LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXI, Issue 85, 23 November 1911, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

The recently discovered Aramii cave at Waitonro is said by visitors to 1)0 the best of the three so far discovered in that district. Last'week all the rooms at the Government accommodation house were occupied by tourists.

Fifty-live members of the* Paddington (London) Borough Council,, hayo l)3en surcharged hy an official of the Local Covoniineiit Board with £2BO, expenses incurred hy the Council in litigation arising out of the erection of a stand to enable them to view King Edwards funeral. Some residents brought an action against the Council and ‘obtained damages from them on the ground that the stand obstructed their view of the procession.

New cameras recently introduced have a combination which gives a focal length of no less than 82 inches, u ith a magnification so large that images of considerable size are produced at distances of over 100 yards. By this means the photographs of batsmen at the wickets are taken from so far away as the balcony of the pavilion. The operator watching the player through the telescope has been enabled not only to snap his wicket being shattered, but the ball that had done it before it had gone four feet from the wicket, although it is travelling 20 miles an hour. The exposure will bo l-100th of a second.

Dealing with spelling in an address at Christchurch on the practical problems of education, Air K. Watkins, principal of the 'Training' College, pointed to the handicap of the British child in comparison with the German or French child through the chaotic English spoiling. He hoped that

success would attend the efforts of the American educationalists who were aiming at a simplified spelling. Much ridicule had been poured upon this effort, which was absolutely unfair. He (Mr Watkins) had a good deal of sympathy with a little boy who argued: “That there didn’t ought to bo any V in scissors,” and who, being English, spelt “when” “hwen.”

A correspondent, a widow with young children dependent on her, has written to a contemporary asking what steps she is required to take to get a pension under the Widows’ Benion Act passed last session. For the benefit of others similarly situated, it may be explained that the Act does not become till Ist January next. All that a widow, who has a valid claim to a pension, is then required to do is to call at the office of the Registrar of Pensions, Savings Bank Office, where she will bo required to fill in certain particulars on a printed form. The officers of the Department will then take the necessary steps to get a pension certificate issued. It is worth mentioning that the pension will commence from the date of application in each instance, so that, if for any reason inquiries arc prolonged, a widow will not suffer on that account.

A writer in the “Lyttelton 'rimes’’ says: Out of the recent wrangle provoked by the Prime Minister’s allusion to a “speech-factory,” in which speeches are alleged to he prepared for Opposition candidates, arises the interesting ethical question as to whether a candidate is bound to accept no assistance in preparing his utterances. It may, of course, he argued that no man has a right to seek the suffrages of his fellow countrymen arrayed in borrowed rhetorical but, on the other hand, it may Ire said that a political speech is only a presentation of the views of a party, and that the party has a right to supervise the presentation of its views. In the case of a political novice the party maybe assumed in most cases to have done ro. The gentleman who is not a novice has generally learnt his lesson. And if these tilings are not so, why is any political speech from a given party' standpoint so extremely similar to any other speech from tho same dandpnint r

Tiie Gaelic “mod” was hold at Glasgow this year, and it was in every respect a notable and successful gathering. The New Zealand Gaelic Society’s prize for the competitor receiving most of the honors in the literary (.impositions was awarded to Mr John McCormick. An innovation as far as Christchurch is concerned, has been made in cope 'ction with the approaching,general election. An enterprising kinematogranii photographer has taken pictures el ! ical Parliamentary candidates addressing tiie electors and these arc to he screened in a few nights. After rhe picture of a candidate has been shown there will ho thrown on the screen his message to the electors. On Isis arrival in Britain after the Sheffield choir's tour, Dr Coward estimates that the recent tour would result in a loss of between £IOOO and £SOOO. The tour was unprecedented to British history, hut the members on reaching Sheffield declared that it was highly successful from the musical point of view. They gave 137

concerts oversea, and covered 25,000 miles while the balance-sheet will show an expenditure of £60,000.

The Ottawa “Free Press” reports that, as an alternative to Sir Wilfrid Lanrier’s scheme for a Canadian navy, the new Premier, Mr It. L. Borden, has a plan for the construction of a fleet of merchantmen suitable for conversion into transports and cruisers in time of war. Mr Hazcn, the new Minister of Marine, is going to London to discuss the project with the Admiralty.

A remarkable railway accident occurred. the other day on the London and North-Western .Railway. One of ike trucks of a goods train jumped the rails between Crewe and Wellington, but the couplings remained firm, and the trucks were dragged for nearly three miles; it then jumped back on to the metals. The permanent way was torn up for a very considerable distance.

