LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXIX, Issue 15, 8 May 1914, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

St. Andrew’s Church is holding its anniversary services on Sunday next The Rev. W. H. Howes, P-A., of Manaia, is the preacher for the day. An anniversary social will be hold on Wednesday evening in the Foresters Hall. An interesting programme ox songs, recitations, etc., has been arranged. ” , -Notice to the PubUc-The Stratford Club Hotel —Mr C. Diamond writes: “As 1 am retiring from business in the management of the Club Hotel next week, I want to than ' all old friends and customers for thenpast patronage, and hope that if ever again I settle in business in Stratford I will see the old faces, and will endeavor to please them ,10 the future as in the past, to the best of my ability. As it has come to my knowledge that some busyhodies have stated that I intend to close the dining room and kitchen from Sunday next. I wish to state that I have no such intention and shall continue to run the hotel as I consider in my best interests. Anyone who is not satislied with the management, may, surely, go elsewhere. At the same time I may state that I will take no weekly boarders as from the 9th (Saturday), and that my tariff from that date until I leave will ho as follows. All meals Is Gd. beds Is Gd. Once again thanking all for past favors, I am, etc. Charles Diamond.”*

A much-decomposed body of a man was found in the Wellington harbor yesterday. The remains were unrecognisable. states the Press Association. The population of New Zealand at March 81, excluding Maoris and island residents, was 1,089,825. With Maoris 49,844, and island populations 12,598, the total for the whole Dominion was 1,152,267. The liner Remuera. which left Wellington for London, took 18.371 crates of cheese, as follows: Wellington 4135, Wanganui 89, Patea 5614, New Plymouth 3493. Lyttelton 931, Dunedin 475, Bluff 3634.

Apparently until the end of time there will be doubt in the Old World as to the situation of places >n the Antipodes. A local resident has received a letter from England addressed “Stratford, Victoria, Australia.’

\fter the political address at Toko last night, the local members of the Liberal Party entertained Mr horbes and Stratford visitors at supper In neat speeches Mr Forbes and Mr W H Hawkins, Liberal candidate for Stratford at the forthcoming election, returned thanks for the pleasant entertainment.

The railway accounts for the four weeks ended March 31, show receipts totalling £383.710, and expenditure £247,985. The total revenue for the year was £4,043,327, and expenditure £2,880,322, or 71.24 of the revenue. For the previous twelve months ending March 31, 1913. the total revenue was £3,971,001, and expenditure was £2,705,609, or 68.14 per cent, of the revenue.

The sitting of the Court this morning did not last more than three-quar-ters of an hour. None, or me cases were defended, and a technical argument between Bench and Bar, and a complaint by the Bench as to slipshod methods of serving summonses occupied as much of the Court’s time as anything.

.Not often can five generations assemble under the same roof, but at present (writes the Lithgow correspondent of the Sydney Daily Telegraph) one family residing at Oakey p ar t—the Laings—boast this distinction. The party includes Mrs Melville (who will be 98 in July), Mrs John Laing, Mrs Herbert Bayhss (Mrs Laing’s daughter), Ross Bayhss, and Keith Bayhss (his son). The Laings have resided in Lithgow Valley for nearly 30 years.

That there are some bargains to be picked up in the public pound now and again was exemplified some time ago by a purchase that was made locally. A keen-eyed man for horseflesh 'bid twenty-two “bob,” the nag was knocked down to him. Some time afterwards he was offered (and accepted) £5 for his purchase, and he thought he had done very well. _No doubt ho did from his point of view, but later, on enquiring as to the particulars of a horse that was advertised for, he found that his old animalfriend had been up to his old tricks and had jumped the fence again. By this time it had dawpM upon him that the horse was a good’un, and that he could ‘‘go some,” as the Yank saVs. So he promptly offered the munificent sum of £25 for him, but judge of his surprise and disgust when the offer was turned down. “No,” was tlife reply ; “I can get more than that for the nag any day!” These particulars were gleaned from enquiring regarding the advertisement appearing in the “Stratford Evening Post” this evening, in which a reward of £1 is offered for the return of a bay gelding alleged to answer to the name of “Tomboy,” and to be the possessor of pace warranting him being put into training for future trotting races.

