LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXVIV, Issue 83, 14 March 1916, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

The Arbitration Court will sit at .New,Plymouth on or about March 80. Friday next, St. Patrick's Day, will' be observed as a close holiday by the solicitors practising in Stratford. The shorthand class at the Stratford Technical School will be continued on Wednesday evening. The director of the School will be in attendance, and will be glad to hear from any pupils who wish other classes to be opened.

The acting-Chief Postmaster advises that on and after 16th inst. all postal packets, other than newspapers. posted for German Samoa, now in British military occupation are subject to a halfpenny war'Tax.

A Norwegian named Andrew Theodore Anderson, employed at Porirua Mental Hospital, was yesterday fined £25 for disloyal utterances. He asked for time to pay, but the application was refused, and the alternative fixed at two months' imprisonment.

A domestic emhroglio, resulting in the husband attacking with his fists the disturber of his home, is said to have occurred at Waitara on Friday morning (states the Mail). The intruder, though warned, was most persistent in his efforts to visit the house, and he received a pretty severe drubbing.

At last night's meeting of the Stratford Borough Council, the Mayor's notice of motion, "That the (waterworks by-laws be amended in the direction of making a charge of £1 for all water-flushed closets connected with the sewer," was discussed at considerable length, and was eventually carried by six votes to three. Cr. Lawson then gave notice of motion to rescind the resolution. A full report of the discussion will appear in to-morrow's issue.

The Prime Minister (Hon. W. F. Massey) states that he will not be able to say for a Fortnight any more about the possibility of an early session of Parliament. At Hie nvl of that' period (slates Ihe Press Association), be hoped the Cabinet would he able to decide as to the date on which the House would meet. He would not say as to whether there was or was not •! likelihood of Cabinet deciding that Parliament be called together before the usual mueting time at the end -f June.

Speaking at the meeting of the Stratford Patriotic Committee yesterday afternoon .Mr W. P. Kirkwood said members should make it very clear to the public that by supporting the entertainment of tic- Fete of Nations to be held in t> Town Hall on Wednesday evening, the local Wound erl Soldiers' Fund would benefit to tin extent of the gross amount. The only amount that would be deducted would be for advertising, wages of mechanic and freight on scenery. If the people' of Stratford Ipiew how good the entertainment , was they would book/wow (JQftt,

The Toko Settlers' Picnic and Sports Association hold their annual picnic and dance on March 23rd this year.

The weight-guessing competition at the Stratford Patriotic Mart on Saturday was won by Mr C. E. James who guessed the weight of a fine bunch of grapes (presented by the Mayoress) to be 21b 3}ozs., the actual weight being 21b lozs. A grand Catholic social is to be held in the Town Hall on the evening oi Friday next, St. Patrick's Day, March 17th. Part of the proceeds will be devoted to the Patriotic Fund. A very enjoyable function may be looked forward to.

Weather Forecast.—The indications are for easterly moderate to strong winds prevailing and backing by east to north. Expect warm and humid conditions at times. Barometer unsteady. Expect dull weather with much mist and fog in parts. The barometer has a falling tendency.— Bates, Wellington.

In consequence of receiving numerous inquiries as to whether there was any truth in the rumor that the Tenth Reinforcements had been recalled, Mr H. J. Okey, M.P., wired to the Premier on the subject, and received the following reply: "No truth in rumor regarding Tenth Reinforcements.—W. F. Masscv."

The Hamilton case in which Frederick William Schramm, registrar of electors for Taumarunui, sued Dr. McNab for £IOOO damages for alleged slander j was called on yesterday morning, but it was announced that it had been amicably settled, plaintiff accepting defendant's assurances that he had not used the words complained of, or any words intended to reflect on plaintiff.

An Auckland Press Association telegram states:—Lieutenant Alexander Hugh Grierson, of Auckland, an officer in l Ihe 10th Reinforcements, stayed behind to take legal action against certain persons who had suggested he was of German extraction and had German leanings. An inquiry will be held into the charges, probably by a Royal Commission. This inquiry will not prejudice any legal action by Grierson.

Gordon Stuart Mason and Rhoda Randall Davidson, who pleaded guilty at Wellington Supreme Court to a charge of having contracted' a bigamous marriage; came up for sentence yesterday. Mason was sentenced to

six months' imprisonment with hard labor. The female prisoner owing to the state of her health, was ordered to go to the Salvation' Army Home and remain there until in a better state of health.

The installation of. the new automatic, fire alarm system in the Hawera borough is almost completed, 14 alarm boxes having been erected 'at various points. Superintendent Pettett. informed a Star reporter vested day morning that the trials made have proved entirely satisfactory. The official opening of the system will not take place until after the meating of the Fire Board, which is to be held this month.

Reporting at the Borough Council meeting last evening, Mr J. .1). Healy (architect) stated that during the recent spell of fine: weather, good progress had been made with the Municipal Buildings. In his opinion, during the next few days, the outside of the building would be completed. All the plastering of the municipal portion had been completed, except the Mayor's room. MiMcMillan sen. would be in town on Tuesday, and he hoped to employ additional plasterers, if so, the contractors would be out in eight weeks.

"There is a prospect of a prominent newspaoer in New Zealand being prosecuted for publishing information calculated to be of assistance to the enemy," says the Dunedin Star. "If the prospect be real, the authorities should give wider exercise to their policy of defending the realm and appoint special-men to discover the originators of such wicked rumors (as have been distressingly current in Dunedin recently) of disaster to hospital transports, presence of enemy cruisers in the Pacific, return of Reinforcements, and so on. It is time that the Government made an effort to seize and severely punish the idiotic persons who originate alarming stories."

"I know that a very large majority of members of the House are against Mr Allen holding the portfolio of Defence," states Mr Payne, in a circular he has addressed to all members of Parliament. "I suggest that the urgency of the case is such that all members of Parliament hold a meeting at an early dtite with a. view to passing a resolution calling for the resignation of Mr Allen, in order that a more tactful and more reasonable member of the Reform party be appointed in his stead, and in order that all matters pertaining to military administration be strictly inquired into in order to ascertain who is the instigator of commissions beijig given to those who are of alien birth or descent." Mr Payne's circular runs - some length, as be deals with the work of the Wellington Women's Anti-German League, and makes a good many allegations regarding German trading in New Zealand and the inclusion of persons bearing German or Austrian names in our Forces, Ten names are mentioned in the circular, and Mr Payne suggests that a large number of apparent aliens have gone away with the reinforcements drafts as officers. The member for Grey Lynn asks his fellow members to reply to the suggestions as soon as possible, so.that he may convene a sneeting without delav. , j ; . -.,.. .■ .. ■ . v.-, : ..