The Chester Courant and Advertiser for North Wales

CHESHIRE TRADES COUNCILS MAGISTRATES AND VACCINATION. STRONG CRITICISM. A meeting of the delegates of the Federated Trades and Labour Councils of Cheshire was held at Chester on Saturday, Mr. Jones (Birkenhead) presiding. The following communication from the North- wich and District Trades and Labour Council was read by the hon. secretary (Mr. W. Carr):—"The txmncn had before it the reoent case of Mr. Hingham, of Northwich, being rofused an ex- j^^cate f°r vaccination in respect of his chnd, and seeing that there have been others in Chester, Crewe and elsewhere, we consider that the attention of the Federal Councils and the affiliated councils should be called to the same and to that end I have to ask if vou can communi- cate to the councils this opinion, and ask them to take the matter up, with a view of the case being brought before the Home Office and tho Local Government Board, and the support of the local M.P. « asked to the same in the House of Com- mons if the opportunity arises." Mi. Ashioy (Northwich) eaid he was not goin? to declare that the Northwich Council was consti tuted of anti-vaociaists, but they looked upon the matter as a question of principle and right, so far as the Act of Parliament was concerned. They claimed that not only this man, but everyone who appeared before the magistrates to ask an exemp- tion for his children being vaccinated, had a per- fect right to obtain a certificate, according to the Act of Parliament. When Mr. Hingham applied id the nr&t lUBtance, there were two medical gent-omen on the Bench, and he (the speaker) pre- sumed they influenced the rest of the Bench, and the order was not granted. He applied at the next sessions, with the same result, and one of the magistrates told him he would not be con- vinced that he had a conscientious objection. His council considered that this was a scandal and an injustice. The magistrates having refused to grant an exemption, it would be incumbent upon the vaccination officer to summon the man to shew cause why he would not have his child vaccinated, and they had called the Local Government Board's attention to this, pointing out that it was just possible that the same gentlemen who had refused possible that the same gentlemen who had refused the exemption order would sit in judgment upon the man when he was summoned to shew cause why his child had not been vaccinated. It had been stated that the Local Government Board would send an inspector down to enquire into the case, and from a discussion at the Board of Guardians, it seemed that there was an unwritten understanding that tho vaccination officer should be quietly spoken to, and that thoy should not use their influence to obtain a conviction. The magistrates eat on the Bench to administer the law, and the Northwich Council claimed that they ought to submit to the conscientious scruples of any individual who presented himself. In the neighbouring petty sessional division of Middle- wich, a week after, when a conscientious objector appeared before the Bench, the Chairman called him an ass, and told him he should ho!d him responsible if there was an outbreak of small-pox in the neighbourhood. It was absurd for a man in the position of a magistrate to use language g like that. He moved that the matter be brought before the notice of the members of Parliament for Cheshire and the bodies he had named. Mr. Blower (Northwich) seconded, remarking that he thought it was the fault of the Act, which provided that two magistrates must be satisfied that an applicant had a conscientious objection. He thought a member of Parliament should be appealed to to amend the Act. Mr. W. Carr (Chester) considered it a great mis- take that thero should be any exemption clause at a'l, but they knew there was a great deal of difference of opinion on the question, and it was not for them to discuss the rights and wrongs of vaccination. They had to discuss the right of the magistrates to refuse an exemption certificate to any person who gave a proper reason for his appli- cation. The case at Chester Castle was a most glaring one. A man gave a very intelligent ex- planation—whether he was wright or wrong ho (the speaker) was not going to say—of his reason for applying for an exemption certificate, and tho magistrates treated him in a most scandalous way, and a way unbecoming tho digni- fied position of a magistrate. The proposition was carried. CO-OPERATIVE SOCIETIES AND TRADES UNIONISTS. Mr. Ellis (Crewe) proposed that the council issue a circular to the various trades councils in the county and to the members of co-operative societies, asking the latter to employ trades union- ists, not to deal with LlY sweating firms, and to declare less dividends, and give all goods to cus- tomers at cost price. Mr. Higgins (Hyde): If you sell eoode at cost price, it will do away with dividends altogether. Mr. Elil s: Do cway with dividends altogether, and allow our goods to be sold at oost price after paying working expenses. The preposition was not seconded. Mr. Higyins proposed that they issue a circular asking co-operative firms to employ trades union labour, and not to deal with non-society firms. Mr. Ashley seconded. He approved of the sug- gestion that co-operative societies in Cheshire Ehould be called upon to employ none but trades union labour, and that trades unionists should be called upon to give their custom to those societies which did so. If that were generally done, it would remove the disgrace from societies that had not only encouraged non-trades union labour, but had encouraged sweating. Mr. \V. Carr said the question was a very im- portant one to trades unionists. He did not think any trade was more affected than that of the tailors, and he instanced a case where a society had encouraged sweating in the making of clothes. Mr. Ashley submitted that the matter was in the hands of the workingmen. The resolution was carried. AMALGAMATION WITH LANCASHIRE. Mr. Carr explained the result of a conversation lie had had with the secretary of the Lancashire Federated Trades Council, one of the provisions' drawn up being that in the event of the amalga- mation of the two bodies, they would bo known as Lancashire and Cheshire Federation of Trades and Labour Councils. All the delegates said their councils were in favour of amalgamation, and it was decided, on the proposition of Mr. Jephcott (Crewe), seconded by Mr. Samuel Knowles (Hyde), to amalgamate. Mr. Carr was elected the representative on the executive.

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CONGLETON MAY FAIR. « The time-honoured custom of holding a May Fair was again observed at Congleton on Monday. This privilege was granted by the chart-er of Henry VI., given in the year 1430, which reads quaintly thus :By charter dated at Gloucester, 1430, the King concedes and gives licence that there shall be one annual fair in the town of Congleton, viz., in the vigil and feast of the Apostles Philip and James, and on the morrow of the same feast, besides the one other fair there held at the feast of St. Martin in the winter. These being witnesses, the venerable fathers John Archbishop of Canterbury, etc., Chancellor H. Winton, our brother, and H. Sarum, our treasurer; Edward Duke of York; John, Earl of Somerset, and others." The old-fashioned May Fair, with its bear-baiting and cock-fighting, is now a thing 'of the past. To-day we find the roads covered with carts, heavy wagons, and caravans bound for the moadow, where the pleasure fair is held. In the streets the usual horse and cattle fair was held. At each street corner stood some loquacious cheap- jack. This year a little hitch has arisen. A sug- gestion was made by one of the councillors that tho authorities should order that the pleasure fair should close at eleven o'clock p.m. instead of at 'd, midnight. With this purpose in view, the new Chief Constable interviewed Whiteing, the great showman, who promptly refused to close, and said ho ought to have had due notice given him before he took the ground and before he brought such a retinue of travelling-van-dwellers to the town. He further stated that if ho was pushed he would be pleased to fight the matter out, .and would have at his back that powerful organisation, "The Van- Dwellers' Association."

