LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXVI, Issue 3, 8 May 1913, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

The Druids held a most enjoyable dance in the Foresters’ Hall last night, when there was an excellent muster. The music was supplied by Mr Rogers’ orchestra, and extras were played by Mr A. Richardson. Mr J. Jones carried out in a capable manner the duties of M.C. A dainty supper was provided by the ladies.

The effect of the recent severe gak at Mataimoana, reports the Waverley correspondent of the Patea Press, h seen in the condition of the roads and neighbouring hills. Workmen arc at present busy clearing away slips, and generally making the highway fit for traffic. At a point opposite M( Snow’s residence, the whole of one hillside fell away, and several thousand tons of earth completely buried a dog kennel and and an outhouse, and precipitated the edge of the slide to a few feet from the front door.

Some remarkable allegations are made against a Papuan official. A telegram received by the “Sydney Daily Telegraph” from Port Moresby states: “A serious charge has been brought against a Government official for unlawfully assaulting Mandattl. a boy in his charge. The boy’s statement was that for an act of disobedience) the official held him over a slow lire and roasted him. He then hanged tho boy by the neck for a short space, and struck him with a spade over the face, and fired four shots at him with a revolver whilst ho was running away. The chief medical official, Dr .Strong, gave evidence as to the burns and the wounds on the boy’s body. The case was adjourned for rebutting evidence to be produced.”

Tho main feature of Sunday afternoon at tho camp school (wires the Richmond correspondent of the Sydney Daily Telegraph) was a demonstration given hy Charlie Nicholls, son of Mr Nicholls, of Freeman’s Reach, in locating where water was to he found hy sinking. Tho hoy, followed hy all tho camp school, teachers, and visi-

tors, struck water some distance from tho camp. The lad walks with his arms and hands in front of him, and as soon as ho comes to where there is a stream underground his hands drop to his side, and cannot ho lifted up. lie also locates which way the stream is running. To show that it was genuine they blindfolded him and turned him round several times, and his hands would take him round to the way the stream runs. Tho lad is now 12 years of age, and has found several streams of water in the district, where bores have been put down successfully. In some instances water has been found 20ft, below the surface.

The Wellington Fire Brigade report shows that tho loss during the year totalled £83,803. Whitcombe and Tombs’ lire accounted for £41,282.

The Auckland boat did not connect with the mail train this morning, with tho result that passengers and mails will arrive in Stratford this afternoon.

The uses to which His Majesty’s uniform is some times put is rather

curious. A Territorial was to he soon in Stratford the other day taking the milk to the factory, and attired in 0

military tunic, trousers, and putties

A correspondent of tho Otago Daily Times writes cheerfully ns follows; “Another disturbance from the Antarctic is probable between May 8 and 12, with rough weather, especially on south and east coasts.”

The Prime Minister said yesterday that, no appointments to the Legislative Council will be considered until a fuller meeting of tho Cabinet can be obtained. A Bill for the reform of the Council will be re-introduced next session, and the Government will use every endeavour to place it on the Statute Book.

Of the four thousand and forty men in camp at Oringi last month, nine hundred and thirty seven were treated by the medical staff. This may seem a very high percentage, hut it must be remembered .that, when doctors with big reputations are to he consulted free, gratis, and for nothing, patients will not be wanting. Trivial complaints are also responsible for many of the nine hundred odd cases, while instances of that virulent disease “malingering” were not conspicuous bv their absence.

Close on 15,000 acres will be opened this month for sale or selection under optional conditions (besides 1928 acres for selection on renewable lease) by the Districts Land (dme, New Plymouth. The former comprise 36 sections in the Mapara and Tangitu Survey Districts and two sections in tho Aria S.D., and the latter two sections in the Tangitu S.D. Applicants will he obliged to 'appear before the Land Board at Gardner’s Hall, Taumarunui, on Wednesday, 28th, and the ballot will take place on the 30th. For fuller particulars see the advertisement in this issue.

The chief thing with which the officers in charge of Territorial camps have to contend is lack of thought. Sunday at Templeton (Canterbury) furnished a fine example of this when a man left his tent without an overcoat, in driving rain. He walked to the watercourse, laid his coat in one puddle and his shirt in another, and stood in his singlet in the rain while he washed. Having finished his ablutions, he resumed the sodden garments. While the incident was a fine testimony to the inherent cleanliness of the colonial, it was a terrible example of the avoidable sickness for which the system is blamed.

The picture benefit very generously given by Madame Bernard last evening proved an unqualified success. Almost every seat in the building was taken, and it is expected that many tickets sold were not presented. During the evening, Cr. R. McK. Morison, who represents the Stratford Borough Council on the National Park Board, thanked Madame Bernard for her generosity in so splendidly assisting the efforts of local citizens to improve tire road to the Stratford Mountain House. Mr Will Diamond responded on behalf of Madame Bernard. Messrs J. B. Richards and E. Jackson are to be congratulated on the able and enthusiastic manner in w hich they organised the sale of tickets.

A Christchurch Press reporter had a chat with a debt collector who has had much experience about Christchurch during the past few years. The collector said that at present the great trouble was with what might be called small household accounts. And amongst the worst of these were those of dentists. Some of the dentists did some work, usually ending in tho sale of a set of false teeth, on the instalment system. A deposit was collected, and there too often tho matter ended. Inquiry showed that no care had been taken in the granting of credit, and that any attempt to force tho matter further would bo mere foolishness. In this, as in other such affairs, the blame lay as much or more with the creditor than tho debtor.

