STRATFORD NEWS

Taranaki Herald, Volume XLV, Issue 10597, 24 April 1896, Page 2

STRATFORD NEWS

[FROM OUR RESIDENT AGENT.] April 23. — A vigorous effort is being made to re-establish the Public Reading Room. The Town Board is civilizing the bick room in which it holds its meetings and which was the habitat of the former collection of books aud newspapers. On the Ist Majr it will be handed over to the literary revivalists aud opened as a newsroom. Mr C. J. Watkins has voluntarily undertaken the duties of librarian for three months,

Some of the humours of the census are beginning to leak out. A gentleman gives his occupation as that of a " conductor of oxen," which term has certainly a finer ring than " bullock driver." A young lady's occupation is given as " engaged to Tom." Quite a large number of eldeily people have returned themselves as "attending a primary school." Under the. heading "relation to head of the family " paterfamilias in two cases out of three puts "husband ' — accurately enough no doubt. "Tourist "is the description attached to the name of an individual who, if there is any character in handwriting, might be fitly, if less politely, described as a " swagger. '

Tho children on the roll of the Stratford State School now number over 00, and the cry is " still they come." The Inspector, Mr Spencer, is here to-day, on one of his periodical visits. The attendance is now keeping up fairly well, and parents do not adorn the Courthouse quite so frequently as heretofore. The number of children present frequently exceeds tho theoretical accommodation of the building, va., 350, bul that does not give a correct idea of the real state of things The school, having being built on the instalment plan, consists of a number of smallish rooms, and the staff find it impossible to arrange the classes to fit the rooms. Consequently, there is overcrowding in some rooms, and good accommodation in others. Still, it ii of no use being hypercritical. A bowling green is the latest requirement that has been discovered. Mr W. Howson has the project in hand, and there is a prospect that before long that not inconsiderable portion of our citizens' to whom the joys of football, cricket and even tennis appeal not, will be accommodated with a recreation suited to their complaint.