LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXIX, Issue 47, 17 June 1914, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Another of the school euchre tourneys is to be held at Cardiff to-night.

Weather permitting, a programme of music will he given by the Stratford Municipal Band in the Recreation Grounds on Sunday afternoon at 3 o’clock. A collection will be taken up in aid of a distressed family.

The House of Lords has decided on appeal that compensation must be paid to the representatives of a miner who died from pneumonia, following a chill contracted through standing in a draught in a coal mine. There had been an accident to one of the shafts and the men had been ordered to ascend, but were kept waiting.

A Press Association telegram today from Russell states: “As an outcome of Mr Vernon Reed’s meeting held at Russell recently, a new ‘reform’ league has been started with headquarters at Russell. A arious other centres have been communicated with, and the result is that over twenty branches have been established. The name of the league is The Far-North Reform League, and the area is the Bay of Islands electorate. The main object of the League is to leave the selection of the ‘reform’ candidate in the hands of the Prime Minister.”

The French cantons of Switzerland are protesting against the so-called “Germanisation” of the republic. The Government blue books are now printed in German only. The municipality of Borne has ordered the removal of French names of streets, which until now have had at the intersections the names in both F rench and German. The French names of several railway stations of the State lines have recently been dropped and the German designation kept. Tho French news- '] papers in Berne affirm that Pan-Ger-man societies at Crefeld and at Beilin have subsidised German teachers so chat they have been able to take positions in Swiss schools at salaries too small for their maintenance alone.

The “cobweb” social hold in the Midhirst schoolroom, Regan Street, last night, proved very enjoyable. The first portion of the programme was contributed bv friends of the \ oung Women’s Bible Class, the performers being Mrs Richards (songs), Misses Cameron (sonog), Ricra (piano solo). Thompson (recitation), McAllister and Hopkins (violin duet). Miss Hopkins crave a violin solo, L. Clemow (recitation) and G. Evoriss (song). The •‘cobweb” proved very interesting and amusing, being conducted by Mr Moon. It was with mixed feelings that, after winding up string for about ten minutes, finally one came to the present. Miss Jackson, on behalf cf the Young Women’s Bible Class, thanked Mr Moon and all those who had contributed towards the sucecis of the evening.

Mr Allan G. Steel, the well-known English cricketer, is dead. A reminder is given of the euchre party and dance to be held in the Midhirst Public Hall this evening. At the Adelaide Racing Club’s Birthday meeting a feature of the day’s racing was the.success of an outsider, Perfect Friar, in the two-year-old race, and the return of a dividend of £lB7 ss. There was only £l3 on the colt, out of a total of £3606 15s. While digging out rabbit burrow's on his farm at Norval, in the Ararat district (Vic.), William Smart unearthed a bottle containing 730 z. of gold. It is believed that the gold was hidden for safety by a miner many years ago, and that he either died before he required the gold, or else forgot where he had concealed it. Miss Ellen Terry, in deference to a suggestion from the Australian Actors’ Association and the Shakespearian and other societies, will commemorate her visit to, Australia by giving a couple of performances in Sydney at the close of her New Zealand tour. These will probably be given at matinees towards the end of next month. The trial scene from “The Merchant of Venice” will be fncluded, Miss Terry interpreting the role of Portia, while actors and actresses in Sydney will constitute the supporting cast.

, The New Zealand Times declares that, a most important move in connection with Germany’s assault on Australasian trade has just come to light. Two trade commissioners appointed by the Association for World Commerce will arrive in New' Zealand about the beginning of September. One will take up permanent quarters in Wellington, and the other will be stationed in Australia. Later, it is intended to open a branch office for a Geman trade commissioner in Auckland. xz is understood that the two commissioners will have £25,000 to spend on advertising.—P.A.

Mr McMillan reported to the School Committee last night that the drum and fife hand had beerf started, good work was being done, and the boys were coming along nicely. The cost of equipment so far had been £l2 18s 6d. Mr Cramer brought up the question of lending the side drums. He had been approached for a loan of one of £hem, but had said he bad no authority to do so. On his motion it was decided that the drums, should not be lent to anybody at all, and it, was also decided that Messrs Cramer and McMillan have power to regulate the drums being taken home by the boys for practice.

From time to time the matter of punishment of school children by teachers forms a bone of contention, and at the recent School Committees’ Conference at New Plymouth a remit came up urging that all punishment should be inflicted .in the presence of the whole class and not in any ante-room. A delegate from a country school moved in addition that all punishment be inflicted by the headmaster. Mr P. Skoglund, representing the Stratford committee, asked 1 how this additional provision would operate in a school with six hundred pupils, and he expressed the opinion that in the case of a big school there would be a head strapper and no headmaster. The amendment was withdrawn. Mr Skoglund mentioned the facts when reporting to the School Committee last night on the conference.

In marching from London to Brighton in 14 hours 23 minutes —a distance of 52£ miles—the London Rifle Brigade has done more than accomplish an athletic feat. The sixty-two men who set out and arrived with their numbers intact demonstrated how foolish and unfair is much of the random talk about the inefficiency of the Territorials (remarks the Westminster Gazette). No other troops in the world have done such a march in like time under the full weight of a 461 b equipment. The nearest approach to the feat was a march by the French Foreign Legion. The walk is testimony to the enthusiasm, strength, and fitness of the men, and will do much to advertise the Territorial Force. We have no doubt that there will b© other regiments anxious to prove that they have companies which can beat tho fine performance of the Rifl© Brigade.

Mr F. J. Morgan forwarded his resignation to the School Committee last night and asked to be relieved of his duties on June 30th, as his appointment at the Training College, Wellington, dated from July Ist. Mr Morgan wrote that it was with regret he left the school, where he had been very happy. Mr Tyror had always treated him with consideration and courtesy, and had at all times been pleased to extend to him the benefit of his valuable experience in school matters. In his report the Headmaster said: “I refer with regret to the departure of Mr Morgan from the school and from the district. He is a fine science scholar, a strong teacher and a loyal gentleman. He is the ablest man who has been associated with me in the working of our High School, and has had a marked effect for good on the character of the boys placed in his charge. He will be greatly missed.” The Committee accepted the resignation with regret