Stratford News

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LV, Issue 76, 16 August 1912, Page 3

Stratford News

From our Resident Reporter, i: TRAITGIvI) HACING CLUB. The annual meeting of the Stratford .Racing Club takes place oil August ?7. The annual report is as follows:—"To the members. —(lentlemen—The annual report and balance-sheet for 1012 again shows a satisfactory result. The nice meeting of .January 1 and 2 was held in fairly good weather the first dav, but frequent shpwers militated against a good attendance on the second day. and to a certain extent spoilt the pleasure

of the meeting. Mr. ,]. R. Mackay, the club's late secretary, though far' from well, was able to be present and to direct matters in connection with the racing, and flii.s, added to the energy and combination of the club's stewards and officials, resulted in the meeting passing off as smoothly as could be desired. Mr. Mack ay's subsequent death after a long and painful illness, cau.scd a feeling of profound regret, and your committee feels that his place -will be hard to fill. Mr. (J. D. Hunter has occupied the position of acting-secretary since November last, and applications have now been called, to close on August 17, for the position of permanent

secretary to the club. The race meeting showed a profit of £10(i0 !)s !)d, which, though not equal to that of the previous year, must, in view of the inclement weather experienced on the second day, be deemed satisfactory. After allowing for ordinary annual expendi- ! ture. and for depreciation at 10 per cent. ' | on improvements and plant, the year's working shows a profit of £322 7s lid. During the year eighteen acres on the eastern side of the course have been stumped and ploughed, and sown in turnips, and 130 head of steer.s are now being depastured thereon. Starting the year with 11 'heifers, valued at £44, the club has purchased additional stock to the value of £320 Is. Sales have amounted to £137 Mis 7d, and 130 head of steers remain on hand, valued at £2OO 10s. In the assets, the club's land is valued at £45 'au acre, this being the same as last year. The other assets have all been well written down, and

show an excess over liabilities of £5554 7s Bd. The improvements and additions to the grandstand and totalisator house have been completed, and also a n-ew stewards' stand of handsome design. A new iron fence round these buildings and various other sub-divisions add very materially to the appearance and convenience of the club's grounds, and the benefit of these improvements was fully appreciated at the late meeting. Xumerous minor improvements have also been effected, and the appointments generally are now felt to be quite up-to-date. Your committee considers that it will be advisable for the club to run its own totalisator in future, and particulars are being obtained as to cost, etc. Under the club's rules the three members of the committee to retire are Messrs. S. Pitt, D. J. Malone, and J. F. Waters, all of whom are eligible for reelection. Two of the appointments to the committee will be made by the guarantors, and the remaining one by election of members (Rule Hi). —For the. committee (Signed), A. W. Budge, chairman."

ST. ANDREW'S CHURCH. ANNUAL# report. Ths report presented at the annual meeting of St. Andrew's Church last evening, after expressing sympathy towards the late minister, the Rev. J. M. Thomson, in his unfortunate and prolonged illness, and the steps taken to fill the vacancy, went on to state that there were on the roll, excluding the names of those transferred to the Toko roll, over two years ago. a record number of names. The session expressed its deep sympathy -wil the relatives and friends of the late Miss E. Anderson, whose i"eath took place at Waimate. Her willing and faithful services as a member of the choir, and her loyalty to tile church, would long be remembered here. The session recognised the faithfulness and the zeal of the teachers and officers in the Sunday School, and the importunco of the work being done there, and emphasises the appeal made in the Sunday School report for more teachers. The Young Women's Bible Class, presided over by Miss Hogg, continued to meet weekly up to Christmas, and did good work, but after the holidays it was not resumed. It was 'hoped that the Assembly's Bible Class secretary might, on his visit to Stratford, be instrumental in re-forming both the young women's and young men's Bible classes. A Band of Hope Was re-organised during the year, and held four monthly meetings. which were fairly well attended by the young people. The session was very grateful to those who undertook this work, 'which, it was hoped, might be continued, ft was very gratifying to the ses.-.ion. as it must be to the congregation, to find the choir reinstated in its place, and to notice the great improvement. It was a matter of much satisfaction to the session that the finance of the church was in a very satisfactory state, considering all the circumstances. Thev would lie pleased to learn from the trtasj rV statement that a credit balance was shown at the end of the year. The Ladies' (luikl. under the presidency of Mrs. John Mackay. with Mrs. ,1. B. Campbell as secretary, had fully justified its existence, as a helpful organisation in connection with the work of the church, particularly in its social aspects, and ii) raising money for such purposes as the painting and renovation of the Manse.

