The South Wales Star

THE WELSH LAND BILL. On Wednesday night last, the eve of St. Patrick's Day, Mr. T. E. Ellis, the Nationalist M.P. for Merionethshire, brought forward an important Bill to reform the tenure of land in Wales. The event was an important one, for two reasons. In the first place, the principle embodied in the Bill was, as Mr. Gladstone remarked, a new principle south of the Tweed and east of St George's Channel. We trust that the fact that the Bill was introduced on the eve of the patron saint's day of Ireland may be taken as an omen that some of the methods which have enabled the Irish mem- bers to make Irish questions of the day, will be adopted in future by the members of the Welsh party, and that they will make it apparent that they represent not only Liberal constituencies but also a separate and distinct nation, the cir- cumstances of whose life are different to those obtaining in England, whose needs and require- ments are different, and whose aspirations and grievances are national and peculiar. When the debate on Mr. Ellis's Bill is viewed in this light it assumes great importance. Mr. Glad- stone and the Front Opposition Bench had made it known that they were not at present prepared to adopt Mr. Ellis's Bill and, in spite of this, the Welsh members fought for a Bill, which, whatever its faults may be, is urgently needed in three fourths of the Principality. Nothing could so plainly indicate the inefficiency of the Imperial Parliament to deal with Welsh affairs than the ignorance that was shown on both sides of the House as to the real condition of the Welsh peasantry. It was assumed—and partly even by Mr. Gladstone—that the condition of the agricultural population of Wales, and the re- lations between landowner and tenant, were similar to those existing in England. It did not seem to be known that in Carmarthenshire, the largest Welsh county in Cardiganshire, which is wholly an agricultural county in Brecknockshire. Pembrokeshire, and nearly all the counties of North Wales the conditions of Welsh agricultural life resemble those of Ireland far more closely than those of England. It is true that the Welsh Land Question is not so well known to the outside world as the Irish Land Question." The reason is that the Welsh Land Question is of more recent origin, and that until lately Wales has not been represented as it ought either in Parliament or on the press of this country, and her grievances are, therefore, less known. Many, yet alive, remember the time when fixity of tenure was practically ensured by what was called les tri bywyd (a lease for three years), and when there was so little competition land that farms were let at moderate rents among a community of small farmers, who were content with living a hardy life, and with eking out a scanty livelihood by the exercise of the most grinding thrift. That period has long since passed away. The development of trade and com- merce, the opening up of the mineral resources of Wales, the consequent influx of English- men. and the extension of the railway system increased the valne of land in Wales, and raised the price of labour. In hundreds of instances the smaller farmers were dispossessed, and several small farms were thrown together to form one large farm. The peasantry, whose attachment to their land is as pathetic and as determined as the Irish cotter's love for his cabin, refused to emigrate to another country, whose language they did not understand, whose mode of life was strange to them, and whose religion was not theirs. A land-hunger was created in the agricultural dis- tricts, and rack-renting became almost as com- mon in many parts of Wales as it was in Ireland. What Mr. Ellis's Bill proposes to do is to give the Welsh peasant practically fixity and reasonable conditions of tenure, which shall be fixed by a responsible commission appointed by the Government. Mr. Gray opposed the Bill on the ground that he did not see any reason why Wales should receive different treatment from England. Mr. Glad- stone's opposition was due to another cause, but was nevertheless fatal to the Bill. "Mr. Ellis," he said, invites us to introduce into this country south of the Tweed principles which we have hitherto confined strictly to Ireland and to the Crofters in the Highlands of Scotland." This Mr. Gladstone, whose ex- | perience of Welsh agricultural life is confined, j /t according to his own admission, to the English portion of the county of Flint, was not pre- pared to do without a full and impartial in- quiry into the matter. The Welsh members had no need to shrink from the most searching investigation into their grievances but they knew that it was useless, notwithstanding Mr. Chamberlain's Llanybytlier speech, to expect the present Government to appoint a commission to inquire into the condition of agricultural Wales. The Government could not and would not consent to an inquiry" said Mr. Chaplin, "into the propriety of establishing a Court to fix rent: as proposed by the Bill. But they were quite willing to consider the propriety of insti- tuting an inquiry into the state of agriculture in Wales." In other words, die Government are willing that an inquiry should be held, but it must be a vague, unmeaning inquiry, whose appointment may bring some credit to the Government but which would result in nothing. to To those Liberals who have hitherto ignored the existence of a "Welsh question," we wish to recommend the words which Mr. John Morley used a few years ago at Ncwtown, and which were quoted by Mr. Ellis in the recent debate :— "It is impossible to deny for a moment." said Mr. Morley, that a case, a strong and irre- sistible case, was made for inquiry. The Tory Government is a Government of landlords, and the Government of landlords resisted even an inquiry, so that the Welsh farmer has to go on practising an industry and a grinding thrift, as I am told, in which lie is not equalled by the inhabitants of any other portion of the realm. He has to go on striving and struggling in these difficulties, and Parliament closes its eyes and folds its arms, leaving the question absolutely neglected. Can we wonder that slack and' sluggish apathy of that kind goes to the very heart of the people and is making the Welsh question ? It is that apathy, that indifference, the shutting of eyes and the folding of arms that made the Irish question." Mr. Ellis's Bill was of course defeated, but it has drawn from Mr. Gladstone the remark that the subject is one well worthy of inquiry, and we trust that the Welsh members will not rest content until they have secured the appointment of a full and impartial inquiry "without any of the re- strictions or conditions with which Mr. Chaplin tried to saddle it.

