LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXV, Issue 33, 10 February 1915, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

The Midhirst Dairy Company has forwarded £l5O as its first instalment to the Empire Defence Fund. To-morrow aternoon at 1.30 members of the Home Defence Rifle Corps will he able to have a rifle practice on the range. A brass hand contest is to lie one of the chief attractions of the Stratford A. and P. Society’s annual Gymkhana on Easter Monday.

The Stratford Municipal Band will play a varied programme in the Xgaere Gardens on Sunday next. Brakes leave Victoria Bridge at 9.30, 10.30, and 1.30 p.m.

The Toko school children had delightful weather yesterday for their seaside excursion to the East End beach, 'and a very enjoyable time was spent there in various kinds ol amusement.

The vexed question of School hooks engaged the attention of the Stratford School Committee last night. Parents will he interested in the reading of the report, which appears on page 7 of this issue.

Weather Forecast.—Westerly strong winds to gale and veering by west to south. The weather appears likely to be cloudy and unsettled. Rain probable. The barometer has a falling tendency, but rising after about ten hours.—Bates, Wellintgon.

The annual picnic of the Church of England Sunday School will be held in King Edward Park to-morrow afternoon. Formally these treats have been held at Xgaere, but the committee instead of going to the expense donated £d to the Belgian Fund.

“I’ll take you over here to get a feed,” was the remark of a Broadway South baker as he pushed a man-to the police station this afternoon. Mr H. Kerr ca me unawares ou the.- thief in his shop. He cleared, and a smart chase ended in the Patea river, where Mr Kerr got hold of his man.

A Wellington Press Association telegra m to-days says:—Joseph Noyers, who was adjudged bankrupt in 1898, and on whose account a small dividend was then paid, has now given the Acting-Official Assignee a cheque for about £2500, which will enable all ere, ditors to be paid in full.

The roll-number of the Stratford District High School is 755—the primary department claiming 592, and the secondary 163. In view of the unwieldiness of such a crowd of children, the disestablismment of the High School is being suggested, and in another column will be found a report from the Headmaster (Mr Tyrer) and the discussion thereon at the School Committee meeting last evening.

The Press Association states:—So severe has been the effect of the drought upon the strawberry crops in Auckland that, according to an estimate made by the Waitemata Fruit Growers’ Association, the fruit sent to town so far this season has realised £7OOO less than would have been the case in a normal season. In view of the losses sustained by the fruit growers, the North Shore Municipal Association is making representation to the Minister for Marine that in the event of any increase of ferry freightage the charges to fruit growers shall be protected.

Nothing riles a body of men more than to be termed a “mean lot,” and it is not to he wondered at, therefore, that the members of the Stratford School Committee were highly indignant when it was reported at last night’s meeting that they came within the above category. One member said that while at New Plymouth at the recent school picnic, he was told that the Stratford Committee had not paid anything to the East End Beach Committee towards the expenses of the 1914 picnic; and that even the boilerman’s wages had to he paid by the Beach Committee. In view of the fact that the secretary of the Stratford Committee had written and enclosed cheque for the “exs,” acknowledgment of which had duly come to hand, members indulged in some amusing conjectures as to what had become of the money. East-enders might reasonably note.