The Aberdare Leader

YR ADRAN GYMREIG. Qwahoddir cyfraniadau i'r Adran hon yn y ffurf o ohebiaeth bwrpasol, adroddiadau lleol, a barddoniaeth deilwng. Nis gellir cyhoeddi cyn- yrohion meithion.

Barddoniaeth. ENGLYN Ar ol Dilys Davies, anwyl ferch Mr a Mrs. D. Davies (Derwydd), Cwmaman. Obry ar glai lwybrau'r glyn-hir wylwch Am siriolaf blentyn; Fry syllwch, gwelwch mewn gwyn Difys yn canu'r delyn. Aberdar. AP HEFIN.

Nodion a Newyddion. Amcangyfrifir colled arianol Eis- teddfod Bangor yn rhywle rhwng naw cant a mil o bunnau. 0 ryfel creu- lawn! "Noson o Farug" ydyw enw drama newydd o eiddo y Parch. R. G. Berry, o Bentyrch, a ddaeth i en- wggrwydd drwy Asgre Lan." Yn Llandilo yn ddiweddar cladd- wyd hen chwaer 81 oed o'r-enw Mrs Dinah Jones. Bu yn aelod o'r un eglwys am 56 o flynyddau. Da a ffyddlawn. Wele ni yn Mhrydain newydd fod yn cyfrif v bobl—gwaith a ystvrid yn drosedd yn amser Dafydd. Hyder- drosedd yn amser Dafydd. Hyder- wn na fydd i gyfryw farn ag a oddi- weddodd frenin Israel ymweled a brenin Lloegr. Mae ganddo ddigon i'w flino yn barod. Mae y Parch. Robert Camber Wil- liams, o Lanbedr Pont Stephen, ar wely cystudd yn Llandudno. Oftrym- ir gweddiau am ei adferiad yn yr eglwys. Camber ydyw Golygydd Y Llan." ac efe yn ddiau yw Joab cad amddiffyniad yr Eglwys yn Nghymru. Credwn fod cymdeithasau cref- yddol mor anystyriol a neb yn ystod y rhyfel yma. Yn ddiweddar, yr oedd Prydain yn apelio at y bobl i gasglu ar gyfer cronfa Tywysog Cym- ru, a buwyd yn gwneyd tipyn ar yr ochr hon, ond y dvdd o'r blaen gwel- som fod costau teithio i'r Gymanfa Fethodistaidd yn Llundain yn ddi- weddar yn $3,000. Ac i ba les? Pa- ham na allesid cyngori y cynrychiol- wyr i warchod gartref, a rhoi y $3,000 i gynorthwyo y llywodraeth i lorio y Germaniaid Y Drych." Y mae Cymru mewn perygl o goUi un o'i meibion mwyaf athrylithgar a phoblogaidd, sef y Parch. D. Emrvs James, Pontypridd, yr hwn sydd wedi cael galwad i Eglwys Annibynol Finsbury, Llundain. Mab ydyw efe i'r Parch. T. Emrys James, Aber- nant, a brodor o Sir Benfro. Dygwyd ef i fyny yn argraffydd yn Nghaer- fyrddin. I t

