffin having responded, Mr R. St. John Beasley proposed, and Mr H. Dunning seconded, a vote of thanks to the Chair- man, which was accorded, and The Chairman having acknowledged the oompli- ment, the proceedings terminated with the singing of the National Anthem.
RESULT OF THE ELECTION.
RESULT OF THE ELECTION. The polling took place at the National School, Usk, on Tuesday. There were 608 electors on the register, includiug duplicates, of whom 493 voted. There were two papers spoiled, both being blank. The result was as follows:— Griffin, Stephen Treseder (C.) 272 Hiley, Sidney Arthur (L.) 219 Majority. 53
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I USK.
I USK. ( Aoent-Afrs. E. K. Jones, Stationer USK CRICKET CLUB.—The annual meeting will be held at the White Hart, on Wednesday evening next, when it is hoped supporters of the game will be present in good force. USK RACES.—The race course is in good order for Monday's races, under N.H. Rules. With large entries and every promise of good sport, the meeting, given fine weather, should be a very successful one. Y.W.C.A.—Thtough the kindness of Mra A. E. Bowen, Miss Boaanquet, hon. sec. of this Associa- tion, was enabled to hold a members' meeting at Castle Vale, this (Friday) afternoon, when Miss Lindsay gave an able and instructive address on the work done by the Association in India. There was no collection, and the company were most hospitably entertained to tea. A NEW ORGAN OPENED.-At the Twyn Con- gregational Chapel, on Sunday, a new organ, erected by Mr Hewett, Leicester, was opened, Mr J. Hunter presiding, and the special hymns and anthems being given under the conductorship of Mr W. Arnold. The Rev T. Bowen, of Aber- gavenny, conducted the three services held daring the day, and collections were made at each in aid of the organ fund.
I ANGLING.
I ANGLING. In consequence of the recent rains there have been a number of small freshes, and on Wednesday the river was quite high and thick. It is, however, settling down again nicely, and with a continuance of the fine weather there should be excellent sport for both salmon and trout anglers. SALMON KILLS. Saturday-1rir J. Pitt, one, 20lbs. in Prioress Flat; Mr Sweet Escott, one; Mr Pyeman, one. Mr R. W. Rickards, on Thursday in last week, killed a salmon, weighing 221bs, in the Wye. TROUT CATCHES. Friday—Mr G. Edmunds, senr., 2 brace. Saturday-Mr T. Rees, junr, 7t brace; Mr G. Edmunds, senr, 4! brace; Air J. H. Curtis, 2^ brace. Monday—Mr F. Watkins, 2 brace; Mr J. H. Curtis, 2 brace. Thursday-Mr R. St John Beasley, 7t brace.
IUSK RIFLE CLUB. I
USK RIFLE CLUB. On Wednesday evening, the concluding shoot for the Donegal Medal took place. The contest was a keen one. Mr Reuben Morgan scored a popular win, with the fine aggregate of 94 out of a possible 105. The weekly competitions will be resumed next week with Mr Morgan's spoon. Details: 1st 2nd 3rd Messrs. wk. wk. wk. TI. R. Morgan 32 33 29 94 F. Waters. 30 32 30 92 G. Edmunds, jun. 31 27 32 90 A- G. Wallace 30 27 32 89 A. F. Lucas. 28 31 29 88 A. H. Marfell 27 30 31 88 J.T.Davies. 31 29 27 87 J. Billingham. 32 29 26 87 C. J. Francis. 26 29 29 84 G. 24 30 28 82 W. Billingham 23 30 27 80 U. B. Francis. 24 28 25 77 Also shot:—Messrs. H. W. Marfell, A. Hobbs, H. Freeman, E. B, Haynes, and J. S. Birrell.
