LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXX, Issue 26, 17 September 1914, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

A Tiraes-Syclney Sun cablegram from Ottawa states that the whole of the silver from the wreck of the Empress of Ireland has been salved.

The County Council yesterday pui up what must constitute a record, ah business being finished by four o’clock, whereas it is usually nearer 6 o’clock when the meeting concludes.

Members of the Home Defence Corps are reminded of the drill to be held in the school gymnasium to-night, commencing at 7.30 p.m. Those who have not yet joined can be sworn in before the parade.

A money order office under the auspices of the New Zealand Government uas been opened at Apia, Samoa. This will facilitate exchange of money orders between troops and their friends a New Zealand.

A Melbourne cablegram states that the police arrested Antonio Soro, an Italian, charged with murdering Patricia Beckett, a school teacher. The accused lodged with Beckett’s parents, and formed an affection. The police foun dthe accused stowed away on a steamer which 'was about to leave Newcastle.

According to a Wellington engineering expert who recently went over the ground, satisfactory progress is being made with the Otira tunnel works. [About 200 men are being employed, and work can be found for more [skilled miners. Those engaged at the Otira end are working under the day laboui system, while those on the Bealey side are employed under the co-operative system, air Alexander Dinnio is engineer in charge.

The chairman proposed at yesterday’s meeting of the County Council that a resolution be passed thanking the Minister for introducing the latest Local Government Bill. The Bill included a clause giving all County [Councils a subsidy of 5s in the pound, for which the Council had been fightling for a long time. Cr. Walter said that it appeared to him that it was the only good clause in the Bill. He particularly objected to the proposal foi Government control of main roads. It was decided to write to the Minister thanking him for introducing the clause re subsidies.

! The weekly dance in the Brigade Station will be held this evening.

The Australasian magazine, “Evbrylady’s Journal,” has succumbed to the pressure and issued the first of a scries of special war numbers for women. The cover of the September number states that this magazine tells you how to live and how to help in war time. On opening the pages we discover that there is really an excellent batch of information on these two points—especially written for women.

At the annual meeting of the West End Club in New Plymouth last night, the following officers were appointed :—President, Mr I. J. Hiu; vice-presidents, Messrs F. Deo and G. A. Corney; secretary, Mr S. Newell ;, selector, Mr J. D. Sole;' auditor ,_ |ifr J. W. Haslam; green warden, Curtis; committee: Messrs A. Humphries, W. Olliver, F. Newell, W. Woods, Beale, J. Johnson, T. Petty; delegates to the Taranaki centre, Messrs Hill and Sole.. The green ip to be opened for play on Thursday, October Bth, and the official opening will take place on October 29th- i Xj/ was decided that all competitions ext cept the championshipsTte eliminated.

What, is a spider-wort? This question has been asked by most local bodies on the receipt of a notification' from the Government stating that it has been declared a noxious weed, Itfi came up at a meeting of the Loners' 1 ? Hutt Borough Council and went tin-' answered, states the Wellington Post. Councillor Ball wanted to know if gorse was a noxious weed. If so, he said, the Government should put its own house in order immediately. The stuff was spreading all over the borough, and much of the seed must come from the Normandale settlement. This settlement was overrun, and constituted a menace to the surrounding country. It was decided to draw the Agricultural Department’s attention to the matter. “What about our own house?” asked Councillor Clondon. “There is a lot of gorse on the waterworks site.” The Mayor: “That will receive attention.”