LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXVII, Issue 94, 20 December 1913, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

The legal offices, will he 'closed from Wednesday, 24th inst., at noon, until Monday, 12th January, 1914.

The local auctioneers and merchants' will close their premises for the Xmas holidays from the 24th until Monday, 29tli, and for the New Year from the 31st to January 3rd.

Thus the Christchurch Press:— “Throughout the recent election contest the local organ of the Opposition very angrily denounced us tor saying that Mr McCombs is a Red bed. Even yesterday it was very "heated and emphatic on the point. Now, Mr Semple ought to know a Red hed. when ho sees one, and lie telegraphed to Mr McCombs hoping ‘‘the red flag’" would he successfully hoisted. Mi McCombs himself declared last night that the red flag was Hying at the masthead. Wo mav leave it at that.”

Where to spend the Xmas and Now Year holidays is a question that many are deliberating. The Wanganui River will no doubt, as usual, claim a large share of holiday traffic. Steamers leave the head of the river (Taumarunui) daily, Mondays excepted, and Wanganui every Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday, at 7 a.m. Special steamers will leave Wanganui on Boxing Day and New tear’s .Day at 7 a.in., returning to V\ anganui on the following days in time to connect with the express trains north and south. Tin 1 river service always connects with the express trains at V\ anganui.

Mr .1. K Watkin, Huiroa, recently returned from a visit to the Auckland Show, and ho status that though he went there with the intention of picking up hints for the improvement of the Stratford Show he found very little there which was an improvement on the local Show. The grand parade at Stratford was far better than that at Auckland, and Auckland had no such thing as a dog parade. The competition in sheep was not much of an improvement on Stratford, and, taking thorn all round, the Jersey cattle at the Stratford Show were better than at Auckland—at Auckland there were some very good Jerseys and some very poor ones.

The Xgaere Dairy Co. pays out £3863, the Lowgarth company £2851, and the Cardiff company £2106. At the Court this morning a firstoffending inebriate was convicted and discharged. Air Joseph McCluggage, J.P., was on the bench.

The local swimming baths will be closed on Monday. Tuesday, and Wednesday next for the purpose of effecting repairs. During his visit abroad Air A\ - Perry, of Alasterton, visited Germany. In an interview at Auckland he remarked: “1 would like to put in a word here about my experience with the Germans. Muck appears in our papers about the enmity of Germans towards the British people. Well, all I can say is that during our four Airs Perry and myself received nothing hut kindness and courtesies from the German people everywhere. AA e met no antiBritish sentiment whatever.”

An ingenious fraud with a one pound note was sprung on a totalisator assistant at Redding on Monday last. A man tendered what appeared to he two notes which were rolled lengthways, with tire two corners plainly showing, and asked for tvo tickets, which were supplied. He had disappeared by the time the clerk discovered that the two notes were really one, which bad been cut in half and gumemd to paper to make the bulk necessary when rolled.

An interesting visitor to Wanganui at present, says the Chronicle, is Mr E. Moon, postmaster at To Ora Raglan, who is spending bis annual leave with Mr Busbush, River Bank. Mr Moon is without the use of bis hands, but he makes his feet serve tbe pur pose equally as well, and while he writes in a style that a good many might envy, he also draws and paints with no mean skill.

The following pupils of the Toko school gained first class attendance certificates for the yyar ending 19th December, 1913:—Myrtle Divehall, Queenie Divehall, Laura Divehall, Hazel Divehall, Ethel Briscoe. Prizes for marks: Standard HI.. Xeliie Butler; Standard IV., Albert Gernhoefer; Standard V., Cecil Burgh am.; Standard VI., Harry Johnson. Proficiepcy certificates Standard VlXorman Downs and Harry Johnson. Competency certificate, Standard VI, Jack Hine.

Said to he the; oldest ship in the world in active service, the Copenhagen vacht Constance has been sold to a fisherman pf Skaw, in Jutland. The Constance w,as built 183. years ago, and in her long hie she has sailed into almost' every port in the world. Her timbers are, still staunch, and her new owner declares lie Fan. gee no reason;why she; should not sail the seas for a century to come.

T.hy, oftoct of the strike is being felt, by manure merchants throughout the Dominion, supplies of superphosphate being exceptionally short. A few lucky holders are asking big prices, which, Horn a]l .appearances, will have to be paid. From enquiries locally we learn : that, iortunaiclv for *Tm : a-

aa la farmers, heavy stocks were held prior to the strike; these, however, are now exhausted, and it is almost impossible to procure -supplies, except at almost prohibitive prices.

Commissioner Richards, of the Salvation Army, lias fixed Sunday, January 4th, as “Candidates’ Sunday.” On this occasion a special appeal will be made at every corps throughout the Dominion for eligible men and women who will he prepared to devote their lives to the work of the organisation and go into training in the new William Booth Memorial College, now in process of erection, and which will be ready to receive the new trainees in March, 1914.

A general meeting of members of the Stratford Municipal Band was held last night. Mr Townley resigned the position of secretary. His resignation was accepted with regret, and Mr G. Ford was appointed in his stead. A rough balance-sheet submitted showed that the band was in funds to the extent of £TO. The instruments are to be called, in early in the Xew Year, preparatory to the annual general meeting. The baud has now twelve competent players and six learners arc coming on well.

We acknowledge receipt of the 1914 calendar of the Union Assurance Society, Ltd., which is got up in a-very neat style. The Xew Zealand Loan and Mercantile Agency Co., Ltd., are the agents for this Society in Xew Zealand, and since they have taken up the agency the business has rapidly in-

creased. The ITiion Assurance Society, Limited., accept risks for both fire and accident, and full particulars can be obtained at the office of the N.Z. Loan and Mercantile Agency Co., Ltd.

The Maoris of Ruatoki, a place which till recently was a s tronghold of Man-

ila nism, have to a great extent returned to Christianity .and they have

just given a touching proof of their earnestness (states the Poverty Bay Herald). They have no church, and in order to obthain the money necessary for building one. they camped in the neighbouring bush during the months of June. July, and August, and cut TOO tons of firewood ,which they are rafting down the river to a purchaser, who has agreed to give them £2OO for it. In earnestness and devotion the Maori can sometimes teach a lesson to Ids pakoha brethren.