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LOCAL JOTTINGS.

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LOCAL JOTTINGS. [BY PENDRAQON.] I regret very much that my advocacy of a clear half-holidav for tho hairdressers' assistants of Cardiff has failed. In my simplicity of heart I thought they were as much entitled to the boon as those engaged in other businesses, and although I have been unsuccessful, I cannot conscientiously say I have encountered any reasons to induce me to change my mind. A man convinced against r his will is of the same opinion still," and I still labour under the impression that I espoused a good Z, cause. The great bulk of the hairdressers were quite willing to make the concession, if it can be called one, because they felt, I dare believe, as I do, that one's head or one's chin would not suffer materially for being untouched by the hands of the barber for a few hours. Two only of the hairdressers stood out, and the allega- tion of one of them is that the employes from other establishments could not be neglected for the sake of their congeners who use the scissors and the razor with so much dexterity. The hours of the latter are already sufficiently prolonged- from half-past eight in the morning until half- past eight at night is no joke, even for young fellows with robust physiques—and I do hope that the hangers-back will re-consider their determina- tion, as the other hairdressers do not feel inclined to close their places of business while the two indicated remain open. A Lover of Mercy," who tells me she is only a woman, and not in tho habit of writing to newspapers," complains of the over-loading of some of the vehicles which ply between Cardiff and Penarth, and describes a typical journey she made in one of these conveyances. She declares that more passengers were carried than were allowed by the regulations, with the result that the two horses which had to do the hauling were conside- rably distressed. She dwells with considerable bitterness on that part of the work which had to be done at the steep incline at Cogan, where the struggles of the animals were most painful to behold. Remonstrance only brought the retort from the little boy' who acted as conductor that 'it would take the fat off 'em, She con- eludes This is a strong letter, but if some of us did not open our mouths for the dumb creatures their voiceless wrongs might never reach pitying hearts." I do not single out any particular conveyance, but I must bear my testimony that the practice of over-loading in Cardiff has got to an almost un. endurable pitch. On Saturday nights this is especially the case, as anyone who takes the journey from, say, High-street to Canton and vice versa can bear testimony. The passengers are packed inside as close as herrings in a box and the conductors take no notice of the complaints except when they indulge in a little cheerful badinage at the expense of those who complain. I don't say that the omnibuses are worse than the 1 cars, or the cars greater sinners than the omni- buses. They all do it. It is six of one and half-a- dozen of the other, and I hope the managers will do something to stop a practice which bodes no good either to bipeds or quadrupeds. I do not like to appear selfish, but I certainly do object to being nearly suffocated because it pleases Messieurs the Conductors to put a dozen extra coppers into the coffers of their employers without the slightest consideration for the comfort and convenience of their fares. I wind up now, and hope I shall not have to recur to the subject, for a day or two at all events. I expect the minority of the Cardiff General Purposes Committee will "chortle in their joy" when I tell them that the Glamorgan Hunt Ball will not take place at Cardiff this year anyhow. It has been decided to postpone the event until the races and steeplechases early in the spring, and Cowbridge has been selected as the place in which the dancing shall take place. I hope, from the bottom of my soul, that all you tradesmen, inn- keepers, livery-stable keepers, and cabmen will send up a howl of execration which will not cease to reverberate until next November comes round again in the whirligig of time. By malice prepense you have been dished out of profitable business, and the only consolation you have is that it was not from any fault of your own, but from the deliberate action of those who profess to re- present you in the local Parliament. These narrow-minded nobodies now put the fault on the back of Mr. Birt St. A. Jenner, the hunt secretary, who is accused of discourtesy in not answering a certain letter. Was the letter sent, and by whom ? If the communication was an official one, and for- warded from the proper official quarter, there can be no difficulty in producing a copy. Where is it ? I am not concerned about Mr. Jenner—he must answer for himself, if he is in the mood to do so— but what I complain of is that the allega- tions of wanton damage and the reference to the mysterious letter were not made at the first meeting of the committee. It was an afterthought