LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXVII, Issue 82, 31 October 1918, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

The Stratford members of the 48th draft to depart on 6th November arc F. F. Atkinson, and J. T. Lineham.

The business set down for the Stratford Magistrate's Court to-morrow (Friday) includes the Midhirst Hotel ease Police v. Crabtree, and a local assault, all of which are creating public interest.

At the Manawatu Spring Show at Palmerston North yesterday, Messrs Hanford Bros., of Stratford, secured first award in the two-year-old Jersey class with Achievement of Willowbank, and with the same animal (their own breeding) won the championship.

The Public Service Examination will ho held this year from the 20th to 528th November. At the Stratford centre the examination will be conducted in the Technical School buildings, and the Rev. C. W. Howard will he chief supervisor.

A Melbourne cablegram to-day states that the' Commission inquiring into the administration of the Defen ce Department made recommendations which will result in a saving of two and a quarter millions in the Commonwealth.

To-day the Stratford Ladies Patriotic Committee despatched eleven cases containing about 300 parcels of comforts for the boys at the front. The committee is in receipt of advice that there arc no cases in Wellington awaiting shipment, the store having been cleared of all accumulations recently, and the goods forwarded to the front.

Tlie registration of the Huiroa Coop. Dairy Company as a private company is announced as follows: Office: Municipal Chambers, Broadway, Stratford. Capital: £2OOO, into 2000 shares of £1 each. Subscribers: Huiroa-f-W. J. Bray 111, 'A. C. Bcaven 100, W. H. Wallace ISO, H. B. Kidd 120, S. Beauchamp 09, J. A. Hall 120, 1). A. Wallace 30. Objects : Dairying and general incidents.

According to the Yachting Monthly for July, the Dutch Parliament has passed a Bill authorising the reclamation of the Zuyder Zee, a work which, it is estimated, will take lo years to complete, and the cost of which is put down, approximately, at £9,000,000. “When the is reclaimed,” says the authority quoted, “it will add one-third to the area of Holland, but 1 fear the improvement will be deplored by yachtsmen who favour these sailing waters.”

At a meeting in Whangamomona yesterday in connection with the New Plymouth Harbor Development Scheme,; Mr Milne, Manager, Taranaki Partners’ Meat Coy expressed the opinion that the old method of putting m man on land and providing access by roads afterwards would be “knocked on the head.’ Ihe remark was followed by some hearty “Hear, Hears,” from those present. Mr Milne added that a progressive

'.ouhlie Works policy would he demanded by the people, and to keep up with the development, they must have shipping facilities.

The parcels seat hy the women ot New Zealand to the soldiers at the front are greatly appreciated, as shown hy the following extract irorn a letter 'written hy'Rifleman W. P. Keek, 4th Battalion, N.Z.R.B. 0> nephew of Mr T. Lawson, of this town) on August 14, 19IS; “Everybody received a parcel from the women of New Zealand to-day, and in i„v parcel 1 landed a pair of socks and a hook of V.M.C.A. tickets. 1 must sav it is very good of the. women in' New Zealand to look after the hoys so well. T would very much like to thank them all myself, and tell them how the hoys out here appreciate what they are doing.”

A considerable amount of .speculation is current amongst importers (states the Otago Daily Times) as to what lines will have to hear increased taxation in view ol the recent published statement hy the Minister of finance that ho intends to increase* the revenue. Recently heavy clearances were made out of bond of tobacco, cigarettes, and otbef lines. The opinion is generally hold that what may be called “bread and butter” merchandise will not be called on to bear an increased duty, and that beer may i be one of the commodities that will be required to pay a greater duty tax |to the coffers of the country, j

ft Is stated that there are more “swaggers” at present on. the roads in the backblocks of the Wairarapa than have been seen since the commencement of the war. A largo proportion. of them ar® returned soldiery The men of Devon, so many of whom are sailors, are long-lived, and then’ womcn-folk are, too. Quite recently Miss Joan Wolford, of Newton Abbot, celebrated her 104th birthday by driving a long distance, in order to meet a charming young niece of 851

Weather forecast.—-The indications are for southerly strong winds to gale decreasing, and veering by west to north. The weather will probably prove cold and showery, but indications for a temporary improvement soon. The barometer has a rising tendency but falling after about iwentv hours.—Bates, Wellington.

At the next meeting of the Dunedin City Council the following will be moved ;—“fa) That all the employees of tins council who failed to get a half-holiday on Bulgaria Day be granted the extra half day when they receive their j early holiday or be paid double time for the same, to- place them on a level with those who were privileged to have the ‘holiday, and in no case shall an employee be asked to forfeit bis pay. (b) And in future, when on occasions of great importance a public half-holiday is requested by bis Worship the Mayor, our employees who of necessity must be asked to work, shall either receive double pay for the period of the holiday or have Ihe same t ime allowed on their general leave.”

There is ranch curiosity as to the exact letter of the law on the “Life of Parliament.” In the ordinary course a general election would have taken place towards the end of 1917. Clause 19 of the Finance Act of 1918 (short session) provides: “Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in the Legislative Act, 190 S, the House of Representatives, as existing at the passing of this Act shall, unless the General Assembly is sooner dissolved by the Governor-General pursuant to the Constitution Act, continue until the 19th day of December, 1919, and no longer.” When questioned in debater on the bill, Ministers said this clause did not moan necessarily that the general election might he postponed till December, 1919. The possibility of an election in the early part of 1919 was mentioned.

Jam “arrived” at numbers of shops in London last month. The scenes that followed in some districts outrivalled those .associated, with the, great sales of the large West End firms. Who discovered that jam was on sale is not chronicled. But the news was circulated with the rapidity of wireless. It passed from street to street and house to house. Whole families were organised into foraging units; Any and everybody at home was pressed into service. The result was that shops which actually had jam for sale were Hooded with customers. Everyone asked for the. one thing, and where there was any* choice it lay between strawberry and raspberry. Nothing else wavs demanded. ami no other business, was possible till supplies gave out, or the manager or proprietor had to camouflage anti announce “Sold out!” One manager told a newspaper representative lie never remembered such a push ly his stores even in the worst of the queue days. It was simply a scramble.