The North Wales Times

POLICE COURT. MONDAY, before the Nov. the Warden (presid- ing), Mr J. W. Lumley, and Mr. W. T. Rouw. ILLTREATMENT OF A HARPIST'S CHILDREN. SEVERE PENALTY. Edward and Sarah Wood, man and wife, who were re pectably dressed, were charged by In- spe'etor Rowlands of the Royal Society for the revention of Cruelty to Chi1' on vith having unlawfully and wilfully illtreated and neglected three of their children between November and February last. Mr. Edward Roberts (Messrs Lloyd and Roberts) appeared to prosecute, and in opening the case said the children were John, 11 years old, Bertha 10 years old, and Leonard, three years old. The male defendant was al- leged to gain a considerable sum as a harpist and also in going out with Hshermen on the salmon rivers, etc. Having described the na. ture of the charges which he said was one of constructive cruelty, extending over a consider- able period, rather than of actual illusage, Mr. Roberts called John Rowlands, who said he was the officer for the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to children for the district. He knew the defend- ants, who lived at 36 Mwrog Street, Ruthin, and had three children aged 11, 10 and 3, who came under the act. He had seven children altogether. Witness visited them on November 21st, and found no food in the house. He saw the mother and two children, Bertha and Leon- ard, aged 10 and 3. He went and procured some food for them. The children were infes- ted with vermin, head and body, and very ill- clad and dirty. They suffered a little from a skin eruption. The furniture in the house com- prised two chairs, one tea pot, one kettle, one cup and saucer, and an iron bedstead, with mattress, and some rags for clothing. There were two sacks full of straw which the woman told him she slept upon. The male defendant was then at Bala. The woman informed him of that, and that he had not sent her any money that week. He was at Plas Coch Hotel with his harp. After seeing the state of affairs he ad vised the woman to go to the workhouse, with her children. She first told him that she had written to her husband, and by the time he got to Bala, Wood had left for Ruthin. Mrs Wood went towards the workhouse, but on her way got a telegram from her husband telling her not to go. The defendant was engaged for a certain place for two guineas for one night. Witness saw the letter. 0 The male defendant said the place referred to was Cambridge. He had to play at a con- cert at the Guild Hall. That only happened once in twelve months. The witness (continuing), said that he called at the house again on the 27th of November, when he found the condition of things the same. The male defendant was present, and he told witness that he had earned as much as Ss., 10s., and even 20s. a night, aud also that he had been in the habit of going out with gentlemen fishing and shooting in the day time for which he earned from 3s. 6d. to 4s a day. He told wit- ness he was going to Cambridge and that the r X2 did not include expenses. He promised he would provide well for the children before going to Cambridge, and that he would bring the money back to clothe the children with. Witness paid the next visit on January 2nd, seeing the woman and three children, who were in a worse state than on the previous occasion, Leonard the three year old had no shirt on, only a petticoat and a frock, the latter infes- ted with vermin, as were the head and body. He was also suffering from a skin eruption. Bertha aged 10 years, had on a chemise which was tilthily dirty, and a petti coat and frock also infested with'vermin, and she was troubled w.th a skin eruption. John aged 12 years had no shirt, but was wearing a sailor suit, but he was in exactly the same condition. He had a running sore at the back of the head. They were wearing shoes and stockings which were not so bad. He spoke very seriously to both, and told them what he thought they ought to do. His next visit was on the 20th February, when their condition was worse than on the preceding occasion. It was neaily ten o'clock in the morning, and the man was actually in bed then, although there was not a scrap of food in the house. He called the defendant down and asked him what he meant leaving his children like that. He asked if he had any money, and the reply was that he had 2s. Then you had better go,' said the and get something for your children to eat The male defendant then cross-examined the witness, who stated that he was not aware Wood had been ill with a gathered foot for a fortnight, and that that was the reason he was ill at the time. Wood did not tell him that he had sent about 