Herald of Wales and Monmouthshire Recorder

TOOK PART IN NAVAL BATTLE. I Writing to his sister, Mrs. J. Gardener, Morfa House, Wychtree-street. Morriston, Stoker W. J. Averill, H.M.S. Tiger, which took such a prominent part in the North Sea fight on Sunday week last, says: I expect that you have had the news of our bit of sport, as some call it. I cannot eee much sport alvout it iny- self. Never mind, 1. saw them off all night. I have not much news to give you yet as we are xiot allowed to sv rite anything pbout it, so I will save it all for some other time. j Stoker Averill is only 21 years of age,; and has served 4 years in the Navy, He served on H.M.S. Hearty and H.M.S. Endeavour before he was transferred to the Tiger. He is I a native of Brorasgvove, Ledbury, but when on leave he makes his home with his sister at Morriston. He is also a re- lative of the late Lance-Corpl. R. 11. Wat- kins (King's Royal Rifles), who was for- merly a number-taker at the Midland Railway, Morriston, and who was killed I in action on October 27th.

OVERTAKEN BY THE TIDE. I Two men, Arthur Hasler and Joseph Clarke, were driving in a cart across the causeway from the mainland at Maldon, Essex, to Northey Island, with two horses 1 tied behind the cart, when they were over- taken by the tide on Saturday night. Hasler and two horses were drowned. t Clarke saved himself, and a third horse was rescued by boatmen.

The Grimsby dockers are taking steps to demand an additional twopence per hour, and it is anticipated the demand will he put forward at the end of the I present week. I

AMMAN VALLEY I SCHOOLS. — — LIVELY DISCUSSION OVER I LIGHTING. The Group Managers af the Amman Valley Schools met at Ammanford on Thursday afternoon, Re-v. J. EdrTd Jones presiding. Tycroes and Ammanford County School. I The Education Committee intimated that children from the Tycroes School would, under the term* of the existing in- termediate school scheme, be eligible to compete for free places at the Amman Valley County School ia June next. The only re-sfriction imposed was that half the number of free places offered shall lie confined to children residing within the Intermediate School district. Is Gas Unduly Favoured? I The consideration of the lighting ar- rangements at the Saron and Tycroes Schools gave rise to certain liveliness. A memorial was presented by the mem- bers of the Saron Ambulancc Class calling the attention of the managers to the un- satistfaotory lighting of the Saron Council School, where they met. Although two new lamps had been supplied, the light was not satisfactory and inj urious to the eyesight. As other schools in ,the AmmaJl Valley had been supplied xvith superior lighting they respectfully asked that the same advantages be meted out to them. Electric lighting was available, and the cost would not very much exceed that of oil lamps. The memorial was signed by Dr. D. R. Price (leeturer), C-oun. J. Bevan and about thirty others. The Chairman said the managers had already made a recommendation to the County Education Committee with regard to the better lighting of the Saron School. He believed they had done so twice be- fore, and being that the Ambulance Class had a$k('d for their support, they could do so again. On the motion of Mr. J. Harries, seconded by Mr. T. V. Jones, it was de- cided that a strong recommendation in the matter be made to the Education Committee. The local managers of the Tycroes School drew attention to the defective lighting of that school for the evening classes. It had been found impossible to I obtain oil for the lamps, inasmuch as it was not obtainable owing to the dearth of petroleum, and the only alternative was to have the school lighted by elec- tricity. Rev. T). T. Moses moved that the. reoom- mendaltion be adopted, and Mr. Lewis Rees seconded. Mr. B. H. Evans proposed that the words, "or gas," be added to the recom- mendation. Mr. J. Harries said they should surely ,be loyal to the local managers and accede to their wishes. Air. B. R. Evans: What they want is better lighting, and we are prepared to give them better Hght—electric light or gas. 10 -Air. Lewis Rees said it was not con- venient to get gas, as lilt, had not been brought to the place, but the, electric light had been taken fully half-a-illl-ile beyond the school. He went on to say that the lighting arrangements ait the Tycroes School had always been adversely criticised by the inspectors visiting the evening classes. Recently they had been three nights in darkness, and they had to go round private houses begging for oil. He did not know the reason why the school had not been adequately equipped as regaids lighting:, but. he vouchsafed the view that if there was gas in Tycroes the school would be lit by gas. Chairman: Therefore, you know why it is not properly lit? Mr. Rees: That: is why I believe it is high time for the Carmarthenshire Edu- cation Committee to conform with the wish2=, of the local people, who knew ail the ciircumstancos, and if the commiltJtee do not pay any heed to the recommenda- tions of the local managers there is no reason for our being here. Chairman: So Mr. Evans' amendment is quite impracticable. Rev. D. J. Moses: It will only give the Education Committee a loophole. Mr. J. Harries: What is the reaaon that the Education Committee do not go in for electric light when that and that alone is available? He alleged that I there were members on the Education Committee who were interested in the Gas Company. Mr. B. R. Evans said he did not know what the reference of Mr. Harries to the fact that there' were members of the Education Committee interested in the Gas Company had got to do with it. It seemed to him that Mr. Harries wanted to give the impression that not only did that apply to the committee at Carmar I then, but to the school managers as well. I Mr. Harries: -No. Air, B. R. Evwns: Well, I proposed ga-s '• because it is better a great deal than I electric, light. Mr. J. HamM: I was speaking af ?his oommkteo. My point is that it 6effined I quite clear that the Education Com- mittee, inasmuch as if does not install f

