Our Stratford Page

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIV, Issue 197, 17 February 1912, Page 3

Our Stratford Page

"SORRY FOR THE CONSTABLE."

WHO'S TO PAY?

Somehow or other there scarcely passes a sitting of the Magistrate's Court without some peculiar position arising. This morning the judgment summons ease of W. Lovett v. W. G. Wilson, of Whangamomona, was called. It was pointed out that the summons was not properly served, in that five clear days had not been allowed before the date of hearing. 'Mr. Spence, appearing for the judgment debtor,-said his client had a grievance in that he had originally been sued for £4, when he owed only £2, the sum of £2 having been j paid off the debt. Mr. Fookes, for the ! judgment creditor, admitted that this was the case, and said he had explained the matter to the debtor, assuring him i that he would make what reparation could be made at the hearing. He pointed out, however, that the debtor had accepted the summons and the conduct. money. What happened to the conduct money? The Magistrate said that there was no necessity to pay it again. Mile- j age had been paid, and in re-serving the summons there could be no more mileage j charged. The constable would have to ' bear that loss, and must bear in mind that in serving judgment summonses he must allow five days clear of the date, of hearing. Mr. Fookes explained that" j the debtor had fined no defence of the ! original summons, and had made no complaint then that the amount sued for was more than he owed to the plaintiff. He (Mr. Fookes) had no desire/to sue for any excessive amount; it was not his practice. Mr. Spence hastened to f assure his friend that he had no intention of reflecting upon him or his client, "but was merely stating the grievance of his client.

MAGISTRATE'S COURT

CIVIL BUSINESS.

The Magistrate said the summons was not served. Mr. Spencc: Yes, it is. The Bench: It's a bad service. There has been no service because it was not iii time. It was not served. He'll have to be re-served. ... . - Mr. Fookes said he was willing to give credit for the £2. The debtor had been put to no additional expense because the amount claimed had'been £4 instead of £2.

DOLLS CAUSE TROUBLE.

Mr. Spence: He'll want more conduct money. He's here on his conduct money to-dav.

Mr. Fookes: On a nullity.

The S.M.: He's not here at all as far as the Court is concerned. He's not in the Court. He'll have to receive his conduct money.

■Mr. Fookes: Who's to pay it? I can't. If the Court likes to make him a present of 10s, it can do so. The Magistrate said that he would direct that .the summons be served againj and the constable would have to pay the conduct money out of his own pocket. The constable knows that he cannot serve a summons after a certain date.

Mr. Spence: "I told the debtor you'd probably do that, your Worship; and he said he would be sorry for the constable."

LAWN TENNIS W.Y.M.I. v. ELTHAM.

The Stratford W.Y.M.I. team met Eltham B team at Eltliam on Thursday, and won by 47 games. Scores were- as follow, Eltham being mentioned first:—

, LADIES' SINGLES.—Miss Blennerhasset 2, v. Miss Mackay <J; Miss Taylor 3, v. Miss Wilson 6; Miss Murray 6, v.'Misi King 0; Miss Owen 3, v. Miss Everiss 6.

LADIES' DOUBLES.—Misses Blennerhasset and Taylor 3, v. Misses Mackay and Wilson <i; Misses Murray and Owen 2, v. Misses King and Everiss 6. MEN'S SINGLES.—TayIor 4, v. Nedditch A; K. Caverhill 7, v. Cameron 9; A. Caverhill 0, v. Thompson 9; Brown 9, v. Cato 1; Christensen 3, V. Dunlop 9; Beechey''9,"y;''Evefisß 6.

'MEN'S DOUBLES. Tayler and K. Caverhill 1, v. Hedditch and Cameron 9; Brown and R. Caverhill 4, v. Thompson and Cato 9; Christensen and Beechey 9, v. Dunlop and Everiss 0.

COMBINED DOUBLES.—TayIer and Miss Blennerhasset 3, v. Hedditch and Miss Mackay 9; Caverhill and Miss Tayler 3, v. Cameron and Miss Wilson 9; Caverhill and Miss Murray 6, v. Thompson and_ Miss King 5; Brown and Miss Owen 4,' V; Dunlop and' Miss Everiss, 5,. Totals: Eltham, 80;'W.Y.M.L, 127. STRATFORD v. INGLEWOOD.

