LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXV, Issue 87, 15 April 1915, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

The Stratford Municipal Band has arranged to provide a programme of music outside the Post Office at 7MO this evening.

"I fancy the public think wo got a lot of fun out of this thing," said Cr Fredric at the last meeting of the present Borough Council hist night. "We give our time and thoughts, and do everything we can for the good of the town, and in many cases we are held up to ridicule. This lowers the position of the councillors of Stratford," concluded Cr Fredric.

At a meeting of Midhirst Settlers' Sports Club held on Thursday, the balance-sheet from the recent sports and dance was presented. "With one or two amounts still to come to hand, the ,siim of about C2."> will be available for the Patriotic Fund. It was decided to forward the amount to the Belgium Consul in Wellington' for the relief of the Belgians in Belgium.

The Stratford Hospital Board acknowledge receipt of hospital box, which was found to contain 19s Id, from Mr J. K. Parsons, of the Midhirst Hotel. A further sum of eleven pence was contributed, and now a subsidy of £ for £ will be forthcoming from the Government.

At the Balclutha Magistrate's Court op. Tuesday, before Mr A. H. Young, S.M., Daniel Crowe, a laborer, was .charged with (1) selling liquor at Balclutha on or about November 10, 1911 ; (2) keeping liquor for sale on or about the same date; (3) failing to give the vendor the name and address <if the person for whom the liquor was intended. Defendant admitted purchasing fifteen bottles of whisky, but alleged that, having just returned from rabbiting with £9 in his pocket, he determined to have a spree. He "shouted" for all and sundry, hut received no money for drink. His spree lasted from the 14th to the 20th November, on which date he found himself without liquor and without money. Defendant was fined £2o, with 7s costs. A month was allowed in which to pay the fine.

At the Timaru Magistrate's Court yesterday C. Studholme was prosecuted by the Inspector of Awards for dismissing shearers from the Pentland Hills station on December 14th, for refusing to shear sheep which, they said, were wet after the rain of the two preceding days. Some of the shearers gave evidence that they had, by unanimous vote of those present, decided not to shear.—Mr H. I). Ackhmd, for the Department, without calling evidence, asked for a non-suit as the ca«se was brought under section 60 of the Act of 1908. which did not apply. He also pointed out that the award did not provide for a decision by vote, but each shearer must decide lor himself and give individual notice of his objection to shear.—The Magistrate granted a non-suit, but remarked that thero was plenty of time to bring the ease under the propel- clause of the amending Act.

! A rilling of interest to "the trade" in particular and also the general publie was given by Mr Kenrick, S.M., l at the ICltham Magistrate's Court yesterday morning. The Argus reports | that David Gordon Henry pleaded I guilty to being found on licensed preI misos on Sunday, March 14th. Mr Weir said defendant did not deliberately go into the Elthani hotel to obj tain drink. He went in as the guest iof two boarders. The licensee of the I hotel was not present.—Constable ! Townsend said, when the defendant 1 was asked whether he was a boarder, ; be admitted to the contrary, but said I lie bad been asked in to have a drink. The licensee was not prosecuted as there was not sufficient evidence to allow of a prosecution.—His Worship said their must have been carelessness on the part of the licensee. He must | have either left the bar open, or loft the keys in the hands of one of the employees. Hoarders should not be allowed to obtain drink at the bar after hours. Liquor should be served ■ in the sitting room, or elsewhere away from the bar.—A fine of 10s and costs j was inflicted.

Weather Forecast.—The indications are for southerly strong winds to gale at times. The weather wdl probably prove squally and changeable, with passing showers. The night will probably be very cold with frosts inland. The barometer has a rising tendency. —Bates, Wellinton. Faked tote tickets representing about £2OO were worked off at the Avondale races (states the Press Association) by means of split tickets, numbers cut from old tickets being spliced and pasted on to tickets bearing the Club's stamp of the races being run. A Press Association telegram to-day from Dunedin says :—Butter has risen Id per lb., the retail price now being Is sd. This is the second rise in a fortnight, the rise being attributed to the abnormal demand for cheese for the army supply. The consequent big advance in the price is causing the factories to increase idieir efforts in the direction of cheese-making. In connection with the shooting match to be held this evening at the schoolroom, at 7.30, between teams representing the Stratford Fire Brigade and Mr Newton King's staff, the following will represent the latter:— F. P. Kane, R. F. Harkness, A. Hignett, D. Yetton, P. Thompson, H. C. Olliver, A. Hellier, D. S. Cameron, B. V. Kivell, H. Collingwood.

Excellent prices for the autumn output of butter are being obtained by fcha Ballance Dairy Company. Fourteenpence per lb. has been received for the April-May output, and for the lonic shipment of about 900 tons the company obtained the high average late or 144 s lOd per cwt., stated to be a record for the Dominion for a complete large shipment this season. Ihe consignment forwarded Home by the Somerset realised close on 140 s per cwt.

Legal argument was proceeded with at some length at the Eltham Magistrate's Court yesterday (reports the Argus), in the case in which Alfred Barlow, cattle dealer, of Stratford, for whom Mr Gow appeared, proceeded against George Heaven, public poundkeeper, of Eltham (for whom Mr Weir appeared), and James McKenzie, farmer (represented by Mr .Morrison) for the sum of £8 10s, the value of a cow belonging to plaintiff, and which, plaintiff claimed, the defendants had wrongfully impounded and sold. Mr Weir contended , that the defendant Heaven had acted v strictly within the meaning of the Impounding Act in impounding the animal, and also in afterwards selling it. Neither defendants knew to whom the animal belonged. Defendants knew nothing of any registered brand on. the animal, and therefore could not have sent notice to the owner of the animal as provided by section 37 of the Impounding Act.—Mr Morrison contended that the wrongful acts alleged in the statement of claim were entirely different to the wrongful acts alleged against the public official, in this case the poundkeeper. The defondant. McKenzie, had from a public point of view, counsel submitted, con-

sidered that it would be wrong to drive the cow from their farm to the public pound. Such, they considered, could not be done without damage being done to private property. There had been no evidence that McKenzie sold the cow, and counsel did not think there had been any suggestion to that effect.—Counsel for plaintiff (Mr Gow) contended that the animal had been unlawfully detained and sold and that the plaintiff had been wrongfully disposed of his property.—His Worship (Mr Kenrick) reserved judgment.