South Wales Daily News

A CARDIFF WAIF IN THE RHONDDA. EXTRAORDINARY CONDUCT OF THE MOTHER. Our Rhondda correspondent writes:—My attention has been called to an extraordinary case of child desertion. A few months ago a collier residing at Pentre, seeing an advertisement that a mother, living at Cardiff, was anxious to dispose of, or to find a comfortable home for, a bright, cheerful, littlo girl, seven years of age," communicated with the advertiser, and received a reply which runs thus:— Cardiff. Dear Madam,—In answer to yours of yester- day about the little girl she is a bright cheerfull child, healthay rather dark, blue eyes rather red cheeks. Her father was a gentleman. I am not married. I supose this was my lot. She has lived with my grandmother since she was two months old. Now she is dead and I have to take her and I can not pervide a home for her as she shood have. Therefore I think I ought to let her go to them that will take care of her as a mother would there own child. That is all I want. If you think you would like to see her and take her I would come any time that you would like to say and bring her with me. I shood be pleased if you would write back by return of post as I have 38 more applications and must want speady reply.— Yours, &c., A few day later another communication was received from the advertiser. It ran as follows "Dear Madam,—Yours to hand this evening I find I can't bring her to-morrow Friday as I have promest to go to see a lady. Would Tuesday suite you. I shood be very pleased if you would manage it for me. Will you kindly let me know I shood be oblige if you could manage the second train as I go to do a little work before brakefast. That is if it will suite you.—Yours faithfully, _| » In due course the bright, cheerful little girl" was taken to Pentre by the mother, and it was agreed to keep the child for a month, the mother being promised that if her little illegitimate daughter conducted herself properly she would be well treated and regarded as an adopted child After chatting upon different matters the mother left the locality, telling the child she would call in a month to see if everything went on satis- factorily. But the mother has not since visitsd the locality, though several months have elapsed since she last saw her child. The ittle girl is ound to be an incorrigible," and aa there is no clue to the whereabouts of the mother, it is pro- posed to send her to the Pontypridd or the Cardiff Workhouse.

A GARRULOUS DEFENDANT AT MERTHYR. In the course of the hearing of the judgment summonses at the Merthyr County-court, on Thursday, by his Honour Judge Gwilym Wil- liams, a defendant (D. J. Price) demanded, What the d61 was for ?" Who are you ask- ing ?" queried the judge. The clerk," said de- fendant. Well, he can't tell you," observed the judge, Why don't you pay ?"—Defendant Because I can't.—His Honour: Why?— Defendant Eh ? His Honour Why ? —Defendant: Because I does not get it. His Honour You get j31 a week ?-Defendant Does I?- His Honour Well, look sharp, if you havo anything to say.- Defendant: I have my earnings here (producing some papers) if you will look at them. (To Mr Harry, chief bailiff) Show them to the clerk show them to the judzo.His Honour remarked that there were also returns ant defendant's earnings in court.—Defendant: I see summonses coming out of the court that ought not to come. That is what makes me so fast.—His Honour You will be much faster in a minute. His Honour then made the usual order for 14 days, suspended for 14 days.

COUNTY-COURT ACCOMMO- DATION AT MERTHYR. REMARKS BY THE JUDGE. During the 10 minutes' adjournment of the jVIerthyr County-court on Thursday, the deputy- registrar arranged a special jury in the dock in readiness for a horse case that was to come on. Subsequently, his Honour Judge Gwilym Williams returned to court and intimated to the two reporters then present in the reporters' box that they had better change places with the jury- men in the dock. The reporter of the South Wales Daily News asked his Honour if there was auy objection to the reporters sitting at the table as they could not conveniently writs in the dock. —His Honour said the Press might be so accom- modated, and catching sight of Mr John Plews, barrister, and secretary of the chamber of trade, he pointed out here was another instance of the want of accommodation.—Mr Plews said ho bad been doing his best to get accommodation.—His Honour said he was afraid that would not be during the lifetime of either of them.

FALL THROUGH A SKYLIGHT. Early on Thursday a policeman on duty in one of the principal streets of Wolverhampton ob- served a man clambering along the roof of busi- ness premises occupied by a firm of wholesale chemists. The policeman raised an alarm, upon which the man jumped across an intervening passage on to premises occupied by the Wolver- hampton Liberal Club, and, falling through the skylight, sustained such serious injuries as led to his capture. He gave the name of Hy. Thomas, of Bow-street, London.

