STRATFORD.

Taranaki Daily News, 13 July 1921, Page 6

STRATFORD.

BTRATFOBD. AGENCY, Advertisements anti items of news for publication in tl*e Taranaki Daily News should te left at the office of our local representatives, Wilson Bros., Broadway, Stratford. Ortlqja for papers may also ba left witis them. ; , c ..; BOROUGH COUNCIL July 12. The -Stratford Borough Council met last night. Present: The Mayor (Mr. J. VV. McMillan), Crs. A. Cameron, S. Ward, A. Stewart, VV. Mclnnes, C. Jackson, C. B. Walsh, S. B. Hunter and T. Lawson. Au apology, for absence was received fr.OHuCr. Rutherfurd. ELECTRICAL ENGINEER'S REPORT, The electrical engineer (Mr. L. C. Vivary) reported that the hydro station had given little trouble, with the exception of the blockage of the gratings. At the Diesel station the new plant had been erected and coupled up to the new switchboard, and is now in operation. A total of 40,235 units had been, gener* ated—an increase over the correspond-' iug month of last year of 735 units. The new installation had been ; connected up, and additions made to-- seven, existing installations. In a supplementary report the en- ■ gineer stated that the Diesel plant was required to run from' 8 a.m. till 12 noon and from 1 p.m. till 4 p.m., a total of se#en hours per day, for the purpose of generating power for electric motors. The average number of units generated during the seven hours was 169, the revenue from which, at 4d per unit, was, after deducting expenses, £2 16s 4d. ENFORCING THE BY-LAWS. Cr. Mclnnes complained that vehicles travelling within the borough without lights were becoming a great danger. The Mayor said that where a street was well lighted he did not think it necessary to have lights on vehicles standing in the street. Cr. Ward said it was unreasonable toexpect owners of cars to keep lights on their vehicles while .standing in the streets, but they should be parked where the street was well lighted.

It was resolved that the inspector be instructed to take no action where cars ardlstanding in single file in well lighted parts of the street. It was decided to enforce the by-laws relating to speeding, opening of exhausts, etc., and the heavy traffic .by-law. SPRINGBOKS’ VISIT. The Taranaki Rugby Union notified the council of the change in the date of the Springboks’ football match at New Plymouth, and asked that a half holiday be •observed in the town. The Mayor moved that the town be asked to observe the half-holiday. Cr. Jackson seconded the motion, and asked that all employers be asked to let their employees off in time to catch the 11 o’clock train. It was very unfortunate that the Railway Department had seen fit to make the time of departure of the special train as early as 11 o’clock, as the retailers’ premises were not cloning till noon. It was decided to give the whole of the council staff a whole holiday on the day of the match. It wag decided, on the motion of the Mayor, to hold a reception tea on Thursday to entertain the South African footballers when passing through Stratford, and io invite all councillors and the public to be present.. GENERAL. It was decided that the by-laws relating to the abattoirs must be,, adheredto in all cases. The borough architect sent in an estimate of the damage caused by the recent lire at the fire station, fixing the cost of renewals at £l2B. A report on the ■ subject stated that the fire ‘was caused ■ by the excessive heating of the stove causing the ignition of some clothing. Cr. Cameron asked what was being done in the direction of erecting “silent policemen'’ at the dangerous corners in tlie town, particularly the East Road corner. The Mayor said that plans for the proposed warnings were in the hands of Mr. Sturrock, of Hawera, and when those came to hand further action would be taken.

HOSPITAL BOARD. The monthly meeting of the Stratford Hospital Board was held to-day. Present, Messrs. C. D. Sole (chairman). R. MeK. Morison, P. 'rhompson, E. Muri'ell, J. T. Belcher, G. P. Harkness, and J. O’Neill. MEDICAL SUPERINTENDENT’S REPORT. Dr. Sowerby, medical superintendent of the hospital, reported as follows: During the month 35 patients were admitted and 32 discharged, leaving '2l cases in the institution at the end of the month. Thirteen operations were performed and. there was one dVath. There were 6 out-patient soldier attendances and 30 civilian out-patient attendances. Two cases were in isolation. MATRON’S REPORT.

The matron reported follows: “Dr. Sowerby and myself are of the opinion that the staff should be increased by another probationer, and, later, when we have more accommodation, by another trained nurse. Our daily average is abut 23 patients, and the isolation ward is very rarely unoccupied. I recommend that Miss E. Symes be placed on the waiting list now, and, with the board’s sanction, taken on probation next week. This arrangement would be preferable to engaging a nurse every time the wards get very heavy, and would also allow me to give days off duty without others having to do extra duty as at present. Nurse Dawbin passed her hospital examination last month, gaining 78 per cent, of the noesible marks.

The matron’s report and recommendations were adopted, with the exception that the board decided that it could not engage another trained nurse at the present time. In this connection Mr. Sole said that the Stratford Hospital probably had a better stall' than any other hospital in New Zealand. HOSPITAL LEVIES.

A large amoiFnt of correspondence was received from local bodies throughout the Dominion in reply to the Stratford Hospital Board's circular soliciting support in an endeavor to induce the Government to revert to the former Bystem of a flat rate of £ for £ subsidy to hospital levies.

A number of authorities had decided to take no action in the matter, some had already taken steps in the direction indicated, a few expressed disagreement with the sentiment of the circular while a large proportion of the answers promised hearty co-operation with the Stratford board's action.

GENERAL., The committee of the recent benefit football match, the commercial- houses versus rhe law clerks, land' agents and banks, forwarded a cheque for £4 to be devoted to the hospital funds. Mr. Sole stud there wa«j a movement on root to raise a fund to assist the young man Thompson, who had his foot amputated after an accident some time ago, and it was proposed to use the £4 as a nu- 1 cleus for this fund. The Bank of New Zealand notified that the rate or interest on bank overdraft would be increased to. 7$ per cent. Some exception was taken to this increase, in view of the large dividends being paid by the banks. The chairman pointed out that the board’s overdraft was very light, ami would probably be paid off this year. GENERAL NEWb. Cu account of the Springboks’ football match on Saturday, the Taranaki Education Board has arranged that there shall be no classes for teachers at Stratford on that day. The Foresters’ dance last night was an unqualified success, there being a very large attendance. Mrs. Bianchi supplied the dance music, and extras were played by Mieses Hall (Midhirst) and Feaver and Mrs. Matthews. Messrs. Murray and Blews carried out the duties of M.C.’s. A good farmer’s or householder’s bundle of stationary is supplied for 5s post free by Wilson Bros., stationers, Stratford. This ie the list: Two writing pads, three packets envelopes, packet blotting slips, lead pencil, pen and scribbling or order pad. Send 5s along and get a bundle from Wilson Bros, stationers, Stratford.