Town Talk

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 74, Issue 111, 13 May 1931, Page 6

Town Talk

Band Concerts Coming The Queen Alexandra’s Own Band will give its first honorary members’! concert on June 3. A concert is to he given in the Opera House on Sunday next. Maori Rugby Matches. At Ratana this afternoon two Rugby matches will be played by Maori teams. Ln one match old-timers from Patea and Ratana will be engaged, while in the other Ratana and Taranaki Maoris will be the contestants for the Mako Shield. Much interest is being taken by the Maoris in the two matches. Address to Fanners The Fordell branch of the Farmers’ Union has combined with, the Fordell branch of the W.D.F.U. in arranging a lecture at Fordell on Friday afternoon on the League of Nations Union. Mr H. C. Jenkins, editor of the “Chronide,” will be the speaker. Agricultural Bias? “It is an opportune time if you have a farm to stock it. but 1 do not think it is time to put a poor unfortunate beggar on a farm,” remarked Mr A. T. Cavell at last night’s meeting of the Wanganui and District Development League when tho members were discussing the matter of smaller farms. Manawatu Small Farms That the Government was interested in a 2000-acre block of land in the Manawatu for subdivision into a number of small farms, and that men had been up from Wellington several times to see it, was a statement made at last night’s meeting of the Wanganui and District Development League by Mr C. H. Burnett. He said that, it would make about eighty farms. Boosting with a “Kick” ‘‘We boosted it so much that we boosted our own rents up.” remarked Mr Dustin at last night’s meeting of the Wanganui and. District Development League, when speaking on the Cheer Up Week to be held in Wan ganui. He was instancing a similar week that had been held by a Te Aro organisation in Wellington for ibe purpose of bringing Cuba Street before the public. Parapara Road Reporting at last night’s meeting of the Wanganui and District Development League, Mr A. 8. Burgess said that he had noticed that the Rangitikei County Council had written to Wellington asking if the money for the sealing of the Wangaehu-Bulls road were avail able. Since the Highways Board had been in Wanganui he had been in communication with Mr Veitch, and the Parapara Road representations were still going on satisfactorily. H.M.S. Veronica Sails. After a stay of live days in Wanganui H.M.S. Veronica left Wan ganui for New Plymouth ycstcr'lay morning at 9.50. Her visit to Wanganui was remarkable for tho number of people who went to Castlecliff to visit her arid to look over the ship of which they had heard so much when she was in Napier, where she added a page to New Zealand history. Officers and men w r ere given u good round of entertainment during their stay in the river city. From New Plymouth the Veronica will sail f or Whangaroa and will leave Auckland for the South Sea Islands on June 20. More Farmers Wanted Although he did not move a motion. Mr F. H. Allan last night suggested to the Development League that if the necessary legislation were provided, the number of local body employees in New Zealand might be doubled, and that they could be settled on houses on small sections bought by loans which cculd be repaid by rents from the houses and the lands. Those employees would then have some income and thev could farm the land in the time that they were not employed by the local bodies. It would encourage them as farmers. Mr Burgess: Who is going to pay the loss on the farms, the county or the Government? Mr Allan: There would not be any loss. Raised a Laugh. Tho action of a dress circle patron of one of the Wanganui picture theatres last night raised a laugh in the audience, the author of the incident joining heartily. A young man stood up during the interval and. remarking on the warmth of the atmosphere, proceeded to divest himself of his overcoat. By some mischance his coat camo off also, and suddenly he found himself standing jn shirtsleeves in a conspicuous position. Hastily resuming his vest and coat he remarked that in a' l his experience of amateur theatricals in Wanganui he had never raised such a laugh as that caused by his unrehearsed action last night. Those Drill Hall Lights An explanation of why the lighijs failed at the Drill Hall on the night of the municipal elections just prior to the counting of votes has been made by the Wanganui- Rangitikei Electric Power Board. The engineer (Mr H. Webb), has advised the Town Clerk (Mr G. Murch), that the failure was dtfe to the breaking of the service wire where it is attached to the polo fuse outside the building. Mr Webb added that the fault was not an uncommon one and was due to the bending of the, wire where it is secured to the terminal of the fuse. The delay occasioned in the booth from tho lack of light was half an hour. After the doors closed at 7 p.m. it was quite 15 minutes before every voter had loft tho building, so. in all. the staff lost three-quarters of an hour's valuable time. In spite oi that, however, the result of the Mayoral count from that booth was known at 8.23 p.m. Cheer Up Week Meeting The Wanganui and Districi Development League last night decided that their delegates to the Cheer Up Week organisation meeting 10-day should be Messrs Draffin, Gill.ord and Burnett. Mr Dustin brought the matter before the meeting and stated that the guar antees were fixed. I'he movement would definitely go on. It was an excellent, opportunity, with a new Mayor and a new council. One member said that he had not been able to make up his mind about the Auckland Cheer Up Week, but he did not think that the effort justified the expenditure. There was a lot of fuss and show, but he doubted whether Wanganui people would be too indifferent to help. Mr Dustin said that business in Aucklanad had not been any worse during Cheer Up Week and the business the following week hail fully justified it. He suggested that there might he funds over from the week. That could bo put to propaganda later. I'he week, he thought, should be followed up. and not left rest there.