LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXIV, Issue 87, 7 December 1912, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

A German statistician has calculator that the man who has shaved himsolj from tiio age of 20 to 70 has spent 250 days, of 12 hours each, razor ii. hand. An officer of the Lands Department will pay out over £3OOO to A a fives ii the vicinity of Rotorua early this month in compensation for lands taker for scenic reserves. At Hastings a few days ago a China man’s horse, attached to a vegetabh cart, kicked over the traces, and, he coming unmanageable, swerved rounc and, falling on the kerbstone, broke his back, and died soon after. Mr A. H. Wyatt, of ClarkvilJe, ha: a cow which gave 231 b 3oz of butte) last week (says the Press). In ; previous week she had given 201 b. Tin cow has had her third calf, and ma; be said to be in her prime.

As the feast of St. Par be, the patroi saint of mines, will take place short ly (states a cable to the Sydney Sun) the miners of Noeux-les-Mines h France desired to work overtime ii order to have a day off for the festiv itics. Rut the law precludes overtime, and accordingly the miners went on strike for longer hours. During the last 18 months no lest than live doctors have commenced practice in Pahiatua (says the Her aid). Of those Drs Drake and Hoi land departed after short sojourns ii the town ; Dr Dunn went to Pongaroa hut intends leaving there in a feu months’ time. Dr Beard resumec his former practice, and broke dowi in health; and Dr Baird, who purchased Dr Beard’s practice, is non about to leave for fresh fields. “Do you understand English?” asked Mr W. A. Barton, S.M., at the Gis borne Police Court on Wednesday when a Maori appeared before hin on a charge of being in a billiard roon after hours. “No,” quickly responded the Maori. “You seemed to under stand that all right,” said the Mag istrate to the smiling witness, and the proceedings were carried on without the services of an interpreter.

Speaking of his experiences in the slums of Sydney before a meeting of the Ladies’ Home -Mission Union at the Chapter House at Sydney a few days ago, Rev. H. N. Baker related how, in his endeavour to create interest in mission work amongst the people living in the slum area, he had experimented with a kinematograph. He achieved an astonishing result at his first attempt. “-The worst of r; film,” said the reverend gentleman, “is that you never know what's coming. 1 took great care to inquire into the contents of the first film, which I was told was a Bible story about Moses. Being reassured on the point ‘Moses’ was screened. It had hardly been going a minute when, to my horror, there was Moses flirting, and doing it uncommonly well. Where the idea was got from 1 don’t know. They did not get it out of the Scriptures, and 1 do not know whether there is any other authority for this strange action of Moses. To make matters worse,” concluded Mr Baker, “the people laughed uproariously.”

Germany is becoming more temperate. Temperance reformers, however, will be sorry to hear that the change is attributed more to the high price of spirituous liquors than to the influence of their movement. (hying to the still incrcas’ng cost of hides, which are now stated to ho selling at phenomenal prices, the New Zealand Tanners’ Association resolved, says an Auckland press wire, to again advance the price of leather by one penny per pound and one shilling and sixpence per side, and one half-pontuv per foot for chromes. I lie Oamaru Mail states that, on Sunday a lolb trout was found stranded near the bridge over the Kakanui river. Early last week another large trout was found dead near the mouth ol the river, so :t would appear as if dynamitic poachers had been at work. The University of South California has instituted a chair of automobile science, being the first university in the country to recognise the importance ol the motor car as a subject of technical study and investigation from the engineering standpoint.

A unique accident occurred at Daunevirke a few mornings ago. A horse "as being Jed behind one of the brakes going to Weber. When rounding a coiner the horse at the rear ran on the wrong side of the telephone post, and was swung on to the pole with such velocity that its neck* was broken. Mr J. Pierpont Morgan, whose collection of early watches is unequalled in the world, has had printed a catalogue containing illustrations of these i are old time-keepers. The facsimile reproductions have been executed in actual metal, the gold and silver leaf used being tooled with agate points. Copies of this luxurious catalogue have been presented to King George and other reigning monarchs. A pretty idea is carried out in many o -I-*? Jl ° c iGes of Canada, writes a British ’Army officer’s wife in ‘Canada, and is most attractive when well done. This is the open lawn arrangement. All the large houses that would usually be described as standing in their own grounds are in no way railed in. The beautiful lawns and well-kept flower beds slope right (.own to the street path, giving the effect of all the houses having been built in a well-kept park. The same plan is adopted in many cities in the Tinted States. A remarkable tragedy is reported i-rnin Paris. Almost beside himself wita grief at the intense sufferings of his wife, who was dying of cancer, a well-known Parisian, a former Procura■i X 1_ i 1 , ,

