The Llanelly Mercury and South Wales Advertiser

ECHOES OF THE WEEK. ♦ [BY "SIRIUS."] I THE NORTH PEMBROKESIRE BILL. I The promoters cf the North Pembrokeshire and Fishguard Railway Bill have been indiffer- ently successful in the bill which appeared before a parliamentary committee last week end. No Llanellyite, at any rate, need offer any apology for a feeling of satisfaction at the all-but complete failure of those who stood as sponsors to the bill, which, if translated into an ] act would have done no good to this district. The purpose of the proposals seemed to exhaust itself, insofar as the proposals related to this district, in an attempt to divert traffic, legiti- mately belonging to Llanelly, to Swansea. This was clearly pointed out at meetings of the Chamber of Commerce and Borough Council. My reading of the bill goes to shew that the promoters were successful in respect of a few details only relating to the railway arrangements of Pembrokeshire, the broader objects of the bill receiving no parliamentary sanction. The promoters will no doubt essay on a future occasion to obtain parliamentary consent to the greater girth of their scheme, but I am convinced that when that future occa- sion comes, the authorities entrusted with the overlook of Llanelly affairs will have induced the promoters of the undertaking to materially amend the bill in our favour. SOME FURTHER PARTICULARS. Since the above was written I have been in conversation with a gentleman who was in- terested in the undertaking—interested, at any rate, to the extent of being invited to London to give evidence on behalf of the promoters- and from what I have gathered from him, I fear that I was labouring under some misappre- hension in respect of some of the statements which are embodied above. He was present in the committee room when counsel delivered their speeches and the evidence was heard, and he assures me that, whatever the original intention of the promoters may have been in relation to the position of Llanelly under their scheme, they certainly did not assume any hostile attitude towards this town in presenting their bill to the Lords' committee. On the contrary, my informant assures me that the counsel for the promoters in opening his case, stated definitely that the body for whom he acted desired to give Llanelly a connection, and affirmed that if the G.W.R. Company refused to guarantee this by a junction with the pro- posed new line some miles off, the promoters would connect with Llanelly themselves; This seems to shew that the overtures to the promoters of the bill by the Llanelly Borough Council were availing in a marked degree. THE REGULATIONS OF THE EDUCATION DEPARTMENT. Nottheleast interesting and instructive item in the recent proceedings held under the auspices of the Pupil Teachers' Centre was the -address of Mr. Duckworth, B.A., dealing chiefly with the frequent and apparently whimsical and valueless changes in the regulations issued .by the department in relation to the tests im- posed upon pupil teachers. Mr. Duckworth s comments are invested with additional import- ance by reason of another threatened change— threatened since the proceedings now under review occurred. It now seems probable that a rule will be instituted that one of the sciences that a pupil teacher may put in for scholarship, if an elementary stage, must include Physio- graphy. It is difficult to discover the reason for this arbitrary restriction, especially in view of the fact that the whole question of the pupil teacher curriculum is now under treatment by a Royal Commission. THE STEPNEY ESTATE AND THE COUNCIL. It is to be regretted that the Stepney Estate authorities are so unmindful of the best interests of the community as to refuse the sensible suggestion of the Borough Council that a new, road should be opened between Andrew-street and Swansea-road. The proposal is an exceedingly reasonable one, and if carried into effect would make material contributions to the comfort and convenience of the inhabitants residing in that district—comfort and convenience that would be enhanced by reason of the fact that the Council are prepared to span the Lliecli at the spot named with a fine bridge. However, the authorities of the Estate are not disposed to act upon the suggestion of the Council, and a most urgently-needed improvement, therefore, falls to the ground. It is no wonder that people are saying that the Stepney Estate authorities have a lot to answer for. PROPOSED CONSTRUCTION OF FOOTPATHS. Another big proposal affecting the highways in the district covered by the administration of the Llanelly Borough Council is likely to come up for consideration at an early date on a report which the surveyor has been instructed to prepare. For some time past, the Highway Committee have been castingtheir eyes longingly II towards the admitted need of the proper con- struction of footpaths throughout the borough, and the position is now such as to lead one to conclude that something definite in this direction may be hoped for at no distant date. The question was incidentally discussed at a meeting of the Highway Committee on Friday last, when the surveyor intimated that his estimate for completing the work would be £ 2,674. The upshot of the discussion was an instruction to the Surveyor to submit a detailed report giving particulars of each footpath proposed to be formed. 1 think my readers will agree with me, from the figures I have quoted, that the undertaking proposed is a fairly extensive and costly one, and having regard to the number of big schemes which the local authority has now in hand, I for one hasten to express the hope that the Highway Committee will give the question very careful consideration before they determine to carry out the work. It is necessary work, I" readily concede. The question, however, re- solves itself into this: Is it urgent, and can we afford to wait ? THE PROPOSED STOPPAGE I The threatened stoppage oftinplate works in the first week in May is deferred. Much as I ap- preciate the good intentions of the Executive of the Tin-plate Workers' Union in advocating this measure-advocated, as my readers are afware, for the purpose of depleting stocks and improving the market—I am unfeignedly glad to hear of the decision to defer the time of putting the proposed remedy into operation. We have, during the last few'years experienced so many bitter hardships arising out of the idleness of tinplate works that the very name of stoppage has become a hateful one. I am perfectly aware that the golden era of the tin- plateindustry has gone-perhaps never to return —and for some time yet to come the dis- location consequent upon the inauguration of the tlew conditions will give rise to not a few periods of enforced