LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXVII, Issue 83, 1 November 1918, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Permits for buildings of a total value of C'iHliO were issued by the Stratford Rorough Council during October. A special service of thanks vill be held in Holy Trinity Cluireh to-night at 7..‘50 for the unconditional smrendci of Turkey. A Sydney cablegram states: Cyclones and pales, the worst ever experienced in the country, have done immense damage, but so far no loss of life has been reported. At the Patriotic Mart to-morrow. Mrs Paynter and Mrs S. M. Thoni|>son will have charge ol the shop. Mrs Cr.awsiiaw will be in change ol the Tea 'Rooms. In America-, new telephones are only supplied to persons engaged in war work or occupations of vital noeesai- | tv. Tu New Zealand the only limits so far as those imposed hy the diffij unity of obtaining equipment. The Postmaster-General now announces | that in the event ol this difficulty con--1 tinning, similar restrictions to those in the States may have to he imposed. 1

The Registrar supplies the following vital statistics for Stratford during last month:—Births, 21; Deaths, 5; Marriages, 4.

'IV II applications for the position of poundkeeper for Invercargill have been referred to the committee to reduce to three. Among the applicants is a woman.

The meeting of the Stratford Chamber of Commerce advertised to take place this evening has been postponed at the request by His Worship the Mayor and will be held next Tues-

day evening

Weather forecast.—The indications are lor northerly moderate to strong winds prevailing and freshening. The weather appears likely to be clouded and unsettled, with rain following. The barometer has a falling tendency. —Bates, Wellington.

An incident during the thunderstorm on Tuesday morning is related by Mr J. S. Jones, of Opunake Road, pointing to the danger of taking shelter near wire fences. Mr Jones states that one of his cows was killed by electricity under the circumstances.

The Defence Minister had the following question put to him in the House of Representatives by the member for Napier: Whether the statement that is being made that Mr and Mrs Montgomery are to edit the “History of the War” that is to ba published by the New Zealand Government is < oi recl.

tAs announced at the celebrations to-day an impromptu social and dance will be held in the Town Hall this (Friday) evening commencing at eight o’clock. Vocal items will be given by several well-known singers. No admission charge will bo made. During the evening short addresses will be given by Chaplain-Captain Howard and Rev. Father Maples.

An A.S.C. captain lias sent to the Church Army Recreation Huts Fund from a West country port, a donation “as a small token of my appreciation of lithe excellent work done by the Church Army at Home and overseas, but more especially in France, where I have so often personally been the recipient of so many kindnesses from this institution.”

There’s much guessing as to the probable date of a liquor poll (says the Post). Sir Joseph Ward’s recent words have raised a hope among Prohibitionists that a poll will be taken before Christmas, but it is extremely improbable that such a course will be taken this year. However, the war is proving that the age of miracles is not yet past.

Sneak thieves arc apparently getting busy again in Napier (says the Telegraph). A lady who left her purse in the pocket of her coat in the dressing room at the Municipal Theatre during u performance had cause to rue their activity to the extent of some 25s in silver and a number of valuables and papers,, besides the purse itself, which she valued highly. This is said to be the second case of its kind within a fortnight.

Heavy rain, driven hy a pitilessly cold southerly in Hawke’s Bay, caused serious loss to sheep owners, shorn animals having perished in hundreds. One owner at Havelock reports losing 400, and Ongaonga, Waipukuran, To ■Ante,, jtnd other neighbouring districts suffered heavily, one sheep station reporting 1,000 shorn stock lying dead in the paddocks. Farmers have not had such a distressing experience for many years. The weather is now clearing, hut it is still cold and cloudy.

In the course of an, address at Napier, Mr J. W. Boynton , S.M., referring to the present Chief Justice, said, “When Sir Robert Stout was Premier in 1886, ho introduced the Civil Service Reform Act and opened the doors of the State to every child in the country. All they had to do was to pass an examination which, with a little application after they had passed the Sixth Standard, they were easily able to do. When I was in Wellington I was delighted to see so many working men’s children coming into the department. Some of them are now in very high positions.”

Lake Rotomahana is stated to have risen within the last two or tjjree months to a higher level than at any time in its history, as the result of tlie heavy rainfall of the early part of the year. Captain Gilbert Mair informed the Native Land Court at Rotorna last week that prior to the eruption of Tarawera in 1886 Rotomahana covered only 18/ acres, whereas its present area is nearly 6000 acres. According to recently issued statistics from American sources the growth of automobile production in the United States during the war has been progressing on the Upward scale, the figures being: 1914, 1,754- < 570; 1015, 2,426,788; 1016, 3.544,952 and 1917, 4,941,270. A large number of these machines is made up of war lorries and similar chassis. The total number of cars of all sorts in use in the U.S.A. is estimated at five millions, or one car for every 21 of the population. “Under False Colors,” “Mystery of the Double Cross,” and Charlie Chaplin in “The Count,” will be screened at the King’s Cinema matinee to-morrow.