LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXV, Issue 74, 4 April 1913, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

. The monthly meeting of the W.C. T.U. was held on Thursday in the Broadway Methodist Church. There was a good attendance, iind several important subjects were discussed, including the Bible-in-Schools question.

“I am glad to see that the managers of this Institute , are not so mealy-mouthed as some people,” said his Honor Mr Justice Cooper at the annual meeting of the Boys’ Institute, at Wellington. “I notice that boxing is included in the list of athletic exercises taught and promoted. We all detest prizefighting, but boxing is a useful exercise to learn. It teaches a man to take care of himself.

Mr Mcßae, water diviner, has been engaged lately on quite a number of farms in South Canterbury locating water, says the Timaru Herald. Oh Mr McCullough’s farm at Waihao Forks ho found water where others had not thought of looking for it—namely, under many feet of hard bluestone rock. • After sinking first through 15ft of silt and stone, blue rock was struck, and, after boring through this for tOft., the water came gushing up, and is now 30ft. deep in tno well. On a farm at the Levels, Mr Mcßae got water at a depth ol 3Gft. As be is able to divine the presence of hidden metals and minerals, he was invited the other day by a local fisherman to go out with him in his launch and endeavour to locate the place where the Lyttelton went down many years ago. Mr Mcßae had no idea of the spot until his divining rod told him he was approaching it, and he was able to completely convince the sceptical boatman of his ability to locate metals under water.

As in other parts of i a ran asi (rays "the Rowan corre- p indent oi the Star) the district was treated to a prove rful healthy gale on I riday last. Haystacks suffered considerably by having the tops taken off, while tanas were lifted bodily from their stand and hurled away. Milk cans,' buckets, etc., were treated in a like manner. To add to the chaos, Ikes lit for burning off on some properties spread with great rapidity, and towards d o’clock a good stre’eii of country was burning fiercely, much damage being done to fences, etc. Seine of the settlers suffered heavilv, notably Mr G. Hill, whose shed and milking plant were totally destroyed.

Some farming implements were also damaged. The insurance only 'tartly covers the loss, so that Mr Hill stands to loso considerably. Mr V. Mellow was also hard Hit by having a big bay stack burnt, while other settlers had an anxious time of it. The hall, though surrounded by tires, escaped by a hair’s breadth. Towards evening the gale lessened in its severity, ami a much-hoped-for rain set. in. 11. is to be hoped (adds the writer) that I lie present occasion will act as a warning against burning logs and stumps after a long, dry spell, and that those in the habit of doing so will take ihe lesson to themselves.

Bilihid Prison, at Manila, was tho scene recently of the production of a play, written, staged, and acted by prisoners, in a theatre specially built by prisoners, and before an audience composed of prisoners. A remarkable tribute is paid to tho late Captain Oates by the Paris “Temps,” which gives special prominence to the action of the man who walked calmly into the blizzard to meet bis death in order that his companions might have a chance of life. “T lis self-sacrifice,” says the French newspaper, “bears the mark of that absolute self-control which an Englishman prizes above all else in the world. When the question is, asked, ‘What is a true gentleman?’ our neighbours will have no need to search their history or Shakespeare. It will suffice to reply that he is the man who behaves like Captain Oates.” Re--1 erring to Captain Oates’s epitaph, inscribed by the members of the search party, “Hereabouts died a very gallant gentleman,” tho Temps says y—“These men find the right word straight away. They require no effort to raise themselves to the sublime. They are already there.”

Jt is not often that a bird is killed by a bowl on its way to the jack. However, a sparrow on one of the Melbourne greens waited just a little too long, or trusted to bias just a little too much, and got killed. On the Brighton green a pairs match was on, ami one of the players had just sent off his bowl in an endeavour *to draw the shot, when he noticed a sparrow obstructing its course, but fully expected to see it fly clear at the last • moment. Instead of which it waited, with the result that it lost its life, the bowl rolling on and over it, crushing out its life. This is the second sparrow killed by the same player. Some years ago, in his cricketing days, when bowling at the practice nets, a ball he delivered struck a sparrow and killed it. Evidently lie has a special bias for dead birds.

Dissatisfied wives in Papua are likely to find it mu'ch more difficult to rid themselves of their husbands now that they are under Commonwealth control than they did when they were answerable only to local custom. In a report to the Department for External Affairs, Judge Murray, LieutenantGovernor of the Territory, states that if a woman after returning to her parents’ home did not desire to go back to her husband, she could marry again as long as the chosen one paid back o the first husband all the money the latter had paid to her parents lor her. If he declined to do so, it was the custom for all the relations of the two men to have a fight. If a widow married again, the new husband was expected to pay the money to the relations of the dead man, “The natives,’ concludes Judge Murray,’ .“would very much like to adhere to these customs.”

Vinson Walsh McLean, known throughout America as the “Hundred Million Dollar Baby,” has been chastised for the first time iii his three-and-a-half years of life, and the incident is being chronicled with great gusto (the New York correspondent of the “Chronicle” states). Baby McLean is the son of Mr and Mrs Edwin Beale McLean, and the wealthiest and most pampered baby in the world. In addition to his father’s fortune he will inherit the Walsh millions from his grandfather and a share of the Rockefeller millions, so that he will be worth at least £20,000,000. His doting parents take the most extraordinary precautions for his protection, and when he is taken out by his nurse, of whom he has two constantly with him, he goes in a “kidnapper-proof” baby carriage, which resembles an iron cage, and has an escort of defectives. His first “spanking” was tsite,shrdluetao chmrfdl cmrd shrhdw administered by Mrs McLean’s maid, who, realising the enormity of her offence, left the McLean household at once without waiting for certain dismissal.

