LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXIV, Issue 93, 14 December 1912, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

A rich deposit of radium ore lias lieeu found in Weiscnberg, Germany, and the price of the land immediatel;. rose to seven times its former vane. Directly and indirectly the cost, to New Zealand of the Governor and his establishment is not under £12,000 a year and is probably muen more.

The Montreal Star says of Canada : “\Ve are always the loudest in singing ‘God Save'the King,’ but the last in rallving to the support of the flag.”

During the rush of preparing Christmas orders, the Labour Department has decided that extra time worked b\ shop employees shall be, treated as “special work” as defined in the Act. A Makowhai poultry fancier has a curiosity in his run of which he is rather proud. Three years ago a black Minorca moulted, and afterwards showed a. white feather. A year later the feathers showed a number of white spots, and this year the bird is pure white.

The Stratford School excursion to Fitzroy will be held on the last Hairs-* day in January. The usual i' ebrnary date docs not suit the Railway Department, owing to Hawera races Jailing on the same dav.

“1 shall go up to town to-morrow, Alexander, to see the new autumn hats.” “Yon forget, my lovea to-mor-row is Sunday; the sliopii will be closed.” “Simps! Who wants shops— I’m going to church!” The Swiss Government, says a Paris correspondent, has boon greatly aroused by the discovery that “no fewer than 1000 girls were induced to leave Switzerland during the past year to join the Mormon colonies in the United' States.”

A Buxton engine-driver, of the London and North-Western Railway, named Robert Garnside, has just competed 40 years’ service. He has driven 1,847,0*00 miles, a distance equal to 74 times round the world. For three years ho drove the express from Manchester to London and back daily.

A great deal of the oats shipped from New Zealand during the last few months (writes a London correspondent) is arriving here in an almost rotten condition. This is duo of course* to the very wet season in New ZciK land last summer.

A white Leghorn hen belonging to Mr A. Chamberlain, Ellesmere, deserted a single chicken which she hatched out, and is mothering a family of six little black kittens instead. Naturally, the real and the foster mother are not upon the best of terms.

The Christchurch Evening Nows understands that another attempt is to be made to recover the jewellery belonging to MV J. Rothschild, which went dowh with the Tasmania, off Mahia Peninsular, between Napier and Gisborne in 1897. The jewellery was valued at £40,000, and consisted largely of diamonds. The attempt is to be made by the General Grant party. It is reported that a native runanga on a very large scale is to be held at Parawanui, near Bulls, on Christmas Day, to commemorate the signing of the Treaty of Waitangi. All the tribes in the North Island and some from the South are to be represented, and it is anticipated that about 4000 Maoris will be present at the gathering. The Hon. J. Carroll, Dr. Pomare, and a Cabinet. Minister will b# present. The meeting will be of ‘a religious nature. To be the owner of a cat is not always profitable. At any rate, it was shown in the Magistrate’s Court at Wanganui the other day that a cat owner is not devoid of responsibility. It was alleged that defendant’s cat was the principal actor in a tragedy in plaintiff’s poultry yard, when 40 chickens were slaughtered. The damage was estimated at £lO, but plaintiff’ got judgment for £7 10s, with costs £2 6s. ,

T 1 s fruit-growers in the Tasman distrht (Nelson) have struck a new petit in the way of the imported red deer. These animals disregard ordinary fenc mg and wire netting, and already have damaged over 1000 trees in one orchard. The leaves and also the young shoots on the trees seem to provide a rare tit-bit for the animals, and in order to cope with them the growers intend organising a monster “drive” taking in all the surrouhding districts. this 1 ' means it is hoped to drive them back into the hills again.

The Berlin correspondent of the

Daily Express reports that the Indian naval offer has been responsible for the remarkable proposal that Germany should abandon the effort to secure command of the North Sea and devote her energies towards achieving supremacy of the air. One of tlje Berlin papers, the National Zeitung, suggests that a of 100 Zeppelin airships should be created and divided into 25 squadrons. Such an aerial force, it is pointed out, would not cost more than one Dreadnought, and could eventually destroy the British Navy.

