County Observer and Monmouthshire Central Advertiser Abergavenny and Raglan Herald Usk and Pontypool Messenger and Chepstow Argus

USK. COUNTY COURT, THURSDAY. Before His Honour JUDGE OWEN. CLAIM FOR RENT. John Jeffreys, Riglan, sued William Vedmore, blacksmith, Llanhennock, for jE2 lOti for a half. year's rent, and for eight months' rent besides by w«y of damages. Mr A. H. Watkins, solicitor, TJ-k, was for the plaintiff. and defendant's wife appeared. Plaintiff's evidence wa-i to the effeot that defen- dant left his cottage owing rent and without giving notice, keeping the place idle. Defendant's wife ciuld not produce receipts, and admitted owing El lis only. In the result His Honour gave judgment for £ 2 10s only, with costs of solicitor, to be paid by monthly instalments of la each. A TITHE CASE. Messrs Francis and Pamall, solicitors. Chepstow, sued Thomas Ford. Far Hill, Llanishen, for Is 10d tithe rent charge due. Mr G. C. Francis said defendaut was owner and occupier. He asked for a distress. His Honour granted the application, the distress to be suspended for 14 days. Mr Francis asked for his out-of-pocket expenses. His Honour laughingly said the Registrar would give such costs as he was aUowed by the Tithe Act [presumably nothing].

Routing: the Revolters. 5 Polling, on Thursday, for the election of a member to represent the Dowlaia Ward on the Glamorgan County C-juacil, resulted Z5 in a win for the Rev. Llewelyn M Williams (C.) by a majority of 17 votes. .Q..

I -I- URBAN DISTRICT COUNCIL. The last meeting of the old Council was held at the Town Hall, Usk, on Tuesday evening, when there were present:—Messrs. S. A. Hiley, J.P. (chairman), W. Marfell, H. Ault. E. W. Waters, G. Edmunds, W. Workman, G. Mundy, F. Jennings, R. Morgan, A. F. Lucas (clerk), and T. Rees (surveyor). I- FINANCE. The following accounts were passed and ordered to be paid :-S. A. Hiley, half-year's rent of sewage field, less income tax, ell 8s 5d; A. F. Lucas, half-year's salary as clerk, E12 10s; ditto, incidentals, Li 3s 4d; Usk Water Co., Limited, quarter's water supply to Town Hall, 5s; ditto, urinals, 10s; ditto, cattle market, £ 1 5s; ditto, street watering, £1 5s; T. Williams and Sons, pipes for sewerage, 15s; Shaw and Sous, forms, 5s 6d; Baldwins, Ltd., ashes, £1 2s lid; U.D.C. Association, monthly circular, It Us 6d A. F. Lucas, returning officer's charges and expenses of election, JE9 17s 9d Surveyor, viz., manual labour, roads, L6 3s lOd; ditto, sewage disposal, 68 6d ditto, cattle market, 13s; ditto, scavenging, 128 8d; T. Morgan, hauling, roads, 21 4s 5d; ditto, scavenging, £ i 14s. Payments to Treasurer were reported as follows: -Collect,.)r on account of market tolls, £1 6s 6d and It 15a 4d; Mrs Freeman, hire of chairs, 2s; Mr Coles, hire of Twyn Square, 5s; Collector, balance of district rate, £ 6 8s lOd. THB STREET COMMITTEB I reported on the dangerous wall in Mill-street, and the state of repair of the Town Hall. It appeared that, in reply to a communication on the latter subject, Mr James Straker, of Abergavenny, had asked why the Council did not purchase the Hall. The Clerk was now instructed to write asking for the shooting and down pipes to be seen to. the masonry at the top of the columns, the roof, and the stone steps and iron railings. THE SURVBYOR'S RBPORT I stated that the daugerous piece of wall in Mill- street remained unattended to, but the agent bad informed him that something would be done shortly. The seats on the Conigar footpath required repairing. One of them had nearly dis- appeared altogether in consequence of malicious damage. He had inspected the slaughter-houses, and had no objection to the renewal of the licences, except that of Mr Mayberry's, which was not at the present time in a fit state for slaughtering purposes. Plans had been submitted by Mr James Hughes for the re-construction of cottages in Maryport-street, and he had no objection to their being passed. MILL STREBT WALL. I The Chairman said the Street Committee had seen the wall in Mill-street that morning, and it certainly appeared to be in a very dangerous condition. He thought it would be necessary to serve the ordinary notice on the owner to get the work done within 14 days. It was decided to do this. SEATS IN THB CONIGAR. I After some discussion, during which the Chairman remarked that if there were more seats in the Conigar they would be used, Mr Marfell proposed, and Mr Jennings seconded, that the two old Boats be repaired and a new ooe erected. li This was agreed to. SLAUGHTER-HOUBB OBJECTION. I The Surveyor explained what was the matter with the place used as a slaughter-house at the back of the" Royal." The Chairman said the licence should be with. held until the place was in a satisfactory condition, and