STRATFORD.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 1193, 11 January 1895, Page 19

STRATFORD.

The lovely summer weather we lately en : joyed has gone with the old year. The new year has commenced with drenching rains, which will cause many a farmer to gaze ruefully,at their fields of just cut hay. Those "who made hay while the sun shone are now rubbing their hands in self-gi atulatiori. A very l serious accident took place on the' railway crossing at Regan street. The crossing is in a deep narrow cutting. The Toko coach coming towards Stratford ran into a buggy in which were Mr Noblej of the Postal Department, and a son of Mr Blow, Under-Secretary of Public Works. Mr Blow, though violently thrown put, sustained no injury. Mr Noble, unfortunately, was rnuch t hurt, arid it will be some time before he is able to resume work. :....-.'

*£ Mr Arnold W. Brooking, son of Mr and Mrs Brooking of the East road, died at his father's residence on the 28fch December, at the early age of 23. He was an able surveyor aud draftsman and will be deeply regretted by his friends and coworkers. The funeral took place early on Sunday morning and was largely attended. " : On Sunday afternoon Mr Hutson, Presbyterian minister, held a short service in St. Andrew's Church, after which he distributed prizes to a large number of girls and boys, pupils of the Sunday school, which has been carried on with marked success a)l tbe year. Mr Hutson said that although man was created first, woman bad taken the first place ever since, so he would call the girls first to receive their prizes. After the prizes were all given away he mentioned that at least two more Sunday schoolteachers were required and he hoped someone would coaie forward and take up this noble unselfish work. A collection was taken up in aid of the Sunday school library, and after a hymn and the benediction the congregation departed. On New Year's Day the Presbyterians held their Sunday school picnic. At first it seemed as if their pleasure would be marred by wet weather and they commenced in the Masonic Hall. Later on, however, the sky cleared and they all adjourned to the Becreation Grounds, where they heartily -enjoyed themselves. In the evening a dance was held to complete the celebraN tion of New Year's Day. During the recent hot weather a great deal ot smoke was in the atmosphere and large volumes of smoke rose both east and west. A premature fire at Strathmore has done a great deal of mischief, spoiling several clearings with bad burns. This is a loss of time and money and will delay the building of homesteads and the settlement of families for another year. A boy named Patterson was taking whey- into Mr Cblman's cart, when some of the hot whey splashed on the horse's back, causing it to bolt. Soon the bottom came out of the cart, a shaft was broken, and the whey upset over the boy, who was lucky enough to escape with nothing worse than a warm drenching.

A youth named James Kenny was bathing with others, and though a fair swimmer he lost control, and would certainly have been drowned had not Mr Johns, of the Co-operative Dairy Factory, rendered timely assistance and brought the boy out of the water. Stratford, January 4.

New Year's Day was damp, dismal and disappointing for the holiday-makers. The sports at Hawera attracted all the country side, and Stratford was practically deserted.

On New Year's Eve the town was lively. The town band played most creditable music in the Broadway, saluting the biith of the New Year with " Daisy Bell." Beyond the usual hideous row of tho larrikin element, with unhinging of a few gates and such like the passing away of the old year was fairly peaceable. There are a number of visitors in Stratford at the present time from Auckland, Wellington and other places. The Aucklanders are loud in their praises of surprise at the wonderful growth of grass round here, one saying that there is more grass just now in the Stratford County than there is in the whole of the north of Auckland.

A Palmerston North visitor had a long drive around here yesterday. In one paddock he says lie could scarcely see the cattle who were lying down, the depth of the grass nearly hid them from view. In some few spots here and there on patchy land, where stock is heavy, the welcome rains of the past few days have had a very beneficial effect. A young Native, whose name I could not pronounce, was cleverly arrested near Toko by Constable O'Donovan yesterday. The Native has been " wanted " for some time past for alleged cattle stealing at Miranda, in the Waikato. He was brought before local Justices yesterday, and remanded to Auckland.

Now the New Year has begun, the whole of 1 the Stratford stores, with the exception of the chemists', close their doors at 6 p.m. This makes the town very quiet after that hour. '

A man working down the East road last week unearthed a lump of resin out of solid blue papa rock, some 50 feet below the surface of the ground. It is similar in character to the dark amber resin imported from the pine districts of tho United States and Canada. Tho query is, how did that resin get in the blue papa rock on the East road? Stratford, January 8.

Hitherto this part of the Colony has not been famed for its export of wool, but the opening up of excellent new country on the East road has proved its possibilities of being a sheep-growing district. The output of wool a couple of years ago from the Stratford district was only about 70 bales. This year the Bank of New Zealand alone has, on behalf of its clients, sent by railiror" Stratford some 250 bales. Altogether the export this season from various sources is close upon 400 bales. Rain fell steadily all over this district from New Year's' Day till Saturday evening, when the weather cleared up. Since then the atmosphere has been dreadfully close and muggy. The late rain did some .amount of damage to tho hay and grass seed crops. House building is progressing rapidly in Stratford. The latest improvement to the town will be the handsome residence about -to Tbe erectod at the corner of the Pembroke road forMrMcGrarry, the well-known draper of this town.

Cattle stealing is rather a favourite pastime in this district, and several losses are reported. The management of the Stratford Presbyterian Church have just purchased a fine block of land at the corner of Fenton and Juliet streets for the erection of a new church, the present one being far too small for the congregation. The Presbyterian Church committee has decided to " call " the Rev Mr Hudson to the pastorate of the church as successor to the late Mr Mackintosh.