Stratford News.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIV, Issue 140, 16 December 1911, Page 3

Stratford News.

THE HALF-HOLIDAY QUESTION. Stratford, Friday. The conference of local bodies convened by the Stratford Chamber of Commerce tiiis afternoon to discuss the advisability and possibility of arriving at a uniform half-holiday was not as largely attended as had been hoped. The delegates present were: -Messrs. G. W. Browne (Mayor of New Plymouth), G. W. Bennett (Mayor of Inglewood), J. Masters (Mayor of Stratford), and R. G. Cook (town clerk, Kaponga). Mr. .1. B. Richards was present as secretary of the convening chamber.

The secretary explained that reports showed New Plymouth, Waitara, Manaia and Kaponga were in favor of Saturday if general throughout Taranaki; Stratford, Thursday; Inglewood, Thursday; Opunake, non-committal; and no reply had been received from Hawera. The Saturday advocates all stipulated that they would not change unless the Saturday was made general. The delegates present were of opinion that the meeting was not sufficiently representative to settle on any particular hall-holiday for the conference, but after a conversational discussion the conference affirmed the desirability of having a uniform half-holiday for the pro-,' vince.

The delegates present were of opinion that there would be no satisfactory solution of the difficulty until the matter was taken up by the Legislature. Mr. Cook said the Kaponga Town Board was in favor of unifoimity, and would adopt any day to attain that end.

Mr. Masters drew attention to the fact that the borough councils and town boards could not bind the county councils, and instanced a number of fairly large stores at Midhirst, Tariki, Toko, Cardiff, Ngaere, and so on.

The general opinion was that the present state of affairs, with different trades and different towns observing various days was most inconvenient and unsatisfactory.

Mr. Masters suggested that in any future conference on this question the various tradesmen's associations should lie represented. He pointed out that in Stratford the. Retailers' Association was representative of every branch of trade, and its opinion was entitled to consideration. The Stratford Borough Council had for years past been guided by tli.e Association in the matter of holidays.

•Mr. Browne was prepared to support a Saturday half-holiday for Taranaki. and said that in New Plymouth ">7 had declared for Saturday and 37 for Saturday, whilst there were 33 other institution.-, which at present closed on Saturday*. He believed that the Government should take the'matter up and make the Saturday half-holiday compulsory throughout the Dominion. Mr. Kicliards opposed the idea that the local body should 'be guided entirely by Hie tradesmen's assoei*tion. unless, (if coin-!', the local body was sajistied that the a<-<u-iation was fully reproscntativf of the business section of the community.

Mr. IVnnett said (hat although Tnglc- t wood was adhci-iiig to Thursday, ho had ( no doubt that, the business people there c wonhl fall into line if the rest of the i prlivince declared fur Saturday, but only .] if the mo\cnicnt were general. ' t It was decided that a copy of the rcso-! \ lutiou be forwarded to the Chamber of j Commerce, t The matter will be further discussed on' Tiie-ilav night at the regular meet- t in {j of the executive of the Chamber. c 1

From Our Resident Reporter.

Kaponga—Every other Thursday, commencing January 4, at 11 a.m. Tariki—Every other Tuesday, commencing January 0, at 11 a.m. Midhirst—Every other Thursday, commencing January 11, at 11 a.m.

' CRICKET c

! Howling ,in:<i> -•=: Stewart, five for 22; fli.M-lMiic. two fi'i- M: Keaioii. two for I": WrilKer. mine for H); Sullivan, none for 2. Si'-itfo.-d ha* a Iter in next week's fivt in I'-. and'it i- Imped the members will get in Millie much •needed practice.

j THE TERRITORIALS.

PARADE DATES. Parades of Territorials have been arrair.'id as under. The arrangements will probably ela-h with the sporting pnieliviiie- of some of die rising generation, for the Toko parade starts only a few minutes before the first race on the second daw's programme of the Si rat ford Hieing Club. The parades at maiii'ci c'ics arc for the llth Regiment Taranai i Hides only, unless otherwise arraii'jci'. hut at sub-centres all branches are to ,n<, n -Mounted Killer. Infantry anil Cad :•. The fixtures arc: •- I MAIN CKXTRKS. Stratford - Kvery Friday, commencing I .Innmin ."), at S p.m.' I Kllhaii' E\ery .Monday, conuiiencing .In men'- S. at S p.m. ( 1 lie''wiied lively Wednesday, eoninieiic- ' ing .lanuary 3. at 7.311 p.m. sns-CEXTRES. ( Toko—F.vcry other Tuesday, commencj in'.' .laiiuary 2. at 1 1 a.m. | Tulutav.a ( Next parade will bo notified liu.ri Kw-ry other Tuesday, com--1 menciiig .lanuary 2. at 7.3!) p.m. Dmighis- iNext, parade will be notified | lalei-j— Commencing .lanuary 3. at 1 H a.m.

