LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXVII, Issue 22, 26 May 1915, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

On April 1 the hands of every clock in Germany were set forward on hour. 13y rising an hour earlier it is estimated that £21,000,000 worth of petroleum will be saved during the six months of summer.

Twelve ships, all insulated, are now on their way to New Zealand to load meat for Army supplies. following are the vessels: Rapgitira, Paparoa, fvia Oia. Indrabarah, Athenic, La. Blanca, Remuera. Opawa, Tongariro, Waiwera, Jndrapura, ami Somerset.

His Excellency the Governor has issued a list of goods required for the. equipment of the Hospital Ship. These include various kinds of clothing, bed clothes, bandages, and two additional motor launches. Besides these (states the Press A ssocl'at ion). about £12,000 ni cash will bo required.

A Pekin cable states that th< Cbiuo-Japanese Treaty hu.s been sign ed.

There were fifty enrolments in Wellington yesterday, bringing the City total up to 3773.—P.A.

The Opawa Patriotic Committee ha voted £OO to tiie Dependents Kund. £3O to the Servian Kund, £3O to the Hospital Ship Fund, and £2O to the Belgian Fund.

To-morrow night at eight o'clock, the local Salvation Army corps hold

their Anniversary Social. A good programme lias been arranged, and a full attendance is anticipated. The second term at St. Mary's School, Stratford, will begin on Wednesday, June '2nd. New pupils will be enrolled and classified on June Ist. A Chrysanthemum Show will lie held in St. Andrew's Hal on, Friday evening. Various competitions will he held, and a musical programme will help to add to tile general attraction. The hutments which are being erected at Trentham will, when completed, be sufficient to accommodate about 7(100 men. They are being erected very quickly, about 100 men being employed. Some of the troops will have to make use of tents during the winter, but these are to he floored with boards, thus rendering (he tents considerably more comfortable. I

The Government Stock Inspector (Mr P. Beere) this morning railed fourteen horses to Trentham for use by the Expeditionary Forces. They are a line stamp of animal and will prove good troop-horses. A portion of them will be used by the artillerymen and the remainder as remounts for the mounted troop. It is to be hoped that' tiic Taranaki horses will prove as tough as their riders.

The pantomime "Cinderella," in aid of funds for motor-engine for the Fire Brigade, is well in hand, and will be produced on 21th and 25th June. The performers are taking great interest in their parts, and the dances and ballets will be of a high standard. Before the performance of "Cinderella," a comedy sketch will be put on entitled "Laughing (las." The actors in this are said to be determined to put the

audience in good humour. The meat supplies consumed by the troops at Trentham have travelled many long miles. Part of the supplies purchased by the Government for the troopships of the .Main Body was n>t required in Egypt, and consequently has been returned to New Zealand. The meat is as good and as wholesome as it was the day it was first shipped. Two big trips across the Tropics and the length of time it has been in the refrigerating rooms on board ship speaks well of New Zealand meat and of New Zealand methods of refrigerating and handling. The Benefit Picture performance in aid of the Hospital Ship Fund, which was held at Bernard's Theatre last night, realised the sum of £36 10s. Included in the door collection, which was in the capable hands of Mr. P. Skoglund and Mr. Harry Penn, were two cheques—one from Mr. and Mrs. A. F. Cuff for £5 and one from Mr. Greemvell for £2 2s. During the evening. Mr. A. F.. Wilson gave a dramatic recital of his own composition entitled "Help Your Wounded Brothers," which fairly took the house by storm. Mr. Wilson's histrionic ability was speedily recognised and his item was greatly appreciated. The Stratford Electrical Supply Company generously supplied current free. Visitors to the camp at Trentham express pleasant surprise at the freedom of the camj) from infectious diseases. Except for a few cases of measles, there has been practically no disease among the troops. This fact speaks highly for the arrangements sanitary and otherwise, of the Quartermaster, Major McCristol, who is a keen and capable officer. It is hardly necessary to add that it also speaks volumes for the personal cleanliness and camp hygiene of the men themselves. It is noteworthy that for such a large population, from four to five thousand men. there is such little disease. Many towns with the same population cannot boast of such freedom.

Tile president of the Wellington Chainlior of Commerce (Mr Jus, Macintosh) has received the following letter from Mr J. Muira. secretary to the Department of Agriculture and Commerce of Japan (who was recently in New Zealand): —"Dear Sir.—l wish to take this opportunity of expressing my appreciation of the hospitality and courtesy accorded to me by yourself during my stay in New Zealand. Your kind assistance has contributed to no small degree to the information 1 have been able to obtain regarding commercial conditions in New Zealand. and I hope that my mission may be the means of increasing the commercial Friendship of your Dominion and my countrv."

Parliament has been prorogued till June 24.

The Wbangamomona County Council has decided to donate £SO to the Belgian Relief Fund.

The writs for the Hay of Islands byelection were issued last night, states the Press Association. This fixes the date of the election for June Bth.

Before the middle of December (reports the Press Association) the military authorities require 10,000 men

and about 3700 horses in order to keep their undertakings with the War Office. Then between December 12 and April 16, 5300 men and 1500 horses will be required.

The Balance Butter Company continues to realise high prices on the London market. The Delphic shipment of 1000 boxes (states the Press Asosciation fetched 140 s 3d per cwt. The Ruahine shipment of six hundred boxes realised one hundred and forty and four pence.

The Bulls gala day committee yesterday forwarded £IOOO to the Belgian Fund, and £SO for the Hospital Shij). The Marton Jockey Club has further donated £SO to the Hospital Ship and £5 a month to the Belgian Fund and the Marton patriotic workers. The Bangitikei Advocate's list for the Hospital Ship is now £SOO. P. A. /

The Press Association at Hastings states that the Patriotic Committee has voted £'soo of its funds towards the cost of equipping the Hospital Ship. A local amateur musical comedy company. "The Mascots," who vithin the last few weeks have raised £750 for the Belgian Fund, won another £7OO last night by their performance and flag-selling.

At the Wanganui Supreme Court, Phillip George Bernard, for attempted theft from the person on December 22nd, at Wanganui, was sentenced to two years' imprisonment and declared an habitual criminal. The Press Association states that Bernard is a well-known Australian criminal with a long list of convictions. Justice Edwards .said he did not intend to allow the Dominion to be made an Alsatia for Australian habitual criminals. The body of the young woman found drowned in the Auckland harbor, three miles from Avondale, has been identified as that of Constance May Carter, daughter of George Carter, of Northcote, who was reported missing yesterday. The body when found (says the Press Association) was clad in a light linen undergarment. Tt is surmised that she got out of bed during the night under the influence of somnabulism.