Stratford News

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LV, Issue 175, 11 December 1912, Page 3

Stratford News

From -Our Resident Reporter. "I'M GOING HOME." The even tenor of the Borough Council's way was momentarily disturbed on Monday night. Matters were drifting. With a light order-paper, the Mayor was giving the City Fathers more than the customary latitude, and at one stage a debate was dodging about, for half an hour or more before a motion was asked for. The Mayor and Crs. Dingle and King were having a liUle debate among themselves at a later stage, when Cr. Morison rose in'bis place and solemnly spoke: "If this sort of tiling is going on all night, I'm not going to stay here." Cr. King readily retorted: Well, go home! Councillors sat bolt upright. Cr. Morison continued: I say this in all seriousness. I'm not going to sit here and listen to this sort of argument- across the table, from Cr. King or anyone else. It's an absolute waste of time. Cr. King rose to a point of order, which was what Cr. Morison was doing. "Does Cr. Morison mean to reflect on me, sir," he queried of the Mayor, "by saying that I'm wasting the time of the Council ? Cr. Morison wastes more time than any other member of this Council in getting out what he has to say."

j Cr. Wir.l: I'm going home. ' (Laugh- } ter.l The protest Vits ?(lective—for a little while. BOROUGH COUNCIL The Mayor and all councillors, with the exception of Cr. McAllister, were present at Monday's meeting. DISEASED STOCK. Mr. T. Ronayne, General Manager of Railways, wrote: With reference to your letter of September 11 last, and your representation that an additional stockyard should be provided for the holding of diseased live stock, I have the honor to inform you that there is no land available at Stratford for a special stockyard for diseased cattle, and in anv case the number of consignments is

I not sufficient to warrant any expenditure in the direction desired. The de- ! spatch of such stock by rail is superi vised by stock inspectors, and they do not remain in. the yards for anv long period. In future, arrangements will be made to disinfect the stockyards after ! they have been used for holding diseased «to«k. . Someone facetiously asked which it was, the inspector or the cattle, which remained in the yardi. No action taken. CLUB HOTEL STABLES.

The District Health Officer wrote with regard to the stables at the Club Hotel as follows, and the "Mayor left the chair whilst the matter was being discussed:— "I am surprised that your Council should have asked me to reconsider my condemnation of these premises. The condition of the stables is so bad generally, and is so obviously an insanitary one and dangerous to public health, that nothing short of practical reconstruction would meet the case. I would like to be acquainted with the reason why the Council has not taken the action I recommended, and trust it will now take steps to enforce my condemnation." The Council had asked the District Health Officer to reconsider his condemnation of the buildings. Cr. King said that he and Cr. Tlcaly had inspected the buildings, and they were satisfied they compared favorably (except for some repairs) with any other stables in the town. They were absolutely clean —very clean. Cr. Tlealv agreed. To say that the s:.ables were dangerous to health was stretching the point, and quite ridiculous; £7 or £S would put them in good order. Only a concrete'drain was needed, and a few minor repairs. Cr. Thompson was of the same opinion, and so was Cr. Ward. It was decided to forward to the Health Officer the gist of the foregoing discussion. It was stated that at the last meeting of the Licensing Committee the chairman had stated that if the stables were not pulled down before the annual meeting the Committee refuse to renew the license.

A Councillor: They ought, to be kicked out if they did. That's all. FIRE BRIGADE PRACTICES.

Lieutenant Wilson headed a, deputation from the Fire Brigade., again asking that the Council lay a main into Victoria Park from Regan street, to enable the firemen to practice there, instead of on the road as at present. Lieutenant Wilson said that the present practice ground ruined the hose and spoiled the couplings, causing considerable needless expense.

The Mayor said that the Council had previously decided that it could not expend the £3O or £4O required this year. Further, lie understood that the piece of the park required was now let to one of the town tennis clubs. Lieutenant Wilson informed the Council that the brigade had a letter from the Domain Board consenting to tlieir using the ground, and that permission was obtained long before the tennis clubs applied. Cr. King said that a fire brigade was of more importance than a dozen tennis club?. Tt was peculiar that the Domain Board should have allowed the Tennis Club to utilise the ground promised to the Fire Brigade for this purvise.

Cr. Boon considered that the Council should see that the Hoard treated the Brigade properly. The Mfiyor said it was the business of the Brigade to deal with the Board. Cr. Boon said the Council should see that the Brigade was fairly treated in this matter.

Or. Ward believed in helping mei) who were prepared, as these men were, to start practice at five or six o'clock in the morning to make themselves efficient. Cr. Morison said that there was no question of trouble with the Domain Board. But could the Council find the money for the work before March 31? lie gave notice to move that the previous resolution (deferring consideration till after March 31) be rescinded, with a view to moving that the work be put in hand forthwith. DAYLTCIIIT SAVTXG. The Council certified to the genuineness of the signatures on the following petition from 4!) shopkeepers: "We, the undersigned shopkeepers of the borough of Stratford, respectfully request that the following hours lie gazetted for the opening and closing of shops in Stratford, viz., from the Ist day of January to December 31, on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday, the hours be from 8 a.m. to 5.30 p.m.; on Thursdays from 8 a.m. to 12.30 p.m.; on Saturdays, from 8 a.m. to 0 p.m.; with the exception of the week preceding Christmas Eve, when fancy goods shops may close at their own option. This petition to include the whole of the shops in Strati ford with the exception of the tobacconists and hairdressers, who have their I own special hours of closing gazetted."— I Certified to. 1 MISCELLANY, rjfte Hospital Board notified a special

