LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume LX, Issue 16704, 24 July 1916, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

| During the past week Miss Gladys Bamford, continuing her Reel Cross campaign, collected £7 2s 6d on the train. Word has been received that Lieut. Athol Hudson, a son of the late Dr. Hudson and Mrs. Hudson, of Tapawera, has been killed in action. Lieutenant Hudson was an old boy of the Nellson College and Waitaki High School, and was selected in 1915 as the RhodesScholar from Victoria College. A pruning demonstration was given at Huia Orchard, Rangiwahia, about thirty fruit-growers of the district being present. A most interesting and instructive display of pruning was given by Mr. B. G. Goodwin, Government Orchard Inspector. The Marton Athletic Club has had a very successful year, the statement of receipts and expenditure in connection with the Patriotic Sports held recently showing a crelit balance of £23 19s 6d. At a meeting of the general committee of the club Mr. G. Morris presiding, 'twas decided to forward £25 to the general fund of the Rangitikei Patriotic Society. As the Military Hospital Guild have decided to assist " Gala Day" on Saturday next by contributions in kind, _>t is hoped all workers for the Guild will send in a parcel with their name and tags "From Military Hospital Guild" attached. Mrs. T. M. Gibson is in charge of the .tea room in Christchureh Schoolroom and will be glad to receive cakes, etc. A record of those sent in will be taken. The Ked C.oss tvon at the corner of Taupo Quay and the Avenue is receiving steady from the public. On Saturday" th^ takings amounted to £17. 6s. 3d. The president- of the local Red Cross depot Gifford Moore) invites donations for Saturday next, which should bo loft at the shop on Fridayv. An7-"j«;rg: in. the shape of edibles will be acceptable, such as cake, fruit, jam. or'^c-rves and veget&btes. Flowers also will be welcomed. The prooeedfe on iS&h.rdaj next will go to swell the co taken up by the Swankers' Clv!» for the Red Cross and the nui'^3. As a sequel to the decison of the Government not to carry out a survey of the proposed Wanganui-Raetihi railway line, th© Wanganui Chamber of Commerce is now circularising the Rae-_ ttfii Chamber of Commerce and al|; ; interested local bodies, requesting them to send delegates to a conference at the Borough Chambers on September 27 at 11-30 a.m., when.the proposed railway will be fully discussed. In the interim the Railways Committee and a special sub-committee of the Chamber will make the necessary arrangements for data to place before the meeting. The object of holding the conference on the date fixed in September, is to enable the interested local bodies to discuss the proposal at their monthly meetings in August. Some good advice was tendered by Mr W. Brown at the conference held last Friday between the Board of Trade and the Chamber of Commerce^ when the generally expressed opinion was that the Government should be appealed to to prevent imports from enemy countries, both now and after the war. "We are practically asking the Government to protect us against ourselves," said Mr Brown. "What we should do is, make up our minds as individuals not to deail with German goods. There is any amount of Ger-man-made stuff in our shops to-day, and some people will always buy what is the cheapest. Personally I would not touch anything made in an enemy coun_ try. That is the note we should strike." A transference of animals from th.c Aramoho Zoo to Onehunga was not carried out without some excitement. It appears that at the Onehunga railway station an attempt was being made to transfer a cage containing a pair of African lions —part of a consignment from the Wanganui Zoo—to a lorry, preparatory to taking them to the Royal Oak Zoo. The cage, on rollers, had been placed successfully on the lorry, when one of the animals caught sight of the horses, and emitted a characteristic growl. Before the onlookers had realised what had happened the affrighted .animals had started on ■a mad career with the cagse rocking to and fro on the lorry. The lions had only enjoyed about 50 yards of their impromptu " joy ride" when the cage rolled off, and after a seir.es of somersaults down an incline ultimately came to a standstill. The case was stoutly built and protected by chains, there thus being little possibility of the animals escaping. Considerable difficulty was experienced in getting the cage back to the conveyance, but it was ultimately replaced and its occupants were transferred to their new abode, I'ttie the worse for th<eir exciting episode. «

The Red Cross art union, in which tli c first prize its a diamond ring, will close on August; Ist, and there is now but a week ■!> whioh tit secure tickets. The local J\>feni:i« Office ad vises us that the name of Mr. Stanley Read was erroneously In^Jud^d ir. the list of men called up "for the local quota of the 19th Reinforcements. To-day the Wanganui quota of the 19th Reinforcements will leave tor camp, marching from the Drill Hall prior to the departure of the mid-day train. Arrangements have been made to give the men a good send-off. They will be escorted to the railway station, and probably several brief patriotic addresses will b e made. The public are invited to assist in every way to make the send-off as fitting as possible. The National Reserve and Queen Alexandra Band are requested to meet at the Drill Hall at 11-15 a.m.