LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXIV, Issue 21, 18 August 1917, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

"Weather forecast. —The indications are for Easterly moderate to strong j winds, prevailing backing by east to north. The weather appears likely to he cloudy and unsettled with rain following. The barometer is falling. —Bates, Wellington, Some kind friend has recently forwarded through the post to many busines men in Pictoh a reprint of a certain book which was banned in England some time ago, and we ( (Marlborough Press) note from a re- 1 cent issue of the British Weekly that | in Canada any person found in pos- t session of a copy is liable to a fine not, exceeding £IOOO, or five years’ irapns-| oilment. Hero is an. opportunity for, the National Government to raise money for the loan. Something like 100,000 copies are said to bo in circula-' tion in New Zealand at the time. Someone must have money to burn.

At the New Plymouth Magistrate's Court yesterday morning, helorc Mr A. Crooke, S.M., Edward George Stockman, of Oaonui, laborer, was charged with having on May 22 last at Opnnake wilfully made a false declaration to the registrar of marriages for the purpose of procuring a certificate authorising his marriage to a girl whose age was 1" hut who was declared by him to be 21. Sub-tnspectoi Mcllvenoy asked for a remand till this morning, and indicated that the case would then be proceeded with so that he could be dealt with the the Supreme Court session on Monday. The application was granted.

A pathetic instance of the heroism with which some of the poor face their tragedies was related by the Rev. Allen Job at a meeting of the Coal and Blanket Fund Committee in Christchurch on Wednesday. At one place he visited, he said, he saw the tenant—an old man—standing at the door, and after a few words with him was asked inside io see the old man’s “boy.” “My'boy” turned out to be a man 52 years old. He had been blind and deaf and dumb since birth. The father had cared for him with every love and attention all through the 52 years, and he told Mr Job that his only wish was to live longer than his son. “T could die if 1 knew that he was laid safely away to lost,” were his words.

The vexed question of whether or not Maoris have an unalienable right to shoot native pigeons, irrespective of Government proclamations of a close season, was raised again at a meeting of the council of the Auckland Acclimatisation Society. A communication was received from the Minister of Internal Affairs touching on the matter of conserving the native pigeon, in which the Minister made a definite statement that neither Maori nor half-caste had any more right than Europeans in the matter of shooting pigeons. The council decided to request the Minister to obtain a legal opinion on the point from the Crown Law Office, and to advise acclimatisation societies of the decision, in order'that the societies might have a secure ground on which to take action.

A curious tram accident happened in front of Colo’s in Bourke Street, Melbourne, a week or two ago. A man, crossing, was struck by a dummy, and driven with such violence into the sttnnaeh of another man, who was also crossing, that the latter was knocked nut and left gasping on his hack. The man who was hit by the dummy was not nearly as badly affected as the man who was hit by the man who was hit by the dummy. Kneeling by the real victim, the first man, after some little time given to the-recovery of his faculties, grasped the prostrate sufferer and ejaculated : “Great Scott! I’ve been looking’ for this fellow for six years. He stole a horse and trap from me at Enron.” The long arm of coincidence is sometimes <i dirtv left.—The Bulletin.