The Aberdare Leader

Mountain Ash Police Court. On Thursday, May 11th, before Messrs. R. A. Griffith, Stipendiary; J. E. Brooks and Griffith Evans. A TOUCHING STORY. — Joseph Ed- wards, charged with being drunk in Cardiff Road, Mountain Ash, told the I bench what a great blow it was to him when he found himself at the Police Station. He had been having some port j wine. He wasn't drunk, but must have J gone to sleep on his feet.—Stipendiary: Your story is rather touching, but you are sowing wild oats rather late in life. Moral: Leave port wine alone and drink Arlam's ale.—Ordered to pay the costs. DRUNK.—John Evans, in Penrhiw- ceiber Road, Penrhiwceiber. 6s. ALLEGED ASSAULT. Ada Rich- ards, Penrhiwceiber. summoned John Owen, Penrhiwceiber, for assault.— Complainant's story was that defendant had lodged with her for eight years, and lie had "called her everythin,The summons at this point was amended to one of using indecent language. Witness continued her story, and hand- ed to the Bench a sample of defendant's language that he had used in Rheola Street.—Defendant denied using the language.—May Owen, grand-daughter of defendant, stated that she heard him use the words complained of.—Defendant (noisily): She spat in my face.—Theo- philus Morris stated that he was out- side Morris's shop on the day in ques- tion. He heard no bad language. It fcounded as if Mrs. Richards was nasty because defendant left her lodgings.— Stipendiary: We are quite satisfied that defendant used this horrible language.—Fined 15s. or seven days. SISTERLY LOVE. Anuie Davies, Penrhiwceiber, was summoned for com- mitting wilful damage to a bird cage, the property of Myra Ellis, Penrhiw- ceiber.—Mr. William Thomas, Aberdare. ) defended.—Complainant stated that the defendant was her sister, and that on May 3rd she came to her house, waved her umbrella about, and smashed a glass cage containing 13 stuffed birds. She said, "Revenge is sweet and I'm going to have it." Witness continuing said that it was all due to jealousy. Her uncle had left her a few pounds, the cage and several other things.—By Mr. Thomas: She didn't take these things away from liauon before her uncle's will was proved. She knew nothing about any law action to recover them. Her sister had had more than she had. She admitted striking her sister with the poker, but that was after she had broken the cage.—Stipendiary: Sisterly love, Mr. Thomas,-Defendant's story was that complainant had taken these things away. Captain Alun Jones was one of the executors. When she went to the house she asked her sister to share the things, and she started fighting and sera bl.>i tig.-Compla i ua Lit: Oh, you liar.—Defendant: We were scuffling and fell against the case, and the umbrella was broken under her feet. She hit me on the head with the poker, and I was bleeding. There was not a soul in the house but we two.- Rees Davies stated that Mrs. Davies came into his house bleeding from the head.—Plaintiff, re-examined, said that her uncle left her £ 5. She valued the cage at < £ 3.—Stipendiary: The plaintiff was in possession pf these things, and defendant had no business to go to plaintiff's house. Mrs. Davies will be fined 5s. and pay 20s. damages. TRESPASSING AFTER GAME.- Samuel Martin, Mountain Ash, was summoned for trespassiiag i9 search ot game.—Joseph Barrell, a woodsman, spoke to seeing defendant on April 26th. He got over the fence, and the grey- hound he had with him lamed a hen bird and destroyed seven pheasant's c-ggs.-Fined 40s. or 21 days. TIMBER THEFT. Daniel Edwards, a Penrhiwceiber haulier, was charged with stealing timber, the property of the Penrikyber Colliery Co.—P.S. Richard Beadles' evidence was that at 3.30 p.m. on May 2nd he saw defendant go to a truck on the colliery yard and take a piece of timber (produced). Witness followed him home, and when tackled he said, "This will be the last time." His earnings were 43s. a week. There were previous convictions.—Fined 20s. or 11 days.—Defendant: I'll do the 11 days.—Stipendiary: It may do you good and cure vou of bad habits. and cure vou of bad habits. MOTHER AND SON FINED. — Clifford Griffiths and his mother. Pen- rhiwceiber, were charged, the former with stealing and the latter with re- ceiving coal, the property of the Penri- kyber Colliery Co.—P.S. Beadles saw the boy throw coal from a truck ana take a piece home. It was valued at 6d. —Questioned by the Stipendiary, Mrs. Griffiths said her husband was in the Army. She received 25s. a week separation allowance, and the boy earned 21s. a week.—The mother was fined 9s. and the bov 6s. "UNMANLY" WIFE. Ann Morris, C'wmdare, summoned her husband, John Morris, in respect of < £ 8 18s. 6d. arrears of maintenance on an order made on November, 9th, 1914. He was a collier, and she had not lived with him since the date of the order. -Defendant.- She left me in a very unmanly way. I Lauhter.) I can't pay.—Sent to prison for one month.

