Stratford News.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIV, Issue 145, 15 December 1911, Page 3

Stratford News.

From Our Resident Reporter.

THE TERRITORIALS A meeting of the> whole of the officers of the 2nd Regiment will be held at Waverley on Friday, 15th inst., at 7 p.m., at which Colonel Davies will preside, accompanied by hi 9 staff officer, Captain Car dale. The business of the meeting is to inaugurate the organisation of the new squadrons, to hand over the record books and duplicates of those already sworn in, to give each squadron officer his squadron and each troop officer his troop, leach sub-unit commander being held responsible for the training and efficiency of his sub-unit. All ledgers, books, and returns will be issued, and th«ir uses explained. Quartermaster-Sergeant Davis, who has been in training at Wellington for the important branch of training, stall work, has joined the 2nd Mounted: Rifles in the capacity of Quartermaster-Ber-geant, and is now out measuring for uniall those who present themselves; likewise checking arms, accoutrements, etc., which are on issue to tire different squadrons. It is hoped to have all uniforms issued by January Bth.

GENERAL NEWS The paragraph in this morning's notes concerning the managership of the local branch of the Bank of Australasia was rendered incorrect by the printer's manipulation of words. Mr. Massey has already succeeded Mr. Thomson as manager, and the appointment is not a temporary one as the paragraph'suggests. Dr. Stevens, who returned a couple of evenings ago from tfie south with his bride, will resume his duties as medical superintendent of the Stratford hospital on Saturday. Dr. Carbery has been acting as locum tenens. At the conference of local bodies here to-morrow to discuss the universal halfholdday question, there will be delegates from the VVaitara, Inglewood, New Plymouth, Eltham, and Stratford borough councils, and the Kaponga Town Board I .' Other local bodies are expected to be represented, too, but they have not definitely notified the secretary of the local Chamber of Commerce, at whose instance the conference is being held.

AGRICULTURAL AND PASTORAL ASSOCIATION.

EXECUTIVE MEETING. There was a huge attendance at Wednesday night's meeting of the A. and P. Association's executive, Mr. R. Dingle, the president, in the chair. A HANDSOME PROFIT. Tho secretary, Mr. E. Jackson, submitted a rough statement of receipts' and expenditure to date, and the amounts to be received and paid. The membere' subscription* will probably total about £750, donations nearly £3OO, entrance fees £3BO. The gates at tlwh show produced £242, the guessing competitions £44, side-shows £33. The prize money to be paid out is approximately £4OO. The president said the profit for the year would probably be £SOO. EXHIBITORS' GRIEVANCES. The committee further considered the protest entered by Messrs. Tichbon Bros.' against Mr. T. Lyford's Holstein bull, Admiral de Kol, tilie protest being on the grounds that the bull wias not eligible for the herd book. Mr. Lyford wrote: I ''The 'bull is eligible for No. 2 Herd Book, and 1 the vendor of the bull stated to me that he would be put in No. I Herd Book when Mr. Greig returned from England. Mr.- Greig was the owner of Cherry, the mother of this .bull. Mr. Lovelock and Mr. Dalgety both stated during the sale that the bull was elegible for No. 1 Herd Book." It was decided that the eecnetajy write (to Mr. Lyford, and upon receiving an answer communicate with the secretary of the Holsetin.Breeders' Association to ascertain whether the 'bull is eligible. Mr. Henry Johnson, East <road, Straitford, wrote that when lie was making his entries with Mr. Campbell Jackson, he asked if he eould show live heifers in a pen, and then pick out the best two and show them in the grade Hokteins, 1 ! receiving a reply in the negative. But Mt. F. J. Johnstone, of llawera, had exhibited a yearling pedigree Holstein heifer named "Butter Girl" in the pedigree Holstein class, and took first prize; then he took her out and put her in with a grade and showed her as a grade, again taking first prize. He then shifted her into pen and showed her as a beet grade yearling, winning again. Was] this sort of thing to be allowed? It was done quite openly. Grade yearling bulls were allowed to be shown in the pedigree ! Holstein class. J

It transpired that Mr. F. J. Johnstone had been informed by the secretary before tlie show that animals could' be shown in only one class. The secretary will write further to both exhibitors on the matter. Mr. C. T. liarriball, judge in the Holsteins, wrote in reply to the secretary that after awarding the first and second prizes and sending in his awards he had given third pris-.es to a two-yea.r-old heifer and to a yearling bull. The secretary stated that these awards had not been sent in to the office. They were needed as they might have affected the awarding of th<* points prize, but if Mr. F. J. Johnstone's wins were to be disallowed, I hen they were really immaterial, for the points prize for the most points in the cattle classes would go to Mr. (i. A. Turner, of Eltham. The secretary will communicate with the stewards on the matter. A letter was received with reference to the entries in the home industries section from Mrs. Anstice, of Levin. Through an oversight at Levin the entries arrived too late for judging.—The executive unanimously decided to refund the entrance fees, and that the secretary write an explanation to Mrs. Anstice. Mr. C. Iluseoe wrote asking if it was the Association's intention to withhold the special prize given by the Stratford Racing Club (and won by his thoroughbred yearling colt) on tiie ground that there was not sufficient competition. That others were afraid to show is no reason why he should be penalised.— The prize is to be awarded. SUGGESTION'S. The sheep .stewards, Messrs. T. Godkin and Richards, recommended that permanent sheep pens 1m; erected before next show, and also that the practice of receiving late entries be discontinued, that entries in purebred sheep be accompanied by llock book numbers, and made othrr recommendations for the better i;. 'nagement of the sheep sections. The .-ii'v, ;irds also wished to place on record tm'ir .v:preoiatiou of the good feeling expressed by exhibitors, the efficient attention of the Jiailwny Department, and the entirely sitisfaetory working of the sheep section without loss or damage to any of the exhiibts.

it was decided that all suggestions adopted by i lie executive be entered in a suggestion book.

The secretary was instructed to pay out all prize-money with tin- exception of one or two amounts in dispute A GOOD CUSTODIAL. The president referred in eulogistic terms to the work done by Mr. Newland, the custodian. He had done a tremendous amount of work for the association, and no man could have done more. Then, too, Mrs. Newland and Master Newland had given them good service, lie moved that a bonus of ten. guineas be given the caretaker in appreciation of his extra serv ices. j Some diseu--ion took place, all being lof opinion t)• 11 the bonus was well I earned, but . ; liVrinir as to whether it should be given as a bonus, or as an increase of salarv. The bonus carried the dav. MISCELLANEOUS. The question of painting or tarring the cattle-pens was discussed, some members objecting lo the tarring as spoiling the appearan d of the show grounds, but others urging that the tar was a preservative and paint was not.—Jt was decided to obtain estimates of the cost of material necessary for tarring or for painting the jarda.

Jt wjls decided that the oats paddock tic ploughed, and that it be graded by tho caretaker as soon us possible, and cultivated.

The president was authorised to purcliasc u horse and dray /or use on the show grounds. Mr. J. T. Penny, secretary of the Maiui.wa.tu and West Coast A. and P, As-siK-ialion, has written to the local association. "Allow me to congratulate you on your Kphndid show. You and your committee liave worked marvels in two years." Mr. A. B. (iainlin, of Tnglewood, who tied with .Messrs. .Street (Bell Block) and Agent (Kivcrlea) for the first prize i in the guessing competition, wrote that he was prepared to toss for the prize, 1 play a game of euchre for it, or divide the money equally between the three of I them.—No decision arrived at, pending I replies from the others. °