STRATFORD.

Taranaki Daily News, 3 August 1915, Page 3

STRATFORD.

'JULITAUr FU.\KRAI* Tlie funeral of Private Dudley Camcion took, pla'.e on Sunday afternoon, and was the largest that has ever taken piste in Stratford. The whole countryside seemed to have turned out to pay its last respects to one who had given his life for his King and country. 'The funeral was a military one. The cortege left the parents' house for the -Methodist Church, and, on entering, the choir, under the baton of Mr. C. .11. .Lawn, sang: '•Safe in the Anns of .Itsin,'' and after a. portion of the Burial Service had been read hv Chaplain-Cap-tain A. P.eadcr the choir rendered the hymn: " Jems, Dover of My Soul" as toe coffin was heing taken from the church. The procession was then formel. First ihe firing party, with iis arms reversed; then the Stratford ".Municipal Band, under Conductor T. Marshall; the motor carriage, with the coffin draped with the Union Jack and belt and gear of deceased, containing the mourners; then the Territorials, under Lieutenant Gray: Home Defence Corps under Lieutenant Buckler: Boy Scouts, under Scoutmaster Fletcher, and then the general public and motor-ears and tra.ps that never seemed to end. To the Dead 'March in Saul and '• The Garland of Flowers," played by the hand, the cortege wended its way to the cemetery, and. despite the distance of over three miles, crowds followed on foot. Arriving at Die 'cemetery, the band formed up ami played while the coffin was being removed to the graveside. ChaplainCaptain A. Reader read the remainder of the solemn Burial Service, after which the tiring party fired three volleys, and the Last Post, was sounded. Then the band played the beautiful hymn: '• Nearer, My Cod, to Thee." and the service ended. The baud then marched the tioops back to Stratford, which was reached at 5.30 p.m. f GENERAL,The Stratford Factory, Cordon, Skinner and Toko Road creameries opened for the season to-day. The supply at the main factories was 580 gallons, which is a little in advance of previous years. Mr. A. A. Paape, the fiovermnpnt organiser, is paying a visit to Stratford and district. His "Worship the Mayor is inviting the public to attend 'the Town Hall on Wednesday evening. The anniversary of the outbreak of war is to be discussed, ana patriotic speeches will be delivered. Th.i proceedings start at 5.30 p.m. Comment, is made of the fact, that the head office of the Territorials for this province is situated in Hawora. It. is c.biv-t impossible to get any informa. turn a> to when tile next reinforcements aie leaving for the training canrps. or the names of those who are going. The local office cannot give the information, because the head office does not supply it. Some organisations would like to give a fitting send off to the boys, but cannot arrange a date because they cannot get any idea when the bovs are leaving. Further, a young fellow who enlisted just on nine weeks ago, and was passed by the doctor, has never received ar. acknowledgment, from the head office in Hawera vet as to whether he has heen accepted or not. His employers, naturally enough, will have to replace him, and the young fellow is anxious to give them plenty of noti.-e, hut, as yet he has not. received word, ft. is about time the Minister for Defence shook the office up. ]f it is uu-der.-tafl'ed, then it is his plain duty to seo that the office is biouglit to a stale of efficiency in order to cope with the work, and, if it is not, then a question should be asked of those in iharge of a/I'airs to see that the public is in a position to get the information that it is entitled to. Mr. ]]. Williams, who lias enlisted for the front., has been promised an officer's commission by the Defence authorities. Mr. Williams has seen service with the Imperial authorities, and took part in tin- Boxer Rebellion in China, with the Australian forces. The forces taking action to quell that rebellion were under a German commandant, and Mr. Williams says from what he saw of Herman methods, in that campaign, that he is not surprised at anything that t! i, Germans may do in the'present war.