OUR . ABERDARE FUND—POINTS FROM LETTERS. A further selection of excerpts

from the letters of contributors to our Fund is printed below. Many writers express the hope

that some proportion of the money may be used in exploring the possibilities of establishing new industries in Aberdare and the South Wales Coalfield generally.

Rev. Louis Bush, Spaxton Rectory, Bridgwater, Somerset.

We collected £10 and have promises amounting to £4 a month for three months. I have much pleasure in sending you a cheque for the £10 and will forward the £4 promised, month by month, as it comes in. Spaxton is only a small agricultural Parish, with no one in it who can give largely. If it is possible, it would add much to the interest of the subscribers if the money they send could be given to one family, and the name and address forwarded to me. We should then feel personally in touch with those we desire to help.

[We are arranging with the Aberdare Service Committee for the names of the families helped to be supplied to the generous donors at Bridgwater. We commend the plan of the adoption of families through the Aberdare Committee.—ED. Spectator.] Mrs. A. R. Robinson, Rockwell House, nr. Flax Bourton, Somerset. I enclose a cheque for 2 guineas and hope to send the same amount again in January, 1929.

[Many readers have promised to send monthly contributions.— ED. Spectator.]

Miss L. M. Galloway, High School for Girls, East Dereham, Norfolk. We sent off yesterday two chests of clothes for your fund and I now enclose cheque for £5. This is a country school of 185 girls, in a much depressed agricultural area, and we support a slum settlement in London, so you must forgive the smallness of our gift."

An American Constant Reader of the SPECTATOR, c/o Bankers Trust Co., Place Venddme, Paris.

The enclosed is a contribution to the Spectator Aberdare Fund from an American Constant Reader of the Spectator.

Miss A. E. Lewis, 74 West Hill, Sydenham, S.E. 26.

I hope the Spectator's plan to found a new industry in the town may be accomplished.

" R. M. C." Rokeby, Barnard Castle, Yorks. It is indeed a great idea, and the personal interest of a direct link must appeal to all your readers.

X writes:— Would it be possible for the Spectator to publish the names of miners' daughters, with their ages and addresses, willing to be trained as domestic servants'? I feel sure that many people who cannot give money to the Fund would take a girl of 14 or 15 or older and give her an outfit and wages and teach her to earn her living and help her family thereby.

Brigadier-General and Mrs. T. N. Howard, Woodhayes, Wood!ands, Southampton. I venture to suggest, however, that we are not doing these men a kindness if these contributions lead them to believe that they can remain on indefinitely in a place where there is no hope of further employment. This is not the spirit in which History shows us that many other groups—similarly situated— have faced their misfortunes.

They have " trekked " to where they could make a fresh start —even if the form of employment there was new and uncon- congenial. If—as we are told—there is no further hope for them in this country, as miners—it is up to them to " cut their losses " and go to where there is work. A Fund to enable them to do this would no doubt meet with a greater response than one which still leaves them idle.

Mr. Thomas England, I High Street, Romford.

It seems highly improbable that the Coal Industry will ever be able to absorb the majority of its unemployed, therefore would it not be wise to offer the opportunity to emigrate to some of our Colonies, to those who would like to have a chance elsewhere ? tWe hope to print a letter next week from the Hon. Secretary of the Overseas League Migration Committee, Park Place, St. James's Street, London, S.W. 1, offering to place fifty young men and boys from Aberdare in Canada.—ED., Spectator.

Mr. H. Nowell Harington, Word-en, ,Leyland, Lanes. I hope to make the contribution monthly for AlY months.

Mr. C. E. Aitken, Manor Lea, Shottermill, Haslemere, Surrey.

• In regard to miners Alone, Haslemere and its surrounding parishes are talking of adopting a town or village in Wales, and as I am, more interested in the North I have promised to try to help a little,. in financing small industries to occupy some of the displaced' miners on • the benders of Nbrthumbetland- ,that seems a very good thing to de.

