LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXIV, Issue 100, 23 December 1912, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Subscribers and advertisers are asked to note that the “Stratford ■Evening Post” will not be published on Wednesday or Thursday (Christ mas Day and Boxing Day), or on January 1, 1913 (Xew Year’s Day).

“A Popular Citizen,” being the report of the social in honour of Mr F. W. Webster on Saturday evening, appears on uage 3. ( The Borough Council meets this evening to deal further with the loan proposals. “A child should be taught that examinations are merely milestones on the load to knowledge, and that there is only one examination room, and that is the World, and one examination piper—Life.”—Miss Butler, headmistress of the Auckland Girls’ Grammar School.

“He had a salad complexion, and spoke sort of foreign-kind,” was part of the description given by a woman the other day to a policeman respecting a man who had created a disturbance at her house. When finally located, this “foreigner” proved to be a lad with a pronounced Lancashire accent.

Another of .the twenty locomotives being constructed for the Railway Department by Mgssrs. A. ayd G. Price, of the Thames, lias been delivered within the last few days. Aids is the fifth engine to be completed in connection with the present contract. The last four locomotives have been turned out at the rate of one a month.

As part of the scheme of the Federal Government for advertising the Commonwealth in the United Kingdom and elsewhere, the Minister for External Affairs has approved of the expenditure of £250 in the purchase of 10,000 copies of a publication entitled ‘The Australian Commonwealth: Its Resources and Productions.’

A ewe owned by the Egmont Pacing Club has this year given birth to two lots of lambs, having had twins in July and a single about a week ago. The occurrence is a most unusual one, but Mr. A. Morse, the club’s custodian, is confident about the matter (says the Hawera ‘Star’), as the ewe in question is,one of a few he keeps on the lawns about the grandstand, and she has been under his observation practically every day. The use of sulphuric and nitric acids for rotting out stumps has been practised a good deal of late in New South Wales, and now the Department of Agriculture is arranging for experiments in the Gosford district. It appears that many of the district settlers have been, using acids for the purpose, but where some have failed others have succeeded, and the Government has been asked to make the experiments, in order to ascertain whether the acids have been properly used.

The damage cattle can inflict on

each other with their horns is too Avell known to emphasise. An ingenious solution of the problem had been arrived at by a Southern farmer, which, while it may appear expensive, is certainly effective, and lias much in its favour as compared with the dehorning method. The farmer in question has fixed brass doorknobs to the horns of his small herd. It is not stated whether these are polished each morning at milking time, but it is alleged that the cow so accoutred presents quite a distinguished appearance.

Tho London Proportional Representation Society have just conducted, througli the medium of the Press, an election in which the voting was carried out on tho system advocated by that body. A ballot-paper was published in tho London and provincial newspapers bearing the names of twelve leading politicians, and the public were invited to record their votes in accordance with the accompanying instructions. The ballot resulted in Hr. Lloyd George, Chancellor of the Exchequer, heading the poll with a total of 22,778 votes, Mr. Bonar Law, the Opposition Leader, hieing second with 11,857 votes, and Sir Edward Grey, Secretary for Foreign Adairs, filling third place.

“Talking of trade and commerce,” said Mr Newton King at the social gathering in honour of Mr F. W. Webster on Saturday evening , “1 will say this: that when we pinned onr faith to Stratford, wo did it i ! the belief that this would he the best town in Taranaki. (Applause.) 1 am ns till of that opinion. Every day ! believe more in if. Stratford h growing—growing by leaps and bounds.” Mr King said, further, that there had been nps and downs, bill of late the farmers had had wonderful times. Money, probably, was on a high level, and he was exceedingly glad to know that such an authority as Mr Beauchamp, acting-chairman of directors of tho Bank of New Zealand, was hopeful of less stringent times. ,

Kiddieland is the name of our To;, Showroom, which is just now full ol toys and dolls. Greatest show ii town. Charles F. James. ' i

