LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXVI, Issue 83, 12 August 1913, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

The Manchester Unity, 1.0.0. F., held their fortnightly meeting in the Foresters’ Hall last night, and despite the bad weather, a fair muster of members were present. Included in the business was the initiation of a new member.

A Waipawa Press Association message) this morning states : Heavy and continuous rain fell throughout the night and continues. It was badly needed, as only half the usual-'rain-fall has been recorded since January. The Borough Overseer last night gave it as his opinion that it would not bo satisfactory to use the road roller over footpaths to consolidate them. Cr. Boon, who made the suggestion, thought it might be tried on some suitable stretch of new footpath, and the Council decided thai this trial bo made.

Stratford people will learn with pleasure that the Ellwood Trio and Company are to visit this town. Jean Gerardy took a keen interest in this talented trio, and got them places in the Liege Conservatoire. After twelve months, George secured the Premier Prix, competing against players, some of whom had been studying for sixteen years. The only two- students who, during the whole existence of this famous College, have won this honor after so short a study are Jean Gerardy and George Ellwood. The Ellwoods appear here early in September. Further particulars will bo notified later.

Several local bodies in New Zealand I take money on deposit, carrying out the functions of a bank. The Gisborne Borough Council is the latest body to adopt the scheme and it has found much favor with the residents of the town. Stratford Borough Council decided last night, on the motion of Cr. Richards, to refer the question to the Finance Committee for a report. Cr. Richards said the scheme would have the effect of giving the Council money at perhaps a lower rate than it could otherwise be got. and further it would be a convenience to the people of the district. The Mayor seconded the motion, which was carried without further discussion.

Members of the Chamber of Commerce are reminded that the annual meeting is to be held in the Borough Council Chambers this evening.

The Borough Council last night received from the Premier an acknowledgment of the resolution passed regarding railway level crossings, in which it was stated that the matter had been referred to the Minister for Railways for consideration.

The Masonic ball to be hold in the Town Hall on Thursday evening promises to be very successful, a large number of tickets having been disposed of already.

Proposed amendments in the scale of charges for water supply were to have been considered at last night’s meeting of the Borough Council, but in view of Crs. Masters and Dingle being absent it was decided to defer tho question till next meeting.

The Midhirst Gun Club held their final shoot of the season on Wednesday last. 'The first sweep was won by Tuck, of Toko. The big* sweep was won by Jans, Stratford, who got eleven birds out of a possible twelve. G. I). Hunter (Stratford) divided second and third money with Marsh and Clouston. In a final shoot Fowler, A. Lineharn, Hunter and Clouston tied with eight birds out of ten. In the shoot-off Fowler won and the others divided the remainder of the prize money.

lii conversation with a Timaru Post reporter a well-known stockman said that as usual South Canterbury had been drained of all its sheep which could be called fat for export, and the works had closed down for want of suptic opinions upon the subject of this tic opinions upon the su.bject of this annual deflection of the flocks of the province, and stated that the regular flock of Canterbury should and could easily be one and a-half million more than at present. He felt quite convinced that sooner or later legislation would bo necessary to keep the permanent flock up to the proper magnitude. He stated too, that farmers depended too much upon the seasons. If they got into a better system of providing a rotation of feeds, there would not lie the headlong rush to get rid of “fats” within a few weeks, and little fat stuff being available in the cold season.

The question of calling tenders for 1 kcrbing and channelling caused a good 1 deal of discussion at last night’s meet- ' mg of the Borough Council. It was first of all proposed that tedders lie called at once, and one Councillor contended that the work would' cost more,if ,done during wet weather and 1 another )iqld that concrete set 1 all the better for being put dowi! in the rain. 1 Then it was moved 'that tenders'be called, closing for the December meeting. Still another motion was to defer the matter till next meeting, the idea being that calling tenders at present was too soon, and in December too late. Finally, it was decided to call for tenders at once.

A Dominion correspondent, who was present at the New Zealand Club’s' luncheon on Tuesday, and heard the Right Hon. Sir Joseph Ward’s speech on Imperial defence, gives a few reasons why the Empire is worth defending by all forming part of the whole. Although,the population of the United Kingdom, he says, was only 41,605,177 at the last census, the population of the Empire is 396,968,798. The area of hte United Kingdom is barely 120,980 square miles, but the area of the Empire is over 11,146,084 square miles, being over two million square miles larger than the Russian Empire, which comes second. No Empire can produce so wide a range of natural and artificial articles, which include precious minerals, and precious stones, ivory, wheat, corn, wool, timber, fruit, and practically every necessity or luxury of life, and so far as manufactured articles are concerned, the words “British made” are recognised all' over the world as being the hallmark of excellence on every manufactured product, from suitings to iron churches, and from penknives to locomotives.

