LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXIV, Issue 52, 25 October 1912, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

“Sporting Notes,’ by “Cicero” appear on page 2 of to-day’s issue. -Mr. Pearce is asking tbe Minister of Public Works when the Department will be able to supply metal from the Egmont stone quarries, so that local bodies in Taranaki, who urgently required it, may be supplied. Several members of the Wha.igamomona County Council were disappointed on learning at Wednesday’s meeting that the annual meeting of the. Council for the purpose of electing a chairman falls on the opening day of the Stratford A. and P. Show, • The only difference in the arrangeat the local Post and Telegraph Office on Monday next (Labour Day) wilf be.that. there,yyjll.MidyJiq,onp,(lip, livery of correspondence, over the “town” area instead of two, and that the linemen’s work will be restricted to the maintenance of communication on the main and exchange lines. Clement George Smith pleaded guilty at the Magistrate’s Court this morning to a charge of using obscene language in Fenton Street. Taking into consideration the late hour at which the language complained of was used, and other extenuating circumstances, the Magistrate (Mr. Kenrick, S.M.) fined accused 40s, and 7s costs. Accused was given time in which to pay. Unbreakable glass for motor-car wind screens and windows is now being manufactured. A sheet of speciallyselected clear celluloid is placed between two sheets of plate glass, and the three sheets, after a patent treatment, hydraulically pressed together. The result is a sheet of glass which is for all practical purposes as clear as the best sheet glass. A 21b weight dropped on it made the glass bulge out on the opposite side, and made a “star” of the familiar type; but the glass did not splinter. The invention will undoubtedly lessen the risks run by motorists in the event of a collision.

Plans are being prepared at Toronto for the construction of a plant to utilise sawdust' and other waste materials from Canadian sawmills. Colonel J. B. Miller, president of the Poison Iron Works Company, and Professor Wallace P. Cohoe. of Toronto, are behind the scheme, which is an entirely new one in Canada, and involves the conversion of sawdust into glucose, and, by the addition of yeast, the production of alcohol. It is believed the industry lias a big future in the Dominion, in view of the large output of timber and the demand for the by-product of the waste.

Discussing the question of the migration of criminals says the Wellington ‘Post’), Mr. R. B. Williams, in his address, mentioned that we in New Zealand were sometimes apt to plume ourselves that Australia supplied us with a large number of our gaol birds. That this was so was proved by statistics, for last year, of the w,hol° number of convicted persons received into our gaols—263o males and 238 females —the Australian States furnished us with 237. The other side of the ledger showed, however, that in New South Wales alone —not all Anstraba—New Zealand was credited in the list of nationalities of convicted persons with having contributed no less a number than 207. These figures indicate that New Zealand has furnished a fairly liberal quota to the criminal population of Australia if they were all counted. “We are,” remarked Mr. Williams, “ambitious to lead in most things, but in this respect wo would vastly prefer to be behind all the rest.”

“When I went to San Francisco,” said Mr. W. McLean, of Wellington, who lias just returned from a trip to America, “a man boarded a homeward bound San Meto trolley-car, with a bandana handkerchief bound across his face, and a six-shooter in his baud, and commanded all on board to ‘ho'd-up!’ He then requested one of the passengers to ‘go through’ the others for their money, and jewellery, and, having secured the booty, lie told the motorman to go on and make no noise. Xot content with this feat, the desperado boarded the next car, and with revolver in hand, went through the passengers himself. As one old Indy was protesting against being robbed of an article of jewellery which she greatly cherished, one of the men—a lieutenant —made a spring at the man, but the robber was ton quick, and he tired three shots right into his assailant at close quarters. Then he coolly said : T guess you’re done for. Good night, everyone.’

Dr. Woodrow Wilson, the Democratic candidate for the United States Presidency, has promised an audience of working men in Omaha that if lie is elected he will create a Ministry for Labour. At the Magistrate’s Court this morning, John Buckley, an old man, for whom Mr. Hubert Spence appeared, pleaded guilty to a breach of a prohibition eider. In fining accused 10s and 7s costs, Mr. Ken rick, S.M., said he would take into consideration the special circumstances of the case, though ho wished it clearly understood that these orders must not be broken.

