WANGANUI NOTES

Dominion, Volume 20, Issue 59, 3 December 1926, Page 6

WANGANUI NOTES

Wanganui, December 2. The Wangauui banners’ Union will hold their big farmers’ rally m His Majesty’s Theatre on Thursday, December 9. The rally is the immediate outcome of the recent labour, difficulties encountered by the farmers. The farmers also will be able to have a “heart”'talk on the various other proposals confronting them at the present juncture. At the meeting the Minister of Lands (Hon A 1) McLeod) aud the Minister of Agriculture (Hon. O. J Hawkeii) will be present, and the speakers will include some of the foremost tanners o( the Dominion.

Vital statistics for Wanganui fol November are as follow, with the figures lor the same month last year 1926: Births, ,6a; deaths, 23; marriages, 19; 1925: births, 51; deaths, 9; marriages, 22. Marriages tn the Registry Office totalled eight in November last year, but only one was celebrated last mouth.

The City Council is experiencing considerable difficulty iu obtaining payment oi the rates that are now payable, although ratepayers have been notified that they are required to make payment, and that iu order to assist them the council is willing to accept monthly payments up to the time the penalty is imposed by law. Owing to the poor response the council lias been compelled to give instritctions to proceed tor the recovery ol rates from those who have not paid a portion of their liability, and a ballot lias been taken ol the defaulters. The first batch ol summonses were to have been issued to-day. The Town Clerk reported to the City Council last night that rates amounting to £570,0t10 had been paid bv tlie Wanginui citizens to date, but this was £23,000 less than the amount that should have been collected. It was stated that the council overdraft was £05,000. The deputyMayor (Mr. C. ?. Brown) said that the interest bill was so high that it might be necessary to increase next year’s rates. Tlie Town Clerk said that the council staff was making every endeavour to get the rates in. The Railway Department informed tbe City Council last night that it would share half the cost of erecting warning signals at Grey Street and Foutini Street level crossings. The council’s share would be about £2OO. Councillor Rogers said that the Railway Department had assured Mr. A. Pearson, who made the signals, that the cost would be only £4O each, and, therefore, the City Council should have to pay only £4O. “The Department is putting it over us,’’ he said. The matter was referred to the works committee.

Great interest is being aroused in the first Hawke Cup match of the season, which will take place between Wanganui (holders) and Taranaki (challengers) at Cook’s Gardens tomorrow. The weather is fine to-day, and with tbe wicket in good condition everything points to an interesting match Colonel Munro, who lias been inspector ol stock iu the Wanganui district for 24 years, and who has been actively associated with the Territorial movement aud Volunteers, and who was on active service during the Great War, in Palestine, was farewelled at the Imperial Hotel yesterday afternoon by the Wanganui Caledonian Society and a number of representative citizens. He was presented with a rug and a travelling-bag on behalf of the society.

The first races of the Wanganui Rowing Club’s historic eights were held to-night between the Collegiate School crew and Cakott's crew, and crews stroked bv R Carr and Durie respectively. Tlfe first race, between Collegiate School and Calcott, was a great race, victory going to the school by one and a half lengths The second race resulted in an easy win for Durie The winning crews were as follow .-—Collegiate School: Grace (stroke). Winlove, Reeve, Simpson, Gibbons, Nairn, Bethell (bow) ; [>urie (stroke). Pine, Linssen, Attwood. Adams, Laird, Barnes, Doughty (bow).