LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXV, Issue 48, 26 February 1913, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

The New Zealand Shipping Company’s steamer AVaimate will be loading at the Waitara roadstead on or about 3rd March next.

The Manawatu Daily Times is responsible for the statement that a rumour is current in Wellington, to the effect that the Hon. F. M. B. Fisher will contest the Wairau seat in the interests of the Reform Party at the next general election.

All ingenious method of disposing of the ashes of :i cremated body has to he recorded. After a woman had heeii cremated the husband took the ashes to a chemist for the purpose of extracting iron, which he is now wearing set in his ring, as one would wear a. diamond.

Arrangements for the Horticultural Show on the 6th and 7th March arc well in hand, reports the secretary, .Mr W. S. Cato. The f; inn competition should he a most interesting one. and already three entries have been received. With fine weather following the recent rains, there is every prospect of an interesting exhibition.

j\i a hahy show in Dunedin, it was a noticeable fact that in many instances families wore not confined Ity any means to one child. The Times states that one mother made that fact clear hy the answer she gave a gentleman who expressed his admiration of the latest addition to her family, when she said, l, lt (the child) is not had, hut yon can't expect too much. I’his is nine in 1G years.”

Says llio West Const Times: A well-known local bricklayer, addressing a large crowd that had assembled on Saturday night, spoke most forcibly iti regard to the opposition of the Red Feds, to military training. He concluded his remarks by declaring that the people should clear the oj>pouents of the system out of the country. If they would not go. they should be tied to the cannon’s mouth and blown to a place, the name of which it is not desirable to put in

The children from the Toko, Mahahu, Douglas, Huiakama, and Pohokura schools hail their annual holidaj yesterday, and a most enjoyable day was spent at the Eitzroy beach. The weather was nearly perfect, and there was consequently a big crowd of excursionists. Ihe I'oko train brought tiia party back “out East” last night, and judging from the number of carriages and their crowded state, the old train must have minie 'Very hard work of it, fears being expressed at Stratford that it never would negotiate the first hill. A Chicago man is perfecting a set of cutlery that will make polite eating compulsory for everyone. He lias invented a knife with a guard on the end that prevents it going into the month, and it cannot be used to spear a piece of pie. He has also made a spoon that will not stay in a teacup. It is weighted in tire handle, and automatically removes itself if the user forgets it. The inventor is, now at work (states the Express) on a finger-bowl with sharp edges that will prevent careless people from mistaking it for a new kind of goblet.

At the Dunedin meeting of the Trade Commissioners a memorandum on emigration ' was read, emphasising the need of young men and women who could make good use of their hands. Referring to the dearth of domestic and farm servants, waitresses, factory workers, shop assistants and so forth, it was said that good craftsmen such as masons, bricklayers, carpenters, painters, plumbers, ironworkers, cabinetmakers, butchers, bakers, eailmakers, harness makers, etc., were also required in Dunedin. It was stated that the rate of immigration from England should bo increased, as the supply of domestic servants fell very short of the demand.

A Imllet fired at Henry Ziegland, a wealthy Texas planter, twenty years ago., found its billet on the 7th ult., and pierced Ziegland’s kkull, causing his death, and completing a triple tragedy. Ziegland, who lived on a plantation near Honey Grove, Texas, jilted Miss Matilda Tichnor, a celebrated Texas beauty, twenty years ago on the eve of their wedding. Miss Tichnor committed suicide in a fit of melancholia, and her brother went to Ziegland’s plantation and shot him as he leaned against a tree. The bullet grazed Ziegland’s face and embedded itself in the tree. When Tichnor saw Ziegland stagger, he thought he had killed him and committed suicide. Later Ziegland married a wealthy widow, and continued to live on his plantation. On the 7th ult. the tree in which Tichnor’s bullet lodged was being cut down and owing to the unusual toughness of the wood a heavy charge of dynamite was used to hasten the operation. Ziegland supervised the laying of the charge. When the dynamite exploded lie fell mortally wounded. Physicians who examined .him found that the bullet which was embedded in the tree had been blown into Zicgland’s skull by the force of the explosion. Wonderful country, America.

