The Pontypridd Chronicle and Workman's News

PONTYPRIDD POLICE COURT. Wednesday-Before Messrs. L. G. Lennox and F. R. Crawshay. LABOBNT.—Bees Williams and Charlotte Wil- liams, of Treherbert, husband and wife, were brought up in custody of Sergeant Chalk charged with stealing one shirt and one jacket, value 20s, the property of David Evans, of Heolfach, on the 17th day of November last. Soon after the articles were stolen they were found pledged at Treorky, but the prisoners could not bo traced until the male prisoner made his appearance at the pawn- broker's shop early last week. The prosecutor's assistant took him into custody, and although se- verely assaulted detained him till Sergeant Chalk ar- rived. The young Jew was highly complimented by the Bench for his courageous conduct, and the prisoners were sentenced to one month each with hard labour at Cardiff Gaol. GAMB.—David Lloyd, of Hafod, was summoned by Thomas Evans, Hafod Uchaf Farm, for tres- passing in pursuit of game, on Sunday, the 2nd mst, on the above farm. Fined 5s and costs. ASSAULT. — Frederick Turberville, of Ponty- pridd, haulier, was summoned by John Lewis, of Cardiff, for assaulting him on the 14th inst.. at Pentrebach Eglwyselian, His master, Mr Banfield, ginger beer manufacturer, appeared for Turberfield, and stated he was ill. The police gave defendant a bad character. He was fined 198 3d including costs. RIOTOUS CONDUCT.—John Davies and David Williams, of Pentyrch, were summoned by P.C. Benjamin Davies for being drunk and riotous and threatening the policeman, at Pentyrch, on the 10th of this month. Both fined 5s and costs. ASSAULTING A PUBLICAN. — James Hall, Wm. Thomas, John Jones, Robert Gregory and Chas. Osling were summoned by Reos Jones, landlord of the Cottage Inn, Treforest, for violently assault- ing him in his house, on the 8th inst. Complain- plainant was ill and unable to appear, so the case was adjourned for a week. DRUNK AND RIOTOus.-Charles Osling, of Tre- forest (one of the above defendants) was sum- moned by Sergeant Oliver for being drunk and riotous, near the Cottage Inn, on the night in question. He was fined 5s and casts.

PENTRE POLICE COURT. MONDAY—Before Mr G. Williams, Stipendiary. LEAVING WORK WITHOUT NOTICE. — William Lewis and Evan John appeared in answer to a sum- mons brought out against them by Mr Daniel Thomas, for leaving work, at the Dinas colliery with- out a month's notice. Mr Thomas claimed damages. The defendants stammered out in defence that they had not been registered under htm. nor had they ever had a copy of the rules of the works.— I be Bench in reply, told them that when they entered into a contract with any master they were always supposed to give and take a month's notice. Both were ordered to pay £1 and costs. BBBACH or COLLIERY REGULATIONS. — Jonathan Absalom was fined 40s and costs for having a pipe in his pocket, beyond the lamp-station in the Cyni- mer Colliery. Mr Griffiths, manager said that on the 20th December he was examining the work. mens' clothes inside the lamp-station and found a pipe in defendant's pocket. He asked him if he did not know better than that, and he said yes, but that, he bad forgotten to leave it out. He then told him that he would bring him before the magistrates for breaking the rules (copy produced).—The defendant said be was in the habit of taking his pipe with him, leaving it with the banksman befoic going into the pit, but Sn his hurry that morning he had forgotten to do so.-The Bench censured defendant for his conduct, and said that such cases came before him so often that he felt inclined to send him to prison. A fine of 40s and costs was inflicted.—THOMAS LATTKN was fined 40s and costs for a similar offence, in the Penrhiwfer Colliery, the property of the Glamorgan Coal Company. Mr Simons prosecuted In the last case. BACCHANALIANS.—Thomas Cole WAS fined 5s and costs for being druuk and wanting to fight, and kicking the doors by the New Inn, Treherbert.— David Davies and Evan Arthur were fined 10s and costs for being drunk and making beasts of tbem- selves in the road between Trealaw and Tonpandy, on Sunday night, the 16th inst.—John Powell was fined 108 and costs for being drunk and having a tendency to knock at doors- ANNOTISQ A SUOPKBEPIIR. A batch of eleven boys were brough*. up, oharged with annoying a Mr Austin, a shopkeeper, at Treorky. The prose- cntor did not wish to press the case. and was willing to withdraw the charge on the defendants' parents paying the costs of summons, which they did. WAGES CLAIM. --Daniel Davies, collier, lreot-ky, appeared in answer to a summons, issued by Rees Llewelyn, for non-payment of wages alleged to be dae to him. Defendant paid Rees, a lad, Is. IOd a day for working in the pit with him. The lad's mother, who was in court claimed three days wages, 68 Gd, Defendant said that he only owed one day, which he had offered to pay a week ago, when she came w demand the 68 6d. It seemed Davies had not been at work the other two days himself. He was ordered to pay the Is 101.

There is, we are happy to learn, no reason to sup- pose that the fi 3 at the .London Custom House was other than accid utal. In a store room which was nearly empty a tiandful of papers lying in a basket became ignited, md the fire was extinguished by a few buckets of tter. The origin is not definitely known. A reward of £ -0 is offered by the Great Western Railway Comp: y for information leading to the apprehension am conviction of the person or persons who recently m iciously placed on the up main line, about half a mil east of West Drayton station, an obstruction calculated to throw a train, ff the rails, and at the sam time tampered with the down line eignals with a view to misguide the drivers in charge of trains. During the bearing of a charge of bigamy against a man named Willsher, at the Southwark police- court, an inspector intimated that there was reason to believe prisoner had five or six wives living. A school, to accommodate 300 infants, has been opened at Lambeth by the Archbishop of Canter- bury. assisted by the Lord Mayor of London and the Bishop of Rochester. His Grace contended that this country must uphold the religious education of its youth if it wished to maintain its character as a religious nation. He did not believe that any sensible father or mother would wish to give their children secular knowledge alone. Secular knowledge was a very good thing but he did not believe they could train the minds of little children without giving them distinct motives to regulate their conduct, and these jouki not be obtained from a purely secular education.

