Stratford News

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LV, Issue 48, 15 July 1912, Page 3

Stratford News

I'vom our Rfisident Importer. f DOMAIN BOARD. MONTHLY MEETING. The monthly meeting of the Stratford Domain Board was held on Friday present-Messrs. 'G. X. Curtis (chairman), W. P. Kirkwood, T. H. Penn and R. McK. Morison.

It was decided that the meeting for the purpose of forming a Beautifying Association be held on Wednesday next in the Borough Council Chambers _ On the motion of Mr. W. P. Kirkwood, it was resolved "that in future, where rents are not paid within fourteen days from their due dates in all cases, the Domain Board will take possession' and relet without freeing the tenants from liabilities that are due."

Mr. V. Crawshaw, secretary of the Stratford Tennis Club, applied" for permission to lay down six tennis courts in Victoria Park, alongside the croquet courts.—lt was decided to grant the space requested on the west end of the ground.

Messrs. Robinson and Christopher reported re the suspension footbridge over the Patea river, giving access to Kin" Edward Park, that the bridge is about llli feet over all, consisting of a suspension span of 100 feet, and ends of ten and six feet respectively. The estimated cost of the suggested repairs, exclusive of under-»tifl'ening, would bo about £l2 10s, and inclusive of sin.li about £2o.—The chairman was authorised to carry out the repairs as far as funds would permit.

THE NO-LICENSE LEAGUE. AXXUAL .MEETING. The annual meeting of the Stratford Xo-License League was held on Friday in the Foresters' Hall. There was an attendance of about forty-members, and Mr. J. McAllister was in the chair. An interesting address was <riven bv the Rev. Mr. Reader on the c llv ct of Xolicense in the Bruce district.

The annual report showed that the year had been a busy one on account of the general election taking place during its term. The Stratford electorate went back on the local option vote, Showing clearly that the Dominion prohibition vote Jiad overshadowed it. This , ipomed to be general nil r"-e>- the Do- ! minion, but they we-.v- . lv ~u r( , i .no Dominion prohibition vote was a great success over the whole of the country, registering 56 per cent, of the votes cast, the Stratford electorate being about nineteen votes short of a threefifths majority. The election was keenly fought- by both parties, and the Liquor Party flooded the country with literature. The Jso-license League circulated seven issues of the Home journal, each' issue having two thousand papers,' making a total of 14,000 copies. "To meet this expense," says the report, "the town" was canvassed for advertisements, and we received in cash £52 10s. ' We also paid out of the League funds £25 to the manager of the Home Journal..beinoa total of £77 10s." During the year we engaged the following lecturers":—Rev. Fee, Methodist, who gave addresses in the street on two Saturday jiights at Stratford, two at Inglewood,"one at Midhirst, Toko, Cardiff and Skinner Road gravel pit; Mr. Mills, .labor .organiser, who gave a splendid address to a crowded audience in the Town Hall; Mr. Joe Robinson and Mr. Taylor, who had been High School boys of Stratford, gave very fine addresses in the street and Town Hall on Saturday and Sunday nights; the Rev. Hammond also spoke in the Town Hall one afternoon, Mrs. Bar- [ ton spoke in the afternoon and evenin" to very large gatherings in .'the 'Town* Hall. Previous to the election a rally was held in the Foresters' Hall of workers from different parts of the electorate in the afternoon, and in St. Andrew's J Hall in the evening. These meetings were I addressed by the Rev. J; Findlav, who I was travelling as organiser for the" North Island. At this convention the whole electorate was cut up into sections, and a person appointed to be .responsible/ for : enrolling names, distributing '.literature, and bringing people to the poll. Most workers did their work well, A licensing bench of five members was.elected during year. Our League decided to nominate the five, and organise the election, but two of our men stood down, as the Liquor Party were only nominating 'two men, thus,avoiding an.election.,- During the general election .campaign correspondence was kept going in the local paper, also advertising spaces \yere freely used. Your League has contributed £2O las usual to the Alliance funds, and generally is in a healthy condition. Hut to ensure funds for the coming year, we have printed three hundred tickets oi membership to our League at- 2s, 6d pel member. As this is the pnly incoipe we are deriving, and are. likely to derive \duriHg the present year, all members to purchase one each.".

The, balance-sheet that receipts Were £loti Is Id, and expenditure £los as iy 2 d, leaving; a Stnio.il credit balance. -

- The, election of., officers resulted as follows:—President, Rev. A; Reader:, vice-presidents, Mr. R. McK. Morison and Mrs. McAllister; secretary, Mr. C. Russ; assistant secretary, Mr. C. ©a Solo; treasurer, i'Mr. E. G. Foster; executive comRev. Reader; 'Mrs. •McAllister,' and Messrs. Morison, Russ, Sole and 'Foster; committee, all ministers'of the'town, and all* office-bearers of : the-chorch.es, Mesdames McKay, McKeown and, Messrs. J. Goodrich, J. McAllister, j. : W. 1 Bo.onand J. Martin. '' ..'.''"'

Votes, of thanks were'passed to 'the retiring office-bearers, .and 'to those who liud assisted to make•■■'tfie.,evening a success, especially the ladiesj'of the W.C.T.U., for providing supper.' During the evening songs were given by Miss Cameron and .'Messrs Douglas and Everiss, Miss Hopkins pfaying the accompaniments.

GENERAL. NEWS.. At (he Police Court on Satnrdav. before Mr. ('.. X. Curtis. J.P., .1. J. (Ireen, charged with the theft of a bridle at; Wanganui, was remanded to a])pear at that town. The accused was brought in. from W'hangamomona. Mr. P. Schmidt, of York Road, recently paid a visit to Wellington and interviewed the late Minister for Railways (Mr. Myers) regarding the request of York l'oad settlers to have their goods carried on the Mount Egmont railway. Mr. Schmidt was successful in his mission, and was promised that in future the goods would be carried on the line, provided notice was given to the guard that they were at the Waipuku Station. Mr. and Mrs. T. C. Fookcs returned to Stratford r,n Friday, both having derived considerable benefit from their trip north. BERNARD'S PICTURES. His Majesty's Theatre will re-open on Thursday night, when a star programme of new pictures will be put on in celebration of the occasion. The details will I be announced in due course. The alterI ations which are being completed under 1 the supervision of Mr. X. J. King, are of an extensive nature, and Madame Berna:•('. if sparing no expense to make the

cosy little theatre thoroughly up to date. Picture-goers will no doubt appreciate the efforts of the management in catering for their comfort.