STRATFORD NEWS.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LV, Issue 296, 7 May 1913, Page 3

STRATFORD NEWS.

WHY NOT? Until recent years it was tke custom for members u; Parliament to address their constiLueiiLs during the Parliamentary recess. These pre-sessional addresses generally drew fair audiences, and the numbers seemed gbid to explain to the best of their ability the, work ot Parliament during the session, and explain why they had taken up a certain attitude on ccri-aiu questions. If any member had failed co deliver at least one such address in the principal town of his electorate, he would have been asked why. At any rate, that" was the state of affairs in most' electorates.

Nowadays all is changed. The members of Parliament address themselves to their fellow members, a few privileged people in the galleries, and the Hansard and Press reporters; and are content to leave it at that. The people who elect the member and pay his screw have to take his politics secondhand, although doubtless those pressmen and llan.-ard reporters make the speeches readable and presentable in many cases. But it is a fact that Hansard does not always report what is said, and that an M.P. on the platform makes less sensible, less flowery, and less safe utterances than he .allows to figure in Hansard. The present seems a time when members might strain a point and tell the people something about last session, the first session under the new conditions. It has, been suggeestcd by 1 quite a number of people to the writer that Mr. J. B. Hine, M.P., as a member of the present Government party, might deliver, a pre-sessional address in Stratford shortly. There does not seem to be any reason why the Town Hall should not earn a few shillings to keep its accounts from becoming too deerep-. it, or any reason why we should not be favoured with a political address from our member, whose last wholly political utterance free to the public was made, it is believed, when that gentleman thanked the electors last election night. RIFLE SHOOTING The Stratford Rifle Club will fire the match to-morrow for Mr. McAllister's \ trophy. This match was commenced last ' Thursday, eleven members being present, but the heavy rain and wind soon made shooting impossible, and the riflemen retired. FOOTBALL THE STRATFORD CLUB. I i The senior team to play Eltham at * Eltham to-morrow is as follows:—C. > Stewart, Wood, Dewar, Sullivan, Boon, Fearon (2), Bonner, Spratt, Dobson, Oliver, Toeker, Brown, R. Woods, Kivell. ' Brake leaves Post Office at 2.15 p.m. sharp. Stratford Ist Juniors against Eltham at Stratford: —A. L. Jones, Kilpatrick, ' Hancock, Hocking, Brown (2), Watkins, Armstrong, W. Stewart, Brown, Bow- ' er, Rogers, Goldup, Pearce; F. Collins. { Second Juniors to plav Eltham at Eltham:—Collins (2), Till, Bishop, Sullivan, Rogers, Kennedy, Law, Blair, Cameron, Syme, F. Jones; emergencies: Sheahan, Hume, O'Neill. ( THE ASSOCIATION GAME. The "soccer" men have an engagement locally with the Kaponga team, the ' match being fixed for Victoria Park. , Stratford team will be selected from the following:—Way, Smith, T. Gorton, Patrick, Li'ldington, Chad wick, Butchart, Hale, McGlade, East, Malcolm, Rev. Butler, Bush, Townley and Williams. THE FIRE BRIGADE Weather permitting, the fire brigade will run off a series of events to-mor-row afternoon for trophies presented by Messrs. T. Mercer, C. E. James, Alf Moon, and Lieutenant Wilson. The entries are numerous, and people who feel interested, are invited to attend on the practice ground near the Egmont Coach Factory in 'Page Street, free, gratis, and ' for nothing. The handicaps have been adjusted as follows:—Mr. T. Mercer's Trophy—Run 5 yards pick up hydrant, branch, and 50ft hose, properly strapped, run 25yds to plug, fix hydrant, connect and run out 50ft hose and fix branch. Time to be taken when syd mark is passed—Lieut. Wilson, Foreman Burgess, Secretary Drake, Branchmen Boon and Evans, Custodian Davis, scr.; Firemen 'Sullivan, 3sec; Branchman Davey, Firemen 'Bennett, Gorton, T. Gorton, E. Broektabank, 4see; Firemen W. Brocklebank, ssec; Messengers Crossan and Fleming, lOsee. Mr. Moon's Trophy; One-man event— Lieut.,Wilson. Foreman Burgess, Secretary Drake, Branchman Evans, Custodian Davis, scr.; Branchman lsec; Branchman Crossen, 2sec, Fireman Sullivan, "Branchman Davey, Fireman E. Brocklebank, 3sec; Firemen Bennett, Gorton, G. Gorton, W. Brocklebank, 4 j sec; Messengers Crossan and Henry, 8 sec. :

Novice Events.—Run 25yds to plug, fix hydrant, connect two lengths of hose to hvdrant. connect two more lengths of hose to first lengths and fix branches. Time to be taken when syds mark is passed.—Firemen G. Gorton. T. Gorton, Bennett, Branchman Davey, Fireman E. Brocklebank, scr.: Fireman W. Brocklebank. 2sec; Messengers Crossan 'and' Henry. Ssocs.

Mr. ('.James' trophy; run 25yds to plug, fix hydrant, connect two lengths | i of hose to hvdrant, connect two more j lengths of hose to first lengths, fix branches and show water. Time to be taken when water passes mark 10ft. from end ot" branches.—Lieut. Wilson, Foreman Burgess. Secretary Drake, Branchmen Boon and Evans, Custodian Davis, scr.: Fireman Crossen, 2sec; Fireman Sullivan, 3sec; 3i'.inchmnn Davev. Fireman G. Gorton, T. Gorton, Bennett. E. Brocklebank (isM.; MvSfingers Crossan and Henry 10s3e. t ■ STRAY PARAGRAPHS The dangerous railway crossing at the Flint road is to he improved. On Thursday afternoon as manv members of the Stratford A. and P. Association as ca nattend are asked to come along and wield pick and shovel and any other necessary implement, and to assist in removing some of the spoil to the showsnound, where the ground committee can find numerous good uses for it. A "working bee" is generally productive of some real enjoyment, and the move the mcTrier. , . The teachers in this district attend the statutory training classes in a manner that does them credit and shows that thev appreciate the opportunities given them to fit themselves for higher positions in the service Teachers'as a rule get anv amount ot kicks and very few ha'pence, and it is not evcrvone who knows what they have to 'do in the matter of training and studv. The. "Daily News" reporter w;,s informed yesterday that on Saturday a lady teacher attended the classes from AVha'ngamomona. Saturday wis a record day for vile weather conditions,

FEOM OUR RESIDENT REPORTED Office and Job Printing Works: Next N.Z. Loan & Mercantile Agency Co., Broadway. Telephone No. 113.

yet this teacher, in order to qualify for preferment ami to better equip herself for Hie all-important work of instructing llie young, spent about twentv hours of that day—her weekly holiday—in travelling and taking her lesson. Tt meant rising at four o'clock 0:1 that morning, journeying by road, tram, and train to Stratford, and she could not. possibly reach home again before midnight. That teacher fully deserves to get on in the profession.

Mr. AY. P." Ri'rkwood, the mayor-elect, will be duly installed as mayor this morning for the ensuing year. The installation takes place at eleven o'clock in the Municipal Buildings, and the burgesses have every right to be present. But the ceremony is not an exciting one, nov, in the absence of the mayoral insignia, boasted by the cities, is it particularly imposing, and it is thus one of the few free public performances that are poorly patronised.