he thought the Council ought to point out that they did not consider the place a satisfactory one-up against the back door. Mr Mundy asked if the Surveyor had pointed anything out to Mr Mayberry. The Surveyor: No. Mr Jennings asked if the place could be put in a satisfactory condition. As to its being near the back-door, it was no more so than other slaughter- houses. The Surveyor said it was a back-kitchen as well as a slaughter-house. The floor was bad, and he did not see how it could very well be washed out, considering the broken stones. The Chairman Anyway, I think we should refuse to issue a licence until it is put into an absolutely satisfactory condition. Mr Marfell: It would be unfair for us to get Mr Mayberry to make an outlay on the place and afterwards refuse the licence on the ground that it was not a fit place for a slaughter-house. The Chairman thought they could not do better than leave the question thus that the Council did not consider the place a proper one, but that if it were put into proper condition, taking all the circumstances surrounding the matter into con- sideration, they would grant a licence. The Clerk pointed out that the existing licence did not expire until the 16th April. Licences were renewed to Messrs. George Edmunds and John Haggett. NOTICE OF AUDIT. I The Clerk said he had received official intimation that the audit of the accounts of the Council would be held on May 2nd. be held on May 2nd. THE AGRICULTURAL COLLEGE. I Mr Mundy asked if any communication had been received from the County Council with regard to the proposed Agricultural College at Usk. The Chairman replied in the negative. Mr Mundy said he should like to know what ateos they could take in the matter. The Chairman said they were expecting a com- munication from the Board of Education on the subject. Mr Mundy asked if a deputation from that Council could do any good. It seemed that Sir Charles Dilke was anxious that such a college should be built on the borders of Monmouthshire, nearer to Gloucestershire, and if Usk did not mind they would lose it. It was promised to the neighbourhood, and he did not see why they should nor have it. J n. The Chairman said Mr Mundy knew the position of affairs as well as he did. Mr Mundy: Well, if we don't keep on stirring the matter up we shall lose the College after it has been promised to us for so many years. I think a deputation might be appointed to wait upon the County Council aud see what can be done. We might also bring the matter before the notice of our two members of Parliament and a okthem to see something about it. The Chairman: The friends who are so imme- diately interested in it don't seem to stir themselves very much. Mr Mundy: No; nor do we stir them enough either. The Chairman: I don't know whether it is for us to stir them or not. Mr Mundy: We have been lying dormant for years, and I think it is now time we did some- thing. The Chairman If you can make any practical suggestion we can consider it. No proposition being made, the subject dropped. THB FIRE BRIGADE. Mr Fred Williams, as captain of the Fire Brigade, applied for instructions for the future. In reply to Mr Mundy, Mr Williams said the fire engine was in a good state. It had not been out since October or November. On the proposition of the Chairman, Mr Williams was requested to carry ou the work on the same instructions as last year. THB FINANCIAL POSITION OF THB COUNCIL Mr Jennings asked how the Council stood financially, now that they had come to the end of the financial year. The Clerk said the balance in hand was £ 65 Is 5d as compared with JE125 158 8d last year. Mr A nit: We had a good many liabilities to meet when we started the year. Mr Jennings Have we paid off all our debts ? The Clerk We owe a bill for stone. The Surveyor remarked that they had had to get stone from away in consequence of local stone not having been supplied. In reply to Mr Mundy, the Chairman said the Council had now no debt excepting that on the Cattle Market. Mr Mundy said the Council would have to try and see if something could not be done to make the market pay better. Perhaps the auctioneers could help them in the matter. How much had they paid off on the Loan Account ? The Clerk: We have paid thirteen half-yearly instalments of £ 50— £ 650. COMPLIMENTARY SPEECHES. The Chairman said he fbould just like to say a few words before they parted, as that wag the last meeting of the old Council. It was only right and fitting, he thought, that he should take that opportunity of thanking each one of them for the very comfortable time given him as Cbairman. Everyone bad, he was sure, done his very best to make the business of the Council work smoothly and comfortably. (Hear, hear.) He could only hope