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I Death of the Rev. Captain Roberts. ONE OF DOWLAIS' MOST RESPECTED CITIZENS. It is our painful duty to report the death of the Rev. Captain Roberts, of Dowlais. The reverend gentlsfcnan had oeen ill for about two years, and during the latter months of his illness was una biff to leave his bed. Born in North Wales, he joined the Church Army soon after it was founded by Prebendary Carlyle. He was sent to different parts of the country— notably Ruthyn and Aberystwyth—finally com- ing to Dowlais about 24 years ago. It can be safely said that no minister, whether of the Church of England or of the Nonconformist Churches, was so popular with the people of all denominations. He so endeared himself to the people—but more so to what are called the common people—that they would have done anything for him. The Church Army was form- ed for the salvation of the bottom dog/' and it was for the "bottom dog" that Captain Rob- erts lived and worked. He was net blind to the fact, as hundreds of clergymen are, that if the people would not come to the churches, the churches must go to the people. If the moun- tain will not come to Mahomet, Mahomet must go to the mountain. The people of Dowlais will remember the early da of his work in the town —how he would ,)-s of his woi?k in the town -,ic,-tv lie would exhort and prea,c l i at the street corners in rain and snovv: It was always to the people he appealed for he was one of them. Always with a cheery word for everyone; al- ways ready to shake hands with the grimiest worker; always ready, early and labê, to minister at a sick bed. Dowlais has lost one of its best citizens; the people say it has lost one of its best Christians. It was hin sincerity and his devotion to the cause of the work he was engag- ed in that made him respected. It was his ster- ling honesty and self-abnegation which made him one of the most popular of men. But perhaps ihe main reason why he was loved by the peo- ple of all denominations and creeds was that he was a Christian who tried to live a Christian. We regret to say that that cannot be said of every man who calls himself a Christian. The world can hardly afford to lose men like this. Dowlais has lost one of its great men. Captain Roberts was about 70 years of age, and he leaves a widow, a son and seven daughters, to whom we tender our sincere sympathy. THE FUNERAL. The funeral service was conducted by the Rev. Llewelyn Morgan Williams. Numerous wreaths were sent. The coffijti and top of the hearse were covered with flowers. The mourners were —Mrs. Roberts (widow); Mr and Mrs. Robert L. N fr and Mrs. -Ro b ej-t 1,. Roberts (son and daughter-in-law) Mrs. Sisman (daughter); Mr and Mrs. Bull (son-in-law and daughter); Mr and Mrs. Morgan (son-in-law and daughter), Mrs. Bullock (daughter) Mr and Mis. D. Williams (son-in-law and daughter.); and Miss Clara and Miss Violet Roberts (daugh- ters) and Mr Willie Morgan (grandson). The funeral rose at 5 o'clock, and the hymn sung before the procession started was one of the Welsh funeral hymns. The long pro- cession started, and many in the crowd were seen to weep. Captain Roberts, as we have said, was popular with everybody. The funeral service was not conducted in the church in the cemetery, but in Christ Church, Pant—the Rec- tor being ably assisted by many of the clergy- men of the town. An old curate of Pant Church and friend of the deceased gentleman was seen in the church. We refer to the Rev. Morris Jones. The coffin was carried up the aisle by the bearers- Messrs. John Wilson, Harry Wilson. George Thomas and J. Williams The service commenced with that beautIful, hymn, "Lead, Kindly Light," which was sung by the congregation with touching fervour. Then the 90th Psalm was read in alternate verses by the Rector and the congregation. This Psalm is almost unique in its solemnity; it suited well the occasion for which it was read; it is not so much a Psalm of poignant sorrow as of medi- tative sadness. It is the great funeral dirge of the orthodox Christian Churches. No man lived up to the exhortation in the 12th verse of that Psalm as Captain Roberts did. He numbered his days: he was always happy in his days, and never happier than when he was making others happy. How often had he been heard to repeat that Psalm at the funerals of memoers of hIS flock; and now it was repeated over his body as it reposed in the chancel. Tea,ch us to number our days" Then an appropriate prayer and the hymn. For Ever with the Lord, the cadences of which rolled and thundered through the church as if in defiance of death and the grave. Then the procession slowly wen- ded its way to the graveside. The usual service was read"; the last sad rites concluding with one of Captain Roberts' favourite hymns, Y Fryniau Caersalekn." And so was laid to rest a Christian who was a Christian. Again we tender to the widow and children our sincere condolences. It may console them to know that the loss is not theirs alone: if is a loss to Dowlais; it is a loss to the Church Army. Dowlais and the Church Armv grieve with them. And the knowledge of this may lighten the heavy burden of their sorrow.