9s. a week from Bala, and that he had written several times every week. The male defendant said it was true about the condition of the children, and he was very sorry to see it when he came home from Bala. By the Bench: There was a tire in the grate each time the inspector went to the house, but no fuel. By. Mrs. Wood: On the first occasion I went there, Mrs Wood was upstairs in the middle of the day, and she complained of being unwell that day, but not on other occasions. Mrs. Wood I felt low, very low spirited since I have been in Ruthin, and before I came I could not do my work as I used to do. Inspector Rowlands said the woman told him every time about her husband leaving her with- out money and that she had a deal of trouble with him. Mr. Lumley: Do you know whether Mrs. Wood is a sober woman ? Inspector Rowlands: She has been so in Ruthin, so far as I have heard from the inquir- ies have I made. Dr. David Eraser said he was a surgeon prac- tising at Ruthin. He visited the house of the defendants on January 2nd last. He saw Mrs. Wood and the three children mentioned in the charge. He found the latter very ill-clad, covered with vermin, and with an eruption due to the irritation and the scratching. The two elder children were puny and evidently ill-fed. Leon- ard the youngest, was covered with vermin, but was not so bad and did not appear to be so puny as the other two, for his age, but was quite as ill clad. The emaciated condition of the children was due to the want of proper nourishment and to the irritation caused by the vermin. He considered their condition dan- gerous to health and that in fact their health had suffered already. He told Mrs. Wood what his opinion was, and thab it would require very strong measures to clear the children of vermin. He told her she would have to boil the clothes, and, in fact, that she would pro- bably have to destroy them, and get clean things altogether to thoroughly rid them of the parasites. He went again on February 20th, 0 weeks afterwards. He saw Mrs. Wood and the three children. There had been some atte-mpt to keep the children cleaner, but no real attempt to. get rid of the vermin. The children were clad about the same. He had no reason to think they had been better fed in the meantime. They were still covered with ver- min. On the back of the head of the eldest boy. John, was a sore caused by the vermin and the scratching. He had also swollen glands due to the same cause. Replying to Mr. Lumley, the witness said that the child present in court, was one of the three,. and it looked pretty much the same as it did when he saw it last, but a,s he ha,d said in his evidence in chief it did not, when he saw it at first, show such evidence of neglect as in the case of the other children. The clothing was about the same, and the children needed under- clothing more than upper clothing. Sergeant Woollam said he knew the defend- ants who had. lived in Ruthin since about the end of October. He had been to their house. There was no food there, and very little fire. On the second of January lie went upstairs at their house accompanied by Inspector Row- lands. In a corner of the room was some straw covered with some dirty old bags, and Mrs. Wood told him her children and herself slept in that bed. There was an iron 'bed with matress in the corner, and she said her husband and the eldest son slept in that bed. As they were going back from the house, they met Wood on the road, and he said that'he had been playing at the Swan Inn the night before and had earned 15d. or 18d, that he had given 6d. to his wife to get some food, and he had with him a small pot of some kind of precipitate powder to dress the children's heads with. Replying to questions by Mr. Edward Ro berfcs, the witness said that the defendant did not follow his trade of tinsmith. He played every night at the public houses in the towii. He had been occupied chiefly at the Royal Oak this last month or so. Replying to the male defendant, the witness said that Wood told him he was going to buy a bedstead and mattresses, and that be had paid Mr. Joseph Davies half a sovereign for rent out of the money he had earned-at Cambridge. Mr. Lumley: Do you consider Woods a sober man? Sergeant Woollam I have never seen him under the influence of drink. I know he goes to the public houses taking an occasional glass. Asked a similar question as to the wife, the sergeant said he had never heard of her going into public houses, but he had heard complaints of her going continually begging from place to place for her children, such things as butter milk, &c. This being the case for the prosecution, The Warden