Papurau Newydd Cymru

Chwiliwch 15 miliwn o erthyglau papurau newydd Cymru

Cuddio Rhestr Erthyglau

12 erthygl ar y dudalen hon

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DEATH OF SIR S. DAVENPORT.

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-GUARDIANS' -EXTRAVAGANCE.-

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LOCAL & GENERAL NOTES.

Newyddion
Dyfynnu
Rhannu

LOCAL & GENERAL NOTES. T — Some newspapers have run away with the absurd notion that the Duke of Westminster launched his South Afrioan colonisation scheme with sordid ideas of personal gain. Only last week we had to correct a stupid report to this effect in the "Daily Dispatch," and this week "Vanity Fair" repeats tho same blunder. Re- ferring to the Duke of Sutherland's land scheme in Canada and to the Duke of Westminster's new estate in the Orange River Colony. "Vanity Fair" remarks, "it is a question which has been debated as to whose property will ultimately prove the more remunerati ve." The people w'Ho take part in that discussion must be singularly badly informed. What the precise conditions of the Duke of Sutherland's Canadian scheme may be we arc not aware, but we do know that nothing was further from the Duke of Westminster's mind than pecuniary profit in acquiring the estate near Ladybrand. His Grace purchased and laid out the property for patriotic reasons, because the Government were anxious to pour in as many British set- tlers into the new Colony as possible. The Duke has expended something like £ 150.000 on this statesmanlike project, and if he receives a two per cent, return on his outlay, he will be lucky. His Grace's sole a.im was to attract British yeoman fanners to South Africa, and this is the only reward that he expects The death of his Honour Judge Bowcn Row- lands creates another break in the official public life of the county which will be regretted even beyond the districts covered by his various county courts. Before his elevation to the bench ho was a prominent figure in the Chester and North Wales Assize circuit, where he was noted as a particularly olever Q.C. in cross-examina- tion. In the political world the late Mr. Bowen Rowlands, while still at the Bar, was known as an ardent RadiciLiijand more than once, during the Chester Assizes, he took part in Radical meetings in this city. It therefore came somewhat as a surprise that a politician of these advanced views should have been appointed to a county court judge-ship by a Unionist Government, but we believe the secret Jay in tho faot that the then Lord Chan- cellor, Lord Halsbury. bestowed the appoint- ment on Mr. Bowen Rowlands because of old- time association. In earlier life, when Lord Halsbury, then Mr. Hardinge Gilfard. was prac- t'sing as counsel on the Chester and North Wales circuit, Mr. Bowen Rowlands was one of the juniors, along with two other barristers who subsequently became county court judges in this county, and to this early association Mr. Bowen Rowlands's elevation has been ascribed. It remains to be seen whether the present Radical Government will return the compli- ment, by appointing a Unionist to the vacant judgeship. For our part we have little expec- tation of such liberality from a Liberal Govern- ment. the chances being that Mr. Ellis Griffith, who has worked hard for his party, will come in for the coveted lioriour. A prominent figure in the public life of Cheshire has been removed by the death of Mr. R. O. Ort-on. As the able and painstaking chairman of the Tarvin Board of Guardians «nd District Counoil, and in his more important capacity d a county alderman he will be sorely missed, while his dc-ath has left a gap in the local life of Tattenhall, the place of his birth, that wdl be exceedingly difficult, to fill. Very few men who take tho actin part he did in public; affairs could trutbruny c-laini to have never made an enemy. Mr. Orton waa un- questionably one of those men. The Wirral Radicals had better set about finding a new candidate for their Parliamentary seat, for Mr. Lever has had enough of it. Fol- lowing up his recent expressions of disappoint- ment with life in the House of Commons, the member for Wirral made a similar speech to tho Trado Union delegates who visited Port Sunlight on Thursday. Mr. Lever appeared in the same role as Dr. Johnson's celebrated Scots- man, who considered the finest prospect in Scot. land the rc-ad to England. "The finest thing in all London," he Faia "was to catch the 5.50 train homo on Friday afternoon." Mr. Lever is as disloyal as the Irishman who praised the glories of his native island, by saying "Ireland -is a grand country-to get out of." But the member for Wirral is to be excused. He has had a disappointment as well as a dis- illusionment. He got his pious resolution in favour of a salary of B500 a year parsed by the Commons, but he finds that the Commons have net the power to pay the money. The gathering nc,t t.ric po?,ver to payt h (, at Port. Sunlight was interesting to students of human natmc who can enjoy the spectacle of apostles of Labour sitting down side by side w.th a bloated capitalist, Labour demagogues arc never tiled of proclaiming that capital is the arch enemy cf mankind- Yet Mr. Leveu- is a capitalist, of capitalists, and he ventured to express the hcpc that Parliament would reoc-ive still further recruits to its 'ranks from Labour. If that wish were fulfilled and the Socialists ] attained the-ir ends, Mr. Lever and his capital would soon part company. When Mr. Moss was promoted to a judgeship, one would have expected him to dissociate him- self from politics. This week, however, he posed again as a Rate Register, refusing to obey the law, although he himself is a Judge, sworn to administer the law fearlessly and conscientiously. Supposing any defendant in the County Court pleaded before Judge Moss that he had a con- ecientioue objection to the payment of lus debts —as many of us seem to have—what would his Honour do? The new Judge did not put in a personal appearance, but he sent a letter inti- mating his gracious acquiescence in any decision the Benoh might reach. How very condescend- ing of him Mere justices of the peace who refused to pay their education rate here and there were considered to be shewing very bad form indeed, but a paid Judge of the County Court ought surely to shew a better example than to defy the law, he himself being