GLAMORGAN ASSIZES. THIRD DAY'S PROCEEDINGS. The Autumn Assizes for the County of Gla- morgan were resumed on Thursday-before Mr Justice Richard Henn Collius, in the Crown-court, town-hall, Cardiff GOT ANOTHER CHANCE. A fitter named George McLean (30) pleaded guilty to having stolen a watch, value 35s, from a Mrs Nicholls, at Cardiff, on July 12th, 1892.-Police-coristab7e Oxley proved three previous convictions against the prisoner, and one in May, 1893, when he got six months, so that he had only just come out of prison.-The Judge remarked that prisoner had served 15 months' imprisonment for crime com- mitted since the date of the offence now charged against him, and he would now give prisoner a clean sheet and a new start. His lordship wished to send prisoner out free from his earlier crimes in the hope and ex- pectation that he would never appear there again.—Prisoner Never, sir.—The judge then passed sentence of one day's imprisonment, and prisoner was discharged. BRUTAL ASSAULT. John James Hughes (18), haulier, pleaded guilty to having maliciously wounded one John Thomas, at Ystradyfodwg, on October 30th.— The Judge, in passing sentence, said the assault was one of an exceedingly brutal character. Prisoner not only kicked Thomas once, but, after being taken away, rushed back and seriously maltreated him again, inflicting two black eyes, a cut across the nose, a T shaped cut above the nose, and other injuries, from which Thomas was seriously affected and laid up for some time. Prisoner would have to go to prison for six months' hard labour. WEAVER, "&0." Gwilym Haydn Griffiths, 25, pleaded guilty to having broken into the house of Mr David Thomas at Llanguicke, on September 8th, and stolen a pair of boots, a pair of stockings and other articles of wearing apparel of the value of 19s 6d.—Mr S. T. Evans appeared for the prosecution.—The judge said the value of the goods stolen was not great, but the class of offence was serious, and it was an offence which prisoner seemed to be habitually commit- ting. The previous convictions commenced as far back as 1882, and prisoner had been twice sentenced since 1892. His lordship was not sure but that he should send prisoner to penal servi- tude, but he would give him one more chance and send him now to prison for six months with hard labour. BEGAN IN 1880. A labourer named John Norris (30) pleaded guilty to having stolen two barrels of petroleum, the property of the Pockett Bristol Channel Steam Packet Company, Limited, at Swansea, in the beginning of October.—Mr Glascodiue ap- peared for the prosecution.—Mr Justice Collins, remarking that prisoner had been previously convicted, the first time in 1880, sentenced him to a month's hard labour. FIREMEN IN IT AGAIN. Frank McAuliffe (24). a fireman, pleaded nofr guilty to having wounded a man named James Butler with intent to do him grievous bodily harm, at Cadoxton-Barry, on October 25th.—Mr Rhys Williams appeared to prosecute. -Butler, who is a fireman, entered the witness-box with his head bandaged. In the course of his evidence he said he resided at 33, Gueret-street. Between two and three o'clock on the morning of the 25th October he heard a row on in the street, and on going out he found two women fighting'. Amongst the crowd were two men named Curtin, one of whom (Richard) Ktruck one of the women. Witness told him he should not hit a woman whatever he did, whereupon Curtin hit him. They fought, and on Curtin's brother coming up witness fought with him also. Whilst engaged with the second man, prisoner crept round and stabbed wi tii-,ss three times on the hf'ad and once on the back. On being stabbed he staggered and fell, and had to be assisted into the house.—Annie Parker, 26, Gueret-street, said she also went to witness the row, and whilst there saw prisoner stab Butler. She saw a pocket-knife in prisoner's hand.—Dr. Edward Treharne said he examined Butler on October 26th and found four incised wounds, three on the head and one on the back. There did not appear to have been much force used in dealing the blows with the knife, and none of the wounds seemed to be, dangerous. Butler lost a lot of blood, however.— Pohce-constable Evans said he went to arrest prisoner at three o'clock nn the morning of the 25th, when he saw prisoner hand the knife to a girl in the house. The girl threw it behind a bench, but at the request of the constable picked it out and handed it to him. When taken into custody prisoner said, I did not do it." P.O. Rees Evans corroborated.—Prisoner had no witnesses, and his defence was that he took no part in the fight, and did not stab the man Butler.—The jury found prisoner guilty.—His Lordship told prisoner that persons like him must be taught that under no circumstances—not even in a drunken quarrel- could they use the knife with impunity. Prisoner had been in prison a month already, and he would now have to go back for a period of 14 months with hard labour. FALSE PRETENCES BY FIREMEN. David David (34), fireman, and Henry Morgan (36), fireman, pleaded nob guilty to having obtained 12s by false pretences from Mr Isaac Hali, in Kennard-street, Cardiff, on Sept. 29th.— Mr Hall stated thaton the date named prisoners entered his shop and asked if he took shipping orders. He replied in the affirmative, whereupon they said they were engineers on the s.s. Bertha, then lying in the East Dock, and ordered 210 worth of groceries to be sent on board the vessel. They afterwards said they were short of money, and requested witness to advance them a small sum, saying that if he made an entry of the amount in the account for the groceries the captain of the vessel would repay the money. He, therefore, advanced 12s. It was discovered, however, that prisoners did not belong to the vessel named and that they had no authority to order goods or pledge the captain's credit. When giving tho orders they gave the names of Thomas and Will iams. -Corroborative evidence, and evidence of arrest having been given, the jury found prisoners guilty, and they were sentenced to six months' hard labour. THE SOUTH WALES COAL STRIKE, CHARGE OF INTIMIDATION. A young haulier named Samuel Edmunds was chargod with having threatened and intimidated another haulier named Thomas Palmer, with the view to compel him to abstain from work- ing in the employment of the Glamorgan Coal Company, Limited, at Gilfach Goch, on August 13th. This case arose out of the recent strike amongst a certain section of the hauliers and colliers in South Wales.—Prisoner pleaded not guilty.—Mr Glascodine appeared for the prosecution, and MrS, T. Evans, M.P.,for the prisoner.—In opening the case Mr Glascodine said the charge against the prisoner was made under an Act of Parliament, the particular clause applicable being :—Every person who,with a view of compelling any other person to abstain from doing any act which such other person has a legal right to do, intimidates such other person, and shall on conviction be liable to a penalty, &c." On Sunday, August 13th, Palmer and several other men, who were master hauliers, were walking along the road, when prisoner went up to Palmer and made use of the words complained of, apparently with the intention of preventing his going back to work next day. What he asked the jury was this—was the lan- guage used by prisoner to Palmer calculated, or in fact intended, to intimidate, and as matter of fact did intimidate Palmer, was Palmer so intimidated by prisoner with the intention of his being prevented doing what he had a right to do, namely, going to work 1 Referring to the meaning of the word intimidate," he said the word had not yet received authoritative judicial inter- pretation, but one of the judges in London had expressed an opinion which had been referred to with approval by other judges. Mr Justice Cave had ruled that to con- stitute intimidation within the meaning of the Act of Parliament, personal violence must be" threatened, and the other judges said there was much to be said for that view. The Judge: I don't think they committed themselves to a final opmiou or agreement. Mr Glascodine handed in a report of the case, and, proceeding, said he could not claim. that the word had a wide meaning, but he should ask the jury to say that the words spoken by prisoner bore the restricted meaning that Mr Jus ticeCave thought the word should bear. Prisoner had told Palmer that he was appointed a delegate by the hauliers to tell him that no horses wera to go out on the following day. Palmer asked, "What if we do?" and prisoner replied, If you do, you will have to stand the conse- quences." Words like that spoken by one man might probably be laughed at. They would be of little value or force if the country were quiet, but if there were bands of men armed with bludgeons going about the country and forcing men to leave|work,!and if a man came as a delegate from those men and told another if he took out the horses he would have to stand the consequences, such words would bear a very different aspect and force. If the jury thoughn the words were intended as a threat they would find prisoner guilty, because if we were not to be brought back to the days of barbarism the law of brute force and of violence must not be allowed to come into operation to prevent men from going to work or doing what they had a right to do. Thomas Palmer, a master haulier, of Gilfach Goch, employed by the Glamorgan Coal Com- pany, stated that there were about th-irty hauliers in the pit. On Sunday, August 16th, he was with WHO. Thomas, a. master haulier, who worked in the same pit, and when they were returning from a walk they saw prisoner opposite the post-office at Gilfach Goch. r, Prisoner said he had a question to put to them. He then proceeded to inquireif they were going towork the next day. Witness and Thomas answered that they had heard nothing to the contrary, and then Edmunds asked if they were going to take any horses out. Witness replied that they could not) haul without horses. Prisoner said he had been deputed as a delegate of the hauliers to inform them that no ponies were to go out next day. On witness asking what would happen if they took them out, prisoner replied that they would have to stand the consequences, and went on to say, in answer to Thomas, that he would see Davies. a master hauher. Davies was then asked whether he was going to work, and in answer, said, What about it, are you going to beat us ?" You will have to stand the con- sequences," was the answer given a second time. Witness told Edmunds that they would have to report him to the under manager, a course which was pursued. Witness refrained from working next day on account of the hauliers. He under- stood by what the prisoner said that if they went to work the other men would come and give them a leathering. Until the conversation took place he had intended to go to work as usual. Cross-examined bv Mr Evans He had know Edmunds since boyhood, and had always con- sidered him a quiet, steady fellow. He was not afraid that Edmunds would do him any harm in the least. He was afraid to go to work on the Monday because the hauliers were very uneasy on the preceding Saturday. Prisoner was a delegate ° u3, hauhers deputed to inquire whether they would abstain from work or return, and prisoner did not say the hauliers would give them a leathering. That was what he thought. What prisoner said was, that they would have to stand the consequences. They restarted on Thursday on the condition that the iiorses were to be taken out without any molestation. There had been no violence of any kind before the conversation between prisoner and himself. By Mr Glascodine The men marched about with sticks in their hands trying to get the others out. NVm, Thomas, a haulier, employed at the same colliery, and who was along with Palmer, said he understood the words prisoner used meant that they would get into a bother and get a leathering. Cross-examined He understood prisoner would take their ansner back to the general body of hauliers. Prisoner was a very quiet and in- offensive man, and witness was not afraid from what had been said that prisoner would do any- thing to him. John Davies, also a masterbaulierat the colliery, gave similar evidence. This closed the case for the prosecution. Mr S. T. Evans did not call evidence. In lay- ing his case before the court, he argued that the section of t'fig- Act of Parliament, under which the indictment had been framed, was not intended to hold such words as that used by the prisoner to be intimidation, and submitted that there was no evidence which could possibly go to the jury upon a charge of prisoner having said or done- anything to intimidate Palmer. The judge said that was for the jury to decide. Counsel for the prosecution and the defence having addressed the jury, The Judge summed up. In his observations to the jury, he said that. in order to convict a person of the crime charged, they would have to come to the conclusion that, wrongfully and without legal authority, he intimidated another person, and that he intimidated the person with a view to compel him to do some- thing he was not bound to do or to abstain from doing that which he had a right to do. There could be no doubt Palmer had a right to go to work, and if there were any intimidation which prevented him continuing in the colliery, that would be compeilinghiin toabstain from doing that which he had a right to do. But the real point was whether the prisoner, with the view of stopping Palmer from doing it, intimi- dated. If prisoner did so, he was guilty. and if he did not he was innocent. That involved a personal act on the part of the prisoner. The jury would, therefore, have to say first whether the act done was the act of he prisoner. With regard to the meaning of the word "intimidate," a learned judge, speaking for himself and others, said, It is not a term of art it is a word of common speech and everyday use, and it must receive, therefore, a reasonable and sensible interpretation according to the circumstances of the cases as they arise from timo to timp." Now, he would lay it down that in this particular case the words used, in order to bring them under intimidation," must have been intended to convey, and did convey to the person to whom they were addressed, a threat of personal violence. He could conceive cases in which there might be intimidation without such a threat being made, but he was not prepared to decide that point, and ho must not be held as deciding it now. But in this case there was no evidence that would be the subject of criminal prosecution unless it were with reference to physical violence, so that the jury would have to make up their minds whether tha words used could bear that interpretation. The jury retired, and, after about an hour's consultation, found prisoner guilty, but strongly recommended him to the leniency of the court on the ground that he did not understand the serious- ness cf the offence. The judge, in passing sentence, said that hav- ing regard to the recommendation of the jury, to prisoners personal share in the offence, and to the fact that prisoner had stood his trial for the crime, and had all the anxiety incident thereto, he thought lie would be dealing adequately with the case if he directed prisoner to enter into his own recognizances in L25 to come up for judgment when called upon. Prisoner was then discharged, and the court W. afterwards adjourned till to-day.