THE CHEMISTRY OF EXPLOSIONS. BY H. W. HUGHES, PONTIPHIDD. It is pretty clear by this time, a to chemistry and not to merely mechanical contrivances for ventilation, that we are to look for a remedy for these frightful explosions. Ventilation has done about as much as it can do, and has failed, not from want of skill or energy in mining engineers, but from necessity, and the nature of things. Ventilation is intended as a preventive of explosions. and not as a cure of the evils which immediately follow in the track of the fiery hurricane, and which are almost as fatal as the outburst itself. At le at, it is fair to infer that ventilation is but a poor cure for these evils, when we find one of the man- agers at Penygraig declaring at the inquest that he was nearly overcome by the choke damp on the day after the explosion! Granted that ventilation does much as a preventive, yet it must be remem- bered that the more perfect it is, the more violent the explosion when it comes, for it supplies the large volume of air, (10 times that of the gas) necessary to complete the decomposition of the fire-damp, and causes that thorough mixture of gas and air, which brings the explosion to its maximum of force. Hence, imperfect ventilation, with fre- quent, but mild and local explosions on the one hand, and abundant ventilation with scarcely the possibility of an outburst, except from those fatal blowers, which burst into the dark abyss as unex- pectedly and irresistibly as a white-squall or the siroco, on the other, are the scylla and charybdis between which engineers have to steer, and are often wrecked. But the resources of chemistry are illimitable, and it is a thousand pities that its study is not more widely cultivated by the sons of toil. For simplicity of prinoiples, for interest and beauty of experiments, for absorbing charm, and universal utility of application, it yields to no other science- In what better way could our young miners use their leisure than in unravelling ita mysteries, mysteries so closely connected with their daily toil, and literally interwoven with their lives ? In ad- dition to private reading at home, they might form classes, and contribute jointly towards the purchase of apparatus and chemicals which might be beyond the means of an individual, but which a class, taking advantage of the fact that many firms (at the instance of the Education Department) supply apparatus to students at nearly cost prico, might soon convert into a cemplete laboratory. It is vastly important to get men to think in the right direction, and to get as many minds as possible concentrated on the same subject. If a thing is to be found, the more searchers the better. When the atteation of many minds is directed to the same subject. and from different points of view, that subject is seen in all its aspects, and the chance of discovery increases in direct ratio to the number of enquirers. And profound knowledge of chemistry is not essen- tial to discovery. In science there are often truths as valuable within the reach of him who creeps, as of him who soars, so that beginners, especially in chemistry, should not be discouraged by the jargon of some would be great man, who seeks to dazzle them with his isms and ologies, and to eke out the brevity of his ideas, by the length of his words. Priestly was never able to make a chemical analysis, and yet he made several most important discoveries. Chemistry is a purely experimental science, and is a field in which the Genius of Sugges. tion simply revels, while every collier has within his reach infinitely better apparatus than Sir Humphrey Davy commenced his brilliant career with, amidst his old bottles and pipe-stumps. Unfortionately the truths of sience are not so obvious as they are natural, hence the saying that truth lies in a well. At any rate, the sooner the better colliers, especially discover that it does not lie at the bottom of a pint pot. In all manufacturing towns and districts, hundreds of artisans are found who study chemistry te promote their masters' wealth, why should not colliers do so, to promote the safety of their own lives ? I firmly believe that a complete remedy for explosions would have been found long ago had men devoted to its discovery a tithe of the energy expended on artificial diamonds; to say nothing of the Elixir vita;, and the phil. osopher's stone. However, let the youths of our vallies devote their attention to it; even a hint towards its discovery would confer on the world more benefit than if they discovered the perpetual motion, and bring to themselves mure fame than any amount of study of those baneful" rnesurau caethion," which seem to stifle the quantum of sonl with which nature may have blessed them. It is unfortunate that the pilot cloth (not the least arrogant of the domiu&ut cloths of the day) discourage any suggestion that does not proceed from themselves, and many working colliers are of such uarrow views, as to think that because they have been familiar from childhood with the internal details of a colliery, nobody can possibly under- stand the matter better than they; yet I will venture to predict that unless they open their eyes widely and quickly, they will yet fiud themselves indebted to chemistry, a science, winch they too often despise, for the security which we all desire for them, and it is not at all Un- likely that it is in the private laboratory of some grimy student who has never seen a colliery, that the spark will first gleam forth which will explode the explosions and revolu ionize the colliers position. But when that discovery is [u:)de, it is to be hoped that the discoverer will be no niggard of his treasure, but that he will poar it forth with the profusion of a cornucopia into the lap of expectant mankind. I was led to make this remark by a statement which I lately heard, but can scarcely credit, that a gentle- man whose name has recently been much before the public in connection with a discovery he professes to have made, hesitates to reveal it until he has made his calling and election sure to a preeious haul of £ a. d. How poorly does this contrast with the magnanimity of the immortal Davy afier the discovery of the safety lamp Upon his friends' urging him to secure to himself, by patent, the profits from the sale of the lamp, he almost indig- nantly told them that he wished to hand over his discovery to mankind as a free and unfettered gift! But he was knighted you may say. Yes but not for showing an itching palm for £ s. d. If you permit me, Mr Editor, I will follow up this intro- ductory letter with one or two more, in which I will endeavour to describe the evils immediately .con- sequent on an explosion and that in the light of the most recent investigations, and to suggest a remedy In this letter I have only strategically approached the enemy, in the next I hope to overthrow him, and in the last to pursue the flying foe.

