Stratford News.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIV, Issue 164, 10 January 1912, Page 3

Stratford News.

j THE OVERSEAS CLUB. INTEREST IN STRATFORD. The Rw. W. A. Butler, Anglican minister in Stratford, is local secretary of the Overseas Club, which was founded on 27th August, 1910, by the London Daily Mail, and whose membership on October 28th last stood' at 65,947 members.. The Rev. Butler proposes calling a meeting, shortly, which will be duly advertised in I these columns, with a view of establish-1 ing a branch of the club in Stratford: and the election of officers, etc. There are i at present five members enrolled at| Stratford, but it is thought that a very] large membership can be secured. i What is the Overseas Club, and ior what does it stand? Here is the MEMBERS' GREED.

'Believing the British Empire to stand j for justice, freedom, order, and good I government, we pledge ourselves, as citizens of the greatest Empire in the world, to maintain the heritage handed down to iis by our fathers." At the anniversary of the formation of the Melbourne branch, the president, Sir Henry Weedon, said the club had 'been formed in England to compete with thß German Niivv League. He considered that the power for Imperial development which the club was rapidly attain- 1 ing would sooner or later cause it to be admitted into the councils of the Empire. The' club, he explained, was open to men and women of any degree, and the one feeling which would unite members would he adherence to the flag and to the solidarity of the Empire.. That speech seems to : put the objects, of the •lub in a nutshell. The idea is to foster a true .Jmperial spirit. The movement is very strong iq Canada. At a big- meeting at Ottawa recently, Mr. Fripp, M.P., said: "We want this club to be for every one who makes'thife country, his home. Not for Englishmen alone or Canadians, .but for the French and all those who come to this country under the British flag. The British ■ nation all the world over makes for righteousness, truth, and justice, and when they go into a country, to colonise it they make it a better, coun- . try, for they .bring enlightenment .and , civilisation to people of that coun- | try. Moreover; I' believe we are held to- ' gether by bonds of love, and not.,by J; coercion." ... ' Considerable objection was taken, by many present at this meeting to the lawless and anti-British pictures. displayed syt many of, the Ottawa picture halls, ,] and eventually ja .resolution - protesting against . films was passed. ' Tie • movement and very soon the makers of picture films ceased sending ] to, Canada those films which offended by ] flaunting the American and foreign flags] | so,conspicuously. \ ' A word of warning is published in a ( recent. issue of the Daily "Mail, as fol- 1 lows''ln one or two casesi-.members' j have approached . us with a view to en- i listing J ithe forces of the Overseas Club i ( on party, questions.' We can not 'too { frequently ; repeat that, -.-to realise '-its ] great'destiny the Overseas Club must at < ways remain non-party, and unsec* taHan," i ~£ . energies of "the members ,se£m 'to fliyl outlets. One club in Canada has a 'gymnasium, one in Natal a minia- • tures'riffe «lub'for both- men and' women, " find fin ■ edufcafi'on class, and proposer}' forming* k litefcipy 'and! 'debating eirtlfe.! There^arefbranches all'over theworld.,"ih" all 'the British colonies and dependencies, and" in "rfiany localities fth'eSre only'''a hand'fM'of ' people-canr i be got together. Is - { •«' • v. l ' r l%B'"Newl , '2earandsrropenfy of- ii his- loyalty to' Klng'.-<tintl Empire.' Ask hiiiii hojtv he ■'shoWjS !it,-'ahd he will point i to tail 'SJouth • Africait kctiievements (the J wo"rk •of 'the rither 1 'fellow),- our 'Dread- i noHght: l 'and ' pp.rharpsi lthei compulsory I mildtairy,'.traMing. vThere* »r6 Victoria' I Squares) "King Edward ' Parks' galore I .' i ThelNaro Zealander will laugh sobrrtfully ; if you he" doesn't sh<Jw Ms-' loyal l -- i ty !in diEtd'e .things. The'-Stratfbrd'nt<wr ! wofildi jirofcably talk back I 'hotly : if!.'yoii i told -him' he .was lacking in>'re'spfect<: dor ! ;his Majedty. So, no doubt,.! would the? fwonieni! iatid, .girls. But glaiiee > arbund' i the Town)" Hall next time you heat.'.the : 1 orchestra...strike up , the National Ah- .' thema ■ Take of the Ehgliihnten,; ,'thfemi /Each and every one of them-Will-' btoheaded, until the last chord t is 'struck.. -! Watch our colonial friend,i > ,male br. female. The opening notes'are ' easily"jeedgnised. It's' the music tfeit'ig > played, "when the show .is over.'? • .One would' think it heralded a visitation ' of the plague. Hate, wraps, umbrellas, * are. gi-iibbea up, and a rush for 'the' exit 1 sets\ in.'; Men clamber over' seats and' • . women- pteSs forward .in the crush. '!]s%'' .a 'scramble. ' The orchestra plays 61V f "Happy '«jfl glorious, long to r'eig'tf over > ns,' G'od save our King." By'this time' the -tlieitre practically empty.' Tinie ' \y,l9: fr.hen' the crowds would sing "Gol ' . saw the \Queen" and "Rule Britannia*' till thaywdre hoarse. TKey called thai' ' loyalty. ■ There wa s fightirig to do,' afttf the ';si&yit-Uomes were singing" whilst '' the-others jdid the fighting. God jenowf there 'was anguish en'otigh and ■ loyalty enough iii! many of tlie 'sta'y-atJhomes, . hut m the Words of th'e htfmOrous'-ge'fitlk- ' rtian vrrn .thd stage, there wfere otheis. ! It- is suggested that'tlfe ifteitiber's 'oY ' the /fJivertreas Club set" aii &V 1 baring: tlie head out "'6f' r-espe'et M {ls ' K-iag-ft avhen the: National Anthem' is 1 played or, sun a. iKwii ?i>'little thing'lrk e ' uhat would be "sometlHng >: attempted, (Something done."— The -elub" has the best wishes of all loyal citizens for its suc- ' cess. m - < ■ . ■ v . i ' • t ; LAWN TENNIS. Ji'hb 5 following . team i will represent "Tennis C'lub iii their nlafpli *vga"inst> '.'St. Andrew's on Thursday:— Misses H. Wilson, R. Everiss, E. K Cameron, Messrs. Dud. Cameron, J. .yjiompson. G.- Hunter '.G. Symis, p. ptinlop, a,nd A. King. Play commences at 2 p.m. on the St. Andrew's courts. The letter, club's . team will be as- fol--1 °sea E l . Mackey, ?. Petrie, M. Tivi.ne, 51. V. Leary; Messrs. R. D. Keown, T. Marshall, B. F. Kivell,- 11. W. pouglas, J. F. Anderson and another. ; ■ -GENERAL NEWS . ? Mr. J. Ileslop is still engaged in the '• 'task of making a re-valuation of the ' ijoroiigh- of Stratford fop the Valuation! There will'probably .be a ■sharp rise recorded in the values of pro- . f erties in the business area as compared .with the. previous valuation, but the •values in outlying portions of the foorVough will not be greatjy affected. I Mr. Frank Plumtree, who was formerly in business here for a number of yeajs, left for the north or" Monday night,

