Town Talk

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 74, Issue 150, 27 June 1931, Page 6

Town Talk

Visiting Harriers. A large party of harriers from Masterton, numbering upwards of forty, will arrive in Wanganui about noon to-day for the purpose of competing against the Wanganui Harrier Club for the Benson 'Trophy. During their sojourn in Wanganui the visitors will be the guests of members of the Wan ganui Harrier Club, and they will make the return trip to-morrow. Pekinese Becoming .Popular. Pekinese were displacing the Pomer anian for popularity for toy dogs, said the judge of the toy dog section at the Wanganui Wimer Show to a reporter yesterday. At the Auckland Toy Dog Club’s last show she said there were about, 40 Pekinese. The reason she gave for their increasing popularity was that, they were more of the aristocrat in appearance. Seeking Shelter. Shortly before .10 o'clock last night a short but heavy shower of rain drove many people to shelter at the Winter Show grounds. Many who were in the vicinity of the Home Industries shed found refuge from the downpour in this commodious building, while others kept under the awnings of some of the side show tents. Fortunately the shower did not last very long and soon afterwards the trek homewards commenced. Snow at Palmerston North. When visiting Marton yesterday a Wanganui resident was told that there had been a fall of snow at Palmerston North while it was also noticed that the Tararuas were heavily coated with white. No doubt this would account in a large measure for the cold conditions which have been experienced in this city. Although snow fell in Wanganui last year there has not been a heavy fall here for something like 30 years. Valuable Xylophone. Probably few people have had a close view of the Marimba xylophone owned by the Bridges Trio, and now being exhibited in a window in Victoria Avenue. The instrument is the best of its kind in New Zealand, measuring eight feet four inches in length and costing £l7O. The trio have always been willing to help any charitable cause, and will be using the instrument at the orchestral concert in the Majestic Theatre on Sunday. An Awkward Corner.

The angle formed where Pitt and Plymouth Streets abu on to Somme Parade makes an awkward corner for pedestrians to negotiate, for they cross the two streets diagonally. Thus they have some sixty yards to cover, most of the distance on the open street. A cyclist remarked last night that he had noticed a woman wheeling a perambulator have a narrow escape from being run down by a motor car travelling up Somme Parade toward Aramoho. The fact that the motorist was on his correct side emphasised the necessity for caution on the part of those using the road at this point.

Married Women Teachers. Although the Wanganui Education Board has decided that no action should be taken with regard tu the dismissal of married women teachers in the employ of the Board, legal notice of dismissal within three months is to be served by the Auckland Education Board upon 54 of the married women teachers in its employment. This course, which was decided upon at a meeting of the board in committee, follows the resolution passed at a previous meeting. The dismissals will be subject to the result of a declaratory judgment upon the powers of the board which will be sought at an early date in the Supreme Court.

The “Stony” Age, When addressing the gathering at the opening of the art and crafts exhibition at the Sarjeant Art Gallery yesterday afternoon Mr Louis Cohen had an amusing story to tell. A father was talking to his son, said Mr Cohen, about the various ages through which the world had passed, namely the bronze age, the stone age and so on. “What is the age in which we live now, father?” asked the lad. Somewhat perplexed the father was- at loss for the moment as to how he should answer the question but remembering the recent upheavals of salaries by what is commonly known as the ten per cent, cut he replied, “Well, my boy, I think we must now be living in the ‘stony’ age.”

Sheep Dog Trials At the Wanganui Winter Show yesterday a start was made with the sheep dog trials and the judge, Mr A. Hunter, narrowed the contest down to the final tour dogs. These will be run over the course this afternoon to d *cide the championship. Mr T. Sullivan’s “Smoke,” which won at Kai Iwi recently, Mr F. King’s “Roy,” Mr M. O’Shannessy’s “Pat,” and Mr F. King’s “Lochinvar” are the four en I rants remaining to contest the final, which is expected to result in very close competition. It is every bit ' worth while watching a sheep dog work and display that uncanny understanding which brings him almost level in the animal kingdom with man himself. Drinking Methylated Spirits.

Six months’ imprisonment each was the term imposed on two men who appeared in the Magistrate’s Court yesterday, after being found drunk on the Marangai Hill the day before with »wo empty methylated spirits bottles beside them. A tobacco tin lid had been used as a cup. The men were William Adamson and .Robert Burns. In Court. Senior-Sergeant McLean said that they two had only been released recently from gaol. They had been wandering about the streets and the river bank and had been drinking methylated spirits. They were dirty and were not in the habit of looking for work. The Magistrate commented that some time they might be found dead from exposure. The Disappearing Petrol Tin. The extent to which the petrol Bowsers have replaced the homely petrol tin for the sale of motor spirit was forcibly brought home to a scribe the other day. Desiring but one tin for conversion ‘o household needs, over half a dozen motor firms were visited, without result. Finally a linn dealing in case petrol was called on, which had a pile of about 50 empties available. “You are lucky, explained Ihe storeman, us frequently, in the spring and summe: season, we don’t have a tin in the place., as they are much in demand by farmcis for sending. vegetables, tallow, and other things to the markets and tins have been sent as far afield as Tarn naki ami Palmerston. They now bring 2d and 3d each, while cases common I a market price of bd each.”