LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume LVIII, Issue 100, 2 October 1926, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

The Stratford A. and P. Association has been advised by the Ayreshire Breeders’ Association that the North Island Championship for that..particular breed of cattle will be contested at the Stratford Show next year. This year the Friesian Championships will be held at Stratford and the Association is fortunate in obtaining the Ayreshire fixture for the subsequent shovr.

The annual meeting of the Stratford Fire Brigade has been postponed from Tuesday next to Thursday next.

“A ‘drunk’ in a train is a much bigger, jiuisance than an ordinary ‘ij-unJ:, ’ ” commented Mr J. G. L. riewitt. S.M., at Palmerston North, when fining a seaman £1 for being drunk on an express. “You can’t get away from such ‘drunks,’ ’’ added the Magistrate in explanation.

The success attained at the recent Horticultural Show both from a finan r cial and exhibition point of view is entirely satisfactory and Mr H. C. Johnson, president of the Society, said this jnorning that the results were even better than was expected. Although a good deal of expense had been incurred quite a good profit had been made, and the prospects for the future of the Horticultural Society were extremely good.

A cow belonging to Mr W. Weir, of Tauraroa, gave birth to a twoheaded calf a few days ago," but unfortunately the offspring was dead when found, having fallen into a lagoon about half a chain from whole it was born, states the “Northern Advocate.” Both heads were perfect as regards shape, eyes, mouth, etc., but Nature had only provided one pail* of ears for the two heads. Mr Weir photographed the calf, ana will probably have it preserved.

The kowhai is now in full bloom (Jsays an Auckland exchange). In many districts the golden blossoms of this familiar specimen of native flora are at the height of their beauty, some of the near-city suburbs boasting some fine trees. Along the banks of The Henderson creek, the kowhai is at its best and makes a splendid show For some unknown reason the kowhai in_past years has not been planted os a garden tree so widely as it deserves, although it is now coming into more favour.

How Wangaehu footballers got the training which enabled thorn to win the junior cup was described by Mr H. Hiroti at a Rugby smoke concert on Saturday night (says the Wanganui Chronicle). In the early stages of tiie season, he said, they wore able to practise in the hatl. but when that building was burned down they were compelled to find other methods, and adopted the expedient of shining motor car headlignts into «. paddock, so that they were still able to train at night.

Four Onehunga fire brigadesmcn men with a peculiar accident on Tnesdav while attending, a fir© at Epsom, states the Auckland correspondent of the “Lyttelton Times.” A jot of water struck an electric wire, and tm> current travelled down the conduit which the superintendent accidently caught hold of. He was knocked on top of the foreman, the pair _ bring- f ttijr down two firemen in their fall. Fine man sustained-a cut hand front a sheet of iron, otherwise no injuries were reported, but aB suffered from shock.

Two fishermen, familiarly known as “Mutt” and “Jeff”, are at present the ,joke ,of ,the Kaikourn waterfront fsavs the “Christchurch Star”). They had gone to the Banks, and. fish being scarce for the time being, they decided that they would, have a dinner off the. bait. As they were onloving their repast the hannka, evidently attracted Jvy the savoury meal swaut about the launch in large numbers, to the chagrin of the fishermen, who had swallowed the bait instead of the fish 'being nermitted to do, so. One of the men became so annoyed that he decided to give up fishng, and left for Nelson,

Certain improvements have been effected already in the Borough reserve in Page Street which is to he set aside for use as a motorists’ camping site. A row of small trees has been cut down, thus leaving a wide avenue between the lines of Lawsonia and pinus insignus. Water and light will be laid on soon, and conveniences erected. A visit to the spot will convince anyone that it can be made one of the most attractive camping sites in the district, and it should in the near future constitute a. very popular attntcion for visiting motorists.

To win a football trophy is a great honour, but to bo allowed to place the trophy on one’s sideboard for twelve months is a greater honour still, says the “Wanganui Chronicle.’’ This no doubt accounted' for the parade of cup-holders up and down V ictorm Avenue about ll o’clock on Saturday night. The demonstration also had its humourous aspect. The proud possessor of one of the trophies must have received a rude shock on his arrival homo when he found he was the victim of a practical joke, A keen supporter of a rival club had carefully tucked a live hedgehog into the cup. 'ihe sequel to the “find” will not hear recording.

“I fail to see anv danger of a. pest of flying-foxes in Now Zealand,” remarked an Auckland man who has lievd for 'Some time in Tonga, when discussing the recent find at Matangi. “They live only on fruit,” he explained, “anil fruit is not to bo had in New Zealand all the year round. Li the Islands there pro always bananas jind oranges, with other fruits according to the season. Here I am suro tho animals would starve.” Regarding the way the flying fox arrived in the Dominion ,he said he was sure no one could havo brought it as a pot—the musky smell would nave been too offensive, and would have revealed the very undesirable immigrant to tho customs officers.

A serious accident befel a ten-year-old pupil of Nelson College, Rex Lucas, younger sou of Mr K. G. Lucas, on the cricket ground at the College last Friday afternoon. He was engaged with a considerable number of other boys in pulling the heavy turf roller (reports the Mail), when he slipped or tripped, and there being too much way on the implement, it could not be stopped before he had thrown himself quite clear. The heavy roller passed over his left leg and arm fracturing the thigh-bone just above halfway between the knee and the thigh, and also the left, elbow. The lad was removed to the Public Hospital, where X-ray and further examination revealed the fact that fortuna-. tely there had been no internal injury.

A Daily Telegraph, reporter, homeward bound at a late hour last night, glanced enviously at the “billy” of hot tea handed to the driver of the tram by a thoughtful better-half. “I wouldn’t mind attentions like that myself,” wistfully remarked the tired pressman. “Don’t you worry,” came the response, “this isn’t a general rule. It happens to be paynight and the ‘missus’ is coming the soft-soap touch. Sir Thomas Lipton, writing to a friend in Eketahuna from Southgate under date of August 18, refers to his yacht Shamrock as follows: 4 -By this time vou will doubtless have heard she mot with a serious accident, while racing at Cowes, which put an end to her racing this season,- ihe mast broke in two places, and everything went overboard, but luckily no one was hurt. The accident wa, s alt the more unfortunate as up to then she had won a greater number of prizes than any yacht of her class.