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LOCAL GOSSIP.I

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. OGMORE MAN'S DEATH AT THE…

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OGMORE MAN'S DEATH AT THE ASYLUM. COTTAGE HOMES EXPENDITURE: AN ASTONISHING REPORT. There was a large attendance of members at the fortnightly meeting of the Bridgend and Cowbridge roard of Guardians on Satur- day. Rev. H. Eynon Lewis (Brynmenin) presided, and Mr. J. 1. D. Nicholl (Merthyr- mawr) was in the vice-chair. RELIEF STATISTICS. The Clerk (Mr. R. Harmar Cox) reported that during the week ended January 4th. 1.314 outdoor paupers were relieved at a cost of £ 198 Os. Id., as compared with 1,136 at £161 7s. 3d. in the corresponding period of last year. and. in the week ended Januarv 11th, 1.3.58 at £ 203 16s. 4d., as compared with 1.157 at £162 10s. 9d. last year. The varrants relieved at Cowbridge. Bridgend, and Maestesr in the fortnight ended January 18th totalled 345, compared with 555 in the same fortniTht last year. The Chairman nointed out that the in- crease in the number of paupers in the first week. as compared with that for last year, was 120. and the Maestefr list accounted for 85 of this number. He asked the relieving officer whether there were any special circum- stances in his district to cause the increase. Mr. W. David I do not know of anything special. Mr. J. Canniff (Gilfnch Goch): Micrht we learn what has become of the committee ap- pointed to consider tbc administration of re- Hof nt Ma^ste^? I should like to know whether tliev are o"oins? to meet and whether fVir>-r nre to report to this Board at all. The Clerk renlied that he intended calling a meetintr of the committee for the following Saturdav (to-moTowV Mr. D. H. Price (TCenfie: Hill) said that would not suit several members of the com- mittee. and it was arranged that the meet- ing should be held on February 9th. NAUTICAL SCHOOL. An appeal from the National Nautical Srhool for a contribution towards the main- tenance of the tender "Polly" was con- sidered. The Clerk stated that four lads from the Bridgend Union were at the school. and the Board paid 8s. a week for the maintenance of each. Mr. D. H. Price thought Boards of Guar- dians generallv should contribute towards the tender, which was invaluable in training boys for the sea. He moved that the Board grant E5 5s. Mr. Canniff did not agree that such a sum should be contributed. If fcll the Boards co- operated. the Bridgend Board need not send more than P-1 lB., and he moved that the clerk forward a cheque for that amount. Mr. L. G. Jones (Tondu) seconded, and Mr F. Cox (Maesteg) supported the amendment, which was carried. A further amendment by the Vice-Chair- man that zC2 2s. be sent was defeated. QUARELLA ROAD. Alderman T. J. Hughes (the clerk to the Bridgend Urban Council) wrote that the Council could not see their way clear to ac- cept the suggestion of the Board with regard to placing a post and rail fence to protect Quarella-road from the river; they must in- sist on a wall being erected, as originally suggested, before the road would be taken over. The Clerk stated that the Workhouse Al- terations Committee had recommended that a post and rail fence be erected, at a cost of £25, but the Board decided, before accepting the recommendation, to write the Bridgend Council asking whether they would be satis- fied with a fence. Mr. John Howells (Maesteg) proposed that the letter be referred to the Workhouse Al- terations Committee. Mr. Canniff seconded. Mr. X. Morgan (Llanmaes) asked whether the Board were under any obligation to do the work. The Chairman: We are not in any way compelled to do it. Mr. Morgan Then I move that no further action be taken. Mr. T. C. Jones (Pontyrhil) seconded the amendment, which was earned. Mr. Nicholl proposed that the words at present" be added to the motion, and this was agreed to. OGMORE SON'S COMPLAINT. The following letter was read from Mr. John Davies, 18 Llewellyn-street, Ogmore Vale: I shall be glad if you will kindly make inquiries as to why I was not advised by the Asylum Authorities ot the death of my father, which took place at the Asylum on the 2nd inst. I accidentally came to know of his death late on Friday evening, the 4th inst. I immediately made preparations to have him buried at the Cemetery, Ogmore Vale. I ordered the coffin and the under- taker had to send to Cardiff for trimmings for the coffin, and for this I am expected to pay. I had to go over to the