LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXV, Issue 87, 19 April 1913, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

On and after May Ist the Stratford Electrical Supply Company will supply current continuously on Sundays and holidays.

'At a meeting of sports held in Stratford recently, one of the speakers remarked that unfortunately he could not read his notes, on which a gentleman present made the happy suggestion that the notes should he “taken as read.”

There’s nothing; like getting in early. The Stratford A. and P. Association have received an application from a Sydney syndicate for space in the November show for their “performing chimpanzee, act.” The application was granted providing the Committee approve of the character of the sideshow.

Rev. Dr. Clifford last month made Ids thirty-sixth appearance before the Paddington (London) magistrates on a summons in respect of non-payment of the education portion of his rates. Dr. Clifford, having expressed his conscientious objections to paying the rate, the chairman expressed the magistrates’ sympathy with the attitude taken up by the passive resisters, and made the usual order.

Nominations for the election of a representative of the Hawera Borough Council on the Patea Harbour Board are advertised. Under the new regulations, however (says the Press), nominations should have closed not later 'than Wednesday last. The election, therefore, will be an informal bile, and the whole proceedings will probably' have to be taken over again. ' : ' 1 11

'Some months ago Mr 1 Clement Wragge; the well-known astronomer add meteorologist, when on a visit to Mudgee, discovered radio active in a rock near Rylstone. Mr Wragge now publicly states that samples were sent to England, and that a cable has been received by him which leads him to believe that the discovery will be a valuable one; -

The Secretary of the Stratford Acclimatisation Society received a wire from the Department for Internal Affairs recently to the effect that the coming season would be open for the shooting of cock pheasants, teal, Californian quail, grey duck, and black swan. Mr B. Fearpn wired hack with the request that as black swan did not affect this district, pigeon would prove an acceptable substitute, but the reply was to the effect that no pigeon would he allowed to be shot this season.

The Taranaki Provincial Scottish Society held a meeting of ,their executive last night, Mr G. Songster presiding over a very fair attendance. Arrangements were made for the annual social to he held on the 19th ol June in the Stratford Town Hall, and a further meeting of ladies and gentlemen interested will be held on I riday next at 3 o’clock in, the offices of Messrs Jackson Bros.

When the Labour candidate for Dailey was addressing a meeting the other night (reports the Sydney Daily Telegraph) an interjcctor jumped to his feet and demanded of the speaker why the Federal Government had not altered the form of the Maternity Doans Bill, so that it would be on the Hues of the Graduated Land Tax. The questioner held that the amount given to the mother on the birth ol a child should vary according to the yearly income of the father or mother. The maximum amount of bonus was suggested at £SO in the case of a man making less than £2OO a year, and this would drop gradually as the amount of income increased. This would hate the effect, he said, of more equally distributing wealth amongst the children of Australia, and further, of making the wealthy pay a large share of the contribution foi the bonus fund. The Telegraph adds: The proposer of that scheme is now looking for someone to support it!

Ever since the world began, man has been contriving instruments for the reproduction of sound. Nature s sweetest music—the sighing of wind through reeds, the laughter of a brook, or the lapping of the waves: these have caused men to stop and ponder. Wo see the result in such instruments as the violin, the harp, the flute. But most effective of all, perhaps, is the piano. Imprisoned within its lour walls hide the magic works which breathe forth enchanting harmonies. Just to run one’s lingers along the keys of an instrument such as the Broad wood, the Bonisch, Hie Lipp, or the Steinway. is a supreme delight. The Dresden Piano Co., Ltd., Wellington. who are agents for ttie-o. and indeed every instrument of high repute, will gladly tell you about their It:sy time-payment system, which n;ake s it simple for everyone to possess tin* king of instruments—the piano. Local representative, 0. W. MILLS, Stationer. Broadway (.late Cargill’s). x

A record price for ewes sold at (Dunedin) on Wednesday was obtained by Messrs. Wright, Stephenson, and Co., Limited. This was for a very prime ewe forwarded by Mr J. LI rant, of Jncholmo, which brought -Us. Another ewe sent in by the same owner sold for 375.

At the .Magistrate’s Court yesterday, before Air Kenrick, S.AL, judgment by default was entered in the following civil cases: P. W. Meimes u\lr Stanford) v. Frank Edward Bonnier, claim £3 3s, and costs 15s; 'tintford County Council (Air H. L. Spratt) v. Vincent J. Leatham, claim £1 12s i)d, and costs 11s. in the judgment summons case, Stratford Hospital Board (Mr T. C. Fookes) v. Walter Hawke, claim £24 Is Gd, an order was made for payment in instalments of £3 a month. William F. Dowman was ordered to pay Henry William Stockley (Air Stanford) the sum of £3 2s 6d forthwith, in default >even days. A meeting of the Stratford A. and P’s. Executive was field last night, when there was a fair attendance of members, it was decided to affiliate with the Associated Agricultural Societies of New Zealand, and to send a delegate to the Conference, remits and choice of delegate to he discussed later. Messrs Hann Bros., of Bird Road, Stratford, offered three sheep for the weight-guessing competition at the annual show, and the offer was accepted, a hearty vote of thanks being carried by acclamation. The itinerary of the judges for the dairy farm competition commencing next Tuesday was drawn up. Mr W. H. H. Young has kindly offered to place his car at the disposal of the judges.

