LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXII, Issue 9, 5 December 1916, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

■ ; A -Matriculation and University Scholarship Examination is being held to-day in the Foresters' Hall, the Rev. C. W. Howard being the supervisor. .

Weather Forecast.—The indications arc for northerly moderate to strong' winds prevailing and freshening to gale. Expect warm and humid conditions. The weather appears likely to be cloudy and unsettled with rain fol-| lowing. Barometer falling.— Bates/ Wellington.

Madame A. de Thebes, the famous French "see/ess," who predicted in 1913 that 191-1 would be the year of blood, tears, and heroism which would place France in the front rank of the nations, states emphatically that the

war will end before the New Year.-! "Peace will come unexpectedly," she says. "The roar of the guns will cease overnight and the soldiers on both fronts will be called home to peaceful pursuits. Fate has so decreed it." . ,

The Hospital Board had a special meeting on Friday last to deal with financial questions. Owing to tho increasing rise in prices, it becomes necessary to insist upon all patients (not financially embarrassed) paying their fees within a reasonable time. A long list of arrears was presented, which will l)e handed over to the Board's Solicitor for collection. Unless the response is more satisfactory, the Board will he reiubtantly compelled to make a special levy upon the ratepayers to meet contingencies.

Some remarkable vegetables were shown at the Royal Horticultural Society's show in London, among them being a parsnip 38 incites long and an onion 201 inches in circumference. One firin showed more than 100 dishes of vegetables, many comparatively unknown in this country. A small apple tree taken from the ground and placed in an ordinary flower pot bore one apple only, but that apple was 10 inches in circumference and 5J inches in depth. It is named after the secretary of lloyal Horticultural Society—the Rev. W. Wilks.

A great grievance with British officers and men who are prisoners in Germany is the totally indefensible way in which tho German authorities "regulate" the exchange on money sent to them from relatives and friends at home. The proper excHang* rate of twenty shillings now stand- at about 25 marks, but the Germans only pay the prisoners 20i marks. Tins procedure, which has been in operation since the beginning of last May, gratuitously provides the German authorities with many thousands of pounds a month. Intimation of this dastardly thieving comes to England from Switzerland, where a number of British officers and men released from Germany have been sent.

At the Magistrate's Court, Wellington, recently, a dairyman, Henry Alexander, was fined 10s, with £1 los costs, for using soap in helping to block a leaky, milk can, such soap being liable to contaminate the contents. Alexander pleaded .guilty. Mr V. R. Meredith, of the Crown Law Office, said it was by no means the iirst prosecution of its class. It was becoming quite a common practice to stop holes with soap, pitchy and other like substances, and tne consequences might be extremely serious, especially if the milk was given to invalids or children. "They will not get new cans as long as they can help it," said Mr Meredith. The Magistrate: "A little solder and a hot iron would be better than soap." Mr Meredith: "The cans can be easily fixed up in that way, but it is easier still to plug a hole with soap."

Recruiting is no longer necessary now, says a nurse in her experiences, but my funniest experience in that connection may be instructive. A very diminutive soldier boy came into my ward one night, just back from the trenches, in taking his case, I discovered that his real age was 17, bis interest in soldiering nil, and his apparent use, in a fighting unit, a negligible quantity. He informed me be bad enlisted by mistake! He entered, as be thought, a registrar's office, with a view to getting married; gave the necessary particulars, and on receiving a form retired. What wns bis horror o*i regaining the street to discover that, instead of being on the high road to matrimony, he was Private , of the Royal Scots. He bad a poor opinion of me when I suggested lie should convey my congratulations to the lady on her narrow escape He made no secret ot bis disgust at his mistake, and bis comrades always laughing advised him to try a different registrar next time! i

The management of His .Majesty's Theatre will present to-night some excellent snapshots taken at the recent Stratford Show. There will ,also lie screened a i two-part Keystone comedy entitled "The Pinal Payment," ii) addition to the star item, "Britain Prepared." Owing to the length of the programme, the overture will commence to-night at 7.45.

A compulsory half-day parade (musketry) of Nos. 94 and 95 Companies, Senior Cadets, has been called for Thursday by Lieutenant Richardson. The companies will fall in at the Defence Office at 1.30 p.m. Lieutenant Crutch, of New Plymouth, will also be in attendance.

Corporal E. H. Robinson, second son of Mr R. H. Robinson, of Stratford, of the 36th Battalion Australian Infantry Forces known as Carmichael's Own, has been selected out of eighteen corporals for further training at the Tidworth School for officers. This battalion had just finished its training and took part in the Grand Review and March Past before King George, referred to in last night's "Stratford Evening Post." There were 35.000 Colonial troops on the grounds at Salisbury Plains.

Since the advent of Mr Browne, Agricultural Expert, into the Stratford district, the boys who are taking an agricultural course at the Stratford High School undo' his supervision, are becoming keener than ever in this branch of instruction. There was considerable <- sappointment when the party of boys trom the High School who were going to Hawera to attend instruction in wool classing and shearing (extending over a week) were unable to proceed <>y train this morning, owing to a hitch in the issue ot railway passes. These passes were unprocurable, and although the Chairman of the Education Board (Mr Masters) had telegraphed fully to the General Manager of Railways, no reply had been received up to the time of writing. It is to be hoped some satisfactory arrangement may be made so that the boys can proceed to Hawera to continue their studies.

Those who intend to patronise the Merry Musical Maoris on Thursday are well advised to get there early to secure a seat. The entertainers will give good value for the admission money. They have drawn record houses wherever they have shown and already the amount received by different Patriotic Societies in the northern end of Taranaki is over £2OO. Their programme consists of mainly patriotic songs, though the sentimental and comic also occupy places on the programme. There is nothing vulgar .-in. the show, such items being absolutely .barred;. Dressed in their native costume they are an imposing sight on. the stage. There is one mat worn by Rawinia Pere that has been handed down for some generations of rangitiras and possesses a history. It is a very fine piece of the old time Maori hand work with feathers and flax. Many offers of big money have been refused from tourists and lovers of the Maori work. Be there or be sorry that you have missed a novel and educating concert.