LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXIX, Issue 141, 7 August 1911, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

“Lying in this Court is becoming an accomplishment,” remarked Mr. C. C. Kettle, S.M., at Auckland; “people come liore and lie without turning a hair.” Wairarapa settlors are devoting themselves to the breeding of draught horses much more extensively than ii previous years. Many of the host draught horses in Wairarapa hav« gone to Australia. Auckland boxers interviewed at Palmerston station on their way home from the recent championship meeting in Invercargill, expressed strong dissatisfaction with the judging, sa\s the “.lianawatu Tilues. ’’ A St. Kilda householder had to pa\ os to the Court this morning, says a recent Dunedin paper, for the privi logo of trying a patent chimneysweep, the operation of which (whether through carelessness or other cause) ignited the fine, and led to the parade of the local brigade. While digging among the remains of a house in Cumberland Street, Sidney, pulled down in connection with the Rocks resumption scheme, a small hoy discovered a Charles 11. farthing. The coin, which was dated 101'!. was. considering its age, in a ronna kabp state of preservation.

Mr. Arc-Mould Robson, who Ins r> ccnt.!y ’ Liken up dai; \ iug,'is now in possession of a form at .Fukengahu.

A valuable experiment lias boon triad in the cultivation of thonsmidhoaded kale !»y Mr. William Perry, of Penrose, Mastertau, the well-known shecplireador, and with highly successful results. The kale lias proved blight resistant, and sheep cat it wrLi avidity and thrive upon it. A meeting will ho hold in the Borough Conned ( han.bei af t 3'J oc.'ick this evening, at which members or the Council’s hand Committee will inert those desirous of ’for ming a hand and discuss matters with them. The curate of a Yarmouth church, writing in the parish magazine respecting a rummage sale, or “rag fair,” as ho calls it, says: —“Many persons took tilings away on approval: If they care to call and pay us, or oven return the things, wo snail he pleased to see them again. Wo charge •in interest on overdue accounts.”

A singular phenomenon is now visible at Lumen)?, in Switzerland. A small lake has assumed a dorp mlcolor.r, which has caused it to he given the name of the Lake of Blood. The phenomenon has not been noticed ter a number of years. It is said to be duo to a red Alpine plant with which the bed of the lake is overgrown. In the opinion of the peasantry it presages a great war, as the last time the lake assumed this peculiar colour was shortly prior to the Franco-Goi 1 - nian war.

A wonderful piece of statuary Bft high, and carved in solid gold, is to he placed within a year or two in the Church of St. Anne’s, in Quebec (says a cable message to an Australian paper). It will cost £60,000, and the group of figures will include St. Anno, the infant Christ, and the Virgin. The figures are to bo set on a pedestal of Carrara marble. When finished tao work will he taken to Romo to receive Who Pope’s blessing, and will afterwards lie exhibited in various Catholic churches in America.

Tlio prospects of striking oil in too Wober district suitable for industrir.i purposes would appear to be exceed-; ingfy bright, says the Dannevirko' “’Sews.” From time to time prospectors have been in the district and nave made satisfactory experiments. During the last few days tlirce Americans—Messrs. Hermann brothers u’d Wigham—have been in the district,' and speak with groat confidence of the probability of obtaining oil. One member, of the party even, went so fails to state that ho had “heard it bubbling/;

Arrangements are being made hy : the agricultural supervisor for the Wanganui Education Board (Mr. •James Grant) for about fifty boys from Wanganui and Fcilding District High Schools to spend a week at Mr. E. Short’s Armadale stud farm, at Cheltenham, in October next, in order to give them practical instruction in tlie knowledge of farm animals. Mr. Short has cordially agreed with the request, and has' promised to send along a batch of sheep, as only cattle am. liorses are kept at “Armadale.” He also suggested that the boys should )e made to take off their coats and dr some of the work themselves.

As showing the absurdity of the a a pier Borough Council’s regulation that no information shall lie given to the press prior to a meeting, jays the “Hawke’s Bay Tribune,” we nay mention that a representative of oho" “Tribune” asked how many, persons used the baths during the month if July. IJoodncss lm'ows the queStidni .vas simple enough. It could not hurt the ratepayers to know how many people braved the cold water during the past month. Neither can it give the Councillors much enjoyment to guard this secret, but the officials thoughcourteous were unable to give an information.

On a recent Sunday a Huntly resident observed a kingfisher make a sudden swoop from the spouting of his house to the ground, where fowls were feeding, and a quick return to its original position, where it started to bang some object which it held in its month against the corrugated iron roof. Determined to ascertain Lino reason of such peculiar actions, the resident got his gun and shot the bird, which fell to the ground with a large and half-dead mouse still in its beak. This is the second occasion on which the resident has witnessed a similar occurrence, and ho wonders if tiro attacks of kingfishers on rodents arc common or fare.

