STRATFORD.

Taranaki Herald, Volume LXVII, Issue 16502, 1 August 1919, Page 4

STRATFORD.

’FROM OUR RESIDENT AGENT, July 31. —The animal meetings of the two larger dairy factory companies of the district were hold on Monday and, contrary to the anticipations of some people, passed off quietly and harmoniously. In the case of the Stratford Company it was thought that the now chairman would have a. difficult position to fill owing to probable differences of opinion as to tho fairness of the allocation or expenses as between the branches that make butter and those that make cheese. At Midhirst it was expected that a bone of contention wtiutki he found in tho question of whether To continue as a butter factory or to take tho same course as all the other co-operative concerns between hero and Wanganui and go in for cheese. Shareholders in each concern have evidently confidence in tho good judgment of tho directors.

I suppose it is a result of the war hut the average man seems to think that all information given by the Government about current happenings falls short of tho whole truth. Possibly the authorities have got into the habit of suppressing . nows that in their judgment might act prejudicially to the interests of tho country. Bo it as it may you cannot get anyone to believe that shortage of coal is the only or even the principal cause of the railways failure. Tlie bad condition of tho rolling stock and especially of the locomotives is alleged to be the main trouble. If this is only partly true it t» a. rather serious outlook for the producing season just opening.

July 21.—-All admit that the celebrations of the great event, the greatest probably that tho present generation will see, were worthy of- the occasion. Stratford’s programme followed what seems to have been the usual lines thioughout the Dominion. A solemn five minutes pause at noon in memory of the gallant dead: the marshalling of a long and gay procession, returned soldiers, territorials and cadets, school children, local bodies, fire brigade, friendly societies, allegorical groups of lorries, decorated vehicles, both motor and horse % three bunds, and the pierrots. Then came the rending of the proclamation from the stage elected at. the post office, followed by speeches by lending •..•itizens. The afternoon quickly passed with music and song contributed by the pierrot troupo. In the evening Btnmhvay w;as illuminated with coloured electric lights, tho great displaybeing at the stage in front of tho post office. A great proscenium of lattice work, covered with ferns and native foliage and surmounted by tho crown and royal cipher, formed an excellent back-ground for the, coloured lights, it was a pretty spectacle and will not be forgotten, at any rale by the young folks. At seven o’clock there was a torclilignt and fireworks _ procession organised by tho fire brigade, to Victoria Park, where a largo crowd assembled to witness a display of pyrotechnics. Judging by the long-drawn o-o-oh.s that came from the dark masses of humanity sin rounding tho sports ground, the sky rockets and whirling showers of sparks from the sot-pieces were fully appreciated. Alter the fireworks the. crowd reassembled in Broadway, which, throughout tho proceedings was closed to ordinary whcol traffic, and enjoyed another concert by the indefatigable pierrots. Tho evening wound up wile dancing on the broad asphalted roadway by numerous couples that had donned fancy dress for the occasion. On tho whole tho conduct of the celebration could scarcely have been improved .upon. Tho street was well and tastefully decorated with flags and foliage and everything passed oil with eclat. Tor impressiveness I think the live minutes’ cilence (but for the tolling of the bell), and then the, clear notes of tho bugle sounding tho “Last Post'’ outdid alt other features of the celebiatiun. Singularly enough the sun, which nil tho morning had been striving to pierce tho thick and cold mist that prevailed, broke through precisely at noon and the “Last Post” was sounded in warm and brilliant sunshine. Patients and stulf at the Public Hospital wore not forgotten. Some of tho decorated cars went to the grounds after the procession, and those indispensable pierrots turned up and gave the inmates a treat.

Yesterday, Sunday, there was a combined Protestant service at the Town Hall and, as has been the- case at every combined service, the hall was packet! to the limit. The Rev. Mr. Madill led the service and the Rev. Mr. Howard gave an address on the League of Nations’ division of the Peace Treaty. The choir was a very strong one and was assisted by an efficient orchestra-. The collection was earmarked for an X-ray installation at the Public Hospital, as was also the collection at the Roman Catholic Church To-day There was to have been a repitition of the procession and the children were to have had central Broadway for a sports ground, but the weather has di’crecd otherwise, and a free show at the “pictures” for the youngsters is all the jollification left. Two fine days out of three is as 'good treatment as can be reasonably expected at thus season of the year.

[The above letter has been mislaid in transit, having been posted on the train at Stratford on the afternoon of July 31. In this connection we have to thank the Chief Postmaster, Mr, Burton, for having gone to much trouble to trace the letter, which turned up at Wanganui on Wednesday. The only intimation Mr. Burton ha’d that a letter had gone astray was a paragraph in a subsequent letter from our Stratford correspondent. The incident shows how ready the post office is to try and trace missing letters.]