LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXV, Issue 79, 10 April 1913, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

The winner of the handsome cup presented by the Stratford Auctioneers to the East Road Doc Trial Club was Mr W. Warwick's "Scott."

A chimney in the eastern part of the Borough was on fire last : r. and the Fire Brigade was summoned liv telephone, the fire bell not being rung. Members of the Brigade ' eve on the scene quickly, but there were no serious developments in the fire.

Tbe team of trotting horses taken north by Messrs Harry Jones and •). Butler were very successful yesterday at the opening of the Auckla id Trotting Club's meeting. Wynntte gained a first and .second, Manuring!

a first, and Sundial a first. An excellent record for Stratford-lrainod horses certainlv.

When nominating a candidate for the Mayoralty, a cheque for £lO lias to be lodged, and in the case of eanddates for the Borough Council, Harbour Hoard and Hospital Hoard, Hie sum of £3 each has to be deposited, ibut if any (successful candidate fails to pall one-eighth of the total votes polled by the lowest successful candidate, his deposit is made forfeit to the district fund.

A Territorial in uniform wearing a "hard-hitter" hat instead of his proper headgear is about as imposing a. spectacle as a scarecrow in a turnip field (remarks the Argus). There was a, Territorial in Eltliam a night or two ago clad in the manner described. He should come again, for his ridiculous appearance afforded a lot of amusement to onlookers.

Some idea of the quantity of food to be consumed at the infantry cam]) being held just now at Matarae (Central Otago) is given in the following ■details: Bread, 45001 b; meat, 45001 b; tea, 1401 b j sugar, 7501 b; cheese, 3751 b; jam, 7501 b; potatoes, 30001 b; onions, 7501 b; butter, 7501 b; salt, 931 b; pepper, 51b; oatmeal 3751 b; coffee, 931 b. The camp will break up on Saturday, April 19th.

At the present time the sea fisheries in Xew Zealand are under the control of the Marine Department, and so are most of the river fisheries, but trout fishing in the lakes is under the control of the Tourist Department. The Government is now considering a proposal which will mean, if it is adopted, that all fresh-water fisheries will be placed under a single control—that of the department of internal affairs, which at present controls tho acclimatisation societies.

"1 am quite well aware that there are a number of young men in the Government service and other walks of life who are being prevented from attending parades by those in authority and their employers, but this does not excuse, them," said Mr S. E. McCarthy, S.M., at the Court in Napier, when a cadet in the Post and Telegraph Department was proceeded against for not attending paiades, and handed up an excuse from the superintendent to the effect that he had been sent to Ormondville relieving. His Worship added: "You cannot shelter yourself behind your Department. You yourself, the department, and employers generally have got to obey the law."

One of the greatest difficulties in connection with the working, of the slot telephones to be faced by the Telegraph Department is the frequent insertion of defective pennies. It wai explained recently that the twopence-in-the-slot machines are rather delicate instruments, and the presence of a bent coin is often sufficient to put them out of order. To obviate this, it is suggested that the authorities should introduce a system of "counters"—round pieces of metal which could be sold at the boostalls, post offices and other places convenient to the slot machines. This system would enable the counters, when bent and worn, to be thrown away by the Department. It is probable that some such scheme will be inaugurated in the near future, in preparation for the time when public telephones are more numerous than they are at present.

Thousands of people have made a pilgrimage to Landswood Cemetery at Leeds (England), to gaze upon (and comment upon) what is certainly a remarkable monument, and at the same time a notable addition to the cemetery statuary. The tombstone has been erected by a well-known Leeds man to the memory of his wife, who died just two years ago. ' All conventionality in design lias been swept away. The monument is a replica of the porch of the house where the husband lived with his wife, on the broad steps at the bottom being a large figure—almost life-size—of the dead woman, who apparently has just stepped out of the house, for the door is ajar. It is designed in massive proportions and is said to have cost £9OO. Standing Bft or 9ft high, and weighing probably five tons, it is executed in white marble, .brought from a famous Italian cpuarry., The doors are of polished black Aberdeen granite, and are fitted with knolis just as if they were the doors of the house itself. The figure of the lady is leaning forward slightly, as if stepping out of the house to greet her husband. She is in evening dress, and carries in her hand a bunch of flowers. The statue is all the more novel since the features are said to represent those of the dead woman, the sculptor havng worked from photograiphis to secure the likeness.