ap- pointed to administer the law. The Mayor is to be commended for his firm- ness in dealing wiU) the band of Passive Resistors at the City Police Court. The appli- cation to adjourn the ca.ses for six months, in view of the West Riding judgment, was a piece of impertinence. As tho Mayor very well put it, in the meantime the money has to be found, and if Passive Resieters do not pay, the other ratepayers will have to contribute more than their own s hare. To the selfish, egotistical mind of the Passive Resistor there would be nothing inequitable in all this, so long as his precious pocket remained untouched. rj.r^M5 neg-°tiations between Liverpool and Blfiwnhead for the new water supply to the latter from the Vyrnwy source are not. all plain sailing. The reports of the meetings of the two Corporations in our present issue indicate that there is a possibility of the failure of the negotiations, although that is after all a remote contingency. Still, Chester people, whose interests m the Deo arc threatened bv the Alwcr scheme, will be well advised in closely watching the progress of events. We regret to learn that the Gmsvenor Park band concerts during the season have not io- ceivod tlx; pecuniary support that they do- serve. Judging- by the large audiences they have invariably attracted. one would have thought there would be no reason to complain of tho receipts, especially as the funds re- quired are by no means large. Still, the re- ceipts have not mot the expenditure, a.nd the deficiency- will have to be met by a few inter- ested friends. The public are greatly indebted to Colonel Smith for these popular summer en- tertainments, and we hope that in future the contributions will be more commensurate with the numbers who flock to hear the music. Our correspondent's suggestion of a brass band contest at Chester is worth consideration by those who are doing so much to add to the attractions of the city. ProbaWv an entertain- ment of this kind could be worked in conjunc- tion with a river illumination, which is always a huge suocess on tho Deo. The only obstacle to more frequent water carnivals of this de- scription is the almost prohibitive cost, but we believe if a river illumination were made an annual fixture at Chester, and if late trains were run from Liverpool and Mandiester, it would attract quite an anny of vioitore and help on the good work of advertising the old oity. The "too old at forty" cry was born of modern civilisation, but this week it hae found converts in old-world Neston. The growth of the cost of road maintenance has brought about some drastic reforms by the Urban Oouncil, who, by their resolution on Monday, hope to save 4d. in the £ annually on the rates. The most extraordinary decision is that no man over forty years of age shall be taken into employ- ment on the roads, although the present em- ployee above that age will not be discharged. It is surprising to find that only one member re- fused to support the proposal. The pictures- quely venerable road man is a national institu- tion, and is one of the last remnants of de- pressed agriculture. His work is not arduous, and is done by many hale veterans of seventy as well as any man of thirty-five. The Neston authority have no great opinion of the ambition of their fellow-men, if they think they do not aspire higher than roadmen when so young as forty. The heat wave has at last passed away, and again we can take our normal exereises without experiencing the effects of a Turkish bath. After reading the liarrowing chapter of human sufferings and damage to property occasioned by the sun's tropical power, we must feel thankful that the weather of the past fortnight is rare in England. 'Thursday's rain was especially wel- comed in the country, which has suffered not a little from the prolonged drought. The bril- liant weather, however, has assisted greatly the harvest operations, where the almost unendur- able heat did not compel the perspiring labourers to give up their work. Cheshire seems to have been one of the hottest parts of the country during the last few days. While in some places the thermometer did not exceed 80 degrees, Ccstrians have been sweltering in a temperature as high as 91 in the shade. According to the record made by Mr. Wells, of Eccleeton, this is the highest lo-c-a.1 temperature registered for seventeen years, with one exception in 1893, when the mercury rose to 92 degrees on June 18th. A Chester correspondent, however. informs us that he possesses a record of local temperature extend- ing over 25 years, and he finds that this year's record of 91 has not been equalled during that period. Englishmen are usually too conservative to adapt their attire to the changes of weather. During tho last few days, however, changes of habit and costume havo been more than usually apparent on tho part of those who are not afraid of being unconventional. For instance, a man was seen one day in Eastgatostreet wear- ing a white duck suit; and evidently indifferent to tho attention he attracted, he went smilingly on his way while others perspired. It is for- tunate that in spite of the exceptionally dry summer there has been no curtailment of Chester's water supply. There is an authentic tale, says "M.A.P. about Mr. Gladstone dining at Grillion's, a diniry" club where the rule is, or was, that the chairman should note down what eooh gentle- man had to drink—rat her a trying a.nd tsevoie rule. Mr. Gladstone happened to dino alone t here, and lie conscientiously recorded the fact that lie consumed a bottle of wine. adding as a ruminative comment Milton's great lines: The mind is its own place, and in itself Can make a heaven of hell, a hell of heaven. Writing from memory. I think I am right in saying that. the wino consumed by the great statesman was a. bottle of Miimm. Well, an i nq 11 is; i.i ve h istor ian, noting the date and the time of the dinner, has discovered that later in the same evening Mr. Gladstone addressed the House of Commons in favour of local option, and in terms of great eloquence! These are the little touc-h<-s which add interest, to history I am certain that a systematic and comparative study of what members had taken for dinner and what they said in the House afterwards would illumine much that has remained dark and puzzling.

j CHESTER CATHEDRAL.I

[No title]

CHESTER WOMEN ATTACKED.

!A FATAL RIDE. 4

! ELLESMERE PORT.