STRATFORD.

Taranaki Herald, Volume LXIII, Issue 144842, 20 November 1915, Page 7

STRATFORD.

FBOU ODB BBSIDK.VT AOENI. Nor. 10.—The laying of the “foundation stone” of the new Municipal Buildings fortunately happened to bo favoured with ono of the fine days that have been noticeable by their rarity of lato. “Foundation stone,” by-tho-bye, is as usual a figure of speech, for the building is half up, and the stono is a slab of greenstone to bo let in tho concrete by the side of the entrance. Tho Mayor, Mr. Boon, performed tho ceremony in the presence of a crowd of citizens, kept in order by the school cadets in martial array. His Worship gave a pretty full history of the undertaking, commencing with reminiscences of the function at the laying of the foundation stone of the old buildings in May, IyOO. Details had been unearthed when tho old stone was removed, and disclosed tho cavity in which hod reposed for fifteen years tho newspapers of the day. Tho nailers then, as now, were full of war. What wo then thought and called tho “great” Boer War was in progress. Passing to the present day, he quoted figures showing trie progress of the borough in the fifteen years, and then gave some particulars of tho building under construction. ft is to cost, with furniture and fittings, £10,732 10s, and tho council expects to receive about £IOOO a year from the rents of shops and other portions of the building not required for municipal purposes. There will he a largo public readingroom and library, a council chamber, and full suites of offices for Mayor, town dork and engineer. Tho Mayor having at tho conclusion of his speech declared tho stone well and truly laid (another figure of speech), the member for tho district, Mr. J. B. Mine, said a few words of congratulation, and took occasion to hope that men eligible for service at tbo front would not bo employed on public works cither by Government or by local bodies. Tho Mayor then thanked tho contractor, Mr. J. L. M'Millan, for tho present of a silver trowel as a memento of tho occasion, and complimented him and the architect, Mr. J. D. Healy, on tho satisfactory progress of tho work. The Municipal Band then played tho National Anthem, and tho gathering dispersed. A feature of tho function was the fine show made by the cadets ns they marched on to the ground. It is evident that, should, unhappily, the present struggle not bo the end of warfare, there are some fine soldiers growing up to emulate the deeds of nur men now at the front. A largo body of younger Imys, not in uniform, also inarched on to the ground, headed by their drums and fifes, and afforded further evidence of the excellent material growing up for tho social fabric of the future. The manager’s residence, also used as post and telephone office, at the Lowgarth dairy, factory, was totally destroyed by fire at 11 o’clock this morning. It is supposed to have been caused by a spark from the boiler-house, blown by tho wind through the open door of the post office. The insurance is £l6O in the-New Zealand. -Offica,