LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXVIII, Issue 71, 23 November 1915, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

The Associated Auctioneers of Stratford will close their premises all day on Thursday next, People's Day at the Hawera Show. Extract from a British schoolgirl's essay on "Women's Work %n War] Time" : "Women are now driving tramcars instead oi their husbands." It is understood that the Levin Building Society will be shortly terminated, on account of unforseen circumstances arising. The books haw been called in. It was reported on Tuesday (says the Southland Times) that Mr Deacon's general store at Half Moon Bay at Stewart Island had been destroyed by fire. . • , The Mastertoti Homing Club flew a race from Duuedin on Saturday. The first bird home was Messrs Drake Bro•:.' Silver Queen, whioh did the distance in the smart time of>l3hr smin. The first consignment of cheese"wassent to-day to the Government by the Lowgarth Factory, having been ? commandeered at 7£d. The amount consigned was 120 cases, valued at £604 ,3s 4d. A weather-beaten Homer pigeon bearing ring A.F.C. 8090., and fork ring bearing a capital H, length ways and number 90, took refuge in Donald's garage on Sunday. Owner may have same on applying to Mr Donald. A married couple who were lately engaged for a Hawke's Bay statiOTnvt" £IOO a year, on hearing of the duties required of them, stipulated in a letter to the agent for £10,025 a year. It was their simple way of asking for £125 (£IOO and £25) per annum. At the annual meeting of, the Wellington Rifle Club's Association, it was' decided that the annual championship meeting will not be held this season. The'President stated that he estimated that fully one thousand members of rifle clubs were either at the front or in camp.—P.A. A grand military conceit, part proceeds of which are to be devoted to the Soldiers' Tobacco* Fund, will be held in Hie Town Hall on Wednesday ' ' December 1* (show'night) by trie''local Senior' 6adels. 'f jiV be pontrihuted 1 Ivy' members' 'of the' Senior Cadets'and local Artists,"And '"will include the following 1 special .turns: Physical •drill with rifles, Swedish drill and'signalling display. ' The Bay of Plenty Tinies states that at a meeting of the. Tauranga Harbour Board last week, it was reso)ved':— "That the Hon. Mr Hemes be requested to make arari'g'ements ' with the department having charge of such matters to have St. George's Bay at Jvatjkati Heads officially named Anzafc Bay, in commemoration of our heroie hoys and their fellow-soldiers 1 who so gallantly effected a landin'g at Anzac ■Bay; at Gallipoli." , ' southerly.'busted at -the weekend jleft 'its, mark on Egmont, whi|h' toi-dny' Irii'tlfe > bright 'sunshine,, presents a piOttire of 'Nature- that* is. one of Taranaki's heritages. Fantham's Peak caught the full blast of the gale, and the cone is covered with a thick mantle of snow, in "noticeable contrast to the northern side of the Mountain, which was sheltered for the time. For this season of the year,.the snowline is remarkably low down the Mountain side. That popular pantomime "Mother Goose appears at the Town Hall tonight. "Boy Blue" and "Little Bed; Biding Hood" are always welcome, and together with the talented com-, pany that is appearing under the auspices of Messrs Stanley McKay and Co., the production is sure to be bright and spectacular. "Mothei Goose," or' 'The Goose That Laid The Golden Fgg," has just completed a record season in the north, everywhere being received with big crowds, one of the reasons probably being that an attractive entertainment is produced at popular prices, viz. Jour, three, and two, which is the reach of every theatre-lover, even in these' strenuous war times. The part that the company have played in patriotic matters since opening the tour should in simple fairness be mentioned here: At Auckland, a Mock Court realised i for the funds £ll2O. At Taihape £4.00 was raised, and the management' also gave up two nights for the bene-J lit of the Fund; again, at Wanganui, over £2O wa s thrown on to the stage' when Miss .Jennings, the "principal 1 boy" in the panto., sang that fine patriotic song, "Your King and Coun-

try Need You!" and a collection on the street was also responsible for a good round sum. At Hawera, there will be a street collection on tbe secV ond day of the show (Thursday). Miss Jennings' song has, it is understood, been the means of realising over £6O for the Patriotic Fund since tbe commencement of the tour. Under all these circumstances, it will h e recognised that the Company is deserving of full support, and this evening "Mother Goose" should appear-before u bumper house.

A Monster Gift Stock Sale foi Wounded Soldiers' Fund is being organised by tbo Auctioneers ol Stratford and the Patriotic Committee. Promises of gifts will be welcomed, and 'every member of the Patriotic General Committee is asked to work hard and make the sale an unqualified success.

