The Montgomeryshire Express and Radnor Times

INTERESTING COU: ry QUESTIONS. Quite a number of inordinarily interest- ing subjects engaged the County Education Authority at its meeting on Tuesday. First came a detailed statement of the financial position, in which the Chairman effectively disposed of the erroneous assertion recently made by Mr Forrester Addie that loans to the amount of £ 25,000 had been contracted since the Authority, five years ago, assumed the responsible direction of educational ad- ministration. That assertion was ostensibly conceived of the desire to discredit the Pro- gressive majority on the score of extrava- gance. The ratepayers were invited to be- lieve that mainly to the order of Noncon- formist aggression they were paying not less than F-1,000 annually as interest on borrowed money. The statement is not only untrue--it reflects upon the knowledge of its author. As the Chairman explained, the money borrowed by the Education Authority since 1903 amounts to only E7,126, and that the total liability of £ 24,353 7s lid includes the sum of £ 20,886 loaned to the old School Boards, mainly for the erection of school buildings. Readers must refer to the fig- ures given in order to realise how unwar- rantable was Mr Addie's statement. While we do not attach much importance to com- parisons of expenditure with other counties, because of differing circumstances and con- ditions, it is, at least, assuring to learn that the education rate in Montgomeryshire is very much less than that which obtains in Merioneth, Brecon, Carmarthen, and Den- bigh; that owing to assistance from the McKenna grant, we have been able to erect new schools cheaper than these other counties, and also that our loans in respect of such are substantially smaller. How this absurd charge was made transpired in a frank admission of error on the part of Captain Mytton. As chairman of the County Council, which is responsible for finance, the Captain inquired at the Clerk's office as to the amount of loans effected for educational purposes, and was given the total of £ 25,000, including, of course, the transferred liabilities of the old school boards. This information he communicated to Mr Addie, who, in turn, hurled the harm- less bomb at the majority. Most people will be inclined to wonder how the Chair- man of the County Council, who admits his primary responsibility" in matters of finance, and Mr Addie, whose keen critic- isms suggest a close study of educational affairs, should have blundered so ridicu- lously. Surely, a moment's reflection would have sufficed to dismiss the absurd idea that £ 25,000 had been borrowed in five years. Perhaps, political motives ran riot with their sober calculations. The Chair- man's reply to the charge was complete and unanswerable, and we liked' the restrained language in which it was made. The Education Authority has been guilty of neither reckless nor extravagant expendi- ture, though certain unsystematic ways may have accounted for extras" that justified criticism. No doubt, as the Chairman avers, the county is getting value for those extras, but Mr Wilson-Jones and Mr Richard Lloyd did well to emphasise the importance of in- suring against the cost of work greatly ex- ceeding the contract price. It is said that when school inspectors order the execution of certain additional works, the local author- ity must comply. Surely, if plans of new schools are submitted to and approved by the Board of Education, neither H.M. In- spectors nor any others should be permitted to tap the rates according to their whims. Extras to the amount of P-150 upon a con- tract of E500 certainly called for comment and inquiry, and we take it that the dis- cussion which they created will effectually tighten up executive weakness. In regard to the system of rewarding schools and scholars for average attend- ances, we were glad to hear a candid and expert condemnation of it by the Head Master of Machynlleth Council School. Against that system of bribing" children to attend regularly, Mr Powell strongly pro- tests on moral grounds. We have as strong- ly inveighed against it as a wrong principle. Attendance at school is compulsory; no child must be kept from school unless for satisfactory reasons; the ratepayers pay officers to see that every child of prescribed age is in attendance, and they should not 1- '1 ut: required to Dear any additional expense in the form of persuasive inducements. The principle is unquestionably bad; it is worse than that-it is a confession of weakness. Quite another matter is the special recog- nition of unbroken attendances over a long period of years. That is a well won honour for both pupils and parents, and one to which there attaches a special value and sig- nificance. It is a recognition of fidelity, and is as much merited as prizes for scholastic distinction. But bribes which i take the form of holidays are indefensible, and surely the reasons advanced in justifica- tion of them are regrettable. They may be a means of obtaining more Government grant, but why should, the need exist ? It was a natural transition of thought which directed attention to the increasing complaint against magisterial indiscretion in connection with the treatment of school attendance cases. Mr Richard Lloyd and Captain Mytton repudiated any right of interference with magisterial judgment, and claimed that the magistrates are in a better position than attendance committees to ad- judicate upon the governing circumstances of each case. We respectfully differ on that point. No one is better able to sift all the circumstances than the attendance officer, whose duty it is to visit the houses of de- faulting parents, and make an exhaustive inquiry. That official uses his persuasive influence, and then his authority; warnings are given by the attendance committees, and every means tried before a summons i is issued. What new circumstances arise when the case reaches the Court ? Mr Richard Lloyd says that the majority of them are pitiful cases. It is just this piteous appeal that wins at the court. Parents now know that if only they can make a pitiful enough appearance, their ,worst possible punishment will be an U ad- journment of their cases, and so they prac- tically flout the attendance officer and all the threats of the attendance committee. Magistrates do not like their discretion" questioned, but some of them have courted reproach, and if there is reason for con- tinued complaint against unwarranted leniency, representation must be made to a higher quarter. In connection with the proposed erection of new education offices, Mr Edward Powell made an excellent suggestion to incorporate that proposal with a block of county bulid- ings, where all county business could be transacted. There, we take it, offices would be provided for all county officials and their staffs, as well as assembly rooms for the County Council, the County Education Authority, the Main Roads Authortiy, the Police Authority, and all their various com- ittittees. The chief bone of contention would, doubtless, be the location of these buildings. Geographically, Newtown would have the best claim, but we are not sure that county councillors on the lower side of the Camladd would agree to a proposal which they might regard as despoiling the prestige of Pool. The suggestion is one worthy the consideration of the Council.

