The Amman Valley Chronicle and East Carmarthen News

MR. LLEWELLYN WILLIAMS, M.P.'s SISTER MARRIED. A wedding which created much local in- terest took place at Llanwrdn, on Tuesday, when the contracting parties were Miss Maggie Lewis, sister of Mr. Llewellyn Y\ il- Iiams, E.C., M.P., and Mr. Telynog Davies, of the Capital and Counties Bank, Neath. The Rev. T. Thomas, D.D, Llandovery, offici- ated. and there were present at the ceremony Mr. Llewelyn Williams. M.P., and Mrs. Wil- liams, Mr. and Mrs T. Mayberry Williams, Pontypridd; Mr. Henry Dayies (father of the bridegroom) and Mrs. Davies, Mr. and Mrs. M. H. Williams. Mr. and Mrs. E. R. Evans. Mr. and Mrs. n. Lewis. Mr. and Mrs. D. Griffiths, Mr. and Mrs. Dan Davies. Llan- dovery, and a large circle of friends The bride was given away by her father, and Mr. H. Tudor Davies (brother of the bridegroom) acted as best man. There were many valu- able presents.

"I only had a drop," said a defendant at Acton. "What do you call a 'drop'-?" asked the magistrate and the man replied "Ivelll three or four pints."

I AMMANFORD. I SPECIAL SALE OF DRAPERY AND CLOTHING AT COHEN'S. Great reduction on all goods pre vious to removing to new premises. Come and see windows. Note Address Next door to Lipton's, Ammanford. THE 'DAISY' BOOT POLISH can be obtained from all Grocers, Oil Men, Etc., Id., 2d., 4d., tins.—Manufactured by T. Jones, Garnant. VISIT OF WELL-KNCWN CONDUCTOR.—The far-famed conductor, Mr. Glyndwr Richards, has favoured Ammanford with a visit this week. It is said that he is an applicant for the Y.M.C.A. secretaryship. YOUNG LIBERALS' LEACH.-E. The first annual general meeting of the Ammanford and district branch of the National League of Young Liberals will be held next Tues- day, September Kith, at Gwynfryn School. It is expected that the president of the branch, Mr. J. Towyn-Jones, M.P., will preside. AMMANFORD COLLIERY DISPUTE.—Indica- tions, on Thursday, pointed to a stoppage at the Ammanford No. 1. Colliery, in con- sequence of the dispute of the management over the "double shift" question. The notices, which the men have tendered, expire on Saturday, so that, if an eleventh hour solution of the difficulty is not found, work will be suspended on Monday. COLLIERY ACCIDENT.—Whilst following his employment as a collier's assistant at the Parke Colliery on Monday morning, Mr. Wm. Hy. Davies, seventeen years of age, of (ii, Gethin-terrace, Ammanford, sustained rather severe injuries to the body. There was a fall of clod ,which struck him on the. loin. He had to be conveyed home, suffer- ing great pain, and later had to be operated upon by Drs. Stewart and Whitelow. ANNIVERSARY SERVICES in connection with the English Baptist Church were held on Sunday, the commodious edifice, Ebenezer, being placed at the disposal of the English friends for the occasion. The Rev. D. Hop- kins, of Tylorstown, Rhondda Valley, preached powerful sermons. There were large congregations, and the hearty singing contributed to the success of all the services. THE FAIR.—Although the attendance dur- ing the day was somewhat smaller than usual, the fair, upon the whole, was a suc- cess. The centre of attraction was in and around White's Palace, and the famous en- t tertainer provided many kinds of "shows" and means of creating and sustaining in- terest and merriment. The fair was kept up until close on midnight in connection with the merry-go-rounds, etc. WELCOME RETURN.—Mr. Evan Williams, Roselands, the organist to the St. Michael's Church, has returned from a six months pleasant holiday in the Transvaal, and has much of surpassing interest to relate. He visited Johannesburg shortly before and after the Rand riots, and it was his opinion that Lord Gladstone was well advised in taking the line of action lie did, as any laxity on his part at that important juncture would have spelt disaster for the city. NOTICE.