The Rhondda Leader

t B Ibappp IRew ear t to all our IRea&ers. -L,¡-t-4 DEATH meets us everywhere. Mabon What man is he that liveth, in and shall not see death?" The Sorrow, family of our much esteemed and genial Mabon is sitting in the darkness and shadow of death. A son of the home has been taken away from them, and the people of the Rhonddas to-day behold the one amongst them who has so oft and genuinely sympathised with them in such like afflictions and sorrow, himself sorrowful. Sympathy is inadequately expressed in words, still, we desire with all the tender language at our command to convey to the Honourable Member and his mourning family our deep sorrow at the news which has come to us, that Mr. T. Abraham has been taken away from amongst us. He was a dutiful son, and one blessed with the most filial loyalty to his distinguished father. Death has no respect for station in life-it is the great leveller, the visitor which no home can keep away. We have no need to soothe our genial Mabon with words of solace from the best and most inspired of Books. He has lived its precepts, and has richly exemplified its exhortations in his public life. The Rhondda homes know that to take away from one a son in the full attainment of manhood is a blow which quivers to the depths the domestic hearth. When death comes to the home, and demands its hostage from among the youth and hopefulness of the family, the visitation is heavy and difficult to sustain. We trust this hour of grief will show Mabon and all that are dear to him in home life at Pentre, how deep in its affection is the appreciation of the people for the noble work of his struggling public life. The dead make 119 the living dearer. DR. THOMAS, of Ystrad, is re- Porth ported to have said at the last Governor meeting of the Porth County 11 speaks School Governors, when con- rashly. sidering their interview with Mr. Owen Owen, Chief Inspec- tor of the Welsh Intermediate System, that "he had every respect for Mr. Owen (the Chief Inspector), but he was only human, and it was not human not to be biased in favour of the ones who employed him. When he knew he had two employers in that district he was bound to be biased in their favour." We trust that Dr. Thomas will allow us to canvass the statement, and we shall, in doing it, bear in mind the precept- Be calm in arguing, for fierceness makes Error a fault, and truth discourtesy." Now, our opponent imputes to a gentleman of p t, high official prominence and probity, while performing an official duty, an unworthy spirit in the approach and discharge of that duty. This is a grave charge, and tantamount to unfitness for the doing of his official mission. All those who know Mr Owen Owen, and know his enthusiasm in the cause of Welsh Education, will not hesitate in saying that the accusation is most unjust and undeserved. Mr. Owen is the official of the Central Board —a representative body little short of one hundred in number—and to say, that because two of them live in the Rhondda and were publicly known to be in disagreement with the action of the Governors, he was, therefore, bound to be biased. The sharpest reproof would be contempt for such an insinuation, and we feel confident when Mr Thomas calmly reflects the utterance he will himself feel self- condemned. BUT the extraordinary outcome Human, of his "biased doctrine is that then it cuts at the conduct of every Biased, public official. Dr. Herbert Jones, for instance, cannot give, by this same logic, unbiased advice to the District Council on any matter which happens to clash with the individual interest of the Councillors, because he is human, and in the presence of his employers. It will not be un- fair to illustrate the argument in its applica- tion to Dr. Thomas. He also has employers, we presume, whether they be the Gelli work- men or the Gelli Colliery Company it does not matter. As a District Councillor he under- takes to serve the public. Should the service of the public work likely injury to his em. ployers, by the logic of this new doctrine Dr. Thomas would be incapacitated from giving an honest vote, because in the presence of his employers he, being human, would be biased. We know Dr. Thomas will at once reject this personal conclusion; still, he cannot shuffle off the consistency of it. If one man of recog- nised character and standing, because he is human, cannot avoid being biased, every man, because of his humanity, therefore, is beyond the reach of all possibility of honest public conduct. We would ask the Doctor to review the history of political contests in his own native county—Merionethshire. He well knows that there the landlords were strong Tories, the influence of Sir Watkin's prestige as an employer being immense, and yet Merionethshire farmers, with all their human instincts, must have given an unbiased opinion when rejecting the employer and electing the late Mr. Tom Ellis. Really, we cannot accept the rash statement made by Dr. Thomas as his calm, deliberate opinion. THE world may have sunk Mammon's low in matters of sturdy Sway. loyalty to truth and prin- ciple. Mammon's sway may be strongly imperious, yet we think there are still many who have not, and do not, intend to bow the knee to the Baal of expediency. That Dr. Thomas was cruelly unjust to Mr Owen Owen, whose sole object in that visit was peace, and if the Chief In- spector's official argument and knowledge was severe upon certain actions taken, it was honesty, and not bias, which was the motive. The ideathatthepresenceof twomembersof the Central Board influenced his judicial conduct would be laughable but for the serious reflec- tion it leaves of insincere official discharge of a trust. We honestly hope that