LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXIX, Issue 55, 26 June 1914, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

The annual social under the auspices of the Toko Settlers' Association will be held in Toko on Thursday, July 2nd. Arrangements have been made for a most enjoyable evening.

The finding of the Court-martial re. cently held at Palmerston >sorth (states a Wellington Press Association message to-day), is that the charges against the officer were without foundation.

The success of the band marching competition at the Hawera Gymkhana yesterday should tempt the Stratford A. and P. Association to put a similar item on their propramme for their next Gymkhana. All the bands who competed will, no doubt,.be anxious to meet again.

Wellington "Dominion's" opinion of the political outlook:—"The political prophets who have been forecasting a stormy session are on fairly safe ground. Everything points that way. The electioneering of the past few months has been quite excepional, and some hard and bitter things have been said."

A Foxton Press Association telegram states: —Alternate loan proposals for a water and drainage scheme for the borough were submitted to a poll of the ratepayers yesterday, viz., a gravitation scheme from Shannon Hills of £36,500 and an artesian scheme of £23,300, . and also a loan of £3OOO for extension of the gas works. Both loan proposals for water and drainage were lost, and the gas works loan was carried. Only 286 ratepayers out of a roll of over fioo recorded their votes, i This is the second time water and drainage loan proposals have been rejected.

It may sound somewhat paradoxical to say so (states the Waitara Mail), but it is a remarkable fact that since Saturday football has been started an extra large number of country people have stayed in town over the afternoon, and the evening has been a specially busy time with shopkeepers. The legal fixing of Saturday for the half-holiday will really be a fine thing from a business point of view. The farmers will come in earlier to do theii shopping, and in the afternoon the majority of them will stay to participate in whatever sport, the time of year v provides. Thus business and pleasure will be all the better off when the end of the week is made the statutory closing half-day. We hope the consummation of the proposal is not far off.

At the Hawera Court on Monday, before Mr Kenrick, S.M., Mrs Cramp, licensee of the Central Hotel, Hawera, was charged with (a) having kept her licensed premises open on Sunday, June 7th, for the sale of liquor, (b) with having sold liquor to Herbert Bishop," (c) also to E. Henderson on that date. The police withdrew the first charge, and in regard to the second two, Mr Ryan, for Mrs Cramp, pleaded guilty. Hi s Worship said if licensees could not refuse to supply drink simply because they were persuaded, it then was a matter for the Licensing Committee to consider whether he or she was a fit and proper person to hold a license. The defendant in %he present case had a good record, and under the circumstances he would inflict a fine without endorsement. A fine of £lO on each of the two charges would be imposed, witnesses' expenses 10s Gd, and court costs 7s.

A meeting of creditors in the estate of Seth Backhouse was held tins morning, the only creditors present being Messrs J. Mandel and J. Jones. Mr Mandel also held proxies from Messrs A. Beaver and Co., Jerusalem and Co., and R. Bright. It was decided that the Assignee call tenders alternately for (a) the stock and goodwill of lease, and (b) the stock only. The following resolution was also carried: "The creditors are of opinion that, there are no reflections on the bankrupt in the conduct of his business and wish the Deputy Official Assignee to facilitate his discharge when he applies for same." The meeting further resolved that all pergonal effects and furniture in bankrupt', private dwelling b* handed over to Mrs Backhouse.

The annual meeting of the Toko ■Settlers' Association will be held in .the Toko Coronation Hall on Tuesday evening. A meeting of the Executive Committee of the A. and P. Association will be held in their offices, Broadway, this evening at 7.30 o'clock sharp. Judgment by default was given in the following cases at the Court this morning: It. H. Bright and S. Backhouse v. E. Walker, £1 2s, costs 8s; Thomas Tichbon v. A. Cave, £23 6s 6d, costs £2 14s; P. C. Price v. A. J. Hill. £1 15s, costs 10s; Bellringer Bros. v. John F. Dravitzki, £2O 7s 2d, costs £3 2s.

At the Auckland poultry show, the North ■ Island championship for British game cock was won by A. \~ixon. The cup for best British gam« hen was won hy J. and W. G. Ma«on, who won the ladies' bracelet w<th the same hen. J. Treloar won the North Island championship for white cockerel, and J. H. IXunn North Island championship for brown cockerel.—P. A.

The action of the Auditor-General in refusing to pass accounts for £2OO in excess of unauthorised expenditure allowed by law was discussed by the Auckland Council. The principal items were connected with the farewell of one Governor and the reception of another, and the opening of the Town Hall. Councillors who voted for spending the money are liable to refund £ls 14s 3d each. According to the Press Association, Councillor Nerbeney said he would defy the Auditor and would willingly go to goal rather than pay. The Council resolved to ask Parliament to legalise the expenditure of the amount disbursed.

Francis Hooper did not appear at the Court this morning to answer a charge of driving a gig without lights. It was explained that defendant was a resident of Piopio, near Te Kuiti, about 200 miles from Stratford. A fine of 10s with 7s costs was imposed. Percy Collins pleaded guilty to allowing a horse to wander at large. Defendant : It is a very small pony and it crawls through the wires of the fence. The S.M. : You had batter put wire netting round the paddock. Defendant was fined os, without costs. H. Gilmer, charged with driving a gig without lights, said he had one light and did not know he was committing an offence. The S.M. : How long have you been in the district:. Defendant: Four years. The S.M. expressed surprise that defendant had not Been in the newspapers reports of persons being fined for driving with only on» light. A fine of 10s, with costs 7s, was imposed. A. Hill was fined 20s, with, costs 7s, for driving a lorry without lights. ,