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Do We Desire Technical Education ? DEPRESSING MERTHYR REPORT. "LACK OF INTEREST OF STUDENTS DEPLORABLE," In view of the generally recognised need for teohnieal education in the Merthyr Borough; to place students in our midst on something like terms of qualify with the students of the thickly populated districts of the North of England and Scotland—in which places technical and evening continuaftion classes have reached a. high level of successful efficiency-the report of the Director of Education (Mr Rhys Elias) on the session (1915-16) just closed makes somewhat/Clespond- ent reading. The meagre response of our youth alid girlhood to the invitation of the Education Committee to Come in and get trained," is disheartoning; and particularly so in a borough which is proud of its intimate conneotinon with the Democratic movement. So far as one may judge from the report, the Education Commit- tee is anxious to give instruction in the most necessary items of technical' education—those, such as Commercial Education, which everyone admits to be one of the most vital needs of the very near future but the students, or tnose who could and should be students, are not so anxious to possess themselves of the knowledge that is offered them. It is no good blaming the Council, or the Education Committee nor is it of any use to point to the Institutes and Tech- nical Schools of other plages, with their highly trained staffs and pe.rfect -oequipment; for the Council can only work to the response, and it is the response to these evening continuation classes that contains the germs from which the schools must grow. It is a paradox that in;!lltl, country in which passage to the University is comparatively easy to the youngster with brains and a country in which parents and brothers are willing to saorifice much to make one child a certificated head teacher, a preacher, or a mine manager, technical education should be so light- ly regarded as to be, to all intents and pur- poses, thrown away. It is to be hoped that an educational revival is to 'be a feature of the coming autumnal winter seasons. md that technical education in the Merthyr boroughs will be one of the principal lines benefitted by such. Mr Rhys Elias, in his report—presented to last Friday's meeting of the Education Com- mittee—said The Session opened on October 4, 1915, for a. course of at least 25 weeks excluding the Christmas vacation., but on account of di- minishing attendance the majority of the classes failed to run the full course. The full course was completed by the following classes --Commercial Classes ot Dow-lais, Intermedi- ate • Abermorlais and Treharris Schools. Min- inc" Classes at Intermediate. Troedyrhiw and Pantglas Schools; Teachers' Woodwork Class- es atCvfarthfa. Castle School; and the En- oineering Class st the Dowlais School. Some dlasSes were discontinued early in the session; some even in the 9th week; and all of them, except those enumerated above, at varying times up to the 22nd week. Some classes, through lack of students, though the prelim- inary arrangements had been maèle. were not 1 formed at all; such were the Engineering Classes and the Advanced Mathematics Class- es art the Intermediate School, and Preparat- ory Classes for Girls at Dowlais. Treharris and Merthyr Vale. In the second week of the session the entry for the Troedyrhiw Mining Classes (Elementary) did not justify their con- tinuance at that centre, and consequently the students were transferred to the Abermorlais Centre. In the 4th week, however, the en- try from the Troedyrhiw area improved, and the classes were re-transferred to the Troedy- rhiw Oetitre. For similar reasons the stud- ents enrolled at the Treharris Elementary Mi- ning Classes were transferred in the sixth week of the, session to the Pantglas Centre. Preparatory Classes.- Preparatory Classes were held at 11 centres—an excess of three over the previous session. A total ot .788 students was enrolled, 294 of these being girls, or women. The enrolment for the previous session totalled 508--263 of them being girls or women. The session under review had therefore 2080 more students in this depart- ment than the previous one, but as the three centres which were not open during the ses- sion 1914—15 contributed 173 students the General enrolment remains practically the same for the two periods. This session's at- tendance: however,, compares unfavourably with that of the previous one-49 per cent having been made in 1914—15, and 43.2 per cent in 1915—10. With reference to the Preparatory Classes for Girls. I have come to the conclusion, after careful investigation and consideration, that they are neither satisfactory nor success- ful as constituted at present. Having regard to ths class of student admitted, I have failed to discover any vocational object in these classes. The