LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXIX, Issue 78, 22 May 1911, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Mr. Hugh Munro lias lioon appointed a special inspector under the Slaughtering and Inspection Act at the Inglewood Bacon Company’s works. Mr A. H. Yilo has given notice to move at the next meeting of the Wellington Education Board, ‘‘That it is undesirable that teachers in the service of the Board should accept outside positions which might tend to impair the efficiency of the school with which they are connected.” A Ballanco dairy farmer, who is a supplier to a butter factory, furnishes some particulars to the Pahiatua Herald of the value of by-products for the past season. The settler milked 48 cows, and from the skim milk reared about 50 pigs, valued at £2 os each which brought in £ll2 10s, and twelve wcanor v calves at 355, making a total return of £132 10s. It would appear that the larrikin nourishes in every part of New Zealand, from a contemporary’s lament. A disgraceful aifair is reported to have occurred at Morrinville, <in the Auckland district, where ladies gave a hall. Larrikins placed a large quan tity of Ensom salts in a copper in which water was being boiled to make tea. The strong flavour of the cea averted serious consequences. Subsequently the larrikins stole soup which was being heated, and replaced it with water. ' ' ' Locals. A Wairarapa man who is interested in the bacon industry, stated to a Pahiatua “ Herald” representative that the importation of bacon and pork to the Old Country had not been a success during the past season. Recently his firm had forwarded a consignment of six cases of bacon to England which had resulted in a loss of nearly one penny per lb., compared with New Zealand prices. Trundlors of the merry bowl will be interested in the proposed bowling tournaments to lie held in connection with the Coronation Exhibition of the Wellington Industrial Association. The matches will bo played upon Malthoid roofing spread like a great carpet, coloured to represent grass, and given a “finish” to still further simulate the natural green. Sixteen rinks will lie played at one time, and some of the best bowlers are keen to enter for the'various events. Bowls will be played both afternoon and evening. The green is situated in the Sports Stadium. During the hearing of the bush fire case at Opunakc on Thursday last the Magistrate (Mr. Fitzhcrbcrt) pointed out that a farmer was liable once ho lit a lire, for whatever damage it. might da by spreading, however careful he may be to keep it in bounds. “And,” said Mr. Spence, “there, is the other aspect, that where a fire originates accidentally the owner of the land is under no legal duty to put it out or prevent it from .spreading.” It appears from these statements that the farmer who wants his hush or rubbish burned should pray for some meddling stranger to do the lighting unasked. A juror who asked to bo excused from service at the Supremo Court, Christchurch, stated that he was a photographer of slops at Lyttelton, and urged that at present there were many ships in the harbour, so that his absence from the port would mean a loss to him. There were times when there were no ships, and he had to take advantage of the presence of vessels in port. “Then this is your time of harvest,” said his Honour, and when the man replied in the affirmative added, “Then we will treat you as a husbandman in the middle of his harvest, and excuse you.”

A party of motorists to Opunako on Thursday last consisting of Mr. Fitzherbert, S.M., Mr. Gow, of Eltham, and All - . Spence, of Stratford, driven hy Mr. Frank llhodcs, had.a somewhat unpleasant time. Leaving Stratford at (>..‘10 a.in., they reached Opunako at 10.110, having experienced frightful weather the whole way, bad roads and several slight mishaps to the car. Their return journey in the evening darkness was even more trying. My this'time the rivers were in flood, -and the party were eventually brought to a standstill at Kelly’s Crook, near Kaponga, as it was quite impossible for the car to cross. Back went flu' party to the first cross road to Manaia, and then by many roads, and roads which were not roads at all. Mr. Rhodes got them to Manaia in the inky blackness, not a bit wet or cold, and Manaia itself was thrown into darkness owing to the electric light having given out for some reason. Yesterday morning the party returned to .Stratford with great confidence in the nerve and ability of Hie cliaed'eur, but all bearing distinct evidences of their experience. Mrs Van Cottle was fond of the bottle, Tint nray don’t imagine that she Was addicted to drink, for I really , don’t think She imbided any stronger than tea. But the bottle she swore by and sot so much store by Was one that yon value I’m sure. On the label was “Woods” to distinguish the goods—’Twas fho famous “Great Pepporment Cure.” 1 I

