South Wales Weekly Post

SWANSEA'S BIG 'BIT.' Rally at Albert Hall. ROUSING PATRIOTIC APPEALS SIR A. MOND ON I THE LOAN. C "Finest Security in the World. TOWN'S GREAT OPPORTUNITY. The SwiMea meeting in connection with the new War Loan campaign that the Cen- tral War Savings Association has arranged throughout the country was held at the Albert Hall on Friday .evening and was splen- didly attended. The principal speaker was the borough member, the Right Hon. Sir Alfred Mond, Bart., who made his first ap- pearance in the town after his recent inclu- sion in the Ministry as First Commissioner of Works. From seven to eight o'clock, ■ Mr. T. D. Jones (organist, Sketty Church), rendered popular organ selections which gave general delight. His Worship the Mayor (Aid. David Davies) presided and was supported by Sir Alfred and Ladv Mond. Mr. T. J. Williams, M.P., and Mrs. Williams, Mr. W. H. Edwards, J.P., Mr. Jordan Jones (London and Provincial Bank), Mr. J. Vaughan Edwards, Dr. J. H. S. Roberts, Mr. Hyam Goldberg, Mr. T. P. Cook, Capt. Thomas (Chief Constable), Mr. Richard Martin, J.P., Mr. John Glasbrook, Aid. Morgan Tutton, Capt. Syd Bevan, Mr. George Crocker, Mr. A. P. Higham, Mr. George Dorrell, Mr. A. W. E. Wynne, the Deputy. Mayor (Aid. Ben Jones), Mr. and Mrs. Aeron Thomas, Mr. H. G. Jeffreys, Mr. R. L. Sails, J.P., Mr. and Mrs. C. T. Ruthen, Mr. W. Edwards, J.P., Mr. R. G. Lewis, Major G. S. Harries, Mr Gwilym Morgan, J.P., Mr. R. Lewis, J.P., Mr. W. Fosser, Mr. A. D. Perkins, Major and Mrs. Bertie Perkins, the Rev. D. Price, Mr. R. J. Mat- thews, Mr. Roland Rees, Captain Godfrey (Swansea Battalion), Mr. D. Glasbrook, JJP., Mr. F. Gage, Mr. A. B. Davies, Mr. D. Roberts, J.P., Rev. Percy Moss Weston, Mr.-J. W. Jones, J.P., Councilor D. Grif- fiths, Mr. E. A. John (Labour Exchange), Mfl W.' J; Stephens, Mr. Hamilton "Shaw,' Lieut. J. fioclgens, Councillor J. B. Owen, -)Cr. IL Lang Coath (Town Clerk), Mr. W1. H. Ashmole (borough treasurer), Mr. W. J. Crocker (who had the arrangements for the meeting), Mr. F. Rocke, J.P., Mr. E. Fish, Mr. Chas. Gnstavus, Councillor J. Lewis, Mr. Cyrus Evans. Mr. J. T. Davies. Dr. Edwards, Mr. J. Jones, Mr. J. Mulholland, Councillor Percy Molyneux, Mr. A. Marles and others. The Mayor and those accompanying him on the platform were warmly received. Mr. W. J. Crocker read letters of apology for non-attendance from Mr. J. Williams, M.P. (Gower), who wrote that, he per- sonally would respond to the utmost limit of his resources; Sir J. T. Llewelyn, Bart., who would much liked to have been present but he never comes out at night; Mr. F. Edwards (bank manager), who was pre- vented through a severe cold, and trusted the meeting would be big euceetis; Rev. J. Owen, Sir Robert Morris (who was in London, and Colonel J. R. Wright. Mears. Joseph Hall (who was flway, Cory Yeo, T. N. Talfourd Strick, Dr Brook, T. Miers, O. Owens, J. E. Rowlands, J. S. Brown, Councillor Macdonpell, R. W. Bear. and H. M. James. HIS WORSHIP THE MAYOR. The Mayor said it was not necessary for! him that night to try to explain the pur- pose of that meeting; they all knew it was to supplement the efforts of our statesmen, our soldiers, and our sailors, to provide i our fighting men not only with food, cloth- ing, and equipment, bait with munitions and the guns that would make them irre- s'istible in the spring and summer to come. (Applause.) He was never more proud of being Mayor of Swansea than he was at the present time. Swansea had done right splendidly throughout the war; she had not only sent her SODS by the thousands to fight, but she had looked a.fter the wounded soz- diers, the repatriated Belgians and the sol- diers many of whom were back again in the dghting line, and now came a fresh call. As a Corporation—and corporations were not money-saving bodies, but money-spending —they put UY a good stroke for Swansea Wednesday when they declared as a Corporation they were ready and willing to subscribe £ 125,900. (Applwjm.) Let them j .kok through the lists as they were pwb-/ tMhad, and he thought they would nnd he I was justified in saying there was no muni- cipahty of the character and size of Swan- sea that had excelled that figure or even approached it. (Applause.) Newport was very prosperous, and their Corporation j subscription was but Swansea reached the topmost point with their £ 125,000, and in doing that the Corporation j had set an example to the rich men in our ] district. Quarter of a Million. Although actual figures were not yet known vet that day intimations had been received of nearly a quarter of a million in addition from Sjtvansea. (Applause.) Mr. Ashmole, the highly capable borough treasurer, had thought out schemes for obtaining every possable pound for the loan. Arrangements had been made for placing harometer& showing the progree.s of the loan subscrip- tions—at the Swansea Market and the) Labour Exchange. It was arranged to I have a fresh board for every million, but even before Swansea had got one board up the town, he honestly believed, had reached the first million. (Applause.) Proceeding, the Mayor said the Chancellor of the Ex- chequer had given a plain hint that the 11 present loan would be the last voluntary loan of the war; i1 this appeal did not pro- d'jco the money required-he firmly be- lieved it woiild-(applause)-the next step would be a foreed loan at a. lower rate of interest. That was one point he wished i,) emphasise, and the other was that if the Alliee lost the war no propertied man in this country would be safe in possession of his property. If the Germana won not that he thought for on moment they wotild-maii with property would be poorer by far than if they lent ever possible penny to t.he War kan. And he made those -■■fc'.erv-'tion-: for the purpose of awakening j i.ny dormant or sluggish consciences if j 'here were any. He appealed amidst ap- "l;wl'!e every man and woman to lend to he fullest extent in their power. There had U 'H other w.ir meetings in that ha when .'pMix wero m?de for men to oome far* hard, give ?p shcir b?m? tAm rea?p!???, L,ivf) occupations, all the comforts of l'-t'< •^racticaiiy, and suonut oht-ruseives to ttiv. ancl (ii N-ar. Our youn^, .ii&nhoocl roiled up L'y the tiUousancui 11l a*, avver to that app»ai. ^Yjjpiau&e.J Une o. "ile prouuest THINGS