that his successor, whoever he might be. would have a Council equally kind to him and who would give him as pleasant a time as he had had. Since they started together they had not had a single matter to cause any of them a ruffle of their tempers even. They had gone smoothly and happily along, and they could take credit to themselves that they had conducted the business of the little town in a very proper manner. Even during the recent election he was pleased to note that, so far as he wis aware, there had not been a single grumble as regarded the way in which they had carried matters on. He hoped the Usk Council would always have snch a pleasant record as that. (Hear, hear.) He would also like to thank the officers for thp efficient way in which they had discharged their duties. (Applause.) Mr Ault said he thought that, as a Council, they ought to give their best thanks to Mr Hiley for his conduct in the chair. He was sure that he bad conducted their meetings very impartially. He would couple with he vote, too, the chairmen of the diffareat committees. Mr Mundy seconded, and expressed regret that Mr Edmunds was now leaving the Council. Mr Marfell said that three years ago he came amongst them a new member, and took the position of chairman of the Finance Committee with some diffidence, but he received valuable assistance from Mr Hiley and the other members of the Com- mittee and the work had been a pleasure. He hoped that the new Council would work together as smoothly and harmoniously as the old Council had done during the past three years. (Hear, hear ) Mr Hiley, responding, said I thank you gentlemen for the very kind remarks you have made with regard to me. I am sure I can say with other members that I shall be very sorry to lose our old friend Mr Edmunds, who has seen fit to lay the work aside after doing very useful and good service on the Council. We can ill afford to lose such a member, and it is a matter of regret to all of us that he felt called upon to retire. Referring to the other members who would not meet with them again, Mr Hiley said he had been pleased to see Mr James Knight with them from time to time, and he should miss his face, and he should be very sorry to miss Mr T. J. Smith, who had rendered the Council very useful service. (Hear, hear.) Time inevitably brought changes some of them came and some went, and none of them knew when their time would come. He again thanked the Council for their kindness ''tCTwsrdi'bim. Mr Edmiinds al.-o returned thanks for the kind references to himself. He had re'ired because he thought it was time he gave place to younger people. He had not cared abont the morning committee meetings, and he thought no man should accept office if he could not properly attend to the work.

USK VESTRY MEETING. I To the Editor of THE COOKPT OBSERVER. I SIR,-I feel bound to state a few facts in my defence against certain statements reported by you as having been made by Mr Freeman in my absence at the Usk Vestry Meeting on Thursday last. He states that I was guilty of gross neglect by not having anthems at Christmas and Easter. Firstly, I most emphatically disclaim any negli- gence on my part. When I had a choir good enough to render anthems well enough to come up to my idea of musical efficiency, anthems were given on all great Festivals, but, apparently, the standard was too high for some members of the congregation. This resulted in the more elabor- ately concerted music being discontinued, and, helped by other causes, a general break up of the Choir, so that, with the exception of very simple evening services, nothing bnt chants and hymns for some little time have been sung. Now some of the congregation have apparently changed their minds of a twelvemonth or more ago, and think they would like anthems, and recently the Rector has added three men's voices to the Choir. As is well known the majority of anthems have four parts, while there are only three in the Choir, and I know of no new material in Usk to make up the deficiency. I had, before the Choir broke up, all the best Church talent available, and, good as they all were, it meant a lot of hard work on their part to render at all creditably such works as we used to have. I must, therefore, leave it to the congregation to judge for themselves the difficulties I have to deal with. Mr Freeman also is reported to have said that I could get plenty of men if I tried. I have no doubt I could get dozens, but what use would they be if they could not sing ? It is quality not quan- tity that makes a Choir, and I have far too much reverence for the art of music to render badly the simplest anthems, let alone the works of the great masters. I am, Sir, Yours faithfully, THEODORE SEATON. Usk, April 10th, 1907.