OHESTERBANKRUPTCY COURT --+ Yesterday (Tuesday).—Before Mr. Registrar Giles' BARROW FARMER'S FAILURE. John Wright, farmer and butcher, Barrow, came up for his public examination. The liabilities are expected to rank at £ 1,311 12s. 4d and the assets at B214 Is. Id., leaving a deficiency of £1,097 lis. 3d. He attributed his failure to Losses in the partner- ship with Mr. Hitchin, losses in cattle and horses, and trade losses; family illness and deaths." Mr. Brassey represented debtor.—In reply to the Official Receiver (Mr. Ll. Hugh Jones), debtor stated that he had been a wholesale butcher, and had carried on a potato business and small farm for 21 years. He had about £10 and a young heifer to start with, and he borrowed 945, which had been repaid. He had kept no books. He did not know what business he had to go on in debt without keep- ing any account of the money he owed. He had only 10 acres of land to start with at a- rental of £40, and afterwards he had 22f acres, for which 10 or 12 years ago he paid k83 10s. a year. He gave notice twice, and his rent was reduced finally to £ 64. From 1886 to 1895 he paid £78 a year rent, and he estimated k44 a sufficient rent, the excessive rental thus being £ 300. For the succeeding seven years he paid .64, and he estimated the excessive rental at £ 70. He did not know why he kept on at the farm when he was paying too much rent. He had always found the rent high in comparison to other people's. A neigh- bour who lived only 150 yards away from him and had the same quantity of land and buildings paid only £38 a year. He went into partnership with Mr. George hitchin, putting in £100 which he borrowed from Miss Martha Wright. The business was to buy early potatoes in Jersey, and send them to Chester, Man- chester and Birmingham. The partner- ship lasted two years, and he got very little out of it. He got some money the first year, but he had no written agieement, and when Mr. Hitchin died, an4 the business got into the executors' hands they would not pay him anything. He sued them for £ 95, but did not recover a penny. He lost 9120 in that business in 1885 and 1886, and he finished paying the money back only two years ago. The Official Receiver: You have been insolvent since 1898 You have had this excessive rent going on for many years, this loss of stock, and this loss with Hitchen. Could you have paid your creditors in full if you had had to pay them all ?—I do not know, I am sure I did not put the thing down. You have had a bank overdraft of between klOO and £ 200 ?—Yes sir When did you think you could not pay your creditors in full ?—1 have not thought anything about it until Mr. Davies sent me a letter.—Con- tinuing, he said he thought his position was a little worse now than it was tour years ago, owing to the bad state of trade and the losses he had had. At the private meeting of creditors his brothers offered to pay 3s. (xl. in the B. The result of the meeting was that a committee of investigation was appointed, and they recommended the acceptance of 5s. In reply to Mr. Brassey, debtor eaid the compo- sition of 5s. in the £ was to be paid partly out of his assets, and partly by hie brothers contribu- ting to it. That did not go through on account of one creditor. The examination was closed, subject to the sign- ing of the shorthand notes. DEALINGS WITH MONEY-LENDERS. WHAT WAS THE RATH; OF INTEKKST ? Frederick Wiliiain Rigbey, who had carried on business at 10, Brook-street, and 66, Bridge-street, Chester, as a stationer, was publicly examined. Tho liabilities are expected to rank at JB759 2s. 2d., and the assets are estimated at £ 502 4s. lid., leaving a deficiency of L236 17. 3d. The alleged cause of failure is "bad trade and bad debts." Mr. Payne, soncitor, appeared for the trustee, Mr. Town ley Trotter. Debtor stated that he started business in Janu- ary, 1896, with JB80 capital of his own. Six months afterwards he got E81 under the will of his aunt. He commenced business in Bridge-street, and twelve months ago set up also in Brook-street. Ho became short ot money 2 £ years ago. The Official Receiver: And then you started borrowing from money-lenders at an exorbitant rate of interest-the usual thing, I suppose?—The usual rates. Who did you go to first?—Mr. Harris, Newgate- street. And what did you get there?— £ 30. How much did you sign for?— £ 36. Payable how?-Re-payable at £8 a month. So that would be something like 30 or 40 per cent?-—Yes, something like that. Or more perhaps?—Twenty-five per cent., per- haps. You did not have it for a year?—Oh, no. Were you being pressed by your creditors at that time?-—Yes, I was. And you staved off actual proceedings by means of borrowing from money-lenders?—Yes, from time to time. The Registrar: He paid JE6 for the use of £ 30 for about five months. The Official Receiver: He did not have the use of the full L:130 for five months. The rate would be something like 60 or ?0 per cent. Continuing, debtor stated that the reason he was short of money was that he could not collect his accounts quick enough to meet his payments. He had not given credit rashly, and had not betted or speculated. He had drawn about E 2 a week from the business. His turnover from 1897 to 1898 was about a thousand pounds, and the average profit would be about 25 per cent. He always thought he was solvent, notwithstanding that lie had to deal with ten of these professional money-lenders. Why did-not you file your petition instead of borrowing off these money-lenders?—I thought it would pull mo through. I I The tot-al amount you owe the money-lenders is about £154. How could you possibly pay some- thing like 50 or 60 per cent, out of your business? If you had thought it out for a moment, it must have struck you that, you could not pay that annual charge. What was it going to pull you through?—To pay off my trade accounts. When you had done that, you had the money- lenders to pay, plus 60 per cent. What justifica- tion had you for thinking you would be ab'e to pay the money-lenders?—I did not think of it in that way. Debtor was ordered to furnish accounts of his dealings for the past two years.

BARMAIDS' VICTORY.—The case of Daniel Brown (Ltd.), the only employers of barmaids in Glasgow, who have refused to comply with the order of the magistrates to dispense with female bar attendants, and who resolved to risk the issue at the Appeal Court, came before the Court of Quarter Sessions on Monday. It had been suggested to the appel- lants, who are leading restaurateurs in the city, that the obnoxious bar should be placed against the wall as a means of evading the difficulty, so that, technicallv, the barmaid should no longer be a barmaid, but the firlIl refused to adopt this make- shift. For the magistrates it was urged that no exception could be made in this instance. They had decided that, for the benefit of certain sus- ceptible young men, and old men, too, the barmaid must go, and they could not in any instance go back upon this decision. On a vote being taken the appeal was sustained by 59 votes to 38, and the licence was unconditionally granted. MRS. KENDALL INDIGNANT.—An extraordinary scene occurred on Saturday night at the Roval Opera House, Leicester, at the close of Mr. and Mrs. Kendal's new play, "Conscience." When the curtain fell on the last act there were loud and enthusiastic calls from the audience, and Mrs. Kendal came forward with the intention of making a speech. The orchestra, however, commenced to play and quite drowned the actress' words. There were angry protests from the audience, and a scene of great excitement and uproar occurred. Missiles were thrown at the orchestra, and efforts were made to stop the music by physical force, and eventually the musicians were compelled to retire. Mrs. Kendal then made a strong attack on the manage- ment, declaring that the indignity she had suffered was the result of complaints made by herself and the company against the lack of attention that the artistes had received behind the scenes. Mrs. Kendal made her speech in darkness, the electric light having bean turned off.

