Welsh Gazette and West Wales Advertiser

ABERYSTWYTH PUBLIC FOOTPATHS. WE have reasons for believing that the day is not far distant when the public of Aberystwyth will have to make a determined fight in order to maintain their rights over the ancient footpaths of their neighbourhood. The public footpaths around Aberystwyth are not only a great acquisition to the town as a watering place, but they are also an inestimable boon to the inhabitants. We hope that the public will boldly exercise their rights for the town can ill afford to lose a single attraction of this kind. During t) 9 the past few years we have witnessed a most extraordinary disregard of public rights and — J. T_L „ 1 1 -c which the forefathers of the present generation exercised indisputable rights, are being closed from year to year. The process of encroachment is a very gradual one. At first the paths are narrowed by degrees, then stiles are made more and more difficult; afterwards the stiles are re-placed by gates, and lastly the gates are locked. This method is as ingenious as it is sinister; for it allows the process of encroachment to go on without protest, by aiding the public to lose sight of their rights. We abstain from giving details; but we believe the matter to be urgent, and trust the local authorities will take it up without delay.

WELSH COUNTY COUNCILS. THE LORD-LIEUTENANT of CARNARVONSHIRE made a very pertinent speech at the meeting of the representatives of the Welsh County Councils at Shrewsbury on Friday. The keynote of Mr. GREAVES' speech was- decentralization. He supplied, we' believe, an easy and practical solution to the Home Rule All Round problem. The best way to secure Home Rule was to get a better division of labour between the County Councils and the Central Authority. A re-arrangement could be made with advantage to both. Congestion of business in the Government Departments, especially in that of the Local Government Board, is a great hindrance to the promotion and carrying out of important public works in the counties. By investing the County Councils with further and wider powers such delays would be avoided, and important and urgent works could be carried out better and with greater promptitude. The Conference, which met at Shrewsbury on Friday, was convened to discuss the ftd visableness of forming an Association of the Welsh County Councils. Such an organization could not fail to bring about a better understanding and a closer union between the different counties of Wales; and an interchange of ideas would result in better co-operation. A committee was appointed to draft the constitution of the Association, and to deal with the powers proposed to be transferred to the County Councils. Alderman C. M. WILLIAMS' suggestion that the Committee should consist of representatives from all the County Councils and County Boroughs of Wales and Monmouthshire, was unanimously adopted. We feel sure that all will agree with Alderman WILLIAMS that such a basis of representation will ensure a more general interest in the success of the Association. The aims and objects of the proposed new Association are worthy of every support, and we trust that its proposals will be brought to a speedy and successful issue.

TnTnT!!T= THE REPRESENTATION OF CARDIGANSHIRE. As announced in our London Letter last week, there is not the slightest foundation for the rumour that Mr. VAUGHAX DAVIES intends retiring from the representation of Cardiganshire. And why should he ? There was, we admit, a good deal of misunder- standing and discord in the Liberal Party over his selection but it is now acknow- ledged on all sides that Mr. VAU&HAN DA VIES' regular attendance, straightforward voting, and loyalty to the Party in the House, has fully justified his election. He is the most diligent member Cardiganshire has ever had, and we believe that the manner in which he has redeemed his promises, and performed his duties has not only given entire satisfaction to his constituents, but has reconciled his opponents, and united party factions. The Liberal Association will meet early in August, and we can assure our readers that Mr. VAUGHAN DAVIES will not fail to take that opportunity to meet the charge, and put the rumour at rest before all the representatives of the Party. Whatever the authors of these baseless rumours may have in view, we may be sure that it is not the good of the Liberal Party. If they have the success of the cause at f, -4y not take the whole P",I-ty frankly and fully into their confidence ? Rumours 1 of this kind, if not meant to do mischief, often lead to it. But we do not think that the rumoured discovery of a local Liberal candidate, and the statements that Mr. VANGHAK DAVIES would retire have been taken seriously at all in the county. A base coin cannot be expected to have a long or a valuable currency, and trade mark has much to do with the successful sale of goods in these days of adulteration.

RAILWAY SERVICE IMPROVEMENTS. THE Cambrian Railways Company are making every effort to improve their system and, to meet the increased requirements of their traffic, the line is now being doubled between Newtown and Moat Lane. Hitherto the congestion of traffic in that part has been very considerable, especially during the summer season. Trains for Aberystwyth have been seriously delayed owing to it being the regulation to give precedence to trains running in the opposite direction, in order to enable them to maintain a connec- tion with the London and North Western and the Great Western trains at Whitchurch and Welshpool. This is only natural, for the manager of a railway has to consider what is the best for the system as a whole, and not how best to please the public on any particular portion of it. Last summer, for instance, no less than three trains could often be seen waiting rat a small country station for an opportunity to proceed, and, as the regulations allow only one train to travel in the same direction between two neighbouring stations at the same time, the last of these trains would, not infrequently, have to wait nearly an hour for its signal to proceed. By next summer the Cam- brian Railways will be able to cope with with their traffic better than ever. Could not the improvements in the permanent way be supplemented by a few improvements in the rolling stock ? It may perhaps be too much of a good thing to ask Mr. DENNISS to try and'introduce a few dining cars; but we trust it will not be long before we see corridor coaches running between London and Aberystwyth. It will be good news to many to know that the Oreat Western Company are also making a bold bid for the London holiday traffic to the Welsh coast this season. The company have this month inaugurated a new service of fast travelling trains, which are already well patronized. One of these trains leaves Paddington at 9.30 in the morning and arrives at Barmouth at 3.55 and at Aberystwyth at 4.20 in the afternoon. The train is made up of good coaches, and travelling is said to be quite a luxury.

