Our Stratford Page

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIV, Issue 191, 10 February 1912, Page 3

Our Stratford Page

I THE EGMONT CLUB.

I GENERAL NEWS

CHILD WAS CHOKING,

MAGISTRATE'S COURT

A HOUSE-WARMING SOCIAL. NEW PREMISES OFFICIALLY * OPENED,

! Some few years .ago the Rev. Mr. Flavell, then vicar of Stratford, interested himself heartily in the promotion of a club for the young men of Stratford. The need for such an institution had long been apparent, for the town was full of young men who had *ome from places afar off, and whose lodgings did not supply the want of a home for young men. 60 the clergyman's move was very popular, and a bigs membership was promised. But then the "Stratford. Club" was formed, and many of the promised members threw in their lot with it. The Stratford Club soon grew out of the 'premises secured in Broadway, the premises comprising only a billiard room, a small reading-room, and an equally small card-room. This club moved into a sommodious and splendidly appointed home of its own in Juliet street. The want had not been filled. - The business young men were still unfor, but soon the Egmont Olub .had in full swing a project j over the old club-rooms and establish a club. This was accomplished.; The club was formed. It grew, and grew fast. The business management was keen and progressive,'but careful. A proposal to acquire a section in Broadway jiorth and erect new club buildings was voted too ambitious. ■ So the men who deemed the idea a good one bought the section and held it for the club. Their colleagues came one day to their way of thinking, the club took the section at £3OO, sold half of it for £3!)0, and they had a club-house site free of charge. Then a fine building was designed, the building scheme being financed by the issue of £1 debentures 1 among the members. These were well taken up, 775 having been placed. The hew club house has been in use now for j a few weeks, but it was actually completed only a few days ago, and the opening ceremony was held:on Thursday evening, when a gathering of about 130 members and lady 'riends spent one of the most enjoyable evenings Stratford has seen for some time past. The large billiard-room with its panelled' rirau walls, the splendidly finished and comfortably furnished reading, writing, and j card rooms, and the stewards' quarters 1 have already been fully described in' these columns, but few of those who on I Thursday made their first visit were pre-' pared for the elaborate completeness of' the whole building and furnishing scheme on which the management committee, architect, contractors, and furnishers are deserving of the highest commendation. In his. opening speech on Thursday night, the president, Mr. J. Masters, briefly outlined the history of the formation of the club, with which he had had a good deal to do. He asked new members to take their share of the responsibility by purchasing at least the minimum of three debentures. Mr. J. a. Hine, M.P., made a short speech, too. He congratulated the management and the members upon the rapid growth of the club, and suggested encouraging country members to . join. He was pleased to be one of the 150 members, and pleased that the opening of the new building /promised to provide such an enjoyable function. Referring" to the, presence of the ladies in a men's club, he said he hoped that there would | be similar functions frequently. j As reported yesterday, the president, referring to Mr. Hine's" remarks, announced amidst applause that country members were admitted at half the usual membership fee. The function was not overdone with speech-making. There were only two, and these were not too long. Long speeches have killed many a function of this kind. Mr. W. H. Robinson had been inducted into the chair, and he now. took charge of the musical programme. ' An orchestra of seven performers played, several selections, and the. programme also included several songs.. This portion of the evening's entertainment, was heartily appreciated, even, though the "singing rendered necessary the : temporary cessation of the practice of th.e art of billiards by a number of the ladies, who found many willing tutors. .There were some wonderful strokes, some slow scores, but much hearty laughter, and enjoyment. Meanwhile in'the large social room and the reading-room a progressive euchre tournament was in progress. Messrs. R. A. Ward and N. King acting as directeurs. When this ' was'considered to have run its course,' Caretaker Dwyer went hurrying off somewhere, and presently an announcement was made that supper was laid in the Fire Brigade hall, next door. The appetites were as keen as the enjoyment. The tables weren't quite up to "groaning," but <hey wire well filled and prettily arranged, this bei ing the work of some of the mailers' I wives and other relatives and prospective relatives. It was a really good si.pj.er. Whilst the slower eaters were finishing off the tables were* whisked away, then the dust and crumbs were whisked away, too; the piano sounded a captiVatiii" waltz, and from then onwards for a couple of hours the hall was briskly busy. At the club itself the billiards continued, and so did'the music. The prizes won during the evening's euchre tournament wore presented by the president to Mrs. T. Lawsori.and Mr.'J. Leydon (firsts), and Mrs. Ashton and Mr. W. Everiss (••booby'-' prizes), these latter causing much fun. The president also handed prizes to the winners in the club's billiard tournament, held last" winter. [Mr. 'R. Jf. Melville secured first prize and Mr. T. Marshall Was runner-up in billiards, and Mr. C." Gollop won the '•chinaman" tournament. The Egmont Club is now one of the best appointed dubs of the kind in the North Island, and is an institution of which the town may well be proud.

