LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXV, Issue 59, 11 March 1913, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

On page 2 of this issue will he found sporting news and notes, and reports of the Stratford Borough Council and Oddfellows’ meetings. The Oringi camp sports programme, and articles on milk supply appear on the eighth pager Electric masage for trees has been patented by a Colorado fruit grower. The object is to enable fruit trees to resist frost when they are budding and blossoming. The Queensland Commissioner for Railways has recommended the Minister to pay a reward of £SO to an old man named John Heeuan, for having saved a train from destruction in Torrens Creek, on the northern line. The creek was in flood, and a number of sleepers on the approach to the bridge were swept away. Heenan, In means of a lamp, signalled the app reaching train and thus averted a catastrophe.

The district electors list for Stratford is now in the hands of the printer, and copies will bo availably for the public in a day or two. The number of electors is 1517. However, tlio.se who have not already enrolled still have an opportunity to do so, but application should be made to the Town Clerk at once. “ The scene was the Stratford Oddfellows’ banquet, and J3ro. John Leydon, having replied to the toast of the visitors, was followed by P.P. G.M. Bro. Amoore, of Eltham. “1 am sure you will all agree with me,” stated the latter, “when I say that, Pa/st Provincial Grandmother .” For minutes the speaker could go no further, and none enjoyed the laughter more than “Grandmother” Leydon. It was the joke of the evening.

The risks nm by the ordinary consumer of milk, who cannot call bacteriological tests to his aid, are exemplified in an account given by a Sydney medical doctor before the hood Commissioner of an experience of one of tiie city hospitals. At this institution a special supply of milk—“at any rate a special charge was made for it,” said the witness—was subjected to tests, which revealed that the bacterial count was very nigh, from two millions to even twenty millions, whereas in fairly clean milk the maximum in such a count is 500,000. Of course, in the face of this revelation, flic source of supply was changed; and now the milk tests show a count which does not exceed 30,000. l Ycs,” said the witness, in agreement ruth the Commissioner, “this indeed is a very high standard. Moreover, this experience,” ho went on, “proves that pure milk can ho supplied at a reasonable cost. In this instance the sum paid is Is 5d per gallon, on consideration that large quantities are taken, while the ordinary price at the present time is 2s per gallon.”

The vicar of St. Michael’s, Cricklowood, Middlesex, acknowledges 115,476 farthings from his parishioners towards the building of the church. Consideration of Town Clerk Skoglund’s rating proposals are to be dealt with by the Borough Council at a special meeting on Monday night next. An electric searchlight of 72-000-candlepower intensity and a range of five nautical miles (about 5.8 statute miles) has been recently installed on the Ham burg-American liner Kaiserin Augusta Viktoria as an additional safeguard against collision with icebergs. The Court list for Friday’s sitting of the Stratford Magistrate’s Court includes twenty-one civil cases (one defended), one information for breach of the Borough By-laws, two charges of breaking and entering by night, one application for Old Age Pension, and one application for Widow’s Pension.

The Kiore and Huiroa school children, with their parents and friends, passed through Stratford this morning en route for the sea-side. The prospects for a fine day for the youngsters’ animal picnic were not. bright; indeed a light drizzling rain was damping the ardour of the keenest of them. The Borough Council are so satisfied with the work done by the stone crusher that there is no doubt if their municipal life was not sd short as to be counted in weeks, a similar machine would be purchased immediately. “Up to the present, 70yds of metal have been crushed at a cost very satisfactory indeed to the’Council,” stated the Mayor last night. His motion, that it be a recommendation to the incoming Council to purchase a crusher, was unanimously agreed to.

Rev. E. Philip Cape, a Methodist missionary from India, speaking in Sydney at the Methodist Foreign Mission meeting, uttered a note of warning as regards White Australia. “If in the application of your policy of White Australia,” he said, “you should ignore any of the fundamental rights of 'humanity,you will have to pay some day. If you try to part asunder those whom God has joined together—-to separate husband from wife, child from parent—you are fighting against God. The journalist and the statesman who seek to stimulate racial animosity are engaged in doing that which is wicked and, dangerous. In building up your White .Australia, I ask you to remember that.the supremacy of all the Britains. is founded on righteousness and humanity.”. ■, q

The Taranaki exhibit for. the \ Auckland Exhibition is gradually assuming defmitoTorm. Mr Jkß. Richards mentioned, to a reporter -yesterday that, Jie had interviewed' several’ prominent gentlemen in the southern towns who had expressed their sympathy with the proposal. Mr F. S. .Johns,' president of the ■ Taranaki Chamber of Commerce, informed us, however, that he had received acommunication from the Opunake Town Board, which body stated that' as they had nothing to exhibit, : they would not support th& proposal. Against this, Waitara had' forwarded the assurance of their support. ‘C”'

According to recent nhws received in Melbourne, matters in the New Hebrides are not improving to any material extent, and missionaries continue to report very glaring irregularities in connection with French recruiting in the islands. , One of these consists in paying the natives with specially minted coins of no intrinsic value, which can only be used to purchase goods from the planter who issued them. This ruse has been adopted to satisfy the Condominium law, which requires that a recruit must be paid his wages in money. A careful report on the present condition of affairs is being prepared, and will in due course be laid before the authorities in Melbourne and Great Britain.

