LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXVI, Issue 22, 30 May 1913, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

The Stratford Evening Post will not be published on Tuesday next, being the anniversary of the King's birthday. The bachelors of the Tuna district are issuing invitations for a ball to be held in the schoolroom on Friday, 13th prox.

The works committee of the Stratford Borough Council have inspected the tar sprayed road surfaces in tin Eltham County. The question of the purchase of a tar-spraying machine is one which will prohably be decided at the next meeting of the Borough Council.

"These people were married in March, and the woman says that she was deserted in June: that is rather quick." So remarked Mr Justice Sim in the Supreme Court at Wellington says the Dominion. "That is nothing to a case I have coming on," said counsel. "These parties to this other action were married in the morning,, and the woman went off by the afternoon boat to Sydney and has not been heard of since."

A Canterbury M.P. (not to particularise too closely) lias discovered, by diligent searching of statistics, that New Zealand exported in a yeWorily 1350 pairs of 'fowls. At the same time : she exports 3,614,676 rabbits. He announced' this total"at a gathering the other flight in a voice l of horror, and asked :"Why ; should we not make poultry take the place of rabbits' ?" It is a good idea. But can'it be that the M.P.'s "down" on rabbits is in

any way attributable to the fact that the presence of these engaging little animals on his estate led to his being mulcted the, other day in the sum of £5?

Certain • divorce, proceedings which were instituted , six years ago were dealt with by. the Wellington Supreme Court. The woman, who institute! the proceedings stated that she was married in 1894, was deserted in 1902, and that in. 1907, she commenced an action for divorce. It was stated by her counsel (Mr T. ; ..M,, Wilford) (states the dominion), that .in 1907 the woman thought "of getting,married to a certain man, and that therefore she had sought a divorce. Subsequently the engagement was broken off, and his client did not go on with the case. Now, however, she was in town, and thought that she might as well obtain her freedom. His Honour 311 Justice Sim: Is the respondent (the husband) still alive? Mr Wilford: We don't have to prove that—do we: His Honour: You will have to prove that he was alive during the last seven years before you can get a decree.. The Court is not going to dissolve a. marriage which lias already been dissolved by death. The Court is n< place to move in vain.

Some people say there is no such thing as luck, but one man in Wanganui holds a contrary opinion (says a correspondent). It appears that at the end of Thursday's race meeting he found himself considerably richer against his will. Just before the start of the Connolly Handicap he rushed up to the totalisator and asked for two tickets on No 4 (Patriotic) and two on No. 11 (Otahu.) But he was handed 4 tickets on No. 11 (Otahu). When he noticed the error that had been made he rushed back to the machine and expostulated vehemently with those in charge, demanding that the tickets should be changed. The officials, however, were adamant, and contended that he had been given what he had asked for. The punter was loud in his complaints, and actually had his finger jammed by the shutter of the machine in an endeavour to prevent it being closed. Meanwhile the race had started, and failing to get any remedy from those in charge of the machine the irate man wient to the secretary's office (in accordance with the advice of sympathisers in the crowd) to voice his complaint. The official listened carefully to the visitor's tale of woe, and then drew his attention to the result of the race, just being hoisted above the judge's box—ll, 3, 1. The disappointed one hurriedly disappeared, and calmed down sufficiently to collect a remarkably good dividend, something in the region of over £2OO.

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The Railway Department has notified that tickets at excursion fares will be issued from Hawera and Te Wera, and intermediate stations, to New Plymouth on each day of the Show. A passenger train will leave Ha-w-era at 11.10 a.m. on Thursday, Juno 12th, ami a passenger train will depart from New Plymouth at 6 p.m. for Hawera on the 12th and 14th. Connections with these trains will also be provided on the Waitara and Toko branch lines.

At the Magistrate's Court this morning, before .Mr Kenrick,, S.M., orders were made on the following judgment summonses, defendants failing to appear:—Charles Mossmau Mullun v. Thos. Rogers (£5 15s 6d), in default seven days' imprisonment. By default : Wm, Ernest Davidson v. Wm. Frederick Dowman, £3 10s (xl and 10s costs, and J. Masters and Son v. William Frederick Doivniaii, £l6 Is lid, £1 10s 6d costs.

The St. Andrew's tennis club held an enjoyable and successful dance at the .Foresters' Hall last evening. There was a large number of dancers present, the hall being, if anything, too small to give the requisite space, particularly in the square dances. However, as the floor was in excellent condition, this did not detract from the general enjoyment, and dancing was kept up until after one o'clock. The music was supplied by Messrs Arthur Richardson (piano), and A. Kelly (cornet), while Messrs Douglas and Anderson acted as M.C.'s. Songs were given by Messrs Watkins and Hawthorne, the accompaniments being ■played by Miss Auld. An excellent supper was provided by Mrs Brooking- .. ' • -.

