LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXI, Issue 27, 30 August 1916, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Mr W. JolifTc, lately head draughtsman, lias been appointed Censor of Cinema Films. The censoring will take place in a special building at Wellington.

Wellington hotelkeepers report that the anti-shouting regulation on Monday cifected a reduction in bar takings varying from 15 to 50 per cent., and probably averaging 25 per cent.

The friends of Captain J. B. Hine, M.P., are reminded of the valedictory meeting to-night at 7.15 sharp in the Stratford Municipal Council Chambers. Subscribers and also their lady friends are invited to attend.

The Admiralty representative in New Zealand states, for the iniorma-, tion of relatives, that the New Zealand ratings of the warship Pyramus, numbering GO, have been granted leave to visit the Dominion, and should arrive the last week in September. v

The annual Steeplechase meeting of the North Taranaki Hunt Club takes place on the New Plymouth Racecourse to-morrow, August 31st. A, very attractive and .thoroughly, sporting programme is provided, and it is confidently expected there will be a very large attendance of visitors from all parts of the district.

The annual meeting of the New Plymouth Patriotic Committee and the contributors to the various funds, called last night, as very poorly attended, and,after a good deal of discussion in which some rather uncomplimentary things were said regarding the people who were not present at the meeting, it w : as decided to adjourn to a future date.

| At the annual meeting of the Patea Bowling Club on Saturday, the following office-bearers were elected for the ensuing year: President, Mr. M. Carey; vice-president, Mr. J. Hoitham ; lion, secretary and treasurer, Mr Wood (re-elected) ; lion, auditor, Mr Deane (re-elected); committee, Messrs W. Paterson, . Pearce, Elliott, iHulbert, and Stephenson; delegate to centre, Mr. Holloway (reappointed). It was decided to allow returned soldiers or soldiers on leave the use of the green during the season. “And presently out of the thick haze we could see slowly emerging the toppling golden Virgin of the steeple of the church at Albert, bent at an angle by the Herman shelling and face downwards, but still holding in outstretched hands the infant Christ. Appearing in this wise out of the mist and the smoke, of battle the giant figure still held up upon its bent girders of iron seemed a mute protest against the ‘kultur’ of a cruel and destroying nation.”—The official, war correspondent with the New Zealand Forces in Northern France. The Postmaster-General announces that Christmas parcels for the Ex-j peditionary Forces should be posted as early as possible, and certainly in | time to reach London during the first : week or ten days in December, so that the men in the trenches and in hospitals may receive their parcels in time for Christmas. At that season of the year there is great congestion in the British postal service, and the nearer to the Christmas season the date of arrival of parcels in Kngland, tin' more likelihood there is of their being delivered too late.

A recent, Press Association telegram from Dunedin stated that the local Magistrate had excused two brothers from military service on account of their religions beliefs. It should be understood that this exemption granted by the Magistrate applies only to sendee in the Territorial Army under the Defence Act. it does not apply to sen ice in the Fxpeditionary Force. No Magistrate ha s power to grant exemption to anyone on any ground from service in the Kxpoditionary Force. Under the Military Service Act this power- to exempt is vested in Military Service Hoards special tribunals to bo set no to boar and determine appeals by or on behalf of men called up for active service.

War Loan certificates sold through the post offices on Monday totalled .018,000. ’ A communication from the Minister of Public Works has been received by Mr H. Lawrence, fllon. Secretary to tht.' Stratford Chamber of Commerce, stating that the Department is not inclined to hand over the further section of railway to the Railway Department until the line to Taliora is completed. It further states that ifi is hoped to finish the work this summer. Since the British occupation of Apia the local paper, which was formerly called The Samoaiche Zeitung, has been re-christened the Samoa Times. The whole of the news and advertisements wore formerly printed in both English and German; now the language. of the typo is wholly English. Tjie most remarkable change of all isi noted on the headlines of the last issue of the paper received, intimating that it is printed and published by “James Ah Sue,” of Apia, Samoa.” With reference to the recent representations made lor direct telephonic communication between Taliora and Tatu by the Whaugamomona and Ohura County Councils, the Stratford Borough Council, the Stratford Chamber of Commerce, c’u "lon. of the last named body has received a letter from the Secretary for the Postmaster-General, Wellington, stating that the Minister is obliged to he guided by the consideration that Taliora and Tatu are in telegraphic communication with each other, hut that owing to ilic cost involved, his Department is unable to carry out the work. It is also pointed out that a difficulty is experienced in obtaining materials for the work, and that the Department is therefore unable to accede to the request made. The representations, however, will not be overlooked, and as soon as eircum : stances permit, the matter shall have the Minister’s favorable consideration . A presentation from the boy scouts of New Zealand to the hoy scouts of Eranee, in the shape of a French tricolor flag and a casket, is now being exhibited in a Queen Street window (says the X.Z. Herald). The flag, which has the coat-of-arms of the City of Paris Worked on it, was made in Auckland, and was put up to auction in His Majesty’s Theatre on Tricolor Day. It was then sold and resold several times, with the result that over £4OO was raised towards the French Red Cross Fund. The boy scout organisation secured it finally, and several embellishments have been added to it. These include ► > staff, 10 feet long, made from New** Zealand honeysuckle and surmounted by a greenstone orb three inches in diameter. The orb in turn is surmounted by a casting representing a French Imperial Eagle, with wings outstretch-, ed, made from New Zealand metal and gilt with New Zealand gold. The casket, which is made of rimu, is 0 feet long, 12 inches wide,' and 10 inches deep, and has a bine arched top. There is a silver plate inside the lid with the inscription, “Presented by the hoy scouts of New Zealand to the hoy scouts of France as a token of comradeship, 1916.” Both the casket and the eagle were presented to the scouts by Christchurch firms. The flag is attached to the staff by two silken ropes with tassels. The gift, which has already been exhibited in the South, will ultimately be despatched to the Governor, who will forward it to France.