The Postal Department notifies that the wireless telegraph station at Auckland was opened for public business on the 24th instant. The hours of attendance will be as follows:—During summer, 4 a.m. to 8 a.m., 9 a.m. to 11 a.m., 1 p.m. to 6 p.m., and 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. During winter 6 a.m. to 8 a.m., 9 a.m. to 11 a.m., 1 p.m. to 6 p.m., and 7 p.m. to 8 p.m. It is further notified that the “Hadio” office at Wellington is open continuously. As a sequel to the runaway case reported in the “Evening Post” some days ago, W. A. Cannon was charged at the local Court, before Mr. Kenrick, S.M., this morning, with leaving a horse and vehicle unattended in Fen-* ton Street, and not properly secured. Accused, who did not appear, was fined ss, and 7s costs. Mr. Nathan Behrin now claims the championship of the world as the best and fastest shorthand writer, lie is an official stenographer at the New York Supreme Court, and in a competition there recently took dictation for five minutes at the rate of 281 words a minute, with only 17 errors. About 29 stenographers competed with Behrin, whose rivals included one Englishman. * ,

It takes a flood to make us all akin (says tbe Clutha ‘Leader’). On Thursday men of all degrees united in the work at the protective bank; there were ministers, doctors, lawyers, shopmen, blacksmiths, tradesmen, and labourers tqiling shoulder to shoulder, and not a few of the soft-handed did good work. The volunteers were supplied with refreshments by several ladies.

At Wednesday’s meeting of the Whanga Council an opinion was received and read, from Mr. Martin, counsel to the Counties’ Association, with regard to riding accounts and roads. The letter came in for a good deal of criticism, which ended when Councillor McCutchan moved. the, following resolution; “That the Council’s solicitor he requested to obtain amplification of Mr. Martin’s opinion, particularly in a case when a portion of a declared main road exists in a county.” The resolution was carried.

A prize ram died in its pen at the Hastings Show and a little story is told in connection therewith. A well known Government veterinary surgeon was asked his opinion as to the cause of death, and replied that it was due to fatty degeneration of the "liver. God, he said, had made sheep so that they could forage for themselves and thus get what exercise they desired, whereas man penned them up and pampered them up, so that what Pise could they expect them to get but degeneration of some kind. . ' ; •' “Suppose,” said his Honour -the Chief Justice in the Appeal Court at Wellington last week, “a man has a ship and he gives his son live shares, must he pay gift duty?” “He must,” replied tlie •Solicitor-General (Mr. J. W. Salmond). “I think you will find,” Mhadflefl, father fs trying to give away tlie whole or his ship without paying gift duty.” Later the So-licitor-General admitted that this provision of the Act might operate oppressively. “It might do more than that,” said Sir Robert Stout, “It might operate absurdly.”

Since the introduction of teeth inspection among school children much excellent work has been done by the Auckland branch of the New Zealand Dental Association (says the ‘New Zealand Herald’). Reporting to the Auckland Hospital Board for the past six months, the Association stated that the increase in work had been : particularly noticeable in regard to the number of fillings put in, which, in this instance, totalled 364. In all, 570 patients had been dealt with, as compared with 385 attended to during the previous corresponding period. A lady parishioner confided in the Vicar of Takapuna (the Rev. W. G. Monckton, ALA.), that she had to read a paper upon a subject of which she had absolutely no knowledge. The Vicar replied—so lie said at a recent Synod Mission meeting—that it could not be easy to speak about something with which one was unfamiliar. “Whereupon,” said Mr. Monckton, “she replied with that subtle flattery that only a woman can use: “Well, it. seems to come very naturally to you.” The audience was convulsed.

An extraordinary occurrence is reported from New lork. A woman was standing in the porch of a chapel in that city when the rays of the sun, passing through the lens of a brass lamp that she was holding in her hand, scorched a hole in her skirt. Realising that her dress was on fire, the woman rushed into the street screaming, but her rapid flight only served to fan the flames and make her situation much worse. Some bystanders who hastened to the rescue finally succeeded in smothering the burning garments, but not before the unlucky woman was badly burned about the body.