"A note of warning has been given by Mr McConnell, of the Ruakura Farm of Instruction, that even when advantage is taken of the tabulated yield, to cull the unprofitable cows, farmers must remember that constitution has also to' be considered. Some cows are highly strung nervous animals, and if milk only is to be the test, breeders may fall into the mistake Lincoln sheep breeders made when they bred for wool alone and constitution was not kept up; or the Shorthorn breeders in Great Britain, who breed for fashionable blood alone, much to the detriment of the breed." —President Wilson at Farmers' Union Conference.

The Railway Department has made a large concession tb the Auckland Exhibition by arranging that exhibitors shall be carried to and from Auckland'on'the railways' free of charge.' The 'shipping'companies, have, also,assisted : in'this : direction, though not tothe same extent, by agreeing to con-. vey exhibits coastwise free one max?: It 1 - is brie of the' features of the finals cial aspect of I the 'coming event' (writes, the correspondent of the Otago Dail| Times) that it is" the'first'big Exhibition in New Zealand which has no direct Government assistance by way of grant or backing. The freight (Concessions, however, ' constitute a considerable and direct help. Moreover, the Government is paying the full space rate of 3s per square'foot fofc its-courts, a total '"sum of £l666'being; thus put into the'revenue.' '

The defence policy,was,touched on by the Hon. R. Heaton Rhodes (Acting Minister, pi; Defence), in the' course of his welcome at a civic reception to Captain Halsey at Akaroabn Saturday (say® the Christchurch Press.) The Minister said that - this would be the most interesting thing he could tell his hearers, hut at"' present he could not say what the Government policy would be. "We should wait until the Hon. James Allen returns, but whether we decide to give a further contribution to the British Navy or whether we fix on some other means of assisting," said Mr Rhodes, "I am sure that we will have your support. If we cannot build ships for the navy we can give them men." Continuing, Mr Rhodes said that the Government recognise that we must co-oper-ate with Britain in defence, and the strength of the navy must lie in the Old Country. It would he practicable to form a unit of the British Nevy in these parts, just as the other dominions might have units, but it was necessary that in time of war the units should come under the control of the Admiralty.

A subject of interest is being touched upon by the writer of the dramatic notes in the Auckland Herald, who also has a suggestion to make which might well commend itself to the Australian managers, or even to others. The writer says that so few attractions are being sent to New Zealand nowadays by the principal Australian theatrical firms that play-goers are beginning to wonder why they are being left out in the cold. Two reasons are advanced. One is that it pays handsomely to keep successful plays or operas in Autstralia, where increasingly long seasons can be enjoyed without the need of moving on. The second, and perhaps the more important, reason for the practical cessation of visits from the best Australian companies is the cost of travelling involved. The formation of two stock companies is suggested—one to play drama and comedy, and the other to produce musical pieces, with permanent headquarters in this country. If this were done (states the correspondent of the Otago I),aily Times) the expense of travelling from the Commonwealth to New Zealand at frequent intervals would be abolished. There would be plenty of support from the theatre-goers in the dominion to keep the suggested stock companies profitably touring.

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The team to represent Stratford Banks and Law against New Plymouth Banks and .'law at New Plymouth on Tuesday, will bo selected from the following: Jones, Blanchett, Rodgers, Wilkie, Bowler, "Tocker, Sullivan, Clouston, Kelleher, Hume, Pilcher, Anderson, Armstrong, Curtis, Munroe, Richmond, Jones, Winder, and Gorton. For the purpose of a final selection, all the above are requested to turn up to practice at the Show grounds.

Two young men named Middlemiss ami t'arroll, who intended playing a rather stupid joke on some people they knew by placing an obstruction on a road, so that a motor car was compelled to pull up, were haled before the magistrate, and this morning charged with placing an obstruction m a public place. They escaped with a caution from the Bench and the payment of 7s costs each. W. A. Field, charged with a breach of the Borough By-laws in that he drove a horse and trap by night through Regan Street, without lights, was fined 5s and 7* costs. M. J Uhlenberg, similarly fined a like amount, with costs /s.

Many local football enthusiasts were not very well pleased to find on turning up at the Show Grounds yesterday, with the expectation of seeing the Stratford-Eltham senior match, that the latter team had forfeited at the last moment. The local team was already On the ground, and stripped, when the message was received, and so it was decided to have a practice game. The money paid bv the spectators was refunded at the gates. it certainly was unfortunate for Elthamthat they were unable to collect the necessary fifteen, and all credit is due to those who tried till the very last to get a team together.