LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXX, Issue 45, 27 May 1916, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

The first of ;i series of weekly dances to be held throughout the winter, will take place next Wednesday evening in the Parish Hall.

The Stratford Retailers' have decided to observe Monday, sth June (King's Birthday), as a close Holiday, in lieu of Saturday, 3rd Juno.

Adjutant Cook, of the Salvation Army, desires to acknowledge- receipt of £4 13s 9d from the Cardiff Dairy Company for the use of the Salvation Army Organisation among the New Zealand Forces.

The second term of St. Mary's School for Girls, Stratford begins on June 7th. An advertisement in this issue states that us the accommodation for boarders is.limited, applications should be made now for this and the following terms. FulJ particulars will be supplied b>- the secretary. Mr. A. 1). Standley.

The Patriotic Market and Tea-roonis conducted by members of tbe Ladies' Patriotic Committee, was opened as usual to-day. Mr Alger, who is conducting monthly competitions for users of Anzac Baking Powder, donated the scones, which were the subject of tin's month's competition, to the Market.

An Auckland Press Association telegram to-day says: Wright Chambers, a irtarried man, 44 "yea>s"'6f age, died in the hospital to-day from injuries sustained at Leyland and O'Brien's timber mill. He was working a circular saw when a piece of wood Hew up and struck him in the abdomen, causing internal injuries. Chambers leaves a widow and one child.

The work of crushing boulders for the County Council on the Cheal Road has now been completed, and the plant has been despatched to Midhirsfc to crush stone for the East Riding. Most of the metal will be forwarded to Gordon Road station and Huiroa. Upon the completion of the contract at Midhirst, the plant will go to Stanley Road and then to the Finnerty Road. >

The members of the 17th Reinforcements will assemble at the School Grounds at 8.10 a.m. on Monday, prior to leaving for camp by the mail train. It is hoped that there will be a large attendance of the public on the station to farewell the men who are going to fight the battle of Liberty and Freedom. His Worship the Mayor (Mr J. W. Boon) will deliver a short address to the men before entraining operations commence.

The record log for a West Coast sawmill was brought into the Land and Timber Company's mill at Te Kinga on Thursday last (says the Groymouth Star). It was a white pine 86ft long and sft 10in in diameter at the butt, and well maintained throughout its length, no knots being visible and very little shake. When cut it produced 6800 superficial feet of timber, only 620 ft being second-class. The rest was first-class, and included 4300 ft of wide boards.

Messrs A. Hatrick and Co., proprietors of the Wanganui river service' lost the'river boat "Waeiti" on Saturday last. It was ascending a rapid near Aukopae. The response to the telegraph signal from the bridge was not prompt, and the vessel ran on a shallow. A hole was knocked in the

bottom of the boat, and she began bo fill rapidly. The ''Waeiti" drifted downstream to deeper waters where she sank. The moils and passengers' luggage Here recovered, but all the ship's benzine was lost. Attempts to raise her have so far been futile.

Commissioner Hodder, of the Salva-j tion Army, who is to address a meet-, ing in the Presbyterian Church on j Tuesday evening next, is one of the' early day officers of the Army. Besidescommands in Great Britain, his work has taken him into France. Holland. Belgium, Germany, Russia, Ceylon. China, Italy, Africa and some of the Islands ol the Pacific. He has been in charge of the Salvation Army \\xtr\i in Japan, and his lecture on the Customs and Salvation Army warfare there is both thrilling and interesting. On Tuesday his subject will be the Rescue and General Social Work of the Army. Tiie Mayor of Stratford presides. A uni'.od ten meeting ai the Army Hall precedes the indoor service at S p.m.

The Hon. G. W. Russell has received a cheque of £IO.OOO from the Bank of \en Zealand towards patriotic funds. Diphtheria is still very prevalent in New Plymouth f and unless there is a decline in the epidemic a number of schools will probably lie closed next week. The first competition for scones made with "Anzac" baking powder was decided yesterday, the winner being Mm C A. McDonnell, who receives a CB"4ji prize of five shillings. Another competition will be held next month. In a letter regarding the protection of hawks received by .Air J. A. Young, M.P. from the Minister of Internal Affairs it is stated that the department has decided to protect these birds this year as it was strongly urged that they, being the natural enemy of the rabbit, should now be protected. It is impossible, says the Minister to deal with the matter differently in any one portion of the country, but it is hoped to deal with the matter during the present session. Mr Russell adds, however that under the existing Act he has power to authorise any person to destroy animals or birds found on his property and committing damage. If application is made by the owners of property that is being so destroyed he will favorably consider such application.

A marvellous escape from a serious, if not fatal accident, occurred on the Waitotara 11:11 on Thursday night (reports the Pa.ea Press). A party consisting of ''!;• and Mrs P. Bouvke and infant, Mr end .Mrs Lamb and Mr Thorburn, cf V.'h nuakura, were motoring home from Wauganui, and when negotiating one of the sharp turns on the Waitotara hill the car skidded and ran over the bank, turning turtle and rolling down to the bottom of the hill. In the descent Mr Thorburn was hurled clean through the hood of the car and the infant into a clump of bushes close by. When the car eventually stopped and a tally was taken of the passengers it was found that beyond a few bruises and scratches and considerable amount of shock, no injury was sustained. Looking at the car in its present position it would appear a marvel that all were not killed outright. During the last few days cattle dealers have been very loud in their complaints regarding the state of the railway receiving yards at the corner of Fenton and Juliet Streets. The yards are in an absolute disgraceful state, the whole place being one. lake of mud. in places, inches deep. The trucking yard is the worst of the three, tbe muddy slime being about six inches deep. Hundreds of head of cattle and sheep are forwarded by rail from the Stratford district every week, and to keep the yard in a fit state to work in, it should be paved witli" bricks or concreted, and properly drained? At the present time, the surface water and mud runs over on to the side of the. road. The yards should be rebuilt, as was demonstrated last week when a big bull made its exit through the fence, almost without an effort. The matter of improving the yards should receive the urgent consideration of the Railway Department.

The Petone District High School, Committee has passed'the following.re-, solution:—"That, owing to Leslie Manning (a pupil at the school) breaks ing his leg through no fault of his own, in the playground during school hours, the- committee wishes to know whether the Wellington Education Board would assist the parents child by paying the medical expenses incurred at the Wellington Hospital." Failing assistance in this direction, the committee recommends that the hoard should communicate with the Minister of Education, and ask him to set aside a sum of money as an annual allowance for the inauguration of a school committee's accident fund and to point out that as employers are liable for accidents to employees, so the Government should be responsible to the Education Board for any expense that, may be incurred through the accident to a child during school hours on school premises, the child being at work educationally in the same manner as the worker is industrially.