LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXV, Issue 95, 29 April 1913, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Parliament will probably assemble on Thursday, June 26. The absence of the Hon. James Allen had to be taken into consideration in determining the probable time of meeting, says the Times, and the absent Minister is expectd to arrive at Auckland by the R.M.S. Maheno, from Vancouver, on June 3. The intervening time till the 26th will be -necessary for collaboration of the Hon, James Allen with his colleagues on financial, defence, and other important policy questions.

The Patea Press says that a rare find was made by Mr T. Taylor, while at work upon the destruction of an old stump near his homestead at Moeawatea on Thursday. Mr Taylor had wrenched out a large piece of wood, and was about to land another telling blow when he noticed the neck of a bottle, seemingly buried, in the rotten wood. Pursuing his investigations further, Mr Taylor eventually discovered a bottle of whisky which some “dropper” had evidently planted there in days gone by. Judging by the age of the bottle and its position in the stump, the burial ceremony must have taken place at some time during the Maori war.

“Within forty days,” said the Lord Mayor of Melbourne last week, “the period of latitude we have hitherto allowed the ladies of Melbourne on the subject of protruding and dangerous hat pins will come to an end.” He was alluding to the passing by the City Council the other day of a bylaw prohibiting the wearing of unprotected hat pins in the city thoroughfares. “The maximum penalty is a heavy one,” the Lord Mayor continued, “and no effort will be spared to see that the general public is protected on the sidewalks and in conveyances from what has in the past been a serious menace to eyesight.”

“I should like to have our hospital run on the same lines that people would long to go up there,” remarked Or. Florence Keller, in the course of a' Hospital Board election address at Auckland. There was a general laughter, and it was renewed when the candidate mentioned that one doctor had told her that at Christina, time the doors of the children’s ward had to be kept locked to prevent mothers leaving their babies while they went off to Rotorua or elsewhere for holidays. Perhaps there was nothing more wrong with some of the baliies than that they had been given sour bottles,

The coin-in-the-slot telephones have proved very succesful, so far. The machine in the lobby of the post ofiice in Princess Street, Dunedin, gins the highest return of any in the Dominion.

A W averley businessman has amassed a regular collection of comics that have long since been “called in,” hut which have come his way through the 1 hands of absent-minded customers. 1 he collection includes a Kruger sovereign, two Kruger shillings, and one George 11. sixpence.

Ay a result of the prolonged strike, accompanied by riots and bloodshed, the International Harvester Company lies closed 1 down its New York factory, and has shipped its machinery to Cologne, in Germany, where it hopes to make a fresh start.

iho Prime Minister informed a New Zealand Times representative that included among the Government measures at present on the stocks wero an Industrial Conciliation and Arbitration Amendment Bill, Shops and Offices Amendment Bill, and a Land Bill.

The Stratford Foresters held the first of a series of fortnightly dances in their Hall, Regan Street, last evening, when the building was well filled and the floor in splendid order. J lie music was delightful, and was supplied by Mrs Riauchi (piano), and Messrs Parker (cornet and -violin), extras being played by Mr A. Richardson, Mrs E. E. Hancock, and Miss Copestake. Messrs Webber and Hancock acted as M.C.s in a satisfactory manner. Mrs M. H. Brooking supplied an excellent supper.

The business methods of a certain class of canvasser were .subjected to some rather severe criticism by Mr vet tie, S.M., at Auckland, when dealing with a claim brought by H. A- E. Kelly and Co. against Mrs E. 'I. Gray don, in which the plaintiffs sought to secover the sum of 35s ior a “Chautauqua” patent writing desk, stated to have been sold and delivered to the defendant. ]fie evidence for the plaintiff, who were unrepresented by counsel, was to the cl! <ct that defendant was called on and signed an order for a desk, the price of which was 355, and paid 5s as deposit, but later on refused to take delivery of the article. Mr Kettle informed the plaintiffs that they could not succeed on the claim as it ■stood, seeing that the goods hand not barn delivered. “Your only claim,” he added, “can be one for damages for breach of contract, and your damages are nil, since you have the desk and 5s as well. I have often had cause for remark,” observed Mr Kettle, that married women are .very pi one to sign all sorts of agreements to buy goods brought round by canvassers. It only takes a little persuasion from a plausible man, and they will sign all sorts of attractively printed forms, the meaning of which they do not in the least understand.” Judgment was given for the defendant.