—At the present time there are numerous persons calling upon unsuspecting householders, representing themselves to be skilled extractors, makers of artificial teeth. Before giving such person a hearing, you are hereby warned to make enquires as to their capability and experience. Mr. L. Ferriggi, of Ammanford, can be recommended, as his experience of 12 years practical work with some of the best known dentists speaks for itself and we can with the greatest of con- fidence recommend him to the public. [Adv.] SEQlC: L TO SATURDAY'S SPREE.—At a special court on Monday—before Messrs. E. Hewlett (in the chair), and David Jones, an elderly man, named John Rees, Hendre-road, (ar- nant, was charged with drunkenness and dis- orderly conduct on Saturday night. Defend- ant readily admitted the offence, and P.C. Farrell stated that 8.15 p.m. he found him lying on the ground in Park-street, shouting, cursing, and swearing. He assisted him to his feet and found that he was very drunk. On the way to the police station defendant became very violent ,and it was with the assistance of P.C. Britten that he was eventually locked up. A fine of 5s. and costs was imposed. ST. MICHAEL'S C.E.M.S. ENGLISH SEC- TION.—A meeting was held on Monday in the Church Rooms, Mr. A J. Waldron presid- ing, there being a good number present. The preparation of the programme for the coming. session was the principal business, and there are prospects of there being some very good papers read. The session opens on Septem- ber loth, on which date Mr. J. S. Y\ lntting- ham will read a paper entitled "A study of Bees," which, no doubt, will prove an interesting subject. It is intended to hold a social (amongst the members onlyi on September 25th. and an invitation has been sent to Llandebie C.E.M.S. There has been a strong feeling for 3ome time for running an .4- .r"r'I.1-nl1 t-oon. f'\t1I rJ1J}n,l'lr f">nnl USbW'Hiun iuuiuuii VJII »i n i this society, and matters relating to it have taken a good turn, for which purpose in- tending players amongst Churchmen are in- vited to attend a meeting on Thursday, at 8 p.m. in the Church Room. Teams desirous of booking fixtures are advised to write to the Secretary, Mr. A Preston Goleudy, Park- street. I.O.G.T.—The Ammanford Lodge of the 1.0.(4.T. met at the Y.M.C.A. Institute last Monday evening, the Vice-Templar, Bro. D. J. Edwards presided. After the usual routine of the Lodge, it was resolved that a telegram of greetings and best wishes be sent to the I.O.G.T. Grand Lodge Conference, now sitting at Newport The Cliief-Tciiiplir and Electoral Superintendent are represent- ing this lodge at the conference, and the members are anticipating an interesting re- port from their delegates at the next session. Arising from a discussion with regard to the proposed string band, a committee was ap- pointed to go through the necessary arrange- ments It is expected that something will also be heard of the proposed dramatic society shortly. The captains of the cycl- ing club and rambling club are arranging a final rally for the members, who are looking forward to one more treat before the end of the season. After the close of the Lodge, a short musical programme was gone through, tliiis Pianoforte eolo, Bro. J. L. Jones; comic song. Mr. Percy James; an Irish reci- tation, Bro. D. J. Edwards; baritone solo, Bro. J. L. Jones: song, Mr. Percy James; Sister Hannah Jane" was the accompanist. Great things are expected fron rhis Lodge during the winter, and we hear that the members are likely to start a fresh cam- paign shortly, which it is believed will in- crease the membership to a very large ex- tent. The Lodge should have 500 members, and they won't be happy until they get them. Every member is especially re- quested to be at the meeting next Monday at 8 o'clock sharp.