I PATRI OTfC SWNSAEA FAMILY. I Ifany local families have lately come to the fore for their patriotism, but the palm goes to the family of Mr. William Lewis, of Sebastepol-street, St. 6, Swansea. Mr. lierwifl himself volunteered for mine- sweeping (he ia a sailor), bnt being: too old ho was not for service. 31r. Lewis hoa three soaro sea-ring in hie &«.jesty'a Navy; they are George Lewie, petty officer on H.H.S. Magnificent; Charlie Lewis awvd Jim Lewis, who are stokers on H.M.S. Thusderer. 3ir. Lewie hae a. nopbw who was killed in the fiyht of Heligoland. Another nephew is Oft pi. Sandeis, who 18 in charge of the mine sweeper from Swanr &ea. the Pennarrt. Mrs. Lewis's first hus- band wae a petty officer in the Nuvy, and her fwtlier was a sergeant major in the Artillery. Mr. Lewis also has, in addition to three members of the family, two brothers-in-law serving in hie Majesty'* I Foroea.

SWANSEA WESLEY WORKER. I The funeral took place on Tuesday of Mr. Robert Robinson, Bronhaul Calvert-terrace. He was interred in the family vault at Cockett. Prior to the burial service, a short service was held in Wesley Chapel. The chief mourners were: Mr. Albert Robinson, (youngest son), Mr. Birde-Jones, (m-in-law, followed by Mr. T. Co Thomas. (Mirador-cresceivti, Dr. Horatio I Rawlings, Mr. W. Llewellin, Mr. Phelps, NI r. Geo. Cook, and Mr. Rowe, The officiating minister both at Wesley Chapel and at Cockett, wv.f; Rev. W. WardJN The funeral arrangements were carried out by Mr. H. F. Williams, Wal- ter-road. Wreathe were sent by following: I Widow, (In affectionate memory). Jack, '?i<ter !'xT&. S. Aiaenca)L, Albert, <yo!mg?r son, London*. Daisy, (daughter), Mr. and M?s. Birde-Jones, So?th&o?d. (dahœr and son-in-law). Mr. and Mrs. lies and Geo, Liverpool, (sister and brothem-m- Iaw>, Mr. W. W. LleweHyrt. Mr. Kinrade- Evans and Miss Jamep, Mr. and Mrs. Cartwright and family, Mr. and Mrs. St. He-her Tweoney, Cam. and Mrs. G. A. Geon. LNfrt. Allen and family. Member^ of Wesley Chapel.

I' A ROADSIDE SCENE NEAR LLANON | Daniel Jones, a labourer, of no fixed abOde, was charged at the LJanelly Police Court on Monday with robbery and wounding. P.C. Jones said that at 8.30 p.m. on Saturday he saw the defendant at the Black Horse Hotel. Pontardnlais. Witness told him that he would be arrested for stealing a rratch and money from William Phillips on the highway near Llannon on January 9th, and also with wounding William Phillips. Defendant, after having been cautioned, said. I did not steal the watch nor money. Evan Evans. Pfynon- rhoefa: William Phillips, and I left the Red Lion, Llannon, together. While on the way heme near Banc-r-Sarn. both wanted to fight me. I gave William Phillips a beating. I punched him. and 1, kicked him. I left him lying down on the roadside. Evans ran awav when he aaw me getting the better of the fight. I ran after Evans, and gave him a black eye and a couple of kicks." Prisoner was remanded, bail being refused.