WHY THE BARRY BILL WAS WITHDRAWN. We cannot but characterise the efforts of certain interested parties to make the Barry and Cadoxton Local Board responsible for the withdrawal of the Barry Company's Bill as disingenuous and shameless. As we pointed out last week, the real reasons for the withdrawal of the Bute and Barry Bills could not be conveniently made public, and the jackals of the two companies, therefore, have done their best to visit an old- standing grudge on the local authorities by saddling on them the odium of making the passing of the Bills impossible. Our readers will see, from an extract from a London paper which we publish in another column, what the real reason was for withdraw- ing the Bills. It appears that the Board of Trade had determined to oppose the Bute Bill, and the promoters, recognising the hope- lessness of the attempt to pass their Bill in face of such powerful opposition, decided not to proceed with it. From the very first, neither the Bute nor the Barry Company were very much in earnest about their Bills. This was evident to the most casual observer when the time during which the docks were proposed to be constructed was taken into consideration. The Bute Company, therefore, seeing that it was useless to go on with their own Bill, and afraid that the Barry Company would there- fore have it all their own way, approached the Barry Company with a view to bring- ing about the withdrawal of the Barry Bill. The Barry Company, never having been really in earnest about proceeding at once with their Bill, and no doubt being offered satis- factory terms by the Bute Company, thought better to drop their Bill for this year, so as to be in a better position next year to bring it forward. This, we consider, was a very wise step, both in their own interests and the ultimate interests of the Barry district. We do not blame the Company in the slightest degree for acting as they have. If a few rash specula- tors have been living in the future and counting on the certainty of the construction of a new dock at once, they have only themselves to blame for their recklessness. But we do de- nounce with the utmost energy and indignation the -unscrupulous attempts which are made in certain quarters to vilify the Local Board, and to make its members responsible for the check which the Barry district has for the time received by the withdrawal of the Parlia- mentary Bill.

The slight difference of opinion which has arisen between the Welsh party as to Mr. Alfred Thomas's Welsh National Institutions Bill has served to show what a real influence is now influenced by the united Welsh party. The Tory press has been making the most of the split" in the party, and have been endeavouring to conjure up difficulties where none existed. The Liberal press has not been quite frank on the matter either. The plain facts of the case are these. Mr. Alfred Thomas, the M.P. for East Glamorgan, has prepared an elaborate Bill, which, if passed, would give to Wales a certain amount of administrative Home Rule. This Bill was welcomed by us and by every Welsh Nationalist, not because we thought it was the best possible Bill, but because it was the only Bill of the kind that was before the country. Many objections might be made and were made to some parts of its clauses and Mr. Thomas has bowed to public opinion and modified many of the clauses since the first appearance of his Bill. Large and representative conferences were held at Llan- drindod and Cardiff, which unanimously signified their adherence to the principle of the Bill. It was significant, however. thatatneither of the conferences were the Welsh party well represented, the only members attend- ing besides Mr. Alfred Thomas himself being Sir Edward Reed, Mr. Pritchard Morgan. Mr. T. P. Price, and Mr. S. T. Evans. When Mr. Alfred Thomas gave notice that he would introduce his Bill into Parliament, Mr. D. A. Thomas, the senior M.P. for Merthyr, and Mr. Bryn Roberts, the M.P. for the Eifion division of Carnarvonshire, gave notices that they would oppose the second reading. Whatever may be the case with Mr. Bryn Roberts, the opposition of Mr. D. A. Thomas was not due to any hostility to the principle contained in the Bill, but to the fact that the Welsh Parliamentary party had not been consulted in the matter. We feel that Mr. Alfred Thomas has earned the gratitude of his countrymen for preparing his measure, and for going to such trouble and ex- pense to explain its provisions. He has taken the opinion of reprentative men on it, and the opinion has been a. favour- able one. But if we are to believe in the efficiency of our system of Parliamentary representation at all, we must look to our Welsh members as the re- presentatives of the political life and thought of the Principality, and it is only right therefore that they should be consulted with regard to a Bill which could never be carried without their help and which, if carried. would work *such great and immense changes in Welsh politics. This Mr. Alfred Thomas neglected to do. George II. once said to the great Pitt that" he (Mr. Pitt) had taught him to look for the opinion of the people outside the walls of St. Stephens." That was, however, in the days when the oligarchy which had been brought into power by the" glorious revolution of 1688" still reigned supreme. Since that time great reforms have been brought about in the franchise, and to-day the voice of our representatives at St. Stephens is the voice of the people. We think that every member of the Welsh party should have as much liberty of action and freedom as possible consistent with the proper organisation of the party. But a small party of thirty members cannot hope to oe of any weight unless they are united and organised. We are, therefore. glad that Mr. Alfred Thomas has now submitted his Bill to the party for their approval, even though, by doing so. it has been decided that the forlorn- deputation to Mr. Balfour must bo abandoned. In doing this. Mr. Thomas has gained far more than he "would have gained by haranguing the leader of the Commons. He has gained the support of his Welsh Parliamentary colleagues. and he has gained the confidence of the Welsh people by showing that he is ready to sacrifice himself for the sake of party organisation and the national good.

We have hitherto taken no sides in the dispute that has been raging at Coity parish between the ratepayers and the School Board. We think it is high time, however, that a word of advice should be given to the Board. To those of our readers who do not know the details of the case, it may be useful to give the history of the dispute. During the summer of last year, the Coity School Board dismissed Mr. Peters, the master of the school, ^against the wishes of the many if not of the majority, of the parishioners. Mr. Peters, in his conduct toward the members of the Board, and his entries on the school log-book after receiving the notice of dis- missal does not seem to have displayed the wisdom of the serpent, though he may have acted with the harmlessness of the dove. There is no doubt, how- ever, that a considerable body of the parishioners thought that Mr. Peters was dismissed without due cause or reason, and when Mr. Peters, urged by the solicitations of his friends, opened a rival school in the village, the children of the parish were sent to the new school and the old master. The School Board were naturally indignant at the desertion of the Board School, and have endeavoured in every way to entice the swarm to come back to the old hive. They have tried persuasion, and they have tried force. The other day they obtained judg- ment at the Bridgend Police Court that the sanitary arrangements in Mr. Peters's school were not satisfactory, but even this has failed to bring the children back. Last Monday, as will be seen from our correspondent's remarks in another column, a deputation from the Board which visited the Board School found five children there, being taught by three teachers An end must be made to this scandal. We would wish to remind the Board in the friendliest spirit that trech gwlad nag arglwydd:" and that the feelings of the parishioners, who have obstinately refused to de- sert Mr. Peters, should be respected.

