LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXII, Issue 23, 10 January 1912, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Potatoes- from Spain, which, when ■coked, give off a strong perfume I ke ncense, were recently on sale at Co/ent Garden, London. Immigrants to Canada last year vere comprised as follows:—United Kingdom, 123,013; United States, 121,451; Europeans, 01,620. A man who broke open a pound, n jishorne, and rescued several horses, vas fined a total sum, including costs, if close on £G. His Worship pointed nit that the maximum penalty was GSO. < v

A train one mile in length was recently required to haul the Ringling Bros.’ circus of Toronto from place to place. The train had accommodation :or 12S0 men, women, and children, ind consisted of eighty-five double length carriages. The Rev. Alex. Irwin, of Drumglass House, Dungannon, the owngr of the royalties of Drumglass and Der--aghadono collieries, who died recently it the ago of 87, was the oldest clergyuan of the Anglican Church in Ireland, and resigned Ids incumbency mly three years ago.

Interesting statistics on the French sardine industry show that there are 100 factories on the French coast engaged in canning the fish; 14,000 women prepare the fish as they come from the nets, and 2500 men are employed in canning them. The average annual production of tinned sardines r 20,000 tons. About 121 bof tin is used in every one hundred square yards of the sheet iron from which the tins are made.

Some comment Ims been aroused in Scotland by the following announcement issued from the Prince of ‘Wales’’ Council Chamber, Buckingham Calc: •‘His Royal Highness the Prince of Wales has been pleased to appoint lac Right Honourable Andrew Graham Baron Dunedin to the Keeper of the Great Seal of His Principality of Scotland.” 'Hie Prince of Wales is Great Steward of Scotland, but there is no mention in Dehrett in the official titles of that country of a principality. Scotland is, of course, a kingdom, and the term “principality.” meaning territory ruled by a prince, is generally applied only to Wales.

Here is a true and amusing explanation why the Turkish Fleet, which was in the Mediterranean, managed to reach the safety of the Dardanelles at the outbreak of the war. It did so, not through any skilful manoeuvring or special management, hut simply because it came blundering along on account of the absence of all information or orders. The Italians, who knew all about the speed oPthe Turkish craft, made their calculations, naturally expecting that the Turkish Fleet would proceed with all its speed to the Dardanelles. 'The Turks came leisurely along, and the Italians, tired of waiting, concluded that they had gone off in the direction of Tripoli, and so scuttled off to find them, leaving the road free.

A contemporary, referring to the recent Maori conference at Parewanni, near Bulls, says tiiat “the feminine dress creations ranged from the latest thug in hobble skirts and tanned shoes, to the plain block sugar-bag garment with no noticeable waistline, •worn by tattered Urewcra antiquities ■wiio showed a line contempt for shoes and stockings, and a liking for big pipes and strong tobacco.”

Referring to the case of the man who was prosecuted for setting his Horse at full gallop into the thick of the crowd awaiting election results at Bastings, scattering the people in all directions, and causing several ladies ami children to be knocked down, a contemporary remarks that it may not be generally known that, should a man deliberate!v ride through a ■rowel and a fatality result, the offender is held by British law to he guilty of murder.

A correspondent of the Wanganui “Herald” writes:—“l noticed an interesting items in yon locals last evening with reference to a gentleman claiming the historic distinction of riding the first bicycle in Wanganui, i have been under the impression that the late H. B. Roberts (‘Bogo’), solicitor, was the first to claim that honour. 1 remember, early in the 50’s, the old chap persevering with a regular bone-shaker. If my memory serves me right, it was constructed wholly of wood, even to the elbow crank connecting the two wheels. Continued perseverance was rewarded by the old gentleman being able to tortuously get a move on, at the loss of much avoirdupois.

A medical correspondent has written to a London journal complaining that man}- public schools have issued prohibitions against trouser pockets. •‘I cannot imagine,” he says, “what benefit the sewing up of a hoy’s trouser pockets can he to him, morally or physically. On the other hand, such a rule has a great deal too condemn it from a medical standpoint.- The main reason is that the hands of a hoy or girl have a peculiar function in regulating the circulation and warmth of the body, and Ixjys with cold fingers are peculiarly liable to catch cold both in the head and body.” He goes on to say that the schoolmasters’ “anti-pocket craze” is the cause of the cases of pneumonia and bronchitis at largo in English public schools.

