LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXIX, Issue 93, 9 June 1911, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

A defendant in a judgment summons case—l). (). Shute—appeared in the Waitara Court on Wednesday afternoon in a condition that made the .Magistrate say to the constable; “Lay an information against him for drunkenness, and 1 will commit him to tiic Inebriates’ Home.” Mr. .Maurice Jury, of Pohokura, returned on )\ ednostlay night after a two months’ trip to Lie South Sea islands and Australia. Mr. Jury had an excellent trip, and, with the exception of a chill which unfortunately laid him low in Melbourne for live days, enjoyed good health, and fools much benefited hy the change. A northern paper says there Us considerable perturbation among the clerks ol tfie Bank of Now Zealand. Arrests have taken place recently on charges of forgery, and it is stated that a confession made hy one of the ai rested men had led to the dismissal or suspension of over a dozen members of the hank’s clerical staff. When the cases come on for trial, it is possible there \\;itl be interesting developments.

Dunns' :i sitting of tTio Native Land Court, at Rotorua, counsel for the Maori claimants called an o.'licial witness, who was duly sworn by the Clerk of the Court. In handing the, Bible hack to the cleric, the latter failed to grasp it, and the Bible fell to the floor. Instantly almost the whole of the natives in Court, numbering nearly a hundred, rose to their feet and cried, “A bad sign,” “The case is makutu,” and from thence on to the conclusion of their unsuccessful suit «the Maoris of the tribe sat mute and disconsolate, the incident of the falling Bible being regarded by all as an indication that their cause was doomed. ] A large section of the crowd at the football match between Woodville and Dannsvirke on (Saturday we rc a bit hostile towards the referee, says the “Examiner.” In the opinion of many present ho made a great mistake, in allowing Price a second shot at goal for a penalty during the first spoil. Price had a fair enough chance the first time, and the Woodville players did not rush any too soon. It was after this incident, that a portion of the spectators “barracked” the referee. A few minutes before the conclusion of the game one of the Woodville players was ordered off for questioning a decision of the referee. This same player, at the conclusion of the game, rushed on to the field, and caused an ugly disturbance,,-which will bo ventilated in the Court, and also l>:/ the sub-union. A much-travelled lady, in conversation with a reporter, expressed the opinion that New Zealand offers greater opportunities than Canada does. She is quite convinced that a groat deal of ignorance prevails in Scotland regarding New Zealand and Australia, and she believes that many pcoBle who have gone from Scotland to anada would have succeeded more readily in those beautiful countries. “I have learnt a great deal about Australia,” she added “and I hope to learn much of New Zealand so that when I return to Glasgow I shall be able to tell my people something about the wonderful opportunities Australia and Now Zealand offer.”

During tho cross-examination of a defendant in a judgment summons case at the Napier Court, Mr Dolan (counsel for the plaintiff) asked the man if lie smoked. The witness replied in the affirmative. “Well,” queried the counsel, “don’t you think if you had not smoked during the past two years and saved Is (id liar week you could have paid this debt?” “Is a man not allowed to smoke?” demanded tho witness, in injured tones. His Worship: “Not so long as he is in debt.” “A doctor ordered me to smoko,” volunteered the occupier of tho box. “Who was the doctor?” “Dr Raid Mackay, of Dannbvirke,” answered the man. “1 suppose if 1 had not. shaved or got my hair cut during tho last two years I could have saved that money.” The little dust-up concluded (says the “Telegraph”) by Mr Dolan tolling the defendant that if he talked loss and worked harder it would bo better for him. Tho defendant was ordered to pay 10s a mouth.

A u interesting experiment, tho first of its kind ever attempted in New Zealand, was carried out by certain members of tho Canterbury Acclimatisation Society op Sunday, when fifty trout- .caught for stripping purposes, were liberated, having had previously attached to their bodies small silver tags bearing the letters, “N.Z.”, and numbers ranging from one to fifty. Tho object of the experiment was to find out, when a fish so marked was caught again, exactly how much it had gained in weight, how often it had been to sea, whether it missed coming hack to the rivers each season, the number of times it had spawned, probable weight it had acquired since each visit to tho sea, and direction .and extent of its migrations. Most of the information mentioned is revealed by microscopical examination of the lish.

The Wellington Orangemen have a grievance against tiro civil authorities in regard to their participation in the Coronation procession, and in the absence of a definite pronouncement on the subject by the flavor, have come to the conclusion that they nil I not bo officially invited or recognised so far as the procession is concerned. The lodge’s grievance (as sol out in a resolution passed by a special meeting), is that, “whereas other institutions have been officially invited and recognised, so far as the procession is concerned, it has been ignoied. ’i hoy ask the Mayor and town clerk if they wish to make amends to do so in a manly and straightforward way. The lodge has no desire that the proceedings on Coronation Day should he marred by any untoward incident or feeling of ill-will towards any official or person, and 1 hoy sincerely hope that, as true citizens and loyal subjects, every Orangeman will be found taking part. Most, if not all, are members of other societies, and in-

structions will ho issued forthwith for members to parade* with the hen cm society, temperance lodge, or football club vo which ihev belong.”

a \ irdo: is given of the musical un.iag v. .da!? lakes place at St. Andrew’s Hall this evening. , At the .Magistrate’s Court this morning heter Collins, Lewis Fowler, and F. A. iownley were each lined it's, v.atn is costs, for having driven carts' within the borough without lights after sundown.

