LOCAL AND GENERAL

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume LXXXII, Issue 19448, 6 November 1925, Page 6

LOCAL AND GENERAL

Questioned concerning ihe probable effect of the adverse season on the quality of the wool produced in the district, a local farmer expressed the opinion yesterday that he thought that the whole of the clips were going to be a little lighter than they were last year.

There is at least one Labour member, Mr AV. J. Jordan, who represents Manukau in Parliament, who does not subscribe to the Labour platform respecting the ownership of land. He wants the frehold of his home when lie can pay off the mortgage, and says he will quarrel with any man who says he shall not have it.

Providing the weather remains favourable to shearing operations during the next fortnight, wool brokers locally are confident of a satisfactory offering being macle at the opening sale in the city this month. There is little speculation being made as to the nature of the opening prices, but it is generally considered that the prospects for a good season of returns are fairly bright.

“Have you heard the story of the Gisborne farmer who took a friend to see his hoggets in a paddock of pumpkins. ‘Where are the hoggets?’ exclaimed the. friend. ‘You watch,’ and when the farmer called the hoggets came running out of the pumpkins.” Mr A. E. Bansom tells a fairy tale to illustrate the size of pumpkins grown under scientific cultivation.

Speaking at the Auckland Senior Cadet clubroom, Mr E. C. Cutten, S.M., said that stainless knives, which only came into modern use about 13 years ago, were used by the ancients before the rise of the Boman Empire. Incubators for hatching eggs had also been used, and the speaker was of the opinion that time would prove that a great deal of the world’s present knowledge was known to the ancient world.

Entries for the wool sale that is to be conducted locally on November 24 are reported to be coming to hand satisfactorily, and all the stores in the city arc receiving their fair share of patronage from individual growers. Lorries laden with bales of wool arc becoming a familiar sight in the city, and indications generally are that shearing operations are at their height in all parts of the district.

Guy Fawkes Day celebrations concluded last evening with the usual bonfires. About 7.30 the horizon glowed with the glare of numerous bon-fires, while the air was lively with the discharge of crackers of all sizes. The night was perfect for such an oc asion, with the result that the juvenile population enjoyed themselves to the fullest extent. ' An added attraction this year was the immense fireworks display on Cook’s Gardens by the Waioni Fireworks Company, which attracted a large number of both adults and juveniles.

In these days of mechanical transport a 22-horse team, particularly within the coniines of the city, says the Dunedin “Times,” is a decided novelty. On Saturday afternoon there was delivered to the Kaikorai tramsheds a new cable, the traction of which must have made a distinctly heavy demand on the resources of the New Zealand Express Company’s stables, and the sight of 22 powerful draught horses drawing the huge jinker. with its 101-ton load, up Battray street attracted many onlookers The cable is 3‘.in in diameter.

With careless disregard for the safety of innocent users of the roads in the city, some motorists try to work a point or two when they think that the traffic inspectors are likely to be having a day, or night, off. On Sunday evening last, quite a number- of motorists left their cars parked on the side of the streets of Gonville without providing them with sufficient illumination, but they now have reason to regret their anxiety to preserve their batteries, for Inspector Geo. Fear paid a visit to the locality. As a result of the latter’s vigilance and attention to duty, about a dozen sorry motorists will be required to toe the mark before the Magistrate next Monday.

The difficulty in obtaining accommodation in Dunedin during the Exhibition season has been made apparent to the Wellington Cricket Association by a reply to a request for accommodation for its representative team which is to visit Dunedin in January. According to an official of the Otago Cricket Association, who attended to the request, three hotels were booked up, but another was arranging extra accommodation in a warehouse, and this was suggested as Wellington’s way out of the difficulty. “This is not bad, when we wrote five months ago,” remarked the chairman (Mr C. G. Wilson), who agreed to make further endeavour to arrange suitable accommodation for the team.

It is not often that the chief traffic inspector of the City of Auckland is called as a witness by a prisoner, handcuffed to his confederates, in the Supreme Court dock (says Hie Auckland “Star”). During the trial of Brasting, Hansen, and O’Brien, the three men who escaped from the police station under circumstances which are well known. O’Brien called evidence on his own behalf, and named as his first witness Mr G. B. Hogan. He questioned witness regarding the length of time it would take a motor car to get from Auckland to Henderson. Witness said that it could be done in half an hour or less. Later he asked Mr Hogan for an estimate of the period taken by a train to cover a similar distance. “About half a day. 1 think,” was the reply. (Laughter.)

Someone had blundered. When the band of the Argyle and Sutherland Highlanders arrived, says the Dunedin “Times,” the -arrangements were complete up to the stage where the visitors, headed by two local bands and followed by many hundreds of enthusiastic citizens of Dunedin, arrived at the Octagon and halted preparatory to receiving' further instructions. The Dunedin Band played a selection, but after that the large gathering subsided into solemn silence and waited for something to happen. Two charabancs stood waiting to convey the bandsmen to their billets, but no one seemed to know where to go or what to do. About a-quartcr of an hour passed, and, as nothing lead happened, the bandsmen climbed into the charabancs, and, with the assistance of bystanders who happened to know where the billets were, all the visitors were taken safelv to their destinations.

