LOCAL AND GENERAL

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume LXXXIII, Issue 19719, 9 December 1926, Page 6

LOCAL AND GENERAL

Messrs Silk, Haworth and Co. have forwarded to tho “Chronicle” a donation of £1 Is for the Community Chest organised by the Wanganui .Branch of the Women's Division of the Farmers’ Union.

The Wanganui Education Board met last night. Present: Messrs W. A. Collins (chairman), E. AV. Hemingway, A. J. Joblin, J. K. Hornblow, W. Adams, H. Mclntyre, W. S. Woodroofe. At the conclusion of the meeting seasonal greetings were exchanged between the chairman and the members, similar compliments being extended to the staff and the Press.

tl There is not a suitable panel on which the name of the school can be painted and seen to advantage,” said the architect (Mr E. Hodges) in reporting to the Education Board, last night, on the question of placing the school’s name or. Victoria Avenue School buildings. Members of the Board agreed as to the, desirability of having the name on the school, and the matter was left in the hands of the architect.

“Opportunities should be given to country children, to let them come and see the Duke and Duchess,” said Mr J. K. HornLlow, last night, when the Education Board was discussing the impending visit of the Duke and Duchess of York. He said lac children should be given the chance to say that they had seen a member of the Royal Family. It was a spirit they should endeavour to foster.

The executive of the Wanganui branch of the New Zealand Farmers’ Union met yesterday. Present: Messrs T. Currie (chairman), A. E. Anderson, J. Brandon, D. L. Blyth, J. Craig. B. Dawes, A. L. Elmslie, AV. Howie, AV. Morrison, A. N. McLeod, A. Robinson, R. R. Somerville, and J. Taylor. A arious farming problems were discussed, and an interesting address was delivered by Mr E. J. Fawcett, of the Department of Agriculture.

A good crowd gathered at Mr John Coull’s auction rooms yesterday afternoon, when the Melbourne corner, a valuable city property, was offered for sale by the Public Trustee on behalf of the Waters Estate. AVith a frontage of 66 feet to the Avenue, the block, was sought for at £350 per foot on the opening bid, .and offers then ran to £385 per foot, at which price the property was withdrawn. The vendors hope to negotiate a sale by private treaty.

Cook Strait burial ground for ships that have seen better days, claimed another vessel yesterday morning, when the well-known tug Admiral, after many years’ useful service, was towed out to sea by the Wellington tug Toia and sunk in 100 fathoms of water south-east of Turakirae Head. Several months ago the Admiral was condemned as useless, and after being dismantled she was tied up at Shelley Bay to await her end. Other vessels that have been sunk in the Strait in recent years are the Solgran, Poherua and Takapuna.

“A few years ago, if a farmer was approached for information about his position, he would have kicked the enquirer off his farm,” said Mr A. C. Fawcett, of tho Department of Agriculture, addressing the local Farmers’ Union yesterday, on the study of farm economics. “But now,” he went on, “farmers generally are anxious to assist the New Zealand farming industry by giving what information they can.” For that reason the Department asked farmers to help in its proposed survey of economic conditions throughout agriculture in the Dominion. A local resident yesterday afternoon was thoroughly enjoying the bright sunshine that gleamed down betwen the trees on the hill in Cook’s Gardens. The said gentleman, who is a keen student of history, had just got to the point where Elizabeth had signed tho order for the execution of her favourite Lord Essex, when the sharp crack of a rifle was heard, and a bullet whistled through the trees. Needless to say, the student of history quicklv made his way down the rear of the hill. The shot was promptly followed by two more shots. These came from the rear of the band rotunda, the haunt of a few blackbirds. It is high time that the irresponsible youths in this locality were deprived of their gun, as a serious accident might have occurred.

The strange flsh found on the beach at Paraparaumu and taken to the Dominion Museum at Wellington has proved to be of the genus trachipterus. It is an extraordinary looking fish, measuring 1 foot 6 inches in length and four or live inches in width. It averages only one-eighth of an inch in thickness, and at the’ tail is much thinner than that. It is richly silvered with a thick- coating of what looks like silver paint, consisting of thousands of crvstalline prisms. It seems established" that the fish, which is a true ribbon fish, lives at a great ocean depth. It has a protractible mouth, -which extends more than an inch, like bellows,, perhaps, to enable it to grasp its sea prey. The fresh brilliant silver covering is relieved by reddish lateral stripes, and the tail and fins are vivid scarlet. Black spots the size of a florin diversify the back.

The following piomotions and transfers in the Police Foxce have been notified:—lnspector Murray (New Plymouth) promoted to superintendent and transferred to Dunedin to take charge, vice Superintendent Matheson (deceased). Inspector D. C. Fraser (Greymouth) takes his place at New Plymouth. Promoted to rank of Inspector, Sjib-Inspector L. E. O’Halloran, of Dunedin, is transferred to take charge at Greymouth, his place at Dunedin being taken by SeniorSergeant Fahey, of Timaru, who is promoted to the rank of Sub-Inspector. Chief-Detective T. Gibson (Christchurch), at his own request, is transferred from tho detective branch to the corresponding rank of SeniorSergeant in Ihe uniformed service. He ■will go to Timaru to replace SeniorSergeant Fahey. Chief Detective W. E. Lewis is transferred from Duhedin for health reasons, and fills the vacancy at Christchurch. SeniorDetective D. Cameron, of Wellington, is transferred to Dunedin with the rank of Chief Detective. Sergeant D. B. Murray takes charge of Addington Station, being transferred from South Dunedin, his place there being filled by Sergeant C. H. Denn on, transferred from Lawrence. Lawrence, having no further need for a sergeant, will be in charge of Constable M. Hodgins, from Ly 11 el ton. ~