Llangollen Advertiser Denbighshire Merionethshire and North Wales Journal

I WELSH HOME RULE. CONFERENCE AT SHREWSBURY. Lord Aberdare presided at a conference of representatives of local authorities in Wales at Shrewsbury on Wednesday week, called b Mr J. iiugh Edwards, M.P., as convener tor the Welsh members of the Speaker's Commission on Dev- olution, for consultation on what provisions and powers should be pressed for in the scheme of self-gvernment for Wales. The Commissioners present were Messrs. Hugh Edwards, Forestier- Walker, and Chas. Edwards. Lord Aberdare said the Commissioners wished to know what lines the Welsh people wanted to take, and what were the ambitions of Welsh- men as to the new Parliamentary system, which before long would have to be set up amongst them. Mr. Hugh Edwards said they were not in a position to communicate any dennite informa- ti.?i to them at present m regard to the decision of the Commission, as the Commissioners had not taken any formal decision on the matters I concerned. WILL SHROPSHIRE COME IN? I Mr. Edwards went on to read a list of the I powers proposed to be devolved on the Welsh Parliament and those to be retained by the Imperial Parliament, but he said that at the Speaker's request he must ask the Press to re- frain from making them public. He had been given to understand that Shropshire with its capital Shrewsbury would like to come in (A voice: And Hereford!"). Shrewsbury was the capital of the ancient Welsh province of Powysland. The Lord Mayor of Cardiff said Cardiff had some slight claim to the Welsh Parliament. House, but the ex-Mayor of Carnarvon said he wa.s glad that the ultimate decision would rest with the Prime Minister, adding that the claims of Carnarvon, even against Cardiff, should not oe overlooked. | SMALL FINANCIAL POWERS. Un the question of imanee the chairman said ) he doubted whether very large powers wpuld be i given them, but they would want an expression of opinion later on as to how to treat that difficult matter. I Mr. Hugh Edwards said they. had asked for a return showing the financial relationship as between England aild Wales. There was no doubt that Wales would suffer financially by devolution, but so would Scotland and Ireland. Those countries, however, were prepared to tnake the sacrifice, and he hoped Wales would take the same attitude. H Wales did not want a Parliament then tlie Principality would he tacked on to England. Replying to a question, Mr. Edwards said the power of levying taxation was reserved for the Imperial Pariiarnent. Still tht. local Parliament must have money for special sen-ices. RURAL AREAS. I The closing discussion was on the representa- tion of the rural areas. Mr. Edwards said it was felt desirable to give extra representation to the northern counties. That might be regarded as undemocratic, but the principle had already been acted upon in the case of the Welsh University, which had been given Parliamentary representa- tion to which it was not entitled in strict com- parison with other universities. They wanted to know whether the industrial districts were prepared to stretch a point: 'and give extra representation to the sparsely populated district. For his own part he thought it would go far to secure the co-operation of North Wales. South Wales had treated North Wales very generously in regard to the Church Governing Body, on j which each of the four dioceses had 100 represe- I tatives, regardless of population. Something tim- i ilar sould be done in the case of the Welsh Par- liament to allay the uneasy feeling in North Wales that South Wales wanted to rule everything and take all. THE POPULATION TEST. The Rev. William Morgan (Carnarvon) said he was certain if they were to pull together as a nation South Wales must be prepared not to insist on an enormous preponderance of mem- bers, It would not be Home Rule if population was to decide. (Cries cf "Why?") Something besides population must count. Mr. J. E. Powell (Wrexham) said they did not expect full equality, but was it unfair to ask that consideration should be given to the two sides'—industrial and i-gricultural. The latter cbvered 80 per cent. of the area of Wales. No resolution was put to the meeting, which closed after deciding on the constitution of an advisory committee, which the members of the Commission can consult from time to time. The committee will be comprised as follows: the chairman and clerk (ex-officio) of each County Council; the Lord Mayor'' or Mayor of thto county boroughs; one representative each for the i non-county boroughs of Llanelly, Neath, Carnar- von, and Wrexhilm; ono representative each for the urban districts of Llandudno, Holyhead, Rhondda, and Abertiilery; one representative each for the rural districts of Swansea, Neath, Holywell, and Newtown and Llanidloes.

