The Cardiff Times

TO B A C C-O S -T:H ST TRY IT.

WORKMEN'S TOPICS. I (By MABON, M.P.) THE BUDGET AND THE HOUSING BILL "Pensions at last" was the prevailing: phrase in the lobby of the House of Commons on the night that the Premier introduced the Budget, and the fact that he has introduced a system of old-age pensions as the main feature of his Budget made it most popular among all mem- bers holding advanced ideas. The proposal to reduce the fux on sugar by a farthing a pound is by no means unimportant. And as the pen- sions are not so substantial as the working classes might have expected still we should not forget that any reduction in taxes was a source of weakness to the fixing of the sub- stantial pensions that we might have ex- pected. and still wait for and the reduction of the sugar tax will mean more to us as a class than anybody else, inasmuch as the tax wa? a greater burden upon us than all others. Moreover 5s a w £ ek is not to be sneered at for there are many people in various parts of the country who earn little more than a pound a month. Those who do have had hitherto to manage somehow to exist thereon. And although all reformers wiil deplore such a state of things still for those people who have been obliged all their lives to be content with the bare ne- cessities of life one can imagine what joy an extra pound a month will bring to them. The wages of our agricultural labourers in many places are notoriously low, -and many of them even will b.ave an income which is less thnn the limit of 10s a week fixed by Mr As- quith. while in North Wales last week I was assured that for the want of work in the quarries, since the depression and loss of trade caused by the Penrhyn quarries strike, a large number of labourers in that part of the coun- try are struggling to keep body and soul to- gether on less than 10s a week. And these people who have been forced into the habit of thinking twice before parting with a penny will surely welcome an extra, 5s a week as a little God-send. Critics of the Government,and many of us who are friendly to it, will natu- rally gay that it is insignificant; but it is a start, and will be improved upon, and most of the people that will receive the money will, I am sure, appreciate it as a handsome gift. The old-age pensions system will come into force on the 1st of January that will be after three-quarters of the financial year have expired, and the expenditure therefore will only be one quarter of the probuble ultimate annual amount. The cost of 5s a week pension at seventy in succeeding years—excluding those with incomes of over 10s weekly., criminals, lunatics, aliens, and paupers—Mr Asquith es- timated to be f6,000,000 per annum. Married couples living together will be pensioned at a lower rate, at 7s 6d for the two, instead of 10s a week. The pensions, as a rule, will be paid at the local Post office- Mr Asquith's Budget shows A Triumph for Free Trade We are constantly reminded by our Fiscal Reform friends of what Protection has done for Germany and America,and how Free Trade is ruining British trade. But what are the facts ? The United States have this year a deficit of £ 11,000,000, and Germany has for ye: rs been worse off than that even. It is offi- cially estimated.too, that the German National Debt will be increased by £ 50,000,000 during the next five years. On the other hand our National Debt was reduced last year by 918,000,000, and by next year it will be less by another E15,000,000. Between March, 1906, and March, 1909, our National Debt will hasre been reduced by £46,000,000, so it will be seen that while Germany adds greatly to her financial liabilities, we will have had ours reduced -■v nhout the same amount. In Germany 1 have Protection in Britain Free Tryde. The moral is obvious. us Th« Housing Bill. Although Mr John Burns's Housing and Townplanning Bill was read a first time in the Commons some time ago, it was the President of the Local Government Board's first oppor- tunitv last week to make a speech on his pro- posals. All friends of housing reform agree that this reform has been seriously delayed to give Mr Burns's Bill, and.'after criticism, its defects, a genuine reception. It maybe admitted also that the tendencies of the last few years have complicated the problem considerably. Towns have been extending any- how. and thrusting forth ugly rather than shapely limbs into the surrounding country. Enterprising local authorities have bad to look on helplessly for lack of just the powers and advantages in the matter of housing and town- planning that the Bill gives to them. The Government, for very good reasons in "my opinion, have preferred a useful to a drastic measure that the country demands. Although dealing with an entirely different matter, the Bill has strong matters of kinship with the English Small Holdings Bill that be- came law last year. For it seeks to open up opportunities for housing reforms. It seems to embody a number of provisions that reformers have deemed absolutely essential if the prob- lem is to be tackled with any chance of suc- cess, if its operation has any chance to be car- ried out by agreement. > Mr Burns, like Mr Harcourt last year, bad the weapon of compulsion up his sleeve. The measure is a flexible one, but such as can be stiffened a bit, and as I remarked the week before,its chief need in the way of amendment is the transforming of as many as is possible of its mays into shaHs" This process, we may fairly suppose, will not be a pleasing one for the Tory critics. But let them have fair play. So far they have had very little to say about it. And notwithstand- ing the opinion expressed that some of its powers should be transferred from local to county authorities, it will give thfe one or the other of them greatly extended chances of doing bnsiness.and one trusts that it will cause every authority concerned in the snbject to mean business and do it. Inmy humble opinion it represents a solid advance in the treatment of a problem that enters very largely and deeply into the life of the people. It is truly wc-leofne now, notwithstanding that thousands of people wish it had come before. One may be allowed to gratefully say that Mr Burns, out of his desire in the direction of good housing and town-planning, has evolved a Bill which will -very considerably ameliorate the conditions in which our working people 'live in numerous congested districts in towns and villages. He waxed warm and eloquent on various matters affecting the conditions men- tioned,and in that effort to persuade the House to give him an undivided second reading, he recommended his Bill as a useful, beneficent and universally welcomed measure which is to make the home healthy, the house beau- tiful, the town pleasant, the city dignified, and the suburbs salubrious." The aim he declared is to provide a domestic condition for the people in which their physical health, their morals, and their character will be improved.

