Our Stratford Page

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIV, Issue 202, 6 May 1912, Page 3

Our Stratford Page

j Stratford. Saturday. AT LAST! Representations regarding the nuisance caused to passengers on trains to and from Stratford by the manner in which the carriages are over-run by school children are bearing fruit. It is whispered that from to-day the Department will do what we have for so long suggested it should, and an additional carriage is to be attached to the train arriving here just before ten o'clock from the north, and to the mid-afternoon train northward. It is not possible- unfortunately, to provide exclusive accom- | inodation for the children, for to confine S them to one carriage would necessitate packing them like sardines, as there are over a hundred of these little passengers each day. The lot of the guards in charge or these particular trains should now be a happier one, and the passengers will have good cause io be thankful also. RAILWAY EXTENSIONS. The Railway Department has given notice of its intention to acquire the piece of land owned by Messrs. Henry Brown and Co., and used by them as a timber yard. This piece of land abuts t on the station yard, and forms part of the centre block of the town which the Railway Department owns. It has for long been thought probable that the land would have to be acquired, owing to the rapid and increasing growth of the railway business in Stratford, and the Department may even acquire the old Trocadero site adjoining, but concerning this there is nothing known at present. Messrs. Brown and Co. established this yard in the olden times, when they used to bring their timber along East road from their mill per tram. It is not so 1 n v years since the tram rails were lifted. The firm has a site for new yards in Miranda street, and already a start j has been made to utilise it. QUIET SNUB The Stratford County Council recently asked the Noxious Weeds Department to more effectively exercise its powers, and mentioned that in certain localities weeds were being allowed to spread, to the detriment of the whole neighbor-1 hood. At Saturday's special meeting the J council received a letter from the De-1 partment, as follows:—"I beg to call j your attention to the ragwort and black- . berry growing upon the Stratford County Council's property at Manganui stream, and must ask you to kindly give instructions to have them cleared forthwith."—All the foremen will be instructed to take the beam out of the council's eye, so that it may justifiably pick the mote out of the other fellow's. In another letter the inspector wrote: "As ; I have not been long in the district, and \ have a, fairly large country to look j after, there may have been some noxious J weeds neglected, but to the best of my j knowledge I do not know of any property in your county where the p/ovi- { Bionfi of the Noxious Weeds Act have 1 not been carried out. It would be a help j to me if any councillor, knowing of a property being neglected, would complain to me, when I will do my best to have it seen to." Councillors do not relish the position, but they may do some good by permitting the inspector to read the ■ complaint upon which its resolution was! based. - .~.- t LOCAL GOVERNMENT BILL Members of local bodies have, in many cases, not made a very close study of the new Local Government Bill individu- , ally, but they are being given an opportunity of doing so in meeting assembled. On Saturday the Stratford County Council wrestled with the monster. The council was not prepared for Councillor Smith's motion "that this council views with alarm any system in the alteration of local government which has for its object more centralisation by the establishment of provincial councils." In the course of his commentary remarks, Or. Smith said that one of the great cry- | ing evils of the Old Land in the past had been that the country had been | governed by a chosen few, who had [ legislated for their own particular class i instead of for the great body of the peo- | pie. It would indeed be a great pity if i in this new land we should unwittingly fall into the same grevious error. For this reasvn, he submitted that the proposed Local Government Bill ought to be resisted to the uttermost. It was one of those ill-conceived and unworkable measures that ought never to have been drafted, containing as it did over four hundred clauses, which made it complex. It was too experimental in its nature, and too centralising. Instead of giving the people greater powers of self-government, with more assured j finances, this Bill proposed to restrict these powers, which was a step in the wrong direction. The rate of county subsidy in the Bill was fixed at 20s down to 2s 6d in the £, based on a sliding scale, and was therefore made to depend upon the valuation of the average mile of territory, which wp- vague and misleading. He believed, f-'-rfior. that the existing county councils were i" ,; te competent to administer the upkeep of mMn roads without materially increasing the cost of supervision, provided they were given a fair measure of support from the j Consolidated Revenue to meet the ever increasing demands of traffic on arterial roads. He protested against the abolition of education boards, hospital boards, and harbor boards. These bodies had done good and excellent service in this country iri the past, so much so that the energy, patience and perseverance of these men would bear comparison with 1' tlia i, of any other body of men in any part, of the world.

Councillor Walter said that there l were a '. ; oo(l many tilings tliat could he managed well by a Provincial Council. Matters which affected two districts could lie managed better by a 'Provincial Council. ' but be objected to certain points in that Provincial Council's constitution. Tie was in favor 'of allowing (lie chairman to hold office as long as he had a majority in the council. More than this, be must give bis whole time to his work, for no man could keep in touch with such a variety of matters otherwise. ITe questioned also the rating powers 'of the Provincial Council. The county cowieil at present kept the roads in fair order, and they did not get to the limit of their rating powers. The Provincial Council would have double, their present rating power. They could rate up to a shilling in the pound on the unimproved value. "I tell you this," said @r. Walter, "there is enough power in that Pill to ruin half the men in ; Tarannki." The speaker continued that I under the proposed system of electing I representatives on the Provincial Coun-

♦ * * From Our Resident Reporter. * •} Broadway North., next Loan & Mercantile Agency Co. <s> <f> * **♦* + + *♦*♦•*♦ #*♦♦#*♦*♦♦♦♦♦♦ + #♦ !>!

cil tie ratepayers in many districts would be out-numbered by those who had votes but had no rates to pay. Men might be elected who would spend money freely and would raise loans entailing rates up to the limit 'of a. shilling in the £.