THE SCHOOL CONCERT

The school concert on Thursday night drew a big crowd to the Town Hall, which was filled in all parts. Even at the low prices charged for admission there will be a profit of about £25 for the school funds. There were only two items from the children, this being on account of the disorganisation of the school by the fire and the subsequent inconvenient housing of the pupils. But the "Jingle Bells" chorus and march by the children were capitally done, and the committee is to be commended for putting the performers on as just well-, dressed boys and girls, and not insisting on "dolling them up" until their own cousins would scarcely know them. "Ten little nigger hoys" jumped up like so many of our old "jack-in-the-box" friends, and illustrated how the ten little coons of nursery rhyme notoriety disappeared from the face of this erath. It was laughable indeed. The adult'per- / formers included Mesdames Johnston and Rerinell. in a splendidly rendered duet, "Life's Dream is O'er," the musical gem of the evening. Mr. F. H. Wilkie's twoj recitations, "Xot too had," in broken' English, and "Maloney's Faynian Cat,"! in broad Irish, were very clever, and the Dutchman's story pleased the little] ones as well as the big. Miss Elliott produced a song and dance, "Kissing," and responded with "Coax Me." This little lady is very dainty in her footwork. M'r. T. Wilson sang "Thora" in his usual good style, and Mr. Walter Wilson's fine voice was also heard to excellent advantage, but it would have carried better had he mounted the stage." Miss Sangster's "Scotland Yet" was prettily sung, and well received. "Trial by Jury," that old but ever-new operetta, was well staged by the Stratford Amateur Operatic Society. The audience seized quickly upon the apparent "points," but the subtie humor which pleased our fathers and mothers in the i heydey of their youth passes to-day's I youth nnlieed. The principal parts were capitally taken. The leading characters were: Mr. Wilkie as the judge, Mrs. Rennell as the bridal plaintiff, Mr. F. Dunlop as the defendant. Mr. E. W. Lewis plaintiff's advocate, and Mr. T: Wilson ag the usher, while all the minor parts were equally well taken. The Orchestra! Society gave the audience a musical treat, and were undoubtedly responsible for much ;of the pleasure of! the evening. • ■■ j

GENERAL NEWS j

The next sitting nf the Stipendiary Magistrate's Court at Stratford will be held on January 12. ft'ome hundreds of people gathered in Broadway last night and indulged in hooting and cheering by turns as the second ballot retiirns were made known. The crowd was largely an Opposition one, an' eonld easily be adduced from the cheering of the Reform Party's successes. There was exultation, pure and unadulterated, when the defeat of Sir] Joint Ffndlay was announced. As on) the night of the first ballot, the crowd) was good-humored and orderly, and the i police were hot called in to settle any' arguments. ] At a sitting,of the Magistrates Court/ this morning the following enses were, derided in favor of plaintiffs by default/ F. W. Wake (Mr. Wake) v. A." A. Smith, claim £1 3s, costs ss;' Kemp and Sawle (Mr. Anderson) v. M. Kennington, claim £77 8s and costs, £5 13s fid McMillan and Fredric (Mr. Fookes) v. T. Dodunski. claim 1 2s (id. costs ss; F. Waite (Mr. Wake) v. W. Bowman, claim £6 Us Bd, costs £ 1,17s Gd.

'The -local' stall' of the Bank of Australasia made.a presentation of a,silver teapot to Mr. Johnston (the retiring manager) and Mrs. Johnston. Mr. Masses- made the presentation, and said that l'ii and his colleagues-were deeply sensible of the many kindnesses and courtesies extended to them by both Mr. and Mrs. Johnston in business and outside business hours. He expressed warm wishes for the future prosperity of the (Ifparting manager, and regret that they wjere to lose Mr. and Mrs. Johnston from Stratford. Mr. Johnston, in returning thanks., said that his departure from Stratford caused him a. wrench for many nasons. and he hoped from time to time t0 vi.s'it the town.

j The tennis match between Xew Plymouth, and 'Stratford may be arranged itr next .Thursday. The 'fixture had to be declared off this week on account of the soaking rains of Wednesday. ■ The W.Y.M.T. lawn tennis team's next intertcluli 'match will probably be against fitzrqy at, Kitzroy. two or three weeks hence. ,*"..".

j Tlie 'matter of providing public oon- 1 venionceW is one. that should be faced'by 01". Borough Council. Surely there, is ■feme wav'; ...

