Cheshire Observer

ALDFORD. I BILLIARD MATCH.—On Saturday a team I representing the Aldford Institute journeyed to Chester to play the return friendly matoh with the Chester Hermits, at tho Nag sHead Cocooa Room, Foregate-street. Tne scores were:—Aid- furd: C. Caliow 43, W. Dangar 61, J. Thomas 48, G. Taylor 76, W. Dunning 101 H. Taylor 39,.J. Dangar 99, E. Price 41, total 508. Chester Hermits: C. Morris 101, A. S. Hail 100. A. Gregory 102, C. Lloyd 102, J. Gregory 78, J. P. Edwards 101, C. Stewait 100, F. Roberts 101, total 785. Majority for Hermits, 277. During the evening tho visitors, through the generosity of the home team, were entertained at supper.

TARVIN. I THE GRAMMAR SOHOOL.-In tho recent Cambridge Local Examinations heid at Olwster, certificates in the preliminary division have been gainod by Arthur H. Edwards and Alfred A. Reoce, each of whom satisfied the examiners in Scripture knowledge, English geography and mathematics. The latter also passed in drawing. FUNERAL OF MR. JOHN JACKSON,—On Saturday afternoon the remains of the late Mr. John Jackson, of Wervin. were laid to rest in St. Andrew's Churchyard. It is only about a month since a brother of the deceased was buried, and much sympathy is expressed for the family, who formerly resided at Hockenhall Hall. The chief mourners were Mr. Lhokin, Mr. H. Evans. Mr J. Evans, Mr. T. H. Parker Mr. \V. Beckett (Huxley), Mr. Briscoe Williamson, Mr. Peters (Mold), Mr. Roberts (Saltuey), Mr. Hayes, Mr. Dean (Upron Mill), Mr. Denson, Mr. Kelsall, &c. The Vicar (the Rev. J. H. Wilcockson) performed the office. The coffin bore the following inscrip- tion:—"John Jackson, died 29th March, 1905, aged 72 years." There were no flowers, by re- quest.

HELSBY. HELSBY AND DISTRICT WATER CO.- The annual general meeting of the shareholders of this Company was held at the Helsby Club and Institute on Friday afternoon, Mr. J. Potts pre- siding in the absence of the chairman, Mr. G. C. Taylor. The directors, in their report, stated that although the conveyance of the Company's under- taking to the Runcorn Rural District Council was not yet completed, it was anticipated that it would be effected in the course of the next week or two. In view of this fact it was not intended to pay the shareholders anything on account of the imerest due from the Council, but as suon as possible after the completion of the conveyance the Compa.ny would be wuuud up and appoi uomiient made of the proceeds of the sale. THe usance sheet for the year ending December 3i:,t, i:)ú!, wa* submitted and passed as read. Messrc. W. Guest and W. Griffiths were re-elected directors, and Mr. J. Brotherton Was reappointed auditor. An extra- ordinary general meeting was afterwards held, when the following resolutions were passed, subject to confirmation at a subsequent extraordinary general iiioeting :I That ike Helsby and District Water Co., .Ltd., be wouin.; up voluntarily; (2) That Mr. John Brotherton, of Helsby (manager), be and is hereby app.hntod tire liquidator for the purpose of such winding ap. A vole of thanks to the chairman concluded the meetiug.

HA WARDEN. I AN ACCEPTABLE GIFT. — The follow- ing appears in the Hawardeu Parish Magazine :—We gratefully announce that the Hon. Mrs. Gladston has expressed her .desire to hand over to the custody of the churchwardens and for the use of t-ie parishioners generally the combined hand and wheel bier, which has at times been lent for funeral*. Hitherto this bier has been private property. It now becomes the 'possession of the parish, and we are sure this kind and valuable gift will be deeply appreciated. The bier has been thoroughly renovated, and has been fitted with the beet rubber tyres in the place of the iron ones. It lias been used on four most uotabi-a occasions nr the recent history of the parish, via., at the funerals of Mr. W. H. Glad- stone (1891); his father, the Right Hon. W. E. Gladstone (189$); the Archbishop of Canterbury (Dr. Benson) in 189o; and Mrs. Gladstone in 1900. These biers are in every way admirable, and they are now being widely used throughout the oountry. They are specially valuable in districts like our own, and they are a great saving of labour and expert c. The small fee of 2s. 6d. will be charged to parishioners for its use, and this will go towards the churchyard fund for keeping the churchyard in good order throughout the year. Some simple regulations regarding its use have been drawn up, and all who have to make applications for funerals will be supplied with a oopy. We trust this comely and simple vehicle will entirely supersede the ugly, cumbrous and ex- pensive hearse which has in past years been so much in vogue. •*—.

FRODSHAM. I RATEPAYERS' PROTEST.—Thia ratepayers' annual meeting was held in the overseer's oflioe on Thursday, when Mr. H. M. Davies presided over a small attendance of ratep-aycrs.-Ti Olerk (Mr. Geo. Jones) read a statement shewing the principal business done by the Parish Council during the paat year. They had spent a sum of JS16. 5s. 2d., of which L10. 3s. 9d. went for cost of clootioti, the cost of repairing London-road foot- path being £ 3. 16s, There had been a rise in the rates since the last annual meeting, for the half- year ending 31st March, 1905 The poor rate was Is. Sci. in tho £ or 2d. in the £ more than in the previous half-year. For the haif-year end- ing 30th Sept., 1905, the poor rate was Lkoiy to be 29. in the £ a rise of 4d. in the £ over the previous half-year or 6d. for the year.—In answer to questions, the Clerk said the county call was JE84 more this haif-year than last. The rates had gone up lOd. in tho £ in two y-ears.-Several rate- .payers expressed themselves very strongly on the matter. One gentleman, referring to where the extra. money was going to. said if it was going- to pay bigger salaries to school teachers he did not see the benefit of it. They had not altered the teachers, they had simply altered their salaries, and the children received no better education. There were no better schoiare in the local schools to-day than when he went to school under the lato Mr. Pollard.-Anoth,cr gentleman was "awfully disgusted with this education rate, It started at 4d., and it kept going higher every half-year. It was "one of the most monstrous Acts ever passed in Parliament." It was not because he was a Nonconformist that he had anything to say against it. He himself had reared a. very large family, and had paid for all their schooling, and he was now called on tOo pay about JB2 per year. It was a slianio--After further discussion, Mr. W. D Ringrose proposed—"That this meeting views with alaim the oontinued increase in the rates, and especially in tho calls for tho county, and ask tha.t a check be put on the extravagance in the interests of the ratepayers at large, and particu- larly the poorer latepayers. —Mr. W. E. Shore seconded, and it was unanimously carried, the clerk being instructed to send a copy on to the Runcorn Rural District Council.-—A vote of thanks was given to Mr. H. lvI- Davies for presiding.

FLINT. WILL OF THE REV. W. P. JAMES.—The Rev. William Price James, of 59. Marine-terrace, Aberystwyth, curate of Southeick, Sussex, 1896- 1900, and of St. David's, Flint, 1878-93, who died on February 25th, left estate of the gross value of £ 2,261. 17s. 10d., including personalty of the nett value of 92,177. 8s. 2d., and probate of hi3 will has .been granted to his sisters, the Misses Sarah and Mary Anne James, of Marine-terrace. Aberyst- swyth. RUNAWAY HORSE.-T-he-c,, was considerable excitement in the town on Saturday afternoon owing to a horse, attached to a iniry which was laden with coal, madly careering in the main street, Air. Dan B,eilis, the owner, was delivering- coal at the Schoolhouse, when the horse took fright and rushed down Church-street. It. came into contact I with the corner shop at Trelawny-square, and this biought the animal to tho ground. The shafts of the lurry were smashed and the horse slightly cut, but no one was seriously hurt. A FIRE CHEOKED.- \Vha.t, mIght have been a serious fiie was averted on Saturday morning. Smoke was noticed issuing from the roof of the house of Mr. Hugh Owen, borough surveyor, Chester-street, also from the roofs of J-he adjoin- ing houses. A close 'examination of the roof was quickly made and the mischief discovered- Owing probably to a chimuey's having boon fired, some woodwork had commenced to smoulder. It was iound that several bricks required replacing in one of the chimneys. What might have de- veloped into a serious conflagration was checked. REVIVALISTS AT 1 A.M.—A special service was held iLL the Engli-h Congregational Church <on Sunday evening, and was conducted by the Young People's Christian. Association. The ser- vice lasted fiom 6.30 until 9 o'clock. A mission has been conducted throvghout the week by Mr. .J. R. Gee at the English Wesleyan Chape1. The mission concluded on Saturday evening with a late service, which lasted from 11 o clock until 1 o'clock on Sunday morning. The late servioe was well attended, and there were several con- •versions reported. Prior to the late service the streets wee rpatrolled, the Revivalists meeting with some opposition. Shortly before 11 o'clock strong opposition was offered to an open-air meet- ing adjacent to the Town Hall. A bell was rung-, and it is alleged that eggs were lused as missile* LOCAL APPEAL CASE —Ik the Cc) u' C, of Appeal on Friday, before Lord Justices Yaughan Williams. Romer and Stirling, Mr. Upjohn. K.C., asked to be allowed to mention the appeal brought by Stirling and Co., of Manchester and Chicago, which related to the sale of steam boilers to the Bettisfield Colliery Compa-ny at Flint. Their lord- ships would remember that this was a case in which they had sanctioned a compromise. He forgot to mention at the time that his clients were trustees for the debenture-holders, and that it was part of the compromise which was sanctioned that Mr. Justice Farwell's order which gave them the costa should be discharged. That, of course, was not what was intended, and he now asked their lordships to direct that the respondents should be allowed their costs.-Lord Justice Romer: That was what was intended, I suppose?—Mr. Upjohn: Yea,—Lord Justice Romer; Very well.

