LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXIV, Issue 75, 21 November 1912, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

A now Roman Catholic convent lias been erected at Palliatua, at a cost of £llOO.

There is said to bo a family in the Masterton district, composed of eight children, not one of whom has yet soon the ocean. Neither father nor mother have been to sea.

Am experience of :m unusual nature lii'l'cil a yoiiiiji; lady, tlio daughter of a King St root (l)nncdin) resident, between 11 and 12 o’clock on Saturday night. Hearing a rap at the door, slio proceeded to open it, and found on the doorstop a young hahy. It is alleged that the father of the child resides in the house at the door of which it was left.

While Mr. Griffin was making an explanation concerning a certain dam, at the Stratford County Council’s mooting on Wednesday, the Chairman remarked, smilingly: “V on must not swear!”

“People’s Day” at the hi a worn Show to-day will no doubt be largely attended. The special, train this morning had seven carriages laden with people. A large number of Stratford residents swelled the number. it was mentioned at the meeting of the Gun Club last night that next year would be a close season for game. “If it is a close season,” said the Ma vor (Mr. W. P. Kirkwood), “the Stratford Acclimatisation Society had better close down altogether.” The loss in funds is the trouble. Over 50,000 copies of the hymn, “Nearer, My God, to Thee,” printed in view of the Titanic disaster, have been sold in France. It is now being sung at street corners after the manner of popular songs. At Mason’s Bay (Stewart Island), there has been a valuable find of ambergris, weighing. altogether 51oz. It is very light in colour, but hard, and should realise at least £2 or £3 per ounce. The matinee performance of “Ben Hur” at the Theatre Royal, Sydney, last week was largely attended by ministers of religion in response to the invitation of the management. During the intervals afternoon tea was served to the visitors, who were unanimous in expressing their enjoyment of the drama. Farmers between New Plymouth and Opimake are very busily, engaged ploughing for autumn and winter feed. The wet season has hindered outdoor operations, but despite this the quantity of land under crop will considerably exceed that laid down last season. The need for more intensive farming is evidently being realised.

Readers interested in clairvoyance and psychology are reminded that Mr H. Victor will hold a meeting in the Foresters’ Hall, to-night, to demonstrate psychometry in reading from articles, etc., concluding with character reading from the voices (given ior the first time here), which should prove entertaining to lovers of the mvstic.

A ten-gallon keg of ale, which was to have been used at a smoke concert held in Masterton on Saturday evening. was “lifted” before the function took place. It was stated that the liquor was removed per medium of a motor-car. Xo trace of the missing refreshment has since been obtained. It is not presumed that the theft materially affected the enjoyment of those who were present. At yesterday’s meeting of the Stratford County Council, the Chairman (Mr. Hathaway) took the opportunity of thanking members and offi cers, of the Council for their loyalty and assistance given him during his term of office as chairman. Councillor Thompson congratulated the chairman on the manner in which he had carried out his duties, “although at times,” he said, “I have fought hard against you.”

The New Zealand Defence Depart ment require a number of recruits for the Permanent Artillery Force, and young men who wish to join may apply in their own handwriting to the Officer Commanding Permanent Forces (Wellington), from whom full particulars may be obtained. The medical examination is necessarily a high one, and all applicants must lie between the ages of 18 and 25 and be unmarried. They must measure in height not less than sft 4in, and have a chest measurement of not less than 35 inches. To the Rich.—A gentleman, twentyseven, good-looking, _ six feet, very musical and artistic, good voice, sportsman, whose life since the age of seventeen, has been a lonely straggle for bare necessaries against insistent ill-luck and disappointments, asks some one who may take an interest, and who would not even miss the means, to give him one year of full, real life; to see the beautiful places and things of the world, and to have funds and carte-blanche to gratify his own tastes, and taste what the happiness that money gives really is.— From a London morning paper.

A most successful dress rehearsal of the Darkota Minstrels was held in the Town Hall, and if to-night’s performance goes with the same swing, the public' will he treated to a really first class entertainment. The melodies were very fine, the effect produced hy the accompaniments on banjos and mandolins being most pleasing to toe ear. The corner-men are sure to take their audience by storm; their “wain rounds,” etc., being splendidly done. The orchestra under the direction of Mm Rogers keep the rag time going till one feels compelled to join in with a two-step. The Minstrels are deserving of a bumper house, and the Stratford public should see that tJiey get it.

