LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXIX, Issue 101, 19 June 1911, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

The School Committee meets to-mor-row evening. The monthly mooting of toe Chamber of Commerce takes place to-mor-row evening. One of the live surviving Maoris ■ (the original inhabitants of the Chat-; ham Islands) is at present under I treatment at,the Rotorua Sanatorium. | Goprgc IV. was crowned at Westminster Abbey on July Ifltb, 1821, the j expenses of which were £238,000, the; King’s dross alone costing £24,000, j Probably one of the longest streets j in any city in Now Zealand is Col- ,i ombo Street, Christchurch, which cov-> ors a distance of very little short of four miles. , j By an oversight the members of the ; Stratford Rifle Club wore omitted from ! the Mayoral invitation to take part in t the Coronation Day procession, published in our Saturday’s issue.' Ti.o Wellington Acclimatisation Sociality recently sci-ionsly contemplated abandoning the game farm at Paraparanmn, owing to the havoc wrought among the pheasants by stoats and ' weasels. It has now, however, been decided to give the farm another trial. At the last meeting of the Wairamp a Rugby Union it was decided that in future all third-class teams must leave the town in which the matchis played not later than six o’clock, the onus of leaving to time being on the captain of the team; and that any unseemly behaviour on the part of the team reported to the Union will mean the disqualification of the whole team. Theatregoers will bo delighted to, read that George Marlow’s brilliant dramatic company, which has just con? eluded successful seasons in Auckland, 'Wellington, Dunedin, and Christchurch, will make its appearance in Stratford on Wednesday, July 19th, when “The Bad Girl of the Family” will bo produced. The company includes thirty-eight artists. Mr. W. Montgomerie, who was lately stock agent for the Loan and Mercantile, Stratford, has started at Te Aroha as a land and stock and general commission agent, and will be pleased to see old Taranaki friend's. Owing to rumours being circulated that he is in partnership with Mr. J. 1). Morison, Mr. Montgomerie wishes it to ; bo known that lie is working solely on his own account. Attention is directed to his advertisement appearing in another column.Mr. T. Sedgwick, who lias complet- : cd a visit to the “Sedgwick boys” placed on various farms in the nonunion, loft Wellington bii" ITis" return , to London by the lonic. He may return to Now Zealand in about four or five months’ time with another batch of boys, but these will not be brought out under the auspices of the Government, Ministers adhering to their intention to .give the first experiment twelve months’ trial. So far the reports from the boys are very satisfactory. j There is a Chinese sheepfarmer on the Main Trunk Line who has won tiie appreciation of the community for 1 his many kindnesses to travellers. A 5 few days ago lie was made the rccipi- - out of a presentation of a valuable , gold-mounted fountain pen. Mr . Agang, popularly known as “Tommy,” 1 shares the distinction of being one of - .the only two Chinese shcepfarmers in . the Dominion. He is a good farmer, , and a recognised judge of stock, and a man of punctilious probity in all his ’ dealings. Many a time has “Tommy” ; afforded help or shelter to travellers on , drovers, and his hospitality gained for ’ him universal goodwill. The people of Hastings have forwarded a petition to the Minister for ■ Railways asking that the railway - workshops at Napier ho removed to - Hastings. The fourteen arguments ' with which the petition is supported ’ include a gentle boast at the expense ; of Napier, that while the latter town • lias been isolated by floods on more 1 than one occasion, the land at Hastings has boon “high and dry at all seasons.” “From u military point of - view” the petition affirms “it is im- [ portant the workshops should be in such a locality as Hastings, as, by ’ blowing up the Waitangi Bridge, the ! present shops could always he easily j cut off by an enemy and tiie whole service at once deranged.’

