STRATFORD.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 1192, 4 January 1895, Page 14

STRATFORD.

Christmas holiday-makers are having trulj glorious weather for their pleasure trips, and heartily are they seizing the opportunity to ■judge by the trains, which are so; crowded, north and south, that their not very powerful engines seem scarcely able to drag them along wherever the grades are steep. The hotels and stables, too, have been taxed to their utmost to provide all the vehicles and horses required by the pleasure-seeking public. On Christmas Eve the town was prettily decorated and was thronged with people, and the shops were kept busy all the evening with customers. This pleasant feature will be abolished after the Ist January, as all the shopkeepers have agreed in future to close at 6 p.m ’ On Christmas Day there were appropriate services in the morning at the Anglican and Roman Catholic Churches, and in the evening at the Wesleyan Church. On Boxing Day there was to be a fancy dress cricket match in the Stratford Recreation Ground. There were athletic sports at Normanby, races at New Plymouth, a trotting meeting at Manaia, and, of course, innumerable private parties and of an old settler, Mr Penniall, took place on Christmas morning. He leaves a family of grown-up sons and daughters. The funeral took place on the 26th. inst. ' ~ , . An accident happened to Mr Wisnewski ; when driving a milk-cart, the wheel went through the planking on the Chmie bridge, which must be in need of attention. The horse was injured and the shaft broken, but no person hurt. . , , A very painful accident happened to Mr G. Gooding, eldest son of Mr Charles Gooding, of the Tole Road. It appears that while splitting timber a piece of steel from one of the wedges struck him in the eye. As the injury seemed serious Mr Gooding has gone to Wellington for treatment. The sione-crusher which has been terrifying horses at Lgaire for some time past is now removed to the Bird road. The settlers on the Obitra (East) road are deeply dis-

appointed that they are not to have their road metalled this summer after all, and must look forward to another winter of miserable mud and impassability. Yet that district is getting ever more populous, and thanks to the dairy factory system ever more prosperous. The same may be said of all the districts round Stratford,’ so that while wishing all your readers a happy and prosperous New Year, we also say success to the ctab'y factory.

Stratford, December 28,

Magnificent weather was the order of the day for the holidays—a trifle too hot for personal comfort. A fairly busy Christmas must be chronicled for the town of Stratford. Most of the stores were exceedingly well patronised. There was far less drinking than usual.

A large number of people came into town on Christmas Eve, but on Boxing Day the town was almost deserted. The races at New Plymouth were a great attraction. The train from 'Hawera on Wednesday morning took the heaviest load of passengers to New Plymouth that has been hitherto recorded. The Hawera Amateur Dramatic Club produced “The Unknown” in New Plymouth during the holidays to crowded houses. Their performance was a most creditable one.

Yesterday Stratford was enveloped in fire smoke from incipient bush fires all over the district.

Stratford, January 1

After a long spell of very hot weather, gefitle showers fell on Sunday evening and continued at intervals all day on Monday. The rain was very welcome for the country people. : A- ' . , Arnold W. Brooking, aged 28, eldest son of Mr W. Brooking, of the East Road, died on Friday night from tuberculosis of the throat and stomach. Deceased was a very able surveyor, and was for a long time in the Rangitikei district, but for the'past three years had been in charge of the unemployed at Pipiriki, Karori and other places. A young man well known in the district, named Thomas Inch, was charged on Monday by the police with stealing half-a-crown from a fellow workman’s pocket. The justices, in consideration of it being his first offence and that he had a wife and three little children, ordered him. to come up for sentence when called upon, and to find security for his good behaviour. - Mr McGuire, M.H.R., was in Stratford od Saturday. He informs me that he will shortly address his constituents here, There has been a series of accidents lately at Ngaire. On Boxing Day a young man named James Kenny had a narrow escape from drowning; not being able to swim, he got out of his depth. On Saturday a boy named Patterson was getting whey out of the tanks at the cheese factory at Ngaire when his horse throwing the boy out of the cart, the wheel passing over his body. His injuries are not serious.