Town Talk

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 72, Issue 105, 4 May 1929, Page 6

Town Talk

Improving Durie Hill The City Council has in hand certain improvement work on Durie Hill. Th e levelling of Stark Street is proceeding rapidly and at the lower end of Taylor Street tarring of footpaths is in progress. Fordell Rainfall.

Tho rainfall recorded during April at Fordell by Mr H. Johanson, amounted to 2.08 inches, s-ain falling on seven days of the npnth. The heaviest precipitation was during the 24 hours preceding April 14, when 1.34 inches was recorded. Alexander Museum.

Tho total attendance at the Alexander Museum last month was 1966 Of this number 1486 were adults and 480 children. The biggest attendance for one day was on Easter Klonday, April 1, when 310 adults and 87 children visited the institution. Bowling Season Ends.

“When winter comes”—the bowl in oseasons ends. Perhaps a few enthus* iastic devotees of the game that Drake made famous—or did it make Drake famous —will carry on for a few weeks yet, but to all intents and purposes the season will be concluded to-day, the St. John’s Club putting on a match in which “youth” will try conclusions with (( age. ’ ’ 7 Off to Taihape

With the Wanganui races being held on Saturday, May 18, there will be no fixtures o nthe grounds controlled by the Wanganui Metropolitan Rugby Union that day. Advantage will °be send a team to Taihape to play the taken of the opportunity, however, to annual match with that Union’s representatives. The Wanganui team will leave by car on the Friday, and the return trip will, it is expccte’d. be made on the Saturday night.

Cavalry in Camp There will be .some 300 horses at the Waverley tacecourse during the period between May 11 and May 21, for that will be the duration of the an nual camp for the Queen Alexandra Mounted Rifles. This regiment is drawn from a large area that stret’hes as far north as the Mokau River, ami extends up tho Wanganui River. The officers and non-commissioned officers wil Iproceed to camp next Tuesday for a refresher course before the A Fine Deer Head.

A particularly fine Rod deer-head, exhibited at the office of the Wanganui branch of the New Zealand Tourist Department, attracts considerable interest. It is a 19 pointer, and one of the finest displayed at the Wembley Exhibition, held in England during 1925-26. Despite the fact that it has been in the tourist office for 12 months, numbers of people visit there daily to examine it. The capture was made in north-west Otago in 1920, by Mr A. D. Kitto, of Brunswick. Steel Poles for Power Lines

The Wanganui-Rangitikei Electric Power Board has purchased a supply of steel poles which will be used experieinentally in replacing existing hard-wood poles in reconstruction work. There are being erected in the Makirikiri district at present and it is likely that more will be used in Marton Borough. Experts put the life of a steel pole down at 50 years, that being a conservativ e estimate. iue Publi'C W’orks Department, however, considers 40 years sufficient for book- ‘ keeping purposes when accounting depreciation. Wanganui’s Air Port

“You. may rest assured that everything possible will be done to make Wanganui an important port in tno ’Dominion aerial service,” said tho Mayor (Mr W. J. Rogers) in conversation with a “Chronicle” reporter yesterday. H c added that he had not yet gone into the question of the landing ground fully and the project of utilising the Imlay swamp area, but he recognised that the matter was not one for delay. Wanganui had to be brought into line with other centres. The Lighter Side.

Soccer players in Wanganui have the 1929 competitions well under way at this stage of the season, and are looking forward to having an unusual tournament in the near future. Something in. the nature of the novel Rugby events fhat were featured on Cook’s Gardens recently will bo provided by a five-a-side fixture. One competition will consist of “lobbing” a ball into a small circle at a range of 25 yards, while in. another competititors will be required to “dribble’ ’a ball round several posts and-return to the winning post by the same route.

Winter Sport. With the coming of the colder weather that it usually asociated with the month of May there appears to be plenty of winter sport for those desiring to take part in it. Rugby football on Spriggens Park to-day will claim its couple of thousand of spectators, while on other grounds there will be some 30 teams taking part in the competitions. Soccer on Cook’s Gardens and on Victoria Park, and hockey on Gonville Park will each cater for healthy relaxation for tho younger spirits, while on the Belmont, Seafield and Castlecliff golf links those who support tho royal and ancient game will pursue the elusive little white ball with plenty of vigour. Racegoers will be catered for with the race meeting at Marton,

Maori Hospitality In the olden days— not a hundred years ago, however —the Maori wa» noted for the thoroughness with wh-ch he carried out the requirements of his' code of hospitality, no matter whut the cost might be. The majority of the modern descendants of those nowdeparted warriors have learnt their lesson well. Last Saturday at Ratana the Pirate Rugby senior fifteen were given a sample of the hospitality tliar. .a proverbial in the race. After the football match in the afternoon me libers of tho visiting team were invited into Mr Ratana’s house, where light refreshments were provided and gladly partaken of. A welcome was extended the visitors on behalf of the host and hostess by Mr P. Paikca, private secretary to Mr Ratana, and the president of the Pirate Club. Mr L. Cohen, returned thanks in one of his characteristically happy speeches, Air Paikea also introduced Airs Ratana to the visitors and thanked them on her behalf for the way in which they had honoured her. Hearty cheers were exchanged and the singing of “For They are Jolly Good Fellows” brought a happy little function to a close.