LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXI, Issue 2, 1 August 1916, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

In the House of Representatives last night, the Hon, .Mr Alien announced that the lAt h Reinforcements had 'reached their destination safely. The new boundaries of the faran T.i Education District come into operation to-day. The district now extends southward to Mokeia, The quantity of butNr at the various gazetted grading stores m ti. ‘ Dominion on -‘list duly, was 2<5.9 1 boxes. The total last year was 11,291, and the previous year 22,(51-1. j The Government has agreed to lur- ; nis'h a return on Mr Wilford’s motion,! showing the cost to -New Zealand oil the abandoned Mount Kgmont quarry| and the expense entailed on the ratepayers from the commencement of the work to the present time on the new quarry on Mount Kgmont. The Defence Office, Hawera, advise all men waiting to be called up who desire to go into camp at once, can go on Wednesday morning next if they will send a collect wire to Htniwera; also men .who sign on at once and pass the medical test can go forward at the same time.

Mr J aek Copestake, who mot with a serious motor accident near Bell Block on Saturday night ,and was admitted to tho New Plymouth Hospital, is still in a critical condition. The hospital authorities reported a slight improvement in hits condition this morning.

On enquiry being made at tho Stratford Hospital this morning, it way stated that Mr H. Sutton, who was admitted to the institution on Saturday evening as the result of a collision with a motor car, was progressing as well as could be expected. Mr Sutton spent an easier night. There was aslight improvement in his condition.

At tho Cardiff factory at 10.30 a.m. to-morrow, Mr Bccre, of the Agricultural Department, will give a practical demonstration of tho best method of taking and preserving veils for rennet making. The making of rennet is now a matter of great importance, and every supplier should attend or be represented.

Since the outbreak of war, nearly two years ago, the names of about 700 recruits have passed through the local Defence Office. Out of this number, one hundred and sixty men were rejected. At the beginning of the war, Lieutenant Gray had the names of one hundred and fifty riflemen, one hundred and fifty territorials, and three hundred cadets on the register, and from these figures it can he seen that the men in No. 30 area have not failed to hear their Country’s call.

At the request of the Town Clerk, Mr P. Skoglund, the police have made careful enquiry regarding the false alarm of lire which was given on the morning of July and Sergeant Dale reports that investigations ••how that the alarm was not wilfuliaise. and that the young men who rang the hell were asked to do so hy a woman who stated that one of the Banks was on fire, woman referred to ■ was seen by Sergeant Dale, and stated to him that returning to her homo at an early hour in the morning, she saw what she took to ho a fire ip the National Bank, and ran to the fire station to give an alarm where she met the young men and asked them to ring the hell, which they did. The report entirely exonerates the young men concerned of having committed anv offence.

The bump of destruction appears to be remarkably well developed in some of the young bloods in Stratford and district, which opinion is suggested by the evidence that is continually being brought to light. On the Mountain Hoad, several trees have been bent over together with the protective fences, and appear to have been ruined. In Broadway, at the municipal chambers, local draper’s Dills on the windows at Mollison’s have been scratched off, and in some cases the plate glass itself lias been damaged. The mis-chief-makers also pocketed two of the electric light globes at Mollison s, and one from the unlet shop near the bank of New Zealand, it is understood that the police have the matter in hand. Following the example of other business men who have had experience of Stratford’s light-finger-ed gentry, it might be as well to take the globes inside at lock-up time, or else provide some permanent protection for them.

. The vital statistics for Stratford for the mouth of July were: Births JG, marriages 7, and deaths 3. Weather forecast.—The indications are for south-easterly moderate to strong winds. The weather tvill probably prove squally with heavy showers. 'l'he night will probably he very cold. Barometer vising.—Bates, Wellington. \ request that provision should be made for the heating of factories in tit A liter season was made to the in inn- Minister in the House by Air Walker. Mr Walker said that there was a provision in the Shops and Offices Act for the heating of shops “to the satisfaction of the inspector.” and he argued that a similar clause should be inserted in the Factories Act. Mr Massey said lie had had several communications on this subject, especially from Dunedin. He had asked for a report on the subject. He expected to have that report in a very few days, and then he hoped to he able to inform the honourable member what the Government intended to do.

A Press Association message from Palmerston North states that judgment was delivered at the Magistrate’s Court to-day by Mr Hewitt, S.M., in the' case against the Editor of the Manawatu Times for a breach of the war regulations i.i publishing a letter signed “Shirker, ’ containing matter likely to lot 'Here with re-

cruiting. It was admitted there was no misloyalty on the part of the paper but the Magistrate said the question had no bear ng except for the extenuation of the penalty. If the matter was published it was a breach of the regulations and the defendant s was liale no matter what was the motive or cause*. The case was not one for a substantial penalty. Defendant was fined 20s and costs.

The purloining of a leg of pork led to the prosecution at Hawera Court on Friday of J. Harrington on the charge of receiving the article, knowing it to be dishonestly obtained. Mr ‘Haselden, S.M., in giving judgment, said that at the time the defendant received the leg of pork from the person who had stolen it (and who had .been convicted of the theft.) he was bound, on the evidence, to assume that accused was not aware that it had been stolon, although within a day or two ho became possessed of that knowledge and gave false accounts in order to shield the thief from justice. When he knew that the police were in possession of the facts he admitted that he received the pork from the thief. On the day he received it he sent the pork to the bacon factory to he cured, and never claimed it again. On these facts the defendant could not he convicted of receiving stolen property, and, the information, was therefore dismissed.