GREAT TOBACCO FIGHT. New York, Tuesday.—After over four months being consumed in taking evidence, eounsel to-day began their arguments before four judges of the United States Circuit Court in tho' Government suit to secure the compulsory dissolution of the American Tobacco Company. The suit was brought under the Sherman anti- trust law, on the allegation that an American tobacco monopoly was being operated to the restraint of trade. It is likely that several days will be occupied with arguments of counsel on botji sides. It is declared that whatever the result of the present proceedings may be, the case will be carried to the United States Supreme Court for a final ruling. The Imperial Tobacco Company is one of the defendants, and the British-American Tobacco Company is also represented.—Reuter.

y ABOLITION OF FLOGGING. The text has just been published of a Bill presented by Mr Lloyd Morgan and sup- ported by Mr Eugene Wason, Mr Atherley Jones, Mr Abel Thomas, Mr Maddison, and Mr Hay Morgan, to abolish the punishment of flogging in all cases where the offender's age exceeds 16 years- The measure lias hut one clause, which reads as follows :—" From and after the passing of this Act nothing in the Acts specified in the schedule hereto shall authorise any court to order or direct that any offender, convicted of Uw crimes a.nd offences iij those Acts men- tioned, whose age exceeds 16 years, shall be whipped or flogged." The Acts scheduled are h Geo. 4. c. 83, s. 10 5 and 6 Vict. c. 51, B. 2 16 and 27 Vict. c 44. s. 1

A CURL OF MOLTEN METAL Tredegar Workman Injured. Hui)f.r. employed at the I) eight on Iron Works, Tredegar, was admitted into the fVit.tage Hospital on Saturday suffering from fv. re burns on his sustained by molten iron curiing aroun.i him as it left the iurnuce. L'r. H. G. Rcowr. waut immediately in attexid- .co.

CHANNEL STEAMER ASHORE. A telegram fron Lloyds' signal station at the. Needles (Isle of Wight), timed 4.14 on Tuesday afternoon. states that the L. and S.W. Railway Channel Island steamer Laura. went ashore on Shingle bank during a dense fog. Tlv Laura was homeward bound to Southampton fromCherbourg. The company's shipping agents ai Southampton have' received an intimation that the Laura is ashore near the Needles. The Laura is a screw steamer of 641 tons gross and 189 horse-power. She is one of the company's old boats, having been built inl885. Telegraphing from Totland Bay: a corres- pondent stages that the Laura went on the Shingles between the Needles Lighthouse and Hurst Castle, about, a mile and a half from Totland Bay, about 4 o'clock in the afternoon, in the fog. The weather is now clear and the sea smooth. The vessel is apparently in no immediate danger, not having signalled for assistance. Tugs are standing by. A South- ampton correspondent telegraphs that there is no anxiety concerning the safety of the Laura, and those aboard the vessel expected her to float about midnight. The tug of the Liver- pool Salvage Company, which was in the vicinity in connection with the salvage of H.M.S. Gladiator, proceeded to the assistance of the stranded vessel, and the Freshwater life- boat was also launched inreadiness, if required, but no signal of distress was hoisted from the Laura.. The Laura was towed off at 11 p.m., and taken to Southampton. Collisions in the Channel. A Dover correspondent telegraphs that for the fourth day in succession fog has enveloped the Channel, and when it lifted in the after- noon a steamer could be seen in difficulty in the Channel, apparently having been in collision. Capt. Iron at once despatched tugs. A Spanish steamer put into the Naval Harbour in the afternoon badly damaged about the bows. This vessel is the Goyerri, of Bilbao, from Huelva for Rotterdam. She has a large hole in the bows and is down in the water, and reports having been in collision with a German ship, reported to be off Dover with extensive damage. The tug Lady Curzon has returned, but the tug liady Crundall has passed Dover in the wake of a large steamer which is steaming up Channel very slowly. The steamer which was in collision with the Goyerri, and is proceeding to London, attended by the Dover tug Lady Crundall, is the Rotenfels, from Antwerp to Calcutta. She is badly damaged amidships, and making water. Newport Bound Vessel Damaged. The British and Irish Company's steamer Calshot, bound from Cowes to Plymouth, arrived at the latter port on Tuesday night after having been in collision nearPortland with a sailing vessel, the thrpc masted schooner Elizabeth Roberts, of Liverpool, which was bound to Newport with railway chairs. The Cals hot was at anchor in a dense fog on Mon- day night, when the Elizabeth Roberts crashed into her, carrying away the bowsprit and headgear. The sailing vessel was subsequently safely towed by the Calshot to Plymouth, a distance of over a hundred miles. Boat and 10 Persens Missing. Lloyd's agent at Point de Lervilley, France, says the steamer Oscarshad, of Christiania, sank on Tuesday evening during a thick fog. One boat with nine men reached Audierne. Another boat with nine men and one woman is missing.

PENARTHTRADERIN COLLISION The steamers St. Andrew, from Antwerp to New York, and the Dagfin, from Penarth for Stockholm, with coals, were ih collision in the fog off the Goodwins about eight o'clock on Monday morning. The St. Andrew proceeded without damage, but the Dagfin had to put into Dover, being badly damaged in No. 2 hold. A diver will go down and plug the hole. Cardiff Steamer Damaged. The Belgian steamer Clematis, from Fernan- dina, arrived in Antwerp and reports that she collided with the British steamer Netberfield, bound for Barry, during a fog on Sunday off East Goodwin Lightship. The former is damaged. The latter's damage, if any, is un- known.

