The Chester Courant and Advertiser for North Wales

SAUGHALL, DEATH OF MRS. H. O. MADDOCK.—We regret to record the death of Mrs. Maddock, the wife of Mr. H. O. Maddock, of Aldersey Farm, Saugball, which occurred at her residence early on Monday morning. Deceased was con- fined to her bed towards the end of last week, but she had been in indifferent health for a consider- able time, having been medically a, for some months. The family is widely In.. nand much respected in the surrounding district, and the sad news will come as a shock to many friends and relatives. Mrs. Maddock was in her 36th year, and was a daughter of the late Mr. Thomas Tilston, of the Green Farm, Saugliall. She had resided in Saughall from her childhood. The funeral takes place this (Wednesday) afternoon at three o'clock at Saughall Church. Much sympathy is felt with the widower and daughter in their loss.

CHESHIRE EDUCATION COM- MITTEE. » (By Our Own Reporter.) A meeting of the Cheshire Education Com- mittee was held on Monday at Crewe, Dr. W. Hodgson presiding. QUEENS SCHOOL SCHEME. At a meeting of the Higher Education Sub- committee it was reported that a deputation, consisting of Dr. Hodgson, Di. Hewitt, Prof. Conner and the Director of Education, had in- terviewed the Board of Education, and urged upon them tha desirability of alterations to clause 54 of the scheme for the Queen's School, Chester, in too direction asked for by the governing body, and desired by the County Com- mittee. It was pointed out that the County Committee had made a grant of R,3,000 to the governing body towards the cost of enlarging the school, but would require this clause to be amended. It was stated that the Board had no objection to the amendment dosircd, but there were certain leg-a.! difficulties in the way which would have to be overcome. SITE FOR TRAINING COLLEGE. The Chaiirman, moving the adoption of the proceedings of the Higher Education Sub-com- mittce, mentioned that tho Earl of Crewe had accepted the offer of £6,050 for tlie ten acres of land required for a site for the proposed training college at Crewe, subject to the reservation of tho right to lay and maintain a sewer, should he desire to do so, acros-s the lower part of the land. The county had thus effected a saving of ;CI,OW. It was further reported that a letter had boon received from the Board of Education in regard to the sketch piaiis presented by the county architect, pointing out a. number of alter- ations suggested, and stating that it would ap- pear desirable, if possible, to secure an addi- tional two acres to the site, and so provide- for a possible increase in the size of the college. The sub-committee, however, decided that it was not considered desirable at present to ex- tend the site beyond toii acres. The county architect was instructed to embody tho whole of the suggestions in the plans to be prepared and laid before a future meeting. A deputation of the Higher Education Sub- committee had waited upon the Board of Edu- cation on tire subject., and informed them of the- proposed purchase of the site and the cost, and asked if the Board would bear 75 per cent, of the cost of providing a principal's house. The reply was in the affirmative, as also that the proposed site was acceptable. The minutes were confirmed. DOOMED SUPPLEMENTARY TEACHERS. A COSTLY POLICY. Mr. R. T. Richardson called attention to a resolution passed by the Elementary Schools Sub-oommittoo regarding suppementary tea- chers, as follows: "That it be an instruction to the Director of Education that where a vacancy arises on the staff of a school tairough the resig- n-ition or dismissal of a supplementary teacher, an advertisement be issued for an uncertificated teacher to supply th? vacant place,, and that the various adminiatra-tive sub-committees be in- instructed not to confirm any appointment of a supplementary teacher, but sdwutd any such be submitted to them for approval, to forward tho same to the County Education Committee for its special sanction, if considered necessary." Mr. Richardson said the committee were aware that he had fought a losing fight for a long time on the subject of supplementary teachers, and this would be his expiring effort. (Laughter.) Tho resolution before tibe committee had the effect of giving the final blow to supplementary teachers in Cheshire. He pointed out., however, that it was not in accord with tire last decision of tho County Education Committee, which was that no further appointment of supplementary teachers should be made and approved except with the special sanction of the County Com- mittee. This mean t that with their special sanc- tion supplementary teachers might still be ap- pointed. He therefore moved that the resolu- tion of the Elementary Schools Sub-committeo be not adopted, and that the Director of Eduoa- tion be requested to report as to the practice in other counties of England with respect, to sup- plementary teachers. Replying to Mr. Richardson, the