LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXIII, Issue 28, 30 May 1912, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

The “Stratford Evening Post” will not bo published on Monday June 3rd, King Gcorge’^'hirthday.

The Hon. the Premier will deliver a policy speech at Opunakc this evening.

The term of appointment of r. W. L. Kennedy as a member of the Taranaki Land Board 'having expired, nominations for the election of, a member to fill the vacancy are invited by the Commissioner of Crown Lands.

The l : st for to-morrow’s Bitting of the Magistrate’s Court iuchulos thirtyfive civil cases (three defended), four judgment summonses, and seven informations for breaches of .the Borough by-laws. The King’s Birthday will bo celebrated to-morrow at the Stratford District Higli School by the saluting of the flag, and speeches suitable to the occasion will be delivered by the Chairman of the Committee, the Mayor, and others. The ceremony commences at 2 l).m. The Aldershot ovens which gave such satisfaction at the recent Waverley camp, and are. now doing good service at the “casual” camp, were manufactured in Stratford by Messrs. McMillan and Fredric, of Broadway, under the supervision of SergeantMajor Dallinger.

The executive of the Stratford A. and P. Association met last night, when, in addition to tho routine business, it \yas decided to recommend to the Haivcra and New Plyrpouth A. and I’. Associations, that the proposed conference he held in Stratford on the first Wednesday in July.

The following team representing Stratford will tin's evening journey In drag to Kltham to try conclusions at euchre with an Kltham team ;—Mick Harkness, Lawson, Jom;s, Butcher. Kelly, C. D. Solo, Collins (2), S Ward, H. Wilson, P. .Willson, J. Hume, Dick Boon, H. Masters, Hurston, Calvert. ,

It is understood that Sir William Hall-Jones, having declined a further extension for three ' month;-, of. the High Commissionership for New Zealand, the position, will become vacant on June Ist. Mr. Palliser, Secretary to the High Commissioner, will perforin the duties pending the annointment of a successor to Sir W. Hall-Jones.

A meeting of the Council of the New Zealand Jersey Breeders’ Asso elation was hold in Palmerston on Sat urday, when it was resolved that animals born since July. 1909, whose Vre and dam are in the Herd Book, will he eligible for entry in the Herd Book, subject to application being made by August 90. A lino of £lO will be payabb' on all animals, and, in addition to the ordinary fees, an examination fee of 5s will bo made on all declined animals. All applicants are subject to the approval of the editing committee. Champion medals' for male and female were allotted ,to the Hawera A. and P. Association. There is now at the Dresden Piano Depot in Wellington, a Gramophone room, with a good selection of instruments and many interesting records. Mr. M. J. Brookes, the North Island manager of that establishment, has asked us to tell pur readers that visitors from the provinces will always be welcome. There will be placed on the gramophone any selections they desire to hear. An operator is always in attendance. It will not be suggested that purchase should lie made. “The Dresden” is simply desirous of showing spontaneous attention to its friends.

In tin's material ago the auspices are not consulted, nor is any significance attached to such commonplace tilings as earthquakes, thunder and lightning. During the; unveiling of the cairn amongst the graves of our soldiery buried in front of their fort at Waihi (Normanby) yesterday, rain fell heavily. But, just as the flags had fallen from the tablets, and the ceremony bad ended, the sun came out, and in the west appeared a magnificent rainhow. From where the Premier stood, the cairn was surrounded with a bow of radiant light—a glorified halo. Mr. Mackenzie was the first to call the attention of those present to this singularly favourable heavenly portent. The annual meeting of subscriber:of (he Inglewood Public Library takes place to-morrow evening. In the conise of its report the committee says:—The committee has to report that during the year flo!) volumes were added to the Library, and a fourth supplement to the catalogue is in course of preparation. The number of books taken out by subscribers during the year ending .‘list December,, If)] 1, was fil‘lo. of which, judging from observations which have been made at various times, about SO per cent, would be fiction. A juvenile section lias been established, to which children attending the State School in Inglewood are admitted without payment, conditionally on their parents becoming responsible for the safety ol the bonks issued. The number of subscribers is now S 3. The balance-sheet shows receipts totalling £.T"2 (is 2d. subscriptions totalling £‘lo fls. and dona) inn" the queer «cmu r ' 1 ’ 1 1’d r, 'ba expenditure totalled -Cl6l 13s, the chief items being; Hooks bought £l(s Ms od, subscript ions to newspapers and magazines £l7 its Sd, The ernlit balance at March hist was £l7O- 12r. 2d fas against £1 <SO 12s fid in (be previous voar), including “cash in band Is.”