From the reports of interviews, which we publish in another column, it will be seen that the feeling is unanimous among our prominent public men that a weekly police court is needed at Barry. Our representative has been unable to see all whose opinions we would wish to get, but by our next issue we hope to get other opinions. From the number and position of those already interviewed, it will be seen what the feeling of the district on the matter is. Three of these gentlemen are mem- bers of the Local Board, and as it appears that the Local Board should be the first to move in the matter, we hope that one or another of these gentlemen will take advantage of the first opportunity they can of drawing the attention of the Board to it. We have three excellent local magistrates—Mr. 0. H. Jones, General Lee, and Mr. John Cory, and we feel sure that all the three would be willing, at some personal inconvenience, to hold a weekly court in the Barry district, when once they are convinced that it is needed. It is easy to convince even a prejudiced men of the neces- sity. We would like to draw attention to the report of the interview which our representa- tive had with Inspector Rees, and we feel sure that no one. after reading that. will fail to see that a weekly police court is urgently needed in the district.

All present at the railway men's meeting at the Graig School, Pontypridd, must have been impressed by jthe fervour with which Mr. E. Harford, the general secretary of the Amalgamated Society of Railway Servants expressed his feelings regarding the present grievances under which the servants of the Taff and Barry Railway Companies are suffering. As has been already pointed out in our columns, the men should stand firm by the agreement of August, 1890, and compel their employers to abide by the pledges then made and accepted. This cannot be done without thorough organisation, and in order to do this all should immediately join the respective societies who so sturdily stand by them in time of need. Disquieting rumours are already in the air, and let the companies say what they will, the dissatisfaction felt is a general one, and we know not how soon we shall be brought once again face to face with a crisis such as was experienced eighteen months ago. Therefore it behoves all railwaymen, of whatever grade, to be on their guard and prepare for a sturdy fight, for they may depend that the better organised they are the easier it will be for them to demand and obtain their just rights.

NOTES FROM LONDON. [BY AN OCCASIONAL CORRESPONDENT.] Your readers will be glad, I am sure, to learn that Mr. D. Lleufer Thomas, B.A., of Lincoln's Inn, has been appointed Assistant-Commissioner under the Royal Labour Commission to inquire into the condition of labour in the agricultural districts. Mr. Thomas will act more particularly in Wales, as there are other assistant-commissioners for England. Mr. D. Lleufer Thomas is already known to your readers as the writer of several excellent articles in the SOUTH WALES STAR, dealing with Christmas customs in Wales, the life of Samuel Jones. Blaenllywarch, ice. Mr. Thomas is still but a young man. but his brilliant career shows that he is a coming man. No better appointment could have been made, for Mr. Thomas is the son of a tenant farmer, Mr. W. Thomas, late of Cefnhendre, near Talley. Carmar- thenshire. After showing exceptional ability during has school career at Llandovery (which was then under the wardenship of the present Bishop of St. Asaph), Mr. Thomas went to Oxford, where he took high honours in the Final School of Juris- prudence. Previous to this, however, the young AVelshman had carried off the Tancred Law Student- ship at Lincoln's Inn, of the value of £100 a year, tenable for six years, being almost the only Welsh- man who has ever won this prize. Mr. Lleufer Thomas is one of the original mem- bers of the far-famed "Dafydd ap Gwilym" Society, and is an able Welsh scholar. lie has been engaged in writing Welsh biographies for the National Dictionary of Biography, which is now appearing. He recently was employed by the Govtrnmcnt to translate the Factory Acts into Welsh, and was an adjudicator at the National Eisteddfod of S wansea. He is an authority on Welsh antiquities and biography. His critiques in the Athenaum on the Welsh texts edited by Pro- fessor Rhys and Mr. Gwenogfryn Evans have established his reputation as a Welsh scholar, while Mr. Henry Owen, in his recently published edition of Owen's Pembrokeshire," gratefully refers to the valuable help he has received from Mr. Thomas. In addition to all this. Mr. Thomas is an excellent writer and speaker in the two languages. In the next number of the (renown, the Welsh National quarterly, an article will appear from his pen on Y Sessiwn yng Nghymru," dealing with the question of the Principality. Mr. Thomas goes the South Wales Circuit. He is an enthusiastic Nationalist, a splendid speaker, a cultured son of the people, and well under thirty, and so may look forward to a great career. At the Islington Parliament on Monday night, Welsh questions were very much in evidence," to use a phrase beloved of the penny-a-liner. The reason for this was that one or two enthusiastic Welshmen had lately been elected members. Mr. D. W. Marpole, "the member for Montgomeryshire," brought in a motion which would have the effect of appointing only Welsh- speaking judges to Welsh courts of law, and declared that the recent appointment of Mr. Cecil Beresford was an insult to the Welsh people. Mr. Marpole is a Welshman—needless to say he is a fiery speaker, for he has not only Welih, but Chartist, blood in his veins. He has, however, discarded the wild methods of his ancestor, and is in practice as a solicitor in London. He was well- backed up by three other Welshmen, Mr. Powell (member for Merionethshire), Mr. H. J. Hewson member for Swansea), and Mr. D. T. Oliver, who is a member of the South Wales circuit, and repre- sents West Carmarthen in the Parliament of Islington. Mr. Oliver, who comes of the well- known preaching stock of the Olivers," rather opened the eyes of his hearers by warning the House that if they would not legislate for Wales, Wales would demand a separate Legislature of her own. The fact is, Welsh questions and Welsh grievances are almost unknown in England but it is satisfactory to note that, what with the SOUTH WALE^ STAR in the Principality and those young Welshmen who pro- fess its creed in the land of the stranger. poor little Wales will make her influence felt in the counsels of the nation. Your readers will remem- ber that a fortnight ago a similar motion to that moved by Mr. Marpole was lost in the House of Commons. I am glad to tell you that in the Islington Parliament the motion met with a better and more deserved fate, and was carried by a great majority.