Fuller particular of the motor accident on the Strathmore road yesterday show with what marvellous luck the occupants of the car were attended. Mr Julian, after crawling out of the water and up the bank, was some time before ho gained hia senses sufficiently to thoroughly grasp a knowledge of the danger through which he had gone. In conversation with a Stratford Evening Post reporter, Mr Julian said that one of the incidents which then impressed itself upon his mind was the sight of Mi Harris coming to tile surface of the water in the river: he w-as blowing and puffing for breath, and then struck out for the bank. On arrival at Stratford, Mr Julian was taken to Dr. Cameron’s, and it was found necessary to put in six stitches in a wound in his scalp, and hind up his loft hand, which though not fractured wa 9 badly bruised. Mr Harris was more fortunate, and though considerably shaken was not cut up. It was at the psychological moment that Mr Julian got up the bank, as had he been half a minute later Mr Davey would have been past the spot with his car, and the two men would have been in an unenviable plight, being so far removed from medical attention and comfort. “I have had some close shaves in my time,” said Mr Julian, “but this was the nearest call,”

i. Durban cablegram states that the Perthshire has arrived. The Wakatane’s structure was undamaged by the fire London cablegram. Owing to the inclement weather the general meeting of the Stratford NoLicense League called for last night .was postponed for a fortnight. The births registered at Gisborne during March totalled 47, which was easily the record for the 17 boioughs of the Dominion. At Timaru there were 36, Wanganui 33, Invercargill 28,• Napier 25, Nelson 23, and New Plymouth 19. A number of spills occurred at yesterday’s meet of the North Taranaki Hunt* the ground, naturally, being rather slippery, the worst sufferer being Mr E. Mason, of Stratford. MiMason put his mount to a jump which she refused, and on a second trial she took the jump but mulled it and Mr Mason was thrown, breaking his arm and dislocating his shoulder. “What are the legitimate functions of a school committee ? ’ asked a of an Oainaiu Committee. “All we seem empowered to do is to keep the charwoman up to the mark.” With a view to discover Mg the potentialities of their office, it was decided: “That this meeting of householders requests that the Minister ol Education be asked to stale whether the powers and duties of school committees had been tab dat'd, and, il sc. that the committee ce informed of those powers.”

The High Cor.i;jjiss orjer of New Zealand has recently been going ihrov.gh some of.the old retorts of the Government Office, in Louuoii; among which are a medal and cei hlkt-te awarded by the Royal Humane Society of Australasia, Melbourne, to Henry Thomas, A. 8., of tie & s Persian Empire, for having risked lis life in rescuing two gnis from drowning on March 30, 1890, when the vessel was lying in Auckland Harbor. Both articles have remained unclaimed, and it is just possible that this fa< t may meet the eye of some one who is able to communicate with Mr Thomas and enable him to receive the medal and so worthily earned. The fidelity of a dog to man has often been commented on, and an instance of the fidelity of a man to the dog has been brought under notice (says the Poverty Bay Herald). A man hajd to drive stock for a distance of about 60 miles, and was in a dilemma, when leaving home, as to what to do with some pups that were too young to be left to themselves. He solved the difficulty by, carrying them with him on the horse for the whole journey, tending them carefully on the way. 'v- •' <r ■ Harry Lauder, who went to Pentridge, Prison, Melbourne, by request" recently, gave a programme of songs to the prisoners. The audience of prisoners numbered about 500. After “I Love a Lassie” had been sung and some stories told, the comedian said, “In Scotland it is a custom, when two or three are gathered together, to have a wee Deoch-an-dorris, and I know that you would: all like to have just one drink before we part. (Laughter). Anyhow, we can sing a song which means the same as the stirrup cup in England.” The prisoners sang and hummed the chorus of the song w T ith rare zest; and the remarkable entertainment concluded.

Judgment by default was given in the following cases at the Court this morning:—Alex. Ferguson Patrick Murphy, £3 9s 3d, costs £1 -Is ; A. C. Marr v. John H. James and Alice E. James, £26 19s, costs £2 19s; Court and Cottier v. Elsie Coffey, £ls 13s 7d, coats £1 10s 6d; Henry J. Hopkins v. Henry J. Mussen, £7 Is 7d, costs £1 3s 6d; McCluggige Bros. v. Lillie O’Keefe, £lOl Os 6d, costs £5 15s; Jas. Rutherford v. F. Hill, £1 4s, costa ss; Herbert N, Silk v. Reihana, £1 8s 6d, costs 10s; same v. Tukapua, £1 17s 6d, costs 10s. In the 'judgment summons case, David Butchart v. Charlie Bevins an older was - made for payment of £4 9s, forthwith, warrant to bo suspended till May 22hd.