Town Talk

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 83, Issue 46, 24 February 1939, Page 6

Town Talk

VVatersiders at Cricket. A team of Watersiders from New Plymouth is to arrive in Wanganui to-day to play a cricket match with Wanganui.

Three Cars Collide. Three motor-cars were involved in a collision at the Guyton and St. Hill Street intersection last evening. None of the cars was seriously damaged and the occupants were unscathed.

Major-General Sir Andrew Russell, the Hon. W. Perry, M.L.C., and Major E. Reeves, representing the National Defence League, are visiting the South Island in the interests of the league's recruiting campaign. Their itinerary includes Geraldine, Temuka, Timaru, Waimate, Oamaru, Palmerston, Dunedin, Milton, Balclutha, Gore and Invercargill.

Hosing Restrictions at Marton. The Marton Borough Council at its meeting last night decided to restrict the hosing of gardens to one hour daily, between 6.30 and 7.30 p.m. The borough foreman had reported that the depth of water in the reservoir was only 21ft. 4in„ and as a result the restrictions were imposed. Garrison Band Wished Well.

“The Garrison Band did not win with 'Ba, Ba, Black Sheep,’ but we can look forward to it doing well tonight in the second test,” said the announcer at the physical fitness display (Mr. I. Brown) last night. The large assembly endorsed his remarks by applauding loudly. Later in the evening it was learned that the Wanganui band had won second place in the tests. Backed Ecstatic. There are many ways of choosing winners at a race meeting. Some do it with a pin, others by numbers, some have a system they keep secret. Yesterday, at Wanganui, three bandsmen, noticing that the loud speaker equipment was giving indication of rather more static than usual, they decided to back Ecstatic in the Petre Handicap. Ecstatic won. It was a favourite! Two Grass Fires. The Wanganui Fire Brigade was called out to two grass fires yesterday, both of which were extinguished before damage was done. The first call was received at 2.51 p.m. to a residence in Liverpool Street extension, where the front lawn was alight, and the other was received at 5.50 p.m. to a roadside fire in St. Hili Street. River Erosion. The concrete groyne recently constructed on the Wanganui River bank at the foot of Ingestre Street has proved highly effective in checking erosion and already 3ft. 6in. of the bank has been built up. Work will shortly b’e resumed on the Mathigson Street groyne, which, when completed, will extend 30 feet into the river and be eight feet above the shore level. Late Mr. G. R. Haldane. Reference to the death of the late Mr. G. R. Haldane, a teacher, was made at Wednesday night's meeting ot the Wanganui Technical College Board of Managers by Mr. W. J. Rogers and Mr. I. E. Newton. Both extolled Mr. Haldane's intellectual and professional ability and said that the college had lost a valued friend. Deep sympathy was expressed for his widow. A motion of condolence was carried in silence. Bridge-to-bridge. Race. The annual Bridge-to-Bridge swimming race takes place in the Wanganui River to-morrow afternoon, beginning at 3.15. The race is under the jurisdiction of the Wanganui Central Swimming Club and is a handicap event. The start is from the Aramoho Boating Club's pontoon near the Railway Bridge at Aramoho and the finish at the Town Bridge, Taylorville. Both men and women competitors are eligible, the mon competing for the Williams Cup and the women for the Central Rose Bowl.

Increased Motor Traffic. The number of motor vehicles licensed at the end of December, according to the latest Abstract of Statistics, was 25,914 in excess of the number licensed at the same date in 1937, and the amount of motoi spirit released from bond during December, 10,044,374 gallons, was 664.328 gallons above the total for the corresponding month of 1937. Motor vehicles licensed as at December 31, 1938, numbered 293,171, an increase of 9.7 per cent., as compared with the number licensed at the same date in 1937.

Major-General J. E. Duigan, C. 8., D. 5.0., N.Z.S.C., Chief of the General Staq, left Wellington by train on Wednesday for Waiouru to inspect the Third Field Battery, and the Eighth Battery, New Zealand Artillery, the Second Composite Company of the Infantry Battalion, and the Second Field Company of New Zealand Engineers. The inspection took place yesterday. Major-General Duigan is to go on to Rotorua to inspect the Northern District First Field Company, New Zealand Engineers in training there, and will return to Wellington early next week.

Baseball Display. One of the most interesting displays on Cook’s Gardens last night was the baseball game between Star and Harrier teams. This game has proved popular in Wanganui this year, the first it has experienced in the city, but last night was the first occasion on which so large a crowd was able to see the game to understand it. Mr. C. A. Bensel, one of the prime movers in introducing the sport to Wanganui, gave a running description of the game by loud speaker, and quite a high degree of public interest was aroused. Wanganui Water Supply.

With a rainfall of less than half an inch so far this month, the water supply at Ohehu is holding out well, and is much more satisfactory than during February of last year. One pump at the springs at Kai Iwi is operated daily, drawing about 10,000,000 gallons, and with this supplementary supply the Westmere reservoir is full and the quantity of water in the dam has actually increased. The draw-off for gardens has not been nearly so heavy of late, for with the dry weather and an unusually large number of winds, most vegetable gardens in the sandy area in Wanganui have reached the stage when watering is of little use.