—- "Bf Former Aberdare Postmaster Dead. On Thursday Mr. William Phillips, postmaster of Llanelly, passed away at the age of 1;3 years. About 26 years ago he was appointed postmaster of Aber- dare, and in a few years proceeded to Merthyr to occupy a similar position. Latterly he returned to his native town as postmaster. He was greatly interested fin religious and temperance work. He was at one time president of the Welsh Christian Endeavour Union. While in Aberdare he was actively connected with Tabernacle Congregational Church. A few weeks ago his 6on. Captain Cecil Phillips, 4th Welsh Regiment, was decorated with the Military Cross by the King for distinguished service in SuvIa Bay.

I ■I 35 Bedroom Suites in Oak, I Walnut or Mahogany To select from. «j EXTRA LARGE DISCOUNTS TO To select from. «j EXTRA LARGE DISCOUNTS TO I CASH BUYERS. j VICTOR FREED, I Mountain Ash. «■ J Mountain Ash. «■ J

Aberdare Bankruptcy Court. On Friday, May 12th, before Mr. Rees Williams (Registrar) aRd Mr. Ellis Owen (Official Receiver). MOUNTAIN ASH TRADESMAN'S FAILURE. The only case was that of Joseph Manfield, 2 Cliff Street, Mountain Ash, general dealer (oil and hardware). He was represented by Mi-. Gwilym Jones, Solicitor, Mountain Ash. Debtor, who said he was 38 years of age, admitted a deficiency of C123 5s. Before he commenced business he was a collier. He saved > £ 60, and with this money he commenced business in August. 1907. He afterwards bought No. 2 Cliff Street. He paid .£125 for it, and spent < £ 200 on alterations and ex- tensions. He borrowed some money from Mr. Eynon, grocer, to pay for those extertsions, and Mr. Eynon held the c deeds. He was paying five per cent. for the loans. Debtor used to sell oil and hardware in. the streets, and his wife attended to the shop. He attributed his failure to the following causes:- large family, loss of trade owing to the war, and paying heavy interest on borrowed money. County Court costs had amounted to C7 10s. Three years ago the Bank pressed him to reduce his overdraft, and he then transferred his account to another Bank. The deeds of No. 2 Cliff Street were then handed over to the other Bank, and Mr. Eynon also became a guarantee to the Bank for part of the overdraft. Debtor said he was not able to reduce his overdraft by means of profits, so in order to meet the Bank he let his creditors go for a few weeks and paid off part of the over- draft. Subsequently, in order to pay creditors, he obtained loans from money- lenders, and started discounting bills. His business suffered a great deal owing to the war.—The Official Re- ceiver said he had analysed debtor's accounts, which showed a nett profit of £1 8s. 4d. His household expenses amounted to C2 10s., so he was losing money every week. Ho obtained loans from a Loan Society, manager. Mr. Harris. He received k83, and had been charged < £ 33 interest. In another place he borrowed .£31. and had been changed £ 14 interest. He also borrowed from the Merthyr Loan Society—, £ 30, and he signed for < £ 50. He had repaid < £ 21. Debtor added that he had been married 12 years. There were eight children (one'dead), and the eldest was only 10. years. His household ex- penses were heavy for that reason. Ile paid over £ 20 in insurance premiums. He had started some of these when he was better off, and did not care to drop them. The Official Receiver's observations on the case were as follows:—"Debtor states that his business thrived until about three years ago, when he was pressed to reduce the amount owing to the Bank, and when he carried a heavv stock; that being unable to realise his stock quickly, he had recourse to borrow- ing money at heavy rates of interest; and that since the outbreak of war his business has decreased, and he has found considerable difficulty in meeting his obligations. The only books of ac- count kept by him in his business were rough ledgers with debtors. He admits never having taken stock or taken steps to ascertain his financial position He says he first became aware that he had not sufficient property to pay all his debts in full three years ago, and that S1T^6U "*en he has contracted debts wmch are now owing with several of his present creditors, his expectation of being able to pay them being that trade would improve. The creditors fully secured are the debtor's bankers, v° ™ deeds of the house and shop, No. 2 Cliff Street, Mountain Ash as security, for < £ 258 lis. 8d. money owing. The premises which are being put up for sale by auction on the 19th mst are estimated by the debtor to bo worth a like amount. The other secured creditor holds a policy of insurance valued at < £ 3o, as securitv, for an eaual SdoseT1167 examination

