LOCAL AND GENERAL

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume LXXXII, Issue 19446, 4 November 1925, Page 6

LOCAL AND GENERAL

Country readers, who will be anxious to hear the results of the elections this evening, will have the information supplied to them if they ring telephone 3034. Readers are requested not to ring ’phones 2191 and 2192.

One of the palm trees in Moutoa Gardens is in flower. The rare sight creates much interest among visitors.

“Mr Coates is not a politician in the ordinary sense of the word, but he is a great administrator, and that is what New Zealand wants.”—Mr Coull, at His Majesty’s last evening.

“Those Labour chaps who voted for Mr Veitch last election had the satisfaction (?) of seeing Mr Veitch sitting at the Fusion table endeavouring to join, up with Reform.” —Mr Coull, at His Majesty’s last evening.

“By crikey Coull must be admired for coming down right into the Rogers hornet nest of politics,” said a prominent watersider yesterday after the Government candidate had addressed a large meeting of wharf employees.

Acting on a recommendation of the Finance Committee, the Wanganui City Council decided at last night’s meeting to accept the Astronomical Society’s gift of the Observatory, and agree to the terms and conditions outlined bv Mr J. T. 'Ward.

Reliable Information received from Taranaki last evening gave the following “certainties” for to-day: Bellringer (New Plymouth), Hawken (Egmont), Dickie (Patea), and very likely Walters for Stratford. The chances of the Nationalists on this coast are, therefore, not very bright.

At last night’s meeting of the Wanganui City Council, on the suggestion of Cr. A. H. Rogers, it was decided that the Reserves Committee consider the conditions under which the Opera House is let, with a view to protecting the public when the theatre is leased to outside companies.

Lord Burnham, head of the Empire Press delegation, in a farewell message to the Hon. Mr Bruce, (Prime Minister of Australia) says: “The delegates return home with grateful recollections of the hospitality received, and resolved to carry out the policy of the conference, which they believe is in the common interests of the whole Empire. ’ ’

Discussing the Nationalists yesterday before a waterside audience, Mr Coull said that when important divisions were before the House the ex-Liberals “cleared out for a game of tennis or ping-pong, or something else. ’ “Never again,’’ thundered a robust-voiced watersider. “Too true,’ said Mr Coull, “the ballot-box will eliminate that possibility. ”

According to a decision reached, by the Wanganui City Council last, night, a proposal is to be submitted to the ratepayers in the near future fot authority to raise a loan of £22,000 loi the purpose of extending the present reticulation, and for supplying gas to Castlecliff. It is proposed that the currency of the loan shall be twenty years, and. that a sinking fund of 3 per cent, be established.

Reference to the condition of Portal Street was made by Councillor C. H. Burnett at last night ’s meeting of the Wanganui City Council. He said, that the edges of the road were beginning to break away, but by the expenditure of a few pounds it could bo made a thoroughly good road. The eng’neer (Mr N. Crofton Stavcley) pointed out that the reconstruction of this road had been placed on next year’s programme, but in the meantime this and other streets required blinding.

At last night’s meeting of the Wanganui City Council the Works Committee reported upon having considered the request of the Municipal Labourers’ Union in respect to a new agreement on the terms and conditions submitted by them. The committee considers that the conditions and rates of wages contained in the agreement now expiring were fair and reasonable, and recommended that the union be informed that the council was not prepared to agree to any change. The recommendation was adopted.

Satisfaction at the state in which he found the roads in the city was expressed bv the Mayor (Mr Hope Gibbons) at'last, night’s meeting of the Wanganui City Council. He said that since his return from abroad he had driven over a good deal of the city, and the improvement he noticed in the surfaces of the roads was simply wonderful, considering the amount of money spent. He thought that by the end of the year the councillors would not only be satisfied with the work executed, but.that they would get a unanimous vote from the ratepayers. He thought they had done remarkably well with their reading work.

At the Magistrate’s Court yesterday afternoon, Mr J. S. Barton. S.M., wAs engaged in hearing a case in which H. Hooker claimed from J. Ramsay, Tathape, the sum of £39, being rent.due for a workshop in Nelson Street. As the defendant had not occupied the building for some time, the Magistrate suggested that the amount be reduced to £l9 10s. Judgment for this amount was given for plaintiff. The Magistrate said that in cases of tenancy*, where there was no written statement as to the duration of the tenancy a month s notice in writing should be given Mr C. H. Clinkard appeared for the plain tiff.