SUNK NEAR LAND'S END. Shipwrecked Crew at Newport. The crew of the shipwrecked schooner Rare Plant, of Padstow, were landed at Newport on Sunday evening by the steamer Hartland, of Sunderland. They report that when off Pen- deen, near Land's End, the Rare Plant col- lided with the Hartland, and the crew only had time to save themselves in their own boats. The whole of their effects were lost. Some of them, who were only half-dressed at the time of the collision, were given clothes by the crew of the Hartland. On Sunday night they were lodged at the Seamen's Home, and on Monday were sent home by the Ship- wrecked Mariners' Society. The names of the shipwrecked men are Captain W. H. Tabl, P. J. Morquand, Richard \Ot,his, and James Dcvine, of Padstow, and a lad named Daniel Munroe, of Runcorn.

BRITAIN IN EGYPT. National Party's Message. The London correspondent of The Egyptian Standard," Cairo, has received the following telegram, dated Alexandria, Thurs- day, from the secretary of the National Party "A meeting attended by about 6,000 persons, mostly belonging to the large landlords' class, and including a large number of notables, assembled last night to listen to an ad d ress on the aims and ideals of the national movement, by All Bey Kamel, the brother of the late Moustafa Kamel Pasha. On the conclusion of the address, which had been listened to throughout with the greatest enthusiasm, those present decided to send a telegram to Sir Edmund Grey, protest- ing against the continuance of the occupation, reminding the British Government of the umerous promises made by their predecessors on the question of evacuation, and expressing the hope that the present British Cabinet may at last redeem the old pledges and thus wipe out the stain from the esditcheon of the great British nation."

CALCUTTA BOMB OUTRAGE. Calcutta, Saturday.—The natives injured by yesterday's bomb outrage in Grey-street are making favourable progress. Their injuries are less serious than was thought. Various theories are afloat regarding the affair. One is that the bomb was placed on the tram-line merely to cause a scare. A more probable explanation is that it was left there by a nervous conspirator with the object of getting rid of so dangerous a possession. Sir Andrew Fraser, Lieutenant-Governor of Bengal, is still here in connection with the in- quiries into the Anarchist conspiracy, which are being conducted with the strictest secrecy. It is stated that certain members of the Anarchist gang who are now in the hands of the police intend to plead insanity.—Reuter. Two More Native Editors Arrested. Bombay, Saturday.—Ramchandra Narayen Mandlik, editor of the Vihari," and Dhondu Kashinath Phadke, editor and proprietor of the Arunodaya," both of which journals are Marathi weeklies, have been arrested on a charge of sedition and remanded without bail -Reuter.

RUSSIAN POLITICAL DUEL Two Leaders to Fight. St. Petersburg, Tuesday.—M. Guehkoff, leader of the Octobrist party, has challenged M. Melenkoff, leader of the Constitutional De- mocratic party, to a duel, because the latter in a debate last Friday accused him of lying. M. Melenkoff has accepted, and a duel is to be fought to-morrow or on Thursday with swords.—Reuter. A Point.ed" Argument. Vienna, Tuesday.—In the Austrian Cham- ber to-night a Czeeh deputy named Klofoe, angered by the members of the Social Democratic party, who repeatedly interrupted him whilst he was speaking, suddenly drew a knife and threatened to attack his interrup- ters unless they maintained silence. The inteident created an enormous sensation.— Central News.

TYPHOID TERROR. Appalling Ravages in Russia. St. Petersburg, Tuesday.—An epidemic of recurrent typhoid has brouen out at Moscow. The hospitals are overflowing, two thousand patients being already under treatment, while seventy-five to a hundred iresh cases occur daily. The municipality have asked the mili- tary authorities to transform the summer bar- racks into a typhoid hospital. A telegram from Kieff to the Russ v" states that at Berditcheff prison, where seven hun- dred persons are interred, although there is only proper accommodation for two hundred and fifty, there are over a hundred cases of typhoid. The majority of the patients lie on straw on the floor, there being no mattresses or i linen.—Reuter.

FRANCO-BRITISH. MonsieuT Jean Taureau d'Angleterre and Mr James Goodman of Prance. Come along. j Allons-y-dono. Cartoon by Sir F. C. Gould. (Published by arrangement with the ""Westminster Gazette.") I

RYDE COACHING DISASTER. Graphic Story at the Inquest. An inquest was held at Ryde on Tuesday I afternoon on the bodv of Miss Owen, of Huggins College, Northfleet, Kent, who died on Monday from injuries sustained in a recent coach accident. The driver of the coach stated that there were nine ladies and five gentlemen on the coach. When it started to go up the hill lead- ing from the Esplanade one of the horses be- came choked by its collar and fell on its side, dragging the otheif horse over on it. The driver and another man ran to the horses' heads while the others tried to remove the traces, which they succeeded in doing with the exception of one. The horse, still attached to the coach was cut by a pole, and being in pain scrambled to its feet and dashed down the hill towards the Esplanade. Nine ladies j were then on the coach, the gentlemen having dismounted. Mr Croft, of Gillingham (Kent), I made a courageous attempt to stop the run- away, but could not do so. and, after receiv- ing vorv severe injuries, ho lot go bis bold, fortunately falling just clear of the wheels. The horse, with the momentum of a heavy coach, raced to the Esplanade, and in suddenly fum- ing the coach- was thrown on its de. The ladies were thrown violently on to the pave- ment, and Miss Owen sustained shocking injuries to her head. The jury returned a verdict of Accidental death," and exonerated the driver from all blame. All the injured are progressing favourably, but Mr Croft will be confined to bed for several weeks.

