LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXIII, Issue 5, 3 May 1912, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

The Opunake Railway Commission will sit in Hawera on Wednesday next. The New Zealand Shipping Co.'s next steamer to load at the Waitara roadstead will be the s.s. Ritnutaka, on or about May Bth, 1912. The Clerk of the Licensing Committee gives notice in this issue that the annual meeting of the Committee will he held in the Courthouse at noon on June 7tH. The rainfall registered in Eltham during last month totalled 5.70 points, which fell on 17 days, the maximum being 1.98 points on the 23rd. In April of last year the rainfall was over 8 inches. A new arrival from Eltham came up before. Mr. W. C. K. Ken rick, S.M., this morning at the Magistrate s Court, on a charge of drunkenness. The Police Gazette did not know him, so he was treated as-a first offender, and fined 5s and discharged. "1 could pay it "if. I got six months," was the plaint of a judgment debtor this morning. "Yes," responded Mr. W. G. k. Kenrick, S.M., "some of your creditors will be inclined that way, if you don't pay up, and will try and give you six months' 'time.' " Horace Phillips, charged on the information of tlie Borough Inspector , with driving a. horse and trap at night without lights, pleaded guilty, at the [ Court this morning, and explained "the \ circumstances to Mr. W. G. K. Ken- ' rick, S.M., who so far sympathised " with him as to make the line 5s and 1 7 s costs. Teams representing Stratford and Denbigh Road met at cribbage at Mrs , Brown's rooms last night, each s'de 1 putting forward a dozen men. After an ; interesting contest the visitors were victorious by 36 games to 30. After play was over a tasty supper was done . lull' pusticc to. It is hoped to arrange for a return visit to Denbigh Road at an early date. . "It means," said Mr. W. G. K. Kenrick, S.M., to a judgment debtor this morning, "that your grocers and butcher's bills amount to £l7O a year. That's pretty high, isn't it?" "Well, your Worship," was the reply, "the 'children must be fed." "Yes, I know that," said Mr. Kenrick, "but I should bo very -sorry to see my bills getting as high as that.!' A South Canterbury settle]- named Fitzgerald met with his death in a rather remarkable manner. He was driving home, and handed the reins to his wife with the intention of filling and lighting his pipe. A rabbit'ran out from a hedge in front of the horse, the animal stopping suddenly. The sudden jerk threw him out of the trap, and the horse,, starting again, pulled the vehicle over him. He was picked up.,and promptly taken home, but expired an hour later. The Royal Commission appointed by the- Government to enquire and report regarding the route for a branch railway to Opunake will commence its sittings at Hawera on May Bth, and will reach Stratford on May 14th. All persons desirous of giving evidence or appearing before the Commission are requested to communicate with the Secretary, Mr. W. McNamara, at the Public Works Office, Wellington, j To-day was an off-day at the Magistrate's Court, there being no judgments by default, and only one judgment summons, Edward Hill being ordered to pay John Leydon £4 Is forthwith, with the alternative of fourteen days' imprisonment, warrant to be suspended providing the amount was paid before May 25th. The case of Police v. Neilson, cruelty and illtreating a horse, was adjourned till May 10th. Mr. Spence will appear for the'defendant. An adjournment was also made in the case of Police v. Ernest Robinson, charge of furious riding. The present election in Tasmania is on a clear-cut issue between Liberals and Labour, who arc represented respectively by thirty-two and twentysix candidates. The elections are caricd out under the Hare-Clark system of proportional representation and preferential voting, 'the country bring divided into five electorates, each returning six members. At. the last elcct : on, when the system was first used, eighteen Liberals and twelve Labourites were returned. The Legislative Council is nominative. It consists of'eighteen members, all except one of whom are Liberals. A shark of the shovel-nosed species wai captured by Mr. Charles Davis whilst fishing with a schnapper line on the Granity Beach, West Coast, ( the' other day. The monster measured Bft 9in from the tip of the nose to the tail, and the girth was fully 3ft -lin. On the stomach being opened, a large piece of rolled bacon fully 101 b in weight and a 151 b schnapper were found. A Granity correspondent writes to the Westport Times:—l may state that New Zealand waters, in my opinion, are as much infested with sharks as any others in the world. I have been all over in my time, and seen a good many caught, but I have never observed any as large as 1 have seen whilst fishing in a boat one day ;;t the Nuggets in 1875. The brute must have been fully 24ft long, with a tremendous girth. We wee offered a £lO note if we could catch it for the Dunedin Museum. After getting a strong hook with chain attached, baited and ready, we never saw him a^ain.

