LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXX, Issue 59, 5 November 1914, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

There will be a social at St.’ Andrew’s Hall to-morrow (Friday) when an interesting programme has been arranged of patriotic songs, etc.

Mr J. B. Hine, M.P., will address the electors in the Town Hall on day next, at 8 o’clock. The dress circle will be reserved for ladies and their escorts.

The Federated Seamen’s Union of New Zealand has, during the past three months,' been taking a ballot of members on a proposal to remove the union’s headquarters from Dunedin to Wellington. The proposal was carried by 423 votes.

The public are reminded of the children’s concert to be held in the Regan Street Hall to-morrow night. The children are repeating the concert given by them last week, and the money raised is to be divided between the piano fund and Belgian relief fund. All holders of tickets not used at last concert will be permitted to use that ticket for to-morrow night. A crowded house is looked forward to.

While a witness in a case before the Invercargill Police Court on Wednesday was giving evidence he remarked that one of the defendants at the time of the disturbance that was being investigated Tyas in a state of “keggyitis.” The magistrate asked the ’wit? ness what he meant, and being told that the man was slightly under the influence of liquor, Mr Hutchison promptly administered a severe reprimand, reminding the witness that he was in court of justice, where expres : sions of that nature were out of place.

There is every expectation on the part of Ohura settlers (says the Taumarunui Press) that within six months rails will bo laid on the Stratford-Main Trunk railway line from Matiere to the 14-mile peg, and that this will be available for the conveyance of goods. The effect of this would Be to save settlers several miles of deplorable mud and bring them to the aound pumice formation, and so on to the excellent service road leading to Ohahukura. If this can be done before next winter it would bo a wonderful boon to the settlers. Mr C. K. Wilson, M.P., has received the following reply from the Minister of Public Works:—“Sir, —l have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of the 29th ultimo, in which you urge the necessity of making a commencement with the railway bridge at Okahukura, and state as a reason for so doing that the tunnel will be pierced in live months’ time and that an enormous amount of road work will bo saved if the bridge is finished. In reply I have to state that from inquiries which 1 have made it appears very unlikely that the tunnel will be completed in five months. It is' more likely to be eight or nine months. The preparation of plans for the bridge, which will be of a special 'haracter, taking the railway on one leek and providing for vehicular and ither traffic on another deck, is now in land. It will probably be a month ir six weeks before we nr'eable ‘to! 'all tenders for this work.” !

If you wish to make a personal gift to a soldier, says a military man, let it be a’jpotv of vaseline. If rubbed over the feet and inside and outside the boots the relief on the march is great.

The' ; Defence Rifle Club will parade vlfis evening at Hie school gymnasium without arms, and members will receive special instruction in view of the church parade to be held in Victoria Park on Sunday.

Weather Forecast.— Freshening to northerly strong winds to gale after about 24 hours. There is a prospect of fair to cloudy weather, but clouding over, rain later. The barometer has a falling tendency shortly.—Bates,- 'Wellington.*^

A special meeting of members of the Stratford Lawn Tennis Club was held last night, when the resolution passed at the annual meeting abolishing the entrance fee was confirmed. Mr H. G. Reeves was appointed secretary. So far this season eighteen new members have been enrolled, and as the club this year will have four courts in place of three a prosperous season ' is looked forward to.

Owing to the Borough Council having taken possession of portion of the fire brigade station, the locale of tomorrow, evening’s children’s social has been shifted to the Foresters’ Hall. Complete arrangements have been made'’ for a pleasant evening, and as the proceeds are to be devoted to the Brigade’s motor engine fund the attendance should be good. The children will hold the floor from 7 to 9.30 p.m., after which adults will; indulge.

The Whangarei shopkeepers have been victimised of late with gilded sixpences. The police, on making investigations, made an unexpected discovery last night, when they arrested a remittance man named Frank Eaton, who was charged with drunkenness-, They found spurious coins in his possession, and when they searched his belongings at a boardinghouse they found a brush for gold paint. Accused appeared at Court to-day and was remanded for a week. Bail of £IOO was fixed.—P.A.

A Palmerston North Press Association telegram states: The weather is fine for the second day and the attendance excellent at the show. Yesterday’s attendance was 2U per cent, better for the first day of last year. Championships were awarded a's ' fol- * lows:—Draught—Mrs J. D. Ormond; ■reserve,' P. McNaughton. English' Leicester ram and ewe, S. R. Lancaster; Lincoln ram, W. Perry ; ewe, Mrs J. D. Ormond. Best cocker speniel, . Mrs S. Johnson.

A curious mixture of Maori and pakeha customs has been seen at a hui in,progress at Jacob’s Pah, Pakiki, Main Trunk line (says the Wanganui Herald. At this hui there was an attendance of between 400 and 500 natives. The menage consisted of .a large assembly room, dormitory latcheu, store, and post and telephone office. In addition there was a row of tents along a portion of the outskirts, Both buildings and sleeping tents were electrically lighted, and sundry poles carried the globes over the ground. Power was derived from a small torrent which tumbled " past qnly a few yards away. A sluice allowed a good head of water to pass along a flume, at. the end of which a large water wheel was fixed, and above that the dynamo house, •• • W M A