The South Wales Star

THE PARLIAMENTARY REPRE- SENTATION OF BARRY. A REMARK made by one of the speakers on the occasion of the dinner given last week to the members of the Barry and Cadoxton Conser- vative Club and Institute calls, perhaps, for a passing reference. Mr Lloyd Lougher stated that the number of electors in the Barry polling district alone at present was consider- ably in excess of several divisions in the United Kingdom which returned members to Parliament on their own account. This naturally leads us to the conclusion that the day is not far distant when the claims of Barry to separate representation in the Imperial Chamber should receive serious con- sideration, and we are inclined to think the representatives of both political parties in this part of the division would be fully justified in taking up the question and agitating for a realisation of this new phase of equal representation of the electorate of South Glamorgan. LABOUR REPRESENTATION IN THE BARRY DISTRICT. ALLEGED BOGUS MEMBERS OF THE TRADES' COUNCIL AND BURIAL BOARD. THE proceedings connected with the last meeting of the Barry Trades' and Labour Council revealed a most extraordinary-and, we may add, equally discreditable-state of things in connection with labour representa- tion in the district. Our readers will re- member that some months ago letters appeared in the correspondence columns of the Barry Dock News, signed by a former official of that body, implying most distinctly that much in connection with the Council was rottenness to the core." We claim we have faithfully stood by the cause of labour in the Barry district ever since the first step in the direction of organisation was taken at Cadoxton mere than five years ago, and during the existence of that younger body, y C, the Trades' Council, we have with equal fidelity worked side by side with its members in assisting to promote the well-being of the working community in our midst. Our position this week, therefore, is, we assert ) with confidence, beyond a shadow of suspicion. We are anxious and determined that, so far as any influence we are able to exercise is concerned, the Trades' Council shall be purged of any element of irregularity and inconsistency in whatever form it may appear At the last meeting allegations of a most serious nature were made by Mr C. A. Makepeace, in his capacity as president of the Barry branch of the Railway Servants' Society. These allegations implied that for some time past the branch named has been represented on the Council by what we distinctly state to be bogus members, and one of these members has, in virtue of his position as member of the Trades' Council, since been nominated and elected a member of the local Burial Board. The Trades' Council, and its ex-president in particular, committed a serious mistake when they attempted last week to hush up this very serious state of things. It would have been far more dignified and honourable on their part had they faced the difficulty manfully, and taken prompt steps to apply a remedy which would show that the general body of members were determined that the constitu- tion of the Council should be healthfully supplied. Mi- Makepeace brought a direct charge of prostitution of the credit of the Council, and added that Mr Shepherd, the secretary of the railwaymen, who supplied the bogus credentials referred to, had actually admitted to his society that the state of things was such as was alleged. Notwith- standing this, not a single member of the Council present on the occasion had the caurage to attempt a denial, but, rather, the Council steeped its hands more deeply still in the element of bogus representation by electing one of the alleged bogus members as well as the putative author of the blunder to positions of official confidence at the same meeting. The member in question is not, we fear, the only so-called labour member of the Burial Board who has secured a seat on that body this year in an irregular way, another delegate of the Council having been elected while he was fully aware that he was not at the time a bona-fuie representative oi the society of which he was the apparent delegate. Members of the Trades' Council may be ambitious to obtain seats on the i public bodies of the district. Their ambition, we say, is an entirely iustifiable one, as the working classes-which form a vastly pre- ponderating proportion of the population— are entitled, if they choose, to direct re presentation but unless the election of labour members is conducted upon a firm, honest, and healthy basis we venture to predict the Council will very soon become utterly and deservedly lost to all confidence on the part of the electoral public. Mr Morgan Nicholas very readily challenged Mr Makepeace on a side issue, and attempted to justify his connection with the affair. To our mind it does not signify one straw whether Mr Nicholas was, or was not, a party to the intrigue J of which he is the unhappy victim. The position is simply this-were Mr Morgan Nicholas and Mr Aaron Williams duly elected members of the Trades' Council last year by the society they were suppose to represent, or were they, as alleged, simply nominees of the secretary 1 if the former be the case, then Mr Nicholas is a bona fide labour member of the Burial Board but if not, and if Mr Makepeace's assertions are correct-zi and they have yet to be contradicted-then Mr Nicholas was not a delegate of the Rail- waymen's Society, and we would advise him in vindication of his own honour, and in pro- tection of the integrity of the Trades' Council and the cause of labour in general, to resign his seat on the Burial Board and again submit himself for nomination as a constitutionally appointed delegate of his society.

