LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXX, Issue 43, 25 May 1916, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

The Holhorn (London) Maternity Centre held a baby show at the Holborn Borough Council offices last, month, when among the prizes was a knitted wool coat and bonnet made by a mother in New Zealand, and sent for the baby of a soldier’s wife in thes* Holhorn centre. As so many soldiers’ wives with their babies were present the gift was presented to a soldier’s widow, whose husband had boon killed at the front only two months ago. For the fourth time within seven years a Hartford (Connecticut) woman has successfully undergone the Caesarian operation, according to a telegram in a San Francisco paper of April 26. Both the mother and her baby girl show no ill effects. Surgeons, while conceding that medical history tells of one woman who was operated upon seven times, says this case is a precedent in the United States. Only one of the four children died.

How strong neighbourly competition runs in some country places was demonstrated at a sale at the Land Board of seven acres at Makuri, near Pongoroa. The upset price of the land was €B4 the lot', or £7 per acre. There was but two competitors, one of whom was adjoining owner. The other was a neighbour. Between them the price was forced m> to £3Ol, or £43 an acre. It was krir-ked clown by Mr H. M. Bannister, Chief Clerk, as auctioneer, to Mr R. ~ Ellingham, the owner of the land : ’j-duing.

The keenness of an Auckland recruit to take an active share in the defence of King and Country and his profound enthusiasm at being given the muchdesired opportunity to bear arms was exemplified in a very practical manner during last week. He had some doubt about his ability to “pass muster” under. a strict medical test, and he approached the ordeal with a certain amount of misgiving. However, he went through, and so enjoyed was he that ho attached his signature to a cheque for £25 and passed it on the patriotic fund.

Since Sir John French has been responsible for the Home Defences lie has introduced the 24-hour clock-time

system into his Department, thus following the example of the Indian and some Continental railway systems; There, is now no danger of confusing' ante with post meridian hours. One o'clock is 1 o’clock in the morning, 12 o clock is noon, and 24 o’clock is midnight. An order issued at 6 p.m. is timed 18 hours, and there is no possibility of mistaking the actual time of the order.

Aii altar-service book which has been in use on the altar of Holy Trinity Church, Stratford-on-Avon, England, for the last 50 years, has been received by the Rev. C. W. Howard from Captain V. Crawshaw, A visit was paid to Stratford-on-Avon by Captain Crawshaw, when the book was given to him by the vicar of the church. The fly-leaf contains the following inscription“ From The Collegiate Church of The Holy Trinity, Stratford-on-Avon, England, to Holy Trinity Church, Stratford, N.Z. William G. Melville, Canon of Coventry. Vicar, Lady Day, 1916.” The book is in a very good state of preservation.

At Waitangi on Monday evening last, a farmer named John Shaw had a mare and gelding considerably slashed about by some sharp instrument (says the Hamilton correspondent of the Auckland Star). The act was that of either a mentally unhinged or evilly designed person. The mare, which was tied in a cow bail T was shockingly cut about on her hind-quarters, necessitating 19 stitches in her wounds one of which is 12f inches long and an inch deep. The gelding, which was tied to a rail and bailed against a fence, was not so severely maltreated as the mare. Mr Shaw had another mare similarly dealt with four months ago.

The Salvation Army Self-Denial Week in the British Territory has secured the magnificent total of £8(5,346 18s 10d, being the highest sum yet raised, and an increase of £8.431 os 5d on last year’s record. In his letter of thanks in the London ‘War Cry,’ the General says‘The campaign as a whole lia.s been marked by a considerable advance in the number our own people taking pgrt in it; by extraordinary and devoted efforts in some Corps to make up for the absence of the men who have gone forth in the service of the Nation; by a wonderful unanimity in all ranks, and by a spirit of gladness and enthusiasm upon the entire Field.’

