The Stratford Evening Post WITH WHICH IS INCORPORATED THE EGMONT SETTLER FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 4, 1916. LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXVIV, Issue 50, 4 February 1916, Page 4

The Stratford Evening Post WITH WHICH IS INCORPORATED THE EGMONT SETTLER FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 4, 1916. LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Leading and other reading .'nattsi' is crowded out of our present issue. A proud Christcliurch father advertised thiisly last week:—At 41 Stewart Street, City, the wife of Alt', ('watkins- a son. (number nineteen.; A Taranaki resident who recant ly went to Auckland for the beneiit of his health returned on account of the e>: tremely warm weather. He states, however, that the oppressive heat at Hawera yesterday was quite equal to anything he had experienced in Auckland. A good day's fishing is reported by .Master R. I''. Mealy, who whipped the Kahouri stream yesterday. He caught thirteen fish altogether, the largest weighing Giflbs., an<] the other averaging libs to olhs each. The fish were in excellent condition, and the big fellow took over an hour to land. Kea.s are becoming Fairly numerous on the higher peaks of the Remarkables, and the shepherds of Kawarau Falls recently discovered several dead sheep which had evidently fallen victims to the birds. Recently Mr J. IV Moßride. accompanied by Dr Kdio and Mr Kennett, left the station at an early hour on a shooting expedition, and after an arduous climb of about four hours Lake Alta (710')f':) was safely reached. Several k<-as v. enseen on the shores of the lake phi during a stay ol two hour, eight birds were shot.

Yesterday's big seaside picnic at New Plymouth was the most successful yet of this important v- :amaj fixture. The recent sheep sales at Douglas were a record for high prices owing to the great quantities of grass right through the countryside. Old residents say it is many years since such close and oppressive weather lias been experienced in Taranaki as that which lias been experience 1 here of lave. Heavy rain set in last night and continued all day. The secretary of the Ladies' Patriotic Committee wishes to acknowledge receipt of a sack of coal from Mr \V. Smith and ulbs of tea from Mr C. ti. .lames. I When asked to held a service at the North Mountain House the other day. Bishop Averill agreed heartily to the suggestion, but opined that in doing so he might lie hiving himself open to a charge of holding "a very high church service. - ' The Union Company's two new steamers, which are Hearing completion at Home, have been named Letrim and Arrah. They are vessels of 10,000 and 12,000 tons respectively.

A male steerage passenger who arrived from Sydney by the Manuka yesterday was found to be almost blind, and was, therefore, classed as a. restricted immigrant. He will be sent back to Sydney.

Though there was a very big traffic on the railway between Stratford and New Plymouth, and Stratford and Hawera yesterday, there was no hitch of any kind, and entraining arrangeinents reflect the highest credit on -Mr Peattie, Stratford's stationmaster.

The Ladies' Patriotic Committee's tea room and market will be open as usual to-morrow. A special feature is now being made of the morning tea, luncheon and afternoon tea. it is hoped that the country people will respond to the appeal and contribute goods either for the market or the tea rooms.

The Postmaster-General has had official notice from the New Zealand base army post office that on November 12 last 183 bags of New Zealand mail, chiefly parcels and containing 78 registered articles, were lost at sea. The parcels would be among those despatched from New Zealand on 23rd September last and re-addressed parcels of earlier despatches.—P.A.

At the Stratford Magistrate's Court this morning Messrs S. "Ward and A. W. Reid, J.P.'s gave judgment for plaintiff by default in the following civil cases: A. J. Davey (Messrs Malone and King) v. F. H. Williams, £2 17s 6d, costs ss; same v. S. Joblin, £4, os; William Spence (Mr P. Thomson) v. 0. G. Northcott, £4 7s 9d, 9s.

Among the most attractive features of the Taranaki Metropolitan Show will be the ring competitions to be held on both days. The prize money for the most popular displays of horsemanship is excellent, besides which several valuable cups are offered. for competition. It is anticipated that the fields will he large and the competition keen in each of the classes scheduled. The programme for the competitions is arranged to meet the convenience of competitors, anil as the jumps have been re-modelled in favor of huntsmen, the arrangements should meet with the approval of the most fastidious. Entries close definitely on February 19th. Schedules may be obtained on application to the secretary, P.O. Box 19 New Plymouth.

