STRATFORD.

Taranaki Daily News, 6 January 1920, Page 3

STRATFORD.

(Prom Our Own CorresDondent.) (AU communications, letters, ate., left with ilr. H. J. Hopkins, bookseller, will receive prompt attention.) PRESENTATION TO MR. KIVELL. January 5.

On Saturday night the members of the Borough Council and representative citizens met Mr. E. H. Kivell at the Municipal Chambers, and on behalf of the townspeople, presented him with an illuminated address, which represented some of the finest work that has been turned out by Mr. McAllister, of Broadway. The address was as follows: "R, •H". Kivell—Dear Sir: On behalf of the Stratford Borough Council and the citizens of Stratford we desire, on the occasion of your departure from Stratford, where you have resided for over "6 years, to express to you and Mrs. Kivell the appreciation and gratitude of the whole community for your invaluable services during that period. Your fine work as Captain of the Fire Brigade, your great activity and interest in all branches of sport, and the kindly help and assistance always given by you and Mrs. Kivell to every deserving cause will always be gratefully remembered- In conclusion, we wish you and Mrs. Kivell success, health and happiness in your new home." The address was signed by the Mayor (Mr. W. J. McMillan), the Borough Councillors and the Town Clerk (Mr. P. Skoglund). Artistic merit was given to the address by photographs of the town in the eighties and in 1919, a photograph of the Fire Brigade, of which Mr. Kivell had been captain in 1897, and a view of Stratford with the mountain showing up clea.-ly in the background. Mr. Campbell Jackson, deputy mayor, making the presentation, said Mr. Kivell had been a good sport and he had reared a family of sports. He could always be relied upon at any moment to do his part in helping the town along. Mr. Grubb, captain of the Fire Brigade, said Mr. Kivell bad taken the keenest interest in the Fire Brigade, which he had practically started. Mr. Burgess, on behalf nf the Friendly Societies, acknowledged the good work done by Mr. Kivell in starting a lodge in Stratford.

Mr. C. D. Sole said that in private life Mr. and Mrs. Kivell had always- been williug to help the sick and distressed. Mr." R. Masters, M.P., referred to Mr. KivelPs contribution to the welfare of sport.

Appreciative references were also made by Messrs. N. G. King, Mr. W. P. Kirkwood, P. Skoglund, Lawson, Kowson. Malone and Walsh. Mr. Kivell thanked one and all for the kind remarks made in reference to his wife and himself. He "was proud of the goodwill that had been shown him in making the presentation. Mr. Kivell referred to some of the early events in the history of Stratford in which he and others present had figured, and said he had seen the place grow to what it is at the present time. With his wife he had always taken an active interest in the town.

GENERAL. 'Die Christmas season was the busiest that has been experienced at the Stratford railway station for the past years, but a very large proportion of the traffic was in connection with the races and ivould be credited to other stations. The removal of war restrictions, which meant cheaper fares and the privilege or taking return tickets for distances of over ICIO miles, and the extension of the period during which tickets were available, encouraged travelling, resulting in a marked improvement in the Christmas traffic.

