Stratford News.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIV, Issue 129, 22 November 1911, Page 3

Stratford News.

* From Our Resident Reporter. * ❖ ❖

UNSEASONABLE WEATHER. Stratford, Tuesday. This morning the weather pendulum swung sharp lwck to winter, and the mercury went down with a bump. A strong wind swept <lown from the northward, and did it rain—what? Someone said lie had never seen rain like it, but another man said lie remembered a similar downpour—seven years ago. Jt was unfortunate for Stratford. Tuesday, as sale day, is usually a good business day, but it rained in torrents till after mid-day. It looked as if it had intended to rain for forty days and forty nights, and then changed its mind and given us the whole lot in one day instead. The luncheon bell stayed the rain. In half an hour out came old Sol, and soon the streets were dry, and glad was the heart «f man. This afternoon Stratford has just been showing us how pleasant it can be when it likes. The cold wind has gone, the rain has ceased, and there has been a good summer strength in the sunshine. Long may it continue, but will it?

CROQUET CLUB. OPENING OF THE SEASON. The Croquet Club opened the season on Saturday afternoon, when there was nil attendance of over fifty ladies—memlxu's and visitors. The greens were in splendid order, for which credit must be given to Mr. H. Dingle, who makes the welfare of the club quite a hobby, and has done trojan work. Afternoon tea was served, ami in the surroundings was particularly enjoyable. The club is snugly esconced in the northern portion of Victoria Park, with frontage to Regan street and Cordelia street. Years ago the borough councillors in their wisdom hedged the park round about, and for years those hedges did biittic aguinst every wind that blew. Tlii.s portion of the park, however, was not taken up by the "manly" siports such as football, cricket, hockey, or athletic sports, and it was used for grazing purposes only. Tile croquet people, casting around for a fresh spot on which to enjoy their fascinating game, alighted on this. To-dny it is sheltered by a splendid double hedge, There are four fine lawns, on which sixteen ladies may play simultaneously, ami a neat little clubhouse. The club is apparently going to have another successful season. Domain boards and park authorities are certainly fulfilling their duties in a useful fashion when portions of the public parks :VrO'thus' placed at the'disposal of the public for healthy recreation. The waste grounds are thus improved, beautified, and utilised at 110 oost to the ratepayers. Some ot these days we will probably see one -of' the tennis clubs. fallowing the example of the croquet club and applying for ■•permission'.to'lay-down tennis courts in the public park, as has been done ..ky, the, Park.. Lawn' Tennis Club in the beautiful Ik'cr.eation Grounds ,at New Plymouth .., ■<

OBITUARY ' PASSING OF OLD' IDENTITIES. During the a sit few days we liave lost three of our old identities. Yesterday I chronicled the death of our old friend, Mr. Peter Wilson, whose funeral took place to-day at the Koputama cemetery/ Another of our early colonists who was Iwrne to' his last resting-place was Mr. Pat/iick Kelly; The deceased gentleman' has resided in Stratford for only four years or thereabouts, hut prior to 1 that lie fanned (it i'mii.whakau- for a, little over live yours, and during that time he became fairly well known in this district. Mr. Kelly, will be remembered in South Taranaki as one of the earliest settlers in the Mamvia district, where he landed first some 41 years ago. He afterwards lived in the Kaponga district for some ten years, and for five years at TeKirii He'took part in'the Maori troubles; in South. Taranakj, serving under Captain O'Brien, but wi\s not the holder of;.the. New Zealand war, medal, for which he ever refused to apply. Mr. Francis Lacey,. one of the early business jiien of Stratford, died at his home in Broadway, south this morning a, little after three o'clock, The late ilr. Lacey arrived in New Zealand in the good ship Halcionein 1875, and settled at New Plymouth. He was ■ engaged in road contract wo"k in the Ui'ercui district in 187 a. Itewiis unlucky in that he. met unexpectedly hard'country, and he stood to lose heav-ily'on the contract. At this time lie was taken dangerously ill, «nd ills. Lacev, who'survives him, was also very ill at the same time. But in the' early days a, "man was a man ~for a' that," and the settlers came to tiie assistance of the unfortunate contractor, and he pulled through. Mr. Laxity came to Stratford, as far ias I can gather, about 20 veafs ago, and was in ax'tive business here as a baker and grocer up. till recently, when his advancing years and fiail health made his retirement from business necessary. Some years aco he took part in local politics, and was\ member of the Stratford Town lioard which laid tlie foundations of Stratford's future gieatness. lie was alpo an earnest church worker, and a Jay reader in the Primitive Methodist Church iis Ion" as his health lasted. Mr. Lacey ieavM behind him a record of one of Stratford's >lraightest and most |„a,.jiciil Christian men. lie haves a family of „i„e, viz.: .Messrs. hrno-l Lacey (Wanganui). Frank Lacey (Midhirsl.) ami William' Lacey (Mrattord); .Mr>dames ,1. Patterson (Mratlord). ,]. Martin (Stratford), A. Burgee (Stratford). \\\ Cartwright ( !ok<>). .1. Huberts (New Plymouth) and C. Lovt II (Auckland).