RETIRING LIBERAL WHIP. i Mr George Whiteley, M.P., the Chief Libera Whip,who has decided to retire from the House of Commons,was chosen to succeed Mr Herbert Gladstone in that office. A cotton spinner and manufacturer of Blackburn, he made his first essay in politics in 1893 at a bye-election at I Mr C Whiteley. M.P. I Stoctport, where a vacancy had been created by the death of Mr. L. J. Jennings. Then he was a Conservative, and continued to be so until after his re-election in 1895. He changed sides on the Agricultural Rates Act, being first elected as a Liberal for the Pudsey Division in 1900. He became a Privy Councillor last year.

MAN WHO SAVED 500 LIVES. Sent to Prison for Fraud. At the Thames Police Court on Tuesday A. Keenersey (62), described as a shipmaster, or Charing Cross, was sentenced to six weeks in the second division for obtaining money by fraud. Accused, it was stated, formed the Ocean Colleges, Limited, for the purpose of training young people for a business career. He issued circulars stating it was intended to charter a sailing vessel to carry 200 students on a world's tour. A fee of 60 guineas was to be 'n'n charged for the training and touring. Young girl students were also to be carried, and a chaperone was engaged fortheir benefit. It was further alleged that Keenersey had fraudu- lently obtained money from various persons under the pretence ,of engaging them to nil offices on the vessel. The Magistrate said when the case first came before him he thought it was a very great fraud, but as it proceeded he came to the con- clusion that prisoner believed there was some prospect of carrying out the wild-cat scheme. Counsel for the defence said his client,was a man of respectable character, and he had pre- viously carried out two such schemes. In 1880 he was presented with X500 and a gold bino- cular for saving 500 lives on a South African liner.

MAJOR AND MOTOR SMASH. Officer Seriously Injured. Maior Wainwright, R.E., an officer attached to the Kingston (Surrey) Barracks, is lying in Thames Ditton Cottage Hospital sufferingfrom severe iniuries sustained in a motor car acci dent on Monday afternoon. It appears that the major, who was staying at Oxshott on leave, was driving a motor car from Hersham in the direction of Esher, and when half way between the Green and Esher Bridge the car came into collision with a pony and trap. One of the shafts of the trap penetrated th major's thigh. The driver of the pony was thrown into the hedge, but was uninjured.

Y,1,000 -DAMAGES. i I In the King's Bench on Tuesday Francis R. Torgan, an engineer's traveller, was awarded ici,ooo damages against the London General Omnibus Company for injuries sustained by being knocked down by one of the company's motor 'buses on the High-road, Kilburn, in October last, whereby he is unable still to follow his usual occupation^! The defendants applied for a stay of execution on the ground of excessive damages, and Mr Justice Jelt said he would consider the matter. I

SENATOR'S ROMANCE. I A Repudiated Marriage. New York. Monday.—Mr Thomas Platt, the aged United States senator, and for many years a leading Americaai politician, was defen- dant to-day in a divorce suit brought by a lady who gave her name as May Platt. The senator denies the marriage. Interesting love-letters, alleged to have been written by the venerable lawmaker, were read. I Plaintiff's story of th# alleged wedding was to the effect that Mr Platt invited her to meet him at the Fifth Avenue Hotel, New York, now demolished, as stated in the following letter Friday,' Nov. 8th -Dear Catherine,—It may be that I may not. arrive at the hotel till six o'clock. You will occupy your room (158) till I come and signal you that I am occupying the next room. Dimmer will be ready at 6.30, and we will be ready for it. I sent you a card by note to you this afternoon telling you that I expected you at four o'clock.—Sincerely, P." On arriving ab- tho hotel," plaintiff testi- fied, I went to tha jaftai. After I had been there a while a key w placed in the lockand the door was opened/ Mr Piatt came in and embraced me. There were several men with him." Was the ceremony performed at that time 1" asked her lawyer. It was," declared plaintiff. One of the two men with Mr Platt performed the cere- mony. He asked me if I would take this man, meaning Mr Platt, to be my husband. I said I would, and Mr Platt placed a wedding ring on my finger. One of the men was a minister. After the ceremony the men went out. I entered the adjoining apartment, and the minister came back and said, Here's your certificate.'handing me a marriage certificate." Defendant was not in court to-day, but in his filed answer to the plaintiff's case he says the marriage certificate is forged. Plaintiff is apparently 45 years of age, a small, slender woman, rather poorly dressed. She wore spec- tacles, and in giving her evidence to-day was very self-possessed. She named as co-respon- dent Mrs Lilian Platt, who was married to the senator in 1903. Plaintiff alleges that the hotel marriage took place in 1901. The case was ad- journed.

