DAILY NOTES FROM WANGANUI.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 570, 27 July 1909, Page 9

DAILY NOTES FROM WANGANUI.

THE COMING BAND CONTEST. SHOOTING PRIZES FOR SCHOOL ' CADETS. ' (By Toloeranli.—Special Correspondent.! . Wanganul, July 26. Playing football nt Taihape last Saturday, Ernest Ingram had;'his jaw brokon. j; Ho was brought to Wariganui by : the midnight goods train; and is progressing favourably at tho hospital. ■ , .i- . . .' ,v Matters, arc taking sliapo for tho next North Island band contest, to be hold here next' February. . A £600 ; guarantee is required, and as tho result of a canvass, that amount lias almost been scoured already, Tho Programme Committee -will probably meet: this week, and it. should- not' be long beforo intending entrants have tho bill of fare in .their hands. > Tho. Wanganui; Garrison Baiid, is playing in fine style just now. The sacred concert . last night showed that Conductor Wado has improved ,oven on their .brilliant .playing at last contest, and .they must take a lot of beating next February. ... 'At Waverley, on Friday* night', tho Wairoa Mounted, Rifles' annual ball was held, fully six hundred being present. As all arrangements were perfectly carried out, it is not surprising that the unanimous verdict was that it was one of the most successful social gatherings, on/ the .coast..this year. Mr. Pearce, M.P.,-. on behalf of the corps, made a presentation to tho lato officer commandi jng, 'Captain Klingender, who has - been appointed :to a post on the regimental 'staff. | . At: tho AVaverley-Waitotara' Racing. Club's annual meeting, it was resolved to. make a | substantial increase' in the stakes. A' : tender .was accepted for considerable additions to the grandstand. . " ' ' i .-.At; the Waverley Bowling Club's annual meeting, tho reports showed that the 1 club is; in a flourishing condition, and 'has'a. healthy membership. The. prospects for . the season appear to be good. Mr. Dalton was -'elected; president,; and.Mr. W. Balfour vicepresident. J.,: . v The Oturi Dairy Company (Waverley) held a general. meeting .on Saturday, when tho balance-sheet showed a credit on the working of £560. Tho report', stated that everything was satisfactory, while it was cxpeetcd the milking .'would show a still ' bigger profit next year. .'. i-..v., !>■ .;Itis':.,reported "that, thero has.-. been: an outbreak of fever among / the Waverley Maoris, but nothing definite is'to hand. The disease also lingers among tho Maoris of Parapara, in the Wanganur district. ' The : portion, of the Wanganui Technical School damaged _by ■; the recent - fire : has almost been renewed,, and will be ready for occupation next-, week.. .. . .1' .■ I' : • An, unusual case came beforo the Police Court this : morning.; ' A "stone-deaf man, charged with .-vagrancy, asked to bo sent to gaol for a wook ,to give him; a chanco to ■■ "build <himself up,." He stated that"his affliction; prevented him' getting work, arid' h« asked the polioo to take liim in charge as 1 he •was 'Starving;-',. The., police - stated.'.that 'it .seemed;to bo a genuino case, and Mr; Kerr, ,5,M.,: remanded him for'a,week, which■ will probably; give him the- chance; asked:for.':, : The: local .branch '.of tho National Defence League is a live body, and its enthusiasm should bo , ft'hint to branches elsowhore.i It was announced to-day that the branch is' spending £50 for a championship belt, gold , medal,. and teams' /shield for. the annual competition; for. primary: school • cadets throughout New Zealand. In addition:.:toy this gift, .to tho school cadets of the Dominion, the branch -is spending,,an - additional £150 on tbo cadets of the .Wanganui district in providing miniature rifle ranges, arid, prizes for essays on national subjects, ' These 'efforts are expected to give a 1 big lift to tho important movoment towards tho better defencO' of New Zealand. A local motorist was ordered J)y tho magistrate: this .morning' to pay £14 8s;: 6d. damages, .and £3 Bs. costs. and fees,;for'having run into a man. The Bench' indicated that it-might have been more, but for the hnmaae conduct of tho offender after .the, accident. ';

;fe>Mach; regret Vis rfelt'.throughout > theVdis.trict; at "-.the ■'■Budden ;i death 'of - :Mrs. M'Farlane,, : sen.,"ibri' Saturday evoning, aged 66;- ..'She waVone of the oldest settlert in.the .district,., having- resided ;here for -53 years. She was-liked : by S.everybody. forher charitable disposition./iv.:?.' ..■■'.;/.:.' , ::r The .annual meeting of. the TVanganui Joc:key Club:discussed"at lengthsthe 'proposal' ■that - stewards should > retire :and be elected .■annually, 1 :whioh'was lost by a jority. Mr. J.; ; H; Nixon , was elected a life •memberyi'nv'reoognjtion of -.valuable services to the v N>;'/'.'■ '■■:■_',■;'':.:-.) W-•■:'■.■;; : :-:- V ,; : :: ■ ..'■

Considerable derision has been aroused here at a statement made by tho Minister for Public Works (the Hon. R. , M'Kenzie) to the Wanganui' deputation which recently waited on him regarding the Wanganui backblocks roads. Mr. M'Kenzie, referring to the Watershed Road, inland of Kai Iwi, said it would be waste of money to carry a road to the top of a hill nearly 2500 ft. high. Hβ is apparently, ignorant of the fact that tho whole of that country is high, that the road ascends by an easy grado to its highest point, and thence is laid out along a singlo long spur with almost a level top for nearly thirty miles. It is, in fact, the natural and easiest ronte inland, serving much excellent country. Referring to the subject, tho "Herald" says: <"Of course the Minister was airing his views on a subject he really knows very little about, as he confessed ho had never been over the country and merely foimed his conclusions from a glance at a map which uas shown to him by the deputation. On that map the elevation of the country was shown by figures 'marking the height of the trig stations, which, as a rule, are'not erected on low-lying parts of the land. This was pointed out by the deputation, a.s also, was the additional fact that the whole inland country was very considerably higher than that nearer Wanganui. However it is satisfactory to know that Mr. M'Kenzie is anxious to make himself acquainted with the lands interior of Wanganui, and to that end contemplates making a tour in the summer time. He will then doubtless find the land in question very different from the conclusions he has now apparently drawn concerning it, and will also learn then, if not before, that there is no need to go to the tops of the highest hills to construct the road."