idleness. This bek'g the case, I will be excused for hailing with satisfaction the determination of the Executive of the Council to defer the re- medial measure proposed. Meanwhile, it is gratifying to hear that the result of this de- ferring will not improbably be the reinstate- ment of the 1874 list of wages all along the line, and the promise from more than one quarter of a long period of continuous work on those satisfactory conditions. SCHOOL BOARD OFFICES. A great deal of dissatisfaction exists in the town by reason of the fact that despite the large amount of money expended on the palatial Town Hall constructed in the People's Park, no accommodation has beenjprovided for school board offices, within the precincts of the structure. Personally, I am disposed to share the dissatisfaction. When the local authorities had the question of municipal buildings in hand, ordinary prudence should have been sufficiently operative to guarantee that accommodation would be provided for all the town bodies. This, I venture to state, was fairly generally understood when the buildings were in progress. During the last few weeks, however, the rate- payers have discovered from disclosures made at the Borough Council, that the School Board officials have been obliged to clear out from the buildings in the Park to find a fugitive home in Vaughan Street, where the facilities for carry- ing on the educational supervision of the dis- trict are mnsatisiactory to a degree. The Borough Council may be living in a fool's para- dise and may cherish the hope that the accom- modation in the town hall is all that can be desired, and this it may be, with the School Board left out in the cold. For this, however, the ratepayers of Llanelly did not for a moment bargain. THE LLANELLY 1 LOWER SHOW. I lior some years, the Llanelly Horticultural Society has suffered an interregnum to inter- pose in the interesting shows which have been held under its auspices. No one has re- gretted this more than I have-leastwise, no one more outside the ardent company of com- petitors whose passion for prize-taking in consequence of the break has had time to develop into inordinate proportions. How- ever, as an ordinary spectator of shows held under the regis of the Society, few extracted more pleasure out of the exhibitions than myself, and it has been humiliating to my town pride to find our friends at Burry Port and Kidwelly going one better than ourselves. Llanelly's inability to preserve the continuity of these exhibitions has been incomprehensible to me, having regard to the undoubt- edly wide-spread interest in horticul- ture in this neighbourhood. It is useless, albeit, to mourn over the failure of the last few years. A far more agreeable occupation is that of contemplating the restora- tion of the interesting and enjoyable institution this year, for, from what I have been given to understand, it is now guaranteed that the Society will be resusciated immediately for the purpose of arranging a show in the coming sea- son. I am glad to chronicle this fact and will add thereto the expression of the hope that the Society will not fade with the year, but main- tain its virility in order to give hostages of an unbroken succession of shows in the years to come. A BOARD OF GUARDIANS' QUESTION. I I I In his interesting resume on Thursday last before the Llanelly Board of Guardians of the proceedings which occurred at the annual conference of the poor law guardians of the country, Mr. Seymour, the chairman of the Board, appropriately referred to a praotice much too extensively in vogue on the body over which he presides, I mean the practice followed by a great many guardians of intro- ducing to the Board cases from their own district and advocating the claims of the applicants with special fervour-a fervour for which a district-fellowship may not unreason- ably be held largely accountable. Mr. Seymour informed the Board that the practice was severely animadverted upon at the Conference he attended, a reference which goes to shew that the practice is common in other unions besides our own. The prevalence of the practice, however, does not serve to justify its perpetuation. On the contrary, the fact of its popularity is an additional call to those specially concerned in the administration of our poor law to exert stronger efforts to suppress the common vogue. The evils of the system are so obvious that one need not go into detail. Everybody will recognise the undesirability of the Board of Guardians ignoring the functions of the relieving officer for the unsupported ipse dixit of a guardian from the district." By all means, let the guardian of the district "see that all the poor in his neighbourhood are pro- perly treated, but when he has any special appli- cations to advocate let this be done after the relieving officer has made the customary investi- gations and reported to the board in the usual way. Mr. Seymour is to be thanked for direct- ing attention to this much-needed reform. I THE PURCHASE OF THE ROYALTY. I I I The conditions under which the Royalty Theatre has been purchased by Mr. Fred L. Rees carry with them the obvious conclusion that Llanelly, as at present constituted, and with the population at the existing figures, is unable to keep a theatre going continuously- not, at any rate, on flourishing lines. A good company a week every month is about all, I imagine, that the drama-loving section of Llanelly people can support. What I have called this obvious conclusion leads me to express the hope that Mr. F. L. Rees when be proceeds to float his company—and this, of course, I suppose he will do—will make it clear in the prospectus that the premises will serve both as a theatre and a public liall-a public hall chiefly. That there is room in Llanelly for a public hall cannot for one moment be gain-said. It is one of our crying wants, and the man who takes steps to meet this want will be hailed as a public benefactor. I had been living in the hope that the Borough Council intended to do something in this direction by a series of altera- tions at the Atheyseum. Whatever the inten- tion may be, I see no sign of it bearing fruit. That being so, I take the first opportunity of urging that accommodation on the lines proposed be made at the Royalty. Whatever Llanelly is not, this it certainly is: A music-loving and concert-going people, a fact that guarantees the success of a large building offering accommodation of the kind needed. As a con-i cert hall, the market is simply a monstrosity. I was there last Friday night, attending the rehearsal of the Choral Society, a rehearsal which was an exceedingly interesting and en- joyable one, but the cold and dreariness of the hall were depressing and discouraging to the last degree.

