Wrexham and Denbighshire Advertiser and Cheshire Shropshire and North Wales Register

THINGS LOCAL AND GENERAL. I Nothing has pleased me more than the good feeling which has on the whole existed between employers and employed in this district. Wages have been higher and labour has been scarcer during the last two years than they were ever known to be, and the men were necessarily more independent in consequence, but they have on the whole shown a great deal of moderation, and mas- ters have had no reason to complain of their con- duct. Of course, there have been some marked exceptions, but on the other hand the majority of the masters have had the good sense to let them pass unnoticed. The masters and men of nearly every colliery and large works for miles around have met each other in the course of last autumn and present winter at the festive board, where their relations to each other were freely discussed, and the best understanding arrived at. No one rejoiced more at this state of things than myself, and no one has been more grieved at the conduct of some of the masters and managers in dealing with their men. If a man cannot manage a col- liery or oil works, or lime works, or any other large concern without a constant appeal to the magistrates to settle disputes between himself and his men it is an indication of an incoua- patability which aff ects the temper and produces natural irritation. I am sorry that such is the case in more than one instance in this locality, and I am more grieved to be obliged to add that the magistrates seem to me to be unable to see through these characters, and to be bent on en- couraging rather than on discouraging them. I do not like to enter into particulars in these cases, but I cannot help referring to two. In the first, a maa was summoned for leaving his work without proper notice. He admitted the offence, but pleaded in justification that his master had dis- missed him on a previous occasion without a micutes's notice, and if a master could dismiss the man against the rules without impunity, surely it was open for him to leave his master's service without notice with the same impunity. inis logic seemed to me irresistable, and what is more, the master admitted that he had dismissed the man, yet their worships finel the poor fellow in the sum of ten shillings and costs, besides ordering him to forfeit about 39s. wages due. I ask any impartial man in the united kingdom, whether that was justice ? Was it possible for the colliers to go out of that court with out coming to the con- clusion that there is one kind of law for the mas- ters and another for the men ? I say it was im- possible, and I am not surprised to hear complaints amongst the men both loud and deep regarding the sympathy of our magistrates with the em- ployers of labonr, and their antipathies against the men. They say, and they say truly, that the word of the master is taken before that of the men. This should not be so. I know that our magistiates are as upright a class of men as there is to be found in the land but, on the other hand, I know full well that no matter how up. right they may be, they are by the very fact of their position as employers of labour, incapaci- tated from acting impartially in this matter. Besides, I have the honour to know a large num- ber of men who earn their bread in this locality in the coal pits, whose word I would take as soon as that of any magistrate in Wales. The men are as oapable of tailing the truth as their masters, and do tell it too. Perhaps some of them are not so well able to tell it in English so straightforwardly as some of their employers, owing to their faulty education and their habit of thinking and speaking in Welsh, but they do tell it nevertheless, and they ought to be beluved as much as the masters, but they are not. Now, what is likely to be the con- sequence of this state of things ? Well, the only possible result is this, that a disbelief of the truth coming from a working man, is a direct en. couragement for that man to indulge in falsehood. Such has been the case in too many instances, and I have often heard the men say, "What is th use e' speaking the truth; we shall not be believed." But I referred to another instance, and I am sure that if the justices were aware of all the facts their decision woald have been different. Two men were engaged at a colliery not many miles from Mold as firemen, the charge being in the hands of One of them. On a Monday morning they both neglected their work, the first avowedly to go on the spree, the second, according to his story, on account of illness. The second gave the require 1 fourteen days' notice to leave about the same time, but in a few day, was pre entea from work. ing, and told to go about his business. Against the first a summons was taken out in due coars bat he absconded, going to Crewe out of the way. No slimons was taken out against the second. The police found that number one was in Crewe and wanted to fetch him, but they were stopped by the complainant, and the proceedings were al- lowed to drop. In the meantime number two, a poor man, who is not regarded by his comrades as "h' t. t to the exactly accountable for his actions went to the colliery for the balance of his wages, and he was refused them. After repeated demands, the man, or as I have called him-number two, entered au action in the county court, and the manager was served with a summons. Upon this the sense of justice was roused within him, and he in his turn applied for a summons against the man for negleet of work. This was a very clever move indeeo, for th) criminal case against the man was heard la,t Tuesiay, while the civil case against the master is still impending, and cannot be heard be- fore Monday. As a matter of course the man had the worst of it, and a fine of 40s. and costs was inflicted. A lecture on the enormity of his crime was added, with a lot about the importance of the post that was confided to him in the bargain. Impertance of the post Why the man was only paid at the rate of three shillings a day, while boys who happen to be employed down the pit get more. How it can be possible to gull the magis- trates in such fashion I can't tell, and it makes my blood boil when I see men so treated. At pre- sent I shall leave the case without further com- ment. Again, it seems to me that our magistrates and employers of labour iniulge in a great deal of un- necessary indignation against the men on account of tke high wages they are getting just now. There is no dealing with them." You can't speak to the men now." They have forgotten themselves entirely." They must be taught to know their places." Such, and the like of them are the expressions I have heard dropping from gentlemen who ought to have more sense. The men ara condemned because they will not work for five shillings a day when they can get six, that is simply the' head and front" of their offence. Would these very indignant people pay men five shillings a day when they could get others equally as good for four ? I don't believe it. They are not 83 foolish, and the men will be equally as foolish to work for five when they can get six. Then I say, why should these gentlemen throw the poor man's prosperity in his teeth, as they continually do ? The fact of the matter is that wages have not risen in as great ratio as the necessaries of life. Will Mr Bankea sell his butter at one and ninepence per pound when he can get twopence more ? No, he is too good a man of business. I Will Col. Cooke (by naming these gentlemen I mean nothing inTidiou3 against either) sell his beef for eightpence a pound, when he can get three-half-pence more? Not likely, such at any rate is the estimation in which Ihold these gentlemen for shrewdness, that they are not expeeted to sell only at the highest penny. Will Mr Forrest sell his coal at twelve shillings a ton, when it is worth fifteen in the market? No, there are none so de- void of s-nse as to expect him to do such foolish- ness. Then I say, why should the working man be b'amed for claiming the highest penny for his labour ? Has he not a right to sell his labour in the dearest market, just