'.The holiday railway traffic commenced (illis morning.', i An unusual case, which illustrated the characteristic independence of the col(ijiiia.byotttli. was heard in the S.M. Court jjhisr morning. Joseph Winton claimed from- W.iHiaan -fioldiiucli the sum of 15s ui lien of a week'., notice. The plaintiff conducted his'own case, .and the defendant \va* represented by Mr. F. W. Wake. lutd engaged Goldfinch's son as a mijkerat los a week, understanding fliat tlie.lioy's father knew of the matj.i r. The boy told him he was 18 years jihi.i The hoy drew a fortnight's wages before fiis-seetind'week was up, and, during Die plaintiff'.- al.-e»ee in Xew Plyiiioitth.. left without notice. The Magistrate said the boy should have been sued, or joined in the action, but plaintill said he didn't know a minor could h sued. The S.M. remarked that this was (he second time in a couple of weeks Xhur a father hud been sued for the ac:;iioi> of his,soli, lie declared to decide at once oji rtie iron-suit point raised by -Mi'. Wake that tlie father was not a j'.nl.v to tli,. contract, as he was not cognisant oi the boy's actions. The lad said .be left because he was dissatisfied. lie .'had to sleep in a lumber-room, but that it was- not a very much lumbered lum-.jber-room was shown by his answer that '.his only room-mate.; were a sack of potatoes . and a set of harness, at which ,llis Worship remarked that at the end ,'of an honest day's work he should have been able to sleep well even on the sack .or potatoes* The astonishing feature -about the case was that although the boy Jiad ni-vi-v been .may from home previ-( \msly. the father made no attempt to find where he was or what he was (doing. The Magi-i.rate. commented se- ( verely oh the conduct of the boy in thus

defrauding his employer, and said he would nserve his decision, hoping the ease would he settled and the plaintiff j fairly treated in the matter before next (Court day. A butcher's assistant, J. W. Fitzwilliams, ha.-, .'iled a declaration of insol- . vwicy. j On a recent Sunday, Sergeant MeNeely, when walking along Broadway, noticed a man stop in front of the Club Hotel, to speak to someone connected with the hotel and afterwards go to the rear of the hotel by means of the right-of-way. He followed the man, to obtain an explanation of his being on licensed prem-1 ises during prohibited hours, and found him in one of the out offices. This morning Walter Brown, a carrier, was accordingly charged in the S.M. Court with being on licensed premises contrary to the statute. The Sergeant gave evidence as outlined above. The defendant's defence was that he was not on the hotel premises proper, nor had he any intention of entering the hotel. In cross-examination it was elicited that there was no public convenience in Stratford. The S.M. was not quite satisfied with the defendant's excuse, and (ntpred a conviction with fine. Messrs. Ryan and fion are the contractors for a fine residence in Hamlet street for Mr. Percy Thomson. The contract price is in the neighborhood of .•£9OO. Mr. P. J. Sheridan, Government inspector of meat and 'manager of the -Stratford abattoir, is under orders to transfer from Stratford, and will be succeeded here by Mr. A. M. Spilman. Mr. C. .7. Rea'kes, Director of the Live Stock and Meat Division of the Agricultural Department, in announcing the change to the Borough Council, writes: "During the period he has acted as inspector of the Stratford abattoir, he has carried out his duties in a thoroughly conscientious and trustworthy manner."

ELTITAM v. STRATFORD. L Tlie following are tiro detailed scores * nit Thursday afternoon: — c ELTHAM. (lower, li Dimlnp..'. Cameron, c and 1) Boyes . O 1 • 3 , Sullivan, li Moves: uSllkeiYe and h Roves l-'iaroit. e I'ri'lible.'b Dnnlop.. Cold-tone, e Sliarp. 1> Uoycs. Halpine. <: .Tackson, 1) Boyes. . • ° .. 0 ' .. 12 .. 4 .. 0 :: ! .. 3 68 ■Bowling.analysis: Boyes. six wickets for I'.'! runs; Dnnlop. tlnee for 19; Preblilc, none forjll; Jennings, none for 7. ' STRATFORD. .lark-on. llnv. I) Sfcwatf. ..... Dnnli.p. li Stewart." . I'ri Mile.'e Cameron, li Fearon. .. 1- .. 10 .. 15 .. 8 Bmvi-*. c Haxlev. 1> Fearon .Ti-nniiii's. e Ir'iiwer. b (Jolilstone... c Cower, li lloldst'one .. 1 .. ' 1 .. 4 .. 0 r.nrV. -h Stewart .. 3 .. 0 .. 3 48