LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXI, Issue 23, 12 September 1911, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

The Mayor informed Cr. Paget last night that Jig hoped to call a special mooting of the borough Council on Friday evening to deal with the question of the appointment of arbitrators in connection witli the proposed acquisition of the electric light works. Word was brought to town just before one o’clock this morning, says the “.News,'” that a man had been burned to death in a cottage on the Cpper Carrington Road. 'I hero was no one about at the time, so bow the fire was caused must be left to conjecture. A man named Harry Leader, employed, on the breaking-dowu bench at Air. T. V. Simons’ sawmill on the Upper Carrington Road, has a holding of land about two miles beyond. Recently his brother returned with him from Mastorton, intending to spend a holiday hero for the good ol Ids liealC i, which had heen precarious for some time. Both men lived at the min. Yesterday the deceased, who was a married man, went off to his brother's house, raying he would light some fires and do some cleaning up. As he had not returned in the evening, Harry Leader followed, and was shock?;! when ho got there to find the house burned to the ground, and his brother nowhere to he found. He returned to the mill about nine o’clock, and his mates accompanied him hack to the ruined home, where they found the charred remains of the man in the debt is, The unfortunate man, who was ah ;ut do yours of ago, had evidently

1 ■!■’ devn on a bed m the house, and it is surmised that he fell asleep nr had a noi/. ii.ro whilst smoking, and that his lighted tobacco set the place on lire.

There was a fair attendance at the )d' l follows’ dance last nigirt., 'I ns a.iisic was supplied hy Airs. Pinned ad an extra was plaved hy Air. Alar—ctt. Airs. Brooking supplied an oxell ant supper. Air. Lane during the discussion that dl'owed on the petition of the Tan:oio settlors to the Hawke’s Bay Land oard for the eradication of Idaclc-

■er.-ios, suggested that the Agiicultnv.l Department he written to asking f they could import a species of mut:on sheep to cat down the weed. Angora goats were not much relished hy cl:o public as food, and Mr. Lane deT.ired that lie was almost certain that in South Africa lie had seen a good rating sheep, although not a good wool producing one that would destroy blackberries just as well as the Angora goat.

Although football is not yet quite over for the season, the exceptionally duo u Gather that lias been experienced for some time past has led the votaries of summer games to overhaul their various “kits,” and make preparation for the opening of the 1911-12 Season, file Stratford bowling green is in tiptop order, and players arc anxious to got to work. However, the annual meeting has yet to he hold; this takes place on Wednesday, 20th instant, when it is expected there will bo a good muster of last year’s members, as well as a number of old-time players, who have voluntarily absented themselves, but whoso presence is looked forward to with pleasure.

A woman’s “editorial association” had a dinner in Topeka recently, and one of the toasts ran: “Woman! without her, man is a brute.” But the compositor, cynical and married, _no doubt, sot this up as: “Woman, without her man, is a brute.” The story reminds the “Edinburgh Evening Dispatch” of the way in which the old Wick perccentor read out a certain intimation for prayer which had been handed to him. ’The intimation ran: “Captain So-and-So having gone to sea, his wife desires the prayers of the congregation.” But the bold, bad perecentor put the comma after wife, and so read: “Captain So-and-So having gone to see his wife, desires the prayers of the congregation.”

“If I had the making of tiie law,” said Mrs. Hugh Dixson, who presided at tiie Women's Conference at Sydney last week, “1 would make the publichouse a drinking shop of such a character that there would bo no more disgrace in a man or woman going in there to have a glass of alo than there would ho in going into an ordinary refreshment room to have a cup of tea. Do away with the screens,” added Mrs. /Dixson, “and make the hotels open shops.” The women’s president went on to say that what tire temperance people wanted to do-was to turn the public-houses into shops. At present a person could not get a loaf or a pound of steak after 5 or (i o’clock, while anyone could go into an. Irotel and get drink tip till 11 o’clock at night.