SWANSEA WORKS-OWNERS AND THE FACTORY ACTS. SEVERAL FIRMS FINED FOR BREACHES. At the Swansea Police-court, on Thursday- before the Mayor (Col. Pike), Messrs J. C. Fowler, J. C. Yye Parminter, and W. Watkins— there were several important prosecutions under the Factory Acts, instituted by Mr Augustus Lewis (H.M. Inspector of riactoriesi.-The first case taken was one against the Swansea Tin- plate Company, Cwmbwrla, who were summoned for committing breaches on the 3rd instant. -Mr Viner Leeder defended.—Mr Lewis said the defendant company had been employing a number of women at night contrary to the reading of the 10th and 13th sections of the Act, which laid it down that women might only be employed in such factories from 6 or 7 a.m. to 6 or 7 p.m. On the day injquestion he went to the works, and found five young women working between 9 and 10 o'clock p.m. There was, he believed, a system in vogue in the district of employing shifts, and it appeared that one of the young women worked from 2.30 p.m. to 9.30. He be- lieved that there was,no pressure brought to bear upon the persons employed, as employers seemed to like the principle under the custom of the neighbourhood referred to, though it had been a great trouble to the inspectors under the Factory Act. —Mr Leeder, for the defence, said Mr Lewis had fairly pointed out the case. Yet the idea might follow that what was done was done directly for the benefit of the works. The women themselves preferred this shift arrangement. It was possible for him to prove that the defendant firm was actually losing money by the arrange- ment. They had been guilty of a technical breach of the Act, but such were the circumstances that be would ask the Bench to deal leniently with the case.—The Stipendiary said it only remained tor the ioencn to assess tne amoun&oi penalty. In the present case there appeared tu be no pres- sure on the part of the employer. Rather, he believed, the contrary. Tho Bench would.im- pose a penalty of 10s and costs fcr each person employed. Defendants were further fined 10s each and costs for the employment of two boys under similar circumstances. The Cwmfelin Tin-plate Company, Limited, were charged with a breach of the same Act. Mr Lewis said the offence was the abuse of, or taking undue advantage of, a concession which had been grauted to tin-plate factories as a class. Under a certain section they were allowed to employ male young persons during the night for six nights out of 14, but in this case the defendants' company had employed them seven out of 14. A nominal penalty of 10s and costs for each boy employed was imposed. The trustees of the Landora Tin-plate Company were charged with an offence similar to that of the Cwwfelin Company. Mr Lewis said he believed defendants would. not suffer in any way if the boys were not employed at night. In neither the present northe lastcasewas theoffence supposed to be habitual. He had often be en to defendants' company's works in time past, but lie ha.d never known anything against them. The. Bench imposed a fine of 10s and costs. rather to -vindicate the law than anything else.

