LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXX, Issue 37, 18 May 1916, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

A quantity of interesting matter is crowded out of our present issue. The annual meeting of the Executive of the Stratford Acclimatisation Society will he held in Mr Newton King’s Office, this evening, at 8 o’clock, instead of in Mr A. D. Stanley’s Office as 'previously arranged. The Belgian Relief Committee deci- ! ded last night to ask the Stratford Racing Club to donate part of the profits, of their recent meeting to the Serbian Relief Fund for immediate transfer to the organisation in charge of the work of relieving the starving Serbians. It was also decided to forward £7O, Mr G. N. Curtis subscribing £2O of this amount to-day. Letters werej received from the Salvation Army and the Minister of Internal Affairs stating j that the need still exists for money toj relieve our gallant Allies, and all who can do so are asked to contribute their donations as early as possible. I

A case of absent-mindedness came under the notice of a member of the staff of the Bruce Herald, when a farmer, who hails from the Emerald Isle, strolled out of a news agent’s shop in Milton reading a daily paper. So engrossed was he in the latest news of the Sinn Fein that he entered another man’s buggy and drove away, oblivious of the fact that he had left his own milk cart standing outside the shop. After he had proceeded some distance the . rightful owner discovered the mistake, entered the milk cart, and then ensued | chase, slightly reminiscent of picture' films, until the “absent-minded bog-

gar” was overtaken and explanations followed. The delay of the War Pensions Board in granting a pension to the mother of Sergeant-Major A. H. Dewar was mentioned in the House of Representatives on Tuesday by Dr. Thacker (Christchurch East). The member asked if the Minister for Defence had seen an article on the sub-

ject in a Taranaki paper. The Minister (Hon. J. Allen) said lie had heard of the ease, which had been receiving the consideration of the Pensions Hoard. The difficulty was that Mrs Dewar had stated before the war, when applying for an old age pension; that her son did not contribute to her support. .Now she stated he had contributed. Mr Okey (Taranaki) said both statements might be true. The son might have boarded with his mother and assisted her in that way without actually contributing towards her support. Mr Wilford (Hutt) said the case illustrated the need for an amendment of the law regarding old age pensions. Applicants should be asked what money they bad, not what money they had received, during the preceding year. Then old people would not be forced to gp a little beyond tin' mark in order to secure the pension. The Hon. A. M. Myers (Minister in Charge of the Pensions Department') said ho would bo glad to consider the suggestion. For Bronchial vtuinrhs tn\e Woods’ Great Peppermint Cure.

Great minds do not always “think alike, ’ and public speakers are so rnetimes surprised at the reproduction of their remarks in cold type. At yesterday’s County Council meeting Cr. Smith questioned the accuracy of some statements attributed to him and duly reported, but was promptly assured by other Councillors that he had certainly used the words he now failed to remember. Cr. Baskin, echoing Cr. Smith, said he also had a grievance against the Press. Reports of what lie said were “very one-sided,” and left out many matters touched on by him of considerable importance. Cr. Christoft’ol, however, quite evened things up for the poor newspaper men, by remarking that not only did the papers report his remarks fully, but that, on more than one occasion, he had blushed with pleasure and could scarcely icalise that he was not getting credit for more than he had actually said and so robbing some other speaker of ids just dues! Generous, indeed, of Cr. Cliristoffel, and certainly his attita ie is not that of the Council’s two Chief Mourners.

A very successful concert was held in the St. Andrew’s Hall last evening the proceeds being in aid of the Choir A estry Fund. The hall was crowded, and the concei t was voted on all sides' to he an unqualified success. Mr P. Thomson, who made a very successful chairman, in a short introductory speech, briefly outlined the object of the concert. The following contributed items: Mr and Misses Rogers, instrumental trio, “National Airs”; Mr North, song, “The Deathless Army” ; Miss Milner, song m “The Dear Homeland”; Mr A. Bet’s, Hebrew sketch, “Oi, Oi, Yot a Game”; Miss Sangster, song, “Sing, Sing, the Birds on the Wing”; Miss Rowe recitation; Mrs Dixon, song, “Somewhere a Voice is Calling” ; Misses Sangster and Robinson and Messrs North and Betts, vocal quartette, “The Carnovale” ; Mr F. Foley, ventriloquial exhibition; Mrs Jardine, song, “Sincerity”; Mr and Misses Rogers, instrumental trio, selected ; Mr H. LI. Betts, song, “A Chip of the Old Block”; Mr A. Betts, recitation, “Cohen at the Telephone” ; Misses Robinson and Robinson and Messrs North and Betts, vocal quartette, “Sweet and Low.” The concert concluded with the singing of the National Anthem.

A rather sensational story is told by the News regarding the Magon family f who reside on the Newall Road, in the New Plymouth district. From the account given it appears that it came to the knowledge of Charles Magon during the day that a party of men proposed to pay a midnight visit to his son’s whare, wh.li the object of wrecking it, and he accordingly set about to equip a small force to repel any attempt at destruction. It is stated that guns and other useful weapons of defence were provided and a scheme was decided upon to protect the whare at night and to give the raiders an unexpected reception. Well-equipped and wide-awake, Magon’s force prepared to defend the whare, and as it neared midnight the approach of the raiders, ten sturdy young men, was announced. They approached the whare and proceeded to surround it, whereupon Magon and his friends also indulged in a little surrounding business. Seeing that they were expected, the raiders scattered, and four escaped } but without any difficulty the other six men were captured. The raiders are reported not to have “shown fight,” and the incident was a much quieter affair than had been anticipated. The names of all the teii men have been obtained, and it is reported they are all wellknown residents from Warea, Puniho, and Oaonui. For Cough and Golds, never fails Woods’ Great Peppermint Cure