The Aberdare Leader

Miners' Wages. ANOTHER ADVANCE. The workmen in South Wales and Mon- mouthshire coalfield were granted a 5 per cent. advance in wages on Saturday through the medium of the Conciliation Board. This additional increase brings the wages to 57 £ per cent. above the 2 1879 standard, or 2i per cent. below the a maximum under the agreement. The proceedings of the board, held at Cardiff, were characterisad throughout by the spirit of conciliation, and the business was despatched with record brevity. Three months ago the men, by the casting vote of Lord St. Aldwyn, the independent ch air maftfwere awarded the record advance of 11-1 per cent., but 4 those conversant with the coal trade and the coal market realised that the men were justified in making a claim for a further advance, the reasonableness of the request being evidenced by the un- animity which prevailed on the owners' side in granting it. As usual, there was an appreciable difference in the figures produced by the respective parties as to the ruling prices during the preceding three months. The official statistics submitted by the men gave the selling price of large coal at 15s 6-75d, small coal 9s 8-83d, whilst the employers' audit showed large coal 14s 6'32d, and small coal 9s 0-4ea. On the present occasion an important factor in the situation was the enhanced prioe of small coal, the independent chairman having at the last revision given his decision as to the admissibility of this factor, which was therefore to be taken into consideration. In the course of his speech Mabon dealt with an important point, which he couched in the form of an appeal and a warning. Having referred to the present flourishing state of the trade, Mabon urged upon the employers the wisdom of keeping the market for as long a period as :possible in this state of prosperity, and this, he said, would be jeopardised if prices were allowed to be inflated to an abnormal extent, for the inevitable result would be reaction, with correspondingly disastrous consequences. He deprecated the possibility of the present boom being carried to such an extent as to be pre- judicial to the best interest of the Welsh coalfield. The present position had been reached by the natural law of supply and demand, and not by any adventitious circumstances and it therefore behoved all concerned to adopt such a policy as would be calculated to retain for a long time to come the present flourishing condition of trade. OFFICIAL REPORT. The following official report was issued to the Press by Mr Dalziel The men's application was put for- ward by Mr Abraham, and after hear- ing his arguments the owners' repre- sentatives decided to grant the request, and accordingly the wages will be advanced 5 per cent. as from the 1st September, placing the percentage at 57J above the standard of 1879. Consequently, the joint secretaries, Mr Dalziel and Mr Thos. Richards, were instructed to inform Lord St. Aldwyn that his services would not be required on the present occasion. A BATCH OF DISPUTES. The Board Jealt with a batch of dis- putes at local collieries. The following official report was given to the Press:— Mr F. L. Davies presided over the owners' side:and Mr W. Abraham pre- sided over the workmen's side. The owners complained that the work. men at the Windber colliery, Aberdare, had on the 1st inst. given a month's notice to terminate tontracis in contra- vention of the Conciliation Board agree- ment. The workmen's representative promised to inquire into the matter, and conditionally on the notices being with- drawn it was arranged that the question in dispute should be referred to Messrs W. W. Hood and John Davies for inves- tigation and settlement. The owners also drew attention to the fact that the Black Band and Main Dip districts at the Treaman colliery had given notice on the 1st inst. in contra- vention of the Conciliation Board agree- ment, as they had not allowed the fcecessary month to elapse since the two representatives appointed to deal with |he question in dispute had reported a ailurb to agree. The workmen's repre- sentatives promised to see the men and endeavour to get 'them to withdraw the notices.