DEATH OF HON. H. HOLBROOK A STRIKING PERSONALITY. It is with unfeigned regret that we to-day an- nounce the decease, at the ripe age of eighty-one years, of the Hon. Henry Hoibrook, who during a strenuous life reflected lustre upon his native county of Chester. The deceased gentleman had not enjoyefcl the best of health for some years past, and eventually succumbed on Sunday to an attack of heart disease and dropsy. He was the son of Samuel and Elizabeth Holbrook, of Bradwall, near Sandbach, and first saw the light at North- wich on July 11th, 1820. Having received an education at Witton Grammar School, he com- menced his business career as a merchant at Liver- pool. In 1854 he went to the' Crimea as a con- tractor, and many were the tales he used to regale his acquaintances with of the scenes he had wit- nessed during the struggle before the fall of Sebastopool. After somo years' residence at Odessa, Mr. Holbrook removed to New Westmin- ster, British Columbia, where he set up in busi- ness as a gentleman general-merchant. On the formation of a munioipal council in that com- munity, Mr. Hoibrook manifested an interest in public affairs, and was chosen as the second Mayor of the city. So well did he discharge the duties of the chief magistracy that he was re-elected to the honourable position on four successive oeoasions. Mr. Holbrook was eeoted to the first Legislative Council that Eat in British Columbia, and was also a member of the Legislature after the union of British Columbia and Vancouver Island. He laboured strenuously in behalf of the admission of the colony into the Canadian Confederation, and when that event was finally consummated in 1871 he was appointed to tho iocai Government as Chief Commander of Lands and Works and Presi- dent of the Executive Council. These offioes ho continued to fill up to the resignation of the Administration in November, 1872. Thereafter ho was leader of the Opposition up to his defeat at the polls, 1875. He was for several years chairman of the Salmon Canneries Association, New West- minster, and while in that position secured from the Government a fish hatchery. For more than a score of years past the late Mr. Holbrook had resided in retirement at Talbot House, Parkgate, and was always rigiitly regarded as the staunch friend of the fishermen estuary. He was more or less continuously during that period a member of the River Dee Fishery Board, and more than once he represented the interests of the Dee upon the Lancashire and Western Sea. Fisheries. Committee, where he stood up manfully against heavy odds in the cause of our local fishermen. His experience in Canada made him an undoubted authority upon salmon culture, and to those who were in the habit of attending the meetings of the Dee Fishery Board the name of Mr. Holbrook and the Frazer River, British Columbia, were inseparab.e. The stories he used to ten of the miraculous drafts of salmon experienced on the Frazer often raised an incredu- lous smile at the Board meetings, but we have every reason to believe that the conditions, so far as he represented them, were by no means exaggerated. In point of fact, upon one occasion he produced a photograph, proving his assertions up to the hilt, for a paddle steamer was actually stopped in her passage up stream by a shoal of salmon that completely clogged the paddle- floats. In the death of the late Mr. Holbrook the Dee fishermen have indeed lost a trusted fr The deceased will also be widely mourned among the Craft of Cheshire, for ho was the oldest living Past Provincial Grand Officer of Cheshire Freemasonry, having been P.G.o of Works from 1854 to 1856. He was also the oldest Knight Templar in Lancashire. On the occasion of his eightieth birthday, the late Mr. Hoibrook was presented with a solid silver salver by the members of the Dee Lodge of Freemasons (No. 1,576, Parkgate), of which he was an esteemed member.

CANON SCOTT ON EDUCATION. THE ELEMENTARY SIDE. ITS HISTORY IN BRIEF. On Sunday evening in St..John's Church, Chester, Canon S. Cooper Scott preached on the subject of elementary education. He said that before 1098 there could not be said to have been any system of education at all, but towards the close of the 17th century there arose several societies, and one of their chief aims was the education of the people. It was in the year 1698 that five earnest men combined together for the promoting of Christian knowledge. Their efforts had been attended with remarkable success. They began their work by the founding of schools in the various London parishes. Not con- tent with the education of the children, they extended their influence to the prisoners in gaol, also the soldiers and sailors. One great difficulty was the provision of teachers. As time went on inspectors were provided, and in this way began English education. In 1717 the Chester Boys |^ue School was built by subscriptions, and it^ had been maintained by the same means. The Girls Blue School was built in the following year, with the object of teaching poor girls to read and write and to understand the Church Catechism and to knit and spin." In 1741 there were 2,000 schools, many of them being known as charity schools. In 1781 the Sunday school system was established and prospered very greatly all over the country. The children in these schools were taught elementary subjects such as what were known as the three R.'s." namely, reading, writing and arithmetic, as well as religious subjects. At the beginning oi the last century they found a great advance in educa- tion. In 1807 Mr. Whitbread asked in the House of Commons that all children, between the ages of seven and fourteen, should be compelled to ge to school for a period of two years. Unfortunately, his proposal was rejected on economic grounds." In 1808 colleges were erected for teachers, while in 1811 a National Society was formed out. of the old S.P.C.K. It was in that year that Earl Grosvenor built what were then considered the very magnificent Grosvenor schools, where 400 children were continuously educated. The school work was so encouraged bv the National Society that in 1818 there were 1«J,230 schools and 674,000 scholars. In 1833 a very important departure was made. Previously, every effort which had been made for the education of the people had been purely voluntary. For 150 years, voluntary effort had been working in this direction, and had moved the country to take some interest in that important matter. In 1833, the Government ventured to give a little encouragement to those Voluntary schools A grant of £ 20,000 was made and continued in succeeding years. These grants were made for the encouragement of school building. The money was divided between the National Society and the British and Foreign Bible Society, thus accounting for "National" schools and "British" schools. In 1839, a Minister of Education was appointed, and something like a national system came into existence. Between 1831) and 1870, the Voluntary School System flourished very greatly. The Church of England, Roman Catholic, and Board Schools entered upon the work with enthusiasm. As one who had lived among those who were hard workers for the cause, he could remember what a great day it was when the Inspector's visit was paid. Those were the days of hard work for school managers and teachers. Until 1870, the Government continued its grants for the building of schools. These were given without any favour to any religious body which was willing to comply with the conditions. The Church of England was not favoured any more than other societies. The reason for the Church of England schools receiving much more in grants was that she contributed much more money than others did, con- tributing over £ 43,000,000 to the National That sum did not include the valuable sites on which the schools were built which were given in many cases, nor did it include the benefactions such as the building of the Grosvenor School by the late Duke of Westminster about 20 years ago. It was bv the efforts of these societies that the wav was prepared for the Government to take a more active part in the education of the people. About the time when the late Queen came to the throne the Government formed the iirst educational Parlia- ment and took a direct interest in the work of education. About 30 years latter an Act of Parlia- ment was passed, which provided for the building and maintaining of strictly Government schools, known as Board schools. Another generation had passed since then and the Government were now engaged with another Education Bill, for the promotion of secondary education. I e ittt in Looking over the parish registers, he found that in 1837, out of every thousand persons, 369 were unable to write and confirmed their marriage con- tract by making a mark. In \8-70 the number had been reduced to 140 out of tli'e thousand, while at the present-, time the number was 20, made up largely of persons who worked on the canal, and who had greater mihculty than others in attending I schools. In 1837 no children were obliged to attend school; but the Education Bill of 1870 had wrought a very great, change. In the preacher's parish at that time a night school was a regular part of parIsh work, and for several nights in the week the e were engaged in teaching grown of some and write. \erv touching were tne e of those people to supply the want ot e. J■ tion, and he did not think he was ever fm' more useful work. The younger men who had been neglected in their youth were much more difficult to reach. He had by him a, programme of the arrangements made for the festivities in celebration of the Coronation of Queen Victoria. The school children were, of course, considered. From the arrangements he saw that there were 14 Sunday- schools and only five day schools. There were 2,281 children receiving religious instruction, and 995 in the day schools, which were referred to as free schools." The subject, which was listened to with great interest, will be continued next Sunday evening.