levy of £l3 16s. A Or.: They won't | want it if the Hospital collections are good. The -borough offices will be closed for two weeks from Christmas Eve. i Unpaid rates after January 14 will bear the 10 per eem. penalty. No action \v;'.s taken wiili reference to the letter from the Chamber of Commerce suggesting that Broadway North, from Regan street to Seyton street, bo included in tne "brick area." The matter was passed over without discussion, thus belying the prediction that it would funjisU food for a whole evening's debate. The dog tax was fixed at 10s for greyhounds, 5s for dogs that are just dogs, and 2s 6d for dogs employed in the working of stock. Urs. E. A. Williams asked for attention to water-table in Ariel street, off 'Fenton street, to prevent storm water Hooding her garden. Referred to me Works Committee. The Council has no need for the water 1 cart offered by the New Plymouth Borough Council. "WET AND DRY." j

The borough workmen waited on the Borough Council on Monday night and asked to be paid "wet and dry." They pointed out that they lost a good deal of time owing to wet weather. Further, they had to put in an appearance at 7.30 each morning, wet or dry, and on wet mornings were merely told there was no work, or, in other cases, were put on to clear blocked drains. Their wages now were 9s a day for time actually worked. • j The discussion was many-sided and I irregular. Cr. Dingle considered the men I should get Is 3d an hour, or 10s a day. j He reckoned good wages brought good men, and if the Council's men could not R'trn 10s ,i day the Council should get men who could. Cr. King reckoned it bad business to pay navvies for full time, whether they worked or not. Cr.. Dingle said Is 3d an hour was the ruling wage elsewhere. It transpired that the Council had given instructions to the overseer not to employ the men at all in wet weather, and Cr. King moved that this matter be left to the discretion of the, overseer. Cr. Healy seconded, remarking that Cr. King was a large employer of labor, who had had men in his service for fourteen years, despite the fact that in bad weather recently they made only lis 6d a week. He was pleased to see that Cr. King was prepared to conduct the Council's business on the same lines as his own. Cr. Morison thought the men wore asking just a little more than the councillors, as representatives of the ratepayers, were prepared to give. lie suggested paying 9s a day, and allowing the men to work overtime in fine jveatiler if they wished. The men would doubtless agree that their job was better than at "catch job" at 10s or 12s a day. In answer to a question, it was shown that last month the workmen lost only two days, pr, rather, parts of two days. Cr, King ejaculated: Why, my men only got a fortnight in! Cr. Thompson moved that a return be prepared of the hours the men worked and the time they lost under the present system. He was not prepared to deal with the matter on the present meagre information. The amendment was carried. >

Cr, Dingle: We're afraid of the men here. Putting it off till they're away! Another Cr.: Someone's looking for the Mayoralty next year. It has been suggested by the local wag that the town be roofed in to make continuous outdoor work possible.

STRAY PARAGRAPHS Mr. Newton King lias purchased the freehold of the Royal Mail Stables, and will use it in connection with his increasing send, grain and produce business. Handy to the saleyards, and to his present headquarters, the site should be eminently suitable. Mr. Davey, who has made a success of the livery stable business, has bought out Mr. Fred Cooch, in the stables alongside the bridge. Mr. Davy takes over Mr. Gooch's business as from the 17th inst.. and will conduct both stables till January 10, when the business will be transferred to Gooch's stables, which are to be enlarged. Mr. Geo. Smith, of Mr. Newton King's Stratford stall, in the stock department, will remain with the firm, and will not be a partner in the firm of Webster, Dobson & Co., as first announced. The Inspector of Permanent AVay will make )iis headquarters in Stratford, and. a small office is being erected for him alongside the north end of the railway station platform. It is a wonder that the central position of Stratford has not been recognised before in this way. It's worth chronicling. Another fine day. That's Bix!

The shop vacated by Mr. A. Spence in tlie Municipal Buildings is to be altered right away for the new stock auctioneering and commission firm of Messrs. Webster, Dobson and Co.

"If the weather is as wet in the, future as in the past, and matters go on as in the past, then the overseer will do in the past exactly as he has done in the future."—An illuminating chunk from a speech at the Borough Council on Monday.

Mr. McEwen Jackson is at present in Stratford, having returned from a lengthy visit to the Old Country. Mr. W. Gleeson, of Whangamomona, has just returned from a trip to Victoria and New South Wales. Whilst admitting that he had a very pleasant time, Mr. Gleeson loyally declares that "New Zealand is the best little country in the Southern Hemisphere." Tlie Stratford Fire Brigade members who were in New Plymouth last week would like a word or two with the individual who made off for a spin in their motor-car, which was taken from outside the Central Fire Station.

"The regulation of the street traffic' on show days was a credit to the police and to our own inspector,", said the Mayor on Monday night. So it was, The same regulations will be enforced on race days. •

BERNARD'S PICTURES "The Treasure Island" will be screened to-night for, I think, the last time. It is a remarkable film. There arc other fine dramas in the programme, depicting tlie whole range of human emotion. Then there is the remarkable picture of the Los Angeles . Fire Brigade. Scones in and around the world-famous Byrne Building fire complete this interesting and thrilling subject. "A Trip to Tahiti" and "Swedish Waterfalls" are fine contrasts in scenery, and there are numerous other good films.