The London Kelt

Xizttj, kcctza & Qto. THANKS to the kindness and geniality of a fellow JL countryman I was able (writes a KELT corresp- ondent), to have y run through the London premises of the above firm at 7, Watling Street, St. Pauls, the other day. I had heard it stated, or read in books, of the wonderful amount of labour involved in the turning out of a single pin or needle, but when I was confronted with huge shelf-fulls of them, and a statement as to the quantity manufactured every year by this firm alone, the figures appeared stupendous. In matter of reckoning they apper to have millions for their units, and when we consider the large quantities of packets that are being sold daily, from the proverbial your change with thanks to the elaborate five shilling or half-guinea cabinet, we may be able to guess something of the enormous number that are turned out annually. With their many varieties Messrs K. B. & Co. are able to meet the demands of all trades for these useful articles of the community, and being an old established house it commands business with the leading dealers of the world. It also has numerous special articles for the Drapery trade which are noted among London and provincial houses, such as Stay Busks, Curling Irons, Dress preservers and many others, suitable for haber- dashers and drapers. The London trade is mostly represented by Mr. Joseph an ardent Welshman, well-known to all the leading drapery establishment in London who it may be said are nearly all Welsh. With his 28 years experience and host of Welsh friends as buyers Mr. J. is able to push the interest of the firm very successfully in the metropolitan area. Friends from the country who are in the trade, if they will only call, will always have a genial greet- ing, either by Mr. Joseph or by Mr. Smith the respected manager of the firm's interests in London.

A table of the average attendance in Voluntary and Board Schools in all the counties of England and Wales is just published. In Wales the number of Voluntary Schools is 768, and the number of children in average attendance 86,714. Board Schools number 664, and the average attendance of scholars 125,380. The grant paid in 1892-3 to Board Schools was £ 116,408 19s. 6d., and to Volun- tary Schools 978,179 is. 3d. It may not be generally known that a former owner of the town of Johannesburg is now an inmate of Guildford Workhouse. Before the Transvaal was possessed by the Boers, he had purchased 15,000 acres of land for £350, he having purchased the land with a view of settling upon it. The rising of the Boers prevented his enjoyment of the property, and when the Republic was declared in 1880, he received an offer from President Kruger to accept service under the Republic. He refused the Presi- dent's offer, and, as a consequence, his land was confiscated. The land now is valued at many millions. Wales looked her very best in the deputation which waited upon the Chancellor of the Exchequer on Friday last. The deputation was probably the most complete and representative of its kind that was ever organized in Wales. It included men who are widely separated in political views, religious sympathies, and social stations. We deeply regret that Sir Michael Hicks Beach could not see his way clear to accede to the just claim of the Welsh Uni- versity. That Parliament has a responsibility towards the University will be admitted, and, pro- bably, by no one more readily than the present Chancellor of the Exchequer. The obligations of Parliament are two-fold—the legal and the moral. Parliament was a party to the creation of the Uni- versity, and upon it lies the responsibility of seeing that the National institution shall be financially sup- ported. The efforts made by the Welsh people in the cause of education, their enthusiastic support of every educational movement, has not been equalled, much less excelled, by any other people known to history. We do not believe that Sir Michael Hicks- Beach will ultimately refuse the grant asked by the deputation. The principle upon which the Govern- ment has proceeded in the past, and will no doubt be their guiding light in the future ,is that grants of this kind should always correspond to some extent, with local exertions, and, we know, it is one from the application of which the Welsh people would be the last to shrink. It would be useless for us to pretend that the University of Wales will secure what she asks, but we are satisfied that the position is not hopeless. But Governments are deeply pledged to its support, and the court might count upon getting from the Treasury a substantial annual grant.