to be muchly utilised when the fogies and the feeble found the ratepayers of the town were down upon them like a thousand of bricks for diverting much-needed cash from the town into other channels. Supposing Mr. Jenner has not been so courteous as he ought to have been—I don't at all admit it as a fact—were the whole of the ladies and gentlemen connected with the Glamorgan Hunt to consider themselves tarred with the same brush? Well, I am not going to worry my internal economy out in the contemplation of what has happened. I hope the fogies and the feeble are proud of the part they have played in this matter, and that they will call a special meeting of the clan to celebrate their victory by singing— Come, let U3 be happy together, For where there's a will there's a way. Au revoir, ye myopes.—(See any common dic- tionary.) In answer to a flippant correspondent who signs himself "Mudsucker," and dates his com- munication from The Other Side of Styx," I can bear witness, from personal observation, that the Cardiff Corporation patent mud-maker. alias steam roller, alias" demon-crusher," is still actively engaged in its enlightened mission, and is likely to continue on the job till the crack of doom. The reason, I am assured, for keeping this costly and destructive piece of machinery in full employ is to save the pang which the local authorities would feel in having to discharge from their service two boys and a man who have always been honesi and faithful in the discharge of their duties, and the alarming distress which would immediately prevail among the shoeblack brigade of the town, who would be compelled to parade the streets singing the pitiful refrain, We've got no work to do, hoo hoo I always shake hands (in the spirit, of course) when I hear tell of an honest man. Isn't it Pope, in one of his epistles, who sings:- A wit's a feather, and a chief's a rod, An honest man's the noblest work of God? A glance up this column warns me I am in a poetic vein. Forgive me, kind readers, and I won't do it not no more-until the next time, which you and 1 hope may be far distant! What I want to record. after all this beating about the bush, is that a French gentleman who lives in Castle-road, Cardiff. has honoured me with a letter, in which he say- that a few days ago he gave a tramcar conductor what he believed to be a shilling and received the usual change; He afterwards missed a sovereign, and thought, perhaps, he had made a mistake in the car. He at once communicated with the obliging manager and heigh, presto! the sovereign came back to it rightful owner, it having been discovered in check- ing the accounts. Concludes Monsieur: "I writ" in order to publicly thank, through you, the tram- way company for their courtesy, and the con- ductor (Chamberlain) for his honesty." From Swansea writes Oyster "—I hope my cor- respondent will re-christen himself if he is going to address me again, as the very mention of the succulent bivalve always sets my mouth watering —in the following dulcet strains, and quoting a sentence which appeared in this columnDear 'Pendragon,'—Whilst thanking the manager of the Swansea Tramways Company, who is, as a rule, always willing to make the system under his con- trol as convenient and useful as possible,' for all small mercies granted to passengers, would you kindly ask him why the waiting-room at the St. Helen's Junction has been closed ? This junction is, I take it, one of the most popular and profitable positions on the system, joining, as it does, tht horse section to the steam, and the waiting-room there was a great boon (especially in wet weather) to passengers going to the Mumbles Last night I was returning to the Mumbles by the 8.30 tram, when, at the Junction, some six or a dozen ladies came in, literally drenched. There being no place to shelter in, they had to stand about in pelting rain until the tram came up This is really too bad. Perhaps a hint from you might mend matters."—1 have hinted, Oh! "Oyster"; and now close your shell and goto by-by. The following paragraphs have been sent along by an esteemed correspondent, and I give them as his opinions not my own:— The Corporation of Swansea on Monday decided by an absolute majority'—as required by Act of Parliament—to proceed with the Bill which seeks to abolish the bridge tolls and to construct a bridge over the Tawe at White Rock. Thirteen votes were required, but no less than fifteen were obtained. Considering the insuperable objections which may be taken to the course now adopted, it is postively marvellous how the majority was secured. The defects in the proposed arrangement were admitted by several of the speakers who subsequently voted for it. Messrs. Meager and Rawlings. for instance, will have some little difficulty in reconciling their votes with their expressed opinions, whilst Mr. Trew, whose vote being, as it were, in the balance, supported it only because he desired the subsequent sub- mission of the matter to the ratepayers. The defects in the Bill to which I have alluded are sufficiently obvious. In the first place, the