LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXV, Issue 71, 26 March 1915, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

, The annual meeting of the Stratford Golf Club will be held in Mr Alfred Coleman's office on .Monday night. Britain has placed ninety-five mil-. ' ion dollars of war orders in Canada. 1 Seventy-two companies are supplying ' shrapnel shells. Many representatives of Canadian manufacturers are now in Britain, investigating the possibility of obtaining permanent trade ! where the former sources of supply are dislocated, a late message from London states.

The Remuera which recently arrived in London from New Zealand, reports that off the South American coast she sighted a tramp and heard wireless signals. Shortly a large steamer approached at high speed. Thinking it was the Kronpriiiz Wilhelm, the Remuera wirelessed to the British cruiser in the vicinity, and the stranger fled. The highest yield of wheat recorded this season locally (says our Christchurch correspondent) is 970 bushels from 11 acres on the Cashmere Estate, near Christchurch—an average of 88 bushels per ..acre. A Papanui farmer has obtained 900 bushels from 11 acres —an average of 82 bushels per aero. The Cashmere return is believed to 'hs a record for the dominion. We would remind exhibitors that entries for the Gymkhana close tomorrow, Saturday evening, at 8 p.m. Already good support has been afforded this popular fixture, and we predict by the time of the closing, that record entries in all classes will be received. All that is wanted is a fine day, and if the Association are fortunate enough in this respect, a record <h-owd is certain.

If the stories concerning the miserable state of the Turkish army of invasion are anywhere near the truth, the commander of that force, Djemal Pasha, imist be a person of marvellous effrontery. A late message reports that he has published a proclamation in,Syrian newspapers announcing that he is making preparations for further operations along the Sifez Canal, and hopes shortly to be in Cairo. It is pretty plain that he has rather less hope of reaching Cairo than the Kaiser has of reaching Calais, says the Dominion.

It is not the intention of the Minister'of Education to call for applicants at once to fill the position of director of physical training, rendered vacant by the sudden death of Mr Royd Garlick. The office ' duties in connection with the post have developed on the chief clerk of the department (Mr F. K. de Castro). When the time arrives to make such an appointment consideration will be given to medical knowledge of applicants as well as to their ability as instructors of physical training. < , . '„.■,.

A Wellington wool broker tell* a rather good story anent the handling of a line of badly-seeded wool, which had been placed at his disposal for sale. When the line was put up at last month's sale the best bid he could get was Bd. per lb, whereas th owner* had put on a reserve of lOd. On the* owner inquiring what was the best thing to be done he was advised to sort out the badly-seeded chunks of*-, wool and place the fairly clean wool in separate bales. This was done and at yesterday's sale he realised 13id per lb for the cleaner wool, and for the bale of seedy wool he realised as much as : . lid per lb. On Sunday next the 75th Anniversary of Methodist activity in the Province will be celebrated in the Broadway Methodist Church. Special addresses will be given, appropriate to the occasion, and it is hoped that there will be a large representation of the people called Methodists on this historjc oc- . casion. As,the Methodist Church has played no small part in the evangel* isation of the Maoris and in the establishment of Christian institutions" among the Europeans, the story Of its operations among both Maoris and Pakehas is full of romance and interest. The subjects "for the morning will lie "Looking Backward", and for the evening "Looking Forward". Special hymns will be sung. The services will be conducted by the Rev. A. Reader.

The "West End beach picnic in hold almost within stone's throw of the New Plymouth railway station, hut, for the convenience of picnickers aini their hampers, the Railway Department has consented to run the morning train right up to the Morlcy Street entrance to the park. Kawaroa Park is a delightful picnic spot, there being plenty of seats and tallies under the shade of the trees, which make nice shade. The buildings include the, saltwater baths, the hand rotunda, and the bungalow, where afternoon tea is served. The Citizen's Band takes part in the menagerie procession, and in the carnival at the park during the day. Stratford people should book through to the Morley Street siding.

