LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXVIII, Issue 16, 19 January 1914, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Citizens are rem.r.uetl of the meeting to bo held in the Borough Council Chambers to-morrow evening to make arrangements for the gala to be held towards the end of February in aid or the lire Brigade’s funds. It was Mr William Heigh way, and not Mr George Heighway whose marriage was recorded in Saturday’s “Post,” the Canadian paper from which the paragraph was taken having coni used the names. Miners at the Fswoith Colliery, Domain, broke through into a disused working, and there found a petrified pony, standing erect. Xear by lay the carcases of three other ponies, also petrified. The discovery is a reminder of a mine explosion of 28 years ago. A horse belonging to Mr Thomas Chapman, of Balldalo (X.S.W’.), died in unusual circumstances. His owner had brought him from the farm to tho railway station. Tho horse was tied to a Bn ice while a ballast train drew into the station. At this the animal took fright. Ho commenced to tremble all over, gradually sank to the ground, and expired in less than a minute from shock. Following are results of games at the Taranaki championship lawn tennis meeting at Hawera, not included in Saturday s report of proceedings:— Ladies handicap singles (final): Miss A. Brewster beat Miss V. Simpson, —L 6—l. Combined championship doubles: L. S. Jennings and Miss Brewster beat W r . Pearce and Mrs Pearce 6—4, 6—l.

In our Dominion some six to seven thousand candidates sit for the Public Service Examination, and it is some credit to a competitor to be placed among tlie first hundred successful candidates. - Telegraphed results show that seven in Taranaki Lave achieved this position—four from Stratford and three from Xow Plymouth. Master G. Saunders, of Xgaore, is highest in the list for Taranaki, and in 16th position for the whole of the colony. No female candidates were admitted to this examination in 1913.

A market gardener, Don Black, of Chelsea (\ ic.), finding several men among his cabbages on Tuesday. 6th inst., suddenly sprang upon them with a long coil of clothes-line over his arm, and, holding a gun at his shoulder, called on them for their lives not to move. . This demonstration and form of address struck them so nerveloss that with some assistance he was able to tie them together, passing the rope round the upper arm of each man, and connecting him with his neighbour. Fear of the gun did the rest. The prisoners went with great docility into the township, where a constable took their names and addresses with a view to prosecution.

According to the Engrrsn TTar Cry, the profits of the Salvation Army’s Trade Department during the past year amounted to £4IOO which is to >e distributed amongst the customers. This is the outcome of the profit-shar-ng scheme inaugurated in 1911, giving to soldiers and officers .purchasing

uniforms, literature, and other reluisites, a share in the business. Part of the scheme was that 5 per cent, per Annum should.be paid on the capital employed in the Army’s Supply Stores, the profits above that were to be distributed amongst the customers, and for the past year these equal 81 per rent. Another result was a big increase in the volume of business done.

At the Newcastle Police Court on the 6th inst. Clem. Mills was fined £8„ with Gs costs, in default, two months’ gaol, for selling adulterated sausages. The analyst’s report showed chat sausages seized at defendant’s -hop contained 71 grains of boric acid to the pound. Dr. Dick, Health Offijer, said that boric acid was not allowed to be used in any quantity in sausages. The defendant said the acid could not have been mixed properly in die meat.—Francis Pago was fined £2, with Gs. costs, also for selling adulterated sausages. In this case the adulteration consisted of 8.8 grains of sul-phur-di-oxide, the Act only allowing ho to the pound. The honor of having made the first through motor trip from the railway at Stratford through the Whangamomona

and Ohura country to the main trunk railway belongs to one of the Studebaker cars, a make which is fast coming into favor and for which Mr Newton King is local agent. At o a.in. on Wednesday last Mr George Smith, stock agent at Stratford for Mr Newton King, accompanied by Mr J. Olliver, the firm’s motor expert, left Stratford, and, without mishap or stoppage of any kind on account of the car, safely reached the main trunk railway and transacted business along

the route, returning, also without mishap, safely to Stratford, which was reached at 10 p.m. on Friday evenng. The travellers found the roads in [daces had enough to try the reliability of any car, and owing to bush ires the trip was not entirely without lunger to the occupants of the car.

'n nnojtlace it was necessary to remove burning rata logs out of the road before tlse car could proceed. This was at a point on the other side of the Fangarakau Gorge, where, it appears, there have been some excellent burns. Port ions of the road are in good condition, and we may expect to hear of other trips being made while the fine weather lasts. The ear used was a 2d h.p. two-seater.

The following amounts are to be paid out to-morrow by the local dairy factories;—Stratford £10,269, Ngaere £3847, Lowgarth £2897, Cardiff £2499.

Says the latest American Sheepbreeder (Chicago): “It is a safe bet in 10 years the Chicago packers will control the mutton and beef trade of South America and Australia.” Further returns sent from Dunedin show that Irene K. Wyllie (Stratford) passed the University entrance scholarship examination, and that Amy 'l. G ernhoefor and E. W. C. Jobson qualified for matricidation. It is good news lor Taranaki that two Taranaki (university) scholarships have been won. Master Weston (New Plymouth), and bliss Wyllie (Stratford) being the successful candidates. An Auckland Press Association telegram states that the Premier, Mr Massey, who has been greatly benefited by the rest, left for Wellington last night,' accompanied by Mrs Massey. Mr Massey"returns to Auckland in a month’s time to turn the first sod of the branch railway to Waiuku, which will branch off the Line near Pukekohe. Construction work will be commenced this year both on the Waiuku and the line connecting Whangarci railway with the Main Trunk. The local manager of the New Zea land Loan and Mercantile Agency i Co., Ltd., Stratford, has received advice per last mail from London, through the Chief Inspector at Wellington,' that the Company had a very successful business year, and that the London Board has decided to raise the Stratford Agency to the status of a branch with like promotion of position and salary to its manager. We understand also that at an early date a substantial increase to its working capital, will be alloted to this branch.