ROUND THE TOWNS. —.— There is a road at Penmark called" Sudden Death." It leads to the rectory. The Barry Trades Council are not shirking the issue at the Local Board election. Mr. Harrison, whom they have selected, is intended to fight Mr. John Robinson. who has so often snubbed the labour party in the district. Small talk may be obtained in any quantity at the meetings of the Barry Boating Club. A speaker at a meeting held at Barry last Satur- day hoped to have the pleasure of meeting- his hearers on a former occasion The joke about the Barry Local Board election is that all the candidates have come tc the conclu- sion they are going to win. What price strong language after the result of the poll has been declared. Talk about labour representatives on our local authorities, the Barry Trades Council have secured it with a vengeanec so far as the Burial Board is concerned, four vacancies out of the five beinu- captured by them last Thursday. 0 It was a narrow squeak for Mr. John Robinson, the chairman of the Burial Board, so far as his election for Merthyrdovan parish is concerned. Had the labour party not perpetrated a blunder, he must inevitably have been relegated to obscurity so far as Burial Board honours have anything to do with it. Naturally there has been a. rise in the joke market consequent upon the burial board election. The labour element upon the board is likely to re- sult, so a wag observes, in all graves being dug double the usual depth, in order to afford plenty of labour, and the grave diggers' wages are to be advanced fifty per cent, with a bonus upon all bones dug up. In view of this it is stated that some of the rejected of last Thursday are going to qualify for the position of grave diggers. Redoubtable Tim Healy at a meeting of the Irish National Federation last week in censuring some of the Parnellites for skulking out of the House, when the Disestablishment division took place, made use of the following remarks :_a The Welsh- men are a people almost like ourselves except this, that I hear the Welsh members talking on the benches in the Welsh language, and we cannot talk Welsh, I am sorry to say. One of them came up to me the other day with a photograph in his hand, and said, there is a photograph of my little son a little boy that cannot speak one word of English. Who was the happy father, and proud Welsh member. It's impossible for him to be the member for Treorky. Probably Mabon. Bobbie Burns hit the nail on the head when he wrote about the schemes of mice and men going "agley." A Barry editor will agree with us when we but mention the Burial Board election last Thursday. We are inclined to believe that more horses stray about the streets of Barry than in any other town in. the world. The keen competition between two billposting companies at Barry ought to be damped a little. Every available inch of space is being pasted over with bills, hoardings are being erected by the million, pine ends of houses are not being spared, and rumour has it that spaces on tall hats are to be rented as well. Why don't they have a go at gravestones Talking of billposting reminds us that it is surprising the large numbers of houses there are in the Barry district, the interiors of which are unpapere 1. Extortionate rewts are being charged, and its a pity if there isn't a Local Board bye-law to compel the owners to paper houses in a reason- able time after completion. At the dockers' meeting at Barry last Saturday, Ted Humby, the organiser, referred to a. gentle- manly little youth who is our secretary at Bridg- water, and who weighs 19 stone 2 lb." That excellent police official, Sergeant James, being about to leave St. Nicholas district, we are pleased to learn that it is intended to present him with a substantial testimonial. Several parents with truant children appeared before the Barry School Board on Tuesday, and some really laughable stories were narrated as to the antics of some of the said truants. One father told the Board that his boy would go to school on one occasion and then mitchv for a month another parent had a boy in the habit of playing truant all day, and staying out till after 11 every night while the father of another lad whose delight it appears is to haunt the neighbourhood of the dock every day. said he had offered a police- man to duck the boy in the water next time he found him hanging- around there. At the same meeting the serious charge was brought;against one of the masters of inflicting punishment so cruelly about the hands, causing blisters. Mr. Harry Inch's name was mentioned as a candi- date for the Barry Local Board election. He has the necessary intellectual qualifications as every- body will readily admit who knows Mr. Inch, but unfortunately a stupid law which necessitates a certain amount of property qualifications stepped in, and Mr. Inch could not be selected. The n '{'fl'nl J la il announces that Mr. J. Harrison has been selected to stand for the- Barry School" Board election in opposition to Mr. John Robinson. Good old Western JIa/1. Captain Davies makes a very useful member of the Barry School Board if only in testing the Welsh knowledge possessed by candidates for school appointments. Mr. Richard Guy, a Penarth butcher," enjoys" the unenviable distinction of having insulted the Penarth and Barry magistrates' clerk. At Penarth on Monday, during the hearing of a case in which Mr. Guy luckily escaped being inflicted with a penally, he accused Mr. Morris, than whom there is no more respected gentleman in the whole dis- trict, of doing" his best to get him fined. Mr. Corbett immediately called him to order, but the apology for the unwarranted insinuation was a most tardy one. Our reporter tells us that he very much enjoyed being present at the railwaymen's meeting on Monday night, IIis only regret was that, to quote '•he words of Mr. Harford, such a long record of broken promises on the part of the Barry Company had to be listened to. One engine-driver got. up and said that for a fortnight after the great strike he was paid over- time at the rate of eight hours, which was. accord- ing to the terms of the agreement, but since then the officials have nibbled an hour and made the men work overtime at the rate of nine hours. This was a common complaint of several of the men.. # Again, in regard to the Sunday duty of the signalmen, the men. according to the agreement jointly agreed upon, are supposed to be paid at the rate of time and a half for ten hours work, where- as in innumerable instances they are only paid time and a quarter. One man said he worked one Sunday for twelve hours and thirty minutes, which should have been paid for at the