Dr. Thomas will recall his earlier traditions of public ethics, and if he will accept advice from us, who can appreciate much that is admirable in him, he should think more and talk less. There is no wisdom like silence. The fact that man has two ears and two eyes, and only one tongue indicates that he should use the first pair of organs well before setting the last one in motion. WE are so apt to hear the Worse Rhonddas described in very than dark colours, it is refreshing Rhondda. to come across something that proves that it is infinitely better than some places we hear of. The Christian Bridget, some time since, described Dcnaby Main in South Yorkshire as the "worst village in England." It is a mining village, and the following description of this village is, most certainly, not applicable to any village in the mining localities of the Rhondda Fawr or Rhondda Fach. We read The regular method of living in Denaby is to pay debts on Saturday and get tilings out of pawn, spend all the remainder of the wages on Saturday night and Sunday, and start pawning on Monday morning again. On Saturday afternoon and even- ing, in particular, the place is like a pan- demonium. When the men get their wages, many of them start playing pitch- and-toss with it. I know one case where the man lost all his money in this way- several pounds—before he could even reach the public-house. Then he drew out his watch. "Come on," lie cried, "I bean't done yet. Who'll toss me thii ty bob on this ? But it is not the men only. Half the women in the place are, we are assured, fierce and persistent gamblers, and towards the end of the week, in order to provide funds for the mania, some of the houses are stripped of everything on which money can be raised. THE public-house of course, it The need hardly be said, always plays Public- a very important part in the house, social history of this village. In the Rhonddas we have no parallel, for at Denaby the Colliery Company has provided the "pub" which is said to be full continually, while on Saturdays and Sun- days, in particular, the scenes that go on around it are revolting in their grotesque horror. AN Irishman who lived in the What locality, and who was taken to Paddy the police station, seemed to thought, have hit it off in matter of description very neatly. He said :— This is a funny place. First we go to the office to get the money, then the Company gives us a place where >ye can pay the money back to it, and then, when the money's gone, it provides you to take care of us. Then, with this kind of topsy-turveydom, we are not surprised to find that the children are in a grossly neglected condition, physically, morally and mentally. However much we feel it our duty to criticise the silly doings of some of our depraved characters, the villages in the main are strong and firmly inclined to most exemplary ways. The life of the people of Wales has been helped prodigiously in the past to better ways by its great love for the pulpit, its love of song, and its eisteddfodau. Though we are not what we could wish, when we read of this English village, we have much to make us thankful. WHEN so much consternation is Losses being caused by the big casualty in war. lists coming from South Africa, it is consoling to glance at the figures of former wars and to perceive that we are not suffering anything like the loss that our forefathers did. At Waterloo the allied forces lost 31 per cent., or n arly one man in three, of the forces engaged, and the French lost 36 per cent. At Blenheim, one of the bloodiest battles ever fought, the British and their allies lost 5,000 killed and 8,000 wounded out of a total force of 56,000 men while the Gallo-Bavarians lost 12,000 killed and 14,000 wounded, out of a force of 60,000 men. This latter works out at the terrible proportion of 43 in 100. At the battle of Borodino 15,000 Russians were killed out of a total of 125,000 men. This meant a mortality of 12 percent., and if General Methuen had lost in the same proportion at Magersfontein he would have left 1,200 dead on the field. The French had 9,000 out of 120,000 killed in the same battle, while the wounded were Russians, 35,000 French, 13,000. DURING the Franco-Prussian At the war the French lost 24 per Franco 1,000, and the Germans 9 per Prussian 1,000, at Sedan the number war. of slain Germans being 1,640 and of French 3,000, while 6,480 Germans and 14,000 French were wounded. At Spicheren the Germans had 29 per 1,000 killed and 127 wounded, while the French had only 16 per 1,000 killed and 83 wounded. At Gravelotte, where the Germans were two to one, the French had only 1,144 men killed and 6,700 wounded, while the Germans killed amounted to 4,450, and their wounded to 15,200. The victors lost at Waterloo one quarter of their men Borodino one-third Talavera, one-eighth Marengo, one-quarter; Inkerman, one-third Magenta, one-eleventh; Solferino, one-eleventh Koniggratz, one-twenty-third. -)t- By lost in the above list is Other meant killed, wounded, and Battles. missing, while the percentage is given of the whole force in the field, whether fighting or not. At Austerlitz the losses were French 140 per 1,000; Russians, 300 per 1,000; Austrians, 440 per 1,000. At Wagram the losses were French, 130 per 1000; Austrians, 140 per 1,000. At Magenta the losses were: French, 70 per 1,000; Austrians, 80 per 1,000. One of the most remarkable things about casualties in war is, by the way, the pretty uniform proportion, by the killed to the wounded. In the Franco-German battles it was generally 1 to 4. Sometimes the wounded fell to 3 to 1, and sometimes they rose as high as 7 to 1. But 4 to 1 was about the average, and that is about what is in South Africa at present.