students, unlike those at- tending the Boys' Classes, do not become members of technical courses after going through the Preparatory Course. The only female students attending Technical Courses are members of the Commercial Classes, and the majority of these have been pupils at a Secondary School for whom a Preparatory Course at an evening schpol is unnecessary. The students are partly young girls who live at home with their parents, and partly married women —some of them even past the prime of life; here it should be mentioned that the classes are not intended for the lat- ter type of student and the Committee s Eve- ning School regulations should be amended so as to exclude them. The course provides les- sons in Plain Needlework and Simple Dress- making, Cookery, English, and Arithmetic as applied to Household Accounts and Home Management. The lessons, providing 6 hours instruction weekly, are given on 3 evenings a week. The attendance can be considered satisfactory only on the evenings when Needle- work and Dressmaking are taught; on Cook- ery evenings it is only moderate, and on the other evenings when English subjects are taught it is distinctly poor. I am, therefore, led to believe that the majority of the stud- ,ooœ join these classes for the sake of Needle- work and Dressmaking only and either do not attend or take little or no interest in the other classes provided in the course. It there- fore appears that these classes, as at present constituted, should be discontinued. Technical Classes: Reference has already been made in paragraph 1 to the duration of the courses at the various centres, The num- ber of students enrolled at all classes totalled 656 an increase of 60 on the previous session; but in spite of this increase the total number of student-hours registered was less by 2,150 than the registered hours in 1914—15 as shown by the following figures, viz., 27,704 hours and 25,554 hours in 1914—15 and 1915— 16 respectively. The percentage attendances, is therefore not quite equal to that of last session—61 per cent in 1914-15 and 59.6 per I cent in 1915-16. The following is a classification of students according to courses attended — Mining (Elementary 89, Advanced 45). 134 Commercial (Elementary 101, Advanced 14) 115 Ambulance (Men 23, Women 67) 90 Engineering 50 Building I 12 Mathematics 25 Art (Teachers) I 61 Woodwork (Teachers!) 30 Ec,onoiiiical Cookery 139 Total. 656 The total number enrolled for session 1914- ] 5 was 596; but as no Art Classes for Teach- ors--which represented 61 students for the session under review—were held during that session, the numbers for the past two sessions remain at the same level, which is censider- ably below that of pre-war sessions as shown in my last annual report. Mining: This section continues to be the most important of the Committee's Technical Classes; 45 advanced and 89 elementary stud- ents were enrolled this session, compared with 54 and 41 respectively for the previous one. Contrary to its usual practice, the Com- mittee this year placed the advanced students under the charge of two teachers working independently; in the past, one teacher has been responsible for all the advanced classes in mining. I must regard this as retrogressive, for un- ity and cohesion can be secured for the work only when that work is controlled by one person. Indeed it is very desirable that all mining instruction in the borough should be under the charge of one teacher; and I hope that, at no distant date, the committee will consider this question and appoint a whole- time mining lecturer. Financially there can be no objection to this appointment; the sum paid as salaries for instruction in mining for the session under review amounts to R202 9s. Commercial: 101 elementary and 14 ad vanced students were enrolled for the session, an increase of 22 students on the previous session. The elementary classes are very successful, and the students are keenly in- terested in all branches of the work. It will be observed that very few students take the advanced course, which may indicate that the instruction given at the elementary course adequately meets the needs of the district. At all events I am of the opinion that .for the present the advance course can be dis- continued. Economical Cookery.