I THE GOVERNMENT AND THE UNEMPLOYED. I To the Editor of The Oounty Observer. Sir, -It was pitiable to read the account of the scramble -imolig-t the dockers in Lotid,ii to obtain the employment offered to supply the places of men locked out at the Hamburg Docki and a most humiliating spectacle that the state of employment in free trade England should be guch that protectionist Germany should have no difficulty in recruiting British labour to an un- limited extent. No doubt -the Unions in this country will use strong language against these « Macklega" for taking the places of their German brethren, but the fact remains that there are so many men in London out of work that, on the authority of the newspaper correspondents at Hamburg, these 3,000 men who are there at work, testify that it was a case of accepting employment abroad, or starvation at home. The advent to power of this Government was to bring peace and prosperity. Well, sir, prosperity commenced under the late Government, and has continued ever since but the increase of w rk and wealth iiu foreign countries has. by the testimony of British Consuls, been greater io proportion than in this country. The trade of this country has no doubt increa-ed, as the B lard of Trade returns testify, but although the improvement in skilled labour has been such as to absorb a large number of those out of work in the previous bad times, it has had little effect on the great mass of un. employed, and does not increase in an equal proportion to 'he increase in population. But this Government has no remedy f,-r the unemployed, except that of charitably setting up labour colonies at great c'st, on n n-eommercial line-, which to a great. extent is demoralizing those it employs, and at best is but a temporary exoedient. which touches only a fringe of those who are out of employment. This Government is certainly an adept in imposing barieus on the taxpayer, by enlarging the scope of the Kmployers' Liability Act, and providing free food for children also in unsettling the credit of the country by its Small Holdings Act for Scotland, which by interfering with free contracts between individuals is really a confiscation of property bill, but seems destitute of any settled policy that will improve the condition of employ- ment. On the other hand, Conservatives have a settled policv, and in Fiscal Reform, which, by a more or less measure of Protection, professes to find means to stop the great imoorts of manufactured goods, and thereby find employment for a much larger proportion of artisans. It is a self. evident fact that the greater amount of foreign manufactured goods imported, and which could be manufactured here, causes a proportionate decrease in the employment of British labour. The evidence given before the Tariff Reform League shows how vast is the displacement of British labour bv free imports, at the same time that our manufactures cannot gain a footing in foreign countries because of the Tariff Wall. It will no doubt be alleged that evidence is maoufactured, or distorted, but. it is a well-known fact, that there was "nlimited distortinn of the facts and arguments of Tariff Reformers by the Liberals during the last election, and the Government have since, by their huge majority, burked all discussion of the subject They even go so far as to refuse to discuss preference wi h our Colonies at the forthcoming Colonial Conference. which may cause our Colonies to enter into commercial treaties with foreign nations and further injure our trade. It is nothing but prejudice and gross stupidity to back our opinion in favour of ftee trade against the opinion of the whole civilized world. What harm could result from a Government enquirv as to whether a reform of fiscal policv is needed or not ? If the enquiry resulted in a decision against any change people would feel more satisfied, but so long as nothing is done in that way, Tariff Reformers will not be satisfied, but will continue to agitate for a change. There is no doubt the change will come sooner or later, and when working men, who are protectionists to the back bone of their own interests in this country, find that the Socialistic measures of the present Givemment are absolutely worse than useless in solving the question of unemployment, they will look to protection against the foreigner for a remedy to stop the import of goods that they can manufacture themselves. Pleading the importance of the subject is an apology for the inor iinate length of my letter. i am Sir, Yours &c., T. W. BBOOKE. Llangeview.