Director (Mr. R. P. Ward) said he did not at present know of any county where supplementary taa- chcrs had boon abolished. Mr. Richardson, continuing, said that by the abolition of that class of teacher they were im- posing a considerable burden on the ratepayers. When the committee was formed there were 300 supplementary teachers, and theiT engagement effccited a saving of about £ 4,500 a year on tiro scale salaries. In fact lie. had no doubt that the cost of the committee's policy was at least c-pual to a halfpenny rate, In Novem- ber, 1906, the Director of Education made a report which directly conflicted with the policy now proposed. He then stated it was open to question whether it was desirable to get rid altogether of the supplementary tea- chers, as there were many instances where they could be most usefully employed in taking- charge of young children and babies. The Director further stated that the question might safely be left with the various administrative subcommittees when arranging the staffs of the various schools in their respective, areas. He (Mr. Richardson) did not know whether the Director had vha.,iged his opinion since he made that report, but it was clear that tlhe compxittee were directly in conflict with what he had rc-- oommendr-d only little more than a year ago. If supplementary tea-chers were not desirable, it was remarkable that wthereas in Cheshiiro their number was being gradually diminished, in other counties the number was increasing. Ho failed to see why in Cheshire they should burden the ratepayers with a rate of a half- penny in the £ which other oounties were avoid- ing. He objected to be accused of opposing rural education, because many of them thought that rural educatcon had not improved under the regime of the present education authoritiets. Mr. J. Wild seconded the amendment. Dr. Hewitt urged that it was not proposed to close the door to the supplementary teachers. They had simply required that in future the appointment of any supplementary teacher must be sa-notioned by the County Committee, in order that efficient persons should be secured. The Chairman said the view of the Board of Education, as serf- forth in their annual report, was that tine recognition of the supplementary teacher was temporary, and only given on the dtelamtion of his bona fide intention of obtain- ing their recognition as an uncertificated tea- cher within two years, He thought that when Mr. Richardson quoted from a Government re- port he should give all the matters specially referring to it. Mr. T. Raffles Bui ley pointed out that the Government report further stated that it was hoped tire increased provision of training col- leges would enable the number of supplemen- tary teachers to be considerably reduced in the course of a few years. From this it was obvious that the Board of Education regarded supple- mentary teachers as a make-shift. The Rev T. J. Evans said he understood it was dbtermined to stop the supply of supple- mentary teachers because they had an adequate supply of uncertificated t&achers. The Chairman said they had always deter- mined to reduce the number of s-uppleme-ntary teachers as soon as possible for the reason that they had no qualification of any kind, except that they were required to be vaccinated. (Laughter.) They had heard tales of Avoe from the Government Inspectors of their difficulty of dealing with these case?,'and how often at considerable pressure they had been constrained to give approval much against their judgment. In any case some test of knowledge should be required of the teacher. There was a time when they had to take what teachers they could, and the "motherly girl" was then a Godsend; but as time went on they had pro- duced some smart, intelligent young men and women, who had passed examinations and were in the- position of what was known as uncertifi- cated teachers. The time had arrived when they should cease to appoint teachers who had no qualifications. Mr. R. T. Richardson said that as it had been stated that the Board of Education re- quired these teachers to qualify as uncertifica- ted within two years, he withdrew his amend- ment. Bo maintained, however, it was not right to pass over the heads of the adminis- trative eub-committiet&s. HELSBY NEW SCHOOL SITlv At a meeting of the Ruocorn RuraJ District Council a lot-ter was read from tho Board of Education, asking to be informed why so large & si. is considered noaessarj for the proposed new Council school at Ilelsby, and why a site nearer the population has not been chosen. It was resolved: "(:) That the Board of Educa- tion be informed (a) That the site chosen by the Sub-committee comprised one entire plot of an estate which was offered for building pur- poses, and the vendors would not be willing to divide it; (b) that the site will be very much diminished when it is laid out, as the narrow road on the south-west side is to be widened to 36ft., and the building line on the main road is 18ft. from