County Observer and Monmouthshire Central Advertiser Abergavenny and Raglan Herald Usk and Pontypool Messenger and Chepstow Argus

IMPORTANT NEW FINE ART WORK. Parts 1 and 2 Now Ready, price 7d. net. The National Gallery of British Art (The Tate Gallery). With EXQUISITE REMBRANDT PHOTO. GRAVURES, Beautiful Reproductions of the Principal Pictures. A handsome folio work, descriptive of the treasures that have accrued at the Tate Gallery. Sir Charles Holroyd, the Keeper of the Ga" I ery, supplies an introduction calculated to instruct, as well as to instil appreciation of the works of art to be dealt with, and the full-page reproductions in half-tone and photogravure are well worthy of our admiration"—Paif Mai Gazette. Published Fortnightly. CASSELL fc COMPANY, LTD., Lotsdo"; cmdaU Booksellers. A NEW DEPARTURE IN PUBLISHING ENTERPRISE. BINDING COVERS PRESENTED TO SUBSCRIBERS. In the First Fortnightly Part of the NEW and ENLARGED EDITION of Familiar Wild Flowers, fcy F. E. HULME, F.L.S., F.S.A., to be published April 27th, price 6d. net, will be found an announce- ment of extraordinary interest. It will there be explained that it has been arranged to supply sub- scribers to this New Issue with Covers for Bind. ing the Parts into Volumes free of charge. This Edition will contain no less than 820 BEAUTIFUL COLOURED PLATES, 40 of which have been expressly prepared for this Edition. "This is a charming work. The lovers of wild flowers will be sure to add it to their store. The coloured illus- trations are perfectly true to nature, and are, in the highest sense, things of beauty Irish Times. CASSELL & COMPANY, LTD., London; and all Booksellers. 44 A greater boon to students has never been pub- fished in hagland.SPectator. NEW ISSUIF, lit WEEKLY PARTS, price 6d. net, of Eiiicott's Bible Commentary, EMBRACING THE OLD AND NEW TESTAMENTS, WITH A SERIES OF PLATES PREPARED FOR THIS EDITION. "To secure such a work some sacrifice might well be made.Sunday School Chronicle. Part 1 ready April 27. CASSELL & COMPANY, LTD., London; and all Booksellers. The most perfect representation of the Academy ever placed within reach of the public.West- minster Gazette. In 4 Parts, 1s. net each, and in One Handsome Volume, 7s. 6d. Royal Academy Pictures, 1905. This issue will include Four Rembrandt Photo- gravures of Notable Pictures in this year's Academy. Part 1 ready early in May. CASSELL & COMPANY, LTD., London; and all BIMRltllWl The Standard says:— "For cheapness Cassell's Penny Magazine is unequalled, for not only is the quantity three or four times as great as is usually offered for a penny, but the quality of the writing aad the pictorial work is better." Buy it, and see for yourself. The Penny Magazine. CASSELL & COMPANY, LTD., London; and all Booksellers. s 8s. worth Music for I d, ] The Musical Home Journal. Weekly, price 1d. Each Week's Number contains Copyright Songs and Music for all Members ot the Family Circle. "Each number represents a value of eight shillings. Manchester Evening News. Also published Monthly, 6d. CASSELL & COMPANY, LTD., London; and all Booksellers, There are 365 Days in the Year, and Cassell's Saturday Journal has now paid 365 Claims under its Free Insurance System for Travellers and Cyclists. Think of it! 365 Claims paid already in sums ranging from £-,000 downwards, and all absolutely free. See this week's issue of Cassell's Saturday Journal, price td., which contains the Free Insurance Coupon. At all Newsagents' and the Railway Bookstalls. u BEYOND EXPECTATION." The great illustrated monthly of the day is Cassell's Magazine. la it MAX PEMBERTON'S great story, "THE HUNDRED DAYS," a now appearing. "The Times" describes the contents of this magazine as "beyond expectation." is published Monthly, 6d., and is on sale at all Booksellers' and th* Railway Bookstalls. "There is no help for it. Without withdrawing one word written in praise of the other sixpenny magazines of this kind, we are bound to say tMt -THE QUIVER,' alike for quality and quantity, for vansty of literature, and for charm of illustration, Siands at the top of the Poll.Methodist Times. The Quiver Monthly, 6d. CASSIZLL & COMPANY, LTD., London; and all Booksellers SOME IMPORTANT SERIALS. Battles of the Nineteenth Century, Fortnightly, 6d. net Cassell's History of Englatigh Empire Edition, Weekly, 6d. net. Britain at Work. Monthly, 7d. net. The Dore Don Quixote.7 Fortnightly, 6d. net. CASSELL* COMPANY, LTD., Undo*; «nd

