LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXVII, Issue 3, 4 May 1915, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

The Australian white sherry grape is being placed on the Vancouver market for the first time in a commercial way. The Vancouver Daily News, of March 17th, says:—ln colour they look like green Malaga, but are larger in size. They come in 201 b. boxes, packed in cork dust, and are finding a ready market at 12s (>d a crate.

Attendance at one of the rehearsals of "Merrie England" by the Stratford Operatic Society show s that great progress is being made in connection with this bright opera. The conductor (Mr T. G. Grubb) at last night's rehearsal, complained, however, of the laxity of some members in not attending, which meant that several items could not be practised.

By courtesy of Miss X. Trimble the following particulars are given of the rainfall at "Riversdale," Inglewood, during April : —The total rainfall for the month was 5.45 inches, falls being recorded on nine days, the greatest being on the Ist. 1.74; 29th, 1.02; 13th, .92. The other fails were: 2nd. .09; 14th, .03; 20th, .02; 26th, .38; 27th, .69; 28th, .56.

The St. .Louis (U.S.A.) "Republic" reports that fines aggregating £25,700, and gaol sentences totalling 37 years, have been imposed in one day on 27 oleo (margarine) "moonshiners," who had been convicted or pleaded guilty in the previous two weeks. The presiding judge said it had been established that fully 100 oleo "moonshiners" had been operating in St. Louis, and had paid money into a protection fund, and had carried on an organised effort to violate the law, which placed a tax of 10 cents. (sd) on colored oelomargarine. (hie man was lined £2OOO, and sentenced to three and a half years' imprisonment; while the others were each fined £'looo, and sentenced to various terms of from six months upwards.

"Have yon taken out your naturalisation papers?" was a question put to \)v. Florence Keller at Birkenhead (says the Auckland Herald), when she was addressing a meeting in support of the candidature of Mr William Wallace for a seat on the Auckland Hospital and Charitable Aid Board. Since Dr. Keller was standing for a seat on the Hospital Board as a city representative, tin. questioner contended the question was a proper one. The chairman (Mr J. Gilbert): Dr. Keller i,s not a candidate for a seat on the Hospital Board as a representative of the North Shore, therefore this not a propei - question. Permission was obtained by Dr. Keller to reply to the question. "In Xew Zealand." she said, "women are not recognised as having any nationality. On this question ;i woman is what her husband chooses to make her." Dr. Keller continued that her position was similar to that of an Auckland woman who had 'ought charitable aid. The question ol nationality was brought up, and the woman stated that while she herself was born and bred in Xew Zealand, her husband was a Frenchman. "So what am 1?" the woman asked. "If you want to know what I am," exclaimed Dr. Keller, "ask my husband!"

The executive of the A. and P. Association meet this evening at seven o'clock. The Commonwealth imports for the nine months to the end of April decreased bv' £13,256,000, and the exports decreased £24.990,000. There are now 90,335 old age pensioners and 19,446 invalid pensioners in the Commonwealth, involving the weekly paymeent of £54,000, states a. cablegram to-day. ___ The best brands of butter were raised in price in Wellington on Saturday by Id a pound, making the retail price now Is 7d. as compared with Is Id and Is 2d before the war. Weather Forecast.—The indications are for westerly strong winds to gale. Weather cloudy to overcast occasionally with -scattered showers. Barometer unsteady with a falling tendency. Bates.' Wellington. The Patea Harbour Board has accepted the tender of C. F. Pulley at £77,467 for extending the eastern breakwater a distance of five hundred feet, the western breakwater 318 feet, and for raising and repairing the existing western breakwater, states the Press Association. Stratford to Wellington and hack in fifteen hours actual travelling time by motor is Mr Les. Curtis' latest record. Leaving Stratford in a Rover car at 10 a.m., Wellington was reached, and three hours were occupied in business affairs before the return journey was commenced, but Mr Curtis was back at his home in Stratford by four o'clock in the morning. The pace averaged twenty-seven miles an hour. There was a strong muster last night of members of the Stratford Home Defence Corps, and after a short drill a handicap match was fired between those on parade for trophies donated by .Mr. Sharp. After a keenly contested match, these'were won by Messrs. T. Ireland and Allinson, who in the first shoot tied with Kirby, the only member making the possible. The championship first shoot will be held on Thursday, and entries are still open.