MINERS' UNREST. SOUTH WALES AND THE YORK- SHIRE TROUBLE. Fifty thousand miners in the West Yorkshire coalfield began on Tuesday to hand in notices. These expire in a iort- vight, but the hope is expressed that offi- cial action will be taken in the meantime to avert a strike. Welsh miners, though not directly affected by the Yarkshire dispute, are showing signs of restiveness, but their leaders are Opposed to any sectional action and are alive to the weight of patriotic considerations. I While preparations for a strike are being earnestly carried on, the matter of j Government intervention is daily be- coming more discussed between colliery owners, and even bodies of workers. It is asserted in influential circles that the Government will make some conciliatory move before notices expire; owners and managers seem to favour the opinion that there will be no strike. As to the miners themselves, they appear to be viewing events calmly. There is none of that restlessness which was so evident on the occasion of the last threatened strike when, on a second ballot, the men voied for a return to work. Position in South Wales. The coal trade dispute in Yorkshire has indirectly affected South Wales, and there is a more insistent demand for a revi ion ,) f the. exi, revision of the existing general wage agreement, which may now be terminated by the tendering of three months' notice on or after April 1. A conference of dele- gates representing the workmen of the Welsh coalfield has been fixed for Satur- day next, when the outstanding subject of discussion will be the advisability of giving the statutory notice to the em- ployers to terfninate the present wage agreement. The demands made on behalf of the men have not been officially formu- lated by their leaders, but they have been informally discussed, aud the chief points are as follows:— 1. The abolition of the maximum per- centage arrangement and the merging of 50 per cent. into the standard rate. 2. A general advance in the rates of wages of the lower-paid surface workmen, with a minimum of 5s. per day. 3. The payment of six turns for fivl" actually worked to all men employed on afternoon and night shifts. Non-Unionism. A feeling 'of dissatisfaction is being accentuated by the increase of non- unionism. With a view to remedying this without recourse to a strike, the men's representatives have made an ap- peal to the coalowners for permission to i examine the workmen's union cards at II the pitheads. The matter has been re- ferred to the South Wales Coalowners* Association to decide how far they can yield to the wishes of the men's leaders. But the Welsh miners are not,? likely to take any action which would affect tho supply of coal to the Navy. Mr. Vernon Hartshorn, of the South Wales Miners' Federation, expresses the opinion that the national policy must govern the action of every coalfield. Sectional action is impossible. It would? be suicidal and would mean the wreck- age of the miners' movement in this country for many years to come. There- fore he regards it as of the utmost im- portance that South Wales shall not tender notices except as part of a national policy. A National Programme. On the other hand South Wales can- not afford to let the English and Scottish coalfields give notice and go on and settle on their own account. The programme of the South Wales miners is in effect the national programme, and Mr. Hartshorn stated that the lines upon which the Miners' Federation of Great Britain proposed to establish the pro- gramme was to embody the amendments contained in their resolutions in their proposals to the owners, and at the same time to put them into the form of a Par- liamentary Bill. If the owners refused to accept the proposals the next step would be to lay the Parliamentary Bill before the House of Commons so that it might be passed into law, and so that the fullest amount of industrial power should be brought io bear on the political machine. That might mean that in the last resort a national strike might have to be de- clared. But they would have to con- sider the problem not only as trade unionists, but also as patriots. Discontented Railwaymen. Speaking at the annual dinner of the National Union of Railwaymen on Satur- jday night, Mr. J. H. Thomas, M.?.. said ithe railwaymen of this country would have been false to their grave respon- sibilities and would have belied every principle for which they stood if they had taken advantage of the unfortunate situa- tion in August to have enforced their own position. Unfortunately they found a new situation at this moment. They pro- <Xisted against any few individuals reap- ing profits and reward from the sacrifice and valour of the Navy by cornering the foodstuffs of the people. The position that they were placed in was that the railwaymen of all grades and all rail- ways were seething with discontent. This discontent could be allayed in one way, and that was by the railway companies and the Government recognising im- mediately that an advance of wages was due to railwaymen. < Cheers.) The society could not hope to keep the men in check unless there was an im- provement in their position. 3Te only hoped the men would not take any spss- modic or hasty action. It was for the railway companies themselves to retognise the duty and obligation that rested upon them and to meet the man in a way that would enable them to live up to a higher and better standard than existed to-day.