MertHyp Board of Guardians. On Saturday. Present: Rev. James O'Reilly, in the chair; Mrs. Maria Richards, Mrs. Etvaiis, Mrs. M. T. Wil- liams, and Rev. J. Hathren Davies. Messrs. David Edwards, Morgan Wil- liams, Methusalem Davies, Samuel Hawkins, Thomas Hedge, David Davies, T E. Morgan, William Harris, William Hiley, Samuel Thomas, David Evans (Merthyr), Wm. Jones, Richard Rees, Lewis Davies, T. Andrews, D. Hopkins, Aug. Davies, N. F. Hankey, T. Ham- mond, Thos. B. Greatorex, Joseph Price, John Rogers, Rev. W. S. Davies, and Rev. T. Rees, with Mr. J. L. Morris (deputy clerk). TRAINING SCHOOL COMMITTEE. At a meeting of the Aberdare Train- ing1 School Committee held at the Cottage Homes, Aberdare, on the 29th July, there were present: Mr Augustus Dairies in the chair, Mrs. Maria Richards, MrR. M. T. Williams, Messrs. Rees Bees, Samuel Hawkins, Morgan Williams, Thomas Hedge., Samuel Thomas, Wm. Jones, and John Prowle. The Medical Officer having recom- mended that Dennis Maguire and Lilv Maud Evans should be sent to the Porth- cawl Rest, the Committee recommended that they be sent to the Rest for three weeks. Mr Daniel Donovan, of 36, New-street, Aberaman, appeared before the com- mittee and expressed satisfaction with the boy, Florance McCarthy, who had been with him for a month on trial. The boy subsequently appeared before the committee and expressed a desire to remain with Mr. Donovan.—Resolved that the usual outfit be granted and con- tiact signed. The Superintendent reported that Emma Chapman had been returned to the school by Mrs. Newcombe, of 43, Cardiff-road, Aberaman, as bein;, un- suitable, and subsequently at the com- mittee's request the girl appeared before them. The Superintendent having reported that the conduct of the girl, Martha J. Thomas, aged 16 years, was such that it would be advisable to obtain a situation for her as soon as possible, the commit- tee directed the superintendent to report by the next meeting as to a suitable heme for the girl. The committee recommended that Aberavon be selected as the-place for the children's outing this year, and that it be held on Friday, August 16tb. Children Leaving: School (to be report- ed to ministers of deuominations to which they belong). Rend letter from Mr. John Rogers, of 69, Harriet-street, Trecynon, Aberdare, conveyilg to the committee the following resolution passed by the Trecynon and District Sunday School Union, viz.:—"That the committee should take steps to "nform the min;sters of the different dencmin- ations when a child leaves the schocl be- longing to their respective denomina- tions, so that they may take steps to secure for each child the privilege of at- tending the place of worship belonging to the denomination in which the child has been brought up."—The committee recommended that the request be com- plied with. GELLIGAER COTTAGE HOMES COMMITTEE. At a meeting of the Gelligaer Cottage Homes Committee, held at the Cottage Homes, Bargoed, on the 6tb August, there were present Rev. J. O'Reilly, in the chair; Mrs. Maria Richards, Mrs. M. A. Eivans, Mrs. M. T. Williams, Rev. W. S. Davies, Messrs. John Prowle, Dd. Hopkins, John Jones, Walter Lewis. Ed- ward Lewis, and William Hammonds. The committee inspected the Bargoed Cottage Homes, and further considered the schedule, of furniture, etc., submitted by the Superintendent of the Training School, which the committee recom- mended the Board to adopty,as amended by them. THE NEW INSPECTOR. Mr. Hugh Williams, Mr. Bircham's successor, was present, and he was given a cordial welcome by the chairman. Mr. Williams, in responding, said he was pleased to meet the Guardians, and he thanked them very heartily for the kind way in which they had welcomed him. He would be glad to extend any help which the Board needed. He pro- mised that he would always endeavour to help them and not find fault with. them.' He had attended one of the Re- lief Committees, and he had noticed that they had a lot to do, and a number of difficult cases to deal with. Administra- tion of the Poor Law had to be care- fully watched, for there was a danger to use too much of the heart and too little of the head. He proposed visiting tho out-door poor soon, and he hoped to be able to address the Board at a future date. (Hear, hear.) RELIEF. Two cheques—one for £ 395 and another 'for -e375-had been drawn to cover out- relief for the past fortnight. ABERDARE RELIEF COMMITTEE. A letter was read from the Local Government Board regarding the pro- posal of the Aberdare, Relief Committee to meet at the Cottage Homes. The Local Government Board did not legard this proposal favourably inasmuch as the children would observe the poor people attending there for relief. It would be preferable for the committee to rent a room in some other part of the town. The letter was referred to the Aber- dare Relief 'Committee.

