Stratford News

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LV, Issue 152, 14 November 1912, Page 3

Stratford News

Trom Our Resident Reporter. THE HOSPITAL. CHRISTMAS EVE COLLECTIONS. Tuesday's meeting of ladies to discuss the proposad "Hospital Saturday" was not largely attended, but it was busi-ness-like, and the collections will be well organised. Mr. E. Marfcll, chairman of the Hospital Board, presided, and Mr. S. Ward, a member, and Mr. T. H. Penn, secretary, were also present. Numerous apologies for absence were received. SHORT OP CASH. ■ The chairman briefly reviewed the finances of the Board, referring to the very heavy expenditure that had been incurred during the present financial year, the increase being chiefly due to the extra number of patients' and the new works being undertaken. To assist the funds of the Board, it was suggested to hold on Christmas Eve collections in the streets, after the manner of a Hospital Saturday: It was now, he said, considerably over a year since the public were asked to contribute, and the response then was not very encouraging, seeming to show that public sympathy with the Hospital was on the wone. In June, 1911, the Hospital Saturday realised £32, in 1910 £ll3 was received, and in the year previous to that just about the same amount was collected. Anything from £3OO to £4OQ should be collected. There were eight thousand inhabitants of the Stratforo.' district, and, properly done, the collection should accomplish this amount. In ( this connection he reminded those present that all sums raised carried a Government subsidy of 24s in the £. The money paid by the ratepayers, in the , ordinary course, carried a much smaller subsidy, averaging about £ for £, so that it was really cheaper for the ratepayer to contribute to the Hospital funds through the collection boxes. Referring aagin to the expenditure, the chairman said that the Board had been , put to considerable expense over the isolation ward, and it required £l7O tofurnish it. That was one of the things to which this money collected would bo devoted. There was also a pretty big debt on the Hospital. Though he had been a member of the Board for some years, he thought it did not reflect much credit on it that there should still be- a debt on the building of some £3OOO. j In the last two years £4OO had been paid off, and there was a resolution in I the minutes now that £3OO should be ! paid off this year, but there was no money with which to do it. A GENEROUS CITIZEN. Madame Bernard, proprietress of His Majesty's Theatre, through Mr. Ward,, offered to place the theatre and cinematograph plant at the disposal of the Board, as on a former occasion. A free matinee performance would be given, with full programme and full orchestra, op the same afternoon as the general collection was made, and a collection could also be taken up at the door. The chairman, in accepting the offer, expressed, on behalf of the Board, the debt of gratitude they owed to Madame Bernard for the practical'sympathy she had for the Hospital cause, and added that Madame Bernard was giving up to charity an afternoon which might be utilised very profitably to herself. Mr. Will Diamond briefly acknowledged a vote of thanks passed, and the sentiments expressed, saying that Madame Bernard was always only too willing to help in a good cause. Those present formed themselves into a committee to organise Christmas Eve collections, power being given to enrol others. A meeting will be held again next Tuesday. Workers on the Strat-ford-Te Koura line are to be canvassed, i'nd the chairman has undertaken to organise a canvass in the country. Mr. S. Ward is convener of the committee.

PERSONAL Mrs. A.'S. Hobbs, a very old resident of Taranaki, passed away, on Wednes-' day evening at the residence of her son, Mr. Harry Hobbs, on the Warwick road. Mrs. Hobbs resided in Hawera for a great number of years, and was organist and an earnast worker for St. Mary's Church there. She is survived by her husband and a grown-up family of three .sons, Messrs. Harry, John and George Hobbs, and six daughters, Mrs. W. Wilson, Mrs. W. Caverhill, Mrs. Gilbert Wilson, Mrs. Alfred Babbage, Mrs. Alhusen and Miss Hobbs. The funeral takes place at Hawera on Thursday. STRAY PARAGRAPHS If the weather is good, the Stratford Bowling Club will open its season today.

Bayly Memorial Scholarship Athletic Competitions at Stratford'to-day. New Plymouth has only two boys fit and anxious, Stratford five, and Patca two. What a response! "The cost to us from Wellington to your (Stratford) yard has been £SO, or £lB more than from England to Wellington."—Extract from a letters from Messrs. W. A. McLaren & Co., C*ristchurch, to the Stratford Borough Council regarding the recently imported road roller.

The Midhirst Dairy Company will pay out £So3fl on the 20th of this month. The supply of milk shows a considerable increase upon that of last season, but would be still bigger if the weather would settle down into something seasonable. This factory still maintains the proud position of having the highest •verage test on the Coast, whilst there ':-* never anv trouble with the quality of the output. It was unfortunate for the Waihi Borough Council that its letter came before the Stratford Borough Council at the fag-end of a very talkative meeting on Monday night, and our civic fathers merelv '•'received" the suggestion _ that employment in .the service of municipal bodies should be limited to men sworn to loyally serve the King and the Union Jack. The Scottish Society has abandoned its proposed Show Week contest. Preliminary arrangements are already being made for a monster "Burns Nicht" on January 25, at Stratford. BERNARD'S PICTURES-TO-NIGHT. Change night to-night. A huge programme, of vMnematograph marvels will be placed before patrons. Of these the leading dramas are "The Sunset Gun," "The Schoolmarm of Stone Gulch," and "Love Finds a Way Out." The story of the Stone Gulch lady is very interesting. Dick, foreman of the Way Up Ranch, learns that Bess, the new school teacher, is his employer's niece. At the dance which takes place the day following her arrival, Dick asks her to dance with him, i but as they have not been formally introduced, she refuses. The next morning Bess mistakes Dick for the cook, and orders him to prepare the lunch which she takes to school. Dick, appreciating the situation, fills her lunch pail with raw onions, eggs, just from the nest, and a loaf of stale bread. When noon time arrives Bess is indignant at the trick played upon her, and when Dick comes with the buck-board to take her home, she refuses to ride with him, declaring she will walk. Dick gives Bess , gun to scare away the Indians. He

drives off, and Bess, very much afraid, starts on. the long journey home. Dick drives off the main road, hides the horses and awaits the young lady's arrival. How Bess is finally conquered and the only saying, '"lt's funny what a difference a few hours make," are depicted in detail in the film.