I AMMANFORD SOCCER TEAM'S MAIDEN VICTORY. SEASON COMMENCED IN CONVINC- ING STYLE. The Ammanford soccer toea III made their preliminary canter on Saturday afternoon, t-n the occasion of an away match with Mond If, played in lieu of a last year's unfulfilled fixture, and their magnificent form surprised even their own supporters. Not a little pessimism had overtaken the Ammanford representatives in the course of their journey, principally caused by the fact that no less than five reserves had to be called upon to fill breaches. In tragic phrase, they were prepared for the worst. Although Mond II were able to turn out a strong side, a few minutes' play sufficed to instil confidence into the hearts of the Am- I manford men. and the brilliant opening goal of Idris Naunton Morgan placed them on their mettle. Intercepting at half-way Mor- gan dribbled up the field on his own, and sent in a well jupdged shot, which baffled the Mond goalie, and found the net. After this the home team equalised through an effort -Ü11 the part of Hynes, but within the space of » few minutes Joe Hewlett placed Ammanford ahead, a lead which they maintained up to the interval. In the second half Ammanford, resorting to short passing, were able to reap the ad- vantage of their superiority, Goulden gather- ing a brace of goals in succession, one if them from a long pass from Charlie Rets, and Hinton, with the end in sight, netting1 the fifth goal for the team. As a whole tlid eleven did grandly, and are to be heartily congratulated upon their achievement, which augurs well for the near future. The players who did duty were:—Goal* F.-Eainford backs, Jack Shaw, and Frank Price half- backs, Bob Hewlett, Tommy Twist, and T. Hinton; forwards, Jerrlscn, Goulden, I. Naunton Morgan, Joe Hewlett, and Charlie Rees.

CARMARTHENSHIRE COUNTY COUNCIL BYE-ELECTION. MR. GWILYM V A UGH AN ELECTED. The polling in the Quarter Bach Division took place on Friday, and, wilF be gathered from the account given in another column, there was considerable enthusiasm and excite- ment. The votes were counted the same night, Mr. W. Howell, Llanelly. being the Returning Officer. The result was as follows Mr. Gwilym Vaughan 430 Mr. D.W.Lewis 252 Majority 178

IS THE PICTURE THEATRE INSTRUCTIVE ? This question has often been asked, r.d answered, "Yes," or "No. Those who reply in the negative have either never been in one, or, when they did go, they must have occupied their minds in imagining wirt awful deeds could be committed in the com- parative darkness of a picture hall, and ccn.a out with a distorted impression of what took place on the screen. Such Killjoys, luckily, are in the minority. Now fer the other side. Take the busy man, who cannot, from the nature of his occupation, spend two or three hours in a theatre seeing a three or four drama. He can go to a picture palace and see the same thing enacted, by the foremost actors and actresses of the day, without; occupying much of his time. Incidentally, he can enjoy a good laugh at a comic film, and receive a wealth of instruction from -an educational or a travel fi Ini. To the toiler, after hia hard day's work, what a source cf enjoyment to sit in a picture hall and imagine himself transported thousands of miles from his native. heath, and witness the scenery, modes of living, indigenous animals, i) i-( ] s of f ii and birds of foreign countries; gignr?ic scenery, i?iodes of ?.3d]geiious aiiii-li,,]'.3, ferns and flora (luitco strange to our ey-.s. The bioscope reveals all these. History 1:}Y be a sealed book to the tc.ler, or lie rany have some hazy idea? or it, reminiscent of his all t.oo short school days. To him the picture palace is a night school. battles are fought over again great deeds nre c- e l- done again: lives of great men are pourtrayed and their characters revealed to us. 1812, what does that recall'? The bioscope will take us back to it-, and describe an epoch in French history, and the end of the career of the man who have alter-; il the map of Europe. This historical romance, with all n? wealth i f detail and the grim horrors of warfare; the advance of Napoleon's army upon the ancient capital of the. Slavs, is sufficient to incense the popula- tion. and is the precursor cf scenes, the lke of which may never again be recorded In history. On September the 14th, 1^12, Napoleon entered the ciiy d Moscow the French army, the flc-wer of all the Continental troops. That night the people set their city on fire, and Napoleon saw from the Kremlin the flames mounting high, flames destined to turn the tide of events against a hitherto unbeaten Commander. A mad gallop amid snow clad seenei-N-, i sli to the frontier, and Frnrce is reached, but at what cost, alas. of an everlasting disgrace, and the loss of Many thousands of the bravest. Thus does the bioscope teach us history, by depicting the events of September, 1812, in September, 1913. The management of White's Palace, at Ammanford, has secured this great film, and will show it on Monday and Tuesday next.