FRIGHTFUL SUICIDE IN MON- MOUTHSHIRE. FOUND HANGING IN A WOOD. An inquest was held at the Milton Inn. Llanwern near Newport, on Saturday, before Mr Brewer coroner, on the body of a man who was discovered on Wednesday to have hung himselt in a wood not far from the spot where the woman Waters met with hsr death in a tragical mannei not long ago. The circumstances of this suicide are particularly horrible, deceased having been found hanging from a tree, with a rope round his neck, and quite naked. The man must have been there several days for hit* clothes which were on the ground close by, were wet and covered with frost. Deceased was iden- tified as George Morris, a carpenter, who bad lived in the neighbourhood, and the jury returned a verdict of Suicide whilst in an unsound state of mind." <

•MQDfir CYMEEIG.' l I :)1::)1: Da genyin h!f\jsu ein darllenwyr ein bod ivedi skrhau gwd^iaeth Oarvelian fel Golyg- yrld y golofn hOl, 0 hyn allan bydded i'n gohebwljr Cymrefl gyfeii-io eu hysgrifau a'u barddoniaeth fel f tcmlyn M, r. OosW Uoslett (Carnelian), Pontypridd. ■— -r--

AT OLYGYDD Y'PONTYPRIDD CHRONICLE" ANWYL STB.ND^IF yn ddiolchgar i chwi am i'r ychydig UQdict hyn gael ymddangos yn y Golofn Gyioreig. M*wr oedd yr holi a r hela yn ein tref a'r gymyd(f%h yn nghyloh y newyddiadur newydd oedd i wnqd ei ymddangosiad yn ein tref o'r enw The Pontf^d Chronicle." Bellach mae'r rhifyn cyntaf wedif^neyd ei ymddangosiad, ac yn ol pob arwyddion ^th yrhyn a glywir yma a. thraw, ei fod yn rhoddi b^Wrwydd eyffredinol; ac nid hyny yn unig, QtkdOi fod yn llawer iawn yn wel na'r dysgvvflisld. 01111 clywais ami un yn cwyno na fuasai thagot yt ymddangos yn y Golofn Gym. reig, a chredaf peitf hyny fod yn ol, gan fod y Golygydd yn Gymp da, so yn eithaf ymarferol ag yagrifenuCy<nr3eg.fc% moo ganddo bob manteision i ddyfod a cholofn neu. Golofnau Cymreig, a fydd yn glod i'r newydjiadar, sef y Pontypridd Chronicle. Felly bydded i'rrl^aydd ynawyddus am lwyddiant y Golofn Gynirefc fsgrifenu ar wahanol faterion. Mae beirdd, ileaoiol, a cherddorion ein gwlad yn ddosbeirth lluoaof iwn, y rhai ydynt yn frwd. trydig Iros ea lJILih &'U cenedl. Felly dywedaf finau o'm calon, Oiii feirdd a llenorion, anfonweh eich cynyrchion im<wn i'r Golofn Gymreig, fel ag y bydd hi yn aArJy<fedd i'r Pontypridd Chronicle. R. GwYNGtLi, HUGHES.

AT OLYGYDDý'lbNTYPRIDD CHRONICLE.' Syr, Caniate^0) i mi eioh llongyfaroh ar ym- ddangosiad y (hiyn cyntaf o'r PONTYPRIDD CHRONICLE. YtQ^t^ysa wyliad am newyddiadur da oddiwrthych, yMdengys fod y rhifyn cyntaf yn rhagori ar y dfgl,yliadau uwchaf; o'r hyn leiaf, felly yr ydwyf feq cael ar ddeall. Ceir ynddo gyfuniad hapug i IUu, barn, a chwaeth, y rbai ydynfc hanfodion nlwyddiadur cymeradwy. Mae y don iach sydd yf riedeg trwy yr erthegl olygyddol, a'r crynodeb ttllllW\. a dyddorol o newyddion Ueol yn ei wneyd yn \4r (derbyniol. Mae y Golofn (YQrefg yn ychwanegu at ei werth, adylaigael eilla^r auhynyrchion meddyliol teilwng* o eiddo y lienor or bkrdd, a pha ardal mor doreithiog o lenorion a b^d a Phontypridd ? Cynyrchion a'u tuedd uniOllrQhol i ddyrchafu y darilenydd, yn dymorol, de^pl, knaoesol; a chynyrchion byrion wrth reswm, gr1 tod y maes mor gyfyng, canys lliosawgrwydd a, ahrywiaeth fydd yn fwyaf cym- eradwy. tfydded Hef yuH^0NicLE bob amser mown modd digamsyniol o y-id rhinwedd a moesoldeb. Nao ofned lefaru yrgricb yn erbyn twvll, gormes, ac arferion llygreag iymdeithas. Caffed dyrcbafiad y gweithiwr oi iyly arbenig. Gwnaed degwch a phawb heb ffapo neb. Deued allan o'i ystafell bob wythnos gjla gwyneb glan purdeb, aiiiondeb, gwroldeb, ac anah^dgarwch. Rhifed ei ddarllen- wyr filoedd lave1") ac na pheidied y cyhoedd a'u cefnogaeth jddo ac nis gall na wnel ddaioni. W. I. MORRIS. -r--o

