Llangollen Advertiser Denbighshire Merionethshire and North Wales Journal

AGRICULTURAL NOTES. J HIGH RENTS FOR COUNTY COUNCIL I SMALL-HOLDINGS. THE LAND SALES ACT. (From a Correspondent.) I The motion which Mr. A. E. Humphreys- Owen has given notice to move at the next meet- ing of the Montgomeryshire Small Holdings Committee that the Press be admitted to the committee meetings, if carried, will result in much interesting and instructive information being thrown on matters that should certainly not be left in obscurity. The committee are now coming to grips with their work. Up to the present their operations for the most part have been confined to the essential preliminary of ac- quiring land. They are now tackling the real difficulties of their onerous work in parcelling the land out, equipping it and fixing the rents. The last business, that of fixing the rents, is one which the whole agricultural community, no less than the prospective small holders themselves are anxious to have some information about. Opinions have been freely expressed that at the prices paid for much of the land bought the com- mittee would have no small difficulty in letting their holdings at economic rents, and this point I am now able to throw light as a result of one of the recent meetings of the committee when the adaptation of portions of the Cefn Bryntalch estate was considered. Their results show that it is useless to blink the fact that small holders will have to pay rents which are probably sub- stantially higher than many had anticipated, COTTAGE HOLDINGS. Many of the lettings on this estate will be cott- are holdings of. merely a lew acres. One block oi 894 acres it is proposed should be parcelled into tnirteen holdings, and these are the acreages and the proposed rents to be charged:-(lj 11 acres, rent £ 44; (2) 5i acres, rent CS6; (3) 54 acres, rent £ 36; (4) 6 acres, rent £ 40; (5) 7 acres rent £35 (no new house or buildings in this case); (6) 4;1- acres, rent £ 35; (7) 4-1 acres, rent £ 35; (8) 81 acres, rent 242 10s. (no house); (9) 3i acres, rent £ 32; (10) 3i acres, rent £ 32; (10) 2. acres, rent £ 18; (12) li acres, rent JC7 10s., (no house or buildings); (16) 26 acres, rent, j695. There was a good deM of controversial discussion when these rents were proposed, and several mem- bers contended that small holders could not possibly meet such rents, and would only land themselves in difficulties in attempting it, at the same time it was admitted that there would be probably no difficulty in letting at these rents in view of the insistent demand for small holdings, so we shall have to adopt Mr. Asquith's attitude to arrive at the result of whether the small holders can make the places pay. Meanwhile critics who may seek to make capital out of these figures to damage and belittle the small holdings policy should take note of the parallel course of action which is taking place in the annual rents of farms, large and small, which are being ac- quired by the tenants. Numerous cases can be quoted where the interest on capital for the pur- chase of farms plus other charges like repairs and insurance, etc., are double the existing rent. In fact on that basis the purchase by the tenant of a farm at Kerry the other day practically trebled the rent. Naturally there is" a strong in- centive for a tenant to buv his homestead at almost any price when a. notice to quit is hang- ing over his head, but farmers who may be art to predict that the small holdings policy is likely to be a bankrupt one must not overlook the fact that under the new circumstances the email holders will at least have as good a chance of paying their way as many of our new freehold n gr t farmers. But of course that is not to say that neither the small holders or the freehold farmers who had had to buy at high figures are not hay. ing to meet charges that seem alarmingly hiarh. THE LAND SALES ACT. A. good, many inquiries have recently been coming from farmers around Meifod, Guilsfield, and Li an santfi raid districts where several impor- tant estate sales have t.%ken place or are about to take place, as to their position under the new Land Sales (Restriction, of Notices to Quit) Act. This measure has had a beneficial effect in giving farmers more security when their holdings are being sold, but naturally farmers are not very well versed in interpreting Acts of Parliament and a good deal of doubt seems to exist judging by discussions at the Farmers' Union meetings and elsewhere how many tenants stand. How- ever several legal opinions about the act have now been published, and a brief summary of them may be worth giving to enlighten those in doubt. Expressed in its briefest form, the act provides that no owner who is selfing a holding can give a valid notice to his tenant before the sale has actually taken place. TO be valid the notice must i given after the sale, anv notice which may have been given since August 19th last and the actual sales took place, are null and void. But of course, in a case of sales which took place before Sept. 29, and in respect of which notices to quit are given after the sale and before Sept 29, such notices if given by the vendor on behalf of the purchaser are held by legal experts to be valid. In the case of Pales that have taken place since Sept. 29 the act has given a respite to many tenants, for as no valid notice could be secured before the sale they cannot be disputed till Lady Day, 1921. L n i) l

