LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXIV, Issue 99, 21 December 1912, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Subscribers and advertisers are asked to note that the “Stratford Evening Post” will not be published on Wednesday or Thursday (Christmas Day and Boxing Day), or or January 1, 1913 (New Year’s Day). An almost perfect skeleton of s moa, 10ft. high, was unearthed ai Motueka last Friday.

Mr A. W. lleid, solo local agent for the famous Studebaker touring motor care, left by train on 1' riday for Wanganui. Since the Stratford A. and P. Show, Mr lleid has sold no lees than five of these cars, and his mission to Wanganui is to bring back the last order.

The Opunake Times states that a hogshead of beer and a barrel of tar, which were landed on the wharf from the boat on Sunday last wandered away down on the rocks and were found in a burst and empty condition next morning. The police art trying to solve the problem of hou they got there. The Napier School Committee resigned in a body on Monday as a protest against the action of the Board,in forwarding the name of only one ap plicant for a vacancy on the staff. Members expressed the view that the committee’s functions were so curtailed by the Board as. to leave nc justification for remaining in office. Englishwomen who complain of domestic servant difficulties may be thankful they are not Bulgarians. Only extreme poverty will drive a Bulgarian into domestic service. As a rule, widows are the only servants-k be got, and they will only become cooks or housemaids if they may bring their family with them. An Eltham motor driver had a peculiar experience in Bridge street (sayf the Argus), having achieved the unique feat of running over a pigeon. Dogs are frequent martyrs to the motor car, but pigeons, we should imagine, are a rare offering. Thi: particular pigeon had only his tail run over, and he was able to fly aw a; minus several feathers.

“Presented ■by the Goldsmiths and Silversmiths Go.;, Stratford. —First prize for cow four years and over in milk.—Crossbred section.— Stratford A. and P. Show, 1912.” The foregoing is the inscription on a handsome cup, which'was won by Mr J. G. Montefiore, Hawera, with his cow “Joan.” The fortunate owner# claimed possession of his prize yester day afternoon from the secretary o' the Association, and will add the tro phy to the already large number ol prizes which stand to the credit ol this fine cow.

The behaviour of an Ellerslie Territorial company on parade on Monday evening fully maintained the reputation gained by itself and others in that district (says the Star). The parade was held on the road in darkness, ant the youths took full advantage of tin opportunity to “play up” unobserved and were soon practically out of hand. Their species of humour took, for- tinmost part, the form of hurling insolent and insulting remarks at the officer in charge and at bystanders who were awaiting the commencement of a ratepayers’ meeting in the Parish Hall, in front of which the parade took place. An interesting memento of the visit of the Canadian cadet corps to Now Zealand has arrived in the shape of a nicely printed souvenir card, in which seasonable greetings are conveyed. The card contains a picture of a fully-uniformed cadet, bearing tin Canadian flag, and conveys the message: “The members of the Ganadiai Cadet Corps, No. 101, M.H., No. 11 (homeward bound from their glorious tour of Australia and New Zealand) extend Christmas and New Year greetings to their many friends beneath the Southern Cross.” The card was printed on board the R.M.S. Zealandia, and posted at Honolulu. The annual meeting of the Inglewood Oil-boring and Prospecting Company was held on Thursday night. Mr T Furlong occupied the chair. The re port and balance-sheet were read and adopted. Mr T. Furlong and Mr T. C. Nicholls (Inglewood) were re-elect ed directors. The question of the ap pointment of a third director, in pi act of Mr A. I). Gray (Auckland), who did not offer himself for re-election, was left to the Board, with power tr fill the vacancy. Mr Hugh Bayly. was re-appointed auditor. A vote of thanks v;as passed to Mr T. Tv. Skinner for having placed at the disposal of the company his valuable property at Moturoa. A similar compliment was paid to Mr T. C. Nicholls.

The-’Napier Harbour Board is apparently not a happy family. At a meeting on Wednesday, Air S. Cornell said to the Chairman : “You called mo a old liar once. The Chairman : Not at a meeting. Air Carnell; Well, yon came out of your chair and called me that, and then went hack to it, and so closed my month. The Chairman : What I said was the truth. Mr Carnell: You are a cowardly blackguard. Air C. Ellison: We ought not to sit here if such things are said to the chairman. Mr Carnell: I will withdraw that, and will say that the chairman can screw a sou aye peg into a round hole. The Chairman : I respect your age, Air Carnell, hut I really think you would he going in the best interests of the whole community if you saw fit to recognise that the time has arrived when you might reasonably he asked to resign your position. A member: Hear, hear.

Kiddieland is the name of our Toy Showroom, which is just now full of toys and dolls. Greatest show i" town. Charles E. James. s

“The day after we were married he kicked me and knocked me about,” complained a wife who applied for a separation order at the Gisborne Magistrate’s Court. “That’s what you call your honeymoon,” remarked his Worship. (Laughter.)

A motor car going through Green Island on Sunday jerked a stone oft the road through a window in front of Mr M‘Mullen’s house (says the Times). Miss M‘Mullen, who had been sitting at the window a few minutes previously had, fortunately, shifted, otherwise more than the window might have been damaged.

