LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXIX, Issue 134, 29 July 1911, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Mr. E. Clark, railway surfaceman, stationed at To Worn, rather seriously crushed two of the fingers of his left hand while loading rails yesterday. It is probable that the forelingei will have to be amputated.

Tho annual mooting of shareholders of the Stratford Co-opeiativo .Dairy Co. will l)c held at the Town Hall on Monday morning. The North Island Tonring Team will play a match against the Taranaki representative football team at Now Plymouth on Thursday next, August 3rd. 'lranis will be delayed for tiro match. A weekly class of instruction for Territorial officers hag been instituted at Now Plymouth, and last night the whole-of tiie commissioned officers of tiro Eleventh Regiment journeyed through to Mew Plymouth to Ire present. Tho Fire Brigade Committed of the Borough Council met the members of the Fire Brigade last night and discussed matters generally in connection with the brigade. The committee u ill report fully to tho Borough Council on the questions dealt with.

It will interest farmers to know that the first ■ plough to reach New Zealand arrived at Kerri Kerri,-Bay of Islands, on May 3rd, 1820. Mr William Barton, of Foatherston, has a diary of his grandfather, who arrived at the Bay of Islands in 1810, which contains this information.

Mr. Joseph McCluggage will commence his political campaign in the Whangamoniona district next week, and is announced to speak in the Whangamoniona Public Hall, on Thursday, August 3rd. Ho will address other meetings on dates to be announced.

It may not bo generally known to tho people of Pahiatua that an aeroplane is being built in their midst, says tho Pahiatua Herald. Experiments are being conducted by a young man of eighteen, Paul Fritrchnner, son of Mr P. Fritzsclioner, a settlor living by the main country road, with a now type of aeroplane.

In a country like New Zealand, whore a few weeks’ scarcity of rain is referred to as “a drought,” it may 1)0 of interest to quote from the Rockhampton (Queensland) trade returns for the past 25 years to show the effect of a real shortage of rainfall. In 18SG the value of the exports amounted to £837,096, and last year reached £3,481,743. In 1895 the total value exported was £2.664,273, but in 1902, the year of the drought, it dropped to £1,337,874, while in 1908, when the effects of the drought were over, it rose again to £2,035.258.

The Rev. H. Mahon, formerly minister of the Tabernacle in Dunedin, >whc is now in Pennsylvania, writes to a friend in Christchurch suggesting that there ought to be an excellent opening for New Zealand woollen goods in the United States. He relates that when he was in Indiana lie entered his New Zealand rugs in the woollen section of an exhibition, the competition in which had been advertised as'“open to tiie whole world.” The rugs took first prize, and although some of the local competitors entered a protest the award had to stand. He has.no clonbt that if displays of New Zealand goods were made in the States a useful trade would result.

The unusual . spectacle of a snaps making its appearance in the depths of winter was witnessed last week at North Botany, Sydney. The Mayor of the i municipality (Alderman Chipman), accompanied by Alderman Stevens and the foreman of works, eyas enjoying a walk around the racecourse, when, nearing what is known as the pipe channel leading from the old waterworks, a little dog that accompanied the party discovered the,, reptile—a tiger snake about five feet long —disappearing into its h01e,,, its tail only being visible. The party decided to let sleeping snakes lie, but Alderman Stevens sent for the snakyhandier, Fox, who appeared next morning, and promptlydived his hand into the aperture, hauling ont an immense tiger snake. When the snake had calmed down Fox placed it in his hat, which ho placed on his head and then walked off, remarking- “It’s a beautv.”

During the coming session of the Federal Parliament, definite steps will he taken with a view to the construction of the Trans-Australian railway. Interesting information regarding the work to, he undertaken in event of the line being constructed lias been given by the Minister of Home Affairs (Mr O’Malley). Difficult problems in the way of provisioning the men and bringing material to the workers. will have to be faced when the actual ‘construction is commenced. There is so much material to be obtained that it will take practically a year before a start can actually be made with the laying of the lines. The building l of the line will he attacked from the two terminals, Port Augusta and Kalgocrlio. As the line is built, it will die immediately utilised for bringing tlie rails, ballast, and sleepers to the

scene of operations. Nearly four rniib'on nounds will be absorbed in building the line, and of that sum about one million pounds will represent the cost

of rails. One of the heaviest items, is sleepers and ballast, which will also

account for more than a million pounds. According to the earliest estimates, it would cost £60,000 for water supply, but it is believed that with improvements in machinery, this item may he considerably reduced.