LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXIV, Issue 80, 27 November 1912, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

A further instalment of “Dog Lore” by our esteemed contributor, “Laverock,” appears on another page in today's issue.

“Dog Lore” by Laverack, will be found on page 2, Sporting Notes by “Cicero” and notes by Hygeia on page seven of this issue. Mr Grahame White, the famous English aviator, is out with a daring project—the institution of a service of aerial “cabs.” If his scheme materialises, they will start from the roof of a big London hotel. One will fly to Paris and back, one to Edinburgh and back, and a third to the top of Snowdon and back. The trio to Paris is to occupy two hours each way, to Snowdon two and a half, and to Edinburgh four. Each aeroplane Is to have a kind of motor car body, padded and upholstered, with room for four passengers to sit in comfort.

Hotel aml boardinghouse accommodation in Stratford is taxed to its fullest just now. Even “.shake-downs” are, at a premium. I

At the present tiiuethe Southland' Building Society is paying 4-J per cent interest on money at call. This is tJio highest rate paid by the society tinring the last 14 years. Mr. J. A. Clarke, for fourteen years African Missionary, is holding a special meeting in the Gospel Hail,; Stratford, on Thursday at 8 p.m., when he will speak on his African experiences.

The associated auctioneers of Stratford keep whole holiday to-moi:io.v in honour of “People’s Day” at the Stratford Show.

Sunday last was the hottest day experienced in Lyttelton for 1101116 time past, and at noon the thermometer registered SO degrees in the shade, says the ‘Lyttelton Times.’ Another Held day for senior cadets for failing to attend drill will be heard at the Stratford Magistrate’s Court on Friday, December Oth. Attention is once more drawn to the fact that any Territorial failing to attend future parades will be prosecuted without notice.

The following cases are set down for hearing at the Stratford Magistrate’s Court on Friday Fifteen civil cases (two defended), two judgment summonses, five informations for breaches of the Borough by-laws, one Territorial for failing to attend drill, and one case of forging and uttering. Stratford offers no dearth of amusement for this evening. At the Town Hall “The Geisha” is to be staged by a very powerful company. Barton’s Circus will open at a location in Regan Street, and at His Majesty’s Theate a special programme with quite ah agricultural flavour will be presented. The herring boat Pansy brought to Yarmouth on October 2nd a model ship three feet Jong, rigged with ma§t and sail, picked up sixty miles east of Spurn Point. A German letter found on board stated that the model ship was cast into the sea off the Dogger Bank on September 14th, from a Nordenham fishing lugger. The Taranaki Education Board has acceded to the request of the Stratford A. and P. Association, that school committees throughout the district be permitted to close their schools tomorrow, “People’s Day” at the Stratford Show. Love letters between, pupils, under proper supervision of the teacher, is advocated as an excellent method of teaching literature by Dr. Arthur Holmes, of the Department of Psychology of the University of Pennsylvania. Dr. Holmes has been lectuiing before the Cincinnati Teachers’ Institute for the last week, and finished his remarks with this suggestion. Weighing eight stone, and measuring 3ft. lin. high, on his fifth birthday, Master Maurice Reginald LI inhere, the child of a Petersham (England) builder, is probably the biggest “baby boy” in the country. His chest measures 40iu., his waist 42iu., arm 15in., calf Min., and thigh 22ia. He wears a hat 6f, and a child’s shoes, size 10.

A cockatoo, fully 60 years of age, ■is still living, and in good feather, in Ponsonby. It is the property of Mr ,E. Buckley, of Brown street, having come into "the possession of that gentleman’s father 4.8 years ago, at which time it was a fully matured bird. , It never has any corn or other 'bird food, but eats what is provided (for the rest of the family. Sydney evidently carries its by-laws to maintain absolute cleanliness to the extreme limit, as a resident of that city, writing to a friend, mentions that he had been summoned to appear at the Police Court.for placing a tram ticket on George terfered with the cleanliness of such street, contrary to the by-law in that case made and provided.” He mentions that the offending piece of paper was rolled hard, and was about the size of a pea. This, however, did not absolve him from the penalty. > Witnesses sometimes ■ get strangely tangled up in the matter of ages and dates. A witness, giving evidence in Auckland, declared that' her husband was 55 years of age, and that she was •42 years old. She further stated that her husband was 21 years of age when they were married, which, by a simple process of arithmetic, would indicate that the lady was eight years of age at the time of entering married life. Strange to say, the Court overlooked the anomaly, and the figures went on to the records as stated. Mr ,F. von lleden, a former resident of hlketahuna, who lias been residing in Germany for some years, expresses surprise, in a letter to a •friend, that New Zealand is not making an effort to get its frozen meat placed upon the German market. He states that beef is now selling at Is per lb in Germany, and that the protective duties are sure to be removed at an early date. The Argentine is already making a bold bid for the trade.