ELLESMERt'j PORT RADICAL MEETING.—The Radical candidate for Wirral, Mr. Edwyn Holt, held a meeting on Tuesday night at Ellesmere Port, and was sup- ported by Mr. Henry Vivian, the Radical candidate for Birkenhead.

TARPORLEY. HONOURS IN MUSIC.—In connection with the Trinity College of Music, London, at the recent examiuation held at the Grosvenor Museum, Chester, Nellie Briscoe, pupil of Mrs. Blair, Girls' School, Tarporley, passed the intermediate division with honours.

MOLD. NEW PUBLIC BUILDINGS IN FLINT- SHIRE.—At Monday's meeting of the Flintshire County Council, held at Mold, Mr. E. S. Taylor moved and Mr. R. Xil. Jones seconded that the Council's seal be affixed to a contract for the erection of education offices at Mold, adjoining the present county- buildings. The cost of the proposed buildmgs is over £ 2,000. The proposi- tion was carried.

KINGSLEY. UMDliR A CART WHEEL.—On Saturday afternoon. Rodger Wilding, who is in the employ- ment of Mr. Samuel Lewis, farmer, met with a serious accident Wilding was walking by the side of two horses, which were drawing a. heavy farm cart, when the leader took fright. In his endeavour to stop the horse he slipped, and the wheel passed over his chest and head, inflicting terrible injuries. Dr. Selby, of Frodsham, was quickly summoned.

I WHITCHURCH. WILL OF MR. BECK.—Among the latest wills proved is the following:—The late Henry Beck, 83, of Whitchurch, £ 11,009. DEATH OF MR. E. BEHRENS.—The death in London on Saturday of Mr. Edward Solomon Behrens, of the Oaks Fallowfield, Manchester, and of Bettisford Park, Whitchurch, in his 69th year, removes from the Manchester Jewish community one of its wealthiest and most liberal members, who always preferred to give liberally to charitable institudot.s rather than to take an academic interest in their administration. However, he made an exception in the case of the Manchester Jews' Schools in Derby-street, Cheetham, and when Mr. K. E. Micholls (now Conservative candidate for Monmouth Burghs) removed to London, Mr. Behrens, who was his uncle, succeeded him as pre- sident. Mr. Behrens was the eldest surviving son of the late S. L. Behrens, the founder of the firm of S. L. Behrens and Co., of Oxford-street, Man- chester. When the elder son, Adolp, died in 1895 Mr E. S. Behrens became head of the firm, the other brother being Air Frank Behrens. Mr. Behrens leaves a large family, one of his sons, Captain Clive Behrens, being married to the only daughter of Lord and Lady Rothschild. The funeral took place on Tuesday at the burial ground of the Old Hebrew Congregation at Prest- wich. The family mourners were Messrs. Walter Behrens, Oliver Behrens, George Behrens, Michael Behrens, Harold Behrens, Noel Behrens, and Henry Behrens (sons), the Hon. Charles Roths- child, Sidney Micholls, Philip Cohen, Julian Henriques, William Cohen, Arthur Behrens, R. T. Beddington. Oswyn Davies, E. H. Langdon, W. Klein, the Rev. Dr Wollf, Messrs. R. Beddington, J. F. Stanley, Gilbert Micholls, R. Henriques, W. Eller, Councillor Dr Dreyfus, and the Rev 1. Simon. Representatives from local Jewisii institu- tions were present. COUNTS COURT.—At this Court on Satur- day, before his Honour Judge Reginald Brown, George Ctcwe. farmer, Iscoyd, sued Samuel Crewe (his brother), a rabbi: catcher, of Dotmon's Bridge, Wnixall, for the sum of £ 20, money lent by tue ptaiuntf to defendant m 1901. Plaintiff was repre- sented oy Air. J. M. Etches, and the defendant by Mr. Spencer. Defendant admitted having had the luoney, but lie said he hmi paid it back in instal- ments, the la.-t of which was paid on May 20th, 1904. Plaintiti denied having received any of the money. Defendant put in a cheque for k5. 4s., endorsed by Geo. Crewe and cached on October oOth, 1901, in part payment of the debt. Plaintiff said he had never been the cheque before it was not his endorsement, nor was it mat of any member of his family. HIt! wife and sou all!O ave evidence to shew they had never seeu the cheque. His Honour cauritd all three of them to write George Crewe," and after fuither evidence the Judge said he did not believe it was a case of forgery, he believed that the plaintiff's wife had endorsed the cheque on her husband s behalf, aud had forgotten ail aoout it. As regarded the other amounts which the defendant said he had paid in hard cash, his Honour said he should not rely on the defendant's unsupported testimony, and judgment would be given for plaintiff for the full amount minus the amount of the cheque, which he believed the plain- tiff bad received.—Wm. Taylor, a butcher, sued Hezekiah Roberts, loading-house keeper, &c., for 10s. for the keep of two or the defendant's horses in his field for three weeks in last October. Defen- dant denied all liability except as to one horbe for I one week. After hearing both parties, his Honour ,ad he should foHow the precedent of a learned judge who, some 3,000 years ago, directed that the object in dispute should be cut in two. Judgment for the plaintiff for 5s.

REVIVALISTS IN THE DEE. I Denbighshire's seoond contingent of revival oon- verts were publicly baptised in the river Dee at Trevor, Ruabon, on Sunday. Fully 3,000 inter- ested spectators witnessed the picturesque cere- mony, which was periormed by the Rev. Evan Wi.Lams, the newly-appointed Baptist minister for Garth and Vroncysylite. The early morning was miserable, but the weather fortunately improved, and at eleven o'clock the processions from Vron- cysyllte and Cefnmawr marched to Pontcysy kite's historic bridge over the Dee, Heie; on a natural platform under a massive oak Mr. Williams rook up his stand. He claimed that complete bap- tismal immersion was the only scriptural and ten- able position. After the fervent singing of hymns tne audience proceeded to the riverside, where the rev. gentleman, clad in wateiproof over- alls, waded waist-deep into the river, and selected a suitable spot. Mr. Barclay^ his assistant, then led forward the first lady candidate, dressed in white, and in the name of the Trinity the minia- ter reverently pressed her beneath the cold waters. Six other ladies, similarly attired, underwent the same trying ordeal, two only reappearing breath- less. Ten men followed, one being the husband of one of the candidates already immersed, and seven being Vioncysyllte colliers. A Welsh an- them was sung lustily by the assembled audience but the minister failed to secure further oonverts.

PECULIAR SHIPPING ACTION. I CRANE WHARF INCIDENT. On Friday, in the Admiralty Court, Mr. Jus- tice Bargrave Deane, sitting with Trinity Mae- ters, had before him the oase of the owners of the May Cory and others v. the Shropshire Union Railways and Canal Company. The plaintiffs, the owners of the schooner May Cory, of Liver- pool and the owners of her cargo sought to re- cover in respect of damages which they alleged they had suffered by reason of the negligence of the defendants or their servants. According to the plaintiffs' oase, the defendants are the owners or axe in possession of a discharging berth known as Crane Wharf, on the east side of the river Dee at Chester, and as such have control and manage- ment of certain mooring posts used by vessels diacharging at the berth. On September 10 last the May Cory, a three-masted schooner under a charter party, arrived at, the wharf with a cargo chaa-tex paxty, a L= in bulk, an d was or d L-riL-A i by of phosphate of lime in bulk, and was ordered by tho defendants' foreinan, to take up a certain position, which she did. The vessel was securely moored to the mooring posts and by her anchois, but later in the day, owing to its defective oon.- dition, one of the posts gave way, the result being that the schooner dragged her anchors and was taken ashore by the tide, she and her cargo being seriously damaged. The defendants, who said they were not the owners of the wharf, denied negligence, and pleaded contributory negligence on the part of the plaintiffs in not properly and sufficiently moor- inix the Mav Corv. Mr. Horrrdge, k C., and Mr. D. Stephens ap- peared for the plaintiffs; and Mr. B. Aspinall, K C., and Mr. A. D. Bateson for the defendants. The case had not concluded when the court rose, and the further hearing was adjourned till Monday, when the hearing was again adjourned. On Wednesday judgment was given. His Lord- ship found that the mooring post was defective, and that the defendants were responsible. He accord- ingly entered judgment for the plaintiffs with costs, the damages to be assessed.

