PROVINCIAL CENTRES.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1235, 18 September 1911, Page 6

PROVINCIAL CENTRES.

IFrora Our 6ivcciiLl Correspondents.)

STRATFORD,

ir ? W n? iu connection with Iloly Jrimty Church, was opojiod by Bishop Crossley on Wednesday evening, m the presence of a large mimlwr of parishioners and others. The hall was very tastefully decorated with flngs, ferns, and shrubs The main hall is fifty feet by thirty feet wide, and Lho height from floor to ceiling is sixteen Hot, this height having been given for lie sake of nccoustica. Li the front nro two anterooms, each ten feet by twelvo eet, aud there is a passage six tect wide leading to tho hall. A slngo ten feet by t !. y , . '. s P ro " d «<l. and at tho hick ot the building is a supper-room thirty feet by ten feet. Tho construction of tho building was entrusted to Mr. N. J. King. Mr. John Robson, Pohaknra, supplied the timber, and tho oost of the whole work was JC3SO.

llie vicar (Rev. W. A. Butler) opened (ho proceedings, and mentioned that tho matter of acquiring a hall had boon discussed at tho last annual meeting of parishioners, and a committee had l»on set up to further the object. That com-' mittec bad actcd with promptness njid thoroughness. At first he had favoured ■he purchasing of the old Masonic Hall adjoining the church, but now ho was glnd that wiser t heads had choson tho present site, which had been purchased tor £150. A sum of about .£IBO had already been subscribed by parishioners towards the cost. Thanks were duo to Mr. truwshaw for facilitating financial arrangements, to Mr. S. M. Porritt for help in drawing plans, tn Mr. King for advico on many subjects, and to Mr. Fooks, who had done gratuitously all tho necessary legal work. Thanks were also duo to Messrs. Crawshaw, James, T. 11. Pcnn, Arden, Templer, and Partridge for their work on tho oommittee, and Mr. Sol« had also rendered valuable help. T'lio Bishop, who was greeted with applauso on rising, said that it was a pica, sure to him to open the first hall, which ho had been called upon to opon in tho diocese. Ho jocularly twitted tho vicar with'having failed to give him (tho speaker) any credit in oouncction with tho acquisition of the hall. Ho (the Bishop) had left Stratford after his previous visit with tlw impression that ho had awakened parshioners to the necessity for a hall. There was nothing which would make for what he might term tho family lifo of the Church so much as a hall. He hoped that tho oommittoo would not rely too much on letting tho hall to wipe oil the debt—in fact, he hoped that tho ' hall would be so much used for church work that there would bo no opportunity to let it. It was also highly encouraging to know that so many gentlemen had helped the project forward with gratuitous services; They had now to consider what they would do with tho building. Ho thought that there certainly should bo a gymnasium in it. Young men could not bo kept together better than by a gymnastic club, undcT the Swedish system, which had superseded tho old English system in the English Army. Their desire was to make young men strong and healthy, and ho hoped that there was no ono in Stratford calling himself a New Zealandcr who declined to take his place in the dcfenfce force of tho Dominion. (Applause.) Ho earnestly desired peace, but, to ensuro peace, they must bo prepared, for war. If a man refused to do dcfenco duty it simply meant that he was prepared to leave his wife and children unprotected. In connection with tho hall, there should also certainly bo a boys' club. And something should also bo done for the girls. Ho and Mrs. Crossley would greatly like to soo a branch of the Girls' Friendly Society established, and he hoped that, in a very short time, they would mako such full uso of tho hall that they would find it all too small. He desired to congratulate the vicar and the committee on the splendid result achieved.. The Mayor, Mr. J. Masters, also spoke.

OTAKI

A number of footballers met at the Druids' Ha" oil Friday evening to bid farewell to Mr. E. M'Call, who is leaving for Palmerston. During the course of tho .evening Mr. J. K. Bills presented Mr. M'Call with a case of pipes. In doing so ho made complimentary reference to Mr. M'Call's abilities as a footballer and. general sport, and tho recipient responded.