LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXV, Issue 49, 27 February 1913, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

A Manawatu dairy farmer possesses a cow that has given birth to sever calves in four years. At present she gives 551bs of milk daily, and r' 4.5 test.

As showing the great demand foi Jersey cattle in this district, a wellknown Ngaere farmer recently dis posed of his herd of grade Jersey cows at the excellent figure of £2l per head.

There are 226 South Island farmers co-operating with the Department of Agriculture in the conduct of field experiments this season. Altogether 3739 experiments will be conducted on southern farms.

New South Wales has the largesl number of railway employees, .namely. 28,961. Victoria-has 22,357, Queensland 9035, South Australia 8569, West Australia 7562, Tasmania 1346, and •New Zealand 13,583, the total being 91,413.

A thrasher was caught in the Bay a few days ago, and was brought t( the boat landing, where it was inspected with considerable interest by a number of people. The fish measured about eight feet six inches ovei all, the tail, with which it thrashe? its prey, being about sft 6in in length.

While fishing at Motupipi on Wednesday last Mr J. G. Hunter landed no less than 76 sharks and dogfish ir three hauls of his net. Two of the sharks measured over ten feet in length. Sharks are very plentiful in Golden Bay at the present time, savs the “Times.”

A Chinaman at Whangarei, charged with employing in his laundry a Maori girl after hours without a permit, advanced the defence that the girl was his fiancee and went to the laundry only in the course of courtship and not to work, while her mother went with her as chaperone. The defence was not successful.

The account of the decision of the Committee of Privileges of the House of Lords in favour of the claim of the Hon. Mary Frances Katherine Petre, a young lady of 12 years, to the dignity of the ancient Barony of Furnivall, which has been going the rounds of the newspapers, is prefaced hy the remark “that some members of the Petre family were among the best known settlers in the Wellington province' in its early days.” This is (says the Greymouth Star) a somewhat inadequate tribute to the Hon. Henry Petre, who took an active part in social and public life of the northern province in the late forties and early fifties of the last century, and who for some time sat in the Legislative Council. The present head of the family is Lord Lionel George Carroll Petre, a young man of only 23 years, whose heir presumptive is Mr F. AY. Petre, of Dunedin, the very capable architect of the Christchurch Catholic Cathedral. A young gentleman standing not very far from the title is just new an inmate of the “infectious” ward at the Christchurch Hospital. The neatest little Shopping Bag is the Japanese Dorothy, Is 6d, Is 9d. 2s. Charles E. James, Broadway, x

At yesterday’s meeting of the Education Hoard, it was decided to secure the services of Mr 11. McK. Morison as instructor of agriculture to the schools under the Board. The Ngaere School Committee was granted a subsidy of £3 towards the cost of metal screenings.

Up to the close of the Whangamojnona County Council meeting yesterday no nominations had been received for the vacancy caused by the resignation of Mr M. I. Jury in the Poho-

kura Hiding. This is the second time of calling. There are still a few days to go before the nominations close, and it is hoped that someone will come forward and offer their services.

At a meeting of dog fanciers in New Plymouth, last night it was unanimously resolved to form a Taranaki Kennel Club. A committee consisting of Messrs A. T. Moore, J. H. Bagley, G. H. Saunders, H. Brookes, and F. M. Doughty was set up in connection with the matter.

The Press Association, which is meeting at Auckland, decided by an overwhelming majority yesterday to accept the New Plymouth Tourist and Expansion League’s invitation to hold its next conference at New Plymouth. Wellington was the other place nominated. The News states that this means that the New Zealand Newspaper Proprietors and Master Printers’ Association will also hold their conference in Taranaki’s capital.

