LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXIV, Issue 17, 12 September 1912, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Rating on unimproved values was | carried at a poll of the Mataura rate-1 payers. j A well-known American scientist is credited with the statement that if j the English people want to regain their supremacy in athletics the mostj important step they must take in that j direction is to educate the average i English housewife in the fine art or cookery. It is said that a mnuscript written in the year 1840 by two tob'ungas,. was found recently in a Maori village, i and that it deals with hitherto unknown principles cf ancient Maori law. j Mr. Percy Smith has the translation | of the manuscript in hand. The “Daily Express” makes tin j startling announcement that a group | of American manufacturers is prepared i to Hood the British market with automobiles, which it will be able to sell at £SO each. A couple of local solicitors and a j companion who went out for a motor i drive on Wednesday had an unpleasant experience near Lochiel (says the “Southland Times”). Quo of them, I who was driving, got over the edge of j the road in endeavouring to avoid a pool of water. The motor turned turtle, and the occupants were thrown I out, but fortunately they sustained no) further damage than a few slight ; bruises. The acting chauffeur was a i novice at driving and that most pro-

bably accounted for the upset. A few days ago a vehicle was proceeding up a street in Gisborne, when a girl endeavoured to hasten across the road in front of it, the attempt being attended with disastrous results. She .sank well over the boot-tops into the mud, becoming a helplesjs fixture, and it was not until a spade had been called into requisition and she had been dug out of her predicament, that the young lady was able to make for her home.

The Continental system of obtaining expert opinion in Law Courts on technical subjects was favourably commented on by bis Honour Mr. .justice Denniston at the Supreme Court on Wednesday (says . the “Lyttelton Times”), during a case in which the evidence of a very large number of'experts bad been found to conflict. On the Continent, he said, there were paid official experts on various subjects, and, when expert opinion was required, these prepared a report, which was presented in Court and taken as final on the subject. The “Greymouth Evening Star” states that some of the eighteen Chinese are now within the walls of His Majesty’s gaol in Gresson Street, the result of default in connection with the recent gaming convictions. Times are hard with the Chinese at present

—the whitebait are scarce and the Chinese arc hoping that the advent of the fish will be deferred for at least a fortnight, when the defaulters will bo able to ply their fishing propensities to a profit and reap the benefit of the early season’s prices. Comradeship has a strong hold on the colonials, and in time of adversity it is seen at its best. A case came under our notice the other day (says the “Western Star”). One of the employees of the new Wairio Coal Company’s line was laid aside for some weeks with a severe cold. The dav he resumed! work his camp caught fire, and when running to save his property he fell

and dislocated his ankle, which enforced another spell of four weeks’ idleness upon him. When pay-day came around each man on the works handed back to the overseer a contribution, and the aggregate was suffi-

cient to purchase a new tent, fly, and iron chimney.

The “Oamaru Mail” states that a rifle club is being formed in Oamaru under the now defence scheme, and a meeting will shortly ho hold to arrange the details, iho initial proceedings have boon carried out. The right to shoot on the North Hoad range has boon granted.

On the motion of Mr Hoy (Roy and Nicholson), Mr Justice Cooper has granted probate of the following wills: —-Robert McMillan (New Plymouth), on August 30; Robert Cross (Westown, New Plymouth), and Mrs Elizabeth. Bayly (Waitara), on September Aviators in Russia will have to bo very careful in future where iJi' i y pilot their machines, when out forau aerial spin. Under the new espionage law any airman is considered a spy who is seen flying within sixteen miles of a fortress, and is liable from two to four years’ imprisonment. At a meeting of delegates of local bodies and school committees, held at Masterton yesterday, a resolution was carried supporting the recommendation of the Education Commission in favour of disestablishing district high schools and establishing agricultural higu schools in their stead, and advocating the establishment of an agricultural high school in that district. About seventy applications were received by the Pilnama Co-operative Dairy 7 Co. for the advertised positions of cheese managers/ The following appointments were made: Geneial manager, Mr Callaghan: manager. Skeot road, Mr K. F. Duckworth ; manager, Waitekia, Mr W. H Minis.

At the meeting of the Stratford County Conned on Wednesday next, Councillor Marfell will move: "That £50 1 be voted from the Manawawiri road account each to the Standish load and Ahnroa road west accounts,” and Cr. Marfell will also move: “That separate accounts ho kept for the Ahnroa road east and the Ahnroa road west, the division to be at the Standish road.”

At the time of the last'election in <igmont there were 6974 voters’ names on the electoral roll. When the purging” took place after the election there were close upon 1000 stmek off: On the roll for the coming by-election there are 6127 voters’ names, a decrease of 817 as compared with the last roll. There were names placed on the present roll, says the “Argus,” and there were 100 applications/for registration which were handed in too late for the Registrar to accept them.

A very enjoyable evening was spent m file horesters’ Hall last night when another of the popular Druids’ dances took place. Despite the wet uGather, a good number of dancers assembled. Music was supplied by Mr Rogers’ orchestra, including Mr'Rogors (vio.in), Mr. Charlie Penn (violin), Penn (piano), Mr. W. Everiss (cello). Extras were played by Mrs. Bianchi, and Mr. J. Jones carried out the duties of M.C. Supper was handed round, and the gathering dispersed at about 1 a.m.