told the defendants that they might make any statement to the bench, or they might go into the witness box and give evidence for themselves, but if they did the latter, they would have to submit to cross-exa mination. Wood said he preferred saying what he had to say upon oath, as he had nothing but the truth to say. The male defendant was then sworn, and said that he first made up his mind to take a cot- tage in Ruthin at the time that the late Capt. Wrigley left Ruthin, when there was a dinner in his honour, ".nd he was engaged to play. He was at that time living at Bala, and he came to Ruthin thinking he might be able to get a job at his trade as well as an occasional one to play. Last June, he thought he had better go to Bala again, and he did go, and from that time to the end of the season, he sent to his wife on to the end of the season, he sent to his wife on an average nine shillings a week to support herself and the three children. During that time he earned about eighteen shillings a week, and he sent to his wife practically half what he earned, and the remainder went to keep him in his lodgings in Bala. He paid 2s. a week for his lodg ng there. When he heard from h s eldestson that Inspector Rowland shad visited the house, he came home and he was sorry to see the children were not as clean as they might be. He asked his wife how it was, and the reply was that she had had some sort of melancholy, which she could not account for, and she had not been able to attend to the children as she might have done. Wood was questioned by the bench as to the money he had sent to his wife, and as the steps he took to see that the children were kept clean, and so forth, and Mr. Lumley remarked, You blame your wife for the condition of the children?' To this Wood replied, 'For not keeping the children clean yes.' Replying to Mr. Edward Roberts, Wood said that he did Hot in the last season earn as much as eight to ten shillings a week, as the season was a bad one for him, and Mr. Owen of the White Lion would not allow the waiters to take the hat round for him after the table d'hote as in the previous seasons. He denied that Mr. William Owen of Bala had offered to set him up in the town of Bala as a tinman, which was Wood s trade. He played at Ponkey, Wrex- ham, for Christmas week, and got 30s. for the week, and he played at Llangollen for St. David's day. For some weeks he had been en gaged at the Royal Oak. getting 10s. a week from the landlord and as much as he could from the visitors. He got from 6d. to 8d. a night and sometimes got nothing. The Warden said he should have thought that Wood earned a considerable sum when he was at Bala, playing the harp at the hotel at nights, and going out with the salmon fisher men in the day time. The defendant said that when he went with the' salmon fishermen he usually came in too late to play at the hotel, too late for the table d'hote, which began at seven o'clock. Mrs. Wood then gave evidence, and she de- nied that she was in the least cruel to her child- ren, and she attributed to her illness the condi- tion in which they had been found by the offi- cers. The bench retired to consider their decision, and on returning into court, The Rev. the Warden said he was sorry to have to pass a severe sentence upon the defend- ants, for the reason that he had known Wood at Rettws-y-cced and other places, and he never thought that he would he brought before the court charged with such an offence as that. The justices were unanimously of opinion tha.t the defendants were both quite guilty of the offence charged against them; Wood tried to put the blame upon his wife, but, at the same time, the male defendant had eyes to see what was going on, and it did not appear that he took any steps to remedy it. Wood: I did sir, all I could. ) The Warden said the bench had considered the matter very carefully, and deemed both parent? quite guilty, and must make an exam- ple of them. Their children had been neglected and injured, both morally and physically, and there was little chance of their growing up to be useful men and women. The defendants must go down to gaol for two months with hard labour.. The male defendant Oh! my God, two months, I shaH die there. months, I shall die there. The defendants were then removed in cus- tody. AN INCORRIGIBLE OFFENDER. Robert Jones, slater, of the Llanrhydd end of the town, was charged with having been drunk and disorderly in Well Street on the 22nd of February last. P.C. Hithel 1 stated that he saw the defendant at the time stated at the bottom of Well Street, making use of bad language, and drunk. The defendant was proceeding to