I Wrexham Bigamy Charge. I "IT'S ALL RIGHT." J At Wrexham Police Court on Monday, before the Mayor, Councillor ;gauvage, and other magistrates, Daniel Harper, a dyer's labourer from Leeds, was charged in custody with committing bigamy. Harper was twice in the Army, being last discharged: from the Labour Corps on medical grounds. Before his disaarge-in 1915-he got married and lived with his wife in the neighbourhood of Leeds. In March, 1918, he left his wife, stating by letter that he vas going to seek for work at Huddersfield and Man- Chester. She did not see him again until Midday, Dec. 1st, when he tapped her on the shoulder t>6 she was leaving a woollen mill in Leeds where the is employed. By this time she had been setn by the Leeds police and, acting on the suggestion of a 1 detective, she arranged, to meet Harper on Tuesday. When they met Harper was arrested, for during his absence from Leeds he had been to W>v.vnam. He arrived with the fair in March, 191S, and nUke the acquaintance of Miss Caroline May Hilliaxdi of 10, Manley Rd., Wrexham. He lodged in. Mauley Road, and represented himself to Miss Hilliard as a single man. He obtained -.mptoy,rn-Ent at llowell's munition works where Miss Billiard was also employed and, in July, 1918, they were married! at I'oyscr Street Primitive Methodist Church- Mrs. Harper andi Miss Billiard appeared in court: on Monday and produced the marriage certificates, and 4cting-6e:rgt Pendlebury proved the arrest of Harper at Leeds. In reply to the charge he said, It's at right." Harpe. was committed for trial, at the Denbigh- ) shire Assizes.

[Bersham Colliery Dispute: I The employers of the men engaged at ) Bersham Colliery, near Wrexham. have given notice to the workers to terminate contracts this week on account of a dispute as to the method of working a certain portion of the mine. Be- tween 800 and 900 workers are affected. I I

.—.— —— I The yearly special collection in connction with the Tabernacle. Calfaria and Soar Scotch Bantist Churches, Rhos. realised the handsome sum of 9-155 Ils.: 4 id.

I I The Traditions of Plas Newydd. I TO BE UPHELD BY NEW PURCHASERS. Before commencing the business at Thursday night's meeting of the Llangollen Urban Dis- trict Council, the Chairman, Mr. Harvey Birch, said ho should like to read a letter he had re- ceived from the Earl and Countess of Tanker- ville, who, a« they knew, had recently pur. chased Plas Newydd. The letter, written by Lady Tankerville at Giilinsham Castle. Bel- ford, Northumberland, ran as fo^ llows:—" We were last summer so ki. ndly received as strangers and gueete amongst you that the de- cision now made to become neighbours or rather fellow-townsmen is entered into with full confidence of the future. My husband intends the place to be regarded by his estate az a dower hotnse,' and as such to put it in my care: but in addition we both regard it as a truet. in the wider sense of its meaning, to Llansrollen and to whoever cares for beauty, art and history. In this latter sense we can neveil hold it personally but only together with you all. Please convey to the council this assurance from. us both, and. sllY that we shall not. close the place to visitors npT fail to have .regard for its traditions. Beaieving also in your and their support and co-operation in these endeavours and in the continuance of the pleasant relatione so auspiciously begun on Peace Day last summer." The letter wag greeted with applauise by the members present, and the Chairman said he considered it as one of the finest letters ever received in Llansrollen. In the new owners of that historic place the had people who were goinlI to identify themeeivea and interest them- selves in it for the benefit of Llangollen and the nation. He must say, having been in con- tact with the Earl and Countess, that they would find them very different from what may be imagined. He had never found people more ■tret-iat-able, and he would move a. resolution from the chair, to the effect that the members of the council. representing the inhabitants ör Llangollen, desire to express to Lord and Lady Tankerville their sincere thanks for the letter received by the Chairman and for the expres- sions Contained therein; also to ea.y how pleased they were to know that Lord tanber- ville is the owner of Plas Newydd, they con. sider it could not have fallen into better hands, and that the old historical tradition connected with the place could not be better preserved and its future more secured than in their hands, and that anvthing- that the council could do to assist Lord and Lady Tankerville in their desire to keep the place as one of the old and principal attractions of Llangollen, it would be .