A BRIEF §)J0!TRN IN CORNWALL. By VIAToR. THE doctor fibred our domicile, shook his head, and in a kin4, ga !I t\e, sympathetic tone, and in that soft, sVeet, ereatny voice which so many doctors are blossej With, advised an immediate change: a wvrlJ¡er, i11 'te gonial climate. Medicine was of no a ^ight sun and balmy breezes must accomplish the w n k of restoration. A physicians tdvico has often the forcn of an im- perious comHarid. Iti any case the doctor found As I could \ot seek tho brigh skies of Australia, nor the classn jan(j of Italy, I sal^d Cornwall as a land to sojO)rn in f,>j. a few weeks. Stern win t, held revel and assoi ed its tem- pestuous reim ill wild Wales, when I determined to seek a clime- The rivers and pools of my native county were with ice, and Snow. frirges formed a part of the drapery of our moun- tains and bills, Terrific tyi^ and rajn.st,orms happened the day before I left, Vhich the natural etfect of intensi- fying my wi^t0 be :1way. and accelerating my do. parture. On Tue8dajmori1i;i £ i Feb. 10, 1880,1 f.hookh nds with a few fiends, sai.i the usual good-bye, and turned my f"^ westwards. The jouriiol was without any remarkable incident; but as the SUlclitnbed in his stately Inarch a cloud- less sky, he slowertjd upon the land of Devon such a deluge of wirm ray as to compel some gentlemen to throw off Ivei,cotits, and ladies to dispense with winter wropSjnd furs, the carriage windows were thrown open blinds drawn to shield the more delicate paSaV>gers from that which, only a few hours before liey blld so ardently longed for—the warmth of a '>j!li;u>f How luveJy Nail the c rni rast between the scenery .f South Devon and that of our own dear Wild Walrs in the early part "f F. ')'u-ry. 1880. It had nothing of the hard, iigid conditions of our rocky hills and narrow sterile valleys its nndu- lating plains had the soft contour, and graceful, yi„idinif outlines of the waves of the Pacific; they suggest dreams of rich harvests, and fat oxen, of .■looniinsr orchards and ianps lili' d with the perfume of wild flowers, an) stir up thoughts of a Paradise which once was, and sugg-st the hope and possi- bility of one yet to como. Passing the stately city of Exeter one soon arrives at that perfect nest of comfort and beauty—Daw- lish; and the ba my breezes and re) pandstono pil- lars, and picturesque but toiling fHhermcn of Teign- mouth refresh and delight the travele r. No won- der that Devon is the land of thriving farmers, and rich Barons, and that. Coleridge breathed inspira. tion, and Edward Cupern learned the secrets of his divine art when it is blessed with so much fertility, loveliness bvauty. We just cangbt a glimpse through the twilight of Plymouth Sound and of that magnificent piece of engineering, Saltish Viaduct. About nine o'clock the same evening we were seated before a bright comfoitabh1 fire and enjoying thH hospitality of friends at 17, Nor folk-road, Falmouth. (To be continued.)

DISTRICT INTELLIGENCE. LORD WINDSOK'S rent audit took plaoe at the Clive Arms Hotel, Caerphilly, on Friday. His lord- ship's estate agent, Mr H. Forrest, was in attend- ance. After business the tenants were entertained at dinner. CARDIFF people are warned by some of their local papers that a large number of counterfeit half- crowns, dated 1843, are in circulation just now. There may ba a few in our own neighbourhood, so we pass on the word. THE NEWPORT magistrates, on Satnrday, ordered ten strokes with the birch rod to be administered to a little boy, named Daniel Williams, for placing a stone on the railway, at Risca. Mr Osborne, the station-master, at Cross Keys, found the stone on the line, at a crossing near the station, only a few minutes before the train was due. A GUN ACCIDENT, which might have resulted fa. tally, occurred at Gower-road, near Swansea. A man, named Lodwig, who was going to shoot birdR, was carrying his loaded gun across his shoulder, and while he was crossing a stile he somehow must have touched the trigger, for the gun went off, and the charge entered the thigh of a man who accompa- nied Lodwig. JOHN EDWARDS, aged 26, committed suicide, at Pontardulais, on Friday. A certain charge had been made against him which he said was false. On the day in question he did rot go to work. That nigh-t he told several persons that he was going to do away with his life because he had been wrongly accused. His sister, who is at homo at Llandovery, received a letter from him on Saturday morning, in which he stated that he was going to have a watery grave. His brother arrived at Pontardulais at 11.30 a.m. on the same day from L andovery, and made enquiry, but, could learn nothing of Edwards. A search w'a subsequently male, and on Sunday, about or.e p.m.. Edwards's body was found in the River Loughor. opposite to where he had been working. AT THE MONTHLY meeting of the Vferthyr Union Ns.,essineiit Committee, on Saturday, the assessment of the Rose and C.istle public-house, Aberdare, was, npon the application of Mr Thomas Phillips (on be. half of Mr Jones, the proprietor), reduced to £ 42 108 gross and Y,29 10s to d625 rateable value. The assistant-overseer of Aberdare reported that during the past year there was 134 aopeals from that parish, and a reduction in the rateable value of £ 1.700. Tho assistant-overseer of Mertbyr also re- ported that in that parish there had heen only 16 appeals, with a reduction in the rateable value of £ 683. Some conversation took place upon the num. ber o!' appeals that had been sent in from Aberdare, in the course of which Mr F. James, the Clerk, ex- pressed his opinion that a ro-valuution of that parish outibt not to be made. AT THE BHU OKNO Board of Guardians, on Satur- day, a letter was read from the Loc .l Government Board relative to the escape of Michacl Jordan from the workhouse a few weeks siuce, in which they stated that the circumstances under which he. m?de his escape were much to be regretted As Michael Jordan was known to havo struck his nurse and the medical officer, he ought to have been confined in a ward under strict supervision nntil the medical offi. cer had thoroughly examined him. The case seemed to suggest that additional officers should be ap. pointed, as the master and the matron had the whole of the responsibility, and that Board would suggest that the Guardians should eonjider the question. The Clerk was direoted to reply that the medical officer had taken great pain* to ascertain the condi- tion of the man, and also that the runaway had not been found.

