LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXVII, Issue 61, 12 July 1915, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

I The Borough Council meets this evening at 7.30 o’clock. The number of industrial unions in New Zealand is given in a return presented to Parliament as 4U3, with a ' membership of 73.991. The Salvation Army are holding one of their periodical free socials in tho hall. Kenton Street, to-morrow night, | when Adjutant Imvood will be prej sent. The rainfall from Friday night up till this morning in Stratford was upwards of 3in. But the Call was n.v; local, as'heavy rain have been reported from the whole Dominion.

The weather .which for the last few days has been very bad, ' rokc on Saturday night and Sunday was a line day, although a cold wind blew. Jupiter Pluvius was not to be denied, however, and last evening rain fell ; gain and continues to-day.

The postponement of tho Wellington Racing Club’s Winter -Meeting will not interfere with the meeting ol the New Zealand Racing Conference, which is to be held in Wellington on Thursday, loth hist. The Dates Committee will meet in Wellington on the 13th inst.

Tiie estates purchased by the Government during the year 1913-14, according to a return presented by the Government, the other day. number 22. The total acreage is given at 141,064 acres, and the total cost £560,706.

Following on the appearance of a letter in the New Zealand Times regarding the provision of tin-plates, etc., for the use of members of the crew of the hospital ship -Maheno, it was noticeable yesterday (says Saturday’s Times) that enamel ware had been substituted therefor. This and other little improvements for the comfort of the crew were much appreciated by the men.

Victoria Lake recently rose to the street level, and as the channel for the surplus water was overtaxed, the flood rushed across Cordelia Street and scooped out the street embankment. Mr J, Blake’s property in FaLstaff Street also suffered, his fence being washed away, and his garden flooded. With the decreasing rainfall, the lake waters are gradually subsiding, hut further rain is bound to cause similar trouble.

The pupils of Standard 111 (Miss Hogg’s division) of the Stratford School are evidently doing their “little bit.” The girls of tins class have already made 2) dozen pillow slips, most of which went with the beds to Trenthain. The boys, not to be outdone by the girls, organised on their own initiative a class subscription list confined to hoys, and have already handed in to Miss Hogg a sum of £1 8s 6d. This is being expended in purchasing materials with which the girls are making frocks for poor Belgian children. Good work, Standard III.!

The Whangamomona train service is still out of order, the line not yet being clear for the whole length. To-day’s ordinary train which arrived in Stratford at two o’clock ran only from Te Wera. It is expected with favorable circumstances prevailing that the tram will got through to Whangamomona this evening, but in any case will run to Te Wera. The heaviest slip is near the Whanga tunnel, and when this is cleared it is anticipated that the line will be opened for the regular service. The Department have spared no time or efforts to clear the line but as there have been many slips between Douglas to "Whanga, the job is a fairlv heavy one.

Only one man registered as a recruit for the Expeditionary Force in Stratford last week. The cause ol this further falling off is probably the lamentable state into which tho Trentham Camp has got, and also the fact that there is no guarantee that sanitary arrangements of the other camps will not bp neglected. It is not only regrettable that men should lose tljeir lives from sickness, but it is also very regrettable that the fear of infection is keeping many men from recruiting. However, with the advent of spring and summer and the Medical Officer from England. things should improve. Those who register or wish to register now should remember that they will not be called upon to go to camp for at least three months and perhaps not for five mouths. The Trentham Camp will not he used again, if at all, for at least three months, so recruits need not fear going there. But until the men who have been there lately are in separate camps or on the transports, the uneasiness will remain, and probably, recruiting will accordingly fall off.