as Mr Forrest, Colonel Cooke, or Mr Bankas do their coal, oxen, and but- ter ? Of course he has, and I hope that in future men of sense and position will conceal their spleen at his prosperity, instead of making a parade of it as they have bitherto done in too many in a,-ances. There is another thing I wish to have a word or two about, bearing on the same question. I don t mean to say that the men always bear their good fortune in the most admirable manner. No, I am obliged to admit that they commit as great a num- ber of follies. Now, it appears to me to be very foolish in a working man to keep a dog. He could find better ways of spending his monoy and of obtaining amusement. At least, so I look at thft matter. Yet I don't like to hear the gentry lecture him upon the subject. They are not in a position to do so, for all the world knows there are none fonder of their guns and their dogs, and their horses than they. If there is a virtue in them, surely there can be no great fault in the working men. The gentry tell us there is nothing like a pack of hounds for civilizing a district, and by the same reasoning we may argue that if a pack of hounds is so potent in civilizing a district, there is nothing like a lurcher for civilizing a collier. If one argument is good, the other must of necessity be so. Therefore, I am not a little surprised to see our great unpaid" at so great trouble to convince our colliers that lurchers are not good for them. I believe they are right and the colliers wrong, but then, if you please, gentle- men, let us have a little more example, aai a little less precept. In that case I assure yoa there would much greater force in the lesson. It seems a little ridiculous to hear a few gentlemen lecturing colliers and miners who pay their way about the impropriety of keeping a dog. It is wasteful and extravagant" say they. Very good, if so, dismiss your own keepers, gentlemen, shoot your dogs, and devote your coverts to some better purpose than the propagation of vermin. Ah," say they, who are you ? We have a perfect right to do what we like with our own." Exactly, gentlemen, and so have the colliers, and I never heard of one of them coming to any of you to pay his license for him. Now, sir, my aim in all this is not to justify the keeping øf dogs by the colliers, but rather to show our well meaning gentry the folly of asking poor men not to do what they have such dfiliffht in doinar thpmsplvoa Who and what is Major John Jocelyn Ffoulkes, of Erriviatt, Denbigh? Is he blessed with more sense than ordinary people, or is it presumption only ? Do you happen to know whether he has ever done anything for Wales or the Welsh ? He nny be a great man for all I know, but I can as- sure you that until I came to live in this district, four years ago, I had never heard of him. The people of central Montgomeryshire—my native place-do not know there is such a man living. They have heard, a great many of them, of Sir Watkin, of Mr Gee, of Denbigh, and even of Mr Hughes, of Ystrad, but Major John Jocelyn Ffoulkes is totally unknown to fame. He is an M.A. too. I fiud that by reference to Thom," and that is all I know of him, but it is not much. Perhaps he may be a great scholar, but a man might be a great scholar and a great-to boat. Do the Welsh people owe their immunity from crime to John Jocelyn Ffoulkes, or even to the class to which he belongs P If so, the fact has never been suspected by anybody. Yet he is a mighty man-a veritable triton among minnows, and none but he has been equal to the task of finding out that the dissenting clergy of Wales have been teaching the people to do evil that good might come." a Yes, he has found it out, and really there is hope that even John Jocelyn Ffoulkes will not die unknown. Even I, sir, am not unwilling to put a spoke in the wheel of his "immortality." It is true that his party have lost the late election for the Denbigh boroughs, but that is no fault of Mr Ffoulkes, not at all, yet the Conservatives had a great many promises, a great many indeed. And although the legislature had gone to the trouble of passing a law so as to protect the voter in the exercise of his right, Mr Ffoulkes did not think it wrong to do his best in making the law a nullity, not a bit 'of it, he gloried in it, and led us to believe that he is only for obeying the spirit of those laws which are convenient to his purpose. Therefore he went about and got a host of pro- mises, enough to carry the election by a triumph- ant majority. But somehow or other one or two of those political dissenters" who are so ob- noxious to the law loving and law abiding tory gentry of this country, got hold of the people and told them that it was a greaterein to do that which is wrong than to say that which is wrong. What is more. the people believed them and acted ac- cordingly. The upshot of it was that Mr Kenyon, that heavenly sent briefless barrister, who was to save the boroughs from their degredation found himself at the bottom of the poll, and John Jocelyn Ffoulkes is very wroth. Very wroth indeed was Mr Ffoulkes, so he girded his loins and de- termined on a tilt against the dissenting clergy. Well they are not much worse, and if the worthy Mayor as got rid of his bile, perhaps no great harm will be dose. But in future I would advise them to consult Mr Ffoulkes as to what ceursa they should pursue at an election. If not, John Jocelyn will be offended, and they know the consequences. RAMBLER. I BRYMBO. TELYNORES OYBI.-F he above famed artist, who has been assigned very prominent positions in all recent national gatherings in the Princi- pality, will pay her first visit to Brymbo on Mon- day evening next, when she will take part in a concert, to be given at the Tabernacle Chapel, as- sisted by several local amateurs. BROUGHTON SCHOOL BOAP.D.-The first meet- ing of the new board will be held at three p.m. on Monday next, at the Reading Room. The first business will be to elect a chairman and rice-chair- man for the ensuing three years. Any ratepayer feeling an interest in the proceedings would be al- lowed to be present, we presume, and witness the the board transacting its business. CEFN AND RHOSYMEDRE. ENGLISH BAPTISTS.—The Rev Gethin Davies, M.A., classical tutor, North Wales Baptist College. will preach to-morrow (Sunday) at the English Baptist Chapel, Cefn Mawr, at 2.30 and 6.15 o'clock p.m. CEFN EISTEDDFOD.—A correspondent writes as follows: Sir,—Allow me to ask the committee, of the above eisteddfod when may the public expect to see published the adj udication of Thalamns on the Pryddestau, Noah yn myned allan o'r arch ?"—Yours, A.B. LITERARY MEETING.—A literary meeting was held on Monday evening last, at the Welsh Bap- tist Chapel, Garth Trevor, the Rev W. Williams occupying the chair. The programme consisted of readings, songs, glees, recitations, &c., of a mis- cellanous character. Three choirs sent in their mmea for competition in choral Bining. viz., Vron, under the leadership of Mr Th03, Rowland; Garth, under the leadership of Mr D. Price; and Zion, Cefn, under the leadership of Mr J. Davies. The latter had to withdraw, owing to several of the sopranos being absent at the time of competing. The laurels were carried by the Garth choir, under the leadership of Mr David Price. The adjudica- tors were Mr Wm. Roberts, Ab Trebor, and Mr Hugh Davies, Garth. GOOD TEMPLARS.—The Gorphwysfa Lodge of I.O.G.T., Cen Mawr, held their anniversary on Thursday. They had tea at four o'clock, and a public meeting in the evening, at the Welsh Wea- leyan Chapel, when the Rev A. G. Parry, Clouglr fold, Manchester, and Rev Gethin Davies, M.A., Llangollen, addressed the audience. SUDDEN DE kTH.-Whilgt Mr Price Jones, Cefn Vaults, was conversing with P.C. Shone, in his own house, on Wednesday last, about one p.m., he fell down and died instantly. Oa Thursday, an inquest was held on the body, before B. H. Thel- wall, Esq., and a respectable jury, of which Mr David Jones, millwright, was foreman. From the evidence brought forward, it appeared that the deceased complained for the last few weeks of pain in the chest. A verdict of D.ed from natural causes" was returned.

