LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXV, Issue 306, 24 December 1914, Page 6

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

There was a considerable exodus of holiday-makers from Wellington by the Maori on Tuesday night, no fewer than 650 passengers going southwards by that vessel..

Mr S, E. Wright, of Napier, and Mr G. B. Laureason, of Christchurch, are the nominees for the employers as representatives on the Arbitration Court.—P.A,

A Press Association telegram f'-om Wellington states that the dit vet shipping companies to-day revert to the old.system of payment of freight on general cargo on arrival in Leucion.

Early on the 9th inst. (says the Neh son Mail), Mr M'Auliffe, the school teacher at llraeburri, was proceeding to school accompanied by two of his girls.. When crossing the creek near Mr Derment’s place they crossed over a log footbridge and the second girl, who was the last to cross the Jog, in some way slipped into the creek. Shortly after the father and sister, not havin'' seen the accident, and missing the gii-i. went in search of her. It appears a recent fresh in the river had washed out a deep hole under the foot, bridge, and’the poor girl dropped into this hole and got entangled and was drowned right under the footbridge.

The New Zealand Loan and Mercantile Agency Co. will not hold ;jy sale on Tuesday, as announced.

Weather forecast.—The indications are for westerly winds, strong to gale. The weather will probablj prqve squally and changeable. Rain probable. The barometer has a falling tendency.—Pemberton, Wellington. '

The gift of prophecy is strong within the member-elect for Hawke’s Bay. Fifteen years ago Dr. McNab was conversing with an Invercargill friend who was accompanied by two tiny sons. “I am glad to see you have a pair of such fine boys,” said this confirmed misogamist. “We shall he fighting Germany in about fifteen years’ time, and these little fellows will be then old enough to take part on our side.” Just fifteen years later one of. the boys left with the local ' section of the Expeditionary Force. *

With the addition of Turkey arid Portugal to the ranks of the belligerepts, the rea of hostilities, has been .extended to approximately 58 per cent, of the land surface of the globe; and about 56 per cent, of the total population of the earth must be .classed as technically belligerent. In round mmibers, out . f a total, Jayid" surface of 51,500,000 square miles (excluding the uninhabitable regions Tn the Arctic and Antarctic) 30,000,000 square miles, is" occupied by. the 11 belligerent Pbwers; and about 1,000,000,000 of the 1.500.000 OCO human beings on this p’anet are directly involved in the great war.

A good story is being told about ! the recipient of one of the white feathers which are being posted from an unknown source to most of the single men who are eligible for service at .the front and who have not -'thought fit to volunteer. The young hi an in question was at a loss to understand the reason the feather had been* posted to hiiti, and asked a friend what it had been sent for. “I* expect it is because they reckon you are a bit of a cocktail,”' remarked - the more enlightened one drily. “Good Lord is that it?” ejaculated the recipient of the white feather. “I thought one of the girls had sent it to me because I was Cock -of the Walk.”