The vitality and enterprise of the Canadian thistle are well known to farmers, especially to those in the bush country. These characteristics of the post may lie- realised even by townspeople. In Dec Street, Invercargill, (says the local paper) it may be seen flourishing in the gutter, while through the tiny cracks in the asphalt prickly leaves are peeping with luxuriant audacity. Although hundreds of feet daily trample upon the übiquitous weed it continues to thrive, although it is kept below the level of the footpath.

A pamphlet on military law will shortly be issued from headquarters containing information as to the powers of Territorial officers under the Defence Act. This pamphlet will bo issued to Territorial officers. The method of recovery of lines is dealt with in Part VII., Defence Act, sections 03, 61, and 65. It is not necessary for an officer who inflicts a fine under the regulations to attend Court: he may bo represented by the permanent staff.

A curious effect of sea travel was related on Monday night by Air J. W. G. Paterson, a Wellington elder attending the Presbyterian Assembly in Dunedin. He stated that amongst the immigrant arriving by every Home steamer, there were many Presbyterians, and the six weeks at sea had the demoralising effect of destroying- their religious sense. They did not go to church here; though they came of godly parents. ‘‘You can have no idea,” said the informant, “unless you have spent six weeks in the steerage, of a steamer, how demoralising an effect it has,” Air Paterson was quite serious, adds the Dunedin “Star.”

An accident which might have resulted tragically occurred at Mr G. F. Bonner’s fam at Kawhatua, last Friday afternoon (reports the “Mangawoka Settler”). Mr. T. McAlley, accompanied by, Mr Honnor’s little daughter, was inspecting! a pen of sheep, when a vivid flash of “fork” lightning struck them both. 'The little girl received injuries to her side but nothing very serious. Mr. McAlley was more unfortunate, having his sides and chest severely burned, besides other hurts. Five sheep of the pen of nine which Mr McAlley was inspecting were killed by the flash.

A well-known London doctor states (according to the “British Weekly”) that the busiest season of the medical profession is just at the close of the summer holidays. “My telephone bell,” he said, “is ringing all day long. Some of my patients have walked too far, others have exhausted themselves with climbing, others have sat in draughts on trains or steamers, and returned to town with bad colds.” Whereupon our contemporary remarks that the logical conclusion seems to be that every holiday ought to be in the nature of a rest-cure, and that the cure shotdd lie taken in bed.

Air Edward Bennett, in his book “The Post Office and its Story,” just published, tells a good story of a post office boy messenger. He received the following communication from his chief: “Messenger G To furnish your explanation as to your conduct towards an old gentleman in

Street this evening.” He replied as follows: “The Postmaster. Sir, —As I was passing through Street last night an old gentleman stood in the street. I threw a potato at the gentleman. I am very sorry, and 1 hope it will not occur again.” There is, as Air Bennett says, no beating about , the bush here. As Air Birrell said to Dr. Newman, “That love of putting the case most strongly against himself is one of the lovely characteristics of the man.”

The English Copyright Bill, which is a consolidating and amending measure covering a very extensive field, was introduced in the House of Commons in April. Serious objection was taken to the fourth clause, which provided that after the death of an author a representation could be made to the Comptroller-General of Patents that the writer’s work was being withheld from the public and gave to the official the right to order the owner of the copyright to grant a license for the reproduction of the hook or play. The President of the Board of Trade, in moving the second reading,, said the object was to sweep away anachronisms and anomalies and to reduce chaos to order. It was desirable that a uniformity of copyright law should be established, as far as it was possible, throughout the Empire, and, in addition, it was important to carry out the recommendations of the Berlin Convention of 1908, so that the domestic laws of the different countries might he harmonised. The Bill enumerated the works to which copyright would extend, and among them were works which had been excluded up to now—translations, lectures, original adaptions and arrangements, works of artistic merit, and architec-

tural works. The treatment given in lectures would also lie given to .speeches. Dramatised novels and “novelis'd” dramas, and collective works like encyclopaedias, would he safeguarded against unauthorised reproduction, am! musical works would ho protected against unsanctioned reproduction bv mechanical means.

A big batch of correspondence will be found on page eight of this issue. Official notice of polling day and the booths in tlio Stratford electorate, is published in our columns by Mr Frank Bird to-day. A well-known architect estimates that it costs 33 per cent, more to build a cottage to-day than it did six years ago. The increased cost of labour accounts for 25 per cent. A Taranaki firm of land agents lias found it necessary to announce that they wish clients to understand that no exchanges will be negotiated when the properties am inflated in value. Messrs Hallenstcin Bros, arc about erecting a three storey building in Wanganui. The structure will be of brick, faced with Oamaru stone, and will be one of the finest business premises in Wanganui. There seems to be plenty of scope for women in the Waikato. For years an elderly lady, a spinster, has been a member of the Road BoaVd at Cambridge, a widow was recently made a poundkeepor, and a few days ago a Mrs Sarah Ann McCann was elected a trastec of the South Haiitapii Drainage Board. Owners and trainers are reminded that nominations for all events at the Taranaki Jockey Club’s popular Christmas meeting, close with the secretary on Friday next, November 24th, at 9 p.m. Mr E. P. Webster, the secretary of the club, notifies this fact in an announcement elsewhere.

