LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXVIII, Issue 87, 3 April 1914, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

There will be a church parade of the local Boy Scouts at the Anglican Church on Sunday morning.

The Borough Inspector had only one case at the Court this morning, Fred Evans being fined 20s, with costs 7s, for driving a gig without lights on March 4th.

Charles and Gustave Reeke, who were found guilty at Brooklyn of 87 burglaries during the past year, had not during that time missed one Sunday from church, which they attended morning and evening.

A London cablegram to-day states that the promoters of Dominion House are communicating with the Oversea Governments with a view to holding a conference in ' London in 1914.

The fittings in the Toeal Courthouse have recently been altered. Two cross desks have been provided for counsel in place of the big table previously used, and the Bench has been considerably enlarged.

Only one sovereign known to history has reigned longer than the Emperor of Austria, who completed the sixtyfifth year of his reign on December 2nd. That sovereign was Louis XIV., who ascended the thone of France at the age of five, and wore the crown for seventy-two years.

The sunspot cabled as having been discovered by the Washington Observatory, was observed on 15th March by Mr Ward, director of the Wanganui Observatory, states the Press Association. Mr Ward gave the approximate dimensions at 30, 000 by 15,000 miles. He predicts another period of sunspot activity.

Aii Adelaide invention, which it is claimed will save the Commonwealth P.M.G.-'s Department about £SOOO a year in the purchase of string for tieing mailbags, has been submitted. It provides for the substitution of two metal discs with a strap attached, which is said to be both cheap and effective, being so arranged that the fastener cannot be opened without the wax seal being broken. Instructions have been given for a test of the fastener to be made.

Mr J. McCluggage, as convenor,

gives notice that a meeting of farmers and others interested in the erection of meat freezing works is called for Tuesday, 14th inst., at 3 p.m., in the Stratford Borough Chambers, to discuss a proposal for establishing Settlers' Freezing Works for the I'ro-

vincial District of Taranaki. The matter has been previously referred to in these columns and it may be presumed that a fair amount of interest is being taken in the proposal.

America's most celebrated after-din-ner speaker, Mr Chauncey Depew, tells a good story against himself. At a friend's house, Mr Depew attracted the attention of a small boy of eight. After he had left, the boy's father said to his son, "That was. Chauncey Depew, the world's greatest storyteller." A day or two later Mr Depew happened to he at the same house, j and tiie boy, running up to him, said, "I know you." "Really, my little man, and whom am I?" "Why," replied the lad, "my papa says you're the biggest liar on earth."

The prevailing conception of the United States of America is that it is a land of "big things," of political corruption and Yankee swagger. That this is not wholly true and is not the whole truth will be shown in the lecture etitled "America and the Americans," to be given tins evening in the St. Andrew's Hall. Besides the lecture there will he a musical programme, in which Miss Evans, Miss Field, Miss Oreenhalsh, and Mr Okey will take part. The lecturer proposes to take his audience to visit (in

imagination) New York, with its elevated railways, Gettysburg, with its famous monuments, and Niagara Falls, with its marvellous cataract. The proceeds of the lecture are to be devoted to the Piano Fund.

A young woman, employed as & housemaid at the Otaki Hospital, was (says the Dominion) found gagged aud bound on Tuesday, and when questioned on the matter said she remembered nothing of the occurrence. A sovereign was taken from her room, but other money was left untouched. The police are investigating the matter, but so far there is no clue to the mysterious affair.

One of the humours of the situation regarding the Opunake railway route (states the Manaia Witness) is that while the member for Patea is wildly vociferating against the decsion of the Government, the Patea paper says it is the most glorious thing that ever happened to the little duck-pond harbour township, and it must inevitably hustle the millenium along in the course of a few months. Which authority is right? The politician or the editor ?

