STRATFORD DISTRICT PAGE

Taranaki Daily News, 14 December 1926, Page 10

STRATFORD DISTRICT PAGE

Telephone Nos. 152 Office 218 Private

Telephone Nos. 152 Office 218 Private

(FROM OUR RESIDENT REPORTERS)

LAWN TENNIS. STRATFORD DEFEAT ST. JOSEPH’S. Playing at Eltham on .Saturday, the senior team from the Stratford Tennis Club defeated St, Joseph’s by 11 sets to 5. Details of the scoring were as follows, members of the Stratford team being mentioned first: — .Men’s Singles. —Chadwick lost to Morrison 2—7; Wilson beat Grenfell 7 —5; Curtis beat Haswell 7 —6; Lawrence beat Nodder 7 —l. Ladies’ Singles.—Mrs. Weston beat Miss Cooper 7—l; Miss Martin beat Mrs. Nodder 7 —3; Miss Mackay lost to Mrs. Casey 6 —7; Miss Weston beat Miss Manly 7 —6. Men’s Doubles. —Chadwick and Wilson lost to Morrison and Grenfell I—7;1 —7; Curtis and Lawrence beat Haswell and Nodder 7 —4. Ladies’ Doubles. —Mrs. Weston and Miss Martin beat Miss Cooper and Mrs. Nodder 7 —4; Misses Mackay and Weston lost to Mrs. Casey and Miss Manly 3—7. Combined Doubles. —Mrs. Weston and Chadwick lost to Miss Cooper and Morrison 5 —7; Miss Martin and Wilson beat Mrs. Nodder and Grenfell 7—3; Miss Mackay and Curtis beat Mrs. Casey and Haswell 7 —5; Miss Weston and Lawrence beat Miss Manby and Nodder 7—2. METHODIST BEAT ELTHAM A. Playing at Stratford, Methodist defeated Eltham A by 12 sets to 4, 119 games to 63. The following are the details, Methodist names mentioned first: Men’s Singles.—L. S. Berg 9 v. Wills 3; N. M. Richards 9 v. Edmonds 5; J. Hale 9 v. Reeves 6; H. Clements 5 v. Phillips 9. Men’s Doubles.—Berg and Richards 9 v. Wills and Edmonds 4; Hale and Clements 9 v. Reeves and Phillips 3. Ladies’ Singles.—Mrs. Berg 7 v. Miss Carncross 0; Miss Taylor 7 v. Mrs. Marx 3; Mrs. Knewstubb 7 v. Miss Wilson 3; Mrs. Summerfield 5 v. Miss Quin 7. Ladies’ Doubles.—Mrs. Berg and Miss Taylor 7 v. Miss Carneross and Mrs. Marx I; Mrs. Knewstubb and Mrs. Summerfield 2 v. Miss Wilson and Miss Quin 7. Combined Doubles.—Berg and Mrs. Berg 9 v. Wills and Miss Carncross 2; Richards and Mrs. Boon 9 v. Edmonds and Mrs. Marx 2; Hale and Mrs. Knewstubb 9 v. Reeves and Miss Wilson 1; Clements and Mrs. Summerfield 7 v. Phillips and Miss Quinn 9. Mrs. Boon, through injury to her elbow, had to retire after playing in the combined doubles, and her place was filled by Miss B. Taylor. THE STRATFORD BOROUGH. MONTHLY MEETING OF COUNCIL. The monthly meeting of the Stratford Borough Council was held last night. Present: The Mayor (Mr. J. W. McMillan), Crs. W. Melnnes, J. McKee, A. Nelson, R. F. Harkness, S. A. Ward, T. Lawson and T. I. Lamason. The works committee was instructed to hold over the matter of re-laying footpaths on Broadway till after the New Year. The council decided to co-operate with the Ohura Progress League in a function to commemorate the opening of the trunk line from Okahakura to Ohura next Saturday. The meeting of the Domain Board followed that of the council, all of the