FORDEN GUARDIANS AND THE PRESS. It certainly affords us no pleasure to write disparagingly of the Forden Guardians, but we have waited with peculiar interest to witness their inevitable collision with the new Press Admission Act, by reason of their decision to discuss the Workhouse Master's reports in private. It seems to have troubled members to learn that under this Act their decision has no permanent effect, but must be renewed at each successive meeting. We cannot help expressing surprise at the atti- tude of a Progressive like Mr J. Pryce Jones, who, while convinced that the Forden Board transacts its business as well, if not better, than it is transacted in other places," re- gards the closured consideration of the Master's reports as being in the interests of the ratepayers generally." Why ? Be- cause the dignity of the Board somehow seems to have gone down." Is this a reflec- tion upon the character of the Master's re- ports, or upon the discussions they create at the Board table ? Whatever be the real reasons for this desired secrecy, let the Board remember that these reports, which concern the management of a public insti- tution, are essentially public property, and the ratepayers in the union are entitled to read them. Thanks to Mr A. E. Bond's activities, and the Chairman's good sense, the last report was publicly presented and discussed, and if the Board considers its own dignity," and really believes in its own efficiency, it will not again revert to a position that provokes suspicion and dis- satisfaction. The press has no desire to publish the personal particulars of relief cases, but it is not going to be muzzled at the instance of certain members, who, for reasons best known to themselves, dislike a diligent reporter.

THE BANKRUPT'S DESPERATE HOPE. I Stupidity born of desperation finds illus- tration nowhere better than in the bank- ruptcy court. Take, for example, the For- den farmer, who, in the course of his bank- ruptcy examination at Newtown on Thurs- day, confessed to having borrowed from professional money-lenders various sums, on which interest ranging from 33 to 100 per cent. was charged. For the loan of Elo he would pay back £ 13, at the rate of 25s monthly; a favour of £ 20 cost him £32, in monthly installments of jE2, and in one instance a Manchester office obliged him to the extent of ten sovereigns, for which he was required to return twenty. Such reck- less stupidity headed him straight to bank- ruptcy, in which condition many others have found themselves through the same cause. One can sympathise with the farmer or the tradesman who, in financial extremity, re- sorts to extreme measures to conceal his insolvency, and keep the discrediting bailiff from the door, but the last stage of his hopelessness is entered upon when, fleeing from accumulating threats and writs, he makes through the portals of the money- lending office. Far better if he yielded up the struggle at this desperate point than prolong the unavoidable crash by suffering additional trials. Hope springs eternal, certainly,—the phrase is stereotyped in every bankrupt's story of misfortune-but the hope which remains with the desperate -borrower is that of a drowning man clutch- ing at a straw. We are prone to regard the family of Isaac Gordon as modern Shylock's, for whom we have never a tear of pity, but it is questionable whether they are worse than the persons whose reckless borrowing is nothing more nor less than a defrauding of their creditors.

THE BEARING REIN. The cortroversy which recently took place in these columns respecting this particular piece of harness may be revived by an ar- ticle published on our agricultural page. We are glad to learn from the writer that the bearing rein has been abandoned by practical horsemen as wholly useless for the safe and proper management of horses. In this neighbourhood, however, the poor cart horse does not yet enjoy that liberty. Its workers contend that the mettle of the Montgomeryshire "shire" would indulge a dangerous freedom but for this restraining strap ,and they regard all the literature of the Anti-Bearing Rein Society as mere sen- timental humbug. Lately, the Newtown Urban Council were overtured by this or- ganisation to remove the objectionable rein from the town horses, but for reasons which did not publicly transpire, the request was dismissed. Here is the responsible state- ment of an expert as to the discomforts and injury inflicted by the bearing rein: "It cramps the movements of the head and neck, and in consequence also interferes with the free play of the muscles of the rest of the body, while it throws the horse out of its natural balance, and prevents it from putting all its weight into the collar. A tight bearing rein, kept on for any length of time, involves nothing less than cruelty. While there are thus very serious objections to be urged against it, not really one valid reason can be adduced in support of the practice." Who that has watched the heavily j loaded draught horse under its varying con- ditions of work will say that this view is exaggerated ? If a high-spirited blood horse may be driven without a bearing rein, why i should it be necessary for the control of a lumbering carter ? Even the elephant can be reduced to a docility that needs no such trappings, nor does the well-broken horse in the charge of practical" men re- quire to be thus tortured for the public safety.

