Town Talk

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 83, Issue 42, 20 February 1939, Page 6

Town Talk

Barrels Fall Off Lorry. Flying in all directions, about 20 empty beer barrels fell off a motorlorry in Willis Street, Wellington, shortly after noon on Friday. Some rolled down Dixon Street and others down Willis Street for as far as 100 yards. Traffic was held up for several minutes before order was restored.

Tawhero School Sports. As part of its share in the "Fitness Week” campaign, the Tawhero School will stage school sports in the grounds on Saturday afternoon, commencing at 2 o'clock. An invitation is being extended parents to attend this sports meeting, and if the weather should prove wet the sports will be postponed till Friday.

Primary School Athletics. The Wanganui Primary Schools’ Amateur Athletic Association will hold their annual sports gathering on Cook’s Gardens on Saturday, March 11. This sports meeting might have been included in Wanganui's "Fitness Week” celebrations but for the fact that it would be too soon after the resumption of school activities following the midsummer vacation. Motor-Car Imports.

A decline of approximately 9 per cent, in the number of motor vehicles imported into New Zealand occurred last year, compared with the record total for 1937, according to a return prepared by the Comptroller of Customs. There were 33,464 vehicles brought into the Dominion last year, against 36,761 in 1937, a decline of 3297. The total for 1936 was 30,265, and for 1935 ti was 20,825.

Breaststroke Swimmer's Success. At the New Zealand senior swimming championships at Invercargill on Saturday night the Wanganui swimmer, L. Smith, won the 100 yards national breaststroke championship, defeating the 220 yards title holder, Dyson, in a thrilling finish. Smith, who had been eight times winner of the New Zealand championship, was making what he stated would be his final appearance 'at the championships. Recruiting Figures.

Army headquarters have now provided the recruiting figures of the last two months of 1938, which are normally very poor recruiting months. The total enlistments in New Zealand for this period was 644. The total discharges for the same period was 354. The term “discharges” includes men who have been transferred to other districts, men who have failed to keep up to the high standard now required in the territorial forces.

Young Swimmers. The finals of the Wanganui Primary Schools’ Swimming and LifeSaving Association's annual carnival will be held in the Intermediate School baths on Thursday afternoon The preliminary heats were swum on Thursday in the Intermediate School, Wanganui East School and Gonvilie baths. Over 200 swimmers will participate in the finals, and in all there will be nearly sixty events to be decided in the afternoon. The primary school district swimming championships will be swum at the Durie Hill School baths on Saturday next.

Domestic Science Class Speaking at the opening of “Kai-anga-Moe,” the new rest home taken over by the Women’s Division of the Farmers' Union at Awapuni, Palmerston North, on Saturday, Professor G. S. Peren, principal of Massey College, said that the domestic science course adopted by the college last year had proved a great success. Largely because of that class and the interest it held for the Women’s Division, the college would be taking a direct interest in the new home. Professor Peren added that to overcome the difficulty experienced through the course beginning too late in the spring, arrangements were being made to begin a fortnight or three weeks earlier. Mrs. J. C. Wickham, Dominion president of the W.D.F.U. said the division heartily approved of the course and was indebted to the college for its introduction.

Criticism of Men. At the opening on Saturday, of the new rest home ror women “kaiangaMoe,” Palmerston North, members of the Women's Division of the Farmers' Union referred to the co-operation between the men's union and their own. 'We must remember that, the generosity of the women is largely the generosity of their husbands,” said Mrs. C. K. Wilson. “After all, the money we have to spend is usually the money our husbands give us. Men cannot get far without their wives and wives very far without their husbands.” Mrs. Wilson's remarks were heartily applauded and there was a good deal of applause, too, when Mrs. J. Macleavy, had to speak for her husband, of the Farmers’ Union. “I am to apologise for his absence," she said. “The reason why he is not here is just a matter of grass seed, I may tell you. It has to be got in before the weather breaks, which all hope will be soon. I don’t know what the men will say when they hear that a mere woman spoke on their behalf, but I congratulate you for the men and convey their good wishes for the success of the scheme."

Good Walking Time. To settle a wager and to play a part in the opening of Physical Fitness week, three Public Works employees, accomplished a long walking race on Saturday morning. They set out from the 31-mile peg on the Parapara Road and finished at the Red Lion Inn, Taylorville, Wanganui, two of them completing the distance and the third covering 28 miles before he had to drop out. The challenge to walk to Wanganui arose over some good-natured banter in the camp shortly after the Christmas holidays. The result was: Mr. C. Briil (winner), aged 29 years; Mr. H. G. Adams (second). 32 years; and Mr. R. D. Hewetson, aged 39 years. Messrs. Adams and Hewelson are employed as timekeepers and Mr. Brill is employed working a bull-dozer machine. The distance they covered was 34 miles 54 chains. Starting at 5.2 a.m. the first man finished at the Red Lion Inn at 11.5 a.m. The second man was three minutes behind his companion, and the third gave up at Makirikiri and was brought to Wanganui by car. The feat of walking 35 miles in a little more than five hours is regarded as being very good. Mr. Adams, who has done long-dis-tance walking in Queensland, paid a tribute to his companion, Mr. Brill. He said he had walked against some of the best in Queensland and . Mr. (Brill surprised him.