Miners' Federation. Meeting at Tylorstown. An excellent meeting was held under the auspices of No. 7 and 11 branches of the South Wales Federation. Amongst many important resolutions that were passed, one has a direct bearing upon the Rhondda Fach section. It is in effect, that there should be a general understanding between the collieries here when called upon to elect representatives on the Central Execu- tive Council. It is most unfair that all the representatives should reside in the same valley, and the Rhondda Fawr mem- bers will coincide with this. It is a great advantage to a locality to have a member of the C.E.C. to reside there, as he can keep that particular locality well informed of various subjects which come within his province. As they are called upon now to nominate members, the district, as a whole, ought to consider this, and try to divide the representation geographically and pro- portionately.

Tonypandy Street Im- provements. X—• Further Contribution from Lord Dunraven. —x— We are pleased to learn that the visit of Alderman Richard Lewis, J.P., Rev J. I). James and Councillor 11. S. Griffiths to Lord Dunraven a few weeks ago has borne fruit. It will be remembered that on that occasion the deputation waited upon his lordship to solicit financial support in carrying out improve- ments in Eleanor-street, Kenry-street and other adjoining streets in Tonypandy. The Earl was then asked to increase his previous offer of £ 1,500 to £ 2,650, which sum it is es- timated will be spent in road construction,but he gave no definite reply to the request of the deputation. Last week, however, Mr Randall promised on behalf of Lord Dunraven to in- crease his contribution towards road construc- tion to £ 2,000. The deputation and inhabitants generally feel deeply grateful for this amount, but hopes are entertained that when his lord- ship will have seen the vast improvements which will have been effected in those streets, the remaining £ 650 originally asked for will be forthcoming.

Fatality at Pontygwaith. On Wednesday evening the son of Mr John Davies of 34, Margaret Street, Pontygwaith, met with a very sad death. His mother was preparing for the return of her husband from work, and had a boiler of water for her husband to bath, which she left on the kitchen fender. She then went to the stairs to call the work- man to prepare for work, when the boy, only four years of age, fell on his back into the scalding water. He died in a few hours in great agony. The parents are highly respect- ed, and have resided at Pontygwaith for the past 18 years.

