STRATFORD NOTES.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LII, Issue 314, 14 February 1910, Page 7

STRATFORD NOTES.

(From Our Own CaiTospondeni). Stratford, Saturday. The vexed question. "Who won the cup?" has been decided, or. at least, the committee of the Horticultural Society have given their decision. It will be remembered that at the recent sweetpea show Mrs. T. leader and Mr. Osmond, who h.'d previously won the Cup awarded for tin- event twice, tied for first pi ice. ■":'■• ." '.ho conditions was that if any exhibitor won the Cup three times in succession it was to be come his: own property. The vexed question which aroused the public interest and on which diverse opinions were held was, "Had Mr. Osmond, by ticing for first place, won the Cup?" The committee have now decided that the tie is to remain., but if Mr. Osmond wins next year the Cup shall become lus property. At tne" meeting tne resignation of Mr. S. Ward as secretary was accepted, and Messrs. D. Cameron and Oate appointed in hi-; place. Mr. Ward was elected a life member of the club. The ten-year-old son of Mr. S. Ward met with a painful accident yc-terday. He was climbing a pine tree, when he slipped and fell to the ground. In falling he came in contact with a barb-wire fence, which ripped his leg open from the ankle to well above the knee, necessitating medical attention and the insertion of several stitches.

Some time on Thursday the premises of Messrs. Smart Bros, were broken into. The burglars devoted their attention to the till, which they smashed open, but, like old Mother Hubbard, of nursery rhyme, their trouble was l in vain, for the till was empty. The police Avere notified, but their investigations have not resulted in the discovery of the perpetrators. The motor car craze appears to have descended on Stratford. Recently Messrs. Plnmtree and Mercer purchased very fine cars, and it is rumored that several other residents intend following their lead. Mr. Gooch has just received his' car, which he proposes hiring out, and to-morrow a party consisting of members of Mr. Newton King's Stratford staff are making a trip south in it. At the meeting of the Domain Board held yesterday the annual balance-sheet was presented. This showed the receipts to have been £l3B 8s fld, and the expenditure £134 Ifis 4d. Mr. Penn gave notice of motion that the Board consider the advisability of opening up a blind track in King Edward • Park, and of erecting a low-level bridge across the river.

For felling, removing, and selling timber from the Huiroa Public Doniaii, J. A. Stanford was' fined £1 and costs ( £lO 12s 2d) in the S.M. Court yesterday.

That the ascent of Mount Egmontl is not without danger iwa.s again illustrated on Wednesday. Mrs. and Miss Kerslake, of Wellington, without the services of a guide set out for the summit. This was reached successfully, but on the return trip a fog came up and the ladies lost their bearings. Just as they had made up their minds that they were lost they were .found by Mr. Graham, caretaker at the Dawson's Falls House, who had become anxious at their protracted absence, and piloted back to the house.

The reputation of Stratford High School is, not merely a local one. Up and down the coast it is' well known, as is evidenced by the number of pupils who come from a distance to attend the secondary department. It may be considered as another honor to Mr. F. A. Tyrer and his staff that at the Educational Conference in Wellington the work of the High School should have been discussed. The compliment paid the school by the Inspector-General, in hoping that other schools would follow the lead given in practical dairying and its allied subjects', was thoroughly deserved, and may be all the more appreciated because congratulatory re L marks of such a nature from the, In-spector-General are few and far between.