GENERAL NEWS.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXV, Issue 74, 30 March 1915, Page 3

GENERAL NEWS.

AH games of “two-up” and other forms of gambling in camp have been strictly prohibited. i

A well-known firm of Dunedin land and estate agents recently sold six Taieri farms to a Dunedin business man. It is reported that an advance of nearly £IOOO on his bargain was refused within a few days. 1

The Greymouth Star states that the wife of a sawmill employee along the Otira line last week presented her husband with twin boys, being the fourth set of twins, and making up a family of 10 children in 10 years.

A record price for the season was obtained at the Waiareka yards on Tuesday (says the North Otago Times), when, on account of Mr E. Oxenherry (Totara), the National Mortgage and Agency Company disposed of a line of evenly-finished four-tooth ewes at the satisfactory figure of 27s Id.

“Yes, I do go to the races,” stated a woman at the Auckland Magistrate’s Court on Tuesday morning, when askign for maintenance from her brothers and sisters, and on being accused of wasting what she had been already given. “It’s the only place here that a woman can go alone,” she explained.

Some time ago it was announced by a ladies’ outfitter in Gisborne that she intended giving the whole of the profits/of Tier business for twelve months to the Belgian relief fund. Within three months she had £IOO to pass to the credit of the fund, and recently a second instalment of £IOO was received.

A/Hawera farmer 'brought to the Star office part of a fleece, in which the grass could he seen growing among tli© wool. The occurrence is'not singular, but does not often happen. Apparently the damp, muggy weather some days ago caused the growth, which was amongst wool taken from the sheep’s neck.

A bandsman had a lucky find at Dawson’s Falls on Sunday (states the Argiis). He was stooping to pick up a stone when he discovered a 15 carat gold cable bangle. After making inquiries it was discovered that the bangle did not belong to anyone present, nor had the proprietor of the Mountain House heard of anyone who had lost the article.

The Dunedin Star’s Wellington correspondent states that Mr F. M. B. Fisher, ex-Minister for Marine, whose intentions have lately excited a good deal of interest and provoked much speculation, has definitely decided to leave for England at the end of the current month. It is understood that he will probably settle in the Old Country, and may "Seek admission to public life.

A serious accident befel a man named Hairy Todd on the West Coast. While he was engaged blasting logs for firewood on the property of Mr W. Davidson, Rimutaka Road, one of the charges fired prematurely, blowing off both his hands and injuring him otherwise. The sufferer was immediately conveyed to Dr. Palmer’s surgery, whence, after receiving attention, he was conveyed by the doctor to the Greymouth 'Hospital, where he now lies in a critical state.

Smokers will be interested to learn that, at the last meeting of the Picton Chamber of Commerce, a motiop, reading as follows, was passed :—“That, in the opinion of this chamber, some steps should be taken respecting the Weight of tobaccos, both in plugs and tins, Which are now being placed on the market, containing fractional parts of an ounce. As a protection to the buyer, this chamber would suggest that legislation be enacted making it illegal for any dealer to sell or offer for sale a tin or plug of tobacco containing a fractional part of an ounce, and that the motion be forwarded to the member for the district, asking him to bring it before Parliament.”

A well-known' Manakau native, in executing an order from his better half, applied at a shopkeeper’s counter for a tin of aeroplane. The -business man was at a loss to understand what was meant, and after an interrogatory,, the customer said, gesticulating, that it was something to “rise—rise quick” ; something to “go up,up, up.” For a time the shopkeeper was unable to grasp the order, but, meditating, said, “Is it baking-powder you want?” “Yes, by korry, that’s the stuff, all right.” The warrior, all smiles, carried the tin away as if he was a fullblown hero.

A party of small boys from Ponsonby, who had been disporting themselves by playing “Germans,” came before Mr F. V. Fraser, S.M., at Auckland last week. It came out in evidence (says the “Star”) that six of the nine bays before the court, and a number of others, had a very hot engagement, with clay clods for ammunition, and that a factory which was beside the scene of the battle shared the fate of the Rheims Cathedral, ten panes of glass being shattered. A war indemnity of half-a-crown apiece was collected from the parents of the half-dozen delinquents who had been caught, and the mock warriors were promised an ignoble birching the next time they allowed battles to cause damage to neutral property.