-their privilege to do so. Mr. R. Jones, in seconding the motion, said he also considered how very indebted the town were to Mr. Birch. It was a great pleasure to second the resolution, as he felt that it Tta« for the benefit of the town in general. Mr. W. P. Williams supported the motion, and said he had been in contact with the new owners, and never found anyone more taken up with the beauty of the place and so sincere m their manner, and he considered that the way they threw themselves into the Peace cele- brations, although they were practicallv strangers, was a very happy incident. Mr. Lettsome said the council had been very anxious about the old place of recent years, but he thought the new owners had approached the idea more than they ever thouR"ht. ItZZ  tboitht. It WM Vêy pleasin* to know that the house wu yery plea?in the hands of people who were in- terested m history and the preservation of the house and all its t?dJtons. Mr. Price ?id he considered? was now up LrZad^ y r  to fo-operata with Lord and + /tUnC'l and make the place even mo? attractive, The motion was then earned.

Soldiers in Trouble. WREXHAM WOMAN'S PLUCKY CONDUCT. At Wrexham Police Court on Monday, Privates Wiliam Gregory and Leonard Depledjze Duke of Wellingtons Regiment, Par* Hail Camp, were charged by P.C. D. C Jones vrttn being drunk and disorderly w.iad with assaulting the police. It ap- pe.ared thaw the soldiers came to Wrexham from Park Hail or an outing." They only arrived at, 7 p.m. on Saturday, and two hours later they were found by the police in a state of dtdnkenness. They were disorderly and caused a disturbance in Vicar- age Hill. Gregory struck P.C. Jones on the ticad with a stout bottle arid Dspledge threw a steal; bottle at the officer. A struggle followed, during which lnergt. Stock of the military police, received Injuries. A young married women named Gwen Hughes, of Abbot St.) went to the assistance of the police And in the mo-t plucky fashion stood between the officer and his as- sailant and succeeded in blowing his whistle and summoning assistance. She was complimented by the Bench tor her conduct, The Mayor elicted from the prisoners the fact that they did not remember what took place. They admitted that they were drunk and they stated that they were soldiers of the regular army who had served right through the wAr. Gregory said he served for three years in France, and Depledge said he was a prisoner in Germany for four years. The Mayor made a special appeal to licensed victuallers of t'he town not to supply men of this character with drink to such an extent that when they 'came before the court they stated) they knew nothing of what had occurred. After the Bench had considered the, cases in eamera. the Mayor said the magistrates were determined to put down assaults on the police and in the past they had sent offenders to gaol without the option of a fine. The two defendants a these cases, however, were in a different category. They were strangers to the town and. they had decided, in view of their 'record, to take a more lenient view of the cases. They would each be fined £1 for being drunk and disorderly and for the assault 00 /the police they would be fined 95 5s. each. This decision, however, must not be taken as 3, precedent; the Bench could not allow these assaults on the police to go on.

1 i.. .I, i .1.. EYTON. SALE OF WORK.—A very successful sale of work. and rummage sale was held at Evtori Schools on Tuesday week, in aid of the school funds. Mrs. r enwick, plas Fron, in a, few well chosen words opened the proceedings. It is expected a goodly sum will be realised for busi. ness was never slack. The following ladies were in charge of the EytDn stall :-Mrs, J. Harrison, Mrs. Harvey Davies, Mrs. Price Davies, Mrs. Roberts (Eyton Bank), and Miss Parry (Stone Bridge). Bangor Isycoed stall:—Mrs. Antley, Mrs. Chesworfh, and Mrs. and Miss Cheethem (Porthwgan). Fancy f-tall >—Misses Lloyd Jones and Miss Sybil Jones. Refreshment stall:- Mrs. Haycock, Mrs. Twiss, Mrs. Higglns,. and Mrs. David Lloyd, and the bran tub was tinder the supervision of Miss Haycock.

