LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXX, Issue 35, 28 September 1914, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

The Press Association agent at Christchurch states that it has now boon decided to hold the Christchnrch-to-Timaru cycle race on October 24.

Members of the Homo Defence Corps will parade tor foot drill at the school gymnasium this evening. Rifles are to he picked up at the Defence office previous to parading.

Weather Forecast.—The indications are for moderate to strong winds prevailing. Weather probably cool and changeable. Night probably very cold. Barometer lias a rising tendency. —Bates, Wellington,

In addition to the total sum of £4 18s acknowledged in our issue of Saturday last towards the Huntly Relief Fund, we have to acknowledge a further contribution of £3 2s from the Toko Road Band of Hope, making the total received to date £B.

As a small souvenir of Ids visit to New Zealand, Mr Harry Lauder is giving a vsilvcr shield to bo competed for annually by the Pipe Bauds of the Dominion for the best bag-pipe playing, leaving the entire arrangements in the hands of the Wellington Scotitsh Society.

The barque Anglo-Norman is a total wreck at Kaipara Heads (states the Press Association). She was driven into the breakersupon a strong flood tide, which v carried her on to the beach. At low water she is high and dry. The crew of twelve men landed safely with their effects on Saturday evening, and walked to the lighthouse. ;

The Press Association .at Dunedin, in a telegram this afternoon, states: — The first application under the act passed this session for the purpose ot protecting a mortgage during the progress of the war came before Mr Justice Sim to-day. It was an originating summons for leave to exercise the power of sale as mortgagee under a bill of sale. An order was made accoidingly with the condition that unless certain sums are paid by certain dates the power of sale is to be exercised.

Yesterday afternoon at Wellington, Archbishop O’Shea opened a new creche in Buckle Street, established by jthe Sisters of Compassion under I Mother Mary Aubert. The buil hr.g is designed for special purposes, that mothers at work in the day-time nay leave their babies in safety and . unfort. Short addresses were given tv Sir Joseph Ward, the Hon. t. M. B. Fisher, the Mayor (Mr J. P. Luk-O and Mr Martin Kennedy.

Tdie Press Association reports • - Members of the Maori party whb' were received by the King and Queen at Buckingham Palace returned to New Zealand by the Riverina, which arrived at Auckland from Sydney yestefdav. The party comprised Te Rata (the Maori “king”), Tnpu Taingakawa, Te Waharoa, Meta Karaka, and G. G. Paul (the interpreter and secretary). The party declined _to discuss the question of their grievances, stating that the negotiations were not yet completed.

A resident in the town reports that for a few nights past a cow has caused a great deal of annoyance in the vicinity of the hospital. The cow is separated from its calf, which is somewhere in the vicinity, and the two fill the night with incessant bellowing, being helped at times by the dogi! of the quarter. The resident in question mentioned his difficulty in getting his children to sleep and expressed wonder that the hospital authorities had not seen that the noise was stopped.

An event which did not figure on the official programme, but which assuredly should have been advertised, was decided on the racecourse yesterday during an interval between the races, says Friday’s Wanganui “Herald.” Two well-known sports, one a local boniface, and the other a gem a! hotelkeeper of Marton, evidently had an argument as to their sprint 1 ng ability, and the result was that a race was duly arranged. Proceeding j to the back of the tote house, a pa+.n of about 100yds in length was selected for the test of speed, a_ starter, timekeeper, and judge appointed, and the pair toed the mark. A good start saw the local man get into his stride quickest, and ho held command for about 75yds, when the Marton man closed up, and, gradually drawing away, eventually won by a couple of feet. The censor refused to make public the time, hut it must have boon good. The amount of stake money was also kept secret, but a bundle of notes was seen to change hands as soon as the, contestants had finished wiping the heads of perspiration from their brows.