LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXIX, Issue 32, 29 May 1914, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Sergt.-Major Dallinger desires to publicly acknowledge receipt of a donation of 10s from Madame Bernard towards the Senior Cadets drum and fife band.

At Opunake yesterday, the Hon. W. Fraser, Minister of Public Works, referring to the proposed MoturoaOpunake line, said that in his opinion it was better to finish the Opu-nake-Te Roti line first. He was endeavoring to formulate a scheme whereby the Moturoa line coidd be proceeded with if so wished, and he had asked the representatives of the local authorities to go to Wellington and assist in framing a Bill giving them the necessary power to construct the line.

A stir lias been caused in Ballarat Methodist Church by some remarks made by the. Rev. Henry Howard, of Adelaide, during a lecture entitled ".Men 1 Have Met." Mr Howard, who is well known as one of the most forcible preachers in his denomination, said that if any man's religion was of a kind that he could not have a latigh in a church, then the sooner it was knocked on the head and laid out for burial the better. .Mr Howard said "God's, house should be the happiest place on earth, and men should be able to have as good a laugh there as anywhere when occasion warranted." There were some people, said Mr Howard, who would not have a picnic without a prayer meeting tacked on to it. Personally, he liked picnics and he liked prayer meetings, but ho did not care for them mixed.

The King at Epsom witnessed his colt, Friar Marcus, win the Great Surrey Foul Stakes, states a London cablegram. The general committee of the Stratford A. and P. Association will meet in the secretary's office at 1.-30 tomorrow afternoon for the purpose of electing an executive committee and conducting general business. The railway revenue for the four weeks ending April 25 totalled £344,900 and expenditure £194,006, or 25 per cent. North Island contributed £181.350, and the South Island £163,549 to the revenue, while the expenditure was; Xorth Island £llO,105; South Island. £53,840. Judgment by default was given in the following eases at the Court today:- J. W. McMillan and J. W. H. Fredrie v. George Bond, Bs, costs 6s • R. Handley v. Theodore Dodunski' £3 16s, costs 15s; Bright and Backhouse v. Francis O'Loughlin, £1 7s, costs 15s. A lad named Albert Villier applied at the Court this morning for exemption under the Defence Act. It was explained that lie lived at Lepperton but worked at Stratford, being unable to parade at either place. Exemption was granted, to be cancelled if found desirable when applicant changed his place of residence or work. Mr Ensor, retiring president, at the Xorth Canterbury Farmers' Conference, in his address, urged that greater activity was needed in dealing with the cost of distribution. He stated that the Union during the year had sold horse covers at 20 per cent. less than the ordinary retailers. Farmers should take steps to extend their trading system. In giving judgment in a case at the Court this morning in which a sum was claimed for goods supplied to defendant's children, the S.M. said that tradespeople should, when goods are ordered, make up their minds as to who was to be held liable for payment. If this was not done • there would always be trouble about goods supplied to young people. Desiring to direct attention to a brand of serge which it had for sale, a Wonthaggi (Vic.) drapery establishment exhibited a live fox in its window. The exhibit attracted a large crowd and a. dog. The dog desired to make closer acquaintance with the fox, and., taking the shortest possible cut, he dived through £25 worth of plate glass. But even then he failed to score a kill, states an Australian paper. James McMeekin appeared at the Court this morning on a charge of attempted suicide. Sergt. McXeely stated that shortly after midnight on May 20th defendant was found in a bedroom at a hotel in Stratford with a cut in his throat, bleeding freely. He had only recently come to Stratford from Waverley, and his act seemed to have been caustd by want of work and money. Xow, said the Sergeant, defendant thoroughly saw the foolishness of his act, and he was sure he would not be guilty of a repetition. Defendant was convicted and discharged, being ordered to pay 10s, hire of motor car. An exhibition will be shortly held in London to illustrate the rise in the cost of living. The demonstration is to take plaec under the auspices of the Central London branch of the Women's Labor League, of which Dr. M. Phillips, of Melbourne, is secretary. It is proposed to demonstrate the change in the value of the sovereign in recent years. The value of one sovereign in 1899, the eve of the South African war. will be represented in every-day commodities. Also the cost of a washing-day will be demonstrated, and the effect of the variation in wages, and of the cost of materials for such industries as the building and furnishing trades. ' Mrs McCallr.m, milliner, Stratford, proceeded against William Mills at the Court this morning for the recovery of £4 0s lOd. amount owing for various articles supplied to defendant's two children. The elder daughter gave evidence that she understood from her father that he would pay for anything ordered. Defendant gave evidence that in August. 1911, his wife refused to live with him. Three months afterwards she sold his farm lease at Waipuku and took a boardiughouse in Stratford. Defendant offered to pay all accounts incurred prior to leaving Watpuku, but none since. He also paid his wife £1 a week for six months.About March, 1912, he saw Mrs McCallum and told her that he would not be responsible for any debts contracted by Mrs Mills or the girls. Judgment was given for plaintiff with costs £2 13s. The S.M. advised defendant to have some written agreement with his wife, as otherwise he would always be in doubt as to for debts contracted by his wife and daughters.