LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXII, Issue 75, 25 March 1912, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

The annual meeting of the Stratford Association Football -Club will be held in Mr. D. Butchart’s shop, Broadway, . on Wednesday, the 27th inst., at 7.30 p.m. Members of the Stratford Operatic Society are reminded that the prac- ! tioe of “Pinafore” will commence at 1 7.30 o’clock this evening instead of 8 p.m. A full attendance is expected. The Stratford A. and P. Association has decided to make a visit to the Mo■has decided to make a visit to the Moufixed later. All those wishing to make the journey are requested to leave their names at the Association’s office/ Broadway. “Something like a record,” was the remark when it was stated at the meeting of the Flintshire Education Committee that a lady teacher appointed to a St. Asaph school was one of a family of twenty-two, that her father was a head-master, and that sixteen of her brothers and sisters were engaged in the teaching profession. Speaking to a “Southland Times” reporter on Saturday week, a worker combated the idea that the cost of living had gone up as high as is frequently contended', and to prove his I point he mentioned the men employed lat the Makarewa Freezing Works. There, he said, the men received the best of food for 14s per week, and the cottages winch the company were erecting would be rented to the men at the nominal sum of Is per week. Single men, especially, he contended’ were a long way 'better off than they ever had been, and it was due mostly to the raising of the standard of living, rather than to increases in the price of necessaries, that complaints' regarding dear living were heard.. A defendant in a civil case brouglit by a doctor for professional services, at a AYollington suburban Court, raised the point that he had not been supplied with a detailed statement, 1 and he had no idea what he was called ; upon to disprove. The statement sim- ■ pi.y set out, “To account stated agreed upon.” On these grounds, he churned ! a non-suit. The Magistrate said if de- f tendant, persisted, the case could not i bo gone on with. The services ought to i lie defined. “To services rendered” was no account at all. Doctors must give ( details if required to do so. A non- < mat was entered. The plaintiff stated that the account had been rendered 4 two years ago and twelve times since. Defendant had had plenty of time to c complain, but the Magistrate's replv was that it was not defendant’s business to complain. A doctor is no more privileged than anyone else.

In the “Blue Blanket,”, an Edinburgh civic paper, Dr. Mackenzie describes somewhat unkindly the Glas£rnv loafer—under tire title “Civic Ideals.” “Why should I save?” asked the loafer. “I make enough to keep m-> going, .1 make enough to feed me, I have enough over to let me drink up to 10 o’clock. Why should I save? i| I grow sick, you must take me to ti e hospital. II I take small-pox you must take me to Belvidere. If I spend all my money and have nothing to eat you must take mo to the poor” house. If 1 get drunk on the streets you must take me to the police oflice am! the prison. You’ve'got to do it. What is the good of saving?”

The annual meeting of members of the Stratford Football Club will bo held in the Borough Council Chambers at 8 o’clock this evening. This evening at the Midhirst Public Hall the llicardi Musical Comedian Company is announced to appear. The entertainment is well spoken of. Amongst those who visited Mt. Egmont yesterday and climbed to the top of that snow-clad peak, were Airs B. 0. Kivell, Miss Hart, accompanied by Mr Kivel and Air B. Fearon. Air Barney Fearon, who has been appointed secretary to the Stratford A. au.l P. Association, is a- son of H. Vv. Fearon, late of Taranaki-, and was educated at the Boy’s High School, Christchurch. Mr. Fearon has been eleven years in the Stratford district, and is well known in sporting circles as an .enthusiastic footballer. The appointment is a very popular one, Air Fearon being well known to the farming community. A gathering of the supporters of the Reform Party is to take place in the afternoon of Thursday the 28th. inst. at the Ngaerc Hardens for the purpose of welcoming their leader. Afternoon tea is to be dispersed, together with speeches by the various members of the party. A monster gathering is expected,' for at the same time and place a picnic is arranged for by the employees of the AVaitara Freezing Works*, who are being conveyed thither by special train. A large sports programme has been outlined for the day, and the proceedings are to be enlivened by a band. , . An indignant fiance, whose happiness was almost wrecked by a Paris fortune-teller, has won back the affections of ins sweetheart. A young lady consulted the oracle on her chance of happiness with her future husband. For Is 6d she received full information of what was in store for her, wedded to a man who was already unfaithful in his affection. The girl lias- i tened to her lover, threw the engagement ring at him, and informed him that her eyes had been opened. The young man guessed the truth and paid a visit to the oracle, paid the fe,e, and bade her foretell his immediate future. Her failure to predict that she would be dragged round the room by her hair and that he would be summoned for assault has convinced the doubtful maiden , that the fortune-teller is a false prophet, and the lovers are now reconciled and happy. It is pleasing to note, that notwithstanding the prevailing labour troubles and disturbances, ouy local, unions are turning their attention towards technical education, remarks the “Otago Daily Times.” We were informed upon good authority that during the last week no fewer than three unions have sent contributions in aid of the building fund of the new Technical School, and that a cheque for £5 was recently received from the secretary of the Labourers’ Union. To give the unions their due, for some years it has been the custom for these bodies to contribute towards the support of : the schools in other centres, but . we believe this is the first time they have taken an adtiye interest in the work;done in the Technical School, and it is.probable that next year,'in virtub of -these contributions, Tiaye a representative on the Board of Alahiagemeat controlling the working of th'o iScdiool; ! ' f ' v , ■ -v" >: ' ml • l. •< .;■ ."-.v to '>■'.. . Incredible though it may seem, there is at present in New York a composer earning an income of £15,000 a year, although he cannot write or r'6ltcf r hi note of music. Two years agp,,, this composer, Irving Berlin, was a ' waiter in a Chinatown restaurant, and it was his custom to pick out on the piano his own tunes for the entertainment of the customers. Somebody suggested that ihe should get a friend to v put'them into music for him, and orid &c of these, tunes, known as “Alexander’s Rag-time Band,” which is'now being whistled and sung all over America, looks like beating all music publishers’ records, for in a few months over a million copies of the song had been sola. After the famous Marathon race in Loudon, which resulted in the disqualification of Dorando, Air. Berlin wrote a song named after the little Italian, and played it for the first time in his restaurant, where it made a big hit. He .sold it for £5 and the publisher made £4OOO out of it. He now obtains better prices for his work, and is said to be getting an income, of / £15,000 a year.