Welsh Journals

CARNARVON CIVIC GUILD OF HELP Hon. Secretaries-Miss Louisa Rees, PIas Brereton. Mr. J. H. Roberts, Aelybryn. This organisation was established in 1909 for the purpose of helping the needy, preventing the overlapping of charitable efforts and generally to improve the conditions of life in the town. The administration is in the hands of an executive committee, of whom the Mayor is Chairman ex officio, and among its members are seven ladies and gentlemen who have charge of the various districts, these again having each a staff of helpers. It is supported entirely by means of voluntary sub- scriptions and the administration expenses are purely nominal. Food, including milk, is given to a con- siderable extent in necessitous cases as well as clothing and footgear. Hospital fees are paid and also railway fares of persons going away to work. CARDIFF NATURALISTS' SOCIETY Hon. Assistant Sec.: Mr. Gilbert D. Shepherd. Gresham Chambers, Kingsway, Cardiff. The various Sections of the Society have been actively worked during the winter. The Biological & Geological Section is co-operating with the Plant Protection Section of the Selborne Society in endeavouring to take steps towards the preservation of some of the rarer plants, which are at present in great danger of extinction. Some plants. which a few years ago were more or less common, have actually disappeared from our district, and it is a curious fact that botanists and collectors are themselves responsible in many cases for this disappearance. The publica- tion of the locality in which a certain rare plant may be found leads to the spot being visited by a number of keen botanists, and the removal of specimens has sometimes the disastrous effect already referred to. This matter is of considerable importance to Wales in view of the many interesting specimens of plant and animal life which are to be found within its borders. The Meteorological Committee of the Society has been collecting information regarding the tornado which visited South Wales on October 28th last, and a most valuable paper has been prepared by Mr. Max A. Wright summarising the effects of the tornado, and discussing the possible cause. Mr. John Ward, F.SA, on behalf of the Arch- aeological Section is just completing the concluding report on the excavations of the Roman fort at Gellygaer, and this report will appear in the next volume of transactions of the Society. The excava- tions have been carried out in a very thorough manner, and the two sections of the report which have already been published. with Mr. Ward's concluding chapters, form one of the most complete statements on Roman Work in this Country. THE Y. M. C. A. During the last ten years the Y.M.C.A. has made great progress in this country. An indication of the truth of this statement is shown in the number of new buildings that have been erected, including those at Newport. Pontypridd, Bangor, Merthyr, Llanelly, Ammanford, Porthcawl and Swansea. Cardiff has also extended its work, and now has a central building and a branch at Grangetown, together with four Workmen's Institutes in Canton, Roath, Adamsdown and Splott districts. An attempt is being made to introduce theY.M.C.A programme into the miners' institutes in South Wales, and so extend the field of influence. Permanent holiday homes were established at Colwyn Bay and Llandudno so that progress is shown in many directions. In addition new associations were established and old organisations revived, such as Barry and Carnarvon, until there is now reasonable hope that within a short period no town of any size in Wales will be without its Y.M.C.A. More recently considerable attention has been given to the formative period of a man's life, and much is being done for the boys in their hours of recreation and leisure, working in conjunction with such agencies as Scouts and Boys Brigades. Such Junior Sections, as they are called, have proved very successful at Cardiff, Swansea and Newport. The general aim of the Y.M.C.A. is to deal with men in their leisure hours-to provide them with facilities for recreation, social intercourse, educational and religious work. To that end it is non-political, and interdenominational and welcomes men of all creeds. It is not a sect for it has no rites, ceremonies, or sacraments, and its basis seeks to unite all men. But it is Christian in its aim and ideals it is demo- cratic in its government. And as it seeks to provide agencies that will meet the physical. social, intellectual and spiritual needs of the young men. it is doing much to occupy a man leisure profitably, and prevent him joining the ranks of the wrecked and wretched. The Y.M.C.A. aims at preventive not rescue work.