THE COLLECTION OF TITHES IS WALES.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume V, Issue 1406, 13 November 1886, Page 3

THE COLLECTION OF TITHES IS WALES.

A large meeting o! farmers lying in the Vale of Olwyd and district of North Wales was held at the national schools, Pentre Celyn, Lainfair, on Slat August, to consider the action they should adopt towards the rectors of .the various parishes who have given notice of their intention to distain for tithes. Delegates were present frun all the surrounding parishes, and it was resolved that common action would be taken in resisting payment to the uttermost, and to institute a constitu-. tlonal agitation for the t< ti! repaa! of the impost. It was s ated that at a previous Meet at the schoo's thirty fanners enrolled their names, and determined to have their goods sold at public auction before paying. At present, active operations between rectors and tenant farmer ate confined to four parishes, one of which is Llanrhaldr, a little village a few miles out of Denbigh. The vicar, the Rev J P. M-rgari, who has been quite recently instituted, ctatus that a deputation of farmers waited upon him and asked for a reduction on toe tithes then becoming due. He expressed his sympathy with them, but add that in setting such a precedent he had to consider the circumstances of his brother clergy who had smaller livings. He would consult them, and rep'y latter on. The living cf Llanrhaidr had deprecia’ed more than £IOC e-year in value since his pr;decessor held it. He and the deputation parted excellent friends, the farmers expressing the hope that their conduct would not be like the conduct < f their neighbors at Llandyrno.’. The farmers, however, subsequently held h meeting, and wrote to him demanding h redaction of 25 per cent. He replied tbst it was Impossible for him to en'ertain the demand, and, shou'd they persistently refuse to pay the tithes, he should be reluctantly compelled to a.' t as other rectors were doing The farmers of Llandrhaidr state that of 300 fanners in the parish no less than 250 refu ed to pay the tithe at the audit on i 3 h J ly, ond there is no reason to believe that any of them have sir ce paid the money. They say there h*s been a great fall in the prices cf agricultural produce. In Llanrhaidr parish Mure L an Anti-tithe Association, with an acting chairman and secretary. Tbe gross amount of the tithes there Is £760, which is, however, divided between three livtnaa. At Llanarmcn the rect r, the Rev. Bvau Evans, Is under police protection, several men being stationed in and about the rectory-house. Un Sunday, the So:h nit., as the rev. gentleman walked to the parish church, he was guarded by two members of the Denbighshire constabulary. The rev. gentleman’s sermon had raferene to the painful dispute in tbe pariah. The farmers warmly disclaim any personal intention of doing Violence to the vicar: The Socialists are actively at work among the di°ag-cted farmers, and have printed a pamphlet and ■own it broadcast.

The tithe agitation in the principally KttA extended from Penbighshire to Cardiganshire, where memorials to the Icoambents at Peu.bryn and olh r rural districts, praying for a substantial redaction in lb ; i.—l charges, are being extensively signed by the farmers. A conference of Cardiganshire farmer s baa also been snmmoned for the purpose of considering the ques ion cf rents and tithes.