LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXVIV, Issue 39, 21 January 1916, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Weather Forecast.—The indications arctdor variable and moderate breezes, but easterly moderate to srong winds prevailing. W eather cloudy to overeast at times. Misty rain is to b<o-ex-pected. Barometer unsteady.—Bates, Wellington,

In April hist a corporal of the Wellington Battalion was court niartialled at Zeitoun and sentenced to undergo penal servitude for three years on a charge of endeavoring to persuade persons in the New Zealand expeditionary Force to join in mutiny, lie Masdischarged with ignominy from His .Majesty’s service.

The Australians and New Zealanders at Ha refield (England) thoroughly enjoyed a snowball fight lately, and coaxed the nurses and other members of the staff to join them in the garden, where sides were taken, and a fierce battle lasted for some time. It was witnessed with great joy from the windows by the other patients who could not go out.

A Press Association telegram from Wellington states: Replying to a deputation Horn the Nurserymens’ Conference to-day, the Prime Minister promised the Orchards Bill would be placed before Parliament at the eariest possible moment. The Government would not interfere with the nursery trade if nurserymen' would supply trees and plants to farmers and other’s at reasonbale prices. He promised to assist the fruit growing industry in every possible way.

The mothers of Stratford and district will he glad to learn that the services of a Plunket Nurse have again been secured, and that the Nurse will be in attendance at the Foresters’ Hall, Stratford, every Tuesday afternoon from 2to 5 p.m.. Nurse Honeyfield lias been until recently in charge of the Nelson district, and yomcs here highly recommended h v Dr. Truhy King.

“Hut that is not in my department at all,” mildly remonstrated the Minister for Public Works on ihnrsday, when he was enthusiastically approached by a settler deputationist who wanted to discuss the question of speedily settling Crown lands. “Well, it’s like this,” said the dcptitatinnist, unabashed ; “You’re the first Minister we’ve seen in this part of the country, and we don’t want to miss any chances.”

A writer in the London Times says that the “boom” in’fur s is so great that the furriers cannot account for it. At recent fur auctions the prices real bard were over 50 per cent, more than those of the last June sales. America’s extraordinary prosperity has caused her to retain an unusually large amount for her own use, and

also to pay almost any price for parcels I'rom London.

The rapid increase of the small-bird nuisance is said to have so perturbed a North Otago farmer that he had to go to a neighbour about it (says the Oamaru Mail). “'they are there in hundreds,” he said, “they settle on the grain in thousands, and they fly away in millions.” Certainly the amounts paid by the AVaitaki Counts Council for birds’ eggs are startling. Up to ten days ago £l2l os od. representing 121,257 small birds’ eggs, was paid out. A soldier who fought at -Mens, and was discharged through disablement, was to have been married at 80-ness, Firth of Forth. Over a hundred guests assembled, hut the bride failed to turn up. Two girl friends there and then offered to iill the breach, and as a result there was an actual tossup as to which one should become the soldier’s bride the next week. The winner was an old sweetheart of the soldier. A cablegram published recently stated that according to the High Commissioner “nine-tenths of the par-j eels of comforts sent to the front were not properly addressed, and had been returned to the High Commissioner’s, office, London.” The .Minister for Do-! fence cabled immediately this telegram was published, asking ii it was collet, He has received the following reply:-—“January ! 7th. VVith reference to yonr telegram, my statement was quite the reverse. 1 said that the addresses of 90 per cent, of the parcels could he read. Since that day added packages are arriving from Egypt not well addressed. A Douglas correspondent writes:— The Rev. A. B. Chappell. M.A.. of New Plymouth, visits Douglas on Sunday next, for the purpose of eonducting the opening services of the Methodist Church recently erected. On Monday evening the ceremony will conclude with a social tunction in the Douglas Hall, when visiting vocalists and speakers will g’ve an interesting programme. It is hoped that the 1 ‘ 1 dents will appreciate Ihe •■ntc-rprise and addition to the township, which, during the past year, showed signs ot progressiveness, as in addition to toe local school and stony there was the erection of two houses and a church. A Bargain —For quick sale, one 2sea ter Motor Car fitted with electric light and *vif-starter, fully equipped. Apply “Motor.” Stratford Evening Post!”