A meeting of the Friendly Society Association executive was held in the Foresters’ Hall yesterday, when there were present : Mr. 13. Melville (Kaponga, president; Mr. 0. Spurdle (Inglewood), vice-president.; Messrs. Clarke (Stratford), Henderson (Ingle-' wood), Taylor (Hawera), Kivell (Stratford), and Amoor, secretary (Elthem). Accounts passed to various hospitals amounted to over £3OO, which is the heaviest the Association has had to meet, but there is still a small credit balance. The membership has increased to 2000. The largest account the Association has yet paid for one individual member was £lO5, which shows the benefit to be derived by becoming a member. A young man who purposes entering the ranks, of the Benedicts, and who ▼ resides in'the vicinity of Kohuratahi, left for Whangamomdna on Monday in order to catch the train and reach In--glewood that night. But luck was against him, for he missed, and there being practically no other means of getting out, he had to remain in Whanga till the following morning. During f that evening a number of friends congregated, and a convivial evening was spent in celebrating his approaching marriage. At peace with all the world, lie slept soundly that night, but next morning the tram left, and so was he. So another day and a night had to bo put in, and by tin's time both parties were feeling very anxious. Wednesday arrived, and the young fellow could be noticed wandering about very early in the morning. He was seen at the starting place at 8 o’clock waiting; for the 10.30 tram to start, and was heard to say: “I’ll stand here till it goes.” Of course, lie went. It will now be necessary for him to spend another 25s for a special license, but never mind, the old proverb says, “Better late than never.’

Although Mafcaura is reputedly a “dry” town, the quantity of liquor that arrives there is considerable. By last Saturday night’s train barrels and kegs containing no less than 156 gallons of ale arrived, and this quantity is by no means considered abnormal, , states the Southland Times. Something in the nature of a record was put up in the matter of lamb percentages on Mr G. G. Horner s 1 Timboon farm at Oreti Plains this sea- * son says the Southland Times). One ewe gave birth to a quintette, another to a quartet, whilst four triplets and numerous twins were recorded. When the question of giving greater reward for the killing of shags was being discussed by the Southland Acclimatisation Society, the secretary stated that Bill 2s had been paid last year for heads of the birds, representing 211, 2s each being paid for them. At the Magistrate’s Court this morning, Mr. Kenrick, S.M., gave judgment for plaintiff by default in tne following cases: —McCluggage _ (Mr. Duff) v. John Kenny, claim £/ 16s 3d, and costs 15s 6d; George Morrison (Mr. Anderson) v. William Hayward, claim £l2 19s 6d, costs £1 3s 6d; W. H. Stockley (Mr. J. it. L. Stanford) v. William E. Dowman, claim £1 , 13s 6d, costs 19s; F- G. Foster (Mr. Thomson) v. S. Inch, judgment for costs ss; Bert Burgess (Mr. Thomson) v. M. Workman, claim 18s 6d, costs 8s; T. Mercer (Mr. T. 0. Fookes), v. W. McQuay, claim £3 15s 6d, costs 10s. In the judgment summons cases O. Bielowski was ordered to pay J. Therkleson (Mr. Stanford) £l3 3s 3d in monthly instalments of £l, £2 forthwith, and £2 on November 20th ; W. Brown was ordered to pay W. C. Cargill (Mr. Thomson) £1 5s forthwith, in default three days in New Plymouth prison. The schedule for the dog section hi the Hawera Show is an attractive one this year, and all classes of dogs are catered for. The dog classes have been only two years in existence, but ' they are Vapidly gaining prominence as a feature of the show. Each year the classes have been an unqualified success, with the result that the committee is doing its utmost to make a big display annually in the dog sections. A spacious and well-appointed building with permanent benches is provided for the dogs. The N.Z. Kennel Club has awarded challenge classes to Field Spaniels (any variety) and Airedale Terriers. The Association has been fortunate in securing the services dipt first-class manager for the clog sections. He is a keen fancier and a breeder of some of the best-known stock in the colony. A competent caretaker has charge of all the dogs, and exhibitors from a distance will have their clpgs met at the station if they are consigning to the secretary. They will afterwards be returned to their respective owners, who heed have no worry whatever. A qualified outside judge has been appointed as usual. Schedules may be obtained from the secretary, Mr F. G. Troweek.