LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXV, Issue 6, 2 January 1913, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

A Maori woman at Opotiki found r packet containing £l5O and promptij returned it to the rightful owner J Cape Runaway storekeepei had las the money; lie .was overjoyed at h-iv ing recovered it again, and tiea.ei the finder handsomely. \ grave situation is developing n Southern Persia (says a cable m x,hf Sydney Sun). Modern rifles are sm to be as common as blackben ics, . n< ammunition is available in large qnan titles. Robbery has become ai at ional profession, and the fact tlmt i punishment has been meted out ha led to open outrages being committee! A number of bands live by p'nmhiing and lawlessness, and everywhm local government has collapsed, anc is incapable of restoring ordei.

Curious are the contrasts of his torv. Austria is now forbidding t n Kervto seek an outlet in Lu Adriatic. Yet in 1885, when tnc Bulgarians, after their three-tuns battle against the Serbs at Slivmtea. advanced to complete their victory, thev were met at Birot by the Austrian Minister at Belgrade Count Khevenhuller, who, on behalf ol Ins “anmist master,” Francis Joseph blurted out. “Thus far and no larther!” to Prince Alexander.

“Customs slip in, and almost tefore wo are aware of them they are there,” remarks a London scnoe. “The wearing of the wedding ring by men, for instance. Twenty years ago tliis was almost unknown in Lngland. bnt now it is ypiite an ordinary thing. It has its advantages for men as lor women; it is a sign, as it were, ol ownership, of not being on the maiket. There are unengaged women who wear engagement rings to protect themselves from masculine attention; at least thev allow it to be given out that this is the reason. Perhaps] the mere male may be permitted toj sniff here. I never knew an unmarried man wear a wedding ring, but! even that mav come in these militant ( times. On tlie whole, one welcomes the wedding ring for men; it makes for the equality of the sexes.” i

It is said that, at a rough estimate 2000 miles of paper were saved by the decision of the London newspapers not to publish on Christmas Day. The Dunedin Star has raised the £2OOO necessary to obtain a grant of £2OOO offered by a donor for completing the Duucdm Anglican Cathedral building fund. The anonymous douor, it is announced, is Mr William Dawson, a well-known brewer.

A cyclist proceeding to Dunedin on Sunday evening from Brighton upset by a dog crossing ids path, and wiien he had recovered from the effects of the concussion and a cut on the forehead caused by .the fall, calmly cut the dog’s throat and left it by the wayside.

The danger of playing with “crackers” was exemplified at Geraldine the other day (says the Timaru Herald), A little chap, son of a well-known resident, was holding a cracker which he thought had failed to light, when it exploded, striking one of his eyes and burning into the corner. The doctor says he escaped loss of sight by a hair-breadth. IA man was discovered early on Friday afternoon sitting on the bottom of the river near the Y.M.C.A., Christchurch, with his head above water, letting the river run down his throat. He was taken to the police station and put under blankets, whilst his clothes were on the line securing a much-needed drying. What is claimed to he a record for a period of 61 days for 38 cows has recently been put up by the herd of Mr Fred Hopping, Glen Oura (says a Manawatu paper). They have given an average of 431 b of milk per day per cow. For that period the average test was 3.5. The highest average for a single day was 46*11) per cow. A well-known character —a delver on the public works—yesterday looked upon the wine when it was red, or amber, or grey in the dull morning light, and the result was that he was unable to s dodge other things besides the drinks that fluttered across his path. But his luck was in. Doubtless it would have paid him better to have been at the races, for when the car was lifted off his prostrate form, Billy Brien, or whatever was the name of the man who was full of brown beer, coolly hobbled home. Mr J. B. Hine, M.P., has received a communication from Captain Lstcourt, staff officer to. the Commandant, to the effect that General Godley intends visiting Taranaki early in the New Year, and would like to meet citizens and farmers to talk over the present arrangements regarding the training system. General Godley will lie in Stratford on the morning of Tuesday next, January 7th, and through the courtesy of His Worship the Mayor, the Council Chamber© will be placed at the disposal of those interested in the defence scheme. “A sum of £15,000 has been expended in furnishing the new ‘Dog s Club,’ a considerable proportion of that sum going to the fitting , and equipment of the dogs’ cloakroom, says the new London Labour paper, the Daily Citizen. “Hitherto it has been the custom to pay that, the most miserable circumstanced' of the poor people have been condemned to a dog’s life. Alack, thousands''of them wifi now moan, in their despair; that they could but snatch the crumbs from the dogs’ luxurious tables they would be more than grateful.” The -wisdom of keeping fire-killing apparatus ip. private Jiouses.is strong- ' ]y urged hv Superintendent. Woolley, of the Auckland Fire Brigade. Provided that they are used in time, within a restricted area, the superintendent considers that they are of tho utmost value in coping with fire outbreaks. It is rather interesting to note that in the central fire brigade station itself, . where the most up-to-date fire-fighting equipment in the Dominion is to be found, patent firekilling apparatus is also installed, for use at any time that a conflagration may occur.

In an article in “Knowledge” Miss K. J. Williams, of Bristol University, traverses the statements of those who recommend fish as a good food. Many base their praise of fish (she says) on the idea that it is an excellent brain food because it contains phosphorus. That, however, she disputes. Even if it were true that phosphorous is such an important p6int, a fish diet could he of no value, for the amount of that substance is so extremely small. As served at table the edible portion of herring only yields l-50th per cent, sprats l-6th per cent, trout l-7th per cent, and turbot l-10th per' cent.