An application for a prohibition order. heard before Justices of the Peace at the Stratford Magistrate’s Court tins morning, was granted, and an order made. In future the Stipendiary Magistrate uill preside at the Stratford Court fort .nightly, and the intermediate sittings will he presided over by Justices of the Peace. A New Zealand lady, .Mrs Stud-

hdlmo, who is staying at Cairo, writes about the New Zealand Hospital at Pont du Koubbea, about four miles out of the town. She mentions how much the men appreciate visitors, and also that they long for a change of food. Egyptian jam is evidently “no treat,” and Mrs Studholme savs if

tins of jam could be sent from hero they would he immensely appreciated, and cases could be sent direct to the matron of the No. 2 X.Z. General Hospital, Pont de Koubbeh, Cairo. Tomato sauce and pickles would also bo most acceptable, and plain boiled sweets. Treacle and golden syrup tins, also cerehos salt tins, are usually quite safe and reliable when tilled with jam and carefully packed, and in this time of general jam-making, if most housewives filled two or three ting for “the boys” a good supply would be assured.

As a sequel to the discovery of the Cambridge municipal motor fire engine in a by-street of-Hamilton East early on Thursday morning, a young man named Harold Macindoe, employed on a farm near Cambridge, was arrested on Friday by Senior-sergeant Cassels, of Hamilton, and Constable Cleary, of Cambridge (says the correspondent of the Auckland Star). The young man admitted to the police that on Wednesday night he entered the fire station and took the fire engine for a jaunt to Hamilton. He was

about to return when the machinery broke down, and he therefore discarded it. Ho said that he then went to a livery stable, and, by reprsenting himself as an employe© of Messrs Crowther and Bell, liverymen of Cambridge, ho obtained the hire of a horse, on which he made his way home. The horse, which the youth had failed to return, was found wandering in the streets of Cambridge, and its identification led to fiis arrest.

The Prince of Wales’ Autograph Hook in Now South Wales was sent to England last week, care of the AgentGeneral (Mr H. R. Wise). Mr William Brooks lias presented to the Red Cross Society the compiling and binding of the book, and has designed an artistic cover of limp dark blue morocco. On

the outside of the book is printed: “To H.R.H. the Prince of Wales, June, 1915.” The inside is lined with white watered silk, the first page containing the uames'Vif the‘Red Cross executive committee: a slip inserted with the following inscription: “Signatures obtained in connection with a concert organised by the New South Wales division of the Australian Red Cross Society in honor of the Prince of Wales’ 21st Birthday. The proceeds of the concert was devoted to the Australian sick and wounded soldiers.” The other pages contain the names of most-of the presidents of the Red Cross branches. Mr Brooks has succeeded in producing a memento worthy of his Royal Highness’s acceptance, and, thanks to his generosity, there are no expenses, so that the sum of about £IOO has been realised for the Rod Cross Funds.

“On April 7th (says the “Museums Journal”) James Edward Little, alias Silas Harding, was convicted at Devizes of stealing from the museum of the Wiltshire Archaeological and Natural History Society a carved cover of a Maori feather box, and was sentenced to six months’ hard labour. He had visited the museum and had substituted for the original cover, which was carved in the solid ‘with two grotesque beasts in high relief,’ a copy in stained white wood brought by him to the museum concealed under his over-

coat. Although thp caretaker discovered the theft within a few minutes of the time when the thief left the building, the latter had time to escape by tram before the police could get on In’s track. Later be was apprehended and convicted on the evidence of the caretaker, but the lid of the feather box has not been recovered. The society has offered a reward of

£2U for information leading to its return, but there seems some probability that it lias been sent to New Zealand. as Little is known to have been

i iii communication with collectors in j that country. It will be recollected by j our readers that the theft from the Biackmore Museum at Salisbury of a number of greenstone axes was carried out on the same lines—that is to say, .coloured casts were left in place of the objects stolen. Tt seems desirable that curators and collectors should be warned in case the feather box cover should be offered to them, when the | fact should he at once communicated I to the "Rev. E. H. Ooddnrd, hon. secretary of the society, Clvffe Vicarage, Swindon.” \ewtoii King i local agent for the Shaw, Savill and Albion Shipping Company, Ltd., has received advice that the sailing date of the E.M.S. “Corinthic” has been postponed from the -Oth to Wednesday, 2(ith iust., at u. %