The Birkenhead News and Wirral General Advertiser. — 1906-12-29 (Birkenhead, Merseyside, England)

NESTON AND DISTRICT.  There has at last been instilled into the residents of the district something of the nature of interest in public affatrs. For ,some years enthusiasm of any description has been latent, but at the commencement of this year there were symptoms which showed that the people were being roused out of the lethargy into which they had fallen, and were becoming alive to the responsibilities that rested upon their shoulders. The General Election had a great deal to do with this, and immediately prior to the day of the election the Liberals strongly banded themselves together and worked energetically for the great cause of Liberalism. It was to the efforts of Liberalism in that portion of the division that Mr. Lever secured such a slashing victory. Not only did the male sex do their utmost, but their efforts were supplemented by the ladies, who quietly formed a branch of the Women's Liberal Association. Numerous meetings took place, but the principal was that held early in May, when Lady Dorothy Howard addreesed a meeting of women Liberals in the Liberal Club. The success of this meeting gave the necessary impetus to the movement, and in a short time there were a large number who joined the ranks, and at present there is a very strong branch formed. Since his election Mr. Lever has on several occasions visited Neston, and the attendance at these meetings te-ndetl to show that the Liberal revival is of a permanent character. Much has been done for the Catl6o through the Liberal Club, and during the year many new features have been introduced, all of which have tended to rouse the members. The Bowling Club has become a strong one, and after a series of distressing reverses succeeded in wresting from the Thornton Hough Club Mr. Kings challenge cup. The amount of pride displayed at this success outshone the gloom of previous disappointments. ,  Neaten has become notorious, urifortun'ately, by the amount of crime committed within the radius during the past twelve months. In June a Neston man, respected and respectable, committed an act which almost resulted in the murder of a young married woman, while the man committed suicide. The affair took place at Whitchurch, but nevertheless roused almost as much interest and horror as though it had taken place within the area of the district. Only two months ago two men met on Windle Hill and commenced to belabour each other with sticks. In the latter ease there was not such a serious outcome..  For two ;el.; ll;fes-t;n- has been 'saved the expanse of the erection of a new school, but the events of the past two rflontlis tend time plans plr and b@ psrepecpaireficdatiol In Februaryn sfor to show that the inevitable caitli-m. be prevented any longer, and that within a short the ofn eu m 1501 the Administrative Sub-Committee for the area decided to erect a school to accommodate 2.50 scholars on account of the serious overcrowding at the existing establishments. In ardor to meet requirements Dr. Riddock'e school was recognised by the Board of Education as a temporary school. Early this year the question of erecting a new school was again broached 'at a meeting of the Administrative SubCommittee for Education, but after a tough battle between the three Neston representatives and the rest of the Committee, the latter gave in, and then the ' matter rested for a time. Mr. Pemberton pleaded that the number of men employed at the Colliery had decreased, but there were anticipations of more being "taken" on later in the year. In October the inspector drew attention to overcrowding at the National Infants' School, and after the matter had been thoroughly thrashed out by the Committee it was found that the question had become a serious one and needed immediate attention. Consequently the Schools Accommodation Sub-Committee were asked to take such steps that will enable them to report fully at the January meeting of the Committee. In the "out districts" several important functions have taken place, but perhaps the most important was that of the Visit of the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland with Lady Aberdeen to Burton on July 28th. At the invitation of Mr. Henry N. Gladstone, who is squire of Burton. Lord and Lady Aberdeen were asked to be present at the laying of the foundation stone of the new social institute for the village. There was a large company, and as a result one of the prettiest and best equipped institutes along the Dee side has been erected. Mr. Gladston also gave a pilot of land adjoining the institute, and tMs is being transformed into a recreation ground for the villagers.