There is resident in Belfast an ckl lady, Mrs. Maria Magee, who has had some stirring experiences with the ,57th Middlesex Regiment—the famous “Diehards”—in various parts of the world, and notably in Aow Zealand, during the Maori wars of half a century ago. She is the Widow. of the late Private Charles Magee, who served twenty years in the 57 th, fought with it in tho Crimea, was badly wounded at the storming of tho Redan, and died twcutyrfonr, years ago,., A son-in-law also,'served witu the s<tn. in tho Crimea, and distinguished himself by saving the life of Colonel Weir, of the 57th. A son also served in tuo 57th. In the fierce fighting in New Zealand during the Maori War, Mrs. Magee accompanied the 57th, and was often under lire helping the wounded, and she was present at the bloody action which marked the storming and capture of the celebrated Kai-taka-tmra Pa, where the 57th covered itself u ith glory in carrying that stubborn-ly-defended stockade, and lost heavily in doing so. “I was looking after the poor wounded fellows,” said Mrs. Magee to a pressman, in speaking of the action, “and everyone was calling upon Iris mother, his wife,, or his children.- That’s what the soldier always mice for when ho is dying, and lie always sends a message to those lie ioves.” Mrs. Magee has the old-age pension and a grant from the Royal Patriotic Fund.

There was a very good attendance at the Foresters’ Hall, Opnnake, on September 4th, when the members of St. Barnabas’ Chnrch made presentations to Mr and Mrs Middleton and Misses Middleton.' The Rev. KlingenJei presided and spoke- of the good work done by the Middleton family as members of the choir and organist of the church, and their ever willingness to work cheerfully in the interests of the Anglican Church. He referred particularly to the good work done by Mrs Middleton for a number of years as superintendent of the Sunday School, and regretfully voiced the. feelings of the church members at the intended departure of Air and Mrs and Misses Middleton. Presentations were then made to_ Mr Middleton of a handsome bound hymnal service. The choir-master, Mr Chambers, in an aptly-worded speech made the presentation. The Rev. Klingender (on behalf of the congregation and Sunday School scholars) presented Mrs Middleton with a handsome silver entree dish and Mrs Klingender (on behalf of church members) presented the Misses Middleton with a silver hand-painted mirror and pretty brooche. Mr Middleton thanked the donors and stated the interest they had taken in church work was done cheerfully and was in itself a full reward for small labours bestowed. Musical items, songs, and supper concluded a pleasant evening. Mr' and Mrs Middleton and family are now living in Stratford.

It docs not often occur that lost properly is returned to the owner alter the lapse of some years, says the Auckland “Star,” but the almost remarkable recovery of a heavy gold chain, and locket attached, lost at Bussell some thirty years ago by Constable McGill), now stationed at Birkenhead, has just come as a pleasant surprise to tiie police officer. Thirty years ago the thou infant son of the constable.lost the chain while playing in a paddock adjoining the police Etainn, and at the time a diligent but fruitless search was made for the missing property. The loss was almost forgotten in the intervening years, but a week ago Constable McOlip received a note troin Constable Parsons, :it present in charge of the Bay of Islands disti ict, stated that lie had been handed a gold chain by a Maori, who found it while cutting down furze in the paddock near the police station and that some of tiio “oldest inhabitants” recollected that Constable McGlin lost a chain in the dim

and distant past. Constable McGill) immediately sent along a full and exact description of the missing property and and the other ina i'ing received turough the post t. long-lost chain in an excellent stat > rf pi. s; rvatinn. better even than if it had been worn constantly in the interval, and the only damage was the obliteration of a photograph in toe locket, and the breaking off of the catch bar. The constable lias sent along a little token as tangible appre- - kition of the Maoris’ honesty io handing over the chain.

Bishop Crosslcv is expected to arrive in Stratford hy this evening’s mail train. He will stay'with the Vicing (Rev. W. A. Butler) during his visit.

Constable Liston, who lias been transferred from New Plymouth to the charge of the Te Wera Police Station, loft for his new station by last night’s train. On Saturday evening he was presented by his comrades in New Plymouth with a pair of silverbacked military brushes and silver cigarette case, the presentation being made by Detective-Sergeant Boddam.

An athletic event in which some interest was manifested took place on the old show-ground at Afasterton in an interval in the football match yesterday, says last Friday’s “Age.” Although there were a large number of nominations fer the event, most of the competitors were otherwise engaged when the time for the “flutter ’ arrived. However, four well-trained, powerfully-constructed men went to the post. After several false starts, duo to the feverish anxiety of the scratch man to get away, the field was despatched well ahead of the pistol. After traversing about forty yards, one of the contestants, who had lost his breath, stopped for a moment to recover it, and was thrown out of the race. The other three fairly flew over the territory ,tho scratch man doing the hundred' yards in something under 2.3 seconds. The race ended: J. B. Moodie, scr, 1; G. H. Perry and G. C. Summerell, dead heat, 2.