Lust night a hockey team from the Coronation Skating Kink journeyed to Hawera and playel a match with the local team, anl wore victorious l>y two goads to one. Tries wore scored liy .Mr T. Rogers and Air K. Marrctt. Miss Olive Could was successful in winning the musical chairs, and Mr H. Marrott gained second place in the half-mile championship.

Apropos of a recent sale of Corot pictures in Paris, at which The Woman with the Pearl brought CGOItIJ, M. Henri Pochcfort says that Corot c.nco said to him, on a visit to the artist’s studio in the early days before he vas appreciated, pointing to his canvases, ‘‘Take as many of those tilings home as you like. That stuff does not sell.” Perhaps Corot meant merely to lend his pictures to his friend, as one who could call attention to them. Artists are not prone to give away choir best work.

The London County Council lias had a report prepared on the frauds practised in London on bread consumers. It is stated that the consumers of broad lose between £-100.000 and £500,000 a year in respect of deficient weight. This startling statement appears in the report of tlie public control committee of the London County Council. The committee, ‘n recommending that the Board ot Trade should be urged in introduce legislation for the amendment of the .'aw on the subject, gives details c-f systematic purchases made by the conned's inspectors, extending over a' year, and the bread was bought at shops, from carts, and barrows, at private houses, twopenny loaves at'shops, and "standard” bread.

Several local sportsmen are snickering at the “gameness” of the mallard ducks .which have been liberated at different periods by the Otago Acclimatisation Society whose object in doing so it is said, was to provide-sport in the wilds, says the Dunedin, “Star.” The true English mallard duck is recognised as a wily bird when the hunters’ gun is heard, but the mallards set free in Otago appear to be of a less spirited nature. They sit by the wayside (so the story runs) as docile as tiie slaves of a sultan. Occasionally they fiy into farm yards to call upon ducks that are probably fairly near relatives. They are good birds for the table however, and require little expenditure by sportsmen on Tegd. If the rumour bo truth, one can bring them down with the lead on the end of a walking stick. In attempting to forecast the future of the hank, one new and important factor has- to lie taken into consideration (said the chairman, Mr. C. G. Hamilton,, at the annual meeting of the Bank of Australasia held in London on March 2Sth). A Commonwealth Bank has been authorisecg and will shortly he established. So far as I know, there is-no other instance of a State owning and running a bank, and the experiment will be watched with , interest. Of course, we’ do not welcome a new and powerful competitor, hut if the Commonwealth Bank is managed on sound-.financial lines, with the intention of making profits for itself and not of becoming a burden on the taxpayer, I see no groat reason to fear it. Such.an institution, if ably managed, and backed by the State, may become a source of; great strength to the community, and may bo able ‘to afford valuable assistance to other financial institutions ,in , time of trouble. I hope that the..;,Commonwealth Bank may some day hold in Australia sometwhat of the position that the Bank of England holds in .this.-country. M. and Madame Lebrun were divorced eight years ago, writes the Paris correspondent of the- “Daily Telegraph.” Mdllo Lebrun, now seventeen was entrusted to her. mother’s care; and she has just got engaged to a clerk ten years her, senior. Her mother gave her-consent. Her father refused his, on the ground that she is overyoung to marry yet. The result was a lawsuit. What could the judge do better, than interview the girl. He did so, and this is the paternal report.— “Whereas the information concerning / the prospective bridegroom, as regards \ his constitution, his morals,, and his worldly position is excellent; whereas the information concerning the prospective bride is equally comforting; whereas the Court has beep enabled by a personal interview with the latter in Chambers to ascertain that the prospective bride possesses every appearance of robust health, as also a" maturity of mind quite exceptional for her age, whereas finally, in these circumstances the father’s scruples however worthy of,respect they may he, are not justified, his opposition must bo rejected.” Therefore, the Court having satisfied itself that Mdlle Lebrun is not overyoung to marry Mdlle Lebrun may marry her sweetheart forthwith.