question the wit- ness about what he said at the time, in reply to a question put to him about a bear which was performing in the streets, when the War- den said that bad nothing to do with the case. The defendant said the officer answered the I question in a very vulgar way. Ambrose Wynne, hall keeper at the County Hall, said he was in company with P.C. Bithell I at Pen Barras when Robert Jones came up between three and four o'clock in the after- noon; Jones was drunk, and he asked whether it was legal that a bear should go about the town without a muzzle on, and the officer told him to go home and mind his own business, and because the officer did not answer, defendant began cursing. The defendant said the witness dare not tell the truth because he was afraid of losing the hall. Edward Williams, Lhtnrhydd street, called for the defendant, said the latter was in drink, and he was making a noise. Witness did not hear him swearing. Sergeant Woollam said that Jones had been 22 times convicted, and the last conviction was in March, 1896, when he was fined 3s. 6d., and 6s. Od costs. ¡ The Warden said Jones had been convicted 22 times already, and at that very moment I they diet not think he was quite sober. He would have to go to gaol for one month w»th hard labour. The defendant: Very wen, sir. Give me my hat, I will go with you anywhere. Quite a crowd stood for some time outside the court: to watch this prisoner taken to the gaol. A SUSPENDED SUMMONS. Mr. Edward Roberts said that a little time ago the justices sentenced a married woman named Jane Roberts to two months hard labour for sleeping out, and they suspended that com- mitment for so long as the woman remained at the workhouse. She remained in the union about two months and now she had come out, and gone to'live with her husband, 'Arthur Ro- berts. She was, he was told more or less re formed, and they seemed to be living happily together. His application was that, if it was possible, there should be a further suspension of the commitment, for so long as she conduc- ted herself well. The Warden said be was quite agreeable if it could be done. The Clerk, Mr. LI. Adams, said he thought I it could be done legally, and the necessary order was accordingly given. DRUNK IN CHARGE OF A HORSE. David Hughes, who had been summoned for an offence of this character, did not answerto his name, but it was explained that lie was in court last Monday, when the summons was pro- perly returnable, and the bench therefore deci- I ded to hear the case.1 Sergeant Woollam said he was standing at the end of Lon Fiawr, in Mwrog Street;/ ait 20 minutes past 12 o'clock in the evening of the second of March, when he heard a horse com- ing. He went to it and found it had a bridle upon it. It was a cart horse, which had been to the fair that day. He heard a man shouting and he took the horse up the road, and found the defendant who was very drunk. When he saw the horse he took possession of it, and wit- ness had great difficulty in keeping the man from under its feet. He got him back to Mwrog Street, and he would not go any fur- ther, so witness had to sound his whistle till he got assistance and the horse was put up at the Royal Oak. P.C. Bithell gave corroborative evidence. He said he heard the whistle, and went down tj the sergeant's assistance. The defendant was stated to be a farm bailiff at Gwyddelwern. He was lined 9s. and lis. costs, making £1 in all.

BOARD OF GUARDIANS. The fortnightly meeting of the above Board was held at the Workhouse, Ruthin, on Monday, Mr. Henry Williams presiding. The other members present were Messrs. Gomer Roberts (vice-chairman), John Jones, Edward Jones (Llanrbaiadr), E. R. Evans, J. Worthington, E. T. Jones, Owen Wil- liams, Rev. J. F. Reece, J. H. Simon, E. Powell Jones, John Roberts, T. P. Roberts, Rev. William Richards, John Jones (Llanar- mon), T H. Roberts, John Williams, Robert Jones, J. O. Williams, Mrs. Lumley and Mrs. Edward Roberts, with the clerk (Mr. R. H. Roberts). GIRLS FOR SERVICE. Several applications were received for girls from the House to go to service, but the Master informed the Board that he had only two girls at present available for service. The girls were called before the Board. and after some discussion, they were al- lowed to go to Pistyll Gwyn, Ruthin, and Gelli, Llandyrnog. THE FREAK OF A LLANDYRNOG MAN. The Clerk said that at the last meeting of the Board, Mr. T. H. Roberts mentioned the case of Jane Lloyd, deceased, of Llandyrnog. Mr. Roberts had stated that deceased's son, Win. Lloyd, Glanrafon, had received a'sum exceeding XCO on a policy of Insurance, and that the Board should compel him to pay