... CHORAL FESTIVAL AT SWANSEA. The annual festival of the members of the Choral Union of the Archdeaconry of Carmarthen was held at St. Marys Church on Tuesday. The following choirs were present and took St. Mary's, St. James's, St. Mark's, Kilvoyf and. Ohristchurcb (Swansea); Mumbles, Llaasamlet, Kidwelly, Llandilo, and Llangennech; St. Peter's, St. John's, and Christcburch (Llanelly); ...

... WILIJIAMSTOWN. RECOGNITION ERVICES,-The anniversary ser- vices in connection with Saron Independent CtIapel were held on Sunday and Monday, and advantage was taken cf the occasion on Monday to recognise as pastor tbe Rev LI. S. Davies, late of Shawnee, America, bat a native of Liandyssul, Cardiganshire. Tbe Rv D. Thomas, Cvmor, introduced the service the Rev T. P. Phillips (the pastor of Mr ...

... l mtNTRAL NEWS TELEGRAM. 1 BRUSSELS, Friday Evening.—Count Von der Stratenponthoz, Grand Marshal of the Court, died this morning at the age of 81 years in Brussels. He bad a distinguished diplomatic career. Entering the services of his country in 1831, he was attached to the Court of Louis Philippe, King of the French, in 1847, and at a latter period was Belgian Minister to the Holy See and to ...

... AN EFFICIENT SCHOOL—The board school scholars here have again done excellently at the Government examinations. Tbe passes are actually over 99 per cent, ...

... THE LONGEST DEBATE ON RECORD. The New Zealand House of Representatives adjourned on Saturday after a continuous silting of 76 hours, entirely given up to the discussion of the Representation Bill. The object of this/ measure, which was introduced by the Govern- ment, is to give the country districts a. third more members of Parliament than the towns. The debate will be resumed to-day, and it ...

... CARDIFF. MONDAY.—Before Mr T. W, LEWIS (stipendiary), D PAINK, and Mr J. LK BOCLANGlCR. TWICNTY-XIIVIC SHILLINGS A Wil- liams, 23, was charged on bail with refusing to pay his tramway fare at Crwys-road on the 27th inst. The prisoner not only refused to pay, but produced a smali piece of paper which he had torn from a large sheet, and pretended that the conductor had given it to him. —The ...

... The Speaker took the chair at five minutes past three o'clock. LOCAL PETITIONS. Petitions were presented in 'avour of Sunday Closing by Mr Pugh from the Calvinistic Metho- dists Association in South Wales; by Air T. P. Price from JtMaeuavoa, from the Congrega tionalists and inhabitants of Abarsychan, and from the railway servants of the Eastern Valley section of the Great Western Itailway; ...

... roThe Lancet learns that the amount of tha Hospital Sunday Fund to be distributed among the metropolitan hospitals and infirmaries this year will amount approximately to £ 40,000. GURNSEY'S Carriage Lamps, 10s 3d pair. Works, 43, Merchant-sc., Uristol. Ship, hotel, street lamps.2171 NEWPORT GRAND ANNUAL ATHLETIC MKHTING. -As it is doubtful whether the Mountain Battery It. A. will return to ...

... PvHYMNEY RAILWAY. ^abject to audit, the directors or the Rhymnev uailvfay Company recommend that a dividend at the rate of 10 per cent, per annum be paid on ihe Ordinary Stock for the half-year ending June last, leaving a balance of £ 2;5'31 to be carried to next account. ...

... HEARTLESS DESERTION AT ABERGAVENNY. At Abergavenny police-court on Wednesday— bnfore Mr James Homfrey (chairman), the Rev E. A. Ely, Messrs W. Llewellyn and F. Haubury-W ill iatns-Joi)n Steward, a plasterer, was summoned by the board of guardians for allowing his wife and child to become chargeable to the union. Maria Steward said she was defen- dant's wife. On the 5th of Juue last they ...

... THE WESLEY AN CONFER- ENCE. DISCUSSION ON MISSION WORK. This conference reassembled at Sheffield on Wednesday morning, the new president (the Rev. C. H. Kelly) in the chair. THE DEATH BOLL. The first business was the mournfnl one of reading the obituaries of ministers who have died during the year. The list is not a longer one than usual, but it contains the names of several ministers who have ...

... j THE DELAGOA BAY INCIDENT. | Sit JOHN COLOMB asked the Under Secretary of ( State for Foreign Affairs whether, notwifhstand- ing the representations of her jetty's Government, the Portuguese G:veimneut h«wl Cancelled tlia i>efago» IWiTroj- concassion, and if so whether the Govern- ment proposed to take any immediate id decisive action in order to secur* the due protection of British ...