MORETON OLD HALL. GEOGRAPHICAL SOCIETY'S VISIT. Than Moreton Old Hall there is no more inter- esting example of Tudor and Jacobean architecture to be found in the country. Cheshire is peculiarly rich, says the Daily Dispatch," in manor houses of this character, but by virtue of its picturesque quaintness and antiquity Moreton Old Hall occupies a pre-eminent position. No wonder, then, that the members of the Manchester Geographical Society should desire to renew acquaintance, as they did on Saturday, with the old place that lies under the shadow of Mow Cop. The old hall is situated in the midst of rich pasture lands about a mile from Mow Cop station. The walk there across the fields proved bracing and enjoyable. From afar the many gabled buildings in black and white were picked out amid the bright greens of spring foliage, and very soon the visitors crossed the moat and passed under the gateway into the quadrangle of the hall. Members of the Manchester Geographical Society did not on Saturday exhibit an over- whelming desire to accumulate every known fact concerning the building. They preferred to get into sympathy with the genus loci and catch some- thing of the spirit and romance of old time that brood over the picturesque pile. For instance, they caught eight at once of the following inscrip- tion in old-fashioned letters round the upper of one of the great bays in the court yard: -"God x is x al x in x al x thing x This windovs x whire x made x by x William Moreton x in x -the x veare x of x oure x Lorde x MDLIX." And be- low, in a panel against the ground floor window, they noted the maker's record as follows: — "Rycliarde x Dale x Carpeder x Made x Thies x by x the x Grao x of x God." Fifteen fifty-nine! Why, that date carried one back at once to the 6pacious times of Queen Elizabeth, when Shakes- peare and Kit Marlowe were giving to the world immortal works, and Englishmen filled with high aims and noble ambitions burned to do immortal deeds. Moreton Old Hall is a standing remmder of. and a visible link between, what has been called tho sublime period in England's history and the feverish restlessness of to-day. Nay, as a matter of fact, it may be said to connect us with an anterior period, and on that ground alone is well worthy a visit. The date given apparently only' relates to the window. Parts of the hall are very much older. At any rate, the Manor of Moreton, which, like others, was held by knight service, is known to date back to Henry III. In that reign Lettice Moreton, who had become the heiress through failure in the direct male line, bestowed the estate in marriage upon Sir Graham de Lostock, of Lostock Gralam, Bear Northwich. In the reign of Richard III. we have mention of Bishop Moreton, who oontrived the project of marriage of two heirs of the houses of York and Lancaster, and who is supposed to have been, bom at Moreton Old Hall. The family story of the Moretons, of which one heard bits on Saturday, is a long one. Correspondence which is still acces- sible reveals tha existence of a feud between the neighbouring families of Moreton and Rode, which, though not so deadly as that between the houses of Capulet and Montagu, was bitter enough to be the talk of the county. One dispute, in the time of Henry VIII., was over a matter o. pre- cedence "which of theym should sit highest in the churche, and foremost goo in procession. ihe decision of Sir Wm. Brereton and Justice Bramley, to whom the matter had been submitted, was that pre-eminence in sitting at church and in going in procession should belong to the gentleman who should "dispende in lande by title of inheritance ten marks or above more than the other.

IMPERIAL PARLIAMENT. « EARLY CLOSING BILL. In the House of Lords, on Monday, the Earl of Onslow, replying to the Marquis of Ripon, who expressed the sympathy the House felt with France in the disaster which had befallen Martinique, said the deaths in St. Vincent were estimated at 500.-Lord Avebury moved the seoond reading of the Shops Early Closing (No. 2) Bill. This measure, he stated, had the approval of two Com- mittees of the House of Commons and the unani- mous approval of a Committee of their lordship's House.-Earl Wremvss moved the rejection of the Bill —Lord Morley'called attention to the circum- stance that a Bill on the same subject had already been disposed of this session. The Lord Chancel- lor considered the Bill was out of order-The Bill was ultimately rejected.-The Earl of Rosebery inquired if the Royal Declaration Bill, introduced last session, and over which they spent so much time, was to be proceeded with.-The Marquis of Salisbury said it might be perfectly clear from what passed in the House of Commons and m this House that the Bill could not be proceeded with. —Their lordships rose at six o'c.ock. FRIENDLY SOCIETIES BILL. POOR-RELIEF PROBLEM. In the House of Commons on Friday the Out- door Relief (Friendly Societies) Bill was the first order of the day. It directs boards of guardians when asked to grant outdoor relief to a member of a Friendly Society not to regard his being in receipt of sick pay as a factor which should influence their decision, as long as the sum which he receives from his society does not exceed 5s. a week. Under an Act passed in 1894 the guardians are given discretion m such cases either to grant or withhold relief. The Bill was read a third time in the House of Commons last year and was thrown out in the House of Lords, where, however, it had previously been read a second time. » Mr. Long on Friday gave the Bill hi. warm support, urging that the thrifty people v-hoiii it would benefit ought to be given a statutory right to relief when they were incapacitated by sickness or old Ho pointed out that thrift which took the forilis of contributions to a friendly society merited special recognition. He said he should strongly oppose any modification of the Poor Law in favour of the wastrel and undeserving but he held that it should not be administered with unnecessary severity against those who had done their best to help themselves. Whether other forms of thrift should be encouraged by an extension of the ilpplica- tion of the principle of the measure was a question c s well worthy of consideration The Bill, of which Mr. V. Gibl)s had moved the rejection, was carried on a division by 202 votes t against 19 THE SHIPPING COMBINE. THE FINANCE BILL. In the House of Commons, on Monday, answer- ing a question by Mr. Channing, Mr. Gerald Bal- four said he had been considering the Shipping Qpmbinc agreements. The Law Officers of the ne Crown stated that thero was nothing to prevent the ships from retaining their British register.— Mr Arnold-Forster, replying to several questions, said the subvention agreement with the White Star Company was about to be renewed, with a provision that the company would not, without the consent of the Admiralty, transfer to a foreign flal- any of tho subsidised vesse.s. Mr. Touimm having taken the oath and his seat for Bury, Sir M. Hicks-Beach, moving tho second reading of the Finance Bill, said he had decided to abandon the cheque tax, and would consider bow to make up the deficiency.—Sir W. Harcourt moved an amend- ment declining to impose duties upon grain, flour and other articles of the first necessity for the food of the people. He spoke of the corn tax as the blackest spot in the Bill, and said that of all taxes it was the one which provoked the bitterest memoric,s.-The Chancellor of the Exchequer, in replying, pointed out. that. there was not the faintest recognition of the fact in the right hon. gentleman's epeech that the country was face to faco with a necessary expenditure which the House was bound to provide. Ho quoted from returns to shew that there had been no genera1 rise m thA orice of bread, and denied that the duties .1 r_1 wotrd raise the price of corn or atiect ttic iuuu of he people-Sir I-I. Fowler recommended Ministerialists to come to an agreement as to whether the duties would raise the piice_ of bread or not—Mr. Broadhurst was speaking in fa\oui of the amendment when the. silting was sus- pended —The House resumed its sitting at liu-O o'clock when Mr. Broadhurst continued his de- nunciation of the corn tax-Mr. Kearley advanced a technical argument to shew that the duty flour was protective against our own Colonies.- S:r Ed-ar Vincent held that the House wou.d be inotified in refusing further taxation until it had evidence of more Efficient administration|Mr. Fletcher Moulton said the tax pressed most heavily on the poorest class. They would pay it either ,n monev or hunger.-Mr. Churchill denied that the tax was protective in practice, although in stric. economic theory it might be.—The debate was ad- journed on the motion of Mr. Buxton^ and the Ilouse- rose at about half-past twelve o Clock.