for byujait:a to xecai. ui the years W> 001>10 W&S THAT btiore EOIU r'ajs«j;i we-b appiiea between l\.J,UU\J 11,000 of ner ooys raJuea to trie ca.u: ^-tppiause.) Our young manuio-d had oUiipjy spienuia it Jlau <WIIM..w uieu1 bluer. aim was reany supeib. At that time t,\1-. appeal was to tho young men, asK-ug Uwu- tv g I ye up everytiiuig ma King ino ujcueau. uiia lisic oneir lives 1v1' tiieir country, ali, many as a result oi that call weiL aiwpiiig their long sleep m .france anu i'laudeiis. But to-uay they were not ask ing that e&criiice—tho sacnuce so many ungrudging! v made. Sw«wT&eas War Sacrifices, I To-day in Swansea, iis vvoisiup. remarkea I in passing, entire were, 4vV war widows, over 8uu war orpiians. hunctleds oi mothers and wives had inaue real and UIl- complaining sacrifices—»acniice3 of breau- wiuners, sons, nns Jatius and brothers; that was the highest iorm of sacrifice, lti-j were astcing for much less that evening --merely asKing people to lend then savings to their country, and to pledge whatever credit they had tso that txity might beat the German tyrant to his kmt' Our ancestors did not build up this great Empire without suffering, sacmice and vai- our. (Applause.) No nation could be grcato or continue greatunles5 it had the capacity for self-sacrifice and endurance; their ancestors (possessed those qualities, and Luey had spread British civilisation over the whole world and won liberty for the human race. And as the descendants of those men they now aske-d iiio ricu, tilt; moderately rich, and the ordinary indus- trious workmen to come forward and lend their savings to the State they all loved their country; lend to the State the sinews of war to enable us to hnish this war triumphantly. Let them not be afraid be- cause their offering might be small; the widow's mite was as acceptable as the multi- millionaire's millions in this great war. They wanted to give the world a demonstration, not only of the colossal resources of the Brit- ish Empire, but the capacity of its people for self-sacrifice and the qualities which en- abled us to win the Napoleonic wars. "The Colden Guineas ot Erigiand." J Napoleon uSed to say he was not defeated. on sea or land but by the golden guineas of I England, and an important factor of success in this great war was going to be the Eng- lish sovereign. They asked everyone to give to the fullest ext:nt of his ability let them not be afraid of their small mite, for the t-ea J was composed of little drops and the most wonderful rivers in the world were made up in the same way. The success of the War Loan would hearten the Allies and depress their enemies. Let everyone come forward and add to the list and upon the investment they would get an excellent return. In con- clusion his Worship said he thoroughly be- lieved the loan was going to be a great suc- cess and he believed we were going to win triumphantly and decisively he believed, too, we should emerge from this war stronger as a military power, stronger as a naval power, and, above all things, stronger, in the esteem of the world for the fight made for human freedom. (Applause.) THE BOROUCH MEMBER. Sir Alfred Mond, who was cordially received, dwelt at the outset on the gei:rral position. He emphasised the fact that it was the ulti- matum to Serbia that was the light which wa-s thrown into the European pw. ci, i- 111,1 ;a- j zine, and said that the late Foreign Secre- tary, Viscount Grey, not many days before the war broke out, himself hoped he had succeeded in averting the terrible calamity, j And it could have been averted if our enemies had wished it. (Hear, hear.) The record of Germany since that time stood stark and naked, although they would go on | inventing excuses and endeavouring to per- vert truths to the end of the chapter. They had heard something about offers of peace, i Mr. Bonar I.Aw-(applause)-a;d in the House of Commons, and the Prime Minister repeated it in his Guildhall speech, that, there wag not a man in the country who would not be glad of peace. We were not a warlike people, although when we started fighting we were terrible enemies. (Hear, hear.) Of course, there was not a human be- ing with a heart in his body who would not like to see peace, The Mayor, like himself, had a son in the Welsh Division. (Ap- plause.) And he was glad to be able, as he had already done, to congratulate him upon the distinction his son had gained by being mentioned in the recent dispatches. (Hear, hear.) It-was with no light heart that they sent all that was dearest to the horrors and terrors of war. It was with no light heart that they should remain there. And it would be a joyful heart to welcome the re- turn to England only if that return meant that all they had been fighting for—all they had been suffering and struggling for—would lead to that final security to Europe for which they had been trying during the past two and a half years. (Applause.) The Central Empires had upset the whole bal- ance of Europe and put fire to the Balkan powder barrel and then they now asked us to return to the "status quo ante." There were some people in the country who did I not realise what our enemies had committed vms a felony .acainst humanitv. (Applause.) Compounding a Fetony." And in our criminal la.w there was such a. crime as compounding a felony. And so to talk of peace in this country—to ask us to make peace when there was no peace—was compollnding a felony against the Empire, against Europe and against the future free- dom of the world. (Applause.) Part of our great task was to reunite the severed na- tionalities, whilst the settlement of the whole question of Turkey in Europe had been long overdue. (Hear, hear.) Thp only thing that had hindered the realisation of the German scheme of plunder and aggression had been the splendid heroism and sacrifices of our Empire oIud the Allies. The hecatombs of dead, sleeping around Mons, on the Somme, at Verdun, at Yores, on the high peaks of the Italian frontier and in the frozeii. marshes bordering Russian rivers, were silent witnesses of that defeat of that tev- rible effort to manacle humanity. Those j millions would have given their lives in vain, those who wept their loss would havo [ sorrowed in vain, the soldiers who lol- lowed in their footsteps would be fighting