STRATFORD DAY BY DAY.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LII, Issue 334, 9 March 1910, Page 8

STRATFORD DAY BY DAY.

(From Our Resident Correspondent.) Stratford, March 8. A large number of friends assembled on the station platform this morning to say "good-bye to Father Traceyand Miss Harding and with them "bon voyage." The wrestling match between Bain and Scott is being held in the Town Hall to-night. Mr P. F. Ralfe has been nominated for a seat on the Stratford Hospital and Charitable Aid Board. Mr R. McK, Morrison is also mentioned as a candidate. It is expected that the Pohukurjv itunnel on the Stratford-Ongarue railway will be completed in a couple of months. The survey of the Stratford-Ongarue railway has' now been completed to the Stratford side of the Whangamomona saddle. It is expected that it will lie several months before the tunnel is commenced. It is stated that one of the shipping companies trading with Patea proposes establishing an agency in Stratford. A tennis match between the Strafc ford and W.Y.M.I. will be played on Thursday. • - "" i Chief Inspector Ballantyne, of the Taranaki Education Board, was on a. visit to Stratford to-day. I | The Denbigh Road school hold their 1 annual concert on the 18th inst.

Red . Indian warfare is exciting at times, especially when the victim gets his scalp raised and ears cropped like Old Rube. The other day I espied that J famed brave (by the way, there are some l who use another descriptive adjective), \ Wrong Bias, getting a decided move on. 1 endeavored to stop him so that I might ascertain the cause of his haste, but he only jerked his thumb over his j shoulder and sped still faster. No wonder, for in close pursuit followed in full war-paint those three great chiefs, Croquet Mallet. Drain Pipe and Co-op, the former appearing to be the most eager to secure the scalp, Drain Pipe evincing a desire to drop out of the chase, but Co-op, who seemed to lack the training that was essential to keep near the swift-footed Wrong Bias, was keeping him up Jo the mark. Later on I unearthed Wrong Bias and interrogated him as to the reason of his flight. He related a story—as near as I could follow him owjng to the state of excite, ment he was in—-to the following effect: He and a number of fellow braves had acquired a title to hunting rights and all other privileges in a piece of prairie land, but Croquet Mallet, Drain Pipe, Co-op and Macpherson (a real Indian brave) and a few others denied them these. This led to Wrong Bias, by the advice of pale-face friends, entering a pro-' test through the columns of a newspaper. Exasperated at this action the great chiefs donned their war-paint, and set out in search of the offender with the result stated above. My informant further stated that there is likely, to be a great "pow-wow" amongst his faction, r who are very sore over the attempt to relieve him of his scalp, and possibly the big chiefs will be aslced to explain why they went on the warpath without consulting the whole of the tribe. First impress-.ons are said to be the best. It is to be hoped that visitors to Stratford do not form their opinion of the town from the glimpse they receive from the train windows. If so —well I am afraid Stn'ford would be on a very low plane. The aspect of the buildings in Broadway facing the railway line I cannot by any stretch of imagination be regarded as picturesque, for to tell the truth they are about as motley and disgraceful a collection of old shacks as it is possible to find. The responsibility with the Railway Depart- . ment. The-- own the land or the greater portion on that side of the business portioii of Broadway. What they , intend to do with it nobody exactly knows. Opinions vary; some say that | the new station w ill he built there and I that, the present buildings will come ■ down to make room for thp station vard, etc.; others that the station will be shifted and that the land will be put un om lone lease. To sav which course will be adopted is assuming the role of a prophet—an unsafe occupation at any time—and opening up a controversy in j which argument will be based on in- | tnrest.. Anywav. if tlio Department j would only make its mind up to do I something it would be a relief. As it is! the glorious uncertainty prevents the j progress of the town in the, form of the , erectio" of nn-to-dale business pre- j mises on that side of the street, or in j the event of th<-. land bein? required hv { tlv< Department- of the extension of the j town in o*her directions. With the post office too small, with the limited amount of room in the station yard, with the danger and inconven'pnee of the trains conducting* their shunting; operations over the erossiuTS in Re?an and Tendon streets, it is hieh time that the Covcrnmc'it took some steps to amend the existing conditions-