LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXI, Issue 82, 20 November 1911, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

The “Cheviot News” states that it is .Mr. Rutherford’s intention to offer for sale, early in March, about GOOD acres of the Man dip Hills estate, 'the land faces the Conway River. No less than forty-one recommendations lor the transfer and appointment of assistant teachers wore decided upon by a committee of the Wanganui Education Board this week, mostly caused by the new regulations allowing assistants instead of pupil teachers in certain schools. In his book on “The Oilfields of New Zealand,” Mr. J. I). Henry says:—“l believe that the discoveries which will Ijo made upon the East Coast from Gisborne district down to Mastcrton during the next few years will be incomparably greater than any I am able to record in this work.”

Conti ary to the general expectation Woodville is to have a full company of Territorials, says tiie “Examiner.” Il had been expected that Woodville would only have a half-company, and that the other half would bo in Palliating but now it is to have a company with a starting strength of sev-

enty men, while Pahiatna are to have a company between them. A piece of lame about the size of a man’s hand was exhibited by Dr Marshall at a meeting last week of the Otago Institute, and declared to lie a joint from the backbone of a veritable sea-serpent. Dr. Marshall un-

earthed this curiousity at the Amur! dtiulf, and managed to get it out of the rock without fracture.

A special meeting of the Borough Council will lie held this evening in connection with the electric light loan. 'The annual mooting of the W.C.T.U. at Stratford will be held next Thursday, afternoon in the Primitive Methodist schoolroom.

Special railway arrangements in connection with the Taranaki Show, to he held at New Plymouth on Wednoslav and Thursday next ,are notified.

Members of the Operatic Society will meet in the Parish Hall this evening Lo discuss the question of producing ■‘Trial by Jury” for the benefit of the school funds.

The secretary of the Fire Brigade requests all those who have not yet received back the dishes used at die recent ball to call for them at Messrs Wilson and Drake’s shop.

;ho “Post” remarks that Timaru has boon very quiet lately in the matter of crime and offences. Only on V tv o days last week did tlie Magistrate s Court sit, and the previous weak was also very “dull.”

banners are again reminded that entries for the Stratford A. and P. Show’s Butter-fat Competition closo to-day, and cows must be handed over to Mr S. Porritt, at Mr W. G. Malone s paddock, Opunake Road, before o p.m.

, In the course of the proceedings at Lie Supreme Court in Christchurch,. Mr. Justice Demiiston said the only effect of acquittal was that a mail could not ho tried again on the same charge. It was, however, quite possible to go into the evidence again in another case.

According to the Carterton paper, it can go one better than a supplier in Ashburton wjio delivered a ton of milk daily to a factory. This is nierei.V a small supply compared with nearly two tons of milk daily by a supplier to the Dalefield Factory. Several other suppliers at the same factory send over a ton daily.

It is stated that the big rivers bounding the South Canterbury district are yielding big trout. Fishing m the Rangitata the other day an angler grassed a very fine one "scaling 111 b. Another angler fishing in the Waitaki River landed a fish winch weighed Ifijlb. This rather puts our Stratford trout out of court.

In the current number of the Australian “War Cry” Commissioner Hay, in charge of operations in the Commonwealth and the Dominion, itemises a number of ways in which the scope of the Army’s work will be extended or improved. The schemes 'or tin' Dominion include a maternity homo for Auckland, another boys’ homo and the further deevlopment of agencies for ex-prisoners. The inebriates’ work will also bo extended.

Anglers have recently been having some good sport in the'upper reaches of the Ashburton River, says the “Press.” Mr. James Dunn caught It fish scaling 41b. up to s Jib each; Mr. T. Mcßay landed 13 which weighed a total of 461 b; and Mr. E. Corbett caught eight weighing from fill) to 6}lb each. Mr. Martin H. Christian landed eight nice fish in the course of a couple of hours.

A new form of return of attendance to ha provided by public schoolteachers is gazetted. While the former returns are in some respects simplified. the information now to be given will be more definite in showing the ages of the children in the various standard classes. Further, it will not be necessary for teachers to state the number of children taking the subjects that are optional or in regard to which the teacher has discretion as to which shall be taken.

Short hair has been made the distinguishing mark of the rebels in China. It will bo a highly effective plan for enabling the leaders to distinguish their friends from their foes, and the male inhabitants of Hankow, Wuchang and other places were therefore given a couple of days to decide which they should forfeit—their pigtails or their heads. As a result 1,500,000 people in these districts discarded their pigtails.