I in vain, if we did not persist until we. reached an irisue which should render impos- sible a repetition of such suffering as we had endured sin^e August, 1914. (Ap- plause.) Each individual amongst us felt that there was no sacrifice too great for that object, and those whom a.ge or occupa- tion compelled to remain far behind, the I fixing line were now given an opportunity of assisting in a moat effective way to bring a true and lasting peace. (Hear, hear.) The Government, as they knew, was issuing 1<1, new War Loan. It was the largest loan which any country had ever en- deavcured to raise, and there iva,5 no limit to the amount. The greater it waa, .the better it was. (Hear, hear.) And we were now given an opportunity of doing two I things-—doing a good turn to ourselves and a good turn to our country. (Applause.) I The World's Finest security. They were not being asked to subscribe t<S a. charity, but. to invest their money at a rate cf interest which three years nvijo would have sounded iiicxedible--Si per œnt! Think of it! Five and a quarter; per cent. and the premier security in the world—Great Britain (Applause.) Why, most of us," said Sir Alfred Mond, would be glad to take 5i per cent. on a great many more doubtful securities of an industrial charac- ter. A few years ago a 5 per cent. British loan would not have been issued at 95, but! nearer 175. And, as I say, you are not asked to give your money, but to take the opportunity of an investment which will never recur again in the lifetime of any mail or woman in this hall." (Applause,) The right hon, member proceeded toO say that personally he was going to take the. 5 per cent. issue and in the registered form, Ii a.nd take his chance of the income ta.x after the war. (Hear, hear and laughter.) He emphasised the fact that in this issue the income tax wae uot to be deducted at the source, and so all the trouble cf reclaiming it from Somerset House by those not liabl I for the tax was avoided. But a point which I bat JtlKj.aghl of importance to a very' large number of people was this—thai the otoek in this loan could be offered in pay- ment of death duties. (Hear, hear.) That was a very great advantage, because at pre- sent, when a man died his executors very often had to dispose of part of the estate to pay the death duties before thay could ,et probate of the will. And so every prudent man ought to take up as much of :he loan as he could in order to provide :or the payment of death duties when he died. (Hear, hear.) There was another point, and that was in regard to the question of income tax arising Jii borrowed money, and that was that they would not have to pay tax on the whole of the interest on the borrowed money but only on the profit made, and that reduced the :ax very much indeed., SDrr, people seem to be frightened about the financial position of this country," Sir Alfred went o-n. "1 think they arc very few, as most people realise how immensely powerful is the finan- cial position of this country. I have had ot out for me just a few ifgures demon- strating our position: now as Pd with what it wos in the mwious great crisis in our history, and I would say that what our forefathers pa.id for fredom we, too, can ¡ jear to maintain our liberty. (Appla-u- Some Figures. I The period I am reiemng to is the end of the twenty years' struggle in the Napoleonic wars. In ltJ16 our population was 19Jj mil- lions, our Nalion-il Debt 900 million pounds. Our national wealth was estimated at 2.400 million pounds, and the proportion of our national debt to our national wealth was 37.5 per cent. Now let us look at the posi- tion to-day. Our population in 1914-5 was 46 millions, our National Debt at the end of 1916 wa's 3,000 million .pounds, fhir na- tional wealth was estimated at 16,030 million pounds-(applause)-ol' nearly eight times as great as when we were fighting that huge .Napoleonic war. And the proportion oi our liabilitie.s to our assets is only 2d per cent, as against 37.5. (Applause.) Well, that is a good balance-sheet. (Hear, hear.) No- body need doubt not only their capita.1 but their interest, as this loan will te as sale as the seas which guard our shores. (Ap- plause.) See what a burden must hayle been carried at the time this country was small, before our industries developed and its population small and the people poor! And now our population is great and works have grown so large that our industries are abundant and fnlly occupied, I say we should be a very poor and craven people if we could not find all the money to carry on the war as our forefathers did for over twenty years." (Applause.) We had made great advances to our Allies an Dominion (the right hon. member continued). These advances he had no doubt in time would bear great good to this country, not merely as :m investment of capital, but as bonds of friendship and guarantees of future commerce. (Hear, hear.) He pointed out that the new War Loan was not redeemable until 1929 at the earliest, but as it was at par it meant that the capital at the period of redemption must appreciate from 95 to 100, and it was also possible in the inter- vening time that the price might go con- siderably higher. The sinking fund pro- posed by the Government made depreciation practically impossible, and he urged the public not only to utilise their spare bal- ances in applying for the loan, but to pledge their credit with their bankers to the fullest extent possible. The hoarding of gold he characterised as stupid and criminal, pointing cut that a box of gold in the house was, from an economic' basis, of no more value than a box of bricks—(hear; hear)— and the boanden duty of these who had it was to at once take it to the banks so that it might provide a medium of exchange by ¡ which we could purchase food and munitions from abroad. (Hear, hear.) He was glad to know that a good start had been made in Swansea on behalf of the new loan, and since he reached the meeting he had had j placed in his hands an intimation that Messrs. Parry and Rocke had applied for 4-1 1 i loo worth new money—(applause)—Air. Frederic Rocke, I £4,000, and Mr. Gilbert Rocke, £ 1,0C0, making a total of £ 15,000. (Applause. Swansea Staggers London! Swansea was a veiy wealthy town, and the surroundings were full of people very