Stratford News.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LV, Issue 72, 12 August 1912, Page 3

Stratford News.

From our Resident Reporter.

A PBOGiiILSSIVII ASSOCIATION,

TO ENCOURAGE GOOD FARMING,

There is need for the encouragement of good funning, and the Stratford A. & I'. Association is "all out" to help. The system of MMm;- and ".swapping" farms lias noL improved the fencing, gates or buildings, but (here are indications now that; tiling, are to become more settled m these parts. The sooner the whole of (lie hind is made to produce its utmost by conimoiHense cultivation the better for the community as a whole. The following recommendation of a special committee of the A. & I'. Association is to he submitted to the "moral committee:

1 hat the Association give prizes for the following: (1) Best milking shed, to include surroundings, cleanliness, and water supply; (2) best crop of three acres or more of Swede turnips; (3) best crop of one acre or more of mangolds; (4) best laid-down paddocks; (5) best style of pig-sties; (6) best haystack; (7) highest number of points secured in the preceding six classes, ten points to be allotted to each event. Entries to close at chow time. And that tlie general committee consider if it would be advisable to add another class, namely, best herd of cows, of not less than thirty, to be judged >bv appearance, the owner to have the right to throw out 10 per cent. A. & P. ASSOCIATION. MEETING OF MEMBERS. 1 here was a fair attendance of members at the special meeting of the A. & P. Association on Saturday. Mr. W. p' Kirkwood. the president, was in the chair, and briefly put before the meeting the objects for which it had been called MODEL DAIRY FARM.

The president said they were called ' together to discuss matters of importance to the welfare of the Association and for the benefit of the farming interests generally. The first matter was in connection with the endeavor to get the Government- to establish a model dairy farm in the vicinity of Stratford, in conformity with the resolutions carried at the recent conference of representatives of the Xorth Taranaki Dairy Companies and of this Association. Mr. Kirkwood related how the efforts to meet the Hon. llios. Mackenzie, the then Prime Minister, at Hawera and Palmerston Xorth, had failed. It was for the members now to decide what steps should be la ken to have the matter placed before the Government,. ' He suggested that a deputation, -representing the farming interests, dairy companies and the A. & P. Association, should wait on the Prime Minister; or. in the alternative, that the matter he placed by letter before the Minister of Agriculture, fully setting out the requirements. He moved that the Association should take stomps to send a deputation to Wellington to wait upon -the Prime Minister in terms of the resolution carried at a recent conference re the establishment of a model dairy farm in the vicinity of Stratford.

Mr. Sangster thought it might be advisable to '■'sound'' the Government with a view to finding out whether or not the present administration was favorable to the establishment of these dairy farms. They knew, of course, that the late Government had been favorably disposed, but the policy of the present- administration on this matter had not been disclosed, although it promised an agricultural college in the Xorth Island and one in the Sonth.

The "sounding" process will be proceeded with.

The motion was carried. A PEOPLE'S STAND. The president brought up the matter of the erection of a people's stand. The Association must go ahead. To stand still was to go back. A people's stand was an absolute necessity. They had a members' stand, and, in order to keep it for members as far as possible, they had charged the general puklic five shillings for admission. The public had paid that price, and the stand had been crowded. To his mind, a people's etand would prove a very profitable undertaking. They could erect a people's stand, for 800 people, at about .£4OO. if unroofed. There was a good deal of risk in having an unroofed stand, on account of the weather. With the stand half full on each day of the show, at a shilling a head admission, a return of 20 per cent, would be secured. The Association was in a good posH'on financially, and could pay over 20s in the £. Finances ought to be kept in that state. He thought that if the stand were built they should have the money in band, and not increase the overdraft. The executive suggested that thirty or forty life members at £lO each would provide the finances. Life members would have all the privileges of membership for life. He himself would be willing to become a life member, and would donate five guineas to the prize fund. Tf theie were members who would like to become life members, but to whom it was inconvenient to pay £lO now, they could give a p.n. at three months, for flip building would hardly be erected earlier than that. Mr. Kirkwood thought there should be no difficulty in obtaining the grandstand finance in this way.

To Mr. Sholler. flic chairman said that the profit of £7O from the gymkhana bad been earmarked for the extension of tin; members' stand. Mr. H. Dingle said that without some scheme such as the president had suggested they would not have the grandstand "this year. Tie himself had been elected a life member by the Association as a compliment to him. If other members would fake up this life membership he would be prepared to pay up his £lO along with them. Mr. R. T. B. Mellow: I'll make another.

Mr. 00. Sangster said hp was "in the same boat" as Mr. Dingle, and volunteered his £lO eondif ionallv upon there being twcntv others.

The life members promised to date for this fund were then announced: Messrs. R. Masters. E. Jackson, Oeo. Hobbs, Ivelleher, R. Dingle, R. T. J!. Mellow, and W. P. Kirkwood.