Pa le yr oedd Dyfed? Dyma fel yr ysgrifena Brynfab yn Y Darian Beth sydd wedi dyfod o'r Arch- dderwydd Dyfed 1 Nid wyf wedi clywed ei fod yn sal nac ymaith ar ei fis mel.' Barna rhai ei fod wedi mynd i'r front' i helpu Taldir, yr Archdderwydd Llydawaidd, i gys- twyo byddmoedd y Kaiser. Bid a fynno, nid oedd siw na miw am dano ym Mangor. A wyr John Thomas, ) 1 Llanwrtyd, rywbeth am dano ? Gall-I j odd aros i chwarae 'croquet' yno pan ) < oedd ei eisiau yn ei gadair yn Aber- honddu ystalwm. Eithr digon prin 1 y gellir tybio ei fod mor fachgenaidd eleni pan oedd ei angen i lanw y gwagleoedd vng Ngorsedd Bangor. { Dylasai ei feddyg gyhoeddi 'bulletin' ] bob dydd, os ydyw yn gystuddiol. s Mae pob bardd yn holi am dano yn y § cyfwng presennol. s Gwelais ei fod wedi anfon ei wisg Archdderwyddol i Fangor. a Chad- fan wedi neidio i fewn iddi. Tybed fod Dyfed wedi cael digon ar y swydd? Gwell gennyf gredu hynny na'i fod yn sal. Ond os ydyw yn di- oddef oddiwrth rhyw anhwyldeb, gall ymgysuro yn y ffaith y bydd i Cadfan fyw yn hirach a dedwyddach wet.ii iddo gael ei hun yn y wisg Dder- wyddol. Yn y darlun welais i ohono yr oedd wedi ymsythu i'w faintioli eithaf, a digon tebyg ei fod wedi Ilanw y swydd yn rhagorol." Er mwyn rhoddi esmwythyd meddwl i Brynfab a'r beirdd ereill ydynt yn ofni fod Dyfed naill ai yn v gad neu ynte yn y gornel gallwn eu hysbysu i ni ei weled a'i glywed yn mhwjjpud Nazareth, Aberdar, y diweddaf, a'i fod i bob argoel yn e gynefin iechyd. Ni roddodd ych- waith un awgrym ei fod yn bwriadu cyfnewid cledd yr Orsedd Gymreig am gledd y cadfaes.

Musical Success. At the July examination of the Lon- don College of Music held at Cardiff, Mr. Tom Evans, 1 Ynyslwyd Street, Aberdare, passed the Junior Grade in Theory of Music, First Class, and ob- tained 92 marks out of a possible 100. The examiner was Mr. A. S. Holloway, Mus.Doc. (Oxon), F.R.C.O. Mr. Evans is a pupil of Mr. J. J. Williams, L.L.C.M., Adv. R.A.M., R.C.M., Glou- cester Street, Aberdare.

Dyfed yn Aberdar. Y Sul diweddaf pregethai yr Arch- dderwydd Dyfed yn Addoldy Nazar- eth, Aberdar. Yn odfa'r hwyr ei destyn oedd 0 herwydd hoffodd yr Arglwydd ei bobl, efe a brydfertha y rhai llednais ag iachawdwriaeth" (Psalm 149, 4). ylwodd yn (1) fod hwn yn bryd- ferthwch sydd a'i wraidd mewn gwir- ionedd, ac yn (2) yn brydferthwch a'i frig mewn haul. Gofynwyd un- waith gan farnwr (a ddylasai wybod ei hunan) beth oedd gwirionedd, a rhoddodd y gofyniad i garcharor oedd yn gorfforiad o'r ateb i'r gofyn- iad hwnw. Gwaeddai rhai y dydd- iau hyn fod efengyl gras yn fethiant, ond yr oedd hyn yn debyg i gwn yn cyfarth ar yr haul, yr hwn a elai yn ei flaen dan wenu yn ddrsylw o'r cyfarthiad. Cyfyd diffygion y saint nid o'r bywyd newydd ond o adfeilion yr hen. Bu y Salmydd yn mron myned i gredu fod annuwioldeb yn amod llwyddiant, ond nid oedd y iath lwydd ond crych ar wyneb ton am- ser. Nid oedd parhad iddo. Tardda pob lliw yn natur o dywyn- ion haul-melynder y briallu a blodau'r eithin, glesni blodau'r gog a gwrid cyfoethog y rhos. Os am dyfiant iach nerthol rhaid wrth awyr iach a goleuni. Yn y greadigaeth newydd y mae meddyginiaeth yn eangder haul cyfiawnder. Y ffordd i dynu allan brydferthwch y bywyd newydd ydyw aros yn ngwawl a gwres yr huan dwyfol. Mae iacliawdwi-iaeth dyn yn gol- ygu llawer mwy na dianc rhag y Hid a fydd. Anmhosibl yw i neb fyw yn hollol iddo ei hun. Felly y bywyd newydd. Nis gellir ei gyfyngu. El ei berarogl dros y mur. Cwynir yn ami fod tymhorau oer- ion yn ymdaenu dros blanhigion mynydd Duw. Nis gellir dweyd, ar y fath dymhorau, fod Seion yn deg- wch bro ac yn llawenydd yr holl ddaear. Beth a gyfrif am y cyfryw 1 Pellder oddiwrth yr haul. Cysgodau y ddaear yn myned rhyngom ag ef. Beth a achosa auaf naturiol 1 Hen gymundeb cynhes y ddaear a'r haul yn cael ei wanhau. Yrunfathmewn! ystyr ysbrydol. Ystyr colledigaeth yw Duw a dyn yn pellhau oddiwrth eu gilydd. Dyna paham y gelwir cartref y colledigion yn wlad yr hanner nos." Mae prydferthwch yn anmhosibl heb oleuni. Cyn i'r gorchymyn, Bydded goleuni gy- meryd effaith yr oedd y ddaear yn afluniaidd a gwag. Gwir fod y nos yn brydferth, ond goleuadau a'i gwna felly. Cadwn yn y cymundeb hwnw sydd yn dwyn allan brydferth- wch iachawdwriaeth. wch iachawdwriaeth.