— I THE DEPUTY CORONERSHIP. I Mr. F. Nelson Powell has been appointed deputy coroner for the Three Conunotts district by the Lord Chancellor on the nomination of Mr. W. Buckley Roderick, coroner.

OFF TO THE UNITED STATES. Llanelly Station was besieged last Friday night, a large company witnessing the departure of two families highly respected at Llanelly, namely, Mrs. Jennett Protheroe and four children, and Mrs. Catherine Jones and five children, who were going to Ellwood, Indiana, to join Mr. Protheroe and Mr. Jones. Through the courtesy of our affable stationmaster, the party had a through carriage to their destina- tion, Southampton, where they were met by the officials of the American Line, who took them on board tti c s. s. St. Paul" immediately. We heartily wish them a bon voyage.. Mr. Hancock, the energetic agent, was in attendance, and accom panicd the families a great part of th way.

LLANELLY CHORAL SOCIETY ATTONYPANDY. THE PRIZE GOES TO DOWLAIS, t It seems almost inconceivable—however, it is all too true, that the Llanelly Choral Society in their rendering of the glee,™" The Lullaby of Life," at the Tonypandy Eisteddfod Ion Monday, actually flattened in the music of the concluding page. The Lullaby has from time inmemorial almost been regarded as a piece of music in which the Llanelly choir pre-eminently excels. Its finesse, its exquisite shading and its sweetness have been accepted as musical features peculiarly favourable to a masterly rendering"by the Llanelly Choral Society, Nor has this estimate of the strong points of 1 ;cal songsters been, in the main, incorrectly gauged. Keeping these facts in mind, it is, as we have already said, almost inconceivable that in this supremely harmonious glee the Llan- elly chorus should on Monday at the Tonypandy eisteddfod have flattened towards the close of the piece. The writer of this article was present at the rehearsal of the choir on Friday night last at the Market Hall, when the choir gave faultless renderings of the two competitive pieces, namely, 1\' 1 1 ,("T J .œ_4_.l. ivienaeissonn s massive cnorus XE nations onei IJV the Lord," and Leslie's exquisite part song The lullaby of life." Those present at the performance confidently expected that the Llanellyites would achieve success in the competition on the following Monday. The choir travelled to Tonypandy by special train, an arrangement kindly made by the the G.W.R. Company. Four choirs had entered, namely, Murthyr, Dowlais, Llanelly, and Llanpumpsaint. Only two, however, put in an appearance, Llanelly (led by Mr. John Thomas), and Dowlais (led by Mr. Harry Evans). The sole adjudicator was Dr. Risely, of Bristol. It will be remembered that the two selections named were the test pieces at the famous Brecon-cum- Patti National Eisteddfod in the early eighties when the Llanelly choir was led by Mr. R. C. Jenkins. On that occasion, the local choralists fell off in the heavy chorus, but in the rendering of the glee there wasn't a choir in the eisteddfod who came anything like near the Llanellyites in their masterly rendering of the Lullaby." On Monday in the competition at Tonypandy, the Llanelly choir gave a magnificent rendering of the heavy chorus, and they were also getting on beautifully with the glee until the last page, when an extraordinary thing happened: the tenors and sopranos flattened, and the accompanists had to stop. This, of course, doomed the hopes of the choir, and the prize naturally went to Dowlais. The prize offered was one hundred guineas and a handsome gold crown to the winning conductor. The fact that two such celebrated choirs were pitted against each other made the contest a very inter- esting one, and when the competition began there was a deep silence among the vast audience, now estimated to number fully 5,000 people. The first to sing was Llanelly, and they took the pieces in the order in which they