Our Stratford Page

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIV, Issue 219, 14 March 1912, Page 3

Our Stratford Page

I Stratford, Wednesday. BERNARD'S PICTURES. His Majesty's Theatre will have a "double event" of its own. to-morrow (Thursday) night. The new dress circle is to be opened, and Mme. Bernard, will, for the other portion of the event, screen the worlil-famous magnificent and enthralling drama, "Fighting Blood." This is a romantic story, brimful of incident and excitement, and the staging is spleadid, not one whit overdone. "Winter in Finland" is enough in itself to draw a big house, some of the fantasies of ice and icicles being productive of the greatest wonderment amongst dwellers 'neath the Southern Cross. "Saved by a Pony Express" is another valuable item in the programme, which contains many comic and topical films. The dress circle, which has now been. completed by Mr* ; N. J.' King, adds immensely to the attractiveness of the theatre. With seven steadily rising platforms of upholstered seats a splendid uninterrupted view of the screen is secured. Stratford should = give the plucky and enterprising proprietress ( a bumper house on Thursday to christen the new dress circle. I THE MAYORALTY I The names of Messrs. J. Masters (the' present. Mayor) and Councillors R. Morison and S. Ward are freely mentioned ,as likely candidates for the Mayoralty. AH have given long service to the municipality as representatives: of the" ratepayers; besides acting in other, publioiand, semipublic positions, so the ratepayers hatve something to guide them. .But there's a ."dark .horsje" in training, Tin..,told, But' what his name I dare not.even guess. My informant, whose tips on municipal matters are worth more than the famous guinea a box, assures me that this candidate "must simply fly in!" Four candidates? Why not? A SUDDEN DEATH, A young man named John Clement Speck, seventeen years of age,, son of Mr. R. J. Speck, of Pohokura, who has been employed as fireman on the Public Works locomotive out there, became ill on Saturday, and died on Monday, his decease coining as a great shock .to his relatives and mates, with whom he, was deservedly popplar. At the, inquest before Mr, T," Bradley, J.P., Dr.. Steyen gave evidence that. d£ath was' due. to peritonitis, ■' and a verdict was given accordingly. The deepest sympathy is felt I for the deceased lad's parents and relar tives. CRICKET I STRATFORITv! HAWERA. The Stratford and Hawera teams met at. Stratford to-day, and the visitors, won by 113 to 65, a margin of 48 runs. This ! match practically settles the South Tara- ) naki supremacy. Scores:— STRATFORD. ] Dunlop, b McCarthy 24 Jackson, b Pratt 4 Richmond, c Jennings, b Pratt . 9 Boyes, c Hill, b McCarthy 13 Jennings, b McCarthy 0 Tocker, b Hill ." 0 Fowler, c Pratt, b McCarthy 0 Kirkham, b Hill 9 Sanson, b McCarthy 1 Hartley, b McCarthy 0 Jackson, not out .*. 0' Extras 5 f Total 65 Bowling analysis.—Pratt, two for 24; McCarthy, six for 32; Hill, two for 4. HAWERA. Moore, b Dunlop 2 Johnson, c Fowler, b Dunlop 7 Hill, c and b Dunlop 1 Pratt, b Jennings 33 McCarthy, c Fowler, b Dunlop 10. Jennings, b Richmond 34 Treweek, b Jennings 3 Douglas, lbw, b Richmond 7 Tissiman, b Richmond 0 Gardner, not out 7 Mitchell, b Jennings 9 Total 113 Bowling analysis.—Dunlop, four for 42; Jennings, three f0r.22; Richmond, three for 18. SUCCESSFUL ENTERPRISE Mr. John Leydon, probably one of the best-known figures in the furnishing trade of the Dominion, has just added a new oil engine, planing machine, and circular saw bench to the plant in his furniture factory in Juliet street, this being necessary in order to cope with the constantly increasing volume of trade. Even with the factory fully staffed, Mr. Leydon complains that he can get nothing made up "for stock," all work being