the boundary of the site. (ii) That the levels of the site a.nd a district plan be for- warded to the Boaid of Education for their fur- '0' ther information, (iii) That the distance from the site of the residences of children in Hel-sby of school age be ascertained and forwarded to the Board of Education." Mr. Guest (Runcorn) now informed the com- mittee that he understood that a more central position could be obtained on satisfactory terms, and he moved that the minutes be referred back to the sub-committee. This was agreed to. NEW MEMBER. On the proposition of Mr. R. T. Richardson, the Rev. C. A. Griffin was elected a member of the Chester Union Sub-committee, in the place of the Rev. C. C. Prichard, resigned. Mr. Gibbons Frost wag also added to the Sub- committee. THE IKCE QUESTION. LOCAL OPINION PREVAILS. SETTLEMENT IN VIEW. Mr. R. T RicJiarddon, moving tho adoption of the Chester Union Sub-committee's pro- ceedings, referred to their latest action in re- ference to the I net; school question. A sub- committee, who had visited Thorn ton-le- Moors sohool, reported that it was in a very fair con- dition and suitable for educational purposes. It wa* recommended thet Inoe school be leased for the purposes of a Council school for Inoe and Elton for eeven years, subject to suitable- terms being arranged with the owner. The Director of Education commented on the local ratepayers' resolutions and the obser- vations made by the sub-committee upon his recent report on the Inoe question. In the first place, lie thought, it was desirable to ex- pose the fallacy of the idea that some non- provided schools were earning larger Govern- ment grants than Council schools, and that this was a sign of their efficiency. The fact was that there was no difference whatever be- tween the grants earned by Council and non- provided schools, provided they were of the same size. The Government grants were paid, not on the efficiency of the schools, but on ac- count of the average attendance. The Inoe school received altogether in grants £ 1. 17s. ll|d. per head, and the Thornton school £ 2 Û6. nd per head. The Wimboldsley Council school, one of similar size in a rural district, earned £ 2. 1. 90. per head. These facts would shew that. the statement of the Ince ratepayers that they received a larger grant than Council schools, and that this was an in- dication of t.heir gresat efficiency, was quite inaccurate. Proceeding, Mr. Ward said that the scholarships offered to children in elemen- tary schools offered a means of judging the efficiency cf a school. During the sixteen yoa.rs these scholarships had been offered not a single scholarship had been gained by either Thornton or Incc sohool, but the Council school at Wimboldsley gained three scholar- ships last year. Turning to other pornte in d'sputc, Mr. Ward submitted that the dis- tances that would have to be travelled by the children of the locality to the proposed new school ought net to affect the attendance. In- deed, they found in schools, as clergymen ,,m found at church that it was not always these who lived closest who were the best attenders. (Laughter.) He described as of very doubtful truth the statement that the local education authority had no power to abolish the school, or to charge the ratepayers of an a,rea. for a new school where the area had already suffi- cient accommodation. Tho committee, in stat- ing the salaries of the head teachers put in each case the i-niaikmuin salary, ignoring what might have to be paid for length of service. The Inca school, with 58 children in attend- ance, was considered by the sub-committee to require a headmaster and two uncertificated teachers; but. the Thornton schools, where there were 57 children in attendance, was con- sidered to be sufficiently staffed by a head teacher and only one uncertificated teacher. Evidently, the Thornton school was to be very muoh under-staffed, and it seemed to him 86 if the sub-oommittee wished to sacrifice Thornton and pro-pitiate Inoe. If Thornton school were staffed on the same proportion as lnce school they would arrive at practically the same figures he gave in his report. Then no notice was taken of the saving that would take place by a new fcohool and through having one care- taker instead of two, and in the maintenance of one school instead of two. The paragraph dealing with the loss of a small sohool grant was incorrect, as he was informed by H.M. inspector that. a new school situated as the one proposed, would be able to obtain the small school grant. Mr. T. Raffles Bulley thought the sub-com- mittee were not animated by a desire to pro- moto education eo much as to save their pockets. He was not without some sympathy for the local inhabitants, who might net be numerous or wealthy, and upon whom the ex- pense of a new school would chiefly fall. The only solution of the difficulty was to obtain a special Government contribution towards the building of a new school. They must see properly to