KING EDWARD NO PARTY POLITICIAN. Lord Knollys' letter concerning the ab- stention of the King from questions of party politics expresses only his Majesty's recognition of a principle which is as readily accepted by himself as it was by his Royal mother. But it was not always so, as we know from the information collected by Macaulay and other historians. George III was very frequently engaged in struggles with his ministers, and attempting to con- trol the decisions of Parliament. When Pitt proposed to introduce a Bill for the removal of Catholic disabilities, the King declared that he would never consent, where- upon Pitt resigned, and, later, his Majesty demanded from the Ministers who had taken office upon Pitt's death a written undertaking that they would never propose to him "any measure of concession to the Catholics, or even connected with the question." George IV attempted, feebly, to maintain a similar attitude, and William IV, who at any rate meant well, made unjustifiable use of his prerogative.

THE BUDGET. The Chancellor of the Exchequer has made his budget speech, and, no doubt, disappointed many people who have en- deavoured to induce him to place a heavy duty upon their pet aversions. Not a few, we may be sure, would like to see a pro- hibitive tax placed upon motor cars, while others would place a similar impost upon bicycles. If these folks had their way, they would be punishing the innocent for the guilty, because it is not all motorists and cyclists who come within the range of the Lord Chief Justice's censure of riders who think that the whole road belongs to them, and that they have done their duty when they sound their hooters or bells, and then proceed at the same pace. The last Motor Car Act, with the assistance of public opinion has had an appreciable effect upon motorists who had been in the habit of driving recklessly, and there have always been a large number of cyclists, particularly among the members of clnbs, who respect the rights of pedestrians. One correspon- dent who honoured Mr Austen Chamberlain with some suggestions thought a tax upon perambulators would be useful, while another writer, with whom a good many people will feel-as Mr Gladstone might have said-" a certain amount of provisional sympathy," directed the right hon. gentle- man's attention to organ-grinders as a legitimate object of taxation. Mr Austen Chamberlain has, like his predecessors, received several proposals for an import duty upon pauper aliens—a suggestion which seems to have somewhat of a Hiber- nian flavour-but that subject is to be dealt with by the Bill which Mr Balfour pro- poses introducing next week.

a I a IV, e ebt 0 e lAg 4 P, 01e b f veryth a Clmoncf (Cocoas oq (Shoose I frpBURys

GERMAN AGRICULTURISTS. Mr 0. Eltzbacher, who has had some ex- perience of German agriculture, tells us thdt in that country the cultivation of the soil has been made to pay, notwithstanding that the conditions of farming in Germany are more unfavourable than they are in this country. He offers several suggestions to the British farmer, and as one evidence that there is room for improvement points to the fact which so many people have re- marked, that agricultural produce is cheaper in London than it is in many parts of the provinces. One factor in the case upon which he dwells, as an obstacle to British farming, is that of the heavy charges en- forced by the railway companies for the carriage of produce. He has noticed that there is nightly a long string of vans and carts bearing vegetables or fruit from the country to London, and he justly regards it as an anomaly that with a netwerk of rail- ways running into London, it should still be found cheaper to adopt this mediaeval form of transport. Of course we know that this transport of produce by road involves loss to the railway companies of a large revenue which they might as well have, but that is an argument which is no more likely to prevail with Directors in the future than it has in the past. Thus it is, says Mr Eltzbacher, "that in our congested towns millions of poor are crying for cheap food, and in our deserted and reduced country districts, hundreds of thousands of impo- verished farmers are crying for town prices for their vegetables, their meat, their fruit, &c.-yet the bitter cry of country and town remains unheard." It is some satisfaction to know that there is at the present moment a committee appointed by the Board of Agriculture to consider this subject, es- pecially with regard to the reported exten- sion of preferential rates to foreigners, and it is to be hoped that their deliberations will not be without practical result. —

fVECESAim STABLE SALT WHICHJS SALT. jgP *nd Digestive, with Vegetable. H .UH. DOM net Blacken silver. 5Sra» and %mi*tthatyouhaveit. Bfljj