PROPOSED PUBLIC TRIBUTE TO…
PROPOSED PUBLIC TRIBUTE TO I LORD TREDEGAR. On Wednesday evening, in the Town Hall, Usk, a public meeting was held in support of the above movement, Messrs. F. Jennings, J.P., and A. F. Lucas (Usk U.D.C. chairman and clerk, respectively) being the conveners. There was a fair attendance, including :—Messrs. Reuben Morgan, James Knight, W. Workman, G. Edmunds, E. W. Waters, W. Marfell, G. Mundy, T. J. Smifh (members of the U.D.C.), J. T. Davies, J.P., J. H. Clark, Miss E. B. Clark, Messrs. W. Thomas, G. Evans (Tenby Cottage), C. A. Mortimer, C. R. Davies, James Parker (Four Ash-street), H. Meredith, W. Workman, jr., G. Davies, E. Smith, Reg. Roberts, A. Haswell, W. F. Roberts, H. C. Davies, J. Constance, C. Jones, E. Knight, J. H. Salter, &c. The Chairman, in opening the meeting, said he had been requested by his Council to preside at that meeting. He wished that the duty had fallen into more worthy hands-that the position had been filled by a gentleman with influence, possessing a good heart and some wealth, who could head the list of subscriptions with a substantial amount. He was only a working man, but he was very pleased to think that the form of the contributions to the proposed tribute enabled people in a very humble position to give their mite towards it; all would have a chance of showing that they honoured Lord Tredegar as one of the best landlords, one of the best friends, and an all-round good nobleman in the County. (Applause). They must all respect his lordship, for he was connected with every good wotk, he gave to all good causes, and was ever ready to lend a helping hand to the forwarding of every- thing beneficial to the welfare of the people of the County. (Applause.) That meeting was called for the purpose of seeing what Usk could do to help forward the proposed tribute in honour of his lordship. The U.D.C. had thought it best to consult with the Pontypool R.D.C. on the matter, and he had had the pleasure of talking to the Chairman of that body with regard to it. He found that they had already made arrangements in connection with it, but so far as the R.D.C. could, consistently with the steps they had already taken, they would assist Usk in whatever was done in its favour. He (the speaker) could not say what form the tribute would take. There were many different opinions on the subject. One idea was that a statue should be erected in each of the three counties interesting themselves in the matter—Monmouthshire, Glamorganshire, and Brecknockshire. This, he understood, Lord Tredegar did not favour, and he honoured his lordship the more for his humanitarian principles which led him to prefer a sanatorium, or some similar institution, which should be a living benefit to the people, to any piece of statuary in which the money would be lying dead It was open to that meeting to express any opinion on the subject of the location of the tribute and other matters connected with it. It was the wish of the Central Committee that they should appoint a local committee, with Mr Lucas and himself upon it. Mr W. Marfell asked if the R.D.C. were acting independently of Usk. Mr A. F. Lucas read a letter from Mr T. Watkins, the clerk to the R.D.C., which showed that they had called a meeting of parish repre- sentatives, and had sent out circulars and receipt books. They were, therefore, committed to a course of action, but so far as they consistently could join Usk under these circumstances they would. Mr W. Marfell Laid that confined the work of the committee to the town. He proposed that a working committee be formed to consist of nine members in addition to the local magistrates and the Chairman and Ulerk 01 the U .V.U. as ex. officios. Mr Mundy seconded, and this was agreed to. The following were then elected the com- mittee :—Messrs. J. H. Clark, W. Marfell, E. W. Waters, G. Edmunds, C. A. Mortimer, J. H, Salter, R. Morgan, G. Mundy, and W. Workman. After further discussion as to the location of the tribute, Mr J. H. Salter proposed, Mr E. W. Waters seconded, and Mr Mundy supported a resolution that in the opinion of the meeting the site for the proposed tribute should be in Monmouthshire. The principle was affirmed, but Mr J. T. Davies pointed out that too much should not be made of it, since if such an institu- tion as a sanatorium were ultimately decided upon by the Central Committee, each County could not frCt separately. The matter had been fully discussed at Newport and elsewhere, and they would not get any further forward by more discussion on the subject here. A vote of thanks to the Chairman terminated the meeting. f THE COMMITTEE. remained to settle preliminaries, and it was decided to apply for subscription receipt books. The town was divided into several street districts, to each of which two members of the Committee were appointed for canvassing purposes. Mr Lucas, acting as secretary, was asked to send out the circulars which had been supplied from the County Committee, and to call another meeting when necessary.