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NEWS IN BRIEF. Mr John Bovey has been appointed vice-consnl st Cardiff for the Hawiian Islands. Lady Augusta Mostyn is now down:, with influenza at Mostyn Park, North Wales. Lord Mostyn is also suffering from the same complaint. The Rajah of Ranipur, a rich Indian Prince., who has been visiting this country, left Victoria Station with a large suite on Wednesday mormni for Paris. The Earl of Camperdown has notified that b, will movo the rejection of the Sea Fisheries Regulation (Scotland) Bill when it comes on toi second reading. Mr T. P. Lewis, M.P., is still confined to hf1 room at his residence, The Cottage, Uppet Bangor. He is suffering from debility, and hat paired for the Session. Among the passengers by the Castle Line steamer Dunottar Castle, which sailed on Wednes- day for Southampton, were the Duchess of Cleveland, the Bishop of Cape Town, the Marquit of Hamilton, Sir John Gorst, and Captain Rhodes. The remains cf Mrs James R. Roosevelt, wife of the recently-appointed First Secretary to the American Embassy in London, were interred on Wednesday for temporal burial in Ascot Church. yard. By tho rules of the Amateur Rowing Associa- tion, rowing is placed on a very different level from cricket, football, and kindred sports, since no mechanic, artizan, or shop assistant can row as an amateur. County-court judges are sometimes severely tried. His Honour Judge Gwilym Williams, at about a quarter past two o'clock on Thursday afternoon, announced his intention of adjourning the county-court for ten minutes. As he was leaving, Mr Price, solicitor, asked if he might make an application before the adjournment.— His Honour No I want my food. I want to go cut and warm myself. Mrs Craigie (John Oliver Hobbs) is seriously ill, and will be obliged to keep her room for some time. Mrs Craigie has been engaged upon a work which, in point of length, will be nearer the ordinary novel size than the contributions to the Pseudonym Library which made her fame." The birthday of the Empress Frederick will be celebrated in Berlin on the 21st inst. All tht Princes and Princesses of the Royal House wilt be present on the occasion, with the exception of the Crown Princess of Greece, whose state ot health does not yet allow her to make the long journey from Athens. The death is announced of Mr David Bremner, chief sub-editor of the St. James's Gazette. Mr Bremner was one of the founders and earliest promoters of the Institute of Journalists. He was formerly a sub-editor on the Manchester Examiner, and was the author of a valuable worlt on Scottish industries. Mr Thomas Kinloch, East-terrace, ^Cardiff, who has been for the past two years a student at the Glasgow University, has been successful in gain- ing there a Lorimer Bursery of L20 for three years. Mr Kinloch was educated at St. Mary's Hall School, Cardiff, where his success promised a distinguished university career. Some absent-minded person has mislaid in Paris a block of stone weighing between two and three tons. Is was found in the roadway in the Boulevard N ey, and no owner has yet been found for it. M. Mauroy, the Commissary of Police, has issued a notice to the absent-minded one to come and claim his own at the lost property office. Lord Rosebery paid a handsome tribute to the London County Council in his address on Wed- nesday at the opening of the new town-hall and municipal buildings at Battersea. As Lord Rosebery remarked, the masses are no longer in the position of a Lazarus picking up the crumbs which fall from the rich table of the city." Captain Gretton has just leturncd from a tour in Canada, in the course of which he has visited all the chief families sent out by the East-end Emigration Society. His reports are most favourable. Out of 600 sent out, Captain Grettoir found 96 per cent. prosperous and happy; but this result is only produced by the most careful and rigid selection from some 5,000 applicants. The Lord Chancellor is pursued by the cares of State even into the privacy of his dressing-room. "From the time," be says, "when I come hera in the morning, till the time I leave in the evening, I have not a moment unoccupied. I am occupied with my secretaries while I am at my lunch, and very often receive deputations during that period. I am occupied with my secretaries while I am dressing." Mr Hiram Maxim is still busy with his great air-ship. The principle he has adopted is that ol the kite, sufficienb surface being provided to enable the ship to float in the air when a minimum speed of 25 miles per hour has been attained. The propelling force consists of two screws, operated in the usual fashion by a boiler and steam-engine. Mr Maxim declares that he will take his wife with him on his first trip. An important sale of Hazlitt, Lamb, and other MSS. is announced by Sotheby, Wilkinson, and Hodge. The grandson of William Hazlitt, in order to raise the necessary sum to carry out cer, tain long-cherished literary projects, has resolved to bring his collection to the hammer. It con' stitutes, he declares, such a mass of interesting monuments and souvenirs of my ancestor and hit circle, to go no farther, as has never yet been'sub- mitted to public competition." A story is told about one of the newly-electetf mayors in the North of England which is good enough to be true. Entertained at a banquet after his election, he, in returning thanks, wai anxious to make it known that no party con" siderations or personal reeling should warp his aotion whilst holding the high office to which h« had been called. In fact, gentlemen," he said, in my opinion the mayor of an important borough like this should be, like Caesar's wife, all things to all men." Re the birthplace- of. Mr H. M. Stanley-thaf ever-fruitful topic of- controversy-and the place of sepulture of the explorer's mother, another correspondent writes :—No authentic inforatiol as to the burial of Stanley's mother at Cefn go'en Cemetery, Tredegar, has yet been obtained from thei records of the cemetery, althougl exhaustive-search has been made. I am quitq certain that no monument is erected in Cefn golen Cemetery to Stanley's mother or any other known relation of his, To-day the last stage of progress in the making of the Ship Canal will, we understand, be entered upon. Everything is ready for the flooding 01 the long cutting between Runcorn and Latchford, Sluice gates have merely to be opened, and the waters will then flow in. The process will be ;accomplished without any hurry. When thfe "proper depth is reached and there is an unbroken surface from Eastham to the gates of the Latch- ford looks the final dredging work will be under. taken. This task is not very serious, and should occupy but a few days. Sir Robert Fowler's famous speech when,-as Lord Mayor, he welcomed Mr Gladstone to the Guildhall with quotations from Homer and Horace in the originals, brought him, hit biographer tells, us, a compliment from tbf Master of Harrow, who wrote to say the classical citations were in excellent taste and most appropriate to the occasion. Sir Robert Fowler wrote-in his diary :—" Justice Field sat next m» at the Salters' banquet, and chaffed me about mj speech, saying my Greek had given the City^fiv* years more." Another lion for the Queen was brought -to Liverpool by the s.s. Angola from Akassa. It is described as a fine healthy lion about nine months old. It is sent by the Royai Niger Company, and is understood tc, be a present from the Emir of Nupe, When the Emir of Nupe wavo, visited last year by Sir George Goldie and the Earl of Scarborough, at his capital, Bida, they delivered to him a lettel from her Majesty, at which he expressed the greatest delight, and the lion has been sent tc prove his satisfaction at the Royal communica- tion. His suzerain, the Sultan of okoto, sent a similar present to her Majesty when he made his treaty with the Niger Company in 1890. Thit animal is'said by the attendants to be now one of the finest in the Zoological Gardens. The Genedl this week publishes another amus- ing letter from Dafydd Dafis." Dafydd states that he is urged by his wife "Claudia to seek a seat in Parliament, though he is personally disinclined to be allured thereto. Detailing the trouble members have to obtain a day or night off from the House for themselves, he proceeds to explain the nature of "pairing," in order tc secure the boon. Dafydd says Mr T. E. Ellis is one of the most active whips in the house, and relates-a droll anecdote of a certain member of the Welsh party, who was blessed with a wife of the same stamp as his Claudia for taking care of bei husband, whom for the nonce he would call M, Brown." Mr Brown had quietly gone bomei and in due time he and Mrs Brown retired for the night. A critical division being expected that night in the House, a messenger from Mr Ton? Ellis came to Mr Brown's house, and rang tbt, bell until Mrs Brown awoke, and she opened the window. Who's there?" she shouted; "A messenger from the Commons" was the reply- What are you seeking for ?" "Mr Ellis wants Mr Brown to come down to the House imme- diately an important division is to take placS to-night," said the messenger. Mrs Brown knew the customs of the House, and she sharply re* torted: 11 VVil iw gif Mrs Brown's compliments tw Mr El is, and tel him ddat Mr Brown hO card ffor ddi neit I" and closed tha window.

