LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXV, Issue 12, 15 January 1915, Page 6

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

The population of. .the borough of Stratford is given in the Official Year Book for 1914 as 3,015, as compared with 2,703 in 1913. The population of Stratford County is given as 5,973 in 1914, as against 5,226 in 1913.

Mr Kenrick, S.M., was this morning pt the Court applied to for a maintenance order against William Smith, of Kohuratahi. A weekly order was made for live shillings lor each 5 of the four children, and 5s for the wife. William Smith did not put in an appearance.

F rom Mi’ John Heslop we (Eltham Argus) have received another post card. He is jn England, in good health, and' dined recently with the High Commissioner, the Hon. Thos.Mackenzie. The post card has printed on it Henry Chappell’s great poem, “The Day.” Mr Heslop’s London address is “care Bank of New Zealand, No 1, Queen Victoria Street.”

At the Wellingljpri Police Court today Millicent Thompson (58) was fined £lO, or two months’ imprisonment, for cruelly illtreating a, boy nine years of age who had been placed in her charge from a receiving home. The evidence showed that the boy had been cruelly beaten and made to do heavy tasks, such as conveying bricks. —P.A. *

While a miner named Peter Vocosyish, an was boring a. hole witli a drill in the Talisman (Waihi) mine yesterday, where work had been left qff on December 18, an explosion took place, killing him instantly. It is thought, states the Press! Association) .that lib struck a ‘‘cut off.” John McClear who was working with him, was seriously injured.

For! procuring . ligiior at .the Stratford races on 2nd January during the currency of a prohibition order, John ievandoski was finbd 40s arid 7s costa at the local Court this morning. Jacob, Mischewski wap firied 20s with 7s costs for 'taking Levandoski to the booth. William Newman was fined rids and costs 7s for takirig a dyink at .the Btratfgrd races on' January diiring the currency of a prohibition order.

‘■‘Ai| impression seems*- -‘to £© (abroad,” said the Premier to a Wellington Post reporter to-day, “that we control Samoa and Samoan affairs.: As a matter of fact, Samoa is pnder imperial control, and Colonel Logan is an j imperial officer. Instructions are conveyed to me by the Imperial authorities through Sis Excellency the Governor,-b\it except in rendering assistance to the Imperial Government when asked to do so, the New Zealand Government has really mo control over Samoa affairs whatever.”—P. A.

Before Mr, .Kfenrick, S.M., at the Stratford Court this morning, W. T. Hpdge‘ was charged vVitli assaulting J. H. | Oliver at Wharigamomona 011 the ,15th December.—Mr Thompson appealed for’ plairitiff, and ’ Mr Stanford for defendant!—'Defendant pleaded guilty.—lt was stated that Hodge was a married man with five children, and ’ had lived' Jiri WKangimoihoria for several years. He had warned plain, tiff nap to' pay attentions to bis daughter, but plaintiff bad disregard, od. the warning, .iapjh,rife a dance’ at ‘Wlippaaraoniona the defendant committea the assault.' .No blows were given.-i-The Magistrate considered that plairitiff had acted unwisely in bringing the case to Court. A fine of 5s Without' costs was imposed.

Policie regulations' are like the laws of the-Medes and' the Persians, and riiust ndt be transgressed. The said regulations do not approve of presen. tations! to constables, so the law-abid-ing citizens of Elthfim, rather than transgress in any .shape or form, made a presentation to Mrs Wade of a soild leather suit case with nickel fastenings and-a heavy travelling rug. The Chairman (Mayor Crump) in making the presentation (states the Argus), expressed a fervent hope that Mrs Wade would occasionally allow “Charlie” to use the case. In'addition to being strict upholders of the law the Eltham' people are far-sighted and can look a long way ahead. For instance, included in the presentation last night was a safety-razor set. This was purchased for “ydungll Wade, who may he expected to require it in about 18 or 19 years. Nothing like being iii time.!

Says ;the Manaia^Witness;— -“The j contribution box, ivliijch da placedrin the newspaper room of the Public Library, | on being opened last'week was found , to contain “the 1 suni of Is 4 id.' ..Of this amount the' Shilling' wiff contributed by one individual, thefifemaiuing fourpence united effort of soihe scorbs' or liuhdreds of people in-‘ acknowledgment df their indebtedness tOv the Library, wh’ck means to ottoii, people*'/or providing them readingj' free, gratis and fhr nothing during the year. But thisUS' in keeping with tlie'fme democratic spirit of the day, which is the recipient of so many benevolences at the expense of others—from free bonuses for the infrequent baby, the last crawl, the latest abasement of decadent statesmanship —to free education, arid a score of other things'on the freeppt of |lie State that merely demoralise'phd degrade and fosI ter a spirit of helpless aild mUan independence, which is already “Visible in the national character.”"