The Xelson Evening Mail has received a letter from Mr Felix Tanner,from London, pointing out that he is not the Tanner who proposed marriage to Mrs Pankhurst. The man who proposed was Dr. Tanner, a fasting man, well known in America since 1880. Mr Felix Tanner has never been in America, and it was in that country the alleged proposal was made; moreover, Mrs Pankhurst is an utter stranger to him.

At the dinner tendered to the Prime Minister at Mosgiel, Mr Massey made a few remarks concerning railway time-tables. He said the new manager of railways had prepared a report to the Minister of Railways—a report that contained many valuable suggestions in regard to railway matters. For himself, after coming down from Central Otago that day, he believed there was plenty of room for an improvement in the working of the service between Alexandra and Clyde. Although he was not a railway expert, he was certain he could suggest a few improvements in the time-table on that line.

Fines of 60s, with costs 7s, in default twenty-one days' military detention, were imposed on Charles Edward Vickers and Edward Wright Vickers at the Court this morning, each being charged with failure to attend parades of H Co. at Midhirst. The first-named appeared and pleaded «•

guilty. Sergeant-Major McGlade said he had been previously convicted on a similar charge. Out of twentyseven parades he had only attended eleven. In the case of E. W. Vickers, who did not appear, the Sergt.Major said that defendants were brothers, and in his opinion they were resisters pure and simple.

There is an apple tree in Mr John Grant's orchard (says the Woodville Examiner) that is considered a great curiosity just now. This is a tree that Mr Stratford, the Government orchadist, gave a demonstration on about six months ago. Mr Stratford did all the pruning himself, and gave a reason for every cut he made. Well, this tree blossomed beautifully in the spring, but shortly arter being sprayed for codlin moth it became sickly in appearence, and bore very little fruit. Two months ago the tree blossomed a second time, and the second crop of fruit appears better than the first! We know there is nothing very wonderful in an apple three holding two crops at the "same time, but the strangest part of the story has yet to be told. A month ago the tree blossomed for the third time, and today the tree is holding three different crops of fruit, and there are indications for it blossoming for the fouth time in one season! Last week Mr Stratford came over specially to have a look at this wonder, and said he had never read or heard of such a happening beofre.

1 The following passage occurred i during the examination of a witness > at the Court this morning:—Counsel: ; "At what rate was the motor car . going?" Witness: "Oh, I couldn't > say." Counsel: "We don't want it ; in miles, but was the car going fast i or slow." Witness: "I couldn't say. . If it was a horse I could." Counsel: "You are not prepared* to back your opinion of speed against people used to cars. You think that cars go faster than horsesP" Witness: "Yes; and they can stand still for longer, too." The same witness declined to commit himself as to the width of the metal on the road, pleading that he was not used to measurements. Later on, he told the Court that a chain consisted of 24 yards, and in reply to a little laughter he stated that he could "step a chain." On counting, however, the witness would not admit the possibility of error. He was prepared to swear, despite every possible evidence to the contrary, that there were two ladies in the | back of the car. It was evening. A stranger (by the way, it wasn't Billy Barlow) approached the cyclist. "Sir," he said, "your beacon has ceased its function." "Sir?" "Your illuminator, I say, is shrouded in unmitigated oblivion." "But, really, I don't quite " "The effulgence of your irradiator has evanesced." "My dear fellow, I " "The transversal other oscillations in your inenndeseenscr have been discontinued." Just then a boy shouted, "Hi, mister, your lamp's out." And the cyclist understood.

The monthly meeting of the W.C. T.U. was held on Thursday afternoon in the Broadway Methodist Church. Several questions of importance were discussed by the members.

A decree nisi was granted to-day in the Wellington Divorce Court in the case Mary Ann Palamountain v. John Arthur Palamountain for misconduct, alleged to have taken place with petitioner's sister.—P.A.

At Ashburton, William Niven was to-day fined £4O and costs for slygrog selling in Allentown, a suburb of Ashburton and just outside the nolicense area, states the Press Association.

