The Carmarthen Journal and South Wales Weekly Advertiser

TO OUR READERS Readers who do not receive the JOTEXJU either by posv, or hand delivery in good time wi]) oblign the Manager by reporting ih" delay to him at. once.

IT looks as though the new county council for Carmarthenshire were in for hot times. Certainly, .if the opening nneech of the new chairman forme .any index of the spirit in which lie, is going to conduct the proceedings of that body, there is' very little hope of useful work being done during the coming year. e have seen some, weird happen- ing.. at the deliberations of the Carmarthenshire-1 County ( ouncil. but- wc do not recollect anything quite so deoloralde or so unwarranted as tho reo ■ marks with, which the newly-elected chairman entered upon his responsibilities. Wo go further and say that in all our experienco wo have never known a chairman of any body holding public reeponei- bilities who approached the cares of office with the tactless truculenco exhibited by Mr. JOHN JOHNS. We say this with regret, for we have every desire to share the respect which the office demands. As -o. wo havo before observed, tho Carmarthenshire County Council has cut its wisdom teeth, and is conducting its business with dignity and efficiency. Its machinery, on the whole, is working smoothly and with good results. That its own chairman should deliberately throw sand into the workings is to us inexplicable, however.

WK cannot imagine that Mr. JoliNs is not at least familiar with the elementary obligations of a chair- man-to preserve decency and order in debate, to rulo his colleagues with strict impartiality, and freedom from bias. To deliberately open the year with contentious and irritating suggestions would be tactless enough coming from the body of the council, but that this should be done from the chair is a breach of the decencies of debate. What sort of return is it to those who have paid Mr. JOHNS the very high compliment ot placing him in that chair? What sort of return is it, to those who have allowed him to be returned unopposed for so many years.' But for the fact that it was hip turn to bo raised to the chair this month we believe 1lC would have been opposed at the recent election, and we think with much risk of-his being defeated. But, how- ever ungrateful Mr. JOHNS' action may be. and however inexplicable, we are. mostly concerned with its effect, upon the. work of the council during the coming year of office, and we take this opportunity of protesting against it in the public interest. As to the subject of Mr. JOlfXS" complaints, the Educa- tion Act has- been tried with excellent results. As wo have often remarked, tho council have, upon their own voluntary showing, introduced immensely improved education into every corner of the county and at a reduced cost. Besides, if anything is to bo gained by challenging the working of this or any other department of the council's work, the seemly and time-honoured methods of doing so are still available.

HAT can be the great objection to the Carmar- thenshire Small Holdings Committee reporting tho result of their deliberations to the council? At the start tho committee, which sits with closed doors, were given full powers, but then the Pcope ,(f their operations was nothing like what it is now. Many members are anxious to have a voice in the important questions di.-cusseil by the com- mittee, find at the last county council meeting a proposal was made to withdraw the full powers, so that the reports might come up for consideration. The chairman, who. by tho by. i «'> chairman of the Small Holdings Committee, ruled rnt-, motion out of order, and threatened if it was carried to' resign his seat on the committee. Surely this autocratic attitude is very extraordinary in a coun- cillor who is constantly talking about taking the electors into his confidence. It dow not, savour of the democracy we hear so often preached from the platform, to deny the people's representatives a voice in matiers which directly affect them. One would have thought that tins committee, above all others, would have been only too anxious to report to tho council; so as to guarantee its own safety against the attacks of disappointed applicants for holdings. Besides, why should not the agent of this committee report-on his work, like all other officials, to the county eouncil Not so many years ago wo remember Mr. H. JONES-DA VIES insisting that the officials should not only report, but place on the tablo a diary showing what they had done. That rule was adopted, and found to work well. Every councillor knew what was being done, and was in a position to answer the questions of his eon.stituents. How many of them can answer quest ions, on the working of the Small Holdings ActWhat, reason is there for departing from the rule, now? If there is one report more than another that ehould be laid before the whole council, it is that of the agent on tho working of, the Act in the county. It is quite important as surveying, and the Council would know money was being si>ont. and what value thpy were getting for their money. To give a sub-committee full powers to deal with expendi- ture is not the road to economy, but the council will have the opjiortunitv of putting this matter right in April.