The Queen Alexandra Band will give a municipal concert at the hospital on Sunday afternon at 3 o’clock.

At Christchurch, yesterday, George Cuthbert Turnbull, a labourer, aged 36, was sentenced to a month’s gaol for the theft of money from the late Andrew Thompson, at Wanganui Hospital.

The Wanganui City Council has decided that Armistice Day shall be observed in Wanganui in the customary manner on November 11. The observance of one minute’s silence will be included.

Wool sales will be conducted in Wanganui this season on November 24, January 12, February 16, and March 22. These are the set dates for the sales locally, but if wool is available further sales will be arranged in April and Mav.

The City Fire Brigade received a call to Gonvillc at 6.30 o’clock last evening to attend to a gorse fire, which had commenced behind Thompson’s store, in Alma Hoad. The brigade quickly quelled the flames, and no damage was occasioned to property. In the returns of voting at the various polling booths in Wanganui on Wednesday, it was made to appear that 1119 electoral votes and 1434 licensing votes were recorded at Keith Street. Inquiry at the Alliance office yesterday showed that the licensing votes recorded were 1120.

The takings at the fireworks display last evening amounted to about £l4O. Although the expenses were heavy, there will be a nice little cheque coming to the Queen Alexandra Band. The band also benefited to the extent of over £2O as the result of the collection taken up at Cook’s Gardens on election night—a very gratifying result.

The local taxi men used more benzine on election day than they have done, for a long while past. They were kept going from tho opening to the closing of the polling booths. Yesterday a reaction set in. A lone driver on the stand at a late hour last night said: ‘‘lt hasn't been worth while coming out to-day. Even the service cars have left empty.” Elections fire recognised as being bad for business, and local tradesmen are glad the excitement is over so early before tho Xmas season sets in. Also, they arc pleased at tho result of the elections.

The ratepayers of the city have not responded to the demand of the City Council in respect to the payment of their rates (as well as might be expected, and, therefore, it has become necessary for the civic authorities to give further notice to those who have not as yet met their obligations. In the event of further delays being occasioned in regard to the payment of rates, the council will have no other course to pursue but to proceed for the recovery of the amounts owing. It might be mentioned that approximately one half of the rate money levied for tho year has so far been collected.

A meeting of headmasters of all the schools in the city, representatives of the school committees and several parents of scholars, was held at the Victoria Avenue {School last evening and decided to form a Public Schools Musical Association. The idea underlying the movement is to Urouse musical enthusiasm in the schools, particularly by developing the present school band, and ultimately forming choirs and orchestras. At some future date, when the movement has had time to mature, something in the nature of a competition betwen the various school bands, choirs and orchestras will be held. It is proposed to appoint an instructor, who will visit each of the schools. Last night’s meeting, over which Mr H. 11. Richardson presided, appointed a committee to draft a constitution for the association.

The taiaha presented to the Prime Minister by Mr Rangi Marumaru is a well-known tribal relic, and is known to the whole countryside as Poko-poko. The Prime Minister is particularly well acquainted with the Maori language and with the Maori people as a whole. It will therefore be understood how interested he was to see the famous relic when he visited Wanganui, and how much he appreciated the presentation of it to himself. Mr Marumaru has received the following telegram of appreciation from Auckland: “I want to thank you again for the taiaha known as Poko-poko, which you so kindly handed to me during my recent visit to Wanganui. I appreciate very fully the good spirit that prompted the gift, find you may rest assured that the welfare and prosperity of the Maori people will always remain dear to my heart. (Signed) J. G. Coates.”

Much satisfaction has been expressed by citizens who utilise tho tramway service, at the improvement effected to No. 11 car as a result of the work recently carried out on it by the City Council’s employees. The sides of the car have been extended, and the workmanship is of such & nature, that, while adequate ventilation is provided, passengers seated in both the rear and front portions of the vehicle are protected from the elements. It is the intention of tho Tramways Committee to modernise other trams hs time and money permit, and the next car to be remodelled will have the sefits placed crosswise, instead of longitudinally as at presenr. This will no doubt be welcomed bv passengers. Several old cars are also being converted into trailers, and all the wood and iron work required in this connection is prepared in the tramway workshops.

In connection with the “Chronicle” results board, which gained many encomiums from the huge crowd in Cook’s Gardens on election night, the management wish to th&nk a number of people who helped to make the affair r.uch a success. They wish to thank the Telegraph Office staff for the expeditious way in which they handled tho telegrams and for their courtesy in connection with tho use of the telephone. They also thank the Power Board for its services in connection with the electric lighting, and especially the official who wfis in charge during the evening. Then, too. they have to thank the wireless experts who placed their plant at the “Chronicle’s” service. Apart from those mentioned, there were a large number of willing helpers at the various booths who forwarded information at the earliest possible moment. Then, last to be mentioned, but by no mdans least, is tho Queen Alexandra Band, whose delightful music made the evening so enjoyable to the thousands on the terraces.