WARNING TO ROADSIDE FARMERS. I HEAVY DAMAGBS AGAINST A LOCAL AGRICULTURIST. George Ilumbertsou Baker, master painter, of 138. Osborne R >ad. Pontypool, sued Alfred Walter Trotman, of the Rhadyr Farm, Llanbadoc, near Usk, for damages caused by a collision between a motor bicycle and a horse on the road. The claim was as follows :-()oat of repair of motor bicycle, £7 10s; seven weeks' loss of income through being incapacitated from work, commencing from the date of the accident, at 35s per week, fl2 5s expenses providing extra nourishment, bandages, embrocation, &c., 92: medical fees, 91 ls general damages. £5 total, £ 27 16s. Mr W. J. Everett, solicitor, Pontypool, was for the plaintiff, and Mr L. H. Hornby, solicitor, Newport, for the defendant. Plaintiff stated that he was 24 years of age and was a master painter, but was now engaged as chauffeur to Dr Haslett, Pontypool. On Decem- ber 6th be was riding a motor bicycle, with bis brother, along the road from Usk to Pontypool, and he was driving. When approaching the Bhadyr Farm he was proceeding at the rate of about eight or nine miles an hour, and was about a yard off the sward on the left band side of the road. He had switched off his engine to turn the nasty corner there. He saw some hornes coming in front of him 41 all over the road," from the direction of Pontypool. They were about six or seven yards from him when he first saw them. He applied the brakes and almost brought the machine to a standstill. One of the horses passed him, but the machine came into collision with the second horse, causing it to lurch to the left, and throw him off, rendering him unconscious. He could not say how many horses there were on the road. As the result of the fall he broke his collar bone and was bruised about the head. He was informed that he was taken into defendant's house, aud then conveyed to a doctor's surgery at Usk, where he recovered consciousness. In addition to the atten- tion he rceived there, he had been attended to by Dr Jones, of Pontypool, the doctors' bills actually coming to JE1 10s. He was seven weeks owe of work In consequence of the accideat, and he fited his loss of income at 35s. a week. Cross-examined by Mr Hornby, witness said the motor bicycle was an ordinary one-a" Rex." There was only one saddle, hut his brother was on a seat, 12 inches by 8 inches, immediately behind it. His brother held on to a bar, and not to him as driver. This was quite proper as long as the engine was powerful enough to carry two persons. He saw the horses in front of him, but heard no shouting, and saw no light. By his Honour: It was a dark night. By Mr Hornby: He had a powerful acetylene lamp on the machine, but it only threw a light five or six yards on the road in front of him. The horses were all over the road, one here and ene there." The second horse was struck by the machine on the right hand side, and on the hind part. He did not see any men with the horses. He did not see one leading the front horse, who had to jump out of the way to prevent being struck with the bicycle. By his Honour: A man was not leading the front horse. If be had seen a light in front of the horses he should have pulled up before, Plaintiff's younger brother, Bertram Herbert Baker, gave corroborative evidence. No one, he said, was in front with the horses, but he after- wards saw a light and two men behind-about 15 yards he should say. A man said that the horses belonged to Mr Trotman. His brother was taken into defendant's house about three minutes after the accident. A man named Perks came up while they were on the road, and subsequently Vaughan came past in a motor-car and conveyed plaintiff to Usk. Cross-examined: It was the second horse that struck them. He heard no shouting at the horses. He had a conversation with Price, one of defen- dant's men, and told him that they had met a lot of horses before, when coming down, and they nearly had an accident. He admitted telling Price that a couple of inches would have saved them. Price asked him if he did not hear any shouting, and he replied No." The only light he saw was behind the horses and not in front. He was in the Rhadyr Farm when defendant came in subse- quently, and there were present besides himself and his brother Mrs Tro'man and Price. He did not remember being asked if they had a trailer, but he remembered telling them that they were both on the same machine. He did suggest that the accident was caused by the horses straying on the road; he believed it was to tine man. Thomas Perks, formerly in the employ of Mr J. J. Edwards, Usk, as grocer's haulier, said that he was driving from the direction of Pontypool on the night of the accident, and he saw the collision. He saw some men on the road. One had a lantern. He did not see the horses until within 15 or 20 yards of the spot, and he conld not say how many there were. They were scattered all over the road. He had to pull up on the sward along- side the road one of the wheels of his cart went on the sward. He saw the horses go right in front of the bicycle, and the next thing he saw was the two men in a sitting position. There was no one leading the horses at the time, and no one in front. The only men he saw were those he saw before coming up to the horses. He saw the light of the bicycle approaching, and he estimated the rate it was coming at from 3 to 4 miles an hour. By his Honour: The men could not have done anything to avoid the collision at the time. Tom C. Vaughan, cycle dealer, Pontypool, said he was driving a motor car from Pontypool to Usk on the night in question when he saw Bertram Baker in the hedge by the motor bicycle, and he stopped and asked what was the matter, and if he could help him. He replied that his brother was inside the house unconscious. Witness went in, and subsequently conveyed plaintiff to Usk, where he recovered consciousness. By his Honour: He estimated the