LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXI, Issue 30, 2 September 1916, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

' "Roll of. Honour" is the heading in the 'daily Press above the list of names of men killed or wounded in the service of their country, and it is .a list which has given the Mother Country a great pride in this Dominion's worthy part in the war. The authorities are confident that there will ho no "roll of dishonour" to dim the lustre of that splendid record. They are hopeful that the enrolment required' under the Military Service Act will be done voluntarily within the next fortnight. If any man fails in his duty he acts unfairly to the men who enrol and to the soldiers who are fighting overseas. If moral suasion does not move a man to take the honourable course in time, the strong hand of the law can grip him and punish him memorably. Throughout the country every possible care will be taken to detect attempts at evasion, and the penalty for the convicted may be very heavy. The person who tries to escape, at the sacrifice of liis own honour, is liable to a large fine or imprisonment, and also forfeits a chance at the ballot; he may be sent straight into camp. Anybody who is convicted on a charge of aiding or abetting any man to dodge his duty is liable to a solid line or imprisonment. Another important fact i s that employers are forbidden to engage or retain in their service non-enrolled Reservists or deserters. The way of the delinquent will lie as hard as the law can make it. Advice in all these matters is available at any post-ofiice.

Adjutant Cook desires to acknowledge receipt of £] Is from Mr W. P. Taylor, nurseryman, for the Serbian Relief Fund.

Some big prices for butter-fat for the ensuing dairying season are being spoken of says the Palmerston Standard). A new co-operative concern in one of the adjacent districts has disposed of its season's output to sueil advantage that suppliers will be paid Is 5d per lb for butter-fat during September and October, and Is 9d on November 1. when the company will commence cheese manufacture.

Concerning the anti-shouting law, the Otago Daily Times reports: It has been discovered that a man may take a friend into a hotel, and that he can purchase an alcoholic drink and "shout" a soft drink for his friend. Alter the drinks are consumed, the friend can buy an alcoholic drink for .the first "shouter," and so on. turn about. A boarder in a hotel can treat a friend who comes in to see him an alcoholic drink, so long as the drink is consumed in a room which is not attached to the bar. During the result of inquiries, a reporter was informed by one hotelkeeper that his receipts from boarders for the seven months of 1916 had dropped by no less than £I4OO, as compared with the corresponding period of 1914. This shows that there is not nearly the same number of people travelling as formerly.

From some unknown* cause, the mortality amongst cows jftt some parts of the Stratford'district is considerably above the average, AVith the high price of stock; the..loss to the farmer is therefore heavy. The Patriotic .Market held to-day was well stocked with produce, cakes J flowers, etc., and good business was reported throughout business hours. The tea room also experienced a busy day, and the proceeds should materially help the committee's fund. 1 "Call at a post-office" is good ad--1 vice to any man of military age who has not a clear understanding of his duty 'under the .Military Service Act. An official at the post-office will give good guidance to any Reservist who 1 i s in doubt about his obligation in any : matter. I I It is understood that representaI tives of a number of butter and cheese ! factories in the Stratford district will meet buyers in town on Tuesday next. jAs far as can be ascertained, some ' of the factories have been offered up to 9UI per lb for cheese, but will not sell at that price. The paragraph in yesterday's issue referring to the Stratford Magistrate's Court proceedings and the case of Dr. Steven (Mr I'. Thomson) v. F, W. Belk, was inr.< curate in so much a s it should h.'.ve ..t,.iotl that the application was for an outer on a judgment summons, and after hearing evidence as to means; no order was granted by the Court. The Stratford Senior Cadets,. Nos. 91 and 95 Companies, are to be supplied with a new pugaree of Taranaki colors, which will, no doubt, add to their general appearance. The pugarees are now in the hands of the manufacturers, and should arrive in Stratford in the course of a few days. A supply of uniforms for the Cadets of 94, 95 and 97 Companies has been received at the Defence Store, Stratford, and will be issued at an early date. There was no need to bo a prophet or even the son or daughter of a weather-prophet to place the amount of the rainfall for August well on to two figures, practical experience of the wet days of last month being all that was required to be an authority on such meteorological matters. Mis 9 X. Trimble, observer at "Riversdale," Inglewood, states that the fall there was 11.97 inches—just on a foot of rain in 31 days! There were nine dry days, let it be mentioned! The details were:—2nd 1.77, 3rd .52, sth 1.61, 6th .42, Bth .24, 9th 1.02, 10th .02, 11th .10, 12th .15, 13th .37, 14th .07, 15th .06, 17th .03, 18th .75, 19th .32, 20th 1.57, 21st .52, 22nd .15, 23rd .19, 23th 1.78, 30th .18, 31st .13. Total 11.97. During last month, rain was; registered on 23 days at Stratford, the heaviest fall, 1.55 inches, on the 29th. Rainfall on other davs was as follows :—2nd .62 6th .04. 7th .39, Bth .32, 9th .02, 12th .01, 13th 1.09, 14th .21, 15th .20, 16th .11, 17th .22, 18th .11, 19th .51, 20th .98, 21st .85, 22nd .29, 23rd .35, 24th .04, 30th .09, 31st .06. Total, 8.62 inches.

A very enjoyable evening was spent by the members of the Egmont Club and their lady friends at the Clubs rooms on Thursday evening. The ladies spent an enjoyable time playing billiards, cards, etc. During the evening, the president (Mr J. Masters) /took the opportunity of bidding farewell to Captain J. B. Hine, M.P. Mr Masters said Captain iHiine had been a member of the club since its inception, and they were sorry to lose him, but he was pleased he had set an example to the young men of the district. The Club orchestra, under -Mr E. Cottier, contributed musical items during the evening. Songs were rendered by Mrs Edmondson, Mr Peters, and Rev. F. G.'Moir, and a recitation by Miss Eowe. A dance in the Fire Station concluded a most enjoyable evening.