The Viceroy of Egypt is the richest man in the world. His annual income is over E20,000,000, aud he is the owner of the railways from Cairo to Suez (75 miles), and from Alexandria to CAri,) (130 miles). He has 27 magnificent palaces, aud his wives and concabines are a multitude. At Greenwich, Mary Ann Davies, of Addey- street. Deptford, was charged with cruelty to her daughter, under nine years ef age. Tlie child presented a most neglected appearance, and its body was covered with bruises. It was clearly proved that the prisoner was at times given to drink, and that the child had been seen with blackened eyes, and its hands and face covered with blood, hammers and teapots having been thrown at her. The prisoner was sent to gaol for three months. Printed at the .?<A'?/?<-?-and C<-?'?'?/ Printing  ?w?i! "Advertiser" Office (late Music Hall), )lluk Square. Wrexham, in the County of Denbigh '"?P?'* lished on Fridays and Saturdays at the above OmeM, and also at the Establishment of Messrs Pring & Price. High Street, Mold, in the County of Flint; at the h of Mr Erasmus Edwards, Corwen, in the County Merioneth; at Mr C. G. Bayley's, The Cross, Oswestry, in the County of Salop; and at the Establishment of Mr F. P. Evans, Foregate-street, Chester, in Jlt County of Chester by SELI.NA BAYLKY, S King Streeto Wrexham aforesaid; CHARLES QEOBUIC BAYLFV, J:, Cross, Oswestry, aforesaid and GKOSGK BIL\'I,st Grove Park, Wrexham aforesaid.—March Hi131

A POST-OFFICE FOR SUMMER HILL -Up to the present time, letters for this district have been delivered and collected by a rural messenger from Wrexham, but owing to the rapid increase of the population and trade of the district, it has been ouna necessary to provide a local post-office, which was opened to the juV.ic on TLursday, at Garden- terrace, Mr James Price having received the ap- pointment of post-master. It is probable that iu a abort time money order, saving's bank, and tele- graph business will be transacted here. The boun' daries of the delivery are the National School, Little Mountain, Forsygo, Parsonage's farm, C ayton Cottages, and liithell's farm. The in- habitants have to tbauk Mr Edgar, postmaster, Wrexham, for this boon. THE LATE HON. T. PRYCE LLOYD.—It is our melancholy duty to leeord the death of this esteemed and honourable gentleman, which took place at the ancestral seat of his ro efathers, Pen- gwern, near St. Asaph, on Wednesday last. The Hon. Mr Lloyd was second son of the first Lord Mostyn, and brother of the pre-ent Lord Mostyn, of Mostyn. At the ripe age of 74 years he de- parted this life, and his loss will be felt far beyond the limits of bis family, the lion, gentleman by his genial and affable temperament and kindly disposi- tion having won a lasting p'.ace in the hearts and affections of all who were during a long life brought into contact with him. As a sportsman the late Hon. Mr Lloyd had no rival; and, as a master of fox hounds, Lis health at every social gathering was as a matter of course most cor- dially received. As a scientific agriculturist, the late gentleman stood high and as a country gen- tleman, he was to all intents and purposes a rare epecimen of the olden times. As a friend and reighbour he has left a gap which will not easily be replaced and as one of the oldest magistrates of the county, it may be truly said of him that he tempered justice with mercy."

THE WATERWORKS COMPANY. I A meeting of the shareholders of the Cefn, Acrefair, and Rhosymedre Water Company, was held cn Saturday, the 7th March, pursuant to notice. There were present—Mr Whalley, M.P., Chairman of the Company Mr Edward Rees, Managing Director; and Mr Thomas Davies, Secretary. The notice calling the meeting, as inserted in the Wrexham Advertiser, of the 28th February was read. It was then moved by the Chairman, and seconded by Mr Edward Rees-" That this meet- ing of shareholders of the C"fn, Acrefair, and Rhosymedre Water Company, does hereby ap- prove of the application to the Board of Trade, in pursuance of the previsions of the Gas and Water Companies Facilities Act, 1870, for ex-! tending the district within which the Company may supply water, and the raising additional capital for that purpose." The motion was carried unanimously, and the secretary was directed to communicate the same to the Board of Trade. The following report was read to the meeting: The object of this meeting is to obtain the formal sanction of the shareholders to the application to the Board of Trade for a provisional order to extend the limits of supply, and to raise additional capital. In the report issued on the ltith September, 1871, the circumstances under which this company originated were fully explained, namely, to supply the urgent need of the populous districts of Cefn, Acrefair, and lihosymedre, in the parish of Ruabon, and that this could only be accomplished by Mr Whalley under- taking the entire responsibility of obtaining the Act of Parliament, and carrying the same into effect, as has been done to the utmost extent of the require- ments of the District. The results have more than realized the public benefit anticipated, and it has been officially stated that it has been the means of very greatly diminishing sickness and mortality throughout a district contain- ing near 8,001) inhabitants, and the following state- ment from a former report of this company may now be repeated, confirmed as it is by nearly three years experience since it was made. There are now four water companies, established by Act of Parliament, and drawing their supply from the Ruabon moun- tain, extending from the Vale of Llangollen to Brymbo and Minera, and the supply hereby afford- ed to a population of little less than 50,000, is probal ly the greatest benefit that has ever been conferred upon this important district, promoting at the same time the health and comfort of the in- habitants, and the economy and extension of mining and manufacturing enterprise. Of the four companies so established, and in bene- ficial operation, it is recognised and admitted that the supply of water from the Cefn Water Company district is by far the most abundant and reliable, "and being entirely derived from the millstone grit formation, is much more pure than such as arises from, or flows through, land containing minerals, or that is affected by peat or other vegetable im- purities. The investigations called for in support of the application for the recent Act (1871) show that the supply of water is equal to at least two million gat- Ions per day; and this fact, coupled with the un- usual facilities for storage, induced the late Mr Duncan, C.E., to include it in his scheme for sup- "plying Liverpool with water from the valley of the Dee, and there is now reason to believe that that scheme may yet be carried into effect." The position of the company in respect of pro- prietorship remains the same, and it is only necessary in now giving formal assent to the application to the Board of Trade to refer to such matters as concern the public interests affected by such extension of limits, and as to the sufficiency in quantity, and also as to the quality of the water at the command of this company. The works were constructed in 1867 under the supervision of Mr Hemans, C.E., Vice-President of the Association of Civil Engineers, and one of the highest authorities on this subject, and his report states: Judging of the quality of the water from the "geological formation of the district producing it, the entire area is of sandstone and millstone grit, a formation which produces soft water of great purity and generally spring water in large proportion. The drainage area is also for the most clean upland, the higher portion consisting of heath growing in sand, "the lower po > is cultivated, but not to any great extent. lie drainage area above the point where water will be abstracted from the stream ex- tends over about 1,200 acres. This area with only 12 inches of available rain all stored would afford a a supply of 891,480 gallons daily, and the minimum quantity of spring water in dry seasons would be about 324,000 gallons daily. This is corroborated by Mr Holmes's guagings, and is a quantity larger than the demand is likely to be for some time to come." On both points, as well as to