LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXV, Issue 25, 30 January 1915, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

"I am a farmer myself," said the Prime Minister at the Levin show yesterday, "though I know that many of you imagine that the only turnips T raise are ostrich feathers."

Owing to 31st inst. falling on a Sunday Borough ratepayers who have not yet paid their rates may yet save the 10 per cent, penalty by paying on Monday, Ist February. This is positively the last chance of avoiding the penalty.

The annual shooting meeting of the Taranaki Rifle Association will be held at the Rewa, Rewa Rifle Range, New Plymouth on Thursday and Friday next, when operations will start at 7.30 a.m. Entries for the meeting close this evening. Further particular are announced in our advertising columns.

An instance of the intensity of the position of the flour market is afforded locally by one baker, who finds, not that his "cake is dough" (to use a colloquialism but that he has very little flour with which to make dough. Inevitably, the delivery-cart must go first, and this has been decided upon. Mr F. A. Cramer, baker, of Stratford, announces in our advertising columns, that owing to the shortage of flour and high prices, he has been compelled to cease" baking bread for delivery as from to-day. His Tea Room business will be continued as usual, and bread and small goods sold over the counter.

The road to the Stratford Mountain House was never better than at present, notwithstanding the fact that motor traffic to this House is now very heavy. All previous, records regarding visitors have easily been broken so far this year. The House is now as popular as any, though, of course, it has not the larger centres to drain from. Both the main houses and detached cottage has been quite full of late.

A grand fete is to be held at New Plymouth in the Pukekura Park on Thursday, February 4th, in aid of the Poor in Great Britain, Ireland and Belgium. On that day. the school excursion to New Plymouth will take place, and as there are to he many attractions in the Park a good many of those who journey north will probably spend their afternoon there. An appeal to the patriotic residents of Stratford from the Mayoress of New Plymouth appears in another cohi mn.

A startling incident is reported in an Australian paper to have occurred to two fishermen. They report that when they weve going to the fishing grounds at Cape Bridgewater hefore daylight, a large whale rose immediately under their boat, lifting it bodily. The boat slid off the whale hackward into the water. The stern was submerged and the water flowed in nearly swamping the boat. The forward ballast was thrown aft. Only; by great exertions were the men üblei to reduce the water and make the boat lit to proceed on her way. j

Owing to trouble with the firemen, the Maori did not get away for Wellington last night.

The Stratford District High School and the Convent School re-open on Monday, after the summer vacation.

The Press Association states that the Government has arranged to purchase one million bushels of wheat from Canada for delivery in July.

An examination for the purposes of registration under the Plumbers' Registration Act will be held on March 19th and 20th, 1915. Forms may be obtained from the local Technical *

School or from the secretary of the Plumbers' Board, Wellington.

At the Swimming Club meeting, held last evening, Mr P. Beauchamp mooted the idea of holding a patriotic carnival this year. The members present considered the idea an excellent one, and the matter will be gone into at a future meeting.

The Wellington Harbor Boaixi has accepted the tender of Donald McLean and Co., at £9450 for additions to the wool jetty. This is preliminary to the setting apart of this wharf permanently for the Lyttelton-Wel-lington ferry steamers, states the Press Association.

The first annual meeting of the Stratford Mountain Club will be held in the A. and P. rooms, Broadway, on Monday evening, at 8 o'clock. The secretary (Mr T. Kirkwood) has an interesting report on the initial year's work, which is published elsewhere in tliis issue. A full attendance is requested.

With fine weather, Thursday next should prove a red-letter day for the Stratford school children, the annual picnic being held on that day. Trains will leave Stratford for Fitzroy Beach at 8.10 and 9.15 a.m., returning at 4.50 and 5.35 pirn. Tickets for the excursion may be procured at the school on and after Monday, and also at Mr E. B. Anderson's on and after Tuesday. No tickets will be issued on Thursday morning.

The present administration of Norfolk Island does hot give satisfaction. The residents desire to control their own public works by means of an Executive Council, elected by ballot, together with a certain number appointed by the Administrator. At present every resident of the island is compelled to do 15 days' work per year on the roads, or find substitutes to-do it for him. This is considered by the people to be equal to taxation. As taxpayers they think they should have a greater say in the management of the island than they have at present.

A report from Adelaide states that in 1912-13 South Australia made 3,974,838 gallons of wine, representing a record production for the State. Apparently the 1914-15 season is going to provide another record—of,a vastly different character, however. Competent authorities are agreed that on present indications the total quantity of wine , produced cannot exceed 1,000,000 gallons, and that the average yield of fruit will be the smallest ever known. The reports from the various districts have been of a most pessimistic nature. '

The morgue statistics for 1914 in Melbourne show that the motor car has again been responsible for an alarming number of fatalities in the city and suburbs.- During the year 22 persons were killed either through motor collisions or being knocked down by fast-travelling cars. Only 23 persons were killed over the whole network of suburban railways in the same period, and the number of tram fatalities amounted to only 10. During 1913 17 persons died from injuries sustained in motor accidents, and the number of fatalities in 1912 was only 12. In three years 51 deaths have occurred. Three persons were committed for trial for manslaughter in connection with motor fatalities during the year.

An interesting decision in a case concerning the alleged evasion of the stamp duty was given at the Sydney Water Police Court last week. ' Thomas B. Greery was charged with having evaded the payment of the tax by giving two receipts for £1 ss, instead of one for £2 10s. Evidence showed that Greery had received two weeks' rent, amounting to £2 10s, from a tenant, and had made out two receipts, one for each week. As each of these was for a sum of under £2, it was not necessary to stamp them. The magistrate held that the tax had been evaded, and imposed a fine of £2 and costs. On a further charge of having issued an unstamped receipt for £2 10s Greery was fined a similar amount.