The last 'Vancouver mail brought the full returns of the egg-laying competition, which was completed on October 20th. Believing that colonial poultry could compete with American, Mr. J. B. Merrett sent five pens on behalf of Australian and New Zealand poultry breeders, and was successful in securing first and second prizes, with a total prize money of about £4O. The first prize and a gold medal were won by J. Stewart, N.S.W., second prize was won by A. Hopkins, Otaki, N.Z. The returns were not high, owing to the severe winter, and blasting operations of bush country in the vicinity of the test. The winner laid 971, second pen 916. The superiority of t]ie White Leghorns was shown by all the leading pens being of this variety. A special class for heavy breeds was won by Rhode Island Reds, with a total of 854.

“The Mining Industry and the Miners of New Zealand,” was the toast entrusted to Mr. Joseph Grimmond at the wind-up celebrations of the Dunstan Diggers, at Clyde, last week, and the speaker was particularly happy in his remarks. According to the ‘Dunedin Evening Star,’ Mr. Grhnmcnd said, inter alia, that he had read about a man stating that the best industry in the Dominion was the cow. Well, the man had made an Irish hull. Another writer had named the freezing industry as the greatest in the land. His advice to that man was that he should go to the South Pole like Amundsen, and take with him rabbits, agitators, and all vermin that overrun this country. If that man had done that he would have been worthy of honour. Mining was the paramount industry. Mr. Grimmond then went on to refer to the glories of the West Coast, which was a land of mountain, flood, fern, and forest. It was true, that a lot of rain fell there, but it was also true that the Government expert had gone to register sunshine, and liis machine recorded 4.4 hours out of 24 hours the first day. (Diggers’ cheers.) As Moore sang of Ireland, the West Coast “was still lovelier in her tears.” He concluded by suggesting that the Government should embalm the pioneer diggers, so as to have them present at the centenary jubilee in spirit. (Applause.)

The Christchurch City Council has referred to a committee the suggestion to establish a censorship-on local picture shows.

A London message states that the meetings of the peace delegates so far have been only formal. Osman Pasha ami -Nazim Pasha have not arrived. \ idiiUU efforts on the part of Mr. 1. Kirkwood and others,just saved the whole doggery at the Show being blown oft the ground yesterday afternoon. The storm beat with full force on to the big marquee, but it stood tho strain.

‘^ fc . yesterday’s meeting of the Taranaki Education Board the following, appointments on school committees were confirmedTariki, Mr. L. G ornhoefer, in place, of Mr;. H. StratMakahu, %•. C. Kopke, in place of Mr. R. Mounsey, lesigned; Tarata, Mr. L. Street, vice A. Corney, resigned. llaimevirke District Agricultural and 1 asfcoral Association will hold its ou , rt .', l anan; (i Show bii February 12th and 13th, and a Ram Fair omFelnuary Ses i ,G lUli1 Ul i , of £65 ,° is offered m “ if schedule reaches us from the seci etary, Mr. F. 0. Stubbs. Ihe quarterly meeting of the Sfcratfonl Lodge U. A .°.i X tas held ast ed S G - F presidliL ir n fa i? ,u,mber of members, f' ; -Evans was appointed to lepiesent the. Lodge at the Grand Lodge meeting at Marton f n February next. Arrangements were made to fittingly celebrate the half-yearly meeting of the Lodge on December 10th. Iho opening of the dairying season and the consequent distribution of cheques among suppliers, has given a much-to-be-desired buoyancy to trade m the Dannevirke district (says tho Evening News’). The unseasonable weather experienced up to the present Jias had the effect of greatly restrictmg the purchasing power of those who are paid for time worked only. The day labourers have suffered heavily in this respect. - ,