I MAN IN HER BEDROOM. CAERPHILLY HILL-SIDE INCIDENT. At Caerphilly on Tuesday Patrick O'Brien, of ao fixed abode, was charged with breaking and entering the Travellers' Rest on the mountain top near Caerphilly. Emma Davies, a domes- tic servant, told a sensational story. She said on May 11th she went upstairs to her bedroom with a candle in her hand. On going into the room she observed a man stand- ing behind the door. He caught h r by the wrist and pulled her in, at the same time re- questing her to be quiet.. For a time she was too frightened to speak, and then she asked him to let her go for a moment, and pledged she would say nothing, advising him to hide until her return. He let her go, and she went downstairs. A, second later the prisoner dropped from the window. Witness opened the front door, and Mr and Mrs Evans, with their friends, rushed out. Witness discovered that her boxes had been disturbed. 'She had seen the prisoner in the house earlier in the day, but he was not a frequent visitor there,. Nothing was stolen. Jemima Ann Evans, the wife of the licensee of the Travellers' Rest, gave evidence, and P.C. Davies gave. particulars of receiving the prisoner into custody, who, it is alleged, when charged admitted the offence. He was committed for trial at the Quarter Sessions. -r-

HER SECOND VENTURE. At Caerphilly on Tuesday Phillip Harris (52), collier, of Senghenydd, was charged with neg- lecting to provide maintenance for his wife, Mar- garet Harris. Mr J. Bry nt, Pontypridd, de- fended. Prosecutor, who limped, said that she was 60 years of age and married the second time. She left defendant on Good Friday, and went to stay with her daughter, since which time she had not seen him. She had been partly provided for by her two sons. The defen- dant had taken the money earned by these boys, and she was constantly left without food. Cross-examined by Mr Bryant, she admitted that she could obtain supplies on credit from the Co-operative Society. She admitted having removed furniture which was the property of her first husband. On one occasion she threw a lamp at her husband, but denied striking him with a knife. Prosecutrix further admitted that she had struck the defendant on the knee with her crutch. Her husband had knocked two of her teeth out. In (tefence, Nellie Edwards, a former domestic servant, said the wife was frequently abusing her husband. The Bench dismissed the case.

A TREDEGAR GIRL. At Tredegar on Tuesday Gladys Prosser (151, a Tredegar girl, was charged with steal- ing £ 8, the money of Edward H. Moon, collier, Tredegar, between March 15th and May 12th. The girl admitted taking some of the money, but not as much as the prosecutor alleged. Prosecutor said that the money, which -was placed in a till in a chest of drawers, belonged to the Ancient Britons Friendly Society, and he kept it for his father-in-law. He first missed £ 2 15s, then JE3 15s and 11 10s, and he gave information to the police. He had no idea how the money was disappearing. The girl lived next door. P.C. Hamer arrested de- fendant and charged her with stealing Jb8, and she replied that she was in the house three times when the people were out. and had only taken £4. She bought clothing with the money. She was dealt with under the Pro- bationers Act.

WHALE CAUGHT AT KIDWELLY. On Monday Mr John Rogers, a well-known fisherman and a member of the Kidwelly Town Council, when visiting his fishing nets found a huge fish entangled that had done great havoc to the nets. After a severe slruggle Mr Rogers, with the assistance of Mr Joseph Stephens, towed the fish behind his boat up the fiver. It. proved to be a young whale of the bottle-nosed type, measuring 6ft. in lengtli and weighing abou|; 3cwfc.

POTATOES v. STEAM. Marine Firomen's Passive Strike. Two coloured men, Charles Cox and Hugh Bailey, firemen on board the s.s. Claremont, were charged before the Cardiff Stipendiary on Tuesday with disobeying the orders of Captain John William Eno while on the high seas be- tween March 21st and April 7th. Mr G. F. Forsdike prosecuted on behalf of the captain. The s.s. Claremont left Colombo, where she had taken bunkers, on March 21st. There was a quantity of Welsh bunkers on board. Shortly after leaving Colombo it was noticed that the vessel was not making proper progress, and complaints were made. Seven firemen saw the captain in his cabin, when the spokesman of the party stated that he was not going to get more steam up unless he got more potatoes. That was the answer of the men generally to the complaint of the captain and chief engineer. On the 28th March, although Welsh coal was being used, the men refused to keep a full head of steam. Evidence was given by the captain and chief engineer, who said that for steaming purposes the coal taken in at Colombo was as good as Welsh coal, but when the latter was consumed there was no improvement in the progress made, and as a result the vessel was a day longer over the voyage than she should have been. The Stipendiary ordered the defendants to be imprisoned for 21 days and to forfeit eight days' wages. Mr Forsdike said that unfortu- nately they had been paid off.

STUDYING BRITISH METHODS. Herr Dernburg, Secretary of State for the Colonies of the German Empire, has been spending a week in London for the purpose of studying British Colonial methods before leav- ing for South Africa to survey the extensive colonial estate of the Fatherland in West Africa. Herr Dernburg is no stranger to Lon- don. Although only 42 years of age, he had Herr Dernburg. achieved a great position in the financial and industrial world before he was selected to un- dertake the role of Empire builder-in-chief to the Kaiser and his people. His father was one of the most popular of all the German journal- ists who visited London two years ago, and whose oration at Shakespeare's tomb will long be remembered by all who heard it. The Colonial Secretary is also an orator, and the prominent part he played at the last general lection in Germany may be recalled.

SHAKESPEARE MEMORIAL Lord Lytton presided over an enormous gathering at the Lyceum Theatre on Tuesday afternoon in favour of establishing a national theatre as a national memorial of Shakespeare., His Lordship said there had been various sug- gestions fair creating a Shakespeare memorial, the latest of which was to erect a statue in Portland-place, costing £ 10,000. This meeting was called by those who disapproved that pro- ject. He was hopeful of a reconciliation of the opposing schemes, because Lord Plymouth informed him that at the previous day's meet- ing of the General Committee of the memorial scheme a resolution was passed authorising a conference with the committee favouring a national theatre. Lord Plymouth added the hope that no dispute should detract from the unanimity and the worthiness of the memo- rial ultimately decided upon. Mr Lvttelton, the ex-Colonial Secretary, spoke strongly in favour of a national theatre, and proposed a resolution pledging the meeting to that scheme. Sir John Hare heartily supported, and on being put to the vote the resolution was carried with one single dissentient.