TALGARTH AND BRIDGEND ASYLUMS. LABOUR GUARDIAN'S IMPRESSrOS Mr. W. Hiley, as a member of the Visiting Committee, said he would like to give a brief report of their visit to both Asylums. The committee had been received with every courtesy at both in- stitutions. The patients had been shown to them, and they appeared quite clean and comfortable. The patients were about to partake of dinner at Tal- garth when the committee called, and he was pleased to say that the food was excellent in every respect. The sur- roundings in Talgarth were ideal. If he might compare the two places, he would say without hesitation that Talgarth was superior to Bridgend. If it was within the power of the Board to choose, ihc would appeal that they send more patients to Talgarth than to Bridgend. He was convinced that they would re- cover quicker in the former place. Everything was. clean in Bridgend also. He was sorry to say that there were not many on the road to recovery there. What surprised him more than any- thing was the large number of young people who were there. He regarded this with no little alarm. The Chairman, referring to Mr. Hiley's recommendation to send patients to Talgarth, said that the Board had no power. Breconshire patients were sent to Talgarth and Glamorganshire patients to Bridgend. HOLIDAYS. Dr. Rhys, Aberdare, wrote that he was about to take his annual holidays, and that Drs. Ryce and Moffitt would at- tend to the duties during his absence. Mr. David Evans (Merthyr): Are they qualified vaccinators? (Laughter.) Clerk: Yes. LOAN OF MONEY. There were four tenders for the loan of a sum of money. Messrs. Chas. Sey- mour, Taylor, and Co., were the lowest tenderers, their terms being 31 per cent. and 14 guineas fee. This tender was accepted. SANDGATE PATIENTS. A report from Sandgate stated that a patient named E. Rees Arthur continued to improve. He would stay till the end of September, wihen he would probably be able to return to hia work. M. M. Beattie also showed visible signs of improvement. She maintained her weight. Wm. Crumb, another patient, was progressing fairly well. His cough was very much better, and his general health had improved. MORE ALLEGATIONS AGAINST SANDGATE. THE SECRETARY'S DEFENCE. Michael McCarthy, one of the Board's patients, until recently, at Sandgate Seaside Sanatorium, wrote a letter a few weeks ago complaining of the treatment received by patients there. It was re- solved a fortnight ago to send a copy of the letter to the secretary of the Sana- toria, for his observations thereon. A reply had now been received from the secretary, strongly worded, and characterising some of McCarthy's state- ments as false. The secretary expressed the opinion that some outside influence had been brought to bear on McCarthy to write such a letter. If matters were so bad as stated, it was strange that be had allowed himself to be a martyr there for 3 months and a fortnight. He (the secretary) wished to deny that the food was of the poorest quality. A visiting committee had been there and they had expressed themselves thoroughly satis- fied with the arrangements, etc. Rev. J. Hathren Davies said that he had never had any confidence in that In- stitution. He had read a statement in The Lancet" that there were grave doubts regarding the management cf Sandgate, and that it was an enterprise by one glentle-nian by the name of Jones. They had nothing to show that this place was satisfactory. The Clerk some time ago said he would never dream of sending anybody to that institution, and "here they were listening to a medical officer and continuing to send patients there. They had not one instance where a practical result had been obtained, and they had to pay 3s. per day per patient. Mr. David Davies said that this was not the first complaint received. The poor diet had been remarked upon be- fore. Another patient, whom he would' not name, had written home to say that the food was wretched. Serious notice ought to be taken regarding those com- plaints. Mr. David Evans, Merthyr, spoke in a similar strain. Mr N. F. Hankey: Our medical officer would be the proper person to advise us. Mrs. Williams said several people suffering from consumption had applied to the Board to send thefn somewhere At present they had no other place ex- cept Sandgate. She was of opinion that the chairman or any other member should pay a surprise visit there. (Hear, hear.) Mrs. Richards pointed out that some patients had begged to be allowed to re- turn to Sandgate. There were undoubt- edly two sides to this question. Mr. Greatorex said it was advisable to verify the statements made by Mc- Carthy. The Chairman said that some patients reported favourably and others other- wise. They had only one place to send them to. It was Hobson's choice. If the Board had means to provide a Sana- torium of their own it would be differ- ent. He did not think they could do anything at present.

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Premier and Sir W. T. Lewia. Lord Glantawe, better known as Sir John Jones Jenkins, entertained Sir Henry Campbell-Bannerman to dinner at the Reform Club on Friday night. The occasion was privileged, but there was an informal interlude, which may be briefly referred to. Lord Glantawe in a delightful way proposed the health of the Prime Minis- ter which was most cordially acknow- ledged, and to which Sir Henry Campbell. Bannerman responded in a characteris- ticaily tactful speech, wherein there was a special reference to the advent of the Labour element to the House of Commons, greatly to the advantage of the latter. Sir W. Thomas Lewis proposed the health of the host as one of his oldest and best friends. A few words from Sir Alfred Thomas brought a charming speech from Mr Haldane, and an impromptu toast of the health of Sir William Thomas Lewis by the Prime Minister was acknowledged by Sir William as one of the greatest com- pliments of his life.