The ticket for the third horse in the Melbourne Cup was driuvn in Tattersall's by Mr F. Bishop, sem-.,-Dud-ley Road, Ingle wood, and in consequence he is to-day richer by £2OOO. Weather Forecast.—The indications are for westerly moderate to strong winds, veering by west to north and freshening. Expect mild and heavy conditions with increased haze and cloudiness for change. Barometer fall shortly.—Bates, Wellington. Complaint is freely voiced of the throwing of "biddy-bids'' by school children in the streets of Broadway.!, The children may see fun in; it butt a severe reminder from mothers and school teachers would he gratefully appreciated by the public. In order to relieve men in the Samoiin garrison who desire to return to XW Zealand, it has lieen decided (says a Wellington telegram) to take registrations up to twei.ty men in each district from those desiring to go on garrison duty there.

The adjourned sitting of the Supreme Court at New Plymouth will he opened on Monday week. Next year's sittings have now been fixed, and provide for sittings to deal with criminal and civil cases on February 1, May 16, and September o, while a sitting for civil and divorce business only will open on November 21.

In their spare time the Australian troops at the Dardanelles who were i miners before enlisting dig for gold. The Gallipoli ground is similar to the Australian goldfield, and their sharp eyes soon discovered traces of the yellow metal. One soldier, with his primitive placer outfit, obtained a sovereign's worth of gold in about four hours. The opening wool sale of the season •:, was held in Stratford to-day. Owing to the continued wet weather having delayed shearing, the offering was considerably less than for.the corresponding sale last year. The wool opened , up bright and in good condition, and prices, in comparison with last year, advanced 4d to 4*d per lb. At Mr Newton King's rooms. Southdown sold as high as 15d, bright crossbred 13d to Hd, heavy conditioned and log stained 12|cl.to 13d. A remarkable accident occurred near Murrumburrah, New South Wales, recently. A settler, Mr Ross, wa s :drjying.a" pair of ponies in one • of tile Garangula paddocks, which are yery heavilv grassed, when "' suddenly ' the" ponies went down a hidden mining " shaft'ajVout''2oft • deep! The buggy pole snapped, and ,Mr Ross *JM l6ft . sitting in'the buggy oti'the brink" f of ' Me .shaft. .With We assistance of several who Witnessed the mishap, Ml"'* Ross set about getting the ponies out; " One - however," was : found to''be 1 . 1 smothered in the mna, whilst the other was extricated from the hole badly injured,., v , .., ~ . ,

During the passage from Auckland to Whangarei recently the Northern Company's steamer Kanieri had,a narrow escape .from. being struck by a thunderbolt. About 3.30 p.m. the vessel encountered an exceptionally -heavy thunderstorm, during whsi a thunderbolt fell close to th,e ship after an exceptionally heavy clap. The passage of the thunderbolt into water resembled a boiling cauldron, plainly diseefrnible to those qn "board. The vessel was shaken from stem so stevn. The greatest consternation prevailed. Under the captain's orders the vessel was slowed down, but examination revealed that no damage had been sustained. Passengers describe their experience as nerve-racking. Entries for the Stratford A. and P. Show close on Thursday next, 25th, at 9 p.m. The Show this year, judging by the s number of entries already received, will be quite up to the standard of the past, and all now required i s two fine days to make a successful gathering. This year the Association have made a" new departure regarding members' subscriptions. In former years members' tickets have been posted, but in order to avoid clerical work as much a s possible, it has been decided that members shall get their tickets at the fferr-*ary's offic.V and in order to suit their convenience on show days, a new office is being erected at' the entrance to the show grounds, and members who have not received'their tickets may obtain same, prior to entering the grounds. The cookery classes are filling well, and ladies are requested to send in their ehtries as soon as possible.

The final meeting of the committee of the Associated Auctioneers in connection with the social and dance was held in the Loan and Mercantile office last evening. Excellent progress was reported by all the sub-committees. The function, which takes place in the Town Hall to-morrow evening,

promises to be in every way a most successful gathering both in regard to ■finance (proceeds to be handed to Wounded Soldiers' Fund) and a good evening's fund for those of the public who attend. The committee have been very lucky in the splendid manner in which the outside public have responded in the matter of giving gratis, supper., decorations, etc., and the Ladies' Committee with the able assistance of their friends are putting on a sumptuous repast; Special attention has been paid to the floor by the committee, which is guaranteed will be in splendid order, ' and the combined orchestras of .Messrs Rogers and the Egmont Club comprising a dozen instruments will render a choice selection of music. It has. been arranged to have card tables on the stage for non-dancers, and a number of songs by leading {artists will be rendered between the I dances. W