Chancellor has returned to London— "the hub of the universe"—he has repudiated what has been described as "The Land Forecast issued by the "Central News." Even the "Daily News" had fallen into the trap, for a well-known writer to that journal — P.W.W.—says, The < salient features of the forecast had already appeared at variou dates in your columns, and I am authorised to state that the latest version is en- vj tirely devoid of inspiration." Now, 'j that in itself is not complimentary. J Here is a little drop of vinegar: Mr. Llo x-d George's criticism, lie adds, is »! "'that what was new was not true, •J while what was true was not new!" J That is frank and terse, at any rate. J But what are the facts? J.I lr. Lloyd George has, as a holiday task, read the sifted evidence of the Land Inquiry so far as it concerns rural conditions. By this evidence, he is much impressed, and, in his -OPIIIIOII, the reports constitute an un- answerable case for bold legislation. The facts are marshalled with the scientific thoroughness that character- ised the historic researches of Mr. ,Charles Booth and Mr. Kowntree. Then "P.W.W." (Mr. P. W. Wilson) goes on to say: "The documents have also been laid befor the Prime .Minister and other statesmen. Be- fore he delivers his speech at Bedford, ,on October lIth, Mr. Lloyd George will visit the Prime Minister and dis- cuss with him the lines of policy to be advocated. But for the moment, the Chancellor of the Exchequer is resting, and has no desire to issue statements of his intentions. His friends hope that he may find it pos- sible to proceed on a brief Conti- nental tour before the work of the .autumn seriously commences." No Tinkering. But Mr. Wilson, in what appears to be his inspired communication, goes on, "What can be said definitely -at this moment is that there will be no mere tinkering. Either the land system should be fundamentally re- formed or Liberalism had best leave it alone. This is one reason why the proposals as they develope, will be of so drastic a character that a Parlia- ment elected ad hoc will be required ,to force them on the Statute Book." 'Coming from such a source, at such a moment, we think it advisable to give the foregoing quotation in full, so that our readers may see that repudiation does not mean abandon- ment. The "Birds" that should go in Spring. Iheie is amusement as well as in- struction to be derived from the pro- ceedings of a Sanitary Conference. One is beng held in Llandudno this week, and, on Tuesday, the Clerk to the Landudno Urban Council called .attention to many inconveniences ac- cruing from the custom of taking holidays in August to the exclusion of more suitable periods early in the year. In addition to overcrowding ztild difficulties of sanitation, he in- stanced the following evil results—in- different cooking, increased prices, overworking of servants and animals, traffic congestion, and short days. The conference passed a resolution calling for an improvement in the holiday system, and urging the earlier commencement of school holidays. But the cream of the discussion came to the surface when the eminent sur- geon, Sir James Crichton Browne, extracted a o1-:e from th e 110lidav extracted a joke from the holiday arrangements of bachelors and old maids. The doctor actually sug- gested that as August was the "family month," bachelors and spin- sters at least should be compelled to take their holidays in the springtime. The New President of the Baptist Union. It being the turn, in rotation, of a layman to become the President of the Baptist Union of Wales, Mr. Thomas Edmunds, of Mountain Ash, has been selected. Mr. Edmunds, notwthstanding his long residence in Glamorganshire, is a Carmarthen- shire man—a native of Horeb, near Llauelly. When 13 years of age, lie removed to Abercwmboi, where he worked as a collier boy for six years. He subsequently became a grocer s assistant, and soon afterwards opened a business of his own, removing to Mountain Ash, then a rising and thriving village, in 1878, and until his retirement, about 12 years ago, lie carried on a successful business. Mr. Edmunds has been actively con- nected with the Welsh Baptist cause since his youth, and was a deacon, and some years the secretary, of the Church at Abercwmboi. Since his advent to Mountain Ash lie has been one of the pillars of the cause at Hhos Church, and occupied in turn most of the offices of the local and county Baptist Association open to laymen. He is the treasurer of the Baptist Home Mission Society, and at the Union meetings held in Aberystwyth last year, lie was elected vice-presi- dent. Mr. Edmunds has been pro- minent in the public life of Mountain Ash for 16 years, and has been Chair- man of the Urban District Council. I A Postal Grievance from Cwmllynfell. I A correspondent who appends to his communication the initials "T.D.ll. gives vent to postal griev- ances under which he and others suffer (but not in silence) at Cwm- llynfell. He says, The first de- livery is supposed to take place at 8 a.m. or so, the postman having to walk from Ystalyfera through