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BIRTHS, MARRIAGES. DEATHS I Notices of Births, Marriages, and Deaths. Is each, if not exceeding SO words, and tid for each extra 10 words. BIRTHS. HENRY.—Nov. 15th, at 11, Gelliwastad-road, Ponty- pridd, wife of Rev. NV. Henry, St. David's, Ponty- pridd, of a son, firstborn. 803 PHILLIPS.—On November 13th, at Llwynypia, the wife of X. B. Phillips "f a son. 906 MARRIAGE. JOTINSTO'WA'NWP.IGHT.- Ott the 14th inst., at Holv Trinity Church, Southport, by the Rev. C. S. Hope, Andrew Miller, second son of Francis Johnsron, Esq .J.P., cf Stoneby, New Brighton, Cheshire, to J;me Worthinsjton, only (laugh, er of the late Ben. Wainwright, Esq., of Liverpool. 908 DEA I HS. JOHN.—On the 15th instant. at Tyla Celyn, Penygraig. Thomas John (late Lampman" of Diiias). Funeral will leave the house at 3 on Saturday for Zoar, Ffrwdamos. 905 GREY.—Nov. 16th, 88, Severn-road, Jane, widow of the late Wm. Grey, Bu-e Docks, age 59. 883 JONES.—Wednesday, the 15th instant, at Glynfach- road, Porth, in her 66th year, Rachel Jones, widow of Edward Jones (and mother of Miss Miriam Jones, Fern dale Girls' School). Funeral leaves for Hengoed at 11 a.m. sharp, "n Tuesday next. Friends please accept this intimation. 92) RICHARDS.—On November 15th, at 13, WoodviHe-road, Ca.tbays, Mrs Elizabeth Richards, late of Bridge- street. Funeral Monday, at one o'clock. 854

FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 17. 189S. TORIES LOOKING AHEAD. THE Tories are mobilising their forces, we are told, in view of a General Election. The announcement reminds one of the time- honoured anecdote of the widow lady who, at a sale, purchased a door plate engraven upon it with a name different from her own. Remonstrated with by her friends for making such a useless purchase, she replied How do you know that I might not here- after marry a man of that name, and 'tis well to be prepared for eventualities F" The story carries a good moral with it. 'Tis well for all of us, individuals and political party alike, to be prepared for eventualities. As, according to the Eastern proverb—borrowed by Lord BEACONSFIELD, who was a great borrower of smart sayings —"It is the unexpected which always happens," it is, of course, within the bounds of the possible that a General Election may come this year, or next year, or at any un- expected period within the next five years. But wise men do not often make active preparations to meet a contingency whose coming, as all rational forecasts and probabilities proclaim, vrill be delayed for some considerable time. The Tories are nevertheless preparing quietly, but effect- ively, as they think, for a General Election I and secret missives have been sent from Tory headquarters in London, to Tory registration agents, to get candi- dates if possible to contest every constituency now represented by a Liberal, or by a Labour member, in the hope that by some unforeseen fluke in some Liberal constituencies a Tory may slip in. There is much probability, however, that the Tory strength may be exhausted in preparation, so that when the time for action comes they may feel too wearied to begin the fray like the famous Dutchman who laid a wager to jump over a small hillock, but as he took a mile run to give him force for the spring, he was breathless when he reached the base of the bank, and quietly sat down to recover his wind. Looking for the present at Glamorganshire alone, our friends the Tory enemy make no secret of their intention to contest the Cardiff Boroughs, South Glamorgan, the Rhondda District, Mid-Glamorgan, and Swansea-five out of the ten Glamorganshire seats all of which are now held by Liberals. The very often defeated Sir JOHN LLEWELYN is hovering over Gower and the Swansea District, hesitating and uncertain upon which to pounce. If the Tories can by artful and insidious devices seduce a Labour candidate to oppose Mr WILLIAMS in the Swansea District, and thus, insanely;" to divide the Liberal strength, Sir JOHN will speedily play the part of the Lawyer in the dispute well known about the oyster he will eat the tempting mollusc, and generously leave his Liberal opponents the shells. If a Labour candi- date cannot be discovered, prepared to play the part of a traitor to his political faith and ¡ party by opposing Mr WILLIAMS, and thus give Sir JOHN an opening to slip in between them, then the oft-beaten Squire of Penller- garc, if he thinks Gower too hazardous and indigestible a quarry to swoop on, will most certainly descend upon Swansea, and the Tory candidate kept in store for Swansea will be urged to contest Gower. The Merthyr Boroughs the Tories are eyeing askancc, desirous and anxious yet cautious and fearful, likes the cat in the adage, "letting I dare not' wait Upon I would. Their ignominious thrash- ing at the last election, when they were beaten by more than 9,600 majority, has made them wary if it has not made them wise. Their hope here, too, is the very improbable chance of alluring by secret agencies some Labour leader to come out as a candidate, and split the Liberal party. But there is no livelihood of finding such a candidate now, because every Labour leader must. know that his candida- ture in any constituency, against a sitting Liberal member, will be only a gain to Toryism and the Tories have shown plain enough for the dullest intellect to under- stand-by their present persistent opposi- tion to the Parish Councils Bill and the Employers' Liability Bill—that they are the hereditary and lifelong enemies of the labour classes and of the working man. In East Glamorgan they "have hopes," we are told and these hopes," such as they are—which, however, seem very hope- less to those competent to judge—have been given to them by one who calls himself a Liberal, whilst he is preparing to play the part of an apostate to the fundamental prin- ciples of that Liberalism in which he pro- fesses to believe. The present sitting mem- ber, Mr ALFRED THOMAS, has served the constituency faithfully and well, and de- serves the continuous and earnest support of every honest Liberal voter within the Divi- sion. The Tories would not have a ghost of a chance against him single-handed. He beat them at the last election with the very best candidate they could select to fight their battle, by the decisive majority of 2,967. A gentleman who calls himself a Liberal now threatens to oppose Mr THOMAS, prompted and blinded by his own selfish and silly ambition, or by the foolish coun- sels of some political malcontents in the Division, or by the secret fosterings of astute Tory wire-pullers. If this gentle- man fulfils his threat, he will only be making the running for a Tory candidate, for he himself cannot enter- tain the most distant hope of being returned. It is a regrettable, but not by any means an inexplicable fact, that Liberalism has always been most severely wounded in the house of its friends. Any student of political history can recall innumerable instants in support of this statement, from the time of that arch-apostate, Sir FRANCIS BURDETT, and backwards and onwards. The reason is plain to anyone who probes beneath the shallow surface of things. Liberalism is political progress; movement; and in movement there are oftentimes abnormal and erratic developments. Toryism is political stagnation and it is uniform and unvarying. There is no room for rebellious apostacy in stagnation. Stand-stillism means "as you are," and if there be any possible movement it is either downward or backward. However, the Tory opposition, avowed and intended, to the Liberal sitting members in Glamorganshire, should make Glamorganshire Liberals to be watchful and wary, and thoroughly prepared to give Toryism its accustomed beating whon the time for political contest comes.

"BLIND PREJUDICE." HISTORY as she is wrote by Tory pens in the Tory papers of to-day is too frequently a libel upon Truth and a caricature of fact. The Irish Nationalist members are ve- hemently censured4 by Tory journalists for what is called their cowardly silence in the face of the prosecution of two Parnellite members for their action in connection with the recent De Freyne evic- tions. The Nationalist members are denounced as dumb dogs afraid to bark" when a prosecution is promoted by a Liberal Government, whilst they howled" against a Tory Government for doing the very same thing and the GLADSTONE Government are reviled and calumniated for pursuing the very line of action for which they hypocritically and factiously ana- thematised the SALISBURY Government some five or six years ago. The case cf the two members has been sent for trial before a Judge of the Superior Courts and a Jury, and we consequently abstain from touching upon it even indirectly. Bnt the fairness, the honesty, and the truthfulness of Tory accusations can be tested without the slightest reference to the case itself. There is not an atom, not a scintilla of likeness in the prosecution in- stituted by the Tory and by the Liberal Governments, but an absolute and an utter contrast. The Common Law existed-as it has existed for many centuries—in 1887, when Mr BALFOUR, then Irish Secretary in the SALISBURY Government, brought in his infamous Coercion Bill, which created new classes of offences that were to be tried before a new order of magistrates who were to be directly removable by, and therefore under the influence of, Mr BALFOUR. These magis- trates were to sit and determine cases without a jury and they were given the option to adjudge sentences so that the accused persons would be deprived of all power of appeal. That shameful Bill, so abhorrent to every principle of British law and equity, was forced through the House of Commons by a stringent and tyrannous use of the Closure, and fifteen of its twenty clauses were carried without allowing any discussion thereon. It was against these disgraceful proceedings, this shameful travestie of law and justice, and of even elementary fair play, that the Liberals protested. Contrast these Tory doings with the proceedings in the recent case. These proceedings were taken not under that infamous Coercion Act, but under the ordinary Common Law, which prohibits un- lawful assembly. The case was heard by the ordinary magistrates and not by Mr BAL- FOUR'S Removables and the two defendants have—as they would have been in Great Britain, and as they would not have been under Mr BALFOUR'S Coercion Act- been committed for trial before a judge and jury where they will receive every fair play. The difference in the two classes of pro- cedure is immense, utter, and all in favour of the method pursued by the Liberal Government. The accused persons will now be tried in open court before an im- partial and eapable judge, and by a jury of their countrymen, and not in an obscure court-house before incompetent Removables who were dominated over by Mr BALFOUR. And yet Tory journalists can see no differ- ence in the two classes of case. But none are so blind as those who will not see.

DEFENCES OF THE SEVERN PORTS. LETTER FROM SIR E. J. REED M.P. The Town Clerk (Mr J. L. Wheatley), with the approval of his Worship the Mayor (Mr Coun- cillor Trounce), has forwarded us the following letter from Sir Edward Reed, with the statement therein referred to Broadway Chambers, Westminster, London, S.W., November 15th, 1893. Dear Mr Wheatley, You will remember that in August last I had I the privilege of presenting a deputation to the Secretary of State for War, to whom the matter of the Severn defences was carefully represented by the influential deputation from South Wales. As time is advancing, I thought it best, a few days ago, to write to the Secretary of State for War and ascertain what progress was being made with the question, and he has informed me in reply that much cannot at present be said as to the progress of the inquiries of the Naval and Military Departments into this subject, but he has given me his assurance that the whole question is in constant review, and has favoured me with a Minute, of which I enclose you a copy. He tells me that no time is really being lost. As considerable interest has been expressed to me on various occasions and by different persons since the deputation of August last, I would sug- gest, if it meets with the approval of the mayor, th'\t this letter and its enclosure be communicated to the Press. Yours very truly, E. J. REED. [COPY.] The secretaries of the Joint Naval and Military Committee (Colonel Vetch and Captain Prince Louis of Battenberg) are now engaged in drawing up their re- port on the defended ports of Great Britain and Ireland. They visited Cardiff and Barry Docks in April last, and, in company with the local military officers, considered on the spot the question of the defence of these ports and of the River Severn. They had the advantage of discussing the trade of these ports, and the procection of the docks, with the superintendent of the Bute and Barry Docks, and they have also seen the report of the views of the deputation to the Secretary of State in August last. The defences of the United Kingdom and Ireland are being dealt with as a whole, and the secretaries have only jast returned from their tinal inspection. When their report has been considered it will remain for decision in what order such of their recommenda- tions a may be approved are to be carried out according to the importance of the defence reauired. I