rate of a time and three-quarters, whereas he only received payment for time and a quarter. It strides us pretty clearly that such statements bring the company's officials into very unenviable notoriety. Oh dear, oh dear, we are doing our very best to get on friendly terms with the general manager of the Barry Company, and just as we thought every- thing was progressing very favourably to thi.s end. he goes and spoils all prospects of peace by threaten- ing to immediately discharge the railwayman who supplied the South 1! airs star wirh the rates of wages the other week. But before you can salt a rat's tail. you must first of all catch him. Well done, Barry railwaymen. Twenty new members were enrolled in the local society last week. The Star is essentially a labour paper, and such things as these please us very much. Everybody should endeavour to get a peep into the Board-room of the Barry School Board. It is a splendid specimen of what a room in which public bodies have to meet ought to be. It is really a feather in "the cap of Mr. George Thomas, the architect, and before the Local Board erect their new offices they had better pay a visit to the Barry Dock School, and see how nicely things are arranged in connection with the School Board's new meeting place. The Rev. J. W. Matthews, as we said last week, is a candidate for the guardianship of Cadoxton parish. We wish him luck and a walk over. Mr. Matthews is a man well fitted for public life. He is a young man, a good public speaker, an excellent i man of business, and. withal. an enthusiastic AVelshman and secretary of the Young Wales Societv. Our little Barry contemporary, which has now been forced to be published on Thursday after- noons, last week said, at five o'clock or so on Thursday, that Mr. John Robinson was last night (Thursday) unanimously re-elected member of the Burial Board." Evidently, this was from "in- formation received." Why didn't our contemporary from the same source publish that Last night (Thursday) Mr. J. R. Llewellyn was elected a member of the Burial Board Is it true that the Chairman of the Cadoxton Vestry expressed his intention of going soon to the Union Mr. William Salmon. J.P., of Penllyne Court. Cowbridge, Glamorganshire, who is the oldest living Ireemason, and the eldest member on the roll of the College of Surgeons, attains his 102nd year of age to-morrow, having been born on March 16th. 1790, near Wickham Market, in Suffolk. Mr. Salmon has living six grandchildren and fourteen great-grandchildren. No one should miss witnessing the tableaux rirantx at the forthcoming parish-hall at Barry. A Local Board candidate and professional gentle- man is to enact the part of "Galatea." He will not wear the costume during his canvass. We wish to inform our readers that Mr. William Thomas, of Barry, comes up to his Cadoxton office by the 9.30 train every morning. Mr. Thomas still takes an interest in Cadoxton affairs, though he isn't rated sufficiently high to be eligible for a seat on the Board of Guardians. In Barry, however, Mr. Thomas is eligible, and he will therefore stand for the Board of Guardians for Barry. Last Sunday a certain constable committed a gross sacrilege at Cadoxton. The worshippers at a certain chapel were startled at hearing sounds gross sacrilege at Cadoxton. The worshippers at a certain chapel were startled at hearing sounds during the service, which by induction they guessed to be the result of a finger being tapped against a pane of one of the windows. Looking up they caught a glimpse of the face of a well- known P.C. Great consternation was apparent, but when a blithe young damsel got up and bluslimgly left the chapel, the pastor had a frown on his brow, and a smile in his eye. For there's a lot of human nature in man after all Mr. Seig. the attendance officer at Barry, advised the Board to have a Welsh-speaking assistant attendance officer. Mr. Seig said that he had found a knowledge of Welsh invaluable in his work at Barry. The members of the Barry Hearts of Oak Society will hold their annual dinner on Wednesday. A Barry barber deserves to get on. 'He has bedecked the exterior of his premises with the printed notice, Get yer 'air cut The Barry Local Board steam-roller got quite frisky on Monday afternoon, and after waltzing up and down Wenvoe-terrace, Barry, collided with a lamp-post. Its action is all the more to be con- demned, for the lamp-post in question is situate in front of the residence of the Clerk of the Local Board. A little scene was created near a house in one of the principal thoroughfares in Bridgend on Sunday night last by two youths endeavouring to escape from their fair ones (who had followed them into the house) by means of a ladder. In coming down the ladder, however, a noise betrayed their move- ments, and the fair maidens captured their run- away lovers, and "hauled them back again." Things are not what they seemed. The only difference between the past and the present is that the affections of the two young men have been bestowed on others, and the members of the fairest sex concerned do not promise to be the gentlest to each other when they meet. The introduction of fair-labour members on to the Barry and Cadoxton Burial Boards bids fair to completely revolutionise that body. They made a splendid start on Tuesday night, Mr. W. Copp in particular. The old members seemed to be struck dumb with amazement. They seemed to be afraid of their own voices, and, consequently, kept their mouths closed as much as possible. We are only speaking the truth when we say that the meetings of the Barry Burial Board promise to be more interesting, from a newspaper point of view, than any of the other public autho- rities in the district. It is evident that fche labour representatives intend to solve some of those knotty little problems connected with labour and public con- tracts which are being thrust upon public authori- ties as the advancement of the New Unionism takes place. No notes, however meagre, would be complete about tlip Barry Burial Board meeting of Tuesday which did not contain reference to the extra- ordinary scene connected with the appointment of chairman. The incident was attended with remarkable excitement, Mr. William Thomas's speech being a particularly animated one. We hear that discipline at one of our Barry schools is by no means anything like perfect. When the time for dismissal takes place in some of the departments, the youngsters literally gallop out. Perhaps a copy of the examiner's report in reference to the discipline at one of the schools in the district might be furnished to some of the head-teachers as a gentle reminder of what Mr. W hitmell