A motor cyclist was arraigned in the Dunedin Police Court on A’ednesday

morning on a charge of reckless ruling, this charge being based upon toe fact that'tire rider was seated in tli© basket chair attached to the machine, and controlling its gait of ten or twelve miles an hour Irom that position. He had no difficulty in demonstrating, both by printed work and his own expert evidence, that this was Die right place for speedy and easy control when no passenger was carried, and the charge was dismissed. “]’m going to make a new rule about these adjournments,” remarked Mr C. 0. Kettle, at the Auckland Magistrate’s Court. “Aftervibe New Year the rule will bo that no adjournment shall be granted excepting upon good and sufficient grounds, or on Hie written request of the defendant, “these continual adjournments,” lie added, “resulted in enormous fees accumulating, which had to be paid. He knew the action he had deckled upon would be prejudicial to the revenue, as the sum was very large.

Sir Joseph Ward, when interviewed by a representative of the Argus fry Melbourne, was not inclined to d>/cuss politics. At the present, he said, he preferred not to say anything on Die subject of New Zealand politics, leaving that until his return at the end of May next, or early in June. On the several occasions of his visits to England important official missions had precluded anything in the nature of freedom to move around and see things, or to take a leisured holiday. The present occasion would afford h.m that opportunity, which he had often wished for. He was feeling just m the humour to enjoy the sights and pleasures of an extended holiday in Great Britain. Speaking on the subject of New Zealand’s great outlook, Sir Joseph Ward said that the Dominion was in for a very good season. Until quite lately the outlook was far from promising. The season had been very late, as in Australia. Now, however, there wore the best assurances for the harvest all round, and he anticipated a large increase in the Dominion exports for the year. When the footpath oppfbte the Harbour Board office, Westport, was being opened up tor repairs last week a deposit of sawdust was disclosed as fresh-looking as the day it was dumped JO years ago, while bunches of rushes put down at the same time were as green as when newly cut. At the Waverley Court on Thursday the presiding Magistrate, Mr W. Kerr, made some strong remarks concerning Territorial malingerers (says the Paten Press correspondent). In these days, he said, it was absolutely essential' that the nation should keep abreast of military science, and this could only be done in New Zealand by all those liable for training doing what was required of them. Their services might be required sooner than people imagined. Mr Kerr imposed lines in accordance with his view of the nature of the breaches of the Act. He did not intend being lenient with those who had an inadeouato set-se of their obligations to their country

Copper Presentation Goods, the new est styles now on view. Prices low Charles E. dnines.

A Whangamomona co-operative worker, J. Barlow, was brought into! Stratford this morning by the Toko train and conveyed to tiie hospital. He was suffering from a crushed foot, the result of an accident with a truck on the tramline. The canvass made among citizens

