LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXV, Issue 16, 20 January 1915, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

All arrangements in connection with the forthcoming school picnic have been left in the hands of the chairman (Mr P. Skoglund), and the secretary (Mr T. H. Penn).

A sheep-farmer told a Mnstertca leporter on Saturday that unless the drought on the East Coa-:c is soon broken, the loss to the district will l)o enormous. Sheep are fast losing their condition, and store cattle r.re being transferred in hundreds to more favorable districts.

At the Burns' Anniversary function on Tuesday evening the toast the evening, "The Immortal Memory," has been placed in the hands of Rev. J. Pattison, while Mr E. F. Hemingway of Patea, will propose the toast of '''The Imperial Forces and the Allies."

Since the recent earthquake at Tokomaru Bay a lengthy fissure extending about a mile has made its appearance on the high range of hills near the township. The crack, which has opened as much as eight and ten inches, runs about parallel with the ridge, and it is possible to push oif large sections of earth down the hillside.

The Taranaki Agricultural Society is introducing new competitions at the Autumn show to be held on the 24th and 25th February. These special classes will be y for semi-ofneially tested Jersey and Holstein cows, for which substantial prizes will be given. The conditions for the competitions are now being arranged, and will be advertised later. This is the first time such classes have been scheduled in the Dominion, and the society is to he complimented on its enterprise.

At a meeting of directors of the Dominion Winter Show, held at Hawera, it was decided to hold the next show during the week following the Palmersfcon North Winter Show, the dates selected being June 30th and July 1,2 and 3. Mr J. Turton's resignation of the office of secretary was .jccepted, and a sub-committee appointed to arrange for filling the vacancy. Mr A. M. Conroy was elected a director of the company.

At the School Committee meeting last evening, Mr J. W. McMillan reported that in all probability the school drum and fife band would play at the forthcoming Defence Kifie Club's concert, which would be the hand's fijst appearance in public.—■ Mr A. O'Leary (conductor) wrote expressing thanks to the committee for the presentation, and expressing his willingness to still continue the teaching of the boys. Mr O'Leary's letter is to be handed to the headmaster for the purpose of carrying out some suggestions embodied therein.

Motor-boat history will be made this year when certain small power-boats start on a voyage from New York to San Francisco, via the Panama Canal. Mr Thomas T). Howes is chairman of the Eastern Committee for the New York-San Francisco race, and Commodore E. C. Hendley, president of the Delaware River Yacht Racing Association, is a member of that body. It is not known at this time which boats will enter this great race, but it is expected that several Philadelphia yachtsmen will have their craft at the stalling line in New York.

The following amounts are being paid out to-day by the local dairy companies:—Hawera £9489, Xormanl>y .€.1277, Mells £2329, Ararata £1426, all at the rate of Is per 11), and Melrose £550, at i)d per lb. Weather Forecast.—lndications are ror northerly winds strong to gale and freshening for storm from west, veering by north to west after about 36 hours. • The weather appears likely to be cloudy and unsettled with rain following. Barometer falling.—Bates, Wellington.

The application of the Home Defence Rifle Corps to the School Committee for permission to erect a miniature riflo range at the local school ground for purposes of practice has been agreed to, and a sub-committee consisting of the chairman (Mr P. jSkoglund), Messrs Smart and McDonald was set up to act in conjunction with the corps.—Mr McMillan applied on behalf of the corps for permission to use the piano, light and room for practice purposes in connection with their forthcoming concert, and the request was granted.

The Chinese race are not given to flattery. A Hastings resident called on a Chinese laundry for his clothes. On receiving the package he noticed some Chinese characters upon it. Being curious, he asked, painting to the lettering, "That is my name, I suppose?" "No, 'scliption," was the Chinaman's bland reply. "Lil' ol' man, close-eyed, no teet'!"

In these days of high prices for foodstuffs, and with the cost of living as a daily problem for the housewife to grapple with in her spare moments, it seems odd that nobody in the district is worrying about firewood. So it would seem, at any rate, judging by the experience of the. local School Committee. No applications have been received in answer to the advertisement for the removal of the pine trees from the school ground, and at a meeting last evening a committee consisting of Messrs Smart and Jackson was set up to deal further with the matter. v

The monthly meeting of the Stratford District High School Committee was held last evening, when there were present: Messrs J. W. McMillan (chairman), McDonald, E.' W. Hancock, Sanderson, Lawson, G. Smart, and F. Cramer. It was agreed that the name of the dux of the school he placed in the Honours Board as usual, and that certificates be given instead of prizes to this year's winners.—Messrs McMillan and Jackson were appointed a visiting committee for the next term. —A vote of thanks was unanimously passed to the teachers for.the manner in which they had instructed and trained the children r

who took part in the recent school concert.—The time of meetings' was altered from 7 o'clock to 8 ojdock during the summer months. ■ •

A venerable native named Te Waru, whose death in the Rotorua country is reported, was a man of uncommon parts, with a record of some note (states the Auckland He was the chief of a small tribe living at the base of Horohoro Mountain, a singular table-topped "mesa" which rises .from the plains between Rotorua and the Waikato River, and when the rebel leader Te Kooti appeared in the district he joined him and became the chief strategist of the Hauhau war parties. From native accounts it seems that Te Waru was a Maori De Wet in his way, particularly skilful in choosing country in which all the chances in an engagement favored his side, and in the event of defeat. It was he who led the Hauhaus in a hush fight in 1870 at Tapapa, on the highest plateau between Rotorua and the Waikato Plains, with Colonel McDonnell's force of friendly natives. His particular aversion was the Kupapa, as a Maori who joined the Government side for the sake of the pay and the opportunity of paying off old scores was called. "I never killed a white man," Te Waru used to say, "but only those Maoris who were in arms against us." The old man in his peaceful days was celebrated as a tatooing artist, and lie was often to be seen on his travels from village to village in the Rotorua and Bay of Plenty districts with a black leather bag containing the instruments of his profession slung over his shoulders, jogging along on his pony like some easy-going country doctor of the old school. He was a type of Maori that will not he reproduced in New Zealand.