WANGANUI BOROUGH.

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 1933, 16 December 1913, Page 11

WANGANUI BOROUGH.

ITS MUNICIPAL ACTIVITIES.

PADDLING ITS OWN CANOE,

The Wanganui Borough liko most other boroughs had. its rise' from a Town Board, tho o;;istonco of which stretclicd away back into the mistv past, when Wanganui was something between a. country village and a garrison town. Anyhow it grew big and brave enough to apply for status as a borough in tho year iS7I, and was incorporated as such on February 1, 1872. For 27 years it was content with its own little patch of mother earth, and on tho whole worried along very well. Four years ago it took the expansion fever, and in common with other municipalities it began to roach out for a Greater Wanganui. On 'November ,1. 1900, St. John's was.absorbed, on Aprjl 1. "1910, Aramoho was joined to the borough, and on July 1, 1910, Durio Town also joined forces. Tho latest acquisition is • tho Warigamii East Borough, which ceased to be on January 1, 1913. Tho. borough of Wanganui as at present outlined consists of about 4000 acres. A little later'the-suburbs of Gonville and Castlccliff will also\bo taken in., which will still further increase tho area! and population of tho borough. According to tho ccnsus returns brought up to January 1 last the population of the borough is about 14,000. This figure will be swelled next year by the inclusion of Gonville (a rapidlygrowing suburb which alrcadv boasts a population of 2500) and Castlecliff, which will contribute about 800, bringing Wanganui's total population up to 17,300,' which is "some town" (as tho Americans would say). A Co-ahead Town. According to the last Government valuations, Wanganui included properties of ail annual letting valuo of £165,000. A reccnt valuation gave tho unimproved value of laud within tho berough as £1,728,214, which, of course, tops aiiv previous valuation. The borough has never been backward in following up a policy of nninicipalisation of certain commercial enterprises. As far . hack as 1902 it acquired from the Wanganui Gas Company the whole of its business, lock, stock, and barrel, and has never been sorry that it did so. During the eleven years it has con-

trolled tho gas business tho sum of £17,900 has been paid into the general account for the relief of • rates, £13,000 lias been expended ifl plant, £9700 lias been paid into a sinking fund—all out ot profits. In addition the works have paid the interest on tho capital involved. The revenue received from gas for tho first year (1902-3) was £10,279, that received for

tho year ended 3larch 31 last amounted to £31,448. When the Borough Council took over the gasworks tho charge made to the public for- lighting was Gs.6d. per 1000 ft. Now it- i.s os. per 1000 ft. and between 4s. 3d. and 4s. 0d: . per 1000ft-. for power. Another great enterprise that redounds to tho credit of the borough is

tho institution of a system of electric trams, which is dealt more fully with in another article in (his issue. So far tin' council is not supplying the city with current for lighting and power, but a departure in that direction is in contemplation. The, total revenue from all sources for the year ended March 31 last was £10-1,-351, and the expenditure totalled £152,-

fifiO. The total debt of the borough was in March fast £389,726. hut of tint amount a very substantial proportion is invested in revenue-earning concerns, viz., tramways, ±80,000; ■■ gasworks, £79,000; Opera House, £4000. In the . thirteen years, tho '• MunicipalOpora House has been in existence the sum of £3309 has been paid into, tlio general account out of profits. ,■ .

■ ■ Watsr. Supply. The city lios ii very'good water snpph derived from the Okchu stream, IS miles from Wantpmui... The stream is dammed lor. conservation purposes, at one paint, ruid is finally conducted into a service reservoir at Westmere, which when, quite'completed will have a holding capacity .of. 6,UUO,OtJU gallons. The

consumption of water in Wanganui isabout a million gallons a day, ond .the pressure in tho town varies from 120 to 1351b., which means foreo enough for any purpose.. . _ '■ Wanganui is richly endowed wit% beautiful places for rest and recreation. Right in tho heart of the cit-y thcro are several. Cook's Gardens, which has a fmo sports ground and a sauccr-shapwl cycle track, are within three minutes' walk of Victoria Avenue. These gardens wore mado by prison labour, out of what was practically a great sand-hill, only a few years ago. Here, too, is a memorial to tho meii of tliG district who fell in the South African War, The Queen's Park Domain is also iu midcity, really just at the opposite end of Maria I'laco to Cook's Gardens. It is a green and restful spot, and is generally visited, by people interested in tlie monument raised to the memory of tho Imperial soldiers who wero killed or who died in the Maori Wars. Then thero aro the coo!, clean-shaven Moutoa Gardens (tho site of tho old Market Square), the Virginia Lake Reserve (on St. John's Hill, formerly a * reservoif reserve), tho big recreation ground next tho racecourse, and another recreation 'ground at Wanganui East. Th-d borough has its municipal swimming baths near tho Moutoa Gardens, and thore are also fins swimming baths at tho Girls' College, Boys' Collegiate School, Victoria Avenue School, Wanganui fiast, and at Gonville. Tlie Mayor, Council, and. Officors. j Tho present Mayor of Wanganui is Mr. T. I'ioswall Williams, ami the members of the council aro Messrs. J. W. AldertoH, W. S. Dustin, Dr, J. L. Gregg, F, A. Harkness, M. Hogan, W. Kimekcy, W. 31. Luxfonl, G. W. M'Caul, J. T. Muir, L. J. Sigley, A. Thompson, and C. J, Wrny. Mr. George Mnrch is Town Clerk; Mr. N. Crofton Stanley, City Engineer; Mr, G. D. Stfiiio, Ga.-? Engineer; and Mr. F.-P. Talboys, Tramways Engineer.; Mayors of tho Past. The following aro tho names of the chairmen of tho Town Board (prior to Ikes existence of the Borough Council): Messrs; John Handle)*, George Braven. and VTiiliam Kells. Tlie successive Mayors of the borough of Wanganui have been as follow:—. W, 11. Watt, February 14, 1872, to September 1(5, 1873. ' . . , W. Hutchinson, September 17, 1873, to February (j, 1874. R. Pliurasyn, March 10, 1874, to September 25, 1875, K- Churton, September 25, 1874, to November 30, 18-75. ■ . W..T.1. Watt'. December 1,1375, to December 18, 1878.