THE NEW RIFLE. When some Spartan soldiers complained to their leader that the swords were too short, he gave them the advice to add a step to them. That is apparently what the British infantryman is expected to do with his bayonet. The length of the new rifle, with bayonet attached, is about 56 inches,, as against the 71 inches of the French rifle, 69 inches of the German, the 68 inches of the Russian, and the 65 of the Japanese. The United States are the only Great Power that has taken the same course as Britain in discarding the long rifle and bayonet, and in the States there is a large body of military opinion in opposition to the change, which, in this country, is sup- ported by distinguished authority, but does not pass altogether without criticism. 0

I HEADMASTERS' INFLUENCE. The appointment of Canon Lyttelton to the headmastership of Eton suggests the interesting inquiry how far the influence of a great schoolmaster is calculated to produce men who will be assured of distinction in after years. The subject has many ramifi- cations, and we often find that the most successful pupils, from the captains of small schools to senior wranglers, fail altogether to obtain renown when they come to engage in the keen competition of the world. But while it sometimes happens that an eminent man has been taught by an unknown school- master, at the same time it appears much more frequently that the winner of fame has proceeded from a famous school pre- sided over by an exceptionally able man, such as Dr. Arnold, whose pupils were never tired of acknowledging the debt which they owed to the greatest of headmasters. Carrrying the subject a step further, we find among eminent divines,, of the present day, undoubted evidence of the advantage which they derived from being trained for Holy Orders by Dr. Vaughan, and in every religious body there are outstanding men who ascribe their success in large measure to those by whom they have had the pri- vilege of being instructed.

Monmouthshire Education Committee. At the monthly meeting held at Newport, on Tuesday, Alderman J. R. Jacob (chairman), pre- siding, a discussion arose as to those non-provided schools at which the necessary repairs had not been carried out, although the six months' notice given to the managers to comply with the architects' demands expired on the 26th nit. It was stated that in many cases little or no dis- position was shown to carry out the repairs, and a proposition was moved by Mr Price that the case of each individual school should be referred to the committee and not left to the chairman and vice- chairman. Mr T. Dutfield said the summer holidays afforded the best opportunity for carrying out repairs. The Chairman thought that, as the six months had expired, there should be no more maintenance money given. Alderman Grove deprecated the taking of any drastic step. The motion was adopted. The Secretary read a letter from the Board of Education notifying the Board's intention to remove Courtybella Non-Provided School, Argoed, from the list of grants on the ground that it was insufficient, and requiring to be informed what the committee proposed to do in the matter.—The Secretary said that the school was inefficient all round.—It was decided thit steps should be taken to close the school by the sites and buildings committee. From correspondence regarding Mitchel Troy School, already reported closed on insanitary grounds by order of the Monmouth Rural District Council, it appeared that an effort was being made in the district to re-open the school on non- provided lines. The Hon J. M. Rolls said that the sanitary defects had been remedied, and that funds would be provided in the district to carry on the school. The sub-committee was directed to visit and report.

For SUCCESSFUL ==^==j| CAKE MAKING and BREAD MAKING | use always and only Brown f4 Poison's "Paisley Flour" AS RAISING INGREDIENT. It makes cakes which are simply delicious; it makes pie-crusts and plain pastry that will melt in one's mouth, and yet is so simple to use that with a little /x) (uf care success is certain. >jYJ

South Monmouthshire. Under the auspices of the South Monmouthshire Conservative Association, an enthusiastic publio meeting was held on Friday night at Owmcarvan, near Monmouth, and was addressed at some length by Lieutenant-Colonel Courtenay Morgan, the Unionist candidate, who spoke on leading political topics.

