In Town and Out

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 71, Issue 220, 17 September 1928, Page 6

In Town and Out

| The phcnouicual growth of work at. the bacteriological department of the Wanganui Hospital is reflected in the decision of the Board to increase the staff by adding a woman assistant. Chemists’ Hours. As a result of the recent amendment to the Wanganui chemists’ requisition, chemists’ shops did not open yesterday, the whole of the business being handled by the urgent dispensary in Guyton Street. This is now a permanent Sunday arrangement, making the one dispensary serve the area within a radius of two miles. Fewer Patients. The number of patients in the Wanganui Public Hospital has not been very large of late, the total having stood at 130 fur some days, as compared with an average of a little over J5O, the peak figure for this year being .180. There are only four diphtheria patients in hospital at the present time, while scarlet fever patients total eight as against 34 a few months ago.

Amateur Boxing. Interest in amateur boxing is reviving in Wanganui and there was a large attendance at the contests held in the Drill Hall on Saturday night. This week another amateur tournament will be held, this time for military trainees in the Wanganui district, and early next month the Wanganui Amateur Boxing Association will stage contests for members of the local football clubs. Finance for Oarsmen. With about a month ahead of them for their task of financing the trip to Melbourne of the champion rowing four of the Dominion, the committee appears to be having a very satisfactory response to its appeal. Up to date there is an amount in hand or in sight that runs into three figures, but a considerable sum is still required before the Union Boat Club’s crew can be said to be reasonably sure of making the trip . Al..rming Cnsaks. Loud creaking noises from the seating erected in the Drill Hall for Saturday night ’s amateur boxing tournament alarmed members of the crowd. Many stood up in readiness to vacate their positions, but were reassured when the noises ceased. Later in the evening they were again perturbed when the announcer requested them not to jump on the boards on their way out as the structure would probably collapse. More Money?

It is said there is more money in circulation these days than a few months ago, and such an opinion might be formed by anyone contrasting the' totalisator returns at he Wanganui Jockey Club’s meeting, which concluded on Saturday, with the amount that was handled at the corresponding meeting last year. At the .1927 spring meeting the sum of £46,275 was put through by the machine, whereas last week the total was £49,263.

Inroads of the Sea. For many years the sea has been breaking down the cliffs at Kai Iwi. In one place a whole spit of laid has disappeared during the last five years, and in another place a road has had to be re-built as it was slipping away on to the beach below. During the last 20 years 17 acres of land have slipped between Kai Iwi and Okehu —a distance of about two miles, on an average of about three feet along the two miles of coastline each year. A Flower Show Prize. A chance remark led to a young lady of Wanganui securing a prize at the spring flower show held by the Wanganui Fast Methodist Church Horticultural Society on Saturday. She brought some flowers down to business one morning, and these meeting the eye of a horticultural enthusiast, she was advised to put them into the show, an offer being made to pay the entrance fee if she did not win. The young lady accordingly became an entrant and her ffowers fulfilled expectations by gaining a first place. An Attractive Change Goad headway has been made in the transformation of Taylor Street, Durie Hill, from an ugly, ill-formed roadway into what should be a most attractive thoroughfare. The vehicular track has been kept to one side, while a pathway has been formed down the centre to connect with the Zig-Zag. On either side of the path the ground has been nicely sloped for Ift wns, and these lawns will be bordered with flower-beds. The whole effect should be extremely pleasant, and greatly enhance the locality. Dangerous Games. Rushing across the road in front of motor-cars fails to provide enough excitement for the modern child —so declares one Wanganui resident. As he was approaching the railway crossing a the foot of St. John’s Hill, on Saturday, he noticed a group of small boys running backwards and forwards across the line. An outbound train was nearing the crossing and the gentleman hurried forward to stop the children, but ho was not in time to prevent one of them from racing across when the engine was but a chain away. When the train had passed the youngster proudly paced off the distance from the footpath to the place where the engine had been when he had crossed the tracks. The witness of the action remonstrated with the child, who informed him that he was an “interfering old buffer.” However, the “old buffer” thought that such games should not be permitted, even in a free country, and has informed the boy’s school teacher, who will, no doubt point out to him the error of his ways.

Farmers will be interested to hear that Messrs Booth, MacDonald and Co. Ltd., of Christchurch, have decided to place one of their representatives, ISIr L. A. Holland, permanently in Wanganui. Besides being an expert in all types of tillage tools and general farm machinery he is an experienced pumping appliance expert. His services are now at the command of the Wanganui farmers. A telephone message to our newly-appointed agents —the New Zealand Loan and Mercantile Agency Coy., or a letter to this address, >r his private address, 24 Harper Street, will bring his services to vou, and his advice is free upon all pumping or tillage propositions.