CIVIL CASES, In the Magistrate's Court this morn--111?, before Mr. W. G. Kenrick, P.M., judgment bv ,Vf;uilt W as granted in the following ea^.-- : MfCluggage Bros. v. C. A. Wilson, .-l.iit,, .C 27 3s M, •and costs £4 Is; J. P. r.H'kinson (Mr. Stanford) v. Geo. Allrji, claim £52 8s 3d, and I posts £3 7fi«; 7". Phodcs (Mr. Stanford) v. C. K. Xeni;.. c .i a ; m £l2 13s 7 dj and posits £]. 10s M: p. "Rhodes (Mr. Stanford) v. F. Co-.n. ,'kim £2 lis fid: and costs lis. In a judgment summons case in the Magistrate's Comt to-da?, Mr. P. Thomson, appearing F„ r a judgment debtor, produced some correspondence winch had p'assed, and =•>!,! the judgment debtor I had pawl i'2 r-ir dv amount. Peculiarly enough, he had received a telegram from the jmVrment creditor asking him j to act for him in the matter. He asked for an adjournment in order to allow

From Our Resident Reporter. Offic«: No. 3, York Chambers, Stratford.

him to communicate with the parties.' The Magistrate gaid Mr. Thomson was in an awkwfcnd positon. He could hardTy appear on the one side and ask for an ' order, and then appear on the other and oppose an order being made.' He would grant the order, and allow Mr. Thomson to choose his client. Meanwhile, Tie reminded counsel that he did not grant adjournments in judgment summons cases merely because a payment had been made on account. The adjournment; was granted accordingly. ' y

. Mr. Tom Gardiner called me on one ! side in Broadway, to-day, and pulled from his pocket a small 8-ounce bottle containing liquid of a tint very similar to that supplied by Usher's, Buchanan's, and the rest of them. One didn't need to "have 'em" to see queer creatures in this liquid. There were little fishes, young trout, eight of them. Mr. Gardiner explained that Messrs. Eason and Therkleson, of Tariki, were the other day liberating trout in a creek near Tariki, these fry having been raised in the Tariki rearing-ponds of the Taranaki ; Acclimatisation Socety. .They noticed an eel, about' fifteen inches long and an, inch thick; and returning to the gpstl about an hour afterwards, caught and opened him. He had in ,the meantime I swallowed these eight trout fry. Appar^) ently acclimatisation societies are too kind to the eels. These young trout, which Wave been reared in capitivity; are ignorant of the existence of their natural enemies, and are sucked in in large quantities by the voracious eels. Mr. Gardiner thinks that these creatures can be thinned out somewhat by encouraging boys to catch them. He has also found that old trout eat the younger ones, and thinks it would be a good idea to dynamite deep holes before placing ( young fish in them. J It has been trying to rain to-day, and: one or two smart showers fell. It won't do airy harm. Things have been drying up a bit of late, and the roads in some parts of the district are .atrociously bad.

The last meeting of the present Licensing Committee will ,be' held on ,March Ist, at noon, when two applications for permanent transfers will be heard. The election of the new committee will be held on Tuesday, 12th March, nominations of candidates closing on 2nd March. Next Friday's court business promises to be heavy. There is a big list of debt cases, and the borough inspector ht» made a big haul.of by-law cases. • Mr. Kenrick, g.M., has to decide on March Ist a .jioiirt of interest to solicitors who have to appear in the courts for the recovery of debts,. In a case which was . called this morning, Mri Spence appeared for the plainiiff arid Mr.' " Malone for''the'defendant. The claim' was £4O. The' case was first called on January 26th, as-a defended action, Mr. Spence having filed notice of intention to defend 'it. The case was adjourned till FebruaTy' 9th to allow of the evidence of the defendant being taken. His evidence was taken at Palmerston North on 30th January. Before the adjourned date of hearing Mr.. Spence filed a notice of discontinuance.. . This morning Mr. Mklone applied. for costs as on a defended action, as he had been put.to all the trouble of preparing his defence and taking evidence of the defendant. Mr.. Spence argued thlat costs should bef allowed only .as in an undefended action,) for there had been a discontinuance. Mt. Spence addressed; the Bench.'.at some length. Mr.- iMafcme, he said, was actuated by motives; but he •was speaking as. 'an,, officer of the 'coart who desired jo- obtain a ruling from the Bench, and'to secure fair play. : He complained that Mr. Kenrick was not consistent in this matter,.sometimes granting these co>tS3andsometimes not. There . was a .recognised practice in other courts. The Magistrate said he dealt with each cise, on its merits, and. adjourned costs to allow of f the question ..jbeing .argued before him on March Istj ■.■ i : • , 1.

"For the first sii months of my daughter's life : «"Ve'-waV;cdntinu'ally attacked with croup aid 1 jbften black in the face from choking','" Writes Mrs. Elizabeth Davie's, -.19 Browning street, Sth. Yam, Vic y ' "W*e did not know what to do", 'the iodgp: .'medicine having failed. I then gave hei; Chamberlain's Cough Remedy, and .we have had no trouble since." Sold by all. chemists and storekeepers. DR. SHELDON'S NEW DISCOVERY. Is the most wonderful remedy ever discovered for the cure of Coughs and Colds. It will cure you when all others have failed. Price, Is 6d and 3s. Obtainable everywhere.-, ' ' t