Stratford News.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIV, Issue 132, 25 November 1911, Page 3

Stratford News.

"'WARE, -POCKETS." Stratford people and the thousands of Taraiiaki who will attend our A. & P. Show next week should note that pickpockets were at work on Hie Xcw Plymouth showground on Thursday. A young fellow standing in a crowd round one of the noisy salesmen felt something approacljing a tug at his hip pocket, but took little notice. Then another pull. He put his hand round to see if anyone were endeavoring to "clean him out," and found that his trousers were slit almost sufficiently to allow of his hip pocket being lifted. It doesn't follow, of course, that this member of the light-fingered fraternity will l>e a visitor to Stratford, but forewarned is forearmed. Stratford exhibitors at the Taraiiaki Show speak highly of the Courtesy and attention of the oflicials of the Society. -Many of our members were present with a view of picking up "wrinkles," and also to see if there were any practices there which, old and wrinkled with age, might be side-tracked and more modern methods adopted at the local show. The organisation of the Stratford A. & P. Association is excellent. Everyone is working as an enthusiast should, and every effort will be made to keep the: wheels revolving smoothly. It was generally admitted that in the conduct of our first show a year ago there was little to cavil at, but even that little will be absent this year if hard work ami self-sacrifice can attain that end.

A REGRETTED RETIREMENT. The popular secretary, Mr. E. .Tackson, lias announced his intention of resigning his post when the show is over and the active work in connection with it concluded. He finds that'the work takes him away from his own business to a greater extent than he can afford; hence his decision: A strong effort should be made by the executive to retain his services for another year. He has done yeoman service for the Association. With no previous' experience of show management, he has really worked , marvels in organisation, and as one.proof J of his level-headcdness may be mentioned that his executive sticks solid as one man. It isn't every secretary that can keep his workers in unity.

A BOUNDARY BRIDGE. The Stratford County Council has instructed its engineer to proceed with the renewal of the Waipuku' bridge on the Mountain road. This bridge is maintained by the Stratford and Taraiiaki County Councils jointly, and was the subject of an enquiry by a commission not long ago to decide whether the control of it should be taken from the Taramiki County Council and vested in the Stratford Council. The result of'the enquiry was the vesting of it in the Stratford Council, principally on tbe ground that this county had'a'permanent engineer at the tune and' that the bridge was much nearer to Stratford than to New Plymouth, these being the centres of administration of the two bodies. The commission considered tho bridge should be renewed, the Tavanaki Council dissenting from this view. 'Anyhow, the renewal is to be proceeded with without delay, and the two counties have to share the cost. This was one of the steel bridges erected by the. Northern Council, but their maintenance has been found to be too expensive in this countrv. It is suggested that the present bridge could be made permanently stronger Inbeing encased in concrete. .';'.'

A RECORD INDEED!

The secretary of the Stratford. A. & P. Association informed me:th.ls afternoon that the 2000 mark had been passed in the entry book. His trip to.the show at New Plymouth •secured ever- a couple of hundred entries, exclusive' of jiV. big bmg secured by the dog fanciers frohi the exhibitors there. Just, fancy. 2000 entries for the second arinilal show of an association that was reckoned to 'have come before its time. This is going'to be the biggest show in.Taranaki.

MAGISTRATE'S COURT,; . 1. The list at the S.M. Court ;this morning was a light one. Judgment bv default was given in the following cases: F. Plumtree (Mr. F. Wake) v. J. Sohodroski. claim Ss and costs (ss) : Wilson Drake & Co..(Mr. Malon.e) v. Mark Cronin: claim CO fis lOd. costs £1 3s fid; A. Dean (Mr. Stanford) v. Wm. Wright, claim £2 fis 2d. and costs 10s: Kemp & Sawle (Mr. Anderson') v.. .Tallies Hodge, claim CO (Is lOd. costs £1 3s fid. Tn the judgment summons case. Newton King v. W. Blair. Mr. Wake asked for an order in the absence of.the debtor, and the debtor was ordered to, pay the amount claimed. C 3 10s 7d, within fourteen days; in default, seven days' imprisonment. A number of other cases were paid into court, adjourned, or struck out. THE TERRITORIALS.

