Our Stratford Page

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIV, Issue 210, 4 March 1912, Page 3

Our Stratford Page

WHY? The Stratford townspeople have on I°T° S B iven emphatically and undeniably the reason whv theatrical companies have taken to giving Stratford the go-by. A very few Th P fL ago pV romißing little Mi« Thelma Peterson, appealed to music patrons Even after a number of ladies and gentlemen had consented to act at a local committee to work up interest the interest refused to be worked up. and the audience was, let us hope no criterion of the extent of the love of music in Stratford. "But,"' some argued this was only a girl, with voice pracfccally untrained. Bring us along, an artist with a reputation, and you'll ! see Stratford turn out." An opportunity was given on Thursday night, when Miss Ronna Buckman, the foremost f«ew Zealand singer, and one of the best m Australasia, made her appearance here, accompanied by other performers who have delighted great crowds elsewhere. No one could complain that Miss Luckman was a novice. She came direct from triumphant successes in grand opera in the big Australian cifies with Madame Melba, taking the parts for which singers had been brought from tfte Continent at enormous salaries But the audience was smaller than used to > greet a mediocre dramatic troupe here a few years ago. It is something that needs explaining. Is a any consolation to the public to know that they missed I probably the finest concert ever given in I Stratford? Miss Buckman was in rare ! form, and, despite the dismal array of empty stalls, she quickly threw herself with abandon into her work, and was encored again and again, "The Jewel Song," "Waiata Maori," "Waiata Poi" and "Cuckoo," all delighting in turn, whilst Tosti's "Good-bve" and "Home Sweet Home," ended all too soon a delicious musical treat. Mr. Hamilton Hodges'was in better voice than at New Plymouth the previous night, and earned triple encores. A veritable genius with, the violin is Mr. Blov. and lie was recalled too, his playing exhibiting a mastery over the instrument. Mr. Carbines was as successful in his accompaniments as in his pianoforte solos, for one of which he was enthusiastically encore!.Such playing is rare amongst "amateurs." Lxquisite," "sublime," "magnificent." There were three enthusiastic remarks ) overheard at the Town Hall after the concert. Why did so few people attend and enjoy it? Why? ' I

SWIMMING CARNIVAL. The Stratford Swimming Club's night carnival at the Baths on Friday was very successful, from a swimmer's point of view, though the attendance was not all that might have been expected. The mild ni,qht made swimming pleasant, and the meeting was excellently managed throughout. Visitors were present from Hawera and Eltham, but the party of New Plymouth competitors who were expected were unable to make the trip. Coffee and light refreshments were much appreciated by the competitors. The Stratford Municipal Brass Band played a number of selections. The lighting of the baths was splendid. The following officers capably carried out their various duties: Judge, Mr. D. J. Malone; starter. Mr. E. B. Stohr; timekeeper, Afr. J. F. Watson; call stewards, Messrs. A. J. Davey anrf P. M. Marlow; gatekeepers, Messrs. D. Finlay and D. J. Malone; assistant secretary. Mr. C. S. Potts. The caretaker, Mr. R. H. Kivell, rendered valuable assistance. Following are the results of the racing:— 100 Yards.—First Heat: Masters, 8 .seq,.l; John Grant, ?.sec, 2. Also start: ed, A.'Spratfc Qseo, wid-E. H.-Kivell 7sec. Time, 75 2-ssec. Second heat: Claringbold, scr, 1; Carr, 4sec, 2. Also started, Kelly 20sec. Time, 89sec. Final: Masters 1, Grant 2, Claringbold 3. Time, 73sec. Won easily, Grant just beating Claringbold for second place. 75 Yards—First heat: Joll, 9sec, i; Claringbold, scr, 2. Also started, West 12=ec, and Masters ssec. Time, 62soe. Second Heat: Carr, 4?ec, and Kivell, 6 sec, dead heat, 1. Also' started, Wbittington 15sec, Kelly Msec. Time, 62 i-5 sec. Third heat: Jim Grant, 6sec, 1; L. Curtis, 7sec, 2. Also started, John Grant Bsee. and A. Spratt Bsec. Time, 5o 2-ssec. Final: Kivell 1, Carr 2. Time 56sec.

50 Yards.—First heat: C. Kivell, 10 sec, 1; Kelly, 12sec, 2. Also started: Jim Grant 4sec, and E. Dewhirst 7see. Time, 42sec. Second heat: Kivell, 4sec, 1; Spratt v Gsec, 2. Also started; Whittington 12see, and West lOsec. Time, 41 2-ssec. Third heat: Joll, 7sec, 1; Curtis, (iscc, 2. Also started: Masters 3sec, and John Grant scr. Time, 37seo. Final: C. Kivell 1, Kelly 2. Mixed Dives—Claring'bold 1, Wilkie?-.

