Stratford News.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIV, Issue 188, 7 February 1912, Page 3

Stratford News.

LAWN TENNIS. St. Andrews and Stratford B teams meet on Thursday. Teams are:— St Andrews'.—Misses E. Mackay, E. Brayshaw, M. Irvine and M. CLeary, Messrs. K. D. Brown, T. Marshall, B. V. Kivell, H. W. Douglas, J. F. Anderson and W. S. Syme. Stratford B. L. R. Curtis, J. H. Thompson, C. Crawshaw, P. H. Wilkie, 0. Vaughan, T. P. James, Misses Black, Orbell, D. Mackay and Mrs. Wilkie. DRIVING LOOSE HORSES. A BREACH OF THE BY-LAWS. At the Borough Council meeting on Mbnday night a letter was read from Sergeant McNeely, asking for instructions from the Council in reference to' by-law cases. He had stopped a man who was driving loose horses to Mr. Xewton King's horse fair last Saturday, this being a breach of the by-laws. But' he understood that in the past some correspondence passed between the police and the Council in reference to this matter, and he wished to know whether or not the Council desired hint to prosecute I in such cases! Reference to the,minutes showed that 1 a resolution had been passed, requesting, the police not to enforce this by-law in the case of horses being driven loose to horse fairs in the borough, so long as the hors4s were under control and were i not taken along .the main streets, j _ A councillor: How can they help driv- [ ing in the main streets? Another councillor: Erect a bridge at Cordelia street. Dr. Paget mentioned another phase of the question. A few mornings ago, at about six o'clock, he had met a mob of heavy horses in the street. There were two men with them, and all were going "at a real, good gallop," and occupied the whole width of the road. Cr. McAllister: That's what wakes J me up every morning! Cr. Paget, resuming, said that some time ago permission had been given to livery stablekeepers to drive horses loose between certain stated hours. The conditions imposed we're that they should be in charge of two men, one in front and one behind, and that they should travel at a speed not exceeding a walking pace. It was expressly provided at J the time that if any individual broke I these rulfes the: permit in his particular J case would be ■ Withdrawn. When he { met, this mob of hpjses the other morn- j ing there Was '&■ certainly a man in fron* ; and another behind,• but the man lm front was galloping) "the man behind was galloping, and' so" were all the loose horses in between'. ■ "

The whole matter' was left in the hands of the Maw to ; deal with.

THE FOOD. ALLEGATIONS-O3? 'BOORT WEIGHT. : In consequeincfe of'tomiplaints received that a. bakery . in' Stratford was selling reputed 41b toaVes -weighing 31b 12oz, the sanitary inspector visited the several bakers in the ; .tQjvn,; in company with Sergeant -January 15 last. Reporting to the inspector saidy tWit. jifj the ■ bakery concerning which tfo complained was made he purchased a. wl-Mbaked 41b tinned, loai, weighing 3lb. Kte:,.(Sample 147B). ] Other loaves; 'and the■' nearest to full wfcjgltf; was .Sib 14oz. At No. 2 bafery l ,rine J ';welirijaked 21b loaf weighed 21b., ;Nev3, ohe fairly wellbaked loaf weighed2lb.: Ati'No. 4, a well' baked 21b tinned ;lQ*fi'weighed lib 14y 3 oz (Sample :f other loave& weighed at this-placi-trore' under weight' some as piuch ai'SOzifti the 21b loaf Sergeant McNeely << aftef-tvards checked the weights ;toitlf'Woib'tninute scales? and found'tWerfi to 'li(s:' 14713,■ 316' 12oz 16dr; No.' ioQb', 1 ilfr 2dr. Bread., samples'had-ifftfniei'ljr'-'b'een taken itf Stratford ion >1911, and these two bakeries-fiM-weight bread! In a Jfcfepital Board,' dated February l,"l;he Silspector reported that the matter i h i a , a Reported to the District .Jleaith'OSicfe'' and a letter had been sent to ekch'/.Earning:them that if they were' fduiid. spiling light; weight bread' would follow.