Whilst following his employment at No. 2 Hafod Colliery, on Wodn, William Hug-hes (22), Greek-road, Ponkey, sustained tn. iuries to his leg as the result of one of tbc; trama full of coal running over it. He is making satisfactory progress at Ruaboa Hospital.,

LLANGOLLEN URBAN DISTRICT COUNCIL. CRITICISM OF THE ELECTRIC I LIGHT COMPANY. The monthly meeting of the Llangollen Urban Tji,,iiict Council was sold n 3 "tc. 4th. wh«.. there were present Messrs. H. Birch (chairman), W. P. Williams, H. Edwards, A. Lettsome, A. J. Price, E. H. Lloyd, end R. Jones, with Mr. E. Foulke-s Jones (clerk), Mr. J. W. Hughes (sur- yeyor), Mr. S. Watkin (collector), and Mr. Jones I (water inspector). GENERAL PURPOSES COMMITTEE. The Medical Ofhcer reported that no cases ot infectious disease had been reported during the mcteith. There being a sale of blankets from the Vivod Camp, he had written to Major Harris, Board of, Trade, Bangor. recommend- iniz ihat the blankets, etc., be washed and dis- infected. He had received complaints in re- I gard 110 the drains at the back of No. 4, Castle- istreet. The children had suffered with sore throats, and he recommended that the matter be attended to immediately. The Surveyor reported that, four extra lamps had been lighted, two in Princess-street and i n P i,? n c two in Miill-et-reeii. The new cablee had not yet been laid, but he hoped they would be laid during the week. Complaints had been re- ceived in respect of Dee Mill Place and Peny- coed area, and he ,sugg-ested that two gas lamps be lit at those places as in pre. war time. He considered the fees charged in respect of the Town Hall were insufficient to cover the wear and tear and expense of the hall, and he suggested the adoption of a new scale, which he submitted. The Tirdwn tip was very full and was encroaching on other property, and it, was time that the matter was considered 80 that a site may be found at a. more suitable place. THE RESERVOIR. 1, I He had to report progress of the work done I At the reservoir. A portion of the wall at '-b,, I intake ha-d been taken down owing- to its de- fective condition, and rebuilt in cement con- crete. That was preventing the leakage of water from the intake into the brook. At the top end of the reservoirs, the excavati. ng had been done, and it. was found that the wratcr percolated from the brook and worked its way upwards thr vugh the lfooring- of the reservoir. That had been remedied. An under drain was found under the flooring of the reservoir, which delivered into the brook below the tank. That drain was blocked between the reservoir and the brook, and he had asked' the water Inspector to o-nen it. He considered the bed of the reservoir should have attention, as it was not satisfactory, and urged that the whole of the sla-he be taken up and excavated about nine inches below put in a good 12in. con- crete or In cement puddle. The cornmittee recommended that the Sur- veyor's suggestion for lighting the two gas lamos be adopted. pnd that. Messrs. w. P. "Williams and A. J. Price infDect and hring- in a report as to providing another tip. The com- mittee further recommended that the wW-* nf ,the members of the committee be asked to Tisit the reservoir at a date to be fixed by the ch-urm^ai. On the motion of Mr. NV,. 'P. Williams, secon- (fed by Mr. Price, the report was adopted. LIGHTING COMMITTEE. I The Surveyor reported that six more lamps I tiad been repaired and were now lighted, and that the cable in Hill-street was being repaired. 1 The committee recommended that the attention of the oounty surveyor be called in regard to the repairing of pavements on the main roads. They furtoer recommended that the Electric Light Company be asked to give the surveyor notice before opening any parts of the streets. Mr. Jones said thab at the last council meeting- they decided; to send a letter to the Electric Light Company ,,a' y-i'i ig how disgusted they were with the cqndjtion o. things. He understood that no such letter had been cent. In the resolution they decided to inform the company that unless they had a satisfactory reply the council were pre- pared to take the matter in their own hands. The surveyor read a letter he had sent to the Electric Company on Nov. 8th. Mr. Jones said they were not satisfied, and he considered the letter did not contain the expression of the resolutions passed. Mr. Williams said the great question was had anything been don.e.. The .'urveyor said he had tried all he could to get things put right, but he could not