Demobilising the Land Girls. I INTERESTING MONTGOMERYSHIRE RECORD. Misa Lumley the energetic County Organiser of the Women's Land Army in Montgomeryshire attended a meeting in the church house, Llaay- mynecbi on Thursday afternoon, to urge that a Women's Institute should be formed in the district. lit was explained by Miss Lumley that up to the present, twelve such associations na4 been formed in the county and were carrying out useful work in arranging domestic lectures, dressmaking courses and social gatherings. Hitherto the Institute had been under the direc- tion of the Women's Land Army, but as the land girls are being demobilised at the end of next month the Institute could afterwards be affiliated to the Federation of Women's Institutes.—It was agreed to form an Institute to meet in the church house, and Miss Moon was elected presi- dent and Mrs. Mathias, hon. secretary, In connection with the Women's Land Army it is interesting to note that 48 are still at work in Montgomeryshire, and that after demobilisa- tion next month, the vast majority have made arrangements to stay on in their persent places, the employers having agreed to continue the minimum, wage under the scheme of 25s. a week. The value of the land girl's work is testified to, by the fact that some of them doing more to- sensible work in dairying and cheese makin, are earning u to ?2 10s. 6d. a week while a till more mteroatmg tribute to their popularity is the fact that eight of them are about to get married on demobilisation. Three others are applying to the County Council for small holdings.

L the ————'———— -d  At the M?u&l gea?T&l meeting of the Dairy Shorthorn Association in Lcsdon last ?eek, Mr. John Lucas, Isio Park .Falm,Btoa, ShH.W1 was otM?ed a member.

The Government and Agriculture. J FARM WORKERS' HOURS. I What the State is prepared to do to en- courage home food production was outlihed by the Prime Minister at a conference in London representing all sections of the agri- cultural community. The days of cheap grain from abroad, he says, were gone for ever. We must, therefore, fend for ourselves. This country could produce £ 150,000,000 worth of food which was at present imported. With the rate of exchange at its present level the saving thus achieved would be incalcul- able. It would put a new shine on the face of the sovereign." The guarantees to the I farmer and the landowner who broke up his land must continue without doubt—for how long depended on the findings of the Com- mission now sitting. Farmers, it was pro- posed, would be secured in their tenancies unless their land was to be sold for public purposes, or it could be proved that they w-ere bad cultivators. For there was no room for the slacker." Where notice to quit was given in order to raise rent the tenancy would not be affected, and the new rent would be fixed either by agreement or arbitration. The Government were also prepared to consider giving greater compensation to evicted tenants. Finally, the people must be brought back to the land, and the country changed from a place of picturesque desolation to a garden ringing with cheerful and contented life." He appealed to the agricultural labourer, for whom he fought before the labourers' present friends were heard of, not to press for further reductions in hours in view of the vital im- portance of increased production. The question of the inclusion of the agri- cultural labourer in the 48-Hour Bill was one of the main causes of a critical discussion re- j garding the continuance of the machinery of the National Industrial Council which has taken place between the trade union leaders and the Minister of Labour. A protest against such inclusion has been passed by the Central and Associated Chambers of Agricul- ture.

