LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXV, Issue 39, 17 February 1915, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

The thirty-second annual show oflhe Normanby Horticultural Society is to be held on Wednesday and Thursday. March 3 and 4. The classes cover a. wide range, and intending exhibitors would do well to apply for schedules of the Seci'eavy, Mr Fred C Baines.

To-morrow (Thursday) evening at 7.45 at the School Baths, Stratford people will have the opportunity of attending the one hig local swimming event—the annual carnival given hy the Stratford Amateur Swimming Club. The programme shows a great deal of variety, and should provide amusement for all. The proceeds from the carnival are to' he handed to the Belgian Belief Fund.

The death of Mr Eugene Zfmmermaun, the famous American caricaturist, took place a few weeks ago. The deceased, who was 52 years of age, started life as a boy on a- farm doing odd jobs, and was successively assistant fish pedlar, baker, and sign painter. He was connected with “Puck,'’ and afterwards as cartoonist on “Judge.” Mr Zimmermann is perhaps better known to the public as “Zim.

The Horticultural Society, one ol Stratford’s most deserving institutions, is to hold its big Flower Show on Thursday, March 4th, in the Town Hall. The catalogue will include flowers, vegetables, fruit, farm produce and home industries, and it is hoped to make this the biggest, bright,, est and best of the Society’s many excellent efforts. The Society possesses many untiring workers who are ungrudgingly in the time and assistance they give, and with the co-opera-tion of tiie people of the town and district. a splendid Show ought to result on March 4th.

Several correspondents of the Wellington Post have asked when the official figures of the licensing poll will he made public. Inquiry in official circles discloses the fact that there has been a considerable amount of delay in procuring from offices the actual figures and in checking those that have been sent in. The department, naturally, is not inclined to publish any figures which have not undergone the most limits of official scrutiny, and it is quite likely that the publication may be delayed until nearly the end of the month.

Forty-six years last Saturday (February Ft, 18(5!)), the Rev. John Whiteley, Lieutenant Gascoyne, wife and child, and Messrs Milne and Richards were massacred by Maoris at Pukearulie. It was on a Saturday evening that the sad affair took place, but it was not until late the following Monday that the news reached New Plymouth, and the bodies were not recovered until Wednesday. The rescue party went to the scene by steamer, but walked back, reaching New Plymouth on Thursday afternoon, February 18.

The Stratford Band will assist at the Swimming Carnival to-morrow night, when they will play several selections outside the Baths between 7.60 and 8 o’clock.

The following is the team to represent the Stratford Fire Brigade at the Timaru demonstrations: Captain Grubb, Lieut. Davey, Foreman Drake, Custodian Burgess, Hydrantman Bmoklebank, Secretary Bradley, Fireman McDonald.

When Sir George Reid was made a K.C.M.G. the people of Australia, who hand known him as plain George Reid, worried him a good deal about his new dignity. At one of his meetings a heckler called out sarcastically, “Say, Sir George, what does K.C.M.G. mean?” “Keep Calling Me George,” was the ready reply.

Mrs Harriett Hite, who has just died at Thnrleigh (Beds.), lived to be over 102, and survived by tom years her husband, who died at the age of TOl. Mrs Hite had twenty-eight grandchildren, thirty-two great-grandchild-ren, and two great-great-grandchild-ren. Mrs Hite’s youngest sister died at ninety-eight and her youngest brother at eighty-three.

Midhirst annual school outing to the Fitzroy beach will be held to-morrow. An energetic committee has,made full arrangements, and hot water, tea, milk, and sugar will lie provided free at the beach. For the benefit of those travelling from Stratford, it may be mentioned that tickets will bo procurable at the station to-morrow morning.

A serious accident occurred on the Public Works about half a mile from Kohnratahi this morning. Several men were working in a cutting, when a slip came away and caught a workman named Jack McLaughlan, about a ton of earth enveloping Ijjra. McLanghlan (who sustained a broken leg and severe injuries to the spine) was attended to by Dr. Hitchcock, of Whangamomona, and taken to the Stratford Public Hospital by the afternoon train. The injured man had been on the works for only a few days.

The result of the Public Service Senior Grade Examinations are published. The results of the Stratford candidates are as follows: —Gordon F. Saunders (passed), Colin J. Campbell and Frances I. McAllister (passed in four subjects), Horace H. Ennis and Mary E. lingers (three subjects), George E. Arms, M avion Knight, C. H. Rogers and Horace 1). Stunners (two subjects). Decimus Belcher and William Kelleher, two Stratford “old” boys, who recently left the school, were also partially successful. To pass the examination, five subject® have to be taken, “Precis Writing” being compulsory. Horace 1). Stanners has now completed this pass for the Surveyors’ General Knowledge.