LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXVII, Issue 32, 8 June 1915, Page 6

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

The Rangitikoi Advocate Hospital Fund reached £lOl 5 to-day, and the list is now closed.An Auckland Press Association telegram this afternoon says. William Schofield, who was struck by a train at the end of Parnell tunnel on May 20th, died in the hospital last night. At the * Police Court, Marion, this morning, Thomas I). Harvey was committed for trial for alleged theft of ten hags oi' wheat valued at £l2 from Hatty’s farm. The Press Association 'reports that hail of £SO was allowed. It docs not appear to he generally known that tin* rates on correspondence to members of the Expeditionary Force are, for letters, Id per ox, and for packets, Id per nx, and every additional 2oz id. Newspapers are accepted at the rate of Id each. Ihe rates on parcels are: For the first -'lib Is; from Hlh to 71b, 2s; from 71b to 1111). Os. A numoer of parcels may ho hulked under the Soldiers’ (lift Cluh system, and posted at the hulk rate. Xo duty is charged toithe addressee.

June 2 .saw the heaviest downpour of rain which lias occurred in Gisborne for two years past. The rain simply descended in sheets during the forenoon, ami up till upon O Jo inches of rain had'fallen. The rain was at- 1 eompamed hy a stilt sou-easterly wind,; which brought up a johhly sea in. the roadstead. The Gisborne Times re- j ports that the weather conditions were j still far from favorable at a late, hour that night, and there was every indication that the southerly buster would last over the King’s Birthday. , Mr K. M’Callum, M.P., speaking at the send-off to the troops for Trentliam on Saturday at Blenheim (says the .Marlborough Express) mtide passing reference to the talk of “shirkers.” ' The true “shirkers,” he said were not j, those who were willing enough to go hut were debarred hy home duties, hut the men of broad acres and big bank balances, who woidd not come to the front when the call came for funds: for the starving Belgians, the various | patriotic funds, and the Hospital Ship, fund. The names of these would go down in infamy to posterity. There were many such ; let them come forward if they would not he for ever disgraced. A 'hoy lo> years of age was brought before Mr T. A. B. Bailey, S.M., at Christchurch on Wednesday morning in the Juvenile Court, charged with* obstructing a train (says the Brossi.f Sub-1 inspector Hastie said that them lad was a passenger hy a late trains from Christchurch to Lyttelton. lieu?! the train was at Woolston he applied the Westinghouse brake on one of tin l hack carriages.' The driver,.■on receiving the" signal to proceed, could., not get the train to move, despite a good head of steam oil the engine. . Suddenly one of the hoy’s comrade®. 1 let off the brake, and .the train dash-*, ed ahead with a jump. When queiH’j tinned by the magistrate, the accused said In* was half asleep when ho com-y mitted the offence. “You do queer 1 tilings in your sleep,” said his Worship. He-,ordered the hoy’s father to pay IDs witnesses’ expenses, and aij-j ministered a warning about interfer- . about the 1 rains.” I