STRATFORD.

Taranaki Daily News, 2 June 1919, Page 3

STRATFORD.

(From Our Own Correspondent,) (All communications, letters, etc., left with Mr H. 1. Hopkins, bookseller, will receive prompt attention.) ENLARGING THE HOSPITAL. May 31. Mr. T. H. Penn, secretary to the Stratford Board, has received a telegram from Mr. 0, D. Sole, acting-chair-man, who is now in Wellington, stating that the plans for enlarging the hospital have aow been approved, and that a' loan for £SOOO for 36 years for carrying I out the work has been arranged. THE ACCLIMATISATION SOCIETY.

The report and balance-sheet to be presented at the annual meeting of the Stratford Acclimatisation Society tonight states .iiut the past year compares very favorably with previous years. Quite a large percentage of sportsmen joined the colors, and dt might have been expected that the receipts would show a largo discrepancy compared with past years. They were actually £22 less, while the credit balance was roiighly £3 less than in 1918. The prospects could not be claimed to be very rosy, although pheasants are reported to be in fair numbers and quail fairly numerous, but it is necessary to travel into the back country and cover a good deal of ground to get birds. Each year both pheasants and quail are becoming scarcer The only consolation to sportsmen is that hares are very numerous. The question of providing and acclimatising game birds in the district is hard to solve, more particularly in view of the land in Tnranaki being cut up into smaller areas every year, together with the disappearance of the bush and natural cover. A move was recently made to amalgamate the different societies in Taranaki. with a view to greater efficiency and reduced expenditure. Belegates had been appointed by the local society to attend a conference, but owing to the oscioty which first moved having dropped the matter nothing further was done in this direction. With the many difficulties confronting the societies in Taranaki, a conference to consider amalgamation may result in an advantageous agreement being hrrived at. In any case only good could result from sucli a conference, and it is recommended to the incoming executive that an endeavor be made at an early date for a conference of all acclimatisations societies in Taranaki to deal with the above (natter. From a fishing point of view the past season has not been very satisfactory. For the most part the bags secured were small, although some fairsized and well-conditioned fish were taken. On account of the small number of trout taken from the streams the rivers should be in a much better stocked condition for next season. Bm-injr the venr 50.000 were hatched, the loss as usual, owing to the expert and careful attention of the curator, Miss -Tones, beins small. Most of the frv were liberated in the Patca nnd Manganui streams. In aiM'tion 2000 vearlinjr fish were put

in the streams. All who had assisted to make the work of the society successful were thanked, especially those who had helped to put down poacliint*. The cooperation of ali sportsmen in eliminating unsportsmanlike jnethods in taking fish and game was appreciated iit the past and is solicited in the future. A FIRST-CLASS HIGHWAY. ■fioo-l progress is being made by the workmen in converting Broadway into a first-class highway. A further stretch between the bridge at the southern end of the town and the courthouse U now being laid down with tarmacadam, and the work in this block is nearly half completed. It will be a considerable time before all the work provided for under the scheme is finished, and while there can be no doubt as to the wisdom of the undertaking, there is, as might he expected in these days of hich prices for material and dear labor, some doubt as to whether 01 not the money will be expended long before the work is completed. The part of the street which has already been re-laid and has had to stand the test of traffic is, as seems to be inevitable with such roads, losing in places its evenness of surface, and it is apparent that the street will have to receive regular attention if the small holes are not to assume unpleasant proportions. STRATFORD'S FUTURE.

A traveller whose circuit includes all the principal towns in the North Island, and who makes a careful study of the progress of the different centres he visits, expressed the view that the two towns in the North Island with the best future are Stratford and Gisborne. The latter place is growing at an amazing rate, and though Stratford has seemed to remain stationary for some time, and it may lie a few years yet before it makes much headway, there must como a time when it will move ahead rapidly. Being the natural centre of a very large area which cannot be economically served in its business requirements from either Havera or New Plymouth, the town must respond to every fresh development in land settlement. The branch railway line has already strengthened the position of the town, and with cvety extension of the line towards the Main Trunk some benefit must result to Stratford. In the earlier days of Stratford it was thought, apparently, that the town would extend across the bridge southwards, but the empty, and in some cases neglected, shops in that part of the borough shows how badly people who invested in property then calculated. There is every indication that the town will extend from the other end, Already there are several important business places north of Regan Street, and the erection of Masters' lug grocery and hardware store has given an importance to the locality which it will never loseOn the corner of Regan Street and Broadway a large two-storev building is to be erected for Mr. Petrie, watchmaker and jeweller. The plans for this building are not out yet, but it is understood that the work will be pushed on shortly. When this building is up it should further popularise this end of the town, and others may have the courage to set up business in an area where there is ample room for extension. Practically all shops are taken up, and rents have a tendency to stiffen. This and the fact that a number of the shops are not equal to the requirements of the businesses they serve must lead to building operations within a reasonable time, and definite movement in this direction should not be long delayed.j Though there is very little building of any kind going on r\ Stratford at present, there should be something doing verv soon. A mati interested in the timber industry mentioned yesterday that he knew of at least tea houses that •re to be erected shortly.

- GENERAL. A dance will be held to-mofrow (Tuesday) evening at Toko. Particulars are advertised elsewhere. Several returned soldiera will be welcomed at a social by the residents of Midhirst on Wednesday next. > Oil Thursday, June 12, the Toko Settlers' Association will hold their annual soc|al m the Toko Coronation Hall. At the social the prizes won in tlie field and butter-fat competitions will be presented. A social was held at Cardiff schoolroom on Friday evening in aid of the grounds improvement fund. Mr. E. Masters, chairman of the Education' Board, presided. The programme was given mainly by the school children, Mesdames Greenwell and Hancock assisting with songs. The accompaniments were played by Miss Smith. Music for the dance, was provided l>y Miss 0. Taylor, and Mr- T. Carley acted as M.C.

Bargain fortnight at James', Saturday 17 to Saturday 31. Sale discounts on ail fancy goods, jewellery, brooches, pendants, bangles, etc. Special sixpenny table. Special half price table. Discounts on ladies' hand bags. A fortnight's sale of fancy goods and toys. Please come and see. Charles E. James, Broadway, Stratford*