The first parade after the.swearing-in nf the Territorials in S( rat ford was held in the Town Hall on Thursday evening, when about ninetv of the men mustered. The work ai this'stage consisted mostly of setting-up drill, but it was evident that the Strall'on! recruits will need but. little of this, their style on parade and readiness to obey the word of command indicating that thev had seen some form of miiiiarv training before. Captain Whvle. Brigade-Major, was in charge of the parade. Captain l.amprn informs me that, there will be no drill on Thursday. December 7. owing to thai being Ihe night of the general elerlum. when the Town Hall will be otherwise engaged. There are several military events on next week's shew programme, and teams from Manaia. ll'awera.- and Waitara are expected to fake part "'in the tent-peg-ging, jumping by fours, ami for the. best tnniod-ont non-commissioned officer and li.nve. IV-l entries will be taken. The Territorial oll'n-ers intend to insiituie numerous competitions amongst (lie men undergoing military (raining. Something of a r ml was put up at t'atea. the other night, every man in the force attending parade. Now then. Stratford! l; •,'■:;!'■ <>( v- MK'.-rox. The Yonn" Women's Bible t lass of Si. Andre'.v's Chur-h held a-well-attended serial on Thursday evening in aid of the Backbbn-ks Mission. A splendid programme was given, and a verv enjoyable evening was spent.'''some of the performers displaying exceptional talent. Rev. J. IT. Thompson, M.A.. presided.

From Our Resident Reporter.

After the completion of the musical programme, supper was served, and in this the providers excelled themselves. The following was the programme:—Pianoforte duet, Misses Mackay and Clark; songs. Misses Sanders, .Mackay, Gangster and Wake, and Messrs. P. Thomson and Douglas; pianoforte solo, Mrs. McXeely; violin solo, Miss Morison; recitation, Mr. Stewart. A very laughable ami well produced sketch, "Mrs. Marshall's Servants," was put on by Misses Butcher (2), Eeid, Mackay and Mr. Douglas. The results should mean a fair contribution to the funds of a very deserving cause.

RIFLE SHOOTING. The Pohokura Defence Rifle Club sent a team to Stratford on Thursday, and fired against the local club. The weather was particularly unpleasant in the' morning, and the locals thought the match hardly likely to eventuate, but it takes something to frighten our Mends out east. The weather conditions on the range beat the best of the men at times. Stratford won by 064 points to 001, a margin of 63 points, and had the highest individual score of the day, Rifleman Gollop's 95. The figures were as follow:

; POLITICAL. The following are the nominations for the Stratford seat:— JOHX BIRD HINE, • nominated bv tieorge Sangstcr" (Stratford), Robert] Hugh Cameron (Stratford). John Preston Bonner (Stratford), John Petric (Stratford). Joljn Willis, jnn. (Bird road)-, Jo,mesTJwirv Asliton (Stratford), Frank Xetherwood Dixon (Stratford), Alexander Brown (Midhirst), George Shawl Ferguson ( Midhirst), Andrew Meads (Midhirst). Josephiah Wedgwood Boon (Stratford), Thomas Mercer (Stratford), Thomas Edward Coleman (Xgaere), Thomas Robert Orr (Xgaere), Xieholas Benjamin Friday (Xgaere), John Stewart (Cardiff), Campbell Jackson (Stratford)-, Edward Walter (Douglas). Edward John .Graham (Douglas),] Arthur Xeedham (Douglas), Ernest Walter Lewis (Stratford), William New- j (on Stephenson (Tariki), Harry Strat- i ford (Tariki), Frederick Ernest Baker (Whangamoniona), Arthur Coxhead J (Whangamomona), Xorman Robert Clcl- j and (Talior-a), : William Thomas Bacon (Whangamomona), Charles Edward Bacon (Whangamomona). JOSEPH; McGLU<f!G AGE, nominated by William ATthirr Mp-Cutchan (Whangamomona), William Thomas Hodge (Whangamomona), Alexander Klee (Whangamomona), Edward Carroll (Whangamoniona), William Gleeson, Alfred William Hodder (Whangamomona), Ellen O'Xeill (Te Wera), O.wen .McAloon (Te Wera), Charles Ralph Finnerty (Te Wera), Michael O'Xeill (ffe Wera), T. Mellroy (Te Wera). Ernest; Alfred Osmond (Stratford). Xathahiel John King (Stratford), Robert Masters (Stratford), George 11. Dcrbv (Stratford), Garrett E. Wilson (Stratford),' John Black (Stratford).

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR ELEOTRTC LIGHT. Sir, —The question om municipalising the Electric Light Company's business seems to be exercising the minds of quite a number of our excellent townspeople. But the point of view adopted by several people, is not whether it would suit the Council to take the concern over: thev seem rather more inclined to the view that the shareholders

are benefiting to a greater extent than they., deserve. There are two sides to evVry bargain, and I take it that if the Council eiin sec a profit hy paving the price asked, it does not concern the buyers whether 'the shareholders get £1 10s a share or JOs a .share. That there must he, a profit to the Council if the concern is municipalised I have no doubt. One of the queries put is: "If the company can only pay 5 per cent, on £4OOO, how can the Council show a profit on an expenditure of £14,000?" I have a balance-sheet of the company before me, and I find, including £433 carried forward from 1810, the company showed a gross profit to March 31, 1911, of £I4BO. After providing £.19 for B. and D. debts, £4O for reserve fund and £440 for depreciation, or £499 altogether, the-bal-ance-sheet shows a profit of £9BO, or an amount equal to a dividend of almost 25 per cent. The reason for not paying more than ."> per cent, is given in the re" port, which recommends the small dividend in view of the heavy expenditure to be incurred on the installation of new plant. The opponents of the schr-» have failed to point out that included in the £14,000 provision was made for the purchase of this new plant, which will enable a day load to be established and produce an increased revenue.

