The North Wales Chronicle and Advertiser for the Principality

I DYLIFE. I A correspondent writes from this village :-1 am glad of having the opportunity of informing the public that the Rev. David Williams, formerly curate of Festiniog, but who for the last few months has been officiating at Dylife in the room of the Rev. D. Davies (by whose death the "living" became vacant) has been appointed the Incumbent by the Lord Chancellor, who has the presentation of the living. For Wales, Dylife is a very fair living (some zC250 a year), and I understand there were a great many applicants. Mr. Williams appears to be a very zealous and hard-working blergymau, and he his been up to the present time, very successful in his ministrations, both in England-and Wales, his popularity always ensuring a large congregation. The parishioners generally were much pleased when the news arrived that he had been appointed their minister, for in his case it is pretty certain that we have got the "right man in the right place." We all wish him every success in his new field of labour.

I WREXHAM. On Tuesday, a coroner's inquest was held by Mr. P. F Curry borough coroner, at Liverpool, on the body of Thomas Hughes, a farmer and butcher, 66 years of age, who lived at ltasrobin, near Wrexham. On Sunday he came to Liverpool for the purpose of attending the cat- tle market, was taken ill on the landing-stage, conveyed to the Northern Hospital, and there died very shortly after his admission. Apoplexy was the cause of death. y erdic-" Died from natural causes."— £ 113 were found upon him.

It is understood that there are but two fighting cases in the way of the Sheffield inundation commission. The non-settlement of the unheard oases prevent the pecunir ary settlement of the 6000 or more other cases that have already been heard and decided, or privately V- .&1.eIa. Tçkqra¡h.

