STRATFORD.

Taranaki Daily News, 6 January 1917, Page 3

STRATFORD.

COMMITTED FOR THEFT. (From On: Own Correspondent.) Friday, Jan. u. _Afc the Magistrate's Court to-day, M. W. Bariow, a youth, was charged with breaking and entering the Empire Hotel, and stealing four bottles of whisky, a box of cigars, and two tumblers. Messrs. Jonas Masters, J.P., and C. D. Sole, J .'P., occupied the Bench. Sergeant Dale conducted the prosecution. Cecil Arden, proprietor of the hotel, gave evidence as to the loss of the articles mentioned in the charge, which wore locked in his store-room, the door of which had been forced and the lock removed. David H. Katwright testified to buying a. bottle of whisky from accused, who gave him some cigars. The whisky was hidden in some fern in a paddock. Constable A. M. Robertson deposed thai he interviewed accused, who admitted that he had broken into the store-roorn and removed the whisky, cigars, and glasses. Accused also admitted selling one bottle to Katwrigbt for 4? fid. "liarlow also stated that he broke into Arden's so that the police would get him again and place him on board a training ship, as he did not want to stay at home. Accused, who pleaded guilty, was remanded to the Wellington Supremo Court for sentence.

REFLECTIONS. At a recent meeting of the Stratford County Council a communication was received from a roadman stating "that owing to the high cost of living (meat was costing him 2s lb) and the difficulty ' of obtaining supplies, and the hardships : suffered by his wife he wished to be relieved of his employment." The Council appointed a committee to interview the. roadman. Last week Constable. Bleasel made a trip to the Mental Hospital at Porirua. His patient was a woman from out back who had suffered a bereavement, and this had reduced her to such a state that it was necessary to remove her to a place whore she might recover, given time and attention. These two instances coming under notice at a time when people are laughing, chatting, elbowing their way along a crowded footpath, bright merry maidens with sparkling eyes and youngsters and matrons all in for a good day, make ■' one wonder if man, with his sense of justice, is really just to woman. Self seems to be at the back of all of us, and womenfolk are a minor consideration. Watch a train disembark passengers and then observe the destination of its living freight. If near lunch time the woman will hustle her flock off to a tea-room, and there with a crowd of other women you will see her pouring out tea to one, lemonade to another, a cake here, a bun there, and then out again perhaps with a big, bonny boy in her arms, another trailing at her skirts, and a couple of toddlers bringing up the rear. And poor old father, what about him? Well, usually you will find he has picked up a man, and pulls up to talk sheep, tests, the war, etc. Chatting on the footpath is inconvenient, so he adjourns for refreshments, and to prevent the talk becoming too dry, he ''here's your health, old man!" and, later on, if Jiis speech becomes a little thick, and his gait rather unsteady, he has had what he terms a "good day." Not so the other half. The youngsters are tired, the youngest becomes troublesome, the novelty of a visit to town is lost on the kiddies, and 'the mother really anxious to get back to peace and quietness. And it is this very peace—or solitude —that brings me back to reflect on the two paragraphs heading this note. In the first instance the roadman finds it difficult to keep in touch with civilisation, and his wife plainly tells him. He listens, and though he sacrifices a good job, he retains his wife's interest and health and the opportunity of striking work elsewhere. The second instance shows a husband worse than bereaved, the work of many yars nullified, and the family worse adapted for the bush and can find plenty to comi 11 \m> with in the growth of tree, (em, and flower. Others, unfortunately, cannot stand the sameness of routine, year in and out. Their salvation lies in frequent visits to town, but frequently instead of being visits of pleasure are really periods of anxiety through lack of thought or consideration by man. There was a time, not so many years ago, when a husband took a delight in moving round with his wife, but, those days are past. It seems to b<» old-fashioned. Now-a-days the mater visits her tearoom and pater finds his pleasures elsewhere. I prefer to be old-fashioned. How's this for luck'! At the Stratford races early in the afternoon a backer obtained four tickets on his fancy.

Tho licrso ran outside the dividend position. At the close of the meeting the punter started to overhaul his collection of "dead" totalisator tickets, and then discovered that lie possessed four winning tickets on the nice he thought he had lost. Evidently the clerk was confuted or the backer not clear in his demand His inability to correct the ni'f:take meant that his carelessness enriched him by a nice little sum that was as welcome, as it was unexpected. It is onlv natural that one desires 1.0 obtain the best when nuking a purchase. The buying is still more satisfactory when you get the best at lowest cost. This was the experience of the thousand buyers at C. 1!. James' fancy goods warehouse during the holidays. [There are bargains' still awaiting purchasers. Step lively and set his stock. — Advt.