Curiously enough scientists are taking a gloomy view of the future of the blonde. Not only are fair people becoming fewer, but, if this is not a paradox, they are also becoming darker. The future promises to bring us nothing more interesting than the .“whitey browns” of humanity. To preserve our blondes is scientifically possible, but their continuance would make an end to the progress of civilisation. All, or nearly all, the conditions of modern life tend to encourage brunettes. Before many decades have passed there will probably only be rare examples of women wlio are divinely fair, and their position may not be' as enviable as the charitables are inclined to expect., ,~, . • Polo and hockey player,' cyclist; motorist, yachtsman, and steeplechase rider, the German Crown Prince is steadily acquiring a reputation' as an all-round sportsman. An enthusiastic admirer, indeed, has predicted that he willj make the Gehrfan -iiati6hl thel first sporting people -in the‘ world. The Prince has .bad many - ndyontures and) curious experiences, and only a few months ago, during his visit to India, while on a motoring tour from Lucknow, lost his way completely. Eventually his car broke down in the wilds, and he had to return to civilisation by means of a devious crosscountry journey by boat, carrier, and rail, having meanwhile missed an important , official fete which, had been , in, .his honour.. V.," ' \ fr| ; ,What is the reason attached to the habit of scratching the head as an aid tp thinking? There is, it is said,u ad very - simple' physiological fact at the toot of it. In Sir Lander Brunton’s “Text Book of Pharmacology” he says: “Individuals of all nations, when ; desiring to think more accurately, are accustomed to irritate/'some branch of the fifth nerve, either by scratching the head, rubbing the forehead or chin, striking the nose, or taking snuff. Chewing sweet or pungent substances has a similar effect in enabling some persons to tlrnk more clearly.” The action stimulates the branches of the nerves passing from the surface up to the brain, and so the mental output is increased. Ten sheep to the acre and on grass paddocks is usually regarded in New Zealand as a farmer’s fable, but with no special form of tentensive cultivation, except top-dressing with dried Lix, it is a fact on the lands near Tokomaru, owned by Messrs. Seifert Bros., the well-known flax manufacturers. Not only that, but it is a further fact, on the authority of one of the firm, that at present ten sheep to the acre are unable to cope with the fast-growing pastures, and the scythe-blade and mower have to be brought in,in order to keep the areas fairly clear for their flax beds. The reason advanced for the prolific growth of grass is that the dust from the dried flax, replenished at short intervals, provides a most valuable manure.

Caterpillars have made their appearance in many oat crops in the Masterton district, and have already done considerable damage. The pest has this season made its appearance in some paddocks where it has not previously been known. In fighting the caterpillar, the farmer lias been considerably handicapped owing to the wet weather, which has prevented the cutting of the crops when green in order to save them. As a preventive many farmers are turning over a couple of furrows of land round their crops and placing lime or salt thereon. A Wairarapa farmer, who has nad considerable experience in connection with caterpillars, recommends this method being adopted as a check once the pest is discovered in a crop. The caterpillar will eat its way through one crop into another, and the only way to stay its progress is by the furrow and salt or lime system.

A Wanganui shipping man tells an interesting little story concerning the barquentine Carla, which lately went ashore at Wanganui Heads, and was afterwards bought by Hatrick and Co., and floated. Some eight years ago a barquentine was built in a Dutch seaport. Immediately she was launched the keel of another was laid down, and the second, a replica of the first, was in due course put in the water. Both had Dutch names, but the elder ship of the twins was bought by a Dutch firm and called the Carla, and the younger of the twins was bought by Mr. A; Hatrick, of Wanganui, who gave her the name of one of his daughters—Alexa. Strange, is it not, that after eight years the twins should come together again? One has had a comparatively uneventful life, spent mostly on the Tasman Sea; the other has sailed all the oceans, and at last, storm-tossed, battered, and forsaken, she has been practically driven into the land of her twin sister’s own-

Mr. Newton King sends us a handsome wall calendar issued by The Chemical Union, Ltd., proprietors of Fison’s Fertilizers. Messrs. Charles and Harry Sanders are, wo understand, leaving shovLy for California, where they intend to settle down. . Mr and Mrs Aiken, of Huntervillo, avlio have been spending a short holiday with Mr and Mrs N. Fulton, of the Agricultural department, left for home this morning. An accident that a cinematograph man would have given much to have recorded, occurred outside the “Post” office in Juliet Street - this morning. Mr Goldsworthy, of Mr Newton King’s staff, was driving along in a light gig, when the axle broke in two places. The driver was quite unhurt, still retaining his seat in the cart, with both wheels deposited alongside. We have not to go to fertile Taranaki for examples of what the land .will carry in cows for dairying, says the Manawatu Herald. Within a stone’s throw of Foxton a holder of 35 acres of land grazes and milks 25 cows, besides keeping a horse, etc., while another holder of 45 acres milks 25 cows, keeps a horse, and 12 head of young stock! Some “punters” take rather a long time to collect their dividends. Since the races, the Stratford Club have received several letters enclosing tickets on winning horses. This morning a letter was received from an Opunake (resident, enclosing two tickets on Muleteer in the Midhirst Hack Handicap on the first day. The writer explained that the tickets had slipped through the lining of his coat and ho had just found them. The tickets will, of course, be forwarded by the Club to the totalisator people, Messrs Neylon and Spriggons, and the man will get his money in due course. Fifty-eight years ago last Monday (says the Wanganui Chronicle), Mr John Morgan, of- Newton Villa, Dune Hill, arrived in Wanganui with a party of Taranaki settlers, who had come down with the intention of founding their homes in this district. . Included in the party, in addition to Mr John Morgan and bis wife, were the Treweeks, Mr Herbert Toogood, Mr Harkness, and others, whoso names have since been closely identified with the growth and development of the town and district. Mr Morgan, as ho looks back over the past, not . unnaturally dates the progress of Wanganui from the time of the arrival of the Taranaki party. When they arrived Wanganui was hut a primitive village; to-day it is well on the way to becoming a city. Mr Edward Mason, Veterinary Surgeon, late of Nevada, U.S.A., has just arrived in New and has decided to take up his residence in Taranaki, making Stratford his headquarters. Mr Mason comes well-re-commended, and can he found, at the Royal ,Mail Stables, ajid will attend to calls, left there, day or night.