Bazaar at Toq-Pentre The annual bazaar in connection with Hope English Baptist Church, Ton-Pentre, was held at the Ton Scl ools on Christmas day, when Miss Jones (Messrs Jones and Son, con- fectioners), Pentre, opened the proceedings. Mr Richard Hurn, the president of the pro- ceedings, in introducing Miss Jones to the large assembly, said it gave him pleasure on behalf of the church to call upon Miss Jones, and referred to the charitable work the family had always done towards the Baptist churches. In declaring the bazaar open, Miss Jones said, I feel that the work we are engaged in cannot be excelled it is the work of God, and work for God and His cause is the noblest and best we can possibly be employed in. Our work to-day is for the purpose of building a church. All feel the urgent need of it to accomodate the crowds of people and children who conic here to worship. I pray that we all shall be united in aim and purpose. May all the enmity and strife this day be, who shall be most pleasant, and do most work. On the motion of Mr W. J. Hughes, seconded by Mr A. Cule, the thanks of the church were accorded to Miss Jones for her services. The stall-holders were :—Fancy Stall—Mrs James Williams, Miss C. Hnghes, Miss M. A. Lloyd, Mrs Shepherd, Mrs Jarman, Mrs J, Davies, Mr J. Jarman. Refreshiiients-Mrs Hnrn, Mrs H. Thomas, Mrs Jos. Thomas, Mr. and Mrs F. Gill, Mr James Winstone, Mr and Mrs Brewer, Mrs Lewis, Mr Phelps. Sweet Stall—Miss May Cule, Miss Beatrice Thomas, aud Miss Mary Ann Thomas. The Toy Stall as usual was under the management of the "Cule Family," who provided a variety of toys wlrcli met with the admiration of the young folks who crowded around, and cleared the stall. Mr Aneurin Cule, who for years has supplied toy stalls free of charge, deserves the highest praise for getting such useful articles, and worthily he merits the title con- ferred upon him, Father Christmas." Electropathy Stall—Mr. Thomas Blake. The side shows were ingeniously got up, and reflect the highest credit upon Mesers Jarman and Thomas, conductors, and Messrs Wins- tone and Murphy. This took the nature of a concert by the Youthful Alpine Choir," who performed "Little Folks at Play." At each performance the room was crowded, and each artist met with great applause. So successful was the performance, that a repetition was asked for, and it was decided to improve and add to it for Good Friday. The whole proceedings were a decided snccess, and everyone returned home feeling that they had spent a pleasant and happy day. The proceeds are towards the erection of a new English Baptist Chapel, the need of which is urgently felt in the neighbourhood.

Concerts at Trealaw. On the evening of Christmas Day a concert was held at Tabernacle chapel, when Mr. J. D. Williams, Clydach Court took the chair. The chapel was well filled with people, amongst whom were seen Mr. & Mrs. Lloyd and family, (builder of chapel,) Mr. Richards, (Silver Teapot,) Mr Evan Watkins and others. An attractive programme had been arranged. Mr. Ivor Poster, Mr. Lodwig Evans, Madame Gwen Foster-Jones and Mr. Tom Matthews, contributing vocally to the success of the evening. Mr. I). J. Thomas, I'enarth, ably accompanied on the pianoforte. Miss Jennie Foulkes proved to be the centre of attraction on the programme, and her rendering of a Spanish Serenade took her audience by storm, and evoked for her enthusiastic encores. Mr. Ivor Foster is too well known amongst Rhonddaites to need any eulogistic remarks. Suffice is to say that lie fully sustained his reputation as a baritone of the first water. Madame Gwen Foster-Jones has not been heard to better effect in the valley, and her duet with Miss Jennie Foulkes kept the audience in roars of laughter. Mr. Tom Matthews' rendering of The young brigade" was very effective and was fully appreciated by the audience. Mr. Lodwig Evans has been heard to better advantage, but he rendered his songs with splendid effect. Undoubtedly Mr. Lodwig Evans, though still comparatively a young man, has a bright career before him, and can at once be stamped as a "coming tenor." His voice is exceedingly sweet, and well sustained. Mr. Evan Watkins gave a recitation of his own composition on the South African war. It was exceedingly pathetic, and was rendered with deep pathos, many of the audience being moved to tears as lie re- lated how that Now only mother and I are left." Undoubtedly the event of the evening was the last on the programme, namely a quartette "Good night, beloved" by Messrs. Ivor Foster, Lodwig Evans Mesdames Gwen Foster-Jones, and Jennie Foulkes. A most successful performance of the can- tata Moses in the Bulrushes was given on Thursday night last, at All Saints' Church. The sacred edifice, which had been prettily decorated for the occasion, was crowded and our Church friends at Trealaw are to be con- gratulated upon a singularly interesting and successful concert. In the absence of Mr. W. Morgan, who wired his inability to be present, the chair was taken by the Rev. Ellis Jones, Dinas. The Cantata was preceded by a short miscellaneous programme, in which the Trealaw String Band took part their two contributions-" I,a Revue" and" Le