STRATFORD.

Taranaki Herald, Volume LXI, Issue 144070, 15 April 1913, Page 3

STRATFORD.

(From Our Resident Agent.) April 14.—The Mayor’s annual report is published. Brief mention, somewhat in the stylo of “Gove’s Labour Lost,” is made of tho defunct loan proposals, which cost tho council some 20 special meetings and a sum of iVouey not specified. Building permits, representing £13,000, made during the year are held to indicate a satisfactory degree of progress. The now valuation of the borough gives £466,000 of capital value. The Town-Hall is not proving a revenuemaking municipal asset, the permanent picture theatre having banished the smaller theatrical shows and tho big show's generally giving the town the go-by for some reason .by no means clear. The other semi-commercial enterprises, the circulating and reference library and the abattoir, are more successful. The steam-roller iq pronounced to bo a success and the purchase of stone-crushing plant is advocated, also a tar-sprayer. The finances of the year are declared satisfactory, the increase of £4OO in tho debit of the general account being more than balanced by the roller and new fire-fighting plant. Tho Wesleyan Church in Began Street was fired early this morning by either natural or manufactured electrical current. A baker working across tlie street noticed blue flames (instead of the usual element) issuing from a down-spout and gave tho alarm and the Fire Brigade ext/iguished tlie incipient conflagration. Charred weather boards represent the damage. It was at first taken for granted that the Electric Supply Company’s wires had, in conspiracy with tho 50-knot gale, everything to do with tlie trouble, but the company’s engineer scorns the allegation arid points to the fact that the electric fittings inside the church are not affected. Householders are, how rcver, inclined to be suspicious, as of late a number of switches and lamp fittings in private houses have been charged with electric current sufficiently to give more or less pleasant little shocks when handled.

That onr battleship is visiting New Plymouth wjll please no one better than the members of our school committee, who were beginning to fear that they would be compelled by the force of public opinion to personally conduct several hundreds of children to Wellington and back. No one seems to have noticed the earthquakes, but the wind last night compelled attention. _ . .. A number of Territorials, including Liout.-Colonel Malone, left for the Oringi camp by the early special this morning. Rare weather for camping!