LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXII, Issue 52, 26 February 1912, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

lii another part of this issue will be found a further instalment of “A Trip Abroad.” Other sections will appear in due course. ' In consequence of recent revelations particularly with regard to the prevalence of consumption in, Glasgow, , ; a iilloiyal Commission is likely to he ap-f-nmpte‘d4 to 1 , consider fheifhQUsiqg, ftuc.a,'tlon exit heiot/ip o-ji public, meeting of the NewjZqa? land Hpoiits, Pf 6'tebtidn<League will’ be held At.’the 'fiorbilgh Council Chambers on T / ''MdrCn T Sth, i at;B/p.ml, for ;bhe,phifif6‘sp J pf fOrming a'branch of the League 11 iii Stfhtford.' ■' ')'W ■ j », i( f Yarious instances of resourcefulness oh' the part of municapal bodies occur from jtiijae to time/ but for far-reach-ii.u<f economy the medal Should be awarded’ to Foxton. There gravel is ,scarce,,and sand Is plentiful / consequently the footpaths cannot stand much wear and tear. What is probably a unique method of repairing the thoroughfares has therefore been adopted, it consists of filling the depressions with rubbish—common refuse of the rag and bone description. Apart from saving the expense of procuring metal it is understood that the new system acts in a protective manner, by inducing people to walk around instead of over faulty portions of the street.

A small heap—about half an ordinary bucketful—of what looked like coarse gravel or grit of a dull yellow-ish-white appearance lay in an iron scoop on a table in the gold-room of the hank of New South Wales, Sydney on a recent occasion. But the scoop with its contents was a tolerably heavy proposition to lift with two hands, and the heap of grit was valued at something over £3000._ It was the gold won from the Long 'tunnel mine, Gundagai, the previous week by dollying a surprisingly small quantity of quartz. There were 875 ounces of coarse and fine gold, which, when smelted, is estimated to be worth about £3 17s Gd ppr ounce. Alan Sutor, the ex-lieutenant, who had to resign his commission some time ago in consequence of certain criticisms he passed upon the War Office administration, was among the last batch of suffragists who appeared at Bow unroot to answer a charge of breaking a window valued at ss, at tire War Office. His remark was that lie did not think the whole War Office was worth ss. He expressed his appreciation of the suffragist methods, and in a characteristic outburst of eloquence said the only thing that counted in England to-day was force. He would take the consequences of his action, even if imprisoned for onehundred years. When interrupted in his speech he remarked: “I am paying for it.” He accepted the option of seven days rather than pay a fine. On Friday morning last Messrs. Mills Bros., of Temuka, had occasion to visit the Milford beach, and on arrival there discovered a good-sized whale in the wash of the breakers. When first found the whale was alive, but on the return of the finders after an absence of two hours, for the purpose of obtaining horses and gear, it was found that the whale was dead. Goar and tackle were fastened to the pi ize, hut a team of half a dozen horses was unable to shift it. Some hours were spent in endeavouring to shift the carcase, but all efforts failed. Later a traction engine and gear were procured, but darkness prevented further efforts being made. The whale is the largest that has been stranded in the locality for many years, its approximate measurements Length 21ft., girth 16ft. to ISft. It is the intention of the finders to cut the whale up as soon as it is safely landed.

Mr. J. B. Hine, M.P., was a ftassenger by the mail train on Saturday night. He left this morning for Wellington.

A report on the Bendigo (Victoria) Cemetery reveals a shockingly insanitary state of affairs. Vaults full of water overflowed into a creek supplying residents with drinking water. Paupers’ coffins were found within 16 inches of the surface, and so flimsy as to be unable to bear the weight of the covering of earth. The paragraph published on Saturday regarding the case James v. Hosking was somewhat misleading. The actual decision given by Mr. Dingle was that three days were required for the completion of the contract, and that, therefore, a sum (£1 10s) equivalent to three days’ work, should be deducted from the amount sued for (£2l 4s 6d).

The marriage service varies materially in different nationalities. In the Greek Church in the marriage office there is a mutual promise of fidelity, love, help, and kind treatment. The Society of Friends has a very brief marriage vow. The man first, the bride after him, address the meeting in these words: “Friends, I take' this my friend to be my wife (husband), promising through Divine assistance to be unto her (him) a loving and faithful husband (wife), until it shall please the Lord by death to separate us.” No vow of obedience is required from the wife.

To the Scottish people pronunciation is an important matter, and this truth was exemplified at the Supreme Court in Christchurch the other day. A witness, whose second name was Strachan, pronounced the word as “Stratch-an,” and Mr. Justice Denniston suggested that the word was “Strawn.” The witness insisted that the name was Scottish, and that his version was correct. His Honour drew on the poets for his authority, quoting two lines of the verse: “la there not,” he asked, “a celebrated verse, telling of an earl ‘with sword drawn’ who ‘stood waiting for the Earl of Strachan’ ?” His Honour ced the name to rhyme with -“.drawn,-* but the witness overruled the autnority quoted by his Honour, and insisted on “Stratch-an.”

The equanimity of a Dannevirke hotelkeeper was sadly disturbed the other evening. Business was proceedmg quietly when suddenly a gallant steed and its rider forced their way into one small enclosures around the bar. Those already in the enclosure found there was no room for them, and beat a hasty retreat, some over the counter, from which numerous glasses were knocked to the floor. Hie bar attendant refused to' serve the animal with liquor (presumably it was under age), and an endeavour was made to lead it out. There was not sufficient room to turn the horse round, but after many anxious moments it was' backed out into the street where it had to be content with drinking the water from the gutter.