I Sir. Watkin's Game-keeper. I INTERESTING TENANCY CASE. I An interesting case affecting the question of hokse tenure came before his Honour Judge Bryn Roberts, at Wrexham County Court, on Wednesday, when Sir Watkin Williams Wynn, Bart., claimed through his agent, Mr. Godsall, possession of a lodge at present occu- pied by a gamekeeper, who left his service some months ago. Mr. Ll. Hugh Jones appeared for the plain- tiff, and the defendant, Walter Judd, was re- presented by Mr. Ll. Kenrick. From the case submitted on behalf of Sir Watkin, it appeared that the defendant ,as an under gamekeeper at Wynnstay Park, from 1913 till June, 1918, when he joined the Army. His wife and family were allowed to remain rent free, as they had always done, in the I lodge they had hitherto occupied, and when the defendant returned he objected to work- ing under a new head gamekeeper, and accord- ingly gave notice. This was accepted, and another gamekeeper, who lives in Manchester, v, as engaged to take his place, but has hitherto been unable to commence duties because Judd was still occupying the ltadge. The defendant declared that it was imposs- ible to find a house or a cottage anywhere, and his advocate submitted that the\ Act nro- teeted the tenant in this case if there was no alternative accommodation. His Honour said the only question for him to consider was the provision of the Act of 19\5. The premises, he held, were reasonably required by the owner for the purposes of an under-gamekeeper, whose duties made it neces- sary that he should live in the lodge at present occupied by the defendant. In the present case he need not consider the question of alter- native accommodation at all The later Acts were only to be appointed where there had ¡ been purchase since 1917. There was nothing equivocal or ambiguous in the Act governing the present circumstances, and he had there- fore no hesitation whatever in finding for the plaintiff, the defendant to give up possession within 21 days. The plaintiff had also claim- ed £3 3s. in respect of mesne profits, but this had been paid into court and it was awarded. Mr. Kenrick asked for leave to appeal, which was granted.

Ruthin Castle Estate. I WITHDRAWN AT 291,000. I I Messrs. Knight, Frank and Rutley offered by auction, at the Eetate Room, Hanover Squart), London, N. W., on Tuesday afternoon, the Ruthin Castle estate, including the ancient castle stand- ing in romantic old-world grounds, together with j 33 agricultural holdings, quarries and cottages and important town property, the whole extend- ing to about 1,965 acres and producing a rent roll of £ 3,301 per annum, exclusive of mansion and lands, in hand. Bidding began at L70,000 and advanced to 291,000. and. as no higher bid was made for the estate and there was no offer for the castle and surrounding land, the aue- tioner announced that the estate would be sold locally in lots next week. The auctioneer said that the Sewage Farm had been sold to the Ruthin Town Council.

I The total sum realised by the sale of the Duke of Sutherland's Trentham estate last week at Stoke was £ 323,000. Brecon and Radnor Farmers' Union com- plain of a shortage of trucks for loading cattle i on the Cambrian Railways. The Ministry of Food says farmers, unless they are registered as retailers, may dispose of their own butter to any customer they please. No retailer Way sell butter of any kind except to customers whose butter foils, are deposited with them. In proposing the toast of Success to Dairy Instruction and Dairy Farming at the Dairy Instructors' dinner on Wednesday night, Lord Ernie, late President of the Board of Agricul- ture and Fisheries, spoke very highly of the prospects of the dairying industry. He said that dairying was in a most promising and encouraging state. There was-indefinite scope for expansion. They did not compete with the Continent in the matter of milk produc- tion per acre, and would not do so until they turned from pasture to arable for the food j of their, haafds,