::=- ANGLESEY SPRING QUARTER SESSIONS. I The Quarter Sessions for the County of Anglesey wo-e hold on Tuesday last, April 4 th, in the County Ban. Beaumaris. The followiug magistrates were on the Bench-an unusually rmall iiiiinoet" as the calendar was a very light one--John WiUiM? Esq., T?e?, Rinnan Robert Brisco Owen. Esq., Haulfre Henry ? Waltham, Esq., TrecaateII; E. 0 I'earse, Esq., ?ryM?"! MdtheR«Y. Henry Wynne Jones, Pen- lIlynydd. ?h?hiefConstaNe, County Surveyor, and other county officials, were also in Court. The following parties were then sworn on THE GRAND JURY. vfr Richard Hughes, merchant. Minydon, Beaumaris, foreman John Evans, innkeeper, Church-street, ditto John Hughes fariner, Cellimes John Jones tailor, Beaumaris John Jonps, King's Head Inn. Uanerchyrnedd Thomas Jones, farmer. Plas, Lleehwched Owen Jones, baker, Market street. Holyhead itt. Jones, baker. Castle-street, do. John Morgans, butcher, Stanley Crescent, do. Edward Morris, farmer, Ddraenen, do Kd. Pritchard, engineer, Llanfair bach, do. Owen Williams, farmer, Parys Lodge, Amlwch John Koberts, Waterside, Holyhead Harcourt Thompson, C. E., Pelham square, do. Hugh Williams, Llanbabo John Williams ta-iuer, Aberffraw Rd Williams, ditto, Treban, UMibeutM Thos Williams, ditto, Tresynrig fawr Thomas Roberts, flonrdealer, Church-street, Beaumaris The CHAIRMAN then addressed the Grand Jury, and observed that there were so few cases to come before them and they were of so plain and clear a character, that their duties would be very short. There were only four cases, and they would not occupy them but a few minutes, as the property which had been lost was found -upon the parties charged with taking it, so that they, as a Grand Jury, could have no difficulty in the matter. He was sorry to sav that, of late, a great number of crimes had been committed in Anglesey, and it was sought t.. brine the county into disrepute by reason of it. At the recent Assizes, there were no less than 13 cases for trial --a niiinbvr almost unprecedented in the Island; but he was glad to say that out of this number, 5 wero com- mitted by persons wholly unconnected with Wales and the county, but the parties came from Ireland, England, or some other place. On that occasion, out of the num- ber indicted, two were from Ireland, or somewhere out of Wales,o that the crimes saul to be C'>lJ1l11ltted in Angleseywere done, to a large extent, by strangers and persons who did not belong to it. During the year 18C4, there were 172 persons committed to gaol; but of this number only 57 were Welsh, the remaining 115 being strangers. It may be true that Anglesey people may go to other places, and may there commit crimes—that they W other places, must admit; but still it was a fact that of the crimes assumed to be committed in the Island, and by Welsh- men, fully two-thirds were done by foreigners— English- men and Irishmen and he thought it was only fair that this should be made known to the public. There was a matter, to which he wished to call their attention, namely, as to the duties of the Coroner. These duties, and the holding of inquests, were now placed upon a more common-sense footing thau formerly. There had been, as they probably knew, an unusual number in- quests held during the past three months, and, in con- sequence, he was induced, a short time ago, to make enquiries into the matter to ascertain the cause of the great increase which had taken place. He found, upon enquiring why they had been held, that some were cases of people very far advanced in years, some of whom had died suddenly from natural causes, and other,; were the result of accidents. He asked the Chief Constable what the rule was as to holding inquests, and he said it was in this way. In case a person died suddenly, it was the duty of tti- policeman stationed in the district to go to the place, and to make enquiries as to the cause ox death. He was furnished with a printed form for the purpose and if the officer found that any amount of suspicion was attached to the circumstances of death, and if he discovered that the public mind was disturbed in refer- ence to it, he was to get answers appended to the ques- tions put in the printed form, such as—When aud where he died Was he found dead, or was any one present when he died ? Was his death expected ? Was he illegitimate, and was there any property found upon him ? When the police officer had obtained answers to these questions, he was to forward the document to the Coroner, which he could do for a penny postage stamp, and then it was for the Coroner himself to decide whe- ther or not the circumstances warranted and justified the holding of an inquest on the body and this course, in his (the speaker's) opinion, was grounded upon sound common sense. He next alluded to the dangerous state of a road at Tra'rg,,tiltli i we understood the speaker to say), and which required to be attended to at once. He remembered the spot, perhaps, as long as anybody, and when he knew it tirst there was a good sound wall on the aide of it, so as to guard the public from any dan- ger of falling down the precipice. Now, they had sunk into the rock so deep that the wall had entirely disap- peared, and the place was, in consequence thereof, most dangerous. A gentleman in the court here remarked that. the wall had not been pulled down, but it had quite decayed away. The Chairman cuptinued-Whatevcr may have been the cause it was certain there was no wall there at pre- sent, and ho did not think it would have entirely dis- appeared without human agency. It was the duty of the tenant who occupies the farm, to build a wall tlier- in order to prutect the public from danger, and theCl.iei' Constable wished him to allude to the matter as the Chairman of Quarter Sessions, and it was the duty of them all to do all in their power to preven;, danger t > their felluw creatures. Of course, the re-building of the wall would entail considerable expense upon the tenant; but it was only proper that he should know how he stood in relation to the law and the public for if any person lust his life by his neglect, it would be a case of manslaughter against him. If property only was destroyed—say, that a horse and cart were to fall down, during some dark night, and the horse were to be killed and the cart broken to pieces, he, the tenant, would be compelled to make good the loss, in full. It was the duty of the jury to see that there was no danger allowed to remain so as to endanger the lives of the public. He then dismissed r.he Grand Jury to their duties, aud a petty jury was empannelled. STEALING SHIRTS, &C., AT HOLYHEAD. An Irishman, named James Redmond, was indicted for stealing one shirt, one pair of stockings, and a lump of bacon, the property of James Hollaud and likewiso one shirt, the property of a Mrs. Davies, at Holyhead, on the 20th of March last. The prisoner pleaded guilty, bur. added that ho was tipsy at the time, and did not know what he was doing, and he must have taken the things somehow out of one room into another without thinking what ho was about. The Chairman said that unless he pleaded guilty without making explanations, the chargo would have to be tried by the Jury, as that was tantamount to pleading not guilty. Mr. J. Williams, Beaumaris, appeared for the prose- cution, the prisoner being undefended. Mr. Williams having stated the outlines of the case, called the following witnesses to give evidence :— James Holland said—I am an engineer in the employ of Messrs. Rigby, Holyhead, and I lodged together with the prisoner, with Mrs. Davies, in that port. The prisoner occupied the ground floor. By reason of some disagreement, the prisoner left his lodgings at 7 o'clock on the evening of the 20th of March last, anrt I engaged with Mrs. Davies to have his room. About 11 o'clock on the same night, he returned, and knocked at the door, when I went down stairs and refused him admit- tance. He begged hard, however, to be let in for only half a minute, as he had left, he said, some article of his in the parlour. When he came into the house he went into the parlour, which he refused to leave, adding that if I did not go upstairs to bed he would lift me out of the house altogether, adding that lie was the very man to do it. Mrs. Davies, on hearing a noise, came down stairs, and persuaded me to go to bed, and to let him stay in the room for the night. There was another dis- turbance in the house later in the night, and I, when I got up, missed a pair of stockings, and also a piece of bacon, which was in the kitchen cupboard. In the morning, one of my shirts was lik .n>iso missed, as was likewise a shirt, the property