LOCAL AND GENERAL

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume LXXXII, Issue 19435, 22 October 1925, Page 6

LOCAL AND GENERAL

The Mangamahu bridge has been almost completed by the contractors, Messrs P. and W. E. Martin.

“Keep quiet, please, while I am talking,” said an interrogative elector to the candidate at an Auckland meeting.

At a recent meeting Mr R. Semple. Labour candidate for Otaki, said he had been associated, with many strikes in this country in his time. A voice: Too right, you have.

Shearing in the district will be in full swing next week. Already a number of dry sheep have been shorn and farmers state that the wool is in a better condition than anticipated.

The teacher. of Isabel G. Suddaby (Primary Division) whoso name appeared in the list of Musical Examination passes published yesterday, was Mrs M. E. Aston, L.R.A.M., not Miss M. E. Ashton, L.R.A.M.

The necessity for action to eradicate the rabbit pest in Wanganui and surrounding districts may be gleaned from the fact that, during the past six weeks no less than 108 full-sized rabbits have been destroyed in the Patea-Waitotara Rabbit Board’s district.

“If you think that Sir John Luke has’ a better chance of beating the Labour candidate than I have, you will vote for him,” said Mr J. J. McGrath, Nationalist candidate for Wellington North. “Certainly, dear,” chimed in a man with a falsetto voice at the rear of the hall.

“I am not going to tire you; I know the women folk of the congregation— ’’ The rest was drowned in laughter, and Mr Yarn all, the Labour candidate for Roskill (who was formerly a Presbyterian minister), laughed too, as he told the audience in the Dominion Road Methodist Hall that it showed them “the force of habit.”

“He called me ‘Ted’,” Mr E. J. Howard, Labour candidate for Christchurch South, told his audience at Spreydon. “We’re on quite good terms. I haven’t yet called him Gordon, but I expect to get to that during the next session. That ‘ ad.’ with his picture in the papers is not a good picture. Really he’s much -better looking than that.”

Building operations in the city continue to be brisk, more particularly in the suburbs of Gonville and Castlecliff, where sections that have been vacant for years are being built upon. The returns so far this month have been well maintained, and there is no doubt that by the time the year closes a fresh record so far as buildings are concerned will have been established in Wanganui.

Is Napier sufficiently well known? (asks the “Telegraph”). The recent experience of a patient in the Napier Hospital seems to warrant a negative answer. He received from England a paper addressed care, of “The Hospital, Napier, near Wellington, Australia.” Despite the perplexing address the article reached its consignee without delay. It was posted from Birkenhead, Liverpool, on August 10, and reached Napier the other night.

At Mr A. J. Murdoch’s meeting in Whangarei Town Hall, considerable amusement was caused at question period by a burly individual who is somewhat of a local celebrity. After a preamble which was hard to elucidate, he volleyed out. “This town is run by Freemasons, Roman Catholics and Bolsheviks. Answer me that question!” He then stalked out, amidst an outburst of laughter, in which even those on the platform and custodians of the law had to participate.

Much merriment was caused at the meeting addressed by Hon. R. F. Bollard at Waingaro when the question of bad roads was being referred to. A lady (laughing) rose in the audience and dramatically holding aloft a pair of shoes covered in mud said: “Look Mr Bollard, this is the position!” The speaker, joining heartily in the laughter, said that of course the Government was not to blame for the condition of all the roads, but some of them, he would agree, were in a shocking state and needed attention.

A very creditable performance was put up by Miss Betty .Walpole, who is only thirteen years of age, at the Wanganui Girls’ College sports on Monday last. She won the junior championship, being placed as follows in the various events in which she competed:— First in 220 yards, 100 yards and 50 yards under 14; first in the 50 yards, long jump (distance lift. 4ins), high jump (height 4ft. 3in) under fifteen years. She was also placed second in the hundred yards walk, and ran into third place with Miss Valroa Bush, in the three-legged event.

A Makirikiri farmer remarked to a reporter yesterday-that sheep in his locality were improving in condition as a result of the better growth of grass that is coming away. The general impression, however, was that lambs will not be in such good. “ bloom ” as in previous years. There would no doubt be somewhat of a shortage of lambs this year, through the mortality occasioned in exposed- places by the severe conditions that prevailed up till recently, but this did not necessarily mean that prices would be high. The local buyers were influenced by the prices ruling on the Home market.