It is expected that some hostility will he shown at the public meeting the Mayor proposes to call relative to the removal of th» railway station to the south end of the town. It is suggested that those wlio have property interests in the northern end will throw the ivhole weight of their influence against the only ,scheme which seems acceptable to the Railway Department, and in the long run will have the best effect upon I he town. Perhaps it would have been belter if the Mayor, seeitnr that the conference which met Mr. McVilly to discuss the matter was quite unanimous in consenting to the southern site, had accepted this as final and -ettled the mat' ter onee and for all;, but his sense of fairness to all would not permit him to do this, and lie intimated that the question, would be. referred to a meeting of the burgesses later. In stating his intention to Mr. McViily, he said that as no arguments which were not purely personal could be advanced in favor of the northern site he did not think that they would be likely to influence- the ralepayers. There is little doubt sis to what the verdict would be if the matter could be referred to the people as a whole, but public meetings are not always representative of the people, and an interested minority may easilv gain the day. Jt is to be hoped that steps will he taken to impress upon the public the advisability of assisting -Air. McVilly in every wa.v to carry out a scheme which, apparently, has been well thought out by the departmental officers. With this S"liomo the trains will rim below two of the main thoroughfares (Regan and Fenton streets), and the danger from shunting will be removed. A very large proportion of the children attending the public school have to pass through these streets, and the danger from shunting- and passing trains is a matter of constant anxiety to their parents. Apart from safety, the appearance of the town is worth considering, and it mar be presumed that the two bridges, the full width of the street, to ■ic erected. across Fenton and Resjan streets will be creditable to the town and the Department. There is probably verv little in the avsrument that the re--1 'nova' of the station to Warwick Road will affect the value of property at the J other end. Many railway stations are I well removed from the towns they serve, nnd there seems to be verv little connection between property values and the position of the station. The southern part of Stratford is much favored as a place of residence, and in the judgment of some will be even more so if the business portion of the town has a tendency to go the other way. As far as business is concerned Broadway must extend south. There are already business places of first importance in th.it portion of the town, and plans are already out for a modern two-storey building at the corner of Regan Street and Broadway. The people will shop where they !'et the right kind of services, and the future of the north end rests entirely with those who have interests there. At the same time, the south must go ahead at a quicker rate than formerly. A great future is ahead of Stratford, which 7nay. within five vearc, become an important, main trunk- junction, und the town must extend on all sides. The bint thrown out by Mr. llcVillr that.

if proper provision could not be made at Stratford for dealing with the traffic properly when the line is through, some of the business which properly belongs to the town will go to other stations, should not be overlooked. Mr. MeVilly also said that there was only one scheme (the south) which was satisfactory fram a railway point of view, and to get the best from the Department it may be as well to meet it m every possible way. Certainly, no private interests should be allowed to interfere with' the general welfare and the real progress of the town. Two weddings were celebrated in Strafford io-dav. At St. Andrew's Church Mr. Li. A. King, of the stall' of the Stratford livening Post, was married to Mies Merle Ti. Henry, eldest daughter of Mr. W. Henry, of Cordelia, Street. The Rev. R. B. Tinsley officiated. The bride, who was given away by her father, wore a cream costume and blue hat, and carried a pretty bouquet of lillies of the valley and trailers. The bridesmaid was Miss Thelma Webley, of Nelson, and she wore a white silk dress With black and white hat. A large number of guests were entertained at. the wedding breakfast at Mr. Smith's rooms. Later, Mr. and Mrs King left for New Plymouth, where they take the boat for Auckland on their honeymoon.

At Holy Trinity Church, Mr. J. E. H. Metyhead was married to Miss Margaret Elizabeth Alice Lyford, fifth daughter of Mr. and Mrs T. Lyford, of East Road, Stratford, the Rev. C. A. Howard officiating. After the ceremony the bridal party were entertained at the Foresters'' Hall.

The work of building new offices for Messrs Spence, Rutherfurd, McAlister and Coleman (solicitors), will shortly be put in hand. A tender has been let to Mr. W. Simmons, contractor of Stratford, and the building is to be completed by March 31. The ■completed cost will be in the vicinity of £SOOO. The whole of the building will not be required by the firm, and a portion wiß be let as offices, for which there is even now a fair demand in Stratford. The vital statistics for Stratford for December are: Births 18, deaths 2, marriages 4. For the year 1919, the figures were as follows (1918 being given in parentheses): Births 203 ('221): deaths 52 (110); marriages 49 (41). The extraordinary number of deaths in 1918 compared to last year is accounted for by the influenza epidemic, which raged in the last two months of the year. The rain which fell since Saturday has meant a great deal to the country, and has completely altered the prospects for the winter for the better. The ground received a good soaking, and both crops and pastures will greatly benefit.

Reduce the depreciation in your motor car by taking it to C. D. Mathews. Stratford, and if it is mechanically sound he will return it looking as well as when you first bought it, at a very small cost The best paints and varnishes, and workmen who know their trade.

Reunions, family gatherings, etc., will naturally he the usual thing during the holiday season. Consult McAllister, Photographer, Stratford, about a permanent record of such. Group photographs are always interesting for present and future reference.

Save yourself trouble and avoid loss by providing yourself with the moans for keeping records of those things you need to remember. Oct a 1920 diary'from 11. .1. Hopkins without delay. These diaries contain a lot of useful information in handy form, and can be obtained in sizes to suit requirements.