The Rev. Vallance Cook, the English evangelist who is about to conduct a mission in New Zealand, told the Central Methodist Mission gathering in Sydney of an experience he had with tho Socialists before he left England. They invited him to address their meeting, stipulating only that they should have the right to question him for tho same length of time as he spoke. Ho accepted, and in order that they should not have much time to question him, he spoke for So minutes—commencing at 5.30 p.m. In England, Mr Cook explained, people did not like a long sermon, but the Socialists didn’t want it and when he had finished they pun^

nmstious to him for 85 minutes. He believed they would have been questioning him still if he had lot them. Rut one thing about that socialistic gathering he deplored. There were !2 hymns on the song-sheet, and the •Tame of God did not appear once. Nor did the name of Jesus Christ. There was no mention of sin. heaven, bell, or eternity. What were they singing about? About a brighter and better day that was coming. They believed a great and glorious time was looming ahead.

■ Two first offending inebriates before the Court at Stratford this morning were fined os and costs.

An assembly in aid of the hall crockery fund will bo held in the Toko Coronation Hall to-morrow evening.

The name of the new Association formed at Toko on Monday evening is the “Toko Settlers’ Association,” not A. and P. Association, as stated by our correspondent in his report, of the meeting.

The unusual sight of a man swirnn.mg in stout was witnessed at Cork the other day. A vat with a capacity of 20,000ga1. of stout burst, and a workman nacl a narrow escape, only saving himself hy being able to swim.

The monthly e meeting of th W.C.T.U. was held in St. Andrew’s Church on Wednesday. The Bible-in-Schools question led to a good deal of discussion, but voting was left over pending more information.

A fair idea of feeding at the casualty camp at Templeton (Canterbury) may be gathered from a story that one of the officers tells. On Sunday he saw one of the smallest boys in the camp seated before a plate which held four of the largest mutton chops he had ever seen. “What are yon going to do with those?” he asked. “Eat,them, sir!” There was a slight pause, and. then the lad added, “If 1 can.”

The Territorials who are charged with “ducking” a reporter at the Sutton (Otago) camp on April 19th, are Sergeant James Carr Rigby, Sergeant Thomas Atkinson Bunbury, Sergeant Cecil Jas. S. Nicholson, Sergeant Herbert Thompson, and Private Robert Kirkness. The reporter is Charles Macan, of the “Otago Daily Times” staff. The case was called at the Dunedin Police Court on Monday morning, and adjourned to the 14th inst.

The Tahora Road settlers have just

completed a telephone service, con-

necting with the Tahora Post Office, * and equipped with the very best inetruments. The benefits of a rural telephone is one (writes a correspondent) that no settlers should be without, especially in the backblocks. The cost should not be prohibitive to any with the most limited means. It puts them in touch with the local markets, and—most important—they can ring up a medical man at any time. Messrs Kennedy, Robertson, Bowers, McCarthy, and McLeod are the enterprising settlers who have thus installed the telephones at their Tahora Road residences. On Saturday evening last a social' evening was held in Mr R. G. Kennedy’s house, when about twenty ladies and gentlemen celebrated the event by music and dancing. It is said that the Mangawatu and Moki Road settlers wish to be connected similarly with ’phones.

Some time ago a Cag was presented by the Baden-Powell Scouts of El■tham, New Zealand, to the Scouts of Eltham, Kent, England, through Mr H. G. Sergei, a former well-known resident. Recently (reports the Argus) there has come addressed to Mr Sergei, care of the Rev. G, W. Dent, “The Story of Royal Eltham,, — a handsomely-bound volume bearing the following inscription:—“Presented to the Baden-Powell Scouts of Eltham, New Zealand, .by the Scouts of Eltham, Kent, England, in grateful acknowledgment of their fraternal feeling shown by their presentation of a flag. Ham. V. North, president; H. B. Trasker, Lt.-Col., chairman; A. M. Davies, Lt.-Col., vice-chairman; Win. Anderson, Walter Gregory, Oscar J. Joneb, scoutmasters. W. V. Kenny, hon. secretary, 106, Earlshall Road, Eltham. 27-1-1913. The following lines also appear on the title page of the volume:—“From Eltham of the Mother-land, To the Eltham far away; From the ancient home of chivalry, To chivalrous lads of today. Sons of a far-flung Empire, As one their voices ring, For the flag of the dear old country, For God, and Home, and King.” As the Scouts of Eltham have been disbanded, the Rev. Mr Dent has placed the volume in the care of His Worship the Mayor, who will hold it until the corps shall be reorganised, as it is understood, it probably will be shortly.

Among the passengers passing through Auckland to Sydney by the s.s. Marama from Vancouver were Mr and Mrs Kennedy Rumford (Clara Butt), who are to make a tour of Australasia lasting over until December next. The party consists of Mr and Mrs Rumford, their three children, Mr Harold Craxton (the accompanist), Mr Roland Foster (the manager), a tutor, a governess, and a maid. The tour of America (the first these singers have made) was most satisfactory, and Mme. Clara Butt’s voice was the object of much wonder. A. concert was given at Honolulu on the way across the Pacific, and here Mr Rumford and his wife nearly lost the steamer, just tumbling aboard as the gangway was being hauled up. Both Mr Rumford and his gifted wife are glad to return to Australia and New Zealand, where they were so well received on their last tour. Since they were here they have been to South Africa as well as America, and splendid business was done in the towns visited. The party goes on to Sydney (reports the Star), and after a lengthy Australian tour, they will **6me over to New Zealand, and finally leave Wellington in December. It had been intended to return by way of India, but the American tour was so successful that they have decided to pay a return trip.

When Ruby coughs and Fanny chokes. And Ruthie hangs her head, And mother sighs and father snort? “I wish that I were dead,” Then Grannie reaches for the shelf, A bottle to secure, , And gives us life—man, child and wife With Woods’ Great Peppermint Cure.