construction of a new Tawe Bridge was to all appearances only thought of at the last moment, and without proper consideration in com- mittee, and this is all the more serious because the only scheme which is at present regarded as feasible will entail an expenditure of something like £25,000. To my mind, at all events, this is a sum not to be hastily spent. Then, with regard to the bridge tolls—the question is, where is the £4.000 of revenue which is proposed to be stopped to come from in the future? The bondholders will have to be paid for certain, or the trust become bank- rupt. The ratepayers will probably have to bear the burden in the end, for it cannot possibly be argued that the finances of the trust admit' of the abolition. In the meantime the ratepayers will be mulcted in the costs of an army of lawyers, who will suck more out of the bridge tolls in a short session than the trust have during several years. Mr. Yeo, the chairman of the trust, feels very deeply on the question, and he resented the attack upon the revenues of the trust with considerable bitter- ness. On the otrfer hand, the abolitionists are equally determined that the people shall be trampled upon no longer. I do not at present see the way clear to a compromise, but I think it will be the general desire of all sensible men that a settlement should be arrived at-even if it be in the Committee-room of the House-by which the public shall be freed from toll and the safety cf the finances of the trust at the same time satis- factorily guaranteed." A truly refreshing scene was to be witnessed at the Albert-hall, Swansea, on Monday, when many hundreds of poor children took tea together at the expense of a sympathising public. The hall actually overflowed with urchins of different ages, yet enough was found for all, and many whose stomachs were less accommodating than the dis- tributors of the good things bargained for found they had sufficient left in their parcels to provide those at home with a taste as well. It is gratifying to note in connection with this subject that at the happy season just past, when all were trying to make their money represent as much enjoyment to themselves as possible, the poor of Swansea, like those of most other towns, have not been alto- gether forgotten. Several instances have lately been given tending to show that sympathy is not altogether dead amongst us, and that the fires of British philanthropy are not paling before the tremendous rush of nineteenth century utilita- rianism. I feel bound to mention those I have heard of, so pray let me say my say. To begin with, Mrs. Vivian supplied the Work- house inmates with their usual Christmas dinner. The children of the Cottage Home were, I assure you, not left out when Christmas dainties were the subject of consideration before the guardians. In several parishes the necessitous poor have received marked attention, and a supply of clothing and food has been gratefully received in many a poverty-stricken household. Alderman Thomas, of Llan, I find, carried out his usual custom of providing the old women of Morriston with warm blankets for the winter season whilst a younger townsman, Mr. W. H. Edwards, on being supplied by the ministers of the eleven different places of worship in the same neighbourhood with the names of deserving persons, ensured each and all a good Christmas dinner in the shape of a substantial piece of beef. To come to my last instance, I must announce to my readers that a committee of ladies and gentlemen have been formed to establish a soup kitchen, and Mrs. Joseph Solomon, of Northampton, has undertaken the conduct of the institution, which is to be open twice a week from to-day. This latter scheme is one in which all can assist by the pur- chase and distribution of tickets. Funds are urgently necessary. Let them not be wanting now that a start has been made. An impudent beggar is my pet abomination. It is bad enough to be pestered, out of one's life almost, by pertinacious mendicants, but when they resort to threats and bad language if their demands tre not conceded my monkey gets up" in a moment. One of the tribe had to make an en- forced appearance at the Newport Police Court to- day. Whilst in drink he went into a public-house to beg, and because he did not succeed in his object he opened fire with his tongue upon the refusing individual and followed him out of the house, where he was in the act of opening fire with his fists if he had not been caught red- handed by a police-constable, who, singular to relate, happened to be on the scene just in the nick of time. A penalty of five shillings was imposed. It shouldliave been, your worships, unmitigated, inexorable chokey." Polite beggars, when bowled out, are almost invariably sent to gaol without the alternative of paying a fine; but abuse and violence, it seems, are a sort of mitiga- tion of vagrancy as it is regarded in the Mon- mouthshire borough. Supposing the fellow had only been charged with simple drunkenness, he would have had to pay no more. Mr. T. M. Price, M.E., of Neath, has just re- minded me that