STRATFORD.

Taranaki Daily News, 18 November 1915, Page 3

STRATFORD.

(From Our Own Correspondent.) Stratford, Yesterday. The foundation stone of the new municipal buildings will be laid to-morrow (Thursday), at 3 p.m. Ilia Worship the Mayor will perform the ceremony, and the Senior Cadets, Territorials, Home Defence Corps, Brum and Fife Band, and Municipal Band will take part in the ceremony,

At the .School Committee meeting held last night, it was decided to hold tlie annual concert on Thursday, December 17th, when prizes and certificates will be presented to the successful scholars. A long discussion took place over the decision of the Taranaki Education Board to adopt a new Header, the Alexandria in place of the ''Pacific." It was felt by members that at a time like this, the Board .should have postponed the proposal tili a more convenient time. Besides, the most peculiar part was that the Wanganui Education Boa.nl had just discarded the very book that the Taranaki Board lias decided to adopt, and replaced it with the "'Pacific Reader," that tins Taranaki Board lias discarded. The Committee decided to protest against the change, and asked the Board to urge the Minister of Education to bring in a uniform set of school books for the Dominion.

The headmaster reported that S3 candidates are sitting for the examinations conducted by the Education Department, starting on the 23rd inst and ending on December Ist. From the local school, -li candidates are taking dairy science, 1)3 chemistry and .physics, and 10 in agriculture. PATRIOTIC COMMITTEE. MOTION 1-OR CONSCRIPTION CARRIED. At a meeting of the Executive Com inittee of the Patriotic Committee, the following motion was carried: "In view of the fact that so many of our soldiers that went to the front with the Main Body, having been wounded, two. and, in some eases, three times, and for the lack of men, the Defence Department find it necessary as soon as recovered to again send them back to the front, notwithstanding that there are thousands of men in New Zealand eligible for enrolment, but refuse to enlist, this 'Patriotic Committee view with alarm the cowardice that exists among the so-called shirkers, and is of the opinion tbat in fairness to those who have been fighting for the Empire during the last twelve months, and others who have enlisted, that the time has arrived when conscription should be resorted to, so that every man be called upon to perform any duties that he is capable of which may be required by the Empire, and believes that it is voicing the opinion of every ; Motion of the community, and that a copy of this resolution be sent to the Minister for Defence, also to tho two local papers with a view to giving other 'Patriotic. Committees a lead in this matter." Mr. J Masters was appointed delegate to attend the conference at Wellington convened by the Hon. Mr. Russell, re Patriotic Funds. ft was decided, if possible, to provide temporary employment for men who had enlisted, and were requiring same.