LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXV, Issue 18, 22 January 1915, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Arrivals in New Zealand from oversea during the month of December totalled 3328, compared with 4878 in December, 1913. Departures in the same months were, respectively, 1801 and 2115.

The exports of New Zealand produce during the week ended Tuesday, January 19th, were valued as follow: —Butter £17,182, cheese £64,824, frozen lamb £51,003, frozen mutton £118,073, frozen beef, etc. £33,453, grain and pulse £1271, hides and skins £11,602, flax and tow £15,802, tallow £5552, timber £SB, wool £277,888.

The huge logs and stumps of trees which are just now being unearthed in the operations in High street, Dannevirke, indicate that the road was first laid down hurriedly, says the News. One of the borough workmen remarked that it reminded him of an incident many years ago in the South Island, when a road was being made, i Not wishing to remove a certain huge tree root the foreman of the work erected his tent over it, and made a table of the offending stump. When the Inspector of Public Works arrived and had agreed to the work to be done he actually had tea on this improvised table, covered with a cloth. The root was left to rot in the ground, and the contractor, after removing the upper part, congratulated himself upon hoodwinking the inspector.

This being the shark-season, the Kawhia Settler says: The warm close weather of the past few weeks has given a great impetus to sea-bathing, and the waterfront has been largely patronised by all and sundry. The presence, however, of a few sharks in the early part of the week had the effect of instilling a certain amount of caution into the amphibians who are accustomed to use the wharf as a dressing room and spring board, and lias driven them to the bathing enclosure for their daily dip. A number of these monsters—we refer to the sharks —were cruising around the wharf all Monday, carrying away all the lines thrown out for the purpose of securing them and receiving a volley of ineffective rifle bullets with impunity. The largest is reported to be from 10ft to 15ft long, according to the imagination of the "raconteur."

The Wimmera has arrived at Melbourne from New Zealand, states a cablegram to-day.

A London cablegram states that the Ophir, which went ashore in the Suez Canal, has been refloated, apparently undamaged. $

At the Magistrate's Court this morning licenses for laud agents were granted to the following: Webster, Dobson and Co., J. H. Thompson, J. MeCluggage, J. B. Richards, W. W. Hodge, and W. M. Bayly.

The weather is unpleasant for the Anniversary Day to celebrate the Diamond Jubilee of Wellington (states the Press Association). A comprehensive? old-time programme had been arranged, but the rain which fell in the morning necessitated a postponement of the original arrangements.

Weather forecast.—The indications are for westerly strong to gale veering by Avest to south. The weather appears likely to be cloudy and unsettled. Rain probable. The barometer has a falling tendency, but rising after 24 hours. The weather will probably become colder.

or Private advices received here state the Kaupokonui, Kaponga, Awatuna, Mangatoki, and Kohi factories have just received cable advice from London that the whole of the lonic shipnlfent of cheese realised an average of 81s 3d per cwt. This exceeds all previous records for the sale of cheese in England or any other market. These factories' quantities represent about 5500 tons for the season.

The case of T. G. Hodder v. Wm. Pope, a claim for £2O, being damage sustained to plaintiff's sheep through the defendant's dog worrying seven ewes and a lamb, was heard before Mr Kenrick, S.M., this morning, when judgment was given for plaintiff for the full amount claimed, with costs £1 6s 6d. Defendant did not appeal. Mr P. Thomson appeared for plaintiff, acting under instructions from Mr W. G. Malone.

For having embezzled the sum of Bd, the property of his employer, who was a milk vendor, James O'Loughlin (21) was fined £5 at the Paddington (Sydney) Police Court last Thursday. The police statement was that accused admitted having taken the money, for which he was sorry, as Summer had been good to him. The prosecutor said that lie had given accused a chance on a previous occasion. The alternative was a month's hard labor.

A Maori named Take Hangi Ropehana was charged last week at the Sydney Court with stealing an 18-carat gold ring, the property of Henry Parr-Smith, manager of the Maxwelton Hotel, Castlereagh Street. Prosecutor said accused was boarding at the hotel on January 1. Witness left his room on the morning of January 2, and when lie returned saw accused tip-toeing out of his room. Accused asked, "Where is the lavatory?" Witness directed him, and subsequently missed his ring. When he went to look for accused he had disappeared. Ropehana wa s committed for trial.

In reference to the possibility of making grain sacks ratproof, Mr Grahame Gow, of Nangar (N.S.W.), has written to the "Agricultural Gazette" that he has found the following plan simple and reliable in keeping mice from eating holes in wheat bags': "Rub each bag all over with a few handfuls of sulphur. It does not take much for each bag, and the mice will never touch them. I tried this method, and they stood from stripping to sowing and there was not a hole in one of the bags. I suppose it would answer for rats, but I had no experience with them."

A case presenting unusual features was quashed in the Supreme Court, Fiji, on Monday, December 21, before his Honor Acting Chief Justice Alexander. James Harper was. convicted before Mr District Commissioner Hamilton Hunter, sitting at Waiyero, on November 10, on a charge of having failed to attend at the Taviuni wireless station as a member of the Fiji Rifle Association. He" 1 was fined £lO, with £5 19s 6d costs. Under the law of the colony all members of rifle clubs are liable for service on the outbreak of war. The conviction failed on the ground that there was no roll shown for 1914. The last roll produced by the prosecution in the original case was that for 1913.

In view of the happenings of late in Broadway premises, during the hours when all respectable residents are supposed to be safe in the arms of Morpheus,, Mr R. Masters, at the annual meeting of the Chamber of Commerce last evening, referred to the desirability of added police protection. He considered an extra policeman should be detailed for night duty. The staff, at present, was unable to allot a, constable for the purpose, but places of less importance than Stratford afforded one, and in view of the cases experienced recently he thought the time had arrived when Stratford should have a constable on night duty. In other towns constables were being appointed for the purpose, and he failed to see why Stratford should not also have one.—The President (Mr J. 13. Richards) supported the view that some responsible person should be moving about at night—though he not in favor of a nightwatchman.—it was decided that a sub-committee from the Chamber interview the local sergeant of police, and, if desirable, communicate with the Minister of Justice on the matter.