quantity and quality, Mr Heman's estimate has been fully realised, and in 1871 a further Act of Parliament was obtained, extending the limits of supply to Trevor Issa and Trevor Ucha, in the parish of Llangollen, and also to Wrexham, so far as enabling this company to supply the deficiency, which for some time previous had been experienced In the last session of Parliament a further Act was applied for to carry out the provisions of the Act of 1871, in respect of Wrexham by an amalgamation of the Cefn and Wrexham Water Com- panies, and some explanation will be expected why, after this Act had passed the House of Commons, it was withdrawn at the instance of the Cefn Company in the House of Lords. The Bill was applied for in pursuance of an agree- ment entered into between the two companies on the 5th October, 1872, and as introduced into the House of Commons agreed to by both companies. The management of the business was left by the Cefn Company in the hands of the Wrexham Company, and they thought fit during the progress of the Bill to alter it materially without consulting, and to the serious injury, of the Cefn Company, and as the Wrexham Company rejected all proposals for adjusting these differences, and wholly disregarded the protests of the Cefn Company against alterations so made without their consent, the Cefn Company had no alternative but to withdraw the Bill. The Wrexham Company opposed this with- drawal, but a committee of the House of Lords un- animously overruled their objections after a full dis- cussion. The Cefn Company have no desire to intrude upon the public their complaints against the Wrexham Company, or to reply to the erroneous statements which have been presented by that company to the public, but in addition to the fact before stated, it is necessary to add in support of the present application that the Cefn Water Company, after obtaining in 1871, the powers for supplying Wrexham, and in contempla- tion of the Bill of 1872-3, for carrying fully into effect those powers, proceeded to construct reservoirs and otherwise provide the means for ensuring an abundant supply, and the same now exist and are greatly in excess of the existing requirements. This will be seen from the following report of the engineer of the Wrexham Company:—" From an examination of the streams we are quite satisfied of the capabilities of the Cefn Water Company's Works to supply the additional quantity of water required during the summer months by the Wrexham Company." The district to which it is now proposed to extend the supply consists mainly of the townships and parishes lying between Wrexham and Chester, and these were included in the Bill of last session, toge- ther with others not in the present order, and as there was no opposition then on the part of those districts, but on the contrary ample evidence that the benefits to be conferred thereon by the proposed supply would be appreciated, there could be no reason for anticipa- ting any such objections now, and none in fact have been offered. The Wrexham Company have on their part applied for a Bill to enable them to supply their own deficiency by additional reservoirs within their own district, and although they do not propose themelves to afford a supply to these townships and parishes between Wrexham and Chester, they have intimated by letter their intention to oppose at the proper time this concession to the Cefn Company. It is therefore necessary to call attention to the unusual course of proceeding thus adopted by the Wrexham Company, affecting as it does injuriously the public interests of the entire district, including the town of Wrexham itself. The application by the Cefn Company to the Board of Trade is made in pursuance of the Gas and Water Facilities Act, 1870, and it is one of the advantages of this mode of pro- ceeding, that all objections can be investigated by the Board of Trade, by local inquiry and inspection, and it is now established that this is the most economical and the most satisfactory mode of settling all questions arising upon the Supply of Water. Parties who object to a provisional order have nevertheless the power of opposing the Bill in its progress through Parliament, and thus subjecting the applicants and themselves to the heavy expenditure of a contest before Parliamentary committees and thus avoid local enquiry. The Wrexham Company have made no objection to the Board of Trade, and there- foie there can be no local inquiry, but having intimated as before mentioned that they will reserve their opposition for Parliamentary committees, the public will thus not on be deprived of the oppor- tunity of effective iill, the locality, but will incur all the risk and expenditure—for in the case of water works, it is the public who have ultimately to pay for such Parliamentary contests. This is a most unusual course, there having been, as is believed, no previous instance of such opposition in Parliament, and renders it necessary to notice at this stage the position of the Wrexham Company and to refer to their own project now before Parliament. The Wrexham Company have good reasons for desiring to avoid such local inquiry as would fully present for public opinion the policy heretofore adopte-I by the Wrexham Company, and which they now propose to continue. The Cefn Company do not desire to discu.11 this policy except in so far as it leads the Wrexham Company into collision with its neigh- bours, but the public should be reminded that the Wrexham Water Company has from its origin failed in meeting the requirements of their town and district. The Act was passed in 1864, after an opposition based on the deficiency in quantity and also inferiority in the quality of the water, and this was only got over at a cost of about £ 5,000. The deficiency in respect of quantity was speedily felt, and in 1868 and sub- sequently the town was dependent for its supply on water drawn from coal pits, as appears from their own report as follows "The extraordinary dry summer has proved the "severest test of the company's ability to supply "water to the consumers, and it was with great "anxiety that the directors found that the storage of water was not sufficient to meet the requirements of the rapid demand for water made upon them by the public. In the early part of the month of August it was found that the company's storage was getting short, and by way of precaution against a longer con- "tinuanceof the drought, it was agreed to adopt a temporary supply of water which, by the kindness of the Wrexham Colliery Company, was obtained from "their pumps at Stansty." This deficiency has of course increased as the demand has extended, and a local inquiry would, it is believed, conclusively establish that in their present attempt to provide for this deficiency by storage of water within their own dis- trict, they are needlessly subjecting the public to a continuation of a supply of water of a quality very greatly inferior to that which Parliament, by the Act of 1871, has provided them, and at a far greater cost. The Cefn Company have proposed that this question be fully investigated and decided by an arbitrator, to be appointed by the Board of Trade, but the Wrexham Company not only resist any such inquiry, but have objected to the publication of the correspondence be- tween the two companies in relation thereto. In supplying the districts beyond Wrexham, the Cefn Company would of course pass with their mains through Wrexham, and could thus supply that town if it were desired, either by the Corporation or otherwise, at a much lower tariff than the Wrexham Company, and with water of a far better quality. In so far as this is the reason for their threatened opposition in Parliament, and their refusal to have a local inquiry, the public, or the Corporation of Wrexham on their behalf, are entitled to be informed of their proceed- ings, and to have such explanation from the Wrex- ham Company as these important public interests de- mand. The Chester Water Company have lodged objections with the Board of Trade against the power of supply- ing with water townships within their limits, but which they do not themselves supply. If this be acceded to, there will be then no opposition except such as the Wrexham Company may raise against