Town Talk

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 73, Issue 108, 9 May 1930, Page 6

Town Talk

Lethbridge Memorial Tablet. A memorial tablet to the late Mr B. P. Lethbridge will be unveiled in the Turakina Church on Sunday. The function will take place at 2.30 p.m. Promising Outlook. “The outlook shows a lot of promise; much more than people think. Fat sheep are worth hanging on to.” Thus a Wanganui farmer of long standing to a “Chronicle” reporter yesterday. Early Clutching Farmers in the Wanganui district are cru telling early this year. Several sheds have finished and the owners aie satisfied that it pays to undertake this work earlier than has been the. practice in the past. Judgment Summons At the Magistrate’s Court yesterday, Cuthbert D. Corliss, was ordered to pay the Maoriland (Dairy Company £44 16s lid and solicitor’s fee £1 Jis 6d, forthwith, in default 45 days’ imprisonment at Wellington. Many Pukekos Pukekos are plentiful in parts of the \\ anganui district again. Fanners who ci op their properties to any extent regard this bird with bitter feelings on account of the destruction it causes to seeds and plants. One settler has obtained a permit to shoot pukekos and is exercising this as fully as he is able to do.

25 Guineas for Obstetrical Appeal. Although Wanganui’s quota for the obstetrical appeal fund reached the creditable total of £1634 Ils 9d, a further donation of 25 guineas has been received from the Manawatu-Wanga-nui Council of the Licensed Traders. The executives of the local fund have expressed their appreciation of the Traders’ action, which bring the Wanganui total to £1662 His 9d.

Vice-Regal Visit. The • Governor-General and Lady Blcdisloe are to arrive in Wanganui on Tuesday, June 10, and will stay here until Thursday, June 12. For some considerable time the Mayor, Mr W. 'J’. Ro S crs » Fas been preparing for a visit of the Vice-Regal party and arrangements in this connection are well in hand. The visit, which will Be official, will be the first of the new Governor-General and Lady Blcdisloe to Wanganui.

An Impressive Sight. Very favourable comment regarding the high standard of marching attained by the pupils of the Wanganui Technical College yesterday was passed by numerous spectators who witnessed the funeral cortege of the late Mr A. H. Abernethy as it passed up Victoria Avenue en route to the Aramoho cemetery. The deceased gentleman was a member of the College teaching staff. Dressed in their usual black school uniforms, the boys marched in front of the hearse as far as Ingestre Street. Here the entire school assembled to form a guard of honour. Public Works Camps.

There are over 60 men employed on the Wangaehu Valley Road on the length above Mt. View Station and the property owned by Mr J. Kennedy. Tents nestle in the hollows at convenient points along the route in this neighbourhood. For the cold days of winter they do not appear to afford the best of accommodation. There are no board floors for one thing, just the ground. Work on the road is pushing ahead rapidly and the improvements effected within the past two years on this route were favourably commented upon by the Wanganui County Council members who made a tour of inspection to thje back country yesterday.

Back Country Dances. In the old days, when the pack horse reigned supreme, and his only serious rival was the bullock dray, Mangamahu was an outlying settlement which was much more is- ,atcd from the centre of Wanganui thin it is to-day. There is a small hall there and it was pointed out to a “ Chronicle ” reporter yesterday, by a member of the Wanganui County Council, as being one of the most important buildings in the district. “We looked upon it as the biggest and the best hall in New Zealand in the early days,” he said. Times have changed since then, and the Mangamahu of today is nothing like the hive of activity it was in the past, when the men from the bush-felling camps beyond made it their one and only port of call when cheques stirred uneasily in their pockets begging to b«- cashed. Those were the good eld days! Paparangi Dog Trials.

At the Paparangi-Tokomaru Sheep Dog Trial Club’s function held on Messrs Caddy and Williams’ property yesterday, the short head and yarding competition was won by Mr F. King’s Roy with 56 points. Competition was exceedingly keen as the next three entrants to gain places were within two points of the winner. Those were Messrs P. Forrester’s Charm, 554 points; W. Scott’s Speed, 55 points; and H. Harris’ Brigadier Bill, 54 points. There wore 37 competitors, coming from the Main Trunk and as far north, in Taranaki, as Awnkino. The work of the dogs was, on the whole, of a very high standard. Mr W. V. Mclntyre, the judge, said to a “Chronicle’’ reporter, “The • ork was of a very high standard in both heading events, the long pull on Wednesday and the short head and yard on Thursday. A very gratifying feature was the number of young competitors who scored well on both days. The course is one of the best in the North Island and well suited on which to run a chamiponship. Entries for Friday, for the huntaway event, are very good, sonic of the best huntaways in' the North Island being competitors.”