Abergavenny Chronicle

———— ■> ■ ■- —J > THE KAISER'S FATE J. That Germany, like her Allies, ardently longs for peace there is no doubt, but she is not yet in a sufficiently chastened mood to make any -peace conference worth while at the present juncture. The German peace note was actuated not by a change of heart and a real desire hI" make amends. It was actuated by the com- pelling influence of the military power of the Allies and a desire to escape full retribution. Was there ever such impudence as the message issued by the egregious and vain-glorioms Kaiser to the German Army and Navy the other day ? This bloodthirsty ruffian, who had no bowels of compassion so long as things were going weD for Germany, said, "I have offered peace to the enemy." Offered peace, indeed I It would have been more fitting if he had said I have asked for mercy." As President Wilson said some time ago, there can be no bargaining with the Hohenzollerns and there can be me com- promise with those who have shown themselves without honour and who do Hot intend justice if they can help it. Peace cannot be discussed with those who dishonoured their solemn covenant, provoked the war, and have bled Europe white, but only with duly accredited representatives' of the German people. The sooner the Kaiser gets the order of the boot," the better for the Fatherland. German people are bound to realise that the Allies ate in a position to crash them militarily and economi- cally, and that being so it is not for them to haggle about terms, but to make the best of the mess they have allowed themselves to get into, and think themselves lucky that we are not so vindictive as the Huns. The Central Powers must evacuate all conquered territory, and that is equivalent to unconditional surrender. That is not asking much as a preliminary condition, for it would not take long now to drive them back to their own country, and in the- process the German Army would suffer the greatest disaster in military history. It is idle for German autocrats or camouflaged democrats to talk about basis of negotiations. There must be at the outset a full acceptance of the Allies' terms, and all. that should be left to a peace conference should be the question of their working out in detail. Germany can never be adequately punished for its colossal crime against viiumanity, but the least that must be exacted of her is the restoration of all Qonqnered territory, including Alsace-Lorraine, the disarmament and the complete scrapping of the German military system, and full reparation for all the damage done in Belgium and other Allied countries, and those conditions must be agreed to by a re- sponsible democratic Government before there can be an armistice. If she does not accept those conditions quickly her armies will suffer a greater Sedan. The many millions required to repair the havoc wrought will alone be sufficient to prove to Germany that war does not pay. The peace negotiations must be conducted as Eeace negotiations have not been conducted before, with full publicity, so that the voice of the people can be heard on matters which affect them so vitally. We think that President Wilson will see to that. The Kaiser must go, and the Hohenzollern dynasty with him, but as to the suggestion that be should be brought to trial like a common criminal, we do not believe that any court, whether military or civil, could devise adequate punishment for his share in such a terrible catalogue of unspeakable crimes an d atrocities. The worst we can wish him is to be doomed to live with the brand of Cain upon him, shunned like a leper by all civilised peoples, humbled to the dust, haunted by awful 'visions of his myriad martyred victims, compelled to endure mental agonies of living and afraid to die. That punishment is in the hands of a Higher Power, and it can safely be left there. I +

THE MAYORALTY. I At a private meeting on Monday night the Town Council unanimously invited Alderman Z. Wheatley, J.P., to accept the Mayoralty for another year, and he agreed to Vlo so1. There was a feeling that having served right from the outbreak of war, Alderman Wheatley should completely finish his task as War Mayor by carrying on until the year of peace. Congratu- lated at Pandy on Thursday night on being again selected for the position, the Mayor said that a few days ago he had thought to re- linquish the Mayoral duties in November, but after the persuasion of the Council he felt that having appealed to men to join the forces and urged them to carry on to the end he could not kimself refuse to carry on.

MONMOUTHSHIRE REGIMENT.: GAMES, I BOOKS, &C., WANTED. To the Editor of the Abergavenny Chronicle." DEAR SIR,-The following letter has been received by me. Would you kindly aUow me to call the attention of your readers to it. I shall be glad to receive any of the articles mentioned and will send at once to Norfolk. Yours truly, MARY E. STEEL. Nevill-street, Abergavenny. Dear Madam,—I am writing to yon on behalf of a committee chosen to provide indoor winter amusements, etc., for troops stationed on a bleak and desolate portion of our East Coast. It is well known by some here—the few who remain from the original 3rd Batt. Monmouth Regt.—what a great interest you took in pro- ?*4i. comforts for them when they answered the call, and we are sure that you will again help us in your generous manner. Most of the troops stationed here are undergoing the hardening training after convalescence, priolo to going out yonder once again to carry on with a stout heart the work which, when completed, will be Honour's gift to the Crown of Time. Our main needs are games, musical instruments, or books. -Tlialikin" you in anticipation, I remain yours faithfully, (266822) CPI,, C. H. DAVIES, A Cov., 4th Batt. Monmouth Regt., JBacton, Norfolk." -A,

-——— Military Medallis-Ill a list of awards of the Military Medal which appears this week is the name of L.-cpl. G. Bayes, Monmouthshire Regt., of Abergavenny.