the progres3 of the Provisional Order through Parliament. Recent sanitary legislation has rendered it more than ever essential for public interests that the supoly of water should so far as possible be taken in hand by the local authorities for though private enterprise is useful in developing new sources of supply for popu- lous districts, its interests speedily come into conflict with the public requirements, and Chester as well as Wrexham are instances of this. It cannot be supposed that the Corporation of Wrexham, acting for the public interest, would offer opposition to a supply of water that in respect of quantity could never fail and of better quality than that already available, it being all the while optional whether to use it or not. The same remark applies to Chester, whose waterworks company has for some years past opposed the introduction of water by gravitation from this district, although the cost of the pipes would not exceed the present cost of pumping and filtration-the water being brought direct from the springs which feed the Dee instead of from the Dee itself, after it has received the products of all the town and mimeral districts throughout its course. These are questions which will well repay the in- habitants of Chester and Wrexham for their attention and are specially suited for such investigation by local inquiry by the Board of Trade. G. H. WHALLEY, Chairman. THOMAS DAVIES, Secretary. FLINT. I TOWN COUNCIL MEETING.—A meeting of the Council fer the borough of Flint, was held in the Guildhall, on Tuesday afternoon. There were present-The Mayor (Mr Alderman Mus- pratt), who presided; Aldermen Bate, Huntley, and Lewis, and Councillors Ishmael Jones (ex- mayor), Michael Jones, Alfred Dyson, John Davies, Joseph Hall, Robert Jones, J. W. M. Evans, J. T. Edwards, and Robert Hughes; and Mr Gleare, borough treasurer. This was the first meeting of the council to which reporters were admitted. Education-The question of school accommoda- tion arose upon the reading of a minute entered at the November meeting, stating that Mr Lewis having undertaken to arrange with the Rev. Mr Jenkins to supply the deficiency of school accom- modation required by Government, resolved that his offer be accepted.—Mr Lewis said he did not mean to supply the deficiency, but merely to give information on the subject. Mr Jenkins, the rec- tor had written to know from the Government whe. ther if the present school was extended by a par. tition, which was acceptable to Mr Rees, the in- spector, that would meet the requirements. The reply was not received in time to be laid before the council, but the day following the meeting, a letter was received to this effect—which he had already communicated to the Mayor-that if the partition spoken of, instead of being twelve feet high, was raised to the top of the school, and a school was also built on Flint mountain, they would ba agreeable. After that letter was received he thought he had done with the matter, as he took no more nor no less upon him than to supply the information.—A long discussion ensued as to the position of the council in the matter, ultimately it was decided to convene a public meeting on the subject. Sanitary Matters.—The appointment of Dr. Portus as medical officer of health was confirmed. Mr Joseph Roberts was appointed inspector of nuisaces at a salary of 213 a year. The Town Clerkship,-The Mayor said he had received a letter from Mr Ellis Eyton, in which he intimated his intention of resigning the offices of town clerk and clerk to the justices, and he wished to know who would be most acceptable to the council as his successor—Mr Davies, Holywell, Mr Henry Taylor, Chester, or Mr Tiiomas Parry Jones, Conway, so that he may arrange with them. He (the Mayor) wrote to Mr Eyton asking for an official letter upon the subject, to which he replied, again expressing his intention to resign the offices forthwith, if the council accept one of his nominees. The Mayor said he did not know the exact law respecting the election of a town clerk, but as far as he could see no town clerk could force his own nominee on the council. They had nothing to do with the appointment of clerk to the magis- trates, as that was in the hands of the borough justices, but the two appointments generally went together. After some discussion, Mr Robert Jones proposed, and Mr Alderman Lewis seconded, Mr Henry Taylor, Chester; Mr Hall proposed, and Mr Michael Jones seconded, Mr William Davies, of Holywell. Mr Parry Jones was jnot proposed. On the vote3 being taken three voted for Mr Davies, and seven for Mr Taylor. Mr Ishmael Jones was neutral, and the Mayor did not vote. A resolution was entered upon the minutes stating that no vested interest was involved nor could any be recognised in the appointment, and that Mr Taylor, of Chester, was most acceptable to the council. This was all the important business. [ HOPE. HOPE SCHOOL BOARD.—A meeting of the old school board was called for Wednesday last, but no quorum could be formed. SCHOOL BOARD ELECTION.—The triennial election of members to serve on the Hope School Board, took place on Wednesday, but uot much interest was taken in the contest. The candi- dates were-Edward Bellis, tailor and draper, Penymynydd; Peter Wilcox, oil manufacturer, Hope Station; Rev. Thomas Richard Lloyd, Llanfynydd Rectory; Edward Jones, farmer, Tanywern; Thomas Maddocks, farmer, Stryt Issa, Hope; Edward Evans, farmer, Shordley; and Thomas Frederick Roberts Yoller, farmer, Sandy Lane, Higher Kinnerton. The result of the polling was as follows Rev. T. R. Lloyd 200 Mr Edward Bellis 154 Mr Edward Jones 144 Mr Peter Wilcock. 00 Mr Edward Evans 78 Mr Thomas Maddocks 70 Mr T. F. R. Voller 55 The first five in the above list are therefore the I gentlemen who now constitute the Hope School I Board. The Rev. T. R. Lloyd and Mr Mad- I docks were members of the old board. HOLYWELL. BOARD OF GUARDIANS, FRIDAY, Present:- Alexander Cope Esq., in the chair; Holy well- Mr P. M. Evans. Mr Clement Williamson, Mr G. Howell, and Mr Henry; Yseeiflog-Mr John Williams and Mr Davies; Mold-Mr E. P. Jones and Mr William Jones; Newmarket-Mr I Edward Davies; Nerquis—Mr E. P. Edwards; Whitford—Mr Alfred Parry; Nortbop-Mr Webster and Mr Richard Jones; Flint Mr John Davies and Mr Edward Williams Nannereh— Rev. Watkin Williams; Cilcen—Mr Morris; Caerwys-Mr J. S. Williams; Halkyn Mr Thomas Parry. Re.ports. -Number of inmates in the house last board-day, 182; admitted since, 8; discharged 11 and 2 deaths present number, 177. Vagrants, 28 The following cheques were granted to relieve the Poor for the ensuing fortnight. Mr Joseph Griffiths, Mold, £ 140; Mr William Hughes, Holy- well, JE135; Mr J. F. Hooson, Whitford, .£100. The Alteration in the House.-Purianant to a resolution of the last meeting of the Board, the Guardians upon this occasion, according to notice, assembled an hour earlier to meet the Visiting Committee, to take into consideration the altera- tion in the Workhouse, as in the first case sug- gested by Mr Doyle, and subsequently by Mr Doyle. The house having been examined, and the contemplated alterations inspected, the Guardians re-assembled in the Board-room. Mr John Henry at the request of the Chairman, explained to the meeting the nature of the contemplated alterations. i The providing of a lying-in ward was generally approved of, although objection was taken to it by Mr Alfred Parry, Mr E. P. Jones, and one or two other guardians. It was ultimately carried that the room called the boy's bedroom No. 1., now and for the past 12 years unoccupied, be used as a ward for the aged and infirm women, at present located in the lying-in ward, and that by such arrange- ment the latter ward would be exclusively used for its original purposes. Ucers.-The Clerk stated that the period of the appointments of the Rural Sanitary Officers would expire on the 25th inst., and as a considerable expense was incurred every year in their election, it was a matter for the Board and the Authority to consider whether their periods of office should not be as in other Unions, for a longer period than twelve months.