CHEPSTOW. I
CHEPSTOW. I I Agent.-Miss Clark TT. D. C. MEETING.—At a special meeting held on Thur-jd^y evening in last waek, Mr Woodgate Iritr, the following tenders were accepted S- rising William Jones, 8s per yard. Gas there was only one tender, from the Chepstow Gas Company, who offered to light the town for the ensuing twelve months with 27 all-night lamps, 51 short lamps, and light and extinguish the same at the times specified in the contract, including moon- light nights, for the sum of J6172 10s, and for lighting, extinguishing, cleaning, repairing fittings, and providing mantles, for 242, the latter payable by four equal instalments on the usual quarter days. The amount of both contracts was precisely the same as last year. The tender was accepted. For the winding of the public clock in the parish church tower there was no tender. The Clerk was asked to write the Vicar and Churchwardens offering them £ 5 5s. to undertake the winding of the clock.
I MONMOUTH. I
MONMOUTH. Agent.—Hr.Catfrey, Bookseller, Mai mouth. BOARD OF GUARDIANS.—Mr S. C. Bosanquet presided at Friday's meeting, when Miss Laura Freeman, Gloucester, was appointed head nurse.— Tenders were accepted as follows :—Bread, Mr G. Higgins. Monnow-street, 4d per 41b loaf, delivered at the House; flour, best seconds, 20s per sack. Meat, Mrs Eliza Probyn, Monnow-street, beef, fore and hind quarters alternately, 5d per lb mutton, per side, 5d per lb suet, 2id per lb. R.D.C.The half-yearly meeting was held on Friday in last week, under the presidency of Mr S. C. Bosanquet. The Rev H. M. Bidwell, of Mitchel Troy, asked permission to re-open the school which had been closed for some time owing to sanitary defects, and this was granted.—Mr David, Fernside, Whitebrook, wrote repudiating any responsibility for the collapse of a piece of road near his house caused by the removal of some lateral support. The road had been repaired by the council at a cost of X52 Is Id.—It was decided to sue Mr David for the amount.—The Clerk laid on the table the estimates for the ensuing half- year, amounting to XI,490, aa against £1,266 for the corresponding period last year equal to 9id in the £
IFARMERS AND THE SHEEP SCABI…
FARMERS AND THE SHEEP SCAB ORDER. An influential meeting of agriculturists was held at the Beaufort Arms Hotel, Monmouth, on Monday, Mr Deakin presiding, to discuss the new Order of Agriculture regarding the scheduled areas for sheep scab restrictions. The Monmouth Town Council have been moving for some time to get Monmouth and district excluded from the scheduled area as no case of sheep scab has occurred within many miles of the town. The new Order excludes Monmouth town and a few small farms on the east banks of the Wye an d Monnow, the remainder of the county being sti, 1 scheduled as formerly. This it was considere d would absolutely ruin the market, as no sheep might be taken into the town over either of the bridges, the only entrance being from the Hereford side. The matter was discussed at length, and eventually the following petition to the Monmouthshire County Council was unani- mously carried and signed by some sixty or seventy agriculturists present "That the Monmouthshire County Council be asked to make Monmouth a special market under the provision of the Order of the Board of Agriculture, dated February 27th, with power to deal with Monmouthshire within a radius of ten miles of the county town." Mr Wrigley, agent to Mr Crompton-Roberts' promised to write the Board of Agriculture point- ing out that the new Order as it now stood would positively ruin the market by cutting off the county town from the county.
