STRATFORD NEWS.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LVI, Issue 280, 29 April 1914, Page 3

STRATFORD NEWS.

FROM OUR RESIDENT REPORTER.

Office and Job Printing "Works: York Chambers (upstairs) Telephone No. 113.

row have his name placed on the roll for £30,000 or £40,000 worth of property. He was not representing merely the ratepayers, but the whole of the residents. He indignantly repudiated the slur cast 011 his business by Mr. King, and mentioned that his family paid £125 a year in rates, as against his opponent's £4O. He also stated that if it were desirable for him to take his seat on the Bench as Chief Magistrate ho could do so by merely transferring his license. When Mr. King wanted to stand for Mayor he resigned his directorship of the' Electrical Co., j hut still retained his interest therein, and the only reason why Mr. King had I brought forward the imputation against J him relative to his being a hotel licensee I was to injure him in his candidature, i ELECTRIC LIGHT HOOEY.

The boge.v raised by Mr. King , vas not a bogey at all—it was a scarecrow; and if it did come home to them it would be clad in a suit that would possibly cost the ratepayers anything up to £50,000. He earnestly implored the electors not to treat this matter other- | wise than as a most serious menace to their welfare, not only of to-day, but to the generation that would follow. Any opposition to Mr. King on the electric light question was purely directed jto safeguarding the burgesses." Mr. King had stated that he had voted for the deputation to go to Wellington to oppose the license, but the fact was that j he did not vote at all. It was a ease 1 of an eleventh hour repentance, and, like the fox in the etory, when in a tight I corner, the fox tried to induce the j hounds that she'was not a fox. (Laughter).

IN CONCLUSION. Mr. ICirkwood said he was quite preI pared to aoide by the electors' decision. Instead of producing a policy, Mr. King had appropriated his (the speaker's), and by way of exchange had introduced a number of matters that were paltry in the extreme. MR. KING'S ADDRESS. SOME TRENCHANT TALKING. Mr. N. ,J. King's final meeting in the Town Hull last night was largely attended, X'r. J. W. Boon (councillor) presiding. ,A section of the audience had evidently come for amusement, and the i meeting was the noisiest of the series, interjections being frequent. Mr. King's speech was principally a re-asserfion of his previous statements. He accused the Mayor of having attempted rto delude the electors on some points bv drawing a .red-herring across the scent, but he (Mr. King) expressed his confidence in the good sense of the people, who could be relied on to sum «I» .'position. He emphatically denied that the streets and footpaths had been starved during his term of Mayor, and went on to say that these were in tip-tap -order when Mr. Kirk wood Erst assumed office.

| Mr. King claimed that be had saved the town £'2loo by reducing from £3OOO to £9OO :■ the claim for compensation Irom .the property owners adjacent to i the septic tank. He contrasted this with the'waste of £9O which had teen made\in employing outside engineers in connection with the loan proposals. '.On thc-electric light question, die tpipeate'd that his cash in the Electrical Supply Co. was only £SO, for le Ih.id bought some of his shares at 7s (id. Anyhow, .he would sell the whole his filiates to.'Mr. Kirkwood for £SO. If ealjed upon to pay up his guarantee to She - company he would take over the company artci offer it to the ratepayers a<l .CGSOO. Tiius he would surely he a public benefactor. If elected, he would do his best for the tenvn, and he was confident that "lie woiiM be returned at the ton of .the poll.

There were numerous questions, !in whioh Dr. Paget and Mr. ,T. B. Richards •mow, .prominent.. Some of the questions were "riled out" as being too jier!BQE£)l.

JSEEETING'K)F HOUSEHOLDERS. 'Thare were aSiout 40 householders present rat the aanual meeting of hornselioldoss ■ held at: the school on Monday night, Air. Skogiund being eallei on m | preside. | The report atiid balance-sheet weiie taken uir read. [ Mr. .K. J. King expressed gratification' |at ibhe report, aiding that the staff of, the sclool, especially the headmaster, i was flanond to none in the Dominion, j The grounds and theschool were a credit I to the -committee. Mr. Sale spoke 'in -.similar terms, and j pnxtietflffirly comimsoided the suggestion < to form si drum a»6 ;Js[e band. !

Mr. Jackson strongly urged the enlargement of the ptayground, and suggested an-'indignation Meeting being held. The .chairman, in llhanking Mr. King' for hiH remarks, pointed out that the balance it; "hand woulfi have been larger had some MiOney come tto hand from the Board.

On the motion of M»:„ .McMillan, seconded by Mr. Smart, it was decided to plaeo on retjord the appreciation of the householders at the liigfc ..state of efficiency the school had attained, and congratulating ifec headmaster and staff thereon.

The motion vires strongly supported by Mr. King and the chairman, the latter paying a tribute of praise te the headmaster and his-staff, and als<s-the secretary.