—Proposed by Mr E. P. Edwards, seconded by Mr. J. S. Williams, and unanimously carried, that the Sanitary Authority be requested to appoint the present officers for a period of three years, subject io the approval of the Local Government Board, and in accordance with the existing regulations. RURAL SANITARY AurHORITY. — The meeting of this authority was held immediately after the Board meeting. Present—Alexander Cope, Esq., in the chair Mr E, P. Jones, Mr Howell, and Mr Alfred Parry. Repoi-ts.-The report books of the inspector of Mold district were produced and examined and the attention of the Board was drawn to a case of overcrowding and houses unfit for human habi- tation, which were adjourned to the next meeting of the anthority. The books of the inspector of the Holywell district were next examined, and the Clerk read letters he had received from Mr Boyle and the Lical Government Board, as to the levy- ing a rate for special work, viz., the construction of a sewer at Bagillt, which authorised that the rate should be made on the inhabitants of the township in which the works are to be constructed. Nothing definite was done in the matter, and in the mean time the inspector was desired to see the surveyor of the turnpike roads, with a view of cleansing out the gutters each side of the turnpike road running through Bagillt. OSWESTRY. I THE MARRIAGE OF THE DUKE OF EDIN- BURGH.—A ball was given on Monday night, in the Victoria Rooms, in honour of the arrival of the Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh in England, which was largely attended. SCIENTIFIC LECTURE.—A scientific lecture in connection with the Trinity Branch of the Church of England Young Men's Society, was given in Trinity School, by Mr W. Kingston Vance, entitled The House we Live in." The lecturer treated his subject in a manner to secure the wrapt attention of the audience, a very good one, notwithstanding that the weather was most un- propitious. At the close he was warmly applauded. The Rev. F. Cashel presided; and Miss Legh kindly played an opening piece on the harmonium, and accompanied the choir, who gave The Spacious Firmament," and 0 praise God in His Holiness," in a very creditable manner. Thanks were voted to the lecturer. WEEKLY CATTLE FAIR.—The supply of stock of all kinds iu the Smithfield was again large, and considerable numbers fell under the hammers of the auctioneers. Messrs. Pugh and Stokes sold 47 cattle and calves, and 201D sheep and pigs; Messrs. Bickerton and Hiles sold 71 cattle and calves, and 254 sheep and pigs; Mr Thomas Whit- field sold 55 cattle and 195 sheep and pigs. Mr Whitfield also sold four splendid pedigree yearling short-horn bulls, the property of John Humphreys, Esq., of Hanley Hall. The best of the four was secured by J. R. Ormsby Gore, Esq., M.P., for the Home Farm, Brogyntyn, for 45 guineas; the second realised 35t guineas, and was purchased by Mr Humphreys, of Calcot Hall; the third was sold for 281 guineas, Mr Roberts, Ystyncolwyn, being the purchaser; and the fourth was bought for 26i guineas, by Mr Rogers, of Llwy atidman. Oar quotations for cattle, sheep, and pigs, remain unaltered, fat stock selling well, and in conse- quence of the wintry weather stores were a drug. OPENING OF A NEW ORGAN AT THE BAPTIST CHAPEL.—On Sunday (to-morrow), two sermons will be pretchodiia the Baptist Chapel, by the Rev. E. D. Wilks, when the new organ will be opened. A tea meeting will be held in the Temp- lar Hall on Monday, after which an organ recita will be given in the chapel by J. T. Rawlings Esq., of Shrewsbury, and ishort addresses will be delivered at intervals by ministers of the town and other gentlemen. Th following is a description of the organ, which has been built by Messrs Coua- cher ani Co., Hudderifield, from the specification of Mr J. C. Jordan — GREAT ORGAN. CC to G. 56 Notes Open Diapason wood and metal 8 feet 56 pipes- Stop Diapason, Basa I d 8 t 56 Cl?bella Treble ?.woo? d o <. one" Dulciana metal 8 44 „ Flute.wood 4" 58 „ Principal metal 4 56" Mixture.2 ranks, metal 112" SWELL ORGA*. C to G. 44 Notes. Open Diapason metal 8 feet 44 pipes. Stop Diapason ,wood 8 tone 44 pipes. Gemshorn metal 4 44 Oboe LLieLat 6 11" PEDAL ORGAN. CCC to C. 24 Jf*tes. Bourdon wood 16 feet tone 24 COUPLERS. Swell to Great. Great to Pedal. Two Double-acting Composition Pedals. Front Pipes, gilt. Pine Case, stained and varnished. The organ has two complete manuals, the bottom octave of the Swell acting on the Stop Diapason and Prin- cipal of the Great Organ. RUABON. I THE SCHOOL BOARD.—We have been requested to publish the following letter, which has been re. ceived by Mr J. Denbigh Jones, clerk to the school board:— SIR,—I have the honour to acknowledge the receipt of your letters of the 2Sth ultimo, and of the 6th inst. I am to request your attention to the fact that the day for the Triennial retirement of the members of this School Board is the 6th of March. You will thus see that the action of the members of the Board, as de- scribed in your letter of the 28th of February was pre- mature. I am now to request that you will without delay send to this office » written statement, signed by such of the retiring members of the Board as are willing to serve in pursuance of paragraph 5 (b) of the 1st part of the 2nd schedule of the Elementary Education Act' 1870, of their being so willing. When my Lords have received this document, they will be in a position to make further communication to you on the subject of your present letter. I have the honor to be, sir, your obedient servant, P. CUHIN. From the above we surmise that there is still a possibility if not a probability of an election taking place.

The Spanish artillery now comprises 180 of Kruppp's guns and 73 mountain cannon. Mr John Bright, M.P., has arrived at Inver- garry, Fortwilliam, for the purpose of salmon fishing. According to an Ohio mathematician, one man dies from the use of alcohol every seven minutes. This year the value of oranges and lemons im- ported was 367,2681., against 321,1861. in the same period of last year. A Connecticut husband sues for divorce on the ground that his wife did throw cucumbers in his face because he helped himself too plentifully." Mr Alexander Sellar Craig, formerly secretary to the Lord Advocate of Scotland, has been ap- pointed secretary to the Liberal Registration As. sociation. A young man named James M'Avoy, who had been suffering from smallpox, has been fined 5s with expenses, for leaving the smallpox Hospital, at Hurlford, before he had entirely recovered from the disease. The following astonishing piece of philology is travelling through the newspapers: "The word husband is composed of two Anglo-Saxon words, hus and bonds, meaning house-boor At a meeting of the North Dublin Guardians, the chairman said he had heard from a gentle- man who could speak with authority that there was nearly an arrangement made that one of the Royal family would be in Ireland within twelve months. Sergeant Wheeler (Marylebone County Court) has awarded Mr Turner, barrister, 29 19s. damager against the Great Western Railway Company, who failed to convey him to a polling station until several hours after the train was due. and in con- sequence, the plaintiff was unable to record his vote and was put to certain expenses. The Great Seal of Ireland was handed on Thurs- day to the Right Hon. Sir J. Napier, Bart., and Master Brook, who was sworn in as Commissioners for its custody until the appointment of the new Lord Chancellor. It is understood that the seal will remain in commission until the close of the session, when Dr. Ball will assume the Chancellor- ship. The Daily Neivs hears that the Government has determined to issue a Royal Commission to inquire into the operation of the Masters' and Servants' Act, and the law of conspiracy in relation to con- tracts. The commission, it is said, will be formed in such a manner as to satisfy the fair demands of the working classes in regard to the impartiality of its constitution. The Times says only a few years ago-indeed until the announcement, one might say-a matri- monial alliance between the British and Russian reigning families would have been thought im- possible. That they, together with the German and Italian dynasties, are connected by old inter- marriages is well known but now for two cen- turiea the thing least expected has been a re- currence to the old lines of choice in these mat- ters.

