LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXVIII, Issue 14, 16 January 1914, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

A feature of the recently-concluded tennis tournament at Kawhia (slates the Settler) is that seven out of. nine events, including four championships, fell to members of one family.

Messrs C. ]). Sole and A. E. Copping, .T.P.'s, occupied the bench at the Court this morning. sitting was the first since December 19th, but the business was light, and the sitting lasted a little under an hour. The condition of the residences provided for stationmasters has recently been examined by the General Manager ol Railways (Mr E.- H.j Hiley), to whom representations wore! made on the mattr by officers of the Department. Mr Hiley now states that he fully recognises that some of the houses arc not as .convenient as they might be, but those recently built have been erected on up-to-date

i lines. Many of the houses, he adds, ; would not .stand and for ! financial reasons lie finds it impossible to erect new dwellings. As the houses become uninhabitable, ! it is Mr Hiley's intention to see that new ones are erected with up-to-date accommodation. Judgment by default was given in • the following cases at the Court this morning:—Whangamomona County Council v. -T. C. Moore, CI Os Id, I costs £2 Ss; Thomas I. Lamason v. Charles T. Jefferson £l2, costs CI IDs 6d; P. X. I'hisseil v. Walter Bevins, CI 6s, costs 6s; J. Masters and Sou v. Arthur Mcßeth, £4 5s His, costs 10s; H. A. Wunsch v. \V. ftoldfinch £8 15s 3d, costs CI 13s Cc!: H. A. Wunsch V. F. Belk, jun., £lO ■"is 2d, costs £1 12s fid j Brayshaw and Co. v. Walter Bevins 19s 6d, costs 6s. Do you know the awful agony of Rheumatism. If so, take courage, a simple, srieedy remedv is available* in RTTEUMO. Thousands of Maorilauders have, tried it,'tested it and proved that it cures these diseases which avo due to excess uric acid iu the blood. 2s 6d a&d 4s 6d. 65

A statutory first offender for drunkenness, but who is well known in the Court, was this morning convicted and and advised to return to Whangamomona to his work. • With the summer at its height newspapers are. as usual, discussing very fiercely the question of mixed bathing. Views on both sides are expressed by scores of correspondents, and "Everylady's Journal" has been collecting the ideas of such notable people as the Lord MayoYs. of Sydney and Melbourne, Archbiship Mannix and Canon Hughe3, the Commissioner of Police and a lady doctor, the American. French, aud German consuls and Mr '.'Snowy" Baker, the famous surf champion.'Their views make good reading. The Borough Inspector, who has not been -much i i evidence at the Court at recent sittings, had three eases before this morning's sitting of the Court. W. McCarthy was fined ss, with costs 7s, for driving a gig after sunset without a light. A similar charge against J. J. Harris was adjourned till next sitting. For riding a bicycle without a light on January Bth, C. E. James was fined ss, with costs 7s.

An accident of an unusual nature occurred in the shop of the Goldsmiths' and Silversmiths' Company at Wellington the other day. The Post reports that the manager, Mr Pierard, had been fixing a 100-candle power electric light globe, and had

just moved away to turn on the switch, when the globe exploded with a loud report. The glass was shattered all to powder, and the brass fixture was also blown out. There was an auction sale in progress at the time, and it is remarkable that, as the shop was crowded, no one was injured. The little brass fixture struck a girl on the arm, but did not inflict any injury. As the current was not on, and the globe having been used previously had not shown any defect, it is difficult to account for the explosion.

At the Court this morning Bert Harkness proceeded against Annie Leah Matilda Ballot for £B, balance due on a bicycle. Plaintiff gave evidence that in June, 1911. lie supplied defendant with a bicycle. Three payments had been "made on account. At the time of purchase defendant was Miss Jones. Subsequently she married Mr Smith Pollock, to whom vhe account was sent. After Mr Pollock's death, the account was sent to the Public Trustee, who stated that the estate was not. liable for the amount. Subsequently the account was rendered to defendant after her present marriage. Witness had receivd no word from defendant ;s to payment. The price of the bicycle was £ll.- Defendant stated that she understood, from Mr Pol-

lock that he intended' to wipe off the liability on the bicycle. She had only received one account since 1911. Judgment was given for plaintiff for the amount claimed with .£1 16s costs. Tu Dunodin on Tuesday there was submitted to auction a'collection of coins, by order of the, registrar of the Supreme Court, urfder the provisions of "The Chattels Tx-ansfer Act, 10OS." and the power of sale contained in a deed of mortgage. The collection comprised five geU coins, 14-5 silver coins", and 114 bronze coins, most of which were current in England and on the Continent during the early part of last century. There were one or two silver" coins which dated back to the tlra« of Queen Elizabeth and James 1. There was only a small attendance of buyers (states the Oago Daily Times), and the bidding for .the whole collection was very feeble, reaching- only £lO. The collection was disposed of to the mortgagee, who had recorded a bid of £IOO.

Thomas McDonald, who is employed by the Public Works Department , near Whangamomona. went in to [ Whangamomona on December lHh ( last and after having some drink placed himself in the Ohura Road and delivered himself of some lurid , and loud-voiced observations. There ■ j were children playing about in the vicinity; and his voice had sufficientpower to carry fifty yards, so that Constable Scanned, who was in the vicinity, had to apprehend him. Mc- Jt Donald pleaded guilty at the Court this morning, state that he was drunk at the time and that it was the first drink which had passed his lips for four years, and expressed

extreme contrition. Sfcrgearit McNeely pointed out that'at the time J McDonald was not very drunk. The ! police knew nothing against him except that he was addicted to drink. J lie had a wife and four children. The Bench took a serious view of the offence generally, said Mr Sole, and felt disposed to inflict imprisonment, without the option in all cases. As it was McDonald's tirsj: appearance in Court, he would be. dealt with leniently and fined Co, in default one month's imprisonment. McDonald asked for three months' time in which to pay the fine, and was grant. ed one month. Later in the sitting he came forward and applied for the issue of a prohibition order, which was granted.