much richer than anybody from tile income tax assessable value believed. (Laughter.) The subscriptions to the new Technic d College Fund did not surprise him, although it staggered London. (Laughter.) There they did not think there was so much money in Swansea, and that was money Swansea was giving away, whilst they were now being asked to invest money in order to niai'ie fome- dlillg out of it. Really if they worked it cut "in proportion to the means, the sub- scriptions in Swansea ought to be enor- mous. (Hear, hear.) The loan, said Sir Alfred, in conclusion, was an opportunity to all and everyone. No class, no age, no sex was excluded from "doin? its bi?" to- wards aecuring an overwhelming succef. Every penny contributed to it hastened the end, brought our dear ones a step nearer homo, and would help us to return to the paths of and to a renewal of the effol-ts to make our country a finer and better place tri live in than it had ever been in the history of man. (Hear, hear.) He was convinced that he could with abso- lute confidence, and firm faith rely upon them there that night and upon those out- 'side w-hom his voice could not reach to assist to the uttermost the Loan of Victory. j (Loud applause.) u MR. T. J. WILLIAMS, M.P. Mr. T. J. Williams, M.P., said he thought: Swansea, was to be congratulated upon hav- ing such A excellent Mayor as Ald. David Davies. (Applause.) He had done a. lot of good for the town, and the "Daily Post" War Prisoners' Fund now amounted to iitnarly ;07,(M. (Applause.) The Swansea Corporation had set* a fine example by tak- ing np L125,ODO worth of war loin. The points of the loan had IVf'n ably commented u,pon by Sir Alfred Mond, whom he was pleased to see had already started pinching property from the Royal parks for potato planting. (Laughter.) He hoped Sir Alfred would leave -a few patches for cabbage a* l -th?y were not all Irishmen. (Laughter.) j In the present war we alway3 had to kep,p in front of us three things. The first was men, the second munitions, and the third f money. Neither was of any use without the others. He referred to the manner in whidt our original exppditio'mry force pro- tee?ed our Allies from Prussianism by nght- ing' their never-to-be forgotten rearguard action and to the satisfactory progress 01 munition making, which now tyiabled us to supply our Allies as well as ourselves, and he laid emphasis upon the excellent work done in this respect by our women. <p- iplnuge.) No fewer than 900,000 women in England were now employed in I i i vital industry. Touching upon the loan Mr. Williams asked all to remember that all the money in the country belonged to the State, and i it was not offered ,-oluubnllv :in thÜ; crisis it would be taken. Britons should consider it a privilege to lend money upon such giond security to the Government at; oi per cent, interest, and he advised people! to get advances from their bankers to pur-I chase war loans. Speculators had nothing to lose and everything to gain, and every- j one should assist their country by eveiv possible menus. They should remember Neison's message at Trafalgar; ,El,g!alld expects every man tb. day to do his duty." That Wits his message to the people of Swansea, and dii'.rict, and he hoped every woman and child, as well as every man, would do their duty in this fight for liberty and justice. (Applause.) The Mayor stated that the Borough Treasurer his assistant would <'ladiv give advice to anyone upon the purchase of w:.r loans. This was decided some days ago. His Worship then called upon Mr. R. L. Sails to move the resolution. Mr. Sails said he hoped the enthusiasm displayed would not dit- away the moment th-y went through the door to go home. and he did not want anyone,to raise his or h?; hand in favour (if thA resojution unie? prpared to take up war loa.n. He did not want a single financial shirker to go ,way from that meeting. There were many kinds of shirkers in connection with the war/ and he wanted, nothing to do with ,hirk-err, in any shape op form. (Applause.) This was a case where every- one oould have the satisfaction of doing hi a bit. They did not only want the thou- sai-ids, from the rich people, but were out to get the small amounts from the workers as weH and he appealed to all to support the resolution by doing something to in- crease the total of the loan, in the name of "Swansea. Mv..Sails then read the resolu- tion as follows: — Thrt this meeting. recognising the vital necessity of adequate ifnancial support from all classes of the community if the war which Brita.in and her Allies are. waging on behalf of civilisation's loftiest ideals is to end in complete) victory and lasting peace, pledges itself to make every possible sacri- fice in order to ensure the overwhelming success of .the War Lo&n." ThIs. continued Mr. Sails, was the reaoiu- tion they .were a.ked t) carry and he hoped no one would have any r<?t ?mtH they had done their bit in this respect. He spoke in the presence of men and women who had sons out at the front-some of whom, un- fortunately, would never come back again- and a-eked them to pinch themselves and to save' money to help defeat the Huns. Those at home were simply asked to rise to the oc- casion and do their duty so that in the years to come they would have the knowledge they had helped to win the war. (Applause. Mr. Hamill-on Shaw (stockbroker) seconded the resolution and appealed to the small ma: who could put his C5 in the loan to do so for his own advantage as well as to help the Government. The security was the most negotiable security to be obtained. The Mayor put the resolution to the meet- ing and it was carried unanimously. Mr. H. Goldberg said those who could net invest big amounts could pay their few sbil, lings a week into the arious War Savings Associations and the money could then be invested in the loan. He proposed sincere thanks to the Mayor, who had done very much for the town already during his short term of office, and also since the outbreak of the war he had identified himself with every appeal of those suffering in consequence of the war, and he had much pleasure in sub- mitting the proposal to the meeting.-Ca,r ried. The Mayor returned thanks and i-emarked that the meeting had given a splendid push to the War Loa.n movement in Swansea.