KING'S MOTOR-CAR. Awkward Contretemps. King Edward met with some delay at Stevenage while motoring to Newmarket on Tuesday, owing to a tyre of his car bursting. The accident occurred in the busiest thorough- fare of the town just as the children were leaving school and a large crowd quickly gathered while repairs were being effected. His Majesty left the car and strolled about, taking a keen interest in the picturesque church of Holy Trinity close liv. Three cheers for the King were given several times by the on- lookers and graciously acknowledged by him. After an hour and a half had elapsed the car was ready to restart, and his Majesty received a hearty send-off by the several hundred persons who by that time had assembled.

IN SEARCH OF A SISTER. Kate King was found by P.C. Thomas lying helplessly drunk in the Walk, Merthyr, at 1 a.m. on Tuesday. She was locked up for safety. At the police court on Tuesday. Later in the dayshetoldtheStipcndiarythatshecame from Birmingham to look for her sister, who was believed to live at Merthyr Vale. Some roughs set upon her and inflicted a wound over her eye, to which she now called Sir Marchant's attention. She was handed over to the care of the Court missionary.

DARING LUGGA6E THEFT. The daring robbery of a package reputed to be worth £20,000 is reported from the Central Station, Manchester. A lady and gentleman travelling to Liverpool deposited four packages with the guard of the train shortly before the train started, and another lady subsequently informed the guard that as some friends had not turned up she was not making the journey. She, it is alleged, asked the guard for the largest cf the four packages. He un- suspectingly handed it to her, and she left the station. When the train arrived at Liverpool, inquiries were made by the rightful owner for the missing prclcage, and it was then dis- covered that it had been handed to someone who, it is alleged, had no claim to its possession. Further de'ails show that the guard himself did not see the packages put in the van, and of course did no know to whom they belonged. Just as the was due to commence its journey a smartly dressed young lady walked up to the gusrd. and told him she was expect- ing some friends to travel with her on tho train, but that as they did not turn up she would require one of her packages out of the van, at the spm3 timi giving the guard to understand that it was she who had the four packages referred to placed there. The guard was on the joint of giving the signal for the train to stert when the young lady again approached tho van, and, telling him that her friends had not turned up, asked him to give her the package she required. She pointed to the largest of the four, and the guard having no reason to doubt her story, handed it over to her. She engaged a cab, and told the cab- man to drive to the Moseley Hotel. On the way there, 1 owever, she must have changed her direction s to the driver, because shortly afterwards che was seen on the platform of the London-road Station with the package in her possession. Meantime, the owners of the package, who were breaking their journey to Liverpool at Warrington, discovered their loss. They had been travelling together, and had recently been stayir g a the Midland Hotel, Manchester. The miss n; package contained securities worth £ 20,(10, some valuable furs, and a quantity of cwellery. Two officers of the Cheshire Line Railway Police later n the day arrested at Liverpool '). woman in connection with the stolen pro- perty.

DEVELOPMENTS EXPECTED. Well-dressed Woman in the Dock. The sensati raal station robbery at Man- chester is likely to have interesting develop- ments. The wo-aan who was arrested in Shaw- street, Liverpool, with the stolen trunk in her possession h%; given the name of Margaret Gardiner, u õ. describes herself as a widow. She has recently been living in London. At the Manchester Police Court on Wednes- day she appeared in the dock fashionably dressed and in a fainting condition. Detective Davies stated that prisoner had confessed to stealing the trunk and contents, valued at £ 15,000, and to pawning some of the jewellery. The proceeds were divided among herself and two racecourse frequenters. She expressed sorrow, and said she had been in bad company since Christmas. She was remanded for eight days to allow the police to complete inquiries. Prisoner has assisted the police ,-to recover the pledged jewellery, and it is hoped that the two other persons concerned will soon be ar- rested. It is stated that the stolen property belongs to a lady and gentleman of Chatteris (Cam- bridgeshire ), who were on their honeymoon.

Girl's Terrible Life. IMPRISONED BY MAD FATHER. Ottawa, May 12.—A terrible story of a daughter's sufferings at the hands of an insane father comes from Toronto. It appears that a market gardener, named George White, who lives in a shingled hut some little way out. of the city, became possessed by illusions, chief among which was the belief that an imaginary family, named Clark, to whom he ascribed supernatural ptftrtsrsT Bad sworn to kill him. He asserted that "the Clarka" had imparted the power of speech to his dog and his clock, and that his house and land were infested by strange moving and talking beings. At length White became firmly imbued with the idea that his daughter Hilda was in league with the Clarks against him. Im- mediately there began for the unhappy girl a life of terrible torture, planned with maniacal brutality in punishment of her supposed com- plicity. In a tiny room opening off the kitchen of his hut White incarcerated his daughter, and for eighteen months he never unlocked the door lest she might get to his food supply and poison it. Often for days together he gave her practically nothing to eat, and, as there was no bed in the room, she had to sleep > on a few articles of old clothing thrown to her by her demented gaoler, who scarcely ever even spoke to her except when he gave her certain tasks to do. White insisted that his property," other- wise the plot of land on which the hut was situated, was covered with large stones and at intervals he compelled the girl to go round with a heavy basket in order to clear the ground of these obstacles. At such times she had to don the male attire on which she had slept, her own clothes having been taken away from her, and the door of her room being still kept locked she had to leave and enter by the one window. Last week White once more sent his daughter on this task, but, elud- ing his vigilance, she slipped away and walked into the city, where her extraordinary appearance led to her arrest. The poor girl was in a pitiable state of exhaustion follow- ing on starvation, and it is feared that her mind has become unhinged-—Central News.