councillors, with Mr. P. Thomson in addition, being present. The works committee was instructed to confer with the Ladies’ Croquet Club committee with reference to extending the area of the club’s property. The committee was given power to act. The caretaker’s report, which detailed the month’s work in the park and stated that most of the 84 new trees planted in King Edward Park were doing very well, was received, the Mayor remarking that he considered the programme as already advanced to be a great success. The compliments of the season were extended to the members of the council and the board, the staff and the Press by the Mayor, the deputy-Mayor, Cr. T. I. Lamason, suitably replying. PRIMARY SCHOOL ACTIVITIES. CHRISTMAS TREE ON THURSDAY. Recently the headmaster of the Stratford primary school, Mr. L. J. Furrie, sent a circular letter to parents appealing for help for the Christmas tree at the end of the school year. The response to this was most satisfactory, and as a result Santa Claus will meet the children in Victoria Park on Thursday at 2 p.m. Father Christmas will arrive in a motor-car and will be met by the school drum and fife band. To the strains of its merry music he will be escorted to the enclosure, where he will distribute to the children all kinds of good things. A really good time is in store for every child who meets Santa Claus on Thursday. Last year he visited the school and distributed' presents under the trees in the park. The space, however, was rather restricted and if the weather is fine on Thursday the ceremony will take place on the grass. On Saturday the junior pupils of the school had a most enjoyable picnic on Mr. E. W. Hancock’s farm at Cardiff. Three big lorries were requisitioned to carry the scholars from standards 1,2 and 3, and a most enjoyable day was spent by all. The picnic was organised by Mr. R. L. Hancock with the assistance of other members of the teaching staff. Tho weather was perfect, and everything was done to make the day a happy one for the children. Owing to the unceasing labours of Messrs. R. L. Hancock and Henderson, of the teaching staff, the school drum and fife band has reached a size and a pitch of excellence which is surprising. The band has improved in every way, and there are now between 50 and 60 members. Parents and friends will have an opportunity of hearing the band in the Town Hall on Wednesday afternoon, when a fine programme will be rendered. YOUNG HELPERS’ LEAGUE. ANNUAL BOX OPENING. The annual box-opening of the Stratford Habitation of the Young Helpers’ League of Dr. Barnado’s Homes was held at the residence of Mr. C. 11. Lawn, Opunake Road, on Saturday afternoon. While Miss A. D. Lawn, the local organ- ' iser, was opening the boxes, a happy crowd of young helpers was having plenty of fun playing games and other-1 wise enjoying themselves. During the afternoon refreshments were served and added much to the pleasure of the party. The boxes opened on Saturday yielded £8 13s, and, as there are still some to come in, the result is considered molt satisfactory. There are about 35 families represented in the local habitation, and as a rule there is one box to each) family.

AN UNFORTUNATE CASE. The sequel to the alleged attempted suicide at the .Stratford Public Hospital last Saturday morning was heard in the court yesterday, when James Davey, of Waitara, was charged before Mr. G. E. Wilson, J.P., with attempting to take his own life. Accused appeared in court in a dazed condition, heavily bandaged about the throat, and, on the application of the police, was remanded until the afternoon, pending an examination by two doctors as to his mental state. When the court resumed Sergeant Reid intimated that in view of the medical reports he would prefer to withdraw the charge and the court acquiesced in this course being taken. CHRISTMAS SHOPPING HOURS. The fact that business people in Stratford, Eltham and other centres where the usual half-holiday is observed in the middle of the week, may, if they choose, alter their day of closing to Saturday (Christinas Day) and remain open on the day they are usually closed, was conveyed to Sergeant Reid by the Inspector of Factories in New Plymouth in a letter recently received. The letter stated: “I have been requested by some of the shopkeepers in small towns who are observing their statutory half-holi-day on a day other than Saturday to state whether they can keep open on the day of the statutory half-holiday during Christmas week. I have to advise that under section 14 (2) of the Shops and Offices Act the occupier of any shop, by giving notice to the inspector, can change the half-holiday from Wednesday or Thursday. December 23, to Saturday December 25. The letter concluded by advising that any such application should be made to the sergeant in writing. GENERAL ITEMS. The Ngaere Co-op. Dairy Company, on the 20th inst., will increase its pay-out to Is 3d per lb. for. fat received during the month. The company will also pay out a final payment for last season’s supply of 3-8 d per lb., which will bring the total pay-out for last season up to Is 7 7-8 d per lb. fats This year the Ngaere Company is manufacturing a very fine article indeed, and some of its recent cheeses have graded as high as 951 points. One of the late shipments carried 350 crates to London, all of which graded 95 points, a splendid record for any factory. During the 24 hours ending at 9 a.m. yesterday, 2.7 inches of rain fell in Stratford. “I honestly believe that when the old Electric Light Company, employing one man and one boy, was in operation, the street lights were kept in better order,” said Cr. S. Ward in entering a protest at last night’s meeting of the Borough Council at the alleged inefficiency of the street lighting and the number of lights that went out and remained unattended. In reply the electrical engineer pointed out that under the abnormal conditions of the change over, the street lights could not be switched on in the daytime for inspection purposes. The staff, however, were doing the best they could and once a month he personally inspected all the lights in the borough. “I was not the least enthusiastic about it,” said the electrical engineer in describing his experiences at last night's meeting of the Borough Council, while he was working on the top of a pole amidst the high tension wires a linesman suddenly switched on the current. The he said, had led to the suspension of the linesman.