Hunangofiant Enwogion. Y PARCH. R. J. JONES, M.A. Wrth fwrw golwg yn ol heddyw dros flynyddoedd fy ngorphenol, tyr llawer o gofion ar fv meddwl, ac ar y cyfan teimlaf fod genyi lawer o reswm i fod yn ddiolchgar. Syrthiodd llinynau fy mywyd i leoedd hapus a ffaxriol. Nid oedd genyf achos i achwyn ar yr "here- dity na'r "environment." Nid wyf yn gweled sut, dan yr amgylchiadau, y gall- ent fod yn well. Yr oedd y cysylltiadau teuluol, cymdeithasol, gwleidyddol, moesol, crefyddol a duwinyddol yn bob peth y gallwn ei ddymuno. Nid na phasiodd ambell i gwmwl dros yr wybren. Clywais lawer am un a ddi- gwyddodd mor fore ag amser y Siartiaid. Bu hwnw'n crogi'n ddu uwch ben y teulu am dymor. Digwyddai'r penteulu fod yn un a gredai yn gryf yn nghyfiawnder gofynion y Siarter, a phleidiai hi hyd cdthaf ei allu. Yn wahanol, i rai fodd bynag, hyderai yn gwbl yn nerth ei res- ymau, a gwrthdystiai'n wastad yn erbyn pob math o nerth anianyddol. Ni chredai o gwbl yn "argument" v cwlwm pump, a phan benodwyd ef, gyda llawer eraill, yn swyddog ar adran or dorf oedd i ymosod ar Gasnewydd, yn hytrach nag ymuno mewn anturiaeth mor ynfyd dinanodd o'r golwg nes i'r storm chwythu ymaith a'r cwmwl ddi- flanu. Dyna'r adeg VT alltudiwyd Frost, Williams, a Jones. Am fanylion pellach, gweler "Ymofynydd," 1906. Adeg helbulus" yn hanes ein gwlad I oedd yr adeg o 183õ hyd 1845 neu 1850. Dyna adeg y "Deugeiniau Newynllyd," yr "Hungry Forties" y sonir cymaint am danynt y dyddiau hyn. Cofiaf yn dda am y rhai diweddaf o honynt, er na chefais i yn bersonol ddim llawer o brofiad o'r angenion triet oedd yn .cyd. fyned a hwy. Cofiaf weled fel peth cyffredin y plant bach ar hyd yr heolydd yn "droednoeth goesnoeth," fel y dywed- ir; eu gwisg yn brin ae yn garpiog a'u gwvnebau gwelwon yn amlwg yn aw- grymu'r cwpwrdd gwag gartref. Nid oedd sefyllfa gweithiwr y pryd hyny fawr gwell nag eiddo. caethion yr Unol Dalaethau, os cystal. Gofalai'r meistr am ei gaethion, megys y gofalai am ei geffyl neu ei fuwch, er mwyn ei les ei hunan; pe peidiai byddai'n golled per- sonol iddo. I wryw ac i fen3rw yn gyffelyb yr adeg hono, y rheol gyffredin nedd--oriau hirion, gwaith caled, ac yehydig gyflog; tra'r plant bach hwyth- au druain hefyd, lawer o honynt, yn chwech ac yn saith oed, yn gorfod myned allan, am chwech yn y bore, i roddi'r fath help ag a allent i chwyddo enillion y teulu; ac yna ar ol gorphen yn dych- welyd i orphwys i fwthynod bychain di- olwg a diawyriad. Pan yn clywed son heddyw am "Tariff Reform" a Diffyn- dollaeth, ehed fy meddwl yn ol at ddvddiau'r "Hungry Forties," pan oedd Treth yr Yd yn ei llawn rym, ac yr wyf yn gofyn imi fy hunan, A fyddai dynion mor barod i'w phleidio eto pe deallent ei hystyr, a phe gwyddent beth fyddai'r canlyniad? "Forewarned is forearmed," medd y Sais. Cofier am dywyllwch y dyddiau gynt, a'r gofid a'r drafiFerth gafwyd cyn llwyddo i gael ym wared o hualau'r ormes. Treth yr Yd yn wir, beth fyddai ond treth ar brif ffon cynaliaeth y tlawd?—O'r "Geninen." I