Trianon" —being excellently played. There is in this small party of stringed instrumentalists the nucleus of a good local Orchestra. Miss Nicholas sang "Dearie" and "Queen of the Earth," the latter song being by far her best effort. "Thou hast a heart" with 'Cello Obligato, a delightful ballad by Herman Perlel, was sung most brilliantly by Miss Edith Leek. It was only fitting that one item should be in keeping with the times, this was supplied by Mr. Tom Matthews, who rendered with fine effect, "Warrior bold." The miscellaneous part concluded with the "Old Minstrel," sung with considerable pathos by Mr J Harcombe. The cantata, Moses in the Bulrushes" was then proceeded with. The story, as will be gathered from the title, deals with a stirring and one of the most dramatic episodes in the early life of the founder of the Mosaic institution; and the music, to which the story is wedded, is at once striking and original Two or three of the numbers are elegantly tuneful—particularly the "Lullaby"—which was sung with much sweetness by Miss Alice Churchill, and the duet by Miss E Leek and Miss Madge Thorn ley. The choir which had been trained by the Rev J Lewis, curate in charge, sang with imposing verve and energy; the various choruses being rendered highly creditably, except just a little unsteadiness in one or two numbers. The dramatic chorale, Courage, 0 drooping heart," received a very fine interpretation on the whole, the choir acquitted themselves in a most praiseworthy manner. A pleasing feature in a really ex- cellent all round performance was, God who made the daisies" and "Little flowers at eventide." These two numbers for children's voices were sung with exquisite sweetness and precision—the bright and fresh voices of the little ones quite captivating the audience. The Rev. J. Lewis, the conductor, is to be congratulated upon the success of the perform- ance, and to add to his multifarious parochial duties that of choir trainer, gives eloquent testimony to his untiring energy and devotion to his work. The characters represented in the cantata were sustained by the following: Misses Edith Leek, Alice Churchill, Maggie Jones, Madge Thornley and Beatrice Meyers, all of whom acquitted themselves splendidly. The Rev. Ellis Jones, at the conclusion of the performance, said that lie was more than pleased by what he had heard that night. The performance had reflected the greatest credit upon Mr Lewis, and all who had taken part. A word of praise must be accorded Mr Stevens who acted as accompanist.

¡ Eisteddfod at Ferndale. At the Tudor Hall, Ferndale, on Christmas Day a very successful eisteddfod was held in connection with the Trerhondda Chapel. The president for the day was Ml D Fenwick, Tylorstown, whilst the conductor was the Rev. G. Penrith Thomas, Ferndale. The musical and literary adjudicators were:—Mr D Thomas, F.T.S.C., Bridgend, and Watcyn Wyn respectively, whose awards gave as usual entire satisfaction. Proff. T D Edwards, efficiently performed the duties of accompanist. The secretarial duties devolved upon Mr Ben Al illiams in whose able hands the success of the eisteddfod was assured. After an opening song was given by Mr W Lewis, Ferndale, the following awards were made Recitation for th se under 8 years of age, Mcddyliwch cyn siarad," Phoebe Howells. Alto Solo for those under 8 years of age, Nid wyf fi ond cludydd arfau, Sidney Cllas Evans. Describing a figure without being named, Howell Jones. Tenor Solo, Hen iaith fy mam," (T D Edwards,) (jomer H Jones, Ferndale. Two stanzas on Electricity," Creunantydd, Glyn Neath. Bass Solo for three, "Teyrnaaoedd y Ddaear," W Lewis and friends. Party of Children (two voices.) under 16 years of age, Federation conductor, D J Lewis. Baritone Solo, Uchelgais Cymru," Mr Dd Lewis. J Recitation for those under 10 years of age, Y Danchwa," Miss S A Griffiths, Ferndale. Tenor Solo, "Baner ein Gwlad," Mr W t Evans, Treorchy. Duett, Y Ddau Arwr," Messrs D Thomas and W Lewis. Elegy to the late James Griffiths, Tabernacle, Ferndale, Brynfab, Pontypridd. Recitations (adults,) "Carlo," Miss Jones, Penydarren. For the three best wits, Mr Howell Jones. Bass Solo, "Gwlad fy inglialori," Mr Ben Devonald, Treorchy. Male Voice Competition, "A way to the Forest Two parties competed, Trerhondda Male Voice (Tom Bowen) and Mardy, (J Michael.) The latter proved to be the winners. In the evening a grand concart was held under the presidency of Dr Parri-Jones. Dr ,Jones has only been in Ferndale a few months, but has already placed himself in touch with several public movements. As a chairman for the evening's concert he proved to be a capable and useful man. and well worthy of the high enconiums that were bestowed on him on his departure from the i Garw Valley to ferndale. The artistes for f the evening wereBass, Mr Ben Devonald, Treorchy; Tenor, Mr \V Evans. Treorky Contralto, Miss M A Matthews, Llanelly; Penilhon Singing, Eos Dar; Elocutionist, Miss Jones Violinist, Mr W Hodges-Davies, Aberdare; Accompanist, Prof. T D Edwards, Pontypridd. Each one of the artistes aie well-known to the musical fraternity, and î their names are a sufficient guarantee of a highly successful concert.