I CHEPSTOW. I J COUNTY COURT MONDAY. I I Before His Honour Judge OWEN. I I COMPENSATION CASE. I An important compensation case came before His Honour, in which Milicent Raines, widow, Chepstow, was claimant, and Charles Langham, farmer, Chepstow, respondent, and William Dowdeswell, another Chepstow farmer, was brought in as a third party. In October last, William Raines, in the employ of Langham, was lent to Dowdeswell, for whom he led a bull to the ring at the Cattle Market. The bull attacked Raines, who died from his injuries. Counsel for respondent argued that'at the time Raines was not doing anything out of, or arising out of, his employment. After legal argument his Honour held that Langhara was liable, and awarded the widow £ 150, with costs of Scale C. By consent, his Honour then heard an action by Langham against Dowdeswell, as the third party, to recover the damages, on the ground that the accident was caused under circumstances creating a legal liability unon Dowdeswell. His Honour decided that no such liability attached to the third party in this case, remarking that the accident might have happened even if Raines had used a pole instead of a rope, and dismissed the claim, with costs.

I MONMOUTH. I I Before His Honour JUDGE OWEN. I I COUNTY COURT, SATURDAY. I I ALTERING A BILL. I Caleb Smith, grocer, of Palmer's Plat. Coleford, sued William Ruck, a wheelwright, of Coleford, for £1 7s 7d, the debt being denied by Ruck's wife, who stated that she had herself paid lis to Smith. Plaintiff proved the debt which was for goods supplied, and stated that he had only received one shilling from Nire Ruck. His Honour (to Mrs Ruck) I am afraid you have altered this bill, as it is written in different ink. If you play these little games, you will get into trouble. I have no doubt on looking at the bill that you altered Is into I Is, and you did it in two cases. Mrs Ruck: Mr Smith did it himself, His Honour: If you do that you will be stranded before a judge in a criminal court. It is a criminal offence. I will impound these papers. Don't you do it again, or you will get into serious trouble. An order was made for the money claimed.

Football. USK V. PILL RESERVES. This, the return match, was played on The Island, on Saturday last in fine weather, and before a good number of spectators. The homesters were without R. Hiley and A. J. Thomas, their places being filled by E. Mayberrv and F. Marfell, respectively. Prothero kicked off and interchange kicks left plav inside the Pill half. From the line out the visitors broke away with a dribble which several of the homesters made feeble attempts to stop, but Timms, with a flying kick got the ball to touch at half-way. Twice Prothero was given the ball, but each time got grassed. Usk obtained a mark, but the kick, a good one, just fell over for a minor. Upon the re-start, D. Prothero broke away from a line-out, and, when tackled threw to F. Waters, and he, kicking across, enabled Harold Morgan to score near the posts. Pill kicked out and F. Waters returned to half-way. The visitors gained a lot of ground through touch finding but the Uskites came away with a bout of passing afterwards, and D. Prothero took his pass well, but knocked on with a good chance to score. E. Waters and F. Prothero next came into prominence with a good dribble but only a minor resulted. The drop-out went to the Pill 25 flag, and from here the visitors dribbled away to half way where Jenkins checked them. A free to Pill gained ground for Usk, H. Morgan sending the ball well to touch inside their half. The bomeaters tried passing again and one of the visitors intercepting looked all over a scorer, but Davies brought him down well in the home 25. Bowen broke away with a dribble, and Dai Prothero picking up sent Morgan, but he failed to take. From a dribble by v the visitors, Stoneman picked up and dropped a splendid goal. Inspired by this the visitors took play after the kick out to the home line, but nothing further was scored to the interval. Half- time score:— Usk ..1 goal. Pill Reserves *1 goal. Dropped, Pill re-started, and play now became very fast, each side playing vigorously. Bowen was prominent in a dribble, and, picking up, sent on to Morgan, but the latter failed to take with a splendid chance to score. From a charged kick the Pill forwards dribbled on to the Usk eorner flag, but Prothero, with a fine run up the touch line, relieved to half way. From a dribble by the visitors' forwards, Frank Davies fielded, and put in a good run and kick, and following up well, secured again, and beating the defence, he made for the line but was overtaken a yard outside. Bowen took his pass, and went over but the pass was forward. From the next scrum, the ball came out to Waters, who transferred to Hiley, and be, making a futile drop at goal, enabled H. Morgan to follow up and score an unconverted try. Shortly after, Jenkins made a splendid attempt at goal, the ball drooping just outside. Just on the call of time. Pill tried passing, and Plummer obtaining scored a splendid try, which remained unconverted. Final score :— Usk 1 goal, 1 try. Pill Reserves 1 goal, 1 try. Dropped,

