LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXIV, Issue 21, 17 September 1912, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

This evening the results of the Kg- 1 mont bye-election will be received at the office of the “Stratford Evening Tost,” and will bo displayed, by hind permission, in Mr. Newton King s ni.i chinery window. i At last night’s special meeting o) | the Borough Council the tender of Mi ! W. Head for work in connection with; the renovations and alterations oil the Borough Council Chambers, at , £94 os, was accepted, as also was the ; tender of Mr. R. Beckett, for work at the abattoirs, for the sum of £oo its. | A cyclist was run over by a motor- 1 car on the Main South Road on Sun- 1 day, two wheels of the car passing j over the bicycle, which was crushea like an egg-shell, but the rider,. through some special act of i rovicl- ■ ence (says the “News”) escaped' scatheless, and calmly shouldered the. mangled remains of his machine and sauntered on his journey. Discussing the copra trade, the Cook Islands Commissioner deplores the great waste of cocoanuts through the inhabitants of Niue Island drinking the milk in the young nuts instead or the water. As an illustration he mentions one village where, out of 200 or 300 people, with a concrete reservoir of 12,000 gallons capacity nearly always full in the centre of the village, less than a dozen people habitually drink the water, the remainder still drinking from the young cocoanuts. From investigations he estimates thej annual waste from the cause to represent money value of at least £3 10s per head of the total population. With the gradual decline of this waste, together with the increase of palms and their better care, he states there is every reason to believe there will lie a steady increase in the output of copra. The experiments in cotton-grow-ing which have been going on for some time past have proved eminently successful, and it is highly probable that Niue will become a cotton-producing country before long, adds the Commissioner.

A melancholy incident in New Zealand's maritime history was recalled hy the death in London a few weeks ago, at the ago of 67, of Mr. Charles George Brooke-Hunt, the last surviving officer of H.M.S. Orpheus, which was wrecked in February, 1868. The Orpheus, a steam corvette of 21 gnus and 1706 tons, was making a round of the stations under Commander Burnett, when she ran on the bar of tju jiaroour at Manukau and became a total wreck, with the loss of her commander, 23 officers, and 166 sailors, marines, and boys. Seventy members of the crew were rescued, the majority by the men of the Wonga-Wonga, a small steamer, whose captain on arrival found heavy seas breaking clear over the Orpheus half way up the rigging. All the officers and men had climbed on to the rigging, the commander with his young officers being on the miz/.en top. As the Hood ti le rose the. masts fell away ( no hy one. Those who sought refuge in the tops wore heard cheering and encouraging each other as they fell. Fragment;; cf

spars and large masses of wreck were carried inshore hy the tide with members of the crew clinging to them in the last stage's of exhaustion.

A special mooting of Court Stratford, Ancient Order of Foresters, ro appointment of medical office!;, will bo held in the Foresters’ Hall on Friday ('veiling. A full attendance of members is required, as the matter is an important one.

A reminder is given to the members of the W.Y.M.I. Tennis Club of the annual meeting to be held in Messrs. •Jackson Bros’, office, Broadway, tonight at 8 o’clock. Very important business has to be transacted, and the members are earnestly requested to attend. The Taranaki Provincial ScottislA Society’s Inglewood branch, which ijaß as alert and full of life as the parenc' institution, is to hold "a Grand Scottish Concert, followed by a supper and dance, in the Inglewood Parish Hall, on Wednesday, September 25th. Tickets may be had from Air Alex. Henderson. the Society’s secretary, at Stratford, and Air Henderson will arrange for special conveyance, if necessary. “1 should like to see kerbing in every part of the Borough,” remarked Councillor Ward at the snecial meeting of the Borough Council last night. Continuing, the Councillor said that one only had to look at what Eltham had done in this connection, and to note what amount their footpaths cost them in upkeep to see the wisdom of this course of action. The Horticultural Society’s annual exhibition of daffodils and spring flowers will be held in the Foresters’ Hall on Thursday, 2Gth inst. The ladies of | the Society have arranged supper and j afternoon tea, and music is also being I supplied by members and friends. The sterling silver challenge cup presented to the Society by the Mayor is at present on view in Messrs. Bellringer Bros’, window, i A dance that proved to he one of