BLOOD AND SKIN DISEASES. BLOOD IS LIFE LET IT BE PURE. MANY SKIN AND OTHER DISEASES AHlSE FROM IMPURE BLOOD. HOW THESE MAY BE SPEEDILY CURED BY VENO'S SEAWEED TONIC. Dr. KItllLL'JS'F in a paper communicated to the Easteru Siberian Medical Association dealt with the virtues of Seaweed in blood diseases. He said:-Seaweed is widely used as a food iu Japan, ai.d as it contains com- bined Iodine, bl^od diseases which assume such alarming character sties in other countries run a comparatively nwld course in Japan. Blotches and l inipics on the fiee rind body. Scrofula, Sores, itching, and i;eltit-ss ¡,f the Skin, Tetter ami Kajena, are symptoms wbicb :nd!?'tc impure BJoed, and ^•niejufiit SSki-i ;¡I' h:!i: f¡;'l:l'¡: }(i will b* oi<;i>r aiiu iiuttlu, 'i hw<- i.? no ?acdtciuc in QREIT Brituin t-? VFNO'S SEAWEED TONIC. It curt-s by nCi int," confiu'utionaljy—that is by clearing the s.i-tsm of all impurities; herein lies its success as a healing and strengthening medicine. If you are pale and thin, euersy and vitality, you are suffering from Anesmia, or in oilier words, poor, thin blood. VEjgols SEAWEEB TOKIC enrichts tht: blood; it creates fresh pure Wo d. It dotis this by strengthening the stomach and enabling you to eat I<nd digest the food you eat. It is frim the food you digest you get your blood. FENO'S SEAWECD TONIC Is the Medicine JOU require. It ecutainra pure palatable extract of Seaweed," known to possess marvellous puiifyiug' and healing properties. Doctors use it them- siilvis, because it is a scientific remedy possessiDg' the greatest therapeutic value. Take it also for CONSTIPATION. LIVER TIIOCBLE8, HEADACHE, XlDNEY DISEASE, and GEREBAL WEAKNESS. Price 18. lid. and 23. Pd. Ask for VI!:NO'S SB&VVJSED TONIC at Chemists au;l Dru¡.r Stores,

UNIONISM AT WREN BURY. I I VNIONISM Afl: )VRENBURY. I SPEECH BY COLONEL COTTON-JODRELL. I EFFICACY OF THE EDUCATION ACT. I RELIGIOUS INSTRUCTION IN SCHOOLS. I On Monday evening Colonel Cotton-Jodrell, C.B., the prospective Unionist candidate for the Eddisbury Division, addressed a large meeting at Wrenbury. Mr. Wm. Wright (Broomhall) pre- sided, and the gathering included Messrs. Jos. Furber, Egerton Mac-dona (Wrenbury House'), Foden, Wm. Shaw, jun., Taylor (Holtridge), Bourne (Sound Oak), S. Potts, J. Lloyd (Wren- bury Grange), Newport (Smeatcn Hall), Dale (Frith Farm), Bowers (Smeaton Wood), A. Wright (Royals Wood), E. Young (Sheppenhall Hall), Whittaker (Woodoott Hill), Harris (Yew Tro;a Farm), Dr. Welsh, and Mr. C. F. Prichard (registration agent). The Chairman, having read a letter from Mr. A. Starkey expressing inability to ba present, in- troduced Colonel Cotton-Jodrell in briei and ap- propriate terms. Mr. TolLamaohe, who llad served this division so well for 24 years, had decided to cetire at the end of the present Parliament. He was sure they all hoped that Mr. Toileinache might enjoy the rest from Parliamentary duviee he had so well merited. (Applause.) In Colonel Octton-Jodrell, the prospective candidate, they would have a very worthy successor. He was well known in the county, and beyond its con- ifnes, by the long and untiring interest he had taken in the welfare of agriculturists. He had aico had considerable Parliamentary experience as the member for the Wirral Division for fifteen years, and he relinquished that seat absolutely of his own freewill and much to the regret of his constituents- In speaking of Colonel Cotton- Jodrell as a friend of agriculturists, he (the chairman) would noL like it to be thought, that he was not also a friend of the urban populations, because he believed that the true interests of agriculture were wrapped up in our manufaotur- ing and industrial centres. (Applause.) Colonel Cotton-Jodaiedl, who was oordially re- ceived, remarked at the outset that he endorsed the chairman's opinion that the interests of agri- culturists and the urban populations were oon- sictarably bound together. As this was one of the last meetings he proposed to address at the pre- sent time, he would like to place on record his thanks to all the audiences he had addressed for the kindness and courtesy with which they had on every occasicn received him. n ACKNOWLEDGMENT TO THE PRESS. 111. -1 1-1 -1  rue aiso wisnea to place on record hIS especial thanks to the reporters of the "Guardian," and the "Chester Courant" and "Cheshiire Observer," for the very excellent way in which they had re- ported his speeches. They had been extrepiely attentive and patient on their part towards himself, and he thanked them most heartily. One could not tell when a dissolution of Parliament might take place, but it was important to remember that a general election could not be very far off. It there- fore behoved them and their political opponents in this division to get their organisation perfected when the day of dissolution came. They had a new agent in Mr. Prichard, who had done every- thing in his power to further the interests and perfect the machinery of their party, and he (the speaker) hoped they would back him up and assist him in his labours. During the course of his meetings, he (the speaker) had endeavoured as far as he could to raise the platform of party politics to A HIGHER LEVEL I than it very often stood, especially in the House of Commons at the present time. He had done so for two reasons, cne being that in a pre- liminary canter like this it was more easy t-o talk at some length on really important questions which affected this nation than it was during the heat and turmoil of a Parliamentary election. The other reason he had in view was that he had tried to impress up:n the electors the fact that their one vota was equal to every other man's vote, and that whatever proportion might be allotted to each vote, there was this absolutely certain—that it went to assist in shaping the whole course of policy in the country, whatever Government might be in power. With regard to hiB opponent, iVlr. Stanley, with whom he had had the pleasure of becoming acquainted, he had endeavoured throughout his campaign to abstain from any perse 11 al alluskns, and Mr. Stanley had done exactly the same. That, he thought, was ti.e spirit in I Parhameniary elections nowadays should be conducted. (Hear, hear.) Of ocur&e, they had to criticise each other in the course of the exposition of theiV views. In speaking at Tushingham the other day, Mr. Stanley devoted a considerable proportion of his speech to the Education quesb-on. From his allusions to the Education Art. not only at Tushingham (where remarks did not seem to be received with an entire unanimity of op;nion), but elsewhere, he gathered that he had A SCHEME IN VIEW, I undier which the whole of the non-pro- vided schools in this country should either be bought or rented by the State, and that all should be placed upon one common lo-nd. Mr. Stanley also proposed that religious instruction in the sch-cols should be allotted to any denomina- tion for one day in the week. It was quite pos- sible in London, and other very urban dis- tricts where a great variety of creeds existed, to set a day apart for that purpose. If, for instance, they gave. Roman Catholics one day, Jews another, Presbyterians another, Nonconformists another, and the Church of England one day, they would exaot-ly occupy the five days in the week during which the schools were open. But he failed to see how this system would work in most of the elementary schools in Cheshire, where, as a rule, they had neither Roman Catho- lics, Jews nor Presbyterians, the school children being chiefly Nonconformists and members of the Church of England. The first. part of Mr. Stan- ley's scherae-the buymg-up or renting of all schools by the State—was subject to still greater difficulty. He supposed Mr. Stanley put it for- ward in order to get rid of what was called TT THE RELIGIOUS DIFFICULTY. I I 110 (A-/cr. uorton-joaTGii) could assure them that if any scheme could be adopted by which this so- called religious difficulty should no longer inter- fere with the good eduoation of the children he would give it his most sympathetic attention. (Applause.) When they boiled down the matter of religious instruction what did it amount to? There was one half-hour in the week which was aLoit-ed to the teaching of the catechism of a par- ticular denomination. All the other half-houis in the week which were allowed to be given to religious instruction had to consist of the reading and teaching of the Bible. There were, he be- lieved, thirty-three hours of the week during which the schools were open. Therefore, the half- hour in which this denominational catechism was taught was about one-sixtieth part of the whole time in whioh the schools were open. The gen- tlemen calkd passive registers, who objected to pay the rates, objected on account of one-sixtieth part of the whole rate which they were asked to contribute towards the education of the children. He had been told by a gentleman in Cheshire, who knew more about education than almost any- body else, tha.I. if their denominational school:; weiv bought up or rented by tho State they would cost, as far as this county was concerned, about £ IS 500—a sum equal to a 2d. rate. It was for the purpose of that 2d. rate that the passive re- sistors objected to pay one,-third of a farthing. He would ask any person of cotnmonsense whether it was worth while putting the whole education system of the country again into the melting pot for the sake of one-third of a farthing in the E. The contribution to the rates for education went not only to support Church schools, but also the schools of Roman Catholics and Jews, to the maintenance of which for many years past a contribution had boen paid by all classes and all rolig'ous denominations in the country. The only difference' was that the money had previously been taken out of their right-hand trousers pocket in tho form of taxes, while it was now taken from their left-hand1 pocket in rates. He coir id not believe that for the sake of this trumpery l-60th part of the rates which they were asked to contribute towards the education of the young it was wort-h while to put the Education Act again into the, melting pot. The programme nsf ruct on which had been adopted by the County Council for the provided schools seemed to him to be a programmo which should meet all reasonable requirements, and if it were carried out he did not think anybody need fear having his children brought up to be Christians. Ho would go so far as to say he thought it might be quite- possible to come to I A COMPROMISE Dy aaopung rne same programme-or one very I much the same-in the non-provided schools. (Hear, hear.) Some system might be devised by which the religious difficulties might be entirely expunged. The Education Act of 1902, apart from the question of religious instruction, had been acknowledged by everybody to have rai se d the platform of our whole system of education, and offered to future generations a basis of edu- cation of a good and practical kind, which we had never before been able. to realise. (Applause.) It was admitted that if the. futuro generations of this country were to hold their own with those of ether nations, we must make much greater strides in the education of our children than we had been able to do under a. different and much poorer sys- tem than we had at the present time. After I alluding to the increase of local rate.-? and the relief afforded to agrlci-iltural ratepayers from the Agricultural Rating Act provided by the Unionist Government, Col. Cotton-JodreU reviewed the I Fiscal question from an agricultural standpoint. There v.c-ie not wanting signs, ho said, that the I DEAR LOAF BOGEY I was on the wane. The fears about it were not I expressed very greatly now, and it was net re- I ceived with such ovation as it was a few months ago. The reason was that the' people were be- ginning to understand, th-e matter better. One very significant sign in this direction wa-s that, a inrge number of trades unionists were beginning to come into line with iariff Reformers. The ck-ar .foifl err L.?.d ?a alarm for them, and they wore, beginning to understand that. those who advocated the cause* of tariff reform, were doing w in tho strict, interests of the working-classes, in order to- ensure tilat the level of employment and of wages in this country should be more regular arid more settled than it had been for many years. Mr. Cobden said in the House of Commons in 1^44: "I do not anticipate wheat. will be reduced below 4511. a. quarter even by Free Trade." We knew to-day, however, that tho price was about 30; and that it had been considerably under. Then Mr. Cobden declared "We do not oontem- p)a.te deriving one quarter less corn from the soil of this country. As we knew, two or three millions of acres of tillage had since that time passed into pasture. In a speech at Manchester two years later Mr. Cobden said: "If you adopt Free Trade there will not be a country in Europe which will not follow your example in less than five years." Not one of tbose predictions had been fulfilled. There was not one country (with the possible exception of Turkey) had adopted Free Trade and there was not one of the, great countries which had not flourished very much more by abolishing Free Trade than we had by Lhe maintenance of it. Concluding, CoL Cotton- jodreil urged that experience of the past shewed tnat the imposition of a 2s. duty on corn wou.d add nothing to the price of the loaf, and tha-t if that duty was imposed on foreign corn at the present time England could in a very few years get tho whole of her wheat supply absolutely fiee from Canada. On the motion of Mr. Joseph Furber, seconded by Mr. Egerton Macdona, the following resolution was carried almost unanimously "That this meet- ing desires to record a hearty vote of thanks to Mr. Henry Tollema.che for his long and faithful services as representative for the Bddisbury Division in the House of Commons, and regrets the prospect of his early retirement. It also de- sires to express its continued confidence in the present Unionist Government, and considers the time has arrived for a reconsideration of the Fiscal policy of the United Kingdom with the object of improving the well-being of the people and diawing more closely the bonds of union with our Colonies:"