Labour Jottings. BY "DEMOS." The rising tide of the Labour triumphs is getting higher and higher, and pro- portionately the Liberal cry for a second ballot becomes loudar and louder. Some time ago the second ballot was not an article in the Liberal faith, or likely to become one. What accounts for this change of attitudep Can't you gues, Professor Charles Zulblin. who occu- pies the Chair of Sociology at Chicago University, in the course of a lecture bitterly attacked Mr. John D. Rocke- feller, founder and supporter of the uni versity, saying the world was turning to Socialism in an effort to escape from the burdens piled upon it by the class to which Mr. Rockefeller belonged.—Reu- ter. ——— Quits right, Professor! But surely you deserve congratulation on your divine audacity in bearding the lion of capitalism in his den. Come over to Britain and apply your stinging stric- tures to the institutions which another American millionaire is establishing in this country. By-the-way; I should state that the plucky Aberamanites are going on splendidly without the aid of his withdrawn donation. At Tariff Reform meeting held in Blacl; wood recently a colliery owner, Mr Pond, said he did not trouble himself much about Socialism. He believed that nineteen out of twenty men in Black- wood were working for a living, and were able to read and think for them- selves. They would settle such questions as those dealing with Socialism and Tariff Reform for themselves. Right, Mr. Pond, that is just what the workers all over the country are doing- thinking for themselves. Since he deserted the ranks of the coalowners Mr. D. A. Thomas, M.P., hall become an ideal Labour Leader. Every time the miners of South Wales seek an advance Mr. Thomas tells them that they ought to get it. And yet vome people are unkind enough to avow that D.A. is not an ideal Labour M.P. Sending the military to Belfast to quell the strikers reminds one of the importing of hundreds of soldiers to the Glamorgan valleys at the time cf the Hauliers' Strike in 1893. It was hard lines that the people should pay for men who were sent here to fight them. It ww, the coalowners that called the tune, and they should have been called upon to pay the piper. Will Boards of Guardians be abol- ished? That is the question that per- turbs the minds of hundreds ef good people at present. Mr. J. Prowle, him- self a Guardian, expressed the opinion that they will be abolished, and that very soon. He went so far as to say that the present Board sitting in Merthyr will be the last, and that we shall never see another Guardians' election at Aber- dare. Who will perform the work? It is proposed to transfer some of the admin- istrative work to District and Borough Councils. If this be done, then it will become necessary to increase the mem- bership of the Councils. The Aberdare District Council, for instance, hav3 al- ready had thrust upon them the duties of the old Aberdare School Board. If the work of the Guardians be also trans- ferred to them, then they will indeed have their hands full. But it would bring about one thing that Aberdare has pined for for many years, i.e., separation. Should the Mer thyr Board of Guardians be abolished, a4id its duties transferred to the Coun- cils, then of course the Aberdare Coun- cil would be asked to deal with the poor within its own area, and the Merthyr Council would be requested to do the same. Since John Burns has hinted at a Bill to reform Municipal Government, sever- al newspapers have welcomed the. sug- gestion. A leading article in « Rey- nolds for last Sunday says:—" Recent revelations as to Boards of Guardians in London, and other parts of the country, have shown that some members of these Boards are simply professional thieves. It is of the utmost importance for the good of London that Borough Councils should be dignified by an increase in their duties and responsibilities. A superior class of men will thus be at- tracted to these Boards, and they will cease being, to so large an extent, nest. of jobbery and corruption." The Cambrian News," in a leaderette *ast week, stated that" Boards of Guardians, perhaps the most inefficient of all publ-" bodies, could be abolished with advant- age to the whole country." Last Sunday evening the Rev. Cynog Williams, Trecynon, found fault with the Rev. B. J. Campbell for placing Socialism in front of the Kingdom of God in his subject. Surely thia is very trivial, and did not warrant the pastor of Mill Street Church in saying that there was a tremendous difference between "Socialism and the Kingdom of God," and The Kingdom of God an Socialism." Moreover, it is an objec- tion that cannot be sustained. It all de- pends on which way you look at the ub. j ect. For example, the Rev. R. J. Campbell delivered a lecture at the Market Hall. Then the Rev. Cynog Williams dealt with this lecture in the course of his sermon. A newspaper man who would refer to this would head the paragraph, Rev. Cynog Williams and the Rev. R. J. .Campbell." Not of course because the former would be the greater and the more important, but because he was the last on the scenej and had dealt with what the other had said. In the same manner Socialism is a comparatively new creed, and the pastor of the City Temple probably wanted to define its relationship to the Kingdom of God. South Wales has enjoyed an enviable" immunity from big strikes for several years. But in other countries they are still resorted to as the best means of settling a difference between masters and men. The Transvaal miners are "out" at present, and the Belfast strikers continue to make things awk- ward for those in authority. At the Aberdare Trades Council on Thursday evening an appeal for financial assist- ance had been received on behalf of the Transvaal miners, when it was referred to the lodges. In the case of the hel- fast strikers it was resolved to organise a street collection for them. In Vienna the Social Democratic Party has bought the former palace of the Kinsky family at Prague for 1,200,000 crowns. The editorial and printing de. partment of the Socialist journal, "Pravo Lidu," will be established on the ground floor of the palace. The remain- ing rooms will be let as flats.

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Rev. T. Rees suggested that their medical officer pay a surprise visit. Mrs. Evans: Together with the chair- m.an. Rev. T. Bees: The chairman could only give the doctor spiritual advice on the way. (Laughter.) Mr. Greaterox moved that no further action be now taken. This waa seconded and agreed to.