LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXI, Issue 18, 19 August 1916, Page 6

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

The Prime Minister (Hon. Wi F. Massey) states that the war bonus will be paid to all sections of the Public Service at oUce, and the second payment will b'e made before Christmas.—Press Association. Weather Forecast.—The indications are for westerly moderate to strong winds prevailing and freshening. The weather appears lively to be cloudy and unsettled with rain following. Barometer unsteady with a falling tendency again soon.,—^ates ?; WeUington. .- A rare intellectual treat will be afforded those who attend at the Parish Hall, Stratford, on Wednesday evening, to w’ithess the entertainmyfat given by Miss Dorothea Spinney. The “evening" is made up of three sections. The first, an Irish play, “The Travelling Man," in which the lady fills three characters, is very popular, and . * allow s ample scope for ■ introducing Irish sayings and mannerisms. “A Maker of Dreams,” a Parrot play, a nd poses from Greek vases, to music, fill the remainder of the evening.

Doing the' right thing at the right time, with coolness and courage, was -• exemplified on , the journey from Arthur’s Pass to Otira on Saturday last (says the' ‘ ‘Greymouth Star”). After arrival at Otira the passengers in "the leading oaphv acclaimed th eil ; appreciatteii and . tribute to pnver W. the able way in whicii he saved the situation, f h |i n^.:. fall . 0 i rocks came down in front of his leaders. ThafeDall came, .' away suddenly from ,40ft. to 50ft. overhead in a narrow part J df-the road,-with a drop or about 100 ft; oil the other side. The startled leaders soon got over the side, and wqydd certainly have taken the coach and fifteen passengers to destruction but for the grit of , the driver, who managed quickly to pull his polers to face the hillside, although the three leaders wqre over the pre-

cipice. .Twpjpf to the bpttom, quite a hundred feet. The celerity,, with which the passengers, inclpdihg a lady and several soldiers,, awmppd pff . the, coachwas ref markaljlCj ~ oply. a few slight bruises resulting therefrom. More remarkable, howeve%vvfs the.recoyery.of the horses from the Bottom,'- tfhen, with the aid of the , v other drivers who came up, the sssss harness- was replaced, and Otira preached with but little delay. Mr llii|g, who has been driving on the road for many years without a-' tf£rfevldus Thhishap, Oertainiy “made g00d.% The plucky driver was heartily cheered by Ijie passen-