the most successful of the season took

place last evening, when the Foresters held a “long night” in the Foresters’ Hall, about fifty couples being present. Good music was supplied by die Ngaere Orchestra, assisted by Mr. R. Sanders, and extras were played by Misses Birkett and Rogers and Messrs. A. Richardson and Marrett. -Mr. Ik Hancock acted as M.C., in his usual satisfactory manner. A recherche sit-down supper was supplied by Mrs. Brooking. Applications for land in the Whatitokarua Block should be careful to refrain from entering into any arrangements for partnerships or other disposal of sections, in tho event of being successful at the ballot, 1 The .Land Act provides that no person who at the time of his application has made any such agreement shall become a lessee, and there is a very heavy penalty imposed for a breach of the Act in this respect. If a partnership is intended it must be provided for in a joint application. Mr. R. Burke, the nightwatchman at Hawera, and a friend, were walking up High Street in the neighbouriiood of tiie Empire Hotel after midnight on Sunday, when they heard the sound of breaking glass. No footsteps were hoard, and on making further investigation it was ascertained that tho plate glass window of the Golden Grid risk shop had been broken, also the larger window of Mr. Boase’s shop next door. Mr. Erlich’s window was replaced only last Monday, says the “Star,” it having been broken .in a ■ similar manner about a , month,- ago. The value of the window is about £ls, I and that in Mr. Boase’s shop would j probably cost £2O, The fact of no footsteps being heard after' the imi .pact goes to show that the’ pieces of concrete—the missiles used—must have been thrown from the corner of Regent Street. The matter has been placed in the hands of the police, and as suspicion rests on some individuals, there is a prospect that the perpetra- | tors of this dastardly act will be | brought to justice. I Experience has led people to belicv that an egg is one of the. most fragile things in the world. ( But' an incident in King Street, Sydney, Isjisfc week, seems to prove that the egg, is 1 not so liable to be smashed as we nave believed. A carter was delivering several boxes of eggs at an oyster saloon, when one slipped and fell, top first, on to tho wood blocks. The eggs rolled in all directions, some travel ling'down the gutter almost half the distance between Castlereogh and Pitt Streets. The carter’s face was a study of consternation, but it assumed an expression of pleased surprise when an examination showed that the less was not more than a dozen all told. It must have been an unusually hard-shelled nest. One onlooker remarked that if the hens could bo trained to lay round eggs they might be used as billiard balls'.

A very remarkable incident happened the very last day on which Calcutta could claim to be the Imperial Capital of India. The Legislative Council closed its sittings, and the Viceroy departed for the north. Just before Lord Hardinge left, a violent thunderstorm broke over the city, and the British hag hying over Government House was ’’torn to shreds by lightning.” No power on earth will prevent that extraordinary incident from making a far deeper impression upon the people of India than any Imperial announcement. The inherent pessimist of the Hindu race sees omens in everything. When the King landed at Bombay the Royal Standard stuck in a ball half-way up the flagstaff, and would not break out, The same thing occurred at the great review, and Indians shook their heads. When the s.s. Delhi struck the rocks near Tangier on the 'morning of the Durbar there was a profound sensation ip the bazaars, and wise-acres recalled .the old proverb, “No dynasty sits long on the Teacock Throne.” But, really, the flag incident was dramatic enough to interest far less superstitious people.

A troupe of Chinese gymnasts and acrobats, who finished their season at the King’s Theatre, Dunedin, on Saturday night, provided a good deal of sensation before their departure for Invercargill on Monday morning, there has been something in the nature of a feud between one member (a Cantonese) and the remainder, who are Pechilis, and apparently a scheme was arranged to attack the former at the close of the performance. The suspicions of the attendants were aroused, however, and the plot was frustrated The Pechilis were closely watched on Sunday, and were unable to harm the Cantonese, who wa\fc|Cortjd all day by two attendaiitq|P The Pechilis had vowed they would not leave this morning, but stern measures were rescorted to, even to forcibly dressing them, with the assistance of a constable. On the way to the station a boy (a Pechili) ran away, but was soon captured. On arrival at the station it was discovered that the boy had in his possession an open penknife. Though he was watched attentively he tried to stab the Cantonese, at whom ho rushed, crying: “I stab von;" Fit innately they were got away, nnch to the relief of all concerned. An Invercargill message states that the Chinese troupe of gymnasts arrived hy Mm exp-ess, and were conducted to die Bluff. Apparently their difficulties bad boon settled, as all were put on board the steamer without difficulty, and created no disturbance.

At a special meeting rf the Borough Council last night an Inglewood contractor offered to crush stone for the Stratford Borough Council suitable for road work for Is per cubic yard, Council to find fuel for engine. At the present time the Council pays 2s 5d per cubic yard, and, since the Borough Overseer estimates the cost of fuel and water at oidy 3d per yard, it looks very much as if the Council is likely to drive a very excellent bargain with the northern town contractor. The matter has been left in the hands of the Works Committee, with power to act. When a Councillor seeks the suffrages of the electors he almost iuvari . ably makes a strong point of his indentions to represent the electors, “as a whole,” but whether the phrase is acted up to at the Council table is another question. Apparently some Councillors doubt the good intentions of their neighbours. “Why,” asked Councillor Ward last night, “does Councillor King say that £IBOO is too much to spend on the Opunake Road P If he is sincere, he would have opposed the vote of £ISOO for Juliet Street.” In his personal explanation, Councillor King disclaimed any connection with the placing cf the vote .for Juliet Street on the estimates, he having been absent from the meeting at which the claims of the street in which he lived were discussed.