T. Uamlinr," Dcc.V.nbi'r 18, 1878, to December 10, 18S0. Vi' 11. Wait, December 10, ISSO, lo December 21, 1881. G. Carson, December 21, 188 L, to December 17, 1884. F. 51. Spnrdle, Decomber 17, 1884, to December 15, 1886. J. laird, December 15, ISS6, to Dosomber 19, 1888.'

A. J. Parsons, Doeeiaber 19, 1888, to December 17, 1890. H. Nathan, December 17, 1890, to December 16, 1.891 A. J. Parsons, December 16, 1891, to December 21, 1892. F. R. Jackson. December 21, 1892, to December. 17, 1896. J. L. Stevenson, December 17, 1896, to December 15, 1897. A Hatrick, Decembor- 10, 1897,. to February 23, 1804.. A. G. Uißucll, February 24, 1904,» t's April 30, 1806.' C. B. Mackay, May 1, 1906, to February 22, 1912. E, N. Liffitoii, February 26, 1912, to April 80, 1912. : C. E. Mackiy. May 1, 1912, to April 30, 1913. T.'TT. Williams, May 1, 1913. SPLASHING IN THE BRINY. 9 — STIRF-BATfIING AT CASTLECLIFF. Wanganui is a town with many advantages. It is an inland town on the banks of a beautiful river within the sound of the sea. It is some years now since the tesidente tobk any notice or the sound, but, in common with the rest or Australasia, it has caught on to surf-bathing like a baby-boy catches at a stick of barley sugar, and Whenever the weather is warm enough on Thursday and Saturday afternoons and all day on Sundays the Castleclilf bench is alive with bathers and surfshooters of both sexes, who lind the exercise a splendid relaxation after tlio worries and cares of business life. The beach is a splendid one, and litis been greatly improved by the recent harbour works, which has meant an alteration in the bay of the beach immediately on the north side of tho moles. It is a long shelving beach of pure sand, which could afford safe surfing for ton thousand people. There is only oho risk that the immature bather may run. Occasionally, islands of sand form a little way off the beach. which lias the effect of creating a swift undertow on either side, particularly when the tide is ebbing. These spots, however, arc usually located bv experienced waterlarks, and the bathers aro warned off. The beach has its Castleclitf Surf Bathers' and Life Saving Club, which has a membership of 133 men and 14 ladies. The club lias four life-line reels, and that these are put to sjood use, the animal report- testifies. It j says:—"During the season 19 rescues were effected with the reels, and two ■cases without. Out of these 21 cases, four had to be resuscitated by artificial respiration. In effecting all tliesso rescues the members proved equal to the

occasion." This is a very modest way of saying that very excellent work was done in a west thorough and efficient manner. The club would bo well advised if it arranged before any big day (say, any of the holidays now approaching) to have teams ''on duty" throughout the day, ono in the morning and the other in tlio afternoon. This arrangement gives a sense of security to bathers, sets up a vigilance committee to watch out for anyone who may got into difficulties, and places the responsibility fot having the goaf ready and handy for use, instead of leaving it haphazard for any members to form a team. This idea lias been followed up with great success on other beaches of the Dominion and iu Australia (where there is no professional life-saver kept on the beach). During the year the.club received £10 donations, from the Gonvillo-Castlecliff Town Board, tlio GonviJle Town Board, the Oastlecliff Town Board, tho Wan.ganui Borough Council, and tlio Harbour Board. Th-cro are thrco club sheds now upon the beach, replacing the ones that wore threatened with cxtmction by tile saud-drift. Tlio club lia-s an easthusiastic president in Mr. D. M'Fartarie; Mr. Charles Nowcombo is tlio ciub captain, and Mr. Richardson see rotary. Whilst on tlio subject of surf and surfers, it should bo noted that a very I fine tea .kiosk has been erected on the: beach during the past year, so that surfers and picnickers oenoNillv need never be without the inmspensiul» "as they watch the shining pathway out to sea."