LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXX, Issue 36, 29 September 1914, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

To-day's Post' pages: On page 2 will be found an account of-the wreck of the Anglo-Norman, personal items, list of Social Democrat and United Labor candidates for the general election, etc. ; war and general notes -">n page 3; progress report on the Stratford Main Trunk railway on page 7; news of tragedies in Auckland and New South Wales, etc., on page 8.

A reminder is given of the dance in aid of the Patriotic Fund to oe held at Te Wera to-morrow evening.

A hare drive, organised by Mr G. W. Morrison, was held on St. Helens Station, Hanmer, recently. Twentyeight guns took part, forming a line over a mile long, and traversing about 10 miles of riverbed, swamp, scrub, and hilly country during the course oi the shoot. -Two hundred and eight 'hares were secured and sent ' to. a freezer'as a contribution to the Food for Britain Fund. , i

On Saturday, the Tahora branch of the 1.0 0.F., A.C., Pouatu Lodge was opened, N.G. Bro. D. Wildermoth presiding. Our correspondent states that the officers -and members came 1 up from Whanga for the ceremony, and during the evening 17 new members were initiated. After the candidates had been dealt with, the Lodge adjourned for a very enjoyable smoke concert, at which several members gave speeches or songs.

The new Club Hotel (late Middlaton's) at Opunake, is Hearing completion (states the correspondent of the Hawera Star), and will he opened in all departments this week. It has been designed and furnished on the most comfortable and modern lines, and will' be a great boon to visitors to the popular Taranaki seaside resort. Mr A. E. Brunette, until recently >r\ Blenheim, has acquired the freehold, and will personally conduct the business.

i The Press Association states that the Government has appointed Mr P. J. Burgess (Stipendiary Magistrate and Warden at the Thames), Mr J. Dowgray (ex-president of the Federation of Labour and representative of the coal-miners on the Mines Commission in 1911), and Mr J. C* Brown (manager, of the Westport Coal Co.'s mines at Denniston), as a Royal Commission to enquire into and report upon the cause of the recent fatal exjuosion in Ralph's mine at Huntly. The Commission will probably hold its first sitting on October 1. •

Our Kohuratahi correspondent .writes:— On Friday night last the final euchre tournament took place in the hall. The following is a Hit of prize winners: Ladies' prize (for the night's play)Mrs Roos, gents' prize (for the night's play) Mr J. Watt, ladies "sealed" prize Miss Forbes, rents "sealed" prize Mr J. Davis. flie total scores for the season disposed the fact that three ladies tied or the aggregate prize, viz., Miss ijeunett, Mrs Montgomery, and Miss Davis, and these ladies having played off, Mrs Montgomery was declar-rd the winner. Mr W. Kronk won the 1 cents' prize for the highest marks, being well ahead of any others.

At Christclmrch Mr Scotland made i flight in his new Cauldron bipane ■it Burnside yesterday (states the Press Association), but in descending ho humped the earth, seriously damaging the machine. The aviator escaped with a blow over the eye. A fortnight's work will he necessary to put the aeroplane in order again, many portions of the frame requiring bo lie re-built. Interviewed after the iceident, Scotland said that he felt that the machine was not answering too well as soon as he got into the air, and he found it difficult to manige her. When he was alighting the Novating planes would not do their work properly, and the machine could not recover from the steep angle of its descent. The first touching of the earth was successfully managed, but Urn second bump saw the machine tip forward, and before he could do anything the crash was ovor.

To-morrow is the Jewish Day of Atonement.

Mr W. H. Hawkins, who has been unanimously selected by the Liberals to contest the Stratford seat, announces that he will address the electors at the various centres shortly.

The Church of the Holy Ghost at Heidelberg (Germany) is said to bo the only one in the world in which both Protestant and Roman Catholic services are held at the same time. A partition wall in the centre separates tho two congregations.

A well-known theatrical representative informed an Argus representative that Eltham has the reputation of being a town that only supports pantomimes. "When we have a show with plenty of girls in tights we will visit Eltham," said he. We are afraid that there is a little truth in our cynical friend's remarks, adds the Argus.

The Town Clerk figures as the prosecutor in- two cases to be heard at the Court on Friday—charges of working- as a plumber when unregistered and employing an unregistered plumber. Nineteen civil cases (two marked defended) and two judgment summons, cases are to be dealt with. The theft charges against A. W. Jkawles will be proceeded with.

Weather Forecast.—The indications are for southerly moderate to strong winds prevailing and veering by south to east. Weather probably cool and changeable, and there is a prospect of fair weather shortly. The night will probably be very cold with frosts inland. The barometer has a rising tendency.—Bates, Welington.

About seventy members of the Home Defence Corps paraded last night with rifles. Sergt-Major Grey put the men through preliminary rifle exercises and expressed himself with the attention and aptitude shown, saying it was a pleasure to drill such a body. After the parade the corps marched down to the Defence office, where the rifles were returned to the racks. Shooting will take place at the range on Thursday afternoon as usual.

Visitors to the troopships out in the stream on Thursday were (sta:es the Wellington correspondent of the Otago Daily Times) given many letters <j and postcards to be posted on shore. Among the visitors who courteously obliged in this direction was the Han. Mr Rhodes, who was unknown to most of the troops. One soldier handed him a ship's biscuit, duly addressed, and marked "On Active Service," and asked if he thought ho could get it through the post office. Mr Rhodes took the biscuit, and smilingly remarked that if anyone could get it through he thought lie could. After Mr Rhodes had gone the trooper asked a Canterbury trooper who was near by who the man in mufti was. "Oh," replied the trooper, "that's the Postmaster gentral."

"I am a mining prospector," said a man in the Dunedin Police Cou.t on Friday, when charged with having travelled in a tram car without paying his fare. "And you prosp?.-! in the tram car?" remarked Mr M*:'r«:gor, counsel for the City Corporation. "No, I leave that to the conductors.'' replied the defendant. "Well, I'm afraid they strike a bad reef when they i strike you," retorted Mr MacGregor amid laughter. The Otago Dailr Times reports that the man admitted having failed to pay his fare, and, as the result of his evasion of a deSfc of Id, he was compelled to pay £2 6s, or 552 times the amount of his debt.

Record prices were obtained for beef at Wednesday's weekly stock sales at Burnside. In the face of exceptioaally strong demand from exporters, butchers had to pay excessive pr.ces. Auctioneers were not dictate! to (states the Otago Daily Times). In fact, they had things very much thsir own way. One of the fastest sold a bullock for £24, and called for "tenders" for the next. It was starred ab £lB, and in less than two mir.utos < was knocked down 'for £2l. The yarding was small, not more thaa >4O being forward. Export buyers have been operating extensively prifateiy. and there is no doubt that there .s a real shortage of prime cattle. Expciters were operating with great keenness, and cattle must have been selling on a basis of 35s per 1001 b. Butchers could only fill their requirements at what they regard as excessive prices in the face'of the strong competition from the exporters. It is stated that one northern firm has been operating for export purposes during the last few weeks all over Canterbury, Otago, and Southland, and another competitor in the same line has entered the field. Speaking generally, prices showed a further rise of £1 to £1 10s on what were generally accepted last week as extreme rates. There was a big entry of sheep for this time of the year, 2967 being offered. Butchers were getting heavy-weights at a lower price than last week, but freezing buyers were bidding more keenly for medium and light-weights, \> and sheep suitable for export sold at an advance on last week's rates. In view of the position a meeting of master butchers was held, and it was decided to raise the prices to the consuming public. Xo specific rates were agreed upon, it being left to each business to fix prices that best suit its circumstances.