NOTES AND COMMENTS. Lost, stolen, or strayed—Women's Rights, Montgomery Boroughs Petition, and It is intended to hold a meeting on the land question at Lampeter, during next month, and to invite Mr. Lloyd George, M.P., and Mr. Llewelyn Williams to take 'part. The numerous friends and admirers of Principal Edwards, of Bala, will be glad to learn that his health has now improved so as to enable him to retain the Principalship of the College. The Southwark guardians decided the other day to prosecute nine sons who had permitted their aged mother to become chargeable to the rates. A gentleman present said it was clear the sons were not tailors, as the whole nine did not appear to make a man. The Welsh Industries Exhibition to be held at the University College of Wales, Aberystwyth, next September, promises to be a great success. Mrs. J. C. Harford, of Falcondale, and Irs. Gwynne Hughes, of Bryn Trefor, Llanwrtyd, take an active interest in the success of the exhibition, and give valuable assistance to the local committee. We may now hope that Welshmen will in future have as much fair play as foreigners when on their trial, and that judges of the High Court will follow the example of Mr. Justice Kennedy at the Carnarvon Assizes on Monday, and allow monoglot Welsh witnesses to give their evidence in the Welsh language. Mr. Justice Kennedy's action will be received with general satisfaction throughout Wales. In the debate on the Clerical Tithes Bill on Monday, Mr. Labouchere said the great argument for the bill appeared to be that the parson paid rates on his income. But did not the colliery owner or the quarry owner pny rates on his income ? Under the the bill poor Dissenting ministers, many of whom, in Wales at least, received only £60 or £70 a year, would have to contribute to the rates of clergymen, some of whom got < £ 1,000 or £2,000 a year. What a relief it would be to many a village school-master if the village parsons were to act upon the following advice of the Bishop of St. Asaph. "They did not wTant," says the Bishop, any wrangling about the appointment of their school-masters. He would ask his clergy net to mix the school- masters' functions up. His work was in school, and they should not insist upon his taking a class in the Sunday school as ja, matter of obligation, or upon his playing the organ in church. Out of school he was a parishioner, and should be treated with the freedom of an ordinary parishioner." The Countess of Warwick presided on Saturday over a conference on rural educa- tion, organised by the Midland District of the National Union of Teachers. She failed, she said, to see why the sons and daughters- of agricultural labourers should not have the- same educational advantages as the sons and. daughters of townsmen, but they were very far from being in that position at present. It was apparent to them all that the rural teachers were often underpaid,, that the- schools were understaffed, and that the- teachers were frequently required to discharge, duties entirely outside the work of the. teaching profession. Moreover,, education In. the village was often under the control of a single autocrat or of an inefficient board of management, who took no interest, in education, or who viewed educational progress with suspicion or even put obstacles. in its way. Dr. Macnamara was among the other speakers at the conference. A special report from the Select Committee of the House of Commons to which the Cottage Homes Bill was referred was issued on Saturday. The Committee recommend that it is desirable so to classify the inmates of workhouses that the aged and respectable poor shall not be forced to mix with those whose character or habits are bad or disagreeable; that in order to make room for proper classification all children, other than infants, be provided for outside and apart from the workhouse premises tliat it should be the duty of the County Councils to provide suitable accommodation in separate institutions for the proper treatment of all pauper imbeciles, and epileptics; that the aged and deserving poor, so far as it is possible, should receive adequate out-door relief, and that where they are in the workhouse they should constitute a special class and receive special treatment and privileges; and that guardians should provide special cottage homes within the unions, or other suitable accommodation, for married couples and respectable old persons whose poverty is not their own fault, but the result of misfortune. The reports issued by the majority and the minority, respectively, of the Licensing Commission exhibit divergences of opinion that are wide, and frequently, of course, hopelessly irreconcilable. Nevertheless* there is a very general agreement on a con- )n 17, siderable number of points. Both sections desire a considerable reduction of licensed houses, as to the extraordinary numbers of which, in some places, the Minority Report gives some startling particulars; compensa- tion is to be given for those which are eliminated, the funds being procured by taxing the survivors; Sunday closing is to be extended, though on this question the Commissioners are by no means unanimous, and the bonci-fide traveller," who travels to get a drink, discouraged as far as may be; drunkenness is to be punishable habitual drunkenness in husband or wife is to be re- garded, in matrimonial suits, as cruelty; and there are to be further provisions against the sale of drink to drunken persons and to 1- 1.J enrruren, These, with some minor points constitute the minimum of admittedly neces- sary legislation. But shall we get it before the Dissolution ? The Oldham Election took place on Thursday, and resulted in a great Liberal triumph. The Speaker says that the largest Liberal majority hitherto recorded since the franchise Act of 1885 was never tripled; and the Liberal vote was considerably higher than that given for any Liberal member since that date-even than Sir JohnHibberVs poll in 1885. As compared with the 1895 election, a mean Conservative majority of* 605 was converted into a mean Liberal majority of 1,410. These figures are impressive; but the significance of the victory is heightened by other cir- cumstances. Both the Tory carulrdates had declared their opposition to the Tithes Bill; and they had managed, in supporting Protestantism of Lancashire, to give con- siderable ofl'ence to the clergy of the Establishment. All facts are eloquent of the disintegration in the Unionist ranks. Hardly less striking is Mr. Whiteley's retention of his seat for Stockport at the request of the Tory party in the borough. (