Rhondda Leader Maesteg Garw and Ogmore Telegraph

School Attendance Officers Conference. The.annual conference of the South Wales Federation of School Attendance Officers was held at Cardiff, when Mr. John Morgan, attendance officer under the Pontypridd Education Authority, read a paper in which he dealt with the problem of attendance. He explained that the officer came into existence as the result of the Education Act of 1870. Many changes had occurred since then, when the average school life of the scholars was 3.76 years. Gradually the number of years has increased, until at present the average duration of school life is 8 years. By sheer merit the attendance officer has won for himself an important position in the vast organisation of education, and it is becoming more and more evident that the public are arriving at a just recog- nition of the nature of our work. The teachers' acquaintance with the pupils is confined to the school—the officer comes into contact with the parents in the home. He visits the home as the friend of the child, often to secure for the child its birthright of education, and to safe- guard it from a cruel industrial system, which is every ready to claim its services. Hence it was but natural that the officer had enemies, which called for judgment and discretion in the performance of his duties which necessitated our being firm without overbearing. In these days the officer has to know the code, as he is often asked for advice by parents. He must know something of law bearing on his own sphere of work. Yet when we take into consideration the many qualities and qualifications the officer is called upon to use in the successful accomplishment of his work, he is not fitly remunerated.

A G odwill Wrangle. LEASES LIKE 4d. LOAVES. At Porth County Court on Friday, be- fore Judge Bryn Roberts, William Hughes, collier, C'ymnier. brought a claim against Mrs. Mary Ann Williams, land- lady of the Farmers' Arms, Trebanog, for the return of £10 deposited for the in- going tenancy of the house on the grounds of misrepresentation as to the barrelage and terms of lease. Mr. J. Phillips, Pontypridd, was for the plaintiff, and Mr Evans (Messrs W. T. Davies and Evans, Porth) defended. Evidence w'as given that plaintiff had agreed to pay zE150 goodwill for the remaining five vears of the lease and tSO per annum. It was alleged that Mrs. Williams had repre- sented the barrelage to be 4i per week but this she denied, stating that she had placed it at a little over three. Plain- tiff, after consulting the brewery people, refused to complete the agreement, and wanted the goodwill reduced to £100. Mrs. Williams declined, and when asked for the return of the tIO, told defendant that he could whistle for it. The Judge decided in favour of defendant, and said he was not satisfied that there had been fraudulent misrepresentation. In such important transactions as these, the agreements ought to be reduced to writ- ing, which people, as a rule, did not do. and were to be blamed for not doing. With regard to leases, some people thought they were like fourpenny loaves, all of the same kind, and did not take the trouble to investigate. Judgement was entered for defendant with costs.

Mr. Tree and the Journalist. II Mr. Beerbohm Tree, the eminent actor. r was in a reminiscent vein at the annual dinner of the Press Club on Saturday last. A French journalist once told him, said Mr. Tree, that he had had a very hard time at the beginning of his career, being frequently challenged by dramatists and actors whom he criticised. One day he made up his mind to fight a duel. He did so, and left the field victorious. Ever after, he said, he was able to speak the truth. (Laughter). Mr. Tree. when he was in Paris at the time of the Boer War, with peace near at hand, was interviewed by a French journalist, who asked him to say some- thing about the political situation. He declined, but upon being pressed, gave as a "friendly lead," "Death opens the door for peace." The journalist replied, Thank you, my lord "-(Iatigbte-i-)- that is quite enough I can make a splendid article out of that." And "he did. (Laughter). Whilst taking a trip across the Atlantic he started a newspaper. In order to benefit a charity, a concert was held, and it was decided to publish a paper con- taining paragraphs relating to persons on board. They were allowed, however, to buy off the personal allusions, and he himself interviewed an American boss," who, with tears in his eyes, accepted the proposal that he should pay for the non- insertion of a paragraph. Everybody paid paid up, and the result was the publica- tion of a white sheet of blameless lives." (Laughter). When the boss "—a multi- millionaire—was called upon for his sub- scription, he handed up a sealed envelope containing a 2 cent piece. He was remon- strated with, and made the retort, My boy, that is all my reputation is worth." (Laughter).

Railway Arrangements for the Holidays. The particulars of special train and excursion arrangements for Thursday, Good Friday, Easter Monday and Easter Tuesday on the Rhondda and Swansea Bay and Taff Vale Railways will be foui-li detailed in an advertisement which appears on page 4 of this issue of the "Leader."

A Nation's Anxiety. The Dutchman's Prayer. To be or not to be-that is the upper- most thought in the mind of every Hollander. Suspense, coupled with anxiety, is intense and everywhere visible. Everyone who passes by the old palace at Noordeinde at The Hague casts furtive glances at the windows—wonder- ing, hoping, almost praying. Mothers and wives in every corner of the country can talk of naught else, and if the concentration of wills and the prayers of hundreds of thousands can influence destinies, Holland's fondest hope will be realised. Prayers for the safe delivery of Queen Wilhelmina were read in all the churches on Sunday. Reporters are on the alert and editors on tie qui vive, while every individual coming from or going to the palace is looked upon as a possible bearer of news. The Queen's immediate entourage is as silent and uncommunicative as the tomb, though all wear hannv faces in anticipa- tion of an event which, if successful, will take a great place in Dutch history. The Ministers of all the Powers are awaiting with great interest to inform their Governments. Presents from every corner of Holland for the prospective heir are pouring into The Hague. The proudest in Holland are. the artillerymen, whose salute of 100 guns for a son or 51 for a daughter will give the news to the world. The guns are all in readiness for firing.