might have to say next time again. More arguments for a weekly police-court at Barry. Five Barry and one Din as Powis case were heard at Penarth on Monday, while several prisoners have been confined in the Barry Dock police celis during the week. At the Barry Burial Board meeting on Tuesday • ^r- Robinson, on being elected chairman, stated that he very much regretted that the Rev. Griffith W illia-ms had not been re-elected, because he had proved himself such a valuable member, and had such a kind heart. Mr. Robinson, however, made no reference to any of the other old members who ere not re-elected. Did he mean to imply that Mr. Barstow, to say nothing of his bosom friend Mr. Garnett, were not good members, and hfUl not kind hearts What will not a Local Board contest make a man say Since Mr. George Thomas has grown his whiskers, Mr. J. C. Pardoe. the survevor. has come to the conclusion that there is too much hair about the Local Board altogether, and consequently has shaved his moustache off. The news is very fair and good this week. We have to chronicle the decease of our Barry con- temporary's favourite author, Ibid." At the meeting of the Glamorgan County Council on Wednesday six directors of the SOUTH WALES STAR. who were triumphantly returned at the late elections, sat together at one table. Their names were Messrs. Clifford Cory (Ystrad). J. C. Meggitt (Barry), J. P. Jones (Penarth). H. Smith Davies (Pontypridd), W. Spickett (Treforest), and T. J. Hughes (Newcastle. Bridgend). The new board room of the Barry School Board was used by the members for the first time on Tuesday. This led one of the members at the con- clusion of the business to jocularly remark that he had only attended the meeting in the anticipation that there would be a ciiampagne flow to celebrate such an interesting event. r- That accounts for the three Jt. D. A. men being here to-night." was the cruel rejoinder of a nautical member. Yesterday was St. Patrick's Day, and the liquid consumed in Holmes-street, Capoxton, was some- thing enormous. Mr. F. W. Taylor, Barry, writes to :av that he is not the Mr. Taylor" mentioned in Mr. Milward's letter in a contemporary last week about Dr. Neale's garden affair. This reminds us that Dr. Neale is prosecuting an action for libel in reference to the same matter. Mr. A. Jackson is acting for him.

THE WANT OF A WEEKLY POLICE COURT AT BARRY. IMPORTANT INTERVIEWS WITH PROMI- XEXT LOCAL GENTLEMEN. Last week we drew attention to the pressing need of a weekly police-court being held in the Barry district. We pointed out the grave incon- venience to both police and public, and the heavy expense devolving upon the county, through the want of a weekly and an occasional police-court in Barry. We showed that the majority of the cases held at Penarth come from the Barry district, and it is high time that an important district like Barry should not be dependent on other towns and districts for its magistrates or its courts. Repre- sentatives of the South Hales ,"ta,' have been interviewing several prominent local gentlemen, and we have much pleasure in publishing reports of these interviews, which fully bear out our con- tention. ALDERMAN J. C. MEGGITT. Mr. Meggitt, as a heavy ratepayer, the chairman of the Local Board, and the late County Councillor for the district, is a man that must be taken into consideration when any matter of public import- ance in the district is being discussed. Our repre- presentative, therefore, called on him. I think," said Mr. Meggitt, that a weekly police court is much needed in the district. It is a great waste of public money to have to take prisoners to Penarth to be tried. But I'm afraid the work would be too heavy for our local magis- trates. ° But don't you think a stipendiary could heap- pointed for Penarth and Barry ? Yes, certainly but the exnense would be great—quite 4L 1,000 a year. I should say." W eil. couldn't the number of local magistrates be increased ] I don't think so; and I should certainly say that the Lord Lieutenant would be ill-advised to promote any local man to the magisterial bench." Why do you say that.' W ell. I don't think that we have at present any man of sufficient qualification and legal knowledge to act as magistrate. The position of a resident magistrate would be very important here. as he would practically have to try all the cases at the weekly police-court." In face of all this, would you be willing to sup- port a motion in the Local Board to ask the local magistrates to petition Quarter Sessions in the matter. I would with pleasure, for though the work would be heavy, I feel sure our local magistrates would do their duty." DR. ODO-NNELL. Our representative next called on Dr. O'Donnell, a member of the Local Board, and one of the leading practitioners in the district. ° Are you in favour." asked our reporter, of a weekly police court at Barry ? "Certainly," replied the Doctor, "I think it's sadly needed. I may tell you that I was one of the deputation that went to Penarth to get our fortnightly police court, and if that was wanted then, a weekly police court is wanted mow. "Would you be in favour of the appointment of more resident magistrates No, nor would I support the appointment of a stipendiary. It's premature to have resident magis- trates. and a stipendiary would cost too much." But don't you think the saving effected by not having to take the witnesses and prisoners to Penarth and Cardiff would help considerably to bear this expense Xo for the stipendiary would be paid by the district, while the expenses of the witnesses and prisoners are borne by the county." Well, would you support a resolution, if it was moved in the Local Board, to ask the local magis- trates to take up the matter and petition the Quarter Sessions ?" I would, with pleasure and I think the local magistrates would do their best to help us." MR. J. ARTHUR HUGHES. Our reporter found Mr. J. Arthur Hughes, the clerk of the Barry and Cadoxton Local Board, at his Cadoxton office, on Tuesday afternoon, busy as usual, but had no difficulty in eliciting his views on such a matter pertaining to the interests of the district. The idea is," said our representative, to im- mediately take steps to have the police-cour meet- ings held weekly and not as at present, and I should be glad to learn your views." "There certainly should be a weekly police- court," was the reply. At the local court last Thursday I understand there were 56 cases, and between that day and the date of the previous court I am informed that there were 17 prisoners tried at Penarth." I can tell you, Mr. Hughes," interposed our representative," that there were five Barry cases heard