PONTYPRIDD BOARD OF GUARDIANS. The ordinary meeting of this Board was held on Wednesday, ai the Union Workhouse, when there were p esent :—Mr Jo-dah Lewis (in the chnir), Dr. Idris Davies, Mi A. Cule, Mr Moses Cule, Mr 1). Ley. shon, Mr D. John, Mr Klias H. Davies, Mr T. Morgan, &c, with the Clerk, Mr Spickett. Mr Bircham, the Inspector of the Local Government Hoard %sits in attendance. LETTMR FROM THE LOCAL GOVERNMENT BOARO. The miuutes of the last meeting having been read and sisrned, the Clerk read the following letter, which had been received from the Local Govern. ment Board Offices, London — "lamdirectad by the Local Government Board to acknowledge, thn receipt of your letter of the 7th inst., in which, under the circumstances mf ntioned therein, you inform them that the Guardians of the Pontypridd Union are desirous that the Parish of Llan wono should be divided into three, instead of two wards, for the purposejof the election of Guard. ians, and to state that the order issued by the Board on the 22nd of Eebruary, 1878, dividing that parish into two wards was framed after a careful consider- ation of all the circumstances of the case, and with a view to secure, as far as possible, a fair rer re- sentation for all the parishes therein concerned. The Board will, however, instruct thoir inspector, Mr Bircham, to confer with the Guardians upon the subject at an early opportunity." Mr Bircham said that when the last arrangement was made he was a good deal perplexed as to how to make a fair and equitable arranafement. L an- wono was at present divided into two wards, but he understood that it was suggested to make a new arrangement, giving two Guardians each to the Home hamlet and Glan- cynnoti. He did not think that to be proper, be- cause the population ot Glancynnon was three times that of the Home hamlet, and the rateable value was more than three times as great. He thought six guardians wns enough for Llanwoiio, and if they increased them the same thing would be naked for by the Ystrad, and he did not see how he could do it unless he gave one Guardian to tip, Home ham- let and three to Mountain Ash. H had been in- furmed the present distribution of members was very good, but that some Guardians « ere afraid the Board would he swamped by Mountain Ash mem- bers. However, the arraugement be mentioned, and which would fullo" an arrangement made on the basis of populatioc and rateable value, Would be worse for those who were afraid of lx iog swamped. The Clerk: May I say that at the last election a compromise was made. There was no contest. Mr Bircbam I hope there will be none at the next eleotion. If my words go any further I cau only express a hope that the Guardians will do the same again!" Then proceeding, he said, the Local Government Board had made it a rule not to make any change until after the census had to be taken. It did not seem to him that there was here any actual grievance. The present Mountain Axh members, it seemed, did not attend very regu- larly, so it would not make much difference. But, if, after the next electiou, they found that the Board swamped, it would then be for the L'lcal Government Board to make some arragementp. However, he would report the mattei to Them. The Chairman. The parties who had made the complaint are not here to-day. Mr A. Cule pointed out lhat there were tlirf,.t, Guardians for Mountain Ash, and one for Ferndale had only lately been elected. The matter then dropped, the Chairman remark- ing. Let's hope they won't use tho great power they have." TRI: INCREASE OF PAUPERS. Mr Bircham said that another matter which he wished to mention was thH increase of paupers in this Union. NoiwitlntamJiug -ho ieviv;:l in the trade of the district thy pauperism wa« 0er than last year, and it was larger than in any Union in his dintrict, except Swansea. He had heard ap- plications made that day which he did not think would have been made at all if the applicants had not got the idea that they would he easily granted. They must, as one was often obliged to say, remem- ber, that it was other people's m mey they were spending, and he hoped they would turn over a new leaf with the new year. There were aL all events without making any great boast of prosperity signs of a revival in trade enough to give many more em- ployment. Mr M. Cule: There is an increase in the popula- tion, Mr Biicham. Mr Bircbam Oh, yes: there is no doubt thf average increase of population, but there are ft great many more employed than therd were this time last year. Mr M. Cule: Wf never had suoh a slow time as at present With the chain works on the other side. Mr Bircham: That is very small, you know. Thrre is uo doubt the colliers are in better employ. The Chairman Just at present. ;But it has not continned long. They are working more regularly than they were. Mr VI. Cule We have two large collieries here idle now. Mr Biroham Yon have had no application from Penygraitj, have you ? The Chairman No. Mr M. Cnle But from other colliers. The Chairman I beieve I can say this for all the Guardians. They all pay the greatest attention, and take a great amount of interest in relief mat- ters, and try to keep the relief list down as much as possible. I have always found the Committees, I think without an exception, and every Guardian on them, wishful to discharge their duties as faithfully as possible, and with due regard to keeping the ratepayer and the rate receiver on a balance. I think the increase in the population is so great here that we must attribute the increase of pauperism to that. Mr Bircham then remarked that he only desired the good of the Board, and his words must be taken for what they were worth. THE BURIAL FEES OF PAUPERS, Mr M. Cule gave notice that at the next meeting he would move that an agreement be entered into with the Glyntaff Burial Board with regard to the burial of paupers. "The Chairman remarked that he was very glad to hear Mr M. Cule say that, for a case had oome be- fore them that day in which Mr Bircham made the remask that the fees were very l,igh. M r Bircham But those were not pauper fees, it should be remembered. THE ALLEGED STARVATION QASK AT TiTBAn. The members were about to separate, when Mr E. II. Davies asked the Chairman if the case of the woman Harries was to come before the Board. The Chairman Not that I am aware of. Mr E. H. Davies said he was truly sorry if it was not, because of the accusation made by one of the Guardians. The members again took their seats, and Mr Davies prodeeded to say that the case he meant was that of the man Thomas Harries, who was reported to have died from starvation: It appeared, he said, that Mr Idris Davies, who is a Guardian of this Union, had been the means of assisting in creating a great sensation in the locality by stating that the man was not properly attended to by the Guardians, and that he gave a note to say that the man had died from starvation. The matter had created a great sensation in the parish, and he had thought that it was coming before the Board in consequence of a letter from the Local Government Board. As the widow was in the ante-rooin, he thought they might hear what she had to say on the sulject. He considered that Dr Idris Davies should have brought the matter before the Guardians, or called the at- tention of his fellow-Guardians, s.) that it should be thoroughly investigated before aocusing the Reli v- ing Officer or him (Mr E; H. Davies) of not doing what was right. There had been an inquest on the body, and before the Coroner Mr Idiis Davies had contradicted himself on the charge of starving, by stating that he intended the Relieving Officer to take the word in a broad senize as indicating that it was an urgent case. Mr Idris Davies: And it was broad enough. Mr E. H. Davies, again proceeding, said the in- quest was held before Mr Overton, who went into the matrer thoroughly, and satisfied himself. Mr Overton had in his possession the documents (i.e. the depositions) stating that Dr. Davies did not mean to say that the man died from want of food. The case had been before the Board and and the man had 3s 6d per week of out-door relief the day before, and it would have been a some- what unusal thing for a sum of money to be paid twice the same week. There was only the man and his wife and his daughter, and the woman was not suoh as would reoommend herself to him as a recipient of out-door relief. He thought the least thing Mr Idris Davies could do would be to stand to the first report, or to withdraw, and make an apology for his conduct, for he (the speaker) had been accused by the peeple in the neighbourhood of not attending to the matter. Dr ldris Davies said this was an exceptional case, or he would not have done what he did. The case was laid before the Guardians as had been said, and Mr E. H. Davies, who had just spoken, brought the old woman a character of being a drunken, woman; therefore the ordinary order was refused, but the man was to be re- lieved in kind, and he was relieved in kind. But what he (Dr. Davies) said was this The old man, when he saw him, was lying ill, on an old settle with very little clothes about him. There was no bed in the house, and the man was very cold. He thought he was right in his meaning of the word starvation, that it meant not only want of food, but also want of clothing and he believed a man would starve much sooner from want of clothing than want of food. Well, the old man had recently altered, so that when the relief came he was un- able to take bread and cheese. Several neighbours took pity on him, and gave him a few shillings, and he (the speaker) called the special attention of the Relieving Officer to the case, because the man had no clothes or place to lie down, and be told Mr Jones that it would be serious. He thought he only did his duty so far as he was conerned, and he did not think he had anytning to apologise for. If in what he did he exceeded his duty, he would much rather resign the responsibility of being a Guardian. If a man was not to speak when he saw an extreme case of that kind, he did not know how to act. He did not blame any- body in the matter, but it was an extreme case, and he did not mean to say that the man died of starvation, for he spoke of that when the man was alive. Mr E. H. Davies (interrupting) But the certi- ficate- Dr Idris Davies: I said the man WM suffering from great debility and starvation, as he had no clothes to throw about him on the old osettle, and 3s 6d would not buy him sufficient coal to warm the house. Mr T. Morgan: Was the man ill, Dr. Davies ? Mr. Iris Davies Yes, very ill. Mr Morgan: Is it usual for the Guardians to give more than 3s 6d in a case of this kind ? Dr. Davies I don't know what the rule may be, I have not studied that. It was an extreme case, and I am sure that any benevolent man would have gone there and done what he could. Mr E. H. Davies: Bat Mr Davies has gone further than to say that it was an extreme case. Dr. Davies: I shall not withdraw anything. I have merely stated the facts which stand to this day in support of the case, and, as far as I know, acted properly. I had no inteatlon of injuring, or doing any harm to anybody. The note I sent to the Relieving Officer was a private note. Mr E. H. Davies: But he has compromised himself, he has called the attention of the report- ers to it as a case of starving. Dr. Davies Tho old lady is here now. She has not yet been called. Mr E. H. Davies: The case has been dealt with. Then he went on to say that the Guard- ians, considering that it was parish money they spent, desired to be very careful, but they all wished to meet every deserving case. (Dr. Davies then left the room in order to catch a train). Mr Morgan remarked that he did not believe Mr Davies intended to blame the Guardians at all, but that he felt at the time so much that he con- sidered something ought to be done. Mr E. H. Davies said he had no doubt it was so, but what about the certificate of death ? If Dr. Davies had any doubt in his mind as to whether the man died from starvation, why did he not say so ? Mr M. Cule: If there was a certificate, who called the inquest ? Mr E. H. Davies: It was because of a very gross, untrue report which appeared in the Western MfJttZ that the police took the matter up. That was said in answer to a question at the inquest. Tho .u^eting then terminate!. I