The Public Tribute to Lord Tredegar. An enthusiastic meeting was held at St. Mellon's on Saturday, under the chairmanship of the Rev. T. Rees, vicar, to consider the proposed tribute to Lord Tredegar. Mr W. Cope voiced the opinion of all present, that the subscriptions collected in the district should not be devoted to the proposed separate Monmouthshire Fund. but to that being jointly organised by Monmouthshire, Glamorgan- shire, and Breconshire.

Lord Tredegar at Risea. His lordship distributed prizes at the Ponty- waiu County School on Wednesday, and, in the course of his address, said he felt inclined, when he read of the controversies on the subject of education, to paraphrase "O Liberty, what crimes are committed in thy name" into 0 Education, what crimes are committed in thy name! (Laughter). He was glad that school was being worked peacefully and smoothly. (Applause.) He had watched the progress of the school with great interest, and he felt sure that the reports were very gratifying, and would tend to raise the tone of the district. The schoolmaster had referred to the need of a library. That was the complaint he heard at every school he visited, but he would be pleased to give them any assistance he could in the way of books. (Applause.) There was a good deal of literature which was very harmful to the rising generation. He advised the pupils to "aim at the highest honours and surpass your comrades all." On the proposition of Mr G. H. Nurse, J.P., chairman of the governors, seconded by the Rev T. A. Thomas, Lord Tredegar was accorded a hearty vote of thanks for his presence that dav.

KAGLAN. Aglent-Mrs. Hopper, Tit! Vi'lty. MONMOUTHSHIRE HUNT POINT-TO- POINT STEEPLECHASES. Practically perfect weather prevailed at Raglan on Thursday for this event. The following races- were run :— MONMOUTHSHIRE HUNT HRAVY AND LIGHT- WEIGHT STEEPLECHASE, at catch weights. 12st and over for light weights and 14st for heavy weights. LIGHT-WEIGHT WINNERS. Mr C. F. Walwyn's Gaiety Girl III. Owner I Mr J. A. F. Attwood's Primrose. ..Owner 2 Colonel B. Herbert's Polly Mansel &- Dr Logie's Stella Owner O Won by ten lengths. HEAVY WEIGHTS. Mr A. J, Radcliffe's Pickpocket. Owner 1' Colonel J. H. Walwyn's Pirate Colonel Dauncy 2 FARMERS AND IMPERIAL YEOMANRY STEEPLE- CHASE; catch weights 12st and over. Mr V. Prewett's Christie.Owner 1: Mr W. Baker's Kitty Bevan 2,' Mr T. Williams's Bess J. C. Williams 3 Won by a neck. YEGWANBY RACE. Corporal Adams' Knight of the Road Owner I Trooper W. Adams' Sun.-hine Ovruer 2* OPEN STEEPLECHASE catch light weights 12st and over heavy weights 14st and over. LIGHT WEIGHTS. Mr G. Harris's Trumpet Flower Mr O. Anthony 1.' Dr Logie's Nipper Owner 2 Mr Crawshay's Lady Enid.Mr V. Helmes 3 Won by half a length. HEAVY WEIGHTS. Mr J. Talbot's Tidenham Owner I Mr E. Phillios's Blue Peter. Mr Phillips 2' Mr H. P. Wallis's Dick Mr Wallace 3',

BUILDS UF THE TISSUES. SfrtbMi men nufritioiut than milk. m 0 PUSMOli 1/- Cookery Booh post free for two stamps— JPlasmon, Farringdon-atreet, London, M.O.

The lilval Fleets. Tokio, Friday. It is officially announced a state- of siege has been declared covering- the harbour and neighbourhood of Makung, in Penghu Islands and Pescadores Islands. A Naval Court of enquiry and Naval Prison have been established at Makung. Paris, Friday. A St. Petersburg telegram says. Rodjestvensky is now near Tizar Banks, eight hundred miles South- West of Formosa.

