LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXV, Issue 71, 26 March 1915, Page 6

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

y Mrs' Catherine -Maccjuoid, whose 'Works, will be knOAvnii to many readers, celebrated her 91st;birthday on February 2. She is in'excellent health, does not employ a secretary, writes " all her own 'letters and stories, and is at' present busy on her 61st novel.;

Madame Melba emphatically denies a statement published on the authority of the ."New York Review" that she had accepted an offer of £IOOO a week to appear at Keith's vaudeville theatrps in America. She states that, she has not' 1 been approached, and Would refuse any offer to go into vaudeville. - ■•';

Tlie Magistrate's Court, Stratford, was occupied to-day'with''the hearing of a case in which Walter Otto Bredow claimed £3} 1 12s from Joseph McCluggage for alleged damage sustained to -a motor cycle in a collision which occurred on September 30th. Further heajing was adjourned until April 16th,

At the Magistrate's Court, Stratford, before Mr W. G. Kenrick, S.M.; judgment by default was given for plaintiffs in the following undefended cases: J. Bain (Mr R. Spence), v. A. Briscoe, £5 lis 6d(costs- £1 8s 6d); F: "J. Sexton (Mr P. Thomson), v. F. Cowell, £ll 17s 6d (costs £2 Os 6d); Stratford Borough Council (Mr T. C. Fookes), v. Wm. Hannah, £1 Is 4d (10s costs); George Smith (Mr Rutherfurd), v.. Cameron and Brooking, £5 14s Id (costs £1 6s Gd); T. J. Goodge (Mr R. Spence), v. A. A. Cuthbertson (Mr Thomson), £8 17s 6d : (costs £1 12s). ' ,

■'Though I ha\fe been fortunate enough in never having had a serious accident whilst a master at sea," siaid 'Captain H. Johnson, the* retiring Wellington harbour-master, "I cannot say that I have never struck a bar. I remember on one occasion] after a long hold-up in Greymouth, I push:ed- the Grafton through a couple" of feet ; of'gravel: She was- twin-screw-, edj and the little assault on the bar 'left me with only one'blade and a-half out of the-eight with" which to churn ! the 'water. 1 had a good load of passengers on that'trip'; "and it took us three days to get to Wellington. When I arrived the underwriters were so delighted to see me make port that they gave me a gold; chronometer watch and a flattering testimonial."

A startling surprise awaited two boys at Miramar on Friday (says the Jtew Zealand Times). Whilst fishing off the wharf they pulled to the surface the body of a man: Before' it could be recovered, however, the tide, which was rather strong at the time, carried the body away, and although a thorough search of the vicinity was imme"diately instituted, it was fruitless. It is surmised by the police that the remains are those of the Miramar Borough Council's ranger,,(J£irkus), who has been missing for some time.

An exciting chase took place on Friday night when a local resident caught a man in the act of stripping his clothes line (says the Timaru Herald). He immediately gave chase, and the marauder bounded over the back fence and escaped through a, neighbour's property. A confederate, who was waiting at the front, gate, evidently on the watch, on seeing his mate in trouble, hastily decamped. On* another night last week other residents had reason to rue the visits of the depredator. Two residents living in the vicinity of Theodocia street had a clothes line stripped and a bag of coal stolen, respectively, and on the same evening a property was visited in Hassall street, and there also the clothes line was completely stripped. On Thursday evening a man was disturbed while attempting to enter a house T>v the window in North street.