▼ I WELSH HOSPITAL FLAG DAY. I To the Editor of the Abergavenny Chronicle DEAR SIR,—Kindly allow me to tender my sincere thanks to Miss Baldwin, of Park Street School, and her.helpers for carrying out the Flag Day in aid of the Welsh Hospital at Netley, and which realised the sum of /30 6s. 8d. I am sure the authorities will be indebted to them for the valuable help rendered. Also to thank the Management of the Coliseum for allowing collec- tion to be taken on behalf of the National Egg Fund, and to thank the patrons for the sum of Sz2 collected. Yours trulv, I Z. WHEATLEY, I- Mayor.

I ACKNOWLEDGMENTS. I Mr. and Mrs. S. Salter, Woodside, Llanfoist, I desire to thank the many friends for floral I tributes and kind expressions of sympathy in their sad bereavement.

REPLIES TO ABERGAVENNY RESOLUTION. REPRESENTATION ON PENSIONS I COMMITTEE ASKED FOR. The Abergavenny Federation of Trades Unions and Labour Party called a public meet- ing at the Town Hall on Tuesday- evening to consider the replies to the resolution passed at the recent meeting oi soldiers' wives and de- pendants. There was a large attendance, which was mostly composed of dependants. Mr. T. R. Wall (president of the Federation) presided, and 1 he was supported by members of the committee. ) I Food More Important Than Wristlet Watches. The Chairman said it was all humbug to talk about the love they had for their Tommies when they gave a wife 12s. 6d. per week to maintain herself, and it was adding insult to injury to tell her that she must go out to work j to help to keep herself. When their husbands were at home they had no necessity to go out to work, and if their husbands were doing some- thing for their country the Government should stand by the wives. If food had gone up 100 per cent., then the 12S. 6d. was worth only 6s. 3d. The speaker gave some pre-war and present day figures of bare necessities, as follows Dripping, risen from 4d. to is. xod. corned beef, 61d. to is. lid., milk 5-kl. to IS. 2d., tinned salmon Ioid. to 2s. io-ld., lard 8d. to is. 8d., matches 2-Jd. doz. to is., coal is. to 2s. 2d., Camp coffee io-id. to is. u^d., cheese 5d. to is. Sd., marmalade IoLd. to is. iojd., syrup 5M. to- io^d., candles 81d. to 3s. gd., soap 3d. to gd., currants 3d. to is. 2d., butter is. 3d. to 2S. 6d., tea is. 6d. to 2s. 8d., sugar 2ld. to 7d., margarine 6d. to is. 2d. The totals showed that these things had gone up from us. yM. to £1 us. 5d » or a percentage of over 150 per cent. Jlr. Clynes told them that there was no profiteering, but he had only to look at some of the balance sheets of the multiple pro- vision shops to find it. They were in the hands of the profiteer the same as their forefathers were in the hands of the highwaymen, but the profiteer did not run the same risks, and he often got a title. The Government were participating in the robbery because they were taking 80 per cent. of the excess profits. How could they expect the Government to stop profiteering when they were interested to that extent ? If the Government at the beginning of the war had taken over the food and distributed it among the people there would not, have been the ex- cessive prices, which was responsible for a great deal of the labour troubles. The dependants of those who were fighting their battles were suffer- ing the hardest of all. They di? not want wristlet watches for the soldiers so 3nuel? as they wanted food in their children's stomaehs. He could admire the gift of a watch to a soldier when? he returned but to his mind the presentation had a tone 4 hypocri-,y about it when the man's wife was wanting food. Cases of Individual Hardship. Evidence as to individual hardship was in- vited from dependants present. A soldier's wife with 12S. 6d. said she had only 4s. per week left for food, and there was nothing for clothes. Something more ought to be done to help to keep the home on. Mrs. McCann said that they wanted justice, not charity, and while they were waiting for justice she thought the local fund ought to be better distributed. Recipients were told that they must not tell anyone else that they had had anything, and that was not right. If there was a fund let it be advertised, and let everyone know what was to be got for soldiers' wives. People did not realise the sleepless nights they had in trying to think how to make ends meet. When they applied for relief they were asked what their husbands earned, but the point was not what they earned when they joined up, but what they could earn to-day. (Applause). Abergavenny h done well in sending the boys to the front, bnit had hot done well in looking after those they had left behind. (Applause). Another soldier's wife said she had four children, and one had died since her husband joined up. She was advanced ics. from the local fund to take her girl to Newport Hospital, and she was told to pay it back. (. How could they expect it out of the money she received now ? She was under the doctor herself and was ordered cod liver oil before undergoing an operation, but how was she to get it when she could not pay hex way now ? The children wanted boots, but she did not know how they could have them unless she had a rise. Mr. Jerry Madden said he was 65 and had had eight sons in the Army. One was killed, two were prisoners of war, and two had lost an arm. When he had no food in the house for his wife and two children he applied to the Mayor and the Town Clerk for assistance till his son's ring- paper, came back, and ,he was told that there was no fund for the purpose. He went to the relieving officer, who offered him the house, but afterwards gave him a ticket for 5s. worth of groceries. The Government only gave him 6s. 4d. for his two boys, and he thought it was a hard case. I A soldier's wife with seven children said she applied to the War Pensions Committee, and they offered her a loan on condition that she paid it back. They said they could not do any more, as she was getting as much as her husband was earning before. She had had to send to her husband for money for the children's boots. He said he was surprised that she had not got enough, and. he would rather go without his tobacco than that the children should go without boots. A wife with four children said that two of them and herself were suffering irom con- sumption, and she had been in hospital 13 weeks for an operation. She applied to the Town Hall for relief and was -given 15s. and told she must pay it back. She was unable to get her children into a home, and she was not getting sufficient for food and firing, let alone clothing. A wife with four children and an allowance of 31s. said that a fortnight ago she had to pay 28s. for two pairs of boots, and had only 3s. left for food, and nothing for rent and coal. This week she had had to pay 24s. for two pairs of boots for the children to go to school. If her husband was allowed to come home to his work as a miner he would be bringing in ^3 or ^4 a week. Another wife said she