STRATFORD NEWS.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LVI, Issue 5, 6 June 1913, Page 3

STRATFORD NEWS.

HOCKEY The Stratford Girls' hockey team beat the Stratford High School girls by two goals to one after a good game. A CHILD'S DEATH THE CORONER'S INQUEST. At Stratford yesterday afternoon, Mr. C. D. Sole, acting-coroner, conducted an inquiry, into the circumstances attending the death of Mary Patricia Ellis, the infant child of Mr. and Mrs. Edgar Ellis, of Kohuratahi, the child having died in the train on Wednesday, when being brought in to Stratford for medical attention. A jury of six was empanelled. The father, Edgar James Ellis, gave evidence that he was a laborer, residing at Kohuratahi. The child, the subject of the inquest, was 'born on April' 9, 1913, a twin. It seemed strong and healthy at birth. On Monday last the child began to vomit, and later was attacked by diarrhoea. He administered dose of castor ,oil. Next day the child jvas examined by Nurse Rickleben.a reg-'. istereil nurse, there Ibeing no doctor nearer than Stratford, fifty miles away. She advised giving the child a little brandy and water, and this was done. She also advised the parents to bring the child to Stratford for medical treatment, and they left home at nine o'clock on Wednesday morning for Stratford, but the child died on the train at l Huiroa. His wife was with him, looking after the child. They did everything possible, or that they thought proper. Dr. Steven stated in evidence that on Wednesday he met the train from Whangamomona":on its arrival at Stratford, in accordalicp with a message received from Mrs. Hill at Kohuratahi. He found that the child was dead, and the body was taken to the hospital morgue. The body was still warm, and that <rf a child below average size, but fairly well nourished. By instruction from the coroner, he had that held a postmortem examination. He found that the' wind pip# and the larger bronchial tubes were mrfre or less blocked l with mucopurulent discharge. In the sub-! stance of the right lung there were areas of inflammation. Inflammation wris present to a less extent in the left lung. The stomach and intestines were practically empty of food. In his opinion the cause of death was b'ronchial pneumonia. A child suffering in this wav could not take nourishment.

To the Acting-Coroner: The woman who advised giving the child brandy and water was giving good advice.

To the foreman: There was no chance of saving, the child after the first few hours, e\-en had there been a doctor at Whangamomona. Dr. Steven added that the treatment by the parents, administering castor oil, was the correct thing to do, That, of course, accounted in a large measure for the absence of substance in the ailmentary tract, and that the vomiting and diarrhoea assisted in this direction, weakness and collapse preventing its taking further food. The jury returned a verdict in accordance with the medical evidence, and a rider was added expressing the-opinion of the jtirv that the Government should move in the matter of providing medical assistance for settlers in the backblocks. The acting-coroner undertook to forward this representation to the proper authorities.

STRATFORD TELEPHONE SERVICE DELAY IN INSTALLATIONS. At the last meeting of the Stratford Chamber of Commerce, it was decided to communicate with the Postmaster-Gen-eral in reference to the inconvenience caused by the Department's delay in installing telephones applied for. From inquiries made at the time, it was ascertained that the Department would instal no more telephones pending alteration to electric lighting wires, which in some eases passed in between the telephone wires. Mr. J. B. Richards, secretary of the Chamber, has received a reply from the secretary to the Post Office, as follows: "In reference to your letter of May 15, regarding the telephone exchange service at Stratford, I beg, by direction, to inform you that the utmost capacity of the present 'pole line in the main street lias been reached, and that, moreover, additional telephone wires could not be run on the poles carrying the electric light wires. Instructions have been given for the light wires to be rearranged; and provision is being made to lay the telephone wires underground. Applications for telephone connections will be satisfied immediately it is practicable to do so. PERSONAL Dr. Caiberv, one of Stratford's popular medicos, leaves for England at the latter end of this month. He has been fortunate in securing Dr. Eobertson, of the medical staff of the Wellington Hospital, to act as his locum tenens. STRAY PARAGRAPHS Annual meeting of the Licensing Committee to-day.

The committee set up to arrange for the canvassing of farmers for gifts of weaners to the Stratford A. and P. Association has decided to enlarge the scope of its operations to admit of the donation of any kind of stock. The members of the committee are enthusiastic concerning the prospects of this mode of raising funds, and say the farmers are taking the matter in the right spirit.

The ; speculative instinct is 'jppermost in most of us. A\ lu'n buying a fa v m, wo want to lie sure that, in the <vcnt of our wishing to sell it, we can do fo at a profit. X hat's where a live and reliable land agent comes in. He should be able to advise fairly accurately as to the market possibilities, or speculative value of the properties on his list. Buying a farm that will return a good profit from the fanning of it a'lone, and which is sure to sell at an advance, is good .business—the sort of business that Messrs. and K. Jackson can advise you about. Having been successful dairy farmers themselves, both of the principals can be depended upon for sound advice. The school committee meets next Tuesday evening. The business includes the making of arrangements in connection with the transit of children to New Plymouth 011 the occasion of the visit of H.M.S. New Zealand. On Wednesday, a meeting was held in Stiatford of representative lessees of native lands under the West Coast Settlement Reserves Act. their business being to further the representations made to the (iovernment with the object of securing the freehold of these lands. Oil Wednesday evening the members of St. Andrew's Tennis Club entertained Mr. J. F. Anderson, the retiring secretary. at a social and dance. He was presented by the club and friends with a travelling bag and pipe. Mr. Anderson takes up a position with the Taraki Oilfields Company, at New Ply. niouUi.

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

The choir of Holy Trinity Church held the second social of the series at the Par- ( isli Hall on Wednesday evening. Mr. I A. Richardson was pianist, and Mr. E. 11. Kivell, Misses Butler and Black, and I Mr. W. V. Wilson, contributed songs. A ; progressive euchre matclr was won by [ Mrs. Prentis. ' Mr. Binley, of the Stratford postal staff, is being transferred to Whakatane, and is succeeded by Mr. W. A. IVask, from that place. I The King's Birthday does not cause any great excitement when it falls in midwinter, as does the present Sovereign's birthday. It is not much of a time for' out-door gatherings, unless you are clothed in warm underwear, a good suit, and topcoat from "The Kash" (Mulden and Marshall, proprietors). The men of to-day and the men of tomorrow are all interested in this announcement—that the best place in Stratford for a hair-cut or shave is S. Sharp's Egmont saloon, next Bellringer Bros. Why not buy your cigars, cigarettes, tobaccos, pipes, and matches there, too?* .