MARCH 31 ST." URGENT NEED OF ALL FIT; MEN. NO EXEMPTIONS AFTER THIS MONTH. Lord Khoiwida has circularised the tribunals pointing out the urgent import- ance of tili men tit. for general service or garris.on duty abroad being made avail- able for military f-ervice as soon as pos- I ihle-at iptest by March 31st next—in order that they may be put under train- ing. In view of this tho tribunals will not be justified in exempting beyond the 31st inst., on grounds of employment, any man under al years of age fit for general service or for garrison duty abroad, ex.. cept in the special cases where a man cannot he spared v. ithout serious detri- ment to work of essential importance. Agriculture continues to be excluded from this arrangement. SETTLING UP BUSINESS AFFAIRS. -Men affected by tnese new instructions are not to be given further exemption in order to settle up their business alfairs; but the Tribunal may make a bargain with the military representative that men shall, when necessary, be given a brief period to make necessary .arrangements and shall net be called up before a stipulated date. The instructions are equivalent to in ordor that all conditional exemptions shall be revised as quickly as possible. Military representatives, will be ousy forthwith in giving notice to terminate these exemp- tions, and when the conditionally exempted comes up the Tribunal will have no alternative but to send him to the Colours.

A BIG BREAKFAST." Inquest on Ammanford Blacksmith. At an inquest at Ammanford on Satur- I day upon John Burns (02), a blacksmith, it was stated that' deceased became ill alter taking a heavy breakfast. His conflition did not improve, and on Thurs-i uay monling Dr. D. R. Price was sent for., When he arrived deceased was practi- cally dying. He came to the conclusion that deceased died from heart failure, due to distended stomach, which probably contained a large amount of undigested food. The doctor added that, he ascer- tained that on that particular morning deceased had taken a big breakfast. A-verdict in accordance with medioal testimony was returned.

I HUNKIN-YENDELL. Neath Major's Wedding at Exeter. At Mount Ple-asant Chapel, Exeter the weddinjr took place of Miss Lily Yendell. yorngre'Jt daughter of the late Mr. ,T. Yendell and Mr?. Yendell, of Exeter, and Major Llewellyn Hunkin, Royal Wel-h Fusiliers, I sceond son of the late Mr. H. Hunkin and Mrs. Hunkin, of Neath. The brde. who wa?< ?ven away by her brother, Mr. C. YendcH, wore a gown of soft shell-pink silk net over ta.ffetaE. with silver cord edging the frilir, t f the double-fiounoed skirt the folded net cei^ture. The 13-,idesniaic!3 were Miss Dorothy Yendell and Miss Beryl Smith, Weston-super-Mare (nieces of the bride), and Miss Phyllis Hunkin and Miss Vera Hunkin (sisters of the brid-e- gro3m). ?' Second Lieutenant W. Ckmcnt HUllkin (brother of the bridegroom) was best nian, and the ofB?iatin? minister was the Rev. F. (?oHias.

FARMERS CIRCULARISED. Cultivation Movement in West Wales. A movement is afoot in Carmarthen- shire with a view to getting farmers to put more land under the plough. On Saturday at Carmarthen the executive leoniiiiittee. of the County War Agricul- tural Committee decided to cirou,arise all farmers in the county, urging them to make a special effort, to inereast, food production, and asking each to give an I estimate of what he is able to do in this I direction in the coming spring. It was also decided to acquire two or three htrge areas in the county which the committee intends to cultivate..It is also intended to use motor tractors to plough I the land. A sub-committee was appointed to select suitable sit-es.

EX-SWANSEA GAOL I GOV-E-RNOR"S WIFE. JURY'S FINDINGS FOR I DEFENDANTS. Mr. Just ice Bray, in the King's Bench 1 Division on Saturday, entered judgment for defendants in the action by Mrs. Hilda iimvows, wife of Ma jor Norman Burnm", until recently Governor of 'Swansea Prison^ against the Regent Palace Hotel, London, C'laiming 0£8], the value of a purse containing two diamond I; rings and cash, which plaintiff said was stolen from her at the hotel in June, IMS. The judge held that all the findings of the jury were for defendants.