force the company., they would only do the work they thought fit. Mr. PricA sa,id that in the first instance they were toid that no letter had been sent. The surveyor had given them the letter sent.. and he thoupht fSiafc in a public, council they should be a little more discreet in their words. He quite agreed thai the letter sent was not strong enough, the- Electric Light Depot had given I them a lot of trouble. Ho was appointed by the J committee to go into the matter and from the report of the survey or he found that the work was nrooeeding as well as it roiild. and if they found it was not, they would employ outside labour. NEGLECTED WORK. The Chairman said that what thev complaÍ4l1d 1 of was that an order, was given for work. the ? work was started and then left. The work was being neglected.  Mr. Price said he did not consider the" should give them another chance, if they wanted all the 1 famps lit on seven days, let them get the labour and do it. air. Jones moved that the Council engage an electrical engineer of their own. I The surveyor read two further letters sent to the company on Nov. 18th and 26th. í Mr. Prioe said he believed in being honest, and j must sav that for the position that day. the re,- sponsibjlitv was on the Council. They were not business like, and did not think about it at the proper time. and now they were "raising steam" because they could not get the work done. The Chairman paid ho understood that the committor had given Mr. Price power to act. Mr. Price said he Rhould like to kno-w to what extent h" waf to go in putting matters right, The Chain-nan said he considered that if one place had a 1irrlitthey should all have lights. jt was decidcf) to adopt the resolution of the lighting committee that Mr. Price should get outside labour to carry out the work if the E!ec- fcic Light Company would not do it forthwith. > COAL PRICES. Th committee reported that thev had met the merchants who submitted an ar,?,,c?atioii for the increase in the price of coal by Is. 8d. per ton, on account of the cost of upkeen, etc. The meeting had been adjourned for further particu- lars. The report was adopted. THE SURVEYOR'S APPOINTMENTS. Mr. A. Lettsome moved that they adopt the recommendation of the joint sub-committee of the Urban and Rural Authorities that the joint appointment be determined at the end of June next. He considered it best to let it run on till then, and then automatically cease. He did not think that the year that had passed had been a fair testing time for the work. Various diffi- culties bad arisen which put heavy work on the survey"a or's department, it was also beneficial from a point cf view. Time was short HOW and he considered they should advertise for | at least two months for a successor and then by the end of June the ,uestion could be arranged. Mr. Williams seconded and said the time had gone and there Was no time to do anything before the end of the year. Mr. Jones moved as an amendment that the Council ask the surveyor to discontinue his ser- vices with the Rural authority on Dee 31st. His services were not dispensed with until he gave them notice and ho preferred the surveyor to devote his whole time to the' Council. Mr. Price seconded the amendment and said he did not think it would make very much finan- cial difference, for what they had saved by the joint appointment, they had had to pay other officials for work which otherwise the surveyor would have done. Mr. Edwards supported and said that at the time he was strongly opposed to the joint appointment.. On being put to the meeting three members voted for the motion and three for the amend- ment. The Chairmaft said the motion was that the appointment be determined and if it finished on Dec. 31st. it would cause a great deal of incon- venience, He suggested that they should com- promise and make the period three months so that it would terminate by March 31st, next. Mr. Jones agreed to this and the cha Irman s suggestion was adooted. Mr. A. Edwards did not vote and remarked -that he did not change his mind on such matters. I PROFITEERING INSPECTOR. The Chairman said that the Government had appointed inspectors to the Profiteering Com- mittee and if any complaints were sent in they would be sent on to the, inspector. Mr. Lloyd said he cohsidered as a council they should protest against such a, wast? of public money. It was time that all those committees < and control committees Nero done away with. r. Edwards agreed with Mr. Lloyd and said as chairman of the Food