Two divorce cases that had a remarkable sequel were lately tried in Missouri (U.S.). The petitioners were the husbands, two old friends, each of whom sought a dissolution of his marriage on the grounds of his wife’s extravagance. Each was granted a divorce (says a cablegram in the Sydney Sun), and the two men have now startled the community by each marrying the other’s wife.

Failure to pay a threepenny tram fare on an Island Bay car cost Augustus Chipper 36s at the Wellington Magistrate’s Court on Monday. Evidence was given to show that defendant presented a ticket of the series in u«e on the previous day. He insisted that he had been given it by the conductor on the trip on which he was travelling, and firmly refused to pay again. ' t

What is regarded as a phenomenon in the bovine world is exciting considerable interest at Camperdown (Vic.). It is a seven-months-old calf,' which gives a cupful of milk at each milking. The heifer is the property of Sir W. Kerr, a well-known dairyman, and its disposition thus early in life to become a milk-producing animal is believed to be due to its having been suckled by another calf, the action on the udder causing the milk vessels to become active.

A man who appeared in the Wellington Magistrate’s Court admitted that his wife had assaulted him. “Yes, I gave you a crack,” cried the wife angrily. “A crack does you good.” “it’s no use,” she said, after a while, “you will have to pay this money or you will go somewhere else.” A word from the Magistrte quietened her a while, but she soon informed the Court that “If lie doesn’t pay up I will get him sent up to the Terrace.” .

An act of wanton destruction, was perpetrated in the Children’s Park, Greymouth, last Thursday night. A gun and carriage, which had been placed near the band rotunda, and which is said to be a relic of the Boer M ar, was removed and run down the slope into a creek. That it was no act of a thoughtless or childish individual was evident from the fact that the gun and carriage were fastened down to a concrete and iron- caps lapped round the felloe of the 'wheels and fastened down with IJin screw bolts.

A rather amusing incident occurred at one of the Whangarei hotels the other evening. A man dismounted from his horse and said that if he was not careful the horse would follow him through. The statement was not taken seriously by a number of by-standers. The licensee’s permission was obtained, and on hearing the words, “Come on, comrade,” the horse followed its owner in the front dooi» and walked through the passage, past the bars, and out another door. A sentry doing duty on board the -French' battleship Patrie at ; Toulon was suddenly alarmed by hearing a crackling sound coming' from the magazine. An examination of the chamber that was immediately made revealed that several cases of ammunition had commenced to warp in consequence of the instability of the powder they contained. The magazine was at once flooded, and the cases were subsequently landed., Myth the Liberte and other naval disasters still fresh in their memory, the incident created great excitement among the officers and men on the Patrie. A storekeeper living not 100 miles from Patea tells a good story at his own expense (says the Press). ' It appears that some months back he was unfortunate enough to have some business dealings with a native who was notoriously loth to meet his obligations. However, as he promised by all his gods to pay up on a certain day the storekeeper gave him some £o worth of goods. The promise as may be imagined was not fulfilled and 'the storekeeper, meeting the native later on, soundly rated him for breaking his word. “Did I promise to pay you last month?” enquired the native with all solemnity. “You certainly did,” replied the storekeeper, “or you would not have got the goods. What about it?” “You know what I think about it?” said the native. “No,.l’m sure I don’t,” was the reply given by the storekeeper in wonderment. “Well I think I. pull your leg” was what the astounded pakeha heard as the native coolly walked away.

Mr J. R. Corrigan, in a letter to Mr Turton, Hawera, advises that ho is due to be back on January 17. While at Home he saw most of what was to be seen in connection with dairy stock. Being fully alive to the value of good strains, he has purchased and will bring to New Zealand three Jersey heifers in calf. These heifers are from some of the best but-ter-fat producing strains, and are all prize-winners. He has also secured a Jersey bull, which was the best at the London Hairy Show', and has as dam one of the best butter-fat producing cows in England. These animals should have a decided influence in improving the herds of the district. In addition (says the Star), Mr Corrigan is bringing a sheep dog and a. slut, in pup to the champion dog of England and Scotland.

A cablegram from Paris which appeared in the Sydney Sun last week states that Professor Eergonie, originator of the theory that the human body can be nourished by means of electrical currents, has communicated to the Academy of Sciences the remarkable results of some experiments that he recently carried out. The ease described by the processor is that of a patient who had become a physical wreck, and was unable to assimilate his food. This man, whose weight when he was taken in hand was 1071 b, was subjected to a series of ■lO-minute applications of a high-fre-quency currency, with the result that he continued to put on flesh until now he weighed over 1381 b. Ho has regained bis normal strength, although he eats much less than he did before the electrical treatment was enter'd upon. Professor Bergonie declares that the day is not far distant when it will he possible to cure completely all troubles arising from malnutrition.

For Gentlemen a nice present would he a Swan Fountain Pen in nlain or gold mounted, 12s 6d to 12s fid. Indent just received direct from London. Charles E. James. *

It is specially notified elsewhere that the appropriation of £3OO to be disposed ot next Monday evening by 1 the Stratford Co-operative Building j Society will be allocated by way of! sale. I

Two Guine_3 Tor lour lines of petry! Read Tonking’s Linseed Emulsion intimation every Saturday amongst | neyvs items. \\

Do not judge cur stocks by the size of windows as they are small but Stock is large and varied. Charles E. James.