LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXIX, Issue 34, 1 June 1914, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

On Wednesday, which is the King's Birthday and a public holiday, there will be no issue of the "Stratford Evening Post." The business premises in Stratford will be closed on Wednesday (King's Birthday). Immense crowds at Liverpool witnessed the Aquaitania's departure on her maiden voyage, reports a London cablegram. Footballer Goodwin, of the Clifton team, who was removed unconscious during Saturday's Stratford match, was found not to be seriously hurt, recovering soon after leaving the field. Mr J. C. Thomson, M.P., has forwarded to the Government analyst a quantity of stone found near Colac Pay, supposed to contain valuable minerals. A lady teacher in the Balclutha School on Thursday asked the class "Who is Prime Minister in Xew Zealand?" and received from a boy the. answer—"Massey-Harris!" The poll for the election of a Councillor to fill the vacancy on the Borough Council caused by the resignation of Cr. Dingle is to be held tomorrow. The polling place is the Borough Council Chamber, and the polling hours from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. in the Regan Street Hall to-mor-row evening the Methodist choir will lender Root's cantata, "The Haymakers," which they have already given twice —once in Stratford and once in Midhirst. The practice of locking up churches on weekdays was heartily condemned by a number of speakers at the C'.E.M.S. conference yesterday. Rev. 11. Mason, of Otahuhu, stated that his church was always open. "The only time it ever suffered harm." he said, "was when it was locked up. That was when some Orangeman—l mean Protestant —celebrated the twelfth of July by breaking into the church and stealing the altar cross. I recollect that when I visited Malta I went, tolook at the cathedral, and found every door locked." "Exactly my experience," interposed Bishop Averill. "A lady came up to me," continued Mr Mason, "and asked me if the building was the 'Catholic cathedral.' 'No,' I answered, 'you'll find that opposite, with the door .open.' " (Laughter.) P.ev. C. A. B. Watson, vicar of St. Paul's, said that his church was always open in daylight, and litr.le or no trouble had resulted. Unco or twice people had removed the candles from the altar candlesticks and thrown them on the floor, and the alms-dish and book-markers were removed by someone for a few days. Another time a drunken man got into the church after choir practice, and was locked in all night, but those were the oidy inconveniences he had suffered.