STRATFORD.

Taranaki Herald, Volume LX, Issue 143768, 17 April 1912, Page 2

STRATFORD.

(By Our Resident Agent.) Aprl 16.—Weather indications are being anxiously watched, with a view to the gymkhana on Thursday. Tonight we are getting the typical westerly weather, strong cold winds and showers. The Weather Office, however, reports a rising barometer. The retiring Mayor, Mr. Masters, gave an account ,of his stewardship at last night’s meeting of the council, and elicited many kindly comments from his colleagues. One and all, even those who agreed to differ from him most frequently, bore witness to his honest endeavours. Like Bret Harte’a hero, “he done his level best.” Councillor Ward withdrew his motion to increase the borough workmen’s wages. It appeared to other councillors ill-timed, and also that it should have come first before the Works Committee. The council had before it a communication from the Hospital Board with regard to the employment of the board’s sanitary inspector within the borough. The question would appear to be too intricate for the municipal intelligence, for the subject was passed—not understood. / Under the auspices of the A. and P. Association, a party of sixty visited Moumahaki State Farm yesterday and were very well supplied with food for mind and body by the courteous manager and his staff. The reckless way in which men will use explosives was exemplified at the Borough Council meeting, when a lump of stone weighing four pounds was exhibited. This had been hurled from the riverbed across a well-frequented street into a councillor’s garden by the blasting of a boulder for road metal purposes. It is by no means the first time this sort of thing has occurred. The Minister of Education is to be asked to exert his influence to induce the Railway Department to construct a subway for foot traffic under the. railway in Fenton Street. About 500 children use the level crossing just at the time when the north and south trains are meeting, and the risk of accident is increasing in spite of the warning bells that are now sounded on the approach of a train. The Railway Department may justly he called upon to expend seme money in this and other 1 directions for the safety and convenience of the townspeople, for the department is very easily the biggest landowner and landlord in the borough. Quito apart from land used for railway purposes, it owns of the best harness sites quite £40,000 worth. From these it already draws a good income, and in the future will draw a much larger one.