NEWPORT. I
NEWPORT. I Agents—Misirs Qreeii-.tnl ail Co., Ni-estgents. I LOCAL WILL.I,lr Richard Searle, late of Searle and Herring, Castle Brewery, Newport, who died on January 14th, left £ 21,776 gross and X16,791 net personalty. A MONMOUTHSHIRE ACTION.-On Tuesday Mr Justice Warrington, in the King's Bench, gave judgment with costs for defendants in the action brought by Mr Baker, of Lower Grange Farm Magor, against Mr Thomas Parry, bailiff at New- port of the Mon inouthshirese wers' Commissioners, claiming damages for itlegal distress in enforcing 11 cl 11 payment of the rate for repairing the sea defence works at Caldicot Level after a storm in Septem- ber, 1903. LORD TRBDEGAB.—A writer in Modern Society" savs," Lord Tredegar is a fine old soldier, and though a staunch Anglican himself, has lately given an acre of land each for a burial-ground to the Biptists at Bassalleg. the Congregationalists at Rhiwderin, and the Baptists at Risca. An ultra "churchy" friend once remonstrated with his lordship on snch "encouragement of heresy." To which he replied. My dear fellow, you ought to be the very last man in the whole world to com- plain for I know that if you had the chance you would cheerfully bury every Dissenter in the diocese
INQUEST.
INQUEST. An inquest was held on Friday in last week, at the Town Hall, by Mr Digby Powell, deputy- coroner, concerning the death of Agnes Gertrude Baker, aged four years, daughter of John Baker, rigger, Cromwell-road, who died as stated last week on Wednesday afternoon, from injuries sustained through being knocked down by a bicycle on Monday. Dr A. E. Tonks deposed that the child was brought to him on Tuesday morning, and he was told she had been knocked down. He thought death was due to a rupture of a blood vessel on the brain. This was quite consistent with the child being knocked down by agbicycle. Mrs Baker, the mother, who was with the child at the time of the accident, stated that the cyclist was riding carefully. She did not blame anyone. The father said he cast no blame on the cyclist. He thought it was an accident. He himself was a cyclist, and he could quite understand thok position. The Deputy-Coroner. in summing up, said the fatality was a very sad one, and they all sympathised with the child's parents. There was no blame attached to anyone. The jury returned a verdict to the effect that death was due to the rupture af a blood-vessel in the brain, and no blame was attached to anyone. They deeply sympathised with the parents and relatives.
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CONSERVATIVE SMOKING CONCERT.
CONSERVATIVE SMOKING CONCERT. A largely-attended smoking concert, under tha-, chairmanship of Councillor John Moxon, was held at the Crindau Conservative Club on Monday- evening. when Mr E. E. Micbolls was the principal speaker and. dwelt upon the subject of Free Trade. His policy, he said, was an active policy. He was not content to allow this country to become simply the bankers of the world, or the shippers or carriers, but he wanted it to continue to be the workshop of the world. (Hear, hear.) The Conservatives, he said, had done more for the working classes and for trade- and Friendly Societies thin the Radicals hud done. He believed that the seouritv of the Empire was safe in the keeping of Mr Balfour. (Hear. hear.) A hearty vote of thanks was passed to Mr Micholls for his excellent speech and a number of I good songs were rendered.
rPONTYPOOL.
PONTYPOOL. Agents—Mr FleldhQIse, The Market, and Messrs. Billard s- and Co. AN ALARMING \CCIDENT.—At the Pontnewynydd Ironworks, on Wednesday a large double cogwheel broke, pieces of which flew in all directious, but, fortunately, no one was injured. As the result of the accident about 150 men will be thrown out of employment for three or four months.
I INQUESTS.
