LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXI, Issue 57, 21 October 1911, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

■The tender of Messrs J. Masters and Son, of Stratford, has been accepted for the supply of explosives for tiie New Plymouth Harbour Board for the ensuing twelve months. “The Government,” states the Hon. It. McKenzie, “is always ready to assist local bodies in giving every facility to consider the question of electrical or any other method of traction. The question of subsidising the construction of tramlines to be electrically operated is worthy of consideration, but until the Government develops some large force of hydro-elec-trical power for transmission to suitaide localities it is doubtful whether it would be profitable for local bodies to undertake the construction of small schemes with a view to electric traction on light tramways. The matter is, however, receiving the careful considcraton of the Pubic Works Department?”

Wooing is a slightly more complicated matter in Sardinia than it is here. The marriage customs there are very curious, says the Gentlewoman, quoting from “The Romance of a Great Singer.” If a father has a marriageable daughter, the woidd-be suitor applies to him for permission to see her as she goes to chupch, or, in the event of her not wishing to be scon ho communicates with her by means of a species of telephone which lias boon in use since time immemorial, it is a long string with a wooden knob at each end. The father’s permission having been given, the lady drops one knob out of the window, and, the shutters being closed, places the other knob to her ear, while down below her would-be lover pours bis protestations into the knob she has thrown into the street. Sometimes this curious form of courtship continues for two or three years, the man never soong the face of his inamorata. About twenty football players and supporters met at the Commercial Hotel, Whangarei, on October 9th for the purpose of making a presentation to Mr E. Kivell (a son of Mr H. Kivell, of this town), who left next day for Stratford to take a position on Mr Newton King’s staff. Mr Kivell is well-known throughout the North as a referee and an ardent supporter of the amateur Rugby game. Mr W. Ramsay, chairman of the Rugby Union, took the chair, and assured the popular referee that all footballers were very sorry that he was leaving the district, and that they could not allow him to depart without presenting him with a memento and a token of the fact that Whangarei fully realised the work ho had done for tho benefit of local football. On behalf of the Rugby Union and of footballers he then handed Mr Kivell a handsome travelling rug and a case of solid silver spoons. The recipient replied and thanked the players for their gift and for the sportsmanlike manner in which they had always accepted his decisions. He also thanked the Union for tho manner in which they bad backed him up when necessary, and finally lie wished local football'evcry success in tho future. Mr and Mrs Kivell’,s health was drunk by those present and Messrs Smith and Crawford also spoke of his services to tho sport in a eulogistic manner.

A “staff ride” for Territorial offis will lie held in Stratford within

c next week or two

in view of the near approach of the S low, the executive committee of the A. and I’. Association has decided to moot every Monday and Thursday till tlic date of the show.

Sergeant-Major Dallinger, of the Jo- ' :;1 Defence Office, left for Wellington by tin’s morning’s mail train, in order t o meet Ins wife,, who is coming out tloin England. The Sergeant-Major ami Mrs. Dallinger will take up their residence in Stratford.

At _ the Magistrate’s Court this morning, before Mr. S. 13. Hunter* .1.P., one first-offending drunkard was convicted and discharged, and John McLennan, found drunk in Broadway l,"-st night, was sentenced to twentyiour hours’ imprisonment, being unable to pay a line.

Farmers desirous of taking.part in t.;o butter-fat competition at the fori.uconiiiig A. and P. Show, are reminded that entries close on November Ist. The secretary requests that entries he made as soon as possible in order to give adequate time for the provision of accommodation for the cows.