LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXV, Issue 53, 4 March 1913, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Mr A. Marryatt lias received from Sir Joseph Ward, through Messrs Walker and Hall, the trophy promised hy him in 1911 for competition between the departments at the annual civil service athletic sports carnival held on November .‘loth in each year. The trophy (says the Dominion) is quite an original one as far as Wellington is concerned. It consists of a finelymodelled statuette in silver of Mercurj posed on tip-toe on a silver globd, and mounted on a handsome ebony plinth, the base of which already bears two email silver shields, recording the two wins by the Post and Telegraph Department. The trophy stands about I I inches in height, and is a delicate example of the silversmith’s art. The trophy will he handed over to the Post and Telegraph Department forthwith.

A smart shock of earthquake was experienced at Now Plymouth at 11.41 o’clock last night. The Xormanby Show opened to-day, A largo number of Stratford visitors were present. the Bell Block Dairy Company has installed a green casein plant at the Hillsborough creamery, and suppliers on Friday departed from the creamery with their last cans of skim milk. A social and dance will be tendered to-morrow night to Mr A. Henderson, the retiring secretary of the Taranaki Provincial Scottish Society, when members and their friends will be welcome. A report presented to the Sydney Board of Health showed that during the week ended the loth ult., the number of rats killed totalled 438. Of these 229 were killed by the departmental staff, 196 by the City Council, and 13 dead rats were received from miscellaneous sources. It may be an exaggeration to say that Putiki Pa can be smelt a mile off (says the Wanganui Chronicle), but it is a fact that it is in a very insanitary state just now, is a breeding ground of disease and a serious menace to the health, not only of the natives, but also of the people of Wanganui. On Thursday next the Rowan Sports take place, and an interesting programme is promised. There are some big chopping events, and in the evening a concert and dance has been arranged. Mr R. Willis is the bon. secretary, and he is supported by a strong and enthusiastic committee.

The number of animals condemned during the month of January at the Sydney abattoirs was 808 out of a total of 217,531 animals killed. At 41 country and private slaughtering houses 1313 animals were condemned out of a total of 244,037 killed, and at five bacon factories in country towns 234 pigs failed to pass the inspectors out of 6111 slaughtered.

The president of the New Zealand Society of Accountants, Mr Peter Barr (Dunedin), and the vice-president, Mr A. T. Clark (Wellington), will be in attendance at New Plymouth on Friday evening next at a meeting convened to consider the advisability of forming a branch of the Society in this district. A full attendance of members is specially requested.

The Alexandra Herald states that in connection with the school garden under the supervision of Mr Ridley, the agricultural instructor of the Otago Education Board, two lads (Pollock and Rivers) dug from one square pole 1691 bof potatoes. This is equal to 12 tons 1 cwt. to the .acre, and shows what can be done when the soil is scientifically treated. Another lad named Scott dug 1011 b.

Up to the present about £50,000 has been spent during the financial year on workers’ homes in the dominion. The Prime Minister told a Post reporter that in many places the Government had not been able to do as much in this direction as it would like, owing to the shortage of funds. Applications for homes were coming in very freely, and the department was negotiating for the purchase of sevei’al blocks of land.

The Pastoralists’ Review, published in Melbourne, contains the followin’!; on the political situation in New Zealand:—“One has only to travel through New Zealand to become aware of the fact that a restful calm pervades the political arena of the dominion. The conflicting winds which characterised the latter years of the Ward Administration have died away, and a tranquil atmosphere of sincerity and common sense now/exists. The old party has practically disappeared from the arena; there is no recognised leader of the Opposition; in fact, it is haial to find a party of that name in the House. Mr Massey and his able team are firmly entrenched, and are likely to remain in office for many years to come.”

Mr Matthew Moloney, lately Mechanician at tbe Oamaru Telegraph Office has for a number of years (says the Mail) devoted considerable attention to the perfecting of a thoroughly reliable fire alarm, and he has every reason to believe that his efforts have at last been successful. The salient features of his invention are that it can be set to register an alarm of are at any given temperature, restores itself automatically, and is immediately ready to record further alarm if necessary. Also, it is impossible to make the instrument give a false alarm by shaking, handling, or by any ordinary rough usage. If a sudden flare occurs, and then goes out, the instrument records that it is a false alarm. It needs no attention by experts after once being installed. The Public Works Department recently conducted a series of exhaustive tests of all the best known fire alarm systems, and Mr Moloney’s invention carried off the honours. The Government has decided to instal the successful system in the new Government Buildings in Worcester street, Christchurch.

e Minor alterations to the Stratford Post Office are being made, and additional private boxes are now being placed in the lobby. The South Australian Commissioner of Crown Lands states that the Government will do its best to introduce * an adequate number of capable domestic servants into South Australia. Already 300 girls have been brought out, and 290 are booked to leave England ring tho current year. A meeting of delegates from various p;.' lie bodies throughout the Province is meeting in the Borough Council Chambers this afternoon at 3.30 o’clock to discuss proposals for a Taranaki Court at the Auckland Exhibition. In the cycle road race, Stratford to Inglewood and back,on Thursday afternoon, the'following are the handicaps: L. H. Wann scr., Les. Marso scr., S. Parker sc., E. Townley 3min., C. Corkill 3min., B. E. Richmond 3min., C. Mills 3min.; R. Davis 4min., 11. Garlick smin., H. Yoyle omin., T. E. ; speck 6min., C. Unit 7min., A. Jones piSmin., A. Terry Bmin., R. James 12min., F. Bush 15min. Thursday and Friday next are the dates for the Stratford Horticultural Society’s annual show. A programme of instrumental music will be rendered each evening, and afternoon tea and supper, provided by tho ladies’ committee, can be obtained at a small charge. Entries finally close to-night, hut the numbe so far received show that the fixture will be a record one, and there should be a large attendance of the public at the Town Hall. J “It’s either extravagance or bad management,’’ said a member of the Stratford Hospital Board this morning in speaking to a motion that charitable aid should be given to a family, resident “Out East.” The member said that neighbours had loaned this family two cows, but, instead of making butter, a great deal of the new milk was thrown to the pigs. “They Avould still want if we gave them £2 a week,” the speaker concluded. L Under the baton of Bandmaster fMarshall, the Stratford Municipal Band gave a most enjoyable programme in the Gardens on Sunday afternoon. The numbers rendered were:— March, “Guards Parade” ; Intermezzo, , “Hermione”; Fantasia, “Regium >! Donum”; March, “Blades of Steel”; Fantasia, “Thames of England”; Gavotte, “Stephanie”; March, “The Countersign”; “God Save,the King.” There was a big attendance, but the Band in pursuance of its policy did not take up a collection. In a fortnight’s time, however, , the public will have an opportunity of contributing, when a concert will be given in the Hospital Grounds. ■ * •, V*’* Considerable attention is being paid by enthusiasts in boxing circles to the great match to be fought at Eltham on Thursday night between Allen Maxwell and his old opponent, Porter, of The match is for a £SO purse, and the second meeting of these two clever exponents of the art should prove a sight worth going a distance to see.. All possible arrangements have been completed by the committee in charge of the proceedings, which will be conducted under the auspices of the Eltham Sports and Pastimes |Club. Besides the star attraction, round of bouts for the various stand-arej-weight boxers appears on the programme. "'■i