STRATFORD.

Taranaki Daily News, 4 September 1916, Page 3

STRATFORD.

(From Our Own Correspondent.) Stratford, Sept. 2, PATRIOTIC COMMITTEE. A meeting of the general committee of the Patriotic Committee was held this afternoon. Present: Mr. J. W. Boon (chairman), Messrs Gernliofer (Toko), Therkleson, Robinson (Tariki), White (Kohuratalu), J. T. Belcher (Cardiff), Shotter. Skodgewcll (Midhirst), 0. Sangster, McMillan, Kirk-wood, Richards. Hall and Crawshaw (Stratford) The following executive committee was appointed:—Messrs J. W. Boon, J. B. Richards, W. P. Kirkwood, D. J. Malone •I. W. McMillan, M. Gernliofer, w! Skedgewell, W. J. Crawshaw and R. Dingle. The secretary reported that the branch committee and contributing bodies had notified the election of the' following gentlemen to the general committee:— Messrs M. Gernliofer (Toko Patriotic Committee), R. Dingle (Stratford Dairy Co.), B. On- (.Vgaere Dairy Co.), L. f. Belcher (Cardiff Dairy Co.), F. J. McDonald (Scottish Society), T. Bradley (Whangamomona 'Patriotic Committee). A. Coyne (Makahu), W. H. Robinson (Tariki Dairy Company), J. Therkleson (Tariki Patriotic Committee), White (Kohuratalu Patriotic Committee). Mr. J. T. Belcher notified that the Cardiff -Dairy Company had decided to continue to contribute to the patriotic funds on the basis of % per cent, on the season's output. Mr. Boon said they had to deepnd on the dairy companies to a certain extent for contributions to the fund.

Mr. White reported the ease of a returned soldier who had been discharged on a pension of Is 4d per day. and since his discharge he has had to enter the hospital for the purpose of undergoing an operation, and the 'Hospital Board had sent him en. account for his maintenance. He thought the Patriotic Committee should pay his account. ■Mr. Kirkwood said they would only be too pleased to do so, but they had never been asked to. Further, a lot of rumor?, had got about that the Patriotic Committee was not doing its duty to the returned men, but in every case that had been investigated it was found that the rumors were without foundation. Regarding the case under notice, mem hers of the committee had seen both the soldier and his father, who distinctly stated they would not accept assistance so it was hard to know what to do in a case like this. It had been said that the Association was piling up large sums of money, but it had to be .remembered that out of 00,000 men at the front less than 5000 had returned, and a lot of the men were bound to require assistance when they all returned. Until then it was almost impossible to know what funds would be required. At a meeting of the executive, held immediately after the general meeting, ilr. W. P. Kirkwood was re-elected chairman and Mr. J. W. McMillan reelected secretary.

GENERAL. The Patriotic Mart to-day was in charge of Mesdames J. S. McDonald and C. Martin, while Mesdames W. H. I'aynter and Falder supervised the tea-rooms. Both departments report a busy day. The vital statistics for Stratford for August were: Births 31, marriages 3, deaths 8. Rain fell on 23 days at Stratford last month. The heaviest fall was on the 25th, when 1.55 inches was registered. Butter and cheese buyers will be in force in Stratford on Tuesday, when they will meet the various dairy companies regarding the disposal of the season's output. Ninepencc-halfpenny per lb has been refused by some cheese factories.