Stratford and Inglewood met on the Inglewood courts on Thursday. Stratford won by 29 games. Following are details of the scores, the Stratford players being mentioned first:— ■MEN'S SINGLES.—D. Cameron 4, v. Taylor 9, V. Crawshaw 9, v. J. Sutherland 4; R. B. Anderson 9, v. A. J. Law

GENERAL NEWS

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

3; E. H. Young 9, v. H. Thomson 6; P. N. Fussell 9, v. Moody 4; C. Crawshaw 9. v. Paterson 0.

LADIES' SINGLES.—Miss Black 3, v. Mrs. Thomson 7; Miss D. Mackay 4, v. Mrs. Matthews 7; Miss O'Brien 5, v. Mrs. Law 7; Mrs. Eennell 4, v. Mrs. Hynes 7.

MEN'S DOUBLES.-Cameron and Anderson 9, v. Taylor and Law 1; V. Crawshaw and Young 9, v. Sutherland and Thomson 1; Fussell and C. Crawshaw 9, v. Moody and Paterson 1.

LADIES' DOUBLES.-Miss Black and Miss Mackay 1, v. Mrs. Thomson and Mrs. Matthews 7; Miss O'Brien and Mrs Rennell 3, v. Mrs. Law and Mrs. Hynes 7 COMBINED DOUBLES. - Miss Black and Young 8, v. Mrs. Thomson and Taylor 9; Miss Mackay and Crawshaw 7, v. Mrs. Matthews and Sutherland 9; Miss O'Brien and Anderson 9, v. Mrs. Law and Thomson 2; Mrs. Eennell and Young 5, v. Mrs. Hynes and Law 6. Totals: Stratford, 125; Inglewood 96.

Judgment by default was entered in the' following cases at the S.M. Court this morning:— J. R. Parkinson (Mr. Stanford) v John Harvey, claim £7 12s lOd, costs £1 3s fid; Robert Handley (Mr. Thomson) v. Herbert Sanderson, claim £1 14s 6d, and costs ss; R. Handley (Mr. Thomson) v. A. A. Cuthbertson, claim 12s «d costs ss; Win. Abbott (Mr. Stanford) v Fred. Calgher and Robt. H. Campbell, claim £IOB 2s lOd, costs £5 'Via; Smith (Mr. Fookes) v. D. McCarthy, claim £7 18s 4d, costs £1 3s 6d; B. Smith (Mr. Fookes) v. E. A. Smith, claim £4 17s 6d, costs 10s; Broadway Tailoring Co. v. E. Hine, claim £2 5s and 5s costs; same v. W. Holtz, claim £5, and costs 7s; G. W. Calvert v. W. Cumsing, claim 12s Bd, and costs ss; G. W. Calvert v. Chas. Eaton, claim £3 4s 9d, and 8s costs; G. W. Calvert v. W. Brown, claim £7 5s Id, costs ,13s.

YOUNG MAN SENTENCED TO PRISON.

Man is capricious at holiday times, even to the extent of stealing dolls. At this morning's sitting of the S.M. Court a young man named W. S. Brown pleaded guilty to the theft of a couple of dolls from Arthur Richmond. He explained that he had been drinking, was carrying the dolls, and merely didn't return them to the owner. Sergeant MeNeely said the accused had been at Stratford for only six weeks, and had been drinking about a bit. One night he was in a shop with Richmond when the latter bought a couple of dolls. He worked himself into Richmond's confideace, and assumed possession of the dolls.. The two men walked away together, and the accused disappeared.with the dolls. On Christmas Eve he presented the two dolls to a small boy, his employer's son. The accused had been three times previously convicted, twice for petty thefts at Otahuhn, and once for theft oT clothing at Auckland.