!• i r." ■ r' POASP;' MONTHLY MEETING. ' ' ' • ■!' i'TO'i:': V The tiohthiy ' t'he'^ospital Board was Present: Messrs! E. MarfeJl S. Ward, E. Hink,- X vmii ftli and A. Meredith.' ' if•■"!/!• fl'i i?.. .' ! MEDICATi Rt?'PEftIX.TE>?DENT.. - The medical' KU'jJer?rif;fendeiit (Dr. Ste'ven) reported tKa| during January fifteen teen discharged^'fthd'. it'hefe .Avere.. 4 pp deaths. There "'reipa'jned ' six patients in the in ! itjtutioh' operatiori3 were performed ii m't er ■' an aes t'h e tics. As Mr. Hudsoji did next #islu to take his turn at supplying. preScrspSonsy he intended, with the Board's constat! to obtain these, from, the remaining' each one supplying for'Uhr4>e Months. TENDERS FOR MiVCS, ETC. ' Circular 97;'froto- the department of Hospitdls forwarded the following WsoKstioft : pass'ed at the recent Hospitals Conference■ "That it is desirable that {liie boards should combine foi' the purpose of Ittfifig a contract for, the supply of ftailiiig" li-iK>s : pf drugs and' dressings to of the Dominion." The rhsjjfetift'GengraJ pointed <mt. that if the .Boards' of' the'Dominiojij would agree obtain their drugs and dressings fr'pm. the firm submitting the.,most. ..reasoiinfde all-round tender, he would forthwith .invite tenders for wholesale houses. .

The Patea Board had considered the matter, and.come to the conclusion that the smaller boards, at all events, should fall into line either one way or the other. The letter pointed out that the Wellington Board had provisionally adopted the idea of Government contracts, but the Patea Board had not come to any conclusion, pending the attitude of other similar institutions.

The matter had been referred to the medical superintendent (Dr. Steven), who reported that the leading lines of drugs and dressings, which we now obtain from various wholesale houses, could be supplied more cheaply and conveniently under some contract system snch as that suggested'."' The, chairman asked if the Board had to send outside for much, and the secretary answered, "\"es. about half."

Mr. McAlister moved that the Department be notified of this Board's willingness to fall in with the proposed arrangement. and that the medical superintendent lie asked to submit a list of the drugs and dressings which the Board will

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

require. He considered it would be a good thing, saving money to the ratepayers. The only objection to the proposed scheme was that the Department was trying to get a little more under their own hand, but as far as this was concerned the Department was welcome to it.

The opinion was expressed that the contract system would riot interfere much with supplies obtained locally. The motion was parried, and the Patea Board will be informed accordingly. A RISKY BUSINESS.

Dr. Valintinc, Inspector-General of Hospitals, wrote: "I am anxious to make a forecast of the probable expenditure on hospital construction during the next five years. I should therefore be glad if you would give me a rough estimate of the probable cost of the buildings which the Department has tentatively agreed with your Board it is necessary to' erect. By giving an esti- > mate of this description the ratepayer and the taxpayer will be in a better position to know the probable expenditure on hospitals construction.

Mr. .Ward said it would be quite impossible to make a reliable five years' forecast of the probable expenditure on hospital buildings in, a young and growing district like Stratford, and it.was 1 decided to advise the Department accordingly, at the same time informing the Department that at present an isolation ward ie under construction at an estimated cost of £ISOO. GENERAL. The Matron (Miss O'Brien) recommended the appointment of Miss Healy as probation in place of Miss Cameron, resigned. It was decided that the visiting committee should meet regularly, on the Monday morning prior to the board meeting,, ■ - ! A special meeting of the Board will be held on February 20 to consider the collection of overdue hospital accounts. I Dr. Erenglpy, medical secretary to the Department of Public Health, in acknowledging the Board's letters regarding its position under the Public Health Act, wrote that the opinion of the Crown Law Department was being obtained on some of the points raised in the Board's letters. As soon as a reply was received 1 the Board would be informed of the outcome of such enquiry. v j The aahitary inspector reported that | no eases of infectious diseases had been | noshed during the month. Drainage ' i nirisanOes had been reported on in the j borough, and the owners of the premises i had promised to abate the nuisances. Private hospitals, marts, butchers' shops, fish shops and fruit shops were inspected. A pig-sty at Toko had again given trouble, but had been cleaned up. A pig-sty at Whangamomona, which had, ' been the subject of much correspondence, 1 i had now been burned.