The “Australian Draper,” a trade journal published in Melbourne,, recently instituted a shop window competition, open to all drapers’ establishments in Xcw Zealand and Australia. The results have now como to band, and the champion gold medal lias been awarded to Messrs. Wallenstein Pros., of Christchurch, for their Antarctic display. An Invercargill cabman the other day drove a faro to the south part of tlio town, and on returning to the stand a business man who engaged him to drive out to Wailriwi, found a roll of notes on the seat of the.hansom. To cabman immediately visited the heme of his previous customer and returned the money. He now complains tlmt the only reward he received for ids honesty was a modest sixpence. The British Imperial Oil Company is entering the Mow Zealand oil trade in competition with the Standard Oil Trust. The initial shipment of 100,000 eases of kerosene for tiie four principal ports of the Dominion will arrive in Auckland by the steamer John Hardie, about the 28th hist. There is said to be no intention at present of cutting prices, as it is anticipated that for the British product will enf sure business. Trade in Timaru, says the “Herald” is brisk at Hie present time, and the prominent retailors find that people are buying articles of the more costly kind. The drapers are particularly well pleased with conditions, and state that the winter goods have been bought more readily than previously. A pleasing feature is that money appears to bo more plentiful, there is loss booking, and buyers arc liberal in their purchases. Visitors to the Coronation Exhibition at Wellington will be afforded some solid reasons why local industries should be supported. It will be shown that “made in New Zealand” is no mere catch phrase. Goods made in the Dominion will be shown that for style, get-up, quality, and price are in every way equal, where not superior, to the imported corresponding article. These will range from preserves to woollens, from candles to blankets, from furniture to jewellery, it is felt by the Association that the people only need education and the Exhibition is held for the special purpose of showing what Mew Zealanders can turn out. Sherwood Downs Estate, near Fairlie, South Canterbury, which contains about 12,000 acres of freehold, purchased by the Government, and about ‘15,00 acres of surrendered leasehold, will, it is expected, be ready for being taken over by Crown tenants about March of next year. The staff of the District Lands Office, Christchurch, is to bo increased by the addition of an extra surveyor, who will go south shortly to supervise the cutting up of the estate. It will bo subdivided into mixed farms and small grazing runs.

The Stratford correspondent of the “Taranaki Herald” writes:—“l see the secretary of the Dairy Factory Workers’ Union seeks to fasten the responsibility of any future disturbance in the industry on the shoulders of the employers, inasmuch as they have declined a conference. In justice to the employers it should bo known that they only decline a conference whilst the Workers’ Union remains unregistered. Registered, the two parties meet on equal terms, but tile effect of non-registration is that the Workers’ Union would come to the conference armed with the strike weapon. You cannot blame a man for declining to meet his adversary in a friendly conference, if the latter 'insists on bringing his blunderbuss with him. Soft words butter no parsnips.” At Te Puia Hot Springs, north of • Gisborne, where there is a Government accommodation house, there issues from the ground a considerable amount of natural gas, and the lessee has frequently expressed the opinion that there is sufficient gas in the vicinity to light up the accommodation house and baths, and also for cooking purposes. Recently Mr. W. ]). S. Macdonald, M.P., made representations to the Tourist Department for certain improvements at Te Puia, including the installation of a gas plant. * Tliis the Hon. T. Mackenzie lias sanctioned (telegraphs a correspondent), and it is understood the Department intends to instal a gasometer in order to utilise the natural gas. A curius incident is (writes a London correspondent) reported at Cheltenham, the population of which is just about 50,000, or enough to make a county borough. If the census .- owed 50,000, and the change was made, the license duties in the town would under the Budget at once jump up some £IOOO a year. Accordingly certain breweries paid the expense of employees, wives, and children for a week-end holiday, so that the town should be depleted of a number of the usual inhabitants. On the other hand, Dover wa« eager to become a county borough, and the Mayor there appealed to citizens to stay at noma to help to make up the 50,000. Colombo Si root, Christchurch, which extends, from the Cashmere Hills to St. Albans, covers a distance of 3J miles, and it is statedd to be the longest street in New Zealand. When tho re-numbering of the streets was carried out recently, the last house on one side of Colombo Street in St. Albans was numbered 1072, and the number on the other side turned o'i to be 1071, says the “Press.” ,%:ch “level pegging” did not occur in the case of any other of the long streets of the city, the discrepancy found between the last number on one side and the last on the other being sometimes very considerable.