the education of the children, and not entrust them to the tender mercies of the committee. Those who read the reports of H.M. inspectors about the staffing of the schools and the way they were carried on, must feel that education as carried. on there was a perfect farce. He deplored the resolu- tion of the sub committee in favour of simpli- fying the curriculum. They seemed to say, "Teach the children less. Never mind if you teach them nothing at, all, but don't increase the rates. Do not moke arrangements which, though they will give a good education, will involve any additional burden." The Chairman said unfortunately, they were tee late to get a Government grant this year. He deplored the contentious spirit which had arisen in the matter, and he did not think they would get a solution by proving one another to be wrong. If a district—(and he thought the district in question stood alone in this re- spect).—took the ground that the cost of edu- cation waf the only thing to be considered, they were not likely to have peace. He thought they would be quite preparc-d to ease any district in any possible way so long as the efficiency of education was maintained. lic- hoped that the standard of education in any rural district would not be low,-red because it was sparsely populated. If there was to be any restriction of curriculum it should be pro- perly discussed by the Elementary Sub-com- mittee. lIe proposed that the resolution of the Chester Union Sub-committee in favour of a simplified curriculum be not adopted, and that the sub-committee ascertain and submit to this committee the terms upon which the lnce sohool could be leased for seven years and improved to meet the requirements of H.M. impectcr, and that the Director of Education ascertain whet her arrangements could be made to provide instruction in domestic science for girls and school gardening or handicrafts for boys for the parishes of Inc-e, Elton and Thornton. Judge Bradbury, in seconding, said he thought this would make for a settlement of the question. Therohad been a great deal of friction in the matter, and he welcomed a solution upon the lines the Chairman had laid down. It was obvious that the school mana- gers and ratepayers of the district were of opinion that a combined new school for the three parishes should not be erected. Whether this opinion was right or wrong, the fact re- mained that if this committee, in the face of that strong opposition, forced a new school upon the district, they would go a long way to make it a failure. The Act of Parliament provided distinctly that they must maintain all necessary e-ehools, and if only thirty chil- dren attended the Thornton school it could not be closed. The scheme of a new school would therefore be defeated, and if carried out would only incur expense without attaining the desired object. The committee would have to fight the Board of Education, the local ratepayers and the managers and trustees of the school, altogether making an almost in- superable obstacl;. It would be a misfortune to try to force upon a reluctant area the cost of a new school, and if they did they would -=- create a feeling of hostility to education pro- ductive of great harm. Mr. J. Wild (Bredbury) said the friction that had arisen had not been modified by t-h c I speeahes made by the Chairman at the recent County Council election for that district. The Chairman I am quite prepared to de- fend every word I said at the recent election, The resolution was carried. ACCOMMODATION AT HOOLE. On trie subject of the proposed Council school for Hoole and Newton, Mr. R. T. Richardson accepted a resolution, which was moved by the Chairman, in the 'following terniri: "That the Administrative Sub-com- mittee should, if possible, arrange with the managers for the improvement and enlarge- ment of the Westminster Schools, or the transfer thereof to the local education authority; secondly, that temporary arrange- ments should be made with the city of Chester for the reception of Hoole and Newton chil- dren in one or mor-8 of the city Council schools, whereby two-thirds of the cost of such reception bo charged upon the parishes of Hoole and Newton thirdly, that the proposed new c-ehools should, if such enlargement or transfer is made, be limited to infants and mixed juniors