tor, took a revolver and shot the woman dead to end her agony. The distracted man at once made known what he had done, and surrendered himself to the police. The dead woman’s sister, also, has been taken into custody for having publicly applauded the deed. Addressing her brother-in-law, she exclaimed: “You are a saint. For a week I have prayed to God to give you strength to do 'tins.” The couple are said to have been greatly attached to each other. While a number of children were playing about a railway bridge near iitirangi, New Lynn, a few days ago, one of the number, a little lad" named Edward Dyer, wandered on to the bridge in front of an approaching train: ■ fhe train was travelling at a consider ible speed, and upon seeing it the boy was so paralysed with fear that he seemed unable to move, but fell across the rails, clutching them tightly. Another boy named Alexander Haron, aged 11 years, retained his presence of mind, and rushing on to the. bridge, took up the little fellow in his arms and jumped into some thick scrub beneath just in the nick of time. Neither of the boys was hurt. A fund is being raised for rewarding the boy hero (states" the Star). A correspondent of the Feilding Star writes: “A shocking sight was witnessed by some ladies on Kimboltoh' road on Friday. A Hereford bull was tied by a short rope to the axle of a cart drawn by a powerful horse. The driver left the horse unattended, when the animal trotted away, the driver making but small effort to catch it. Coming to its owner’s gate, which was shut, it smashed through, still dragging the miserable bull behind, and leaving a trail of blood all along its track. Sickened by the sight, the ladies drove away, and the last thing they saw was the horse careering round the paddock, with the unhappy bull in its wake. It will appear that there is a practice of teaching the bulls to lead by tying them to a cart and dragging them along the road.”

The sequel to the “lover’s walk” on the railway bridge near Patea on October 28, was heard at the Patea Court yesterday morning, when George Tinney and Kathleen O’Grady were proceeded against for trespassing on the railway. The defendants pleaded guilty (reports the Hawera Star). Constable Armour stated that the prosecution arose out of an incident which took place on Labour Day. When the defendants were walking -along the viaduct a train came along, and in order to save their lives Tinney pushed the voung lady into the river below, he himself following. The parties were subsequently rescued. The Railway Department did not press for a heavy penalty, as it had taken the proceedings to impress upon the public the danger of trespassing on the railway. Mr H. O. Clarke, who appeared for the young lady, sa : d ho had to apologise for her non-appearance, as she had not recovered from the shock caused by her involuntary immersion. He thought the defendants had been sufficiently punished and he hoped that the Magistrate would take all the circumstances into consideration and deal leniently with them. The Magistrate (Mr Ken rick): I will take that v'ew of the ease; I will simply enter a conviction, without a fine, in each case.

He was of middle age, and possessed all the appearances of a farmer carefully attired for a special occasion. As he strolled with wandering gaze among the handsome furnishings of the public room at the new G.P.O. at Auckland his eye lit upon the “Inquiry Department.” Approaching the counter, the stranger obtained some information of everyday seeking from the lady on the other side, and jjj tendering his thanks he handed card bearing a country address. 19 hour or two passed with the customary buzz of post office business, and then the subject of reference again appeared at the inquiry counter. “Did yon read the note on the back of my card?” he asked of the self-same lady, and the look of d’sappointment which suffused his face as he received a negative reply was suggestive of embarrassment. But. : n a trice the flush was on the other face, for the card was observed to contain a proposal of marriage. Very promptly it was declined, and after murmuring that he had come to town for the purpose of seeking a wife, and was sorry his first attempt had failed, +he would-be bridegroom departed with less sprightly gait. Now the nuestion arises: “Do the functions of the post office inquiry department, or do they not. fall short of matrimonial matters ?”