At the annual meeting of the New Plymouth branch of the New Zealand Law Society on Thursday the following officers were elected for the ensuing year:—President, Mr A. H. Johnstone ; vice-president, Mr J. R. L. Stanford (Stratford); treasurer, Mr F. E. Wilson; members of council, Messrs R. C. Hughes, D. Hutchen, A. Bewley, and J. B. Roy; auditor, Mr A. R. Stan dish'. Mr T. Shailer Weston was elected to represent the society on the New Zealand Law Society, and it was resolved that Mr G. Neave be asked to act in his place during Mr Weston’s absence in England. The question of having uniformity in regard to holidays was dis-r Cussed, and it was resolved that as far as Now Plymouth was concerned, the following be observed:—From the Thursday, before Easter, at 1 p.m., ; to the following Wednesday morning; the King’s Birthday, June 3rd, , j and a clear fortnight at Christmas, the dates of the commencement and,; conclusion to be fixed each year the council and notified. ( , , ~ ; .. . , .■, ; ,>; fi • .:,:■)?■■■/ vc ]} ■ i A remarkable position has 1 arisen! in'connection with the election of the " 1 moderator of the, Presbyterian State General Assembly (states tlu* Sydney Daily Telegraph). When the assembly meets on the first Tuesday in May it will 1)0 necessary to elect someone to the high office, instead of having the mod-erator-elect presented and formally approved. This is the first time such ! a situation has arisen in Australia,. 11 and local churchmen know of no other in the Old Country. The method cf electing the moderator is by presbyteries, and the assembly simply con- 1 firms their choice. But it is necessary that a majority of votes shall be cast for the successful nominee. There are seventeen presbyteries in the State, with a total of thirty-five votes. Four ministers were nominated this year, namely, Revs. J. H. Craig (Moss Yale), Janies - Goodie (Bnrrowa), A. E. Smith (Maitland), and J. H. Terras (Wingham). Mr Smith received fifteen votes, which was not an absolute majority; hence the remarkable position now in existence. The assembly now has to go through the whole matter, receiving nominations, and members present will ballot. Although there will not l>o any moderator’s address this year, the unique election will create an interest in the proceedings not often in evidence.

At the Magistrate’s Court yesterday, before Mr Kenrick, S.M., Annie Abbott, executrix of the estate of the late William Abbott, sued W. T. Hodge, of Whangamomona, for the sum of £l3 15s sd, for goods sold and money lent. Defendant had a counter claim for £ls, being work done and money paid to the plaintiff. Mr Rutherford appeared for the plaintiff and Mr Robert Spence for the defendant. Counsel for plaintiff called Mrs Annie Abbott, who stated on oath that she had seen Hodge receiving onions and potatoes ’ from the hotel, but she had not made any arrangements with him, those arrangements having been made by her husband. She knew nothing about the cheque for £lO, which was claimed as having been lent to the defendant, except that the cheque produced and drawn in favour of Hodge was in her husband’s handwriting and signed by him. Airs A. T. Anderson gave evidence that she was present when plaintiff’s husband had said that Hodge owed him an account and that there would be no difficulty in obtaining payment. Mr Spence asked for a non-suit on the grounds that plaintiff had not proved any part of her claim, nor had she proved her right to sue for it, nor even that it was still unpaid. As a matter of fact there had been a squaring up. His Worship non-suited the plaintiff, and Mr Spence then stated that he would not proceed with the counter-claim, which was accordingly struck out.

Ladies! Warner's Corsets are comfortable—guaranteed so—they shape fashionably. The bones cann.i/1 rust or can the fabric tear. Order v Local draper*. -

According to the Waverloy police the report recently published that a 1 ‘tall, fair woman,” had visited Waverley, aa one of an organising gang, and endeavoured to pass valueless cheques on local tradesmen, is pure fiction.

The Chief Civil Service Commissioner states that there is nothing in the regulations to prevent a casual employee standing for municipal elections, or for election to a school committee. Even a permanent officer can stand for a school committee election.

One application for the establishment of a post office at Tahurangi (Mountain House) has been granted. Mr J. B. Murphy is to bo appointed postmaster, and .will carry the mail to Rahiri, Messrs Nicholls and Sons, of Inglewood, carrying the mail from that point to and from the Kaimiro Post Office.

Probably four land ballots, for an aggregate area of approximately 30,000 acres of Taranaki land, will be held from now until Juno (states the Taranaki Herald). The first will take place - at New Plymouth on or about May 13th, a later one at Taumarunui nearer the end of next month, and several more at short intervals.

Dr. Seymour, a French nobleman, who has had a scientific training, asserts that he has discovered a fluid which, if it had been injected into the bodies of Captain Scott and his companions after they had been thawed out, would have brought them back to life. So confident is Dr. Seymour of the efficiency of his fluid that he offers to be refrigerated for a year to prove that his discovery is capable of producing all the results that he claims for it.

The Free Press states that an Inchclutha' farmer, who was practically isolated by the recent flood, had a novel experience with a big trout which he discovered in his cowyard. Pood in such a time of stress was at a premium on that particular steading, and the farmer lost no time in getting after the unexpected visitor with a pitchfork. The big fish was, after an exciting hunt, safely impaled on the fork, and when transferred to the domestic weighing machine it “tipped the beam” at 161 b Boz.

The price of milk in Auckland is to be raised from 4d to 5d a quart this week. The reason given for the rise in price is that the long drought during the summer has made the question of feed a serious one for the dairy farmers in the vicinity of Auckland, and ortO dairyman 1 estimates that the daily ripply Of milk is now over 2000 gallons shbrt of the normal. If there is no adequate rainfall within tbe next few weeks dairymen state that the pjricjQ will j rise even above 5d a quar|, jj ,| : j - i i)j : i