Stratford News

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LV, Issue 123, 11 October 1912, Page 3

Stratford News

from uur Kesident Reporter.

CHAMBER OF COMMERCE. ANNUAL MEETING. Eleven members attended the annual meeting of the Stratford Chamber of Commerce on Wednesday evening. In the absence of the President, the Mayor (Mr. W. P. Kirkwood) was asked to preside.

I ANNUAL REPORT. The adoption of the annual report and balance-sheet (already published in the Daily News) was moved by the Chairman. Mr. Kirkwood recorded his appreciation of the good attendance, and contrasted it with the poor attendance at the ordinary meetings throughout the year. The usefulness of a. Chamber was just what the members determined; to make it, and without good attendances the work must suffer. Stratford's chamber should do good work and important work,.for Stratford was- the centre of a big district with many wants, and it should interest itself in provincial affairs generally. He attributed to forgetfulness the members' dilatoriness' in paying their subscriptions. Referring to the Opunake railway, ihc said' a very strong committee had put, in a great deal of time in collecting evidence and putting it before the Commission. The result was very gratifying, particularly as the Commissioners recognised the ' importance of a Stratford-Kaporiga railway. Touching on the Mountain House scheme, Mr. Kirkwood said the importance of this house had not been realised. Being only eight miles from the railway; this house should have (had more attention from the Government, seeing that the North and South houses had been so greatly assisted. There was no room to complain about the progress of the Stratford-Te Koura railway. A starfhad been made at the eastern- end, and they could depend on the work at this 'end' being expeditiously pushed on, so that the through connection was not, he thought, so very far off. In this connection the Chamber had endeavoured to have a mail service instituted between Stratford and Olmra. This would have given a through mail from the Main Trunk line to Stratford, and a through coach traffic, seeing that already a. coach ran from the Main Trunk to Ohura. He had no doubt that this mail service would be. completed before the railway was through, and that it would be' of great benefit. The motion was seconded by Mr. E. Jackson, and carried. ELECTION OF OFFICERS.

The Mayor was proposed as'president, but declined on account of pressure of business, also expressing the opinion that it was well not to make a man president of so many bodies as he was already. Mr. S. H. James also declined, on account of the frequency of his absences from Stratford, but wh,s prevailed upon to accept ofTier, and took his seat. In returning thanks, he said the report did not chronicle all the useful work done by the Chamber last year. For instance, lie understood that the connecting road between the Rawhitiroa Road and .the Mangaehu Road was likely to be made, and must be of great assistance to the district.

Other officers were elected: —Vice-pre-sidents, His Worship the Mayor and Mr. W. H. H. Young; executive committee, Messrs. J. Munro. Percv Thomson, W. A. Hewitt, J. W. McMillan, R. Masters, and E. Jackson; secretary and treasurer, Mr. J. B. Richards (re-elected). ' CO-OPERATION DECLINED. '

A letter was read from the Wanganui Chamber of Commerce asking the support of the Chamber in asking the -Minister of Railways to have goods sheds kept open for receipt of goods till five o'clock, instead of at 4.30 p.m., as now.— Mr. Masters said that to keep the shed open till five o'clock would be unworkable, for the men had to knock off at five o'clock, and have the receipt of the jfoods they bad to be entered on way bills, the trucks covered with the tarpaulins, and so on. Messrs. McMillan, James, and Thomson concurred in this view, and the letter was merely received. MANURES IN SACKS.

The New Zealand Farmers' Union wrote objecting to the suggestion that manure should be packed in paper-linea" bags, but that they should be. packed in bags weighing no more than 112 lbs,' with a lug at each corner for the convenience of handling by the waterside workers, and to do away with the necessity for hooks. Mr. Hewitt supported the suggestion. The paper-lining was useless, and the lighter weights would be more convenient for the importers, waterside veil;ere. and for handling by farmers in the field, where the 2-cwt. bags were most inconvenient.

The President said that paper-lined bags for cement bad not been a success.

Mr. Masters said that those companies who were using special paper made a success of it.

Other members having spoken, Mr. Hewitt's motion, seconded by Mr. E. Jackson, was carried.

AFTER MANY DAYS

A SMART OFFI6ER. Sergeant MeHoaly on Wednesday arrested a man named Anthony Ckluge, a native of Poland, on a provisional warrant. Yesterday he was charged before Mr. S. B. Hunter. .T.P., with having at Brisbane (Queensland) on May 10th, 1011, stolen from a fellow-countrywoman, 1 felon Durkov.ski. the *um of £l3. The accused was remanded, pending receipt of cabled instructions from the Queensland police. Ckluge, who has been in Stratford for a couple of v,- ; nnt.hs, was working as an electrician >'itli the Stratford Electrical Supply Company.

PERSONAL ITEMS Mr. Alfred Coleman. D.O.A. at Stratford, lias been admitted to the Fellowship of tho Now Zealand Society of Accountants. Tt is understood: that in this regard he leads the way in Taranald. Key. W. A. l'utler, M.A.. is to -act as supervisor in the. New Zealand University examinations to be held here next month.

STRAY PARAGRAPHS "To what base uses," etc. A motorear, in charge of a party of Maoris', wai used as a fish-hawking cart in Stratford yesterday. The natives were selling- whitebait.

■Rehearsals of "Our Tvegiment" are being held two or three times a week now. The entertainment is not in aid of the flarrison TSnnd. but in aid of the Garrison Sports Clubs in the various centres.

The Stratford Borough Scouts arc looking forward to a "trek" from Pohukura to Mokau during the Xmas holidays. They are to build a "trek" cart to'save "humping the bhiey," and, undei the control of a. ;rood' scoutmaster, can reckon on learning much and spending a good holiday. "Aren't the small storekeepers to have any consideration?"' asked a member of the Chamber of Commerce whilst the half-holiday was under discussion. "Only what the farmer allows you," replied another memebr. The straight-out lease of a 55-acre farm just outside Stratford is advertised in this issue. Tt is a handy little property, with good -house and: buildings, and the' lessee can have immediate possea-

sion. Messrs. Wave! and Dunlop are the agente.

BERNARD'S PICTURES Enterprising as usual, Mme. Bernard screened last night a groat collection of

new Alms, in which drama, comedy, scenery, and events of the day were well diversified and produced, the whole being presented to the awompaniment of a capital musioal programme hy the orchestra. The projection of the pictures in Stratford is unexcelled in any theatre m New Zealand, : and the programmes which succeed one another twice a week are always a treat. "A Physician's Honor" is a drama seething with human interest, and shows the grit .of a young doctor in shaking oft the seductive eharms of society and his intended bride in order to render professional assistance to a woman of ,no account. The subject is good, and the acting and the photography are excellent. "For His Pal's Sake" is another stirring drama, hut perhaps the greatest <if them all is 'The Little Stowaway." "Studies of Fish Life" i» a film that all should see, being of a highly educative character, whilst "Salonika" is a good scenic. The "Gaumont Graphic" never fails to interest. In comic films the present programme i* decidedly good. To-morrow afternoon ' the usual matinee will be held. The "Studies of Fish Life" is a picture that should bo | particularly valuable as a lesson for the young folks, and the school teachers of the district should also make a point of seeing it. "The Little Stowaway" has a pretty child interest throughout,' too.