LOCAL AND GENERAL

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume LXXXIII, Issue 19785, 8 March 1927, Page 6

LOCAL AND GENERAL

The Central Fire Brigade was called out at 1 p.m. yesterday to a grass fire at the Fergusson Street railway crossing. The flames were subdued before damage resulted.

At Napier yesterday, a native, Johnnie Spooner, got a month’s hard labour for the ..conversion of a car to his own use. The Magistrate, Mr Dyer, said that fines would not stop the practice.

In order to cater for school children in the district above Aram oho the City Council has decided to run a school bus from Papaiti. The schedule provides for the extension of the facilities to residents, as well as to children. The bus will run to and from the Post Office according to an advertised timetable.

A fleet of motor cars bearing blue and white ribbon and names suggesting that New Plymouth was their headquarters attracted attention in the city at noon yesterday. The conveyances were occupied by New South Wales bowlers and their wives, who stayed at Wanganui for the day, playing matches during the afternoon. They go south this morning.

“It is fundamentally objectionable that artistic institutions should ne ranged against each other. Rivalry is a fine thing, but when it exceeds healtny artistic rivalry it becomes highly objectionable.’’—These remarks were made by Mr L. Cohen at yesterday’s meeting of the Wanganui Rotary Club, and were prompted by the suggestion that at different times there had been an excess of rivalry and competition between local bands.

“The American visitor spends much of his spare time in New Zealand buying curios and mementos,’’ said Mr W. Brown at the Chamber of Commerce meeting last evening, when referring to the recent tour of the Americans from the liner Franconia. A number of the visitors had shown him tikis they had bought in various places. The tikis were made of New Zealand greenstone cut in Germany, but he did not enlighten them.

I Speaking upon tennis, and more particularly of the Maori tournament at Faster, on Saturday at the opening of ,the Tuhirangi hall at Putiki, Mr G. ipownall said he felt the Wanganui public should do their utmost to assist the Maori people in the important (event. Wanganui, through being 'chosen for the tournament, had been honoured, and he felt sure that when the time came the people of Wanganui, and especially the tennis enthusiasts, would be of much assistance.

The Wanganui Chamber of Commerce was last evening informed by Mr W. Brown that the recent visits of two large parties of American tourists were but the forerunners of similar and larger visits. Many of the tourists were coming back to Wanganui later. Mr Brown further stated that it was imperative that the tourists be brought right into Wanganui instead of being dropped at Aramoho and going by train to Wellington. The last party had spent between £6OO and £BOO while in the city.

Two inquests will occupy the attention of local Coroners to-day. At the first, to be held this morning, Mr J. S. Barton will investigate the death of A. G. Anderson, a well-known settler who was the victim of a shooting accident at his farm at Kukuta on Saturday. The other inquest, to be conducted by Mr J. Pilkington, will ’je into the death of John Kcir, a carriei who died from injuries caused when his cart ran over him after he had been thrown, the harness breaking.

The success of Saturday’s regatta was pronounced from every point of view. Not only was an admirable programme despatched with a promptitude that delighted the spectators, but also the results of the collection were gratifying to the Rowing Association. Over £2O was recived by the collection, which is the best yield achieved by voluntary contributions for some time. A feature absent on this occasion was a band, the only thing which mignr have added to the enjoyable nature o± the programme.

The traffic tally taken by Waitotara county officials during the past few days on a section of the main road has disclosed that cars on touring trips arc very numerous at the present time. On Sunday, during a period of 12 hours, 900 motor vehicles passed, and yesterday 500 were recorded. Of the travelling parties, those journeying to or from Auckland were most numerous. During the tally, it was interesting to note that several of the cars were those of Australian tourists and others belonged to South Island parties.

A Wanganui party of seven maw good time to Auckland last week, without pushing their car at an extravagant speed at any stage of the journey, a point in their favour was that all were drivers, so that by an occasional change they maintained a consistent speed, which took them from Wanganui to Auckland in just under 10| hours. They noticed distinct improvements in the condition of northern roads, though many temporary deviations make tor shocking conditions near Auckland, where miles and. miles of concrete highways are being laid.

The ceremonies on Saturday at Putiki in connection with the opening of the Tuhirangi hall in its new location, were successful from every point of view. Tuhirangi will in future be the centre of operations of the Putiki Tennis Club and will probably serve as a meeting place on other occasions. Saturday’s weather brought a large attendance of pakeha and Maori, and at the afternoon sale of work, good business was done. In the evening, a very successful dance was held, musical iterffs being provided by the wellknown Kaiwhaiki string band.

The new regulations in connection with week-end cables and overseas letter cables, regarding the use of figures and commercial marks, has come into wide disfavour with business men. At the monthly meeting of the Wanganui Chamber of Commerce last evening the matter was brought up by Mr A. E. Rankin, who stated that the Postal Congress had made the alteration without discussing the cable companies in the matter. Through the new regulations being enforced, there was nowhere near the same amount of business done now as formerly and the postal officials looked on the alteration as a retrograde step. Week-end cables had always been a great boon to the business man when ordering goods from Home. It was resolved to circularise the various chambers, asking for support in a protest to the PostmasterGeneral