• THE text of tho Government's proposals for dealing with the House of Lords is now before the country. The first resolution declares that it is expedient that the House of Lords be disabled by law from re- jecting or amending a Money Bill, and it proceeds to define what is to be meant by that term. The second resolution declares it to bo expedient that the powers of the House of Lords as respects Bills other than Money Bills shall bo restricted by law, so that any such Bill which has passed tho IIouso of Common- in three successive Sessions, having been sent, up to the House of Lords at least one month before the end of the Session, has been re- jected by that House in each of three Sessions, shall become law without; the consent, of tho House of Lords on the Royal Assent being declared, provided that at least two years shall bo elapsed between the dato of the first introduction of the Bill in the House of Commons and the date on which it passes the House of Commons for the first time. The third resolution aims at limiting tho duration of Parliament tr, five years. It was also laid down that tho Pü\\{'f of deciding whether It Bill is a Money Bill or not lw left in the hands of the Speaker.

THIS meatus that the House of Lords will form a pan of Parliament in name only. that it will have no powers left either in respect of Money Bills or any other measure. There can l. no prcterico that the uses of a second chamber are to be recognised in any shapo or form iri-tb, Mother of Parliaments which provides its. children In the Colonies with the safeguard of double-chamber government. What is the warrant fur this preposterous eóeherne Simply that the Housa of Lords asked the. poop Ie. what, they thought of the Budget, ono of the most revolu- tionary measures that. has ever been proposed in Parliament. Had the people s reply given the Government what they asked for their present reso- lutions might have been justillod. But tho "solid and united majority" which they asked fur is in the fist of Mr. REIHWTID. The Government would havo avoided the question of the Lords, but Mr. RED- MOND frowns. They would have started in office by fluffing the Budget through, but, Mr. RKDMOND will havu none of the Budget,.

M-ii. HLlHfOSD objects to the "whisky tax and tho land taxes, so Mr. AsQriTM assures him that the whisky tax will be modified to suit the Irish palate, and tho land taxes shall not hurt agricultural land. The Unionists also objected to these taxes last year, but they wore told that tho Budget did not affect agricultural land, and that tht; whisky taxes, if they did nothing more, would reduce the drink curse, and must not. be disturbed. What a solid [IxJdy of opinion in tho United Kingdom demanded in vain, and what they were slandered and maligned for demanding at all, may bo had for the asking in Ireland and a. great, deal more. Tho PRIME MINIS- TEn will oblige Mr. Ri:DMONJ> by t ri mm in t I I.(, Budget, and in the moantmio to keep him in good humour undertakes to throw stones at tho House of Lords. Tho country might well recall tho famous phrase of the late Sir HENRT CAMPBELL-BANNERMAN. at this stage, and declare that, it is time to put n stop to this fooling. ¡

-'i HUNTING APPOINTMENTS (, The Carmarthenshire Foxhound^ will, meet, on 29t.h. at Oefnbralle JRac<y-<*>ursc7 at. 11.oO; Friday. April 1st, Point-to-Poini Raws,, Tho Neuaddfawr Foxhound" will meet, on Moti- day. March 23th. ar Cribyn; and on Thursday, March olst, at Gwnrallt. Cross each day at 10.30 A.m.

