LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXIV, Issue 82, 29 November 1912, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

A horse belonging to Gooch s Stables got into a queer predicament tb s morning. Quietly feeding hr a paddeck at the riverside, the animal followed a patch of succulent grass abutting the railway line until it hemmed itse.f in between a high cutting and Newton King’s Haymarket. There it was, fortunately, discovered. After some trouble in removing a fence and performing other minor jobs, the horse was rescued by being brought out by way ■ of Fenton Street, not, before it bore marks of having been knocked about in the' process. The natives of Mornington Island off) the Queensland coast, have scarcely come into touch with Europeans yet The Protector'of Aborigines in Queens land (Mr Howard) visited the islanc a short time ago, and found the na tives very friendly. They have some strange customs. When the bus band of a woman dies she is, not. allowed to speak until her hair is cut. Tbit operation may lie postponed indefinite ly. The body of the deceased per son is not buried for several days. T is then put in an open grave, ant portion* of the decomposed flesh takei np, and eaten or rubbed on the face One boy, who suffered from-toothache ascribed his troubles to “too mud black-fellow.” It is told of Sir George Reid that during the Australian High Cam-mis sinner’s visit to New York a negro preacher in a Ninth avenue mission, speaking of the growing power of tin negroes in politics, said: “Yes, bredren, the cullud community do lutvc much to be proud of. Look at Bookei Washington. And go beyond de shorn of dis great and glorious country, look at the High Cockalorum from tin South Seas who am now visitmg thif city, and who am being entertainer by the best in de land. When the white folks do honor to a great chief from one of dem cannibal islands dm am great hope for de cullud citizens of dp United Spates, sure.” Says the Whangarei Mail: It is said that our humid northern climate has an enervating effect on people but a display in James Street last night proved that at least two loca 1 citizens are possessed of rather more energy than the average person. Before a large and admiring concourse of spectators they indulged in a liveh scrimmage that included exhibitions of the bammerlock bold and what is known in the boxing world as in-fight-ing. One of the contestants at the close of proceedings lent variety to the entertainment by divesting himself of one of his garments in a manner that was reminiscent of a conjurer who recently appeared at the Theatre Royal. This is the second “scrap” in a main street during the past week or so, and indeed there appears some truth in the often heard remark that we are getting more like London every day.

For novel ideas in'building, Auckland certainly seems to get the fullest share in Now Zealand (says a local paper). 'A syndicate has just beer formed, with a capital of £SOOO, with tho object of establishing a cafe of unique design. Preparations for the work are still very young, but it is proposed that a building in the centre of the city shall be altered and fitted out as a big lounge cafe, on the lines of the latest American and Continental restaurants. The American has recently been fossicking in the Far East for new ideas, and he has taken back with him to New York a design for a cafe which the people there are now raving over. The building is fitted out on the lines of an ancient Roman bouse, with an openair lounge in the centre. Leading from this space are smoking, music, and eating rooms. Coffee, ices, and drinks, which have a flavour of Eastern things, are to be served in Eastern style, while the fnrn’shings are to be suggestive of “Kismet.” It will be interesting to see how the experiment succeeds in Auckland, but the promoters state that if such cafes are successful in New York and Sydney, they should bo equally successful here.

“Sago,” “the counterfeit wild man” drew 1600 patrons yesterday, the takings realising £lO. Not even the term “counterfeit,” “the burlesque,” etc., sufficed to warn the public. The cerepiony of presenting odours to the Stratford Troop of Boy Scouts will take place on Sunday at Holy Trinity Church, during the course of the ll o’clock service.

I'he Spectator, Mr G. W, Russell’s journal, in referring to the Opposition leadership, says; “The,indications are that Sir j oseph Ward will next session he again found at the head of the Liberal Party.” . Messrs. Bellringer Bros, 'are continuing the demonstration * cooking on the Perfection' oil stoves at their store to-day and to-morrow. Free instruction and directions Will ■ be. given to all interested by an expert lady cook.