COLONEL COTTOIN-J ODRELL'S CAMPAIGN. ENTHUSIASTIC MARBURY MEETING. I THE EVILS OF FOREIGN COMPETITION. I On Tuesday evening Colonel Cotton-Jodrell, as prospective Unionist candidate for Eddisbury, brought to a close for the present his long and successful series of election addresses delivered in all parts of that extensive division. Quiet, old- world Marbury was selected for the final meeting of the campaign, and the enthusiasm of the audience and the warmth of the welcome they gave to the gallant Colonel were a fitting finale to the heartiness with which he has been received everywhere he has gone. The chairman was Mr. Abraham O. Lakin, of Marbury, and in addition to the Colonel there were also pre&ent on the plat- form Mr. Waiter Starkey and Mr. Joseph Furbur. Among the many prominent residents of the district present were Mrs. and Miss Copernan, the Kev. J. L. V incent, and Messrs. J. Harding, Latham, C. Prince, J. Wainwright, W. Hitchen, Owen, with the Unionist agent (Mr. G. F. Prichard), etc. The Chairman expressed his deepest regret at the retirement of Mr. Henry Tollemache, who, he said, had most honestly and faithfully done his duty to his constituents during the quarter' of a century lie had represented them in the House of Commons. (Applause.) They could congratulate themselves that Colonel Cototn-Jodrell had ex- pressed his willingness to come forward and chal- lenge whatever opposition there might be wnen tile next appeal was made to the country. (Ap- plause.) lie had done his utmost to benefit agri- culture. (Applause.) He was a Cheshire land- owner, and a few years ago ii-e most thoughtfully placed one of his farms at the disposal of the County Council for the purpose 01 advancing dairy knowledge. (Applause). He was prominently connected with the various Cheshire agricultural associations, and in fact anything that tended to the good and welfare of the Cheshire farmer and farm labourer had always had his active support. (Applause.) With reference to the all absorbing topic of fiscal reform, all that was wanted was tair play and a system of Free Trade all round, (iiear, near, and appiauee.) The present system was most undoubtedly one-sided, and he con- sidered it grossly unfair. Mr. Cobden said that under nis proposals no farmer would be worse off and no ¡¡¡DOUrer would be SOllt away. Three million acres of land had gone out of cultivation, and one million farm labour-en; had gone off the rand owing to Mr. Cobden's changes, and during the last 25 years 150 millions of capital had been lost by the farmers of the country. ("Shame.") Was not that a most, serious state of affairs? The remedy was in their own hands, and he urged them to vote for Colonel- Cotton-Jodrell, who would support that clever, far-seeing and astute statesman, Mr. Joseph Chamberlain. (Loud applause. ) Cblonel Cototn-Jodrell was received with pro- longed and enthusiactio applause. After thanking the audience for their warm reception, he ex- pressed his sorrow that that was the first meeting' he had addressed at laroury at which Mr. Cudworth Poole had not been in the chair. They were lucky, howover, to have Mr. Lakin in his place. (Applause.) Mentioning that the state of the Army was one of the reasons that had led him to again seek Parliamentary honours, he said ho was not very much of a party politician at any time, and he was not going to be a partisan on the Army question. lie thought that ought to be removed out of party politics, and whatever Governement was in power lie would give any measures he disapproved of as severe criticism as possible. (Applause.) From the first, when he came to live in that district nearly a quarter of a century ago, he determined to throw in his lot with "the farming interest rather than-he would not say the higher interests—the more heroic interests of Quarter Sessions and the County Council. Ho had preferred to throw in his lot with the tenant farmers, because he felt he could learn and acquire a great deal of practical education and practical know- ledge of the needs and wants of agriculturists than from any other source. If he was returned to Parliament he would try to utilise those lessons to the best advantage of agriculture in England, and more especially in this county. (Applause.) He was aware there were many faults the Gov- ernment were supposed to have committed, and he could criticise the Government perfectly well if he chose to do so. They must always bear in mind that a Government which had been in office for ten years was always bound to tread upon some people's corns and upon some people's fads and idiosyncracies. Such had certainly not been absent from the present Government, but he was always prepared to maintain that the present Unionist Government had been a very good friend to agriculture. (Applause.) He had heard that view endorsed by many tenant farmers on plat- forms upon which he had lately appeared. He reminded them of the Allotments Act and the Small Holdings Act, passed by the Unionists, which. although they had not been the success they were intended to be, had done a certain amount of good. He was not going to lay claim to any credit to the Unionist Government for those measures, but he did ask for the sympathy of voters, when they were called upon, for the Government on account of the Agricultural Rating Act (Applause.) He had always heard tenant farmers accept that as a very good and proper thing, possibly only as an instalment to further relief of the rates in agricultural districts. The Unionist Government passed that Act in the teeth of very strong opposition. The value of the Agricultural Rating Act to the county was £ 35.000 a year in the pockets of tenant farmers and those who occupied land. It was perfectly oertain that if a Radical Government was returned at the next election that one of the first things they would attempt to do would be to repeal that Act. It was to the credit of the Unionist Government they had passed the Act. He hoped that this year they would maintain it or make it perma- nent. At any rate, it demanded a tribute of credit from voters. One of the greatest things the Government had done for agriculture was the constitution of the Board of Agriculture. That department had the merit of being comparatively new. It was more up to date than any other public department in the State-certal nlv more up to date than the War Office at the present time, he was afraid-and it was far more in touch with the people it desired to benefit than any other public department. The means of the Board of Agriculture to be adopted in tho way of special correspondence, to keep up a regular chain of thought and opinion between themselves and tenant farmers and farm labourers, was giving great support to the work of the Board. (Ap- plause.) Turning to Fiscal matters, Colonel Cotton-Jodreil said there was abundant evidence that tho Colonies desired to join with us and help us in forming a new bond of fellowship. Four conferences held in this country, at which Colonial Prime Ministers had been present had agreed upon the desirability of preferential trading. Resolutions had been passed in various Colonial Houses of Parliament to the same end, while New Zealand, Cape Coony, and Natal and Canada had already given us a preference. In the case of Canada the preference was given to us in 1898. In the hvc years preceding that date our trade with Canada fell from nearly seven million pounds to a little over five millions. In the five years following 1898 our trade with Canada had nearly, doubled, having risen from six million to over eleven million. That was some proof that preferential trading was not likely to do our manufacturers at home very much harm, but rather to promote them. He was glad to notice that they had cheered the name of Mr. Chamber- lain almost to the echo when it was mentioned by the chairman. Mr. Chamberlain had worked with one fife-long idea of promoting the welfare of the working classes. For eight, years he had been our most- successful and greatest Colonial Minister. In all he had done he had been as I straight as ;t die, and he had been imbued with one idea, that of loyalty toO his country and his Sovereign. (Loud applause.) It was the object of his life to bring the Colonies and us together. It was said that, thirty-two millions worth of manufactured goods were exported from foreign countries to our Colonies that w* might maTrc ourselves if we had the chance. At the ordinary average, the thirty-two millions meant sixteen millions in wages, and if that sum could be spent in wages in this country instead of in foreign countries, it would keep 53,000 English labourers at 30s. per week per year. If we could get the trade into out own hare's that would be worth striving for. (Applause.) Our exports of manu- fact'.ires to foreign countries had of late years changed in character. The great, bulk of our exports to foreign countries consisted of raw material, such as coal, while practically the whole of our trade with our Colonies was manufactured goods, and that kept going skilled labour at a I high rate of wages among the labourers and a. steady cfoss of labour in the country. We were told very often that it was pleasing to have heaps of cheap manufactured goods brought into this' country. At the town of Newport (Mon.) 200.000" tons of steel bars and billets had been imported from abroad at five shillings a ton less than the English manufacturers' prices, or £ 50,000 less alto- gether. If those 200.000 tons of steel had been manufactured in England they would have pro- vided £ 320,000 in wages, and some £ 60.000 in rates and Imperial taxation in this country; so that for the gain of C50,000 wo lost more than six times that amount In the cause of labour alone. He asked whether it was just that all those manu- factures should come into this country absolutely toll free. The more he read and studied, the more unanswerable appeared the arguments in favour of a modification of our present Fiscal system. (Applause.) We needed to draw our Colonies closer to us, and it would help to ensure the peace of the world. We had the opportunity of forming the strongest Navy and the strongest Army in the world, and, with the support of our Colonies all over the world, of making one gigantic Empire for peace. (Loud applause.) Mr. Joseph Furbur moved that the meeting recorded its hearty thanks to Mr. Tollemache and regret at his retirement; also its continued confi- dence in the present Government; and its opinion that the time had arrived for the reconstruction of our Fiscal policy. Referring to Colonel Cotton-Jodrell, he said he thought the con- stituency of Eddisbury appealed to him more than any other constituency. Colonel Cotton-Jodrell's sympathies with agriculture had always been known and appreciated by everyone, and an agri- cultural constituency like that was attractive to him. Touching on Fiscal matters, he said that Radical speakers in that part of the county had been talking on what would occur in corn going up 2s. a quarter. They were rather annoyed that the Canadian farmer should be their strongest oppo- nent in cheese. So long as we must import cheese, he preferred to import it from Canada, and so long as we must import corn he preferred that we should import it from Canada. (Hear, hear.) So long as Canada gave us a preference, he preferred to sell to Canada and give them a slight preference for the preference they gave us. (Agplause.) It would jeopardi&e our existence (ARpi.au.seb. ? ?y if we did not keep the corn growing ground in Canada in our own hand, It was prac- tically carrying out the ideas of Unionism as applied to the whole Empire. (Applause.) Mr. Latham seconded, and the resolution was carried unanimously. On the motion of Colonel Cotton-Jodrell, a hearty vote of thanks was accorded the chairman.