THE MILK DANGER. We have over and over again contended that little good can accrue from enforcement of the Dairies and Cowsheds Order unless it be followed up by strict requirements as to the personal cleanliness of milkers, scru- pulous cleanness of milk vessels, and care in the distribution of milk. That conten- tion is strongly supported by the Medical Officer of Health for Llanidloes, who calls attention to dirty hands and dirty teats, aa is evidenced by ugly sediment, and also to the hacking of milk in large mouthed tins, which expose it to all manner of germs. No wonder that infants die," says Dr Vaughan Owen, "when their principal food is teeming with death-dealing germs." As the law now stands, local health authorities can practically do nothing to guarantee a pure milk supply. They may enforce sani- tary conditions in the cowshed and dairy, but the milker is left with his own ideas of cleanliness and that of his cows, and, as is often remarked, he is himself the dirtiest object in the byre. The importance of wholesome milk cannot be over-rated, and we anticipate with no small degree of pleasure departmental regulations that will go far to secure it.

WHAT FARMERS ARE LOSING. In hundreds, 18,210,070 eggs; in cwts., 4,211,195 butter and 2,306,086 cheese; in value, EI,053,299 poultry and game. These are a few items culled from the statistics of foreign agricultural imports during the last year. They may enable farmers to place a higher value upon the fowl and the churn, which have hitherto been relegated to the care of their wives. For agricultural produce, Great Britain provides the best and most profitable market of the world, and the reason she draws so largely upon foreign supplies is that home farmers will not cater to her requirements. Are all the farms of this country incapable of meeting our demand for eggs ? We do not buy the foreign egg because it is better or cheaper, but because we require it. The British hen lays as good an egg as that of Denmark, France, Germany, or the Netherlands, but our farmers have not educated themselves in the profitable industry of egg-production. The British cow gives as good milk as the foreigner, but our dairies cannot produce butter or cheese equal to the Danish stand- ard of quality for precisely the same reason. And the real reason of this backwardness is an encrusted distaste for innovation, at any rate among the older generation of our agriculturists, most of whom would not stir a yard from the fireside to listen to an ex- pert exposition of scientific farming that suggests any decided departure from tradi- tional ways and means. Happily, the younger generation will not be allowed to follow in the old furrow, if the agricultural instruction given in the schools count for anything.

THE BOROUGH VOTERS' ROLL. As the result of the last revision, the number of voters on the register for the Montgomery Boroughs has been reduced by 56. The following figures show at a glance how the votes on the new roll are distributed over the six contributory Bor- oughs, and the losses which each has sus- tained:— 1908. 1909. Llanfyllin 184 188 Llanidloes 510 489 Machynlleth 392 374 Montgomery 231 225 Newtown 1147 1141 Welsh pool 896 892 While Llanfyllin has dropped only one vote, Newtown and Montgomery six, and Welsh- pool four, Llanidloes shows a falling off of 21, and Machynlleth 18. Our Tory friends will probably least lament a reduction of 39 votes in these two Liberal constituencies, against the loss of eight in Montgomery and Welshpool, where they claim a decided ma- jority of supporters. In a small constitu- ency where party strength is pretty equal, a decrease of 56 votes must affect one or J" otner ot the parties, unless the loss is equally shared.

The Late Mrs. Williams, Penrallt. It is with deep regret that we have to record the death of Mrs Williams, of Penralit, Machynlleth, which occurred at the residence of her step son, Dr Charles Williams, of Rock Ferry, at midnight on January 7th. The deceased lady had gone to spend Christmas witL her relatives, and intended returning home shortly. The news of her death after a few days illness came as a great shock te everyone, and in and around Machynlleth her loss will be keenly felt, for during the twenty-two years she had lived in the neighbourhood— eighteen at Penegoes Rectory and four at Mach- ynll.th-sbe had endeared hertielf to all classes and associated herself with every movement for the well-being of those around Iter. The remains were brought to Machynlleth en Monday and taken to her residence On Tuesday merning a short, service was held at the house, the Rev David Daviee, of Clifton, near Manchester, officiat- ing, after which the cortege left for Penegoes. All the business places in the town were closed and blinds drawn. On arriving at the Church gata the Revs David Roberts (rector of Penegoes), David Rees, and Wheldon Griffith (late curate of Penegoes), mwt the coffin, the opening sentences being read by the Rector, and the service in church by the Revs David Beeii and Wheldon Griffith. The hymn Jesu lover of my soul" was sung after tr e lesson On leaving the Church the Dead March was played by the organist, Mr Morgan. The service at the grave was taken by tho Rev David Rees, and amidst universal sigas of respect and sorrow, the deceased lady was laid to relt, by the side of her late husband. th. R.AY Jehn Willitimp, former rector of Penegoes. The mourner* who followed were Mr and Miss Sword, the Rev Hugh and Mrs Williams, Dr Charles and MrR Williams, Mr John Williams, Mr Howard Williams, Miss Hughes-Parry, Mrs Evans (Fron- yer- jr), and her rained old servants, Mrs Williams (Pias Lodtre), and Mr Evan Williams, also Mr I Martin Williams (agent), and the tenants of the H-ndieg ed estate. Among those present were Mrs Williams (Glyngerth Palace), Mrs Hugh Bonsall, Mrs Campbell, Miss Agnes Griffiths, Mr -and Mrs D E. R Griffith, Mr and Mra R Gillart, Mipp JoDep-Evans, Miss H. Jones-Evans, Mr J. G. J. nkins, Mr T. W. Bonsall, Dr A. 0. Davies, Mr J. LaLcellea, Mr David Gillart, Mr Richard Gillart, Rev G-mer Prioe, Rev R. J. Morgan, Mr R. H. J, nes-Evans, Mr C. L. Jones-Evans, Mr Henry I ^wi«, Mr Edward Rets, J P.. Mr J. Matson Mr Evan Reese, Mr Prys. Mr Edward Breese, and many others. Lady Pryse, Newlands, kent her carriage. Out of respect to a wish expressed by the decerned some time ago these who knew of it r,-fiaii,sci from sending flowers, but ,#ome lovely wreathe* and crosses were received, amengst them ibeini a beautiful ctois from the Machynlleth District Nursing Association, in which the deco-a-ed took thtt doo"st interest, and of which she was a vice-president sine* its inauguration. The funeral arrangements at Rock Ferry were carried out by Messrs Wntta and Co., Compton House, Liverpool, and at Machynlleth by Mr Humphrey Tones, Penegoes, and Mr W. H. Jones, draper.