were on the programme, while the Dowlais Choir reversed that order, and sang the "Lullaby" first. Immediately after the choirs sang, Dr. Risely stepped forward to give the award. He said he could not help feeling that this was the most critical moment of the present eisteddfod. He generally liked, so as to keep the attention of the audience, to give his declaration in reference to the second prize choir first and first last, but as there were only two choirs in this competition, it would be no use doing so now. It was an excellent performance all round, but he thought the audience would agree with iiim that he had not much difficulty in making up his mind. He could not say that he was affected by the applause 6f the audience because he never took that into consideration and he gave the first prize to the choir that had given the best singing, and that was the second (Dowlais). This announcement of course, led to deafening cheers, and when these had somewhat subsided, Dr. Risley said that, of course, he was bound to give a first prize, but he gave all praise that was due also to the first choir (Llanelly) for the way in which they sang, and he awarded them the seeond prize, £10.

TINPLATES MADE IN ITALY. A NOTE OF WARNING. The following appears in the current issue of a London Trade Journal :-At a time when the tin- plate workers of South Wales are adN ocating the closing of the works in order to restrict the supply, keep up prices, and maintain the 1874 rate of wages, it may be useful to offer them the following reminder from a report by Mr. Law upon the Tin- plate Trade in Italy. He says:— "A business which appears to be developing with much success, and which is in direct competition with an important English industry, is that of making tinplates. The importation of tinplates, which were formerly received in considerable quantities from England, has declined rapidly during the last few years, as the Italian Industry has pro- j gressed, and it seems probable that Italy will, at an early date, supply all her own requirements. The largest tinplate works are situated at. Piombino, on the coast opposite the island of Elba, where there are six rolling-mills. The production some time ago, with three mills, was about 80 ton per week, and it is anticipated that this will shortl) be doubled. At present the steel bars for rollin- are j imported, but works are being erected for making the bars from Elba iron, which is of excellent quality. A small quantity of bars is received from the Italian steelworks at Sestra Ponente, near Genoa. The Italian bars are rather cheaper than English, but are said to be somewhat inferior in quality. The import duty on steel bars is 6 francs per ton on blackplates 12 francs per ton on tinplates 15 francs. There are three eight-hour shifts at the rolling mills. Wages are paid by piecework, men at the rolling-mills e rning about 10 lire per diem doublers, 7 lire furnacemen 5 to 6 lire tinners, 4 lire and lads, 2 lire. The average production per mill per day is 40 boxes, but in cold weather, it goes up to 50 boxes per day. The Italian haaids are said to be very steady, efficient workers. There must be a considerable advantage, in competi- tion with England, in the high rate of production per mill, if it be correct, as I have been informed, that the Trade Union in England has'fixed the maximum production for English workers at 36 boxes per day." If the Italian workers can, and do produce forty to fifty boxes daily, it is surely suicidal on the part of the Welsh workers to restrict their output to thirty-six boxes daily as they have been doing for some time past. They should remember that Italy is very near to the Russian oilfields, and that as the demand for oil sizes in the future will, probably, be from Russia and the East, it may possibly be supplied by Italy, unless they in Wales show greater wisdom and more foresight.