General Sir Charles Loudon Barnard, late of the Royal Marine Artillery, died on Saturday after several months' illness at Castie House, Us. Monmouthshire. Deceased, who waf £ 1887, had a distinguished career and .v.w mucn active service.

CRAWFORD'S CREAM. CRACKERS. CREAMY.

WINTER IN MAY. + NATURAL HISTORY NOTES. [BY T. A. C.] Snow in May is not unusual, in fact we have some May snowstorms nearly every year on the Snowdon mountains and in the Peak of Derby- shire, but when these storma visit us in the Cheshire plain they always give us a shock, especially after such bright, spring weather as we have been experiencing of late. In the East Cheshire Highlands it is still winter; the trees are bare, and constant scuds of snow and sleet are brought by the cold north-east wind. Rain in the valleys means snow on these barren moor- lands. The effect upon the bird-life in Longden- dalo is curious. A few days ago there were no ring-ousels to be seen on the upper moors, none in the cloughs and on the millstone-grit escarp- ments but in the valley, near the reservoirs, there were as many as seven in one field. Wheatears were feeding by the roadside, and a couple of sandpipers were running nimbly about in front of the house, even picking up food on the very door- step. The grouse were sheltering low down-on the hillsides, and many of the white hares had deserted the tops. These white hares in Longdendale, like those on the Glydyrs and Carnedds, are the descendants of introduced Scotch variable hares. They flourish on the high moors, changing white in winter and resuming their grey summer dress in spring. They were first turned down, about twenty years ago, at Greenfield, and they have now spread over the grouse.moors in other parts of Yorkshire, over the whole of the Cheshire moors in Longdendale, and across the valley on to the moors of the Derbyshire Peak. In hard winters they descend into the valleys, feeding in the fields like our common brown hares, and then their white pelage renders them very conspicuous; but on the snow-covered hillsides they are practioally invisible. In the lowlands the cold winds damped the ardour of many of the newly-arrived migrants. Those birds which had braved the rigours of our winter continued to sing, but blackoaps, garden warblers, whitethroats, ohiffchaffs and many others were almost silenced. One cold morning, a few days ago, I walked along the sheltered valley of the Bollin, and only heard, out of all the multitude of summer visitors, a few willow wrens, one per- sistent sedge warbler, and a single cuckoo. The cuckoos have been strangely silent elver since they arrived. Certainly, one or two might be heard any morning, but there must have been far moro here than allowed their voices to be heard; rather an unusual thing for cuckoos. Winter, however, is not coming back; a bleak, cold day is followed by a bright, warm spring day, and the foliage has suffered little from the nipping east winds. Sitting in a wood near Rostherne the other day, sheltering beneath a full-leafed sycamore from a heavy thunder shower, I was treated to quite a volley of crows from the pheasants. Thunder generally makes pheasants crow. It is said that they consider the distant rumble a challenge, but possibly it is the darkness that disturbs their ideas. Do they think that evening has arrived before its time, the part of the day when all pheasants think they ought to crow? Close above my head in the sycamore a male blackcap was flitting from twig to twig, busily searching for iusects, but, save a note or two, it did not sing. Stress of weather was evidently too much for it. A PRETTY PASSING MIGRANT. All the migratory birds that we see in Cheshire do not remain with us through the summer; many of them are only halting on their way further north. By the side of Booths Mere, near Knuts- ford, I saw one of these passing birds, a pretty little fellow in black and white, flirting into air after insects, and returning after each sally to the lower boughs of the trees. It wa.s a pied fly- catcher, a near relation of one of our latest migrants, the spotted flycatcher, a bird which is as common as the other is rare. Tho bird stopped for two or three days in the district, never going far from one clump of trees, just by the water's edge. In the evening, when the insects wero flying low above the meadow grass, and when swallows and sand martins in dozens were coursing over the fields, the flycatcher 6pcnt a good part of its time on the ground, searching among the grass for its food. But all the time it kept flying up to the boughs and dropping down again, as if it was necessary for it to havo a perch to thoroughly enjoy its meal. I did not. hear it &ing; it was far too busy for that. Probably by now it is in full song by the side of the hole which it has selected for its nest. The pied flycatcher is as black and white as a magpie, and at first sight it would seem to be a most conspicuous bird, but co'ours which are very distinct under some circum- stances are often highly protective under natural conditions. Once, when the bird perched on a twig with the bole of a tree as a background, it looked a,lmORt. exactly liko a speck of light glinting on a leaf, even though I was compara- tively near to it. In birch-woods, among the silvery trunks, the pied fiycatcheT must be very well hidden, and it is fond of birch-woods. I remem- ber finding a nest on the shores of Ulleswater, which was concealed in a dead birch stump, tho entrance being through a tiny round hole whero a rotten branch had broken off. The pied fly- catcher does not breed in Cheshire, at any rate as a general thing, but it has several times been obsorved when passing in April and Ma\. In the Lake District it is not uncommon, and it nests annually in many places in North W ales. There are few places where it is more plentiful tha.n m the Conway Valley at Bettws-y-coed. Here it may bo heard singing in the village itself and the woods surrounding; but it is very local, and does not occur in many localities in the immediate, neighbourhood. In Norway I found the bird occurring in gardens in Bergen, one of the busiest Norwegian towns, but there all birds are we.i treated and encouraged,* and in many villages white wagtails are far more abundant than spar- rows, and magpies feed in the farmyards alongside the chickens. A STRANGE VISITOR. A man stopped me, a few days ago, to tell ma that two strange birds had been captured in a wood at Ashley, which, though many people had seen them, no one could christen. After cabling at several farms in the neighbourhood I dis- covered the strangers, and to my surprise found that they were a pair of Californian quails, smart, prettily-inarkcd birds with club-like crest feathers on their heads. They had been seen in a wood by the side of a. stream. and one of them knocked into the water by a boy; afterwards this bird, the cock, was released, and both birds were captured when they were roosting in a tree. They wert1 very tamo, and allowed me to handle them. I should sav that they had not. escaped from close confinement, as their tail and wing feathers were not frayed, and their feet shewed no signs oi having been kept in a small cage. Most likely they had been purposely released on some estate in the hope that they would breed and settle down. This experiment has been tried many times with these beautiful American gamebiros, but never with any success. The fact that these birds were roosting in a tree is very typical of American partridges and quails; the English repre- sentatives of these birds always roost upon the ground. It would bo interesting to learn where these birds were released, or from where they escaped, to see how far they had travelled, Nothing Na.9 known about them in the neighbour- hood. Many young biids are now on tho wing. 1 I have seen young robins and hedge sparrows well able to fly, and some of this season's thrushes are now quite big birds. I was much amused with the efforts of a juvenile blackbird to use its untried wings. It teok a. short flight, and then with many squeaks of alarm came toppling down to the ground, where it rolled first from one side and then to the other. seeming quite unable to use its legs. After a short time it managed to gain a standing position, and then flew up into the hedge again, where it perched securely after a lew minutes' swaying backwards and forwards. The first young thrush, out of tho nest, that I saw was about three weeks ago. It is rather a wonder that so many thrushes reach maturity; 110 bird builds its nest in such exposed positions. I :ound half-a-dozen nests, with eggs in, within a few feet of a public road. All could be seen by any passer- by who looked. Many of these wayside thrushes | i n must lay week after week, their egv-s being regu- larly robbed at the week-end, yet they never seem to profit by their experience. No bird's eggs are more regularly robbed, and yet there are few commoner birds than our song thrush. i

