STRATFORD.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 1157, 4 May 1894, Page 27

STRATFORD.

The founding of the Stratford Orchestral Society is a good step, and one that we must all regard with interest. There arc a large number of individuals who have instruments and also the talent required to play them, and it is well they are now banding together, There seems to be some difficulty iu getting a bass-viol, but no doubt this will soon be surmounted. Mr McMillan was appointed conductor, and an early practice is to be arranged when the Masonic Hall is available.

Our esteemed postmaster, Mr T. Raplcy, is away for a month’s holiday. He left Stratford on Saturday morning for the South, and was accompanied by Mrs Ripley. Mr E. do Lacey Beane is acting for him.

Archdeacon Govett arrived hero on Saturday, and on Sunday conducted the morning and evening services in the Holy Trinity Church. Tho weather was unfortunately cold and wet, and only small congregations attended.

Mr F. Pirani, M.H.R. for Palmerston North, visited Stratford in order to open a local Assembly of the Knights of Labour. The Stratford Assembly is to meet weekly on Thursday evenings. Mr Pirani made a speech of some length, which was well received. A number of the Knights of Labour from Eltham were present. Now, will the wife of a Knight of Labour be a Lady of Labour?

Tho 23rd April was St. George’s Day, and also Shakespeare's birthday, but it was not celebrated in any way whatever, unless the meetings of householders to elect school committees, which took p’ace on that day, may be looked upon as a fitting celebration. It is true the weather was cold, windy, and showery, but in a Shakespearian town such as Stratford, where the very streets familiarize*# one with tho personages in the great poet’s plays, one might expect some kind of dramatic demonstration on the 23rd. A gentleman from Cloton street might give us some readings of that amiable worthy ; a lady from Regan street would possibly prefer King Lear, while ladies and gentlemen from Celia, Orlando, and Fenton streets would certainly give us much pleasant entertainment.

We have for some time had teachers of music, painting, and dancing. Now to these is added a teacher of French, who announces that ho will commence a course of French lessons from the 3Jth inst. We wish him many pupils.

Ihe report of the Committee of the Stratford Mate School shows the school to be flourishing, although there is still reason to complain of the attendance in proportion to the numbers on the roll, even after the prevalence of measles and whooping cough is taken into consideration. When this is remedied it is stated that two more teachers will be necessary in addition to the five now employed. Tho children arc exercised with Indian clubs and dumb-bells with a view to improving their physique.