had had to apply to her husband for money for boots, as she could not buy them out of her allowance of 19s. 6d. Many a time her child and herseli had sat down to a dinner of bread and treacle on Sunday. A wife said her little boy had been given up by three doctors, and it was a pity to see him walk- ing about. She appealed to the Mayor; but he said he could not do anything. An Unfulfilled Promise. I Mr. W. Rosser said it was said that one half of the world did not know how the other half lived, and he thought it would be a good thing if one half would try to get acquainted with the other half's troubles. In the early days of the war it was said from that platform that if the boys joined up they would look after those who were left behind. To a Britisher a promise was a promise, and he hoped it would go forth from that meeting as a" gentle reminder to those con- cerned that that promise should be fulfilled. They could not make an efficient soldier of a man who had domestic troubles. How could a man shoot straight with one eye on the sight- piece and the other on the pantry at home. (Applause). If the Government thought fit to grant the sliding scale principle to the railway- men, how much more should they grant it to the men whom they possessed body and soul ? (Applause). He had a paper giving the ex- penses of a soldier's wife with three children and an allowance of 28s. per week Sugar is. 2d., butter is. ioid. (now increased), margarine 5d., cheese iod., bacon 2s. 2d., milk 2s. 4d., veget- ables is., bread 3s. 6d., tea 9d., meat 3s. 6d. (now increased 2d. per lb.), flour 3d., lard 8d., matches id., caudle qd., oil 6d., coal 2S. 2id. (now in- creased), rent 4s. 6d., insurance 7dT, total 2Ss., leaving nothing for boots, clothes or medical expenses. When the Government came into the home and took the bread-winner it had a r..10r-J 11 not a legal responsibility to see that tho-c left behind were well provided for. The '"<,verv- I ment could fit,! the money for waste in ad- ministration and other purposes. Mr. S. H. Owers said he was not a married rapn, but he would be prepared to risk it if 1.3 wife could keep home on 12s. 6d. per week. T e child was a national asset, and it SllOdd be reared at the expense of the public pur>e. Where was the nqoney to come from ? TV- War Aims Committee commandeered an hotrl and employed 485 persons to tell us what our war aims were. They spent £168,000 ih 'cable- grams trttell other countries what our war as were, and they sent a deputation of 12 gentlexa^n to Ireland to tell Ireland what our war aiir s were. Among the expenses of those gentlemt a were LF for drinks and £ 5 for cigars. He did not think they should quibble as to whtte the money was to come from for the soldiers' ,7. pendants. The Chairman said that while many appeiJs were made to the public for money it was very rarely that the public knew iiow the money was spent or saw a balance sheet. They had had numerous flag days at Abergavenny, but he never remembered seeing any account of wic-t was collected, or anything about it. There was a great danger in these charitable funds, and public collections ought to be publicly announced. Replies to the Resolution. Mr. Stark read the replies to the resolution sent out. Mr. Ramsay Macdonald expressed himself in full agreement with it, and hoped that the discharged soldiers and sailors' organisation in particular would see that their present policy of opposition to the Labour movement wci doing themselves and the dependants of soldiers and sailors damage. The Prime Minister and Mr. Philip Smowden acknowledged the resolution. Mr. J. M. Hogge, M.P., wrote that he was re- ceiving these resolutions from all over the country and he had no doubt that they would be able to succeed when they got back to Parlia- ment on the 15th. Mr. R. McKenna said he had communicated the resolution to the Financial becretary to the war Office, whose department was responsible for dealing with separation allowances. The Right Hon. Geo. Barnes wrote that the resolution would be placed before the Cabinet Committee on Soldiers' and Sailors' Pay, of which he was the chairman, at their meeting the following day. There was every prospect of an immediate increase being granted. Mr.' Stark mentioned that Mr. Barnes had since stated that an increase was taking effect this week, and a further increase was due and would, he had no doubt, be sanctioned in a very few days. They therefore sent their resolution at the opportune moment and it seemed to have had some little- weight: The Town Council ex- pressed their unanimous sympathy with the resolution and were willing to assist by every means at their disposal to attain the objects set out in the resolution. Mr. Rosser suggested that the Town Council might have regarded it as their function to assist the movement by passing a resolution and send- ing it to the Government. (Applause), The Prince of Wales Fund. The question of the Prince of Wales Fund was raised, and Mrs. Beard Said that it was sub- scribed by the public with the object of being distributed freely, and it was most unkind that soldiers' wives should be asked to pay back what they were granted. Mrs. McCann said they were asking for representation on the War Pensions Committee. They wanted men with sympathy and humanity, to distribute this money, not men who did not realise what it was to live on a separation allowance. The Rev. M. E. Davies (Vicar of St. Mary's) said that the Prince of Wales Fund was never meant for soldiers' wives. It was subscribed for those who had suffered financial loss in their work through the war. That was the view of the Swansea committee when he was a member of it. Mr. Stark said he was a member of the Man- chester committee at the beginning of the war, and they used the money to assist soldiers' wives, whatever was done elsewhere. Mr. Rosser said he should like to ask what committee was administering the fund which was applied for at the Town Hall and how many times they had met in the last six months. Mr. Stark said he had a number of authentic complaints of the way the fund had been ad- ministered since 1917 till the present day, and he could give the facts to the authorities. One woman who had an allowance of is. per week from the fund was advanced 10s. on account of sickness in the house, and the is. was stopped for 10 weeks till it was paid back. That was not an isolated case. The following resolution was put forward :— That from the evidence placed before this public meeting we feel that it is necessary that ,-very individual case should be revised locally and that direct representation frwn this meeting • should be represented on the local Pensions Committee to deal with this matter, and that the matter shall not in future be left in the hauds of individuals." The Vicar of St. Mary's proposed the resoh:- tion, Mr. Gough seconded, and it was carried unanimously. The Chairman, Mr. Stark and Mrs. McCann were appointed representatives.