Garw to see my sister and brother-in-law respecting the matter on Saturday, and then I went down to the asylum. I reached Pare Gwyllt about 2 p.m., and there was informed that my father had been buried two hours before I reached there. The only explanation I could get was that they nad written to my brother at 26 Fronwen-terrace, Ogmore Vale. My brother, who lived at that address, is now and has been for some months in the asylum, and I should think they ought to know that. I asked them to allow the body to be raised from the ground at the asylum, and let me take it to Ogmore Vale, but I was told that it could not be allowed without an order from the Home Secretary. On the Sunday I went to Angelton and saw the superintendent of the Asylums, but I could get no satisfaction from him. I had ar- ranged with the doctor in charge of the Pare Gwyllt Asylum to let me know if my father got worse or if anything happened to him. I visited my father at the Asylum frequently, and I left my address with the doctor so that he might write to me. I feel it very keenly that they should bury my poor father with- out letting me know, after I had arranged with the doctor to do so. As to the unneces- sary expense they have put me in, I think they ought to be made to pay for this. I hardly think it right that poor people should be treated in this way." Mr. Canniff moved that the clerk forward a copy of the letter to the Asylum Authori- ties, with a request for an explanation. Rev. T. B. Phillips (Tylagwyn) seconded. The Chairman said the question of notify- ing relatives of deaths at the asylum had been before the Board previously, but they had something to go upon now. The motion was agreed to. DEATHS AT THE ASYLUM. The Clerk intimated that he had received notification of the following deaths at the asylums:—George Pope, admitted from Og- more Vale on June 8th, 1906; Jblvira Ley- shon, admitted from Coity cn December 25th, 1905; Mary Jane Thomas, admitted from Maesteg, in 1898. With regard to the last named, the Clerk said the only relative known lived in 1898 at Maesteg, but he might have removed to several addresses since then. MAESTEG RELIEF CASE. The Board had decided to take proceedings against a Maesteg woman for obtaining re- lief by alleged false pretences, and Mr. John Morgan (Nantymoel) now moved the rescis- sion of the resolution. The woman, he said, had appeared before the Board and was pre- pared to refund the money. The members had expressed the opinion that proceedings should not be taken. Mr. J. Watts (Maesteg) seconded, and pointed out that an Ogmor» woman had been let off. In the course of a lengthy discussion, it transpired that the allegation against the woman was that she had mis-informed the relieving officer as to remittances received from her husband, who is m America. Mr. T. J. Job (Nantymoel) said a local chemist was the chief witness, but he de- clined to attend the court unless the Board provided a locum tenens for a week at JBIO. Mr. CanniS We can subpoena him. He thought the Board should take the oppor- tunity to prosecute. The motion to rescind was defeated by 19 votes to 16, and the relieving officer was in- structed to take proceedings forthwith. PROCEDURE. Mr. W. MeGaul moved that officei-W reports should in future be taken immediately after the correspondence, so that they might be heard by a full Board. At present they came at the "fag end," and only a few of the royal standbacks" were usually present. (Laughter.) Mr. Edward Hopkin (Aberkenfig) seconded. Mr. T. C. Jones said it was the fault of the members if they did not stay through the meeting. Some members were anxious to arrange matters to suit their convenience, and the standing orders were being continu- ally mutiliated. The motion was carried. "A REVELATION." The Cottage Homes Committee's recommen- ation that an additional foster mother be en- gaged for the Cottage Homes, was further considered. The Clerk presented a detailed report, showing the cost of maintenance at the hpmes for the past five years. The average cost per child per week for the half-year ended Lady Day, 1902, was 12s. ll^d., and in subsequent half-years, the cost per head varied as follows: — Michaelmas, 1902, 13s 6d.; Lady Day, 1903, los. 8^d. Michaelmas, 12s. 9jfd. Lady Day, 1904, 12s. 10id.. Michaelmas lIs. 8d.; 1.Jady Day, 1905, 12s. 7}el.; Michaelmas, 13s. 4td.; Lady Day, 1906, 16s. 5}d.; Michaelmas, 12s. 8^d. Mr. Canniff said the report was a revela- tion to members of the Board. He was not one