The Belgian Government’s plan for making Antwerp the largest port in the wo'dd is described by the American Consul-General in Belgium.' He says tiiy plan calls for the betterment of '-lie' course of the river Scheldt by rounding off the sharp bends within five miles downstream from Antwerp. The Antwerp side of the river is to be thrown back and curved so-as to present with the existing quay System, a regular concave water) front 'about 5J miles long, leaving the existing inner dock system intact. The left bank is also to be thrown back into another curve a little farther downstream. There is nothing to prevent the buildiug of the river walls at once, and if this is done they may be completed ir ( '°ur or five years. The total length of the proposed deep-water quays along the river front may be carried "to Klf miles.

The end of April marked the centenary of the Marquis of Dalhousie, one of the greatest Goveniors-General of India. He was born on April 22, 1812. Not quite thirty-six,.years old, after a short Cabinet experience under Peel, he was sent to India, which he ruled for eight ‘years. Under aim the Punjab and Lower Burmah were conquered, and half-a-dozen important native States annexed to British India. “You will laugh, doubtless,” he wrote to a friend in 1818, “jo think of the Laird o’ Cockpen howling about k ngs and kingdoms as if they were' curling stones!” Dalhousie left India a year before the Mutiny, and his reputation suffered severely in consequence of the revolt, which was by many attributed to his strenuous policy and high-hand-ed ways. He was in no position to defend himself, for the hand of death was upon him. The controversy is now almost forgotten, and Dalhousie’s fame as the chief maker of modern India is secure. Roads, railways, and irrigation works, telegraphs and a cheap post, Legislative Councils and the Education Department, a reforming military system and medical service—these and countless other developments date from Dalhousie’s term of,office, during which every part of the administration was put upon the anvil-

! There remain in England about 12,000 gipsies, nomad and sedentary, : while Scotland and Wales have about I 6000 of the same people. The gipsies j cf Wales and of the Northern English j counties are noted as retaining more j of the ancien t Romany than their kinsI folk of Southern England, who indulge j >n red hair, snub noses, and blue eyes, : end speak such very corrupt Romany I that the better class clans refuse to I recognise them. Even in the Nm-th, j enquiring members cf the Gipsy Loro I Society must distinguish between the true Eomanichel and those descendants j Scottish tinkers and degenerate English g.psips who at large horse fairs may hq camping on the same ground with the superior Hornes and Boswells. Just now, of course, rural England is enriched by that host of splendid Continental nomads who scattered from their first camp at Birkenhead to test the charms of common and highway, and have not yet reassembled for the further trip to Canada or Brazil. But, still, gipsy;sm is declining, say observers; and the modern Romany, not to speak of the “posh-rat,” or halfbreed, seems to take more kindly than lie should to the ways of citv life. The poor gipsy drifts to the slums; the prosperous gipsy does not despise a suburban villa. Even in the country a Romany of unimpeachable wandering descent may he found settled quite happily within the limits of his farm. Between the attractions of the town, the increasing tolerance of mixed marriages and the sophistication of once Arcadian lanes and roads, the linger ng remnants of a mysterious race seem hound to lie absorbed by degrees in the everyday life of the English people.

The specialist is the one to-day who stands at the head of any profession or business. Herberts are specialists in ladies’, children’s and infants’ needs. We’ve made these our particular study; we have the finest range, the newest styles, the lowest prices, which are unequalled in this town.

“Move On!”—-The following dialogue took place in Broadway this morning:—Thirsty Individual (accosting artisan): “Excuse me; are you a Canterbury supporter?” Artisan: “Neutral.” T. 1.: “I’ve just made a wager of fifty quid that the blanky, blanky Canterbury® can wallop the Taraoiikiitos; and I’ll give them a draw in. I know; I’ve played against ’em.” Then (with a sixpence between thumb and index, and two other thirsty souls anxiously waiting the response): “Can you make this i eighteenpenceP I’ve got the shakes ‘badly!” Needless to say, the hardworking artisan was minus the necessary coin; neither did he possess even the much-sought-for “fag.” A wedding ring, which was lost 20 ’ years ago, has been restored to its owner under interesting-circumstances which are related by the New Zealand “Herald.” Mrs. Baker, a lady now over 80 years of age, wdio lives in the Epsom district, was on Thursday last in the vicinity of Owen’s Road with a companion. She pointed out a house in the thoroughfare named as being one in which her son formerly resided, and stated that during a visit she was paying to him there a score of years previously she lost the plain gold band that once adorned her “mar riage” finger. Later in the day Mrs. Baker’s companion happened to be visiting the occupiers of the house, with whom she is acquainted, and she mentioned her old friend’s loss. To her surprise her host declared that fifteen years ago he had found a wedding ring in the house drain whilst he was cleaning the latter out. He had put it away, and was able to produce it at or.ee. Mrs Baker thus regained posession of her • almost forgotten ring through the casual mention of her loss to her friend, and the repetition of the story to the finder. For five years the ring reposed in a drain, and for fifteen years thereafter it lay in a drawer awaiting the restoration.