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LOCAL PRIZE FIGHT. FOR 28. ▼ ASIDE. J FOR 2s. 6d. ASIDE. I SUBSEQUENT MAGISTERIAL PRO- I CEEDINGS. I At the Llanelly Police Court on Tuesday (before Mr. H. Wilkins and Major Bythway), Josiah Llewellyn and John John, colliers, Pontyberein, were charged with fighting in a field at Ponty- berem on Monday last. P.C. T. Richards deposed that about 6.15 p.m. on Monday evening, he saw the defendants fighting in a field about 300 yards from the back of the Star Inn, Pontyberem. They were stripped down to the waist. When he went to them, Llewellyn struck J. John. P.C. Saer came forward and held John on the ground but the other made off. He (witness) gave chase and caught him 400 yards from the spot of the fight. Defendant said they only had a little fight for 2s. 6d. a side. They were taken to P.C Saer's house, and there they put on their shirts, vests, and coats. They were then charged with the offence. The Bench Had they been fighting hard ? Witness There was blood on John's face. The Bench Were you given information of the fight ? Witness Yes. Mr. Brodie Was it public or private property where they were fighting ? Witness Private. Mr. Brodie Any spectators present Witness: Only two men acting as seconds to the principals. Mr. Brodie Were they fighting with the inten- tion to inj ure each other ? Witness: Yes. Mr. Brodie: It was not a mere sparring exhibi- tion ? Witness: No. Mr. Brodie Did you see them strike blows ? Witness: I saw Llewellyn strike John to the ground. The defendant John said he knew nothing about the 2s. 6d. Mr. Brodie: What condition were they in as regards sobriety ? Witness: They were drunk and could not walk back very well. The Bench: Is there much fighting going on there? Witness: Yes sir. The Bench Principally on Mabon's day ? Witness: Yes sir. To further questions witness said there was blood on John's face. Mr. Brodie: Did the man that was knocked down seemed to be seriously injured ? Witness: Yes, sir. Mr. Brodie Was he unconscious ? Witness: I cannot say, as I had gone to chase Llewelyn. Mr. Brodie: Was he all right when you returned? Witness: Yes, sir. Both defendants pleaded guilty to the offence, and said they were very sorry. The Bench said that it was a very serious charge, and they regretted very much to see two young men like them appearing before the magistrates. It might have resulted very seriously. They ought to be ashamed of themselves to go out to a field to fight, and they must remember that Mabon's Day was not made to drink and fight. However, the Bench would deal leniently with them and fine them 15s., and costs 6s. 8d., or in default 14 days. The defendant John: Will you kindly give us a month to pay ? The Bench We give you a fortnight to pay.

THE CENTRE CLASS. —————— —————— SUCCESSES AT THE SCHOLARSHIP EXAMINATION. We heartily congratulate Mr. J. Duckworth, B.A. chief of the pupil teachers' central classes at Llan- elly, upon the distinguished successes obtained by his pupils at the examination recently held for ad- mission into the normal training colleges. The result was made known last week end, and is as follows:— FIRST CLASS (BOYS). Tom Nicholas .Dock E. R. Coles .Dafen I Joseph James Copperworks SECOND CLASS. John Davies Dock Daniel Thomas Park-street FIRST CLASS (GIRLS). Blandina Mutter Market-street Helena Jones Copperworks Edith M. Banks .Daien Annie J. Morgan .Copperworks Alice Thomas .Lakeneld SECOND CLASS. Maggie Jones.Prospect Place Annie Vaughan Copperworks Fanny Wilson .Felinfoel Edith Mills Bigyn Alice Boulton Bigyn THIRD CLASS. Louisa Young .Old Road

LOCAL FORTHCOMING MARRIAGE. The marriage arranged between Mr. Goring Thomas, of Plas, Llannon, Carmarthenshire, and Helen, third daughter of Mr. W. L. T. Foy, of Enfield and Mauor Garden, Henley-on-Thames, will take place (quietly on account of family bereavement) on the 27th inst., at St. John's Church, ClayhHl, Enfield.

