LOCAL GENERAL.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXI, Issue 24, 13 September 1911, Page 4

LOCAL GENERAL.

At a meeting of the Retailers’ Association held yesterday afternoon, ii .vas decided not to accede to the remost of tiie Rugby Union to close at ,2.30 o’clock to-morrow in view of the football match Auckland v. Taranaki.

People in peculiar positions often aspire to municipal honours in Nejv Zealand, but Gisborne has about carried off the palm, for among the nominations to .fill a vacancy on the local Borough Council was that of a Chinese market gardener.

A shocking fatal accident occurred recently' at Charleville, in Queensland, tiie victim being a voung man who was. in pursuit of wild turkeys He Stood his <niu against a bush, and in mounting his horse, a restive animal, stooped to lift it iip. The weapon exploded, practically blowing bis face off, and the horse galloped back riderless to the station. A search party .found the unfortunate young man sitting on the_ ground, having sustained terrible injuries. He was removed in a buggy tor admittance to the nearest hospital, but expired on the road.

TVi|cl pigs are stated to be causing the death of a number of young lambs in some localities in tho Wairarapa this season. A scarcity of food drives the wild pig from his usual haunts in the hills to fresh fields nearer civilisation. The young lam!) provides that which he requires. Ho gradually operates in a paddock used for lambing purposes, which skirts the dense bush of the hills, and not too far away so that in case of alarm he can quickly scurry away to his “mud bed” amid the supplejacks and “gaygee.” His modus operandi is to watch for a newborn lamb and before it has the strength to get on its legs, rush forward,- chase the mother away and commence his meal off the little helpless mite.

When the Waratah disappeared from human ken, Mr. E. It. Waite, curator of the Canterbury Museum, received a letter asking him to decide a'wager about a question relating to that ill-fated vessel. The question was: “If the Waratah sank in midocean, would she drop right down till she reached the bottom, or would she merely drop down a certain deptli till the pressure stopped her from going further, so that she would then ho carried hither and thither far below the surface at the mercy of currents?” Mr. Waite mentioned the matter at a recent meeting 0f.... Hip, Canterbury Philosophical Institute. He said the answer was that the vessel would sink down Ho the very bottom of the sea.

In September cf Inst year the Department of Labour distributed 2500 booklets amongst the workers in the principal centres of the Dominion, with a view to a record being kept by individual workers of the exact cost of living, receipts and expenditure, during iho twelve months, dins was with the object of guiding the department in dealing with its annual labour statistics. The period allowed for filling in the tables expires at the end cf this month, when the department proposes to collect the booklots through its agents. About 600 have been distributed in each of the four centres, and if the information has been carefully recorded, as anticipated, the data thus supplied will be of a valuable nature, the Wellington “Times” considers, especially as a Royal Commission is shortly to be set up on this question by the Government. \ “I am a great advocate for the use of salt when storing hay for winter use,” explained a Tliwinui farmer to a Palmerston “Standard” reporter. “I don’t stack my hay, but store it in a shed, and with each load I distribute some ten or fifteen pounds of coarse salt, and it would astonish you to see how the cows relish it. They don’t leave a blade of the hay behind. My cows also have access to rock salt Jn their paddocks, and I can testify to fes value as regards their health and condition. Perhaps you may have scon cows chewing bones. Well, I believe that is to get something similar to salt that the animals crave for. I have had to make some of my cows drop a boro they have been chewing for an hour or so, and which they woud swallow if they could. I make it a rule never to leave any hones lying about where the cows can get them.” There was a most dramatic suicide at Vienna on August 27. An army officer, Captain Worigan, invited a largo company to an evening garden party, which," as the cards of invitation set forth, was intended to celebrate “an especially important event” in lis life. The fete was quite a brilliant affair, and a great success. One of the host bands was in attendance, and a feature of the entertainment was a grand exhibition of fireworks. At the close of tiie pyrotechnics! display Captain Worigan went on the balcony, and, attracting the attention of those present, announced that ho was going to make a speech. All the guests moved towards the balcony and stood waiting for their host to make a start, when the latter suddenly raised nis hands and plunged headlong on to the lawn below. There was a rush to the spot where the captain lay, but when picked up his body was quite lifeless. His neck was broken, and death had been instantaneous.