A SMALL HOLDING THAT DIDN'T PAY. Forden Farmer in the Grip of Mouey-lsnders. "Worse Off Th&n When He Started." Want of capital; -nler,st on borrowed money," tbssf were the rsa-aois alleged by Edward Bebb .'lount' Pleasant, Po'dfn to account for his appearance b.-f.r. the Registrar (Mr William Watkio), and the Oficial Receiver (M. F C.ri,-g) in Newtown Bankruptcy Cuurt. on Thursday morning. The dehior was unaccompanied by a solicitor. To m.t liabilities of J?96 1* 7d, one aeset, estimated to produce X5, and calbd furni urf;. was put. Mr Caries'S observations wtue ms follows — The Debtor, who is 50 years of age, was in early life employed as a waggoner, but has since occupied various em ill holding., on bis own account. At the date of the receiving1 order be was in occupation of the holding known afl Mount Pleasant. Forden, of 20 acres at an annual rental of £ 28. Previously for 10 yftrs he occupied a .similar place at Cwm-y-dial, Manafon, Berriew. Chi ny from want of capital debtor has not been Bucce-sful, and for tzomo years to meet his payments has obtained loans from various money lenders, and thus has reduced whatever chitnee be otherwise had of making a liviniz on his holding. On the 26th October last a distress was levied for .£3J ba.atic of rent to 29th September, and for the half-year in advance to 25th March next, and a sale held under th- distress on the 31st October realized X31 18, 9d, insufficient to cover the rent and expenses by Cll 4s 3d. The grass eating has been let. to 25th March for X10, and this amount, although not appearing in the above statement, is claimed pay- able to the estate. The unsecured debts are as toJlowsiive creditors (money lenders) 1908, X47 10s Od: 21 creditors for goods supplied and work done, 1905-8, £ 28 13* 10d one creditor for medical attendance, 1906-8, .£8 13s 6d one creditor, balance of rent, £ 11 4s 3d total, £ 96 Is 7d. In court, in reply to Mr Cariss, the debtor said that he was not free from the date when he came to Mount Pleasant. He owed a "good bit"; he probably owed £50- He had lost his money through being very un- lucky. When at Cwmydail he farmed 35 acres, and there he got into difficulties. He lost some cows there. He had a family of six, and his wife was living. He had been borrowing money from the money-lenders when at Cwmydail. When he came to Cwmydail he not only had no capital, bit he owed money besides, but he was hoping that things would come better. What capital would you expect to bring on to a small holding of that size? You pay 30s an acre, don't you?—Yes, that's about it. It's grass land, isn't it, and good land?- Yes, grass land, but not very good. Are there many holdings of that size in Forden now?-There are one or two that I know of. Do the tenants pay the same price-?- Some pay more. What capital ought a man to have for such a holding?—(No answer). Has he any chance if he has no capital?— No, sir. How many cattle would your holding take?—I have had three, sir. Then you would get three calves per an- num?—Yes, sir. What would that produce you?—About £6 or R7 each. What did you expect to make out of the cows?—It was not a good place for the but- ter. The other place I was at was a poorer place than this, but it was better for the butter. How many sheep could you graze?—About twenty-six. That would be from about September to February?—Yes, about that. He could get about 25 to 30 lambs, and make a pound on each. About ten acres of the land could be mowed, but he (debtor) could not sell the hay to go off. He also kept a sow and a litter of pigs. The rent was £ 28 and the rates E2. He and his wife and six children could be maintained and clothed on El per week; he could not do it upon less. The Official Receiver: No, I should think you could not do it under that! What other expenses had you, that makes 0 total of £82 a year?—Nothing besides a bit of meal for the calves. His expenses were, therefore, about IV-90 a year, and if he started with capital, the returns for that holding would barely pay expenses. Had you any time to spare to get work elsewhere?—Yes, sir, in the winter time I was going with the threshing machine. Then you have worked harder since you have been your own master than when vou were in a situation?—I am worse off now than when I started. During the 25 years you have been on this small holding it has been a failure?—Yes sir. Can you think of anything that could have been done to have made it better?—I was not free when I started. What did you have then?—I had only E20 to start with. Assuming that you had P.100 capital, is it your opinion now that it would pay you or any other working man to-day?—If I had P.100 I believe I could make it pay. You would risk it any way?- Yes. You haven't paid your rent regularly?- No; he had owed as much as £36 at one time. I believe the landlord distrained for the whole amount?—Yes, sir, he did. What did he take that step for?-Because Mr Jackson brought a writ in the house. Did the landlord find out that you owed all this money to the money-lenders?—Mr Pryce told my landlord in Welshpool that he had an execution. Upon that the landlord exercised his pow- ers and sold you up, and from the proceeds of the sale he got £24, so that vou owe him £12 now?—Yes. Debtor said he had borrowed £ 10, and had to pay £13 back, at the rate of 25s a month. That would be at the rate of about 33 per cent if you paid it back monthly it would be a bit more. Now how were you going to pay 33 per cent. for borrowed money?—I have been very unlucky in money matters, thinking they would come better. But if you had been a great deal better off, and made more profit, you could not have paid it?