LOCAL AND GENERAL

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume LXXXIII, Issue 19769, 17 February 1927, Page 6

LOCAL AND GENERAL

The Railway Department advertises in this issue particulars of special train to Wellington on Sunday, February 20, and of issue of holiday excursion tickets in connection with the band contest at Wellington.

A surprise awaited a Wanganqi motorist who was bowling along gaily in the vicinity of Bulls the other day. When the car was travelling at a considerable speed a break developed in the steering gear. The car zig-zagged all ove r the road, and finally came to rest against a telegraph pole, without in any way harming the automobile or its occupants.

When a charge of having stolen a suitcase and contents, valued at £22 14s, was dismissed by Mr E. Page, S.M. at Wellington yesterday, Frederick Robert Garlick, 38, a carpenter, asked the Magistrate to direct the police to see that his passage was booked back to Christchurch where he was arrested. Mr Page said that the police had brought the charge in good faith and on reasonable suspicion, and he could not grant the request.

After two days’ work the Supreme Court, now sitting at Wanganui, has disposed of two of the nine criminal cases on the calendar. The third case, involving charges of bigamy against a Maori, will be begun this morning. Other serious charges against up-river Maoris will follow. Jurors called for the current session are having a busy time.

Batsmen engaged in the cricket match at Cook’s Gardens yesterday were much troubled by the presence of spectators against the sight screens in line with the wickets. Small boys clustering against the fence at the Guyton Street end caused most of the trouble. But the obvious solution is to have the screen extended so that spectators cannot confuse the vision of batsmen.

The level crossing at Turakina was the scene of an accident on Tuesday, when a light car crossed the lino in front of a train. It just failed to beat the engine, which, in passing, flicked its rear mudguard. The car was twisted completely round, and the driver injured through being thrown against the supports of tho hood. Beyond a crumpled rear mudguard tho car was not damaged.

The trophy lat stake in the Wanganui Cup race, to be decided to-day, was presented to the Wanganui Jockey Club by Mr C. G. Bussell, and has been on view for some days past in the window of Messrs J. Williams and Co., jewellers. Of beautiful workmanship 'and handsome design, tho cup is worthy of the traditions of a great racing fixture. Mounted on a rosewood base, it is a valuable and decorative prize.

To popularise municipal bus services in Wanganui the Tramway Department has arranged that trips on tho observation bus may be booked through tho Tourist Department. Arrangements can be made through the department’s Wanganui branch, o r through offices elsewhere. General information concerning Wanganui, and the local municipal transport facilities, is to be furnished to all offices of the Tourist Department. Residents of Castlecliff are at present preparing a petition asking for tho provision of a public telephone at the seaside suburb. It is pointed out that casual visitors and holiday residents repeatedly require the use of telephones, and have to roly on tho kindness of neighbours or shopkeepers. As for the telephone at the Kiosk, it is an amenity more public than private. Under the circumstances a penny-in-the-slot telephone near the tram terminus is extremely desirable.

Charged with tho theft of £26 17s 6d from T. Hodson, William Barrington Roberts appeared on remand at the Wanganui Magistrate’s Court yesterday morning. Detective Walsh said the probation officer’s report from Dunedin showed accused to have been a decent enough young man until some months ago, when he got mixed up with a married woman. Accused was admitted to probation for two years, and was ordered to make full restitution, £l7 to be paid immediately, and the balance within a month.