LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXVII, Issue 89, 16 August 1915, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

The enlistments in South Australia to date amount to 12.284.

Niue more deaths from cerebro-spin-nl meningitis have occurred in the soldiers camps in Victoria.

A record recruiting week was ex 7 pcrienced in New South Wales (state’s a Sydney cable), there being 6280 enlistments.

'The Hawera County Council has decided to purchase a tar, sprayer through -Mr C. A. Wilkinson, of Eltham, at a cost of nearly £I2OO.

The,race for the sculling championship of New Zealand will take place on the Wanganui river on September 24th, between Webb and Hannan, both New Zealanders.

There is every probability of 'the election of directors at the annual meeting of the Egnumt Box Company last Tuesday being declared illegal on technical grounds, states the Argus.

Mails despatched from New Zealand on June 14, via Auckland and Vancouver, arrived at Vancouver on duly 2 (one day late) and London-July 17 (two days late).

The Elthani County Council has decided to support the Hawera County Council in making application to the Government for an overhead railway crossing on the Skeet Road at r l e 'RjOti railway f(Tusking'. ■ . j!j jj ** j y

Weather Forecast. —The indications are foV southerly strong ivindl'to- gale.The' weather appears likely to be cloudy and unsettled*. d ‘prdfiaAifd.'iiiid l the weaklier will probably become colder. The | barometer has a rising tendency.—Bates, Wellington. - ■■ i .(■ '■ } 'TA'ITC-i)J J 1 hi /if;l

A 1 -M exican who dwells in Acton, Cal..' bits been chopping? iand ha wobd iVif the past 50 .-years, and mm tbiinks' lof retiring from business and giving the young fellows a chance. His age is 112, and he thinks he W entitled to a rest.

At the Gisborne Police Court to-day ( states the Press Association), Charles !Croon pleaded: guilty to a charge of * loitering I in;, the public [Street tor the ' purpose pi', betting, and was fined £4O and' Costfi, in default two mouths’ imprisdnnSent., )1 i ;i , . ~ ; ■ j., sr

The farewell function which was to BaVe beeh tendered to tlie members of tlie flight Reiuforccuients by the Friendly [Societies at Kltbani vested (lay. 'was postponed till pext Sunday on account of the inclemency of the weather; ■»' • y 1

A droll walking match was recently witnessed in Heywood, England, by an immense crowd of spectators'. The contestants were a man with one leg and a crutch, and a man with a cork leg. The distance was one' mile, and the wager £lO a-side. The cork leg easily won.

The Eltham County engineer reports to the Council that serious damage was caused in the Omoua Riding by rain' and floods, the road between Omoua and Alocroa Iming completely blocked by slips and washouts, and It will probably he three or four months before it is opened for wheel traffic.

A private telegram received ,in Auckland from the Minister oi l).e-. fence states that as the result of injuries. it lias been ascertained that Corporal Charles Savory was killed in action on May 8. Savory was the amateur heavy-weight champion boxer of New Zealand and a member of the Australasian North 1 nited team which toured England.

Several residents living in the South end of the town express indignation at the. treatment meted out to a cow which got bogged in the stock paddock abutting on Cordelia street. After three and a-half days in the hog the animal succumbed, and now it is being alleged that the owner might easily have saved the dumb animal from death bv starvation.

Lieutenant Gray, area officer, Stratford, lias received a circular letter from the Group Officer stating that the momher.s of the Light Hein forcemeats leave for Trentham on Monday, August 2d. The special troop train will leave New Plymouth at 7 p.m. and Stratford at S.-IO o’clock. The nien are requested to fall in at part of the station roped off for that purpose, and the public can assist the authorities if they will keep clear of the portion allocated to the soldiers.

A very successful farewell social was tended to the members of the Eight Reinforcements by the Cardiff Patriotic Society on Friday night. The hall was crowded, and during the evening selections were rendered by the Kgmont Club’s orchestra. Mr and Misses Rodgers, and songs were given by Mrs Massey, Miss Fields, Capt. W. V. Wilson and Messrs A. S. Davis, F. Dunlop, and .1. S. Howe. Two farce comedies wore put on by

the members of the Cardiff’ Mounted Rifles and were much enjoyed.

The Stratford Defence Corps drill at 7.80 this evening at the school gymnasium. A severe earthquake was experienced at Westport at live minutes to niu# o’clock on Saturday night, followed by lesser shakes during the evening and yesterday. The direction of the quakes was from west to east. Reports have reached Sydney by th* steamer Empire, which was recently at Hongkong, that it is estimated ten thousand people in Canton perished by hre alone, including 1000 soldiers who were engaged in rescue work. Two thousand five hundred shops ware destroyed. Robbers attacked the starving escapees, shooting them down like animals when they found they were destitute. Delay in the arrival of the last train from New Plymouth on Saturday night led to a report being circulated; that an accident up the line was the cause, but this, it is learned to-day from the Railway Department, was quite without foundation. Now, any suggestion of speeding-up in connection with this service seems to be a waste of time and energy, but when three hours are consumed over a journey of thirty miles it seems time our £6O-per-woek-English-raihvay manager should he asked to spare a few minutes of his valuable time inquiring into the earns# ’ of the frequency,of these exasperating delays. The Bishop of Auckland, who arrived in Stratford on Friday morning, has had an exceedingly busy time. On Friday afternoon Bishop Averill held a confirmation service at Cardiff and another at Stratford in the evening. On Saturday night the Bishop spoke to the parishioners in the Parish Hall, Regan Street, on matters principally dealing. with the war. The Bishop conducted both morning and evening services at Stratford yesterday, and during the afternoon he held a confirmation service at Toko Road. Bishop Averill will leave Stratford to-morrow morning to visit the Home Mission district of Whangamomona. The reference in the Stcatftord .Evening Bust on to; a iVj• .1 in the price of meat gave housewives a bit of a start, hut they will he pl«a-_ seel to learn that it was a false alarm. It; is ■•. true one! butcher; had been asking an advance of one penny per lb on Saturday, though up ; tjU ;thp4», no concerted action had been taken by tJw/.trad© in Stratford. Under th* circumstances, it may interest heads | pj : families to kmny, the.-iytai] prices of meat in Dunedin, where; ago, fat sheepi were bringing 42s 0d ami beef 40s per lOOjhb top prices h«- »/ ing £2O os for a .pen of prime bullocks. Here are the prices advertised by on« retailer: Mutton.—Forequarter, per lb, 81d, loins 4 id, legs od, hindquartw 4d, sides 3Jd. Beef.—Sirloin 6«L prime ribs od. chuck ribs 44d, steak 6(1, buttnbk 7d, rump steak 9d. corned round 'od, coined roll od.

I: C ! "“"I H A MB9T,hTB ,'lHilflO ,«*U3X A very successful and enjoyable concert ivas held in the Ackland School on Friday evening, and the room, . though small, was packed to ’the doors. Air A. Knox -'presided and apologised for the absence of , t4i» r '•* chairman of the school committee, .•»# who was on a holiday visit to Christ--church. The first part of. the programmed was contributed by school children, and was much enjoyed. During the second half of the performaJic* ; recitations were given by Misses F. and J. Witt, and songs by Misses Savage. A. Sangster, and Messrs G. and M. Knox, and the quartette (Messrs Knoxi 2).Savage, and Miss Knox). The singing of Miss Sangster was specially much appreciated, and the audience was not satisfied until she had answered two encores. At the conclusion of the concert supper was handed round; and then dancing was indulged in until an early hour. The music was supplied by Alias K. Knox. The committee wish in thank all who so.generously gave the “good things” for supper.