STRATFORD.

Taranaki Daily News, 5 December 1917, Page 3

STRATFORD.

(From Our Own Correspondent). [All communications, letters, etc., left *vim Mr, 11. J. Hopkins, bookseller, will receive prompt attention.] LAWKS' I'ATRIOTK! COMMITTEE. ■Slrat ford, Dec. A. Mrs. Boon presided at the monthly meeting of the above committee held this afternoon. There was a good attendance of member*. The report of the sewing committee stated that the same, faithful few were still going strong. They were still making pyjamas, waistcoats, and glory bags. It was suggested they should close down till February to give the consistent workers a spell. Mesdamcs Barwick and Good, of I'ohokura, were sewing in their own homes. Miss .lames, headmistress at Mahoe, had her girls making glory bags. Thanks wore due to the ladies for providing afternoon tea.

The report was received, and a motion was carried resolving not. to have sewing meetings till early in February.

Corporal 11. J.' Holochier, N.Z. Divisional Train, 4th Brigade, wrote from France under date il/O/l" acknowledging gifts of parcels, and stating that these were very useful. He assured them the boys were very grateful for the kindness of the Stratford ladies. If the ladies had seen the boys lined up that morning when they received their goods it would have done the eyesight good. The soldier* were like a lot of delighted schoolbovs.

Corporal D. Hut ton. writing under the same date, forwarded a short letter acknowledging the generous gifts forwarded by the committee.

Some time was taken lip in making arrangements for the entertainment of the llawera amateurs, who are giving an entertainment in the town liall on Wednesday evening under tlie auspices of Hie Ladies' Committee. Matters were well forward and the various details wore apportioned to several sub-eomniittees. Owing to the want of, space and the ineonvenienee at the hall it was resolved to utilise the patriotic tea-rooms for providing, refreshments to the performers. The takincs at the rooms during November totalled CSS Us 7d, the 'Mart, realising Ml f>s l.Td and the lea-rooms £27 is Sd. The sum of £Ol 7s was planed to the credit of the Y.M.C'.A. funds. It i« expeeled to f<ir\vard 144 parcels next Wednesday week. The question of holding a baby competition in February will be taken up in earnest at the meeting to be held early in til at month. GENERAL

The points prizes in'connection with the various oompetition classes at the late show are now available. Jn the cattle classes Messrs Olsen Bros., of Eftmpni Village, won th- points prize in cattle competition, and also Mr. Tlarkness' enp for the Ayrshire breed of cattle. .1. Nicholson, llawera, won the special crp presented by Mr. I?. -T. "Linn for the .Jersey breed, the previous winner being Mr. A. .1. (i'Donnell. In the horse section Mr. T. Perry won the trophy for mrist.points in draughts. Colin McLaren, Toko, was successful in winning the points prize in the sheep section. A dead beat has to be recorded in the cooking competition, the successful ladies being Mrs. W. IT. Rutledge (Midhirst) and Mrs. 11. ,T. Gray (Stratford).

November wns a very dry month, rain falling on 7 days, the total being 2.S4in. Farmers round Midliirst and Waipnku. who usually have their p.istnres well moistened at this period of the year, are finding it necessary to re-sow the turnip and mangold crops. In these days of short labor and high price of seeds the delay in cropping is a serious thing, to say nothing of making the main crops later than usual.

Evidently the stoppage of the railway works at Tahora is not to be permanent. Mr. J. B. Richards, of the Chamber of Commerce, has been notified by the 'Minister for Public Works that all he wished to convey was that the terminus would have to remain at Tahora for some time, but- there never was any intention to stop the' Work there, provided sufficient labor can be obtained. Th - line beyond Tahora goes through some exceedingly rough country, and will be an exceedingly difficult one to locate and construct. The intention is, as soon as the war is over and labor more abundant, to push on this work as rapidlv as possible.

Heavy smoke in and around Midhirst iit, midday indicated that some farmers We burning up useless .stumps, etc., in the paddocks. Whilst the farmer burns the stumps to clear his pastures, his dairy factory has to import coal from a distance, wood being evidently unprocurable.

Ladies visiling Stratford are all invited to look through C. F. .Tames' stock of hand-bags. They range from 3/(1 to ft)/-. Watch his windows as they and his shop are bristling with new /roods from now on, and every article is suitable for a seasonable present.—Advt.