LIVED I NASH ED. TREDEGAR HOUSE FAMINE. Urban Council Criticised. At a meeting of Tredegar District Council on Tuesday, Mr G. Higgin presiding, the sani- tary inspector (Mr L. Howells) reported abatement of the outbreak of enteric fever. The inspector was complimented upon the successful way in which he had coped with it. The work of making the dilapidated houses in the district habitable was progressing, it was stated, but there was great difficulty in closing insanitary dwellings owing to the scarcity of housing accommodation. There was a great deal of overcrowding all over the district. The inspector gave an instance of a Wolverhampton family, husband and wife and three children, who came into the town recently. The hus- band earned £2 a week, but he could find no place to take his family to. Some van dwellers living on the outskirts of the town sym- pathised with the family in their plight, and for the sake of the children allowed them to occupy an old shed for the night. They could not be induced to leave this, having no other place to go to. The people were anxious to get a better place to live in, and were pre- pared to pay for it. v During the ensuing discussion Mr Bosley said a good deal of fault lay with the Council, they not having adopted the Housing Act. There was, he said, a great demand for houses throughout the district. No action was taken.

DEATH ON THE FOOTPLATE. At the inquest at Birtlev, Durham, last night on the body of William Patterson, driver of the engine of an express train, who died on his footplate a few minutes after leaving Newcastle on Monday, it was stated that there was no periodical examination of drivers, but that they had to pass a medical examination on entering the service and on becoming drivers. Patterson appeared to be in good health when his train left Newcastle. The jury found that death was due to fatty degeneration of the heart, and on the sugges- tion of the coroner added a. rider as to the desirability of a periodical examination of engine-drivers and firemen.

"KICKED UP RUCTIONS." At Caerphilly an Tuesday L. Betheridge (31), collier, of Senghenydd, was charged with assaulting Mrs Smith. Mrs Smith said defen- dant came back to his lodgings and kicked up ructions." He attempted to remove his things, but witness declined to allow him to take them away before he gave her a note to recover from the office £2 19s lid due to her for lodgings. He then struck her, and she fell upon a chair and became unconscious, and was medically attended. Betheridge denied the offence, saying Mrs Smith fell during a struggle for possession of a boot. A fine of 10s and costs was imposed.

An inquest waS held on Saturday at the NantyfTyllon Workmen's Institute by Mr H. Cutlibertson. coroner, on the body of Prudence May Thomas, two-year-old daughter of Thos. Wm Thomas, No. 23, Union-street. Nantffyllon, The child, who was adopted on the death of its mother about three months ago by Mrs Selina Hurley, 13, MacGregor-row, fell into a boiler, of hot water, ;ind sustained fatal scalds. A 1 verdict of Accidental death was returned..