A rather amusing sight was witnessed on tbe Frankton road recently (says the Lake Wakatipu Mail), when a motor car was to be seen in equine tow on the prohibited auea of this road. The iron steed was not disabled, as many thought; its owner was but sagaciously circumventing the Lake County by-law relating to motor traffic, which is not allowed on the road between the town boundary and tlu' Frankton. wharf. The said bylaw proclaimed that motors shall not be "driven" on the road in question ; consequently, as the Shotover river, which crosses the route usually followed by the car, was in flood, and had taken some negotiating earlier in the day, the owner of the motor quickly came to tbe conclusion that though his car might not be "driven," there was no reason why it should not be drawn. Suiting his action to his words, he yoked up two horses to hie car and went on his way chuckling. So did the two horses, so it is said!

For children's hacking cough at night Woods' Great Peppermint Cure, Is 6d, 2s Gd.

The Government has acquired an estate of 9000 acres adjacent to Masterton for the purposes of closer settlement. A Press Association wire states that the area includes the property of Stonewigg and part of Mr W. H. Beqtham's property.

« > Some people are apparently apt to Worget their boyhood's days and do not take kindly to being fooled on April Fool's Day. The Wanganui Chronicle's travelling reporter records the facts that one poor little boy who had made "a of his master received no JL.,i-r than "ten cuts," as the boy put it.

Alfred" John Wans tall, a middle-aged man, with five previous convictions against him, was charged at the Court this morning with stealing at ' Kiore k rug to the value of 10s, the property of James Caldwell. Messrs J. Masters and J. McCluggage J.P.'s. were on the Bench, and Sergeant McNeely prosecuted. A sentence of one ' month's imprisonment with hard labour was recorded.

A loud report in the neighbourhood . of the Bank of New South Wales at mvercargitt on Friday afternoon attracted some attention, and inquiry being made, it was found that a vuL caniser in a dentist's work shop in the vicinity, which was said to be car- ■ rying 70 pounds of steam, had exploded. The top had blown off and had done some damage to the ceiling, and the recoil had driven the lower portion through the tongue and groove boards of the floor.

A new method of dealing with the house-fly is being examined by the British Local Government Board. In it the flies are destroyed by their feeding on a fungus which proves fatal to them. This fungus has been known for some time to possess its

destructive properties,- but there has been a difficulty in obtaining adequate ' supplies of it. Mr Edgar Hesse has succeeded in cultivating it artificially, and when it, is spread about where the flies are they appear to eat the spores, which germinate in their bellies and finally kill them.

Although Mr Massey promised to do his utmost to secure a visit of fH.M.S. New Zealand to New Plymouth, no definite statement has been made that Taranaki people will be able to see the Dreadnought without travelling to Wellington. The matter rests with the Governor and Captain Halsey, and it would appear that New Plymouth will be cut out of the programme, for the railway department

in contemplating, if sufficient inducement offers, a special train and reduci ed fares from New Plymouth to Wellington, the "special" returning on the next day.

The Fire Brigade met on Tuesday, when Captain Grubb presided. The Chairman spoke very much to the point on the lack of interest taken in the competitions, grievances were ventilated, and the meeting proved generally profitable to all concerned. It was decided to'rain off a series of competitions on May Bth for the trophies presented by Messrs C. E. James, A. Moon, and T. Mercer", also for the novice medal presented by Lieutenant Wilson. The Brigade decided not to make application that the next annual provincial competitions fthould be held at Stratford. Presen-

* tations* of trophies won were made to Fireman Davis (Burgess Cup), Fireman Boon (Bishara Cup), and Fireman Burgess (Hallenstein's Trophy).

Short weight, as well as substitution, is an evil 7 provided against in the new food regulations, and there has already been an interesting development in the retail butter business as a result (writes a Wellington correspondent). What the housewife gets in- response to her order for a pound of butter is often a pat an ounce, or even two ounces, short of a pound weight. The wholesalers, who put up the butter in pats for grocers, have been warned over this practice from the Health Department, but they met the position by advertising their brands for sale at so much "per pat" instead of "per lb." Now they have received a further checkmate in the new regulations,. which prescribe that the net weight must be shown on the wrapper. They may continue, under stress of competition, to cut the price of pats, but the cautious housewife need not be misled into thinking she is getting cheaper butter. If the weight does not coincide with that specified on the wrapper, a complain to the local health inspector will probably have good results.

. Two Guineas for four lines of poetry! Read Tonking's Linseed Emulsion intimation every Saturday araongtt new t