Stratford News

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LV, Issue 182, 19 December 1912, Page 3

Stratford News

From Our Resident Reporter. CHAMBER OF COMMERCE At a meeting of the Chamber of Commerce executive on Tuesday it was reported that the member for the district had been given an official view of the unsightly back premises bordering on the railway platform, but that ho had not received a reply yet to his representations on the matter. It was not mentioned that the new inspector's office hides a bit of the eyesore. The secretary will get further information concerning the request of the Kotare Progressive •Committee for Stratford's cooperation in pressing for the formation of the Papakuro road to the Stratford railway. The Chamber "viewed with satisfaction" the intention of the Government to open the Oinona forest reserve for selection, and urged Mr. Hine to have it surveyed without delay. It was decided to circularise the various chambers with a view of securing a reduction of railway freight on imported timbers, the secretary pointing out that the seaport towns, which did not rail the timber, were given an unfair advantage over inland towns. Some discussion followed the president's motion urging the Government to get 011 with the additions to the Stratford Post Office. The opinion of the majority was that the£2oo proposed to be spent would not make the office anything like what was required, and it was decided to take ae action, in tne hope that the authorities would not touch the "cock-eyed thing" until they could afford to erect the new post office which was so urgently required.

BOWLING The Stratford Club will bo rt-{,;escnt-ed as follows in their match against Waitara at Inglewood this mternoon:— Bond, Porritt, Black, Wake (skip); J. Masters, R. Masters, King, Wright (skip); Edgecombe, Martin, Smart, MacDonald (skip); Sanderson, Fookes, McMillan, Sangster (skip); Sole, Brake, • Curtis, Morrison. LAWN TENNIS The committee of the W.Y.M.I. Club met on Tuesday night. The secretary ! reported that, so far -the club, was progressing very favorably, and that the finance was sound. A letter was read from the Domain Board granting a portion of Victoria Park to ••'the'Club for the purposes of laying down new courts. The committee decided to reduce the pnual subscription, making it the same as last year, i.e., las, 10s and ss. It was resolved to hold a tournament, commencing on January 28, 1913. Four handsome trophies had already been l promised. The tournament would be for members of the Club only. HOSPITAL LEVY At the Stratford County Council meeting yesterday a letter was read from-the Stratford Hospital,. Board, notifying the Council's liability to a special levy of £BS 2s, being the county's share of the estimated deficiency of £llO Is fld.

The chairman: Is that in addition to a general hospital rate?— Yes,

The chairman: Then we had better throw the Hospital Board chairman over the Patea bridge.

Cr. Thomson: The worst of it is that they tell us "we have to pay by a certain date, and we haven't a penny to bless ourselves with.

Cr. Marfell, who is chairman of the Hospital Board, saicl he was in hopes that the levy would not have to be made. If the subscriptions to the hospital were as good generally as in his own part of the district there would be no need for it at all. The Stratford Committee had some £3O collected. The men on the Mt. Egmont line had also contributed liberally.

PERSONAL Mr. George Bond, for nearly five years in charge of the seed and produce department of Messrs. W. H. Young & Co.'s bii- iiness (formerly as Messrs. Young. Hobbs & Co.) has been offered and has accepted a position with the New Zealand Loan and Mercantile Agency Company, and will leave Stratford early in January to take up his duties as head of the .produce department of their Hamilton house. Mr. Evans Parry, electrical engineer in charge of the Government electrical undertakings, was in Stratford on Tuesday night, arid left for Waitara yesterday morning, returning southwards by the evening train, lie was accompanied on the morning trip Uy Mr. R. Masters, chairman of directors of the Stratford Electrical Supply Company. Mr. F. A. Tyrer, headmaster of the Stratford District High School, is far fiom well. The Rev. J. L. Robinson returned to Stratford on Tuesday from Hawera. at which place a meeting of the Presbytery' duly authorised him to use the prefix "reverend." STRAY PARAGRAPHS

Regarding that enquiry from South Africa for supplies of large quantities of crude petroleum from the Taranaki Oil Wells. Ltd., it is interesting to note that, seeing in the public prints that the Stratford Electrical Supply Company had successfully used crude petroleum i'l its Diesel oil engine, this South Afr "an firm, which has large dealings in l.'icsel engines in Portuguese East Africa, wrote to Mr. Newton, A.M.1.E.E., manager of the Stratford company, on the matter. Mr. Newton replied to the effect that he did not think the Petroleum company at New Plymouth was prepared to dispose of crude oil in large quantities, and he advised them to apply direct. That course was adopted, and the reply of the directors bears out Mi - . Newton's opinion. The men engaged on the Mount Egmont railway construction and quarrying works were "tapped" the other day for donations to the Stratford Hospital funds. They responded liberally, about .i'.'i being given readily. I am desired to state that the funds from the Toko concert the other night went to the Anglican Church, not to the Boy Scouts. Their finances are low. very low, and unless some kind persons show a very practical trouser-pocket interest in this fine movement, several of the boys will not be able to make their long-cxpected "trek" through the Taranaki backblocks during the summer vacation.

Still a rush after houses. A tenant of a six-roomed house was rumored to be leaving. He has got on a very weary answer-the-door smile now. The doorbell rings, and he opens the door rc-marking, "Yes, the house will be to let about six weeks from now. The rent is 14s, and the owner is So-and-so." This story, with a little variations, has been told to fifteen applicants now. -But the place has been let for a fortnight!

Talk about "boost"! Waitara is on the joh. The Stratford School Committee has received an invitation to hold the annual school picnic at the river port. The inducements am many. Firstly, the children will be met at the trains and conducted to the sports grounds, river banks, and so on. flit

local people will provide a sports meeting and. throw open the tennis, croquet and bowling greens to the elders. They will provide free launch ridet on the river, and, if necessary, land the kiddies on the sand at the river month . They will provide the hot water, etc., ad lib., and spare no pains to make the excursion a happy and memorable one. New Plymouth will have to look to its laurels. Time >vas when some enthusiastic New Plymouthites used to prepare somewhat for these excursions, but now the task of providing hot water, erecting tents, etc., is carried out in our case ■by that trojan, Mr. ITarry Kivell, the custodian' of the high and technical schools. This year the Stratford cuiidren will caper with the New Plymouth donkeys on the beach at Te Henui, and will swim, splash, row and romp to their little hearts' content.

One of the big guns of the publicserviee was here the other day concerning the long-talked-of and much-needed additions and alterations to our most ornamental post office. Really, the oflice is good enough for some things, but not as a post ollice for Stratford.

BERNARD'S PICTURES . Grand change of programme to-night. You will enjoy the Kalem feature, a drama called "The Adventures of American Joe," excellently photographed and splendidly acted. The story is distinctly novel, and its quaintness appeals to the; audience. The Tanhausen dramatic subjects are always good, "and "Vindicated" (a stirring tale) is no exception to the rule. On the more sentimental and pathetic side comes an A.B. drama, '"A "Child's Remorse," and a Pasquali drama, disclosing an unusual theme, is released in the shape of "The Gentleman Chauffeur," while from the .point of view of scenery, "Travelling in the Caucaus" outrivals any. The N ordisk Company is to the fore with a comprehensive industrial picture, "Winter Logging in Maine, U.S.A." Mention must be made of a novel educational film, "A Walk through an Aquarium," and a quartette of breezy comics, including "What the Doctor Ordered" and "If I were King."