INSTRUCTIONS TO SIR H. ROBINSON. A Parliamentary paper has been issued containing the instructions addressed by the Earl of Kimberley to Sir Hercules Robinson, on his departure to asaume the offices of Governor of the Cape and High Commis- sioner in South Africa. With regard to the Transvaal, Lord Kimberley says that her Majesty's Government have anxiously looked forward to the time when it might be possible to confer free institutions on the Transvaal,but "the recent news of an attempt to over- throw the Queen's sovereignty by armed force renders it useless to discuss arrangements which can only be practicable when the authority of the Crown has been vindicated,and the maintenance of tranquility is firmly assured. When this has been effected her Majestv's Government will be prepared carefully to consider the best means of assuring to the Dutch settlers such full control of their local affairs as may be consistent with the general interests of her Majesty's dominions in South Africa, and with the obligations which have been incurred by this country to the very large native population in the Transvaal.' I will only further say," continues Lord Kimberley, that any plan of union or confederation which may hereafter be agreed upon by the three colonies will be considered by her Majesty's Government with an earnest desire to be able to give it their sanction. Failing any complete scheme of union, it might be possible to bring about at once joint action in regard to customs duties, and such matters AS fpofctal and telegraphic communication, and,above all, to establish a well-considered and efficient system of mutual co-operation for the maintenance of peace and for defence against risings or attacks of native*, whether within or beyond the frontiers." Upon the subject of the Basuto War, after expressing disap* proval of the policy pursued by the Colonial, Government, Lord Kimberley pays:—"As there ap-1 pears unfortunately to be no immediate prospect ol] the reestablishment of the authority of the Colonial Government, the qnestion presents itself whethev it would be possible by any friendly in- tervention on the part of her Majesty's Government to facilitate the restoration of peace. It is obvious that the conditions under which her Majesty's Government could attempt to bring about a settlement of the difficulty must depend upott various circumstances which cannot now be wholly foreseen. I am unable,therefore,to say more at presest than that if the Colonial Government should desire that an effort should be made to bring about a settles ment through the Imperial authority, and nt should be satisfied that the Basutos would be willing to place themselves to the hands of her Majestyv Government, I should be ready te receive favourably any proposition tor the appointment of a commission to •oEsiaer and recommend terms of settlement, at for the direct intervention of the Crown, if tfcsl should appear preferable. It is probable ths* tbe latter mignt be the better course, as the Bamtai were accustomed to look to tbe Governor ot Hisa Commissioner as the immediate representative of tot Queen." •

