LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXI, Issue 41, 3 October 1911, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Mr. Newton King has received the following cable from his Sydney agents, re hides :—Eighth easier.

At next Monday’s ordinary meeting of tho Borough Council Cr. Paget will move:—“Tiiat the resolution of August 1-ltli authorising the erection of the fireball tower on the present stand, be rescinded.”

While painting on the second floor of the electric light station in Kent Street, Sydney, one day last week, William Grooves met with an extraordinary series of accidents. Tho preparation that he was using caught lire, and his clothing was ignited. While trying to beat out the liamos lie fell a distance of 20ft into a tub of acid on the ground floor. Grooves was promptly helped out, and taken to the hospital. He was suffering from a double' fracture of the right leg and serious burns all over tho body.

During the hearing of the libel ac tion, Bussell v. Grey River Argus, ii the Supreme Court at Greymouth las' week, Mr. Byrne, appearing for tin plaintiff, began to quote from Web stcr’s Dictionary, to show the mean iug of the word “larrikin,” His Hon our said ho thought that the word wai of modern origin, and he was perfect!; sure that Webster knew nothing o, it. The word was of Australian origin and he was perfectly sure that tin majority of the jurors knew more o the meaning of tho word than Webstei Ho questioned whether there was an; necessity of defining the word. Tin jury understood the meaning of tin word quite clearly. “I am confident in saying,” saic Surgeon-Colonel Purdy, Director o Medical Services in New Zealand, ii liis address at the Medical Congress ir Sydney, ’’that at present '4O per' cent of the youths of Australasia, for some cause or another arc unfitted fov effio ient military service and I also venture to'assert tli'aP in th'e"Coinse of a

very few years, owing to the great improvement. in the national physique ' that will be effected by compulsory training that the percentage of until men will be greatly decreased, am that tho nation at large will he grcatlj benefited.” He added that the exigencies of modern warfare demanded not only fit soldiers, but highly accomplished officers, and he also advocated through organisation of the medical corps. He was glad to have observed that New South ‘Wales was the first , country in the world to have a properly organised properly equipped medical force, and.they proved in South Africa what could be done by welltrained medical officers and troops; 1 A number of people were interested ■ on Friday at tne Queen’s Wharf in watching the patent acetone process of cutting steel beams and a bulkhead m tne Arapawa, for the purpose of converting the two foreholds into one (says the “Now Zealand Times”). The flame is forced out of a jet at a terrific pressure, and so great is the heat that the steel girders, which would take a man four hours to cut through with a hammer and chisel, were neatly cut through by tho flame in two minutes. The bulkhead, which would require four men to work about three days to\ cut out with hammers and chisels, was removed in an hour and a- quarter by the acetone process. Mr. Robert Denton is carrying out the work. The acetone process, while not quite new, is not often seen at work at the Wellington wharves. A Napier company are tho proprietors. An aged wandering singer, rhymester and story-teller who was said to bo a descendant of one famed in the days of minstrelsy died recently in the hospital in County Meath, Ireland. He was the last of the old school of socalled poets who lived by story-telling and verse-making at farmhouse firesides. His name was Thomas Smith, and according to report, one of ins ancestors wore cap and bells and served as a jester to a prince. In his boyhood Smith wore a faded doublet of alternating stripes of yellow and blue, which had been handed down to him as a relic of his great-grandgathcr’s fame as a country-side fun-maker. His stories for the most part had to do with flte fairies, and always presented the good fairy in the part of straightening tangles and easing the path to happy marriage. His visits throughout the country were -made with scheduled regularity and an evening with the poet was the occasion for a gathering of young folk. Like most poets, lie was not thrifty, and died poor. Those ladies of Now Zealand who make it their pride to lie right up with the fashion have this spring had their millinery opportunities seriously curtailed as the result of tiie big maritime strikes in England, where tho spring hats come from, says the Auckland “Stain” Whole cargoes of tho delectable goods which should now he

fluttering the fair purchasing public of Auckland in the showrooms of the hit; drapery firms arc grimly confined in the batches of steamers which are \ ot weeks away from these shores. The blow is somewhat softened by the fact that some boats that carried tlie millinery harbingers of spring managed lo evade the hold-up, and the drapery firms have boon enabled, at great inconvenience, but with commendable enterprise, to satisfy the demands of the ladies. Those who follow the fashions' 1 may look forward to an end-of-scason feast, when the belated creations do arrive. From a business point of view the matter means a considerable loss to drapery firms, who will have to sacrifice the goods. Christmas goods which were

ordered earlv are similarly delayed, but they will arrive in plenty of time for the festive season.

Tho monthly meeting of the Technical School Committee is set down for this evening.

A meeting of creditors in tho estate of R. P. Watts will bo held to-morrow afternoon.

The recently re-formed Town Band will hold a practice in the Schoolroom this evening. A good muster of members is asked for. Mr. J. McAllister forwarded to tho Hospital Board an apology for nonattendance at this morning’s meeting owing to pressure of business.