The suffragists who walked 393 miles in 34 days from Edinburgh to London set out with the idea of living on buns and milk, but they soon had to take to chops and steaks to keep up their strength. The average cost of the walk was 35s a week.

An interesting case was heard in Taumarunui the other, day, in a milk case, in which the question, was how soon after calving the milk of a cow is fit for human consumption. A dairy expert stated that one of the best tests was to drop a little of the milk into boiling water. If the milk curdles it is still unfit for use, and vice versa.

“Guess the Vicar’s Weight,” was one of a series of competitions at a bazaar in connection with the Holy Trinity Church, Southall. The vicar, the Rev. Henry Mills, weighed 13st 111 b 12’,0z, and the prize went to a gentleman who was only l*oz out in his calculation.

No one would suspect our energetic inspector of poetical tendencies, yet when a footpath cyclist, caught in the act, stated that this was his first offence the inspector replied in a rhymed couplet: “It’s the first time I’ve cought you: I’ll have to report you!”

The Whangamomona County Council loan of £3BOO on the Brewer Road is not-all expended, and this is causing the settlers interested great concern. It has been decided to send Councillor Coyne to Wellington at an early date to obtain the necessary authority for the expenditure of the balance—£7oo.

Notice is given in the Government Gazette that £4OOO has been voted by Parliament for distribution to public libraries. The distribution will take place on February 3rd, 1913, and no claim Avill be entitled to consideration that shall not have been sent in to the Secretary for Education on or before January 25th, 1913: Michael Kelly, for driving at night without lights, was mulcted in 10s and 7s costs at the Court to-day. Percy Paul, charged with riding a bicycle on the footpath in Orlando street, was fined 10s and costs, and Leslie Sharrock and Fred Jones, for similar offences, were similarly treated; George Fawcett, for driving; a’ horse and cart across the footpath, 1 was fined 5s and costs 7s. ■ •

As the result of challenges 'issued by ju-jitsu- wrestlers on the Show Ground yesterday, the well-kubivii wrestler, R. J. Scott was successful in' winning something under £lO. He had two bouts, both of which were indecisive, but the terms of the challenge in each case were such as to make the result favourable to Scott. It is stated that a further match -is likely to eventuate between the parties. Scott acknowledges the cleverness of bis opponent. The Timaru Herald states that a young man belonging to a Government travelling gang went out recently on a Fairlie farmer’s property, on the Sunday. The farmer came out and ordered him off bis property, and gave him his reasons for doing so—firstly, flushing on Sunday was against his principles j and, secondly, it was a bad example for his family. The young man who knew better, confessed his wrong and left, -feeling very much ashamed of himself. The success • which the workers’ dwellings scheme is meeting with in Stratford is very gratifying, there being no less than thirty-fpur prospective homes before the Workers’ Board for consideration. As mentioned previously, the majority of the applicants have already decided upon their class of building. To meet requirements, Messrs. Bullard and Slaughter have been inspecting sites on the Pembroke Road. It cannot be too widely known that applications can be mad® to the Board at any time, when they will be considered on their inerits and in order of sequence. Mr. “Peter” Eadie, of the ‘New Zealand Farmer,’ and one of the best known and most popular stock photographers in the Dominion, has an inexhaustible fund of show stories. He related in the Press tent a story concerning a certain side show doing good business on the A. and P. Grounds yesterday. At a southern . show two Maoris viewed the “Wild Man from Borneo.” They did not like being taken in at all, and one muttered: “Him no wild man ; him de big fake.” As the native walked away, however, he noticed the wild man’s little tent was bulging out at the far corner. He stole up quietly, and kicked bard at the bulging tent. Then, as.be went chuckling away, he exclaimed: “By gorra, him te wild man, now!”