r Wrexham Medical Officer, JOINT COUNCIL'S APPOINTMENT. At a joint meeting of the Wrexham Rural District Council and the Wrexham Town Council, on Thursday, Dr. John Lumb, assistant medical officer of health at Warrington, was appointed medical officer of health for the area administered by both authorities. The salary is £550, and the two Councils -were so obviously gratified with their choice that they told him steps would be taken to inake the appointment permanent instead of temporary, as had been intended. In the statement of his experience. Dr. ifUflib was described as being familiar with the duties of fc(dical officer of health and of school medical officer; had charge of borough isolation hospital and sanatorium; maternity and child welfare; bacteriology; formerly I resident medical officer of East Ham Fever ilospital, and over four years' service abroad as a captain in the R.A.M.C. T'he only other candidate interviewed by the meet- ing was Dr. Clement Belcher, M.O.H., West Brom- wich, who was also a captain in the R.A.M.C., but without service abroad owing to an accident. CLAIMS OF SERVICE MEN. A question having arisen whether a third can- didate on the short list, who was unable to attend, had military service to his credit, Mr. K. i. Williz-ms asked if this was an esential qualification. He was rather inclined to think some people were overstrung by the war and could not get it oil their minds. The Mayor of Wrexham pointed out that it had lalrNldy been agreed th?, other things being equal, military service must be considered, and preference given to a mar -who had hir. country. Dr. S. Edwards Jones, in moving the appointment of Dr. Lumb, after explaining that he had never seen or heard of either applicant before that day, saId it was clear that Dr. Lumb's high qualifications and experience made hiu: just the sort of medical officer which that district needed. The way in which Dr. Lumb had answered eveiy question showed him to be a man of hidden strength of character and a man who did not carry ali his knowledge on his sleeve. Captain P. Lloyd Jones seconded, and there being me other nomination, Dr. Lumb was elected as stated. I COUNCIL AND MINERAL EIGHTS. I It was decided to ask the Housing Commissioner to explain why he advised the Council to acquire the mineral rights in certain cases, and not in others, for the purpose of providing against subsidences of sites provisionally chosen for the erection of houses. Mr. Stuart Clark, who is a colliery-owner, said what the Commissioner advised was that they should buy while the mineral values were practically nil. The Housing Commissioner reported that he had now been able to consider the question of the suit, ability of the various sites selected by the Council in the light of the mineral valuer's report, which had caused some delay, and he agreed that, subject to the stipulations AS to acquiring the mineral rights in the upper seams, most of the schemes should proceed. feites at Rhosddu, Gwersyllt Broughton and Bryn- mally were not approved because of the abnormal irisk of subsidence. I TYPES OF NEW HOUSES. Details of the plans of the houses were announced. In some cases the accommodation consisted of living room, scullery, larder, three oedrooms, bath and w.c. on the first floor: others with a parlour in ad- dition to the atove. and others With an additional bedroom. In most cases each house will stand on an area oi 400 square yards, and the estimated cost per house varies from R748 to 9907, the latter being seiai-detacbed. With regard to the houses in Rhos, Ehostyllen and ftossett, the estimated rents were shown as ranging from 10s. to 15s. weekly, inclusive of rates. I BIRtH AND DEATH RATiES. From th) repor, or the medical officer of health it appeared that during the quarter encM September SO the birth rate was 22.1 per thousand of the ett-imated popul&tios, calculated as an annual rate. The death rate was 9.9, and the infantile mortality 50 per 1,008 births.

I -:CEFNI I C£FN PROPOSED WAR MEMORIAL.—At the public meeting on Friday Mr. E. Lloyd Jones fully explained the memorial scheme, and read out a list of subscriptions and donations which reached the gum of LI,198 towards the £5,000 required. CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH.—The Sun- day School anniversary was held on Sunday, d,g,.L en the Rev. W. C. EvMs, Hudders&eld, who was minister at the church twenty-five yearg ago, preached at mroning and evening services to large congregations. In the afternoon the Rev. gentleman addressed the Sunday School. BRYMBO. TABERNACLE YOUNG PEOPLE'S SOCIETY.—On Wednesday evening, October 22, an interesting meeting was held under the presidency of Mr. John Edwards. Mr. D. E. Rees, Broughton, read an instructive paper on Welsh Folk Songa and Folk-lore. Some folk- songs were sung by Misa Williams, Taoyfroil, Mr. Ted Jones, Brymbo, and Master Aneurixt Roberts, Broughton.

Our Portrait is of Mr. Frank Inge, of 209, Kinet Cross Road, London. W.C.. who writes:— I had a very bad r inning abscess in the jaw for some years; it was gradually eating the bona away—it would et bettor and then break out again. I was continually poulticing the abscess, but still it would not heal. One day romeona advised me to try Clarke's Blood Mixture,' and after taking two bottles I could see a great difference, so I continued with it, and after taking the third bottle it had disappeared. I was' quite run down, weak, and v6ry thin, but as soon at the abscess had healed I began to fill out again." Abscesses, Ulcers, Bad Legs, Glandular SweU. ing-B, Eczema, Boils, Pimples, Sores and Erup- tions, Piles, Rheumatism, Lumbago, Gout, axe all sure sigrn of clogging blood impurity, calling for immediate treatment through the blood (out- WIard application as of little use). For cleansing the blood of its impurities, there is no other remedy just as good as Clarke's Blood Mixture. Pleasant to take, and free from anything iw jurious. Ask for and see you get Clarke's Blood Mixtura l M EVERYBODY'S BLOOD PURIFIEB.P