—No, I could not. i -i ,"7 xuug nave you dealt with other five or six years- He had dealt with Mr Bernstein, the money-lender, three f^Jirnes: ASain he had had £ 20 from the British Finance Company; he had £ 20 from them to pay back £32, at the rate of £ 2 a month. What did you borrow from Mr Bemstein? — £ 10, to pay back £14. And from Mr Griffin?— £ 10, to pay back E4, "summat" interest, I expect. And from Mr Jackson, of Manchester. What did you borrow from him?— £ 10 to pay pay back £20. 1 should think you were getting more lib- eral in your terms as you went on. I mean to say you borrowed 9.10 to pay P-20. When are you to pay it back?— £ 2 a month, sir. What good did you get from borrowing money on those terms?-It was no good at all, sir. Why did you not face the difficulties be- fore in a proper way?—I ought to have done so. I expect you had to tell a good many lies to get the money from these money-lenders? —Well, it was only filling in the papers, sir. uee what you say- This is in July, 1908, where you say you owed outside rent about £ 5 or £ 6. That was not very true was it?—No. Again you say that the estimated value of your furniture was £ 200. That was not true, was it?—Well, I wfts wanting to get some money, but I did not think but what I could pay them after? That has been the case with other money- lenders. You have had to tell these lies be- fore they would lend you the money?-They sent me a form to fill up. I did not know what to put down. So I suppose you thought a good thump- ing lie was a good thing to get money. You don't suppose you would have got the money if you had told the truth, do you?- (No answer). Don't you think it would have been bet- ter if you had told the truth and sold up?— Yes. The Official Receiver: When the distress I was levied, what had become of the stock on the farm?—They would sell one with i the other. The debtor then declared that he had dis- closed everything in his statement. The Official Receiver: What are you do- ing now?—Hedging and doing a bit of threshing. You are working for your daily bread?— Yes, sir. That is all you can depend upon, and all you can depend upon for the future?—Yes, sir. The Registrar: You will have to come in some day, and go through the notes and sign them, and subject to that your exam- ination will be closed.

A BUTTINGTON BAKER IN BANKRUPTCY. Household Expenses Exceed Profits. William Alexander Edwards, of the Cefn Bakery, Buttmgton, appeared b-fore th« Regist- i-ar (Mr William Watkins) on Fhursday last in Newtown Bankruptcy Court. The debtor in- formed the Official T\V c- iver that he had bel-'n c-trrying on a bakei.v business rInd was 32 years of age. His liabilities- amounted to £ 105 17.. 3d, and his realizable ,xsr(,ts totalled P,41 3s 2d. The alleys! cause- of failure were: Bad debts. Ions on sale of horses, household expenses exceeding profits." The Official Receiver's printed comments were as follo's:—" Apparently the turnover has not been sufficient to pay expenses, and debtor has not been fred from debt since he commenced business, and upon being sued by a miliar for flour supplied he prsisented his petition in bank- ruptcy. The only books kept are those in which bread, &c., supplied are entered and these art) incomplete Enquiries are necessary as to the claims of debtor's father against the estate, and as to a pony cart used by debtor in business, but now claimed as his property by the debtor's father." The unsecured creditcTTB included two millers to whom was dua X72 9s Od, and the debtor's father whose claim amounted to .£25 10s Od. In examination by Mr Cariss, Edward slid that his firs1.: occupation was that of a baker. He had been in various situations as a baker before he started on hie own account, and at oiie time hn was with Mr Grindley, of Welshpool. He was a married man with three children. Six years ago he was in a small way of business in Welshpool. H remained there for one year and seven months. When he started there he was baking three sacks of flour a week, and when he left he was baking two sacks. When he gave up business at Welsh- pool he owed money to Appleby for flour. He again started as a journeyman baker, and kept it up until he went to the Cefn bakery four years last June. His premises then belonged to his father. All he had to start was .220, which be borrowed from his father; when he borrowed it there was a memorandum signed, but he had not brought it with him. The money was to be repaid as soon as he could repay it. The Official Receiver: Supposing you could not repay it, would it come out of your share when your father died ?-I could not say about that. He was out of a situation when he came to But- tington, and it was the only thing open to him He rented the premises from his father for 5e a week, and regularly paid the rent every fortnight Some of the utensils were lent him by his father The Official Receiver: Was this business at the Cefn bakehouse more successful than anything else you have done in the last few years ?-No, air, it wasn't. You didn't employ a man did you ?-Yee., sir, for the first two years I was in business. There was a fair trade then. I was doing five or six sacks every week, and it was a bit too much for me by myself I had to get a man. When the man left was the trade falling off ? Yes, sir. During the last few months the liP-Ie had gone down to two or three sacks per week. You appear to have dealt chiefly with two firm*, and you don't appear to own very much besides; you have really only three creditors- two millers and your father ?—Yes. I see that from the accounts that you have had 110 sacks during 1908 from the two millers ?-- Yes. Have you had flour from anyone else ?—Yes, sir; a few sacks from Mr Wyke, the grocer,, about ten sa near as I can say. Anyone else?