of those who posed as economists merely for the sake of doing it, and no-one present wished to deal with the "little derelicts of humanity.at the homes" with greater kind- ness than he. but he would oppose the ap- pointment of a relief foster mother at pre- sent. He could not see how an increase in the expenditure at the homes could be justified. The superintendent and matron of the homes had been relieved of the edu- cational work, as the children now attended the day schools, and he thought it was un- necessary to appoint a supernumerary foster mother. He moved that the matter be de- ferred for six months. Mr. D. H. Price seconded. Mr. T. J. Job (chairman of the committee) submitted figures to show that there had been no abnormal increase in the cost of maintenance since the advent of that Board. In some respects he said the main- tenance cost had decreased since 1903, and he pointed out that salaries paid now worked out at Is. 71td. per head, as compared with 2s. Rid. in 1903. But in the past three vears necessary repairs had been executed, and the drainage scheme for the homes hart been carried out. while a new store-house had been erected. These items were responsible for the cost per head remaining at what ap- peared to bo a hifrh fieure. and were respon- sible for that reached in the half-year ended Ladv Day last year. -cRr^r Mr PVice • I cannot see how another omcer is necessary more than it was years ago when we had the Cardiff children m the Mr. Edward Edwards (Ogmore Vale) did not consider that the Cottage Homes Com- mittee had made out a case for the new ap- pointment. The cost of maintenance was alarmingly high, and he knew of a good many families who had to subsist on a wage of less than 16s. 5d. a week. Mr. Sayer (the superintendent), replying to the Rev. W. A. Williams (Blaengarw), said he and Mrs. Sayer were now industrial ^Mr^Niclioll moved that the matter should be referred back for fuller report. Mr Edward Edwards seconded. Mr. Canniff said the report of the clerk was simply astonishing. Even if the cost were over-estimated in some half years, he ven- tured to say that no average ratepayer could afford to spend, say, 12s. 8td. a week on his child. The Board must do its duty towards the people who found the rates, as well as to the children in the homes. Rev. W. A. Williams said there had been a cry from the ratepayers that the Board had been extravagant in their expenditure in various directions. The figures read out were remarkable, and, in lace of them, he would support the amendment. In further discussion it transpired that the committee based their recommendation upon a report with regard to certain misbe- haviour. The Chairman failed to understand why a relief foster mother should be engaged. He had been for some years a member of the committee and during that time they had no serious complaints. Eight or 10 years ago they had as many children in the Homes as at present. The amendment was defeated, 16 voting for and 19 against, and the motion to defer the question for six months was agreed to. ASPHALTING. The question of asphalting the paths, men's yard, etc., was further considered. Mr. Nicholl moved that the recommenda- tion of the Workhouse Alterations Commit- tee that the work be carried out at a cost of £95 be adopted. Mr. W. McGaul seconded. An amendment by Mr. Edward Edwards, seconded by the Rev. D. Rees (Bridgend) to adjourn the matter for a month, was carried. WEEKLY MEETINGS. Mr. W. McGaul gave notice of the follow- ing resolution: "That the Standing Orders be amended so that the meetings of the Board may be held weekly (every Saturday), and that the relief lists be dealt with by one committee consisting of the whole Board in- stead of two committees as at present, this motion to take effect forthwith." MEMBER AND PORTER. Mr. J. G. Loveluck, a member of the Board, made a complaint that he had been insulted by the porter on his way to the House, and had been called to account re- specting some remarks he had made at the last meeting of the Board when the increase in the salary of the porter was under con- sideration. The Chairman said he thought it the duty of public bodies t. protect their members against insults from officers. The porter was called into the room, and expressed his regret for what had occurred. He was told by the Chairman that the Board took a strong view of such conduct and in the event of a repetition strong measures would be taken.

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