LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXV, Issue 46, 22 February 1913, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

The February number of the “Dairyman” contains special Taranaki supplement with excellent illustrations and letter-press. The Government lias fixed March 10 as the date for the election of the first members of the Opunako Harbor Hoard, - No telegraphic news came to hand this morning, owing to the wires being down between Waverier and Fatea. 1 lie telegraph office was seriously incommoded, ordinary work being also held up. Tho Kia Toa, which arrived at New Plymouth from Nelson on Thursday afternoon, brought 31 head of pedigree Jersey cattle, which are to be sold by Mr Newton King on tho Show Grounds, New Plymouth, on Friday next. The time actually taken from the start of loading these cattle at Picton to when they arrived at Mr Monroe’s pacldoyk, at Westown, was under twenty-two hours, and tho cattle look well after the trip.

Tho neatest little Shopping Hag is the Japanese Dorothy, Is 6d, Is 9d, 2s. Charles E, James, Broadway, x

An old woman at the Ely (Eng.) Workhouse received half a cjozeu cigars as a. Christmas box, and stacked thorn with keen enjoyment.

The annual provincial conference of the Xew Zealand Farmers’ Union will ho held at Eltham on Thursday, May 18th. The Waitara Mail states that a young man who had previously been before the Court on a charge of failing to render persona] service as required by the Defence Act, failed to appear on Wednesday, and evidence was given to the effect that the young man declined to bo trained, and that he was prepared to pay the fines. The Magistrate said it could not be supposed any person could defy the law, and he would have to make the fine a substantial one. He therefore fined Smith £3 and costs 7s.

At the inquest on the Maori Kakapi Wiremu Ropuha, who was killed on February 13 at Egmont Road station by being run over by the race train, the Coroner (Mr A. Crooke, S.M.) said that thero was no doubt that deceased had been drinking and was muddled, although not drunk. He had been travelling to Waitara Road, and probably thinking that the train was passing Lepperton Junction, where he would have to change trains, he had jumped off the platform of the train the wrong way, and fallen under (ho train. He found that deceased had met his death by having been accidentally run over by the train from New Plymouth to Hawera.

Parkes Hospital at present shelters an -old miner who reached the age of 100 years last Christmas. The centenarian is an Austrian, • and was for many years an identity of the Alectnwn goldfields, where he was known as “Tony.” Up to 10 years ago he followed his calling as a miner, and until quite recently he was able to take his barrow out into the busn every morning for his daily supply of firewood. Pride of race prevented him from becoming naturalised, and thus qualifying for the old age pension, but he has been in receipt of a small dole from a benevolent institution in Sydney.

“We are inclined to think that the weather was not the only drawback,” says the “Inglewood Record,” commenting on the ill-success of the Inglewood Friendly Societies’ recent picnic,” and that the choice of the com.l ' . mittee in selecting the Ngaere Gardens as a rendezvous for the third year in succession had more to do with the small attendance than the weather. The gardens are all very well for a first xisit, but the area is, after all, very circumscribed, and as no change whatever takes place year after year, consecutive visits are apt to pall on public taste. “Fresh fields and pastures new” might work a satisfactory change in the numerical attendance of Friendly'Society representatives. We understand the function resulted in a serious loss to the combined societies.”

Visitors to our local Brighton ought to be very careful when bathing, writes the Tokaora correspondent of the Hav era Star. The other day, Mr. hi. Thurston, while engaged in the gentle art of schnapper fishing, was unceremoniously drawn into the sea by a shark. , Others, seeing Ijis difficulty, went to the rescue. One, with a gaff, on seeing the monster in the water, retreated, without orders; but v, ith some manoeuvring and the hand of an expert, the cause of the trouble was safely landed, and on measurement proved to be a shark Bft. 3in. in length. So great was the girth and weight that several Maoris were unable to load the shark in a dray, but had to haul it up with a horse, as is • generally done in dragging in a heavy log. Immediately after this monster was landed schnapper nibbled freely, and one youth caught 13 in so many minutes. The correspondent goes on to say that when the monster was safely loaded on the dray, the Maoris slapped him vigorously, at the same time exclaiming; “Kapai de good kai,” and, waving their hands towards tho white man, said: “Kapai de Pakeha; him de good fellow.”

