LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXII, Issue 1, 25 November 1916, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Mr E. Marfeil, of the Toko Branch of the Patriotic Society, has collected £2O towards the Red Cross Fund. !

A "peace manifesto" is being circulated in Christchurch by the Social Democratic Party.

The incorrectness of the paragraph sent out by the Press Association at Master ton on Saturday last, about the righteous indignation of the peo-, pie of that town about a married man called up under the ballot, is, admitted, and regret has been expressed for its circulation. The affair appears to have been a hoax. j

The Supreme Court at Palmerstou North on Thursday dealt with a charge of alleged stealing of four heifers, perferred against Davis Ormond Smith, of Hawke's Bay. Accused had pleaded not guilty and further evidence for the defence was taken. After an hour and a quarter's retirement the jury returned with a verdict of not guilty.

>'Do you profess to be a cook?" asked counsel of a witness in the Wellington Magistrate's Court on Thursday, when the inspector of awards proceeded against a hotel proprietor for employing a female as a cook and paying her less than the award wage. "No," said witness, "I know nothing about cooking, but was told when I went into the kitchen that it would be all right if I could boil an egg and cook a piece of toast."

Said Sir E. Anderson (Auckland) at the Chamber of Commerce Conference at Wellington on Thursday: "The system which the Government has adopted of taxing excess war profits is like shooting twelve young chickens to get at one crafty old fox." He thought the farmers had been let off at the expense of the commercial community, and that the Government had missed a great opportunity of putting on an export tax. This sentiment, found general favour among delegates.

Special arrangements were made for some extra good picture films by Air F. Foley, of His Majesty's Theatre, when on a recent visit to the Empire City, where he had the opportunity of dealing with the heads of all the chief film combines. The Stratford public, therefore, may lobb■fcrward in the very near future to a series, of some of the biggest things in the pic-ture-world. The first to be shown will be Charlie Chaplin in "The iceman," on the Show nights, to be followed on the following Monday by "Britain Prepared." Then "Cabiria," a close rival to "Quo Vadis" in striking features of scenery and plot, will follow in the course of a week or two, with "The Big Push," or "The Battlo of the Somme," before the .New Year.

The Eltham Argus states: A cable that was published a day or two ago iu fererence to a Privy Council appeal mad© it appear that the Gillies Milking Machine Company were the defendants. This was incorrect, they were really the plaintiffs, and it was their appeal that was dismissed with costs against them. Originally the Gillies Company, known here as tlie L.K.G., took proceedings in the Supreme Court of New Zealand to recover damages from the Gane Company for alleged infringements of patent rights in re-' spect of the method of admitting air into its milking machines. The action failed, but the plaintiffs carried it on, ultimately to the Privy Council, where they have again, presumably with finality, failed to establish their claim.

Very properly resenting any thought of possible trade with Germany after the war, the New Zealand Times concludes a leading article by saying: "Germany must pay the cost of the war to the last farthing, if it takes a century or more. Of what use is it to denounce Germany as having brought this was about single-handed for her own purposes, if at the end of the war we dismiss all idea of her responsibility? Until all these things are fulfilled, there can be no fellowship with Germany. The boycott is the only relation possible. When justice is done, ami Prussianism is dead, we may talk of trading. Now wc can. talk only of the boycott. That is the temper of Britain and the Entente nations. It should be ours, and no Minister of ours should be allowed to forget it."

During the recent Hoods in Nelson (says the Colonist) there were heavy losses of sheep and cattle. One settler near Canvastown lost the whol* of his dairy herd of '2O cows, Other individual settlers suffered serious losses. Huge logs arc strewn in all directions. miles of fencing have been swept away, and there have been huge washouts on the road, which are a clanger to travellers unless care is exercised, A house near the Canvastown Hotel was practically demolished by a slip the debris from which passed clean through, the. house. There were between 30 and ■lO refugees at the hotel, their homes having been more or less wrecked by the Hood and slips. Mo,o slips were expected, as a number of "creeps" wvre observed, some of them several acres in extent. Some of these have already shifted several feet. On the. bank along the Wangamoa road in many places the trees are now horizontal, instead of perpendicular", and will sooner or later come away altogether.

An appropriation of £3OO (no. 1 group) by the Stratford Co-operative Building Society will be offered at the society's office on Monday evening next at 8 o'clock.

The local Postmaster advises: The Pacific Cable Company notifies that owing to the large influx of international traffic, the acceptance of weekend messages to Great Britain has been suspended, but Soldiers' mess- ~y ages will not he affected.

Weather Forecast.—Westerly strong winds to gale and backing by west to south. The weather appears likely to be cloudy and unsettled. Kain probable. The barometer lias a falling tendency, but rising temporarily.— Bates. Wellington.

In consequence of the high speed tactics of messengers who previously carried out their duties on motorcycles, the Post and Telegraph Department at Wellington lias now diseased with this form of locomotion, and reverted to the old push-bikes. It is stated that the only motor-bike employed is that I'setl between the General Post Office and the Newtown Office.

There are signs of coming fashions to be seen in the Broadway, and any critic in the art of dress might add a little to her own knowledge by studying dress styles between now and People's Day .'Thursday next) at the coming Show. Colours are much in evidence already, and one can only conjecture what will be the favorite as indications show a wide range, from crushed strawberry to pale green. Khaki might win by ,an ankle! But the Show will be the place to see 'em and be seen.

At the Sunday afternoon meeting of the Salvation Army, Staff-captain Tlmrkettle (a visitor to Stratford) will sing "Sergeant Daddy, V.C. ' a splendid song of the war. In his talk on "War Startlers" to-morrow at 3 p.m. the Staff-captain will relate some interesting facts of what the Salvation Army is doing at the camps and among the men in the firing line. Oi} Monday night a real musical evening may be looked forward to, with items on the clarionette, English concertina and other instruments, the gathering finishing up with refreshments and "the sack."

At the Bawke's Bay Spring Show held at Hastings reoently, sheep dipped in "McDougall's" secured the following awards:—ll championships out of 14", 33 firsts, 16 seconds, 7 thirds, and 6 very highly commended. x