?f<??.    -} rn-V.1..  e. .1 I )  ?'?'???-?' ?.  YOU MUST j)!Nt WEIGH !tr-yl CAREFULLY every pennyyoo spend in these days,and con- tider the very best ?? <\?:7  way of using every ?-C  ? M? My.e?.f that 3?HM. of Soar. It will go ever so much further than you think if Red Ring Flour is your wise choice. Bread, caker, puddings and scones made with it are all delicious and sustaining. JIM f7-,? U& I N & £ LF -R AISIN Send for our new Book of Economical Recipes for use with Red RL-i% Honr. to '-Editress, 242, Upper Thames St.. London, E.C.4 Enclose la. stamp for postage. f :{: I:i'f."  —s. •— t "'ø. t.e /m»' !»»»>»»»*«»»».«*

I SUNDAY FOOTBALL L To the Editor of the Abergavenny Chronicle." DEAR SIR,—In his last letter Observer shows which way the cat jumped," by his remarks about the drink question, town morals, etc. Observer's statement that his reference to me was because he had found something the matter in Abergavenny" also testifies to the fact that he was proud of this accomplishment." Evidently he is a worthy disciple of that stay-at- home school of vindictiveness who spend their time in prowling round, looking for something wrong in poor old Aber. Abergavenny is the home of many a good lad who is suffering and sacrificing for their country, and it is not fair to them to belittle the .town they often dream of. Observer's statement that he is not afraid to append his own name sounds absurd, seeing how carefully he refrains from doing so. As te his protest being" noticed," I quite admit that, and give an extract from a letter I have just received from an Abergavenny lad who is not afraId. to be in the battle zone Well, Mr. Pape, what's the matter with Aber. ? I should like to know, like a good many more. As to football on a Sunday in the Park, I expect he (" Observer ") wanted a game himself, but was not game.' We play football on Sundays oat here in the Army, and I would have had a game if I had been at home." The writer of this evidently differs from "Observer in seeing anything the matter with Abergavenny. Yours faithfully, HARRY E. PAPE. I

