LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXIX, Issue 22, 18 May 1914, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

The Hon. Mr Massey has consented to deliver an address in Dunedin on the occasion of his visit to the winter show, probably on May 29th. During their visit to Waitara on Saturday, the Stratford primary school bootball team were shown over the freezing works and the wool-dumping shed, the lads taking much interest in the various departments. Our Whangamomona correspondent writes: There is plenty of work offering here for bushmen. The number of men who regularly follow this calling for a livelihood peems to become smaller each season.- Though the price given for the work has steadily risen, men are very hard to secure. John Todd was at the Court this morning convicted on a charge of being an idle and disorderly person, but was discharged on condition that he left the town immediately. Messrs S. B. Hunter and J. Masters, J.P's. were on the bench.

The court appointed to inquire into the riot at the Territorial camp at Takapau has completed its report, and has forwarded it to the officer commanding the district (Colonel Chaytor). The president of the court (Lieutenant-Colonel G. F. C. Campbell) states that the report would probably bo in Colonel Chaytor's hands for consideration for a few days.

General Sir lan Hamilton (Inspector General of Overseas Forces) inspects the Senior Cadets at New Plymouth on Wednesday. There will be a big gathering, cadets travelling from as far down as Kai Iwi. The High School Cadets will also parade and the number to entrain at Stratford at 9.15 a.m. will be about 220. This will include the 97th Company from the branch, the Whanga boys leaving home at 5 a.m. Cadets are reminded to bring their overcoats.

A man named David Drake was arrested on Saturday on four charges of theft. It was alleged against him that he stole goods from a shop and also stole a razor, a shaving mug and a shaving brush from three different persons resident in the Commercial Hotel. He was brought up at the Court this morning, Messrs S. B. Hunter and J. Masters being on the bench. Sergeant McNeely said he thought the man was mentally deficient and not capable of pleading, and on his application a remand was granted till to-morrow in order to enabl* him to be medically examined.

A reminder is given of the annual meeting of members of the Stratford Building Society, which is to be held in the Borough Council Chambers at 8 o'clock this evening.

The Foxton Borough Council cleared over £9OO profit out of its municipal pictures last year. it runs a weekly matinee for children, to which no admission is charged and educational pictures are shown.

A very large congregation attended the Roman Catholic Church last night, when the mission was brought to a close after a week's duration. The Marist Fathers will leave shortly and will open missions at Taihape and Christchurch.

As notified in another column, Mr H. A. Wunsch, of the Central Store, Midhirst, has disposed of his business to Mr R. D. Barford, and asks that the patronage accorded to him in the past may be continued to his successor. Mr Barford also intimates that he will endeavor to give every satisfaction to the public generally.

A Napier Press Association message to-day states: Steady and persistent rain set in on Saturday afternoon, continuing throughout yesterday, and to-day shows little improvement. Over 4.} inches have fallen in the past 40 hours. Reports from the country indicate a heavy fall and the rivers are very swollen.

As a result of heavy rain on Friday and Saturday, the concrete retaining wall at the reservoir at "Waverley, built in connection with the electric light and water scheme, was undermined owing to the overflow, and collapsed. The Press Association states that the wall cost £I6OO to construct.

Reports of the oil-boring operations at Huiroa are said to be very favorable. The indications of oil which have recently been met with in the bore were similar to those experienced at New Plymouth in the running wellß. Under these circumstances, it is reported, the management will take no further risks, but will shut off the water in the bore.

At the Auckland Police Court on ■ Thursday a case bearing on the liability with respect to a lost cheque was decided by Mr Fraser, S.M. Mr G. Carey drew a cheque for £3, which he lost. Six weeks later it was presented by a person not identified to John Kelly, licensee of the Imperial " : Hotel, who cashed it. Kelly now ' sued Carey for the amount. The-' Magistrate stated that there had been no authority for deciding the t point involved since 1882. Lord Halsbury in 1878, absolutely declined to give A . - decision. ' "He (A Fraser), however,' lj decided the case on the question of staleness. An open cheque for £3 presented in a place in. \ybioh?the pW- ! ties resided might, be expected to be paid into the bank promptly;; iThjai lapse of six weeks rendered it stale and. overdue. Kelly was nonsuited with costs.

Pejhap. the snap yet experienced this year struck <trasfo«l on Saturday. On Saturday morning the northerly wind wnich had brought such heavy and pe.-si-*tent rain on Friday, died away and,th.fro seemed a prospect of the "weather' clearing, but in the afternoon the wind changed to the south and a persistent cold rain set in, .accompanied by a high wind, which blew heavily all through yesterday. Glimpses of the mountain caught this morning showed that the snow-line had been shifted very low down; The gale was felt very severely in New Plymouth, where a lot of minor damage was done to houses and hedges, and a steamer which left for "Wellington on Saturday had to return to the harbor for shelter. "Wellington reports unusually wintry veather, with fearfully rough seas in Coo* Strait.