A sensational statement was made in the Te Kuiti Magistrate’s Court by Mr G. P. Finlay, counsel for a railway porter named George Swanson, who pleaded guilty to keeping liquor for sale, also to obtaining liquor without furnishing his correct name and address (says the correspondent to the Mew Zealand Herald). The police stated that accused had got liquor in at least 20 different names, and suggested that a conspiracy existed among railway employees. Mr Finlay stated that a conspiracy existed, one of the ohki ('Jerks being tlie principal. The accused Swanson was the tool of the clerk in question, who gave Swanson a doable ring to remain silent. The ring was handed to the police Jn court. A parcels delivery book which would have been important evidence in the case, disappeared when the police started inquiries. A departmental inquiry is now taking place. Mr Rawson, the magistrate, inflicted a tine of £AO, and stated that, if subsequent disclosures warranted it,-accused could apply for remission of the fine and he would recommend it. Accused has had 10 years’ service in the railway.

The Court-martial at Christchurch found Sergeant Prosper, Territorial, not guilty of striking Lieutenant Lennon, and the prisoner was discharged. -r.A. At the meeting of the Taranaki Land Board yesterday, six holders of Crown lands applied for exemption ol the terms of their leases as they had M enlisted for active service. In each case exemption was granted for twelve months. A Hawera Press Association message this morning states: The train from Wanganui last night ran into a heavy landslide in the Gorge, and the engine is embedded. •The southern express this morning was delayed nearly two hours. On the arrival of the Maori to-day, it was found that a number of passengers had been robbed during the night. The Press Association states that the pick-pocket got a good haul, one passenger losing £l6. The sums all total well over £IOO. The authorities are reticent, and the police have the matter in hand!. A general meeting of all interested -in Temperance Reform will he hold in the Wesley Schoolroom, Regan Street, at 7.30 o’clock to-night. Efficiency is the cry of the Empire, and all parties are practically agreed that the national resources must he conserved. The reason for the prohibition of “shoiiting” and the curtailing of the. hours of liquor bars has caused South Australia and Tasmania to adopt six o’clock closing, while all the Allies have restricted the sale of liquor. It is for the purpose of discussing the position in the Dominion tllat temperance people will meet to-night in Stratford.

In the course of his speech on the War Pensions Bill in the House of Representatives, the Hon. Mr Allen (Minister of Defence) said special provision had been made in the Bill for the widowed mother where her son was the sole support. In such cases the law placed the widowed mother in the same position as the .wife of a soldier. In regard to the old age pension, in no instance had the old age pension been considered in fixing the war pcilsion.—Mr Wilford; “Mrs Dewar ” Mr Allen :i “That is quite a different case,i Mrs Dewar’s case was this: When she applied for the old age pension she swore she had no one assisting., hpr., It was to her advantage to lead.the, Old Age Pension Commissioner to think she was receiving no support at all. When, it came to the war pension they have to show that they have been receiving assistance from somebody else. She proceeded to show that the, son who was not assisting her when she was applying for the old age pension was assisting her when she applied for the war pension.”

Commissioner and Mrs Hodder quite recently performed the opening ceremony of a new Home for girls at Anderson’s Bay, Dunedin. This is m fine property of sixteen acres, and is part of the scheme of .classification which has been decided upon in connection with Homes for Women. Many young girls of wayward tendencies have beyn committed to the Army’s carej ,and it is thought most unwise for them to associate with others who haye ,g£Qwn old in wrong doing. This is really an Industrial Homo, and quite distinct from tho class of girl in the Home for Girls at Wellington, where, approximately fifty young orphan or semi-orphan children are in residence under happy conditions. Commissioner and Mrs Hodder will each address a meeting in the Presbyterian Church on Tuesday night next, at 8 o’clock. The Mayor of Stratford will preside, and a tea meeting at 6.30 in the Army Hall precedes the meeting at the Church. The proceeds of the tea will be in aid of the Social Work of the Army.

“Making night hideous.”—Hamlet. Nothing is more distressing than to bo kept awake at nights by constant coughing due to chest and bronchia] troubles. Certain relief can be obtained by using Baxter’s Lung Preserver, the remedy that has proved invaluable for over half a century. Not only does it banish coughs, colds and similar ailments, but it invigorates the body which has naturally been weakened through long suffering. Big bottle costs Is XOd at Storekeepers and Chemist-