WELSH GLEANINGS. News and Views in Lighter Vein. The Welsh Forward Movement authorities are about to open new offices at Royal Cham- bers, Queen-street, Cardiff. The magistrates sitting at New Tredegar do not allow the time of the court to be wasted. Gn Friday they rattled through 100 cases in a few minutes under the hour. Miss .Thursby-Pelham, Abermarlais (now Mrs de Rutzen), who was married at Llan- sadwrn the other day, has the distinction of being one of the very few lady-churchwardens in the kingdom. An aged resident of Usk, anticipating the inevitable, has had his tombstone erected in Penuel Chapel, Llangwm, a blank, of course, being left for the date of death. Mr T. Huws Davies, B.Sc. (" Norrick," of the London Kelt"), one of the assistant secretaries of the ,Welsh Church Commission, has broken down in health owing to the strain of recent overwork, and has been ordered away for rest. The Rhymney train was passing over the viaduct near Bargoed Station a few days ago when a passenger exclaimed to a fellow traveller The Powell Duffryn is a go-ahead company, ain't they ? See, they are now putt- ing up a pit head bath for their men." The bath referred to, however, is a new gaso- meter of immense size. A movement has been started in Carnarvon- shire for raising subscriptions to place a me- morial column over the grave in the Cae- athraw Burial GrOuad, near Carnarvon, of William Owen, of Prysgol, the composer of Bryn Calfaria and other popular Welsh hymn-tunes. Cymmer inquires :—Can any of your readers give the exact dimensions of-(1) Erw Llangiwc (2) Castlemartin foot; (3) Llathen Eglwysilan (4) Cyfar Merthyi; One comes occasionally across these terms in old Welsh books. Bedwellty, it appears, also had mea- sures of its own. There is one word by which the Church of England in Wales is called in the vernacular which conveys more meaning than a dozen ordinary words. In the Welsh National Press the Anglican Church is frequently called Yr Estrones" (the foreigner), but the Welsh word is far more expressive than its English equiva- lent. The Chairman of the Welsh Church Com- mission has not yet been informed about this stinger." Mr R. M. Thomas, secretary to the Welsh Church Commissioners, is shortly to be honoured by his fellow townsmen at Carmar- then. For 20 years he was town clerk and magistrates' clerk of Carmarthen, and he has just relinquished those offices to take up the chief agency of the Wynnstay estates. It is proposed to entertain him at a public banquet and to make him a suitable presentation. Mr Owen M. Edwards, M.A., in this month's Cymru," says it was a pity for the Welsh to lose their patronymics and become nearly all Joneses. He urges his readers to keep the old names where thev still remain, such as Gwyn, Llwyd, Rhydderch, Rhys, Cadwaladr, and to add to them. It was," he adds, a cowardly pride that caused the names to be lost." Y Faner describes the Morocco brigands who recently visited the Cardiff Empire as "Gwylliaid Cochion Morocco." The name adapted from a noted band of ioutlaws who infested Dinas Mawddwy in the eighteenth century, and were popularly known as "Gwylliaid Cochion Mawddwy." So daring had they become that they murdered a judge of Assize, and this led to their annihilation by the military, but it does not seem that any of their names have been preserved in local his- tory. The following verse describes the experience of one of the witnesses whd had to a-PP*f* before the Church Commission, while listen- ing to the evidence of witnesses who preceuea him ;— Diflas iawn i i&ch Cawl ail-dwvmo; Pa faint mwy 'fath gawi a hwn Wedi Uwydo ?— Cawl heb genin, blawd na bias— Ca wl hen sure,— Cawl a chawlach Dyma-gawl! D-l a'i hyfo In the official invitation to the members of the Union ot Welsh Independents to attend the annual meetings of the Union, to be held at Rhosllanerchrugog on the 13th of July and the three following days, which has just been issued, reference is made to^hos as "a district where Nonconformity has a very interesting history. Not far from Rhos (at Wrexham) Morgan Llwyd o Wynedd, Walter Cradock. and William Williams of Wern preached the Word with great power, and to-day the good effects of the labours of these Independent fathers are seen in the earnestness and faith- fulness which are so characteristic of the neighourhood. Mr John Thomas, the King's harpist, has written a History of the Harp from the Earliest Period down to the Present Day," and the work has just been published. Pencerdd Gwalia claims great things for the instrument of which he is so skilled a master. For ages it was the inseparable companion of prophet, king, bard, and minstrel. From the days of Jubal (only seventh in descent from Adam) it may be traced down the stream of Hebrew history." The Welsh, he thinks, appear not only to have derived the harp from Ancient Greece, but also to have perpetuated the Olympic games in the eisteddfodau. Among other interesting items in this very interesting little book is the following The Welsh laws enumerate three distinct harps, thus— The three lawful harps 1, the harp of the king 2, the harp Of a master of music (pen cerdd), and 3, the harp of a gentleman. The two first were valued at 120 pence each, and the tuning key at 24 pence. The harp of a gentleman (or baron) was valued at 60 pence, and its tuning key 12 pence." The Society of Friends are strongly opposed to an Established Church in any and every country. In proof of this, Mr Hercules D. Phillips, in his evidence before the Welsh Church Commission last week, quoted the following passage from Christian Discipline," the only official book of the society We love our country, and we are, in the largest sense of the term, a Protestant church But Ve believe that in continuing to usurp autho- rity over conscience in the exercise of civil power, by maintaining established form of worship, and by obliging men to contribute to those which they conscientiously disapprove, one of the worst features of the apostasy is retained. The establishment by law of one system of faith and observance as the recognised religion of the State, and a legal pro- vision for the use of all the sects into which a nation may be divided, appear to us to be both unwarranted): the former as being an assumption of exclusive rule, the latter as treat- ing the great question of religion as matters of indifference. The union of the Church with the State derives no support from the New Testament." PremiiP and Principality. The spirit of Welsh nationalism, fostered by the national spirit—the Welsh Renaissance —has infused new life into the nation since I left your shores," said the Hon. T. Price, Premier of South Australia, to a correspondent the other day. He continued :—" But da not forget that it is not by the preservation of peculiarities of language or ideas that a nation becomes truly great and maintains its great- ness, but it is by the preservation of high and lofty ideals. I do not think there is in Wales a. desire—I am sure it could never exist among the best Welshmen—that would wall the Prin- cipality in for protection against outsiders, and raise the cry of Wales for the Welsh There may have been such a cry in the past: there is no such cry to-day—at any rate there is no need for it. We have come to-day to realise that a Welshman may cut himself adrift from all the national characteristics and narrowing influences-of local environment and still remain truly a Welshman with a high and an impor- tant part to play in maintaining the tradi- tions of one great and glorious Empire."

TWO MEN DROWNED. Three young men, Edward Pennock, Robert Hutchinson and Robert Boyd, were rowing in Shields Harbour on Sunday afternoon.when,in attempting to throw a towline on to the I >M,S- senger steamer Earl of Aberdeen, their boat was upset. Lifebuoys were thrown to them, but both Hutchinson and Pennock sank and were drowned. Boyd was picked up by a < rry steamer which was crossing the river at the time. Hutchinson and Pennock, who lived a South Shields, were both married.

FIFTEEN NUNS KILLED. Paris. Sunday.—According to the St. Peters- burg correspondent of Ow" P.ris Her;.1d 15 nuns were killed under remarkable circum» stances yesterday at Voronezh, the capital of thE" Govern ment of Voronezh. They crept under a stationary goods train to escape from 8 heavy downpour of rain w hen th,train st, I'tec unexpectedly and they were all crushed tt death.—-Central News.