LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXVIII, Issue 50, 28 February 1914, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

'Hu' committee of the Stratford Horticultural Society are making strenuous cherts to make the show on ihursday and Friday next the best I yet. 1 In' ladies are on the joh with the relreshment department, and those canvassing for entries are receiving encouraging response. Mr li, R. Jenkins, of Eltham, lias disposed of the patent rights for the United Stares and Canada of the Cane milking-machine. The Argus says that he has received a cablegram | from Chicago which brings to a conclusion negotiations lie bad entered open when in America for the sale of certain rights, his price, £20,000, having been agreed to.

By the success oF his pedigree Holstein bull. King Payne Segis, who annexed the championship m tiie Holstein bulls for the second year in succession at the Taranaki A. and 1 ■ Show, Mr Newton King wins outright the challenge cup donated by the New Zealand KoUiein-Friosian Association, Mr \V. (1. Fargie, well known in the district, lias decided to carry on business as a land agent in Stratford. Mr Fargie resided some nine years in the hush . and thoroughly knows the coimtrv from Whaiigamomona to the King Country, and considers lie is m an exceptionally good position to advise buyers and sellers with regard to town and country properties. It is understood that J. C. Williamsou. Ltd., will shortly have stock dramatic companies touring the Dominion at intervals. Commencing at the Bluff, in due course Auckland will be readied and with the addition, perhaps, of the leading man and lady fresh plays will be staged on the next itinerary of the country. Whether Stratford will be included in the tour always, remains for local theatre-goers to make quite certain by apportioning them a full measure of support whenever the opportunity is given in our town. The judge (Mr R. G. Whetter, one of the Education Board school inspectors) lias now forwarded his awards in the essay competition held by the Stratford A. and P. Association an connection with the Ul3 spring show. In section A there were sixteen comi petitors and the awards which all come to Stratford are as follows: “Periwinkle” (Doreen Hamomnd), ■ 1 ; “Pickwick” (G. McAllis- ■ ter), 2; “Brutus” (W. T. 1 Dobson j; “Peter Simple” (Frank ’ Grant); “Joan of Are” (I. E. Boon). ■ In section B there were three competitors and the awards are: “Colum- ‘ bine” (Isabella Lunam, Whangamo- ; tnona), 1 ; “Florence Nightingale” (Delcia Bradley, Whangamomona), 2. i A very creditable trip was done by - Mr A. J. Davey in his Studebaker ■ car on Wednesday night. Despite ; the heavy rain a start was made at 5 p.m. with Mr A. Rawles as passenger, the objective being Kohura-

tain, where it was intended to pick up the school mistress, Miss Wilson, who was seriously ill and who desired to come to Stratford for treatment. After a good trip, in which the car did everything desired of it, the destination was reached, up one of the byroads four miles past Kolmratahi, but it was found that Miss M ilson ' was too ill to he shifted, and the return journey was at once started on, a delay of an hour and a half ensuing before the car could be turned round on the narrow track. Stratford was reacned at six o’clock on Thursday morning, after a some' what exciting return journey. A Wellington Press Association message states: At a meeting of the executive of the New "’Zealand National Schools Defence League it was reported that, though the National Executive had so far done practically nothing towards counteracting Canon Gar land’s campaign in connection with the Bible in schools, some of the loyal leagues had done not a little in that connection. It was also reported that m every district where a counter movement had been started, it was found large numbers had*-"sign-ed the Canon Garland pledge under complete misapprehension as to what it really committed them. It was decided to appoint a national organiser at next meeting of the executive, who would hold public meetings all over the Dominion and explain fully the nature and implications of the policy of -the Bible-in-Schools party, and deal with the methods and misrepresentations of its organisers. The County Council, which has approved the principle of erecting tollgates, desires if possible to exempt milk carts from payment of toll, and tailing that to treat them as leniently as possible. There was some doubt as to the possibility of exempting the traffic, and under instructions from the Council tiie Clerk (Mr Charles Penn) has now received the folk-wing opinion ou the question from Mr T. F. Martin, solicitor to the Counties’ Association: —‘‘ln reply to the case submitted to me, I am of opinion that it is not competent to the County Council in framing its scale of tolls to exempt milk cart traffic to and from factories or in similar special traffic from payment of tolls. In the first place the Public Works Act provides that the local authority is to frame a scale of tolls* chargeable ou ‘all’ vehicles, and in the next place the Statute itself makes the exemptions from foils. I would direct your attention to the provision of tlie Public Works Amendment Act, 1911, which makes the consent of the Minister of Public Works necessary to the establishment of a new tollgate.”