Writing to the Westminster Gazette on the question of national supremacy, Mr R. C. Long says ' — “French decay is preached in France; Russian decay is preached in Russia; and German decay is preached in Germany.” The general Continental view of England is, he adds, one of the greatest respect. In his impressions of political England a couple of years ago the French Comte d’Hausoriville said that England remains “the model of great and free countries,” and he quotes the Due d’Aumale in support as saying:—“From my youth upwards I have heard people talking of the decadence of England, but I have still to wait for any sign of this decadence.”

A congratulatory address from 250 well-known people in the worlds of art, literature, and religion was presented on 14th November, on Ins 80th birthdav, to the Rev. Stopford A. Brooke." In it they expressed thenfeelings of respect and affection, and thanked him for the work he has done and the influence he has exerted through a Jong and noble life. Allusion was also made to the courage . with which he had always acted and spoken, and, to his message being inspired by love and by a longing for the good and the beautiful. The invitations to sign the address were sent out by -Sir Charles Holroyd, Sir William J. Collins, Professor Gilbert Murray, Mr G. W. Frothero, Canon- ' A. L.'Lilley, Mr G. K. Chesterton, and Mr G. Hcnsobel. An interesting experiment was recently carried out on Knighton Downs (Salisbury Plain), with the object of testing the effect of rifle fire on aircraft. The conditions were by means ideal for the test, and before actual work began the wind carried off one balloon. A second envelope was inflated, and it soared aloft to a height of about 1000 ft, but was then carried eastward© to the length of its cable. The firing party, consisting of picked marksmen of the Duke of Cornwall s Light Infantrv, were situated about 1000yds distant from the swaying balloon' and independent firing took place. The pit-pat of the bullets striking the crisp envelope could be heard distinctly, and ere GO of the ]SO rounds of ball cartridge served out had been exhausted the balloon commenced to fall. A few more shots and it dropped to the ground, a mere perforated rag. General Montgomery and staff inspected the remnants, The experiment was successful, hut tho result would have been more convincing if the balloon had risen to a higher altitude.

At the Court this morning, before Mr 0. D. Sole, J.P., one first-offend-ing drunk was fined ss. Chidley, the eccentric advocate of “the simple life,” in Sydney, has been ordered to enter into sureties of £4O for his good behaviour for twelve months, or in default to suffer three months’ imprisonment. An international cinematograph conference will be field in London in March to consider the educational and social possibilities of the cinematograpth. Some of the Agent-Generals are supporting the proposal, with a ( view to the extended use of the cine- | matograph for promoting emigration. A lorry driver in Sydney carted a ! load of chaff but left one bag behind and received 2s 6d in return for it. He pleaded guilty at the Court to the theft, and was fined the substantial sum of £lO. ■ Mr Clarke, S.M.: la there much of this sort of thing going on? Sergeant Mankey: The city teems with theft of this kind. Mr Clarke: I cannot impose a light fine, hut I will not make it as heavy us ’f might, seeing it is the man’s first offence. This sort of thing must be put a stop to. You, are fined £lO, in default two months’ imprisonment. The Land Agents’ Act, which was originally introduced by Mr Witty and was taken up and passed by the Massey Government, became law yesterday. Under its provisions most auctioneers will have to pay two license fees — that is, if they sell land privately as well as under the hammer. The fee under the new act is, however, a srpall one, and no objection can be taken to it if the auctioneer acts as a land agent as well as an auctioneer.

A sheep dog strolled into a jeweller’s shop at Goulburn (N.S.W.), and going round the counter mistook the window, which was thickly packed with fancy ware, for the way of egress, It took the proprietor and his son two hours to put things straight. The dog floundered into everything, and the goods were thrown into confusion. Strange to say, nothing was damaged. One of the most splendid instances of Christmas giving is reported in the papers, and much controversy is going oh regarding the identity of the giver. A mysterious stranger visited- the chief London 'hospitals and other charitable institutions and asked to see the respective secretaries. After a short conversation in each case he handed over an envelope containing £SOO banknote, and in this way gave away a big sum of money. Wilson Barrett once had a lot of workmen redecorating his private residence, and, thinking to give them a tfejat, he asked them if after work ope evening, they would all like t<j have seats to come and see him play in “The Lights-of London” at the Princesses. They said they didn’t mind if tpey did, and, being given .complimentary tickets, all went to witness oh a Saturday night their employer’s production. At the end of -the week Barrett’s eye caught sight, on the pay sheet of an item against each Workman’s name which read: “Saturday flight, four hours overtime at princess’s Theatre, Bs.” 1 The weather yesterday was,dull and threatening in the morning, and slight showers, made holiday-makers very anxious about their movements for the day. The fears entertained were, unfortunately, only too thoroughly justified, as the afternoon proved as wet as .the most enthusiastic dairy man could wish. Though the effect fvas to spoil the enjoyment .of the race-gders at Stratford, more than a compensating balance remains on the other side of the ledger in the-

splendid results that must accrue to the country as a whole. The tantalising messages received from the Government Meteorologist on previous ditys, again upheld that official’s repitiitfon as a weather prophet, as ■t reports from both Islands state that there had been a break in the long c! fine spell. It was the Rev. Rowland Hill’s habit ' to ride to church in an old family, carriage, a practice too aristocratic in the judgment of one of his flock, who determined to rebuke it. It was cus-

tomary in his chapel for notes to be sent to the pulpit, requesting prayers fr various objects; and one Sabbath ill was proceeding with the reading of these requests as usual, when he found himself in the midst of one to the following purport: “Prayers are requested for the Rev. Mr Hill, that he may be more humble and like his Divine Master, who, instead of riding in a carriage, was content to be borne ■oh an ass.’’ Having read the notice, he lifted the spectacles to his forehead, and, looking round the house, observed that it was quite true he had been guilty of the fault allegedhut if the 'writer would step around to the vestry door after service, saddled and bridled, he would have no objection to ride home, after his Master’s example, on the back of an ass.