Control Committee he must say that they were nothing but statues. It was time they had done away with officialdom and he repeated what he suggested at a meeting in London, that all officials should lie, paid six j months salary and be got. rid of. j HEALTH COMMITTEE. I The Chairman, Mr. A. Lettsome, gave a re- port of a conference held: in Llangollen regard- ing- the provision of an isolation hospital for 'the district. The committee recommended that the surveyor be directed to report on-the num- ber of empty houfeee which he considered could be made habitable.; The report was adopted. DEE FISHING RIGHTS. I Mr. Jones said that at the previous meeting I he withdrew a resolution on the understanding that a special meeting cf the Council be called to consider the question of fishing in the Dee. He would like an explanation why no meeting had been called. The fishing was one of the greatest assets to the public welfare of Llan- gollen, and they kept harping upon the matter of free fishing in the Dee for a generation and then they suddenly fonnd.it being taken from them. They were confronted by the Dee Con- servators Board doing their utmost to have licences for trout fishing. He appealed on the question a month ago and he felt that to leave it in abeyance was like them leaving the town. He emphasised the. fact that they should obstruct the Dee Conservators Board in the movement to the Board of Agriculture and Fisheries. Mr. Price said he supported Mr. Jones's resolu- tion, at the previous meeting afid understood that information was to be obtained and a special meeting called. The clerk said he had received no information on the matter. The chairman said the matter was .raised at the general purposes committee but a,s there was no information, To hand the-meeting was not called Mr. Jones moved that th eounci.l ask the two county members of Parliament ? protect the interests of free fishing in the Dee and particu- laj-t?t at Llangollen, and ask them to use all their power to obstruct the Dee Conservators. The chairman &ajH it was useless asking them to obstruct something unl"" the council could .¡va. them some information, they could not ask them to obstruct something of which they knew nothing. Mr. Lloyd said he had seen in the Press that it was proposed to put Is. licence on a rod for trout fishing, which was presumably for the obiect of keeping out undesirables. Mr. Jones moved that the council ask the riparian owners their intentions regarding trout After further discussion it was deci, ded to hold another meeting this (Thursday) night on th5 matter. THE LATE GWILYM CEIRIOG. Mr. Lloyd said he was sure they were all sorry to hear of the death, of Gwilym Ceiriog who was one of the towns best known and highly 'respected men. He moved -that they pass a vote of condolence with the relatives. The chairman said he wa.s very sorry to hear of the death. When he was chairman of the council before it was his privilege to sit at a public meeting in Victoria Square when they welcomed GArilViii Ceiriog home as the winner of the world bardio chair competition in the Pittsburg eisteddfod. The vote was carried in silence. COUNTY COURT. I The chairman said he was sorry to say Llan- gollen had lost one of its assets during the last month by the authorities in London having taken away from Llangollen its County Court. He and Mr. Foulkes Jones went to London regarding the matter and tried their best to reta.in the court but the committee had decided against them and an order had been made removing the court from the town. He had since received a letter from the Lord Chancellor statifig that if the County Courts Bill before Parliament was passed and there was anything like sufficient business in Llangollen it would be possible to have a regis- trar's oourtJ there although the Judge may not be able to sit at Llangollen. POST OFFICE FACILITIES. I Mr. Williams said he had seen the Inspector I regarding the making of the Llangollen post office into a salaried sub-office. The Inspector had shown him, a plan for similar aeffcion all over the country, and he thought that anything the council may do would not make any difference to the decision. T'hey also went into the question df mails from Garth and Vron being sent to Llangollen instead of Ruabon. Mr. Price asked if the question of Sunday mails was mentioned. Llangollen as a. holiday resort not having a Sunday iiiail would, he felt sure, materially affect the place especially when other places of less importance had a Sunday mail service.