ST AND- BACK!" LOCAL SHOOTING I AFFAIR. I PORT TALBOT MAN COMMUTED. ) Considerable local interest was taken in the adjourned hearing of the charge heard at Port Talbot on -Nionday against Griffith Howell, 52, Mausel-stioet, Port Talbot, and employed as a storekeeper at the Rio Tinto Cofpper Works, of shooting at Francis Hy. Bendle, Eastbourne-terrace, Penrhiewtyn, Neath, with intent to murder him. Mr. L. M. Thomas defended, and the court was crowded. Supt. Ben Evans conducted the prosecution. Francis Henry Bendle, employed as a weigher at the Neath Steel Sheet and Gal- va-nising Works, said he was married Jn January, 1904, and had four children. Supt. Evans: H-u-, your married life been a happy one?—No, sir. Has your wife lx-en in the habit of leaving home at intervals, leaving the children at home?—Yes, sir, for the last four years, In November, 1915, witness paid, whilst living at Wallace-road, Neath, his wife wa? awwy from him for some time, but at the request of her sister he took her back. He then decided to remove to Port Talbot so as to take his wife from her surroundings. They took apartments with the prisoner at 52, Mansel-street. Supt. Evans How long after yon had been living there did you oecorne suspicious of intimacy between your wife and the de- fendant?—After about two months. Did you, in consequence, remove with your wife and children back to Neath- Yes, sir. Was the prisonerwife di ve at that time? —Yes, she was an invalid. Witness added that he spoke to Howeils and asked him to Leave his wire alone I as he had had sufficient trouble with her already. Prisoner told him to go to I and left him. He also accused the pris- oner on other occasions, and once, after i watching t,hem from a bedroom window, j he followed prisoner into the ki Lhen I when Howells produced a table knife from a drawer and threatened to cut his head off" unless he left the room. He aftcr- wards saw them arm-in-arm on Bagsan- road, and parted them, and the prisoner tried to suke him. On the 16th inst. he returned home from work between three and four o'clock. His wife was not there. He walked to Port Talbot to search for his wife. Whilst in the lane at the back of the Grand Hotel he saw prisoner and his (witness's1) wife, Coming down arm-in-arm. Supt. Evans: Did you do anything?— I went towards them and a voice shouted: "Stand back, or I will blow your brains out." When he heard the shout ho saw the revolver. Witness, continuing, said he feit some- thing tickling him in the right arm. and ran straight to the police station, and accompanied P.C. Williams to 52, Mansel- street, and there prisoner and wit- ness's wife. Witness produced the cloth- ing worn by rim on Tuesday night. Cross-examu?d, he ag''e?d that he knocked his wife and prisono down once. Thomas: Could this rcvoiver have gone ôff aecidenta]]y:-Xo. It was hddi gone at ann's length. intentionally at arm's length. Dr. Ratcliffe said the buJlet was found embedded near the bone in the centre of the right arm. The huilet (produced) was extracted on Saturday. William J. Rees, wholesale provision dealer, Swansea-road, Llancliy. said he saw Bendle go towards them and both men ivi-estleci together for a nr'tTiutc. He heard one man shout Stand back," and then Heard a revolver sh&t. He saw prisoner jxrint the revolver to- wards Bendle. After the shot Bendle passed witness and said, Watch that. man, he has shot me., 1 am going to the police." P.C. Williams '-aid that he vent to 52. Manscl-street, prisoner opened the door. Mrt. Bendle was in the iiii-d(lie Prisoner was cautioned, and in lenlv said: I d;cEn'f shact hi|T3; I duhi t have a revolver at all. Inspector Rees said prisoner <tited that he wa3 accompanying- Mrs. Bendle to the | sfdtion when hor husband came and struc'F him (<t.risoner) on the back of the neck. He I toJd him to stand hack, and the revolver went off. Later the prisoner pioduced the' revolver fpruduced) and a box of cart rids; a-. Prit-oiif-r took out from a drawer fifty- nine Treasury twW of £ 1 each and a cheque for £)3 19e:t When at the police station prisoner handed the \\)m,1U Bcndle £5 in notes. Supt. Evans said the woman Bendle was in court, but he did 1101, propos.e to call her unless the court desired him to do so. (Mr. S. H. By ass): We don't i think it necessary. Prisoner was then charged by the clerk with shooting at Bendie with intent to do Ixtdily harm, and in reply pleaded Not gli.ili,y He was committed for trial at the next Assizes, and allowed bail, himself in £100 and two each.

SPLENDID SWANSEA CHARITY. I SURPLUS OF AGED POOR I FUND TO BE SPENT IN BOOT I TICKETS. A meeting of the committee of the Mayor's Aged Poor Fund was held at the Swansea rrec Library on Monday after- noon, His Worship the Mayor (Aid. David Davies) presiding. There were also prcsojt the X fvoress (Sirs. David Davies), Mrs. G. A. Getning, M rH. S. J. Whyatt, Mrs. W. J. Harris, Mrs. T. R. Davi(,5, )h, ,IN. ,J. Robertson, Mro. Merreils, Airs. T. j. '1. liams, Mrs. W. J. Phillips, Nirg. E. M. Wil- liams, Mrs. A. Ball, Mrs. T. Manselton James, ylrs. Geo. Hemminge, Miss Kate Davies, Mrs. Willie Harri- Mrs. Denning, Mrc. Cunniife, 111¡6. Goff Morgan, Mrs, Tom A!oms- Mr. Ashmole (Borough Treasurer) reported I the total subscriptions during the past year amounted to JB529 lis. 3d, ;nid» the expeiidi- tiirp was £ 421 7s. 9d. leaving a Lalaace of £ 106 53. No fewer than 1.703 shilling food tickets had been distributed and 860 cloth- ing tickets at 3s. 6d. each. j The Mayor said that, it was suggested th-it JS106 should he spent in boot tickets, which t would he distributed amongst the various wards iu the same proportion as flie cloth- ing tickets. La-st year there was no distri- bution of boots. The Mayor proposed that the hoot tickets be alloted, as suggested, and the Mayoress seconded.—This was carried. Mr. Ashmole suggested the same lines be followed in the distribution as hist year, i Orphans or children of widows should come first; children of men disabled second and children of men serving in the forces, whose fathers' wages were not ruado u.p by their employers, third. The Mayor said special preference should be lven to Children of men who had been killed, as tlie .separation allowance to these widows had not been increased, and war orphans should be well looked after. In reply to a question hy the Mayoress. Mr. Ashmole said tho list of names to whom the tickets were to be aw-arded could be made up at once. The Mayor said lie was very grateful to all contributors and collectors for the £ ood work accomplished. The fund was a boon to the poor people, who would derive a lot of benefit from it.