SUCCESS OF SWANSEA AMATEUR I OPERATIC CONCERT. As a result of the concert recently held at the Albert Hall b|jr the Swansea Amateur Operatic Society, the splendid sum of £83 9s. has been handed to the Mayor of Swansea for the relief funds. This comprises the whole of the takings— the expenses being paid by the Society— and a subscription of c-5 56. from Mr. Rupert D'Oyley Carte. Mr. Maurice H. Clarke, ]Sirianfa, \-ewtoil Villas, Mum- bles, the bon. secretary of the Society, has received the following letter from the Mayor of Swansea:— Dear Mr. Clarke,—I am obliged by yonr letter of the 25th insL. enclosing chequo for £ 28 4s.. being the financial result of the concert given by the Swan- sea Amateur Operatic Society om the lOtI) December; and also a cheque for £5 6s. from Mr. Rupert D'Oyley Carte as a contribution. I appreciate this generous contribu- tion very much, and it speaks well for the great enort which has been made by your Society. Will you kindly convey to them my most sincere thanks there- for? Please also inform Mr. Rupert D'Oyley Carte that I thank him very 1 much for his kind and thoughtful con- tribution.—Yours faithfully, uaniei Jones, I Mayor. -1

Washington, Tuesday.—The case of the two American duck shooters shot !>y Canadian militiamen near Fort Erie, has been settled. Canada has agreed to pay £ 2,000 indemnity in regard to the duck- shooter killed, and gi,OW respecting the man wounded.