out of this sum the amount received by his mother illl respect of out relief. He (the clerk) had made inquiries into the matter, and found that according to an official letter from the secretary of the Prudential Assu- rance Company to the local agent, William Lloyd had only received a sum of £ 5 lis. in respect of the Insurance policy. He now understood that Win. Lloyd simply put the figure 6 before the £5 in the document, making it C65, and then shewed it and bragged about in the public houses (laugh- ter). Mr. T. H. Roberts said he had brought the subject before the Board as a matter of duty,but Lloyd had expressed his contrition, and he did not wish to deal harshly with him. Lloyd was a pretty good scholar, and had used bis scholarship to a wrong purpose (laughter), Mr. Gomer Roberts They must have been very dull about Llandyrnog. I find that the figure 5 was in ink, whilst the 6 had been written with a blue pencil (laughter). Mr. T. H. Roberts sa,id that W Lloyd had been most kind to his mother, and had looked after her very carefully. THE RATE COLLECTORSHIP. The Clerk said that on the 18th inst., he received a telegram from the Local Govern- ment Board to the following e-,Teet:- Board will IS;WJ collector's order, but cannot promise it by 29th inst. Letter fol- lows.' The Cie: k read the better which was as foI" March \§th, 1897. Sir.—I am directed by the Local Govern- ment Bor.rd to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of the 15th inst., with e c to the application of the Guardian ■ n. he Ruthin1 Union for an order authorising tmm to appoint a collector of poor rates f'or the 13 parishes now forming the Llanrhandr District, and to inform you that the Board telegraphed to you to-day as follows (tale gram epeated). The Board stated that the late assistant overseer received a salary of d:1O,5 per annum,, his duties including the collection of the poor rates, and that it is now proposed to assign a salary of £ 80 per annum to the office of collector of poor rates. I am to remind the Guardians that, as stated in the Board's last letter, it will not be com- petent to the Guardians to include in the salary assigned to the office of collector the remuneration for the performance of the ,I' duties of the office of the assisant overseer. I am at the same time to inquire on what basis it is suggested that the salary of £80 per annum should be charged to each parish in the District. The Board may point out that it is their usual practice to apportion a collector's salary on the basis of the num- ber of the separate assessments. The Board direct me to add that no appointment should be made until a copy of the order has been received by the Guardians. I am, Sir, Your obedient servant, W. E. KNOLLYS, A ssistant Secretary. The Clerk said that as a result of the last paragraph of the above letter, he could not IOW advertise, as A copy of the order had not yet arrived. But he should like to have the Board's instruction to issue the adver- tisement as soon as the order would be re- ceived. Mr. T. P. Roberts I think the clerk should be allowed to advertise as soon as he receives the order, so that the appointment ca,n be made a month to-day. The Clerk: I hope the appointment will bs made''as soon as possible. The forth- coming rate is a most important and difficult one on account of theAgricultural Rates Act. Mr. T. H. Roberts: Could we not ask Mr. Fox to reconsider the matter, and consent to act until the new appointment is made ? The Clerk I hope this will not be done, Mr. Fox certainly will not agreelto go on any further. Mr. T. P. Roberts: Of course the adver- tisement should appear as early as possible, after the receipt of the order, and it could also be stated that the appointment would be made in a month or sooner Mr Reece It would not be safe to adver- tise before the receipt of the order. I find from the letter that the Local Government Board do not quite agree with the salary we offer. The Clerk: Not quite that, sir. They merely state in the letter that tney observe the salary is to be £80.' As to the adver- tisement, I think, if the order is received by next Thursday you should authorise me t@ advertise in this week's papers. In reply to Mr. John Roberts, the clerk enumerated the conditions of the appoint- ment, which he proposed to specify in the advertisement. Mr. T H. Roberts thought the Board should ba very careful about the terms of the advertisement, but they were. now lea- ving the whole matter to the clerk. It was suggested that the clerk should publish an advertisement the moment he received the order from the Local Government Board, but fee (Mr. {Roberts) thought -thb Board should have an outline of the advertisement prepared, and thoroughly considered. They should also consider what proportion each parish had to contribute towards the salary of the collector. He would therefore pro- pose that the matter be adjourned until the next meeting, so that nothing might be done in a hurry. The Chairman said that all details in con- nection with the appointment had already been agreed upon. Nothing remained but to give the clerk instructions with regard to advertising. Mr. T. H. Roberts said that notwithstan- ding the Chairman's remarks, he would ad- here to his motion. The Board should have an opportunity of considering the terms of the advertisement, so that nothing might be done which would mislead the country. The Clerk said that delaying the appoint- ment was much more likely to mislead the country. The new officer had to make out the assessment list, which in fact, ought to have been done by now. Mr. T. H. Roberts Perhaps Mr. Fox will consent to do this. The Clerk Mr. Fox will certainly decline, sir. He cannot do it. Mr. E. Powell Jones I propose we go on as suggested by the clerk. Mr. Owen Williams was of opinion that the appointment should have been made a month ago, and to delay it longer than was really necessary would be a very serious course to persue. The Local Government Board was a sufficient brake upon them without the Guardians themselves causing delay. Personally, he was perfectly satisfied with the outlines of the advertisement already enumerated by the clerk. It was quite unnecessary to state what proportion of the salary fach parish would have to pay, and it was equally immaterial for the can didates to know whether the X80 salary was to be calculated on the rateable value, or the number of persons ansessible in each parish, although the clerk had already told them that the work of the collector would be determined according to the number of persons assessible in the different parishes. Mr. T. H. Roberts said he would with- draw his motion if the clerk would write out the advertisement there and then, so that the Board might consider it. Mr. Reece: Whatever the advertisement contains, I should think it should stipulate that the person elected shall live within the Union. I propose that this be made one of the conditions. The Clerk said he had been clerk to the Board for 24 years and he was surprised they had not sufficient confidence in him yet to entrust him with the drawing out of a paltry advertisement. Mr. T. H. Roberts said he had every con- fidence in the clerk, but should like to see the terms of the advertisement all the same. However, he would withdraw his motion. Mr. Reece again proposed that the person appointed as collector should reside in some convenient place within the Union. The Clerk: You should understand that the Union does not pay this officer's salary. It is paid by the parishes within the district of Llanrhaiadr. Mr. Owen Williams proposed as an amend- ment that whoever is appoi ted to the office, I shall reside wherever he likes, provided it will be a convenient placc» for the rate payers. Mr. John Jones seconded. On being put to the vote, 9 voted for the amendment, a,ml11 for the resolution, which I' was declared carried. The Clerk then wished to know whether the new officer should provide an office in Denbigh and Ruthin for the convenience of ratepayers. Mr. Fox attended Ruthin on market and fair days at the house of Mrs. Gilbert, and 'some instructions should be given him on this matter before the appoint- ment of Mr. Fox's successor. If an office was to be provided, the question arose of who was to pay rent for it—the Board or the officer himself 1 Mr. Gomer Roberts Did we pay the rent of the Ruthin office held by Mr. Fox ? I The Chairman No. Mr. Gomer Roberts said that he did not think the Board should be asked to provide these offices. Moreover, no such office should I be taken in a. public bouse. He did not know whether Mr. Fox paid anything to Mrs. Gilbert for the usejof the room he held there but he knew this, that many who went there to pay their rates, felt they were under some sort of obligation to take a drink in the house. Of course, he did not mean to say that Mrs. Gilbert expected people who attended her house for the purpose of pay- ing rates, to spend anything on drink there, but it was a, fact that people did so as a kind of obligation. Therefore, if an office was allowed to the rate collector, it should not be in a public house. He would propose that the Board should not deal with this matter in any way whatsoever. The only thing they had to do was to appoint a rate I collector, and to see