The Birkenhead News and Wirral General Advertiser. — 1903-12-19 (Birkenhead, Merseyside, England)

LLB., Vict., from among the candidates from Liverpool, who served two-thirds of his period of service there, having the best examination, and attained TO :V-ary distinction, the council have awarded to him the gold medal founded by Mr. Timpron Martin, of Liverpool. Mr. Bell served his clerkship with Mr. George Percival M 36011, of the firm of Messrs. Meson, Grier-1 son, and Martin, of Liverpool, and obtained the Law Society's prize at the honours examination held in June, 19d3.  The roads of the district are in a truly shocking state. and unless some responsible pensions pay some atention to them the stories I hear of carts being up to the axle. trees in mud will be confirmed. The County Court ii is being roundly abused by , local tradesmen for the faith they are dis'cloying ill the matter of the.repair of their part of the road from Birkenhead to soy, lake. They simply spread metal over the surface of the road and leave it for the wheeLs of passing vehicles to do the rolling and grind the stones into a compact bed in the thick mire which is several inches deep. It is not expected that the County will be affected by abuse—they only display a solicitude tor the state of the roads when some neighbouring authority has cut them up for the purpose of laying a pipe-line for water, or when they are doling out a pittance to their neighbours and supporters on a,cccurit of the main roads which they (the neighbours) have kept in good repair. On : more than one occasion the mire has been so deep that 1 have been tempted to as the passing wheelmen to stop and see if their machines would not remain upright, unsupported except by the mire in which they stand.  An interesting event took place at West Kirby laet Saturday, when lir. Edmund Rathbone held a public reception at his last built house in Graham-road. The object of the reception was to show what could be done by uniting an artistic exterior to a tasteful interior. in which object he was willingly assisted by a few friends who kindly lent. the ne.ww,ary furniture, china, and pictures. The result was west gratifying, and all visitors tigteed that the object had been splendidly attained.  Attention is directed to tho performance to be given in the Public Hall. West Kirby. thia (Saturday) evening of "Phe Passport." This event is being given in connection with the local Literary Society, and it is to be hoped that there will be a record attendance.  NESTON AND PARKGATE None of the tragedies which have occurred during the post few months in Neston and ! district has been sadder than that about which an inquest was held before the DeputyCoroner on Monday afternoon. The deceased girl was aged la. and on Wednesday night of last week was missed. On Saturday morning her dead body was found on the shore in ' the neighbourhood of Porkgate. In the interim it was discovered that she had stolen mosey to the value of between .t 2 and It is impossible to say whether the poor girl had pilfered designedly or as the result of an unsound mind, for the evidence showed that for years she bad suffered from pains in her head, and had lately been somewhat strange in her manner. Under the circumstances the jury could do nothing else but return a verdict of "'Found drowned." The theory of suicide is generally disputed, exhaustion being the more probable cause of death. Much sympathy has been expressed for the girls' parents in their terrible bereavement.  That welcome herald to so many of the approach of Christinas, the tontine "divide" has been conspicuous this week, when the hundred or more members of the Brewers' Arms tontine drew their amounts of £1 9d. in return for a weekly subscription of ninepence.  Saturday's smoking concert at the Liberal Club drew a giiod attendance, maga being delivered in acceptable manlier by Mr. Mostar, MT. S. Flacd. Master W. Rorke. Mr. Thornpery.). ant others.  Last. week's sale work at the Town Ball proved even more successful than was anticipated, the amount spent totalling to about AKI, from which there wit', he a slight deductiou  Neatou football Club continues its career of wonderful anemia. their victims on Saturday being Boston, who gave seven goals in exchange for one.  As was °sly to be expected. Thursday evening's concert by the Neston and MS' trict Musical Society was moot monomial, or under the energetic smretaryship of Mrs. Lewis Grant the society has done much to prove that its formation was warranted. The Stet part of the programme was taken up by a rendering of Sterndale-Bentiett's "May Queen" by a large band and chorus, the principals being Miss Grace Collins. Mies Amy Leedam, Mr. It. L. Moore. and M. Frank Adams. On the whole the singing was excelleM and thoroughly enjoyed. The second half of the entertainment was otrapied by miscellaneous item,  - Ou Thiusday and Friday a saie of work was held at Dr. Riddook's eachoolroom in Little Neaten, in order that the end of the year may see the clearance of the debt on the Primitive Methodist Chapel. At the .beginning of the year the debt was ..€l5O. Of this .C5O was accounted for by a meeting in February. addressed by the Rec. •o. 0n!.,....!r.Wa1k,-.r; and Mr. W. H. Lever said  that he would give -£25 if the rest of the money owing was forthcoming this year. Another .C 25 was raised by a. concert, thus leaving £5O to be raised. As the takings on the first day of the sale of work totalled £4O. there is no doubt that through all this magnificent work the £l5O debt will disappear before January Ist.  The room was very prettily arranged, and the sale was opened by Mrs. R. Bushell, with Colonel Lloyd presiding. The stall-holders were Mrs. J. Mentor, The Laurels"; Mrs. Mealor, Ness; Miss S. Mealor, Mies E. Dodd, Mrs. Wild, Miss Wild, Miss Hobbs, Mrs. A. Pritchard, Miss Gair. Miss Wild, Mr. Mercer and family, Mrs. Shepherd, Miss Matthews, Miss Connie Smith, Mrs. and MSS FlOW'et h.