STRATFORD DAY BY DAY.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LII, Issue 345, 22 March 1910, Page 8

STRATFORD DAY BY DAY.

(From Our Uosidojii. Correspondent.) Stratford, .Monday. The Inspector of Explosives paid his j first visit to (Stratford to-day. This morning a struggle between a ! horse winch wanted its own way and [ a lady wnose ideas on the matter were I in opposition to the quadruped's led to ' some trouble. The lady, who was from the country, desired to proceed to her . home, tho horse also probably wanted I to go home, but the point in dispute was I that the animal objected to canying the j lady to their destination. Twice the j rider was thrown, and twice with deter--1 mination she regained the saddle. On the third occasion after throwing his rider the horse decided not to take further risks, and, kicking up his heels, galloped off for his home. I This afternoon the trophies won by j the Stratford cadets at the recent rifle ■ meeting were presented by the Mayor, J who congratulated the corps and the j individual winners on their remarkable | success (ior io practically scoop the | pool is something to be proud of), i Cheers were given by the boys for the j winner of the belt and the Mayor. 1 The Stratford High School Committee are applying for a grant for tlie addition of ar other room to the primary . school. The new building is to have a ' capacity of sixty, and is estimated to I cost over £3OO. > Mr. W. Hodgkinson, of Toko, whose health of late has not been very good, •has le'it for a trip to the Old Country to consult a specialist. The general opinion locally was that t Webb would win the Xew Zealand Times ' voting contest, and the success of Miss Bodmin, and by such a large majority, came "as a bolt from the blue." It "is j eaid that tlie bookmakers had to do with the downfall of Wanganui's idol. The storv runs that' Wanganui, with the enthusiasm characteristic, of that city when Webb is in for any event,' went "nap" on his chances. The bookmakers, seeing a chance too good to be missed, ] aid odds against Webb, which were freely taken. They naturally I hedged on Miss Bodmin, and did all in 1 their power to help her. The result is known. j Mr. Bennell, who has been transferred | from Dunedin to the local branch of the . National Bank, arrived on Saturday I night. It is rumored that the New Zealand Clothing Factory have .purchased the Broadway iron tow between their present premises and the County Hotel. At a committee meeting of the A. and P. Association Mr. E. Jackson was elect, ed secretarv pro tem., and Mr. Watchorn was added to the committee. A swelling of the head and the drooping of the ears of their stock has enu=ed local she.?pfarmers some anxietv lately. The Government Veterinarian, Captain Yoiwr. has been investigating the matter, and recommends an entire change of pasture. Smearing the face, ears, and inside of nostrils with sulphur or boracic ointment ieads to a rapid recovery. Mr. R. H. Cameron is sufficiently rei covered, hi« friends will 'be pleased to hear, to go out driving, i The remains of the late Mrs. E. j Everiss were interred vesterdav in the | Stratford cemeterv, a larsre number of ! residents from all parts of the district i atlcTirliTi<* the funeral. TjifipyriTp S'wk has sennrecl n "legii>" fnr tl"» trnnhins presented to the Stm+fnrd C'v 1 ) bv Mes=rs. Masters and Son and Mr. W. T\ K' rl "wnod, secur- ' ing 00 out of a nossible 105.

The new Grafton bridge, a :ekla* which is' now practically fhmaen, hffS been constructed by the Ferro-Ooiu • ote Company. The original contract w<ts' £31,918. but extras have brought the cost up to about £34,000. Jij dOCU'i four or five weeks' time the w irk v ill be quite completed. At the Grafton Road site the approach is aliunt finished, all that remains to be done being to put the tar macada a finish on the road. The embankment between the bridge and Bridge st'fet has) been enclosed with a rus 4 '.'/; ft nee, and formed into a rockery. At the Symonds street end the keivi.;g and channelling are completed. I'lie ro<td way will be of concrete, finiVicii off with powder asphalt, and a tram shelter is being erected on the northern tide of the bridge. The lighting of the bridge will be by means of 2'j electric lamps, in each of which wu no 25-candle power incandescent lanps. It is intended to take steps to the beautiful bush in Cemetery Gully, and to put the paths throngs i l id order. The town rivalry once so DoticeabJc between Taihape and Hangaweka m their earlier days is at present m evidence farther up t the line, wo?:; ts«re is a sort of triangular duel between ' Ohakune, Rangataua and Racti.:i (says the Dominion). All three places are progressing rapidly. Raetihi whvh was laid out some fifteen or years ago on the assumption that it be on fhp main Tine of railway is The commercial and farming centre. It recently held a very successful agn riiturai and pastoral show and this 1 season it • has exported over £IO,OOO worth of wool. It is also the t.eadquarters of the bank which opens a branch twice ! a week at Ohakune, and which is nov i on the point of erecting a new building in its own town. Ohakune and Rangataua now claim populations of 900 and 700 inhabitants respectively, and each watches the other with a very observant, but not very friendly, eye. Recently it was' given out that Ohakune intended to transform itself into a borough, and to rope in Rangataua in order to gain the necessary one thousand population. As Rangataui ■ desires to play a lone hand in its municipal development, this announcement I was treated by its inhabitants as a s'ort ; of civic bombshell, and a meetin'g was ; hurriedly oal'id to discuss ways and ! means of frustrating the alleged pro- ! ieot. On it being stated, however, that Ohakune had no wish to abs'orb Rangaj taua, Hie latter party held its hand, but I each district is now endeavouring to i attain a (population basis which will I give it the status mentioned.