LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXX, Issue 65, 12 November 1914, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

A euchre party and dance will he held in the Midhirst Hall on the 25th iust., the proceeds being in aid of the Poor of Belgium Relief Fund.

Irish blight is ravaging the pota. toes at. Clarence River, states a Sydnew cablegram. Precautions are being taken to prevent -the spread of the disease.

In addition to the places at which Mr J. B. Hine, M.P., will speak, ns announced in another column, are Pukeho and Tarata on the 16th, and Purangi and Matau on 17th iust.

A Melbourne cablegram states that in a fire at Ballarat a woman named Bntterworth and her infant were burned to death. The husband, who made heroic efforts to save his wife, rescued three other children.

Weather Forecast.—The indication's are for: South-Easterly winds moderate to : strong prevailing. There „is a prospect of fair to cloudy weather. The night will probably prove chid with frost inland. The barometer has a rising tendency.—Bates, Wellington.

Gisborne Press Asspciqtiop.reports : A body which was found'floating in tlib, river this morning hag .been identified as Arthpr Adams, .40j .single, a laborer. . It is unknown deceased came to get into the river... :

A Press dissociation' telegrainfrom Gisporrie states :i, The' four-year .old daughter of ,Mn'Fred(; J ,Te Karaka,’ who dgnited by a candle and was severely burned, died- ,this. ppynifigj ? ,Mrs Powell, in endeavoring to extinguish the; flames, \vas seyerely ; burned, ■

A further increase of £1 per ton was made in the price of raw .and refined sugars of all grades by the Colonial Sugar Company on Saturday. This is the third advance in price made during eight weeks, the first of 25s per ton having, been made on September J2thj,and the second, of 20s, on pctolier 23rd. Thei addition, of £3 5s per tori to the price of sugar* represents nearly \ per lb.

Speakittg - fo’ftie Strafford' Wharigamompna correspondent, Mr J. B'. Hine, M.P., saicf: that so far lie had hardly found the interest being taken hi New Zealand politics that was to be desired at election trine, ! brit he hhd no ■ doubt . that ', the ’ great matters hi which 1 tiie ihripife was so vitally affected occupied peopled minds, and rightly so, to the excmsibn of their more immediate personal concerns.

A final reminder is given regarding the grand choral concert to be given to-night in the Town Hall on behalf of the British and Belgian Belief Fund. The rehearsal last evening showed that the choir and orchestra was in great form and promised well for this evening’s entertainment. Mr Will Hutchens will sing a patriotic song of his own composition, entitled, .(“Britons Everyone,” and will contribute other items.

The South Auckland Methodist Synod opened at Hamilton yesterday, and unanimously carried the , L , following resolution last night: “This Synod, be. ing very deeply interested in the welfare of the industrial workers in this district,and having been informed that there is great cause for seriously inquiring into the present condition of things at Huntly, desires to enter an emphatic protest against anything approaching victimisation or intimidation of workers. Our protest is the more emphatic because it has been found that good and true men have been justly ‘ deprived of' employment, their wives and bairns suffering thereby.” The Press Association also states that reference was made to the cases of May and Mailesworth, Dixon, and others.

About ten days ago the Commonwealth Government, by proclamation, forbade Australian newspapers of any class whatever to be sent out of the Commonwealth. The result was that the Mocraki, which lias arrived at Wellington from Sydney, carried not a vestige of an Australian publication. Before the steamer’s final departure from the New South Wales port, Government officials boarded her and seized even the newspaper wrapping of some of the passengers’ parcels. Members of the crew, anticipating a quiet read in their leisure time, stowed away in cunning places the latest newspapers, but the searchers were so, thorough that even these had to be given up. Even the captain had to relinquish his bundle of news-sheets to the Customs officials. About the only sign of anything like a newspaper!; a lady member of a pantomime company managed to get through. It was a small clipping, which she waved exultantly,after the. Customs officers had left the vessel*, containing the account of a wedding of a girl friend.

Many men are at times absentminded, hut the following authentic story will be hard to beat. A high. Government official in Wellington, who* is noted for absent-mindedness, was receutlv a passenger on a steamer trading between Dunedin and, Auckland. i,rtun same cabin was a fellow-passen-ger who was a perfect stranger. Ihe morning after leaving port the Government official was enjoying the morning air on the promenade deck, when his attention was directed to his cabin companion. Approaching him, he discovered that the stranger was in-pos-session. of his own studs and links. Much annoyed, the official stopped his fellow traveller, and said: “Do you know. sir. that you have my studs 'in your shirt?” “Yes,” came the reply, “and are you equally aware that you are wearing my shirt?” Apologies and explanations followed.