Stratford News.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIV, Issue 185, 3 February 1912, Page 3

Stratford News.

Stra\ford, Friday. MAGISTRATE'S COURT. . The weekly sitting of the Magistrate's Court was held to-day, before Mr. W. G. Kenrick, S.M. DEBT CASES. Judgment by default was entered in the following cases:—R. J. Rutherford (Mr. Stanford) v. George Allen, claim £0 13s, costs £1 3s fid; A. D. Carbery (Mr. Stanford) v. Chas. Lovett, claim £2 2s, costs 10b. In the judgment summons case cf Price, Broad & Co. v. Dean Shute, Mr. Molone appeared (instructed by a Marton firm) for the plaintiff. There was no appearance of the debtor, and an order was made for payment of the full amount of £l2 10s 6d, with the usual penalty for default. The case was. reheard, however, a couple of hours later. The defendant put forward a statement of his financial position, and, the Bench being satisfied he had not had the means to satisfy the debt, declined to make an order for payment. ABOUT CHEQUES.

! Mr. T. C. Fookes, who appeared for plaintiff in a debt case, said he had received a cheque at the last moment from the defendant, and asked for an adjournment in order to satisfy himself that the cheque would be' met when presented. He knew the man had a bank account, but not conversant with the, state of it. His Worship said that to accept a cheque in payment was to accept it in settlement of the clajm that; ,was being made, and if it were not met proceedings would have to be taken for recovery, of the amount due on a dishonored cheque. Upon Mr. Fookes remarking, that the present case was to recover the amount of a/ dishonored cheque, the S.M. expressed the opinion that it was rather risky to take another. In his opinion the best course was to obtain judgment for the amount claimed, for the cheque was no settlement of it. If the cheque were good, the defendant would not be prejudiced; if it were not, then the creditor had his judgment. Mr. Fookes preferred to await developments, and secured an adjournment.

A similar course was adopted in a case in which Mr. Anderson, for plaintiff, had received a Wairarapa cheque from a defendant. BY-LAW CASES. T. H. Belton pleaded guilty to a breach of the borough by-laws by cycling on the footpath in Broadway, and wat fined 10s, with 7s court costs. Alfred Coleman, similarly charged, was represented by Mr. Stanford, who entered a plea of guilty. The borough, inspector, cross-examined by Mr. Stanford, said it was not a fact that the defendant rode only thirty yards or so on the path. The distance was 120 yards exactly. Mr. Stanford explained that the defendant, who was the Deputy-Official Assignee in Stratford, was hurrying along on business. He rode on to the footpath, intending to dismount to see a man in his office, but learning that his man >jvas out he went on his way to the next crossing, and there left the path. He submitted that this was not a ease for treatment as_ though the act were a deliberate act of footpath-riding in preference to the road. The Magistrate said he could not. distinguish between cases. The defendant had committed a breach of the by-law, and would be fined as in the preceding case. Joseph Hales was fined 5s and costs for leaving a scaffolding at Juliet street unlighted at night, the scaffolding obstructing the footpaths. BREACH OF PROHIBITION ORDER. HOW TO WRECK "THE CUTTER." Reginald Ross, a young man, was charged at the S.M. Court this morning with having procured liquor on the 25th January, during the currency of a prohibition order. Sergeant McNeely proved the charge. The accused had been made the subject of a prohibition order on January 6, and was found drunk on the 25th. A fine of £1 and 7s costs was imposed. The Magistrate, addressing the accused, said that he was determined to severely punish men who committed a breach of their prohibition orders, except where_the accused person would disclose the name of the person supplying him with liquor, in which case he would treat the prohibited person lightly. Then he gave the accused some advice. "You're a young man, and can't have a craving for liquor yet. But if you go on you will get it, and it will ruin your life. But you can keep sober if you will tell these people when they offer you drink that you will give their namei