The method of allocating annual leave for the members of the police force is set out in an amending regulation published in the current Gazette. All members of the force will be allowed two days’ leave of absence on pav for every month’s service. Leave may be allowed to accumulate for two years, so th,at 48 days may be taken at one time. In calculating accumulated leave only the last two years’ service shall be taken into consideration. Any leave not taken in previous years will be forfeited, unless it has been applied for and postponed for departmental reasons.

An unpleasant experience of backblock roads has been met with by the Hon. R. F. Bollard during his tour of the Raglan electorate. He was motoring from Ruakiwi to Te Akau when his car, after floundering in the mud for some distance, settled down into two deep holes, where it stuck fast. Help was available, and after a two hours’ struggle the car was extricated. Mr Bollard reached Te Akau hall an hour and a-half behind the time appointed for his meeting, and he and his party were well bespattered with mud. The Minister humorously referred to his experience and paid a tribute to those who had helped him. “Luck,’ he said, referring to his success in getting out of the quagmire, “stuck to me, and I feel that it will continue to favour me -.November i.”

Owing to a prior booking of the Opera House for to-night having been cancelled, the Municipal Pictures will be shown as usual.

Mr Coull in answer to a question at Castlecliff last evening, said he would support legislation that would assist parents with more than two children in a family.

“Unlike other politicians,” said Mr Coull last night, “I have made no promises, and stand to be elected as representative of Wanganui on the splendid record of the Reform Government.”

“There is no Government in the world that has treated the returned soldiers better in every respect than the Reform Government of New Zealand has done,” said Mr Coull at Castlecliff last evening. It was reported at last night’s meeting of the Wanganui Education Board that eleven schools and 196 pupils in the board’s district were receiving religious instruction under the Nelson system.

Some Nationalists have stated that they will vote with Reform on a motion of no-confidcncc, others state that they will vote wdth Labour. They possess no solidarity, and the electors will act accordingly.—Mr Coull speaking last evening at Castlecliff.

Discussing the personalities of the Ministers in charge of the various Departments, Mr Coull, speaking at Castlecliff last evening, said ho would prefer a Minister who was perhaps unpopular but a capable administrator to a popular Minister who was a “dud.”

History, politically speaking, showed the Labour Party had grown at the expense of the Liberal or middle party, and had not grown at the expense of the Reform Party, said Mr Coull last night. This election would annihilate the National Party altogether.

Mr John Coull, dealing trenchantly with his political opponents last night, said that in his criticism he would always be just and gracious, and that no personalities would be indulged in. These remarks met with unstinted applause.

A London cables says that Mr James Mason, representing the New Zealand Railways, has completed an investigation of British railway methods and leaves on Friday for the purpose of making similar inquiries in the United States and Canada, embarking at San Francisco.

As In England at the last election, Reform would be returned to power, Labour w r ould be the Opposition and the middle party would be annihilated, and if there was a small remnant of the National Party returned, they would be glad to get under the Reform wing for political shelter. —Mr Coull at Castlecliff.

Except for a few minor interior details, the new nurses’ home in connection with the local hospital has been completed, but the official opening of the building will not take place until after the elections. This course of action was decided upon at yesterda., ’s meeting of the Wanganui Hospital Board, when intimation was received from the Minister for Health (Sir Maui Pomare), to the effect that it would not be possible for him to visit the city to perform the ceremony in the in the immediate future, owing to the fact »that he had a full programme mapped out right up till the time of the elections.

Since the Turakina bridge was closed to heavy traffic the importance of the structure has been impressed on the public. An official tally a few days ago revealed that 307 motor cars crossed the bridge in twenty-four hours and that 54 motor lorries approached it. Of these 50 per cent, had to tranship their loads to smaller lorries for conveyance across the bridge, when they were again loaded on waiting “big fellows.” Turakina has never seen such busy days, the transhipping of benzine and other commodities going on till late into the night. It is expected that the work of strengthening the bridge will be completed in a day or two.

Wanganui competitors in the elocutionary sections at the Hamilton Competitions are meeting with a fair measure of success. Miss E. Latham has secured first in character recital, second in musical monologue, second in humorous recitation, third in Shakespercan selection, and highly commended in the ladies’ test recital. Miss Maud McCormick was second in ladies’ test recital and in reading at sight. Miss G. Parkes secured a third in ladies’ recitation, and Mr W. Mather was also placed third in the recitation for gentlemen. Mr Culford Bell, the elocutionary judge, cjommented on the high standard —especially in the ladies’ sections —attained at the competitions in Hamilton, the final sessions of which were held yesterday.