STRATFORD NEWS.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LVI, Issue 17, 20 June 1913, Page 3

STRATFORD NEWS.

PROM OUR RESIDENT REPORTER. Office and Job Printing Works: Next N.Z. Loan & Mercantile Agency Co., Broadway. Telephone No. 113.

I THE DREADNOUGHT VISIT

Ol'R MAYOR'S IMPRESSIONS. Stratford was officially represented by the Mayor, Mr. W. P. Kirkwood, on the occasion of the visit of H.M.S. New Zealand to New Plymouth. Chatting with i him after his return, your represent!-1 live gathered some copy. His sentiments are briefly epitomised here. "Well, what of the battlesMp V" queried the reporter. Mr. Kirkwood replied that while is was desirable that the Imperialistic sentiment should be fostered, his opinion was that the celebrations in connection with the visit of the Dreadnought had been overdone. The end desired would have been well served by the battleship visiting the four large | centres and as many people conveyed to i those centres as wished to see the ship. "However, as the ship was to visit other centres than Auckland, Wellington, Lyttclton. and Dunedin," he continued, "a visit from her was aiso due to New Plymouth." In connection with the arrangements, it was a pity the children from the country were not put on board, i after in some cases getting up at three o'clock in the morning, and travelling a long distance bv rail. The day being tine, made'the outing enjoyable, but had tlm weather turned to rain, together with the disappointment of not being able to get aboard the Dreadnought, the visit would have been remembered for. a long time, but not with pleasure." "Was there any grumbling?" asked the reporter. "Not to any great extent. Although only a comparatively small number were put aboard per medium of the launches, the big crowd appeared to take the matter philosophically, and were in good spirits." Continuing, the Mayor said that Captain Halsey and his officers had an enjoyable time during the limited period they were ashore. "Naval men are not as a rule very loquacious, but Captain Halsey had plenty to say and worth saying, while his manner of address was I remarkably good, and left a splendid imj pressi»n on all his hearers. It would I almost appear as if the authorities had | selected a man who had not only seen | active service redounding to his credit, I but had also selected, an orator to boot as being the most suitable person to foster the Imperialistic spirit during the visit of the battleship to tile Oversea Dominions. I regret that J was unable to accompany the official purtv visiting the ship in the morning, through circumstances over which I had no control. It was my intention to go to New Plymouth on Monday evening, so' as to be in readiness for the visit in the morn- ! ing. However, I wired the Mayor that, I although not able to accompany the I official party visiting the ship, ['should [ be present at the official reception when | ( uptaiii Halsey landed, and this I was enabled to do. The visit of the Dread-' | nought to the Taranaki port may be j termed enjoyable and a success.^ | LOCAL RAILWAY MATTERS Mr -T. 15. Hine, M. P. mentioned at his meeting on Wednesday that, as the result of the representations of the settlers, backed lip by himself, the railway time table from Stratford to Pohokura was to be augmented. The morning train on Tuesdays and Saturdays from out east, arriving in Stratford at 8.20 a.m.. would, under the new arrangement, leave again for Pohokura at 0.15 a.m., returning again the same afternoon, and leaving again in the evening as usual. Ibis would be good news for the settlers along the li"" In reference to the Mt. Egmont ballast railwav. Mr Hine said he had endeavored to persuade the Hon. Mr Eraser to visit this line. He (Mr Itine) and other mem-1 hers had said some hard things about the line 'in the past, and from what he could learn the same state of things prevailed to-day. The Hon. Mr Herries had seemed to be of the same opinion as Mr Roderick McKenzie who expressed, when tie was Minister of Public Works, that the line and its working must be ended or mended. The district wanted- that railway completed. The settlers wanted to use it for the carriage of goods. But the Departmental reply had been that the line was built for ballast purposes, and could not be used for anything else. No Minister should accept suc-h a dictum from a Departmental officer. Every railway- line should be worked so as to get its maximum usefulness, and it seemed ridiculous that the engine hauling empty trucks up the line for stone should not haul the settlers' produce as well. For his part, he was not going to let the matter rest just yet. PERSONAL Mr. W. D. Anderson was a visitor to Stratford on Wednesday, and left' on Thursday morning for New Plymouth. Mr. Roy Davies' "Te Wliare Reka" Tea Rooms are just about a pattern of neatness and cleanliness, whilst the "cup that cheers" is excellently brewed and nicely served. Last evening, when closing time had reached Messrs. Morcy and Son's Stratford house, Mr. Jas. Morcy addressed the stall, and Miss MeKeon in particular, owing to the fact that that lady would be leaving on Saturday on account of her approaching marriage. Mr. Morey expressed his warm appreciation of Miss MeKeon's services since opening ? the Stratford branch. In deciding to open here, lie said, his principal worry was in! getting responsible and suitable people j to take charge-of the business. He must say that he had been .most fortunate, for both Mr. Kirbv and Miss MeKeon | had taken the greatest interest in the | store, and credit was due to them fori the way in which the business had been conducted. So successful had Miss MeKeon been in the show-room department, that already he had had to enlarge the present premises to meet the requirements of the Stratford people. In introducing Miss O'Toole, of Auckland. Miss MeKeon's successor, Mr. Morey said she would have to put forth her best energies owing to the good wot* done by her predecessor. However, with the extra room, extra stock, and the sound advice she had doubtless received frim Miss MeKeon. he had no fears for the future. He then handed to Miss MeKeon a lovelv satin eiderdown quilt as a wedding gift, iircomponied by the best wishes it was -«ossihie to extend. Mr. Morey subsequently entertained the members of the stall' at dinner at the County Hotel. ] Mr. and Mrs. Arthur Richmond, of Midhirst, left hv Thursday morning's mail train for Wellington, 'en route "to England and the Continent. Tliev will travel bv the P. and 0. line via' Suez. Mrs. Richmond has been a teacher under the Taranaki Education Bo"-: for fourteen years, and had the 0 f train-1 m~ "'"lev Mr. Tyrer a Stratford school. For some years she has been, assistant mistress at the Ktanlev school, and her teaching record has been a very l creditable one. Her resignation from the Board s service was due to delicate health, but it is hoped that this tour will have the effect of restoring it.