TOLD BY TOMMY. I » INTERESTING SOLDIERS' LETTERS. A young hero has returned home to Burryport in the person of Private Mills, of the 2nd Welsh Regiment, who is spend- ing a furlough with his grandparents at Elkington-road. When a correspondent called to see him he discovered the youth- ful soldier merrily playing a mouth organ. Private Mills has been in the thick j of the fighting at La Baisee, and has bad a remarkable ebcane from death. 1 never thought I should come back again," he told our representative, a., so many men were killed by my side." Describing his escape, the young soldier stated: It was at six o'clock on the morning of Boxing Day, and I was in the trencher at La Bassee, when a Jack Johnson exploded near by, and I was blown high into the air, dropping into the river. Had it not been ior Private Dann. I would have been drowned. He jumped in and succeeded in rescuing me, though I was unconscious at the time. "As a result of this accident, I was totally deaf for a fortnight, and my speech has been affected. I could not speak a word for five days last week. I also received a wound in the leg. By the explosion of this shell a man on either side of me were killed." Describing other incidents of the battle as seen by him. Private Mills stated: "We twice saved the South Wales Borderers) from being cut up, and in one of these actions an officer of our regiment gained the Distinguished Service Order. On the lirzit-occaslon, the Borderers wanted re- inforcements, and our captain and one company went forward and drove the Germa.ns back. ? We had two bayonet charges, and beat the Germans each time. When we camA near them with the bayonet they prayed for mercy, but very little mercy they got. They don't like cold steel-,as poon as they see us coming with the bayonet, they run away as quickly as possible. Once I saw six children blown up in a house which was struck by a German shell. Wo could not leave our trenches, as the snipers are for ever on the look out for us. They cause us a lot of trouble. Despite this, everybody is happy. The noise of shells and bullets is simply deafening. At times you cannot hear your mate speak. We sing a lot in the trenches, our favourite, of course, being 'Tipperary.' It is a most enjoyable life, though the rain has been a source of I much discomfort." Calais, I Don't Think." I Writing from the front on Wednesday last. Billy Morgan, the well-known Swan- sea boxer. says:— We have been fighting since last Wed- nesday, and have been in a very bad place. To-day is the Kaiser's birthday, and he is going to take Calais for a birth- day pTeooBt-1 dom't think! We are giv- ing him a very ni-ce present bare this last week. Our guns are playing the devil with him. Before going into the firing line we were making trenches in a little village near the firing line, when the Ger- man-s sent over a Jack Johnson." I was very lucky. I was sent into a house for some timber. If I had not been sent, 1 would have met my doom. I can gee I am not going to be killed by shell. I was on gualrd one night when a shell was coming straight into a house where we were sit- ting round a fire. We heard it coming, and made a rush for the oollar, but at hit a tree and skidded on the road and did not burst. I think we are going to have a rest now. It is the talk that we are going to have a week on furlough, and we are Qdl locking forward to it. It would give the men a better heart for action when they got back. I would tell them all to come out. Swansea Pastor's Son in the Trenches. I Private Leyshon Rhys, son of the Rev. I W. Casnodyn iihys, pastor of York-place baptist Church, Swansea, who joined the 1st Devons at the outbreak of war, is now at the front with his regiment. In a letter to his father he says: AVe sailed from Southampton on Boxing Day. We had a rough voyage all the way to Havre. i Here we changed ships. The scenery along the River Seine to Rouen was very pic- turesque, but we soldiers were so pacted that we were glad whou we reached land again. We were on water about three days and nights. We consisted of all kinds ¡ of regiments-English, Welsh, Scotch and Irish. Our base at Rouen is a good way out of town. There we were walking and working in slush, being up to our ankles in mud and water all day long. After being here a few days our regiment was ordered to the front, and it was there I got bottled up. Our trenches were right in the Belgian soil. It waa a sad sight wjpen passing through the villages to see what devastation the places or villages w-ere in. j Houses, churches, farms all in ruins; j great shell holes in the roads and fields, which have been made by the Jack JohnSOll8, Black Marias,' etc., fired by the Germans. The fields are very flat, and we were walking well in shallow parts. We were up to our knees almost in mud and in eome places up to our hips in water. In the trench where I was wi. th, two others we were lying in the day time with our legs in water and shouLders on the damp ground. Then in the night we were on guard on hour each all through the night. A week of this at a stretch. and then we were relieved and were in billets, in stables mostly, for a couple of days. Then we were taken to the reserve trenches for another couple of days. and then marched to the firing line again. You can guess we couldn't do much inarching in that mud and water. Of course, it is all done by night. Trench digging, bury- ing the dead, and all fatigues are done by i night. In the daytime the shells and j bullets are going buzz, huzz. whixz. i wlum all along, and we don't kr.ow.what j minute we rniglJlf: be blown to atoms. It is awful out at the front. Yet the men keep their spirits up wonderfully well, and we get so used to it that we don't j notice the danger* till we get hit, and then one knows it too well. I have been lucky myself to escape AS I have. My) feet are very painful, and I feel quite done up. but anx better than I was when 1 arrived here a week ago to-day. It is quite a change to have clean clothes on a.nd a clean bed to sleep on. We passed through St. OmN. where Mother was at school, but is was night, so I onuldn?t have a good sight of the place. When I come home. if God spares me. I can give you a better account of things. May God bless vou oil." Fighting the Weather. Private Erie Pringle, of the lEt Grenadier Guards, who wae formerly a police coil- J stable «ialsoBed at Port Talbot, in a letter to ,x Poll. Talijot- friend, iaates:- "We did not have such a rood Chriat-maf1 ¡ as I thought- It's true we had some "duff" sent out to us, but, there were other things that ewilt tie whoie affair. One good tAiinc, however, was that we were lucky enough to be out cf the trenches. We were also resting on New Year's Day, 00 we did not do so bad. The Germans must hive been delighted with our singing, as we didn't half lm it v. The people in Engi&nd have been very ?od to