I DISTRICT COUNCIL ELECTIONS I HOOLE. I THE ALLEGATIONS OF EXTRAVAGANCE. The electors of Hoole district love a fight and seem to have no difficulty in finding gentlemen to oblige them. This year the West Ward were not allowed the excitement-of a contest, there being no opposition to the return of Mr. J. T. Ball, all old councillor, and a new labour representative in Mr. Wm. Taylor Thomas. They must have felt quite envious of the East Ward where four out of the live candidates nominated, namely, Dr. Lewis A. Williams, and Messrs. H. Crowder, J. Benn and W. J. Croydon stood for the three seats. The election promised to bo very tame until Mr. Crowder came to the rescue with an election address, the influence of which will probably be felt in the debates in the Council Chamber for some time to come. The recent correspondence in the Press aroused considerable interest and appeared to have affected the result considerably. The poll was taken on Saturday between 12 noon and eight, and the announcement of the result was awaited by a large crowd who commenced to gather around the door of the Council's offices in Westminster-road soon after eight. The appearance about nine o'clock of the Returning Othoer (Mr. A. E. Calaecutt, clerk to the Council) was the signal for an outburst of cheering. He announced the result as follows:— HY. CROWDER 25t WM. JNO. CROYDON 157 DR. LEWIS A. WILLIAMS M7 JOSEPH BENN l?j and declared the first three to be elected. The candidates then came forward and thanked the electors. Mr. Crowder headed the way and had a rousing reception. Mr. Croydon said that on a s imilar occasion three years ago, he occupied second place as he did that day. He hoped after three more years he would have given them as great satisfaction as he had apparently done in the past. (A voice We shall be in Chester.") They might rely that the statements recently made regarding the expenditure would have a thorough investigation. (Cheers ) Dr. Williams said with regaid to the matter Mr. Croydon had mentioned, namely the enormous extravagance-(a Voice: Quiteright," )-insinu,i- ed against the Council, he could say there had not been a shilling spent,—(Cries oi YeiS, yes, there h:J.s," and No, there has not.")-withollt its having been tirst carefully thought over. (A Voice: "It is a shame "and £ 20u." In the next three yeais it would be just as carefully thought over. (A Voice And more so.") Mr. J. Benn said that someone had to be at the bottom, and perhaps he was more able to bear it than some ot those who had been successful that day cculd. He would not have cared to have seen any of the old candidates out. (A voice: "Vhat about Crowder ?") He hoped Mr. Crowder would keep his word (A voice "Undoubtedly he will.") He hoped if there was anything to investigate he would carry out his promises. He (Mr. Benn) had made no promises when canvassing. He was not going to coirmit himself to any policy. (A voice Cab fares, attending telephones, £6. 10") He did not feel any worse for the tight, and he was ready to go through it again. (A voice: Corres- ponding with Lord Another "Stopping the trams, £ 100 ") Mr. Crowder moved a vote of thanks to the Returning Officer. He said he did so formally. There was more cheering on Mr. Crowder's reappearance, and as he stated his proposition, someone shouted as a parting shot "Charge him 10s. for it." The crowd then closed around Mr. Crowder, and he was hoisted on the shoulders of two men and carried off in triumph. NESTO* URBAM. I ?, ? I- ine contests in. connection with the two vacalicies in Neston Ward and the vacancy in Leighton and Parkgate Ward took place on Saturday. In addition to the retiring member for Neston Ward (Mr. James Platt), Messrs; Thomas Gottrell (Haughmond Cottage) and Thomas Tozer were nominated, and the question as to which of the three would receive his conge from the ratepayers excited a considerable amount of interest among the local public. Messrs. Platt and Cottrell each issued a separate address, which was printed, however, on the same double-leaved circular and posted to each voter, and a large poster bade tho ratepayers of Neston Ward to "Vote for Cottrell and Piatt." Mr. Tozer issued no address, and made no public appeal beyond a very quiet and unobtrusive canvass, and under the circumstances it is surprising that he polled so many votes. In Leighton and Parkgate Ward, Mr. Joseph Johnson, the retiring member, issued an address, but his opponent, Mr. Roger Taylor, oontented himself with the vigorous canvass on his behalf that was made by a well-known fisher- man and others. Polling took place at the Park- gate Infants' School for Leighton and Parkgate Ward, and at the Neston Town Hall for Neston Ward. Mr. C. E. Senior acted as presiding offioer at the former booth, and Mr. R. Farmer at Neston. The Leighton and Parkgate ballot boxes were removed to Neston Town Hall for counting purposes immediately after 8 p. m.. and a considerable throng assembled in the High- street in front of the Town Hall to await the result About 9.30 Mr. J. Percival Gamon, the returning officer, declared the poll from the Town Hall steps, as follows :— NESTON WARD. THOMAS COTTRELL. 167 JAMES PLATT 163 THOMAS TOZER 92 LEIGHTON AND PARKGATE WARD. JOSEPH JOHNSON 75 ROGER TAYLOR __41 No speeches were made by tne candidates, and the crowd quietly dispersed. Mr. Johnson after- wards received a very courteously-worded note from his opponent, Mr. Taylor, congratulating him on the result- of a very fairly fought contest. ELLESMERE PORT URBAN. Saturday wa.s the day appointed for the erection of fifteen councillors. More than ordinary inter- est was taken in the proceedings. The number of voters on the legister was 725, and out of thESO 525 exercised the franchise. The returning officer was D. Bunting, the- clerk to the Council. Near ton o'clock the result was declared as fol- low-, Wm. Breckon 312. W m. Stockton 301. *Miller Wright Ha.wson 258, Joseph Wynne 2,34. Levi Wm- Lindop 217, Humphrey Price 207. Edw. Williams 189, *Thos. Catherall 180; "'Olivi' Ed- mund Rice 178. William Simpson 162, Henry Leslie Finny 158, *Wm. Fcgg 158. "James H. Royston 158, Thos. H. Whitby 156, "John W. Nicholas 156. T. Jones 145. M. Cahil/i 143, W. Gibson 137, Wm Griffiths 136, C. Whitridge 135. W. Worsey 132. W. Spcddiing 125, W. S. Norman 112, Wm. MacNiel 111, W. Wall bank 95. W. J. Thompson 91, J. Foxall 89, G. Foster 80. Wm. Platt <8. The first fifteen form the Council. The asterisk denotes unv members.  MOLD. From tho outset the very niimmam of public interest- was manifested in this contest, and with about th ree exceptions the candidates refra,inoo from canvassing or issuing addressee. Those as- pirants who did approach the electors were re- warded by elevated position in the list.. The poll was taken on Monday at the National Schools. where them were three stations, at which the presiding officers were Messrs. R. Stewart. Kelly (returning officer). W. R. Havard Evans arid W. Bayne. About 10 30 the result was announced as folfov,rs:-W- E. Trickett 347. *ThcmaiS Price 297. *J. Wynne Williams 282, *J. T. Morgans 278. *J. B. Marston 266, Thomas Parry 262, *W. P. Jones 255, *T. S. Adams 239. *H. J. Roterts 233. *Jesse Roberts 221. Thomas Lewis 214. *Samuel Bed- ford 203. *Thomas Roberts 202. *Robert Morris 176, *John Price 176, elected Edward Wheidon 169, Richard Williams 161. *Ret:rii?g members re-elected. —1 rT;e> result was received with loud cheering, and at the close of the proceedings a vote of thanks was passed to the returning officer, on the motion of Mr. Trickett seconded by Mr. Thomas Price, WHITCHURCH. This election took place at the Corn Exchange on Monday, when there\was considerably more interest taken in the proceedings than usual. There were nine candidates, and OUII of an electorate of about 1,200 some 700 availed them- selves of the franchise. The result was made known on Mortday night, a large crowd having previously assembled outside. the Town Hall. The returning officer was the clerk to the Council. The result was as follows—R. T.- Smith 422. R. Baxter 374, J. B. Huxley 336, W. Hopwood 246, E. p. Thompson 217. R. Pearson 169, E. Birch all 136, W. H. Manley 120, John Corfield 109.