i THE BOROUGH COUNCIL. ! , | A SPECIAL MEETING. ■ '' —* , »•• 1 J) A special meeting of the Borough I Council was held on Monday night, when ithere were present: , His Worship the Mayor (Mr. W. J. Masters), Crs. McAllister, Heaty, Morison, Ward, Sangster, Boon, Paget, Lawson and King. ■ | The special business was to consider, ith'e tfeport of the works committed withi ;refJfreitee 1 to various road rollers under] { offer "to'the Council, the commitee j instructions to see as jnaily of J possible at work. . | The, Major reported, on, the inspection of the''Eltham County Council's and the Wiiimate' West County Council's, steam rpid l . rollers at Mangatoki and\, Manaia , respectively. The former was an Aveling, :Pfoter jtoachine, and the latter >a,- McliaTeiil'' The McLaren was convertible ifttp' 'traction engine in a-couple of h.6itfl; .and vice versa. The Mayor., and ;Cr.. £aligs'ter both pointed out that'the Council would be able to earn : mcuiey by qut to con.tractora. atid others wfrtn qnt,, required by the Council-, i; « : , Ajtef,a", lengthy discussion Cr.'-Paget mjjved, th/it the matter of pUrchasingj a 1 rpji'd preferred back- toiffte-xom* for t more - detailed information aSj"t^' r a road' rollfif, convertible i infcj engine, the cotomititee-'.fd .Council at as early ia flate 'poßp,jblp. ' "He thought ther Cotttici! flnancing the purchased 'fjj&f! liajl the mainten&ncfe irteit'a! y«ar ( and, anxious as'he "purchased, he dddii't ! wxi,iit; tkj> streets starve'di - it clear "that tifffl wftSKHflti intended as a> feflWti^bjJ; for they had' hrfWHStiok' fhat he'now «As(tacl£nß3 tb>ak the town clerk f , -pSepareiJn-a -Valuable • :Sch<)(hile«,«gi!*sfcg comparative 1 . Ipaateraf ietfgiflßs in the. rC^d'-rptl^r \ »" ■ 'i" - ■«-fv 3 j ;k®A the idea ■ j 'tdjilA ttiaciaW, 'for with a' &ScJiloiv qn-'- , gitife itefi's jJlate could be , pro&i<S>?i|«>''wTi£rfeas a road only 1 wofildßb'e SftWHyjiat of ! j&N said the Council fousii this.yeajr , 'wHen l had movej ] W'bdftdwetl .straight away," f . chafee'"d# r ;,l roller. ~ £ ! r ''Crs.' l ltt'lly''ajid Paget interjjec,€^h,aitj , the!- finEtiße'S were worse-hqw, .thanfiut : - : ; IpTOjjie -'lasi ' year. , .~. / J ' Cr. S.iii^ ( sEud 'the revenue wa,si .^^OO.^rj 'j £BOO more this year. ' _ '|j ! Cr. Page'tT"Give us the details. We f i 1 want all this sort of thing ? r-' r: ' '•* ! f

• THE'WASTER HUSBAND. ■' \ f ■A CHARITABLE Am PROBLEM."; ? One - of the most unsatisfactory fea-? tures. about- charitable aid, as far. as the' boards dispensing it are concerned/ is; that, wives-.-and families have to'be ffe'(£| and iclothed out of the public purse,; whilst-the husbands are "paddling theirown canoe" in some other part of this l or some other Dominion. A case of this, kind was mentioned at this morning's; meeting, of the Stratford board'. The secretary reported having been interviewed by a recipient of charitable relief, who: had given him the essence of a letter! written by her absentee husband, in; which lie stated that he was not coming back to Stratford under any consideration, that he had had very little work, and was'-quite unable to send her any money. He (the secretary) had given the woman the board's authority to con--suit a solicitor on the matter. .

In the course of discussion, the chairman said they shouldn't make - things too easy for these men who go away and leave their wives and families unprovided for. Mr. Ward remarked that it should: be made quite clear that the board waij not going to made a stalking horse for men who went away like this and evaded

their responsibilities. He considered that the wife should be forced to have steps taken to compel her husband to contribute to her support, otherwise the board should decline further assistance : from the public purse. This man was a I "waster," and nothing else. There was ['any amount of work available, and no | man need go out of this district to get < it. Probably the Nelson hotels were getting the benefit of this man's earnings. 1 I In answer to the chairman, the secreI tary said this woman had got very little aid from the board. A member: No, she depends on friends. The action of the secretary in authorising the employment of a solicitor was l approved. ALL WORK AND NO PLAYS. WHY IS OUR TOWN HALL PASSED BY? On two or three occasions recently mention has been made in this column of the fact that theatrical companies are passing Stratford by and showing in Eltham. There was more than a suspicion abroad that Stratford was under a cloud in matters theatrical on account of the policy adopted in regard to the management of the Town Hall. "Pencillings," we know, were ignored, and the hall let to others without giving the holder of the "pencilled" date a chance. Other little things annoyed the autocrats of "the road," and the Stratford Town Hall apparently fell into disfavor on account of these things—and others. There was also some -dissatisfaction with the tariff, and with the stage appointments. So, as 80011 as another new hall was built in the vicinity, Stratford was politely "dropped." At the Borough Council meeting on Monday night Cr. Ward mentioned the fact that the theatrical companies were now passing Stratford, and he moved that the Town Hall Committee be requested to report at next Monday's meeting of the council as to the reason why. If the stn~e was too. small, then it should be enlarged. He understood 'that this wap the bbjection to the hall, but it might be that the place was not advertised enough'. ... « Cr. McAllister said a perusal of the correspondence between the .council and "ftpfe people" fexilah'n the' positioii to Cr. Warfl: : - 1