FIRE IN MURRAY STREET. A serious fire occurred ia the business premises of Mr. Louis Newmark, Murray-street, on Sunday morDing last. Immediately the conflagration was detected, the fire brigade was summoned. The re- sponse to the call was a smart one, and as the result of the efforts of the men the flames were soon got under. The shop, however, was gutted, and a considerable amount of damage has been done.

CYCLES FOR TELEGRAPH MESSENGERS. The Quadrant" Cycle Company have secured a large order for cycles to be used by telegraph messengers. The machines are to be enamelled in Post Officecolours, and will, undoubtedly, make a con- spicuous and valuable acquisition in the telegraph service. Quadrants have already been supplied to numerous corps and police forces, and from testimonials they have given every satisfaction. Mr. J. S. Brown holds the sole agency for this celebrated machine, and from no other dealer can the genuine machine be obtained. The Quadrant" firm also notify that they will not hold themselves responsible for machinesj sold by other district agents, alleged to be Quadrants."

THE BOEOUOH COUNCIL.. I The monthly meeting of the Llanelly Borough Council was held at the Town Hall on Monday last, Mr. D. W. Rees, presided, there being- also present: Messrs. J. Griffiths, E. Trubshaw, J. Maybery, W. Howell, D. James, J. S. Tregoning, jun., J. Hansard, J. Thomas, J. Hopkins, R. Guest, and C. F. Thomp- son, together with the clerk (Mr. H. W. Spowart) AUDIT OF ACCOUNTS. I It was decided that the Finance Committee be I empowered to have the accounts made up by an I accountant as speedily as possible. THE MEETING ADJOURNED. I It was decided to adjourn the meeting until next I Monday. |