. It may interest you and possibly some of my fellow-readers, to know that, so as to be able to, swell my contribution by means

"H. W. _K." writes •

of a definite economy, I have cut my midday meal out of my daily programme for some time past, and feel all the better for it, though I am a man of 6 ft. 4 in. and weigh nearly 18 stone. The consequent gain in time is positively exhilarating. If I save only Is. per diem it will enable me to contribute at the rate of £18 per annum, and this I will gladly undertake to do.

Miss M. E. Lewis (Girls' Public Day School Trust, Ltd.), Wimbledon High School, Manse! Road, S. W. 19.

I beg to enclose a cheque for £2 10s., a contribution from " Some Girls of Wimbledon High School to the Miners' Relief Fund (AberdareY.

Miss H. M. Souper, Grantchester Meadows, Cambridge.

May I venture to suggest—as 'an old. old woman---with long experience—that some of the money collected should be spent .upon material for clothing to be made by the poor women them- selves, and wool, that the men and boys might learn to knit into useful clothing. A large room and good fire would be attraction enough and a few hours actual work instead of idleness, a boon.

Mr. and Mrs. F. G. de Faye, " Pamproux," La Rocque, Jersey. C.I. I knew Aberdare forty years ago, it was then a prosperous little town.

Mr. Arthur E. Wells,•Westbury Lodge, Durdham Down, Bristol.

I stn enclosing cheque for £5 and hope to send a similar amount in January, February, and March, 1929.

Crofton Lodge, 7 Culverden Park Road, Tunbridge Wells.

Mrs. Hayes will send another donation later on. and would be especially glad to do so, if any part of the Spectator's Fund could be earmarked for any scheme that seemed calculated to provide work rather than just relief. Perhaps Canon Lewis, whose letter is in the Spectator of December 15th, might have a practical suggestion to offer ?

Messrs. George Robinson ce Co., 109 Princess Street, Manchester. After reading about your admirable and practical scheme for helping 'the South Wales Mining Districts in distress, we are sending you 10 lb. Ceylon tea, which please distribute as laid down in your article in last week's Spectator. Hoping you may get a large and prompt response to your appeal.

H. Cartwright, Hon. Sec., Abercwmboi C'ricket Club, 72 Bronallt Terrace, Abercumsboi, Aberdare, Glam.

I am writing this on behalf of the above club. Abercwmboi is a village in the Urban District of Aberdare, Glam., in the heart of a devastated area. All our members are unemployed, thus the reason for this appeal to your paper and its readers. We have won the shield and cup put up for competition in this area, during the last three seasons and are hoping to do so next season. Our appeal is not for money, but we feel that if you could give this appeal prominence. some Cricket Lovers or (lute in better circumstances would respond by sending us any spare or cast-off cricket accessories for which they have no further use. We shall be grateful for the least of offerings.

C. H. and R. S., 105 Gleneldon Road, Streatham, S.W. 16.

I should like to point out, however, as I am sure you will realize, that this and all such Funds are palliatives only,and leave the real trouble entirely untouched. The problem is not to be solved by private, or even by State charity, however long continued, and I do hope you will urge upon the Government, which rejected the recommendations of the Coal Commission's report, their respon- sibility for adopting some other constructive plan for revitalizing the industry."

The Misses A. M. and E. A. Hayes, DunTfold Grange, Godalming. It is indeed gratifying to see, in to-day s number, the wonderful response your good suggestion has met with, and we congratulate you most heartily. I think the heart of the whole. Kingdom and Nation has been roused on this occasion and I can't help feeling that our good King's ready sympathy at all times is bearing fruit in this spirit of help for those in distress.

E. M. .47well, Esq., Wellclose, Barmtaple, Devon. What a pity the Government cannot start relief works for the men, such as road-making, reclaiming land from the sea, etc., thus saving their morale.

Received of the choir of Towyn Parish Church the sum of fifteen pounds for the Aberdare Relief Fund in lieu of the annual choir supper.

[This is an example of the splendid generosity of those who are supporting our Fund. We thank the choir of the Towyn Parish Church and we hope that some reader of the Spectator will come to the rescue and enable its members to have their annual choir supper.—ED. Spectator.]