of the landlady. Wo sns- pected the prisoner, and sent for a police officer, and when he came, the room in which lledmond slept was searched, when all the missing things were found. He did not appear to be very drunk, as he could walk as steadily as I could. Ellen D,-ti,ios-I live at Porth y felin, Holyhead, and keep a lodging-house. The prisoner and Mr. Holland, both lodged with me up to the 12th of March last. At seven in the evening of that day. Itedmolllllcf" and took with him his parcel, he having paid me for his lodgings. When lie came back, I saw him quarrelling in the parlour with Mr. Holland, who had taken the room of me. I persuaded Mr. Holland to go to bed, and left the prisoner in the parlour, in which there is a bed. I then went up-stairs to bed, and I heard the pri- soner walking about the kitchen and ill the passage. Son.i time after the next door neighbour came to the door, and wanted to fight with Redmond. We all then went dowustairs into the kitchen, and I stopped up all night afterwards, only I weut to bed for about an hour in the morning. Redmond kept in his room all the tinn the man Goodmau was in theJiouse, and did not lei him go into the parlour. We missed Mr. Holland' things out of the kitchen soon after Goodman had gone raway, Goodman was in the house for about, half-an- hour. The stockings had been placed on the table by me, for Mr. Holland's use in the morning; and we next missed the shirt and the baoon, The shirt Willi in » box in the kitchen, and with it was another one which he- longs to a lael "f mine, who is 11 years of age. In the mornin" we sent for the police, when on going into the prisoner's room we found the shirt and the bacon placed on a chair. Redmond was in bed when we went into the room. Goodman tried, but could not get into the prisoner's room. Inspector Owen said—On Tuesday, the 21st of March, I went into the house of Mrs. Davies, the last witness. I went into the room which was then occupied by the prisoner, where I found the articles which have been described and identified. Mrs. Davies and Mr. Hol- land told me that the things were their property, when I told the prisoner to get up and dress himself. He re- fused to do so, and I had to pu'l him out of the bed. When he was dressing, I was by the kitchen door, and I perceived him hiding something in the bed. Oil going to search, I found there the pair of stockings, produced in Court. When charged with stealing the articles, he said he knew nothing at all how they came there, as he never knew what he was doing when he was drunk. The Chairman then racapitulated the main facts of the case to the Jury, which, he said, were quite clear as to the articles being taken by the prisoner. His only excuse was, that he was tipsy, and did not know what he was doing at the time. Drunkenness, however, was no excuse for committing a crime; and if a man, when drunk, could not keep his hands from taking other peo- ple's property, he ought never to get drunk. The Jury, at once, then returned a verdict of guilty. I he prisoner then pleaded guilty to having been con- victed of liti-ceiiy at Wieklow, in June, 1862, when he was sentenced to penal servitude for three years, he hav- ing stolen three half-crowns. The Chairman said it was quite clear that the pri- soner was a tieket-of-leave man, for his three years' sen- tence would not expire until June next, and this was another instance of the folly of the system. The pri- soner had been convicted in his own country of larceny, and his sentence must have been partially remitted; and then he leaves his own county and goes to another where he was not known, and then steals there. Un- der these circumstances, he should sentence him to five year. penal servitude, ami he hoped his sentence would not be shortened that time. STEALING PIGS AT MENAI BRIDGE. Elizabeth Williams, the wife of a small farmer who lives at Tatiybryn, Llangefni, was indicted for stealing two pigs, one the property of Ellen Thomas, and the otheu of her mother, at Menai Bridge, on Friday, the 3rd of February last. Mr. J. Williams prosecuted, Mr. R. D. Williams, Car- narvon,defending the prisoner. Mr. J. Williams briefly stated the charge and then called Kilen Thomas, who deposed as follows—I am the wife of Griffith Thomas, a sailor, and live at Menai Bridge. On Friday, the 3rd of February, I had a pig. There was another with it in the sty belonging to my mother. I turned them out in the afternoon of that day in order to clean the sty, when I missed them shortly after. I searched for them that evening and the whole of the next day, but could not find them but a wolllan tuld me sh had seen them. On the Mon- day following I went in search of them to Llangefni. P.C. Jones and I went to Tanybryn. and there I found the two pigs in the sty. There were three pigs in the sty, but only 'two belonged to me. The pigs knew me, and tried to get out whilst the other pig would not stir. I saw the prisoner afterwards in the town of Llan- gefni, when she told me she would give me any price for them, and would also take them back to Menai Bridge. She likewise said she had bought them of a person at the Bridge. The pigs are now here, in Beaumaris. Cross-examined by Mr. R. D. AVillittiiii-Tlie pigs were bought on the 1st of November last, and cost lCs. each. Mary Joncs-I live at Menai Bridge. On the 3rd of February I saw some children abusing two pigs close by the Bridge. When I was checking the boys the pri- soner came up, and, tapping me on the shoulder,asked if I thought they were strange pigs ? adding that she thought thev belonged to a man who lived in Llangefni. She added that the man was talking about bringing them to Bangor to sell. The man, she said, lived in Llangefni, but he had gone then to the Borth. She then leii' but returned in a short time and said how that the man should say they were his pigs. By that time the pigs had gone away towards the shore. She then went for them and drove them away, telling me that the man would take them up in his cart on the road. I followed her until she went past the Britannia pnblichonse, alld there I left her. On the following Saturday I told Mrs. Thomas all about it. Cross-examined by Mr. It. V). Williams-The boys I alluded to were abusing the pigs close to the Bridge. One of the boys belonged to the Marquis of Anglesey tavern. When the prisoner weut away the first time, I waited for her to come back, and then she brought the pigs up from towards the shore. A woman—Mrs. I'ritchard—■walked with me a little way towards the Britannia. I did not take any very particular notice of the exact part of the road I was in when she brought the pigs. I did not see the pigs on the shore, but they must have been there, and she must have brought them from there. The conversation between the prisoner and liivself took place opposite Mr. Timothy's vaults. It was here that she told me the man had told her to take the pigs to Llangefni. The other woman (Mrs. Prit- not preieiii-, when t took plact), The woman walked with me from opposite John Hughes's house to the Britannia, and she must have heard everything which passed between those two places. The woman had come out of Nfr. John Hughes's house before the prisoner had come up with the pigs. By the Chairman—She had gone towards the village (Beaumaris road) to took for the man, and when she came back she went to look for the pigs. She went past Mrs. Prichard, and myself, with the pigs towards the Britannia, and I never spoke to her afterwards. This was a little after 5 o'clock in the evening. Mr. Griffith Lewis Williams-I keep the post office and a shop at Pemnyuydd, which is on the old road be- tween Menai Bridge and Llangefni. On the evening of the day in question I was on horseback returning from Bangor, when I overtook the prisoner with the pigs. It was then between five and six o'clock. Came up to her at the Four Crosses, on the top of the hill. Asked whether she had bought the pigs, or had she failed to sell them in Bangor ? She did not give me a very clear answer, but I concluded she meant to say she was driv- ing them home for somebudy else. By Mr. R. D. Williams-Could not hear very distinct- ly what she said, because a cart was passing by at the time. 1 P.C. William Jones—Am a police constable stationed at Llangefni. On the 6th of February last, I went with the prosecutrix to Tanybryn, Llangefni. We went to the pigsty there. The woman at once identified the two pigs as her property. She said they were those which she had lost on the Friday evening before. We then went to Llangefni, aud the pigs followed after her, as they seemed to know her. (Laughter.) I asked the prisoner