A rather regrettable incident is recorded in the Wellington papers. A young lady who returned to the cloak-room after skating missed her jacket, and at once started to search for it. In doing so she naturally handled and turned over a number of the garments which were deposited in the cloak-room. While so engaged, she was observed by a person, who drew his own conclusions and reported what he had seen to the management. Dramatic developments followed. By a public announcement on the floor, people were requested to ascertain whether any of their property had gone astray, and policemen, summoned in haste from Mount Cook station, appeared upon the scene. Naturally there was a good deal of excitement and agitation. Eventually the young lady who had innocently given rise to all this trouble was requested to walk to Mount Cook station. This she did, constables following in her wake. The sequel shows the unwisdom of jumping at conclusions. The police, on making in-

quiries, were soon satisfied that the story told by the young lady of a hunt for a lost jacket was true in every particular. Nothing was missing except the jacket. It was satisfactorily established that a regrettable mistake had been made, and the young lady was immediately released. When Ruby coughs and Fanny chokes. And Rnthie hangs her head, And mother sighs and father snorts “I wish that 1 were dead.” Then Grannie reaches for the shelf, A bottle to secure, And gives ns life—man, child and wife With Woods’ Great IVppenniut Cure Silver Goods for Wedding I’-esrnts We have the largest variety in town. All British manufacture. Charles K. James. Broadway. x

A free picture matinee for .school children under twelve years of ago will be given on Wednesday, 16th inst at His Majesty’s. Among the pictures, the famous “Cinderella” will bo screened.

The Auckland City Council has appvoved of the principle in a proposed amendment of the by-laws requiring the numbering of all seats in places of amusement and the ensuring of a seat to every purchaser of a ticket. A Press Association wire to-day adds that the amendments were referred to t.. 0 By-laws Committee for consideration and report.

A farm labourer, with a wife and six children, stated in the Stratford to-day that his wages were 31s a week, with house rent free. He remarked that he could not keep a young family on these wages, and the four judgments obtained against him certainly bore out his contention. Mr Kenrick, S.M., commented on ‘the low wages, and said that in the Hawera Court, girl witnesses, who were good milkers, stated that they were paid as much as 35s a week and found.

The Stratford and Eltham \ olunteer Fire Brigade were engaged yesterday afternoon lii the annual competition for the Stratford-Eltham shield. The local practice ground is by no means satisfactory, and the visitors were at a disadvantage in not being acquainted with its numerous disabilities. In the two-men event, Lieutenant Wilson and Foreman Burgess were successful; in the three-men event, Lieutenant Wilson, Branchman Boon, and Fireman Davies won; in the five men event, Stratford also won, the team being Lieutenant Wilson, Foreman Burgess, Branchman Boon, and Firemen Davies and Sullivan. By winning the three events Stratford takes the shield. The judges were Captain Nuttall (Eltham), Captain Grubb (Stratford), and Ex-captain Kivel (Stratford); the timekeeper was Mr Penny. The visitors were kindly entertained at afternoon tea by Mr W. Patou.

The return of business done in the Magistrate’s Court at Stratford during the quarter ended March 31st, show that ten sittings had been presided over by a magistrate, and fourteen sittings presided over by Justices of the Peace, making the total number for the quarter, twenty-four. The number of civil cases heard by the S.M. was 130, the aggregate amount sued for, £llO9 14s sd, and the amount recovered £1034 17s. Sixteen applications were heard in Court or Chambers, and fourteen orders were made other than judgment summonses. One hundred and thirty-nine plaints were entered, twenty-one distress warrants issued, and three orders made on judgment summonses, and three warrants of committal issued. The bailiff and his' assistants served ninety and other processes within two miles, and forty-nine over two miles. Five distress warrants and four warrants of committal were also executed by the bailiff. Civil fees paid in stamps were £lO7 Os, and.£4 3s was paid in licensing fees. Fifty-seven males and two females were taken into custody, summoned, or apprehended, criminal fines and fees amounting to £32 9s 6d. Twenty-six Old Age and Widows’ pensions were granted, one refused, and one is pending. >

An unusual case occupied the Stratford, Magistrate’s Court to-day, when A. Hurliman was charged, that he did on March 9th last commit wilful damage to one padlock to the value of ono shilling, the property of Charles Dyke. Mr Robert. Spence appeared for the informant, and Mr H. H. Hanna (Halliwell and Sellars, Hawera), for the defendant. The facts of the case were that Dyke had leased four horses and a dray f»om the defendant, who, being unsatisfied, presumably with the treatment the horses had received, went to plaintiff’s farm and took the dray and two horses away. Plaintiff had anticipated this and locked the wheels with a chain and padlock. Afterwards Dyke found the padlock broken, and the dray and horses missing. Mr Kenrick, S.M., after hearing legal argument and the evidence of several witnesses, which included the statement of defendant that he had never seen the padlock and was unaware of its presence on the dray, dismissed the case. Mr Kenrick stated that it had not been proved that the defendant wilfully broke the lock'; he had no evidence before him of witnesses, who had actually seen the defendant break the padlock.