In Town and Out

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume LXXXIII, Issue 20106, 27 March 1928, Page 6

In Town and Out

u There is no Rugby Union in New Zealand, better served by its referees than is Wanganui.” This opinion was voiced at last night’s annual meeting of the Referees’ Association.

Failure to notify their changes of address was the cause of three Territorials being fined at the Magistrate s Court yesterday. G. W. Goodwin was fined 5s with costs 12s, W. C Vdter was ordered to pay Court costs 10s ana William Lord was fined 10s and* costs 7s.

A collision occurred between two cars on Sunday afternoon near the Springvale store. Both cars were damaged and the occupants cut by broken glass. The corner is a particularly dangerous one, two other accidents of a similar nature having occurred at the same spot during the last three weeks.

A s the weather grows colder and conditions become more wintry fewer people visiit the beaches- It was noticed <luring the Inst week-end that there were still a good many cars on the road and that numbers of them went toward the beaches, but they did not stop, even for the passengers to alight ami walk on the sand.

The Fire Brigade received two calls yesterday. The first was to a grass fire near the soap works at Castlecliff, the City and Castlecliff brigades attending. No damage was done. 'The second was to another grass fire near the railway embankment at the rear of the City Council destructor in number two yard. Again no damage was done.

It was reported at yesterday’s meeting of the Wanganui River Trust that an additional £5OO, making £lOOO in all, had been received from die Land’s Department, enabling the Trust to carry on its work until March 31. The chair man (Mr J. 11. Burnet) said that by strict economy and cutting down expenses they would be able to get through on the amount in hand.

In a story of the heroic light for existence being put up by many settlers in the deteriorated lands of Wanganui’s back-country, Mr C. H. Burnest, the Crown tenant’s representative on the Wellington Land Board, tells of one settler who this season handled his flock of 800 sheep without assistance, his operations including drafting, shearing and baleing the wool.

‘‘ It is a pity that these referees’ meetings are not more widely used by the players and by members of the Rugby Union,” said Mr F. C. Atkinson at last evening’s annual meeting of the Referees’ Association. He declared that if greater interest were shown it would be more fully realised that rufiiecs did not walk on the field merely to be “narks” but wore a vital part of the game.

Quinces are plentiful in the river orchards this season. Thickets of che trees can be seen from the river boats, loaded with the golden fruit. Many, and indeed most of the treesc, are of a great age, and the fruit is, in consequence, not flawless, but despite this there must be enough good quinces among the tons ou the river to supply the local markets. But every year hundreds of pounds of the fruit drop from the trees and rot on the ground.

Sale of liquor after hours was the charge preferred against L. \V. Baxter, licensee of McCarthy’s Hotel, at trie Magistrate’s Court yesterday. Mr T. Blennerhassett acted for defendant who pleaded guilty. Sergeant <r, Sivy er, stated that two young mew from Waverley had been observed to call at the hotel at night and they had obtained drinks from the porter. A fine of £1 with costs lUs was imposed.

A suggestion that an unsightly tract of country on the opposite side of the Wanganui River from the Pipiriki Accommodation house, should be beautified, was recently acted upon by the Wanganui River Trust, Mr Gregor McGregor having the matter in hand- At yesterday’s meeting of the Trust Mr McGregor reported having communicated with the Forestry Department, who had pointed out that while the proposal that such country should be planted with commercial trees was not an unreasonable one, it would take five years of maintenance to establish the young plants in such a wilderness of scrub and fern.

Wool prices all over the Dominion are at a high level at present. The reason for this was given by a local woolbroker to a “Chronicle” reporter yesterday- He stated that there was a world-wide shortage of wool at present, ahd this had kept the price well up. “But,’’ he said, “it would not be a good thing if the price were To rise any more; at present the supply just meets the demand, but if the price rose at all the supply would kill the demand or else the cost of woollen material would be prohibitive and consequently the price of the raw material would have to fall. It all runs in a vicious circle, and we should be satisfied with the good money that wp arc get ting.”