Tin: progress of sheep-farming in this district was evidenced in a very line lot ol wethers from Messrs. Malone and Worthington’s property, Waivin' Road, Douglas, which Mr. George Hobbs (stock agent for Mr. Newton King) placed with a client a lew days ago. Competent judges considered the slice]) to ho one of the best lots of wethers ever sent out of Taranaki.

Ike Ashburton County Council expended £l6-18 6s 3d in the destruction of small birds for the year 1910-11, ended March 31st. It has been decided to discontinue supplying poisoned grain to farmers, hut the whole question will be reviewed at the Council’s next'meeting, when some decision will bo arrived at as to whether the heads of small birds will be purchased this season.

At the meeting of the Wellington Licensing Committee on Wednesday, the chairman (J)r. McArthur) said the committee had passed a resolution drawing the attention of the Minister of Justice to the fact that the Licensing Act did not. limit the hours within which liquor might lie 'sold by holders of wholesale licenses, and suggesting that tiie Act he amended, so as to limit the hours within which liquor may bo sold by holders of such licenses.

The lata Mr. George Boulton was born in Lancashire sixty-four years ago, coming to tin Dominion in' 1865 in the ship Halcioao v s ns the “Daily Noun.”) Ho settled at New Plymouth, and was ior twenty years with toe late Mr. Miteiunson, nurseryman, afterwards starting tvo business in Devon Street wnich lie conducted up to the time if nis demise. He leaves ; widow and a family ot nine, five hoys ami four girls, live, of whom are married.

Something in the nature of a strike has occurred at the Waikiwi fell monger mg works (says the Southland Times) when ton labourers struck work. The men say that they were receiving only 7s per day, and that their application for another shilling per day was not granted, so they downed tools and left. As the men wore not working under an Arbitration Court award, they are not liable to .any fine. It is understood that the places of the men who have struck will he filled by others.

A petition is to he sent to Parliament during the coming session by local veterans (states the Poverty Bay Herald) praying that some recognition be given those who were engaged in active service against the hostile Maoris during the early settlement days of the Dominion. It is suggested that a. special military pension of 10s per week should ho granted to all bona fide veterans. Reference is made in the petition to the fact that nothing has been heard of the' inquiries made by the magistrate about a year ago.

The much talked about harem skirt was the cause of a well-known and highly respectable drapery firm in one of the cities of the South Island being compelled to appear before a magistrate, charged with causing an obstruction to the thoroughfare. It came out in evidence that a harem skirt worn by one of the ladies of the Taylor-Carrin"ton Co. in “The Girl from Chicago” was on view iff tho~window of the firm alluded to, and aroused so much curiosity that in a very short time an immense crowd gathered around, completely blocking all traffic, and though the firm did endeavour to relieve the congestion by passing some hundreds of ladies through their premises from the front street to tho hack, it was not until tho police took action that traffic was resumed.

A healthy rivalry exists just now between the townships of Napier and Hastings (remarks an exchange). The former has for years claimed to lie tho commercial centre of the land of tho “Twelve Apostles.” So rapidly, however, lias Hastings developed, and so enterprising have been its people, that it is beginning to expand its civic chest and proclaim itself the only centre in Hawke’s Bay noon which tho commercial sun shines. Napier, at the best, can never be a city, ft has not tiro room to expand. Hastings, on tho other hand, has all the potentialities of a great centre. In years to come, Napier will probably he a fashionable watering-place, whilst Hastings will ho the city. This, at anyrate, is the fond dream of Hastings.

On Tuesday night. at Otakeho, Septimus and Cecil Harrison, two brothers, were arrested by Constables Carroll and Flanagan, on warrant, for arson at Waitotara. They were taken before Mr Canning, J.P., at Hawera on Wednesday morning, and wore remanded to appear at tho Magistrate’s Court, Wanganui, on tho 9th instant, Mr Welsh, who appeared for accused, offering- no ob jeetion. It appears that accused wore milking on shares on the farm of Mr James Coombes at Waitotara. Mr Coombes’ house, which contained insured furniture belonging to the accused, was Inn-nod down, and it is alleged that some of the furniture supposed to have boon burned was found after the fire in a place of concealment.

TI io noble native, although exempt in many ways from obligations under which the pakeha lies, including the payment of rates and taxes, and the purchase of dog collars at os or 10s per time, has yet to bow the neck to at least one thrall, the sending of his children to school (says the Auckland “Star”). Although for the greater part acquiescent in this paternal solicitude for the educational welfare of his piccaninnies, the Maori occasionally objects to any such provision, or at least likes to superintend arrangements. For some time past the native children of Tahckc, Hokianga, have had the choice of attending two schools, one at Punakitcro and the other at Waima, and for some unexplained reason chose the one which was distant nearly seven miles rather than tiie other, about two miles from kainga. The attendance, however, only occurred in summer time, falling off to the vanishing point in winter, and upon repeated inquiries from the authorities the M aoris demanded the removal of the Pnnakiterc school to their settlement. Naturally the white settlors joined in the argument, raising a strong voice against any such procedure,, and as the pakeha children considerably outnumber the native ones, the Maoris were recommended to drop the discussion, and fall into lino gracefully. But the natives are standing on their dignity, and as a consequence will he visited in the course of the next few davs bv the truant officer.