I Monmouthshire Farmers Complain of" Dumped I Imports. At a meeting 01 the Monmouthshire Farmers' Union at Newport on Wednesday, a discussion arose concerning the large stocks of Irish cattle which were now being dumped in South Wales markets, with the result that home-fed cattle had to be taken away Unsold from the markets. It was asserted that this was very Unfair to local farmers,, who had experienced great difficulty in obtaining feeding stuffs, and had been bound to comply with many irksome Government regulations, whereas the Irish ex- porters, whose loyalty had been impugned, were not so unfavourably placed. The delegates to the executive of the National Union were directed to bring the matter up next week, so that very vigorous action might be taken. ————-

Abergavenny Amateur Operatic Society. A wish having been expressed in many quarters that the Abergavenny Amateur Operatic Society should be resuscitated, a meeting of all persons interested was held in the Church Room, Monk-street (by kind permission of the Vicar) to consider thejquestion. A good number of the old members, together with many new ones, were present, and the feeling was very generally in favour of the production of one of Gilbert and Sullivan's operas. Mr. W. R. Carr, A.R.C.O., was unanimously appointed musical director and Sir. F. R. Britton, Barclay's Bank, hon. treasurer. The hon. secretary, Mr. Alfred Jackson, of The Hollins, Oxford-street, wished to resign his duties, but at the unanimous wish of the members. he reconsidered his decision. A committee of four was elected, with power to add to their number. The names of the com- mittee are as follows Mr. L. H. Evans, Mr. R. Andean, Mr. H. Bevan, Mr. J. Brown. There are several vacancies for tenors and basses, and it is hoped that any person interested will communicate with Mr. Carr, Lulworth, or with the hon. secretary. The selection of the opera has been left to the committee and the date and place of the next meeting will be notified to members in due course. Judging by the enthusiasm shown at the pre- liminary meeting, the society should have a very successful season.

BIRTHS, MARRIAGES & DEATHS. MARRIAGES. GARDNER—ROGERS.—On Saturday, Sept. 28th, at St. Mary's Church, Abergavenny, by the Rev. M. E. Davies (Vicar), Gunner W. Gardner, R.G.A., son of Mr. and Mrs. Gafdner, of Abercynon, to Laura, third daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Rogers, Alexandra-road, Aberga- venny. (By special licence). MOXLEY-STRAKER.-On the 9th inst., at Holy Trinity Church, Abergavenny, by the Rev. J. R. Phillips, R.D., Vicar, George Alfred, seventh son of John Moxley, of Aber- tillery, to Joyce Emily, second daughter of Edgar C. Straker, of Abergavenny. DEATHS. JACOB.—At Calcutta, on the 1st September" Edward James Jacob, Barrister-at-law. SALTER.—On Sunday last, October 6th, the dearly beloved and eldest son of Mr. and Mrs. Samuel Salter, & Woodside, Llanfoist, aged 7 years. WALSH.—On October 6th, at Kinmel Park Military Hospital, Private Victor Walsh, S.W.B., third son of Mr. and Mrs. Walsh, Trinity-street, Abergavenny, aged iS years. Funeral on Saturday at 3.30 p.m. KILLED IN ACTION. LIGHT.—Killed, recently, in France, Quarter- Master-Sergeant S. T. Light, R,G.A., aged 36; youngest and beloved son of H- K. and T. Light, formerly of Abergavenny, now of 1, Knowles Hill Road, Newton Abbot, Devon. IN MEMORIAM. DALE.—In Ever Loving Memory of I- my dear husband, Sergt. Stanley 'I Dale, Royal Engineers, killed in action in France on Oct. nth, 1916. I His loving Wife. I" r GIBBONS.—In Loving Memory ef Arthur (Private in Lanes. Fus.), eldest son of Mary and Henry Gibbons, Vro," Forest Coal Pit, who was killed in action in France Oct. 8th, 1917, aged 19. Far away from his home and his loved ones, Laid to rest in that far-away land, Never more shall bur eyes here behold him, Never shall we clasp' his hand. His cheery ways, his smiling face, Are a pleasure to recall, Though there's nothing left to answer But his photo, on the wall. His sorrowful Mother and Father, Brother and SMers. Also ever remembered by his Aunty Hesther and Uncle Tom. PRICE.—In Loving Memory of my dear brother, William Price, .son of the late Raines Price, Regent-street/ Abergavenny, who died at Beechwood Hospital, Newport, on October 13th, 1917. From Arthur and Maud Price. In Loving Memory of my dear husband, Charles Williams, who passed away October 10th, 1917. Ever remembered by his loving wife, Louisa Williams, and children. In my lonely hours of thinking, Thoughts of you are always near.