Alterations in Local Mails. After next Saturday, the 21st Aug., and during the continuance of the war the late Mails now being des- patched at 10.30 p.m. on Thursdays and Saturdays will be discontinued. The general night mail at 8.30 p.m. will therefore be the last despatch from Aberdare.

Youth: "I say, do you think I'll ever have a moustache?" Barber: "Well, I can't say as I do." Youth: "Hem, that's vewy odd. Why, my guvnor has a tremendous moustache. Barber: "That may be; but perhaps you take after your ma." )

Glyn Neath Minister Honoured On Friday evening last at Addoldy Schoolroom, Pontwalby, a very inter- esting meeting was held by Mr. David John Rosser's Bible Class to present the Rev. D. Tegfan Davies-and his wife on their departure for Ammanford. The chair was taken by Mr. David John Rosser, who gave a very interesting ad- dress, dealing with the loyalty of Mr. Davies towards the class. Mr. Howell Rees sang "Chwifiwn Faner." Selections on the gramophone of Mr. Rees L. Rees. Song by Miss Ada Lewis (Llinos Nedd). Recitations by Miss Louisa Eynon. Harp solo by Mr. Samuel Powell (Telynor Glan Nedd). Mr. Howell Powell presented Mrs. Tegfan Davies with a handsome silver butter dish, and Mr. Zachariah Lloyd presented the Rev. Tegfan Davies with a clock. Both gentlemen spoke feelingly. fr. Tom Cynon gave a poeti- cal address as follows-- Wel dyma noson gymysg 0 ofid a mwynhad, Sef cwrdd ymado Tegfan A'i briod hawddgar fad; Bu yn y Dosbarth Beiblaidd Ynglyn a'r YsgoI hon, Yn ddiwyd ac yn ffyddlon Drwy'r gauaf du o'r bron. Ardderchog yw yr awrlais Mewn ty o wydr glan, Deil hwn i ddweyd yr oriau Tra amser hed ymla'n; Bob tro y gwelir Tegfan Yn edrych ar ei wedd, Fe gofia am Bontwalby Yn Ammanford mewn hedd. Pan welir Mrs. Davies Yn paratoi ei gwledd, Fe fydd y "silver butter dish Yn atgof am Gwm Nedd; A'r mynych wledda gawsant Yn'r eglwys ac yn nhre, Cyn llwyddo o Rvdamman I ddenu'r ddau o'r lie. Wel, bellach, mi ddymunaf Boed iddynt bob mwynhad, Cael byw a gwasanaethu Mewn urdaas a mawrhad; Ac oes o fywyd llachar Nes dirwyn at y pen, Ac yna coron haeddiant Yng ngwlad y Wynfa Wen. The rev. gentleman responded in a few suitable words. Mr. Morgan Francis gave a solo, "Y Deryn Pur." Recitations by Mr. Ed. John Phillips. Song, Mr. T. Rees Garrett. Harp solo by Telynor Glan Nedd. "Hen Wlad fy Nhadau" was sung by Mr. Howell Rees. All present wished the Rev. and Mrs. Teg- fan Davies every happiness in their new sphere. ..114.'

