NEWS OF THE DAY

Stratford Evening Post, Volume I, Issue 83, 17 March 1931, Page 4

NEWS OF THE DAY

Stratford Fire Brigade. The Borough Council last night made a grant of .£lO to the Fire Brigade. Land for the Hospital An offer frofM the Stratford Hospital Board to pay £l5O for the strip of Portia Street from Opunake Road to Romeo Street was aceepTed at last night's meeting or the Borough Council, subject to the board paying all expenses in connection with the transfer. Victoria Park At last night's meeting of the Stratford Domain Board, the Mayor (Mr. P. Thomson) said the visitors to the Waitara picnic on Victoria Park on Saturday last told him they were delighted with the grouncrs for the picnic. Many eulogistic remarks were heard on ai> sides, and they stated everyone had a very enjoyable tinie under the most pleasurable conditions. Special Meeting A special meeting of the Stratford Borough Council will be held on Monday next to deal with the staff wages for the year. This was decided upon last night, an application for permission to reinstate part of the premises in Broadway damaged by tire was also deferred till the same meeting as the letter was not in the Town Clerk's hands until late yesterday afternoon. Motor Buses and Taxis A report on the position of the stands for service buses and taxis in Stratford was submitted to the Borough Council last evening by Inspector Sayers, and the matter was discussed in detail. It was resolved that service buses when not in use must stand in Juliet Street opposite the Union Foundry. In regard to the taxis, the matter was referred to Crs. Ward and Fletcher to report at next meeting. Earthquake Relief Fund Additional subscriptions are as follow: —Strathmore-Te Wera branch N.Z.F.U., £5; Farmers' Union dance, £4; subscriptions by settlers, £9 Ids (C. J. Coultoni £l, Mrs. H. Hanson, £1 Is, J. Dromgool £l, J. Garlick £l, 1. G. West £l, E. -rt.Tlunb 10s, C. S. Coulton 10s); grand total, £1485 0s 9d. A Schenkel ss, C. J. O'Neill £2, J. O'Neill £l, C. H. Simmons ss, E. Jarvis ss; Toko Cheesepunchers' dance, £3l; Denbigh Road Settlers, £6. A Sign of the Times A prohibition against the use of aeroplanes in the taking or killing of imported or native game is contained in regulations gazetted this month under the Animals Protection Act. It is also provided that no power-boat shall be used on a lake, pond, lagoon qt other dead water by sportsmen for driving, chasing, frightening, or stalking any ga'me. The term "power boat" is stated to include a launch, boat, canoe, or other similar craft propelled either partly or wholly by mechanical power. Whanga Tenders The committee set up by the Whangamomona County Council to consider tenders reported at yesterday's meeting having accepted fenders as follows: Formation work and carting of metal from Kohuratahi station to Kohuratahi Road, A. J. Scott (Inglewood), £366 15s 4d; formation work and carting of metal from Kohuratahi station to Putikituna Road, A. J. Scott, £416 12s sd; quarrying shingle at Kohuratahi Road, M. D. McDonough, 4s per yard. Melba's Birthplace By a coincidence Dame Melba's fatal illness began about the same time as workmen commenced to demolish "Doonside," the home owned by the late David Mitchell, Melba's lather, where the great singer was born, in Burnley Street, Richmond, Melbourne. It was a substautialtwostorey house, built of brick, surmounted by a tower and set in the midst of spacious grounds. During Melba's illness the work of demolishing proceeded, and the whole structure has now disappeared, the last load of bricks, by a further coincidence, being carted away on the day; the great diva died. Vicious Bull The evil disposition of bulls of the Jersey breed was painfully demonstrated two or three days ago atßai I Valley, when Mr. L. (J. Leov, it well-known farmer, was severely gored on his property, states the Marlborough "Express." Mr. Leov had had his bull in the yard preparing it for the local show in which it had been entered, when the pole with which lie was controlling the beast suddenly broke and the beast charged. In attempting to escape, Mr. Leov stumbled and fell and the bull gored him in the thigh. A youth employed on the property pluckily went to Mr. Leov's rescue and, assisted by a dog, succeeded in driving the enraged animal back, thus saving his employer from further serious injury. The inside of Mr. Leov's thigh was so badly gashed as to necessitate the insertion of seven stitches.

No Swan Song Black swans and white swans "don't hit it," as a member of the Stratford Domain Board expressed the position at last night's meeting, when it was reported that one of thb iwo white swans had died, as a result, it was stated, of being driven off the water by the black. Tlie caretaker, Mr. Taylor, stated that for some reason the two specimens did not get on well together. The same trouble had been experienced at Christchurch. They won't associate, he said. The birds had cost £5 and the freight from Christchurch had been £5 more, so that the suggestion to purchase another pair did not meet with members' approval. There were no young swans. "It was not a happy union," facetiously remarked one member. Mr. C. it. Finnerty suggested getting another black to replace the white, although the latter was the more handsome bird. There was no doubt the bird was sick, he said, but it might have been weakened by the trouble with the black one. The board decided not to take, any action in the meantime.