The Commercial Hotel (Frederick Smyth Pollock, J.P., proprietor), corner of Broadway and Page Street, Stratford. This hotel was established in the year 1892. It is a large two-storied wood and iron building, with a balcony on three sides, and contains twenty-three bedrooms, seven sitting rooms, a commercial room, and a fine dining room, which will seat fifty guests. There are also stables in connection with the establishment.

Mr. Frederick Smyth Pollock, J.P., Proprietor of the Commercial Hotel, was born in the year 1867, in County Derry, Ireland, where he was educated, and brought up to farming by his father, with whom he worked until emigrating to Canada in 1886. He was for six years and a half in New York and Montreal, and then returned to the Old Country, Mr. Pollock afterwards went to New South Wales, Australia, was for some time in Sydney, and atterwards made a trip through the country, visiting Burke, Newcastle, and other places. Subsequently he came to New Zealand, settled in Stratford in 1896, and became proprietor of the Commercial Hotel. Mr. Pollock took a trip to the Old Country in 1902, and visited America, Ireland, England, and Scotland, Honoluln, and Pago Pago. He was appointed a Justice of the Peace in 1904. In 1896 he married a daughter of the late Mr. Gallie, of Timaru, and has two sons.