* From Our Resident Reporter. * * Office: No. 3, York Chambers, Stratford. * * *

to the police. You do that, and you will find that they won't trouble you any more." His Worship mentioned that he knew of a man who had admitted that he could not refuse drink when offered to him, but he declared hds intention of telling to the police the names of persont supplying him with drink. He (the magistrate) would always deal leniently with a man who endeavored to assist the police and the court in this way. Sergeant McNeely said he had always endeavored to obtain this information, but, as His Worship would understand, the men were slow to "give away" the persons who supplied them. THE VTHANGAMOMONA HOTEL. TEMPORARY LICENSE EXTENDED. At a meeting of the Stratford Licensing Committee this morning there were on the Bench the chairman (Mr. W. G. Kenrick, S.M.), Messrs. W: A. McCutchen and H. B. Curtis. The meeting was called for the purpose of considering an application for an extension of the temporary Jicense granted to Fred. Calgher, licensee of the Whangamomona Hotel, and expiring on February 7 next. Mr. W. D. Anderson appeared for the licensee, Mr. Geo. Grey (Wilson & Grey) for the owner of the freehold (Mr. R. H. Campbell), and Mr. T. C. Fcokes for the licensee.

Mr. Grey brieny referred to the law governing the Licensing Bench'in dealing with applications for extensions of temporary licenses, and the Bench agreed that it had power to grant the application, subject to its being satisfied that there had been reasonable time in which to rebuildJ. A. Duffil, architect for the proposed hotel at Whangamomona, said that given fine weather and more carpenters being available the building should be completed in two months, but the probability was that it would not be completed for threß months. He had used every means to secure expedition, but there had been great difficulty in getting timber on to the site. The timber had been stacked at the mill for three months. Carpenters were scarce. They had offered special inducements to get men, offering two shillings a day extra, but without success. Many of his contracts were being hampered by this scarcity of labor. Had the weather been good the building should have been finished by now. The framework was to go up that day. Mr. Fookes pointed out that the local bodies prohibited the cartage of timber along these unmetalled roads from May to November.

Mr. Anderson: There's no prohibition against bullocks.

Mr. Fookes said, however, that timber traction in the backblocks was usually by bullocks. In answer to the chairman the witness stated that the plans were out in September, and the sawmiller started cutting the timber then. He had found the road quite impassable then. On January 9 he went out to Whangamomona himself, and satisfied himself that the contractor had not been able to get the material in. The temporary bar was on or,«adjaceHt to the site of the old hotel.'

To Mr. Anderson: The fire took place on July 28. He received his instructions to prepare plans early in August. The'! contract was let on November 10. The work -was delayed by his illness for ten days or so. He had no special instructions as to the time, for calling the tenders. That was left to his own discretion. He advertised the tenders on October, 9, and accepted a tender on November 10. He, was specially instructed to hold matters over, not to start the work of erection, until after the licensing poll in December. He was told, however, to have timber cut a,nd everything ready for a start immediately after that, and if the weather had not been abnormal the building would have been completed by February 7, He had in two other cases received instructions to delay rebuilding hotels when a poll was pending.-

Mr. Fookes said that was a natural precaution that any prudent man or set of men would take. It was an excep-i tional and unfortunate thing for a fire totake\place.just before an election. The Bench: Would you suggest that the fire should have taken place just after the poll? The chairman conferred with his colleagues, and learned from Mr. McCutchen that the road was certainly very bad this summer. In December that gentleman had had to have some timber carted in, and it cost him 9s per 100 ft cartage instead of 3s a hundred. Continuing, he said that doubtless the owner could have hurried the re-erection of the building' directly after the Are, but they reckoned on the fine weather coming that year at the same time as it usually arrived, but there wag no summer weather in November and December, and he didn't think the owner should be punished for not foreseeing a bad season. The application for a license of the temporary premises for a further three month's would be granted, subject to the recommendation of Sergeant McNeely that public conveniences be erected nearer to the temporary bar. Except in this particular, said the sergeant, the premises were as good as could be expected. Mr. Kenrick said he had been prompted to consult Sergeant McNeely in this matter by the frequency with which he had to deal with cases of indecency in the township, which suggested that the out-offices were not convenient to the temporary building. A. & P. ASSOCIATION The annual meeting of the members' of the Stratford A. & P. Association is to bo held to-morrow fSaturday). In addition to the ordinary business, members will be called on to discuss the proposals of the committee to hold an autumn gymkaim. As the Taranaki Agricultural Society has decided to hold an autumn show it is unlikely that the gymkana will be held again after this year, in which case some members are wondering whether it is advisable to hold it at all. THE PICNIC. Stratford isn't rubbing shoulders with itself to-day. The shoulders are mostly sunburnt and sore. Thursday's picnic was a great success. It was 'about the tenth of the series; yet the Railway Department hasn't managed to cope with the traffic. Why were three locked carnages sent from New Plymouth to the Breakwater on Thursday, and brought back again still locked, whilst little three-year-old children were crowded on the carriage platforms? There are many btratford parents who would like to know. The chairman and members of the school committee .are deserving of

