LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXX, Issue 4, 7 April 1916, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

The ordinary meeting of the Stratford Borough Council will bo held on Monday at 7.45 p.m. The Kaponga Band will give a concert in Victoria Park. Kaponga. on Sunday afternoon "in aid of the Hawera Hospital funds.

The Auckland City Council carried unanimously a resolution urging the Government to immediately bring in

conscription in any form suitable to moot tho requirements of the Dominion in the present crisis.—P.A.

In the Ladies' Patriotic Rooms, Broadway, on Tuesday, Mesdames D. .1. Malone, Dingle, Curtis and Ashton, will provide lunch and afternoon tea to raise funds for their efforts in connection with Soldiers Day.

At <i large, meeting in the Auckland; Town Hall on "Wednesday night resolu-j tioiifi were carried condemning "shouting," and urging the Government to' introduce legislation to make shouting illegal and to provide for the early closing of hotels. I

A special meeting of the Stratford Borough Council will be held on Monday at 7.30 p.m., to pass a resolution which is to be confirmed at a subse- • quent meeting as a Special Order ac-j copting the surrender of lease from , Messrs Webster, Dobson and Co. of part of section 32b' and granting a now lease to Mr A. F. Mollison. / I

Mr C. D. Sole, member of the Stratford Recruiting Committee, acknowledges receipt of one truck of vegetables, consisting of swede turnips, pumpkins, carrots and cabbages from patriotic farmers and citizens. There were 38 sacks, totalling about %l tons weight. These will reach camp in time for Sunday's dinner, and will, without doubt, be highly appreciated. The next consignment will be sent early in May. The railway authorities are giving every assistance for the prompt delivery of the vegetables.

The Hawera police received advice' yesterday that Ralph Stanley Lewis, formerly of Eltham, had been arrested at Sydney upon a charge of allegedly stealing £llO. Constable Townsend, of Eltham, left for 'Wellington last j night en route for Sydney, to bring back the accused. Lewis was formerly j n partner in the Princess Pictures. Recently the picture business was floated into a limited liability company, ! the South Taranaki Amusement Coin-. pany of which he was at first appoint- : ed general manager. It is in connec-j tion with the affairs of the Princess: Pictures and the new company that he j is required back in Eltham. j

Since its opening in Sydney the Fair Rents Court has been very active, and has dealt with a large number of applications. In almost every instance a reduction was allowed—in one case from 17s 6d to 16s, in another from 15s to 12s 6d, and in'a third from 7s 6d to 6s. In some quarters the working of the Act has been unfavorably commented upon, and some investors have complained that there is little encouragement to erect houses. For instance, at Goulburn plans and other arrangements bad been almost completed for the erection of 12 dwelling houses at a total cost of about £7OOO, but when he found out what the provisions of the Fair Rents Act meant the intending investors abandoned the project.

When the Benmore sections, m North Otago, were balloted for recently, one of the sections was won by a young farmer from the Oamaru district. Complaint was made at once that this man had married a few days before the ballot, in order to qualify to compete, and that he and his two brothers had not done anything towards keeping up the strength of the expeditionary forces, although they were all single men up to the time of this marriage. The matter was referred to the Otago Land Board for inquiry, but the Minister for Lands (Right Hon. W. F. Massey) stated on Wednesday, that he had received information to the effect that the man in question had settled the case on his own account. He had resigned the section in favour of a soldier who was second in the ballot.

At yesterday afternoon's rehearsal of the Stratford Christy Minstrels, there was a full attendance, and good progress was made with the various choruses and part singing. Several well-known local lady vocalists were present, and expressed their willingness to assist in the circle on Soldiers Day. The rehearsal went with a vim, which augers well for a very successful performance before the general public at an early date. It has now been practically decided that the "Christies" will visit Toko on Monday, 16th April, and give a show in aid of the Soldiers Fund, so Toko residents may look forward to a good time, as the music, songs, and dances are all new and right up-to-date. Mr F. Foley is "Massa Johnson," and ifbly fills the bill, while Mr Charles Fox, as musical conductor, may be looked on as head and front of the show, As a side show on Soldiers Day, the Minstrels should prove a big re-venue-raiser.

The Hawera Star reports tliat a collision between two motor cycles occurred on the South Road, near its intersection of Victoria street on Wednesday, happily unattended by. serious consequences. It seems that Dr. Sloan was cycling down Victoria street, intending to visit a patient, and the Hev. Mr Page, of Manaia, was also cycling into Hawera, and by some unexplained means the two cyclists collided, with the result that Dr. Sloan was thrown heavily to the ground. He was picked up in an unconscious condition and removed to his house. Dr. Sloan sustained injuries about the head but upon inquiry next morning a reporter learned that the patient had had a good night, and was progressing satisfactorily. He was able to see patients at his home, and expects to he about again in a day or two. The Rev. Mr Page escaped unhurt. The doctor's motor cycle was badly smashed, and the side car belonging to Mr Page's was alsa much damaged.

Amongst the men who presentee themselves at the Auckland recruiting office the other day was a young man who proved unable to endure the ordeal of medical examination, and promptly fainted away. The doctor made a thorough examination of his subject but was unable to pronounce that there was sufficient cause for his rejection. The young man declared that this was the first occasion in his life on which he had fainted.

The following notices of motion will be dealt .with at the meeting of the Stratford Borough Council on Monday: Cr. Mills to move—" That the special drainage rate be not collected for the incoming year." Cr. Lawson to move—" That the resolution passed at the ordinary meeting of the Council on March 13th, 1916, re imposing £1 per annum on all water flushed closets be rescinded." In connection with the latter, ; t is understood that a large deputation of ratepayers will attend the meeting and enter their protest against the imposition of the tax.

At the Taranal.i Presbytery, which mot at Bawera yesterday, a call from the Sommerville iYesbyteria.i Church, Remueru, Anckland ; was extended to the Rev. J. Pattison. The rev. gentleman said that after a careful and earnest consideration he had decided to accept the call, but at the same time he felt .. >vercjy sorry at the prospect of having his congregation and many friends in Stratford, and of severing his connection with his brother.l in the Presbytery. It is understo d ."tat the Rev. Pattison will leave, » .t'' his family, for Auckland about the beginning of May.

"What is the use of going on with all this appeal business?" said a prominent speaker at a recruiting meeting held at Hokitika recently. "Why, I know of a case of a married man in this district who got his wife's consent to enlist, passed the medical ex-

amination, and then got a letter from the officer commanding the area advising him that his services could not be accepted, as his creditors objected to his going. I think this is a matter that requires looking into," continued the speaker, "for the man can simply go into another district and enlist and all the creditors in the world could not stop him." Members of the committee present were'of the opinion that a rather large question was opened up by this matter, and that in any case it was not one in which they were called upon to interfere.