if she had taken the said pigs on the Friday from Menai Bridge, when she replied she had, and that the pigs which were walking with Mrs. Thomas were the same pigs. When in the lock-up she had some talk with Mrs. Thomas, but I did not hear what was said; but she afterwards said to me that she had bought them at the Menai Bridge, and she had paid a part of the money. She did not say who the man was. By 'Mr. R. 1). Williams—She said she bad paid a part of the money, and she named some amount, but I have forgotten what it was. Dont know that her hus- band is a carrier between Llangefni and;Bangor-ill fact, I dont believe he is so. Jane Owens—An mother of the prosecutrix, and I own one of the pigs which were lost. This was the case for the prosecution. Mr. R. D. Williams, in addressing the jury for the defence, said he should not deny but the pigs belonged to the prosecutrix, and he should also admit that the pri- soner took them to Tanybryn. The simple question for them to decide upon, was, did she steal them or not ? They must not rely upon the evidence given by Mary Jones, because it was so confused-in fact he did not think lie ever heard evidence given in a court of justice more confused than that given by that witness The truth was that the prisoner had bought the pi-is of a party near to the Bridge, and had paid a part of the money and he s!i<mid also be enabled to pre>if, by a witness who was accidentally passing by at the time, that she had paid certain money, and promised to pay the remainder in a fortnight from that date, at the Britannia Inn, and if she failed, he was to go to her house at Tanybryn. Was it likely that anybody in their senses would give their address, and take away stolen pigs in the daylight'in a place so public as was Menai Bridge—could they believe that anybody in their senses would have done such a thing ? After some more observations to the same effect, he called an old man named Wm. Edwards who said—I am a labourer, and about two months ago I remember being at the Bridge. I saw ,olllc parties there with two pigs. I think I saw the prisoner there with s)iue other woman. They were in c mv-.Tsation together. I did not stop as I passed by, but I heard a little of what was said. There was a man with them. The woman was paying some money to the man for the pigs. I took no more notice, but went on. The woman who paid the money was the prisoner at the bar I heard time also mentioned. When I was going cway I heard her say I will pay you the rest of the money in a fortnight at, the Britannia, and if I dont come von mus'come to Tanybryn. By Mr J. Williams—I live at Uothesda and was re- turning homo at the time. I dont know that Mary J ones was t) ro (Nirs. Jones stood up for the witness to recug. nise her if he oould); and I was a perfect stranger to the prisoner. No I did not know her on that day (much laughter.) I w her about a fortnight in Bangor. I met her aooidentally in the markofc, on the street. It was quite by accident. (More laughter.) I think it was the pri^ouer who was paying tho tuouey—I suppose it was di). Some woman was receiving it. (Renewed laughter.) Mr. J. Williams--But you said just now that the money was paid to a man and not to a woman-how do you reconcile that ? Witn"gs-I can't say who it was. No I did not say that the money was paid to a man.. (Laughter.) The man called upon them to come away. The parties were standing ahuut the centre of the road. I did not see any boys about. I saw no more than two pigs there. All I know about the paying money for the pigs is that I heard her say she would pay him the rest in a fortnight. I heard the jingle of the money. (Great laughter.) I then went away over the Bridge and left them. Elizabeth Pritchard then gave her evidence, but it went to prove neither the guilt nor the innocence of the prisoner, but only slightly affected one or two statements made by the witness, Mary Jones. She said she uever had seen the prisoner before that day, but she (the pri- soner) went to her house on Saturday last, and asked her'to come and give evidence on her trial. Mr. Morris, maltster, Will. Williams, and Mr. Gray, all from Llangefni, gave the prisoner a good character for honesty, they having known her from 10 to 12 years. Mr. Williams's standard and test of honesty were some- thing novel—lie had lived near to her, lie said, for some years, and his family were in the habit of putting clothes to dry upon the hedge, not far from Tanybryn, aud they had never lost even a pair of stockings Mr. J. Williams having replied and commented upon the extreme weakness of the evidence brought iu favour ot the ttafciiee, Tile Chairman summed up at some lengthy Up to a certain point the evidence he said wasas clear as it could be. It was proved that the prosecutrix had lost her pigs when she just turned them out, of the sty in order to have it cleauell; it had been proved that the prisoner had taken them to her own house, and they had been fokiiiil tli(,re. Nothing could be clearer than this but then for the defence it was stated that the prisoner had bought the pigs and not stolen them, of some stranger who was not known, and who was not brought forward to give evidence as to the fact. It was a usual line of defence for persons to say, oh I bought the property of some other party, and did not steal it myself. This was quite a common thing for persons to say, and he could remember a case of a man charged with stealing a sheep, who said lie had bought it of some person, in the very middle of a dark night one thing was certain, namely that if the prisoner was not the thief she must have bought the pigs of a thief, for they must have been stolen by somebody. The jury had heard the evidence of the old man (Edwards) and it was for them to say what weight attachec] to it. If they believed him, and there were some curious features in some parts of his statements, they would acquit the prisoner. It was for them to decide upon the point and to say what their opinion was. The Jury then retried, and on their return into Court they brought in a verdict of Guilty. Mr. It. D. Williams then handed in a number of writ- ten testimonials as to the prisoner's good character. After some admonitory observations by tho Chairman to the prisoner, he sentenced her to 4 calendar months imprisonment with hard labour, as property he remarked must be protected. LARCENY. The Granrl Jury ignored a bill charging a man named Robert Williams for larceny, the particulars of which did not trauspire in court, THE CIVIL BUSINESS. The Magistrates retired to transact the usual civil business of the County, which consisted chiefly of exam- ining and approving Bills, The following is a copy of the CHIEF CONSTABLE'S REPORT. Sir,—I have the honor to inform the Court that the strength of the Force as detailed in the margin* is nu- merically effective, and the operation is satisfactory, the nihh.. conferences being steadily kept, and special patrols carefully executed. I regret to say that the services of one of the constables, who has had the misfortune to meet with a severe accident, are at present unavailable for duty. Attached is the usual distribution Return, and I produce a tahle of offences summarily disposed of by Justices :—Tlie number of indictable Crimes reported to the Police is 24, being an increase of 12 over the previous Quarter, and of parties apprehended or charged 23, namely, for Murder 1, Manslaughter 2, Stabbing 1, Sheepstealing 3, Larceny 12, Embezzlement 1, 20 of whom were bailed for trial, or committed for ditto. I discharged for want of evidence, and 2 ditto for want of prosecution. The number of vagrants relieved hy the Police during the Quarter ending March 25th was 18ií,t at an expense of £ 3 9 5, This return exceeds that of Hilary by 17, and by 97 that of the corresponding Quarter of 1864. This great difference may be attributed to the I J olyhead Har- bour Work*, and the operations of the Anglesey Central Kail way, as the general excuse from tho parties seeking relief is, that, they are going in search of, or have been disappointed in obtaining employment, on either of these undertakings. Though crime has been on the increase, the County is generally quiet and peaceable, wilhthe exception of Holyhead, where still, I regret to say, disturbances oc- casionally occur amongst the Irish Labourers. An order for the Annual Clothing is requested. I have the honour to be, Sir, Your Obedient Servant, D, W. Griffith, C. C. To J. Williams Esq., Chairman. 2 Inspectors, 5 Sergeants, 15 P.C.'s; 2 additional Constables under 3 & 4 Vie. c. 88, see, 19. t 4 in the Bangor and Beaumaris Union, ISl in the Anglesey Union.