At the Magistrate’s Court at Jpunako on Thursday last, before Mr Crooke, S.M., the Opunako Sawmill'ug Company sued E. I). J. Cooper (builder), and .John O’Rorke (owner) for £157 9s 3d for timber supplied fer a building recently erected in Opunake by Cooper for O’Rorke. The New Zealand Loan and Mercantile Agency Co. were joined in the proceedings as the Company' held an order given by Cooper on O’Rorke in their favour t for £IOO. Mr O’Rorke (represented by Mr McDavitt) admitted that he owed a balance on the building ot £303 14s, but against this ho claimed to deduct £6O for penalties for delay in completing building, and £lB, the cost of further work to complete the building. The proceedings were conducted under The Wages Protection and Contractors’ Lien Act. Mr Spence for tho plaintiff Sawmilling Company, and Mr O’Dea for the Loan Company, admitted tho £lB deduction, but denied O’Rorke’s right to deduct the penalty of £6O. If this latter were not deducted there was sufficient to pay both creditors. After legal argument, His Worship intimated that he did not think that Mr O’Rorke could deduct the £6O. Mr O’Rorke’s solicitor subsequently paid into Court £285 14s, and His Worship then, on Mr Spence’s application, made an order for payment to the plaintiff Company of its claim and costs £169 11s 9d, also an order for payment to the Loan Company of claim and cos's £lO5, and payment to Mr O’Rorke’s solicitor of £5 costs.

No cold will stay if driven away by Tonking’s Linseed Emulsion. Is 6d, 2$ ?q. 4s 6d. x

<P— —— — —Jl! ' 1 " """ """"" l The Tiraaru Herald states that —r J. Webb returned after a month's holiday spent in rather a novel way—on a coastal boat which took him to many ports. A Christianised native applied for the post of town clerk at Grahamstown, South Africa, his only recommendations being that he had passed the Sixth Standard and had a voice “like a roaring bull of Bashan.” Insurance policies for a year’s salary were presented to 350 employees of a Now, York electrical company, the policies to be paid in the event of the death of the employee during the year. Stephen Barret, a baggage-master on the Lake Shore and Michigan Southern Railroad, who retired recently, had not had one whole day’s holiday for forty-eight years. He never took time off except to go to funerals, and then not more than half a day. Over a hundred medical men, together with their wives, will be in Wanganui at the end of the month attending the 17th annual confer-, ence of the New Zealand branch oh the British Medical Association. Thej conference is to commence on the i 24th, and will last till the 28th.

The Dunstan Times (Otago Central) learns on good authority that Mr P. R. Safgood, of Wanaka Station, is initiating a scheme which will result eventually in the planting of over 1000 acres of fruit trees. An immediate start is to be made, and it i.s understood that a considerable area will be planted next spring.

Sales of unclaimed dogs will in future be held by the Wellington City Council every fortnight, or as may be necessary in order to do away with any nuisances to residents in the vicinity of the corporation yards. An endeavour will also be made (says the Times) to amend the Act requiring the council to keep unclaimed dogs seven days before selling them, so as to provide discretionary power for the destruction of any dog not worth keeping for sale purposes.

A little bit of Japan will shortly be transported to Australia in the shape of Tokio Town, the unique Japanese Village, which has been engaged to appear in the various capitals of the Commonwealth and New Zealand. Tokio Town comprises about forty people, the engagement of whom involved considerable travelling and negotiations. A special in an had to journey all over Japan to secure the company.

A. French inventor has taken out a patent for the catching of fish by means of the telephone. Fish when swimming emit certain sounds which Can be detected by the telephone. The inventor’s apparatus consists of a telephone receiver and a detonator, which are sunk in the water and connected by wires to a post of ot> ‘servation on the river bank. When fish in any number pass the receiver a sound is heard by the watcher, who has only to press a button to explode the detonator. Fish killed by the detonator would float, and could be removed from the water with a net.