A great deal of interest was taken in the ju-jitsu exhibitions by Japanese on the Show Grounds yesterday, and the result was that some Ipcal exponents of the art engaged the travelling showmen in a bout or two. The most, and, indeed, the only, successful local man, was Mr. 8., Newstroski, late of Toko, who met “Shema,” the champion of the trio, in a four-minute round. The stake was fixed at -a “fiver,” an offer to take £1 win or lose being contemptuously turned down by the little brown man, who remarked: “No, this is not our game!” However, on the call of time no fall had been registered, and Newstroski whs declared the winner, amidst loud applause from the large gathering that witnessed the contest. Recognising the sporting instinct of his opponent, the victor generously returned £2 out of tho £5 paid over by Mr. F. W. Webster, who was stakeholder. ■ In fining a defaulting territorial £2 and 7s costs at the Court to-day, Mr W.'G. K. Kenrick, S.M., stated that be did not intend to make airy more light fines in such cases. The'.!Territorials now sufficiently understood that they had to attend camp. If they did not pay fines, they would have to serve a term. He had not yet perused the new act, but, apparently, it provided for 28 days’ military custody if fines were not paid, and liability to a further term of 28 days if the defaulter did not behave. Addressing Captain Lampen. his Worship said be would give the youth a week in which to pay, but in default, ho would order defendant to be taken into military custody, in which case the area-officer had better find out what arrangements were to be made in such cases.

The Inglewood Operatic and Dramaj tic Society will probably stage “Los Cloches do Gornevillo,” in Stratford on or about the 12th December. The Court was occupied this morning in hearing a case .Godfrey Ph.llips (Mr Wright) v. John Phillips (Mr Anderson), labourer, of Whangamomona, claim for £4, the price of a watch sold to defendant. judgment was given for plaintiff for the amount claimed with costs £1 6s. During the hearing of a watch case at the Court this morning, the defendant stated that the watch was a second-hand one. He only observed this when he got the watch homo. The Magistrate asked if defendant did not see the watch when he bought it and thjp/eply came that the plaintiff put it oia the table with a bottle of whLlty. “And, of course,” followed up the Magistrate, “you looked at the whisky and not the watch.’ , At the Magistrate’s Court this morn - ing before Mr Kenrick, S.M., judgment by default was entered in the civil case Stratford Electrical Supply Co. (Mr Duff) v. Samuel Evatt, claim £4 and costs 13s 6d; in the case Amos Burgess (Mr Duff) v. James Beedie (Mr Anderson) costs £2 7s 6d were allowed.

A misunderstanding in a civil action was ventilated in the Court this morning. l Overtures had been made by a solicitor to avoid the issue of a threatened summons against his client. The money had since been ’ paid, except a small amount which was in dispute, but the summons had been issued and costs were asked for. In granting the costs, Mr Kenrick suggested that solicitors shoudl put these “overtures” in writing; that was the practice at Home. Mr Anderson, for the defendant, said that to prevent misunderstandings of this kind, in the future, he would put such matters ih writing, though he had never had to do this with any oilier office in town. Mr Cecil Duff, for the plaintiff, objected, and Mr Spence, sitting close by, murmured, “Wh.,t. more withdrawals!” “I withdraw, your Worship,” stated Mr Anderson. “There have undoubtedly been misunderstdndings, but there should not have been.” Statistics published by the Government of India throw light of a start ling nature on the extent of the toll of lives which falls yearly to the denizens of the jungle (says the Westminster Gazette). In Bengal during 1911 no fewer than 385 people were killed by tigers. Again, in the United Provinces the deaths were as many again as in 1910, a single man-eater in * the. Kumaon Division accounting for, tlr's extraordinary rise. A reward of R 5.500 was offered for his destruction, and he was only shot in the present year. In the Central Provinces, on the other hand, the deaths were only 44, as against an annual average of 80, and there can be no doubt that this decrease was due to the steady killing off of maneater®. Altogether 1947 person swore • killed by wild animals and 24,264_(by snakes, the figures for 1910 being 2382 and 22,478 respectively. Ine number of cattle killed by wildl animals was 91,709, as against 93,070, ./ and by snakes 10,533, as against 10,990. The total mortality amongst , human beings caused by snake-bite rose from 22,478 to 24,264, and in tins total Bengal heads the list with 9344 deaths. The number of deaths among cattle attributed to snake-bite is .returned as 10,533, as compared with . 10,990 in 1910.