Our Stratford Page

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIV, Issue 199, 20 February 1912, Page 3

Our Stratford Page

Stratford, Monday. ELECTRIC LIGHTING THE OPPOSITION TAKES THE PLATFORM. There will probably be a big meeting to-night at the Town Hall, when Councillors J. D. Healy, R. McK. Morison, and T. L. Paget will address the ratepayers on the electric light loan proposals. These councillors are the "Opposition" party in the council on this matter, and, having gone very fully into the matter, are going to show the rate-: payers to-night that the scheme isn't as j good for the borough as the Mayor i makes it out to be. ~ The poll takes place on Thursday, and ratepayers should do themselves the justice of hearing both sides of the question.

CROQUET % The Stratford Croquet CIuT) received a visit on Saturday from the Inglewodd Club, and a very enjoyable match was played, the home team winning by 137 to 99. In the following details of the play the lnglewood ladies are mentioned first:— Doubles—Mrs. Hamerton and Mrs. Jacomb 13 v. Mrs. Hobbs and Miss Dingle ,• 28; Mrs. Ho wart and Mrs. Eoberts 28 v. Mrs. r Munro and Mrs. Dingle 11; Mrs. Winfield and Mrs. Williams 22 v. Mist Moore and Mrs. King 28. Singles.—Mrs. Hamerton 12 v. Mrs. Hobbs 28; Mrs. Howarth 23 v. Mrs. Munro 28; Mrs. Roberts 1 v. Mrs. Dingle 14.

HOLY TRINITY CHURCH HARVEST THANKSGIVING. There were very large congregations at the Holy Trinity Church on Sunday, when the llev. W. A. Butler conducted harvest thanksgiving services. In his sermon at the evening service, the Vicar : preached on the subject of "Gradual' Growth." ' Two things were necessary to growth, soil and seed, and t'o"obtain a satisfactory result the soil must be worked. And this was just as true in the spiritual world as in nature; and God saved good seed in the heart of every baptised man, woman, and child. The reason why so many have so little growth to show is because they neglect the soil. In order to bear fruit, we must turn up the soil of the soul from end to end, when good results well be certain. And then visible growth does not come at once. Beneath the brown soil immense work is being done, each little living grain being busy searching downwards and upwards for nourishment and air. So God has cast good seed in our souls, but, because we see nothing, there is no need that we should become disheartened and grow afraid. Given earnestness and faith we may entrust the rest to God, but we must be patient, remembering that when man works there may be clamour and noise and often a great deal of show, but God does His work well and thoroughly but silently. Man's work ceases from time to time; he must stop and rest, but in God's kingdom there is no painful toil, yet no ceasing from activity. From the sowing of the seed to the last hour of ripening the work goes on without a pause. Yet people are troubled because they do not become matured Christians all at once. It is for such to remember the lessons of harvest, and to bear in mind that if they do their duty faithfully they shall reach spiritual maturity; Only this will be in God's good time. The Rev. J. A. Kempthorne, of Te Henui, will preach at Holy Trinity on each Wednesday during Lent, with the exception of Wednesday in this week, which is Ash Wednesday.

LAWN TENNIS. The Eltham B team is to play a return match against W.Y.M.I. at Stratford on Thursday. W.Y.M.I. will be represented by Hedditch, Cameron, Thompson, Dunlop, Hunter, King, Hisses Mackay, Wilson, King and Everiss. Stratford will not have 'one player at the Taranaki Association's tournament, players being unable to secure leave.

GENERAL NEWS On Saturday afternoon the Boy Scout? mustered poorly for a half-day's instruction. Ambulance work was undertaken, and the work was very satisfactory. It is hoped that the boys will "play the game" and turn up better when asked. The white fruiterers had an opportunity to-day of showing whether they were able to cater for our fruit requirements, for the Celestial gentlemen who threaten to stamp out white competition in this

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

business observed a general holiday. Without the dictum of any association of employers, without unseemly wrangle in the Press, without dissent, the Chinese fruiterers put up the shutters to celebrate the advent of republicanism in the Flowery Land. One old laundryman I wasn't so patriotic. Perhaps he's a loyalist. Anyhow, he went on with his washing and ironing, allee same evelly day. I understand that Mr. Bublitz's splendid dairy- farm at Ngaere has been sold to Mr. McMillan, of Stratford, for cash, at a very satisfactory figure, and that Messrs. C. and E. Jackson conducted the negotiations. Sir. and Mrs. F. W. Wake returned on Saturday night from a trip to Australia. Mr. J. McCluggage returned from Wellington on Saturday. Entries for the Stratford Horticultural Show close on Tuesday night with Mr. S. Cato, the secretary. A big show is practically assured. The North Taranaki Hunt Club is holding a meeting here (to-morrow) Tuesday at the A. and P. Society's rooms with a view of forming a branch here. A meeting is to be held in Stratford on the 26th inst. to form a branch of the Sports Protection League. t