Referring again to the profits of the company. Deducting £433, the amount carried forward from IftlO, the profit for 1911, after providing fpr B. and D. debts, reserve fund and depreciation, would show £.547. or equal ;to more than 13 per cent. In addition to this the company has had to provide the.interest on a fairlv big overdraft, the interest paid for the year ending March 31, MI, being £l%. m sum almost equal to a 5 per cent, dividend on the paid-up capital. 'lt does not require a "wizard of finance." to understand the figures shown in the company's balance-sheet, and further the signatures of the secretary and the auditor appended to the document, is a sufficient guarantee, to me at any rate, that the figures are correct. There is not the slightest doubt in my mind about the paying capabilities of the concern, and furthermore I trust the majority of my fellow ratepayers will seize an opportunity of studying the financial position for themselves. Thev will then have no hesitation in recording their votes on the side of progress.— I am, etc., PROGRESS.

GENERAL NEWS. Dr. Steven, medical superintendent of the Stratford Hospital, left by the south express "this morning, en route to Dunedin. On Wednesday of next week Dr. Steven will enter into a partnership but not in tho professional sense. Comparatively new to Stratford, Dr. Steven has. by his genial bonhomie, made a host of friends, and when he crosses the border line and enters the ranks of the benedicts it will be with the heartiest of good wishes from a' large circle of acquaintances. At the'railyay station he met an old comrade in Dr. L. Whetter. a son of Mr. and Mrs. R. G. Whetter, of. New Plymouth, who was going soutlf from New Plymouth, where he had been on'a brief visit to his parents before leaving for Australia with Dr. Mawson's expedition. Mr. J. 11. Thompson, secretary of the Taranaki Athletic and Caledonian Association, has received a copy of the Athletic and Cycling Union calendar, whose list of fixtures, will be of interest to athletes who contemplate a summer tour.

The Tututawa Dairy Company is, I am told, considering the advisability of amal- ; .nating with the Stratford Farmers' Co-oi>erative Association. Xot long ago the bigger concern absorbed the Huialcama Dairy Comiftny at the wish of its members. ' The principal argument in favor of the amalgamation is that the greater the supply of milk the cheaper the cost of producing the finished article. It is said that by throwing in their lot with the Stratford Association the farmers who hold shares in the Tututawa Company will receive an increase of about 2d per lb of butter-fat. Who wouldn't amalgamate ? The Puniwhakau bridge, which was destroyed by a wash-out on the first day of the Stratford A. & P. show last year, is now practically completed, and is open for traffic. The bridge is a suspension bridge, and has been faithfully constructed, so that it should meet the requirements of the district for years to come. The settlers have had a hard time during the year. Mr. Da vies, the Puniwhakau storekeeper, who is in the hospital as the result of a miss-hit with an axe, is progressing well. Mr. Frank Mackay's little bov, whose illness I mentioned the other day, succumbed on Thursday, despite .all that surgical and medical skill could do. The deepest sympathy is expressed with Mr. and Mrs. Maekav in their loss. .Rev. \X. A. Butler, view of Stratford, returned on Thursday night from a holiday. T-Te complains that the weather spoiled his trip. No wonder!

STRATFORD. 200 500 600 Tl. Tlfm. (lollop . 33 32 30 95 Rfm. Ritchie 32 32 30 94 Rfni. Henderson .32 32 29 A3 Rfm. 0. 'Speck , M 31 25 90 Rfm. .Jackson 30 29 29 88 Rfm. K. Brocklebank .. . 31 29 28 88 Rfm. 29 28 29 86 T'fnj. W. Brocklebank. . 29 26 27 82 Rfm. McMahon ... . 31 28 22 81 Rfm. Arden ... •. . 29 26 24 79 341 322 301 964 •POHOKURA. Rfm. McDonald 29 27 30 86 Rfm. White 29 30 27 86 Rfm. Bush 31 28 27 ,80 Rfm. Armstrong . 31 28 2:B 85 Rfm. Cronin 29 28 27 84 Rfm. Cooper . .< . 24 2S 30 82 Rfm. Rogers . 30 27 25 82 Rfm. Sandagger 31 n 23 82 Rfm. Stockley , 21) 26 25 SO Ufm. Martin ..« ,. 29 18 30 77 Rfm. Kenah 26 25 20 71 318 293 2K0 901