A Wairarapa contemporary reports that a Lower Taueru resident had a peculiar experience recently with a connle of calves, both having gone mad. Xo cause has been ascertained for the occurrence, although it is thought they may have been affected by thunderstorms. The animals careered round the paddocks and then butted into the walls of buildings until they fell from exhaustion. Both had to be destroyed. “I think the time has arrived,” declared Mr. J. A. Frostick to a “Press” representative, “when a very careful analysis by independent people should be made in respect to the increased cost of production of local manufactures, and the effect of the increase in wages, the shortening of hours, and the restriction of output. I. firmly believe that if an impartial .'aver,ligation was made by competent people who thoroughly understand both sides of the question, there would be a rude awakening.”

Tao secretary of the Taranaki Agricultural Society has received notice from the Education Board that permission has been granted to all school committees to allow them to close their schools one day to allow the children to attend the agricultural show. It is hoped that the school committee will take advantage of this permit. Excursion trains are running both days, which should suit the children and parents from all along the line. To attend a show of live stock, such as will ho seen next Wednesday and Thursday, should be an education in itself, and we have no doubt the trains will be well loaded.

Present conditions point to an abundant supply of soft fruits this season, says the “Timaru Post.” In the Waimate district the prospects of a great yield of strawberries and raspberries are excellent. This year there is fully three times more land used for fruit culture than there was a few years ago, and the number of growers has increased from twenty-four to sixty.- A few of the growers have as much as about twenty acres of land entirely used for the growing of strawberries. Last year the growers obtained good prices, ranging from 10}d to Is 2d per lb for the best early yields. It is thought that raspberries will not be dear this season, as the yield promises to be exceptionally heavy.

The Auckland “Star’s” Hamilton correspondent telegraphs that an extraordinary affair occurred on the trip of a coach from Hairini to To Awamutu station. The coach contained two passengers—one a European and the other a Maori. The former, who had a whisky flask, containing formalin, for disinfecting purposes, jokingly handed the flask to the Maori, uniting him to have a drink, and while his head was turned, the Maori took two or three mouthfuls ■d a -10 per cent, solution of formalin. The coach at the time was near Hr. Reekie’s residence and the Maori was quickly taken there. Within five minutes of the occurrence the doctor had a stomach pump at work. ’The Maori is I’.ow progressing favourably, though the foolish joke might easily have ended fatally.

It is reported that lightning kiiLd a bull at Sentry Hill one day last week.

Anglers still complain of very little sport in the streams in tins locality. Some realy nice fish have been taken, but no large baskets so far.

Mr. J. J.Corry, for ten years secretary of the Marlborough A. and P. Association, has intimated his intention of resigning, owing to pressure of business.

The friends of Patrick Kelly, a very old resident of Stratford, who for many years resided with Ins brother in Miranda Street, will regret to learn that he passed away yesterday. Mr W. 11. Davis, of Warwick Road, finds his plum trees this year affected by some curious blight, the fruit after formation withering and falling off in a manner lie does not understand. Several otherwise good trees of Burbank variety are affected. Mr. H. Hunter, speaking at Linwood the other evening,' stated that it was futile for the workers to continually strive for increased wages. They must take action to reduce the cost of living, and that was the aim of the Labour Party.

At the Wanganui Show r the places in the class for curly-coatecl retrievers were chiefly filled by Stratford-owned dogs. In dogs Mrs H. J. Dunham got two firsts and Master J. Paterson got a second and a third, and in bitches Mrs F. Paterson got two firsts and Master Patterson one fir iff. The Stratford Tennis Club’s courts were opened for play on Saturday, proving to be in fair condition. A good number of members were present, and indulged in play, afternoon tea supplied by Mrs Young, wife ot the president of the club, being partaken of.

The “Herald” states that the heavy electric storm which passed over New Plymouth on Friday was the means of putting out of order between 170 and 200 telephones. The linesmen, with their ever-ready 1 promptness, started immediately to work after the storm. At the Methodist Syduod at Hawera it was pointed out that while the Government sent inspectors to register Maori dogs, yet Maori children were not given that privilege of registration. “When ray child died, I went to the Registrar,” said a cultured Maori' minister, “and he told me that there was no provision for registering its death. You register Chinese and Indians—foreigners—why not the children of the first owners* of tho soil?” A resolution was' carried urging the Government to make the necessary provision.

In view of the fact that the Electrical Supply Co. intends to instal a Mirlees Diesel engine at its works, tho following paragraph from a recent issue of the “Otago Daily Times” is of interest: —At Tuesday’s meeting of the Electric Power and Lighting Committee of tho City Council the tenders for tho .installation of the new plant at the converter', station were considered, when it was decided to recommend the acceptance of Messrs. J. Chambers and Sons’ tender of £14,749. The plant will include one 500 b.Ji.p. engine of the Mirless Diesel make, another 750 b.h.p. ! , ;a 340 kwt. generator, and a 500 kwtJ -generator. The present steam plant is to be sold.