A barefaced theft was perpetrated hornbury on Wednesday (says the boufchland News’). A visitor from the country left his motor-cycle outside the Ihornbury Hotel, and when he came out again the machine had disappeared. vigilant search was made, and subsequently the cycle was found on the roadside with both tyres and also other important accessories missing, to the value of £lO. This is not the first occasion on which motor-cycles 'have been tampered with. 1 I Tbe voyage of the American mail steamer Sonoma, which arrived in Sydney from San Francisco recently, was .marked by a tragic incident. Soon after leaving San' Francisco, the liner ran into heavy weather. There was a tremendous sea with the storm, and while proceeding forward the boatswain (J. Ingals) was swept overboard by a wave. The alarm was immedlately given, and the steamer stopped. Captain Trask manoeuvred round the spot for two hours,: but without fihding any trace of the. unfortunate man. “Once upon a time,” Mr. T. W Stringer, K.C., informed a Christchurch jury in a slander case, “a man had the privilege when he married a woman of taking possession of all her property. The law. has taken away that privilege, but it has allowed him to retain the privilege of paying for ins wife’s misdeeds.” Mr. Stringer was careful to point out that he considered this perfectly right, but, still, it was a point for the jury to take into consideration when arriving at their verdict.

The Commissioner of Military Pensions (Mr. G. C. Fache) is despatching to all parts of the Dominion the posters, application forms, and other papers, which will enable Maori War veterans to obtain the military pen.sions which have begn agitated for on fch'Cir behalf for many years past. Within a few days examining officers from end to end of the Dominion will be in a position to issue papers and to receive applications. The examining officers are area officers and area sergeant-majors employed under the Defence Act. The commissioner is forwarding the necessary papers direct to some seventy veterans, who iwe made application to him by let-

It is noteworthy that the Hon. W. H. Hemes (Native Minister) did not attend the taugi held at Waahi in honbite Chief Mahuta, the Maori King. ’ The reason is understood to be the retention by the Waikato tribe of the title of “King.” Had tfie title been dropped, as was advocated by Sir James Carroll, the Native Minister would no doubt have attended the ceremony, but other counsellors prevailed. While the Waikatos uphold the shadowy “kingship,” even though it is only in name, the Native Minister cannot well afford them the countenance that his presence at the taugi yipuld have implied (says the Dominion’).

Ihe monoplane exhibited at the show grounds was responsible for a great deal of attention on the part of visitors (says the ‘North Otago limes). The machine was built in America, and is fitted with a Roberts engine of 50 h.p., the engine weighing l/91b- The first flight made in the machiue took place at*. Long Island, New lork State, on January 14th of this year, when a speed of 60 miles an hour wip maintained. It is the intention of the Walsh Aviation Company to give flying exhibitions after the Invercargill Show. The aviator under engagement to the company will shortly arrive in the and wherever sufficient inducement is afforded exhibitions will be given. The Education Department has notified the Taranaki Education Board that grants for free class books would be discontinued, and in'lieu thereof grants for school and class libraries would be provided under certain conditions. The capitation for continuous readers for class teaching would be 3d per head. For the year ending December 31, 1913, and subsequent years, subsidies of £Tor.£ would be paid on moneys raised by Voluntary contributions for the purpose ‘of establishing, maintaining, or increasing the utility of school libraries. For 1911 the subsity on this would be 9d per head on the average attendance, in no case to exceed £lO. For all subsequent years the subsidy was not to exceed 3d per bead, with a maximum of £5.

According to the recent census returns, out of 607,762 married men of the Bantu race, 516,607 have only one wife each, 69,846 have two wives, ? 14,538 have three, wives, 4164 have four wives, and so on, until we come to a native gentleman who has no fewer than 46 wives. AH that the statistics tell ns about this modern Solon*i is that he is between 30 and 35 y(Srs of age, and lives in the Transvaal. He easily out-distances all his fellow-coun-trymen, for no one else is returned as having more than 28 wives. There are two men with this number, one being a Transvaal resident who is not yet 25 years old, and the other a Free ■State Native, between 25 and 30. Natal’s best is 23 wives, two middle-aged natives being returned as having this number each. The Cape is quite out of it compared with the other provinces, for the best the Cape ' can show is a patriarch of over 75 years with 20 wives to his credit.

“What time does the first launch leave for the Show Ground,” was a remark heard near the Stratford Post Office this morning as a jocular stranger addressed a passer-by. That he was a stranger is a sure thing, because he seemed unaware that although it may rain in Stratford occasionally for three days on end, half-an-hour after the rain does cease anybody can take a walk in his slippers without even getting his feet damp. At the annual meeting of the Stratford County Council to-day Mr. W. Hathaway was re-elected chairman for the ensuing term. Singularly just as the motion was carried Barton’s Band struck up outside the Council Chamber and one Councillor remarked on the fittbigness, said their popular and worthy chairman had really been elected ,: with musical honours. P ' '