The managers reported that the condition of the church's finances was healthy, the year ending with a credit balance. The treasurer's statement showed that the receipts and' expenditure indicated that, with proper management.. there would he little difficulty i;i iji.-fc;i-iisir the stipend payable to the new minister. All the work was going on harmoniously. For a iiortion of'thc year the hoard was not tip to full strength, hut the branches of tiic work were being properly superintpnded. Apart from the mortgage there were practically no outstanding liabilities. The managers had taken into serious consideration the matter of providing a new Manse, as per recommendations of the I'resbyteria 11 Commission tluu visited Stratford for the purpose of making ini|uiiies into the state of (he, Manse property.

STRAY PARAGRAPHS Xirnere beat Denbigh road at orihhajrc on Wednesday nijjht by ~)6 frames to 41. There was ;i sood attendance at the Druid*' fortnight! v ~o< • i .11 oil Wcdnesday. ami capital lioor. and supper. and splendid music by Mr. Roirers' orchestra of seven, instruments. made for enjoyment. and Mr. .1. .Tones, the M.( .. was Mi- l man in I lie ri.irht place. _ Me-srs, K. Diuirle. chairman of the Stratford Vaniiri>' Co-operative Association. and A. Morton (Kniwmt \ illaL'e). president of the National Dairv As-ocial ion, left for Wellington this niorninj; where, in conjunction with Mr. W. I\ Kirkuood. president of the Stratford A. and P. Association they will make rej resentaf ions to the Prime Minister in resrard to the proposed cstab'ishmenl of a State model dairy farm ; n the vicinitv of Stratford "KiL- r.en'' is the name of the famous ■lann clock. You'll never sleep in if '•mi have a "Biir Iteu/' and set it. lip:'l"s. it's 1 a sfreat timekeeper, and is ab--dnMv cuaranteed. Mr. 0. E. -lames, t !>" 'vi'l'-known cash trader in Stratford. s"'ls 1 lie "Ui<r IVn" for lis (id. Vie has '!>" c;,](< ap'ncv.

BERNARD'S PICTURES Tint natural history film, "An Gtfc..v S.tnoy." pleased everyone at His Mx,.-sty's Theatre last night, and ihj'jld draiv b:jr bi.finest- again to-night. The film shows the construction of the observation chamber and the entry of the photographer. The camera man climbs into the chamber with his apparatus, and is lowered down into tile stream, when commence many -weary hours of waiting and watching. At dusk the otter leaves his hiding place, and enters the stream, quite unaware that it is observed and that the eye of the camera is to reveal its inmost secrets to the world. Fish are seen swimming to and

fro, blissfully unconscious of the enemy who is already preparing to attack them. The otter proceeds, with tierce determination, to obtain its dinner. The fish, do their utmost to escape from their pursuer, and twist this way and that, and double and turn again and again, while the otter, a great unwieldy brute, flounders and dives. But the otter wills an exciting chase, and is seen

carrying its prey in its mouth in triumph |to the surface. Then in turn the otter iis pursued by the huntsman's dogs. This is a unique scene. First the otter is seen beneath the water swimming I hard for its life, and is closely followed by a dog. A struggle ensues between these two combatants, some distaste beneath the surface of the water, directly before the onlooker. The otter finally escapes, and is seen enjoying its interrupted meal, and the series concludes with another remarkable struggle between the otter and a large pike, in, which the former comes off victorious.

This is one of the finest examples of I scientific cinematography, and should be seen by all. The dramatic and comicpictures, anil the topical films, are as good as ever. Matinee performance, Saturday, at 2.30 p.m.