Cwm- twrch. If the weather is unfavour- able letters sometimes do not reach here till 10 or 11 o'clock. Many people ask why letters cannot come direct here by the 8.15 from Swansea, so that a regular delivery may be established. Another grievance is that in the main street, i.e., Gwilym- road, there is a pillar box attached to the wall, where letters are cleared at 3.45 p.m. only, whilst the latest clearing at the head Post Office occurs at 5.30 p.m. Now the dis- tance from the pillar box to the head Post Office is five minutes' walk only, but whilst the inhabitants of this town living across the railway bridge are naturally further away from the head Post Office, they have to walk pt-, pps a mile to catch the 8.35 a.m. clearing there (no morning clearing taking place at the wall letter box). Supposing a serious illness takes place on a Thursday afternoon and a physician is required for consultation with the local doctors, one would have to walk to the nearest village, Cwmtwrch (three miles away), to send a telegram, unless the local potmaster, who, 1 must admit, is very obliging, accepts the telegram for transmission, his office closing on Thursdays for all business at 1 p.m. This place, I believe, contains about 8,000 people, so a better service should be established to benefit the inhabitants. Let Cwmllynfellites lay their case before the Postmaster- General, and not rest content until their grievance is attended to, and the "CHKOXICLK will do all in its power to give publicity to the woes of those who so ably and clearly give utterance to the Vox Populi." Mae dyddiau gwell i wawrio, bye and bye. The Miners' Ballot. I j By the time these notes are in the hands of the readers, the ballot ar- ranged for by the South Wales Miners' Federation, on the question of direct labour representation, will be "in full swing," and even the lag- gards will have finished their ballot- ting by Friday night. The workmen have had advice and directions and instructions and appeals laid before them, but the apathy shown in many places is such as to arouse a fear that the miners are weary of ballots, and that, important as the question un- doubtedly is, there will not be that decisive vote which should come from such a body. Possibly, the reason is that there are conflicting views as to the advisability or otherwise of fight- ing all Parliamentary contests on so- called V independent" labour lines. And this doubt has been created by lack of wisdom on the part of self- seeking leaders who have played the enemy's game without regard to con- sequences. Recent elections have done much to foster this doubt. And yet, in the present circumstances, neglect to assert their emphatic wish for their rights to promote the candi- dature of Labour representatives would be a sign of weakness on the part of the workers, because the bal- lot is really a necessary sequel to the new Trades Union Act, and an in- different response would be pitiful, while a direct "No" to the question put oil the ballot paper would be fool- ing away an opportunity of asserting the rights of Democracy. Educative Value of the Campaign. Although the abence of Mr. ( B. Stanton from the Ammanford mass meeting was a disappointment, because the miners had anticipated some elocutionary "fireworks" (which Mr. Stanton can indulge in when lie thinks fit, but which are not always guaranteed when he wants to lead warily and well) the meeting was of considerable value as a means of dis- seminating information, as other meetings in the district have been. Mr. John James, in his torrential duoglott speech, traversed the whole ground fom G'enesis to the Book of lievelations, and his remarks on the importance of labour representation on public authorities were forcible. Notably was this so in regard to the influence of the human sympathy of working men representatives in pre- venting the continuance of old methods of "grinding the faces of the poor. We are sure, however, he will pardon us for saying that his second speech, elicited by the vote of thanks, reminded us, not by its sub- stance, but by its length, of an amus- ing story told of Prof. Milne. It is worth telling. A Lecture that Stopped the Clock. I Professor John Milne, the eminent mining engineer and seismologist, who died not long ago, was once in- vited to lecture before a meeting of the British Assocation in Canada. He started off promptly at eight o'clock, and by a quarter-past had nearly reached the end of his dis- course. Soon lie reached the end of the lecture, which had been prepared beforehand, and, glancing at the clock, lie saw that the hands pointed to twenty past eight. He thought to himself, "Well, it would be a pity for them to think that a man who has come all the way from England has said all lie has got to say in twenty minutes. I'll give them some more." So lie began a story to spin out the time. Presently he happened to glance round at his supporters on the platform, and observed that Lord Kelvin wore a puzzled expression, but he went on and on until suddenly he felt someone hit him in the back, and Lord Kelvin's voice