SOMETHING TO HOPE FOR. Th.' liaihvay JVpartnient evidently has in view (lie possible development of Stratford's railway irailic in no umm proportion. Recently the Department resinned p ( i"..K--ioii „f a wid.. strip of the land leased originally to business men between the present railway yards and Broadway. I hey don't reipiire this land merely to !.ra/:e a!, of' eourse. A loeal business man inl'onihd me this mornin" tli.it he had had it direct from a prominent. departmental official (hat the railway platform will have to he moved westward to (he l.nnndary in order to make room ' ■; ll: set- of rails. I],, a!-o ineiif Km; (1 that, eventually a suli- ', s lo , 1 "' n Tte ; ian street to take the heavy road traffic, in which ease crossing the rails at the level crossing will he forbidden. Included in the Scheme was the widening of the ['atea river bridge, which is already accomplished. if this programme is actually

the programme of the Railway Department, then Stratford must be in for some attention at the hands of the authorities. The Stratford-Ongarue (Stratford - Koura) line is going to make this a busy centre, wa know, but what else is there? STRATFORD A. & P. SHOW They have more ways than one of "booming" shows in America. For instance, on the streets of Indianopolis recently was noticed a large automobile gaily decorated, and bearing on the sides the placard, "We're headed for Sheridan street Fair." On the front of the car, securely fastened to a projecting platform, was th.e life-sized model of a Jersey cow in plaster. On the rear of the car was a banner bearing this inscription, "Old Bossy, the champion milk cow of the world, will be on exhibition." It is' hardly likely that such methods as thesewill be used to advertise our local 6how for many years to come, but the show will not suffer in consequence, for the management of affairs is in the hands of those whose first objective is to make Stratford the great show centre of Taranaki, and they are taking very effective means to attain this end. Pessimists were plentiful when it was first announced that an A. and P. Association had been formed in Stratford, and that a show was to be held. Disaster, black disaster, was predicted, but still the show in 1010 was such an unqualified success from every point of view that even the pessimist was forced to exclaim, "Who'd have thought it »" and straightway joined the ranks of those who were pushing the matter onward. Its praises were sung in. far-off places and at home, and the natural result of this, and of the continued energetic management, is that the second show, on Wednesday and Thursday, 29th and 30th inst., will witness such a gathering that even the splendid, accommodation which the. association provides will be taxed to its utmost. The grand parade of stock last year was generally admitted to be particularly equal to anything seen in the Island, and with the increased interest and entries this yeaT, and with the experience gained by the executive in the interval, this year's show should do away with any doubt on the matter, for some of the finest animals owned between North Cape and the Bluff will be on show. The other day I mentioned some of the improvements on the grounds effected during the year. The indications are that there will be a "full house" in the new horse and bull boxes. It is unnecessary to repeat that the show grounds art in process of being made the finest in the Dominion. Nature made'a fine start with the work, and' we have the right | men to apply the finishing touches.

r' GENERAL NEWS » Mr. R. G. Whette'r, Education Board inspector, is supervising the civil service ,an<l senior and junior free place examinations in the Stratford centre. There are between 60 and 70 entrants, who are sitting at the Technical School for the examinations. These commenced yesterday, and will continue until December 1. A wrestling competition is to be held next week, probably oil Monday night in the ; Town Hall, between L. S. Robertson, champion light-weight wrestler of the Dominion, and Stoker Penny, of H.M.S. Powerful, who will arrive in Btritford on Saturday night next. These -two splendid exponents of the science of , wrestling have met here before, and provided a superb scientific exhibition. The contest will be of the catch-as-catch-can order. • ■ jsJir. l ß. Williams, an old resident of Mahoe, who is now living retired in Auckis revisiting Stratford. A meeting of the Chamber of Commerce is to be held to-night. , Mr* Johnson, manager of the Bank of Australasia, is to oe transferred to the chargs of the Masterton branch. The comparative size of the two towns leads to : the belief that the change means substantial promotion, which no one will.begrudge onr popular bank" manager. He has moved about a good deal, and his going will leave a gap. 1 , 'Mrs. Stronach recently executed a . prc,tty : and faithful 'painting of Mt. Egmont in- pastel colors, which was presented] ;to Mrs.-Raikes on the, eve of her departure from Stratford. Dr. Lawrence, of Tasmania, who has been touring the Dominion, paid a short visit last week to his brother, Mr. L. I'. Lawrence, of Beaconsfield road. The .friends of Mr. and Mrs. Frank Maskay will regret to learn of the illness of ( .their little six-year-old boy. The littlp fellpw in some manner poisoned'his arm, and. on Monday night Dr. Paget luid t.Q, perform an operation. Mr. Macliay. has. just returned from Auckland, where, a surgical operation was performed on his brother, Mr. J. R. Mackay, so lie is in for more than his share of trouble, just, now. Mr. >J.;lv. Mackay is reported to be PPgre.ssiiig very favorably towards re-. covery. Hie, Stratford Operatic Sooiety lias undertaken to reproduce "Trial by Jury" in aid of the Stratford District High School .funds.,,., The. performance will probably take place in the second or third week in December, and a date has been submitted to the school committee for eOjiilirmation.

A meeting of the school committee was held yesterday ami the visit of the Premier, who will arrive at 3.15 next .Mumlay afternoon, was discussed. The Premier will on arrival proceed to the site of the school to lay the foundation stone. Deputations will subsequently wait on him. One from the school coninnttce and the Education Board will ask that tlie wooden wing of the old school building saved from lire be replaced with a brick wing; another from the Borough Council, applying to the Premier for a loan; ami a third from the Chamber of Commerce asking for a new post office. At the .same meeting it was resolved to ask all political candidates in Taraliaki electorates to make a plain statement from the platform, saying, whether they condone or oppose the spending of the revenue derived from the Opaku reserve for any other purpose than that 'of secondarv education.