Local Mems. BY MEMO. That article in last week's "Leader" giving a few reminiscences of a coal miner's life has stirred the dust which lies upon some treasured memories of my own. Many people in the Aberdare Valley will doubtless remember the Boy (or Boi) family. I think they came originally from Abercwmboi, and they settled eventually in Treorchy, in a hillside cottage overlooking Pencelli Hotel, a house owned by the late Evan Evans, Cefnpennar, of the Ely Brewery Co. The father of the family was an official at Tylacoch Colliery, and his sons turned out "shocking bad." One of them was Gwilym-known to all and sundry as Gwilym Bach y Boi. At the time I am speaking of, Gwilym's mother was in heaven, and had been there some years-that; is, years from our earthly standpoint. Gwilym was an orphan; had no money; too lazy to work; had to live on his wits. And he possessed a thirst which nothing could quench. Oft-times would he frequent the bars of local public- houses where the colliers usually sat. He generally managed to pay for the first pint, but before the night was out Gwilym would be rolling home right up to the neck in beer. How did he manage it? -As I said, he lived on his wits. I had heard about his devices many years ago, and, strange to say, I heard the same story related in a barber's shop in Aberdare by a local publican, who knew the family. When Gwilym's first pint was empty, with but little prospect of its being refilled, he would weep. And they were real tears, too; rivrl be would sob to the sympathetic miners around him and say, "0 dd-, tysa mam yn gwpod fod 'y mheint i'n wag." ("If my mother knew that mv pint was empty.") ] Of course, he didn't actually beg; 1 he didn't even ask anyone to lend him 1 3d. But, a la George Muller, the stuff j rmne in right enough, and as much of it as he could carry. Poor Gwilym! I never heard of his death, but he must < have been dead long ago. Tylacoch 1 Colliery has long been dismantled, and I Thomas Jones, the erstwhile owner, who t fought Lord Merthyr and the Bute r Estate in the law courts so well and so often, is dead. And so is Lord Merthyr. There was another well-known colliery character that would have arraced Dickens' novels if the immortal CVarles had come across him. His hair was red and he was always hot—at any rate. he was invariably ready for a cooler. Money would not remain in his pockets^ many minutes. He always in- vested it in a good pint of sparkling ale. It was during the time of the Hauliers' Strike. 1893 I believe. The mecca of the strikers, it will be remembered, was the Rocking Stone, Pontypridd. Dai was not the man to waste the price of six pints on train fares. He walked there on a broiling, hot day. In Taff Street he was nearly dropping for a drink, and he hadn't a cent to bless himself with. Outside a public-house near the station he saw two small young- sters in possession of a full pint of beer. Dai's indignation was stirred at seeing such striplings indulging in intoxicants. He caught hold of the pint; gave each of the lads a flip in the ear; drank their beer and went his way.' By the wav, where is now the Rock- I ing Stone Chairman I remember long ago? Hp enjoyed a brief spell of great popularity, and completely supplanted Afaboji in the affections of the men, eswcially the hauliers, who regarded Vabon as too slow a horse. At one meeting during the Hauliers' Strike Mabon attended, and gave certain ad- vice to the men. Mr. Morgan Thomas (the Rocking Stone chairman) presided. and he did not attempt to influence the meeting in Mabon's favour. The result was that the veteran miners' leader was not listened to. and when he descended from the open-air platform to go home Ir p he was followed by a hostile crowd, who threw stones and other missiles at him. As Mr. Stanton says, a miners' leader's life is not all beer and skittles. ] Far from it. He has to put up with a 1 score of indignities repeatedly. Mabon I in his day bad a rough time of it, and it is wonderful that he did not curse ] God and die or curse'the men and go to r keep a public-house, for he had and has a corporation that would grace the irmed seat of a hotel landlord. t y