yesterday in aid of the school prize fund realised the splendid sum of >' £l4 ss, making, with the subsidy, a total of £2B 10s. The chairman (Mr Skoglund) and members who assisted him are to be congratulated on their efforts. The secretary of the Stratford Acclimatisation Society has received a note from, a Wellington breeder notifying that he is forwarding three pair of stubble quail by Saturday’s train. Last year six birds died on their way here, and the breeder is very generously replacing the birds. “The World’s Universal Code,’’ which made its first appearance about a year ago, is making headway rapidly, and the system has now been adopted by many Australian, New Zealand, and British firms. Copies of the code are held for use of the public at the following principal New Zealand telegraph offices; Auckland, Christchurch, Dunedin, Greymouth, Invercargill, Lyttelton, Napier, Nelson, Timaru, Wellington, and Westport. The same applies to the offices of the Cable Board in Sydney and Melbourne, and very soon it is anticipated that the book will be available at all the principal telegraph offices in Australia and Great Britain. The anti-militants, in further continuance of their obnoxious methods, have amused themslves by paintng in large letters various insulting and traitorous remarks in prominent positions in Christchurch. On the door at Christ’s College was painted: “We have nothing to defend.” On the Victoria street bridge and along the railings in Park Terrace appeared the words: “To Hell with Godley,” while the proprietor of a printing establishment in Victoria street found his front door disfigured this morning with the message: “To Hell with Canterbury training.” , _ A somewhat peculiar natural growth (says the Inglewood Record) has been brought into this office, contained in an ordinary champagne bottle, into which a fern had grown to the full size of the bottle and with every appearance of luxurious health. The peculiarity of the circumstance lies not only in the instance noticed ,but in the further fact that there are eighty of the bottles in the garden, into each of which a fern has grown; but they have not all grown with the same luxuriance as the one here; but there is not one of the bottles without some growth in it, while the one at this office seems to be as strong and healthy as it is possible for a* fern to be. The iannual concert of the Midhirst School) passed off very successfully last night, Mr Robert Masters, of the Taranaki Education Board, presided and distributed the prizes won' during the year. To an excellent pro- | gramme musical songs were contnbu-i ted by Misses Savage, Cameron, Uh-| lenberg, Mr& Seabnght, and Messrs Hawthorne and Wilkie. The school, children, who performed very creditably indeed, their efforts reflecting niuch credit on the work of their teachers, rendered songs and recitations, in addition to a dance—“ Sir Roger de Coverly.” Miss Rtiby Andersbh also ' gave two enjoyable pianoforte selections. Tasty refreshments and a dance concluded the evening, which was enjoyed to the full by the large number of children and friends present.

According to a cablegram sent to the Sydney Sim last week, war between China and Bussia may break out any day. The Chnese occupation of Koboo directly raises China’s right, to put down the Mongolian independence movement, and the Czar must either yield or fight. Following out Mongolian declaration of independence Bussia and Mongolia have entered into a secret treaty. The Mogolian rulers are to have authority over their own people, and are to act on whatever advice is received from Bussia, which is to lend them £730,000, receiving as security the whole of Mongolia. It is further reported that Bussia is to supervise Mongolia’s finances, and that Mngolia is nob to cede territory to any Power but Bussia, which is authorised to form companies to operate the Mongolian mines. In return for its recognition of the independence of Mongolia, Bussia is to receive £16,480 annually to protect the Mongolians against invasion. A rather good story is told of a contractor and a settler not a hundred miles from Eketahuna. The contractor had certain work to carry out, and he considered himself agrieved by the fact that numerous alterations were made as the work progressed. One morning the settler appeared as usual and before he had time to say anything the contractor asked for a lift with a big piece of timber, at the same time being careful to get at the back end himself. When this was lifted on their shoulders the contractor said, “Can you hang on for a few minutes P” “Yes,” was the reply, given in all good faith, as the settler felt the other end being lowered to the ground. The contractor still keeping out of view, then commenced some other work. Shortly the hail came, “What do you want me to do with this timber?” The reply was,'“Oh, just hold it till you are tired, and then drop it.” Needless to say, there were no alterations suggested that morning. May a man work in his garden on Sunday? This is the question that is agitating all the amateur gardeners in Toronto, who at the moment are undecided whether to brave the law or let their cabbages go to seed. While an enthusiastic gardener was tending his plants peacefully on a recent Sunday morning, two policemen suddenly jumped over the fence and ordered him to stop, as some of the neighbours had complained that he was breaking the Sabbath. It appears that the police took action under the Lord’s Day Act, which says that “ft shall not be lawful for any person on the Lord’s Day to ... . carry on or transact any business of his ordinary calling, or do on that day any work, business, or labour.” The gardener contended that his gardening was not his ordinary work, or work at all, hut was merely done for his own pleasure. The whole question is to he threshed out in Court, but the police meanwhile are determined that there shall be no gardening on Sunday.