Town Talk

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 83, Issue 32, 8 February 1939, Page 6

Town Talk

Deniair Camp Picnic. The annual picnic for the staff and workmen of the Deniair Public Works camp will be held at Kai Iwi on Saturday, March 4. Grass Fire. The Wanganui Fire Brigade received a call at 4.51 p.m. yesterday to a grass fire on the railway line in Gurr Street, Aramoho. The flames were suppressed before any damage was done.

For Technical College. The Hon. P. Fraser, Minister of Education, has advised Mr. J. B. Cotterill, M.P. for Wanganui, that he has approved of a grant for certain improvements to the Wanganui Technical College.

Cook’s Gardens Pavilion. The action of the council at a special meeting in accepting the tender of the Bignell Construction Company for the erection of the new pavilion in Cook’s Gardens, was confirmed at last night’s meeting of the Wanganui City Council.

Swimming Broadcast. Advice has been received by the Wanganui Swimming Centre that the Invercargill station of the N.Z. National Broadcasting Service will broadcast the results of the national swimming championships next week. The championships will be controlled by the Southland Swimming Centre.

Physical Fitness Week. At a meeting last night, the Wanganui Amateur Athletic and Cycling Club decided to give every support to the Physical Fitness Week campaign. It is the intention of the club to take part in the procession which is being organised, and to stage a gala sports meeting.

More State Houses. Four more State houses are to be erected in Wanganui shortly. Mr. J. B. Cotterill, M.P. for Wanganui, ha.: received advice from Mr. J. A. Lee, Parliamentary Under-Secretary for Housing, that land has been acquireq for the building of four State houses in Marshall Avenue and Sedgebrook Street, Wanganui East. Carnival at Marton.

The Wanganui Swimming Centre is making arrangements for a swimming carnival to be held at Marton on the evening of Wednesday, February 22, as part of the Fitness Wee a celebrations in Marton. It is anticipated that between 10U and 150 Wanganui swimmers will be taking part in the carnival. A feature will be the fact that no trophies are being provided, the carnival being designee, as a "boost” for swimming in Marton.

Frame and Drawings Presented. Two framed drawings have been presented to the Wanganui Public Library by Mrs. W. F. Gordon, or New Plymouth, reported the librarian, Miss A. M. Beckett, at last night's meeting of the Wanganui City Council. The drawings are the work of the late Mr. Gordon and are unique. One is the Lord’s Prayer m Maori and is illuminated with Maori tracery, and the other is "Stray Loves,” and represents a study table. Both drawings have won numerous* medals and certificates. Swimming Championships. Interest in swimmine is being maintained ill Wanganui with tne continued summer weather. To-morrow evening the first series of events in the Wanganui district championships will be held in the St. George's Gale oaths. The second carnival will be held in the Wanganui East School baths on Saturday evening. In one of the events to-morrow night the number of entrants will necessitate thre eliminating heats before the final can be decided.

Representative Cricket Caps Representative caps are to be procured by the Wanganui Cricket Association for the local players in the match against Sir Julien Cahn’s team on Cook’s Gardens on Saturday week, February 18. The caps will remain the property of the association until a player attains representative status by playing in a number of games—the number to be decided later —whereupon he will be presented with a cap. The caps are to be in the English style, black, with light blue monogram.

Wanganui Garrison Band Through the courtesy of Mr. F. W. Gilligan, headmaster of the Wanganui Collegiate School, the Wanganui Garrison Band will hold their usual Wednesday night quickstep practice on the School cricket ground this evening instead of Cook's Gardens. This move is designed to give band members experience on a new ground so that they may the more readily adapt themselves to a strange ground at the championship contest at Christchurch. Next Sunday’s practice on Cook’s Gardens will mark Ihe final quickstep practice before the band leaves for Christchurch. Library Statistics. The city librarian, Miss A. M. Blackett, reported to last night's meeting of the Wanganui City Council that the total membership of the library at the end of December was 2113, compared with 2058 during the corresponding month of the previous year. The number of books issued Itotailed 14,525, compared with 14,222 lin December, 1937. The membership lat the end of January was 211 a, ; compared with 2053 in January oi hast year, and the number of books i issued was 13,121, compared with 12,1967. The number of books purchased during January was 725 volumes, including 648 fiction replacements tn (leather binding. I A Dog’s Sagacity.

Through the sagacity of the family dog, a local girl had her pet budgerigar restored to her when it temporarily escaped yesterday afternoon. The barking of the dog disturbed the home and when it continued the cause was investigated, but without effect. A little later the bird was missed and while a search was being made the dog continued to try to attract attention. Then when asked where the budgerigar was, he dashed off to some long grass near his kennel where a search revealed the bird, whose wings, having been shortened, did not permit it to go very far. It was apparent that the dog, noticing the bird on the ground, had sought to attract attention, and until its barks were heard had kept guard so that [the feathered pet, which it had often I seen with its mistress, would not be harmed