STRATFORD NEWS.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LV, Issue 237, 25 February 1913, Page 3

STRATFORD NEWS.

I From Our Resident Reporter. iOllici ■: Xe.xt Loan & Mercantile Agency Co. Telephone 11:!. STEAY PARAGRAPHS The Stratford railway station has heen raised to a higher .made. The continued increase in the volume of goods and passenger truffle has made this imperative. As the Stratford-Te Koura line is pushed on. this trallie will grow (o much larger dimensions, and then the local station must he advanced to another grade yet. The alteration | means little or nothing to the public, but it brings well-earned increases of salary to the stationmaster, Mr. Campbell. ' and the chief clerk, .Mr. Beauchamp. If there is a more hard-working S.M. anywhere, or a more obliging stall', than ours, the people whom they serve are indeed fortunate. At last,—The 5.30 closing of shops has started. Our petition asked for the change to take effect as from January 1. The rapidity of the departmental administration under the new control is thus exemplified. Some time ago it was decided, or practically decided, to hold a hospital ball at Easter. Xothing has been heard of the project recently, but it is hoped the matter has not been forgotten. Easter Monday's gymkhana provides capital entertainment and amusement by day, but so far there is no special attraction for i the evening. 1 Mr. 0. J. ■MeKonzie. district engineer of the I'ublic Works Department, returned on Saturday night from his holiday. During the coining month he will be engaged in showing Mr. G. T. Murray the "ins-and-outs" of the work here, Mr. Murray succeeding him temporarily during the time he is in Wellington (about nine months), filling the place of Mr. Furkett, who is leaving on a trip to the Old Countrv.

A press telegram recently tokl of the system by which members of the civil service are compelled to make up deficiencies caused by embezzlement on the part of officers in certain departments. During the past year the Public Works Department has been a considerable sufferer, and a new and more elaborate system of cheeking and counter-checking payments and pay-sheets has been introduced. This almost amounts to setting the men to spy on one another, and it } is considered doubtful if the work will j be done. Certain it is that its general adoption wilKmcan an increase in the already large body of clerks in the employ of the Government. j Stratford and Inglewood tennis clubs will meet at Stratford on Thursday.

Further honors for our district high I school. An old-boy, Master Tom Tart-1 ridge, has just received intimation that | he has passed the first section of the j B.A. degree. Three candidates for the ' senior civil service also did very well, Mis- Irene Wylie being successful, and J Miss {'l.aii and Master Auld scoring; well. buT not liiiih enough to secure a 'i full pass. j

BERNARDS PICTURES-TO-NIGHT j

The new programme last night met with an enthusiastic reception. . "For Valor" was a tip-top war film.- by the Kilison Company, being at once entertaining and sensational. The tale had to do in the main with a glaring act of cowardice on the battlefield on the part of one of the principals in the drama, and his subtle craft in endeavoring to conceal the fact from his lover and his fellows. How Nemesis eventually descended on him gave much scope to the cinematograph. Romance in all its glamor and fascination was well represented in a splendid Litbin light dramatic subject. "The Reformation of Kid Hogan." The "kid" was a handsome and attractive boxer v ho, led astray by his boon companions, went "to the dogs." but after a long spell in the ranks of adversity recovered his lost manhood through the tacit influence of his old love. "Under a Flag of Truce" and "She Never Knew" were dramas of a very higii order.