“We do not want to sicken the public with the loan proposals,” said His Worship the Mayor at last night’s meeting of the Council. The remark was made during a discussion that followed a question of Cr. Thompson, as to whether His Worship considered it advisable to put the proposals before a public meeting of ratepayers. “I am quite willing,” was the ready reply “But,” he said, “the matter has been before the public so often, about once a week on an average, that I do not think it necessary.” Cr. Dingle; “It would be good cheap entertainment.’ 7 (Laughter.) “Yes,” remarked Cr. King, “especially if one is the butt of the meeting.”

As ordinarily understood, “cow test” needs no explanation in Taranaki, and to associate water with her majesty is anathema, so that the latest “test” as mentioned by a borough councillor last night will be accepted with delight by all her 'admirers. Speaking on the matter of the water supply and its shortcomings, Cr. Dingle—than whom, as head of the Stratford Dairy Factory, there can lie no superior authority—mentioned that he was quite satisfied with regard to the purity of the water. In the manufacture of butter, if there was anything wrong with the water it would surely have a deleterious effect on the finished article, but he was pleased to state that that was not so. They were making tiro highest grade in Taranaki, 9he said, and especially from Home the accounts of the splendid condition in which the consignments opened out were rtiost gratifying. He was sure they could drink gallons of the water and it would not do them any harm. “That is my opinion of the water, at any rate,” emphatically remarked Cr. Dingle, as he resumed his seat.

A benefit picture programme will be screened on behalf of the Stratford Hospital on Wednesday, March 26th, by Madame Bernard, at His Majesty’s Theatre. Mr Clemow, of the Opunake Road, suffered a loss this morning, when on the road to the factory the axle

of his milk curt broke, precipitating the milk on to the road. The Stratford Bowling Club are holding a Progressive Pairs match on Thursday afternoon next, play to co.i..n2nco at 1.30 p.m. sharp. Mem- ' bers wishing to play are requested to give their names into Mr J. Black by 12 o’clock on the day of the match. At Manilla (N.S.W.) police court recently, no less than four distinct kinds of oaths were necessary during the proceedings. The regular Court oath (kissing the Bible) was supplemented by the Scotch affirmation, swearing on the Koran, and the Chinese custom of blowing out a match. In chronicling the fact that the ratepayers of New Plymouth approved of borrowing £97,000 for over-head tramways, water, and street improvements, the Manaia Witness remarks: “New Plymouth, which has hitherto been the Eip Van Winkle among Taranaki towns, is beginning to wake up and get into the procession.” I The results of the weight-guessing competition organised by the Stratford Horticultural Society are to hand. The sheep, presented by Mr S. Pitt, weighted 57Jibs, and the correct weight was guessed by Messrs. A. Spilman and D. Cameron. Messrs. S. J. Rawles and Sid Reader guessed 57Jibs., and Mrs Curtis 57-Jlbs. The first and second prize money will be divided by the two who gave the correct weight. A newly-married couple arrived at St. Joseph City, Missouri, U.S.A., and after much wandering about failed to find a suitable house. A local builder, hearing of their plight, interviewed them and said, “I have only two lots of ground available, but I could build you the cottage you desire in 12 hours.” When they saw the plans, the slightly-bewildered pair gave the necessary order, and went off quite sure tha,t they would be disappointed. IJht they were not, for within the specified time the builder handed them the key of their newly-finished home.

Young Australia, which has wor high place- in the arena of sport, is it seems, holding its own also in the humbler, but more useful sphere o! dairying. Giving evidence before the Food’ Commissioner a New South Wales dairyman complained of the slowness of immigrants who were tried' at milking. “There is no comparison between them and the Australians,” said he. “Are the Australians quicker ? ?> inquired the Commissioner < “They are not only quicker, but they are more intelligent,” was the reply, “and again, the Englishmen’s hands do not seem so well suited for the work,”

There is no doubt that the last few years ha£ve witnessed a very great increase in the riumber of those who art addicted to the abuse of narcotic drug; (says the London “Citizen”)- Tht drugs commonly resorted to are opium, morphia, laudanum, cocaine, and chloral. The habit is frequently initiated by the employment of the drug to procure sleep. This is especially so in the case of literary men and women and members of the learned professions ,who are frequently victims to insomnia through over-pressure and over-strain. Drugs are also taken by persons of refinement and education to promote intellectual activity, brilliancy of thought, imagination, and speech. 'A very short time suffices firmly to establish this form of inebriety. In many cases the habit is set up in one or two months.