OBITUARY.

Taranaki Daily News, 16 December 1922, Page 2

OBITUARY.

MR. H. A. STRATFORD. The death occurred at a Xew Plymouth private hospital yesterday morning of Mr. H. A. Stratford, headmaster of the Central School, aged 48 years. The late Mr. Stratford was admitted to the hospital suffering from an acute attack of appendicitis on Saturday last, and was operated on the same evening. For a while his condition was as satisfactory as could be expected after a serious operation, but he never really rallied and during the last day or two he became gradually weaker. The late Mr. Stratford had been in the ‘Taranaki district for some years. For a while he was headmaster of the Ngaere School, a position he relinquished in 1909, having been appointed headmaster of the Inglewood •School. Mr. Stratford was still at Inglewood when Ihe war broke out and when he went away in the New Zealand forces he was granted leave of absence. He served in France as a captain and was badly wounded. It was while Mr. Stratford was in France that he first received intimation of his appointment as headmaster of the Central School in April, 1917. He returned to New 'Zealand in 1918, and took up ths duties of his new appointment in July of the same year. Mr. Stratford had always taken a keen interest in the welfare of the schools with which he has been associated, and under his able guidance excellent results from a scholastic point of view have .been obtained, while the moral tone of his schools was always high. He also entered with enthusiasm into the outdoor lifg of the children. His interest in educational matters extended beyond the boundaries of his own school and he had always been actively associated with the New Zealand Educational Institute, having held the position for some time of president of the Taranaki brancr. While resident in the Inglewood district the late Mr. Stratford held the office of Worshipful Master of the Moa Lodge, and at the time of his death was Director of Ceremonies of the Ngamotu Lodge, New Plymouth. He also held the principal -chair in the Paritutu Royal Arch Chapter. The late Mr. Stratford was closely associated with local football and cricket circles, and at the time of his death held several positions in connection with both of those branches of sport. He was of a retiring disposition, but had won the highest respect and esteem of a wide circle of friends throughout the district who will sincerely regret to learn of his death. The funeral will take place to-morrow.