LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXIV, Issue 47, 18 October 1912, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

The sailing date of the Shaw, Savill and Albion Company’s steamer lonic lias been altered from December 26th to December 2-lth. T!ie former date being Boxing Day made this change necessary. A whale 66ft. in length was stranded last week in the Aotera Harbour, at the back of Kawhia, end is being inspected daily by numerous parties of interested spectators. Pneumatic tyres < f chemically C oated and compressed paper have been brought to notice in France and Germany. The material is said to be as strong as steel and as elastic as rubber, yielding tyres that arc noiseless, waterproof, and inexpensive.

A full-mouthed wether, the dressed weight of which was 1571 b, was recently slaughtered at the Nelron abattoirs. lu the Arbitration Court at Wellington the other day, the fact was remarked that there had never been a strike in the Taranaki district. With the exception of two, all the Councillors and the Engineer of the Whangarei County Council have signed a joint and several guarantee for £IOOO to the Bank of New Zealand. Bob flies last week caused the death of a valuable draught horse to Mr Isaac Harvey, cf Happy ValleyJW When the animal was opened about seven dozen hots were found in the • horse’s intestines. It is stated that the raspberry growers of Waimate district will be heavy losers this season because the grub is in nearly all the gardens, and many of the canes are not shooting at all, and the others will only bear fruit on about half of the canes* Palmerston North is to be the scene of a demonstration on Tuesday next, when the llaxmill employees of the district will make a protest against the imprisonment of the waihi strikers. The Opera House is to be engaged and speeches are to' be delivered. In answer to a question at Masterton, Mr. A. R. Young, M.R.G.V.S., 1 stated that the death of many big i lambs before and after docking was j clue to over-feeding. He bad opened I lambs, and found that death was | caused by internal fatness. Others 1 died as a result of wool-ball.

One very serious phase of the mumps epidemic in the Manawatu district is the form of delirium contracted by adult patients in certain cases. Nearly a dozen sufferers from Palmerston and district have had to be sent ‘fer treatment to Porima. Mental. Hospital within the past few weeks. The Ballance Co-operative Dairy Co., which last year shipped 50 tons oi butter to British Columbia, is again sending a large proportion of its output to the same market. The comPmy has also received an eider for iMO boxes of butter from San Fran(isco, and the shipment will be forwarded by the first available steamer. A notice of motion for the next meeting of the Master ton A. and P. Association reads: “That judges of sheep he empowered to lead single s ioep out, so that they may he inspected by the public.” This method, states the mover, is adopted at the Melbourne shows, and works very satisfactorily. Shiploads of Island oranges landed in Auckland continue to be found to be infected with the fruit fly. The Tofua brought a cargo of oranges last week from Tonga, and 110 burnt af the destructor. Two other cases, the property of some of the crew, did not escape* the vigilance of the inspectors, and these also wore destroyed. The Provincial Government in Ontario are now turning a large area of land into a prison farm, on which every form of husbandry and various industrial enterprises will be undertaken. This idea of prison Jaipur being employed on farms and orchards is chiefly intended as a social experiment, but it is also designed deliber- ! ately to produce sound economic results. • ' '

Wealthy persons are assuring their lives in order to pay heavy death duties without the necessity of realising part of their estates (states a recent cable). One policy is reported to have been taken out for £300.000, others for £250,000 and £200,000, and many On:. „ sjims. between £IOO,COO and £200,000. ' The waitress stood behind the chair, wondering what he was going to order, and he regarded the bill of fare, wondering the same. At last the prospective diner broke the silence. “A penny, miss,” he said, ‘‘for your thoughts.” She blushed deeply. “1 was just wondering,” she repied, ‘ if vou were a stewed rabbit or a boiled fowl !’ A plaintive wail from the Rotorua ‘Times’: —The frequent delays in transit of goods by rail is a perennial source of annoyance in Rotorua. The latest instance brought under notice is that where a piano occupied ten days in transit from Wellington to Rotorua. But this fades into insignificance against the case in which two hams, sent from Canterbury, were a month in arriving at their destination. At a. recent inspection by the examining officer of the local Customs, it was found, says the ‘Herald,’ that some of the Wanganui chemists had rendered themselves liable for breaches under the Opium Act, through not keeping proper books, etc. The Collector has now been instructed by the Secretary of Customs to issue a w arning that books must be kept strictly in accordance with the regulations, and that sale must only be made in accordance therewith.