France and Morocco. Paris, Friday. The Matin declares France has. secured from Morocco the majority of the reforms demanded.

The Scotch Church Crisis. The Royal Commission on the, Scotch Church crisis recommends that the it wee Frees" shall hand over to the United Free Church property which they cannot manage.

The Weather. The Meteorological Office pre- dicts mild weather, slight rain.

Shipping Disasters. The Schooner, Samuel Holland,, of Carnarvon, foundered in the North Sea yesterday. The crew were saved. The Norwegian barque, Tancred, was run down by a Grimsby trawler on Wednesday. The crew were landed at Lowestoft to-day.

fialham Libel Action. in the JDalham libel action, Richards versus Leeste, the jury to-day awarded plaintiff £ 150. r Printed and Published by "THB COUNTIy OBSEEtvw". NEWSPAPER and PRINTING COMPANY, Limited, by." JAMES HENRY CLARK, at their Offices, Brwge Street, Usk, in the County of Monmouth, Satullda," April 15th, 1905.

I NEWPORT. I I COUNTY COURT, FRIDAY. I I A BANKRUPT'S DISCHARGE REFUSED. Albert Pocock, furniture dealer, of Pontypool, applied for his discharge in bankruptcy. The Judge, quoting from the Official Receiver's papers, said the applicant started business as a furniture dealer, with a capital of £5, and managed to leave off about X300 or JE400 in debt. He had only paid 2s 6!d in the X. 4 His Honour then asked When you knew you were insolvent why didn't you give up business and pay your creditors? You went on for a long time afterwards getting credit as much as £ 135 after you knew you were insolvent. You admit you were insolvent in 1889, and you go on trading 14 or 15 years afterwards. You have not been solvent during the whole time, have you ? Applicant: Not after the first year. Mr F. Lewis (who appeared for the applicant) said that the bankrupt was unfortunate in his first year. His wife had a very severe illness, which cost him a lot of money. The Judge: Don't put it on to the wife. That excuse is as old as Adam and Eve. I don't think I ought to encourage men of this kind. (To Applicant): What have you been doing since you became bankrupt ? Applicant: Managing a business for my brother. The Judge: And what business do you think of starting ? Mr Lewis: He will have the same business. When applicant became bankrupt his brother bought the business for CIOO, and since then the applicant has been managing it. The Judge: Oh, I see he has been carrying on business in the name of his brother. Application refused.

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I PONTYPOOL. I POLICE COURT, SATURDAY. CLOSING OKDHR.—Mr W. Wynne, surveyor to the Pontypool U.D.C., applied for a 14 days' closing order against Hugo Loschke, pork butcher, Pontypool, in respect of a house in Market Street, Loschke had allowed to be occupied, although in a condition unfit for human habitation.—The house was built over a slaughter-house and was insanitary. The order was made. AN OLD OFFENDER.—John McDonough, tinman, who was discharged at the Monmouthshire Quarter Sessions, on Wednesday, was again before the Pontypool bench charged with being drunk and disorderly and refusing to quit the Market Tavern, Pontypool, on April 3rd.-Henry Crum, the landlord, said defendant used bad language to the barmaid, and when witness asked him to leave the bouse he threatened to "smash his head." —McDonough, who had been before the Court five times previously, was fined JE1. D. AND D.—James Dunn, a tramp, was summoned for being drunk and disorderly at Griffithstown on the previous day and was fined 10s.—Denuis Martin was similarly fined for being drunk and disorderly at Blaenavon. REFRACTORY. Charles Minto, a tramp, was summoned for refractory conduct whilst an inmate of the casual ward at the Pontypool Workhouse, Griffithstown. -J. T. Spooner, labour master at the Workhouse, gave evidence to the effect that the defendaut refused to do the prescribed task of stone breaking. —Minto said the reason he refused was because he had varicose veins in his legs.—He was sent to prison for seven days. COAL STEALING.—Lucy Jonen, single; James Virgin, 14 Patrick Shannon, 14, colliers; and Fanny Davies, married, ail of whom resided at Long Row, Upper Race, were summoned for stealing coal, value 6d, the property of the Blaendaro Colliery Company, at Pontypool, on March 27th.—Mr W. H. V. Bythway, solicitor, prosecuted.-P.O. Crump said that about midnight on that date he saw Jones, Shannon, and Virgin coming from the Blaendare Colliery coal yard, carrying coal in bags. Jones told witness that Davies had sent them to fetch the coal.—Mr Bythway said the Company wished to press the charges, as coal was being stolen continually from off the coal trucks.—Jones, Shannon, and Virgin were each fined 6s., and the charge against Davies was dismissed.