Maiden Race, 50yds.—Whittington 5 Bee, 1; Bennett, 2see, 2. Also started: Clemow ssee, K. H. Young 3sec, F.- Wilkie 2see. Time, 45sec.

Boys' Kaee, 50yds (under 16). —First heat: W. Kivell, 7sec. 1; X. Kivell, 6sec, and Clem Kivell, 7see, dead heat, 2. Time, 44sec. Boys' Race, 25vds, 13 and under. Roy Kivell 1, R. Rhodes 2. A relay race between two Hawera teams and a Stratford team concluded the proceedings. Hawera won.

HIS MAJESTY'S THEATRE. "THE DOUBLE EVENT." The production by cinematography of the dramalisa-tion of Xat Gould's racing story, "The Double Event," at His Majesty's Theatre to-night and to-morrow night should draw overflowing houses, as it has done, wherever shown. Most people have of course read the wellknown navel, in which the writer uses every dramatic device to produce effects. •When these effects are sharply shown, as in perfect cinematography, to a people who revel in horses and racing, the people become enthusiastic. Mr. Alf. Boothman (who, by the way, is in the. caste which plays the drama from whieh the pictures are taken) is peculiarly fitted to "speak the book." He has a tremendous voice, and his long training as a dramatic actor has taught him to speak descriptive lines with a great fer- ' vor exceedingly helpful to the unfolding of the story. The various phases of villainy by which the bad man of the piece "nobbles" the favorite for the two great events, which include the Melbourne Cup, are put on with a realismleaving nothing to be added. The actors I and actresses have taken care not to I overdo the thing. The story moves naturally, the interest waxing to the culminating point, where the detective I chases the villain, fresh from the murder of a peer's new wife, over real roofs to I the destruction of the spieler-murderer. A magnificent glimpse of the famous

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

Flemington racecourse is caught with its great gay crowds and the movement and beauty of a great event, unequalled in the world's annals of racing. There is a real "horsiness" about the records as distinct from the unreal horsiness of actors on horseback, and the enthusiaem when the favorite flashes past a good winner was almost as great as if tho audience was witnessing the true Cup. Mr. Boothman, in his artistic treatment of the "book," happily does not slavishly stick to the text, when a human exclamation, roared out in a big voice, will illustrate an incident. The feeling in that one would much rather aee the pictures than wade through the author's { work. The programme of pictures, both before and after the star drama, are of great merit. The prices are as usual. GENERAL Pienics are not an unmixed blessing, so far as railway travelling is concerned. Sometimes there is an overflow, and the overflow is not particular where it settles. Part of the Eltham picnic crowd dropped into a first-class smoker on Saturday; night. Prior to their advent the passen- ' gers seemed to be mostly sleeping. The arrival of the two youths and two young t ( girls was the signal to awake. Windows kept slamming up and slamming, down. The door of the carriage was opened j frequently, and closed, with a bang.! They laughed, and crowed, and talked loudly. One of the passengers remarked —"lf a man-had two drinks and made that row, he'd be run in. for causing a disturbance." Mild remonstrance on the part of several well-known bagmen had no effect, and it was a question whether they were not more annoying companions than the crying baby which they said they were trying to escape. The morning train was crowded withi, picnickers from Eltham, the Egniont ) Box Company's employees being oh the : way to the Henui beach for, their annual picnic. Tlie weather wasn't a bit kind to them. It rained here most of the day, and I understand that the prevailing weather conditions at New Plymouth were somewhat similar. '

There'is still a good deal of speeuIntion going on, particularly in towh sections.

Heavy rain set in here about 5 o'clock. The weather is very warm, .and excellent for the growth of winter fodder crops.

The rainfall for February was 5.68 inches, of which nearly half fell on the 14th. Rain fell on ten days only. The following five gentlemen have been nominated for the Stratford |Lii.censing Committe: Jonas Masters (Stratford), William* Morison '(Ng'aere), Athol Richard Meredith (Strathmore), Herbert B. Curtis (Inglewood) and Jacob Therkleson (Tariki).

At a meeting of the Stratford Agricultural and Pastoral Association's executive on Friday night, the tender of Mr. T. D. Colson for the lease of the showground was accepted. (Permission was given to the Primitive Methodist Sunday School to hold an annual picnic on the show grounds. The general committee 'of the Scottish Society will meet at Stratford on March 20, when probably arrangements will be made for a big inaugural social, at which it is expected visitors from all parts of Tarannki will attend.