- At the opening of the session classes in this subject were arrang- ed and advertised for 11 centres. The res- ponse of the public, however, was feeble and, eventually, only 6 classes matured; 139 students were enrolled. It is disappointing that the venture was not given a more wide- spread support, for an excellent "War Eco- nomy" Syllabus had been prepared, and the admission fee was only one shilling. Building Construction: Classes in this sub- ject have, suffered very much during the pe- riod of the war. Only 12 students were en- rolled for the session, and with this low entry it was a matter of extreme difficulty to maintain the regulation attendance, I recom- mend that these classes be suspended for the present. Art for Teachers: The classes have been conducted by the Superintendent of Art In- struction for the Borough, and were formed with the idea of securing uniformity in the art instruction given at the elementary schools. The experiment has been fully jus- tified; the attendance of teachers at the classes has added stimulus and interest to their work at -me elementary schools. Conclusion Reviewing the work of the ses- sion, I am led to the conclusion that it is only partially satisfactory. Full advantage is not taken of the facilities offered by the committee; lack of interest on the part of students is deplorable. The times are abnorm- al and this fact has undoubtedly an im- portant bearing on the question. We are pass ing through a period of high wages when skilled and unskilled workmen stand almost; side by side and shoulder to shoulder, and when all matters educational are regarded with the deepest apathy. The country is en- gaged in the severest test of arms ever ex- perienced in its illustrious history. But I would remind the committee that when our country emerges triumphantly from this test it will be faced with a far severer one a test which will have to be met not by the Admiralty and the War Office, but bv t?e Board of Education and the educational bo(heB responsible for the administration ofedllOIV tion. Technical education will be the keyllote of this test, and I would respectfully com- mend the matter to your most serious con- sideration. Merthyr has two important of development in the matter, viz., MinIng and Metallurgy, and to a lesser degree, En' gineering. The facilities offered by the Edu- cation Committee of Merthyr in these e ments should be second to none in the country- The co-operation of the masters of these rn' du.stries is essential to the success of the ac- tivities of the Education Committee.

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-=-=: Llanelly and District Labour Association. 5 RESOLUTIONS AND LETTERS CON- SIDERED. The usual meeting of this Association was hel^V on Saturday last, Mr T. R. James (N.U.R.) In 7 the chair. After the usual preliminaries of accepting the minutes of the previous meeting the delega-te"" waded through a mass of correspionde nee. Acknowledgment's were received from Prime Minis tea-, Chancellor, of th.\? Exchequer, i[ Mr W. Llewelyn Williams, ili.P., re Old Age Pensions resolutions. The, National Labour Press sent circulars ca K ji ing attention to E. D. Morel's book Truth all, the War," and the Rev. Stephen Waugli )a "The Thinker and the Fighter. Circulars were received from the Lah01ir Exchange explaining the extension of the Vn employment Insurance. Leaflets on the Cost of Living and Profits; which had been ordered from the W orkefs National Committee, were distributed.. The National Council for Civil Liberties (for- f marly -against Conscription) sent an invitation to. a Conference at Swansea on the 12th of August. Mr T. R. James was appointed to attend. The Central Labour College called attelition to W. W. Ctaik's book, "Outlines of Working Class History. Tie Coventry Labour Party asked for a re80-, lution on the proposed introduction of coloured labour on British farms. The Nottingham Trades Council made a simi- lar request in regard to the charity clauses of to" the Naval and Military Pensions Act. r The London Trades Council wanted the saWe. done re Food Prices. The Southampton Trades Council also waed a resolution passed re Asiatic labour on British slf The four resolutions were passed, and in- structions given to the Se,creti,ry to forward to' the Prime Minister and others. The Association for a brief interlude quite a resolutionary body. We can at least say that we have assisted in filling some wasta paper baskets. The International League to "Enforce Peace' sent a circular explaining their objects. A long letter was received from a Mr Turnbull objecting to ..the present Parliament. He did not ask for a resolution to be sent to any one; in fact, he was revolutionary, rather thaa resolutionary, inasmuch AS his letter has been sent to all the people likely to be interested i° the matter. The delegateis' attention was called to the' Union of Democratic Control monthly journ, "The U.D.O. and to the new pamphlet by N. Brailsford, entitled "Turkey and the Roads. to the East." Mr Edward Black was itf attendance as a re- presenttative of the War Savings Committee, » but as he was due to catch a train for hIS ( home, the matter was deferred for future 001).- j sideration. J

BIG STOPPAGE AVERTED. I After a conference between representatives of the men and the employers, the pumpmen and, mechanics of the Afan Valley Collieries conditionally withdrawn their notices. A stop" page of over 2,000 men has thus been averted.

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