NATURAL HISTORY SOTES. t JANUARY. What will the new year bring us? Brightly it opened, but with bitter winds which held back the slioc-iting plants which had given pro- mise of spmg all too early. Trie birds bad. bc- fom the old year died, found that food was not so abundant as they could wish, and. as is usual with such weatner, the numbers of our winter visitors was largely increased. With no speciee was this more noiioeable than with the brarnb- liirg. Aithough this bird appeared eariy and was by no means rare even in the swath of England, very few were seen in our- Cheshire beochwocds until ihe beginning of December. About the middle of the- month there were more about, but it was net till the Christmas holidays that the usual large flocks appeared. The chaffinches and tits had for kYnt; been taking toll of the bc-eeh mast; still there was plenty left and tlie brambiings fell to with a wilJ. In Delamere Forest, especially in tlie Ouiton beeches, th-ey were in great force. The majority of tint* birds were so clean and brightly col- oured that there could be little doubt that they bad only lately arrived. Of course they lacked tlie black hoods of sidring, which we only 8,-<- here on the heads of belated birds when the bueding season is approaching, but the black was not so much obscured as us-ual by the bi-own edges of the feathers; their chestnut wing-coverts were also dear and warm, and their white lower backs shone in the sun when the birds rose from the rustling leaves at our approach. But the brambiin.ps were not 111112 only alea-a-looking birds in flocks in the Forest: tits, in parties of considerable size. wandeTed hither and thither, finding some food to their liking first on one tree and then on another. A party of blues, with a few greats and coals, and one or two or their ucual hangers-on in the shape of creepers and goxferosts, were picking holes in tlie spangles beneath an oak, digging out the juicy little grubs. In another pksce great tits predominated, and only one or two bluc-s made up the paitv; and yet again the tlrm notes of long-tailed tits called our aiten- tior. to the tiny bundles of feathers with Ion- trailing tails shooting through the air from tree to tree. GOLDCR-ESTS AND CREEPERS. Goldeiesrs are unueually abundant now, and in many pax,,s of Cheshire I have met with large flocks. What neat little acrobats they are. swinging in the firs, and busily ridding tho forester of those insect- foes which baffle him, for the go'dcrest devour?? in-numerable tiny cnea- turcs which other birds do not- trouble about. The goldcrest always seems to be in a hurry, and yet it spends a good dealt of time and any amount of energy oycr a single- branch pe-eping undler the pine-needles or casting its bright little eyo along the leaf stems but with the goldcrosts is usually a slower but more diligent searcher for hidden insects-the tree creeper. This sober-tinted but smart litdo bird runs up the trees like a mouse, dodging from side to side, but always ascending, and h? goes, supporting himself against the trunk on his wide-spread stiff-feathered tail. Very little is missed by the creeper; it peers ino every crack and scar in the bark a.nd pushes its dainty curved needle- tipped biil into the holes. Unfortunately, like most insect-eatcis it does not confine its at, tention to ineeote, but will persist in devouring other equally valuable insect-siaycrs—the spiders. However, we muf?t not grumble; where tits, goidcresis and creepers are at work good is being done, and if t.hey do not pause to ask what particular creature is useful or harmful to man what right have we to blame them? The birds care nothing about us; all thev want. is a dinner. ON THE MERES. Larger fowl have increased in numbers too. It is remarkable that whatever the weather be we generally find an increase in the numbers of the wild aboat the end of the year or early in this month. Mallards are now very abundant. and there are far more tufted ducks than there wore at the beginning of December: but whene are the pochards? Has some calam- ity befallen the migratory hosts of pochards? Usually we can count fifty, a hundred or two hundred of these smart brown-headed, grev- backed birds on any of our larger waters, but this s?a,son a dozen lias been a large flock. Wan- derers of various" species have not been so fre- quent as usual. True there have been a fine pair of pintails on Tarfton for two or three weeks, and a coupLe of goldeneyes on that favourite water of this species, Oakmere. The, have been teal in fair numbers on oevemi meres, but so far as I have noticed no goosanders and only a sprinkling of wigeon and shovelers. Grebes have been plentiful, for by no mea.ns all our winter grebes were reared on local waters. By tihe way. about a week ago I noticed one of thase fine birds sri ifl wearing a fair tippet, though aR its companions were in the simple dreas of winter. RARE STRANGERS. On the Dee there have been, yet more un- usual visitors, for on one lucky day, when the pink-fboted geese were in force, perhaps 700 strong, a lierd of twenty-seven KWSIK came over. Swans are common enough at times, but these were neither the semi-domestic mutes nor the loud voiced wild whoopers. but those little swans of the far north which are named after tlie great engraver and artist Bewick. Bewick's dom pays a visit to Cheshire waters, but. it. has bocn noted before, and osioe or twice a. specimen has remained to prove the species. The birds were recognised by their voices, for whereas the whoop,r ha.s a fine musical voice, more musical than the trumpet, of the errone- ously called mute swan, Bewick's swan has a dog-like