Stratford News

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIV, Issue 305, 21 June 1912, Page 3

Stratford News

i From our Resident Reporter. WHEN DOCTORS DIFFER. STRATFORD COUNTY ENGINEER HITS BACK. The bridge over the Waipuku stream, on the Mountain road, is a boundary bridge between the Stratford and Taranaki counties. The Stratford county engineer raised a storm, and the ire of the Taranaki County Council, by reporting some time ago that the "steel bridge erected only a comparatively few years ago by the northern council was unsafe, and needed renewal. A commission was set up a little later on to decide as to which council should have control of the bridge, and Mr. C. T. Murray, district road engineer, decided that it could be most economically and conveniently administered from Stratford. After a short lapse of time the ■ Stratford Council decided to rebuild the bridge, and now the stream is spanned hy a fine concrete structure. But there seems still to be some soreness over the matter in some quarters. Correspondence on the matter was read at the last Stratford County Council meeting.

The letter from the Taranaki County Council was as follows.—"There has been reported to this Council that there are two serious cracks in the arch of this bridge. One traction engine owner has already informed our bridge foreman that he would not take his machine over the bridge under any circumstances, li 'such is the there is no question of doubt that should an accident arise both counties would be jointly liable for misfeasance. My Council decline to accept any responsibility in the matter until the defect is rectified." This letter was handed to Mr. E. C. Robinson, the county engineer, who wrote in the course of his reply as follows:—"In reply, I have to acquaint you with the fact that your Council has been ■ very seriously misled by its informants, inasmuch as there are no cracks in the arch of the bridge. Its informants appear to be incapable of distinguishing the difference between cracks in concrete and surface marks, indicating the junction of courses in the carrying out of the work. As, however, this lack of knowledge has evidently been the means of circulating a false report in regard to the condition of the arch, I am taking 'the trouble, in justice to my Council, and myself, to have the said lines of junction opened out in grooves, in order to convince all who care to inspect same "that there is absolutely no sign of a crack in the arch ring. This work is now in hand, and I will leave the said grooves open for a fortnight before filling them in, to aliow of such inspection." The last paragraph in the letter provides food for serious thought. It runs: "Should any members or representatives of your Council be making such inspection, I would suggest that they give some little attention to the condition of the old steel trusses just removed. If [ this is done they will find that the lower chord of one of these is completely eaten through with rust, and will then realise that, in spite of the opinion's in the past of tranction engine drivers, regarding .the safety of this structure, the renewal just completed was a most necessary and urgent matter." The Council fully endorsed the engineer's action, and set up a committee consisting of the north riding members and the engineer, to meet a committee of the Taranaki County Council, so that I the matter may be settled by personal j inspection.

THE LATE MR. SWADLING. The death nf Mr. Wm. Swadling at Kaponga came as a shock to many close friends and admirers here. Mr. Swadling was "straight as a die." In his publie life he faced odds unflinchingly, and was never a party to any trimming or truckling. His active work on local bodies commenced with his representation of the Kaponga district on the Waimate Road Board, and many'a fight he had to engage in on behalf of what he termed "the bush." When the Kaponga Town Board was formed he was unanimously elected chairman of the first boarij, and he remained in office for some time. The inclusion of the Kaponga district in the Elthani County relieved him of his . Manaia meetings, but he was then elected to the Eltham County Council. His genuineness and shrewd commonsense made him respected on all sides. He showed marked business ability as director, and afterwards as chairman of directors of the Kaponga Dairy Co.. and Was elected to the Tarariaki Producers' (Moturoa) Freezing Works Company's directorate. The late Mr. Swadling was also a member of the New Plymouth Harbor Board. The deceased gentleman had a warm corner in his heart for Stratford, and one of his last important public acts was to attend and give evidence before the Opunake Railway Commission on behalf of the Stratford route. His going leaves a gap in our public life which will be found difficult to fill.