The dates for the Dominion Dairy Show at Hawera next year have been fixed for 'Wednesday, Thursday. Friday, and Saturday, dune 25, 26, 27, and 28. ■ , The following significant notice, in chalk, is posted on the door of the Stratford Mountain House :“Why is it not advertised that this house is vacant? (signed) Tourist.” Last week triplets were admitted to the Hawera District High School, and to mark the unusual occurrence (says the ‘Star’) the headmaster gave each of the three children a suitable present. The humorist, or humorists, who specialise in the direction of ruining shop windows, is again active in Sydney. The ‘Daily Telegraph’ records the latest “joke.” which affected the Tesla. Studio in George Street, the big plate glass window being scratched from side to side, apparently with a diamond. A deep cut was made and the window ruined. Mike got a job moving some kegs of powder for a Rhondda colliery company, and to the alarm of his foreman was discovered smoking at his w ork “Mercy on us!”_ exclaimed the foreman. “Do you know what happened when a man smoked at this job some years ago? There was an explosion that blow up a dozen men.” “That couldn’t happen here,” returned Alike, calmly, “Why not?” “’Cause there’s only you and me,” was the reply. During the five years 1908 to 1912 (inclusive) no fewer than 16,000 dogs have been killed and paid for by pastoralists on the South Australian border line north of Corona. These dogs have been lei 1 led on properties of New South Wales squatters, some of whom have lands just over the border, as well as in New' South Wales. Almost the whole revenue of the Milparinka Pastures Board is spent on -dog scalps (states the Sydney ‘Daily Telegraph’).

The careless use of firearms result-

ed in I,l l roe boys being peppered with shot at a rural district in Otago. The lads were walking along the main road on their way to school, when they heard the report of a gun at close quarters, and were immediately struck by the shot. Two of the lads received pellets in various parts of their bodies, while -the third had his leg badly knocked about by the shot. One of the lads was struck on the temple by a pellet, and the profuse bleeding caused him to remark that he was “done for.” It was misty-at the time, and the boys could not see who fired the shot.

The novel contest of a man endeavouring to defeat a trotting horse over a distance of five miles attracted a large crowd to the Inveroll racecourse (reports the Sydney ‘Daily Telegraph’). The man who made the attempt was L. J. Ornstein, long-dis-tance champion runner of Australia, and the horse was C. E. Hunt’s trotting stallion Brewongle Bob. The man was allowed a start of ten minutes, during which he travelled about a mile and three quarters. The horse overhauled the runner after going about four miles, and * eventually won by over five furlongs. The horse ran the distance in 14min 4osec, and Ornstein took 28min oOsee.

Two Canterbury colonists, who have just returned from a tour abroad, received an impression that the Old Country is becoming more and more French. In the best of London hotels, for instance, ladies may he seen sihoking at the dinner table. In one of the hotels a notice is posted, asking that guests should not smoke at breakfast, a practice which, apparently, was becoming popular and had to he checked. The menus are- new completely French, and there is nothing but French methods hf cooking. The English waiter is seldom seen except in clubs and country houses, and the Swiss and the Frenchman have supplanted him, and he will soon become extinct.

Letters received in New Zealand by the last English mail state that Mr W. B. Moorhouse, of Northampton, has been committed on a charge cf manslaughter in connection with the death of a carter on a Gloucester country road. Mr. Moorhouse, who was well known in Wellington and Christchurch, a few years ago, is now one of the celebrated English aviators, It appears that when the accident referred to happened, ho was motoring past a waggon, when the horses in the latter took fright and bolted. The man, who had recently been suffering from sciatica, was knocked down and killed while endeavouring to stop the horses. It is alleged that he was motoring at an excessive speed. While in Christchurch young Moorhouse. as the result of an accioent while riding a motor-cycle, was tried for manslaughter and 'acquitted. Witnesses alleged that he was travelling at the rate of over sixty miles an hour.

The “Star Almanack and Directory for 1913” is to hand from the office of the Hawera Star which we desire to acknowledge with thanks. This annual is a compendium of knowledge that should be in every home. Again the table oi contents shows there are to he found such useful and interesting matters as butter and cheese exports for the year, breeders’ and dairymen’s tables, census returns, the dates of court sittings, as a veil as excerpts from the licensing act, stock act, land and income tax act impounding act, death duties, old age pensions, etc. The directory is, as usual, up-to-date, and the calendar for the year, with the hundred and one references to other questions, Avill be found handy at all times. This indispensable publication, Avbicli has .attained its thirtieth year of issue, is retailed at the modest sum of one shilling.

