LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXVII, Issue 82, 6 December 1913, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

The first Home strainer to had at the ,Wattara* Roadstead' this season will be the New Zealand Shipping Company's s.s. Tongariro, on or about December 20th. A reminder >'s riven to those interested of the meeting at the Borough Council Chambers this evening of the committee arranging for the presentation to Mr W. Morant Bayly. For the first time there was a tobacco stall on the showgrounds at this year's show. That it was much appreciated was shown by the report of the proprietor, Mr S. Sharp, who stated that he did excellent business.

The children belonging-to the Methodist Sunday School have been putting a lot of hard work into the pieces which they ar eto sing to-morrow. Large crowds are expected to hear the little ones sing. A large stage has been erected to seat all the children and choir. Parents and friends are asked to make a special effort to he present.

The matter of the attendance at the Stratford Show has been exercising mind-, and the result has been, generally, to provide a satisfactory

solution of the "thousands'' problem. To many people, no doubt, it was difficult to reconcile 10,000 visitors to the show with the official amount (£l9l 17s Gel) of the takings. But after the statement of one man to a Stratford Evening Post reporter, it is quite easy to see how the figures mount up. Incidentally, also, the said opinion throws a side-light upon vital statistics that will leave some of our readers positively breathless. This man is a member of the A. and P. As-

sociation, and with great gusto he informed an intimate friend on Thursday at the that ho had "the wife and the whole darn family here!" With

discretion, an answer to the somewhat delicate question of the family number was elicited, and it- was shown that "dad, mum. and nine kids" were admitted to the show on the three complimentary tickets. "Why, bless yon," -aid dad, in resoonse to a look of amazement on his friend's face, "I reckoned when I married that unless there was 0m 1 every year we wouldn't be doing our duty to the country! Tt's population that New Zealand wants!" Then, with the true

dairyman instinct uppermost he remarked in conclusion : "Yes. I firmly believe in the kids—and the calves!"

Mr L. G. Bremer, owner of Glenboy, offers £'lo reward for , information leading to the conviction' of the person or persons making certain statements regarding the horse. .Mr W. B. Kearon and his assistants are at present hard at work arranging for, the. payment of prize-money, and it Hs hoped to have it available for paynient in record short time. In the window of the Cash Tailoring Co.'s premises in Broadway thenare at present on view some magnificent specimens of roses grown by Mr Don Cameron, Stratford.

At Bulls yesterday before -Justices of the Peace; Joseph Vance, on a charge of rape, was committed to the Supreme Court. Palmerston, Tor trial. Bail tt-asi allowed, self in £2OO and two sureties of £"100 each.

Play for the Buttons competnom on the Stratford Bowling Green will bo resumed on Monday evening, when the draws recently arranged will be adhered to, viz., in the first, round, 1 plays 2, 3—4, o—6, 7—B; secondly, I—3, 2—5, 4—7, G—B. Dr. Elizabeth Gunn this morning addressed a meeting of district teachers on the question of medical examinations, the idea of the lecture being to instruct teachers in the methods of examination. A Press Association telegram from Wellington states that in view of the Christmas and New Year holidays, the* Government has made provision for the payment of military, old age, and widows' pensions due on January 1, 1914, to be made on December 23. The strike is having its effect on the business of the New Zealand Clothing Factory. Lately the local branch has not received a single case of goods, but has received on several days as nianii as twenty parcels through the parcel post, this being the only reliable method of conveying goods from the head office to the various branches.

All access to the Oliura from the Stratford end is now stopped. A very large slip came down on Friday last on the Paparata saddle in the Tangarakau gorge, and it will take eight men a week to open up communication of any sort and fifteen men will be kept busy till Christmas to get the road opend for coach traf-

A little before noon to-day the two lirebells rahg out, and the Fire Brigade's gear was quickly transported to the corner of Opunake Koad and Portia Street. The alarm was given as a result jpf.ian outbreak of fire in the ferns in a gully behind the house being built for Mr A. ]). Blick. The flames were quickly subdued, thougli not before a small portion of the woodwork.,of the house had been slightly charred. There was a good muster of the brigade.

Last night a horse belonging to a Skinner Road resident bolted when harnessed to a gig, and made off up Kast Road in the direction of Stratford. Word was sent by telephone from Kahonri Bridge to Stratford that the animal had crossed the bridge, and preparations were made to receive it in Stratford. The horse was fin-

ally stopped in Broadway north, near Dr. Steven's. The damage was slight, comprising a broken swingle tree and a bent axle bar.

j According to reports from Taumaruj nui, the family of Mr J. Miller, of ! Kakahi, had a marvellous escape a few ! days ago. During a severe thunder- ! storm a Hash of lightning came down j the chimney into the kitchen. Mrs I Miller and her two step-sons, Barney j and Harry Thompson, were in the room l at the time. The lightning scarred the cheek of one\of the boys, aged 11 years, from ear to chin, and knocked the other, aged 12 years, under the j table, rendering him senseless. Mrs i Miller was twisted round violently, and a pig standing in front of the house was killed as the lightning flashed out of the door.

The management of the dog section at the show desire to express, through our columns, their appreciation of tho manner in which the railway staff managed the dogs arriving and departing by rail. They state that dealing with the whole of the dogs was no more trouble than is usually experienced in despatching one animal, so smoothly did the railway staff work. The management had a word of praise for the catalogue, the arrangement of which materially helped the workers on the ground in getting through their duties.

Commenting on the show, the Inglewood Record says, inter alia: "The Grand Parade of prize takers gavo an unanswerable proof of the enormous demensions of the live stock ex-

hibits, but at the same time gave remarkable evidence of the public tasto for following fashion even in cattle, as, if we are not mistaken, this formed the first occasion, since the inauguration of A. and V. Shows in Taranaki. now half a century ago, at which there was not « «.-ag!e acknowledged representative of the grand old Shorthorn, which has done such yeoman service in leading the ivorkl to perfection in cattle. Sic transit gloria muudi."' The Record also devotes a few lines very much to the point on the running of the commissariat department.

The railway staff and the Cribbage Club will play a return euchre match next Friday evening.

Good entries have been received for the Gun Club's first shoot for the Ballastite Cup, which is to be held on Thursday next. The handicaps will be out shortly.