Mr. Robert Spence left by the express train, this morning for Wellington to attend as counsel at the Court of Appeal, which opened yesterday.

Members of tho Stratford Tennis Club are reminded that the annual meeting of the club will be held in the Borough Council Chamber this evening.

Mr. W - . C. Cargill, who recently disposed of his stationery business in Stratford, left last night for Auckland, where he intends to take up his permanent residence.

The annual examination of the pupils in the Stratford primary school will commence to-morrow under Messrs BalLintyne and Whotter, inspectors.

Anybody having books or magazines for which they have no use are requested to forward them to Messrs. Bellringer and Co.’s shop, whence they will bo distributed to men on tho railway works. Another effort is to be made to obtain the services of a resident doctor for Whanganiomona, and with this end in view a meeting is convened by Messrs. McCutchan, McCluggage,. and Ryan, for Thursday, October 12th, in tho Whangamomona Town Hall,

The Rev. R. B. S. Hammond, of the Church of England Mission, Sydney, will lecture in Stratford on October 23th on his work in the slums of Sydney, his remarks being illustrated by limelight, views. Particulars will appear later.

At the Town Hall this evening an address on “The Life of General Booth” will be delivered by Colonel Birkenshaw, of the Salvation Army. M.e Mayor will preside, and musical items will be contributed by Miss McNeish and the Wesley Church choir.

A splendid line of ninety-seven, yearling steers, well grown and all of good colour, was despatched by rail to-day by the N.Z. L. and M. Agency Company’s Stratford branch, to a Tauranga -client. The steers were off turnips, at Mr. J. Montgomery’s, Monmouth Road, and were certainly one of the best lines of young cattle to ever leave Taranaki.

Experts acting for some of the large British railway companies have reported favourably on an invention by Mr. J. Sutherland Warner designed to give increased speed and safety in railway travelling. The invention is stated to be a modification of the bogie principle, which will render derailment at curves practically impossible, and thus allow considerably increased speed. It is claimed that the adoption of the principle will enable Manchester to be reached from London in something under two hours. Mr Warner is a famous British engineer.

The death occurred at Inglewood at a late hour last evening of IVIr. Alexander Gow, M.A., assistant master at tho local school. Deceased was but 31 rears of age, and had been ill only three weeks (says the “News”) On Saturday a consultation of doctors, was held, and, as a result, Br. Wylie' operated, but from the first it was seen that the case was a hopeless one. The late Mr. Gow was a highly successful teacher, and his untimely end will be deplored by a large' circle of friends. Ho was married to the only daughter of Mr. D. H. McDonald, of Inglewood, and leaves her and an infant son.

Some exceptionally high prices for stock sold under the hammer have been obtained in the Taranaki district this season, and it is well known v that dairy cattle are in demand. What is probably a record for in ordinary dairy herd sale, however, was put up last Thursday by Mr Newton King, when Mr F. W. Webster sold Mr J. Caughey’s herd of ninety cows at an average of £ll 7s each. The herd in question was made up almost entirely of Shorthorns. Mr “Will.” Webster, the genial “Knight of the Hammer” who sold, with the assistance of Mr Geo. Hobbs (so that he might take a moment to draw breath), was heard to remark that during the twenty-five years he had beeA on Mr Newton 'King’s staff he had never seen a “hotter” sale.

Rumour hath if that the Government lias “intentions” with regard to Stratford (says the “Daily Nows”). Preparations are in hand for the widening and strengthening of tho railway bridge over the Patea River, just outside tho station yards, and the railway line to Toko and eastwards is being laid with heavy metals, with a view, it is said, of allowing heavier engines to travel that way. It is also slated that the railway engine-sheds at Hawera are to lie moved to Stratford in tho near future, this step following naturally upon the growing importance of the latter town as a junction. Wise-acres see in this a sure indication that the Opnnake railway lino will junction with the existing system at Stratford. So far these phophecies lack confirmation, but our informant assures us that- there are more unlikely tilings.

An American lady at present in Melbourne (writes the “Sydney Morning Herald”) is of opinion that a “Housewives’ Society” would go far to solve the domestic problem. She states that the idea works well in New York. Any householder is eligible for membership. There is a small annual subscription, and an initiation fee. Girls are placed only with members, and no fee is charged them. The secretary becomes personally accpiaintsd with every member of the society, and endeavours to bring together mistresses and maids who will ho congenial. The president appoints a committee of three to investigate any complaints against mistresses. If it is proved that a woman has treated a maid unfairly, housed her poorly, or fed her meanly, her name is struck off the roll. If the maid ' proves a failure she is similarly treated. When a maid holds a position for two years she is awarded an emblem of merit from the society. This entitles her to special consideration. In some measure this is said to promote a spirit of fairness, and to promote a better ifnderstanding. Schedules of hours and wages are left to individual arrangement.