ABERGAVENNY POLICE COURT. I Wednesday—Before Mr. W. H. Routledge (in the chair), the Mayor (Aid. Z. Wheatley), Major Sanford, Col. W. Williams, Mr. J. O. I Marsh, Mr. Gower Andrews and Mr. J. Merton Jones. I Thirty Convictions. Joseph Coles, collier, Beaufort, was summoned for stealing a rifle, value £ 2, the property of Marks Fine, pawnbroker. Prosecutor said that he missed the rifle on Friday week from the shop. P.C. Basson said he overheard a conversation between two men respecting a rifle which had been stolen from Abergavenny. He made in- quiries and afterwards saw defendant, whose sister-in-law produced the rifle from upstairs. When charged, defendant said he did not know what made him do it, but he must have been in drink. Supt. Davies said there were 30 convictions against defendant, including 13 for larceny. Defendant was sentenced to three months with hard labour. Cruelty to Sheep Slaughter-House Officials f Summoned. T. H. Maxwell, Government slaughter-bouse agent, and Geo. R. Plowman, Government slaughter-house accountant at Abergavenny, were summoned for unlawfully withholding food and water from 7° sheep at the slaughter-houses, thereby causing them unnecessary suffering. Mr. H. S. Lyne prosecuted and Mr. John Moxon defended. The Mayor did not sit on this case. J. H. Hall, butcher, said that on the 30th September he took over 70 sheep at Usk on behalf of the Abergavenny butchers. They were brought to Abergavenny the following day by truck and taken to the slaughter-house about 9 or 10 in the morning. In the afternoon Wit- ness saw Maxwell who said that he would have nothing to do with them as he had not received any instructions. Witness told him they had been allocated on the dead weight basis and that the butchers could not slaughter them them- selves, but he said he wanted. further instruc- tions. Witness saw Mr. Plowman on the Thurs- day morning and he accepted responsibility for the sheep and had them slaughtered. As a rule sheep were kept 24 hours without food before they were slaughtered. If they were kept longer they lost Weight. Mr. Marsh Would it cause suffering to the' sheep ?-It would for a period of four days. Mr. Moxon Until the Thursday morning were any of the sheep on Government property at all ?-No, I could not get them. Do you know that on Tuesday the Government property was fully occupied with sheep ?—I don't know. Maxwell said lie would not accept any re- sponsibility for them ?—Yes. They were never under his care or control ?— No. Did you bring any official notification that the sheep were to be slaughtered ?—No. The Order says Any beast or sheep fit for slaughter may, if the seller so desires and the Live Stock Commissioner consents, be sold by dead-weight."—It is not necessary for the Live Stock Commissioner to consent. The farmer has the option. In reply to further questions, witness said that he saw Mr. Plowman on the Tuesday, but Mr. Plowman did not tell him that: he had better tnrn the animals out to grass. Witness told him that it was no responsibility of his and that all he had to do was to hand them over. I Did he tell you that they were there at your own risk ?-I could not say that.. Witness said he was not there on the Wednes- day, but he knew that Mr. Maxwell had had, a wire from the meat agent to say that he was to have the sheep killed. Witness had turned out a number of his graded sheep from the slaughter- house to grass. By Mr. Lyne He had never had to get per- mission from the Live Stock Commissioner. He had dealt with hundreds of sheep and it had never been brought into question at all. The sheep would die by scores if you had to wait for Carmarthen ?—The people would be short of food. You never told either defendant that the sheep were turned out to grass ?—No, I ex- pected that they would be kijled on the Wednes- day at the latest. James Gunter, caretaker of the Corporation slaughter-houses, said that the sheep brought by Mr. Hall wfcre put in the pig pens because the Government places were full. He told Mr. Max- and he said he knew nothing about them and that they had not been tendered to him. All the time they were there they did not receive anything to eat or drink. Edward Henry Watts, deputy meat agent, Newport, said that he wired Maxwell entirely on his own advising him to have the sheep killed, but he had no authority to do so, That was on the Tuesday night. Mr. Mofcon You will agree that he could not have acted on your instructions ?—Certainly. P.-sergt. Spendlove said that he' went to the slaughter-houses on the Thursday morning and saw the sheep crowded up in the pig pens and another lair. He saw defendants together and asked them if they were responsible for the sheep. Maxwell said No, I am not responsible I have not taken them over." Plowman said We have not got any instructions from our authori- ties, but it is all right, sergeant, they will be killed now at once." He asked them whether they had received any instructions at all and they replied that they had not. He then asked them why they could accept responsibility for killing these sheep on the Thursday and not accept responsibility on the Tuesday or Wednes- day. He got no answer to that. Mr. Plowman did remark that he thought the sheep were out, and both said they would take good care that the like did not occur again. The sides. of the sheep were right in, and he Had never seen sheep in that condition. It was gross cruelty to keep them like that. Mr. Moxon The farmers wished them slaughtered ?-They said they dare not turn them out. If they had they would have gorged themselves, and it would have had ill effects. Is it your view that feeding them would have been bad for them ?-It would have been bad to turn them out after.geing without food so long. Mr. Moxon submitted that he had no case to answer. It was highly improper and very te- grettable that the sheep should have been kept without food and water, and someone ought to be punished, but on the evidence he did not see how they could possibly hold that any re- sponsibility fell on his. clients. It was quite clear from the evidence, both in law and in fact, that at no time was it their duty to have fed or watered them. They never accepted them and they were never under their care or control or on Government property. He should have thought that the prosecution would have considered that it was the duty of Gunter, in whose charge the animals were, to have fed and watered them. If there was anybody to be charged there was one person who could hot escape responsibility, and that was Hall. 