NOTICE. A large amount of news and other contri- butions have been crowded out this week, in- cluding A Priest's reply to Mr A. E. P. Ross in the Church Controversy.—ED.

LOCAL AND GENERAL NOTES. — ————————————————————————— (I The Barry directors lj have once more been r THE EAST defeated, but they are t GLAMORGAX RAILWAY as far off as ever T BILL NOT PROVEN. from feeling discour- t aged. The Lords' Com- 11 mittee have decided 0 that the preamble of the East Glamorgan g Railway Bill has not been proved conse- y quently, the scheme must be held over for r another year, when its promoters will doubt- q less again present it, determined to carry into a effect a measure which will so materially s benefit, not only the Barry Company itself, but a the commercial public of South Wales in 1; general. a A Local Govern- ment Board inquiry t BARRY AND CADOXTON will be held at ELECTORAL DISTRICTS. the County Council Offices, Cardiff, on Tuesday next, for the purpose of re-arranging the electoral divisions of the county, the proposals including the formation of a new electoral division for Barry, consisting of so much of the existing division as is included in the south and west. Local j Board wards as well as the formation of a new division for Cadoxton, consisting of the east and north wards. Since the erec- tion of the railings TIIE LOCAL BOARD along the Barry RAILINGS AT DOCK VIEW- Company's pro- ROAD, BARRY DOCKS. perty, the iron rail- ings erected some- time ago by the Local Board along a portion of Dock View- road are of no service whatever, being only used at present as a perch for the hordes of loafers who habitually hang around the entrance to the dock property at this spot. It would be a great advantage, therefore, were the Local Board to order the removal of the railings, and thus provide freer means of communication along the pavement for the public, who are fre- quently interfered with by the gangs of idlers who infest this thoroughfare — a source of nuisance to the populace and of annoyance to the police. The Glamorgan and Monmouth- BARRY AND THE FEDERATED shire Federated CHAMBERS OF TRADE. Chambers of Trade held their half- yearly meeting at Merthyr on rhursday last, but it is a singular fact that no representative attended from the Barry Chamber of Trade. We do not know where the fault of this lies, but, to our mind, it certainly reflects very gravely upon a district the chamber of which entertained the federated body last year, and could not this year send even a single representative to voice their interests at the half-yearly meeting. Dr O'Donnell, chair- man of the Barry and TRAIN UP A CHILD Cadoxton Local Board, IN THE WAY HE is entitled to credit for SHOULD GO." the part he took last week in bringing under the notice of the magis- trates the case of the destitute lad, Dennis Desmond, who, it was ascertained, lived by going from one common lodging-house to another, and thereby inculcating evil habits. The magistrates, therefore, at once decided to send Dennis back to the workhouse, so that he might be properly cared for, and steps taken to render as promising as possible the boy's future career, which might, had it not been for the interference of Dr O'Donnell, have been any- thing but a creditable one. J The [ aspects for a mos, successful nnual exhibit DIN AS POWIS on the 22nc. August, in con- FLOWER SHOW. uection with the Dinas Powis Flower Show, are of a highly encouraging character, the en- tries being likely to be largely in excess of any previous occasion, and it is expected that the Right Hon. Lord Windsor will be amongst the visitors on the occasion, and it is also probable his lordship may be induced to present the prizes. A public inquiry was, conducted by the Glamor- EXTENSION OF THE gan County Council at PARISHES OF Cardiff Workhouse on BARRY AND Saturday last, with the e ADO X TON. view.