LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXII, Issue 86, 10 April 1912, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

We understand that an effort is being made to form a gun club at Midhirst, Mr. C. E. Sea bright having interested himself in the matter. , .'

The friends of Mr. H. T. Twiss, .Crown Lands Banger, will rogret to learn that lie is confined to liis residence with typhoid fever, contracted while travelling in the back blocks. We are requsted to state tha in consequence it will be sonic time before he is able to attend to department matters or to receive callers on business.

In connection with the sudden rise in shipping company shares, a number of managers of snipping companies were seen in Sydney. While they did not admit knowing anything, one said, "Where there's smoke there's fire. It's remarkable that three managers of the Australian businesses of shipping companies lire now on their way to England, and I know that in the case of two of them, their departure was quite unexpected. There is a sort of understanding amongst the British companies already they allow shippers a rebate on freights if they trade with certain recognised lines. If a shipper were to send cargo by a vessel outside the—what shall I say?— 'arrangement,' no rebate would be given him on any cargo he sent by the recognised vessels. But if a straightout combine were formed it would lie too great a temptation for the Federal Government to step in and subsidise a I no of steamers, or perhaps run Stateowned vessels."

In an action concerning a motor collision at Lambeth County Court last month, counsel for the defendants suggested that the plaintiff, who was riding with his fiancee at the time, was paying too much attention to her and too little to the motor. Judge Parry: That may be so in regard to young people, but it does not affect the elderly men whom the plaintiff has called as witnesses. They have probably reached the age when they are sorry they ever married. (Laughter.) Judgment for the plaintiff. Mention is made in the official report of the Antartic Expedition of the discovery of thousands of wingless insects in a half-frozen condition in the Far South. The absence of wings —or apter'sm—in Antartic insects was observed by Lieutenant Gerlache, of the Belgica Expedition. The question was raised as to whether this absence of wings was due to the low temperature, or to the evolution of new specie;? and Professor Dewitz, of Metza, tried the experiment of hatching out insects at low temperatures. He kept wasps' nests 111 an incc-houso for IS hours, and subsequently found that some of of the insects were hatched without wings. Then he kept the nymphs of; flies in an ice-house and transferred them to a freezing chamber, and in this way obtained large numbers oi flies with ntrrphied wings. From these experiments he argue;: that it is thr extremely low temperature that causes the peculiarity.

Mr and Mrs Coles, who hflve boon on a short visit to Stratford, fcft this morning by the mail train for Palmerston North. Mr. T. Sullivan, of the Wellington' Telegraph Department, son of the. Borough Overseer, is at present ip Stratford, on a visit to his parents. The Hawera and Now Plymouth Bowling Clubs are playing off this afternoon on the local green for the rink championship of Taranaki. A farewell social i.h I" i,.r tendered t :is evening in the Methodist Church to the Rev. C .0. Harrison, who leaves to-morrow for Kingsland, Auckland. Mrs Schumacher, a very old resident of Midhirst, died on Sunday last at the age of 81. Tlie funeral took place yesterday. The late Mrs. Schumacher leaves two daughters—Mrs Huse and Vivn. Anderson. A", meeting of I ratepayers ' in the Strathmoro Riding of the Whangamomona County is called for next Thursday evening, in the MakaJiu Dairy Co.'s office, to consider bridge loan and rate proposals. The Court list for Friday's sitting of the Magistrate's Court includes twenty-nine civil summonses, one defended, seven judgment summonses, one information for maintenance, one for' broach of Borough iiyiawg,' ;uid three for breaking, entering, and theft. The matter of the Singer sewing machine which was tied for by three "guessers" at the Stratford A. and P. Association's last show, came up at the meeting of the executive last night, when it was decided that the machine be put up for auction at the gymkhana', on April 18th. A notice appears in our present is- . sue from the Scottish Society in which Mrs. Geo. Sangster wishes all,Scotch ladies interested in the arrangements for the Scotch social to be held on May 2Jth, to meet her at Messrs. C. and E. Jackson's office, Broadway, on Friday, the 12th April, at 3 p.m. . At,h meeting of the executive committee, of the Stratford A. and P. Association,last night it was decided to fix' the date of the proposed visit to the Moumohaki State Farm \for Monday, April 15th. Those interested are again urged to send their names to the secretary should they desire 10 Jem the partpr. ' ■, \ It has been decided that the opening of the new school buildings at Stratford sliould be celebrated on Ap,ril 18th, by a conversazione and dance. The Hon. Mr. J. A. Hanan, Minister for Education, has promised to be, present, also members of the Education Board and other distinguished visitors. The function is- being looked forward to, and should be very largely attended. .• . At a meeting of the executive of the Stratford A. and-P. Association, held yesterday, it was' decided that fresh nominations be received for .the gymkhana meeting, to, be held "on Thursday, April 18th, entries to close on Tuesday, April 16th at 5 p.m. It was also decided to approach the secretary of the Stratford Tradesmen's Association, suggesting that the shopkeepers close at noon on April 18th, to enable their employees to attend the gymkhana. A number of people resident in the back country, who, as yet, have seen not much of the Sergeant-Major Instructors, appear not to be clear on the matter of exemptions. Exemptions can be procured if a country employer desires that the whole of his ' employees should not go into camp at the one time. It is not necessary for aljl men posted to, attend tlie camp "to he Jield k't ! an early date, so long as he attends the casual camp to be held in May. It is to be noted that in any case only those born prior to 1893 are called upon to attend camp. Exemptions, however, must be applied for and must be sanctioned in writing by the headquarters office. Mr. H. Y. Braddon, vice-president of the Sydney Chamber of Commerce, is of opinion that the world has progressed in every way during the last hundred years, except in the matter of bills of lading. At tlie Commerce banquet last week he waxed facetious at the expense of present day bills of lading, and then read out what was vidently the ideal bill of lading. Instead of the long and exacting exemptions of the present day, this bill of lading 100 years old had only nine words of exemption. It referred to a shipment of slaves, "shipped by the grace of God in good order and well conditioned upon the good ship Maryborough, whereof is master under the grace of God David Morton, bound for Georgey, South Carolina, 24 prime slaves, 6 prime women slaves, marked and numbered as in the margin, and to be delivered in the like good order and well condit'oned at the aforesaid port of Georgey (the danger of the seas and mortality only excepted), and so God send the good ship to her desired port 'in safety. Amen."