STRATFORD.

Taranaki Herald, Volume LXVIII, Issue 16821, 20 August 1920, Page 7

STRATFORD.

EBOJI OUK RESIDENT AGENT. -August 19.—1 t would seem that our first attempt at municipal shopkeeping is not a success, for the retail business in electric ti.ttiu.gs that tho iioiough Council has been running for tbo past two years is to be closed. 1 believe that the few who had had experience foretold failure, knowing that tho turnover could not be lai’ge enough to pay the expenses of a shop in the highest rented part of Broadway. Electrical apparatus and fittings are all right as a. side-line with other trade but, in a small town such as this, cannot be profitably run on their own. It is surprising how many people have the mistaken idea that what is good for a big town is good tor a little one, or that you can make a little v town into a big one by equipping it prematurely with all the conveniences and luxuries to be found in cities. It is like putting a child into a man’s clothes with the idea of forcing his growth. The Makahu Hairy Company’s annual meeting was held in Stratford yesterday and tho directors’ report and balance-sheet made satisfactory readig. This factory is put “farthest east,” five and twenty miles from here, and ivas established under great reading difficulties about 18 years ago. ihe few suppliers have proved good stickers and have now turned tho corner in the direction of prosperity. Mr. A. Coyne was re-elected chkirman of directors.

There was a numerous and representative attendance at the annual meeting of the Taranaki Friendly Societies’ Hospital Association held hero to-day. The report of the financial position and prospect was, however, not cheerful. The association in fact appears to be “Up against it.” Liabilities to hospital boards have substantially increased during the year and, on tho top of this disquieting feature, come the increased patients’ fees now demanded by the New Plymouth and Hawera Boards. The auditor characterised the outlook as serious and urged that something should be done. The obvious thing was of course to increase the annual levy, and a motion to that effect was introduced, only however to bo withdrawn, presumably because increasing the levy meant reducing the membership. it is to be hoped some solution will be found, for the institution has been very useful. A subscription of £1 a year does not seem a big insurance premium to pay for indemnity in the matter of hospital expenses for yourself and family. Let us see how it works out on an average. There are about 2000 households in this Stratford hospital district and the fees charged at the public hospital run into about £2OOO a Year, of which rather more than two-thirds_ is collected. If every householder paid his pound, the burden on the ratepayers w'ould be much lightened and the board need only charge a foe to outsiders. Care might have to be taken that a certain class did not use the institution as a cheap boarding-house. There is one drawback to this scheme and it is that, under the systom of subsidies the department is now seeking to introduce, the more the people of a district help themselves the loss help they will get from tho Government and the more tHey will contribute through taxation to help those districts that do not help themselves.