STRATFORD DAY BY DAY.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LII, Issue 359, 9 April 1910, Page 8

STRATFORD DAY BY DAY.

OPENING the mayokal CAMPAIGN.

(From Our Resident Correspondent.) (By Telegraph.) Stratford. Last Night. There was a good attendance of ratepayers at the Town Hall to-night, when ' Dr. Paget, one of the candidates for tile Mayoralty, gave his address. Mr. G. Sangster. the .Mayor, presided. In outlining his policy, Dr. Paget referred at considerable length to the relations of the Stratford Electric Light Company with the Borough Council. He detailed the history of the negotiations between the company and the Council, culminating in an offer to sell to the Council the plant for £IO.OOO. He contended the light had not only been unsatisfactory. but that the public had never received what they paid for. If the company did not give the consumers what they paid for. it was the duty of the Council to see that they got it. He was not, prepared to express an opinion as to the legality of the claim advanced by the company that they had the right of lighting "for ever and a day." But there was a. clause in the Act by which ■the Council had the power to terminate the agreement if the service was not satisfactory. This was the whip: why hadn't it been used? Because the Council had always as members representatives of the company. He did. not think it right that, when great issues were at stake, directors of the companv should occupy seats on the Council. He criticised the position of his opponent, Mr. King, who was chairman of directors of | the company. How could he serve both the Council and the company? He advocated making the company "end their ways or mend their ways." In dealing with finance he contended that the economy claimed for Mr. King's administration as Mayor had been secured by starving the roads, and that his successor had had to pav for this .parsimony. He advocated better facilities for the outlying ratepayers of tli p borough, and pointed out tlmt within th fop VOfiri; the rents from reserves would provide £4OO. sufficient money for interest and sinking fund on an £SOOO loan. Among other_ improvements he advocated asphalting Broadway and buying a steam roller. ' He characterised the water supply as •being at times the very worst lie had fevei' seen, predicting that if something were not done very soon to remedy the evil the public would pay a heavy penalty in human life.

He favored the Borough Council entering into arrangements with the Domain Board for the improvement of the Recreation Grounds, or the taking of the -Stratford extension under the Publie Works Act for recreation purposes. The establishment of a gymnasium, utilising the Town Hall for such a purpose, was advocated.

He touched on the Opunake railway question, criticising the methods adopted m the past, and held that if a Progressive policy in connection with the town was adopted they would uush Stratford ahead, making it the leading inland tow. of Taranaki, and thus give it indisputable claim as the junction of the Opunake line.

Several questions were asked and an swered.

A hearty vote of thanlcs was accord°d Dr. Paget, and the customary compliment, to the chair concluded the meeting.

The minils atf-pnding- the woodworking ' 'lass in connection with the Stratford Technical School presented Dr. Pasret with an inkstand of inlaid miriri and j rimn—the former timber being portion of the W-aiwakaiho bridge—in apprecia-1 tion of his services. At the Magistrate's Court to-day an order was made, on the application of' J. Melville, under the Wages Protection j cand Contractor's Lien Act, for the sale I of I). Row's interest in leasehold pro-! perty in Stratford. j The annual meeting of the Stratford Hockey Club will be held on the 12th i instant. I

'Some excitement was created this afternoon by a runaway horse. It appears that Miss Coldwell had just driven into town, and on getting out of the gig at the stable the horse took fright and bolted for home. r

The cup presented by Messrs. Masters and .Son to the Stratford Rifle Club has been won bv Rifleman Wickham, and the medal .{riven by Mr. W. P. Kirkwood by Rifleman C. Speck. A special meeting of the Tarannki Rugby Union to consider notices of motion rewarding the Bavly Memorial and the alteration of the boundaries of certain southern clubs will he held on the 15th instant.