NATURAL HISTORY. --+-- NOTES AND QUERIES. We have pleasure in announcing that the skilful and popular writer who, under the initials of T.A.C. has been favouring our columns with monthly contributions on natural history subjects has now conseuted to receive and answer notes and queries from any of our readers interested in this subject. The column w;hich appears under his initials in our present issue affords an idea of the scope of the articles, and the author will endeavour to answer any questions that may be addressed to this journal on kindred subjects. While our authority is obviously well-informed in his own special department, lie does not pretend to deal with outside matters such as gardening or the management of household pets. Any notes or queries received at this office will be handed over to the writer to be dealt with by him in his customary column.

CORRESPONDENCE. The Editor is not respongihlo for the opinions of his correspondents. All letters must be autbeuticuteil bv the sender's name and address, not necessarily for publication. Correspondents nre particuLu ly requested to write only on one side of the paper.

PHENOMENON AT CARDEN. TO THE EDITOR. Sir. -Tbinkin- it may be of interest to some of your readers, I write to inform you that on Friday last, when returning home abcut 5.30 p irt., the streams caused by the rain and running down the drives were quite black. I rii-o am told by my gamekeeper that on going about the park he noticed that the puddles of water about the same time were quite black. Can a.ny one account for the occurrence ? It seems hardly possible that the Widnes smoke could be of such a volume as to cause it, although I have seen the piece of water in the park covered with a brown oil substance many a time, and it has a nasty smell.—Yours faithfully, J. HURLESTON LECHE. Carden Park, Chester, 12th May, 1902.

♦- — THE ALYN ANGLING DISPUTE. TO THE EDITOR. Sir,—I think the people of Kossetfc and district somewhat misunderstand the position of Mr. Duncan with reference to the Alyn fishery question. That Mr. Duncan is not the first to assert his private rights to fishery in the Alyn is proved from a. conviction obtained by the lessor, fr. C. W. Townahend, at Wrexham County Police Court, in June. ]88:3. The report of the case is as follows:— "Peter Ellis and Thomas Davies, two colliers, were charged with having unlawfully and wilfully attempted to take certain fish in Allington over which Captain Townshend had the right of fishing. The defendants said they were very sorry, but they did not think that they were doing any harm. Mr. Peter Ellis who appeared for Captain Townshend, said that the latter did not wish to preps the case, but only wanted to put a stop to this illegal fishing. The defendants were fined 88., with 5s. costs. The witness Peter Ellis, referred to, was Captain Townshend's butler, and represented his master in the case. Captain Townshend could not have Obtained this conviction had r.ot the river been private waters, which applies to a running stream that is neither tidal nor yet navigable from the sea, the Alyn being a non-tidal wate/. Mr. Duncan last year generously offered free tickets to anglers, and was also prepared to preserve the stream from unsportnanlike fishing as well as to spend a considerable sum in re-stockir.g the river, which offer was ignominiously refused by people under the impression that they would thereby forfeit rights which are according to legal decisions non- existent. To speak of the pec-ple having a moral right to the fishing is simply playing with the question, as the legal right is founded upon the moral rights of private ownership. Preserved rivers are always well worth paying for, and fr. Duncan's charge of 5s. for the season is infinitely small when compared with the enhanced value of the river for angling purposes.—Yours truly, A SPECTATOR.

LIGHTLNG-LP TABLE. ——♦ All cycles and ether vehicles in the Chester district must be lighted up as stated in tho following table P.M. Wednesday, May 14 0.0 Thursday, May 15 9.1 Friday, May 16 9.3 Saturday, May 17 9.5 Sunday, May 18 9.7 Monday, May 19. 9.8 Tuesday, May 20 9.10

CHESTER INFIRMARY. WKKKJIY STATE, ENDED SATURDAY LAST. In-patients are admitted on Tuesday inonunspt at 11 o'clock. In-patients Discharged. In-patients. Cured. 18 Admitted 15 Kelieved 3 Kemaie i;1 the House SO Made Out-Patients 0 Unrelieved. 0 | Irregularity 0 Dead Hos riiitors .— Mr. 1. M. Grahan and Mr. J. S. Godet. OUT-PAT I KNT8. Medical eases are seen on ,IOllfl:1y, Wednesday, and Saturday mornings at Kleven o'clock. Surgical eases are seen on Thursday mornings at Eleven o'clock. Ophthalmic cases arc seen on Friday mornings at Eleven o'clock. Dental cases are seen on Tuesday and Saturday mornings at Ten o'clock. Out-patients admitted since Saturday last S3

BlliTIIS, MAllltlAGES & DEATHS BIRTHS, IJIARRIAQKS, and DEATHS are charged at the rate of 20 words for Is. (prepaid). If not prepaid, the charge will be 2s. 6d. The announcement iuust be authenticated by the Signature and Address of the Sender. B I R T It S. OARSiiorr-May a, at Oakland*, Bibaigton, the wife of Arthur J. Oakshott, of a daughter. ,A m-- May 2, at Friar's Gap, Hawarden, the wife of Henry Sicteilhan), of a daughter. MARRIAGE. CA.MEKON-DAVIKS—ATHERDEN—May 7, at the Church of St. l^iwrenee, Ludlow, by the Rev. Prebendary Clayton, William Low Cameron Davies, so.-i of the late Edward Davies, M.D., of Wrexham, to Constance Mary, daughter of Thomas Henry Atherden, of Ludlow. DEATHS. CoRBBT— May 4, at AddcvkHall, Shropshire, Reginald Corbet, J.P., aged 69 years. MII-LEH— May 12, at his residcnco, Polliott Ilouse, Chester, Lieut.-Colonel George Thomas Miller, J.P., late 4tll (Northamptonshire) Regiment and 4th King's Own Stafford MiHtia, aged 68 years. PowKLii— May 7, at Hungerford, Shrewsbury, George rowell, formerly of Moreton Corbet, a^ed 73 years. SSTCNEHOUSK—May 8, at Neston, Ellen, widow of the late James Storehouse, of Liverpool, in her 90tli year. WAITER— Way ti, at lea Kur^t, Wrexham, Wihiam Lee Walker, the eldest son of Thomas and Sarah Freeman Walker, in his 3ist year.