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I DISTRICT COUNCILS. I CHESTER RURAL. I A meeting of this Council w&a held on Satur- I day at Forest House, Mr. C. Maddock presiding. I mC VOTES OF 1 HANKS. I mr: _i 1 » .lDlS ooring the last meeting 01 tne Council in the administrative y-ear, Mr. C. E. Linaker pro- pod a vote of thanks to Mr Maddock for his services in the chair. The Council were usually fortunate in having an efifcient chairman, and Mr. Maddock had performed his duties in a very efficient manner. He had kept them in order, and they had gone through the year without any squabbling. Mr. T. Butler seconded the mottcn, which, was carried with acclamation. The Chairman, in acknowledgment, disclaimed any credit for the peaceable and friendly nature of the Council's deliberations, which he thought was due to the good feeling that had existed be- tween the members_and' the occupant of the ohair. The best possible feeling had always existed between them, especially during his year of offic*, and he trusted it might long continue. On the motion of Mr. E. Dean, seconded by Mr. B. C. Roberts, a vote of thanks was also accorded to the vic-e-chairrnan (Mr. Rowe Morrish I BAD ROADS. Uompiaints were reoeived from the Great Beughton and Christlet-cn Parish Councils of the extremely bad and dangerous condition d the roads in the locality after the laying 0of the I if the sewerage pipes. Mr. T. Butler said it was a shame tha.t people who had to pay rates should have to tolerate roads in such a condition as these. It was a dis- grace to any council. Mr. Dean thought that having regard to the repeated complaints they had received, it was high time they pressed the contractor to com- plete the work. Mr. Butler said the engineer (Mr. Priest) had told them the sewers wouM be finished at the end of September last. He (Mr. Buthr) was very doubtful if they ever would be finished. It was decided to press the contractors to com- plete the wcrk. ALLEGED ENCROACHMENT AT UPTON. A letter was received from the Upton Parisn Council requesting the Council 'to investigate and take action with regard to the further illegal encroachments at the Chemistry Pit Upton.' The Clerk (Mr. W. lYirnock) sa d tht- subject of this pit had been before the Council and the old authority years ago. Iho ruiiabrtants of Lpton said distinctly there was an •'ncrcachment upon the rights of the parish, and the ;Council had to decide whether they had a right to stop the encroachment. A small committee was appointed to visit the pit. AN IMPORTANT QUESTION. I' Tier was r^c^1ved from the Christehureh Rural District Council seeking support of a petition urging the Local Government Bcivrd to introduce a Bill in Parliament with a view to legislation which will securk-, to rural districts compensation for loss of area and ratable value. The Ck air man: A very reasonable request. (Hear, hear.) Mr. Oicell: Chester is ready to absorb some portion cf this district; they are only waiting1.. It was agreed to support the resolution. HOOLE URBAN. The monthly meeting of the Hoole Urban District Council was held at ^<s»tm;n?ter-road. Hoole, on Monday, when the chair was occupied by Mr. Wm. Williams. Dr. Butt, the medical offieer, reported to the Sanitary -Tv] H.Igliways Cornn;-tree that iro case of infectious disease had occurred in the district during the past month. iji the Hooie district, outside the Workhouse, no case of infectious disease had been reported during the ifnancial year just ended. -1 THE DRINKING TROUGH. I mo CICTK reported the proceedings that- took place between the Fiookersbrook Trustees and a deputation from The Council. He said the chair- man (Mr. S. Smith) denied any liability to pro- vid e a drinking trough, but they had left open a drinking place, and residents had complained and it had bet 11 discontinued. A trough had been put >»;> voluntarily by the late Mr. Charles Brown, aiici it had also been taken away. There was no liability to restore it. and they would only admit that if in the future thero was a sufficient water supply, they would make an opening from the main road. The trustees had decided that that would be the only course they could take, and not then unless there was evidence of a well- founded demand from the public for such a bupply. Mr. W. E. Phillips said he would undertake to obtain an expression of opinion from t-iie Cheshire farmers. MR. PHILLIPS BIDS GOOD-BYE. I Not having sought re-election Mr. Phillips occupied his accustomed seat in the Council for the last time. In taking farewell of the members, he returned hearty thanks to tho electors for the six times they had conferred favours upon him at District Council elections and for the three tames they had returned him to the Board of Guardians. A doctor had said that when a man was past forty years of age he was not capable of any good work. He (Mr. Phillips) was eleven years past that age when he commenced work pn that. Council fourteen yoars ago. The .professing faddists who made such statements as that doctor were nothing more than a pack of feols. in chemistry and everything else. (Laughter.) Tht improvement of Hoole Bridge he (Mt Piullips) wished to be his last work, &hd he was gratified to learn that as soon as Mr. Sandbach. chairman of the Main Roads Committee of the County Council, found it convenient to call a confercnce together the work would be carried out. When he joined the Council ho made no promises except two, first, that he would be faithful to his trust, and, seoond, that, he would be fearlessly independent He would be richly rewarded if the electors acknowledged that he had been both. Mr. Phillips prooeeded to compliment the chairman oil his dignified, courteous and impartial conduct of the debates of the Council, and the clerk and inspector and surveyor for their valuable services. The Chairman and the Clerk thanked Mr. Phillips for his kind words, and expressed their regret at his departure. TAXATION OF LAND VALUES. I Ihe Council instructed the clerk to write and I ask Mr. Yerburgh to support the Bill before I Parliament for the taxation of land values. THE ALLOTMENTS SCHEME. I DEPUTATION TO THE COUNCIL. I Ihe Clerk read tho minutes of the Allotments Committee, who had instructed him to enquire what the scheme would cost. A deputation representing a number of work- ing-men who had applied for allotments, consist- ing of Messrs. J. Morley, T. Woodward. B. T. Pugh. T. Riley and G. Barnett, attended before tho Council to learn what, was being done. The Chairman informed them that there had been no delay in carrying out the scheme. There were more difficulties in the way than appeared at first sight. Enquiries had been made about the land, and they were now negotiating for a piece of land opposite Mr. Barwise's farm. It was a very desirable piece, and the landlord was willing to let it for £ 4 per acre. It was considered im- possible to obtain the allotments for the present year. Mr. T. Woollam said the question of cost was mainly under consideration. He thought that to cover all expenses a rent of 14s. or 15s. per allot- ment of half an acre would have to be charged. The members of the deputation said they would not grumble at a rent of 16s. They did not. want anything from the Council. They wanted to be self-supporting. (Hear, hear.) A long discussion folfowed, and it was found that the scheme could be carried through in a month, and the deputation agreed that that would not be too late to commence cultivation. Dr. Williams moved that the Allotments Com- mittee meet on Thursday, and that the deputation be asked to obtain a list of those who would take up the allotments at about 15s. per allotment, at once, and attend the committee and submit those named to them. I :1r. Croydon seconded, and the motion was j agreed upon. [ ———— I TARVIN RURAL. I A meeting of the Tarvin Rural Council was I held on Saturday afternoon, when Mr. John Jones presided, in the absence of Mr. R. O. Orton. The tenders for the supply of stone for the roads for the coming year were opened:— Messrs. Dirbyshiro. Pcnmaenmawr; the Ffrith Quarries Company. Ffrith; and the Ceriog Granite Company. Chirk. The proceedings of the com- mittee which undertook the opposition to the pro- posed iiirht railway from Tarporley to Moulds- worth were confirmed. Tire Clerk said the cost would be about £ 50. I WHITCHURCH URBAN. The last meeting of the old Council took place on Tuesday afternoon, Mr. WT. Ledkham presid- ing. The Finance Committee recommended pay- ment of accounts amounting to J6556. 8s. 6d. Mr. H. J. Fish, in moving the adoption of the report, called attention to the fact that there was a very gratifying increase in all departments of the market reoeipts. T he general market receipts be- ing a. JB15. 12s. 3d. increase for the month as compared with the corresponding period of last year, the Smithfield receipts El. 4s. 6d. increase, and th? cheese fair £ 5. 10s. 9d.. or a total in- crease of L22. 7s. 6d. for the month. This was regarded as most satisfactory, and the report was adopted.—Correspondence wag read as to taking over Salisbury-road and Queen's-road, but this matter was left for the new Council t<? decide. The same course was also adopted in reference to an application by the colle&.or fCT an Increase of salary.—At the close of the meeting, the Chair- man thanked the Council for the courtesy ajid consideration they had extended to rum during his chairmanship. He had been on this Council and: on the old local board for 21 years. and had been chairman of the Council for three years; and as he was now retiring from the Council he wished to thank them for their support. Mr. Tupling proposed a vote othanks to the chairman; and this wae seconded! and carried with acclamation, and acknowledged. Mr. Swash also expressed his regret at retirement after a term of six years' of office, and other members expressed their appre- ciation of his services.