“Wowserism” was a topic incidentally touched on by the chairman of the Dunedin Caledonian Society at a meeting the other night. He said there was an element of wowserism growing up in our midst. In answer to a request for a definition, the speaker said that he would not attempt to define it particularly, but, speaking generally, it meant one who took advantage of religion for the purpose of gain. People of that ilk were a danger to healthy, legitimate sport. They were also a disgrace to religion, because they twisted its tenets for their own advantage. If such a feeling once got root, it would take years and years to stamp it out, and it behoved every man to do his utmost to keep it under. They had nothing to gain from such people. The speaker’s words (states the ‘Star’) evoked a decided demonstration of, approval from the Caledonians present. Another of a series of interesting exhibitions of the explosive power of “Eruptite” was conducted by the New Zealand Loan and Mercantile Agency Co. yesterday afternoon, when members of the company, and a representative of the ‘Stratford Evening Post,’

motored out to Mr. William Brown’s farm at Cardiff. The remarkable powers of the explosive were fully demonstrated, under unfavourable conditions, and the uprooting of a growing “whiteywood” at an estimated cost of half a crown was tangible evidence of the almost criminal waste (d labour in the non-adoption of modenr

methods of stumping. Ordinarily there would have been a day’s hard work, or more, in stumping this single specimen, and the work would not then’have been done so thoroughly. The value of “Eruptite” lies in its strength, safety, and cheapness. Its safety is unquestionable, since it is only when the powder is mixed with a certain liquid that it can be exploded, and even then, with free aocess of air. it can only be made to 1 burn with difficulty. Its'cheapness- can lie ascertained from the fact that in fairly large quantifies it is retailed at less‘than Is per lb. After the tests, which wore unanimously voted “highly satisfactory.” the party were hosm’tably entertained by Mr,' and Mrs. Brown. It is intended to give a further exhibition in the same locality on Wednesday next.

Edward McKnight pleaded guilty this morning at the Magistrate's Court to a charge of sleeping in certain stables in Juliet Street, without having first obtained permission to do so. He explained that he had been given permission by a former owner of the stables to sleep in them. He was convicted and ordered to come up for sentence when called upon.

A parent charged at the Court fids morning with tailu.g to send her child to school, did not neaitale to express her opinion of the Court's decision. "1 think it s very unfair," she said, “very unfair," m spite, of the fact that Mr W. G. K. Kennck, S.M., twice reduced the tine so .Mat ’the total costs, '"including mileage, suoiild not exceed fourteen shi.lings. One of the truancy cases at the Court to-day presented some unusual features. A share-milker was charged with failing to semi his cidldren to school, and was fined altogether £5 2s. Mr. G. W. K. Kenrick, S.M., commented on the case as follows. —“Unfortunate children doing the milking—that’s what it amounts to.” The man said nothing, but he afterwards told a reporter that those of his children going to school did not do any milking. The school was a good way away, the roads were bad, and he was not going to send them to school in such weather as they had of late experienced. ‘•My wife has been ill for four years, and I have had to keep my eldest girl away to help in the lions.work She is in' the Vth Standard We live five miles out, and no girl will stop Witn us—it's too far from town, I suppose.’ lluis a-parent stated his case' at the “school picnic” in the Court to-day. Mr AV. G. K. Kennck, S.M., pointed out firmly that the Cburt was not the, place to make Uiese statements. The case should have been laid before the Chairman i,t uhe school Committee, or before the headmaster, and if it was a deserving one, tno parent might get an exemption. Some idea of the wealth that is invested in motor cars in Hawke’s Bay might have been gathered at the Napier Park races last Saturday afternoon:. At one period of the meeting no fewer than 86 cars were counted in the paddock enclosure, while there were 15 on other parts of the course. Averaging these at £4OO each, which would he a very moderate estimate, the value of these cars might he set down at £40,000. This (the ‘Telegraph’ adds) is not even a quarter of the motor cars in use in the district, but It is seldom that,so many cars, and of such considerable value, are seen together in one paddock. In a letter to a Wanganui resident an American correspondent gives some interesting information in regard to the political situation over there. He says" that Roosevelt seems to be .the favourite, and that Taft is the most disliked man that has ever occupied White House. The way Taft got the nomination in Chicago was by some of the most crooked work that was ever pulled off. Federal office holders were used right and left. In every possible place there was a cantest, and the . National Committee, composed of office holders, decided in Taft’s favour, bub he will never occupy White House again. A distressing case was illuminated in the Magistrate’s Court this morning. when a woman appeared to explain why her child had not been sent to school. She stated" that her boy, agbd 11 years and 8 months, had been continually ill, and for a long time had been in the hospital. He had been suffering from abscesses on the feet, due to a diseased leg-bone. His Worship (Mr. G. AV. K. Kenrick, S.M.) told the woman That she, should have long ago explained thi* to the school authorities—a doctor’s certificate would have kept the case out of Court. But the parent pointed out that she had no money to go to a doctor. She was receiving charitable aid, and it was only just recently that her husband had contributed something towards her maintenance. She could not send the children to school, when she had no breakfasts to give them! The c.;se was struck out.