An inquest was held at the Palmerston S.M. Court on Friday morning before the Acting-Coroner, Mr. J. A. Nash, and a jury of which Mr. L. Benjamin was foreman, into the circumstances surrounding the death on Thursday, of the infant daughter of Mr. and Mrs'. J. C. Williamson, Ashhurst. Evidence was given by Dr. Bett that the infant, which was three

days old, was healthy, but the greater portion of its lungs had not at any time been used for breathing, and this, in Ids opinion, was the cause of death. After hearing evidence a verdict of death from natural causes was returned. In his evidence the doctor added that there would bo few symptoms to indicate the cause of death, and the condition is so rare that one would uot expect to meet with it.

An excellent story of the manner in which the “political oracle” is “worked,” by office-seekers in this country has just leaked out (says the “Dominion.”) A responsible person was required to fill the duties of cleaner at the offices of the General Staff at Headquarters, and there yas the usual stream of applicants, who 'submitted divers qualifications in support of their claims for appointment. The gem of the collection, however, and one which, struck the Department “all of a heap,” so to speak, was one portion-, lar application, which included among the list of qualifications the statement that the applicant’s wife was a confin of the wife of a certain exalted politician. The moral of the story, of

•ourss, is that political influence is regarded seriously by some people as a losirable asset to the equipment of an ipplicatioh for a Government billot.

The duties of a bailiff are not. always of a pleasant nature, and at times he has to take a firm stand if they are to be properly discharged. Am instance in point was furnished on Monday last (says the “Nows”), when the Invercargill bailiff was despatched to the Bluff armed with three writs of arrest, two against Southland ivsilents and the other against a passenger by the Melbourne boat. All were mi their way to Australia, and their creditors, apparently of the opinion that they were not likely to return, had the law set in motion. The claim against one was for £3OO, and it was not without difficulty that ho succeeded iu financing; the matter. Another, who was leaving a debt of £ll 10s behind, assured the official chat he had not the money, but after being warned of the pains and penalties should <t not be forthcoming, lie reluctantly parted with it. The third, who owed £l2 10s. anxiously enquired. the cmisennenees of non-payment, and, being informed, readily opened In’s purse’, as it was important he should not miss the boat.

Mr. Newton King has received the following cable from his Sydney agents, ro hides:—“Lights higher.” Joseph Dickinson, arrested by Sergeant Me Neely on Saturday for drunkenness, was this, 'morning, at the Magistrate’s Court, fined 10s, the amount of Iris bail. Mr. S. Ward, •j.lk, occupied the bend).

In view of the prevalance of measles and other sickness among children the committee in charge of the Fire Brigade hall lias decided to postpone the fixture until September 28th. There will he no further practices by the children until August 24th.

Air W. G. James, brother to Mr C. E. James, of Broadway, has just arrived in Now Zealand again from England, and is going to remain with his brother in business iu Stratford. Mr \V r . G. James, in addition to five years’ previous experience in the Dominion, was for the last ten years constantly engaged in business in London and the provinces. On August 23rd a big skating carnival will bo held at His Majesty’s Theatre, and the management intend to discontinue skating soon after that date. When skating is finished two programmes of pictures will be shown weekly, and with this in view, it is intended to purchase a new projecting machine. The management also has in contemplation the raising of the ceiling of the theatre, thus giving the audience a hotter opportunity of seeing the pictures, as the screen can then be Maced higher from the floor level. .

It is a curious and little known fact that the artesian water obtained at Clive contains sulphuretted hydrogen iu such quantities as to bo quite perceptible to the senses, where as this gas docs not occur in water obtained from any other artesian well in the Heretannga or Allurin' Plains. • Why should Clivo have sulphuretted hydrogen in its water and Aivatoto not, considering that the water is sfippcsed to have the same origin, is a question along with several others of a similar and baffling nature which a committee of the Philosophical Institute will investigate and attempt to offer some satisfactory explanation for.

A correspondent has drawn the “Dominion’s” attention to an article in the “School Journal” for June, that seems to have some bearing upon that troublesome question, “the teaching of history.” It tells “How King George will bo crowned,” and gives in detail an account of “a scene which breaks for a short time the solemnity of the proceedings.” This is nothing less than the intrusion of “the Treasurer of the King’s Household,” who provides an interlude by throwing Coronation, medals all over the Abbey. “A great scramble ensues,” and all the dignitaries—“high-born lords and ladies, dignified statesmen, generals, stately dowagers and learned judges” —“tumble over one another and fight fiercely” .for the souvenirs, even “diving under benches” in their ardour. Perhaps, comments the “Dominion,” it does no harm to the rising generation to fancy that this gonial and hearty performance takes place, but wo imagined that the “School Journal” aims at giving accurate information when it gives information at all. Mr Fowlds’s young men seem to have got a little out of hand in their excitement. ' * ‘ '