us. ana they have been mnding ua all eorte of stuff to fight the weather, bat they haven't done us amen good. as the water here beats all. We Live received soefca, mufflers, body-belte. woollen bao and glomes, etc., but one good shower of rain wet the lot. Rubber top boots are I uow being sent oat; they are about the best I thin? for the general conditions, but then I' the water in eome places is above the knees, I, eo they are not much good when the water gets inside. I don't suppose this wretched jl weather will last much lonee. When it ii realiy over there will be some terrilde fighting, as we are making preparations for a big stand. I have not seen a.ny cf -h L, boys from the Force here yet. If -ou saw I the casualty liat of the 7th Division it I would give you an idea. as to the number of men we lost." Carmarthen Soldier's Thrilling Letter. Aid. Wm. Evans. Borough Sheriff of Car- marthen, has received a highly-interesting letter from Private T. W. Smith, of the 2nd Wolsh, who expresses thanks to the alder- man fori parcel which has been proclaimed the best that has been opened iu the regiment. The writer says:— Well, sir, 1 expect you would like to hear a little of the war. Well, the 2nd Welsh have done great things. We left England 12th August. Landed at Havre. Trained for Mons. where we first, met the enemy. Ail our First Army Corps were out-num- bered ae.vin and over again, eo had to re- tire, doing some thirty miles a day. At last, wo found wo were just surrounded by tho enemy, KO General Sir D. Haig had to get UI1 out the best way hf- could. So our regi- ment and Munsters had to form a rear- guard action, holding the enemy in check for a, few hours. Wp, retired under the Mmisters' support, but very bad luck came to the Munsters. They stopped too long, and got cut up. We went through the villasre just before the Germans had blown it up and burnt, it to the ground. We kept on retiring until September 10th, when we started to take a turn of advancing. By the way, we saw a charge of the Scots Greys, one that will never be witnessed apain. Three times through the enemy we advanced on to September 14th, when we got into touch with the enemy, the day Captain Haggard I got shot We gained the day that day. This won the Aisne, where we watched our &rti!- lery drive the enemy out of the woods &nd slaughter them in dozens as came out. This war is a proper artillery war, but now th" enemy have goue very scarce to what they used to be. "We held our position on the Aisne for five weeks, being relieved by the French, we med off to langemamk, where we had three d?ys of battle, mostly rifle are, where we killed hundreds, our loss being very few and being relieved by the French "Ter- riers," we went on to Ypres. Here is where we met our doom. The regiment being nearly 1.100 strong, we advanced—this being November 30-31-to a place called Gheluvelt. After beating the Prussian Guard, they fetched up thousands of reserves, and had just the whole of our brigade. It was a. mot awful thing, which I don't think ca.n j ever happen again. 6bells were o=ing over from all directions, not a second with- out shells. We did not know which wa-y to go. We all fell back for new trenches, as ours had been blown to pieces. As we fell back, so the enemy came on, but, as luck i had it, we took oover behind a hedge by a wood, and held our ground. This checking cf the enemy stopped them getting to Yprm where it has been found they had a good three months' supply of ammunition. The Germans found they could not get in. and they blew it to the ground—a real fine town too. After, we got relieved for a rest. We left ren om December 20th, 1,108 ytroner. Marching down here we relieved the Indiana. As it happened they bad been driven back out of three rows of trenches. We came along 24 hours' marching, got into position, arad drove the enemy back where they came from. We lost a few men in the bogs; gone right under and can't get them up. Our regiment and the South Wales Border- ere are mentioned in Gen. Sir D. Haig's dis- patch for great, work. Here we are now at a standstill; not the Germans keeping us back, but the ground and weather. All our boys are hoping for dry weather, eo as we can get along. We wamt to get at them as soon as we can. so as to got them out 01 Belgium and France to their own oowntry. That will make the Kaiser do something. I came out of the trenohes just before daybreak, and the other haJf of our regi- ment came in. The enemy tried to oonie on us as tlie -New YeaT oa.me in; they were caught crawling on their etomaohs to our trenches. œ.oh having six hand greimdeis. They were trying to ger them into our tjenohes we take it, "but we saw them in time and lined the trench, l-mt a few volleys at them, end finished them off. We went out an hour afzer. found their ammunition, went a bit forward, and blew them off into their own trenches. Then we did a bunk back again to our little dug-onta again, safe. Swansea Soldier's Adventures. Driver Alfred Woolley, of the A.S.C. ,(21st Field Ambuiaix-e), who is at present home on furlough in Swansea, de- scribed in an i nterview the hardships which the weather has caused to our .troops in Flanders. "The roads are in a terrible state. he says, "one having to walk knee deep in mud." "On one occasion we had a remarkable experience. Soon after arriving at it was discovered that the Germans had made ground, and the order came for us —the ambulance department—to c lear off. Soon afterwards the ple was in flames, and refugees flod as bed they could to safety." Hereabout Driver Woolley went deaf, chiefly owing to the terrific din of the cannonade. He was taken to Ypres Hospital, which was shelled by the Ger- mans who did some damage. "Some of the German prisoners who came down from Ypres to were practically starving," he says, "and one big six-foot fellow, who spoke English well, declared he was glad to be captured, and if the people in Germany knew the real facts that there would be a revolu- tion." A Remarkable Forecast. In an interesting letter to "Old Sport, written in the trenches on January 26. Private C. Clarke, of the 2nd Battalion South Staffords, formerly of Neath, dis- cusses the prospects of the Swans, and made a prediction which has turned out to be true. He also makes another pro- phecy, as the following extract from bis letter fbowe:— "I was pleased to see in the 'Sporting :ew about Swansea Town's groat achievement in the foolball world. It has been the talk of the week out here. The Swans will have a big task with New- castle on Saturday, but I predict a draw, and a win for Swansea when they re-play on the Vetch Field. I expected them to beat Blackburn Eovers." Private Clarke, who was the secretary of the Neath Association League, oon- cludes by asking for a football. Old Sport." "Herald" Office, Neath, will see that his wishes are granted if readers will subscribe.