value of the motor bicycle at about twenty guineas, and the cost of repairing it at from E7 to Z8. Cross-examined: He had seen the machine pass- ing his shop and going perfectly He thought the damage done—which he had particularised—could easily have been done if it were travelling at the rate of thrpe or four miles an hour; it all depended upon where it fell, and how it came into contact with anything. J. E. Woolley, cycle manufacturer, Pontypool, stated that he sold the machine to Baker, after it had been thoroughly overhauled, and he placed its value at £15. He estimated the cast of repairing it at E7 10s. For the defence, Mr Hornby called Thomas Price, defendant's wagoner, who stated that on the night of the accident he had to take the horses from the stables to the grazing pasture on the opposite side of the road, and he had a man named Hayward with him. There were three horses, and witness was leading the front one by the forelock, while Haywadr came behind with a light. Witness was taking the horses close alongside the hedge on the right hand side, and they were in single file, and not across the road, He had taken them regularly for about four years. When he got within a few yards of the gate he heard a motor horn, afterwards saw a light, and shouted oat Horses!" as quickly as possible, but the motor bicycle was upon him in a couple of seconds. Hayward shouted out, too. The bicycle came on close up on the left hand side, and straight for him, so he "loosed" the horse and jumped back, or he would have been knocked down. The bicycle passed the first horse and ran into the second. He did not know there were two on the machine, and he asked the one he saw jump up if he were hurt. He replied, Not much," and picked up the bicy- cle. Then he said, "For God's sake, pick up the other one." Bertram Baker subsequently told him that they had nearly had an accident before -when they were coming down-by running into some ho-ses on the road. but they happened to be going the same way. Witness asked him if he did not he ar him shout, and he said that he did He also said that he had seen the light, but not the horses. Witness took plaintiff into the house, where his brother again said he heard the shouting. He did not suggest that the horses were responsible for the accident. They did not leave the right hand side of the road. Cross-examined by Mr Everett, witness denied that he had said in the presence of the Bakers and of Mr Woolley that there were four horses on the road. Perks did not pass him 15 or 20 yards before coming to the horses. He was leading the front horse by the forelock. He did not always do so; he sometimes had a halter. He led the horse that night because it was dark. Fred Hayward gave similar evidence to the last witness. Cross-exa mined: He did not see Perks at all. He went off with the hors es after the accident and returned later. Defendant, sworn, said he was away at the time of the accident. When he returned the plaintiff and his brother were in the house. Almost the first thing witness asked Price was whether he had shouted, and he said Yes." Young Baker said he heard the men shouting, but he did not know that anything was on the road. No suggestion was made that the horses were straying about the road it was not hinted at from first to last. Cross-examined: Vaughan was not present until after he returned home, and he-did not think he was there when the remark about the shouting was made. Bertram Baker distinctly said that he heard shouting. Mrs Trotman corroborated. Mr Hornby having briefly spoken, His Honour said he thought the balance of the evidence was very strongly against the defendant, and he gave judgment for plaintiff for J625 16s., viz £1 10s. for the d--image to the motor bicycle, 212 5s. loss of wages, £ 1 Is. doctors' fees, and £5 general damages.

e HYARCHER&cq-. GOLDEN RETURNS | f jy REGISTERED W £ A '£"?¡'æ¡'\1II1,n :11 L!I ill Facsimile of One-Ounce Packet. Archer's Golden Returns The Perfection of Pipe Tobacco. L Coor., SWKKT, AND FRAGRANT. i

I Easter Vestries. I ABERGAVENNY. I ST, HART'S. The Vicar (RAV Morgan Gilbert) presided, and the accounts as presented by the Churchwardens showed that the amount of the offertoties for the past year had been:-For Church expenses C150, and en racy fund E7i;. There was a balance in hand of 9s 6d. It was left to the Chiirchwardens 8t:1d the Vicar to decide what should be done in the matter of insurance under the Workmen's Compensation Act. | HOLY TRINITY. The Rev J. R Phillips (vicar) presided. The warden's accounts showed a balance of £ 38 in excess of last year. The question of liability under the Workmen's Compensation Act was discussed. and the Churchwardens were advieed to insure all those employed. r CAERLEON. The Vicar presided, and the accounts. whien were adopted, showed offertories for the year £ 148 13s 5d. and a debit balance of £6 8s lid. Mes-ra. T. Parry and J. Davies were re-elected churchwardens, and the sidesmen were re-elected, with the addition of Mr R. Searle. Mr Crease proposed that the churchwardens b& instructed to protect themselves under the Workman's Compensation Act, and this was agreed to. RAGLAN. The Vicar (the Rev Rnbert S. Plant) presided.. and re-appointed Mr John Jeffreys as his warden. Mr Raglan S. H. Somerset was re-elected people's warden. The accounts showed S64 Churcii collections, and an adverse balance of 95. TREVETHIN. The Vicar (Rev E. Morgan) presided. Mr T. B. Pearson. vicar's warden, presented the accounts, which showed that the income was £140, and the expenditure L147. Last year the adverse balance was £9 17s 9d, so that the debt had been. reduced. The accounts were unanimously adopted. The Vicar again nominated Mr Pearson as his warden, and Mr G. C. Wood was appointed people's warden in succession to Mr W. H. Pitten, who retired and nominated Mr Wood as successor. The sidesmen were re-elected en bloc."

