The Rhondda Leader

-_?- Correspoqdence. I Proposed New Appointments in I Rhondda. To the Editor ot the Rhondda Leader." Sir, Anti-Humbug," in last week's' issue, has hit the nail on its head, and it is high time the ratepayers of the Valley bestir themselves and see that they get value for their money. For the 1 fe ot me, I cannot see why two new appoint- ments should be made for the Secondary and Technical branches which the Rhon- dda Authority, are taking over. There are only four schools of the higher type in the Valley—Ystrad and Porth Higher Elementary, Ferndale Secondary. and Porth Intermediate—and why, in the name of goodness, do we want an Assis- tant Inspector and Chief Clerk to attend to these only, and why are the ratepayers to be called upon to pay JM08 annually to superintend, inspect and do a little ad- ministration work in connection with these? Wo have now a Director, with a handsome salary, and an army oi clerks in the Education Oiffce, and these, with organisation and distribution, should be quite capable of doing this little oxtra work. I really think a general protest of ratepayers should be made against sueh lavish expenditure. Why not go on for a time with the present staff and see if additional help and new officials are really required? Work should not he anticipated and new officials created in this hurried fashion. The burdens upon the ratepayers are. in all conscience, j heavy enough without creating new fat jobs" which are not proved to b' neces-i sary.—Yours. &c., RATEPAYER, j A Modern duggernau to. To the Editor of the "Rhondda Leader." Sir,Like the Indian Juggernaut, the South Wales coalfield has its annual parade, and at that time everyone is sup- posed to fall down and worship at its feet. I refer to the annual round up of the non-Unionist into the ranks of the Fede- ration. No one blames the Federation for its existence. It is the best thing under the circumstance where there is such a divergence of opinion as to the best means cf getting jusice done to those who have to work and to make both ends meet in the time of health and otherwise. From the commencement of the Federa- tion in 1898 there- has -been no trouble to get men into the Union until we w<ve threatened with a struggle when renew- ing the Conciliation Board agreement. I'lio nia-sters conceded onr request to a llow the presence of two. delegates from the Miners' Federation of Grpat Britain, and their verdict was, according to a representative of the Press, that the masters of South Wales were gentlemen. and that they had acted generously. The miners of South Wales had expected, when they joined the M.F.G.B.. it was j a financial amalgamation, but when they had been told through the Press that their fund would last them about three- weeks, men who were Federationists from its inception began to consider their posi- tion. Since that time it has been pointed out to the miner, each time. a general stoppage is threatened, he ha.s no funds to sustain him, and their knowledge comes second-hand. The worst of it is it is the truth. Upon this very question—the question of funds—the whole question of non-Unionism hangs. There are thou- sands of Federationists in principle who have become non-payers because of the waste in the funds by those who pretend they have the cause at heart. The management of the Federation is a by- word among miners and non-miners alike. It seems to have been created to make positions for those who have most to say. I maintain, if it is right to coerce men into a Federation which gives them no- thing for the money they pay in, then it is more than right to coerce men to pay I into a. friendly society which looks after them in sickness, and thereby keeping them off the rates. And, for one, I am thankful that the masters in their obstinacy have seen fit to let the men have it out among themselves. If such was not the case, the miner of to-day would be a slave to the whims of the I Federation. Ferndale. CICERO.

Ferndale Horse Show. Despite the handicap of a downpour of rain during the greater part of the day. 1 the nineteenth Ferndale Horse Show maintained its character for high-class exhibits, but the attendance was greatly I interfered with by the weather and the stoppage of the local collieries since the end of April. The high repute of the shew was reflected by the excpllent. I entries. The officials were:—President, Mr. J. Bell-White (London); chaiiiman of com- mittee. Dr. T. W. Parry, J.P. vice- chairmen, Mr. D. W. Thomas, M.E., Dr. Glanvill-e Morris, and Mr. T. E. Richards. M.E.; hon. treasurer, Mrs. D. S. Davies, Salisbury Hotel. Judges: Saddle and harness horses, Mr. William Foster. Mel- Vallev, Moseley, and Mr. A. M. Pilliner, Llanyravon. near Newport; stallions, Mr. William roster and Mr. A. M. Pilliner; cart and colliery horses, Mr. ( J. Francis, Newport, and Mr. W. E. Baker. Longlands, Magor; jumping, Mr. J. D. Williams, J.P.. M.F.H., Trealaw, Mr. Albert J. Treharne. Pontypridd shoeing, Mr. Evan Evans, Gorseinon.