INQUESTS. On Friday afternoon in last week, Mr D. J. Jones, the newly appointed coroner for South Monmouthshire, held an inquest at the Abersychan. Police Station respecting the death of Selina Martin, single, who died suddenly at her residence in High-street, Abersychan, on Wednesday. Edwin Martin, 58. Cross-street, Abergavenny, identified the body as that of his sister. P C. Mitchell said that at 12.45 a.m. on Wednes- day he passed the deceased's house and heard her screaming, as if she were in a fit or dreaming. He kicked at the door and rattled the window, and the deceased then awoke an2 lit a candle. Louisa Gough, single, said she was in the deceased's house talking to her on Wednesday night about ten o'clock, when deceased suddenly fell out of her chair on to the floor. Witness immediately sent for assistance, but Martin did not recover consciousness, and died soon after- wards. Deceased had complained during the last few days of feeling unwell. Dr J. W. Mulligau said he had attended deceased for years for a weak heart, and after examining the body he had come to the con- clusion that death was due to cardiac failure. The jury returned a verdict in accordance with the medical evidence. On the same afternoon, Mr D. J. Jones inquired into the death of Joseph Lapping, 43, labourer, who died suddenly at a Pontypool lodging-house on Wednesday night. Benjamin Lapping, father of the deceased, gaver evidence of identification, and said his son left home on the 13th inst., owing to a little dispute. He bad not done any work during the last week, and witness thought that he had been drinking heavily the whole of that time. William Woods, lodging-house keeper, Canal Bank, Pontypool, said that at 10.5 the deceased went upstairs to go to bed, but shortly afterwards witness was called to his bedroom, and there found him lying across a bench dead. He appeared to be sober. John Burns, labourer, said be was lodging in the same bedroom as the deceased. On Wednes- day evening witness heaed him come into the room and then fall down on to a bench. Witness called for assistance, but Lapping was dead when he was picked up. Dr Haslett attributed death to syncope, and the jury returned a verdict accordingly.
Markets.
Markets. MONMOUTH, CATTLE, Monday.—Good attendance. The supply of beef was good, with a brisk demand mnttcn very scarce trade quiet. Store sheep and cattle in good supply; these changed hands privately at satisfactory prices—good milch cows made from £ 12 to £ 14, cows and calves up to X17 10s, yearling cattle X3 10s to £ 3 15s, two-year- old ca tie ;El i to £13 10a. The pig trade was firm at about former prices a good supply of light porkers met. a quick clearaqce-sows and pigs made from £ 5 10s to S8, strong Ftores 35s to 44s 6d three months old pigs 20a to 37s 6d, weaners 3a to 18s each. Quotations :-Beef 6td to Bid. coarser qualities 5d to 5d; veal, 91 wether 2 mutton, 8d to 8id, ewe, 7d to itd, lamb, Is Id to 4 Is 2d per lb pork, 9d 61 to 10s, bacon 9s 6d per score. Auction prices :—The following prices were realised under the hammer of Messrs. Nelmes, Poole, and Atkins (Monmouth, Newnham and Stroud)—heifers, £i3 2s 6d to S14 16s, bullocks, L15 to X24, fat calves, X3 10s to £,5 18s, store ditto, 35s to 65s; wether tegs, 35s to 4ls, ewes, 29s to 38s, lambs. 35s to 37a pigs-porkers 40s to 52s, baconers 89s to 110s. NEWPORT, CORN, Wednesday.—There was only a small attendance on 'Change to-day. Wheat is reported to have met a quiet trade, with prices unchanged on the week. Barley was 3d per quarter dearer, while maize, beans, and oats underwent no change, and flour (fines) was at 25s (id per sack. Trade was almost at a standstill, there being very little business done in any grains. NEWPORT, CATTLE, We-dues-lav.-The gloriously fine weather which prevailed round about Newport to-day attracted an exceptionally large attendance at this market, and consequently made trade very brisk in all departments, especially in sheep. The number of cattle on offer was rather less than usual, but there was a large supply of sheep and calves, and also a fair number of rigs, which sold well. Quotations Best beef fetched from Girl to 6-12,d per lb; second qualities, fid; cows, 5d to Oijrct best wether mutton, 9d; ewe, 2 7d to 7id; lamb, lid to Is; calves, 8d to 9id pigs-porkers 10s and baconers 8s 6d per score.
IFootball.
I Football. I USK V. ABERGAVENNY. This match was played in Stanley's Field, Abercracenny, on Saturday last, in wretched weather, and before a small number of spectators, which was comprised mostly of Usk's eupporters. The game proved a very disappointing one, owing to the bad state of the ground. In the 'first half Prothero kicked a penalty goal, and in the second I moiety, Prothero, after a fine run put Jenkins in, under the posts, which try the skipper converted, Gough Morgan scored a try close on time for the* homester?. Final score:— Usk *2 goals. Abergavenny .ltry. Penalty.
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