hark. "They yelped like a lot of pcodie pups, said a puntsmam who saw them. Knots have been and still are more abundant than usual at the mouth of the Dee, but tbey rarely venture up the river unless the tidTC- suits at nightfall. In some years there are few knots, but in others tliey sv.,arii-gr-y clouds upon the East Hoyle and other banks. Last year (I beg pardon, in 19(6) there, were very few bar-tailed god wits, but the present season has brought them back again. In the winter of 1906-7 I only saw a dozen birds or so, but now they are plentiful enough; and the gun- ners wii-1 not spare them if they get a chance, for godwits are good eating. ON THE UPLANDS. Now that the oold his come, though the mud of the estuary and marshes is covered with hungry birds, the hilJs of the oast are desolate. A few days ago I tramped miles over the wind- swept "tops," often through thin powdery snow, but except for a red grouse here and there never met. with a bird. On our way up we passed through the best black-game country in Cheshire, but one may travel thiough black- -¡ cock land without seeing a bird. We put up one. but only one, and. sent it rskimlning across the valley to the woods on tho other side, no doubt pleased that it was not followed by a hail of lead. On tlie opesi heather lands red grouse, which were p'entiful m spite of the numbers winch have fallen and the poor re- ports which were circulated in August. Right on the "tops," where the thin layer of snow lay on the sheltered side of the wall, there WTLS evidence of many small travel- lers—rabbits, voles, shrews and a weasel. These Email diror do not follow the example of the blnfe and leave the "tope" in hard weather; nor do they hibernate until the warmer weather, but brave cold and foes in their search for food. The rabbit's footmarks puzzle-d me; what was a rabbit doing at 1,700 feet above the sea? There are two possible explanations. When rabbits multiply exceedingly—a not unusual habit of the beajsi—the surplus population is obliged to rairgo far afieid the rabbits from the lower lniiS go up to the hcat.ber land, where the stoats and waaaols follow them and the parsing peregrine watches for them. They linger here until their foc« have wiped them out, and so nature adjusts the balance. Perhaps a tragedy U' was pic-tuned by the footmarks—evidence of murder; the victim had been followed by the relentless weasel, followed to the death. Two hundred foet lower we saw rabbits. But there is another possible explanation, and that is that the ioo..marks were not those of a rabbit at all but of tne small white hare. Many years ago scotch hares werp turned out on t,he. Greenfield hills in Yorkshire, and though the first attempt failed, the second introduction of tlie species proved successful; so successful indeed that in a very short, time tlie white hares (or blue hares, as they are called in summer) had spread over tlie border into Cheshire. After peopling the Longdendale hiLls tbey either crossed the valley or re-entered Yorkshire at the head, nassm-g round trie watershed into Derbvshir*^ Tl-^ epread over Kinder and Combs, and it is not unukelj that they have once more crossed into Cheshire by the watershed which divides one side of England from the caher: where the broyt flows wn -on tiie one hand towards the Iri-n Sea, and the Dove on tlie oilier towards the German Ooean. At any rate, if there are no white hares at present on the Cot and Fiddle: hi Ms it is probable t-Lxt we shall shortly fin<l them over the Torre and even Axe Edge, and so into Staffoiddhire. A similar extension of range may be soon in the spread of the white hares which were turned out in the neighbour- hood of Vaynol, and now are over the Gamedds and Glvdi-s and possibly on many others of the Snowdon range. WINTER SONGSTERS. The voices of most of the birds are hushed Before the o!d year d-ied we might hear many birds which had rcTOnini-ejioed thoir son^s, be- gun in fact the notes of spring. There was the wild-voiced niistie thrush, its relative the wng thrush, the skylark and tho dunnock. Bu.t these are jknt in the co-id. Through all the robin sings, and within the last few davs the star- ling has joined him, while in a gleam of sun- shine on one of the C'old('st ooy-s I heard the merry tinkle of the bluotit's peal of belts. Brave little birds: two at least of them did not try to sing too early, but when they did begin thr-y did not intend to be stopped by weather. There is no more cheerful not? than tho whistle of the starling, nothing more lively than his varied and quaint jumble of sounds—some m.usi- cal. eome anytnmg but. are real signs of spring, better than any early winter songs of thrush or skylark. Given a mild day and we shall hear these birds again, but the starling will be merry whatever wind may blow. There- fore we raiS3 our hat to the sterling, and wish him a, Happy New Y oo.r, and he clap3 his win,-k as he sits in the pear tree and rattles out hit answer to crur salutation. T, A. C.