—Yes, about six sacks from Mr John Jones, Hall-street. Anyone else ?—Yes, two sacks from Mr Davies, of Clettar Mill. What has been the average price you have been paying for sacks?—From about 28s to 30s, five bushels to the sack. That would be about 90 4lb. loaves to the sack ? —Yes, about that, sir. And about what price did you sell the bread ?— Three prices, 44d, 5d, and 5id. That gives you a return of about 38s a sack ?— I couldn't Fay exactly, but the price of the sacks averaged about 29s. That gives you a profit of about 9s on each sack ?-About 15s a week I made all the year reund. Two and a half sacks would be 22a 6d a week as profit, and out of that what would you have to pay?—There are household expenses which come to about .£1 a week. That doesn't leave much margin for business ? -No, sir. If you had baked five sacks a week instead of two and a half you could have made a living?— Oh, yes, I could have got on all right. Haven't you been paying a high price for flour ? -o, sir. I couldn't afford to buy it in small quantity. When you gave up your man ho" was it your business decreased ?--Was it because you were not baking such good bread ?-Oh, the bread was quite as good. What was the reason for your trade falling off? —It was owing to the hot weather; it is not the same all the year round. But people eat bread about Buttington as before ?—Yes, air. Well how don't you do as good a trade as you did ?—There have been more carts coming round. You appear to have given a good deal of credit ? 'V" Lau, air. Do you think you ought to have given all that credit ?—.N o, sir, I dont. I see there is one debt put down as doubtful for X13 5s 9d, do you think you were justified in giving so much crudit ?—She had been a very good payer up to the last two years, but her husband was thrown out of work. How could you get good terms from your mitlers when you were giving these terms to working people ?—I couldn't do it, sir. Your accounts fell due, and if you did not meet them you lost your discount ?—Yes, sir. Then why should you go on under these cir- cumstances for four and a half years?—I was looking forward to the trade getting better. You were really relying upon your father help- ing you ?-No, sir. When did you find out you were in difficulties and you decided that you would make some arrangements with your creditors ?-I intended keeping on as long as I could. What was to become of the debts you owed to two millers, over X70? How arere those going to be liquidated ? You don't think they would wait for the monev from your small creditors ? Debtor did not reply. How long hAve you felt that you could not pay 20s in the £ 1 ?—These last 18 months. Why have you gone on so long ?-I was think- ing it would get better. Has it got better or worse?—Worse, sir. I ought to have given up long ago. When aaked about the pony and cart, debtor said that the pony he kept was always kept on his father's premises. He filed his petition on December lltb, and on the Monday h. went to Welsbpool to see his solicitors. They told him to get some fees, and he collected £ 10. On Monday morning the pony was in his (the debtors) stable. On that day he received a writ from Stubbs and Co. He did not tell his father all his difficulties, but he had told him that Stubbs and Co. were pressing him, and he did not know how to meet it. His father did not know how to advise him; ke told him he was going to Liverpool to ask him what was the best thing to do with that paper." Afterwards he told his father what bad taken place at Welshpool. On the Tuesday morning he (debtor) said to his father that the pony had better be put on his father's premises, and that day they moved the pony back into his father's stable, and the cart into his father's wheelwright's shop. He had had the use of the cart since the beginning of business, and the pony since twelve months last November, He had llV"r agreed to buy them although he hlld had the use of the cart all the time. The debtor's name was ou the cart, at the time When I saw the ctrt there was no name on it. Who took it off ?-M y father took it .II I didn't tell him to take it off, but he said he would do so. Mr Cariss then produced a name plate, and asked if it was the one which had been un the cart, and debtor said it was. On the Friday be fiUd his petition. He knew Mr Naylor's representative-Mr Williams—but he did not tell him that he had over X40 in the hahds of a collector. If he said you did, then he is mistaken ?-Oh, yes, sir. I didn't tell him that at all. The Official Receiver: I must confess I cannot fathom your book-keeping. There is one debt of .£11 3s lOd, but I can't make out how he owes it?-Of course the accounts ought to have been carried over, but through going every week I knew how much they owed me. You cannot tell me the exact amount?—No, sir; not exactly. By going through these eleven books you could not say exactly how much each of those people owed you?—Nr., I could not. What are you doing now ?—Nothing at present. [lis father was very unwell at present or he would have been in court that day. He had put down everything that belonged to him in his statement. Nothing had been concealed or sent away. The debtor was then examined by Mr Gordon Reed, of Messrs Howell. Yearsley and Reed, Welshpool, who appeared on his behalf, and in the course of this examination debtor said that his tra," sactions with his father were purely business transactions. Up to twelve months ago be had a horse of his ovrn. When he used his father's horse he had to deliver things for him as well. He put his father's horqfa in his stable because there werM a couple of heifers in the building adjoining so he put the pony straight in his stables. The Registrar: Who fed the pony and found food for him ?—My father. Tne Registrar then informed debtor that on filing his papers the examination would be closed