Mr. C. Hood Williams secretary and I treasurer of the Lyttelton Harbor Board who lias been in failing health for some months past died on Monday evening. Mr. Hood Williams was of Welsh parentage, but was born in Edinburgh in 1844. He came to NewZealand in the ship Randolph with his father the late Mr. D. T. Williams. 15. A., arriving in Port. Cooper in 1850. Mr. Williams was educated at Christ's College, Christchurch. He entered the service of the Panic of Australasia in ISfil, and after three years he left the bank on account of illhcalth. hi 186-,'. he entered the Provincial Government service.as clerk. Under the secretaryship of the late Hon. W. Rollestoh, from L 873 to 1877. Mr. Williams occupied the position of assistant secretary, and on the abolition of the provinces, he was appointed secretary and troausurer of the Lyttelton Harbor I Hoard, which position ho held up to the time of his death, a period of thirty-five years. Mr. Williams took n life-long interest in sporting and athletics. He was married in 1873 to a (laughter of Mr. R. H. Allard, of Christchurch and leaves.a widow three daughters and one son.

Mr. P. Tvrer, Headmaster of the Stratford District High School, has been advised by the Education. Board that the vacant position at the school has been declined by Miss Neilson, of Rivorton, and will now be offered to Miss Tooman, of Auckland. A leap roar ball was held at Salisbury Poad last night, a big crowd attending, the ladies' committee deserving every credit for the excellent arrangements made. The music was supplied by Mr. A. Richardson. Misses (Goodwin, Anderson, and Mischewski rupolving the extras. Dancing was kept \\]y till 2.30, all having spent a most enjoyable time. "He's a bird of passage, your Worship," said Sergeant McNeely this morning at the Magistrate's Court, "and it will cost us probably three or four puoucls to get him back." This was the sergeant's reply to a discussion whether a new arrival in Stratford should be given time to pay Ids fine of ss. Eventually the matter was solved by giving the man a few days in which to settle up, but making him report daily to the officers of the law. No reports of big bags have yet come in from those intrepid individuals who took out licenses to shoot game, but the usual run of exciting experiences are going the rounds. A. well-known local sport states that he made certain of one poor hare that his (log put up, and let it have both ba7rcls. No report came, and he recollected before he had time to say something nasty about the maker of the cartridges," that he had forgotten to re-load after two previous shots. And he an old hand, too! It is the usual custom for the local police when preparing their- case against a man, to first find out how he intends to plead—guilty or not guilty. If the former they get him to sign a statement to this effect, and do not summon their witnesses thus making the costs much lighter for the accused, should judgment go against him. This morning, however, found the in a difficulty, as the defendant in an action for furious riding, after signing a statement that he intended to plead guilty, when charged. with the offence in Court pleaded not guilty. The case was therefore adjourned to allow the police to summon their witnesses. Cabinet is determined, according to the Prime Minister, to see that the close season for native pigeons is strictly observed. Mr. Mackenzie states that thes" beautiful native birds appear to be holding their own somewhat better, but they have other enemies to contend with besides several species of introduced birds that eat the greater quantity of their natural food. Weasels now climb trees and drop on the birds while they are asleep. As to the duck, Mr. Mackenzie says: ' Tin's season Cabinet has opened for limited bigs the season for paradise ducks. When,.this 'privilege was granted Unee years ago some so-called 'sports' abused it very much, killing all'they could get hold of. As a" matter of fact, there is no sport in killing paradise ducks. They are so tame now t'.iey will not get out of the way of she iters. The police and rangers have been instructed to watch carefully and see whether the bag of twelve is exceeded. Of course, if the privilege this year is abused, sportsmen may ai veil know that permission will not oga.n !;e given. Now another enemy has been introduced in the shape of the German owl."