In this department as a full and free expression of opinion is accorded to correspondents, the Editor wishes it to be dis- tinctly understood, that he holds himself responsible for none. All letters should be accompanied by the name and address of the writer, not necessarily for publication, but as a guarantee of good faith.]

PANTON ARMS. I To the Editor of the North Wales Chronicle. Sir,—In my wandering through the very interesting island of Anglesey, I passed more than one hostelry called the" Panton Arms," and my curiosity led me to make enquiries about the family of Panton. Can any of your numerous readers inform me where I can find the arms of the Anglesey branch of this highly respect- able family blazoned or described ? Yours very truly, "VIATOR."

TITHE RENT CHARGE. To the Editor of the North Wales Chronicle. Sir,—Permit me to call the attention of incumbents of livings to the fact of the reduction in the value of the rent charge this year from 2103 3s. lid. to E98 151. IOJ(I. —a difference from last year of 24 8s. OJd. per cent, and of Ri 4s. lid. under the standard or par. Let. every one appeal to the Hoard of Commissioners if the reduc- tion is not made in the rateable value of their rent charges in the new "valuation lists" since the first week in January last. Truly yours, AN OLD INCUMBENT.

I COWAY AND MENAI BRIDGES. I I To the Editor of the North Wales Chronicle. A few months back there was a great meeting in Penrhyn Hall, Bangor, to devise means to induce the Government to drop the toll, and throw these bridges open to the public, and some very cogent reasons were ad vanced by Oulonel Pennant and other speakers, why they should do so At the time, I understood, peti- tions were to be got up from every place communicating with the'bridges to be presented to Parliament, but since then, nothing more that I have seen or heard of has been done upon the subject. Is this great meeting to end in "tall talk," or are some means to be taken to bring the matter practically before the public and tho Government ? As the Par- liament is likely to be a very short one, it is quite time I active means were taken to try the question. Yours faithfully, PATHFINDER. March 29,1865. [A memorial on the subject is now in course of sig- nature.—ED.N.W.C.]

GOOD FRIDAY. I To the Editor of the North Males Chronicle. SIR,-IVill you admit a word in behalt ot Uood f ri- day in your correspondence columns. The better obser- vance of it is gaining ground in England, but in the Prin- cipality I fear it is neglected or made a holiday and plea- sure-day. Yet amongst a people so religiously disposed this ought not to be. For what day in the year can be more solemn and awful ? I know some persons pride themselves upon their Christian liberty as they call it, jnd look upon the ob- servance of particular days as a mark of bondage. But leaving compulsion out of the question, is not. theobserv- ance of this day a work of love. Not cold duty, but warm love, should be the all-sufficient motive in this case. Surely the neglect of this day, must be a proof either of love grown cold, or of ignorance become dense. No one would be so heartless on the memorial day of the death of a beloved child, or wife, or husband. Will the clergy try to do a little, and help in recov- ering the observance of this day ? Will the laity aid in their endeavours ? and will you, Sir, and your fellow their ende,,tvour,3 ? journalists, use your influence in the same happy cause. I am, Sir, Your obedient servant, A'pril 4, 1.865. SORROWFUL. April 4, 1865.

BANGOR VOLUNTEER BRASS BAND. To the Editor of the North Wales Chronicle. Sir,—As a lover of good music, and one interested in the success of the volunteer movement, generally, I should like to ask what has become of the Volunteer Brass Baud; and secondly, where, and in whose custody are the eight musical instruments ? When the Bangor company was started, and Mr. Mathew volunteered his services to teach them, the band progressed very nicely indeed, and had they been properly supported, as they ought to have been, as they are in most other towns, the volunteer band by this time would have been a first class one, and would have been available for other ser- vices than those exclusively connected with the vol un- teers. As it is, we have not one brass band in the town, whilst other places, not so large and important as Ban- gor, can boast of one, at least, and in some instances, even of two or three. Again—as to the instruments. They were purchased by public subscription, as we all know, and they cost a good round lump of money-where, then, are they now? The Bangor company of volunteers are going fast, if they have not quite gone, to the dogs-are the musical instruments to follow suit, or what ? That which is purchased with the money of the public is surely public property, and cannot be held or claimed by any indi- vidual person-in whose possession, therefore, are the instruments at present 1 Answers should be given to these questions, although I dont precisely know whose special duty it is to give them, and this is the worst fea- ture of the affair. A brass band would be a great acquisition to the town, and there are instruments somewhere belonging to the public enough for a good one; would it not be a patriotic act, then, if a few persons of position and influ- ence were to interfere in the the matter, and take steps to have the band re-formed and resuscitated into new life? Surely the "city" of Bangor will never consent to remain in rear of the town of Carnarvon, and the village of Bethesda in such a matter, for its honour, if nothing else, is at stake. Hoping that these hasty remarks will produce some good effect, I am, sir, yours truly, MINIM. April 6th, 1865. MINIM.