The Toko Farmers’ Union hold their annual conversazione, in the Toko Hall last Friday night. Owing to the lino weather there was a large attendance of members and friends, over sixty couples taking the floor. Among those present was Mr J. 13. Hino, M.P., who, during the evening, presented the prizes to the winners of the root growing competition. The following are tiic prize winners;— Turnips: Ist, Mr C. Jones; 2nd, Mr W. H. Were; .‘3rd, Mr M. Gernhoo'for. Mangolds: Ist, Mr W. H. Were 2nd, Mr .1. Davies; 3rd, Mr W. H, Pearce. Mr Hine also intimated that Mr 0. J. Ba.vl.v had promised a silver challenge cup for the turnip competition and Mr Newton King the same for the mangold competition next year. Great credit is due to Miss McDonald and party who provided the music and also to Messrs Maxwell and Chainey. who discharged the duties' of M.C.

At a meeting of residents .of Whangnrci the otlier night to consider the form that the local Coronation celebrations should take, a proposal to make a grand fireworks display at night a feature met with a chilly response (writes a Whangarei correspondent). Whangarei has a painful memory of a grand fireworks display on a former occasion that ended in a most abrupt and sensational fashion. On that occasion the Council’s cart, laden with fireworks, was taken down near the wharf, the idea being to use the cart as the fireworks platform from whence the display would be given for the benefit of the admiring residents. The first item was a sky rocket, which, after a fiery aerial flight, unfortunately on its return journey landed back among the other fireworks. For two minutes the onlookers were treated to an extraordinary combined display, in which Catherine wheels and crackers showed to particular advantage. With such an unhappy memory Whangarei has decided to eschew fireworks, and will resort to bonfires instead.

A ■ spdcial iMeeting (if Mho; Borough* ) Council will ho'held this'•evening to further consider the loan proposals. Mr. W. M. Doughty, who has been indisposed for some time, left last week on a visit to Rotorua for the bandit of his health. Mr. and Mrs. Joseph McCluggage and family leave ? for New I'lynoiuh to-night tor Auckland, en route Jtr lvi;.v:o!(, w ,ici-o a six-weeks’ luli lay will be spent. Mr. James Sexton arrived back in Stratford this morning, after a thrbo weeks’ holiday spent in Auckland and J the vicinity. As there may bo some misnnderthe clause regarding.uniform iu the advertisement calling ,a parade of the Mounted Rifles for Coronation Day, it may be as well'to state that only the old inoinbei's of tho corps are expected to turn Out in blue uniform —others will have to parade in mufti.

It is requested that those providing supper for the Hospital Bail will bo kind enough to send material along to the hall on Thursday ...morning. Scout! master Bird has consented to allow the Boy Scouts to carry out the country part of the Hospital Saturday collection. The number of cases of typhoid fever in the district at present should convince everyone of the necessity of an infections ward at the hospital,' fop which the ball is being given.

lon candidates from nil parts of the province sat for the practical examination m cookery hold in Stratford cn Saturday under the auspices of the City and Guilds of London. Wo understand that the supervisors of the practical work found that candidates did excellent work in soups,.pies, puddings, and tarts, but that the cooking of moat was not so satisfactory. The results of the examination will not .be known for two or three months, as the theory papers will have to (be forwarded to London for marking,':awards being made on both theoretical and practical work.

A paitial holiday will be observed' at tJ so Post end Telegraph Cffi’< r>u ll'ureday, June 22nd, Coronation Day. The post office will be open f"i hhverv • letters . d tale of stamps from 8.30 a.m. to 9.30 a.iij. ' Tiie telegraph branch will bo. open i.’ctii 8.30 a.m. to 9.30 a.m. and' again in the evening from 7 to 8 p.m. The telephone exchange will be open -as usual from 7 a.m. to mjdnight. Onjy the morning clearance of pillar jposting boxes will be made. There will, be no delivery by letter-carriers. Earb mads close as usual ; all oth-rs' at ' 9 am Incoming mails tyill be sorted on arrival. Letters, including ‘'registered,” usually delivered by letter carriers may be obtained at the counter between 7 and 8 p.m. on Wediievlay and between 8.30 and 9.30 am. on liter day. •> ■ ' c j ; ■