ROYAL VISIT TO LONDON. I ENTHUSIASTIC WELCOME. I On Thursday Her Majesty the Qieen accom- panied the Duke and Duchess on their public en- try into London. Her Majesty and the royal family travelled by a special train from Windsor to London. On arriving at Paddington a pro- cession was formed of six royal carriages, in the first five being the great officers of State and the ladies and gentlemen of the Household. The sixth carriage, drawn by six horses, conveyed Her Royal Highness Princess Beatrice, their Royal Highnesses the Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh, and Her Majesty the Queen. The Qaeen, who looked well and smiled most pleasantly as cheer after cheer rang through the station at Paddington, wore a black silk dress trimmed with crape, and a black jacket trimmed with ermine. The dress of the Duchess of Edinburgh was a pale blue silk, ever which she wore a magnificent cloak of purple velvet, reach- ing almost to the ground and trimmed with dark fur, her bonnet being of white tulle wreathed with myrtle. Although the duchess looked pale and perhaps slightly cold, she was evidently gratified with the heartiness of her reception. The Duke of Edinburgh appeared in his naval uniform, and the Princess Beatrice, who com- pleted the royal party, was dressed, like her sister-in-law, in blue silk, but wore also a blae bonnet. True to its time, about twenty minutes to twelve—having done the journey in about thirty- live minutes—the train reached the Paddington station platform, where a guard of honour was drawn up the whole length of the entrance to the station being also lined with troops. Several of the officers of the royal household were wait- ing to receive Her Majesty, and on either side of the avenue through which she had to pass was a raised platform covered with ladies and gentle- men, who cheered vigorously as the train came along the platform. Her Maj esty, after speak- ing graciously to several of the ladies and gen- tlemen present, walked to her carriage, taking her seat beside the Grand DieLitsi, facing the horses, The Duke of Edinburgh and his sister sat with their backs to the horses; and Mr John Brown, who wore his national costume, having placed the wraps of the party in the carriage, and having taken his seat with one of the servants be- hind his royal mistress, the procession drove off amid repeated cheers. The escort was formed by the Gh Carabineers, Scots Greys, and Life Guards. The Duke of Cambridge and the Earl of Bradford, master of the horse, received Her Majesty at the station. Although it was now snowing heavily, the royal carriage was not closed. The entire route was lined by troops, who, as the procession passed, fell in and followed the carabineers. The pro- cession moved slowly along the route to Edgware- road, Oxford-street, Regent-street, Pall .rall.. Charing-cross, The Horse Guards, and St. James's Park to Buckingham Palace. The Queen repeatedly bowed to the crowd, and the duchess, who seemed impressed by the heartiness of the cheers which greeted her all through the course, continued to bow her acknowledgments throughout the journey. At Trafalgar.^quare, about 350 boys of the Duke of York's schools were stationed by the Nelson column, and at the Horse Guards and Admiralty were some 500 blue jackets, including about 20 sailors just invalided from Ashantee. As the procession entered the gates of Buckingham Palace a royal salute was fired. About 300 boys from the Chichester were drawn up in the yard. The closing scene of the reception was prthaps the grandest of all. The immense mass of spectators in front of the Palace, estimated to be upwards of 60,000, remained and continued to cheer. In a few moments one of the windows opened, and the Queen, with the Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh, stepped out on the balcony with the former on her right hand, and the latter on her left. Her Majesty bowed repeatedly to the people. The family picture which was pre- sented on the balcony-for behind the Q'jeen and the Duke and Duchess stood the Prince and Princess of Wales—increased the enthusiasm of the spectators, and cheer after cheer rent the air. After repeatedly acknowledging the warmth of the reception, the Queen, who seemed deeply moved, and the R)yal party retired, and thus the memorable entry of the Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh into London terminated. The Mall Gazette remarks that instead of the Queen's weather," which has always hitherto attended her Majesty's visits to the metropolis, London on Thursday, had a specimen of Russian weather. The frost in the early morning was the most severe of the winter, and before nine o'clock a heavy snowstorm set in, which continued till ncailjf one, when the bky begau to brighten a little. The storm seemed to have little or no effect, however, on the eagerness of the crowds which had assembled at Paddington, along the line of route to be taken by the royal procession, and, above all, in front of Buckingham Palace. The Echo says—" It was not till the corner of theEJgware-road was reached that the decorations began to be really effective, and here it was like gazing into a world of flags, banners, and pennons. It was as if the whole of the ensigns, flags, and bunting of all the navies in the world had been collected together and spread to the day; from house to house, across the broad way, and from lamp-post and Venetian most to lamp- post and Venetian mast. Thousands upon thousands of every colour and design, powdered thickly with snow, and fluttering in the wind, formed signals that it needed no master's mate with spy-glass and code book to read, for the signals were as plain to the bonny Muscovite, princess as to every boy in the vast cheerin" crowd, spelling out but one word, and that word Welcome. As soon as darkness set in, the west-end cittizens commenced to give further tokens of their loyalty by the displays of illuminated devices of various descriptions. The snow fortunately ceased at nightfall, and the immense crowds which thronged all the principal thorough- fares were enabled to witness the displays at the slight inconvenience attendant upon wading along muddy streets in close array, and threading their way across the roads between the intermin- able lines of vehicles carrying those spectators who did not relish the idea of a pedestrian tour on such a night.

