LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXVIV, Issue 51, 5 February 1916, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

It is reported that a passenger occupying a .sleeping berth on Monday night’s train from Auckland to Wellington was robbed of £OO between Auckland and Ohakune. “The greatest gambling crowd in New Zealand is to be found in Taranaki.”—So opined .Mr W. H. Hartgill at a meeting of the’ Dannevirke Patriotic Society held the other evening. -Mr Hartgil] acts as judge for tlie Egniont Racing Club. A Press Association telegram from Hastings states: The Hon. Mr Mc\ab, who made his Ministerial heiKlquarters here, finds a difficulty in conducting the work away from the political centre, and returns to Wellington with his staff to-day. One of the largest private live-stock transactions ever locally recorded is reported from the Waikato, whmi Mr I). Bryant,, the well-known dealer, through the agency of the Farmers’ Co-operative Auctioneerino; Company, disposed of 322 steers, the purchasemoney representing £3BOO in one line. An Auckland Press Association message states: Ethel Evelyn Davis (33) was found dead at the residence of her parents at Onehunga this morning. Her mother saw that her daughter’s bed had not been occupied, and a search disclosed her dead body under an apple tree in the garden. A bottle containing a poisonous liquid was alongside. The patriotic tea rooms and market were opened as usual to-day, and there wa s no dearth of business through “business hours.” The market wgs well supplied, and thanks arc due to those who made contributions. The country folk were not represented a s well as might h 0 the case, but ’considering the weather, it may have been difficult for many of them to visit town as usual to-day.

“Maori dogs have been playing the very mischief with my sheep!” remarked a Kawhia settler last week, whose property, unfortunately for himself, is surrounded by native kaingas and therefore, subject to perio-

dical incursions by useless mongrels. The farmer in question had already found 22 dead' and mutilated shoe]), while he had to put a further 20 out of their misery. And so it will go on (remarks the Settler) until the same registration law applies to M a oris as it does to Europeans.

A new moving picture, entitled “A

Maori Maid’s Love,” taken at Rotorua, has been screened in Sydney and is said to he considerably above many of the imported pictures in quality. The Sydney Sun says: “A Maori Maid’s Love” is unquestionably the best moving picture produced up to date at this end of the world, and Mr Longford’s next attempt should prove even more successful. But. even if he should make no improvement there would he little need for importing films while Australia can make her own of such a standard.”

“Farming is going ahead in South Africa,” said Mr A. Matheson, who has just returned from South Africa, to a Palmerston North Times reporter, “and there is no reason why the country should not have a great hgricultural future. Closer settlement is gradually ridding the land of the numerous pests such as locusts, mosquitoes, and flies, with which farmers have always had great trouble to contend.’,’ In reply to another question, Mr Matheson said that the Government did not encourage immigration. Its aim was to put the poor Dutch on the land first.

•’ A MaSterton man who recently pur- ■ chased a fruit farm is far from safcis- ' fled. He states that he has ■■ome to the conclusion that fruit is intended > for small' birds and not for human I . | consumption. Marly in the season the - whole of his cherries were taken. Then I his red currants disappeared. After- ■ wards strawberries and raspberries 1 went, and now his plums and apples ■ are being destroyed in a wholesale ■ manner. “The birds are worse than ’ rabbits,” he says. “1 expect, them I soon to make an attack upon my po- ■ tatoes. Unless something is don; to ■ destroy the small birds, 1 am satisfied ■ that the fruit industry in New Zealand 1 can never be a success.” At the Salvation Army Hall last ; evening Adjutant and Mrs Cook, were' -'entertained at a “welcome home” by j > members of the Army and their • j friends. The’various religious bodies ■ in the town were represented and the ■ j Hall was comfortably tilled with well ■ wishers. The Mayor (Mi' J, \\ . Boon' who occupied the chair, welcomed home Adjutant and Mrs Cook and expressed pleasure that the order transfering the Adjutant to Thames had been cancelled. He spoke of the , good work Adjutant (took had done in connection with the Army and .Municipal matters. He said the guest of the evening always displayed great interest in the hoys who were going to the front, and his cherry j words w ere appreciated by the men I j and their parents alike. The speaker | I suid he believed the good work commenced by the Adjutant would be continued still further by the aid oi {■Mrs Cook. The following' 1 fiends eontrbiuted musical items: Mrs Hancock and Miss Moon, songs; Miss Hopkins, violin solo; Mrs Arthur, recitation. Miss Hopkins greatly assisted in the evening’s entertainment 'by playing the accompaniments. Ihe Methodist Church was represented by the Hev. A, Beadin', and Mr !’. Thomson attended and apologised lor the unavoidable absence of the Rev. . Pattisou. The meeting was closed with prayer by the Hev. Mi Reader. Refreshments were supplied by the I ladies.

The Taranaki Jockey Club ha s secured special train arrangements to suit visitors to the club’s race meeting next week, not forgetting the interests of settlers out East. An explosion oi kerosene on Tlmrsday night, followed by fire, seriously damaged the Stunner Pumping Station. Mr Winter, assistant-engineer, alio was afire from head to foot, plunged into the river and escaped being burnt to death, but was seriously injured and was conveyed to the hospital. A big store of kerosene was destroyed.—P.A. A number of charges of supplying liquor to Maoris in a prohibited area were hoard at Wanganui on Tuesday. One European was fined £2O and others in smaller amounts. Two Maoris were each fined £4. These had already been fined £1 by the Maori Council. During the hearing the police said that enormous quantities of liquor were going into the area, and that at Christmas there was great debauchery at various pas. . Occasionally one hears of people who live all their lives in their native town and never leave it even for a day, but with such rapid travelling as is possible nowadays such oases are few and far between. Although not quite so remarkable, the case of a licensed porter at Lyttelton is interesting. In conversation with a representative of the Christchurch Press, he mentioned that on the last occasion that he had visited Christchurch the present tramway system had not been installed, so that, although the city is separated from the port by only about seven miles, accomplished by train in 20 minutes, he had not yet seen the municipal electric cars.