) National Register. How the Work was done in Aberdare District. 36,500 Forms Distributed and Collected. The task of distributing the much talked of registration forms, and also the collecting thereof, has been performed. In the Aberdare Dis- trict that work was done by a staff of 95 enumerators, 75 of whom were teachers, 35 males and 40 females. The remaining 29 were largely drawn from the Aberdare Volunteer Train- ing Corps, and among outsiders were the Revs. J. Griffiths, Calfaria, and J. R. Dewi Williams, Vicar of Hir- wain. As near as possible each enumer- ator was given 130 houses to attend to, and the grand total of forms dis- tributed was about 36,500. The population of the district was estim- ated prior to the war to be about 55,000. About 4,000 men have joined the Army from the district; there are 11,000 children of school age, leaving about 4,000 persons above 65, who were not required to fill in the forms. Nearly 40,000 forms were sent down to Mr D. Llewellyn Griffiths, Clerk to the Aberdare Council, who is the person responsible for carry- ing out the work here. Among that number were several copies printed in Welsh, and a few even in Yiddish. The requests for the Welsh forms were very few, and not a single ap- plication was made for a paper print- ed in the mother tongue of the Jew- ish people. When the enumerators called at the various houses last Monday and Tuesday, they met with an excellent response, the papers in the great majority of cases being ready. The difficulty in many cases arose out of the desire of the people to be quite correct in the information given. Only in one instance did an enumer- ator meet with a stubborn cus- tomer. When handed a form the man in question refused it and de- clared that he would have nothing to do with it. Very well," replied the enumerator; that is for you to de- cide but it is my duty to tell you that there is a penalty of JE5 for re- fusing to fill this form." This had the immediatee effect of changing the man's mind.