the greatest praise for their conduct of the arrangements. They were not responsible for the shortage of tiekets. That was beyond their control. STRATFORD GUN CLUB The Stratford Gun Club held its first shoot of the season on Thursday at the racecourse. The attendance-was small, the attractions of the seaside proving too strong. Accordingly the competition for Mr. Mercer's trophy was postponed, and a couple of sweepstake matches were fired, with the following results:— No. 1 MATCH (12. BIRDS). G. Hunter (2 points hep.).. 42 H. Campbell («)....' 33 S. Fahey (18) 30 A. Scott (scr) 27 A. J. Davey (12) : 27 S. Carruthers (scr) 26 T. D. Colson (10) 28 No. 2 MATCH (8 BIRDS). A. Scott (2) 28 H. Campbell (2) 24 • Collins (6) 22 G. Hunter (scr) 20 Nesp (6) .' 18 THE ELECTRIC LIGHT LOAN PUBLIC MEETING TO BE HELD. Some months ago Mr. Masters, the Mayor, informed our readers that he would call a meeting of ratepayers before the date of the electric light loan poll, and place all information before them, including that much-talked-of report by a committee of the Council to the Council, this report having been prohibited from publication at the time for reasons which he then explained. The public meeting will accordingly be held either on Friday, the 9th inst., or on the following Tuesday. „ «,,*,*•,«. GENERAL NEWS. Mr. H. L. Hogg, who has for some time past been managing Mr. J. A. Duffil's Stratford office, has purchased the Stratford connection, and enters business as. an architect on his own account. Mr. Hogg has an excellent reputation for his work. He holds a diploma from the School of, Architecture, London. '■■■: The) Huiakania' school picnic will be held at the seaside at New Plymouth on Tuesday, 20th inst. "The Speckled Band" hasn't included Stratford in its itinerary. Can't the theatregoers do anything to urge the municipal authorities to way-lay some decent plays for our Town Hall? It isn't too frequently usedi. > _ Mr. Duffil, an architect, stated at the licensing committee meeting to-day that carpenters were very scared The Magistrate remarked that a man had pleaded in court the other day that he was a carpenter and could get nothing to do, to which Mr. Duffil replied that several of .his building contracts were behind owing to contractors' inability to obtain carpenters. He informed me subsequently that he could find work, for fifteen carpenters, good or average men. A private letter received in Stratford is to the effect that Father Tracy is deriving considerable benefit from the hot springs at Te Aroha, and will be home again in about a fortnight. The arrangements entered into between the Hawera and Stratford hospital boards for payment of the sanitary inspector's salary is that the Hawera Board pays three-fifths and the Stratford Board t/wo-fifths. Mr. "Tom" Smith went through Stratford last night to Eltham. Returning this morning to New Plymouth he told me that lie had succeeded in setting a Northern Union Football Club on its feet in Eltham. Mr. Smith is already making preliminary arrangements for the proposed visit of Australian and AngloAustralian League teams to Tnranaki. Someone snipped about a third of a column of news matt°r out of a paper in the the other (lav. As: the report of the acrainst Stratford voutln for larrikinism at Eltham seems likewise to lr-e disappeared —auv need to say more? But it is a reprehensible practice to mutilate newspapers in a public reading-room.