LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXVII, Issue 15, 18 May 1915, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

The monthly meeting of the Stratford School Committee will be hold this evening at 7..‘10 o’clock. An inquiry will shortly be held to investigate the circumstances relating to the recent lire in Broadway.

The Commonwealth statistician reports that the prices of food and groceries in thirty towns averaged a rise of £l3 per cent since the outbreak of

At last night’s meeting of the Borough Council, the Mayor made reference to the death of Private E. J. Eryday. He said that Private Eryday was the first volunteer from Stratford killed in action at the Dardanelles. He moved that a letter o sympathy be forwarded to Air and Airs Eryday in the loss of their son. The motion was seconded by Cr. Lawson and carried, members meanwhile standing.

Tlio Horough Council lust evening rescinded the resolution of the old Council recommending that the Council take the necessary steps to instal an electric lighting and power system similar to the Feilding installation. The division list was as follows: Ayes: Crs. Hunter (mover), Stanley, Thompson, Hills, Lawson, Hancock and Davey; noes: The Mayor, Crs. Young ami IHitherfnrd.

The local Corps of the Salvation Army will celebrate their anniversary on Thursday, 27th hist., by a social, and tickets are now being sold. Robert William Pope, of Whangamonnma. laborer, has filed a petition in bankruptcy; and a meeting of creditors will be held in Stratford on 28th hist. Fifty members of the A. and P. Society have signified their willingness to make the trip to tlie State Farm at Moumahaki on Thursday next. They will travel by the mail train. His Worship the Mayor (Air J. W. Boon) stated at last njght’s meeting of the Borough Council with reference to the recruiting movement that the matter was being considered by the Patriotic Committee, Home Defence Corps, and the Belgian Belief Committee, and that a meeting would be called shortly. The following will represent tkp Stratford First Juniors in their march against Inglewood at the Showground on Thursday next, at 2.45 sharp:—F. Collins, Crightou, C. Kivell. A. Kiv-

ell, N. Corkill, A’ickers (2), Anderson, Kelieher, Dodunski, Songster, Jones, Blair, Sheahan, Clemow, Emergencies: Crossan and Synie.

An Auckland Press Association telegram to-day states: At the adjourned inquest on the death of William A. Clay, who was found drowned in the Kikutaca creek with a rope around his neck and a stone attached, the Coroner said that after hearing the evidence he felt sure there was no foul play, and he entered a verdict of suicide.

Practical- sympathy for our wounded soldiers at Alexandria, Egypt, took the shape of three dozen large Turkish towels from Air Con. Griffon, AVaiwera Road, Toko. These were sent on Saturday to the Hon. J. Allen, Defence Minister, AVellintgon, to be forwarded on the first opportunity. Our boys will appreciate this gift very much.

At uekt Friday’s sitting of the Alagistrate’s Court an important information under the Defence of the Realm Act will be heard. The information is against a certain person for spreading a false report that a member of the New Zealand troops in the Dardanelles had been killed. As this is the first of such informations to be brought before the local Court, a great deal of interest is being manifested by the public.

The claims of twenty-three widows arising out of the loss of their breadwinners in the disaster at Ralph’s mine, Huutly, on September 12, have been amicably settled. In the original claim, each widow assessed the damages done at £IOOO. Following are the terms of settlement :Sixteen widows received £775 each; in five cases the applicants receive £2OO each; in one case, where orphans were left, the children receive £1000; in another, where

there was no legal claim on the Company, the sufferer was granted £SO. The total amount paid out was £14,500. The Company also pay all legal expenses.—P. A.

New Plymouth was last evening the scene of an anti-German disturbance. The rioters were in an ugly mood and only the tact and prompt measures of the police prevented what threatened to become an ugly riot. The only damage was the shattering of one plate glass window and the cracking of another. Messrs Nippert Bros, were the heaviest losers. Their window seems to have been the special objective of the crowd. A full bottle of beer was pushed through the centre of the glass and cracked the whole window. ATesrs Hart Bros’, window was also cracked by a stone. Constable Brown recognised one of tire stonethrowers. and a prosecution will follow. Erom Hart Bros, the mob passed on lo Hallenstein Bros. A bottle was thrown at the windows, hut missed its mark and hit the woodwork. By this time the police had the crowd well in hand, and shortly after eleven o’clock the crowd quietly dispersed.

The Carnival Queen contest in aid of the Belgian Fund in the Whangamomona district was concluded on Saturday evening (states onr correspondent), by the holding of a carnival in the Town Hall, in which a large amount of produce and stock was auctioned by Air R. Cottier. Alany articles were put up many times and brought good prices. Great interest was taken in the Carnival Queen election, and during the last half hour over £l5O of tickets were sold for the various candidates. The result announced by the returning officer, Air Patton, was: Aliss Alantle, the Friendly Societies’ candidate being elected Queen, 14,307; Airs J. Anderson (farmers), 11,198; Aliss Fraser (Public Works), 8042 ; Aliss Cameron (Town), 2517. The amount of votes was £3OO Ids Bd, and with the auction sale will amount to nearly £SOO. Great interest was taken right through the district, including Kohuratahi and Tahora, the latter specially contributing a large amount of votes and greatly assisted in electing Aliss Alantle as Queen of the Carnival. The crowning ceremony will take place on May 28th.