The chairman ibrouglit beforf rtlie meeting the proposal to enlarge tiw education district, panting out tViijt there was a possibility .of the smaller 'boards being extinguished. He moved ifoat the Mieeting considers i%e education district •should be enlarged «u as to include the wSiole of the province, and that a eopy of the resolution he sent to tlie Minister and the member for the district— The motion was carried.

Mr, King moved that the Minister be rrspeetfully urged to take in hand the enlargement of the playground without delay.—The motion was carried unanimously.

At a meeting of the new committee Mr Skogluml was re-elected chairman. Mr T. If. I'enn was re-appointed secretary, and Mr. Kivell caretaker. The day of meeting was fixed for the Tuesday before the Board's meeting at 7 p.m. BERNARD'S PICTURES. A more attractive programme than that to. be presented to-night lias rarely been screened. The star drama, ''Partners in Crime," is said to he one of n

f strongest and best of the Lubin produ< tions, and is full of exciting incident: in which motor bandits are concerns The tracking of the gang by detective* the light, and the pursuit of the villaii are tlirilliag ia the extreme, wnile th finale is eminently satisfactory. Anion; the supporting films, that of "A Doll fo: Baby" is especially attractive, showing the tender side of the rough and yel soft-hearted cowboys, while the wile and dangerous life is a marvel of realistie picturing. The Gaumont Graphic and the Rose Carnival at Christcliurel! are both attractive, while the comedies include such excellent films as "Beauty in a Sea Shell," ''Fickle Freak," "The Somnambulist," and "Too Much of a Good Thing." To hear Mr. Van Heck and his orchestra is alone worth the price of admissio*. GENERAL Ihe exhaustive and spirited address given by Mr. Kirkwood 011 Monday night was followed with intense interest by the large audience. It was a remarkably fine, logical and trenchant speech, 111 which sound and practical ideas prevailed, the occp.sional flashes of I humor accentuating tlie grave words of | warning uttered by the speaker. The electors are now in possession of all | there is to be said on local municipal ailairs, and it is for them to sav which ol the two candidates shall be entrusted with their interests. A careful study of the merits of the two candidates and their respective qualifications can alone enable a satisfactory decision to be arrived at. I

The successful members at the ballot of the Stratford Building Society on Monday night were Messrs C. A. Kill" and R. Masters, the former receiving an appropriation or £l5O and the latter £3OO.

For the month of March the Epnont Circle paid Is 9 1 />d per dozen. After the meeting of the Egmont National Park Board yesterday, several of the members indulged in a game of bowls, but their success against the local players was not remarkable. The Mayoral election takes place today, the poll closing at 7 p.m; It is expected that the result will be announced by 7.30 p.m. The excitement of the Mayoral election will give place to the political sensation caused by Mr. T. Wilford's address at the Town Hall 011 Thursday night, when it is expected there will be a packed house. ,

The Operatic Society is to be congratulated on. its first,,practice, when between 30 an<J,; '4O put in an appearance. - i 1 \

You hardly feel the razor pass over your face, when Stan. Sharp handles the shaving operation,,;. Added to this delightful sense of comfort is the knowledge that every utensil is sterilised, and everything absolutely clean. Next Bellringer's, Stratford.

-The new winter clothing for men is attractive in many ways. Wise men will buy now while the variety is big and they will find "The Kasli" prices' made to suit them. For high quality and low price Mullen and Marshall easily lead in Stratford.

} our photograph will please them all —some of your friends have been expecting one for a long time—don't be satisfied with one taken years ago. Send them a fresh portrait, just as you are to-day, in your everyday attire Having youT portrait taken is as pleasant as an informal call on good friends. Make an appointment to-day with Mr McAlister, Stratford.

THE MAYORALTY

MR. KIRKWOUD'fci REPLY. A FIG aims SPEECH. YVAIiNJ-NU- TO RATEPAYERS.

The Town Hall was again well filled oil Monday -night, when the Mayor, Mr W. L\ ivirkwood, replied to Mr N. J. King** statements made on Friday last in tlx 1 tmii'ds of his address to the burgesses. -Mr R. McK. Morrison occupied tile chair, and in asking for a fair hearing ; for Mr Kirkwood, briefly referred to Mr King's remarks relative to -hiuself and characterised them as an exhibition of bad taste on Mr King's part. EXPLANATIONS.

