LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXII, Issue 39, 10 February 1912, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

A meeting of the executive committee of the A. and P. Association will ho, held this evening. The general committee will meet to-morrow week, the appointment of a secretary being among the business.

The Wellington City Council has added .the following paragraph to the by-laws person: shall; sell muy foodstuffs ;by , auction in. any .auction mart or other premises in) the city unless -.such foodstuffs is' stored, on a platform or counter tat least two feet above the level of the floor, provided that this , regulation bo not insisted upon in markets where the foodstuffs is stored in boxes or sacks.”

From recent Conimomvoaltl?~howßpapers we glean that Australia is shortly to " have uniform postage stamps. T)csigns for the new stamps were submitted to the Federal Post-•nVaistt-'r-Ueneral, ; who says ho, iis not wedded to any particular design, hut 'that if a picturesque stamp, in which the outline of Australian figures wore produced, he would be favourably inclined towards it.

According to one chronicler, the late Duke of Fife, “unlike the Marquis of Lome, early became resigned to his role of ‘Royalty’s son-in-law.’ He also made certain conditions as to wiial his position was to be after his marriage. He accepted a Dukedom, but stipulated that his Royal wife was to be known as the Duchess of Fife, and not as/ Princess Louise; also, it was his wish that his Duchess should have no lady-in-waiting.”

Cattle, a Japanese (writer tells us, have been used in Japan almost since prehistoric times instead of horses for ploughing, drawing vehicles, etc, but only with a generation as milk producers. Japanese people in genera, are not fond of cows’ milk. The milk they sav tastes “cowy.” Since rhe introduction of foreign breeds of cattle the use of milk has increased, but the sensitive Japanese taste still piefers food and beverages that have no animal flavour.

It is gouerally admitted that tin Metropolitan police of New Sout’ Wales are physically one of the finest bodies of nicii in the world. But lor some time the authorities have not received sufficient applications fiom eligible men to keep the force up to its"full strength. Possibly tbe physical standard is too stringent, but at any rate, though there arc always a]> pi Scants willing to join the force, von few of them possess the ncecssan physical and educational qualifications. It transpired in the Police Court at Invercargill that a man arrested for drunkenness some weeks ago was found at the time to have a bottle ol whisky in his pocket. Tho whisky war of course, taken from him and ho was locked ’u]). On liis release the whis-kj was handed back to him by tho police, 'flu' Magistrate expressed surprise at this, but Sergeant Bingham explained that the liquor was the man’s property and he did not see what else could be done. Tbe fact that the man was afterwards discovered to bo a prohibited person added a spice ol humour to tljc situation.

When a sheep will he sent to the new freezing works at Makarewa, says the “Southland Times,” nothing of that sheep will be wasted. Jin carcase will be frozen, tbe bide wdl be tanned, the wool will bo dried and packed, tbe offal will be placed in tbe digester, and the tallow extracted, and what remains will bo crushed and made up into manure. From the trotters ueatsfoot oil will be extracted, and from tho blood the highest class of manure wilT be manufactured. A more complete utilisation of what used to be called “waste product” can hardly be imagined.

A recent visit l>y a New Zealander to tho Holy Jiaml states that the whole land is a desolation. It is not flowing wit'll milk and honey now. Between Jerusalem and Jaffa there are some beautiful groves of olive trees and vineyards, hut in other places tinland is denuded. The people live just the same simple life as they did in Scriptural days. The women were seen grinding at the mill, men ploughed with ancient implements, drawn in the old way, the shepherd leading his little Hock, calling them hy name. The sheep and goats may he seen browsing together. The sheep, ho says, were tin ugliest he had ever seen.

Mr. Guy Osborne Reader, of Stratford, has‘filed a declaration of insolvency. . The school children of Midhirst and Waipuku, accompanied by many ot their elders, picnicked at the Breakwater yesterday. The contingent numbered some 300. A doctor, in the evidence at the inquest at Cambridge on the lad Morse, who was alleged to have committed suicide after receiving punishment from his father, stated that from appearance presented, he thought the ninnies more likely to he accidental than self-inflicted. The jury found htat death was due to gunshot injuries, hut in what manner actually inflicted thcie

was no evidence to prove. A collision occurred at Auckland last night between a taxi-cab of the tourin«r pattern and a tram car. Ihe trout of "the motor was wrecked, and the occupants injured. The driver and the male passenger were severely cut about the head and wore taken to the hospital. The other two passengers were ladies, who were able to proceed home, having escaped with severe bruises.

The Commercial Hotel Stratford which has been taken over by Mrs Jim Sullivan (late of Petoue and Coronation Hotel, Eltham) is .being thoroughly renovated and clone up, the proprietress desiring to specially cater for the family and country trade. Mrs Sullivan will he glad to welcome old and new friends and with a moderate tariff and an excellent table and good accomodation should soon make the Commercial a leading and populai hostclcry.