A SHIPLEY DIVORCE CASE. 9500 TO BE PAID IN A FORTNIGHT. In the Divorce Division on Wednesday, Sir Francis Jeuneand acommon jury had before them the caseof Noble v. Noble and Lee. The petition was that of Mr Alfred Noble, proprietor of the Beehive Hotel, Shipley, for a divorce by reason of his wife's adultery with Mr George Lee, a cus- tomer who frequented the house, against whom there was a claim for damages. Tn.. was no de- fence. Mr Pritchard appeared for tbo petitioner who married respondent on 24 December, 1884, at Shipley Parish Church, There were no children. Mr Lee frequented the Beehive Hotel, Shipley, which place Mrs Noble assisted to manage. After a time the petitioner noticed that his wife was constantly with Lee, and on one occasion they went away together to Blackpool. Later on she I left the house, taking all her things with her. He met Mr Lee at the Junior Liberal Club, Shipley, and accused him of going away with his wife to Blackpool. He then said that the game was up." Lee offered him J6200 if he went to America and said nothing about it, but the petitioner refused. Mrs Noble last January went to Brad- ford to the house of Mr Harry Smith, a marble mason, her brother-in-law, and stayed for a few days. Mr Noble came, and he heard her confess as to the adultery. A witness named Wright, of Blackpool, gave evidence as to the respondent and co-respondent staying at her house last July. She went with Mr Noble to Bradford, and identified Lee as the man who came to her house. The jury found for the petitiuner, and assessed the damages at £ 500. A decree nisi with costs was granted. His lordship said that was the exact sum claimed. The damages were ordered to be paid in a fortnight into court.

THE VERT BEST BARGAIN for a penny is a copy ofthe Cardiff Times and South Wales Weekly News" It is a large 72 column paper crowded full of new stories by popular novelists, special artioles, aud news of the we if

PONTYPRIDD AND ITS MORALS. DISGUSTING STATE OF AFFAIRS. WANTED A SOCIAL PURITY CRUSADE. [FROM OUR SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT.] t The extraordinary revelations made at the Pontypridd Police-court on Wednesday with reference to scandalous immorality openly per- petrated in the Lan Woods has, naturally, excited s a good deal of attention in the town and district. To the Pontypridd people themselves the facts elicited during the hearing of the case against Mr McClune's assailaut" have long been known. The case brought out no new features, except that it has served to break up the conspiracy of silence that prevailed, and is compelling people to discuss even against their will the details of this unsavoury topic. Now that the public gaze is focussed upon these social cess- pools, there is hope that some decisive action may be taken to stamp out the prostitu- tion that is rampant. In the McClune assault case but the fringe of the curtain was raised, for the description given of the Lan Woods applies with equal forcj to almost every other district in the town. Not long since, a deputation of the respectable inhabitants of the Graig district waitud upon the stipendiary and besought pro- tection for their wives and families from the horrors of the degrading vice which was carried on even in open thoroughfares. The town is infested nightly by loose women from Cardiff and other districts, and the scenes to be witnessed are often indescribable. It is but bare justice to explain that the inhabitants of Pontypndd are innocent of responsibility in -the matter. It is their misfortune, in one respect, that the town is a convenient centre for a vast industrial district, and thus forms a rendezvous for the human vultures that abound in the surrounding valleys and villages. The police, despite the vigorous re- pressive efforts they have adopted, and the strong s support given them by the local magistrates, seem unable to cope effectively with the evil. Some time ago a local branch of the National Vigilance Association was established in the town, and strong hopes were entertained that an energetic crusade would follow in the interests of social purity. The movement, however, like many another of its kind in Pontypridd, ended in a fizzle. Mr McClune, whose efforts to expose the nuisance caused by these birds of darkness merit the warmest support, favoured me on Thursday with an interview, in which he declared that the occurrence of Saturdays at the Lan Woods was of a. very frequent occurrence. The nuisance was intolerable. I can give you scoies of instances," declared Mr McClune. Not long since, in broad daylight, four colliers and two women assembled on the embankment outside the v/indow of my schoolroom. I went out to them to clear them away, when the men turned round and hurled stones at my head. Some of the bigger boys then rushed out of the school to my assistance, and the men took to their heels. We followed them and arrested one of the fellows, whom we took to the police-station. They often come to the woods, men and women, in a beastly drunken condition, and we then send for the police, who take them in charge. As I said in court yesterday, I have for the last twelve years practically acted as policeman myself, I have taken many women to the police-station, and most of them were committed to prison by the magistrates. In fact, the magistrates have always supported me in such cases." Then this is no new grievance ?"—" Not at all." But I understood you yesterday m court to attribute the present state of affairs partly to the fact that certain houses of ill-repute had been closed ?"—" That is so, for it is since the brothels were closed that we have had such an influx of these people into our neighbourhood. The police have often given us assistance, but it is only temporary, and that is what I complain of. Policemen patrol the district for a week or so, and then leave it, when the nuisance is again repeated." What remedy do you suggest, except greater police vigilance ?" My.opinion is, and 1 don't fear to express it. that it is better to confine those people who are past reform to a particular dis- trict than to have them ply their trade within view of children and women of a respectable character." But, unhappily, Mr McClune, this complaint is not confined to your part of the town. Similar complaints come from the Graig district and Wood-road."—" I am aware of that." I Thus the difficulty with respect to brothels is this, that wherever such places exist the re- spectable people of that district invariably object to them, and the police are compelled to take action ?'—" That is quite so but, as a rule, the brothels at Pontypridd, or at least houses known to be of bad repute, used to be almost in a nest together in a particular part of the town. I doubt very much whether the inhabitants of that district interfered at all. The pressure on the police came rather from ministers of religion and others who are interested in the moral character of the district, but who have never given us any assistance." No ?"—" Yes. I mean to repress the nuisance in our neighbourhood. Yes, I have repeatedly complained to the police, and the late superin- tendent as well as the present superintendent always promised to do their best for me, but the complaint was that their staff was too limited to enable them to grant a man for that particular beat." With the development of the Tredegar estate in your district, the evil will surely disappear ?— Oh, I believe you, but that may take 10 or 12 years, and we cannot put up with this evil in the meantime. Before Tyvica-crescent was built I used to go home through the field, and often at nights I stumbled and fell over people on the pathway. As I said yesterday, womenfolk in our district are in a state of terror, and fear to go out after dark. 'Tis not long since the servant of a neighbour of mine, who was outside the house with her lover, was attacked by four fellows. I appeared on the scene just in time to save the girl's sweetheart from severe ill-treatment. At present servant girls are afraid to go out even from one house to the next." "So far as I can see, you are the only resident in your locality who has 'voiced this particular complaint."—"Yes, and that can be easily ex- plained, for mine is the only residence 'which has its mam entrance on this particular road." Can nothing be done by the Tredegar estate authorities to help you ? Much, and I thought of suggesting in court yesterday that Col. Justice, Lord Tredegar's agent, be asked to appoint a bailiff or a gamekeeper, or whatever he might be called, to patrol the woods and summon every- body found trespassing on the land. At present," concluded Mr McClune, "things are abominable. Why, I have walked through Seven Dials in the old time before it was improved, I have trudged through the lowest slums of East London, as well as those of the Scotland-road dis- trict in Liverpool, but never in my life have I met worse specimens of bare-faced blackguardism and indecency than those I have seen in our own town."

