LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXV, Issue 36, 13 February 1915, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

The annual meeting of the Stratford Operatic Society will be held in the Parish Hall next Monday evening. The Society has had a successful year, and are looking forward with expectancy to the staging of “.Mcrrie England” shortly. ; A full attendance of members and intending members is urged for Monday night’s

meeting,

“Waiting for tho train” and tlio generally hopeless outlook on life in the hackhlocks was amusingly depicted l).v Mr W. Snndison in Ins speech at the dinner in the Foresters’ Hall last night. He said that some people had spent ton or eleven years “out there” and had never been away from the place, hut, possibly, lie continued, they are like some of our parte on the present trip “then- go a hit dotty!”

“Broadway, Stratford, would he a very tine street if it were asphalted,” said .Mr Wilkinson, Elthani’s M.P., at an informal welcome to the visiting party Irom Stratford yesterday. “It would he a great investment for the Stratford people.” Stratford’s Mayor

'■Mr W. I*. Kirkwood) smiled approvingly, and said; “You might come up and assist me ; I have been advocating, this for a long time.” Mr Wilkinson, having scored with one at least of his hearers, stressed his point: “Yes,” he said ; “Broadway lends itself to the work to a greater degree than dpes our street.”

A local resident has'received a letter, via America,/from Austria, in which it is mentioned that the price of flour was £3 15s per cwt, the price of wheat being Cl 17s Gd per bushel.

A party of men who are answering the Empire’s Call will leave Stratford by the mail train on Monday morning next for the Trentham camp.

Weather forecast.—The indications arc for variable and strong breezes, but westerly moderate to strong winds prevailing and veering by west to south. Weather cloudy to overcast. Rain probable. Barometer unsteady, with rising tendency.

From a notice appearing in our advertising columns, it would appear there is a prospect of a second movingpicture theatre being established in Stratford. Applications are invited for a site, full particulars of which are to be addressed to P.O. Box 1251, Wellington.

Weather permitting, a pleasant time should be spent with the band at Xgaere to-morrow. The coach arrangements are suitable and the fare is reasonable. Tbe musical items to be played are:—March, “Legion of Honor;” fantasia, “The Soldier’s Dream;” serenade, “The Brides;” March, “11th Regimentp’ selection, “Old Memories;” National Anthem, Marseillaise, Russian Hymn, Belgian Hymn, march, “Imperious.”

All hope for the safety of the British four-masted schooner Rimac, 600 tons, which is four mouths’ overdue at the Bluff from Surprise Island, has been abandoned, states the Press Association. The Rimac was commanded by Captain Thomassen, and was due at the Bluff in November, with guano for the National Mortgage Co. She was loading when the Nuruberg raided Farming Island, and was probably sunk.

A little merriment was caused at the local railway goods shed this morning, writes -a. correspondent. When a, local tradesman’s cart was driven up to the shed, it was noticed that the tail-hoard had been repaired with two boards from a packing case bearing in large red letters; “Manufactured in Germany.” It would Ire as well, concludes the writer, for the owner to rub the blue bag over the lettering. /

A military instruction camp for officers and non-commissioned officers of the New Zetland Railway Engineers is being held at Turakina. About 150 members of the railway service from stations in the North Island r.re being summoned to be in attendance. Corporal C. C. Whittington, of the local railway staff, has been selected, and he left this morning for camp. The acceptance of members from all branches of the railway service for active service and military instruction camp- vs making a big reduction in the staffs, and those left behind have to work long hours. A number of casuals are being employed.

A short lesson on road maintenance, with the Mayor of Eltham (Mr T. B. Crump) in the role of teacher, was given to the touring party of Stratford and Ohara representatives yesterday in the course of their jaunt. 4A the Eltham Chamber of Commerce, Mr Crump referred to the town’s tarred streets. Ho said that Bridge Street, the main thoroughfare in the town, which is asphalted from end to end, had, probably, paid for itself over and over again in the .nine years it had been laid down, and he had no hesitation in advising his fellow municipal workers in other towns that to get the best class of roads they should tad them—(“Hear, hear,” said the company). “We are continuing the tarring policy throughout the whole of our streets,” continued Eltham’s Mayor. “Some of the County roads have also been done, and these are as good as the town streets.”