For several weeks there has been a blockage of the Wairoa river, in Hawke’s Bay, by tjic silting up of shingle at- flic bar. Air. Leslie H. Reynolds, the widely known' harbor engineer, and Mr. Pulley contractor for harbor work, were present on Wednesday, assisting the townspeople to cut a new channel, and the river will he opened to-night. A sum of £IOO,OOO will 1)© spent on the harbour, and the first pde is to •ho driven about March.

A mooting of the executive committee of the A. and P. Association was held last evening, there being present: Messrs W. P. Kirkwood (in tlm cJiair), S. M. Porritt, J. D. Healy, H. Good, and 11. Masters. Mr. Porritt moved, and Mr. Healv seconded: that the Proshlent interview the town bandsmen and get quotations foi playing on the day of the sports.” Tins ‘was carried. It was decided that the _gymkhana programme as submitted and .published lie adopted, with the exception of the haka, aml .that committee consisting of Messrs. Kirkwood, (food, Hobbs, Masters, and Malone be set mi to draft conditions. The question of the secretary’s salary, having a licensed booth at the sports, and the leasing for farming of the .Show Grounds, were sot down to be discussed at the next general meeting.

A jury at the Old Bailey recently enioved an excellent luncheon which was never intended for them at an. Ihcy were the jurors who were trying Carpenter on charges of fraud in connection With the Charine Cross Bank in Mr Justice Channell s court. When thev filed out at the mid-day interval tiiev were delighted to find in a private room close by, luncheon covers spread ■ldf thirteen persons. As they were told by the polite attendants that it was “fdWtho jury” they had no hesit- -i bit ion in eating’a Very £md 'lutich, ;tnd m only discovered later that they had demolished' the meal prepared for Mho-i jurors in the murder trial mThe other court, who, according to Old Bailey custom in such capital charges, are granted this civic hospitality. I hear therd'ilia's been an example ot false pretences with honest intentions, said Mr. Justice Channell jocularly, when he was discharging the smiling urv . ‘T hear that by representing yourselves to he a murder jury jou have had a good lunch.” ...j C. Pittsburg has discovered that one of lic'r own coal deliverers, . an...ltalian named Diomede Yentresco, has . been peddling coal for ten years in the city streets,-using a. voice of grand opera quality. Yentresco’s voice was discovered in goal, where the Italian had been committed for disorderly conduct. The warden was training a choir of prisoners for a Christmas performance and Yentresco was asked to join. Ibo first notes he sang startled the warden by their purity. He ordered the I talian to sing alone and then he summoned Professor Landon and other Pittsburg singing experts to the prison. They listened to \entresco s voice, and all were enthusiastic. 1 hey declare be will be singing star parts m grand opera in two years, if he sulimits to vocal culture. Yentresco will go on the music-hall stage when his Term is up to earn money to pay for his tuition. The Pittsburg experts attribute the strength of the Italian s voice partly to his simple outdoor training, and his ten years’ crying of: “Co-o-al! co-o-o-al!” Very little lias appeared in print recording even, hinting at, the profound anxiety with which the visit_ of ins Majesty to India is regarded in high official circles at Home (writes Sir H’cnrv Lucy in the Sydney Morning Herald.) It may 1h? measured by the ■satisfaction with which the conclusion of the Durbar ceremonies without disaster has been noted. The succession of burning tents was gallantly explained away. Nevertheless, it added to the anxiety of the hour. That one tent occupied by a member of the 1 {oval suite should accidentally take lire was not alarming. That at brief intervals, three should blaze forth was, to sa .y the least unfortunate. The sensitiveness of feeling in' the matter was evidenced when the other day there ran through the city news that the King had been shot. The story was doubtless for Stock Exchange purposes The fact that it should have for a while materially influenced prices testifies to the under-lying uneasiness. Equally in India and in Downing St., the authorities will bo hugely relieved win'll their‘Majesties arrive home in safety. A party of actors and actresses, while preparing to enact a thrilling drama for the benefit of the spectators at cinematograph shows, have had a remarkably narrow escape from being the unwilling victims of a tradegy in real life (cables the Copenhagen correspondent of the London Daily Telegraph.) They bad hired a steamer at Lemvig and bad arranged to have a fictitious shipwreck in the course of which their vessel was to bo stranded and they were to be heroically rescued after confronting apparently unparalllecl dangers and sulfering. Much to their alarm, however, they Wore forestalled by reality. They had been cruising about for a couple of hours during which time the cinematograph operator .bad been taking pictures of the usual incidents of life on tho

ocean wave, when the forces of Nature thought it was time to give them a taste of the real thing. And the real thing proved to be no joke A tremendous storm arose, and for ten hours the steamer drifted about at the mercy of the wind and waves. The gallant ship was on the point of foundering in reality, when help arrived in the shape of a boat from Lemvig,_ where the fishermen had grown anxious at the failure of the steamer to return to port. The actors and actresses were -oseued in the nick of time and fifteen minutes later the steamer sank.

Amy Bock who gained considerable notoriety three years ago by “marrying” a young lady at Tho Nuggets, nas been released from the New Plymouth prison. Her sentneo was two years imprisonment to be followed by reformative treatment.