A London paper had the following on December 24th:—“About six months ago it was recorded that Miss Joan Lloyd, of Hounslow, had achieved at the ripe age of four years, the triumph of defeating the body of examiners of tire Associated Board of the R.A.M. and K.C.M., in the first examination. Mr Warner, her teacher, stated that Miss Lloyd has now passed the second examination of the same board ‘with distinction.’ Truly wonderful seems to be the record of her marks, for out of a possible of 150 the child obtained no less than 143. This mite should now be allowed rest from the terrors of musical examination.” The new Maori “King,” Te Rata, accompanied by a retinue of forty natives, journeyed from Waahi to Te Koupa on Friday last. There they were received in a large meeting-house, which had been specially erected, flags being hoisted, and guns fired in a salute of welcome. Since Friday a largo gathering of Maoris has been feasting and drinking, and the korero will probably continue while the supply of food holds out. Resolutions have been adopted to drop drink and tohungaism and embrace Christianity. Prominent among Te Rata’s following are Rawhiti (private secretary), Ahuriri (prime minister) Herewine (brother of the late Major Te Wheoro), and Taingakawa (son of William Thomson, the “Kingmaker”).

Sir G. Maurice O’Rorke, who is shortly leaving on a visit to the Old Country, will be the recipient of a public presentation before his departure. Sir Maurice arrived in New Zealand in the year 1854, entering the Auckland Provincial Council the following year, and for nearly fifty years he has been closely and continuously associated with the public life of the colony. For twelve years he was Speaker in the Provincial Assembly, and later filled Mr Speaker’s chair in the House of Representatives for two decades, his name becoming a household word for the dignity and decision with which he invested his lofty office. Since 1904 Sir Maurice has been a member of the Legislative Council; for many years he has been chairman of the Auckland University College Council .and of the Grammar School Board of Governors, while since 1879 he lias occupied a seat on the Senate of the University of New Zealand. In August last Mr C. F. Goldie was commissioned by a representative committee to paint Sir Maurice’s portrait, and the work being completed, arrangements have been made to have the portrait presented on March sth, in the University College Buildings.

Sir Joseph Ward has made up his. mind to spend some part of the winter at Nice, but is quite uncertain as to when he will shake the mud of London off his feet (writes the London correspondent of the Auckland Star). Even whilst the weather is in its present u namiable, quick-change-artist mood, the metropolis holds many attractions for the visitors, and unless snow and fog make London “impossible” it seems likely that Sir Joseph Ward’s address for some weeks to come will be Hotel Cecil. Sir Joseph was amongst the .Speaker’s guests in the distinguished strangers’ gallery at the House of Commons, and heard practically the whole of the debate on the third reading of the Home Rule Bill. He heard, at all events, the speeches of all the leading lights of the Imperial Parliament, among them being Mr Balfour, Mr Bonar Law, Mr Redmond, Mr F. E. Smith, and Mr Bin-ell. It was a third reading without any detail, and the speeches of the leading men on both sides reached a high level of oratory. But the speech which impressed Sir Joseph Ward most was Mr Asquith’s, and next thereto Mr Redmond’s. An emphatic “Fine” was Sir Joseph’s verdict on these two speeches. Mr Bonar Law’s contribution to the debate was, he confessed, very good, but neither the leader of the Opposition nor Mr F. E. Smith seem to have appealed to Sir Joseph to the same extent as the Liberal leader and the “Distator” from the green isle of Erin. Every tobacconist rolls Regent Cigarettes. Inhalers should try them. Smoke them and share in the Great Free Gift Scheme. x Regent Cigarettes are famed for their'purity and quality. Smoke them and get rvu'tlculars of the Free Gift Scheme from your tobacconist. y

The latest half-yearly issue of the Post arid Telegraph Guide reaches us from to® Postmaster, Stratford.

The Stratford Horticultural Society, At the time of their issue of the schedule had not included a points prize

for cookery. Since the issue of the ' -/"catalogue, however, Mr A. Moon, of Broadway, having noticed this fact, has kindly donated a trophy in this

division. Mr Ted Cor&tt’s posters • advertising the great attraction for e March 6th and 7th are on view in town and their original design should attract 1 s attention of the public.