Touching on the death of Mahut.i and the inauguration of the King movement, we (Kawhia ‘Settler’)'believe that the original idea emanated locally, being mainly due to Te Whakaea, principal chief of the Ngatihikairo, with the object of unifying.the Maori race. Casting about for a suitable figure-head, he chose Potatou, eldest son of the redoubtable Te Vi he no Where, through whose veins courses the blood of no fewer than nine different captains of canoes of the great migration. Potatau disclaimed any ambition to royalty, but the Ngatihikairo rangatira was insistent, and communicated his project to Tamehana to Waharoa (the “king maker”), who adopted the suggestion and organised the preliminary arrangements which culminated in Potatau’s “coronation. Of unquestioned lineage, a descendant of doughty warriors and sagacious statesmen,' his right to the title of “tino rangatira” has never boon disputed, and the consensus of opinion amongst the Maoris is that J c Jlita is a fitting successor to uphold the family honour.

A cablegram from London to the Svdney ‘Sun’ states that the diaries of Queen Victoria’s girlhood, which have just been published, show that her late Majesty possessed a naturally hot and imperious temper. She was fond of sketching and music, and in literature enjoyed Sir Walter Scott, but found Rulwer Lytton fearfully interesting. She valiantly championed ‘Oliver Twist’ against Lord Melbourne, and struggled through some of Julius Caesar, Virgil, and Horace, but to no purpose. Her Majesty told Lord Melbourne that she forgot what she had learnt, and could not construe any quotation from the Latin. She read constitutional history till she stuck at “sinking fund.” when Lord Melbourne advised her that she might, reasonably give up the subject. A good deal of her reading was done “while my hair is a-doing.” The royaldiarist records elaborately and minutelv Lord Melbourne’s opinions. One entry in ]839 says: “God knows that no Minister, no friend, ever possessed the confidence of the Crown so entirely as this trulv excellent Melbourne possesses mine.” In IH-I2 she added: “I cannot forbear remarking what an artificial sort of happiness mine was then, and what a blessing 1 have now in mv beloved husband.”

The Court list for Friday’s sitting includes 88 civil cases (three defended), 12 Territorial oases for failing to attend camp and drill, and five informations against by-law breakers. Owners and trainers are reminded, that nominations for all events at the Taranaki Jockey Chib’s popular Christinas meeting will close with the Secretary, Mr. E. P. Webster, at 1) p.m. to-morrow (Friday). At a meeting of the Stratford Retailors’ Association last night it was decided to close all shops on Thursday next, “People’s Day” at the Stratford A. and P. Show, at 11.30 a.m. Th<vusual hours will he observed cn WeWesday.

Great amusement was occasioned last Friday in the Auckland Magistrate’s Court by the unusual generosity of a witness (says the ‘New Zealand Herald’). She had been allowed! 5s by the Court for expenses. Solemnly walking up to Mr. C. O. Kettle, S.M., witness presented him with the money as a charitable gift, stating that 'she-had only come t othe Court for justice and not for payment. The Magistrate, amid much laughter, refused to receive the money, and suggested that witness could easily dispose of it by giving it to the Salvation Army or to some such other deserving charitable institution. In the last report of the Department of Labour it was mentioned that some of the Sedgwick boys had absconded. The Department has just received a letter from the mother of one of these lads in which she writes: — “Jack came home from New Zealand a fine young man; a very different lad than when he left Liverpool. I, his own mother, did not know him when lie came home.” The mother goes on to explain that the probable cause of her son’s leaving New Zealand was that she had told him of the death of a young sister, to whom he was much attached.

Under ordinary circumstances, Mr, T. Ronayne (General Manager of Railways) would retire in January next, but he will continue to perform the duties of his office until the new general manager has been appointed, which will probably be at a time soma months later in the New Year. The duty of obtaining applications for the post of general manager has_ been delegated to the High Commissioner (Mr T. Mackenzie). The Minister for Railways (Mr.' W. H. Herries) informed a ‘Dominion’ reporter that he assumed that the High Commissioner would forward the whole of the applications received to tlie Government, indicating the two or three which he considered most suitable.

A wire was recently fashioned (says the News) from the white metal extracted from Taranaki iron sand by two New Plymouth inventors and used in connection with a wireless plant in Wellington. Word has just been received by the local syndicate controlling the invention that the wire has given far better results than the usual platinum wire. The metal has also been used in place of platinum on motor cars and on electrical contrivances of various kinds, and in every case has proved a great success. The metal can be cheaply produced, and if it can be used in place of platinum ~(which is three times the value of gold), there are big things ahead for the invention and those associated with it.