STRAY PARAGRAPHS

Constable Liston brought into Stratford a day or so ago, a man charged with wife desertion at Lytteltou. lie whs brought before the Stratford Court at Stratford and remanded to Lvttelton.

The Stratford Operatic Society will probably stage ''The Pirates of Penzance" early in August. The alterations to the telephone lines in Broadway are now in progress. Additional poles are being erected, ajid shortly a start will be made i,n the laying of a cable under the footpath.

A lady called at Messrs. J. Masters and Son's store yesterday, and handed over the counter no less that £ll worth of cash register tickets, for which she received a cash bonus of sixpence in the £l. Another produced £9 worth, and a young girl who "collects" these tickets, brought her total to £SO.

The Druids held their usual fortnightly social on Wednesday night. The week is chock full of meetings and amusements, and this reduced the attendance to, about twenty couples. With a smooth floor and-plenty of it. excellent musjc supplied by Mrs. Bianchi (piano), and Mr. S. Parker (cornet), there resulted a very pleasant evening. Mr. ,T. Jones was M.O, The next social eventuates in a fortnight's time.

The particular men are the men whom we like. They .appreciate our clean and cosy saloon, the absolute cleanliness everywhere, promptness and excellent shaving and bail-dressing. Tobaccos, cigars, cigarettes and all' smokers' sundries are fully stocked—At Sharp's. , The King's Birthday does not cause any great excitement when it falls in midwinter, as does the present .Sovereign's birthday. It is not much of a time for out-dodr gatherings, unless you arc clothed in warm underwear, a good suit, and topcoat from "The Kash" (Mulden and Marshall, proprietors).