Lonely Farms and Scattered Houses. In the Aberdare District proper the time taken in covering 130 houses was not great, but there were lonely cottages to visit, far from the whist- ling noises of every local colliery engine, and far from the madding crowds of Commercial Street and Lewis Street. An idea of the scat- tered nature of the urban area of Aberdare may be gathered by stating that it took a man from 8.30 a.m. to 7 p.m. to visit 9 houses. The Aber- dare district, be it remembered, is not bound in by the Mardy and Mer- thyr mountains. There are houses in Blaenllechau (Ferndale) and Mar- dy which are in our area. Passing the Ffaldau Farm above Cwmaman the enumerator had to proceed past Glanaman Fawr and Glanaman Fach and on across the mountain to a little place called Tynycoed, Blaenllechau, where forms had to be left in two cottages. In one of these Police Sergt. Richards resides. He it is who looks after the interests of Messrs. David Davies and Sons' Col- lieries at Ferndale. The next house would be Mardy Farm, on the border of Mardy village. Danygraig Ter- race would not be far distant, lying on the left side on the descent into Mardy. Castell Nos huts are still higher towards the extreme end of Rhondda Fach Valley. These huts belong to the Pontypridd and Rhon- dda Waterworks. A stream running down here is the dividing line be- bween the Aberdare District and the Rhondda District. Pontllyswen Cot- tage is mid-way across the mountain between Mardy and Cwmdare, not Far distant from Cam y Moesau, j where the body of little Willie Llew- ?lyh was found after weeks of fruit- ess searching. The distance covered ■ 3y the enumerator responsible for J hat beat was nearly 20 miles, 1 md it had to be visited twice, once I or distribution and once for collec- • ion. | One or-two other enumerators had scattered districts to visit. Take Llwydcoed again, starting at Plas- newvdd, the residence of the Coron- er, Mr R. J. Rhys. Farther up the hill are the Earl of Grey houses and the wayside inn. Farther still are the Drift Houses, and Bryngwyddel, and on the very top. just as the tra- veller begins to descend into Mer- thyr, is Fairfield Place. All these houses are in the Aberdare fold. Turning towards Hirwain we come to Tynewydd, and Waterworks Cottage, then to Tygwyn Farm and down on the road to Cwmynysminton, or as Aberdare people prefer to call it, Cross Bychan. Strange to say, Cross Bychan Inn is in Breconshire, while the new house close by on the Llwydcoed side, is in Glamorgan- shire, so an Aberdare man would leave a form at the latter house. whereas he would have no excuse whatever to call at the former nlam. Streams have been favourite "arti- cles" for centuries as dividing lines. The River Jordan is said to be the division mark between this world and the next. Well, there is a stream running between Cross Bychan Inn and the new house, and that is the boundary line between gwyr Sir Frycheiniog and meibion Morganwg. Hirwain is fairly compact so far as the Aberdare portion is concerned, but Cwmbach district would play the deuce with any stranger, so Mr D. J. Hughes Jones, a schoolmaster and a resident of the place, was com- missioned to "do that portion of the ward. Gnoll Farm stands pro- minent on the brow of the hill be- yond Cwmbach. and Lletty Shenkin House and the Lodge are to the right. There is a little place iust be- yond called Ffynon-y-gog, or Ffynon- y-gwcw (the cuckoo's well). Across the fields stands Cefnpennar Farm, Upper Cefnpennar, Cefnpennar House and Cefnpennar Cottages, all in the Aberdare area. There are a few out-of-the-way places at Abernant, also Abercwm- boi, notably Blaencwmboi and Pen- rhiwangeui However, the work of the enumer- ators is completed, as stated in the beginning of this article, but much more remains to be done by the Aberdare Council and Education Committee staff. The 36,000 odd forms have to be tabulated, classi- fied, duplicated and certain forms have to be copied on to the notorious pink and other forms. The staffs of the Council and Edu- cation Committee met last Friday. evening at the Council Chamber, amd after an appeal by Mr D. Llew- ellyn Griffiths, passed the following resolution: That the whole of the necessary work be carried out volun- tarily by us after office hours." Mr Griffiths estimates that the com- pletion of the task will take about a fortnight. The staff commenced operations last (Wednesday) even- ing, and will continue every evening until the work is completed.

The Pink Form. The reference to the Pink Form in the instructions given to the staff provides that all forms which refer to males between the ages of 18 and 41 should be copied on to the special Pink Forms. When all such forms for any district have been copied the Pink Forms must be tied together in a bundle. There is also a Green Form for recording secondary occupation.