B.W.T.A. The monthly meeting of the B.W T A (Aberdare Branch) was held on MondaV Mrs. J. Griffiths presiding. Mrs' Shepherd offered prayer and Mrs. Bar- raclough read a portion of Scripture -A vote of condolence with the families of Vf,s\ Evan Williams. Abernant; Mrs. llliams, *&tag Street, Trecvnon, and Mr. W. Phillips, Llanelly, in their be. reavements was passed.—Mrs. Wilcox the secretary, submitted various re- ports. Referring to the egg collections she said that 2886 had been distributed to the local Red Cross Hospital, and 10,560 between the War Office and the Hospital. She stated also that a num- ber of Aberdare girls had gone to Bir- mingham to Munition Works, and she had arranged with someone on behalf of the Association to meet them at their destination.—Miss Tilly Stephens sang two solos.—The Rev. J. Lewis Jenkins, Trinity, gave an address. He remark- ed tnat several local institutions and incr ements had come and gone but the British Women went on for ever. If any good work required to be done the British Women were the "boys" to do it. Mr. Jenkins proceeded to" deal with the question of sobriety. In the drink traffic we had the misdirection of human labour and the prostitution of human energy. While in Canada he saw no women in drinking saloons, but in this country there were tens of thousands of women whose ears were assailed and whose souls were soiled by the filthy talk of the bar-room. It was argued that much profit a corned to the State from the sale of intoxicants, but then we should bear in mind the cost to the State which crime caused bv drunken- ness entailed. Let the drink traffic go, profits 04 no profits.—Mrs. Lewis, Dean Street, spoke briefly.—Mrs. T. Jones. Hirwain, moved a vote of thanks to Mr. Jenkins. Mrs. Owen Williams seconded, and Mrs. Bassett supported. Mrs. Wilcox moved and the president seconded a vote of thanks to Mrs. C. Kenshole, Lady High Constable, who gave the tea that day. The annual (Tumble Sale will be open- ed at 3 o'clock bv Mrs. J. W. Hurt on Tuesday, Msy 23rd. Gifts will be gratefully received. Proceeds towards Sandbag Fund and Rescue Homes.

WHAT IS LIFE P I "Life is not to live," says a great Latin writer, "but to be well." What a difference! It isn't life when vou drag on from day to day, feeling "fit for nothing," "played out," and "broken down' in health; when you can't eat, can t sleep, can't work. and all because your stomach and liver are out of order, and your food is not being digested, and therefore is not nourish. ing you properly. No' That isn't life! It s jU £ t a wretched existence! But, of course, you want to be well! t hen fry whai Mother Seigel's Svrup can do for you! It has brought tens of thousands of people out of ill-health and misery. It has banished their indigestion, toned up their stomachs and stimulated their livers and bowela to healthful working order. As a stomach and liver tonic, its ecmal would be hard to find.

