STRATFORD.

Taranaki Herald, Volume XXXV, Issue 7191, 8 October 1886, Page 3

STRATFORD.

[FROM OOR OWN CORRESPONDENT.] OcrOBER 5. — The canvas for subscribers to the Medical Club is now completed, and I believe is so far successful as to warrant tho Committee in taking steps towards securins the services of a resMent doctor. A meetimr of the committee is to be held on Saturday week, and in tho meantime the Treasurer, Mr. S. 11. James, is ready to receive the subscriptions of those who lnvo promised to become members. It ia to be hoped there will be no backwardness in paying up. ao that those who have i;iven their timo in canvassing may not have to turn ont asjain to collect the money. We are most of us fully occupied at home at this season of the year. Competition is the soul of business, that ip from the customers' point of view. I rather fancy the competitor himself would prefer a snug monopoly. I wonder what are tho views of Mr. Mr. McKenzie, till lately Stratford's odlj blacksmith? ilo has now an opponent in Mr. Taj' lor, who arrived last week and has already got his forge up and commenced work. However, our friend Mac's steam hammer has arrived and bo will be able to extend bis busiuess in new lines. In imagination one already sees the tall chimnies and flaming f urnucr s of the great ironworks ot Stratford — the Pittsburg of New Zealand. Joking apurt, many a huge businsss has had a much smaller beginning, and I hope Mr. McKenzie's enterprise will meet with the success it deserves.

Don't think I'm given to gloomy forebodings, but I've reason to know that there will shortly be many a deserted homestead in this locality. That is to say, on Friday, the 15th, there will be nobody at home, everybody will bo at the Town Hall on* the occasion of Mr. Swan's benefit, and when they get home they will be ready to make an affidavit to the effect that they never enjoyed an evening so much in all their lives. While lam on the subject let me assure Messrs. Lyx and Pecksniff, who were good enough to take exception to portions of the laßt entertainment, that on this occasion everything will be quite proper; the legs of the piano will be provided with trousers, and the footlights with shades to avoid the impropriety of naked lights. I should also like to bint in the most delicate manner in the world that the minds of the aforesaid gentlemen must be in a most unclean condition if they could see anything objectionable in the last entertainment.

(For continuation 01 news see 4th page.)

It is now at least sis months since this usually peaceful village was thrown into excitement by a report thut the Railway Department was going to fence the station yard. Too good to be true, was the general opinion, but soon sceptics were at onoe astonished and convinced by the appearance of substantial gates and cattle stops. But, alas for the vanity of earthly anticipations, those gates have been erected but never used, the public finding it more convenient to pass by on one side. The fact is the Coloniul Treasurer got to hear of the proposed expenditure, and put bis .Toot down, declaring that if the department flung the money about at that rate he Bhould have to put another farthing on the Property Tax. So the fence has never been put up, and as it will take at least half a ton of wire, it will have to wait till the next loan is floated.