that he landed over to them the money he received. It was his business to provide an office if he found it necessary to do so. The Clerk pointed out that according to the previous resolution, the man appointed might live in Nantglyn, Llandyrnog, or any I other out of the wa.y place within the Union. Unless some provision was made with a view of compelling the officer to have an office in Denbigh and Ruthin, the rate I payers would be obliged to go all the way to the officer' place of abode to pay their rates. That would be a source of great in- convenience. When Mr. Fox was appointed it was not understood that he should pro- I vide an office, although he did so for the convenience of the ratepayers. Mr. Gomer Roberts In my opinion it is not necessary for him to keep an office at all. Mr. T. H. Roberts said that the officer should by all raeansibe provided with an office I or some convenient place in Denbigh and Ruthin to receive the rates, but that he or some convenient place in Denbigh, and Ruthin to receive the rates, but that he should not be allowed to utilize a public house for the purpose. It would be a mat- ter of great convenience to the ratepayers and collector if such an office was provided. The collector was bound to make one per- sonal call for the rate, but was not obliged to call a second time. -Farmers could not sonal call for the rate, but was not obliged to call a second time. -Farmers could not always meet the demand for the rate, and I in that case, it was understood between them and the collector that they should meet again at Denbigh or Ruthin on a market or fair day. It was simply a matter of con- venience. I Mr. Gomer Roberts contended it was a matter certainly for the officer himself. He was bound to collect the rate, and if he found that offices in the towns of Denbigh ¡ and Ruthin would be a convenience to him, let him provide them. The Clerk said that it would be the officer's duty to call once and only once for the rate. He would present his demand note and receive the money, If the rate- I payer could not pay there and then, the collector wals not obliged to make another call, and could summon the ratepayer unless he paid him. Mr. Gomer ^Roberts sa^d he understood all this, but contended thajt .to supply the col- lector with an office would be only an excuse for him not to call at all for the rate. As a matter of fact/the previous rate collector for his district did not call at his house for 10 years, and the collector simply took an office in order to do away with the necessity of making a personal call. Mr. Owen Williams: Suppose the new rate collector lives in Bryn Eglwys or any other outlandish portion of the Union, do yeu think that the ratepayers, if they fail to pay their rates en demand, should go there on purpose ? There is no sense in it. If a convenient place was fixed us an office in Denbigh and Ruthin, then ra.te- payers from a distance could go there on market and fair days, and pay their rates without the least trouble or inconvenience. He would willingly vote in favour of gran- ting £2 or £3 for this purpose, if necessary. Mr. Reece supported Mr. Gomer Roberts contention. Mr. Owen Williams had already suggested an expenditure of £ 2 or £3 on an office, and if this were agreed upon, they would find that such an amount would soon be inadequate, and would have to be increased to £ 5 or £6. Mr. E. Powell Jones was in favour of leaving the collector to please himself in this matter. As for the room held at Ruthin by Mr. Fox, he could say that Mrs. Gilbert never received, nor expected to receive any- thing for the use of the room. Mr. John Williams (Llanrhaiadr) was of opinion that a small office should be provi- ded, and this should be distinctly under- stood by the officer elected. It need not be an office in the ordinary sense of the word, but simply a convenient place where the officer could attend on market and fair days. Of course, it should not be in a public house. He begged to move a resolution to this effect. Mr. Owen Williams said he would insist upon the necessity of providing some such place, but that the Board, if it thought fit. need not pay rent for it. "1." Mr. T. P. Roberts said that the salary nati already been reduced to £80, and if a sum ¡. r £5 were allowed the officer for rent, it wouia not be much. Mr. Richards said that the collector was bound to pay one personal call at the resi- dence of the ratepayer. Having done that all ratepayers who failed to meet ins de- mands, were bound to call with him when able to do so. An office in Ruthin and Denbigh would therefore be simply a con- venience to this class of people, and not to