JOTTINGS' FROM WANGANUI

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1046, 8 February 1911, Page 9

JOTTINGS' FROM WANGANUI

IiAILWAV CnOSSLNG.;:' -j IBy Telegraph.— Special Corrcenondcat.l _, . . ■ Wanganui, February; 7.' - , Ihe J-mon Boriting Club will bo strong-' }• represented at the forlhcoming Wellington regatta,.entering crews f(if (lie Pernor, Junior, and Youths' Fours, Pairs. ii A' Anderson and Mnrr"L, present nmateiii'" chiiinpion doublo scullers will reprpsciit tliorWanga-'' >'<" Howlis Club' at .Welliiigloa and also at the championship regatta at Wanganui 1 , 1 ,' J°th tho Single and Double .Sculls.-, At the latter, regatta Vnion will bo represented in the . Single Sculls b'v; J. Ktiscoe. Stdne, thn aiiiateur sculling champion, has already arrived here to get familiar with tho river before being called on to defend his title nnd ho will have the benefit of Wiii. Webb's advice in the meantime. Jackson, of Blenheim, \rill be another aspirant for, tlio sculling championship,, so this: event should .pro-' .riuc mi. interesting'race.. .The Wanganui Beautifying Society has drawn up a schemo for tlio. improvement of Hipaugo Park; the beautiful; scenic ■spot on tho Wanganui River .recently presented to ■, thef * town' by ' tHo'.'Katiro -Chief Hipango.. Tho'improvements l : willnot take tho us'iial doubtful foriii of clearing off the nativo bush, but will bo rather in the/direction■ of 'making' I the beauties of this park niorc. .accessible to (ho public by. paths', landings, ctc. Tlie socicty. is.pt present actively engaged in, ■working np a floral carnival and motor gymkhana fo bo ! .hclff.in a. month's time for tho purpose of raising funds to prosecute its which Tyill be oil a considerable; setlo this j-ear, Mr. Cuddle, director, of dairy ..produco, visits Wanganui in a feiv • dajs' ■to confer with. the,. representative's of . local dairy factories in reference to details concerning tho establishment of -a grading station, here. There was a lengthy discussion at the Chamber of Cbmmerco meeting last night on. tho Hastings Chambf.r's request for support to tho Waikaremoana water-power scheme. The speakers expressed their willingness to help Hastings, but thought' the source of power too : far aw'iiy to bo of much benefit to' Wanganui, and advocated the development of the power of the, Maugawhoro Falls, about 10 miles from here. ..The matter was referred to a cobimitteo to inquire as to meiiiis of making the poiver at thj Mangawhcro Falls available for Waiiganui. ■ , 'i'ho Mayor; .Mr» Hogany- M.P., Mr. Williams (president _qf. tho Chamber ,of Commerce), and fkJverdl councillors motored oiit to Mar.ton to-day to interview tho Prime, Minister oil the way back to Wellington on the. subject of the proposed overhend' railway crossing at (iuylon Street. The Mayor explained that tho deputation wftlied to-ask tho Government, for assistance in the cost of lowering tho railway line at Gilj-ton ; Street crossing nnd tho erection of-an overhead bridge. His Worship pointed out that the erossr in'g was lit present a. very daiigerolis 6no and. tho trhmc was increasing to a great extent,- ftf- much so, iir fact, that,-iacei-donts wore not uriconinion, nnd .sooner or later there woiiltl be a costly fatality .'.to tho Hailway Department. Tho matter had already been before the Department, but no promise of assistance had been forthcoming. He thought', in view of the •fact that tho Department had, in deviating the line, taken somo of the council's property, for which that, body had never been compensated, tlio Department might justly be asked to 'contribute towards I 'the cost of th«| crossing. ,He_also.asked that tho Department should .put 'down a crossing opposito Spear Street. Mr. Williams pointed Out that' the borough was hemmed. Jn-on every,side with railways, thereby creating an 6xperi's6 for the borough that other towns. were not, subject to. Mr. Itogari suggested 'to the PriMo ■ Minister that, a crossing-keeper would, before long, be necessary, and if tlio line were'lowered this would be obviated; It would, in his opinion, bo 'more economical to siibsidiso up to, ,sa.v,. *C'2O(H),- as .the. interest on'this amount would po less tliaii the wages of a .crossing-keepdr. The Prime Minister, in reply, said tho matter" was oiiito'neW to; lii'm, and lio would howl to look-! into the nuestion beforo n reniy could bn given. However, tho Department laid down the principle • that, where a company or corporal ion required to pass over railway lines they had , to nrovido their own means of crossing. The sarAe -.difficulty -was evident in other towns ■in the Dominion and similar rec(uosts had been.refused elsewhere. . Tho point, however, raised by Mr. Hogan was worthy of consideration and ho would ndvisa them in due course.