LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXIX, Issue 77, 22 July 1914, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Cardiff School tournament and social will bo hold on Friday.

Great rains aro falling in the coastal districts of New South Wales (states a cablegram to-day). Over seven inches fell at Clarence River.

The school life and drum and is making excellent progress under tbe conductor, Mr A. O’Leary, and it is hoped that in the course of six weeks or go tlio band will bo far enough advanced to perform in public.

The death of Canon Flower, a prominent Anglican minister, is announced by cablegram from Sydney to-day.

The Government Architect, accompanied by officers of the Postal Department, visited Stratford yesterday and made an inspection of the Post Office building, it is presumed in view of the agitatioin for a new building.

The Egmont Club’s orchestra will give a concert on Friday evening, when the following programme will be rendered;—Palace of the Palms (waltz), Mimi (serenade), Grey Eagle (Indian intermezzo), Lucia de Lnmmermoor (selection), Cathedral Chimes (Reverie), Glow Horn (Idyl), Sunny-Sic-ily (selection), Girl of the Orient (Persian Davie).

The shield presented by Mr J. Masters for annual competition between the teams in the Eastern Districts Sulr-union is at present on view in the window of Messrs Mullen and Marshall’s premises in Broadway. The shield is a handsome one of mottled kauri, bearing in the centre the figure of a footballer in silver, the date of presentation appears on a plate below ; and small silver shields for the names of the year’s winners encircle the centre figure.

The Fire Brigade’s juvenile ball is one of Stratford’s annual fixtures, which is always looked forward to, and every year the ball keeps up the high standard set. The date of this year’s ball is some distance off yet, but already preparations are being made lor it, and in order to ensure the proper training of the children who are to participate meetings will be held at the fire station to-morrow afternoon—ladies at 3 o’clock and children at 3.30 o’clock. The children will be put through their first practice.

The young man, John Mason, who was recently arrested on a charge of wilfully placing an obstruction on the railway near Awapuni, pleaded guilty at Palmerston North yesterday, and wag committed to the Supreme Court for sentence. Tn, a voluntary written statement accused said he had been to town, had drinks, went to the pictures, and returned home with liquor in his possession. He placed two pieces of timber across the rails. He did it “for a joke, to knock somebody over.”

Some time ago the “Post” recorded the case of a man who had walked over a good deal of the North Island without getting work until he gofc a job on road work near Whangamom:ona. This man returned to Stratford yesterday and left last night en route for Auckland. He states that after eight weeks’ work, owing to frequent rain, he had oulv n. credit balance on the job of five shillings; and he was compelled to throw up work owing to an attack of rheumatism caused by the discomforts inseparable from a backblocks camp in winter. Colonel E. W. C. Chaytor, late Officer-Commanding the Wellington district, has now taken up his position at headquarters as AdjutantGeneral of the New Zealand Forces, vice Colonel Collins, who left New Zealand last week upon his return to England. Colonel Chaytor has been succeeded in command of the Wellington district (with district headquarters at Palmerston Nbrtll) by Colonel F. E. Johnston, of the North Staffordshire Regiment, whose appointment dates for a period of one year. Strathmore notes (from our own correspondent):—A most enjoyable return ball to the bachelors’ was held in the Strathmore Hall on July 10th. The attendance was very good considering the very bad night. About fifty couples took part in the grand march. The Hall was tastefully decorated with Chinese lanterns and evergreens, and the supper was everything to be desired. Some of the fancy dresses worn were:—Miss liplady, “Britannia , Miss Anderson, “Dutch Girl”; Miss Manning, “Five O’clock Tea’ ; Miss Merdith, “Snow Storm” ; Miss Dolly Meredith, “Geisha Girl” ; Miss Wall, “Starlight” ; Miss K. Franks, “Ivy” ; Miss Queenie Anderson, “Lady Madcap” ; Mrs Peterson, “Sea Queen.’ Amongst the gents were Mr T. Higgmson “Father Bradford”; Mr H. Taylor, “Sambo”; Mr W. McGanve, “Jockey”; Mr W. Foley, “Territorial.” The unavoidable absence of the energetic secretary (Mrs Gooding), through the illness of her youngest daughter, was much regretted. The music was supplied by Mrs Bianchi and Mr Kelly. The piano was kindly lent Iby Mrs Lockwood.

Mr W. A. Collis forwards to the “Taranaki Herald” the following information relating to the shooting of cattle in the Egmont National Reserve; —A good many permits to shoot cattle in the Egmont National Park have been given to people, and a .rood many cattle have been disposed of. One of the conditions of the permit- is that they can shoot unbranded cattle of over six months of age without any apparent or reputed owner. We understand that cattle over this ago have been shot having no brands on them, and that in at least one case a supposed owner has been cutting up about a beast that was shot which he claims. Now, as the animal was unbranded, the shooting is legal, and it may not be too wise a. policy to say anything about it, as if an owner is brought to light in this manner he runs a risk of the Board coming down on him for trespass, and he might find this would cost him a great deal more than the whole of the animal claimed. Another matter that settlers should know is that the Board are under no obligation to fence, as the park does not join on to the settlers’ farms but on to a road that runs right round the reserve, so the farms abut on to a road, and the liability to fence i* 011 the settlers the same ag in the case of any other road,