Wanganui in Wisps.

Free Lance, Volume XVI, Issue 871, 16 March 1917, Page 9

Wanganui in Wisps.

Dsas Chbistabel, .. • . . are still enjoying the delightful * * weather which generally makes i>he autumn our most popular • season, -and we. are not even looking at our winter coats and hats yet. The shops are -all decorated. with sale bills,' and, what with the shilling days, the half-price days and the buy-a-lot~of-things-you--have-rno-need-foi days, we are never out . ■of temptation, and are continuallytaking home'bargains which have been .pushed on to us by _our solicitous friends before or behind the counters. . # ¥r '■»■■ "■-# Our quota of the 27ths left for camp ■on last Monday, getting an exceptionally, good send-off,. ' e • » '8 '" * News is to hand that Mr. Russell .Grace has been invalided, to England on -account of. a sevei-e attack of rheumatism. Although it is better to. be well than rheuniatieky, Mr. Grace's friends -are glad that'he is out of the firing-line .for awhile.. # - « » . . * Surgeon-Captain Maurice M. Earle has completed his first round oh the -Marama and is spending a few days at' 'home with his family.. The doctor, who > is looking well although a triflethin,' is ... .glad to be back in New Zealand, which, ■ Ee says, is looking' very beautiful■: to ' him.;;; i - ,[ A j.. ;.«■ # . * • *...-.; v - Sergeant M. E Hankins, lately 'in ; •chaigei-'of the telegraph ■ counter' at' the local office, but now- at Trentham, is : •doing 'well. Since' going to 'camp ''Mick'' has made good, : as usual, and is now '■: Paymaster-Sergeant of the27thsy but he has a wild hope : that he ;mayget away -sooner. - - - - > Speaking of. the Post. Office reminds The of' a very graceful tribute paid to the girl staff here by a member of the 'Chamber' of Commerce. He only said "that they were good girls at their work -and are daily .becoming better, but it' nueked "them up; quite a: lot. As every •one knows, ministering to -the wants of the'public is hard Work even for men,'. and a word of encoivragemen't means -almost, although perhaps not quite as much, as an increase of salary to the' bright little girls who trade in letters,' : stamps, telegrams, and cables. Since "the going into camp of their head, the business of the telegraph counter. here . is done entirely by'girls, and, as I have ■a, lot 'of business witli them, I know they' deserve a heap of credit for the part they are taking in helping. their branch of the service to carry, on.. * '».'.'*■■: « Our municipal authorities are once again wondering how many of us would

use electric light if it were'installed. Surely, it is safe to say that most of us would if we had the chance. Why, one of the treats of going to Patea and sundry other small cities, is -the fascinating little switch on the wall. . ' * • . * * .. * We liave got something "brand neVin town—not a lady reporter like a sister town not far away—but a delightful public kitchen. Mrs. Borlase has, with - much enterprise, announced to us : that she is now prepared .to supply us with pies .and cakes, deliciously cciokedandgarnished. . No more need now to worry about pttdding for father's dinner., as he will be ■ able to bring home the family's pie in his brief bag. «> " * «■ o . Corporal -Douglas -G. Braik, of the Education Board's staff, . went into camp at the same time as the 27ths. Corporal Braik is attached to the 30ths; and has really gone to their -N.C.Oi's camp. His.only brother, Xiance Braik, is awa.v in France, doina: Field Service? ; work. e . .. . e Q o Miss Ellen Millar, well known in musical circles in Palmerston North, is visiting Wanganui at present. __. # * * ■■ l * ';• Eieut. H. T. Morton, of the Feilding district, gave a most interesting-lecture on the work of the New Zealanders in ..the advance on the Sonime last year. ; The whole lecture was listened to witli rapt attention by the very full house; the fact that Lieut. ■ Morton had lived through: the'l circumstances he was narrating arid has been permanently disabled through his wounds, brought it home very forcibly. In the course of his remarks, he paid a- great to the splendid work done by the: New Zealand Rifle Brigade in last September, when they received their baptism of fire, also to the wonderful cheerfulness; dogged determination and niag- , nificent loyalty of the Maoris over there. Musical items were rendered by Mr. Dawson, Mr. Wilkie, and .Miss Bignell. Mr. G. Swan recited, and Mr. • Norman Tait did some very clever jng- . gling. . Mr. Wilkie sang, for the first time, "Blighty," the Tommies' favourite song and expression. * ■ " • " l . ' s Owing to the going into camp of his secretary,- Mr.' James Campion had to call for applications for a- new one to do duty at his Okirae Estate, and it is a sign of the times that a lady secretary has this time been chosen. Out of a batch of something over 100 applicants, Miss. Putt, of New Plymouth, is "the lucky person who will in future assist Mr. Caminon in the gathering in and disposing of his worries and cash.

On Thursday afternoon the Wanganui complement of the Marania-V invalids, viz.. Privates Olds, Humphreys, Crotty, : Chandler, Robinson, Alomes, Kershaw, and Church, came home. They were met hy a c large crowd of friends and the public generally, but there has -been so much sadness ; mixed with the joy of these home-comings, that nowadays they are very quiet. The glamour that, was shed over the first few returning wounded has given place to something very deep set and plain looking-, but the boys know by the feel of things that"it is good to be home again. On Sunday night the Queen Alexandra Band, under the auspices of the Red Cross Society, gave" a sacred concert in aid of St. Dunstan's Hospital Fund. This is the first appeal to the public for our blind heroes,'and the response was fairly well in keeping with their claim, on us. Vocal items were given by Mesdarues Briggs and Ivo. Symes, Messrs. Suisted and Liddle, • the accompaniments being supplied by Mrs.,. Suisted, Misses Bignell and Curran. The amount realised was somewhere about £40, inclusive of some cheques. .-..,-' * * * K Mr. A. Hutton of Featherstoii, who has been spending his leave in Hawera and Wanganui, returned on Saturday to Ms duties at the camp. ..«_-♦ » ft On Monday, 12th, Lieut. C. Newton Hood, late of the Education Board's staff, was married to- Miss M. Johnston. Both young people are very well known in Wanganui. The marriage was a very quiet one, only the immediate friends and relatives being present. Lieut. Hood sails with the 29tl?s. Yours sincerely, Whibi/wtnd.