Welcome FORDEN'S FIRST LADY GUARDIAN. Following the local example of the Caersws and Machynlleth Unions a sectioh of the Forden rat, payers have at last sent a lady representative to the Board of Guardians. A vacancy arose in the Cletterwood division —through the removal of Mr Richard Aldereon, Buttington Hall, one of Lord Powis's tenants, to Warwickshire—and without a contest Miss Emma Oakley, of Garthderwen, was elected in his place. She is the retired head mistress of a private school, and sat on the I Welshpool District Education Committee until that body ceased to be At the outset of the Board meeting last Wednesday the Clerk (Mr C. S Pryce) announced that Miss Oakley had been elected for Cletter- wood, and that she was on the premises. She had come under a misapprehension, he added.' The election was not until the 16th (Saturday), and he should have given her notice of that. She could not votn at the present meeting. "There would be no harm. if she comes in," was the chivalrous suggestion of Mr William Pritehard, the chairman. "Give her permission to attend," agreed Mr Pryce Jones. Thus, at 12-10 noon, on the 13th January, 1909, the first lady guardian entered the Forden Board room, and the guardians made quite a little fuss —most natural under the circumstances-over their new colleague. Mr John Edwards, her veteran neighbour from the Heldrp, escorted Miss Oakley into the room, and Workhouse Master Walter Downes had a chair ready for her, Mr Pryce Jones suggested that she might like to sit near the fire, by the side of which three or four men guardians were cosily stationed. But Miss Oakley elected to sit between Mr John Edwards and Dr. Marston—and by a curious coincidence right opposite Mr Edward Davids (Felindre), who has recently been the subject of much criticism by the union ratepayers. Then the Chairman expressed the Board's welcome. On behalf of my colleagues," said Mr Pritchard, "I wish to give Miss Oakley a very friendly greeting. I hope she will find the work of the Board interesting."

Widow, Not Wife. "SHE SUFFERED BECAUSE SHE HAP- PENED TO BEAR THE NAME OF WILLIAMS." Peculiar circumstances and an exceedingly hard case was the description given at Shrews- bury County Court last Monday with regard to Grace Williams, who lives at Cwmmawr, Belan near Welshpool. Mr W. Hughes, solicitor,'applied' on her bebalf for a new trial in an action in which on November 13th, H. and E. Davies, Frankwell, Shrewsbury, obtained judgment for £ 13 10s for a cart sold to David Williams and Grace Williams, whom plaintiff described as his wife. Mr Hughes said his client suffered because she happened to bear the name of Williams. She was a respectable widow of excellent character, and in reply to an advertisement, which appeared in a paper some four years ago, she bocame house- keeper to David Williams, of Exford's Green. About two years ago an execution was levied on the poods of David Williams, and eventually bailiffs came and seized everything except a few sticks of furniture belonging to Mrs Grace Williams. When the bailiffs when into the house at Oxford a Gren, David Williams had gone away Later, his client went to live at Cwmmawr, Belan. Welshpool, where she had some stack. Subse- quently plaintiffs issued a joint summons against his client and David Williams; judgment was given for plaintiffs on November 13th, and after- wards his client's stock was sold. It was absol- utely untrue that his client was David William's wife. She was the widow of John Williams. H. Davies, Frankwell, said on September 4h, 1906, David Williams, who was a haulier, came to his shop and SAID THAT HIS WIFE had seen an advertisement in the paper of a cart he had for sale. He told Williams the price of the cart would be.915 cash, and Williams said he would not decide until Saturday, whea he would Dring his wife to see the cart, and if she approved of it he would have it. On the Saturday Williams brought Grace Williams with him, and introduced her to him as his wife. After looking at the cart she told David Williams it seemed a good one, and that they had better have it. David Williams and Grace Williams were connected with the pur- chase, and Grace Williams paid him three half- sovereigns. The bill, he believed, was made out to David Williams, who promised to pay the balance in October. October came, and he did not receive the money. He waited until Decem- ber, and in the meantime an execution was levied on David Williams by other people, and the cart was seized. In consequence of this execution there was no possibility of hie getting the money, but from inquiries he made he found that the ad- dress was cwmmawr, and he then took out a sum- mons against David Williams and Grace Williams jointly. Grace Williams did not appear at the hearing, and later he took out an execution. After the execution he received a letter from Mr Hughes, who appeared for Grace Williams, stat- ing that he was sorry to say he had made ONE OF THE GREATEST MISTAKES in his life. because Grace Williams knew nothing about the cait. His Honour (Judge Harris Lea) to Grace Wil- liams Are you relatod to David Williams ?—No. In reply to further questions Mrs Williams said she called at Mr Davies's yard as going home in September, and gave David Williams 3u. to pay on account for the cart. After/the bailiffs had seized everything at Exford's Green, except a few things belonging to her, she went to live at Cwm- mawr with her mother. David Williams did not go to Cwmmawr with her, and she had never seen him since. His Honour said he was compelled to grant a new trial.

