DAILY NOTES FROM WANGANUI.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 655, 4 November 1909, Page 11

DAILY NOTES FROM WANGANUI.

( » RIVER ENGINEERING DIFFICULTIES. A PERIL IN GRASS SEED. (By Telegraph-Special Correspondent) Wanganui, November 2. Owing to tho formation ot a blanch of the Empiro Veterans' Association here, tho local bianch of the haw Zealand Veterans' Association has been wound up, and funds handed to the Old People's Home .djConsidorable ditticulty is being wot with in sinking tho last of the cylinders in connection the strengthening ot tho town'bndgo, lt_ has reached within six feet of tho intended lovel, but has struck a hard Btratum, through which, however, tho flow of water is baffling the woikmon. The completion of the operation will cost about .£3OO, instead of about JG36. as would have been the case with a normal "drive." As the officer in charge of tho work considers the cyhndor safe as it is, it is possible that it may bo left' without further driving. Tho Employers' Association has decided that while it is desirable to observe the King's Birthday on Monday, Novomber 8, yet, in tho present stato of tho law, that arrangement is impracticable Tho association favours uniformity of all holidays throughout the Dominion, for which purposo the holidays mentioned in the Factory Act, and no other Act, should bo universally adopted. This resolu;ion to to take tho form of a remit to the forthcoming Employers' Conference. Another remit is to tho effect that it is desirable that the Wanganui industrial district should be sevored from the Wellington district, and constituted a separate district. The conductor of the Newton Band, Sydney, has written to tho Band Contest Committee asking what assistance will be given for a visit from his band to tho contest roxt February. Judgment was given bv the Stipendiary Magistrfjte to-duy in an adiourned street-betting case The information was dismissed, owing to the fact that the evidence was insufficient to establish the fact that defendant had engaged in betting i transactions A mercantile man, in a position to know, informs tho "Herald" that New Zealand is a dumping ground for all the gross seed which is refused admission by tho stringent roguV tions of other'parts o< tho Empire, especially dangerous grass, whose seed comes here miird with other imported seeds in Australian spear gruis. The latter has sharp-pointod 6eed sheaths, which not ouly got into tho wool of sheep, but through the pelt, and actually work a way into tho vitals, thus causing death. The gontloman referred to showed to a pressman a piece of sheep's pelt, fairly riddled with "awns' of spear grass. He added that ho had sent a letter to Australia on the subject, th* reply to which fully bore out what was stated above. It is reported that this grass has mado its appearance in the Waikato. November 3 ' So far from being daunted by tho Borouph refusal to reconsider terms for the supply of electno power, the Gonulle Trataway Board has adopted an independent atlitude, and has resolved to mstal its own plant. At a meeting last night, it was decided to invite application for the position of an engineer to report on and prepare an estimate for a complete scheme. A petition is now going round a seotion of tho Gonvillo ratepayers outeide the Tramway Board's area, asking for inclusion therein, and this will bo forwarded to Wellington in a few dajs The decking of tho town bridge, which was showing .signa of considerable wear, is to be eheathed over with jarrah, at a cost of