LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXII, Issue 17, 14 December 1916, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

The Taranaki quota, for the 25tlj Reinforcements is short of So men.

An executive meeting of the Stratford A. and P. Association will be held in the rooms at 7..30 this evening, and the general committee will meet on Satnrdav next at 1.30 p.m.

Two partners wen fined £25 each at Dunedin for exporting a small quantity of platinum to Melbourne, the export of metal having been prohibited in September last.

As a result of the ballot among brigades affiliated to the Fire Brigade Association, says u Press Association telegram from Auckland, the 1917 conference will he held at Baldutha. Helensville was the other place submitted to the ballot.

General Botha, Premier of the Union of South Africa, says:—"We must not be discouraged if the war continues for another two years. Our duty is to sec it through in order that Germany may unable to prepare another and a greater war."

llr \V. Kerr, 53!., dismissed a charge against a Martin borough lad; IS years of age, who had made a false declaration concerning his age in order to enlist. The magistrate said the action of the lad in wishing to serve his country was a laudable one. and the fact that his parents approved showed a good spirit.

A cheque for £23 18s has been received 'by .Secretary Pa-ton, of the Stratford Kire Brigade, from Mrs Mcßetli as the Brigade's share of the proceeds from the performances of the pantomime, "Beauty and the Beast,"

and in our advertising columns tonight, the opportunity of publicly thanking Mrs Meßeth and all who assisted in the panto, is taken by the Brigade. The funds of the Boy Scouts also benefitted to the ...i'lit"! £ls by the performances. Sale of tiekt I - lor Stratford School concert on m \i is -re-pori r>d fo he phenomenal, ai'd i h'uiiivi- •- hoiijc h assured. Uefideis arc requested to iook oin, lor the publication of the programme in an oarl.s issue.

Yesterday afternoon, a little- boy named Crawford, while bathing in' iho Patea, got into difficulties through getting out of his depth. Two of his boy chums, however, named Fred Henderson and Maurice Aagaafu. pluckily swam to his rescue and presented what throatened to bo a fatal accident. At the sittings of the S.M. Court to-morro.v, the following cases are set down for hearing:—Undefended civil cases' li —defended, 1; informations for failing to attend drill, one; theft, tbrgerj and false pretences, 5; offences under vVar Regulations Act (shouting) 7; in addition, there is one case of claiming maintenance and separation under the Destitute Persons Act. Tomorrow's sitting will be the last before the Christmas vacation. The Farmers' Co-operative Society arc now installed in their permanent offices, Bridge Buildings (formerly occupied by Mr Alfred Coleman) and all clients' requirements will be attended to on application during office hours. A large ■ oom. at the back of

the main front offices is being fixed up as a sample room, and in a few days this will be open for inspection. Messrs F. P. Uniaeke (local agent) and A. Stewart (stock buyer) are in daily attendance at the office.,

In referring to the Dominion's very creditable performance in sending forward 60,000 well-equipped soldiers to fight for liberty ard freedom, the Hon. G. W. Russell, Minister for Internal Affairs, at Tuakau en Saturday sam the total number of soldiers that fought under the Duke of Welliflgcou at Waterloo was 23,331. and with only a period of 70 years to its credit New Zealand had sent away more than double that number. It was made possible because the foundations of our nation were built well and strong.

Shearing operations "oy the boys of the rural class at the Stratford School were finished this afternoon after a very, successful session. Although the work was strenuous while it lasted, the boys appeared to thoroughly enjoy their surroundings. There is no doubt the, curriculum is being pursued on right lines. Messrs Brown and Sergei, propose to conduct the boys'of' sfe.class on a visit to farms in thFdiStrict giving them special instruction 1 oil joints for judging dairy cows. 'V'" _ A Avounded Irish soldier writes "real pictures of the fighting" in the Observer. Trying to describe what the great "Push" is like, he say.; "It's like everything that ever was. It's all the struggles of life crowded into an hour; it's an assertion of the bedrock decency and goodness of oiu people; and I wouldn't have missed it for all the gold, in London tuwn. I don't want to be killed; not a litt'w bit. But, bless you, out- simply can u be bothered giving it a thought. '1 he killing of odd individuals such a* rue is so tiny a matter. My God, it's the '.'future of humanity; c..unties* millions; all the laughing little kiddies, and the slim, straight young girls, and tlie sweet women, men that are to come. It's all humanity we're fighting for, whethffl&sf*SwH> be clean and decent, free a&cUwmfth having—or j> Boche nightmare. You can't •describe it, but I wouldn!fr.ttke.;to be cut of it for long./' It's Hell ,and Heaven, and the Devil and the World; and, thank goodness, we're on the side of the Angels—decency, not material gain—and we're going to win.''

A good orchestra at a concert is one of the chief pleasures, „and intending patrons of the Picture-Con-cert in the His Majesty's Theatre tomorrow evening may'' rest assured that this necessary adjunct to the programme has been secured. Instrumentalists under the leadership of Mr Dick Cottier (violin), with Mr Chas. Fox at the piano, and other well-known players (Mr T. Wilson trombone, Mr A. O'Leary flute, Mr F Folev cornet, Mr J. McAllister double bass, and Mr G. Bradley drums) will assemble, and their selections arc sure to he much appreciated. The picture films as enumerated in the programme' published on page five of this issue include a scream entitled "The Bath-house Mystery," and will occupy three-quarters of an hour of the first part of the evening. These will be followed by action songs and drill by the children who have been thoroughly schooled in their parts, which will be interspersed with vocal items by adults, the whol« concluding with an amusing sketch entitled "Modern Ventriloquism by Fred Foley and McGinty.

Naturalists state that fish _ are aquatic vertebrates in which the limbs are modified into fins! ' But the average man who is searching for a feed about two minutes after the pubs close, or is intent upon buying the children's dinner on one of the growing meatless days, cares less about that than the monstrous peace proposals of the Huns. If the hungry man or the paternal man strolls into the Golden Grid in Broadway, he meets the genial Jack Mills, erstwhile drawer of liquid joy tor Cecil \rden at the Empire Hotel, but now the proprietor of the Grid. Under the personal supervision of Mr and Mrs Mills, old friends and new ones will be made welcome. Housewives may depend upon being accorded every attention to their t orders for fresh fish daily, arrangements having been made to provide Stratford with full and plenty of this article of diet as far as is possible in face of weather and trade conditions. Patrons of the shop will be struck by the .-..novations effected on the premises. Ml meals are served with a modicum ,-: d lav and in the best style.