DISTRICT NEWS.

Taranaki Daily News, 21 July 1915, Page 3

DISTRICT NEWS.

i j fsTRATFOIta ! (From Our Own Correspondent.) j . Stratford, Last Night. | The I'oroiigh Council met in eommit- : t a- last night, and discussed the iproj posed conference with the Electrical Supply Comipiiny regarding the purchasing ; or otherwise of the company's undertaking. It is understood the .ouiicil intends meetintr the company on Monday night. | 'Private Dogg -tt, who died in the Trcn- ! tham Hospital, was well known in Stratford, lie was an ollicer in the local ,>o«t ollice for two years and a half, resigning four months ago with the in- . teution of enlisting for the front. He , was a most courteous- ollicer. and his j death will be regretted by all with j whom he came in contact. I A serious accident happened at the Kohuratalii tunnel yesterday afternoon. It appears that a workman, named Thomas McDonald, mn inserting a detonator into the fuse, when it preinatnrelv exploded, with the result that he got the full force of the explosion in his face, inflicting serious injuries. The Public 'Works Department arranged for a special train to bring the sullerer into .Stratford, where be was admitted into the hospital. On inqtiir- , ies being made to-day, he was doing as well as could be expected under the circumstances. [lis thumb was badly lacerated, and his face also considerably knocked about, but the doctor ; has great, hopes of saving tile patient's ' eyesight. ' It rained like it can rain, bard all . dav. but that did not prevent the La-I' dies' Committee of the Scottish Society from getting the hall decorated and].' the stalls r.-ady, hoping that the ele-jj incuts would cease, but at last thev j , had to give tip the idea of holding the ] bazaar and concert this evening. I | The sab- of stock was hold this after-1 , noon, and realised close on £2o.'). i ■ The mock court will be held on Satur-; ' day afternoon, and the concert and ] dance on i, date to be announced. it f is hard luck for the hardworking com-j j mittee to have had such bad fortune. ] but. still, it is certain that the lack of, j iiitere-t will not wane, and the commit-j tee can, no doubt, look forward to a ] bumper house when the concert and, ) dance eventuates. ,

'DIT'XAKE. !l ,f !urn Our Own Correspondent). , About HI (p.m. on Saturday the old toll-gate lions;' at the illumianm (near Opunakc) was totally destroyed by lire. The cau-e is generally attributed to deliberate cusM'dness on the part of some person. The building has not been used for many years, except by tramps, and for that purpose it had its uses as a sheitei ing place for those down in luck. The same night it was also reported that the paddock gate on .Mr. J. O'Rorke's property, almtting on the corner of the Opua and Main roads, was again destroyed by some jokers. Two empty 'beer (bottles were, placed conspicuoudy on the fence as witness of the deed of vandalism. At the last sitting of the S.M. Court a fai'iner on Opua road sought and obtained an injiiiiV, tion against a worker (a married man) for possession of asmall building, the -worker having owed the. sum of Lis for rent. It now ap--pears that the late tenant cannot obtain a d'wclling in the virility, and has taken u,i quarters in a disused cowshed. This would not, lie a hardship for the adults, lint they have two children, one a delicate IS-months '.hild and Hie other a ba'by in arms. This same building which the -persons were forced to quit was formerly used as a school, but was closed down for the want of children. At the last. I'alinerston Show farmers held an important discussion on the need of the country making life attractive to workers so as to prevent them drifting •into the towns. Apparently there is, plenty of scope 'for improving the attractions to 'married couples tu take up their abode in the countrv.

A committee ■meeting of the Seaside Society was held on Friday nig'ht to consider further improvements at the Opiiuake Bav. The improvements intended are the extension of the present concrete wall and further tree-planting. There is a noticeable increase of milk at, the various dairy factories. The feel is also conning better than farmers anticipated. On Monday the Pihania, Dairy Co. paid out. by H'ii v of .bonus on the past season the sum of U-t-NKi 13s Id, and Cape Egmont flliST 18s tid. Mr. Sergei, the agricultural instructor acting under the Taralnaki Education Board, has been paying us a visit, delivering lectures and having a practical talk m-itlv farm-'is on top-dressing and the value of manures, etc.