MOUNTAIN SHEEP. To the Editor of the North Wales Chronicle. SIR,—I am very glad to see Mr. Luck has returned to the charge. His cause is that of humanity, and de- serves the sympathy and encouragement of every right thinking person. As I have remarked before, I fear many of the Welsh farmers care not where their sheep eat, so long as they do not eat at home, and I believe hundreds of owners of mountain sheep might be found who, be- yond the mountains, have not a square roud of land to feed a sheep upon, and yet some of them have scores. I know a quarryman, who at the present time, has fifty sheep, either with lambs, or expecting them daily, and who has not a square yard of land to keep them upon. He keeps them constantly upon the mountain and his neighbours, but what right has he, more than any other man has to keep a quantity of sheep upon' the moun- tain, I cannot discover. This common right or mountain privilege wants look- ing into. Those who pay the heaviest land tax, I be- lieve, are entitled to turn the most cattle upon the moun- tains, but to my knowledge, many who pay no land tax, if any other tax at all, avail themselves of the privilege, possibly because their fathers did so before them. If Mr. Luck would cause a little inquiry in this direction, he might possibly reduce the number of owners who keep sheep to prey' upon their neighbours, and who, if they were so disposed, have not the means to feed them through the winter. Large farmers, however, are not without blame for many of them are very careless as to where or how their mountain sheap get food for the winter. A year or two back, during a severe sterm, and when the road between Llanfairfechan and Bangor was lined with mountain sheep, I met a farmer of position and influence, and re- marked to him what a shame it was that these poor things should be starving on the roads when you have plenty of turnips and other food for them in the fields." Yes," he remarked, but we want the turnips for other cattle, and it will not pay to give hay to mountain sheep." Such is the philosophy of an educated and in- telligent farmer; and if Buch is his experience, we need not be surprised at the uneducated following his lead. But is last year's Act of Parliament insufficient to abate this nuisance ? It is certainly deficient in some powers, but as it will no doubt be amended this session, I should hope it will be equal to every emergency be- fore another winter. The great iifficulty appears to be to identify the owners of the sheep. Without catching the sheep, which is not an easy matter, you cannot see the private mark, and hence you can neither warn nor sum- mon the owner. This, at any rate, is the excuse of the police, who I have frequently spoken to upon the matter, and no doubt there is some truth in it. Still, without wishing to dispute Mr. Luek's right" to do as he likes with his own," I must certainly doubt the policy of visiting the short-comings of his neighbours upon his own tenantry. To subject his own dependents to pains and penalties which would be inoperative against his other neigbhours, would be neither wise nor generous. A. better plan woold be to oonvert the few acreei t& ba, to let, into one decent farm, for which he would have no difficulty in obtaining a respectable tenant who could manage it satisfactorily. If lie continues the Cottier sys- tem of people keeping more cattie than they have food for, he must not he surprised if the sheep still follow their predatory habits. I fancy, however, the law, if properly enforced, is sufficient to remove the evil com- plained of, and as the power rests mainly with the po- lice, they must be forced to carry it out. I am, Sir, Your obedient servant, 3farch 29, 1865. PATHFINDER. 1 March 29, 1865.

CAPTAIN SKINNER'S MONUMENT. I To the Editor of the North Wales VhronicU. Sir,— Your conesponclcut" X" in your paper of April Ist, said that Captain Skinner's Monument is now daily sha- ken by the blasting away of portions of the rock, on which it stands; and, having visited the place on Satur- day last, I beg leave to state that no inj ury can be done to the monnmeut IJY the blasting of the said rock, even if continued all around it for twenty years. As X resides at Holyhead, anrl knows the rock to be taken by contractors for the pnrpuse of improving the premises of the London and North Western company, his saying he does not know who sells that rock to the contractor, appears a very thin cloak, to cover his cross and peevish temper to select your valuable paper, as a medium, for the purpose of throwing out portion of his spleen, against the liberal pn >prietor of the grounds on which the monument is erected. B,,tn g ,)r, April 4tti, 1',ZG5. JOHN THOMAS, Builder. Bangor, April 4th, 1S65. JHN TH01fAS, BU

g my mat i'iU'Iiament. I ?eitriiiialclit. I HOUSE OF LORDS—FIIIDAY. I The business transacted this evening was unimportant. I HOUSE OF COMMONS—FRIDAY. Mr. HENNESSEY gave notice that Oil that day month he should move a resolution relative to the grievances of out-door officers of customs and Mr. M'MAHOX in- timated that on the 25th of April he should submit a resolution to assimilate in every respect the laws of England and Ireland. In reply to Mr. W. Egerton, Mr. VILLIERS said it would be impracticable to insert clauses in the Union Chargeability Bill to give power to guardians to recoil- construct unions. On the order for going into committee of supply, Mr. MAGUIRE moved for a select committee to inquire into the laws regulating the relations between landlord and tenant in Ireland. After a debate in which Mr. Forster, Mr. Roebuck, Lord Palmerston, and other members took part, the motion was withdrawn, the house agreeing to the ap- pointment of a committee whose duties should be limi. ted to an inquiry into the operation of the act of 1862. I HOUSE OF LORDS—MONDAY. A bill for allowing juries in criminal cases in Ireland to carry a verdict by three-fourths of their number was brought in by the Marquis of Westmeath and read a first time. The Earl of CLARENDON moved the second reading of Public Schools Bill, the object of which is to give effect to the recommendations of the Royal Commission ap- pointed in 1861 to inquire into the condition of the great public schools of the country. After a discussion, in which the Earl of Derby, the Archbishop of Canterbury, and the Bishop of London took part, the motion was agreed to. The Private Costs Bill and the Consolidated Fund ( £ 15,000,000) Bill were read a third time and passed. The East. India High Courts Bill and the Drainage and Improvements of Lands (Ireland) Provisional Orders Confirmation Bill were read a second time. The Marine Mutiny Bill and the Mutiny Bill passed through com- mittee. HOUSE OF COMMONS.—MONDAY. The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER stated, in reply to Mr. Bazely, that he did not intend to re-introduce during the present session the bill for the collection of taxes. The right, honourable gentleman added that he regretted the rejection of the measure last year, as its adoption would have prevented much inconvenience. In answer to the Hon. A. Egcrton, the MARQUIS of HARTINGTOX said he had made inquiries as to the pro- priety r,f exempting volunteer officers from service on grand juries, but had failed to find any sufficient reason why such an exemption should he granted. On the motion for going into committee of supply, Lord PALMERSTON rose and expressed his sense of the loss which the house aud the country had sustained by the death of Mr. Cobden. He briefly reviewed the pub- lic labours of the great free trader, and highly eulogised his honesty of purpose and disinterestedness of conduct. His lordship was followed by Mr. DISRAELI, who de- scribed Mr. Cobden as the greatest political character that the upper middle class of this country had yet pro- duced, and as an ornament to the House of Commons and an honour to England. Mr. Bright also attempted to address the house, but was so full of grief for the loss of his old colleague and faithful friend that he only uttered a few words. After a long but unproductive discussion on the con- stitution of the Board of Admiralty, the house went into committee. HOUSE OF LORDS.—TUESDAY. I Earl GRANVILLE stated, in reply to the Bishop of Lon- don, that the attention of the Government was directed to the plague in Russia, and that the British agents in that country had been instructed to forward home full information on the subj ect. The Marine Mutiny Bill and the Mutiny Bill were read a third time and passed, and several other measures were advanced a stage. The Earl of CLARENDON intimated that the Govern- ment would refer the Public Schools Bill to a select committee. HOUSE OF COMMONS.—TUESDAY. The House did not sit on Tuesday, as only 30 mem- members (ten fewer than the requisite number) were present at four o'clock. The paucity of members present was owing doubtless to the fact that the business on the notice paper was unimportant. HOUSE OF COMMONS—WEDNESDAY. I Notice was given by Colonel 8 YKES that on May Zaa he should move an address to the Crown praying for the removal of certain grievances complained of by officers of the late Indian army; by Mr. ADDERLEY that on April 25th he should submit a resolution for modifying the Educational Code; and by The O'DONOGHUE that on April 25th he should move for a grant of a charter of incorporation to the Catholic University of Ireland. After the transaction of some miscellaueour business the house adjourned.