Speaking at RaveneboUrne (Dunedin) the Hon. Mr R. Heaton \nodes, Postmaster-general, touched on the experiment started last year by the Hon. Mr Ell in the direction of forwarding fish by post. Unfortunately, he said, the innovation had not been successful. Similarly, the reduction in hook post, for the benefit of country libraries, had not been taken advantage of, and he had had to close down on it. The fruit post " as another experiment. He was not going io close down on it yet, because he believed that when it was better known the townspeople would avail tnemsehes of it largely. One could go to a post office, fill in a 'coupon, and get the fruit ordered and delivered at one s door, thus entirely eliminating the middleman. He thought that people generally did not know that tins boon was open to them, and therefoie he intended to give the experiment a further trial. The fruit-grow-ns themselves were somewhat lax in tne matter, and he proposed to assist them by allowing them to place in the post offices a list of their prices, so that people, on going to a post office to forward an order, would know exactly what they were giving for their fruit.

The Waverley correspondent of the Patea Press reports as follows upon an interesting find:—The discoverers were enjoying a week-end “jaunt” at tiie beach, and in their peregrinations wandered through the caves and about the papa cliffs. One of the party was interesting himself in the specimens oi fossilised shells, dotted here and there among the papa when his attention was attracted by what appeared to be the remains of a log, uncovered by a recent slip, projecting from the clifi face. After some investigation, a small piece was knocked off with a well aimed pebble, and the pleasure seekers were much amazed to find on examination that their find was a specimen of fossilised bone. A rope was procured from the shelter house, and one of the dauntless ones lowered (a distance of 20ft) over the cliff. He was down for somo time, hut eventually returned with several good sized pieces of the fossil. He stated to his companion that the hones visible wera portions evidently, of a large skeleton that he had been able to trace vaguely in the rock formation. The most curious part of the whole business is the enormous size of the hones. Tho largest piece secured plainly showed the hone structure and substance. Its diameter was calculated at about six and a half inches. A sample has been despatched to the Wellington Museum for the inspection of the Curator, Mr R. Hamilton, who is an excellent authority on mailers of ibu description, C -- • -

The Auckland Exhibition Sports i; Committee are considering a proposal to light the Domain cricket ground for I the purpose of holding sports and 1 games both night and day. I; An advertisement for a probationer p' /nurse at the Stratford Hospital produced four applicants, though only ■! one was considered suitable • for the if position. that the whole of the Eltham Dairy Company’s factories will commence butter-making on the hist of . :xt; month. The Hawera Dairy Company has accepted the tender of Mr E. W .Good for the erection of a new factory, in concrete, on the Glover Road. The contract price is £2495. Mr J. A. Duffill is the architect. The Napier Hospital Board has received advice of a “bequest of £1383 under the will of J. M. Stokes, whose estate has been divided among thirteen charities.—P.A. wire. * Electors are reminded of the polls m connection with the election of the Borough Council and the Hospital Board to be held to-morrow (Wednesday). The voting booths will be 1 situated in the Town Hall, and the I 1 polling hours will be from 9 a.m. to [ A public welcome is to bo extended to Rev. E and Mrs Bandy in the Broadway Methodist Church this evening. The meeting will also celebrate the recent union of the two churches, and addresses will be given by Messrs J. B. Hine, M.P., and C. E. Bellringer. A public tea, in the Regan Street Church, will precede | the welcome. The following will represent the Stratford Bowling Club in a match against Hawera on the Stratford green to-morrow afternoon, commencing at R 1.30 p.m., weather permitting:— Messrs Brake, Dingle, Curtis, Fookes, Edgecdmbe, Martin, MacDonald, Mc- ‘ Millan, Morison, Reeve, Porritt, Jackson, Ryan, Penn, Wright, Webb, and Ward. Rinks will be selected 4on the green. Players are requested to bring the usual plate. This will be the last match of the season, and ladies and visitors are specially in- | vited. . While members of the Hospital I, Board are continually crying out i against the great 1 expense involved in the ratepayers having to pay the bills of the majority of co-operative worki; ers, Mr J. Smith’s philosophic attitude is somewhat refreshing: “There ia many a place in New that would be glad : to have the Public Works that we haye, and stand the risk of losses thai we stand,” .was his remark at the Hospital Board meeting this morning.

