STRATFORD NEWS.

Taranaki Herald, Volume LIII, Issue 12867, 27 May 1905, Page 7

STRATFORD NEWS.

(From Our Resident Agent.)

iMay 26th.— Sir Joseph Ward stayed here for an hour yesterday morning and was interviewed on several matters of local importance. \ .The - Lowgarth, 'Midhirst, Ngaire and Cardiff Dairy Companies, represented by their respective chairmen, brought to the Minister's aotice the (in their ) opin-; ion) excessive charge for conveying prodfuce from the Moturoa Freezing Works to the wharf. The reply was pcr 7 haips not very encouraging as regards this particular impost, but if the efforts Sir Joseph said he was. making to secure a substantial reduction of oceaW freight are as, successful as those of Australian shippers seem to have been, we need not / worry ovei ; the eig'hteenpence per toi* charged by the Railway Department. A shilling per box, or "'forty shillings per ton, reduction would still leave the Home freight of butter much . higher than Australians arc paying. The Minister of Railways was .also .tackled o» the matter of the Opunako railway, and admitted that there was much to be said for Stratford as the junction. He was also interviewed by the Chairman of the Technical School Committee and his influence bespoken for the holding of a Dairy School here this winter. The existence of a chemical laboratory at the Technical School, and of, in the person of Mr Drotmjgool, a qualified teacher of chemistry,! was urged as a reason for expecting an unusually) successful , session if the school is held here. Stratford 'was very miich to the fore yesterday on the football field, but the Hockey Club got a groat setting down at Hawera. Prince of Wales' Birthday is not to be observed here, thn Tradesmen's Association having very reasonably decided that tho holiday' is not wanted.