_n_ .0 M E M O R X A L S AT ALL PRICKS, IN MARBLE, GRANITE, STONE & ALABASTER, Oil View, anu to order. W. HASWELL & SON, MASONS, KALEYARDS, CHESTER. Estimates and Dcsignt Free on application. Telephone No. 161A.

MRS. CATHCART: FOUND TO BE T.NCAPArn&- ^he inquiry into the state of mind of Mrs. Cathcart concluded on Friday, when the jury found the lady was incapablc of managing herself or her own affairs. Counsel for Mrs. Cathcart said they were very much of the same opinion. Mrs. Cathcart cxcitedly protested that she had not boen allowed to ohccse her witnesses, and dø- manded to be sent back to prison. VlJu. OF MR. HEI>IRY TATE.—The will of the late Mr. Henry Tate, a managing director of Henry Tate and fckms, Limited, sugar refiners, has been proved, the nctt value of the personal estate being £ 722,440. The testator bequeathed £2,000 to the Hahnemann Hospital. £ 1,000 each to the Liverpool Roval Infirmary, Northern Hospital, Bluecoat Hospital, Woolton Convalescent Institution, and the Manchester Unitarian New College at Oxford, and £500 each to several other institutions. SCOTTISH UNION AND NATIONAL INSCEANCE COMPANY.—The77th annual meeting of the Scottish Union and National lnf-v.vu.ncc Company was held at Edinburgh on tbe 7th inst. The report stated that during 1901 SD7 new life policies had been issued, amounting to tJ.17, 130, and yielding m premiums The life and annuity funds amounted to The fire premiums received amounted to £ [>82,044, and the claims were £ 3!)3,038. £ 35,000 was transferred from the General Reserve Flmd, making the balance to be dealt with I £ W>,247. Out of this amount it was decided to pay a dividend at the rate of 12^ per cent., and to carry forward to next year's account £ 27,747. The total funds amounted to £[J,07H,057. The report was approved of. Mr. Andrew Jameson, K.C., and Mr. Harry George Younger, directors, who retired by rotation, were re-appointed. k

