STRATFORD NEWS.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LV, Issue 302, 15 May 1913, Page 3

STRATFORD NEWS.

FROM OUR RESIDENT REPORTS?,,

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

" INTOLERABLE." THE TELEPHONE SYSTE VT. | Recently there was published on this page an article dealing with tl e inex- ' plicable and annoying delay experienced i by several Stratford people in having I telephones installed. The matter is a i serious one, and representation!! are to be made to headquarters with a view of receiving some reasonable explanation and satisfaction. The Chamber of Commerce on Tuesday night discussed ■ the following letter received from Mr. A. Coleman: —"I wish to bring under the notice of your executive the following facts in connection with the present policy of the Telegraph Department- in Stratford. Some two months ago I made application, on the prescribed form, for a telephone connection at my private residence. After waiting six or seven weeks, and hearing nothing further about the matter, I enquired at the Post Office as to what was being done, and was informed that instructions had , been rccejved that no more telephones were to be 'installed in.Stratford on account of the dangerous proximity of the telephone and electric lighting wires to each other. Further information was not forthcoming. I am given to understand, though I cannot state it as a fact, that there are sonie twenty applications in the same position as my own. If this is the j case, I consider it is time the Department > took steps to have what alterations are necessary, ma.de so that the present intolerable blockage to communications in ,the borough be speedily removed. Further, I consider that the Department should, in any case, notify would-be subscribers fully of the present position, , what steps are being taken to give effect ' to their wishes, and approximately when the connections will be made. This appears to be the proper businesslike attitude for the Department to adopt. I should esteem it a favor if your Chamber, on behalf of myself and others similarly situated, would make such representations to the Department as you may think fit, with a view to putting things in a more satisfactory position.". The various members expressed surprise at the existing state of affairs, and decided to niake representations on the matter direct to the PostmasterGeneral. In this connection the Daily News representative made enquiries in Stratford yesterday with a view of ascertaining, if possible, the real case of the Department's action. Unfortunately, the postmaster, Mr. S. G. Stanton, was away on a tour of the country offices, and any information that he might have felt inclined to vouchsafe the press was therefore unavailable. It is quite possible that, as he told Mr. Coleman, he lias no further -information to give, for the Superintendent of Electric Linos conducts little affairs of this kind without consulting the postmasters. Presumably, such a consultation would he infra dig, but it would at least place the local representative of the Department in a more dignified position. When, in answer to enquiries concerning a matter that should be well within hts ken, a postmaster can only say, "I don't know," people begin to wonder what's what. In this case, the postmaster, acting for the Department, received applications and the necessary cash. Those people who made the 1 applications and paid in the cash have had no official communication from the Department as to when the telephones can bo installed. That is not ' business in the true business sense. j Enquiries were made elsewhere. From i Mr. Masters, chairman of directors of I the Electric Light Supply Company, it was gathered that officers of the Department were in Stratford recently on a visit of inspection, and that they required the company to liake some alterations to their wires. It was found that the electric light wiree and the telephone wires were not only close together, but were intermingled in places. At the Broadway-Regan street corner the company's wires passed through the Departj ment's wires, or, rather, the telephone \ wires had becorrfe so numerous that they were now placed both above and below the lighting wires. What effect these live wires have upon one another under ordinary conditions is a matter for experts, but probably some defects of the telephone service can be traced thereto; while under storm conditions it is easily seen that the wires come in contact. Recently, on a rough night, this contact kept the telephones ringing. There is a danger, of course, that the current thus introduced will damage the telephone installation. Using a term that is employed by folks who know, the northern portion of the borough is now really a "danger zone," because of the position of the wires, and until this condition is altered the Department feels that it is justified in refusing to connect further telephones. But why not disconnect the present telephones if there is such imminent danger? Or, if the present telephone wires are safe enough, why not put more on cross-bars or yards which are not yet filled with insulators? The present requirements of the Department entail an expenditure by the company of about £l5O. Right through Broadway the company's poles are to be lengthened, and the wires raised so as to clear the Department's lines. This can only be a temporary expedient. The conditions obtaining in Stratford when the electric lighting poles were first erected do not obtain to-day, and it is doubtful whether the two concerns can continue, to use the present overhead wiring system. Every year sees the necessity for more telephones. Even if the electric light wires do not interfere, can the Department go on with the present system of installation? Surely the time has come for the introduction of tin cable system locally. The scores oi wires traversing Broadway are an eye sore, anyhow. Possibly we are intended to have the Department's gang of work i I