The accuseds Drink was the cause of that. It is my failing. There is a prohibition order out against me in the Wai-i kato. I took it out myself, because 1 I couldn't keep away from the drink. When I do keep from the drink I 16ok after my work and'go straight. The Magistrate pointed out that this was a ridiculous theft. He might have been sure that he would be caught, and the dolls were of no use to him. He had had three chance before. He felt that the proper thing to do was to send the accused to prison for twelve months' or two years' reformatory treatment. He would, however, convict the aceused and sentence him to two months' hard labor, warning him that if he came before the Co'urt again he would probably get two or three years' reformatory treatment. Thfre had been nb real temptation in the case. The lapse was due to a bad mind.

UNREGISTERED DOGS AND OTHER OFFENCES.

The borough inspector proceeded ; against several Stratford residents for failing to register their dogs. In one case Mr. Fookes, borough solicitor, appeared for .the informant.

defended his case, and said the dog be'ronged"te,a man ia.Palmerst'on. ■North. He had the animal for "breeding purposes. .He had gone to the town clerk's office.to register the bitch in the owner's name, but Mr. Skoglund, the town clerk, was out, and the assistant told him to see that" gentleman about it. He was afraid that if he registered the dog in his own name he might be ac-' cused of claiming the dog or stealing it. The Magistrate remarked that the "dog must be either registered or destroyed. Defendant was fined 5s and costs, 17s 6d. •Margaret Day, an elderly woman, explained that the dog was 'not hers, but belonged to a Mr. Smith. It would not stay away, and she didn't feel equal to destroying it.—Adjourned, the S.M. again remarking on the necessity for destroying the dog if it were not registered. A. Herbert, who pleaded not guilty to a charge of riding ; his bicycle on the footpath in Broadway, said he had put his bicycle on to the footpath to inflate the tyre. No conviction recorded. Harry Voyle was fined 10s and 7s costs for driving without lights. Elizabeth Till was fined 10s and 7s costs for allowing cattle to wander in Page street. William , Blair, Steve' Faliey* and E. Chard were fined 5s and 7s costs for failing to register dogs.

The Town Hall Committee is collecting information in order to account to the Council and the people for the fact that "The Speckled Band" and a whole lot of other big theatrical productions went through Stratford without showing; _ The following extract from a letter received at this office from a friend who has had much to do with theatrical companies, and is still connected therewith, may be of interest to them: "I might say' right here that. the reason the large companies keep away from Stratford is on account of the poor support given .them."

The drivers, of cabs and other vehicles usually exercise reasonable precaution when leaving, the railway station for Broadway, but this afternoon a cart rattled across the footpath at a fast pace, the horse being "all out." The street was full of foot passengers at the time, and there were large numbers of school children about. This reminder mav serve a useful purpose. "What's your occupation?" asked the Magistrate of an adult witness in the Court this morning. The witness gave an answer that showed the woman didn't

MEETING OF RATEPAYERS.

understand the cmestion. "You know

what I mean by your occupation?" queried the Magistrate. "No, I don't," waa the astonishing reply. Professor Cardston, who recently staged "A Dancing Tour of the World" in Stratford for tho Fire Brigade, leaves on Tuesday to present this big attraction in aid of the Blenheim Garrison Band on March 25. He will then return and commence rehearsals at New Ply-

mouth for a grand carnival in aid of the Taranaki Garrison Band funds. With that record ladies' committee that the band has reason <to be proud of, the profits must be big. "The case can't be allowed to stand

where it is now,. Someone is committing perjury. I won't have perjury in pases of this kind." This remark was made from the Bench this morning by Mr. W. G. Kenrick, S.M. A young man was charged with being the putative father of an unborn baby. He denied paternity, although he admitted having offered to marry the girl. He denied ever having been in Stratford before December, whereas the casus belli occurred in October. He gave details of his movements since the end of September. T i girl, question by the Magistrate, srad she had met a man of the same name and of similar appearance in October, and he was the man she was- suing. "From her remarks it seemed that she was uncertain as to whether this was the man or not, for she had only seen her acquaintance at night previously. The case was adjourned in order to enable the Court to decide which side is speaking the truth. With the case in its present state the S.M. said he was unable to make an order.

ELECTRIC LIGHT QUESTION,

By Telegraph—Own correspondent

Stratford, Last Night.

