STRATFORD.

Taranaki Herald, Volume XXXIX, Issue 8799, 7 June 1890, Page 3

STRATFORD.

[FBOM OUB OWN CORRESPONDENT}. Jone 6. — The public will have heard with regret that Mr Marchant will, in all probability, not be a candidate at the next Parliamentary election. Even those who, like myself, were not among his original supporters, must admit, if they have followed his Parliamentary career, that it has been a straightforward and honorable one, and that he has done his utmost, compatible with a proper regard for the larger interests of the colony, to secure the wellbeing of his constituency. If Mr Marchant has a craze, it is for the " bursting up " of large estates. It was curious to observe how readily the applause came the other night whenever this subject was touched upon. Perhaps the fact that 400 acres is about the limit in this district, may have something to do with it. For my own part, I am far from certain that the small farm system, of which this district affords a probably very favorable example, has quite passed out ox the experimental stage. There are problems connected with the apparently permanently low prices for produce and heavy outlay on roads, for ■which a solution has yet to be found. It also seems to me ttat the man -who occupies a ten or twenty thousand acre sheep run, with profit to himself and good wages to his hands, is possibly as good a man for the colony as he who takes up 300 acres of bush, of which he is only able to utilize some fifty acres, and out of which he just manages, by the hardest of toil and with the aid of an occasional road contract, to scrape a bare living. lam afraid that a "balance sheet of the Taranaki bush country, in which the labor expended on the land and on roads and bridges to make the land I as sub-divided accessible was debited against the present value of the farms, would be rather an eye-opener for some of us. Mi Liardet, land and commission agent, announces his intention of giving a calico ball to all hands on Thursday, 12th. The occasion is the opening of his new offices and warehouse. No invitations will be issued, as all will be welcome. The English Church is rapidly approaching completion, and will be ready for opening within a month. It will be a great addition to the place in an architectural point of view. Mr Jauies' new offices are nearly finished and present an appearance very creditable to the architect and builder, Mr Plews. An entertainment, organised, I believe, by Miss Robson, was given at Ngaire on Thursday. The music, bth vocal and instrumental, is spoken of as having been exceptionally good. The school, started some little time back in co mection with the Roman Catholic Church has evidently supplied a want, as I understand that the teacher, Miss Agnes Malone, has now nearly thirty pupils. The polling for the selection of two ratepayers for appointment as additional members of the Town Board resulted in Messrs Hayes and Burgess being ohoseu by large majorities. The Board sits on Thursday, June 12, to consider objections to tbo permanent IqvoI?, I taw thai several etyootiraß will

be put in from the south side of the bridge. The East Road question is rapidly overshadowing every other matter of local politics. Two pack horses have already oeen killed on the route, and traffic is only just commencing.