LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXIV, Issue 20, 16 September 1912, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

A fanner on the Main Trunk line claims to have produced a bhghtprooi potato, after four years' experimenting The new tuber is said to remain five from blight in a row oi infected potatoes. Now Zealand now holds the record as a letter-writing community. Tne latest statistics show that on the average 97 Jotters are written every year by every person in the Dominion.

The growth of Timaru is illustrated by the demand for a fourth school within the Borough on the west side. Tiie Education Hoard recently decided to establish one as a side school for infants and standards one and two, with provision for enlargement and future independence. Mr. W. .James, manager of Mr. Newton King's Willowvale farm, reports the birth of a record calf. The Holstein-Freisian cow Nazlis Pet has dropped a bull calf to King Alcartra Pietje, that tinned the scales at 130 lbs. The calf is well developed, and resembles an ordinary calf of a month old. The "Waihi Telegraph" says:—"The invasion of Federationists into "Waikino during the past lew days, and now the incursion of a small army of police, has caused quite a transformation of affairs there. The butcher, the grocer, the baker, the draper, and the news agents are all doing extra business. Trade has looked up in the erstwhile labour-bereft township."

A perfect specimen of the ribbon fish was found on the Nelson beach by pilotmen. if was 12ft long, lft wide, and 2\in. thick. Recently applications were called for the position of billiard steward to ttie Working Men's Club, Petone. Piio appointment made was not agreeable to the billiard players, of whom there are a large number, and a strike was declared. The billiard tables were not used for a week, the strike only ending when the steward resigned on Saturday. In the annual report of the Dominion Laboratory, Professor J. S. Maclaurin. Dominion Analyst, states that a search was made for traces of arsenic in six different brands of beer, but none could be detected. Among the

samples of spirits examined for the police six bottles of whisky of different brands, in which refilling was suspected. A comparison with undoubtedly genuine liquor of the same brands, it is stated, showed that the suspicions were warranted, refilling having actually occurred in three of the cases.

What is considered to be the largest pile driver in the Dominion is at present being constructed on the Queen Street Wharf, in Auckland. Tt is 90ft high—2oft higher than the Auckland Harbour Board's present driver —and weighs about 30 tons. The base, which is of ironbark, measures 30ft 6in by 28ft Gin. The rest of the structure, with the exception of the head, is built of huge beams of Oregon pine. The workmen have been engaged in the task of construction for about three months, and it will probably bo several mere weeks before it is completed. The boycott is not an unknown quantity on the West Coast at the present' time Csays the "Greymouth Evening Star"). Not a hundred miles from Groymouth it is reported to have entered into the social life of the residents, and that one young fellow had to peremptorily shift his lodgings on account of his attitude to the "10 per cent, levy." In another district, the dance in a ballroom was suddenly brought to a standstill till the person objected to made his exit. Another case is that in which an anti-levy man had his bicycle interfered with and a knife viciously and incisively used on the tyre.

' Comment was made at a recent meeting of the Sumner Borough Council regarding the proposed intention of :> religions body to hold Sunday .services on the beach at Sumner (Christchurch's seaside resort). Members of the Council thought that such a proceeding would be very undesirable, and it was stated that if one body was permitted to hold services various, other bodies would probably wish to do so, and the beach would become like Cathedral Square on a Sunday afternoon. One Councillor stated that people did not come to Sumner to have religion crammed down their throats, and the beach was no olnce for that sort of thing. It was decided to refer the matter to the Bylaws Committee for consideration. Grim stories are being, related about the difficulties which people expo rionce in securing houses in convenient suburbs (says the Melbourne "Argus"). "To Let" signs in some suburbs areas uncommon as furniture vans in Central Australia. A year ago many people in search of, homes signed agreements to rent ; houses before 'the foundations were laid. To-day : there are comparatively few vacant allotment's in! the suburbs handiest to Melbourne. In a house in a southern suburb recently, while a man lay dying, a number of people called upon the wife with offers to rent the house should she decide to give up her homo when the end came. Only a, day or two ago a young man lost his wife, and scarcely was. the funeral over before the bereaved husband was besieged with enquiries as to whether he intended to give up housekeeping. Notice is gazetted that the Besides Commissioner of the Cook Islands (if satisfied that there is reasonable ground to believe that any liquor is sold, or exposed or kept for .sale, _or manufactured for sale or. consumption at any place in the Cook Islands, whether a building or not, contrary to the provisions of the Licensing Act, 1908), may by warrant under his.hand.;authorise- any Collector of Customs'-"or other, person named therein, at any time or times within one month from the date thereof, to enter, and if need be bv force, the place named in the warrant, and every part thereof, and examine the same, and search for lipuor therein, and seize and remove any liquor found therein which there is 'reasonable ground to suppose is in such place for the purpose of unlawful sale at that or any other place, or has been unlawfully manufactured, and the vessels containing any such liquor.