Mr. Tlios. Webb sng,rested a gift auction sale. ITe himself would be prepared to give a yearling purebred bull and a pedigree pig. He could not afford to become a life member, but, would be pleased to help in the way he had suggested. Fanners willing (o help could buy the stock, and hand it back to the Association to be sold again. Tie moved that for the purpose of raising funds a gift auction sale be held, and that gifts of animals be canvassed for.—Carried. 'Mr. E. Jackson said it was absolutely necessary to do something. They could not go on as in the past,, charging five shillings for grandstand seats, even at 4 o'clock in the afternoon. Mr. Masters was of similar opinion. He considered the five shillings charge a hardship. Mr. Shotter considered the. stand must be roofed. "One slight shower would half roof it." he said. Mr. W. Morison was of a similar opinion. They should decide to roof it, and have the monej

for it before they made a start with the 'building. Messrs. Styles ami Morrison became life members conditionally upon the people's etand being roofed. The members will canvass for fund* along the lines of the foregoing. TIIK rSCHEDL'LK. Mr. E. Jackson, -moved that the various breeders' association* be asked to give prizes for the next spring show at Stratford. 'Mr. Orr moved a recommendation to add to the schedule a class for farmers' all-round utility horse. The term "farmers' light horse i urn-out" was- too wide, ami was won by a man with a standardbred trotter. The recommendation will be handed to the schedule committee. THE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY.

A sign of spring—the annual meeting of members of the Stratford HorticHltural Society. This is advertised to take place this evening at the A. & P. Association's rooms. It is hoped that members will roll up in force, and that intending members will be present to take part in the meeting. Last year's committee worked splendidly, and are entitled to the best thanks of the members. They are entitled also to a good attendance of those members to receive their report of the year's working. The usual reward of committeemen and officers consists of "more kicks than ha'pence," and more criticism than praiseoften from members who attend no meeting, and whose principal relations with the Society are their efforts to escape payment of their annual fees. These remarks' do not. necessarily apply in the case of the 'Horticultural Society. Few know, however, the amount of work done "free, gratis and for nothing" by horticultural societies' officials, and the president, eecretary and co-workers of this Society deserve the thanks and commendation of ihe community for their successful efforts to popularise gardening and cultivate the love of the beautiful. FIRE BRIGADE COMPETITIONS. '

The following Are the handicaps for the Fire Brigade competitions, to be run off next Thursday afternoon:— Hallenstein Bros.' Trophy; one-man' coupling event.—Fireman Drake ecr., Foreman Burgess lsec., Firemen Boon 4sec., Evans 4see., Payton Ssec., Crossan lOsec., and Milner lOsec. Bishara Cup; one-man carry-gear event —Foreman Wilson scr., Foreman Burgess scr., Firemen Boon 2sec., Evans Ssec., Drake 3sec., Payton Ssec., Crossan lOsec., Milner lOsec. Burgess Cup—All start "off the mark."

STRAY PajsaWAPHS

Egmont Olab "beat" Oddfellows at euchre on Friday by 47 games to 42. Heard a chap growling about the Courthouse on Friday. He reckoned he was going to take a coupje of bottles of beer and a pack of cards down to the witness room. The beer was to keep him warm, he said. I don't vouch for the heating properties of beer, but he reckoned it was all right. It is distinctly unfair that a man or woman who is remaining "outside the Court and beyond the hearing of the Court until called upon to give evidence," should be stuck awav in the wretched lumber-rooms which are termed witnesses' rooms. Mr. J. McCluggage brought the matter under the notice of Mr. Kenrick, S.M., during Friday, and the Magistrate promised to endeavor to have aif improvement made. Denbigh Road and Ngaere cribbage teams will peg away at Payton's rooms on Wednesday night. Messrs. Harry and Charles Sanders will retum to Stratford in the course of the week from a trip to America. The Domain Board has set up a subcommittee to consider a request from Mr. J. Masters, senior circuit steward of Wesley Church, that a small portion of Victoria Park, adjoining the church grounds be leased to the church authorities for use as a stand for horses and traps during services. The Board acceded to the request of the Acclimatisation Society to prohibit fishing in the "lake" in Victoria Park. >• •

At a meeting of the executive of the Stratford branch of the New 'Zealand Sports Protection League on Friday evening (Mr. J. 1). Malone in the chair) the following resolutions were unanimously carried: (1) That the support of the League he given to any proposed legislation providing for a reasonable extension of the present number of racing days, and to any proposal to allot such increased number of days among racing clubs by some definite tribunal, such as the Dates Committed appointed by the New Zealand Racing Conference. (2) That the support of the League be given to any legislation to repeal the present prohibition against the publication of -dividends paid on a race in New Zealand or of the starting prices in respect of any race outside of New Zealand, so as to permit the publication after the holding of a race of the dividend paid or starting price. Ilis Worship the Mayor leaves on Tuesday for Wellington. A fanner in this district relates that seventeen cows in his herd dropped twin calves last year. BERNARD'S PICTURES. OR AND CHANGE OF PROGRAMME TO-NIGHT. A great drama is "A Siren of Impulse," depicting a thrilling story of Spanish' love-making, jealousy and. vengeance. A powerful dramatic subject of life in America's 1 great metropolis is screened in the shape of "His Daughter." It deals with the fortunes of a beautiful girl of humble birth, who is "all but" drawn into the web of iniquity which confronts the runaway. One of the practices of the rich but unscrupulous is, it would appear, to invite unsuspecting girls to champagne suppers and drug them with the connivance of the waiters. All is going well with the villain in "Her Daughter" until a waiter is asked to assist in drugging his own long lost daughter. Trouble ensues, but all ends happily. In "Alma's Champion" the two principals are credited with sterling characteristics. and the manly sentiment running throughout this admirable photo-play is of a sensible and wholesome order. The comic element is particularly well represented. ''A Voice from the Deep" is a racy episode concerning the pranks of a bevy of pretty girls, who go surfing and bait one of their unfortunate male followers. Willie the Hunter" i® mirthprovoking in the extreme.