'He brought these sheep without any official permit of any -kind authorising Maxwell to accept them, and he knew perfectly well that Maxwell could not take them. He made arrangements for turning a certain portion of his sheep out, but he made no arrangements for these 70. The regulations must be obeyed. and where the prosecution failed was that they did not produce any evidence that the Live Stock Commissioner consented to these animals being dealt with on the dead-weight basis. The whole object of the regulations with regard to food was to so equalise the slaughter that the public would not have a glut one week and a scarcity the next. The idea was that the Commissioner dealing with the whole of the Welsh area, was in a position to say whether more sheep were required at Abergavenny or not. In fact, more sheep were not required, and if a permit had been applied for it would have been refused. It might suit the farmers to try to glut the market with sheep, but it did not suit the Government. The owners of the sheep were Messrs. Marfell, LI. Jones, and J. Griffiths. Mr. Marfell sent a telegram to Carmarthen on Thursday morning stating that his sheep had been there since Tuesday and had not been fed, asking for in- quiries, and stating that the police had been informal. That was the only step taken to communicate with Carmarthen. The Live Stock Commissioner felt it very acutely that this charge had been made. It was an abuse of the procedure of the Court to bring a gentle- man of Mr. Plowman's standmg there on a charge like that when the only connection he had with the slaughter-houses was that he kept the accounts. He had nothing whatever to do I with the control or mal?-ta t of the liaii?,ter j houses. r Mr. Lyne said that if the consent of the Live Stock Commissioner was necessary in every case of dead-weight the business could not be carried on, and the public would get no food. The Bench considered that there was a case to answer, and the evidence for the defence was called. G. R. Plowman said that he knew there were gheep coming from Usfc on the Tuesday, and he told Maxwell that he was not to accept them untu instructions were received irom Car- marthen. He was told by telephone from Car- marthen that they were not to accept the sheep. He told Hall that they could not accept the sheep and that Carmarthen had told him to inform him that thy must be kept alive and turned out. He told Hall that they could not accept responsibility, and Hall wanted to know who was going to pay the cost of keeping them on tack. Witness replied that that was a small matter and could easily be arranged. Witness thought that the sheep had been turned out. On the Thursday the three farmers were there and they asked for the sheep to be slaughtered. Mr. Lyne If you accepted the instructions of the farmers, why didn't you comply with the request of Mr. Hall ?—He was not the owner of the sheep, as far as we knew. Do youstIggest "that the Live Stock Com- missioner consents in every c--ase where the sheep are on the dead-weight basis ?—We have not had such a case at Abergavenny before. Witness also said that the slaughter-houses were full up at the time, and there were at the present time sheep to be disposed of. There were 12 carcases there now. Are they to be sold ?—That is for the butchers' association, not for me. By the Magistrates' Clerk The sheep were I slaughtered at the request of the farmers. The Magistrates' Clerk Without the consent of the Live Stock Commissioner ?- Yes, we did it from a humane point of view. T. H- Maxwell said that he did not know the sheep had not been watered or fed. He did ont accept them and he took it that the man who brought them there would look after them. On Thursday Mr. Marlellcame to the slaughter- houses in a bad way, and he told him that the best thing he could do was to get into com- jnunication with headquarters at Carmarthen about it, as he had received no instructions. In order to save further cruelty witness had the sheep slaughtered straight away. Mr. Lyne Have you always got the consent of the Live Stock Commissoiner for every separate consignment ?-I send to tell them what I have got and I get a reply telling me wh,at to kill. You admit that you had no instructions from headquarters to kill these sheep on the Thurs- day ?—Quite so. After a retirement, the Bench considered that there was a misunderstanding on the part of those in charge of the sheep. Referring to the instructions with regard to the slaughter of sheep-of the 12th August, 1918, they found that there was a clause that the Government slaughter house agent would be responsible for the proper care and sanitary condition of the slaughter- house, the reception of the stock, and the super- vising of the killing and dressing. That meant that the slaughter-house agent assumed re- sponsibility when sheep were taken into the lair, and they had therefore come to the conclusion that Maxwell was responsible, but there was no case against Plowman and he should not have been brought there. Maxwell would be fined i5, including costs, and the case against Plowman would be dismissed. Mr. Moxon asked the Bench to state a special case on the point of law, and the Bench agreed. Sequel to the Railway Strike. I Evan Howells and Arthur Watkins, colliers of Blaenavon, were summoned, the former for unlawfully using motor spirit and the latter for aiding and abetting. Mr. H. S. Lyne prosecuted andf Mr. Dtyd Gardner defended. P.C. Oliver proved the case. Mr. Gardner, for the defendants, who pleaded guilty, said that a breach of the law had been committed; At the time of the railway strike Watkins had a week's leave to go to Sheffield, and as .the trains were stopped he asked Howells to ride him down to Abergavenny G.W.R. station on his motor cycle. He could not get from there, however, and they had to return. It was not an ordinary joy ride. Defendants were fined £ 1, including costs, each. Percy Evans, of Blaenavon, Richard Evans and J as,. Dyke, pub1ics, of Beaufort, were and Jas.# for a similar offence. Mr. Lyne, and jas,, for a similar offence. Mr. Lyne, summoned for a  offence, Mr, Lyne, prosecuting, said it was for the Bench to judge whether it was the railway strike or the Fair at Abergavenny which was the greater attraction. P.C. Oliver said that in addition to the de- fendants Mrs. livans and Mrs. Dyke were in the car. The two Evans were fined £ 2, including costs, each, and Dyke £r including. Affiliation Case Stopped. I Agnes Evans, domestic servant, summoned. Arthur Sadler, fireman, to show cause,-etc. Mr. Htyd Gardner was for the complainant and Mr. W. J. Everett for the defendant. I Mr. Gardner said it was a premature birth, and Mr. Everett replied that the only acceptable evidence of that was the midwife or the doctor. Complainant stated that she commenced keeping company with defendant on the 6th J anijary and the child was bom prematurely on the 6th September. She fell downstairs about three weeks before the child was born. A friend ol defendant's brought her some stuff from the chemist's. They ceased keeping company be- cause defendant said that someone at the Sheds had told him that she had had a child before, but it was untrue. Mr. Everett pertinently crogfc-examined com- plainant on a letter written by her to defendant, in which the name of another man was men- tioned. As the result of., the cross-examination the Bench at once stopped the case and dismissed it with payment of costs. An Artful Dodge. I ■; Two, boys, aged respectively a and 11, were summoned by J. E. Pritchard, Tredilion-road, for stealing apples. Prosecutor said .that be had had about £5 worth of apples stolen. He watched for the culprits and caught them with a quantity of apples. There was a gang of boys who had been after the apples when there was no one at home. What they did was to throw one of their caps over the garden wall, knock at the door for per- mission to get it, and if there was no one in the house they knew it was safe to go into the garden after the apples. He had caught the one three times and the other twice before. The boys were cautioned by the Bench and ordered to pay the costs. ♦