In reference to Guido Warbricks report on Lake Rotomahaua, the unusual thermal activity noticed about the middle of January has now ceased. The lake is now practically back to its normal colour, and is regaining clarity every day. The only noticeable feature in the neighbourhood at present is the more than usual activity in the AVaimangu basin.

It may not generally be known that five Sundays occur in February, the last occasion on which this took place was in 1880 and the next will lie in 1920. This event takes place in periods of 23 wears, except when the century is not a leap year, and then it occurs at periods of forty years, lor example 1900 was not a leap year, hence a period of forty years will elapse from 1880 before the next occasion on which five Sundays will occur in February. An enjoyable function was held at Cardiff last night, the occasion being a presentation to Mr. D. Ogilvy, uho retires from the managership of the local dairy factory. In presenting Mr. Ogilvy with a handsome silver tea service, Mr. W. Richards, the chairmah of the company, referred to the capable manner in which Mr. Ogilvy had carried out his important duties, and wished him continued success and prosperity. A concert and dance followed, Messrs. Sauciers and Parker (2) playing the music. The Stratford Mountain House Committee have in hand quite a number of improvements. Timber is being carted lip to the House for the ceding of the bedrooms, and to provide additional accommodation. The road is also being improved, so that it will bo a very easy run from Stratford. New beds and bedding have been provided for visitors stopping over night, and, Mr. and Mrs. Christensen are prepared to provide' good meals at reasonable rates.

Lord Islington arrived at Napier at four o’clock yesterday from Rotorua, via Waikaremoana. He Avas mot at the borough boundary by the Mayor and councillors and conducted by motor-car to the toAvn Avhere addresses Avere presented by the county and borough, Lord Islington making a suitable reply. He Avas entertained m the afternoon to tea at the Vicarage, and shown the local institutions. Ho Avas entertained at a smoke concert in tho evening. He loft for Gisborne by motor-car this morning.

At the last meeting of the committee of the Natjier Chamber of Commerce it was cfecided to ask the Wellington Chamber what steps they would suggest for the formation of a Dominion Association of Chambers. The following reply has been received by the secretary, Mr. C. Douglas:— “The committee of my Chamber lias this matter in hand. The rules have been modified to include, as far as possible, the views of the various Chambers, and we hope that the Association will be -rfn accomplished fact before the end of the month.” New Zealand woollen manufacturers are now finding markets, iso far, away as Perth, Western Australia. It is said that theihardest competition 'which New .Zealaand ,woollen factories have 1 to compete, against, is, shoddy importations with which the country is at the present time over-run. One authority affirms that New Zealand against their will, have had to descend to adulteration, but the fact remains that in no place in,the./ world,, is there anything better than the clothing articles produced by New Zealand operatives.

Evidently New Zealand is net the only place where history is neglected in our public' schools. The following has been perpetrated by a West Hartlepool schoolboy:—“Canute was a' King, tie was King of: the Danes. He brought an army over to England. He shut 124 people in a little room wih only one window in it. When he' looked next morning there were 24 left. All the other people were dead because they could not get the r breath, when Clive heard the news he marched quickly with 3000 natives to Bannockburn. A battle was fougnt and Canute was killed.” Santa Lucia in Chili, is the name given to a very beautiful wooden knoll. It was beautified by drunkards. In the old Spanish days there was a Governor who punished topers by making them build this beautiful memorial to their folly. Rich and poor alike, who looked too long and lovingly on tlie cup, were condemned to the building up at Santa Lucia, and their posterity can now thorughly enjoy the fruits of their forced labour. Every “drunk” had to work a week on the mount. There were no fines. It is a lovely spot to look upon. A movement was recently instituted in Palmerston for the organisation of local government engineers, with a view to forming an institute for New Zealand, similar to that which already exists in Australia. A number of engineers met at Palmerston yesterday to arrange for a meeting of engineers at Wellington on the 21st and. 22nd inst., to form a New Zealand Institution of Local Government Engineers. The new institution will establish examinations and issue certificates to engineers qualified for service on local bodies, prepare papers and exchange views and experiences upon matters, such as road-making, tramways, lighting, drainage, water supply, etc. The promoters consider that the interchange of views amongst local government engineers of the Dominion must prove of the greatest value to ratepayers and all concerned.

Rather a sensational holt occurred at Midhirst on Thursday evening just after the arrival of the mail train. Mr A. Lineham, accompanied by a friend, had just entered his gig and started to drive home, when part of the harness broke, and the trap, being light on at the time, the shafts went up in the air, precipitating the occupants over the back on to the ground, from whence they arose unharmed. The horse made off in the direction of the station, but, suddenly changing its course, headed on to the footpath in the direction of the butcher’s shop. Here Mrs. Gray was wheeling a perambulator containing her three months old baby, and before she could get out of the way she was overtaken by the frightened animal and knocked down, as was also the pram. The baby, fortunately, rolled clear and was unharmed. Mrs. Gray was considerably bruised, but escaped serious injury. The horse continued its career, completely smashing the gig before it was caught.