LOCAL AND GENERAL

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume LXXXIII, Issue 19748, 22 January 1927, Page 6

LOCAL AND GENERAL

An article on “Colonisation.” from a well-known and valued contributor. “R.G.F.,” appears to-day on page 13. Its references to the colonisation of New Zealand are particularly interesting in connection with to-day’s celebration of th£ Wellington Anniversary. Will advertisers please note that the following replies to advertisements arc awaiting collection at the “Chronicle’s” branch office, Victoria Avenue: G-15, G21.'G22. G 26, G3O, G 33. G 122, G 123, Gl2B, Gl3l, G 133, G 135, HI, Hls. 1132. 11100, HloB, Hill, Hl 13, Hl 18, Hl 25. A round is being made of private garages at Westmere by a gang of petty thieves, and during the past few nights articles have been removed. A sharp lockout is now being kept and there is a possibility of the thieves being caught. Queer buzzing noises interrupting communication during rural and 'toll telephone calls sometimes puzzle subscribers. Generally they are due to the close proximity of hydro-electric lines to the telephone lines. Other noises, including the explosive sounds which sometimes nearly burst the eardrums of subscribers, are generally due to faults in the particular line operating.

Farmers’ comments at the wool sale last night were of an amusing nature. “This is up to putty,” said one man, in a disgusted tone, but others were more than satisfied. The disparity of prices between this sale and the previous one was remarked on by many. “It is harder than picking race horses.” skid one farmer, after studying his own valuations and the prices given by the buyers.

The Maori concert at Cook’s Gardens and the wool sale *at the Opera House would have afforded a close observer last night an interesting study in contrasts. During the spectacular Maori hakas the cries and intonations of the performers covered a weird medley of sounds. It wlas just the same with the wool buyers during their periods of feverish bidding. But beyond that point the similarity did not extend.

* The intermittent whistling of a loud siren, Accompanied by weird shouts and war-cries, announced the passage of a Maori concert party through the crowded city last night. Packed on two motor-buses, the Maoris were advertising their concert, which took place on Cook’s Gardens, in characteristic style. They caused much amusement to the people in the streets, and doubtless got a number of extra patrons as a result of their free show.

Good catches of schnapper have been made on the coast lately the fish caugrt being of excellent size. Fishing launches operating from Wanganui have secured good results, and on their return to the city there has been a brisk quay-side demand for the harvest gleaned from the sea. Though mostly schnapper, the catches usually include several small sharks, and sometimes queer marine oddities are brought up at the end of the lines.*

Motorists returning to Wanganui from Foxton races yesterday passed two broken-down motor trucks between Bulls and the city. Broken azles were the cause of the trouble in both cases, and the drivers attributed their misfortune to the condition of the roads, which in places are still very broken and uneven. In addition they are extremely dusty, and driving conditions, in spite of the beautiful weather yesterday, were not altogether pleasant.

Waqganui was a very busy city Mst night, the crowd in the Avenue being reminiscent of Christmas Eve and New Year’s Eve. Besides townspeople, there were in the big crowd country people in the city for the wool sale, and many Maoris interested in the Maori concert and to-day’s regb-tta. So thick was the crowd on the city pavements that the progress of pedestrians was necessarily slow. Many cars, moreover, lined the streets, and altogether the city bore an animated Appearance.

The plane trees lining the river bank above the Wanganui Town Bridge are at present a glorious sight. Their rich foliage shades the untidy roadway between the buildings and the foreshore, and performs a public service in that it partly conceals the unkempt conditions of the surroundings. Some time j ago proposals for making a beauty spot, instead of a rubbish dump, out of this | portion of the city, were put before the ' City Council, but the plans formulated I have not yet brought any tangible re- i suits. A Wanganui auctioneer for some ! days past has had the distinction of | driving a motor car which is probably j unique', since it has no accelerator i pedal. The means of eliminating this j pedal i s a secret belonging to two Wa- • nganui citizens, who have made arrangements for the protection of their invention- throughout the world. Its general adoption would mean that motorists would have only two pedals instead of three to look after, and the result probably would be a great reduction in the number of accidents. .

Something in the nature of a plague of frogs has descended on the southern half of the North Island, and motorists making long trips at night can testify to the frequency with which their headlights pick up frogs hopping across the roads. Even in the recent dry weather the frogs have been many in number, while in the rainy weather of the holidays they positively swarmed over certain sections of road. Near Wanganui they have been seen in hundreds along the roads, and one motorist who came down from Taihape tho other night said that at one place a moving carpet of frogs caused his car to skid.

An interesting feature of the wool business this season has been the extent to which the Railway Department has regained its place in the wool transportation scheme. A year or two ago the railways, as far as carriage of wool was concerned, appeared to be almost a spent force. Motor trucks did practically all the cartage, but now the railway has redeemed its prestige. Better business methods, and a systematic canvass of farmers have brought about the improvement. At present around Wanganui little fresh wool is being handled, as all stores are full, but there be another influx when the, pro duce disposed of at last night’s sale is emptied from the stores.