MAYOR OF IVIACCLESFIELD.-The Mayor of Macclesfield, Alderman Frederick Hill, died after a short illness at his residence, Ellesmere, Maccles- field, on Saturday afternoon, in the 51st year of his age. DAHWEN AGRICULTURAL SHOW —The 12th annual exhibition of the Darwen and District Agricultural Society was held on Saturday. In the competitions for horses Mr F. V. Grange (Chester) was first in leaping over hurdles and water, while Mr. T. Hodson (Nantwich), secured second place HANDBRIDGE MAN CENSURED.—On Monday, Mr. E. Brassey (city coroner), held an inquest at the Coach and Horses, Handbridge, on the two-months- old daughter of John Jones, labourer, Harrison's- court, Handbridge.—The father of the child said that on Saturday evening his daughter was well, but when he awoke on Sunday morning she was dead. In reply to the Coroner, four children, his wife and himself slept in the bed. Neither was the worse for drink. The child was insured for 30s. He had been in regular work for seven years and earned 18s. a week.—Dr. Harrison said death was due to over-lying. — The jury returned a verdict of Accidental Death," and the witness Jones was censured by the Coroner for not providing better sleeping accommodation for his family. MRS. W. H GLADSTONE'S DANCE.—The Hon. Mrs. W. H. Gladstone gave a dance at her town house on Tuesday night. Some charming dresses were worn. Mrs. Gladstone wore a black satin with some wonderful old lace and fine diamonds. Among those present were the Duchess of Northumberland and Lady Mary Percy, Lady Aberdeen with Lady Majorie Gordon, Lady Iddes- leigh and Lady Rosamond Northeote, Lady Kings- ton, Lady Edith King-Tenison, Lady Lucy and Miss Hicks-Beach, Lady Balfour and Miss Mary Bruce, Lady Grosvenor, Lady Murray and her daughters, Mme. de Bille and Lady Penrhyn with Miss Lilian and Miss Winifred Douglas-Pennant. Lady Beauchamp brought a daughter, and among the prettiest women present were Lady Cantelupe and Lady Blois. Miss Gladstone also looked extremely well. Lady Wenlock and Miss Laseellea were also there, and a good many men, including Lord Dunglass, Mr. Victor Russell, Sir Ralph Blois, Mr Ewen Cameron. Sir David Baird. and Mr. Hicks-Beach. CHESHIRE MILK AND LIVERPOOL OFFICIALS.— With reference to the recent prosecution of a Cheshire farmer in connection with the supply of milk from his dairy when tuberculosis was alleged by the Liverpool authorities to have been in existence on his farm, the Cheshire County Council will be asked on Thursday to support the folllowing resolution :—"That, as in the opinion of this committee an injustice has been done to the farmers in question by reason of the Liverpool Corporation stopping the supply of milk when tuber- culosis could not be found prevalent among the cattle on the farms from whicli the milk was sup- plied, the clerk be instructed to suggest a conference between representatives of the Liverpool Corporation and ieoreseiitativesof this committee to discuss the procedure adopted by the Corporation in (a) the analysis of milk supplied to Liverpool from farms, &c., in Cheshire (b the notification of the result thereof to the farmers, &c. and (c) the system adopted by the Corporation officials in the inspection of farms, &c. A.nd in the event of the Corporation agreeing to discuss the foregoing points the following be the representatives of this committee on such conference viz :—Dr. David Basil Hewitt, chair- man of the Public Health Committee, Mr. C. E. Thornycroft, Mr. Geo. Cooke, Mr C. B. Davies, and Mr. John Emberton." CHESTER ROYALTY TiiEATItr, NVhat Became of Totman." is the title of a musical farcial comedy at the Rovalty Theatre. Some idea of what did become of him may lie gathered from the fact that he has a jealous, strong-minded wife, who, on learn- ing that he has gone to a fancy dress ball follows him to that scene of gaiety, with the result that screamingly funny situations ensue. The company responsible for the production of the piece contains several of the chief favourites in the recent Christ- mas pantomime, and on Monday evening they were -warmly welcomed. Mr. Billy Harman, the popular comedian, takes the part of the hen-pecked husband, and elicits roars of laughter with his clever facial expression and amusing business. Mr. Arthur E. Godfrey, Mr. J. E. Nightingale, and Mr. Leo Sterling, also acquit themselves in a creditable manner. The latter gives his well-known military musical melange, which formed such a popular feature of the pantomime. Miss Maud Prenton, who needs no introduction to a Chester audience, throws plenty of life into the piece by her sprightly interpretation of the character of a charming young married woman, who has an admirer in the person of her husband's uncle. On Monday evening Miss Prenton was enthusiastically encored for her delightful singing of "Honey Dear," and a new coon song entitled "Miss Lucinda Brown." Miss Marguerite Roath impersonates the jealous wife with considerable ability. MUSICAL SUCCESSES.—The following candidates "were successful in passing in the local centre examination of the Royal Academy of Music and Royal College of Music held at Chester on April 1st:—Senior Grade-Pass Certificates :—Miss Ethel M. Beckett, violin (teacher, Mr. Leon Veerman) Miss Mary H. Jones, piano, Howell's School, Denbigh (Miss Isabel Macfarren); Miss Phyllis M. Owen, violin, Queen's School Mr. Leon Veerman); Miss Ellen A. Pickering. piano (Miss A. F. Stephens); Miss Evelyn M. Smith, piano (Dr. Joseph C. Bridge); Miss Isabel R. Wilson, piano, School of Music, Mold (Madame Douglas-Adams). Junior Grade-Pass Certificate Miss Elizabeth B. Wrench, piano (Miss G. M. Pollitt). Rudiments of Music—Pass Certificates; Miss Mary H Jones, Howell's School, Denbigh (Miss Isabel Macfarren); Miss Phyllis M. Owen, Queen's School (Mr. Leon Veerman); Miss Ellen A. Pickering (Miss A. F Stephens); Miss Evelyn M. Smith IDr. Joseph C. Bridge); Miss Isabel R. Wilson, School of Music, Mold (Madame Douglas-Adams); Miss Marion Ashton, the Queen's School (Miss M. Macdonald); Miss Elizabeth Evans. School of Music, Mold (Madame Douglas-Adams); Miss Florence M. Harris (Miss F. Stephens) Miss Kate Walker, Miss Birch's School (Miss A. F. Stephens); Miss M. Wallington (Miss Katheriue Clegg) Miss Winifrede Williams, School of Music, Mold 4Makianie Douglas-Adams). JUDGE BOWEN-ROWLANDS AND THE PONY.—At the Northwich County Court on Monday, before His Honour Judge Bowen-Rowlands, Thomas Swain, a Cholmondeston tailor, claimed from Mr. and Mrs. Charles Rigby, shopkeepers, of Winsford, the sum of £ G 8s. as the balance of the purchase money of a pony sold by the plaintiff. Plaintiff stated that Mrs. Rigby agreed to give him P,8 10s., and paid him 2s. on account. The next morning the pony was delivered, but defendant returned it, and, as plaintiff's son-in-law would not take it in, it wandered in the fields.—Defendant's story was that Mrs. Rigby. who knew nothing whatever about horses, paid 2s. on account in order that her husband might approve or otherwise. When she saw her husband he informed her that on no account was she to have any transaction with Swain. The next morning the pony was fastened to their door, although the previous night Mrs. Rigby had taken a message to plaintiff's daughter to the effect that they would not have the animal. Defendants described the pony as absolutely worth- less.—P.C. Young said the pony was an absolute wreck standing on three legs. His own impression was that 10s. would have been an ample price for it. (Laughter) —His Honour said it could only by courtesy be called a pony at all and it was valuable for no purpose whatever. It was said that the pony was driven nine miles and was all right when sold, but one could only imagine that such a sudden catastrophe as must have attended the pony to transform it into the condition described, was almost equal to that which had overwhelmed St. Pierre. He gave judgment for defendants with costs. DEATH OF MRS. JAMES SMITH.—The funeral of the late Mrs. Smith, widow of the late Mr. Jas. Smith, boot manufacturer, who died on Sunday at her residence, Woodbine Cottage, Louise- street, took place on Thursday at Chester Cemetery. The deceased was widely known and highly esteemed. Although ullable for a little time past on account of her illness to leave the house, she was up to the last remarkably alert, and her death will be keenly felt by a wido circle of relatives and frieiids. The first portion of the funeral service was read at St. Oswald's Church by the vicar, the Rev. E. C. Lowndes, and the latter at the grave by the Rev. P. H. Miller, curate of St. Oswald's. The chief mourners were Mrs. Bates and Mrs. H. Cuznor (daughters), Mr. T. Smith (son), Mr. and Mrs. J. Smith (son and daugliter-iii-ltw), Mr. and Mrs. H. Anderson (daughter and son-in-law), Mr. and Mrs. H. Smith (son and daughter-in-law), Mr. and Mrs. J. Cowap (son-in-law and daughter), Mr. Richard and Mr. W. Jones (brothers), Mr. and Mrs. J. Jones, Prestwieh (brother and sister-in-law), Mr. Harold Jones, Prestwieh (nephew), Miss and Master P. Ander- son (grandchildren), Master L. Cowap (grand- son), Miss Whitlow. Mr. Armitage (Greenock), Nurse Morris. Mr. T. Jones, Lome Cottage. At the Cemetery were Mr. F. Latham, Mr. T. Davies, Mr. and Mrs. C. Cooper, Mr. \V. Niprntingale, Mr. W. Johnson, Mr. and Mrs. Hobson, Mr. John Shaw, Miss Millward, Mrs. F. Lee. Mrs. George Davies, Mrs. John Davies, Mrs. Brayshawe, Mrs. Leerning, Mrs. Phillips, Miss Anderson, and many others. Wreaths were sent by the following:—Tom, Maud and little Arthur, Sarah Ann and Lizzie, PCLLV, Harry and children (Jim, Gertie and little Willie), Fred, Hattie and children (Harry, Trot and little ones), Grandchildren from Edinburgh, Brother Mr. and Mrs. R. Jones, Brother Mr. and Mrs. W. Jones, Brother Mr. and Mis. Joseph Jones (Prestwieh), Nephews Mcsrs. E. and Harold Jones. Nieces Clara, Lillie and Ada, Nieces Mr. and Mrs. Thelwell, Mrs. Etch ells and Miss Anderson, Mrs. Leeming-, Mrs. Lee, Mr. and mrs. Cuzner and Emilie, Miss L. Broughton (Lancaster), Mrs. Lawson (Manchester), Mrs.' T»jr°0iTTCL° ant' -Mrs- Brockwell, Mr. and Mrs. iiobson. Mr. and Mrs. Armitace and familv (Greenock), Mrs. Parry (Blossoms Hotel). Mr. and Mrs. Nightingale. Mr. T. Latham and family, Miss Whitlow. Mrs. Winter. Miss McDonald (Edinburgh), Mr. end Mrs. James Thomas, Mr. and Mrs. J. Shaw, Miss Gertrude E. Roberts, Mrs. Ellis and Mr. and Mrs. Barker Jones. Familv of the late Mrs. J. P. Davies, Mr. and Mrs. Davidson, Mr. and Mrs. Pickavance, Mr. and Mrs. Jones (Lorne Cottage).