A unique reception for a school inspector surely! Mr. J. Porteous, one of the inspectors of Native Schools, has ,just paid his annual visit to Takahiwai (says the ‘Whangajrei Mail’). Previous to his arrival the children decorated the school with fern dowers and nikau palms from the neighbouring bush. The day was rather wet, but, as usual in native schools, the parents and senior friends of the scholars assembled in force and watched the proceeding i with great interest. At the conclusion of the examination the inspector expressed his pleasure with the progress of the scholars and the cleanliness of the school and children. The speech was interpreted by William Pirihi.

An interesting discussion took place at the Court this morning in a case in which Mr Wright asked for costs in an action where the amount of the claim had been paid by cheque half-an-hour before the Court opened. _ Mr Wright’s clerk had given a receipt beailng the words “in settlement” of ihe case, and, consequently, Mr Cecil Duff, appearing for the that Mr Wright could not claim costs. The Magistrate took this view of the case, and no costs were allowed. Then Mr Wright suggested that “our friend” should take back the cheque, and return the receipt, as having been given ilnder an obvious misunderstanding, and the case could then proceed as if nothing had happened. Mr. Duff “regretted,” amid some amusement.

A sensational action by one of the passengers of the Maunganui at the Bluff delayed the vessel for an hour and a hair. It appears that an Auckland waterside delegate named S. Williams (who was travelling salor n) declined to get up for medical in pection when ordered to do so before 6 o’clock. At 6.30 the stewards made him get up, but he locked himself in a bathroom and defied the He Ith Officer, the Customs officer, and the ship’s officers to get him out, telling them that he would take his own time, and they could wait. The police wore summoned, but it was not till nearly 7.30 that the man was induqecl to come out, and so allow the discharge of the ship to commence. It Is possible that the man will be proceeded against (says the Dunedin ‘Star’). He is now very apologetic. Concerning Taranaki petroleum, .this month’s ‘Labour Journal’ reports: The supply of oil continues about the same, and preparations are being made to put down extra , bores in different' localities with a view to thoroughly testing the country. An effort is beirm made to secure five acres of the prison reserve from the Government, for the purpose of erecting a refinery. The work in connection with the erection and equipment of the refinery would provide employment for a large number of workers, and would cost, it is estimated, something like £30,000. No very pronounced advancement can be espe ted until a refinery is in operation. There is over 500,00(1 gallons of crude oil in stock at the bores, now ready for treatment. A oreatb- increased sunply at the present moment would move an inconvenience, as the storage capacity is about fully taken up.

“A boarding-house doesn’t happen to suit mo,” remarked, in polished U)ii«b n,i tws Comi tv>-da.y, a ''gentleman.” whose offence was sleeping, without permision, in a stable, desen bed by Sergeant McNeely as filthy and unfit for human habitation. Mr A. R. Young, in reply to a question at the conclusion of his address in Masterton on Saturday, if he would recommend breeding from a mare that had been faulty in the first foaling, said that he would. “A man may get drunk once,” lie said, “hut he need not be always drunk. (Laughter.)

The Truant Inspector (Mr. A. Hooker) proceeded against various parents at the Court this morning, for tailing to send their children to school. John Henry, H. Gollop, and Chas. Ruscoe (two charges), were each fined 10s and 7s costs; John Haggle, on four charges, was fined £l, and costs £1 8s; Wm. Goldfinch, on six charges, was mulcted in £3 and £2 2s costs; J. Mischewski (two _ charges), and J. Fever, were fined 5s and 7s costs; E. Welch was fined 10s and 12s costs; Mrs. Sharrock 2s and 12s costs; and J. Fever 2s and 7s costs.

The ‘Mataura Ensign’ states that a novel sight was witnessed at Ota Creek (Edendale) the other day, when thirteen teams turned out to give Mr. E. E. Collins (who has recently acquired Mr. Sullivan’s farm, and who lias been engaged in the dredging industry for the past , twelve years) a day’s work. To such purpose did the teamsters work that an 18-acre paddock was tilled and sown by evening. A large number of visitors, including ladies', visited the field during the afternoon.

At the Magistrate’s Court this morning, before Mr. W. G. K. Kenrick, S.M., judgment by default was entered in the following cases Joan Pennington (Mr. Thomson) v. Wm. Goldfinch, claim £6 12s sd. costs £2 IV C. Price (Mr. Wright) v. E. Cloke claim £1 8s 9d, and costs ss;, G. and W. Jones (Mr. Macalister for Mr. Anderson), claim £9, and costs £2 3s (id; I). Butchart (Mr. Fookos) v. W. J. Pope, claim and costs IQs; Bros. (Tvir. Duff) v. Geo Beatty, claim £0 8s Bd, and costs £1 3s fid'; H. G. "“'riTco (Mr. Wright) v. O. 11. Thomas, claim £7 17s Gd, and costs £1 8s (id; Stratford Hospital and Charitable Aid Board (Mr. Fookos) v. M. J. O’Keefe, claim £2 14s, and costs 10s; same v. K, J. Jennings, claim £5 Bs, and costs £J 8s 6d.