at Penarth yesterday." Still another argument in favour of a weekly court at Barry," was the reply. But the chief reasons for the proposal are these. First of all, the administration of justice should be made as accessible and as cheap as possible for everyone, and, secondly, Barry cases being taken to Penarth means that the police are taken away from the district on one of the most important days in the week. I also think that some steps should be taken to have local magistrates appointed, and for some arrangement to be made for the granting of summonses locally. At the present time if anyone wants a summons he has to go to Cardiff to get it from the magistrate's clerk, and then find a magis- trate to sign it. Now that we have such an ex- cellent police-court at Barry Dock, there is no reason why a weekly police-court should not be granted." What steps will have to be taken to bring this about.' asked the reporter. The proper mode to be adopted in getting such a court would be for the Barry and Cadoxton Local Board to prepare a petition, and, after signing it themselves, get it extensively signed by the in- habitants generally." Then you think the Local Board is the proper authority to take the matter up F remarked our representative. Certainly," replied Mr. Hughes. and if such a petition were got up the probability is that the court would be established." "To whom would the petition be presented," was the next question. I should forward it to Mr. O. H. Jones, as repre- senting the local magistrates, who would lay it before Quarter Sessions. Personally I have no fear as to what .would be the result. A few years ago, when a deputation, of which, by-the-by. I was spokesman, waited upon the magistrates to get opened the first police court at the Picnic-hall, they very willingly conceded what was asked. I hope you will work the question well up, for, as I said before. I certainly think we should have a. weekly court." MR. ALFRED JACKSOX, Although Mr. Alfred Jackson, solicitor, has only resided in the district a few months lie has already been a prominent, figure in th? local poi ice-court, both in prosecuting and defending offenders, con- sequently his views may be regarded as having a useful bearing- on the subject on hand. Mr. Jackson at the outset informed our representative that the remarks or local solicitors on tne question migho be considered as biassed, as it was natural that they should prefer as much police-court business as possible being-dealt with locally, still he thought that all fair minded persons must admit that it would be a very great convenience all round if a weekly police-court were established, and he proceeded to (.ive his reasons. "Suppose a man g-ets assaulted." said Mr. Jackson, on a particular day. and the local police-court had only been held on the orevious day. He does not want to go up to Cardiff to take out a summons, and he does not want to go to Penarth. Perhaps he is a poor man. and cannot auoru to bum en himself with any extra expense, or pjiuaps he is a man who cannot get awav from his business The consequence is that he has to wait a fortnight, and sometimes three weeks— for I understand that the Cadoxton court is held on the second and last Thurs- days of the month before he can get a. summons taken out. After the summonses has been granted by the magistrates here it has to be served, and he has to wait a fortnight bjfore the case is heard. It is apparent at mice that under such circumstances and in such a large and important district as this, the wheels of justice should move a little more quickly. If we had a magistrate's clerk down here, the grievance would not be so great. At present a man really mav have to wait a month after an offence takes place'before the case is heard." If a weekly court were established, do you think additional magistrates would be required to be appointed questioned the reporter. Yes, I do." Mr. Jackson 'replied. and cases have occurred when they have already been re- quired. For instance, it will be fresh in your memory that it was only the other day that both Mr. O. H. Jones and General Lee were absent from the local court, and solicitors, witnesses, prosecu- tor and prisoners, to say nothing-of the reporters and a number of policemen, had\o wait from half past ten until nearly one o'clock for a magistrate, and one eventually arrived from Cardiff. Yes, there is no doubt that a weekly court would do away with a great amount of inconvenience wnish a good many people are being continually subjected to." ) MR WILLIAM THOMAS, BARRY. "I heartily a,groe with what appeared in the South Wale* Star laet week in reference to this question.' said Mr. William Thomas auctioneer, when interviewed by our reporter, who saw him at his Cadoxton offices on Monday. -And there are very good reasons for doing so. Our town is now of suliicient importance to have a weekly police-court, and as you pointed out, the large number of cases that have cropped up demand it. To my mind it is a great waste of time for prosecutors, witnesses, defendants, policemen, and others interested to have to journey to Penarth every Monday, and very often during the week to Cardiff as well. For one thing- it tends to a miscarriage of justice in regard to many cases, and I will tell you how. When persons wish to take out summons find that they have got to go and lose half a day, besides incurring travelling expenses. ,kc.. some of them naturally fell inclined to let cases slip by rather than go the long distances and prosecute. Ours is a large district, and we are in the centre of a large area. and taking this into consideration with the fact that the town contains a large and cosmo- politan population, we must expect numbers of police-court cases. Besides this, we have a new police-court erected. There is a deal in what you say about the scarcity of magistrates, and I think at least two from the district itself should be appointed. If anyone wants to get a summons, they have to go to Dinas Powis or P.marth to pro- cure one." In conclusion. Mr. Thomas said he would be most happy to support any movement in the direction indicate. A GOOD SUGGESTION. TO THE EDITOR OF THE SOUTH WALES STAR. Sir.—Allow me to congratulate you upon hav- ing commenced an agitation in favour of steps being immediately taken to secure a weekly police-court for the Barry and Cadoxton district. My object in addressing you these few lines is to moot the question of getting a stipendiary ap- pointed who would have jurisdiction over the Penarth and Barry courts. Probably it is pre- mature to think of anything of the sort, but having said my say. I rest content.—-I am. &c. Bauy. Bonny BISGO.

