STRATFORD.

Taranaki Herald, Volume LXVII, Issue 16463, 16 June 1919, Page 3

STRATFORD.

FBOM OUR VKSIDENT AOENI. Juno 15.—W© have had one and a quarter inches of rain in the night, and the extraordinary dryness of the autumn is shown by tho fact that this is the heaviest fall since March 15. The draught, which has had serious effects elsewhere, seems to have suited this district, for both pastures and Aock are looking well. Of course, road works and building operations have profited exceedingly oy the postponement of tho usual winter rains. The Borough Coimcil has been enabled to put the whole length of the main road, in good order. A serious accident at the town bridge was narrowly averted yesterday when a motor-lorry broke through the deck planking. Speed carried it over the had place and out of the difficulty, but without tlio momentum, it might have settled down into tho hole, enlarging it, and possibly carrying away the steel supports. The loads now carried will compel local bodies to look carefully to the wooden decking of their bridges an|| not wait for the appearance of a hole before replacing timbers that have become dangerously thin. The incident will no doubt he used by the agitators for a new bridge as a means of improving the prospects of tho south end of the town as a business quarter, but the moral is not to neglect the duty of up-keep. The coal control officials have been among, us taking notes of stocks and requirements. I hear that at least one business establishment had a nice little hoard which is to be distributed. The shortage may have a good effect in bringing about greater economy in the use of fuel, for it is quite certain that in this direction as in others there is enormous waste both in public institutions and private houses. Whether greater thrift is going to make the coal position any easier is open to question and depends upon to what extent the shortage is deliberately brought about by the miners as a policy. 'Possibly the diminution of consumption will he met by a lowering of tho output.

There is a patient in the public hospital whose symptoms on admission boro a suspicions resemblance to those given as characterising tho latest importation, lethargic encephalitis. The suspicions, however, have not been confirmed. There are a few diphtheria cases, hut of a mild type.