LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXV, Issue 64, 18 March 1915, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Two inches of rain was registered by the school instrument in Stratford for the 21 hours up to f) o’clock this morning. Owing to the unsettled state of the weather, the Stratford Swimming Cduh has decided to abandon for the season the carnival which was to be held to-night. Coursing enthusiasts meet in the A. and P. office to-night to consider the formation of a club to control the sport in this district. The local Druids Lodge intend holding socials during the winter months, half tho proceeds of which will be devoted to the Belgian Relief Fund. These functions will be inaugurated next mouth. From the top of the Eiffel Tower Paris can speak to Warsaw by means of wireless telegraphy. And the Hertzian waves travel .-clean across Germany ! The British Government lias acquired four acres of Horsell Common, Woking, for tiie purposes of a burial ground for Mohammedan soldiers who die in the Old Country.

While excavating in the cellar .of the Coronation Hotel, Eltham, states the Argus, the workmen capie across some stones specked with gold. It is presumed that the stones were blown oft the mountain at some time or other. A more gruesome find in the shape of a collection of hones was also discovered. but whether they are human remains, or how they got there still remains to be found out.

At the meeting of the Stratford County Council held yesterday, the matter of metalling Pembroke Road west of Barclay Road was referred to, a letter having been received from the President of the Stratford Mountain Club (Mr J. B. Richards), and the tenders being closed. This was dealt with in committee, and it'was resolved that the Council defer consideration till next season.

The Stratford Home Defence Corps were not fortunate in regard to the weather conditions last evening, when the shoot between the Mayor (Mr W. P. Kirkwood), and Mr J. Masters for a miniature rifle to be presented by the loser was held. The result was a win for Mr Kirkwood. The attendance of the public was not large, but some 50 to GO members and their friends braved the elements. Some good shooting was done during the evening. The takings will be augmented and handed to the Belgian Fund later. Messrs Masters and Kirkwood spoke briefly, and Mr Kirkwood offered a gold medal for the championship of Stratford (open), Mr C. E. James donating a silver medal. A friendly match between teams representing the Egmont Club and the Defence Corps is being arranged, and the secretary will be pleased to arrange matches between individual shootists and teams from any public bodies or firms in the town.

Mr 11. Dingle, chairman of the meeting which was held by the Stratford Co-operative Dairy Company on Tuesday morning in the Town Hall, in conversation with a representative of the “Post,” pointed out that the published report in some places hardly' conveyed what he had desired to place before the meeting. For instance, by a misprint, it' appeared in one place that a person holding 50 shares at the present time would have to take up a further 50 shares if the change under discussion were made. This should have read that the shareholder would have to take up a further 100 shares. Mr Dingle also said that his intention had been to remark that, as was well known, skim milk must have a greater value than whey by Id or IJd, and that if it was considered that skim milk was worth 2d, butter-making over a period of the past live years had been better than cheese. Even at lid for skim milk as against whey butter still worker! out favorably. 51 r Dingle also said that they had to remember that, milk for cheese required even more care than if intended for bnttermaking.

Auckland reports: There was a steady rainfall last night, and it still continues. It .will he of immense benefit to the country districts. Weather forecast.—-The indications are for southerly strong winds to. gale. Expect dull weather with much, mist and fog in parts. Rain probable. Barometer is unsteady, hut has a rising tendency.—Bates, Wellington. I ft was decided owing to the had weather to postpone the Miuhirst sports, which were to have been held to-day, until next Tuesday. All the arrangements made for the dance to-night in the Midhirst Hall are to he carried ont - | Napier is rejoicing in the best rainfall experienced since May of last year. A Press Association telegram says that rain set in last night and gives every promise of continuing. Reports from the country indicate that tho fall is widespread, and it will do an immense amount of good.

The annual conference of the W.C.T.U. opened in Christchurch today, ninety delegates being .present. Mrs Don, the president, in her address, said the Convention was the largest in the history of the movement, and she paid a tribute to the pioneers of the Union.—P.A.

A fairly large amount of business is sot down for hearing at the Stratford Magistrate’s Court to-morrow, being as follows: Seventeen civil cases, four defended, two judgment summons, five cases against Territorials for failing ta attend parades, and two by-law cases (one for driving without lights, and one for allowing a horse to wander at large).

The death occurred at the Stratford Hospital yesterday of Mr W. T. Pearce, late of Toko, who received serious injuries last Wednesday through collision between a ballast train and th 0 cart which he was driving over a crossing on the Waiwiri Road. Mr Pearce was 41 years of age. The funeral is to take place to-morrow afternoon, leaving the residence of Mrs W. A. Fieldes, Portia Street, at 1.30, for the Kopuataraa cemetery. ,

Dr. A. 0. Evans, who is at present in London, and has offered his services for the front, is a Stratfordian bred and born—not a native of Wanganui as has been stated. Dr. Evans is a son of Mrs Evans, of Regan Street, and received his early education at the local school, qualifying for his medical degree in Otago. He went Home for the purpose of furthering his studies.

After the usual parade of the Stratford Home Defence Corps on Monday evening last, Color-Sergeant Richardson, on behalf of the Corps, handed to Lieutenant Gray for presentation to Mrs Gray an enlargement of a photograph of himself by Mr J. McAllister. Lieutenant Gray has been appointed to the permanent staff as instructor, attached to Stratford, and his valued services will still be available to the corps.

The Grand Lodge, Independent Order of Oddfellows at Auckland, discussed the question of the re-insur-ance of members of lodges who are now in the expeditionary forces, and resolved that the Order should carry the risk itself, thus securing the subsidy offered by tire Government on premiums. The Press Association states it was reported that the lending business bad been conducted on an extensive scale, the average interest earned having been 5.30 per cent.

A New Plymouth correspondent writes :—“The movement for the Saturday half-holiday has been taken up with much enthusiasm in New Plymouth and Waitara. In Loth places requisitions have been numerously signed and have been lodged with the Town Clerk. The official scrutiny of the signatures lias now taken place, and it has been found that more than the statutory number of signatures have been obtained. The petitions will he presented at the next meeting of the Council, and the poll will take place at the same time as the election of Councillors.”

The boy-agriculturists at Moumahaki are putting in a profitable time. > Every day they are harvesting new ideas. On Tuesday morning they were at orchard work with the Farm’s expert in charge, and the afternoon was devoted to the study of the propagation of hedge plants, and the observation and care of hedges generally. Early on Wednesday morning the boys were given “Grasses” as their subject for study, but at eleven o’clock they were on their way to the Waverley Show, where they were the guests of the Agricultural Society. This was a flue opportunity for cultivating the faculty of observation and an enjoyable day was spent among the public. The weather up to six o’clock last night had been line, but at that hour drizzling rain began to fall.