LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXVII, Issue 100, 30 April 1915, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Owing to unfavourable weather, the dance to have been held at Xgaere in favour of the Belgian Belief Fund was postponed till to-night. A meeting of farmers and freezers interested in the establishment of a I armors’ co-operative freezing works, will he hold in the Cardiff Schoolroom on Tuesday. The London Daily Mail twits the Xew Zealand Finance Minister' for denying the loan (states a cablegram), and points out that the Treasury’s approval has now been posted in the Stock Exchange. The Agricultural Department has! been advised by the Xew Zealand Trade Commissioner at Melbourne that the wholesale price of butter in that city is Is 9d. and the retail price 2s per Id. Miss .Jane Chalmers, of Ashburton, has given £BOOO towards a ward for in-, curable eases at Christchurch Hospital. It is understood that the gift! will carry a subsidy of twenty-four! shillings in the pound. Owing to the had state of the wea-| tlier last night, only a- few persons! interested in the establishment of a j branch of the St. John's Ambulance] Society attended at the Methodist schoolroom. Ender the circumstances, it was deemed advisable to postpone, the meeting till next Thursday next. Ender the now Education Act, aU cases in which the Truant Inspector proceeds against persons for failing to • end their children to school, must be heard, behind closed doors, unless the -Magistrates or Justices otherwise determine. Previously the Court was open to the mihlic during the hea'ang of these cases, ami the Press were a hie to report 1 hem. An indication as to the, high prices buyers are prepared to give for prime beef was instanced at the Homcbush sale-, tSylney) last week, when a draft of 21 extra prime station-bred bullocks made 227. ami averaged £24 odd. This is the highest price paid at H'omebnsli for many years, and eclipsed those paid for the fat bullocks at the Easter show.

A London cablegram states that the Lower House of Convocation, Canterbury, has resolved to add King Charles J. to the Calender of Saints. All Territorials leaving for the casual camp in Palmerston North on Monday morning are requested to fall in at the Defence Office at nine o’clock sharp. The Salvation Army are holding a Young People’s C ampaigu throughout the country, commencing on Sunday next, with special addresses to young people. Sunday, 9th May, is ‘‘.Mother’s Day.” Air Fred C. Fodmn. optician, of Hawera. well-known in Stratford, has accepted a probationary appointment with the infantry reinforcements. His Stratford practice 'will he abandoned for the time-being. Weather Forecast—Southerly strong winds to gale at times, with a westerly tendency. The weather will probably prove cold and showery. The night will probably be very cold with frosts inland. Barometer rising.— Bates, Wellington. The Stratford High School football team defeated New Plymouth Technical School representatives on King Edward Park yesterday afternoon, the final scores being 9to 5. The weather was very wet. Air Campbell Jackson refereed impartially. All Auckland Press Association telegram to-day says: The export market for butter is firmer. Yesterday,% hu'iness was refused at from Is 4?,d to Ls 4kl per lb f.0.h., Auckland, for first grade in dOO-hox lots. The wholesale price to storekeepers has advanced to-day to Is I kb On a charge of being drunk yester- [ day, William Rennie appeared at the Alagistrate’s Court, Stratford. this morning. Accused admitted that it 1 was wet travelling, and that a flask ! of Inglewood whisky had proved his 1 undoing. The police not having anything against him, Rennie was fined ' os, in default 48 hours.

There will shortly reach New r Zealand one of the pontoons carried over the desert by the Turkish soldiers, and launched in the Suez Canal during the enemy’s unsuccessful effort to cross. The Aliuister for Defence says the Nelson company of the expeditionary force captured the pontoon, and, therefore, it will be presented to that town in comemmoration of their good work.

The Inspector of Noxious Weeds proceeded at the Magistrate’s Court, Stratford, to-day, against M. T. Phillips, of Ngaere, for failing to clear his property of blackberry and ragwort. The accused said that as far as he was concerned he would plead hot guilty, but lie had discovered that his men had been negligent. Mr W. G.

Kenrick, S.M., said the case was nut as had as some, and he would make a fine of £2, with costs 7s.

The opinion of Mr T. Hutchison, S.M., iu the case of Jnbez Rodolf Whyhorn v. David Waters, that the defendant could not be convicted of having failed to clear certain land of noxious weeds, as no notice had been served upon him, has not been uphold by the Full Court. Waters was proceeded against, before Mr Hutchison and a Justice of the Peace, on an information that, being the occupier of certain land, namely, block YilL, Wyudham survey district, within the space of six months past, he did fail to clear from the land at the proper season of the year, the noxious weed ragwort, contrary to the provisions of the Act. A plea of not guilty was entered, and, after hearing the evidence of the parties, the Magistrate dismissed the information. The informant subsequently applied to have a case stated for the opinion of the higher court. In stating a case, the Magistrate said that it was proved upon the hearing that the defendanat had failed to clear the land, or some of it, but that no notice, as required by section 10, subsection 2, of the Noxious Weeds Act, 1908, had been served upon the defendant prior to the laying of the information. His Worship was of opinion that it was necessary in law that such notice should be served. The appeal was allowed and the case re- ' milted to the Magistrate to award [ such penalty as he considers fit if the offence has been proved.

Four applications for exemption from attending camp were made today at the Magistrate's Court, Stratford. J. H. Bennett said that he was alone on his farm and had fifteen cows to milk, and they would not he dry until May 17th. Mr Keurick. S.M., said that the bad point about exempting mounted men from camp was that they got no drill in the year. On the understanding that the applicant would make every endeavour to get to the camp, exemption was granted.—H. A. Old said that one of his employers was attending camp, and the other head of the firm was also away, which meant he was alone to take charge. Exemption was granted.—Thomas Morris (who had not put in an appearance) wrote that his employer was away at the front. Lieut. Grey said" the applicant was the only man employed on the farm. Mr Kenmk: “The employer has a very good reason for being absent, and 1 will grant the application.”—S. H. Bernard , said that owing to the ill-health of a member of the family, he thought it would bo a hardship if he was sent to the camp. He was exempted from attending night parados because he was a musician playing at the pictures. Mr Keurick, S.M.: “Why do you leave your daylight parades till the ramp, ! and then apply for exemption from ’ camp? That is going too far.” His Worship, taking into consideration the circumstances, granted the exemption. ■ I lIHTOTIIWHfI