LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXIX, Issue 87, 1 June 1911, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

The “Strafford Evening Post” win he published 'on Saturday. Lecturing to a London scientific audience recently,ProfessorKeith gave an age of 170,000 years to the human skeleton which was found in the hod of the Thames Valley by the late Mr R. Elliot. He calculated by the work done by the Thames since the level was ninety to a hundred feet higher than it was to-day. Mr. G. H. Parkinson, L.D.S., R.C.S., Eng., son of Mr. W. A. Parkinson, of Hawera, who some time ago completed Ins studies in London as a dental surgeon, is now in practice at Hawera. He intends to visit Stratford every Wednesday, and may bo consulted at his rooms in York Chambers. .Mr., Parkinson, who is well known to many people in this district, had a particularly brilliant career at Homo, gaining no less than six medals for dental subjects, including operative surgery and practical dental mechanics. While speaking in the New South Wales Legislative Assembly the other night Mr. Perry said:—“J "was horn as- a Protestant—that was an accident. Cardinal Moran was horn of Catholic Dirents. If ho had been horn in the North of Ireland he, would have been an Orangeman. If I had been horn in .the Sontli of Ireland 1 might have been n Cardinal.” When the laughter died down a member said: “And a good one, too, Mr. Perry.” Mr. Perry agreed, and added: “I’d have been a good man, no matter what I was horn.”

A small consigpuiont of Noav Zealand clucks, which was despatched to London with the frozen produce on hoard the steamer Matatua, recently arrived in London in good order. The iirni to whom the ducks were sent state that there appears to he no reason why poultry fanners in the Dominion should not pay more attention to the exportation of these birds. Their average is up to that of the English chick, and when ready for the t ’hie tlm appearance is similar to that of tiio Home bird. The quality is roliaolc, and the birds have realised the standard price of frozen produce—namely, a little over 3s per duck. A number of instances are on record of earmarks on sheep, cows, and hulls being reproduced in their’ progeny (remarks the Sydney “Daily Telegraph”). Dr. Wilmot, Tasmanian Government \ etcrinary Surgeon, adds another to the list ot these strange freaks in breeding. He states that a Ah'. Clarke “bought a cow some time ago branded with swallowtail markings in both cars. She was a halfbred Alderney. The cow had throe calves (one every year), and each calf was horn with swallowtail marks in both ears. The first of the three calves—a heifer—grow up, has now a calf to a Hereford bull, and tin's calf lias also swallowtail marks in both ears.. 'l’his proves how an artificially acquired abnormality may ho continued lor at least three generations, and probably permanently—a question about the probability‘of which breeders and others differ. It should lie of interest in connection with the subject of dehorning cattle, as it opens up a largo question of the possible heredity ol acquired abnormalities.” The animal debate by the women students of Canterbury College is by far the most popular fixture of the College Dialectic Society, and on Saturday evening last a large audience assembled to bear tlio debate, “That the higher education has been destructive of homo life.” Hisses Turnbull and Best supported the motion ami Misses Seymour and Candy took up the opposite side. The ladies supporting contended that the, universities were turning out women whose idea of domesticity was to be able to turn out a dish of confectionery, and endeavoured to show that the fact that higher education, in I mug women to compete in the professional spheres formerly held by mien, necessarily meant the destruction of home life. These assertions were combatted by the opposing ladies, who said they would not deny that “the kitchen was a Amman's kingdom, the broom her sceptre,” but pleaded that the university-educated woman war. tho best home maker. The motion was put to the A’oto, and lost on the voices. Canon Carrington, who acted as judge, gave a few words of advice and some friendly criticism. He said that the enunciation of the ladies was distinctly bettor than that of the men.

During Ivla;’ a total cl' £'(l3! Ms id was collected in Ciutcms .dues at Now i'ly.iKiiith, of which £7l Is,'id was p .'ilaoiilia! tariiF and 7d curt*’.':. Tiio iwoi dr.tv coilooted dming' Th£niuntii was £39 18s. It is interesting to note that cable communication first came to "Ne.w Zealanad in 1876. In 1902 the All-red .Houle (Pacific)' gave us cablegrams via Canada, and in this year hi grace, 1911, it looks as it’ wo are.also to be equipped with the most modern of all systems—wireless’ telegraphy, remarks an exchange. An unusual sight was witnessed in the main-street the other day the Taihapo “Times”). A sheep uatncssod to a go-cait, in which was an ’. infant, was quietly pulling its load without the slightest effort. Apparently it was under complete control, and behaved in a most exemplary , manner. A great bereavement has occurred in one family at Creymonth. About three weeks ago, .Mr.' Hanswoll Williams, a retired chemist, died; then, in a low days his wife, and, within tiio last day or so, an invalided son. ’! lie hitter was formerly traveller for .Messrs. Kompthorne. Prosser and Co., to Picton and the West Coast. Mount Egm out was supposed to have put on its winter coat a fortnight ago, when there were heavy falls of snow; hut the recent warm rains have almost removed all traces of the-short spell ot cold weather, and this morning the old landmark appeared very patchy. In fact, no great difficulty would he experienced in making an ascent under present conditions. As we are now nearing mid-winter this is somewhat remarkable. ( A correspondent in the “Manawatu Standard” complains, of the presence of rats in a coastal steamer. On a recent voyage a lady passenger had the sole of her shoe, and a companion a kid glove gnawed through by rodents, which were disporting themselves about the cabin during the night. In view of the presence of plague at Auckland, it is quite clear that Some steps should he taken to rid steamers trading to and from that port of the rat nuisance. It is reported that farmers in various parts of the Ashburton County have become so short of feed for their stock, that tlio3'' have already been obliged to feed on chaff. Farmers state that a largo quantity of wheat straw will have to be cut and mixed with molasses to tide their stock over the winter months. The grass grub has been very busy in Lauriston and Lyndhurst districts, and a large area will have to be ploughed and resown with grass and clover seeds. The large part which the country districts play in providing the defence 1 forces of the Dominion was empha-