LOCAL SCHOOL BOARD. I APPOINTMENTS FOR BYNEA I SCHOOL. A special meeting of the Llanelly School Board was held at the School Board Offices on Tuesday last. Mr. H. J. Howell presided, there being also present:—Mrs. Erans, Messrs. J. A. Williams, W. David, G. Blake, J. Thomas, (Ber- wick), H. Wilkins, and J. Hopkins, together with the I clerk pro tern. (Mr. Ifor W, Watkins). THE VACANCY AT BYNEA AND COPPERWORKS I SCHOOLS. The following applications were received for the vacancies at the Bynea and Copperworks schools: J. W. Griffiths, Solva; J. A. Jones, Treharris; T. Jenkins, Llanelly. The following applied for a transfer to the Bynea School: T. B. Phillips and A. E. Jackson, both of Llanelly. Mr. H. Wilkins proposed that T. B. Phillips be appointed assistant master at Bynea School. The Chairman seconded, and it was carried. Mr. J. A. Williams proposed that J. W. Griffiths be appointed assistant at the Copperworks School. The Chairman seconded and it was carried. APPLICATION FOR A POST AI1 THE BYNEA SCHOOL. An application was received from Miss M. Owen, assistant mistress at Llwynhendy School, asking the Board to transfer her to the Bynea School. She was at present sewing mistress at the Llwynhendy School and she applied for the same post at Bynea. Mr. J. A. Williams proposed that she be appointed ex-p.t. and sewing mistress at the Bynea School. Mr. J. Hopkins seconded and it was carried. ANOTHER APPLICATION FOR A PLACE AT THE I BYXEA SCHOOL. A letter was read Mr. T. Nicholas, of the New Dock School, asking the Board to give him a place at the Bynea School as an Ex-p.t. The letter further stated that he had recently passed the Queen's scholarship examination, and that he lived near the school and was well acquainted with the place. Mr. J. A. Williams thought it would be better to leave the matter in the hands of the clerk, the chairman, and Mr. Bowen. Mr. J. Thomas proposed that he fee appointed ex-p.t. at the Bynea School. The applicant would only be there until September and then he would go to college. Mr. J. Hopkins was of opinion that Mr. Nicholas should attend to his studies and prepare for his college career. Mr. Blake seconded the proposition which was j put to the meeting and carried. AN APPLICATION TO ATTEND THE CENTRAL CLASS. Miss Roberts, daughter of the vicar of Felinfoel, applied to the Board to attend the central classes. She was now a teacher at the National School, Felinfoel, under article 68. It will be remembered that this matter came before a committee of the Board recently, when the application was refused. Mr. J. A. Williams said that the recommendation usually adopted in these cases was that they should be dealt with on their merits. The young lady's father had been, and was at present a ratepayer in the parish. Originally her parents intended her to go in for a private school, but they had changed their minds and she had also. It had now been decided that she should make a stand for the elementary work of a board school. She had made this application for the purpose of receiving the necessary qualifications to go in for her Queen's scholarship. She could not go to Swansea as her father was not a ratepayer in that parish and the only place where she could get the necessary qualifications would be at the central classes. He thought this was an exceptional case and in a few months she would have qualified herself. The Chairman remarked that when teachers of this kind were received into the Class, there was a fee to be paid. Mr. J. A. Williams Take her on the usual payment. Mr. Blake: Didn't we fix the payment at Mr. Williams: According to the circumstances. Mr. J. Hopkins I am still of the same opinion that the Central Class is intended solely for our own pupil teachers. You are now trying to open the door for outsiders. I don't think the class was opened for such parties. Mr. Wilkins inquired if previous applicants had been refused. The Clerk said there had been some. Mr. H. Wilkins said that now the only thing they could do was to try the case on its merits. This was an exceptional case and it had come up on the recommendation of the late inspector (Rev. Shadrach Price). Mr. Duckworth saw no reason why she should not be admitted, but then, consent of the Board must be given. Mr. Blake proposed that the application be acceeded to on the payment of S3. Mr. Wilkins was of opinion that they should exceed the usual payment. Mr. Williams drew attention to the fact that her parents were ratepayers in the parish. Mr. J. Hopkins thought they were exceeding their duty. The central class had cost the ratepayers a large amount of money and it was intended for P.T.'s. under their Board. The other teachers could go to the Intermediate School or to the Higher Grade School on payment of a fee. He proposed that they should not accede to the application. Mr. W. David said that he was sorry to go against the feeling of some of the members. Something else besides merit must be considered in a case of this sort. The P.T.'s centre was a school for their own pupil teachers and the admittance of others from outside with our own staff, those who had not brought any grant to this Board nor rendered any services to the Board, lie considered unfair. Taking everything into consideration, he was com- pelled to vote for the amendment, which he would second. The Chairman said that their P.T.'s were educated free of charge. But he thought that when the school was opened, it was suggested that a certain charge should be made to outsiders. Mr. Blake Every individual case is to be dealt with on its merits. Mr. Hopkins said that the former applications they had received were from P.T.'s, but this appli- cation was not from a P. T. The amendment was put to the meeting and lost.

SOME HOUSES IN MILL LANE. SOAIE HO U SE S IN MILL LANE i REPORT OF THE MEDICAL OFFICER. At a meeting of the Sanitary Committee of the Borough Council held on Friday (as will be seen in another column), several houses in Mill-lane were ordered to be closed as unfit for habitation on the report of the medical officer, Dr. S. J. Roderick. The report was as follows:—No. 5 consists of two rooms, one upstairs and one down. The upstair room has the walls damp and the roof in holes the room down- stairs also has damp walls, and the floor is directly on the earth. The interior of the house is dirty and has a foul odour. There is no through ventila- tion. No. G is composed of one upstair and one downstair room both having the walls very damp and in a state of decay. The roof is in holes. The water-closet has its cistern out of order and the roof has no slates on it. The gulley in the back lias been taken away. Th house is generally filthy. No. 7 consists of a room upstairs, which is filthy, having the roof in holes and the wall in the back falling down, a sack taking the place of the window. The front room downstairs has its walls very damp, and during wet weather the water must pour down. The walls in the back room are also damp and falling down. The house generally is in a state of rapid decay. The pan of the water closet was full, and the cistern out of order. The front of these houses is in a dilapitated state, and the slates on the roof in a very bad condition. All these houses should be closed at once, as they are unfit for human habitation. The other two houses in this block (Nos. 3 and 4) are in a fair condition inside, but the roof is in a bad condition, as in Nos. 5, 6, and 7, and should be repaired.