•1 rDigestibk| I Dainties I I are ensured by using "RED RING ,0 Self-Raising FLOUR. Mak? !tght and cteMdous pastry, ca?es. pu¿dis.. etc., without the trou ble and uncertamt? of 80ur pius yeast or  powder.  our Plus veast or Lak* -,ng POWC,Ler. Guaranteed tapera.? Botr from hiS,? J  Ba? gra d e Bntish an d C?oM&t ..???? wheat.<(denhhc&y com b med j aH with the correct propofHon of raising ingre d tent?. Dt?M. ?????B? ttbie and economica L Sf? '?B? ?'?'??a?t'n?tbecent.i'tt ?[ ? H ''t)f-iea') d t)')icet?-???.voa j|iig v_ V" JB: rawt f>r it by its own specif ? <???5 ? d   ??'?  '\? 7-K  ..?<- 

electric light where that is the only t modern means of lighting, wants to monopolise this public concern to their own interest. Mr. Evans: That is your opinion, but will you allow me to have m.y opinion. Chairman: I believe you are out of order. Mr. Evans, or at any rate you have a wrong impression in regard to Mr. Harries' statement. He fluid there were interested persons in the Carmar- thenshire Education Committee. IIo never referred to you. Mr. Evans: He implied it. But I sub- mit to your ruling. There was no second er to Mr. Evans' amendment, and the recommendation of the local managers was adopted. Dearth of Teachers. Owing to the dearth of teachers it was reported that Mrs. Morgan, wife of the headmaster, was prepared to take the vacant pct of certificated 1-eacher at the Saron School, if a reasonable salary was offered. Shfc would resign immediately a certificated teacher became available. Mr. T. V. Jones inquired what she meant by a "reasonable" salary, and the Clerk said she was in receipt of .V-IOO a year when she resigned, and the Educa- tion Committee were now prepared to give was the minimum for a certificated teacher who was untrained, Mr. T. V. Jones: Has the Education Committee a special service of wdves of headmasters ? Mr. B. R. Evans said the committee did not know where in the world to turn for assistants at the present time, and they had been obliged to fall back on the services of the wives of headmasters in several instances. Chairman: But is it due to the smrcdt-v of teachers in the country or to the small 6:1 13 des paid in Carmarthenshire? Mr. B. R. Evans: I believe there is a scarcity of teachere. in the whole country. At the same time, the teachers in this county are the worst paid. The Chairman stated there wae a teacher now leaving Garnant because she would be better paid in Glamorganshire. Church Influence." With reference to the new Ciarnaint School, the head teachers reported an at- tendance on the first day of 130 children in the infants' department, and 290 in t h mixoo department. The headmaster said he understood that influences had been brought to bear upon some families already to cause their children to return to the Cwinamman School, which in some cases had succeeded, but that would pass away in time. It was recommended to the Edu/catlon Committee that the staff be completed without delay. Caretakers' Grievances. Once, more the Bettws School managers urged that, the salary of the caretaker be increased by Jcti per annum. He was Ifully cmtdtled to the increase in view otf the out- side work done by him. Mr. J. Harries said they knew very well that caretakers were resigning here and there all over the district. The managers should end eavour to get for them decent salaries. They were generally underpaid, in some instances only getlting lid. per hour. He gave notice of motion in the matter. Owing to the inadequacy of the salary offered for the cleaner at Parcyrhun School, Mr. B. R. Evans proposed that they do not apl-roint a successor to the one who had resigned, but leave it to the Education Committe-e* This was carried. Brynamman Patriotism. I The headmaster of the Brynamman School drew attention to the faot that the .stuff had not been strengthened since Mr. George left to join Kitchener's Army as lance-corporal. For a time Mr. Llewelyn Williams rendered most valuable assist- ance, but now he had been given a oom- mission in the 12th Battalion Welsh Regiment. While feeling his loss keenly, they congratulated him on his appoint- ment. Thirty-eight of the old boys had now joined the colours.