EXTRAORDINARY CASE OF WIFE DESERTION. A NOVEL POINT OF LAW IN THE RHONDDA. At the Porth Police-court on Thursday—before Mr Ignatius Williams, Dr. Parry, and Alderman W. H. Mathias,—a miner named Wm. Whimpy, now living at Merthyr but formerly of Cilfynydd, was summonsed for deserting his wife Mary Ann, residing at Dinas. Mr Thomas, Pontypridd, appeared for the complainant, and Mr Phillips, Pontypridd, for the defendant.—For the com. plainsut it was stated that the parties were married about 10 years ago, the husband being then 27 years of age and his better half ten sum- mers older. They setMed down comfortably at Cilfynydd, which is a colliery locality about a mile and a half away from Pontypridd. For five years nothing occurred to mar their alliance, or to un- rume their affection for each other, but in the I latter part of 1879 he ceased displaying his usual tenderness towards her, and eventnally intimated that he was going to quit the district to seek work elsewhere, and he went away, leaving his wife to the mercig of the world. The prosecution alleged that a few weeks later it was found that he apparently homeless husband was cohabiting with a married woman at Treorky.—Mr Phillips, in defence, affirmed that the complainant had sub- sequently to the time of the alleged desertion married A collier named Thomas Evans, who had previously lodged with her. The complainant admitted, in reply to Mr Phillips, that she had gone for some time under the n.ime of Mrs Evans, and had told pople she was married to the man simply in order to induce Whimpy to rejoin her. Mr Phillips pointed out that as legal proceedings had not beeu instituted against the husband within six months of the date of the alleged desertion the magistrates had no jurisdiction in the matter, and consequently must dismiss the ummons.—The Bench agreed with this, and accordingly the summons was dismissed. Con- siderable interest was centred in the case, the court being crowded for hours.

DROWNED IN MILFORD DOCKS. On Wednesday night, between nine and 10 o'clock, while three fishermen, belonging to the steam trawler Valetta, were proceeding along the docks, one of the party fell into the water. The other two, seeing the imminent danger of their companion, jumped in to endeavour to save him. Their cries for help soon brought others to their assistance, and with the aid of lifebuoys two of the number were rescued, while one of the party, na.med Williams, a single man, was drowned. The body was picked up some time after, and conveyed to the Globe Inn to await an inquest.

THE BEST N'IGHT-CAP. -Have your sheets washed with Hudson's Soap, and they will always be sweet as roses, fresh as sea breezes. Tilere will be none of the disagreeable smell, so objectionable in other soaps.—A pure Dry Soap in fine powder. 1214 WANTED, Bishops, Curates, Lawyers, Doctors, Musicians, Artists, Poets, Tinkers, Tailors, Candle- stick-makers, and members of the other recognised professions, who yearn for a little joyous recreation j after the labours of the day, to book early for The Lady Slavey.

MEDICAL BATTERY CO. THE ALLEGED CONSPIRACY. ANOTHER ARREST. At Marlborough-street Police-court onThursday, Dudley Towers (33), described as a masseur, of Ashley-gardens, Victoria-street, was charged on a warrant with conspiring with Harness and others to defraud in connection with the Medical Battery Company, Limited. Detective Allwright stated that the accused, when arrested, stated that he left the company's employ ten months ago when he was simply a weekly servant. When charged be gave the name of Robert Williams and said he assumed the name of Dudley Towers some years ago when he was connected with the stage. The Chief Clerk read the deposition of Frederick Theobald Burbage, who said he went to the establishment in Oxford-street early in 1892, and saw Hollier. Prosecutor sat on a chair and stripped to the waist. Hollier then passed a. wand over his body and touched him with it, sparks being emitted at the point of contact. On his saymg that he had not felt anything, Hollier picked up an instrument formed like a rolling-pin with a wheel attached and touched him with it at the base of the spine. Prosecutor felt a painful shock, and Hollier remarked, You are suffering from spinal disease. I can cure you, can you pay 25 guineas." Prosecutor filled in a blank cheque: on the spot for the amount, and was then passed on to "Dr. Towers." Prosecutor paid five visits to Oxford-street, but, as Towers was continually endeavouring to induce him to give him presents, he became suspicious and saw two medical men, who informed him that he was not suffering from- spinal disease.—The accused, who said he was perfectly innocent, was remanded on bail.

LORD TREDEGARSSHOW. The entries for the annual cattle show, pro- moted by Lord Tredegar, to be held next Tues- day and Wednesday, show an increase in three out of the four departments. The decrease is in the sheep and pigs, but is very sught; whilst the entries for horses and poultry are unusually large, and greatly 'n advance of last year, as the following fig-ures wi'l testify 1893. 1892. Inc. Dec. Cattle 173 145 28 Hores. 208 119 89 Sheep and pigs 60 65 — 5 Poultry, &c, 721 577 144 The jumping competitions will be held at the stud farm, Ceedkernew, on Tuesday, and the annual dinner will take place at NVport on Wednesday.