i, I Abergavenny Steele Market. I There were 949 sheep, 94 cattle, 30 calves and two pigs at the market on Tuesday. Owing to the fact that there are a large number of Irish cattle being distributed in the country, and the fact that' the purchaser's certificates for the local markets had to be altered accordingly, to- gether with the unusually large supply, there was a considerable surplus above the allocation numbers. The result was that 40 cattle and about 300 sheep had to be returned to the farmers. There was a large number of stock ewes in the market, but- trade was slow. Old ewes were a drag on the market, and prices were down 5s. or 1 os. per head. Good Radnors made up to 605. A———

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THERE'S MONEY IN MOLESKINS. To the Editor of the Abergavenny Chronicle. SIR,—At the present time, when all iood, wearing apparel and everything else costs three or four timels as much as in pre-war days, it behoves everyone to add to his or her income in every legitimate vay. It may therefore interest many of your readers to know that they- may considerably increase their income by trapping moles and selling the skins. A few years back winter moleskins were worth only about 3d. each. Last. year we paid Io-d. and even is. each for them, and to one of our customers (whose ordinary employment is that of a milk carrier) we paid over /260. There is very little trouble in preparing the skins (they should be simply AIR dried) and we shall be pleased to give full instructions to any of your readers who are interested and who wish to add to their income. We may mention that rabbit, hare, fox, otter, badger, and other skins are valuable, also feathers and horsehair. We are, Sir, yours obediently, H. STUART & CO., The Moleskin Specialists. I Stuart House, Albion Buildings, Aldersgate-st., London, E.C. I.