Non-Unionists and Members of other Unions. Notwithstanding the great benefits secured by means of the Miners' Federation in better wages and. con- ditions, and in improved Mining and other Legislation, we still have men who cause disturbances at the collieries by refusing to pay their dues to the Federation. Of these we find quite a number who, strange- ly enough, pay into other Unions al- though convinced that such Unions have neither secured nor helped to bring about, nor protected in any way the improved wages and condi- tions which they enjoy. Neither could such Unions negotiate any dis- pute in which they may be concerned. The action of these men in paying such Unions cannot be considered worthy of Trade Unionists. Not only so, but an organization which stoops so low as to receive their monies reduces itself from being a respectable Trade Union to the level of a poaching club, because as it would be wrong for the Miners' Federation to receive contributions from men engaged as gasworkers or at any occupation not connected with the collieries, for the reason that it could not cater for them, so also, and for the very same reason is it equally as wrong for the Gasworkei s and Labourers or any other Union to receive contributions from those en- gaged in or about the collieries. For the information of those pay- ing other Unions it should be ex- plained that the General Wage Agreement which governs the wages and conditions of all workers in and about the collieries is negotiated and signed by the members of the Con- ciliation Board, which Board con- sists of representatives of the South Wales Coalowners' Association and representatives of the South Wales Miners' Federation. The South Wales Miners' Federation is there- fore held responsible for the due ob- servance of the terms of the General Wage Agreement by all engaged in and about the collieries and in re- ceipt of the Conciliation Board per- centages whether they be members of the Miners' Federation or not. That being so, and in view of the pro- portionate cost of maintenance of the Conciliation Board, which, I may state, not only regulates wa.ges.but also deals with disputes submitted from Colliery Lodges for settlement, and the expenses incurred by Lodges in negotiating and protecting Price Lists, and in securing-as far as possible—safe working conditions at each colliery, all such costs being borne by the Miners' Federation, is it too much to say that all workers in and about the collieries should not only observe it their duty to loy- ally pay their dues to the Miners' Federation, but that any such worker or workers who fail to do so- whether they be members of other Unions or not—are both dishonour- i able and dishonest in so far that they j are receiving and enjoying benefits secured by and at the expense of their fellow workers. In support of my claim as to the benefits secured, perhaps it would be well to give a few figures just to prove what has been obtained in im- proved wages and conditions as ap- plied to workers in the Aberdare District:— 1. Underground Labourers and Surfacemen's wages increased from 17s. and, in many cases, even from 14s. 6d. to a minimum rate of 33s. per week. 2. Hauliers' wages from.21s. to a minimum rate of 38s. 9d. per week. 3. Rippers from 25s. 6d. to a mini- mum rate of 42s. per week. 4. Timbermen from 28s. 6d. to a minimum rate of 47s. per week. 5. Other daymen's wages in the same proportion. Moreover years ago lads worked shamefully long hours for 7s. 6d. pet- week. Lads at present are paid a minimum rate of 12s. per week of 43 hours. 6. Colliers, who previously had no minimum wage at all, and in many cases had no money to take home after paying their boys, have now a minimum rate of J62 5s. 4d. per week, and where 4s. 9d. per day is recog- nised -22 7s. per week. These are but minimum rates, but the Miners' Federation has not only raised wages but it has also secured < shorter working hours as follows (a) Underground Day shiftmen I from 54 to 48 hours per week. (b) Underground Nightmen from 56 and even 57 to 48 hours per week. (c) Surfacemen from 54 to 51 hours per week. Last, but not by any means-least, 6 turns for 5 have been secured those working the afternoon or night shift. Such a record, then, should be sufficient, not only to justify an ap- peal to, but also to thoroughly con- vince any fair-minded worker en- gaged in and about the collieries of his duty towards the Miners' Feder- ation. In conclusion, the Aberdare Dis- trict Miners' Federation is deter- mined to see that all who receive their share of the benefit shall in future pay their share of the costs, by paying their dues and putting themselves right in the books of the Federation. It is therefore to be hoped that all Non-Unionists, whether members of other Unions or not, will take this as a kindly but final warning. There will no longer be any trifling with the matter-War or No War. The only means of preventing a stoppage of the Collieries in the Aberdare District is either by the Employers with-holding from Non-Unionists the benefits of the New General Wage Agreement, or by the Non- Unionists doing what they know to be but their reasonable duty. On behalf of the District, ILLTYD HOPKINS, Secretary and Sub-Agent.

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