A rather amusing story is told regarding the congestion of business at present being experienced at the Auckland Magistrate’s Court (says the “Star”). The Court had a very busy day in front of it, and two wellknown lawyers had before them the prospect of waiting all day for the case in which, they were engaged to be called on. In their restless perambulations 'they came upon an equally js. impatient brother practitioner. His appearance was hailed with delight, as the first two legal men had a plan to set up a “magistrate’ ’of their own, and the position being explained to him, the newcomer consented to act. Accordingly a “court’ ’was set up, the witnesses examined, counsel’s addresses delivered, and judgment given. Subsequently, when the case was called in the Magistrate’s Court, judgment was Entered, by consent, in the terms of the decision arrived at by the amateur magistrate.

The monthly meeting of the Stratford Hospital Board was held this morning, when Mr J. Smith presided over an attendance of the following members:—Messrs. J. McAllister, J. Ohristoffel, W. Rogers, A. Meredith, E. Walter, and E. Hine. The medical superintendent (Dr. Steven) reported that he returned to duty or. March 20th, During the month nineteen patients were admitted, and fifteen discharged. Fifteen remained in the institution at the end of the month. Eleven operations were performed under anaesthetics, and there were no deaths. The local authorities will contribute as follows by monthly instalments to the funds of the Board: County of Stratford (capita' value £2,039,987), £7O 16s 8d pemonth; Whangamomona County (capital value £488,017), £l6 18s lid per month; Stratford Borough £467,606 9s lOd), £l6 4s 9d. The total levy is thus £lO4 4s per month.

“The lonic could go through the French Pass,” said a witness at the Manaroa inquiry on Friday night. “You didn’t say the H.M.S. New Zealand, did you?” someone asked sceptically. “I might say,” remarked Mr E. K. Kirkcaldie, “that had the New Zealand gone through the Pass she would n6t hare been the first warship to do it. A warship went through there a good many years ago—but I don’t think she knew what she was taking on.” Dr. M'Arthur, S.M.: They even wanted to take the New Zealand up to Dunedin. (Laughter.) Mr M. Myers: One of the English papers published an itinerary of the tour of H.M.S. New Zealand, and included in the list of places which the vessel was to call at the town of Hawera. A voice; They have swimming baths there. Captain Gillespie: They didn’t say it would call at Patea, did they? It might be stated (without authority) says the Dominion, that Captain Halsey has definitely decided that the ship shall not visit Hawera.

The following players have been selected to play a practice match against Eltham seniors at the Show Ground, the match to start at 3 o’clock:— Bonner, Dewar, W. Woods, Sullivan, Fearon (2), Boon, Marchant, Spratt, Dobson, Tocker, N. Anderson, Wood, Kivell; emergencies, Olliver, J. Anderson and Harkness.

In asking the Stratford Hospital and Charitable Aid Board to be patient in their demands for payment of an account, a carpenter, living “out East,” quoted “Lord Ellen’s Daughter,” to the effect that his employer had come to grief, and he “was left lamenting” for his wages. The quotation had the desired effect, and a member remarked: “What a nice letter!” Then another member gave the other side of the question, and pointed out that the man should he able to pay the account easily enough; the letter, however poetical it might be, was not a true statement of the position. The cry of the Board was: “Solicitor, do not tarry.”

The manner in which the ratepayers are saddled with the debts of unscrupulous persons was commented upon this morning by Mr J. Smith, acting-chairman of the Stratford Hospital and Charitable Aid Board, “it’s a common boast,” he said. “I know one man working in Stratford at the present time who seems proud of the fact that he was six months in the Wanganui Hospital, and has neve, yet paid a cent.”