LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXVII, Issue 78, 2 December 1913, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

The Stratford auctioneers will close at noon to-morrow (Wednesday) am, ah day on 1 hursday on account of tin Stratford A. and P. Show. Mi X ewton King lias received tin j fold wing advice re London wool sales; —“Compared with last London sales

closing rates, merino inferior, market declined 5 per cent., for same description, market irregular.” Ac the last meeting of the Ohara County Council a letter was received irom -Mr C. K. 'Wilson, M.P., regarding the council’s motion in favor of pushing on the railway at the Ohura end. Mr Wilson stated that he had kept tlie matter well before the Prime Minister, whoso promises would be kept. The Kgmout Box Company is extend-, ing its sphere of operations on the Mam trunk line (says the Taihape correspondent of tin* Dominion.) For the past two or three years, the company lias had a big mill and cheese crate plant in full swing at Ohatu, near Taihape. Recently, an area of 28,000 acres of hush in the Kakahi listrict was secured hy the company, uul negotiations arc now in progress with the native owners for the lease of 30 acres near the railway for a mill

site, timber yards, workmen’s cottages, etc.

To-day at the Stratford District High School Inspectors Railantyne and \\ better are conducting the proficiency examinations lor candidates from the district round about Stratford. As a result or a typographical error it was wrongly stated that the maximum weight for inland post parcels had been increased to 21b. The actual weight is 211 b. Seventeen civil cases (one defended) are set down for hearing at the Court on Friday. Three informations for driving gigs without lights and one for being on licensed premises during prohibited hours will he dealt with. The amount paid out uist week to suppliers of the Kanpokonui Co-opera-tive Dairy Company was lid,olo Os ;]d. This, the Waimate Witness says, is the largest amount ever paid out by the company for the month oi October. Hr. Elizabeth Gunn to-day lias been for several hours at the Stratford school making her medical inspection, attention being devoted to the .pupils of Standard 11. Dr. Gunn will bo at the school for medical inspection again to-morrow. That strawberries can be very successfully grown in Stratford is made evident by the success of Mr E. P. Beauchamp, of the Railway Staff, who this afternoon brought some as fine [ specimens of the “Conqueror’ as wo ! have ever seen to the office. They were grown quite in the open, are very large, of choice flavor, and nice shape. The following business is set down for the quarterly meeting of the Stratford Licensing Committee on Friday: Robert Morrison (now Anton J. Hintz) for removal of the Toko Hotel license to a new site; A. M. Robertson for a permanent transfer to James C. Parsons ; Robert Morrison for a permanent transfer to Anton J. Hintz; Patrick Phelan for confirmation of the license of the Commercial Hotel, Stratford, to himself, he having married the licensee, Xorah Sullivan.

Swarms of fish in the Mississippi became intoxicated as a result of the revenue officers throwing 1916 barrels of beer into the river. The antics of the fish were extraordinary. Some jumped out of the water in the liveliest manner, while others, becoming exhausted, lay on the water, dazed, but happy.. Men and hoys caught hundreds ■of pounds of fish in flaskets. The finny roisterers revived when placed in clean water. This morning there was an almost ".iraculous escape from a serious accident at the railway crossing just on the vtratford side of Toko. An elderly nan was driving a milk wagon to which vas attached a pair of horses, and apparently lie did not notice, the approach of the train until a collision mined inevitable. Suddenly waking ip, he lashed his horses furiously, and hot over the line just in front of the agine. Settlers sate that at the ■nut willows of late have grown up md obscured the view of the line, the willows require attention. Whose , nrk tins is we do not know, Imt either he Hail way Department or tile County Council should look nito the matter. / The annual meeting of the Xew Plymouth Operatic Society was held last night. The annual report congratulated the members on another successful year. When it had been decided to put on “A Country Girl” many had said that the comic opera was beyond the powers of the members. Notwithstanding this, the performance had been a huge success from beginning to end. Financially the Society had again come out with a credit balance which was raosf satisfactory considering the heavy expenses necessary for the staging of “A Country Girl.” The scenery had been disposed of to the Masterton Operatic Society for £9O. This price was satisfactory, despite the fact that 50 per cent had been written oft'.the cost . The balance-sheet showed a credit of £230. Honoraria amounting to £76 13s were passed. The good story illustrating the manner of a Maori hi possession of sud-denly-acquired wealth comes from Taihape. A Maori sold some land. He visited the bank manager, who took

his money freely and gave him a cheque hook in exchange. The Maori voiced his appreciation of the cheque system, left the hank, and proceeded to “cut it out.” Ho entertained his friends right royally. For every debt he incurred a cheque was forthcoming. A week later the hank manager saw his dusky friend once more. “Here, Hon.” protested he, “you’re making it hot. You’ve spent so much money that you’ve got an overdraft. Yon owe me £to.” “Xo fear!” replied Hori, with a pitying smile for the white man’s lack of perspicuity, “I got te cheque still; look!” and with that he pulled out a much hesmndged cheque hook, wherein one solitary blank form remained. “Oh. no!” said the manager, and with some trouble he impressed on Hori that Hori’s overdraft was f: 10: that Hori. in fact, owed the hank £lO. “All ri,” said Hori, with a resigned air. “I give you t’ cheque for it!”