men -when Hawera has finished with I them, for the cable system is, it is stated, [ being installed there. There is an obI jection raised to making the public tele- ! phone system bear this extra cost just ! to suit the electric light people, but in i this connection it need only be said that I the Department can put in very few ! telephones in Stratford unless uome change is made, light or no light. ' The question still remains unanswered: When are the applicants to get the telephone connections for which they haveapplied? FOOTBALL The first senior football match of the season on the Stratford ground will be played this afternoon on the showgrounds. The Clifton Club is reported to be bringing a strong team, and Stratford will be better than last week, so a good match is sure to eventuate. CHAMBER OF COMMERCE MEETING OF THE EXECUTIVE. At a meeting of the executive of the Stratford Chamber of Commerce on Tuesday evening, Mr. W> P. Kirk wood, vice-president, occupied the chair. Other members present were Messrs. R. Masters, J. W. McMillan, E. Jackson, W. A. Hewitt, P. Thomson and J. B. Richards (secretary). ROAD TO MOUNTAIN HOUSE. The secretary reported that the benefit; entertainment tendered by. Madame Bernard to provide funds for! improvement of the Upper Pembroke road had resulted in a net profit of about £l4 10s.—A vote of thanks was accorded Mme. Bernard. It was decided to notify the Strtaford County Council that the Borough Council's £4, and the £4 required to be raised by private subscriptions, were now available for expenditure, and to ask the County Council to provide its £4, and expend the money in due season for the improvement of the track. Some discussion took place concerning the disposal of the surplus of £lO in hand. It was pointed out that there might, after the reading was done, come some pressing need for money in connection with the approach to the House, and it would be better for. tno Chamber to retain this fund at its disposal. The members seemed, unanimous that the money, raised for this specific purpose, under the auspices of the Chamber, should not be allowed to go out of this body's control, and this was minuted. OPENING CROWN LANDS. The Assistant-Undcr-Secretary in the Department of Lands wrote: "Referring to your representations at the deputation to the-Hon. Prime Minister and the Minister of Public Works at Stratford on April 2, regarding a block of land containing timber situated in the vicinity of the Kotare road, which you state if opened for selection would be valuable for agricultural purposes, I am directed to inform you that the land referred to consists of a block with (in area of over 46,000 acres in the Waro and.Poutau survey districts. Arrangements are being made to survey and open the block for selection without delay, but in view of the large area the survey will not be completed for some considerable time." THE WHANGAMOMONA RAILWAY. Mr. R. Masters reported that he had seen the resident engineer on the matter of the complaint of the settlers that they could not receive goods by rail and'' Public Works tram unless consigned through business firms at that end. As a matter of fact there was nqthing in the statement, which had presumably been circulated by interested persons. It was quite in order for any settler to obtain delivery of his goods on paying the , freight charges.' STRAY PARAGRAPHS The committee met last night and decided to re-open the Egmont Club Dehating Society on Wednesday night next, when, besides the formal business of deciding upon the lines of conduct of the debate for this session, there will be a programme of impromptu speeches and discussion thereon. Cups of tea, with a bun or a slice of cake, may be all right for a lunch in summer time. But, with Egmont covered with snow and a keen wind eating into one's marrow, hot lunches are more the ticket. So Mr. William Elder thinks. He has commenced the hot lunch business, and patrons of his well-known rooms can now obtain a good threecourse dinner daily for one shilling. I A tremendous drop in the temperai ture has brought about a big advance in j the demand for warm wear for men. ''The Kash" just now presents a new ' shipment of warm woollen shirts, besides j which they have a great range of overI coats. Messrs. Mullen and Marshall, the | proprietors, are both well acquainted i with the men's wear trade.