STRATFORD NEWS.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LV, Issue 202, 15 January 1913, Page 3

STRATFORD NEWS.

.«. 1 ( STRATFORD HOSPITAL BOARD At I lie ordinary monthly meeting o', ,'i,- >.'. I'iiLi'ord !io-piial liwird on Tues day there were present: M>ssrs. E. Marfell (chairman), J. McAllister, S. Ward E. Nine, J. Smith and J. ChristofTel. Dr. Chesson, District Health Officer, asked that the Hoard give ell'ect to the sanitary inspector's recommendations to make the waste-pipes from the bathrooms at the isolation ward comply with the borough by-laws.—The chairman slid he considered the provision made by the architect was better Uian the bylaws provided for.- Ucceived. Nurse Myers, acting-matron, reported (hat everything was progressing satis- ' factorily at the institution.'.Miss O'Brien, the matron, had left on December 25 for her annual holiday. Dr. Steven, medical superintendent, reported that during December 17 patients were admitted, right were discharged, and there were two deaths. Four operations were performed under anaesthetic-:. The sanitary inspector's report notified that a suspected case of typhoid fever at Whanganiomona was after- ' wards diagnosed as inllucnzn. The Club Hotel Stables at Stratford had not yet been demolished. Butchers' shops, fruit shops, fish shops, marts and pig pens in Stratford had been inspected. At Strathmore the owners of certain premises had agreed to abate the nuisances arising from rubbish accumulations. A piggery abutting on tbe main road at Waipuktl \\a< "in a fair state of cleanliness." VALEDICTORY MR. SIDNEY A. WARD. Mr. Sidney Ward leaves Stratford towards the end of the r.ionth. but his future movements are uncertain. He may settle eventually in some other part of New Zealand, but it is likely that he will first pay a visit to Stratford. Yesterday he asked the Hospital Board to grant him leave of absence till the April meeting, thus avoiding the necessity for tnc expense of an election. He stated that this was one of the public, institutions for which he had worked heart and soul, and he was sorry to sever his connection with it. He hoped the good feeling existing between its members would continue. He thanked the chairman and his fellow members for courtesy J extended to him at all times. He also j thanked Mr. Penn. the secretary, and congratulated the Board on possessing such an excellent officer, who saved the Board many pounds every year, and who, j he hoped, would have his services fully recognised when the next year's appropriations were made. Mr. Smith regretted keenly that Mr. Ward was leaving the Board. He moved, and Mr. ChristofTel seconded, that leave of absence be granted. Mr. ChristofTel referred to him as the most energetic and enthusiastic member of the Board, well posted in every detail, and always ready to give his time freely . Mr. McAllister > added his tribute, stating that he and Mr. Ward, as town members, were actually closely connected with and often consulted on hospital matters. The publie knew little of the amount of time and energy expended by Mr. Ward. Mr. lline referred to the '•most unpleasant surprise." and wondered how they were going to get along without Mr. Ward, iil-u where they were going to get a man to fill his place. Mr. Penn, the secretary, said that Mr. Ward would' be very greatly missed, paid a tribute to lii~ willingness at all times to attend : to any hospital matters mentioned to him. and wished him success in his future i career. The chairman, in adding his tes- ! timoiiy. stated that, owing to his own | distant residence from town, the secretary was often compelled to consult Mr-M--. Ward and McAllister on various matters, but they had never once showed [ain tendency to usurp the functions of I the chairman. He trusted Mr. Ward would not be lost to hospital work, for he was a good public man, of which there were unfortunately too few. He wished him every prosperity wherever he might wi. Mr. Ward, replying, eulogised Mr. McAllister, and expressed the hope that it was not true that that gentleman purposed retiring from the Board. Mr. Ward is a Borough Councillor and a member of the Eginont Club Committee, and never spares himself when there is work to do. His going will leave a very considerable gap.

