LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXIII, Issue 27, 29 May 1912, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

"Each year I notice that there are fewer hadly-kcpl accounts, and litis year T have had very little trouble with any." reported the auditor (Mr. Whitcomho) of the school committees' accounts to the Education Board last night.—" News." The Taranaki Education Board last nigh't decided that school committees he granted permission to close their schools mi Friday, .Tun? 7th, to enable the children to visit the "Winter Show at New Plymouth.

The New Zealand Shipping Company's next steamer to load at the Waj'tara Roadstead will be the s.s. Orari, wnic-Ji is duo on or abouf June i i. tii. A team of Stratford hockey skaters intends to be present ; ,! a black and white carnival at Rnweia ta J night, and to take part in a l;< ivy tournament to be held in connection with the carnival. Mr. H. W. Climie, licensed surveyor and civil engineer, gives public notice that the reports now in circulation that lie has retired from practice as a surveyor, or that he lets disposed ol that practice, are entirely Without foundation.

Conscience doth make cowards of :: variety of persons, in a variety e wa\ s, and in a variety of. degrees. The following notification is from the latest Gazette: —The Treasury, Welkngton, 22nd May, 1912. The Minister of Finance desires me to acknowledge the receipt of (id in Id stamps forwarded to the Treasury by some person unknown as "conscicncc-monej to the New Zealand Government. J. W. Poynton, Secretary to the Treasury. Dining the year ended March 31st, 1912, the contributions of local bodies to the Stratford District Hospital and Charitable Aid Hoard were as follows:—Stratford County Council, £B9O 7s; Whangamomona County Council, £19:5 lis; Stratford Borough Council, £142 7s 6d. The total amount of public donations since the Stratford Hospital was established amounts to no less than £l2Bl 19s sd. We have received the June issue of the "N.Z. Farmer," which is a special fruit number. The cover is highly artistic, a bunch of grapes being depicted in colours. There is a great deal of interesting letterpress, and a great number of line photographs are given, showing line samples of fruit and pretty orchard scenes. Altogether the issue is well worth purchasing. We understand that Mr. D. L. A. Astluiry has sold sis property on I pper Palmer Road (Mahoe) to Mr. F. Wake, early in duly is to take possession of a line property on Eltham Road, which Mr. Astbury not long ago purchased from Mr. Palmer. Mr. and Mrs. Astbury, who have resided for several years in the district, have been identified with every public movement in the place, and will be much miss-

The long arm of the Law, which is proverbial, frequently -manifests itself in practice. Constable Listen of To Wera, proceeded home by Monday night's train after having escorted to New Plymouth a man whom he had arrested in Ids district, who bore a great number of aliases, and who had been "wanted" for nine months to serve

several months' imprisonment alter natively to paying heavy tines fo: breaches of the Licensing law commit ted at Taumarunui.

Writing of seedless apples, Mr. Luther Burbank says none of them are of any commercial value. "There was," he says, "once a so-called stoneless plum, but it was not larger than a large bean, and was not lit for human food. The bush was an illshaped, thorny one, and the fruit absolutely useless. Now there are growing on* my farms splendid pi ones and plums, which are stoneiess. Na.ure gives us a hint, and it is man's business to carry out the work to produce results." Without funnels, coal, firemen, and smoke, the forerunner of the new steamship has arrived. The Danish East Asiatic Company has made a practical test with a new boat of 10,000 tons displacement. The ship is an oil burner, and is, in fact, an immense motor-boat driven by engines somewhat similar to thosa in use upon motor-cars. The engine-room has the advantage of plenty of light, no oppressive heat, and but little noise .Its oil tanks, at the keel, carry sufficient fuel for a cruise around the .world.

The programme for the concert in the Presbyterian Church to-morrow night included selections by Mrs. Penn's orchestra, solos bv Misses Belle McNab, of Auckland, E. Sangster, M. Mackay, and Messrs. Douglas and Sargent; pianoforte solo by Mr.-.. McNeely and recitation by Mi;. Bond, also addresses by visiting ministers. The Rev. T. H. Roseveare, of New Plymouth, moderator, will preside. The tea and concert promise to be as successful as in past years, and, give l ; a line night, there should be a good attendance of tin 1 congregation and friends.

In his report of Inst year's work in the Marlborough schools, the chief inspector lias something to say about the vogue of American fiction. "American novel-reading is becoming more and more prevalent in New Zealand," he says, "and the result on the language is beginning to be visible in the frequent use of such. Americanisms, as 'belonging there,' the use of 'like' as a conjunction, and even such rxpressions as 'where did you used Ic see these,' may be found in otherwise good writers. Inasmuch as English i" a living, growing, developing language —it will become a problem of the near future bow far it may be permissible to accept contributions from the great Anglo-Saxon-Celtic-Latin-Negro race of the West—how far it may be wis: to neglect these idioms if we wish to preserve in close relation to each othei the grant nations that use our speech."

A communication has been received by the Tnranaki Education Boavcl from the Education Department, np proving, with slight alterations, the draft copy of the regulations submitted by the former body for the compulsory attendance of students at technical and continuation classes. Reporting to the Board last night, the director (Mr. Ballantyne) said that if these regulations were to be broughl into force at an early date, it would be advisable to set up a sub-commit-tee to go into the matter and report Lo the Board. The Board received the report:, and decided to consult those school committees in whose districts there were technical schools as to whether they wished the Board to move in the direction suggested. The proposal originally eminated from the Stratford School Committee. Three schools would he affected in New Plymouth, :uid one each at Stratford and Inglcwood.—"News."

A meeting of the Tnranaki Hunt will be held at Beaconsfield Road tomorrow, which it is to be hoped will he well patronised locally. A large body of New Plymouth members have promised to attend, the hounds arriving by the 10 o'clock train. It is intended to throw off at Mr. Geo. Sangster's Farm at one o'clock. To encourage local sportsmen Mr. T. W. Kirkwood, hotter known, perhaps, In our local sports as Tommy Longshot, proposes io give a whip lo the local man who is lirst in af the kill, hut lie smut have taken the last three fences before the kill takes place, and must he a bona fide member'of the hunt. Mrs. IT. Richmond has, kindly promised to provide afternoon tea. and if the weather is al all propitious, the meet promises to be a very successful one.

Teams representing Bird lload and Wingrovo Road played a return eribbage match at J tie Bird lload School last night, Bird Road winning by 11 Mines to 34.

The following resignations were accepted by tiie Taranaki Education board last evening:—Miss J). Evans, assistant at Pihama; Miss A. Crawford, assistant at Central; Miss B. Head, sole teacher at Lower Mangorei; Mrs. Dewhirst, head teachor. <>* Egmout Village. Leave of absence granted to Miss A. Lewis, sole teacher at Dudley.