No. 38 STRATFORD, ONT., FRIDAY, MARCH 4, 1927 Vol. 4 Celebrate Their Silver Anniversary Wedding The home of Mr. and Mrs, Henry Amacher, 24 Well street, was the scene of a festive occasion when over fifty relatives and friends gathered the other evening to celebrate the 25th annivrsary of their marriage, which took place in Blyth. Mr. and Mrs. Amacher have lived in Stratford almost ever since. An interesting feature of the happy occasion was the presence of four generations at the silver anniversary: Mrs. Amacher's mother, Mrs. H. Wett- laufer, of Kitchener; Mrs, Amacher, her daughter, Ruth. The: worthy couple were presented with a handsome silver tea service, Mrs. Amacher's mother making the presentation, and W. F. Finkbeiner reading an address of congratulation. The remainder of the evening was spent happily in music, games and re- miniscing. Among those present were Mrs. N. Wettlaufer, Mr. and Mrs. Harry Wet- tlaufer and family, Miss E. Wettlauf- er, Mr. and Mrs. K. Danbold and daughter, Norma, of Kitchener, and Mrs. John Battler, of New Hamburg. Red Cross Delegates Entertained by Stratford Lady Delegates to the executive meeting of the Red Cross Society spent a very happy time in Toronto the other day. Mrs. J. D. Monteith, wife of the Honorable Dr. Monteith, proved to be the charming hostess to the Stratford ladies, entertaining them at the Queen's Hotel. They were: Mrs, M. BE. King, Earl street, Mrs. D. Deacon and Mrs. A, Tretheway. They are profuse in their praise of the hospi- tality shown them while in Toronto, and Mrs. Monteith's host of friends will readily imagine the delightful time spent by these ladies with such an adept hostess. An Irishman was telling his friend of a narrow escape in the war. "The bullet went in me chist and came out me back," said Pat. "But," answered his friends, "it would go through your heart and kill you." "Me heart was in me mouth at the time," came the quick reply. -- ee iii | JONES AUCTIONEER 'the tax Pertinent Patter BY THE PHILISTINE Much has been said and some has been written about the tax rate for this year. Apparently it will be in- creased just by about the increase the Board of Education requests. The council expects that when the totals are checked off that the general rate will be about the same as last year which will, of course, mean that the department which raises its esti- mates very much will be blamed for. increase. Critics of the Board of Education must remem- ber however that the board has to have some more money to take care of the addition to the school and the consequent increased debenture debt. It is of course an open question whether or not the City Council by going at things with a real determin- ation to cut down could not effect reforms that would save the city money and perhaps the Board of Edu- cation could do the same. One thing that the ratepayers of this city must remember is that for about six years there can be no real decrease in tax- ation unless something happens to swell the population by a good many thousands. It will not be until then that the main bill, for the big paving splurge the city sponsored some few years back, will be paid. Once that is paid if reasonable economy is ob- served in the meantime there may be hope of getting the taxes down to some liveable level. With this in mind it would seem only reasonable that the council would seize any chance to cut expenses and reduce the total tax by aS much as possible each year. It would be a popular move if the Public Utilities Commission would get busy and urge on the powers that be at Toronto that a reduction in rates here would be advisable. The rates were re-adjusted last year but there was little real reduction about the adjustment. The commission earn- ed a whopping big profit which it does not need and has no right to have according to the law and it ought to take steps to turn that profit back to its customers in the form of reduced rates. At the present time the power and commercial rates in particular are exceptionally high here, so high in fact that they prove an actual bar to industries wishing to come to Stratford. This should not be and it behooves the Industrial and Publicity Committee of the City Coun- cil] to start something if the P. U. C. does not. It is no particular secret that one of the reasons Stratford lost a good industry was high power rates. It wasn't the only reason but was a contributing factor. All of which is bad business. * * * On Sunday Knox Presbyterian Church, one of the oldest in the city, marked its 79th birthday. It also marked the 13th anniversary of the opening of the present church and the re-opening of the building after hav- ing been most. splendidly re-decor- ated. The auditorium now is beauti- fully embellished with attractive pan- elling and paintings, giving it much the appearance of an old cathedral in England, since the church with its Gothic lines lends itself very readily to that style of decoration. * * * Manager Patton of the local branch of the Bell Telephone Company appar- ently last week misread our remarks about the change in telephone rates. He has been at some pains to indi- cate to the publisher of the Mirror that Stratford enjoys lower telephone rates than most other places. He quoted Vancouver, Winnipeg, St. John's, Windsor, London and Quebec as illustration of his point. All of these places are much higher than Stratford, the highest being Vancouv- er where the business rate is $6.60 per month as against $3.75 here. All of which is doubtless true but it only bears out the contention made last week that this company hardly seem- ed very badly in need of an, increase in rates to judge by the healthy-sized | dividends it has been declaring and rere omen that it is a business which might be very properly operated under a public ownership plan. There was no criti- cism about Stratford rates as com- pared with other places as Stratford undoubtedly got off easy in the gen- eral gouge, but our contention was, and is, that there was no need for an increase at all and that the govern- ment should take over the system. Stratford telephone users are not only getting cheap rates, but under the present management, the court- eous office staff and operators is very often heard commented on by not only resident users, but by com- mercial men. " a * This week Stratford is indeed hon- ored by the visit of the famous King's Choir from England, made up of the boys choristers from Westminster Abbey and men of the Windsor Choir. This choir in its trip through Canada THINGS | WOULD LOVE Where blows the wind across the dis- tant hills, Where soft wind-voices through the trees Telling their secrets to the murmur ing rills There would I love to wander with the breeze. whisper Where sings the robin at the break of day, High in the swaying tree-tops flick- ering light His full-toned melodies his joys dis- play, There would I roam, al] through the morning bright. Where flowers blossom in the early Spring Filling the earth and air with sweet perfume, Where lilies grow, and fairy blue- bells ring, Here would I stray, with my whole heart in tune. Where golden sunbeams glance along the green : Of sloping hill-side, when the day is new, O'er. wind-swept fields, besidet the rippling stream, O'er daised banks kissed by the morn- ing dew. Where roll the waters of the billowy sea, : Along the wave-wet shore, when noon is high, : To hear the wild waves roar majes- tically, I long to roam, while happy hours go by. When low the sun sinks in the glow- ing West, When day is past, and evening sha dows fall, When all earth's creatures seek a while to rest, Then would I pause to hear the birds' last call. When over all the silver moon looks down, And silent vigil keeps through all the night, When starry-eyes appear above the town, ; To know that all is well, 'till morn'ng light. JOSEPHINE N. CARR, Stratford is only visiting a few places and Stratford is greatly favored in being of the number. Seldom has a musi- cal event been so popular in this city as this one proved to be. Every seat in both churches was sold long in ad- vance, a good proportion of them bes ing sold over a month ago. Needless to say that on Thursday night and it is expected again tonight not only was every seat taken but hundreds were turned away. Today at noon the visiting choristers and the Dean of Windsor and other officials with the singers were tendered a luncheon by the Mayor and City Council at the Chamber of Commerce rooms. It is MIK ROR eminently fitting that this city, the namesake of the birthplace of one of the greatest English writers, should thus enthusiastically enter into the spirit of this visit. a e As a result of the decision of the (Continued on page 5) ot ws Ps -: 4 fe cs - is 3