The Echo is authorised to state there is no foundation for the report that the Archbishop of Canterbury is about to resign. Mr Talley, all sane persons will be glad to hear, has abandoned his idea of contesting Mr Disraeli'd seat. This is well, and has, doubtless, saved the constituency the trouble of refusing to contest Mr Talley. Pat Harkin and his brother Barney went out shooting one day with a gun between them. Pat had the gun, but it was not loaded, and they started a rabbit suddenly. Pat put the gun to his shoulder, when Birney cried, "Bould on, Pat-the gun is not loaded 1" Och," said Pat, hould yer whist now, sure the rabbit does not know that As cool a person under the circumstances, as was ever heard of, was a young nobleman who, in a frightful railway accident, missed his valet, one of the guards came up to him, and said, My lord, we have found your servant, but he is cut in two." Aw, is he ?" said the young man, with a Dundreary drawl, but still with anxiety depicted on his countenance. Will you be good enough to see in which half he has got the key of my carpet bag ?" WINES AND SPIRITS (Foreign) on which Duty was paid in London by some of the principal Firms during the past year. WINES (Foreign). W& Gallons. W & „ A Gilbey 800,690 Dingwall, Portal & Co. 142,949 F W Cosens 133,424 Cunliffe & Co 124^513 R Hooper & Sons 113,&;7 Davy & Co 101,933 Daniel Taylor & Sons. 9S,750 G A Haig & Co 86,038 Dent, Urwick & Co. 84,574 J. Allnutt jun. &-Co. 84,218 P Domecq & Co 84,063 Brooks & Oldham 79,296 R Christie & Welch 76,492 Ma.x GrEger &; Co. 73,237 Wolff & :stern 71,044 SPIRITS (Foreign). W & A Gilbey I. 306,504 Twiss & Browning 186,558 Daniel Taylor & Sons h 7,500 Trower <Sc Lawson 151, J24 Dingwall Portal & Co. 131,560 R Hooper & Sons 99,139 Galbraith, Grant & Co. 78,954 E S Pick & Co 66,486 R.Bnrnett&Son 66,448 Daun & Vallentin 54,259 Osmond & Co. 58,419 J Allnutt jun. & Co 45,139 Hills &- Underwood 44,705 Fulcher and Robinson 43,886 Bisquit, Dubouche & Co 43,353 Besides the preceding there were upwards of 2000 Firms who paid Duty on Wines and spirits in 1,3 quantities than tho3e above mentionell.- Wine Trade Meww, loth January, 1874, 520b

A SINGULAR CASE. A publican named Taylor, living in York Road Battersea, was summoned at the Wandsworth Police Court on Wednesday, by the police for permitting disorderly conduct. Inspector Ste" gles said that on Sunday evening, the 22:nl nl^ he went to the defendant's house and saw men sitting round a table, one bting seated in a raised chair in front of a box covered with a British ensign to represent a desk. On the tal 1-j were a police inspector's truncheon and a polica constable's truncheon. Tlifi chairman wore a black gown with a white frill in front, giving bim somewhat the appearance of a clergyman. file witness said the obj ect of his visit was to st y whether a "Judge and Jury" was being ilf.j j The defendant said it was not a Judge and Jnry Club, but merely a friendiy meeting for diel1oi- ion and to hear plays read. The inspector suid the affair had the appearance of a mock tii d. lf,3 examined the books on the table, and saw tha works of Shakespeare. The chairman rni,rilt have been reading the trial scene in the £ .r. chant of Venice." The witness was a,k d if he saw the prisoner who was charged put illll;() dock. The inspector said the prisoner was taken out of the dock as he went in. Another was about to be brought in. George Lovett said lo was asked "to take the chtir" to k(,el) ()rfler. Any one swearing and interrupting the r(-a(iio, was fined Id. Ho wore a wig because he was completely bald. He denied that a jud^eand jury society was held. Another witness was called, and he said one man was tried. Tht-y breught him in guilty, and he was fined a perlny. He believed it was for swearing.—The defcujl ant's solicitor submitted that he had notbilJrt tl) answer, as no offence had been committed. lIe said it was a little society, and, in order to pre- vent swearing, a fine was made the perialtv. He admitted that it would be against the tenor of the license to hold a judge and jury club.— Mr Bridge dismissed the summons, and recom- mended the defendant to get rid ot the parapher- nalia which had been spoken of.

THE PROTESTANT EVANGELICAL UNION. A hawker, sixty years of age, hus been chr.rcjeJ at the Marylebone Police C ort with dia <iiierly conduct, and causing a crow i to assemble in tut) Hampstead Road." He was carrying boards showing drawings of whips, bills, c tails thumbscrews, & and there were in large Ittters the words, "These instruments of torture now in use in the English convents. A plea for the inspection of convents." This led to the itssemb- ling of a crowd, and as the prisoner refused to (ir) away he was taken into custody, the crowd crvintr Shame on the constable. It appeared that the mn was employed by the Protestant Evan. gelical Union, the secretary of which societv, Mr Robert Steele, attended to state the fact. The magistrate, Mr D' Eyncourt, after looking at the placard?, said he found that a case was (isiotcil from that court, and it was a gross misrepresen- of the facts, and also a gross libel on tile two Roman Catholics who were charged. The placards inferred most atrocious and abomiuabla offences, and they could be rea 1 in the public streets by women and children, which was dis- grace'ul. It was perfectly abominable that the Union should allow the prisoner to go about with placards. The Union might be prosecuted, and very properly so, by the two Roman Catholic- on a charge of libel. The prisoner was ordered to find two sureties in the sum of £;j each to keep I the peace for the next three months.

A PUGNACIOUS VICAR. The Vicar of Onchan, in the Isle of Man (the Rev John Howard), considers himsel to be an uf- ficer of the Church nailitaut, aud governs him- self accordingly." Deeming himself insuited by Mr Cadman, he seized that person by the collar, and struck him on the back with a stout stick. He then referred to the assault from the pu pit, observing that there were such things as tLsi1 and blood, which should not be pressed beyond endurance and he feared that if such provoca- tion was repeated, under similar circumstar.c-s, he should be tempted to act in a precisely similar manner, or it might be with even greater se- verity." In consequence of this, the vicar was summoned before the High Bailiff of Douglas ta show canse why he should not be bound over to keep the peace towards Mr Cadmau. The defen- dant appeared in court with a heavy riding-whip, which attracted so much attention that he thought it better to hand it to the Chief-constable. Ha was ordered to find sureties in £ 50, in addition to his own bond for a like amount, to keep the peace, and was two hours in gaol before the secu- rity was forthcoming. The original dispute be- tween the vicar and Mr Cad'nan was a differenca of opiaion on a school committee, of which both were members.

AN EXTRAORDINARY DEFENCE. Somnambulism was the singular defence set tip on Thorsday to a charge of indecently assaulting a married woman, which was heard at the Ae- criugton Petty Sessions. The prisoner wns a bookkeeper named Edwin Sutclilfe, appareutly about thirty years of age, and residing at Clayton- le-Moors; and the prosecutrix a married woman named Sarah Eaves. The prisoner had been lodging at her house for seven weeks, and on Monday morning her husband rose at half-past five o'clock. She had been no with a sick child, and fell asleep after he bad left the house. The prisoner slept in an adjoining room, and oa her awakening at half-past six o'ciock she found the prisoner by her side. She scolded him actl told him to go, and he refused. Too house, tloor opened, and he ran into his own room. Her hus- band had returned, and she cailed him.—Iu re;)!? to prisoner, the witness admitted that the priso- ner used no violence, but asserted th it he touckeJ her improperly.—Prisoner said he had no remem- brance of the occurrence.-Ttie htisbautl of the prosecutrix said he went into the prisoner's room and spoke to him about his conduct, when hesnnl he had done it in his sleep, and had not walwJ in his sleep before for fifteen years. He till prisoner that story would not do, and that he must go.— The bench said it was an abominable out- rage, and fined prisoner R.5, or in default, one month.

-9 MR M'DONALD, M.P., INTER- VIEWED. The London correspondent of the Se1(' 1" Herald has been interviewing MrM'Donald. Ht: found the working man M.P. very agreeable, aud came away from him with the impression that lu has few equals in point of intelligence among ¡¡;3 fellow This idea seems to be ba"el partly upon the fact that Mr M'Donahl once visited the United States, and know a good deal about; that country. Among other things, he expressed Liw. self strongly in favour of the C. D." and said he should like to see the Act extended over the whole country. He eschewed all extravagant proposals for altering the land laws-fol' instance, would not make the State the sole owner of I III(], nor limit the right of acquisition. He was against home rule, except that he would allow each of the kingdom to pass its own railway bills. lIe advocated equal electoral districts and shorter Parliaments. Many English readers will be amazed to hear that he expressed his intention of sitting as near as possible to his old friend, John Arthur Roebuck. Verily, the millenium is come. That a leading trade unionist should wish to sit near the bitter foe of the trade unions is more astonishing than that the lion should lie down W the side of the ox.