’A slight earthquake occurred at New Plymouth at 8 o’clock ' • morning. It is understood that v; .i«n the Timaru freezing works open this season the butchers intend to ask for an increase of pay from 25s to 30s per hundred. Denmark exports yearly £30,000,000 worth of butter, bacon and eggs. Whilst other nations are striving strenuously to build the most expensive and ingenious man killing guns and ammunition, or busy at war, the TWiph are feeding them up and are at pejF*. with all nations. Tffl rainfall for one hour on Monday morning at New Plymouth- was 1, inches. The borough engineer estimates that it will cost the borough £l5O to repair the damage done to streets and footpaths- as the result of the downpour, states the Herald. The presentation to be made to Mr F, W. Webster, who is retiring from the managership of Mr Newton King’s Stratford business, takes place on Saturday, December 21st. The country is entering very enthusiastically into the proposal, Mr Webster being so well and favourably known. Ngauruhoe has been unusually active of late. This morning the mountain was shrouded in a thick haze and was not distinctly visible, but the puffs of smoke, darker than usual, could easily be seen. Ruapehu, still mantled with snow, presented a glorious sight, almost rivalling Mount Egmont, which with the first touch of summer is rapidly shedd’ng its winter coat. Special services will be conducted to-morrow in the Broadway Church in celebration of the 22nd anniversary of the Sunday School. An attractive feature of the day will be the bright sing : ng of a large band of children. Doubtless, very many will wish to cheer the children by their presence at these festival services. Addresses appropriate to the occasion will be delivered by the Rev. Mr Mctsou.

Larrikins or practical jokers seem to be amusing themselves with explosives, frightening all the residents of the Rahotu district, as was the case last Wednesday evening. At a quarter past nine a great report was heard, but none knew the direction, until it was found that one of Mr Fisher’s outhouses had been blown up. This is past a joke, adds the correspondent of the News. Exciting scenes occurred in the Spanish, Parliament on November 22, when the Cortes assembled for the first time since Senor Canalejas was assassinated. Speeches were made, in the course of which it was declared that the Socialists and Republicans were responsible, but representatives of both parties repelled the charge, and gave expression to the abhorrence with which they viewed the crime. The union of the Methodist and Primitive Methodist Churches in New Zealand will come into operation in February, when the annual conference of ministers and officers of both churches will be held in Wellington. A few year® ago the Wesleyans, United Free Methodists, and Bible Christians united, and now the Primitive Methodists are to. become a part of the Methodist Church of New Zealand. Except in'the matter of foreign mission, there will i then be no connect'on be L tween Australia and New Zealand.

' lit had been proposed that prior to : the departure 6f the Hon. James Allen for England an entertainment in his honour should be held in Dunedin, the city of his residence, but in view of the multiplicity of his egagements within the . few days at his disposal it has been found impossible ’to ■ arrarige for this, and it is now contemplated that the citizens shall have the opportunity of meeting him in the Conned Chambers on Monday afternoon. An amusing civil action was heard at Napier a few days ago. Miss Coe sued a young man named Edward Mullany for £3, the value of a ring she had lent him and which he failed to return or make good. In the course of evidence it transpired that the jmung man saw the young lady, who is only 19, home from a dance, and their affectionate natures resulted in the exchange of rings, the young lady forgetting that her golden circle was not hers, but belonged to her mother. That fact caused the trouble. Mullany said he lost the ring, and would replace it, but never made his promise good. Miss Coe admitted that they were “skylarking” on the way home. Mullany, in evidence, said be would have replaced the ring had the old man Coe not threatened to put the matter in the hands of tne police. That “got his monkey up.” He walked home with the girl in “the usual way,” hand in hand. The Magistrate held that as defendant took the ring off the girl’s finger lie would have to pay for his experience, and gave judgment for the full amount, plus costs. Every tobacconist sells Regent Cigarettes. Inhalers should try them. Smoke them and share in the Great Free Gift Scheme. x