COMMERCIAL. T. LAMASON'S WEEKLY REPORT. Last Saturday I held my usual weekly sale, when a fair entry of different lines was catalogued. A very fair entry of poultry came to hand, also vegetables. I quote as follows: —Hens, Is 6d to 2s 3d; roosters, 2s 3d to 2s 6d; ducks, 2s 6d, hens, 2s; carrots, 4s 3d per sack; cabbages, about Is Gd to 2s per sack; cauliflowers. 2s fid to 4s per dozen; furniture and sundries at usual auction rates.

STRAY PARAGRAI lIS. The man who suggested the formatioa of ft model yacht club to pleasurably utilise the lake, at present existing in the local railway yard has under-esti-mated the resourcefulness and energy of the maintenance staff. It is expected that long before the next yachting season conies round the lake will have become a thing of the past. It is caused by the blocking of the tunnel which passef under Broadway at the Bank of Australasia ami continues under the railway yard. Were the engineers of to-day ;'-ked to cope with this small stream they would probably divert it into ihe Patea river at Miranda street. For a long time past the cry of "man the pumps" has been answered by quite a gang of railway workmen, and they have kept a stream of muddy water flowing across the passenger platform, small temporary footbridges being provided for the use of the public. Then the J dam at the top end of the tunnel, or thereabouts, was broken, and the flow I of water was H bit too much for the sevcral-men-pownr pumps. A lake quickI ly formed. "Mow the men arc sinking a nhaft to enter the tunnel at the other ' side of the station yard. The weather is decidedlv against the workmen, and I no one envies them their job. j Attention is directed to the fact that the entries for the Stratford Poultry. [ Pigeon, and Canary Society's first annaul I show close with Ihe secretary. Mr. C. Downey, on the 25th inst. The prosI pects are excellent. Fanciers in StratI ford, and in the other towns of the I province, sdioiilrt enter largely for this I show, to give the society a good start. ! The energetic promoters are doing their ■' share. A good show must tend to increase the interest in the rearing q

! pure-bred birds, and thus have a stimubiting effect upon the poultry-raising ini dustry. Added to the poultry, pigeon. and canary sections are the baby show and the farm produce competitions. The prize-money and special prizes are liberal, and it is expected that the show i will attract exhibitors from all parts. Several of the biggest fanciers in the island arc sending along a good string of birds to represent them. Mr. Harold Masters was entertained nt a dinner last night by the Stratford Football Club's first junior fifteen, and was presented with a case of pipes. Mr. Masters leaves for Wanganui next week. Still another sticking-up case. The opinion is gaining ground that the affair is now being worked as a clumsy joke. I heard a man say this morning that any visitor to Stratford just now would he greatly struck by the shortage of married men in the places where men most do congregate. The married men are "stay-at-homes" at present, and the "highwaymen" are the cause of it. It is not suggested that they are afraid to go out, but their better halves will not let them. The wrestling match between Stratford's wrestler favorite, Louis Eobertson, and Joe Preschner, was not proceeded with on Wednesday night, owing to the bad weather. The match is now fixed for to-night, in the Town Hall. A presentation of a belt is to be made to Robertson by his Stratford admirers. A good story is going the rounds of how a man was howled out the other day. He related to his wife something that had happened to him. In the next few days he spread the news abroad, and the story was embellished by added detail It went down all right, too. But his wife was telling her friends the story as her husband originally told it to her, and somehow they won't dovetail one little bit. So when you get money left you, and you want to pose as a coming millionaire, "put the wife wise" before you confide the secret to your friends.

"La grippe" is going the rounds. Several business men are more or less gripped by the flend. BERNARD'S PICTURES. See "The Spartan Mother," and see i* what a marvellous pitch lias cinematography been brought. It is safe to predict big houses- for to-night and to-morrow night at His Majesty's Theair". for last night's audience was most enthusiastic concerning this ereat drama, and also followed with excited interest the scenes in "It's an ill wind." The pictures of the herring-fishing industry at Yarmouth art good, and the "Gazette" of topical events as interesting as usual. The remainder of the programme is of all-round excellence. A reminder is given to parents of the full programme matinee at half-past two o'clock on Saturday afternoon.