I AMERICA'S SHARE. I It is announced that the new British Loan I of 250 miUion dollars i, £ 50,GOO,r^V 5 £ per cent. will b" oSered to the l""ero on practically a 6 per cent, basis.

SHOOK ALL LONDON. I I I iqjp* — THE TERRIBLE MUNITIONS EXPLOSION. I Heavy Toll of Killed and Injured I HEARTRENDING SCENES. The story of the great explosion which occurred at a munitions factory in the East-end on Friday evening, and was briefly announced on Saturday, can now be told at length. The damage was very severe. Four large industrial works and several smalior ones were destroyed, and rows of small house property were de- molished. Tha work of extricating the dead has not been completed, and owing to the difficulty of this wcrk and the scatter- ing of too injured among many has- pitals and other placos of refuge no final casualty list can yet be giuer. By Saturday evening between 30 and 40 bodies had baen recovered, and about 100 persons were officially reported to have been seriously injured. It was unofficially estimated em Sun- day night that the death roll would reach 100 and that the number of the injured would be not less than 400. FLAME TWO MILES HIGH. SOME EXTRAORDINARY EFFECTS. The concussion of air (writes a "Daily Telegraph correspondent) was something unique event in neigh bourhoods not unused to explosions. A boiler weighing 40 tons was lifted up bodily and carried for a dis- tance of a quarter of a mile I- many small houses in the neighbourhood were levelled to the earth, the occupants, including many children, being buried; other houses were shattered and buttered; further away win- dows were reduced to atoms; men and women were thrown down in the streets. The most majestic spectacle seen for many a, year was presented as the flying flaming fragments from the factory were sent like shooting stars through the night. Neigh- bouring warehouses and factories were set alight; a flour mill was soon a mass of flam's houses gave forth flames. But the most awe-inspiring result of tho explosion--d;ie. no doubt, to the violent air concussion—v, as the injury done to a gas- ometer some d;?tanc? from the original scene of trouble. It held About 8,300,000 cubic feet of ordinary illuminating gas. As though raised by some super-power, the top was lifted off, and the contents esciped. An ,inir.,ien,e column of fire rose against the pall of the clouds tc a height of about two miles it burnt itself out in a few seconds, and then ;(II wps over. The absence of explosion in this instance saVed other gas-holders near by. Th.y remained intact while their neigh- bour was exhausted in one gigantic illumina- o,l e I I tion. BLIN'DED AND CHARRED. I FRIGHTFUL FATE OF LITTLE I ONES. 0:'8 of the saddest features in the ter- ri. ble calamity is the number of little chil- dren who apparently have been killed or injured. — Some girls were brought out with the clothing almost stripped from their bodies, l tilers were terribly burned and charred. There was a ,ir1-a.pparently delirious— v. ho woke up and waved her csharred arms to the crowd. In one hospital they had lJõ-) more room, not enough nurses, not enough doctors. Faces, coifs, arms, hands, and uniforms, they were all dabbled and splashed with the blood of all those mangled men, women, children, and piteous tinv babes. A lad staggered out of an ambulance: he reele d to a hencb and rooked himself, pressing his hand to his eyes. He was blinded. Heroic nurses, ambulance men, and Bov Scouts, assisted by Gii-1 Guides, worked liko Trojans to alleviate the sufferings of the injured. A little child but a few month- old was brought from beneath a heap of ruins that had once been the home of her parents. She was tne solo survivor of a family of six children. Tenderly a nurse took the frail mite from the ifremen, and sitting on the muddy kerb with the child on her lap, she oound up its little crushed body, and amid a scene of desolation attended the I child until an ambulance was available to I take the bairn to the hospital j A Terrible Homecoming. A "worker III t.he ( liy returned shortly I nfter 7 to find his parents ho ise had van- ished in the £ j"erit upheaval. Ke, too, found his way to the hospital, and there was able to identify the unconscious form of his mother, who is not expected to re- cover from her injuries, and in the mor- tuary he saw tne bodies of his father and sister. These, are but a few of the inci- dents of the disaster. Hundreds there were who sought relatives and friends in vain. I "ALL GONE!" j I MOTHER LOSES HUSBAND I AND CHILDREN. A news correspondent narrates the fol- lowing poignant story: — One woman of the working class, her fac<3 drawn with agony, her eyes tearless, had come to inquire for her two little girls aged five and seven respeHivolv. Thev had gone on an errand for her and had not I returned. The police had advised her to come t6 the hospital. In detail the mother described the children's clothing. Yes, tLev had heen admitted. Sh identified the 't-attered HtIe frocks. Gently th'? matron placed hd' arms around the woman's waist, whispered something to her, a.nd led her to a seat. Then the tears blinded liei- eyes. "My God," she gasped, "and all j gone." l-ater it was learned that the woman's husband had died on the western battlefield, and the news of his death was only received that came morning. NOISE SHOOK THE EARTH. WEIRD LIGHT ALL LONDON SAW. THE WHOLE METROPOLIS ILLUMINATED. Every one in the 700 square miles of Lon- don heard tHe explosion, which was the loudest, the weirdest, and, for many sons, the most mysterious ever experienced. It was also the most tragic in its toll of human life and limb. About 6.50 an enormous dull red glare ap- peared in the sky to the east. It was as though a fire of unprecedented proportions had broken out wid the flames had louirst through acres of roof, illuminating thf heavens. People ran eastwards to be first 'm the scene of the fire. They they suddenly stopped and gazed tipwards. The light became brighter-a con. fusion of orange and salmon-pink, diffusing the sky with strange, almost unnatural colours. People held their breath and won- dered. The light dissolved into a very pala yellow, and then came a Brilliant brust of incandescence. 