(l) of annexing the Sheeping Moors at present supposed to form part of the parishes of St. Andrew's and Cadoxton to that of Cadoxton (2) Barry Island, in the parish of Sully, to the parish of tBarry (3) the residue of the parish of Sully, within the Local Board district, to the parish of Cadoxton and (4) that the extra-parochial district of High- light for all civil purposes be united with the parish of Wenvoe. There was no opposition, so that the new arrangement is already pract' cally an accomplished fact. The result of t inquiry will, therefore, have one import1 effect, that of bringing Barry Island within ti area of the educational district of Barry, so that it would probably be wise on the part of the School Board to lose no time in securing a piece of land on the Island, to be utilized when tht proper time arrives for the erection of a school for that portion of the rapidly-growing popula- tion of Barry. The Local Board might also bear in mind the desirability of including, whenever the opportunity arrives, the portion of Sheeping Moors hitherto part of St. Andrew's parish within the area of their municipal jurisdiction. Both the Penarth and Barry magistrates have IRREGULARITIES OF lately had cases before REFRESHMENT- them of offences by HOUSE KEEPERS. refreshment-house keepers who keep their places of business open during unreasonable hours. In the eye of the law these places are purely and simply public refreshment-houses, but to the observing public they often appear in a more serious light, being simply rendezvous where boys meet together to indulge in gambling and other licentious habits under the flimsy pretext of obtaining a cup of tea or coffee or a glass of ginger beer. The police, therefore, are doing well in keeping their eye upon such places, and prohibiting their remaining open, as is fre- quently the case, until midnight, and even after. These, with tobacconist and sweetmeat shops, are also the bane of these districts, so far as Sunday trading is concerned, and we hail with gratification the fact that the authorities are not wanting in taking steps to regulate as far as the law permits the conduct of these establishments. Last week's Transport gave a brief but comprehen- rHE POSITION OF sive analysis of the position BARRY DOCKS. of Barry Docks in relation to the East Glamorgan Railway scheme. It stated The Barry Docks have accommodation for i large trade, but owing to restricted railway Eacilities there is a great difficulty in dealing with the import trade—coal and ships' stores, in which there is a large traffie at Barry. The ground traversed by the main line of the new Company is said to contain 300,000,000 tons of coal. The district is entirely unexploited at present, and the construction of the line would be a great public benefit. At the present time Barry is unable to conduct its through traffic except upon a disadvantageous basis, owing to the absence of a direct route to the main lines of the great Companies. The Barry Company, therefore, ought to be put in the same position. as Cardiff with its Taff Yale Railway, for at present Barry cannot compete with Cardiff, as extra rates are charged to goods going to Barry, which has no direct route, and is subject to the delays which must occur when trains have to pass so many junctions on a circuitous route.' Through the courtesy of Mr F. P. Jones- BARRY STARR-BOWKETT Lloyd and Mr G. F. BUILDING SOCIETY. Willett, the gentle- men appointed to con- duct the liquidation proceedings of the late Barry Dock and District Starr-Buwkett Building Society, we are enabled this week to explain the position in connection with the Society in reply to letters which we have received from former members. A balance-sheet, it is pointed out, was produced to the shareholders at their last* meeting, but the majority of those present did not take the trouble to examinine the same, contenting- themselves with receiving their proportion of the financial proceeds of the Society. This balance-sheet is still accessible, and will be shown to anyone entitled to inspect the same upon calling at Mr Jones-Lloyd's offices, in Holton-road. There are still a few unpaid subscribers, but these not having made any demand for the sums due to them, no blame whatever can be attached to the gentlemen who have conducted the winding-up proceed- ings. The balance in hand will be placed in custody in the proper legal quarter, so that at any future time the remaining members may apply for their portion of the surplus. The following is a list of the unpaid subscribers: W. Britton, Id John Fisher, 15s 2d; W. Hopkins, Id George Lewis, 118 lOd Eliza. Lewis, 4s lOd W. D. Lewis, Is lid; M. E. Lewis, Is lOd Herbert Morgan, lid R. Mainwaring, Id R. Moon, 10s 9d; W. T. Morgan, 15s 8d Charles Roach, 5s 4d; Frederick Richards, Id Thomas Saunders, Id D. R. Thomas, lis 4d A. Thomas, 2s Id Pollie Wilcox, 10s 2d total, J:4 5s lid.