LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXIX, Issue 23, 13 December 1919, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

The* offices of solicitors practising in Stratford will be closed all day on Wednesday next (Election Day), ,

The National Bank, Wellington, has been advised from London that the Board of Directors has declared an interim dividend for the half-year ended September 30th, at the rate oi twelve per cnt. per annum.

At the Magistrate's Court, Wellington, yesterday, Thoma s Mallard, for disturbing a.. meeting that was being addressed by Mr Fred Pirani, Liberal candidate for Wellington Central, was fined £3 and costs. Thomas Holding; on a similar charge, was fined £2, with costs.

The Electrical Department of the ..Stratford- Borough Council notify! that power will not bo available- be* \ tween the hours of 8.30 a.m.and'3! p.m., to-morrow (Sunday). The cur-* rent will be cut off during, .the: sarrying out of some necessary repair work.

An Invercargill Press Association message reports that an abandoned infant, which was fully dressed, with a feeding bottle beside it, was found among the trees on the. foreshore this morning. There had been "heavy rain during the night and the child's clothes were TbUt']it is expected the infant will survive.

Weather fbrecafe—Tlie indicationsare for westerly .strong winds to.gale, arid' 9 MW peot, dull weather with much mist.' and| fog in parts. Rain probable.. Theyweather,, :mi\-, probably,, become' colder. The barometer has a falling tendency, but- rising soon.—Bates, Wellington. , ... j

Alterations in .the ordinary railway timetable commence on. Monday. The train which leaves New Plymouth at 3;45 for Haweraj will now depart at 4.20, being timed to reach Stratford at 6.55. The train now leaving Stratford 3.55 will depart at 4 p.m. Trains from Wanganui at 7.35 a.m. .and 11.17 • a.m. for New Plymouth will be timed to leave at:7.25 md. 10.55, arriving Stratford 1.47 and 5.38 p.m. respectively t . ••£

The Stratford Methodist Sunday School Anniversary services will be held in the school hall to-morrow, Sunday, December I.4th; It -is -always a deligh'' to hear children sing. The scholars of th& school have been practicing. special music .for, some ,weeks, "thy'leadersnip'of Mr C.' Lawn. The Choir and Orchestra are assisting the hearty invitation is' 'extended.., to,j all to'.' come and. >peiid ' $ Vleasant,;.'tiine listening 'to' th'e .singing. A special attraction a$ the afternoon service will be the presentation of prizes won by the scholars during the year.

The Society of Accountants, Taranaki Branch, is this year donating a sum of ten guineas for the laudable purpose of providing prizes for the pupils' inking commercial work *n Taranaki Schools. Of this sum, six guineas is being awarded as the result of competitive examination, one guinea is being set aside for each °f the schools competing'/ to be awarded, oh the year's school work'. The, results; of the competitive examination are just avalable, and are as j follows: Frances Holmes, New Plymouth Technical, 92 per cent, £3 3s; Norman Bellringer, New Plymouth High, 87 per cent, £1 Is; Ruby Sole, New Plymouth Technical, 87 per cent, £1 Is; Dorothy Johnston,''Stratford High, 86 .per 'dent, £1 Is, Asa comparison between the different establishments, the marks of the best five papers from each school have been averaged, tue result, being as follows j New Plymouth Technical, 78 per cent-; New Plymouth High, 76 per cent; Stratford High, 68 per cent; Hawera Technical, 50 per cent. When it. is remembered that the Stratford School has taken commercial work for only i veai-. it must be.granted that the position awarded to its pupils is highly satisfactory.

Men everywhere grumble at the aigh prices they had to pay for suitß. Our Sincerity, Kaiapoi and Petone tailormade box suits meau direct savings. They are priced from 85s ty. 130 s each, and fit. any figure to perfection. A. H. Hillock, Men's Wear Specialist, Pbone 00. The Kasb, Stratford.* , , Sanderson and Judd, Registered Plumbers, have removed opposite Fire Station 'Phono 222 »

Mr J. W. Coiiuell, wiroffor \ue last two years, has held the position of agriculture instructor t 0 the Taranaki Education Board, has resigned from 'no Hoard to take up a similar position a i the New Plymouth Boys' High School.

Miss Laura Skeat, P.A., of the fitaff of \,'ie Pahnerston North High School, has been appointed to succeed Miss Lennon (who is leaving for England) as resident mistress in the secondary department of the New Plymouth Girls' High School,, and Miss Berth a Robson, of the Buils District High School, will succeed Miss Fairbrother in the preparatory department:!

Rev. Dr. G-ibb, who is proceeding to Scotland at the request, of, the Presbyterian General Assembly for the purpose of enlisting the services of twenty ministers and twenty home, missionaries for the New Zealand Church, was farewelled by his congregation last night. His pastorate ,of St. John's was warmly eulogised, and several presentations were made to him.—Press Association.

At Wednesday's meeting of the Taranaki Education Board, Major "F. W. Sandford, woodwork instructor for the past 13 years, who is retiring on superannuation, forwarded his resignation. In accepting the resignation members of the Board made reference to the splendid work done by Major Sandford ard it was unanimously resolved to place on re'eord the Board's appreciation ' and to grant Major Sandford three months* leave of absence on full pay. * .;