The Stratford Post and Telegraph Office was erected in the year 1895, and contains a public room, a postmaster's room, a mail room, and telegraph operating and telephone exchange rooms. Mr. J. J. Pickett, who was appointed postmaster on the 1st April, 1901, is assisted by a large staff of officers.

The Stratford Stock Office, in connection with the Agricultural Department, is situated in Broadway, and is in charge of a resident inspector, who visits the surrounding districts.

Mr. James Budge, Inspector of Stock in connection with the Agricultural Department at Stratford, is further referred to on page 1023 of the Otago and Southland volume of the Cyclopedia of New Zealand.

The Stratford Police Station is situated in Broadway South, Stratford, and Constable W. H. Ryan is officer-in-charge.

Constable William Henry Ryan, Police Officer in charge of the Stratford district, is a son of Mr. George Ryan, merchant, of New Plymouth. He was born in the year 1853, in New Plymouth, where he was educated; joined the Police Force in 1872, and has been stationed, successively, at Napier, Waipawa, Tolago Bay, White Cliffs, New Plymouth and Inglewood. At one time Constable Ryan was stationed at Parihaka, and while there saved Inspector Pardy from drowning in the Waitotara river. For this he received the Humane Society's silver medal, and a special letter of thanks from the Hon. John Ballance, who held Inspector Pardy in high estimation. In the year 1878, Mr. Ryan married Miss Walsh, of New Plymouth, and has two daughters and one son.

Constable W. H. Ryan.

The Public Works Department for Taranaki has its headquarters in Stratford, and was constituted a separate branch in March, 1901. The district extends from Mokau in the north, to Wanganui in the south, and many miles inland from the sea. It is under the care of a resident engineer, who is assisted by two assistant engineers, two engineering cadets, a clerk, three overseers, and a timekeeper. In February, 1906, 220 men were employed on public works under the Taranaki branch of the department.

Mr. Frederick William Furkert, formerly Resident Engineer of the Public Works Department for Taranaki, was born in the year 1876, at Ross, Westland, and was educated partly at Ross, and partly at the Hokitika High School, where he passed his civil service examination, taking first place out of about 400 pupils. In 1894 he entered the Public Works Department in Wellington, and eight months afterwards was transferred to Greymouth, where for a year he was engaged on harbour and road improvements, and on the construction of the Greymouth-Hokitika railway. For two years subsequently Mr. Furkert was engaged on construction work on the Otira section of the Midland railway. He was then transferred to the North Island, and, having qualified as a surveyor in 1898, was engaged in survey work for about three years, on the main trunk railway. As an amateur photographer, Mr. Furkert has taken many excellent representative views of various parts of the country. In September, 1902, he married a daughter of Mr. Henry Plimmer, of Wellington, granddaughter of the late Mr. John Plimmer, the Father of Wellington, and his one son. Mr. Furkert was transferred from Taranaki to take charge of the construction work at the south end of the main trunk railway, with his headquarters at Taihape.

McAllister, photo.
Mr. F. W. Furkert.

The Public Health Office for the Provincial District of Taranaki is domiciled in the municipal buildings, Broadway, Stratford. Mr. F. B. Gardiner, Sanitary Inspector under the Public Health Act for the whole of the Taranaki district, was appointed to the position in October, 1905. He joined the Health Department in Wellington in the year 1901.

The Stratford Railway Station dates from about the year 1878. It is built of wood and iron, and in cludes a ticket lobby, a ladies' waiting room, a general work room, a parcels office, and the stationmaster's room, and there is also a goods shed. Stratford is the junction of the branch line to Toko, officially known as the Stratlord-Ongarue line. There is a dock from which trains start to Toko, and about ten trains pass daily through Stratford.

Mr. John Baird Campbell, Stationmaster at Stratford, entered on his duties in August, 1905. He had been previously in charge at Waimate, Canterbury, and is further referred to on page 1065 of the Canterbury volume of this Cyclopedia.