LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXVIV, Issue 57, 12 February 1916, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

«,©,•" through country that is under occupation by European planters. Other l parts are swampy and very unhealthy. The Associated Auctioneers' Assoj ciation acknowledge receipt of SJI Is I from Mr W. Bonnor, towards the Gift Auction Sale. The Patriotic Market and Tea. Rooms was opened as usual to-day. The shop was well supplied with produce, cakes, etc., and throughout the day the promoters were kept busy. Very excellent light meals were put on in the tea rooms, and the amount derived therefrom will considerably augment the fund. 5i At a meeting of the Stratford Wo- > j men's Christian Temperance Union, -j held on February 10th, it was resolved I to send the following letter to the Hon. " J. Allen, Minister for Defence:—Dear Sir, —The members of the Stratfoi i W.C.T.U. most earnestly appeal to ymi to prohibit the practice of "shouting" for our soldiers by the public. This mistaken kindness is the cause of much trouble and disgrace to those whom we should hold in honor for the sacrifices they are making. We also rejf spectfully urge that the sale of intoxi- | eating drink to men wearing the \ King's uniform be prohibited and the i order strictly enforced.

There was an angry man at the Xew Plymouth races on Thursday, states the Argus, and he was roundly abusing totalizator clerks as being the worst kind of fools. He had purchased three tickets, and he declared that the wrong number had been served out to him, but the clerk refused to correct the alleged error. The disappointed speculator then tried to sell his three tickets for £2, but could not find a buyer, so he held the tickets. The wrong number tickets were on Tree Lucerne, who returned a nice little dividend. How happy our speculator then was to think that he had been unable to sell his tickets.

At the banquet given in the Medina tea rooms by the Stratford Brigade in connection with the Taranaki District United Fire Brigades' Association Conference last evening, his Worship the Mayor (Mr J. W. Boon) said that of late there had been some talk of vesting the Stratford Fire Brigade in a Fire Board, but up to the present he had not thoroughly considered the question. He could not say whether itwould be beneficial to a small brigade to work under a Fire Board. The matter would have his attention at an early date. The President (Superintendent Nuttall) said he had had fair experience with fire boards, and in his opinion it would be beneficial to have the brigade vested in a board. In New Zealand the insurance companies should help to maintain the brigades, and if a board was formed, such would be the case. Though the Stratford Borough Council had done all in its power to assist the brigade, with the help of the insurance companies the brigade would fare better. He advised the Stratford brigade to have its plant vested under a fire board, and then it would be controlled jointly by the Council and the Board.

Mr H. "Williams, late manager of the Stratford Mountain House, now of the North Egmont Hostelry, made the round trip from his house to the Stratford House via Manganui (Jorge,

Curtis, ;iud Bridal Veil Falls on Monday last. He was acting as guide to a gentleman touring the Dominion, This is a trip very rarely made, but very much appreciated by those who do make it. The tails had a tremendous volume of water flowing on account of the heavy recent rains. The track leading to the Stratford House through the heavy forest is very much overgrown, but quite easily followed. On the return journey, and crossing the Maifganui Gorge, he came across a huge rock, which weighed fyom three to five tons, on which some two years ago bo had completely turned over, hut there it still lies. Later, the party had the uncanny experience of hearing a huge tall ol rock towards summit of the mount. The tall lasted i about a couple of minutes and could not be seen on account of the fog. 11l the absence of the regular guide at the North House, Mr Williams has had to do this work for the last six weeks, .this week alone doing the summit three limes, besides the above trip. Mrs Elliott, at the Stratford House, had a good meal awaiting the party, and dried their wet clothes prior to their starling on the return journey. On Tuesda l , when on the summit, Xgaruahoe looked most peculiar, anti no suiprse was lull when later nt'ws came through that she was active again. The North Kgmout Hostel has just completed a record month for January.

At the Stratford Magistrate's Court tins morning before Justices, a prohibition order was granted against a local resident on his own application.

The meeting of the general committee of the Stratford A. and P. Association called for to-day to consider the advisability of holding a gymkhana at the showgrounds at Easter, in aid of the Patriotic Funds, lapsed for want of a quorum.

Weather Forecast.—The indications are for southerly strong winds to gale. The weather will probably prove squally, with heavy showers. Barometer unsteady.--Bates, Wellington.

The Inspectors of Stock at New Plymouth and Stratford recently purchased in the Whangamomona and Stratford districts a further supply of horses for the Expeditionary Forces. Nine were purchased at Whangamomona, and thirteen at Stratford, all being trucked to the remount depot at Upper Hutt during the week. Some tip-top animals were secured, both of the cavalry and artillery types.

Who oiled the wheels ? This may seem absurd to the layman, but to the members of the Stratford Fire Brigade it means some joke. After the demonstration held at Victoria Park on Thursday afternoon a protest was lodged that the wheels of the reel had been oiled by one of the competing teams. At last night's conference of the Fire Brigades of Taranaki, much was heard of the protest, and the president on many occasions asked to be let into the joke—if there was one. Nobody volunteered to explain the matter, but when, in responding to the toast of "The Press," the newspapermen, asked about the "oiling" business, Captain Grubb explained that two members of the staff of the "Stratford Evening Post" were members of the winning team, and someone had been accused of oiling the wheels, or else—.—. (Laughter). With thi s explanation the matter dropped, but was it not an insult to the printers to be told that if they had not oiled the wheel the judge's decision may have been reversed? No, those newspaper men, are fast! Some sav!