SHREWSBURY AND NORTH WALES RAILWAY.—A special meeting of this company was held on Tuesday last at the office, Broad Sanctuary, Westminster; Mr. E. Mocatta in the chair. On the motion of the Chairman a Bill was approved to enable the company to raise a further sum of 100,0001. on shares, and to borrow 33,0001., and to make deviations and alterations in their authorised line of railway. The following little scene is authentic, and might, if necessary, be described with all due particulars of name and place. A prisoner at one of our criminal courts was convicted of an outrageous crime. The judge began to sentence him with the usual sermon, in manner and form following:—Judge: Prisoner at the bar, you stand convicted of a most abominable crime, one equally brutal and cowardly; you- Prisoner: "'Ow much 1" Judge "Eight." Whereupon without more ado the prisoner was removed, and the officer of the court recor- ded sentence of eight years' penal servitude.-Pall Mall Gazette. AIITEMUS WARD AND THE ',PrniTs.-Il Wh.-n asked if there was any one in the sperret land I would like to convarso with, I said if Bill Tomkins, who was onef, my partner in the show bizniss, was sober, I should like to convarsc, with him a few periods. Is the sperret of William Tompkins present?' sed I of the long hared chaps, and there was three kuox on the table. Sez I, Williatn, Low gozo it, old sweetness ?' 'l'retty ruff, old hos-he replide. 'Aii-,),oii in the flit)w bizniss Wil- liam?' sed I. He sed he was. He sed lie and John Bunyan was travellin in a side show in connection with Shakespear, Jonson, 'and Go's Circus. He seel old Bun (meaning Mr. Bunyan) stirred up the animals and ground the organ while he tended the door. Occashnnally Mr. Bunyansungacumiesong. The circus was doin' ruid- dliiMvell. Bill Shakespearhad made a grate hit with 'Old Bob Ridley,' &c.A rtei)t?ts Ward, itis book. AN ADVENTURER.—This catch for the Cheltenham mammaa, at the ball I refer to, saw himself pointed out to me by a lady trumpeting his riches. He knew him, ,1£ to be the subject of her conversation, and he certainly knew me, though I was not aware of ever having Been him before. At once I discovered that the casual 'glance I bestowed on his appearance was most irksome 'to him, so I fixed my eyes on him again. The man. did not know what to do. He could not let his h&'jds alone, nor did he know where to put them. The fingers of eaeh were constantly at work at the tlgh'v buttons of the tighter kid gloves, which, though str ained to burst- ing everywhere else, were an inch too lc.ng at the fingers, That's no catch," I replied to the lad y still holding my arm that man is not a gentlema* and he knows he has no business there, and flunks \hat I recognise him as having seen him in some othfj capacity elsewhere. Don't let your daughter dance v ;th him on any pretext whatever." She took my ad" 'ice and in a very short time the bubble burst, and t'je billiard-marker and low tobacco-shop leg, as the r/ankees say. "skedaddled." JIm, Gtwttey ev.

