LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXVIII, Issue 8, 9 January 1914, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

The "•burn" season is once more I with farmers. Travelling out by the j East train on Wednesday evening one : say logs burning on the section, clos- . or to Stratford, the tires, naturally, j being confined to isolated logs * and i standing trees. Further out, hoWj ever, the fires were of greater extent, ; and just before reaching Kiore a : big section of standing trunks was : seen on fire, making a very pretty sight. Dairy farmers will be glad to know that the National. Dairy Association of Xew Zealand is in receipt of following cable from Mr Ellison, its London representative:—"The Ath'enic butter arrived in good condition. The cheese was a little heated but nothing serious.". The Athenic was the first steamer to get away from New Zealand with dairy produce after the commencement of the recent strike. The cheese had suffered to some extent before getting on board the steamer.

j owing to being delayed in railvva\ | trucks, sheds, etc. The above report must he considered very satisfactory. So far as can be judged from a view of iho country from the Fast train, dairymen should be in for a good autumn season. All the paddocks looked fresh and green..and in a few there was evidence that the growth of grass had been too .ere: 1 : for the number of cattle. The only thing to be feared by the dairyman is a "drought," and it is to be noted that the "passing showers" promised for yesterday by Mr Hates did not materialise. However, with a continuance of the heavy dews recently experienced, the grass should be kept in good heart.

The Christmas number of the "Windsor," to hand from Mr H. J. Hopkins, is a splendid issue, and in, every way maintains the high standard reached by tins popular and instructive magazine. 'lho fattest calf ever killed in tho Stratford abattoirs was dressed this morning for M< s<rs Cannon and Co., of Broadway. It was bred by Mr Copestake, at Lepperton, and is just four months old. It ought to cut> into the primest of prime veal. The new valuation of the Borough cf Xapier. recn.!.- undertaken by the Government, imarly completed. Fhe rcsitits are sn: prising, and raise the capital vaiue equal to between oU and ~o per cent, on the old figures. The present capital value is £1,521,G72, and the new valuation brings it to about three million.— P. A." A lather unique event, and one not .included in tho sports programme, appeared at the*Catholic picnic at To Karaka racecourse during the holidays in the' shape of a race between a. greyhound' and a hare. The hare was chased right into the grandstand enclosure, and into the centre of 200 holiday-makers, who were taking part in the sports. A kill re-

sulted on the railway line. An anonymous citizen has Berlin £250,000 to establish a school ~ for boys of perfect health. The school will be built in a forest near the city. 7*ie chief subjects will bo modern languages and natural sciences. The whole day' will be spent in the open. The food will be simple, and there will be no alcohol or tobacco. .Much-time will be spent in foot excursions with teachers to various parts of the Empire.

The maximum fine of 40s was recently imposed on James Henry Taylor, grocer and wine and spirit merchant, of South Melbourne, for selling liquor to a child under the aire of 16 years,

in bottles that were not securely sealed. A little boy was sent by his mother to get two Lotties, which sho provided, "filled, one with whisky and the othe rwith wine. The bottles were tilled to order by the defendant, but lie neglected to seal them. The boy, .with a companion, had hardly left the. defendant's shop when a constable saw him draw the cork of the whisky bottle, have a drink, and then pass the bottle to bis equally youthful - companion. Tiie latter took a sip, but spat the liquor out. The law that requires bottles to be sealed was framed tc meet just such circumstances as these.

There are times when it might he al- ; most excusable for a taxi-driver to express himself in unparliamentary Jan- | guage. Such was the case in Auckland on the last'day of tiie Old Year, when an old lady planted herself firmly in the middle or Queen Street. An approaching taxi was forced to apply its brake hard and to come to a dead stop. U about being the least perturbed, the old lady explained that she was waiting for a tram, although she happened to be exactly between two stopping places. The amusing part of the episode immediately followed her explanation. The taxi-driver found himself unable to start his car for several minutes, and as it.was on the tramlines he succeeded in holding up several trams. Meantime, the old lady wandered off into the crowd. . ■ The Cook County Council has the honor of owning the first motor road roller to be imported into Xew Zealand. The new machine has many advantages over the old types of rollers ; one of the most important, especially to a local body, is the saving in the running cost. The roller is driven by an oil engine instead of steam, and this obviates the necessity for having to keep a stock of coal and a large supply of water, which .would be an inconvenience when

tile roller is operating upon - up-coun-try roads (says tlie Wanganui Herald). There is an auxiliary kerosene burner, so that after being started with petrol, kerosene can he used as fuel, thus reducing the cost of running without reducing the capacity for work. The roller is fitted with differential gear, but pins are supplied, so that a fixed gear can be used when necessary. The roller has two speeds forward and one hack. It is a 10-ton machine, and is of sufficient power to climb any grade on the district roads.