STRATFORD.

Taranaki Daily News, 31 August 1916, Page 3

STRATFORD.

(From Our Own Correspondent). Stratford, August 30. TARANAIiI WAR RELIEF ASSOCIATION. The fortnightly inciting of the Taranaki Provincial War Relief Association was held this morning. ■ Present: Messrs J. E. Wilson (New [Plymouth) in the chair, Ivirfcwood (.Stratford),McP.hillips (Manaia), Beckbessinger (North Taranaki), Hemingway (Patea), Percival (Inglewood), Bone (Hawera), Crump (Eltham). The secretary reported that several returned soldiers, had been placed in occupations since iast meeting; also that £1*250 war loan certificates 'had been deposited with the local Bank of New Zealand for safe custody. ■Mr. J. Hislop, Under-Secretary for the Department of Internal Affairs, wrote relative to the monthly contribution of £155 which the Belief Association was paying for providing extra comforts for the sick and wounded soldiers, stating that all quota contributions in connection with the providing of £3OOO per month for extra comforts are* passed through the New Zealand Red Cross Fund.

The chairman said lie was surprised to hear that the money was being sent through the Bed Cross Association. The .money, he contended, "be. sent direct to the High Commissioner in London. The Minister for Internal Affairs had advised the board that the amount was to be used for purchasing extra comforts for soldiers. The War Contingents Association in London were supposed to get not less than £ISOO per month of the £3OOO sent. Mr. McPhillips wanted to know if the War Contingent Association ia London was not paid this money. 1 The chairman was unable to answer the question, but considered it was an absolute breach of faith if the money was not sent through the High Commissioner. Mr. Hemingway said the money waa supposed to be for the purchase of comforts, and if it was not insisted upon the Red Cross Committee might divert the money to purchasing ambulances or anything else that fchey decided upon. It was decided to forwaird the correspondence to the advisory board, and the local delegate was instructed to see that the wishes of the Association were carried out in the matter. „ Messrs McPhillips and Dunn were appointed a committee to draft a letter regarding the Association's opinion on purchasing land for returned soldiers. The New Plymouth Patriotic Committee forwarded a letter received from Hawke's Bay Association, in which it was stated that a returned soldier who enlisted from this district, had taken up land in their district and needed assistance to farm it. The Hawke's Bay Association had declined the request for assistance, and passed the application, on to the New Plymouth Committee. The chairman said the conference of advisory boards had decided that every district was to grant assistance, where necessary, to soldiers who had taken up land in the district in which they had decided to reside, irrespective of where the men enlisted. Mr. Bone said the Hawke's Bay Association had forwarded to the Haw-era Patriotic Committee an'application for assistance which a Hawke's Bay soldier, who had taken up land in the Hawera district, had made to their Association. It seemed peculiar that the Hawke'a Bay Association would not grant assistance to a Taranaki man who had taken up land in their district, and yet when a Hawke's Bay man required assistance they promptly referred the applicant to the district in which he was now residing.

On the motion of the chairman, it was decided" to inform the Hawke's Bay Association that, seeing the soldier had taken up land in their district, any assistance necessary should be given by them. The secretary was also instructed to inform the Hawke's Bay Association that the decision of the conference of advisory boards regarding the application of a soldier who had enlisted in their district, a,nd had taken up land in this district, would be followed. Regarding the application made .by the 'Hawera Patriotic Committee on behalf of a Hawke's Bay soldier, the delegates were of opinion that the funds were not ircally for those who were able-bodied and could work, but for those who really needed assistance, who, were disabled or could not follow their regular employment. The Association was not a moneylending institution, and if they assisted able-bodied men with large sums of money the funds would soon be depleted. The meeting then discussed the matter of the investment of the Association funds. Eventually, on the motion of Mr. Kirkwood, it was decided that £4OOO be invested in war bonds, making £SOOO with that already taken up. The finance committee recommended placing £3OOO in the Bank of New Zealand on fixed d<\)*it for two ftcars, and the balance in the Post Office Savings Bank until such time as the Association could ascertain more clearly the extent of their ultimate liabilities, GENERAL. The local Chamber of Commerce received word from the Minister of Public Works that the 'Department does not intend to hand over the further sections of the railway "out east - ' to the Kailway Dopartimmt until the line is completed to Tahora, which should be during the coming summer. It is understood that the police have unearthed the culprit in the recent burglaries. He is a lad of 12 years of age. Besides goods taken from Mr. Mills', article? from other business premises 111 the town -were found in the lad's possession. The attention of ICaponga residents is drawn to an advertisement appearing in cur advertising columns, from Smart Bscs., electricians, of Stratford, Inglewood, and New 'Plymouth, intimating that they are prepared to undertake wiring of houses, etc., in the Kasnnea district. CARDIFF DAIRY COML'AA I. The annual meeting of the above company was held ill the Cardiff schoolroom on Monday evening, Mr. W. Richards (chairman of directors) presiding over , ail attendance of -23 shareholders. The chairman, in moving the adoption of the annual report and balance-sheet, referred to the past season as a record for the company. Mr. G. A. Marcliant was re-elected director. In place of Messrs J. T. Belcher and T. H. Jones, who were ineligible to continue as directors, Messrs. 10. Bennett and T. 11. Belton were elected, while Mr. A, David was elected to fill the vacancy rendered vacant by the departure of Mr. McFadgen from the dis- . trict.

[ Messrs E. Jackson and T. Ranford, on behalf of the A. and P. Association, addressed the meeting regarding the objects of the Association, for the purpose of inducing' shareholders who are not already members to join. The meeting unanimously voted the Association a donation of £ls 15s. Mr. 1!. Masters (chairman of the Taranaki Education Board) and Jlr. A. C!ray (Director of Technical Education) then addressed the meeting on the matter of agricultural instruction, and, after a short discussion, it was decided to support the scheme by paying sixpence per ton on the company's output for three years towards the expense of the agricultural instructor. At a meeting of directors held immediacy after the annual meeting, Mr. W. Richards was again elected chairman. 5 GENERAL. The friends of Mr. Svd. Pitt will be pleased to hear that lie has returned after successfully undergoing an operation in Wellington. Measles are at present very prevalent in the district. . The annual meeting of the Boy Scouts was held oil Monday evening, when there was an attendance of 30 boys, under Scoutmaster Dyson. The 'boys gave some fine exhibitions of sco\itcraft under the direction of the scoutmaster, and ambulance work under Instructor SmithHoward. The committee met during the evening and. appointed Messrs W. and N. ! Kivell assistant scoutmasters. It was decided to hold a rally of :New Plymouth and Eltham scouts at Stratford at an early date. After variou* games had been indulged in by the boys, they were invited to supper, thoughtfully provided by tho district secretary (Mr, A. D. Stanley). The scout movement lias taken a new lease of life in Stratford, ind tho good work it is doing may be seen every Saturday at tho patriotic mart, where a squad of boys is -attendance to attend to the hundred and one wants in connection with the mart. " Lieut. Gray has kindly offered his services to instruct the boys in semaphore signalling and master-at-arms, and the committee have gladly availed themselves of the offer. A serious accident occurred to Mr. T. Wilson, an employee of Messrs Bellninger Bros., on Saturday last. It appears 'lie was cycling to Stratford from Stanley road, when the fork of his cycle broke, with the result that he was thrown heavily on his head, receiving rather severe injuries. Assistance was procured and the injured man was immediately removed to the Stratford Hospital, where he is progressing as favorably as can be expected.