AMERICA. THE LATE BATTLES IN NORTH CAROLINA. The North German Lloyd's steamer Hansa arrived at Southampton from New York on Wednesday last, wit dates to the 26th ult. The Richmond Examiner, of March 21, has the follow- ing Yesterday was received the following despatch, all- nouncing a brilliant victory in the vicinity of Ra- leigh To the Hon J. C. Breckenridge, Secretary of War. Headquarters, Armies, Confederate States, March 20, 1865. "General J. E. Johnston reports that about five o'clock p.m., on the 19th inst., he attacked the enemy near Bentonville, routed him, and captured three guns. A mile in the rear he rallied on fresh troops but was forced back slowly until six p.m., when, receiving more troops, he apparently assumed the offensive, which was resisted with difficulty until dark. This morning he is entrenched. Our loss is small. The troops behaved ad- mirably well. Dense thickets prevented active opera- tions. R. E. LEE, General. On the 11th, Stanton had announced that Sherman was doing finely. His army was at Fayetville, quietly resting, preparatory to another advance northward. It seems that he did advance, but not far. This successful atatacl: by Gen. Johnston gi ves eariTest hope that the redoubtable General Sherman has at length met his match. A Washington despatch, referring to the above, says that the affair is not regarded as important in Washing- ton, but only as an attack upon a small force sent by Sherman to cut the railroad between Raleigh and Golds- borough, while the) latter place has been occupied by Sherman's main army. It is believed that Sherman will vigorously continue the offensive. It has been rumoured in Washington that Sherman s army entered Goldsborough unopposed, and that the armies of Sherman and Schofield had joined. The Republican claims that Sherman's present command is amply able to confront Lee's entire army in open field, without any assistance from General Grant. It was also rumoured in Washington that Sherman had appear, ed before Raleigh and demanded the surrender of that city. The Raleigh Progress of March the 16th states that it violates no secresy in assuring its readers that Sherman would soon be confronted by a formidable force. The Progress states that a little brush took place between a detachment of Hampton's body guard and some two-hundred of Kilpatrick's men, in which. the Federals were driven off, Hampton slaying tno with his own hand. Newberu advices state that the evacuation of Kinston by Bragg was quite precipitate., and that the Confede- rates failed in an attempt to blow up the magazine. Citizens of Kinston report that Bragg had 40,000 men when he attacked Schofield, that he lost very heavily ia the eight charges made upon the Federal entrenchment; but that the evacuation of Kinston by Bragg was an obedience to superior orders. It is supposed that Bragg effected a junction with Johnson at or near Goldsboro". The Richmond Despatch states, on the authority ot Mobile papers, that Kirby Smith has 25,000 negroes armed, equipped, and organised, and that he has on the muster rolls over 10,000 names, of whom 80,000 are effected for service. General Grant telegraphs the following extracts from the Richmond papers:—" It is understood in official circles that no fighting has occurred in North Carolina since Sunday; and from all we can learn, it appeared that Sherman has attempted no advance since his check on that day. General Hardee's victory on the 16th was a very important one, and as regttrds the enemy a most bloody affair. General Johnson telegraphs that in that battle the Confederate loss was 450, while that of the enemy was 3300. The fight took place at Averys- borough, on Cape Fear River, half-way between Raleigh and Fayetteville. Gen. Johnstone's defeat of the enemy last Sunday (the 15th) occurred at Bentonville, near the Neuse River. By these facts we are informed that Sherman is pushing towards Raleigh in two columns, one moving due north from Payetteville, and the other north-west from Newbern. General Hardee fought the former, and General Johnstone the latter." The Raleigh Confederate of the 21st says it hopes within a few days to give cheering intelligence :—" So far everything is encouraging. In the affair which oc- curred a few days since between Hardee and Sherman's forces, we repulsed successfully five assaults upon our lines, and held our position until the object was affected. In drawing off we lost two guns because the horses had been killed. Our loss in the affair was about 400 killed and wounded; the enemy's about 4000. In the battle of Sunday, correspondents state that a very decided ad vantage was gained by our troops. The enemy was driven several miles, with heavy loss. We captured some artillery. The first battle occurred on the 16th, near the junction of the Black and South River, on the' Fayetteville and Goldsborough railroad, some 15 miles below Bentonville, in the vicinity of which place the battle of Sunday occurred." The Richmond Exa-niner says the conscription of negroes goes on with difficulty. Guards are stationed at every camp, yet the negroes escape. There is a great panic among the blacks, and much reluctance among the whites upon the question of arming the slaves. The Examiner of the 21st says there are is that city between 5000 and 6000 women and children belonging to men who fled from the rebel conscription and escaped to the North. As provisions are scarce, it is proposed to send these people North at once.

FASHIONS FOR APRIL. As, in the winter, we found the Grecian style revived in coiffures and afterwards in vestes, we have now to chronicle its re-appearance in dresses. The body a la Qrccyie will bo very much in favour, especially for young ladies. We are assured that, even for at-home dress during the daytime, low dresses will he much worn—of course, with guimpe and sleeves. However, as many ladies will not easily resign the pretty little vestes which have been so admired, plain bodies will also be in vogue. They will be made low, and covered with a veste of lace, of tulle worked with beads, or of embroidered mus- lin. These are charming when made of lace, and finished oil with a lace sash tied behind, and falling in wide ends upon the skirt. They are destined, we believe, during the summer to replace the pelerin which, without con- tradiction, is less elegant. Already they are fashionable for evening, theatre, or dinner dress. They will be made also lined with taffetas, of a colour suitable to the pat- tern or trimming on the dress; and round the edge of lining will be placed a ruche of ribbon to match, over which will fall the border of the lace. Under a veste in this style a chemisette of mainsook should be worn, held in at the waist by a wide ceinture. These do not exclude the square pderin at present, and perhaps the latter is rather more suitable for elderly ladies. For morning dress, tight sieves are still in vogue. The enemies of crinoline will yet have some time to wait before their ideas triumph. Shirts are made with as much train and as full as ever, and must have well- made crinoline to give them an air of elegance. Bodies with bands are also not yet prescribed, and the ceintures are much ornamented either with beads As to out-door costume, one thing we may positively aver, that paletots, &c., will be very short-cxcessively so for morning dress, when they will be of the same ma. terial (L the dress. The inclemency of the weather has prevented any great change in the materials employed for bonnets. Those for the present month are, if possible smaller than those worn last month, and may be described as fanclions on tho top of the head, with, in some cases, a fall of lace at the back; but in most cases, the whole of the back hair is left uncovered. However, we must con- fess that the present style is almost universally becom- ing to a young face. Black tulle bonnets seem much in favour thus a capote of black tulle worked with gold b-ads chignon of blue flowers falling over a coquilli of t)I,Lck laco, and a bow of narrow ribbon. Strings of blue ribbon Black tulle, gold beads, and blue flowers inside. Light blue crape bonnet. A plating of crape round the front, from which are suspended a small ornaments of crystal. At the back a coquille of ribbon and crape, with white honeysuckle and frosted leaves hanging in long wreaths. The inside trimmed with blue crape and honeysuckle. to. A drawn bonnet of green crape, with a plait ot tne same round the front edge, forming a diadem in front. A bla ck feather, shaded with cold and black, producing a charming effect, in placed across the front d FEspagnole. A t the back a plait of crapc, with a bow of green ribbon. A capote of white crape, trimmed with a fanchon of white silk, cut in three points, and edged with a narrow ruche of cut silk. Wide strings of the same, trimmed to match, over strings of cerise ribbon, with trimming of the same inside. %he ?b:nnet may be re-produced with goodq in white crape and coloured silk or satin, or co]oured crape and white satin or silk Nor is it less  if the capote be made with black tuUe, and the £ 3 coloured silk. ^Trmrwe d of severala rows of A pink crape bonnet, COMPOsedof severftls rows of boui/lon¡¡8, undcr which are placed bands of pmk nb. bon. Round ?the °ofthe edge a double ruche of 0^dg the front. At the back, lmw!Íng bows of pink ribbon. Strmgs of pink nbbon, Mdafulbl-obwlo? ??whi?'?e ?., the forehead. A capote of white tulle, embroidered in large beads A capote branches of jasmine carried from of dead go ?ck The jasmine is p.? with V n Ja0D A Viw of black lace at the back, Inth.Md. ? ?eof blue velvet and branches of la=i4t,