BOWLING I

The Stratford Bowling Club will meet West End on Thursday, whim the team will include howlers still due to return from the northern metropolis, whence they journeyed in sen roll of laurels, experience and holiday. The local rinks will be:—Brake, J." Masters, McMillan, Morison fs); Porritt. Ward. Penn, Smart (s); Edgecombe, 11. Masters. Black. King (s); Martin, T. C. Curtis. Sanirster (s); Sanderson, Sole. Wright, Skoglund (s). PERSONAL Mr. and Mrs. X. Fulton leave Stratford in April on a seven months' tour of America and the Old Country, joining the Makura at Auckland for Vancouver. Their original intention was to go via •".ipan. but the itinerary has been altered. They will be accompanied by Messrs. and Mesdamcs Aiden, sen. and jun. .Mr. TT. Wilson, of the firm of Messrs. 11. WiUon & Son. contemplates a trip to England in March. Mr. fleorge Pugh was the auctioneer at Mr. Newton King's hide, skin and wo; 1 sale yesterday, and the ''colt" got thr his work verv creditably. Webber, liobson & Co. held their lirst Stratford sale yesterday, in conjunction with the New Zealand Loan A. Mercantile Agency Company. HOSPITAL COLLECTIONS The recent collection in aid of the Stratford Hospital funds has resulted so far in <J!I'.( M.!d being handed to the Board, and the secretary, Mr. T. Penn. informed the Daily News representative •\esterday that by the time all the lists have been returned the contributions , wili probably reach £1.11). The country districts were worked by the members lot' the Board, with good results. Should the secretary's expectations be fulfilled. tiie Hoard will benefit by about -C330. for the Government pays a subsidy of 24s for every 20s of voltinlarv contribution-. Witli the cash in bund, and the alluring prospects. Mr. Penn was able to announce yesterday that, it would not he neces-ary yet to collect the special levy for which the necessary step- had been taken. Votes of thanks were pa--ed to Mine. Bernard for tier kimlnc" in giving a benefit matinee, and to all who assisted by collecting or contribut nig in any way. DISEASED STOCK PADDOCK rF.TITION FliOM THE PEOPLE. At the Stratford Hospital Board meeting yesterday a petition was received from nineteen residents in the locality, complaining that "a paddock at the corner of Romeo and Orlando streets, used by the Government, Stock Department, was becoming a most objeclionI able nuisance. During December a comparatively large number of diseased stock

were held there—sis many as eight o: nine at a time, am! for !t of tw< weeks and over. The advanced slali o. disease that tlios" cattle mw in can Ik guessed at from ihe fact tli-M- on <>i about December 11. 1!!!::. one died in i'ii paddock, and th" (•■.i-i'ii:; of ilu: swollen body, covered with llics. through Lin. streets, is an occurrence that we do not wish to see repealed. We respectfully beg of you to do all you ean to have the use.oE the paddock as an accommodation for diseased stock discontinued." On Mr. ChristoffePs motion, it was decided to forward the petition to the District Health Officer, with a request for attention without delay. Cr. Ward remarked that if the facts stated were correct the Board should do its utmost to assist the petitioners. They should go farther than merely forwarding the petition, and solic-it the assistance of the Borough Council and the member for the district. Unless something of the kind were done, the "understrappers" of the Department would merely pigeon-hole the petition as usual. Mr. Ward suggested that Mr. Hine should invite the Minister to make himself personally acquainted with the nuisance. Accordingly, Mr. Ifine, M.P., and the Borough Council are to be asked to lend their assistance in the matter. STRAY PARAGRAPHS A member of the Hospital Board reckons he knows how coal dealers make their money. By the way, wealthy village coal-dealers are as scarce as "silent members" on local bodies. Another member added: "A new arithmetic table—sixteen hundredweight, one ton!" Enough said. The chances are that when Hospital Saturday comes around again the land agents may pass by the little girls with the badges and boxes, saying, "I have already given." This excuse, by the way. is not an infrequent one, as any of the pestering little sixpence-shakers' will tell you. The land agents' contributions will not earn subsidy, though, for they are not voluntary, but compulsorv, "under the Act," which stipulates that every land agent shall pay an annual license fee of £5, and that this shall be remitted by the Clerk of the Court to the local hospital board. Land agents are nearly as plentiful as rainy days in Stratford, but licensed land agents/with tlje requisite fidelity bond, will probably be a scarcer commodity. Probablv about seven or eight will pay for the privilege of conducting their business along legalised lines, resulting in a net income of nearly forty pounds to the Stratford Board, which, as usual, .can do with it. BERNARD'S PICTURES The present programme bas drawn good houses. It will be shown to-night for the last time, and patrons who have not yet seen it should do so without delay. "Lessons in Liquid Air," "A Trip to Senegal" and the Pathe Gazette are all educative features, and most interesting. Dramas that hit the popular I taste are "The Missing Finger." in which J love and detective instincts are com- •■ bined. In lighter vein come "A Leap I Year Lottery Prize" and other good I films, whilst there are other dramas, too. J