whispered in his ear: "Shut up, Milne; you I N-e been talking an hour and a half. The clock has stopped!" The County Council Bye-Election. Without repeating here what is so fully set out in our news columns, we may refer to last week's County Bye-election, and its result. Mr. Vaughan's majority was so decisive as to justify everybody in expecting that the parties to the contest will cordi- ally and cheerfully join in the task of "burying the hatchet," and proceed, like the Indian warriors after a fight, to "smoke the calumet of peace. We feel sure that the victor acknowledges that the vanquished was a "foeman worthy of his steel," and the causes of the one winning and the other losing can be dismissed as beyond the need of discussion. We well remember interviewing an old veteran after his defeat, on one occa- sion, and asking him to what he at- tributed it. He smilingly replied- "Simply that I did not get a sufficient number of votes—put it down to that." That Ammanford Cemetery Question. I We must confess to a feeling of deep sympathy with the grievance of those who have written to our columns upon the need of a Public Cemetery at Ammanford, and we hope the authorities will take up the subject as soon as possible, for, to Welsh people especially, the burial of the dead is an event which touches the deepest chords of sentiment and affection. "Man feclian ei fedd" is in reality a sacred spot which carries on its marble slab, or simple greensward or flowers the fondest wishes for "Heddwch i'w lwch, hyd y boreu bydd dorau beddau'r byd ar un gair yn agoryd. To many of us, the free- hold" in these burial grounds is a possession which carries with it not simply the only land-ownership we are likely to secure in the world, but it does away with the repugnant idea that departed friends cannot be laid to rest except in borrowed ground and the fact that there are so many places of worship in Ammanford without their own burial-ground makes it almost a scandal to delay the provision of a Public Cemetery. Considerations of the health of the living ill close proximity to existing burial-grounds will, in all probability, operate before long. But why wait until then? Sir Oliver Lodge and the Belief in God. Sir Oliver Lodge, who read the inaugural address of the British Association meeting at Birmingham on Wednesday night, is a great scien- tist. To the writer of these notes, Sir Oliver Lodge, however, is an in- teresting subject for a note, because of a visit which that powerful thinker paid to Pontypridd and the Khondda Valley during the height of the fer- vour of the Welsh Revival. From what then transpired, the views elicited, and published now, by one of the leading religious weeklies, are not at all surprising. It may be explained at the outset that Sir Oliver Lodge is famed not only as a pioneer in wireless telegraphy but as an investigator of psyschical phenom- ena. He is a believer in the ultimate unity of Faith and Science. And in connection with the approach- ing congress of the British Associa- tion, a timely expression of his views on this matter is given in the "Citristiau Commonwealth" this week. Among a number of ques- tions put to Sir Oliver by that journal was the inquiry: "Has re- cent scientific investigation, particu- larly the inquiry into the constitution of matter and the origin and nature of life made it easier to believe in Uod." "The belief has not been made easier," was the reply, "but it has been made fuller and truer and more real. For this is the effect of all knowledge among those who understand and assimilate it. Thorough knowledge often has a different and even an opposite effect from superficial knowledge." I The Scientist and the "Life Be-I yond. Asked whether he thought we- were nearer a demonstration of the human personality's survival of bodily death, t)ir Oliver answered: "Yes, certainly; and that which has been in the past a matter of religious faith will become in the future a matter of scentific knowledge. I do not say that the proof is crucially complete as yet, but the evidence is so exceedingly strong that it is only by mental con- tortion that its cogency can be evaded. The demonstration cannot be based on any single instance or on any one group of facts, but will be the cumu- lative result of a great mass of d I d [ gradualy acquired experience. Significance of Telepathy. "What are the assured scientific conclusions regarding psychical re- search?" proceeded the inquiry, and the reply was, "Scientific men have not universally accepted any conclu- sions—not even on telepathy—an inas- much as the significance of telepathy is very great and wide, opening no- 0 0 thing less than a new volume in the history of human knowledge, some slowness in accepting it is natural and wholesome enough. Few people pro- bably realise the far-reaching scope and fundamental consequences of this newly discovered human faculty," added Sir Oliver; "it tends to unite the two states of existence and to demonstrate the transcend- ence of the spiritual over the material in a way which the anciently known human facultes did not."