"WHEN THE BURGLARS DONE HIS BURGLING A CADOXTOX BOY LIVES IN THE GREElt WOOD. Some time ago our readei-s may remember that a burglary was committed in Verc-street, Cadoxtm. ,n several ooys broke into a coufectioner's shop and stole boxes of biscuits, bottles of sweets, and other things that tickle the youthful palate. Most of those concerned in the robbery were arrested and punished by the magistrates at Penarth. but the alleged ringleader was STILL AT LARGE. No one seemed to know what had become of the young offender. The local police were for a time completely baffled. This week, however, they received information which has led to the arrest of the young burglar. It seems that according to the most approved Til hprt and Sullivan :-tyle, when the youthful burglar was done a-burgling, he took a lively and sympathetic interest in the beauties of nature, and. since the burglary, has LIVED IN A WOOD near Cadoxton. Every night he stretched his "form •under the greenwood tree," and during the day he hid in (lark and gloomy corners, which are unvisited except in summer, and then only by the most ardent lov-er.s.^ Here the youthful hero hid during the day, and when hunger compelled him to emerge, he begged for food in the hack streets in the dim twilight, and then hurried back to his sylvan home. Probably the young hero would have wished, like Gilbert's burglar, to be basking in the sun," but alas! there was no sun to bask in. His retreat became so dir v and wet and unromantie that the young burglar's soul yearned at last for the sweetness and warmth and COMFORT OF A GAOL or a reformatory, and when he was at last apprehended this week he did not attempt any resistance, and was quiltly lodged in the police cells to await his trial.

THE WARDS QUESTION AT BARRY AND PEXARTH. At a meeting of the Glamorgan County Council on Wednesday, Messrs. H. P. Charles, A. P. Vivian, and J. Blandy Jenkins were appointed a committee for the purpose of holding an enquiry into the question of dividing the Barry and Penarth Lpcai Board Districts into wards.

WHY THE BUTE AND BARRY BILLS WERE WITHDRAWN. THE REAL REASONS. SHAMELESS ATTEMPTS TO BLAME THE LOCAL AUTHORITIES. Some unscrupulous papers have been endeavouring to saddle the local authorities with the responsibility of having caused the withdrawal of the Bute and Barry Bills. We have from the first warned our readers not to put any faith in explanations made by interested parties. The real reason for the withdrawal of the Bute Bill may be gathered from the following extract from the" Cardiff Letter" of a well-known London trade journal, and our readers may easily gauge from it what value should be attached to the opinion of those who accuse the Barry and "Ca loxton Local Board with causing the withdrawal of the Barry Bill. The Cardili correspondent of the journal referred to writes:— A good deal of disappointment has been caused by the announcement that the Bute Docks Company have withdrawn their bill for the construction of a new dock on the foreshore. The reason alleged by the local Press for the abandonment of the scheme is the threatened opposition by the Corporation and the falling off lately in the coal imports. As the Corporation, however, simply lodged a petition to protect the in- terests of the town as far as concerned the outfall sewer and the withdrawal of water from the river Taff, it is absurd to suppose the above was the real reason. I have reason to believe that the Board of Trade are responsible for the withdra val of the Bill. They dis- covered that the enclosure of such a large area ;f the foreshore as was proposed by the Bute Dock; Company would encroach very seriously on the anrhorage ground reserved for the pilot boats Mid 1 understand they gave notice of their int-ei.tion to oppose the Bill. Of course this will necessitate some alteration or modifi- ca+ M)n of the scheme, and may delay the construction of the dock for a considerable time "The Barry Dock Company have also agreed to withdraw their Bill for the construction of another dock at Barry. Though this will, no doubt, be dis- appointing to the trading community, it is, perhaps, the best thing that could have happened for the district. Barry is at present very much overbuilt, and the de- lay in the construction of the dock will have the effect of checking further rash speculation."

is, one guinea per week—for the first twelve months, and after that his wage should be 4s. a day, or 24s. a week. One iireman com- plained that he had been working on the railway for 13 months, and that he had never received more than £ 1 a week. For twelve months, therefore, the Company had been unjustly withholding from this fireman one shilling per week, and for a month they had deprived him of 4s.. which was justly his due according to the settlement. The cleaners, who occasionally act as firemen, have also their grievances. It seems that the weekly hours of the cleaners are 72, while the hours of the fire- men are only (>0. When, however, a cleaner is temporarily taken from the shed to act as fire- man, it is but fair that. since he is doing a fireman's work, he should work the hours and earn the wages of a fireman. This the Company will not allow, and treat the cleaner Avho acts as fireman exactly on the same terms as they treat the ordinary cleaner. Another grievance, which, though not appealing with the same force to the general public, is keenly felt by the men is this. The Company sometimes wish to em- ploy a man on Mabon's Day, and then dock him off on some other day of the week. The men contend that the rule in force on the Taft and Rhymney lines should be introduced on the Barry, and that if a man is compelled to work on Mabon's day he should be guaranteed his full week's work of sixty or seventy-two hours, as the case may be. The last grievance which we shall mention will show the hard case of the men. It seems that every third week the hydraulic men have to work Sunday and Sunday night—thus making their total hours of work during the week 00 hours -in order to change turn of duty and to afford one Sunday's relief in three. We feel that there is no need to point out the great hard- ship which this rule entails on the men, and how necessary it should be, in a Christian country at all events, that one day's rest in the week should be provided for every man. We are no Sabbatarians, but no sane man will say that 96 hours' work in the week is not excessive_ We have gone through the men's grievances calmly and without prejudice and we confi- dently believe that our readers will come to only one conclusion on the matter—that the Company should be compelled to stick to their strike agreement, and that the men on the Ba.rry line should be treated as well and as fairly as men employed on the TafE and Rhymney lines. I