South Taranaki News

Taranaki Daily News, 1 December 1926, Page 2

South Taranaki News

(From Our Own Reporter.)

Telephone No. 596.

P.O. Box 133.

THE NEW HOSPITAL SCHEME OF GROUNDS LAY-OUT. THE. WORK COMMENCED. The scheme for the lay-out of the extensive grounds at the new' public hospital, as submitted by Messrs A. W. Buxton and Son, of Christchurch, has been approved by the Hospital Board and a commencement has been made by the contractors with the preliminary work of clearing and preparing the grounds prior to the laying down of the drives and small borders round the nurses’ home and administration bloek. Already a fairly large staff is engaged. Mr. Buxton explained yesterday the proposed lay-out of the grounds. From the memorial gates at the entranee one drive will run through shrubberies on either side, one branch going to the entrance of the Nurses’ Home and the other leading direct to the administration bloek, returning round an extensive lawn, oval in shape, to the memorial gates. The other branch, for tradesmen and heavier traffic, will lead to the laundry and kitchen quarters.

In front of the laundry block there w-ill be a drying green screened from view from the main block of buildings by an ornamental shrubbery, while on the western side of the grounds will be a large lawn planted with occasional trees for shade purposes. The western boundary with dwarf gums, amongst others, on the recommendation of Dr. Frazer, the new medical superintendent, on account of their health-giving properties and as an aid to disinfection. THREE ROSE GARDENS PROPOSED. On the western boundary and continuing right round to the northern aspect will be bloek shrubbery, which should serve as a protection from the prevailing winds. An important feature of the decorative scheme will be three specially designed rose gardens between each ward. Each rose garden will be different in design and besides being wellsheltered they will be seen by the patients from each of the six wards. A further proposal is to form a special iris garden in the corner of the grounds. The Hospital Board has decided to lay down an asphalt tennis court and the workmen are at present engaged in preparing the foundation at the back of the Nurses’ Home. The position chosen for the court is a very suitable one, and besides being well sheltered a view of the court will be commanded from the balconies of the home. When the grounds are completed and the shrubs have grown somewhat, the hospital proper will not be seen from the memorial gates on account of the shrubbery planted on the oval lawn immediately inside the gates, but both the drives diverge from the entrance so that as the hospital is approached pleasing glimpses and vistas of the buildings will be afforded through the ornamental trees. CONVENIENCE AND BEAUTY.

Round the whole of the buildings will be small ornamental borders breaking the lines of the foundations and taking away as much of the institutional effect as possible. Provision has been made, wherever possible, to cut off all draughts and the prevailing winds by the planting of shrubberies and for' the accommodation of convalescent patients small sheltered bays are to be provided on the northern side of the grounds. A special decorative scheme will be carried out in the case of the medical superintendent’s residence in order that this shall harmonise with the general lay-out of the grounds. The whole scheme is being carried out wit’ll the end in view of making the grounds as convenient and as inviting as possible for the benefit of the patients, without sacrificing beauty to utility. 'From the plan it would appear that both the needs of utility and of beauty will be served very effectively. ROUGH WEATHER CONTINUES. CONDITIONS ON THE FARMS. The month of October was one of exceptionally heavy rainfall in South Taranaki, but the rainfall for the month of November promises to be almost, if not quite, as heavy. As a result of the continued rain and cold weather of late, reports from the country are to the effect that there has been a slackening off in the milk supply and it has even been stated that the flush of the dairying season was during October, much earlier than in previous years Figures for last month’s milk produe tion are not yet available, but‘it has been stated by at least one experienced dairyman that the returns for Noveni her will probably be on a par with the returns for the same month of last year 1 The heavy rain and frequent hailstorms recently have also had a damaging effect on young crops, especially carrots and mangolds, and many farmers are forced to drill their paddocks a second time. Although swedes went out of favour with many farmers a few years ago on account of the prevalence of elnb root, good crops have been secured during the last two years, and many farmers in South Taranaki are growing swedes again this year. There still appears to be an abundance of feed throughout the district, and stock generally arc looking well despite the bad weather, although lambs are somewhat backward and it is expected that there will not be any large draughts going forward to the works for some time. It is said that, now the feed is beginning to improve in Hawke’s Bay there is a probability of buyers from that province coming to Taranaki for store steers. PRIMARY SCHOOL SPORTS. At a well-attended meeting iff last year's officials and of the general publie held last evening, when Mr. SL, F. Purser presided, it was decided to hold this year’s gathering on December 15 to decide the South Taranaki championships and the contests for the Dixon Banner and Bennett and Sutton Cup. The following office-bearers wore elected to control the forthcoming sports:— j

Patron, Mr. E. Dixon (re-elected); president, Mr. M. F. Pursier (re-elected); genera] committee. Messrs. J. Winks, N. Cowie, J. A. Hansen, M. Barraelough, B. McCarthy, J. J. Goodwin, F. W. Pettett, B. C. Bennett, F. A. Bates, F. W. Sutton, A. W. Lawn, P. Bond, F. A. Quin, J. W. J. Harding, C. Purser, Jas. 'Harding, S. Adamson, J. C. Woolliams, M. Jones, L. Hunt, D. Strachan, A. Mur- ! doeh, T. Tait, C. Dahl, and Tiitawa; i hon. secretary and treasurer, Mr. A. K. iFyson; assistant, Mr. F. A. Quin; exej entire committee, Messrs. J. A. Hansen, IJ. Winks, F. A. Quin and the chairman I and secretary. I Sports officials were elected as follows:—Marshal in charge of sports, Mr. IJ. A. Hansen (re-elected); marshal in I charge of procession, Mr. F. Pettett (re- | elected); chief running Judge, Mr. J. 1 Winks; chief jumping judge, Mr. F. A. Qnin; starter, Mr. M. Jones (re-elect-ed) ; marksmen, Messrs. H. Sutton, C. Bourke, W. Bradford, J. Paterson, C. Paterson (re-elected); track steward, Mr. F. Pettett (re-elected); time-keep-i ers, Messrs. F. Foden, H. Sargent and F. Hostick (re-elected); megaphonist, Mr. L. Hunt (re-elected); number steward, Mr. J. W. J. Harding; result steward, Mr. F. W. Sutton; judiciary comI mittee, Messrs. M. F. Purser, J. A. ' Hansen, F. A. Quin, and J. Gray (re--elected), and B. C. Bennett. ! Appreciation of the services previously rendered by Mr. P. Bond in ar1 ranging for the attendance and recepI tion of boys from the Salvation Army Home at Eltham was expressed by the 1 president. j Mr. J. A. Hansen intimated that the New Zealand Athletic and Cycling Un- ; ion had offered to donate £2 2s to the ( sportsjiind, and the offer was accepted, ‘ a vote of thanks being recorded. ! Dealing with trophies, the president ' reported that it was proposed to provide I medals as points prizes to the most I successful senior and junior boy reI spectively and trophies would also be ’ awarded the girl competitors. | Mr. P. Bond proposed that certificates should be supplied to competitors fini ishing first, second and third respecI lively in the various events, and the speaker offered to donate suitable certificates. The suggestion was endorsed by Mr. F. A. Bates, and other speakers, and was adopted, a vote of thanks being passed to Mr. Bond in appreciation of the donation. KEBBELL SHIELD SHOOTING. The Kebbell Shield shooting competition; which is open to all cadet companies in the central command, comprising Wellington, Hawke’s Bay and Taranaki, concludes to-day. So far as Taranaki is concerned, the Hawera town company of cadets is leading with the creditable average of 79.4. The next highest score in Taranaki is that the team of New Plymouth cadets, with an average of 77.8.