LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXVI, Issue 61, 17 July 1913, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

A concert and dance under the auspices of the School Committee will be Jield in the Midhirst Town Hall tomorrow evening. Late yesterday afternoon the premises occupied by Mr ]). H. Dahlberg, tailor, were registered under the award, the small technical matter which had held up the registration having been overcome. Mr DahlbergV tailoring will thus remain at at pre-! sent in Broadway. !

An interesting question regarding royalty on river shingle was raised at the County meeting yesterday. The Engineer reported that he had taken a quantity of shingle from the river at Waipuku, and in order to get it

the land of a settler was entered on, there being an agreement with this settler to pay sixpence per yard on metal taken. After the metal was removed the settler on the other side of the river put in a claim for royalty on half the metal removed. It was decided that the Engineer interview the parties and endeavour to make some arrangement.

An important general meeting of members of the Stratford Gymnastic Club is to be held in Mr W.'g. Malone's office to-morrow evening, at 5.30 p.m. A collie dog met its death in Broadway this morning at the hands of a doctor, but it was the dog's funeral because it didn't, get out of the road of the doctor's motor car.

As an evidence of the early season and also of the warmth and shelter in the valley which is served by the Stanley Road, it may be mentioned that wild clematis is already in flewer there. Mr Frank Mackay states that this is quite the earliest he has known the clematis to flower during the twelve years he has resided on his property fronting Stanley Road.

The following will represent Stratford in a cribbage match against Xgaere at Elder's tea rooms to-mor-row evening, play to start at 8 o'clock : —J. W. Jones, W. Collins, H. Jones, W. Clifton, T. Lawson, C. Kelly, C. Jackson, J. McMahon, W. Ryan, P. Speck, T. Colson, J. Mills D. Butchart and H. Trotter. The Xgaere representatives are Messrs Sims, Staverly, Callagban', Scanned, Orr (3), Wisnewski (2), Thomas (2), Taylor, Scott and D. Tecofsky.

The weed called Sir John's wort will very likely be declared a noxious weed in the Stratford County. At the County meeting yesterday a letter was read from Mr A. J. Wilson, the local noxious weeds inspector, who said that the weed, a heavy seeder and quick spreader, was getting a footing in the County; and he advised that

it should be declared a noxious weed before it got too good a hold. It was decided to defer the matter until the next meeting, in order that members might see the weed.

The fire-bell rang in a somewhat erratic fashion last night. There were four or five dongs followed by a considerable pause, after which the ringing continued in peals of rather weak quality. The explanation is that the hell is operated by two ropes passing over small pulleys, and anybody not used to the operation is very liable to jerk one or the other of the ropes off its pulley. This occurred last night, the main part of the ringing being done with one rope. Steps were taken to-day to prevent a recurrence of last night's experience.

Dr. Barren was at Parihaka on •Saturday vaccinating the natives. The operation was interesting to the natives, and a number gathered round. When the doctor was ready to commence ' the third person,. the group had vanished. The doctor had to round up his patients. It was just as,,. well (says the Opunake Times) the ' Department; sent an athletic .medical gentleman,, as he had often to run his man down and vaccinate him", "By, golly!' i said one native, "we all thV ' calf now.' Get no black leg.'' s '

The annual Counties' Conference is to be held iu Wellington on August 19th. As this day is just a day before the ordinary meeting of the Stratford County Council, and the chairman is the County's delegate 1 to the Conference; it was decided yesterday to hold the Council's August meeting a week' in front of the usual date

—August' 13th. It is expected that the remits to come before the Conference will be printed and available at the County's meeting.

The Fire Brigade was promptly on the scene at last night's fire, but the gaar in use was subjected to -some rude 1 remarks by certain spectators, objection being taken to jets of water issuing from the joint at the hydrant and from holes in the hose. It appears that a few days ago, the gear on the engines was re-arranged. Previously the best gear was kept on the cart, which was the vehicle ordered to be taken first to the scene of a fire, but under the new arrangement the best gear is kept on the reel, and recent orders were to the effect that the reel should be the first to be taken to a fire. In the anxiety to reach the fire quickly last night, the new order of things was forgotten, and the old gear was carried along without delay.

The question of lights on vehicles has been for some time prominently before Stratford residents, some of ' whom have cause to bear it in mind I as a result of having to pay 27s to l the Crown ; and the chairman of the i County Council yesterday brought up j the question. He said the Taranaki , County had decided to prosecute persons driving on the County roads without lights, and as the Stratford Borough was strictly enforcing its by- ; laws, he thought the County Council should come into line. Cr Anderson : "Don't be in a hurry." Cr. Walter: "Wait till the ratepayers ask for it." Cr. Smith: "It would be too drastic." Cr. Walter: "Would we have inspectors?" Cr. Were: "The riding members." Cr. Walter said they had recently asked ratepayers for heavy rates, and he thought they should not rub up against them again for a little while. The Chairman finally decided to defer consideration of the question.