Board of Guardians. Appointment of Clerk. Mr Godfrey L. Clark, J.P., presided over the meeting of the Guardians on Wednes- day, when there was a large attendance of t- members present in anticipation of the ap- pointment of clerk to the Guardians and vaccination officer in succession to the late Mr E. C. Spickett. The appointment is worth £265 per annum. The applicants for the post of clerk were Mr W. Spickett, who had acted for some years as deputy I clerk with his faher Mr Saml. McClelland, I assistant clerk to the Chorlton Union, Man- chester, and deputy superintendent regis- trar Mr P. H. Newill, solicitor, Bishop's Castle, and deputy to his father as clerk of the Clun Union, and as registrar and high bailiff of the County Court. Mr Evan John, J.P., proposed the appointment of Mr Spickett, and Mr E. H. Davies, J.P., seconded. Mr James Richards, in support- ing, reminded the Guardians that the Board was formed 37 years ago to that day. Ystradyfodwg then formed part of the Mer- thyr Board, and one member, Alderman W. i Morgan, Tynewydd, was still a member of t this board—(hear, hear)—whilst the mem- f ber for Llantwit Vardre on the Cardiff I Board was the late Mr Jenkins, of Barwig. ? The election took place in the following I April, and he (Mr Richards) was elected, | and was glad to say that having sat on the t board since then, he was still well and hear- I ty. (Hear, hear). Alderman W. Morgan, f J.P., said he felt gratification in support- i ing the election of Mr Spickett as he did 37 j years ago in supporting the election of Mr I Spickett's father. (Applause). Neither of f the other applicants was proposed, and Mr Spickett was unanimously elected. For the appointment of vaccination officer for a portion of the old parish of Llanwono, and the parishes of Eglwysilan and Llan- fabon, two applications were received-Mr W. Spickett, and Mr Owen Thomas (clerk to Messrs Spickett and Sons), who stated that he only applied in the event of the Guardians debarring Mr W. Spickett from the appointment. On the motion of Mr E. H. Davies, J.P., seconded by Mr James Richards, Mr W. Spickett was unanimously elected. It was explained that th fees of the office amounted to about £ 100 a year. Mr Richard Morris protested against the appointment. Mr Spickett, as vaccination officer, would have to present a report, and then as clerk to the Guardians certify to its correctness. Mr D. Fenwick pointed out that the accounts were audited bv the Local Government Board auditor. Mr Morris then protested against the multi- plicity of offices, and putting so many upon the shoulders of one man..

THE Wain Court Cash Supply 216, COURT STREET, TONYPANDY (NEXT DOOR TO COURT HOTEL) CAN and DO supply only the Finest Qualities obtainable in ALES, WINES AND SPIRITS!! THEY DEFY COMPETITION And are now selling Crosswell's Celebrated Bottled AleB and Stouts at 7s. 6d. a Case of three dozen pint bottles. Showell's Celebrated Birmingham Ales, strong and mildy I at 4s. 6d., 5s., 5s. 3d., per 4 gls. 9s., 10s., 10s. 6d., 9 g!< Bound to give the Greatest Satisfaction for the Yule Tide Holidays. J. Dewar's Special, J. Walker's, Thomson's, & t Dunville's Whiskeys, at 3s. 6d. per bottle. Hennessey'^) & Martell's 3 Star Brandies, at 5s. 9d. per bottle. Any other Brands can be supplied if required at I Equally Low Prices. Terms—CASH. NOTE THE ADDRESS— NEXT DOOR TO THE COURT HOTEL, 216, Court Street, TONYPANDY. > Goods Delivered Daily to any part of the Neighbourhood I ol