CHESTER CATHEDRAL. ■ » SAIMCE LIST FOR WEKK COMMENCING JAN. 8. W F.PNKSDAT, JANUARY aru,—Morning, 7.45: Matins and Ho!y Communion. 10.15: Litany, hynm 544. Evening, 4.15: Service, Russell in A anthem, Sing, 0 heavens" (Su!!ivan\ THURSDAY. JANUARY 9TH.—Morning, 8.0: Holy Com- munion. 10. IS Service. Keirpton in B flat anthem, "0 worship the Lord" (Thorne). Evening, 4.15: Service, Iiempton in B fiat; anthem, "When Jesus, our Lord" (Mendelssohn). FRIDAY, JANUARY IOTII.—Morning, 7.45: Slat-ins and Holy Communion. 10.16: Litany, hymn 109. Evening, 4.15: Service, Wesley in F; anthem, Come, let us worship" (Palestrina). SATURDAY, JANCAKY lira.—Morning, 8.0: Holy Com- munion. 10.15: Service, Calkin in B flat an them, "O how amiable (Faning). Evening, 4 15 Service, Calkin in E flat anthem. Come, nii, soul (Martin SUNDAY, JAKUARY 12TH (First Sunday after Epiphany).— Morning, 8.0: Holy Communion. 10.30: Service, SUm. in B flat: anthem, 0 pray for peace" (Moriera); int-roit, hymn 7S, Kyrie and Credo. Stanford in R flat; preacher, the Canon in Residence. Evening, 3.30 Service, Stanford in 13 flat; anthem, Who is like unto Thee (Sullivan); hymn 241. 6 SO: Processional hymn, 77; Magnificat and Nunc Dimittis to Chants; hymns 218, 263, 81' preacher, the Rev. Darwell Stone M A. MO-NDAY, JANUARY ISTH.— Morning, 8.0: Holy Com- munion. 10.15: Service in Monotone. Evening, 4.15: Service, Bennett in G anthem, In humble faith" (Garrett). TUESDAY, JANUARY lTII.-Morning-, 8.0: Holy Com- munion. 10.16 Service, Boyce in A; anthem, "O praise the Lord" (Coss). Evening, 4.15 Service, Arnold in A; anthem. "They that go down" (Attwood).

I CHESTER INFIRMARY. « "WKEKLT STATE, EXDKD SATURDAY LAST. In-Patientsare admitted on Tuesday Morning at Eleven o'clock. In-patients Discharged. In-patients. Cured io j Admitted 16 Relieved t> J Remain in the House 91 Unrelieved 2 | Irregularity 0 Dead 0 OUT-PATIICN-TS. Medical Cases are seen on Monday, Wednesday, Thursday and Saturday mornings at 11 o'clock. Surgical Cases are seen on Tuesday mornings at Eleven o'clock. Ophthalmic Cases are seen on Friday morning3 at Eleven o'clock. Dental Cases are seen on Tuesday and Saturday mornings at Ten o'clock. Out-patients admitted during the week.95

In Constant Family Use for Over 100 Years. I ATKINSON & BARKER'S EOYAL ¡ INFANTS' PRESERVATIVE The Best for Teething, Convulsions, Rickets, I Whooping Cough. BOTTLES: 1/1%. 2/9, 4/6.

BIRTHS, MARRIAGES & DEATHS. 4 BIRTHS, MARRIAGES and DEATHS are charged at the rate of 20 words for 16. (prepaid). If net prepaid the charge will be 2e. 6d. The announcement must be authenticated by the Signature and Address of the Sen-dor. BIRTHS. IIEYWOOD—On the 6th January, at Christleton Lodg-e. the wife of II. A. Heywood, of a son. ROYDEX-On the 31st December, at Blyth Lodg-e, Bromborough, Cheshire, the wife of E. B. lioyden, of a son. MARRIAGE, GROOM-STOCKLEY-Ùn the 31st December, at St. John's Wesley an Church, Whitchurch, by the Rev. W. James, Joseph Groom, of G&rner's-Iane, Whixall, to Lizzie, daughter of W. Stockley. Edpeley. DEATHS. FAIRRIE—On the (jth December, at Folkestone, Jane, the dearly-loved wife of James Fairrie, senr. FISH-On the 2nd January, at 45, Liverpool-road, Anne. widow of Joseph Fish (late of Arnold House), aged S3 yaars. MALE—On the 27th December, Fanny Florentina, the widow cf the late Rev. A. S. Male, rector of More, Salop, aged 67 years. MORGAN—On the 30th December, at Preston-on-Severn, near Shrewsbury, Thomas Morgan, formerly of Anton Burneii. aged 55 years. PERCIVAL-On the SOLH December, at his residence, Kelsley, Kuutsford, William Percival, aged 58 years. THOMPSON-On the 6lh January, at his residence., Netberleigh House, John Thompson, M.A., J,P., 75 years. First p&rt of funeral service at St. Mary's. without-the-Walls, on Thursday, at 11.15 a.m. Inter. ment at Christleton about 12.45. WYCIIERLEY—On the 26th December, at Bark Hill, Whitchurch, Annie Wychtrley, in her ¡¡3rd year.

Al E M O It I A L S MARBLE, GRANUE, STONE & ALABASTER. CHURCH B R AS S BS ESTABLISHED 1774. W. HASWELL & SON, KALEYARDS, CHESTER. £ Estimates and Designs free on application* [ TILKPHOUK NO. 161A.