A correspondent of the Auckland "Star" paints a dismal picture of uie .future of the Queen City of the North. He writes: "Whangarei has recently become a direct shipping port. The Northern Wairoa will in the near future do the same. This will cut off the whole of the northern trade. Fauranga is the natural outlet for the whole of the Bay of Plenty ; and with the completion of the Waihi-Tauranga raihvav the Thames Valley and the whole of the country right up to Lake Taupo will he nearer to Tauranga by rail than to Auckland. Even when the Paeroa to Pokeno lines is laid down the Thames Valley will not he as near to Auckland as to Tatiranga. When the railway line is laid to Kawhia Auckland's'hack country will he reduced to about five thousand square miles, and this, to quote a very good authority, abounds in potter's clay."

Arnst, the ex-sculimg champion of the world, left London after the I champion race, for Boulogne, whore he hopes to give free vein to his penchant for pigeon shooting, writes a London correspondent. The New Zealandor, who was accompanied by tiis wife, was looking by no means n-ell. His face looked drawn, and altogether he did not look half the man he"was just after his arrival at Putney. He pulled off nearly three, stone -t-38 pounds was the exact amount--during his training, and, in the opinion of some of those best qualified to express opinions on such a suljject, pulled it off far too quickly, and ,vould probably have done better injk the race if he had been content scull at five or six pounds header than he did. It is stated that JJPer the expenses of the race had been ;>and there remained over £250 for division between the men as profits from che steamboats. In the world's championship match between Stanbury and Harding the men divided nearly £4OO, but the bad weather on Monday last seriously affected the steamboat takings. All told, Arnst has received something like £625 for visiting England. Among those present at Charing Cross to bid Arnst and his wife (rood-bye was the new champion, Ernest Barry, who brought with him a magnificent spray of carnations for Mrs. Arnst. Barry and the New Zealander chatted together for some time, but both ignored the existence T such things as boats and sculls, ird neither touched upon the suljject f (lie race or any future race between them.

The number of claimants in the recent Melbourne railway accident lias grown to 360, Bays a cable to-day. Alterations are at present being made to the Wanganui railway station building, a second storey being added to the bridge end of the main building. The building boom which has been prevalent in Gisboruo during the winter is now as brisk as ever. Forty-ono buildings are at present in course 01 erection.

|kA reminder is given of the Foresters' dance (long uiglit) which takes place in the Foresters' Hall to-mgnt. J'lrood music will be supplied by Dne J*Ngaero Orchestra, and the catering is ... one capable hands of Mrs. lirooKing. Given a fine evening, a large attendance is expected. The local Labour Federation (says the Taranaki "News") is considering a proposal to establish a co-operative store in the town, and also to urge the Borough Council to establish a municipal oakery and butchery business. The questions will be gone into fully at the next meeting Oi the Labour Federation. . At the mooting of the local A. and P. Association Cieneral Committee on Saturday, tlie question of tho site of the grandstand was re-opened, and it was decided to further discuss the matter at a meeting on Saturday next. Our report of tne meeting appears elsewhere in this issue. New Plymouth offers a dual attraction to visitors next Thursday when the North Taranaki Hunt Club hold their annual race meeting, and the Taranaki-xManawatu Rugby football match takes place on the Recreation Sports Ground, adjoining tlie racecourse. The races start at 1 p.m., and the football ,match at 3.15 p.m. Delayed trains and. excursion fares have been arranged. For Influenza, take Woods' Great Peppormint Cue. Never fails. Is 6d and iia tjd. x