A ' large crowd of Stratford folk visited the East End beach, Nov,- Ply 7 , mouth, yesterday, the tension being ■ the school excursion. Alj the business premises in the town were closed, and the streets had a very deserted appearance after the second train left at a feu- minutes to nine. The two excursion trains were crowded, children predominating. A very enjoyable, day was spent on the beach, the weather being all that could be desired. Thf grounds were in good oivier, and great enjoyment was derived by the bathers from the swimming sport. During the afternoon a dance was conducted in| the hall, which materially helped toj make the day a very enjoyable one to I the "lads and lassus.'' The outing, was not marred by accidents, and everybody left the sea shore tired but, happy. Two members of toe School Committee were in attendance, completing the arrangements, but specials mention should be male of the str-l vices of .Mr H. Kiveil, the schools' obliging caretaker, who was in charge of the tea department. I During their last day s at Anzac the Australiasian troops experienced ex-, ceedingly trying weather. BrigadierGeneral Ryrie, writing to a friend at Sydney, under date December Ith. when the troops were still in Gallipoli. says : "'The weather has been 1 something terrible, and is just about the limit of human endurance. Last week it rained, snowed, blew a bliz-, zard, ami froze all at once. There was Bin. of snow on the ground, and the trenches are in an awful state. .Many of the troops had no cover, and numbers are suffering from frostbite, and some will lose their toes. 1 never thought any place could la 1 so cold. All water was frozen into blocks of ice. and stone jars, bottles, and tins wen l burst. When the blizzard was at its height, and i; was pitch dark, the Turks attacked with fixed bayonets, and got right no to the lino in front of oni- trenches, but our lads beat them oil' in tine style. So things have been fairly 'willing.' Our follow? are beginning to get played out i after seven months' continuous fight- [ ing iu the trenches,"

The Auckland State schools are abandoning the aftrnoou session during February, on account of the hot weather. Something in the nature of a record "burn" for Poverty Bay lias just been completed on Mr W. 1). Lysnar's Orowhana Station, where an of some 1000 acres has been bunfef off with great success. The days of democracy! In a motor car returning from Motueka on Monday were seated (says the -Nelson Colonist) a judge of the Supreme Court, a. stipendiary magistrate, a police constable, and a prisoner who had been committed for sentence for theft. In the Supreme Court, Oamaru, on Wednesday, before Mr Justice Sim, William Hammell was brought up on a charge that on September 12th he attempted to unlawfully supply certain noxious things with intent to procure miscarriage. A true bill was returned, but the common jury after deliberating for the statutory four hours was unable to agree.

On January 17th two youths, inmates of the Burnham Industrial school, effected their escape from an encampment on Quail Island. On Tuesday one of them named Howard was arrested at Waianaharua, near Oamaru. but the other, named Grant, evaded arrest and is still at large. It is alleged that numerous thefts have been committed by the escapees during their journey to the south.

A Pill providing for the erection of the North Shore bridge, Sydney, at a cost of £3.000,000, is now being drafted, and will be submitted to the New South Wales Parliament at an early date. It has not yet been decided whether the bridge will bo built by contract or otherwise. The cost is to he borne in proportions by the State and the municipal and shire authorities principally affected.

Although the Cow-testing Association at Gisborne is only its first season, its value has been realised by some of the farmers, and the movement promises to result in a general improvement of the herds of the district (says the Poverty Bay Herald). So far only about 600 cows have been brought under the test, and the cut-

ting-out process is now m progress, farmers securing good prices for fattened culls. It is understood that whilst some fairly good results have been secured, the average yield is not quite up to that of some of the other districts. Several of the farmers have taken up the movement enthusiastically, and it is hoped the operations will be more extensive next sea-

The rigid exclusion of relatives from the wharf when the Willochra berthed at Dunedin was particularly disappointing to those relatives who had waited all day to meet returned soldiers. When the vessel got' alongside the Bowen pier relatives gathered at the guarded barricade which prevented access to the wharf. A Maori lady was so annoyed at not getting on the wharf that she expressed her disappointment in somewhat scathing terms. But that did not serve to storm the position. While the wordy frontal attack was proceeding the position was turned by relatives getting into boats and rowing or motoring ' alongside the Willochra. The

success of the turning movement was particularly gratifying in the case of a wife and toddling child who had come down from Canterbury to r,elcome home 'daddy,' who had experienced, amongst other disabilities, severe frostbite in the Gallipoli trenches.

| A sensation was caused at Hqkitika j'on Wednesday evening, January 27th (says the "Guardian") by the news that the body of a man, fully dressed, had been seen in tlie breakers at the rear of the Dunedin Hotel. Word was sent to the police station, but before the arrival of members of the force the body had been recovered by Mr C. Hannani, and as the body appeared to have only been a short time in the water, an attempt was made to resuscitate the man. Dr. Doctor was at once sent for, but on arrival pronounced life to be extinct, and the body was removed to the Dunedin Hotel. According to information gathered by Constables Bennett and Bonisch the deceased was mimed Samuel Levy. He was a stranger in the district, and had been residing at Warren's Central Hotel for the past fortnight. Deceased is said to be a native of Hungary, and was about 86 years of age. He has no known relatives in the Dominion. How the man got into the sea is-not explained. He was seen walking in Revel! street about an hour before the body was seen in the sea. Weather Forecast.—The Dominion Meteorologist warns for:—High north by west to south-west winds; heavy rain : rivers rising. A communication this afternoon from the Rev. .Air Bates states : The indications are for: South-easterly winds, strouk gale, prevailing. The weather will probably prove thick and foggy. Heavy rain is to be expected with rivers rising shortly. The barometer has a falling tendency, but rising shortly.