According to one of the passengers on the Atua, which arrived at Auckland from the Islands last Thursday morning, the enterprising merchants of Nnkalofa, Tonga, had a keen eye to the main chance when the Knight of fr't. George ran on to a reef outside flic harbour’ . A number of them are said to have made a trip to the doomed vessel, and after Inspecting the careo, offered to give the sum of £2OOO for the right to retain what was salved. Seeing thati the vessel had about £IOO,OOO value in freight aboard her. and realising the excellent chance there was of saving the major portion of it. naturally the ridiculous offer was refused. Had it been entertained, these business gentlemen would have realised a small gold mine, for when the Atua left Nnkalofa it was understood that some £20,000 worth of goods had already been salved, wit i an excellent prospect, given fair weather, of saving most of the remaining cargo.

Mr. A. Coffey, well-known in Stratird, is leaving town in order to join fswald’s Dramatic Company, Weliugton. In another column the Acclimatisa:on Society has a notice regarding :o issuing cf licenses for the coining i'd.iag season. Fourteen undefended civil actions ad one judgment summons are set .own for hearing at the sitting of the Magistrate’s Court on Friday. Two informations for breaches of Borough o-laws will bo investigated, ana • •barges of theft and forgery against i native named William Renata will /0 gone into. Favoured with pOl’fcct weather, the Fast Road Sheep Dog Trial Club held their si ml at social on Friday night at Strathmore. The affair was a distinct success in every Way, a largo number, including a few visitors from Stratford, being present. The floor .vas in beautiful order for dancing, and the music was greatly appreciat'd by all. Mr, Lockwood supplied the u pper, ilml had arrangements well in land. The music was supplied ,by Mrs. Malcolm, of To AVer a. One of the most interesting incidents in the trip of the Ulimaroa across the Tasman Sea, says tho “Southland Times,” was a chess match by wireless telegraphy. The Ulimaroa got into communication with tho Tainul, which left Hobart shortly after her. A Challenge was issued and accepted, and from ten in the morning till ten at night four enthusiasts on each ship wrestled with problems of pawn and knight and bishop. Tho game was indecisive, but one of tho Ulimaroa team said that lie and his comrades were confident that they had the other fellows prety well cornered,

“Can I have a smoke?” enquired i member during the sitting of ti e Whangarei Harbour Board. ' Certainly,” replied the chairman, gonv.lly, who had already previously i-nt an air of conviviality to the proceedings by blowing rings of fragrant blue smoke in the air. Then the majority of the remaining members fell into lino, also the occupants of the press table. The Harbour Board are certainly the most sociable of any of our local bodies, says the “Mail.” It brings back memories of a little Hoad Board near Auckland, whore, during the proceedings the chairman used to regularly produce a “square-rigger” from a capacious coat pocket, and invite the members, also the reporters, to “take a pull.” Mr. Alfred John Jury, proprietor of the Club Hotel, Waitara, who has >oen confined to his bed for the past week with pneumonia, died' at six o’clock on Tuesday morning, says tho “Taranaki Herald.” He took possession of the Club Hotel from Mr. A. T. Lake only a month ago. Mr. Jury was well known in Hawera as licenses of the Shamrock Hotel and later of tho Egmont Hotel, and was also in business as a hotelkeeper in Okaiawa and Normanby. He was a great patron of sport and was very well known in sporting circles, where his loss will be keenly felt. For several years he was on 1 the managemont committee of the Taranaki Rugby Union. The late Mr. A. J. Jury was a brother of Messrs. W. H. and F. Jury, of Now Plymouth.

A cablegram published last week in the Sydney “Sun” stated that a remarkable experience recently fell to the lot of Mr. George McCourt and his little son at Staten Island, tho southernmost part of New York Siirtte 1 / 1 Mr. McCourt was experimenting with a gigantic kite. During- a lull in the wind the taut line slackened and the boy, becoming entangled in a loop, was quickly lifted to a considerable height by a sudden gust. In his effort to haul* the kite down the father passed tho line under his arm, but the friction caused by a sudden run of the rope ignited some matches in his pocket and set his clothes on fire, McCourt strove to beat out the flames, but his coat, vest, and under-gar-ments were nearly all burned before he could tear them off his body. Finally he managed to haul the kite in until his son was about ten feet from the ground, when the lad became disentangled and fell, landing in a creek, from which he was speedily rescued little or none the worse for his thrilling adventure.

