STRATFORD.

Taranaki Herald, Volume LXIII, Issue 144855, 6 December 1915, Page 7

STRATFORD.

FBOU OCR RESIDENT AGENT. December 4.—Like the rest of the Dominion, tlio Stratford recruiting centre Jms bo far tailed to provide its quota for tho EioventU Remiorcemeuts. To wUat extern, ibis is duo to tbo near approach of Christmas is bard to say, tnuugli this is certainly one of tbo causes. Profound dissatisfaction with tbo methods of tbo Pensions hoard contributes without a doubt. Deyond these accidental causes, bowovor, there is tbo grave question as to whether tbo voluntary system has reached its limit, or nearly so. It failed m tho South Island months ago and that failure is having its ellect here. It should not bo forgotten that every draft of volunteers that loaves the country increases the non-volunteering element in tho remaining able-bodied population. Towards tho end of a long war wo shall have none but the old, tho unfit, the selfish, and tho cowardly. If compulsion is to come, and it appears more than likely, it should bo applied at onco, so that future drafts shall not be over-burdened with tho undesirable element.

On Friday the Stipendiary Magistrate (Mr. Kenrick) unveiled in tho Courthouse a memorial portrait of tho late Lieut.-Colonel Malone, who for many years was a member of the local bar. There was a good gathering of tho profession, whoso sentiments were voiced by tho S.M. and Mr. T. C. Fookes.

A baker employed by the Co-opera-tive Store Company was charged at the S.M. Court on Friday with being concerned .in tho recent robbery of a roll of linoleum from Messrs. Robinsons’ shop. The linoleum and other stolen goods have been discovered hidden in a building near tho_ bakehouse. The accused, against whom other charges will be brought, was remanded on bail.

Th& toll-gato at Waipnku is proving to bo quite as good a revonno producer as was expected by the. most sanguine of the councillors. If tha traffic keeps up, the object of tho gate, that is to provide tho wherewithal for the reconstruction of tho road up to presentday requirements, will bo attained within a reasonable time. I understand that tho tolls are not to ho applied to ordinary maintenance. Income-tax payers aro experiencing the first turn of tho war-screw in tho shape of a demand for a 33J per cent, super-tax. They aro, however, on velvet as compared with their brothers at Homo, who have to pay from two shillings to five shillings-in the pound according to the size of income. And the exemption is only £l2O, as compared with £3OO hero. There is no question about it, those are tho Fortunate Isles. Yet poltroons are trying to sneak away for fear of being called upon to defend tho country. Wo may wish tho Land of tho Wooden Nutmeg joy of such white-livered immigrants. It' is amazing that there should be men knowing New' Zealand and concluding it was nob wortih fighting for.