sised by Mr A. M. Myers, M.P., in responding to the toast of “The Army and Navy” at the Farmers’ Union conference annual dinner at Auckland. Mr Myers said that taking New Zealand as a whole 73 per cent of the Territorials and 37 per cent of the cadets were provided by the country districts. in Auckland the c'ty provided 930 Territorials* an. 1 15’. 9 cub-la. a total of 2509; while mu d'nnots gave 2970 Terntv'ais and 3208 cadets, a total of 6178, out of a grand total for the district of 8687.

A protest against the use of protruding hatpins lias been raised in Christchurch. A tramway conductor told a “Press” reporter recently that ladies travelling on the Christchurch cars were frequently noticed to have unprotected hatpins protracting from their hats, and ’hat the practice of using such pins was especially dangerous when there was an extra crush on the cars. The conductor said he noticed a young girl the other day with as many as thiee long pins sticking out of her hat.’ Even when girls were wearing small hats they apparently used the same long hatpins that they wore accustomed to use to keep on the hig hats that were so fashionable a short time ago.

The Hawera Acclimatisation Society were considering at their meeting on Tuesday night what, encouragement should be given to the destruction of shags and hawks, and. -Avero on the verge of carrying a resolution in favour of purchasing the heads Avhen it occurred to one gentleman that Stratford Avas paying for the feet and someone might lie smart enough to sell the feet to the Stratford Society and the heads to the HaAvera Society, thus doubling his returns. The form of the motion Avas hastily changed. Another member Avanted to know Avhether the secretary Avonld be aide to distinguish betAveen shags’ feet and ducks’ fcet., # othenvise he seemed to think there* Avould be those avlio Avould find a moans for reducing the cost of Sunday’s dinner.

Four man-eating lions which had attacked native-villages at Gwalior, India, were captured by means of flypapers, says the “Evening Standard.” The head shikari of the Maharajah of Gwalior managed at night to barricade the lions in the huts, and kept them there for a fortnight, while he thought out a plan for their capture. Ultimately he hit upon the idea of covering a considerable space in front of the huts wjth thousands of fly-papers. When the barricades were removed, the lions immediately jumped out of the lints, only to have their paws covered with the sticky papers. In trying to release their paws by scraping them on their faces, the animals ultimately covered their eyes and noses with the papers, ami in this further predicament lay down an 1 rolled helplessly about liio ground. The shikari and Ins men then rushed forward, and, lassooing the boasts, had them quickly hound with ropes.

A young man on a visit to friends at Cambridge met with an unpleasant experience whilst out pigeonshooting tho other day. A few hours’ journey through heavy bush fatigued him so greatly that lie. requested his companions to take him out. to tho clear land in order that he might return to tho camp. His request was complied with, and when leaving him one of his companions said, “Now, keep your back to the sun, and walk as straight as possible in a line, and you will reach the camp in a few minutes.” The young fellow, however, lav down after his friends had left him

and slept for about three hours. When he aAvoke the sun had, of course, moved round, and remembering the advice given the young man turned his back on King Sol and struck out in a straight line, Avhich led him again back into dense bush. Into this he plunged, and absolutely lost himself. Fortunately his cries attracted the attention of it number of Maoris avlio Avero returning through the bush from a pig-hunting expedition, and they eventually got him out in a thoroughly exhausted and prostrated condition. He is uoav recovering from the shock. Mrs Van Cottle Avas fond of the bottle, But pray 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 set so ranch store by Was one that, yon value I’m sure, On the label was ‘“Woods” to distinguish the goods—’Twas tho famous “Great Pcppsnncnt Cure.” -t

Tiio. Edural:;):i Bi:;;d Fas t d pDI - niisEio,n. to. all schools under its control to done o;i oik- dry a;:; ing the Taranaki winter diovv, red t.t Plymouth. ,A reminder is given that nominations for the Waimate Plains Trottijicr Club’s annual meeting dose wit!', tlio” secretary, Mr \\ . O'Cadiiglian, Hawera, to-morrow, Friday, June “2nd, at S' p.m. In reference to a statement made in our loading columns yesterday regarding the recent tire'a,t the school, Mr. cTI). Solo, chairman of the committee, states that on the Monday ,f 6 flowing the tiro the committee wrote to' the Coroner, Mr. Konrick, S.M., asking -him to hold an enquiry, but to date the committee lias received no reply to its communication.' The Rev. F. G. Evans, of New Flymouth, who was in charge of Sc. Paul’s parish, Thorndon., Wellington, during last month, left 1 yesterday , to take up church work in Hawera. The Ilcv. H. Williams, who acted tor Archdeacon Harper, ol '! imam, d-ur-in,r the latter’s recent visit to. England, will now take charge of St. Paul’s until the, new vicar is appointed. The annual catalogue of the New Zealand Poultry Institute has just been received, and as usual,, is -i pnblication well worthy of perusal by all poultry keepers. The illustrations of the various varieties kept at the Institute are printed in colour. Mr. Alcrrett lias had practical experience in poultry matters at the Institute, anti ids remarks in the catalogue should be carefully considered. A copy will lie posted free on application to Box 583, Christchurch.