STRATFORD.

Taranaki Daily News, 10 April 1920, Page 3

STRATFORD.

(From Our Otfn CorreßDondent.) (All communications, letters, etc., left with Ur. H. J. Hopkins, bookseller, will recelvi Drompt attention.) MAGISTRATE'S COURT. April fl. A sitting of the Magistrate's Court was held at Stratford to-day, before Mr. T. A. B. Bailey, S.M. Bernard Augustine Wcybnrne, farmer, nf Midhirst, was charged with failing to clear blackberry from the lands he was occupying , Defendant pleaded guilty under extenuating circumstances, stating that he had been unable to clear the blackberry owing to having been laid up with sickness. A fine of 20s and costs 14s fid was imposed. George Peter Hunter, of Stratford, was fined '' and costs 7s O&'for a similar offenc! r - ruiant stating he had met with an r ■; i. and iiad also had a great deal r.f sicklier '■• bis family. Arthur John u-obald, of Denbigh Road. Midhirst, for failing to clear ragwort from hi 3 'farm, was fined 20s and costs 14s. (id. For riding "bicycles on the footpath in Regan Street, H. Dudson was fined 5s and costs 7s, \and J. McLennan 10s and costs [ Mary (JJifton (Mr. Truby King) applied for a separation order, with maintenance and guardianship of one child, from her ''.'-twTid.-Percy Clifton. Defendant forward <k\ a letter expressing his willingness to contribute 30s a week maintrnawe. and an order for that amount wa= made. Judgment for the amount claimed, v.i:h •(-!-, was given for the plaintiff by dr- f ai•"• : :> rjir-li of the following rases:— Ruth ' : -r:hr:\v« v. H. Freeman, £3; StruKoi-d Ifo.-pital and Charitable Aid Board v. Richard Rogers, £lO 4«; Erne=t Norman Heal v. Patrick Murphy, senr.. £1: Ernest Nornar Heal v. W. R. Judge. £1 Is: Francis Rooney v. J. Blunt. £l4 I.ls '2d. GENERAL. As the next regular sitting of the Court falls on St. George's Day (April 23), and the. following Friday bring the day of the Prince of Wales' visit, there will be no sitting of the Court presided over by a Magistrate until May 7. There is a great deal of land speculation going on in the Stratford, district at present, and some remarkable instances of rapid increases in value were quoted by a local land agent to-day. One small fann a few miles from Stratford was sold recently for £47 an acre, and the purchaser re-sold it for £O2, it being again sold for over £SO an acre, the three deals having occurred within one month. In another case a farm was sold for £OB an acre, and re-sold a fortnight later for £B2. Good deposits were put down in all eases. Regarding houses, there is hardly a good house in Stratford for sale, and exorbitant prices are being paid for old worm-eaten dwellings, which a few years ago would have been considered as hardly fit to live in. The housing problem is becoming very acute here as the population of the borough increases. There was a satisfactory attendance at the Town Hall last evening, when a dance was held by Mr. C. H. Fox. An excellent orchestra provided the music, and Mr. A. S. Davis acted as M.C. The borough electrical engineer (Mr. E. F. Hollands, A.M.1.E.E.), has received word that he has been elected an Associate of the N.Z. Society of Civil Engineers.

The annual meeting of the Stratford | A. and P. Association will be held in the Parish Hall, Stratford, to-morrow (Saturday), at 1.30 p.m. Secure the greatest degree or pleasure from motoring by having your car renovated by C. D. Matthews, Page Street, Stratford. He specialises in rehooding and repainting, and will make your car look like new, for a vtryjsmall cost. The very best of materials are used, and only first-class workmen are employed. It's time to have that long-promised portrait taken. No ne c d to wait for a fine day. With the equipment at McAllister's Studio, Stratford, you can be taken any time, day or nigh 1 :. The most up-to-date Studio in Taranaki—McAllister's. A large assortment of the latest and best novels have just arrived at H. J. Hopkins', bookseller and stationer, Stratford. There are over one hundred titles to choose from, all by the best of authors, and in 5s 6d and 6s editions. Also a splendid selection of new titles in 2s 6d editions. Just to hand:—"Mr. Punf a's History of the Great War"—a wor\irful book. Call and inspect.