Mass Meeting- at Treorchy. Speech by Mr. Watts Morgan. A mass meeting of the workmen em- ployed at, the Park and Dare (Ocean) Col- lieries was held at the Pavilion, Tre- orchy, on Wliit-Monday for the purpose of receiving a report on coalfield topics. Mr. D. Watts Morgan (the agent), after a brief reference to the success of the recent non-Unionist campaign, went on to deal with the work the Federation was doing on behalf of all grades of col- iierv workmen. Replying to criticisms \I"hi.ell had been levelled against the I management of the Federation and its districts, Mr..Mo rgan said that the miners' organisation in South Wales, both from the point of view of the Central Executive and that of the districts, stood second to none when compared with any other British Trade Union. He gave com- parative figures of the work done by ten of the leading Trade Unions in the coun- l'i-oi-a returns made to the Board of Trade that. the South Wales M i ners' Federation stood pre-eminent, j bi.th with regard to manag,ement. and the | benefit-- bestowed upon its members (cheers). Dealing with the management j expenses of various Unions, Mr. Morgan pointed out that, next to their own cen- tral organisation, the lowest was 2s. 2d. per head of its members, and the highest 6s. (>d. With the South Wales Miners' Federation the amount was sevenpence ]KT head of all members. Last year the total cost of the Rhondda district, includ. ing the two agents and other officials and i ofticp expenses, was less than 4d. per head [ of the members returned. This showed, declared Mr. Morgan, that there was no ground for opposition to their organisation on the score that it was being managed on an exravagant- basis or that they were wasting money (cheers). The recent ad- vance granted by the owners, taken over a period of 13 weeks, would moan at the lowe-'t possible estimate an increase in wages of f:130,COO. This was six times as much as was received into the central fund last year from the whole of Sonth Wales. Mr. Morgan declared that the Federa- tion were preparing—and all the papers necessary had been served—to have rules 6 and 7 of the award tested in a court of law .so as to definitely decide what were the powers conferred upon indepen- dent chairmen in matters of this kind (cheers).

Pentre. • gig A Broken Heart," by Charles Clarke, is played at the Grand, Pentre, this week by Mr. Harry Foxavell's touring company. The story tells how the home of a village i blacksmith is broken up, and how after troublous times a happy re-union is I hrought about. The principals are Mr. William Heilbrum. Mr. Harry Foxwell, and Mr. Edmund Sydney. Mr. Percy J. Dewhurst as "Tony Tibbits and Miss Maude Ryder as "Sallie Tavner provide the necessary element of fun. Miss Nellie Stratham, Little Dorothy, Miss Vera Grafton, and other members of the cast contribute towards making the play a thorough success.

Porth. Mr. J. W. Hutchinson, Llwyncelyn Hall, Porth (agent of the Lewis Merthyr Collieries;, has accepted a.n appointment of chief agent under the North Navigation Co., Maesteg. Mr. Hutchinson, who is a native of Lancashire, has been agent at the Lewis Merthyr Collieries, Trehafod, 'fi-cha f o d for the last ten years, and is admittedly one of the best authorities on mining in South Wales. He is held in the highest respect, and has been very popular amongst officials and workmen generallv during his tenure of agency at the Lewis Merthyr Collieries, there being an entire absence of discord, apart from the general grievances prevailing throughout the whole coalfield. His departure from Porth is a matter of regret to the work- men in general. The wedding was solemnised on Sunday morning at St. Paul's Church. Porth, of Mr. Henry Austin Jones (an official at the Lewis Merthyr Collieries) and Mrs.' Charlotte Thomas, Porth. The Rev. T. E. Parry performed the ceremony. The bride wore a charming grey costume. The bridesmaids were a lso very prettily attired. Mr. Jones, New York Hotel, Porth, acted as best man. The reception and breakfast- was held at the home of the bride, where a large circle of friends assembled. The happy couple, who were the recipients of severa l beautiful and costly presents, left on Monday for Penarth, where the honeymoon is being spent. A very pretty wedding was solemnised on Monday at the Porth (W.C.) Chapel, the contracting parties being Mr. Evan P. Lewis (of Lewis Bros., the well-known Porth butchers) and Miss Annie Morgan (daughter of Mr. Wm. Morgan, Trehafod). The Rev. D. J. Rees officiated. The bride was given away by her father, and Mr. Hugh W. Lewis (brother of the bride- groom) acted as best man. The brides- maid was the bride's sister. Miss Dorcia Morgan. The wedding party subsequently attended a reception and breakfast at the bride's home at Trehafod, and later the happy couple left for Trawsllwyd, North Wales, where the honeymoon is being spent. Mr. and Mi's. Lewis were the recipients of numerous costly presents.

I Presentation at Trehafod. A very enjoyable social was held at the Trehafod Schools on Friday evening, and all the members of the staff were in attendance. The object of the social was to make a. wedding presentation to Mr. Gwilvm Booth-Willianis (one of the staff) and his wife, formerly Miss Morgans, of Cymuier Schools. The present took the form of a large and heautiful silver fruit dish, and the presentation was made by Mrs. Gibbon (headmistress Girls' Depart- ment). Mr. Morgan Rees (head of the Boys' Department) presided at the social function and at the subsequent entertain- ment. Felicitous speeches containing ex- pressions of well-wishes and good luck, tvc., were made by the president and Mrs. Gibbon; also by Messrs. B. I. Williams, D. Christopher, J. Howells, E. T. Wil- liams, Miss Nellie Morris,, and others, after which Mr. Williams very suitably responded on behalf of himself and wife. Solos were rendered by Miss Morfydd Williams, Mr. E. T. Williams, Miss Thomas, and Miss Davies. After parti- cipating in a few games, the social termi- nated with the National Anthem.

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New Road in the Ely Valley At a. meeting of the Llantrisant and Llalltwit Fardre Rural District Council on Thursday, Mr. Godfrey L. Clark, J.P., presiding, the Clerk (Mr. W. Spickett) reported that clauses had been inserted in the Rhondda Tramways (Rail- less Traction) Bill which provided that the promoters must pay the Council one- third of the cost of any road widening. Arrangements were made for entering into a loan of £ 26,300 for the construc- tion of a new road in the Ely Valley.

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