» ..1J. A PLEA FOR THE BOERS. Mr. Henry Richard, M.P., writes to a contempo* rary :—I trust there are not many of our country men who will look upon the miserable conflict into which we have entered with the Boers of the TnDt- vaal with any other feelings than those of regret and disgust. The annexation of the territory of the Republic was the arbitrary act of one omcial dressed in a little brief authority, pni was brought about in open defiance of the instructions sent him from the Colonial Office. Sir "fheophilns Shep* stone was only commissioned to take temporary possession of part of the Transvaal, and that ex- pressly on the condition that the inhabitants, or the Legislature, signified their desire to become subjects of the Queen, instead of which he took absolute pot* session of the whole country against the wishes both of the people and the Volksraad, who declined even to deliberate on his proposal for the surrendet of their independence. The main plea urged in justi- fication of this high-handed course was this—that the Boers were in danger of becoming involved in war with the Zulus, and that some contingent peril might arise from that to our colony of Natal. But we utterly stultified that plea; for almost immec diately after the annexation we began an aggrer sive and unprovoked war upon the Zulus ourselves. It is greatly to be regretted that the present Govern- ment, when it came into office, had not the courage to do in South Africa what they did in Afgl anistan-that is, boldly reverse the policy of their predecessors. Mr.Gladstone did not scruple to brand the annexation as both impolitic and unjust. Why, then, adopt and stand by a proceeding that could be so characterised t It is very well to talk of the necessity for continuity in our policy. But surely there ought to be no continuity of acknowledged folly and wickedness. It ought not to be forgotten at this time that the entire European population of South Africa amounts to 340,000 s'nls. Of this number only 120,000 are English, the rest being Dutchmen, or of Dutch descent. That these latter strongly sympathise with their kinsmen of the Transvaal is evident from the remarkable ad- dress to Mr. Gladstone from the Dutch in the Cape Colony, transmitted through Mr. Courtney, M.P., interceding for the Boers and entreating the Prime Minister to restore their independence. The danger is therefore that, by attempting to crush the latter, we should alienate the loyalty of a large body of our fellow subjects throughout the South African colonies. No one can question our g>wer to suppress the Boers of the Transvaal, ut what possible advantage, or glory, can come from such an exploit ? Why should we rob these people of their inaependence ? It is impossible that men like Mr. Gladstone and Mr. Brignt can have any sympathy with such a polioy. Let there be only a distinct expression of public opinion, and we may venture to hope that such instructions will be sent out to South Africa as shall stop further bloodshed by some arrangement which wul practically restore to these people their country and their independence. Alfred Ashley Vanghton, 58, a gentleman of good mections, was brought up at the Warwickshire u-ter session on a charge of attempting to commit cide. He had made several previous attempts, and dence having been adduced to prove that he was an oitual drunkard, he was dealt with under the Aituai Drunkards Act of 1879. The court com- tted him to prison for a month, and ordered him be detained in a retreat for three years. 3ir Theodore Martin has postponed his address aa )rd Rector of St. Andrew's University till the be- ining of next session. He will probably then be a position to refer more definitely to the prospects the university in connection with recent important ovements affecting Its interests. Baron Henry de Worms intends to aek the Secre- y for War, in the House of Commons, whether, in w of the very unsatisfactory nature of the last re- t of the Commissioners of the Royal Patriotio nd, he will appoint a committee to investigate d report upon the financial and general aaminiatra- n of the fund, and the manner in which the Royal triotic Schools at Wandsworth are conducted. If does not intend to appoint such committee, whether will state what steps, if any, he proposes to take to er to remedy the present state of affairs. Christ Church, Doncaster, has been entered by thieves, who abstracted the contents of two or three free gift boxes.which had not been cleared since Beetee. William Ainsworth, 27, employed at the Memy Hotel, Runcorn, has been charged with abducting the daughter of Mr. Thomas Blease, of the Royal Hotet The two hostelries are only a few yards apartt and the prisoner formed an intimacy of a tender charact9 with Mim Blease, who is only 16 years of age next birthday, and they went off to--other the young lady leaving a letter stating that she had gone to Iilv«v pool. Her parentB found that Ainsworth had also left th« town, and suspected what had happened, and, with the aid of the police, were able to trace the young couple to Warrington, meeting them justeS they were proceeding to church to be married. Thi prisoner was remanded, but admitted to bail.