It is well to remind fanners and others that the price of the Journal of the Department of Agriculture is only sixpence per copy. With the receipt of the December number, cause for wonder arises that the Journal is not more widely circulated among agriculturists, as the subjects dealt with are again among those of paramount importance to the “man on the land.” Articles appear in the issue to hand on Grass Grubs; some notes on the life history of the small green cockchafer, by Mr A. H. Cockayne; the Dairy Cow: its feeding and management, by Mr Primrose Connell; Contagious Mammitis: examination of suspected milk at Wallaceville, by Vet. C. J. Reakes; Lucerne oy Pumice Country, by M r.J .Duncan ;The Rabbit Pest: effective methods of control. by Mr J. W. Deem; Milk Sugar, by Mr J. Pedersen; Ayrshire Cattle, by Mr T. W. Lonsdale. , Other matters of interest touch on horticulture, the hemp industry, the apiary and the poultry industry. “Answers to correspondents” is a most interesting column, and the British Produce Marked gives the High Commisioner’s reports up to the 19th inst.

If you have a cold, take Tonking’s Linseed Emulsion, and you’ll soon liml that von haven’t a cold at all. brl, 2*5 Gd. 4s 6d.

For Gentlemen a nice present would be a Swan Fountain Pen in plain or gold mounted, 12s 6d to 42s 6d. Indent just received direct from London. Charles E. James. s

d at 35 miles 25 chains, and it lossible fob him to be engaged locality of works scheduled m icher, which formed the subject charge. There was only one G. ever known to the witness, on "ks« im Wilson, cleric in charge of >rest account in the Treasury, id the accused’s imprest stater the period ending December 1, in which £4975 Is 2d was credit for. Included in details | Vas that of payment of a sum 7s 6d to G. Wilson, and the was credited with having paid lount.

>n pleaded guilty, and was com■jO the Supreme Court for sen-

THE FOURTH CASE, iccused was charged with forgouoher for £77 Os lid to one G. j 1 in October, 1911, and its utin November, 1911. 6s J. McKenzie stated that pment was alleged to have been » “G. Wilson and party,” for one during the period Septemto October 18, 1911, on the Taaction. The voucher produced 3-. Wilson’s” signature for that and the handwriting was that accused. It was handed to him bout the 23rd October, and was d bv him in the usual way, the ire being his own (witness’s), r Kellor stated in evidence that ucher purported to be for work y party 58T, of which “Wilson” legad to be head man. The lowas 38 miles Jo chains, and 38 57 chains. Between the dates ned on the voucher, no such is 58T existed, and no such work ;6d on the voucher to have been lad been done on the Tahora seclelther did ho or his assistant to such work having been done, ’right,” the, second man, he did as an employee of the Departand “Cl. Wilson” was not head ft that time; Graham Ferguson ames Robertson were his overtod timekeeper respectively bethe dates mentioned on the vou-

es Robertson, timekeeper, knew jh person as “G. Wilson,” em- . as head man on the Tahora second knew no such person as “D. t,” whoso name appeared at ot of the voucher, lence was given by other witi as to the non-existence of the s named in the voucher, and the mt such work, named in the vouhad never been done. It was also that the amount of £77 Cs lid is work had been paid jto the im>e, and that he had been credithaving expended it. used pleaded guilty, and was ommitted. THE FIFTH CASE.

the fifth case the accused was ed with having, on or about July 12, forged sub-voucher No. 6-13, irting to be a summary of wages from May 29th to June 25th, live, whereby monies belonging d Government of New Zealand,

nting in all to £96 Is 7d, were allied to be paid to the persons in named m the amount set op- » the names—namely, J. W. Darn £lO 6s sd, W. Herbert £lO 5s R. McKenzie £9, P. Moore £9 d, J. Heyman £9 4s 6d, J. Gor£B 8s 9d, T. Quin £lO Is lid, J. rown £9 11s 3d, T. William £lO >d, and ,W. Prince £9, and purhg to be an acquittance from > men for monies received from Paymaster-General, and that on August, 1912, knowing the docui to be forged, the accused used it geniune voucher, arles John McKe«2scrd«poßechthat roucher produced purported to be lent to J. W. Davidson and othwages sheet for £96 Is 7d, for ' done between 29th May, 1912, 25 th June, 1912, and designated emoving slips from Whangamoi Station yard, and bore the reqf J. W. Davidson and others, handwriting of the voucher was of the accused, and was certified im in the usual way. The signaof the accused also appeared on locument as witness to the signaof the alleged payees, J. Gorman, r, Macalister: How long have you vji the accused? it ness: During the last two years lore. h Macalistbr: Was he a good, hard dng clerk? itness; Fair.

Sr Macalisfcer: Willson has not in way attempted to obstruct the investigation of these charges? fitness: No! (Left Sitting.)