Mr Kirkwood, ou rising to address the ■large audience, was accorded a great ovation which he cordially acknowledged

and expressed tne great pleasure lie felt

at the presence of so many ladies which k» regarded as a compliment, as he was Stratford's only bachelor Mayor. Referring to Mr King's address, the speaker stated that if his opponent could cx-

plain away what he (Mr Kirkwood) was about to say, then the burgesses would be perfectly justified ni eletiting Mr King,

but if lioi lie was confident they would elect him (Mr Kirkwood). He then referred to an article in a local paper wherein Ik; w:is called an extremist which he emphatically repudiated as an unfair statement. His whole aim was to he straightforward and faiT, and in dealing with the electric light question he had insisted that the goodwill was tlii first atop to ho overcome. His attitude towards the company had always been in favor of fairness, and he was quite willing that the undertaking should be < taken over at a fair value for such of the plant as was oT use. Referring to a demand mp.le by Mr. Masters for verification of (he statement that the Counoil, before seeking for an extension of powers, should fl-rst supply the requirements of the to-wn (which they had not done), he read a letter which stated that an application bad been sent to the Council, in March last, but had not received attention. "I do not," said the *peaker, "make statements which cannot be verified. (Applause.) As to the requisition to Mr. King, the point which he (the speaker) had wished to emphasise in his reference thereto was that its presentation on tile premises of Messrs Jonas and Robert Masters was a fitting finale, seeing that the requisition was taken -round for signature by the same gentleman who also took round tlie petition in favour of the license being granted to the' Electric Light Co., and wag presented ut the business premises of the Oil airman of Directors of that Company. When Mr. King rose to speak on Friday, be (Mr. Kirkwood) joined in the applause, 'but he did so more heartily at the close 8f the address because he admired him for his audacity in grabbing the whole of 'his (the speaker's) policy except the tarring of the roads. Probably, he adde'd, Mr. King avoided touching the ta.T for' fear of .being defiled. MR. KTXG CRITICISED.

"Why," asked Mr Kirkwood, "has Mr.. King advocate!! everything I have advocated? To «jtve himself from defeat." Mr. King ban even claimed credit for the lean proposal brought forward by the speaker two years ago. The next thing Mr. King should advocate was a gymnasium where he could learn how to throw a double seven without turning a hair?'

The permanent works Mr. King advooatcd we re already in progress, an<t no other works were possible except out of loan money-. Ao far as the, funds would permit next yeai* the kerbing and channelling would ibt extended to the side streets.

Mr. King had .fenied making the stateBent that £2 .a week was sufficient wages for lie borough workmen, but the speaker read a '.newspaper report of a Council meeting ■>which stated that Mr. King had said that in this country £2 a week, with holidays thrown in, wan good pay. As to there being a larger income now available for works, the speaker pointed out that if tie const of the roller and ornsher were dedtiiStert, the increase was not so great afterjMl. The main point he had emphasised >was that the people were getting bettor value for their money than prwiaualy. His opponent was an absolute in keeping the overdraft down, but :rt had been at the expense of important public works. "Do fliot," said the «peftker, "place reliance on a Mayor who boosts- of keeping down 'the overdraft at theiWtpense of neces6arv <w*rks."

'Mr. Kirkwood jtwtiScd' jhis casting vote on the question of reducing the water raifce, and pointed out that Mr. King was partly responsible :/or the failure of t'iie loan proposals two year?, ago. a* he. liad not only helped to wise (ho amount from the £l6.ttof> advocated by the speaker by £7OOO. but had also voted for*the £48,000 propjwitlsivhich were all rejected. Was tfc»t,'ho ■.■ asked,, the kind 4? man that should he elected Mayor. (Cries of "So!" ."V-esl" and •keers).. Referring to Mr. King's claim-to having supervised all the works, the speaker said that to hear Mr. King talk one would think he was 'haYf-a-ilw.cp men railed into one, but he pointed out that Mr. King %ud a habit of not being present where work was to foe done, instancing tSie Fire Brigade gyinkhtna and the A. and P. sports, tu neither of which had tiis opponent given any tvssistance.

The candidate then justified his actios .over the. planting of the trees, and forecasted that in another twelve months there would be an avenue of Irws that the public wonlfl appreciate. With regard ta the Borough Chambers, while admitting that the bargain wan a very good one, credit was due to Met

Tation and Stewart quite as much as to Mr. King. The Town Hull should ke removed from it# present inconvenient site and located on Uie reserve in Broad wa/ near the l,oa» and Mercantile Co.'s offices, ami the borough offices should bo placed there. His opponent, who was always imlli»g things to pieces, was invited fo assist in the effort to obtain the juirtion of the Opunalte railway at Stratford, but Uad not done bo. They had worked h&ri to that end, and it was ungenerous of Mr, King to blame them for failure. The speaker considered it wosld be far better policy now for the money to be raised for bnildin# a short line from Stratford to Kaponga. That would be far better than merely criticising the past. With reference to his not l)oin?r a ratepayer, Mr. Kirkwood explained thnt t|<io w>» ri-o to a fani'dy arrangement, aoul ifcftt, if Beofflssoiry, ke could to-nmr.