OUR ABERDARE - FUND-POINTS - FROM LETTERS

A further collection of excerpts from readers' letters about our fund is appended. "Many correspondents express the hope. that the money may - be spent iocally.. This week we are 'glad to include typical extracts from letters received from Aberdare shopkeepers. . -

"A. Losing Coal Shareholder" writes enclose a cheque for a guinea, crossed Aberdare a/c, for the South Wales Miners' Fund, and heartily congratulate you on your' edemas- and patriotic sympathy- in a worthy cause.

- Mtae E.- G. Evan-s, White Hayis, Chorley Wood, Berta- - -I hope, with many- of your subscribers, that the Fund can be - used to help *a new and permanent industry for the distressed people, but meanwhile any small relief that can be provided in this bitter- weather- must be an' urgent necessity:

Rev. Louis Bush, Szict nton Rectory, Bridgwater.

' Many thanks' for your letter re the donation to the Spectator Aberdare Fund, and enclosing. a copy of the letter from the Town Clerk of Aberdare with the names and addresses of the two families that will benefit froin our 'donations. I am glad, to be able to tell you that I hope now to be able to send you £7 a month for.the next two months instead of the £4 promised, more subscriptions having come in.'

A Clergyman writes . - I should like to help as far as I can. I have already sent a small - subscription to your Aberdare Fund, but that involved no sacri- fice. An extra 5s. a week as suggested will hurt, but no matter- " nit° Me " is sufficient motive. My gift may possibly drop before Easter. I am an oldish retired Missionary Clergyman, 74, . existing on a small pension and now almost confined to my bed, and it is more than likely that I shall spend, next Easter with the LOrd. Please excuse pencil, I may not use ink, and can only write lying on my back. I enclose my first Ss., the veriest trifle

for the least of My little ones. -

Mr. J. Pollock, 79 and 81 Mortimer Street,- Regent Street, London, W. 1.

I enclose herewith cheque for £2 17s., the proceeds of the , collection at Chaldon Church, and am ,sorry _the amount is not It is a tiny country chUrch, and the bad weather 'kept many away, some of whom have to come one and a-half to two miles

. through the dark country lanes. .

_ "L. 1)..W.," 4 The Grove, Highgate Village, N. 8.. _ -

During the week before Christmas my family of four children and three servants and ourselves (two) had a " self-denial week" during which we all lived on strictly economical rations, and also each put into the box as much as we could give. I am glad to be able to hand, you the result, this little sum of £2 10s., to help in the Aberdare Fund.

A. B. S., Norfolk. I enclose £1-5s. weekly for one family for four weeks in - Aberdare. I -wish I could do more, 'and will try and send each month, but I am only a poor parson.

Mrs. E. Williamson, 40 Manor House, Marylebone Road, N.W. 1. I enclose cheque for £6 to provide 5s. per week for two families until Easter, and hope you will succeed in getting the 1,500

donors desired. _

" A Christmas Party." " Arden," Barnt Green, Worcestershire. It is our hope that you will endeavour to fmance any scheme which will afford permanent employment to the miners of Aber- dare ; as this is the only way the fund you are collecting can do any permanent good. The many calls upon the fund will render this difficult, but we hope you will put this idea before your committee in Aberdare, who will, no doubt, be able to find cases where a few pounds may enable a man to start some work or move ,to another place. We wish you every success in your

. splendid scheme. .

The Hon. Mrs. Aline Davey, 9 Somerset Place, Bath.

I enclose a cheque for £3 58., being a contribution of 5s. a week for the next three months towards extra food for the miners' children, as suggested in your last issue. But please use it as you think best for the miners' relief. I do not wish to hamper you in any way. I very earnestly hope that some way may be found of starting ereployment locally—and-feel that the Spectator may be able to do great service by ventilating this subject. With every.

• good wish for the increased success of your splendid endeavour.

Mr. L. Green, 44 Inglis Road, Ealing, W. 5. I have great pleasure in enclosing cheque for £2, for your Aber- dare Rind. I am glad to read that the distribution of the Spec- tator Fund has been placed in the hands of representative persons,

who will know so well the needs of the people. All good wishes to the Fund. .

Mr. G. W. Fletcher, Grocer and ProvisiOn Merchant, Aberdare.

I would like to express my appreciation of the manner in which Distress vouchers are being issued by the Aberdare Service Committee. The. system employed enables each individual to obtain that which is required most, and the vouchers are un- doubtedly being used, by thein, to • the best advantage. OUr thanks are due primarily, to the Editor of the Spectator, who has „so kindly provided the wherewithal to finance a scheme which has done so much to Alleviate the distress in this area. •

Mr. John Evans, Wholesale. Provision ,Merchants, Merthyr.

In supporting your Voucher Scheme, may I emphasize the gross unfairness of purchasing commodities for miner's families in areas not affected by Unemployment. The traders in dis- tressed areas have undoubtedly been very badly hit for some time past ; they have irree.oyerable debts and are subjected to increased rates---nevertheless they are expected to contribute to all local charities. The present entry of hundreds of hampers into. their districts and the resultant decline in trade, seems to be adding insult to injury. The situation could be dealt with As cheaply and efficiently by local traders as others in more prosper- ous districts by the adoption of vouchers drawn in their favour, with the added advantage of the recipients being able to choose the goods they most require. The greatest cry to-day is for the support of home industries, and " Local Traders should supply

- Local. Needs." • Mrs. Blanche Winder, Graythwaite Manor, Grange-over-Sande, writes : We have a local relief organization here which, perhaps, has the first claim on us, but I should be glad to help a little if an effort were guide to start rabbit-keeping brarich at Aberdare in ',Connexion with the present established industry. After all, did *not our great cotton and woollen industries have their beginnings in the cottages and farms of the North ?