LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXIX, Issue 65, 8 July 1914, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

In ?iew of the specially selected programme to 1)0 played in Victoria Park next Sunday afternoon the Stratford Municipal Band hold a practice on Friday evening. There should be a good crowd at the Midhirst Hall to-morrow evening on the occasion of the social being given to raise funds to liquidate the debt on the Hall piano. The fullest arrangements have now been completed for the social to be held by the Scottish Society in the Foresters' Hall to-morrow evening, end every pro.:use is It el J eut of a [pleasant evening

"-Mick," the Trowbridge, Wiltshire, railway station dog, who collected £lO4 for widows and orphans of railway men in eight years, has been destroyed owing to old age. A line of stock, somewhat of a novelty at local sales, appeared at the Addington saleyards on Wednesday f'saya the Lyttelton Times). They comprised 1U Angora goats and four kids. They were sold on behalf of Mr A. Barker (Loburn), and brought 1 guinea to 1* guineas, the kids being bought in. A boot 6ft long and 3ft high, made m correct proportions and of genuine leather, stands in front of a Los Angeles repair shop. It contains a set of pigeon-holes and drawers for nails, tools, etc., and is furnished with \ h.p. electric motor operating a stitching machine. Standing in this boot, the workman goes on with his task, to the amusement of the crowds that pass along, and the novel advertisement is said to be a trade-bringer.

At Broken Hill (states an Australian paper) a shocking fatality occurred close to the tram terminus Mr and Mrs W. E. Cremer were standing with a boy aged five years, when the child loft them to put a penny in a penny-in-the-slot machine. The child .''pparently pulled the heavy machine over, and when it fell the boy's head ! was crushed underneath, and he died within a few minutes.

The ten-inch brass whistle of the new "Aga" marine buoy, which was moored on Monday outside Godley and Adderley Heads, has already given evidence of its powers (says the Christchurch Press). On two occasions this week, when the wind was blowing from the north-east, the whistle was heard distinctly from the inner harbor at Lyttelton, a distance approximately of five miles. From the foregoing it* will be easy to understand the value of such an apparatus, in conjunction with the flashing light, to shipping in thick weather.

The Tilba Tilba correspondent of the Sydney Daily Telegraph reports the practice of an industry quite hew to these parts. The writer says:—J. W. Brown and Son, of Woy Woy, are now -■ engaging all surplus hands picking giant mountain hair ferns from the Dromedary and eastern slopes of the hills and banks of the streams running from them. The 1 ferns, when picked, are packed in bundles of 50, and taken to a factory, where they undergo a chemical process, and are then dyed to resemble the natural color and shipped to Europe and America, where they are used for decorative purposes. The pickers are paid 6s per 1000, and can gather from 2000 to 4000 a dav.

In the House of Representatives in Melbourne recently, a statement was made that a shipload of live rabbits was on its way to Darwin and the Minister for External Affairs was asked if he did not think it would be unwise, in view of the experience in other parts of the Commonwealth, to introduce them into the Northern Territory. Mr Glynn at the time confessed that he had no knowledge as to the accuracy or otherwise of the statement, and he promised to have inquiries made. He then ascertained that the so-called shipload comprised only three rabbits, whidh had been obtained for laboratory purposes. They are being kept in a specially constructed hutch, and all precautions are being taken to prevent their escape.

The path of the member of an education board is not upon stony ground at all times. There are some pleasant places along the route. One of these was at Tuna last night, when the annual concert and presentation of prizes took place. Mr R. Masters is not an old member of the Taranaki Education Board, but he is wise in his generation, judging by the manner in which he handles such gatherings. It appears to be quite a pleasure to Mr Masters to go out in his motor car and spend the evening with the people who are conducting the education of the young New Zeaknder. He speaks words of cheerful optimism to them upon the position, and witnesses the progress made by the children in the social as well as in the material work of the school. This member for the district and the committees seem to understand each other. That's the main point, and it's good business for both.

When a policeman gives a pressman a florin "to go and have a drink," ifc is sale to say "something's up!" When the pressman got the coin in his hand he discovered there was a hole in it, but that was not the only fault that barred its circulation. It was one of the cleverest imitations of tko real coin of the realm as it was possible to be. The weight was there to a hundredth part of a grain, the color was undeniable, while mold and mill were excellent, but as the coin fell to the ground a dull leaden sound denoted the counterfeit. It was one of the Te Awamutu "make," for which the prisoner claimed the excuse that it was "a trick the fairies had taught him!" This was the only counterfeit coin in connection with the Te Awamutu affair which has come into the hands of the police, but thereby hangs a tale. A braw son of the Highlands sought change for a cheque for two pounds, and is now feeling very bad because Stratford gave him twenty shillings of good money for one pound and only eighteen shillings for the other. "It's no richt!" he may*.

The Fire Brigade's annual juvenile ball has been fixed for towards the end of August. \

The racehorse Cider is to be sent to India to attempt to win the King's Cup, states a Melbourne cablegram.

The Volunteer Fire Brigade have selected- a candidate out of about thirty nominations tor the Carnival Queen contest, and an energetic committee are at work preparing for an early start.

Another step forward. The committee of the Taranaki Freezing Works are inviting applications from holders of suitable sites on which to build. The property (up to 100 acres) must be between one mile south of Stratford and Moturoa, and have the advantage of being near railway or port.

Eleven civil cases and two judgment summons cases~are set down for hearing at the sitting of the Court on Friday. The informations to be dealt with comprise one for a breach of the Infants Act, two for driving without lights, one for failing to attend camp, and one for failing to attend drill.

The twenty-eighth anniversary of the Inglewood corps of the Salvation Army was celebrated by a highly successful social last night. Visitors from the New Plymouth, corps numbered about twenty and from the Stratford corps about the same number. Adjutant Tatton, of Stratford, acted as chairman of the meeting.

At a meeting of the Fire Brigade last night it was decided to recommend to. the Fire Brigade Committee of the Borough Council the erection of sleeping quarters for two men at the southern sub-station, and "the connection of the station by telephone', so as to ensure that southern members of the brigade will get notice of fires, the northern bell not being heard very distinctly on the southern side of the river.

The annual balance of the N. 25. Loan and. Mercantile Agency Co., Ltd., Stratford, took place on the 30th June, and although all sales up to that date were included, the local branch was able to telegraph the figures to their head office on the evening of the 2nd inst. This is quick work, and speaks well for the efficiency of the staff. The .result of the last year proved highly satisfactory, and was one of the best years in the history of the local branch, the turnover and profit showing a considerable advance on last year's figures.