LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXVIV, Issue 26, 6 January 1916, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Mails despatched via Suez on .November 10 arrived in London on December 24 (two days late), Thc.se despatched by the same route,on November 18 arrived in London on the 2nd inst. (four days late).

The Waitara Mail reports that Mr A. J. Honeyfield's son, William, was helping his father in the harvest field on Monday when he complained of feeling unwell and he vomited. Mr Honeyfield thought a rest in the shade would restore him, and he went a round with the machine, but on returning to the spot he found that the lad had expired. Dr. Campbell gave a certificate that heart disease was the cause, and an inquest was therefore unnecessary.

His Worship the Mayor, Mr J. W. Boon extends an invitation to all men of the 12th reinforcements, all returned soldiers on leave, and members of the Egmont Club, to be present at a social at the Egmont Club on Friday evening, at 8 o'clock. The social will take the form of a farewell to the 12th Reinforcements. Owing to the difficulty of personally inviting each man, the Mayor asks all who join up to the time of the function to accept this invitation to be present.

The Stratford Ladies' Patriotic Committee announce through our advertising columns, that the Ladies' Patriotic Market will lie open in the committee rooms every Saturday until further notice. All gifts of produce, poultry, etc., will he gratefully' received and acknowledged. Morning and afternoon tea and luncheon will be served in the rooms every Tuesday. The hon. secretary acknowledges the following:—Mrs Curtis, raspberry afternoon, £3 2s 6d; -Mrs Curtis, monthly sub, os; Mrs Hall, soldiers' comforts, 10s; Mr W. Smith, one sack coal for committee's room's; and Duncan and Davies, -New Plymouth, donation of pot plants.

The Committee of the Belgian Relief iMind are making an effort to get enough clothing by next Saturday, or Monday at the latest, to send a easeful to the Belgians. This special effort has arisen from the fact that there was no clothing ready to be despatched, the last consignment having included seven eases. The case which is to he sent away next weekwill he practically the last to be despatched this season. As notified in an advertisement on another page, residents who have any spare clothing are recmested to hand it in at the Borough Offices before the end of the week.

The lighthouse-keeper at Waipapapa near Forfcrose, who was visited by several Gore residents during the holi4 days, tells the story of'an interesting visitor be entertained during eight months until a short time ago (says the Mataura Ensign). Regularly each evening a seal climbed over the rocks and through the tussocks and vegetation to the foot of the lighthouse, a distance of some 200 yards, and there spent the night. The animal was quite tame and was a source of much interest to the children. Occasionally he would oversleep himself until midday and on waking would yawn prodigiously, note which way the tidal current was setting ami thereafter strike straight out to sea. The boilers of the ill-starred Tararua. which struck this reel' over 30 years ago, are still visible at low water. A large sum of money (in silver) went down with the ship and a considerable sum was expended in trying to locate .the treasure, but without result. The cemetery, in which about 100 bodies were interred, lies about a mile and a-half from the lighthouse and presents a thoroughly neglected appearance.

A note of alarm is struck by Mr D. Cuddie. Dairy Commissioner, at a possible shortage of rennet. This essential article in cheesemaking is obtained mainly from Sweden, Denmark and Holland, and the raw material comes from all over the Continent. Last year there appeared to be ample in stock for present-day requirements in New Zealand, but now a shortage is feared, and if it should materialise, New Zealand cheesemakers will be in a very awkward predicament. Mr Cuddie, in an article contributed to tlie Journal of Agriculture, shows how the difficulty may possibly be overcome, and rennet manufacture established in New Zealand. ''The question is of suificient importance" (he writes) '"to warrant every dairy company in the Dominion carefully considering the subject, with a view toorganising the collection of the raw material throughout the various dairying districts, sa%-, from the beginning of next season. As upwards of 30,000 gallons of rennet is required for the present output of cheese, tlie order will be a large one; but unless something is done to provide against disappointment and accompanying heavy loss, those concerned will only have themselves to blame should an actual deficiencv occur."