Cr. Saxigster reckoned it was a good job that the companies'didn't come here, for they only took a l<?t of money 6ut of the place. Cr. King: I don't know. I like to see a good play now and again. Cr ; Paget: So do I, but I don't feel iDclirted jtoi pay ten "Shillings- to go >'and eeevit at Eltham. . , , Cr. King said he, had heard that big' inducements were* offered at Eltham, the "house" being bought-or guaranteed. ' Somebody: That was,only done once. ,Cr. Ward: If. our .tariff.is- too high, the sooner we reduce it" the better.

' The 'Mayor ■ said it hasn't a question of tariff. '

■ Cr. Paget agreed a full report should be brought .down. 'The council' 1 would find that in the past the users of the hall had been subjected to a policy of pinpricks. If a high ; class play p came'in, and ( advertised a high-class price, the council seemed to think it had a to dictate in the matter of price. Good class companies wouldn't stand that sort of thing. "It's-our business to let the hall, and their's to put the show on and charge what they please," he said. This pinpricking business, he said, was not the policy of the present council, but a legacy from i a previous, council. He seconded the motion., -■ ' The' Mayor said there had been no attempt to dictate rto companies what they should charge/but it had been stipulated that companies charging over 'i' certain-'fl'glir^^"sHould 'pjay' a certain, higher price. This was not peculiar to Stratford—they had copied.it from other halls. He considered such ati, arrangement fair, for. in'such a case the company tdok a lot of cash but of tlie town.

- The town clerk said tjjp agent had told him Stratford >vas cut put because Stratford people would not. book. ' The Mayor said the,hall wasn't being advertised at all. They were not mak-, ing it known.

; Cr, Sangster saw; no need to worry 'about it. . ;

br. King ventured tile opinion that before long the cinematograph would wipe out-these companies altogether, for the best plays by the greatest players were now screened at people's prices. The motion .was carrifd, and the report will be awaited with some interest. . GENERAL -NEWS. The question of representation on •hospital boards - was again discussed at. ■this morning's meeting of (he Stratford .Board, being brought up by a letter form the county council affirming the principle that local bodies should'appoint, their •own representatives on hospital boards. Under the Department's suggested scale, 1 on a population basis, the Stratford county is entitled to 5.004 members, and has three. Stratford borough is entitled to 1.570 members, but has three. The YVhangamomona county has the right to 1.352 members, and is represented by only one. As the secretary read out this information this morning,' Mr. McAllister chuckled at the idea of 1.570 members for Stratford borough, and, digging bis colleague, Mr. Ward,.in the ribs, said: "You're the point 57fi." Members thought that the Whnnsamomona ..county should have at least- two memhers, and Mr. Meredith, the present member, concurred, saying that he lived at the Stratford end of a very big district. The county should be better represented. The Stratford boroush will probably be entitled to two members on a valuation basis after March 31st next. ' Gratitude is a rare virtue, hence the following letter to the Stratford Hospital Board from a child in the Pakatoetoe Orphan Home is worth printing. The letter is neatly written in a regular

hand. It runs: "On behalf of myself, my brother, and also , , and —I am writing to thank you for the £1 you. sent to us, and we expect to Have some pleasure from it. I must tell you that we had a most enjoyable Christmas, and on Christmas night we had a few records ( from our graphkphone which was given ,to us by some kind neighbors, then we went outside and played some games. On New Year's Day in the afternoon we had sports, and when tea was over we played games. I am writing this in our day-room, and there are two other girls in here, and they are writing to some of their friend*.; It is such a lovely day here, and I hope it is down there, as I can imagine it to be. On December 21st we had our Christmas tree) and you can guess we' were all in high spirits, but we did not have two of our great friends, present. I will stop npw, hoping you will all have a "prosperous New Year, although I am rather late, .but "Better late than never.'" The partnership of Messrs. Lamason and Melville, auctioneers a,nd commission' agents; has been dissolved, arid the business is to be carried on by Mr. T. Lamason, who was for some years with the Loan and Mercantile, and his experience and his courtesy and tact , are valuable assets in the conduct of Sis' business. The attendance at the Stratford District High Schqol closely approximates 700.