DON'T LOOK OLD. With advancing years greyness increases. Stop this with LOCKYER'S SULPHUR HAIR RESTORER, which darkens to the former colour and preserves the appearance. Lockyer's keeps off ravages of time, by darkening the grey streaks, also causing growth of Hair. Large cheap bottled I SPRING CLEANING, 1905. CAB,PET BEATING BY MACHINERY. "The only Hygenic Method of Cleaning." ORUtiii FORM :— Sead for Carpets on and retiirn N.wne AMress If to be relayed Yes" or No RICHARD JONES & CO. ID, BRIDGE STREET. CHESTER.

I LICENSING UNDERTAKINGS, j I BIRKEXHKTEST CASE I SUCCESS OF THE APPEAL. On I uesoay, in the Court of Appeal, judgment was ghen m an appe.al from a decision of the Divisional Court discharging two rides for a man- damus which iiad been obtained by the appellants, who were M-. Roberta, the licensee and tenant of the Commercial Hotel, Birkenhead and Messis. C. Walk-,er and Son, the owners of the premises. The appeal was advanced by special order, as it affected two huadned and thirty-one licences in Biikenheao. which would lap-s-e if net. renewed befoie April 6. It will ho remembere d that the question IT WSS dosued to have deoided was whether power was given to lionising justices, under the new Licen- sing Act of 1904, so exact, before renewing a licence., compliance, with certain conditions as w the conduct 01: ti-'o Th,, licenced holder. 1 I., conditions III tne present c.a.: were- 1 'n.6 prc, -c-lit caz.??e w4Fre, six in nur.L4).C-r. and wore endorsed on each of r]i{> 11oencrs. The licensed haldcis as a. body. chrougil- out the fv.r( :rh, refused to Cive the underv.alrmi* asked for on the ground that. it was not the power of the justices to impose any c-OL- ditions- By the Divisional Court it was held that unck- section 9 of the Act of 1904. so long as the con- ditions were reasonable, the justices had now power to J require' undertakings to be given. Hence the present appeal. The Maste-r of the Rolls said that both partly were anxious that the appeal should be- deoidcd CD it-5 merjt, "nd not on a mere technical ground. By granting a renewal of an existing licence, sub- ject to Undertakings being given, was ultra vires, because the justices thereby in substance were imposing a ixnv ground, not to be. found in the Act of lOO-t for refusing a renewal. It was. theie- an attempt to legislsto on their part which th.y had no power to do. In lis opinion the ap- !To pc?i must be al.orwod. Lord Justice Mr.thew difFerc-? He thought that the course ad?c?'d bv the j.us-?iccs here was fied. Lord Just?OP Cozens Hardv agreed with the vie-v expressed by tire Master of the Rolls. and said that a mandamus requiring the justices to hand over the licenoes .sa-id to have beea renewed, in the proper statutory form, and free fiom these proposed conditions, was, in the circumstances p-oposc- d was, the proper course to bo followed. By a majonty, therefore, the appeal was allowed, a.nd the mle for a. mandamus that the licences should be handed out was made absolute. No (n acr was made io co-is. T ¡

CHEHIRE LICENSING APPEALS. "STUIICTURAL FITNESS." f SIR HORATIO LLOYD'S CRITICISMS On TU< HL\ at. the Cheshire Quarter Sessions [c: Knutsford, tho Bench allowed an appeal by Mr. Samuel Dean, of the Plough Inn. Rainow, Mac- clesfieid, whose licence the magistrates had re- fused to lenew on tlie giound of structural unfit- ness of tho house.. It was stated that the house had been licensed since 1806, that the building was piobably one hundred and fifty years old. The height of the rooms was said to be seven feet, and the chief room downstaii-s was the tap- room, thirteen feet by ten and a quarter, that the fa.mily had their meals there, and the ens tomers weie chiefly served there. A witness spoke cf the absence of light and ventilation because certain windows would not open, and this caused the Chairman (Sir Horatio Lloyd) to say, "How many cottages, thatched houses, arc. there in Cheshire, where the windows are practically on the floor, and where Jhe people live to bo 70 80 and 90 years of age? I think it is ridiculous to bo condemning a place like this because a window won't open wide enough." Mr. :MŒS: True Bench cannot always interfere with tirnse cottages. The Chairman The principle of commonsense applies. This would be an extremely good cue for cutting down the compensation to which this man might, be entitled if it is referred Mr. Mosf: He would not be entitled to much compensation with a sale of half a barrel a week. The Chairman: To my mind I never heard of such a filing. Mr. Mass: I ccn only put the evidence before you. The Chairman said he could not understand the witness condemning a house because a window would not open properly. Mr. Moss: Th«t is rather making light of the evi dence. The Chairman Of course it is; I am making litrht of it Mr. Trevor Lloyd said it would be a great hard- ship on the licensee! if the appeal were not allowed. No complaint was made at. all until the tenant had presented plans for oertain alterations. The tenant having given evidence, the magis- trates. without hearing other witnesses, unani- mousfv allowed the appeal. SUNDAY DRINKING. At. the same i;es £ ions, the magistrates quashed conviction:- by the Prestbury magistrates for having sold drink during prohibited hours on appeal by Mr. Allen Stanhope. landlord of the Ash Tree Inn. Rutlev, Mr. Mos. M.P.. for the respondents, said that for some time people had been in the habit of going on Sundays from Macclesfield to this house, and the practice had grown to such an extent that the procession liac been called a church parade. Mr. Trevor Llcyd, for the appellant-, submitted there was no evidence that the men who had travelled over the three miles set out with the express intention of going for a drink. The land- lord took all the precautions tha.t could be ex- pected of him, anc; no evidence had been called 10 connect the Ash Tree with the "church parade" fiom Macclesfield The Chairman stated that there was nothing tangible in the reference to the procession of people from Macclesfield and the bench were only concerned with the one Sunday. I'he num- ber of people visiting the house constituted quite a. reasonable Sunday business.