At Monday’s meeting ol the Land Board a letter was received from the Under-Secretary for Lands suggesting that the Board should decide, when opening land for selection, what sections should be hnHotted for amongst (a) ordinary landless applicants; (o) married landless applicants with families; (c) landless applicants unsuccessful at former ballots.—-Resolved that the suggestion be adopted and that the matter be left in the hands of the Commissioner to arrange with regard to blocks about to be opened.

In dealing with arithmetic in a recent address in Christchurch the practical problems of education, Mr E. Watkins, principal of the Training College, pointed out that frequent complaints were made by shop-keepers that the boys who went into their employ could not even give change, and ho pointed out that this was owing to the fact that the shopkeeper gave his change on the plan known as complementary addition, which is asked for by the present Now Zealand syllabus, but which cannot be worked in schools without the provision of boxes of imitation coins and smaller classes than at present.

A very,pleasing instance of sympathy in a time of distress is related in the West Coast Times. A farmer who tiled at Cronadun lately had left his family a wife and young children, in reduced circumstances, while the farm, owing to his illness, had fallen back in condition. The other morning however, a double furrow plough, with horses, carts, and seeds and men with discploughs and harrows, all appeared on the farm,and were worked by neighbouring farmers or their men, who had come to lend, a helping hand. Labourers from the township also came to freely give their labours and all that day men and horses worked like Trojans for the sake of the “widder and childer,” and made a wonderful improvement in the. look of the farm. Needless to; say the chivalrous and kindly assistance of farmer and labourer was. much appreciated. We boast ourselves a cleanly people and are apt to scorn the foreigner who who does "not daily perform the ritual of the tub. Yet, the “British Medical Journal” points out, it is not so long ago since we had the reputation of being an exceptionally dirty people. In the year 1800 there was not a single private house in London provided with a bathroom, A witness stated before the Health Commission, about the middle of last century, that the only two occasions on which-one of the' labouring classes was washed all over was immediately after birth, and after, death. .Even at the present day says the journal, “a French workman would be ashamed to wear the clothes in which the British labourer goes to his daily work. There is nothing that tramps who apply to the workhouse think a more brutal tyranny than the enforced, hath.”

Of the many surprises afforded by the recent political “landslide’’ in Canada, none was more astonishing than trie defeat of the Minister of Militia and Designate-High Commissioner (Sir Frederick Borden) by a raw youth. Mr A. VV. Forster, who downed Sir Frederick for Kings, a Nova Scotian constituency, which hv.d returned the latter no less than ten times, is still an undergraduate of King’s College, and is probably the first undergraduate to _ sit in the House of Commons. During the campaign the Minister of Militia was wont to refer sarcastically to “my very young friend,” who has by now learned the mistake of holding an opponent too cheaply. In the maritime provinces they take their politics very seriously. .Hence, it has been no surprise to the Nova Scotians to find a raw college student, quite unversed in politics, drubbing a veritable political giant.

Rose growers may bo interested to know what were the blooms which proved most successful at the recent Crystal Palace Show. According to the London “Times” the gold modal was won with a bloom of the brilliant red Gloire do Chodafle Guinoseau. Frau Karl Droschki was, however, a much greater favourite, being staged in eight of the eleven boards of twelve blooms of one hybrid perpetual or hybrid tea, and carrying off all throe prizes. Among tea roses Maman Cachet and White Maman Cochet were almost equally prominent. The class for new roses was won with the lemon yellow Alexander Hill Cray, and second with Souvenir of Portland, Oregon. For decorative purposes no rose was so popular as the apricot-yellow Lady Hillingdon. In the trade classes the variety Caroline Testout appeared in every exhibit, and C. J. Grahame, Hugh Dickson, and the Lyon Rose were omitted from only one or two.

At the Native Lands Court at Kaiapoi Judge M. Gilfedder had occasion to speak plainly in respect of an application for the consent of the Court to grant power to a Maori to sell some of his land where there was hut a slender estate left for Ids maintenance. He pointed out the Legislature intended that no native should dispossess himself of land unless he would be in an independent position after the partition in his estate had taken place. All the applications, too, were in the direction of the Maoris selling lands to Europeans; it was never the case that the Maoris were purchasing lands from the Europeans. In the case before him it had been represented that the native, with the proceeds of the sale which the Court was asked to sanction, would prolmhK buy some adjacent land, and if that took place he (the Judge) might consider it reasonable to permit the sale asked for. The Court was not to ho made a means whereby, for the sake of obtaining cash at the present time, the natives might become impoverished in the future by parting with their lands.