The Australian Commonwealth regulation issued with reference to war pensions for the relatives of soldiers and sailors killed stipulate that persons shall not be paid until complete dependence is proved. Weather forecast.—The indications f are for easterly moderate to strong winds prevailing. Expect showery and changeable weather. Barometer falling.—Bates, Wellington. A huge mushroom was found at Craigroy the other morning by Mr .). Ironside (says tile Lake County Press). The fungus was 11m. in diameter, 34 . inches in circumference, and weighed lib 2oz. , Then pony lent by Mr J. T Smith for the sports gathering last Wednesday has 'seen 40 summers (says the Winton Record). Tt is still as game as a two-year-old, as was shown by the way it tossed two youngsters, off. The Umballa was the third steamer from Calcutta, anchored in Hanson's Bay, Melbourne last week, fulfilling quarantine requirements, and she is the seventh vessel on which smallpoxhas been discovered upon arrival at various Australian ports within the past month or two. The Marama, which passed througli Wellington last week,'en route from San Francisco, had on board 22 motor cars for discharge at Sydney. This is said to be the largest shipment of automobiles from San Francisco sinco the line was inaugurated.

A seven-doomed rouse at Glenfield, Auckland, owned by Mr S. E. Taylor, was destroyed by fire, together with the contents (states a P.A. wire this afternoon). Mrand Mrs Taylor and Lhe two children were in bed, and narrowly escaped. The house was insured for £550 in the National, and the furniture- for £7O in the South British, • The following were successful in the "art of teaching" examination held in Stratford last December, by Trinity College of Music, London:— Miss Clara Bischoff 81, associate (Miss Rielly, Hawera, teacher); Miss Barbara Riera 74, associate (Stratford Convent); Miss Mary Fennell 73, associate (Hawera Convent); Miss Certrude Dromgool 67, certificate (Stratford Convent). At last meeting of the Taranaki Land Board it was resolved' that tlie Board views with alarm the action of a Crown tenant in the Whangamomona district, in keeping a large number of caged rabbits, and suggest that in view of the great danger of these escaping and infesting the district, which is at present Crown Lands, the Rabbit Nuisances Act should be amended to provide against such a danger. A letter, which a Wellington resident has received from an ex-Parlia-mentarian in Canada, confirms what has been already published regarding the present "hard times" there. The correspondent writes:—"ln Vancouver married men are working for 6s a day, single, men for 4s, if they can get it; and there are besides many hundreds out of work in Vancouver alone, and is full of soup kitchens. Hundreds have been ruind in Canada by over-speculation."

Mr W. H. Skinner informs the "News" that the first horse landed at New Plymouth was brought in a sailing vessel from Kawhia for £Be use of Mr Creed. The horse was a large awkward creature which had been spoilt by the Maoris in their unskilful efforts to break him in. The animal being off colour, probably poisoned Iby eating tutu, was taken by Mr Creed to one of the pioneers who had a knowledge of the veterinary art, for the purpose of getting it bled. In handling the horse a settler was fatally injured by a kick from the brute. From Moturoa, the animal was sent down to the-Waimate Mission Station, where it succeeded in killing another victim, this time a Maori. He then seems to have been pensioned off, eventually dying of old age. Mr Skinner says the next horse to arrivo in the district was one purchased by the New Zealand Company in Sydney for the use of their chief surveyor. The brute was full of wickedness, and, after three attempts to ride him, Mr Carrington had to give him up in despair. Some months after, the resident agent addressee! Colonel Wakefield concerning the animal as follows:—"The horse purchased by Captain King in Sydney for the chief surveyor I have sold to Mr Creed, the Wesleyan missionary, for £39, anfl his saddle and bridle for £5. The animal, with his saddle and bridle, cost £79, and I was sorry to lose £44 by him, but he was aged, had had tricks, and was constantly in danger of breaking his legs in the woods. He never was fairly worth £4O, and Captain King was cheated when he purchased him. If I had kept him lie would have cost the Company £4O per annum." The last we hear of the mission horse is the following announcement: —"For Sale: That redoubtable pony Pompey, possessing all the admirable and characteristic qualities of horse, ass, and mule. For particulars apply at the Mission House." This notice was affixed to the board on Huatoki Bridge, as being the most central.