At the Magistrate’s Court yesterday morning -judgment by default was given for plaintiffs in the following undefended cases:—Messrs Therkleson, Lid. v. A. Robinson, claim £5 3s 9d, costs £1 12s 6d; W. A. Prowse v. Katherine I. Grange,’ £3 15s 6d, costs £1 12s 6d; I A Thomson and Co. v. Paul 1 innan, £3 7s 3d, costs £1 12s (id; F. W. Hollowav v. Rov Ahern, £9 15s 4d, costs £2 14s; H. I. Jones and Son, Ltd., v. Allan White, £1 Us 6d, costs 8s; same v. Gilbert Gilmour. £5 5s (id. costs .1 10s Gd- C. A. Couehman v. H. A. Gallagher,’ls 6d, costs 10s; Amy E. M-, Couchman v. Leonard Barnes, £■> L>s, costs £1 4s 6d; James F. Ross v. lorn Paoroa, £5 10s, costs £1 15s 6d; H. W. Davy v. R. Armstrong, £3 3s 7d, costs £1 3s 6d; The Simplex Machinery Coy. Ltd., v. E. J. Service, £1 0s Bd, costs Ils. ’

' I Tn Whangarei on Friday night Mr A < S. Richards, the Labour candidate fori Marsden, was asked who led the Coun-1 try Party. “Mr Colbeck,” said Mr l Richards. “No,” replied the interroga- • tor. “Well, he makes the most , noise/’ said the candidate.

Some little time ago reference was made to a monster eel caught in the North Island, weighing 251 b., says a Blenheim paper. A specimen captured in the drain at Spring Creek by Mr J. Boniface, however, exceeded the weight of the North Island cel by 31b., tipping the beam ai 281 b.

A question regarding his attitude toward an increase in Parliamentary salary was asked Mr W. J. Jordan on Saturday evening at the Onehunga Woollen Mills. “I -will tell you this,’’ said Mr Jordan, “that if you can show that I am better off now than when I first entered Parliament, I will pull out.’’ However, he thought that if a proposal to increase salaries was made, both Reform and Labour would vote against it. If he got more money, he could easily spend it in Manukau among those who needed it.

“You might ask me the name of the man I work for, digging spuds,’’ said a Maori witness in an action in the Supreme Court at Auckland, “and I will tell you.’’ Counsel had been cross-ex-amining the witness at great length, aud the latter appeared to be tired of it. as was His Honour Mr Justice Herdman, who, on a number of occasions reproved counsel, and pointed out that the questions had nothing to do with the case.

Both the local Reform and Nationalist candidates last evening urged the electors to obliterate the three-party system to-day. Mr Coull said ho considered the easiest way to do it was to annihilate the Nationalists, they being obviously the weakest party, while Mr Veitch endeavoured to persuade his audience that the Nationalists’ prospects to-day were exceptionally bright. Wanganui electors have only to consider what is likely to happen along this coast and they will be able to assess Mr Veitch’s optimism at its right weight.

“They say there is nothing in bowls,” said a player at Stanley Bay green, Auckland, on Saturday, “but on our rink we played for two solid hours, the teams being very evenly matched. At the last head, with only one bowl to be played, our side was two up in a splendid position. Up came the last shot; it first hit one bowl, then another and finally a third, and just rolled into shot by the 16th of an inch, and we had lost the game.” It was agreed that it was the glorious uncertainty of bowls which gave the game its- greatest fascination, and that it was the one game where men of mature years could hold their own with much younger men. "Mr Joseph Carwardine. of Cornfoot Park, Castlecliff, recently received a letter from a Canadian who desires to settle in New Zealand after reading ar: article which appeared in an American paper. The Canadian, a returned sol dier, has a wife and one child. Mr Carwardine sent on to the Prime Minister the letter from Canada, and Mr Coates has arranged for the Publicity Department to get into touch with the intending settler. In mentioning this matter, Air Carwardine remarks that Mr Coates’ letter stamps him as a gentleman, inasmuch as he could find time to affix his signature to it. instead of deputing a subordinate to do so.

When the town of Rotorua was constituted a borough in .1922 the special Act of Parliament provcided that the borough Council should consist of six members, exclusive of the Mayor. It was found, however, that the Council could be enlarged to the benefit of the borough and by an amendment to the Act passed last session the GovernorGeneral was given power to increase the number to twelve if deemed necessary. By an Order-in-Council published in the current Gazette the Governor-Gen-eral fixes the total number of members as nine, exclusive of the Mayor. These three additional members are to be elected by the electors of the borough at an election to be held on November 17.