The Mayor of Dunedin (Mr. Burnett) lias supplied the “Otago Lady Times” with a possible explanation of the discovery hy a census enumerator of seven al corpses at Runanga, on t e Napier-Taupo Road. It was eonj* ctured that the corpses might he chose of a family who hid for safety ,u a hole at the time of the Mohaka massacre in 1860. Mr. Burnett suggests that the corpses were those of the Lavan family—father and mother and three children, who were massacred oy the Hauhaus, and were buried by a company of the Hawke’s Bay Militia, in which ho was at that time an ensign. This company was sent to the relief of the Europeans, and found the dead bodies of the members of the family. A Frenchman bought a house in the country, and had hardly settled there when the local band called and asked for his subscription to its funds. Ho put his name down for a contribution. which as he understood, entitilod him to he serenaded on Snndeys. Sundays came and went. The band played at various houses, but never at bis Finally, the “Telegraph” says, the band called, not to play, but to collect the donor’s subscription. He said “ But you have never played to me.” The bandmaster looked surprised. “What docs monsieur, think of us; Docs bo suppose that if wo played to him wo should ask him for money; Monsieur evidently does not know our band. .Monsieur, having promised a generous contribution, is on our whitelist that of the supporters whom we •spare.”

There* was a rather 'heavy first this morning. Holler skating is being taken op more enthusiastically- in Stv..tiord just now than ever before. . The Allan Hamilton Dramatic Gempany’s season opens in the Town Hall, Stratford, to-night. The Borough Council will meet this evening to further consider the loan proposals, and to receive the auditor s report on the balance-sheet. Mount LAjjout presented a magnificent appeaSnee this morning, being enveloped in a heavy mantle of snow. A few days ago the Mountain was almost free from snow, and the sudden change is very marked. u \ A shootist who was' out in the Tahora district in the early part of tins month reports that the country earthen suffering from a mild drought, although in Stratford rhero was no suggestion of such a thing. In connection with the fire at the school on Saturday the suggestion was made by a spectator that in all chimneys a drain-pipe should bo run right up' the centre, thus doing away with any clanger from fire through badlymade brickwork in chimneys. . According to the “Otago Daily Times,” Mr. Jennings, M.P., is making a bid for the first call of the Sydney mail steamers at Now Plymouth instead of at Auckland or Wellington. Ho says New Plymouth is twelve hours nearer Sydney than either of the latter ports. Business pushfnlncss was well exemplified at Saturday’s fire.. Within a few minutes of the alarm being sounded a photographer had got himself perched on a nearby roof for the purpose of photographing the blaze; and very soon, also, a local firm sent down a boy to distribute handbills advertising goods among the large crowd gathered in the school grounds. A new method is being practised in rooting out old gorse hedges on the Edendalo Estate, Southland (states the “Mat-aura Ensign”). A couple of horses 1 are attached to a long wire rope, which is slipped round a three or four yards length of hedge, and by a long strong pull the gorse is rooted out and drawn some distance away. Another length is made ready in a few minutes, and in the course of a day several chains are thus disposed of. The official statement is made that the Queen has intimated to the Gar s doners’ Company her wish that the Coronation bouquet which the company is to - present to Her Majesty shall he composed of pink carnations. The flowers from which it is understood Her Majesty’s choice will lie made are' the varieties known as Enchantress, a pale pink; Mrs. Lawson, a cerise; and Windsor, a full pink. The. announcement lias given great satisfaction to horticulturists, as it is believed that from every point of view the Royal choice is a happy one. The carnation is a flower that has admirable decorative qualities, and it ''"has increased in public favour very rapidly during the past few years. Something like a new “Jangle”, sensation has been created in New York by the revelations that have been made of the unspeakable conditions in many of the city bakeries. The di;L closures are the outcome of visits of inspection made by special investigators employed by the City Commissioners. .The great majority of bakehouses are located in cellar's or basements, many of which wore originally nothing more than places in "which rubbish was stored. Not only is the ventilation utterly inadequate, but what little there is is obtained mainly from windows that open on to hack yards of the most filthy description. In half the total number of bakeries visited the investigators found that flour and other materials wore stored without any regard to cleanliness. A man tried to drown his old retriever in Tiinaru Harbour the other night. He adopted what he believed to be a noble way. He rowed to the harbour mouth, and there tipped the weighted animal into the sea. The dog’s time had not conic, however. Ho struggled successfully, paddled hoatwards, and sprang so suddenly into the fragile boat that • the man was tipped out. The scene that followed would have delighted the heart of,a cinematographer. The dripping dog squatted in the boat ana watched with pardonable interest the spluttering and splashing of his master. Assistance came to the man, who, thoroughly exhausted, was rescued. The dog was towed ashore. It is not likely that death will conic to him by drowning. A correspondent from Taiipo writes: “The fishing season, which does not close until the end of the present month, has been exceptionally interesting and successful,' by reason of largo catches made. Parties which proceeded from the Terraces Hotel, Onekeneke, last week, had great luck. Favoured by the fact that the fish in Lake Taupe are just now making for tlie mouths of the various streams running into the lake for spawning purposes, the anglers were enabled to bring back loaded baskets. Tiro size of the fish of the rainbow species has been, commented upon very flatteringly by fishermen tourists, who say they have not been able to secure such sport in any part of the world, nob even in the North American rivers.”