Councillor Marfell also pointed out objectionable features of what he termed "a sweeping measure." He moved that the council was opposed to the setting up of a Provincial Council in the place of hospital boards, harbor boards, and education boards. In speaking to the motion, Councillor Marfell said the trend of legislation should be to upbuild—to give the present local bodies greater The council carried this protest, and then settled down to study the Bill clause by clause, with what result will be published in due course. BERNARD'S PICTURES. The new programme which commences its season on Monday night is one that for all-round excellence would be hard to surpass, and, illuminated by the fine plant at His Majesty's Theatre, is bound to provide unbounded delight) among picture patrons. "Enoch Arden," a picture dramatisation of Tennyson's work, must provide scenes of unexampled value to the einematographer, and its production, placed before the eyes of the public in picture series, depicts the marvellous resignation of the principal figure. The programme is strong in humorous films, and Monday night's quartette of laugh-makers is above the average, A hearty laugh, following upon ft pathetic drama, sounds inconsistent, but it is healthy. ."Tommy wants to be an actor," and another of the "Tweddledum" freaks are billed for this series. There are picture-goers in Stratford who watch eagerly for nature studies. There is one in the new programme entitled "The birth, life and death of plants." The very title of it is sufficient to interest all who seek education in the wonders of the plant universe. "The ascent of Rothorn" is a star scenic picture, giving glimpses of grand mountain scenery. Boy Scouts will doubtless be glad to see the "Bov Scouts' Red Letter Day," a picture which has the approval of the Chief Scout. "The love of Lady Irma" and "The trail of books" are two fine dramas, and there are several other films of an interesting character. The great hoardings near His Majesty's Theatre announce that "Dan Morgan" will be screened on Thursday evening. This film depicts a story of Australian bushranging life, and is sure to draw a good crowd.

PERSONAL Mr. E. W. Lewis will return on Monday morning from a business trip 4 < Auckland. Mr. J. MeCluggage returned from Wellington ol Saturday night. BUSINESS NOTICES. Farmers along the coast between New Plymouth and Opunake are interested in to-day's announcement from Messrs. Gilchrist and Co., who have a fine 200-acre farm in the Stratford district for sale or for exchange for a coastal farm. SOCIAL NEWS On Thursday evening Mrs. O. M. Curtis gave an "at home" in the Town Hall to celebrate.the coming out of her daughter, Miss Elsie Curtis. Mrs. Curtis, who was robed in a lovely dove-grey charmewse, received her guests at the entrance to the hall. The stage was arranged as a drawing-room, and the hall was gaily decorated with flags. The dress circle was in great demand between the dances, and was highly appreciated by the chaperones. The "at home" was a delightful success, and the guests were loud in their praises of the most complete arrangements made for their pleasure and comfort. The supper tables were artistically decorated with a profusion of lovely white Michaelmas daisies and white cosmos, and a most elaborate supper awaited the guests. Mr. Rogers' orchestra furnished delightful music for the evening. There were six debutantes:

Miss Elsie Curtis was beautifully gowned in ninon over white silk, trimmed with Maltese lace and bugle fringe. Miss Dorothy Mackay wore a white satin, bodice daintily worked in silk and silver. Miss Bayly (Toko) white silk, elaborately trimmed. Miss Raine (Hawera) white silk, bead trimming. Miss N. James, white silk. Miss Dive, white satin. Among the guests were:—Mesdames O. M. Curtis, C. S. Curtis, MacDiarmid, Hine, Wake, F. Bayly, M. Bayly. W D. Anderson, Porritt, Rennell, Fookes, Young, Paget, Crawshaw, Wilkie, Glasgow, J. Mackay, Tyrer, Uniacke, Copping, RichaTds, Grant, Joll, Stronach, Raine (Hawera), and C. Penn, Miss Butler, Messrs. Hall, V. Crawshaw, C. Crawshaw, .James, S. James, Robinson, Joll, Webster, Hamerton and l Hedditch. ' GENERAL NEWS

At noon oil Saturday the Electrical Supply Company liacl ail experimental rim with the new Diesel engine. Mr. T. Hill supervised the. trial. Mr. W. J. Newton, the company's engineer-in-chief, and Mr. Hardey, of the National Electrical and Engineer Company, who is in Stratford erecting the switchboard and appliances, were present. The trial was ill every way satisfactory, the engine starting perfectly immediately the valves were opened, and 110 hitch of any description occurring. There was no warming or heating of any kind. The trial rciiects considerable credit on the erectors, and it is typical of the famous Diesel that 110 trouble occurs at such installations. The fears that had been previously expressed that possibly this new and expensive machinery might not prove anything like so valuable as was expected, are now dissipated. A formal opening ceremony will take place on the evening of May 10, in the presence of the directors and shareholders of the company, and members of the Stratford County and Borough Councils. Invitations, ball programmes, visiting cards, wedding cards, in latest stationery and in best style at the Daily News : office, Broadway, Stratford. 'Phone 113.