STRATFORD.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 1190, 21 December 1894, Page 18

STRATFORD.

The funeral of tbe late Constable Leahy toolt place on Friday, the 7th inst. It was largely attended and formed an imposing spectacle. The County Band played the “ pead March in Saul as the corteqe passed through the town. The S M r . Court had adjourned out of respect to the deceased, who was Clerk of the Court. TheS.M., Mr W. Stewart, and seven members of the Bar joined in the procession. Members of the police force, the Egmont Licensing Committee, County Council, Town Board, and Monganui Road Board, the local Foresters Lodge and a large number of people on foot and on horseback followed the funeral. The Rev Father McKenna conducted the services according to the Roman Catholic O’Donovan has been transferred to Stratford. It is said that his district, extends about 12 miles west and 30 miles east of Stratford, and north -and south to join the districts of Inglewood and Eltham. , , ,* The new Wesleyan Church was opened on Sunday, when the Rev. Mr Keall conducted the services morning and evening. Crowded congregations attended, and as there are not such great numbers of Wesleyans in the district, it is probable a great many present belonged to other denominations. ■ ' . , A very scandalous incident tools place in the S.M. Court, when a married woman pleaded not guilty to obtaining drink not-

withstanding a prohibition order is in force against her. Her conduct was contemptuous in the extreme, and finally she subsided into a deep sleep from which it was impossible to aiouse her, so the magistrate said it would be unfair to hear evidence against her while in that state and dismissed the charge! One would have thought it unnecessary to prove, who supplied her with drink when she slept helplessly drunk before the whole Court, but the Court considered it' a case for leniency. No one seemed, to express commiseration for the orderly inhabitants of the town; where this unhappy inebriate lives, vyho have to endure being continually, annoyed and scandalized. The same kind of leniency a short time ago resulted in theman, who was set free, almost daily beating his daughters. If prohibition orders are to be of any use at. all, .they must be stringently enforced. The change of name from plain East road to the Maori name Ohura road, gives rise to much discussion. There seems to have been no opportunity given for discussion or suggestion before the fact. Some think Auckland road would have been better, another suggest* Queen’s road as easy and short.' - Very few seem to approve of Ohura rpatjj, there are so many other Maori names like it in sound. There are the Auroa and Ahuroa roads and the Huiroa block. One lady, who has long watched , the battles fought over the improving. of that road, tho struggles of the animals, many loft there dead, and the distressed of the inveigled settlers, declares that if the road beyond Toko is not metalled, it will be called the Horror road. After all it is better to use*Short plain

English names for British roads, or .•*• Mr Walter Symes has been elected Councillor for the East Riding in the place of Mr Hugh Coutts, resigned;-v. All the storekeepers in Stratford are getting in' abundant stores of new, useful and pretty things. They evidently think there is plenty of cash in the district that needs circulating. ‘ ? A soiree was held in the Masonic Hall

on the 13th to celebrate the opening of the new Wesleyan Church, which took place last Sunday. Three tables were abundantly provided, and .. were filled \ again and again by tho guests. After tea the company adjourned to the church on the opposite side of the road to be present at the public meeting. The Rev Mr Bellhouse, pastor of the congregation, in his address showed the financial position to bo satisfactory, and later on, after several addresses from ministers, interspersed with songs and hymns., Mr Bellhouse thanked all good friends wHo''‘had,.so; ; cordially assisted. '• Stratford, pecember 18, At a farewell smoke concert tendered to Mr R. Collins, who has recently disposed of the Midhurst Hotel, Mr J. Maekay (late Principal of the Wellington College), who was in the chair, in reply to the toast of “ The Government,” said that with thirty years’ experience of the politics. of this Colony he could say without hesitation that the present Government was the very best that had held office during that time. No Government had done so much for the , small settler. He defended the co-opera-tivo system, praised the Advances to. Settlers Act, and cordially supported the Consols Act. ■ w. „ • i The Ngaire Co-operative Dairy Company sent their second shipment of cheese for this month last week, consisting of

10 tons. . , Some men falling bush on tho Warwick road for Mr Crombie caught a fine specimen of a kiwi. The bird stands nearly 2ft high, and is one of the largest seen on this coast for a long time. ; . - ./; ' Mr Parker, of Stratford, met with a peculiar serious accident the other day. In company with his brother he was proceeding through some heavy bush, when his brother threw his. axe towards ' him. The axe caught in a vine, and falling, struck the elder Parker on the bridge of the' nose, almost severing, it from his face. He came into Stratford,, where Dr Nicolls sewed up: the ugly-looking wound. 'V. .

Mr T. Keane, of the Eltham Hotel, has■ sold out his interest to. Mr Hunter, who' will take possession after Christmas. Ettham now possesses one of the bestpublic halls in the district, with: a good stage and every convenience for public entertainments. To-day (Tuesday) the National Bank of New Zealand opens a permanent branch in Stratford. Hitherto it has only been opened twice weekly. ,