Rhondda Tramway Employees. First Annual Dinner. 'Bill' Holmes Enters the Lion Den The first annual dinner of the Rhondda Tramway Company's employees was held at the Tynewydd Hotel, Porth, on Friday evening last. In the absence of Mr. Nesbitt, the general manager, the chair was occupied by Mr. Charles Davies, the president of the local branch or the Amalgamated Association of Tramway and Vehicle Workers, supported by Mr. Win. Holmes, the local secretary; Messrs. Isaacs and Attwell, president and secre- "BILL" HOLMES. Photo by] [L. Ladd, Tonypandy tary respectively of the Cardiff Branch of the Association; and Mr. Doolan, secretary of the Pontypridd Branch. After a splendid repast, to which ample justice was done, a programme of music, including comic songs, seiitiiiifztiitals," and eccentrics," contributed almost entirely by the men themselves, was gone through and much enjoyed. Mr. Attwell, in proposing the health and prosperity of the local branch, said that he desired to congratulate them on the fact that they—employees of a pri- vate company—were in receipt of better wages than their Cardiff confreres, who were iii^the employ of a so-called demo- cratic Cxmncil. A Rhondda driver, for a week of 60 hours, received 30s., which was 2s. 6d. more than a Cardiff driver obtained. He trusted that the happy relationship which now existed between the Rhondda men and their management would always continue. The conditions of employment and wages after the recent strike was as reasonable as could be expected, and he was glad to think that the Company, during the last half- year, had been able to declare a dividend of 5 per cent. He trusted that the men would now do their duty by the manage- ment, and he wished the Porth branch, which was already one of the strongest in the Kingdom, continued prosperity (applause). Mr. Doolan, Pontypridd, seconded the toast, and said that it was very gratify- ing to meet under such pleasant auspices, and he trusted that they would live to unite together on many a festive occasion ill the future (applause). The Chairman, 111 responding, said that they were deeply grateful to Messrs. Isaacs and Attwell for joining with them on such a pleasant occasion. The relation- ship between the men and the manage- ment, was now of a very cordial nature, and he trusted that this would continue for a long time to come. Later in the evening. Mr. Holmes, the local secretary, also addressed the men, and his remarks were punctuated with hearty applause.

Holmes and the Lion. In the course of the evening. Mr. Holmes, followed by a number of the men. temporarily retired from the proceedings to undergo an experience which is the j lot of few men—that of entering the cage of a full-grown African lion at Messrs. Bostock and Wombwell's show. Holmes, who was faultlessly attired, and wearing his service medals, followed the trainer into the den of the beast, and remained inside, coolly smoking a cigarette, for several minutes. An arrangement had been made to photograph him in the cage, but this was found impracticable, and he was taken a few minutes later as he stood outside to receive the gold medal awarded by the proprietors. The large tent was crowded with spectators attracted by this sporting event, and the plucky tramwayman was loudly cheered as he emerged, smiling and bland, from the den of tne tawny brute. Holmes is a well-built fellow standing nearly six feet in height, to whom no adventure comes amiss. An old soldier, lie has seen service in South Africa, Egypt, China, United States of America, Canada, Japan, and France. He took part in the Relief of Ladysmith, was shot during the relief, and fought on Tugela Heights. He also acted as, despatch rider to the late Sir Redvers Buller, He was also present at the taking of Khartoum under General Kitchener. He has four medals and seven clasps, the Soudan medals being handed him by her late Majesty Oueen Victoria, whilst the South African trophies were presented him by His Majesty King Edward. He has also been traffic superintendent of the Shanghai (China) tramways, .and, in short, has crowded sufficient experience into his short life to satiate the craving; of any respectable man. Since his advent to the Rhondda as an employee of the Tramway Company, lie has made himself extremely popular. He it was who organ- ised the recent tramway strike, with results already well known, and in proof of the resource of the man, it may be stated that when it was seen there was little prosnect of settlement without resorting to extreme measures, he imme- diately chartered a luimber of barrel- organs to "grind" out au-poort for those with dependents in case of a prolonged struggle. Bill," in short, is the tram- waymen's hero, and lie carries his honour as befits an Englishman.

6,000 Miles "To See Auntie." One of the passengers by the Canadian Pacific Railway mail steamer Empress of Britain," which arrived at Liverpool on Saturday, was a boy of ten who had travelled unaccompanied from Vancouver, British Columbia. to his auntie in '0 11 1 Manchester." The lad, Francis Appleyard by name, arrived none the worse for his journey except for a decided bjack eye. This lie had acquired in an encounter with some youngsters on board, but he proudly boasted that the enemy had not passed unscathed. He had given them, he said, sore heads." The boy, of course, re- ceived every attention and care at the hands of the officials on board.

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