The Waverley-Wairoa Defence Club, by eleven votes to nine, decided against admitting ladies as members. From the report of the meeting in the Waverley Tribune, it would appear that the debating power of the opposition was a strong factor in the result of the vote. One expressed the opinion that it would be inadvisable to have ladies as members of the Club. Under the Defence Act they could not bo sworn in, and it was doubtful if the Club had authority to accept them. The best interests of the Club would be served if ladies were nob accepted as 'members. Surely, said another, they did not expect the ladies to take up rifles in time of trouble. Their true line of defence was in the home. Men who were fed on indigestible food had all the fight taken out of them before they got into the firing line. Let the women look after the homo and bairns and make home worth fighting for—the men could bo trusted to do the rest. Quoting, he said; “Lies in that one word wife! after a bickering day. To come with jaded spirit home at night and find the cheerful fire, the sweet repast, At which in dress of happy cheeks and eyes, Love sits, and smiling, enlightens all the board.” Put the men into action with a mental picture of that kind in their minds, and there would bo no need for the ladies to rake up the rifle.

Though the flush of tho present dairying season may be said to have been passed, tho tide of dairy produce that has pc .red into the local grading works this year, says tno “Jhitea Press,” shows no signs of growing less, though no doubt the supply will, begin to diminish in tuo course of the next few weeks. During last season some 117,000 crates of cheese wore received at the local grading works which broke all previous records. This year, up to tho present, some 107,000 cases have been received and they are still pouring in at tho rate of nearly 1000 a day, so there can be no doubt that the present will bo another record year. Tho “Dress’’ continues: What this colossal total means to the district', it is difficult to realise at first. In money alone it represents a total of some £628,000 to the farmer. In weight it represents over 17,000,0001bs of cheese or 7612 tons. Placed end to cud the cases would reach over tj miles. Piled in tiers of six c’.scs abreast and placed side by side with. Ml. Egmont, they would tower more than six miles above its summit. In other words the pile of cases six abreast, piled one on top of the other would be so great that Mt. Egmont, with all its loftiness, would only reach one quarter of the way to tho top of the “Cheese Mountain.” The neatest little Shopping Bag is the Japanese Dorothy, Is Gd. Is 9d, 2s. Charles E. James, Broadway, s

Waitara’s big annual Water Carnival takes place this year on Thursday, March 13th, when a big programme will be submitted. Some reference, thereto will be found in another t column.

A Melbourne cablegram sties that the battleship New Zealand is expected at Port Phillip on March 14th. She will make a four days’ stay and then sail for Lyttelton, where she is due on the March.

Yesterday afternoon an accident happened to Mr Hugh Cameron, who was accompanied while out driving by Miss Jean Cameron and Miss Dower. Everything went well until the half-past two o’clock train passed along, when the horse shied and ran the vehicle over the bank. The occupants were shot out, but, fortunately, none was hurt, though the ladies were somewhat shaken. The axle of the trap was broken.

Christchurch City is to start an active campaign against the loathsome fly in earnest next spring the Lyttelton Times says, and the committee which has been brought into existence lias important work to do. It has to prepare the plan of attack in all its ■details and, at the same time, to spread as widely as possible the knowledge of the actual habits of life of the insect which carries the taint of the sewer into the milk-jug and trails its disease-laden limbs across the baby’s lips. The Times considers that the City Council will be failing sadly in its duty if it does not take an active part in the campaign, and that the enforcement of the by-laws with regard to the use of covered rubbish tins and the proper care of back yards would save the city from millions of flies which are bred in accumulations of the waste matter and filth.

The drawbacks to the frozen meat industry caused by so many loading ports in New Zealand, and the multiplicity of marks on each ship’s manifest, were the subjects of a memorandum before the Trade Commissioners at the meeting in Dunedin. The memorandum set out as essential: — (1) That farmers should continue to improve their flocks and herds by breeding a stock of meat which was found to suit the best taste of customers; (2) that freezing companies should continue 1:0 strive to raise the reputation of their respective trademarks; (3) that shipping companies should go on providing the best possible facilities for getting meat to the markets of the world; (4) that the High Commissioner should bring influence to bear upon the port authorities of the United Kingdom and elsewhere for belter methods for the discharge storage and delivery of meat.