SEEN AND HEARD. I Art-hvn-. Inr nvt tt.tht tD MiLuce. SH-r'SPWAitE, List to the woes of a local tradesman, writ by himself: I am a tradesman, and have for my customers members of perhaps all denominations in the town. I am at- tached to a sect to whose needs I subscribe as liberally as my means will allow, but over and above this I am called upon by customers to give in money or in kind to the organisations of their churches and chapels, at the risk of losing their patron- age if I refuse. A private citizen can resist all these importunings, and care naught what the disappointed ones may say of him; but we tradesmen have to stump up, and try to look happy over it, or earn the repu- tation of a mean fellow, whose shop every- body should pass by. During the last few weeks I have had mission cards pushed under my nose by mere children who col- lect tha money, tickets for this, that, and the other conversazione and divers enter- tainments, solicitations for subscriptions to- wards various associations, and endless other demands of a like kind. Cannot a stop be put to this harassing of tradespeople by shaming these beggars into a sense of their utter unreasonableness ? It is getting really too bad, and the officers of the churches ought to recognise the fact. Why should they send abroad young people to cadge support from members of other de- nominations, who have quite enough to do to maintain their own minister and syna- gogue ? The thing has become intolerable, and I hope you will be kind enough to publish this protest in the interests of long- suffering tradesmen." This is not a new complaint. It is always simmering, and breaks out periodically when these importunings assert themselves in force. One cannot but sympathise with a tradesman like my correspondent, who, caught behind the counter, is unable to bolt from the bands that compel him to disgorge his bottom dollar, or sacrifice their support in business. If denominations cannot exist upon their own resources, then it is clearly proved that we have too many denomina- tions in our midst. People there are who reason that the multiplicity of sects quickens religious life. They may be right in that view, but we know, too, something of sectarian conflict-the personal enmities it breeds, the political animosities which it threads through public life, the bitterly unchristian speech it sometimes generates, and the ugly and injurious prejudices with which it posesses the minds of the young. But I must pause. The theme is tempting, but how easily I might be misunderstood just by reason of these self-same prejudices and jealousies. To get back to the subject, let me express the hope that this trades- mauos protest will meet with that sympa- thetic consideration which it deserves from those primarily responsible for this trouble- some crusade of denominational solicita- tions. A well-known commercial traveller had been imbibing to a hurtful extent, and his troubled friends foregathered to discuss the delicate task of how to effectually remon- strate with him, or devise some other means of reclaiming him to ways of wisdom. Mere reproof, is wat agreed, could not effect the desired reformation, and so it was ar- ranged that a live rat should be com- mandeered to inspire him with salutary fears of delirium tremens. The conclave evolved a billiard match in one of the local hotels, where the commercial was staying, and as an enthusiastic devotee of the game, he readily assented to play one of the group for a small stake. The game had not proceeded ten minutes, when the conspirators crowded round the table, with a show of profound interest in the progress of the contestants. Then just as the commercial bent down to deliver a long and difficult shot, out popped a rat from a pocket, and scurried to and fro on the table before finally leaping the cushion and disappearing. The cueist was trans- fixed, his eyes started in their sockets, his/ mouth opened wide and still wider, but all the onlookers preserved a studied silence. Suddenly the stillness was broken by a painful shriek. "Great heavens! yelled the commercial, "look at the rat!; rats! rats 1" Where ? where ? came the con- certed response. "Look! look at him!; now the beggar's gone," shouted the boozey one, but still his friends protested that he was trying to fool them, and ordered him to continue the match. Ere he had delivered another stroke, however, the pre-arranged plan was put into operation. One of the group edged up, took him momentarily aside, and warned him that his strange vision was the prelude to a fit of D.T.'s. This shock put an end to the contest. Tbp- bagman laid down his cue, with the excuse that he wasn't feeling well, and thereafter repaired with several of his friends to another part of the hotel, where, after a time, he laughingly assured them that he saw no rat at all, and only perpetrated the joke with the object of demoralising his op- ponent. But the conspirators knew better, and they laughed in unison. I am not quite sure that the proceedings of our County Education Authority are now universally read, as they were in those memorable revolt days, when keenly barbed personalities hurtled through the assembly room, and every thrust and parry was fol- lowed with intense public interest and speculative fancy. We live in duller times educationally. An educational discussion which appeals to the ordinary newspaper reader must be liberally spiced with pun- gent contention. Cannot the members of our education authority arrange matters so as to invariably provide this essential stimulant to public taste, and thereby en- sure a general digestion of their doings? Tuesday's sederunt was of the kind calcu- lated to captivate the reader, who will find interesting and instructive entertaimnents in a perusal of the various debates reported in different parts of this issue, and so arranged as to obviate a tiresome study of continuous columns. A reader, with a much too excellent memory, reminds me of the promise with which I concluded my series of angling stories. You promised us," he writes, another series on characters whom I have known' if they are as good as the last, let's have them forthwith." To this flattering entreaty I must needs yield. Just give me a week or two to recollect these worthies and some of the outstanding incidents in their lives, and I'll redeem the promise. LUKB SHAKES.