From Our Resident Reporter.

after a visit to Stratford extending over several days. Mr. Cecil Wright, formerly of New Plymouth, has been a visitor to Strat- - ford for a few days. It is reported on [ good authority that he intends entering i into partnership here in a legal busir ness of long standing. Mr. Wright left • New Plymouth and gave up practice i about a yiear ago on account of his ' health, and, I understand, took up farmi ing pursuits north of Auckland, but he is evidently getting ■back < into harness. Should this partnership eventuate the | Stratford Golf Club will gain an ew- ) thusiastic and proficient player, j In conversation with an old resident i it was gathered that the late Mr. H. W. Huggett, who died suddenly on Monday, came to New Zealand as far back as 1874. He settled at New Plymouth, hut sifter about a year he came on to Stratford and assisted in cutting the timber for the first bridge over the Patea river, which is now spanned at that spot by the Victoria bridge, a more pretentious and permanent structure. He has thus been a resident of Stratford for 37 or 38 years. The funeral has been fixed for Wednesday at one o'clock. I The borough inspector is now operating! as dog tax colletor. His experiences f would fill a book. One of the dogs, if the collector had his way, might partially fill a brook. A rent coat bears witness to the fact that the dog resented the intrusion of the man with the collars, and promptly sprang for him. There are evidently risks in the dog-tax business. Our Borough Council meets next Monday night, the meeting having been postponed for a week on account of the office having been closed {or the holidays until the usual day of meeting. A/ special meeting will be held' first to decide the day for observing the half-holi-,' day in the borough for the ensuing year.! The meeting will probably be purely for-, mal, and Thursday will 'be observed as usual in the coming year. At Tariki yesterday there was a good muster of senior cadets and men of the 11th Regiment and the 2nd Mounted Rifles at the half-day parade. SergeantMajor DaMinger was in. charge of the parade. . The work consisted' of squad drill, .physical drill, and/ a lecture by the Sargt.-Major on the composition of companies, regiments, brigades and and the officers in command. * In Monday's notes it was stated that a parade would be Jield in March next. For "parade," please read "camp." Mr. Nlewton King, who paid his usual business visit to Stratford to-day, appeared with his arm in a sling. Mr. -King was bumped off a railway carriage platform during the race rush at fillerslief, and dislocated his shoulder. Let. us hope he :yi]l, sooip. i=be> completely restored . to. health. • Adijutant Wilson, who has teen in chkrge of the local corps of the Salvation , Aitaiy at Stratford latterly, leaves tomorrow (Wednesday) morning, with Mrs Wilson, for Otahuhu, Auckland, to take dharge there. Their successors ajre Oap<kin Nicholson, from Taihape, and Lieut. Baldwin. The new officers, are to be given a "welcome" on Sunday.