JNUIJCJO ur Ittfc Wbttil. The Radical riddle: "When is a Government ocb a Government?" The rye, or so-called black, bread of Germany is not so "black" as the brown bread egtltfl ia JYest Vvales to-day. Another instance of coincidence in nomenclaturo is furnished from Garnant, where a Mr. Pike ie^pa a fishmonger's shop. James Howell, who was one of the English com- pany that Went to Spain to arrange the "Spanish match" for Charlee 1., was a native of Cardigan- shire. A goose at Green Grove Farm, near Carmarthen, last week, laid a monster egg, which, when weighed by Mr. Llew. Arthur at the Don Supply Stores, turned the scale at 8A ounces. Carmarthen still retains its unique distinction among tho coun.ies of Wales in that it is represented in this Parliament, as in the last, by a trio of barristers, two of them King's counsel. An oid subscriber to the JOVRNAL, Mr. D. T* Pees, 1019E, Long-street, Columbus, Ohio, U.S.A., writes:—The American-made goods of almost, any description are very "shoddy" and not worth any- thing near the price asked for. I hope that the English people will see the wisdom of new Tariff Laws to keep out of your country the rotten Ameri- can Junk and make the people happy and prosper- ous. Mrs. Evans, Clifford House, Clifford-street, Shrewsbury, writes:—I was greatly interested io the memories of old Carmarthen as related in your centenary number. The prem.ses of the Rational and Provincial Bank occupy the old site where Zvlr, Tardrew, chemist, carried on business for many years. I can corroborate this from personal recol- lection as I was born in Guildhall-square. The annual summonses against the relics of the local "passive resisters" were heard at the Borough Police Court on Monday last, when the usual "con- scientious objections" to paying for the administra- tion of "irreligious laws" were very much in evi- dence. One of the defendants wished to recite a doggerel effusion expressing his reasons for not pay- ing the rate, but was cut short by the Mayor. He was, however ,allowed to indulge his muse. The bad attendance of children at the schools of the town formed the subject for an interesting dis- cussion at the meeting of the Borough Education Committee last Tuesday evening. Mr. H., S. Holmes, who is an ardent educationalist, advocated more frequent prosecutions and convictions of de- faulting perents, and referred to the fact that each child should earn 30s. per annum in grants, whilo if the parent was fined, they would only get, tho 6s. 6d. fine and costs. The committee, however, does not even benefit to .this extent, for all fees and fines go to the Superannuation Fund, and towards paying the magistrates' cleric's salary. -X- As an instance of the good feeling which exists between landlords and their neighbours in Cardigan- shire it. may lie said that among those who havo been re-elected without a contest as members of tho county council are Sir Edward Pryse, Gogerddan; Mr. Loxdale, Castle Hill; Captain Edward Powell, Xanl; Eos (all brothers-in-law); and Mr. J. O. lIar. ford, Ja-lcondale. Principal Bebb was also re-elected without opposition. There arc also similar instances in Carmarthen which we have already recorded. In the old council there were 35 Liberal councillors and fourteen aldermen, and thirteen Conservative councillors and two aldermen. I oagratulations on our Centenary number arc still arriving. The following is from Mr. H. Jones- Thomas, Penrhos, Llanfynydd, alderman of the Car- marthenshire County Council:—I have perused vonf centenary number of the JOURNAL with much in- terest. It gives one a vivid glimpse of the history of the past, and shows the great advance made in tho social and religious conditions during the last 100 years. It. also proves the immense power the press has achieved during that time. I congratulate you. Mr. J. W. Jones, secretary of tho Vancouver Cymmrodorion Society. Canada, sends us tho follow- ing message which will interest Carmarthen people: —Many old friends of Capt. Edwin Thomas (of the Green Post, King-street, Carmarthen) will be glad to have news of him. Captain Thomas, who has been pilot at. Hang Kow, China, for several years, came to Canada to recuperate after a serious illness. After a visit, to his sister at Montreal, he came to ftav on the coast. During the short time Capt. Thomas has been in Vancouver he has made numer- ous friends, and he stayed in Vancouver for the rest of his vacation, which terminated in October last. He wishes to be very kindly remembered to his old friends in the ancient borough. A very quaint, society was formed at Carmarthen many years ago. The Carmarthenshire Antiquarian Society has just been presented with a copy of the General Laws of the Elders' Institution, instituted 19th October, 1841, at the house of Mr. Thomas Lewis. Horse and Jockey. Bridge-street, Carmar- then." The document sets forth that the intent and purposes of the institution ivas to assist every brother who may apply through distress or illness as far as circumstances will allow, if he be loyal to the Queen and good Government, and faithful to the Elders' Institution. No person was excluded on account of his religious opinions, but. any lrreligious and immoral conversation, as well as political or theological discussion, were strictly pro- hibited at their meetings. Any brother offering "to lay wagers or eat. or sleep in the court-room shall be linOO." Another law was that "no bailiff or bailiff's follower shall be admitted a brother of this unity." At the time of writing the. weather is more favour- able for all outdoor gardening operations than it has been throughout the spring. It is true that on strong lands the bottom is fitill sodden, but the sun is daily gaining power and the keen winds are playing their part in bringing about a more amen- able state. Thus it is to be hoped that all readers are now able to safely get upon their ground with a ^ew to breaking down tho top soil, sd that a ]>er« feet seed-bod, which so markedly favours ultimate results, may be secured in time to sow seeds by iho end of tho month. Broadly speaking, about the end of tho third week of March is the ideal time for outdoor sowing in the Southern and Homo Counties, wJiilo in tho Midlands and North it will be the end of the month or early in April. But when all is t.;aid and done, the fact will remain that each grower must exercise his common sense and sow his seed* when all the conditions of soil and weather are good; and it is obvious that it is most improb- able that the date will be exactly tho same two years in immediate succession. There must be no Mile of thumb business in the sowing of Sweet Peas out of doors, or any other seeds for the matter of that.—("The Garden"). 1(0 Other times, other fashions and ideas. In July, 1773. there died at Cardigan one Philip an Maurice, aged 92. In his will he ordered 31 calves' beads to be given annually to tho poor of Cardigan on St- Matthews Day, being tho anniversary of his birth. Earlier in th same year, one William Williams, of Pantysiry, near Lampeter, died. Al- though possessed of an ample fortune, it is re- corded that Williams led tho lifo of a hermit at a place encircled by stupendous rocks. In his lifetime he was known locally as "Tho King of the Moun- tains" in consequence of the large, number of horses lie kept. 1II1II