Aberdare to Australia. DIARY OF INTERESTING EVENTS OF THE JOURNEY. (Continued.) Wednesday, February 2nd.-This day we only had an occasional glimpse of the African coast; none of the European. At night it was almost as impressive as the sunrise. I do not mean sunset, but the stars and the wonderful display of phosphorescent light on the crest of each -wave as it broke, and sometimes fishes could be seen close to the surface, all ablaze with light. Saturday, February 5th.-About 7 a.m. we arrived in proper boisterous weather off Toulon, the great French naval port. I am told no one is permitted ashore without a proper French permit. Rained almost the whole day. All kinds of warships in the harbour, which is several miles long and from one to three miles broad, a rock-bound coast, great massive hills all around the city and harbour.. I fancy if I saw the place in proper fine weather it would be fine. Towards evening the weather cleared and soon the place was lit up. Warships of all sorts, including submarines, all around us. Sunday, February 6th.-Day opened beautifully. The great hills standing out bold and clear against a clear sky. I had not seen much, having been compelled, as it were, to live almost a life-time in one blooming parish, and so far I have never seen any place to approach Toulon, as seen from the harbour, for sheer beauty and impressiveness. I thank the Lord for bringing me so far. After waiting until about 2.30 p.m. for mail and 1st class passengers the s.s. Orontes steamed out at 3.30 for Naples. Monday, February 7th.—Another beautiful dawn and sunrise. Passed a great rock, apparently of volcanic origin within a mile distance. Sun •striking full on it, and capped with a purple cloud, as with a crown, very beautiful indeed. I think God and the Commander must have planned, de- signed, and engineered that for the edi- fication of Charles Morris and family. We are said to be due at Naples this evening. I wonder shall we see Vesuvius or Etna in eruption? February 8th.-Up at 5.30 a.m. to see Vesuvius, but we were out of sight of land. But old Sol was grand. It was the most glorious sunrise I have ever seen. It was a real splendid show got up by Apollo for Charles Morris' special favour,, and you bet, I lifted off my hat to him. It was well worth coming 6,000 miles to see. This morning the' follow- ing notice was posted up:—"During the passage of the Mediterranean third class passengers will be allowed to use the first class promenade deck from the smoking room aft for sleeping after ten at night (ladies starboard side and the men port side). Such passengers must keep their life belts with them.—R.M.S. Orontes, February 8th, 1916." It is said that the Commodore never left the bridge for about 36 or 48 hours, having coffee served him every half hour. This was what they considered the chief danger zone that is on towards Port Said. We were continually passing war- ships-British, French, and Italians. We also had very definite orders to keep all port holes (which had been blackened) shut until we reached Port Said. Instruction re life belts, I pre- sume, to avoid risk of panic should we be torpedoed during the night. However, thank the Lord, nothing occurred, and we arrived safely at Port Said about four a.m. February 10th. most of the passengers sleeping on deckt but we turned in to our cabin and slept there two nights in our clothes. February 9th.—Weather bright and sunny, but with quite a cold wind. I omitted to say that yesterday morning we passed close by the great volcano Stromboli, smoking-a big barren rock in the middle of the sea, with a small village at the foot. There was a big eruption here some years ago. From about 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. we were in the Straits of Messina, where the French and British warships lost the German Goeben and Breslau. Many well-in- formed people are of epinion that Turkey would not have joined the Ger- manic Powers but for this. It was when the guns of the Goeben and Breslau were trained on the Sultan's palace that Turkey entered into the war. I would think the Straits of Messina would be about five or seven miles wide—Calabria on the left, Messina right. Nearly all the houses were new and wooden, both towns having been almost wiped out by the terrible earthquake a few years ago. The mountains behind each side were very high, and altogether the ugliest I have ever seen, all of volcanic origin, deeply fissured and of the most fantastic shapes, with thousands of small cones, where the molten lava had bubbled up and cooled quickly. Some distance south east of Messina stood Mount Etna among a great mass of towering hills, smoke issuing from the crater, which, seen from a distance, would seem to be about a mile or more in diameter. It looked very grim and forbidding. For many miles each side of the Straits these gaunt and grim-looking hills are cultivated in terraces one above the other half-wav up the tops. All kinds of fruit, grapes, olives, figs, oranges, peaches, etc., grow in profusion and give employment to thousands. I (To be continued.) I

« llll II 11 JWUlL-t-U MHHULUU-AH w. Aberdare Contractor and his Wife. Thomas Rees (45), colliery contractor. Aberdare, did not appear at Blackwood on Friday to answer an application for a separation and maintenance order by his wife, Selina Rees, resident at Tre-Thomas, on the ground of persis- tent cruelty.—Mrs. Rees said her hue- band came home on April 22 very drunk and abused her. She ran into another room, and he chased her. He caught her by the hair, pulled her around the room, and beat her on the face. She ran out eventually, and got the assist- ance of the police. A week previous she ran from defendant into her bedroom and locked the door. He kept her there from the Saturday evening until the Sunday evening, the only food she ob- tained being what the children brought her. He came home from Aberdare every week-end, and whenever he was drunk the same thing went on. She had to go to neighbours for protection. They were married in 1897, and there were five children of the marriage. The cause of the disturbances was that "there was another lady in the case." ) The Bench made an order for 80s. a >veek, with < £ 3 3s. solicitor's costs.