tM trMlAPATTERlfSofNBTtSlLlLl or Dress Goods Post Free. jMrsiLKB from 1 to SO Ghs. Fancy Dresses 7/0 te 5 8» Trade Write te D. NICHOLSON St (je.,50 to », 9tJPaaTt Mori. Church Yard, London, K.O. Established 1841. A T, R's CRYSTAL CASE WATCHBB axe superseding all others. Prise Medals. London, 1ML Buis, 1887.8Uv«r froniJB8 3s. Gold from £ 0 OomhillK.a. BP. Benent-st..W.A 76. Strand, W.C. DcacrrptiTe Pamphlat fria, O ACTION. — HIGHEST HONUU* V^PATtTH nwa JfYFTW BEINSMEAD and SONS eauttonlM ^ltonSSurt ndMtiSements which axe being deliberated wade with a view to detract from the high honours aoparaaO •ledr firm at the Paris Exhibition, and call attention totaelMS foat the Brevet conferring the Legion of Honour on the seniCB Ennrnfray of tile firm distinctly records its having been bestowed en him as an exhibitor. This was the highest honour aeeordea as Spy British pianoforte manufacturer18.W igmore St..London —I>ABIS EXHIBITION, M TOHN BRINSMEADand SONS' PATENT tJ SOSTENENTE PIANOS exhibited at the Paris Exhibition of 1878, gained the highest honours, the Cross of the l>ginn at Honour, also the Gold Medal of the National Acadeinr, Xn nance,&c. There is but one class of gold medals tar the Ew nftion, and the decoration of the Gross ot the Legion of Honwa epnstitntes a superior reoompense.—(Signed) A. F^tis, Omoaej Reporter." lints free.—18. Wigmore Street, London, W. TAMES PLATT & Co., Woollen Merchant* w 71, 8t. Martin's Lane, London, W.Q. PlUOZ LISTS SENT POST FREE TO THE TRADE. BARNARD's PATENT HAMMOCK Bassinette. Awarded Medals for Comfort, Safety, Ac. Mae- tIatedList ofB. Barnard, 107, St. Paul's Rd., Highbury, London. ILN 's SAFES, Best and Cheapest i-TJL SAFEGUARD against FIRE and THIEVES. Phoenix Sate Works. Liverpool. SMALL VERTICAL STEAM ENGINES CIRCULAR SAW BENCHES, with or without BAND SAWS. Write for Testinioiiials and Illustrated Price List- E. S. HINDLEY, POtTRTCN. DORSET. BB.rbT.TANT WHITE SILENT LIGHT. WM. SUGG's Celebrated Pate# SAS BURNERS. The "LONDON" Argand and The "CHBla TIANIA" Flatflame, obtained the GOLB MEDAL, PARIS, 1878. Sole Patentee & Man* facturer, WILLIAM SUGG, GAS Vincent Works. Westminster. Losdan. S.W. -J rn Tf rrf D'ARCY'S JD U X> JJ 1 jN BTUUX. Specially gnitable.far INVALIDS, being gwarnntwd to be brewed from MALT AND HOPS ONLY. Aironoa Baawzar, DDBMW. (largest Brewery in Ireland bnt one). to be brewed from MALT AND HOPS ONLY. Aironoa Baawzar, DDBMW. (largest Brewery in Ireland bnt one). r

Her death is deeply regretted by all who knew her, being a person very highly respected in the village. Her name has been very intimately connected with the Tonyfelin Baptist Church for the last forty years, being most assiduous and persevering in her efforts to further the interests of the church Although seventy three years of age she was a regular and consistent Sunday School teacher to within a few weeks of hor death. She was as was testified by one of the officiafng ministers at the grave on Tuesday, a model worthy of imitation by professing christians. Both church and Sunday School have experienced a deep and heavy loss by this mos faithful member's death. GYFEILLON. GREAT WESTERN COLLIERT.—We understand that strenuous efforts are being made to establish a reading room &c., for the use of the workmen of the above colliery. The matter was suggested by some members of the company who attended as a deputation to the workmen, in the late dispute at the celHery. The manager, Mr Harrison, was in- structed to bring the matter before the workmen, lor their approval, and for the organisation of the necessary preliminaries. The workmen have held meetings to oonsider the proposal, and it may be confidently hoped that the movement will be carried 110 a successful issue. What has been felt all along by the working olass in this district, the reading portion of it, is that the Pontypridd Literary Institute IB to all practical purposes a class institution. The presence of any of them at the rooms is looked upon by some of the members as an intrusion, which certainly disoourages their patronage of the insti- tute, and to a great degree accounts for the financial difficulty the committee of the institute find themselves in. Another means of recreation promoted at the above colliery is the establishment of a brass band by the workmen, which will afford means of amusement, besides cultivating a taste for the divine art of music.