. Judgment by default was given in the following cases at the Court this morning: Frederick W. Wilkie v. W. and E. Brocklebank, £SO 0s 6d, costs £3 19s; T. L. Paget v. George Bond, £3 4s, costs £3 14s; Andrew 11. D. Carbery v. John W. J?aulger £3 10s costs 17s; J. Masters and - c on v. S N. Finchman £1 2s Bd, oosfc-s Ss.

There is a strong feeling of resentment among settlers in the Kaupokonui, Otakeho and contiguous districts against the decision of the Government in the matter of the railway route (says the Witness), and many hitherto strong supporters of the party in power have been heard to declare that they could riot under any conditions support a Government that has acted with such a flagrant disregard of the public interests in order to gain some questionable political advantage.

A senior cadet named Arthur Martin was at the Court this morning fined 40s, with costs 7s, in default 21 days' military detention, for failing to attend a parade of No. 94 Co. on March 20th. Sergt-Major Bonar said defendant had come from Inglewood in January, but had failed to report himself. Since coming to Stratford defendant had only attended one drill and one half-day parade. A uniform was issued to defendant, but later on it was found that one had already been issued to him at Inglewood. The S.M. said the case was one of those in which it would be desirable to send defendant at once to military detention, but the law made it necessary to inflict a fine on the first information.

In regard to the turning of the first sod of the Opunake Railway at Opunake the> Hon. Mr, Fraser, Minister of Public Works, has accepted on behalf of the Prime Minister, Mr Massey, and himself, the invitation of Mr O. A;-:Wilkinson, M.P for Egmont, to be present at the function on a date to be fixed by the Government. In forwarding the invitation on SOth March, Mr Wilkinson wrote in conclusion : K '*l would 'strongly urge that the first'sod be turned within the next month if possible, arid caii assure you that your welcome will be enthusiastic and will show appreciation of the action of the Government in at length starting this very much desired work."

The right of use 'of the public road was touched on at the Court this morning in the course of the hearing of a claim for the value of a dog winch had been killed by a motor car; Mr Sprati, counsel for plaintiff, held that the dog had a right to be on the road, even though it was so far from its owner as not to be under his control. 'Mr Spratt quoted a- case in which;'compensation 'had been allowed for the death of a donkey which had been tethered on the road and had been run down. In his opening remarks, counsel ) said he hoped the defence would not be a denial that the car had run ipto the dog, but that the dog had run into the car. This defence, he said, had been so often brought into Court that it was now decrepit *and had to go on crutches.

A case which was heard in a Dunedin court recently found a somewhat extraordinary sequel on Saturday night last, in one of the quietest of the residential suburbs of Dunedin. The lady concerned in the case (states the Otago Daily Times) had rented a house in her own name, and had had removed to it the furniture winch she claimed as her own. On Saturday she had occasion to go into town; subsequent events showed that her departure had not been unnoticed by someone, who was apparently keeping a close check on her movements. On her return, an hour or two later, the erstwhile comfortable and neatly-adorned interior of the house bOre evidence of a strange visitation. The door lock had been rudely burst open, and everything in the house had been removed, except the lady's wearing apparel. This had been strewn all over the house, in a manner which showed that the despoiler had carefully calculated the effect on the feelings of the unfortunate owner. Hats adorned tihe fireplaces, and the little knicknacks that accumulate with years of housekeeping—presents, and the things that appeal to the feminine mind—had all been ruthlessly torn from the walls and removed. Over all was the mark of frantic haste, but diabolical thoroughness—the rent book had gone, a bottle of medicine, and even the clothes pegs from the washhouse—all had been carted away. The lady, who was thus practically thrown on the street, was" sheltered by her neighbors, who extended sympathy of a practical nature. The affair has been brought under the notice of the police. What action will be taken is not known, but an indignant landlord is seeking some goods belonging to the house, which were removed in the indiscriminate haste. The identity of the firm who removed the goods is said to be known.