Cr. Richards made an endeavour last night to have the general financial position of the Borough Council discussed. When authorisation was being asked for a certain work, he asked leave to move that the Overseer be instructed to keep the wages down to a certain limit until further in'structcd. The Mayor ruled that notice must be given of such a motion. Disappointed in this direction the Councillor renewed his attack when the statement of finances was brought up. He gave good and sufficient warning that ho intended to treat generally with the subject he had previously mentioned, and the Mayor said, naturally, that the Councillor had full permission to make any such remarks as might be found to be in order. Cr. Richards did not get far. He stated that the estimate for road works for the year was £2210. Four months of the year had passed: a just proportion of the total amount to bo spent in that time was a third of the total—£736; but to date the amount expended or pledged totalled £825. At this point the Mayor decreed that the remarks were not in order and Cr. Richards dropped the subject; and he dropped it finally after making one more effort to ventilate the subject.

The Hospital Board this morning passed a vote of thanks to Air A. JDayey for a donation of a quantity of manure for the Hospital gardens.

There was an excellent attendance at the Town Hall last night on the ocInsion of the final visit of the Red Dandies to Stratford. All the members of the talented company acquitted themselves with credit, and received a very flattering reception from the audience.

The secretary of the Hospital Board •wu. tais morning authorised to take

legal proceedings again any persons giving money to the Board, who fail to make a reply in a reasonable time after being approached on the matter.

The Foilding Chamber of Commerce last night expressed strong disapproval of, the Government’s proposal to have Mayors elected "by members of councils instead of under the present system. The president, Mr J. G. Cobbe, characterised the proposal as the most undemocratic brought down for some years.—PA.

! ** The report of the Abattoir Manager presented to the Borough Council last night contained the following passage: It is with pleasure that I have to report that July was a recoid month since the abattoir was built, 117 beef beasts and 295 sheep being slaughtered and all going into consumption-. With the exception ol the five mentioned, all the animals have been remarkably free from disease.

The following passage occurred in the report presented to the Hospital Board this morning by Dr. Steven, medical superintendent of the Hospital: “Owing to lack of accommodation several patients have had to be kept waiting for admission for a few days, and it has been even then to have convalescent patients sleeping on couches in the corridor.”

t A Mr 0. D. Sole told the Hospital Board this morning that the Health Inspector had informed him that the district had never been more free of infectious diseases. In past years it had been found necessary to close the schools at times, but .this had not had to ho done this year, except in respect to sickness following vaccination.

y The following copy of a report from the Health Inspector to the District Health Officer was read at the meeting of the Hospital Board this morning; Acting under instructions from tho Hospital Board, I have inspected the Stratford Borough pound and now beg to report: It is, situated in Opunake Road, near the public hospital, and is in a bad sanitary condition with manure, slush and,stagnant pools. About a quarter of i The enclosure is concreted. I beg to recommend that the whole enclosure bo laid with concrete and drained into the Borough sewer.

Notice was given by Mr Solo at the Hospital Board meeting this morning to move at next meeting that the Government be' urged to legislate in the direction of paying direct to Hospital Boards all money received for hotel .licenses and the percentage taken from receipts. Mr Sole said that next summer the work of properly heating the Hospital would have to be done, and the funds necessary would have to be levied from the various Councils. It seemed to him better that the Board should receive the money direct in the manner indicated.

Considerable interest is being bianifested in local football circles over the League game, Taranaki v. Canterbury, to be played on the Recreation Grounds, New, Plymouth, on afternoon. As will be seen dsy advertisement appearing in this issue, the kick-off has Ifeen fixed for throe o’clock, so that patrons may travel by the 12.55 train from Strat-

ford and arrive in the nick of time to witness the contest. Both sides are said to be practising hard to uphold the reputation of “league,” and in view of the controversy on the merits of the two games there should bo a large attendance.

When the youthful and scholarly reporter discovers a mare’s nest he really ought to mention the matter to someone in authority before turning on the tap of his exuberance. An esteemed contemporary—the “Taranaki Herald”—appears to have a rash young man on its staff who thought he had found a mare’s nest in the local columns of the “Stratford Post.” But by this time he has probably realised that ho only thought anyhow, and after all it didn’t actually exist except in his imagination. Life is too short to argue as to the use, or misuse, of newspaper English, but even Wery little boys ought to know’ that it isn’t quite cricket to mis-quote something in a strained effort to make a case. “One poet quoting another ought to be correct,” as Byron, or some other chap said—or something to that effect, anyhow.