JOTTINGS FROM WANGANUI.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1199, 7 August 1911, Page 6

JOTTINGS FROM WANGANUI.

(By iMcrranb.— Soccial Correspondent.! A BENEFICENT FLOOD. Wanganui, August 5. According •to tho reports of the pilot and engineer, which were submitted to the' Wanganui Harbour Board last evening, the tiood in the river about tho middle of the mouth caused a snoaling of about four feet at the river mouth, but since the flood subsided tho obstruction has been disappearing, and normal conditions arc now almost restored. Tho shoaling turns out to bo really a blessing in disguise, as it was caused by the swooping away by the flood of some enormous sandbanks in the river near Castlecliff, totalling thousands of yards. These have almost,completely vanished, and in consequence of this the depth of the berthage at Castlecliff has been increased from 15ft. to 20ft., and the shallowest part of the river channel has been scoured out from 13ft. to 17ft. . Various improvements aro noticeable in other directions, and if as anticipated the depth on the bar is fully restored by tho next spring tides, tho harbour will bo in a better condition than ever before in its history.

The Ha rbour Board has decided to drop tho proposal to purchase a rocket apparatus, and to form a roelet brigade at Castlecliff, considering tho cost of purchase and maintenance out of proportion to the present needs of the por.t. A familiar Wanganui land-mark—the Infants' School building, which for over tliirtv yeart, has successively housed various 'schools—is to bo demolished next week. It is now falling into decay, and is utterly unsuitable for modern require ments, and its destruction is a preparatory step towards tho building of what is claimed' will be tho most, up-to-date kindergarten in the Dominion. The latter will bo built on a new site, and the site of the present building will in a few month.l be occupicd by new business premises.