LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXVII, Issue 41, 18 June 1915, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

The steamer Muritai has arrived at London. In the third trial of P. Guthrie, at Timaru, for alleged sheep-stealing, lasting three days, the jury disagreed. The following are the best scores in the fourth championship shoot at the Miniature Kill" Range:—W. Rogers 66. J. Vovle 66, Fittall 65. Howarth 61, E. Brocklebark 60.

The mails which left Auckland on May 3 and connected with the R.M.S. Sonoma, at Sydney, on May 8, reached London on 10th inst., four days late. The Union Company announce that all gifts for the hospital ship will be carried free of charge on that company's vessels on the New Zealand coast. The mineral output of New South Wales far 1914 is valued at £10,409,702. -i decrease of 1.595,364. The chief decreases are in lead, zinc, tin, and copper as the result of the war. The Presbyterians are arranging to held their Anniversary Services >n the 27th. The Rev. R. J. Shore, MA., of Hawera. will lie the preacher. A scei°l and concert will be held on the Monday evening following. The value of the prinoinal items of New Zealand products exported during the week ended June loth were as follows .-—Putter f'6l<s7. che-se £53.495, fozen lamb £30.383. fro-.en mutton £21.340, fozen beef, etc., £14,411, gold £IBO. grain and pulse £7309. hid«s and skins £9045. kaui eum £IO,IOB. flax and tow £4016. t.rflW £8551, timber £7589, wool £146,582. Such a generous resjxmse has- been made to the Governor's appeal for material for the hospital ship that his Excellency the Governor now advises that he has received a full complement of all that was asked for. and he will therefore be glad if no further articles of material are sent in for this purpose. At Xapier counsel entered an appeal against the sentence inflicted on .Alice May Parkinson for murder at the Supreme Court to-day. ou the ground that two police constables and a civilian spoke to the jury during their deliberations. His Honor (Sir Robert Stout) said this did not affect the validity of the . proceedings and the ; appeal was dismissed.

Last night, in the southern rVv (^nnorts the Press Association at Napier) there was witnessed an atmospheric disturbance. The display, wh'ch lasted some three hours, was said be the Aurora Australis. Viewed from Nanier's parade, the scene was one of magnificence, the skv being of a fierv red appearance and f»lon» the borio/.n it was a sombre half-light. With continuous rapidity, great streamers of light shot upwards through the fiery bank above. His Worship (Mr W. G. Kenrick, S.M.), this morning stated that judgment creditors often made affidavits swearing that the debtor was in a position to pay. They then came into Court and were not prepared to edve any evidence as .to the debtor's affairs. Roally, the declarations sworn by creditors in these cases were made without a proper knowledge of the facts. This was really an abuse of the Act,' and would probably lead to the abolition of judgment summonses. The Act was framed to punish debtors, who, when ordered to pay, failed to do so, that is imprisonment for contempt of Court. The Act did not provide for imprisonment for de*bt. but merer*- for contempt of Court in that the defendant failed to carry out an order of the Court. ■ A Press Association telegram from Ashburton states that on Wednesday, on account of having strong suspicions that sly grog selling was going on at a certain house in Peter Street, the police raided the premises, and discovered the largest amount of liquor whieu has vet been found in any house sinco no-license was carried in Ashburton. A small quantity was discovered in the house, but the police were not satisfied, and they conducted a systematic search of the garden. » d an emptv sack excited suspicion and the police stuck a spade into the ground near it. A shovelful of earth was thrown out, and a neat little cache made out of kerosene tins was disclosed, containing a large number of bottles of whisk;. Further down the garden, another "strike" was mode, and a second-hid-ing place was discovered. This was made of bricks and a still larger quantity of bottles was found.

The sensation caused by the widespread circulation of forged £'lo notes in Auckland during Easter week of last year has been revived by the negotiation of another foregd £lO note at the Auckland Post Office this week. The Press Association reports that the note is a clever photographic imitation of the genuine article. It is perfect in design and coloring, even the multitudinous which form the background of every legitimate note, and are intended to baffle Denmen, being faithfully photographed. The fake is complete even to perforation. The note found its way into the hands of the clerk at the money order counter and was negotiated by him. An examination revealed that this is undoubtedly one oi the notes struck off when the wholesale fraud of last year was perpetrated On tlu't occasion, it is believed, nearly' ,€IOOO worth of spurious notes were circulated. The note cashed at the post office this week u;.s a little faded and bore the same number and date as thosfi of last year's swindle, Xo. 169.948, i\->\ed October Ist, 1913. Any £lO Hank of Xew Zealand note of this number and date may therefore he safely held up.

The Dannevirke Borough Council intends erecting a memorial to Bugler H. Toomer, the first Dannevirke boy to lay down his life for the Empire. During May, 1572 persons arrived in New Zealand from oversea and L'Hi!) left, as against 2812 arrivals and 3730 departures in May last year. The Fuller-Breunau management is considering the advisability of establishing permanent circuits among the smaller towns of the Dominion. 4"* : Weather Forecast.—The indications are for westerly strong winds to gale decreasing. The weather will probably prove squally with heavy showers and will probably become very cold. Barometer unsteady, but rising shortly.—Bates, Wellington. Judgment debtors who do not bring to the Court statements of their receipts and expenditure, or who are not prepared to give a verbal statement, stand small chance of avoiding an order for payment. Two debtors at the Magistrate's Court this, morning were unable to show how much they had earned and expended, and an order was made in each case. The annual meeting of the Stratford Municipal Band wil be held in .<?ranier's rooms this evening, when the report and balance-sheet will be presented, and band matters generally discussed. His Worship the ;Mayor and Councillors have been invited to attend, and after the meeting, a social gathering will be held, when the following toast-list will be honored:— "The King," proposed by the President; "The President," (Mr H. Childs); "The Councillors" (Mr 1. Marshall); "The Band" (The Mayor), response Mr F. Cramer; "The Boys at the Front" (The Chairman), response by Crs Rutherfurd and Hunter. Proceedings commence at eight p.m.