the collector himself. After further discussion, the motion of Mr. John Williams was agreed to. Mr. Gomer Roberts: The next thing we shall hear of WJIl be an application for in crease of salary on account sf this resolu- tion. THE SUPERANNUATION FUND. The Clerk read a letter from the nurse in which she stated her objection to pay 32s. per annum towards the superannuation fund, giving as her reasons that she did not understand at the time of her appointment that she would be compelled to pay the amount, and that she was not likely to serve the 40 years necessary to entitle her to a pension. Mr. Reece said this was a very hard case. The nurse had. been appointed only a short time after the Superannuation Act came into force, and did not know that she would have to pay the money out of her £ 20 salary. He would propose that she be allowed the 32s. Mr. T. P- Roberts expressed his willing- ness to second the motion, if it was in order. The Clerk: I think you better give notice of it, sir. Mr. Reece Why not settle it to-day ? The Clerk Strictly speaking, it would be an increase of salary, and you cannot do that without notice. It was understood that the matter will come on at the next meeting. THE PORTER AND HIS HENS. After some discussion, it was decided by 11 to 10 to allow the porter to erect a hen- pen in his garden. THE AGRICULTURAL RATES' ACT, The Clerk read a letter from the Local Government Boa-d accompanied by a certi- ficate under the provisions of the bove Act. The Bnard certified that the amount of the share of the annual grant payable out of the Local Taxation Account under the Act to the Guardians of Pi,u, b, r, Union is £ 946 Is. 4d which sum was applicable as follows:—To Common Fund expenditure and expenses charged to all parishes in the Union, £930 2s. 6d; to School Attendance Committee expenses, E15 18s. lOd. The Clerk said that the amount which would be received in respect of the next half year was X465 Is. 3d., and this would have to be given credit for in the estimates. A HOME UNFIT FOR CHILDREN. A month ago it was decided to allow the three children of Arthur Roberts, hawker, Ruthin, to leave the house when their parents provided a home for them. The Clerk now stated that Arthur Roberts had established a home, but that the me- dical officer, Dr. W. D. Jones could not sane tion the house as fit to admit the children. It was decided to notify the parents of tho medical officer's report.

THE NATIONAL EISTEDDVOD GORSEDD DEGREES. The members of the Executive Committee ot the Gorsedd of the Bards of the Isle of 'Britain ¡ have just completed the arrangements for the Gorsedd examination of candidates for Eistedd- vodic degrees in connection with this year's National Eisteddvod, to be held at Newport. A list of the subjects chosen have already been published. The examiners selected %re: --Forthe degree of bard, the Rev. j. O. Williams (Pedrogh Mr. D. W. Jones (Dafydd Morganwg) and Mr. R. Davies (Tafo!og). For the decree of ovate, the Revs. H. E. Lewis (Elfed), E. Rees (Dyfed), and J. C. Williams (Ceutanydd). For the Druid degree, candidates muse pass the bardic or ovate examination. For the musical decrees of cerdd-ofydd (music ovate), cerddor (musican), and peneerdd (chief musician), the examiners are J. T. Rees and Mr. W. J. Williams (Gwilym Alaw). The examinations will be held next month at various centres throughout the Prin- cipality, and in Liverpool, Manchester, Bir- mingham, and London. The degrees will be conferred upon the successful candidates at the meeting? of the Gorsedd to be held at Newport in connection with this year's Eisteddvod. At t.he annual meeting of the Gorsedd at Newport, the R.ev. W. H Williams (Watcyn Wyn) has been appointed to read a paper. It is an open secrel. that practical steps will be taken at this year's annual joint meeting of the Gorsedd and National Eisteddvod to secure a Royal Charter of in co rporation. Itisunderstood that Sir J. H. Puieston is willing to present the application for a charter. The feeling among several of the more influentud members of the Gorsedd i, that before an applic-ption for a Royal Charter is made, a commission to inquire into the case for a charter should be appoin- ted. The following bards have been appointed to revise the poetry and prose subjects chosen bv the Festiniog National Eisteddvod Committee before they are published :—The Archdruid (Hwfa Mon) Dyfed, Watcyn Wyn, Gwynedd. C&dvan, Dewi MOa, Berw, and Eifionydd.

Her es, darling; and it shall be the pur- pose of my life to surround you with every comfort and to anticipate and gratify votrr every wish.' She How good of you, Harry. And all Q:1 Ss. a week, too