Two accidents occurred yesterday as a result of the wind, which, although not abnormally strong, was still stiffer than has been experienced for some time ; About half-past ten an accident with all the .elements, of a tragedy in it happened at the motor garage being built in Broadway North by Mr. A. W. Reid. The roof has not been put on yet, and the top of tho southern concrete gable end was thrown by the wind on top of Messrs W. and E. Brocklehank’s workshop. Happily the roof stood the strain, and though the rafters were badly sprung, none of the concrete came through. Another remarkable accident happened at Da verts stable, a little later in the day. A man named Milne was standing with his back to the stable, washing a bucket at the horse-trough, when the wind threw down on him one of the big sliding leaves of the door. Willing hands hastily removed the heavy piece of woodwork, and it was thought that Milne would he found badly hurt, if not dead, but beyond some rather severe bruises and cuts, he reported himself as uninjured.

An interesting point as to the rights and privileges of a licensee was brought up. at the quarterly meeting of the Lyttelton Licensing Committee. The matter was ventilated by Sergeant P. Ryan, who in his report made reference to the existence of a passage-way between licensed premises and a billiard-room, stating that Samuel Brooking, the licensee of the Saxon Hotel, Lyttelton, was also owner of the building next door, at present lot to one Hugh Granger, and between the two buildings was a passage about three feet wide. The licensee, when fitting up the billiardroom, opened a doorway leading into the passage, which the licensee informed him.was to give access to the conveniences at the back of the hotel from the billiard-room. This doorway was in a recess of the billiardroom. and did not open direct on to the passage, but on to a throe-feet strip of land along the side of tho room adjoining tho hotel. There was also a door opening from the footpath into the passage, which was open during licensed hours and closed at 10 p.m. As the billiard-room was left kp?n it would give free access to the licensed premises' during that hour. When the matter had been pointed out to’Mr. Brooking, he informed the sergeant that it was part of his agreement with his tenant that this door was to ho locked at 10 p.m., and net opend until the next day. Sergeant Ryan further stated that this in itself siiowed that the door was placed there solely and entirely as an easy path of entrance to the hotel. As tho door opened on private property, lie asked for instructions, as ho thought the question was one which came under tho clauses of the Li- using Act. After consultation with the members of the committee, the chairman (Mr. H. W. Bisiiopl announced that (he committee did not nnshVr it a case for an expression of opinion or action.

Schedules for the New Plyinouth show can be obtained on application to Mr. E. Jackson, Stratford. Tho bicycle ropd face to have boon held to-morrow under the auspices of the Boy Scouts has been postponed for a fortnight. •flj. The parent’s -of , triplets at HalJ combo have been presented with £23 ' subscribed *by admiring residents of the district. 1 ' It is stated that new potatoes are selling in Auckland at 6d per lb. This • is unusually early, and the reason is an extremely' favourable season. The death occurred yesterday, at the age of, 80, .years, of Mrs. Mary Gooder, Ngairc. The funeral takes place on Thursday. At- Mrs. Brown’s rooms at 7.30 o’clock this evening the second match of the rubber between A. and B. Stratford cribbagc teams will be held. At the , i“cent musical examination held in New Plymouth in connection with’Trinity College, London, by Mr. Schilsky,; the following pupils from the Convent School of that towns, among others, were successful:—Preparatory: Grace Warner, 71 marks; May McMasters, 71; Muriel Warner, 65; and Winnie Richmond. The three first-named were formerly of Toko, and the latter c.f Stanley Road, Midhirst. ■ ;,<» lU ’• . The funny man undertook to have some fun with a newspaper boy bn a railway platform, and offered to buy a penny paper if the lad could change a' sovereign.' The boy was about tc reject the’ 1 offer, when another passenger handed him a heavy canvas bag. “Take your change out ol that,” he whispered. The boy opened the bag and found it full of pennies. } Ho counted out 210 coins, retained one, afid handed tho rest to the faceT tious passenger, who was man enough to keep: to his bargain. It was afterwards learned that the obliging passenger was connected with a ponny-in-the-slot ;company, and had been making a collecting tour. A Paritfi contemporary states that-a well-known doctor recently read a paper before a meeting of medical men on the influence'of. vegetables upon the character the brain,and the senses According ’to tho doctor the, potato develops an evenness of temper and calmness of thought. The carrot acts as a stimulant to the character, and is recommended for biliousness and to peevish l or jealous persons. Spinnach develops ambitious dreams and energy Sorrel, despite its acidity, induces sadness and.,provokes nightmare. All workers • should eat white harricots Peas, we can .understand, are not cal- • culated to help serious thought, and the a cauliflower induces egotism.