LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXVIII, Issue 59, 8 November 1915, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

1 The Home Defence Corps will parade at 7.30 this evening. r l'!ie monthly meeting of the Stratford Borough Council will he hold at - 7..‘i1l o’clock this evening. : The Public Works Loan closed on i Saturday. The result has not yet been 1 announced, hut it is understood thatI the flotation was successful. Sir Jos-' eph Ward expects to he able to announce. the figures to-day, reports the 1 Press Association.

The Waitara Gun Club held a shooting match on Air Toll’s farm on Thursday. Strong winds prevailed, but notwithstanding this some good scores were registered. -Mr Hoy himmcr topped the list with thirteen hits out of a possible sixteen, thus winning the trophy presented by Messrs Stewart and Co.

The Mayor of Stratford (Air J. AV Boon) is in receipt of the following! letter from .Mr J. Tlyslop. 1 ncler Sec-, retary of the Department of Internal Affairs, Wellington : “I have the honor bv the direction of Mis Excellency the Governor to state that it is desirable that New Zealand contributions to the Red C ross Fund he forwarded to Lord Lansdowne at the earliest possible date. I should he glad, therefore, if you would forward to this office- as early as possible any money that lias come into your hands for this purpose.”

Air W. P- Kirkwood, chairman of j the Stratford Patriotic Executive, is in receipt of a wire from Air J. E. Wilson, chairman of the New Plymouth Patriotic Committee, stating that a conference of representatives of various patriotic committees in Taranaki will he held in Stratford on Friday, 12th inst., for the purpose of forming a branch in connection with the A\ minded Soldiers Fund, to amalgamate wjt.h the Wellington -Military District, or in the event of the national scheme being found workable to, amalgamate with that scheme. The meeting will he hold in the Town Hall, commencing at 10 a. m.

To-night, in the Methodist Hall. -Mr Foston, who lias had considerable experience on the lecture platform, will deliver a recital entitled “The Greatest War: in History,” illustrated by over one hundred and iorty prepared slides'. Wherever this recital has been given, it has .been much appreciated. In addition, a large number of patriotic songs and the i anthems' of the; Allies will be rendered; also a slide of; the. late Colonel Malone. 'Co.. all interested in war matters, the subject is brimful of interest, as. the lectuiei deals with things from an Imperial standpoint. As half.the proceeds go to the Chaplains’ Fund to aid the wounded at the front, a good attendance should be recorded.

Toko Notes.—Our correspondent writes ns follows The weather has been very squally of late, hut there is abundance of 'feed about, and stock ore looking in the pink of condition. Fanners havoi all broken their previous records, and the milk supply is fully one month in advance. At the, local creamery, the supply is now, 2d,doolhs daily, and the prospect for the. season is very bright. Shearing i s in full swing in this district, although hampered with had weather, and waggons laden with wool are noticed on the roads.—bully fifty pei cent, of the single men of Toko are on active service, making labour very scarce. A number of farmers have installed milking machine and shearing plants, owing to labour not being obtainable.—The Oddfellows’ held a very enjoyable' social in the Coronation Hall recently, the music being sup-; plied by .Mrs Bianchi. Lieutenant oray gave an illuminated club-swing-ing' exhibition, and Mr Cooper gave two recitations. The committee wish, to thank Mr Newton King for the use of In's car in bringing the Stratford folks out. Six members of the Toko, Oddfellows’ are at the front doing their duty for their King and Country, and several others have enlisted.

Beef and mutton are bringing some record prices, the local butcher, Mr Ferguson, have paid as high as per sheep, which were bred by Mr T. A. Lees, and were of extra fine qual-, ity.— On Thursday evening last, a very large number of people gathered, at the Toko station to welcome homo Signaller Maxwell. Mr J. B. Hine.J M.F., in a well-chosen speech, on behalf of the Toko people, welcomed the first returned hero hack to Toko, and called for three cheers, which were loudly responded to. Signaller Maxwell replied. A Monster Gift Stock Sale I'm Wounded Soldiers’ Fund is being ci ganised by the Auctioneers ot Stratford and the Patriotic Committee. Promises of gifts will be welcomed, and every member of the Patriotic Genera! Committee is asked to work bard and make the sale an unqualified success. *

Early shearing in this district has so far proved very successful -and shows clips lo be exceptionally good. A number of sheep farmers on the Stanley have sob] their clip at the excellent price of Jdd per lb. on trucks at Stratford. On some propertins shearing lias not yet commenced, bnt the buyers are'now busy securing all the wool they can get. the Abattoir Manager’s report which is to lie presented to the meeting el the Stratford Borough Council to-night is as follows: During the month the following stock were slaughtered :— Cows 08, heifers TO. oxen 1, Oil Ives 3, sheep 2(52. lambs 6, pigs 32, tripes prepared 00. Stock condemned: Cows. 7 (d wholly and I partially) ; boilers 2 (one wholly and 1 partially); sheep 1 (wholly). The total receipts amounted to CCS 19s 3d. ■ n y-nmiiurn