LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXII, Issue 48, 21 February 1912, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Mr John Ley cion returned this morning from, a short visit to Auckland.

Notice is to he sent by the County Council to certain property-owners in dower Pembroke Road, to replace'private Crossings by larger ones, or to remove them.

cliihl two years .bid fell from a fire-escape of one of the Patca hotels the other morning, a distance of 15ft. He was bruised about the face and head, but no bones were broken.

The County Council this morning decided to vote £5 ■ in conjunction with the Stratford Borough Council for tunnelling the road at the Swansea Road Bridge. The famous Omana block, consist-ing'-of sixty-four farms of all sizes, situated in’Northern Wairoa, in the much-sought-after Uwintcrless” north, is to be sold by auction on March 29th, by Mr T. Mancleno Jackson, of Auckland, from whom descriptive pamphlets may be obtained.

Guo of the most curious instances of trifling with justice for sentimental reasons occured recently in Washington, when the Court offered to suspend sentence of a burglar if he would agree to marry and settle down. The burglar refused the suggestions and was sentenced to a year’s imprisonment.

Owing to pressure on our space a further instalment of “A Trip Abroad” which was in typo for insertion today, will appear to-morrow, other instalments following in due course. Much other interesting matter is held over for a similar reason.

Cr. Thomson, at the County Council meeting this morning, spoke against the use by a certain settler of a sledge over the public roads. It was necessary to rake the metal up again and re-blind the road. No motion was moved, but the foreman war instructed to caution settlers using

sledges. At the County Council meeting this morning Cr. Anderson spoke in favour of the recommendation that an extra surfaceman was required for the western end of the West Hiding, and said that in connection therewith the matter of procuring horse and cart was worthy of consideration. A horse and cart would pay for itself in a little time. Cr. Smith seconded tin motion, which was carried. The Chairman of the Stratfon County Council (Mr. W. Hathaway) appears to have lost some of his confidence in the Council’s engineer. Hr was not in favour of leaving the matter of choosing a horse and cart for one of the ridings to the engineer. “He’s only a judge of racehorses,” In addec.

Yesterday evening, before leaving the staff of the New Zealand Loan and Mercantile Agency Co., Ltd., mel to bid farewell to Mr 11. .1). Brown, who was leaving for a situation in Hastings. In presenting him with n handsome dressing case, 31 r Hewitt, the manager, referred to the regret felt by the staff' at losing Air Brown, who had been in. the Stratford office for about nine years, and on behalf of the staff, wished him every success in his new sphere. Mr Brown suitably replied. Wheii Councillor Paget was dealing with his figures on the blackboard last night, lie referred to a big question mark he had placed beside an item of Clot), which the Mayor said the new machinery, would make as extra profit. “That's the pill I can’t swallow,” lie said, “even though 1 am a doctor. And if I did swallow it, I would probably give it up again.” An interjector made some reference to horse pills, and the doctor admitted that it would take a horse to swallow that pill.

Members of the committee of the Stratford Footba 1 ! Club met at the Kgmont Club yesterday evening to bid farewell to Air. “Dug” Brown. Air. T. C. Fookos occupied the chair, and after some eulogistic remarks regarding Air. Brown’s work, he presented him with a handsome travelling bag. The chairman’s tribute was corroborated by Messrs. H. Masters (club captain and selector), Young (chairman of committee), Don Cameron (field captain), and A. O’Leary. Mr. Brown left this morning for his new home in Hastings.

A Hawera Press Association message states:—At tiie inquest touching the death of Alexander Bannatyne Stewart, who shot himself on Monday afternoon, the jury returned a verdict that deceased committed suic ;de whilst suffering from mental distress caused through domestic troubles. The lighting meeting at the Town Hall last night played havoc with other meetings. The Chamber of Commerce failed to meet, the SchddT Committee adjourned till Saturday, the Hunt Club meeting was put off for a week, and the lapsing of other meetings just enabled the swimming club committee to raise a quorum. A turn-out of ex-officio members was asked for at the swimming club meeting, but an enquiry as to where the club’s patron, pros dent, and vice-presidents were last night would be a silly question. A Press Association message from Inglewood states that the makings of a serious lire were discovered at 11 last night on the premises of Mr. Kennedy, saddler, which were entirely gutted. The flames spread over the coiling to. the adjoining premises of Nicholls and Son, grocery and drapery, which were seriously damaged by smoke and water. The building sustained little damage. The brigade was quickly on the spot, and saved the block. There was a splendid pressure of water, and the fire was soon under control. Kennedy suffered a total loss, Nicholls being chiefly damaged by water. The insurances arc not yet available, but Nicholls is ■lehcved to be fairly covered.