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

bespoken. He is the successful tenderer for the stock in. the estate, of the late Mr. H. S. Priestly, in Regan street, and when the unfinished goods have been completed and classified he will hold a gigantic clearing sale. Details will appear 4n our advertising columns in due course. IS A ROLLER A LUXURY? "THE COUNTRY IS ROLLER MAD." Nearly every Parliament has its "silent member." So has the Stratford Borough Council. And just as a very mild man becomes a very wild man I when he's wild at all, so a "silent member" when he does talk has something to say. Many talkative members don't say half as much in a;whole night's talking as the "silent jnember". does in one epoch-making speech. On Monday, night, —it was still Monday, but getting unpleasantly close to Tuesday—the Council was trying to, decide what sort of road roller to buy. Cr. McAllister, at about 11:29 p.ml, got up to enter his protest against a roller being purchased at all. Several of his colleagues vehem-, ently protested that he was out of order,, but the Mayor thought he was entitled to speak, and Cr. : McAllister, made» a neat point' "when he pulled out Kis I watch and remarked that of the three! hours and twenty minutes, occupied by} the Council that "night he hadn't taken up at the most ten minutes. Then he proceeded tv condemn the expenditure of from £7OO to £9OO on a road roller. "The country," he declared, "is roller mad at present. It'* an epidemic, and Stra,tford has got it,badly. The cost of a road roller would provide a filtration scheme that would give us water beyond | reproach. I remember one- councillor I took the/platform a little while ago and/ made a lot of capital out of it. He. said that a bath, in the water made him. dirtier 1 than when he got into it, I think. This roller is a ; luxury. The streets were never in better order than they are to-day,, and we don't want the roller. It's two i years before its time. It's not a necessity.' If the money were spent on kerbing arid channelling it would be a lot better for the town in two years' time.' The money would give a great many houses in the town i connections with thed rainage system, and this, councillors must agree, was a. necessity." AH or many of these things,; he said, was of more impprtance than a road roller. ' The remarks found no supporter, and the speaker was subjected to a running fire of "humbug," "rot" and "rubbish" from Cr. Paget. ' GENERAL Mr. H. Gouger, of Stratford, has presented to the Stratford Municipal Lib- ( rary a copy of; "Founding a Colony,"' taken from the diary of his late father, Mr. Robert Gouger, the first Colonial Secretary in Australia. The work is now out of print, owing to the failure of the publisher. It is said to be a very interesting and valuable production; Dr. Paget is of opinion that the contract between the Borough Council and the Electric Light Co. in reference to street lighting should be reviewed, the lights placed directly under the Council's control, and the current paid for, i perhaps, by meter instead of at so muchV per lamp per annum. ' There was little interest, apparently, in to-day's sale of leases of the munici-pally-owned shops in Broadway. Mr. F. Pivac secured the shop now occupied by Mrs. Brown, at £143 a year. Mr. j. F. Watson jeweller, bought the lease of the shop he now occupies at £B4 a year. Lots 3 and 4, now occupied by' Mr. Spencff, draper, were not sold, but it is understood negotiations are in progress concerning them; Mr. H. N; Liardet, manager in New Zealand for the Ocean Accident Corporation, is in Stratford' to-day. The scarcity of good cottages for renting still continues. Mr. F. Marrow, of Stratford, was married at Omata to-day to Miss E. Mace, who has been sole teacher of the' Ackland school from the date of its opening until her recent resignation. Mr. 1 and' Mrs. Mario w will make their home in Stratford. Owing to the death of Mr. J. R. Mackay, the swimming carnival, which was to have been held on Thursday, has been postponed. So has the first stage of the competition between the Stratford Gun Club and' the Stratford Defence Rifle Club. Hides were very firm at Tuesday's sales. Keen competition was due in a measure to the fact that there will be no sales during April, and tanneries had to secure extra supplies at this month's i sales. The Toko settlers' annual picnic and sports are to be held on March 28. The small fry will be given a right royal time, for the veteran manager of children's sports, Mr. John Leydon, has been invited by the committee to take charge of this all-important department, and he's going.