When the grand jury had dealt with the last case at Auckland, the foreman announced that they had passed the following resolution; “This grand jury view with alarm the increasing number of indecent assaults upon children of tender years, and strongly urge upon your Honor to place this presentment before tne Minister of Justice with a view to amending the law by introducing flogging, which wo consider will act as a deterrent.” Mr Justice Edwards pointed out that the law already provided flogging in certain cases, and it all depends upon the nature of this session’s charges if floggings would be given as a punishment to the persons to be charged. He promised that the resolution would receive proper attention.

In a competition under the auspices of the Mournahaki-Ngutuwera Horticultural Society the following essay on “The Cow” (says the Waverley Tribune) also started; —The cow is a no-bul and kine hearted creature. The cow is not a nautical animal. They have yachting at Cowes, but that has nothing to do with cows, and it is not true that they steer with their udders. Crutches for cows are called accoustics. Cows do not ride in tram-cars, but many a fine calf lias been seen descending from a car. Cows do not lie on a cowtch, but prefer to be outside on the grass. I can’t think how it is that so many calves die so young, perhapjs the butcher could reveal the truth. Cows are immortalised in song. There is that beautiful ballad “The Soldiers Steer,” and the touching song, “For heifer and for heifer” 1 Women as a rule are the most consistent tea drinkers, and the rnultipli-! cation of tea rooms and tea kiosks throughout the Dominion affords strik-i ing evidence of the increasing popular- j ity of tea. The women of New Zea-I land may be classed as connoisseurs, 1 as they show a decided preference for Crescent Tea, which is rich and strong and of delicious flavour. Sold by all tnjfltoers at 2s, Is lOd, and Is 8d per Ufa s I Characteristic, pleasing, and faithful portraits, the result of years of experience, the best appliances, and the finest materials are produced atj the McAllister Studio. At this' studio enlargement-making is a special j feature, and the universal satisfaoti n \ resulting from the hundreds already made is an indication that your order will be carefully and skilfully done. The prices are as low ns it is possible to make them indeed for this particular class of work the prices are the lowest in the Dominion. Patronise th? local Studio. -

At the Stratford Court to-day a first offender for drunkenness was convicted and discharged. Mr A. W. Reid, J.P., was on the Bench.

The general committee of the Stratford A. and P. Association elected this aftetnoon the following executive: Messrs R. McK. Morison, J. B. Richards, E. A. Osmond, R. Dingle, W. P. Kirkwood, W. H. Young, A. Stewart, J. Brake and E. Kelleher.

Local Presbyterians are pleased with the garden fete and its results, and much appreciation is expressed at the enthusiastic way in which so many friends helped to make it a success. General satisfaction is also felt with the new manse and glebe. A correspondent states that the Presbyterians are planning for a forward spiritual movement in the Church during the year. A magnificent collection of dahlias, grown by Mr F. Davies, and exhibited in the window of Mr F. Edwards' pharmacy, is bidding fair to rival the display of sweet peas shown across the street, in Bellringers’ window. Both should serve as a gentle reminder that the Stratford Horticultural Society’s big show is due on March 6th and 7th next, when blooms, that are choicer and rarer, will be seen in profusion.

With a view to keeping fresh the memory of the life and death of Captain Scott and his companions, and to express in tangible and more lasting form their heroic struggle against the elements, as well as their singlehearted devotion to duty, the executive of the Navy League (Otago branch) proposes to present a framed copy of Captain Scott’s last message to all schools (some forty-five in all) where there is a school branch of the league. The Otago Daily Times states that the message will be specially printed and headed with a portrait of Captain Scott, and a brief statement of the facts surrounding Ins death.

Tonking’s Linseed Emulsion, the superb and thoroughly approved popu’ar remedy for all affect’ons of the throat and lungs. Is 6d. 2s 6d, 4s 6d. everywhere. s