LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXVIV, Issue 91, 23 March 1916, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

The Ngaere school has heen disinfected by the Health Officer, and will re-open on Monday next.

His Worship the Mayor (Mr Boon) has received the following telegram from headquaters of the Defence Department, Hawera: "Get as many men as possible enlisted and medically examined for despatch to camp on 27th inst."

The New Plymouth Railway Patriotic Committee is holding a Grand Art Union in aid of the national fund for wounded soldiers and particulars of same are published in another column. The first and second prizes are building sections in Wanganui valued at £2OO each. Tickets are only one shilling each.

Yesterday afternoon, Dr. Smith (Health Inspector, Wellington) accompanied by Mr J. W. Boon (Mayor) and Mr T. D. Sullivan (Borough Engineer) paid a visit of inspection to a number of eating houses, food shops, the school and picture theatre and in several cases insisted upon important alterations.

The school drum-and-fife band will head the company of Senior Cadets in their march from the school to the Pictures at His Majesty's Theatre to-morrow evening. In addition to the usual change of films,.Lieutenant Gray will deliver a short address on "The Life and Training of a Seating accommodation at the Theatre should be at a premium at an early hour on Friday evening.

As a sequal to statements made by Councillor Smith concerning the Engineer (Mr W. J. Lopdell) and his qualifications, at the last meeting of the Stratford County Council, the latter has instructed Mr P. O'Dea, of Hawera, to demand a public apology and the payment of a substantial sum to the Stratford Public Hospital fund failing which he will take action for alleged libel.

At the Stratford Magistrate's Court yesterday, before Messrs C. D. Sole and C. E. Bell ringer, J's.P., Alfred John Kelly, a one armed "gentleman" with about forty previous convictions against him, was charged with having no lawful visible means of support. In sentencing the prisoner to one month's imprison' ment, the bench remarked that if he entered the Court again he would receive a much longer term of imprisonment.

The cases set down for hearing at; the weekly sitting of the Stratford Magistrate's Court to-morrow comprise thirty-six civil cases (one defended) six judgment summons, an information for riding a motor ■ cycle j without a light, information tor'using obscene and indecent language, cross-! ing a level crossing in'a motor car j while a train is approaching, failing to contribute towards the maintain-! ance of a child in the Industrial School, information for using obscene language, information for obscene ex-, posure, and an information for the, disobedience of an order under the. Destitute Persons' Act. »

A "saw doctor," a man named John Thomas Potter, appeared on remand before Messrs J. Masters and J. McCluggage, J's.P., at the Stratford Magistrate's Court this morning :o answer to a charge of indecent as-, sault on a little girl seven years of age. After the charge had been.read prisoner said: "I know nothing about it. 1 have my private business and' nobody is going to interfere with it.''; Mr P. Thomson said he had been requested that morning by an acquaintance of the accused to interview the prisoner. Prisoner had used to him the same remarks as he bad uttered in Court. Potter was remanded to New Plymouth for one week, in the meantime to be medically examined as to his mental condition. The re-building operations made necessary by Tuesday's cyclonic storm: have proceeded apace and the dam-! aged houses will scon resume thencustomary appearance. New roofing iron was necessary on many sheds and residences in Cordelia Street; and this gives them rather a pecular appearance, on account of only portions of the roof being painted. The builders are repairing Mr Grubb's house and re-erect ing the shed. Newton King's bide sheds have received attention. Whether on account of the shortage of bricklayers or not, many chimneys still remain levelled to the roofs. The Telegraph Department's linesmen experienced a very busy time yesterday repairing the wires on! Cloton Road. ;

Tho Stratford Gun Club has arranged to hold a field day next Thursday on their grounds at Messrs Nelson and Green's property on the East Road, when open and novice events will be held. The committee are making special provision for the latter, recognising that in the young shots lies the future stability of the Club. The "clays" provide good sport, and with the same fortune in weather as has attended the Club's efforts for the past three programmes, a successful and enjoyable afternoon should be in store for all competitors.

Regarding the recent court decision in South Australia restraining Salvation Army officers at Mount Gambier from conducting the services in

such a manner as to annoy a resident living adjacent to the Hall, the Melbourne Cry says: "We are not likely to accept without protest any restriction to our freedom to carry on the usual exercises associated with Salvation Army meetings in our ball at Mt. Gambier, especially seeing that the whole of our regulations and practices are framed with a view co securing effectiveness in our services, and yet at the same time granting what is the undoubted right of r ijoining owners, viz., the reasonable enjoyment of their premises. The Mt. Gambier case is stated to be the first o i record, where the sounds emnroting from a religious service are made the subject of litigation, and it is significant, notwithstanding the complex interest of work in Great Britain and in other lands 10 case has ever been tried, anywhe-e, iior h-s ;uid decision been giveii ?uch as is now sought to be imposed upon us by the South Aus-> tralian Court. The decision will occasion considerable surprise, though it will not lessen either the work or. effectiveness of The Salvation Army, nor indeed, of its services either in Mount Gambier or elsewhere. The matter is now engaging the attention of the legal advisers of The Army, and it is expected the Commissioner will be arriving at a decision almost iminediatelv."