Stratford News

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LV, Issue 139, 30 October 1912, Page 3

Stratford News

From Our Resident Reporter. •LING OUT THE OLD." "RING IN THE NEW." A dinner to celebrate tlio change of proprietorship of Air. John Leydoii's wellknown furnishing establishment was held at Air. Abbott's Stratford Hotel on Monday evening, and was attended by the r-.tnlV and gentlemen who had had bn-iiiirs illations with the firm over several years. Air. Syd. Clarke, manager of the linn, presided, with Air. Leydon, the outgoing proprietor, on his right, and Air. (','. E. Wilson, the new owner, on his left. The dinner was excellently served, and evidently appreciated. At its conclusion, a short toast list .was honored. "The King." proposed by the Chairman), having been toasted, with musical honors, Mr. Clarke proposed Air. Leydon's health. Speaking as one of the older members of the stall', he e.'pressed regret at the accident which had compelled Air. Leydon to retire from active business. The firm's connection wa« a growing one, and the staff was a growing one, too—over a dozen memoers now. He hoped it would go on increasing. He looked forward to Stratford becoming a "second Palmerston North." It was bound to go ahead. Air. Leydon had passed the allotted span of three score, years and ten, and they must congratulate him on his good health. The staff had felt they could not allow their late master to go without making him a gift in order that they might .know how well he was respected by them. He then presented Air. Leydon with a gold albert, and wished him long years of health and prosperitv. Mr. C. .!). Sole, who had known Mr. Leydon, he said, longer probably than ■ any other man in Stratford, paid a tribute to him as "a white man." "Old ; John" would be much missed in Stratford. He used -the prefix not in any term of disrespect. Air. Leydon, whei] he met with his accident, had been given up, but he weathered through all right, and all knew how glad the people were to see him back. Should any of those present reach the same ripe old age as their honored guest, they would doubtless like to be able to say with Air. Leydon that they had endeavoured to leave the world a 'little better than they had found it.

Mr. Leydon, replying, said he felt really sad at leaving Stratford, for during his eleven years' business he had .made many fast' friends, and had grown to like the place, whose climate suited him so well. He told some laughable stories of the difficulties he had met in running the furniture business, on account of his ignorance of the trade itself and the peculiar ideas of some of his managers. He had had his "good times, bad times, and other times'." Xine men in the same line of business had become insolvent in Stratford during his eleven years. But his business had grown, and there was now a thorough!v equipped modern factory ,to hand over to Mr. Wilson. His success was largely due to the loyalty of the men on his staff. He introduced the new master to these men as a conscientious and industrious man, who would make a success of the business.

Mr. McCluggage proposed the health of the new proprietor, Mr. G. E. Wilson. Mr. Wilson, he said, was well and favourably known to all. of them. The speaker had known him ever since he had come to Taranaki, and he knew him as an honest man. a man of his word. The new proprietor of the business was well-known out east, and that was where our trade expansion was to come from. There was a second Taranaki undeveloped along the East Road, and its traffic and trade must come through Stratford and the Port of New Plvmouth, whose harbor was to be of untold benefit to the province. When the Home liners reached New Plymouth it would be a great thing for the farmers and for the business people. It would mean, among other things, that New Plymouth would he the first port of call for Home and Australian steamers arriving in New Zealand with mails, and the last port when the steamers left these shores, for there was a big saving in distance between Sydney and New Plymouth as compared with any other route. This would mean too, that the thousands of tourists visiting New Zealand would disembark at New Plymouth, and leave'thousands of pounds of cash in the province. Stratford would profit by this directly, for it was the most convenient centre for visiting ML Egmont, and the starting point for the trip through Whangamomona to the Tangarakau Gorge—absolutely the finest in New Zealand for rugged grandeur—and for the Wanganui River down trip. He congratulated Mr. Wilson upon becoming proprietor of an up-to-date business in a town of Stratford's possibilities, and concluded by expressing regret that Mr. Leydon was' leaving. Mr. Wilson, replying, said that it would not be his fault if things failed to run smoothly. He thanked "the company for tiie toast, and wished Mr. Leydon success and good health in the future.

Mr. C. D. Sole proposed " Success to the New Firm." Mr. Wilson was one of the old identities of Stratford, and he (Mr. Sole) had known him in'busk ness_l7 years ago. If he carried on the furniture business as he carried on his stable-keeping business then he would make a success of it. for he was a good business man. Speaking of labor difficulties, he said he had found that more could be got out of men by eoneiliatorv methods than by any other means. Each employee should do the same, for his employer as he would do for himself in a similar set of circumstances. Mr. Sole mentioned that Mr .Wilson was fortunate in having Mr. S. Clarke in charge of the practical end of the business, for he was a man who knew his business from A to Z.

Hi'. WiUtm briefly replied. Mr. Li'vclon proposed "The Staff," and thanked them for their loyal support, particularly mentioning the energy and capability of his manager, Mr. Clarke Messrs. S. "McMillan and E. Tichbon replied. Other toasts were "The Ladies," proposed by Mr. Davis, responded to by Messrs. Walking and McHaffie; "The Press," ' Our Host" and "The Chairman." Mr. Leydon caused much hilarity by 'reading the bum.ps" of the junior member of the staff, and then "Auld Lang Syne" was sung.

"OUR REGIMENT" TO-NIGHT. That breezy and attractive military comedy, "Our Regiment," will be sta»e*d in the Town Hall this evening. Your representative was privileged to see a rehearsal last night, when everything went oil' without a hitch. Members of the company have reached a high pitch m their respective roles, and an excellent performance may he counted upon. The piece will be put on with a strong cast, and the costumes have been specially made, and special scenery has bjeen painted. Incidental music will be. supplied by the Stratford orchestra and the Stratford Brass Band. The renowned New Zealand Cadets will give a displayon the stage. The box plan is at Mr. Grnbb's, and ver v good booking is reported. °

BERNARD'S PICTURES "A Race for Life," or "Rose Kate," screened at His Majesty's last night for the second time, was an instantaneous success. All the component parts of a flue picture drama are fully represented. There is a readable and possible story' excellently acted, and photographed in

true Gaumont style. The love of a woman, and her cunning and wit, worked for the release of a man wrongly condemned for murder, and her race for life, ending just in the nick of time, were stirring indeed. "Nemesis" oould hardly fail to be a telling success, for the ever-popular Alaurice Costello was the "star" pecformer in a real "star film," in which fate dealt rightly but severely with the hero's faithless wife and her paramour. Of a totally different type, but exciting and entertaining, was the drama, "From Fireman to Engineer," in which the lireman who had been refused promotion is by the strange workings of Fate given a ehancf to prove his fitness for it. . The little daughter of the manager of the railway company, playing about an engine, set it in motion. The fireman jumped on to another engine, and caught the other one, skilfully rescuing the child. Promotion followed. An' industrial film, depicting the making of lead pencils; .the Henley. Regatta, 191-2; Pathe's Gazette; and come comical comics completed the list, which will be •creened again to-night.

"You will find that the agitator is never the best man on the staff, and -that the best man is never an agitator. An agitator is never a tip-top tradesman." —So said Air. C. D. Sole at Monday night's dinner.