BOOTS TO ORDER-not" hand-sewn pnn- ciple," but real Hand-sewn, made cn the premises by expert workmen in the old-fashioned way with oak bark tanned Leather: .these are a comfort, walking becomes a pleasure, and the price is reason ABJE. —HEWITTS, ABBEY GATEWAY, the Old- established Hand-sewn Bootmakers.

f BIRKENHEAD APPEALS. i MAGISTRATES' DECISIONS REVERSED. I. At .ne Adjourned Cb?htr? Qnan?r S?seicns at û;e8Ler on Wednesday, before ?r Hera tic Lv(j 1 w.d a full benoh, here w?M ? fewer than 6va B;rkenhøaà hcci?ng ?pptMJs down for hearing. iTh'?, thrrd wa? ooncluded -?'b?u t? curt ad- journed. Alfredt Irwen, formerly licensee of the Ckrendoa Hotel, Birkenhead, appealed against u.e refusal by the Bnitenhead niagistratey to renew the ii enca of that hotel. Mr. F. Marshall, K.C., and. Mr. S. Moss, M.P., appeared Rr the respondent iu noes, and Mr. Taylor, K.C.. wi¡,h .Mr. Ralph BankivS, appeared or the appellant. Mr. Marshall, putting fcr&h the of th6 justices, said tLa." in p-to of its fugii-sounding- name, the Clarendcn Hotel was reaJly a drinker shop in a low quarter cf Birkenhead. The last i-cx-iif :-e of lino house (lrwen) was preceded by A man named Watk in. Un too 14th cf May I art yea., ^iio police v..s ttxi the bouse a:.ù iv-mic going on .il the back pari cur a. gamt" oaiitd "T le Yon- s hire Swindl.e." luta wife was eii-dng 1 3 it- le wz..?; at the head of the table, aroundl whieh sat ten men engaged in t;o, game. One oi the men was unocubtedJy drunk. Tho bcensee was c-nvictej of permitting u'mnlpi'n.rieflB on the premise*. She ray after the conviction trw Walking left the houc;e, and the present appellant, lrwen. came in as temporary occupier. Wbnu the tims came for the renewal of the hcenee, thought the caso against the previous bceneao was such a gross one of misconduct cf the house that they refused to tne licence. Counsel point.d out that "f.,e very werious increase oi drunkenness in Birkenhead had baen a eouvoe of the greatest anxiety to the looal magistrates. Two yeais ago thoie wend 707 parsons pr e -eded against in that town for drunkenness, but last year the number hadt :nen>a«e d to ciose upon 1,300. The magistraTes foend a considerable difficulty m devising gomi means by which this penous growth cf drunkenness might be eheckeicl. It was true there had been only one conviction against the house in quearticn, but counsel sub- mitted that the, facs that within the last six years there had been six changes of tenancy seemed to indicate that tho house couJd not have br-en weM conducted. Evidence bearing out tho J^espondents' case waa given. Fcr the appellants Mr. Taylor, K.C., argued tha.t the fact of crvs solitary conviction, even if proved up to tha hilt, was not sufficient to jubtify the magistracies finding that the house had been ill-oonductrd. TncT-, was no dbubt that with tho exception of thia one ooca-sion thig house had beea well-conducted in the extreme, and he proposed calling Ex-superintend ciil B^n-neat. who had known the hcuss 42 years, and three or four ex- police constables to prove that. < The bench, without hearing evidence for the appellants, allowed the appoal- ANOTHER SUCCESSFUL APPEAL. An appeal was heard agaoMt the decision of the justices to refuse toO r-Mte-v the licenco of the Observa.ory Hotel, Oxton-road, B.rkenhei-d. Mr. Tobin, K.C., and Mr. Trevor Lloyd appeared for the appellants, and Mi. F. Marshall. K.O., and Mr. ElEs Griffith, M P., xor the respondents. Mr. Marshall, cn behalf cf the justices, said for two years 27 (3 house was oarr.ed on by Mrs. Healey. widw of a former hkjensee. The rnaga- etrates refused tho renewal on the ground of ill- conduct. In March, 1903, a. man was seen going down the street siting m a cart sRcu'?ng and waving his arri-H, and acting only as a dTunkea man oould. He was seen to go to the house. Tha police followed immediately afterwards for the purpose of warnitg the licensee against serving him. but they found the man in front of 11 glaw of whisky, which evidently had been served to him by a barman. The liceiisde was fined Bl and ooats. Having mentioned another instance of the misconduct of the* bouse, counsel said the magi- strates oonsidored this a very bad state of things, coupled with tha fact that M. Heaiey was often seen drunk cn tlie pN."illtioo9. and eventually had! to he taken to the workhouse hospital. Detective Birch waf severely cross-examined by Mr. Tobin upon his rtateme-nt that every time he had seen Mrs. Heaiey during his visits to the house, once a month fcr two years, she had beam under the influence of dr' ik, He admitted that he had' never reported the fact to his superior ofifcers. For the appellant, Mr. Tobin urged that apart from two oonvictions, one in Marc h, 1903. and the other in October, 1904. the house had well conducted for over fifty years. The truth waa that the Birkenhead magistrates had abso-lutply failed to appreciate the fact that the Act of !9tf4 limited their discretion in regard to their refusal fee renew licences. Counsel evidenced this by tho decision this week by the Court of Appeal. wh«<j» decided that the Birkenhead magistrates had no right to impose certain eo>>j)itoons upon licensed victuallers. WilHam Bennett, ex-superintendent of the Birkenhead police' force, said he had known this house 42 years. Until the first conviction took place, he had never any cause cf oompiaint against the hotel. The appeal was allowed with costs. "THE LAST HOPE." WHY A PUBLIC-HOUSE WAS SO NAMED. An appeal was heard against Le refusal of the Birkenhead justices to renew the licence of the Grosvenor V ault, Earl-stt, Tranmere. Mr. P. Marshall, K.C., and Mr. W. B. Yates appeared for the respondents, arid Mr. Taylor, K.C.. and Mr. R. M. Montgomery for the appellants. From the counsel's statement cn bohalf of tha justi&5S, it appeared that this was an old beer- house. For some time before the. appellant (Mra. Taylor) became licensee of the house it was occu- pied by a person nanjed Braster, during whose tima it was ill-conducted In August last year t h?> house was closed and remaned closed until the* 7th December. when an application was made for a transfer to the appellant. The magistrates retused to T*"ub-w the, licence cn the ground oi disorderly character- The house was the resort of low charad!"T<. azM of people who had been fined over and oVfr again for-drunkenness, and it bore the popular ilawe of "The Last. Hope." becan<*e it was the place where people could get drink when they ad given up all hope of getting drink anyv.-here cLse. A great body of evidence giver IT t.v!. .?nc?, wae u?,,er r, -? of the respondents' rase. For the appellants, Mr. Taylor, K.<' g? that until the hc-uf? came 'n?o th? ??.ri? at Broster it was perfectly well conducted- f Evidence was given by a number c ■ jente in the neighbourhood of the and v-ter* to the effect that the licence appeared to hh-w. liean WE n ocnductcd. The Chairman said the bene; ■ •• me to tho conclusion that the house had &< rea « < .ractf"- of discrder. appeal won- be dismissed.

Everybody knows that EPPS S COCOA Is an admirable food, the nicest and most nutritious beverage for the breakfast table. It is made in a moment with boiling water or milk, and its sustaining qualities are P i_; c.' c 'A F:;V".f !.<¡ (:1" t.. "1 j¡; -j Jv" 1:t:J LIW .¡ Invaluable to alL