STRATFORD.

Taranaki Daily News, 17 September 1915, Page 3

STRATFORD.

(From Our Own Correspondent) Stratford, Thursday. BOROUGH EMPLOYEES' WAGES. The discusion on the petition from the Borough workmen for an increase of Is a day in wages was not a credit to the Borough Council. Councillors said that the jast Council should have given the increase long ago, and this was not disputed, and when the Council quibbled for quite a while as to whether the men should get the rise immediately or wait for another fortnight. Eventually it was decided that the rise should start in a fortnight's time. For inconsistency the present Council is hard to beat. A few months ago when the town clerk's and overseer's salaries were raised the increase dated from the first of the month, and if these officials were thus treated, surely the men should have been treated similarly. At any rate tne rise should have dated from the Council's meeting. To say that the men had only sent the application in on the day of the meeting and not before, as provided by the Council's resolution, was quite beside the question. The Works Committee had met and after discussing the letter, recommended the Council to make the increase. Their action appears like making fish of one and fowl of the other, which should not be.

The Ngaere Gardens are at present looking beautiful, the spring flowers being in full bloom. Mr. Truelove has just returned frOm a pleasure trip to Australia, and has brought with him 50 Australian birds and animals.

The Whangamomona Stables, owned by Mr". J. Rothery and occupied by Mr. W. Harris, were totally destroyed by fire this morning. The building is insured, I understand, in the South P/itish Company. -■ - - • Mr. N. J. King,is at present confined to his bed by serious illness. .At the last meeting of the Stratford Hospital Board, the Hawera Board wrote the local hospital saying they had two ambulances that they wished to dispose of. The chairman said they had no need for an ambulance, and the board turned the matter down. Surely the matter was not given serious consideration. If ever there was an ambulance required it is in this town, and if the Board members could only see the difficulty in getting cases to the hospital that frequently arrive by train, they would soon alter their opinions.