LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXX, Issue 38, 1 October 1914, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

The elate of Hr Philip Snowden’s meeting was inadvertently mis-stated 'in yesterday’s “Post.” The correct date is October 14th. To day marks the opening of the fishing season, and several Stratforl people were out ve,ry early this morning with rod and net. The Home Defence Corps parades at the school gymnasium this evening. Rifles are to be picked up no the Defence Office previous to the parade. The vital statistics for Stratford are as follows Marriages 4, births 21, deaths 5. For the quarter ending September 30th the figures are; Marriages 15, births Go, deaths 18. It has been decided to postpone till peace has been declared, the All-Aus-tralian Exhibition, which was to have, been held in Adelaide between March 26th and May 22nd, next year. It is estimated (states the Press Association) that Tham-s fishermen secured two thousand tmzen m ore day, principally of schaapper, and the three freezing works could not cope with the quantity. The Auckland Herald correspondent at Opotiki reports that the smell of sulphur was very powerful there,last night. Clouds of steam had been seen over White Island all day, indicating increased thermal activity.

A Waimate Press Association telegram this afternoon states that the rainfall for the five months ended yesterday was 365 points, or at the rate of a little over eight inches per year, whereas the history of a quarter of a century shows an annual rainfall oi 23 inches.

The ladies’ Orange Lodge held its monthly meeting on Monday last, there being a good attendance. Two new members were initiated and a welcome was extended to the Rev. Reader, instructor of the Lodge, who paid his first visit. During the evening a presentation was made of a silver mug to Mrs F. Reader’s baby.

Messrs J. Masters and C. D. Sole, J.P.’s, presided over a sitting of the Court this morning. William Newman was fined £5, in default fourteen days’ imprisonment, on a charge of stealing a lady’s watch and ribbon guard, and on a charge of stealing a spirit level was ordered to come up for sentence when called upon, and a prohibition order was issued against him. He was given a few days in which to find the amount of the fine. The offences were committed at Douglas early this year. H. H. Barrington, recently committed for sentence on a charge of theft of drapery, appeared in. answer to a charge of having, between August 21st and September 10th, broken into and entered the premises of E. G. Foster and stolen therefrom boots and slices valued at £l2 16s. He was remanded till to-morrow.

A lively quarter of an hour was spent by a large number of people this (Monday) morning near the Post Office, states the Wanganui Herald. These were interested spectators of a fight between a Russian terrier and a bull dog. The terrier, who had obtained a firm hold of his opponent’s ear, had the advantage of position, but the other fought with all the tenacity of his tribe and finally obtained a good throat hold. Thus locked together the combatants took possession of the footpath and defied all efforts, including those of a stalwart policeman, to separate them. At last the scene of battle shifted to a right-of-way, and here a chemist’s assistant, with a bottle oi ammonia, succeeded in putting an end to the combat.

Under the title of “Peace on Earth,” Mr J. C. Hummel, of Boise, Idaho, has issued a'plan showing how a condition of universal peace can be accomplished through the establishment of what he calls “The World-wide Nation.” His idea is that dominion over the high seas should be extended to a universal organisation representing all the nations of the earth; that such world-nation should be the supreme authority over matters involving grievances between nations, whether on land or sea, and include the establishment of competent courts, police and otherpowers tending to insure the uniform government of the world’s domain The oceans. With thei accomplishment of this, the author would find in it r central source of authority which would command universal peace. All such ideas help to form public opinion and so lend aid to the final consummation of the necessary and growing ideal of “Peace on Earth, Good-will to Men.”

“Let us be of good courage and of good heart,” says the London Daily Chronicle in a line article published immediately after the outbreak of war. “Let us fight, if it must be, without bitterness and without malice, so that when the tragedy is over we may make an honorable peace. Let us, above all, work to shorten the time of the calamity, to hasten the hour when we shall be able to awaken from the nightmare that has come upon us, and rrurn once more to the paths of sanity and peace. And, finally, let those who love the cause of liberty and humanity, who have labored for that cause in the 'past, and, who see the sudden eclipse that has come upon it, not lose heart. Much may happen to wreck it. and there are those who will welcome this catastrophe because it may wreck it. But if we are true to its ■ inspirations and its traditions, the cause will emerge triumphant from the welter of war, stronger and purer for the ordeal through which it must pass.”

The weekly social in the Fire Brigade station will be held this evening. These socials still maintain their reputation of providing an enjoyable evening. Weather Forecast. —The indications are for southerly moderate winds. There is a prospect of fine weatherdays bright, nights cold. The barometer has a rising tendency. Bates, Wellington. A reminder is given of the concert and dance to be held in the Toko Coronation Hall this evening in aid of the Patriotic Fund. A splenrid programme has been arranged, and Rogers’ orchestra *will supply 7 the music for the dancing. The Consul at Wellington (Mr C. J. Johnston) lias forwarded a Belgian flag, together with his compliments, for the auction to-night. The hall has been decorated for the occasion, and a good time is being looked forward to. Mr Bayliss, of the fields and experiments section of the Department of Agriculture, will he in Stratford on Saturday and will be in attendance at the meeting called by the A. and P. Association to be held in the Borough Council Chambers at 2 p.m. The business of the meeting is to discuss the matter of carrying out experiments under direction of the Department, and Mr Bayliss will explain what the Department is prepared to do in the matter.' The meeting is under the auspices of the A. and P. Association, but an invitation is extended to farmers who are not members of the Association to attend.