I A Trip to Somewhere in the Mediterranean. Leaver from the correspondence of Sergt. E. Howells Evans, Solicitor, Aberdare, 1-1 Pembroke Yeomanry (in Egypt) with the Mediterranean Expeditionary Force. ~~—~ (Continued.) Life here is very monotonous. We get up at six; breakfast; roll-call; stable duty; general assembly; dinner; 'stables; tea. That is the daily routine. Half our men attend to the mules and horses one day and half the next day. It gives us something to do and prevents us being driven off our heads by the monotony. The remainder of the time is spent in reading, playing cards, etc., and trying to take exercise. We have been here for some time now, and as far as we can see are as near sailing now as we were then. We get letters off by means of barges that come to us, but it is very I difficult to catch them as often we are on duty when they come. We are trying ( to liven things up now by running a I newspaper on board. The following is a 'sample of the news:—"Advertisements: 'Two cooks wanted; Derby men from preference; no conscientious objectors need apply. Men who can cook both inside and outside of all meat given to them.'—*A christening ceremony will soon take place as Mother England had a little sun yesterday. Some of the things are very funny, but only apply to incidents on board, and so would not be appreciated by outsiders. Still on board.—An hour after my last letter was written we started. We weighed anchor about 3.30 and steamed off at once. It was a very tame affair. All the fellows had got so sick of stay- ing in the same place that they did not care what became of them. We watched the receding shore for about an hour, I and then went down to tea, and by the time we came up again Old England I had disappeared from sight. We had a practice "Alarm" about six o'clock, and all fell in at our alloted posts and stood there quietly for a while. The sea was a lovely blue, but some of the men were a ghastly green. However, there was a lot of fun on board right until dark, but I don't suppose the fellows who were doing their spring-cleaning saw the humour of the situation. Things were better this morning, but there was an abundance of food for those who sat down to breakfast. We went up on deck, but there was nothing to see except a great circle of deep blue heaving sea splashed with white-foam crests. I Things have got quite normal now, and we are getting comfortable again. The weather has been simply glorious yester- day and to-day. To-day, in fact, is quite a summer's day, and we spend every minute we can lying on deck basking in the sun, which is quite hot. Last night there was a good bit of sea running," and the ship rolled con- siderably—so much so that none of us could go to sleep for hours. Luckily, however, it was a glorious starlit night, and the phosphoresence on the water was beautiful to watch. Ben Moss and I both turned in with the others soon II after eight (fancy going to bed at eight), and then we both sat on my bunk and gossipped about Aberdare. We are told we shall be making a call to-morrow, i when we hope there will be an oppor- tunity for posting letters. April 5th.—On Sunday morning we sighted land, and the scenery and nature of the country came as a surprise, the grandeur of some of the hills being j quite beyond our imagination. We landed at the port in the afternoon. We spent the evening on deck reading and admiring the scenery. Monday afternoon we went for a route march, which was a pleasant surprise to us all. We were out for about two hours, and all enjoyed the opportunity to stretch their legfs. Everything along the route was very interesting, and the two hours passed all too quickly. The people, their f dresses, houses, everything, interested us. On our return the people pelted us with cigarettes and fruit. Thousands of cigarettes were thrown into the street, and the men were like a lot of school- children at a picnic struggling for them. It is not to be wondered at having been penned up for such a time. Our stay at that port was short but exceedingly enjoyable. We cast off again on Monday evening, and steamed slowlv out of har- bour. Before we got away it was dark, and the town was lit up. It presented a beautiful sight—the whole town was a blaze of lights, and the whole scene looked like a huge fairy garden. Last night we skirted a thunderstorm, and the lightning was magnificent. Nature seemed at her grandest, and I spent hours on deck admiring the beautv of the night. The sea, too, was glorious. All around the ship the phosphorous formed a une as or nre, and the waves rushing away from the ship's sides were rolling, darting flames of light, whilst every splash was like a shower of stars. Over on our left the storm raged. Forked and sheet lightning blue and white, lit up the whole sea and sky in rapid succession. As I always like lightning I thoroughly enjoyed the grandeur of nature in last night's- mood. I am as fit as possible, enjoying absolutely rude good health. The onlv thing I miss is Tack of exercise. I walk the deck for hours, but that is not the same as a walk on land. Except for wanting more than j the three meals a day we are having a happy time. To-morrow we hope to make another call, and get this letter posted, and perhaps have a few hours ashore. (News has been received that tho, transport reached its destination safely.)