in most towns, except Neath, a subscription list has been opened in aid of the Mardy Explosion Fund. There are many persons in Neath who are desirous of contributing if a move were made in this direction. I am glad to find that in Cadoxton Church a collection has been made, and I trust the matter will not be overlooked at the various other churches and chapels in the town and district. I am sure the matter has quite escaped the attention of the worthy archdeacon, who is ever foremost in the furtherance of deserving objects. From Neath comes the following:—" Dear Pen- tagon,'—A gentleman of influence in the town a few days ago called my attention to the scanda- lous manner in which a pauper was treated by the 'powers that be.' She appeared to be extremely old and very weak. Yet, in the face of this, the poor soul was dragged to Aberavon Station with- out any conveyance, and in the same manner from Neath Station to the workhouse, a distance of nearly a mile. The unfortunate woman, he told me, was evidently suffering greatly, and he added that they did not even take a railway ticket for her. I could not help thinking how terribly true were the lines:— Rattle her bones ovpr the stones, She's only a pauper whom nobody owns." I have an unbounded respect and veneration for Home Secretaries generally. At least, I hope I have. I like some better than others, principally the latter. I do not, I trust, go into ecstacies over the hurly-burly sort, such, for instance, as the puffing-and-a-blowi^g Harcourt; but the present occupant of the office is my especial delight. I hope he will see these lines because he may per- chance feel in a good sort of a temper and listen xttentively to what I am going to reveal. The Glamorgan justices, in solemn conclave assembled, on Tuesday for the second time, agreed to augment rhe chief-constable's salary by £100. On the previous occasion when the amount was voted the then Home Secretary (I don't know whether it was the present) declined to sanction it, and so it came up again on Tuesday and was unanimously re-voted. We have an exceptionally good officer in Colonel Lindsay, and as he will only be getting what other gentlemen occupying his position receive if the addition is made to the salary, I shall not be friends with Sir Richard Cross—and if he had my card he would not like this to be said-if he does not concede a just reward to constant and meritorious service. More than one gentleman of means and position A the county of Glamorgan has been disappointed at not seeing his name included in the list of recently-selected county justices. One case in particular is entitled to sympathy. A gentleman well known for his successful colliery enterprise was approached some time ago by a local magnate, who intimated that a seat on the bench was to be obtained through his influence. But—there is always a but in these cases-the local magnate re- quired a loan of a few thousands-six thousand, I believe, was the exact amount. The local magnate always has been requiring loans since I knew him. Could he offer any security ? Why, certainly, the best of security-the policy of insurance on his own life. Well, the end of the matter was that the loan was effected. But the misguided lender has not yet been appointed a county beak, and I fear he never will. Who was it, you ask. Well, can't you guess? I should like to direct the special attention of my friends the colliers of South Wales and Mon- mouthshire to a piece of high-handed business in connection with one of the chiefs of the Liberal party which has so long and so pertinaciously thrown dust in their eyes. The constant cry of the Radicals has been Codlin's your man, not Short." Well, listen to this specimen of friendliness on the part of Lord Granville, the second in com- mand to Mr. Gladstone. On Monday the widow of a collier obtained in the County Court of Stoke-upon- Trent a verdict for JE150 against the noble (?) earl under the Employers' Liability Act, for the loss of her husband, who was killed in the mines; and the judge, referring to a charge brought by his lordship against the plaintiff's only witness for perjury, which is now pending, remarked that he considered the action most indecent. I don't sup- pose Earl Granville will care a fig for the opinion of anyone so insignificant as a County Court judge, but I do. He has founded his decision on the ovidence adduced before him.

JIR. CHILDERS AT EDINBURGH.

[No title]

OUR PARIS LETTER.

THE PROPOSED BANQUET TO SIR…

MR. CHAMBERLAIN AND THE bECOND…

! LOUD CLAUD HAMILTON ON VOLUNTARY…

EPIPHANY SERVICES.

MARRIAGE OF MR. STUART : WORTLEY.

[No title]

THE CARDIFF POST-OFFICE AND…

EDUCATION IN WALES.

THE NEW JUDGE.

THE PROPOSED RESTORATION OF…

LAND AGITATION IN WALES.

[No title]

THE SOUDAN. 1

THE NEW FRENCH CABINET.

DEATH OF A FRENCH EX-MINISTER.

THE ROBBERY AT A VIENNA JEWELLER'S.

SUICIDE AT MONTE CARLO.

THE HARVEST IN AUSTRALIA.

AFFAIRS IN SOUTH AFRICA.

FIRE IN LONDON.

ANOTHER SERIOUS FIRE.

.A SAILOR SUFFOCATED,

EXTRAORDINARY SUICIDE.

THE CONFESSION OF THE STOKE…

FRAUDS ON INTENDING EMIGRANTS.