In closing ah address at Parkvale the other evening, Mr Jabez Bridges asked; “What’s wrong with Carterton?” A voice called out: “Nothing! Jb only wants a few mere pubs!” “Oh,”' said the speaker, “that’s the cause of the trouble, is it? I was rather of the opinion that it had too many already, and that the licensed houses were responsible for the increase of convictions for drunkenness, theft, disorderly conduct, etc.” (A voice; “All the drunks come from Masterton.”) “Well,” said Mr Bridges, “Masterton simply passed out its undesirables, and J would advise you to do the same. Strike out the top line, close the licensed bars, and these drunks will go further on. Why should Carterton Jose its good reputation for sobriety by the influx of drunks from Masterton or elsewhere P The only way to revent it is to pass them on, and to do that effectually you must close the bars.” According to the “Herald,” Mrs. Bedford, of Ponsonby, has received a letter from her son, who is at Douglas, Arizona, giving an account of the fighting that is going on across the border. “Yesterday (Sunday, March 13) was a very exciting day,” he writes. “The Mexican Government troops marched out from Agua Prieta, and met the rebels under General do la Luce Blanco, about four miles south of hero. You could sea from here the dust that was raised in the. battle, and many idiots went down in automobiles and watched the fight at closer quarters, getting more or less scarred before they got bade. A party of four ladies went alone with their chafieur. They were lucky enough to escape injury. Americans were amply warned of their danger, and that they went, within range at their own peril, but .few heeded the advice. The dnad were stripped and putin the bull-ring, which was converted into a mqrtimrv. The rebels have had the host of at so far. but Federal reinforcements i,ro arriving, and lemybc the tables will lie turned,” •

a.;.. y: - . . The Greyrrorth correspondent oi the “Lyttelton Times’' antes that for .ibout six veils tiro IU-yeai-idd dwghtor of Mr and Mrs -I. of ivumar.t, has been adhering iron; deafness, and apparently was getting worse. Syringing and other treatment, had been carried on without.petfeet, but the oilier day Dr Phillips, bv the aid of electric light, discovered a piece of foreign substance in each ear. The obstruction was removed, and on examination proved to be peas. The peas had evidently boon put in the child when very young, and had lodged in the cat a for the past six years. Six British non-commissioned officers who have volunteered for serrroo in New Zealand as drill instructors, left London on April 2 1 by the -4 theme. They are: —Corporal of Hone H. Norris' Royal Horse Guards (a corpora! of horse , ranks just neiovt a sergeant-major, and above a ‘ ergo ant) ; Sergeant V. C. S. Beer. 2nd Dragoon Guards; Sergeant S. Mood, old Dragoon Guards; Sergeant C. M. Nicholls, sth Lancers; Sergeant J. E. Partridge, 3rd Battalion \V oreostei Regiment; and Sergeant J. SiiPrtal, 4th Battalion Leinster Regiment. For chronic chest complaints, Woods’ Great Peppermint Cure, Is Gd, 2s Gd.*