Next week all shops in Sira I lord will close at ! p.m. on doth Wednesday and Thursday on account id the Slratlord Show.

Mr. K. W. R. Hredow, of Dougins, was partieularly .successful with ids [jimolii sheep exhibits at Now Hymen th Show, taking lour prizes, a first, two seconds, and a third. A movable school is to he erected at Whangamomoim, and Mr. C. -i. ,Mnck-’iizic, Resident lOngineer for the I'nl>lif. Works Department, is inviting tenders for the work. Air. (J. A. Marelmnt informed the County Council yesterday that ho had [resigned his seats on tho Hospital Hoard, tho National Hark Hoard, and the executive of the Counties Association. No action was taken in regard to tho two last-named seats.

The County Council -yesterday aj)pointed Cr. Smith to till the vacancy on the Hospital Hoard caused hy the resignation of Mr. Mareliant, and Cr. Rogers was recommended to iho Cover nor for appointnieiit to lill the vacancy on the Hoard caused hy insufficiency of laomhers nominated.

During a discussion on Hospital matters at the County mooting yesterday Cr Thomson said ha would like to see the Government approached with a view to making Hospital Hoards responsible For the collection of rates, thus freeing ptlier local bodies. Cr. Marfell: I’m quite with you there. Mr. Edward Jackson’s redoubtable ‘‘Harney”' again added to Ids honours list at New Plymouth yesterday, securing first prise for pony ridden by boy or girl and first prize for harness pony under fourteen hands. Mr. J. if. McDonald and Mrs. C. J. C. Craddock, both of Stratford, were also prize-takers in the light horse classes. J.t yesterday’s meeting of the Education Hoard, Mr. W. C. Cargill forwarded his resignation as a member of the Hoard, owing to his departure from the district. The resignation was accepted with regret, and Tuesday, January 2, was fixed as the date for the election to till the vacancy caused by the resignation. The following tenders were accepted at yesterday’s meeting of the County Council: —Formation portion of Mangaoapa Road, Messrs. Henno!>ery and O’Connor; formation of portion of Mount Humphries Road, drain cleaning and deepening at Douglas, Messrs. Needham Bros.; dog collars, Mr. H. Wilson.

Tha total number of names appearig on the Stratford electoral roll, including the main roll and two supplementary rolls, is 717-3. Of these, however, 617 have been struck off the main roll since it was printed, they having been transferred to other electorates. Sixty-eight absent voters’ permits have been issued.

The Taranaki “Herald” states that Mr. Mark Hopson, Inglewood, lost a very valuable Jersey bull during the electrical disturbance on Friday last. The electric' fluid struck a tree about twenty-four feet from the ground and ripped the bark off, and also killed the bull, which was only a few feet away. The bull was not tied up, but was running about the paddock a few minutes before the occurrence took place. The number of dogs sent to the New Plymouth Show from Stratford should have rejoiced the heart of “Laverack.” Mr. T. Kirkwood took quite a lot of prizes for pointers and setters, other Stratford prize-takers being:— E. Bowler (greyhounds), Mm. H. J. Dunham and J. Patterson (retrievers), A. Cuthbertson (collies), F. Kleeman (bnll-dog) and Miss I). Cuthbertson (variety class). The Waitara Mounted Rifles are at present practicing hard for the purpose of getting into form, as they intend to send a team to compete in the military events at the Straftord A. and P. Show—individual tent-peg-ging and jumping by fours. It behoves the Stratford Mounted Rifles to practice alsoj so that their northern friends do not have a runaway victory. , Entries will lie taken at the post and prizes are provided. This evening at St, Andrews’ Hall, the young women’s annual social takes place, commencing at 8 o’clock. A first-class programme has been arranged, including piano solos, violin solos, vocal items, recitations and a dialogue “Wanted a Servant,” in which seven take part. Given a fine evening a large audience is anticipated.

A social was held last night under the auspices of the Druids’ Lodge for the purpose of winding up their dancing season. About thirty couples were present. The social was for both plain and fancy dress, hut the only fancy dresses were the following: —Mrs Richardson, Spanish dancer; Miss Croots, Japanese girl ; Miss Flanuagan, rubies and opals; Mrs AVorrloy, Folly. An excellent supper was provided by the ladies, and dancing was kept up till an early hour this morning. Mrs Eianchi provided tire music for the dancing; extras being played by Messrs AV. Ryan, A. Richardson, G. Albertson, and F. Sheehan.