LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXVI, Issue 39, 21 June 1913, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

The annual meeting of the Stratford Acclimatisation. Society will be held on Tuesday evening.

A plain and fancy dregs ball will be held at the Lowgarth Factory on July Ist.

The Elthara Argus says that Mr T. W. Burke has a herd of 38Jersey-Hol-stein cows, and supplies the Lowgarth factory and that his test for the season just closed averaged 8.

A meeting of the Taranaki Land Board will be held on Wednesday next at 10 a.m. for the purpose of examining applicants for land in the Tariki estate, near Stratford. It is anticipated that there will be a very large number of applications for this land.

The Borough Council stone-crushing plant was yesterday brought out from ias location near the ford, where about 1100 yads of metal were crushed. When opportunity offers the plant will be taken to the septic tank site, where three hundred yards will be crushed.

A French weekly paper with an enormous circulation among women asked its readers to vote for what they considered was the most detestable failing in the modern young man. The result was that selfishness got 10,000 votes, foppishness 9000, idleness 8000, late hours 6000, and gambling 6000, while intemperance was placed sixth and overfondness for spot last.

At the quarterly meeting of the Council of the Eltham Chamber of Commerce on Thursuay evening some discussion took place on the Opunake railway question, and subsequently the following resolution was carried unanimously:—“That this Chamber is strongly of opinion that the time has arrived for the member for the district to urge upon the Government the undoubted claims of the reserved route of the Opunake railway, and that lie be requested to use his best endeavours in that direction.”

An interesting piece of ship surgery lias been carried out to the Aberdeen liner Militiades, which arrived in Sydney last week from London. During her stay on the Clyde, tho Militiades, like her sister ship the Marathon, was lengthened 50ft. She was cut in twain, the two parts drawn apart, and a new section added. Not the least notable result of this lengthening process is that, although there lias been no alteration in the propelling machinery, the vessel has an increased speed, and, further, now draws slightly less water than she did in her original form.

The question may be raised whether the security of the British Empire depends upon Dreadnoughts and Dreadnought cruisers. May not the air craft above and the submarines beneath be the determining factors in the naval struggle of the future? Are there not other and higher considerations, even than these, necessary for the defence and prosperity of England and her colonies? Such are some of the reflections suggested by the visit of the New Zealand battle cruiser to New Plymouth. The Rev. J. Pattison will discuss this subject op Sunday evening in the Presbyterian Church.

A Press Association wire from Wellington says:—lnterviewed on tire subject of the alleged unrest in the Cook Islands, Dr. Pomare (Minister in Charge of the Islands) said he had never received any official information from the Islands that there was any upheaval among the native police. Ho had received the resignation of Sergeant Holmes, but had had no official information that bush beer drinking had increased alarmingly during the last few months. He had been unable to visit the Islands during the recess, but hoped to do so after the session.

An amusing incident in the course of the Supreme Court proceedings yesterday at New Plymouth is recorded by the News: When Sergeant McNeely, of Stratford, stepped into the witness box, his Honor Mr Justice Edwards asked the Sergeant what nationality he was. “I have the honor to be a New Zealander,” replied the smiling sergeant.' “Yes,” said His Honor, “but where did you get your name from?” “I got it from my father,” answered Sergeant McNeely. “He came from County- Down, Ireland, and I suppose brought it with him.” His Honor joined in the general amusement provoked by the reply. 1 ‘ 1 ! i'Y

At the Magistrate’s Court at Rangiora last Tuesday a Territorial was called to answer a charge of failing to attend camp. IA young man came forward,, and proved to he very deaf, and the. Bench promptly dismissed the case* The name af another defaulter was then called, to which . there was no response. The Bench was proceeding to deal with the case, when it transpired, seemingly by accident, that it was the de'af man who was wanted, his previous appearance having been made at the wrong time, owing to his infirmity. The defaulter whose place he took was fined‘ a substantial amount. 1

“The whole of modern wotnannood is in a seething state of excitement and partial rebellion,” said Susan, Countess of Malmesbury in presenting the prizes at the annual distribution at Clapham High School. “But,” she i continued, “it is no use to rebel against being a woman. You may think me oldfashioned, but I think that women are primarily made to be loved; but since there are, as you all know, a great many more women than men in the world, they must either live useless, barren lives, or learn to occupy themselves in some way or another. “The English translation of the Kaiser’s three K’s for women was,” she thought, “Kirk, kiddies, and kitchen”—these were the most important occupations of a woman’s life.

At the Supreme Court, New Plymouth, yesterday, His Honor Mr Justice Edwards, in passing sentence on Charles Pearce, who was found guilty on a charge of breaking and entering Pi vac’s shop in Stratford, on March 9, said the prisoner had a very indifferent character, and it, was only because he was reluctant to send a young man to prison for the first time that ho would place the accused on probation. Addressing the prisoner, his Honor said: “You bear a most indifferent character. There appears to be a gang of you young men who got together drinking at late hours and getting up to mischief afterwards. It is shocking to see young New Zealanders behaving in such a manner as you and others appear to be doing in Stratford. I hope your case will be a warning to others. You will be placed on probation for three years upon the usual conditions, and that you pay the costs of the prosecution amounting to £2O 16s within one month, and that you take out a prohibition order, which must be renewed from time to time during your term of probation.”

Special attention is directed to the Wellington-Taranaki football matcu to bo played at Hawera o n Wednesday. Tho contest is sure to attract a laigo crowd as the meeting between these two provinces last year on the occasion of tho Dominion Show will not readilv be forgotten by those who were fortunate to be present, that this Year’s match will again bo worth the journey requires nothing more than favorable weather to make tor an ideal Rugby enthusiast’s holiday.

the Arbitration Court at Christchurc., tho other day, the Hon. J. Barr was examining a witness as to the profits on locally-made articles. Mr Barr produced a brass tap for a sink, and asked the witness, a master plumber, at what price it was sold. “Tenpence each wholesale,” said the witness. ‘‘And what is the retail price?” said Mr Barr. ‘‘To build-, ers one shilling, and to the public! fonrteenpen.ee each,” came the re- | sponse. “And you make a profit on that?” pursued the cross-examiner, and he received an affirmative reply. “Then tho shop that sold me this one for eighteenpence must have done well,” burst out Mr Barr, and, turning to the head of the firm from whom the purchase had been made, he declared, “You had me over this,” but the soft answer cam© back, “The shop assistants must'have thought that it was good to get one on to you.”