1\0 brilliant that all London could be-seen as clearly as on a summer's day. It was just as if the sun had,, by a freak of nature, held unquestioned sway—but only for a second or two. Puzzled eyes were riveted to this startling, unexplainable panorama, when the ears caught a deep, hoarse, thunderous boom in the distance. The light in the sky faded, then disappeared altogether. The noise I shook the earth and-it may or mav not have been faiiev-t -ho-tiv r ii,-li of cold wind seemed to brush one's cheeks. Then all was black and silent again. The seven or eight seconds during which these phenomena happened wer-e indeed ter- rible, and to many people terrifying. No- I body knew what had taken place, and everv- body expected something else to happen. Men and women and girls ran out of shops I aEd offices and sheltered in the doorways < People in the streets hugged the near sida of the pavements. A motor-omnibus driver, bewildered by the strange sights and sounds, ran his omnibus off tl, -oadway aid nearly crippled pedestrians. Women passengers in omnibuses peered through the windows. Faiv and heard, and then u u., Fainted from fright. ) Wnat 13 it. Where is it? People ran hither and thither asking these questions, but receiving no reply. C(-,namonseiis. told them there had been an explosion, but an explosion of what? The roar was too de?o and shattering even for a bomb, and not sharp enough for a heavy gun or prolonged enough for an explosion of heavy shells. The evening was far advanced before any j large section of London knew the truth. PERIL FROM MATCHES. For taking matches into n munitions f ic- tory, Sarah Streton was fined L5 at Xorth London, and Thomas Buck was sei)tenced to one month's hard labour. The JJencn expressed the hope that. the' searchers' criticisms of the regulations would be brought to higher notice." It was stated that some previous fine-; in- flicted had been met by collections at the woriv. AUSTRIAN DISASTER. I 120 Workmen Blown to Pieces. ZURICH, Saturday. The "Courier" says:— The explouon at 'a munitions factoiv at Felix wort, in Austria, on December oOt.h, pelix?!k?4' -'rt, i.? A,.t-?-ia, on Dec.iyLer 0ot,ti, the official statement wo: make it appear. It is^.jiQw stated tnat Avorkmsn were bl'j-,Vn"tb places.'

— RAN INTO TAXI-CAB. l LITTLE SWANSEA GIRL I KILLED. A little girl named Edith Rowe (7). daughter of David Rowe, No. 56, Aberdy- b pit hi .street, Halod, Swansea, -was knocked down by a t^ixi-cab on the Neath-road on Saturday evening, and the child died oil the way to the Hospital. The deceased was seen to run across the road from Malipbant-street, as if she had run fPom the corner greengrocer's shop light in front of the motor-car. She was picked up and the police motor- ambulance telephon.ed for, but she died from head and internal injuries. SEQUENCE OF TRACIC EVENTS. In connection with the sad affair it is melancholy sequel that the next night her grandfather, Mr. Morgan, shipwrights^ aged 07, residing in the same house ij BL Aberdyberthi-street, died suddenly. Morgan has had much trouble recentlv having lost two sons at the front, and also a grandchild suffocated a short time back. Other Accidents. The subdued lighting arrangements accounted for other accidents on Satur- day. IVtychad Mahony (54), a fireman on the s.s. Garland, and residing in Brynmelvn- street, was knocked down by a tramcar iu Liingvfelacii-roid about 9.35 on Satur- day night, and sustained serious injuries to the head and face. He was in a bad way on Sunday, William Lee, 42. labourer, No 224, Noath-road, Landore, was knocked down by a motor-car in High-street and sus- tained a compound fracture of the lefti leg.

BRITON FERRY ALLOTMENTS. Last spring Jinangemonts wore mad e between the District Council, Briton Ferry, and the gcnts of Lord Jersey, for certain lands to he taken over for allot- mentfj, and a number of gardens were Jai(T out and good crops obtained, Arrange- ments have now been made by tho Coun- cil with his lordship for all open land to be taken over, and a large number of applicants will be able to have their own potato patch. The Council is arranging to .supply tho seed, manure, etc.. at easv prices, and there is a good prospect of every available bit of land being takea lip.

THE LLANELLY WAR HOSPITAL WORKERS. The famous Felinfocl Dramatic ,aooietv save two performances of "Change" at Llanolly last week, a.nd another performance occurs on Wednesday next. The Felinfoel Company atways hand over their proceeds to charities, and Oil this occasion the money will be handed over to the Llailelly Ambu- lance Brigade, whioh has a. membership ot 80. These men are anxious to assist at the fit. John's Hospital, whjbh is shortly to be opened in the town for the accommodation of 200 wounded. It is the opinion of those who have seen Change" performed by many companies that the lelinfoel players are the best.

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