The Original Cocoa, and a Speciality. E S'S being1 distinguished from all others by Its invigorating nutritious qualities and Its delicious flavour. This Coooa, con- taining an It does all the aubstanoe of the Oocoa Nib, maintains its leading position after three-quarters of a Century as COCOA the best form of Oocoa tor every-day use.

THE SLAUGHTERING OF FOXES. To the Editor of the COUNTY OBSERVER. SIS,—With reference to the paragraph in your paper last week, re Slaughter of Foxes," it should have been added that, in addition to the losses mentioned, Mr Rickards, of the Priory, Usk, also lost a valuable spaniel, presumably from the same cause, and he offered a reward, jointly with Mr Curre, to try to find out the perpetrator of such cruelty, but, unfortunately, without effect. This year, there is little doubt but that the mischief has been caused by the poisoniug of rooks, as a great number have been found dead and dying in the neighbourhood, some of which have, doubtless, been eaten by foxes. It is a great pity that farmers should use such means to save their corn, as it is impossible to know where the mischief will end, and, in this case, it is more than probable that innocent persons are blamed, and, as I believe that no farmers, or at least very few, would deliberately spoil sport, I am writing to say, in the interest of sport alone, how sorry I am that such a thoughtless act should have been committed. Yours truly, HOPTON A WILLIAMS. Llangibby, April 13th, 1905.

MONMOUTH. Caffrey* Bookseller; Afo.irnouih. I CONFIRMATION.—At St. Mary's Church, Mon- mouth, on Tuesday, the Bishop of Swansea administered the rite of Confirmation to 49 females and 47 males. BOARD OF GUARDIANS MEETING.—Mr S. C. Bosan- quet presidod at Friday's meeting. The Finance Committee objected to goods for the use of the House being ordered in such large quanties, ;622 for blankets and 10 thermometers being among the items noticed, and the master was instructed that in future the matter be explained to the Visiting Com- mittee before entering big orders on the order book. The next meeting will be held on Saturday, April 22nd.

PONTYPOOL. I I Agents—Mr Fieldhouse, The Market, and Heart. Biward 11 and Co. NBW MLOISTRATF.Among the new magistrates sworn in at the Monmouthshire Quarter Sessions was Lieutenant-Colonel D. E. Williams, manager of Messrs. Baldwins' Panteg Steelworks, and chairman of the Pontypool Board of Guardians. I A LABOUR CANDIDATE.—The Labour party at* Pontnewynydd have sefected Mr William Maggsr, manager of the Co-operative Stores, Abersychan,. to contest the vacant seat on the Abersychan^ Urban District Council, caused by the retiiementr- of Mr E. H. Bailey, contractor.

ABERSYCHAN MYSTERY. On Monday, Mr M. Roberts-Jones, coroner for" South Monmouthshire, held an inquest concerning- the death of a female child, whose body was- found wrapped in some apparel iu the stump of an old tree in Lasgarn Wood, near Abersychan, on Sunday. Richard Baker, a collier, residing at Victoria Village, deposed to finding the body. hidden in the hollow of a tree, near the waterworks. He immediately gave information to the police, and accompanied P.S. Jones to the wood. Thomas Cordey, Victoria Village, gave similar- evidence. P.S. Jones deposed to having accompanied Dr Mulligan to the wood, and finding the parcel1 containing the child's body. Dr Mulligan gave the resnU. of the post-mortem examination, which showed that the body was that of a fully-developed, newly-born child. He came to the conclusion that the child bad not had a. separate existence, and the j Ilry returned a verdict accordingly.