LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXV, Issue 29, 31 December 1917, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

The Stratford Evening Post will not be published to-morrow, Nevvi Year’s Day.

New Year’s Day win "be observed as a close holiday by the post office. There will >he a counter delivery of correspondence to-night.

The world’s wheat production for the year was 1,86-4,080,600 bushels, excluding that of the Central Powers, showing a decrease of three points.

Returned men and soldiers on.' leave are expected to arrive in Stratford bv the mail train this even-*

Private advice received in Greymouth indicates that there -is considerable unrest among the Australian, miners, and a mammoth industrial upheaval in the Commonwealth is by no-means a remote possibility.

A country correspondent of the Christchurch Press writes that since the introduction of six o’clock closing the keg trade with country hotels lias in creased, and this has revealed a shortage of the handy small sizes, so' that many licensees are finding a difficulty in supplying orders.

A collier steamer was on Thursday 20th inst., bound from Newcastle to Melbourne, when the third officer, who was on the bridge, noticed a sus-picious-looking object floating almost in a direct line with the bow of the ship. It was passed at less than half a ship’s length away. He could see it was a mine. The naval authorities are investigating.

An important event in the history of Stratford is the opening of the l King’s Cinema House, to-night. Thel building, which is centrally situated in Broadway, is constructed in ferro-, concrete and is splendidly appointed in every way. An additional attract tion is the fact that the gross pro-, ceeds of the opening will be generously donated to the Patriotic Funds by the proprietary, The Stratford: Pictures and Amusements Limited.

It is reported from Boston that a six-cylinder car has just put up an unofficial “window” test by running 26,149 miles without a , stop. The car was mounted on jacks in the windows of the agency, its rear wheels belted to a 17 kilowat dynamo, giving this car a load equivalent to a 10i . per cent, grade and requiring a continuous expenditure of 22 h.p. It remained this way for forty-seven continuous days and nights, attaining an average speed of 23.17 ; ra.p.h. The petrol consumption was 22J miles per gallon. Only four adjustments, totalling 16min and lOsec, were‘made during the run, and ip no case was the engine stopped.

On Monday afternoon, Chas. Sturrock Rumsey, about 35 years old, was arrested at Port Chalmers on a charge of deserting from Featherston Camp about three months ago. Rurasey, who presented a raged appearance, at first denied his identity, giving his name as Turnbull, in which name he produced a seaman’s discharge. He signed the property sheet “Turnbull,” but afterwards admitted Rumsey was his name. He his lived for the last three months about the Peninsula, sleeping in empty houses, and visiting Port Chalmers occasionally for food. A large sum of money was found in his possession by the police. The arrested man, who belongs to Dunedin, has been handed over to the military authorities.

More than once recently the opinion has been expressed in “The 1 Syren and Shipping” that when the war comes to an end there will be an, extensive resort to oil-burning in merchant shipping. Apparently, a considerable number of people have not! the patience to wait for the cessa-i tion of hostilities, if some official fig-* ures which have been just issued at ! Washington mean what they seem to say (says “The Syren.”) In, the eleven months of 1917 to the end on May the fuel or bunker oil loaded ill America on vessels engaged in the' foreign trade aggregated 5,343,435 barrels, as compared with 4,066,800 barrels loaded in the corresponding! period of 1916, and 2,657,489 barrels' loaded in the same eleven months of; 1915.

Much interest was evinced at Port Ahuriri on a recent afternoon when three pilot whales (blackfish) came through the entrance to the inner harbour. One probably about 25 to 35 feet long, got right up into the Iron Pot, while the other two, went under the Westshore bridge, and were secured by fishermen and tied to the shore in that locality. That in the Iron Pot attracted the most attention, being a huge specie men, and during the afternoon it was speared and lanced and tied up. But towards dark it was found necessary to release it, as, not being dead, there was a possibility of its doing damage, and it gradually wended its way out on the ebb tide, and was lost to view about 8 p.m.

The booking for the opening of the new King’s Cinema to-night is ver\ satisfactory, and to be sure of securing a good seat. Those intending to be present should make a point of booking at once. The box plan will be open at the Ladies’ Patriotic Rooms, Broadway, until 5 o’clock this evening. The Stratford Municipal Band have consented to play on the theatre balcony between 7 and 8 o’clock. The public are assured of a programme specially selected for the occasion. Barvaclnugh’s Nervine, «tcps Toothache.

Information has been received by the Minister of Defence that the 31st and 32nd Reinforcements have arrived at a port of call.

A young lion, about nine months’; old, escaped from the Onehunga Zoo.' on Christmuas Day. It entered anadjoining paddock, were two cowai and a calf were grazing. Qne of the! cows chased the lion, which took refuge in a hedge, where it was found about two hours later by a search; party. A returned soldier, who was' with the party, lassoed the beast,, which up to the moment of capture' had been tame enough, but when) caught showed fight-.- ' The lion wasi taken back to its cage.

To-morrow all roads in the province will lead to the Stratford race-course on the occasion of this popular annual meeting, and all that is needed to eclipse past successful gatherings is fine weather. The meteorological forecast is quite as tmeertain on the conditions for to-morrow as the various sporting writers’ forecasts, which are not tips, but it will no doubt afford almost as ranch speculation among the reader* of “The, Post.” Here it is: The indications are for westerly winds, strong to gale at times, and backing hv west to rcuth. The weather supers likely to be cloudy and unsettled. Rain probable. Barometer unsteady.

The New Ze .land Times thus scathingly refers to the Railway De-< partmem’s extraordinary attitude ah this tine: “The curious attitude! adopted by the Government regarding the carrying of people to the different racecourses was brought home to many people in the Manawatu district, and outside, during the week. The recent races at Awapuni attracted sufficient* people to put nearly £IOO,OOO through' the totalisator. The people who expended the money did so deliberately ; there was no law to compel them; also it was their own money. Going from all stations south of Palmerston 1 passengers per train were obliged to* sit in the carriages and watch AwaA puni, where the reces were held, fade! away in the distance. They pulled up at Palmerston and had to wait quite a) time until a taxi came along. The! jaunt through dust and the eviln smelling petrol fumes cost 3s; also 3s! hack to Palmerston. The. point that every sportsman present at the Manawatu meeting was discussing was, “Who owns the railways, and whq| are they run for ?” In connection with the taxi part of the turnout it is pfij culiar that the Government chop off the trains because there is no coal, but apparently there is plenty of space in the ships trading about to carry the petrol which feeds the motors. If there is room for the petrol there could be found a few spare inches for an ounce or two of coal. The Manawatu Racing Club - paid some-; thing like £9OOO to lay down a special line from the Awapuni station .tflj the course, but like the clouds, the trains rolled by, and private enterprise reaped the harvest per medium of the motors. The taxi, men have had a merry Christmas verily.”