There was'an attendance of about 200. including several ladies, at the meeting to-night, which had been postponed from Wednesday, to discuss the Borough the municipalisation of the electric lightthein unicipalisation of the electric lighting system in the borough. Cr. J. McAllister presided. The Mayor, Mr. J. Masters, fully explained the position, which was pertinently set out in the following statement which he submitted to the meeting:—

"For the purpose of acquiring the Stratford Electric Light Company's un ; , dertaking and for acquirement and equipment of new plant the Council requires a sum of £14,000. The money will be allotted as follows: £• Purchase of goodwill 4000 Purchase of present plant of company .-: •. • • 5330 Purchase three-quarter acre freebold and buildings 185 Water rights on south side of river ■ 3^

' £9824 Purchase of stock on order and to arrive 464 Installation of new plant in full working order 3600 Contingencies •■ H2

Total ~: £14,000 The cost of providing interest and sinking fund on this loan is £735. This amount will be a charge against tha profits of the Electric Light Department , should the ratepayers decide in favor of ] taking the concern over. According to the company's balance-sheet to 31st March, 1911, the, receipts and expenditure show as follows: Receipts £2605 Expe.aiture —'.••■ £1562 Cr. lalance £1043 Included in the expenditure are the following items which would be saved by the council:— £ Bank interest 106 Income tax .". 42- } Salaries (secretary) .. 100 ) , Total £338 j \ Add £338 to £1043, and the credit will be £l3Bl. Deduct cost per annum of loan £735, and the council would have! clear profit of £sß. This profit is earned by the present plant. But tEe £14,000 proposed to be borrowed will inBtal new plant that will enable the council to run a day load. In order to satisfy ourselves that a day load would be availed of, we obtained a list of those business men likely to instal motors, and we found that at least 120 h.p. will be required as soon as current can be- supplied. In addition to motors it is anticipated that the use of radiators, irons, etc., will help to increase the revenue. The revenue of the works from the above source .we set down approximately at , £7OO, less additional working expenses £250; ah increase of profit 'of £450. This does not include a motor for the Stratford Dairy, Co., to whom we understand the company has made an offer. Taking last year's figures as a basis of calculation we , consider that with the new plant installed the revenue will equal £3305, made up as follows: Present works,. £2605; additional new plant, ;£7OO. We estimate the expenditure as £1474, leaving a balance of receipts over expenditure of £1831; deduct interest and.sinking fund, £735; and works will give_a profit of £1096. It must be borne in mind that these figures include the amount paid by the borough to the pany for light, an amount equal at present to £3OO. The requirements • of, the authorities only call for a-statement of receipts and expenditure from the council, so no provision has been made in the above figures for depreciation. However, to make provision for the replacement of plant, premises, etc., we propose for the purpose of a strict profit and loss account to deduct the sum of £4OO from the above figures. This, with the, £3OO aid by the borough for light, would equal £7OO, leaving a net profit to the borough of £396 in cash, a saving in light of £3OO, a sinking fund of £7O, or equal at the present time to a cash profit of £760 per annum. To place the figures plainly before you, we anticipate that for the, £14,000 invested by the borough in the purchase of the Electric Light Company's undertaking, we shall earn the first year, after paying interest on our capital and providing £4OO for replacement purposes, as follows:

£ Profit 396 Sinking Fund 70 Saving in light 300 Total profit £7Cf>. or a nett return on the capital of 5 T / 3 per cent. This may be considered a very fair return, hut with the expansion of the town and the natural increase in business that will follow, the profits of the concern will become larger. The figures quoted to you are worked on a minimum scale."

The Mayor said he was there as a business man to explain a business proposition in a business-like way. At the conclusion of his address several questions were asked and answered. Cr. 11. McK. Morison then moved a motion that, in the opinion of this meeting, it is undesirable that the ratepayers take over the Stratford Electrical Supply Company's undertaking.

There was then a mild diversion, Mr. Masters vacating the stage in favor' of Cr. Morison. Cr. McAllister left the chair, sayincr that he had been invited to preside for Mr. Masters. He was persuaded to return. Cr. Morison spoke very briefly, and the motion, which was seconded bv Ml. W. H. H. Young, was put to the meeting and lost.