Ascension Day Observance. CONVICTIONS QUASHED. In the King's Bench Division on Wednesday, the Lord Chief Justice and Justices Darling and Phillimore decided in favour of the appellants in the cases of Bell v. Graham, and Marshall v. Graham, under the Education Act of 1902, which raised the question whether a parent who is a member of the Church of England was guilty of an offence if he sent his child to church instead of to school on Ascension Day. Both Mr Marshall and Mr Bell were, it appeared, fined nominal sums by the magistrates at Barnsley for this alleged offence, the West Riding County Council being the education authority for the district. One of the provisions of that authority's by-laws was, provided always that nothing in these by-laws shall require any child to attend school on any day exclusively set apart for religious observance by the religious body to which the parent belongs." The Lord Chief Justice, in giving judgment, said in the case of Marshall the boy was kept from school in the morning, when he went to Church, and was sent to school in the afternoon. He had come to the conclusion that Ascension Day was a day exclusively set apart for religious uses and that in both cases the parents were protected in respect of proceedings against them. Mr Justice Darling said he was of the same opinion. The case was one of considerable public interest. If it were necessary to prove that the spirit of bigotry and intolerance was not the peculiar possession of religions bodies, but mighs even inhabit a county council, that prosecution would have served a useful purpose. He thought it was plain that the West Riding of Yorkshire County Council could not be said by its worst enemies to bear the least resemblance to Laodicea. He had come to the conclusion that Ascension Day was a day set apart by the religious body properly called the Church of England, and none the less so was set apart also by one of the statutes of the realm. Could anyone say that by the law of this country the time of magistrates was properly spent in punishing a man who preferred, in accordance with his religions beliefs, to send his child to church on Ascension Day to sending him to school ? Mr Justice Phillimore also agreed that the parents were lawfully entitled to withdraw their children from school on Ascension Day as they had done. The appeal was accordingly allowed, with costs.

FLANNELETTE. If purchasers of this useful material for underwear all the year round would buy the best English make, which can be obtained from all leading Drapers, they would avoid the risks they undoubtedly run with the inferior qualities of Flannelette. HORROCKSES' 0 FLANNELETTES, made by the manufacturers of the celebrate4 Longcloths, Twills and Sheetings. o are the best. HORROCKSES" MERRYWEATHER ON WATER SUPPLY AND FIRE PROTECTION of COUNTRY MANSIONS. EXPERTS SENT TO ALL PARTS TO- Hport on EXISTING Arrangements. WRITE FOR PAMPHLETS: MERRYWEATHER & SONS, j 83. LOffi ACRE, LONDON, W.C.

April 4th —Mr J. Pitt, senr,, 2 brace; Mr T. Thomas (Newport), 4§; Mr L. R. Lucas, 2^. April 5th—Caplain Harper, 2| brace Mr Thomas, 1J. April 6th-M,r J. Pitt, junr., 2 brace Mr Cobb (Newport), 2; Mr T. Thomas (Newport), 2!; Mr T 5; Mr L. R. Lucaa, 4; Mr F. Cozens, I!. 2 April 8th—Mr L. Humphreys, 1| brace; Mr T. Reeg, 4|; Mr J. Pitt, seni., 2 Mr L. R. Irticas, 4 £ April 9th—Mr J. Pitt, senr., 3| brace; Mr T* &ees, 8J, Mr L. Tt. Lucas, 3 (two weighing l$lbs each).. .April 10th—Mr Newtona, 2|- brace; Mr H. Bill, ii Mr H. Freeman, on the Monnow, killed 6 brace, Weighing 91bs. April Ilth-Mr H. Hill, H brace Mr T. Rees, 2; Mr F. Cozens, 11. Mr Humphreys lost a new fish on the lower I "Water. Mr R. W. Rickards, of The Priory, Usk, fishing 'h the Wye on Saturday last, killed two salmon, «ach of 201 bs weight. Captain Phillips has also billed a 25 pounder in the same water.